bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mixotrophic protists display contrasted biogeographies in the global ocean
Authors: Faure Emile , Not Fabrice , Benoiston Anne-Sophie , Labadie Karine , Bittner Lucie , Ayata Sakina-Dorothée
Published: January 2019

Mixotrophy, or the ability to acquire carbon from both auto- and heterotrophy, is a widespread ecological trait in marine protists. Using a metabarcoding dataset of marine plankton from the global ocean, 318,054 mixotrophic metabarcodes represented by 89,951,866 sequences and belonging to 133 taxonomic lineages were identified and classified into four mixotrophic functional types: constitutive mixotrophs (CM), generalist non-constitutive mixotrophs (GNCM), endo-symbiotic specialist non-constitutive mixotrophs (eSNCM), and plastidic specialist non-constitutive mixotrophs (pSNCM). Mixotrophy appeared ubiquitous, and the distributions of the four mixotypes were analyzed to identify the abiotic factors shaping their biogeographies. Kleptoplastidic mixotrophs (GNCM and pSNCM) were detected in new zones compared to previous morphological studies. Constitutive and non-constitutive mixotrophs had similar ranges of distributions. Most lineages were evenly found in the samples, yet some of them displayed strongly contrasted distributions, both across and within mixotypes. Particularly divergent biogeographies were found within endo-symbiotic mixotrophs, depending on the ability to form colonies or the mode of symbiosis. We showed how metabarcoding can be used in a complementary way with previous morphological observations to study the biogeography of mixotrophic protists and to identify key drivers of their biogeography.
China’s coal mine methane regulations have not curbed growing emissions
Authors: Miller Scot M. , Michalak Anna M. , Detmers Robert G. , Hasekamp Otto P. , Bruhwiler Lori M. P. , Schwietzke Stefan
Published: January 2019

Anthropogenic methane emissions from China are likely greater than in any other country in the world. The largest fraction of China’s anthropogenic emissions is attributable to coal mining, but these emissions may be changing; China enacted a suite of regulations for coal mine methane (CMM) drainage and utilization that came into full effect in 2010. Here, we use methane observations from the GOSAT satellite to evaluate recent trends in total anthropogenic and natural emissions from Asia with a particular focus on China. We find that emissions from China rose by 1.1 ± 0.4 Tg CH4 yr−1 from 2010 to 2015, culminating in total anthropogenic and natural emissions of 61.5 ± 2.7 Tg CH4 in 2015. The observed trend is consistent with pre-2010 trends and is largely attributable to coal mining. These results indicate that China’s CMM regulations have had no discernible impact on the continued increase in Chinese methane emissions.
Dual-barcoded shotgun expression library sequencing for high-throughput characterization of functional traits in bacteria
Authors: Mutalik Vivek K. , Novichkov Pavel S. , Price Morgan N. , Owens Trenton K. , Callaghan Mark , Carim Sean , Deutschbauer Adam M. , Arkin Adam P.
Published: January 2019

A major challenge in genomics is the knowledge gap between sequence and its encoded function. Gain-of-function methods based on gene overexpression are attractive avenues for phenotype-based functional screens, but are not easily applied in high-throughput across many experimental conditions. Here, we present Dual Barcoded Shotgun Expression Library Sequencing (Dub-seq), a method that uses random DNA barcodes to greatly increase experimental throughput. As a demonstration of this approach, we construct a Dub-seq library with Escherichia coli genomic DNA, performed 155 genome-wide fitness assays in 52 experimental conditions, and identified overexpression phenotypes for 813 genes. We show that Dub-seq data is reproducible, accurately recapitulates known biology, and identifies hundreds of novel gain-of-function phenotypes for E. coli genes, a subset of which we verified with assays of individual strains. Dub-seq provides complementary information to loss-of-function approaches and will facilitate rapid and systematic functional characterization of microbial genomes.
Ocean temperature impact on ice shelf extent in the eastern Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Etourneau Johan , Sgubin Giovanni , Crosta Xavier , Swingedouw Didier , Willmott Verónica , Barbara Loïc , Houssais Marie-Noëlle , Schouten Stefan , Damsté Jaap S. Sinninghe , Goosse Hugues , Escutia Carlota , Crespin Julien , Massé Guillaume , Kim Jung-Hyun
Published: January 2019

The recent thinning and retreat of Antarctic ice shelves has been attributed to both atmosphere and ocean warming. However, the lack of continuous, multi-year direct observations as well as limitations of climate and ice shelf models prevent a precise assessment on how the ocean forcing affects the fluctuations of a grounded and floating ice cap. Here we show that a +0.3–1.5 °C increase in subsurface ocean temperature (50–400 m) in the northeastern Antarctic Peninsula has driven to major collapse and recession of the regional ice shelf during both the instrumental period and the last 9000 years. Our projections following the representative concentration pathway 8.5 emission scenario from the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reveal a +0.3 °C subsurface ocean temperature warming within the coming decades that will undoubtedly accelerate ice shelf melting, including the southernmost sector of the eastern Antarctic Peninsula.
Regulation of substrate utilization and adiposity by Agrp neurons
Authors: Cavalcanti-de-Albuquerque João Paulo , Bober Jeremy , Zimmer Marcelo R. , Dietrich Marcelo O.
Published: January 2019

The type of nutrient utilized by the organism at any given time—substrate utilization—is a critical component of energy metabolism. The neuronal mechanisms involved in the regulation of substrate utilization in mammals are largely unknown. Here, we found that activation of hypothalamic Agrp neurons rapidly altered whole-body substrate utilization, increasing carbohydrate utilization, while decreasing fat utilization. These metabolic changes occurred even in the absence of caloric ingestion and were coupled to increased lipogenesis. Accordingly, inhibition of fatty acid synthase—a key enzyme that mediates lipogenesis—blunted the effects of Agrp neuron activation on substrate utilization. In pair-fed conditions during positive energy balance, activation of Agrp neurons improved metabolic efficiency, and increased weight gain and adiposity. Conversely, ablation of Agrp neurons impaired fat mass accumulation. These results suggest Agrp neurons regulate substrate utilization, contributing to lipogenesis and fat mass accumulation during positive energy balance.
An evolutionarily-conserved Wnt3/β-catenin/Sp5 feedback loop restricts head organizer activity in Hydra
Authors: Vogg Matthias C. , Beccari Leonardo , Iglesias Ollé Laura , Rampon Christine , Vriz Sophie , Perruchoud Chrystelle , Wenger Yvan , Galliot Brigitte
Published: January 2019

Polyps of the cnidarian Hydra maintain their adult anatomy through two developmental organizers, the head organizer located apically and the foot organizer basally. The head organizer is made of two antagonistic cross-reacting components, an activator, driving apical differentiation and an inhibitor, preventing ectopic head formation. Here we characterize the head inhibitor by comparing planarian genes down-regulated when β-catenin is silenced to Hydra genes displaying a graded apical-to-basal expression and an up-regulation during head regeneration. We identify Sp5 as a transcription factor that fulfills the head inhibitor properties: leading to a robust multiheaded phenotype when knocked-down in Hydra, acting as a transcriptional repressor of Wnt3 and positively regulated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Hydra and zebrafish Sp5 repress Wnt3 promoter activity while Hydra Sp5 also activates its own expression, likely via β-catenin/TCF interaction. This work identifies Sp5 as a potent feedback loop inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, a function conserved across eumetazoan evolution.
Differential damage and repair of DNA-adducts induced by anti-cancer drug cisplatin across mouse organs
Authors: Yimit Askar , Adebali Ogun , Sancar Aziz , Jiang Yuchao
Published: January 2019

The platinum-based drug cisplatin is a widely used first-line therapy for several cancers. Cisplatin interacts with DNA mainly in the form of Pt-d(GpG) di-adduct, which stalls cell proliferation and activates DNA damage response. Although cisplatin shows a broad spectrum of anticancer activity, its utility is limited due to acquired drug resistance and toxicity to non-targeted tissues. Here, by integrating genome-wide high-throughput Damage-seq, XR-seq, and RNA-seq approaches, along with publicly available epigenomic data, we systematically study the genome-wide profiles of cisplatin damage formation and excision repair in mouse kidney, liver, lung and spleen. We find different DNA damage and repair spectra across mouse organs, which are associated with tissue-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles. The framework and the multi-omics data we present here constitute an unbiased foundation for understanding the mechanisms of cellular response to cisplatin. Our approach should be applicable for studying drug resistance and for tailoring cancer chemotherapy regimens.
Enhancement of Fixed-bed Flow Reactions under Microwave Irradiation by Local Heating at the Vicinal Contact Points of Catalyst Particles
Authors: Haneishi Naoto , Tsubaki Shuntaro , Abe Eriko , Maitani Masato M. , Suzuki Ei-ichi , Fujii Satoshi , Fukushima Jun , Takizawa Hirotsugu , Wada Yuji
Published: January 2019

The formation of local high temperature regions, or so-called “hot spots”, in heterogeneous reaction systems has been suggested as a critical factor in the enhancement of chemical reactions using microwave heating. In this paper, we report the generation of local high temperature regions between catalyst particles under microwave heating. First, we demonstrated that reaction rate of the dehydrogenation of 2-propanol over a magnetite catalyst was enhanced 17- (250 °C) to 38- (200 °C) fold when heated with microwave irradiation rather than an electrical furnace. Subsequently, the existence of microwave-generated specific local heating was demonstrated using a coupled simulation of the electromagnetic fields and heat transfer as well as in situ emission spectroscopy. Specific high-temperature regions were generated at the vicinal contact points of the catalyst particles due to the concentrated microwave electric field. We also directly observed local high temperature regions at the contact points of the particles during microwave heating of a model silicon carbide spherical material using in situ emission spectroscopy. We conclude that the generation of local heating at the contact points between the catalyst particles is a key factor for enhancing fixed-bed flow reactions under microwave irradiation.
Genome-Wide Transcriptome Landscape of Embryonic Brain-Derived Neural Stem Cells Exposed to Alcohol with Strain-Specific Cross-Examination in BL6 and CD1 Mice
Authors: Xu Wayne , Liyanage Vichithra R. B. , MacAulay Aaron , Levy Romina D. , Curtis Kyle , Olson Carl O. , Zachariah Robby M. , Amiri Shayan , Buist Marjorie , Hicks Geoffrey G. , Davie James R. , Rastegar Mojgan
Published: January 2019

We have previously reported the deregulatory impact of ethanol on global DNA methylation of brain-derived neural stem cells (NSC). Here, we conducted a genome-wide RNA-seq analysis in differentiating NSC exposed to different modes of ethanol exposure. RNA-seq results showed distinct gene expression patterns and canonical pathways induced by ethanol exposure and withdrawal. Short-term ethanol exposure caused abnormal up-regulation of synaptic pathways, while continuous ethanol treatment profoundly affected brain cells’ morphology. Ethanol withdrawal restored the gene expression profile of differentiating NSC without rescuing impaired expression of epigenetics factors. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) analysis predicated that ethanol may impact synaptic functions via GABA receptor signalling pathway and affects neural system and brain morphology. We identified Sptbn2, Dcc, and Scn3a as candidate genes which may link alcohol-induced neuronal morphology to brain structural abnormalities, predicted by IPA analysis. Cross-examination of Scn3a and As3mt in differentiated NSC from two different mouse strains (BL6 and CD1) showed a consistent pattern of induction and reduction, respectively. Collectively, our study identifies genetic networks, which may contribute to alcohol-mediated cellular and brain structural dysmorphology, contributing to our knowledge of alcohol-mediated damage to central nervous system, paving the path for better understanding of FASD pathobiology.
RAGE is a Critical Mediator of Pulmonary Oxidative Stress, Alveolar Macrophage Activation and Emphysema in Response to Cigarette Smoke
Authors: Sanders Karl A. , Delker Don A. , Huecksteadt Tom , Beck Emily , Wuren Tanna , Chen Yuntian , Zhang Yuxia , Hazel Mark W. , Hoidal John R.
Published: January 2019

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), a cell membrane receptor, recognizes ligands produced by cigarette smoke (CS) and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD. We demonstrate that deletion or pharmacologic inhibition of RAGE prevents development of CS-induced emphysema. To identify molecular pathways by which RAGE mediates smoking related lung injury we performed unbiased gene expression profiling of alveolar macrophages (AM) obtained from RAGE null and C57BL/6 WT mice exposed to CS for one week or four months. Pathway analysis of RNA expression identified a number of genes integral to the pathogenesis of COPD impacted by the absence of RAGE. Altered expression of antioxidant response genes and lung protein 4-HNE immunostaining suggest attenuated oxidative stress in the RAGE null mice despite comparable CS exposure and lung leukocyte burden as the WT mice. Reduced endoplasmic reticulum stress in response to CS exposure also was observed in the AM from RAGE null mice. These findings provide novel insight into the sources of oxidative stress, macrophage activation, and the pathogenesis of lung disease due to CS exposure.
Edge effect pinning in mesoscopic superconducting strips with non-uniform distribution of defects
Authors: Kimmel Gregory J. , Glatz Andreas , Vinokur Valerii M. , Sadovskyy Ivan A.
Published: January 2019

Transport characteristics of nano-sized superconducting strips and bridges are determined by an intricate interplay of surface and bulk pinning. In the limiting case of a very narrow bridge, the critical current is mostly defined by its surface barrier, while in the opposite case of very wide strips it is dominated by its bulk pinning properties. Here we present a detailed study of the intermediate regime, where the critical current is determined, both, by randomly placed pinning centres and by the Bean-Livingston barrier at the edge of the superconducting strip in an external magnetic field. We use the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations to describe the vortex dynamics and current distribution in the critical regime. Our studies reveal that while the bulk defects arrest vortex motion away from the edges, defects in their close vicinity promote vortex penetration, thus suppressing the critical current. We determine the spatial distribution of the defects optimizing the critical current and find that it is in general non-uniform and asymmetric: the barrier at the vortex-exit edge influence the critical current much stronger than the vortex-entrance edge. Furthermore, this optimized defect distribution has a more than 30% higher critical current density than a homogeneously disorder superconducting film.
Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein-1 Induces the Expression of SUMO-1 and SUMO-2/3 in LMP1-positive Lymphomas and Cells
Authors: Salahuddin Sadia , Fath Emma K. , Biel Natalie , Ray Ashley , Moss C. Randall , Patel Akash , Patel Sheetal , Hilding Leslie , Varn Matthew , Ross Tabithia , Cramblet Wyatt T. , Lowrey Angela , Pagano Joseph S. , Shackelford Julia , Bentz Gretchen L.
Published: January 2019

Epstein-Barr Virus latent membrane protein-1 (LMP1) interacts with the SUMO-conjugating enzyme Ubc9, which induces protein sumoylation and may contribute to LMP1-mediated oncogenesis. After analyzing human lymphoma tissues and EBV-positive cell lines, we now document a strong correlation between LMP1 andsumo-1/2/3or SUMO-1/2/3 levels, and show that LMP1-inducedsumoexpression requires the activation of NF-κB signaling through CTAR1 and CTAR2. Together, these results point to a second mechanism by which LMP1 dysregulates sumoylation processes and adds EBV-associated lymphomas to the list of malignancies associated with increased SUMO expression.
Prediction of mortality in Chinese very old people through the frailty index based on routine laboratory data
Authors: Hao Qiukui , Sun Xuelian , Yang Ming , Dong Biao , Dong Birong , Wei Yuquan
Published: January 2019

The increased risk of death in older adults can be successfully identified through frailty index (FI), based on comprehensive geriatric assessment data and self-reported data from the accumulated deficit, although the method depending on routine laboratory data (FI-LAB) remains uncertain. In the current study, the capacity of FI-LAB in evaluating the risk of mortality in a very old Chinese community cohort was analyzed. The 90-year- and above old individuals from a Dujiangyan community in Sichuan Province, China, who had completed a health assessment at baseline (in 2005) and whose laboratory data were analyzed (n = 736) from cumulative data from the Project of Longevity and Aging. The FI-LAB data was constructed from routine laboratory data and calculated as the ratio of abnormal factors in 22 variables (including red blood cells, white blood cells, and alanine transaminase) that can be assessed through blood tests. The multivariable Cox regression was used to evaluate the effect of frailty on death. In the four-year follow-up, 53.5% of the 736 participants (age = 93.6 ± 3.4 years; 67.5% women), were reported dead. The FI-LAB mean baseline value was 0.21 (standard deviation = 0.10; range = 0 to 0.55). Frailty (after adjusting for gender, age, and other confounders) could be directly correlated with increased death risk, with a hazard ratio of 1.31 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–1.61) in comparison with those without frailty among the individuals. Frailty as defined by FI-LAB, established only on routine laboratory data, indicates a significant death risk in the very old people.
PrimerROC: accurate condition-independent dimer prediction using ROC analysis
Authors: Johnston Andrew D. , Lu Jennifer , Ru Ke-lin , Korbie Darren , Trau Matt
Published: January 2019

To-date systematic testing and comparison of the accuracy of available primer-dimer prediction software has never been conducted, due in part to a lack of tools able to measure the efficacy of Gibbs free energy (ΔG) calculations at predicting dimer formation in PCR. To address this we have developed a novel online tool called PrimerROC (www.primer-dimer.com/roc/), which uses epidemiologically-based Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to assess dimer prediction accuracy. Moreover, by integrating PrimerROC with our PrimerDimer prediction software we can determine a ΔG-based dimer-free threshold above which dimer formation is predicted unlikely to occur. Notably, PrimerROC determines this cut-off without any additional information such as salt concentration or annealing temperature, meaning that our PrimerROC method is an assay and condition independent prediction tool. To demonstrate the broad utility of PrimerROC we assessed the performance of seven publically available primer design and dimer analysis tools using a dataset of over 300 primer pairs. We found that our PrimerROC/PrimerDimer software consistently outperforms these other tools and can achieve predictive accuracies greater than 92%. To illustrate its predictive power this method was used in multiplex PCR design to successfully generate four resequencing assays containing up to 126 primers with no observable primer-primer amplification artefacts.
Microbial consumption of organophosphate esters in seawater under phosphorus limited conditions
Authors: Vila-Costa Maria , Sebastián Marta , Pizarro Mariana , Cerro-Gálvez Elena , Lundin Daniel , Gasol Josep M. , Dachs Jordi
Published: January 2019

The anthropogenic perturbation of the phosphorus (P) marine biogeochemical cycle due to synthetic organophosphorus compounds remains unexplored. The objective of this work was to investigate the microbial degradation of organophosphate triesters (OPEs), widely used as plasticizers and flame retardants, in seawater and their effects on the physiology and composition of microbial communities. Experiments were performed in July 2014 using surface seawater from the Blanes Bay Microbial Observatory (NW Mediterranean) to which OPEs were added at environmentally relevant concentrations. The concentrations of OPEs in the dissolved-phase generally decreased after 24 hours of incubation at in situ conditions. The fitted first order reaction constants were significantly different than zero for the trihaloalkyl phosphate, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate and trialyl phosphate tricresyl phosphate. In general, OPEs triggered an increase of the percentage of actively respiring bacteria, total bacterial activity, and the number of low-nucleic acid bacteria, and a decrease in the percentage of membrane-compromised bacteria. Members of some bacterial groups, in particular Flavobacteria, increased their specific activity, indicating that seawater contains bacteria with the potential to degrade OPEs. In aged seawater that was presumably depleted of labile dissolved organic carbon and inorganic P, alkaline phosphatase activities significantly decreased when OPEs were added, indicating a relief on P stress, consistent with the role of OPEs as potential P sources.
New Self-assembled Supramolecular Bowls as Potent Anticancer Agents for Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Song Hae Seong , Song Young Ho , Singh Nem , Kim Hyunuk , Jeon Hyelin , Kim Inhye , Kang Se Chan , Chi Ki-Whan
Published: January 2019

We report herein on the design, synthesis and biological activity of Ru-based self-assembled supramolecular bowls as a potent anticancer therapeutic in human hepatocellular cancer. The potent complex induces production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by higher fatty acid β-oxidation and down-regulation of glucose transporter-mediated pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 via reduced hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. Also, overexpressed acetyl-CoA activates the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the electron transport system and induces hypergeneration of ROS. Finally, ROS overexpressed through this pathway leads to apoptosis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the naphthalene derived molecular bowl activates classical apoptosis via crosstalk between the extrinsic and intrinsic signal pathway. Our work into the mechanism of Ru-based self-assembled supramolecular bowls can provide valuable insight into the potential for use as a promising anticancer agent.
A comparative analysis of hepatic pathological phenotypes in C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N mouse strains in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis models
Authors: Kawashita Eri , Ishihara Keiichi , Nomoto Madoka , Taniguchi Mika , Akiba Satoshi
Published: January 2019

C57BL/6J (BL6J) and C57BL/6N (BL6N) inbred substrains are most widely used to understand the pathological roles of target molecules in a variety of diseases, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), based on transgenic mouse technologies. There are notable differences in the metabolic phenotypes, including glucose tolerance, between the BL6J and BL6N substrains, but the phenotypic differences in NASH are still unknown. We performed a comparative analysis of the two mouse substrains to identify the pathological phenotypic differences in NASH models. In the CCl4-induced NASH model, the BL6J mice exhibited a more severe degree of oxidative stress and fibrosis in the liver than the BL6N mice. In contrast, in the high-fat diet-induced NASH model, more accumulation of hepatic triglycerides but less weight gain and liver injury were noted in the BL6J mice than in the BL6N mice. Our findings strongly suggest caution be exercised with the use of unmatched mixed genetic background C57BL6 mice for studies related to NASH, especially when generating conditional knockout C57BL6 mice.
Application of metasurface-enhanced infra-red spectroscopy to distinguish between normal and cancerous cell types
Authors: Kelp G. , Arju N. , Lee A. , Esquivel E. , Delgado R. , Yu Y. , Dutta-Gupta S. , Sokolov K. , Shvets G.
Published: January 2019

Metasurface-enhanced infrared reflection spectroscopic cytopathology (MEIRSC) is used for label-free distinguishing between normal and cancerous colon cell lines.
A near-infrared C2H2/CH4 dual-gas sensor system combining off-axis integrated-cavity output spectroscopy and frequency-division-multiplexing-based wavelength modulation spectroscopy
Authors: Zheng Kaiyuan , Zheng Chuantao , Yao Dan , Hu Lien , Liu Zidi , Li Junhao , Zhang Yu , Wang Yiding , Tittel Frank K.
Published: January 2019

A near-infrared C2H2/CH4 sensor was demonstrated utilizing a miniaturized high finesse cavity with high sensitivity and remarkable dynamic measurement performance.
Amplified colorimetric detection of tetracycline based on an enzyme-linked aptamer assay with multivalent HRP-mimicking DNAzyme
Authors: Gong Xin , Li Xiao , Qing Taiping , Zhang Peng , Feng Bo
Published: January 2019

An indirect competitive enzyme-linked aptamer assay (ELAA) with multivalent HRP-mimicking DNAzyme for colorimetric detection of tetracycline. Aptamer modified multivalent HRP-mimicking DNAzyme exhibited high selectivity and enhanced catalytic capacity, which improved the detection sensitivity greatly.
Construction of salicylaldehyde analogues as turn-on fluorescence probes and their electronic effect on sensitive and selective detection of As(v) in groundwater
Authors: Wang Lina , Li Yong , Tian Xike , Yang Chao , Lu Liqiang , Zhou Zhaoxin , Huang Yunjie , Nie Yulun
Published: January 2019

Arsenic contamination in groundwater is a severe and major environmental problem that endangers public health.
On the origin of electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (EC-SERS) signals for bacterial samples: the importance of filtered control studies in the development of new bacterial screening platforms
Authors: McLeod Kaleigh E. R. , Lynk Taylor P. , Sit Clarissa S. , Brosseau Christa L.
Published: January 2019

The importance of filtered control studies for ascertaining the origin of bacterial SERS signals is highlighted.
A highly selective ICT-based fluorescent probe for cysteine sensing and its application in living cell imaging
Authors: Manna Srimanta , Karmakar Parthasarathi , Ali Syed Samim , Guria Uday Narayan , Samanta Sandip kumar , Sarkar Ripon , Datta Pallab , Mahapatra Ajit Kumar
Published: January 2019

We report two novel fluorescent probes viz.BPQ1 and BPQ2, to detect selectively cysteine (Cys) in dual reporter mode based upon the specific position of the reactive acrylate group.
Covalent functionalization of reduced graphene oxide aerogels with polyaniline for high performance supercapacitors
Authors: Li Ruijun , Yang Yue , Wu Datong , Li Kelin , Qin Yong , Tao Yongxin , Kong Yong
Published: January 2019

Reduced graphene oxide aerogels are covalently functionalized with polyaniline via diazotization and amidation and used for high performance supercapacitors.
Facile, catalyst-free cascade synthesis of sulfonyl guanidinesviacarbodiimide coupling with amines
Authors: Hazarika Debojit , Borah Arun Jyoti , Phukan Prodeep
Published: January 2019

A facile, catalyst-free cascade synthesis of sulfonyl guanidinesviacarbodiimide intermediate coupling with amines at room temperature has been disclosed.
Pushing the limits of electrochemistry toward challenging applications in clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic action
Authors: Yáñez-Sedeño P. , Campuzano S. , Pingarrón J. M.
Published: January 2019

Key aspects, current trends, and future perspectives with respect to electrochemical affinity biosensors for clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic actions are discussed.
Unravelling nucleophilic aromatic substitution pathways with bimetallic nucleophiles
Authors: Garçon Martí , Bakewell Clare , White Andrew J. P. , Crimmin Mark R.
Published: January 2019

Reaction of nucleophiles containing polar (Fe–Mg) and apolar (Mg–Mg) bonds with 2-(pentafluorophenyl)pyridine are calculated to proceed by stepwise and concerted SNAr pathways respectively.
Terminal hydridozinc cation
Authors: Chambenahalli Raju , Andrews Alex P. , Ritter Florian , Okuda Jun , Venugopal Ajay
Published: January 2019

Thermally stable hydridozinc cation catalytically converts CO2 to PhSi(OCHO)3 using PhSiH3 in the presence of a mild Lewis acid BPh3.
Hollow core–shell ZnO@ZIF-8 on carbon cloth for flexible supercapacitors with ultrahigh areal capacitance
Authors: Cao Xiao-Man , Han Zheng-Bo
Published: January 2019

A hollow core–shell hetero-structured electrode (PANI/ZnO@ZIF-8-CC) is designed and synthesized via a ‘root-etch-wrap’ process for flexible supercapacitors. The unique structure, in situ growth strategy and synergistic effects endow PANI/ZnO@ZIF-8-CC with ultrahigh areal capacitance and good cycling stability.
NAG-targeting fluorescence based probe for precision diagnosis of kidney injury
Authors: Yan Fei , Tian Xiangge , Luan Zhilin , Feng Lei , Ma Xiaochi , James Tony D.
Published: January 2019

NAG-targeting fluorescent probe for sensing proximal tubule cells in patient's crude urine and precision diagnosis for kidney injury unit.
Synthesis of size-tuneable β-FeOOH nanoellipsoids and a study of their morphological and compositional changes by reduction
Authors: Kasparis Georgios , Erdocio Aritz Sterne , Tuffnell Joshua Mark , Thanh Nguyen Thi Kim
Published: January 2019

Synthesis of finely size-tuned β-FeOOH nanoellipsoids which could be used as precursors to form anisotropic iron oxide nanoparticles by reduction.
Excited-state solvation structure of transition metal complexes from molecular dynamics simulations and assessment of partial atomic charge methods
Authors: Abedi Mostafa , Levi Gianluca , Zederkof Diana B. , Henriksen Niels E. , Pápai Mátyás , Møller Klaus B.
Published: January 2019

Excited-state solvation structure (radial distribution function) of transition metal complexes by classical and mixed quantum-classical (QM/MM) molecular dynamics simulations.
Infrared and Raman spectroscopy of non-conventional hydrogen bonding betweenN,N′-disubstituted urea and thiourea groups: a combined experimental and theoretical investigation
Authors: Le Parc Rozenn , Freitas Vania T. , Hermet Patrick , Cojocariu Ana M. , Cattoën Xavier , Wadepohl Hubert , Maurin David , Tse Cheuk Hin , Bartlett John R. , Ferreira Rute A. S. , Carlos Luis D. , Wong Chi Man Michel , Bantignies Jean-Louis
Published: January 2019

Selective study of intermolecular HBs with 2 types of HB acceptor.
Evans–Showell-type polyoxometalate-based metal–organic complexes with novel 3D structures constructed from flexible bis-pyrazine–bis-amide ligands and copper metals: syntheses, structures, and fluorescence and catalytic properties
Authors: Li Feng-Cai , Li Xi-Li , Tan Li-Kun , Wang Jin-Tang , Yao Wei-Zhong
Published: January 2019

Two 3D Evans–Showell-type POM-based copper–bis-pyrazine–bis-amide complexes show good heterogeneous catalytic activity for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol.
Coupled excitation energy and charge transfer dynamics in reaction centre inspired model systems
Authors: Richter Martin , Fingerhut Benjamin P.
Published: January 2019

We present numerical simulations on bacterial reaction centre (bRC) inspired model systems that utilize the recently developed MACGIC-iQUAPI method.
Symmetry breaking charge transfer as a means to study electron transfer with no driving force
Authors: Kellogg Michael , Akil Ali , Muthiah Ravinson Daniel Sylvinson , Estergreen Laura , Bradforth Stephen E. , Thompson Mark E.
Published: January 2019

Herein we explore the symmetry breaking charge transfer process in two dipyrrin-based bichromophoric systems.
Disruption of selenium transport and function is a major contributor to mercury toxicity in zebrafish larvae
Authors: Dolgova Natalia V , Nehzati Susan , MacDonald Tracy C , Summers Kelly L , Crawford Andrew M , Krone Patrick H , George Graham N , Pickering Ingrid J
Published: January 2019

Mercury is one of the most toxic elements threatening the biosphere, with levels steadily rising due to both natural and human activities. Selenium is an essential micronutrient, required for normal development and functioning of many organisms. While selenium is known to counteract mercury's toxicity under some conditions, to date information about the mercury-selenium relationship is fragmented and often controversial. As part of a systematic study of mercury and selenium interactions, zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae (a model verterbrate) were exposed to methylmercury chloride or mercuric chloride. The influence of pre- and post-treatment of selenomethionine on the level and distribution of mercury and selenium in the brain and eye sections, as well as on toxicity, were examined. Selenomethionine treatment decreased the amount of maternally transfered mercury in the larval brain. Selenomethionine treatment prior to exposure to mercuric chloride increased both mercury and selenium levels in the brain but decreased their toxic effects. Conversely, methylmercury levels were not changed as a result of selenium pre-treatment, while toxicity was increased. Strikingly, both forms of mercury severely disrupted selenium metabolism, not only by depleting selenium levels due to formation of Hg–Se complexes, but also by blocking selenium transport into and out of tissues, suggesting that restoring normal selenium levels by treating the organism with selenium after mercury exposure may not be possible. Disruption of selenium metabolism by mercury may lead to disruption in function of selenoproteins. Indeed, the production of thyroid hormones by selenoprotein deiodinases was found to be severely impaired as a result of mercury exposure, with selenomethionine not always being a suitable source of selenium to restore thyroid hormone levels.
A proof of concept application of aptachain: ligand-induced self-assembly of a DNA aptamer
Authors: Neves Miguel A. D. , Slavkovic Sladjana , Reinstein Oren , Shoara Aron A. , Johnson Philip E.
Published: January 2019

We present the concept of aptachain. An aptamer is split into two overlapping strands that form an oligomer when it binds its target. Aptachain formation can be used to detect ligand binding and may be beneficial in other biotechnology applications.
Preparation of novel 1,2,3-triazole furocoumarin derivatives via click chemistry and their anti-vitiligo activity
Authors: Niu Chao , Lu Xueying , Aisa Haji Akber
Published: January 2019

A novel 1,2,3-triazole furocoumarin derivatives with anti-vitiligo activity were synthesized via click chemistry.
Curved boundaries and chiral instabilities – two sources of twist in homeotropic nematic tori
Authors: McInerney James P. , Ellis Perry W. , Rocklin D. Zeb , Fernandez-Nieves Alberto , Matsumoto Elisabetta A.
Published: January 2019

In a recent series of experiments, we have shown that 5CB confined to tori and bent cylindrical capillaries with homeotropic boundary conditions also adopts a twisted escaped radial texture resulting from the curved nature of the confining boundaries. As the torus becomes more curved, the ideal location for the escaped core approaches the inner radius of the torus.
Thermophoresis in self-associating systems: probing poloxamer micellization by opto-thermal excitation
Authors: Lattuada Enrico , Buzzaccaro Stefano , Piazza Roberto
Published: January 2019

Thermophoresis in a self-associating system displays surprising features predicted by a simple local balance approach to temperature-dependent association processes.
Fabrication of an amyloid fibril-palladium nanocomposite: a sustainable catalyst for C–H activation and the electrooxidation of ethanol
Authors: Jayarajan Ramasamy , Kumar Rakesh , Gupta Jagriti , Dev Gayathri , Kadu Pradeep , Chatterjee Debdeep , Bahadur Dhirendra , Maiti Debabrata , Maji Samir K.
Published: January 2019

Developed nanostructured α-Synuclein amyloid fibrils-Pd nanocomposite showed superior catalytic activity for C–H activation as well as electrooxidation of ethanol.
Selenium vacancy-rich CoSe2 ultrathin nanomeshes with abundant active sites for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution
Authors: Zhang Yixin , Zhang Chao , Guo Yamei , Liu Dali , Yu Yifu , Zhang Bin
Published: January 2019

CoSe2 ultrathin nanomeshes with abundant selenium vacancies have been synthesized through a plasma-exfoliation method and exhibit an excellent OER performance.
Sensitive colorimetric sensor for point-of-care detection of acetylcholinesterase using cobalt oxyhydroxide nanoflakes
Authors: Jin Rui , Xing Zihao , Kong Deshuai , Yan Xu , Liu Fangmeng , Gao Yuan , Sun Peng , Liang Xishuang , Lu Geyu
Published: January 2019

Point-of-care monitoring of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is of significant importance for pesticide poisoning and disease diagnosis because it plays a pivotal role in biological nerve conduction systems.
Controllable liquid crystal defect arrays induced by an in-plane electric field and their lithographic applications
Authors: Suh Ahram , Ahn Hyungju , Shin Tae Joo , Yoon Dong Ki
Published: January 2019

We control the shape and arrangement of various kinds of liquid crystal (LC) defects in nematic (N) and smectic A (SmA) phases using an in-plane electric field.
A unique activation–promotion mechanism of the influenza B M2 proton channel uncovered by multiscale simulations
Authors: Zhang Yulai , Zhang Hongxing , Zheng Qingchuan
Published: January 2019

Our simulations proposed a unique activation-promotion mechanism for the BM2 channel which hasn’t been reported in other similar proton channels.
An excellent example illustrating the fluorescence sensing property of cobalt–organic frameworks
Authors: Zhang Chuan-Lei , Liu Zi-Teng , Xu Heng , Zheng He-Gen , Ma Jing , Zhao Jing
Published: January 2019

A cobalt–organic framework senses metal ions via fluorescence enhancement and quenching based on exposed pyridyl and carboxyl functional sites.
p16INK4a inhibits the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells through regulating the miR-146b-5p/TRAF6 pathway
Authors: Jiang Mingwei , Lu Wenjia , Ding Xiaomin , Liu Xiaodong , Guo Zhen , Wu Xu
Published: January 2019

Down-regulation of p16INK4a and miR-146b-5p contributes to tumorigenesis in osteosarcoma (OS). However, the correlation between p16INK4a and miR-146b-5p in OS proliferation remains largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that miR-146b-5p expression was positively correlated with p16INK4a in OS, but inversely correlated with TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6) expression. Overexpression of miR-146b-5p dramatically suppressed OS cell proliferation. Mechanistically, we validated TRAF6 as a direct functional target of miR-146b-5p and found that miR-146b-5p overexpression significantly decreased the level of phosphorylated PI3k and Akt, which are the pivotal downstream effectors of TRAF6. Moreover, TRAF6 expression was positively correlated with Ki-67 but inversely correlated with miR-146b-5p expression. In OS cells, silencing of TRAF6 mimicked the anti-tumor effects of miR-146b-5p. p16INK4a is an important tumor suppressor gene frequently down-regulated in OS. We found that this inhibitory effect is associated with the suppression of the miR-146b-5p, and is mediated via up-regulating TRAF6 expression. Our findings identified p16INK4a and miR-146b-5p as tumor suppressors, and suggested p16INK4a, miR-146b-5p and TRAF6 as potential therapeutic candidates for malignant OS.
Near-infrared observations of star formation and gas flows in the NUGA galaxy NGC 1365
Authors: Fazeli Nastaran , Busch Gerold , Valencia-S. Mónica , Eckart Andreas , Zajaček Michal , Combes Françoise , García-Burillo Santiago
Published: January 2019

In the framework of understanding the gas and stellar kinematics and their relations to AGNs and galaxy evolution scenarios, we present spatially resolved distributions and kinematics of the stars and gas in the central ∼800 pc radius of the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 1365. We obtained H + K- and K-band near-infrared (NIR) integral-field observations from VLT/SINFONI. Our results reveal strong broad and narrow emission-line components of ionized gas (hydrogen recombination lines Paα and Brγ) in the nuclear region, as well as hot dust with a temperature of ∼1300 K, both typical for type-1 AGNs. From MBH − σ* and the broad components of hydrogen recombination lines, we find a black-hole mass of (5 − 10)×106 M⊙. In the central ∼800 pc, we find a hot molecular gas mass of ∼615 M⊙, which corresponds to a cold molecular gas reservoir of (2 − 8)×108 M⊙. However, there is a molecular gas deficiency in the nuclear region. The gas and stellar-velocity maps both show rotation patterns consistent with the large-scale rotation of the galaxy. However, the gaseous and stellar kinematics show deviations from pure disk rotation, which suggest streaming motions in the central < 200 pc and a velocity twist at the location of the ring which indicates deviations in disk and ring rotation velocities in accordance with published CO kinematics. We detect a blueshifted emission line split in Paα, associated with the nuclear region only. We investigate the star-formation properties of the hot spots in the circumnuclear ring which have starburst ages of ≲10 Myr and find indications for an age gradient on the western side of the ring. In addition, our high-resolution data reveal further substructure within this ring which also shows enhanced star forming activity close to the nucleus.
The Technology to Identify Firebreak Plowing Objects Based on the Satellite Data of the Earth Remote Sensing
Authors: Maltsev Evgenii A. , Maglinets Yuri A. , Tsibulskii Gennady M.
Published: January 2019

This work describes the technology to identify firebreak plowing objects of agriculture fields based on the satellite data of the Earth Remote Sensing within the medium and high spatial resolution. The technology uses a model of the firebreak plowing object, vegetation indexes and spatial relations between objects.
Extension of training set using mean shift procedure for aerospace images classification
Authors: Sinyavskiy Yuriy N. , Melnikov Pavel V. , Pestunov Igor A.
Published: January 2019

An effective method of training set extension for aerospace images classification is proposed. The method is based on mean shift procedure with respect to spatial information. It allows considering the unlabeled data structure. The results of experimental study using the Salinas hyperspectral image are presented, proving the effectiveness of the proposed method.
NON-PARAMETRIC APPROACH FOR PRELIMINARY PROCESSING OF EARTH REMOTE SENSING DATA
Authors: Maksim A Denisov , Ekaterina A Chzhan , Anna A Korneeva
Published: January 2019

Researches described in the paper are aimed at studying the methods of data preprocessing from a sample of observations of a system characterized by input-output values of variables. We consider the data containing omissions and outliers. Algorithms for leveling outliers in a sample of observations, as well as algorithms for filling data gaps are presented. In addition, it is implemented a data repair algorithm that is able to recover lost values (outliers) after their exclusion. Our studies are useful in geographic information systems or in the analysis of information received from satellites during remote sensing of the earth.
Complex for reception and real time processing of remote sensing data
Authors: Yakubailik Oleg , Romas'ko Victor , Pavlichenko Evgeny
Published: January 2019

The basic problems and trends in the development of modern systems for the reception, storage and real-time processing of satellite data are considered. Abrupt increase in the capability of satellite systems, significant increase in the amount of satellite information and its availability, the development of data processing and presentation technologies, and the use of web technologies are discussed. Data sources of modern remote sensing systems of the Earth and the features of their practical use are considered. It is concluded that the most effective way to obtain real-time information from meteorological satellites are satellite stations that receive data in the X-band at a frequency of 8 GHz. The performance characteristics and capabilities of the equipment of the new satellite receiving complex at Krasnoyarsk Science Center are given. Use of up-to-date computer equipment (high-performance servers and storage systems, local area network with a bandwidth of 10 Gbit/s) and logical separation into the stages of data conversion (data reception, primary and thematic processing) provide the construction of a modern scalable data-processing system for remote sensing data. The paper presents the results of the work on creation of specialized software for information and analytical systems for real-time satellite monitoring.
Software for data visualization in the system of real-time satellite monitoring
Authors: Yakubailik Oleg , Kadochnikov Alexey , Tokarev Alexey
Published: January 2019

Methods for creating multi-layered mapping representation for the real-time satellite monitoring systems, based on web-GIS technologies, are considered. The generated map can contain a set of raster and vector thematic layers of spatial data, additional information layers of images from below (a basic map - a substrate) and from above (a layer of labels) of user’s thematic data. The client software provides interactivity of the created maps in a standard web browser. The configuration of the data presentation provides the ability to select spatial data format according to the client (vector or raster), control various display options (interactive legend, list of fields displayed in attribute tables). It also provides application of custom templates to display table information on layer objects, arrangement of data access rights - from opportunities to visualize a layer or map through a web browser to providing direct access to them through standard mapping WMS/WFS web services, web-based editing, or shape-file downloads. An integral part of thematic web maps, based on the geo-portal, is a customized rasterization and data caching service that provides a noticeable performance increase for "heavy" multi-layer maps. A set of mapping substrates, such as schematic maps, satellite images mosaics, digital terrain models, spatial data of outside web services are a good addition to maps on geoportal.
First-principle investigation on electronic structures and magnetic properties of EuNbO3 phases
Authors: Xu Sheng , Gu Yanni , Zhang Xiaoli , Wu Xiaoshan
Published: January 2019

Recently, structure phase transitions were experimentally found in europium niobate (EuNbO3). Here, we present a density-functional theory (DFT) investigation of structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the experimentally observed three phases of EuNbO3: orthorhombic (space group Imma), tetragonal (I4/mcm) and cubic (Pmm). The calculated structural parameters and magnetic properties of the ground state are in agreement with available experimental results. The ground states of the orthorhombic and cubic phases are ferromagnetic metals and the tetragonal phase is predicted as an antiferromagnetic metal. Besides, the Eu atom has the magnetic moment of 6.9 μB/atom in the EuNbO3 phases. The present study provides a theoretical approach to understand EuNbO3 in its different phases.