bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of random forest based approaches to surface-enhanced Raman scattering data
Authors: Seifert Stephan
Published: March 2020

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a valuable analytical technique for the analysis of biological samples. However, due to the nature of SERS it is often challenging to exploit the generated data to obtain the desired information when no reporter or label molecules are used. Here, the suitability of random forest based approaches is evaluated using SERS data generated by a simulation framework that is also presented. More specifically, it is demonstrated that important SERS signals can be identified, the relevance of predefined spectral groups can be evaluated, and the relations of different SERS signals can be analyzed. It is shown that for the selection of important SERS signals Boruta and surrogate minimal depth (SMD) and for the analysis of spectral groups the competing method Learner of Functional Enrichment (LeFE) should be applied. In general, this investigation demonstrates that the combination of random forest approaches and SERS data is very promising for sophisticated analysis of complex biological samples.
Improving the drug-likeness of inspiring natural products - evaluation of the antiparasitic activity against Trypanosoma cruzi through semi-synthetic and simplified analogues of licarin A
Authors: Morais Thiago R. , Conserva Geanne A. Alves , Varela Marina T. , Costa-Silva Thais A. , Thevenard Fernanda , Ponci Vitor , Fortuna Ana , Falcão Amílcar C. , Tempone Andre G. , Fernandes João Paulo S. , Lago João Henrique G.
Published: March 2020

Neolignan licarin A (1) was isolated from leaves of Nectandra oppositifolia (Lauraceae) and displayed activity against trypomastigote forms of the etiologic agent of American trypanosomiasis, Trypanosoma cruzi. Aiming for the establishment of SAR, five different compounds (1a – 1e) were prepared and tested against T. cruzi. The 2-allyl derivative of licarin A (1d) exhibited higher activity against trypomastigotes of T. cruzi (IC50 = 5.0 μM and SI = 9.0), while its heterocyclic derivative 1e displayed IC50 of 10.5 μM and reduced toxicity against NCTC cells (SI > 19.0). However, these compounds presented limited oral bioavailability estimation (<85%, Papp <1.0 × 10−6 cm/s) in parallel artificial membrane permeability assays (PAMPA) due to excessive lipophilicity. Based on these results, different simplified structures of licarin A were designed: vanillin (2), vanillyl alcohol (3), isoeugenol (4), and eugenol (5), as well as its corresponding methyl (a), acetyl (b), O-allyl (c), and C-allyl (d) analogues. Vanillin (2) and its acetyl derivative (2b) displayed expressive activity against intracellular amastigotes of T. cruzi with IC50 values of 5.5 and 5.6 μM, respectively, and reduced toxicity against NCTC cells (CC50 > 200 μM). In addition, these simplified analogues showed a better permeability profile (Papp > 1.0 × 10−6 cm/s) on PAMPA models, resulting in improved drug-likeness. Vanillyl alcohol acetyl derivative (3b) and isoeugenol methyl derivative (4a) displayed activity against the extracellular forms of T. cruzi (trypomastigotes) with IC50 values of 5.1 and 8.8 μM respectively. Based on these results, compounds with higher selectivity index against extracellular forms of the parasite (1d, 1e, 3d, and 4a) were selected for a mechanism of action study. After a short incubation period (1 h) all compounds increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels of trypomastigotes, suggesting cellular oxidative stress. The ATP levels were increased after two hours of incubation, possibly involving a high energy expenditure of the parasite to control the homeostasis. Except for compound 4a, all compounds induced hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, demonstrating a mitochondrial imbalance. Considering the unique mitochondria apparatus of T. cruzi and the lethal alterations induced by structurally based on licarin A, these compounds are interesting hits for future drug discovery studies in Chagas disease.
Examining the association between serum phosphate levels and leukocyte telomere length
Authors: Yang Zhe-Yu , Kao Tung-Wei , Peng Tao-Chun , Chen Yuan-Yuei , Yang Hui-Fang , Wu Chen-Jung , Chen Wei-Liang
Published: March 2020

Accelerated telomere attrition is related to various diseases, and multiple factors have been reported to influence telomere length. However, little attention has focused on the relationship between serum phosphate levels and mean telomere length. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between serum phosphate levels and mean telomere length in the US general population. A total of 7,817 participants from the 1999–2002 NHANES were included. The association between serum phosphate levels and mean telomere length was investigated using regression models. A remarkably positive relationship between serum phosphate levels and mean telomere length emerged after adjustments were made for covariates. The adjusted β coefficient of serum phosphate levels for mean telomere length was 0.038 (95% confidence intervals (CIs), 0.022 to 0.095, p = 0.002). A longer telomere length was observed in participants with serum phosphate levels in the highest quartiles, and a dose-dependent association was observed. Our study demonstrated that higher quartiles of phosphate had a remarkable correlation with longer telomere length.
EDN1 gene potentially involved in the development of acute mountain sickness
Authors: Yu Jie , Liu Chuan , Zhang Chen , Bian ShiZhu , Yang Jie , Zhang JiHang , Gao XuBin , Qiu YouZhu , Huang Lan
Published: March 2020

Previous investigations have indicated that environmental and genetic factors collectively contribute to the development of acute mountain sickness (AMS), but whether the EDN1 gene is involved in AMS remains to be elucidated. A total of 356 healthy male soldiers who had not traveled to high altitudes in the previous 12 months were enrolled in our study. All participants were taken by plane from 500 m (Chengdu in Sichuan Province) to a 3700 m highland (Lhasa) within 2 hours. Clinical data were collected within 24 hours, and pulmonary function parameters were completed simultaneously. Genotypes were obtained by using iMLDR genotyping assays. A total of 237 soldiers (66.57%) presented AMS symptoms, including headache, dizziness, gastrointestinal upset and fatigue. Soldiers with AMS showed an increase in heart rate (HR), plasma tryptophan and serotonin, and a decrease in SaO2, FEV1, PEF, FVC, V75, V50, V25 and MMF (all P < 0.01). Notably, allele T in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2070699 showed a positive correlation with the occurrence of AMS. A general linear regression analysis showed that rs2060799, Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP), SaO2, FVC, tryptophan and serotonin were independent predictors for the occurrence of AMS. Importantly, the area under the curve (AUC) values for tryptophan (0.998), serotonin (0.912) and FVC (0.86) had diagnostic specificity and sensitivity. Our results demonstrated that AMS is accompanied by changes in lung function parameters, increased plasma tryptophan and serotonin levels, and that the EDN1 polymorphism is a potential risk factor for AMS.
Targeted Drug Delivery of Microbubble to Arrest Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Development: A Simulation Study Towards Optimized Microbubble Design
Authors: Shamloo Amir , Ebrahimi Sina , Amani Ali , Fallah Famida
Published: March 2020

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an irreversible bulge in the artery with higher prevalence among the elderlies. Increase of the aneurysm diameter by time is a fatal phenomenon which will lead to its sidewall rupture. Invasive surgical treatments are vital in preventing from AAA development. These approaches however have considerable side effects. Targeted drug delivery using microbubbles (MBs) has been recently employed to suppress the AAA growth. The present study is aimed to investigate the surface adhesion of different types of drug-containing MBs to the inner wall of AAA through ligand-receptor binding, using fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation by using a patient CT-scan images of the vascular system. The effect of blood flow through AAA on MBs delivery to the intended surface was also addressed. For this purpose, the adherence of four types of MBs with three different diameters to the inner surface wall of AAA was studied in a patient with 40-mm diameter aneurysm. The effects of the blood mechanical properties on the hematocrit (Hct) percentage of patients suffering from anemia and diabetes were studied. Moreover, the impact of variations in the artery inlet velocity on blood flow was addressed. Simulation results demonstrated the dependency of the surface density of MBs (SDM) adhered on the AAA lumen to the size and the type of MBs. It was observed that the amount of SDM due to adhesion on the AAA lumen for one of the commercially-approved MBs (Optison) with a diameter of 4.5 μm was higher than the other MBs. Furthermore, we have shown that the targeted drug delivery to the AAA lumen is more favorable in healthy individuals (45% Hct) compared to the patients with diabetes and anemia. Also, it was found that the targeted drug delivery method using MBs on the patients having AAA with complicated aneurysm shape and negative inlet blood flow velocity can be severely affected.
The Size-Value Compatibility Effect
Authors: Hasegawa Kunihiro
Published: March 2020

This study aimed to examine the relationship between an object’s physical size and judgements of its value. Two preregistered experiments were performed to explore a size-value compatibility effect. Two images of Japanese-yen coins with different values but similar actual sizes (10-yen and 100-yen) were manipulated for size and presented side-by-side on a computer screen. Participants judged which coin was larger or smaller based on the images. Results revealed that size judgements were slower and less accurate when the lower-value coin was presented as larger than the higher-value coin, compared to when the lower-value coin was presented as smaller. This effect was observed even after participants had been allowed to examine the physical coins prior to the experiment to judge their actual size. This finding suggests that participants perceived the coins’ values based on their sizes, indicating it may be difficult for many people to stop thinking ‘better is bigger’.
The “gift effect” on functional brain connectivity. Inter-brain synchronization when prosocial behavior is in action
Authors: Balconi Michela , Fronda Giulia
Published: March 2020

The gift exchange represents a moment that characterizes interpersonal interactions. In particular, research in psychological and neuroscientific fields aimed to observe the social function of gift exchange. Specifically, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of prosocial behavior, experienced during gift exchange, on individuals’ cognitive performance and brain activity. To this aim, behavioral performance and neural activity of 15 dyads of participants, with a consolidated friendship, were collected during the execution of an attentional cooperative task before or after a gift exchange. Individuals’ brain activity was recorded through the use of Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in hyperscanning. Results showed an increase of perceived cooperation and cognitive performance, in terms of accuracy (ACC), after gift exchange. The increase of interpersonal tuning and cooperation was also shown by neural activity with an increase of oxygenated hemoglobin (O2Hb) intra-brain and inter-brain connectivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) following the gift exchange. Moreover, from ConIndex analysis emerged an increase of inter-brain connectivity compared to intra-brain in DLPFC area. The present study, therefore, highlights how prosocial behavior can have positive effects on cognitive performance improvement and interpersonal relationships and neural coordination strengthen, increasing intra and inter-brain connectivity mechanisms.
Comprehensive evaluation of complex polymicrobial specimens using next generation sequencing and standard microbiological culture
Authors: Cummings Lisa A. , Hoogestraat Daniel R. , Rassoulian-Barrett Sara L. , Rosenthal Christopher A. , Salipante Stephen J. , Cookson Brad T. , Hoffman Noah G.
Published: March 2020

Optimal clinical decision-making depends on identification of clinically relevant organisms present in a sample. Standard microbiological culture may fail to identify unusual or fastidious organisms and can misrepresent relative abundance of sample constituents. Culture-independent methods have improved our ability to deconvolute polymicrobial patient samples. We used next-generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing (NGS16S) to determine how often cultivatable organisms in complex polymicrobial samples are not reported by standard culture. Twenty consecutive bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples were plated to standard and additional media; bacteria were identified by NGS16S analysis of DNA extracted directly from samples or from washed culture plates. 96% of organisms identified were cultivable, but only 21% were reported by standard culture, indicating that standard work-up provides an incomplete assessment of microbial constituents. Direct NGS16S correlated well with standard culture, identifying the same predominant organism in 50% of samples. When predominant organisms differed, NGS16S most often detected anaerobes, whose growth is unsupported by standard culture conditions for this specimen. NGS16S identified more organisms per sample and allowed identification of fastidious organisms, while culture was better at capturing organisms when bacterial load was low, and allowed incidental recovery of non-bacterial pathogens. Molecular and culture-based methods together detect more organisms than either method alone.
Analyses of air pollution control measures and co-benefits in the heavily air-polluted Jinan city of China, 2013–2017
Authors: Cui Liangliang , Zhou Jingwen , Peng Xiumiao , Ruan Shiman , Zhang Ying
Published: March 2020

China has made great efforts in air pollution control since 2013. However, there is a lack of evaluation of environmental, health and economic co-benefits associated with the national and local air pollution control measures at a city level. We analyzed local air pollution control policies and implementation in Jinan, one of the most heavily air-polluted cities in China between 2013 and 2017. We assessed the changes in exhaust emissions, air quality, mortality and morbidity of associated specific-diseases, and related economic benefits. We also projected the future scenarios of PM2.5 concentration dropped to 15 μg/m3. There were significant decreases in exhaust emissions of SO2 and NOx in Jinan during the study period. Annual reductions in ambient air pollution were 72.6% for SO2, 43.1% for PM2.5, and 34.2% for PM10. A total of 2,317 (95%CI: 1,533–2,842) premature deaths and 15,822 (95%CI: 8,734–23,990) related morbidity cases had been avoided in 2017, leading to a total of US$ 317.7 million (95%CI: 227.5–458.1) in economic benefits. Decreasing PM2.5 concentrations to 15 μg/m3 would result in reductions of 70% in total PM2.5-related non-accidental mortality and 95% in total PM2.5-related morbidity, which translates into US$ 1,289.5 million (95%CI: 825.8–1,673.6) in economic benefits. The national and local air pollution control measures have brought significant environmental, health and economic benefits to a previously heavy polluted Chinese city.
Vaginal metabolome: towards a minimally invasive diagnosis of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity in women with preterm labor
Authors: Vicente-Muñoz Sara , Cobo Teresa , Puchades-Carrasco Leonor , Sánchez-García Ana B. , Agustí Núria , Palacio Montse , Pineda-Lucena Antonio , Gratacós Eduard
Published: March 2020

Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) is only identified by amniocentesis, an invasive procedure that limits its clinical translation. Here, we aimed to evaluate whether the vaginal metabolome discriminates the presence/absence of MIAC in women with preterm labor (PTL) and intact membranes. We conducted a case-control study in women with symptoms of PTL below 34 weeks who underwent amniocentesis to discard MIAC. MIAC was defined as amniotic fluid positive for microorganisms identified by specific culture media. The cohort included 16 women with MIAC and 16 control (no MIAC). Both groups were matched for age and gestational age at admission. Vaginal fluid samples were collected shortly after amniocentesis. Metabolic profiles were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and compared using multivariate and univariate statistical analyses to identify significant differences between the two groups. The vaginal metabolomics profile of MIAC showed higher concentrations of hypoxanthine, proline, choline and acetylcholine and decreased concentrations of phenylalanine, glutamine, isoleucine, leucine and glycerophosphocholine. In conclusion, metabolic changes in the NMR-based vaginal metabolic profile are able to discriminate the presence/absence of MIAC in women with PTL and intact membranes. These metabolic changes might be indicative of enhanced glycolysis triggered by hypoxia conditions as a consequence of bacterial infection, thus explaining the utilization of alternative energy sources in an attempt to replenish glucose.
ACADL plays a tumor-suppressor role by targeting Hippo/YAP signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhao Xiaofang , Qin Wenhao , Jiang Youhai , Yang Zhishi , Yuan Bo , Dai Rongyang , Shen Hao , Chen Yao , Fu Jing , Wang Hongyang
Published: March 2020

Long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (ACADL) is a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the initial step of fatty acid oxidation, but the role of ACADL in tumor biology remains largely unknown. Here, we found that ACADL was frequently downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its low expression was significantly correlated with poor clinical prognosis of HCC patients. Restoring the expression of ACADL in HCC cells resulted cell cycle arrest and growth suppression through suppressing Hippo/YAP signaling evidenced by decreased YAP nuclear accumulation and downstream target genes expression. Reactivation of YAP by XMU-MP-1 diminished the inhibitory effect of ACADL on HCC growth. More importantly, the nuclear accumulation of YAP was negatively correlated with ACADL expression levels in HCC specimens, and YAP inhibitor verteporfin effectively suppressed growth of HCC organoids with low ACADL expression. Together, our findings highlight a novel function of ACADL in regulating HCC growth and targeting ACADL/Yap may be a potential strategy for HCC precise treatment.
Combined deletions of IHH and NHEJ1 cause chondrodystrophy and embryonic lethality in the Creeper chicken
Authors: Kinoshita Keiji , Suzuki Takayuki , Koike Manabu , Nishida Chizuko , Koike Aki , Nunome Mitsuo , Uemura Takeo , Ichiyanagi Kenji , Matsuda Yoichi
Published: March 2020

The Creeper (Cp) chicken is characterized by chondrodystrophy in Cp/+ heterozygotes and embryonic lethality in Cp/Cp homozygotes. However, the genes underlying the phenotypes have not been fully known. Here, we show that a 25 kb deletion on chromosome 7, which contains the Indian hedgehog (IHH) and non-homologous end-joining factor 1 (NHEJ1) genes, is responsible for the Cp trait in Japanese bantam chickens. IHH is essential for chondrocyte maturation and is downregulated in the Cp/+ embryos and completely lost in the Cp/Cp embryos. This indicates that chondrodystrophy is caused by the loss of IHH and that chondrocyte maturation is delayed in Cp/+ heterozygotes. The Cp/Cp homozygotes exhibit impaired DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair due to the loss of NHEJ1, resulting in DSB accumulation in the vascular and nervous systems, which leads to apoptosis and early embryonic death.
In vitro reconstitution of functional small ribosomal subunit assembly for comprehensive analysis of ribosomal elements in E. coli
Authors: Shimojo Masaru , Amikura Kazuaki , Masuda Keiko , Kanamori Takashi , Ueda Takuya , Shimizu Yoshihiro
Published: March 2020

In vitro reconstitution is a powerful tool for investigating ribosome functions and biogenesis, as well as discovering new ribosomal features. In this study, we integrated all of the processes required for Escherichia coli small ribosomal subunit assembly. In our method, termed fully Recombinant-based integrated Synthesis, Assembly, and Translation (R-iSAT), assembly and evaluation of the small ribosomal subunits are coupled with ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis in a reconstituted cell-free protein synthesis system. By changing the components of R-iSAT, including recombinant ribosomal protein composition, we coupled ribosomal assembly with ribosomal protein synthesis, enabling functional synthesis of ribosomal proteins and subsequent subunit assembly. In addition, we assembled and evaluated subunits with mutations in both rRNA and ribosomal proteins. The study demonstrated that our scheme provides new ways to comprehensively analyze any elements of the small ribosomal subunit, with the goal of improving our understanding of ribosomal biogenesis, function, and engineering.
Transformation of siderite to goethite by humic acid in the natural environment
Authors: Xing Bobo , Graham Nigel , Yu Wenzheng
Published: March 2020

Humic acid (HA) is particularly important in iron-bearing mineral transformations and erosion at the water-mineral boundary zone of the Earth. In this study, three stages of the possible pathway by which HA causes mineral transformation from siderite to goethite are identified. Firstly, a Fe(II)-HA complex is formed by chelation, which accelerates the dissolution and oxidation of Fe(II) from the surface of siderite. As the Fe(II)-HA complex retains Fe atoms in close proximity of each other, ferrihydrite is formed by the agglomeration and crystallization. Finally, the ferrihydrite structurally rearranges upon attachment to the surface of goethite crystals and merges with its structure. The influence of low concentrations of HA (0–2 mg/L) on phosphate adsorption is found to be beneficial by the inducing of new mineral phases. We believe that these results provide a greater understanding of the impact of HA in the biogeochemical cycle of phosphate, mineral transformation.
Intranasal delivery of berberine via in situ thermoresponsive hydrogels with non-invasive therapy exhibits better antidepressant-like effects
Authors: Wang Qiang-Song , Li Kefeng , Gao Li-Na , Zhang Ye , Lin Ke-Ming , Cui Yuan-Lu
Published: March 2020

Intranasal delivery of thermoresponsive hydrogels can improve the bioavailability of berberine in the brain, so as to improve the antidepressant effect.
Responsive ruthenium complex probe for phosphorescence and time-gated luminescence detection of bisulfite
Authors: Zhang Wenzhu , Xi Xiuyan , Wang Yong-Lei , Du Zhongbo , Liu Chaolong , Liu Jianping , Song Bo , Yuan Jingli , Zhang Run
Published: March 2020

We report the design, synthesis, and characterization of a responsive Ru(ii) complex probe for background-free time-gated luminescence detection of bisulfite.
Metallic iron in cornflakes
Authors: Lermyte Frederik , Zhang Wen-Ying , Brooks Jake , Huband Steven , Collingwood Joanna F. , Lees Martin R. , Rayman Margaret P. , Sadler Peter J.
Published: March 2020

Magnetometry and X-ray analysis show that the iron in cornflake-style cereals fortified with this essential element at levels up to 14 mg per 100 g, is micron-sized body-centred cubic metallic iron, partially soluble at stomach pH.
Study of viability of high pressure extract from pomegranate peel to improve carrot juice characteristics
Authors: Trigo João P. , Alexandre Elisabete M. C. , Silva Sara , Costa Eduardo , Saraiva Jorge A. , Pintado Manuela
Published: March 2020

Extracts from fruit processing by-products usually present high amounts of bioactive compounds with several important activities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities.
Mixed metal zero-mode guides (ZMWs) for tunable fluorescence enhancement
Authors: Al Masud Abdullah , Martin W. Elliott , Moonschi Faruk H. , Park So Min , Srijanto Bernadeta R. , Graham Kenneth R. , Collier C. Patrick , Richards Christopher I.
Published: March 2020

Mixed metal ZMWs tune single molecule fluorescence enhancement.
Thickness dependent transition from the 1T′ to Weyl semimetal phase in ultrathin MoTe2: electrical transport, noise and Raman studies
Authors: Kuiri Manabendra , Das Subhadip , Muthu D. V. S. , Das Anindya , Sood A. K.
Published: March 2020

The resistivity of the semiconducting ultra-thin 1T′-MoTe2 shows a clear signature of temperature induced transition to Weyl semimetallic Td phase. Resistivity upturn at low temperature (∼20 K) confirms electron–electron interaction physics at the Weyl nodes.
The interplay between individual reflection and collaborative learning – seven essential features for designing fruitful classroom practices that develop students’ individual conceptions
Authors: Heeg Julian , Hundertmark Sarah , Schanze Sascha
Published: March 2020

Teaching and learning chemistry or science, in general, could be described as building upon learners' existing conceptions. In order to support individual conceptual development, teachers should create opportunities for students to become aware of their thoughts. As this is very demanding in chemistry classroom practice with twenty-five or more individuals, pedagogical approaches and instructional support are needed. We argue for a collaborative learning practice that focuses on sharing and discussing individual conceptions on a chemistry-based phenomenon to build up a joint conceptual understanding. We state seven essential features for integrating this collaborative pedagogy successfully in classroom practice: (1) Becoming aware of one's own conceptions; (2) externalizing individual ideas; (3) initiating comparable situation models; (4) ensuring active involvement of all; (5) offering each learner opportunities to reflect on each other's conceptual understanding; (6) integrating decision-making processes; (7) offering the teacher measures to monitor the learning process. This paper is structured in three parts. Part I gives theoretical evidence to these essential features. Part II introduces the peer-interaction-method (PIM) as one of the possible collaborative learning approaches. The PIM is a pre-structured two-step collaborative learning method with instructional measures to meet the seven features. Part III reports a study with 136 students (grade 8 and 9), learning with the PIM in the context of combustion. The results give evidence to the features as being promising to foster individuals’ conceptual development in science learning. The paper concludes with a discussion, limitations and an outlook for further studies and pedagogies in the context of developing conceptual understanding in collaborative settings.
Cyto-friendly polymerization at cell surfaces modulates cell fate by clustering cell-surface receptors
Authors: Qi Jing , Li Weishuo , Xu Xiaoling , Jin Feiyang , Liu Di , Du Yan , Wang Jun , Ying Xiaoying , You Jian , Du Yongzhong , Ji Jiansong
Published: March 2020

Cell-surface polymerization of anti-CD20 aptamer modified macromer to induce CD20 receptor clustering, and effectively initiate the apoptotic signals in cells.
Synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted triarylamines via acceptorless dehydrogenative aromatization using a Pd/C and p-toluenesulfonic acid hybrid relay catalyst
Authors: Takayama Satoshi , Yatabe Takafumi , Koizumi Yu , Jin Xiongjie , Nozaki Kyoko , Mizuno Noritaka , Yamaguchi Kazuya
Published: March 2020

An efficient and convenient procedure for synthesizing triarylamines based on a dehydrogenative aromatization strategy has been developed.
Osmium sensitizer with enhanced spin–orbit coupling for panchromatic dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Juwita Ratna , Lin Jian-You , Lin Shi-Jie , Liu Yu-Chi , Wu Tsung-Yu , Feng Yu-Ming , Chen Chia-Yuan , Gavin Tsai Hui-Hsu , Wu Chun-Geuy
Published: March 2020

A new osmium complex, CYC-33O, with reinforced 1MLCT and 3MLCT transitions for panchromatic response beyond 1000 nm of the device.
MWCNT-mediated combinatorial photothermal ablation and chemo-immunotherapy strategy for the treatment of melanoma
Authors: Wang Xiaoxiao , Li Binhan , Jing Huimin , Dong Xia , Leng Xigang
Published: March 2020

DOX and CpG loaded MWCNT with NIR irradiation could destroy tumor cells by photothermal and chemotherapy and release tumor-associated antigens, thus generating melanoma specific immune response to achieve synergistic therapeutic effect.
Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of a pyridine-stabilized silanonetungsten complex
Authors: Muraoka Takako , Tsuchimoto Masato , Ueno Keiji
Published: March 2020

The synthesis, structure and transformation of a pyridine-stabilized silanonetungsten complex are described.
Rapid in situ growth of β-Ni(OH)2 nanosheet arrays on nickel foam as an integrated electrode for supercapacitors exhibiting high energy density
Authors: Li Jingbo , Liu Yu , Cao Wei , Chen Nan
Published: March 2020

A rapid in situ method was employed to synthesize the β-Ni(OH)2@NF integrated electrode for a high performance ASC device.
Hierarchical porous carbon nanofibers for compatible anode and cathode of potassium-ion hybrid capacitor
Authors: Hu Xiang , Zhong Guobao , Li Junwei , Liu Yangjie , Yuan Jun , Chen Junxiang , Zhan Hongbing , Wen Zhenhai
Published: March 2020

Hierarchical porous carbon nanofibers can efficiently eliminate kinetics and capacity mismatches between the anode and cathode of the potassium-ion hybrid capacitor.
Asymmetrical electrode system for stable operation of a large-scale reverse electrodialysis (RED) system
Authors: Han Ji-Hyung , Jeong Haejun , Hwang Kyo Sik , Kim Chan-Soo , Jeong Namjo , Yang SeungCheol
Published: March 2020

To suppress inorganic scaling around the cathode in reverse electrodialysis, we suggest a bipolar membrane-containing asymmetric electrode system without significant power loss.
A thermal imaging methodology to study evaporation kinetics in mine tailings
Authors: Maurais Josée , Beaumont Étienne , Bourret Joanick , Dauphinais Emrik , Bouchard Nicolas-Alexandre , Ayotte Patrick
Published: March 2020

Predicting why, how, and when mine tailings disposal sites become prone to dust scattering events is often hampered by our limited understanding of the factors that affect the drying rates from their surface layers.
The impact of oligosaccharide content, glycosidic linkages and lactose content of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) on the expression of mucus-related genes in goblet cells
Authors: Figueroa-Lozano Susana , Ren Chengcheng , Yin Huifang , Pham Hien , van Leeuwen Sander , Dijkhuizen Lubbert , de Vos Paul
Published: March 2020

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are molecules known to impact goblet cell function and mucus composition. Our results show that their molecular structure have a direct effect on goblet cells and impact mucus synthesis-related genes.
Time response of water-based liquid scintillator from X-ray excitation
Authors: Onken Drew R. , Moretti Federico , Caravaca Javier , Yeh Minfang , Orebi Gann Gabriel D. , Bourret Edith D.
Published: March 2020

The impact of PPO concentration in LAB micelles on the luminescence decay time is determined.
Machine-learning-assisted high-throughput computational screening of high performance metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Shi Zenan , Yang Wenyuan , Deng Xiaomei , Cai Chengzhi , Yan Yaling , Liang Hong , Liu Zili , Qiao Zhiwei
Published: March 2020

The combination of machine learning and high-throughput computation for the screening of MOFs with high performance.
Light extraction from quantum dot light emitting diodes by multiscale nanostructures
Authors: Wang Shujie , Li Chenran , Xiang Yang , Qi Hui , Fang Yan , Wang Aqiang , Shen Huaibin , Du Zuliang
Published: March 2020

Green emitting QLEDs based on multiscale grid/wrinkle outcoupling nanostructures yield a maximum EQE of 21.3% and current efficiency of 88.3 cd A−1, which are 1.7 times those of the standard device.
Non-reversible heat-induced gelation of a biocompatible Fmoc-hexapeptide in water
Authors: Wojciechowski Jonathan P. , Martin Adam D. , Du Eric Y. , Garvey Christopher J. , Nordon Robert E. , Thordarson Pall
Published: March 2020

A biocompatible Fmoc-hexapeptide which forms hydrogels at physiological pH upon heating is reported.
Ionic liquid assisted preparation and modulation of the photoluminescence kinetics for highly efficient CsPbX3 nanocrystals with improved stability
Authors: Chen Ting , Xu Yanqiao , Xie Zhixiang , Jiang Weihui , Wang Lianjun , Jiang Wan
Published: March 2020

A facile approach was performed to synthesize CsPbBr3 NCs with the assistance of ionic liquid [Bmim]Br, which could modulate the surface property and enhace the stability of NCs effectively.
Effectively modulating vertical tunneling transport by mechanically twisting bilayer graphene within the all-metallic architecture
Authors: Chen Xian , Wu Tianmin , Zhuang Wei
Published: March 2020

Modulation of vertical tunneling by twisting BLG within the all-metallic architecture, which regulates the Fermi level and VHSs simultaneously.
Integration of a porous coordination network and black phosphorus nanosheets for improved photodynamic therapy of tumor
Authors: Liu Miao-Deng , Yu Yun , Guo Deng-Ke , Wang Shi-Bo , Li Chu-Xin , Gao Fan , Zhang Cheng , Xie Bo-Ru , Zhong Zhenlin , Zhang Xian-Zheng
Published: March 2020

A biodegradable nanoplatform was constructed by integrating a porous coordination network, black phosphorus sheets, and folate to weaken the cytoprotection of tumor cells for improved photodynamic cancer therapy.
Strong plasmon–exciton coupling between lithographically defined single metal nanoparticles and monolayer WSe2
Authors: Yan Xiaohong , Wei Hong
Published: March 2020

Strong coupling between monolayer WSe2 and lithographically defined single gold nanobowties is realized for the first time, and smaller nanobowties lead to larger coupling strength.
Thermally triggerable, anchoring block copolymers for use in aqueous inkjet printing
Authors: Parkes George E. , Hutchins-Crawford Helena J. , Bourdin Claire , Reynolds Stuart , Leslie Laura J. , Derry Matthew J. , Harries Josephine L. , Topham Paul D.
Published: March 2020

Towards the goal of shifting from toxic organic solvents to aqueous-based formulations in commercial inkjet printing, a series of well-defined amphiphilic block copolymers have been synthesized via RAFT polymerization.
Modification of NiOx hole transport layer for acceleration of charge extraction in inverted perovskite solar cells
Authors: Jin Zezhu , Guo Yanru , Yuan Shuai , Zhao Jia-Shang , Liang Xiao-Min , Qin Yujun , Zhang Jian-Ping , Ai Xi-Cheng
Published: March 2020

The NiOx layer modified with NiOx nanoparticles obtains surface property optimization and energy level modulation, thus improving charge transport and device performance.
Microwave-assisted simple synthesis of 2-anilinopyrimidines by the reaction of 2-chloro-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine with aniline derivatives
Authors: Campestre Cristina , Keglevich György , Kóti János , Scotti Luca , Gasbarri Carla , Angelini Guido
Published: March 2020

A rapid, one pot, green approach by microwave heating in ethanol provides a new method to obtain active and new potentially active compounds in high yields.
Probing competing relaxation pathways in malonaldehyde with transient X-ray absorption spectroscopy
Authors: List Nanna H. , Dempwolff Adrian L. , Dreuw Andreas , Norman Patrick , Martínez Todd J.
Published: March 2020

Resolving competing hydrogen-transfer mediated internal conversion and relaxation processes in a prototype ESIHT-system with transient X-ray absorption.
General and selective synthesis of primary amines using Ni-based homogeneous catalysts
Authors: Murugesan Kathiravan , Wei Zhihong , Chandrashekhar Vishwas G. , Jiao Haijun , Beller Matthias , Jagadeesh Rajenahally V.
Published: March 2020

A Ni-triphos based homogeneous catalyst enabled the synthesis of all kinds of primary amines by reductive amination of carbonyl compounds with ammonia and hydrogenation of nitroarenes.
The in situ morphology transformation of bismuth-based catalysts for the effective electroreduction of carbon dioxide
Authors: An Xiaowei , Li Shasha , Hao Xiaoqiong , Du Xiao , Yu Tao , Wang Zhongde , Hao Xiaogang , Abudula Abuliti , Guan Guoqing
Published: March 2020

An in situ morphological transformation phenomenon accompanied by petal-shaped Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets formation has been observed to help improving electrocatalytic performance.
Solar heat localization: concept and emerging applications
Authors: Kashyap Varun , Ghasemi Hadi
Published: March 2020

Recently, the solar heat localization concept has provided an appealing route for efficient utilization of solar thermal energy. A detailed study is conducted on this concept highlighting the figures of merit for various applications.
Human serum albumin-based doxorubicin prodrug nanoparticles with tumor pH-responsive aggregation-enhanced retention and reduced cardiotoxicity
Authors: Zhang Boya , Wan Shiyu , Peng Xinyu , Zhao Mingying , Li Sai , Pu Yuji , He Bin
Published: March 2020

A nano-assembly of pH-sensitive doxorubicin prodrug and human serum albumin shows tumor pH-responsive aggregation, enhanced tumor retention and reduced cytotoxicity.
Constructing dual-readout logic operations based on the silk fibroin sol–gel transition
Authors: Hong Yongying , Huang Yanyan , Tang Yonghua , Zeng Wenbin , Yu Rui , Lin Youhui , Liu Xiang Yang , Wu Chenxu
Published: March 2020

Multiple Boolean logic operations have been constructed based on the enzyme-induced silk fibroin sol–gel transition.
The Effects of Frequency and Predictability on Repetition in Children With Developmental Language Disorder
Authors: Kueser Justin B. , Leonard Laurence B.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Studies have shown that children with typical development (TD) respond to frequency and predictability when repeating nonidiomatic multiword sequences (e.g.,
go wash your hands
). We extended these findings by explicitly examining the interaction between frequency and predictability in a repetition task for children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and children with TD.

Method

We created 48 four-word phrases, manipulating two factors: the frequency of occurrence of the entire four-word phrase (e.g.,
look in the mirror
vs.
look in the basket
) and the predictability of the fourth word in the phrase given the preceding three words (e.g.,
corn on the ___
vs.
look in the ___
). These phrases were presented in a repetition task to 17 children with DLD (
M
age
= 58.89 months), 19 same-age children with TD (
M
age
= 59.79 months), and 17 younger children with TD matched to the DLD group on nonword repetition and mean length of utterance (
M
age
= 38.94 months). Children's repetitions were judged for the presence or absence of word and morphological errors. Only the first three words of the sequence were scored (e.g.,
look in the
).

Results

We found a main effect of sequence frequency, with high-frequency sequences being repeated more accurately than low-frequency sequences, modulated by a significant interaction with predictability, where the effect of sequence frequency was larger for sequences with high-predictability contexts than for sequences with low-predictability contexts. We also found a significant effect of group, with children with DLD demonstrating poorer overall performance, particularly when compared to the same-age group with TD.

Conclusions

Frequency and predictability are strong predictors of language production in children with TD. These factors also have effects for children with DLD, raising important clinical questions about the design of facilitative contexts for the teaching of difficult linguistic forms.
Alteration of muscle synergy structure while walking under increased postural constraints
Authors: Singh Rajat Emanuel , White Gannon , Delis Ioannis , Iqbal Kamran
Published: March 2020

It is hypothesised that specific groups of muscles aka muscle synergies (MSs) are combined by the central nervous system to control a wide repertoire of movements and also simplify motor control. Therefore, studying MSs during human locomotion is of significance, as it may reveal neuromuscular strategies for postural stability. In this study, the authors aimed to use the hypothesis of MSs to identify specific muscle co‐activations during overground walking and slacklining where postural perturbations were generated by the participants rather than being externally controlled. Nine participants were asked to walk overground and on a slackline while they recorded myoelectric activity of their leg muscles. They extracted synergies from the electromyography signals in the two tasks using factor analysis. The results showed adaptation in the shared MSs structure during walking on the slackline and these shared MSs across participants were recruited flexibly to meet the demand for stability. The modulation of synergies suggests adaptive neuromuscular strategies for stability while walking on a slackline. Specifically, higher activation of quadriceps during slacklining suggests a crouched gait to facilitate balance. During overground walking, lower leg muscles revealed higher activation compared to slacklining to support a more consistent toe‐off during the stance phase.
Improved sparsity‐aware NSAF‐SF adaptive algorithm
Authors: Xavier P.P.S. , Haddad D.B. , de Oliveira F.D.V.R. , Petraglia M.R.
Published: March 2020

Normalised subband adaptive filtering algorithms have attracted attention due to their ability to present faster convergence in the case of coloured excitation data. The NSAF‐SF scheme is an example of a state‐of‐the‐art subband adaptive algorithm that demands a low computational burden. This Letter proposes a deterministic local optimisation approach with affine constraints whose result leads to an enhanced NSAF‐SF updating mechanism. One of these constraints consists of a projection into a hyperplane derived from a relaxed ‐norm restriction, which provides a sparsity‐promoting scheme. Such a constraint incorporates prior information into the (originally sparsity‐agnostic) NSAF‐SF. Such prior information concerns the energy concentration of the ideal transfer function that the adaptive filter intends to identify. Furthermore, the advanced optimisation problem is modified in order to make the advanced adaptive filter robust against impulsive noise. The simulations present a performance improvement for both transient and steady‐state regions.
Automatic aircraft extraction using video matting and frame registration
Authors: Amin Benish , Mohsin Riaz Muhammad , Ghafoor Abdul
Published: March 2020

This study presents a technique to automatically extract the aircraft from video sequences. The technique incorporates object tracking algorithm to separate the region of interest (ROI), i.e. movement of aircraft, from video sequence, to reduce the computational complexity. Trimaps are generated automatically for given ROI using non‐rigid image registration to obtain the prior information of the object and alpha mattes are estimated for each frame using KNN matting algorithm. However, the alpha matte of static region is estimated only once, that is combined with the alpha matte of moving region to generate final alpha matte. Simulations performed on different videos show that the proposed technique not only reduces the computational complexity, but also gives competitive results by generating high quality alpha maps.
Fast prediction mode selection and CU partition for HEVC intra coding
Authors: Fu Bin , Zhang Qiangqing , Hu Jianling
Published: March 2020

Compared with the predecessor H.264/advanced video coding, high‐efficiency video coding (HEVC) is a new video coding standard with nearly double coding efficiency under the same coding quality. However, the computing complexity of HEVC increases sharply. To solve this problem, a fast algorithm for intra prediction mode selection based on mode grouping is proposed by reducing the number of modes entering rough mode decision. Moreover, the dual support vector machine is proposed to efficiently select the coding unit (CU) size, which is based on texture features of CU and sub‐CUs including content complexity and direction complexity. By using the new CU size selection algorithm, the encoder can confirm the split for complex CU and terminate the split for simple CU in advance, so as to reduce the computing complexity of CU size selection. The experimental results show that by employing the two fast algorithms in intra coding, it can save 42.80% encoding time, with 0.98% increment in bit rate and 0.018 dB loss of peak‐signal‐to‐noise ratio of luminance, compared with the reference software x265‐1.7.
Denoising framework based on external prior guided rotational clustering
Authors: Yan Hang , Yan Zhan , Chen Jian , Xuan Duo
Published: March 2020

The image denoising model based on non‐local self‐similarity prior (NSS) has received extensive attention in recent years because of the repeated structure of natural image patches. Similar patches collected by exploiting NSS prior are sparse, which can be used to estimate potential lowrank subspace. Meanwhile, the modelling of natural images, such as Gaussian mixture models (GMMs), has been successful in all aspects of computer vision by reducing the patterns of image patches. However, the version of its geometric transformation (e.g. rotational transformation) cannot be matched directly by using distance. How to further reduce the patterns of the patches by geometric prior and accelerate rotational matching through parallel calculation is an issue that needs to be solved. In this study, an external guided rotational matching denoising framework is proposed. The proposed framework combines non‐local, sparse and low‐rank image priors and we design a parallel computing scheme. They demonstrate the performance improvement of the proposed algorithm on images with strong rotational properties and the comparison with traditional state‐of‐the‐art denoising methods. The scalability and effectiveness of the new framework are verified by simulation experiments in public and real datasets.
Design of capacitive coupling structure for position‐insensitive wireless charging
Authors: Han Gao , Li Qian , Xie Kai , Liu Yanming , Song Jiangwen
Published: March 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) connects billions of smart devices through wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, to ensure the power supply for numerous passive devices in a WSN, it is necessary to replace batteries periodically, which will undoubtedly increase maintenance costs. This study proposes a capacitive coupling structure that is different from the previous capacitive power transfer (CPT) structures. The proposed structure can allow the positional variation of the receiver, and multiple receivers to be charged at the same time. Both theoretical and experimental results demonstrate that the power transmission is less affected by the positional variation of the pickup plates in the vertical and horizontal directions. In this study, all coupling capacitors between the plates are considered and the equivalent circuit model is derived. Further output characteristics of the circuit are derived and analysed. The dimensions of the structure are designed and simulated by using the EM full wave simulation. A prototype is designed to verify that a battery can be charged based on capacitive coupling. A 60 mAh rechargeable lithium‐ion button battery is fully charged in 250 min, and the output power is ∼36 mW during charging.