bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Facile, Sustainable Strategy towards the Preparation of Silicone Nanofilaments and Their Use as Antiwetting Coatings
Authors: Chu Zonglin , Olveira Sandro , Seeger Stefan
Published: July 2017

Synthesis of silicone nanofilaments (SNF) on substrates is a successful approach to fabricate superantiwetting surfaces. However, the yield of SNF is usually very low (≪1 %). After coating reactions, excessive organosilane residues become wastes and are released to the environment. Here, we report a facile, sustainable, high yield strategy to prepare silicone nanofilament coatings by simply exposing trifunctional silane/toluene solution to air. When toluene is exposed to air with relative humidity between 30 % and 45 %, it can trap a suitable amount of water which enables fast and continuous growth of SNF on different substrates. This new finding not only simplifies the fabrication procedure but also enables the preparation of SNF coatings in a sustainable, high‐yield manner. Such a novel technique allows the preparation of superhydrophobic samples on a large scale—hundreds of samples can be prepared in less than 1 day by simply using a mother solution containing a small amount of trifunctional silane.
Immobilizing Palladium Nanoparticles on Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon for Promotion of Formic Acid Dehydrogenation and Alkene Hydrogenation
Authors: Zhang Chenjun , Leng Yan , Jiang Pingping , Li Jingjing , Du Shengyu
Published: July 2017

A novel palladium (Pd)‐supported Nitrogen‐doped carbon catalyst (Pd@CN) is prepared via polymerization of 1,3,5‐triacryloylhexahydro‐1,3,5‐triazine (TAT), adsorption of Pd nanoparticles (Pd NPs), and followed by pyrolysis treatment. The TAT polymer (PTAT) was revealed to be an ideal precursor with strong adsorb ability for Pd NPs, and the pyrolysis treatment of Pd/PTAT not only led to the generation of nitrogen‐doped carbon support but also significantly enhanced the Pd‐support interaction for the target catalyst Pd@CN. Catalytic tests demonstrate that Pd@CN shows superior catalytic activity and selectivity toward the hydrogen production and alkene hydrogenation with formic acid as the carrier. Besides, the catalyst presents improved reusability, structure stability and could be reused five runs without finding significant decrease of activity and obvious leaching of Pd species. Such excellent catalytic performance of Pd@CN is mostly attributed to the prominent surface electronic modulation with pyridinic‐N in CN. This work displays a facile and effective way for the rational design of excellent Pd‐supported catalysts for better hydrogen energy exploitation and applications.
A 4‐year study of the proportional distribution of male reproductive organ abnormalities in cattle slaughtered at Nyagatare abattoir, Eastern Rwanda
Authors: Kandiwa Erick , Nyirakunzimana Leoncie , Habarugira Gervais , Mushonga Borden , Samkange Alaster
Published: July 2017

Male reproductive performance has more impact on overall herd productivity than in the female. In order to assess herd productivity in cattle in Nyagatare, Eastern Rwanda, the proportional distribution of male reproductive organ abnormalities was investigated in 3087 bulls slaughtered over a 4‐year period. The aim of the study was to investigate the proportional distribution of male reproductive organ abnormalities in exotic and indigenous bulls slaughtered over a 4‐year period at Nyagatare abattoir in Eastern Rwanda. Positioning of the testicles was observed and recorded as the animals were assembled before slaughter. After slaughter, the internal and external reproductive organs of all bulls were removed, labelled and analysed for pathology. Significantly more indigenous (79.01%) than exotic (20.99%) animals were slaughtered (P < 0.05;N = 3 087). Overall occurrence of abnormalities was significantly higher in exotic (20.83%) than in indigenous (10.33%) animals (P < 0.05). Overall, abnormal location of testicles was the most common abnormality (4.08%) followed by abnormal prepuce and penis (2.33%), orchitis (1.94%), enlarged vesicular gland (0.91%), scrotal hernia (0.87%), unilateral cryptorchidism (0.81%), testicular hypoplasia (0.81%) and hydrocoele (0.78%). Abnormal location of testicles, abnormal prepuce and penis, orchitis, testicular hypoplasia and enlarged vesicular glands had significantly higher prevalence in exotic animals than in indigenous animals (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of unilateral cryptorchidism, hydrocoele and scrotal hernia between the exotic and indigenous breeds. The encountered reproductive abnormalities result in poor herd fertility manifesting as low first‐service conception rates, prolonged breeding seasons and reduced weaning weights accompanied by inevitable financial losses in beef production. The observed high proportion of male reproductive abnormalities in exotic breeds might offset the professed benefits from introduction of these exotic breeds with the aim of improving productivity.
What’s Trending in Infection Control? Scoping and Narrative Reviews
Authors: Mitchell Brett G. , Petrie Dayna , Morton Lindsay , Dancer Stephanie J.
Published: July 2017

OBJECTIVE

To explore the trends in infection control peer-reviewed journals, mainstream media, and blogs written by infection control professionals

DESIGN

Narrative and scoping reviews

METHODS

Narrative and scoping reviews were performed to identify trending infection prevention and control topics from international journals, national news websites, newspapers, and so-called grey literature throughout 2015. Data were analyzed using word frequencies, and results are displayed in word clouds.

RESULTS

For 2015, our search identified 6 news websites with a total of published 116 articles, 71 articles from selected newspapers, and 214 publications from infection control websites. In total, 1,059 journal articles were initially identified; 98 articles were anonymous and thus were excluded, leaving 961 articles in the reviews. The terms ‘superbug’ and ‘antibiotics’ were most commonly used in titles of news websites and newspapers, whereas the terms ‘infection’ and ‘prevention’ were most commonly used in infection control websites or blogs. The word frequency differences among the 4 selected journals reflected their respective specialties.

CONCLUSION

In infection prevention and control, the integration of a range of mediums is necessary to best serve public interests. Whether the aim is advocacy, general health information dissemination, or warnings of imminent risk, health researchers have access to multiple forums with different strengths through which to influence public risk perceptions and responses.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1098–1102
Responses in the west of Ireland to civil rights protest in Northern Ireland, 1968–72
Authors: Madden Gerard
Published: July 2017

1968 has become synonymous with the large-scale global protests of that year. International scholarship has increasingly sought to examine instances of these protests in global peripheries, and amongst the most studied examples is Northern Ireland. The growth of civil rights protest in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s, which emerged from long-standing feelings of exclusion amongst the Catholic minority of the predominantly Protestant polity, was influenced by a broader international discourse of protest associated with the long 1968, notably the African-American civil rights movement. Simultaneously, in the west of Ireland, a number of protest groups also emerged in the late 1960s, frustrated at their communities’ perceived neglect by the government of the Republic of Ireland. This article will examine the emergence of these protest movements, discussing groups in the Galway Gaeltacht and other peripheral rural areas of Connacht, student activists in University College Galway, and campaigns challenging racism against the Travelling community. It will argue that they were influenced by the global protests associated with the long 1968, most notably by events across the border. For the purpose of the article, the ‘west of Ireland’ refers to the five Connacht counties of Galway, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim.
Turbulent jets with off-source heating
Authors: Aspden A. J. , Nikiforakis N. , Bell J. B. , Dalziel Stuart B.
Published: July 2017

Motivated by anomalous entrainment behaviour in cumulus clouds, Bhat et al. (Exp. Fluids, vol. 7, 1989, pp. 99–102) pioneered a laboratory experiment to study turbulent jets subjected to a volumetric heating away from the momentum source. The study concluded that the use of a constant entrainment coefficient was insufficient for the flow, and that the results did not confirm the analysis of Hunt (Recent Research Advances in the Fluid Mechanics of Turbulent Jets and Plumes, 1994, pp. 309–334, Kluwer Academic), which suggested that an increase in relative turbulent transport of streamwise momentum could lead to a decrease in entrainment. The present paper re-evaluates theoretical aspects of both studies, and includes a decomposition of the factors contributing to entrainment. The reworked analysis is then used to examine three-dimensional numerical simulations of turbulent jets with off-source heating. The data are consistent with previous work, but give deeper insight not easily obtainable through experiment. Specifically, direct measurement of flux integrals shows that previous inference from experimental measurements of centreline velocity and profile widths under the assumption of self-similarity can lead to underestimation of the mass flux by over 50 % in some cases. Radial profiles of temperature, radial velocity and turbulent correlations show significant departures from self-similarity. The flux measurements show that there is actually an increase in the entrainment coefficient with heating, and that it is locally enhanced by positive forcing and decreased by an increase in turbulent transport of streamwise momentum, thereby confirming the essence of the original proposal of Hunt.
Direct numerical simulation of open-channel flow over a fully rough wall at moderate relative submergence
Authors: Mazzuoli Marco , Uhlmann Markus
Published: July 2017

Direct numerical simulation of open-channel flow over a bed of spheres arranged in a regular pattern has been carried out at bulk Reynolds number and roughness Reynolds number (based on sphere diameter) of approximately 6900 and 120, respectively, for which the flow regime is fully rough. The open-channel height was approximately 5.5 times the diameter of the spheres. Extending the results obtained by Chan-Braun et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 684, 2011, pp. 441–474) for an open-channel flow in the transitionally rough regime, the present purpose is to show how the flow structure changes as the fully rough regime is attained and, for the first time, to enable a direct comparison with experimental observations. Different statistical tools were used to investigate the flow field in the roughness sublayer and in the logarithmic region. The results indicate that, in the vicinity of the roughness elements, the average flow field is affected both by Reynolds number effects and by the geometrical features of the roughness, while at larger wall distances this is not the case, and roughness concepts can be applied. Thus, the roughness function is computed which in the present set-up can be expected to depend on the relative submergence. The flow–roughness interaction occurs mostly in the region above the virtual origin of the velocity profile, and the effect of form-induced velocity fluctuations is maximum at the level of sphere crests. In particular, the root mean square of fluctuations about the streamwise component of the average velocity field reflects the geometry of the spheres in the roughness sublayer and attains a maximum value just above the roughness elements. The latter is significantly weakened and shifted towards larger wall distances as compared to the transitionally rough regime or the case of a smooth wall. The spanwise length scale of turbulent velocity fluctuations in the vicinity of the sphere crests shows the same dependence on the distance from the wall as that observed over a smooth wall, and both vary with Reynolds number in a similar fashion. Moreover, the hydrodynamic force and torque experienced by the roughness elements are investigated and the footprint left by vortex structures on the stress acting on the sphere surface is observed. Finally, the possibility either to adopt an analogy between the hydrodynamic forces associated with the interaction of turbulent structures with a flat smooth wall or with the surface of the spheres is also discussed, distinguishing the skin-friction from the form-drag contributions both in the transitionally rough and in the fully rough regimes.
The Local Political Context of Latino Partisanship
Authors: Fernandez Kenneth E. , Dempsey Matthew C.
Published: July 2017

The question of how partisanship is influenced by exogenous factors has been vigorously debated, yet this debate is less frequently noted in the literature on Latino partisanship. This study analyzes the 2006 Latino National Survey with geographic identifiers to explore how the political context of a county influences Latino partisan self-identification. There are a variety of reasons why the political environment might influence Latinos’ partisan choice. First, a substantial proportion of the adult Latino population in the United States is foreign-born, potentially lessening the influence of parental partisan socialization. Second, increased migration to areas outside the Southwest has exposed Latinos to new and different social, political, and economic environments. Using subgroup analysis, interactive logit models, and regression discontinuity, we find that the local political context influences the party attachment of Latino immigrants in predictable ways. However, for Latinos born in the United States, our analysis does not provide evidence of a causal connection between partisan environment and an individual's partisan identification.
Optimal doses of EGF and GDNF act as biological response modifiers to improve porcine oocyte maturation and quality
Authors: Valleh Mehdi Vafaye , Zandi Nahid Karimi , Rasmussen Mikkel Aabech , Hyttel Poul
Published: July 2017

It is well documented that both epidermal growth factor (EGF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are critical for porcine oocyte maturation, however, little information is known about their mechanism of action in vitro. To gain insight into the mechanisms of action of the optimum doses of EGF and GDNF on porcine oocyte maturation, porcine cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured in defined porcine oocyte medium supplemented with EGF, GDNF or a combination of both at varying concentrations (0–100 ng/ml) for 44 h. Nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation were determined in terms of nuclear stage after DNA staining with Hoechst and cortical granule distribution after lectin labeling, respectively. Mature oocytes were subsequently collected for gene expression analysis or subjected to in vitro fertilization and cultured for 7 days. The results showed that EGF and/or GDNF, when administered in a certain dose (50 ng/μl) to the maturation medium, not only effectively improved the synchronization of nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation processes within the oocyte, but enhanced expression of their corresponding receptors in mature oocytes (P < 0.05). Moreover, supplementation with an optimal combination of EGF + GDNF resulted in elevation of TFAM transcripts as well as a decrease of caspase-3 transcripts compared with the other studied groups (P < 0.05). Collectively, our results indicate that treatment of porcine oocytes with specific-dose combinations of EGF and GDNF stimulates oocyte quality and competence by transcriptional modulation of genes involved in oocyte survival and competence.
Morphometrics and allometry of the larvae of five Characiformes species in the Paraíba do Sul River Basin
Authors: Souza Guilherme , Caramaschi Erica P. , Monteiro Leandro R.
Published: July 2017

The aim of this study was to analyse the morphology and allometry of larvae belonging to five potamodromous species. Five breeding species belonging to the order Characiformes [Salminus brasiliensis(Cuvier, 1816),Leporinus steindachneri, Eigenmann, 1907,Prochilodus lineatus(Valenciennes, 1837),Prochilodus vimboides(Kner,1859) andBrycon insignis, Steindachner, 1877] were used to obtain larvae samples during the pre-flexing, post-flexing, and juvenile developmental stages. When we observed the degree-hour (DH) amplitude time values, we found three developmental groups based on allometry and morphometrics within the period between the pre-flexing and post-flexing phases. Group 1 consists of the speciesS.brasiliensisandB.insignis, Group 2 consists ofP.lineatusandP.vimboides, and Group 3 consists ofL.steindachneri. Group 1 requires less development time and has more slender larvae. Group 2 has a moderate development time and larvae with a more rounded shape. Group 3 presents a greater development time and an intermediate larval morphology. It was possible to classify the larvae through cross-validated discriminant analyses based on seven morphometric variables with 90% accuracy inB.insignis, 83% in L.steindachneri, 91% inP.lineatus, 80% inP.vimboides, and 96% inS.brasiliensis. These results indicate larval characteristics that can be used for the taxonomic identification of the icthyoplankton.
The sensitivity of gamma index analysis to detect multileaf collimator (MLC) positioning errors using Varian TrueBeam EPID and ArcCHECK for patient-specific prostate volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) quality assurance
Authors: Maraghechi Borna , Davis Jack , Mitchell Nicholas , Shah Meeral , Fleck Andre , Darko Johnson , Osei Ernest
Published: July 2017

Background

Due to the increased degree of modulation and complexity of volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans, it is necessary to have a pre-treatment patient-specific quality assurance (QA) programme. The gamma index is commonly used to quantitatively compare two dose distributions. In this study we investigated the sensitivity of single- and multi-gamma criteria techniques to detect multileaf collimator (MLC) positioning errors using the Varian TrueBeam Electronic Portal Imaging DeviceTM (EPID) dosimetry and the ArcCHECKTM device.

Materials and methods

All active MLC positions of seven intact prostate patients VMAT plans were randomly changed with a mean value of 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mm and a standard deviation of 0.1 mm on 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the control points. The change in gamma passing rates of six gamma criteria of 3%/3 mm, 3%/2 mm, 3%/1 mm, 2%/2 mm, 2%/1 mm and 1%/1 mm were analysed individually (single-gamma criterion) and as a group (multi-gamma criteria) as a function of the simulated errors. We used the improved and global gamma calculation algorithms with a low dose threshold of 10% in the EPID and ArcCHECK software, respectively. The changes in the planning target volume dose distributions and the organs at risk due to the MLC positioning errors were also studied.

Results

When 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the control points were modified by the introduction of the simulated errors, the smallest detectable errors with the EPID were 2, 1, 0.5 and 0.5 mm, respectively, using the multi-gamma criteria technique. Similarly for the single-gamma criteria technique errors as small as 2, 1, 1 and 1 mm applied to 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the control points, respectively, were detectable using a 2%/2 mm criterion. However, the smallest detectable errors with the ArcCHECK when using the multi-gamma criteria technique were 2, 2 and 1 mm when MLC errors were applied on 50, 75 and 100% of the control points. When only 25% of the control points were affected the ArcCHECK were unable to detect any of the errors applied. No noticeable difference was observed in the sensitivity using the single- or the multi-gamma criteria techniques with the ArcCHECK.

Conclusion

The Varian TrueBeam EPID dosimetry shows a higher sensitivity in detecting MLC positioning errors compared with the ArcCHECK regardless of using the single- or the multi-gamma criteria techniques. Higher sensitivity was observed using the multi-gamma criteria technique compared with the single-criterion technique when using the EPID.
Targeted DNA methylation in vivo using an engineered dCas9-MQ1 fusion protein
Authors: Lei Yong , Zhang Xiaotian , Su Jianzhong , Jeong Mira , Gundry Michael C. , Huang Yung-Hsin , Zhou Yubin , Li Wei , Goodell Margaret A.
Published: July 2017

Comprehensive studies have shown that DNA methylation plays vital roles in both loss of pluripotency and governance of the transcriptome during embryogenesis and subsequent developmental processes. Aberrant DNA methylation patterns have been widely observed in tumorigenesis, ageing and neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the importance of a systematic understanding of DNA methylation and the dynamic changes of methylomes during disease onset and progression. Here we describe a facile and convenient approach for efficient targeted DNA methylation by fusing inactive Cas9 (dCas9) with an engineered prokaryotic DNA methyltransferase MQ1. Our study presents a rapid and efficient strategy to achieve locus-specific cytosine modifications in the genome without obvious impact on global methylation in 24 h. Finally, we demonstrate our tool can induce targeted CpG methylation in mice by zygote microinjection, thereby demonstrating its potential utility in early development.
Enhanced electron dephasing in three-dimensional topological insulators
Authors: Liao Jian , Ou Yunbo , Liu Haiwen , He Ke , Ma Xucun , Xue Qi-Kun , Li Yongqing
Published: July 2017

Study of the dephasing in electronic systems is not only important for probing the nature of their ground states, but also crucial to harnessing the quantum coherence for information processing. In contrast to well-studied conventional metals and semiconductors, it remains unclear which mechanism is mainly responsible for electron dephasing in three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs). Here, we report on using weak antilocalization effect to measure the dephasing rates in highly tunable (Bi,Sb)2Te3thin films. As the transport is varied from a bulk-conducting regime to surface-dominant transport, the dephasing rate is observed to evolve from a linear temperature dependence to a sublinear power-law dependence. Although the former is consistent with the Nyquist electron-electron interactions commonly seen in ordinary 2D systems, the latter leads to enhanced electron dephasing at low temperatures and is attributed to the coupling between the surface states and the localized charge puddles in the bulk of 3D TIs.
Correction: Corrigendum: Ganoderma lucidum reduces obesity in mice by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota
Authors: Chang Chih-Jung , Lin Chuan-Sheng , Lu Chia-Chen , Martel Jan , Ko Yun-Fei , Ojcius David M , Tseng Shun-Fu , Wu Tsung-Ru , Chen Yi-Yuan Margaret , Young John D , Lai Hsin-Chih
Published: July 2017

Nature Communications 6: Article number:7489 (2015); Published: 23 June 2015; Updated: 11 July 2017 The image in Fig. 1e of this Article showing the ‘HFD+8%’ group was inadvertently duplicated from the ‘Chow+8%’ group. The correct version of the figure appears below.
A VLP-based vaccine provides complete protection against Nipah virus challenge following multiple-dose or single-dose vaccination schedules in a hamster model
Authors: Walpita Pramila , Cong Yu , Jahrling Peter B. , Rojas Oscar , Postnikova Elena , Yu Shuiqing , Johns Lisa , Holbrook Michael. R.
Published: July 2017

Nipah virus is a highly lethal zoonotic paramyxovirus that was first recognized in Malaysia during an outbreak in 1998. During this outbreak, Nipah virus infection caused a severe febrile neurological disease in humans who worked in close contact with infected pigs. The case fatality rate in humans was approximately 40%. Since 2001, NiV has re-emerged in Bangladesh and India where fruit bats (Pteropus spp.) have been identified as the principal reservoir of the virus. Transmission to humans is considered to be bat-to-human via food contaminated with bat saliva, or consumption of contaminated raw date palm sap, although human-to-human transmission of Nipah virus has also been documented. To date, there are no approved prophylactic options or treatment for NiV infection. In this study, we produced mammalian cell-derived native Nipah virus-like particles composed of Nipah virus G, F and M proteins for use as a novel Nipah virus vaccine. Previous studies demonstrated that the virus-like particles were structurally similar to authentic virus, functionally assembled and immunoreactive. In the studies reported here, purified Nipah virus-like particles were utilized either alone or with adjuvant to vaccinate golden Syrian hamsters with either three-dose or one-dose vaccination regimens followed by virus challenge. These studies found that Nipah virus-like particle immunization of hamsters induced significant neutralizing antibody titers and provided complete protection to all vaccinated animals following either single or three-dose vaccine schedules. These studies prove the feasibility of a virus-like particle-based vaccine for protection against Nipah virus infection.
Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Evaluation With US-Arthrography Using a Sonographic Contrast Agent
Authors: Cheng Xueqing , Zhang Zhenqi , Xuanyan Guo , Li Tingting , Li Juan , Yin Longlin , Lu Man
Published: July 2017

Adhesive capsulitis (AC) is a painful and disabling disorder, which caused restricted motion and chronic pain of shoulder. Intracavitary contrast-enhanced ultrasound has been recently applied to assess obstructive bile duct diseases, tubal patency, vesicoureteric reflux and so on. The aim of this study was to detect the value of US-arthrography by injecting the contrast agent SonoVue into glenohumeral joint compared with US in diagnosing AC. Utrasound (US) and US-arthrography images of 45 patients with AC were compared with that of 45 control subjects without AC with MRI as a gold standard. Patients with AC had a significantly thickened coracohumeral ligment (CHL, 3.1 mm) and inferior capsule (3.5 mm) on US, and a decreased volume of axillary recess (1.14 ml) on US-arthrography compared with the control subjects (1.59 ml). Filling defect (91.1%) and synovitis-like abnormality (75.6%) in the joint on US-arthrography were more sensitive than that of rotator interval abnormality (71.1%), thickened CHL more than 3 mm (64.4%), thickened inferior capsule more than 3.5 mm (66.7%) on US respectively for diagnosis of AC. Consequently, US-arthrography was more effective method than US for assessment of AC. Filling defects of joint cavity and synovitis-like abnormality in the joint are characteristic US-arthrography findings for diagnosing AC.
Spot variation fluorescence correlation spectroscopy by data post-processing
Authors: Khadem S. M. J. , Hille C. , Löhmannsröben H.-G. , Sokolov I. M.
Published: July 2017

Spot variation fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (SV-FCS) is a variant of the FCS techniques which may give useful information about the structural organisation of the medium in which the diffusion takes place. We show that the same results can be obtained by post-processing the photon count data from ordinary FCS measurements. By using this method, one obtains the fluorescence autocorrelation functions for sizes of confocal volume, which are effectively smaller than that of the initial FCS measurement. The photon counts of the initial experiment are first transformed into smooth intensity trace using kernel smoothing method or to a piecewise-continuous intensity trace using binning and then a non-linear transformation is applied to this trace. The result of this transformation mimics the photon count rate in an experiment performed with a smaller confocal volume. The applicability of the method is established in extensive numerical simulations and directly supported in in-vitro experiments. The procedure is then applied to the diffusion of AlexaFluor647-labeled streptavidin in living cells.
Investigation of autistic traits through strategic decision-making in games with adaptive agents
Authors: Craig Alexis B. , Grossman Emily , Krichmar Jeffrey L.
Published: July 2017

Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized by difficulties in communicating and cooperating with other people. Impairment in Theory of Mind (ToM), the ability to infer what another person is thinking, may contribute to these social deficits. The present study assesses the relationship between autistic traits and decision-making in a socioeconomic game environment that measures ToM and cooperation. We quantified participant strategy during game play with computer agents that simulated aspects of ToM or fixed strategy agents with static behaviors or heuristics. Individuals with higher Autism Quotient (AQ) scores cooperated less than subjects with low AQ scores with the ToM agents. In contrast, subjects with higher AQ scores cooperated more with fixed strategy agents. Additionally, subjects with higher AQ scores spent more time than low AQ subjects signaling cooperative intent in games with fixed strategy agents while spending less time signaling cooperation with adaptive agents, indicating a preference toward systemizing behaviors in the face of uncertainty. We conclude that individuals with high levels of autistic traits are less likely to utilize ToM as a cognitive strategy, even when it is beneficial, to achieve a desired outcome.
2D/0D graphene hybrids for visible-blind flexible UV photodetectors
Authors: Tetsuka Hiroyuki
Published: July 2017

Nitrogen-functionalized graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) are attractive building blocks for optoelectronic devices because of their exceptional tunable optical absorption and fluorescence properties. Here, we developed a high-performance flexible NGQD/graphene field-effect transistor (NGQD@GFET) hybrid ultraviolet (UV) photodetector, using dimethylamine-functionalized GQDs (NMe2-GQDs) with a large bandgap of ca. 3.3 eV. The NMe2-GQD@GFET photodetector exhibits high photoresponsivity and detectivity of ca. 1.5 × 104 A W–1 and ca. 5.5 × 1011 Jones, respectively, in the deep-UV region as short as 255 nm without application of a backgate voltage. The feasibility of these flexible UV photodetectors for practical application in flame alarms is also demonstrated.
Patterned Arrangements of Olfactory Receptor Gene Expression in Zebrafish are Established by Radial Movement of Specified Olfactory Sensory Neurons
Authors: Bayramli Xalid , Kocagöz Yiğit , Sakizli Uğurcan , Fuss Stefan H.
Published: July 2017

Spatial restriction of olfactory receptor (OR) gene expression in peripheral sense organs is a common phenomenon across species, suggesting that zonal OR expression somehow contributes to olfactory function. In zebrafish OR expression patterns reminiscent of zones occur as concentric domains with preferred diameters for different ORs. However, the function and the developmental origin of the pattern are unknown. Here we investigate olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) neurogenesis in the adult zebrafish olfactory epithelium (OE) to understand how the zonally organized OR pattern is established and maintained during the lifetime of the animal. We find that OSNs are generated from two discontinuous proliferation zones located at the central and peripheral edge of the sensory OE. OSNs turn on OR expression soon after they exit mitosis and invade the sensory tissue, approaching each other from both ends of the OE. Biased generation of OSN subpopulations at both neurogenic sites and elimination of OSNs along their route across the OE generates the impression of OR-specific expression domains. We formulated a simple mathematical model based on exact parameters derived from our analysis of OSN neurogenesis, which accurately generates OR-like distributions without the need to invoke molecular signals to pattern the OE.
Lactobacillus acidophilus/Bifidobacterium infantis probiotics are associated with increased growth of VLBWI among those exposed to antibiotics
Authors: Härtel Christoph , Pagel Julia , Spiegler Juliane , Buma Janne , Henneke Philipp , Zemlin Michael , Viemann Dorothee , Gille Christian , Gehring Stephan , Frommhold David , Rupp Jan , Herting Egbert , Göpel Wolfgang
Published: July 2017

We performed an observational study with very-low-birth weight infants (VLBWI) ≤33 weeks of gestation born in centers of the German Neonatal Network (GNN; (total n = 8534, n = 6229 received probiotics). The primary objectives of our study were (a) to assess the effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus/Bifidobacterium infantis probiotics on growth in VLBWI during primary stay in hospital and (b) to determine whether this effect is modified by antibiotic exposure. In linear regression models the administration of probiotics was independently associated with improved weight gain [g/d; effect size B = 0.62 (95% CI: 0.37–0.87), p < 0.001], and higher growth rates for body length [(mm/d; B = 0.06 (95% CI: 0.04–0.08), p < 0.001] and head circumference [mm/d; B = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.02–0.04, p < 0.001]. This effect was pronounced in infants with postnatal exposure to antibiotics; i.e. weight gain [g/d; B = 0.66 (95% CI: 0.32–1), p < 0.001], growth rate body length [(mm/d; B = 0.09 (95% CI: 0.06–0.12), p < 0.001] and head circumference [mm/d; B = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.02–0.06, p < 0.001]. In the small subgroup that was available for analysis at 5-year-follow-up (with probiotics: n = 120 vs. without probiotics: n = 54) we noted a sustained effect of probiotics in infants who received postnatal antibiotics. Probiotics may improve growth in antibiotic-treated infants which needs to be confirmed in randomized-controlled trials.
Validation of a membrane touch biosensor for the qualitative detection of IgG class antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 2
Authors: Loughman Tony , Singh Baljit , Seddon Brian , Noone Philip , Santhosh Padmanabhan
Published: July 2017

A 1920s dead-stop end-point titration technique revisited for blood antibody analysis.
Raman spectroscopy for cancer detection and cancer surgery guidance: translation to the clinics
Authors: Santos Inês P. , Barroso Elisa M. , Bakker Schut Tom C. , Caspers Peter J. , van Lanschot Cornelia G. F. , Choi Da-Hye , van der Kamp Martine F. , Smits Roeland W. H. , van Doorn Remco , Verdijk Rob M. , Noordhoek Hegt Vincent , von der Thüsen Jan H. , van Deurzen Carolien H. M. , Koppert Linetta B. , van Leenders Geert J. L. H. , Ewing-Graham Patricia C. , van Doorn Helena C. , Dirven Clemens M. F. , Busstra Martijn B. , Hardillo Jose , Sewnaik Aniel , ten Hove Ivo , Mast Hetty , Monserez Dominiek A. , Meeuwis Cees , Nijsten Tamar , Wolvius Eppo B. , Baatenburg de Jong Robert J. , Puppels Gerwin J. , Koljenović Senada
Published: July 2017

This review summarizes actual clinical needs in oncology that can be addressed by Raman spectroscopy, provides results published in the last 10 years and analyses the current status of translation of these results into clinical practice.
Radiofluorination of a NHC–PF5 adduct: toward new probes for 18F PET imaging
Authors: Vabre Boris , Chansaenpak Kantapat , Wang Mengzhe , Wang Hui , Li Zibo , Gabbaï François P.
Published: July 2017

An N-heterocyclic carbene-PF5 adduct has been radiofluorinated to afford an unusually stable PET probe which has been imaged in vivo.
Lithiation of multilayer Ni/NiO electrodes: criticality of nickel layer thicknesses on conversion reaction kinetics
Authors: Evmenenko Guennadi , Fister Timothy T. , Buchholz D. Bruce , Castro Fernando C. , Li Qianqian , Wu Jinsong , Dravid Vinayak P. , Fenter Paul , Bedzyk Michael J.
Published: July 2017

X-ray reflectivity and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the morphological changes in thin film electrodes with alternating Ni and NiO layers during lithiation as a function of the Ni buffer layer thickness.
Ferromagnetic resonance of NiCoFe2O4 nanoparticles and microwave absorption properties of flexible NiCoFe2O4–carbon black/poly(vinyl alcohol) composites
Authors: Datt Gopal , Kotabage Chetan , Abhyankar A. C.
Published: July 2017

Cationic disorder and particle size effects are found to be highly sensitive to temperature dependent ferromagnetic resonance of Ni–Co ferrites and significantly improve the shielding effectiveness of flexible ferrite–carbon black/PVA composites.
Structure and lifetimes in ionic liquids and their mixtures
Authors: Gehrke Sascha , von Domaros Michael , Clark Ryan , Hollóczki Oldamur , Brehm Martin , Welton Tom , Luzar Alenka , Kirchner Barbara
Published: July 2017

With the aid of molecular dynamics simulations, we study the structure and dynamics of different ionic liquid systems.
Metal-exchanged magnetic β-zeolites: valorization of lignocellulosic biomass-derived compounds to platform chemicals
Authors: Jorge Erlen Y. C. , Lima Thiago de M. , Lima Carolina G. S. , Marchini Lucas , Castelblanco William N. , Rivera Daniel G. , Urquieta-González Ernesto A. , Varma Rajender S. , Paixão Márcio W.
Published: July 2017

An array of Pd, Fe and Ir exchanged β-zeolites were synthesized, fully characterized, and their catalytic activity evaluated in converting bio-derived compounds to value-added platform chemicals.
Professor Joseph Anthony Caruso: in memoriam
Authors: Hieftje Gary M. , Montes-Bayon Maria
Published: July 2017

Gary Hieftje and Maria Montes-Bayon emphasize Joe’s impact on the community, as reflected in a collection of articles published in JAAS and Metallomics.
Elucidation of the relative and absolute stereochemistry of the kalimantacin/batumin antibiotics
Authors: Thistlethwaite Iain R. G. , Bull Freya M. , Cui Chengsen , Walker Paul D. , Gao Shu-Shan , Wang Luoyi , Song Zhongshu , Masschelein Joleen , Lavigne Rob , Crump Matthew P. , Race Paul R. , Simpson Thomas J. , Willis Christine L.
Published: July 2017

A multidisciplinary approach combining natural product degradation, fragment synthesis, bioinformatics and NMR spectroscopy was used.
Fluoropyridyl Sugars – Masked Imidate Glycosyl Donors that Display Reactivity, Selectivity, and Stability
Authors: Leslie Ray , Tseke Kavnen , Vitkute Agneta , Benjamin Sophie , Seetohul L.
Published: July 2017

Fluoropyridyl glycosides, synthesized from the corresponding glycosyl bromides, are shown to be excellent donors in glycosylation reactions. Both armed and disarmed donors were prepared and reacted smoothly with a series of glycosyl acceptors. Coupling proceeded in high yields, with activation of the donor achieved using a range of promoters, and also displayed unusually high selectivity. In addition these novel systems offer the potential for introducing a series of glycosyl donors with ‘tunable reactivity’.
A Simple Cobalt(II) Chloride Catalyzed N-Alkylation of Amines with Alcohols
Authors: Midya Siba , Mondal Akash , Begum Ayesha , Balaraman Ekambaram
Published: July 2017

A facile cobalt-catalyzed N-alkylation of amines with alcohols using inexpensive, commercially available CoCl2·6H2O is reported. Employing this readily available cobalt catalyst, a variety of amines with wide functional group tolerance were selectively alkylated under benign conditions.
An Efficient Cascade Synthesis of Ethyl 3-Amino-5-oxoisoxazolidine-4-carboxylate Derivatives
Authors: Li Runtao , Li Runrun , Wei Qiang , Wang Xin , Ge Zemei
Published: July 2017

An efficient cascade synthesis of ethyl 3-amino-5-oxoisoxa­zolidine-4-carboxylate derivatives from diethyl 2-(ethoxymethyl­ene)malonate, different hydroxylamines and various amines is developed. This approach tolerates a wide range of amines affording highly functionalized isoxazolidine derivatives, which are expected to be important in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry.
Superelectrophilicity in Michael-Type Reactions: Water Addition to 4-Nitrobenzodifuroxan
Authors: Lakhdar Sami , Berionni Guillaume , Terrier François
Published: July 2017

Kinetic and thermodynamic measurements of the ease of covalent hydration of 4-nitrobenzodifuroxan (NBDF) to give the corresponding hydroxy adduct has been carried out over a large pH range of 0.82–12.23 in aqueous solution. A most important result is that water is the sole efficient nucleophile contributing to the hydration of this peculiar nitroolefin in the pH range 4–8. Based on this finding as well as a pK
a
H2O value of 2.85 for the complexation process there is no doubt that the electrophilic character of NBDF falls in the domain of superelectrophilicity defined with reference to covalent nucleophilic additions to 4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan (DNBF; pK
a
H2O = 3.75) and related heterocycles. This also corresponds to a positioning of NBDF at the top of the electrophilicity scale E introduced by Mayr to describe the feasibility of nucleophilic-electrophilic combinations. Returning to the hydration of the series of activated olefins, it has been possible to expand the domain of reactivity of Michael acceptors by six orders of magnitude, going from benzylidenemalonitrile (pK
a
H2O = 10.70; E = –9.42) to the para-nitro-substituted benzylidene Meldrum’ s acid (pK
a
H2O = 3.46; E = –5.49). The positioning of these olefins on the pK
a scale shows that not only 4-nitrobenzodifuroxan but also the unsubstituted Meldrum’s acid are located in the superelectrophilic region.
Electron microscopic observations of Rb particles and pitting in 129Xe spin-exchange optical pumping cells
Authors: Flower C. , Freeman M. S. , Plue M. , Driehuys B.
Published: July 2017

High-volume production of hyperpolarized 129Xe by spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) has historically fallen short of theoretical predictions. Recently, this shortfall was proposed to be caused by the formation of alkali metal clusters during optical pumping. However, this hypothesis has yet to be verified experimentally. Here, we seek to detect the presence of alkali particles using a combination of both transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy. From TEM studies, we observe the presence of particles exhibiting sizes ranging from approximately 0.2 to 1 μm and present at densities of order 10 s of particles per 100 square microns. Particle formation was more closely associated with extensive cell usage history than short-term (≈1 h) SEOP exposure. From the SEM studies, we observe pits on the cell surface. These pits are remarkably smooth, were frequently found adjacent to Rb particles, and located predominantly on the front face of the cells; they range in size from 1 to 5 μm. Together, these findings suggest that Rb particles do form during the SEOP process and at times can impart sufficient energy to locally alter the Pyrex surface.
Enhancement of thermoelectric characteristics in AlGaN/GaN films deposited on inverted pyramidal Si surfaces
Authors: Yalamarthy Ananth Saran , So Hongyun , Senesky Debbie G.
Published: July 2017

In this letter, we demonstrate an engineering strategy to boost thermoelectric power factor via geometry-induced properties of the pyramid structure. Aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN)/GaN heterostructured films grown on inverted pyramidal silicon (Si) demonstrate higher power factor as compared to those grown on conventional flat Si substrates. We found that the magnitude of the Seebeck coefficient at room temperature increased from approximately 297 μVK−1 for the flat film to approximately 849 μVK−1 for the film on inverted pyramidal Si. In addition, the “effective” electrical conductivity of the AlGaN/GaN on the inverted pyramidal structure increased compared to the flat structure, generating an enhancement of thermoelectric power factor. The results demonstrate how manipulation of geometry can be used to achieve better thermoelectric characteristics in a manner that could be scaled to a variety of different material platforms.
Thickness dependence of the resistivity of platinum-group metal thin films
Authors: Dutta Shibesh , Sankaran Kiroubanand , Moors Kristof , Pourtois Geoffrey , Van Elshocht Sven , Bömmels Jürgen , Vandervorst Wilfried , Tőkei Zsolt , Adelmann Christoph
Published: July 2017

We report on the thin film resistivity of several platinum-group metals (Ru, Pd, Ir, and Pt). Platinum-group thin films show comparable or lower resistivities than Cu for film thicknesses below about 5 nm due to a weaker thickness dependence of the resistivity. Based on experimentally determined mean linear distances between grain boundaries as well as ab initio calculations of the electron mean free path, the data for Ru, Ir, and Cu were modeled within the semiclassical Mayadas–Shatzkes model [Phys. Rev. B 1, 1382 (1970)] to assess the combined contributions of surface and grain boundary scattering to the resistivity. For Ru, the modeling results indicated that surface scattering was strongly dependent on the surrounding material with nearly specular scattering at interfaces with SiO2 or air but with diffuse scattering at interfaces with TaN. The dependence of the thin film resistivity on the mean free path is also discussed within the Mayadas–Shatzkes model in consideration of the experimental findings.
Water droplet evaporation from sticky superhydrophobic surfaces
Authors: Lee Moonchan , Kim Wuseok , Lee Sanghee , Baek Seunghyeon , Yong Kijung , Jeon Sangmin
Published: July 2017

The evaporation dynamics of water from sticky superhydrophobic surfaces was investigated using a quartz crystal microresonator and an optical microscope. Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) layers with different pore sizes were directly fabricated onto quartz crystal substrates and hydrophobized via chemical modification. The resulting AAO layers exhibited hydrophobic or superhydrophobic characteristics with strong adhesion to water due to the presence of sealed air pockets inside the nanopores. After placing a water droplet on the AAO membranes, variations in the resonance frequency and Q-factor were measured throughout the evaporation process, which were related to changes in mass and viscous damping, respectively. It was found that droplet evaporation from a sticky superhydrophobic surface followed a constant contact radius (CCR) mode in the early stage of evaporation and a combination of CCR and constant contact angle modes without a Cassie–Wenzel transition in the final stage. Furthermore, AAO membranes with larger pore sizes exhibited longer evaporation times, which were attributed to evaporative cooling at the droplet interface.
Nonlinear input-output feature of the atom-nanowires coupling system
Authors: Xia Xiuwen , Zhang Xinqin , Xu Jingping , Cheng Mutian , Yang Yaping
Published: July 2017

We consider in this paper the input-output properties of an atom-nanowire coupling system which is composed of two individual terminated metal nanowaveguides and a two-level optical emitter. In detail, four aspects of the input-output properties are studied. First, we discuss in particular the coherent perfect absorber in the linear excitation regime and give the condition to realize it. Second, the transmittivity of the atom-nanowire system in the nonlinear regime is calculated, and a Rabi-like splitting associated with optical nonlinearity is found. Such a result is much different from the Rabi splitting in the atom-cavity system in the low excitation limit. Third, we find that the cooperation of optical nonlinearity and spatial asymmetry can generate optical nonreciprocity. Finally, a negative differential transmittivity is achieved with appropriate parameters. Our findings show promising applications in the full-optical device.