bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Different Technologies and Methods to Increase the Shelf Life and Maintain the Sulforaphane Content in Broccoli: A Review
Authors: R Girisha. , Pandav Ajay Kumar , S Satheesh. , Devi Rajkumari Asha , Gatla Srinidhi
Published: June 2024

Broccoli, a nutrient-rich vegetable known for its sulforaphane content and health benefits, faces challenges related to its short shelf life and susceptibility to spoilage. This study explores various techniques to maintain sulforaphane content and extend broccoli's shelf life. Freezing, although effective for long-term preservation, involves blanching that inactivates myrosinase, preventing sulforaphane formation. Cold storage at 4-5°C slows respiration and senescence, extending shelf life up to 14 days while preserving bioactive compounds. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) enhances shelf life by altering the package atmosphere, with active packaging using 15% CO2 and 7.5% O2 at 0°C proving particularly effective in reducing bacterial growth and preserving quality. Light exposure, especially with yellow LED lights and moderate UV treatment, retains high levels of glucosinolates and phenolic compounds. Irradiation effectively eliminates pathogens and preserves visual quality, with gamma irradiation slowing the oxidation of phenols and ascorbic acid, although further research is needed on its sensory and nutritional effects. High-pressure processing (HPP), a non-thermal method, significantly boosts sulforaphane bioactivity by converting glucosinolates at pressures up to 600 MPa, despite challenges such as high costs and operational safety, and prevents microbial growth, extending shelf life while maintaining nutritional quality. Additionally, techniques like steaming for optimal durations, microwaving at high power for short times, and stir-frying help preserve sulforaphane content during cooking. Preharvest chemical treatments like chitosan and calcium also enhance broccoli's defence mechanisms and bioactive compound levels. Overall, these methods offer a comprehensive approach to preserving sulforaphane content and extending broccoli's shelf life, providing valuable insights to enhance the storage, quality, and health benefits of broccoli for consumers.
Leveraging Digital Transformation for Enhanced Risk Mitigation and Compliance in Pharma Manufacturing
Authors: Ullagaddi P.
Published: June 2024

As the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry embraces digital transformation, innovative technologies are being adopted to improve risk management and regulatory compliance. The present study investigates the application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things, and advanced data analytics in this sector. Integrating these technologies is essential for tackling product quality, patient safety, and operational efficiency challenges. Although the potential benefits are significant, there is a scarcity of comprehensive studies on the implementation and impact of digital technologies, specifically in the context of risk management and regulatory compliance within pharmaceutical manufacturing. The current study aims to address this gap by exploring how digital technologies can be utilized to enable real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, proactive quality control, and streamlined regulatory compliance processes. Through a systematic literature review and analysis of case studies, best practices, challenges, and strategies for successful digital transformation in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry are examined. The results emphasize the remarkable potential of digital technologies to enhance risk management, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive operational excellence. The central message conveyed is that embracing digital transformation is crucial for pharmaceutical companies to maintain competitiveness, mitigate risks, and deliver high-quality, safe medicines to patients. Furthermore, the necessity for collaboration between industry stakeholders and regulators to promote innovation while upholding rigorous quality and safety standards is highlighted.
Structure and Biomechanics of Biological Composites
Authors: Screen Hazel R. C. , Tanner K. Elizabeth
Published: July 2012

Human movement depends on the muscloskeletal system. Three major structural elements in the skeleton, namely, bones, tendons, and ligament, are all composite materials and are of biological origin. In this chapter, the behavior of tendon and ligament is considered, materials are composites at multiple levels, from the individual fibril level up to the entire structures. Both consist of collagen and elastin, but the amounts of each varied, producing different materials responses to both quasi static and dynamic loading. In addition, they are smart, materials reacting to their mechanical environment. Furthermore, both are crimped giving four phases within the stress–strain curves. The major load bearing tendons are stiffer and store more energy during loading, while ligaments control the relative motion of joints and have a higher strain to failure.
CeramicMatrixComposites: Carbon Fiber Reinforced
Authors: Samal Subhranshu S. , Lanka Manoj
Published: July 2012

Ceramic matrix composites today are being developed for applications in thermal structures, heat exchangers, and a number of applications involving extreme conditions. Nanofibers have great potential for enhancing the properties of ceramic composites. In the recent years, there has been a growing interest in carbon nanofiber (CNF) because of its excellent chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. Therefore, CNFs are being applied as composite reinforcement fiber within polymer and ceramic matrices to take advantage of these characteristics. This work describes the production of CNFs and their use as reinforcements for ceramic matrix composites.
Creep
Authors: DiBenedetto Anthony T.
Published: July 2012

Creep is a measure of the dimensional instability of materials and is usually designated experimentally as the time‐dependent component of the strain that occurs as a result of the application of a constant stress at constant temperature. Since laboratory data are taken over a short period of time relative to the required life expectancy of a product in service, one must use judicious extrapolation techniques based on realistic phenomenological modeling of material behavior to estimate realistic values for the useful lifetime of a product in service. A summary of the theoretical models based on linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity of organic matrix‐based composites and the plasticity of metal and ceramic‐based composites are presented. Empirical methods of combining analytical models with extrapolation techniques for characterization of long‐term creep in composites are described.
Environmental Resistance of High Performance Polymeric Matrices and Composites
Authors: Mensitieri Giuseppe , Scherillo Giuseppe
Published: July 2012

The issue of environmental resistance of polymer matrix composites (PMC) is addressed focusing on the effects of low molecular weight (m.w.) compounds, including moisture. Sorption thermodynamics and mass transport of low m.w. compounds is first reviewed with reference to neat polymer matrices, illustrating Fickian and anomalous diffusion and describing the role of stresses that develop within the polymer in association with mass transport. The cases of thermoplastic and thermoset polymers, both in the glassy and rubbery states, are treated under the theoretical and experimental viewpoints. The effect of penetrant sorption in glassy polymers is then analyzed in terms of depression of glass transition temperature. Theoretical approaches are reviewed, aimed at the quantitative prediction of plasticization of glassy polymers. Subsequently, the specific case of PMCs is addressed, highlighting the role of the geometric effect and of the mechanical constraint effect of reinforcing elements on mass transport and associated stress development. The role of damage development, in terms of microcracking, debonding, and macrocracking, which occur as a consequence of penetrant ingress into the composite, is analyzed evidencing its contribution to mass transport mechanism.
Flammability of Polymer Composites
Authors: Bellucci Federica , Camino Giovanni
Published: July 2012

The most pressing requirements in the present and future predictable scenarios for materials and technologies, concern energy saving, natural resources preservation, and minimization of environmental impact. Composite polymer materials can play a major role in energy saving in the transport sector which is of primary strategic importance for industrial, commercial, and leisure activities. However, one of the main concerns in using polymer composites is their flammability. In order to harvest all the remarkable economic and environmental savings connected with the use of the advanced polymer composites already available or under development, the flammability issue has to be addressed properly. Flame retardants are intended to slow down or to stop the polymer combustion process.

This article intends to give a wide overview of polymer flammability, from the fire‐retardant action to the latest strategies developed to meet the fire regulation requirements.
Fracture: Toughness
Authors: Yang Qingda , Giancaspro James W.
Published: July 2012

This article begins by reviewing the analytical solutions that have been used to interpret fracture toughness from composite fracture testing using beam‐like geometries. It has been demonstrated that the crack length corrections needed for estimation of mode I and mode II energy release rates (ERRs)cannotbe used as simple additions to physical crack lengths for analytical specimen compliance calculations (which have been used in the literature). Improved analytical expressions for ERR, specimen compliance, and load versus load‐point displacement relationships have been rederived for generally orthotropic double cantilever beam (DCB) (mode I), end‐loaded split (ELS) and end‐notched flexure (ENF) (mode II), and MMB (mixed‐mode bending) specimens based on the framework of Andrews and Massabo 1. These new solutions account for the effects of transverse shear and crack‐tip rotations and are accurate for both short and long beams within 2% as long as the length‐to‐thickness ratio of each subbeam is > 2λ−1/4. The crack‐tip rotation effects on an indeterminate single cantilever beam (SCB) specimen with varying mixed‐mode ratio have also been investigated. This investigation was facilitated by establishing a solving procedure with explicit consideration of crack‐tip rotations. It has been found that the crack‐tip rotation not only changes the specimen compliance but also affects the distribution of end reaction forces and moments at the specimen boundaries. Consequently, these influence the crack‐tip ERR and phase angle. Through direct comparisons with the benchmark results obtained using rigorous two‐dimensional finite‐element analysis, it has been shown that the analytical solutions can accurately capture the convoluted crack‐tip rotation effects and can offer excellent predictions on the end reaction forces and moments, fracture loads, and crack‐tip phase angles (as functions of crack length). However, if crack‐tip rotations are not considered, the beam theory results can have significant error, especially for short beams with high degree of material orthotropy.
In SituComposites
Authors: Amendola Eugenio , Nobile Maria Rossella , Carfagna Cosimo
Published: July 2012

Blending of thermotropic liquid‐crystalline polymers (TLCP) with thermoplastic matrices resulted in a complex biphasic morphology. Thein situformation of reinforcing phase constituted by TLCP inclusion affected the processing parameters of blends and their mechanical and physical–chemical properties. A dramatic decrease in the melt viscosity and the formation and elongation of the liquid‐crystal polymer droplets were observed under proper processing conditions when a limited amount (5–10% by weight) of TLCP was added. The extent of reinforcing effect was controlled by the amount of TLCP, its morphology (i.e., elongated fibrils vs round‐shaped particles) and the interphase adhesion between matrix and liquid‐crystalline inclusions. Fiber spinning experiments showed that opportune drawing conditions were necessary to improve the composite modulus. The viscosity ratio between the two phases is the main parameter controlling the ability to transfer the elongational stress from the matrix to molten TLCP inclusions. The morphology of the blends was correlated with the rheological and mechanical properties.
Laminates: Static Strength
Authors: Kant Tarun , Swaminathan K. , Jha Dhirendra Kumar
Published: July 2012

General analytical formulations for statics of composites and sandwiches based on several plate models including higher order ones are presented. A detailed presentation is given for two higher order models, one for symmetric and another for unsymmetric laminate, which incorporate the effects of transverse shear deformation, transverse normal strain/stress, and a nonlinear variation of in‐plane displacements with respect to thickness coordinate—thus modeling the warping of transverse cross sections more accurately and eliminating the need for shear correction coefficients. A few higher order theories and the first‐order theory developed by other investigators are also described briefly.
Marine Composites
Authors: Davies Peter
Published: July 2012

Composite materials are widely used in marine applications. This article first introduces the marine environment. Then the most common marine materials are described, both laminates and sandwich materials, and examples are given for different surface and underwater vessels. Composites used in other marine structures are then discussed, and the article ends with a short discussion of durability.
Mechanical Behavior of Composites for Construction
Authors: Ascione Luigi , Feo Luciano
Published: July 2012

This article deals with the mechanical behavior of so‐called FRP (fiber‐reinforced polymers), which are materials composed of long continuous fibers embedded in a polymeric matrix. The emphasis is mainly placed on the aspects that are of interest to civil engineering.

In the first section, the constitutive behavior of such materials is examined. From a macroscopic point of view, FRPs can be considered linear elastic orthotropic materials up to failure and elastically homogeneous.

Composites for construction are frequently made of thin sheets bonded together to form a laminate; thus, plane‐stress conditions often occur. The simplified expression of the relationship between stresses and strains for such case is specifically examined.

In the same section, the main failure criteria are also analyzed.

The second section deals with the mechanical behavior of composite plates. They are widely used in technical applications due to the possibility to assemble layers with various thicknesses and different fiber inclinations, which can be opportunely chosen by the designer in order to obtain the required strength and stiffness.

The model examined is known asFirst‐order Shear Deformation Theory(FSDT). It is widely adopted by the majority of the calculation codes currently available.

The third and final section deals with the mechanical behavior of FRP pultruded thin‐walled beams. From a constitutive point of view, they can be supposed to be linear elastic, homogeneous, and transversely isotropic with the isotropic plane perpendicular to the axis of the beam and parallel to the direction of the fibers. Pultruded beams are now being used in civil engineering both as principal and secondary members. The kinematic model here presented is a generalization of the classical Vlasov one. It is able to take into account the contribution of the shear deformability.

The lateral buckling problem of such beams is also analyzed. In particular, some numerical results are presented for the case of an “I” beam constrained by torsional supports at the ends and subjected to a uniform distributed load applied to the upper flange of the beam. Various ratios between the values of the normal and the tangential elasticity moduli of the beam are considered. Comparisons with the less conservative results obtained through Vlasov theory are also presented.
Natural Fibers
Authors: Kozlowski Ryszard , Muzyczek Malgorzata , Kregielczak Agnieszka
Published: July 2012

The natural fibers, lignocellulosic and protein, are well known to mankind from more than 7000 years BC. They are renewable and sustainable and are characterized by important properties such as good air permeability, hydroscopicity, and giving up moisture, no release of substances harmful to health, no allergic effect, biodegradability, and safer behavior in fire conditions, in comparison to man‐made fibers. Most of the lignocellulosic fibrous plants' raw materials such as cotton, flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, sisal, ramie, curava, pinaple, bambo, coir, and also protein—wool and silk, can be extracted, processed, modified—functionalized, and used in production of textiles (woven, knittings, nonwoven, technical, and 3D textiles as reinforcement of more friendly composites, in the field of pulp and paper, agro‐fine chemicals, and woody core as a source of energy). Special treatment and functionalization such as enzymatic, ultrasound, plasma, corona, liquid ammonia, flame retardancy, and protection against biodeterioration provide new promising features and properties of these fibers and semiproducts such as roving, yarns, and special knittings and fabrics. The production of these fibers is expected at the level of 35‐40 million tonnes/year in the middle of twenty‐first century. The new emerging potential of genetically modified (GM) natural fibers provides them better performance, including yield of major products such as fiber cellulose (in case of lignocellulosic plants) and carbohydrates and to obtain,
in statu nascendi
, in plants, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) such as polyhydroxy butyrate (PBA) (natural polyester). Also interesting is the idea of novel fibrous plants containing the nano‐fibers, GM—plants with controlled level of lignin and pectin substances. Attractive is also biosilk—like spider silk for future production, not only as apparel but also for special composites used in extreme working conditions. Summing up, twenty‐first century is the century of coexistence and competition of natural fibers with man‐made fibers, especially in the area of quality, sustainability, and economy of their production.
Needlepunched Composite Structures
Authors: Seyam Abdel‐Fattah
Published: July 2012

This article describes the formation of preforms using needlepunching technology, which is a mechanical bonding technique, and the prior processes (carding, carding and crosslapping, and air lay) that may be used to form fiberwebs. The impact of processing variables and needle parameters on the needled preform properties, which influence the final composite performance, is reviewed. Methods of resin infusion that are required to convert needled preforms to final composites are given along with their features. Finally, applications of needlepunched composites are provided with their constituent and competitive approaches.
Osmotic Effects
Authors: Larobina Domenico , Sanguigno Luigi
Published: July 2012

When a solvent, usually water, is allowed to diffuse into a composite structure and a soluble solute is present therein, an osmotic pressure sets in at the composite interface drawing more solvent into the structure. The phenomenon is of particular importance in composite materials since dramatic structural effects can develop. In this article, after a brief description of the osmotic phenomenon and the thermodynamic variables affecting it (e.g., concentration and pressure), we turn our attention to the more practical problem of how osmosis occurs inside a composite, particularly in glass‐reinforced polymers. Then, we continue our description exploring the consequence of osmosis in a composite: this is a well‐known technological problem referred to in the literature asblistering. We conclude the article by giving some hints on how to prevent blistering inside a composite.
Polymer–Clay Nanocomposites
Authors: Kamal Musa R. , Uribe‐Calderon Jorge
Published: July 2012

The incorporation of nanoparticles in polymer matrices leads to improvements in several physical properties. As a result, nanocomposites have the potential to be used in various fields such as medical devices, automotive and aerospace applications, packaging, and building materials. This article attempts to describe the various types of nanoparticles and polymeric systems that have been involved in nanocomposite production. Particular emphasis is placed on polymer‐clay nanocomposites, their properties, and the issues related to their production. Thermoplastic, thermoset, biopolymer, and rubber matrices are considered. The effects of nanoclay particles on the physical properties is reported, with due consideration to rheology, mechanical, thermal, barrier and electrical properties, and crystalline morphology. Thermodynamic aspects influencing nanocomposite synthesis, deagglomeration‐delamination of nanoclay and surface energy considerations are discussed. Successful nanocomposite synthesis leading to desirable performance characteristics requires uniform nanoparticle distribution and acceptable levels of exfoliation and/or intercalation of clay, in addition to good interfacial adhesion at the polymer‐clay interface.
Polymer–Polymer Composites
Authors: Yu Long , Liu Hongsheng
Published: July 2012

This article discusses the development of polymer–polymer composites, including the fundamental sciences such as the design principles and mechanisms, as well as their preparation techniques and potential application areas. The advantages of such self‐reinforced composite (SRC) systems include the achievement of perfect interfaces between components, their pure chemical functionality, and their higher value as recyclable products due to their relative homogeneity compared to composites composed of different classes of components. The key challenge in developing SRCs is increasing the difference between the thermal processing temperatures of the matrix and the reinforcement (particles or fibers), which are essentially the same material. This article focuses mainly on the most reported systems, that is, those based on polyolefin and polyester.
Fiber Surface Treatment: Relevance to Interfacial Characteristics
Authors: Netravali Anil N. , Mittal Kashmiri L.
Published: July 2012

Fiber‐reinforced composites are used in many applications, particularly in replacing metals, because of their high specific strength and stiffness. Composite properties are not only a function of the fiber and the resin used but also the fiber/resin interfacial characteristics. In fact, some important properties such as transverse strength, fracture toughness, and even the modulus and flexural properties of the composites depend on how well the fiber is bonded to the resin. As a result, controlling the fiber/resin interfacial characteristics is important to obtain the desired composite properties. This article discusses the factors that control the fiber/resin interfacial shear strength (IFSS) and some of the methods currently used including plasma, laser, high power ion beam (HPIB), and coupling agents to modify the fiber surface characteristics such as topography, chemistry, and surface energy.
FRP
Prestressed Concrete Structures
Authors: Lignola Gian Piero , Di Ludovico Marco , Prota Andrea , Manfredi Gaetano
Published: July 2012

Reinforced and prestressed concrete (RC and PC) structures are facing a worldwide problem, which is the corrosion of steel as a result of aging and aggressive environments. Steel corrosion leads to member degradation, endangers structural integrity, and may even cause catastrophic failures. Research has been carried out to find the solution for this problem. Fiber‐reinforced polymers (FRP) have been proposed for use in lieu of steel prestressing tendons in concrete structures. The promise of FRP materials lies in their high strength, lightweight and noncorrosive, nonconducting, and nonmagnetic properties.

The interest in the use of FRP composites in PC is mainly based on durability issues. Corrosion of prestressing steel tendons can cause severe deterioration of infrastructure. Properties such as high tensile strength and high resistance to corrosion make FRP composites good candidates for prestressed and posttensioned tendons. Moreover, unlike steel RC sections, members reinforced with FRP bars have relatively small stiffness after cracking. Therefore, serviceability requirements have also been examined. Furthermore, premature creep rupture and weak transverse properties of FRP tendons provide peculiar issues in prestressing application.
Sensors in Composites
Authors: Chung Deborah D. L.
Published: July 2012

Sensors in the form of composite materials are addressed, with emphasis on composite materials that are structural materials. The structure and properties of these sensors and the methodology of the sensing are covered. The attributes sensed include strain, stress, damage, temperature, and the occurrence of a chemical process.
Vibration and Damping of Composite Structures
Authors: Paonessa Antonio
Published: July 2012

Today the composite materials are more and more used to provide structure for several industrial applications. The aeronautic industry is coming the last in this material user community, but recently the use in aeronautic is increasing, in fact if in the past the composite (mainly, carbon fiber based) have been used for non critical structure components, like small doors or firings, today the use has been applied to wing and tail components, recently the use has been enlarged to the main fuselage structure. One of the important design requirements of this new structure is to comply with the very demanding constraints related to the vibration and correlated sound generation.

There are many applications in which the vibration response of structures is important. These include, among others, noise and vibration control techniques applied to different structures: small, as an example, a tennis rackets or very large as an aircraft. In these examples, the dynamic properties of structures can contribute to excessive vibration, which produces high noise levels, fatigue failure, premature wear, operator discomfort, and unsafe operating conditions. Laminated composites can be effective in eliminating vibration and sound. This is a recent technological development, and this article provides an introduction and hopefully stirs the interest of engineers and other product development people. The process by which a polymer converts vibration energy to heat is known asdamping. The process by which a polymer, or anything else, is moistened by water is known asdampening. This article deals with the first of these terms.

After reviewing the basic concepts and definitions of vibration, this article discusses methods of vibration analysis, which include macromechanical and micromechanical modeling. This is followed by an introduction to the experimental determination of composite vibration response. The effects of material variables and structural parameters on the composite vibration are discussed in a subsequent section. Finally, a section is devoted to a review of the application of vibration techniques and concepts to noise control, composite design, and nondestructive evaluation (NDE).
Styrenic Composites
Authors: McCarthy R. A.
Published: July 2012

In this article several examples of styrenic composites are discussed. The first example discusses glass fiber reinforcement of polystyrene that was developed in the late 1940s to enhance the modest physical properties of this commodity plastic. After this date there was a continuous evolution of styrene composites. Styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) and terpolymer acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) were glass fiber reinforced and their properties and application are discussed in the article.

Finally the properties of styrenic composites developed to meet the requirement of structural applications, such as in the automotive industry, that continued to demand higher heat‐resistant materials with high tensile strength.
Systems Avionics Applications
Authors: Accardo Domenico
Published: July 2012

The adoption of composite materials for avionics applications is discussed here. The term
avionics
includes all electronic equipments installed onboard an aircraft. First, the typical architecture of onboard avionics is introduced, including the most common subsystems and interfaces. Subsequently, the avionics parts that are more frequently made with composite materials are presented, such as racks, electronics enclosures, and thermal planes (heat sinks). Finally, the most important issues involving the replacement of metallic parts with composite ones are discussed. In this framework, an in‐depth description of heat transfer (HT) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues is reported since these are the ones that require distinctive solutions by designers with respect to metallic units.
Wood‐Based Composite Board
Authors: Cai Zhiyong
Published: July 2012

General composition, materials, and processes used to manufacture wood‐based composite boards are described in this article. Conventional wood‐based composite panels intended for general construction and/or interior use and the mechanical properties of these types of composite panels are presented and discussed.
Evolution of Strength and Homogeneity in a Magnesium AZ31 Alloy Processed by High‐Pressure Torsion at Different Temperatures
Authors: Huang Yi , Figueiredo Roberto B. , Baudin Thierry , Brisset François , Langdon Terence G.
Published: July 2012

Processing through the application of severe plastic deformation (SPD) is attractive because it produces significant grain refinement and high strength. The standard procedure for performing SPD processing is through the use of equal‐channel angular pressing (ECAP) but in practice it is difficult to perform ECAP on the magnesium AZ31 alloy at room temperature because the material cracks or exhibits segmentation. This difficulty was avoided in the present investigation by processing the alloy using high‐pressure torsion (HPT). The results show that HPT provides an excellent procedure for producing significant grain refinement in the AZ31 alloy. At temperatures of 296 and 373 K, the processed grain sizes are in the submicrometer range and there is an evolution toward microstructural homogeneity after 5 turns. By contrast, at the higher temperature of 473 K, which is a typical temperature for ECAP, the grains grow during the processing operation.
Printed and Electrochemically Gated, High‐Mobility, Inorganic Oxide Nanoparticle FETs and Their Suitability for High‐Frequency Applications
Authors: Dasgupta Subho , Stoesser Ganna , Schweikert Nina , Hahn Ramona , Dehm Simone , Kruk Robert , Hahn Horst
Published: July 2012

Solution‐processed or printed n‐channel field‐effect transistors (FETs) with high performance are not reported very often in the literature due to the scarcity of high‐mobility n‐type organic semiconductors. On the other hand, low‐temperature processed n‐channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistors from electron conducting inorganic‐oxide nanoparticles show reduced‐performance and low mobility because of large channel roughness at the channel‐dielectric interface. Here, a method to produce ink‐jet printed high performance NMOS transistor devices using inorganic‐oxide nanoparticles as the transistor channel in combination with a 3D electrochemical gating (EG) via printed composite solid polymer electrolytes is presented. The printed FETs produced show a device mobility value in excess of 5 cm2 V−1 s−1, even though the root mean square (RMS) roughness of the nanoparticulate channel exceeds 15 nm. Extensive studies on the frequency dependent polarizability of composite polymer electrolyte capacitors show that the maximum attainable speed in such printed, long channel transistors is not limited by the ionic conductivity of the electrolytes. Therefore, the approach of combining printable, high‐quality oxide nanoparticles and the composite solid polymer electrolytes, offers the possibility to fully utilize the large mobility of oxide semiconductors to build all‐printed and high‐speed devices. The high polarizability of printable polymer electrolytes brings down the drive voltages to ≤1 V, making such FETs well‐suited for low‐power, battery compatible circuitry.
“Heroic” Asylum Seekers from Around the World: Creating a Future from a Traumatic Past
Authors: Eisold Barbara
Published: July 2012

This paper describes a multi‐national group of political asylum seekers, designated as “heroes” because they seem to have chosen to resist, when instead they might simply have moved elsewhere. Inspection reveals that they are also chosen by their families to continue a tradition of resistance, which has existed across generations. Once it is their turn, they endure repeated incidents of torture at the hands of oppressors, until finally they are threatened with death. Then, unlike their predecessors, they change course entirely and flee. This action is accomplished with considerable help from their families. Unlike two other resister groups, who tended to remain in the resistor role until they reached victory or death, “heroic” asylum seekers relinquish the thrill of the fight and take flight, seemingly because of a family mandate to do so, in order to move the family elsewhere. An attempt is made to understand the complex motivation behind these acts from a psychoanalytic perspective. What happens once they arrive here, however, is hard to predict. Brief follow‐up data indicates that successful adjustment is not guaranteed and will depend on a set of strengths similar to those required of all immigrants. These include a solid early attachment history, past adult experiences which have been affirming, and considerable local group support. In addition, access to services for the survivors of torture can be useful, although referral to these is (shockingly) happenstance. Thus, despite the peaceful trend their arrival may represent, many forces must come together if its goal is to be achieved. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of housing prices by GEE and GLMM methodologies: a longitudinal study
Authors: Pardo M.C. , Pérez T.
Published: July 2012

The Spanish economic crisis has led to a significant reduction in housing sales, and therefore, there has been a decrease in housing prices. In this paper, we analyze changes in the average housing price throughout Spain. We use quarterly data from a random sample of 150 municipalities from the first quarter (Q1) of 2005, before the financial crisis started, to Q1 2010. Our analysis uses generalized estimating equation and generalized linear mixed model approaches. Data published for Q2, Q3, and Q4 2010 are compared with the data fitted using these models. Finally, the methods are compared with time‐series models. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved vaccines through targeted manipulation of the body's immunological risk‐assessment?
Authors: Sander Leif E.
Published: July 2012

Recent advances have highlighted the outstanding role of the innate immune system for instructing adaptive immunity. Translating this knowledge into successful immunotherapies like vaccines, however, has proven to be a difficult task. This essay is based on the hypothesis that immune responses are tightly scaled to the infectious threat posed by a given microbial stimulus. A meticulous immunological risk‐assessment process is therefore instrumental for eliciting well‐balanced responses and maintaining immune homeostasis. The immune system makes fine distinctions, for example, between live and dead bacteria, or pathogenic and non‐pathogenic microorganisms. Here, I discuss recent evidence for some of the mechanisms underlying these distinctions and speculate on strategies for therapeutically targeting the immunological risk‐assessment machinery.
Development of a sensitive GC‐C‐IRMS method for the analysis of androgens
Authors: Polet Michael , Van Gansbeke Wim , Deventer Koen , Van Eenoo Peter
Published: July 2012

The administration of anabolic steroids is one of the most important issues in doping control and is detectable through a change in the carbon isotopic composition of testosterone and/or its metabolites. Gas chromatography‐combustion‐isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC‐C‐IRMS), however, remains a very laborious and expensive technique and substantial amounts of urine are needed to meet the sensitivity requirements of the IRMS. This can be problematic because only a limited amount of urine is available for anti‐doping analysis on a broad spectrum of substances. In this work we introduce a new type of injection that increases the sensitivity of GC‐C‐IRMS by a factor of 13 and reduces the limit of detection, simply by using solvent vent injections instead of splitless injection. This drastically reduces the amount of urine required. On top of that, by only changing the injection technique, the detection parameters of the IRMS are not affected and there is no loss in linearity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Volcano Relations for Oxidation of Hydrogen Halides over Rutile Oxide Surfaces
Authors: Toftelund Anja , Man Isabela C. , Hansen Heine A. , Abild‐Pedersen Frank , Bligaard Thomas , Rossmeisl Jan , Studt Felix
Published: July 2012

We investigate the heterogeneously catalysed oxidation of HX (X=Cl, Br and I) on the RuO2 (1 1 0) surface with DFT. We also solve a micro‐kinetic model of HX oxidation and compare oxidation activity at different coverages. We further establish linear energy relations for the reaction intermediates over a range of different rutile oxide surfaces. Based on the scaling relations, two descriptors are identified that describe the reactions uniquely. By combining scaling with the micro‐kinetic model, activity volcanoes for the three different oxidation reactions are derived. It is found that the commonly used RuO2 catalyst for HCl oxidation is closest to optimal for all three oxidation processes.
KLONOS: Similarity‐based planning tool support for porting scientific applications
Authors: Ding Wei , Hsu Chung‐Hsing , Hernandez Oscar , Chapman Barbara , Graham Richard
Published: July 2012

In this paper, we propose a methodology to address an important aspect of software porting that receives little attention, namely planning support. When a scientific application consisting of many subroutines is to be ported, the selection of key subroutines greatly impacts the productivity and overall porting strategy because these subroutines may represent a significant feature of the code in terms of functionality, code structure, or performance. They may as well serve as indicators of the difficulty and amount of effort involved in porting a code to a new platform. The proposed methodology is based on the idea that a set of similar subroutines can be ported with similar strategies and result in a similar‐quality porting. By viewing subroutines as data and operator sequences, analogous to DNA sequences, we are able to use various bioinformatics techniques to conduct the similarity analysis of subroutines while mitigating NP‐complete challenges of other approaches. To the best of our knowledge, we are one of the first to explore this bio‐inspired view of program to target the porting planning problem. In this paper, we describe our methodology and present a tool called Klonos to facilitate the execution of the methodology, which integrates to well known bioinformatics tools. As a proof of concept, we use Klonos to conduct experiments to find strategies for porting of several scientific benchmarks and applications. We also have identified some of the advantages and limitations of the bio‐inspired view of a program code and the future work. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of AACVD Processing Parameters on the Growth of Greenockite (CdS) Thin Films using a Single‐Source Cadmium Precursor
Authors: Ehsan Muhammad Ali , Ming Huang Nay , Misran Misni , Arifin Zainudin , Tiekink Edward R. T. , Safwan Ahmad P. , Ebadi Mehdi , Basirun Wan J. , Mazhar Muhammad
Published: July 2012

Greenockite (CdS) nanostructured thin films are deposited on soda and FTO conducting glass substrates by aerosol‐assisted (AA)CVD using a single‐source precursor bis‐(N,N‐dicylcohexyldithiocarbamato)(pyridine)cadmium(II), Cd[S2CNCy2]2.py (1), in pyridine, toluene, and THF solutions in the temperature range 350–450 °C. The precursor 1, characterized by physicochemical methods, undergoes facile thermal decomposition at 350 °C to give a stable residual mass of CdS. The thin films deposited from pyridine solution, and characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), UV‐vis spectroscopy, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) techniques, exhibit a band gap of 2.4 eV and a photocurrent density of 1.3 mA cm−2 at 0.4 V versus Ag/AgCl/3M KCl, suggesting their suitability for application in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells.
DSM‐5 reduces the proportion of ednos cases: Evidence from community samples
Authors: Machado Paulo P.P. , Gonçalves Sónia , Hoek Hans W.
Published: July 2012

Objective:

Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) constitute the most common eating disorder among those seeking treatment at eating disorder facilities; they are even more common among persons with eating disorders the community. This study compares the impact of applying the revised diagnostic criteria proposed by the DSM‐5 workgroup, and the broad categories for the diagnosis of eating disorders (BCD‐ED) proposed by Walsh and Sysko on the prevalence of EDNOS.

Method:

In two nationwide epidemiological studies the prevalence of eating disorders among female high school (n = 2,028) and university students (n = 1,020) was examined using DSM‐IV criteria. We used a two‐stage design, administering a questionnaire in the first stage and an interview in the second stage.

Results:

In the combined samples 118 cases of eating disorders (DSM‐IV) were detected, of which 86 were diagnosed as EDNOS (72.9%). Application of the DSM‐5 criteria reduced the number of EDNOS cases to 60 (50.8%) or to 52 (44%), when using a BMI <18.5 as cutoff for “significantly low weight” criterion in AN; with the use of BCD‐ED criteria, only 5 (4.2%) cases of EDNOS remained.

Discussion:

Proposed criteria set for DSM‐5 substantially reduce the number of EDNOS cases. However, the BCD‐ED scheme further reduces its proportion, almost eliminating it. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2013)
The genetics of phenotypic plasticity.XI. Joint evolution of plasticity and dispersal rate
Authors: Scheiner Samuel M. , Barfield Michael , Holt Robert D.
Published: July 2012

In a spatially heterogeneous environment, the rate at which individuals move among habitats affects whether selection favors phenotypic plasticity or genetic differentiation, with high dispersal rates favoring trait plasticity. Until now, in theoretical explorations of plasticity evolution, dispersal rate has been treated as a fixed, albeit probabilistic, characteristic of a population, raising the question of what happens when the propensity to disperse and trait plasticity are allowed to evolve jointly. We examined the effects of their joint evolution on selection for plasticity using an individual‐based computer simulation model. In the model, the environment consisted of a linear gradient of 50 demes with dispersal occurring either before or after selection. Individuals consisted of loci whose phenotypic expression either are affected by the environment (plastic) or are not affected (nonplastic), plus a locus determining the propensity to disperse. When dispersal rate and trait plasticity evolve jointly, the system tends to dichotomous outcomes of either high trait plasticity and high dispersal, or low trait plasticity and low dispersal. The outcome strongly depended on starting conditions, with high trait plasticity and dispersal favored when the system started at high values for either trait plasticity or dispersal rate (or both). Adding a cost of plasticity tended to drive the system to genetic differentiation, although this effect also depended on initial conditions. Genetic linkage between trait plasticity loci and dispersal loci further enhanced this strong dichotomy in evolutionary outcomes. All of these effects depended on organismal life history pattern, and in particular whether selection occurred before or after dispersal. These results can explain why adaptive trait plasticity is less common than might be expected.
Estimation of potential barium sulfate (barite) precipitation in oilfield brines using a simple predictive tool
Authors: Bahadori Alireza , Zahedi Gholamreza , Zendehboudi Sohrab
Published: July 2012

Scale deposition is one of the most important and serious problems that limits and sometimes blocks oil and gas production by plugging the oil producing formation matrix or fractures and perforated intervals. One of the most insoluble substances formed from formation water (brine) and one that is very difficult to remove once formed on equipment, formation matrix or fractures and perforated intervals is barium sulfate. It is so insoluble that quantitative analysis methods for both barium and sulfate are based on the precipitation of barium sulfate. In this work a simple‐to‐use predictive tool is developed to estimate potential barium sulfate (barite) precipitation in oilfield brines that are predominantly sodium chloride solutions as a function of sodium chloride concentration and temperature. Estimations are found to be in excellent agreement with reported data in the literature with average absolute deviation being <1.3%. The tool developed in this study can be of immense practical value for experts and engineers to have a quick check of barium sulfate scale formation at various conditions without opting for any experimental trials. In particular, petroleum and process engineers would find the approach to be user‐friendly with transparent calculations involving no complex expressions. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 860–865, 2013
Fuel model development for the Greek East‐Mediterranean forest litter layer
Authors: Boboulos Miltiadis , Purvis Michael R.I. , Penchev Stanimir Ivanov
Published: July 2012

In order to develop fuel models used as input in wildland fire propagation models, it is necessary to determine relevant vegetation properties concerned with the prediction of the combustion process. This research considers property measurements of two biomass species, namely Pinus halepensis and Pinus brutia. Both species are commonly found in Greece and other Eastern Mediterranean countries. The physical application of the biomass properties relates to the structure of pine forest litter. Measurements have been recorded of the characteristics of the litter layer in situ, and common fuel properties have been determined in the laboratory using samples of the two litter species. In addition, DTA, TG and DTG analysis were performed of the two litter species. The results of the measurements are presented in a format suitable for input in fire propagation models. Comparisons of data have been made with those from other literature sources. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.