bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of toughening agents on the behaviors of bamboo plastic composites
Authors: Cai Guofeng , Wang Jikui , Nie Yanan , Tian Xiaocai , Zhu Xudong , Zhou Xiaping 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThree kinds of reactive toughening agents of bamboo plastic composites are studied in this article. The bio‐fiber keeps high polarity for the hydroxyl groups of the surface, while polypropylene (PP) matrix resin phase is nonpolar. So, the interfacial compatibility between matrix and enhanced phase is poor. The anhydride in maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene can react with the hydroxyls. A large number of hydroxyl groups on the fiber surface are reduced, and the interfacial bond strength is improved. Three reactive toughening agents: glycidyl methacrylate grafted poly(ethylene‐1‐octene), maleic anhydride grafted poly(ethylene‐octene), and poly(ethylene‐butylacrylate‐glycidyl methacrylate) are chosen to improve the impact toughness. The mechanical properties, compatibility, phase structure, water absorption, and thermal properties of PP blends are all investigated. When the content of toughening agents are controlled between 6% and 8%, not only the impact strength is greatly improved but also the other properties of PP are less affected, which makes the composites with comprehensive and practical applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Ion‐leaching behaviors and corrosion morphology of glass fiber reinforced vinyl ester composites in sulfuric acid solution
Authors: Li Yanan , Yu Yunhua , Jia Xiaolong , Duan Shun , Yang Xiaoping 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe corrosion mechanism of glass‐fiber reinforced vinyl ester composites was investigated by immersing composite samples in 40 wt% sulfuric acid solution at constant temperature of 35°C, 55°C, 65°C, and 75°C for periods up to 10,500 h. Results were characterized through weight gain tests, inductively coupled plasma analysis, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Weight gains and ion‐leaching behaviors show that the composite interface has undergone significant changes due to a long corrosive environment, and the interface corrosion of composite increases with increasing the temperature. SEM images of surface and cross‐section of samples indicated that there exit in irreversible degradation reaction on resin matrix and interface in composite, which lead to the increase of weight gain and ion leachability, especially at high temperatures. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synthesis and characterization of exfoliated poly(styrene‐co‐methyl methacrylate) nanocomposite via miniemulsion atom transfer radical polymerization: an activators generated by electron transfer approach
Authors: Khezri Khezrollah , Haddadi‐Asl Vahid , Roghani‐Mamaqani Hossein , Salami‐Kalajahi Mehdi 
Published: November 2011

AbstractExfoliated poly(styrene‐co‐methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites were synthesized using activators generated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET ATRP). Miniemulsion polymerization was used for its abundant advantages to encapsulate inorganic materials and eliminate organic solvents from products for environmentally friendly purposes. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a cationic surfactant, which is an effective surfactant at higher temperatures, was used to stabilize the miniemulsion system. Successful miniemulsion AGET ATRP was carried out by using 4,4'‐dinonyl‐2,2'‐bipyridine (dNbPy) as a hydrophobic ligand. Formation of monodispersed droplets and particles with sizes in the range of 200nm was examined by dynamic light scattering (DLS). Conversion and molecular weight study were also carried out using gravimetry and gel permeation chromatography, respectively. By adding clay content, a decrease in the conversion and molecular weight of the nanocomposites are observed. However, an increase in the PDI values of nanocomposites was observed by the addition of nanoclay content. Thermogravimetric analysis results demonstrate that thermal stability of all the nanocomposites in comparison with the neat copolymer increases. Differential scanning calorimetry results show that Tg decreases by increasing clay content. Monodisperse distribution of spherical shape particles with sizes in the range of ∼ 200 nm was demonstrated by using scanning electron microscopy images of nanocomposite containing 1 wt% of nanoclay, which is more compiled with DLS results. Transmission electron microscopy results shows well‐dispersed exfoliated clay layers in the polymer matrix of PSMNM 1, which is coincidence with X‐ray diffraction data. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Layer optimization for maximum fundamental frequency of rigid point‐supported laminated composite plates
Authors: Apalak Z. Gul , Apalak M. Kemal , Ekici R. , Yildirim M. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractIn this study, the layer optimization was carried out for maximizing the lowest (first) fundamental frequency of symmetrically laminated square and rectangular laminated composite plates resting on rigid point supports distributed in eight different arrangements. Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used for searching the optimal stacking sequences of laminated composite plates, which is maximizing the first natural frequency defined as an objective function (fitness function). The first natural frequencies of the composite plates with various stacking sequences was calculated using the finite element method (FEM). However, the calculation of the first natural frequency for each new lay‐up sequence and point‐support arrangement needs a longer time than the evaluation period of GA. In order to reduce the searching time of the optimal lay‐up sequence, the artificial neural network models were proposed and trained with small training and testing data composed of the natural frequencies of the composite plates calculated for random lay‐up sequences, layer number, eight‐point support arrangements, and four‐plate length/width ratios using the FEM. The GA combined with these trained neural networks predicted successfully the optimal layer sequences without yielding a local optimum on the contrary the Ritz‐based layerwise optimization method (Narita and Hodgkinson, Compos. Struct., 69, 127 (2005)). The maximized fundamental frequencies were always better than those obtained for typical cross‐ply, angle‐ply, and quasi‐isotropic lay‐ups. Theeffects of the rigid‐point support locations, the optimum fiber orientation angles and the layer number on the maximum lowest natural frequency are also discussed. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Kenaf fiber‐reinforced copolyester biocomposites
Authors: Mokhothu T.H. , Guduri B.R. , Luyt A.S. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractIn this study the morphology and properties of a biodegradable aliphatic–aromatic copolyester mixed with kenaf fiber were investigated. Untreated kenaf fiber, as well as kenaf fiber treated with NaOH, and with NaOH followed by silane coupling agent treatment at various concentrations, were used as fillers in the composites. The biocomposites were prepared by melt‐mixing and a 10 wt% fiber loading was used for all the composites. The properties of the biocomposites were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), tensile properties, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and biodegradability. The extent of silane initiated grafting was followed by gel content determination. The presence of fiber and fiber treatment influenced the determined properties in a variety of ways, but the best balance of properties were found for the copolyester mixed with alkali‐treated fiber. This composite showed improved thermal, thermomechanical, and mechanical properties. The introduction of alkali treatment caused increased surface roughness in the fiber, which resulted in mechanical interlocking between the filler and the matrix, while silane treatment slightly reduced the properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effect of organoclays on the morphology and thermal expansion of PA6/SEBS alloy
Authors: Jiang Jiandi , Zhang Kun , Wu Guozhang 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe effect of organoclay on phase morphology development of PA6/SEBS alloys had been investigated. PA6/SEBS blends of various compositions, with and without the presence of exfoliated organoclay in the PA6 phase, were prepared and the morphology and thermal expansion of these blends were examined. The results suggested that at compositions where PA6 remains as the matrix domain, the presence of the organoclay had little or no effect upon the blends morphology, PA6/SEBS alloy with SEBS as the matrix could evolve from sea‐island to cocontinuous structure after 5 phr organoclay were added. Significant reduction in the coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) along theflow direction and furthermore improving the heat distortion temperature of the injection‐molded PA6/SEBS/organoclay ternary nanocomposites was observed due to the formation of a total stable and fine cocontinuous nanolayer structure. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
The potential of photovoltaic carports to cover the energy demand of road passenger transport
Authors: Neumann Hans‐Martin , Schär Daniel , Baumgartner Franz 
Published: November 2011

ABSTRACTTransport accounts for 31% of Swiss green house gas emissions due to the high degree of oil dependence in transport energy supply. The emissions of transport could be reduced significantly if all the vehicles that ran on fossil fuels would be replaced by electric vehicles powered by photovoltaic solar energy. Compared with other sources of renewable transport energy, photovoltaic generation of electricity has two advantages: it requires little space and can also be applied to built‐up areas or transport infrastructure. In this paper, we will examine the potential of parking lots for the photovoltaic generation of solar electricity. The paper is based on simulations that were carried out for 48 parking lots in Frauenfeld, a typical Swiss medium‐sized city of 22 665 inhabitants. Covered with solar carports, these parking lots alone would cover 15–40% of the energy demand by the city's road passenger transport. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
H‐bond network optimization in protein–protein complexes: Are all‐atom force field scores enough?
Authors: Masone Diego , Cabeza de Vaca Israel , Pons Carles , Recio Juan Fernandez , Guallar Victor 
Published: November 2011

AbstractStructural prediction of protein–protein complexes given the structures of the two interacting compounds in their unbound state is a key problem in biophysics. In addition to the problem of sampling of near‐native orientations, one of the modeling main difficulties is to discriminate true from false positives. Here, we present a hierarchical protocol for docking refinement able to discriminate near native poses from a group of docking candidates. The main idea is to combine an efficient sampling of the full system hydrogen bond network and side chains, together with an all‐atom force field and a surface generalized born implicit solvent. We tested our method on a set of twenty two complexes containing a near‐native solution within the top 100 docking poses, obtaining a near native solution as the top pose in 70% of the cases. We show that all atom force fields optimized H‐bond networks do improve significantly state of the art scoring functions. Proteins 2011. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus 6: questions and answers
Authors: Pellett Philip E. , Ablashi Dharam V. , Ambros Peter F. , Agut Henri , Caserta Mary T. , Descamps Vincent , Flamand Louis , Gautheret‐Dejean Agnès , Hall Caroline B. , Kamble Rammurti T. , Kuehl Uwe , Lassner Dirk , Lautenschlager Irmeli , Loomis Kristin S. , Luppi Mario , Lusso Paolo , Medveczky Peter G. , Montoya Jose G. , Mori Yasuko , Ogata Masao , Pritchett Joshua C. , Rogez Sylvie , Seto Edward , Ward Katherine N. , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Razonable Raymund R. 
Published: November 2011

SUMMARYChromosomally integrated human herpesvirus 6 (ciHHV‐6) is a condition in which the complete HHV‐6 genome is integrated into the host germ line genome and is vertically transmitted in a Mendelian manner. The condition is found in less than 1% of controls in the USA and UK, but has been found at a somewhat higher prevalence in transplant recipients and other patient populations in several small studies. HHV‐6 levels in whole blood that exceed 5.5 log10 copies/ml are strongly suggestive of ciHHV‐6. Monitoring DNA load in plasma and serum is unreliable, both for identifying and for monitoring subjects with ciHHV‐6 due to cell lysis and release of cellular DNA. High HHV‐6 DNA loads associated with ciHHV‐6 can lead to erroneous diagnosis of active infection. Transplant recipients with ciHHV‐6 may be at increased risk for bacterial infection and graft rejection. ciHHV‐6 can be induced to a state of active viral replication in vitro. It is not known whether ciHHV‐6 individuals are put at clinical risk by the use of drugs that have been associated with HHV‐6 reactivation in vivo or in vitro. Nonetheless, we urge careful observation when use of such drugs is indicated in individuals known to have ciHHV‐6. Little is known about whether individuals with ciHHV‐6 develop immune tolerance for viral proteins. Further research is needed to determine the role of ciHHV‐6 in disease. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Karyotyping of barley chromosomes by a new fluorescence banding technique combined with scanning probe microscopy
Authors: Sugiyama Shigeru , Yoshino Tomoyuki , Hirose Tamaki , Ohtani Toshio 
Published: November 2011

AbstractFluorescence banding has been used to classify chromosomes, except those of barley. Four of the seven barley chromosomes are indistinguishable by length or arm ratio. C‐banding has been used for classification; however, it requires a long aging period. Here, we describe a new fluorescence banding method for barley. The chromosomes are treated with warm acetate followed by staining with a fluorescent dye, YOYO‐1. Using this method, all seven barley chromosomes can be clearly distinguished. Atomic force microscopy and scanning near‐field microscopy analyses revealed that the surfaces of the banded chromosomes were flat, indicating that the fluorescence intensity reflected the internal DNA density or condensation of chromatin. SCANNING 34: 186–190, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization and Function of Histamine Receptors in Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells
Authors: Nemeth Krisztian , Wilson Todd , Rada Balazs , Parmelee Alissa , Mayer Balazs , Buzas Edit , Falus Andras , Key Sharon , Masszi Tamas , Karpati Sarolta , Mezey Eva 
Published: November 2011

Abstract
There are several clinical trials worldwide using bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) as a cellular therapy to modulate immune responses in patients suffering from various inflammatory conditions. A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in this modulatory effect could help us design better, more effective protocols to treat immune mediated diseases. In this study, we demonstrated that human BMSCs express H1, H2, and H4 histamine receptors and they respond to histamine stimulation with an increased interleukin 6 (IL-6) production both in vitro and in vivo. Using different receptor antagonists, we pinpointed the importance of the H1 histamine receptor, while Western blot analysis and application of various mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors highlighted the role of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase kinases in the observed effect. When BMSCs were pretreated with either histamine or degranulated human mast cells, they exhibited an enhanced IL-6-dependent antiapoptotic effect on neutrophil granulocytes. Based on these observations, it is likely that introduction of BMSCs into a histamine-rich environment (such as any allergic setting) or pretreatment of these cells with synthetic histamine could have a significant modulatory effect on the therapeutic potential of BMSCs.
Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Prevalence of levator ani muscle injury in Chinese women after first delivery
Authors: Chan S. S. C. , Cheung R. Y. K. , Yiu A. K. W. , Lee L. L. L. , Pang A. W. L. , Choy K. W. , Leung T. Y. , Chung T. K. H. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractObjectivesTo assess the prevalence of levator ani muscle injury in Chinese women after their first delivery and investigate associated factors.MethodsA prospective observational study was conducted involving Chinese nulliparous women recruited in the first trimester of pregnancy. Translabial ultrasound was performed at 35–38 weeks' gestation and 8 weeks postpartum and three‐dimensional volume datasets were obtained. Offline analysis to detect levator ani muscle injury was performed by investigators blinded to the delivery details.Results339 women, with a mean age of 30.6 ± 3.9 years, completed the study. Overall, 201 (59.3%) had a spontaneous vaginal delivery, 62 (18.3%) an operative vaginal delivery (48 ventouse extraction and 14 forceps delivery), 14 (4.1%) an elective Cesarean section and 62 (18.3%) an emergency Cesarean section. No levator ani muscle injury was detected in any woman antenatally. After vaginal delivery, 57 (21.7% (95% CI, 16.7–26.7%)) women had levator ani muscle injury. The rates of injury for spontaneous vaginal delivery, ventouse extraction and forceps delivery were 15.4%, 33.3% and 71.4%, respectively. There was no levator ani muscle injury in the Cesarean section groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that only operative vaginal delivery (odds ratio, 3.09) was associated with an independent increase in the likelihood of levator ani muscle injury. Intrapartum epidural analgesics, duration of second stage of labor and infant birth weight were not independently associated with levator ani muscle injury.ConclusionsThe prevalence of levator ani muscle injury in Chinese women after their first vaginal delivery was 21.7% (95% CI, 16.7–26.7%). Operative vaginal delivery was found to increase the likelihood of women suffering such injury. A longer follow‐up of these women and future studies on the effects of episiotomy are proposed. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inter‐ and intraobserver variability in three‐dimensional ultrasound assessment of the endometrial–myometrial junction and factors affecting its visualization
Authors: Naftalin J. , Hoo W. , Nunes N. , Mavrelos D. , Nicks H. , Jurkovic D. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the inter‐ and intraobserver variability of three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound assessment of the endometrial–myometrial junction (EMJ), and to assess demographic and physiological factors that affect the quality of its imaging.MethodsWomen attending our gynecology clinic, who were deemed to have normal uteri on transvaginal ultrasound examination, were enrolled in this prospective study. They underwent 3D volume acquisition of the entire uterus in order to acquire a coronal view of the organ. Visualization of EMJs was classified as optimal, satisfactory or unsatisfactory. In order to assess the intra‐ and interobserver variabilities of the classification system, the volumes were classified by two independent observers on two separate occasions. The same classification system was then used to evaluate the EMJs of 101 women who were deemed to have normal uteri on transvaginal ultrasound examination. The results were correlated with age, parity, stage of cycle, menopausal status and endometrial thickness in order to assess whether any of these factors affect visualization of the EMJ.ResultsA total of 30 uterine volumes were examined in the first analysis. Both the inter‐ and intraobserver variability were good (kappa values of 0.77 and 0.83). Of the 101 EMJs assessed in the second analysis, 47 were classified as optimal, 42 as satisfactory and 12 as unsatisfactory. Endometrial thickness was positively associated with EMJ visualization and parity was negatively associated with EMJ visualization.ConclusionsAssessment of EMJ visualization has both good inter‐ and intraobserver variability in women with normal uteri. Parity and endometrial thickness have contrasting, statistically significant, effects on visualization of the EMJ. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Channel capacity and bit error rate optimization of the ultra‐wide bandwidth transmitted‐reference receiver
Authors: Wang Shuyi , Chen Yunfei , Leeson Mark , Beaulieu Norman C. 
Published: November 2011

ABSTRACTThe channel capacity and the bit error rate of ultra‐wide bandwidth transmitted‐reference systems are optimized with respect to time delay between the reference and the adjacent data pulses. Approximate and theoretical expressions for the signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio are derived. Numerical results show that optimizing the receiver can provide a significant capacity improvement of up to 2.2 bits/s/GHz and a bit error rate performance gain of up to 2 dB in effective signal‐to‐noise ratio. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enabling opportunistic and dynamic spectrum access through learning techniques
Authors: Alsaleh Omar , Venkatraman Pavithra , Hamdaoui Bechir , Fern Alan 
Published: November 2011

ABSTRACTThe expected shortage in spectrum supply is well understood to be primarily due to the inefficient, static nature of current spectrum allocation policies. In order to address this problem, Federal Communications Commission promotes the so called opportunistic spectrum access (OSA) to be applied on cognitive radio networks (CRNs). In short, the idea behind OSA is allowing unlicensed users to use unused licensed spectra as long as they do not cause interference to licensed users. In this paper, we present and evaluate learning schemes that allow unlicensed users to locate and use spectrum opportunities effectively, thus improving efficiency of CRNs. We separately consider two models: single and multiple unlicensed user(s). For the latter model, we present two schemes: noncooperative and cooperative Q‐learning. All proposed schemes do not require prior knowledge or prediction models of the environment's dynamics and behaviors, yet can still achieve high performance by learning from interaction with the environment. Using simulations, we show that the proposed schemes achieve good performances in terms of throughput and fairness. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.