bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of cross-linking agents and curing condition on the performance of epoxy coating
Authors: Tambe Shekhar P. , Jagtap Shwetambari D. , Choudhari Ramakant N. , Mallik B.P. 
Published: September 2016

Purpose
The performance of epoxy coating on metal substrate at low temperature and high humidity application has adverse effect on cure rate, film properties and adhesion. In recent years, several advanced amine cross-linking agents having superior curing ability at low temperature application environment have been introduced. The aim of this paper is to study the properties of epoxy-based coating cured with different cross-linking agents designed for low temperature application at different environmental conditions.

Design/methodology/approach
Series of cross linking agents such as modified cycloaliphatic amine (H1), polyamine adduct (H2), modified aliphatic ketamine (H3), phenalkamine (H4) and phenalkamide (H5) have been studied to evaluate their performance in epoxy compositions when cured at four environmental conditions, i.e. at ambient and sub-ambient temperatures with 60 and 90 per cent relative humidity, respectively. The effect of curing conditions was investigated by evaluating different physico-mechanical properties. Dynamic mechanical analyser technique was used to determine glass transition temperature (Tg) and cross-link density (ρ) of coatings. Anticorrosive properties of coatings also have been studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Findings
The outcome of this study is expected to generate new insight into the curing behaviour of epoxy coating using different cross-linking agents which are recommended for low temperature application. Optimum physico-mechanical and corrosion resistance properties have been obtained by phenalkamine curing agent at low temperature and high humidity condition.

Practical implications
This study is an experimental approach to select the better cross-linking agent for low temperature application. Different test conditions were measured for understanding the performance of epoxy coating cured at different environmental condition.

Originality/value
The understanding reaction mechanism of the epoxy resin with cross-linking agent at different environmental condition is the great challenge and is hardly investigated in the literature. Therefore, in this research, the influence of climatic conditions and type of cross-linking agents on curing behaviour of epoxy-based coating was investigated.
From suspension toward emulsion and mini-emulsion polymerisation to control particle size, particle size distribution, and sphereness of printing toner
Authors: Andami Fatemeh , Ataeefard Maryam , Najafi Farhood , Saeb Mohammad Reza 
Published: September 2016

Purpose
Printing toners are polymer composites accountable for transmission of digital images onto target substrates. Bearing in mind the ever increasing demand for high quality digital printing, modification and/or integration of existing techniques for manufacturing toners with favourable morphological and colour characteristics appears of vital importance. The present study aims to uncover the significance of in-situ polymerisation method, i.e. suspension, emulsion and mini-emulsion to control the microstructure of toner particles (particle size, particle size distribution and sphereness) while keeping the energy required for polymerisation along with reaction conversion at a reasonable level.

Design/methodology/approach
Assessment of particle size, particle size distribution and reaction conversion visualised the potential of suspension, emulsion and mini-emulsion polymerisation techniques to control microstructure, and colour characteristics of synthesized toners as well.

Findings
The results provided support for the fact that either the emulsion or mini-emulsion polymerisation routes will result in toners having an acceptable particle size and particle size distribution in the presence of a redox precursor. The higher monomer conversion at low temperature, as compared to the suspension polymerisation, was noticeable.

Practical implications
Analysing the glass transition temperature and colour characteristics of the resulting toners elucidated the superiority of mini-emulsion with respect to the other two cases which ranks this method on account of application.

Originality/value
For the first time, mini-emulsion route was put into practice and toners with acceptable colour and microstructure features were synthesised. In spite of lower polymerisation temperature and higher conversion of mini-emulsion compared to suspension and emulsion polymerisation techniques, further investigations are required to fine-tuning the properties of toners produced through this method.
Synthesis of 4-hydroxy coumarin dyes and their applications
Authors: Gaffer Hatem , Salem Mounir , Marzouk Magda 
Published: September 2016

PurposeThe present study aims to focus on the possibility of developing new eco-friendly azo dyes with good colouristic application properties, exhibiting biological and pharmacological activities.Design/methodology/approachCoupling of 4-hydroxycoumarin with a variety of aromatic diazonium salts of 2-aminothiazole, 2-aminobenzothiazole, 4-aminoantipyrine, 4-aminoacetophenone, adenine sulphate, a-naphthylamine and sulphadimidine to produce novel azo dyes. The compounds were fully characterised using spectroscopic and analytical methods. All of the compounds were tested for their antimicrobial, anticancer and antioxidant activities. The prepared dyestuffs were dyed on polyester fabrics and subsequently their dyeing properties, light, washing, perspiration, rubbing and sublimation fastness were determined.FindingsThe spectroscopic data of the synthesised compounds have provided decisive evidence that such compounds exist in the solid state as the azo-dike to form C and in solution in equilibrium tautomer forms A, B and D. The prepared dyestuffs are suitable for either heat transfer printing or traditional printing on polyester and nylon 6 fabrics. The prints obtained from the dyes possess high colour strength, as well as good overall fastness properties. Also the synthesised compounds exhibit good biological and pharmacology activity.Research limitations/implicationsSynthesis of these seven azo dyes for textile dyeing had never been reported previously.Practical implicationsThe dyestuffs derived from 4-hydroxycoumarin are reasonable azo disperse dyestuffs giving good all round fastness properties on polyester fabrics.Social implicationsProduction of less expensive and new eco-friendly dyes exhibit antimicrobial and anticancer activity.Originality/valueIt provided a potentially simple way to synthesize novel coumarin azo-dyes exhibit good biological and pharmacology activity and also exhibit good overall fastness properties.
Consumer knowledge in pro-environmental behavior
Authors: Onel Naz , Mukherjee Avinandan 
Published: September 2016

PurposeEnvironmental behavior studies suggest that knowledge, in addition to other psychological and social factors, can play an important role in consumers’ environmental behavior change. The purpose of this paper is to understand the relationship between knowledge and various psychological factors which encourage consumers’ participation in pro-environmental behaviors. The relationships that link an individual’s attitudes toward science, environmental values, different types of knowledge (i.e. scientific facts, environmental facts, and subjective environmental knowledge), environmental risk perception, and willingness to pay (WTP) for the environment with pro-environmental behavior were examined.Design/methodology/approachTheoretically guided hypotheses and model were formulated and tested with multiple linear regression models. The study was based on measures and data obtained from the large-sample secondary database of the 2010 General Social Survey (n=2,044).FindingsResults indicated that while attitudes toward science had direct effects on knowledge of scientific facts and knowledge of environmental facts, environmental values showed effects on knowledge of environmental facts and subjective knowledge on environmental issues. The results also indicated that from different types of knowledge, subjective knowledge on environmental issues had effects on both environmental risk perception and WTP for the environment. Knowledge on environmental facts, on the other hand, was able to predict only environmental risk perception. The scientific factual knowledge did not show an effect on mediator of pro-environmental behavior. Also, subjective knowledge indicated indirect effects on pro-environmental behavior through environmental risk perception and WTP for the environment.Originality/valueAlthough research on understanding factors influencing pro-environmental behaviors and potential relations to individual knowledge has grown in recent years, there has been very little attempt at distinguishing between different types of knowledge and investigating their potential roles in the context of environmentally relevant behaviors. This study will help understand the functioning of different types of consumer environmental knowledge and their impacts on pro-environmental behaviors more in depth.
The effect of green tea on opposing toxicity of acrylamide on kidney function
Authors: Khalifa Nahlaa , El-Kholy Thanaa Abdel Fattah , Al-Ghamdi Ahmed 
Published: September 2016

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of green tea extract on kidney function tests, in male rats that received different doses of acrylamide (AA).Design/methodology/approachAnimals were dispensed at random to one of the following treatments: group 1 served as control, whereas groups 2, 3 received seven, 14 mg/100 g B.W/day of AA, respectively, in drinking water for 15 and 30 days. Group 4 received green tea 1.5 percent concentration and groups 5, 6 received seven, 14 mg/100 g B.W/day in a mixture with green tea for 15 and 30 days.FindingsSerum urea and creatinine significantly increase with AA. However, Total protein, albumin and A/G ratio showed significant drop in all treated groups when compared with control. Supplementation of rats with antioxidant (green tea) enhanced the general health condition, reduced the severity of genotoxic effect and the alteration in blood and serum parameters produced by AA.Practical implicationsThe authors suggest that green tea may deliver a cushion for long therapeutic option against toxins-induced nephrotoxicity without damaging side effects.Originality/valueThe study uses green tea as a natural antioxidant source. Epigallocatechin-3 gallate is the most plentiful catechin preserved in green tea and a high source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of phenolic products of plant metabolism with high antioxidant properties to reduce nephrotoxicity without side effects.
Millennium development goals achievement in different states of India (2003-2004 to 2013-2014)
Authors: Chakrabarty Ranajit , Chakrabarti Mahuya , Chattopadhyay Ayan 
Published: September 2016

Purpose
According to the Government of India 2015 report on millennium development goal (MDG), India is yet to achieve almost 50 per cent of the goals set by UN. Characterized by its diversity, India’s progress in terms of the indicators of MDGs for the country as a whole averages out the prevailing state level variations. The purpose of this paper is to explore the status of these goals during 1993-1994-2013-2014 at state level using 12 targets and 35 indicators relevant for India along with an attempt to explain inter-state variations in this regard.

Design/methodology/approach
Using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution method, a multiple criteria decision making method, the states have been ranked in terms of all the indicators of MDGs. These ranks were then analysed using socio-economic and political factors to understand the root cause of variation.

Findings
Ranking of the states considering all the indicators reveals the actual scenario in an effective way. The factors like state domestic product, state-wise standard of education level, social backwardness and political leadership help in finding the link between the derived ranks and these socio-economic and political factors.

Originality/value
Previous studies in this area have been carried out taking the indicators separately. However, without a comprehensive idea with all the indicators, the overall impact cannot be understood effectively. This study is novel since it takes into account each state with respect to all the indicators taken together thereby providing a comprehensive view on the variation in the achievement of MDG goals.
Identification of B‐cell epitopes of Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein C by screening a phage‐displayed gene fragment library
Authors: Pulzova Lucia , Flachbartova Zuzana , Bencurova Elena , Potocnakova Lenka , Comor Lubos , Schreterova Eva , Bhide Mangesh 
Published: September 2016

ABSTRACTOuter surface protein C (OspC) of Borrelia stimulates remarkable immune responses during early infection and is therefore currently considered a leading diagnostic and vaccine candidate. The sensitivity and specificity of serological tests based on whole protein OspC for diagnosis of Lyme disease are still unsatisfactory. Minimal B‐cell epitopes are key in the development of reliable immunodiagnostic tools. Using OspC fragments displayed on phage particles (phage library) and anti‐OspC antibodies isolated from sera of naturally infected patients, six OspC epitopes capable of distinguishing between LD patient and healthy control sera were identified. Three of these epitopes are located at the N‐terminus (OspC E1 aa19–27, OspC E2 aa38–53, OspC E3 aa62–66) and three at the C‐terminal end (OspC E4 aa155–163, OspC E5 aa184–190 and OspC E6 aa201–207). OspC E1, E4 and E6 were highly conserved among LD related Borreliae. To our knowledge, epitopes OspC E2, E3 and E5 were identified for the first time in this study. Minimal B‐cell epitopes may provide fundamental data for the development of multi‐epitope‐based diagnostic tools for Lyme disease.
Sampling networks of ecological interactions
Authors: Jordano Pedro 
Published: September 2016

Summary

Sampling ecological interactions presents similar challenges, problems, potential biases and constraints as sampling individuals and species in biodiversity inventories. Robust estimates of the actual number of interactions (links) within diversified ecological networks require adequate sampling effort that needs to be explicitly gauged. Yet we still lack a sampling theory explicitly focusing on ecological interactions.

While the complete inventory of interactions is likely impossible, a robust characterization of its main patterns and metrics is probably realistic. We must acknowledge that a sizeable fraction of the maximum number of interactions among, say, A animal species and P plant species (i.e. ) is impossible to record due to forbidden links, that is life‐history restrictions. Thus, the number of observed interactions I in robustly sampled networks is typically , resulting in sparse interaction matrices with low connectance.

Here I provide a review and outline a conceptual framework for interaction sampling by building an explicit analogue to individuals and species sampling, thus extending diversity‐monitoring approaches to the characterization of complex networks of ecological interactions. Contrary to species inventories, a sizable fraction of non‐observed pairwise interactions cannot be sampled, due to biological constraints that forbid their occurrence.

Reasons for forbidden links are multiple but mainly stem from spatial and temporal uncoupling, size mismatches and intrinsically low probabilities of interspecific encounter for most potential interactions of partner species. Adequately assessing the completeness of a network of ecological interactions thus needs knowledge of the natural history details embedded, so that forbidden links can be accounted for as a portion of the unobserved links when addressing sampling effort.

Recent implementations of inference methods for unobserved species or for individual‐based data can be combined with the assessment of forbidden links. This can help in estimating their relative importance, simply by the difference between the asymptotic estimate of interaction richness in a robustly sampled assemblage and the maximum richness of interactions. This is crucial to assess the rapid and devastating effects of defaunation‐driven loss of key ecological interactions and the services they provide and the analogous losses related to interaction gains due to invasive species and biotic homogenization.

A lay summary is available for this article.
Numerical investigation of alternative fracture stiffness measures and their respective scaling behaviours
Authors: Morris Joseph P. , Jocker Jeroen , Prioul Romain 
Published: September 2016

ABSTRACTWe study the mechanical deformation of fractures under normal stress, via tangent and specific fracture stiffnesses, for different length scales using numerical simulations and analytical insights. First, we revisit an equivalent elastic layer model that leads to two expressions: the tangent stiffness is the sum of an “intrinsic” stiffness and the normal stress, and the specific stiffness is the tangent stiffness divided by the fracture aperture at current stress. Second, we simulate the deformation of rough fractures using a boundary element method where fracture surfaces represented by elastic asperities on an elastic half‐space follow a self‐affine distribution. A large number of statistically identical “parent” fractures are generated, from which sub‐fractures of smaller dimensions are extracted. The self‐affine distribution implies that the stress‐free fracture aperture increases with fracture length with a power law in agreement with the chosen Hurst exponent. All simulated fractures exhibit an increase in the specific stiffness with stress and an average decrease with increase in length consistent with field observations. The simulated specific and tangent stiffnesses are well described by the equivalent layer model provided the “intrinsic” stiffness slightly decreases with fracture length following a power law. By combining numerical simulations and the analytical model, the effect of scale and stress on fracture stiffness measures can be easily separated using the concept of “intrinsic” stiffness. We learn that the primary reason for the variability in specific stiffness with length comes from the fact that the typical aperture of the self‐affine fractures itself scales with the length of the fractures.
E‐cigarette Policymaking by Local and State Governments: 2009‐2014
Authors: COX ELIZABETH , BARRY RACHEL ANN , GLANTZ STANTON 
Published: September 2016

Policy Points:
E‐cigarettes are new products that are generating policy issues, including youth access and smokefree laws, for local and state governments.
Unlike with analogous debates on conventional cigarettes, initial opposition came from e‐cigarette users and retailers independent of the multinational cigarette companies.
After the cigarette companies entered the e‐cigarette market, the opposition changed to resemble long‐standing industry resistance to tobacco control policies, including campaign contributions, lobbying, and working through third parties and front groups.
As with earlier efforts to restrict tobacco products, health advocates have had the most success at the local rather than the state level.
ContextE‐cigarettes entered the US market in 2007 without federal regulation. In 2009, local and state policymakers began identifying ways to regulate their sale, public usage, taxation, and marketing, often by integrating them into existing tobacco control laws.MethodsWe reviewed legislative hearings, newspaper articles, financial disclosure reports, NewsBank, Google, Twitter, and Facebook and conducted interviews to analyze e‐cigarette policy debates between 2009 and 2014 in 4 cities and the corresponding states.FindingsInitial opposition to local and state legislation came from e‐cigarette users and retailers independent of the large multinational cigarette companies. After cigarette companies entered the e‐cigarette market, e‐cigarette policy debates increasingly resembled comparable tobacco control debates from the 1970s through the 1990s, including pushing pro‐industry legislation, working through third parties and front groups, mobilizing “grassroots” networks, lobbying and using campaign contributions, and claiming that policy was unnecessary due to “imminent” federal regulation. Similar to the 1980s, when the voluntary health organizations were slow to enter tobacco control debates, because they saw smoking restrictions as controversial, these organizations were reluctant to enter e‐cigarette debates. Strong legislation passed at the local level because of the committed efforts of local health departments and leadership from experienced politicians but failed at the state level due to intense cigarette company lobbying without countervailing pressure from the voluntary health organizations.ConclusionsPassing e‐cigarette regulations at the state level has become more difficult since cigarette companies have entered the market. While state legislation is possible, as with earlier tobacco control policymaking, local governments remain a viable option for overcoming cigarette company interference in the policymaking process.
Meta‐Analysis of Chinese Business Cycle Correlation
Authors: Fidrmuc Jarko , Korhonen Iikka 
Published: September 2016

AbstractWe review previous research on China's business cycle correlation with other economies applying meta‐analysis. We survey 71 papers analysing the different periods of Chinese economic development since the 1950s that were published in English or Chinese. We confirm that Pacific Rim economies in particular have relatively high business cycle correlation with China. It appears that many characteristics of the studies and authors influence the reported degree of business cycle synchronization. For instance, Chinese‐language papers report higher correlation coefficients. Despite this, we do not detect robust evidence for publication bias in the papers. Moreover, we show that the broad evidence does not confirm the popular decoupling hypothesis.
A Comprehensive Python Toolkit for Accessing High‐Throughput Computing to Support Large Hydrologic Modeling Tasks
Authors: Christensen Scott D. , Swain Nathan R. , Jones Norman L. , Nelson E. James , Snow Alan D. , Dolder Herman G. 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe National Flood Interoperability Experiment (NFIE) was an undertaking that initiated a transformation in national hydrologic forecasting by providing streamflow forecasts at high spatial resolution over the whole country. This type of large‐scale, high‐resolution hydrologic modeling requires flexible and scalable tools to handle the resulting computational loads. While high‐throughput computing (HTC) and cloud computing provide an ideal resource for large‐scale modeling because they are cost‐effective and highly scalable, nevertheless, using these tools requires specialized training that is not always common for hydrologists and engineers. In an effort to facilitate the use of HTC resources the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project, CI‐WATER, has developed a set of Python tools that can automate the tasks of provisioning and configuring an HTC environment in the cloud, and creating and submitting jobs to that environment. These tools are packaged into two Python libraries: CondorPy and TethysCluster. Together these libraries provide a comprehensive toolkit for accessing HTC to support hydrologic modeling. Two use cases are described to demonstrate the use of the toolkit, including a web app that was used to support the NFIE national‐scale modeling.