bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Activation Effect of Fullerene C60 on the Carbon Dioxide Absorption Performance of Amine‐Rich Polypropylenimine Dendrimers
Authors: Andreoli Enrico , Barron Andrew R. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractConverting amine‐rich compounds into highly effective carbon dioxide (CO2) sorbents requires a better understanding and control of their properties. The reaction of fullerene C60 with polyethyleneimine converts the polymer into a high‐performance CO2 sorbent. In this study, experimental evidence is reported for the activation effect of C60 on the amine moieties of the polymer. To do so, polypropylenimine (PPI) dendrimers that allowed for a systematic comparison of molecular composition and CO2 absorption were used. The addition of C60 to PPI to form PPI–C60 results in a reduction of the energy barrier of CO2 absorption, but also in a parallel decrease in the frequency of successful collisions between CO2 and PPI–C60 due to a possible disruption of the hydrogen‐bonding network of amino groups and bound water in PPI. This finding supports the existence of a non‐affinity “repulsive” effect between hydrophobic C60 and hydrophilic amines that forces them to be actively exposed to CO2.
Gold‐Catalyzed Reductive Transformation of Nitro Compounds Using Formic Acid: Mild, Efficient, and Versatile
Authors: Yu Lei , Zhang Qi , Li Shu‐Shuang , Huang Jun , Liu Yong‐Mei , He He‐Yong , Cao Yong 
Published: July 2015

AbstractDeveloping new efficient catalytic systems to convert abundant and renewable feedstocks into valuable products in a compact, flexible, and target‐specific manner is of high importance in modern synthetic chemistry. Here, we describe a versatile set of mild catalytic conditions utilizing a single gold‐based solid catalyst that enables the direct and additive‐free preparation of four distinct and important amine derivatives (amines, formamides, benzimidazoles, and dimethlyated amines) from readily available formic acid (FA) and nitro starting materials with high level of chemoselectivity. By controlling the stoichiometry of the employed FA, which has attracted considerable interest in the area of sustainable chemistry because of its potential as an entirely renewable hydrogen carrier and as a versatile C1 source, a facile atom‐ and step‐efficient transformation of nitro compounds can be realized in a modular fashion.
BER‐modified regenerative protocols for OFDM‐based two‐way wireless relay channel
Authors: Wang Ning , Miao Tingting , Yang Hongwen 
Published: July 2015

SummaryIt is well known that symbol‐level regenerative relay protocols suffer the error propagation problem because receiver decodes blindly and overlooks the probability of relay forwarding wrong bits. In a two‐way relay networks, the problem still exists in both network coding (decode‐and‐forward) and physical network coding (denoise‐and‐forward) protocols. For today's widely adopted wide band Orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, error propagation will dramatically restrict the system's end‐to‐end performance especially when frequency selective fading exists. In this paper, we propose a bit error rate (BER) modified decoding algorithm for these OFDM‐based two‐way symbol‐level regenerative relay strategies. By confining the confidence level of demodulated soft information according to the likelihood of relay having made an error on each bit, this proposed algorithm significantly boosts the end‐to‐end BER performance of the system. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Novel Strategy for Determination of Paracetamol in the Presence of Morphine Using a Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with CdO Nanoparticles and Ionic Liquids
Authors: Cheraghi Somaye , Taher Mohammad Ali , Karimi‐Maleh Hassan 
Published: July 2015

AbstractA voltammetric sensor for determination of paracetamol in the presence of morphine is described for the first time. The synthesized CdO nanoparticles were characterized with different methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The paracetamol and morphine peaks are separated ca. 0.37 and 0.65 V, respectively; hence paracetamol can be analysed in the presence of morphine and more than 21 times of the current excess of paracetamol. The detection limits for paracetamol and morphine were 0.07 and 0.1 μM, respectively. The sensor has been successfully applied for the assay of the above compounds in real samples.
Determination of the Anticancer Drug Sorafenib in Serum by Adsorptive Stripping Differential Pulse Voltammetry Using a Chitosan/Multiwall Carbon Nanotube Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Karadas‐Bakirhan Nurgul , Patris Stéphanie , Ozkan Sibel A. , Can Alp , Kauffmann Jean‐Michel 
Published: July 2015

AbstractAdsorptive stripping differential pulse voltammetry (AdSDPV) was applied to the assay of sorafenib in human serum sample. Cyclic voltammetry at a carbon based screen printed electrode (SPE) permitted to detect the irreversible oxidation of SOR with formation of a new compound reversibly oxidized at a lower potential. Quantitative assays were realized using a chitosan/carboxylic acid functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.0 in the presence of 50 % methanol. The AdSDPV method provided two linear responses within the concentration ranges 1×10−8–8×10−8 M and 1×10−7–8×10−7 M in serum with LOQ and LOD of 3.2×10−9 and 9.6×10−10 of lower linear range, respectively. The recovery of sorafenib in spiked serum was 97.5 %.
Asymmetric Anion‐selective Membrane Electrode for Determining Nitric Oxide Release Rates from Ppolymeric Films/Electrochemical Devices
Authors: Zajda Joanna , Crist Natalie R. , Malinowska Elżbieta , Meyerhoff Mark E. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractA novel potentiometric method for the determination of nitric oxide (NO) is presented. The assessment of NO levels is based on the rapid reaction of NO with oxyhemoglobin, during which nitrate is formed and then detected potentiometrically using a polymeric membrane anion‐selective electrode. The composition of the anion‐selective membrane is optimized to eliminate the response to high levels of oxyhemoglobin reagent used to react with NO to form NO3−. The practical utility of the method is demonstrated by determining the NO release rates from NO donor‐doped polymeric films, as well as from a new electrochemical NO generation system within the range of 10 to 55×10−10 mol ⋅ min−1. The values measured with the new assay system are shown to correlate well with a chemiluminescence reference method after accounting for the trapping efficiency of NO by the oxyhemoglobin solution.
Maternally transferred dioxin-like compounds can affect the reproductive success of European eel
Authors: Foekema Edwin M. , Kotterman Michiel , de Vries Pepijn , Murk Albertinka J. 
Published: July 2015

Abstract

Reported concentrations of dioxin-like compounds accumulated in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) were used to perform a risk assessment for eel larval survival, taking into account a modeled amplification of tissue concentrations with a factor of 1.33 during spawning migration. The calculated concentrations of dioxin-like compounds finally deposited in the eggs were compared with the internal effect concentrations for survival of early life stages of the European eel; these concentrations, by lack of experimental data, were estimated from a sensitivity distribution based on literature data by assuming that eel larvae are among the 10% most sensitive teleost fish species. Given concentrations of dioxin-like contaminants and assuming a relatively high sensitivity, it can be expected that larvae from eggs produced by eel from highly contaminated locations in Europe will experience increased mortality as a result of maternally transferred dioxin-like contaminants. As historical persistent organic pollutant concentrations in eel tissue were higher, this impact must have been stronger in the past. Potential effects of other compounds or effects on the migration, condition, and fertility of the parental animals were not taken into account. It is important to further study the overall impact of contaminants on the reproductive success of the European eel as this may have been underestimated until now. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:241–246. © 2015 SETAC
Conditions for obtaining polyvinyl alcohol/trisodium trimetaphosphate hydrogels as vitreous humor substitute
Authors: Morandim‐Giannetti Andreia de Araujo , Silva Rosianne Cristina , Magalhães Octaviano , Schor Paulo , Bersanetti Patrícia Alessandra 
Published: July 2015

AbstractHydrogels are polymeric materials with numerous medical and biological applications because of their physicochemical properties. In this context, the conditions were defined for obtaining a hydrogel with characteristics similar to the vitreous humor using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and trisodium trimetaphosphate (STMP). The concentration of PVA (X1), PVA/STMP ratio (X2), and initial pH (X3) were modified, and their effect was analyzed in terms of the refractive index (Y1), density (Y2), dynamic viscosity (Y3), and final pH (Y4). The results demonstrated that X1 interferes with Y1, Y2, and Y3, and X2 interferes with Y2 and Y3. The best condition for obtaining a hydrogel with characteristics similar to the vitreous humor was 4.2586% PVA (wt/wt), STMP/PVA ratio of 1:6.8213 (wt/wt), and initial pH of 9.424. DSC, ATR‐FTIR, swelling degree, and AFM analysis confirmed the PVA reticulation with STMP. Furthermore, STMP increased the glass transition temperature and decreased the water uptake of ∼50% of the hydrogels, which can be explained by the crosslinking of PVA chains. Infrared spectroscopy revealed a decrease of hydroxyl bonds and confirmed the reticulation between PVA and STMP. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1386–1395, 2016.
Semimechanistic model describing gastric emptying and glucose absorption in healthy subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Alskär Oskar , Bagger Jonatan I. , Røge Rikke M. , Knop Filip K. , Karlsson Mats O. , Vilsbøll Tina , Kjellsson Maria C. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe integrated glucose‐insulin (IGI) model is a previously published semimechanistic model that describes plasma glucose and insulin concentrations after glucose challenges. The aim of this work was to use knowledge of physiology to improve the IGI model's description of glucose absorption and gastric emptying after tests with varying glucose doses. The developed model's performance was compared to empirical models. To develop our model, data from oral and intravenous glucose challenges in patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy control subjects were used together with present knowledge of small intestinal transit time, glucose inhibition of gastric emptying, and saturable absorption of glucose over the epithelium to improve the description of gastric emptying and glucose absorption in the IGI model. Duodenal glucose was found to inhibit gastric emptying. The performance of the saturable glucose absorption was superior to linear absorption regardless of the gastric emptying model applied. The semiphysiological model developed performed better than previously published empirical models and allows better understanding of the mechanisms underlying glucose absorption. In conclusion, our new model provides a better description and improves the understanding of dynamic glucose tests involving oral glucose.
Regulated expression of murine CD40L by a lentiviral vector transcriptionally targeted through its endogenous promoter
Authors: Fernández‐Rubio Pablo , Torres‐Rusillo Sara , Molina Ignacio J. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractBackgroundTargeted lentiviral vectors may contribute to circumventing genotoxicity associated with uncontrolled transcription of therapeutic genes. Some vectors replacing strong viral sequences for gene promoters such as β‐globin, CD4, CD19 or Igκ were able to drive tissue‐specific expression of the transgene. Gene therapy, however, faces even greater hurdles when the therapeutic transgene is subject to strict regulatory mechanisms. This is the case of the CD40LG gene, which encodes for the CD154 (also known as CD40L) molecule, transiently expressed upon activation on CD4+ T cells. Mutations in this gene cause the X‐linked hyper IgM syndrome (HIGM1) in humans because the interaction of CD40L with its ligand CD40 triggers signals that are critical for the immunobiology of B lymphocytes.MethodsWe developed a lentiviral vector containing the murine Cd40lg cDNA under the control of its endogenous promoter.ResultsThe CD4+ BW5147 T cells transduced with the pCd40lg‐Cd40lg lentiviral vector express CD40L only upon stimulation. The intensity of the expression correlates with the number of vector integrations per cell and detected molecules rapidly decay after removing the stimulating agent. The tissue‐specific, activation‐dependent and reversible expression of CD40L fully mimics the physiological induction and disappearance of the molecule from the surface of murine T lymphocytes. The functional activity of the regulated lentiviral vector is demonstrated by the ability of transduced BW5147 cells to promote the proliferation of purified B cell splenocytes.ConclusionsWe have developed a fine‐regulated lentiviral vector that can be a model for expressing molecules subject to stringent regulatory mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Note on Perfect Forests
Authors: Gutin* Gregory 
Published: July 2015

AbstractA spanning subgraph F of a graph G is called perfect if F is a forest, the degree of each vertex x in F is odd, and each tree of F is an induced subgraph of G. We provide a short linear‐algebraic proof of the following theorem of A. D. Scott (Graphs Combin 17 (2001), 539–553): A connected graph G contains a perfect forest if and only if G has an even number of vertices.
Short‐term white matter alterations in Alzheimer's disease characterized by diffusion tensor imaging
Authors: Genc Sila , Steward Christopher E , Malpas Charles B , Velakoulis Dennis , O'Brien Terence J , Desmond Patricia M 
Published: July 2015

PurposeTo investigate whether there are any white matter changes in a 6‐month follow‐up of mild‐moderate Alzheimer's patients using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).Materials and MethodsWe recruited 18 mild‐moderate Alzheimer's disease patients and they underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at recruitment and at 6‐month follow‐up. Diffusion MRI images were processed using DTI‐ToolKit to create a population‐based tensor template. This template was integrated with a voxel‐wise and atlas‐based analysis in FSL to determine the magnitude and location of change in diffusion metrics over the 6‐month follow‐up period.ResultsThere were significant widespread changes in diffusion metrics across the entire white matter skeleton (P < 0.001), 95% confidence interval (CI) difference in fractional anisotropy: −0.007 (−0.011, −0.002), mean diffusivity: 0.040 (0.023, 0.058), axial diffusivity: 0.015 (0.008, 0.022), radial diffusivity: 0.012 (0.006, 0.019), as well as regions of interest in the splenium and superior longitudinal fasciculus.ConclusionOur findings show that diffusion metrics are altered in a 6‐month follow‐up period of mild‐moderate Alzheimer's patients, supporting the potential of DTI metrics to act as sensitive biomarkers for disease progression even over a relatively short time interval, and the potential utility to be applied to clinical trials of putative disease‐modifying therapies. J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2016;43:627–634.
Ultrasonography detects early laryngeal muscle atrophy in an equine neurectomy model
Authors: Chalmers Heather J. , Caswell Jeff , Perkins Justin , Goodwin David , Viel Laurent , Ducharme Norm G. , Piercy Richard J. 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTIntroduction: A unilateral neurectomy model was used to study the relationship between histologic and ultrasonographic tissue characteristics during muscle atrophy over time. Methods: This investigation was an in vivo experimental study in an equine model (n = 28). Mean pixel intensity of ultrasonographic images was measured, a muscle appearance grade was assigned weekly, and muscles were harvested from 4 to 32 weeks. Minimum fiber diameter, fiber density per unit area, percent collagen, percent fat, and fiber type profile were measured from muscle cryosections and correlated with the ultrasonographic parameters. Results: A significant relationship was identified between collagen content, minimum fiber diameter, and ultrasonographic muscle appearance by as early as 8 weeks. There was no apparent association between fat content of muscle and the ultrasonographic appearance of atrophy before 28 weeks. Conclusions: Early muscle atrophy before fatty infiltration is detectable with ultrasound. The effect of muscle collagen content on echointensity may be mediated by reduced fiber diameter. Muscle Nerve 53: 583–592, 2016
Reliability and validity of urinary nerve growth factor measurement in women with lower urinary tract symptoms
Authors: Vijaya Gopalan , Cartwright Rufus , Bhide Alka , Derpapas Alexandros , Fernando Ruwan , Khullar Vik 
Published: July 2015

Introduction and HypothesisThe validity and reliability of measurement of urinary NGF as a diagnostic biomarker in women with lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) is uncertain. We aimed to evaluate both the diagnostic and discriminant validity, and the test–retest reliability of urinary NGF measurement in women with LUTD.MethodsUrinary NGF was measured in women with LUTD (n = 205) and asymptomatic subjects (n = 31). Urinary NGF was assayed using an ELISA method and normalized against urinary creatinine. NGF/creatinine ratios were compared between symptom subgroups using Mann–Whitney U test, and between different urodynamic diagnoses using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of urinary NGF. Test–retest reliability of NGF measurement was assessed using intra‐class correlation (ICC).ResultsUrinary NGF was significantly but non‐specifically increased in symptomatic patients when compared to controls (13.33 vs. 2.05 ng NGF/g Cr, P < 0.001). On multivariate logistic regression NGF was a good predictor of patients having OAB or not, however, the adjusted odds ratio only 1.006. ROC analysis demonstrated poor discriminant ability between different symptomatic groups and urodynamic groups. Using a cut off of 13.0 ng NGF/g creatinine the test provides a sensitivity of 81%, but a specificity of only 39% for overactive bladder. The assays demonstrated good test‐retest reliability with ICC of 0.889.ConclusionsAlthough urinary NGF can be reliably assayed, and is increased in various LUTDs, it discriminates poorly between these disorders therefore has very limited potential as a biomarker. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:944–948, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Structural Preferences in Phosphanylthiolato Platinum(II) Complexes
Authors: Duran Josep , Polo Alfonso , Real Julio , Benet‐Buchholz Jordi , Solà Miquel , Poater Albert 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe transition‐metal complexes of heterotopic phosphanylthiolato ligands are useful in various reactions which depend on the stereochemistry of the complexes. Bis‐chelate complex [Pt(SCH2CH2PPh2‐κ2P,S)2] (1) was obtained in good yields by direct base‐free substitution reaction of the corresponding phosphanylthiol (HSCH2CH2PPh2) with K2PtCl4 or by oxidative addition of the same phosphanylthiol to Pt(PPh3)4. In agreement with the antisymbiosis rule, complex 1 shows a cis‐P,P arrangement in solid state crystallizing in the monoclinic system (C2/c). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on 1 reveal the right characteristics for the preferred cis‐P,P arrangement, rationalizing its formation. Direct base‐free reaction of [PtCl2(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)] with one equivalent of the same phosphanylthiol produce the trinuclear complex [PtCl(μ‐SCH2CH2PPh2‐κ2P,S)]3 (2) instead of the binuclear structure common in palladium and nickel derivatives. Crystals of 2 are triclinic (P
) showing a sulfur‐bridging edge‐sharing cyclic trinuclear complex with square‐planar coordination geometry around the platinum atoms and a Pt3S3 cycle in skew‐boat conformation. This preference for the trinuclear structure was rationalized mechanistically and through conceptual DFT.
A visible light responsive azobenzene‐functionalized polymer: Synthesis, self‐assembly, and photoresponsive properties
Authors: Wang Guojie , Yuan Dong , Yuan Tingting , Dong Jie , Feng Ning , Han Guoxiang 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTA novel visible light responsive random copolymer consisting of hydrophobic azobenzene‐containing acrylate units and hydrophilic acrylic acid units has been prepared. The azobenzene molecule bearing methoxy groups at all four ortho positions is readily synthesized by one‐step conversion of diazotization. The as‐prepared polymer can self‐assemble into nanoparticles in water due to its amphiphilic nature. The tetra‐o‐methoxy‐substituted azobenzene‐functionalized polymer can exhibit the trans‐to‐cis photoswitching under the irradiation with green light of 520 nm and the cis‐to‐trans photoswitching under the irradiation with blue light of 420 nm in both solution and aggregate state. The morphologies of the self‐assembled nanoparticles are revealed by TEM and DLS. The controlled release of loaded molecules from the nanoparticles can be realized by adjusting pH value since the copolymer possesses pH responsive acrylic acid groups. The fluorescence of loaded Nile Red in the nanoparticles can be tuned upon the visible light irradiation. The reversible photoswitching of the azobenzene‐functionalized polymer under visible light may endow the polymer with wide applications without using ultraviolet light at all. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 2768–2775
AVOCLOUDY: a simulator of volunteer clouds
Authors: Sebastio Stefano , Amoretti Michele , Lafuente Alberto Lluch 
Published: July 2015

SummaryThe increasing demand of computational and storage resources is shifting users toward the adoption of cloud technologies. Cloud computing is based on the vision of computing as utility, where users no more need to buy machines but simply access remote resources made available on‐demand by cloud providers. The relationship between users and providers is defined by a service‐level agreement, where the non‐fulfillment of its terms is regulated by the associated penalty fees. Therefore, it is important that the providers adopt proper monitoring and managing strategies. Despite their reduced application, intelligent agents constitute a feasible technology to add autonomic features to cloud operations. Furthermore, the volunteer computing paradigm—one of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) trends of the last decade—can be pulled alongside traditional cloud approaches, with the purpose to ‘green’ them. Indeed, the combination of data center and volunteer resources, managed by agents, allows one to obtain a more robust and scalable cloud computing platform. The increased challenges in designing such a complex system can benefit from a simulation‐based approach, to test autonomic management solutions before their deployment in the production environment. However, currently available simulators of cloud platforms are not suitable to model and analyze such heterogeneous, large‐scale, and highly dynamic systems. We propose the AVOCLOUDY simulator to fill this gap. This paper presents the internal architecture of the simulator, provides implementation details, summarizes several notable applications, and provides experimental results that measure the simulator performance and its accuracy. The latter experiments are based on real‐world worldwide distributed computations on top of the PlanetLab platform. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.