bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of patulin adsorption efficacy from aqueous solution by water‐insoluble corn flour
Authors: Guo Caixia , Guo Meng , Zhang Shengwan , Qin Dandan , Yang Yingjuan , Li Meiping 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThis study investigated water‐insoluble corn flour (WICF) as a novel biosorbent for removing patulin from aqueous solutions, including contaminated fruit juices. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to assess the effect of granularity of WICF, adsorbent dosage, contact time, temperature, pH, and initial patulin concentration. The results showed that the maximum removal percentage of 92.21% was achieved at 37 °C, pH value of 4.0 in 100 µg/L patulin concentration for 25 hr. The adsorption data could be well fitted with the Freundlich isotherm model and the pseudo‐first order model. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that mycotoxin adsorption is an endothermic and spontaneous process. Subsequently, scanning electron microscopy images showed obvious morphological changes in WICF after adsorbing patulin. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectroscopic evidence demonstrated that the main functional groups involved in the adsorption were O‐H, C = O and C‐O groups.Practical applicationsPatulin was found as a contaminant in various fruit juices, which raised serious concerns about developing an effective and cheap adsorbent for detoxification of patulin toxin in fruit juice and their products. Water‐insoluble corn flour was applied to strengthen the control of patulin for the first time. Results of this study indicated that water‐insoluble corn flour has a strong ability to remove patulin from aqueous solutions and various fruit juices. Therefore, using water‐insoluble corn flour as an adsorbent and combining the filtration process could be potentially applied in fruit juice industry for detoxification of patulin.
Fiscal Fairness as a Political Argument
Authors: Mahieu Bram , Geys Benny , Heyndels Bruno 
Published: August 2017

SummaryGovernments typically apply several tax instruments. The tax choice literature sees the choice among these as depending on the political costs involved. One source of such costs is (horizontal) inequity in the distribution of the tax burden. In this article, we provide the first empirical test of the question whether and to what extent such inequity affects tax choices. Using data on housing sales and tax policy in Flemish municipalities, we create an indicator for the inequity of the local property tax. The latter is levied on the property's assessed rental value, and its inequity is a by‐product of the slow reassessment procedure, leading to a situation in which properties of identical value are taxed very differently. We find clear evidence that municipalities in which property taxation is more inequitable tend to rely less on this tax as a source of municipal revenue.
Search for evidence of source event grouping among ureilites
Authors: Beard S. P. , Swindle T. D. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractWe use cosmic‐ray exposure (CRE) ages of ureilites, combined with magnesium numbers of olivine, and oxygen isotopes, to search for evidence of specific source events initiating exposure for groups of ureilites. This technique can also be used to investigate the heterogeneity of the body from which the samples were derived. There are a total of 39 ureilites included in our work, which represents the largest collection of ureilite CRE age data used to date. Although we find some evidence of possible clusters, it is clear that most ureilites did not originate in one or two events on a homogeneous parent body.
Carbonaceous chondrites as analogs for the composition and alteration of Ceres
Authors: McSween Harry Y. , Emery Joshua P. , Rivkin Andrew S. , Toplis Michael J. , C. Castillo‐Rogez Julie , Prettyman Thomas H. , De Sanctis M. Cristina , Pieters Carle M. , Raymond Carol A. , Russell Christopher T. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe mineralogy and geochemistry of Ceres, as constrained by Dawn's instruments, are broadly consistent with a carbonaceous chondrite (CM/CI) bulk composition. Differences explainable by Ceres’s more advanced alteration include the formation of Mg‐rich serpentine and ammoniated clay; a greater proportion of carbonate and lesser organic matter; amounts of magnetite, sulfide, and carbon that could act as spectral darkening agents; and partial fractionation of water ice and silicates in the interior and regolith. Ceres is not spectrally unique, but is similar to a few other C‐class asteroids, which may also have suffered extensive alteration. All these bodies are among the largest carbonaceous chondrite asteroids, and they orbit in the same part of the Main Belt. Thus, the degree of alteration is apparently related to the size of the body. Although the ammonia now incorporated into clay likely condensed in the outer nebula, we cannot presently determine whether Ceres itself formed in the outer solar system and migrated inward or was assembled within the Main Belt, along with other carbonaceous chondrite bodies.
Temporally and spatially shaped meanings of at‐homeness among people 85 years and over with severe illness
Authors: Saarnio Lotta , Boström Anne‐Marie , Gustavsson Petter , Hedman Ragnhild , Öhlén Joakim 
Published: August 2017

Aims and objectivesThe aim of the study was to illuminate how meanings of at‐homeness are temporally and spatially shaped by older people with severe illness.BackgroundAt‐homeness can be understood as a feeling of being metaphorically at‐home while experiencing well‐being. The research field of at‐homeness among older people with severe illness is under researched and knowledge about how at‐homeness is shaped by time and place is limited.MethodNarrative interviews were conducted in Sweden with a total of twenty men and women who were aged 85 years or over and affected by severe illness. The narrative interviews were analysed based on a phenomenological hermeneutical method.ResultsMeanings of at‐homeness that were shaped temporally and spatially were interpreted, where time and place were shaped individually by other aspects and also interwoven. Two main inter‐related themes were constructed: shaping at‐homeness through relying on a familiar place and shaping at‐homeness through continuous balancing between the past, present and future.Conclusion and ImplicationsAt‐homeness is temporally and spatially shaped in two ways: through a process over time, or momentarily, where older people's earlier experiences and expectations are interwoven with their experiences of place and the people around them. The results of this study would be applicable to similar societal contexts. For future research, it is important to continue to study how at‐homeness can be promoted for severely ill older people, in specific situations and over time.
Time‐Varying Effects of Signs and Symptoms on Pregnancy Loss <20 Weeks: Findings from a Preconception Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Sapra Katherine J. , Buck Louis Germaine M. , Sundaram Rajeshwari , Joseph K. S. , Bates Lisa M. , Galea Sando , Ananth Cande V. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBackgroundAlthough pregnancy loss affects one‐third of pregnancies, the associated signs/symptoms have not been fully described. Given the dynamic nature of maternal physiologic adaptation to early pregnancy, we posited the relationships between signs/symptoms and subsequent loss would vary weekly.MethodsIn a preconception cohort with daily follow‐up, pregnancies were ascertained by self‐administered sensitive home pregnancy tests on day of expected menses. We evaluated the effects of weekly time‐varying signs/symptoms (including vaginal bleeding, lower abdominal cramping, and nausea and/or vomiting) on pregnancy loss <20 weeks in Cox proportional hazards models and calculated the week‐specific probability of loss by the presence/absence of each sign/symptom.ResultsOf 341 pregnancies ascertained by home pregnancy test, 95 (28%) ended in loss. Relationships between signs/symptoms and loss varied across time since first positive pregnancy test. In the first week following pregnancy confirmation, when many losses occurred, bleeding [hazard ratio (HR) 8.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.7, 16.0] and cramping (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2, 2.7) were associated with loss even when accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting (HR 5.2, 95% CI 2.6, 10.5). After the second week, new relationships emerged with nausea and/or vomiting inversely associated (HR range 0.6–0.3, all 95% CI upper bounds <1.00) and bleeding no longer associated with loss. Probabilities of loss of ranged from 78% (95% CI 59%, 96%) with bleeding present in week 1 to 8% (95% CI 5%, 12%) with nausea/vomiting present in week 5.ConclusionsRelationships between signs/symptoms and pregnancy loss vary in early pregnancy possibly reflecting maternal physiologic response.
The Influence of Nurses' Demographics on Patient Participation in Hospitals: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Malfait Simon , Eeckloo Kristof , Van Hecke Ann 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTBackgroundPatient participation is an important issue in contemporary healthcare as it improves quality of care and enhances positive health outcomes. The participation of patients is mainly initiated by the nurses’ willingness to share their power and responsibility, but knowledge on nurses’ demographic characteristics influencing this behavior is nonexistent. This knowledge is essential to understand and improve patient participation.AimTo determine if nurses’ demographic characteristics influence their willingness to engage in patient participation.MethodsA cross‐sectional multicenter study in 22 general and three university hospitals with 997 nurses was performed. The Patient Participation Culture Tool for healthcare workers, which measures patient participation behavior, was used. Multilevel analysis, taking into account the difference in wards and hospitals, was used to identify the influence of demographic characteristics.ResultsA position as supervisor (range: p < .001–.028) and a higher level of education (range: p = <.001–.012) show significant higher scores. Younger nurses seem to be more reluctant in accepting a collaborative patient role (p = .002) and coping with more active patient behavior (p < .001). This new role was less accepted by nurses on geriatric wards (p = .013), who also showed less sharing of information with their patients (p < .001).Linking Evidence to ActionAge and level of education influence nurses’ willingness to share power and responsibility with their patients, perhaps indicating that patient participation behavior is an advanced nursing skill and multifaceted interventions, are needed for optimal implementation. Moreover, supervising nurses have different perceptions on patient participation and possibly regard patient participation as an easier task than their team members. This could lead to misunderstandings about the expectations toward patient participation in daily practice, leading to struggles with their nursing staff. Both findings implicate that implementing patient participation on a wide scale is more difficult than expected, which is conflicting with the widespread societal demand for more participation.
Heart‐bound adiponectin, not serum adiponectin, inversely correlates with cardiac hypertrophy in stroke‐prone spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Inoue Takao , Takemori Kumiko , Mizuguchi Nobuyuki , Kimura Masatomo , Chikugo Takaaki , Hagiyama Man , Yoneshige Azusa , Mori Tatsufumi , Maenishi Osamu , Kometani Takashi , Itoh Tatsuki , Satou Takao , Ito Akihiko 
Published: August 2017

New Findings
What is the central question of this study?
An inverse correlation between circulating adiponectin and many diseases has been reported, but some studies have found no correlation. To evaluate this controversy, we investigated the relationship between heart‐bound adiponectin and hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy, compared with serum adiponectin.

What is the main finding and its importance?
Using hypertensive and normotensive rats, we found that heart‐bound adiponectin was inversely correlated with cardiac hypertrophy, suggesting that heart‐bound adiponectin has a more important function in preventing cardiac hypertrophy than circulating adiponectin. Our study provides new insights regarding the role of adiponectin in diseases.

The inverse correlation between circulating adiponectin concentration and hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy is still controversial. In addition to circulating adiponectin, adiponectin is also bound to tissues such as the heart and skeletal muscle. In this study, we investigated the relationship of serum adiponectin and heart‐bound adiponectin with hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. Four types of hypertensive rats presenting different blood pressure levels were used at different ages, as follows: normotensive Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKYs); two sub‐strains (strains C and B2, having low and high blood pressure, respectively) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs); and stroke‐prone SHRs (SHRSPs). Blood pressure, heart‐to‐body weight ratio, serum adiponectin and heart‐bound adiponectin were determined. Histopathological analysis of the heart was carried out to evaluate the relationship with heart‐bound adiponectin. Serum adiponectin concentration was not inversely correlated with blood pressure or heart‐to‐body weight ratio. In contrast, heart‐bound adiponectin levels were significantly lower in SHRSPs than in other strains at respective ages. This resulted from a decrease in T‐cadherin expression, which induced adiponectin binding to tissues. No significant difference in heart‐bound adiponectin among WKYs and SHRs (C and B2) was detected, indicating that heart‐bound adiponectin is not related to hypertension. In addition, differences in heart‐bound adiponectin did not affect AMP‐activated protein kinase in the traditional adiponectin activation cascade. Histopathological analysis revealed that heart‐bound adiponectin was inversely correlated with cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and left ventricular wall thickness and, in part, with cardiac fibrosis. These results suggest that the decreased level of heart‐bound adiponectin in SHRSPs is more related to their cardiac hypertrophy than circulating adiponectin.
Subunit‐dependent oxidative stress sensitivity of LRRC8 volume‐regulated anion channels
Authors: Gradogna Antonella , Gavazzo Paola , Boccaccio Anna , Pusch Michael 
Published: August 2017

Key pointsSwelling‐activated anion currents are modulated by oxidative conditions, but it is unknown if oxidation acts directly on the LRRC8 channel‐forming proteins or on regulatory factors.We found that LRRC8A–LRRC8E heteromeric channels are dramatically activated by oxidation of intracellular cysteines, whereas LRRC8A–LRRC8C and LRRC8A–LRRC8D heteromers are inhibited by oxidation.Volume‐regulated anion currents in Jurkat T lymphocytes were inhibited by oxidation, in agreement with a low expression of the LRRC8E subunit in these cells.Our results show that LRRC8 channel proteins are directly modulated by oxidation in a subunit‐specific manner.AbstractThe volume‐regulated anion channel (VRAC) is formed by heteromers of LRRC8 proteins containing the essential LRRC8A subunit and at least one among the LRRC8B–E subunits. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play physiological and pathophysiological roles and VRAC channels are highly ROS sensitive. However, it is unclear if ROS act directly on the channels or on molecules involved in the activation pathway. We used fluorescently tagged LRRC8 proteins that yield large constitutive currents to test direct effects of oxidation. We found that 8A/8E heteromers are dramatically potentiated (more than 10‐fold) by oxidation of intracellular cysteine residues by chloramine‐T ortert‐butyl hydroperoxide. Oxidation was, however, not necessary for hypotonicity‐induced activation. In contrast, 8A/8C and 8A/8D heteromers were strongly inhibited by oxidation. Endogenous VRAC currents in Jurkat T lymphocytes were similarly inhibited by oxidation, in agreement with the finding that LRRC8C and LRRC8D subunits were more abundantly expressed than LRRC8E in Jurkat cells. Our results show that LRRC8 channels are directly modulated by oxidation in a subunit‐dependent manner.
A Spatially Resolved Physical Model for Dynamic Modeling of a Novel Hybrid Reformer-Electrolyzer-Purifier (REP) for Production of Hydrogen
Authors: McVay Derek , Zhao Li , Brouwer Jack , Jahnke Fred , Lambrech Matt 
Published: August 2017

A molten carbonate electrolysis cell (MCEC) is capable of separating carbon dioxide from methane reformate while simultaneously electrolyzing water. Methane reformate, for this study, primarily consists of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, methane, and a high percentage of water. Carbon dioxide is required for the operation of a MCEC since a carbonate ion is formed and travels from the reformate channel to the sweep gas channel. In this study, a spatially resolved physical model was developed to simulate an MCEC in a novel hybrid reformer electrolyzer purifier (REP) configuration for high purity hydrogen production from methane and water. REP effectively acts as an electrochemical CO2 purifier of hydrogen.
In order to evaluate the performance of REP, a dynamic MCEC stack model was developed based upon previous high temperature molten carbonate fuel cell modeling studies carried out at the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine. The current model is capable of capturing both steady state performance and transient behavior of an MCEC stack using established physical models originating from first principals. The model was first verified with REP experimental data at steady state which included spatial temperature profiles. Preliminary results show good agreement with experimental data in terms of spatial distribution of temperature, current density, voltage, and power. The combined effect of steam methane reformation (SMR) and water electrolysis with electrochemical CO2 removal results in 96% dry-basis hydrogen at the cathode outlet of the MCEC. Experimental measurements reported 98% dry-basis hydrogen at the cathode outlet.
Characterization of an Electrodynamic Dust Shield Device for PV Panel Soiling Mitigation
Authors: Guo Bing , Chen Eugene Yu-Ta , Javed Wasim , Figgis Benjamin 
Published: August 2017

In this study, prototype electrodynamic dust shield (EDS) devices large enough to cover commercial photovoltaic (PV) modules were fabricated and tested in the lab and in the field. The EDS device consisted a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate with screen-printed silver electrodes, and a PET cover sheet that bonded to the substrate using a synthetic rubber adhesive. The voltage-current characteristics of the EDS device was measured while square wave high voltage was applied to the device, so as to determine the power consumption of the EDS device. The EDS device was also tested in the field to determine its effectiveness in soiling mitigation.
Measurements showed that the EDS capacitance varied from approximately 600 pF in the air-conditioned lab to 2 nF in the field when the EDS device temperature reached 45 °C. The variation of the capacitance has significant relevance to the capacity requirements for the high voltage sources needed to energize the EDS device and its power consumption. Under laboratory conditions, the EDS power consumption was found to be 0.3 W m−2 at 6 kVp-p and 1 Hz, and roughly proportional to the voltage squared.
In the field test electrode damage was observed, due to electrical discharge at the electrode lines. As a result, the EDS operation did not show significant effect of soiling mitigation.
The results of this study are useful for designing high voltage sources for EDS operation, and for modifying the design and fabrication methods in order to produce EDS devices that can effectively repel dust in the field.
Wind Gust Quantification Using Seismic Measurements
Authors: Letson F. , Hu W. , Barthelmie R. J. , Tytell J. , Pryor S. C. 
Published: August 2017

Improved understanding of wind gust climates may be of great value to the wind energy industry, and is currently hampered by a lack of high-quality in situ data in wind resource rich environments. Thus, we are examining the potential to supplement anemometry with data from seismometers, including those deployed as part of the USArray Transportable Array (TA). Two models of the relationship between gust magnitude and ground motion are evaluated based on their skill at describing the distribution of gust wind speeds over 1 year using seismic data.
The approach is illustrated, using observed gust magnitudes obtained from sonic anemometers located at or near the 15 TA seismic stations. One deterministic and one probabilistic wind-seismic model are conditioned using one year of 5-minute resolution data and tested on a second year of independent data. Both models relate the variance of ground acceleration in the frequency range of 0.01 to 0.1 Hz (P) to gust speed (Ug) but differ in their functional form. The probabilistic model is found to perform well in predicting the gust distribution in independent data, and at the 15 sites considered herein has an integrated error across the entire cumulative probability distribution that is only 5% of the mean gust magnitude.
SOFC Micro-CHP System With Thermal Energy Storage in Residential Applications
Authors: Hormaza-Mejia Alejandra , Zhao Li , Brouwer Jack 
Published: August 2017

To improve the energy efficiency and achieve zero-net energy goals, as well as to reduce environmental impacts, we demonstrated and evaluated the use of a 1.5 kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) with Micro-combined heat and power (Micro-CHP) for powering residential homes.
In this study, we designed, tested and demonstrated an SOFC Micro-CHP system as a Distributed Generation (DG) prime mover that has high reliability and availability, high efficiency and ultra-low emissions for steady state operation. Energy balances and dynamic analyses of integrating a thermal storage system with the SOFC Micro-CHP system were carried out using a summer load profile of a residence in Southern California. The thermal storage system was found to mitigate the dynamics introduced from the electric water heater and smooth out the residential load profile. Additionally, the integrated thermal storage system and the SOFC Micro-CHP system was found to reduce the overall electricity import and thus the carbon emissions.