bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Biodegradable Copolyesters of Poly(hexamethylene terephthalate) Containing Bicyclic 2,4:3,5‐Di‐O‐methylene‐d‐Glucarate Units
Authors: Japu Cristina , de Ilarduya Antxon Martínez , Alla Abdelilah , García‐Martín M. Gracia , Galbis Juan A. , Muñoz‐Guerra Sebastián 
Published: August 2014

A set of copolyesters (PHTxGluxy) with compositions ranging between 90/10 and 50/50 in addition to the parent homopolyesters poly(hexamethylene terephthalate) (PHT) and PHGlux, are prepared by the melt polycondensation of 1,6‐hexanediol (HD) with mixtures of dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and dimethyl 2,4:3,5‐di‐O‐methylene‐d‐glucarate (Glux). The copolyesters have in the 35 000–45 000 g mol−1 range, their microstructure is random, and they start to decompose at a temperature well above 300 °C. Crystallinity of PHT is repressed by copoly­merization so that copolyesters containing more than 20% of sugar‐based units are essentially amorphous. On the contrary, PHTxGluxy displays a Tg that increases monotonically with composition from 16 °C in PHT up to 73 °C in PHGlux. Compared with PHT, the copolyesters show an accentuated susceptibility to hydrolysis and are sensitive to the action of lipases upon incubation under physiological conditions. The degradability of PHTxGluxy increases with the content in Glux units.
image
Cu(II)‐Mediated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate via a Strategy of Thermo‐Regulated Phase‐Separable Catalysis in a Liquid/Liquid Biphasic System: Homogeneous Catalysis, Facile Heterogeneous Separation, and Recycling
Authors: Pan Jinlong , Zhang Bingjie , Jiang Xiaowu , Zhang Lifen , Cheng Zhenping , Zhu Xiulin 
Published: August 2014

A strategy of thermo‐regulated phase‐separable catalysis (TPSC) is applied to the Cu(II)‐mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in a p‐xylene/PEG‐200 biphasic system. Initiators for continuous activator regeneration ATRP (ICAR ATRP) are used to establish the TPSC‐based ICAR ATRP system using water‐soluble TPMA as a ligand, EBPA as an initiator, CuBr2 as a catalyst, and AIBN as a reducing agent. By heating to 70 °C, unlimited miscibility of both solvents is achieved and the polymerization can be carried out under homogeneous conditions; then on cooling to 25 °C, the mixture separates into two phases again. As a result, the catalyst complex remains in the PEG‐200 phase while the obtained polymers stay in the p‐xylene phase. The catalyst can therefore be removed from the resultant polymers by easily separating the two different layers and can be reused again. It is important that well‐defined PMMA with a controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution could be obtained using this TPSC‐based ICAR ATRP system.
image
Targets for future clinical trials in Huntington's disease: What's in the pipeline?
Authors: Wild Edward J. , Tabrizi Sarah J. 
Published: August 2014

AbstractThe known genetic cause of Huntington's disease (HD) has fueled considerable progress in understanding its pathobiology and the development of therapeutic approaches aimed at correcting specific changes linked to the causative mutation. Among the most promising is reducing expression of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with RNA interference or antisense oligonucleotides; human trials are now being planned. Zinc‐finger transcriptional repression is another innovative method to reduce mHTT expression. Modulation of mHTT phosphorylation, chaperone upregulation, and autophagy enhancement represent attempts to alter cellular homeostasis to favor removal of mHTT. Inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) remains of interest; recent work affirms HDAC4 as a target but questions the assumed centrality of its catalytic activity in HD. Phosphodiesterase inhibition, aimed at restoring synaptic function, has progressed rapidly to human trials. Deranged cellular signaling provides several tractable targets, but specificity and complexity are challenges. Restoring neurotrophic support in HD remains a key potential therapeutic approach. with several approaches being pursued, including brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mimesis through tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) agonism and monoclonal antibodies. An increasing understanding of the role of glial cells in HD has led to several new therapeutic avenues, including kynurenine monooxygenase inhibition, immunomodulation by laquinimod, CB2 agonism, and others. The complex metabolic derangements in HD remain under study, but no clear therapeutic strategy has yet emerged. We conclude that many exciting therapeutics are progressing through the development pipeline, and combining a better understanding of HD biology in human patients, with concerted medicinal chemistry efforts, will be crucial for bringing about an era of effective therapies. © 2014 The Authors.MovementDisorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Peripheral nerve ultrasound in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis phenotypes
Authors: Schreiber Stefanie , Abdulla Susanne , Debska‐Vielhaber Grazyna , Machts Judith , Dannhardt‐Stieger Verena , Feistner Helmut , Oldag Andreas , Goertler Michael , Petri Susanne , Kollewe Katja , Kropf Siegfried , Schreiber Frank , Heinze Hans‐Jochen , Dengler Reinhard , Nestor Peter J. , Vielhaber Stefan 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTIntroduction: In this study we sought to determine the cross‐sectional area (CSA) of peripheral nerves in patients with distinct subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: Ulnar and median nerve ultrasound was performed in 78 ALS patients [classic, n = 21; upper motor neuron dominant (UMND), n = 14; lower motor neuron dominant (LMND), n = 20; bulbar, n = 15; primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), n = 8] and 18 matched healthy controls. Results: Compared with controls, ALS patients had significant, distally pronounced reductions of ulnar CSA (forearm/wrist level) across all disease groups, except for PLS. Median nerve CSA (forearm/wrist level) did not differ between controls and ALS. Conclusion: Ulnar nerve ultrasound in ALS subgroups revealed significant differences in distal CSA values, which suggests it has value as a marker of LMN involvement. Its potential was particularly evident in the UMND and PLS groups, which can be hard to separate clinically, yet their accurate separation has major prognostic implications. Muscle Nerve 51:669–675, 2015
Gold Nanowire Forests for SERS Detection
Authors: La Porta Andrea , Grzelczak Marek , Liz-Marzán Luis M. 
Published: August 2014

AbstractInvited for this months cover is the group of Prof. Luis M. Liz‐Marzán, the Bionanoplasmonics Laboratory at CIC biomaGUNE, Spain. The cover picture shows a schematic view of a “forest” of gold nanowires vertically grown on a solid support. Standard Raman‐active molecules and their corresponding surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra are depicted in between the nanowires. The manuscript by La Porta et al. describes the controlled growth of such gold nanowires and their corresponding plasmonic properties. For more details, see the Full Paper on p. 146 ff.
Life‐cycle greenhouse gas emissions and energy payback time of current and prospective silicon heterojunction solar cell designs
Authors: Louwen A. , van Sark W.G.J.H.M. , Schropp R.E.I. , Turkenburg W.C. , Faaij A.P.C. 
Published: August 2014

AbstractSilicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells offer high efficiencies and several advantages in the production process compared to conventional crystalline silicon solar cells. We performed a life‐cycle assessment to identify the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint, energy payback time (EPBT) and cumulative energy demand of four different SHJ solar cell designs. We analyse these environmental impacts for cell processing and complete systems for both current and prospective designs. On the basis of in‐plane irradiation of 1700 kWh/m2, results for current designs show that life‐cycle GHG emissions could be 32 gCO2‐eq/kWh for complete SHJ photovoltaic (PV) systems (module efficiencies of 18.4%), compared with 38 gCO2‐eq/kWh for conventional monocrystalline silicon systems (module efficiency of 16.1%). The EPBT of all SHJ designs was found to be 1.5 years, compared with 1.8 years for the monocrystalline PV system. Cell processing contributes little (≤6%) to the overall environmental footprint of SHJ PV systems. Among cell processing steps, vacuum based deposition contributes substantially to the overall results, with 55–80%. Atomic layer deposition of thin films was found to have a significantly lower environmental footprint compared to plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition and sputtering. Copper‐based compared with silver‐based metallization was shown to reduce the impact of this processing step by 74–84%. Increases in cell efficiency, use of thin silicon wafers and replacement of silver‐based with copper‐based metallization could result in life‐cycle GHG emissions for systems to be reduced to 20 gCO2‐eq/kWh for SHJ systems and 25 gCO2‐eq/kWh for monocrystalline system, while EPBT could drop to 0.9 and 1.2 years, respectively. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tuning the energy gap of conjugated polymer zwitterions for efficient interlayers and solar cells
Authors: Page Zachariah A. , Liu Feng , Russell Thomas P. , Emrick Todd 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTNarrow band gap conjugated polymer zwitterions (CPZs) were synthesized by Suzuki polymerization and characterized to understand their electronic properties and utility as cathode modification layers in solar cells. The polymers were prepared from diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and iso‐indigo monomers containing sulfobetaine (SB) pendant groups, benefiting from an ion‐rich aqueous phase in the polymerizations. UV–vis absorption spectroscopy revealed the optical energy gap value for the CPZs, ranging from 1.7 to 1.2 eV. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy of the CPZs as thin layers on Ag metal showed that the pendent zwitterions impart an interfacial dipole (Δ) to the metal and a work function reduction of ∼0.9 eV. OPVs fabricated using a conventional bulk heterojunction (BHJ) device architecture of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/(PTB7:PC71BM)/CPZ/Ag led to dramatic improvements in power conversion efficiency (PCE) values relative to devices having bare Ag cathodes (PCE < 2% for bare Ag vs. 6.7–7.7% for CPZ/Ag). The benzothiadiazole (BT)/DPP polymer denoted as PT2BTDPPSB gave an optimal PCE of 7.7% in a conventional BHJ OPV device architecture fabricated on a Ag cathode. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 327–336
Giant surfactants based on molecular nanoparticles: Precise synthesis and solution self‐assembly
Authors: Yu Xinfei , Li Yiwen , Dong Xue‐Hui , Yue Kan , Lin Zhiwei , Feng Xueyan , Huang Mingjun , Zhang Wen‐Bin , Cheng Stephen Z. D. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTGiant surfactants are polymer‐tethered molecular nanoparticles (MNPs) and can be considered as a subclass of giant molecules. The MNPs serve as functionalized heads with persistent shape and volume, which may vary in size, symmetry, and surface chemistry. The covalent conjugation of MNPs and polymer tails affords giant surfactants with diverse composition and architecture. Synthetic strategies such as “grafting‐from” and “grafting‐onto” have been successfully applied to the precise synthesis of giant surfactants, which is further facilitated by the emergence of “click” chemistry reactions. In many aspects, giant surfactants capture the essential features of small‐molecule surfactants, yet they have much larger sizes. They bridge the gap between small‐molecule surfactants and traditional amphiphilic macromolecules. Their self‐assembly behaviors in solution are summarized in this Review. Micelle formation is affected not only by their primary chemical structures, but also by the experimental conditions. This new class of materials is expected to deliver general implications on the design of novel functional materials based on MNP building blocks in the bottom‐up fabrication of well‐defined nanostructures. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014, 52, 1309–1325
Clinical application of nasal nitric oxide measurement in pediatric airway diseases
Authors: Manna Angelo , Montella Silvia , Maniscalco Mauro , Maglione Marco , Santamaria Francesca 
Published: August 2014

SummaryNitric oxide plays an important role in several physiological and pathophysiological processes in the respiratory tract. Different ways to measure nasal nitric oxide levels in children are currently available. The possibility of obtaining nasal nitric oxide measurement from relatively young children, combined with the availability of portable devices that can be used even in the office setting, opens new perspectives for nasal nitric oxide analysis in the pediatric daily practice. This review presents a synopsis about the current clinical applications of nasal nitric oxide measurement in the pediatric clinical practice. A total of 3,775 articles on the topic were identified, of which 883 duplicates were removed, and 2,803 were excluded based on review of titles and abstracts. Eighty‐nine full text articles were assessed for eligibility and 32 additional articles were obtained from the reference lists of the retrieved studies. Since very low nasal nitric oxide levels are found in the majority of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia, most publications support a central role for nasal nitric oxide to screen the disease, and indicate that it is a very helpful first‐line tool in the real‐life work‐up in all age groups. Decreased nasal nitric oxide concentration is also typical of cystic fibrosis, even though nasal nitric oxide is not as low as in primary ciliary dyskinesia. In other upper airway disorders such as allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, and adenoidal hypertrophy, clinical utility of nasal nitric oxide is still critically questioned and remains to be established. Since nNO determination is flow dependent, a general consensus from the major investigators in this area is highly desirable so that future studies will be performed with the same flow rate. A shared nNO methodology will enable to overcome the challenges that lie ahead in incorporating nNO measurement into the mainstream clinical setting of pediatric airway diseases. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:85–99. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Survival benefit of ghrelin in the heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Du Cheng‐Kun , Zhan Dong‐Yun , Morimoto Sachio , Akiyama Tsuyoshi , Schwenke Daryl O. , Hosoda Hiroshi , Kangawa Kenji , Shirai Mikiyasu 
Published: August 2014

AbstractAlthough ghrelin has been demonstrated to improve cardiac function in heart failure, its therapeutic efficacy on the life expectancy remains unknown. We aim to examine whether ghrelin can improve the life survival in heart failure using a mouse model of inherited dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) caused by a deletion mutation ΔK210 in cardiac troponin T (cTnT). From 30 days of age, ghrelin (150 μg/kg) was administered subcutaneously to DCM mice once daily, control mice received saline only. The survival rates were compared between the two groups for 30 days. After 30‐day treatment, functional and morphological measurements were conducted. Ghrelin‐treated DCM mice had significantly prolonged life spans compared with saline‐treated control DCM mice. Echocardiography showed that ghrelin reduced left ventricular (LV) end‐diastolic dimensions and increased LV ejection fraction. Moreover, histoanatomical data revealed that ghrelin decreased the heart‐to‐body weight ratio, prevented cardiac remodeling and fibrosis, and markedly decreased the expression of brain natriuretic peptide. Telemetry recording and heart rate variability analysis showed that ghrelin suppressed the excessive cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSNA) and recovered the cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity. These results suggest that ghrelin has therapeutic benefits for survival as well as for the cardiac function and remodeling in heart failure probably through suppression of CSNA and recovery of cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity.
Downstream Effects of Recent Reservoir Development on the Morphodynamics of a Meandering Channel: Savery Creek, Wyoming, USA
Authors: Legleiter C. J. 
Published: August 2014

AbstractRecent reservoir construction on Savery Creek provided an opportunity to examine the downstream effects of a dam on a small, meandering channel. The new dam, completed in 2005, modified the flow regime by reducing the magnitude of spring peaks and increasing baseflows, including a second period of high discharge in the fall. A time series of remotely sensed data spanning 1980–2011 was used to measure lateral migration rates, quantify areas of erosion and deposition, and map spatial patterns of channel change. Both migration rates, and gross erosion and deposition increased during the post‐dam era, although 2 years of exceptionally large snowmelt runoff also occurred during this time. Net sediment flux inferred from the image time series was negative for both the upper and lower reaches for the first photo pair after the dam's completion but became positive for the most recent photos. Detailed topographic surveys of five individual meander bends were used to produce digital elevation models of difference and infer bed material transport rates. For three sites located in the upper reach, downstream increases in transport rate implied a sediment deficit satisfied through channel incision and/or bank erosion. For two sites in the lower reach where sediment supply was greater, larger values of gross erosion were balanced by enhanced deposition and transport rates stabilized or increased along each bend. Together, these results suggest that Savery Creek has entered a period of adjustment as the channel adapts to altered, dam‐regulated supplies of water and sediment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Combined anterior and rotational laxity measurements allow characterizing personal knee laxity profiles in healthy individuals
Authors: Mouton Caroline , Seil Romain , Meyer Tim , Agostinis Hélène , Theisen Daniel 
Published: August 2014

Abstract

Purpose
The aim of this study was to quantify sagittal and rotational knee laxity profiles taking into account individual influencing factors.

Methods
Linear regression models were used to determine which individual characteristics (age, height, body mass and sex) influenced the outcome in a group of 104 healthy subjects. The standardized residuals were used as individualized (corrected) laxity scores and were combined to determine knee laxity profiles.

Results
Anterior knee laxity was not influenced by individual characteristics. Rotational knee laxity was higher in females and inversely related to body mass. The correlation between anterior laxity and internal rotation scores was weak (r = 0.24, p = 0.02). The proportion of knees concerned by increased laxity scores (scores >1) was similar for anterior displacement, internal and external rotation (15 %). Only 32 % of the tested subjects showed a normal profile (score >−1 and <1) for all three directions, 33 % were concerned by hyperlaxity, 40 % by hypolaxity and 5 % by both.

Conclusions
The diversity of laxity profiles found here highlights that the interpretation of multidirectional knee laxity is complex and suggests the necessity for individualized care of knee diseases and injuries. These results contribute to the understanding of knee laxity and throw the basis for prevention strategies and improvement of treatment outcomes in injuries and diseases.

Level of evidence
Case series with no comparison groups, Level IV.
Tree diversity patterns in successive vegetation types along an elevation gradient in the Mountains of Eastern Mexico
Authors: Toledo‐Garibaldi María , Williams‐Linera Guadalupe 
Published: August 2014

AbstractTree species richness changes along elevation gradients in response to underlying environmental conditions. Our hypothesis was that richness is associated with climatic variables and decreases with elevation. The objective was to identify trends in species, genus and family richness, diversity and vegetation structure in relation to climate variables along an elevation gradient with successive types of forest in Veracruz, Mexico. Trees were identified and measured in 0.1 ha at 15 sites located from 140 to 4000 m a.s.l. Generalized linear models were used to fit richness, diversity, basal area and density as a function of elevation; the best model was selected using Akaike's Information Criterion. Multivariate analyses were used to explore climatic variables associated to composition of groups of sites along the gradient. Along the entire elevation gradient, species, genus and family richness decreased unimodally, and diversity decreased monotonically. Richness was positively correlated with temperature but not with precipitation. Basal area increased monotonically and highest basal area was associated with high humidity and certain tree species (Quercus and Abies). Ordinations indicated three groups of sites: lower elevation dry forest associated with temperature seasonality, mid‐elevation cloud forest associated with precipitation‐related variables, and coniferous forest at the top of the gradient associated with elevation. Our study shows that different plant communities are associated with certain climatic conditions and harbour different tree species, genera and families. The results support the hypothesis that species richness is associated with climate, and decreases with elevation.
Effects of a classroom‐based educational resource on adolescent mental health literacy: A cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Perry Yael , Petrie Katherine , Buckley Hannah , Cavanagh Lindy , Clarke Deborah , Winslade Matthew , Hadzi‐Pavlovic Dusan , Manicavasagar Vijaya , Christensen Helen 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTEvidence suggests that poor mental health literacy is a key barrier to help‐seeking for mental health difficulties in adolescence. Educational programs have shown positive effects on literacy, however, the evidence base remains limited and available studies have many methodological limitations. Using cluster Randomised Control Trial (RCT) methodology, the current study examines the impact of ‘HeadStrong’, a school‐based educational intervention, on mental health literacy, stigma, help‐seeking, psychological distress and suicidal ideation. A total of 380 students in 22 classes (clusters) from 10 non‐government secondary schools was randomised to receive either HeadStrong or Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) classes. Participants were assessed pre‐ and post‐intervention, and at 6‐month follow‐up. Literacy improved and stigma reduced in both groups at post‐intervention and follow‐up, relative to baseline. However, these effects were significantly greater in the HeadStrong condition. The study demonstrates the potential of HeadStrong to improve mental health literacy and reduce stigma.