bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigation on structure and characteristics of alpaca‐based wet‐spun polyacrylonitrile composite fibers by utilizing natural textile waste
Authors: Al Faruque Md Abdullah , Remadevi Rechana , Razal Joselito , Wang Xungai , Naebe Maryam 
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACTThe composite alpaca/acrylic fibers were auspiciously produced through a wet spinning technique to reduce the consumption of petroleum‐based polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and to enhance the thermal stability and moisture properties of the fibers. The waste alpaca fibers were converted into powder using a mechanical milling method without applying any chemicals. Alpaca powders were then blended with the PAN dope solution in different weight ratios of alpaca: PAN (10:90, 20:80, and 30:70) to wet spin the composite fibers. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that all the composite fibers possess the functional groups of both alpaca and PAN. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed the presence of typical carbonyl carbon (CO) and nitrile carbon (C≡N) peaks of protein and PAN, respectively. The differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis revealed the enhanced thermal stability of alpaca/PAN composite fibers. The moisture properties of the composite fibers were subsequently found to increase with the incorporation of alpaca, more than three times that of pure PAN fibers. These results revealed a potential green pathway to producing composite acrylic fibers with improved thermal and moisture properties by applying textile waste materials. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2020,137, 48370.
Kinetic thermal behavior of nanocellulose filled polylactic acid filament for fused filament fabrication 3D printing
Authors: Wang Qianqian , Ji Chencheng , Sun Jianzhong , Yao Qian , Liu Jun , Saeed Rana Muhammad Yousaf , Zhu Qianqian 
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACTFused filament fabrication (FFF) with thermoplastic filaments is the most popular 3D printing technology. The continuous polymer filaments undergo a series of thermal processes, including heating, melting, cooling, and solidification. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the thermal behavior of polymer filaments. The present study aims to provide a fundamental study of the thermal decomposition behavior and the isothermal melting crystallization behavior of nanocellulose filled polylactic acid (PLA) filaments. The influences of nanocellulose contents on the thermal decomposition properties such as onset temperature (137onset), the temperature at 20‐wt % conversion (Tα20), and the temperature at the peak decomposition rate (Tp) were examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effects of nanocellulose contents on the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the melting temperature (Tm) were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Effects of nanocellulose and polyethylene glycol (PEG) incorporation on the thermal decomposition activation energy, isothermal melting crystallization rate, and semi‐crystallization time are also investigated. The addition of nanocellulose improves the thermal stability of PLA filament, whereas the addition of plasticizer PEG decreases the thermal stability. TGA and DSC kinetic analyses indicate that nanocellulose alone or together with PEG could drastically increase the crystallization rate and shorten the semi‐crystallization time. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2020,137, 48374.
Graphene incorporated poly(vinyl chloride) composites prepared by mechanical activation with enhanced electrical and thermo–mechanical properties
Authors: Li Qinghua , Shen Fang , Zhang Yanjuan , Huang Zuqiang , Muhammad Yaseen , Hu Huayu , Zhu Yunpeng , Yu Cong , Qin Yuben 
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACTThis study reports the improvement in electrical and thermomechanical properties of pristine poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) by the incorporation of graphene (GN) resulting in GN/PVC composites 137 mechanical activation (MA) using dioctyl phthalate (DOP) as dispersant. Microstructure, electrical, and thermomechanical properties of GN/PVC were systematically investigated. Scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and particle size distribution analysis revealed that high‐energy ball milling destroyed the structure of pristine PVC and GN, without any visible agglomeration of GN in the resulting GN/PVC composites. At 0.13 wt% GN loading, the surface resistivity of GN/PVC composites was less than 3 × 108 Ω/square, meeting requirements of commercial antistatic PVC materials. Moreover, GN/PVC composites showed enhanced mechanical properties, thermal stability, and glass transition temperature than pristine PVC. Credited to enhanced thermomechanical and electrical properties of the newly designed GN/PVC composites, they could be deemed as potential alternative to classical PVC‐based antistatic materials in targeted applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48375.
Electrical conductivity of carbon black/single‐wall carbon nanotube/low‐density polyethylene ternary composite foam
Authors: Yan Yongsi , Iqbal Asma , Wu Chun , Wang Yucheng , Li Guan , Qi Rongrong 
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACTIn order to obtain high electrical conductive low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) foam, carbon black (CB), single‐wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT), and LDPE (CB/SWCNT/LDPE) ternary composite foams were successfully fabricated by chemical compression molding method. The electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, microstructure, density, and crystallinity of the foam were studied in detail. It can be found that CB and SWCNT have synergistic effect. For the CB/SWCNT/LDPE composite foam which containing 19 wt % CB and 0.05 wt % SWCNT, its density is only 0.082 g cm−1 and the electrical conductivity can reach at 2.88 × 10−5 S cm−3, which is far more than 15 orders of magnitudes of pure polyethylene and 4 orders of magnitudes times higher than sample which CB content is 19 wt %. It is noteworthy that ultralow concentration of SWCNT could drastically improve the electrical conductivity and reduce the density of LDPE foams. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48382.
Preparation of electrospun nanofibrous polycaprolactone scaffolds using nontoxic ethylene carbonate and glacial acetic acid solvent system
Authors: Zhang Yu , Ullah Ismat , Zhang Wancheng , Ou Hao , Domingos Marco , Gloria Antonio , Zhou Jinge , Li Wenchao , Zhang Xianglin 
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACTIn recent years, solution electrospinning has attracted the interest of researchers due to the possibility to design nanofibrous scaffolds with large surface area to volume ratios. Polycaprolactone (PCL), because of its biocompatibility and easy processability, has been widely used to develop electrospun structures for tissue engineering. However, the use of organic solvents and the poor PCL solution stability still hinder the development of the solution electrospinning process. The relatively benign glacial acetic acid (GAC) as a solvent of PCL was used to fabricate microfibrous fibers or beaded fibers. Thus, ethylene carbonate (EC) as a nontoxic assistant solvent was added to the PCL/GAC solution to successfully fabricate electrospun nanofibrous PCL scaffolds. The stability of the PCL/GAC/EC solution system was demonstrated as the viscosity, which showed no significant change during 48 h. The ultrafine PCL fiber diameter decreased as EC concentration was increased from 0 to 9 vol% and started to slightly increase when EC concentration increased beyond 9 vol%. MTT assay evidenced that MC3T3‐E1 cells on the nanofibrous PCL scaffolds exhibited a better enhancement on cell proliferation. In summary, EC was added in PCL/GAC to establish a stable and low toxic solution electrospinning system, which provides promising strategy in tissue engineering field. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48387.
Efficient Preparation of Large‐Sized Rings of Single‐Stranded DNA through One‐Pot Ligation of Multiple Fragments
Authors: Sui Zhe , Liu Mengqing , Wang Weinan , Chen Hui , Wang Guoqing , An Ran , Liang Xingguo , Komiyama Makoto 
Published: August 2019

AbstractCircular single‐stranded DNA (c‐ssDNA) has significant applications in DNA detection, the development of nucleic acid medicine, and DNA nanotechnology because it shows highly unique features in mobility, dynamics, and topology. However, in most cases, the efficiency of c‐ssDNA preparation is very low because polymeric byproducts are easily formed due to intermolecular reaction. Herein, we report a one‐pot ligation method to efficiently prepare large c‐ssDNA. By ligating several short fragments of linear single‐stranded DNA (l‐ssDNA) in one‐pot by using T4 DNA ligase, longer l‐ssDNAs intermediates are formed and then rapidly consumed by the cyclization. Since the intramolecular cyclization reaction is much faster than intermolecular polymerization, the formation of polymeric products is suppressed and the dominance of intramolecular cyclization is promoted. With this simple approach, large‐sized single‐stranded c‐ssDNAs (e.g., 200‐nt) were successfully synthesized in high selectivity and yield.
Gender Differences in the First Impressions of Autistic Adults
Authors: Cage Eilidh , Burton Holly 
Published: August 2019

Prior research has shown that less favourable first impressions are formed of autistic adults by non‐autistic observers. Autistic females may present differently to autistic males and could engage in more camouflaging behaviours, which could affect these first impressions. However, research has not yet tested for gender differences in the first impressions of autistic adults. In the current study, non‐autistic observers (n = 205) viewed either 10‐sec video clips or text transcripts in the context of a mock job interview by 10 autistic females and 10 autistic males, matched to 10 non‐autistic females and 10 non‐autistic males. They then rated each stimulus on personality traits (e.g., awkwardness) and behavioural intentions (e.g., “I would start a conversation with this person”). Non‐autistic observers were blind to diagnostic status of the individuals in either modality. Results showed that first impressions were less favourable overall of autistic adults in the video modality. Furthermore, autistic females were rated more favourably than autistic males in the video modality across most traits—but autistic females were also rated less favourably than both non‐autistic females and males. Some judgements were also made in the text modality, whereby more favourable first impressions were made of autistic males on the basis of speech content. Understanding the first impressions that both autistic females and males make has important implications for diagnostic services and employment prospects. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1495–1504. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Lay SummaryWe found that non‐autistic people formed more negative first impressions of autistic people, and this was influenced by gender of the person being evaluated. Autistic women were judged more favourably than autistic men; however, both autistic women and men were rated less positively than non‐autistic people, with large differences between judgements of autistic females in comparison to non‐autistic females. The findings have implications for clinicians and employers who may make rapid judgements based on someone's gender.
Biosynthesis and antibiotic activity of silver nanoparticles using different sources: Glass industrial sewage‐adapted Bacillus sp. and herbaceous Amaranthus sp
Authors: Bahrami‐Teimoori Bahram , Pourianfar Hamid R. , Akhlaghi Mahdi , Tanhaeian Abbas , Rezayi Majid 
Published: August 2019

AbstractSynergistic effects of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) with commonly used antibiotics have encouraged the exploration of novel biological entities, including bacteria and weed plants. The present study for the first time reports the capability of an extracellular fraction of Bacillus sp. isolated from effluents of a glass‐manufacturing unit to biosynthesis silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) without hazardous materials. Besides, the biosynthesis of AgNPs using an aqueous extract of herbaceous weed plant (Amaranthus sp.), as a low‐cost natural source, has been addressed in this study. Our findings confirmed the fabrication of microbial and plant‐sourced AgNPs, being thoroughly characterized by UV–vis, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and zeta potential measurements. Further, biological activities of the plant‐ and bacterium‐derived AgNPs were investigated against several pathogenic bacteria, in combination with streptomycin. The antibacterial effectiveness of the antibiotic coated with 400 µg/disk of AgNPs increased over 50% toward all the pathogenic bacteria. The data presented here demonstrate that both industrial wastewater‐adapted Bacillus sp. and wild‐growing Amaranthus sp. are efficient natural sources with excellent capabilities for creating biologically active AgNPs, which would be of considerable interest for circumventing bacterial resistance to current antibiotics.
Black tea extract and theaflavin derivatives affect the pharmacokinetics of rosuvastatin by modulating organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) 2B1 activity
Authors: Kondo Ayuko , Narumi Katsuya , Okuhara Keisuke , Takahashi Yuka , Furugen Ayako , Kobayashi Masaki , Iseki Ken 
Published: August 2019

AbstractTheaflavins (TFs) are derived from black tea, an important source of dietary polyphenols. Although the potential interactions between dietary polyphenols and drugs have been demonstrated through in vitro and in vivo studies, little information is available concerning the influence of TFs on drug disposition. Organic anion transporting polypeptide 2B1 (OATP2B1) is expressed in human enterocytes and plays a role in the intestinal absorption of numerous drugs. The current study evaluated the effects of black tea extracts on the pharmacokinetics of rosuvastatin in rats, and investigated the effect of four major TFs (theaflavin, theaflavin‐3‐gallate, theaflavin‐3′‐gallate and theaflavin‐3,3′‐digallate) on the transport activity of OATP2B1. Black tea extracts significantly decreased the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC0–8) of rosuvastatin by 48% and 37%, respectively (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). Moreover, OATP2B1‐mediated rosuvastatin and estrone‐3‐sulfate uptake was significantly reduced in the presence of TFs. A kinetic study revealed that the uptake efficiency (in terms of Vmax/Km) of rosuvastatin was decreased following treatment with TFs. Black tea extracts also reduced OATP2B1‐mediated rosuvastatin uptake. These results suggest that black tea reduces the plasma concentrations of rosuvastatin by inhibiting the intestinal OATP2B1‐mediated transport of rosuvastatin.
Developmental toxicity of e‐cigarette aerosols
Authors: Greene Robert M. , Pisano M. Michele 
Published: August 2019

AbstractMaternal smoking during pregnancy represents a major public health concern increasing the risk for low birth weight, congenital anomalies, preterm birth, fetal mortality, and morbidity. In an effort to diminish adverse developmental effects of exposure to cigarette smoking, pregnant women, and women of reproductive age, are increasingly turning to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as e‐cigarettes, as an alternative. Given that health risks associated with ENDS use during pregnancy are largely unknown, there is an acute need to determine risks vs. benefits of e‐cigarette use by pregnant women. While the most recent Surgeon General's Report on the “Health Consequences of Smoking” states that “the evidence is sufficient to infer that nicotine adversely affects maternal and fetal health during pregnancy, contributing to multiple adverse outcomes,” it remains unclear whether use of ENDS represents a “safer alternative” to tobacco smoking during pregnancy. This is due, in part, to the lack of sufficient and conclusive evidence concerning whether or not maternal e‐cigarette use adversely affects embryonic/fetal development. While several recent developmental studies have challenged the safety of nicotine inhalation via ENDS, the true risks of smoking e‐cigarettes during the first trimester of pregnancy—the period of organogenesis—are largely unknown. Moreover, evidence is emerging that even nicotine‐free e‐cigarette aerosols may harm the developing conceptus, suggesting that components of e‐cigarette liquid, including flavorings, may be developmentally toxicity. Focused human epidemiological analyses, and carefully designed animal studies are critically needed to address the question of the safety of ENDS use during pregnancy.
Paraoxonase 1 and atherosclerosis‐related diseases
Authors: Kotur‐Stevuljević Jelena , Vekić Jelena , Stefanović Aleksandra , Zeljković Aleksandra , Ninić Ana , Ivanišević Jasmina , Miljković Milica , Sopić Miron , Munjas Jelena , Mihajlović Marija , Spasić Slavica , Jelić‐Ivanović Zorana , Spasojević‐Kalimanovska Vesna 
Published: August 2019

AbstractA direct and an indirect relationship between paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and atherosclerosis exists. Given PON1's physical location within high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) particles and its recognized enzyme activity, it is certainly reasonable to suggest that PON1 facilitates the antiatherogenic nature of HDL particles. PON1 also plays a role in regulating reverse cholesterol transport, antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory, antiapoptotic, vasodilative, and antithrombotic activities and several endothelial cell functions. HDL dysfunctionality is a more recent issue and seems to be centered on pathological conditions affecting HDL structure and size profiles. This review is focused on the role of PON1 status in different atherosclerosis‐related diseases that we have studied over the last twenty years (coronary heart disease, acute ischemic stroke, diabetes mellitus type 2, end‐stage renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and sarcoidosis) with the aim to determine the true value of PON1 as a biomarker. The role of PON1 in cancer is also covered, as risk factors and mechanisms underlying both atherosclerosis and cancer share common features.
Estimating the optimal rate of adjuvant chemotherapy utilization for stage III colon cancer
Authors: Karim Safiya , Booth Christopher M. , Brennan Kelly , Peng Yingwei , Siemens D. Robert , Krzyzanowska Monika K. , Mackillop William J. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractBackgroundIdentifying optimal chemotherapy utilization rates can drive improvements in quality of care. We report a benchmarking approach to estimate the optimal rate of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) for stage III colon cancer.MethodsThe Ontario Cancer Registry and linked treated records were used to identify ACT utilization. Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate the proportion of ACT rate variation that could be due to chance alone. The criterion‐based benchmarking approach was used to explore whether socioeconomic or system‐level factors were associated with ACT. We also used the “pared‐mean” approach to identify a benchmark population of hospitals with the highest ACT rates.ResultsThe study population included 2801 patients; ACT was delivered to 66% (1861/2801). Monte Carlo simulation suggested that the observed component of variation (15.6%) in ACT rates was within the 95% CI (11.5%‐17.3%) of what could be expected due to chance alone; the nonrandom component of ACT rate variation across hospitals was only 1.5%. There was no difference in hospital ACT rate by teaching status (P = .107), cancer center status (P = .362), or having medical oncology on site (P = .840). Unadjusted ACT rates varied across hospitals (range 44%‐91%, P = .017). The unadjusted benchmark ACT rate was 81% (95%CI 76%‐86%); utilization rate in non‐benchmark hospitals was 65% (95%CI 63%‐66%). However, after adjusting for case mix, the difference in ACT utilization between benchmark and non‐benchmark populations was significantly smaller.ConclusionsWe did not find any system‐level factors associated with the utilization of ACT. Our results suggest that the observed variation in hospital ACT rate is not significantly different from variation due to chance alone. Using the “pared‐mean” approach may significantly overestimate optimal treatment rates if case mix is not considered.
Construction and validation of a nomogram to predict overall survival in patients with inflammatory breast cancer
Authors: Diao Jian‐dong , Ma Li‐xia , Sun Mei‐yang , Wu Chun‐jiao , Wang Li‐juan , Liu Yan‐ling , Yang Yong‐jing 
Published: August 2019

AbstractIn the present study, we examined the factors affecting survival of women with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and constructed and validated a nomogram to predict overall survival (OS) in these patients. The cohort was selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were constructed. A nomogram was developed based on significant prognostic indicators of OS. The discriminatory and predictive capacities of the nomogram were assessed using Harrell's concordance index (C‐index) and calibration plots. A total of 1651 eligible patients were identified, with a median survival time of 31 months (range 0‐131 months), and the 3‐ and 5‐year OS rates were 52.8% and 39.5%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that race (P < .001), marital status (P = .011), N stage (P = .002), M stage (P < .001), hormone receptor (P < .001), human epidermal growth factor receptor‐2 (HER2) (P = .001), surgery (P < .001), chemotherapy (P < .001), and radiotherapy (P = .010) were independent prognostic indicators of IBC. These nine variables were incorporated to construct a nomogram. The C‐indexes of the nomogram were 0.738 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.717, 0.759) and 0.741 (95% CI: 0.717, 0.765) for the internal and external validations, respectively. The nomogram had a better discriminatory capacity for predicting OS than did the SEER summary stage (P < .001) or the American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor‐node metastasis staging systems (8th edition; P < .001). The calibration plot revealed satisfactory agreement between the findings and predicted outcomes in both the internal and external validations. The nomogram‐based 3‐ and 5‐year OS predictions for patients with IBC exhibited superior accuracy over the existing models.