bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Renewable Photopolymer Films Derived From Low‐Grade Lampante and Pomace Olive Oils
Authors: Bouaziz Khaled , Ayadi Mohamed , Allouche Noureddine , Chemtob Abraham 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThiol‐ene photoinduced copolymerization between a polythiol cross‐linker and low‐grade unsaturated olive oil provides an eco‐efficient route to dry, flexible, and rubbery films in the matter of minutes. The synthetic methodology uses low cost olive oils resulting from non‐edible grades (lampante olive oil) and waste production (pomace olive oil) without prior chemical modification. The resultant photopolymer thioether cross‐linked films contain up to 80–85% of renewable resources, and UV‐driven drying proceeds despite the limited unsaturations’ concentration. Photopolymerization is triggered with a conventional medium‐pressure mercury arc in presence of three different thiol cross‐linkers: 2,2′‐(ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol, hexanedithiol or trimethylolpropanetris(3‐mercaptopropionate) and a radical photoinitiator (2‐hydroxy 2‐methylpropiophenone). Using real‐time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (RT‐FTIR), we show that cross‐linking proceeds essentially via a step‐growth thiol‐ene polymerization, and to a minor extent, by a conventional photo‐oxidation mechanism. Practical Applications: Olive oil is the second largest produced vegetable oil, and in 2016 world production amounted to 3.5 million tons. An excess of low‐grade pomace and lampante olive oils is generated annually from the conventional extraction process; however, declared unfit for human consumption, they have a limited number of uses, and it is difficult to find new outlets. Despite this excess, the development of synthetic and processing methods to convert these non‐edible olive oils in useful materials has not been investigated widely. Here we report a method based on thiol‐ene photopolymerization to prepare a new range of UV‐curable films. Using time‐resolved infrared spectroscopy, this study sheds light into reaction kinetics and polymerization mechanism.We report a method based on thiol‐ene photopolymerization to prepare a new range of UV‐curable films derived from the excess of low‐grade pomace and lampante olive oils generated from the conventional extraction process of olive oil.
Beyond weakness: Characterization of pain, sensory profile and conditioned pain modulation in patients with motor neuron disease: A controlled study
Authors: Lopes L.C.G. , Galhardoni R. , Silva V. , Jorge F.M.H. , Yeng L.T. , Callegaro D. , Chadi G. , Teixeira M.J. , Ciampi de Andrade D. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBackgroundMotor neuron diseases (MND) represent a group of disorders that evolve with inexorable muscle weakness and medical management is based on symptom control. However, deeper characterization of non‐motor symptoms in these patients have been rarely reported.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study aimed to describe non‐motor symptoms in MND and their impact on quality of life and functional status, with a focus on pain and sensory changes. Eighty patients (31 females, 55.7 ± 12.9 years old) with MND underwent a neurological examination, pain, mood, catastrophizing and psychophysics assessments [quantitative sensory testing (QST) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM)], and were compared to sex‐ and age‐matched healthy controls (HC).ResultsChronic pain was present in 46% of patients (VAS =5.18 ± 2.0). Pain of musculoskeletal origin occurred in 40.5% and was mainly located in the head/neck (51%) and lower back (35%). Neuropathic pain was not present in this sample. Compared to HC, MND patients had a lower cold detection threshold (p < 0.002), and significantly lower CPM scores (4.9 ± 0.2% vs. 22.1 ± 0.2%, p = 0.012). QST/CPM results did not differ between MND patients with and without pain. Pain intensity was statistically correlated with anxiety, depression and catastrophism, and spasticity scores were inversely correlated with CPM (ρ = −0.30, p = 0.026).ConclusionsPain is frequently reported by patients with MNDs. Somatosensory and CPM changes exist in MNDs and may be related to the neurodegenerative nature of the disease. Further studies should investigate the most appropriate treatment strategies for these patients.SignificanceWe report a comprehensive evaluation of pain and sensory abnormalities in motor neuron disease (MND) patients. We assessed the different pain syndromes present in MND with validated tools, and described the QST and conditioned pain modulation profiles in a controlled design.
Pencil graphite leads as simple amperometric sensors for microchip electrophoresis
Authors: Natiele Tiago da Silva Eiva , Marques Petroni Jacqueline , Gabriel Lucca Bruno , Souza Ferreira Valdir 
Published: August 2017

AbstractIn this work we demonstrate, for the first time, the use of inexpensive commercial pencil graphite leads as simple amperometric sensors for microchip electrophoresis. A PDMS support containing one channel was fabricated through soft lithography and sanded pencil graphite leads were inserted into this channel to be used as working electrodes. The electrochemical and morphological characterization of the sensor was carried out. The graphite electrode was coupled to PDMS microchips in end‐channel configuration and electrophoretic experiments were performed using nitrite and ascorbate as probe analytes. The analytes were successfully separated and detected in well‐defined peaks with satisfactory resolution using the microfluidic platform proposed. The repeatability of the pencil graphite electrode was satisfactory (RSD values of 1.6% for nitrite and 12.3% for ascorbate, regarding the peak currents) and its lifetime was estimated to be ca. 700 electrophoretic runs over a cost of ca. $ 0.05 per electrode. The limits of detection achieved with this system were 2.8 μM for nitrite and 5.7 μM for ascorbate. For proof of principle, the pencil graphite electrode was employed for the real analysis of well water samples and nitrite was successfully quantified at levels below its maximum contaminant level established in Brazil and US.
A megaporous material harbouring a peptide ligand for affinity IgG purification
Authors: Tehrani Najafian Foad , Bibi Noor Shad , Islam Tuhidul , Fernández‐Lahore Marcelo 
Published: August 2017

AbstractCommon limitations of Protein A affinity chromatography include high adsorbent costs, ligand instability and possible ligand leakage. In this study, a short peptide with affinity for IgG was synthesized chemically and subsequently immobilized on a megaporous support. The support was prepared utilising the cryogel technique while the peptide‐ligand was covalently immobilised via thiol‐epoxy click chemistry. The cryogel support was chemically grafted to increase the number of reaction sites. This adsorbent was designated as “MP‐Pep”. Adsorption isotherms were employed to evaluate protein binding capacity. A maximum static binding capacity within the range of 30–60 mg/mL was observed for ThIgG. This parameter compares well with other commercial and non‐commercial adsorbents, as reported in the literature. As a control material, a Protein A grafted megaporous cryogel was synthesized. Dynamic binding capacity values were obtained by breakthrough analysis. The peptide cryogel showed a dynamic capacity value 9.0 mg/mL in comparison to 9.7 mg/mL in the case of the Protein A based adsorbent. The ratio of dynamic binding capacity to static binding capacity was 20%, indicating suboptimal product capture. However, the advantage of MP‐Pep lies in its cost‐effective preparations while maintaining a reasonable binding capacity for the targeted product. The presence of cooperative effects during protein binding could also represent an advantage during the processing of a feedstock containing a product in high concentration.
Effect of combined inorganic with organic acids pretreatment of rice straw on its structure properties and enzymatic hydrolysis
Authors: Li Yun , Qi Benkun , Feng Jie , Zhang Yi , Wan Yinhua 
Published: August 2017

Rice straw was pretreated with sulfuric acid combined with five organic acids (oxalic acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, and fumaric acid) at 121°C for 90 min with five different blending ratios. The concentrations of glucose, xylose, arabinose and inhibitors such as acetic acid, furfural and HMF (5‐hydroxymethylfurfural) in the prehydrolysate were analyzed. It demonstrated that the concentrations of both sugars and inhibitors in prehydrolysate decreased with increasing organic acids blending ratio. The different solid residues from pretreatments were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis process. The results showed that pretreating rice straw using combined sulfuric acid with oxalic acid or fumaric acid resulted in the maximum glucose yield (∼66%) after 72 h enzymatic hydrolysis in sharp contrast to ∼58% glucose yield obtained from pretreatment only with sulfuric acid under the same conditions. Furthermore, the structure of the raw material and the pretreated rice straw were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transformer infrared (FTIR) spectrum to clarify the effects of the combined sulfuric acid with oxalic or fumaric acid pretreatment on disrupting the fibers, removing hemicellulose and making the cellulose structure loose. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 37: 808–814, 2018
Oxidative stress induced by glyphosate-based herbicide on freshwater turtles
Authors: Héritier Laurent , Duval David , Galinier Richard , Meistertzheim Anne-Leila , Verneau Olivier 
Published: August 2017

Abstract

Freshwater ecosystems face very strong anthropogenic pressures, among which overexploitation, habitat degradation, flow modification, species invasion, and water pollution lead to growing threats on biodiversity. Urbanization through wastewater treatment, industry through the release of inorganic and organic chemicals, and agriculture through the use of pesticides and herbicides are the main factors involved in water pollution. In France, more precisely in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, the poor quality of the watercourses is attributable overall to the use of glyphosate-based herbicides in agricultural activities. Because these chemicals can impact individuals, populations, and biodiversity, we investigated, under experimental conditions, the physiological response of animals facing abiotic contaminants. We selected as a model, juveniles of the freshwater turtle Trachemys scripta elegans. We measured the gene expression and activity of the catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes as well as the levels of lipid peroxidation, which are all oxidative stress biomarkers, in turtles challenged with high concentrations of glyphosate-based herbicides, on the one hand, and with degraded waters collected from a local watercourse, on the other. We also measured the acetylcholinesterase activity across the same animals. We showed through variations in gene expression and enzyme activity that a glyphosate commercial formulation induced a stress in turtles. A similar outcome was obtained when turtles faced degraded waters. The results indicated that the poor quality of regional waters could be a real threat for animal health. Because turtles are globally less sensitive to contaminants than amphibians, which are lacking in the degraded waters of the Pyrénées-Orientales department, they could constitute an excellent model to follow the evolution of water quality through the study of oxidative stress biomarkers. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3343–3350. © 2017 SETAC
Evaluating the effects of pH, hardness, and dissolved organic carbon on the toxicity of aluminum to freshwater aquatic organisms under circumneutral conditions
Authors: Gensemer Robert W. , Gondek John C. , Rodriquez Patricio H. , Arbildua Jose J. , Stubblefield William A. , Cardwell Allison S. , Santore Robert C. , Ryan Adam C. , Adams William J. , Nordheim Eirik 
Published: August 2017

Abstract

Although it is well known that increasing water hardness and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations mitigate the toxicity of aluminum (Al) to freshwater organisms in acidic water (i.e., pH &lt; 6), these effects are less well characterized in natural waters at circumneutral pHs for which most aquatic life regulatory protection criteria apply (i.e., pH 6–8). The evaluation of Al toxicity under varying pH conditions may also be confounded by the presence of Al hydroxides and freshly precipitated Al in newly prepared test solutions. Aging and filtration of test solutions were found to greatly reduce toxicity, suggesting that toxicity from transient forms of Al could be minimized and that precipitated Al hydroxides contribute significantly to Al toxicity under circumneutral conditions, rather than dissolved or monomeric forms. Increasing pH, hardness, and DOC were found to have a protective effect against Al toxicity for fish (Pimephales promelas) and invertebrates (Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna). For algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata), the protective effects of increased hardness were only apparent at pH 6, less so at pH 7, and at pH 8, increased hardness appeared to increase the sensitivity of algae to Al. The results support the need for water quality–based aquatic life protection criteria for Al, rather than fixed value criteria, as being a more accurate predictor of Al toxicity in natural waters. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:49–60. © 2017 SETAC
Alcohol use and the wage returns to education and work experience
Authors: Bray Jeremy W. , Hinde Jesse M. , Aldridge Arnie P. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractDespite a widely held belief that alcohol use should negatively impact wages, much of the literature on the topic suggests a positive relationship between nonproblematic alcohol use and wages. Studies on the effect of alcohol use on educational attainment have also failed to find a consistent, negative effect of alcohol use on years of education. Thus, the connections between alcohol use, human capital, and wages remain a topic of debate in the literature. In this study, we use the 1997 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to estimate a theoretical model of wage determination that links alcohol use to wages via human capital. We find that nonbinge drinking is associated with lower wage returns to education whereas binge drinking is associated with increased wage returns to both education and work experience. We interpret these counterintuitive results as evidence that alcohol use affects wages through both the allocative and productive efficiency of human capital formation and that these effects operate in offsetting directions. We suggest that alcohol control policies should be more nuanced to target alcohol consumption in the contexts within which it causes harm.
Subjective well‐being and minimum wages: Evidence from U.S. states
Authors: Kuroki Masanori 
Published: August 2017

SummaryThis paper investigates whether increases in minimum wages are associated with higher life satisfaction by using monthly‐level state minimum wages and individual‐level data from the 2005–2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The magnitude I find suggests that a 10% increase in the minimum wage is associated with a 0.03‐point increase in life satisfaction for workers without a high school diploma, on a 4‐point scale. Contrary to popular belief that higher minimum wages hurt business owners, I find little evidence that higher minimum wages lead to the loss of well‐being among self‐employed people.
The capacity of active heat method in evaluation of seepage
Authors: Bui Q. Cuong , Zhou Yihong , Zhao Chunju 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe analysis of temperature variation inside an embankment dam is known as a feasible approach for seepage estimation in an embankment dam. The time needed for temperature surveillance could be considerably reduced when it is implemented under the condition of heat injection. However, a detailed description about the method as well as its capability has not been sufficiently presented in previous research. To fill this void, a realistic scale finite‐element modeling was conducted to explain and assess the abilities of the approach. A 15 m dam segment containing a suffusion layer was simulated with 11 scenarios, where it was found that the applications of temperature measurement with the complement of high‐power line heat sources in standpipes could give a solution for seepage determination in a dam segment with length up to 6 m, and the combination of fiber optic sensors and electrical wires provides an ability to assess seepage in a long dam distance. It is noteworthy that the efficiency in the perpendicular plane to the fiber optic sensor and electrical wire is limited.
Thermal Enhancement from Pin Fins by Using Elliptical Perforations with Different Inclination Angles
Authors: Jasim Hisham H. , Söylemez Mehmet S. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractMany of the proposed methods introduce the perforated fin with the straight direction to improve the thermal performance of the heat sink. The innovative form of the perforated fin (with inclination angles) was considered. Present rectangular pin fins consist of elliptical perforations with two models and two cases. The signum function is used for modeling the opposite and the mutable approach of the heat transfer area. To find the general solution, the degenerate hypergeometric equation was used as a new derivative method and then solved by Kummer's series. Two validation methods (previous work and Ansys 16.0‐Steady State Thermal) are considered. The strong agreement of the validation results (0.31% to 0.52%) lends to the reliability of the presented model. It was found that use of the perforated fin leads to decreased thermal resistance and improvement in the thermal performance of the pin fin by enhancing the heat transfer and increasing Nusselt number. Also, the increase of the inclination angle, size, and number of perforations can be used to optimize the present model by maximizing the heat transfer area and minimizing both the weight and length of the pin fins.
Polyhydrides of Sc, Zr and Hf and Their Proposed Formation.
Authors: Kurogi Takashi , Kamitani Masahiro , Carroll Patrick J. , Mindiola Daniel J. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractHydrogenation at 500 psi of (PNP)Sc(CH3)2 results in formation of a trinuclear polyhydride complex [(PNP)Sc]3(μ2‐H)4(μ3‐H)2 (1) in 55 % yield. The solid‐state structure shows a non‐symmetric trinuclear species resulting from one pincer phosphine arm being demetallated, and where two hydrides bridge all three Sc centers, whereas the other four bridge two. Hydrogenation of (PNP)Zr(CH3)3 at 200 psi results instead in formation of a dinclear polyhydride species [(PNP)Zr(H)]2(μ2‐H)4 (2). Conducting the hydrogenation at atmospheric pressure, resulted instead in formation of the bridging methylidene complex [(PNP)Zr(CH3)]2(μ2‐H)2(μ2‐CH2) (3), which cleanly converted to 2, upon hydrogenation at higher pressure. Both 2 and 3 were also structurally characterized. Hydrogenation of (PNP)Hf(CH3)3 at 200 psi resulted in incomplete hydrogenation with some formation of dinuclear mono‐ and dimethyl‐polyhydride complexes [(PNP)Hf(CH3)]2(μ2‐H)4 (4) and [(PNP)Hf(CH3)][(PNP)Hf(H)](μ2‐H)4 (5), which were identified by solid‐state X‐ray structural studies. Based on these results, we propose a pathway for the complete hydrogenation of (PNP)Zr(CH3)3 to 2.
The regeneration of macro‐porous electrospun poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) vascular graft during long‐termin situimplantation
Authors: Wu Yifan , Qin Yibo , Wang Zhihong , Wang Jianing , Zhang Chuangnian , Li Chen , Kong Deling 
Published: August 2017

AbstractLong‐term evaluation of vascular grafts is an essential step to facilitate clinical translation. In this study, we investigate the long‐term performance of a macro‐porous poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun vascular graft using the rat abdominal artery replacement model. Long‐term patency, endothelialization, and smooth muscle cell regeneration were evaluated, as well as calcification and degradation. The data showed that all the grafts remained open and unobstructed. There was no evidence of aneurysm, stenosis, or calcification one year after implantation. Importantly, neo‐vessel was regenerated on the luminal surface of the graft, and was composed of a complete endothelial layer and several layers of smooth muscle cells. The neo‐vessel showed vascular physiological function, although not as good as that in native blood vessels, likely due to the remaining scaffold fibers. These data indicated that the PCL macro‐porous electrospun vascular graft has potential to be an artery substitute for long‐term implantation. Also, this work indicates that continued efforts are needed to develop advanced vascular grafts that exhibit the appropriate balance between the regeneration of the neo‐vessel and the complete degradation of the graft materials. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1618–1627, 2018.
Inteins as tools for tagless and traceless protein purification
Authors: Lahiry Ashwin , Fan Yamin , Stimple Samuel D , Raith Mitch , Wood David W 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe purification of recombinant proteins is a complicated process that requires a thorough understanding of the physical and chemical properties of each protein of interest. The unique characteristics of each protein require the development of a complicated, multi‐step process consisting of several orthogonal chromatographic techniques. Although affinity tag methods have been useful in simplifying this process, these approaches have significant drawbacks when tagless proteins are required. Therefore, the development of a flexible, economical, and efficient purification platform for traceless and tagless target proteins would represent a significant advance in bioprocess development. Self‐cleaving tags have enabled purification of a broad range of target proteins using simple affinity approaches, but with the ability to ultimately deliver a tagless target protein. Thus these tags potentially offer a purification platform analogous to Protein A, but without the limitation to antibody targets. This review summarizes the advances in developing various intein‐based self‐cleaving tag technologies, their preferred cleavage conditions (reducing agents, pH, temp, etc.) and the effect of different target proteins on intein catalytic activity. We also discuss engineered inteins whose activity (protein splicing or cleavage) is stringently controlled/triggered by small molecules, light, or environmental condition such as salt concentration. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry