bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid development of tool use as a strategy to predate invasive land snails
Authors: Efe Márcio A. , de Paiva Fábio Nunes , Holderbaum João Marcelo , Ladle Richard J.
Published: October 2014

There are few examples of facultative tool use in animals under natural conditions. We provide the first description of tool use in great antshrikes (Taraba major), which were observed using stone anvils to break the shells of the land snail (Achatina fulica). This behavior is almost certainly of extremely recent origin given the lack of previous reports of tool use in T. major and the very recent (1980s) introduction of A. fulica into Brazil. Tool use in this particular population is probably a flexible behavioral trait that arose in response to the high density of exotic snails in this locality.
Enhanced acetate ester production of Chinese liquor yeast by overexpressing ATF1 through precise and seamless insertion of PGK1 promoter
Authors: Dong Jian , Xu Haiyan , Zhao Libin , Chen Yefu , Zhang Cuiying , Guo Xuewu , Hou Xiaoyue , Chen Didi , Zhang Chenxi , Xiao Dongguang
Published: October 2014

As the most important group in the flavor profiles of Chinese liquor, ester aroma chemicals are responsible for the highly desired fruity odors. Alcohol acetyltransferase (AATase), which is mainly encoded by ATF1, is one of the most important enzymes for acetate ester synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, we overexpressed ATF1 in Chinese liquor yeast through precise and seamless insertion of PGK1 promoter (PGK1p) via a novel fusion PCR-mediated strategy. After two-step integration, PGK1p was embedded in the 5′-terminal of ATF1 exactly without introduction of any extraneous DNA sequence. In the liquid fermentation of corn hydrolysate, both mRNA level and AATase activity of ATF1 in mutant were pronounced higher than the parental strain. Meanwhile, productivity of ethyl acetate increased from 25.04 to 78.76 mg/l. The self-cloning strain without any heterologous sequences residual in its genome would contribute to further commercialization of favorable organoleptic characteristics in Chinese liquor.
Minimality of State Space Solutions of DSGE Models and Existence Conditions for Their VAR Representation
Authors: Franchi Massimo , Paruolo Paolo
Published: October 2014

Standard solution methods of DSGE models do not necessarily deliver minimal state space forms. When the ABCD form is non-minimal, the conditions in the literature are not necessary for the existence of a VAR representation of the observables. In this paper we present necessary and sufficient conditions that are valid in general, and hence can be applied to minimal and non-minimal ABCD forms. If the state space form is minimal, our conditions coincide with those in the literature. These results also clarify that it is possible to have unstable eigenvalues together with a (possibly finite) VAR representation of the observables.
Family Communication in a Population at Risk for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Batte Brittany , Sheldon Jane P. , Arscott Patricia , Huismann Darcy J. , Salberg Lisa , Day Sharlene M. , Yashar Beverly M.
Published: October 2014

Encouraging family communication is an integral component of genetic counseling; therefore, we sought to identify factors impacting communication to family members at risk for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Participants (N = 383) completed an online survey assessing: 1) demographics (gender, genetic test results, HCM family history, and disease severity); 2) illness representations; 3) family functioning and cohesiveness; 4) coping styles; 5) comprehension of HCM autosomal dominant inheritance; and 6) communication of HCM risk information to at‐risk relatives. Participants were a national sample of individuals with HCM, recruited through the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association. Data from 183 participants were analyzed using a logistic regression analysis, with family communication as a dichotomous dependent variable. We found that female gender and higher comprehension of autosomal dominant inheritance were significant predictors of participants’ communication of HCM risk information to all their siblings and children. Our results suggest that utilizing interventions that promote patient comprehension (e.g., a teaching‐focused model of genetic counseling) are important and may positively impact family communication within families with HCM.
Opportunities and barriers in global women's health training during obstetrics and gynecology residencies in the USA
Authors: Eichelberger Kacey Y. , Morse Jessica E. , Connolly AnnaMarie , Autry Meg
Published: October 2014

Objective

To systematically measure the scope and breadth of global women's health (GWH) training opportunities during obstetrics and gynecology residencies in the USA, as described by program directors (PDs).

Methods

In a questionnaire‐based study, PDs were asked to complete a web‐based survey between January 1 and March 15, 2013. Information about the residency program and GWH opportunities was obtained.

Results

Among 236 PDs contacted, 105 (44.5%) responded. Overall, 82 (78.1%) reported that at least one resident had participated in a GWH rotation during the past 5 years, 36 (34.3%) offered formal didactics, and 29 (27.6%) offered a formal rotation in GWH. Among all respondents, 43 (42.2%) reported having at least one faculty member for whom GWH is a dedicated part of their practice. Programs with dedicated GWH faculty were more likely to offer formal GWH didactics (relative risk [RR] 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–3.14; P = 0.03), but were not significantly more likely to offer a formal GWH rotation (RR 1.91; 95% CI 0.97–3.70; P = 0.06).

Conclusion

Many residency programs provide opportunities for GWH training, but few offer formal didactics or a formal rotation.
Awareness of female condoms and failures reported with two different types in China
Authors: Wang Xianmi , Xi Maomao , Zhang Lifeng , Jia Lili , Wang Yan , Cheng Yimin
Published: October 2014

Objective

To explore knowledge and use of female condoms in China, and to compare four modes of failure between the Phoenurse female condom (PFC) and the second‐generation Femidom female condom (FC2).

Methods

In a randomized, crossover trial, sexually active women aged 20–49 years who attended a family planning service in Qingdao, China, were recruited between April and October, 2013. A computer‐generated randomized sequence was used to assign participants (1:1) to group A (used 10 PFCs followed by 10 FC2s) or group B (used 10 FC2s followed by 10 PFCs). Study investigators and participants were masked to allocation. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline and after using the two types of FCs. They also kept coital logs.

Results

At baseline, 30 (10.3%) of 290 participants understood female condoms, but only 1 (0.3%) had ever used one. Total failure rates were 3.6% (420/11 578) and 2.3% (265/11 594) for PFC and FC2, respectively (P < 0.001). Slippage was the most common form of failure, affecting 6.9% of PFC uses and 5.0% of FC2 uses. Breakage, misdirection, and slippage were significantly more common with the PFC than with the FC2 (P ≤ 0.002).

Conclusion

Understanding of female condoms is poor in China. Failure is more common with the PFC than with the FC2.
Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan and Climate Justice
Authors: Yamada Seiji , Galat Absalon
Published: October 2014

The extreme weather events that the world is experiencing are consistent with the effects of anthropogenic climate change. The western North Pacific is the area of the world with the most intense tropical cyclones. Increased sea surface temperatures directly contribute to the wind speed of storms. The 2013 Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan was the strongest tropical cyclone in recorded history to make landfall—causing more than 6000 deaths in the Philippines, mostly from storm surge. This event represents a climate injustice. On one hand, disaster prevention and preparedness were inadequate for impoverished populations in the Philippines who lived in poorly constructed housing. While the international community assisted with the response, recovery was hampered by inadequate and inequitable investment. On the other hand, climate change has been driven by the carbon emissions of industrialized states. Those who call for climate justice argue for more robust measures to control carbon emissions responsible for climate change and worsening global health security. As global citizens and as health professionals, we examine the implications for all of us as moral actors. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-4)
Streamwise vortex-induced vibrations of cylinders with one and two degrees of freedom
Authors: Cagney N. , Balabani S.
Published: October 2014

Measurements are presented of the structural response and wake of a two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) pivoted cylinder undergoing streamwise vortex-induced vibrations (VIV), which were carried out using particle-image velocimetry (PIV). The results are compared with those of previous studies performed in the same experimental facility examining a cylinder free to move only in the streamwise direction (1-DOF). The aim of this study is to examine to what extent the results of previous work on streamwise-only VIV can be extrapolated to the more practical, multi-DOF case. The response regimes measured for the 1- and 2-DOF cases are similar, containing two response branches separated by a low-amplitude region. The first branch is characterised by negligible transverse motion and the appearance of both alternate and symmetric vortex shedding. The two wake modes compete in an unsteady manner; however, the competition does not appear to have a significant effect on either the streamwise or transverse motion. Comparison of the phase-averaged vorticity fields acquired in the second response branch also indicates that the additional DOF does not alter the vortex-shedding process. However, the additional DOF affects the cylinder-wake system in other ways; for the 1-DOF case the second branch can appear in three different forms (each associated with a different wake mode), while for the 2-DOF case the second branch only exists in one form, and does not exhibit hysteresis. The cylinder follows a figure-of-eight trajectory throughout the lock-in range. The phase angle between the streamwise and transverse motion decreases linearly with reduced velocity. This work highlights the similarities and differences between the fluid–structure interaction and wake dynamics associated with 1- and 2-DOF cylinders throughout the streamwise response regime, which has not received attention to date.
A dynamic observer to capture and control perturbation energy in noise amplifiers
Authors: Guzmán Iñigo Juan , Sipp Denis , Schmid Peter J.
Published: October 2014

In this article, we introduce techniques to build a reduced-order model of a fluid system that accurately predicts the dynamics of a flow from local wall measurements. This is particularly difficult in the case of noise amplifiers where the upstream noise environment, triggering the flow via a receptivity process, is not known. A system identification approach, rather than a classical Galerkin technique, is used to extract the model from time-synchronous velocity snapshots and wall shear-stress measurements. The technique will be illustrated for the case of a transitional flat-plate boundary layer, where the snapshots of the flow are obtained from direct numerical simulations. Particular attention is directed to limiting the processed data to data that would be readily available in experiments, thus making the technique applicable to an experimental set-up. The proposed approach combines a reduction of the degrees of freedom of the system by a projection of the velocity snapshots onto a proper orthogonal decomposition basis combined with a system identification technique to obtain a state-space model. This model is then used in a feedforward control set-up to significantly reduce the kinetic energy of the perturbation field and thus successfully delay transition.
The effects of exercise and diet on olfactory capability in detection dogs
Authors: Angle Craig T. , Wakshlag Joseph J. , Gillette Robert L. , Steury Todd , Haney Pamela , Barrett Jay , Fisher Terrence
Published: October 2014

A previous work suggests that dietary fat may influence canine olfaction. The present study evaluated whether olfactory performance could be influenced by forms of dietary fat and exercise. Seventeen certified detection dogs were fed three different diets (high fat, low fat or high polyunsaturated fat) for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, olfactory testing was performed using a scent wheel in an olfaction laboratory using three explosive materials. The dogs completed eight to twelve scent trials before and after a 30 min treadmill exercise on five consecutive days. A mixed-effect logistic regression model was used to examine how diet, pre- or post-exercise, trial number, odourant, mass of target and target position influenced the probability of dogs alerting on the target odour. There were no significant changes in the dog's ability to find a target odour at threshold amounts. Dogs were 1·42 (1·08, 1·87; 95 % CI) times as likely to find a target on the high polyunsaturated fat diet relative to the high-fat diet (P = 0·009). The low-fat diet was not significantly different from either the high-fat diet or the high polyunsaturated fat diet (P = 0·12). Dogs were 1·49 (1·26, 1·76; 95 % CI) times as likely to find a target prior to exercise relative to after exercise (P < 0·001). Dogs on the high PUFA diet utilising maize oil showed mild improvement in olfaction. The exact reasons are unknown; however, the higher relative amount of linoleic acid in the diet may play a role in olfactory sensation which warrants further examination of optimal diets for detection dogs.
Should the duration of head bandaging be reduced after pinnaplasty? A systematic review
Authors: McMurran A E L , Khan I , Mohamad S , Shakeel M , Kubba H
Published: October 2014

Background:

It is common practice to use head bandages for 7–10 days following pinnaplasty. However, head bandages are often troublesome for patients and can lead to serious complications.

Method:

A systematic review was performed to evaluate the use of head bandages after pinnaplasty. A search of Medline, Embase (Ovid) and CINAHL (EBSCO collections), the Cochrane Library, Pubmed (US National Library of Medicine) and Google Scholar identified 34 related articles. Of these, 14 were deemed relevant and 2 randomised controlled trials, 1 cohort study, 3 case series and 1 literature review met the inclusion criteria.

Results:

The two randomised controlled trials show no statistically significant difference in complications when a head bandage was used for the standard 7–10 days, for 24 hours or not at all. The three case series show that using a head bandage for 24 hours or not at all are safe alternatives. The review article recommended that when head bandages are applied after pinnaplasty it should be for the shortest duration possible.

Conclusion:

Based on the available evidence, not using a head bandage at all or using one for a maximum of 24 hours following pinnaplasty is recommended.
Who Gets the Top Jobs? The Role of Family Background and Networks in Recent Graduates’ Access to High-status Professions
Authors: MACMILLAN LINDSEY , TYLER CLAIRE , VIGNOLES ANNA
Published: October 2014

There is currently debate in policy circles about access to ‘the upper echelons of power’ (Sir John Major, ex Prime Minister, 2013). This research explores the relationship between family background and early access to top occupations. We find that privately educated graduates are a third more likely to enter into high-status occupations than state educated graduates from similarly affluent families and neighbourhoods, largely due to differences in educational attainment and university selection. We find that although the use of networks cannot account for the private school advantage, they provide an additional advantage and this varies by the type of top occupation that the graduate enters.
Environmental determinism of community structure across trophic levels: moth assemblages and substrate type in the rain forests of south-western China
Authors: Kitching R. L. , Nakamura A. , Yasuda M. , Hughes A. C. , Min Cao
Published: October 2014

Soil type may drive vegetation structure. In turn, the richness, identity and diversity of arthropod herbivores may be related to plant diversity through specific host plant relationships in a location. We test the hypothesis that the soil type (calcicolous vs alluvial soils) will drive the assemblage structure of a dominant group of arthropod herbivores: the moths. We used sampling sites in rain-forest fragments in south-western China around the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Gardens (21°41′N, 101°25′E) to test this hypothesis. We used Pennsylvania style light traps to take point samples of macromoths and pyraloids from four sampling sites in forest remnants on a limestone geological base and four from alluvial-based forest. A total of 3165 moths (1739 from limestone-based and 1255 from alluvium-based forests) was collected representing 1255 species. The limestone-based sites showed statistically similar levels of species richness and other alpha diversity indices to the four alluvium-based site. Nevertheless the sites were clearly significantly different in terms of species composition. Analysis of contrasting similarity (‘beta’ diversity) indices suggested that there was ‘leakage’ between the two classes of sites when ‘rare’ species were emphasized in the calculations. We used an indicator value procedure to select species that most characterized this separation. We expect that these differences reflect associated changes in plant assemblage structure acting through the herbivorous habits of larval moths. Accordingly, in any assessment of landscape level diversity the nature of the substrate and its associated vegetation is clearly of great importance. This observation also has consequences for the design of conservation programmes.
Infant botulism due toC. butyricumtype E toxin: a novel environmental association with pet terrapins
Authors: SHELLEY E. B. , O'ROURKE D. , GRANT K. , McARDLE E. , CAPRA L. , CLARKE A. , McNAMARA E. , CUNNEY R. , McKEOWN P. , AMAR C. F. L. , COSGROVE C. , FITZGERALD M. , HARRINGTON P. , GARVEY P. , GRAINGER F. , GRIFFIN J. , LYNCH B. J. , McGRANE G. , MURPHY J. , NI SHUIBHNE N. , PROSSER J.
Published: October 2014

We describe two cases of infant botulism due toClostridium butyricumproducing botulinum type E neurotoxin (BoNT/E) and a previously unreported environmental source. The infants presented at age 11 days with poor feeding and lethargy, hypotonia, dilated pupils and absent reflexes. Faecal samples were positive forC. butyricumBoNT/E. The infants recovered after treatment including botulism immune globulin intravenous (BIG-IV).C. butyricumBoNT/E was isolated from water from tanks housing pet ‘yellow-bellied’ terrapins (Trachemys scripta scripta): in case A the terrapins were in the infant's home; in case B a relative fed the terrapin prior to holding and feeding the infant when both visited another relative.C. butyricumisolates from the infants and the respective terrapin tank waters were indistinguishable by molecular typing. Review of a case ofC. butyricumBoNT/E botulism in the UK found that there was a pet terrapin where the infant was living. It is concluded that theC. butyricum-producing BoNT type E in these cases of infant botulism most likely originated from pet terrapins. These findings reinforce public health advice that reptiles, including terrapins, are not suitable pets for children aged <5 years, and highlight the importance of hand washing after handling these pets.
Competing Visions of Love and Brotherhood: RewritingWar and Peacefor the Soviet Opera Stage
Authors: Berman Anna A.
Published: October 2014

When Sergei Prokofiev chose to adaptWar and Peacefor the Soviet opera stage in the 1940s, he faced both operatic conventions and Soviet ideological demands that ran counter to the philosophy and structure of Tolstoy’s sprawling masterpiece. Prokofiev’s early decision to split his opera intoPeaceandWar, making the first a romantic love story of individuals and the second a collective story of the people’s love for Mother Russia, marked a major divergence from Tolstoy. This article explores how Prokofiev reworked Tolstoy’s philosophy of love and human connection to make his opera acceptable for the Soviet stage. Moving away from Tolstoy’s family ideal inPeace, with its basis on intimate sibling bonds, Prokofiev shifted the family toWar, turning it into a national Russian family of Father Kutuzov, Mother Russia and their children – the Russian people. The opera uses choral glorification of these heroic parents to foster on a national scale the type of intimacy Tolstoy had advocated in the home.
Chemical Quantification of Atomic-Scale EDS Maps under Thin Specimen Conditions
Authors: Lu Ping , Romero Eric , Lee Shinbuhm , MacManus-Driscoll Judith L. , Jia Quanxi
Published: October 2014

We report our effort to quantify atomic-scale chemical maps obtained by collecting energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS) using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) (STEM-EDS). With thin specimen conditions and localized EDS scattering potential, the X-ray counts from atomic columns can be properly counted by fitting Gaussian peaks at the atomic columns, and can then be used for site-by-site chemical quantification. The effects of specimen thickness and X-ray energy on the Gaussian peak width are investigated using SrTiO3 (STO) as a model specimen. The relationship between the peak width and spatial resolution of an EDS map is also studied. Furthermore, the method developed by this work is applied to study cation occupancy in a Sm-doped STO thin film and antiphase boundaries (APBs) present within the STO film. We find that Sm atoms occupy both Sr and Ti sites but preferably the Sr sites, and Sm atoms are relatively depleted at the APBs likely owing to the effect of strain.
Continents and consequences: the history of a concept
Authors: Yearwood Peter J.
Published: October 2014

Originally intended to provide an accessible overview for colleagues in Papua New Guinea, this article outlines the emergence of the continental division of the world in classical antiquity. In medieval Europe this survived as a learned conception which eventually acquired emotional content. Nevertheless, the division was still within the context of universal Christianity, which did not privilege any continent. Contrary to the views of recent critics, the European sense of world geography was not inherently ‘Eurocentric’. While Europeans did develop a sense of continental superiority, Americans, Africans, and many Asians also came to identify themselves with their continents and to use them as weapons against European domination. The application of the division to Melanesia is also considered.
Nightsoil and the ‘Great Divergence’: human waste, the urban economy, and economic productivity, 1500–1900
Authors: Ferguson Dean T.
Published: October 2014

The use of nightsoil, a Victorian euphemism for human faeces and urine, has for some time been recognized as an important feature of Chinese and Japanese agricultural practice. The importance of the work of nightsoil men and women in early modern and modern cities in other parts of the world has not been the subject of much attention, however, nor has the significance of the differential use of human waste. This article explores the varied ways in which nightsoil men and women organized their work in cities around the world in the period from 1500 to 1900. It also examines the ways in which East Asian and South Asian conservancy systems and the consequent development of markets in human manure contributed materially to Asian advantages in agriculture, sanitation, and textile production. European urban authorities, reformers, and scientists initially responded to this challenge with similar efforts to conserve human waste and use it in farming, but these efforts remained small-scale, and in the nineteenth century Europeans turned to chemically synthesized fertilizers.
The Chinese International of Nationalities: the Chinese Communist Party, the Comintern, and the foundation of the Malayan National Communist Party, 1923–1939
Authors: Belogurova Anna
Published: October 2014

In the global ideological movements of the early twentieth century, notably communism, new political concepts moved across different cultures. Together with the process of internationalization, this led to problems concerning the translation and interpretation of linguistic terms. Based on little-studied sources deposited in the Comintern archive in Moscow, this article shows that, although the members of the newly formed Malayan Communist Party (1930) were virtually all Chinese, it became the first organization to discuss directly the possibility of a multi-ethnic Malayan nation within the borders of the Malay Peninsula. As the Comintern encouraged the establishment of ‘national’ communist parties, the ambiguity of the Chinese wordminzuresulted in the emergence of a discourse regarding the Malayan ‘nation’, which would be liberated from colonialism under communist leadership.
Britain, India, and the United Nations: colonialism and the development of international governance, 1945–1960
Authors: Gorman Daniel
Published: October 2014

This article argues that the manner by which colonial societies achieved independence as sovereign states in the late 1940s and 1950s fundamentally shaped the parallel emergence of ideas and institutions of international governance, particularly at the newly created United Nations. Using Anglo-Indian relations as its primary focus, it argues that the internationalization of imperialism was particularly evident in two areas: postcolonial states’ negotiation of relations with their former colonial power within the UN system; and the influence of colonialism on international governance, particularly through the idea and practice of planning. The article assesses these developments through an analysis of British debates about United Nations membership for postcolonial states, India's role at the San Francisco Conference in 1945 where the United Nations was formed, India's campaign for a seat on the Security Council and its engagement with ECOSOC, the applicability of existing international conventions to postcolonial states, and the transfer of the ideal of planning from colonial to international governance.
Germline variants in the SEMA4A gene predispose to familial colorectal cancer type X
Authors: Schulz Eduard , Klampfl Petra , Holzapfel Stefanie , Janecke Andreas R. , Ulz Peter , Renner Wilfried , Kashofer Karl , Nojima Satoshi , Leitner Anita , Zebisch Armin , Wölfler Albert , Hofer Sybille , Gerger Armin , Lax Sigurd , Beham-Schmid Christine , Steinke Verena , Heitzer Ellen , Geigl Jochen B. , Windpassinger Christian , Hoefler Gerald , Speicher Michael R. , Richard Boland C. , Kumanogoh Atsushi , Sill Heinz
Published: October 2014

Familial colorectal cancer type X (FCCTX) is characterized by clinical features of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer with a yet undefined genetic background. Here we identify the SEMA4A p.Val78Met germline mutation in an Austrian kindred with FCCTX, using an integrative genomics strategy. Compared with wild-type protein, SEMA4AV78M demonstrates significantly increased MAPK/Erk and PI3K/Akt signalling as well as cell cycle progression of SEMA4A-deficient HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells. In a cohort of 53 patients with FCCTX, we depict two further SEMA4A mutations, p.Gly484Ala and p.Ser326Phe and the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) p.Pro682Ser. This SNP is highly associated with the FCCTX phenotype exhibiting increased risk for colorectal cancer (OR 6.79, 95% CI 2.63 to 17.52). Our study shows previously unidentified germline variants in SEMA4A predisposing to FCCTX, which has implications for surveillance strategies of patients and their families.
Scrutinizing the datasets obtained from nanoscale features of spider silk fibres
Authors: Silva Luciano P , Rech Elibio L
Published: October 2014

Spider silk fibres share unprecedented structural and mechanical properties which span from the macroscale to nanoscale and beyond. This is possible due to the molecular features of modular proteins termed spidroins. Thus, the investigation of the organizational scaffolds observed for spidroins in spider silk fibres is of paramount importance for reverse bioengineering. This dataset consists in describing a rational screening procedure to identify the nanoscale features of spider silk fibres. Using atomic force microscopy operated in multiple acquisition modes, we evaluated silk fibres from nine spider species. Here we present the complete results of the analyses and decrypted a number of novel features that could even rank the silk fibres according to desired mechanostructural features. This dataset will allow other researchers to select the most appropriate models for synthetic biology and also lead to better understanding of spider silk fibres extraordinary performance that is comparable to the best manmade materials.
Establishment of an experimental ferret ocular hypertension model for the analysis of central visual pathway damage
Authors: Fujishiro Takashi , Kawasaki Hiroshi , Aihara Makoto , Saeki Tadashiro , Ymagishi Reiko , Atarashi Takuya , Mayama Chihiro , Araie Makoto
Published: October 2014

Glaucoma optic neuropathy (GON) is a condition where pathogenic intraocular pressure (IOP) results in axonal damage following retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death and further results in secondary damage of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Therapeutic targets for glaucoma thus focus on both the LGN and RGC. However, the temporal and spatial patterns of degeneration and the mechanism of LGN damage have not been fully elucidated. Suitable and convenient ocular hypertension (OH) animal models with binocular vision comparable to that of monkeys are strongly needed. The ferret is relatively small mammal with binocular vision like humans – here we report on its suitability for investigating LGN. We developed a new method to elevate IOP by injection of cultured conjunctival cells into the anterior chamber to obstruct aqueous outflow. Histologically, cultured conjunctival cells successfully proliferated to occlude the angle and IOP was elevated for 13 weeks after injection. Macroscopically, the size of the eye gradually expanded. Subsequent enlargement of optic nerve head cupping and atrophic damage of LGN projected from the OH eye were clearly observed by anterograde staining with cholera toxin B. We believe the ferret may be a promising OH model to investigate secondary degeneration of central nervous system including LGN.
Reconstructing high-dimensional two-photon entangled states via compressive sensing
Authors: Tonolini Francesco , Chan Susan , Agnew Megan , Lindsay Alan , Leach Jonathan
Published: October 2014

Accurately establishing the state of large-scale quantum systems is an important tool in quantum information science; however, the large number of unknown parameters hinders the rapid characterisation of such states and reconstruction procedures can become prohibitively time-consuming. Compressive sensing, a procedure for solving inverse problems by incorporating prior knowledge about the form of the solution, provides an attractive alternative to the problem of high-dimensional quantum state characterisation. Using a modified version of compressive sensing that incorporates the principles of singular value thresholding, we reconstruct the density matrix of a high-dimensional two-photon entangled system. The dimension of each photon is equal to d = 17, corresponding to a system of 83521 unknown real parameters. Accurate reconstruction is achieved with approximately 2500 measurements, only 3% of the total number of unknown parameters in the state. The algorithm we develop is fast, computationally inexpensive and applicable to a wide range of quantum states, thus demonstrating compressive sensing as an effective technique for measuring the state of large-scale quantum systems.
Nanoscale characterization of DNA conformation using dual-color fluorescence axial localization and label-free biosensing
Authors: Zhang Xirui , Daaboul George G. , Spuhler Philipp S. , Freedman David S. , Yurt Abdulkadir , Ahn Sunmin , Avci Oguzhan , Ünlü M. Selim
Published: October 2014

Simultaneous quantification of surface density and conformation of surface-immobilized DNA on a layered substrate functionalized with 3-D polymeric coating.
Sensitive marker bands for the detection of spin states of heme in surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering spectra of metmyoglobin
Authors: Kitahama Yasutaka , Egashira Masatoshi , Suzuki Toshiaki , Tanabe Ichiro , Ozaki Yukihiro
Published: October 2014

The SERRS intensity ratio of the peak at 1560 cm−1to that at 1620 cm−1was applied to detect the spin states of heme in metmyoglobin sensitively.
Sensitive impedimetric biosensor based on duplex-like DNA scaffolds and ordered mesoporous carbon nitride for silver(i) ion detection
Authors: Zhou Yaoyu , Tang Lin , Xie Xia , Zeng Guangming , Wang Jiajia , Deng Yaocheng , Yang Guide , Zhang Chen , Zhang Yi , Chen Jun
Published: October 2014

An unlabeled immobilized DNA-based biosensor with MCN for the detection of Ag+ by EIS with [Fe(CN)6]4−/3− as a redox couple.
Green synthesis of peptide-templated fluorescent copper nanoclusters for temperature sensing and cellular imaging
Authors: Huang Hong , Li Hua , Wang Ai-Jun , Zhong Shu-Xian , Fang Ke-Ming , Feng Jiu-Ju
Published: October 2014

We have developed a simple and green method for synthesis of blue fluorescent peptide-templated Cu nanoclusters (NCs) which display temperature dependent fluorescence and low toxicity as a probe for temperature sensing and cellular imaging.
The analysis of faecal sterols in sediment samples by HPLC-UV using ultrasound-assisted treatment
Authors: Resende Michele F. , Santos Mellina D. R. , Matos Renato C. , Matos Maria A. C.
Published: October 2014

A method was developed for the analysis of faecal sterols in sediment samples by ultrasound-assisted extraction and quantification by HPLC with a UV detector.
Sensitive voltammetric determination of neohesperidin dihydrochalcone based on SWNTs modified glassy carbon electrode
Authors: Yang Lingxi , Wang Lu , Li Kunjing , Ye Baoxian
Published: October 2014

A simple sensor for highly sensitive determination of NHDC based on a SWNTs-modified glassy carbon electrode was established. Compared with a bare GCE, the proposed electrode significantly improved the response of NHDC and finally it was applied in beverage analysis.
Sensitive detection of transcription factors using an Ag+-stabilized self-assembly triplex DNA molecular switch
Authors: Zhu Desong , Zhu Jing , Zhu Ye , Wang Lei , Jiang Wei
Published: October 2014

A simple, enzyme-free and sensitive new fluorescent strategy for detection of transcription factors was proposed based on a bifunctional Ag+-stabilized self-assembly triplex DNA molecular switch.
Ultrastable core–shell structured nanoparticles directly made from zwitterionic polymers
Authors: Wang Wei , Lu Yang , Yue Zhanguo , Liu Wenguang , Cao Zhiqiang
Published: October 2014

A one-step method to create ultra-stable core–shell nanoparticles directly from zwitterionic polymers.
New six- and seven-membered ring pyrrole–pyridine hydrogen bond systems undergoing excited-state intramolecular proton transfer
Authors: Zhang Zhiyun , Hsu Yen-Hao , Chen Yi-An , Chen Chi-Lin , Lin Tzu-Chieh , Shen Jiun-Yi , Chou Pi-Tai
Published: October 2014

The six- and seven-membered ring pyrrole–pyridine hydrogen bonding systems are developed, which undergo excited-state intramolecular proton transfer with distinct reaction dynamics.
Ligand-assisted etching: the stability of silver nanoparticles and the generation of luminescent silver nanodots
Authors: Choi Sungmoon , Park Soonyoung , Yu Junhua
Published: October 2014

The etching mechanism of silver nanoparticles was investigated.
Growth and characterization of piezoelectric benzil single crystals and its application in microstrip patch antenna
Authors: Yadav Harsh , Sinha Nidhi , Kumar Binay
Published: October 2014

Solution and Cz grown benzil crystals were used for Hirshfeld surface analysis and fabrication of patch antenna.
Adsorption–desorption oscillations of nanoparticles on a honeycomb-patterned pH-responsive hydrogel surface in a closed reaction system
Authors: Jang Ji Ho , Orbán M. , Wang Shutao , Huh Do Sung
Published: October 2014

Adsorption–desorption oscillations of nanoparticles on a honeycomb-patterned pH-responsive hydrogel surface were derived from a pH-oscillator in a closed reaction system.
Trajectory-based nonadiabatic molecular dynamics without calculating nonadiabatic coupling in the avoided crossing case: trans ↔ cis photoisomerization in azobenzene
Authors: Yu Le , Xu Chao , Lei Yibo , Zhu Chaoyuan , Wen Zhenyi
Published: October 2014

Analytical nonadiabatic switching probability along a trajectory can be simulated based only on electronic adiabatic potential energy surfaces and its gradients.
Nanoparticle characterization based on STM and STS
Authors: Kano Shinya , Tada Tsukasa , Majima Yutaka
Published: October 2014

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) can characterize intriguing nanoparticle properties towards solid-state nanodevices.
Recent advances in C–S bond formation via C–H bond functionalization and decarboxylation
Authors: Shen Chao , Zhang Pengfei , Sun Qiang , Bai Shiqiang , Hor T. S. Andy , Liu Xiaogang
Published: October 2014

The development of mild and general methods for C–S bond formation has received significant attention because the C–S bond is indispensable in many important biological and pharmaceutical compounds.
Mesoporous carbon with controllable pore sizes as a support of the AuCl3catalyst for acetylene hydrochlorination
Authors: Chen Kun , Kang Lihua , Zhu Mingyuan , Dai Bin
Published: October 2014

Mesoporous carbon materials with controllable pore sizes within the range of 5.6–40.5 nm were successfully synthesized using colloidal silica as hard templates and boric acid as the pore expanding agent.
An europium(iii) diglycolamide complex: insights into the coordination chemistry of lanthanides in solvent extraction
Authors: Antonio Mark R. , McAlister Daniel R. , Horwitz E. Philip
Published: October 2014

A cationic europium(iii) complex with three neutral diglycolamide ligands (for Rn-C8H17) was prepared as the bismuth tetrachloride salt revealing a 9-O inner-sphere environment with 6 distant carbonyl (Ca) and 6 ether (Cb) carbon atoms in the Eu L3-edge EXAFS.
Studying the effects of Zr-doping in (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3via diffraction and spectroscopy
Authors: Blanchard Peter E. R. , Liu Samuel , Kennedy Brendan J. , Ling Chris D. , Zhang Zhaoming , Avdeev Maxim , Jang Ling-Yun , Lee Jyh-Fu , Pao Chih-Wen , Chen Jeng-Lung
Published: October 2014

The phase transformation in the (Bi0.5Na0.5)Ti1−xZrxO3 are characterized using XRD and XANES.
Tetrametallic lanthanide(iii) phosphonate cages: synthetic, structural and magnetic studies
Authors: Zangana Karzan H. , Pineda Eufemio Moreno , Winpenny Richard E. P.
Published: October 2014

Reaction of lanthanide nitrates with phosphonic acids in the presence of pivalic acid and pyridine lead to a trigonal pyramid of lanthanides with phosphonates capping three of the triangular faces.
Poly-α,β-aspartyl-Arg-Gly-Asp-Phe: a novel polymeric nanomedicine
Authors: Chen Shuangling , Wang Yuji , Li Shan , Wang Yaonan , Zhao Ming , Zhu Haimei , Wu Jianhui , Peng Shiqi
Published: October 2014

High anti-thrombotic efficacy, action target and nano-structure of a novel nanomedicine were described.
Large-scale synthesis of PEGylated lutetium hydroxycarbonates as nanoparticulate contrast agents for X-ray CT imaging
Authors: Ba Zhaogui , Zhang Yumin , Wei Junpei , Han Jiwu , Wang Zhenqiang , Shao Guangrui
Published: October 2014

PEGylated lutetium hydroxycarbonate nanoparticles have been prepared via a large-scale strategy and successfully used as high-performance contrast agents for X-ray computed tomography imaging with neglectable systemic toxicity.
Sub-10 nm transparent all-around-gated ambipolar ionic field effect transistor
Authors: Lee Seung-Hyun , Lee Hyomin , Jin Tianguang , Park Sungmin , Yoon Byung Jun , Sung Gun Yong , Kim Ki-Bum , Kim Sung Jae
Published: October 2014

A versatile ionic field effect transistor (IFET) which has an ambipolar function for manipulating molecules regardless of their polarity was developed for the operation at a wide range of electrolytic concentrations (10−5 M–1 M).
A new phase transformation path from nanodiamond to new-diamond via an intermediate carbon onion
Authors: Xiao J. , Li J. L. , Liu P. , Yang G. W.
Published: October 2014

A new phase transformation path from nanodiamond to n-diamond via an intermediate carbon onion in the unique process of laser ablation in water.
Copper-catalysed α-selective allylic alkylation of heteroaryllithium reagents
Authors: Vila Carlos , Hornillos Valentín , Fañanás-Mastral Martín , Feringa Ben L.
Published: October 2014

2-Allyl-substituted thiophenes and furans are synthesised efficiently in a direct procedure using 2-heteroaryllithium reagents and allyl bromides and chlorides catalysed by ligand-free copper(i). The reactions take place under mild conditions, with excellent α-selectivity, high functional group tolerance and good yields for the SN2 products.
Synthesis and catalytic activity of pluronic stabilized silver–gold bimetallic nanoparticles
Authors: Holden Megan S. , Nick Kevin E. , Hall Mia , Milligan Jamie R. , Chen Qiao , Perry Christopher C.
Published: October 2014

Silver–gold BNPs with enhanced catalytic activity in the sodium borohydride mediated reduction of 4-nitrophenol were synthesized using a modified galvanic replacement reaction between F127 stabilized silver NPs and HAuCl4.
An easily functionalizable oligo(oxyethylene)- and ester-substituted poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) derivative exhibiting alkali metal ion response
Authors: Damaceanu Mariana-Dana , Gilsing Hans-Detlev , Schulz Burkhard , Arvinte Adina , Bruma Maria
Published: October 2014

UV-vis spectra of P(ProDOT-EO-ester) in THF in the presence of different cations.
Biomolecules in grape leaf extract involved in one-step synthesis of iron-based nanoparticles
Authors: Luo Fang , Chen Zuliang , Megharaj Mallavarapu , Naidu Ravendra
Published: October 2014

Biomolecules in plant extracts are often used to reduce metal ions to nanoparticles in a single-step green synthesis process that is environment friendly and sustainable.
Revisiting the nature of Cu sites in the activated Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst for SCR reaction
Authors: Borfecchia E. , Lomachenko K. A. , Giordanino F. , Falsig H. , Beato P. , Soldatov A. V. , Bordiga S. , Lamberti C.
Published: October 2014

X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy, FTIR and DFT unravel the major Cu species in the activated Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst for NH3-SCR.
Acid-functionalized UiO-66(Zr) MOFs and their evolution after intra-framework cross-linking: structural features and sorption properties
Authors: Ragon Florence , Campo Betiana , Yang Qingyuan , Martineau Charlotte , Wiersum Andrew D. , Lago Ana , Guillerm Vincent , Hemsley Callum , Eubank Jarrod F. , Vishnuvarthan Muthusamy , Taulelle Francis , Horcajada Patricia , Vimont Alexandre , Llewellyn Philip L. , Daturi Marco , Devautour-Vinot Sabine , Maurin Guillaume , Serre Christian , Devic Thomas , Clet Guillaume
Published: October 2014

UiO-66(Zr) functionalized with carboxylic acid or anhydride groups.
Wind power integration into the automatic generation control of power systems with large‐scale wind power
Authors: Basit Abdul , Hansen Anca Daniela , Altin Mufit , Sørensen Poul , Gamst Mette
Published: October 2014

Transmission system operators have an increased interest in the active participation of wind power plants (WPP) in the power balance control of power systems with large wind power penetration. The emphasis in this study is on the integration of WPPs into the automatic generation control (AGC) of the power system. The present paper proposes a coordinated control strategy for the AGC between combined heat and power plants (CHPs) and WPPs to enhance the security and the reliability of a power system operation in the case of a large wind power penetration. The proposed strategy, described and exemplified for the future Danish power system, takes the hour‐ahead regulating power plan for generation and power exchange with neighbouring power systems into account. The performance of the proposed strategy for coordinated secondary control is assessed and discussed by means of simulations for different possible future scenarios, when wind power production in the power system is high and conventional production from CHPs is at a minimum level. The investigation results of the proposed control strategy have shown that the WPPs can actively help the AGC, and reduce the real‐time power imbalance in the power system, by down regulating their production when CHPs are unable to provide the required response.
ZnII Complexes Based on Hybrid N-Pyrazole, N′-imine Ligands: Synthesis, X-Ray Crystal Structure, NMR Characterisation, and 3D Supramolecular Properties
Authors: Guerrero Miguel , Rivas Lourdes , Calvet Teresa , Font-Bardia Mercè , Pons Josefina
Published: October 2014

The present report is on the synthesis of two new 3-imine-3,5-dimethylpyrazole ligands, N-[3-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)propylidene]ethylamine (L1) and N-[3-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)propylidene]propylamine (L2). These ligands form molecular complexes with the formula [ZnCl2(L)] (L = L1 (1) and L2 (2)) when the reacting with ZnCl2 in a metal (M)/ligand (L) ratio of 1 : 1. These new ZnII complexes have been characterised by elemental analyses, conductivity measurements, mass spectrometry, and infrared, 1H and 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopy techniques. The two crystalline structures of complexes 1 and 2 have been solved by X-ray diffraction methods. Finally, we have studied the self-assembly three-dimensional supramolecular structure through different intra- and intermolecular contacts. The application of these ZnII complexes in supramolecular crystal engineering is interesting due to (1) the easy preparation and the high efficiency of this system and (2) the different bonding properties of the heteroatoms (N-pyrazole vs N-imine) present in the structure of the ligands.
Synthesis and Structure of a Novel Substituted Benzothiazolyl-N-phenyl-2-pyridinecarbothioamide; Kinetics of Formation and Electrochemistry of Two of its Palladium Pincer Complexes
Authors: Lawrence Mark A.W. , Jackson Yvette A. , Mulder Willem H. , Björemark Per Martin , Håkansson Mikael
Published: October 2014

The synthesis and crystal structures of bis-N-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)pyridine-2,6-dicarbothioamide (dicarbothioamide I) and 6-(4,7-dimethoxy-2-benzothiazolyl)-N-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-pyridinecarbothioamide (L1) as well as the syntheses of the palladium(ii) chloride and acetate pincer complexes are reported. The stability constant for the palladium complex formation at 25°C was found to be (2.04 ± 0.26) × 104 dm3 mol–1 and (2.30 ± 0.19) × 104 dm3 mol–1 with ΔfH = 8 ± 1 kJ mol–1, ΔfSθ = 108 ± 10 J K–1 mol–1, and ΔfH = 17 ± 4 kJ mol–1 and ΔfSθ = 140 ± 20 J K–1 mol–1 for the PdClL1 and Pd(OAc)L1, respectively. The kinetics of formation of the palladium(ii) complexes were investigated and the mechanism is proposed to be associative in nature (ΔH1‡ = 34 ± 2 kJ mol–1 and ΔS1‡ = –113 ± 8 J K–1 mol–1, and ΔH1‡ = 37 ± 3 kJ mol–1 and ΔS1‡ = –100 ± 8 J K–1 mol–1 for the PdClL1 and Pd(OAc)L1 species, respectively). The electrochemical measurements of the acetonitrile solutions revealed irreversible electron transfers consistent with the electrochemical decomposition of the ligand and its coordination complexes.