bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Definitive Structural Identification toward Molecule‐Type Sites within 1D and 2D Carbon‐Based Catalysts
Authors: Jiang Hongliang , He Qun , Wang Changda , Liu Hengjie , Zhang Youkui , Lin Yunxiang , Zheng Xusheng , Chen Shuangming , Ajayan Pulickel M. , Song Li
Published: April 2018

Developing facile preparation routes and atomic‐level characterization methods for single‐atom catalysts is highly desirable but still challenging. Herein, a general strategy is proposed to construct transition metal single atoms within 1D and 2D carbon supports. The carbon supports, typically graphene and carbon nanotubes, are coated with various transition metal‐containing bimetal hydroxides, followed by polydopamine coating and high‐temperature pyrolysis. X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy measurements and simulations efficiently indicate that single atoms (Co, Fe, or Cu) are captured within the applied carbon supports, distinctively forming exclusive molecule‐type sites. As a proof‐of‐concept application, the obtained catalysts exhibit remarkable performance for electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction, even surpassing commercial Pt/C catalyst. The developed versatile route opens up new avenues for the design of carbon‐based catalysts with definite molecular active sites. The atomic‐level structural identifications provide significant guidance for mechanistic studies toward single‐atom catalysts.
Geometric Potential and Dirac Quantization
Authors: Lian Dingkun , Hu Liangdong , Liu Quanhui
Published: April 2018

A fundamental problem regarding the Dirac quantization of a free particle on an () curved hypersurface embedded in N flat space is the impossibility to give the same form of the curvature‐induced quantum potential, the geometric potential as commonly called, as that given by the Schrödinger equation method where the particle moves in a region confined by a thin‐layer sandwiching the surface. This problem is resolved by means of a previously proposed scheme that hypothesizes a simultaneous quantization of positions, momenta, and Hamiltonian, among which the operator‐ordering‐free section is identified and is then found sufficient to lead to the expected form of geometric potential.
Linear‐Quadratic Optimal Control Problems for Mean‐Field Stochastic Differential Equations with Jumps
Authors: Tang Maoning , Meng Qingxin
Published: April 2018

In this paper, we study a linear‐quadratic optimal control problem for mean‐field stochastic differential equations driven by a Poisson random martingale measure and a one‐dimensional Brownian motion. Firstly, the existence and uniqueness of the optimal control is obtained by the classic convex variation principle. Secondly, by the duality method, the optimality system, also called the stochastic Hamilton system which turns out to be a linear fully coupled mean‐field forward‐backward stochastic differential equation with jumps, is derived to characterize the optimal control. Thirdly, applying a decoupling technique, we establish the connection between two Riccati equations and the stochastic Hamilton system and then prove the optimal control has a state feedback representation.
Ubiquitylation Pathways In Insulin Signaling and Organismal Homeostasis
Authors: Balaji Vishnu , Pokrzywa Wojciech , Hoppe Thorsten
Published: April 2018

The insulin/insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) signaling (IIS) pathway is a pivotal genetic program regulating cell growth, tissue development, metabolic physiology, and longevity of multicellular organisms. IIS integrates a fine‐tuned cascade of signaling events induced by insulin/IGF‐1, which is precisely controlled by post‐translational modifications. The ubiquitin/proteasome‐system (UPS) influences the functionality of IIS through inducible ubiquitylation pathways that regulate internalization of the insulin/IGF‐1 receptor, the stability of downstream insulin/IGF‐1 signaling targets, and activity of nuclear receptors for control of gene expression. An age‐related decline in UPS activity is often associated with an impairment of IIS, contributing to pathologies such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders. Recent findings identified a key role of diverse ubiquitin modifications in insulin signaling decisions, which governs dynamic adaption upon environmental and physiological changes. In this review, we discuss the mutual crosstalk between ubiquitin and insulin signaling pathways in the context of cellular and organismal homeostasis.
To share or not to share? Explaining willingness to share in the context of social distance
Authors: Schreiner Nadine , Pick Doreén , Kenning Peter
Published: April 2018

Sharing can help make goods available to many people who would otherwise have no access to them. In the effort of motivating more people to participate in the sharing economy, it is useful to know the variables that influence the willingness to share (WTS). Our study aims to identify these variables. Applying field theory, we conducted an experiment based on nonmonetary sharing situations. Complementing existing research directed towards users of goods, we focused on the providers of goods, thus broadening the understanding of sharing contexts. We demonstrate that WTS can be explained by several variables. In particular, a low social distance increases individuals' WTS their belongings with others. Product involvement is also a predictor of whether or not people are willing to share. In contrast, consumer characteristics such as materialism, altruism, and interpersonal trust have no impact on sharing intentions. Our findings provide significant implications for consumer research and for the marketing of sharing organizations.
Mechanistic Study of Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Coupling Reactions of Amides Mediated by [Pd(NHC)(allyl)Cl] Precatalysts
Authors: Li Guangchen , Lei Peng , Szostak Michal , Casals‐Cruañas Eric , Poater Albert , Cavallo Luigi , Nolan Steven P.
Published: April 2018

We report a combined experimental and computational investigation of the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling of amides enabled by [Pd(NHC)(allyl)Cl] precatalysts. Most crucially, mechanistic details pertaining to the Pd0/NHC catalytic cycle were elucidated by computational methods. Mechanistic insights shed light on the role of each ligand about the metal. Sterics play a key role in the initial activation of the catalyst. As a key insight, we have shown that water participates in the activation of the Pd‐NHC catalytic system. Easier activation has led to effect room temperature cross‐coupling of a broad range of amides through selective N−C bond scission under the mildest conditions reported to date. The use of sterically hindered [Pd(IPr*)(cin)Cl] reported herein for the first time in the amide cross‐coupling indicates that increasing flexible steric bulk of the isopropyl wingtip groups of the NHC ligand provides a modular scaffold for promoting amide cross‐coupling in high yields. The precatalytic pathway involving both NHC ligands as well as the catalytic cycle beginning from the Pd0 species are discussed. The mechanistic details provide insight into the amide bond twist (distortion) that leads to N−C cross‐coupling reactions and is required for the efficient N−C bond activation.
Kinetics Are Crucial When Targeting Copper Ions to Fight Alzheimer's Disease: An Illustration with Azamacrocyclic Ligands
Authors: Conte‐Daban Amandine , Beyler Maryline , Tripier Raphaël , Hureau Christelle
Published: April 2018

Targeting copper ions to either remove or redistribute them is currently viewed as a possible therapeutic strategy in the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thermodynamic parameters, as for instance the copper(II) affinity of the drug candidate or the copper(II) over zinc(II) selectivity, are considered in the design of the drug candidate. In contrast, kinetic factors have been overlooked despite their probable high importance. In the present article, we use a series of azamacrocyclic ligands to demonstrate that kinetic issues must be taken into account when designing copper‐targeting drug candidates in the context of AD.
Microstructure Characterization of an Aluminium Alloy Processed by Milling Followed by Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Charfeddine Saifeddine , Zehani Karim , Bessais Lotfi , Korchef Atef
Published: April 2018

In the present work, the microstructure and thermal stability of a commercial nanocrystalline aluminum alloy produced by combining equal channel angular pressing and ball milling followed by spark plasma sintering are characterized by X‐ray diffraction, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that the combination of different severe plastic deformation techniques, results to refining the grain size to a larger extent and improving the temperature range in which the grain size remains in the nanometer domain for temperatures as high as 400 °C. This broadens the scope of using the nanocrystalline aluminium alloy for high temperature industrial applications.
Different attention bias patterns in anorexia nervosa restricting and binge/purge types
Authors: Gilon Mann Tal , Hamdan Sami , Bar‐Haim Yair , Lazarov Amit , Enoch‐Levy Adi , Dubnov‐Raz Gal , Treasure Janet , Stein Daniel
Published: April 2018

Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) have been shown to display both elevated anxiety and attentional biases in threat processing. In this study, we compared threat‐related attention patterns of patients with AN restricting type (AN‐R; n = 32), AN binge/purge type (AN‐B/P; n = 23), and healthy controls (n = 19). A dot‐probe task with either eating disorder‐related or general and social anxiety‐related words was used to measure attention patterns. Severity of eating disorder symptoms, depression, anxiety, and stress were also assessed. Patients with AN‐R showed vigilance to both types of threat words, whereas patients with AN‐B/P showed avoidance of both threat types. Healthy control participants did not show any attention bias. Attention bias was not associated with any of the demographic, clinical, and psychometric parameters introduced. These findings suggest that there are differential patterns of attention allocation in patients with AN‐R and AN‐B/P. More research is needed to identify what causes/underlies these differential patterns.
Risk of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients receiving proton pump inhibitors versus proton pump inhibitors plus prokinetics
Authors: Revaiah Pruthvi C , Kochhar Rakesh , Rana Surinder V , Berry Neha , Ashat Munish , Dhaka Narendra , Rami Reddy Y , Sinha Saroj K
Published: April 2018

Background and Aim

Intestinal dysmotility is considered a risk factor for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Prokinetics improve intestinal motility and are often prescribed with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and/or functional dyspepsia. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of SIBO and the orocecal transit time (OCTT) in patients taking PPI compared with those taking PPI plus prokinetics.

Methods

The study is a single‐center, cross‐sectional study. Enrolled patients (with age > 12 years) were divided into two groups: patients taking PPIs for more than 3 months (Group A) and those taking PPIs with prokinetics for more than 3 months (Group B) for various indications. Lactulose breath test (LBT) for OCTT and glucose breath test (GBT) for SIBO were conducted for all patients.

Results

Of the 147 enrolled patients, SIBO was documented in 13.2% patients in Group A versus 1.8% in Group B, P = 0.018. Median OCTT in Group A was 130 (105–160) min compared with 120 (92.5–147.5) min in Group B (P = 0.010). Median OCTT among SIBO‐positive patients was 160 (140–172.5) min compared with SIBO‐negative patients, where it was 120 (103.75–150) min (P = 0.002). The duration and type of PPI used were not associated with the occurrence of SIBO in our study.

Conclusion

The use of prokinetics in patients on PPI may reduce the risk of SIBO by enhancing intestinal motility and may reduce SIBO risk associated with long‐term PPI use.
Significance of detectable HCV RNA below the limit of quantification in patients treated with DAAs using standard and ultrasensitive protocols
Authors: Visco‐Comandini Ubaldo , Lapa Daniele , Lionetti Raffaella , Taibi Chiara , Loiacono Laura , Montalbano Marzia , Capobianchi Maria R. , D'Offizi Gianpiero , Garbuglia Anna R.
Published: April 2018

Predictive factors of HCV relapse after treatment with DAAs are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to assess whether the residual viral load positivity observed during or at the end of treatment (EOT) has an impact on viral outcome. Blood samples were collected from 337 patients with genotypes (GT) 1a, 1b, 2, 3, and 4 HCV chronic infection, treated with DAAs to determine HCV RNA load by the Abbott RealTime HCV (ART) assay at treatment week (W) 4, at EOT, and 4, 12, 24 weeks after discontinuation. EOT and other samples with “detected <12/mL” (DNQ) were retested by an ultrasensitive protocol (USP) to confirm the result. Frequency of DNQ was analyzed in subgroups of patients and clinical conditions to assess potential correlations. At W4, 22% and 30.9% of the samples were undetectable and DNQ by ART assay, respectively, but no correlation for achieving SVR was found. In contrast, an HCV RNA cut‐off of ≥50/mL at W4 was a significant predictor of therapy failure (P = 0.036, univariate analysis). At EOT, DNQ was associated to 12W treatment duration (P < 0.001) and GT1a infection (P = 0.036). Overall, 20/41 (48.8%) of DNQ samples at EOT or post‐treatment W4, were confirmed by USP but only in a single case the patient experienced viral relapse. HCV RNA at W4 can predict SVR, irrespective to genotype or DAA regimen. HCV RNA DNQ at EOT is associated to shorter treatment duration and to GT1a, but is not a predictor of therapy failure.
Highly sensitive VOC gas sensor employing deep cooling of SERS film
Authors: Oh Myoung‐Kyu , De Ranjit , Yim Sang‐Youp
Published: April 2018

The potential of surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a highly sensitive and selective gas sensor was investigated experimentally. Especially, the relation between the temperature of a SERS film and gas adsorption or signal intensity was observed systemically and quantitatively, from which the enhancement of gas adsorption and signal intensity by up to 40 times was observed with the SERS film temperature of approx. −80 °C, which corresponds to theoretical anticipation and leads to detection sensitivity defined by limit of detection in 3σ ~1 ppb in case of benzene gas within 2‐min acquisition time. For SERS, Ag nanorod array films functionalized by propanethiol and a spectrometer with a fiber Raman probe and 785‐nm pump laser were employed. The target volatile organic compound gas was benzene. The detection sensitivity of the SERS sensor was ~1 ppm at room temperature within 2‐min acquisition time.
Cobweb model with conformable fractional derivatives
Authors: Bohner Martin , Hatipoğlu Veysel Fuat
Published: April 2018

In this paper, the cobweb model is reformulated in terms of fractional‐order derivatives. In particular, we describe linear cobweb models in continuous time by using conformable fractional‐order derivatives. Then, the general solutions as well as stability criteria for the proposed models are given. Moreover, the developed models are illustrated with some examples.
Risk, politics, and development: Lessons from the UK's democracy aid
Authors: Dodsworth Susan , Cheeseman Nic
Published: April 2018

Political risks are inescapable in development. Donors keep them in check with a range of tools, but existing options provide little guidance about how political forms of risk can—or should—shape programme design. This paper presents a novel framework that offers practical guidance on how to think about and manage some of these risks. This is based on a review of programmes delivered by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which provides a specific type of aid: democracy assistance. Political forms of risk have a strong influence on that aid, so it provides a valuable example. Our framework centres on two trade‐offs inherent in the provision of aid for democracy support. The first relates to the type of approach employed in a programme; should it focus on a thematic issue or a specific event, or should it focus primarily on an institution and its processes? The second concerns the scope of a programme in terms of who it includes. Understanding the costs and benefits of these trade‐offs will help development practitioners to make decisions about political risks in a more rigorous and transparent way and, potentially, to shift from a culture of risk aversion, to one of informed risk‐taking.
Preliminary study of protein changes in trisomy 21 fetus by proteomics analysis in amniocyte
Authors: Liu Hui , Wang He , Zhu Hongmei , Zhang Haixia , Liu Shanling
Published: April 2018

Objective

To discover the candidate biomarker proteins of trisomy 21 (T21) in amniocytes.

Methods

Amniocentesis was performed to collect amniotic fluid from women who underwent prenatal diagnosis due to high risk of T21 at 18th to 22nd week of gestation. Amniocyte samples were collected, and karyotyping analysis was used to confirm the chromosomal status (18 samples of T21 amniocytes and 20 samples of chromosomally normal ones). Then, backup samples for cytogenetic test were used in this study. Two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry were employed for proteomic analysis. Subsequently, western blotting and biological informatic analysis were utilized to validate the identified proteins and their functions.

Results

Six proteins were found to be significantly up regulated in T21 amniocytes, and they were calumenin, nucleophosmin, elongation factor 1‐beta, cathepsin D, platelet‐activating factor acetylhydrolase IB subunit beta, and 14‐3‐3 protein beta/alpha identified by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Western blotting analysis confirmed the alterations of nucleophosmin and cathepsin D.

Conclusion

These proteins may be involved in the pathogenesis of T21. Further studies exploring the exact role of these proteins were essential.
The prevalence of comorbid alcohol use disorder in the presence of personality disorder: Systematic review and explanatory modelling
Authors: Guy Nikki , Newton‐Howes Giles , Ford Hannah , Williman Jonathan , Foulds James
Published: April 2018

Comorbid personality disorder (PD) worsens outcome in mental state disorders; however, the proportion of people with PD who have an alcohol use disorder (AUD) is poorly described. A systematic review of the literature for studies reporting on AUD in those with PD was completed. Lifetime prevalence figures were meta‐analysed using multilevel models, accounting for type of PD and population examined. Sixteen unique studies contributed data to the analysis. PD type accounted for most of the heterogeneity in lifetime AUD prevalence. People with antisocial PD had the highest lifetime AUD prevalence, at 76.7%, followed by those with borderline PD at 52.2%, while those with other forms of PD, or undifferentiated PD, had a prevalence of 38.9%. Lifetime AUD prevalence was not significantly higher in clinical compared with population samples. The majority of people with PD experience an AUD at some time in the life course. This has clinical screening and management implications. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Links between depression and openness and its facets
Authors: Khoo Shereen , Simms Leonard J.
Published: April 2018

Most studies on depression and personality have focused on the role of Neuroticism and Extraversion. Openness is a much less studied trait in this literature, as past studies investigating Openness and depression often have found non‐significant correlations between them. However, past studies mostly have investigated Openness and depression at the domain level and used non‐clinical samples. In the present study, the relationship between depression and Openness at the domain and facet levels was examined in a sample of 266 participants recruited from outpatient psychiatric settings. Findings showed that although the Openness domain was significantly related to depression, it did not account for a significant proportion of unique variance for depression. However, Openness did account for a significant proportion of unique variance for depression at the facet level, even after accounting for sex, age, Neuroticism and Extraversion. Specifically, unique effects emerged for the facets of Aesthetics positively predicting Depression and Values negatively predicting Depression and Anhedonia. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The interactive effect of advanced cancer patient and caregiver prognostic understanding on patients' completion of Do Not Resuscitate orders
Authors: Shen Megan Johnson , Trevino Kelly M. , Prigerson Holly G.
Published: April 2018

Objective

Advanced cancer patients' prognostic understanding is associated with completion of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, which often represent engagement in advance care planning (ACP). Given caregivers' critical roles in patient decision‐making about ACP and end‐of‐life care, caregivers' prognostic understanding may have a large additive effect. The present study examined the association between the main and interactive effects of advanced cancer patient and caregiver prognostic understanding on DNR order completion.

Methods

Data were analyzed from a combined dataset of 2 sequential multi‐institutional, longitudinal cohort studies of patients with advanced cancer and their informal caregivers (n = 279 dyads) from 2002 to 2008 (Coping with Cancer 1) and 2010 to 2015 (Coping with Cancer 2). Patients' and caregivers' prognostic understanding regarding life‐expectancy (≤ 12 months [prognostic understanding], >12 months [lack of prognostic understanding]) was assessed. DNR order completion was assessed through self‐report and confirmed through cross‐checking with medical records.

Results

Multivariable modeling of the main and interactive effects revealed the interactive effect, but not the individual effects, of patients' and caregivers' prognostic understanding was significantly associated with higher odds of patients' DNR order completion, adjusting for potential confounds (AOR = 5.89, P = 0.04). For dyads in which both the patient and caregiver had prognostic understanding regarding life expectancy of ≤12 months, 70.7% of patients had completed DNR orders compared with 31.6% to 38.9% in which 1 or both lacked prognostic understanding.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the need for ensuring accurate patient and caregiver prognostic understanding in increasing DNR order completion, which may provide a framework for improving engagement in ACP more broadly.
Intra‐individual biological variation in sweat chloride concentrations in CF, CFTR dysfunction, and healthy pediatric subjects
Authors: Cirilli Natalia , Raia Valeria , Rocco Ilaria , De Gregorio Fabiola , Tosco Antonella , Salvadori Laura , Sepe Angela Ornella , Buzzetti Roberto , Minicuci Nadia , Castaldo Giuseppe
Published: April 2018

Background

The sweat test is one of the main diagnostic tools used in newborn screening programs and as a confirmatory test, in case of suspect of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Since sweat chloride (Cl) concentration is also considered an appropriate parameter to explore the efficacy of CFTR modulators in clinical trials, it is crucial to evaluate the biological variability of this test in healthy and pathological conditions. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the intra‐individual biological variability of sweat Cl, both in healthy individuals and CF patients and to assess its correlation with diet, season, and menstrual cycle.

Methods

Thirty‐five out of 36 selected subjects (6‐18 years) were enrolled by 2 CF care centers and assigned to 3 cohorts: CF, CFTR‐related disorder (CFTR‐RD) and healthy volunteers. Each participant was subjected to eight sweat tests in different conditions and time of the year. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects models for repeated measures, taking also into account intra‐individual correlations.

Results

We observed a high intra‐individual variability of sweat Cl, with the lowest mean CV% values among CF patients (20.21 in CF, 29.74 in CFTR‐RD, and 31.15 in healthy subjects). Gender and diet had no influence on sweat Cl variability, nor had pubertal age and menstrual phase.

Conclusion

Results of this pilot study confirmed that sweat Cl variability is high in CF patients, although non‐CF individuals displayed even higher mean CV% values. Season significantly influenced sweat test values only in CF patients, likely due to changes in their hydration status.
Comparison of Urine and Plasma Peptidome Indicates Selectivity in Renal Peptide Handling
Authors: Magalhães Pedro , Pontillo Claudia , Pejchinovski Martin , Siwy Justyna , Krochmal Magdalena , Makridakis Manousos , Carrick Emma , Klein Julie , Mullen William , Jankowski Joachim , Vlahou Antonia , Mischak Harald , Schanstra Joost P. , Zürbig Petra , Pape Lars
Published: April 2018

Purpose

Urine is considered to be produced predominantly as a result of plasma filtration in the kidney. However, the origin of the native peptides present in urine has never been investigated in detail. Therefore, the authors aimed to obtain a first insight into the origin of urinary peptides based on a side‐by‐side comprehensive analysis of the plasma and urine peptidome.

Methods

Twenty‐two matched urine and plasma samples are analyzed for their peptidome using capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE‐MS; for relative quantification) and CE or LC coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (CE‐ or LC‐MS/MS; for peptide identification). The overlap and association of abundance of the different peptides present in these two body fluids are evaluated.

Results

The authors are able to identify 561 plasma and 1461 urinary endogenous peptides. Only 90 peptides are detectable in both urine and plasma. No significant correlation is found when comparing the abundance of these common peptides, with the exception of collagen fragments. This observation is also supported when comparing published peptidome data from both plasma and urine.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Most of the plasma peptides are not detectable in urine, possibly due to tubular reabsorption. The majority of urinary peptides may in fact originate in the kidney. The notable exception is collagen fragments, which indicates potential selective exclusion of these peptides from tubular reabsorption. Experimental verification of this hypothesis is warranted.
A predictive probability interim design for phase II clinical trials with continuous endpoints
Authors: Liu Meng , Dressler Emily V.
Published: April 2018

Molecular targeted therapies come often with lower toxicity profiles than traditional cytotoxic treatments, thus shifting drug development paradigm into establishing evidence of biological activity, target modulation, and pharmacodynamics effects of these therapies in early phase trials. Therefore, these trials need to address simultaneous evaluation of safety, proof‐of‐concept biological marker activity, or changes in continuous tumor size instead of binary response rate. Interim analyses are typically incorporated in the trial due to concerns regarding excessive toxicity and ineffective new treatment. There is a lack of interim strategies developed to monitor futility and/or efficacy for these types of continuous outcomes, especially in single‐arm phase II trials. We propose a 2‐stage design based on predictive probability to accommodate continuous endpoints, assuming a normal distribution with known variance. Simulation results and case study demonstrated that the proposed design can incorporate an interim stop for futility as well as for efficacy while maintaining desirable design properties. As expected, using continuous tumor size resulted in reduced sample sizes for both optimal and minimax designs. A limited exploration of various priors was performed and shown to be robust. As research rapidly moves to incorporate more molecular targeted therapies, it will accommodate new types of outcomes while allowing for flexible stopping rules to continue optimizing trial resources and prioritize agents with compelling early phase data.
Reversible Immobilization of Proteins in Sensors and Solid‐State Nanopores
Authors: Ananth Adithya , Genua María , Aissaoui Nesrine , Díaz Leire , Eisele Nico B. , Frey Steffen , Dekker Cees , Richter Ralf P. , Görlich Dirk
Published: April 2018

The controlled functionalization of surfaces with proteins is crucial for many analytical methods in life science research and biomedical applications. Here, a coating for silica‐based surfaces is established which enables stable and selective immobilization of proteins with controlled orientation and tunable surface density. The coating is reusable, retains functionality upon long‐term storage in air, and is applicable to surfaces of complex geometry. The protein anchoring method is validated on planar surfaces, and then a method is developed to measure the anchoring process in real time using silicon nitride solid‐state nanopores. For surface attachment, polyhistidine tags that are site specifically introduced into recombinant proteins are exploited, and the yeast nucleoporin Nsp1 is used as model protein. Contrary to the commonly used covalent thiol chemistry, the anchoring of proteins via polyhistidine tag is reversible, permitting to take proteins off and replace them by other ones. Such switching in real time in experiments on individual nanopores is monitored using ion conductivity. Finally, it is demonstrated that silica and gold surfaces can be orthogonally functionalized to accommodate polyhistidine‐tagged proteins on silica but prevent protein binding to gold, which extends the applicability of this surface functionalization method to even more complex sensor devices.
Tailoring Structure, Composition, and Energy Storage Properties of MXenes from Selective Etching of In‐Plane, Chemically Ordered MAX Phases
Authors: Persson Ingemar , el Ghazaly Ahmed , Tao Quanzheng , Halim Joseph , Kota Sankalp , Darakchieva Vanya , Palisaitis Justinas , Barsoum Michel W. , Rosen Johanna , Persson Per O. Å.
Published: April 2018

The exploration of 2D solids is one of our time's generators of materials discoveries. A recent addition to the 2D world is MXenes that possses a rich chemistry due to the large parent family of MAX phases. Recently, a new type of atomic laminated phases (coined i‐MAX) is reported, in which two different transition metal atoms are ordered in the basal planes. Herein, these i‐MAX phases are used in a new route for tailoriong the MXene structure and composition. By employing different etching protocols to the parent i‐MAX phase (Mo2/3Y1/3)2AlC, the resulting MXene can be either: i) (Mo2/3Y1/3)2C with in‐plane elemental order through selective removal of Al atoms or ii) Mo1.33C with ordered vacancies through selective removal of both Al and Y atoms. When (Mo2/3Y1/3)2C (ideal stoichiometry) is used as an electrode in a supercapacitor—with KOH electrolyte—a volumetric capacitance exceeding 1500 F cm−3 is obtained, which is 40% higher than that of its Mo1.33C counterpart. With H2SO4, the trend is reversed, with the latter exhibiting the higher capacitance (≈1200 F cm−3). This additional ability for structural tailoring will indubitably prove to be a powerful tool in property‐tailoring of 2D materials, as exemplified here for supercapacitors.
A Highly Solvent‐Stable Metal–Organic Framework Nanosheet: Morphology Control, Exfoliation, and Luminescent Property
Authors: Han Li‐Juan , Zheng Dong , Chen Shu‐Guang , Zheng He‐Gen , Ma Jing
Published: April 2018

Compared to bulk metal–organic framework (MOF), 2D MOF nanosheets have gained intensive research attention due to their ultrathin thickness and large surface area with highly accessible active sites. However, structural deterioration and morphological damage have impeded producing high‐quality MOF nanosheets during exfoliation. Here, first a new layered bulk MOF ZSB‐1 is synthesized and several solvents such as isopropanol, methanol, n‐hexyl alcohol, and N,N‐dimethylformamide are surveyed to examine their performance for the exfoliation of layered ZSB‐1. As a result, a highly solvent‐stable metal–organic framework rectangular nanosheet retaining undamaged morphology is obtained by the soft‐physical method in n‐hexyl alcohol. Theoretical simulations reveal that the strong interaction energy between n‐hexyl alcohol and MOF layers is responsible for the best exfoliation performance of making the bulk MOF into nanosheets. In addition, ZSB‐1 shows a tunable fluorescence peak position, fluorescent lifetime, and quantum yield by simply changing the solvent and morphology. Besides, the ZSB‐1 was selected as a fluorescence sensor to detect metal ions, and ZSB‐1 nanosheet exhibits excellent sensing ability for Fe3+. It is worth noting that the ZSB‐1 nanosheet has better detection limit performance of 0.054 × 10−6
m than that of its bulk counterpart.
Pseudocapacitance of TiO2−x/CNT Anodes for High‐Performance Quasi‐Solid‐State Li‐Ion and Na‐Ion Capacitors
Authors: Que Lan‐Fang , Yu Fu‐Da , Wang Zhen‐Bo , Gu Da‐Ming
Published: April 2018

It is challenging for flexible solid‐state hybrid capacitors to achieve high‐energy‐high‐power densities in both Li‐ion and Na‐ion systems, and the kinetics discrepancy between the sluggish faradaic anode and the rapid capacitive cathode is the most critical issue needs to be addressed. To improve Li‐ion/Na‐ion diffusion kinetics, flexible oxygen‐deficient TiO2−x/CNT composite film with ultrafast electron/ion transport network is constructed as self‐supported and light‐weight anode for a quasi‐solid‐state hybrid capacitor. It is found that the designed porous yolk–shell structure endows large surface area and provides short diffusion length, the oxygen‐deficient composite film can improve electrical conductivity, and enhance ion diffusion kinetic by introducing intercalation pseudocapacitance, therefore resulting in advance electrochemical properties. It exhibits high capacity, excellent rate performance, and long cycle life when utilized as self‐supported anodes for Li‐ion and Na‐ion batteries. When assembled with activated carbon/carbon nanotube (AC/CNT) flexible cathode, using ion conducting gel polymer as the electrolyte, high energy densities of 104 and 109 Wh kg−1 are achieved at 250 W kg−1 in quasi‐solid‐state Li‐ion and Na‐ion capacitors (LICs and SICs), respectively. Still, energy densities of 32 and 36 Wh kg−1 can be maintained at high power densities of 5000 W kg−1 in LICs and SICs.
‘Flash’ Annealing in a Cold‐Rolled Low Carbon Steel Alloyed With Cr, Mn, Mo, and Nb: Part I ‐ Continuous Phase Transformations
Authors: Castro Cerda Felipe Manuel , Vercruysse Florian , Goulas Constantinos , Schulz Bernd , Petrov Roumen H.
Published: April 2018

The aim of the present work is to study the microstructure evolution of a cold‐rolled low carbon steel alloyed with Cr, Mn, Mo, and Nb during continuous heating. The formation of austenite and its further transformation is examined by means of peak annealing experiments at three different heating rates, followed by quenching. The effect of carbide‐forming alloying elements in the kinetics of austenite formation and decomposition is discussed with the aim of DICTRA calculations. Electron Probe Micro Analysis allows the detection of small compositional fluctuations within the microstructure, which are responsible for local changes in the mechanism of austenite formation. It is experimentally demonstrated that the temperature dependence of the austenite fraction is relatively insensitive to the heating rate. It is suggested that carbide‐forming alloying elements slow down the kinetics of austenite formation.
Inside out 3D printing
Authors: Nickels Liz
Published: April 2018

Engineers in Australia have made the most of additive manufacturing’s flexibility by making an ‘inside out’ rocket engine nozzle.
Nosocomial Outbreak of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection With β-Lactamase-Negative Ampicillin-Resistant Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae
Authors: Miyahara Reiko , Suzuki Motoi , Morimoto Konosuke , Chang Bin , Yoshida Sayaka , Yoshinaga Shiori , Kitamura Miki , Chikamori Mikiko , Oishi Kazunori , Kitamura Tatsuhiko , Ishida Masayuki
Published: April 2018

OBJECTIVE

To describe the epidemiologic features of an outbreak of an acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) caused by β-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant (BLNAR) nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) in an acute-care ward.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional case-control study.

SETTING

An acute-care ward (ward A) in a general hospital of Kochi in western Japan.

METHODS

Patients who shared a room with an index patient and all staff in ward A were screened and followed from July 1 to August 31, 2015. Sputum or throat swab samples were collected from participants and tested by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The association between detected pathogens and ARI development among all participants was examined. A case-control study was conducted to identify risk factors for disease.

RESULTS

In total, 78 participants, including the index patient, were enrolled. Of all participants, 27 (34.6%) developed mild respiratory symptoms during a 3-week period: 24 were diagnosed as upper respiratory tract infections, and 3 were diagnosed as lower respiratory tract infections. The presence of BLNAR NTHi was confirmed in 13 participants, and multilocus sequence typing demonstrated that these isolates belonged to sequence type 159. All isolates showed identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns. The presence of BLNAR NTHi was strongly associated with ARI development, whereas viruses were not associated with the disease. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that a history of contact with the index patient was independently associated with ARI caused by BLNAR NTHi.

CONCLUSIONS

BLNAR NTHi has the potential to cause upper respiratory tract infections among adults and to spread rapidly in hospital settings.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:652–659
Matters of the heart
Authors: Mittal Rajat
Published: April 2018

The contraction of the heart muscle combines with the opening and closing of the cardiac valves to generate a complex flow in the heart. Predicting this flow presents a significant challenge for computational models, a challenge that Meschini et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 834, 2018, pp. 271–307) tackle head-on by simulating not only the flow in a modelled left ventricle of the heart, but also the coupled dynamics of the mitral valve. The model is validated against a well-designed companion experiment and the authors then proceed to examine the effects of cardiac and valvular dysfunction, as well as prosthetic valves, on ventricular haemodynamics. The insights provided by this study extend from the functional morphology of the left ventricle to the implications of the choice of valve implant on ventricular function.
Cryptotephra from Lipari Volcano in the eastern Gulf of Taranto (Italy) as a time marker for paleoclimatic studies
Authors: Menke Valerie , Kutterolf Steffen , Sievers Carina , Schindlbeck Julie Christin , Schmiedl Gerhard
Published: April 2018

We present the first tephroanalysis based on geochemical fingerprinting of volcanic glass shards from eastern Apulian shelf sediments in the Gulf of Taranto (Italy). High sedimentation rates in the gulf are ideal for high-resolution paleoclimate studies, which rely on accurate age models. Cryptotephrostratigraphy is a novel tool for the age assessment of marine sediment cores in the absence of discrete tephra layers. High-resolution quantitative analysis of glass shard abundance in the uppermost 45 cm of a gravity core identified two cryptotephras. Microprobe analysis of glass shards supported by an accelerator mass spectrometry 14C–based age model identified the pronounced primary cryptotephra at 36 cm bsf (below sea floor) as the felsic AD 776 Monte Pilato Eruption on the island of Lipari, whereas the thinner, mafic tephra layer at 1.5 cm bsf is associated with the AD 1944 eruption of Somma-Vesuvius. Identifying these tephra layers provides an additional, 14C-independent, stratigraphic framework for further paleoclimatic studies allowing us to link Mediterranean climate and hydrology to orbital variation and large-scale atmospheric processes. Our results underline the importance of qualitative tephrostratigraphy in a highly geodynamic region, where solely quantitative approaches have demonstrated to bear a high potential for false correlations between tephra layers and eruptions.
Infant Health, Women's Fertility, and Rural Electrification in the United States, 1930–1960
Authors: Lewis Joshua
Published: April 2018

From 1930 to 1960 rural communities, mainly in the U.S. South and Southwest, gained access to electricity. In addition to lights, the benefits included easier clothes washing, refrigeration, and pumped water. This article uses differences in the timing of electricity access across rural counties to study the effects on infant mortality and fertility. Rural electrification led to substantial reductions in infant mortality but had little effect on women's fertility. The increase in electricity access between 1930 and 1960 can account for 15 to 19 percent of the decline in rural infant mortality during this period.
Did Inequality in Farm Sizes Lead to Suppression of Banking and Credit in the Late Nineteenth Century?
Authors: Jaremski Matthew , Fishback Price V.
Published: April 2018

This article creates a new database that covers all U.S. banks in the census years between 1870 and 1900 to test the interaction between inequality and financial development when the banking system was starting over from scratch. A fixed-effects panel regression shows that the number of banks per thousand people in the South has a strong positive relationship with the size of farm operations. This suggests that large southern farm operators welcomed new banks after the Civil War. When the analysis is extended into the 1900s, the relationship becomes more negative, as bankers may have tried to block entrants.
The Nietzschean precedent for anti-reflective, dialogical agency
Authors: Alfano Mark
Published: April 2018

Nietzsche anticipates both the anti-reflective and the dialogical aspects of Doris's theory of agency. Nietzsche's doctrine of will to power presupposes that agency does not require reflection but emerges from interacting drives, affects, and emotions. Furthermore, Nietzsche identifies two channels through which dialogical processes of person-formation flow: sometimes a person announces what she is and meets with social acceptance of that claim; sometimes someone else announces what the person is, and she accepts the attribution.
The dark side of dialog
Authors: Couchman Justin J. , Birster Gwenievere A. , Coutinho Mariana V. C.
Published: April 2018

We agree that the self is constructed through a collaborative dialog. But hostile interlocutors could use various cognitive techniques to hijack the dialog, resulting in beliefs, values, and even selves that are out of line with reality. The implications of this problem are dire, but we suggest that increased metacognitive awareness could help guide this process to a truthful conclusion.
Acknowledging and managing deep constraints on moral agency and the self
Authors: Niemi Laura , Graham Jesse
Published: April 2018

Doris proposes that the exercise of morally responsible agency unfolds as a collaborative dialogue among selves expressing their values while being subject to ever-present constraints. We assess the fit of Doris's account with recent data from psychology and neuroscience related to how people make judgments about moral agency (responsibility, blame), and how they understand the self after traumatic events.
Phonological activation of category coordinates in spoken word production: Evidence for cascaded processing in English but not in Mandarin
Authors: ZHANG QINGFANG , ZHU XUEBING , DAMIAN MARKUS F.
Published: April 2018

A central issue in spoken word production concerns how activation is transmitted from semantic to phonological levels. Recent evidence from studies of speakers of Western languages supports a cascaded view, according to which under certain circumstances, lexical candidates other than the target can activate their corresponding phonological properties. In the current study, we investigated possible differences between English and Mandarin speakers concerning the degree of cascadedness in the production system, based on the broader recent claim that properties of word form encoding might differ according to languages. With English speakers (Experiment 1), we found that when activation of targets and semantic competitors was boosted via a manipulation of semantic context, then concurrently presented “mediated” distractor words (which were phonologically related to a semantic competitor) generated interference. However, no such mediated priming was found in a parallel experiment with Chinese materials and Mandarin speakers (Experiment 2). These results suggest potential fundamental differences across the target languages in how activation is transmitted during lexical access.
Multiprojective spaces and the arithmetically Cohen–Macaulay property
Authors: FAVACCHIO GIUSEPPE , MIGLIORE JUAN
Published: April 2018

In this paper we study the arithmetically Cohen-Macaulay (ACM) property for sets of points in multiprojective spaces. Most of what is known is for ℙ1× ℙ1and, more recently, in (ℙ1)r. In ℙ1× ℙ1the so called inclusion property characterises the ACM property. We extend the definition in any multiprojective space and we prove that the inclusion property implies the ACM property in ℙm× ℙn. In such an ambient space it is equivalent to the so-called (⋆)-property. Moreover, we start an investigation of the ACM property in ℙ1× ℙn. We give a new construction that highlights how different the behavior of the ACM property is in this setting.
K/Ka-band dual-polarized SIW-fed lens antennas for Rx/Tx integration
Authors: Jaschke Thomas , Mitto Hans K. , Jacob Arne F.
Published: April 2018

This contribution deals with array elements for K/Ka-band satellite communication terminals. It proposes an end-fire design realized in substrate integrated waveguide technology and featuring dual-band functionality, and dual circular polarization. The latter is achieved by means of a dual-band orthomode transducer. An extended hemispherical dielectric lens ensures good matching and radiation properties. The feed structure is composed of a multilayer printed circuit board and tapered superstrates. The design procedure of the components is explained in detail and three different variants of the antenna are compared. The measured scattering and far-field parameters validate the concept.