bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The International Dimension of the Federal Constitution
Authors: CUTTERHAM TOM
Published: January 2014

This article surveys recent literature in both history and political science associated with an international and diplomatic approach to the American founding. It assesses Drew McCoy's claim that this approach, as represented by David Hendrickson'sPeace Pact(2003), “may well mark an important paradigm shift in early American history.” An international approach to the Constitution may mean interpreting the document either as primarily a diplomatic treaty in its own right, or as primarily influenced in its design and adoption by diplomatic and international concerns. Several significant new studies have been published since McCoy's review, both building on and revising Hendrickson's work, but his “unionist paradigm” has had less impact on historians of the Constitution and of founding than on historians of the later early republic. David Golove and Daniel Hulsebosch in 2011 reprised an internationalist approach to the Constitution by arguing that fealty to international treaties and desire for recognition structured Federalists' approach to domestic politics. This article suggests a synthesis that would reintegrate the internationalist approach with recent domestically focussed historiography. Building on the insights of internationalist scholarship, it posits the Constitution as fundamentally oriented around sanctity of contract as a scalable principle, spanning individual, state, and international spheres.
Identification of lipid synthesis and secretion proteins in bovine milk
Authors: Lu Jing , van Hooijdonk Toon , Boeren Sjef , Vervoort Jacques , Hettinga Kasper
Published: January 2014

Lactation physiology is a process that is only partly understood. Proteomics techniques have shown to be useful to help advance the knowledge on lactation physiology in human and rodent species but have not been used as major tools for dairy cows, except for mastitis. In this paper, advanced non-targeted proteomics techniques (Filter aided sample preparation and NanoLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS) were applied to study the milk fat globule membrane and milk serum fraction, resulting in the identification of 246 proteins. Of these, 23 transporters and enzymes were related to lipid synthesis and secretion in mammary gland and their functions are discussed in detail. The identification of these intracellular transporters and enzymes in milk provides a possibility of using milk itself to study lipid synthesis and secretion pathways. This full-scale scan of milk proteins by using non-targeted proteomic analysis helps to reveal the important proteins involved in lipid synthesis and secretion for further examination in targeted studies.
The influence of protein fractions from bovine colostrum digested in vivo and in vitro on human intestinal epithelial cell proliferation
Authors: Morgan Alison J , Riley Lisa G , Sheehy Paul A , Wynn Peter C
Published: January 2014

Colostrum consists of a number of biologically active proteins and peptides that influence physiological function and development of a neonate. The present study investigated the biological activity of peptides released from first day bovine colostrum through in vitro and in vivo enzymatic digestion. This was assessed for proliferative activity using a human intestinal epithelial cell line, T84. Digestion of the protein fraction of bovine colostrum in vitro was conducted with the enzymes pepsin, chymosin and trypsin. Pepsin and chymosin digests yielded protein fractions with proliferative activity similar to that observed with undigested colostrum and the positive control foetal calf serum (FCS). In contrast trypsin digestion significantly (P<0·05) decreased colostral proliferative activity when co-cultured with cells when compared with undigested colostrum. The proliferative activity of undigested colostrum protein and abomasal whey protein digesta significantly increased (P<0·05) epithelial cell proliferation in comparison to a synthetic peptide mix. Bovine colostrum protein digested in vivo was collected from different regions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in newborn calves fed either once (n=3 calves) or three times at 12-h intervals (n=3 calves). Digesta collected from the distal duodenum, jejunum and colon of calves fed once, significantly (P<0·05) stimulated cell proliferation in comparison with comparable samples collected from calves fed multiple times. These peptide enriched fractions are likely to yield candidate peptides with potential application for gastrointestinal repair in mammalian species.
Chemical analysis of sea ice vein μ-environments using Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Barletta Robert E. , Dikes Heather M.
Published: January 2014

Sea ice is a unique environment providing a vast habitat for a variety of life, including microscopic organisms. It accounts for roughly 5–6% of the surface area of the oceans. It is a complex porous structure of crystalline water, gas bubbles, and pockets of brine, as well as a connected structure composed of macro- and micro-porosity filled with concentrated aqueous liquids. Using micro-Raman spectroscopy, it is possible to characterise features of ice at a spatial resolution of a few to tens of micrometers, the scale of relevance to trapped microorganisms, by providing information concerning the presence and amount of molecular species present in the trapped liquids. We have applied this technique to determine the spatial distribution of sulphate, phosphate and carbonate anions in sea-ice veins using ice obtained from the vicinity of the Palmer Station, Antarctica. The observed sulphate concentrations were approximately 20–30% higher than nominal surface seawater concentrations, consistent with the concentration of brine in vein and inclusion liquids during the ice formation process. This concentration was lower than that in veins present in laboratory-prepared ice. Carbonate and dibasic phosphate anions were also observed in the sea ice. This speciation is consistent with an alkaline environment in the sea-ice aqueous system. The mean dibasic phosphate concentration found throughout the sample was 648 mM, while, for carbonate, it was 485 mM. However, these anions showed extremely high spatial variability. The high phosphate and carbonate enhancements observed relative to sulphate point to the influence of processes other than brine formation controlling the chemistry of these anions in sea ice.
Effects of reading speed on second-language sentence processing
Authors: KAAN EDITH , BALLANTYNE JOCELYN C. , WIJNEN FRANK
Published: January 2014

To test the effects of reading speed on second-language (L2) sentence processing and the potential influence of conflicting native language word order, we compared advanced L2 learners of English with native English speakers on a self-paced reading task. L2 learners read faster overall than native English speakers. When differences in reading speed were controlled for, L2 learners were as sensitive to grammaticality manipulations as native English speakers. On-line reading times did not reflect any effect of cross-language conflict in the learners. Results from an end-of-sentence verification task showed a stronger bias toward a subject–object order in the cross-language conflict conditions in speed-matched L2 learners but not in L2 learners reading faster than native speakers. Results are compatible with hypothesized differences in resource allocation between L2 and native language processing.
Variability in mitochondria of zebrafish photoreceptor ellipsoids
Authors: TARBOUSH R. , NOVALES FLAMARIQUE I. , CHAPMAN G.B. , CONNAUGHTON V.P.
Published: January 2014

Ultrastructural examination of photoreceptor inner segment ellipsoids in larval (4, 8, and 15 days postfertilization; dpf) and adult zebrafish identified morphologically different types of mitochondria. All photoreceptors had mitochondria of different sizes (large and small). At 4 dpf, rods had small, moderately stained electron-dense mitochondria (E-DM), and two cone types could be distinguished: (1) those with electron-lucent mitochondria (E-LM) and (2) those with mitochondria of moderate electron density. These distinctions were also apparent at later ages (8 and 15 dpf). Rods from adult fish had fewer mitochondria than their corresponding cones. The ellipsoids of some fully differentiated single and double cones contained large E-DM with few cristae; these were surrounded by small E-LM with typical internal morphology. The mitochondria within the ellipsoids of other single cones showed similar electron density. Microspectrophotometry of cone ellipsoids from adult fish indicated that the large E-DM had a small absorbance peak (∼0.03 OD units) and did not contain cytochrome-c, but crocetin, a carotenoid found in old world monkeys. Crocetin functions to prevent oxidative damage to photoreceptors, suggesting that the ellipsoid mitochondria in adult zebrafish cones protect against apoptosis and function metabolically, rather than as a light filter.
Solastalgia: Living With the Environmental Damage Caused By Natural Disasters
Authors: Warsini Sri , Mills Jane , Usher Kim
Published: January 2014

Forced separation from one's home may trigger emotional distress. People who remain in their homes may experience emotional distress due to living in a severely damaged environment. These people experience a type of ‘homesickness’ similar to nostalgia because the land around them no longer resembles the home they knew and loved. What they lack is solace or comfort from their home; they long for the home environment to be the way it was before. “Solastalgia” is a term created to describe feelings which arise in people when an environment changes so much that it negatively affects an individual's quality of life. Such changed environments may include drought-stricken areas and open-cut mines. The aim of this article is to describe how solastalgia, originally conceptualized as the result of man-made environmental change, can be similarly applied to the survivors of natural disasters. Using volcanic eruptions as a case example, the authors argue that people who experience a natural disaster are likely to suffer from solastalgia for a number of reasons, which may include the loss of housing, livestock and farmland, and the ongoing danger of living in a disaster-prone area. These losses and fears challenge people's established sense of place and identity and can lead to feelings of helplessness and depression.

WarsiniS, MillsJ, UsherK. Solastalgia: living with the environmental damage caused by natural disasters. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014:29(1);1-4.
Lexical access and lexical diversity in first language attrition
Authors: SCHMID MONIKA S. , JARVIS SCOTT
Published: January 2014

This paper presents an investigation of lexical first language (L1) attrition, asking how a decrease in lexical accessibility manifests itself in long-term residents in a second language (L2) environment. We question the measures typically used in attrition studies (formal tasks and type–token ratios) and argue for an in-depth analysis of free spoken data, including factors such as lexical frequency and distributional measures. The study is based on controlled, elicited and free data from two populations of attriters of L1 German (L2 Dutch and English) and a control population (n = 53 in each group). Group comparisons and a Discriminant Analysis show that lexical diversity, sophistication and the distribution of items across the text in free speech are better predictors of group membership than formal tasks or elicited narratives. Extralinguistic factors, such as frequency of exposure and use or length of residence, have no predictive power for our results.
Association of vitamin D with adiposity measures and other determinants in a cross-sectional study of Cypriot adolescents
Authors: Kolokotroni Ourania , Papadopoulou Anna , Yiallouros Panayiotis K , Raftopoulos Vasilios , Kouta Christiana , Lamnisos Demetris , Nicolaidou Polyxeni , Middleton Nicos
Published: January 2014

Objective

To assess vitamin D status among Cypriot adolescents and investigate potential determinants including BMI and body fat percentage (BF%).

Design

Participants had cross-sectional assessments of serum vitamin D, physical activity, dietary vitamin D intake and sun exposure. Linear and logistic regression models were used to explore the associations of vitamin D with potential predictors.

Setting

Hospitals, Cyprus, November 2007–May 2008.

Subjects

Adolescents (n 671) aged 16–18 years.

Results

Mean serum vitamin D was 22·90 (sd 6·41) ng/ml. Only one in ten children had sufficient levels of vitamin D (≥30 ng/ml), while the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (12–20 ng/ml) and severe deficiency (<12 ng/ml) was 31·7 % and 4·0 %, respectively. Lower vitamin D was associated with winter and spring season, female gender, reduced sun exposure in winter and darker skin. Participants with highest BMI and BF% when compared with a middle reference group had increased adjusted odds of vitamin D insufficiency (OR = 3·00; 95 % CI 1·21, 7·45 and OR = 5·02; 95 % CI 1·80, 13·97, respectively). A similar pattern, although not as strong, was shown for vitamin D deficiency with BF% (OR = 1·81; 95 % CI 1·04, 3·16) and BMI (OR = 1·51; 95 % CI 0·85, 2·67). Participants in the lowest BMI and BF% groups also displayed compromised vitamin D status, suggesting a U-shaped association.

Conclusions

Vitamin D deficiency in adolescence is very prevalent in sunny Cyprus, particularly among females, those with darker skin and those with reduced sun exposure in winter. Furthermore, vitamin D status appears to have a U-shaped association with adiposity measures.
Tanshinone IIA attenuates elastase-induced AAA in rats via inhibition of MyD88-dependent TLR-4 signaling
Authors: Shang Tao , Ran Feng , Qiao Qian , Liu Zhao , Liu Chang-Jian
Published: January 2014

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine whether myeloid differentiation factor88-dependent Toll-Like Receptor-4 (TLR-4) signaling contributed to the inhibition of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) by Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA). Materials and methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 12 / group) were randomly distributed into three groups: Tan IIA, control, and sham. The rats from Tan IIA and control groups under-went intra-aortic elastase perfusion to induce AAAs, and those in the sham group were perfused with saline. Only the Tan IIA group received Tan IIA (2 mg / rat / d). Aortic tissue samples were harvested at 24 d after perfusion and evaluated using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Results: The over-expression of Toll-Like Receptor-4 (TLR-4), Myeloid Differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), Phosphorylated Nuclear Factor κB (pNF-κB) and Phosphorylated IκBα (pIκBα) induced by elastase perfusion were significantly decreased by Tan IIA treatment. Conclusions: Tan IIA attenuates elastase-induced AAA in rats possibly via the inhibition of MyD88-dependent TLR-4 signaling, which may be one potential explanation of why Tan IIA inhibits AAA development through multiple effects.
Implementation Science
Authors: Ogden Terje , Fixsen Dean L.
Published: January 2014

The field of implementation research is remarkable in many ways and, even as a young discipline, it has expanded well beyond the expectations of even its most optimistic supporters and stakeholders. In this overview we provide a selective rather than systematic review to serve as a relevant introduction to the field of implementation science. We highlight central concepts, strategies, frameworks, and research outcomes. These highlights draw heavily on the seminal systematic reviews from Brownson, Colditz, and Proctor (2012) , Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, and Wallace (2005) , and Greenhalgh, Robert, MacFarlane, Bate, and Kyriakidou (2004) and on a thorough comparative review of implementation frameworks conducted by Meyers, Durlak, and Wandersman (2012) . Looking ahead to future implementation research, we consider research challenges related to the scaling up of programs, striking a good balance between treatment integrity and local adaptation, measuring implementation quality, and program sustainability.
The Ecology of Sustainable Implementation
Authors: Rimehaug Tormod
Published: January 2014

The primary aim of this paper is to illustrate the strategic and ecological nature of implementation. The ultimate aim of implementation is not dissemination but sustainability beyond the implementation effort. A case study is utilized to illustrate these broad and long-term perspectives of sustainable implementation based on qualitative analyses of a 10-year implementation effort. The purveyors aimed to develop selective community prevention services for children in families burdened by parental psychiatric or addictive problems. Services were gradually disseminated to 23 sites serving 40 municipalities by 2013. Up to 2013, only one site terminated services after initial implementation. Although many sites suspended services for shorter periods, services are still offered at 22 sites. This case analysis is based on project reports, user evaluations, practitioner interviews, and service statistics. The paper focuses on the analyses and strategies utilized to cope with quality decay and setbacks as well as progress and success in disseminating and sustaining the services and their quality. Low-cost multilevel strategies to implement services at the community level were organized by a prevention unit in child psychiatry, supervised by a university department (purveyors). The purveyors were also involved in national and international collaboration and development. Multilevel strategies included manualized intervention, in-practice training methods, organizational responsibility, media strategies, service evaluation, staff motivation maintenance, quality assurance, and proposals for new law regulations. These case history aspects will be discussed in relation to the implementation literature, focusing on possible applicability across settings.
The virus’s tooth: cyanophages affect an African flamingo population in a bottom-up cascade
Authors: Peduzzi Peter , Gruber Martin , Gruber Michael , Schagerl Michael
Published: January 2014

Trophic cascade effects occur when a food web is disrupted by loss or significant reduction of one or more of its members. In East African Rift Valley lakes, the Lesser Flamingo is on top of a short food chain. At irregular intervals, the dominance of their most important food source, the cyanobacterium Arthrospira fusiformis, is interrupted. Bacteriophages are known as potentially controlling photoautotrophic bacterioplankton. In Lake Nakuru (Kenya), we found the highest abundance of suspended viruses ever recorded in a natural aquatic system. We document that cyanophage infection and the related breakdown of A. fusiformis biomass led to a dramatic reduction in flamingo abundance. This documents that virus infection at the very base of a food chain can affect, in a bottom-up cascade, the distribution of end consumers. We anticipate this as an important example for virus-mediated cascading effects, potentially occurring also in various other aquatic food webs.
Microbial stratification in low pH oxic and suboxic macroscopic growths along an acid mine drainage
Authors: Méndez-García Celia , Mesa Victoria , Sprenger Richard R , Richter Michael , Diez María Suárez , Solano Jennifer , Bargiela Rafael , Golyshina Olga V , Manteca Ángel , Ramos Juan Luis , Gallego José R , Llorente Irene , Martins dos Santos Vitor A P , Jensen Ole N , Peláez Ana I , Sánchez Jesús , Ferrer Manuel
Published: January 2014

Macroscopic growths at geographically separated acid mine drainages (AMDs) exhibit distinct populations. Yet, local heterogeneities are poorly understood. To gain novel mechanistic insights into this, we used OMICs tools to profile microbial populations coexisting in a single pyrite gallery AMD (pH ∼2) in three distinct compartments: two from a stratified streamer (uppermost oxic and lowermost anoxic sediment-attached strata) and one from a submerged anoxic non-stratified mat biofilm. The communities colonising pyrite and those in the mature formations appear to be populated by the greatest diversity of bacteria and archaea (including ‘ARMAN’ (archaeal Richmond Mine acidophilic nano-organisms)-related), as compared with the known AMD, with ∼44.9% unclassified sequences. We propose that the thick polymeric matrix may provide a safety shield against the prevailing extreme condition and also a massive carbon source, enabling non-typical acidophiles to develop more easily. Only 1 of 39 species were shared, suggesting a high metabolic heterogeneity in local microenvironments, defined by the O2 concentration, spatial location and biofilm architecture. The suboxic mats, compositionally most similar to each other, are more diverse and active for S, CO2, CH4, fatty acid and lipopolysaccharide metabolism. The oxic stratum of the streamer, displaying a higher diversity of the so-called ‘ARMAN’-related Euryarchaeota, shows a higher expression level of proteins involved in signal transduction, cell growth and N, H2, Fe, aromatic amino acids, sphingolipid and peptidoglycan metabolism. Our study is the first to highlight profound taxonomic and functional shifts in single AMD formations, as well as new microbial species and the importance of H2 in acidic suboxic macroscopic growths.
High virus-to-cell ratios indicate ongoing production of viruses in deep subsurface sediments
Authors: Engelhardt Tim , Kallmeyer Jens , Cypionka Heribert , Engelen Bert
Published: January 2014

Marine sediments cover two-thirds of our planet and harbor huge numbers of living prokaryotes. Long-term survival of indigenous microorganisms within the deep subsurface is still enigmatic, as sources of organic carbon are vanishingly small. To better understand controlling factors of microbial life, we have analyzed viral abundance within a comprehensive set of globally distributed subsurface sediments. Phages were detected by electron microscopy in deep (320 m below seafloor), ancient (∼14 Ma old) and the most oligotrophic subsurface sediments of the world’s oceans (South Pacific Gyre (SPG)). The numbers of viruses (104–109 cm−3, counted by epifluorescence microscopy) generally decreased with sediment depth, but always exceeded the total cell counts. The enormous numbers of viruses indicate their impact as a controlling factor for prokaryotic mortality in the marine deep biosphere. The virus-to-cell ratios increased in deeper and more oligotrophic layers, exhibiting values of up to 225 in the deep subsurface of the SPG. High numbers of phages might be due to absorption onto the sediment matrix and a diminished degradation by exoenzymes. However, even in the oldest sediments, microbial communities are capable of maintaining viral populations, indicating an ongoing viral production and thus, viruses provide an independent indicator for microbial life in the marine deep biosphere.
A visible light-driven plasmonic photocatalyst
Authors: Pincella Francesca , Isozaki Katsuhiro , Miki Kazushi
Published: January 2014

We demonstrate a bottom-up approach to fabricating a visible light-driven titania photocatalyst device bearing an embedded two-dimensional (2D) array of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a near-field light-generating layer. The device is a layered structure prepared by depositing a 2D array of AuNPs on a transparent conductive substrate (10 nm indium tin oxide (ITO) layer on quartz), coating the 2D array of AuNPs with a monolayer of trimethoxyoctylsilane (TMOS), and depositing titania nanocrystals on the anchoring molecule (TMOS) layer. The visible light activity of the device was tested using photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) by illuminating the device with visible light (700 nm light) and ultraviolet (UV) light (250–380 nm). The localized surface plasmon resonance peak of the 36 nm AuNP 2D array is around 700 nm with a full-width at half-maximum of 350 nm. In comparison with other control samples, the device showed the highest photocatalytic activity with visible irradiation, which was 1.7 times higher than that of titania with UV irradiation. The origin of the visible light activity was confirmed by both quadratic incident light power dependency and action spectrum to be plasmon-induced (near-field enhancement by AuNPs) two-photon absorption.
Network Understanding of Herb Medicine via Rapid Identification of Ingredient-Target Interactions
Authors: Zhang Hai-Ping , Pan Jian-Bo , Zhang Chi , Ji Nan , Wang Hao , Ji Zhi-Liang
Published: January 2014

Today, herb medicines have become the major source for discovery of novel agents in countermining diseases. However, many of them are largely under-explored in pharmacology due to the limitation of current experimental approaches. Therefore, we proposed a computational framework in this study for network understanding of herb pharmacology via rapid identification of putative ingredient-target interactions in human structural proteome level. A marketing anti-cancer herb medicine in China, Yadanzi (Brucea javanica), was chosen for mechanistic study. Total 7,119 ingredient-target interactions were identified for thirteen Yadanzi active ingredients. Among them, about 29.5% were estimated to have better binding affinity than their corresponding marketing drug-target interactions. Further Bioinformatics analyses suggest that simultaneous manipulation of multiple proteins in the MAPK signaling pathway and the phosphorylation process of anti-apoptosis may largely answer for Yadanzi against non-small cell lung cancers. In summary, our strategy provides an efficient however economic solution for systematic understanding of herbs' power.
Collective behaviour across animal species
Authors: DeLellis Pietro , Polverino Giovanni , Ustuner Gozde , Abaid Nicole , Macrì Simone , Bollt Erik M. , Porfiri Maurizio
Published: January 2014

We posit a new geometric perspective to define, detect and classify inherent patterns of collective behaviour across a variety of animal species. We show that machine learning techniques and specifically the isometric mapping algorithm, allow the identification and interpretation of different types of collective behaviour in five social animal species. These results offer a first glimpse at the transformative potential of machine learning for ethology, similar to its impact on robotics, where it enabled robots to recognize objects and navigate the environment.
Drought impacts on children's respiratory health in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Smith Lauren T. , Aragão Luiz E. O. C. , Sabel Clive E. , Nakaya Tomoki
Published: January 2014

Drought conditions in Amazonia are associated with increased fire incidence, enhancing aerosol emissions with degradation in air quality. Quantifying the synergic influence of climate and human-driven environmental changes on human health is, therefore, critical for identifying climate change adaptation pathways for this vulnerable region. Here we show a significant increase (1.2%–267%) in hospitalisations for respiratory diseases in children under-five in municipalities highly exposed to drought. Aerosol was the primary driver of hospitalisations in drought affected municipalities during 2005, while human development conditions mitigated the impacts in 2010. Our results demonstrated that drought events deteriorated children's respiratory health particularly during 2005 when the drought was more geographically concentrated. This indicates that if governments act on curbing fire usage and effectively plan public health provision, as a climate change adaptation procedure, health quality would improve and public expenditure for treatment would decrease in the region during future drought events.
A critical comparison of protein microarray fabrication technologies
Authors: Romanov Valentin , Davidoff S. Nikki , Miles Adam R. , Grainger David W. , Gale Bruce K. , Brooks Benjamin D.
Published: January 2014

Of the diverse analytical tools used in proteomics, protein microarrays possess the greatest potential for providing fundamental information on protein, ligand, analyte, receptor, and antibody affinity-based interactions, binding partners and high-throughput analysis.
An integral evaluation method for synchronous drug release based on a mathematics set in guiding the preparation of multi-component traditional Chinese medicine
Authors: Ma Shiyu , Shen Lan , Zhai Yu , Lin Xiao , Feng Yi , Xu Lieming , Ruan Kefeng
Published: January 2014

An integral evaluation method for synchrous drug release based on a mathematics set was developed for guiding the preparation of multi-component TCM.
Magnetic separation–enrichment-mediated signal amplification for a simple and sensitive fluorometric assay of biotin
Authors: Li Hong , Zhu Wenping , Shen Guoli , Yu Ruqin
Published: January 2014

Many types of separation-based sensing systems have been reported for biotin assays.
Label-free fluorescent assay of ATP based on an aptamer-assisted light-up of Hoechst dyes
Authors: Le Huynh-Nhu , Jiang Xiao-Qin , Zhang Min , Ye Bang-Ce
Published: January 2014

A label-free assay was developed for the visual detection of ATP based on the aptamer-directing fluorescence of Hoechst dyes.
Diastereomeric ratio determination by high sensitivity band-selective pure shift NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Adams Ralph W. , Byrne Liam , Király Péter , Foroozandeh Mohammadali , Paudel Liladhar , Nilsson Mathias , Clayden Jonathan , Morris Gareth A.
Published: January 2014

Pure shift NMR using band-selective decoupling allows simpler and more reliable determination of diastereomeric ratio.
On the thermodynamics of carbon nanotube single-file water loading: free energy, energy and entropy calculations
Authors: Garate Jose Antonio , Perez-Acle Tomas , Oostenbrink Chris
Published: January 2014

Single-file water chains confined in carbon nanotubes are studied using molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations to characterize the pore loading in terms of energy, entropy and free energy.
Copper–amyloid-β complex may catalyze peroxynitrite production in brain: evidence from molecular modeling
Authors: Giacovazzi Roberto , Ciofini Ilaria , Rao Li , Amatore Christian , Adamo Carlo
Published: January 2014

The facile occurrence of an Aβ-catalyzed generation of peroxynitrite in the brain, alternative to H2O2-route, is proposed on the basis of QM/MM calculations.
Earth-abundant cocatalysts for semiconductor-based photocatalytic water splitting
Authors: Ran Jingrun , Zhang Jun , Yu Jiaguo , Jaroniec Mietek , Qiao Shi Zhang
Published: January 2014

Active and robust cocatalysts constructed from earth-abundant elements greatly contribute to the highly efficient, stable and cost-effective photocatalytic water splitting.
Synthesis, characterization and enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of Bi2MoO6/Zn–Al layered double hydroxide hierarchical heterostructures
Authors: Li Haiping , Deng Quanhua , Liu Jingyi , Hou Wanguo , Du Na , Zhang Renjie , Tao Xutang
Published: January 2014

A Bi2MoO6/Zn–Al LDH heterostructure exhibits significantly enhanced photodegradation efficiency for RhB relative to Bi2MoO6under visible light irradiation.
Rhodium-catalyzed regioselective hydroaminomethylation of terminal olefins with pyrrole-based tetraphosphorus ligands
Authors: Liu Guodu , Li Zhao , Geng Huiling , Zhang Xumu
Published: January 2014

A protocol was developed to prepare linear amines by regioselective hydroaminomethylation of terminal olefins with pyrrole-based tetraphosphorus ligands. The reactivity of the ligand is modulated by the substituent of the biphenylphosphane moiety, with ligand L5 exhibiting the highest reactivity.
Molecular and electronic structure of nonradical homoleptic pyridyl-azo-oxime complexes of cobalt(iii) and the azo-oxime anion radical congener: an experimental and theoretical investigation
Authors: Pramanik Shuvam , Roy Sima , Ghorui Tapas , Ganguly Sanjib , Pramanik Kausikisankar
Published: January 2014

Synthesis and optoelectronic study of Co(iii)–pyridyl-azo-oxime complexes and isolation of Co(iii)-bound azo-oxime anion radical.
Introducing heterojunction barriers into single kinked nanowires for the probe-free detection of proteins and intracellular recording
Authors: Zhao Minggang , Cai Bin , Ma Ye , Cai Hui , Huang Jingyun , Pan Xinhua , He Haiping , Ye Zhizhen
Published: January 2014

Kinked ZnO–NiO nanowires with adjustable angles were controllably fabricated by tailoring polymer fibers and used for the probe-free detection of proteins and intracellular recording.
A tripodal peptide ligand for asymmetric Rh(ii) catalysis highlights unique features of on-bead catalyst development
Authors: Sambasivan Ramya , Zheng Wenwei , Burya Scott J. , Popp Brian V. , Turro Claudia , Clementi Cecilia , Ball Zachary T.
Published: January 2014

A tridentate eq-eq-ax peptide ligand for rhodium(ii) complexes, discovered by high-throughput on-bead screening, is an efficient and selective catalyst for asymmetric cyclopropanation reactions.
A novel activating strategy to achieve highly porous carbon monoliths for CO2 capture
Authors: Ma Xiaoyu , Li Yao , Cao Minhua , Hu Changwen
Published: January 2014

Highly porous N-doped carbon monoliths were prepared by using H3PO4–HNO3 acid as a co-activating agent and sodium alginate as a carbon precursor.
A facile two-step approach to prepare superhydrophobic surfaces on copper substrates
Authors: Wang Huijie , Yu Jing , Wu Yizhi , Shao Weijia , Xu Xiaoliang
Published: January 2014

Superhydrophobic surfaces were prepared on Cu substrates via a facile surface oxidation approach and subsequent chemical modification with low surface energy materials.
Highly efficient light harvesting ruthenium sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells featuring triphenylamine donor antennas
Authors: Cao Kun , Lu Jianfeng , Cui Jin , Shen Yan , Chen Wei , Alemu Getachew , Wang Zhong , Yuan Huailiang , Xu Jie , Wang Mingkui , Cheng Yibing
Published: January 2014

Ruthenium complexes featuring triphenylamine donor antennas boost dye-sensitized solar cell devices' power conversion efficiency close to 11%.
Frataxin-bypassing Isu1: characterization of the bypass activity in cells and mitochondria
Authors: Yoon Heeyong , Knight Simon A. B. , Pandey Alok , Pain Jayashree , Zhang Yan , Pain Debkumar , Dancis Andrew
Published: January 2014

Frataxin is a conserved mitochondrial protein, and deficiency underlies the neurodegenerative disease Friedreich's ataxia. Frataxin interacts with the core machinery for Fe–S cluster assembly in mitochondria. Recently we reported that in frataxin-deleted yeast strains, a spontaneously occurring mutation in one of two genes encoding redundant Isu scaffold proteins, bypassed the mutant phenotypes. In the present study we created strains expressing a single scaffold protein, either Isu1 or the bypass mutant M107I Isu1. Our results show that in the frataxin-deletion strain expressing the bypass mutant Isu1, cell growth, Fe–S cluster protein activities, haem proteins and iron homoeostasis were restored to normal or close to normal. The bypass effects were not mediated by changes in Isu1 expression level. The persulfide-forming activity of the cysteine desulfurase was diminished in the frataxin deletion (∆yfh1 ISU1) and was improved by expression of the bypass Isu1 (∆yfh1 M107I ISU1). The addition of purified bypass M107I Isu1 protein to a ∆yfh1 lysate conferred similar enhancement of cysteine desulfurase as did frataxin, suggesting that this effect contributed to the bypass mechanism. Fe–S cluster-forming activity in isolated mitochondria was stimulated by the bypass Isu1, albeit at a lower rate. The rescuing effects of the bypass Isu1 point to ways that the core defects in Friedreich's ataxia mitochondria can be restored.
Multi‐objective short‐term scheduling of thermoelectric power systems using a novel multi‐objective θ‐improved cuckoo optimisation algorithm
Authors: Azizipanah‐Abarghooee Rasoul , Niknam Taher , Zare Mohsen , Gharibzadeh Masihallah
Published: January 2014

This study proposes a multi‐objective optimal static and dynamic scheduling of thermoelectric power systems considering the conflicting environmental and economical objectives. Meantime, some restrictions such as valve‐point effects, prohibited operating zones, multi‐fuel options, line flow limits as well as spinning reserve should be taken into account in order to ensure secure real‐time power system operation. A novel multi‐objective θ‐improved cuckoo optimisation algorithm is projected to solve the optimisation problems by defining a set of nondominated points as the solutions. The suggested method moves forward the particles to the problem search space in the polar coordinates as a substitute of the Cartesian one. In addition, in order to achieve better performance and higher‐convergence speed, several improvement strategies are utilised. This algorithm is equipped with a novel powerful mutation strategy in order to increase the population diversity and to amend the convergence criteria. Furthermore, a fuzzy‐based clustering is used to control the size of the repository and a niching method is utilised to choose the best solution during the optimisation process and to ensure diversity among non‐dominated solutions. Performance of the proposed algorithm is tested on 6‐, 10‐, 14‐, 40‐ and 100‐unit test systems and compared with those of other well‐known methods.
On electrical power evaluation in dq coordinates under sinusoidal unbalanced conditions
Authors: Reginatto Romeu , Ramos Rodrigo A.
Published: January 2014

This study develops a phasor‐based analytical expression for the reactive power in dqo coordinates, which exhibits compatibility with IEEE Standard 1459‐2010 under sinusoidal unbalanced conditions. The dqo coordinates are often employed in power systems, for instance in machine modelling, but the power expressions are provided in the IEEE Standard only in terms of the abc coordinates and the sequence components. In addition, the usual complex product vdqi∗dq for power evaluation in the dqo coordinates does not exhibit reactive power consistency with the IEEE standard but for the balanced case. Such consistency becomes a central issue in the context of distributed generation systems since they are often subject to voltage/current imbalance, and the active power, the reactive power, and the power factor are important control variables and, as such, require calculation and measurement. This study provides a complete set of phasor‐based analytical expressions (including the instantaneous, active, reactive, complex and apparent powers) in dqo coordinates which help stability and control developments of unbalanced distributed generation systems. An example of a distributed generation system with sinusoidal unbalanced voltage is given to illustrate the contribution.
Preventive control approach for voltage stability improvement using voltage stability constrained optimal power flow based on static line voltage stability indices
Authors: Zabaiou Tarik , Dessaint Louis‐A , Kamwa Innocent
Published: January 2014

Voltage stability improvement is a challenging issue in planning and security assessment of power systems. As modern systems are being operated under heavily stressed conditions with reduced stability margins, incorporation of voltage stability criteria in the operation of power systems began receiving great attention. This study presents a novel voltage stability constrained optimal power flow (VSC‐OPF) approach based on static line voltage stability indices to simultaneously improve voltage stability and minimise power system losses under stressed and contingency conditions. The proposed methodology uses a voltage collapse proximity indicator (VCPI) to provide important information about the proximity of the system to voltage instability. The VCPI index is incorporated into the optimal power flow (OPF) formulation in two ways; first it can be added as a new voltage stability constraint in the OPF constraints, or used as a voltage stability objective function. The proposed approach has been evaluated on the standard IEEE 30‐bus and 57‐bus test systems under different cases and compared with two well proved VSC‐OPF approaches based on the bus voltage indicator L‐index and the minimum singular value. The simulation results are promising and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed VSC‐OPF based on the line voltage stability index.
Fundamental impedance identification method for grid‐connected voltage source inverters
Authors: Sun Xiaofeng , Chen Jingxian , Guerrero Josep M. , Li Xin , Wang Liqiao
Published: January 2014

Considering the importance of line fundamental impedance from the inverter to the point of common coupling (PCC) in microgrids, this study analyses the influence of fundamental impedance on system stability. Line fundamental impedance values not only apply to decoupled droop control, which can realise accurate control between active and reactive power, but also regulate the droop coefficient to eliminate system circulation, realise power sharing and improve system stability when a multi‐distributed generation system operates in parallel. Moreover, the PCC can sense grid fault on the basis of variations in fundamental impedance. A novel fundamental impedance identification method that adopts a constant power control strategy by varying the active and reactive powers in the grid‐connected mode is proposed. In addition, the proposed method has online real‐time calculation capability. This strategy has been tested in simulation and in experiments by using a scaled laboratory prototype. Simulation and experimental results verify the accuracy of the proposed scheme.
Accurate baseline estimation for synthetic aperture radar‐ground moving target indication systems based on co‐registration and median filtering
Authors: Chen Zhao‐Yan , Wang Tong , Ma Nan
Published: January 2014

In this study, a new method of effective baseline estimation is presented, which can be used for ground moving target indication (GMTI) mode of synthetic aperture radar (SAR).The basic idea is to perform the baseline estimation via exploiting the slope of the along‐track interferometric (ATI) phase ramp in two‐dimensional frequency domain. An integrated scheme of effective ATI‐baseline estimation is proposed, which includes two key procedures: fine co‐registration and median filtering. The proposed algorithm is tested with real SAR data. The results show that the incorporation of the fine co‐registration and the median filtering procedures in the estimation scheme represents an accurate solution to the effective baseline estimation problem.
Energy‐prediction scheduler for reconfigurable systems in energy‐harvesting environment
Authors: Li Yibin , Jia Zhiping , Xie Shuai
Published: January 2014

Energy harvesting has been demonstrated to be a promising approach to mitigating energy constraints. Unlike battery‐based energy, available system energy significantly varies for energy‐harvesting systems. Partial dynamic reconfiguration is adopted as an effective approach for accelerating wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. Although a reconfigurable system can achieve better performance compared with software implementation, reconfiguration potentially requires a large amount of energy and time, particularly for cases where reconfiguration occurs frequently. To address this issue, a novel weather‐aware scheduler based on the weather‐conditioned moving average (WCMA) prediction algorithm is proposed in this study. To demonstrate the authors approach, a heterogeneous reconfigurable node is also proposed. The implementation of the proposed approach can improve reconfigurable system performance by up to 50% under energy‐harvesting conditions. The novelty of this work is 2‐fold. First, a prototype is adopted to demonstrate its efficiency for WSN. Second, a novel scheduler is proposed to manage hardware reconfiguration. In the scheduler, WCMA is used to predict future harvested energy.
Evaporation characteristics of micropores in biomimetic micropump
Authors: Liu Chong , Wang Lei , Li Jingmin , Li Meng , Duan Yajie , Li Tao , Gan Lu
Published: January 2014

A modified biomimetic micropump based on the stomatal transpiration principle is presented. The micropump is designed to have a layer of SU‐8 microporous membrane and a layer of hydrophilic microporous ceramics, which reflects the natural plant stomata and mesophyll cells. The evaporation characteristics of the different stomata are analysed qualitatively by an established model. There is a positive connection between the stomata evaporation flux and the micropump flow rate. Corresponding experiments on micropump flow rate are conducted. The presented micropump has favourable assembly and reuse properties. The results indicate that the water vapour distribution in the stomata has a trend of edge effect. It also shows that the fluid flow rate in the micropump changes regularly with the stomata size and spacing.
Fabrication process for integration of SU‐8 check valves on printed circuit board‐based microfluidic platforms
Authors: Perdigones Francisco , García José María , Quero José Manuel
Published: January 2014

A fabrication process to integrate SU‐8 check valves on a microfluidic platform based on a printed circuit board (PCB) is reported. The process allows the fabrication and the integration of these devices with PCB substrates at the same time, thus obtaining a PCB/SU‐8 hybrid system with no need of assembly. The SU‐8 valves fabricated as proof of concept are composed of four or two suspensions and a plate. The fabrication results confirm the validity of the procedure of the fabrication to build these kinds of microstructures. The behaviour of the valves has experimentally been studied showing good results, demonstrating that the integration of these microelectromechanical systems devices with the PCB technology is compatible.
A fast slewing cryostat for small sample in vacuo electrical/optical testing in the range 30 K–500 K
Authors: Hawkins Ian D
Published: January 2014

A cold finger vacuum cryostat is described in which a sapphire heat conducting element is used to achieve very fast slew rates for a small sample stage over a wide temperature range with optimal matching to a closed cycle helium refrigerator head. When the set temperature is reached it is maintained with very high stability (±5 mK). The target applications are associated with semiconductor electrical material characterisation measurements which require temperature scanning, e.g., thermally stimulated current, deep level transient spectroscopy, and applications which require annealing followed by rapid transition to lower temperature for measurement.
Spectral monodromy of non-self-adjoint operators
Authors: Phan Quang Sang
Published: January 2014

In the present paper, we build a combinatorial invariant, called the “spectral monodromy” from the spectrum of a single (non-self-adjoint) h-pseudodifferential operator with two degrees of freedom in the semi-classical limit. Our inspiration comes from the quantum monodromy defined for the joint spectrum of an integrable system of n commuting self-adjoint h-pseudodifferential operators, given by S. Vu Ngoc [“Quantum monodromy in integrable systems,” Commun. Math. Phys. 203(2), 465–479 (1999)]. The first simple case that we treat in this work is a normal operator. In this case, the discrete spectrum can be identified with the joint spectrum of an integrable quantum system. The second more complex case we propose is a small perturbation of a self-adjoint operator with a classical integrability property. We show that the discrete spectrum (in a small band around the real axis) also has a combinatorial monodromy. The main difficulty in this case is that we do not know the description of the spectrum everywhere, but only in a Cantor type set. In addition, we also show that the corresponding monodromy can be identified with the classical monodromy, defined by J. Duistermaat [“On global action-angle coordinates,” Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 33(6), 687–706 (1980)].