bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Expanded graphite/polydimethylsiloxane composites with high thermal conductivity
Authors: Tao Zechao , Wang Hongbao , Li Xiangfen , Liu Zhanjun , Guo Quangui 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACTExpanded graphite (EG)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites with high thermal conductivity and high flexibility are prepared in this work. EG derived from natural graphite flake is infiltrated in PDMS prepolymer solution and then hot pressed in a steel mould at 80 °C for 2 h. Optical microscope and scanning electron microscope investigation reveals the interpenetrating network structures in the EG/PDMS composites. When mass fraction of EG increases to 10.0 wt %, the thermal conductivity of EG/PDMS reaches to 4.70 W/m K which should be attributed to the conductive path of graphite platelets. Meanwhile, the composites have excellent flexibility (the compressive modulus is 0.68 Mpa) because of its continuous PDMS network. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44843.
Thermotropic MIDA Boronates as a Case Study for the Role of Dipolar Interactions in Liquid Crystalline Self‐Assembly
Authors: Wöhrle Tobias , Gündemir Rafet , Frey Wolfgang , Knecht Friederike , Köhn Andreas , Laschat Sabine 
Published: January 2017

AbstractA series of MIDA (N‐methylimino diacetic acid) boronates carrying 4‐alkoxy, 3,4‐bisalkoxy, or 3,4,5‐trisalkoxyphenyl substituents were synthesized and their mesomorphic properties characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) techniques such as small‐ and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS, respectively). Most derivatives were liquid crystalline. In the case of mono‐ and bisalkoxy‐substituted derivatives, C6 chains already induced smectic A (SmA) mesophases despite the bulky MIDA head group. With increasing chain length, columnar hexagonal (Colh) phases replaced SmA phases in the disubstituted series. Quantum chemical calculations on a series of MIDA boronates show that the B−N bond is a dative bond with a positive charge on the boron atom and negative charges on the nitrogen and oxygen atoms. In addition, no π‐interaction between the aryl moiety and B−N bond was found, thus the mesogenic unit is electronically decoupled from the MIDA head group. These theoretical findings were supported by IR and Raman spectra as well as by asingle crystal structure analysis of 4‐ethoxyphenyl MIDA boronate. Calculations of the electrostatic potential of the MIDA boronate reveal a special polarity pattern that can support the formation of a two‐dimensional network and is likely to explain the liquid crystalline self‐assembly. The absence of any electronic cross‐talk between the MIDA head group and B‐aryl or B‐alkyl substituents allows the efficient tailoring of the mesophase type through variation of the substituents.
A Copper‐based Supramolecular Nanocapsule that Enables Straightforward Purification of Sc3N‐based Endohedral Metallofullerene Soots
Authors: Fuertes‐Espinosa Carles , García‐Simón Cristina , Castro Edison , Costas Miquel , Echegoyen Luis , Ribas Xavi 
Published: January 2017

AbstractA self‐assembled CuII‐based nanocapsule enables efficient and straightforward isolation of Sc3N@C80 from arc‐processed raw soot. The newly designed CuII‐based supramolecular nanocapsule 5⋅(OTf)8 was used to effectively entrap fullerenes and endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) with different affinities depending on their size and shape. Moreover, we took advantage of the sharply different entrapment abilities of the 5⋅(OTf)8 cage in the solid state versus in solution to encapsulate all the species with the exception of Sc3N@C80 (both Ih and D5h isomers), which remains pure in solution. HPLC quantification determined that up to 85 % of the total Sc3N@C80 content in the initial mixture was recovered in very high purity (>99.5 %). The complete release of the encapsulated species with an orthogonal solvent‐washing strategy regenerates 5⋅(OTf)8 ready to be re‐used. This approach opens new opportunities for EMFs purification.
Enhanced Structural Organization in Covalent Organic Frameworks Through Fluorination
Authors: Alahakoon Sampath B. , McCandless Gregory T. , Karunathilake Arosha A. K. , Thompson Christina M. , Smaldone Ronald A. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractHere, we report a structure–function study of imine covalent organic frameworks (COFs) comparing a series of novel fluorine‐containing monomers to their non‐fluorinated analogues. We found that the fluorine‐containing monomers produced 2D‐COFs with not only greatly improved surface areas (over 2000 m2 g−1 compared to 760 m2 g−1 for the non‐fluorinated analogue), but also with improved crystallinity and larger, more defined pore diameters. We then studied the formation of these COFs under varying reaction times and temperatures to obtain a greater insight into their mechanism of formation.
Influence of Enhanced O2 Provision on the Discharge Performance of Li–air Batteries by Incorporating Fluoroether
Authors: Wan Hao , Mao Ya , Liu Zixuan , Bai Qingyou , Peng Zhe , Bao Jingjing , Wu Gang , Liu Yang , Wang Deyu , Xie Jingying 
Published: January 2017

AbstractAs the first step during discharge, the mass transfer of oxygen should play a crucial role in Li–air batteries to tailor the growth of discharge products, however, not enough attention has been paid to this issue. Herein, we introduce an oxygen‐enriching cosolvent, 1,2‐(1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethoxy) ethane (FE1), into the electrolyte, and investigate its influence on the discharge performance. The incorporation of this novel cosolvent consistently enhances the oxygen solubility of the electrolyte, and improves the oxygen diffusivity following a volcano‐shape trend peaking at 50 % FE1. It is interesting that the discharge capacities obtained with the investigated electrolytes share the similar volcano trends as the oxygen transport under 50 mA gcarbon−1 and higher current densities. The improved oxygen diffusion could benefit the volumetric utilization of the air cathode, especially at the separator side, probably owing to the fast oxygen transport to moderate its concentration gradient. Our results demonstrate the importance of oxygen provision, which easily becomes the capacity‐determining factor.
Magnesium alloy AZ91 exhibits antimicrobial properties in vitro but not in vivo
Authors: Brooks Emily K. , Ahn Richard , Tobias Menachem E. , Hansen Lisa A. , Luke‐Marshall Nicole R. , Wild Linda , Campagnari Anthony A. , Ehrensberger Mark T. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractMagnesium alloys hold great promise for developing orthopedic implants that are biocompatible, biodegradable, and mechanically similar to bone tissue. This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial properties of magnesium–9%aluminum–1%zinc (AZ91) and commercially pure titanium (cpTi) against Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab307). The in vitro results showed that as compared to cpTi, incubation with AZ91 significantly reduced both the planktonic (cpTi = 3.45e8, AZ91 = 8.97e7, p < 0.001) colony forming units (CFU) and biofilm‐associated (cpTi = 3.89e8, AZ91 = 1.78e7, p = 0.01) CFU of Ab307. However, in vivo results showed no significant differences in the CFU enumerated from the cpTi and AZ91 implants following a 1‐week implantation in an established rodent model of Ab307 implant associated infection (cpTi = 5.23e3, AZ91 = 2.46e3, p = 0.29). It is proposed that the in vitro results were associated with an increased pH in the bacterial culture as a result of the AZ91 corrosion process. The robust in vivo buffering capacity likely diminished this corrosion associated pH antimicrobial effect. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 221–227, 2018.
Topologically preserving straightening of spinal cord MRI
Authors: De Leener Benjamin , Mangeat Gabriel , Dupont Sara , Martin Allan R. , Callot Virginie , Stikov Nikola , Fehlings Michael G. , Cohen‐Adad Julien 
Published: January 2017

PurposeTo propose a robust and accurate method for straightening magnetic resonance (MR) images of the spinal cord, based on spinal cord segmentation, that preserves spinal cord topology and that works for any MRI contrast, in a context of spinal cord template‐based analysis.Materials and MethodsThe spinal cord curvature was computed using an iterative Non‐Uniform Rational B‐Spline (NURBS) approximation. Forward and inverse deformation fields for straightening were computed by solving analytically the straightening equations for each image voxel. Computational speed‐up was accomplished by solving all voxel equation systems as one single system. Straightening accuracy (mean and maximum distance from straight line), computational time, and robustness to spinal cord length was evaluated using the proposed and the standard straightening method (label‐based spline deformation) on 3T T2‐ and T1‐weighted images from 57 healthy subjects and 33 patients with spinal cord compression due to degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).ResultsThe proposed algorithm was more accurate, more robust, and faster than the standard method (mean distance = 0.80 vs. 0.83 mm, maximum distance = 1.49 vs. 1.78 mm, time = 71 vs. 174 sec for the healthy population and mean distance = 0.65 vs. 0.68 mm, maximum distance = 1.28 vs. 1.55 mm, time = 32 vs. 60 sec for the DCM population).ConclusionA novel image straightening method that enables template‐based analysis of quantitative spinal cord MRI data is introduced. This algorithm works for any MRI contrast and was validated on healthy and patient populations. The presented method is implemented in the Spinal Cord Toolbox, an open‐source software for processing spinal cord MRI data.Level of Evidence: 1Technical Efficacy: Stage 1J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1209–1219.
Supramolecular Silicone Elastomers with Healable and Hydrophobic Properties Crosslinked by “Salt‐Forming Vulcanization”
Authors: Lu Hang , Feng Shengyu 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACTIn this article, supramolecular silicone elastomers with self‐healing function were first prepared by simple and controllable “salt‐forming vulcanization” of polyaminopropylmethylsiloxane with acids. Their structures and micrographs were verified by Fourier transform infrared spectra, Small‐angle X‐ray scattering experiments and atomic force microscope. The experimental results showed that the ion‐association complexes were formed during vulcanization, and the obtained elastomers displayed self‐healing and good mechanical properties even if the cross‐linking agent was excessed. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that the elastomers crosslinked by inorganic acid were stable under high temperature. Unexpectedly, bionic structures were observed in the elastomers, which further changed the hydrophobicity of the surfaces of the elastomers physically. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem.2017,55, 903–911
Group contribution method for the swelling behavior of thermo‐responsive hydrogels
Authors: Yang Han Earl , Bae Young Chan 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACTA group contribution method is introduced to describe the swelling behavior of thermo‐sensitive hydrogel systems. The accuracy of group contribution calculations is strongly dependent on the choice of thermodynamic model. Therefore, we revise the modified double lattice (MDL) model and develop a new expression for the interaction energy parameter using the association theory of Sanchez to take into account complex polymer/solvent mixing. The net Helmholtz energy for a hydrogel is established by combining the revised MDL model and modified Flory–Rehner elastic model. Group parameters are generated by fitting to experimental swelling data from both homopolymer and copolymer gel systems. The effect of salt on the volume phase transition is modeled by introducing an additional salt‐specific parameter to investigate various stimuli‐response swelling behavior. Calculated swelling equilibria using the new group contribution method shows excellent agreement with experimental data and various stimuli‐response volume phase transitions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017, 55, 455–463
Effect of Electrolytic Plasma Processing on the Removal of Surface Scale for Fe6.5Si Alloy
Authors: Gui Wanyuan , Lin Junpin , Hao Guojian , Qu Yuhai , Jiang Zhipeng , Cheng Fang , Liang Yongfeng , Zhang Hui 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe principal purpose of this study is to develop an innovation technology for effectively removing surface scale of Fe6.5Si alloy. The surface cleaning of rolled Fe6.5Si alloy has been carried out by electrolytic plasma processing (EPP) for various intervals with an optimized parameters. The characterization analyses confirm that the oxide scale of the rolled steel almost completely disappears after EPP treatment of 40 s. In the meanwhile, the EPP treated surface exhibits the occurrence of relatively fine structure and crater feature due to high power of plasma discharge. It is also found that EPP cleaning has no detrimental impact on the bulk properties of the steel. The effective cleaning of the EPP provides a guidance in surface modification of Fe6.5Si alloy and other metallic materials for future application.
Water sources and water‐use efficiency of desert plants in different habitats in Dunhuang, NW China
Authors: Cui Yong‐Qin , Ma Jian‐Ying , Feng Qi , Sun Jia‐Huan , Sun Wei 
Published: January 2017

AbstractTo understand habitat associated differences in desert plant water‐use patterns, water stable oxygen isotope composition was used to determine water source and leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13C) was used to estimate long‐term water‐use efficiency in three typical habitats (saline land, sandy land and Gobi) in Dunhuang. The primary findings are: (1) in the three habitats, plant species used mainly deep soil water (>120 cm), except for Kalidium foliatum in the saline land, which relied primarily on 0–40 cm soil water; (2) in the saline land and Gobi habitat, Alhagi sparsifolia had the most negative foliar δ13C; in the sandy land, Elaeagnus angustifolia leaf was enriched in 13C than the other three species in 2011, but no species differences in foliar δ13C was observed among the four species in 2012; (3) common species (Tamarix ramosissima and A. sparsifolia) may alter their water sources to cope with habitat differences associated changes in soil water availability with deeper water sources were used in the Gobi habitat with lower soil water content (SWC) compared to in the saline land and sandy land; (4) we detected significant habitat differences in foliar δ13C in A. sparsifolia which may have resulted from differences in SWC and soil electrical conductivity. However, no habitat differences in foliar δ13C were observed in T. ramosissima, which may attribute to the strong genetic control in T. ramosissima or the ability to access stable deep soil water. Overall, the results suggest that extremely arid climate, root distribution and soil properties worked together to determine plant water uptake in Dunhuang area.
Feruloylated Products from Coconut Oil and Shea Butter
Authors: Compton David L. , Goodell John R. , Berhow Mark A. , Kenar James A. , Cermak Steven C. , Evans Kervin O. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe synthesis of feruloylated coconut oil and feruloylated shea butter were demonstrated in 0.5‐L scale, shaken, batch reactions. Ethyl ferulate and the vegetable oil/fat were combined in a 1.0:1.3 mol ratio in the presence of Candida antartica lipase B immobilized on an acrylic resin (Novozym 435) at 60 °C. The transesterification of ethyl ferulate with coconut oil and shea butter reached equilibrium conversions, after 22 days, of 63 and 70%, respectively, with the shea butter transesterifications producing a white precipitate not observed in the coconut oil transesterifications. The faster transesterification rates, equilibrium conversions and white precipitate were shown to result from di‐ and monoacylglycerols (DAG and MAG) present in the shea butter. The transesterification of ethyl ferulate and coconut oil was also tested in a continuous, enzymatic, packed‐bed bioreactor using Novozym 435 at 60 °C to produce feruloylated coconut oil at rates of 0.5–0.9 kg/day over 4.5 months. The feruloylated coconut oil acylglycerol species were identified by LC–MS analysis of transesterification reactions of ethyl ferulate with medium chain triacylglycerol (TAG) standards, C8–C14. The feruloylated vegetable oils possessed an ultra violet (UV) absorbing λmax 328 nm, making them good UVAII absorbers, as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The feruloylated coconut oil possessed a 17.5% higher absorption capacity than feruloylated shea butter on a per weight basis. All the feruloylated vegetable oils possessed rapid antioxidant capacity (50% reduction of initial radical concentration <5 min) at the concentrations tested, 0.5–2.5 mM. Feruloylated coconut oil possessed chemical and physical characteristics that suggested it would be fungible for feruloylated soybean oil in current retail formulations.
Influence of Soybean Oil Blending with Polylactic Acid (PLA) Films: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation
Authors: Aydın R. Seda Tığlı , Akyol Elvan , Hazer Baki 
Published: January 2017

AbstractDue to the great interest in oil‐based polymers, which are prepared from renewable resources, different forms and amounts of soybean oil‐based PLA films were prepared and evaluated for their potential usage as a medical biomaterial. Soybean oil, epoxidized soybean oil and auto‐oxidized soybean oil were blended with PLA and PLA/oil films with appropriate oil amounts [2, 7, 14 and 20% (w/w)] were obtained by solvent casting. Thermal stability and plasticization effect were determined by adjusting oil amounts and type. Epoxidized soybean oil blended films showed the smallest increase in elongation breaks (13–20%) and the highest decrease in thermal decomposition temperatures (364–327 °C) compared to other oil blended films. In vitro quantitative and qualitative cytotoxicity results showed no reactivity (grade 0) for the L929 cells treated with 14% (w/w) oil blended PLA films. In vivo irritation and implantation tests concluded that 14% (w/w) oil blended PLA films were non‐irritant. No erythema, no oedema reactions, no traumatic necrosis and foreign debris were observed. Thus, along with superior biocompatibility, PLA/oil films can replace petroleum‐based products for several biomedical uses.
On the Interconnectedness and Prognostic Value of Visual and Auditory Hallucinations in First-Episode Psychosis
Authors: Clark M.L. , Waters F. , Vatskalis T.M. , Jablensky A. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractBackgroundVisual hallucinations (VH) are common symptoms in schizophrenia and other psychoses. An understanding of their cross-sectional and longitudinal patterns of association with auditory hallucinations (AH) is essential for developing accurate models of hallucinatory phenomena.ObjectiveThis study presents the most comprehensive examination of the association between VH and AH, and its change over time, in 1303 individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and 469 individuals with chronic schizophrenia.MethodThe samples included data from the WHO multicentre study on the Determinants of Outcome of Severe Mental Disorders and the Western Australian Family Study of Schizophrenia (WAFSS). Standardized assessment of symptoms and functioning were used to examine the clinical profile and symptom co-occurrence of hallucinations over time.ResultsVH were approximately half as frequent as AH, almost always co-occurred with AH, and tended to be linked to a more severe psychopathological profile. AH and VH at baseline also predicted higher disability, risk of relapse and duration of psychosis after 1 and 2 years, especially when occurring in combination.ConclusionsThe findings point to three hallucination ‘subtypes’ with different symptom profile. The VH + AH combination signals greater psychopathology and a less favourable prognosis, than hallucinations occurring in isolation, and no hallucinations. This conclusion points to one common mechanism for all hallucinations, which can separate into distinct pathways and modalities. For a more complete clinical picture, clinicians should carefully probe for both auditory and VHs in presenting patients.
A Systematic Review on the Effect of Mechanical Stretch on Hypertrophic Scars after Burn Injuries
Authors: Zhang Yu-ting , Li-Tsang Cecilia W.P. , Au Ricky K.C. 
Published: January 2017

Objective/Background To review the effect of mechanical stretch on hypertrophic scars after burn injuries. Methods A systematic review of all controlled trials related to the effect of mechanical stretch on post burn hypertrophic scars was conducted. Studies of conservative scar managements that applied mechanical forces parallel to the scar surface, including stretching exercise, massage, and splinting, were appraised. Eligible studies published in English between 1995 and 2016 were extracted from The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Science direct, SPORTDiscus, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale (PEDro). The journals were further screened with inclusion and exclusion criteria. PEDro was selected for further analysis and appraisal. Results There were 853 articles identified. After a standardized screening mechanism stipulated, only nine full-text articles were selected for critical appraisal using PEDro. There were five articles of high quality, two of fair quality, and two of poor quality. Detailed training regime and outcomes of nine studies were summarised, including two studies with stretching exercise, six studies with massage, and one study with splinting. The physical parameters of scar assessments and the range of motion on affected areas were compared. Conclusion From extensive literature search, there was no strong evidence indicating the positive effect of mechanical stretch using stretching exercise, massage, or splinting on hypertrophic scars. A firm conclusion cannot be drawn for the discrepancy of outcome measures and varied effectiveness. Most of the included studies lacked objective evaluation or control group for comparison. Further high quality studies with larger sample size and using standardized measurements are needed.
The New Self-Governance: A Theoretical Framework
Authors: Maurer Stephen M. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractIndustry has organized increasingly effective self-governance initiatives since the 1980s. Almost all of these are based on the economic leverage of large retailers and manufacturers over their worldwide supply chains. This article documents commonalities in six of the best-studied examples—coffee, dolphin-safe tuna, fisheries, lumber, food processing, and artificial DNA—and offers straightforward economic and political theories to explain them. The theories teach that oligopoly competition can strongly constrain private power so that firms are answerable to a shadow electorate of consumers. Furthermore, rational firms often benefit from ceding significant power to suppliers and NGOs. These results extend traditional arguments that free markets constrain private power and suggest an explicit framework for deciding when private politics are legitimate.1
Intraguild interactions between five congeneric species ofThaparocleidus(Monogenoidea) from the freshwater sharkWallago attu, Lucknow, India
Authors: Agrawal N. , Rajvanshi S. , Asthana A. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe fish host (Wallago attu) and monogenoid parasite (Thaparocleidussp.) have been recorded during 2 years (2011 and 2012) to investigate intra/interspecific interactions among query species (T. sudhakari(Gusev, 1976) Lim, 1996;T. indicus(Kulkarni, 1969) Lim, 1996;T. gomtius(Jain, 1952) Lim, 1996;T. yogendraiiAgrawal, 1981 andT. wallagoniusJain, 1952) in the light of parasitic worm burden, morphological and molecular data. Each species is highly host specific (oioxenous), with a specialized functional niche. Being niche specialists, they exhibit niche overlapping along with co-existence due to reproductive barrier. Furthermore, a molecular marker, affirming clear-cut genetic variation in spite of structural entities, provides evidence for infra-speciation as well as co-speciation.