bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coordination geometry of lead carboxylates – spectroscopic and crystallographic evidence
Authors: Catalano Jaclyn , Murphy Anna , Yao Yao , Yap Glenn P. A. , Zumbulyadis Nicholas , Centeno Silvia A. , Dybowski Cecil
Published: December 2014

Spectroscopic and crystallographic data show lead carboxylate coordination is chain length dependent, shorter-chains (C6–C8) are hemidirected and longer-chains (C9–C18) are holodirected.
DOX-Cu9S5@mSiO2-PG composite fibers for orthotopic synergistic chemo- and photothermal tumor therapy
Authors: Chen Yinyin , Hou Zhiyao , Liu Bei , Huang Shanshan , Li Chunxia , Lin Jun
Published: December 2014

A composite antitumor drug carrier platform, in which antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) loaded Cu9S5@mSiO2 nanoparticles were incorporated into poly(ε-caprolactone) and gelatin to form nanofibrous fabrics using an electrospinning process, was successfully assembled.
l-Lysine-assisted fabrication of PdxPt1−x/Ni(OH)2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) hybrids with composition-dependent catalytic properties
Authors: Zhen Jiangman , Liu Dapeng , Wang Xiao , Li Junqi , Wang Fan , Wang Yinghui , Zhang Hongjie
Published: December 2014

PdxPt1−x/Ni(OH)2 hybrids with composition-dependent catalytic properties were produced by a fast and facile self-assembly process with biomolecule l-lysine as the linker.
A relationship between structural and electronic order–disorder effects and optical properties in crystalline TiO2nanomaterials
Authors: Silva Junior E. , La Porta F. A. , Liu M. S. , Andrés J. , Varela J. A. , Longo E.
Published: December 2014

The focus of this paper is on the analysis of the structural and electronic order–disorder effects at long, medium and short ranges of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles synthesized by the sol–gel process followed by the microwave-assisted solvothermal (MAS) method.
Hybrid ZnO/ZnS nanoforests as the electrode materials for high performance supercapacitor application
Authors: Zhang Siwen , Yin Bosi , Jiang He , Qu Fengyu , Umar Ahmad , Wu Xiang
Published: December 2014

Heterostructured ZnO/ZnS nanoforests are prepared through a simple two-step thermal evaporation method at 650 °C and 1300 °C in a tube furnace under the flow of argon gas, respectively.
Disintegration kinetics of food gels during gastric digestion and its role on gastric emptying: an in vitro analysis
Authors: Guo Qing , Ye Aiqian , Lad Mita , Ferrua Maria , Dalgleish Douglas , Singh Harjinder
Published: December 2014

The understanding of the disintegration and gastric emptying of foods in the stomach is important for designing functional foods.
Biomass-derived porous carbon materials with sulfur and nitrogen dual-doping for energy storage
Authors: Xu Guiyin , Han Jinpeng , Ding Bing , Nie Ping , Pan Jin , Dou Hui , Li Hongsen , Zhang Xiaogang
Published: December 2014

Biomass-derived porous carbon material with sulfur and nitrogen dual-doping exhibits great potential for energy storage devices.
The ICPMS signal as a Poisson process: a review of basic concepts
Authors: Ulianov Alex , Müntener Othmar , Schaltegger Urs
Published: December 2014

The random distribution of count numbers is defined by the binomial selection of ions en route through the interface and ion channel and by fluctuations of the ion contents sampled from the ICP.
Photoswitching properties of hairpin ODNs with azobenzene derivatives at the loop position
Authors: Wu Li , Wu Ya , Jin Hongwei , Zhang Liangren , He Yujian , Tang Xinjing
Published: December 2014

Photoisomerization of an azobenzene moiety modulates the thermodynamic stability of hairpin ODNs by interfering with stacking interation between azobenzene and neighbouring base pair and dihedral angle of the neighbouring base pair.
Identification of tris-(phenylalkyl)amines as new selective h5-HT2B receptor antagonists
Authors: Ponnala Shashikanth , Kapadia Nirav , Harding Wayne Wesley
Published: December 2014

A series of tris-(phenylalkyl)amines was synthesized and evaluated for affinity to 5-HT2 receptors. In general, the compounds displayed high affinity (4 of 11 analogs had Ki values < 10 nM) and good selectivity for the 5-HT2B receptor vs. other 5-HT2 receptors. Functional assays revealed that the compounds are 5-HT2B antagonists.
Synthesis and evaluation of 6-methylcoumarin derivatives as potent and selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitors
Authors: Lan Jin-Shuai , Pan Long-Fei , Xie Sai-Sai , Wang Xiao-Bing , Kong Ling-Yi
Published: December 2014

Compound5nwas a potent and selective inhibitor of hMAO-B.
Synthesis of six mexiletine derivatives with isoindolines attached as potential antioxidants and their evaluation as cardioprotective agents
Authors: Chau Bich Anh , Drummond Grant , Jackson W. Roy , Jarrott Bevyn , Miller Alyson A. , Subasinghe Kamani R. , Tan Christina Y. R. , White Paul J. , Wright Christine E. , Ziogas James
Published: December 2014

Some mexiletine derivatives with isoindoline based antioxidants attached have been shown to have significant cardioprotective properties.
The chemistry and pharmacology of privileged pyrroloquinazolines
Authors: Chao Bo , Li Bingbing X. , Xiao Xiangshu
Published: December 2014

Pyrroloquinazoline is a potential privileged scaffold to produce different types of bioactivities resulting from different substitutions.
Sensitive ctDNA detection by a novel zinc(ii) complex with two-photon absorption based on electrochemiluminescence
Authors: Yang Junsong , Liu Bing , Wu Jieying , Zhang Shengyi , Jin Baokang , Tian Yupeng
Published: December 2014

A novel zinc(ii) complex with an intramolecular ‘push–pull’ structure displays interesting two-photon absorption properties and its corresponding ECL sensor can detect ctDNA.
Diastereoselective desymmetrization of diarylphosphinous acid-borane amides under Birch reduction
Authors: Stankevič Marek
Published: December 2014

Birch reduction of symmetrical diarylphosphinous acid-borane amides possessing a chiral amido group, proceeds with diastereoselectivity up to 72%.
The effects of plasma treatment on bacterial biofilm formation on vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays
Authors: Yick Samuel , Mai-Prochnow Anne , Levchenko Igor , Fang Jinghua , Bull Michelle K. , Bradbury Mark , Murphy Anthony B. , (Ken) Ostrikov Kostya
Published: December 2014

Vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays treated with inductively-coupled plasmas demonstrate selective support of biofilms of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
Synthesis of new copper(i) based linear 1-D-coordination polymers with neutral imidazolinium-dithiocarboxylate ligands
Authors: Neuba A. , Ortmeyer J. , Konieczna D. D. , Weigel G. , Flörke U. , Henkel G. , Wilhelm R.
Published: December 2014

An imidazolinium-dithiocarboxylate betaine has been applied for the first time as a ligand in a coordination polymer with copper(i) halides.
Substitution rules for icosahedral quasicrystals
Authors: Madison Alexey E.
Published: December 2014

An original well-defined substitution algorithm on how to construct the icosahedral packings is proposed, simple inflation/deflation rules for icosahedral quasicrystals are described, and natural local matching rules are derived.
Microstructural transition of aqueous CTAB micelles in the presence of long chain alcohols
Authors: Karayil Jasila , Kumar Sanjeev , Hassan P. A. , Talmon Yeshayahu , Sreejith Lisa
Published: December 2014

The effect of long chain alcohols (C9OH–C12OH) on the micellar properties of CTAB in the presence of an inorganic salt, KBr, has been systematically studied by viscometry, rheology, DLS and the direct imaging technique,i.e.cryo-TEM.
Biopharmaceutical profiling of sesamol: physiochemical characterization, gastrointestinal permeability and pharmacokinetic evaluation
Authors: Geetha T. , Singh Neha , Deol Parneet Kaur , Kaur Indu Pal
Published: December 2014

Well established biological activity of sesamol in diverse pathologies coupled with favorable solubility, log P, GIT permeability, pharmacokinetics and small size indicate great potential for clinical application.
Structure determination of molecular nanocomposites by combining pair distribution function analysis and solid-state NMR
Authors: Bendeif E.-E. , Gansmuller A. , Hsieh K.-Y. , Pillet S. , Woike Th. , Zobel M. , Neder R. B. , Bouazaoui M. , El Hamzaoui H. , Schaniel D.
Published: December 2014

Total X-ray scattering coupled to atomic pair distribution function analysis (PDF) and solid state NMR allowed the identification and structural characterisation of isolated molecules and nanocrystals of sodium nitroprusside confined in mesoporous silica.
Nano-heat-sink thin film composite of PC/three-dimensional networked nano-fumed silica with exquisite hydrophobicity
Authors: Katiyar Neha , Balasubramanian K.
Published: December 2014

Efficient utilization of fumed silica with thermoset resins had been investigated for high temperature applications, which led to extensive exploration of newer materials.
Effects of transition metal precursors (Co, Fe, Cu, Mn, or Ni) on pyrolyzed carbon supported metal-aminopyrine electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Xu Pan , Chen Wenzhao , Wang Qiang , Zhu Taishan , Wu Mingjie , Qiao Jinli , Chen Zhongwei , Zhang Jiujun
Published: December 2014

In the past four decades, non-precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) have been extensively studied as low-cost catalyst alternatives to Pt for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells.
Optimisation of bi-layer resist overhang structure formation and SiO2 sputter-deposition process for fabrication of gold multi-electrode array
Authors: Kim Y. H. , Kim G. H. , Kim A.-Y. , Baek N. S. , Jeong J. I. , Han Y. H. , Shin B. C. , Chung M.-A. , Jung S.-D.
Published: December 2014

In this paper we report the results on the optimization of the bi-layer lift-off resist (LOR) SiO2 sputter-deposition technique which is ideal for obtaining damage-free multi-electrode array (MEA).
Stability indicating RP-HPLC method for the determination of flubendazole in pharmaceutical dosage forms
Authors: Abdelwahab Nada S. , Abdelrahman Maha M.
Published: December 2014

The developed RP-HPLC-DAD method separated FLUB from all degradates at a reasonable time and was applied to pharmaceutical formulations.
Solvent dependent intramolecular excimer emission of di(1-pyrenyl)silane and di(1-pyrenyl)methane derivatives
Authors: Kondo Shin-ichi , Taguchi Yuka , Bie Yi
Published: December 2014

Di(1-pyrenyl)silane and methane derivatives showed unprecedented intramolecular excimer emission in polar organic solvents such as DMSO and the ratio of excimer/monomer emissions strongly depends on the dielectric constants of the solvents.
First-principles study of half-fluorinated silicene sheets
Authors: Wang Xiao , Liu Huangzhong , Tu Shan-Tung
Published: December 2014

Strain dependence of the energy difference between FM and AFM order of chair-F@Si2 sheet. Inserted image shows the spin density distribution of chair-F@Si2 sheet with no strain.
A self-powered ultraviolet photodetector based on solution-processed p-NiO/n-ZnO nanorod array heterojunction
Authors: Shen Yanwei , Yan Xiaoqin , Bai Zhiming , Zheng Xin , Sun Yihui , Liu Yichong , Lin Pei , Chen Xiang , Zhang Yue
Published: December 2014

A self-powered and rapid-response UV photodetector with p-NiO/ZnO-nanorod array heterojunction was developed. Under a small forward bias of 0.1 mV, the UV photosensitivity exceeded the value of ~105 previously reported.
Controlled synthesis of hexagonal mesostructure silica and macroporous ordered siliceous foams for VOCs adsorption
Authors: Wang Hongning , Rong Xiao , Han Lu , Tang Mei , Yu Meihua , Zhang Jun , Huang Weiqiu , Chen Ruoyu
Published: December 2014

The Temperature-controlled phase transformation from hexagonal mesostructure silica (HMS) to macroporous ordered siliceous foams (MOSF). HMS and MOSF exhibit higher VOCs removal capacity and recyclability compared to silica gel and activated carbon.
Preparation and characterization of exfoliated graphene oxide–l-cystine as an effective adsorbent of Hg(ii) adsorption
Authors: Santhana Krishna Kumar A. , Jiang Shiuh-Jen
Published: December 2014

Hg(ii) adsorption involves,l-cystine bears amino group (–NH2) could interact with GO hydroxyl and carboxyl groups through covalent bond interaction.
Modulated photophysics and rotational-relaxation dynamics of coumarin 153 in nonionic micelles: the role of headgroup size and tail length of the surfactants
Authors: Paul Bijan K. , Ghosh Narayani , Mukherjee Saptarshi
Published: December 2014

Effect of the variation of the headgroup size and tail length on the photophysics and rotational dynamics of embedded dye C153.
A valley beam splitter of massive Dirac electrons
Authors: Zhang Qingtian , Chan K. S.
Published: December 2014

We propose an electrically controllable valley beam splitter in a double-barrier resonant structure through valley-dependent Goos–Hänchen effects.
TiO2-pillared clays with well-ordered porous structure and excellent photocatalytic activity
Authors: Yang Jae-Hun , Piao Huiyan , Vinu Ajayan , Elzatahry Ahmed A. , Paek Seung-Min , Choy Jin-Ho
Published: December 2014

TiO2-pillared clays with well-ordered porous structures are successfully prepared via incorporating TiO2 nanosol particles into the clays, where empty octahedral sites are partially modified with divalent metal ions such as Mg2+ and Fe2+.
Photosensitive polyoxometalate-induced formation of thermotropic liquid crystal nanomaterial and its photovoltaic effect
Authors: Li Jian-Sheng , Sang Xiao-Jing , Chen Wei-Lin , Zhong Rong-Lin , Lu Ying , Zhang Lan-Cui , Su Zhong-Min , Wang En-Bo
Published: December 2014

The photosensitive POM [PW11O39RhCH2CO2H]5− was first introduced into the liquid crystal nanomaterial and simulated by theoretical calculations. It exhibits the photovoltaic effect with the character of a p-type material.
Decoupling the optical and electrical properties of subphthalocyanine/C70bi-layer organic photovoltaic devices: improved photocurrent while maintaining a high open-circuit voltage and fill factor
Authors: Lee Chih-Chien , Su Wei-Cheng , Shu Yi-Sheng , Chang Wen-Chang , Huang Bo-Yao , Lee Ya-Ze , Su Tsung-Hao , Chen Kuan-Ting , Liu Shun-Wei
Published: December 2014

Optimizing performance of fullerene-based small-molecule bi-layer organic photovoltaic devices.
In vitro cytocompatibility and blood compatibility of polysulfone blend, surface-modified polysulfone and polyacrylonitrile membranes for hemodialysis
Authors: Roy Anirban , Dadhich Prabhash , Dhara Santanu , De Sirshendu
Published: December 2014

Three different formulations of dialysis grade membranes and their physiological, cyto- and hemocompatibility have been presented.
Hollow and mesoporous ZnTe microspheres: synthesis and visible-light photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide into methane
Authors: Ehsan Muhammad Fahad , Ashiq Muhammad Naeem , He Tao
Published: December 2014

The morphology of hollow and mesoporous ZnTe microspheres synthesized via a hydrothermal method has been controlled and the detailed formation mechanism has been investigated. These microspheres have used for the photoreduction of CO2 into CH4.
Synthesis, liquid crystal characterization and photo-switching studies on fluorine substituted azobenzene based esters
Authors: Gan S. M. , Yuvaraj A. R. , Lutfor M. R. , Mashitah M. Y. , Gurumurthy Hegde
Published: December 2014

Structure property relations by tuning mono and difluoro substitution showing the photoisomerization effect.
Low-dose paeonol derivatives alleviate lipid accumulation
Authors: Pao Kuan-Chuan , Zhao Jin-Feng , Lee Tzong-Shyuan , Huang Ying-Pei , Han Chien-Chung , Sherlock Huang Lin-Chiang , Wu Kou-Hung , Hsu Ming-Hua
Published: December 2014

Here, we present a series of novel paeonol derivatives that prevent lipid accumulation at lower doses.
Aging of a Pt/Al2O3 exhaust gas catalyst monitored by quasi in situ X-ray micro computed tomography
Authors: Hofmann Georg , Rochet Amélie , Ogel Elen , Casapu Maria , Ritter Stephan , Ogurreck Malte , Grunwaldt Jan-Dierk
Published: December 2014

Catalyst aging effects are analyzed using X-ray absorption micro-computed tomography in combination with conventional characterization methods on various length scales ranging from nm to μm to gain insight into deactivation mechanisms.
CuSO4–d-glucose, an inexpensive and eco-efficient catalytic system: direct access to diverse quinolines through modified Friedländer approach involving SNAr/reduction/annulation cascade in one pot
Authors: Anand Namrata , Chanda Tanmoy , Koley Suvajit , Chowdhury Sushobhan , Singh Maya Shankar
Published: December 2014

A one-pot, efficient approach to quinoline synthesis, directly from 2-bromoaromatic aldehydes/ketones in a H2O–EtOH mixture involving a sequence of SNAr/reduction/annulation cascade using CuSO4-d-glucose, is devised.
A sustainable iron-based sodium ion battery of porous carbon–Fe3O4/Na2FeP2O7 with high performance
Authors: Ming Jun , Ming Hai , Yang Wenjing , Kwak Won-Jin , Park Jin-Bum , Zheng Junwei , Sun Yang-Kook
Published: December 2014

A new concept of an elemental iron-based sodium ion battery of PC–Fe3O4/Na2FeP2O7 was reported, and it is the first example to introduce an element-rich configuration in the sodium ion battery from the viewpoint of sustainability.
Aggregation, dissolution and cyclic regeneration of Ag nanoclusters based on pH-induced conformational changes of polyethyleneimine template in aqueous solutions
Authors: Dong Jiang Xue , Qu Fei , Li Nian Bing , Luo Hong Qun
Published: December 2014

The cyclic-conversion among polyethyleneimine-templated Ag nanoclusters, Ag nanoparticles, and Ag(i) ions was realized by adjusting pH and adding corresponding reductant.
Removal of organic contaminants from the surface of ZnO nanorods for organic/inorganic hybrid photovoltaics by using photocatalytic reaction
Authors: Leow Cheahli , Ohnishi Toshihiro , Matsumura Michio
Published: December 2014

Properties of hybrid photovoltaics made of ZnO nanorods, which were deposited by solution process, and a polymer layer were improved by UV-treatment of the ZnO nanorods probably because organic contaminants remaining on the surface were photocatalytically decomposed.
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes composited with nanomagnetite for anodes in lithium ion batteries
Authors: Li Xiaoyu , Gu Hongbo , Liu Jiurong , Wei Huige , Qiu Song , Fu Ya , Lv Hailong , Lu Guixia , Wang Yiran , Guo Zhanhu
Published: December 2014

The multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) nanocomposites with homogenously anchored nanomagnetite of 10–20 nm prepared by a hydrothermal-annealing method exhibit excellent performances as anode materials for lithium ion batteries.
Development of a microfluidic “click chip” incorporating an immobilized Cu(i) catalyst
Authors: Li Hairong , Whittenberg Joseph J. , Zhou Haiying , Ranganathan David , Desai Amit V. , Koziol Jan , Zeng Dexing , Kenis Paul J. A. , Reichert David E.
Published: December 2014

The development of a microfluidic “click chip” incorporating an immobilized Cu(i) catalyst for click reactions.
A novel Z-scheme WO3/CdWO4 photocatalyst with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of organic pollutants
Authors: Aslam Imran , Cao Chuanbao , Tanveer M. , Farooq M. Hassan , Khan Waheed S. , Tahir Muhammad , Idrees Faryal , Khalid Syed
Published: December 2014

A novel Z-scheme WO3/CdWO4 photocatalyst was developed and used for the degradation of different organic pollutants. It exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance much higher than that of bare WO3 and CdWO4.
The flipped classroom for teaching organic chemistry in small classes: is it effective?
Authors: Fautch Jessica M.
Published: December 2014

The flipped classroom is a pedagogical approach that moves course content from the classroom to homework, and uses class time for engaging activities and instructor-guided problem solving. The course content in a sophomore level Organic Chemistry I course was assigned as homework using video lectures, followed by a short online quiz. In class, students' misconceptions were addressed, the concepts from the video lectures were applied to problems, and students were challenged to think beyond given examples. Students showed increased comprehension of the material and appeared to improve their performance on summative assessments (exams). Students reported feeling more comfortable with the subject of organic chemistry, and became noticeably passionate about the subject. In addition to being an effective tool for teaching Organic Chemistry I at a small college, flipping the organic chemistry classroom may help students take more ownership of their learning.
HMGB1 bound to cisplatin–DNA adducts undergoes extensive acetylation and phosphorylation in vivo
Authors: He Yafeng , Ding Yin , Wang Dan , Zhang Wanjun , Chen Weizhong , Liu Xichun , Qin Weijie , Qian Xiaohong , Chen Hao , Guo Zijian
Published: December 2014

Here, an application of a biomolecular probe based on a peptide–oligonucleotide conjugate is presented as a novel method for investigating the recognition of cisplatin–DNA lesions by HMGB1in vivo.
Connecting local active forces to macroscopic stress in elastic media
Authors: Ronceray Pierre , Lenz Martin
Published: December 2014

Many living materials exert mechanical stresses on their environment that originate from internal forces generated by embedded active elements. We derive a general relation between microscopic forces and macroscopic stresses, which takes the form of a conservation of the force dipole across scales in linear elastic media.
Solvothermal synthesis and electrochemical charge storage assessment of Mn3N2
Authors: Shah S. Imran U. , Hector Andrew L. , Li Xianji , Owen John R.
Published: December 2014

Mn3N2nanocapsules and nanoparticulates are prepared under solvothermal conditions and evaluated in aqueous supercapacitor electrode (KOH electrolyte) and lithium or sodium battery negative electrode applications.
Encapsulation of enzymes in silica nanocapsules formed by an amphiphilic precursor polymer in water
Authors: Zhang Chi , Yan Kelu , Hu Chunyan , Zhao Yongliang , Chen Zhi , Zhu Xiaomin , Möller Martin
Published: December 2014

Enzymes are encapsulated in silica nanocapsules during their formation,i.e.they are first enclosed in unilamellar vesicles formed by an amphiphilic silica precursor polymer in water, and the enzyme-loaded silica nanocapsules are then obtainedviasubsequent basic condensation.
31P NMR characterisation of phosphate fragments during dissolution of calcium sodium phosphate glasses
Authors: Döhler Franziska , Mandlule Armando , van Wüllen Leo , Friedrich Manfred , Brauer Delia S.
Published: December 2014

In this study we show using31P NMR that phosphate glasses dissolve by a combination of chain hydration and P–O–P hydrolysis.
Dual-functional carbon dots–silver@zinc oxide nanocomposite: in vitro evaluation of cellular uptake and induction of apoptosis
Authors: Sachdev Abhay , Matai Ishita , Gopinath P.
Published: December 2014

We report here the devleopment of novel CDs decorated on a silver–zinc oxide (CD–Ag@ZnO) nanocomposite (NC) consisting of highly fluorescent CDs and Ag@ZnO.
Isobenzofulvene-fullerene mono-adducts for organic photovoltaic applications
Authors: Tseng Nai-Wen , Yu Yong , Li Yunke , Zhao Jingbo , So Shu Kong , Yan He , Ng Ka Ming
Published: December 2014

IC60MA derivatives with up-shifted LUMO were synthesized and their OPV devices showed higherVocthan the corresponding PC60BM based device.
Eugenia uniflora leaves essential oil induces toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster: involvement of oxidative stress mechanisms
Authors: da Cunha Francisco Assis Bezerra , Wallau Gabriel Luz , Pinho Antonio Ivanildo , Nunes Mauro Eugenio Medina , Leite Nadghia Figueiredo , Tintino Saulo Relison , da Costa Galberto Martins , Athayde Margareth Linde , Boligon Aline Augusti , Coutinho Henrique Douglas Melo , Pereira Antonio Batista , Posser Thais , Franco Jeferson Luis
Published: December 2014

Eugenia unifloraL. (Myrtaceae family), also known as “pitanga”, is a tree species widely used in popular medicine.
Observed bromodomain flexibility reveals histone peptide- and small molecule ligand-compatible forms of ATAD2
Authors: Poncet-Montange Guillaume , Zhan Yanai , Bardenhagen Jennifer P. , Petrocchi Alessia , Leo Elisabetta , Shi Xi , Lee Gilbert R. , Leonard Paul G. , Geck Do Mary K. , Cardozo Mario G. , Andersen Jannik N. , Palmer Wylie S. , Jones Philip , Ladbury John E.
Published: December 2014

Preventing histone recognition by bromodomains emerges as an attractive therapeutic approach in cancer. Overexpression of ATAD2 (ATPase family AAA domain-containing 2 isoform A) in cancer cells is associated with poor prognosis making the bromodomain of ATAD2 a promising epigenetic therapeutic target. In the development of an in vitro assay and identification of small molecule ligands, we conducted structure-guided studies which revealed a conformationally flexible ATAD2 bromodomain. Structural studies on apo–, peptide–and small molecule–ATAD2 complexes (by co-crystallization) revealed that the bromodomain adopts a ‘closed’, histone-compatible conformation and a more ‘open’ ligand-compatible conformation of the binding site respectively. An unexpected conformational change of the conserved asparagine residue plays an important role in driving the peptide-binding conformation remodelling. We also identified dimethylisoxazole-containing ligands as ATAD2 binders which aided in the validation of the in vitro screen and in the analysis of these conformational studies.
Kinetic characterization of a cocaine hydrolase engineered from mouse butyrylcholinesterase
Authors: Chen Xiabin , Huang Xiaoqin , Geng Liyi , Xue Liu , Hou Shurong , Zheng Xirong , Brimijoin Stephen , Zheng Fang , Zhan Chang-Guo
Published: December 2014

Mouse butyrylcholinesterase (mBChE) and an mBChE-based cocaine hydrolase (mCocH, i.e. the A199S/S227A/S287G/A328W/Y332G mutant) have been characterized for their catalytic activities against cocaine, i.e. naturally occurring (−)-cocaine, in comparison with the corresponding human BChE (hBChE) and an hBChE-based cocaine hydrolase (hCocH, i.e. the A199S/F227A/S287G/A328W/Y332G mutant). It has been demonstrated that mCocH and hCocH have improved the catalytic efficiency of mBChE and hBChE against (−)-cocaine by ~8- and ~2000-fold respectively, although the catalytic efficiencies of mCocH and hCocH against other substrates, including acetylcholine (ACh) and butyrylthiocholine (BTC), are close to those of the corresponding wild-type enzymes mBChE and hBChE. According to the kinetic data, the catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) of mBChE against (−)-cocaine is comparable with that of hBChE, but the catalytic efficiency of mCocH against (−)-cocaine is remarkably lower than that of hCocH by ~250-fold. The remarkable difference in the catalytic activity between mCocH and hCocH is consistent with the difference between the enzyme–(−)-cocaine binding modes obtained from molecular modelling. Further, both mBChE and hBChE demonstrated substrate activation for all of the examined substrates [(−)-cocaine, ACh and BTC] at high concentrations, whereas both mCocH and hCocH showed substrate inhibition for all three substrates at high concentrations. The amino-acid mutations have remarkably converted substrate activation of the enzymes into substrate inhibition, implying that the rate-determining step of the reaction in mCocH and hCocH might be different from that in mBChE and hBChE.
Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase 1 is not the only active TPS in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Delorge Ines , Figueroa Carlos M. , Feil Regina , Lunn John E. , Van Dijck Patrick
Published: December 2014

Trehalose metabolism is essential for normal growth and development in higher plants. It is synthesized in a two-step pathway catalysed by TPS (trehalose-6-phosphate synthase) and trehalose phosphatase. Arabidopsis thaliana has 11 TPS or TPS-like proteins, which belong to two distinct clades: class I (AtTPS1–AtTPS4) and class II (AtTPS5–AtTPS11). Only AtTPS1 has previously been shown to have TPS activity. A. thaliana tps1∆ mutants fail to complete embryogenesis and rescued lines have stunted growth and delayed flowering, indicating that AtTPS1 is important throughout the life cycle. In the present study, we show that expression of AtTPS2 or AtTPS4 enables the yeast tps1∆ tps2∆ mutant to grow on glucose and accumulate Tre6P (trehalose 6-phosphate) and trehalose. Class II TPS genes did not complement the yeast mutant. Thus A. thaliana has at least three catalytically active TPS isoforms, suggesting that loss of Tre6P production might not be the only reason for the growth defects of A. thaliana tps1 mutants.
Generation of suppressive blood cells for control of allograft rejection
Authors: Kleist Christian , Sandra-Petrescu Flavius , Jiga Lucian , Dittmar Laura , Mohr Elisabeth , Greil Johann , Mier Walter , Becker Luis E. , Lang Peter , Opelz Gerhard , Terness Peter
Published: December 2014

Our previous studies in rats showed that incubation of monocytic dendritic cells (DCs) with the chemotherapeutic drug mitomycin C (MMC) renders the cells immunosuppressive. Donor-derived MMC–DCs injected into the recipient prior to transplantation prolonged heart allograft survival. Although the generation of DCs is labour-intensive and time-consuming, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can be easily harvested. In the present study, we analyse under which conditions DCs can be replaced by PBMCs and examine their mode of action. When injected into rats, MMC-incubated donor PBMCs (MICs) strongly prolonged heart allograft survival. Removal of monocytes from PBMCs completely abrogated their suppressive effect, indicating that monocytes are the active cell population. Suppression of rejection was donor-specific. The injected MICs migrated into peripheral lymphoid organs and led to an increased number of regulatory T-cells (Tregs) expressing cluster of differentiation (CD) markers CD4 and CD25 and forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3). Tolerance could be transferred to syngeneic recipients with blood or spleen cells. Depletion of Tregs from tolerogenic cells abrogated their suppressive effect, arguing for mediation of immunosuppression by CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs. Donor-derived MICs also prolonged kidney allograft survival in pigs. MICs generated from donor monocytes were applied for the first time in humans in a patient suffering from therapy-resistant rejection of a haploidentical stem cell transplant. We describe, in the present paper, a simple method for in vitro generation of suppressor blood cells for potential use in clinical organ transplantation. Although the case report does not allow us to draw any conclusion about their therapeutic effectiveness, it shows that MICs can be easily generated and applied in humans.
Dysphagia Services in the School Setting: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Mabry-Price Lisa
Published: December 2014

This article discusses feeding and swallowing (dysphagia) services in schools. As we know, students spend six to seven hours a day in school with time scheduled for snacks and lunch. These meal and snack times can be challenging and put students with feeding and swallowing issues at risk for aspiration, choking, or inadequate intake. This article will address factors that influence service delivery to these students. The terms dysphagia and feeding and swallowing disorder will be used interchangeably throughout this article.
Nutritional Considerations in Dysphagia to Prevent Malnutrition
Authors: Kline Melissa , Hutcheson Deborah
Published: December 2014

As partners in patient care the speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the registered dietitian (RD) work together to treat patients with dysphagia and should be able to communicate and address the patient's nutrition status in their diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Avoiding deterioration of nutrition status (malnutrition and dehydration) through early intervention and treatment is key to decreasing the associated costs and declines in quality of life. Gaining an understanding of the social and physiologic factors that impact oral intake and nutritional status throughout the lifespan assists the SLP to better collaborate with the RD to develop a patient-centered care plan to improve the quality of care and facilitate positive patient outcomes in this population.
Dysphagia in Hospice Care: The Roles of Social Work and Speech-Language Pathologists
Authors: Hinson Deborah , Goldsmith Aaron J. , Murray Joseph
Published: December 2014

This article addresses the unique roles of social work and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in end-of-life and hospice care settings. The four levels of hospice care are explained. Suggested social work and SLP interventions for end-of-life nutrition and approaches to patient communication are offered. Case studies are used to illustrate the specialized roles that social work and SLP have in end-of-life care settings.
Registration artifacts in international comparisons of infant mortality
Authors: Kramer Michael S. , Platt Robert W. , Yang Hong , Haglund Bengt , Cnattingius Sven , Bergsjo Per
Published: December 2014

Large differences in infant mortality are reported among and within industrialised countries. We hypothesised that these differences are at least partly the result of intercountry differences in registration of infants near the borderline of viability (<750 g birthweight) and/or their classification as stillbirths vs. live births. We used the database of the International Collaborative Effort (ICE) on Perinatal and Infant Mortality to compare infant mortality rates and registration practices in Norway (n = 112 484), Sweden (n = 215 908), Israeli Jews (n
= 148 123), Israeli non‐Jews (n = 52 606), US Whites (n = 6 074 222)
and US Blacks (n = 1 328 332). To avoid confounding by strong secular trends in these outcomes, we restricted our analysis to 1987–88, the most recent years for which data are available in the ICE database for all six groups. Compared with Norway (with an infant mortality rate of 8.5 per 1000), the crude relative risks [95% confidence intervals] were 0.75 [0.69,0.81] in Sweden, 0.97 [0.90,1.06] in Israeli Jews, 1.98 [1.81,2.17] in Israeli non‐Jews, 0.95 [0.89,1.01] in US Whites and 2.05 [1.95,2.19] in US Blacks. For borderline‐viable infants, fetal deaths varied twofold as a proportion of perinatal deaths, with Norway reporting the highest (83.9% for births <500 g and 61.8% for births 500–749 g) and US Blacks the lowest (40.3% and 37.6% respectively) proportions. Reported proportions of live births <500 g varied 50‐fold from 0.6 and 0.7 per 10 000 in Sweden and Israeli Jews and non‐Jews to 9.1 and 33.8 per 10 000 in US Whites and Blacks respectively. Reported proportions 500–749 g varied sevenfold from 7.5 per 10 000 in Sweden to 16.2 and 55.4 in US Whites and Blacks respectively. After eliminating births <750 g, the relative risks (again with Norway as the reference) of infant mortality changed drastically for US Whites and Blacks: 0.82 [0.76,0.87] and 1.42 [1.33,1.53] respectively. The huge disparities in the ratio of fetal to infant deaths <750 g and in the proportion of live births <750 g among these developed countries probably result from differences in birth and death registration practices. International comparisons and rankings of infant mortality should be interpreted with caution.
Interference cancellation through interference alignment for downlink of cognitive cellular networks
Authors: Moussa M. , Foukalas F. , Khattab T.
Published: December 2014

Interference cancellation through interference alignment (IA) at the downlink of cognitive cellular networks is proposed. IA helps the spatial resources to be shared among primary and secondary cells, and thus it can provide higher degrees of freedom (DoFs) through interference cancellation. The achievable DoFs are derived and depicted. The achievable sum rates applying water‐filling optimal power allocation are analysed and calculated.
Auto‐adjusted shape prior‐based interactive segmentation via point set registration
Authors: Liu Liman , Li Kunqian , Tao Wenbing , Liu Haihua
Published: December 2014

A novel object specified segmentation approach based on the auto‐adjusted shape prior by utilising the point set registration method is presented. Three steps are included in the proposed method: (i) initial segmentation, (ii) automatic shape prior adjustment by point set registration and (iii) object segmentation constrained by the adjusted shape prior. To repair the shape difference between the local targets and the given shape model, such as location, scale, rotation and local shape details, an excellent point set registration approach named coherent point drift (CPD) is adopted. The adjusted shape constraints under the coherent moving constraint implied in CPD give reliable boundary predictions. Experimental results on the ETHZ shape dataset have demonstrated the outstanding performance of the proposed method.
Measurement of enhanced backscattering from randomly distributed conductive spheres with concentrically different number densities at 60 GHz
Authors: Kaneko K. , Ihara T.
Published: December 2014

The effective utilisation of millimetre‐wave radar for precipitation measurements seems to require quantitative evaluation methods of enhanced backscattering from randomly distributed particles. One such method is a computer simulation technique proposed in the literature [Radio Science, 2006, 41, RS6002], a technique that takes into account the spherical wavefront and directivity functions of transmitting and receiving antennas. The effectiveness of this technique has been previously verified by the present authors by comparing laboratory‐controlled scattering experiments performed at 60 GHz using cylindrical scattering volumes, where conductive spheres of a monodispersive size are randomly distributed with statistically uniform number densities. In this latest reported work, the effectiveness of this computer simulation technique is further demonstrated for the case where conductive spheres are randomly and non‐uniformly distributed with concentrically different number densities.
High breakdown voltage AlGaN/GaN HEMT with high‐K/low‐K compound passivation
Authors: Du Jiangfeng , Chen Nanting , Pan Peilin , Bai Zhiyuan , Li Liang , Mo Jianghui , Yu Qi
Published: December 2014

A novel high breakdown voltage (BV) AlGaN/GaN high‐electron mobility transistor (HEMT) with a high‐K/low‐K compound passivation layer is proposed. The compound passivation layer is formed by blocks of low‐K dielectric (Si3N4) embedded in a high‐K passivation layer (La2O3). Owing to their different dielectric constants, there is a discontinuity of the horizontal electrical field at the high‐K/low‐K interface, which can introduce a new electric field peak in the nearby channel in the semiconductor and can also modulate the distribution of the electric field along the channel. Hence, enhancement of BV can be achieved. Compared to the typical field‐plate structure, high‐K/low‐K passivation introduces no parasitic capacitance. On the basis of the physical mechanism, several design principles for the high‐K/low‐K passivation layer are presented. Numerical simulation demonstrates a BV of 1400 V for the proposed device with four blocks of low‐K dielectric embedded in a high‐K passivation, compared to the BVs of 917 and 288 V for the device with high‐K passivation and the device with low‐K passivation, respectively.
Integrated lossless load current sensing method for buck–boost DC–DC converters
Authors: Ma Yanzhao
Published: December 2014

An integrated lossless load current sensing method for buck–boost DC–DC converters is presented. The load current is detected by sensing the average current flowing through the power transistor connected between the inductor and the output capacitor. The circuit is almost independent of voltage and temperature by using a sense resistor method. A second‐order on‐chip lowpass filter is adopted to average the sensed voltage. The buck–boost converter could automatically switch between heavy and light load modes with a fixed switching current for different input and output voltages.
LMI condition for sampled‐data fuzzy control of nonlinear systems
Authors: Koo Geun Bum , Park Jin Bae , Joo Young Hoon
Published: December 2014

A novel linear matrix inequality (LMI) condition for the stability of the sampled‐data fuzzy control system based on the Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy model is presented. Using the novel Lyapunov functional, the relaxed stability condition is presented for the sampled‐data fuzzy control and represented in the LMI format. A simulation example is provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
Efficient error detection in multiple way tables
Authors: Reviriego P. , Maestro J.A.
Published: December 2014

Multiple way tables in which items can be placed on several buckets are used in many computing applications. Some examples are cache memories and multiple hash tables structures. In most cases, the items are stored in electronic memories that are prone to soft errors that can corrupt the stored items. To avoid data corruption, memories can be protected with a parity bit or with an error correction code. It is shown that most single bit errors can be detected in multiple way tables without adding a parity bit. This can be done by placing the items in a predetermined order in the multiple ways of the table.
Design of microstrip lowpass filter with wide stopband and sharp roll‐off using hexangular shaped resonator
Authors: Hayati M. , Gholami M. , Vaziri H.S. , Zaree T.
Published: December 2014

A compact lowpass filter using a hexangular shaped resonator is presented. The designed lowpass filter has a −3 dB cutoff frequency of 2.97 GHz. The stopband bandwidth for the attenuation level of −20 dB is from 3.32 GHz up to 21 GHz, and the circuit only occupies 10.04 × 10.92 mm2. The structure is simulated, fabricated and measured. Both simulation and measured results are presented and compared and there is good agreement between them. The insertion loss in the passband is <0.06 dB and the fabricated filter presents a sharp transition band from 2.97 to 3.32 GHz for the attenuation level of −3 and −20 dB, respectively.
Monitoring changes in behaviour from multi‐sensor systems
Authors: Amor James D. , James Christopher J.
Published: December 2014

Behavioural patterns are important indicators of health status in a number of conditions and changes in behaviour can often indicate a change in health status. Currently, limited behaviour monitoring is carried out using paper‐based assessment techniques. As technology becomes more prevalent and low‐cost, there is an increasing movement towards automated behaviour‐monitoring systems. These systems typically make use of a multi‐sensor environment to gather data. Large data volumes are produced in this way, which poses a significant problem in terms of extracting useful indicators. Presented is a novel method for detecting behavioural patterns and calculating a metric for quantifying behavioural change in multi‐sensor environments. The data analysis method is shown and an experimental validation of the method is presented which shows that it is possible to detect the difference between weekdays and weekend days. Two participants are analysed, with different sensor configurations and test environments and in both cases, the results show that the behavioural change metric for weekdays and weekend days is significantly different at 95% confidence level, using the methods presented.
Underlay cognitive relay networks with imperfect channel state information and multiple primary receivers
Authors: Huang Haiyan , Li Zan , Si Jiangbo , Guan Lei
Published: December 2014

In this study, the authors investigate the effect of imperfect channel state information (CSI) on underlay cognitive radio networks in the presence of multiple primary users (PUs). Particularly, with multiple proactive partial decode‐and‐forward (DF) relays available, both the relay selection channels and interference channels are assumed to be imperfect. In this context, firstly, based on the instantaneous CSI (ICSI) of interference channels, exact closed form expressions for the outage probability (OP) and the interference probability (IP) are derived, where IP is used as a performance metric to quantify the impact of harmful interference caused by secondary user (SU) on PUs. It is shown that, when the ICSI of interference channels are imperfect, the secondary networks always interfere with PUs' communications. Then, to reduce the harmful interference caused by secondary nodes, we propose an adaptive power control scheme relying on the partial CSI (PCSI) of interference channels. Finally, simulation results verify the accuracy and effectiveness of the author's analytical study, and indicate the proposed scheme strikes a good tradeoff between the interference introduced by secondary nodes on PUs and SU's performance.
Fabrication of thermal‐based vacuum gauge
Authors: Jung Ho , Kim Tae Hyun , Kim Kyung Tae , Park Jae Hong , Kim Hee Yeoun
Published: December 2014

The fabrication and evaluation of a wide‐range vacuum gauge for monitoring the pressure level inside an infrared focal plane array and a wafer‐level packaging (WLP) are reported. The proposed vacuum gauge has a microbolometer structure produced using the conventional surface micromachining process to achieve thermal isolation and high sensitivity. This structure has other advantages such as fast response time, a wider measurement range and easier integration to a Si substrate compared with other pressure sensors. The evaluation results show that the fabricated vacuum gauge has a linear dynamic range and a sensitivity of 10−3 to 105K/W/torr for vacuum pressures ranging from 10−6 to 760 torr. Also, the response time to vacuum change is reduced from 0.11 s at 10−5 torr to 15 ms at 100 torr. Therefore, the microbolometer‐based vacuum gauge has good potential for application in WLP, and it is possible to hermetically seal it with various read‐out integrated circuit substrates.
Incorporation of polymeric microparticles into collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds for the delivery of a pro-osteogenic peptide for bone tissue engineering
Authors: López-Noriega Adolfo , Quinlan Elaine , Celikkin Nehar , O’Brien Fergal J.
Published: December 2014

Collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds are outstanding materials for bone tissue engineering as they are biocompatible, bioresorbable, osteoconductive, and osteoinductive. The objective of the present work was to assess the potential of increasing their regenerative capacity by functionalising the scaffolds for therapeutic delivery. This was achieved by the utilization of polymeric drug carriers. With this purpose, alginate, chitosan, gelatine, and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles eluting PTHrP 107-111, an osteogenic pentapeptide, were fabricated and tested by incorporating them into the scaffolds. Among them, PLGA microparticles show the most promising characteristics for use as drug delivery devices. Following the incorporation of the microparticles, the scaffolds maintained their interconnected porous structure and the mechanical properties of the materials were not adversely affected. In addition, the microparticles released all their PTHrP 107-111 cargo. Most importantly, the delivered peptide proved to be bioactive and promoted enhanced osteogenesis as assessed by alkaline phosphatase production and osteocalcin and osteopontin gene expression when pre-osteoblastic cells were seeded on the scaffolds. While the focus was on bone repair, the release system described in this study can be used for the delivery of therapeutics for healing and regeneration of a variety of tissue types depending on the type of collagen scaffold chosen.