bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artemisia annua extract prevents ovariectomy-induced bone loss by blocking receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand-induced differentiation of osteoclasts
Authors: Lee Sun Kyoung , Kim Hyungkeun , Park Junhee , Kim Hyun-Jeong , Kim Ki Rim , Son Seung Hwa , Park Kwang-Kyun , Chung Won-Yoon
Published: December 2017

The activities of osteoclasts and osteoblasts are balanced to maintain normal bone density. Many pathological conditions cause osteoclastic bone resorption in excess of osteoblastic bone formation, resulting in osteoporosis. We found that oral administration of Artemisia annua ethanol extract (AaE) or major components, artemisinin and arteannuin B, to ovariectomized (OVX) mice prevented bone loss, as verified by examining three-dimensional images and bone morphometric parameters derived from microcomputed tomography analysis, as well as serum levels of bone turnover markers and proinflammatory cytokines. The administered doses were not toxic to the liver or kidney and showed promising effects that were comparable to those of 17β-estradiol treatment. At non-cytotoxic concentrations, AaE and active components, artemisinin, artemisinic acid, and arteannuin B, potently inhibited receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and the formation of osteoclast-mediated resorption pits. Furthermore, AaE, artemisinin, and arteannuin B remarkably reduced the expression of the c-Fos and NFATc1 transcription factors, which play critical roles in RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation. Taken together, the in vivo anti-osteoporotic activity of AaE may be derived from the anti-osteoclastic and anti-bone resorptive activities of its active components. AaE has beneficial applications for the prevention and inhibition of osteoporosis and osteoclast-mediated bone diseases.
Recent evolution in use and effectiveness in mainland China of thoracic endovascular aortic repair of type B aortic dissection
Authors: Xiong Jiang , Chen Chen , Wu Zhongyin , Chen Duanduan , Guo Wei
Published: December 2017

A meta-analysis was performed on 175 studies selected among those published in mainland China between 2008 and 2015 on thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type B aortic dissection (AD). Most TEVAR were performed in Shanghai, Beijing, Hubei and Guangdong in patients with mean age of 53.9 years, and acute (70%) or chronic (30%) type B AD. Procedural success rate was 99.1 ± 0.8%. Major complication rate was 1.7 ± 2.3%, with paraplegia in 0.4 ± 0.0%. Overall in-hospital mortality rate was 1.6 ± 0.9% with AD rupture in 30% (about 40% during first postoperative day); follow-up mortality rate was 2.3 ± 1.1%, with AD rupture in 39.2% (50% within first year). Compared with 2001–2007 data from China, there appeared to be improvement in rates of major complications, paraplegia and in-hospital mortality. Compared with 1999–2004 Western data, rates of procedural success, stroke, and paraplegia appeared similar, while those for major complications, in-hospital mortality, retrograde type A dissection and follow-up mortality appeared lower. Compared with more recent Western data (2006–2013) on acute complicated type B AD, stroke, paraplegia, in-hospital mortality and follow-up mortality appeared lower. Therefore, in mainland China, safety for TEVAR of type B AD appeared better between 2008 and 2015 than in previous periods in China or Western countries.
SNP co-association and network analyses identify E2F3, KDM5A and BACH2 as key regulators of the bovine milk fatty acid profile
Authors: Pegolo Sara , Dadousis Christos , Mach Núria , Ramayo-Caldas Yuliaxis , Mele Marcello , Conte Giuseppe , Schiavon Stefano , Bittante Giovanni , Cecchinato Alessio
Published: December 2017

The fatty acid (FA) profile has a considerable impact on the nutritional and technological quality of milk and dairy products. The molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of fat metabolism in bovine mammary gland have been not completely elucidated. We conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) across 65 milk FAs and fat percentage in 1,152 Brown Swiss cows. In total, we identified 175 significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) spanning all chromosomes. Pathway analyses revealed that 12:0 was associated with the greatest number of overrepresented categories/pathways (e.g. mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity and protein phosphorylation), suggesting that it might play an important biological role in controlling milk fat composition. An Associated Weight Matrix approach based on SNP co-associations predicted a network of 791 genes related to the milk FA profile, which were involved in several connected molecular pathways (e.g., MAPK, lipid metabolism and hormone signalling) and undetectable through standard GWAS. Analysis of transcription factors and their putative target genes within the network identifiedBACH2,E2F3andKDM5Aas key regulators of milk FA metabolism. These findings contribute to increasing knowledge of FA metabolism and mammary gland functionality in dairy cows and may be useful in developing targeted breeding practices to improve milk quality.
Evaluation of serum epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in correlation to circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Banys-Paluchowski Malgorzata , Witzel Isabell , Riethdorf Sabine , Rack Brigitte , Janni Wolfgang , Fasching Peter A. , Solomayer Erich-Franz , Aktas Bahriye , Kasimir-Bauer Sabine , Pantel Klaus , Fehm Tanja , Müller Volkmar
Published: December 2017

Overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor in breast cancer is associated with estrogen receptor negativity, higher histological grade and larger tumors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of serum EGFR (sEGFR) in relation to circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in metastatic breast cancer. 252 patients were enrolled in this prospective multicentre study. Blood was drawn before start of a new line of therapy. sEGFR was determined using a sandwich-type ELISA. CTCs were detected using CellSearch. sEGFR was determined in 48 healthy controls and 252 patients, with no significant differences between the two groups. Clinical-pathological parameters did not correlate with sEGFR, irrespective of the cutoff chosen. Patients with sEGFR levels above the 50th and 75th percentile were more likely to present with <5 CTCs per 7.5 ml blood (p = 0.007; p = 0.003). Patients with sEGFR ≥73 ng/ml had significantly longer overall survival than those with sEGFR <73 ng/ml (19.7 vs. 15.2 months; p = 0.007). In the multivariate analysis, presence of ≥5 CTCs, higher grading and higher line of therapy remained independent predictors of shorter OS, while only higher line of therapy and presence of ≥5 CTCs were independent predictors of shorter PFS.
Boosting with recombinant MVA expressing M. tuberculosis α-crystallin antigen augments the protection imparted by BCG against tuberculosis in guinea pigs
Authors: Nangpal Prachi , Bahal Ritika Kar , Tyagi Anil K.
Published: December 2017

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major causes of mortality all over the globe. BCG, the only vaccine available against this disease has been successful in preventing the severe forms of childhood TB. However, the unsatisfactory performance of BCG in controlling the adult pulmonary tuberculosis has made the development of an effective vaccine against M. tuberculosis a prime objective of the TB research. In this study, a genetically stable, marker-free recombinant MVA expressing α-crystallin of M. tuberculosis (rMVA.acr) was generated which was further evaluated for its ability to impart protection as a booster vaccine against tuberculosis in a heterologous prime boost approach. Our results demonstrated that intradermal delivery of rMVA.acr was able to efficiently boost the BCG induced protection against M. tuberculosis infection in guinea pigs by significantly reducing the pulmonary bacillary load (1.27 log10 fewer bacilli) in comparison to BCG vaccination alone. In addition, boosting BCG vaccinated animals with intramuscular delivery of rMVA.acr resulted in significantly superior protective efficacy in both lungs and spleen with 0.83 log10 and 0.74 log10 CFU fewer bacilli, respectively, when compared to animals vaccinated with BCG only. These findings establish the promise of this prime-boost strategy involving rMVA.acr in enhancing the efficacy of BCG.
Two-dimensional semiconductors ZrNCl and HfNCl: Stability, electric transport, and thermoelectric properties
Authors: Yun Won Seok , Lee J. D.
Published: December 2017

Searching for novel two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting materials is a challenging issue. We investigate novel 2D semiconductors ZrNCl and HfNCl which would be isolated to single layers from van der Waals layered bulk materials, i.e., ternary transition-metal nitride halides. Their isolations are unquestionably supported through an investigation of their cleavage energies as well as their thermodynamic stability based on the ab initio molecular dynamics and phonon dispersion calculations. Strain engineering is found to be available for both single-layer (1L) ZrNCl and 1L-HfNCl, where a transition from an indirect to direct band gap is attained under a tensile strain. It is also found that 1L-ZrNCl has an excellent electron mobility of about 1.2 × 103 cm2 V−1 s−1, which is significantly higher than that of 1L-MoS2. Lastly, it is indicated that these systems have good thermoelectric properties, i.e., high Seebeck coefficient and high power factor. With these findings, 1L-ZrNCl and 1L-HfNCl would be novel promising 2D materials for a wide range of optoelectronic and thermoelectric applications.
Dual-specificity phosphatase 5 acts as an anti-inflammatory regulator by inhibiting the ERK and NF-κB signaling pathways
Authors: Seo Huiyun , Cho Young-Chang , Ju Anna , Lee Sewoong , Park Byoung Chul , Park Sung Goo , Kim Jeong-Hoon , Kim Kwonseop , Cho Sayeon
Published: December 2017

Although dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5), which inactivates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), suppresses tumors in several types of cancer, its functional roles remain largely unknown. Here, we show that DUSP5 is induced during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammation and inhibits nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity. DUSP5 mRNA and protein expression increased transiently in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and then returned to basal levels. DUSP5 overexpression in RAW 264.7 cells suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), whereas knockdown of DUSP5 increased their expression. Investigation of two major inflammatory signaling pathways, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and NF-κB, using activator protein-1 (AP-1) and NF-κB reporter plasmids, respectively, showed that NF-κB transcription activity was downregulated by DUSP5 in a phosphatase activity-independent manner whereas AP-1 activity was inhibited by DUSP5 phosphatase activity towards ERK,. Further investigation showed that DUSP5 directly interacts with transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) and inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinases (IKKs) but not with IκBα. DUSP5 binding to IKKs interfered with the association of TAK1 with IKKs, suggesting that DUSP5 might act as a competitive inhibitor of TAK1-IKKs association. Therefore, we propose that DUSP5 negatively regulates ERK and NF-κB in a phosphatase activity-dependent and -independent manner, respectively.
Myosin-X knockout is semi-lethal and demonstrates that myosin-X functions in neural tube closure, pigmentation, hyaloid vasculature regression, and filopodia formation
Authors: Heimsath Ernest G. , Yim Yang-In , Mustapha Mirna , Hammer John A. , Cheney Richard E.
Published: December 2017

Myosin-X (Myo10) is an unconventional myosin best known for its striking localization to the tips of filopodia. Despite the broad expression of Myo10 in vertebrate tissues, its functions at the organismal level remain largely unknown. We report here the generation of KO-first (Myo10
tm1a/tm1a
), floxed (Myo10
tm1c/tm1c
), and KO mice (Myo10
tm1d/tm1d
). Complete knockout of Myo10 is semi-lethal, with over half of homozygous KO embryos exhibiting exencephaly, a severe defect in neural tube closure. All Myo10 KO mice that survive birth exhibit a white belly spot, all have persistent fetal vasculature in the eye, and ~50% have webbed digits. Myo10 KO mice that survive birth can breed and produce litters of KO embryos, demonstrating that Myo10 is not absolutely essential for mitosis, meiosis, adult survival, or fertility. KO-first mice and an independent spontaneous deletion (Myo10
m1J/m1J
) exhibit the same core phenotypes. During retinal angiogenesis, KO mice exhibit a ~50% decrease in endothelial filopodia, demonstrating that Myo10 is required to form normal numbers of filopodia in vivo. The Myo10 mice generated here demonstrate that Myo10 has important functions in mammalian development and provide key tools for defining the functions of Myo10 in vivo.
A novel Tn1696-like composite transposon (Tn6404) harboring bla
IMP-4 in a Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate carrying a rare ESBL gene bla
SFO-1
Authors: Zhou Kai , Yu Wei , Shen Ping , Lu Haifeng , Wang Baohong , Rossen John W. A. , Xiao Yonghong
Published: December 2017

Genetic determinants of a clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate (KP1814) coproducing IMP-4 and a rare ESBL gene SFO-1 was investigated. KP1814 belongs to a novel sequence type (ST) assigned to ST2270. WGS identified four circular DNA sequences in KP1814, including two multidrug-resistance (MDR) plasmids, one virulence plasmid, and one circular form. The MDR plasmid pKP1814-1 (299.9 Kb) is untypeable, and carries two large mosaic multiresistance regions (MRRs). blaSFO-1 and blaIMP-4 co-exists on MRR1, and blaSFO-1 is associated with an IS/Tn-independent genetic context. blaIMP-4 is carried by a novel In804-like integron (intlI-blaIMP-4-Kl.pn.I3-qacG2-aacA4-catB3∆) associated with a novel Tn1696-like transposon (designed Tn6404) flanked by IS5075. The other MDR plasmid pKP1814-3 is a 95,701-bp IncFII plasmid, and is a hybrid of a Shigella flexneri plasmid pSF07201 and an E. coli plasmid pCA08. All resistance genes of pKP1814-3 were detected in a ~16-kb IS26-flanked composite transposon carried by a Tn5396 transposon. The circular form (18.3 Kb) was composed of two parts belonging to pKP1814-1 and pKP1814-3, respectively. The plasmid pKP1814-2, carrying multiple virulence factors, encodes IncFIBK and IncFIIK replicons with a size of 187,349 bp. The coexistence of MDR and virulence plasmids largely enhances the bacterial fitness in the host and environment.
A Dilatometric Study of Tempering Complemented by Mössbauer Spectroscopy and other Characterization Techniques
Authors: Vieira I. , Klemm-Toole J. , Buchner E. , Williamson D. L. , Findley K. O. , De Moor E.
Published: December 2017

A new approach for non-isothermal tempering analysis utilizing dilatometry is proposed and was carried out on a medium carbon steel with high silicon and additions of Mo and V for secondary hardening. The method includes a second non-isothermal step performed with the same heating rate (2 °C/min) used for the first step in order to create a baseline for analysis. The results were correlated with several other characterization techniques. Mössbauer spectroscopy confirmed the formation of transition carbides by auto-tempering as well as the presence of retained austenite decomposition (stage II) and cementite precipitation (stage III), which demonstrated significant overlap. Electrical resistivity measurements were correlated with dislocation densities obtained through X-ray diffraction analysis. Transmission electron microscopy dark field images confirmed the secondary hardening assessment from dilatometry.
Insulin-like peptide 3 expressed in the silkworm possesses intrinsic disulfide bonds and full biological activity
Authors: Miyazaki Takatsugu , Ishizaki Masaaki , Dohra Hideo , Park Sungjo , Terzic Andre , Kato Tatsuya , Kohsaka Tetsuya , Park Enoch Y.
Published: December 2017

Insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) is a member of the relaxin/insulin superfamily and is expressed in testicular Leydig cells. Essential for fetal testis descent, INSL3 has been implicated in testicular and sperm function in adult males via interaction with relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 2 (RXFP2). The INSL3 is typically prepared using chemical synthesis or overexpression in Escherichia coli followed by oxidative refolding and proteolysis. Here, we expressed and purified full-length porcine INSL3 (pINSL3) using a silkworm-based Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus bacmid expression system. Biophysical measurements and proteomic analysis revealed that this recombinant pINSL3 exhibited the correct conformation, with the three critical disulfide bonds observed in native pINSL3, although partial cleavage occurred. In cAMP stimulation assays using RXFP2-expressing HEK293 cells, the recombinant pINSL3 possessed full biological activity. This is the first report concerning the production of fully active pINSL3 without post-expression treatments and provides an efficient production platform for expressing relaxin/insulin superfamily peptides.
The Toll–Like Receptor 2/6 Agonist, FSL–1 Lipopeptide, Therapeutically Mitigates Acute Radiation Syndrome
Authors: Kurkjian Cathryn J. , Guo Hao , Montgomery Nathan D. , Cheng Ning , Yuan Hong , Merrill Joseph R. , Sempowski Gregory D. , Brickey W. June , Ting Jenny P.-Y.
Published: December 2017

Risks of radiation exposure from nuclear incidents and cancer radiotherapy are undeniable realities. These dangers urgently compel the development of agents for ameliorating radiation–induced injuries. Biologic pathways mediated by myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), the common adaptor for toll–like receptor (TLR) and Interleukin–1 receptor signaling, are critical for radioprotection. Treating with agonists prior to radiation enhances survival by activating TLR signaling, whereas radiomitigating TLR–activating therapeutics given after exposure are less defined. We examine the radiomitigation capability of TLR agonists and identify one that is superior for its efficacy and reduced toxic consequences compared to other tested agonists. We demonstrate that the synthetic TLR2/6 ligand Fibroblast–stimulating lipopeptide (FSL–1) substantially prolongs survival in both male and female mice when administered 24 hours after radiation and shows MyD88–dependent function. FSL–1 treatment results in accelerated hematopoiesis in bone marrow, spleen and periphery, and augments systemic levels of hematopoiesis–stimulating factors. The ability of FSL–1 to stimulate hematopoiesis is critical, as hematopoietic dysfunction results from a range of ionizing radiation doses. The efficacy of a single FSL–1 dose for alleviating radiation injury while protecting against adverse effects reveals a viable radiation countermeasures agent.
Energy harvesting efficiency of piezoelectric polymer film with graphene and metal electrodes
Authors: Park Sanghoon , Kim Yura , Jung Hyosub , Park Jun-Young , Lee Naesung , Seo Yongho
Published: December 2017

In this study, we investigated an energy harvesting effect of tensile stress using piezoelectric polymers and flexible electrodes. A chemical-vapor-deposition grown graphene film was transferred onto both sides of the PVDF and P(VDF-TrFE) films simultaneously by means of a conventional wet chemical method. Output voltage induced by sound waves was measured and analyzed when a mechanical tension was applied to the device. Another energy harvester was made with a metallic electrode, where Al and Ag were deposited by using an electron-beam evaporator. When acoustic vibrations (105 dB) were applied to the graphene/PVDF/graphene device, an induced voltage of 7.6 Vpp was measured with a tensile stress of 1.75 MPa, and this was increased up to 9.1 Vpp with a stress of 2.18 MPa for the metal/P(VDF-TrFE)/metal device. The 9 metal/PVDF/metal layers were stacked as an energy harvester, and tension was applied by using springs. Also, we fabricated a full-wave rectifying circuit to store the electrical energy in a 100 μF capacitor, and external vibration generated the electrical charges. As a result, the stored voltage at the capacitor, obtained from the harvester via a bridge diode rectifier, was saturated to ~7.04 V after 180 s charging time.
Functional and evolutionary analysis of Korean bob-tailed native dog using whole-genome sequencing data
Authors: Lee Daehwan , Lim Dajeong , Kwon Daehong , Kim Juyeon , Lee Jongin , Sim Mikang , Choi Bong-Hwan , Choi Seog-Gyu , Kim Jaebum
Published: December 2017

Rapid and cost effective production of large-scale genome data through next-generation sequencing has enabled population-level studies of various organisms to identify their genotypic differences and phenotypic consequences. This is also used to study indigenous animals with historical and economical values, although they are less studied than model organisms. The objective of this study was to perform functional and evolutionary analysis of Korean bob-tailed native dog Donggyeong with distinct tail and agility phenotype using whole-genome sequencing data by using population and comparative genomics approaches. Based on the uniqueness of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms obtained from next-generation sequencing data, Donggyeong dog-specific genes/proteins and their functions were identified by comparison with 12 other dog breeds and six other related species. These proteins were further divided into subpopulation-specific ones with different tail length and protein interaction-level signatures were investigated. Finally, the trajectory of shaping protein interactions of subpopulation-specific proteins during evolution was uncovered. This study expands our knowledge of Korean native dogs. Our results also provide a good example of using whole-genome sequencing data for population-level analysis in closely related species.
Correction: Corrigendum: The Coral Trait Database, a curated database of trait information for coral species from the global oceans
Authors: Madin Joshua S. , Anderson Kristen D. , Andreasen Magnus Heide , Bridge Tom C.L. , Cairns Stephen D. , Connolly Sean R. , Darling Emily S. , Diaz Marcela , Falster Daniel S. , Franklin Erik C. , Gates Ruth D. , Harmer Aaron M.T. , Hoogenboom Mia O. , Huang Danwei , Keith Sally A. , Kosnik Matthew A. , Kuo Chao-Yang , Lough Janice M. , Lovelock Catherine E. , Luiz Osmar , Martinelli Julieta , Mizerek Toni , Pandolfi John M. , Pochon Xavier , Pratchett Morgan S. , Putnam Hollie M. , Roberts T. Edward , Stat Michael , Wallace Carden C. , Widman Elizabeth , Baird Andrew H.
Published: December 2017

Scientific Data 3:160017 doi: 10.1038/sdata.2016.17 (2016); Published 29 March 2016; Updated 5 December 2017. The authors regret that Aaron Harmer was omitted in error from the author list of the original version of this Data Descriptor. This omission has now been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions.
MatchingLand, geospatial data testbed for the assessment of matching methods
Authors: Xavier Emerson M. A. , Ariza-López Francisco J. , Ureña-Cámara Manuel A.
Published: December 2017

This article presents datasets prepared with the aim of helping the evaluation of geospatial matching methods for vector data. These datasets were built up from mapping data produced by official Spanish mapping agencies. The testbed supplied encompasses the three geometry types: point, line and area. Initial datasets were submitted to geometric transformations in order to generate synthetic datasets. These transformations represent factors that might influence the performance of geospatial matching methods, like the morphology of linear or areal features, systematic transformations, and random disturbance over initial data. We call our 11 GiB benchmark data ‘MatchingLand’ and we hope it can be useful for the geographic information science research community.
Correction: Corrigendum: Transcriptomic profiling of 39 commonly-used neuroblastoma cell lines
Authors: Harenza Jo Lynne , Diamond Maura A. , Adams Rebecca N. , Song Michael M. , Davidson Heather L. , Hart Lori S. , Dent Maiah H. , Fortina Paolo , Reynolds C. Patrick , Maris John M.
Published: December 2017

Scientific Data 4:170033 doi: 10.1038/sdata.2017.33 (2017); Published 28 March 2017; Updated: 5 December 2017. The growth media for the cell lines CHP-212 and IMR-32 listed in Table 1 of this Data Descriptor were incorrectly stated. The cell line labelled as ‘NB-16’ in Fig. 2, Table 1, and Table 2 was incorrectly recorded.
Construction of novel nanocomposite ZnO@CoFe2O4 microspheres grown on nickel foam for high performance electrochemical supercapacitors
Authors: Reddy Araveeti Eswar , Anitha Tarugu , Muralee Gopi Chandu V. V. , Rao S. Srinivasa , Naresh Bandari , Kim Hee-Je
Published: December 2017

A ZnO@CoFe2O4 composite electrode exhibits superior specific capacitance and cycling stability than a CoFe2O4 electrode.
A novel selenoalkenyl-isoxazole based donor–acceptor nonlinear optical material
Authors: Holzer Brigitte , Stöger Berthold , Kautny Paul , Reider Georg , Hametner Christian , Fröhlich Johannes , Lumpi Daniel
Published: December 2017

A novel selenium-based donor–acceptor molecule with high second harmonic generation efficiency is presented.
Quantifying the thickness of the electrical double layer neutralizing a planar electrode: the capacitive compactness
Authors: Guerrero-García Guillermo Iván , González-Tovar Enrique , Chávez-Páez Martín , Kłos Jacek , Lamperski Stanisław
Published: December 2017

The capacity compactness is a novel measure of the diffuse electrical double layer extension in terms of an effective capacitor.
Suppressing the effect of lithium dendritic growth by the addition of magnesium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide
Authors: Shimizu Masahiro , Umeki Makoto , Arai Susumu
Published: December 2017

Practical applications of Li–S and Li–air batteries require the morphology of the Li metal negative electrode during charge/discharge (i.e., Li-deposition/dissolution) cycling to be precisely controlled.
The effect of surfactants on electrohydrodynamic jet printing and the performance of organic field-effect transistors
Authors: Li Xinlin , Jeong Yong Jin , Jang Jaeyoung , Lim Sooman , Kim Se Hyun
Published: December 2017

In this article, we report on the direct writing of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite inks based on three different surfactants via the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing technique.
Activation volumes for cis-to-trans isomerisation reactions of azophenols: a clear mechanistic indicator?
Authors: Garcia-Amorós Jaume , Stopa Grzegorz , Stochel Grazyna , van Eldik Rudi , Martínez Manuel , Velasco Dolores
Published: December 2017

The thermal cis-to-trans isomerisation reaction of a series of hydroxy-substituted azo derivatives was studied kinetico-mechanistically as a function of temperature and pressure in order to investigate the possible role of the solvent in controlling the isomerisation mechanism, viz. inversion versus rotation.
Chiral reagents in glycosylation and modification of carbohydrates
Authors: Wang Hao-Yuan , Blaszczyk Stephanie A. , Xiao Guozhi , Tang Weiping
Published: December 2017

This review summarizes recent advances in stereoselective glycosylation and site-selective functionalization of carbohydrates mediated by chiral reagents including chiral auxiliaries and chiral catalysts.
Solution structure of a pentachromium(ii) single molecule magnet from DFT calculations, isotopic labelling and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Dirvanauskas Aivaras , Galavotti Rita , Lunghi Alessandro , Nicolini Alessio , Roncaglia Fabrizio , Totti Federico , Cornia Andrea
Published: December 2017

Solution NMR spectroscopy on isotopically-labelled samples of [Cr5(tpda)4Cl2] unveils a D4 symmetric molecule, implying fast shuttling between the two unsymmetric ground configurations over NMR timescale.
Comment on “Alternative strategy for a safe rechargeable battery” by M. H. Braga, N. S. Grundish, A. J. Murchison and J. B. Goodenough, Energy Environ. Sci., 2017, 10, 331–336
Authors: Steingart Daniel A. , Viswanathan Venkatasubramanian
Published: December 2017

Braga et al. demonstrated a series of electrochemical cells with a novel solid electrolyte, but the mechanistic process as described in the paper constitutes a first-law violation.
Interactions of flavonoids with α-amylase and starch slowing down its digestion
Authors: Takahama Umeo , Hirota Sachiko
Published: December 2017

Hydrophobic flavonoids can suppress starch digestion in the intestine by forming starch-flavonoid complexes.
Purification of crude In(OH)3 using the functionalized ionic liquid betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide
Authors: Deferm Clio , Luyten Jan , Oosterhof Harald , Fransaer Jan , Binnemans Koen
Published: December 2017

A process was developed to purify crude In(OH)3 using a combined leaching/extraction system based on the thermomorphic and acidic properties of the ionic liquid [Hbet][Tf2N].
Impact of complex surfaces on biomicrorheological measurements using optical tweezers
Authors: Zhang Shu , Gibson Lachlan J. , Stilgoe Alexander B. , Nieminen Timo A. , Rubinsztein-Dunlop Halina
Published: December 2017

The characterisation of physical properties in biologically relevant processes and the development of novel microfluidic devices for this purpose are experiencing a great resurgence at present.
Coupling effects in 3D plasmonic structures templated by Morpho butterfly wings
Authors: He Jiaqing , Shen Qingchen , Yang Shuai , He Gufeng , Tao Peng , Song Chengyi , Wu Jianbo , Deng Tao , Shang Wen
Published: December 2017

The investigation of coupling in 3D biotemplated Au nanostrips provides new insights into the understanding of 3D plasmonic structures.
Large-area niobium disulfide thin films as transparent electrodes for devices based on two-dimensional materials
Authors: Bark Hunyoung , Choi Yongsuk , Jung Jaehyuck , Kim Jung Hwa , Kwon Hyukjoon , Lee Jinhwan , Lee Zonghoon , Cho Jeong Ho , Lee Changgu
Published: December 2017

Large-area NbS2 films have been synthesized by using the chemical vapor deposition method and exhibited their potential as transparent electrodes for 2D semiconductor devices.
Biodegradable MoOx nanoparticles with efficient near-infrared photothermal and photodynamic synergetic cancer therapy at the second biological window
Authors: Yin Wenyan , Bao Tao , Zhang Xiao , Gao Qin , Yu Jie , Dong Xinghua , Yan Liang , Gu Zhanjun , Zhao Yuliang
Published: December 2017

Biodegradable MoOx nanoparticles not only can convert light into heat but also generate ROS which realized synergic mild PTT and PDT under NIR-II laser (1064 nm) irradiation.
A switch from anionic to bifunctional H-bonding catalyzed ring-opening polymerizations towards polyether–polyester diblock copolymers
Authors: Liu Yaya , Wang Xin , Li Zhenjiang , Wei Fulan , Zhu Hui , Dong He , Chen Siming , Sun Herui , Yang Kun , Guo Kai
Published: December 2017

A switch of an anionic ROP of epoxides into a bifunctional H-bonding ROP of cyclic esters paved a new avenue to one-pot, sequential, and block copolymerizations to previously rare polyether-block-polyester copolymers.
A supramolecular peptide polymer from hydrogen-bond and coordination-driven self-assembly
Authors: Zhu Xiaomin , Zou Rongfeng , Sun Peng , Wang Qi , Wu Junchen
Published: December 2017

A terpyridine- and guanine-functionalized peptide was developed that could form different morphologies by self-assembly or coordination with Fe2+ in dimethyl sulfoxide.
In situ preparation of uniform and ultrafine SnO2 nanocrystals anchored within a mesoporous carbon network as advanced anode materials
Authors: Hu Jinlong , Li Xiaowei , Li Le , Qi Meiwei , Chen Xiaoxia , Zuo Quan , Xu Weijian
Published: December 2017

This work reports a novel IEHM approach to prepare a SnO2/C nanocomposite, which exhibits excellent electrochemical performance as an anode of LIBs.
Intermolecular addition of alcohols to carbodiimides catalyzed by rare-earth metal amides
Authors: Hu Lijuan , Lu Chengrong , Zhao Bei , Yao Yingming
Published: December 2017

Various isoureas were obtained in good to excellent yields via the addition reaction using La[N(SiMe3)2]3 as the catalyst.
Sedimentation velocity analysis of TMPyP4-induced dimer formation of human telomeric G-quadruplex
Authors: Gao Yating , Guang Tianlei , Ye Xiaodong
Published: December 2017

Analytical ultracentrifugation sedimentation velocity (AUC-SV) was used to study the interactions between TMPyP4 and AGGG(TTAGGG)3 (Tel22) and the TMPyP4-induced dimer formation of G-quadruplex.
Rapid crystal growth of bimetallic PdPt nanocrystals with surface atomic Pt cluster decoration provides promising oxygen reduction activity
Authors: Wang Kuan-Wen , Yu Zhuang , Hu Alice , Hsu Yang-Yang , Chen Tian-Lin , Lin Cheng-Yang , Hu Chih-Wei , Yang Ya-Tang , Chen Tsan-Yao
Published: December 2017

A PdPt nanocatalyst with high density atomic Pt cluster in Pd nanocrystal surface is developed by a rapid crystal growth method. Such a heterogeneous structure offers easy oxygen reduction pathways with promising mass activity in bimetallic PdPt nanocatalyst.
Revealing the dependence of the physiochemical and mechanical properties of cement composites on graphene oxide concentration
Authors: Gholampour Aliakbar , Kiamahalleh Meisam Valizadeh , Tran Diana N. H. , Ozbakkaloglu Togay , Losic Dusan
Published: December 2017

This paper presents a comprehensive study to evaluate the influence of graphene oxide (GO) concentration on the physiochemical and mechanical properties of cement mortar composites.
Visible-light-mediated antifungal bamboo based on Fe-doped TiO2 thin films
Authors: Li Jingpeng , Ren Danjing , Wu Zaixing , Huang Chengjian , Yang Huimin , Chen Yuhe , Yu Hui
Published: December 2017

A visible-light-mediated antifungal bamboo based on Fe-doped TiO2 thin films was successfully fabricated through a facile one-step homogeneous precipitation method.
Metallic 1T-TiS2 nanodots anchored on a 2D graphitic C3N4 nanosheet nanostructure with high electron transfer capability for enhanced photocatalytic performance
Authors: Liu Yang , She Xiaojie , Zhang Xiaoni , Liang Chenglu , Wu Jingjie , Yu Peng , Nakanishi Yusuke , Xie Banghu , Xu Hui , Ajayan Pulickel M. , Yang Wei
Published: December 2017

The introduction of metallic TiS2 nanodots in 2D-C3N4 nanosheets improved the photocatalytic activity due to the suppression of e–h recombination.
A mitochondria-targeting ratiometric fluorescent probe for the detection of hypochlorite based on the FRET strategy
Authors: Shen Shi-Li , Zhang Xiao-Fan , Ge Yan-Qing , Zhu Yan , Cao Xiao-Qun
Published: December 2017

A novel mitochondria-targeting ratiometric probe (IRP) for−OCl based on an imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine-rhodamine FRET platform was developed.
An on–off–on gold nanocluster-based fluorescent probe for sensitive detection of organophosphorus pesticides
Authors: Luo Q. J. , Li Z. G. , Lai J. H. , Li F. Q. , Qiu P. , Wang X. L.
Published: December 2017

In this study, a highly sensitive fluorescent probe based on bovine serum protein-protected gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) was developed for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs).
Electrospun polyacrylonitrile/β-cyclodextrin based porous carbon nanofiber self-supporting electrode for capacitive deionization
Authors: Zhang Hexuan , Xie Zhengzheng , Wang Yanbo , Shang Xiaohong , Nie Pengfei , Liu Jianyun
Published: December 2017

With β-CD as both pore-forming reagent and carbon precursor, conductive porous carbon nanofibers are fabricated with excellent capacitive deionization performance.
Mass spectrometry and potentiometry studies of Al(iii)–naringin complexes
Authors: Bartella L. , Furia E. , Di Donna L.
Published: December 2017

Here we have studied the complexation of naringin with Al(iii) under physiological conditions (i.e., at 37 °C and in 0.16 mol L−1NaCl).
Electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction on heteroatom-doped nanocarbons and transition metal–nitrogen–carbon catalysts for alkaline membrane fuel cells
Authors: Sarapuu Ave , Kibena-Põldsepp Elo , Borghei Maryam , Tammeveski Kaido
Published: December 2017

Electrochemical oxygen reduction behaviour and AEMFC performance using non-precious metal cathode catalysts are reviewed.
Innovation and challenges in materials design for flexible rechargeable batteries: from 1D to 3D
Authors: He Yanghua , Matthews Bryan , Wang Jingyun , Song Li , Wang Xiaoxia , Wu Gang
Published: December 2017

Due to the emergence of numerous flexible electronic devices, the design and fabrication of flexible rechargeable batteries with high energy density have attracted great attention.
What do polymorphisms tell us about the mechanisms of COPD?
Authors: Li Yan , Cho Michael H. , Zhou Xiaobo
Published: December 2017

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is characterized by irreversible lung airflow obstruction. Cigarette smoke is the major risk factor for COPD development. However, only a minority number of smokers develop COPD, and there are substantial variations in lung function among smokers, suggesting that genetic determinants in COPD susceptibility. During the past decade, genome-wide association studies and exome sequencing have been instrumental to identify the genetic determinants of complex traits, including COPD. Focused studies have revealed mechanisms by which genetic variants contribute to COPD and have led to novel insights in COPD pathogenesis. Through functional investigations of causal variants in COPD, from the proteinase–antiproteinase theory to emerging roles of developmental pathways (such as Hedgehog and Wnt pathways) in COPD, we have greatly expanded our understanding on this complex pulmonary disease. In this review, we critically review functional investigations on roles of genetic polymorphisms in COPD, and discuss future challenges and opportunities in discovering novel mechanisms of functional variants.
Articulatory Kinematic Characteristics Across the Dysarthria Severity Spectrum in Individuals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Lee Jimin , Bell Michael , Simmons Zachary
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The current study investigated whether articulatory kinematic patterns can be extrapolated across the spectrum of dysarthria severity in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Method

Temporal and spatial articulatory kinematic data were collected using electromagnetic articulography from 14 individuals with dysarthria secondary to ALS and 6 typically aging speakers. Speech intelligibility and speaking rate were used as indices of severity.

Results

Temporal measures (duration, speed of articulators) were significantly correlated with both indices of severity. In speakers with dysarthria, spatial measures were not correlated with severity except in 3 measures: tongue movement displacement was more reduced in the anterior–posterior dimension; jaw movement distance was greater in the inferior–superior dimension; jaw convex hull area was larger in speakers with slower speaking rates. Visual inspection of movement trajectories revealed that overall spatial kinematic characteristics in speakers with severe dysarthria differed qualitatively from those in speakers with mild or moderate dysarthria. Unlike speakers with dysarthria, typically aging speakers displayed variable tongue movement and minimal jaw movement.

Conclusions

The current study revealed that spatial articulatory characteristics, unlike temporal characteristics, showed a complicated pattern across the severity spectrum. The findings suggest that articulatory characteristics in speakers with severe dysarthria cannot simply be extrapolated from those in speakers with mild-to-moderate dysarthria secondary to ALS.
Accumulated grey‐level image representation for classification of lung cancer genetic mutations employing 2D principle component analysis
Authors: Abdelrahman S.A. , Abdelwahab M.M.
Published: December 2017

Lung cancer is an insidious disease, producing no symptoms until the disease spreads widely in the human body. Mutations of genes are the first alarm of such a disease in the human body. Therefore, classifying these mutations could provide guidance for the treatment decisions for lung cancer. In this Letter, a novel accumulated grey‐level image (AGLI) method for gene representation is introduced, where each base in gene sequence is represented by accumulated number based on its order in gene sequence and then reflected into image domain. AGLI is incorporated with 2D principle component analysis to build accurate and low‐dimensional algorithm for classifying the genetic mutations. Proposed algorithm was applied on the top 10 effective genes in lung cancer, where an accuracy of 99.27% was achieved. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm enhanced the accuracy of classification and reduced the classification time for mutation in lung cancer relative to the existing methods.
Wide digitally tunable lowpass filter for biomedical and wireless applications
Authors: Elamien M.B. , Mahmoud S.A.
Published: December 2017

A fully differential Gm‐C lowpass filter for wireless and biomedical applications is introduced in this Letter. The proposed filter is based on a highly linear CMOS digital programmable operational transconductance amplifier (DPOTA).The filter consists of a parallel connection of three fourth‐order Butterworth sections. Each section is optimised for a specific band of frequencies which can be tuned digitally. Switching between the different sections is achieved by controlling the corresponding DPOTAs' transconductance values, hence, this filter design eliminates the need for switches. Simulation results for a 90 nm CMOS technology are given. The third‐order harmonic distortion (HD3) of the DPOTA remains below −60 dB up to 0.5 V differential input voltage at 1.2 V supply voltage. The proposed filter exhibits a wide cutoff frequency tuning range, from 100 Hz to 12 MHz, thus it covers many biomedical and wireless communication standards.
Interference cancellation and link quality enhancement design for multiuser multiple‐input multiple‐output systems with full‐duplex relay
Authors: Deng Juinn‐Horng , Chang Cheng‐Yi , Ku Meng‐Lin
Published: December 2017

The authors design a transceiver for a multiuser (MU) multiple‐input multiple‐output communication system with a full‐duplex relay (FDR) station. Such a system contains several types of interference, such as MU interference, parallel streams, and self‐interference. To cancel this interference and achieve reliable MU communication, the authors use an equivalent FDR station model, in which the block diagonalisation (BD) scheme, which includes a base station, a relay, and a mobile station, can be used to derive the linear precoders and postprocessing filter. This work also studies link quality enhancement for the full‐link system, including MU direct link and relay links communications. More interference will exist in a full‐link system. They proposed a novel separable precoder and postprocessing algorithms to cancel all interference over the downlink FDR system. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed transceiver design can provide a reliable sum rate with linear growth performance under the MU scenario with multiple interference and channel estimation errors and obtain diversity gain to improve the full system link quality.
Spatial correlation based analysis of power control in user‐centric 5G networks
Authors: Zhang Hongtao , Chen Ying , Liu Yang
Published: December 2017

User‐centric network (UCN) organises a dynamic femto access point group (FAPG) for each user to meet the exponential data demands in 5G. However, there exists spatial correlation in the scheduling of femto access points (FAPs) due to the overlap of different users' FAPGs, which has not yet been analysed in existing literature. In this study, considering this spatial correlation by using Matérn‐like model, simple yet accurate semi‐closed form expressions of rate coverage probability and area average goodput of power control strategy in UCN are derived, respectively, using stochastic geometry tools. In this user‐centric power control strategy, each user equipment (UE) determines its FAPG radius considering the distance to the nearest FAP, and FAPs within the FAPG employ power control to mitigate dominant interference for the UE. Further, Matérn‐like model guarantees that two FAPs in the same FAPG will not transmit at full power simultaneously, and thus whether a FAP performs power control is correlated with other FAPs that belong to the same FAPG. The analytical results demonstrate significant performance gains of power control strategy in UCN compared with the non‐coordination baseline, e.g. area average goodput is improved by about 44% when FAP‐to‐UE density ratio equals 1.
BER and achievable rate analysis of wireless powered communications with correlated uplink and downlink
Authors: Gao Yan , Chen Yunfei , Zhou Yulin , Cao Ning
Published: December 2017

Wireless powered communications allow sustainable operations of low‐power applications by supplying wireless power remotely. In this study, the performance of wireless powered communications is evaluated in terms of achievable rate and bit error rate (BER), for applications where the downlink and the uplink are correlated, in contrast to previous works that assume independent uplink and downlink. Semi‐closed expressions for the achievable rate and series expressions for the BER are derived in Nakagami m fading channels, based on which the effect of link correlation is examined. Numerical results show that the link correlation has a significant impact on the achievable rate. Consequently, the optimum system parameter for correlated links is very different from that for independent links, showing the usefulness of the authors' results. Also, the link correlation has a noticeable effect on the BER, depending on the system parameters considered.
Energy efficient cooperative multicast beamforming in ultra dense networks
Authors: Marabissi Dania , Bartoli Giulio , Fantacci Romano , Micciullo Luigia
Published: December 2017

Energy efficiency (EE) is one of the main requirements for future fifth generation wireless networks to allow a sustainable network development. Toward this goal, this study proposes a novel iterative algorithm to maximise the EE of multicast services in ultra dense networks. Macrocells and small cells cooperate using a multicast beamforming strategy to efficiently radiate the power in the considered area. Moreover, small cells are activated opportunistically, and their power levels are adjusted suitably. Due to the high complexity of the optimisation problem, the proposed algorithm works calculating iteratively beamforming weights and power adjustments, thus reducing the set of possible solutions. Then, an exhaustive search is performed among the elements of this restricted set. This solution has reduced computational complexity, and the achieved EE is higher than benchmark alternatives. Performance in terms of EE and complexity is provided together with a solution feasibility evaluation.
Driver distraction and inattention in the realm of automated driving
Authors: Cunningham Mitchell L. , Regan Michael A.
Published: December 2017

Despite the increasing number of automated systems that have been introduced in vehicles over the past decade, highly automated vehicles are not yet capable of driving reliably and safely in all traffic scenarios and conditions. Until they are, humans will need to remain in the loop – to take back vehicle control when the driving capabilities of the automated system(s) are limited or systems fail. This automation‐to‐manual transition may be problematic if the driver is inattentive or distracted by competing activities. If so, this may compromise the driver's ability to take back control in a safe and timely manner. The aims of this study are to: (a) review what is known about driver inattention and distraction during periods of highly automated driving, (b) to outline countermeasures that have or may have potential to prevent and mitigate the effects of inattention and distraction during automated driving and (c) to highlight future research directions that may further inform the understanding and management of distraction and inattention as vehicles become increasingly automated. The paper concludes by contemplating whether a fully self‐driving vehicle may itself be distracted or inattentive to activities critical for safe driving.