bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spin dynamics and relaxation in graphene dictated by electron-hole puddles
Authors: Van Tuan Dinh , Ortmann Frank , Cummings Aron W. , Soriano David , Roche Stephan
Published: February 2016

The understanding of spin dynamics and relaxation mechanisms in clean graphene, and the upper time and length scales on which spin devices can operate, are prerequisites to realizing graphene-based spintronic technologies. Here we theoretically reveal the nature of fundamental spin relaxation mechanisms in clean graphene on different substrates with Rashba spin-orbit fields as low as a few tens of μeV. Spin lifetimes ranging from 50 picoseconds up to several nanoseconds are found to be dictated by substrate-induced electron-hole characteristics. A crossover in the spin relaxation mechanism from a Dyakonov-Perel type for SiO2 substrates to a broadening-induced dephasing for hBN substrates is described. The energy dependence of spin lifetimes, their ratio for spins pointing out-of-plane and in-plane, and the scaling with disorder provide a global picture about spin dynamics and relaxation in ultraclean graphene in the presence of electron-hole puddles.
Durable, superoleophobic polymer–nanoparticle composite surfaces with re-entrant geometry via solvent-induced phase transformation
Authors: Brown Philip S. , Bhushan Bharat
Published: February 2016

Superoleophobic plastic surfaces are useful in a wide variety of applications including anti-fouling, self-cleaning, anti-smudge and low-drag. Existing examples of superoleophobic surfaces typically rely on poorly adhered coatings or delicate surface structures, resulting in poor mechanical durability. Here, we report a facile method for creating re-entrant geometries desirable for superoleophobicity via entrapment of nanoparticles in polycarbonate surfaces. Nanoparticle incorporation occurs during solvent-induced swelling and subsequent crystallization of the polymer surface. The resulting surface was found to comprise of re-entrant structures, a result of the nanoparticle agglomerates acting as nucleation points for polymer crystallization. Examples of such surfaces were further functionalized with fluorosilane to result in a durable, super-repellent surface. This method of impregnating nanoparticles into polymer surfaces could prove useful in improving the anti-bacterial, mechanical and liquid-repellent properties of plastic devices.
Correction: Corrigendum: Neural substrate of quality of life in patients with schizophrenia: a magnetisation transfer imaging study
Authors: Faget-Agius Catherine , Boyer Laurent , Wirsich Jonathan , Ranjeva Jean-Philippe , Richieri Raphaelle , Soulier Elisabeth , Confort-Gouny Sylviane , Auquier Pascal , Guye Maxime , Lançon Christophe
Published: February 2016

Scientific Reports 5: Article number: 17650; published online: 03 December 2015; updated: 15 February 2016 The original version of this Article contained errors in the spelling of the authors Catherine Faget-Agius, Jonathan Wirsich, Jean-Philippe Ranjeva, Raphaelle Richieri, Elisabeth Soulier, Sylviane Confort-Gouny, Pascal Auquier, Maxime Guye and Christophe Lançon which were incorrectly given as Faget-Agius Catherine, Wirsich Jonathan, Ranjeva Jean-Philippe, Richieri Raphaelle, Soulier Elisabeth, Confort-Gouny Sylviane, Auquier Pascal, Guye Maxime & Lançon Christophe respectively.
Genetic engineering and heterologous expression of the disorazol biosynthetic gene cluster via Red/ET recombineering
Authors: Tu Qiang , Herrmann Jennifer , Hu Shengbiao , Raju Ritesh , Bian Xiaoying , Zhang Youming , Müller Rolf
Published: February 2016

Disorazol, a macrocyclic polykitide produced by the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum So ce12 and it is reported to have potential cytotoxic activity towards several cancer cell lines, including multi-drug resistant cells. The disorazol biosynthetic gene cluster (dis) from Sorangium cellulosum (So ce12) was identified by transposon mutagenesis and cloned in a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library. The 58-kb dis core gene cluster was reconstituted from BACs via Red/ET recombineering and expressed in Myxococcus xanthus DK1622. For the first time ever, a myxobacterial trans-AT polyketide synthase has been expressed heterologously in this study. Expression in M. xanthus allowed us to optimize the yield of several biosynthetic products using promoter engineering. The insertion of an artificial synthetic promoter upstream of the disD gene encoding a discrete acyl transferase (AT), together with an oxidoreductase (Or), resulted in 7-fold increase in disorazol production. The successful reconstitution and expression of the genetic sequences encoding for these promising cytotoxic compounds will allow combinatorial biosynthesis to generate novel disorazol derivatives for further bioactivity evaluation.
AnnoTALE: bioinformatics tools for identification, annotation and nomenclature of TALEs from Xanthomonas genomic sequences
Authors: Grau Jan , Reschke Maik , Erkes Annett , Streubel Jana , Morgan Richard D. , Wilson Geoffrey G. , Koebnik Ralf , Boch Jens
Published: February 2016

Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) are virulence factors, produced by the bacterial plant-pathogen Xanthomonas, that function as gene activators inside plant cells. Although the contribution of individual TALEs to infectivity has been shown, the specific roles of most TALEs and the overall TALE diversity in Xanthomonas spp. is not known. TALEs possess a highly repetitive DNA-binding domain, which is notoriously difficult to sequence. Here, we describe an improved method for characterizing TALE genes by the use of PacBio sequencing. We present ‘AnnoTALE’, a suite of applications for the analysis and annotation of TALE genes from Xanthomonas genomes and for grouping similar TALEs into classes. Based on these classes, we propose a unified nomenclature for Xanthomonas TALEs that reveals similarities pointing to related functionalities. This new classification enables us to compare related TALEs and to identify base substitutions responsible for the evolution of TALE specificities.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor promoter methylation and cortical thickness in recurrent major depressive disorder
Authors: Na Kyoung-Sae , Won Eunsoo , Kang June , Chang Hun Soo , Yoon Ho-Kyoung , Tae Woo Suk , Kim Yong-Ku , Lee Min-Soo , Joe Sook-Haeng , Kim Hyun , Ham Byung-Joo
Published: February 2016

Recent studies have reported that methylation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene promoter is associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aimed to investigate the association between cortical thickness and methylation of BDNF promoters as well as serum BDNF levels in MDD. The participants consisted of 65 patients with recurrent MDD and 65 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Methylation of BDNF promoters and cortical thickness were compared between the groups. The right medial orbitofrontal, right lingual, right lateral occipital, left lateral orbitofrontal, left pars triangularis, and left lingual cortices were thinner in patients with MDD than in healthy controls. Among the MDD group, right pericalcarine, right medical orbitofrontal, right rostral middle frontal, right postcentral, right inferior temporal, right cuneus, right precuneus, left frontal pole, left superior frontal, left superior temporal, left rostral middle frontal and left lingual cortices had inverse correlations with methylation of BDNF promoters. Higher levels of BDNF promoter methylation may be closely associated with the reduced cortical thickness among patients with MDD. Serum BDNF levels were significantly lower in MDD, and showed an inverse relationship with BDNF methylation only in healthy controls. Particularly the prefrontal and occipital cortices seem to indicate key regions in which BDNF methylation has a significant effect on structure.
Impact of marital status on survival of gastric adenocarcinoma patients: Results from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Database
Authors: Qiu Miaozhen , Yang Dajun , Xu Ruihua
Published: February 2016

Marital status was found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in various cancer types. In this study, we used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database to analyze the survival difference among different marital status in the United States. Gastric adenocarcinoma patients from 2004–2012 were enrolled for study. The 5-year cause specific survival (CSS) was our primary endpoint. Totally 29,074 eligible patients were identified. We found that more male patients were married than female. Asian patients had the highest percentages of married than the other races. More married patients were covered by the insurance. Married patients had better 5-year CSS than unmarried, 30.6% vs 25.7%, P < 0.001. The median overall CSS was 17.87 and 13.61 months for the married and unmarried patients, hazard ratio: 1.09 (95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.17), P = 0.027. The survival difference was significant in the insured but not in the uninsured patients. Widowed patients had the worst prognosis compared with other groups even though they had more stage I disease and more well / moderate differentiated tumors. These results indicated that unmarried gastric adenocarcinoma patients were at greater risk of cancer specific mortality. We recommend every patient should have access to best available gastric cancer therapy.
Co-delivery of doxorubicin and curcumin by pH-sensitive prodrug nanoparticle for combination therapy of cancer
Authors: Zhang Yumin , Yang Cuihong , Wang Weiwei , Liu Jinjian , Liu Qiang , Huang Fan , Chu Liping , Gao Honglin , Li Chen , Kong Deling , Liu Qian , Liu Jianfeng
Published: February 2016

Ample attention has focused on cancer drug delivery via prodrug nanoparticles due to their high drug loading property and comparatively lower side effects. In this study, we designed a PEG-DOX-Cur prodrug nanoparticle for simultaneous delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and curcumin (Cur) as a combination therapy to treat cancer. DOX was conjugated to PEG by Schiff’s base reaction. The obtained prodrug conjugate could self-assemble in water at pH 7.4 into nanoparticles (PEG-DOX NPs) and encapsulate Cur into the core through hydrophobic interaction (PEG-DOX-Cur NPs). When the PEG-DOX-Cur NPs are internalized by tumor cells, the Schiff’s base linker between PEG and DOX would break in the acidic environment that is often observed in tumors, causing disassembling of the PEG-DOX-Cur NPs and releasing both DOX and Cur into the nuclei and cytoplasma of the tumor cells, respectively. Compared with free DOX, free Cur, free DOX-Cur combination, or PEG-DOX NPs, PEG-DOX-Cur NPs exhibited higher anti-tumor activity in vitro. In addition, the PEG-DOX-Cur NPs also showed prolonged blood circulation time, elevated local drug accumulation and increased tumor penetration. Enhanced anti-tumor activity was also observed from the PEG-DOX-Cur-treated animals, demonstrating better tumor inhibitory property of the NPs. Thus, the PEG-DOX-Cur prodrug nanoparticle system provides a simple yet efficient approach of drug delivery for chemotherapy.
Evolution and comparative analysis of the bat MHC-I region
Authors: Ng Justin H. J. , Tachedjian Mary , Deakin Janine , Wynne James W. , Cui Jie , Haring Volker , Broz Ivano , Chen Honglei , Belov Katherine , Wang Lin-Fa , Baker Michelle L.
Published: February 2016

Bats are natural hosts to numerous viruses and have ancient origins, having diverged from other eutherian mammals early in evolution. These characteristics place them in an important position to provide insights into the evolution of the mammalian immune system and antiviral immunity. We describe the first detailed partial map of a bat (Pteropus alecto) MHC-I region with comparative analysis of the MHC-I region and genes. The bat MHC-I region is highly condensed, yet relatively conserved in organisation and is unusual in that MHC-I genes are present within only one of the three highly conserved class I duplication blocks. We hypothesise that MHC-I genes first originated in the β duplication block and subsequently duplicated in a step-wise manner across the MHC-I region during mammalian evolution. Furthermore, bat MHC-I genes contain unique insertions within their peptide-binding grooves potentially affecting the peptide repertoire presented to T cells, which may have implications for the ability of bats to control infection without overt disease.
Behaviour of the Pleistocene marsupial lion deduced from claw marks in a southwestern Australian cave
Authors: Arman Samuel D. , Prideaux Gavin J.
Published: February 2016

The marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex, was the largest-ever marsupial carnivore and is one of the most iconic extinct Australian vertebrates. With a highly-specialised dentition, powerful forelimbs and a robust build, its overall morphology is not approached by any other mammal. However, despite >150 years of attention, fundamental aspects of its biology remain unresolved. Here we analyse an assemblage of claw marks preserved on surfaces in a cave and deduce that they were generated by marsupial lions. The distribution and skewed size range of claw marks within the cave elucidate two key aspects of marsupial lion biology: they were excellent climbers and reared young in caves. Scrutiny of >10,000 co-located Pleistocene bones reveals few if any marsupial lion tooth marks, which dovetails with the morphology-based interpretation of the species as a flesh specialist.
A nanoparticulate pre-chemosensitizer for efficacious chemotherapy of multidrug resistant breast cancer
Authors: Guo Shengrong , Lv Li , Shen Yuanyuan , Hu Zhongliang , He Qianjun , Chen Xiaoyuan
Published: February 2016

Small-molecule chemosensitizers can reverse cancer multidrug resistance (MDR), thus significantly improving the in vitro effect of chemotherapy drugs for MDR cancer cells, however, their in vivo effects are not always very good, because they are difficult to effectively accumulate in tumor and enter the same cancer with chemotherapy drugs after systemic administration due to individual biopharmaceutical properties. To overcome these limitations, here we study a novel nanoparticular pre-chemosensitizer which can be also used as nanocarrier of chemotherapy drugs. We take an ‘all in one’ approach to develop a self-assembled nanoparticle formula of amphiphilic poly(curcumin-dithiodipropionic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-biotin. The nanoparticle is capable of tumor-targeted delivery, responsive degradation at the intracellular level of glutathione and subsequent intracellular co-release of the chemosensitizer curcumin and the encapsulated chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin to maximize a synergistic effect of chemosensitization and chemotherapy. We demonstrate that the antitumor efficacy of nanoparticle is much superior to that of doxorubicin in the multidrug resistant MCF-7/ADR xenografted nude mice.
Self-assembled platinum nanoparticles on sulfonic acid-grafted graphene as effective electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells
Authors: Lu Jinlin , Li Yanhong , Li Shengli , Jiang San Ping
Published: February 2016

In this article, sulfonic acid-grafted reduced graphene oxide (S-rGO) were synthesized using a one-pot method under mild conditions, and used as Pt catalyst supports to prepare Pt/S-rGO electrocatalysts through a self-assembly route. The structure, morphologies and physicochemical properties of S-rGO were examined in detail by techniques such as atomic force microscope (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The S-rGO nanosheets show excellent solubility and stability in water and the average particle size of Pt nanoparticles supported on S-rGO is ~3.8 nm with symmetrical and uniform distribution. The electrocatalytic properties of Pt/S-rGO were investigated for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). In comparison to Pt supported on high surface area Vulcan XC-72 carbon (Pt/VC) and Pt/rGO, the Pt/S-rGO electrocatalyst exhibits a much higher electrocatalytic activity, faster reaction kinetics and a better stability. The results indicate that Pt/S-rGO is a promising and effective electrocatalyst for MOR of DMFCs.
Spontaneous cooperation for prosocials, but not for proselfs: Social value orientation moderates spontaneous cooperation behavior
Authors: Mischkowski Dorothee , Glöckner Andreas
Published: February 2016

Cooperation is essential for the success of societies and there is an ongoing debate whether individuals have therefore developed a general spontaneous tendency to cooperate or not. Findings that cooperative behavior is related to shorter decision times provide support for the spontaneous cooperation effect, although contrary results have also been reported. We show that cooperative behavior is better described as person × situation interaction, in that there is a spontaneous cooperation effect for prosocial but not for proself persons. In three studies, one involving population representative samples from the US and Germany, we found that cooperation in a public good game is dependent on an interaction between individuals’ social value orientation and decision time. Increasing deliberation about the dilemma situation does not affect persons that are selfish to begin with, but it is related to decreasing cooperation for prosocial persons that gain positive utility from outcomes of others and score high on the related general personality trait honesty/humility. Our results demonstrate that the spontaneous cooperation hypothesis has to be qualified in that it is limited to persons with a specific personality and social values. Furthermore, they allow reconciling conflicting previous findings by identifying an important moderator for the effect.
Constructing modular and universal single molecule tension sensor using protein G to study mechano-sensitive receptors
Authors: Wang Xuefeng , Rahil Zainab , Li Isaac T. S. , Chowdhury Farhan , Leckband Deborah E. , Chemla Yann R. , Ha Taekjip
Published: February 2016

Recently a variety of molecular force sensors have been developed to study cellular forces acting through single mechano-sensitive receptors. A common strategy adopted is to attach ligand molecules on a surface through engineered molecular tethers which report cell-exerted tension on receptor-ligand bonds. This approach generally requires chemical conjugation of the ligand to the force reporting tether which can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Moreover, ligand-tether conjugation can severely reduce the activity of protein ligands. To address this problem, we developed a Protein G (ProG)-based force sensor in which force-reporting tethers are conjugated to ProG instead of ligands. A recombinant ligand fused with IgG-Fc is conveniently assembled with the force sensor through ProG:Fc binding, therefore avoiding ligand conjugation and purification processes. Using this approach, we determined that molecular tension on E-cadherin is lower than dsDNA unzipping force (nominal value: 12 pN) during initial cadherin-mediated cell adhesion, followed by an escalation to forces higher than 43 pN (nominal value). This approach is highly modular and potentially universal as we demonstrate using two additional receptor-ligand interactions, P-selectin & PSGL-1 and Notch & DLL1.
Characterization of DWARF14 Genes in Populus
Authors: Zheng Kaijie , Wang Xiaoping , Weighill Deborah A. , Guo Hao-Bo , Xie Meng , Yang Yongil , Yang Jun , Wang Shucai , Jacobson Daniel A. , Guo Hong , Muchero Wellington , Tuskan Gerald A. , Chen Jin-Gui
Published: February 2016

Strigolactones are a new class of plant hormones regulating shoot branching and symbiotic interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Studies of branching mutants in herbaceous plants have identified several key genes involved in strigolactone biosynthesis or signaling. The strigolactone signal is perceived by a member of the α/β-fold hydrolase superfamily, known as DWARF14 (D14). However, little is known about D14 genes in the woody perennial plants. Here we report the identification of D14 homologs in the model woody plant Populus trichocarpa. We showed that there are two D14 homologs in P. trichocarpa, designated as PtD14a and PtD14b that are over 95% similar at the amino acid level. Expression analysis indicated that the transcript level of PtD14a is generally more abundant than that of PtD14b. However, only PtD14a was able to complement Arabidopsis d14 mutants, suggesting that PtD14a is the functional D14 ortholog. Amino acid alignment and structural modeling revealed substitutions of several highly conserved amino acids in the PtD14b protein including a phenylalanine near the catalytic triad of D14 proteins. This study lays a foundation for further characterization of strigolactone pathway and its functions in the woody perennial plants.
Reference frames for reaching when decoupling eye and target position in depth and direction
Authors: Bosco A. , Breveglieri R. , Hadjidimitrakis K. , Galletti C. , Fattori P.
Published: February 2016

Spatial representations in cortical areas involved in reaching movements were traditionally studied in a frontoparallel plane where the two-dimensional target location and the movement direction were the only variables to consider in neural computations. No studies so far have characterized the reference frames for reaching considering both depth and directional signals. Here we recorded from single neurons of the medial posterior parietal area V6A during a reaching task where fixation point and reaching targets were decoupled in direction and depth. We found a prevalent mixed encoding of target position, with eye-centered and spatiotopic representations differently balanced in the same neuron. Depth was stronger in defining the reference frame of eye-centered cells, while direction was stronger in defining that of spatiotopic cells. The predominant presence of various typologies of mixed encoding suggests that depth and direction signals are processed on the basis of flexible coordinate systems to ensure optimal motor response.
Prenatal inflammation-induced NF-κB dyshomeostasis contributes to renin-angiotensin system over-activity resulting in prenatally programmed hypertension in offspring
Authors: Deng Youcai , Deng Yafei , He Xiaoyan , Chu Jianhong , Zhou Jianzhi , Zhang Qi , Guo Wei , Huang Pei , Guan Xiao , Tang Yuan , Wei Yanling , Zhao Shanyu , Zhang Xingxing , Wei Chiming , Namaka Michael , Yi Ping , Yu Jianhua , Li Xiaohui
Published: February 2016

Studies involving the use of prenatally programmed hypertension have been shown to potentially contribute to prevention of essential hypertension (EH). Our previous research has demonstrated that prenatal inflammatory stimulation leads to offspring’s aortic dysfunction and hypertension in pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The present study found that prenatal LPS exposure led to NF-κB dyshomeostasis from fetus to adult, which was characterized by PI3K-Akt activation mediated degradation of IκBα protein and impaired NF-κB self-negative feedback loop mediated less newly synthesis of IκBα mRNA in thoracic aortas (gestational day 20, postnatal week 7 and 16). Prenatal or postnatal exposure of the IκBα degradation inhibitor, pyrollidine dithiocarbamate, effectively blocked NF-κB activation, endothelium dysfunction and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) over-activity in thoracic aortas, resulting in reduced blood pressure in offspring that received prenatal exposure to LPS. Surprisingly, NF-κB dyshomeostasis and RAS over-activity were only found in thoracic aortas but not in superior mesenteric arteries. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the early life NF-κB dyshomeostasis induced by prenatal inflammatory exposure plays an essential role in the development of EH through triggering RAS over-activity. We conclude that early life NF-κB dyshomeostasis is a key predictor of EH and thus, NF-κB inhibition represents an effective interventional strategy for EH prevention.
3D Printing Surgical Implants at the clinic: A Experimental Study on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Liu An , Xue Guang-huai , Sun Miao , Shao Hui-feng , Ma Chi-yuan , Gao Qing , Gou Zhong-ru , Yan Shi-gui , Liu Yan-ming , He Yong
Published: February 2016

Desktop three-dimensional (3D) printers (D3DPs) have become a popular tool for fabricating personalized consumer products, favored for low cost, easy operation and other advantageous qualities. This study focused on the potential for using D3DPs to successfully, rapidly and economically print customized implants at medical clinics. An experiment was conducted on a D3DP-printed anterior cruciate ligament surgical implant using a rabbit model. A well-defined, orthogonal, porous PLA screw-like scaffold was printed, then coated with hydroxyapatite (HA) to improve its osteoconductivity. As an internal fixation as well as an ideal cell delivery system, the osteogenic scaffold loaded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were evaluated through bothin vitroandin vivotests to observe bone-ligament healing via cell therapy. The MSCs suspended in Pluronic F-127 hydrogel on PLA/HA screw-like scaffold showed the highest cell proliferation and osteogenesisin vitro.In vivoassessment of rabbit anterior cruciate ligament models for 4 and 12 weeks showed that the PLA/HA screw-like scaffold loaded with MSCs suspended in Pluronic F-127 hydrogel exhibited significant bone ingrowth and bone-graft interface formation within the bone tunnel. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that fabricating surgical implants at the clinic (fab@clinic) with D3DPs can be feasible, effective and economical.
Biomaterials-based strategies for salivary gland tissue regeneration
Authors: Ozdemir Tugba , Fowler Eric W. , Hao Ying , Ravikrishnan Anitha , Harrington Daniel A. , Witt Robert L. , Farach-Carson Mary C. , Pradhan-Bhatt Swati , Jia Xinqiao
Published: February 2016

This review discusses synthetic matrices specifically designed to harvest the regenerative potential of stem/progenitor cells for the restoration of salivary gland function.
Synthesis of urchin-like Fe3O4@SiO2@ZnO/CdS core–shell microspheres for the repeated photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B under visible light
Authors: Yang Jinghai , Wang Jian , Li Xiuyan , Wang Dandan , Song Hang
Published: February 2016

Magnetically retrievable Fe3O4@SiO2@ZnO/CdS microspheres with a well-designed core–shell structure and excellent visible-irradiation photocatalytic performance were successfully synthesized.
Rounded Cu2ZnSnS4 nanosheet networks as a cost-effective counter electrode for high-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Chen Shan-Long , Tao Jie , Tao Hai-Jun , Shen Yi-Zhou , Xu Ai-Chun , Cao Fang-Xu , Jiang Jia-Jia , Wang Tao , Pan Lei
Published: February 2016

Semi-transparent rounded Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanosheet networks were in situ grown on a FTO glass substrate, via an effective solution method, without any post-treatments.
Label-free concentration of viable neurons, hESCs and cancer cells by means of acoustophoresis
Authors: Zalis Marina C. , Reyes Juan F. , Augustsson Per , Holmqvist Staffan , Roybon Laurent , Laurell Thomas , Deierborg Tomas
Published: February 2016

Concentration of viable cell populations in suspension is of interest for several clinical and pre-clinical applications.
Silver nanoparticles confined in carbon nanotubes: on the understanding of the confinement effect and promotional catalysis for the selective hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate
Authors: Zheng Jianwei , Duan Xinping , Lin Haiqiang , Gu Zhengqiang , Fang Huihuang , Li Jianhui , Yuan Youzhu
Published: February 2016

Carbon nanotubes induce confinement of Ag nanoparticles which show superior catalytic performance for hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate.
Water-soluble, heterometallic chalcogenide oligomers as building blocks for functional films
Authors: Chane-Ching J. Y. , Perrin L. , Puech P. , Bourdon V. , Foncrose V. , Balocchi A. , Marie X. , Lavedan P.
Published: February 2016

Highly water-soluble, discrete, heterometallic, chalcogenide oligomers displaying various valences in a single metal chalcogenide oligomer are proposed for functional films.
The photochemical thiol–ene reaction as a versatile method for the synthesis of glutathione S-conjugates targeting the bacterial potassium efflux system Kef
Authors: Healy Jess , Rasmussen Tim , Miller Samantha , Booth Ian R. , Conway Stuart J.
Published: February 2016

The thiol–ene coupling reaction is emerging as an important conjugation reaction that is suitable for use in a biological setting.
Structural and computational study of some new nano-structured Hg(ii) compounds: a combined X-ray, Hirshfeld surface and NBO analyses
Authors: Montazerozohori M. , Masoudiasl A. , Doert Th. , Seykens H.
Published: February 2016

Crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface, DFT and NBO analyses of two new distorted square-pyramidal mercury complexes are presented.
Probing solvent–solvent and solute–solvent interactions in surfactant binary mixtures: solvatochromic parameters, preferential solvation, and quantum theory of atoms in molecules analysis
Authors: Kohantorabi Mona , Fakhraee Mostafa , Salari Hadi , Gholami Mohammad Reza
Published: February 2016

The behaviour of solvatochromic absorbance probes within binary mixtures of TX-100/organic solvents.
Effect of the alloying element on the temperature-dependent ideal shear strength of γ′-Ni3Al
Authors: Wu Xiaoxia , Wang Chongyu
Published: February 2016

The ideal shear strength of a doped γ′-Ni3Al phase at finite temperature was predicted from a first principles approach based on density functional theory in combination with quasiharmonic and quasistatic approximations.
Synthesis of Mo-doped TiO2 nanowires/reduced graphene oxide composites with enhanced photodegradation performance under visible light irradiation
Authors: Zhu Shanshan , Dong Yuming , Xia Xiaofeng , Liu Xiang , Li Hexing
Published: February 2016

Mo-doped TiO2 nanowires/reduced graphene oxide composites with improved visible-light photocatalytic activity were first synthesized, the photocatalytic mechanism was also discussed.
Fabrication of WO3 nanorods on graphene nanosheets for improved visible light-induced photocapacitive and photocatalytic performance
Authors: Khan Mohammad Ehtisham , Khan Mohammad Mansoob , Cho Moo Hwan
Published: February 2016

Visible light-induced photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants using WO3 nanorods–graphene nanocomposite.
Multifunctional single-drug loaded nanoparticles for enhanced cancer treatment with low toxicity in vivo
Authors: Cong Yuwei , Wang Zigui , He Shasha , Zhou Dongfang , Li Jizhen , Xie Zhigang , Chen Xuesi , Jing Xiabin , Huang Yubin
Published: February 2016

After nanoparticles internalized, active oxaliplatin(ii) and DMC can be released upon UVA and intracellular stimulation, exhibiting enhanced anti-cancer efficacy.
Group 4 alkoxide complexes containing [NNO]-type scaffold: synthesis, structural characterization and polymerization studies
Authors: Mandal Dipa , Chakraborty Debashis , Ramkumar Venkatachalam , Chand Dillip Kumar
Published: February 2016

A series of new dinuclear group 4 complexes containing [NNO]-type ligands are utilized as catalysts for polymerization reactions.
Mechanism for the formation and growth of carbonaceous spheres from sucrose by hydrothermal carbonization
Authors: Qi Yujie , Zhang Mu , Qi Lin , Qi Yang
Published: February 2016

We report a new three-step mechanism for the formation and growth of carbonaceous spheres by hydrothermal carbonization of saccharides using sucrose as a precursor material.
Optical temperature sensing with minimized heating effect using core–shell upconversion nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Weibo , Shi Chengjian , Tao Taojunyu , Ji Meixi , Zheng Shuhong , Sang Xiangwen , Liu Xiaofeng , Qiu Jianrong
Published: February 2016

Core–shell NaYF4:Yb3+, Tm3+@NaYF4:Yb3+, Nd3+ nanosystem for temperature sensing with a minimized heating effect, which demonstrates a high sensitivity of up to 1.55% K−1 at a temperature range between 313 and 553 K.
Cellulose nanofibre aerogel filter with tuneable pore structure for oil/water separation and recovery
Authors: He Zhiyong , Zhang Xiwang , Batchelor Warren
Published: February 2016

In present work, a cellulose aerogel filer with excellent performance in oil/water separation was presented.
Effect of hydrogen ion implantation on cholesterol sensing using enzyme-free LAPONITE®-montmorillonite electrodes
Authors: Joshi Nidhi , Sharma Abhimanyu , Asokan K. , Rawat Kamla , Kanjilal D.
Published: February 2016

Electrochemical profiling of LAPONITE®-montmorillonite/indium tin oxide (L-MMT/ITO) electrodes irradiated with 20 keV H2+ ion beam with variable fluence ranging from 1012 to 1016 ions per cm2.
Photocatalytic activity of nanohybrid Co-TCPP@TiO2/WO3 in aerobic oxidation of alcohols under visible light
Authors: Safaei Elham , Mohebbi Sajjad
Published: February 2016

Selective photoxidation of aromatic alcohols to Aldehydes using Co-TCCP@TiO2/WO3 under visible light.
C–N bonded energetic biheterocyclic compounds with good detonation performance and high thermal stability
Authors: Tang Yongxing , He Chunlin , Mitchell Lauren A. , Parrish Damon A. , Shreeve Jean'ne M.
Published: February 2016

Nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions of N-nitro-substituted azoles lead to the formation of C–N bonded biheterocyclic energetic compounds.
Cyclic azasilanes as volatile and reactive precursors for atomic layer deposition of silicon dioxide
Authors: Ju Ling , Strandwitz Nicholas C.
Published: February 2016

A suite of four volatile aminosilanes, cyclic azasilanes, was used to deposit silicon dioxide (SiO2) films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) over the temperature range 100–300 °C by reaction with O3.
The pivotal step of nanoparticle functionalization for the preparation of functional and magnetic hybrid opal films
Authors: Scheid D. , Stock D. , Winter T. , Gutmann T. , Dietz C. , Gallei M.
Published: February 2016

An efficient and universal surface modification protocol for silica nanoparticles is reported for the preparation of novel hybrid optical materials.
Mesomeric configuration makes polyleucine micelle an optimal nanocarrier
Authors: He Taoyuan , Li Di , Yang Yanan , Ding Jianxun , Jin Feng , Zhuang Xiuli , Chen Xuesi
Published: February 2016

Mesomeric polyleucine micelle with cRGD decoration is selected as a promising targeting drug delivery system.
Development of high efficiency 100% aqueous cobalt electrolyte dye-sensitised solar cells
Authors: Ellis Hanna , Jiang Roger , Ye Sofie , Hagfeldt Anders , Boschloo Gerrit
Published: February 2016

In this study we report the application of three cobalt redox shuttles in 100% aqueous electrolyte dye-sensitised solar cells (DSCs).
Correction: Miscibility studies of two twist-bend nematic liquid crystal dimers with different average molecular curvatures. A comparison between experimental data and predictions of a Landau mean-field theory for the NTB–N phase transition
Authors: López D. O. , Robles-Hernández B. , Salud J. , de la Fuente M. R. , Sebastián N. , Diez-Berart S. , Jaen X. , Dunmur D. A. , Luckhurst G. R.
Published: February 2016

Correction for ‘Miscibility studies of two twist-bend nematic liquid crystal dimers with different average molecular curvatures. A comparison between experimental data and predictions of a Landau mean-field theory for the NTB–N phase transition’ by D. O. López et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 4394–4404.
Structure–activity correlation in transfection promoted by pyridinium cationic lipids
Authors: Parvizi-Bahktar P. , Mendez-Campos J. , Raju L. , Khalique N. A. , Jubeli E. , Larsen H. , Nicholson D. , Pungente M. D. , Fyles T. M.
Published: February 2016

The efficiency of transfection of a plasmid DNA promoted by a series of pyridinium lipids is correlated with molecular parameters of the lipids.
Enzymatic transhalogenation of dendritic RGD peptide constructs with the fluorinase
Authors: Thompson Stephen , Fleming Ian N. , O'Hagan David
Published: February 2016

The fluorinase enzyme is used to catalyse transhalogenation reactions on dendritic RGD peptide constructs. The strategy is explored for [18F]-radiolabelling of peptides under neutral aqueous ambient conditions for positron emission tomography (PET).
Naringin ameliorates radiation-induced hepatic damage through modulation of Nrf2 and NF-κB pathways
Authors: Manna Krishnendu , Khan Amitava , Biswas Sushobhan , Das Ujjal , Sengupta Aaveri , Mukherjee Dipanwita , Chakraborty Anindita , Dey Sanjit
Published: February 2016

Naringin ameliorates the toxic effects of radiation in murine liver and decreases the oxidative stress through the modulation of redox-regulated cellular signaling system.
Hybrid photosensitizer based on amphiphilic block copolymer stabilized silver nanoparticles for highly efficient photodynamic inactivation of bacteria
Authors: Ding Rui , Yu Xinjun , Wang Peng , Zhang Jinnan , Zhou Yan , Cao Xian , Tang Hong , Ayres Neil , Zhang Peng
Published: February 2016

We report the development of a type of novel hybrid photosensitizers for photodynamic inactivation of broad-spectrum bacteria.
Regulating the modulus of a chiral liquid crystal polymer network by light
Authors: Kumar Kamlesh , Schenning Albertus P. H. J. , Broer Dirk J. , Liu Danqing
Published: February 2016

We provide a methodology to change the state of matter from hard and glassy to soft and rubbery by light.
Lyapunov‐based control of a tethered satellite system
Authors: Meng Tingting , He Wei
Published: February 2016

In this study, a tethered satellite system is considered as a distributed parameter system. By using the extended Hamilton's principle, the tethered satellite system can be described by three partial differential equations and six ordinary differential equations. To suppress the vibrations of the tether and satellites, six boundary control laws are employed based on Lyapunov's direct method. The closed‐loop system is also proved to be uniformly bounded. Simulations are conducted to illustrate the performance of the closed‐loop tethered satellite system.
Backstepping approach to a class of hierarchical multi‐agent systems with communication disturbance
Authors: Xiong Wenjun , Ho Daniel W.C. , Cao Jinde , Xing Zheng Wei
Published: February 2016

In this study, mathematical models of hierarchical multi‐agent systems (HMSs) are first proposed to demonstrate the hierarchical structure of multi‐agent systems. Communication disturbance is also considered in HMSs since disturbance often appears when information is transmitted among agents due to various uncertainties such as model unsteadiness and external noise. Radial basis function neural networks are applied to approximate the non‐linear functions of the communication disturbance. Then, by applying a backstepping method based on the hierarchical structure of HMSs, a simple condition is derived to ensure the stability of HMSs with disturbance.
Human action recognition using histogram of motion intensity and direction from multiple views
Authors: Chun SungYong , Lee Chan‐Su
Published: February 2016

This study presents a human action recognition system from multi‐view image sequences. The authors’ approach to human action recognition is based on an estimation of local motion from multiple camera views. The authors propose a new motion descriptor, called histogram of motion intensity and direction, to capture local motion characteristics of human activity. After image normalisation, they estimate motion flow using dense optical flow. Using regular grids, they extract local flow motion and estimate the dominant angle and the intensity of optical flow. The histogram of the dominant angle and its intensity are used as a descriptor for each sequence. After the identification of head direction, they concatenate descriptors in each view as a single feature vector from multiple‐view sequences. Classification based on the proposed feature vector using support vector machine shows better performance than three‐dimensional optical flow‐based approaches, but with lower computational requirements. The authors evaluated action recognition on the publicly available i3DPost and the Institut de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) Xmas Motion Acquisition Sequences database. Experimental results show promising state‐of‐the‐art results and validate the advanced performance of the authors’ approach.
Salt stress responses in a geographically diverse collection of Eutrema/Thellungiella spp. accessions
Authors: Lee Yang Ping , Funk Christian , Erban Alexander , Kopka Joachim , Köhl Karin I. , Zuther Ellen , Hincha Dirk K.
Published: February 2016

Salinity strongly impairs plant growth and development. Natural genetic variation can be used to dissect complex traits such as plant salt tolerance. We used 16 accessions of the halophytic species Eutrema salsugineum (previously called Thellungiella salsuginea (Pallas) O.E.Schulz, Thellungiella halophila (C.A.Meyer) O.E. Schulz and Thellungiella botschantzevii D.A.German to investigate their natural variation in salinity tolerance. Although all accessions showed survival and growth up to 700 mM NaCl in hydroponic culture, their relative salt tolerance varied considerably. All accessions accumulated the compatible solutes proline, sucrose, glucose and fructose and the polyamines putrescine and spermine. Relative salt tolerance was not correlated with the content of any of the investigated solutes. We compared the metabolomes and transcriptomes of Arabidopsis thaliana (L. Heynh.) Col-0 and E. salsugineum Yukon under control and salt stress conditions. Higher content of several metabolites in Yukon compared with Col-0 under control conditions indicated metabolic pre-adaptation to salinity in the halophyte. Most metabolic salt responses in Yukon took place at 200 mM NaCl, whereas few additional changes were observed between 200 and 500 mM. The opposite trend was observed for the transcriptome, with only little overlap between salt-regulated genes in the two species. In addition, only about half of the salt-regulated Yukon unigenes had orthologues in Col-0.
Ozone damage, detoxification and the role of isoprenoids – new impetus for integrated models
Authors: Tiwari Supriya , Grote Rüdiger , Churkina Galina , Butler Tim
Published: February 2016

High concentrations of ozone (O3) can have significant impacts on the health and productivity of agricultural and forest ecosystems, leading to significant economic losses. In order to estimate this impact under a wide range of environmental conditions, the mechanisms of O3 impacts on physiological and biochemical processes have been intensively investigated. This includes the impact on stomatal conductance, the formation of reactive oxygen species and their effects on enzymes and membranes, as well as several induced and constitutive defence responses. This review summarises these processes, discusses their importance for O3 damage scenarios and assesses to which degree this knowledge is currently used in ecosystem models which are applied for impact analyses. We found that even in highly sophisticated models, feedbacks affecting regulation, detoxification capacity and vulnerability are generally not considered. This implies that O3 inflicted alterations in carbon and water balances cannot be sufficiently well described to cover immediate plant responses under changing environmental conditions. Therefore, we suggest conceptual models that link the depicted feedbacks to available process-based descriptions of stomatal conductance, photosynthesis and isoprenoid formation, particularly the linkage to isoprenoid models opens up new options for describing biosphere-atmosphere interactions.
Contribution of apoplast to short-term copper uptake by wheat and mung bean roots
Authors: Meychik Nataly , Nikolaeva Yuliya , Kushunina Maria , Yermakov Igor
Published: February 2016

In this study we addressed the controversial issue of contribution of cell walls (CWs) to Cu binding in plant roots. We compared short-term Cu uptake at different solution Cu levels by mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Inna) and by root CWs isolated from either Cu-treated or non-treated plants. Twenty four hours of plant exposure to Cu affected Cu-binding capacity of mung bean root CWs but not wheat CWs. Amounts of Cu associated with CWs and roots increased with Cu concentration. The Cu accumulated in CWs could account for total Cu content of roots (except for wheat in highest Cu treatment). Pectin content of the CWs and their Cu-sorption capacity were positively correlated. The accumulation of Cu in root CWs is a principal response of wheat and mung bean plants to excess Cu, limiting symplastic Cu uptake in roots in short-term treatment. The contribution of CWs to Cu absorption by plant roots depends on Cu level in the medium and plant species.
The search for linguistic equality
Authors: Tonkin Humphrey
Published: February 2016

Five papers from the symposium on language and equality, held in New York in 2014 and organized by the Working Group on Language and the United Nations, make up this special issue of Language Problems and Language Planning. The symposium highlighted the difficulty of defining the nature of language equality, the many instances in which it is abandoned in favor of some apparently more practical goal (for example, the expansion of English in higher education, or the assimilation of immigrants into the United States), efforts in the past to achieve such equality (notably the Esperanto experiment), and the apparent sidelining of language as a variable in the planning of United Nations activities and goals.
The rise of global English
Authors: Salomone Rosemary
Published: February 2016

This essay examines the spread of English as the dominant lingua franca worldwide, its educational impact on language rights, and the underlying tension between globalization and national identity. Focused on Western Europe, but with broader implications, it draws on overlapping controversies in May 2013 in France and Italy over the use of English as the medium of university instruction. It uses the public debates surrounding these events to critically explore the legal, cultural and pedagogical issues endemic to English medium instruction, but also to address deeper tensions between globalization and linguistic diversity within Europe. In doing so, it further considers the implications of global English for the rights of linguistic minority children and for European policies promoting multilingualism or “mother tongue plus two” in the interests of European integration and job mobility. Though recognizing the utility of English as a common vehicle for global communication, the paper concludes that the “rise of global English” is not a zero-sum game, but rather demands measured strategies that reasonably balance the competing interests at stake and maintain a sense of proportionality.
Effect of pore structure on mechanical properties of porous TiAl
Authors: Hao G. L. , Xu Q. P. , Wang H. , Li X. Y.
Published: February 2016

Based on two sets of TiAl powder, two kinds of porous TiAl were separately fabricated by powder metallurgical route including four stages. The porous TiAl with single pore structure (SPS) was prepared using pre-alloyed TiAl powder prior mechanical ball milling. Another porous TiAl with composite pore structure (CPS) was manufactured depending on composite mixture of Ti/Al elemental powders. The sintering was achieved at much lower temperature for the pre-alloyed power than for the elemental composite mixture. Compressive mechanical tests indicate that much higher mechanical strength can be obtained for SPS than for CPS at the same porosity. It was suggested that the difference of mechanical properties is ascribed to the variety of the compressive deformation process.