bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Impact of Passive Smoke on Arterial Elasticity via Echo‐Tracking Technology in a Rabbit Model
Authors: Qiang Yong , Ruijun Guo , Zhen Chen , Zhian Li , Changyan Lin , Xiaohui Yang , Shu Liu , Jie Lin , Yuanfeng Meng , Ruobing Zhang , Yan Cao , Qiao Ma , Shuang Zhang , Zhu Yuping 
Published: October 2014

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the elasticity of the abdominal aorta in passively smoking rabbits using echo‐tracking technology and pathologic examination.MethodsFifty‐four male New Zealand White rabbits were randomly divided into a passive smoking group and a normal control group. The elasticity indicators for the abdominal aorta of the rabbits were measured by means of echo tracking, which was performed before and 1, 2, and 3 months after passive smoking. Measured indicators included the pressure‐strain elastic modulus, stiffness, arterial compliance, augmentation index, and pulse wave velocity. After the completion of the in vivo measurements, rabbits were euthanized randomly, and the corresponding arterial sites were resected for pathologic examination and in vitro measurement of vascular elasticity.ResultsThe echo‐tracking technology used in our research proved that the elastic modulus, stiffness, and pulse wave velocity gradually increased with time by passive smoking, whereas arterial compliance decreased by passive smoking. Pathologic examination and in vitro measurements were performed and further confirmed the observed in vivo results.ConclusionsPassive smoking can injure arteries and reduce arterial elasticity. Echo‐tracking technology is an accurate, noninvasive, and reliable method for analysis of the impact of passive smoking on arterial elasticity and detection arterial injury, which also can provide a new instructional basis for prevention and treatment of several arterial diseases.
The Sustainable Outport: A Model for Community Development?
Authors: House J. Douglas 
Published: October 2014

Within an “alternative development” approach to social and economic development—an approach that suggests an alternative to both of the mainstream theories of development, modernization, and dependency—the main aim of this article is to describe a model of small community development, the “sustainable outport.” The model is an abstraction based on small coastal fishing communities in Newfoundland and Labrador called “outports.” Real outports display some of the features of the model, but the model also incorporates a number of changes that would make outports more economically viable, self-reliant, and capable of sustainable long-term development. The model proposed here takes off from the work of a recent Newfoundland Royal Commission on Employment and Unemployment. The title of the Commission's Report, Building on Our Strengths (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, 1986), reflects a bottom-up alternative approach to development, and the idea of the sustainable outport is implicit in the Report's general philosophy as well as its discussion of rural development. The aims of this article are: (a) to make the model of the sustainable outport explicit; (b) to compare the ideal model to the real situation of Newfoundland outports, and thereby show what changes would be needed to bring them in line with the model of sustainability; and, (c) to discuss in a tentative and exploratory way the applicability of the model to other small communities in Canada, especially native communities.
Nitrous oxide emissions from cultivated black soil: A case study in Northeast China and global estimates using empirical model
Authors: Chen Zengming , Ding Weixin , Luo Yiqi , Yu Hongyan , Xu Yehong , Müller Christoph , Xu Xia , Zhu Tongbin 
Published: October 2014

AbstractManure application is effective in promoting soil carbon sequestration, but its impact on N2O emission is not well understood. A field experiment was conducted in a maize‐cultivated black soil in Northeast China with six treatments: inorganic fertilizer (NPK), 75% inorganic fertilizer N plus 25% pig (PM1) or chicken (CM1) manure N, 50% inorganic fertilizer N plus 50% pig (PM2) or chicken (CM2) manure N, and no N fertilizer (CK). Annual N2O emission significantly increased from 0.34 kg N ha−1 for CK to 0.86 kg N ha−1 for NPK and further to 1.65, 1.02, 1.17, and 0.93 kg N ha−1 for PM1, CM1, PM2, and CM2, respectively. A 15N tracing study showed that 71–79% of total N2O was related to nitrification at 30–70% water‐filled pore space (WFPS), and heterotrophic nitrification contributed 49% and 25% to total N2O at 30% and 70% WFPS, respectively. In an incubation, N2O emission was only stimulated when nitrate and glucose were applied together at 60% WFPS, indicating that denitrification was carbon limited. PM had a stronger effect on denitrification than CM due to higher decomposability, and the lower N2O emission at higher manure application rate was associated with decreased mineral N supply. After compiling a worldwide database and establishing an empirical model that related N2O emissions (kg N ha−1) to precipitation (Pr, m) and fertilizer N application rate (Nr, kg N ha−1) (N2O = 1.533Pr + 0.0238PrNr), annual N2O emission from global‐cultivated black soil applied with inorganic fertilizer N was estimated as 347 Gg N. Our results suggested that N2O emission from cultivated black soils in China was low primarily due to low precipitation and labile organic carbon availability, and would be stimulated by manure application; thus, increased N2O emission should be taken into consideration as applying manure increases soil organic carbon sequestration.
Balancing multiple constraints in model‐data integration: Weights and the parameter block approach
Authors: Wutzler T. , Carvalhais N. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractModel data integration (MDI) studies are key to parameterize ecosystem models that synthesize our knowledge about ecosystem function. The use of diverse data sets, however, results in strongly imbalanced contributions of data streams with model fits favoring the largest data stream. This imbalance poses new challenges in the identification of model deficiencies. A standard approach for balancing is to attribute weights to different data streams in the cost function. However, this may result in overestimation of posterior uncertainty. In this study, we propose an alternative: the parameter block approach. The proposed method enables joint optimization of different blocks, i.e., subsets of the parameters, against particular data streams. This method is applicable when specific parameter blocks are related to processes that are more strongly associated with specific observations, i.e., data streams. A comparison of different approaches using simple artificial examples and the DALEC ecosystem model is presented. The unweighted inversion of a DALEC model variant, where artificial structural errors in photosynthesis calculation had been introduced, failed to reveal the resulting biases in fast processes (e.g., turnover). The posterior bias emerged only in parameters related to slower processes (e.g., carbon allocation) constrained by fewer data sets. On the other hand, when weighted or blocked approaches were used, the introduced biases were revealed, as expected, in parameters of fast processes. Ultimately, with the parameter block approach, the transfer of model error was diminished and at the same time the overestimation of posterior uncertainty associated with weighting was prevented.
Temporal, probabilistic mapping of ash clouds using wind field stochastic variability and uncertain eruption source parameters: Example of the 14 April 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption
Authors: Stefanescu E. R. , Patra A. K. , Bursik M. I. , Madankan R. , Pouget S. , Jones M. , Singla P. , Singh T. , Pitman E. B. , Pavolonis M. , Morton D. , Webley P. , Dehn J. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractUncertainty in predictions from a model of volcanic ash transport in the atmosphere arises from uncertainty in both eruption source parameters and the model wind field. In a previous contribution, we analyzed the probability of ash cloud presence using weighted samples of volcanic ash transport and dispersal model runs and a reanalysis wind field to propagate uncertainty in eruption source parameters alone. In this contribution, the probabilistic modeling is extended by using ensemble forecast wind fields as well as uncertain source parameters. The impact on ash transport of variability in wind fields due to unresolved scales of motion as well as model physics uncertainty is also explored. We have therefore generated a weighted, probabilistic forecast of volcanic ash transport with only a priori information, exploring uncertainty in both the wind field and the volcanic source.
Analytical approximation for the recession of a sloping aquifer
Authors: Hogarth W. L. , Li L. , Lockington D. A. , Stagnitti F. , Parlange M. B. , Barry D. A. , Steenhuis T. S. , Parlange J.‐Y. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractAn approximation is obtained for the recession of a sloping aquifer. The analytical approximation can provide a useful tool to analyze data and obtain physical properties of the aquifer. In contrast to the case of a horizontal aquifer, when plotting the time derivative of the flux versus the flux on a log scale, the result shows that the flux derivative reaches a minimum value and that the curve can have a slope of unity as often observed. Illustration of the application of the analytical results to the Mahantango Creek data is also discussed.
Transient dynamics of an adiabatic NEMS
Authors: Biggio Matteo , Cavaliere Fabio , Storace Marco , Sassetti Maura 
Published: October 2014

This paper is focused on the transient dynamics of an adiabatic nano‐electromechanical system (NEMS), consisting of a nano‐mechanical oscillator coupled to a quantum dot. By numerically solving the nonlinear stochastic differential equation governing the oscillator, the time evolution of the oscillator position, of the dot occupation number and of the current are studied. Different parameter settings are studied where the system exhibits bi‐stable, tri‐stable or mono‐stable behavior on a finite‐time horizon. It is shown that, after a typically long transient, the system under investigation exhibits no hysteretic behavior and that a unique steady state is reached, independently of the initial conditions. The transient dynamics is marked out by one or two well separated characteristic times, depending on the considered case (i.e., mono‐ or multi‐stable). These times are evaluated for a dot on‐resonance or off‐resonance. It turns out that the characteristic time scales are long in comparison to the period of the uncoupled oscillator, particularly at low bias, suggesting that the predicted transient dynamics may be observed in state‐of‐the‐art experimental setups.
image
Quantum uncertainties of the confined Harmonic Oscillator in position, momentum and phase‐space
Authors: Laguna Humberto G. , Sagar Robin P. 
Published: October 2014

Quantum uncertainties in position, momentum and phase‐space are studied in the confined Harmonic Oscillator. Standard deviations and Shannon entropies are used to quantify these uncertainties and their behaviors are compared and contrasted. We observe a minimum in the momentum space Shannon entropy as the box length is increased, a feature that is not present in the momentum space standard deviation. The behaviors of the standard deviation product and the Shannon entropy sum, which form the basis of uncertainty relationships, are also analyzed. Maxima are observed in the product as the box length increases in sharp contrast to the entropy sum. The relationship between these behaviors and that of the Shannon entropy of the phase‐space Wigner function is analyzed and discussed. An analysis of the energetic components is also performed. The results reinforce the idea that the confined Harmonic Oscillator can be considered as an intermediate model which interpolates between the Particle in a Box Model and the Harmonic Oscillator and thus contains characteristics of both models.
image
Polyoxometalate Ionic Liquids as Self‐Repairing Acid‐Resistant Corrosion Protection
Authors: Herrmann Sven , Kostrzewa Monika , Wierschem Andreas , Streb Carsten 
Published: October 2014

AbstractCorrosion is a global problem for any metallic structure or material. Herein we show how metals can easily be protected against acid corrosion using hydrophobic polyoxometalate‐based ionic liquids (POM‐ILs). Copper metal disks were coated with room‐temperature POM‐ILs composed of transition‐metal functionalized Keggin anions [SiW11O39TM(H2O)]n− (TM=CuII, FeIII) and quaternary alkylammonium cations (CnH2 n+1)4N+ (n=7–8). The corrosion resistance against acetic acid vapors and simulated “acid rain” was significantly improved compared with commercial ionic liquids or solid polyoxometalate coatings. Mechanical damage to the POM‐IL coating is self‐repaired in less than one minute with full retention of the acid protection properties. The coating can easily be removed and recovered by rinsing with organic solvents.
Analysis of the transformation behaviors of a Chinese coal ash using in‐/ex‐situ XRD and SEM‐EXD
Authors: Lin Xiongchao , Wang Caihong , Miyawaki Jin , Wang Yonggang , Yoon Seongho , Mochida Isao 
Published: October 2014

AbstractCrystal and phase transitions of a Chinese Datong coal ash were evaluated using room temperature X‐ray diffraction (RT‐XRD), in‐situ high temperature (HT)‐XRD, and scanning electron microscope combining energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (SEM‐EDX) as temperature varied from 300 °C to 1600 °C. The transforming behaviors of ash were related to its melting properties. Results revealed that the transforming behavior of minerals from in‐situ HT‐XRD was different with that from routine RT‐XRD. Low‐temperature Datong ash contained quartz and clays (such as kaolinite); the changes in minerals at low‐temperature region (300–1000 °C) were mainly due to the minerals decomposition and partial phase transition. Significant transition of quartz to cristobalite occurred at ca. 1100 °C; the continuous transition and reaction of silica and alumina at ca. 1200 °C accelerated the softening of the ash (ST ≈ 1290 °C). An X‐ray amorphous liquid phase was formed mainly by the eutectic solution of silica and mullite at ca. 1400 °C, which obviously affected the hemisphere temperature (HT ≈ 1490 °C) of ash; meanwhile, ultra fine alumina solid particles, which were probably derived from kaolinite, were found in the melted ash. Virtually, the fusing (FT > 1500 °C) of Datong ash was considered to be determined by the formation of solid particles and eutectic solution. Eventually, the semi‐quantitative evaluation of transformations of ash was successfully obtained through the combined methods. © 2014 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Processing oxidic waste of lead‐acid batteries in order to recover lead
Authors: Buzatu Traian , Petrescu Mircea Ionut , Ghica Valeriu Gabriel , Buzatu Mihai , Iacob Gheorghe 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThe main process parameters have been investigated with a relatively new method for lead recovery from oxidic paste. The method consisting in leaching with NaOH and is also useful for processing other secondary resources (volatile dusts resulted from metallurgical extraction of lead from primary resources). The chemical analysis and X‐ray diffraction have attested that the oxidic paste resulted from the dismantling of spent lead‐acid batteries has a content of 70–73% Pb, mainly as anglesite (around 38% PbSO4) and lanarkite (about 36% Pb2SO5). Experiments have been carried out through leaching with NaOH of the industrial paste out of spent car batteries as well as for the pure substances. The experiments were conducted at temperatures of 40, 60 and 80 °C, at various solid/liquid ratios (S : L = 1 : 10; 1 : 30 and 1 : 50) and different molarities for the NaOH solutions (2, 4, 6 and 8 M). The reaction time was 1 h for the leaching of the pure substances and 2 h for the leaching of the industrial pastes. An extraction efficiency of 92% Pb was obtained with a leaching solution of 6 M NaOH, at 60 °C, for 2 h and S/L ratios of 1 : 20–1 : 30. The efficiency may be increased up to 97% Pb only when the leaching process is carried out in two steps. © 2014 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of an ionic liquid as an additive on the thermal denaturation/degradation of lysozyme crystals
Authors: Wang Zhanzhong , Fang Wenzhi , Li Lijie , Li Yan , Yu Xiaoting , Gu Qing , Zhou Fengjuan 
Published: October 2014

AbstractIonic liquids (ILs) have biomaterial applications and are used for protein crystallization. The present study explores the thermal denaturation and degradation kinetics of the lysozyme crystals induced by IL [C4mim]Cl using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Lysozyme crystals were scanned from 10 to 250 °C at different heating rates varying from 5 to 20 °C min−1. Under the same heating rate, the addition of the IL makes lysozyme crystals confer more resistance to thermal denaturation and change values of conversion rate increase. The denaturation and degradation peak shifted towards higher temperature as heating rate increased and showed an activated denaturing kinetics of the lysozyme. It can be clearly noticed that the addition of the IL increases activation energy for denaturation and decreases it for degradation. The effect of the IL on thermal denaturation is attributed to the change of lysozyme–lysozyme molecular interaction. © 2014 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Micromechanical analysis of long fiber‐reinforced composites with nanoparticle incorporation into the interphase region
Authors: Wang Xiaoqiang , Zhao Weitao , Fang Bo , Lu Shaowei , Zhang Yewei 
Published: October 2014

ABSTRACTThe influence of the distribution type, Young's modulus, and volume fraction of the nanoparticles within the interphase region on the mechanical behavior of long fiber‐reinforced composites with epoxy resin matrix under transverse tensile loading is investigated in this article. An infinite material containing unidirectional long fiber and periodic distribution of elastic, spherical nanoparticles was modeled using a unit cell approach. A stiffness degradation technique has been used to simulate the damage and crack progress of the matrix subjected to mechanical loading. A series of computational experiments performed to study the influence of the nanoparticle indicate that the mechanical properties, nanoparticle‐fiber distance, and volume fraction of nanoparticle have a significant effect on both the stiffness and strength properties of these composite materials. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41573.
Knockdown of EIF3D suppresses proliferation of human melanoma cells through G2/M phase arrest
Authors: Li Hui , Zhou Fusheng , Wang Hongyan , Lin Da , Chen Gang , Zuo Xianbo , Sun Liangdan , Zhang Xuejun , Yang Sen 
Published: October 2014

AbstractSkin cancer is the most common malignancy with increasing incidence rates worldwide. The advanced form of skin cancer, melanoma, is resistant to conventional treatment methods, which motivated researchers to identify an alternative effective therapeutic approach. This study was designed to identify the effects of small interfering RNA (si‐RNA) mediated silencing of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3, subunit D (EIF3D) against melanoma cell survival. Briefly, a lentivirus‐mediated RNA interference system was employed to knock down EIF3D expression in A375 and A431 melanoma cells. The cell proliferation was analyzed by methylthiazoletetrazolium (MTT) and colony formation assays. The cell cycle progression was investigated using flow cytometry. Results revealed that si‐RNA–mediated knockdown of EIF3D significantly reduced the gene and protein expression levels of EIF3D in melanoma cells. Furthermore, knockdown of EIF3D led to a significant reduction in cell proliferation due to G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. Apparently, the study demonstrated the critical involvement of EIF3D in the survival and progression of melanoma cells and depletion of EIF3D could be developed as a possible therapeutic option in the gene‐targeted treatment of melanoma.
Adsorption characteristics of cellulase and β‐glucosidase on Avicel, pretreated sugarcane bagasse, and lignin
Authors: Machado Daniele Longo , Moreira Neto João , da Cruz Pradella José Geraldo , Bonomi Antonio , Rabelo Sarita Cândida , da Costa Aline Carvalho 
Published: October 2014

AbstractAlthough adsorption is an essential step in the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials, literature reports controversial results in relation to the adsorption of the cellulolitic enzymes on different biomasses/pretreatments, which makes difficult the description of this phenomenon in hydrolysis mathematical models. In this work, the adsorption of these enzymes on Avicel and sugarcane bagasse pretreated by the hydrothermal bagasse (HB) and organosolv bagasse (OB) methods was evaluated. The results have shown no significant adsorption of β‐glucosidase on Avicel or HB. Increasing solids concentration from 5% (w/v) to 10% (w/v) had no impact on the adsorption of cellulase on the different biomasses if stirring rates were high enough (>100 rpm for Avicel and >150 rpm for HB and OB). Adsorption equilibrium time was low for Avicel (10 Min) when compared with the lignocellulosic materials (120 Min). Adsorption isotherms determined at 4 and 50 °C have shown that for Avicel there was a decrease in the maximum adsorption capacity (Emax) with the temperature increase, whereas for HB increasing temperature increased Emax. Also, Emax increased with the content of lignin in the material. Adsorption studies of cellulase on lignin left after enzymatic digestion of HB show lower but significant adsorption capacity (Emax = 11.92 ± 0.76 mg/g).
Production and characterization of thermostable alkaline protease of Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633) from optimized solid‐state fermentation
Authors: Chatterjee Joyee , Giri Sudipta , Maity Sujan , Sinha Ankan , Ranjan Ashish , Rajshekhar   , Gupta Suvroma 
Published: October 2014

AbstractProteases are the most important group of enzymes utilized commercially in various arenas of industries, such as food, detergent, leather, dairy, pharmaceutical, diagnostics, and waste management, accounting for nearly 20% of the world enzyme market. Microorganisms of specially Bacillus genera serve as a vast repository of diverse set of industrially important enzymes and utilized for the large‐scale enzyme production using a fermentation technology. Approximately 30%–40% of the cost of industrial enzymes originates from the cost of the growth medium. This study is attempted to produce protease from Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633) after optimization of various process parameters with the aid of solid‐state fermentation using a cheap nutrient source such as wheat bran. B. subtilis (ATCC 6633) produces proteases of molecular weight 36 and 20 kDa, respectively, in the fermented medium as evident from SDS zymogram. Alkaline protease activity has been detected with optimum temperature at 50 °C and is insensitive to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. This thermostable alkaline protease exhibits dual pH optimum at 7 and 10 with moderate pH stability at alkaline pH range. It preserves its activity in the presence of detergent such as SDS, Tween 20, and Triton X‐100 and may be considered as an effective additive to detergent formulation with some industrial importance.