bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Electrocatalytic Reduction of Metronidazole on Bismuth Modified Pencil‐lead Electrode
Authors: Asadpour‐Zeynali Karim , Majidi Mir Reza , Najafi‐Marandi Parvaneh , Norysaray Zinalabedin 
Published: July 2013

AbstractWe report a new and simple approach based on an experimental design method for the preparation of pencil‐lead electrode modified with bismuth thin film. The fabrication process consists of reduction of bismuth on the surface of electrode with potentiostate method. Response surface methodology was developed as experimental strategies for modeling and optimization of the influence of some variables on the performance of modified electrode. The electrocatalytic behavior of this modified electrode was exploited as a sensitive detection system for the mercury‐free reduction and determination of metronidazole in pharmaceutical and biological samples by using differential pulse voltammetry and amperometry methods.
N‐Nitrosation of Secondary Amines Using Supported Perchloric Acid on Silica Gel and Stereoselectivity Study of Nitrosated Products
Authors: Goudarziafshar Hamid , Ghorbani‐Choghamarani Arash , Hadian Laila 
Published: July 2013

AbstractN‐Nitrosation of different types of secondary amines has been proceeded using supported perchloric acid on silica gel and sodiume nitrite under heterogeneous conditions. The operational system is simple and high pure products can be easily isolated with good to high yields.
TMEM16E (GDD1) Exhibits Protein Instability and Distinct Characteristics in Chloride Channel/Pore Forming Ability
Authors: Tran Ta To , Tobiume Kei , Hirono Chikara , Fujimoto Shinichi , Mizuta Kuniko , Kubozono Kazumi , Inoue Hiroshi , Itakura Mitsuo , Sugita Makoto , Kamata Nobuyuki 
Published: July 2013

AbstractTMEM16E/GDD1 has been shown to be responsible for the bone‐related late‐onset disease gnathodiaphyseal dysplasia (GDD), with the dominant allele (TMEM16Egdd) encoding a missense mutation at Cys356. Additionally, several recessive loss‐of‐function alleles of TMEM16E also cause late‐onset limb girdle muscular dystrophy. In this study, we found that TMEM16E was rapidly degraded via the proteasome pathway, which was rescued by inhibition of the PI3K pathway and by the chemical chaperone, sodium butyrate. Moreover, TMEM16Egdd exhibited lower stability than TMEM16E, but showed similar propensity to be rescued. TMEM16E did not exhibit cell surface calcium‐dependent chloride channel (CaCC) activity, which was originally identified in TMEM16A and TMEM16B, due to their intracellular vesicle distribution. A putative pore‐forming domain of TMEM16E, which shared 39.8% similarity in 98 amino acids with TMEM16A, disrupted CaCC activity of TMEM16A via domain swapping. However, the Thr611Cys mutation in the swapped domain, which mimicked conserved cysteine residues between TMEM16A and TMEM16B, reconstituted CaCC activity. In addition, the GDD‐causing cysteine mutation made in TMEM16A drastically altered CaCC activity. Based on these findings, TMEM16E possesses distinct function other than CaCC and another protein‐stabilizing machinery toward the TMEM16E and TMEM16Egdd proteins should be considered for the on‐set regulation of their phenotypes in tissues. J. Cell. Physiol. 229: 181–190, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimization by response surface methodology of processing conditions for the ionic liquid pretreatment of energy cane bagasse
Authors: Qiu Zenghui , Aita Giovanna M. , Mahalaxmi Swetha 
Published: July 2013

AbstractBACKGROUNDIonic liquids are generally considered to be green solvents, and can be potential substitutes for traditional flammable and volatile solvents due to such suitable properties as low volatility, high thermal stability, non‐flammability, and good recyclability. This study aimed to optimize 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM][OAc]) pretreatment processing conditions by evaluating the effect of three pretreatment processing parameters (temperature, residence time and solids loading) on the enzymatic hydrolysis of [EMIM][OAc]‐treated energy cane bagasse via response surface methodology (RSM).RESULTSThe model fitted by RSM indicated that a higher glucose yield of [EMIM][OAc]‐treated biomass could be obtained at higher pretreatment temperatures with shorter residence times within the design space. The optimal processing conditions were pretreatment of energy cane bagasse at 131.9°C for 28.1 min at 8.4% solids loading, resulting in a final glucose yield of 35.96 g glucose per 100 g of native biomass compared with the predicted value of 35.89.CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that this model can predict accurately the glucose yield within the specified design space. The model can also provide valuable insight to further industry application. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Antennal sensilla of Eucryptorrhynchus chinensis (Olivier) and Eucryptorrhynchus brandti (Harold) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Yu Qian‐Qian , Liu Zhen‐Kai , Chen Chong , Wen Junbao 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTEucryptorrhynchus chinensis (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and E. brandti (Harold) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are the two most important pests of tree‐of‐heaven, Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle and its variety Ailanthus altissima var. Qiantouchun in China. They are also considered potential biological control agents for tree‐of‐heaven in North America. In this study, the external morphologies and antennal sensilla of both species were examined using scanning electron microscopy to better understand their host‐finding mechanisms. Eleven morphological sensilla types were recorded, that is, Böhm bristles, six types of sensilla chaetica (Sch. 1–6), two types of sensilla basiconica (Sb. 1–2), and two types of sensilla trichodea (St. 1–2). Sch. 5 were absent from the antennae of E. chinensis, while Sch. 2 were absent from the antennae of E. brandti. Abundant cuticular pores were present on the antennae of both species. Three types of sensilla on the antennae of E. chinensis that were not found in a previous study, and ten different types of sensilla on the antennae of E. brandti were identified for the first time. The possible functions of the sensilla types are discussed based on a comparison with previous studies. Four types of sensilla (Sb. 1, Sb. 2, St. 2, and Sch. 6) on the antennae of both species indicate chemoreception may play a significant role in host location. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:968–978, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Coping With Extreme: Highland Eurasian Tree Sparrows With Molt‐Breeding Overlap Express Higher Levels of Corticoserone‐Binding Globulin Than Lowland Sparrows
Authors: Li Dongming , Zhang Ji , Liu Dan , Zhang Li , Hu Yonghong , Duan Xianglin , Wu Yuefeng 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTIn birds, suppressed expression of stress‐induced corticosterone (CORT) during pre‐basic molt is generally thought to reflect a physiological trade‐off in self‐maintenance. And reduced CORT during breeding in extreme environments may maximize reproductive success and optimize their fitness. Highland Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus) are known to express significantly higher stress‐induced CORT levels during the pre‐basic molt stage. Here, we show that these highland sparrows are characterized by a life history strategy of molt‐breeding overlap, with higher corticosterone‐binding globulin (CBG) levels favoring molt and breeding consistent with fitness optimization on the Tibetan Plateau. These unique behavioral and physiological strategies reflect natural selection under strong evolutionary pressures in extreme high‐altitude environments. J. Exp. Zool. 319A: 482–486, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ground deformation cycles in a magma‐effusive stage, and sub‐Plinian and Vulcanian eruptions at Kirishima volcanoes, Japan
Authors: Takeo M. , Maehara Y. , Ichihara M. , Ohminato T. , Kamata R. , Oikawa J. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractThe dynamics of explosive eruptions, such as Plinian, sub‐Plinian, Vulcanian, and Strombolian ones, is one of the most fascinating subjects in volcano physics. During the early period of volcanic activity at the Shinmoe‐dake Volcano in 2011, various kinds of activities, such as sub‐Plinian eruptions, a magma effusion, and Vulcanian eruptions, occurred sequentially. A different kind of tilt motion accompanied each activity. Here we clarify the characteristics of the tilt motions and their time sequences, presenting a new explanation of the triggering mechanism of a Vulcanian eruption. The sub‐Plinian and the Vulcanian eruptions at the Shinmoe‐dake Volcano were preceded by inflations at shallow depths near the summit. The inflation‐deflation cycles were also recorded during the magma‐effusive stage, with a typical period of 1 h, synchronized with volcanic tremors or long‐period events. Almost all Vulcanian eruptions were preceded by trapezoidal inflations, whose durations systematically lengthened as time progressed, and were followed by various time sequences of tilt motions, which became increasingly more complicated throughout the frequent Vulcanian eruptions. We have found clear linearity with a constant gradient of 0.45 between the logarithm of the preceding duration versus elapsed time for each substage. These observations can be consistently explained based on the assumption that a Vulcanian eruption is induced by a catastrophic rupture of the strongest closed, solid magma frame due to magma degassing overpressure, and the degassing from magma declines exponentially with time.
Influence of mineral fraction on the rheological properties of forsterite + enstatite during grain‐size‐sensitive creep: 1. Grain size and grain growth laws
Authors: Tasaka Miki , Hiraga Takehiko 
Published: July 2013

AbstractWe conducted grain growth and creep experiments on forsterite (Fo) plus enstatite (En) aggregates at 1 atmosphere pressure and temperatures of 1260 – 1360°C, with variable volumetric fractions of the two minerals, forsterite and enstatite (Fo1.00 to Fo0.03 En0.97). The grain size ratios of forsterite and enstatite in annealed (reference) and deformed samples follow the Zener relationship of dI/dII = β/fIIz, where d is the grain size, and the subscripts I and II indicate the primary and secondary phases, respectively. When fEn < 0.5, I is forsterite, II is enstatite, then β = 0.67, and z = 0.52; for samples where fEn > 0.5, I is enstatite, II is forsterite, then β = 0.73, and z = 0.53. Grain growth in reference samples conforms to the relationship ds4 − d04 = kt, where ds is the grain size under static conditions, d0 is the initial grain size, k is the grain growth coefficient, and t is time. The observed growth coefficient for the primary phase (kI) becomes smaller with increasing fII, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction. Overall, our results are consistent with previously proposed grain growth models for static conditions that use mineral physical parameters such as diffusivity (DiGB) and interfacial energy (γ). We discuss grain size variations in the mantle, with compositions ranging from dunite to pyroxenite, and we go on to present a method that predicts the grain sizes of different mantle lithologies, provided that the diffusivity and interfacial energy of the constituent minerals are known.
Impacts of woody plant encroachment on regional climate in the southern Great Plains of the United States
Authors: Ge Jianjun , Zou Chris 
Published: July 2013

AbstractVegetation change can influence climate by altering the fluxes of mass and energy between ecosystems and the atmosphere. In the past century or so, rapid conversion of grasslands to woodland by woody species encroachment is one of the most important vegetation changes in the semiarid and arid regions of the world. The objective of this study is to investigate potential impacts of this widespread phenomenon on climate system in the southern Great Plains of the United States. The Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) is used for this study. Grassland on the surface in RAMS is gradually replaced by woody species and RAMS is run a set of times, each with a different amount of encroachment. RAMS‐simulated precipitation and air temperature are then analyzed. This study finds tha t over a 1 year period woody plant encroachment leads to increase in rainfall and the increase is statistically significant at many locations. Woody encroachment also has an overall warming effect, but increase in temperature is not statistically significant. Temperature and precipitation increase almost linearly with increasing encroachment on the surface. When grassland is completely replaced, annual accumulated precipitation increases by 23.6 mm and maximum air temperature rises by 0.13°C averaged over the entire study area. In areas where encroachment occurs, averaged increases in accumulated precipitation and temperature are 58.2 mm and 0.27°C, respectively. The largest increase in precipitation and strongest warming tend to be located in dry and encroached areas including central and northern Texas, and they reach as high as 213.6 mm and 0.68°C, respectively. Decrease in surface albedo is found to be the most important factor that causes these changes.
Effect of rainfall seasonality on carbon storage in tropical dry ecosystems
Authors: Rohr Tyler , Manzoni Stefano , Feng Xue , Menezes Rômulo S. C. , Porporato Amilcare 
Published: July 2013

AbstractWhile seasonally dry conditions are typical of large areas of the tropics, their biogeochemical responses to seasonal rainfall and soil carbon (C) sequestration potential are not well characterized. Seasonal moisture availability positively affects both productivity and soil respiration, resulting in a delicate balance between C deposition as litterfall and C loss through heterotrophic respiration. To understand how rainfall seasonality (i.e., duration of the wet season and rainfall distribution) affects this balance and to provide estimates of long‐term C sequestration, we develop a minimal model linking the seasonal behavior of the ensemble soil moisture, plant productivity, related C inputs through litterfall, and soil C dynamics. A drought‐deciduous caatinga ecosystem in northeastern Brazil is used as a case study to parameterize the model. When extended to different patterns of rainfall seasonality, the results indicate that for fixed annual rainfall, both plant productivity and soil C sequestration potential are largely, and nonlinearly, dependent on wet season duration. Moreover, total annual rainfall is a critical driver of this relationship, leading at times to distinct optima in both production and C storage. These theoretical predictions are discussed in the context of parameter uncertainties and possible changes in rainfall regimes in tropical dry ecosystems.
Total Vertex Irregularity Strength of Dense Graphs
Authors: Majerski P. , Przybyło J. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractConsider a graph of minimum degree δ and order n. Its total vertex irregularity strength is the smallest integer k for which one can find a weighting such that for every pair of vertices of G. We prove that the total vertex irregularity strength of graphs with is bounded from above by . One of the cornerstones of the proof is a random ordering of the vertices generated by order statistics.
Keggin‐Type Polyoxometalate ([PMo12O40]3−) in Radical Initiating Systems: Application to Radical and Cationic Photopolymerization Reactions
Authors: Xiao Pu , Dumur Frédéric , Tehfe Mohamad‐Ali , Graff Bernadette , Fouassier Jean Pierre , Gigmes Didier , Lalevée Jacques 
Published: July 2013

AbstractNew photoinitiating systems based on a polyoxometalate (POM) are proposed: phosphomolybdic acid in combination with silane, germane, or iodonium salt can be used to generate silyl, germyl, or phenyl radicals as well as silylium cations. The photochemical mechanisms are studied by steady‐state photolysis and electron spin resonance. The phosphomolybdic acid/silane/iodonium salt system can initiate either the radical photopolymerization of acrylates or the cationic photopolymerization of epoxides. The synthesis of interpenetrated polymer networks can also be carried out. The mechanical properties of the synthesized polymers are affected by the presence of POM in the matrix, as shown by their dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).magnified image
Rivastigmine is associated with restoration of left frontal brain activity in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Possin Katherine L. , Kang Gail A. , Guo Christine , Fine Eric M. , Trujillo Andrew J. , Racine Caroline A. , Wilheim Reva , Johnson Erica T. , Witt Jennifer L. , Seeley William W. , Miller Bruce L. , Kramer Joel H. 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to investigate how acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) treatment affects brain function in Parkinson's disease (PD). Twelve patients with PD and either dementia or mild cognitive impairment underwent task‐free functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after 3 months of ChEI treatment and were compared with 15 age‐ and sex‐matched neurologically healthy controls. Regional spontaneous brain activity was measured using the fractional amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations. At baseline, patients showed reduced spontaneous brain activity in regions important for motor control (eg, caudate, supplementary motor area, precentral gyrus, thalamus), attention and executive functions (eg, lateral prefrontal cortex), and episodic memory (eg, precuneus, angular gyrus, hippocampus). After treatment, the patients showed a similar but less extensive pattern of reduced spontaneous brain activity relative to controls. Spontaneous brain activity deficits in the left premotor cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, and supplementary motor area were restored such that the activity was increased posttreatment compared with baseline and was no longer different from controls. Treatment‐related increases in left premotor and inferior frontal cortex spontaneous brain activity correlated with parallel reaction time improvement on a test of controlled attention. PD patients with cognitive impairment show numerous regions of decreased spontaneous brain function compared with controls, and rivastigmine is associated with performance‐related normalization in the left frontal cortex function. © 2013 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Short sleep duration heralds essential tremor: A prospective, population‐based study
Authors: Benito‐León Julián , Louis Elan D. , Bermejo‐Pareja Félix 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTLewy bodies have been described in the locus coeruleus of some patients with essential tremor (ET), and this brainstem nucleus plays an important role in sleep cycle regulation. Despite this, no studies have investigated the relationship between daily sleep duration and the risk of ET. We determined whether baseline daily sleep duration was associated with an increased risk of incident ET. In this prospective, population‐based study of individuals > 65 years of age (the Neurological Disorders in Central Spain [NEDICES] cohort), participants were evaluated at baseline and 3 years later. At baseline, participants indicated their daily sleep duration as the sum of nighttime sleep and daytime napping. The average daily total sleep duration was grouped into four categories: ≤ 5 hours (short sleepers), 6 hours, 7 to 8 hours (reference), and ≥ 9 hours (long sleepers) hours. In total, 3,303 participants had a median duration of follow‐up of 3.3 years. There were 76 incident ET cases at follow‐up. The relative risks for short sleepers and for long sleepers were 2.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21‐4.16; P = 0.01) and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.41‐1.32; P = 0.31), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, including age, sex, educational level, current smoker, current drinker, and depressive symptoms or antidepressant use, the risk remained significantly increased for short sleepers (relative risk, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.03‐3.70; P = 0.04]). The results indicated that short daily sleep duration may be a pre‐motor marker for ET. Additional prospective studies are needed to confirm these results, and the biological basis for this association merits additional investigation. © 2013 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Strain state of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) in polystyrene‐b‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) block copolymers and binary blends with polystyrene
Authors: Rosales‐Guzmán Miguel , Alexander‐Katz Roberto , Castillo‐Ocampo Patricia , Vega‐Ríos Alejandro , Licea‐Claveríe Angel 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTThree diblock copolymers of polystyrene‐b‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PS‐b‐PNIPAM) were prepared by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer technique (RAFT) with compositions fPS = 0.84, fPS = 0.29, and fPS = 0.33. Block copolymers rich in PNIPAM were blended with polystyrene and its morphological effects were studied. The morphology of thin films was induced by acetone vapor and determined in the dried state by means of TEM. Copolymers with fPS = 0.84 and fPS = 0.29 form hexagonally packed cylinder (HPC) morphologies while that with fPS = 0.33 corresponds to a lamellar structure. In almost all cases where PNIPAM constitutes the continuous phase, a contraction of the PNIPAM blocks with respect to their average unperturbed dimension was observed, contrary to what one expects from the physics of self‐assembly of block copolymers. In contrast, for HPC morphology where PNIPAM is confined in a PS matrix, both blocks are highly extended. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1368–1376
Process simulation of hydrogen intercalation in epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001)
Authors: Deretzis Ioannis , Magna Antonino La 
Published: July 2013

AbstractWe study the intercalation steps for epitaxial graphene exposed to a hydrogen‐rich gaseous ambient with the aid of event‐driven kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations. We appropriately formulate an ab initio calibrated KMC algorithm that generates the evolvement of the system dynamics. We discuss the kinetic stages leading to the formation of the intercalated layer and the stability of the resulting structure against the process parameters. We moreover investigate the dependence of the process timeline with respect to the concentration of defects at the surface prior to intercalation. Results complement the experiment and could serve as guidelines for future works on the intercalation of epitaxial graphene on SiC..Schematic representation showing the early‐stage intercalation of H atoms at the interface between buffer layer and SiC(0001).