bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Benchmarking Water Oxidation Catalysts Based on Iridium Complexes: Clues and Doubts on the Nature of Active Species
Authors: Menendez Rodriguez Gabriel , Gatto Giordano , Zuccaccia Cristiano , Macchioni Alceo 
Published: October 2017

AbstractWater oxidation (WO) is a central reaction in the photo‐ and electro‐synthesis of fuels. Iridium complexes have been successfully exploited as water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) with remarkable performances. Herein, we report a systematic study aimed at benchmarking well‐known Ir WOCs, when NaIO4 is used to drive the reaction. In particular, the following complexes were studied: cis‐[Ir(ppy)2(H2O)2]OTf (ppy=2‐phenylpyridine) (1), [Cp*Ir(H2O)3]NO3 (Cp*=1,2,3,4,5‐pentamethyl‐cyclopentadienyl anion) (2), [Cp*Ir(bzpy)Cl] (bzpy=2‐benzoylpyridine) (3), [Cp*IrCl2(Me2‐NHC)] (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene) (4), [Cp*Ir(pyalk)Cl] (pyalk=2‐pyridine‐isopropanoate) (5), [Cp*Ir(pic)NO3] (pic=2‐pyridine‐carboxylate) (6), [Cp*Ir{(P(O)(OH)2}3]Na (7), and mer‐[IrCl3(pic)(HOMe)]K (8). Their reactivity was compared with that of IrCl3⋅n H2O (9) and [Ir(OH)6]2− (10). Most measurements were performed in phosphate buffer (0.2 m), in which 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 showed very high activity (yield close to 100 %, turnover frequency up to 554 min−1 with 10, the highest ever observed for a WO‐driven by NaIO4). The found order of activity is: 10>2≈4>6>5>7>1>9>3>8. Clues concerning the molecular nature of the active species were obtained, whereas its exact nature remains doubtfully.
Chlorpyrifos interacts with other agricultural stressors to alter stream communities in laboratory microcosms
Authors: Chará‐Serna Ana M. , Richardson John S. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractChlorpyrifos is one of the most widely used agricultural insecticides in the world, but to date there is limited empirical information about its potential to interact with other common agricultural stressors. We conducted a 15‐d, community‐level, microcosm experiment evaluating individual and combined effects of chlorpyrifos, nutrient enrichment, and sedimentation on stream invertebrate communities (abundance, biomass, richness, size structure, composition) and ecosystem processes (primary productivity and leaf decomposition). We found that sedimentation was the most detrimental stressor, with significant negative impacts on most invertebrate community and ecosystem function variables. Even though chlorpyrifos did not cause significant invertebrate mortality in the microcosms, it still altered ecosystem function by lowering leaf decomposition rates, probably through sublethal inhibition of invertebrate shredders. Furthermore, we observed a significant reversal interaction between chlorpyrifos and sediment for small‐sized invertebrates collected in gravel (abundance in sediment × insecticide microcosms was 2.4 times lower than predicted by additivity), as well as an antagonistic interaction with nutrients on invertebrate richness in the same microhabitat (richness in nutrient × insecticide microcosms was 1.6 times higher than predicted by additivity). Our results suggest that chlorpyrifos has the potential to alter freshwater ecosystem function and interact non‐additively with other common agricultural stressors. These findings are in keeping with a growing body of research highlighting that multiple stressor interactions and ecosystem processes should be considered when evaluating the impacts of organic toxicants on freshwater ecosystems.
A Projectivity Diagnosis of Local Feature Using Template Matching
Authors: OHKI HIDEHIRO , TANIGUCHI RIN‐ICHIRO , INOUE SEIKI , GYOHTEN KEIJI 
Published: October 2017

SUMMARYIt is well known that points on a plane in 3D world are related to corresponding image points in a view of a moving camera by projective translation. Good image features have robust projectivity under any camera movements. In the standard performance evaluation of image processing, real captured images of a scene are used ordinarily. However, it is not enough to evaluate in detail because the variation of camera angle and distance to target objects are limited and the capturing cost is expensive. During the early stage of the image processing development, the basic performance measurement should be the most important in an easy way. We propose a projectivity diagnosis method to measure the performance of local descriptor base template matching between a template image and reference images which are created by deforming the template image. This template matching consists of a feature image point extraction and a local descriptor matching. The proposed method evaluates the positional accuracy of the extracted feature points and the matching with local descriptor. Four metrics are introduced to evaluate the projectivity of template matching. In the experiment, our proposed diagnosis method expose the projectivity of SIFT, SURF, and ORB. SIFT showed the better robustness than the others.
High‐precision Classification of Small Insects with Similar Color and Shape Using Image Processing
Authors: IKEMOTO NAOYA , TERADA KENJI , TAKASHINA YUTA , NAKANO AKIO 
Published: October 2017

SUMMARYIn this paper, we propose a method of surveillance of the plant growth using image processing. This method is able to observe the condition of raising the plant in the greenhouse by detecting small insects. Experts can classify small insects, but many general people cannot classify small insects. Therefore we propose a method of classifying small insects by using image processing. The plate is prepared for extracting small insect. The image is obtained by an image scanner. In first process, each region of small insects is extracted from the image scanner image by using color information. In next process, some features are detected from the region of small insects. In last process, small insects are classified using above features. The experiments using the experimental system are performed to demonstrate the efficacy of this method and the experimental results are shown.
Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Bamboo over Micro‐mesoporous Composite Molecular Sieves
Authors: Li Zhaoying , Zhong Zhaoping , Zhang Bo , Gu Jiawen , Shi Kun 
Published: October 2017

AbstractTo upgrade biocrude oils from biomass pyrolysis, a novel micro‐mesoporous composite molecular sieve with HZSM‐5 structure as the core and MCM‐41 structure as the shell is synthesized and utilized. The synthesized hierarchical catalyst is characterized using X‐ray diffraction, N2 adsorption–desorption measurements, and transmission electron microscopy. Catalytic fast pyrolysis of bamboo over the composite molecular sieve is implemented using quantitative pyrolysis‐gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py‐GC/MS). The experimental results demonstrate that the highest relative content of hydrocarbons (34.41 %) is obtained at 600 °C when bamboo is pyrolyzed by only HZSM‐5, which has significant shape‐selective effect on the products of aromatic hydrocarbons but is easily coked. When a two‐layer catalyst bed of MCM‐41 and HZSM‐5 is used to obtaining higher catalytic activity, the two‐layer catalyst bed is capable of the promotion of hydrocarbon production with a relative content of 41.44 % because the hierarchical catalyst has higher flexibility than the two‐layer catalyst bed. It is found that the concentration of alkali solution used significantly influences the catalytic effects of composite molecular sieve. Additionally, the catalyzed transformation of oxygenated chemicals into hydrocarbons can be facilitated with the utilization of hexadecyl trim‐ethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) in comparison with NaOH.
Biogenic Formic Acid as a Green Hydrogen Carrier
Authors: Preuster Patrick , Albert Jakob 
Published: October 2017

AbstractFormic acid (FA) is an important platform chemical that has numerous applications in the chemical and agricultural industries, as well as in the leather industry. To date, FA is exclusively produced from fossil raw materials using either carbonylation of methanol or acidolysis of formates. Here, sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches to produce biogenic FA from biomass (e.g., OxFA‐process) are presented and combined with different approaches for the catalytic decomposition of bio‐based FA solutions. Several homogeneous and heterogeneous approaches for the catalytic decomposition of aqueous FA to hydrogen and CO2 are compared for their applicability. Moreover, their technical applications in fuel cells, as energy storage vectors, and as hydrogen storage molecules are discussed.
Surface Modification Allows High Performance for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Fabricated by a Single‐step Co‐firing Process
Authors: Dai H. , Ning Y. , He S. , Zhang X. , Guo L. , Zhao G. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThe power output of solid oxide fuel cells using samarium doped ceria electrolyte fabricated by a single‐step co‐firing process is enhanced by using a surface modification strategy. This strategy leads to the cell performance improving from 401 mW cm−2 to 523 mW cm−2 at 700 °C, with an increase of more than 30% been achieved, which is very encouraging considering the large electrolyte thickness (∼500 µm). The cell resistance, including both polarization resistance and the ohmic resistance, decreases dramatically by employing the surface modification method. Those results reveal that the surface modification improves the cathode/electrolyte interfacial contact, which results in a reduced total cell resistance and leads to a better cell performance.
Estimation of fracture distribution in a CO2‐EOR system through Ensemble Kalman filter
Authors: Liu Xuan , Dai Cheng , Xue Liang , Ji Bingyu 
Published: October 2017

AbstractCO2‐EOR can serve as a method to jointly enhance oil production and reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. In a fractured reservoir, it is crucial to characterize the spatial and geometrical properties of fractures when designing a CO2‐enhanced oil recovery (EOR) strategy, since the existence of fractures may lead to the early CO2 breakthrough and can significantly impact the sweep efficiency. Compared with the traditional continuum model, discrete fracture model (DFM) can explicitly maintain the full geometrical properties of the individual fractures and accurately simulate the performance of a CO2‐EOR system. However, the spatial distribution of fractures should be reasonably understood to ensure the effectiveness of CO2‐EOR project. In this work, an approach combining ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) with DFM is developed to estimate the fracture distribution by matching the history of production data. The spatial distribution of each fracture is characterized by the coordinates of endpoints, length, and orientation. These geometrical properties are treated as the adjustable model parameters during the history matching process. The difficulty to estimate such parameters lies in the non‐linear relationship between parameters and the observed production data. The EnKF method has been found to an effective method to resolve this issue. Here the available production data is assimilated sequentially to update the geometrical parameters of each fracture via the EnKF method, which has the capability to quantify the production dynamics under estimation uncertainty. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A randomized trial of obeticholic acid monotherapy in patients with primary biliary cholangitis
Authors: Kowdley Kris V. , Luketic Velimir , Chapman Roger , Hirschfield Gideon M. , Poupon Raoul , Schramm Christoph , Vincent Catherine , Rust Christian , Parés Albert , Mason Andrew , Marschall Hanns‐Ulrich , Shapiro David , Adorini Luciano , Sciacca Cathi , Beecher‐Jones Tessa , Böhm Olaf , Pencek Richard , Jones David ,   for the Obeticholic Acid PBC Monotherapy Study Group
Published: October 2017

Obeticholic acid (OCA), a potent farnesoid X receptor agonist, was studied as monotherapy in an international, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled phase 2 study in patients with primary biliary cholangitis who were then followed for up to 6 years. The goals of the study were to assess the benefit of OCA in the absence of ursodeoxycholic acid, which is relevant for patients who are intolerant of ursodeoxycholic acid and at higher risk of disease progression. Patients were randomized and dosed with placebo (n = 23), OCA 10 mg (n = 20), or OCA 50 mg (n = 16) given as monotherapy once daily for 3 months (1 randomized patient withdrew prior to dosing). The primary endpoint was the percent change in alkaline phosphatase from baseline to the end of the double‐blind phase of the study. Secondary and exploratory endpoints included change from baseline to month 3/early termination in markers of cholestasis, hepatocellular injury, and farnesoid X receptor activation. Efficacy and safety continue to be monitored through an ongoing 6‐year open‐label extension (N = 28). Alkaline phosphatase was reduced in both OCA groups (median% [Q1, Q3], OCA 10 mg −53.9% [−62.5, −29.3], OCA 50 mg −37.2% [−54.8, −24.6]) compared to placebo (−0.8% [−6.4, 8.7]; P < 0.0001) at the end of the study, with similar reductions observed through 6 years of open‐label extension treatment. OCA improved many secondary and exploratory endpoints (including γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase, alanine aminotransferase, conjugated bilirubin, and immunoglobulin M). Pruritus was the most common adverse event; 15% (OCA 10 mg) and 38% (OCA 50 mg) discontinued due to pruritus. Conclusion: OCA monotherapy significantly improved alkaline phosphatase and other biochemical markers predictive of improved long‐term clinical outcomes. Pruritus increased dose‐dependently with OCA treatment. Biochemical improvements were observed through 6 years of open‐label extension treatment. (Hepatology 2018;67:1890‐1902).
Applications of Cucurbit[n]urils (n=7 or 8) in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Complexation of Biomolecules
Authors: Yin Hang , Wang Ruibing 
Published: October 2017

AbstractCucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) are two key members of the cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) family of macrocycles. Because of the good water solubility of CB[7] and the unique ternary binding properties of CB[8], these two macrocycles have attracted increasing attentions in recent years. In particular, many promising reports of exciting applications regarding CB[7] and CB[8] have emerged in the pharmaceutical sciences and complexations of biomolecules, which has become one of the most important areas of potential applications of CB[n]s. This review summarizes the applications of macrocyclic CB[7], CB[8] and their derivatives as supramolecular platforms that have been developed in recent years within the field of pharmaceutical sciences and biomolecular sciences, and discusses the current challenges and future prospects of this area.
The effect of fertility treatment on adverse perinatal outcomes in women aged at least 40 years
Authors: Harlev Avi , Walfisch Asnat , Oran Eynan , Har‐Vardi Iris , Friger Michael , Lunenfeld Eitan , Levitas Eliahu 
Published: October 2017

AbstractObjectiveTo compare perinatal outcomes between spontaneous conception and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) among patients of advanced maternal age.MethodsThe present retrospective study included data from singleton pregnancies of women aged at least 40 years who delivered between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 2013, at Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel. Demographic, obstetric, and perinatal data were compared between pregnancies conceived with ART (in vitro fertilization [IVF] or ovulation induction) and those conceived spontaneously. Multiple regression models were used to define independent predictors of adverse outcomes.ResultsA total of 8244 singleton pregnancies were included; 229 (2.8%) following IVF, 86 (1.0%) following ovulation induction, and 7929 (96.2%) were spontaneous. Preterm delivery (P<0.001), fetal growth restriction (FGR) (P<0.001), and cesarean delivery (P<0.001) demonstrated linear associations with the conception mode; the highest rates for each were observed for IVF, with decreased rates for ovulation induction and spontaneous conception. The incidence of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders were highest among pregnancies following ART. No association was observed between conception mode and perinatal mortality. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that IVF was independently associated with increased odds of preterm delivery (P<0.001) and FGR (P=0.027) compared with spontaneous conception.ConclusionsAmong patients of advanced maternal age, ART were independently associated with increased FGR and preterm delivery rates compared with spontaneous pregnancies; perinatal mortality was comparable.
Preparing Preservice Educators to Teach Critical, Place‐Based Literacies
Authors: Mendoza Anna 
Published: October 2017

AbstractSecondary education means helping students develop a diverse repertoire of literacy skills, but the focus has been on disciplinary and digital literacies practiced by geographically distributed communities (an international, middle class curriculum) rather than on practices associated with orality, the trades, and minority, immigrant, and Indigenous knowledges. In contrast, critical approaches to literacy instruction recognize the need to incorporate students’ place‐based funds of knowledge into the curriculum. To illustrate one such approach, this article presents a case study of practitioner research in a secondary teacher education program. Although the syllabus of a core course on adolescent literacies focused on academic and digital ones, teacher candidates who participated in a form of qualitative inquiry called Indigenous métissage had much to say about place‐based funds of knowledge in their subject areas during a field trip and class discussion. These findings suggest that critical, place‐based literacy may be an untapped resource in teacher education.
Collagen‐inducing biologization of prosthetic material for hernia repair: Polypropylene meshes coated with polyP/collagen
Authors: Ackermann Maximilian , Wang Xiaohong , Wang Shunfeng , Neufurth Meik , Schröder Heinz C. , Isemer Friedrich‐Eckart , Müller Werner E.G. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractProstethic mesh material such as nonabsorbable polypropylene used in open and laparoscopic hernia repair are characterized by controllable mechanical properties but may elicit undesirable physiological reactions due to the nonphysiological inert polymer material. We succeeded in developing a biocompatible coating for these meshes, based on a physiological inorganic polymer, polyphosphate (polyP) that is morphogenetically active and used as a metabolic energy source, and a collagen matrix. The polyP/collagen hydrogel material was prepared by a freeze‐extraction method, with amorphous Ca‐polyP microparticles. Electron microscopy (SEM and REM) studies revealed that the polyP/collagen coats are built up of ≈50 nm‐sized microparticles deposited onto the collagen matrix which forms a continuous layer around the polypropylene fibers that also spans the mesh pores. This bioresorbable inorganic/organic hybrid coat was found to be degraded during three days of incubation in medium/serum. The biomechanical properties of the coated meshes are comparable to those of the unmodified polypropylene meshes, with a higher toughness in longitudinal orientation and a more pronounced extensibility in the transverse orientation. The polyP/collagen coating improved cell attachment to the polypropylene meshes and strongly increase the growth of fibroblasts (MC3T3‐E1 cells). Furthermore, those mats upregulate the expression of the gene encoding the stromal cell‐derived factor‐1α (SDF‐1), a mesenchymal stem cells attracting chemokine in the fibroblasts. We conclude that coating of inert polymer meshes with a biocompatible, collagen‐inducing polyP/collagen inorganic/organic hybrid layer may improve tissue integration of the meshes and the outcome of surgical hernia repair and may redudce the foreign body reaction in contaminated field. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2109–2121, 2018.
Artificial urine and FBS supplemented media in cytocompatibility assays for PLGA‐PEG‐based intravesical devices using the urothelium cell line UROtsa
Authors: Arndt P. , Leistner N. D. , Neuss S. , Kaltbeitzel D. , Brook G. A. , Grosse J. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractEuropean and German directives for approval of new medical devices require tests for cytotoxicity in relevant media, since urine can influence cytotoxicity of biodegradable devices. The aim of this study was to determine the long‐term cytotoxicity of PLGA‐b‐mPEG (PLGA‐PEG) polymer carriers and artificial urine (AU) to human UROtsa cells. Benign urothelial UROtsa cells were incubated in fetal bovine serum‐containing RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with a range of concentrations of AU for 24 h and 7 days. Cell viability was determined by the XTT assay and by live/dead staining. The cytotoxicity of medium containing degradation products from PLGA‐PEG carriers was also tested on the UROtsa cells in AU‐containing and control medium. PLGA‐PEG carriers exhibited no cytotoxicity to UROtsa cells after 24 h of incubation. However, after 7 days, cytotoxicity was observed, but this was largely attributable to the effects of 30% AU on the cells. Compared to phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and normalized to RPMI 1640 medium, significant cytotoxicity was observed by 24 h in medium containing 50% AU and by 7 days in medium containing 30% AU. Live/Dead staining confirmed proliferation results and no pH‐changes could be observed. Here we demonstrate for the first time the impact of AU on standard cytotoxicity tests related to biomaterials for urinary‐tract applications. Our study showed cytotoxic effects of high concentrations of 50% AU by 24 h and by physiological concentrations of AU (i.e., 30%) by 7 days. We have also demonstrated that PLGA‐PEG has no cytotoxic effects in the appropriate AU‐containing test environment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2140–2147, 2018.
A novel modeling approach for evaluating microbial mechanism and design of contact stabilization process
Authors: Allı Buşra , İnsel Güçlü , Sözen Seval , Orhon Derin 
Published: October 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe paper offers a novel interpretation of microbial mechanisms and evaluates the assets of contact stabilization (CS) using multi‐component modelling. A model structure re‐defining microbial processes is adopted, where the function of the contact tank was limited to the utilization of soluble substrate fractions and that of the stabilization tank essentially involved endogenous decay and removal of the adsorbed particulate substrate.RESULTSThe model was used to simulate the microbial behaviour and performance of CS in comparison with a conventional activated sludge system (CAS), at an SRT range between 6 and 15 d. The results were confirmed by a stoichiometric description of the process using relevant mass balance relationships, which identified the role of major parameters in system behaviour and performance. A rational process design procedure was proposed based on modelling and process stoichiometry.CONCLUSIONThe CS process achieved effective carbon removal with a much smaller footprint and/or aeration volume with respect to CAS, due to its ability to work at significantly higher volumetric organic loadings; its flexibility to be operated at much higher SRT compared with CAS with the same HRT, allowed minimizing sludge production and sustaining a microbial composition also supporting nitrification. However, process stoichiometry reflected that the CS process, despite its significant advantages, should not be considered a suitable candidate for maximizing sludge harvest and energy recovery. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry