bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Systematic analysis about residual chloroform removal from PCL films
Authors: Teske Michael , Arbeiter Daniela , Schober Konstanze , Eickner Thomas , Grabow Niels 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
For fabrication of polymeric implants and drug carriers volatile organic solvents, such as chloroform, are widely used. In order to remove solvents for patient safety several processes have to be carried out to avoid changes in the thermal characteristics of the polymers, as well as in the drug release profile and mechanical properties. We analyzed films of the polymer poly(ε−caprolactone) (PCL), a common commercial medical grade polymer which is widely used in implants and drug carriers. Considering the influence on the morphology and thermal properties we screened different post treatment processes. Acceptable chloroform contents according to recommendations of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) without changes in morphology and crystallinity were achieved via a simple annealing process for 24 h at 40°C and 40 mbar.
Fluid-structure interaction in intracranial vessel walls: The role of patient-specific wall thickness
Authors: Voß Samuel , Saalfeld Sylvia , Hoffmann Thomas , Beuing Oliver , Janiga Gábor , Berg Philipp 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
Computational Fluid Dynamics studies try to support physicians during therapy planning of intracranial aneurysms. However, multiple assumptions (e.g. rigid vessel walls) are required leading to a sparse acceptance of numerical approaches within the medical community. This study incorporates multiple fluid-structural simulations for an intracranial basilar artery bifurcation. Based on a patient-specific dataset, which was acquired using optical coherence tomography, minimum, mean, maximum, and diameter-dependent thicknesses were generated and compared w.r.t. hemodynamic and wall stress parameters. The comparison of different wall thickness models revealed a strong variability among the analyzed parameters depending on the corresponding assumption. Using the patient-specific configuration as a reference, constant thicknesses lead to differences of up to 100 % in the mean wall stresses. Even the diameter-dependent thickness results in deviations of 32 %, demonstrating the wide variability of computational predictions due to inaccurate assumptions. The findings of this study highlight the importance of geometry reconstruction including accurate wall thickness reproduction for fluid-structure simulations. Patient-specific wall thickness seems to be out of alternatives regarding the realistic prediction of wall stress distributions.
Investigation of avascular tumor–immune system interactions using a CA–PDE model
Authors: Zylka Waldemar , Waßenberg Jörg 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
We report on investigations that illustrate the interaction between the specific immune system and a young avascular tumor growing due to a diffusive nutrient supply. We formulate a hybrid cellular automata-partial differential equation (CA-PDE) model which includes cell cycle dynamics and allows for tracking the spatial and temporal evolution of this elaborate biological system. We present results of two dimensional numerical simulations that, specifically in this work, include special cases of the spherical and papillary tumor growth, the infiltration of immune system cells into the tumor and the escape of tumor cells from the regime of the immune cells.
Computational comparison of different textile implants to correct apical prolapse in females
Authors: Bhattarai Aroj , Staat Manfred 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
Prosthetic textile implants of different shapes, sizes and polymers are used to correct the apical prolapse after hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). The selection of the implant before or during minimally invasive surgery depends on the patient’s anatomical defect, intended function after reconstruction and most importantly the surgeon’s preference. Weakness or damage of the supporting tissues during childbirth, menopause or previous pelvic surgeries may put females in higher risk of prolapse. Numerical simulations of reconstructed pelvic floor with weakened tissues and organ supported by textile product models: DynaMesh®-PRS soft, DynaMesh®-PRP soft and DynaMesh®-CESA from FEG Textiletechnik mbH, Germany are compared.
Digital products and processes in dental technology
Authors: Wehmöller Michael , Rothgang Eva 
Published: September 2018

AbstractFollowing the VDMA guideline Industry 4.0 potential ways towards digitalization of production are illustrated using an example from dental technology. The special feature in medical engineering is the responsibility of the physician, particularly in the context of custom-made products. Data security, integrity, and traceability is mandatory in digital processes when responsibility is switching between parties, e.g. dental laboratory / practice. This article illustrates how those requirements can be met.
Integrativeness and intended effort in language learning motivation amongst some young adult learners of Japanese
Authors: Kwok Chung Kam , Carson Lorna 
Published: September 2018

AbstractSince the 1990s, many researchers in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) have become focused on second/foreign language learners’ motivation to learn a language, and the role of motivation in determining future success. However, much of the research agenda has revolved around the acquisition of English as an Additional Language, and target languages other than English have been under-researched. This paper reports on a survey study designed to investigate the motivation of 84 beginner learners of Japanese learning the language in a university language centre evening programme. Examining the relationship between learners’ intended effort and six motivational orientations commonly used in SLA motivational studies using multiple linear regression, this study found that integrativeness was the only variable that contributed to learning motivation. This finding is in distinct contrast to studies focused on English learning where the ideal L2 self has often been found to be the best predictor of motivation. While it is far from sufficient to draw a conclusion that Japanese learning motivation is different from that of English based on one study, the current study does point to the key role of cultural identification in second/foreign language motivation, consistent with a small group of other motivational studies conducted in the context of Languages Other than English (LOTEs).
Developing CEFR-related language proficiency tests: A focus on the role of piloting
Authors: Shackleton Caroline 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
Most language proficiency exams in Europe are presently developed so that reported scores can be related to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR; (Council of Europe. 2001. Common European framework of reference for languages: learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.). Before any CEFR linking process can take place, such tests should be shown to be both valid and reliable, as “if an exam is not valid or reliable, it is meaningless to link it to the CEFR [and] a test that is not reliable cannot, by definition, be valid” (Alderson, Charles J. 2012. Principles and practice in language testing: compliance or conflict? Presentation at TEA SIG Conference: Innsbruck. http://tea.iatefl.org/inns.html (accessed May 2017).). In the test development process, tasks developed based on test specifications must therefore be piloted in order to check that test items perform as predicted. The present article focuses on the statistical analysis of test trial data provided by the piloting of three B1 listening tasks carried out at the University of Granada’s Modern Language Center (CLM). Here, results from a detailed Rasch analysis of the data showed the test to be consistently measuring a unidimensional construct of listening ability. In order to confirm that the test contains items at the correct difficulty level, teacher judgements of candidates’ listening proficiency were also collected. The test was found to separate A2 and B1 candidates well; used in conjunction with the establishment of appropriate cut scores, the reported score can be considered an accurate representation of CEFR B1 listening proficiency. The study demonstrates how Rasch measurement can be used as part of the test development process in order to make improvements to test tasks and hence create more reliable tests
Interlinguistic insecurity in the workplace, an issue for higher education
Authors: Lancereau-Forster Nicole , Martinez Josiane 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
Due to globalization and the spread in the use of foreign languages in the workplace, language needs have been regularly and increasingly researched, whether from linguistic, psychological or socio-economic perspectives. The use of these languages, far from being neutral, gives rise to a whole set of attitudes, feelings, behaviours and representations from the speakers of these languages. It may also induce for employees situations of stress, work-related suffering and compromised promotion. This article deals with the interlinguistic insecurity of French employees using English as a foreign working language in oral communication. A quantitative research enquiry involving 642 French employees from various fields of activity was carried out. It explored attitudes, feelings (for example foreign language anxiety or feelings of inferiority), behaviours (such as withdrawal) and representations (like awareness of shortcomings and desire for improvement) linked to interlinguistic insecurity in the workplace. The above attitudes and feelings were analysed in the light of three variables: gender, age and education level. The effects of these variables and their relevance were investigated. The results showed that education level was the prevalent variable and that interlinguistic insecurity is a real issue for higher and continuous education. Possible approaches to alleviate insecurity in the workplace were then considered on linguistic and cultural grounds.
Oxidation Behavior of NiCr/YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs)
Authors: Doleker Kadir Mert , Ozgurluk Yasin , Parlakyigit Abdullah Selim , Ozkan Dervis , Gulmez Turgut , Karaoglanli Abdullah Cahit 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
Nichrome (NiCr) coatings are widely used to provide resistance against oxidation and corrosion in many machine components. TBCs must include bond coatings that are resistant to oxidation resulting fromhigh-temperature operating conditions. In the present study, NiCr powders were sprayed on nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718 substrates using atmospheric plasma spray (APS) technique. Bond-coated substrates were coated with yittria stabilized zirconia (YSZ). As such, the TBC samples were kept at 1000°C for 8 h, 24 h and 50 h in high temperature furnace and their isothermal oxidation behavior was investigated. Microstructure and phase change properties of TBCs before and after isothermal oxidation were then studied and analyzed.
Prediction of the yellowing of styrene-stat-acrylonitrile and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene during processing in an internal mixer
Authors: Achtioui Touria , Lacoste Catherine , Le Baillif Marie , Erre Damien 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
The objective of this study was to build a model that can predict the yellowing of styrene-stat-acrylonitrile (SAN) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) during processing in an internal mixer. Considering the change of color of SAN and ABS as they degrade, we correlate the yellowing of SAN and ABS to process parameters. We propose a method to represent the energy of mixing of polymer blends in an internal mixer to understand the complex mixing process of materials under different mixing conditions. Indeed, during processing, the properties of polymers could be affected by both thermal and mechanical degradation leading to several mechanisms of degradation. We presented a simplified model “h” taking into account the contribution of each process parameters applied in the internal mixer. Three process parameters were studied: the temperature T, the rotation speed of the blades V, and the residence time t. Thanks to this method of approach, a good correlation between the yellowing of styrenics and the mixing energy in the internal mixer was described. We validated this equation with two polymers: SAN and ABS, and this model can now predict the yellowing of SAN and ABS as a function of the process parameters in an internal mixer.
Poetic logic and sensus communis
Authors: Ding Ersu 
Published: September 2018

AbstractGiambattista Vico first published his masterpiece The New Science in 1725, but it did not receive much attention from the academic world until the middle of the twentieth century. The last fifty years of academic research have witnessed a so-called “linguistic” and “cultural” turn which has revived our interest in this great Italian thinker. Looking at the Vichian scholarship of the recent past, it seems that Vico’s theory of poetic wisdom has gained a great deal of recognition and deservedly so, but his concept of sensus communis is yet to be fully appreciated. The present article thus tries to discuss the constructive and imaginative function of language and culture not just through the notion of poetic logic but also in relation to that of common sense, which hopefully can shed some light on the perennial debate over the criterion of truth and aesthetic judgement.
Hydrothermal synthesis and structure determination of a new calcium iron ruthenium hydrogarnet
Authors: Poddig Hagen , Hunger Jens , Kamusella Sirko , Klauss Hans-Henning , Doert Thomas 
Published: September 2018

AbstractA new calcium iron ruthenium hydrogarnet with the approximate composition Ca3(Ru2−xFex)(FeO4)2−y(H4O4)1+y(x=1,y≈0.35) has been obtained by hydrothermal synthesis under oxidizing alkaline conditions. The compound crystallizes in the cubic space groupIa3̅d(No. 230) with a lattice parameter ofa=12.4804(4) Å (T=100 K) andZ=8. The octahedral site of the garnet structure is equally occupied by Ru and Fe, whereas the tetrahedral site is partially occupied by Fe only. A partial substitution of the oxide anions by hydroxide ions is necessary for charge balancing, corresponding to the so-called hydrogarnet defects. The presence of hydroxide groups is proven by infrared spectroscopy.57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic data provide evidence for two different Fe3+coordination environments as well as a magnetic ordering of two iron substructures with the respective ordering temperature above room temperature. The crystal composition was verified by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and the thermal behavior of the calcium iron ruthenate was studied by difference thermal analysis.
A Study of Precipitation-Strengthened Creep-Resistant Austenitic Stainless Steel for Supercritical and Ultra-Supercritical Power Plants
Authors: Shrivastava Dharmendra , Aravindan Sivanandam , Prasad Rajesh 
Published: September 2018

Abstract
The properties of precipitation-hardened austenitic stainless steels are adversely affected by the precipitation of unwanted brittle phases, like sigma (nonmagnetic intermetallic phase that is composed of iron and chromium) and Laves (Fe2Nb). These stainless steels are also susceptible to stress corrosion cracking. The induced residual stress in the material in turn reduces its creep strength. The strain beyond a certain limit affects its creep-resistant property appreciably, and hence, beyond a certain strain, these stainless steels are to be solution-treated for stress relief. Characterization studies on precipitation-strengthened creep-resistant austenitic stainless steel are presented in this article. Effects of strain and aging on microstructures are also evaluated. In order to understand the precipitation-strengthening behavior and effect of strain on Super304H (CC2328-2), the material was strained and aged at 650°C for a period ranging from 7 h to 4 weeks, and then the microstructures were studied using an optical microscope. Experiments were carried out on tubes with no strain and tubes with strain, which were aged at 650°C. The results show that beyond a threshold strain of ∼17 %, the material becomes deteriorated, and to regain its original microstructure, solid solution treatment is necessitated.
Interactive Repression of MYRF Self-Cleavage and Activity in Oligodendrocyte Differentiation by TMEM98 Protein
Authors: Huang Hao , Teng Peng , Du Junqing , Meng Jun , Hu Xuemei , Tang Tao , Zhang Zunyi , Qi Yingchuan B. , Qiu Mengsheng 
Published: September 2018

Myelin sheath formed by oligodendrocytes (OLs) is essential for the rapid propagation of action potentials in the vertebrate CNS. Myelin regulatory factor (MYRF) is one of the critical factors that control OL differentiation and myelin maintenance. Previous studies showed that MYRF is a membrane-bound transcription factor associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). After self-cleavage, the N-fragment of MYRF is released from the ER and translocated into the nucleus where it functions as a transcription factor to activate myelin gene expression. At present, it remains unknown whether MYRF self-cleavage and functional activation can be regulated during OL differentiation. Here, we report that TMEM98, an ER-associated transmembrane protein, is capable of binding to the C-terminal of MYRF and inhibiting its self-cleavage and N-fragment nuclear translocation. In the developing CNS, TMEM98 is selectively expressed in early maturing OLs in mouse pups of either sex. Forced expression of TMEM98 in embryonic chicken spinal cord of either sex suppresses endogenous OL differentiation and MYRF-induced ectopic expression of myelin genes. These results suggest that TMEM98, through inhibiting the self-cleavage of MYRF, functions as a negative feedback regulator of MYRF in oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMYRF protein is initially synthesized as an ER-associated membrane protein that undergoes autoproteolytic cleavage to release the N-fragment, which is then transported into the nucleus and activates the transcription of myelin genes. To date, the molecular mechanisms that regulate the self-cleavage and function of MYRF in regulating oligodendrocyte differentiation have remained unknown. In this study, we present the molecular and functional evidence that TMEM98 membrane protein physically interacts with MYRF in the ER and subsequently blocks its self-cleavage, N-terminal nuclear translocation, and functional activation of myelin gene expression. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the regulation of MYRF self-proteolytic activity and function by an interacting protein, providing new insights into the molecular regulation of OL differentiation and myelinogenesis.
Inhibitory Connectivity Dominates the Fan Cell Network in Layer II of Lateral Entorhinal Cortex
Authors: Nilssen Eirik S. , Jacobsen Bente , Fjeld Gunhild , Nair Rajeevkumar R. , Blankvoort Stefan , Kentros Clifford , Witter Menno P. 
Published: September 2018

Fan cells in layer II of the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) form a main component of the projection to the dentate gyrus, CA3 and CA2 of the hippocampal formation. This projection has a counterpart originating from stellate cells in layer II of the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). Available evidence suggests that the two pathways carry different information, exemplified by a difference in spatial tuning of cells in LEC and MEC. The grid cell, a prominent position-modulated cell type present in MEC, has been postulated to derive its characteristic hexagonal firing pattern from dominant disynaptic inhibitory connections between hippocampal-projecting stellate cells. Given that grid cells have not been described in LEC, we aim to describe the local synaptic connectivity of fan cells, to explore whether the network architecture is similar to that of the MEC stellate cell. Using a combination ofin vitromulticell electrophysiological and optogenetic approaches in acute slices from rodents of either sex, we show that excitatory connectivity between fan cells is very sparse. Fan cells connect preferentially with two distinct types of inhibitory interneurons, suggesting disynaptic inhibitory coupling as the main form of communication among fan cells. These principles are similar to those reported for stellate cells in MEC, indicating an overall comparable local circuit architecture of the main hippocampal-projecting cell types in the lateral and medial entorhinal cortex.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTOur data provide the first description of the synaptic microcircuit of hippocampal-projecting layer II cells in the lateral entorhinal cortex. We show that these cells make infrequent monosynaptic connections with each other, and that they preferentially communicate through a disynaptic inhibitory network. This is similar to the microcircuit of hippocampal-projecting stellate cells in layer II of the medial entorhinal cortex, but dissimilar to the connectivity observed in layer 2 of neocortex. In medial entorhinal cortex, the observed network structure has been proposed to underlie the firing pattern of grid cells. This opens the possibility that layer II cells in lateral entorhinal cortex exhibit regular firing patterns in an unexplored domain.
The Avian Basal Ganglia Are a Source of Rapid Behavioral Variation That Enables Vocal Motor Exploration
Authors: Kojima Satoshi , Kao Mimi H. , Doupe Allison J. , Brainard Michael S. 
Published: September 2018

The basal ganglia (BG) participate in aspects of reinforcement learning that require evaluation and selection of motor programs associated with improved performance. However, whether the BG additionally contribute to behavioral variation (“motor exploration”) that forms the substrate for such learning remains unclear. In songbirds, a tractable system for studying BG-dependent skill learning, a role for the BG in generating exploratory variability, has been challenged by the finding that lesions of Area X, the song-specific component of the BG, have no lasting effects on several forms of vocal variability that have been studied. Here we demonstrate that lesions of Area X in adult male zebra finches (Taeniopygia gutatta) permanently eliminate rapid within-syllable variation in fundamental frequency (FF), which can act as motor exploration to enable reinforcement-driven song learning. In addition, we found that this within-syllable variation is elevated in juveniles and in adults singing alone, conditions that have been linked to enhanced song plasticity and elevated neural variability in Area X. Consistent with a model that variability is relayed from Area X, via its cortical target, the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (LMAN), to influence song motor circuitry, we found that lesions of LMAN also eliminate within-syllable variability. Moreover, we found that electrical perturbation of LMAN can drive fluctuations in FF that mimic naturally occurring within-syllable variability. Together, these results demonstrate that the BG are a central source of rapid behavioral variation that can serve as motor exploration for vocal learning.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMany complex motor skills, such as speech, are not innately programmed but are learned gradually through trial and error. Learning involves generating exploratory variability in action (“motor exploration”) and evaluating subsequent performance to acquire motor programs that lead to improved performance. Although it is well established that the basal ganglia (BG) process signals relating to action evaluation and selection, whether and how the BG promote exploratory motor variability remain unclear. We investigated this question in songbirds, which learn to produce complex vocalizations through trial and error. In contrast with previous studies that did not find effects of BG lesions on vocal motor variability, we demonstrate that the BG are an essential source of rapid behavioral variation linked to vocal learning.