bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synergistic thermal conductivity enhancement of PC/ABS composites containing alumina/magnesia/graphene nanoplatelets
Authors: Yu Wei , Xie Huaqing , Chen Lifei , Wang Mingzhu , Wang Wenxia 
Published: November 2015

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) have attracted considerable attention in the field of thermal management materials due to their unique structure and exceptional thermal conductive properties. In this work, we demonstrate a significant synergistic effect of GNPs, alumina (Al2O3), and magnesia (MgO) in improving the thermal conductivity of polycarbonate/acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene polymer alloy (PC/ABS) composites. The thermal conductivity of the composites prepared through partial replacement of Al2O3 and MgO with GNPs could increase dramatically compared with that without GNPs. The maximum thermal conductivity of the composite is 3.11 W mK−1 at total mass fraction of 70% with 0.5 wt% GNPs loading. It increases 60% compared with that without GNPs (1.95 W mK−1). The synergistic effect results from the compact packing structure formed by Al2O3/MgO and the bridging of GNPs with Al2O3/MgO, thus promoting the formation of effective thermal conduction pathways within PC/ABS matrix. More importantly, together with the intrinsically high thermal conductivity of GNPs, boosted and effective pathways for phonon transport can be created, thus decrease the thermal resistance at the interface between fillers and PC/ABS matrix and increase the thermal conductivity of composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:2221–2227, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Early perception of stink bug damage in developing seeds of field‐grown soybean induces chemical defences and reduces bug attack
Authors: Giacometti Romina , Barneto Jesica , Barriga Lucia G , Sardoy Pedro M , Balestrasse Karina , Andrade Andrea M , Pagano Eduardo A , Alemano Sergio G , Zavala Jorge A 
Published: November 2015

AbstractBACKGROUNDSouthern green stink bugs (Nezara viridula L.) invade field‐grown soybean crops, where they feed on developing seeds and inject phytotoxic saliva, which causes yield reduction. Although leaf responses to herbivory are well studied, no information is available about the regulation of defences in seeds.RESULTSThis study demonstrated that mitogen‐activated protein kinases MPK3, MPK4 and MPK6 are expressed and activated in developing seeds of field‐grown soybean and regulate a defensive response after stink bug damage. Although 10–20 min after stink bug feeding on seeds induced the expression of MPK3, MPK6 and MPK4, only MPK6 was phosphorylated after damage. Herbivory induced an early peak of jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation and ethylene (ET) emission after 3 h in developing seeds, whereas salicylic acid (SA) was also induced early, and at increasing levels up to 72 h after damage. Damaged seeds upregulated defensive genes typically modulated by JA/ET or SA, which in turn reduced the activity of digestive enzymes in the gut of stink bugs. Induced seeds were less preferred by stink bugs.CONCLUSIONThis study shows that stink bug damage induces seed defences, which is perceived early by MPKs that may activate defence metabolic pathways in developing seeds of field‐grown soybean. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Subprime governance: Agency costs in vertically integrated banks and the 2008 mortgage crisis
Authors: Gartenberg Claudine , Pierce Lamar 
Published: November 2015

Research summary: This study uses the 2008 mortgage crisis to demonstrate how the relationship between vertical integration and performance crucially depends on corporate governance. Prior research has argued that the vertical integration of mortgage origination and securitization aligned divisional incentives and improved lending quality. We show that vertical integration improved loan performance only in those firms with strong corporate governance and that this performance‐integration relationship strongly decreases and actually reverses as governance quality decreases. We interpret these findings as suggesting that the additional control afforded by vertical integration can, in the hands of poorly monitored managers, offset gains from aligned divisional incentives. These findings support the view that corporate governance influences the strategic outcomes of a firm, in our case, by influencing the effectiveness of boundary decisions.Managerial summary: One of the unanswered questions of the 2008 mortgage crisis is why some firms produced toxic mortgages and others did not. Many have argued that vertically integrated banks—banks that both originated and securitized mortgages—had incentives to monitor themselves and thereby avoid overaggressive lending and outright fraud. Yet many of the worst lenders, such as Washington Mutual and New Century Financial, were in fact integrated. This study shows that the behavior of these firms critically depended on their corporate governance. We find that poorly monitored executives used their additional control over the integrated businesses to issue low quality loans that supported short‐term growth. Our results suggest that governance is a crucial prerequisite for financial services, particularly for firms whose managers control multiple, interrelated businesses. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Designing Resilient Systems‐of‐Systems: A Survey of Metrics, Methods, and Challenges
Authors: Uday Payuna , Marais Karen 
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACTResilience is the ability of a system to react to and recover from disturbances with minimal effect on its dynamic stability. While resilience has been the focus of research in several fields, in the case of systems‐of‐systems (SoSs), addressing resilience is particularly interesting and challenging. As infrastructure SoSs, such as power, transportation, and communication networks, grow in complexity and interconnectivity, measuring and improving the resilience of these critical SoSs is vital in terms of safety and providing uninterrupted services. While the resilience of SoSs depends on the reliability of their constituent systems, traditional reliability and risk assessment approaches cannot adequately quantify their resilience. In this paper, we provide an evaluation of the various methods available and challenges associated with designing resilient SoSs by (1) indicating important differences between resilience and various related system attributes, (2) providing a critical assessment of the current reliability and risk techniques in addressing SoS resilience, and (3) discussing the application of recent multidisciplinary research that can guide the design of resilient SoS. Finally, we highlight key challenges in this design process and propose a series of research themes that can shape future research in this field.
A unified integration and component testing approach from deterministic stream X-machine specifications
Authors: Ipate Florentin , Dranidis Dimitris 
Published: November 2015

Abstract

One of the great benefits of using a stream X-machine to specify a system is its associated
testing method
. Under certain
design for test conditions
, this method produces a test suite that can determine the
correctness
of the
implementation under test
(
IUT
), provided that the basic components of the stream X-machine model have been correctly implemented. However, such an approach implies that each component can be tested
in isolation
from the rest of the system. This is a limitation that, in practice, can be resolved by developing stubs and drivers. However, this adds complexity to the testing process and, furthermore, these new pieces of software can introduce faults that can invalidate the theoretical results of the aforementioned testing method. This paper extends the approach by allowing component testing to be performed
in parallel
with integration testing, while still guaranteeing the IUT correctness under the given design for test conditions. It also shows how the integration test suite, produced in previous publications, can be reduced.
A Prospective Study on Cardiovascular Dysfunction in Patients with Hyperthyroidism and Its Reversal After Surgical Cure
Authors: Muthukumar Sankaran , Sadacharan Dhalapathy , Ravikumar Krishnan , Mohanapriya Gajarajan , Hussain Zahir , Suresh R. V. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractBackgroundCardiovascular dysfunction (CVD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in hyperthyroidism. CVD and its reversibility after total thyroidectomy (TT) are not adequately addressed. This prospective case–control study evaluates the effect of hyperthyroidism on myocardium and its reversibility after TT.Materials and methodsSurgical candidates of new onset hyperthyroidism, Group A (n = 41, age < 60 years) was evaluated with 2D Echocardiography, serum n‐terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) at the time of diagnosis (Point A), after achieving euthyroidism (Point B) with antithyroid drugs, and 3 months after TT (Point C). 20 patients with nontoxic benign thyroid nodules undergoing TT served as controls (Group B).ResultsBoth groups were age and sex matched. Group A (n = 41) comprises Graves disease (n = 22) and Toxic Multinodular goiter (n = 19). At point A, CVD was evident in 26/41(63.4 %), pulmonary hypertension (PHT) in 24/41(58.5 %)—mild in 17/41(41.4 %) and moderate in 7/41(17 %)—dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in 8/41(19.5 %), heart failure in 4/41(9.7 %), and NT‐proBNP elevated in 28/41(68.3 %). At point B, recovery was observed in PHT 19/26(73.1 %), DCM 4/8(50 %), heart failure 4/4(100 %), NT‐proBNP in 3/28(10.7 %). At Point C, further improvement occurred in PHT 23/24(95.8 %), DCM 7/8(87.5 %), heart failure 4/4(100 %), and NT‐proBNP in 24/28(85.7 %).ConclusionPulmonary hypertension is completely reversible at 3 months after TT and is the most common cardiac event in Hyperthyroidism. Various parameters of CVD improved consistently after surgical cure. NT‐proBNP levels correlated well with the severity and duration of CVD and hence can be an objective tool in monitoring of hyperthyroid cardiac dysfunction.
Acute fatal metabolic complications in alkaptonuria
Authors: Davison A. S. , Milan A. M. , Gallagher J. A. , Ranganath L. R. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractAlkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare inherited metabolic disorder of tyrosine metabolism that results from a defect in an enzyme called homogentisate 1,2‐dioxygenase. The result of this is that homogentisic acid (HGA) accumulates in the body. HGA is central to the pathophysiology of this disease and the consequences observed; these include spondyloarthropathy, rupture of ligaments/muscle/tendons, valvular heart disease including aortic stenosis and renal stones. While AKU is considered to be a chronic progressive disorder, it is clear from published case reports that fatal acute metabolic complications can also occur. These include oxidative haemolysis and methaemoglobinaemia. The exact mechanisms underlying the latter are not clear, but it is proposed that disordered metabolism within the red blood cell is responsible for favouring a pro‐oxidant environment that leads to the life threatening complications observed. Herein the role of red blood cell in maintaining the redox state of the body is reviewed in the context of AKU. In addition previously reported therapeutic strategies are discussed, specifically with respect to why reported treatments had little therapeutic effect. The potential use of nitisinone for the management of patients suffering from the acute metabolic decompensation in AKU is proposed as an alternative strategy.
Surface and Aggregation Properties of Synthesized Cetyl Alcohol Based Bis‐Sulfosuccinate Gemini Surfactants in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Singh Vinayika , Tyagi Rashmi 
Published: November 2015

AbstractA series of cetyl alcohol based anionic bis‐sulfosuccinate gemini surfactants (BSGSCA1,4; BSGSCA1,6 and BSGSCA1,8) with different spacer lengths was prepared using dibromoalkanes. The surfactant structure was elucidated using elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Surface tension measurements were used to determine the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the surface tension at the CMC (γCMC), surface pressure at the CMC (πCMC) and efficiency of adsorption (pC20). On the basis of surface studies, the CMC and γCMC decreases with increasing length of the spacer group. The micelle aggregation number, determined by fluorescence quenching studies, increases with increasing surfactant concentration above the CMC. The micropolarity in the micelle increases with increasing length of the spacer and decreases with increasing surfactant concentration.
Maternal Plane of Nutrition During Late‐Gestation and Weaning Age Alter Steer Calf Longissimus Muscle Adipogenic MicroRNA and Target Gene Expression
Authors: Moisá Sonia J. , Shike Daniel W. , Shoup Lindsay , Loor Juan J. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThe main objective was to evaluate if different planes of maternal nutrition during late gestation and weaning age alter microRNA (miRNA) and target gene expression in offspring longissimus muscle (LM). Early (EW) and normal weaned (NW) Angus × Simmental calves (n = 30) born to cows that were grazing endophyte‐infected tall fescue and red clover pastures with no supplement [low plane of nutrition (LPN)], or supplemented with 2.3 and 9.1 kg of dried distiller's grains with solubles and soy hulls [medium and high plane of nutrition (MPN, HPN), respectively] during the last 105 ± 11 days of gestation were used. Biopsies of LM were harvested at 78 (early weaning), 187 (normal weaning) and 354 days of age. Results indicate a role of pro‐adipogenic miRNA in the control of adipogenesis in LM of NW‐MPN steers between 78 and 187 days of age through upregulation of (1) miR‐103 which inhibits CAV1, a protein that destabilizes INSR and leads to insulin resistance; (2) miR‐143 which inhibits DLK1, a protein that inhibits adipocyte differentiation; and (3) miR‐21 which impairs TGFBR2‐induced inhibition of adipocyte differentiation. Among the studied anti‐adipogenic miRNA, cow plane of nutrition resulted in downregulation of miR‐34a expression in MPN steers compared with HPN and LPN at 78 days of age. Data for miR‐34a provided a potential sign of epigenetic regulation of LM in beef offspring due to the cow plane of nutrition during late gestation.
Anti‐Müllerian hormone as a marker of ovarian reserve: What have we learned, and what should we know?
Authors: Iwase Akira , Nakamura Tomoko , Osuka Satoko , Takikawa Sachiko , Goto Maki , Kikkawa Fumitaka 
Published: November 2015

AbstractOvarian reserve reflects the quality and quantity of available oocytes. This reserve has become indispensable for the better understanding of reproductive potential. Measurement of the serum anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) level allows quantitative evaluation of ovarian reserve. It has been applied to a wide range of clinical conditions, and it is well established that the measurement of serum AMH levels is more useful than qualitative evaluation based on the menstrual cycle. AMH levels are monitored during infertility treatments; in patients undergoing medically assisted reproductive technology; and in the diagnosis of ovarian failure, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and granulosa cell tumor. It is also useful in the evaluation of iatrogenic ovarian damage. Population‐based studies have indicated a potential role for serum AMH in the planning of reproductive health management. While AMH is currently the best measure of ovarian reserve, its predictive value for future live births remains controversial. Furthermore, there is a serious practical issue in the interpretation of test results, as currently available assay kits use different assay ranges and coefficients of variation due to the absence of an international reference standard. The pros and cons of the serum AMH level as a definitive measure of ovarian reserve merits further review in order to guide future research.
Postcolonial Borderland Legacies of Anglo–French Partition in West Africa
Authors: Miles William F. S. 
Published: November 2015

Abstract:More than five decades after independence, Africa still struggles with the legacies of colonial partition. On the territorial frontiers between the postcolonial inheritors of the two major colonial powers, Great Britain and France, the continuing impact of European colonialism remains most acute. On the one hand, the splitting of erstwhile homogeneous ethnic groups into British and French camps gave rise to new national identities; on the other hand, it circumvented any possibility of sovereignty via ethnic solidarity. To date, however, there has been no comprehensive assessment of the ethnic groups that were divided between English- and French-speaking states in West Africa, let alone the African continent writ large. This article joins postcolonial ethnography to the emerging field of comparative borderland studies. It argues that, although norms of state-based identity have been internalized in the Anglophone–Francophone borderlands, indigenous bases of association and behavior continue to define life along the West African frontier in ways that undermine state sovereignty. Although social scientists tend to focus on national- and sub-national-level analyses, and increasingly on the effects of globalization on institutional change, study of the African borderlands highlights the continuing importance of colonial legacies and grassroots-derived research.
Neoliberal Rationalities in Old and New Nollywood
Authors: Adejunmobi Moradewun 
Published: November 2015

Abstract:This article focuses on shifts, or “new waves,” within contemporary African film as sites of struggle and moments of exposure of the divergent forces at work in the struggle. From this perspective, attempts at initiating a new style in commercially oriented storytelling do not so much culminate in a break with previous styles of storytelling as they create a new space for tension over ideological claims and narrative coherence. As illustration, the article considers the competing logics at work in the strategies or rationalities associated with the branch of Nigerian filmmaking described as New Nollywood.
Manthia Diawara’s Waves and the Problem of the “Authentic”
Authors: Harrow Kenneth W. 
Published: November 2015

Abstract:This article begins by tracking how the delineation of “New Cinema” in the recent work of Manthia Diawara differs significantly from the approaches that had been dominant when he published his initial study on African cinema in 1992. The changes lead us to position current filmmaking practices vis-à-vis Nollywood film, and to ask how the formation of the cinematic subject functions in contemporary “new waves” of cinema.
The Winds of African Cinema
Authors: Higgins MaryEllen 
Published: November 2015

Abstract:This article argues for a departure from theories of new cinema “waves” and proposes the notion of cinema “winds” as a more compelling conceptual framework for studies of African film movements. Building on the work of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Manthia Diawara, Ken Harrow, and Nwachukwu Frank Ukadike, in addition to commentaries by various African film directors, this article looks at various dimensions of global visibility and the elusive movements of African cinemas. It also explores how African directors challenge habits of seeing and interpreting world cinema.
Female Sexuality as Capacity and Power? Reconceptualizing Sexualities in Africa
Authors: Arnfred Signe 
Published: November 2015

Abstract:The article argues for an approach to studies of sexuality in Africa that considers the subject of female sexuality from the perspective of capacity and power. Based on data from Mozambique, and informed by conceptual frameworks as well as by research findings from other African countries, the article investigates preparations of the erotic female body such as body tattoos, hip belts of glass beads, and elongated labia. It also discusses how “traditional” sexual capacity-building has been transferred from rural contexts into urban settings, empowering young women in love relationships with older, richer men.
A pulmonary tuberculosis outbreak in a long-term care facility
Authors: LAI C.-C. , HSIEH Y.-C. , YEH Y.-P. , JOU R.-W. , WANG J.-T. , PAN S.-L. , CHEN H.-H. 
Published: November 2015

SUMMARYIn long-term care facilities (LTCFs), the elderly are apt to be infected because those with latent tuberculosis infections (LTBIs) are at an increased risk for reactivation and post-primary TB disease. We report an outbreak of TB in staff and residents in a LTCF. An outbreak investigation was conducted after two TB cases were reported from the LTCF. A tuberculin skin test (TST), bacteriological examination and chest radiograph were administered to all facility staff and residents. An outbreak is defined as at least two epidemiologically linked cases that have identicalMycobacterium tuberculosisgenotype isolates. This outbreak infected eight residents and one staff member, who were confirmed to have TB in a LTCF between September 2011 and October 2012. Based on the Becker method, the latent and infectious periods were estimated at 223·6 and 55·9 days. Two initial TST-negative resident contacts were diagnosed as TB cases through comprehensive TB screening. Observing elderly people who have a negative TST after TB screening appears to be necessary, given the long latent period for controlling a TB outbreak in a LTCF. It is important to consider providing LTBI treatment for elderly contacts.
Hunting of migratory birds in North Sinai, Egypt
Authors: EASON PERRI , RABIA BASEM , ATTUM OMAR 
Published: November 2015

SummaryDuring autumn migration, people set trammel nets along most of the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, with migrating Common Quail Coturnix coturnix as their primary target. These nets capture large numbers of quail, but also illegally capture other birds, which are then killed. We present the results of surveys from 2008 to 2012 along these lines of nets on the coast of North Sinai, Egypt. In desert scrub, which covers most of the Sinai coast, the mean number of quail killed reached a high of 357.1 per km per day in 2012, with a grand mean over the study period of 191.9 per km per day. Trammel nets also captured 54 other bird species in 28 families. Species captured at the highest rates in desert scrub included Corncrake Crex crex, Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina and Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla. Based on mean rates of capture from 2008 to 2012 in desert scrub and sand bar habitats, we estimate 2.0 million quail and 0.5 million birds of other species are killed annually in North Sinai during the 45 days of peak migration. In 2012, however, after the use of MP3 players to attract quail became widespread, we estimate that 3.3 million quail and 0.5 million other birds were captured. Hunters near the coast have recently begun covering shrubs and trees with mist nets to catch passerines. From 2010 to 2012, mist nets along our survey routes caught birds of 17 species in three families, with seven of these species caught only in this type of net. Hunting is likely to be a contributing factor to population declines for some species that migrate across Egypt and further studies of migratory bird hunting along the southern Mediterranean shore are badly needed.