bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aligning force planning and systems acquisition
Authors: Thaba James , Benade Siebert
Published: August 2015

With the dawn of democracy in South Africa, there was a general shift in paradigm in the utilisation of the defence force. The formation of Joint Operations Division signalled a new era for the SANDF and a drive towards jointness in operations, which meant joint planning for the future. Acquisition in the SANDF is governed by Defence Acquisition Policy (DAP) 1000 based on sound System Engineering principles. This policy defines eight levels of the system hierarchy. This is important to distinguish between the various levels of employment and complexity. This study focusses on the interface between systems levels 5, 6 and 7.

The ROC is drafted by arms of services with Joint Operations division (which specifies capability requirements) only involved in its approval process. This in turn creates a gap between force planning and acquisition of product systems. In assessing the alignment of future defence objectives and prospective acquisition programs, the efforts to assess this gap has four areas to deal with, namely, implementation of Capability‐based planning (CBP), assessment of the link between capability requirements and acquisition programs, the link between technology planning and capability development and lastly the engineering concept required to take over from System of System Engineering from Level 7. Survey and case study methods were used for this research to assess whether there exists a gap between capability development and systems engineering as it is done in the SANDF and devise proposals to deal with the gap should it be found to exist.
Disciplinary Literacy in English Language Arts
Authors: Smagorinsky Peter
Published: August 2015

This article explores the complexity of learning the literacy practices and conventions in the discipline of English language arts. Literacies are explored in the areas of writing/composition, reading/literature, and language/grammar, with attention to the situated nature of proper expression and understanding with respect to each. The author illustrates how different communities of practice produce expectations that require an understanding of not only print conventions but also the social practices that they follow from. The author urges teachers to prepare students for literacy development so they engage the world outside the classroom through language and related modes of communication in ways that enable them to understand others and to express their own views with fidelity to their intentions and clarity to their listeners and readers.
Rapid low‐cost measurement of base‐station antennas in a compact environment
Authors: Oh Soon‐Soo , Lee Young‐Hwan , Kim Woo‐Su
Published: August 2015

We propose a low‐cost measurement technique of commercially available base‐station antenna in a compact experimental setting, which may be considerably smaller than the far‐field distance. An α‐variable positioner was utilized with Fresnel‐to‐far‐field transformation method. Compared with conventional near‐field measurements, the technique described here allows for more rapid scanning and transformations. The experimental results show good agreement between the results measured at the far‐field and that found using the Fresnel‐to‐far‐field transformation. The experimental validity for commercial base‐station antenna has been successfully shown for the first time as far as our knowledge, so that the proposed technique can be easily applied in small anechoic chambers, which are typically possessed by small‐/medium‐sized companies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2617–2622, 2015
Predicting Non‐sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis in a Chinese Breast Cancer Population with 1–2 Positive Sentinel Nodes: Development and Assessment of a New Predictive Nomogram
Authors: Chen Jia‐ying , Chen Jia‐jian , Xue Jing‐yan , Chen Ying , Liu Guang‐yu , Han Qi‐xia , Yang Wen‐tao , Shen Zhen‐zhou , Shao Zhi‐min , Wu Jiong
Published: August 2015

Background

We have developed a new nomogram to predict the probability of a patient with 1–2 metastatic sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) to present further axillary disease.

Methods

Data were collected from 480 patients who were diagnosed with 1–2 positive lymph nodes and thus underwent axillary lymph node dissection between March 2005 and June 2011. Clinical and pathological features of the patients were assessed with multivariable logistic regression. The Shanghai Cancer Center Non‐SLN nomogram (SCC‐NSLN) was created from the logistic regression model. This new model was subsequently applied to 481 patients from July 2011 to December 2013. The predictive accuracy of the SCC‐NSLN nomogram was measured by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results

Based on the results of the univariate analysis, the variables that were significantly associated with the incidence of non‐SLN metastasis in an SLN‐positive patient included lymphovascular invasion, neural invasion, the number of positive SLNs, the number of negative SLNs, and the size of SLN metastasis (P < 0.05). Using multivariate analysis, lymphovascular invasion, the number of positive SLNs, the number of negative SLNs, and the size of SLN metastasis were identified as independent predictors of non‐SLN metastasis. The SCC‐NSLN nomogram was then developed using these four variables. The new model was accurate and discriminating on both the modeling and validation groups (AUC: 0.7788 vs 0.7953). The false‐negative rates of the SCC‐NSLN nomogram were 3.54 and 9.29 % for the predicted probability cut‐off points of 10 and 15 % when applied to patients who have 1–2 positive SLNs.

Conclusion

The SCC‐NSLN nomogram could serve as an acceptable clinical tool in clinical discussions with patients. The omission of ALND might be possible if the probability of non‐SLN involvement is <10 and <15 % in accordance with the acceptable risk determined by medical staff and patients.
FDG PET/CT Scan and Functional Adrenal Tumors: A Pilot Study for Lateralization
Authors: Patel Dhaval , Gara Sudheer Kumar , Ellis Ryan J. , Boufraqech Myriem , Nilubol Naris , Millo Corina , Stratakis Constantine A. , Kebebew Electron
Published: August 2015

Background

Patients with Cushing’s Syndrome (CS) and Conn’s Syndrome with bilateral adrenal masses pose a dilemma. Uptake of 18F‐FDG by hyperfunctioning adrenal glands has not been previously reported and may help lateralize. The aim was to determine if 18F‐FDG PET/CT scan could identify hyperfunctioning adrenal masses and determine a biological basis for uptake.

Methods

Patients with nonfunctional adenomas (n = 9), CS (n = 11), and Conn’s syndrome (n = 4) underwent an 18F‐FDG PET/CT scan with a volume of interest circumscribing each mass to obtain a maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax). Thirty‐two adrenal masses were analyzed. Genome‐wide expression data from an independent cohort were analyzed in nonfunctioning adenomas (n = 20), Conn’s syndrome (n = 29), and CS (n = 24) focusing on GLUT genes. For genes differentially expressed, immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue samples.

Results

Cortisol‐secreting masses (n = 16) had a higher average SUVmax of 5.9 compared to nonfunctioning masses (n = 11, average SUVmax 4.2) and aldosterone‐hypersecreting masses (n = 5, average SUVmax 3.2) (p = 0.007). SUVmax cut‐off of 5.33 had 50.0 % sensitivity and 81.8 % specificity in localizing a cortisol‐secreting mass. GLUT3 expression was 2.19‐fold higher in patients with CS compared to patients with nonfunctioning adenomas (p = 0.003) and 2.16‐fold higher in patients with CS compared to Conn’s syndrome (p = 0.006). GLUT3 immunohistochemistry showed 2.2‐fold higher staining in CS tumor samples compared to nonfunctioning adenomas.

Conclusions

Differential 18F‐FDG PET/CT uptake was observed in patients with nonfunctioning, aldosterone‐hypersecreting, and cortisol‐secreting masses. GLUT3 overexpression in cortisol‐secreting tumor likely accounts for the differential uptake. Future larger cohort studies will need to be conducted to determine if 18F‐FDG PET/CT uptake can lateralize cortisol‐secreting adrenal masses in patients with bilateral adrenal masses.
Improving flavor metabolism ofSaccharomyces cerevisiaeby mixed culture withBacillus licheniformisfor ChineseMaotai-flavor liquor making
Authors: Meng Xing , Wu Qun , Wang Li , Wang Diqiang , Chen Liangqiang , Xu Yan
Published: August 2015

Microbial interactions could impact the metabolic behavior of microbes involved in food fermentation, and therefore they are important for improving food quality. This study investigated the effect of Bacillus licheniformis, the dominant bacteria in the fermentation process of Chinese Maotai–flavor liquor, on the metabolic activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Results indicated that S. cerevisiae inhibited the growth of B. licheniformis in all mixed culture systems and final viable cell count was lower than 20 cfu/mL. Although growth of S. cerevisiae was barely influenced by B. licheniformis, its metabolism was changed as initial inoculation ratio varied. The maximum ethanol productions were observed in S. cerevisiae and B. licheniformis at 106:107 and 106:108 ratios and have increased by 16.8 % compared with single culture of S. cerevisiae. According to flavor compounds, the culture ratio 106:106 showed the highest level of total concentrations of all different kinds of flavor compounds. Correlation analyses showed that 12 flavor compounds, including 4 fatty acids and their 2 corresponding esters, 1 terpene, and 5 aromatic compounds, that could only be produced by S. cerevisiae were significantly correlated with the initial inoculation amount of B. licheniformis. These metabolic changes in S. cerevisiae were not only a benefit for liquor aroma, but may also be related to its inhibition effect in mixed culture. This study could help to reveal the microbial interactions in Chinese liquor fermentation and provide guidance for optimal arrangement of mixed culture fermentation systems.
The many roles of glutamate in metabolism
Authors: Walker Mark C , van der Donk Wilfred A
Published: August 2015

The amino acid glutamate is a major metabolic hub in many organisms and as such is involved in diverse processes in addition to its role in protein synthesis. Nitrogen assimilation, nucleotide, amino acid, and cofactor biosynthesis, as well as secondary natural product formation all utilize glutamate in some manner. Glutamate also plays a role in the catabolism of certain amines. Understanding glutamate’s role in these various processes can aid in genome mining for novel metabolic pathways or the engineering of pathways for bioremediation or chemical production of valuable compounds.
Links in the functional diversity between soil microorganisms and plant communities during natural succession in coal mine spoil heaps
Authors: Markowicz Anna , Woźniak Gabriela , Borymski Sławomir , Piotrowska‐Seget Zofia , Chmura Damian
Published: August 2015

The successful establishment of vegetation, soil development and biogeochemical cycling during the restoration process of mine tailings requires a diverse and metabolically active microbial communities. The objective of this study was to test whether there is any link between the functional groups of both the dominant plant species and soil microbial communities on unreclaimed coal mine spoil heaps of different age located in the Silesian Upland (Poland). At each sampling site the dominant plant species were recorded and characterised based on their Raunkiaer's life form, socio‐ecological group and their potential to form mycorrhiza. The functional diversity of the plant‐associated microbial communities was assessed using the microbial carbon‐utilisation guilds generated using the Biolog method. We observed no differences in the microbial functional diversity, but a gradual increase in the plant functional diversity with the age of the heap. Our results indicate that trees, plants with the potential to form ectomycorrhiza, and deciduous plants strongly affected the carbon‐utilisation profiles. The mean proportion of microbe guilds in dominant plant patches accounts for 60 % of the variance while the soil physicochemical parameters explained only 30 % of the variance. This suggest that in post‐industrial habitats the biotic features of the soil substratum are more important for the vegetation development than the abiotic parameters.
Robot‐Assisted Thoracic Surgery (RATS): Perioperative Nursing Professional Development Program
Authors: Sarmanian Julie D.
Published: August 2015

Robot‐assisted surgery continues to grow in popularity worldwide. Competency and training of personnel for robot‐assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) is less established compared with other robot‐assisted specialties. Major differences between minimally invasive approaches to thoracic surgery (eg, video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery) and RATS are presented to address a paucity of literature on the subject. Although perioperative nursing considerations are universal to all robot‐assisted procedures, there are nursing consideration specific to RATS. This article provides a RATS perioperative nursing development program for RN circulators and scrub personnel. Development of perioperative nursing knowledge and skills through implementation of targeted training programs enables nurses to provide a safe surgical experience for patients undergoing RATS.
Effects of Guided Undergraduate Perioperative Education on Recruiting Novice RNs and Retaining Experienced RNs
Authors: Foran Paula
Published: August 2015

This qualitative research describes undergraduate nurses’ perceptions of their perioperative placement experiences and how they may affect their future perioperative employment. It also describes experienced perioperative nurses’ perceptions of the effect of student placement experiences on retention. The author asked undergraduate nurses about their experiences in the OR, if any, and whether they would consider perioperative nursing as a career; the author also asked experienced perioperative educators to comment on whether there are correlations between types of perioperative student experiences that affect stress levels for supervising staff members. The author used reporting of disconfirming data, and expert peers performed an external examination of data to guarantee the rigor of qualitative data analysis. The findings indicate that undergraduate nurses who are provided with guided practical experiences (as opposed to non‐guided experiences or no OR experiences) are more likely to consider perioperative nursing as a career. In addition, the findings show that the arrival of students in the OR with no preparation for the experience is a major stressor for staff members.
Guideline Implementation: Autologous Tissue Management
Authors: Bashaw Marie A.
Published: August 2015

Managing autologous tissue correctly may help prevent patients who are undergoing replantation or autotransplantation of tissue from developing a surgical site infection. The updated AORN “Guideline for autologous tissue management” provides guidance on transferring tissue from the sterile field, packaging and labeling, transporting and storing, and handling autologous tissue for delayed replantation or autotransplantation within the same facility. This article focuses on key points of the guideline to help perioperative personnel develop protocols for autologous tissue management. The key points address some of the major tissue types—avulsed teeth, cranial bone flaps, autologous skin—that may be preserved and replanted or autotransplanted. Perioperative RNs should review the complete guideline for additional information and for guidance when writing and updating policies and procedures.
Technology in the OR: AORN Members' Perceptions of the Effects on Workflow Efficiency and Quality Patient Care
Authors: Sipes Carolyn , Baker Joy Don
Published: August 2015

This collaborative study sought to describe technology used by AORN members at work, inclusive of radio‐frequency identification or barcode scanning (RFID), data collection tools (DATA), workflow or dashboard management tools (DASHBOARD), and environmental services/room decontamination technologies (ENVIRON), and to identify the perceived effects of each technology on workflow efficiency (WFE) and quality patient care (QPC). The 462 respondents to the AORN Technology in the OR survey reported use of technology (USE) in all categories. Eleven of 17 RFID items had a strong positive correlation between the designated USE item and the perceived effect on WFE and QPC. Five of the most‐used technology items were found in the DATA category. Two of the five related to Intraoperative Nursing Documentation and the use of the Perioperative Nursing Data Set. The other three related to Imaging Integration for Radiology Equipment, Video Camera Systems, and Fiber‐optic Systems. All three elements explored in the DASHBOARD category (ie, Patient Update, OR Case, OR Efficiency) demonstrated approximately 50% or greater perceived effectiveness in WFE and QPC. There was a low reported use of ENVIRON technologies, resulting in limited WFE and QPC data for this category.
Borate–fructose complex: A novel mediator for laccase and its new function for fructose determination
Authors: Cheng Chih-Yu , Liao Chia-I. , Lin Shuen-Fuh
Published: August 2015

Laccase and borate–fructose complex were investigated by coincidence in a solid‐state fermentation ofEdenia sp. TS‐76 under fructose oxidase screening. Laccase was purified to homogeneity with a 34‐fold purification and 32% yield. Fructose had no significant effect on laccase activity, whereas borate reduced laccase activity by 60–90%; conversely, the borate–fructose complex increased laccase activity by nearly fourfold at pH 7.5. The complex caused a shift in the optimal pH for laccase from 5.0 to 7.5 and served as a highly efficient mediator. Borate complexed with fructose provides an alternative, time‐saving, and specific method for serum fructose determination.
MicroRNAs downregulated in neuropathic pain regulate MeCP2 and BDNF related to pain sensitivity
Authors: Manners Melissa T. , Tian Yuzhen , Zhou Zhaolan , Ajit Seena K.
Published: August 2015

Nerve injury induces chronic pain and dysregulation of microRNAs in dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Several downregulated microRNAs are predicted to targetMecp2. MECP2 mutations cause Rett syndrome and these patients report decreased pain perception. We confirmed MeCP2 upregulation in DRG following nerve injury and repression of MeCP2 by miRNAsin vitro. MeCP2 regulates brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and downregulation of MeCP2 by microRNAs decreasedBdnf in vitro. MeCP2 T158A mice exhibited reduced mechanical sensitivity andMecp2‐null and MeCP2 T158A mice have decreasedBdnf in DRG. MeCP2‐mediated regulation ofBdnf in the DRG could contribute to altered pain sensitivity.
Thailand’s Cause Lawyers and Twenty-First-Century Military Coups: Nation, Identity, and Conflicting Visions of the Rule of Law
Authors: MUNGER Frank
Published: August 2015

Conflict among Thailand’s legal advocates for popular causes over the legitimacy of Thailand’s two twenty-first-century coups raises questions about the meaning of the rule of law. The general perception of inexorable globalization of an international interpretation of the rule of law and of cause lawyers as one of its important vectors runs counter to the experience of developing societies where rule of law is being adapted to the meaning of nation and individual identities informing everyday lives and the relationship between a society and its government. This essay uses career narratives of Thai cause lawyers to illustrate this point by examining sources of the rule of law’s meaning, including experiences shared by each generation of cause lawyers and communities of practice shaping individual careers and identities. Their career narratives suggest the importance of continuing relationships with social movement leaders on beliefs about Thailand’s readiness for democracy and meaning of a rule of law.
Vers une anthropologie universelle ? La crise galate : fragile gestion de l'ethnicité juive
Authors: Butticaz Simon
Published: August 2015

Traditionally, Pauline exegesis has tended to reduce the Judaism which the apostle encounters in his argumentation to a legalist and particularistic religion; a religion from which Paul would have distanced himself, inventing a Christianity of universal grace in his critique of the Torah. If the New Perspective on Paul allowed us to correct this legalistic reduction of Second Temple Judaism, by highlighting the dimension of election with the foundation of the covenant of Israel, the instigators of this exegetical programme have, however, assented to the hypothesis of a supersession of Jewish particularism by Christian universalism. Hence the critique voiced on this issue by the adherents of what is now called the Radical New Perspective. We are especially indebted to Denise Kimber Buell and Caroline Johnson Hodge for this wave of protest, for both authors identify the use of an ‘ethnic reasoning’ in the Pauline reworking of the Gentiles’ identity. While this critique deserves to be heard, the thesis of a logic of ethnicity and kinship at work under the pen of the apostle cannot be ratified without discussion, since it is not consistent with a rigorous examination of the letter to the Galatians. In that context, indeed, the discourse of identity is not mainly ethnic but anthropological and cosmological, since the believers – Jews quite as much as Gentiles – through baptism have to become not a ‘new people’ but rather a ‘new creation’ (Gal 6.15).
‘Night’ and ‘Day’ in John 9.4–5: A Reassessment
Authors: Mendez Hugo
Published: August 2015

This article argues that John 9.4–5 should be reanalysed as an appeal parallel to 12.35–6, so that the ‘night … when no one can work’ of 9.4 corresponds to the avoidable ‘darkness’ of 12.35. Viewed in this manner, ‘night’ represents the condemned state of the unbelieving after the departure of Jesus. Jesus urges his disciples to ‘work the works’ of God so that, at the historical onset of ‘night’, the Paraclete may mediate a continuing, covert experience of ‘day’ within them. That onset, then, marks a critical phase in the eschatological separation of the ‘children of light’ from ‘the world’.
The contribution of subsidized food commodities to total energy intake among US adults
Authors: Siegel Karen R , McKeever Bullard Kai , Ali Mohammed K , Stein Aryeh D , Kahn Henry S , Mehta Neil K , Webb Girard Amy , Narayan KM , Imperatore Giuseppina
Published: August 2015

Objective

The contribution of subsidized food commodities to total food consumption is unknown. We estimated the proportion of individual energy intake from food commodities receiving the largest subsidies from 1995 to 2010 (corn, soyabeans, wheat, rice, sorghum, dairy and livestock).

Design

Integrating information from three federal databases (MyPyramid Equivalents, Food Intakes Converted to Retail Commodities, and What We Eat in America) with data from the 2001–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, we computed a Subsidy Score representing the percentage of total energy intake from subsidized commodities. We examined the score’s distribution and the probability of having a ‘high’ (≥70th percentile) v. ‘low’ (≤30th percentile) score, across the population and subgroups, using multivariate logistic regression.

Setting

Community-dwelling adults in the USA.

Subjects

Participants (n 11 811) aged 18–64 years.

Results

Median Subsidy Score was 56·7 % (interquartile range 47·2–65·4 %). Younger, less educated, poorer, and Mexican Americans had higher scores. After controlling for covariates, age, education and income remained independently associated with the score: compared with individuals aged 55–64 years, individuals aged 18–24 years had a 50 % higher probability of having a high score (P<0·0001). Individuals reporting less than high-school education had 21 % higher probability of having a high score than individuals reporting college completion or higher (P=0·003); individuals in the lowest tertile of income had an 11 % higher probability of having a high score compared with individuals in the highest tertile (P=0·02).

Conclusions

Over 50 % of energy in US diets is derived from federally subsidized commodities.
An integrated genome-wide approach to discover deregulated microRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer: Clinical significance of miR-23b-3p deregulation
Authors: Begum Shahnaz , Hayashi Masamichi , Ogawa Takenori , Jabboure Fayez J. , Brait Mariana , Izumchenko Evgeny , Tabak Sarit , Ahrendt Steven A. , Westra William H. , Koch Wayne , Sidransky David , Hoque Mohammad O.
Published: August 2015

In spite of significant technical advances, genesis and progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain poorly understood. We undertook an integrated genetic approach to discover novel microRNAs that were deregulated in NSCLCs. A total 119 primary NSCLCs with matched normal were analyzed for genome-wide copy number changes. We also tested a subset of matched samples by microRNA expression array and integrated them to identify microRNAs positioned in allelic imbalance area. Our findings support that most of the identified deregulated microRNAs (miR-21,miR-23b,miR-31,miR-126,miR-150andmiR-205) were positioned in allelic imbalance areas. Among microRNAs tested in independent 114 NSCLCs, overexpression ofmiR-23bwas revealed to be a significantly poor prognostic factor of recurrence free survival (HR = 2.40, P = 0.005, 95%CI: 1.32–4.29) and overall survival (HR = 2.35, P = 0.005, 95%CI: 1.30–4.19) in multivariable analysis. In addition, overexpression ofmiR-23bin H1838 cell line significantly increased cell proliferation, while inhibition ofmiR-23bin H1437 and H1944 cell lines significantly decreased cell doubling time. In summary, integration of genomic analysis and microRNA expression profiling could identify novel cancer-related microRNAs andmiR-23bcould be a potential prognostic marker for early stage NSCLCs. Further biological studies ofmiR-23bare warranted for the potential development of targeted therapy.
Structures of the conformational isomers and polymorph modifications of N-substituted 2,6-(E,E)-bis(ferrocenylidene)piperid-4-ones: photo- and electrochemically induced E/Z isomerization
Authors: Romanov Alexander S. , Shapovalov Alexey V. , Angles Gary F. , Timofeeva Tatiana V. , Corsini Maddalena , Fusi Stefania , Fabrizi de Biani Fabrizia
Published: August 2015

Polymorph modifications for title compounds were investigated.
Partial rotation of the isopropyl group in the solid state: single-crystal-to-single-crystal phase transformation in a carvacrol derivative
Authors: Pete Umesh D. , Dikundwar Amol G. , Sharma Vaishali M. , Gejji Shridhar P. , Bendre Ratnamala S. , Guru Row Tayur N.
Published: August 2015

Isopropyl group rotation observed in a single crystal of TACH appears to be a result of the counterbalance of molecular energetics and supramolecular packing in response to the thermal stimulus.
Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties of H2tppz[ReCl6] and [Cu(bpzm)2(μ-Cl)ReCl3(μ-ox)Cu(bpzm)2(μ-ox)ReCl3(μ-Cl)]n
Authors: Gryca I. , Palion-Gazda J. , Machura B. , Penkala M. , Kruszyński R. , Cano J. , Lloret F. , Julve M.
Published: August 2015

The magneto-structural study of a mononuclear H2tppz[ReCl6] ionic salt and a heterobimetallic [Cu(bpzm)2(μ-Cl)ReCl3(μ-ox)Cu(bpzm)2(μ-ox)ReCl3(μ-Cl)]n chain with alternating single chloro and didentate/monodentate oxalato bridges is presented here.
Scientific and industrial challenges of developing nanoparticle-based theranostics and multiple-modality contrast agents for clinical application
Authors: Wáng Yì Xiáng J. , Idée Jean-Marc , Corot Claire
Published: August 2015

To select the best nanoparticle candidate for clinical translation, several key-issues must be considered early, both at the research (left) and marketing (right) levels. The radar graph may serve an evaluation tool. The weighing of the individual criterion is crucial.
Radio-photothermal therapy mediated by a single compartment nanoplatform depletes tumor initiating cells and reduces lung metastasis in the orthotopic 4T1 breast tumor model
Authors: Zhou Min , Zhao Jun , Tian Mei , Song Shaoli , Zhang Rui , Gupta Sanjay , Tan Dongfeng , Shen Haifa , Ferrari Mauro , Li Chun
Published: August 2015

Combined radio-photothermal therapy was found to be significantly more effective in eliminating tumor initiating cells and reducing metastasis.
Donor–acceptor conjugated polymers based on cyclic imide substituted quinoxaline or dibenzo[a,c]phenazine for polymer solar cells
Authors: Lan Liuyuan , Chen Zhiming , Li Yunchuan , Ying Lei , Huang Fei , Cao Yong
Published: August 2015

A series of donor–acceptor type of conjugated polymers based on cyclic imide substituted quinoxaline or dibenzo[a,c]phenazine were synthesized, where the copolymers comprising dibenzo[a,c]phenazine showed much higher photovoltaic performances.
Towards development of a versatile and efficient strategy for fabrication of GO based polymer nanocomposites
Authors: Wan Qing , Mao Liucheng , Liu Meiying , Wang Ke , Zeng Guangjian , Xu Dazhuang , Huang Hongye , Zhang Xiaoyong , Wei Yen
Published: August 2015

Graphene oxide was facilely functionalized with synthetic polymers in aqueous solution using dopamine as the adhesion component.
Insight into the substrate specificity of keratinase KerSMD from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by site-directed mutagenesis studies in the S1 pocket
Authors: Fang Zhen , Zhang Juan , Liu Baihong , Du Guocheng , Chen Jian
Published: August 2015

Mutagenesis at position 215 could shift the catalytic ability of keratinase KerSMD to hydrolyze synthetic peptides and macromolecular substrates. We improved keratinolytic activity of five mutants and obtained two thermophilic keratinases.
Superhydrophobic polyaniline hollow spheres with mesoporous brain-like convex-fold shell textures
Authors: Yuan Ruixia , Wang Huaiyuan , Ji Tuo , Mu Liwen , Chen Long , Zhu Yanji , Zhu Jiahua
Published: August 2015

A novel micelle-mediated phase transfer method is developed to synthesize hollow polyaniline spheres with mesoporous brain-like convex-fold shell textures. High superhydrophobicity is achieved due to the highly ordered porous structures and low surface energy provided by perfluorooctanoic acid.
Molecular engineering of benzothienoisoindigo copolymers allowing highly preferential face-on orientations
Authors: Ide Marina , Saeki Akinori , Koizumi Yoshiko , Koganezawa Tomoyuki , Seki Shu
Published: August 2015

Orientation of conjugated polymers is increasingly important in organic photovoltaics (OPV) to achieve high power conversion efficiency (PCE).
Core–shell ZnO/ZnFe2O4@C mesoporous nanospheres with enhanced lithium storage properties towards high-performance Li-ion batteries
Authors: Yuan Changzhou , Cao Hui , Zhu Siqi , Hua Hui , Hou Linrui
Published: August 2015

Core–shell ZnO/ZnFe2O4@C nanospheres were rationally fabricated and exhibited exceptional electrochemical Li-storage performance for next-generation Li-ion batteries.
Higher and lower supramolecular orders for the design of self-assembled heterochiral tripeptide hydrogel biomaterials
Authors: Marchesan S. , Styan K. E. , Easton C. D. , Waddington L. , Vargiu A. V.
Published: August 2015

The use ofd- orl-amino acids allows for a high or low supramolecular order and stability to design self-assembled peptide hydrogels.
Synthesis, mechanistic investigation, and application of photoluminescent sulfur and nitrogen co-doped carbon dots
Authors: Xu Quan , Liu Yao , Gao Chun , Wei Jianfei , Zhou Hongjun , Chen Yusheng , Dong Chenbo , Sreeprasad Theruvakkattil Sreenivasan , Li Neng , Xia Zhenhai
Published: August 2015

The unique economical design of sulfur and nitrogen co-doped carbon dots with high photoluminescence quantum yield and superior performance for environmental Hg2+detection.
Large-area wet-chemical deposition of nanoporous tungstic silica coatings
Authors: Nielsen K. H. , Wondraczek K. , Schubert U. S. , Wondraczek L.
Published: August 2015

We report on a facile procedure for the synthesis of nanoporous coatings of tungstic silica through wet-chemical deposition and post-treatment of tungsten-doped potassium silicate solutions.
Surface Tension of Alcohols. Data Selection and Recommended Correlations
Authors: Mulero A. , Cachadiña I. , Sanjuán E. L.
Published: August 2015

In previous papers, we have proposed specific correlations to reproduce the surface tension values for several sets of fluids and for wide ranges of temperatures. In this paper, we focus our attention on alcohols and consider the available data for 152 fluids grouped into five families. We use the most recent versions of the DIPPR and DETHERM databases and also Wohlfarth and Wohlfarth’s (1997) book as our main sources of data. In some cases we have also considered new data. All the data have been carefully filtered in order to discard those that are in clear disagreement with most of the available data for the same fluid. In some cases, two or more different data sets versus temperature trends were observed, and where possible we considered only one of these trends. To fit the finally selected data, we used the model currently implemented in National Institute of Standards and Technology’s refprop program, calculating two, four, or six adjustable coefficients for each fluid. As a result, we proposed recommended correlations for 147 alcohols, providing mean average percentage deviations below 1.7% for each fluid, with only two exceptions: 1,2-butanediol (2.77%) and benzyl alcohol (3.20%).
Ion energy distributions in a pulsed dual frequency inductively coupled discharge of Ar/CF4 and effect of duty ratio
Authors: Mishra Anurag , Seo Jin Seok , Kim Tae Hyung , Yeom Geun Young
Published: August 2015

Controlling time averaged ion energy distribution (IED) is becoming increasingly important in many plasma material processing applications for plasma etching and deposition. The present study reports the evolution of ion energy distributions with radio frequency (RF) powers in a pulsed dual frequency inductively discharge and also investigates the effect of duty ratio. The discharge has been sustained using two radio frequency, low (P2 MHz = 2 MHz) and high (P13.56 MHz = 13.56 MHz) at a pressure of 10 mTorr in argon (90%) and CF4 (10%) environment. The low frequency RF powers have been varied from 100 to 600 W, whereas the high frequency powers from 200 to 1200 W. Typically, IEDs show bimodal structure and energy width (energy separation between the high and low energy peaks) increases with increasing P13.56 MHz; however, it shows opposite trends with P2 MHz. It has been observed that IEDs bimodal structure tends to mono-modal structure and energy peaks shift towards low energy side as duty ratio increases, keeping pulse power owing to mode transition (capacitive to inductive) constant.
Separation of sperm and epithelial cells based on the hydrodynamic effect for forensic analysis
Authors: Liu Weiran , Chen Weixing , Liu Ran , Ou Yuan , Liu Haoran , Xie Lan , Lu Ying , Li Caixia , Li Bin , Cheng Jing
Published: August 2015

In sexual assault cases, forensic samples are a mixture of sperm from the perpetrator and epithelial cells from the victim. To obtain an independent short tandem repeat (STR) profile of the perpetrator, sperm cells must be separated from the mixture of cells. However, the current method used in crime laboratories, namely, differential extraction, is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. To achieve a rapid and automated sample pretreatment process, we fabricated a microdevice for hydrodynamic and size-based separation of sperm and epithelial cells. When cells in suspension were introduced into the device's microfluidic channels, they were forced to flow along different streamlines and into different outlets due to their different diameters. With the proposed microdevice, sperm can be separated within a short period of time (0.5 h for a 50-μl mock sample). The STR profiles of the products in the sperm outlet reservoir demonstrated that a highly purified male DNA fraction could be obtained (94.0% male fraction). This microdevice is of low-cost and can be easily integrated with other subsequent analysis units, providing great potential in the process of analyzing sexual assault evidence as well as in other areas requiring cell sorting.
A phasemeter concept for space applications that integrates an autonomous signal acquisition stage based on the discrete wavelet transform
Authors: Ales Filippo , Mandel Oliver , Gath Peter , Johann Ulrich , Braxmaier Claus
Published: August 2015

We describe a phasemeter designed to autonomously acquire and track a heterodyne signal with low signal-to-noise ratio in a frequency band that spans from 1 MHz to 25 MHz. The background driving some of the design criterions of the phasemeter comes from studies on future space mission concepts such as orbiting gravitational wave observatories and next generation geodesy missions which all rely on tracking phasemeters in order to meet their mission goal. The phasemeter has been implemented within a field programmable gate array trying to minimize the requirement of computational resources and its performance has been tested using signal generators. Laboratory test has shown that the phasemeter is capable of locking to an input signal in less than half a millisecond, while its phase measurement accuracy is in the micro-radian range for measurement frequencies that span from mHz to Hz.
An energy decomposition analysis for second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory based on absolutely localized molecular orbitals
Authors: Thirman Jonathan , Head-Gordon Martin
Published: August 2015

An energy decomposition analysis (EDA) of intermolecular interactions is proposed for second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) based on absolutely localized molecular orbitals (ALMOs), as an extension to a previous ALMO-based EDA for self-consistent field methods. It decomposes the canonical MP2 binding energy by dividing the double excitations that contribute to the MP2 wave function into classes based on how the excitations involve different molecules. The MP2 contribution to the binding energy is decomposed into four components: frozen interaction, polarization, charge transfer, and dispersion. Charge transfer is defined by excitations that change the number of electrons on a molecule, dispersion by intermolecular excitations that do not transfer charge, and polarization and frozen interactions by intra-molecular excitations. The final two are separated by evaluations of the frozen, isolated wave functions in the presence of the other molecules, with adjustments for orbital response. Unlike previous EDAs for electron correlation methods, this one includes components for the electrostatics, which is vital as adjustment to the electrostatic behavior of the system is in some cases the dominant effect of the treatment of electron correlation. The proposed EDA is then applied to a variety of different systems to demonstrate that all proposed components behave correctly. This includes systems with one molecule and an external electric perturbation to test the separation between polarization and frozen interactions and various bimolecular systems in the equilibrium range and beyond to test the rest of the EDA. We find that it performs well on these tests. We then apply the EDA to a halogen bonded system to investigate the nature of the halogen bond.
Kinetic stability and heat capacity of vapor-deposited glasses of o-terphenyl
Authors: Whitaker Katherine R. , Tylinski M. , Ahrenberg Mathias , Schick Christoph , Ediger M. D.
Published: August 2015

The reversing heat capacity of vapor-deposited o-terphenyl glasses was determined by in situ alternating current nanocalorimetry. Glasses were deposited at substrate temperatures ranging from 0.39 Tg to Tg, where Tg is the glass transition temperature. Glasses deposited near 0.85 Tg exhibited very high kinetic stability; a 460 nm film required ∼104.8 times the structural relaxation time of the equilibrium supercooled liquid to transform into the liquid state. For the most stable o-terphenyl glasses, the heat capacity was lower than that of the ordinary liquid-cooled glass by (1 ± 0.4)%; this decrease represents half of the difference in heat capacity between the ordinary glass and crystal. Vapor-deposited o-terphenyl glasses exhibit greater kinetic stability than vapor-deposited glasses of indomethacin, in qualitative agreement with recent surface diffusion measurements indicating faster surface diffusion on o-terphenyl glasses. The stable glass to supercooled liquid transformation was thickness-dependent, consistent with transformation via a propagating front initiated at the free surface.
Metabolite profiling of microfluidic cell culture conditions for droplet based screening
Authors: Bjork Sara M. , Sjostrom Staffan L. , Andersson-Svahn Helene , Joensson Haakan N.
Published: August 2015

We investigate the impact of droplet culture conditions on cell metabolic state by determining key metabolite concentrations in S. cerevisiae cultures in different microfluidic droplet culture formats. Control of culture conditions is critical for single cell/clone screening in droplets, such as directed evolution of yeast, as cell metabolic state directly affects production yields from cell factories. Here, we analyze glucose, pyruvate, ethanol, and glycerol, central metabolites in yeast glucose dissimilation to establish culture formats for screening of respiring as well as fermenting yeast. Metabolite profiling provides a more nuanced estimate of cell state compared to proliferation studies alone. We show that the choice of droplet incubation format impacts cell proliferation and metabolite production. The standard syringe incubation of droplets exhibited metabolite profiles similar to oxygen limited cultures, whereas the metabolite profiles of cells cultured in the alternative wide tube droplet incubation format resemble those from aerobic culture. Furthermore, we demonstrate retained droplet stability and size in the new better oxygenated droplet incubation format.
Improved contact characteristics of laser-annealed p-GaN coated with Ni films
Authors: Zheng Bo-Sheng , Ho Chong-Long , Cheng Kai-Yuan , Liao Chien-Lan , Wu Meng-Chyi , Hsieh Kuang-Chien
Published: August 2015

It is demonstrated that rapid thermal annealing or laser annealing of Mg-doped GaN (about 0.5 μm in thickness) in general helps activate acceptors and increase the average hole concentration by a factor of about 2 from low to mid of 1017/cm3 determined by the Hall measurements. Use of laser annealing of p-GaN coated with Ni and removal afterwards prior to depositing conventional Ni/Au ohmic-contact films, however, greatly improves the contact resistance from 10−2 to 1.6 × 10−4 Ω cm2. Other heat treatment schemes do not improve as much or make it even worse. The most reduction of contact resistance is attributed to the highest surface hole density in an uneven carrier profile achieved by laser annealing with a Ni cap layer.
Nanoscale flow past a colloidal cylinder confined in a slit channel: Lubrication theory and molecular dynamics analysis
Authors: Rahmani Amir M. , Shao Yang , Jupiterwala Mehlam , Colosqui Carlos E.
Published: August 2015

Plane Poiseuille flow past a nanoscale cylinder that is arbitrarily confined (i.e., symmetrically or asymmetrically confined) in a slit channel is studied via hydrodynamic lubrication theory and molecular dynamics simulations, considering cases where the cylinder remains static or undergoes thermal motion. Analytical expressions for the drag force and volumetric flow rate valid for high confinement and arbitrary off-center displacements are derived for the first time in this work. Lubrication theory predictions are in close agreement with molecular dynamics simulations of flows having molecularly thin lubrication gaps, despite the presence of significant structural forces induced by the crystalline structure of the modeled solid. While the maximum drag force is observed in symmetric confinement, i.e., when the cylinder is equidistant from both channel walls, the drag decays significantly as the cylinder moves away from the channel centerline and approaches a wall. Hence, significant reductions in the mean drag force on the cylinder and hydraulic resistance of the channel can be observed when thermal motion induces random off-center displacements. Analytical expressions and numerical results in this work provide useful insights into the hydrodynamics of colloidal solids and macromolecules in confinement.
Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with 9-eV photon-energy pulses generated in a gas-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber
Authors: Bromberger H. , Ermolov A. , Belli F. , Liu H. , Calegari F. , Chávez-Cervantes M. , Li M. T. , Lin C. T. , Abdolvand A. , Russell P. St. J. , Cavalleri A. , Travers J. C. , Gierz I.
Published: August 2015

A recently developed source of ultraviolet radiation, based on optical soliton propagation in a gas-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber, is applied here to angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Near-infrared femtosecond pulses of only few μJ energy generate vacuum ultraviolet radiation between 5.5 and 9 eV inside the gas-filled fiber. These pulses are used to measure the band structure of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 with a signal to noise ratio comparable to that obtained with high order harmonics from a gas jet. The two-order-of-magnitude gain in efficiency promises time-resolved ARPES measurements at repetition rates of hundreds of kHz or even MHz, with photon energies that cover the first Brillouin zone of most materials.
Choice of tip, signal stability, and practical aspects of piezoresponse-force-microscopy
Authors: Henrichs L. F. , Bennett J. , Bell A. J.
Published: August 2015

Piezoresponse force-microscopy (PFM) has become the standard tool to investigate ferroelectrics on the micro- and nanoscale. However, reliability of PFM signals is often problematic and their quantification is challenging and thus not widely applied. Here, we present a study of the reproducibility of PFM signals and of the so-called PFM background signal which has been reported in the literature. We find that PFM signals are generally reproducible to certain extents. The PFM signal difference between 180° domains on periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) is taken as the reference signal in a large number of measurements, carried out in a low frequency regime (30-70 kHz). We show that in comparison to Pt coated tips, diamond coated tips exhibit improved signal stability, lower background signal, and less imaging artifacts related to PFM which is reflected in the spread of measurements. This is attributed to the improved mechanical stability of the conductive layer. The average deviation of the mean PFM signal is 38.3%, for a diamond coated tip. Although this deviation is relatively high, it is far better than values from the literature which showed a deviation of approx. 73.1%. Additionally, we find that the average deviation of the background signal from 0 is 11.6% of the PPLN domain contrast. Thus, the background signal needs to be taken into account when quantifying PFM signals and should be subtracted from PFM signals. Those results are important for quantification of PFM signals, since PPLN might be used for this purpose when PFM signals measured on PPLN are related to its macroscopic d33 coefficient. Finally, the crucial influence of sample polishing on PFM signals is shown and we recommend to use a multistep polishing route with a final step involving 200 nm sized colloidal silica particles.