bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective intensity distributions used for direct laser interference exposure
Authors: Xu Jia , Wang Zuobin , Zhang Ziang , Wang Dapeng , Weng Zhankun
Published: June 2015

Effective intensity distributions are used for direct multi-beam interference by controlling the exposure beam intensities.
Synergic effects of a protic ionic liquid on P123 mixed micelles for inducing hierarchical porous materials
Authors: Zhao Shuo , Sheng Xiaoli , Zhou Yuming , He Man , Fu Xiaoqin , Zhang Yiwei
Published: June 2015

Postulated formation mechanism of hierarchical porous silica.
Physically cross-linked pH-responsive hydrogels with tunable formulations for controlled drug delivery
Authors: Suhag Deepa , Bhatia Rohan , Das Souvik , Shakeel Adeeba , Ghosh Abhisek , Singh Anirudha , Sinha O. P. , Chakrabarti Sandip , Mukherjee Monalisa
Published: June 2015

Facile synthesis of physically cross-linked, pH responsive hydrogels as potential carriers for controlled drug delivery.
Temperature-induced reversible structural phase transition of 1,4-dimethyl-1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(perchlorate)
Authors: Chen Li-Zhuang , Cao Xing-Xing , Huang Deng-Deng , Pan Qi-Jian
Published: June 2015

A novel molecular-based phase change material was synthesized. The phase transition from a room temperature to a low temperature paraelectric phase might be driven by the order–disorder transition of ClO4− anions and the ordering of twisting motions of the dabco ring.
Ultrathin γ-Al2O3 nanofibers with large specific surface area and their enhanced thermal stability by Si-doping
Authors: Hu Fang , Wu Xiang , Wang Yamin , Lai Xiaoyong
Published: June 2015

Ultrathin boehmite nanofibers were synthesized via a parallel flow co-precipitation method and then transformed into γ-Al2O3 nanofibers by calcination.
Electron field emission enhancement of hybrid Cu/CuO nanowires fabricated by rapid thermal reduction of CuO nanowires
Authors: Juan Yen-Ming , Chang Shoou-Jinn , Hsueh Han-Ting , Wang Sin-Hui , Cheng Tsung-Chieh , Huang Shih-Wei , Hsu Cheng-Liang
Published: June 2015

CuO nanowires (NWs) were grownviathe thermal oxidation of Cu film deposited on a CuO/glass template.
Protein recognition by bivalent, ‘turn-on’ fluorescent molecular probes
Authors: Unger-Angel Linor , Rout Bhimsen , Ilani Tal , Eisenstein Miriam , Motiei Leila , Margulies David
Published: June 2015

The selective and sensitive identification of different proteins becomes possible by modifying the known intercalating dye, thiazole orange, with two protein binders. These ‘turn-on’ fluorescence probes enable the identification of acetylcholinesterase, glutathione-s-transferases and avidin with high affinity, specificity, and high signal-to-noise ratio.
Tylosin polyketide synthase module 3: stereospecificity, stereoselectivity and steady-state kinetic analysis of β-processing domains via diffusible, synthetic substrates
Authors: Fiers William D. , Dodge Greg J. , Li Yang , Smith Janet L. , Fecik Robert A. , Aldrich Courtney C.
Published: June 2015

Natural and modified substrates coupled with LC-MS/MS analysis of products revealed the stereospecificity and stereoselectivity of a polyketide didomain.
Synthesis of (diarylmethyl)amines using Ni-catalyzed arylation of C(sp3)–H bonds
Authors: Fernández-Salas José A. , Marelli Enrico , Nolan Steven P.
Published: June 2015

The first nickel catalyzed deprotonative cross coupling between C(sp3)–H bonds and aryl chlorides is reported, allowing the challenging arylation of benzylimines in the absence of directing group or stoichiometric metal activation.
The structure and interaction mechanism of a polyelectrolyte complex: a dissipative particle dynamics study
Authors: Meneses-Juárez Efrain , Márquez-Beltrán César , Rivas-Silva Juan Francisco , Pal Umapada , González-Melchor Minerva
Published: June 2015

The mechanism of complex formation of two oppositely charged linear polyelectrolytes dispersed in a solvent is investigated by using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation.
Hydrothermal synthesis of graphene/Fe3+-doped TiO2 nanowire composites with highly enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation
Authors: Li Wenqiang , Liu Xiang , Li Hexing
Published: June 2015

Graphene/Fe3+-doped TiO2 nanowire composites with highly enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity were prepared for the first time, whose photocatalytic mechanism was also discussed.
Shape-controlled porous heterogeneous PtRu/C/Nafion microspheres enabling high performance direct methanol fuel cells
Authors: Cheng Qingqing , Wang Yanlin , Jiang Jingjing , Zou Zhiqing , Zhou Yi , Fang Jianhui , Yang Hui
Published: June 2015

Electrosprayed porous heterogeneous PtRu/C/Nafion/PEO microspheres as the anode catalytic layer for direct methanol fuel cells with enhanced performance.
Cyclodextrin-based supramolecular polymeric nanoparticles for next generation gas separation membranes
Authors: Tan Shereen , Fu Qiang , Scofield Joel. M. P. , Kim Jinguk , Gurr Paul A. , Ladewig Katharina , Blencowe Anton , Qiao Greg. G.
Published: June 2015

Cyclodextrin-based supramolecular polyrotaxanes are for the first time used as soft nanoparticle additives for the selective layer of composite membranes. They exhibit outstanding gas transport characteristics at low additive percentages, due to the dynamic nature of the PDMS side chains.
Fabrication of high-performance composite electrodes composed of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and glycerol-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate for use in organic devices
Authors: Yun Dong-Jin , Jeong Yong Jin , Ra Hyemin , Kim Jung-Min , An Tae Kyu , Seol Minsu , Jang Jaeyoung , Park Chan Eon , Rhee Shi-Woo , Chung Dae Sung
Published: June 2015

The organic doping facilitates the high performance of MWCNT/PEDOT:PSS composite electrode in organic devices.
Thermodynamic scaling of molecular dynamics in supercooled liquid state of pharmaceuticals: Itraconazole and ketoconazole
Authors: Tarnacka M. , Madejczyk O. , Adrjanowicz K. , Pionteck J. , Kaminska E. , Kamiński K. , Paluch M.
Published: June 2015

Pressure-Volume-Temperature (PVT) measurements and broadband dielectric spectroscopy were carried out to investigate molecular dynamics and to test the validity of thermodynamic scaling of two homologous compounds of pharmaceutical activity: itraconazole and ketoconazole in the wide range of thermodynamic conditions. The pressure coefficients of the glass transition temperature (dTg/dp) for itraconazole and ketoconazole were determined to be equal to 183 and 228 K/GPa, respectively. However, for itraconazole, the additional transition to the nematic phase was observed and characterized by the pressure coefficient dTn/dp = 258 K/GPa. From PVT and dielectric data, we obtained that the liquid-nematic phase transition is governed by the relaxation time since it occurred at constant τ α = 10−5 s. Furthermore, we plotted the obtained relaxation times as a function of T−1v−γ, which has revealed that the validity of thermodynamic scaling with the γ exponent equals to 3.69 ± 0.04 and 3.64 ± 0.03 for itraconazole and ketoconazole, respectively. Further analysis of the scaling parameter in itraconazole revealed that it unexpectedly decreases with increasing relaxation time, which resulted in dramatic change of the shape of the thermodynamic scaling master curve. While in the case of ketoconazole, it remained the same within entire range of data (within experimental uncertainty). We suppose that in case of itraconazole, this peculiar behavior is related to the liquid crystals’ properties of itraconazole molecule.
Modulational instability, higher-order localized wave structures, and nonlinear wave interactions for a nonautonomous Lenells-Fokas equation in inhomogeneous fibers
Authors: Wang Lei , Zhu Yu-Jie , Qi Feng-Hua , Li Min , Guo Rui
Published: June 2015

In this paper, the nonautonomous Lenells-Fokas (LF) model is investigated. The modulational instability analysis of the solutions with variable coefficients in the presence of a small perturbation is studied. Higher-order soliton, breather, earthwormon, and rogue wave solutions of the nonautonomous LF model are derived via the n-fold variable-coefficient Darboux transformation. The solitons and earthwormons display the elastic collisions. It is found that the nonautonomous LF model admits the higher-order periodic rogue waves, composite rogue waves (rogue wave pair), and oscillating rogue waves, whose dynamics can be controlled by the inhomogeneous nonlinear parameters. Based on the second-order rogue wave, a diamond structure consisting of four first-order rogue waves is observed. In addition, the semirational solutions (the mixed rational-exponential solutions) of the nonautonomous LF model are obtained, which can be used to describe the interactions between the rogue waves and breathers. Our results could be helpful for the design of experiments in the optical fiber communications.
Generation and maintenance of bulk turbulence by libration-driven elliptical instability
Authors: Favier B. , Grannan A. M. , Le Bars M. , Aurnou J. M.
Published: June 2015

Longitudinal libration corresponds to the periodic oscillation of a body’s rotation rate and is, along with precessional and tidal forcings, a possible source of mechanically-driven turbulence in the fluid interior of satellites and planets. In this study, we present a combination of direct numerical simulations and laboratory experiments, modeling this geophysically relevant mechanical forcing. We investigate the fluid motions inside a longitudinally librating ellipsoidal container filled with an incompressible fluid. The elliptical instability, which is a triadic resonance between two inertial modes and the oscillating base flow with elliptical streamlines, is observed both numerically and experimentally. The large-scale inertial modes eventually lead to small-scale turbulence, provided that the Ekman number is small enough. We characterize this transition to turbulence as additional triadic resonances develop while also investigating the properties of the turbulent flow that displays both intermittent and sustained regimes. These turbulent flows may play an important role in the thermal and magnetic evolution of bodies subject to mechanical forcing, which is not considered in standard models of convectively driven magnetic field generation.
Double-gate SnO2 nanowire electric-double-layer transistors with tunable threshold voltage
Authors: Liu Huixuan
Published: June 2015

Double-gate Sb-SnO2 nanowire electric-double-layer (EDL) transistors with in-plane gates were fabricated using only one shadow mask. The threshold voltage of such devices can be tuned in a wide range from −0.13 V to 0.72 V by the in-plane gate, which allows the device to switch from depletion-mode to enhancement-mode operation. The operation voltage of the double-gate device is 1 V because the EDL gate dielectric can lead to a high gate capacitance (>3.5 μF/cm2). Moreover, all double-gate devices show good electrical characteristics with high field-effect mobility (>200 cm2/V·s), high drain-current Ion/off ratio (>7 × 104), and small subthreshold slope (<100 mV/dec). These double-gate nanowire EDL transistors can pave the way for an electrically working low-voltage nano-electronic process.
Influence of biochar application on nutritional quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)
Authors: Petruccelli Raffaella , Bonetti Alessandra , Traversi Maria Laura , Faraloni Cecilia , Valagussa Massimo , Pozzi Alessandro
Published: June 2015

The potential of biochar to improve crop productivity has received interest in recent years; however, little is known about the effects of biochar on crop nutritional quality. In this study, effects of three different biochars (wheat straw biochar, poplar biochar and olive residues biochar) were determined on the major fruit-size parameters, physico-chemical and nutritional properties of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) cv. Rio Grande. Application of biochar alone was sufficient to sustain the fruit growth, but results were affected by feedstock source of biochar. There were no significant differences in size and weight parameters and the sugar content was not significantly modified by biochar amendment. On the other hand, secondary metabolites showed changes relating to biochar type. Total phenol and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant activity, were higher in fruits grown in substrate amended with straw biochar and olive residues biochar. Lycopene, β carotene and lutein concentrations from tomato fruits grown on substrates amended with different biochars were significantly lower than from the control. The data require confirmation in field experiments; however, this study offers new knowledge about the biochar effects on horticultural crops.
Biodiversity inhibits parasites: Broad evidence for the dilution effect
Authors: Civitello David J. , Cohen Jeremy , Fatima Hiba , Halstead Neal T. , Liriano Josue , McMahon Taegan A. , Ortega C. Nicole , Sauer Erin Louise , Sehgal Tanya , Young Suzanne , Rohr Jason R.
Published: June 2015

Significance

The dilution effect hypothesis suggests that diverse ecological communities limit disease spread via several mechanisms. Therefore, biodiversity losses could worsen epidemics that harm humans and wildlife. However, there is contentious debate over whether the hypothesis applies broadly, especially for parasites that infect humans. We address this fundamental question with a formal meta-analysis of >200 assessments relating biodiversity to disease in >60 host–parasite systems. We find overwhelming evidence of dilution, which is independent of host density, study design, and type and specialization of parasites. A second analysis identified similar effects of diversity in plant–herbivore systems. Thus, biodiversity generally decreases parasitism and herbivory. Consequently, human-induced declines in biodiversity could increase human and wildlife diseases and decrease crop and forest production.
Change-O: a toolkit for analyzing large-scale B cell immunoglobulin repertoire sequencing data
Authors: Gupta Namita T. , Vander Heiden Jason A. , Uduman Mohamed , Gadala-Maria Daniel , Yaari Gur , Kleinstein Steven H.
Published: June 2015

Summary: Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies now allow for large-scale characterization of B cell immunoglobulin (Ig) repertoires. The high germline and somatic diversity of the Ig repertoire presents challenges for biologically meaningful analysis, which requires specialized computational methods. We have developed a suite of utilities, Change-O, which provides tools for advanced analyses of large-scale Ig repertoire sequencing data. Change-O includes tools for determining the complete set of Ig variable region gene segment alleles carried by an individual (including novel alleles), partitioning of Ig sequences into clonal populations, creating lineage trees, inferring somatic hypermutation targeting models, measuring repertoire diversity, quantifying selection pressure, and calculating sequence chemical properties. All Change-O tools utilize a common data format, which enables the seamless integration of multiple analyses into a single workflow.

Availability and implementation: Change-O is freely available for non-commercial use and may be downloaded from http://clip.med.yale.edu/changeo.

Contact:  steven.kleinstein@yale.edu
IBS: an illustrator for the presentation and visualization of biological sequences
Authors: Liu Wenzhong , Xie Yubin , Ma Jiyong , Luo Xiaotong , Nie Peng , Zuo Zhixiang , Lahrmann Urs , Zhao Qi , Zheng Yueyuan , Zhao Yong , Xue Yu , Ren Jian
Published: June 2015

Summary: Biological sequence diagrams are fundamental for visualizing various functional elements in protein or nucleotide sequences that enable a summarization and presentation of existing information as well as means of intuitive new discoveries. Here, we present a software package called illustrator of biological sequences (IBS) that can be used for representing the organization of either protein or nucleotide sequences in a convenient, efficient and precise manner. Multiple options are provided in IBS, and biological sequences can be manipulated, recolored or rescaled in a user-defined mode. Also, the final representational artwork can be directly exported into a publication-quality figure.

Availability and implementation: The standalone package of IBS was implemented in JAVA, while the online service was implemented in HTML5 and JavaScript. Both the standalone package and online service are freely available at http://ibs.biocuckoo.org.

Contact:  renjian.sysu@gmail.com or xueyu@hust.edu.cn

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Meta-analysis of aspirin use and risk of lung cancer shows notable results
Authors: Hochmuth Friederike , Jochem Maximilian , Schlattmann Peter
Published: June 2015

Aspirin is a promising agent for chemoprevention of lung cancer. We assessed the association of aspirin use and the development of lung cancer, with a focus on heterogeneity between studies. Databases were searched for relevant studies until September 2014. Studies evaluating the relationship of aspirin use and incidence of lung cancer were considered. Relative risks (RR) were extracted and a pooled estimate was calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed by the I
2 measure, random-effects models, and finite-mixture models. Sources of heterogeneity were investigated using a meta-regression. A decreased risk of lung cancer was found including 20 studies [RR=0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79–0.95] on the basis of a random-effects model. Strong heterogeneity was observed (τ
2=0.0258, I
2=74.4%). As a result, two subpopulations of studies were identified on the basis of a mixture model. The first subpopulation (42%) has an average RR of 0.64. The remaining subpopulation (58%) shows an RR of 1.04. Different results were found for case–control (RR=0.74, 95% CI: 0.60–0.90) and cohort studies (RR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.93–1.06) in a stratified analysis. In a subgroup analysis, use of aspirin was associated with a decreased risk of non-small-cell lung cancer in case–control studies (RR=0.74; 95% CI: 0.58–0.94). At first glance, our meta-analysis shows an average protective effect. A second glance indicates that there is strong heterogeneity. This leads to a subpopulation with considerable benefit and another subpopulation with no benefit. For further investigations, it is important to identify populations that benefit from aspirin use.
Histologic Evidence of Orbital Inflammation from Retrobulbar Alcohol and Chlorpromazine Injection: A Clinicopathologic Study in Human & Rat Orbits
Authors: Eftekhari Kian , Shindler Kenneth S. , Lee Vivian , Dine Kimberly , Eckstein Lauren A. , Vagefi M. Reza
Published: June 2015

Purpose:

Retrobulbar injections of alcohol and chlorpromazine are used for the treatment of blind, painful eyes. There have been reports of inflammation after retrobulbar injections of these agents, but the histologic effects are not well characterized. A clinical case with histopathologic confirmation of inflammation after retrobulbar alcohol injection led the authors to develop a rat model to examine these effects.

Methods:

Adult Lewis rats were given retrobulbar injections of either 0.1 ml of absolute alcohol or 25 mg/ml chlorpromazine in the right orbit, and 0.1 ml of saline in the left orbit as a control. Rats were euthanized, perfused, and postfixed at 1 to 2 weeks after injection. Exenterated orbital tissue was sectioned for histologic staining. Slides were reviewed by a masked ocular pathologist who evaluated the level of orbital inflammation.

Results:

Histopathology demonstrated foci of granulomatous inflammation in the orbit of the patient and similar inflammation in the rat orbits injected with retrobulbar alcohol. In the chlorpromazine group, only 1 rat demonstrated small foci of inflammation, while the control orbits injected with saline showed no inflammation. On blinded qualitative analysis, the orbits receiving retrobulbar alcohol had greater inflammation than the orbits receiving either saline or chlorpromazine.

Conclusions:

Our findings in this preclinical pilot study suggest that retrobulbar alcohol injections incite significant orbital inflammation, whereas retrobulbar chlorpromazine induces little or no inflammation. This potential inflammatory response should be considered when selecting an agent for pain management, particularly if future orbital surgery is anticipated.
Minor Salivary Gland Acinic Cell Carcinoma With Orbital Extension
Authors: Neren Asher , Reich Isaac , Torno Roosevelt , Shinder Roman
Published: June 2015

An 80-year-old male presented with painless blurred vision from the right eye following endoscopic biopsy of a right maxillary sinus mass with the otolaryngology service. The patient admitted to progressive right-sided proptosis over the past few weeks. Past medical history was significant for acinic cell adenocarcinoma of buccal space origin with resection 3 years prior. Orbital CT revealed a large, poorly circumscribed destructive mass in the right masticator space with extension to the paranasal sinuses, inferior and medial orbit, and middle cranial fossa. Histopathology confirmed the mass to represent a recurrent acinic cell carcinoma. The patient was treated with chemotherapy, and at last follow-up 2 years after presentation had stable painless globe dystopia and visual acuity. The authors describe a very rare case of a recurrent minor salivary gland acinic cell carcinoma with secondary orbital extension.
Psychrobacillus soli sp. nov., capable of degrading oil, isolated from oil-contaminated soil
Authors: Pham Van Hong Thi , Jeong Seung-Woo , Kim Jaisoo
Published: June 2015

A novel, aerobic, psychrotolerant, Gram-stain-positive, endospore-forming strain, NHI-2T, was isolated from oil-contaminated soil near a gas station in Mongolia. This strain was characterized by motile rods and grew over a wide range of temperatures ( − 2 to 40 °C) with optimal growth at 28–30 °C. It tolerated salt concentrations of up to 7 % over a five-day incubation period. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain NHI-2Tbelongs to the genusPsychrobacillus. Sequence similarity between NHI-2Tand members of the genusPsychrobacilluswith validly published names ranged from 97.83 to 98.18 %. DNA–DNA hybridization indicated less than 70 % relatedness to reference strains within the genus. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 36 mol%. This strain contained MK-8 as a predominant isoprenoid menaquinone. NHI-2Thad ornithine in the cell wall similar to reference strains of the genusPsychrobacillus. The major fatty acids present in NHI-2Twere anteiso-C15 : 0(51.0 %), iso-C15 : 0(9.1 %) and anteiso-C17 : 0(8.0 %). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. These data highlight that the phenotype of strain NHI-2Tdiffers from that of related species in terms of chemotaxonomic properties and genotype characteristics. Therefore, this strain is proposed as a representative of a novel species, namedPsychrobacillus soli. The type strain is NHI-2T( = KEMB 9005-135T = KACC 18243T = NBRC 110600T).
Paenibacillus rhizoryzae sp. nov., isolated from rice rhizosphere
Authors: Zhang Lei , Gao Ju-Sheng , Zhang Shuang , Ali Sheirdil Rizwan , Wang Xiu-Cheng , Zhang Xiao-Xia
Published: June 2015

A Gram-stain-positive, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, designated 1ZS3-5T, was isolated from rice rhizosphere in Hunan Province, PR China. The isolate was identified as a member of the genusPaenibacilluson the basis of phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic inference analysis. The 16S rRNA andrpoBgene (β-subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase) sequences were closely related to those ofPaenibacillus taihuensisCGMCC 1.10966Twith similarities of 97.2 % and 89.7 %, respectively. The DNA–DNA hybridization value between 1ZS3-5TandP. taihuensisCGMCC 1.10966Twas 33.4 %. The DNA G+C content of 1ZS3-5Twas 47.5 mol%. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, unidentified aminophospholipid and unknown phospholipid. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. The diamino acid found in the cell-wall peptidoglycan wasmeso-diaminopimelic acid. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0and iso-C16 : 0. Based on these results, 1ZS3-5Tis considered to represent a novel species of the genusPaenibacillus, for which the namePaenibacillus rhizoryzaesp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 1ZS3-5T( = ACCC 19782T = DSM 29322T).
A novel method to enhance the sensitivity of marker detection using a refined hierarchical prior of tissue similarities
Authors: Mohammadi Shahin , Grama Ananth
Published: June 2015

Motivation

Identification of biochemical processes that drive the transformation of a totipotent cell into various cell types is essential to our understanding of living systems. This complex machinery determines how tissues differ in terms of their anatomy, physiology, morphology, and, more importantly, how various cellular control mechanisms contribute to the observed similarities/ differences. Tissue-selective genes orchestrate various aspects of cellular machinery in different tissues, and are known to be implicated in a number of tissue-specific pathologies.

Results

We propose a novel statistical approach that identifies and removes the effect of universally expressed genes in groups of tissues. This allows us to better characterize tissue similarities, as well as to identify tissue-selective genes. We use our method to construct a reliable hierarchy of tissue similarities. The groupings of tissues in this hierarchy are used to specify successively refined priors for identifying tissue-selective functions and their corresponding genes in the reduced subspace. We show that our refinement process enhances the signal-to-noise ratio in the identification of markers. Using case studies of immune cells and brain tissues, we show that our approach significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods, both in terms of coverage and reliability of the predicted tissue-selective genes.

Conclusions

Our statistical approach provides a general framework for enhancing the sensitivity of marker detection methods, which can be used in conjunction with other techniques. Even in cases where the number of available expression datasets is limited, we show that our marker detection method outperforms existing techniques. We present detailed validation on immune cells and brain tissues in this paper. Our approach can be applied to construct similar datasets of other human tissues as well, for identifying tissue-specific genes. We demonstrate how these tissue-selective genes enhance our understanding of differentiating biochemical features of brain tissues, shed light on how tissue-selective pathologies progress, and help us identify specific biomarkers and targets for future interventions.
Structural study of a manganese(II) `picket-fence' porphyrin complex
Authors: Yu Qiang , Li Xiangjun , Liu Diansheng , Li Jianfeng
Published: June 2015

`Picket-fence' porphyrin compounds are used in the investigation of interactions of hemes with dioxygen, carbon monoxide, nitric monoxide and imidazole ligands. (Cryptand-222)potassium chlorido[meso-tetra(α,α,α,α-o-pivalamidophenyl)porphyrinato]manganese tetrahydrofuran monosolvate (cryptand-222 is 4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo[8.8.8]hexacosane), [K(C18H36N2O6)][Mn(C64H64N8O4)Cl]·C4H8O or [K(222)][Mn(TpivPP)Cl]·THF [systematic name for TpivPP: 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2-tert-butanamidophenyl)porphyrin], is a five-coordinate high-spin manganese(II) picket-fence porphyrin complex. It crystallizes with a potassium cation chelated inside a cryptand-222 molecule; the average K—O and K—N distances are 2.83 (4) and 2.995 (13) Å, respectively. All four protectingtert-butyl pickets of the porphyrin are ordered. The porphyrin plane is nearly planar, as indicated by the atomic displacements and the dihedral angles between the mean planes of the pyrrole rings and the 24-atom mean plane. The axial chloride ligand is located inside the molecular cavity on the hindered porphyrin side and the Mn—Cl bond is tilted slightly off the normal to the porphyrin plane by 3.68 (2)°. The out-of-plane displacement of the metal centre relative to the 24-atom mean plane (Δ24) is 0.7013 (4) Å, indicating a noticeable porphyrin core doming.
Crystal structure of 3-acetoxy-2-methylbenzoic acid
Authors: Saranya Matheswaran , Subashini Annamalai , Arunagiri Chidambaram , Muthiah Packianathan Thomas
Published: June 2015

In the title molecule, C10H10O4, the carboxylic acid group is twisted by 11.37 (15)° from the plane of the benzene ring and the acetoxy group is twisted from this plane by 86.60 (17)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by pairs of O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers with the expectedR22(8) graph-set motif.
Crystal structure of 3-amino-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzo[f]chromene-2-carbonitrile
Authors: Akkurt Mehmet , Horton Peter N. , Mohamed Shaaban K. , Younes Sabry H. H. , Albayati Mustafa R.
Published: June 2015

In the title compound, C20H13ClN2O, the chlorobenzene ring is almost perpendicular to the mean plane of the naphthalene ring system, making a dihedral angle of 81.26 (8)°. The 4H-pyran ring fused with the naphthalene ring system has a flattened boat conformation. In the crystal, N—H...N hydrogen bonds generate chains along theb-axis direction. Further N—H...N hydrogen bonds link these chains into sheets parallel to (010). The crystal packing also features C—H...π interactions. The crystal studied was an inversion twin with a 0.557 (16):0.443 (16) domain ratio.
Crystal structure of 15,16-epoxy-7β,9α-dihydroxylabdane-13(16),14-dien-6-one
Authors: Singh Vikram Dev , Kamni  , Amina Musarat , Al-Musayeib Nawal , Anthal Sumati , Kant Rajni
Published: June 2015

In the title molecule, C20H30O4, both cyclohexane rings adopt chair conformations. In the crystal, molecules are connected by O—H...O hydrogen bonds forming chains along [100]. In addtion, an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond forms anS(5) ring.
An economic case for a UK collective collection
Authors: Ball David
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper is a thought experiment that investigates the possibilities of moving from the typical “just-in-case” model of managing legacy collections of printed monographs to a centralised “just-in-time” model.

Design/methodology/approach

– Reliable published statistical data have been used; the core of these are the annual library statistics for UK research libraries collected by SCONUL. From these and other sources, the costs of monograph storage across UK research libraries have been determined.

Findings

– Establishing a centralised collective collection would bring a large return on investment.

Research limitations/implications

– This is not an empirical study.

Originality/value

– The value of this study is high.
Educational policy borrowing in a globalized world
Authors: Van Huy Nguyen , Hamid M. Obaidul
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to shed light on the process of adopting and accommodating a global language education framework, namely the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages, in the context of Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data to develop the argument of the paper are obtained from a doctoral research project that aims to understand the reception, interpretations and responses of key stakeholders in the process of enacting the CEFR in a Vietnam public university. The study was designed as a qualitative case study with data being collected using policy document analysis, classroom observation and in-depth interviews with 21 purposively sampled participants, including school administrators, English language teachers and students over a period of six months.

Findings

– The paper argues that the adoption of the CEFR, as it currently stands, can be seen at best as a “quick-fix” (Steiner-Khamsi, 2004, p. 58) solution to the complex and time-consuming problem of improving the quality of English language education in Vietnam, which fails to address some critical issues in the practice of teaching and learning the language in the country.

Originality/value

– The study speaks to the body of literature on the CEFR as a contemporary global language policy borrowing phenomenon in developing countries. It contributes to a better understanding of how a global language policy is adopted and appropriated at the grass-root level.
Shape changing and self-reconfiguring robots
Authors: Bogue Robert
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This article aims to provide details of recent developments in robots that can change shape and self-reconfigure.

Design/methodology/approach

– Following an introduction, this article first describes some recent developments in shape-changing materials and then considers a selection of shape-changing robots. It then discusses self-reconfiguring robots and describes a unique self-unfolding robot. Finally, concluding comments are drawn.

Findings

– This article shows that research into true shape-changing robots is still at an early stage and several very different strategies are being studied. Novel materials are expected to play a key role in many designs and potential applications include search and rescue, health care and surveillance. Self-reconfiguring modular robots are at a more advanced stage and while many can reconfigure to adopt varying shapes and gaits, the ability to accomplish differing tasks in manufacturing is still some way in the future. Overall, the various classes of shape-changing robots being studied represent a move towards a new era in robotic capabilities, but despite many recent technological advances, considerable further work is required before these become a practical reality.

Originality/value

– This article provides an insight into recent technological advances in shape-changing and self-reconfiguring robots.
Optimization of police facility deployment with a case study in Greater London Area
Authors: Cheung Chun-Yin , Yoon H.T. , Chow Andy HF
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to present an application of location optimization techniques for deploying police facilities subject to budgetary and feasibility constraints. The objectives considered included minimizing the distances and maximizing the coverage of police stations over potential crime spots.

Design/methodology/approach

– The optimization consists of two stages. In Stage 1, a minimum distance model is used to determine the locations of police stations. Given the locations of police stations, Stage 2 uses a maximum coverage model to determine the police patrol area. The framework is applied to a case in the Greater London Area. The authors also evaluate the resilience of the optimal solutions with the terrorist attack scenario on 7 July 2005 in Central London.

Findings

– With the optimization models, it is shown that the average distance between police stations and potential crime spots is reduced by 19 per cent. The coverage percentage of potential crime spots is also increased from the existing 91.99 per cent to a nearly perfect 99.82 per cent. Nevertheless, the results reveal that the optimal police resources deployment is less resilient with respect to the existing one. The findings herein suggest the importance of incorporating measures of resilience into the optimization framework and the authors leave this topic for further investigation.

Originality/value

– The study highlights the value of location optimization to police force deployment in terms of finding the optimal locations of police force with respect to the spatial distribution of crimes. In particular, the authors investigate its implication on urban resilience, which is among the first study of this kind.
The effect of LEED certification on Shanghai’s prime office rental value
Authors: Hui Eddie Chi-man , Chan Eric Wing-fai , Yu Ka-hung
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to examine whether Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification yields additional premiums for Shanghai’s office rental sector.

Design/methodology/approach

– The hedonic model is utilized to evaluate the impact of LEED, as well as of other factors, on the rental values of 59 Grade A office buildings in Shanghai, including 23 LEED-certified buildings and 36 non-LEED-certified buildings.

Findings

– It is found that rental values of buildings with LEED are about 12.8 per cent than those of buildings without the same certification. Other factors, for instance accessibility to facilities such as subway station and 4-star hotels, the availability of catering services in surrounding areas as well as the building’s location (i.e. inside the CBD) also are significantly positively correlated with office rents in the sample commercial buildings.

Originality/value

– Besides being one of the earlier contributions to the literature with regard to the study of the impact of green certifications in China’s office market, the findings in this study also provide some empirical evidence for stakeholders, such as developers, investors, property managers and market practitioners, to evaluate the introduction of green features (and/or green certifications such as LEED) as an investment decision.
Power matters: the importance of Foucault’s power/knowledge as a conceptual lens in KM research and practice
Authors: Heizmann Helena , Olsson Michael R.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to engage knowledge management (KM) researchers and practitioners with Foucault’s power/knowledge lens as a way of thinking about and recognising the central role of power in organisational knowledge cultures.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical illustrations in this paper are drawn from two qualitative studies in different professional and institutional contexts (insurance and theatre work). Both studies used in-depth interviews and discourse analysis as their principal methods of data collection and analysis.

Findings

– The empirical examples illustrate how practitioners operate within complex power/knowledge relations that shape their practices of knowledge sharing, generation and use. The findings show how an application of the power/knowledge lens renders visible both the constraining and productive force of power in KM.

Research limitations/implications

– Researchers may apply the conceptual tools presented here in a wider variety of institutional and professional contexts to examine the complex and multifaceted role of power in a more in-depth way.

Practical implications

– KM professionals will benefit from an understanding of organisational power/knowledge relations when seeking to promote transformational changes in their organisations and build acceptance for KM initiatives.

Originality/value

– This paper addresses a gap in the literature around theoretical and empirical discussions of power as well as offering an alternative to prevailing resource-based views of power in KM.
Caries lesion prevention and arrestment in approximal surfaces in contact with glass ionomer cement restorations – A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Tedesco Tamara Kerber , Bonifácio Clarissa Calil , Calvo Ana Flávia Bissoto , Gimenez Thais , Braga Mariana Minatel , Raggio Daniela Prócida
Published: June 2015

Background

Studies have suggested that in the presence of approximal cavities, the approximal surface in contact with this one shows a higher risk in the development of caries lesions.

Aim

To evaluate the ability of dental materials to prevent and to arrest caries lesion in approximal surfaces in contact with occlusoproximal restorations.

Design

Two independent reviewers performed a literature search in PubMed through November 2014. The inclusion criteria were: (1) subject related to the scope of this systematic review, (2) study with follow‐up, (3) not performed in specific groups, (4) to have a comparison group. After selection by title and abstract, potentially eligible articles were read in full. Meta‐analysis was carried out considering the outcome as caries lesion progression or arrestment.

Results

The search strategy identified 772 potentially relevant studies, and 10 of them were included in the review (six laboratory studies and four longitudinal trials). For the longitudinal clinical trials, no difference was verified among the materials (OR = 0.680,95%CI:0.233–1.983). When a meta‐analysis was performed for laboratory studies, GIC was significantly associated with better ability to arrest caries lesions (OR = 0.153,95%CI:0.060–0.391).

Conclusions

In laboratory studies, GIC shows better ability to arrest caries lesion in approximal adjacent surfaces, but this ability was not confirmed in longitudinal clinical trials.
Branched coverings and Steiner ratio
Authors: Ivanov A. O. , Tuzhilin A. A.
Published: June 2015

For a branched locally isometric covering of metric spaces with intrinsic metrics, it is proved that the Steiner ratio of the base is not less than the Steiner ratio of the total space of the covering. As applications, it is shown that the Steiner ratio of the surface of an isosceles tetrahedron is equal to the Steiner ratio of the Euclidean plane, and that the Steiner ratio of a flat cone with angle of at its vertex is also equal to the Steiner ratio of the Euclidean plane.
AGGLOMERATION, CONGESTION, AND U.S. REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN EMPLOYMENT GROWTH
Authors: Saito Hisamitsu , Wu JunJie
Published: June 2015

Wide regional disparities exist in U.S. employment growth. To identify the causes of this disparities, we assess the relative contribution of locational characteristics to regional employment growth in the United States from 2001 to 2010 by estimating an employment growth model with the spatial‐lag effect. Results show that, at the margin, congestion effects dominate localized scale externalities in urban counties. A diverse industrial structure and rich human capital are the main factors that contribute to regional disparities in employment growth. Significant spatial‐lag effects indicate that spatial targeting and regional coordination are necessary to maximize the effectiveness of employment growth policies.
Fine roots are the dominant source of recalcitrant plant litter in sugar maple‐dominated northern hardwood forests
Authors: Xia Mengxue , Talhelm Alan F. , Pregitzer Kurt S.
Published: June 2015

Most studies of forest litter dynamics examine the biochemical characteristics and decomposition of leaf litter, but fine roots are also a large source of litter in forests.

We quantified the concentrations of eight biochemical fractions and nitrogen (N) in leaf litter and fine roots at four sugar maple (Acer saccharum)‐dominated hardwood forests in the north‐central United States. We combined these results with litter production data to estimate ecosystem biochemical fluxes to soil. We also compared how leaf litter and fine root biochemistry responded to long‐term simulated N deposition.

Compared with leaf litter, fine roots contained 2.9‐fold higher acid‐insoluble fraction (AIF) and 2.3‐fold more condensed tannins; both are relatively difficult to decompose. Comparatively, leaf litter had greater quantities of more labile components: nonstructural carbohydrates, cellulose and soluble phenolics. At an ecosystem scale, fine roots contributed over two‐thirds of the fluxes of AIF and condensed tannins to soil. Fine root biochemistry was also less responsive than leaf litter to long‐term simulated N deposition.

Fine roots were the dominant source of difficult‐to‐decompose plant carbon fractions entering the soil at our four study sites. Based on our synthesis of the literature, this pattern appears to be widespread in boreal and temperate forests.
TL1A as a Potential Local Inducer of IL17A Expression in Colon Mucosa of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients
Authors: Ślebioda T. J. , Bojarska‐Junak A. , Stanisławowski M. , Cyman M. , Wierzbicki P. M. , Roliński J. , Celiński K. , Kmieć Z.
Published: June 2015

Interaction between TL1A and death receptor 3 (DR3) co‐stimulates T cells, induces production of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines and has been linked to pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aimed to establish a link between expression of TL1A and selected TL1A‐induced pro‐inflammatory cytokines involved in IBD pathogenesis (IL‐4, IL‐13, IL‐17A and IFN‐γ) and to investigate a connection between serum concentration of TL1A in patients with IBD and activation of peripheral blood T cells. Elevated levels of IL‐4 (2.91‐fold) and IL‐13 (4.05‐fold) mRNA were detected in the inflamed colon mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), IFN‐γ mRNA was upregulated (3.23‐fold) in the inflamed colon mucosa of patients with Crohn's disease (CD), whereas upregulation of IL‐17A and TL1A mRNA was present in the inflamed colon mucosa of patients with both CD and UC (IL‐17A: 4.48‐fold and 2.74‐fold, TL1A: 3.19‐fold and 3.22‐fold, respectively) vs. control subjects. We did not detect any changes in DR3 mRNA expression in the investigated groups of patients. TL1A mRNA level in colon mucosa of patients with IBD correlated only with the level of IL‐17A mRNA but no other investigated cytokines. In colon mucosa, expression of TL1A and DR3 was localized to enterocytes and lamina propria mononuclear cells. We did not find any correlation between serum concentrations of TL1A and IL‐17A or changes of CD4(+) or CD8(+) lymphocytes phenotype in patients with IBD. Therefore, our data indicate that TL1A may contribute to pathogenesis of IBD via local but not systemic induction of IL‐17A but not IL‐4, IL‐13 or IFN‐γ.
IL‐37 Expression is Upregulated in Patients with Tuberculosis and Induces Macrophages Towards an M2‐like Phenotype
Authors: Huang Z. , Gao C. , Chi X. , Hu Y. W. , Zheng L. , Zeng T. , Wang Q.
Published: June 2015

Interleukin‐37 (IL‐37), a member of the IL‐1 family, primarily functions as an anti‐inflammatory cytokine, reducing inflammation and suppressing the immune response. However, the expression and role of IL‐37 in tuberculosis (TB) remains unknown. We aimed to measure serum levels of IL‐37 and several important cytokines in 25 patients with active TB and to analyse their association with disease activity. We found that IL‐37 levels decreased in patients with TB and recovered after treatment. IL‐37 levels negatively correlated with the serum concentration of IFN‐γ and IL‐12 but positively correlated with IL‐10 and TGF‐β levels. After IL‐37, secretion was blocked in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from active patients with TB, IFN‐γ and IL‐10 production was significantly upregulated; this was not observed in healthy donors or patients after treatment. IL‐37 knockdown significantly enhanced the phagocytic activity of THP1‐derived macrophages towards Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). M1/M2 polarization‐associated markers were detected simultaneously, and IL‐37 induced a phenotypic shift in THP1‐derived macrophages towards a high CD206+ and low CD86+ macrophage subtype. Furthermore, this phenotypic shift was accompanied by upregulated mRNA levels of arginase 1, TGF‐β and IL‐10, which are characteristic hallmarks of M2 macrophages. In conclusion, our results suggest that increased levels of IL‐37 in patients with TB are associated with IFN‐γ, IL‐12, IL‐10 and TGF‐β levels and that IL‐37 plays a pathological role in TB infection by inhibiting the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and inducing macrophages towards an M2‐like phenotype. Thus, IL‐37 may be a novel research target to understand the pathogenesis of TB infection.