bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An improved assay for 68Ga‐hydroxide in 68Ga‐DOTATATE formulations intended for neuroendocrine tumour imaging
Authors: Ali Masood , Hsieh William , Tsopelas Chris
Published: July 2015

The objective of this study was to identify a more rapid assay for 68Ga(OH)3 impurity in 68Ga‐DOTATATE formulations. Three methods were used to prepare 68Ga(OH)3 reference material (pharmacopoeial, bench titration and automated radiosynthesis), and four quality control methods for its assessment (thin layer chromatography, membrane filtration, HPLC and solid phase extraction). The optimal method of preparing 68Ga(OH)3 was by titrating 68Ga3+ with buffered sodium hydroxide solutions to pH 5.6 ± 0.2. The precipitate was quantitatively isolated by membrane filtration (0.02 µm)/hydrochloric acid (HCl; pH 5.6) solvent, and also it remained 100% at the origin on instant thin layer chromatography with silica gel paper/HCl (pH 5.6) solvent. For 68Ga‐DOTATATE samples, the thin layer chromatography technique was used with a single paper strip developed separately on two occasions, once in HCl (pH 5.6) and next in methanol solvent. This so‐called double‐developed (DD) method separated 68Ga(OH)3 impurity located at the origin, from 68Ga‐DOTATATE plus 68Ga3+ at ~Rf 0.4, and it was superior to the other methods. It assayed for the impurity similarly to the pharmacopoeial method. The advantages of the DD method were that it required inexpensive test materials and it reproducibly determined % 68Ga(OH)3 in 68Ga‐DOTATATE in 12 min, 13 min earlier than the pharmacopoeial method. This time efficiency resulted in a surplus of 12% 68Ga‐DOTATATE counts in the product vial, and this provided a contingency of radioactivity or time for the injection/imaging processes in the Nuclear Medicine Department.
Electroosmotically driven solution mixing in borosilicate theta glass nESI emitters
Authors: Fisher Christine M. , Hilger Ryan T. , Zhao Feifei , McLuckey Scott A.
Published: July 2015

The use of borosilicate theta glass capillaries as nanoelectrospray ionization emitters has recently been demonstrated as a method for mixing two solutions as they are sprayed into the mass spectrometer for analysis. All previous experiments resulted in a solution mixing timescale limited to the time the analytes spend in the Taylor cone and subsequent droplets (i.e. sub‐millisecond timescale). In an effort to extend the solution mixing timescale to the milliseconds regime, we demonstrate that solution can be moved from one channel of the theta tip to the opposite channel via electroosmosis by applying a potential difference between the two wire electrodes inserted into each channel of the theta tip. First, we establish that electroosmosis is responsible for solution movement using fluorescence microscopy to track fluorescent tracer dyes. We then demonstrate the utility of this technique in varying the extent of denaturation of holomyoglobin to apomyoglobin on the millisecond timescale just prior to analysis by mass spectrometry. Finally, we induce additional turbulence for better mixing by applying a square wave potential to one of the wire electrodes while holding the opposite wire at a constant voltage between the low and high potentials of the square wave. This experiment was found to provide nearly complete mixing after a single cycle of the square wave. The use of electroosmosis significantly expands the flexibility of theta tips for altering solutions prior to nESI without the need for off‐line sample manipulation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
3D meshless simulation of laser ray deviation under thermal lensing effect
Authors: Afsari Arman , Heidari Abbasali , Movahhedi Masoud
Published: July 2015

In this study, one of the most important destructive effects in end‐pumped Nd:YAG laser, that is, thermal lensing is analyzed. Different partial differential equations, supplemented by suitable boundary conditions, are solved and joined to illustrate the fluctuations in laser Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) mode. Because of no analytic demonstration of this effect, an efficient meshless method known as radial point interpolation meshless method (RPIM) is used to simulate the problem divided into two two‐dimensional cases, that is, xz and yz planes so as to be graphically understandable. The results are in good agreement with measurement reports, and the RPIM shows better accuracy than FEM. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparative Analysis of Tethered and Untethered Polymers Close to a Surface Investigated by Monte Carlo Techniques
Authors: Eisenhaber Stephan , Zifferer Gerhard
Published: July 2015

Modification of inorganic particles with organic polymer layers leads to well defined hybrid nanoparticles with tunable properties. Studies of such systems rely on the investigation of polymers near to or attached at a surface. In the present investigation, size, shape, and orientation are investigated as functions of the distance of the center of gravity of linear and star‐branched polymers from the surface by use of Monte Carlo methods for neutral and attractive surfaces in good and moderate solvents. To quantify the strength of interaction, a parameter “excluded distance” is introduced. It vanishes if repulsive interaction due to the excluded volume effect and attractive ones compensate, which is roughly the case for surface–polymer interactions similar to polymer–polymer interactions in theta solvents.
Impact of sperm genome decay on Day‐3 embryo chromosomal abnormalities from advanced‐maternal‐age patients
Authors: Kaarouch Ismail , Bouamoud Nouzha , Louanjli Noureddine , Madkour Aicha , Copin Henri , Benkhalifa Moncef , Sefrioui Omar
Published: July 2015

Infertile male patients often exhibit unconventional semen parameters, including DNA fragmentation, chromatin dispersion, and aneuploidy—collectively referred to as sperm genome decay (SGD). We investigated the correlation of SGD to embryo chromosomal abnormalities and its effect on clinical pregnancy rates in patients with advanced maternal age (AMA) (>40 years) who were undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection‐preimplantation genetic screening (ICSI‐PGS). Three groups were assessed: patients with AMA and male partners with normal sperm (AMA‐N); AMA patients and male partners presenting with SGD (AMA‐SGD); and young fertile female patients and male partners with SGD (Y‐SGD). We found a significant increase in embryonic chromosomal abnormalities—polyploidy, nullisomy, mosaicism, and chaotic anomaly rates—when semen parameters are altered (76% vs. 67% and 66% in AMA‐SGD vs. AMA‐N and Y‐SGD groups, respectively). Statistical analysis showed a correlation between SGD and aneuploidies of embryonic chromosomes 13, 16, 21, X, and Y, as well as negative clinical outcomes. Incorporation of molecular sperm analyses should therefore significantly minimize the risk of transmission of chromosomal anomalies from spermatozoa to embryos, and may provide better predictors of pregnancy than conventional sperm analyses. We also demonstrated that an ICSI‐PGS program should be implemented for SGD patients in order to limit transmission of chromosomal paternal anomalies and to improve clinical outcome. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 82: 809–819, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cardiac extracellular matrix proteomics: Challenges, techniques, and clinical implications
Authors: Chang Chia Wei , Dalgliesh Ailsa J. , López Javier E. , Griffiths Leigh G.
Published: July 2015

Extracellular matrix (ECM) has emerged as a dynamic tissue component, providing not only structural support, but also functionally participating in a wide range of signaling events during development, injury, and disease remodeling. Investigation of dynamic changes in cardiac ECM proteome is challenging due to the relative insolubility of ECM proteins, which results from their macromolecular nature, extensive post‐translational modification (PTM), and tendency to form protein complexes. Finally, the relative abundance of cellular and mitochondrial proteins in cardiac tissue further complicates cardiac ECM proteomic approaches. Recent developments of various techniques to enrich and analyze ECM proteins are playing a major role in overcoming these challenges. Application of cardiac ECM proteomics in disease tissues can further provide spatial and temporal information relevant to disease diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and engineering of therapeutic candidates for cardiac repair and regeneration.
Evidence of Microporous Carbon Nanosheets Showing Fast Kinetics in both Gas Phase and Liquid Phase Environments
Authors: Jin Zhen‐Yu , Xu Yuan‐Yuan , Sun Qiang , Lu An‐Hui
Published: July 2015

Despite the great advantages of microporous carbons for applications in gas phase separation, liquid phase enrichment, and energy storage devices, direct experiment data and theoretical calculations on the relevance of properties and structures are quite limited. Herein, two model carbon materials are designed and synthesized, i.e., microporous carbon nanosheets (MCN) and microporous carbon spheres (MCS). They both have nearly same composition, surface chemistry, and specific surface area, known morphology, but distinguishable diffusion paths. Based on these two types of materials, a reliable relationship between the morphology with different diffusion paths and adsorption kinetics in both gas phase and liquid phase environments is established. When used for CO2 capture, MCN shows a high saturated CO2 capacity of 8.52 μmol m−2 and 18.4 mmol cm−3 at 273 K and ambient pressure, and its calculated first‐order rate constant is ≈7.4 times higher than that of MCS. Moreover, MCN shows a quick and high uptake of Cr (VI) and a higher‐rate performance for supercapacitors than MCS does. These results strongly confirm that MCN exhibits improved kinetics in gas phase separation, liquid phase enrichment, and energy storage devices due to its shorter diffusion paths and larger exposed geometrical area resulting from the nanosheet structure.
Phase 1 dose de-escalation trial of the endogenous folate [6R]-5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate in combination with fixed-dose pemetrexed as neoadjuvant therapy in patients with resectable rectal cancer
Authors: Gustavsson Bengt , Carlsson Göran , Swartling Torbjörn , Kurlberg Göran , Derwinger Kristoffer , Björkqvist Hillevi , Odin Elisabeth , Gibson Fernando
Published: July 2015

Background Modufolin® ([6R]-5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate; [6R]-MTHF) is an endogenous biomodulator that is being developed as an alternative to leucovorin, a folate prodrug used in the treatment of colorectal cancer. The objective of this phase 1 dose de-escalation trial was to estimate the minimum tolerated dose of [6R]-MTHF to be used in combination with pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 in the neoadjuvant treatment of patients with rectal cancer. Methods Adult patients (≥18 years) with resectable rectal adenocarcinoma were allocated to [6R]-MTHF doses of 500, 100, 50, and 10 mg/m2 in combination with pemetrexed 500 mg/m2. [6R]-MTHF was administered as an intravenous (i.v.) bolus injection 1 week prior to the first dose of pemetrexed and then once weekly for 9 weeks; pemetrexed was administered by i.v. infusion once every 21 days for three cycles. Results Twenty-four patients (mean [SD] age, 63.1 [12.9] years) were enrolled in the study. A total of 72 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were reported, of which the most common were fatigue (n = 17; 23.6 %), nausea (n = 10; 13.9 %), and diarrhea (n = 5; 6.9 %). The incidence of treatment-related AEs by [6R]-MTHF dose level (500, 100, 50, 10 mg/m2) was 11.1 % (n = 8), 13.9 % (n = 10), 45.8 % (n = 33), and 29.2 % (n = 21), respectively. There were no dose-limiting toxicities, and only two (2.8 %) treatment-related AEs were grade 3 in severity. Of the 11 serious AEs reported, none were considered to be related to [6R]-MTHF treatment. Conclusions The results of this phase 1 study indicate that the estimated minimum tolerated dose of [6R]-MTHF was 100 mg/m2 once weekly in combination with pemetrexed 500 mg/m2. The low toxicity profile of [6R]-MTHF supports its further evaluation as a component of systemic chemotherapy in the management of colon and rectal cancer.
FITTING MIXTURES OF ERLANGS TO CENSORED AND TRUNCATED DATA USING THE EM ALGORITHM
Authors: Verbelen Roel , Gong Lan , Antonio Katrien , Badescu Andrei , Lin Sheldon
Published: July 2015

We discuss how to fit mixtures of Erlangs to censored and truncated data by iteratively using the EM algorithm. Mixtures of Erlangs form a very versatile, yet analytically tractable, class of distributions making them suitable for loss modeling purposes. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated on simulated data as well as real data sets.
Irish identity and integration within the British armed forces, 1939–45
Authors: O’Connor Steven
Published: July 2015

During the Second World War tens of thousands of volunteers from the island of Ireland served in the British armed forces. This article will examine the effect of an Irish background on the volunteers’ experience of the British forces. It will explore the ways in which the military authorities facilitated and encouraged the development of a pluralist Irish identity. In doing so the article will demonstrate how the volunteers’ ideas of Irishness were influenced by British perceptions and it will assess to what extent volunteers from North and South really shared a common Irish identity. The article will also place the Irish experience of the British forces in the context of a multinational army incorporating personnel from, among others, Scotland, Wales, the dominions and Poland.
Solitary waves in forked channel regions
Authors: Nachbin A. , Simões V. S.
Published: July 2015

Solitary water waves travelling through a forked channel region are studied via a new nonlinear wave model. This novel (reduced) one-dimensional (1D) model captures the effective features of the reflection and transmission of solitary waves passing through a two-dimensional (2D) branching channel region. Using an appropriate change of coordinates, the 2D wave system is defined in a simpler geometric configuration that allows a straightforward reduction to a 1D graph-like configuration. The Jacobian of the change of coordinates leads to a variable coefficient in the 1D model, which contains information about the angles of the diverting reaches, a feature that is not present in any previous water wave model on networks. Furthermore, this new formulation is more general, in allowing both symmetric and asymmetric branching configurations to be considered. A new compatibility condition is deduced, which is used at the corresponding branching node. The 2D and 1D dynamics are compared, with very good agreement.
The dynamics of spanwise vorticity perturbations in homogeneous viscoelastic shear flow
Authors: Page Jacob , Zaki Tamer A.
Published: July 2015

The viscoelastic analogue to the Newtonian Orr amplification mechanism is examined using linear theory. A weak, two-dimensional Gaussian vortex is superposed onto a uniform viscoelastic shear flow. Whilst in the Newtonian solution the spanwise vorticity perturbations are simply advected, the viscoelastic behaviour is markedly different. When the polymer relaxation rate is much slower than the rate of deformation by the shear, the vortex splits into a new pair of co-rotating but counter-propagating vortices. Furthermore, the disturbance exhibits a significant amplification in its spanwise vorticity as it is tilted forward by the shear. Asymptotic solutions for an Oldroyd-B fluid in the limits of high and low elasticity isolate and explain these two effects. The splitting of the vortex is a manifestation of vorticity wave propagation along the tensioned mean-flow streamlines, while the spanwise vorticity growth is driven by the amplification of a polymer torque perturbation. The analysis explicitly demonstrates that the polymer torque amplifies as the disturbance becomes aligned with the shear. This behaviour is opposite to the Orr mechanism for energy amplification in Newtonian flows, and is therefore labelled a ‘reverse-Orr’ mechanism. Numerical evaluations of vortex evolutions using the more realistic FENE-P model, which takes into account the finite extensibility of the polymer chains, show the same qualitative behaviour. However, a new form of stress perturbation is established in regions where the polymer is significantly stretched, and results in an earlier onset of decay.
Perceived Organisational Support: A Cross-National Comparative Study Between Ghanaian and Finnish Industrial Workers
Authors: Gyekye Seth Ayim , Haybatollahi Mohammad
Published: July 2015

Perceived organisational support (POS) refers to an employee's perception concerning the degree to which organisational management values their contributions and cares about their wellbeing. Despite the influence of culture on organisational behaviour, there is still a paucity of culture-comparative studies. The study investigated POS from a cross-national perspective with Ghanaian and Finnish industrial workers. We hypothesised and tested a model predicting differences on POS using a cross-sectional data of Ghanaian (N = 320) and Finnish (N = 520) industrial workers. The data were collected with Eisenberger, Fasolo, and LaMastro's (1990) Survey of Perceived Organizational Support. Correlational analyses, t-test and hierarchical regression analyses were used to test four hypotheses. The relationships between employee demographic factors and POS were also analysed. The hierarchical regression analysis revealed worker demographic variables as impacting more significantly on POS among Ghanaian workers. Contrary to our expectations, Ghanaian workers perceived more managerial support than their Finnish counterparts. Structural equation modelling revealed job satisfaction as a mediator in these relationships. Path analysis performed to identify specific variables that were moderated by culture revealed organisational position and job satisfaction as potential variables. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.
Assessment of the morphometry of saccular otoliths as a tool to identify triplefin species (Tripterygiidae)
Authors: Avigliano Esteban , Jawad Laith A. , Volpedo Alejandra V.
Published: July 2015

In the present work we describe nine saccular otolith morphometric indices (circularity, rectangularity, aspect ratio, percentage of the otolith surface occupied by the sulcus, percentage of the sulcus length occupied by the cauda length and ostium length, otolith length relative to the length of the fish, rostrum aspect ratio and percentage of the rostrum length occupied by the otolith length) of 41 species of the Tripterygiidae family collected mainly from New Zealand, Australia, Chile, South Africa, Mediterranean Sea and North America. The principal component of analysis showed that the indices that best explain the variability between species were related to sulcus and rostrum morphometry. According to cluster analysis, otolith morphometry could reflect the diversity of microenvironments for some genera such asNotoclinopsandForsterygion, while this does not happen to genera likeEnneapterygiusandRuanoho. The discriminant analysis showed that the speciesHelcogrammoides cunninghami, Karalepis stewarti, Lepidoblennius haplodactylus, Notoclinus compressus, Ucla xenogrammuscan be discriminated by using the morphometric indices. Two new indices related to the sulcus that were of great value for the discrimination of these species are described for the first time. This information will be a useful tool for palaeontological, taxonomic and trophic ecology studies.
Comparing cohort incidence of schizophrenia with that of bipolar disorder and affective psychosis in individuals born in Stockholm County 1955–1967
Authors: Söderlund J. , Wicks S. , Jörgensen L. , Dalman C.
Published: July 2015

Background.

Perinatal factors are associated with increased risk for both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Improvements in obstetric and maternal healthcare and positive socioeconomic development in Sweden from the 1950s onwards could be expected to affect incidence estimates. However, commonly incidence rates are calculated during a specific year, i.e. time of diagnosis, which mirrors proximal precipitating risk factors. To examine whether incidence estimates are compatible with the hypothesis of an impact of perinatal exposures on the risk of the different disorders we here instead calculate incidence rates for consecutive birth cohorts born between 1955 and 1967. We hypothesized that schizophrenia incidence would be more affected compared to bipolar disorder and other affective psychoses since most perinatal risk factors are more pronounced in schizophrenia aetiology.

Method.

Birth cohorts of individuals born in Sweden and resident in Stockholm (N = 2 16 322), were followed in The National Patient Register regarding incident inpatient episodes Incident cases/10 000 person-years and birth cohort were calculated. Linear regression was used to estimate change in incidence rate.

Results.

We found stable birth cohort-based incidence estimates for bipolar disorder and other affective psychoses, but a continuous reduction in incidence estimates for schizophrenia as well as other non-affective psychoses in subsequent birth cohorts from 1955 to 1967.

Conclusions.

The consecutive birth cohort-based incidence estimates unveiled patterns that are compatible with the hypothesis of an impact of early life exposures decreasing over time, in the aetiology of schizophrenia, whereas this pattern is less apparent in affective psychoses..
On a measure-theoretic area formula
Authors: Magnani Valentino
Published: July 2015

We review some classical differentiation theorems for measures, showing how they can be turned into an integral representation of a Borel measure with respect to a fixed Carathéodory measure. We focus our attention on the case when this measure is the spherical Hausdorff measure, giving a metric measure area formula. Our aim is to use certain covering derivatives as ‘generalized densities’. Some consequences for the sub-Riemannian Heisenberg group are also pointed out.
Ice-shelf fracture due to viscoelastic flexure stress induced by fill/drain cycles of supraglacial lakes
Authors: Banwell Alison F. , Macayeal Douglas R.
Published: July 2015

Using a previously derived treatment of viscoelastic flexure of floating ice shelves, we simulated multiple years of evolution of a single, axisymmetric supraglacial lake when it is subjected to annual fill/drain cycles. Our viscoelastic treatment follows the assumptions of the well-known thin-beam and thin-plate analysis but, crucially, also covers power-law creep rheology. As the ice-shelf surface does not completely return to its un-flexed position after a 1-year fill/drain cycle, the lake basin deepens with each successive cycle. This deepening process is significantly amplified when lake-bottom ablation is taken into account. We evaluate the timescale over which a typical lake reaches a sufficient depth such that ice-shelf fracture can occur well beyond the lake itself in response to lake filling/drainage. We show that, although this is unlikely during one fill/drain cycle, fracture is possible after multiple years assuming surface meltwater availability is unlimited. This extended zone of potential fracture implies that flexural stresses in response to a single lake filling/drainage event can cause neighbouring lakes to drain, which, in turn, can cause lakes farther afield to drain. Such self-stimulating behaviour may have accounted for the sudden, widespread appearance of a fracture system that drove the Larsen B Ice Shelf to break-up in 2002.
Variability in L2 phonemic learning originates from speech-specific capabilities: An MMN study on late bilinguals
Authors: DÍAZ BEGOÑA , MITTERER HOLGER , BROERSMA MIRJAM , ESCERA CARLES , SEBASTIÁN-GALLÉS NÚRIA
Published: July 2015

People differ in their ability to perceive second language (L2) sounds. In early bilinguals the variability in learning L2 phonemes stems from speech-specific capabilities (Díaz, Baus, Escera, Costa & Sebastián-Gallés, 2008). The present study addresses whether speech-specific capabilities similarly explain variability in late bilinguals. Event-related potentials were recorded (using a design similar to Díaz et al., 2008) in two groups of late Dutch–English bilinguals who were good or poor in overtly discriminating the L2 English vowels /ε-æ/. The mismatch negativity, an index of discrimination sensitivity, was similar between the groups in conditions involving pure tones (of different length, frequency, and presentation order) but was attenuated in poor L2 perceivers for native, unknown, and L2 phonemes. These results suggest that variability in L2 phonemic learning originates from speech-specific capabilities and imply a continuity of L2 phonemic learning mechanisms throughout the lifespan.
Solubility design leading to high figure of merit in low-cost Ce-CoSb3 skutterudites
Authors: Tang Yinglu , Hanus Riley , Chen Sinn-wen , Snyder G. Jeffrey
Published: July 2015

CoSb3-based filled skutterudite has emerged as one of the most viable candidates for thermoelectric applications in automotive industry. However, the scale-up commercialization of such materials is still a challenge due to the scarcity and cost of constituent elements. Here we study Ce, the most earth abundant and low-cost rare earth element as a single-filling element and demonstrate that, by solubility design using a phase diagram approach, the filling fraction limit (FFL) x in CexCo4Sb12 can be increased more than twice the amount reported previously (x=0.09). This ultra-high FFL (x=0.20) enables the optimization of carrier concentration such that no additional filling elements are needed to produce a state of the art n-type skutterudite material with a zT value of 1.3 at 850 K before nano-structuring. The earth abundance and low cost of Ce would potentially facilitate a widespread application of skutterudites.
High density terahertz frequency comb produced by coherent synchrotron radiation
Authors: Tammaro S. , Pirali O. , Roy P. , Lampin J.-F. , Ducournau G. , Cuisset A. , Hindle F. , Mouret G.
Published: July 2015

Frequency combs have enabled significant progress in frequency metrology and high-resolution spectroscopy extending the achievable resolution while increasing the signal-to-noise ratio. In its coherent mode, synchrotron radiation is accepted to provide an intense terahertz continuum covering a wide spectral range from about 0.1 to 1 THz. Using a dedicated heterodyne receiver, we reveal the purely discrete nature of this emission. A phase relationship between the light pulses leads to a powerful frequency comb spanning over one decade in frequency. The comb has a mode spacing of 846 kHz, a linewidth of about 200 Hz, a fractional precision of about 2 × 10−10 and no frequency offset. The unprecedented potential of the comb for high-resolution spectroscopy is demonstrated by the accurate determination of pure rotation transitions of acetonitrile.
Formation and reshuffling of disulfide bonds in bovine serum albumin demonstrated using tandem mass spectrometry with collision-induced and electron-transfer dissociation
Authors: Rombouts Ine , Lagrain Bert , Scherf Katharina A. , Lambrecht Marlies A. , Koehler Peter , Delcour Jan A.
Published: July 2015

Thermolysin hydrolyzates of freshly isolated, extensively stored (6 years, 6 °C, dry) and heated (60 min, 90 °C, in excess water) bovine serum albumin (BSA) samples were analyzed with liquid chromatography (LC) electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) using alternating electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) and collision-induced dissociation (CID). The positions of disulfide bonds and free thiol groups in the different samples were compared to those deduced from the crystal structure of native BSA. Results revealed non-enzymatic posttranslational modifications of cysteine during isolation, extensive dry storage and heating. Heat-induced extractability loss of BSA was linked to the impact of protein unfolding on the involvement of specific cysteine residues in intermolecular and intramolecular thiol-disulfide interchange and thiol oxidation reactions. The here developed approach holds promise for exploring disulfide bond formation and reshuffling in various proteins under conditions relevant for chemical, biochemical, pharmaceutical and food processing.
Regulation of DNA phosphorothioate modification in Salmonella enterica by DndB
Authors: He Wei , Huang Teng , Tang You , Liu Yanhua , Wu Xiaolin , Chen Si , Chan Wan , Wang Yajie , Liu Xiaoyun , Chen Shi , Wang Lianrong
Published: July 2015

DNA phosphorothioate (PT) modification, in which the non-bridging oxygen of the sugar-phosphate backbone is substituted by sulfur, occurs naturally in diverse bacteria and archaea and is regulated by the DndABCDE proteins. DndABCDE and the restriction cognate DndFGHI constitute a new type of defense system that prevents the invasion of foreign DNA in Salmonella enterica serovar Cerro 87. GAAC/GTTC consensus contexts across genomes were found to possess partial PT modifications even in the presence of restriction activity, indicating the regulation of PT. The abundance of PT in cells must be controlled to suit cellular activities. However, the regulatory mechanism of PT modification has not been characterized. The result here indicated that genomic PT modification in S. enterica is controlled by the transcriptional regulator DndB, which binds to two regions in the promoter, each possessing a 5′-TACGN10CGTA-3′ palindromic motif, to regulate the transcription of dndCDE and its own gene. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that the Cys29 residue of DndB plays a key role in its DNA-binding activity or conformation. Proteomic analysis identified changes to a number of cellular proteins upon up-regulation and loss of PT. Considering the genetic conservation of dnd operons, regulation of PT by DndB might be widespread in diverse organisms.
A digital image analysis method for quantification of sulfite in beverages
Authors: Pires dos Santos Benedetti Luzia , Bezerra dos Santos Vagner , Silva Tiago Almeida , Benedetti-Filho Edemar , Martins Valdomiro Lacerda , Fatibello-Filho Orlando
Published: July 2015

A combination of a spot-test and digital image analysis for determination of sulfite in beverages by reduction of a Fe(iii) complex.
A GMI biochip platform based on Co-based amorphous ribbon for the detection of magnetic Dynabeads
Authors: Yang Zhen , Lei Chong , Zhou Yong , Liu Yan , Sun Xue-cheng
Published: July 2015

A giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) biochip platform for the low concentration detection of streptavidin-coupled magnetic Dynabeads of different sizes was successfully fabricated.
Modified nanocarbon surfaces for high performance supercapacitor and electrocatalysis applications
Authors: Es-Souni Mohammed , Schopf Dimitri
Published: July 2015

A supported porous nanocarbon film is heated slightly above the Leidenfrost temperature and directly transferred to an aqueous precursor solution of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Pt to form an adherent layer of Pt-NP decorated CNTs without the need for reducing agents.
A simple synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon micro- and nanotubes
Authors: Chung Hoon T. , Zelenay Piotr
Published: July 2015

A new and simple method for the synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon micro- and nanotubes with diameters in the 20–1000 nm range has been developed.
Crystallization of HPHT diamond crystals in a floatage system under the influence of nitrogen and hydrogen simultaneously
Authors: Huang Guofeng , Zheng Youjin , Peng Lizhi , Li Zhanchang , Jia Xiaopeng , Ma Hongan
Published: July 2015

Nitrogen and hydrogen co-doped diamond crystals were grown using a floatage system with FeCr acting as a solvent-metal.
Red/blue-shift dual-directional regulation of α′L-(Ca, Sr)2SiO4:Eu2+ phosphors resulting from the incorporation content of Eu2+/Sr2+ ions
Authors: Lu Zhijuan , Mao Zhiyong , Chen Jingjing , Wang Dajian
Published: July 2015

Red/blue-shift dual-directional regulation in α′L-(Ca, Sr)2SiO4:Eu2+ phosphors was demonstrated by controlling the incorporation content of Eu2+/Sr2+ ions.
Hexagonal nanoplates of NiO/CoO/Fe2O3 composite acting as an efficient photocatalytic and electrocatalytic water oxidation catalyst
Authors: Zhao Yukun , Zhang Yan , Ding Yong , Chen Mindong
Published: July 2015

The unique hexagonal sheet-shaped NiO/CoO/Fe2O3 composite fabricated through a co-precipitation and hydrothermal method demonstrates robust photocatalytic and electrocatalytic performance for water oxidation.
Pentanuclear lanthanide pyramids based on thiacalix[4]arene ligand exhibiting slow magnetic relaxation
Authors: Ge Jing-Yuan , Ru Jing , Gao Feng , Song You , Zhou Xin-Hui , Zuo Jing-Lin
Published: July 2015

Six pentanuclear LnIII clusters have been isolated based on thiacalix[4]arene ligand for the first time. Two Dy5 clusters feature distinct slow magnetic relaxation, which is affected presumably by the ligand, field molecular symmetry and coordination geometries of lanthanide ions.
Recent developments in metal–metalloporphyrin frameworks
Authors: Guo Zhiyong , Chen Banglin
Published: July 2015

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) based on porphyrin or metalloporphyrin components are of particular interest due to their potential applications in molecular sorption, light-harvesting, and heterogeneous catalysis.
Kinetics of the cellular intake of a gene expression inducer at high concentrations
Authors: Tran Huy , Oliveira Samuel M. D. , Goncalves Nadia , Ribeiro Andre S.
Published: July 2015

Characterization of the cellular intake kinetics of a lactose analogue fromin vivosingle-event measurements of transcription activity.
A heat flux modulator from carbon nanotubes
Authors: Jiang Shaohui , Zhang Guang , Xia Dan , Liu Changhong , Fan Shoushan
Published: July 2015

A suspended carbon nanotube sheet achieved heat flux modulation along its length through an pendent block.
A comparative study of thermo-sensitive hydrogels with water-insoluble paclitaxel in molecule, nanocrystal and microcrystal dispersions
Authors: Lin Zhiqiang , Mei Dong , Chen Meiwan , Wang Yitao , Chen Xianhui , Wang Zhaoyang , He Bing , Zhang Hua , Wang Xueqing , Dai Wenbing , Yin Yuxin , Zhang Qiang
Published: July 2015

Significantly different anti-tumor efficacies were observed in three types of thermo-sensitive hydrogels with water-insoluble paclitaxel in molecule, nanocrystal and microcrystal dispersions which have different performances.
Synthesis of chiral hexacyclic steroids via [8π + 2π] cycloaddition of diazafulvenium methides
Authors: Lopes Susana M. M. , Correia Cátia F. O. , Nunes Sandra C. C. , Pereira Nelson A. M. , Ferreira Ana R. F. , Sousa Emanuel P. , Gomes Clara S. B. , Salvador Jorge A. R. , Pais Alberto A. C. C. , Pinho e Melo Teresa M. V. D.
Published: July 2015

16-Dehydropregnenolone acetate reacted with diazafulvenium methides to afford novel chiral 4,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-fused steroids.
Calix[4]arene triazole-linked pyrene: click synthesis, assembly on graphene oxide, and highly sensitive carbaryl sensing in serum
Authors: Sun Yue , Mao Xiaowei , Luo Li , Tian Demei , Li Haibing
Published: July 2015

Graphene oxide modified with a fluorescent calix[4]arene showed a highly selective recognition for carbaryl.
Tuning the antifouling property of PVDF ultrafiltration membrane with surface anchored polyelectrolyte complexes for sewage treatment
Authors: Zhao Xinzhen , Qin Aiwen , Liu Dapeng , He Chunju
Published: July 2015

Surface anchored polyelectrolyte complex significantly improved the antifouling performance of PVDF membrane.
In situ electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide with an improved gas diffusion cathode by rolling carbon black and PTFE
Authors: Luo Haijian , Li Chaolin , Wu Chiqing , Dong Xiaoqing
Published: July 2015

A simply structured gas diffusion electrode (GDE) was constructed by rolling carbon black and PTFE as a conductive catalyst layer to enhance the producibility of hydrogen peroxide.
Bioframe synthesis of NF–TiO2/straw charcoal composites for enhanced adsorption-visible light photocatalytic degradation of RhB
Authors: Wang Xin , Wang Xuejiang , Zhao Jianfu , Chen Jie , Zhang Jing , Song Jingke , Huang Jiayu
Published: July 2015

N–F codoped TiO2/straw charcoal composites (NF–TiO2/SC) were synthesized using a simple, bioframe-assisted sol–gel method and confirmed by XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, N2 adsorption–desorption, Raman, FT-IR, XPS, and UV-vis DRS measurements.
Pd-catalyzed C–N coupling of vinylbromides and sulfonimidamides: a facile synthesis of N′-vinylsulfonimidamides
Authors: Nandi Ganesh C. , Kota Sudhakar R. , Wakchaure Prasad B. , Chinthakindi Praveen K. , Govender Thavendran , Kruger Hendrick G. , Naicker Tricia , Arvidsson Per I.
Published: July 2015

N′-Vinyl sulfonimidamides were synthesized through Pd-catalyzed C–N coupling; the product's utility were further demonstrated by preparing N′-alkyl sulfonimidamides through hydrogenation.
Phosphine-catalyzed [4 + 2] cycloaddition of unsaturated pyrazolones with allenoates: a concise approach toward spiropyrazolones
Authors: Yang Wenjun , Zhang Yunpeng , Qiu Shuxian , Zhao Chuanqi , Zhang Lei , Liu Honglei , Zhou Leijie , Xiao Yumei , Guo Hongchao
Published: July 2015

Phosphine-catalyzed [4 + 2] cycloaddition of unsaturated pyrazolones with allenoates providing concise access to spiropyrazolones.
Cycloaddition of cyclobutenone and azomethine imine enabled by chiral isothiourea organic catalysts
Authors: Li Bao-Sheng , Wang Yuhuang , Jin Zhichao , Chi Yonggui Robin
Published: July 2015

An organocatalytic carbon–carbon bond activation of γ-mono-chlorine substituted cyclobutenone provides an α-carbon selective cycloadduct with excellent stereoselectivites.
Ordered co-encapsulation of chloride with polar neutral guests in a tetraurea calix[4]pyrrole dimeric capsule
Authors: Galán Albano , Valderrey Virginia , Ballester Pablo
Published: July 2015

A calix[4]pyrrole tetraurea, a polar guest and methyltrioctylammonium chloride quantitatively self-assemble in two different complexes in response to the components' stoichiometry.
Metal hydroxide – a new stabilizer for the construction of sulfur/carbon composites as high-performance cathode materials for lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Niu Xiao-qing , Wang Xiu-li , Wang Dong-huang , Li Yi , Zhang Yi-jun , Zhang Yi-di , Yang Tao , Yu Ting , Tu Jiang-ping
Published: July 2015

Due to the rational design, the Co(OH)2@S/CCB electrode exhibits enhanced electrochemical performances compared with the bare S/CCB electrode.
Density controlled oil uptake and beyond: from carbon nanotubes to graphene nanoribbon aerogels
Authors: Chen Liang , Du Ran , Zhang Jin , Yi Tao
Published: July 2015

The relationship between oil adsorption capacity and aerogel parameters has been fabricated by delicately manipulating the density of carbon aerogels.
Anterior Cervical Reconstruction Using Free Vascularized Fibular Graft after Cervical Corpectomy
Authors: Addosooki Ahmad Ibraheem , Alam-Eldin Mohamed , Abdel-Wanis Mohamed El-Sayed , Yousef Mohamed Abdelhamid Ali , Dionigi Paolo , Kenawey Mohamed Omar
Published: July 2015

Study Design

Prospective study.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiologic results of using free vascularized fibular graft (FVFG) for anterior reconstruction of the cervical spine following with varying levels of corpectomy.

Methods

Ten patients underwent anterior cervical reconstruction using an FVFG after cervical corpectomy augmented with internal instrumentation. All patients were evaluated neurologically according to the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) and modified JOA scoring systems and the Nurick grading system. The neurologic recovery rate was determined, and the clinical outcome was assessed based on three factors: neck pain, dependence on pain medication, and ability to return to work. The fusion status and maintenance of lordotic correction by the strut graft were determined by measuring the lordosis angle and fused segment height (FSH).

Results

All patients achieved successful fusion. The mean follow-up period was 35.2 months (range, 28 to 44 months). Graft union occurred at a mean of 3.5 months. The mean loss of lordotic correction was 0.95 degrees, and the mean change in FSH was <1 mm. The neurologic recovery rate was excellent in four patients, good in five, and fair in one. All patients achieved satisfactory clinical outcome. No neurologic injuries occurred during the operations.

Conclusion

The use of FVFG is a valuable and effective technique in anterior cervical reconstruction for complex disorders.
New Gateway-compatible vectors for a high-throughput protein–protein interaction analysis by a bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay in plants and their application to a plant clathrin structure analysis
Authors: Nishimura Kohji , Ishikawa Syouta , Matsunami Erika , Yamauchi Junji , Homma Keiichi , Faulkner Christine , Oparka Karl , Jisaka Mitsuo , Nagaya Tsutomu , Yokota Kazushige , Nakagawa Tsuyoshi
Published: July 2015

Protein–protein interactions (PPI) play key roles in various biological processes. The bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay is an excellent tool for routine PPI analyses in living cells. We developed new Gateway vectors for a high-throughput BiFC analysis of plants, adopting a monomeric Venus split just after the tenth β-strand, and analyzed the interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana coated vesicle coatmers, the clathrin heavy chain (CHC), and the clathrin light chain (CLC). In competitive BiFC tests, CLC interacted with CHC through a coiled-coil motif in the middle section of CLC. R1340, R1448, and K1512 in CHC and W94 in CLC are potentially key amino acids underlying the inter-chain interaction, consistent with analyses based on homology modeling. Our Gateway BiFC system, the V10-BiFC system, provides a useful tool for a PPI analysis in living plant cells. The CLC–CHC interaction identified may facilitate clathrin triskelion assembly needed for cage formation.
Modelling relationships between match events and match outcome in elite football
Authors: Liu Hongyou , Hopkins Will G. , Gómez Miguel‐Angel
Published: July 2015

Identifying match events that are related to match outcome is an important task in football match analysis. Here we have used generalised mixed linear modelling to determine relationships of 16 football match events and 1 contextual variable (game location: home/away) with the match outcome. Statistics of 320 close matches (goal difference ≤ 2) of season 2012–2013 in the Spanish First Division Professional Football League were analysed. Relationships were evaluated with magnitude‐based inferences and were expressed as extra matches won or lost per 10 close matches for an increase of two within‐team or between‐team standard deviations (SD) of the match event (representing effects of changes in team values from match to match and of differences between average team values, respectively). There was a moderate positive within‐team effect from shots on target (3.4 extra wins per 10 matches; 99% confidence limits ±1.0), and a small positive within‐team effect from total shots (1.7 extra wins; ±1.0). Effects of most other match events were related to ball possession, which had a small negative within‐team effect (1.2 extra losses; ±1.0) but a small positive between‐team effect (1.7 extra wins; ±1.4). Game location showed a small positive within‐team effect (1.9 extra wins; ±0.9). In analyses of nine combinations of team and opposition end‐of‐season rank (classified as high, medium, low), almost all between‐team effects were unclear, while within‐team effects varied depending on the strength of team and opposition. Some of these findings will be useful to coaches and performance analysts when planning training sessions and match tactics.
Ypt1/Rab1 regulates Hrr25/CK1δ kinase activity in ER–Golgi traffic and macroautophagy
Authors: Wang Juan , Davis Saralin , Menon Shekar , Zhang Jinzhong , Ding Jingzhen , Cervantes Serena , Miller Elizabeth , Jiang Yu , Ferro-Novick Susan
Published: July 2015

ER-derived COPII-coated vesicles are conventionally targeted to the Golgi. However, during cell stress these vesicles also become a membrane source for autophagosomes, distinct organelles that target cellular components for degradation. How the itinerary of COPII vesicles is coordinated on these pathways remains unknown. Phosphorylation of the COPII coat by casein kinase 1 (CK1), Hrr25, contributes to the directional delivery of ER-derived vesicles to the Golgi. CK1 family members are thought to be constitutively active kinases that are regulated through their subcellular localization. Instead, we show here that the Rab GTPase Ypt1/Rab1 binds and activates Hrr25/CK1δ to spatially regulate its kinase activity. Consistent with a role for COPII vesicles and Hrr25 in membrane traffic and autophagosome biogenesis, hrr25 mutants were defective in ER–Golgi traffic and macroautophagy. These studies are likely to serve as a paradigm for how CK1 kinases act in membrane traffic.
BLM helicase facilitates telomere replication during leading strand synthesis of telomeres
Authors: Drosopoulos William C. , Kosiyatrakul Settapong T. , Schildkraut Carl L.
Published: July 2015

Based on its in vitro unwinding activity on G-quadruplex (G4) DNA, the Bloom syndrome–associated helicase BLM is proposed to participate in telomere replication by aiding fork progression through G-rich telomeric DNA. Single molecule analysis of replicated DNA (SMARD) was used to determine the contribution of BLM helicase to telomere replication. In BLM-deficient cells, replication forks initiating from origins within the telomere, which copy the G-rich strand by leading strand synthesis, moved slower through the telomere compared with the adjacent subtelomere. Fork progression through the telomere was further slowed in the presence of a G4 stabilizer. Using a G4-specific antibody, we found that deficiency of BLM, or another G4-unwinding helicase, the Werner syndrome-associated helicase WRN, resulted in increased G4 structures in cells. Importantly, deficiency of either helicase led to greater increases in G4 DNA detected in the telomere compared with G4 seen genome-wide. Collectively, our findings are consistent with BLM helicase facilitating telomere replication by resolving G4 structures formed during copying of the G-rich strand by leading strand synthesis.
CUA: a Flexible and Comprehensive Codon Usage Analyzer
Authors: Zhang Zhenguo
Published: July 2015

Codon usage bias (CUB) is pervasive in genomes. Studying its patterns and causes is fundamental for understanding genome evolution. Rapidly emerging large-scale RNA and DNA sequences make studying CUB in many species feasible. Existing software however is limited in incorporating the new data resources. Therefore, I release the software CUA which can compute all popular CUB metrics, includingCAI, tAI, Fop, ENC. More importantly, CUA allows users to incorporate user-specific data, such as tRNA abundance and highly expressed genes from considered tissues; this flexibility enables computing CUB metrics for any species with improved accuracy. In sum, CUA eases codon usage studies and establishes a platform for incorporating new metrics in future. CUA is available athttp://search.cpan.org/dist/Bio-CUA/with help documentation and tutorial.