bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microwave platform as a valuable tool for characterization of nanophotonic devices
Authors: Shishkin Ivan , Baranov Dmitry , Slobozhanyuk Alexey , Filonov Dmitry , Lukashenko Stanislav , Samusev Anton , Belov Pavel
Published: October 2016

The rich potential of the microwave experiments for characterization and optimization of optical devices is discussed. While the control of the light fields together with their spatial mapping at the nanoscale is still laborious and not always clear, the microwave setup allows to measure both amplitude and phase of initially determined magnetic and electric field components without significant perturbation of the near-field. As an example, the electromagnetic properties of an add-drop filter, which became a well-known workhorse of the photonics, is experimentally studied with the aid of transmission spectroscopy measurements in optical and microwave ranges and through direct mapping of the near fields at microwave frequencies. We demonstrate that the microwave experiments provide a unique platform for the comprehensive studies of electromagnetic properties of micro- and nanophotonic devices, and allow to obtain data which are hardly acquirable by conventional optical methods.
Coherent quantum transport features in carbon superlattice structures
Authors: McIntosh R. , Henley S. J. , Silva S. R. P. , Bhattacharyya S.
Published: October 2016

Whilst resonant transmission is well understood and can be fully harnessed for crystalline superlattices, a complete picture has not yet emerged for disordered superlattices. It has proven difficult to tune resonant transmission in disordered diamond-like carbon (DLC) superlattices as conventional models are not equipped to incorporate significant structural disorder. In this work, we present concurrent experimental and theoretical analysis which addresses resonant transmission in DLC superlattices. Devices were fabricated by growing alternate layers of DLC with different percentages of sp3 hybridized carbon.Coherent quantum transport effects were demonstrated in these structurally disordered DLC superlattices through distinct current modulation with negative differential resistance (NDR) in the current-voltage (I-V) measurements. A model was developed using tight-binding calculations assuming a random variation of the hopping integral to simulate structural (bond-length) disorder. Calculations of the I-V characteristics compliment the interpretation of the measurements and illustrate that while DLC superlattice structures are unlike their classical counterparts, the near-field structural order will help with the confinement of quantised states. The present model provides an empirical guide for tailoring the properties of future devices, giving rise to much hope that carbon electronics operating at high frequencies over large areas can now be developed.
Neonatal cardiac dysfunction and transcriptome changes caused by the absence of Celf1
Authors: Giudice Jimena , Xia Zheng , Li Wei , Cooper Thomas A.
Published: October 2016

The RNA binding protein Celf1 regulates alternative splicing in the nucleus and mRNA stability and translation in the cytoplasm. Celf1 is strongly down-regulated during mouse postnatal heart development. Its re-induction in adults induced severe heart failure and reversion to fetal splicing and gene expression patterns. However, the impact of Celf1 depletion on cardiac transcriptional and posttranscriptional dynamics in neonates has not been addressed. We found that homozygous Celf1 knock-out neonates exhibited cardiac dysfunction not observed in older homozygous animals, although homozygous mice are smaller than wild type littermates throughout development. RNA-sequencing of mRNA from homozygous neonatal hearts identified a network of cell cycle genes significantly up-regulated and down-regulation of ion transport and circadian genes. Cell cycle genes are enriched for Celf1 binding sites supporting a regulatory role in mRNA stability of these transcripts. We also identified a cardiac splicing network coordinated by Celf1 depletion. Target events contain multiple Celf1 binding sites and enrichment in GU-rich motifs. Identification of direct Celf1 targets will advance our knowledge in the mechanisms behind developmental networks regulated by Celf1 and diseases where Celf1 is mis-regulated.
Effect of the phenoxy groups on PDIB and its derivatives
Authors: Song Peng , Guan Baijie , Zhou Qiao , Zhao Meiyu , Huang Jindou , Ma Fengcai
Published: October 2016

The anisotropic hole and electron mobilities in N,N′-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide-1,7-phenoxy (PDIB-2OPh) and N,Nʹ-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide (PDIB) were theoretically predicted using the Marcus–Hush theory. The substituent effect of phenoxy on their mobility rates, absorption spectra, electron affinities, and ionization potentials was explored. By comparing the simulated hole mobility in PDIB and PDIB-2OPh, it is found that the phenoxy rings act as spacers between adjacent stacking columns in the phenoxy-substituted derivatives. The increasement of the number of benzene oxygen groups leads to the absorption spectra red-shift of these molecular systems. This coincides with their change tendency of the adiabatic ionization potentials, vertical ionization potentials. However, the calculated adiabatic electron affinities and vertical electron affinities of N,N′-butyl-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide-1,6,7,12-phenoxy (PDIB-4OPh) are larger than those of PDIB;OPh. The steric effect in PDIB-4OPh is expected to cause space reversal and thus to changes in the properties of the molecule.
Comparative risk assessment of tobacco smoke constituents using the margin of exposure approach: the neglected contribution of nicotine
Authors: Baumung Claudia , Rehm Jürgen , Franke Heike , Lachenmeier Dirk W.
Published: October 2016

Nicotine was not included in previous efforts to identify the most important toxicants of tobacco smoke. A health risk assessment of nicotine for smokers of cigarettes was conducted using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach and results were compared to literature MOEs of various other tobacco toxicants. The MOE is defined as ratio between toxicological threshold (benchmark dose) and estimated human intake. Dose-response modelling of human and animal data was used to derive the benchmark dose. The MOE was calculated using probabilistic Monte Carlo simulations for daily cigarette smokers. Benchmark dose values ranged from 0.004 mg/kg bodyweight for symptoms of intoxication in children to 3 mg/kg bodyweight for mortality in animals; MOEs ranged from below 1 up to 7.6 indicating a considerable consumer risk. The dimension of the MOEs is similar to those of other tobacco toxicants with high concerns relating to adverse health effects such as acrolein or formaldehyde. Owing to the lack of toxicological data in particular relating to cancer, long term animal testing studies for nicotine are urgently necessary. There is immediate need of action concerning the risk of nicotine also with regard to electronic cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.
An artificial photosynthesis anode electrode composed of a nanoparticulate photocatalyst film in a visible light responsive GaN-ZnO solid solution system
Authors: Imanaka Yoshihiko , Anazawa Toshihisa , Manabe Toshio , Amada Hideyuki , Ido Sachio , Kumasaka Fumiaki , Awaji Naoki , Sánchez-Santolino Gabriel , Ishikawa Ryo , Ikuhara Yuichi
Published: October 2016

The artificial photosynthesis technology known as the Honda-Fujishima effect, which produces oxygen and hydrogen or organic energy from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, is an effective energy and environmental technology. The key component for the higher efficiency of this reaction system is the anode electrode, generally composed of a photocatalyst formed on a glass substrate from electrically conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). To obtain a highly efficient electrode, a dense film composed of a nanoparticulate visible light responsive photocatalyst that usually has a complicated multi-element composition needs to be deposited and adhered onto the FTO. In this study, we discovered a method for controlling the electronic structure of a film by controlling the aerosol-type nanoparticle deposition (NPD) condition and thereby forming films of materials with a band gap smaller than that of the prepared raw material powder, and we succeeded in extracting a higher current from the anode electrode. As a result, we confirmed that a current approximately 100 times larger than those produced by conventional processes could be obtained using the same material. This effect can be expected not only from the materials discussed (GaN-ZnO) in this paper but also from any photocatalyst, particularly materials of solid solution compositions.
A combined method for correlative 3D imaging of biological samples from macro to nano scale
Authors: Kellner Manuela , Heidrich Marko , Lorbeer Raoul-Amadeus , Antonopoulos Georgios C. , Knudsen Lars , Wrede Christoph , Izykowski Nicole , Grothausmann Roman , Jonigk Danny , Ochs Matthias , Ripken Tammo , Kühnel Mark P. , Meyer Heiko
Published: October 2016

Correlative analysis requires examination of a specimen from macro to nano scale as well as applicability of analytical methods ranging from morphological to molecular. Accomplishing this with one and the same sample is laborious at best, due to deformation and biodegradation during measurements or intermediary preparation steps. Furthermore, data alignment using differing imaging techniques turns out to be a complex task, which considerably complicates the interconnection of results. We present correlative imaging of the accessory rat lung lobe by combining a modified Scanning Laser Optical Tomography (SLOT) setup with a specially developed sample preparation method (CRISTAL). CRISTAL is a resin-based embedding method that optically clears the specimen while allowing sectioning and preventing degradation. We applied and correlated SLOT with Multi Photon Microscopy, histological and immunofluorescence analysis as well as Transmission Electron Microscopy, all in the same sample. Thus, combining CRISTAL with SLOT enables the correlative utilization of a vast variety of imaging techniques.
Vildagliptin and its metabolite M20.7 induce the expression of S100A8 and S100A9 in human hepatoma HepG2 and leukemia HL-60 cells
Authors: Asakura Mitsutoshi , Karaki Fumika , Fujii Hideaki , Atsuda Koichiro , Itoh Tomoo , Fujiwara Ryoichi
Published: October 2016

Vildagliptin is a potent, orally active inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It has been reported that vildagliptin can cause hepatic dysfunction in patients. However, the molecular-mechanism of vildagliptin-induced liver dysfunction has not been elucidated. In this study, we employed an expression microarray to determine hepatic genes that were highly regulated by vildagliptin in mice. We found that pro-inflammatory S100 calcium-binding protein (S100) a8 and S100a9 were induced more than 5-fold by vildagliptin in the mouse liver. We further examined the effects of vildagliptin and its major metabolite M20.7 on the mRNA expression levels of S100A8 and S100A9 in human hepatoma HepG2 and leukemia HL-60 cells. In HepG2 cells, vildagliptin, M20.7, and sitagliptin – another DPP-4 inhibitor – induced S100A9 mRNA. In HL-60 cells, in contrast, S100A8 and S100A9 mRNAs were significantly induced by vildagliptin and M20.7, but not by sitagliptin. The release of S100A8/A9 complex in the cell culturing medium was observed in the HL-60 cells treated with vildagliptin and M20.7. Therefore, the parental vildagliptin- and M20.7-induced release of S100A8/A9 complex from immune cells, such as neutrophils, might be a contributing factor of vildagliptin-associated liver dysfunction in humans.
Spatial Dependence of DNA Damage in Bacteria due to Low-Temperature Plasma Application as Assessed at the Single Cell Level
Authors: Privat-Maldonado Angela , O’Connell Deborah , Welch Emma , Vann Roddy , van der Woude Marjan W.
Published: October 2016

Low temperature plasmas (LTPs) generate a cocktail of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RNOS) with bactericidal activity. The RNOS however are spatially unevenly distributed in the plasma. Here we test the hypothesis that this distribution will affect the mechanisms underpinning plasma bactericidal activity focussing on the level of DNA damage in situ. For the first time, a quantitative, single cell approach was applied to assess the level of DNA damage in bacteria as a function of the radial distance from the centre of the plasma jet. Salmonella enterica on a solid, dry surface was treated with two types of LTP: an atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma jet (charged and neutral species) and a radio-frequency atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (neutral species). In both cases, there was an inverse correlation between the degree of DNA damage and the radial distance from the centre of the plasma, with the highest DNA damage occurring directly under the plasma. This trend was also observed with Staphylococcus aureus. LTP-generated UV radiation was eliminated as a contributing factor. Thus valuable mechanistic information can be obtained from assays on biological material, which can inform the development of LTP as a complementary or alternative therapy for (topical) bacterial infections.
Communities as cliques
Authors: Fried Yael , Kessler David A. , Shnerb Nadav M.
Published: October 2016

High-diversity species assemblages are very common in nature, and yet the factors allowing for the maintenance of biodiversity remain obscure. The competitive exclusion principle and May’s complexity-diversity puzzle both suggest that a community can support only a small number of species, turning the spotlight on the dynamics of local patches or islands, where stable and uninvadable (SU) subsets of species play a crucial role. Here we map the question of the number of different possible SUs a community can support to the geometric problem of finding maximal cliques of the corresponding graph. This enables us to solve for the number of SUs as a function of the species richness in the regional pool, N, showing that the growth of this number is subexponential in N, contrary to long-standing wisdom. To understand the dynamics under noise we examine the relaxation time to an SU. Symmetric systems relax rapidly, whereas in asymmetric systems the relaxation time grows much faster with N, suggesting an excitable dynamics under noise.
Plant functional trait diversity regulates the nonlinear response of productivity to regional climate change in Tibetan alpine grasslands
Authors: Wu Jianshuang , Wurst Susanne , Zhang Xianzhou
Published: October 2016

The biodiversity-productivity relationship is still under debate for alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. We know little about direct and indirect effects of biotic and abiotic drivers on this relationship, especially in regard to plant functional trait diversity. Here, we examine how aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and precipitation use efficiency (PUE) respond to climate, soil and community structure across alpine grasslands on the Northern Tibetan Plateau. We found that both ANPP and PUE showed nonlinear patterns along water availability and site altitude variation, which together accounted for 80.3% and 68.8% of variation in ANPP and PUE, respectively, by optimal generalized additive models. Functional trait divergence (FTD) and community weighted mean (CWM) of plant functional traits were as important as plant species diversity (PSD) for explaining the nonlinear productivity-climate relationship. These findings were confirmed by results from principal component analyses and structural equation models. We also found that FTD was negatively correlated with PSD across different alpine grasslands. Our results implicate: first, the combinatorial influences of temperature and precipitation gradients are important for predicting alpine grassland dynamics; second, the convergence and divergence of plant functional traits may have the potential to elucidate the effect of plant diversity on ecosystem functionality.
Enzymatic diversity of the Clostridium thermocellum cellulosome is crucial for the degradation of crystalline cellulose and plant biomass
Authors: Hirano Katsuaki , Kurosaki Masahiro , Nihei Satoshi , Hasegawa Hiroki , Shinoda Suguru , Haruki Mitsuru , Hirano Nobutaka
Published: October 2016

The cellulosome is a supramolecular multienzyme complex comprised of a wide variety of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and scaffold proteins. The cellulosomal enzymes that bind to the scaffold proteins synergistically degrade crystalline cellulose. Here, we report in vitro reconstitution of the Clostridium thermocellum cellulosome from 40 cellulosomal components and the full-length scaffoldin protein that binds to nine enzyme molecules. These components were each synthesized using a wheat germ cell-free protein synthesis system and purified. Cellulosome complexes were reconstituted from 3, 12, 30, and 40 components based on their contents in the native cellulosome. The activity of the enzyme-saturated complex indicated that greater enzymatic variety generated more synergy for the degradation of crystalline cellulose and delignified rice straw. Surprisingly, a less complete enzyme complex displaying fewer than nine enzyme molecules was more efficient for the degradation of delignified rice straw than the enzyme-saturated complex, despite the fact that the enzyme-saturated complex exhibited maximum synergy for the degradation of crystalline cellulose. These results suggest that greater enzymatic diversity of the cellulosome is crucial for the degradation of crystalline cellulose and plant biomass, and that efficient degradation of different substrates by the cellulosome requires not only a different enzymatic composition, but also different cellulosome structures.
Crystal structure of human aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A3 complexed with NAD+ and retinoic acid
Authors: Moretti Andrea , Li Jianfeng , Donini Stefano , Sobol Robert W. , Rizzi Menico , Garavaglia Silvia
Published: October 2016

The aldehyde dehydrogenase family 1 member A3 (ALDH1A3) catalyzes the oxidation of retinal to the pleiotropic factor retinoic acid using NAD+. The level of ALDHs enzymatic activity has been used as a cancer stem cell marker and seems to correlate with tumour aggressiveness. Elevated ALDH1A3 expression in mesenchymal glioma stem cells highlights the potential of this isozyme as a prognosis marker and drug target. Here we report the first crystal structure of human ALDH1A3 complexed with NAD+ and the product all-trans retinoic acid (REA). The tetrameric ALDH1A3 folds into a three domain-based architecture highly conserved along the ALDHs family. The structural analysis revealed two different and coupled conformations for NAD+ and REA that we propose to represent two snapshots along the catalytic cycle. Indeed, the isoprenic moiety of REA points either toward the active site cysteine, or moves away adopting the product release conformation. Although ALDH1A3 shares high sequence identity with other members of the ALDH1A family, our structural analysis revealed few peculiar residues in the 1A3 isozyme active site. Our data provide information into the ALDH1As catalytic process and can be used for the structure-based design of selective inhibitors of potential medical interest.
Effect of solidification rate on microstructure evolution in dual phase microalloyed steel
Authors: Kostryzhev A. G. , Slater C. D. , Marenych O. O. , Davis C. L.
Published: October 2016

In steels the dependence of ambient temperature microstructure and mechanical properties on solidification rate is not well reported. In this work we investigate the microstructure and hardness evolution for a low C low Mn NbTi-microalloyed steel solidified in the cooling rate range of 1–50 Cs−1. The maximum strength was obtained at the intermediate solidification rate of 30 Cs−1. This result has been correlated to the microstructure variation with solidification rate.
Network Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Acupuncture, Alpha-blockers and Antibiotics on Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
Authors: Qin Zongshi , Wu Jiani , Tian Jinhui , Zhou Jing , Liu Yali , Liu Zhishun
Published: October 2016

Alpha-blockers and antibiotics are most commonly used to treat chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) in clinical practice. Currently, increasing evidence also suggests acupuncture as an effective strategy. This network meta-analysis intended to assess the comparative efficacy and safety of acupuncture, alpha-blockers and antibiotics for CP/CPPS. Twelve trials involving 1203 participants were included. Based on decreases in the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) score, a network meta-analysis indicated that electro-acupuncture (standard mean difference [SMD]: 4.29; 95% credible interval [CrI], 1.96–6.65), acupuncture (SMD: 3.69; 95% CrI, 0.27–7.17), alpha-blockers (SMD: 1.85; 95% CrI, 1.07–2.64), antibiotics (SMD: 2.66; 95% CrI, 1.57–3.76), and dual therapy (SMD: 3.20; 95% CrI, 1.95–4.42) are superior to placebo in decreasing this score. Additionally, electro-acupuncture (SMD: 2.44; 95% CrI, 0.08–4.83) and dual therapy (SMD: 1.35; 95% CrI, 0.07–2.62) were more effective than alpha-blockers in decreasing the total NIH-CPSI total score. Other network meta-analyses did not show significant differences between interventions other placebo. The incidence of adverse events of acupuncture was relatively rare (5.4%) compared with placebo (17.1%), alpha-blockers (24.9%), antibiotics (31%) and dual therapy (48.6%). Overall, rank tests and safety analyses indicate that electro-acupuncture/acupuncture may be recommended for the treatment of CP/CPPS.
PCR free multiple ligase reactions and probe cleavages for the SNP detection of KRAS mutation with attomole sensitivity
Authors: Kim Joong Hyun
Published: October 2016

A method to produce multiple ligated primers without PCR for a target DNA containing a single point mutation is presented.
A water-dispersible dye-sensitized upconversion nanocomposite modified with phosphatidylcholine for lymphatic imaging
Authors: Zou Xianmei , Xu Ming , Yuan Wei , Wang Qiuhong , Shi Yibing , Feng Wei , Li Fuyou
Published: October 2016

A water-dispersible dye-sensitized upconversion nanocomposite has been successfully used in cell and lymphatic imaging with great enhancement of UCL intensity.
Importance of the structural integrity of a carbon conjugated mediator for photocatalytic hydrogen generation from water over a CdS–carbon nanotube–MoS2 composite
Authors: Meng-Jung Li Molly , Mills Poppy , Fairclough Simon M. , Robertson Alex , Peng Yung-Kang , Warner Jamie , Nie Chunyang , Flahaut Emmanuel , Edman Tsang Shik Chi
Published: October 2016

CdS quantum dots is shown to promote photocatalytic hydrogen production from water significantly over single-layer MoS2 on double-walled carbon nanotube.
Structural assignment, and electronic and magnetic properties of lanthanide metal doped silicon heptamers Si7M0/− with M = Pr, Gd and Ho
Authors: Hang Tran Dieu , Hung Huynh Minh , Nguyen Minh Tho
Published: October 2016

The ground state geometries of neutral and anionic lanthanide-metal-doped silicon clusters Si7M0/− with M = Pr, Gd and Ho were determined by quantum chemical (DFT) computations and the previous experimental photoelectron spectra were assigned.
Influences of heterogeneous native contact energy and many-body interactions on the prediction of protein folding mechanisms
Authors: Zhang Zhuqing , Ouyang Yanhua , Chen Tao
Published: October 2016

Combining heterogenous native contact energies and many-body interactions could improve the prediction of Brønsted plots using a structure-based model.
Unusual acid–base properties of the P4 molecule in hydrogen-, halogen-, and pnicogen-bonded complexes
Authors: Alkorta Ibon , Elguero José , Del Bene Janet E.
Published: October 2016

Electron density shifts in hydrogen- and pnicogen-bonded P4:FH complexes.
Alkylzinc diorganophosphates: synthesis, structural diversity and unique ability to incorporate zincoxane units
Authors: Wolska-Pietkiewicz Małgorzata , Świerkosz Adam , Justyniak Iwona , Grala Agnieszka , Sokołowski Kamil , Lewiński Janusz
Published: October 2016

New tetrameric alkylzinc organophosphates of a drum-like structure and novel aggregates based on alkylzinc organophosphates with incorporated zincoxane units were synthesized and structurally characterized.
Solvent-induced on/off switching of intramolecular electron transfer in a cyanide-bridged trigonal bipyramidal complex
Authors: Wei Rong-Jia , Nakahara Ryohei , Cameron Jamie M. , Newton Graham N. , Shiga Takuya , Sagayama Hajime , Kumai Reiji , Murakami Youichi , Oshio Hiroki
Published: October 2016

A cyanide-bridged trigonal bipyramidal [Co3Fe2] cluster shows solvent-driven reversible on/off switching of its thermally induced electron-transfer-coupled spin transition behaviour.
A review of thermochemical conversion of microalgal biomass for biofuels: chemistry and processes
Authors: Kumar Gopalakrishnan , Shobana Sutha , Chen Wei-Hsin , Bach Quang-Vu , Kim Sang- Hyoun , Atabani A. E. , Chang Jo-Shu
Published: October 2016

Renewable biomass sources are organic materials, in which solar energy is stored in bio-chemical bonds, and which commonly contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen constituents, along with traces of sulfur.
Development of 6-amyl-α-pyrone as a potential biomass-derived platform molecule
Authors: Alam Md. Imteyaz , Gupta Shelaka , Bohre Ashish , Ahmad Ejaz , Khan Tuhin S. , Saha Basudeb , Haider M. Ali
Published: October 2016

Routes for the conversion of biomass-derived 6-amyl-α-pyrone to produce fuels and chemicals.
Crystal and electronic structures, and photoluminescence and photocatalytic properties of α-EuZrS3
Authors: Guo Sheng-Ping , Chi Yang , Zou Jian-Ping , Xue Huai-Guo
Published: October 2016

Novel crystalline α-EuZrS3 shows Eu2+ photoluminescence and is photocatalytically active towards the decomposition of methylene blue under visible light or simulated sunlight irradiation.
Short protecting-group-free synthesis of 5-acetylsulfanyl-histidines in water: novel precursors of 5-sulfanyl-histidine and its analogues
Authors: Daunay Sylvain , Lebel Remi , Farescour Laurence , Yadan Jean-Claude , Erdelmeier Irene
Published: October 2016

Natural and novel sulfur-containing amino acids are preparedviaa new regioselective one-pot two-step procedure.
An overview of the synthesis of acyl hydrazides from aldehydes and reactions of the products thereof
Authors: Shamsabadi André , Chudasama Vijay
Published: October 2016

An overview of the methods for the formation and reaction of acyl hydrazides.
Regioselective synthesis of naphthoquinone/naphthoquinol–carbohydrate hybrids by [4 + 2] anionic annulations and studies on their cytotoxicity
Authors: Chakraborty Soumen , Das Gaurav , Ghosh Surajit , Mal Dipakranjan
Published: October 2016

A novel approach for the synthesis of naphthoquinone/naphthoquinol–carbohydrate hybrids using the Hauser annulation as the key synthetic step has been described.
Conventional fluorophore-free dual pH- and thermo-responsive luminescent alternating copolymer
Authors: Saha Biswajit , Bauri Kamal , Bag Arijit , Ghorai Pradip K. , De Priyadarsi
Published: October 2016

Herein, we have designed and synthesized a novel traditional fluorophore-free water-soluble fluorescent copolymer based on a poly(maleimide-alt-styrene) skeleton, which responds to both pH and temperature in aqueous medium.
Photo-induced reduction of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using graphitic carbon nitride supported metal catalysts
Authors: Guo Yuanyuan , Chen Jinzhu
Published: October 2016

Photo-induced reduction of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was achieved by using graphitic carbon nitride-supported transition metal catalysts.
Impregnation of ionic liquids in mesoporous silica using supercritical carbon dioxide and co-solvent
Authors: Xu Qin-Qin , Yin Jian-Zhong , Zhou Xue-Ling , Yin Guang-Zhao , Liu Yi-Fan , Cai Pei , Wang Ai-Qin
Published: October 2016

Impregnation of ILs on SBA-15 was successfully prepared in supercritical CO2. It was superior to the sample prepared using impregnation method.
An in-depth kinetics study of chemically modified human serum albumin aggregation and fibrillation
Authors: Yang Q. Q. , Zhang J. Q. , Xu Z. Q. , Jin J. C. , Yuan L. , Dong P. , Jiang F. L. , Liu Y.
Published: October 2016

Herein, chemically modified HSAs with different surface charges are used to study the process of protein fibrillation and the inhibition mechanism of quantum dots (QDs) in aqueous solutionsin vitro.
Sulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous carbon/silica as efficient catalyst for dehydration of fructose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural
Authors: Tian Xiaoning , Jiang Zhongqing , Jiang Yingying , Xu Weitong , Li Chenxu , Luo Lijuan , Jiang Zhong-Jie
Published: October 2016

Sulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous carbon/silica materials have been used as catalysts for the catalytic dehydration of fructose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and show high catalytic activity.
Bis(4-pyridylamino)triazine-stabilized magnetite KCC-1: a chemoselective, efficient, green and reusable nanocatalyst for the synthesis of N-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines
Authors: Sadeghzadeh Seyed Mohsen
Published: October 2016

Fe3O4/KCC-1/BPAT as a novel nanostructured compound catalyzed the synthesis of N-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines.
A robust fluorescent chemosensor for aluminium ion detection based on a Schiff base ligand with an azo arm and application in a molecular logic gate
Authors: Banerjee Saikat , Brandão Paula , Saha Amrita
Published: October 2016

A new azo based chemosensor for detection of Al3+ ion has been reported. The sensor has been well characterized using different techniques like single crystal X-ray, NMR, IR, UV etc. Detection limit of the chemosensor was found to be 6.93 nM.
The role of exchange–correlation functional on the description of multiferroic properties using density functional theory: the ATiO3 (A = Mn, Fe, Ni) case study
Authors: Ribeiro Renan Augusto Pontes , de Lazaro Sergio Ricardo , Gatti Carlo
Published: October 2016

In this study, ab initio density functional theory calculations were performed on ATiO3 (A = Mn, Fe, Ni) materials for multiferroic applications.
Photophysical properties of asymmetric and water-soluble dinuclear lanthanide complexes of poly glycol chain functionalized-benzoic acid derivative: experimental and theoretical approaches
Authors: Bosshard G. Z. , Brito G. A. , Monteiro J. H. S. K. , de Bettencourt-Dias A. , Mazali I. O. , Sigoli F. A.
Published: October 2016

New water-soluble lanthanide complexes with a poly glycol chain (–OEtOEtOEtOMe) functionalized benzoic acid derivative ligand were synthesized and photophysically characterized.
A novel porphyrinic photosensitizer based on the molecular complex of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone: higher photocatalytic activity, photooxidative stability and solubility in non-chlorinated solvents
Authors: Mojarrad Aida G. , Zakavi Saeed
Published: October 2016

The 1 : 2 molecular complex ofmeso-tetraphenylporphyrin with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) has been used as a promising photosensitizer for the aerobic oxidation of olefins in different chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents.
An oligothiophene chromophore with a macrocyclic side chain: synthesis, morphology, charge transport, and photovoltaic performance
Authors: Venkatesan Swaminathan , Sun Jianyuan , Zhang Lianjie , Dubey Ashish , Sykes Andrew , Lin Ting-Yu , Hung Yu-Chueh , Qiao Qiquan , Zhang Cheng
Published: October 2016

Molecular chromophores tend to form crystals beyond nanometer sizes upon thermal aging. A novel ring-protection structure has shown promise to solve morphological stability problem of solution-processed small molecule solar cell devices.
Green Schiff's bases as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in 1 M HCl solution: experimental and theoretical approach
Authors: Gupta Neeraj Kumar , Quraishi M. A. , Verma Chandrabhan , Mukherjee A. K.
Published: October 2016

Three cysteine based Schiff bases were synthesized and their corrosion inhibition properties on mild steel in 1 M HCl solution were evaluated using weight loss and electrochemical studies and quantum chemical calculations.
Accurate description of hybridized local and charge-transfer excited-state in donor–acceptor molecules using density functional theory
Authors: Pan Y. Y. , Huang J. , Wang Z. M. , Zhang S. T. , Yu D. W. , Yang B. , Ma Y. G.
Published: October 2016

The ωB97X was the most reliable functional for the accurate description of HLCT state at ground state and excited state.
Preparation of rGO–mesoporous silica nanosheets as Pickering interfacial catalysts
Authors: Xie Yi , Sun Mingshuai , Shen Yu , Li Hang , Lv Guojun , Cai Zhe , Yang Chaoqun , Ahead Ali Gusai Awadalkrim , Wang Fumin , Zhang Xubin
Published: October 2016

A series of reduced graphene oxide–mesoporous silica nanoflakes (rGO–MSN) with adjustable surface wettability were developed and employed as Pickering interfacial catalyst for acetal reaction.
Electronic band structure and visible-light photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6: elucidating the effect of lutetium doping
Authors: Ait Ahsaine H. , El jaouhari A. , Slassi A. , Ezahri M. , Benlhachemi A. , Bakiz B. , Guinneton F. , Gavarri J.-R.
Published: October 2016

BWO and Lu-BWO were synthesized by coprecipitation method. Lu-BWO sample exhibits the highest visible-light-responsive photocatalytic performance for the degradation of MB. h+ and ˙O2− are the main active species in the photocatalytic degradation.
On the role of metal atom doping in hematite for improved photoelectrochemical properties: a comparison study
Authors: Su Jinzhan , Wang Jian , Liu Cong , Feng Bo , Chen Yubin , Guo Liejin
Published: October 2016

A systematic comparison study of various metal atoms doped hematites was performed to look into the effect of metal element doping on the photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of hematite photoelectrodes.
Borondifluoride β-diketonate complex as fluorescent organic nanoparticles: aggregation-induced emission for cellular imaging
Authors: Zhang Wuyong , Ren Yao-Yao , Zhang Lin-Na , Fan Xing , Fan Haiming , Wu Yongquan , Zhang Yi , Kuang Gui-Chao
Published: October 2016

A novel borondifluoride β-diketonate complex TB which shows interesting photophysical properties is designed and prepared. In particular, the TB loaded nanoparticles acted as an excellent reagent for cellular imaging.
Preparation of an oil-absorptive gel containing a 4-t-butyl styrene–EPDM–divinyl benzene graft polymer by reactive processing
Authors: Zhang Ming-Hua , Fan Min-Min , Ma Chao , Luo Hui , Wu Peng-wei , Zhang Xi
Published: October 2016

A new reactive processing method was developed to prepare tBS–EPDM–DVB gels, which provides an environmentally-friendly method to produce oil-absorptive gels.
Comment on “Effective medium theory based modeling of the thermoelectric properties of composites: comparison between predictions and experiments in the glass–crystal composite system Si10As15Te75–Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3” by J.-B. Vaney et al., J. Mater. Chem. C, 2015, 3, 11090
Authors: Sonntag Joachim
Published: October 2016

Vaney et al. found that the thermopower formula for composites derived in ref. 2 clearly fails to predict the thermopower of Si10As15Te75–Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3.
The association between dietary vitamin A intake and pancreatic cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 11 studies
Authors: Zhang Tao , Chen Hongqiang , Qin Shiyong , Wang Minghai , Wang Xianming , Zhang Xin , Liu Fei , Zhang Shuguang
Published: October 2016

Whether dietary vitamin A intake could reduce pancreatic cancer risk is still conflicting. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the evidence from epidemiological studies. We searched the databases of PubMed and Web of Knowledge up to July 2016. Random model was used to combine study-specific relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Publication bias was assessed by Egger regression asymmetry test and Begg's funnel plot. Eleven studies (10 case-control studies and 1 cohort study) involving 2705 pancreatic cancer cases were included in the present study. The RR (95% CI) of pancreatic cancer for highest category of vitamin A intake compared with lowest category was 0.839 (95% CI=0.712–0.988) with low heterogeneity detected (I2=17.8%, Pheterogeneity=0.274). The relationships were also significant for studies designed by case-control [RR=0.808, 95% CI=0.690–0.947], as well as in European population [RR=0.821, 95% CI=0.693–0.972]. No evidence of publication bias was found. This meta-analysis demonstrated that dietary vitamin A intake might inversely associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer.
The conservation of phosphate-binding residues among PHT1 transporters suggests that distinct transport affinities are unlikely to result from differences in the phosphate-binding site
Authors: Ceasar S. Antony , Baker Alison , Muench Stephen P. , Ignacimuthu S. , Baldwin Stephen A.
Published: October 2016

The plant PHosphate Transporter 1 (PHT1) family of membrane proteins belongs to the major facilitator super family and plays a major role in the acquisition of inorganic phosphate (Pi) from the soil and its transport within the plant. These transporters have been well characterized for expression patterns, localization, and in some cases affinity. Furthermore, the crystal structure of a high-affinity eukaryotic phosphate transporter from the fungus Piriformospora indica (PiPT) has revealed important information on the residues involved in Pi transport. Using multiple-sequence alignments and homology modelling, the phosphate-binding site residues were shown to be well conserved between all the plant PHT1 proteins, Saccharomyces cerevisiae PHO84 and PiPT. For example, Asp 324 in PiPT is conserved in the equivalent position in all plant PHT1 and yeast transporters analyzed, and this residue in ScPHO84 was shown by mutagenesis to be important for both the binding and transport of Pi. Moreover, Asp 45 and Asp 149, which are predicted to be involved in proton import, and Lys 459, which is putatively involved in Pi-binding, are all fully conserved in PHT1 and ScPHO84 transporters. The conserved nature of the residues that play a key role in Pi-binding and transport across the PHT1 family suggests that the differing Pi affinities of these transporters do not reside in differences in the Pi-binding site. Recent studies suggest that phosphate transporters could possess dual affinity and that post-translational modifications may be important in regulating affinity for phosphate.
Can the Drosophila model help in paving the way for translational medicine in heart failure?
Authors: Ma Lisha
Published: October 2016

Chronic heart failure is a common consequence of various heart diseases. Mechanical force is known to play a key role in heart failure development through regulating cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In order to understand the complex disease mechanism, this article discussed a multi-disciplinary approach that may aid the illustration of heart failure molecular process.
The multiple roles of the nucleocapsid in retroviral RNA conversion into proviral DNA by reverse transcriptase
Authors: Darlix Jean-Luc , de Rocquigny Hugues , Mély Yves
Published: October 2016

Retroviruses are enveloped plus-strand RNA viruses that can cause cancer, immunodeficiency and neurological disorder in human and animals. Retroviruses have several unique properties, such as a genomic RNA in a dimeric form found in the virus, and a replication strategy called ‘copy-and-paste' during which the plus-strand genomic RNA is converted into a double-stranded DNA, subsequently integrated into the cellular genome. Two essential viral enzymes, reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN), direct this ‘copy-and-paste' replication. RT copies the genomic RNA generating the double-stranded proviral DNA, while IN catalyzes proviral DNA integration into the cellular DNA, then called the provirus. In that context, a major component of the virion core, the nucleocapsid protein (NC), was found to be a potent nucleic-acid chaperone that assists RT during the conversion of the genomic RNA into proviral DNA. Here we briefly review the interplay of NC with viral nucleic-acids, which enables rapid and faithful folding and hybridization of complementary sequences, and with active RT thus providing assistance to the synthesis of the complete proviral DNA. Because of its multiple roles in retrovirus replication, NC could be viewed as a two-faced Janus-chaperone acting on viral nucleic-acids and enzymes.
Understanding and preventing mitochondrial oxidative damage
Authors: Murphy Michael P.
Published: October 2016

Mitochondrial oxidative damage has long been known to contribute to damage in conditions such as ischaemia–reperfusion (IR) injury in heart attack. Over the past years, we have developed a series of mitochondria-targeted compounds designed to ameliorate or determine how this damage occurs. I will outline some of this work, from MitoQ to the mitochondria-targeted S-nitrosating agent, called MitoSNO, that we showed was effective in preventing reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in IR injury with therapeutic implications. In addition, the protection by this compound suggested that ROS production in IR injury was mainly coming from complex I. This led us to investigate the mechanism of the ROS production and using a metabolomic approach, we found that the ROS production in IR injury came from the accumulation of succinate during ischaemia that then drove mitochondrial ROS production by reverse electron transport at complex I during reperfusion. This surprising mechanism led us to develop further new therapeutic approaches to have an impact on the damage that mitochondrial ROS do in pathology and also to explore how mitochondrial ROS can act as redox signals. I will discuss how these approaches have led to a better understanding of mitochondrial oxidative damage in pathology and also to the development of new therapeutic strategies.
Modulation of BMP signalling by integrins
Authors: Ashe Hilary L.
Published: October 2016

The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway is a major conserved signalling pathway with diverse roles in development and homeostasis. Given that cells exist in three-dimensional environments, one important area is to understand how the BMP pathway operates within such complex cellular environments. The extracellular matrix contains information regarding tissue architecture and its mechanical properties that is transmitted to the cell via integrin receptors. In this review, I describe various examples of modulation of the BMP pathway by integrins. In the case of the Drosophila embryo and some cell line-based studies, integrins have been found to enhance BMP responses through different mechanisms, such as enhancement of BMP ligand–receptor binding and effects on Smad phosphorylation or stability. In these contexts, BMP-dependent activation of integrins is a common theme. However, I also discuss examples where integrins inhibit the BMP pathway, highlighting the context-dependent nature of integrin–BMP cross-talk.
The multiple assemblies of VDAC: from conformational heterogeneity to β-aggregation and amyloid formation
Authors: Boulbrima Alexandre , Temple Davina , Psakis Georgios
Published: October 2016

From their cellular localisation, to their atomic structure and their involvement in mitochondrial-driven cell death, voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs) have challenged the scientific community with enigmas and paradoxes for over four decades. VDACs form active monomer channels in lipid bilayers, but they can also organise in multimeric assemblies. What induces, regulates and/or controls the monomer–multimer dynamics at the cellular level is not known. However, these state transitions appear to be relevant for mitochondria in making life or death decisions and for driving developmental processes. This review starts with a general introduction on VDACs and continues by examining VDAC oligomerisation/aggregation in light of recent discussions on VDAC–β-amyloid interactions and their involvement in Alzheimer's disease.
Ribonucleoprotein bodies are phased in
Authors: Sfakianos Aristeidis P. , Whitmarsh Alan J. , Ashe Mark P.
Published: October 2016

Intracellular compartments are necessary for the regulation of many biochemical processes that ensure cell survival, growth and proliferation. Compartmentalisation is commonly achieved in organelles with defined lipid membranes, such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum or the Golgi apparatus. While these organelles are responsible for many localised biochemical processes, recent evidence points to another class of compartments that lack membrane boundaries. The structure and content of these bodies depend on their function and subcellular localisation, but they mainly incorporate proteins and RNA. Examples of these ribonucleoprotein bodies (RNPBs) include eukaryotic mRNA processing bodies (P-bodies) and stress granules (SGs). While most of these structures have been widely studied for their capacity to bind, store and process mRNAs under different conditions, their biological functions and physical properties are poorly understood. Recent intriguing data suggest that liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) represents an important mechanism seeding the formation and defining the function of RNPBs. In this review, we discuss how LLPS is transforming our ideas about the biological functions of SGs and P-bodies and their link to diseases.
EML proteins in microtubule regulation and human disease
Authors: Fry Andrew M. , O'Regan Laura , Montgomery Jessica , Adib Rozita , Bayliss Richard
Published: October 2016

The EMLs are a conserved family of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). The founding member was discovered in sea urchins as a 77-kDa polypeptide that co-purified with microtubules. This protein, termed EMAP for echinoderm MAP, was the major non-tubulin component present in purified microtubule preparations made from unfertilized sea urchin eggs [J. Cell Sci. (1993) 104, 445–450; J. Cell Sci. (1987) 87(Pt 1), 71–84]. Orthologues of EMAP were subsequently identified in other echinoderms, such as starfish and sand dollar, and then in more distant eukaryotes, including flies, worms and vertebrates, where the name of ELP or EML (both for EMAP-like protein) has been adopted [BMC Dev. Biol. (2008) 8, 110; Dev. Genes Evol. (2000) 210, 2–10]. The common property of these proteins is their ability to decorate microtubules. However, whether they are associated with particular microtubule populations or exercise specific functions in different microtubule-dependent processes remains unknown. Furthermore, although there is limited evidence that they regulate microtubule dynamics, the biochemical mechanisms of their molecular activity have yet to be explored. Nevertheless, interest in these proteins has grown substantially because of the identification of EML mutations in neuronal disorders and oncogenic fusions in human cancers. Here, we summarize our current knowledge of the expression, localization and structure of what is proving to be an interesting and important class of MAPs. We also speculate about their function in microtubule regulation and highlight how the studies of EMLs in human diseases may open up novel avenues for patient therapy.
The spatiotemporal regulation of RAS signalling
Authors: Herrero Ana , Matallanas David , Kolch Walter
Published: October 2016

Nearly 30% of human tumours harbour mutations in RAS family members. Post-translational modifications and the localisation of RAS within subcellular compartments affect RAS interactions with regulator, effector and scaffolding proteins. New insights into the control of spatiotemporal RAS signalling reveal that activation kinetics and subcellular compartmentalisation are tightly coupled to the generation of specific biological outcomes. Computational modelling can help utilising these insights for the identification of new targets and design of new therapeutic approaches.