bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and characterization of a novel fibrous antibacterial fiber with organophorsphor functional groups
Authors: Chang Li , Zhang Xiaozhuan , Shi Xibao , Zhao Liang , Liu Xuan Ming 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTA novel antibacterial fiber named ethyltriphenylphosphonium bromide‐polyacrylonitrile fiber (ETPB‐PANF) was synthesized by chemical modification of PANF reacted with ETPB. The PANF was first immersed in NaOH solution to get Na‐PANF with COONa groups. Na‐PANF was then reacted with ETPB to get the final fiber. During the process of synthesis, this article investigated on the initial concentration of ETPB, the contact time, the reaction temperature, and the pH of the solution that may have effect on the properties of ETPB‐PANF. ETPB‐PANF was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analyzer, scanning electron microscope, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the releasing amount of ETPB from ETPB‐PANF was examined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The antibacterial activity of ETPB‐PANF was examined against Escherichia coli and Staphylococci aureus by improved shake flask method in sterile saline. The results showed that organophorsphor functional groups have been successfully grafted on PANF, and ETPB‐PANF showed good antibacterial abilities for E. coli and S. aureus. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40935.
Nonisothermal crystallization behaviors of biodegradable double crystalline poly(butylene succinate)‐poly(ethylene glycol) multiblock copolymers
Authors: Huang Cai‐Li , Zeng Jian‐Bing , Jiao Ling , Yang Ke‐Ke 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTNonisothermal crystallization behaviors of both poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) segments within PBS‐PEG (PBSEG) multiblock copolymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of both PBS and PEG segments were analyzed by Avrami, Ozawa, and Mo methods. The results showed that both of Avrami and Mo methods were successful to describe the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of PBS and PEG segments. The results of crystallization kinetics indicated that the crystallization rate of PBS segment decreased with PBS segment content and/or LPBS, while that of PEG segment decreased with Mn,PEG or FPEG. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40940.
Thermoresponsive hydrogels from BSA esterified with low molecular weight PEG
Authors: Wang Kai , Buschle‐Diller Gisela , Wu Yonnie 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTBovine serum albumin (BSA) and low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) were reacted in a single‐step reaction to synthesize translucent hydrogels with a sol–gel transition at temperatures between 37 and 40°C. Gelation occurred by aggregation of smaller assemblies of BSA–PEG precursors within minutes. The sol–gel transition concentration depended on the molecular weight of PEG only at temperatures below 35°C; above 45°C phase separation occurred and a precipitate formed. Microscopic examination showed the porous structure of the gels. At a fairly low grafting ratio, BSA preserved its native secondary and tertiary structure and maintained its capability for binding and enclosing small molecules. Drug delivery was assessed by a discontinuous method in vitro using 5‐fluorouracil. Degradation tests with trypsin confirmed that the hydrogels were biodegradable. This novel material holds promise for biomedical applications as potentially injectable drug delivery vehicle. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40946.
Magnetic Susceptibility Detection of Small Protohistoric Sites in the Raganello Basin, Calabria (Italy)
Authors: Van leusen P. M. , Kattenberg A. , Armstrong K. 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTThis paper presents pilot geophysical investigations carried out in 2005–2006 by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology in northern Calabria, Italy. The aim of this work was to find out if and how surface magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements might be of use to correct significant visibility biases in the results of earlier large‐scale systematic and intensive field‐walking, in particular for unobtrusive rural protohistoric sites. It was found that MS yields encouraging results under specific geopedological conditions, but that a better understanding of post‐depositional site histories and large‐scale geomorphology‐driven MS variations is needed before an effective MS‐based detection protocol in support of large‐scale field‐walking can be developed; follow‐on studies are now being conducted by the authors to this end. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distributed Robust Consensus of a Class of Lipschitz Nonlinear Multi‐agent Systems with Matching Uncertainties
Authors: Li Zhongkui , Zhao Yu , Duan Zhisheng 
Published: May 2014

AbstractThis paper considers the distributed robust consensus problem of a class of multi‐agent systems with Lipschitz nonlinear dynamics and subject to different matching uncertainties. Due to the existence of nonidentical uncertainties, the multi‐agent systems discussed in this paper are essentially heterogeneous. For the case where the communication graph is undirected and connected, based on the local state information of neighboring agents, distributed continuous static and adaptive consensus protocols are designed, under which the consensus error is uniformly ultimately bounded and exponentially converges to a small adjustable residual set. Note that the proposed distributed adaptive consensus protocol relies on neither the eigenvalues of the Laplacian matrix nor the upper bounds of the uncertainties. The case where there exists a leader whose control input is unknown and bounded is further studied.
Synchronization for Time‐Delayed Coupling Complex Dynamic Networks with Different Dimensional Nodes Via Decentralized Dynamic Compensation Controllers
Authors: Zhang Lili , Wang Yinhe , Wang Qinruo , Zhang Siying 
Published: May 2014

AbstractThe objective of this paper is to investigate the synchronization for nonlinear time‐delayed coupling complex dynamic networks with different dimensional nodes through the use of decentralized dynamic compensation controllers. We propose a nonlinear time‐delayed coupling complex dynamic network model with similar nonlinear nodes, whose dimensions admit differences. For this kind of network model, based on Barbalat's lemma, decentralized dynamic compensation controllers are designed for the state synchronization of the coupled nodes under some mathematical conditions. In addition, the synchronization manifold is defined as an invariant manifold, which is regarded as the generalized case of the networks with the same node dynamics. Finally, numerical examples with chaotic and hyperchaotic nodes are presented to verify the effectiveness of our theoretical results.
Biorefinery of microalgae – opportunities and constraints for different production scenarios
Authors: Hariskos Ioanna , Posten Clemens 
Published: May 2014

AbstractIn order to design economically feasible production processes it is necessary, as part of the biorefinery concept, to valorize all constituents of the microalgal biomass. Such an approach requires appropriate biorefinery side‐process strategies to be adapted to production of the primary product. These strategies are particularly valid for microalgae, since the composition and amount of residual biomass can vary significantly depending on cell stoichiometry and cultivation techniques. This review investigates opportunities and constraints for biorefinery concepts in production scenarios for four different products from microalgae with different market volumes, including high‐ and medium‐value products, whole cells and biodiesel. Approaches to close material and energy balances, as well as to adapt the biorefinery according to biological potential, process routes, and market needs are presented, which will further contribute to making the biorefinery concept a success.
Glossoscolex paulistus extracellular hemoglobin (HbGp) oligomeric dissociation upon interaction with sodium dodecyl sulfate: Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC)
Authors: Alves Fernanda Rosa , Carvalho Francisco Adriano O. , Carvalho José Wilson P. , Tabak Marcel 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTAnnelid erythrocruorins are respiratory proteins with high cooperativity and low autoxidation rates. The giant extracellular hemoglobin of the earthworm, Glossoscolex paulistus (HbGp), has a molecular mass of 3.6 MDa. In this work, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), together with DLS and fluorescence emission have been used to investigate the interaction of SDS with the HbGp in the oxy‐form, at pH 7.0. Our ITC and DLS results show that addition of SDS induces oxy‐HbGp oligomeric dissociation, while a small amount of protein aggregation is observed only by DLS. Moreover, the oligomeric dissociation process is favored at lower protein concentrations. The temperature effect does not influence significantly the interaction of SDS with the hemoglobin, due to the similarities presented by the critical aggregation concentration (cac) and critical micelle concentration (cmc′) for the mixtures. The increase of oxy‐HbGp concentration leads to a slight variation of the cac values for the SDS‐oxy‐HbGp mixture, attributed mainly to the noncooperative electrostatic binding of surfactant to protein. However, the cmc′ values increase considerably, associated to a more cooperative hydrophobic binding. Complementary pyrene fluorescence emission studies show formation of pre‐micellar structures of the mixture already at lower SDS concentrations. This study opens the possibility of the evaluation of the surfactant effect on the hemoglobin stability by ITC, which is made for the first time with this extracellular hemoglobin. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 1065–1076, 2014.
Influence of substituents on conformational preferences of helix foldamers of γ‐dipeptides
Authors: Kee Kang Young , Yoo In Kee 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTConformational preferences of 9‐ and 14‐helix foldamers have been studied for γ‐dipeptides of 2‐aminocyclohexylacetic acid (γAc6a) residues such as Ac‐(γAc6a)2‐NHMe (1), Ac‐(Cα‐Et‐γAc6a)2‐NHMe (2), Ac‐(γAc6a)2‐NHBn (3), and Ac‐(Cα‐Et‐γAc6a)2‐NHBn (4) at the M06‐2X/cc‐pVTZ//M06‐2X/6‐31 + G(d) level of theory to explore the influence of substituents on their conformational preferences. In the gas phase, the 9‐helix foldamer H9 and 14‐helix foldamer H14‐z are found to be most preferred for dipeptides 2 and 4, respectively, as for dipeptides 1 and 3, which indicates no remarkable influence of the Cα‐ethyl substitution on conformational preferences. The benzyl substitution at the C‐terminal end lead H14‐z to be the most preferred conformer for dipeptides 3 and 4, whereas it is H9 for dipeptides 1 and 2, which can be ascribed to the favored CH···π interactions between the cyclohexyl group of the first residue and the C‐terminal benzyl group. There are only marginal changes in backbone structures and the distances and angles of H‐bonds for all local minima by Cα‐ethyl and/or benzyl substitutions. Although vibrational frequencies and intensities of the dipeptide 4 calculated at both M06‐2X/6‐31 + G(d) and M05‐2X/6‐31 + G(d) levels of theory are consistent with observed results in the gas phase, H14‐z is predicted to be most preferred by ΔG only at the former level of theory. Hydration did not bring the significant changes in backbone structures of helix foldamers for both dipeptide 1 and 4. It is expected that the different substitutions at the C‐terminal end lead to the different helix foldamers, which may increase the resistance of helical structures to proteolysis and provide the more surface to the helical structures suitable for molecular recognition. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 1077–1087, 2014.
A new method for generating high purity motoneurons from mouse embryonic stem cells
Authors: McCreedy Dylan A. , Brown Chelsea R. , Butts Jessica C. , Xu Hao , Huettner James E. , Sakiyama‐Elbert Shelly E. 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTA common problem with using embryonic stem (ES) cells as a source for analysis of gene expression, drug toxicity, or functional characterization studies is the heterogeneity that results from many differentiation protocols. The ability to generate large numbers of high purity differentiated cells from pluripotent stem cells could greatly enhance their utility for in vitro characterization studies and transplantation in pre‐clinical injury models. Population heterogeneity is particularly troublesome for post‐mitotic neurons, including motoneurons, because they do not proliferate and are quickly diluted in culture by proliferative phenotypes, such as glia. Studies of motoneuron biology and disease, in particular amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, can benefit from high purity motoneuron cultures. In this study, we engineered a transgenic‐ES cell line where highly conserved enhancer elements for the motoneuron transcription factor Hb9 were used to drive puromycin N‐acetyltransferase expression in ES cell‐derived motoneurons. Antibiotic selection with puromycin was then used to obtain high purity motoneuron cultures following differentiation of mouse ES cells. Purity was maintained during maturation allowing the production of consistent, uniform populations of cholinergic ES cell‐derived motoneurons. Appropriate functional properties of purified motoneurons were verified by acetylcholinesterase activity and electrophysiology. Antibiotic selection, therefore, can provide an inexpensive alternative to current methods for isolating ES cell‐derived motoneurons at high purity that does not require specialized laboratory equipment and provides a unique platform for studies in motoneuron development and degeneration. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 2041–2055. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Environmental Responsibility and Firm Performance: The Application of an Environmental, Social and Governance Model
Authors: Lee Ki‐Hoon , Cin Beom Cheol , Lee Eui Young 
Published: May 2014

AbstractThis paper investigates the way in which environmental responsibility impacts on corporate financial performance, measured by return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA). Using a sample of Korean firms covering the period 2011–2012, and employing two different test methods, namely the OLS and 2SLS methods, we show that the relationships between environmental responsibility performance and firms’ ROE and ROA are positive and statistically significant. However, we show that research and development (R&D) intensity (expenditure) does not affect either environmental responsibility or corporate financial performance. The results of this analysis encourage further empirical analysis of the industries, as well as the use of more than one estimation method to determine environmental responsibility and corporate financial performance within firms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Do Customers Affect the Value Relevance of Sustainability Reporting? Empirical Evidence on Stakeholder Interdependence
Authors: Goettsche Max , Steindl Tobias , Gietl Simon 
Published: May 2014

AbstractIn spite of the strategic importance of sustainability reporting in current business practice and the resulting increase in research on its value relevance, studies accounting for stakeholder interdependence are scarce. On the basis of the instrumental stakeholder theory, we investigate whether customers have an impact on the value relevance of sustainability reporting. Using a sample of US listed firms, we show that the value relevance of sustainability reporting is affected by customer profile differences, thereby confirming customer–shareholder interdependence. However, customer profile effects are only predominant if firms' profitability levels are low and disappear as profitability increases. Overall, our findings provide a more nuanced understanding of the value relevance of sustainability reporting. Therefore, we offer managers fine‐grained guidance for value relevant sustainability reporting. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Towards a data‐driven approach to scenario generation for serious games
Authors: Luo Linbo , Yin Haiyan , Cai Wentong , Lees Michael , Othman Nasri Bin , Zhou and Suiping 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTSerious games have recently shown great potential to be adopted in many applications, such as training and education. However, one critical challenge in developing serious games is the authoring of a large set of scenarios for different training objectives. In this paper, we propose a data‐driven approach to automatically generate scenarios for serious games. Compared with other scenario generation methods, our approach leverages on the simulated player performance data to construct the scenario evaluation function for scenario generation. To collect the player performance data, an artificial intelligence (AI) player model is designed to imitate how a human player behaves when playing scenarios. The AI players are used to replace human players for data collection. The experiment results show that our data‐driven approach provides good prediction accuracy on scenario's training intensities. It also outperforms our previous heuristic‐based approach in its capability of generating scenarios that match closer to specified target player performance.Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Controllable Loading of Noble Metal Nanoparticles on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Fe3O4 through an In Situ Galvanic Replacement Reaction for High‐Performance Catalysis
Authors: Yang Shu‐Liang , Cao Chang‐Yan , Wei Fang‐Fang , Huang Pei‐Pei , Sun Yong‐Bin , Song Wei‐Guo 
Published: May 2014

AbstractNobel metal nanoparticle loaded carbon nanotube (CNT) composites have wide applications in heterogeneous catalysis, and the catalytic properties are largely controlled by the size, composition, and dispersion state of the noble metal nanoparticles. However, the chemically inert feature of CNTs makes it difficult to directly disperse noble metal nanoparticles in a uniform manner. In this work, by an in situ galvanic replacement reaction between Cu nanoparticles and noble metal ions, a simple and efficient strategy was developed to produce magnetic multiwalled (MW) CNTs–Fe3O4 supported noble metal nanoparticles. The MWCNTs–Fe3O4–Pd showed impressive activity in the carbonylative Sonogashira coupling reaction and in the catalytic hydrodegradation of methylene blue.
CH Bond Activation with Triel Metals: Indium and Gallium Zwitterions through Internal Hydride Abstraction in Rigid Salan Ligands
Authors: Maudoux Nicolas , Fang Jian , Roisnel Thierry , Dorcet Vincent , Maron Laurent , Carpentier Jean‐François , Sarazin Yann 
Published: May 2014

AbstractThe hydropyrimidine salan (salan=N,N′‐dimethyl‐N,N′‐bis[(2‐hydroxyphenyl)methylene]‐1,2‐diaminoethane) proteo‐ligands with a rigid backbone {ON^(CH2)^NO}H2 react with M(CH2SiMe3)3 (M=Ga, In) to yield the zwitterions {ON^(CH+)^NO}M−(CH2SiMe3)2 (M=Ga, 2; In, 3) by abstraction of a hydride from the ligand backbone followed by elimination of dihydrogen. By contrast, with Al2Me6, the neutral‐at‐metal bimetallic complex [{ON^(CH2)^NO}AlMe]2 ([1]2) is obtained quantitatively. The formation of indium zwitterions is also observed with sterically more encumbered ligands containing o‐Me substituents on the phenolic rings, or an N (CHPh) N moiety in the heterocyclic core. Overall, the ease of CH bond activation follows the order Al≪Ga<In. Experimental data based on model complexes, XRD studies, and 2H NMR spectroscopy show that the formation of the Ga/In zwitterion involves rapid release of SiMe4 followed by evolution of H2, and suggest the formation of a transient metal‐hydride species. DFT calculations indicate that the systems {ON^(CH2)^NO}H2+M(CH2SiMe3)3 (M=Al, Ga, In) all initially lead to the formation of the neutral monophenolate dihydrocarbyl species through a single protonolysis. From here, the thermodynamic product, the model neutral‐at‐metal complex 1, is formed in the case of aluminum after a second protonolysis. On the other hand, lower activation energy pathways lead to the generation of zwitterionic complexes 2 and 3 in the cases of gallium and indium, and the formation of these zwitterions obeys a strict kinetic control; the computations suggest that, as inferred from the experimental data, the reaction proceeds through an instable metal‐hydride species, which could not be isolated synthetically.
Cellular Accumulation, Lipophilicity and Photocytotoxicity of Diazido Platinum(IV) Anticancer Complexes
Authors: Pizarro Ana M. , McQuitty Ruth J. , Mackay Fiona S. , Zhao Yao , Woods Julie A. , Sadler Peter J. 
Published: May 2014

AbstractThe lipophilicity of ten photoactivatable platinum(IV) diazido prodrugs of formula trans,trans,trans‐[Pt(N3)2(OH)2(R)(R′)] (where R and R′ are NH3, methylamine, ethylamine, pyridine, 2‐picoline, 3‐picoline or thiazole) has been determined by their retention times on reversed‐phase HPLC. The lipophilicity of the complexes shows a linear dependence on the lipophilicity (partition coefficient) of the ligands. Accumulation of platinum in A2780 human ovarian cancer cells after one hour drug exposure in the dark is compared with their cytotoxic potency on activation with UVA (365 nm) and to their lipophilicity. No correlation between lipophilicity and intracellular accumulation of platinum was observed, perhaps suggesting involvement of active transport and favoured influx of selected structures. Furthermore, no correlation between platinum accumulation and photocytotoxicity was observed in A2780 cancer cells, implying that the type of intracellular damage induced by these complexes plays a key role in their cytotoxic effects.
Coexpression of CD44‐positive/CD133‐positive cancer stem cells and CD204‐positive tumor‐associated macrophages is a predictor of survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Hou Ya‐Chin , Chao Ying‐Jui , Tung Hui‐Ling , Wang Hao‐Chen , Shan Yan‐Shen 
Published: May 2014

BACKGROUNDThe interactions between cancer stem cells (CSCs) and tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) can promote tumor progression, maintain the CSCs population, and reduce therapeutic effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the coexpression of CSCs and TAMs and its clinical significance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).METHODSNinety‐six patients with PDAC were included in this study. Tissue microarrays were constructed for immunostaining of the CSCs markers CD44 and CD133 and the TAMs marker CD204. Correlations between the expression of CSCs and TAMs markers and clinicopathologic characteristics or disease progression were analyzed.RESULTSExpression levels of CD44/CD133 and CD204 were significantly higher in tumor tissues than in normal tissues (P < .0001). The variables associated with survival were high coexpression of CD44/CD133 (P = .000), high expression of CD204 (P = .011), and tumor grade (P = .014). There was a positive correlation between CD44/CD133 and CD204 expression (r = 0.294; P = .004). Survival analysis indicated that high coexpression of CD44/CD133 and CD204 was associated significantly with shorter overall survival (P = .000) and disease‐free survival (P = .003). Multivariate analysis revealed that high CD44/CD133 expression was an independent prognostic factor for disease‐free survival, whereas high CD204 expression was an independent predictor for both overall and disease‐free survival.CONCLUSIONSCoexpression of CD44/CD133 and CD204 is a useful survival prediction marker for patients with PDAC. Cancer 2014;120:2766–2777. © The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.