bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large-scale production of bioactive recombinant human acidic fibroblast growth factor in transgenic silkworm cocoons
Authors: Wang Feng , Wang Riyuan , Wang Yuancheng , Zhao Ping , Xia Qingyou
Published: November 2015

With an increasing clinical demand for functional therapeutic proteins every year, there is an increasing requirement for the massive production of bioactive recombinant human acidic fibroblast growth factor (r-haFGF). In this present study, we delicately explore a strategy for the mass production of r-haFGF protein with biological activity in the transgenic silkworm cocoons. The sequence-optimized haFGF was inserted into an enhanced sericin-1 expression system to generate the original transgenic silkworm strain, which was then further crossed with a PIG jumpstarter strain to achieve the remobilization of the expression cassette to a “safe harbor” locus in the genome for the efficient expression of r-haFGF. In consequence, the expression of r-haFGF protein in the mutant line achieved a 5.6-fold increase compared to the original strain. The high content of r-haFGF facilitated its purification and large-scald yields. Furthermore, the r-haFGF protein bioactively promoted the growth, proliferation and migration of NIH/3T3 cells, suggesting the r-haFGF protein possessed native mitogenic activity and the potential for wound healing. These results show that the silk gland of silkworm could be an efficient bioreactor strategy for recombinant production of bioactive haFGF in silkworm cocoons.
Targeting inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase pathway with AZD6244 (ARRY-142886) suppresses growth and angiogenesis of gastric cancer
Authors: Gao Jin-Hang , Wang Chun-Hui , Tong Huan , Wen Shi-Lei , Huang Zhi-Yin , Tang Cheng-Wei
Published: November 2015

AZD6244 (ARRY-142886), a highly selective MAPK-ERK kinase inhibitor, has shown excellent clinical efficacy in many tumors. However, the anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis efficacy of AZD6244 on gastric cancer has not been well characterized. In this study, high p-ERK expression was associated with advanced TNM stage, increased lymphovascular invasion and poor survival. For absence of NRAS, KRAS and BRAF mutation, SGC7901 and BGC823 gastric cancer cells were relative resistance to AZD6244 in vitro. And such resistance was not attributed to the insufficient inhibition of ERK phosphorylation. However, tumor growth was significantly suppressed in SGC7901 xenografts by blockage of angiogenesis. This result was further supported by suppression of tube formation and migration in HUVEC cells after treatment with AZD6244. Moreover, the anti-angiogenesis effect of AZD6244 may predominantly attribute to its modulation on VEGF through p-ERK − c-Fos − HIF-1α integrated signal pathways. In conclusions, High p-ERK expression was associated with advanced TNM stage, increased lymphovascular invasion and poor survival. Targeting inhibition of p-ERK by AZD6244 suppress gastric cancer xenografts by blockage of angiogenesis without systemic toxicity. The anti-angiogenesis effect afford by AZD6244 may attribute to its modulation on p-ERK − c-Fos − HIF-1α − VEGF integrated signal pathways.
Revealing the binding modes and the unbinding of 14-3-3σ proteins and inhibitors by computational methods
Authors: Hu Guodong , Cao Zanxia , Xu Shicai , Wang Wei , Wang Jihua
Published: November 2015

The 14-3-3σ proteins are a family of ubiquitous conserved eukaryotic regulatory molecules involved in the regulation of mitogenic signal transduction, apoptotic cell death and cell cycle control. A lot of small-molecule inhibitors have been identified for 14-3-3 protein-protein interactions (PPIs). In this work, we carried out molecular dynamics (MD) simulations combined with molecular mechanics generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) method to study the binding mechanism between a 14-3-3σ protein and its eight inhibitors. The ranking order of our calculated binding free energies is in agreement with the experimental results. We found that the binding free energies are mainly from interactions between the phosphate group of the inhibitors and the hydrophilic residues. To improve the binding free energy of Rx group, we designed the inhibitor R9 with group R9 = 4-hydroxypheny. However, we also found that the binding free energy of inhibitor R9 is smaller than that of inhibitor R1. By further using the steer molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations, we identified a new hydrogen bond between the inhibitor R8 and residue Arg64 in the pulling paths. The information obtained from this study may be valuable for future rational design of novel inhibitors and provide better structural understanding of inhibitor binding to 14-3-3σ proteins.
Cardiac Optogenetics: Enhancement by All-trans-Retinal
Authors: Yu Jinzhu , Chen Kay , Lucero Rachel V. , Ambrosi Christina M. , Entcheva Emilia
Published: November 2015

All-trans-Retinal (ATR) is a photosensitizer, serving as the chromophore for depolarizing and hyperpolarizing light-sensitive ion channels and pumps (opsins), recently employed as fast optical actuators. In mammalian optogenetic applications (in brain and heart), endogenous ATR availability is not considered a limiting factor, yet it is unclear how ATR modulation may affect the response to optical stimulation. We hypothesized that exogenous ATR may improve light responsiveness of cardiac cells modified by Channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2), hence lowering the optical pacing energy. In virally-transduced (Ad-ChR2(H134R)-eYFP) light-sensitive cardiac syncytium in vitro, ATR supplements ≤2 μM improved cardiomyocyte viability and augmented ChR2 membrane expression several-fold, while >4 μM was toxic. Employing integrated optical actuation (470 nm) and optical mapping, we found that 1–2 μM ATR dramatically reduced optical pacing energy (over 30 times) to several μW/mm2, lowest values reported to date, but also caused action potential prolongation, minor changes in calcium transients and no change in conduction. Theoretical analysis helped explain ATR-caused reduction of optical excitation threshold in cardiomyocytes. We conclude that cardiomyocytes operate at non-saturating retinal levels and carefully-dosed exogenous ATR can enhance the performance of ChR2 in cardiac cells and yield energy benefits over orders of magnitude for optogenetic stimulation.
IRE1α-XBP1 is a novel branch in the transcriptional regulation of Ucp1 in brown adipocytes
Authors: Asada Rie , Kanemoto Soshi , Matsuhisa Koji , Hino Kenta , Cui Min , Cui Xiang , Kaneko Masayuki , Imaizumi Kazunori
Published: November 2015

The unfolded protein response (UPR) not only resolves endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, but also regulates cellular physiological functions. In this study, we first linked the UPR to the physiological roles of brown adipose tissue (BAT). BAT is one of the tissues that control energy homeostasis in the body. Brown adipocytes are able to dissipate energy in the form of heat owing to their mitochondrial protein, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). We found that one of the UPR branches, the IRE1α-XBP1 pathway, was activated during the transcriptional induction of Ucp1. Inhibiting the IRE1α-XBP1 pathway reduced the induction of Ucp1 expression. However, the activation of the IRE1α-XBP1 pathway by ER stress never upregulated Ucp1. On the other hand, the activation of protein kinase A (PKA) induced Ucp1 transcription through the activation of IRE1α-XBP1. The inhibition of PKA abrogated the activation of IRE1α-XBP1 pathway, while the inhibition of a p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), which is one of the downstream molecules of PKA, never suppressed the activation of IRE1α-XBP1 pathway. These data indicate that PKA-dependent IRE1α-XBP1 activation is crucial for the transcriptional induction of Ucp1 in brown adipocytes and they demonstrate a novel, ER stress -independent role of the UPR during thermogenesis.
Structural, electronic and vibrational properties of few-layer 2H- and 1T-TaSe2
Authors: Yan Jia-An , Cruz Mack A. Dela , Cook Brandon , Varga Kalman
Published: November 2015

Two-dimensional metallic transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are of interest for studying phenomena such as charge-density wave (CDW) and superconductivity. Few-layer tantalum diselenides (TaSe2) are typical metallic TMDs exhibiting rich CDW phase transitions. However, a description of the structural, electronic and vibrational properties for different crystal phases and stacking configurations, essential for interpretation of experiments, is lacking. We present first- principles calculations of structural phase energetics, band dispersion near the Fermi level, phonon properties and vibrational modes at the Brillouin zone center for different layer numbers, crystal phases and stacking geometries. Evolution of the Fermi surfaces as well as the phonon dispersions as a function of layer number reveals dramatic dimensionality effects in this CDW material. Our results indicate strong electronic interlayer coupling, detail energetically possible stacking geometries and provide a basis for interpretation of Raman spectra.
Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: An analytical technique to understand therapeutic responses at the molecular level
Authors: Kalmodia Sushma , Parameswaran Sowmya , Yang Wenrong , Barrow Colin J. , Krishnakumar Subramanian
Published: November 2015

Rapid monitoring of the response to treatment in cancer patients is essential to predict the outcome of the therapeutic regimen early in the course of the treatment. The conventional methods are laborious, time-consuming, subjective and lack the ability to study different biomolecules and their interactions, simultaneously. Since; mechanisms of cancer and its response to therapy is dependent on molecular interactions and not on single biomolecules, an assay capable of studying molecular interactions as a whole, is preferred. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has become a popular technique in the field of cancer therapy with an ability to elucidate molecular interactions. The aim of this study, was to explore the utility of the FTIR technique along with multivariate analysis to understand whether the method has the resolution to identify the differences in the mechanism of therapeutic response. Towards achieving the aim, we utilized the mouse xenograft model of retinoblastoma and nanoparticle mediated targeted therapy. The results indicate that the mechanism underlying the response differed between the treated and untreated group which can be elucidated by unique spectral signatures generated by each group. The study establishes the efficiency of non-invasive, label-free and rapid FTIR method in assessing the interactions of nanoparticles with cellular macromolecules towards monitoring the response to cancer therapeutics.
The Shiga toxin 2 production level in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 is correlated with the subtypes of toxin-encoding phage
Authors: Ogura Yoshitoshi , Mondal Shakhinur Islam , Islam Md Rakibul , Mako Toshihiro , Arisawa Kokichi , Katsura Keisuke , Ooka Tadasuke , Gotoh Yasuhiro , Murase Kazunori , Ohnishi Makoto , Hayashi Tetsuya
Published: November 2015

Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) causes diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis with life-threatening complications, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome. Their major virulence factor is Shiga toxin (Stx), which is encoded by bacteriophages. Of the two types of Stx, the production of Stx2, particularly that of Stx2a (a subtype of Stx2), is a major risk factor for severe EHEC infections, but the Stx2 production level is highly variable between strains. Here, we define four major and two minor subtypes of Stx2a-encoding phages according to their replication proteins. The subtypes are correlated with Stx2a titers produced by the host O157 strains, suggesting a critical role of the phage subtype in determining the Stx2a production level. We further show that one of the two subclades in the clade 8, a proposed hyper-virulent lineage of O157, carries the Stx2 phage subtype that confers the highest Stx2 production to the host strain. The presence of this subclade may explain the proposed high virulence potential of clade 8. These results provide novel insights into the variation in virulence among O157 strains and highlight the role of phage variation in determining the production level of the virulence factors that phages encode.
Osteogenesis of peripheral blood mesenchymal stem cells in self assembling peptide nanofiber for healing critical size calvarial bony defect
Authors: Wu Guofeng , Pan Mengjie , Wang Xianghai , Wen Jinkun , Cao Shangtao , Li Zhenlin , Li Yuanyuan , Qian Changhui , Liu Zhongying , Wu Wutian , Zhu Lixin , Guo Jiasong
Published: November 2015

Peripheral blood mesenchymal stem cells (PBMSCs) may be easily harvested from patients, permitting autologous grafts for bone tissue engineering in the future. However, the PBMSC’s capabilities of survival, osteogenesis and production of new bone matrix in the defect area are still unclear. Herein, PBMSCs were seeded into a nanofiber scaffold of self-assembling peptide (SAP) and cultured in osteogenic medium. The results indicated SAP can serve as a promising scaffold for PBMSCs survival and osteogenic differentiation in 3D conditions. Furthermore, the SAP seeded with the induced PBMSCs was splinted by two membranes of poly(lactic)-glycolic acid (PLGA) to fabricate a composited scaffold which was then used to repair a critical-size calvarial bone defect model in rat. Twelve weeks later the defect healing and mineralization were assessed by H&E staining and microcomputerized tomography (micro-CT). The osteogenesis and new bone formation of grafted cells in the scaffold were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. To our knowledge this is the first report with solid evidence demonstrating PBMSCs can survive in the bone defect area and directly contribute to new bone formation. Moreover, the present data also indicated the tissue engineering with PBMSCs/SAP/PLGA scaffold can serve as a novel prospective strategy for healing large size cranial defects.
Dietary fat intake and endometrial cancer risk: dose-response meta-analysis of epidemiological studies
Authors: Jiang Luo , Hou Rui , Gong Ting-Ting , Wu Qi-Jun
Published: November 2015

Epidemiological studies have provided controversial evidence of the association between dietary fat intake and endometrial cancer (EC) risk. To address this inconsistency, we conducted this dose-response meta-analysis by total dietary fat intake, based on epidemiological studies published up to the end of June 2015 identified from PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Two authors (RH and Q-JW) independently performed the eligibility evaluation and data extraction. All differences were resolved by discussion with the third investigator (LJ). Random-effects models were used to estimate summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Overall, the search yielded 16 studies (6 cohort and 10 case-control studies) that involved a total of 7556 EC cases and 563,781 non-cases. The summary RR for EC for each 30g/day increment intake was 0.98 (95%CI = 0.95–1.001; I2 = 0%; n = 11) for total dietary fat. Non-significant results were observed in plant-based fat (summary RR = 1.05, 95%CI = 0.94–1.18; I2 = 0%; n = 5) and animal-based fat (summary RR = 1.17, 95%CI = 0.92–1.36; I2 = 85.0%; n = 6). Additionally, the null associations were observed in almost all the subgroup and sensitivity analyses. In conclusion, findings of the present meta-analysis suggested a lack of association between total dietary fat intake and EC risk. Further studies, especially prospective designed studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
Influence of copper content on the electrocatalytic activity toward methanol oxidation of CoχCuy alloy nanoparticles-decorated CNFs
Authors: Ghouri Zafar Khan , Barakat Nasser A. M. , Kim Hak Yong
Published: November 2015

In this study, CoCu alloy nanoparticles-incorporated carbon nanofibers are introduced as effective non precious electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation in alkaline medium. The introduced electrocatalyst has been synthesized by simple and effective process; electrospinning. Typically, calcination, in nitrogen atmosphere, of electrospun nanofibers composed of cobalt acetate, copper acetate and poly (vinyl alcohol) leads to form carbon nanofibers decorated by CoCu nanoparticles. The nanofibrous morphology and alloy structure have been confirmed by SEM, TEM and XRD analyses. Investigation of the electrocatalytic activity indicates that copper content has strong influence, the alloy nanoparticles having the composition Cu5%Co95%showed distinct high performance; 100 times higher than other formulations. Overall, the introduced study revealed the veil about the distinct role of copper in enhancing the electrocatalytic activity of cobalt-based materials.
Supranormal orientation selectivity of visual neurons in orientation-restricted animals
Authors: Sasaki Kota S. , Kimura Rui , Ninomiya Taihei , Tabuchi Yuka , Tanaka Hiroki , Fukui Masayuki , Asada Yusuke C. , Arai Toshiya , Inagaki Mikio , Nakazono Takayuki , Baba Mika , Kato Daisuke , Nishimoto Shinji , Sanada Takahisa M. , Tani Toshiki , Imamura Kazuyuki , Tanaka Shigeru , Ohzawa Izumi
Published: November 2015

Altered sensory experience in early life often leads to remarkable adaptations so that humans and animals can make the best use of the available information in a particular environment. By restricting visual input to a limited range of orientations in young animals, this investigation shows that stimulus selectivity, e.g., the sharpness of tuning of single neurons in the primary visual cortex, is modified to match a particular environment. Specifically, neurons tuned to an experienced orientation in orientation-restricted animals show sharper orientation tuning than neurons in normal animals, whereas the opposite was true for neurons tuned to non-experienced orientations. This sharpened tuning appears to be due to elongated receptive fields. Our results demonstrate that restricted sensory experiences can sculpt the supranormal functions of single neurons tailored for a particular environment. The above findings, in addition to the minimal population response to orientations close to the experienced one, agree with the predictions of a sparse coding hypothesis in which information is represented efficiently by a small number of activated neurons. This suggests that early brain areas adopt an efficient strategy for coding information even when animals are raised in a severely limited visual environment where sensory inputs have an unnatural statistical structure.
Graphdiyne as a promising material for detecting amino acids
Authors: Chen Xi , Gao Pengfei , Guo Lei , Zhang Shengli
Published: November 2015

The adsorption of glycine, glutamic acid, histidine and phenylalanine on single-layer graphdiyne/ graphene is investigated by ab initio calculations. The results show that for each amino acid molecule, the adsorption energy on graphdiyne is larger than the adsorption energy on graphene and dispersion interactions predominate in the adsorption. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that at room temperature the amino acid molecules keep migrating and rotating on graphdiyne surface and induce fluctuation in graphdiyne bandgap. Additionally, the photon absorption spectra of graphdiyne-amino-acid systems are investigated. We uncover that the presence of amino acid molecules makes the photon absorption peaks of graphdiyne significantly depressed and shifted. Finally, quantum electronic transport properties of graphdiyne-amino-acid systems are compared with the transport properties of pure graphdiyne. We reveal that the amino acid molecules induce distinct changes in the electronic conductivity of graphdiyne. The results in this paper reveal that graphdiyne is a promising two-dimensional material for sensitively detecting amino acids and may potentially be used in biosensors.
Climatic warming and the future of bison as grazers
Authors: Craine Joseph M. , Towne E. Gene , Miller Mary , Fierer Noah
Published: November 2015

Climatic warming is likely to exacerbate nutritional stress and reduce weight gain in large mammalian herbivores by reducing plant nutritional quality. Yet accurate predictions of the effects of climatic warming on herbivores are limited by a poor understanding of how herbivore diet varies along climate gradients. We utilized DNA metabarcoding to reconstruct seasonal variation in the diet of North American bison (Bison bison) in two grasslands that differ in mean annual temperature by 6 °C. Here, we show that associated with greater nutritional stress in warmer climates, bison consistently consumed fewer graminoids and more shrubs and forbs, i.e. eudicots. Bison in the warmer grassland consumed a lower proportion of C3 grass, but not a greater proportion of C4 grass. Instead, bison diet in the warmer grassland had a greater proportion of N2-fixing eudicots, regularly comprising >60% of their protein intake in spring and fall. Although bison have been considered strict grazers, as climatic warming reduces grass protein concentrations, bison may have to attempt to compensate by grazing less and browsing more. Promotion of high-protein, palatable eudicots or increasing the protein concentrations of grasses will be critical to minimizing warming-imposed nutritional stress for bison and perhaps other large mammalian herbivores.
Linear monogamy of entanglement in three-qubit systems
Authors: Liu Feng , Gao Fei , Wen Qiao-Yan
Published: November 2015

For any three-qubit quantum systems ABC, Oliveira et al. numerically found that both the concurrence and the entanglement of formation (EoF) obey the linear monogamy relations in pure states. They also conjectured that the linear monogamy relations can be saturated when the focus qubit A is maximally entangled with the joint qubits BC. In this work, we prove analytically that both the concurrence and EoF obey linear monogamy relations in an arbitrary three-qubit state. Furthermore, we verify that all three-qubit pure states are maximally entangled in the bipartition A|BC when they saturate the linear monogamy relations. We also study the distribution of the concurrence and EoF. More specifically, when the amount of entanglement between A and B equals to that of A and C, we show that the sum of EoF itself saturates the linear monogamy relation, while the sum of the squared EoF is minimum. Different from EoF, the concurrence and the squared concurrence both saturate the linear monogamy relations when the entanglement between A and B equals to that of A and C.
Discovery of Novel ROCK1 Inhibitors via Integrated Virtual Screening Strategy and Bioassays
Authors: Shen Mingyun , Tian Sheng , Pan Peichen , Sun Huiyong , Li Dan , Li Youyong , Zhou Hefeng , Li Chuwen , Lee Simon Ming-Yuen , Hou Tingjun
Published: November 2015

Rho-associated kinases (ROCKs) have been regarded as promising drug targets for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, nervous system diseases and cancers. In this study, a novel integrated virtual screening protocol by combining molecular docking and pharmacophore mapping based on multiple ROCK1 crystal structures was utilized to screen the ChemBridge database for discovering potential inhibitors of ROCK1. Among the 38 tested compounds, seven of them exhibited significant inhibitory activities of ROCK1 (IC50 < 10 μM) and the most potent one (compound TS-f22) with the novel scaffold of 4-Phenyl-1H-pyrrolo [2,3-b] pyridine had an IC50 of 480 nM. Then, the structure-activity relationships of 41 analogues of TS-f22 were examined. Two potent inhibitors were proven effective in inhibiting the phosphorylation of the downstream target in the ROCK signaling pathway in vitro and protecting atorvastatin-induced cerebral hemorrhage in vivo. The high hit rate (28.95%) suggested that the integrated virtual screening strategy was quite reliable and could be used as a powerful tool for identifying promising active compounds for targets of interest.
Endochondral ossification pathway genes and postmenopausal osteoporosis: Association and specific allele related serum bone sialoprotein levels in Han Chinese
Authors: Zhang Yunzhi , Liu Haiyan , Zhang Chen , Zhang Tianxiao , Zhang Bo , Li Lu , Chen Gang , Fu Dongke , Wang KunZheng
Published: November 2015

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and disrupted bone architecture, predisposing the patient to increased fracture risk. Evidence from early genetic epidemiological studies has indicated a major role for genetics in the development of osteoporosis and the variation in BMD. In this study, we focused on two key genes in the endochondral ossification pathway, IBSP and PTHLH. Over 9,000 postmenopausal Han Chinese women were recruited and 54 SNPs were genotyped. Two significant SNPs within IBSP, rs1054627 and rs17013181, were associated with BMD and postmenopausal osteoporosis by the two-stage strategy and rs17013181 was also significantly associated with serum IBSP levels. Moreover, one haplotype (rs12425376-rs10843047-rs42294) covering the 5’ end of PTHLH was associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Our results provide evidence for the association of these two key endochondral ossification pathway genes with BMD and osteoporosis in postmenopausal Han Chinese women. Combined with previous findings, we provide evidence that a particular SNP in IBSP has an allele-specific effect on mRNA levels, which would, in turn, reflect serum IBSP levels.
Formononetin promotes angiogenesis through the estrogen receptor alpha-enhanced ROCK pathway
Authors: Li Shang , Dang Yuanye , Zhou Xuelin , Huang Bin , Huang Xiaohui , Zhang Zherui , Kwan Yiu Wa , Chan Shun Wan , Leung George Pak Heng , Lee Simon Ming Yuen , Hoi Maggie Pui Man
Published: November 2015

Formononetin is an isoflavone that has been shown to display estrogenic properties and induce angiogenesis activities. However, the interrelationship between the estrogenic properties and angiogenesis activities of formononetin are not well defined. In the present study, docking and enzymatic assay demonstrated that formononetin displayed direct binding to the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) with an agonistic property. Results from Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) by using real-time migration xCELLigence system, immunofluorescence and western blotting provided strong evidences of formononetin induced endothelial cell migration and dramatic actin cytoskeleton spatial modification through ERα-enhanced-ROCK-II/MMP2/9 signaling pathways. In addition, results from co-immunoprecipitation suggested formononetin induced cell migration via recruiting of ERα/ROCK-II activated complex formation. More interestingly, in zebrafish embryo we observed that formononetin significantly promoted angiogenic sproutings in the subintestinal vessels (SIVs) that could be completely abolished by ROCK inhibitor. In this study, we elucidated the underlying mechanisms that formononetin produced proangiogenesis effects through an ERα-enhanced ROCK-II signaling pathways. Results from the present study also expand our knowledge about the enigmatic underlying mechanisms of phytoestrogenic compounds in the promotion of angiogenesis in relation to ERα and ROCK interaction in endothelial cells and their relationship with actin assembly and cell migration.
Regulation of formation of volatile compounds of tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves by single light wavelength
Authors: Fu Xiumin , Chen Yiyong , Mei Xin , Katsuno Tsuyoshi , Kobayashi Eiji , Dong Fang , Watanabe Naoharu , Yang Ziyin
Published: November 2015

Regulation of plant growth and development by light wavelength has been extensively studied. Less attention has been paid to effect of light wavelength on formation of plant metabolites. The objective of this study was to investigate whether formation of volatiles in preharvest and postharvest tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves can be regulated by light wavelength. In the present study, in contrast to the natural light or dark treatment, blue light (470 nm) and red light (660 nm) significantly increased most endogenous volatiles including volatile fatty acid derivatives (VFADs), volatile phenylpropanoids/benzenoids (VPBs) and volatile terpenes (VTs) in the preharvest tea leaves. Furthermore, blue and red lights significantly up-regulated the expression levels of 9/13-lipoxygenases involved in VFADs formation, phenylalanine ammonialyase involved in VPBs formation and terpene synthases involved in VTs formation. Single light wavelength had less remarkable influences on formation of volatiles in the postharvest leaves compared with the preharvest leaves. These results suggest that blue and red lights can be promising technology for remodeling the aroma of preharvest tea leaves. Furthermore, our study provided evidence that light wavelength can activate the expression of key genes involved in formation of plant volatiles for the first time.
Application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the study of apoptosis: determination of caspase-3 using a gold nanoparticle tag
Authors: Liu Zhengru , Chen Beibei , He Man , Zhang Xing , Wang Han , Hu Bin
Published: November 2015

A simple, fast and sensitive immunoassay for caspase-3 is established by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection and signal enhancement gold nanoparticle (Au-NP) labelling of the secondary antibody (IgG).
Visible light-induced ion-selective optodes based on a metastable photoacid for cation detection
Authors: Patel Parth K. , Chumbimuni-Torres Karin Y.
Published: November 2015

A new platform of ion-selective optodes is presented here to detect cations under thermodynamic equilibriumviaratiometric analysis.
Separation and quantitation of isomeric caffeoylquinic acids in honeysuckle products by low-pH microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography using tartrate as a chiral selector
Authors: Tang Bin , Guo Dan , Li Yaping , Yang Hongqin , Huang Yanmei , Li Hui
Published: November 2015

Separation and quantitation of CQA isomers in five different forms of honeysuckle preparations by MEEKC.
Click and release: fluoride cleavable linker for mild bioorthogonal separation
Authors: Schneider Elia M. , Zeltner Martin , Zlateski Vladimir , Grass Robert N. , Stark Wendelin J.
Published: November 2015

A water dispersable, magnetic nanoparticle supported, bioorthogonal “click and release” system has been synthesized.
Robust molecular representations for modelling and design derived from atomic partial charges
Authors: Finkelmann A. R. , Göller A. H. , Schneider G.
Published: November 2015

Ab initio partial charge schemes are identified for molecular modelling purposes, and potential pitfalls of their application are discussed.
Core–shell nano-FeS2@N-doped graphene as an advanced cathode material for rechargeable Li-ion batteries
Authors: Tan Rui , Yang Jinlong , Hu Jiangtao , Wang Kai , Zhao Yan , Pan Feng
Published: November 2015

Based on an electrochemical mechanistic analysis, core–shell nano-FeS2@N-graphene is significant because it has a very high reversible specific energy. This is much higher than other commercial Li-ion cell cathodes at different specific powers.
Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of porous bismuth oxychloride hexagonal prisms
Authors: Ding Liyong , Chen Huan , Wang Qingqian , Zhou Tengfei , Jiang Qingqing , Yuan Yuhong , Li Jinlin , Hu Juncheng
Published: November 2015

Porous BiOCl hexagonal prisms have been successfully prepared through a simple solvothermal route.
Correction: Formal [3+2] cycloaddition of Ugi adducts towards pyrrolines
Authors: Ben Abdessalem Abdelbari , Abderrahim Raoudha , Agrebie Asma , Dos Santos Aurélie , El Kaïm Laurent , Khomenko Andrii
Published: November 2015

Correction for ‘Formal [3+2] cycloaddition of Ugi adducts towards pyrrolines’ by Abdelbari Ben Abdessalem et al., Chem. Commun., 2015, 51, 1116–1119.
A study on the influence of sodium carbonate concentration on the synthesis of high Mg calcites
Authors: Yang Heng , Chai Shiqiang , Zhang Yuzhe , Ma Yurong
Published: November 2015

High Mg calcites in pure phase with controlled magnesium contents were synthesized by using amorphous precursor through a hydrothermal process in the absence of organic additives. It is found that the Mg contents in the high Mg calcites increase with the increase of the molar ratios of carbonate and calcium ions in the mother solutions.
Morphology and composition evolution of one-dimensional InxAl1−xN nanostructures induced by the vapour pressure ratio
Authors: Du Lingyu , Wu Qiang , Pei Xiaozhu , Sun Tao , Zhang Yongliang , Yang Lijun , Wang Xizhang , Hu Zheng
Published: November 2015

Morphology and composition of one-dimensional alloyed InxAl1−xN nanostructures are regulated by tuning the vapour pressure ratio of InCl3 to AlCl3 during chemical vapour deposition.
The effect of hydrostatic pressure on model membrane domain composition and lateral compressibility
Authors: Barriga H. M. G. , Law R. V. , Seddon J. M. , Ces O. , Brooks N. J.
Published: November 2015

We distinguish the liquid ordered and liquid disordered phases in diffraction patterns of biphasic mixtures, comparing their lateral compressibility and report the variations in the two phase region with increasing hydrostatic pressure.
Thiophene functionalized silicon-containing aggregation-induced emission enhancement materials: applications as fluorescent probes for the detection of nitroaromatic explosives in aqueous-based solutions
Authors: Wang Xuefeng , Bian Jiangyan , Xu Lichao , Wang Hua , Feng Shengyu
Published: November 2015

Thiophene-functionalized silicon-containing AIEE FL probes exhibited better quenching efficiency for nitroaromatics in aqueous-based than in organic-based solutions.
Polaron spin filtering in an organic ferromagnetic polymer: a dynamics simulation
Authors: Wang Hui , Li Yuan , Li Dong-mei , Cui Bin , Liu De-Sheng
Published: November 2015

We present a model study of the dynamic properties of a polaron in an organic ferromagnetic polymer by focusing on the spin correlation between the polymer backbone and the side radicals.
A sum-frequency generation spectroscopic study of the Gibbs analysis paradox: monolayer or sub-monolayer adsorption?
Authors: Shahir Afshin Asadzadeh , Nguyen Khoi Tan , Nguyen Anh V.
Published: November 2015

The saturation of the topmost monolayer does not necessarily mean the completion of adsorption in the interfacial region.
Synthesis of novel pyridyl containing phospholanes and their polynuclear luminescent copper(i) complexes
Authors: Musina E. I. , Shamsieva A. V. , Strelnik I. D. , Gerasimova T. P. , Krivolapov D. B. , Kolesnikov I. E. , Grachova E. V. , Tunik S. P. , Bannwarth C. , Grimme S. , Katsyuba S. A. , Karasik A. A. , Sinyashin O. G.
Published: November 2015

Cu(i) complexes with novel cyclic phosphine ligands were obtained. Phosphorescence spectra display emission in broad spectral range of 471–615 nm.
A template for a planar tetracoordinate heavier group 14 atom: a global study of C2Si2Xq (X = C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb; q = +1, 0, −1)
Authors: Sui Jing-jing , Xu Jing , Ding Yi-hong
Published: November 2015

We computationally identified the first structural template C2Si2X that could encompass a planar tetracoordinate X for all the heavier group 14 elements X in the 0, +1 or −1 charge state.
A designed room-temperature triplet ligand from pyridine-2,6-diyl bis(tert-butyl nitroxide)
Authors: Kawakami Hinako , Tonegawa Asato , Ishida Takayuki
Published: November 2015

The ligating ability of MesPyBN to form Y-MesPyBN was proven, and the low-lying triplet state was maintained after complex formation.
Highly efficient inverted bulk-heterojunction solar cells with a gradiently-doped ZnO layer
Authors: Nho Sungho , Baek Gyoelim , Park Sujung , Lee Bo Ram , Cha Myung Joo , Lim Dong Chan , Seo Jung Hwa , Oh Seung-Hwan , Song Myoung Hoon , Cho Shinuk
Published: November 2015

Highly efficient inverted BHJ solar cells were demonstrated using a wet-chemically prepared doped ZnO layer with a self-organized ripple nanostructure. The solar cell based on PTB7 and PC71BM with Li2CO3-doped ZnO layer yielded a maximum efficiency of 10.08%.
Acylation of indoles via photoredox catalysis: a route to 3-acylindoles
Authors: Gu Lijun , Jin Cheng , Liu Jiyan , Zhang Hongtao , Yuan Minglong , Li Ganpeng
Published: November 2015

A visible-light-catalyzed synthesis of 3-acylindoles from simple indoles and α-oxo acids at room temperature has been discovered. This method offers rapid access to 3-acylindoles through C–C and C–H bond activation.
De novo design of protein mimics of B-DNA
Authors: Yüksel Deniz , Bianco Piero R. , Kumar Krishna
Published: November 2015

Structural mimicry of DNA is utilized in nature as a strategy to evade molecular defences mounted by host organisms.
Identification of an inhibitor of the aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase type Ib [AAC(6′)-Ib] by glide molecular docking
Authors: Chiem Kevin , Jani Saumya , Fuentes Brooke , Lin David L. , Rasche Madeline E. , Tolmasky Marcelo E.
Published: November 2015

The aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase type Ib, AAC(6′)-Ib, confers resistance to clinically relevant aminoglycosides and is the most widely distributed enzyme among AAC(6′)-I-producing Gram-negative pathogens.
Targeting the trehalose utilization pathways ofMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Thanna Sandeep , Sucheck Steven J.
Published: November 2015

Tuberculosis (TB) is an epidemic disease and the growing burden of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB world wide underlines the need to discover new drugs to treat the disease.
Integrating multicomponent flow synthesis and computational approaches for the generation of a tetrahydroquinoline compound based library
Authors: Cerra Bruno , Mostarda Serena , Custodi Chiara , Macchiarulo Antonio , Gioiello Antimo
Published: November 2015

The combination of flow chemistry and computational tools has been successfully applied to prepare a focused library of tricyclic tetrahydroquinolines endowed with drug-like properties.
6-O-Nucleotidyltransferase: an aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme specific for streptomycin/streptidine
Authors: Latorre Montserrat , Revuelta Julia , García-Junceda Eduardo , Bastida Agatha
Published: November 2015

ANT(6) has a narrow tolerance to chemical variations in the aminoglycoside/nucleotide, making it very useful in the design of non-inactivable derivatives.
Antibacterial activity of vinyl imidazole(vi) functionalized silica polymer nanocomposites (SBA/VI) against Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria
Authors: Sharma Ankita , Robin Wilson G. , Dubey Amit
Published: November 2015

Vinyl imidazole functionalized mesoporous silica (SBA/VI) nanocomposites for antibacterial activity.
Formation and corrosion resistance of a phosphate chemical conversion coating on medium carbon low alloy steel
Authors: Jiang Cong-cong , Xiao Gui-yong , Zhang Xian , Zhu Rui-fu , Lu Yu-peng
Published: November 2015

A uniform fine-crystalline structure is obtained upon PCC coating on 35CrMnSi with Fe2+ curing (b).
Facile one-pot assembly of adhesive phenol/FeIII/PEI complexes for preparing magnetic hybrid microcapsules
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhang Yun , Hou Chen , He Fu , Liu Mingzhu
Published: November 2015

Magnetic organic–inorganic hybrid microcapsules consisting of plant phenols, polyethylenimine and FeIII ion complexes were prepared in a facile one-pot way.
Hypervalent-iodine(iii) oxidation of hydrazones to diazo compounds and one-pot nickel(ii)-catalyzed cyclopropanation
Authors: Liu Haixuan , Wei Yunyang , Cai Chun
Published: November 2015

A novel and efficient cyclopropanation protocol that can be applicable to general hydrazones and alkenes with broad functionalities.
Influence of selected inorganic counter-ions on the structure and antimicrobial properties of silver(i) complexes with imidazole-containing ligands
Authors: Kalinowska-Lis Urszula , Felczak Aleksandra , Chęcińska Lilianna , Małecka Magdalena , Lisowska Katarzyna , Ochocki Justyn
Published: November 2015

Newly synthesized silver(i) complexes with 4(5)-(hydroxymethyl)imidazole and selected counter-ions show significant activity against Gram-positive bacteria, especially the one containing the trifluoroacetate counter-ion.
On the influence of coordinating solvents on the reduction of selenium for the phosphine-free synthesis of metal selenide nanoparticles
Authors: Zimdars Julia , Bredol Michael
Published: November 2015

The bifunctionality of a coordinating solvent (oleylamine) plays an important role in the dissolution step of selenium during the nanoparticle synthesis.
Recent advances in the biosynthesis of unusual polyketide synthase substrates
Authors: Ray Lauren , Moore Bradley S.
Published: November 2015

Polyketides comprise a diverse class of natural products, with many important biological and pharmacological activities. Substrates functioning as starter units and extender units during their assembly significantly contribute to the chemical complexity exhibited by this class of natural products. This highlight provides an overview of the recent advances in understanding the diversity of these polyketide synthase (PKS) building blocks.
Development and characterization of antibody reagents for detecting nanoparticles
Authors: Ravichandran Supriya , Sullivan Mark A. , Callahan Linda M. , Bentley Karen L. , DeLouise Lisa A.
Published: November 2015

The increasing use of nanoparticles (NPs) in technological applications and in commercial products has escalated environmental health and safety concerns.
Preparation of hollow microsphere@onion-like solid nanosphere MoS2coated by a carbon shell as a stable anode for optimized lithium storage
Authors: Guo Bangjun , Yu Ke , Song Haili , Li Honglin , Tan Yinghua , Fu Hao , Li Chao , Lei Xiang , Zhu Ziqiang
Published: November 2015

Hollow microsphere@solid nanosphere MoS2was synthesizedviaa facile one-step hydrothermal process, then coated with carbon shell for use as an anode material with enhanced lithium storage performance.
A novel cost effective fabrication technique for highly preferential oriented TiO2 nanotubes
Authors: John K Aijo , Naduvath Johns , Mallick Sudhanshu , Shripathi Thoudinja , Thankamoniamma Manju , Philip Rachel Reena
Published: November 2015

Single crystal like titanium dioxide nanotubes with orientation along the (001) direction are fabricated using a novel cost effective Zn-assisted method and their superior performance as electrodes in supercapacitors is demonstrated.
Morphology evolution of single-crystalline hematite nanocrystals: magnetically recoverable nanocatalysts for enhanced facet-driven photoredox activity
Authors: Patra Astam K. , Kundu Sudipta K. , Bhaumik Asim , Kim Dukjoon
Published: November 2015

We report a new green chemical synthesis method for different shaped hematite nanocrystals for the purpose of photocatalytic properties comparison.
Recombination reduction on lead halide perovskite solar cells based on low temperature synthesized hierarchical TiO2nanorods
Authors: Jaramillo-Quintero Oscar A. , Solís de la Fuente Mauricio , Sanchez Rafael S. , Recalde Ileana B. , Juarez-Perez Emilio J. , Rincón Marina E. , Mora-Seró Iván
Published: November 2015

Hierarchical TiO2nanorods produced at low temperature are effective selective contacts for perovskite solar cells due to reduced recombination.
Facile production of nanoaggregates with tuneable morphologies from thermoresponsive P(DEGMA-co-HPMA)
Authors: Truong Nghia P. , Whittaker Michael R. , Anastasaki Athina , Haddleton David M. , Quinn John F. , Davis Thomas P.
Published: November 2015

RAFT-mediated emulsion polymerization of styrene and subsequent morphological transition produces nanoaggregates with tuneable morphologies.
Cobalt(ii)-catalyzed oxidative esterification of aldehydes: a cooperative effect between cobalt and iodide ions
Authors: Guo Ya-Fei , Xu Bao-Hua , Li Ting , Wang Lei , Zhang Suo-Jiang
Published: November 2015

Efficient cobalt(ii) catalyzed oxidative alkoxylation of aldehydes leading to the corresponding esters is presented. Mechanism studies provide fresh insights into the cobalt mediated decomposition of TBHP in the presence of the iodide ion.
Employing carboxylic acids in aryne multicomponent coupling triggered by aziridines/azetidines
Authors: Roy Tony , Bhojgude Sachin Suresh , Kaicharla Trinadh , Thangaraj Manikandan , Garai Bikash , Biju Akkattu T.
Published: November 2015

The transition-metal-free aryne multicomponent coupling (MCC) involving carboxylic acids initiated by aziridines/azetidines leading to the synthesis of N-aryl β/γ-amino alcohol derivatives has been developed.
One-pot in situ synthesis of a CoFe2O4nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite with high performance for levodopa sensing
Authors: Li Junhua , Feng Haibo , Jiang Jianbo , Feng Yonglan , Xu Zhifeng , Qian Dong
Published: November 2015

We demonstrate that a new nanocomposite of CoFe2O4-reduced graphene oxide can be used as an enhanced electrochemical sensing platform for levodopa.
Polymorphic phase study on nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanoparticles: effect on oxygen site occupancy, dye sensitized solar cells efficiency and hydrogen production
Authors: Kohlrausch Emerson C. , Zapata Maximiliano J. M. , Gonçalves Renato V. , Khan Sherdil , Vaz Mauricio de O. , Dupont Jairton , Teixeira Sérgio R. , Leite Santos Marcos J.
Published: November 2015

In this work we show that phase formation and oxygen substitution can be controlled by the source of nitrogen used during the synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles.
Fabrication and biocompatibility of reduced graphene oxide/poly(vinylidene fluoride) composite membranes
Authors: Pei Supeng , Ai Fei , Qu Song
Published: November 2015

RGO/PVDF composite membranes with different RGO loadings were prepared by a convenient in situ thermal reduction method and the structural study reveals the good dispersion of RGO in the PVDF, moreover, RGO/PVDF membranes show good biocompatibility.
A promising broadband and thin microwave absorber based on ternary FeNi@C@polyaniline nanocomposites
Authors: Han Dandan , Xiao Ningru , Hu He , Liu Bao , Song Gengxin , Yan He
Published: November 2015

Ternary FeNi@C@polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites are synthesized by combining the arc-discharge process and anin situchemical oxidative polymerization reaction, and can be seen as a good candidate for microwave absorbents with a broad bandwidth.
Investigation of the interaction between Cu(acac)2 and NH4Y in the preparation of chlorine-free CuY catalysts for the oxidative carbonylation of methanol to a fuel additive
Authors: Wang Yuchun , Zheng Huayan , Li Zhong , Xie Kechang
Published: November 2015

The high temperature anhydrous interaction between Cu(acac)2 and NH4Y was investigated to prepare a chlorine-free CuY catalyst for the oxidative carbonylation of methanol to DMC. The Cu/NH4Y-400 catalyst shows superior catalytic activity.
Direct hydrogen production from lignocellulose by the newly isolated Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum strain DD32
Authors: Sheng Tao , Gao Lingfang , Zhao Lei , Liu Wenzong , Wang Aijie
Published: November 2015

The comparison of hydrogen production by conventional process and consolidated bioprocessing.
Metal nanoparticle catalyzed cyclobutane cleavage reaction
Authors: Chen Dengtai , Han Xijiang , Jin Wen , Zhang Bin
Published: November 2015

The pyridine substituted cyclobutane cleavage reaction can be catalyzed directly by metallic silver/gold nanoparticles.
Copper-catalysed regioselective azidation of arenes by C–H activation directed by pyridine
Authors: Azad Chandra S. , Narula Anudeep K.
Published: November 2015

A novel and efficient copper-catalysed pyridine directed ortho-azidation of arenes has been developed using safe and stable benzotriazole sulphonyl azide as the azidating agent.
A reference material of single-walled carbon nanotubes: quantitative chirality assessment using optical absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Tian Ying , Jiang Hua , Anoshkin Ilya V. , Kauppinen Lauri. J. I. , Mustonen Kimmo , Nasibulin Albert G. , Kauppinen Esko I.
Published: November 2015

A quantitative chirality assessment of a SWCNT reference material is presented by using an enhanced method for absorption spectrum analysis.
A novel design for porphyrin based D–s–A systems as molecular rectifiers
Authors: Garg Kavita , Majumder Chiranjib , Gupta Shiv K. , Aswal Dinesh Kumar , Nayak Sandip Kumar , Chattopadhyay Subrata
Published: November 2015

Electro-grafted porphyrin-based D–s–A monolayers on Si behave as rectifiers.