bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conditioning attenuates kidney and heart injury in rats following transient suprarenal occlusion of the abdominal aorta
Authors: Karageorgiadi Dimitra M. , Tsilimigras Diamantis I. , Selemenakis Platonas , Vlachou Vassiliki , de Lastic Anne-Lise , Rodi Maria , Chatziathanasiou Danai , Savvatakis Konstantinos , Antoniou Nikolaos , Deli Aikaterini C. , Papalampros Alexandros , Filis Konstantinos A. , Mouzaki Athanasia , Varvarigou Anastasia , Zografos George , Gorgoulis Vassilis G. , Pateras Ioannis S. , Sigala Fragiska
Published: March 2020

Suprarenal aortic clamping during abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair results in ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in local (i.e. kidney) and distant (i.e. heart) tissue. To investigate perioperative approaches that mitigate IRI-induced tissue damage, Wistar rats underwent suprarenal aortic clamping either alone or in combination with short cycles of ischemic conditioning before and/or after clamping. Serum analysis revealed significant reduction in key biochemical parameters reflecting decreased tissue damage at systemic level and improved renal function in conditioned groups compared to controls (p < 0.05), which was corroborated by histolopathological evaluation. Importantly, the levels of DNA damage, as reflected by the biomarkers 8-oxo-G, γH2AX and pATM were reduced in conditioned versus non-conditioned cases. In this setting, NADPH oxidase, a source of free radicals, decreased in the myocardium of conditioned cases. Of note, administration of 5-HD and 8-SPT blocking key protective signaling routes abrogated the salutary effect of conditioning. To further understand the non-targeted effect of IRI on the heart, it was noted that serum TGF-β1 levels decreased in conditioned groups, whereas this difference was eliminated after 5-HD and 8-SPT administration. Collectively, conditioning strategies reduced both renal and myocardial injury. Additionally, the present study highlights TGF-β1 as an attractive target for manipulation in this context.
MRI Visualization of Whole Brain Macro- and Microvascular Remodeling in a Rat Model of Ischemic Stroke: A Pilot Study
Authors: Kang MungSoo , Jin SeokHa , Lee DongKyu , Cho HyungJoon
Published: March 2020

Using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) as a single contrast agent, we investigated dual contrast cerebrovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for simultaneously monitoring macro- and microvasculature and their association with ischemic edema status (via apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC]) in transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rat models. High-resolution T1-contrast based ultra-short echo time MR angiography (UTE-MRA) visualized size remodeling of pial arteries and veins whose mutual association with cortical ischemic edema status is rarely reported. ΔR2–ΔR2*-MRI-derived vessel size index (VSI) and density indices (Q and MVD) mapped morphological changes of microvessels occurring in subcortical ischemic edema lesions. In cortical ischemic edema lesions, significantly dilated pial veins (p = 0.0051) and thinned pial arteries (p = 0.0096) of ipsilateral brains compared to those of contralateral brains were observed from UTE-MRAs. In subcortical regions, ischemic edema lesions had a significantly decreased Q and MVD values (p < 0.001), as well as increased VSI values (p < 0.001) than normal subcortical tissues in contralateral brains. This pilot study suggests that MR-based morphological vessel changes, including but not limited to venous blood vessels, are directly related to corresponding tissue edema status in ischemic stroke rat models.
Genetic landscape of autism spectrum disorder in Vietnamese children
Authors: Tran Kien Trung , Le Vinh Sy , Bui Hoa Thi Phuong , Do Duong Huy , Ly Ha Thi Thanh , Nguyen Hieu Thi , Dao Lan Thi Mai , Nguyen Thanh Hong , Vu Duc Minh , Ha Lien Thi , Le Huong Thi Thanh , Mukhopadhyay Arijit , Nguyen Liem Thanh
Published: March 2020

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex disorder with an unclear aetiology and an estimated global prevalence of 1%. However, studies of ASD in the Vietnamese population are limited. Here, we first conducted whole exome sequencing (WES) of 100 children with ASD and their unaffected parents. Our stringent analysis pipeline was able to detect 18 unique variants (8 de novo and 10 ×-linked, all validated), including 12 newly discovered variants. Interestingly, a notable number of X-linked variants were detected (56%), and all of them were found in affected males but not in affected females. We uncovered 17 genes from our ASD cohort in which CHD8, DYRK1A, GRIN2B, SCN2A, OFD1 and MDB5 have been previously identified as ASD risk genes, suggesting the universal aetiology of ASD for these genes. In addition, we identified six genes that have not been previously reported in any autism database: CHM, ENPP1, IGF1, LAS1L, SYP and TBX22. Gene ontology and phenotype-genotype analysis suggested that variants in IGF1, SYP and LAS1L could plausibly confer risk for ASD. Taken together, this study adds to the genetic heterogeneity of ASD and is the first report elucidating the genetic landscape of ASD in Vietnamese children.
Video Recording Can Conveniently Assay Mosquito Locomotor Activity
Authors: Araujo Maisa da Silva , Guo Fang , Rosbash Michael
Published: March 2020

Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti are perhaps the best studied mosquito species and important carriers of human malaria and arbovirus, respectively. Mosquitoes have daily rhythms in behaviors and show a wide range of activity patterns. Although Anopheles is known to be principally nocturnal and Aedes principally diurnal, details of mosquito activity are not easily assayed in the laboratory. We recently described FlyBox, a simple tracking system for assaying Drosophila locomotor activity rhythms and thought that it might also be applicable to monitoring mosquito activity. Indeed, we show here that FlyBox can easily, conveniently, affordably and accurately measure the activity of Anopheles as well as Aedes over several days. The resulting profiles under light-dark as well as constant darkness conditions are compatible with results in the literature, indicating that this or similar systems will be useful in the future for more detailed studies on a range of insect species and under more diverse laboratory conditions.
The risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and a high hepatic fibrosis index
Authors: Park Hyo Eun , Lee Heesun , Choi Su-Yeon , Kim Hua Sun , Chung Goh Eun
Published: March 2020

Previous epidemiological studies focusing on the association between liver disease and atrial fibrillation (AF) show interesting but inconsistent findings. Patients with liver disease have a higher AF risk; however, it is unknown whether the liver fibrosis index can predict AF risk. The medical records of a healthy population undergoing routine health examinations at Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul National University Hospital, were reviewed retrospectively. After excluding subjects with a history of liver disease and known cardiovascular disease, 74,946 subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were evaluated. The mean age was 51 ± 11 years, and 71.9% were male. AF was found in 380 (0.5%) subjects. Using univariate analyses, age, male sex, body mass index, hypertension, and diabetes were significantly associated with AF. The fibrosis 4 index (FIB 4) showed significant correlations with AF [unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.062 and 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.605–3.600, p = 0.000; adjusted OR 2.255 and 95% CI 1.744–2.915, p = 0.000, with cardiometabolic risk factors adjusted]. In conclusion, NAFLD subjects with higher FIB 4 were associated with increased AF risk. The noninvasive determination of liver fibrosis indices can have clinical implications on the early identification of NAFLD in patients at risk for AF.
Resolution-enhanced imaging using interferenceless coded aperture correlation holography with sparse point response
Authors: Rai Mani Ratnam , Rosen Joseph
Published: March 2020

Interferenceless coded aperture correlation holography (I-COACH) is a non-scanning, motionless, incoherent digital holography technique. In this study we use a special type of I-COACH in which its point spread hologram (PSH) is ensemble of sparse dots. With this PSH an imaging resolution beyond the classic diffraction limit is demonstrated. This resolution improvement is achieved due to the position of the coded aperture between the object and the lens-based imaging system. The coded aperture scatters part of the light, that otherwise is blocked by the system aperture, into the optical system, and by doing that, extends the effective numerical aperture of the system. The use of sparse PSH increases the signal-to-noise ratio of the entire imaging system. A lateral resolution enhancement by a factor of about 1.6 was noted in the case of I-COACH compared to direct imaging.
Induced DNA hypomethylation by Folic Acid Deprivation in Bovine Fibroblast Donor Cells Improves Reprogramming of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Embryos
Authors: Jozi Mina , Jafarpour Farnoosh , Moradi Reza , Zadegan Faezeh Ghazvini , Karbalaie Khadijeh , Nasr-Esfahani Mohammad Hossein
Published: March 2020

Aberrant patterns of DNA methylation are consistent events in SCNT derived embryos and mechanistically are believed to be related to abnormal development. While some epigenetic drugs have been used in attempts to improve SCNT efficiency but some concerns remained toward the safety of these drugs on the health of future offspring. Folate is an essential cofactor in one‐carbon cycle for conversion of homocysteine to methionine, thereby ensuring supply of SAM, the universal methyl donor for many biological methylation reactions including DNA methylation. Therefore, in vitro DNA hypo-methylation can be induced by folate deprivation and this study aims at deciphering the role of folic acid deprivation in culture medium of BFFs for 6 days on SCNT efficiency. Our data revealed that culture of fibroblast cells in folate− medium containing 0.5% FBS did not alter the cell cycle compared to other groups. Flowcytometric analysis revealed that DNA methylation (5-mC level) in folate deprived cells cultured in 0.5% serum was decreased compared to folate+ group. The result of bisulfite sequencing was in accordance with flowcytometric analysis, which indicated a decrease in DNA methylation of POU5F1 promoter. Gene expression analysis revealed an increase in expression of POU5F1 gene in folate− group. The nuclear area of the cells in folate− group was significantly larger than folate+ group. Induced DNA hypomethylation by folate deprivation in the folate− group significantly improved blastocyst rate compared to the folate+ group. DNA methylation level in POU5F1 promoter and ICR of H19 and IGF2 of SCNT derived embryos in the folate− group was similar to the IVF derived blastocysts. In conclusion, our results proposes a promising “non-chemical” instead of “chemical” approach using inhibitors of epigenetic modifier enzymes for improving mammalian SCNT efficiency for agricultural and biomedical purposes.
Inflammation mediates the relationship between obesity and retinal vascular calibre in 11-12 year-olds children and mid-life adults
Authors: Liu Mengjiao , Lycett Kate , Moreno-Betancur Margarita , Wong Tien Yin , He Mingguang , Saffery Richard , Juonala Markus , Kerr Jessica A. , Wake Melissa , Burgner David P.
Published: March 2020

Obesity predicts adverse microvasculature from childhood, potentially via inflammatory pathways. We investigated whether inflammation mediates associations between obesity and microvascular parameters. In 1054 children (mean age 11 years) and 1147 adults (44 years) from a cross-sectional study, we measured BMI (z-scores for children) and WHtR, Glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), an inflammatory marker, and retinal arteriolar and venular calibre. Causal mediation analysis methods decomposed a “total effect” into “direct” and “indirect” components via a mediator, considering continuous and categorical measures and adjusting for potential confounders. Compared to normal-weight BMI children, those with overweight or obesity had narrower arteriolar calibre (total effects −0.21 to −0.12 standard deviation (SD)): direct (not mediated via GlycA) effects were similar. Children with overweight or obesity had 0.25 to 0.35 SD wider venular calibre, of which 19 to 25% was mediated via GlycA. In adults, those with obesity had 0.07 SD greater venular calibre, which was completely mediated by GlycA (indirect effect: 0.07 SD, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.16). Similar findings were obtained with other obesity measures. Inflammation mediated associations between obesity and retinal venules, but not arterioles from mid-childhood, with higher mediation effects observed in adults. Interventions targeting inflammatory pathways may help mitigate adverse impacts of obesity on the microvasculature.
Resting-state EEG activity predicts frontoparietal network reconfiguration and improved attentional performance
Authors: Rogala Jacek , Kublik Ewa , Krauz Rafał , Wróbel Andrzej
Published: March 2020

Mounting evidence indicates that resting-state EEG activity is related to various cognitive functions. To trace physiological underpinnings of this relationship, we investigated EEG and behavioral performance of 36 healthy adults recorded at rest and during visual attention tasks: visual search and gun shooting. All measures were repeated two months later to determine stability of the results. Correlation analyses revealed that within the range of 2–45 Hz, at rest, beta-2 band power correlated with the strength of frontoparietal connectivity and behavioral performance in both sessions. Participants with lower global beta-2 resting-state power (gB2rest) showed weaker frontoparietal connectivity and greater capacity for its modifications, as indicated by changes in phase correlations of the EEG signals. At the same time shorter reaction times and improved shooting accuracy were found, in both test and retest, in participants with low gB2rest compared to higher gB2rest values. We posit that weak frontoparietal connectivity permits flexible network reconfigurations required for improved performance in everyday tasks.
Piscidin-1 Induces Apoptosis via Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species-Regulated Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Human Osteosarcoma Cells
Authors: Cheng Meng-Hsuan , Pan Chieh-Yu , Chen Nan-Fu , Yang San-Nan , Hsieh Shuchen , Wen Zhi-Hong , Chen Wu-Fu , Wang Jin-Wei , Lu Wen-Hsien , Kuo Hsiao-Mei
Published: March 2020

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common type of cancer that originates in the bone and usually occurs in young children. OSA patients were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery, and the results were disappointing. Marine antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been the focus of antibiotic research because they are resistant to pathogen infection. Piscidin-1 is an AMP from the hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis × M. chrysops) and has approximately 22 amino acids. Research has shown that piscidin-1 can inhibit bacterial infections and has antinociception and anti-cancer properties; however, the regulatory effects of piscidin-1 on mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer cells are still unknown. We aimed to identify the effects of piscidin-1 on mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and apoptosis in OSA cells. Our analyses indicated that piscidin-1 has more cytotoxic effects against OSA cells than against lung and ovarian cancer cells; however, it has no effect on non-cancer cells. Piscidin-1 induces apoptosis in OSA cells, regulates mtROS, reduces mitochondrial antioxidant manganese superoxide dismutase and mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and decreases adenosine 5′-triphosphate production, thus leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. The mitochondrial antioxidant, mitoTempo, reduces the apoptosis induced by piscidin-1. Results suggest that piscidin-1 has potential for use in OSA treatment.
Multi-scale spatial genetic structure of the vector-borne pathogen ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’ in orchards and in wild habitats
Authors: Marie-Jeanne Véronique , Bonnot François , Thébaud Gaël , Peccoud Jean , Labonne Gérard , Sauvion Nicolas
Published: March 2020

Inferring the dispersal processes of vector-borne plant pathogens is a great challenge because the plausible epidemiological scenarios often involve complex spread patterns at multiple scales. The spatial genetic structure of ‘CandidatusPhytoplasma prunorum’, responsible for European stone fruit yellows disease, was investigated by the application of a combination of statistical approaches to genotype data of the pathogen sampled from cultivated and wild compartments in three FrenchPrunus-growing regions. This work revealed that the prevalence of the different genotypes is highly uneven both between regions and compartments. In addition, we identified a significant clustering of similar genotypes within a radius of 50 km or less, but not between nearby wild and cultivatedPrunus. We also provide evidence that infected plants are transferred between production areas, and that both species of theCacopsylla prunicomplex can spread the pathogen. Altogether, this work supports a main epidemiological scenario where ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ is endemic in — and generally acquired from — wildPrunusby its immature psyllid vectors. The latter then migrate to shelter plants that epidemiologically connect sites less than 50 km apart by later providing infectious mature psyllids to their “migration basins”. Such multi-scale studies could be useful for other pathosystems.
Corticomuscular interactions during different movement periods in a multi-joint compound movement
Authors: Kenville Rouven , Maudrich Tom , Vidaurre Carmen , Maudrich Dennis , Villringer Arno , Nikulin Vadim V. , Ragert Patrick
Published: March 2020

While much is known about motor control during simple movements, corticomuscular communication profiles during compound movement control remain largely unexplored. Here, we aimed at examining frequency band related interactions between brain and muscles during different movement periods of a bipedal squat (BpS) task utilizing regression corticomuscular coherence (rCMC), as well as partial directed coherence (PDC) analyses. Participants performed 40 squats, divided into three successive movement periods (Eccentric (ECC), Isometric (ISO) and Concentric (CON)) in a standardized manner. EEG was recorded from 32 channels specifically-tailored to cover bilateral sensorimotor areas while bilateral EMG was recorded from four main muscles of BpS. We found both significant CMC and PDC (in beta and gamma bands) during BpS execution, where CMC was significantly elevated during ECC and CON when compared to ISO. Further, the dominant direction of information flow (DIF) was most prominent in EEG-EMG direction for CON and EMG-EEG direction for ECC. Collectively, we provide novel evidence that motor control during BpS is potentially achieved through central motor commands driven by a combination of directed inputs spanning across multiple frequency bands. These results serve as an important step toward a better understanding of brain-muscle relationships during multi joint compound movements.
Co-abundance analysis reveals hidden players associated with high methane yield phenotype in sheep rumen microbiome
Authors: Ghanbari Maman Leila , Palizban Fahimeh , Fallah Atanaki Fereshteh , Elmi Ghiasi Naser , Ariaeenejad Shohreh , Ghaffari Mohammad Reza , Hosseini Salekdeh Ghasem , Kavousi Kaveh
Published: March 2020

Rumen microbial environment hosts a variety of microorganisms that interact with each other to carry out the feed digestion and generation of several by-products especially methane, which plays an essential role in global warming as a greenhouse gas. However, due to its multi-factorial nature, the exact cause of methane production in the rumen has not yet been fully determined. The current study is an attempt to use system modeling to analyze the relationship between interacting components of rumen microbiome and its role in methane production. Metagenomic data of sheep rumen, with equal numbers of high methane yield (HMY) and low methane yield (LMY) samples, were used. As a well-known approach for the systematic comparative study of complex traits, the co-abundance networks were constructed in both operational taxonomic unit (OTU) and gene levels. A gene-catalog of 1,444 different rumen microbial strains was developed as a reference to measure gene abundances. The results from both types of co-abundance networks showed that methanogens, which are the main ruminal source for methanogenesis, need other microbial species to accomplish the task of methane production through producing the main precursor molecules like H2 and acetate for methanogenesis pathway as their byproducts. KEGG Orthology(KO) analysis of the current study shows that the metabolism and growth rate of methanogens will be increased due to the higher rate of the metabolism and carbohydrate/fiber digestion pathways in the hidden elements. This finding proposes that any ruminant methane yield alteration strategy should consider complex interactions of rumen microbiome components as one tightly integrated unit rather than several separate parts.
Cerium/diethyldithiocarbamate complex as a novel corrosion inhibitive pigment for AA2024-T3
Authors: Mohammadi Iman , Shahrabi Taghi , Mahdavian Mohammad , Izadi Mazdak
Published: March 2020

In this work, cerium-diethyldithiocarbamate (Ce-DEDTC) complex was synthesized as a novel anti-corrosion pigment. The structure of the synthesized pigment was characterized by employing Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. All of the characterization techniques showed that the Ce-DEDTC pigment was successfully produced. The electrochemical tests were used to investigate the subsequence effect of the synthesized complex on the corrosion behavior of the AA2024-T3. AA2024-T3 showed a wide passive range in the presence of the Ce-DEDTC pigment. Scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle tests were employed to investigate the effect of the synthesized pigment on aluminum surface properties. The result illustrated that the existence of the Ce-DEDTC complex led to the creation of a thin film on the AA2024-T3 surface, which was significantly inhibited the localized corrosion of the aluminum alloy.
Cxcr4 and Sdf-1 are critically involved in the formation of facial and non-somitic neck muscles
Authors: Yahya Imadeldin , Böing Marion , Pu Qin , Puchert Malte , Oedemis Veysel , Engele Jürgen , Brand-Saberi Beate , Morosan-Puopolo Gabriela
Published: March 2020

The present study shows that the CXCR4/SDF-1 axis regulates the migration of second branchial arch-derived muscles as well as non-somitic neck muscles. Cxcr4 is expressed by skeletal muscle progenitor cells in the second branchial arch (BA2). Muscles derived from the second branchial arch, but not from the first, fail to form in Cxcr4 mutants at embryonic days E13.5 and E14.5. Cxcr4 is also required for the development of non-somitic neck muscles. In Cxcr4 mutants, non-somitic neck muscle development is severely perturbed. In vivo experiments in chicken by means of loss-of-function approach based on the application of beads loaded with the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 into the cranial paraxial mesoderm resulted in decreased expression of Tbx1 in the BA2. Furthermore, disrupting this chemokine signal at a later stage by implanting these beads into the BA2 caused a reduction in MyoR, Myf5 and MyoD expression. In contrast, gain-of-function experiments based on the implantation of SDF-1 beads into BA2 resulted in an attraction of myogenic progenitor cells, which was reflected in an expansion of the expression domain of these myogenic markers towards the SDF-1 source. Thus, Cxcr4 is required for the formation of the BA2 derived muscles and non-somitic neck muscles.
Brachiaria species influence nitrate transport in soil by modifying soil structure with their root system
Authors: Galdos M. V. , Brown E. , Rosolem C. A , Pires L. F. , Hallett P. D. , Mooney S. J.
Published: March 2020

Leaching of nitrate from fertilisers diminishes nitrogen use efficiency (the portion of nitrogen used by a plant) and is a major source of agricultural pollution. To improve nitrogen capture, grasses such as brachiaria are increasingly used, especially in South America and Africa, as a cover crop, either via intercropping or in rotation. However, the complex interactions between soil structure, nitrogen and the root systems of maize and different species of forage grasses remain poorly understood. This study explored how soil structure modification by the roots of maize (Zea maize), palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) and ruzigrass (Brachiaria ruziziensis) affected nitrate leaching and retention, measured via chemical breakthrough curves. All plants were found to increase the rate of nitrate transport suggesting root systems increase the tendency for preferential flow. The greater density of fine roots produced by palisade grass, subtly decreased nitrate leaching potential through increased complexity of the soil pore network assessed with X-ray Computed Tomography. A dominance of larger roots in ruzigrass and maize increased nitrate loss through enhanced solute flow bypassing the soil matrix. These results suggest palisade grass could be a more efficient nitrate catch crop than ruzigrass (the most extensively used currently in countries such as Brazil) due to retardation in solute flow associated with the fine root system and the complex pore network.
Molecular engineering strategies for fabricating efficient porphyrin-based dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Zeng Kaiwen , Tong Zhangfa , Ma Lin , Zhu Wei-Hong , Wu Wenjun , Xie Yongshu
Published: March 2020

In this review, intra- and intermolecular engineering strategies for improving the efficiencies of porphyrin based dye-sensitized solar cells are briefly summarized, revealing the in-depth structure–photovoltaic performance correlations.
A critical review on the potential impacts of neonicotinoid insecticide use: current knowledge of environmental fate, toxicity, and implications for human health
Authors: Thompson Darrin A. , Lehmler Hans-Joachim , Kolpin Dana W. , Hladik Michelle L. , Vargo John D. , Schilling Keith E. , LeFevre Gregory H. , Peeples Tonya L. , Poch Matthew C. , LaDuca Lauren E. , Cwiertny David M. , Field R. William
Published: March 2020

The review examines literature relevant to environmental fate, transformation, and toxicity, and human exposure and health risks of neonicotinoid insecticides.
Integrated anti-hyperlipidemic bioactivity of wholeCitrus grandis[L.] osbeck fruits—multi-action mechanism evidenced using animal and cell models
Authors: Lin Li-Yun , Huang Boa-Chan , Chen Kuan-Chou , Peng Robert Y.
Published: March 2020

Multi- antihyperlipidemic mechanism revealed by the pomelo phytonutrients. Both the sterol synthesis and lipogenesis pathways are affected by the pomelo phytonutrients. Dotted line: from citation. Solid line: verified in this experiment.
Formation, stability and catalase-like activity of mononuclear manganese(ii) and oxomanganese(iv) complexes in protic and aprotic solvents
Authors: Kripli Balázs , Garda Zoltán , Sólyom Bernadett , Tircsó Gyula , Kaizer József
Published: March 2020

Catalytic and stoichiometric H2O2oxidation by [MnII(N4Py*)]2+and [MnIV(N4Py*)(O)]2+complexes as catalase mimics have been carried out.
Resonant scattering-enhanced photothermal microscopy
Authors: Li Qiang , Shi Zhonghong , Wu Lijun , Wei Hong
Published: March 2020

We have developed a novel strategy of resonant scattering-enhanced photothermal microscopy, where the imaged nanoparticles are near-resonant with the probe light.
NixFe1−xB nanoparticle self-modified nanosheets as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for water splitting: experiments and theories
Authors: Hong Weizhao , Sun Shanfu , Kong Yi , Hu Yongyuan , Chen Gang
Published: March 2020

NiFe bimetallic borides have shown great performance for water splitting, and theoretical and experimental studies to improve their activities have been proposed.
A negative polaron resistant p-type host for extended lifetime in deep blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Yang Chang Yoon , Chung Won Jae , Jeong Hyein , Lee Yoonkyoo , Lee Jun Yeob
Published: March 2020

A negative polaron resistant p-type host improved the device lifetime of blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes.
Boosting the photostriction properties of (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-based ceramics modulated by introducing Ba(Ni0.5Nb0.5)O3−δ
Authors: Fu Hongrui , Wang Yingang , Guo Hao , Lu Yulun , Wang Neng , Zheng Huan , Chen Fugang
Published: March 2020

This work demonstrates that (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-based ceramics with excellent photostriction are obtained by introducing Ba(Ni0.5Nb0.5)O3−δ.
Injectable hydrogel systems with multiple biophysical and biochemical cues for bone regeneration
Authors: Cheng Weinan , Ding Zhaozhao , Zheng Xin , Lu Qiang , Kong Xiangdong , Zhou Xiaozhong , Lu Guozhong , Kaplan David L.
Published: March 2020

Tunable multiple angiogenic and osteogenic cues were introduced into hydrogel systems simultaneously to optimize the niches for bone regeneration.
New fluorescent light-up quinoxalines differentiate between parallel and nonparallel G-quadruplex topologies using different excitation/emission channels
Authors: Hu Ming-Hao , Chen Xiao
Published: March 2020

A fluorescent light-up quinoxaline probe that could differentiate between parallel and nonparallel G4 topologies via different excitation/emission channels was developed.
Enhanced single-molecule magnetism in dysprosium complexes of a pristine cyclobutadienyl ligand
Authors: Durrant James P. , Tang Jinkui , Mansikkamäki Akseli , Layfield Richard A.
Published: March 2020

Cyclobutadienyl ligands can generate much stronger axial crystal fields in dysprosium single-molecule magnets (SMMs) than more common cyclopentadienyl ligands, providing clues as to how the performance of SMMs can be substantially improved.
Expansion dynamics and chemistry evolution in ultrafast laser filament produced plasmas
Authors: Kautz Elizabeth J. , Yeak Jeremy , Bernacki Bruce E. , Phillips Mark C. , Harilal Sivanandan S.
Published: March 2020

2D plume and spectral imaging illustrate expansion dynamics and corresponding chemical evolution of atoms and molecules in filament produced plasmas.
Liquid-phase decomposition mechanism for bis(triaminoguanidinium) azotetrazolate (TAGzT)
Authors: Kumbhakarna Neeraj R. , Khichar Mayank , Shah Kaushal J. , Chowdhury Arindrajit , Patidar Lalit , Thynell Stefan T.
Published: March 2020

This work provides new insights for the liquid-phase decomposition of bis(triaminoguanidinium) azotetrazolate (TAGzT).
The infrared spectra of protic ionic liquids: performances of different computational models to predict hydrogen bonds and conformer evolution
Authors: Palumbo O. , Cimini A. , Trequattrini F. , Brubach J.-B. , Roy P. , Paolone A.
Published: March 2020

DFT calculations with the ωB97-D functional reproduce hydrogen bonding features of the far-infrared spectra of diethylmethylammonium methanesulfonate and diethylmethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate.
BaLiTe2O5X (X = Cl, Br): mixed alkali/alkaline-earth metal tellurite halides with [Te2O5]∞ chains
Authors: Wang Ting , Chen Yi-Gang , Guo Yao , Wang Fang , Song Qi , Jia Ying-Jie , Zhang Xian-Ming
Published: March 2020

Isostructural BaLiTe2O5X (X = Cl, Br) feature [BaLiTe2O5]∞ double layers, demonstrating wide optical bandgaps and large birefringence.
Synthesis and in vivo behaviour of an exendin-4-based MRI probe capable of β-cell-dependent contrast enhancement in the pancreas
Authors: Clough Thomas J. , Baxan Nicoleta , Coakley Emma J. , Rivas Charlotte , Zhao Lan , Leclerc Isabelle , Martinez-Sanchez Aida , Rutter Guy A. , Long Nicholas J.
Published: March 2020

A novel probe based on an exendin-4-dota(ga) conjugate, GdEx, is presented. GdEx accumulates in the pancreas, allowing organ-specific contrast enhancement which is reduced in mouse models where pancreatic β-cells are depleted.
Synthetic investigations of low-coordinate (N-phosphino-amidinate) nickel chemistry: agostic alkyl complexes and benzene insertion into Ni–H
Authors: Macaulay Casper M. , Samolia Madhu , Ferguson Michael J. , Sydora Orson L. , Ess Daniel H. , Stradiotto Mark , Turculet Laura
Published: March 2020

The first product arising from benzene insertion into Ni–H, and the first heterobidentate β- or γ-agostic nickel-alkyl complexes, are reported.
A synthetic manganese–calcium cluster similar to the catalyst of Photosystem II: challenges for biomimetic water oxidation
Authors: Mousazade Younes , Mohammadi Mohammad Reza , Bagheri Robabeh , Bikas Rahman , Chernev Petko , Song Zhenlun , Lis Tadeusz , Siczek Milosz , Noshiranzadeh Nader , Mebs Stefan , Dau Holger , Zaharieva Ivelina , Najafpour Mohammad Mahdi
Published: March 2020

Herein, synthesis, characterization, and water-oxidizing activity of a Mn-Ca cluster are reported.
Vapor adsorption experiments as a characterization tool for layered catalysts
Authors: Campos Guilherme P. , Báfero Gabriel B. , Pastore Heloise O.
Published: March 2020

Vapor adsorption experiments support the catalytic results of H-[Al]-magadiite and H-[Al]-RUB-18, once the interlamellar space swell and accommodate substrate molecules.
Electrochemical delamination assisted transfer of molecular nanosheets
Authors: Tang Zian , Neumann Christof , Winter Andreas , Turchanin Andrey
Published: March 2020

Electrochemical delamination assisted transfer is reported for molecular nanosheets covalently bonded to the synthesis substrates. The non-destructive transfer method can be applied to a variety of organic nanosheets grown on conductive substrates.
From polymeric carbon nitride to carbon materials: extended application to electrochemical energy conversion and storage
Authors: He Bing , Wang Yang , Zhai Qiaoling , Qiu Peng , Dong Gang , Liu Xueqin , Chen Yihuang , Li Zhen
Published: March 2020

This review highlights the latest research advancements regarding the electrochemical energy conversion and storage application from PCN to PCN-derived carbon materials.
Synthetic-biology-based discovery of a fungal macrolide from Macrophomina phaseolina
Authors: Morishita Yohei , Sonohara Terutaka , Taniguchi Tohru , Adachi Kiyohiro , Fujita Makoto , Asai Teigo
Published: March 2020

Genome mining and heterologous biosynthesis led to the discovery of a 12 membered macrolide from Macrophomina phaseolina.
Vesicular assemblies of thermoresponsive amphiphilic polypeptide copolymers for guest encapsulation and release
Authors: Anas Mahammad , Jana Somdeb , Mandal Tarun K.
Published: March 2020

Thermoresponsive amphiphilic polypeptide copolymers are synthesized via different polymerization techniques for their self-assembly into vesicular aggregates for guest encapsulation and release.
One-pot sol–gel synthesis of a CoMo catalyst for sustainable biofuel production by solvent- and hydrogen-free deoxygenation: effect of the citric acid ratio
Authors: Jeon Kyung-Won , Cho Jae-Wan , Park Ho-Ryong , Na Hyun-Suk , Shim Jae-Oh , Jang Won-Jun , Jeon Byong-Hun , Roh Hyun-Seog
Published: March 2020

Investigation of the optimum citric acid ratio for highly active CoMo catalyst synthesis to produce a sustainable biofuel by deoxygenation under solvent- and hydrogen-free conditions.
Boronic acid and diol-containing polymers: how to choose the correct couple to form “strong” hydrogels at physiological pH
Authors: Figueiredo Tamiris , Cosenza Vanina , Ogawa Yu , Jeacomine Isabelle , Vallet Alicia , Ortega Sonia , Michel Raphael , Olsson Johan D. M. , Gerfaud Thibaud , Boiteau Jean-Guy , Jing Jing , Harris Craig , Auzély-Velty Rachel
Published: March 2020

The key structural parameters of boronate ester crosslinkers that govern the formation of “strong” hydrogels, i.e. featuring slow relaxation dynamics, are clearly identified.
A self-supported 3D aerogel network lithium–sulfur battery cathode: sulfur spheres wrapped with phosphorus doped graphene and bridged with carbon nanofibers
Authors: Tan Junchao , Li Dan , Liu Yuqing , Zhang Peng , Qu Zehua , Yan Yan , Hu Hao , Cheng Haoyan , Zhang Jiaoxia , Dong Mengyao , Wang Chao , Fan Jincheng , Li Zhiwei , Guo Zhanhu , Liu Mingkai
Published: March 2020

An integrated PGCNF/S aerogel with a “network” structure has effectively restricted the shuttling of polysulfides and exhibited promising lithium ion storage capability.
Assessing the limitations of transparent conducting oxides as thermoelectrics
Authors: Spooner Kieran B. , Ganose Alex M. , Scanlon David O.
Published: March 2020

Many TCOs are limited as thermoelectrics by their long phonon mean free paths. We demonstrate the importance of computational analysis of lattice thermal conductivity for pinpointing which materials are effective targets for nanostructuring.
Phonons and excitons in ZrSe2–ZrS2 alloys
Authors: Oliver Sean M. , Fox Joshua J. , Hashemi Arsalan , Singh Akshay , Cavalero Randal L. , Yee Sam , Snyder David W. , Jaramillo R. , Komsa Hannu-Pekka , Vora Patrick M.
Published: March 2020

We combine experimental and theoretical methods to understand the impact of long-range Coulomb interactions on phonons and excitons in ZrSxSe2−x.
Fabrication and characterization of ReO3-type dielectric films
Authors: Kodera Masanori , Taguchi Ayako , Shimizu Takao , Moriwake Hiroki , Funakubo Hiroshi
Published: March 2020

ReO3-type NbO2F and TaO2F thin films were synthesized using HF vapor oxidation. It was confirmed for the first time that these ReO3-type films can function as dielectric materials, as demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally.
The Applicability of the Clinical Features of English Childhood Apraxia of Speech to Cantonese: A Modified Delphi Survey
Authors: Wong Eddy C. H. , Lee Kathy Y. S. , Tong Michael C. F.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), a motor-based speech disorder, has been well studied in English contexts. However, there is a limited understanding of the applicability of its features to other languages. Thus, this study sought to determine the applicability of the features identified in the English CAS literature to Cantonese CAS.

Method

A two-round modified Delphi survey of experts was used to identify the clinical features of CAS in Cantonese speakers. Ten Cantonese-speaking qualified speech therapists were recruited as experts. In Round 1, the experts were asked an open-ended question about the clinical features of Cantonese CAS. In Round 2, the experts were asked to rate the importance of the proposed clinical features for making differential diagnoses of Cantonese CAS on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (
very important
) to 5 (
not important at all
).

Results

In Round 1, the expert panel identified 79 clinical features in nine domains. Sixty-two features (78.5%) were consistent with English CAS. Three English features were not identified in this study, while three features specifically related to Cantonese phonology were identified. In Round 2, 29 clinical features across six domains were found to meet the statistical criteria and were therefore regarded as important for making differential diagnoses of CAS among Cantonese speakers.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the clinical features identified in the English CAS literature are applicable to Cantonese CAS. The consistency of the findings implies that core and possible co-occurring features are shared between English and Cantonese CAS. The six features that were not common in both languages were discussed. Further investigation of CAS in and between different languages is recommended. This study is not the end point. Future studies can empirically examine the lexical tones or pitch variations to develop a possible objective measure for CAS.
Structural Development of Narratives in Arabic: Task Complexity, Age, and Cultural Factors
Authors: Abdalla Fauzia , Mahfoudhi Abdessattar , Alhudhainah Shouq
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This study examines the effect of age and task complexity on the macrostructure of story production in preschool- and school-age Kuwaiti Arabic–speaking children. It also compares the children's production of core and complementary macrostructure story elements.

Method

A descriptive, cross-sectional research design was used to explore the participants' narrative skills. A total of 122 monolingual speakers of Kuwaiti Arabic (97 children and 25 adults) participated in this study. The children aged 4;0 to 7;11 (years;months) were randomly recruited from public schools across Kuwait. There were 24 four-year-olds (Kindergarten 1), 23 five-year-olds (Kindergarten 2), 23 six-year-olds (Grade 1), and 27 seven-year-olds (Grade 2). A group of adults was also included to establish a benchmark. Storytelling was elicited from all the participants using two sets of sequential pictures from the Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument: a one-episode story and a more complex three-episode story (Schneider et al., 2005). Across-group comparisons were conducted to explore the effect of age, story complexity, and type of macrostructure elements on story production.

Results

The findings revealed a progression by age in the development of story macrostructure, but there was no effect of task complexity. Within all age groups, the core macrostructure components were mastered before the complementary elements.

Conclusions

The results of this study confirmed that cross-linguistic narrative measures could be used in contexts that are culturally and linguistically different with minor adaptations. The piloting of two picture-based stories showed that the shorter one-episode version may be sufficient to evaluate the language development of this age group.
Power consumption model based on feature selection and deep learning in cloud computing scenarios
Authors: Liang Yang , Hu Zhigang , Li Keqin
Published: March 2020

High power consumption of cloud data centres is a crucial challenge in modern cloud computing. To comply with the conceptions of green computing, power consumption prediction of the computing cluster has a major role to play in these energy conservation efforts. However, due to complexity and heterogeneity in cloud computing scenarios, it is difficult to accurately predict the power consumption using conventional approaches. To this end, this study presents a power consumption model based on feature selection and deep learning to powerfully cope with low energy efficiency. Different from other methods focusing on only a few performance attributes, the proposed method takes into account up to 12 energy‐related features and introduces deep neural network architecture, aiming at making full use of massive data to train model completely. In particular, this approach is composed of three main phases including (i) performance monitoring and energy‐related feature acquisition, (ii) essential feature selection, and (iii) model establishment and optimisation. Representative results of comprehensive experiments, in terms of the relative error, reveal that the proposed power consumption model can undoubtedly achieve state‐of‐the‐art predictive capability when compared with other models in most cases.
Delta compression optimisation for UAV‐enabled mobile edge caching
Authors: Hu Zhijuan , Wang Danyang , Li Zan , Li Junling , Gao Yuan
Published: March 2020

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)‐based sensor network is an effective mechanism for recognising and tracking of manoeuvring targets as well as expanding the monitoring coverage in the battlefield. However, there exists redundancy among the spectrum data collected by a UAV monitor within a data collection period, which may waste storage space and reduce the speed of data uploaded to the control centre. The authors assume that each UAV is equipped with an edge computing server and propose a delta compression method, which can save cache space and transfer time. First, they present a cost model and evaluation model for delta compression of the COPY/ADD class. Then an optimisation problem is formulated aiming to obtain the optimal delta encoding. Additionally, a maximal total length of copied fragments (MTLC) algorithm is proposed to find more mutually separated L‐grams common fragments between the data collected at two adjacent moments. Theoretical analysis proves that the MTLC algorithm can generate a good delta encoding with the maximum total length and then the minimum total number of the COPYs. Moreover, numerical results show that MTLC has better performance in constructing a good delta encoding than the simple greedy and hash suffix array delta algorithms.
Optimal IA design and performance analysis for MIMO–OFDM systems with imperfect CSI
Authors: Feng Zhijie , Liu Weihua , Han Xueqin , Zhang Zhe , Chen Xueyan
Published: March 2020

Both multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) are key technologies for the fifth‐generation mobile communication systems. However, interference is one of the critical challenges in MIMO–OFDM systems that degrades the overall performance. In this study, a novel interference alignment (IA) design‐based diagonal‐block channel charter to mitigate the interference for MIMO–OFDM systems is proposed. The proposed IA scheme can be used in physical layer security, e.g. anti‐location. Based on the diagonal‐block charter of the channel matrix, the optimal degree of freedom, i.e. the maximum number of multiple data streams concurrently transmitted interference‐free can be achieved by IA. Correspondingly, the authors present the closed‐form IA design scheme for some special scenarios, and two iterative IA ones for general scenarios in detail. Furthermore, the performance analysis of IA systems with diagonal‐block channel error is provided, where the imperfect channel state information case is considered. The simulation results show that the IA design based on the diagonal‐block channel can improve the sum‐rate performance effectively, by sufficiently exploiting the spatial and frequency resources.
Pose‐invariant face recognition based on matching the occlusion free regions aligned by 3D generic model
Authors: Sadeghzadeh Arezoo , Ebrahimnezhad Hossein
Published: March 2020

Face recognition systems perform accurately in a controlled environment, but an unconstrained environment dramatically degrades their performance. In this study, a novel pose‐invariant face recognition system is proposed based on the occlusion free regions. This method utilises a gallery set of frontal face images and can handle large pose variations. For a 2D probe face image with an arbitrary pose, the head pose is first obtained using a robust head pose estimation method. Then, this 2D face image is normalised by a novel 3D modelling method from a single input image. In consequence, pose invariant face recognition is converted to a frontal face recognition problem. The 3D structure is reconstructed using a new method based on the estimated head pose and only one facial feature point, which is significantly reduced in comparison with the number of landmarks used in previous methods. According to the estimated poses, occlusion free regions are extracted from normalised images as feature extraction. Finally, face matching and recognition is performed using these regions from normalised test images and the corresponding regions of gallery images. Experimental results on FERET and CAS‐PEAL‐R1 databases demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms other methods, and it is robust and efficient.