bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occupational exposures and longitudinal lung function decline
Authors: Liao Shu‐Yi , Lin Xihong , Christiani David C. 
Published: November 2014

Background Few longitudinal studies have been conducted on occupational exposure and lung function. This study investigated occupational dust exposure effects on lung function and whether genetic variants influence such effects.Methods The study population (1,332 participants) was from the Framingham Heart Study, in which participant lung function measures were available from up to five examinations over nearly 17 years. Occupational dust exposures were classified into “more” and “less” likely dust exposure. We used linear mixed effects models for the analysis.Results Participants with more likely dust exposure had a mean 4.5 mL/year excess loss rate of FEV1 over time. However, occupational dust exposures alone or interactions with age or time had no significant effect on FEV1/FVC. No statistically significant effects of genetic modifications in the different subgroups were identified for FEV1 loss.Conclusions Occupational dust exposures may accelerate the rate of FEV1 loss but not FEV1/FVC loss. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:14–20, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of Auxiliary Chromophores on the Optical, Electrochemical, and Photovoltaic Properties of Carbazole‐Based Dyes
Authors: Venkateswararao A. , Justin Thomas K. R. , Lee Chuan‐Pei , Ho Kuo‐Chuan 
Published: November 2014

AbstractOrganic dyes containing 2‐diphenylaminocarbazole donors and decorated with auxiliary chromophores at the diphenylamine moiety have been synthesized and characterized. The nature of the chromophores on diphenylamine unit alters the light‐harvesting properties and HOMO/LUMO energies of the dyes. Butoxy substitution raises the HOMO and lowers the LUMO energies. But the incorporation of fluorenyl units fine‐tunes the LUMO upwardly, which improves the thermodynamic driving force for electron injection into the conduction band of TiO2 and hikes the incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency. Consequently, a dye with fluorene in the donor unit and thiophene in the π‐conjugation pathway is the most efficient (5.76 %) and has the highest photocurrent density (14.60 mA cm−2) in the series. Electrochemical impedance analysis of the devices showed the importance of fluorene units in suppressing electron recombination.
Nanocomposites of Tantalum‐Based Pyrochlore and Indium Hydroxide Showing High and Stable Photocatalytic Activities for Overall Water Splitting and Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Authors: Hsieh Meng‐Chun , Wu Guan‐Chang , Liu Wei‐Guang , Goddard William A. , Yang Chia‐Min 
Published: November 2014

AbstractNanocomposites of tantalum‐based pyrochlore nanoparticles and indium hydroxide were prepared by a hydrothermal process for UV‐driven photocatalytic reactions including overall water splitting, hydrogen production from photoreforming of methanol, and CO2 reduction with water to produce CO. The best catalyst was more than 20 times more active than sodium tantalate in overall water splitting and 3 times more active than Degussa P25 TiO2 in CO2 reduction. Moreover, the catalyst was very stable while generating stoichiometric products of H2 (or CO) and O2 throughout long‐term photocatalytic reactions. After the removal of In(OH)3, the pyrochlore nanoparticles remained highly active for H2 production from pure water and aqueous methanol solution. Both experimental studies and density functional theory calculations suggest that the pyrochlore nanoparticles catalyzed the water reduction to produce H2, whereas In(OH)3 was the major active component for water oxidation to produce O2.
C5–C10 Directly Bonded Tetrodotoxin Analogues: Possible Biosynthetic Precursors of Tetrodotoxin From Newts
Authors: Kudo Yuta , Yamashita Yoko , Mebs Dietrich , Cho Yuko , Konoki Keiichi , Yasumoto Takeshi , Yotsu‐Yamashita Mari 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe identification of novel tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1) analogues would significantly contribute to the elucidation of its biosynthetic pathway. In this study, the first C5–C10 directly bonded TTX analogues, 4,9‐anhydro‐10‐hemiketal‐5‐deoxyTTX (2) and 4,9‐anhydro‐8‐epi‐10‐hemiketal‐5,6,11‐trideoxyTTX (3), were found in the newt Cynops ensicauda popei by using a screening method involving HILIC‐LC–MS/MS focused on the fragment ions of TTX analogues, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Compound 2 was detected in a wide range of newt species, and the 2 and TTX contents of 22 newt specimens were correlated (rs=0.88). Based on these results and its structural features, 2 was predicted to serve as a precursor of TTX that would be directly converted into 4,9‐anhydroTTX (4) by Baeyer–Villiger‐like oxidation or via 4,9‐anhydro‐5‐deoxyTTX formed by cleavage of the C5–C10 bond. The bicyclic carbon skeletons of 2 and 3 suggested a possible monoterpene origin for TTX.
A Novel Evolution Kalman Filter Algorithm for Short‐Term Climate Prediction
Authors: Yang Qingyu , An Dou , Cai Yuanli 
Published: November 2014

AbstractWith the increasing integration of grid‐connected photovoltaic (PV) power generation system, the short‐term climate prediction is becoming critical. In this paper, we propose a novel evolution Kalman filter (ELKF) based short‐term climate prediction algorithm, which combines the advantages of statistical and dynamic methods. We first establish the Kalman forecast recursive model, and then apply the genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize the transfer matrix which reflects the interaction relationship of prediction factors in a Kalman filter. The experiment to predict average sunshine hours and daily temperature for a certain place is conducted. The simulation results demonstrate that, compared with the traditional Kalman filter, our approach enhances the prediction accuracy for average sunshine hours within 1 h by 16.5% and for average daily temperature within 1°C by 5.8%.
Energy, sugar dilution, and economic analysis of hot water flow‐through pre‐treatment for producing biofuel from sugarcane residues
Authors: Archambault‐Léger Véronique , Losordo Zachary , Lynd Lee R. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractHot water flow‐through (FT) pre‐treatment of cellulosic biomass for biofuel production offers key performance advantages over other pre‐treatment methods. The present study aims to address the energy demand, sugar dilution, and economic concerns of using FT pre‐treatment for the bioconversion of sugarcane bagasse and trash to ethanol. FT pre‐treatment resulted in a lower minimum ethanol selling price ($0.82/L) than dilute acid ($1.01–1.19/L), hot water ($1.13–1.27/L) and steam explosion ($0.86–1.18/L) (the range represents different studies). Sugar dilution was not a limiting factor provided that extensive heat integration was employed, as is the case in an oil refinery. The ethanol beer to distillation contained 5.0 wt% ethanol. Integrated first‐generation and second‐generation plants with no external fuel supplied were examined based on conversion of sucrose, bagasse, and available cane trash. A base case was defined using FT pre‐treatment which routed all of the bagasse and 31.8% of the trash to ethanol production. For an alternative ‘best parameter’ case, all of the bagasse and available trash was routed to ethanol production, leaving 1.1% of the feedstock higher heating value available for electricity exports. Ethanol yields for the base case, best parameter case and steam explosion case were 59.9, 81.6, and 50.8 L/wet ton cane respectively, representing increases of 79%, 108%, and 67% compared to the first‐generation plant. Our results indicate that sugar dilution and energy consumption are not barriers to practical commercial implementation of flow‐through pre‐treatment, and that FT pre‐treatment has potential to be economically advantageous compared to hydrothermal and dilute acid pre‐treatments. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Severe neonatal presentation of Kleefstra syndrome in a patient with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and 9q34.3 microdeletion
Authors: Campbell Candace L. , Collins R. Thomas , Zarate Yuri A. 
Published: November 2014

BackgroundKleefstra syndrome arises from haploinsufficiency of EHMT1 caused by either microdeletions at 9q34.3 or intragenic mutations. Patients with Kleefstra syndrome have multisystem involvement including intellectual disability, hypotonia, and characteristic facial features.MethodsWe report on the severe neonatal presentation of the first case of Kleefstra syndrome associated with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and multicystic renal disease in a patient with a 9q34.3 microdeletion.ResultsArray‐CGH analysis revealed a 2.1 Mb deletion at 9q34.3, including EHMT1 and NOTCH1.ConclusionKleefstra syndrome is a multisystem disorder with a high frequency of congenital heart disease and less frequently, renal defects. Mortality has rarely been documented, particularly in infancy. Based on the present case and the extant literature, a routine echocardiogram and renal ultrasound should be ordered in all cases of Kleefstra syndrome. The cardiac changes seen in this patient could be the result of the haploinsufficiency of EHMT1, NOTCH1, or their combined effect. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 100:985–990, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Studies on the antioxidant activity of some chromonylrhodanine derivatives
Authors: Kruk Irena , Piechowska Teresa , Berczyński Paweł , Kładna Aleksandra , Bozdağ‐Dündar Oya , Ceylan‐Unlusoy Meltem , Aboul‐Enein Hassan Y. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractFifteen chromonylrhodamine derivatives (CRs) were synthesized and the antioxidant activity levels were evaluated for the first time. The antioxidant activity potencies of these chromone derivatives were evaluated towards superoxide anion radicals, hydroxyl radicals and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radicals. Also, the total antioxidant capacity of the tested compounds was measured using the ferric‐ferrozine assay. The antioxidant activities were investigated using a chemiluminescence (CL) assay, spectrophotometry measurements, direct electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and the EPR spin‐trapping technique. The 5,5‐dimethyl‐ 1‐pyrroline‐1‐oxide (DMPO) was applied as spin trap. Eleven of the 15 chromone compounds exhibited a decrease in the CL accompanying the superoxide anion radical produced in anhydrous dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), ranging from 71–94% at concentration of 1 mmol /L; four of these compounds enhanced light emission in the range 231–672%. Similarly, these compounds caused 28–58% inhibition in the intensity of the DMPO‐OOH radical EPR signal and the DMPO‐OH radical (from 12–48%). Furthermore, three of these compounds showed very good antioxidant response towards the DPPH radical (EC50: 0.51–0.56 µmol/L) and the high reduction potentials. These findings demonstrate that the chromone compounds tested may be considered as effective free radicals scavengers, a finding that is of great pharmacological importance. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transseptal puncture to facilitate device closure of “long‐tunnel” patent foramen ovale
Authors: Thompson Alex J. , Hagler Donald J. , Taggart Nathaniel W. 
Published: November 2014

BackgroundPatent foramen ovale (PFO) is common and may predispose to paradoxical embolism. Transcatheter device closure of PFO can be challenging in certain cases of “long‐tunnel” PFO morphology. We report our experience with device closure of long‐tunnel PFO using transseptal puncture.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed all cases of PFO device closure using transseptal puncture at the Mayo Clinic from January 1, 2010 to September 30, 2013. We arbitrarily defined a PFO tunnel configuration as a tunnel length ≥ 12 mm as observed in intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) at the time of device closure.ResultsTwelve patients (mean age 40.8 [range 15–67] years; 7 males [58%]) underwent PFO device closure with transseptal puncture. The most common indication for PFO closure was previous stroke (n = 7, 58%). Median tunnel length measured by ICE was 15 mm (12–20 mm). GORE® HELEX® Septal Occluder was used for closure in all but one patient. The only significant procedural complication was a minor perforation of the left atrial wall during attempted septal puncture, which resulted in a trivial pericardial effusion that resolved without intervention. At latest follow‐up (mean 543 days, [range 170–1162]) one patient had a residual shunt and subsequently died due to complications during surgical PFO closure. No recurrent strokes or TIAs were reported.ConclusionThough not without risk, transseptal puncture can be a valuable tool for facilitating device closure of long‐tunnel type PFOs. GORE® HELEX® Septal Occluder may be an effective option for facilitating device closure for patients with long‐tunnel type PFO. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bubble Splitting in a Pseudo‐2D Gas‐Solid Fluidized Bed for Geldart B‐Type Particles
Authors: Movahedirad Salman , Dehkordi Asghar Molaei , Molaei Esmaeel Abbaszade , Haghi Mehdi , Banaei Mohammad , Kuipers Johannes A. M. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractBubble splitting in 2D gas‐solid freely bubbling fluidized beds is experimentally investigated using digital image analysis. The quantitative results can be applied for the development of a new breakage model for bubbly fluidized beds, especially discrete bubble models. The variation of splitting frequency with bubble diameter, new resulting bubble volumes, positions, and also the assumptions of mass and momentum conservation for bubbles after breakage are studied in detail. Small bubbles are found to be more stable than large ones and nearly all mother bubbles split into two almost equally sized daughter bubbles. The momentum of gas bubbles in the vertical direction remains approximately constant after breakage, whereas that of bubbles in the horizontal direction changes with no clear trend. The effect of fluidizing gas velocity in breakage frequency is also examined.
Promotion of Chemical Reactions by a Grid in a Shear Mixing Layer
Authors: Ito Yasumasa , Sakai Yasuhiko , Nagata Kouji 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe effects of a turbulence‐generating grid on fluid mixing and a passive chemical reaction are experimentally investigated in a liquid shear mixing layer under a nonpremixed condition. The grid is installed at three streamwise locations to find the optimal location to promote the chemical reaction. The results show that the grid generates disturbances at small scales that enhance fluid mixing and the chemical reaction. However, the turbulence intensity and mass diffusion in the mixing layers with the grid decrease rapidly and become even smaller than those in the mixing layer without the grid in a downstream region. Therefore, in the present study, the chemical production is maximized when the grid is installed at where the flow is turning to a developed mixing layer.
A Rapid Synthesis of High Aspect Ratio Silver Nanowires for High‐Performance Transparent Electrodes
Authors: Cheng Tao , Zhang Yizhou , Lai Wenyong , Chen Yao , Huang Wei 
Published: November 2014

AbstractA rapid, simple and cost‐effective polyol method has been developed for the synthesis of silver nanowires with high aspect ratio and high purity. The aspect ratios of the silver nanowires as high as ca. 1000 (average length 40 µm and some even as long as 80 µm, diameter 50–100 nm) were obtained via optimizing the reaction conditions. Transparent electrodes with excellent optoelectronic performances (optical transmittance of 90%, sheet resistance of 23.2 Ω/□ and optical transmittance of 87%, sheet resistance of 19.7 Ω/□) comparable to commercial ITO were fabricated via simple spin coating the resulting silver nanowires onto the glass substrates. The high optoelectronic performances and the facile all‐solution process of the as‐prepared transparent electrodes render them rather promising candidates for use in cost‐effective large‐area optoelectronic devices.
Self‐Assembly of Schiff Base Organogelator with Enhanced Fluorescence Emission
Authors: Han Jinxin , Song Jiefang , Hao Zhenfang , Yu Haitao , Han Jianrong 
Published: November 2014

AbstractA new organogelator based on Schiff base derivative has been designed and synthesized. It can be employed as building blocks to fabricate organic nano‐ or micro‐structures. It shows excellent self‐assembling properties. It could form stable gels with nanofiber structures in various organic solvents, such as n‐butanol, benzyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, acetone, aniline. The gelation properties, structural characteristics and fluorescence of the gels were studied. Compared with the solution, the gel showed significantly enhanced emission. This organogel system can be used as a thermally driven fluorescence molecular switch.
Neurochemical characterization of extrinsic nerves in myenteric ganglia of the guinea pig distal colon
Authors: Chen Bao Nan , Sharrad Dale F. , Hibberd Timothy J. , Zagorodnyuk Vladimir P. , Costa Marcello , Brookes Simon J.H. 
Published: November 2014

ABSTRACTExtrinsic nerves to the gut influence the absorption of water and electrolytes and expulsion of waste contents, largely via regulation of enteric neural circuits; they also contribute to control of blood flow. The distal colon is innervated by extrinsic sympathetic and parasympathetic efferent and spinal afferent neurons, via axons in colonic nerve trunks. In the present study, biotinamide tracing of colonic nerves was combined with immunohistochemical labeling for markers of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and spinal afferent neurons to quantify their relative contribution to the extrinsic innervation. Calcitonin gene‐related peptide, vesicular acetylcholine transporter, and tyrosine hydroxylase, which selectively label spinal afferent, parasympathetic, and sympathetic axons, respectively, were detected immunohistochemically in 1 ± 0.5% (n = 7), 15 ± 4.7% (n = 6), and 24 ± 4% (n = 7) of biotinamide‐labeled extrinsic axons in myenteric ganglia. Immunoreactivity for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, nitric oxide synthase, somatostatin, and vesicular glutamate transporters 1 and 2 accounted for a combined maximum of 14% of biotinamide‐labeled axons in myenteric ganglia. Thus, a maximum of 53% of biotinamide‐labeled extrinsic axons in myenteric ganglia were labeled by antisera to one of these eight markers. Viscerofugal neurons were also labeled by biotinamide. They had distinct morphologies and spatial distributions that correlated closely with their immunoreactivity for nitric oxide synthase and choline acetyltransferase. As reported for the rectum, nearly half of all extrinsic nerve fibers to the distal colon lack the key immunohistochemical markers commonly used for their identification. Their abundance may therefore have been significantly underestimated in previous immunohistochemical studies. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:742–756, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Spectral–Structural Relationship of a Series of Oxyluciferin Derivatives
Authors: Ran Xue Qin , Zhou Xin , Goddard John D. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe absorption and emission spectra of a series of oxyluciferin derivatives with different substituents, as well as 6′‐amino oxyluciferins in different enol and keto forms, with or without an active‐site model of luciferase, were systematically investigated using density functional theory. The effects of substituents, microenvironment, and the luciferase on the structures, absorption spectra, and fluorescent emission were all taken into account. It was found that a wide range of emission colors can be obtained from various oxyluciferin derivatives with the inclusion of active site residues modeling the luciferase active site. Enol and keto forms are responsible for the emissions observed in experiments. It was suggested that the active site of luciferase must be included in the calculation in order to determine the form of the emitters.
Semi‐Aromatic Polyesters Based on a Carbohydrate‐Derived Rigid Diol for Engineering Plastics
Authors: Wu Jing , Eduard Pieter , Thiyagarajan Shanmugam , Noordover Bart A. J. , van Es Daan S. , Koning Cor E. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractNew carbohydrate‐based polyesters were prepared from isoidide‐2,5‐dimethanol (extended isoidide, XII) through melt polymerization with dimethyl esters of terephthalic acid (TA) and furan‐2,5‐dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), yielding semi‐crystalline prepolymers. Subsequent solid‐state post‐condensation (SSPC) gave high molecular weight (Mn=30 kg mol−1 for FDCA) materials, the first examples of high Mn, semi‐aromatic homopolyesters containing isohexide derivatives obtained via industrially relevant procedures. NMR spectroscopy showed that the stereo‐configuration of XII was preserved under the applied conditions. The polyesters are thermally stable up to 380 °C. The TA‐ and FDCA‐based polyesters have high Tg (105 °C and 94 °C, resp.) and Tm (284 °C and 250 °C, resp.) values. Its reactivity, stability, and ability to afford high Tg and Tm polyesters make XII a promising diol for the synthesis of engineering polymers.
Transformed HCT for parallel Huffman decoding
Authors: Wang Guoyu , Zhang Hongsheng , Lu Mingying 
Published: November 2014

SummaryThis paper proposes a novel and generic Huffman code table (HCT) transform and a simple parallel Huffman decoding method. Codes of the original HCT are left‐aligned, reordered in value, and partitioned into sub‐bands. Two kinds of modification to the codes are introduced in order to reduce the number of sub‐bands. The Huffman decoder can be implemented with a minimized size of single LUT, and the parallel decoding can be completed easily, at a constant rate of up to one code per cycle. An example of MP3 decoder and AAC decoder has been designed to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.