bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nanoparticle Characterization: What to Measure?
Authors: Modena Mario M. , Rühle Bastian , Burg Thomas P. , Wuttke Stefan 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWhat to measure? is a key question in nanoscience, and it is not straightforward to address as different physicochemical properties define a nanoparticle sample. Most prominent among these properties are size, shape, surface charge, and porosity. Today researchers have an unprecedented variety of measurement techniques at their disposal to assign precise numerical values to those parameters. However, methods based on different physical principles probe different aspects, not only of the particles themselves, but also of their preparation history and their environment at the time of measurement. Understanding these connections can be of great value for interpreting characterization results and ultimately controlling the nanoparticle structure–function relationship. Here, the current techniques that enable the precise measurement of these fundamental nanoparticle properties are presented and their practical advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Some recommendations of how the physicochemical parameters of nanoparticles should be investigated and how to fully characterize these properties in different environments according to the intended nanoparticle use are proposed. The intention is to improve comparability of nanoparticle properties and performance to ensure the successful transfer of scientific knowledge to industrial real‐world applications.
YSZ Hollow Sphere Photonic Glasses: Tailoring Optical Properties for Highly Saturated Non‐Iridescent Structural Coloration
Authors: Häntsch Yen , Shang Guoliang , Petrov Alexander , Eich Manfred , Schneider Gerold A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractNon‐iridescent structural colors can be obtained by the disordered arrangement of monodisperse spheres, a so‐called photonic glass (PhG), in which the structure is designed to reflect or transmit light at specific wavelengths depending on the desired color. PhGs are possible alternatives for conventional pigments due to their wide viewing angle, stability against photobleaching, and environment‐friendly fabrication. However, structural colors generated by common full‐sphere PhGs reported in the literature show only low saturation. The recently developed PhG structure based on yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) hollow spheres displays highly saturated blue structural color for tailored parameters. In this case, structural color originates from a sharp transition in the reflection spectrum generated by the specific design of the YSZ hollow sphere PhG fabricated via co‐deposition. Here, a systematic study of the parameters resulting in highly saturated structural color, namely YSZ shell thickness, pore size, and film thickness, is presented. This work shows that by tailoring these parameters, the sharpness, spectral position, and reflectance of the transition can be tuned individually. Based on the gained knowledge, YSZ hollow sphere PhG with tailored optical properties can be easily fabricated.
Thermodynamic analysis of phase equilibrium and surface tension of ternary polymer solutions
Authors: Yang Han Earl , Bae Young Chan 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) and surface behavior of polymer solutions were investigated. Systems of poly vinyl methyl ether (PVME)/water and polystyrene (PS)/cyclohexane were chosen as model systems because they show different types of LLE and surface behavior. Ternary polymer solutions of PVME/water/alcohol and PS/cyclohexane/alcohol were also studied. The cloud points of given systems were determined by thermo‐optical analysis method. For surface tension measurements at the air/polymer solution interface, the well‐known plate method was utilized. The investigated polymer solutions exhibit various types of LLE and surface behavior depending on the type of solvent and temperature. The modified double lattice model with chain length dependence is used for description of the phase equilibrium. To improve the interpretation of the surface behavior of the polymer solution, we developed a new thermodynamic frame work based on density gradient theory. Thermodynamic analysis was also conducted using the proposed model to provide understanding of the surface behavior. The surface energy difference and interchange energy had an important role in the driving force of the surface behavior. Utilizing the predetermined model parameters from the phase equilibrium calculation, the proposed model provides satisfactory agreement with measured surface tension data, with less than 5% error.
Divinyl‐terminated polysiloxane as an effective polyacrylates modifier for pigment printing: A study with different molecular weights and quantities
Authors: Zhang Qipeng , Wu Minghua 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACTPolyacrylates binder is used as an environmental approach for pigment printing. However, the poor water resistance and abrasive resistance of it makes this technique limited. In this study, divinyl‐terminated polysiloxane (Divi‐PDMS) had been used to modify polyacrylates by miniemulsion polymerization. The conversion and coagulation of miniemulsion polymerization were evaluated by gravimetry method, the colloid properties of prepared latexes were obtained and the structures were confirmed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and NMR. Surface properties of latex films were investigated in terms of dynamic water contact angle, water absorption, and mechanical tensile properties. The results show that the polymerization has good stability, and the product has good phase separation of polysiloxane, which results in increased hydrophobicity and toughness of the film. The film with low‐molecular weight and 8% dosage of Divi‐PDMS has better hydrophobicity and toughness. The product is applied to pigment printing with better wet rubbing fastness and soft handle compared with the unmodified binder. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47961.
International policy coordination for blockchain supply chains
Authors: Allen Darcy W.E. , Berg Chris , Davidson Sinclair , Novak Mikayla , Potts Jason 
Published: May 2019

AbstractFrom the adoption of the shipping container to coordinated trade liberalization, reductions in trade costs have propelled modern globalization. In this paper, we analyse the application of blockchain to reduce the trade costs of producing and coordinating trusted information along supply chains. Consumers, producers, and governments increasingly demand information about the quality, characteristics, and provenance of traded goods. Partially due to the risks of error and fraud, this information is costly to produce and to maintain between dispersed parties. Recent efforts have sought to overcome these costs—such as paperless trade agendas—through the application of new technologies. Our focus is on how blockchain technology can form a new decentralized economic infrastructure for supply chains by governing decentralized dynamic ledgers of information about goods as they move. We outline the potential economic consequences of blockchain supply chains before examining policy. Effective adoption faces a range of policy challenges including regulatory recognition and interoperability across jurisdictions. We propose a high‐level policy forum in the Asia‐Pacific region to coordinate issues such as open standards and regulatory compatibility.
How deforestation drives stream habitat changes and the functional structure of fish assemblages in different tropical regions
Authors: Zeni Jaquelini O. , Pérez‐Mayorga María Angélica , Roa‐Fuentes Camilo A. , Brejão Gabriel L. , Casatti Lilian 
Published: May 2019

Abstract

Deforestation can modify stream habitat and the functional structure of fish assemblages. The aims of this study were (a) to identify whether deforestation has a similar effect on local habitats from two biogeographically distinct river basins in a tropical region; (b) to identify how fish trait–habitat relationships were influenced by deforestation; and (c) to compare functional redundancy patterns in these basins.
Environmental and biological variables were obtained for 160 stream reaches, 85 located in the Alto Paraná River basin and 75 in the Machado River basin. Traits were associated with body size, habitat preference, food items and foraging period. Linear models were constructed to verify the environmental convergence of habitats across streams from the Alto Paraná and the Machado basins. An RLQ and a fourth‐corner analysis were conducted to investigate how deforestation affected habitat variables and trait–habitat relationships. The nearest relative index (NRI) was used as a functional redundancy measure.
Deforestation led to a similar habitat gradient from streams with a higher proportion of coarse roots in more forested catchments to streams with streamside grasses, bare soil and unconsolidated substrate in more deforested catchments; however, a general pattern of fish trait–habitat relationships was not identified across basins. Functional redundancy was associated with a long history of habitat loss in the Alto Paraná streams, whereas functional complementarity was related to more recent and less intense habitat loss in Machado streams.
We believe that differences in regional species pools and historical processes between the basins influenced the fish functional responses to deforestation. Nevertheless, the results highlighted the importance of stream habitat heterogeneity and the presence of preserved forest fragments in a region to prevent the loss of unique traits. Decision‐makers should therefore maintain large forest fragments and restore riparian forests to preserve stream habitat and the functional structure of fish assemblages.
State feedback control design to avoid players going bankrupt
Authors: Deng Lei , Fu Shihua , Zhu Peiyong 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis paper investigates the state feedback control design problem to avoid players going bankrupt for a class of networked evolutionary games. First, an algebraic expression is formulated for the given networked evolutionary games by using the semi‐tensor product of matrices. Then, based on the algebraic form, a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of state feedback control, which can guarantee that no players will go bankrupt, is presented. Finally, an illustrative example demonstrates the effectiveness of the obtained results.
Autonomy matters: Insights from U.S. water utility managers on governance structure
Authors: Biddle Jennifer C. , Baehler Karen J. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractOrganizational autonomy and insulation from political interference were cited as key attributes of governance influencing managers' perceptions of utility performance according to 22 U.S. water utility managers. The further removed from direct management by local government, the more likely utilities were to experiment with true‐cost pricing and innovative management strategies that may lead to improved whole‐system performance. In addition, findings from this qualitative study support claims made by water sector professionals of the growing need for a shift in water utility governance systems to adapt to changing conditions and better respond to stressors and shocks. This research is part of a larger study that seeks to contribute to our understanding of which governance features are important for improving water utility sustainability. It also raises important questions for further research into the linkages between governance structure, larger sociopolitical factors, and water system performance.
Erhöhung der Sicherheit und Energieeinsparung in Tunnelbauwerken durch Optimierung der Materialauswahl von Fahrbahndecken
Authors: Krispel Stefan , Peyerl Martin , Maier Gerald 
Published: May 2019

AbstractDauerhaftigkeit und Langlebigkeit von Fahrbahndecken aus Beton sind allgemein bekannt. Aufgrund dieser Eigenschaften ist, bei Beachtung der wesentlichen Konstruktions‐ und Herstellungsprinzipien, der Instandhaltungs‐ bzw. Instandsetzungsbedarf sehr stark reduziert. Dies führt zur Vermeidung von Verkehrsstörungen bzw. Verkehrsstaus und deren Folgekosten. Daneben existieren noch weitere positive Eigenschaften des Betons, welche sich über die gesamte Nutzungsdauer der Betondecke verstärkt auswirken, jedoch weniger bekannt sind. Dies wären u. a. der geringere Kraftstoffbedarf (und damit verbunden eine Reduktion der CO2‐Belastung) von Lastkraftwagen aufgrund der nicht verformbaren Betondecke, die Aufnahme und Speicherung von CO2 im erhärteten Beton und Vorteile infolge der hellen Oberflächen des Baustoffs. Ein Forschungsprojekt der Smart Minerals GmbH beschäftigt sich mit dem Aspekt der Helligkeit des Werkstoffs Beton in Fahrbahndecken von Tunnelbauwerken. Durch die guten lichttechnischen Eigenschaften des Betons und die daraus resultierende erhöhte Helligkeit von Fahrbahn und Tunnelwand lässt sich das subjektive Sicherheitsgefühl der Verkehrsteilnehmer erhöhen und der für eine adäquate Beleuchtung notwendige Energieaufwand beträchtlich senken. Um die geforderte Leuchtdichte der Fahrbahn sicherzustellen, benötigen Betonfahrbahnen weitaus geringere Lampenleistungen. Dabei kann theoretisch die Lampenleistung gegenüber Asphaltbelägen um zwei Drittel reduziert werden.
Determination of hydroxybupropion in human serum for routine therapeutic drug monitoring in psychiatry: A tool for dose‐individualization in treatment with bupropion
Authors: Scherf‐Clavel Maike , Wahl Oliver , Menke Andreas , Unterecker Stefan 
Published: May 2019

AbstractTherapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has become a clinical routine in psychiatry. Nevertheless, for bupropion there is only one method available that is suitable for routine use. However, it involves a complex sample clean‐up. Owing to the instability of bupropion in serum, the main and active metabolite hydroxybupropion was chosen as the target substance. Therefore, a simple and robust high‐performance liquid chromatography method for the quantification of hydroxybupropion in serum was developed and validated. A volume of 30 μL serum was used for easy sample clean‐up, based on protein precipitation with acetonitrile followed by online solid‐phase extraction. As hydroxybupropion was present in high serum concentrations, UV detection was possible. Owing to the commonly available instrumentation, the method could easily be integrated in routine TDM. The newly developed method was validated following the guidelines for bioanalytical method validation of the European Medicines Agency and US Food and Drug Administration. The lower limit of quantification was 100 ng/mL (0.391 μm) and linearity was shown between 100 and 2500 ng/mL. Intraday and interday precision ranged from 1.17 to 6.79% and from 6.07 to 9.41%, respectively. Intraday and interday accuracy ranged from 89.97 to 110.86% and from 95.05 to 101.2%. The method was shown to be selective, accurate and precise. Additionally, the method was successfully implemented in the therapeutic drug monitoring laboratory of the Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy at the University Hospital of Würzburg, Germany. Six months of routine analysis showed a rather low correlation between applied dose and serum concentration and therefore the necessity of TDM for dose‐individualization in the treatment with bupropion.
An integral model for the implementation of environmental policy strategy
Authors: Rivera Jaime 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis article responds to demands for a more in‐depth study on how to implement an environmental policy strategy (EPS). Following the strategic choice framework, this study seeks to address this issue by testing a theoretical model of several managerial and organisational variables associated with a firm's EPS. The managerial variables examined include managers' perceptions of environmental pressures, managers' consciousness of environmental problems, and managers' perceptions of the potential benefits associated with the implementation of an EPS. The organisational variables that are investigated relate to the structure, systems, and processes of the representative organisations. Control variables include the firm's industrial sector, its country of origin, its size, and its international character. A model based on structural equations with the weighted least squares estimation method is used to test the hypotheses in a large sample of firms. The results confirm the need to consider a multidisciplinary view of the implementation of an EPS.
Analysis of force vector field during centrifugation for optimizing cell sheet adhesion
Authors: Haraguchi Yuji , Kagawa Yuki , Kubo Hirotsugu , Shimizu Tatsuya 
Published: May 2019

AbstractA three‐dimensional tissue was fabricated by layering cell sheets with centrifugation. In this system, an optimal centrifugal force promoted the adhesion between (a) a cell sheet and a culture dish, and (b) layered cell sheets, resulting in a significant decrease in the fabrication time of the tissue. However, negative effects like sliding/significant deformation of cell sheets were observed upon high rotational speed use. These negative effects inhibit the further shortening of the fabrication time. The sliding/deformation suggests that the centrifugal forces were applied on the cell sheets in unwanted directions. Studies on the force vector field applied to the object placed on the plate during centrifugation are not available, and thus, the reason for the occurrence of such negative effects is unclear. Here, we theoretically derived the spatial distribution of acceleration applied on a plate during centrifugation. Using this theory, we found that the negative effects were triggered by the centrifugal force in the direction parallel to the plate surface, which appeared due to an inclination of the plate surface against a horizontal plane. Therefore, by adding weights on the plate edge to maintain the plate surface in a horizontal position, we succeeded in eliminating the negative effects and in increasing the rotational speed, with the minimum risk of sliding/deformation of cell sheets. We succeeded in reducing the time to establish tight adhesion between a mouse myoblast sheet and a culture dish, and layered cell sheets by increasing the centrifugal force from 5 min to 1 min without significant cytotoxicity.
Efficient CO2 Hydrogenation to Formate with Immobilized Ir‐Catalysts Based on Mesoporous Silica Beads
Authors: Lo Hung‐Kun , Thiel Indre , Copéret Christophe 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe Nozaki Ir‐based CO2 hydrogenation catalyst was successfully immobilized on post‐functionalized silica beads (d=200 μm) through click chemistry. This material hydrogenates CO2 into formic acid with turnover numbers reaching 2.8×104 in a batch reactor within 24 hours, paving the way towards the design of efficient heterogeneous catalysts for this transformation.
Environmentally benign catalytic synthesis and hydro‐refining of linear alkylbenzenes
Authors: Ren Jie , Qin Fei , Deng You , Shen Lian 
Published: May 2019

The synthesis technology of linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) was studied through the preparation of an Al‐SBA‐15 catalyst, the optimization of alkylation conditions, and the regeneration of deactivated catalyst. The hydro‐refining over the Pd/Al2O3 catalyst was carried out to remove unsaturated hydrocarbon impurities from the LAB. The results of the alkylation reactions over the Al‐SBA‐15 catalyst in a liquid fixed bed reactor showed that the olefin conversion remained above 98 % for time on stream of 3000 h, and the LAB selectivity was above 93 % under the following conditions: temperature of 260 °C; pressure of 5.0 MPa; weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 1.0 h−1; and the molar ratio of benzene to olefin of 25:1. Through the burning coke regeneration, the catalytic performance of the deactivated alkylation catalyst was satisfactorily restored. The quality of the LAB synthesized through alkylation and hydro‐refining was better than that of the industrial LAB produced using the hydrofluoric acid catalytic process.
Digital image‐assisted quantitative nuclear analysis improves diagnostic accuracy of thyroid fine‐needle aspiration cytology
Authors: Chain Krista , Legesse Teklu , Heath Jonathon E. , Staats Paul N. 
Published: May 2019

BackgroundThyroid fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) plays a key role in triaging thyroid nodules. Yet many cases are assigned to indeterminate categories. The new category “noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary‐like features” (NIFTP) complicates thyroid cytology. Digital image‐derived nuclear measurements might objectively distinguish papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) from benign nodules and NIFTP.MethodsAll thyroid FNAs from 2012 to 2016 of atypia of undetermined significance (A; n = 8) and suspicious for malignancy (S; n = 2) with sufficient cellularity and surgical follow‐up, all FNAs preceding NIFTP (n = 6), and a random sample of PTC (n = 9) and benign (n = 10) cytology were studied. A modified Giemsa‐stained slide from each case was scanned using the Aperio imaging system, and long (dl) and short (ds)‐axis diameters were measured for 125 nuclei per case. Nuclear area and elongation were calculated.ResultsNuclear area was larger in PTC (mean, 77.2 μm2 [range, 70.6‐86.0 μm2]) than benign (mean, 43.3 μm2 [range 38.2‐52.2 μm2]) (P < .001). Nuclear areas from indeterminate FNAs segregated according to final histology (A/S PTC mean 72.7 μm2, A/S benign mean 53.7 μm2; P = 0.004), and were not significantly different from definitive FNAs of the same diagnosis. NIFTP nuclear area was smaller than PTC (mean, 54.8 μm2 [range, 46.7‐66.1 μm2]; P < .001). Nuclear elongation showed similar results, but with greater group overlap.ConclusionNuclear area and elongation can be calculated using a commercial digital imager; both correlate with the final surgical pathology diagnosis of PTC versus benign, including NIFTP. Area provides greater resolution than elongation. This technique could be used to resolve indeterminate cytology in which PTC is considered.
High‐throughput and flexible ASIC implementations of SIMON and SPECK lightweight block ciphers
Authors: Rashidi Bahram 
Published: May 2019

SummaryIn this paper, high‐throughput and flexible hardware implementations of the SIMON and SPECK lightweight block ciphers are presented. The most complex block in the SPECK algorithm is addition modulo 2n, where n is word size (half of the input data). In the proposed structure of modular adder, we used the Sklansky adder, which is an efficient parallel prefix adder with low critical path delay and suitable hardware resources. In the SIMON block cipher, to reduce critical path delay, we use a tree structure for implementation of XOR operations. In addition, we proposed flexible structures that can perform various configurations of the SIMON and SPECK ciphers to support variable key sizes (128, 144, 192, and 256 bits) and block sizes (64, 96, and 128 bits). Therefore, the flexible architectures provide versatile implementations with adaptive security level and the ability of encryption of longer messages based on variable key size and variable block size. Implementation results of the proposed structures in 180 nm CMOS technology for different key and block sizes are achieved. The results show that the proposed structures have better critical path delay compared with other's related works.