bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simple direct formation of self-assembled N-heterocyclic carbene monolayers on gold and their application in biosensing
Authors: Crudden Cathleen M. , Horton J. Hugh , Narouz Mina R. , Li Zhijun , Smith Christene A. , Munro Kim , Baddeley Christopher J. , Larrea Christian R. , Drevniok Benedict , Thanabalasingam Bheeshmon , McLean Alastair B. , Zenkina Olena V. , Ebralidze Iraklii I. , She Zhe , Kraatz Heinz-Bernhard , Mosey Nicholas J. , Saunders Lisa N. , Yagi Akiko
Published: September 2016

The formation of organic films on gold employing N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) has been previously shown to be a useful strategy for generating stable organic films. However, NHCs or NHC precursors typically require inert atmosphere and harsh conditions for their generation and use. Herein we describe the use of benzimidazolium hydrogen carbonates as bench stable solid precursors for the preparation of NHC films in solution or by vapour-phase deposition from the solid state. The ability to prepare these films by vapour-phase deposition permitted the analysis of the films by a variety of surface science techniques, resulting in the first measurement of NHC desorption energy (158±10 kJ mol−1) and confirmation that the NHC sits upright on the surface. The use of these films in surface plasmon resonance-type biosensing is described, where they provide specific advantages versus traditional thiol-based films.
Direct evidence for the spin cycloid in strained nanoscale bismuth ferrite thin films
Authors: Bertinshaw Joel , Maran Ronald , Callori Sara J. , Ramesh Vidya , Cheung Jeffery , Danilkin Sergey A. , Lee Wai Tung , Hu Songbai , Seidel Jan , Valanoor Nagarajan , Ulrich Clemens
Published: September 2016

Magnonic devices that utilize electric control of spin waves mediated by complex spin textures are an emerging direction in spintronics research. Room-temperature multiferroic materials, such as bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3), would be ideal candidates for this purpose. To realize magnonic devices, a robust long-range spin cycloid with well-known direction is desired, since it is a prerequisite for the magnetoelectric coupling. Despite extensive investigation, the stabilization of a large-scale uniform spin cycloid in nanoscale (100 nm) thin BiFeO3 films has not been accomplished. Here, we demonstrate cycloidal spin order in 100 nm BiFeO3 thin films through the careful choice of crystallographic orientation, and control of the electrostatic and strain boundary conditions. Neutron diffraction, in conjunction with X-ray diffraction, reveals an incommensurate spin cycloid with a unique [11"Equation missing"] propagation direction. While this direction is different from bulk BiFeO3, the cycloid length and Néel temperature remain equivalent to bulk at room temperature.
Metallic tin quantum sheets confined in graphene toward high-efficiency carbon dioxide electroreduction
Authors: Lei Fengcai , Liu Wei , Sun Yongfu , Xu Jiaqi , Liu Katong , Liang Liang , Yao Tao , Pan Bicai , Wei Shiqiang , Xie Yi
Published: September 2016

Ultrathin metal layers can be highly active carbon dioxide electroreduction catalysts, but may also be prone to oxidation. Here we construct a model of graphene confined ultrathin layers of highly reactive metals, taking the synthetic highly reactive tin quantum sheets confined in graphene as an example. The higher electrochemical active area ensures 9 times larger carbon dioxide adsorption capacity relative to bulk tin, while the highly-conductive graphene favours rate-determining electron transfer from carbon dioxide to its radical anion. The lowered tin–tin coordination numbers, revealed by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, enable tin quantum sheets confined in graphene to efficiently stabilize the carbon dioxide radical anion, verified by 0.13 volts lowered potential of hydroxyl ion adsorption compared with bulk tin. Hence, the tin quantum sheets confined in graphene show enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability. This work may provide a promising lead for designing efficient and robust catalysts for electrolytic fuel synthesis.
Sea level regulated tetrapod diversity dynamics through the Jurassic/Cretaceous interval
Authors: Tennant Jonathan P. , Mannion Philip D. , Upchurch Paul
Published: September 2016

Reconstructing deep time trends in biodiversity remains a central goal for palaeobiologists, but our understanding of the magnitude and tempo of extinctions and radiations is confounded by uneven sampling of the fossil record. In particular, the Jurassic/Cretaceous (J/K) boundary, 145 million years ago, remains poorly understood, despite an apparent minor extinction and the radiation of numerous important clades. Here we apply a rigorous subsampling approach to a comprehensive tetrapod fossil occurrence data set to assess the group’s macroevolutionary dynamics through the J/K transition. Although much of the signal is exclusively European, almost every higher tetrapod group was affected by a substantial decline across the boundary, culminating in the extinction of several important clades and the ecological release and radiation of numerous modern tetrapod groups. Variation in eustatic sea level was the primary driver of these patterns, controlling biodiversity through availability of shallow marine environments and via allopatric speciation on land.
Osteoblasts secrete miRNA-containing extracellular vesicles that enhance expansion of human umbilical cord blood cells
Authors: Morhayim Jess , van de Peppel Jeroen , Braakman Eric , Rombouts Elwin W. J. C. , ter Borg Mariette N. D. , Dudakovic Amel , Chiba Hideki , van der Eerden Bram C. J. , Raaijmakers Marc H. , van Wijnen Andre J. , Cornelissen Jan J. , van Leeuwen Johannes P.
Published: September 2016

Osteolineage cells represent one of the critical bone marrow niche components that support maintenance of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Recent studies demonstrate that extracellular vesicles (EVs) regulate stem cell development via horizontal transfer of bioactive cargo, including microRNAs (miRNAs). Using next-generation sequencing we show that human osteoblast-derived EVs contain highly abundant miRNAs specifically enriched in EVs, including critical regulators of hematopoietic proliferation (e.g., miR-29a). EV treatment of human umbilical cord blood-derived CD34+ HSPCs alters the expression of candidate miRNA targets, such as HBP1, BCL2 and PTEN. Furthermore, EVs enhance proliferation of CD34+ cells and their immature subsets in growth factor-driven ex vivo expansion cultures. Importantly, EV-expanded cells retain their differentiation capacity in vitro and successfully engraft in vivo. These discoveries reveal a novel osteoblast-derived EV-mediated mechanism for regulation of HSPC proliferation and warrant consideration of EV-miRNAs for the development of expansion strategies to treat hematological disorders.
A Nucleus-Encoded Chloroplast Protein YL1 Is Involved in Chloroplast Development and Efficient Biogenesis of Chloroplast ATP Synthase in Rice
Authors: Chen Fei , Dong Guojun , Wu Limin , Wang Fang , Yang Xingzheng , Ma Xiaohui , Wang Haili , Wu Jiahuan , Zhang Yanli , Wang Huizhong , Qian Qian , Yu Yanchun
Published: September 2016

Chloroplast ATP synthase (cpATPase) is an importance thylakoid membrane-associated photosynthetic complex involved in the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. In this study, we isolated and characterized a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant yellow leaf 1 (yl1), which exhibits chlorotic leaves throughout developmental stages. The YL1 mutation showed reduced chlorophyll contents, abnormal chloroplast morphology and decreased photochemical efficiency. Moreover, YL1 deficiency disrupts the expression of genes associated with chloroplast development and photosynthesis. Molecular and genetic analyses revealed that YL1 is a nucleus-encoded protein with a predicted transmembrane domain in its carboxyl-terminus that is conserved in the higher plant kingdom. YL1 localizes to chloroplasts and is preferentially expressed in green tissues containing chloroplasts. Immunoblot analyses showed that inactivation of YL1 leads to drastically reduced accumulation of AtpA (α) and AtpB (β), two core subunits of CF1αβ subcomplex of cpATPase, meanwhile, a severe decrease (ca. 41.7%) in cpATPase activity was observed in the yl1-1 mutant compared with the wild type. Furthermore, yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays revealed a specific interaction between YL1 and AtpB subunit of cpATPase. Taken together, our results suggest that YL1 is a plant lineage-specific auxiliary factor involved in the biogenesis of the cpATPase complex, possibly via interacting with the β-subunit.
The Efficacy of Lidocaine in Laryngospasm Prevention in Pediatric Surgery: a Network Meta-analysis
Authors: Qi Xiaojing , Lai Zhoupeng , Li Si , Liu Xiaochen , Wang Zhongxing , Tan Wulin
Published: September 2016

Higher incidence and worse outcomes of laryngospasm during general anesthesia in children than adults have been reported for many years, but few prevention measures are put forward. Efficacy of lidocaine in laryngospasm prevention has been argued for many years and we decided to design this network meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of lidocaine. We conducted an electronic search of six sources and finally included 12 Randomized Controlled Trials including 1416 patients. A direct comparison between lidocaine and placebo revealed lidocaine had the effect on preventing laryngospasm in pediatric surgery (RR = 0.46, 95% CI = [0.30, 0.70], P = 0.0002, I2 = 0%). Both subgroup analysis and network analysis demonstrated that both intravenous lidocaine (subgroup: RR = 0.39, 95% CI = [0.18, 0.86], P = 0.02, I2 = 38%; network: RR = 0.25, 95% CI = [0.04, 0.86]) and topical lidocaine (subgroup: RR = 0.37, 95% CI = [0.19, 0.72], P = 0.003, I2 = 0%; network: RR = 0.14, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.55]) was effective in laryngospasm prevention, while no statistical difference was found in a comparison between intravenous and topical lidocaine. In conclusion, both intravenous and topical lidocaine are effective in laryngospasm prevention in pediatric surgery, while a comparison between them needs more evidences.
Identification of mutations through dominant screening for obesity using C57BL/6 substrains
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Sarowar , Asano Fuyuki , Fujiyama Tomoyuki , Miyoshi Chika , Sato Makito , Ikkyu Aya , Kanno Satomi , Hotta Noriko , Kakizaki Miyo , Honda Takato , Kim Staci J. , Komiya Haruna , Miura Ikuo , Suzuki Tomohiro , Kobayashi Kimio , Kaneda Hideki , Kumar Vivek , Takahashi Joseph S. , Wakana Shigeharu , Funato Hiromasa , Yanagisawa Masashi
Published: September 2016

The discovery of leptin substantiated the usefulness of a forward genetic approach in elucidating the molecular network regulating energy metabolism. However, no successful dominant screening for obesity has been reported, which may be due to the influence of quantitative trait loci between the screening and counter strains and the low fertility of obese mice. Here, we performed a dominant screening for obesity using C57BL/6 substrains, C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N, with the routine use of in vitro fertilization. The screening of more than 5000 mutagenized mice established two obese pedigrees in which single nucleotide substitutions in Mc4r and Sim1 genes were identified through whole-exome sequencing. The mutation in the Mc4r gene produces a premature stop codon and the mutant SIM1 protein lacks transcriptional activity, showing that the haploinsufficiency of SIM1 and MC4R results in obesity. We further examined the hypothalamic neuropeptide expressions in the mutant pedigrees and mice with diet-induced obesity, which showed that each obesity mouse model has distinct neuropeptide expression profiles. This forward genetic screening scheme is useful and applicable to any research field in which mouse models work.
Replication Timing of Human Telomeres is Conserved during Immortalization and Influenced by Respective Subtelomeres
Authors: Piqueret-Stephan Laure , Ricoul Michelle , Hempel William M. , Sabatier Laure
Published: September 2016

Telomeres are specific structures that protect chromosome ends and act as a biological clock, preventing normal cells from replicating indefinitely. Mammalian telomeres are replicated throughout S-phase in a predetermined order. However, the mechanism of this regulation is still unknown. We wished to investigate this phenomenon under physiological conditions in a changing environment, such as the immortalization process to better understand the mechanism for its control. We thus examined the timing of human telomere replication in normal and SV40 immortalized cells, which are cytogenetically very similar to cancer cells. We found that the timing of telomere replication was globally conserved under different conditions during the immortalization process. The timing of telomere replication was conserved despite changes in telomere length due to endogenous telomerase reactivation, in duplicated homologous chromosomes and in rearranged chromosomes. Importantly, translocated telomeres, possessing their initial subtelomere, retained the replication timing of their homolog, independently of the proportion of the translocated arm, even when the remaining flanking DNA is restricted to its subtelomere, the closest chromosome-specific sequences (inferior to 500 kb). Our observations support the notion that subtelomere regions strongly influence the replication timing of the associated telomere.
Projected loss of soil organic carbon in temperate agricultural soils in the 21st century: effects of climate change and carbon input trends
Authors: Wiesmeier Martin , Poeplau Christopher , Sierra Carlos A. , Maier Harald , Frühauf Cathleen , Hübner Rico , Kühnel Anna , Spörlein Peter , Geuß Uwe , Hangen Edzard , Schilling Bernd , von Lützow Margit , Kögel-Knabner Ingrid
Published: September 2016

Climate change and stagnating crop yields may cause a decline of SOC stocks in agricultural soils leading to considerable CO2 emissions and reduced agricultural productivity. Regional model-based SOC projections are needed to evaluate these potential risks. In this study, we simulated the future SOC development in cropland and grassland soils of Bavaria in the 21st century. Soils from 51 study sites representing the most important soil classes of Central Europe were fractionated and derived SOC pools were used to initialize the RothC soil carbon model. For each site, long-term C inputs were determined using the C allocation method. Model runs were performed for three different C input scenarios as a realistic range of projected yield development. Our modelling approach revealed substantial SOC decreases of 11–16% under an expected mean temperature increase of 3.3 °C assuming unchanged C inputs. For the scenario of 20% reduced C inputs, agricultural SOC stocks are projected to decline by 19–24%. Remarkably, even the optimistic scenario of 20% increased C inputs led to SOC decreases of 3–8%. Projected SOC changes largely differed among investigated soil classes. Our results indicated that C inputs have to increase by 29% to maintain present SOC stocks in agricultural soils.
Astragaloside IV ameliorates renal injury in db/db mice
Authors: Sun Huili , Wang Wenjing , Han Pengxun , Shao Mumin , Song Gaofeng , Du Heng , Yi Tiegang , Li Shunmin
Published: September 2016

Diabetic nephropathy is a lethal complication of diabetes mellitus and a major type of chronic kidney disease. Dysregulation of the Akt pathway and its downstream cascades, including mTOR, NFκB, and Erk1/2, play a critical role in the development of diabetic nephropathy. Astragaloside IV is a major component of Huangqi and exerts renal protection in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. The current study was undertaken to investigate the protective effects of diet supplementation of AS-IV on renal injury in db/db mice, a type 2 diabetic mouse model. Results showed that administration of AS-IV reduced albuminuria, ameliorated changes in the glomerular and tubular pathology, and decreased urinary NAG, NGAL, and TGF-β1 in db/db mice. AS-IV also attenuated the diabetes-related activation of Akt/mTOR, NFκB, and Erk1/2 signaling pathways without causing any detectable hepatotoxicity. Collectively, these findings showed AS-IV to be beneficial to type 2 diabetic nephropathy, which might be associated with the inhibition of Akt/mTOR, NFκB and Erk1/2 signaling pathways.
Association between Oxidative DNA Damage and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: Sensitive Determination of Urinary 8-Hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine by UPLC-MS/MS Analysis
Authors: Guo Cheng , Li Xiaofen , Wang Rong , Yu Jiekai , Ye Minfeng , Mao Lingna , Zhang Suzhan , Zheng Shu
Published: September 2016

Oxidative DNA damage plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases including cancer. 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is the most representative product of oxidative modifications of DNA, and urinary 8-OHdG is potentially the best non-invasive biomarker of oxidative damage to DNA. Herein, we developed a sensitive, specific and accurate method for quantification of 8-OHdG in human urine. The urine samples were pretreated using off-line solid-phase extraction (SPE), followed by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analysis. By the use of acetic acid as an additive to the mobile phase, we improved the UPLC-MS/MS detection of 8-OHdG by 2.7−5.3 times. Using the developed strategy, we measured the contents of 8-OHdG in urine samples from 142 healthy volunteers and 84 patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). We observed increased levels of urinary 8-OHdG in patients with CRC and patients with tumor metastasis, compared to healthy controls and patients without tumor metastasis, respectively. Additionally, logistic regression analysis and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed. Our findings implicate that oxidative stress plays important roles in the development of CRC and the marked increase of urinary 8-OHdG may serve as a potential liquid biomarker for the risk estimation, early warning and detection of CRC.
Comprehensive analysis of SET domain gene family in foxtail millet identifies the putative role of SiSET14 in abiotic stress tolerance
Authors: Yadav Chandra Bhan , Muthamilarasan Mehanathan , Dangi Anand , Shweta Shweta , Prasad Manoj
Published: September 2016

SET domain-containing genes catalyse histone lysine methylation, which alters chromatin structure and regulates the transcription of genes that are involved in various developmental and physiological processes. The present study identified 53 SET domain-containing genes in C4 panicoid model, foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and the genes were physically mapped onto nine chromosomes. Phylogenetic and structural analyses classified SiSET proteins into five classes (I–V). RNA-seq derived expression profiling showed that SiSET genes were differentially expressed in four tissues namely, leaf, root, stem and spica. Expression analyses using qRT-PCR was performed for 21 SiSET genes under different abiotic stress and hormonal treatments, which showed differential expression of these genes during late phase of stress and hormonal treatments. Significant upregulation of SiSET gene was observed during cold stress, which has been confirmed by over-expressing a candidate gene, SiSET14 in yeast. Interestingly, hypermethylation was observed in gene body of highly differentially expressed genes, whereas methylation event was completely absent in their transcription start sites. This suggested the occurrence of demethylation events during various abiotic stresses, which enhance the gene expression. Altogether, the present study would serve as a base for further functional characterization of SiSET genes towards understanding their molecular roles in conferring stress tolerance.
High-Throughput Screening of Coenzyme Preference Change of Thermophilic 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase from NADP+ to NAD+
Authors: Huang Rui , Chen Hui , Zhong Chao , Kim Jae Eung , Zhang Yi-Heng Percival
Published: September 2016

Coenzyme engineering that changes NAD(P) selectivity of redox enzymes is an important tool in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and biocatalysis. Here we developed a high throughput screening method to identify mutants of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) from a thermophilic bacterium Moorella thermoacetica with reversed coenzyme selectivity from NADP+ to NAD+. Colonies of a 6PGDH mutant library growing on the agar plates were treated by heat to minimize the background noise, that is, the deactivation of intracellular dehydrogenases, degradation of inherent NAD(P)H, and disruption of cell membrane. The melted agarose solution containing a redox dye tetranitroblue tetrazolium (TNBT), phenazine methosulfate (PMS), NAD+, and 6-phosphogluconate was carefully poured on colonies, forming a second semi-solid layer. More active 6PGDH mutants were examined via an enzyme-linked TNBT-PMS colorimetric assay. Positive mutants were recovered by direct extraction of plasmid from dead cell colonies followed by plasmid transformation into E. coli TOP10. By utilizing this double-layer screening method, six positive mutants were obtained from two-round saturation mutagenesis. The best mutant 6PGDH A30D/R31I/T32I exhibited a 4,278-fold reversal of coenzyme selectivity from NADP+ to NAD+. This screening method could be widely used to detect numerous redox enzymes, particularly for thermophilic ones, which can generate NAD(P)H reacted with the redox dye TNBT.
High minimum inhibitory concentration of imipenem as a predictor of fatal outcome in patients with carbapenem non-susceptible Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Wu Ping-Feng , Chuang Chien , Su Chin-Fang , Lin Yi-Tsung , Chan Yu-Jiun , Wang Fu-Der , Chuang Yin-Ching , Siu L. Kristopher , Fung Chang-Phone
Published: September 2016

Carbapenem resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae is important because of its increasing prevalence and limited therapeutic options. To investigate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients infected or colonized with carbapenem non-susceptible K. pneumoniae (CnsKP) in Taiwan, we conducted a retrospective study at Taipei Veterans General Hospital from January 2012 to November 2013. Carbapenem non-susceptibility was defined as a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ≥2 mg/L for imipenem or meropenem. A total of 105 cases with CnsKP were identified: 49 patients with infection and 56 patients with colonization. Thirty-one isolates had genes that encoded carbapenemases (29.5%), including K. pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-2 (n = 27), KPC-3 (n = 1), VIM-1 (n = 1) and IMP-8 (n = 2). The in-hospital mortality among patients with CnsKP was 43.8%. A MIC for imipenem ≥16 μg/mL, nasogastric intubation and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality for all patients with CnsKP. A MIC for imipenem ≥16 μg/mL was also an independent risk factor for 14-day mortality in patients with CnsKP. In conclusion, a positive culture for CnsKP was associated with high in-hospital mortality. A high imipenem MIC of CnsKP can predispose a patient to a poor prognosis.
Non-Host Plant Volatiles Disrupt Sex Pheromone Communication in a Specialist Herbivore
Authors: Wang Fumin , Deng Jianyu , Schal Coby , Lou Yonggen , Zhou Guoxin , Ye Bingbing , Yin Xiaohui , Xu Zhihong , Shen Lize
Published: September 2016

The ecological effects of plant volatiles on herbivores are manifold. Little is known, however, about the impacts of non-host plant volatiles on intersexual pheromonal communication in specialist herbivores. We tested the effects of several prominent constitutive terpenoids released by conifers and Eucalyptus trees on electrophysiological and behavioral responses of an oligophagous species, Plutella xylostella, which feeds on Brassicaceae. The non-host plant volatile terpenoids adversely affected the calling behavior (pheromone emission) of adult females, and the orientation responses of adult males to sex pheromone were also significantly inhibited by these terpenoids in a wind tunnel and in the field. We suggest that disruption of both pheromone emission and orientation to sex pheromone may explain, at least in part, an observed reduction in herbivore attack in polyculture compared with monoculture plantings. We also propose that mating disruption of both male and female moths with non-host plant volatiles may be a promising alternative pest management strategy.
SIRT2 activates G6PD to enhance NADPH production and promote leukaemia cell proliferation
Authors: Xu Shuang-Nian , Wang Tian-Shi , Li Xi , Wang Yi-Ping
Published: September 2016

Like most other types of cancer cells, leukaemia cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to support rapid proliferation through enhancing biosynthetic processes. Pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) plays a pivotal role in meeting the anabolic demands for cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanism by which PPP contributes to leukaemia remains elusive. Here, we report that leukaemia cell proliferation is dependent on the oxidative branch of PPP, in particular the first and rate-limiting enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). Knockdown of G6PD reduces NADPH level in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cell lines. Exogenous lipid supplements partially restore the proliferation of G6PD-depleted cells. Deacetylase SIRT2 promotes NADPH production through deacetylating G6PD at lysine 403 (K403). Activation of G6PD by SIRT2 supports the proliferation and clonogenic activity of leukaemia cells. Chemical inhibitors against SIRT2 suppress G6PD activity, leading to reduced cell proliferation of leukaemia cells, but not normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Importantly, SIRT2 is overexpressed in clinical AML samples, while K403 acetylation is downregulated and G6PD catalytic activity is increased comparing to that of normal control. Together, our study reveals that acetylation regulation of G6PD is involved in the metabolic reprogramming of AML, and SIRT2 serves as a promising target for further therapeutic investigations.
Changes in SBPase activity influence photosynthetic capacity, growth, and tolerance to chilling stress in transgenic tomato plants
Authors: Ding Fei , Wang Meiling , Zhang Shuoxin , Ai Xizhen
Published: September 2016

Sedoheptulose-1, 7-bisphosphatase (SBPase) is an important enzyme involved in photosynthetic carbon fixation in the Calvin cycle. Here, we report the impact of changes in SBPase activity on photosynthesis, growth and development, and chilling tolerance in SBPase antisense and sense transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants. In transgenic plants with increased SBPase activity, photosynthetic rates were increased and in parallel an increase in sucrose and starch accumulation was evident. Total biomass and leaf area were increased in SBPase sense plants, while they were reduced in SBPase antisense plants compared with equivalent wild-type tomato plants. Under chilling stress, when compared with plants with decreased SBPase activity, tomato plants with increased SBPase activity were found to be more chilling tolerant as indicated by reduced electrolyte leakage, increased photosynthetic capacity, and elevated RuBP regeneration rate and quantum efficiency of photosystem II. Collectively, our data suggest that higher level of SBPase activity gives an advantage to photosynthesis, growth and chilling tolerance in tomato plants. This work also provides a case study that an individual enzyme in the Calvin cycle may serve as a useful target for genetic engineering to improve production and stress tolerance in crops.
Spatial separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs in BiOBr/BiOI bilayer to facilitate water splitting
Authors: Tang Zhen-Kun , Yin Wen-Jin , Le Zhang  , Wen Bo , Zhang Deng-Yu , Liu Li-Min , Lau Woon-Ming
Published: September 2016

The electronic structures and photocatalytic properties of bismuth oxyhalide bilayers (BiOX1/BiOX2, X1 and X2 are Cl, Br, I) are studied by density functional theory. Briefly, their compositionally tunable bandgaps range from 1.85 to 3.41 eV, suitable for sun-light absorption, and all bilayers have band-alignments good for photocatalytic water-splitting. Among them, heterogeneous BiOBr/BiOI bilayer is the best as it has the smallest bandgap. More importantly, photo-excitation of BiOBr/BiOI leads to electron supply to the conduction band minimum with localized states belonging mainly to bismuth of BiOBr where the H+/H2 half-reaction of water-splitting can be sustained. Meanwhile, holes generated by such photo-excitation are mainly derived from the iodine states of BiOI in the valence band maximum; thus, the O2/H2O half-reaction of water splitting is facilitated on BiOI. Detailed band-structure analysis also indicates that this intriguing spatial separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs and the two half-reactions of water splitting are good for a wide photo-excitation spectrum from 2–5 eV; as such, BiOBr/BiOI bilayer can be an efficient photocatalyst for water-splitting, particularly with further optimization of its optical absorptivity.
Physical chemistry of hybrid perovskite solar cells
Authors: Walsh Aron , Padure Nitin P. , Il Seok Sang
Published: September 2016

Hybrid perovskite solar cells were first reported in 2009 by Miyasaka and co-workers (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009,131, 6050) and sparked an exciting change in photovoltaics research, a field that has been growing rapidly ever since.
A low-temperature approach to synthesize low-silica SAPO-34 nanocrystals and their application in the methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction
Authors: Gao Beibei , Yang Miao , Qiao Yuyan , Li Jinzhe , Xiang Xiao , Wu Pengfei , Wei Yingxu , Xu Shutao , Tian Peng , Liu Zhongmin
Published: September 2016

A facile low-temperature approach has been developed to synthesize low-silica SAPO-34 nanocrystals with excellent catalytic performance in the MTO reaction.
Reactivity of cyclopentadienyl transition metal(ii) complexes with borate ligands: structural characterization of the toluene-activated molybdenum complex [Cp*Mo(CO)2(η3-CH2C6H5)]
Authors: Ramalakshmi Rongala , Maheswari K. , Sharmila Dudekula , Paul Anamika , Roisnel Thierry , Halet Jean-François , Ghosh Sundargopal
Published: September 2016

Unprecedented formation of a toluene activated complex, [Cp*Mo(CO)2(CH2C6H5)], in an η3-fashion was elucidated by the reaction of [Cp*Mo(CO)3Cl] with [NaBt2].
Fast prototyping of a customized microfluidic device in a non-clean-room setting by cutting and laminating Parafilm®
Authors: Lu Yao , Shi ZhuanZhuan , Yu Ling , Li Chang Ming
Published: September 2016

Cutting and laminating Parafilm® film to build versatile microfluidic chips provides a solution for resource-limited laboratories to conduct microfluidic study.
Combining microfluidics and FT-IR spectroscopy: towards spatially resolved information on chemical processes
Authors: Perro Adeline , Lebourdon Gwenaelle , Henry Sarah , Lecomte Sophie , Servant Laurent , Marre Samuel
Published: September 2016

This review outlines the combination of infrared spectroscopy and continuous microfluidic processes.
Development of a measurement instrument to assess students' electrolyte conceptual understanding
Authors: Lu Shanshan , Bi Hualin
Published: September 2016

To assess students’ conceptual understanding levels and diagnose alternative frameworks of the electrolyte concept, a measurement instrument was developed using the Rasch model. This paper reports the use of the measurement instrument to assess 559 students from grade 10 to grade 12 in two cities. The results provided both diagnostic and summative information about students’ conceptual understanding, suggesting that this measurement instrument had a certain validity. The results also demonstrated that Chinese mainland senior students’ understanding improved with increasing grade level, but that many alternative frameworks were entertained by students at each level.
Miniaturised dual‐band rat‐race coupler with harmonic suppression using synthetic transmission line
Authors: Chen C.‐C. , Sim C.Y.D. , Wu Y.‐J.
Published: September 2016

A dual‐band 90° unit module with harmonic suppression (HS) is proposed. This unit module consists of a pair of back‐to‐back stepped impedance sections and an open stub. The unit module is realised by synthetic transmission lines, and it is successfully implemented into a novel miniature dual‐band (2.45/5.8‐GHz) rat‐race coupler with HS (suppression level ≥16 dB, 6.8–13 GHz). Compared with traditional 1.5λ microstrip ring hybrid, the proposed dual‐band rat‐race with HS only occupies 13.84% of its area.
Current kernel density estimation based transistor open‐circuit fault diagnosis in two‐level three phase rectifier
Authors: Tian Lisi , Wu Feng , Zhao Jin
Published: September 2016

Two‐level three phase rectifiers are widely used in industrial applications due to their superior performance. Their reliability has attracted lots of attention in recent decades. Transistor is one of the most fragile component because they suffer from voltage surge and thermic cycling. A fault diagnosis method based on current kernel density estimation for transistor open‐circuit faults is proposed. The proposed method needs no extra sensors and it includes three steps: current kernel density estimation, Euclidean distance, fault detection and isolation. Experimental results show the proposed diagnosis method is highly efficient in single open‐circuit fault and multiple open‐circuit fault on the same leg.
Stability of a class of fractional‐order two‐dimensional non‐linear continuous‐time systems
Authors: Huang Shipei , Xiang Zhengrong
Published: September 2016

This study is concerned with the stability problem for a class of fractional‐order two‐dimensional (2D) non‐linear continuous‐time systems. A Caputo fractional‐order 2D non‐linear continuous‐time system represented by the Roesser model is proposed for the first time. By using the Lyapunov function method, an asymptotic stability criterion is derived. Two numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed results.
Explicit iterative algorithms for solving coupled discrete‐time Lyapunov matrix equations
Authors: Sun Hui‐Jie , Liu Wanquan , Teng Yu
Published: September 2016

In this study, the authors aim to study explicit iterative algorithms for solving coupled discrete‐time Lyapunov matrix equations. First, an explicit iterative algorithm based on fixed point theory of dynamic equations is presented via adding a tuning parameter. Second, a necessary and sufficient condition is provided for the convergence of the proposed algorithm. Moreover, the optimal value of the tuning parameter is derived for the fastest convergence of the algorithm. Third, by using the latest updated information, a modified version of the presented explicit iterative algorithm is also established with a necessary and sufficient condition being provided to guarantee the convergence of the modified algorithm. Finally, a numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Day‐ahead unit commitment model for microgrids
Authors: Deckmyn Christof , Van de Vyver Jan , Vandoorn Tine L. , Meersman Bart , Desmet Jan , Vandevelde Lieven
Published: September 2016

In this study, a heuristics‐based optimisation methodology for a day‐ahead unit commitment (UC) model in microgrids is proposed. The model aims to schedule the power among the different microgrid units while minimising the operating costs together with the CO2 emissions produced. A storage device is added where the charge and discharge schedule is calculated according to both objectives. In addition, as a part of the demand side participation strategy, a charging schedule was determined for the electric vehicles (EV) in order to increase the system security and further reduce the costs and emissions. A congestion management approach is also introduced, which eliminates congestions by effective unit scheduling according to congestion signals provided by the distribution system operators. The complete day‐ahead time horizon is divided in 96 time steps (each with a 15 min time span), which makes the UC problem more complicated. The studied system includes renewable energy resources, a storage unit, two microturbines, a fuel cell and EVs. The results demonstrate that the proposed model is robust and is able to reduce the microgrid operating costs and emissions by optimal scheduling of the microgrid units, and is able to take into account local congestion problems.
Underwater image colour constancy based on DSNMF
Authors: Liu Xiaopeng , Zhong Guoqiang , Liu Cong , Dong Junyu
Published: September 2016

Different wavelengths of light may undergo changes in underwater environment resulting in altered images. For example, the presence of floating particles causes underwater images to appear bluish and blurred. In this study, the authors propose a method called the deep sparse non‐negative matrix factorisation (DSNMF) to estimate the illumination of an underwater image. The image under observation is divided into patches and each channel of a single patch is reshaped as an [R, G, B] matrix. The DSNMF method deeply factorises each input matrix into multiple layers with a sparseness constraint. The last layer of the factorised matrix is used as the illumination of the patch. The sparseness constraint adjusts the appearance of the final image. After factorisation, the estimated illumination is applied to each patch of the original image to obtain the final image. Compared with state‐of‐the‐art underwater image enhancement methods using no reference image quality assessment, not only does the proposed method outperforms current techniques in terms of its visual effect and IQA, but is also simpler to implement.
Investigation into use of double‐layer grid structures as frequency selective surfaces for buildings
Authors: Callaghan Peter , Huelin Robin , Sagor Mohammed Hasanuzzaman
Published: September 2016

A simple double‐layer grid plane wave filter structure is proposed that can provide multiple transmission bands for cellular phone frequencies but with a reflection band for wireless local area network signals. The approach offers ease of construction making it applicable to building applications. A parametric study using simulation supported by simple experimental data investigates the proposed, novel design.
Sterilgutversorgung: Vanguard verkauft deutsches ZSVA-Geschäft
Authors: Doelfs Guntram
Published: September 2016

Die Berliner Vanguard AG zieht Konsequenzen aus einem schwierigen Marktumfeld. Die Geschäftssparte Sterilgutversorgung wurde an den Konkurrenten Cleanpart Healthcare verkauft, Vanguard will sich künftig auf die Spezialaufbereitung im internationalen Markt konzentrieren.
Klinikschließung Vaihingen und Marbach: Der mutige Landrat
Authors: Gaede Kirsten
Published: September 2016

Rainer Haas ist es gelungen, den Kreistag von der Schließung zweier kleiner, defizitärer Häuser des Klinikverbunds Ludwigsburg-Bietigheim (KLB) zu überzeugen. Sein Beispiel könnte Schule machen, meint Klinikexperte Boris Augurzky.
Reha-Markt: Im Fokus der Investoren
Authors: Rössing Sabine
Published: September 2016

Kleinteilig, margenschwach, unattraktiv: Lange Zeit dümpelte der deutsche Markt für die stationäre medizinische Rehabilitation vor sich hin. Doch nun hat leise aber merklich ein Umdenken eingesetzt. Internationale Investoren und Gesundheitskonzerne liebäugeln mit gut aufgestellten Reha-Klinikketten, das Konsolidierungstempo nimmt zu.
Medikamente im Wasserkreislauf: Nicht fürs Klo
Authors: Thalmayr Maria
Published: September 2016

Rund 30.000 Tonnen Medikamente werden in Deutschland jährlich verbraucht, 20 Prozent davon in Krankenhäusern. Bis zu 70 Prozent der eingesetzten Wirkstoffe können den Körper wieder verlassen und über das Abwasser in den Wasserkreislauf gelangen.
Identical Twins with Crouzon Syndrome: Eight-Year Follow-up, Genetic Considerations, and Operative Management
Authors: Lloyd Mark S. , Trost Jeffrey G. , Khechoyan David Y. , Hollier Larry H. , Buchanan Edward P.
Published: September 2016

A case report of monozygotic (MZ) twins with Crouzon syndrome was previously published to highlight variables in clinical presentation. The postnatal and epigenetic causes for this variation are not well understood. An 8-year follow-up discusses their pertinent clinic course with consideration of genetic and nongenetic variables. The phenotypic and symptomatic obstacles encountered since their initial assessment are reviewed, and the use of three-dimensional Medical Modeling (Golden, CO) as a preoperative planning strategy is addressed. Analyzing the longitudinal clinical course of MZ twins with syndromic craniosynostosis will help better predict and provide optimal treatment.
A Novel 3D Salen Neodymium Framework with Near-Infrared (NIR) Properties
Authors: Chi Shushen , Li Hongfeng , Chen Peng , Gao Ting , Yang Yu , Sun Wenbin , Li Guangming , Hou Guangfeng , Yan Pengfei
Published: September 2016

The reaction of N,N′-bis(3-hydroxy)ethylene-1,2-diamine (H2salen) with Nd(NO3)3·6H2O and NdCl3·6H2O yields a novel lanthanide complex, namely, Nd(salen)2(NO3)2Cl (1). X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed that H2salen effectively functions as a bridging ligand forming a kind of novel 3D structure complex which is constructed by Salen ligands and mixed lanthanide counter-ions without π–π stacking and hydrogen bond interactions. This is the first Salen-type 3D lanthanide complex to be constructed in this way. The near-infrared (NIR) properties of 1 in the solid state were also studied.
Substance Abuse: Carbon Tetrachloride and the Ozone Layer
Authors: Rae Ian D.
Published: September 2016

Each year, ~200000 tonnes of carbon tetrachloride are produced and consumed as a solvent, a starting material for synthesis, or in standard methods of analysis. Because it is an ozone-depleting substance, this information is reported on an annual basis to the Montreal Protocol, under which it is a ‘controlled’ substance. Replacing emissive uses of carbon tetrachloride with ozone-friendly chemicals is proceeding slowly. One example is the use of tetrachloroethylene as a replacement for carbon tetrachloride in oil and grease analysis by infrared spectroscopy. Overall, however, there is more carbon tetrachloride in the upper atmosphere than can be accounted for in terms of known uses and emissions. The discrepancy is the subject of intensive and repeated investigation by atmospheric scientists.
Primary school minority and majority language children in a partial immersion program
Authors: Steinlen Anja
Published: September 2016

Reading skills are among the basic skills acquired during the primary school years, and they play a key role in the acquisition of academic knowledge and later participation in society. Numerous studies have reported that children with a minority language background show deficits in the acquisition of reading skills in mainstream education programs regardless of whether the language tested is the majority language or a foreign language. The present longitudinal study examined minority and majority language children at the end of Grades 3 and 4, who attended a German-English partial immersion primary school, with respect to their English and German reading comprehension and fluency skills. The results did not reveal any differences between the two groups irrespective of the test format and the language being tested. Apparently, immersion primary school programs are also suitable for minority language children, whose L2 German and L3 English reading skills developed age-appropriately.
La expresión de la evidencialidad en la construcciónse ve (que)
Authors: Albelda Marco Marta
Published: September 2016

En este artículo se estudian las posibilidades evidenciales de las diversas combinaciones que subyacen a la construcción españolase ve (que). Para ello se examinan los usos de esta construcción en tres corpus discursivos orales del español, en los que se analizan los contextos sintácticos, los grados de fijación de la estructura y el significado que expresa en cada contexto. Los resultados revelan que se trata de una construcción con valor propiamente evidencial (evidencialidad indirecta) en dos de sus diversas combinaciones, y que el rasgo de la fijación contribuye consistentemente en la consecución de dicho valor.
A phylogenetic transform enhances analysis of compositional microbiota data
Authors: Silverman Justin D , Washburne Alex , Mukherjee Sayan , David Lawrence A
Published: September 2016

High-throughput DNA sequencing technologies have revolutionized the study of microbial communities (microbiota) and have revealed their importance in both human health and disease. However, due to technical limitations, data from microbiota surveys reflect the relative abundance of bacterial taxa and not their absolute levels. It is well known that applying common statistical methods, such as correlation or hypothesis testing, to relative abundance data can lead to spurious results. Here, we introduce the PhILR transform, a data transform that utilizes microbial phylogenetic information. This transform enables off-the-shelf statistical tools to be applied to microbiota surveys free from artifacts usually associated with analysis of relative abundance data. Using environmental and human-associated microbial community datasets as benchmarks, we find that the PhILR transform significantly improves the performance of distance-based and machine learning-based statistics, boosting the accuracy of widely used algorithms on reference benchmarks by 90%. Because the PhILR transform relies on bacterial phylogenies, statistics applied in the PhILR coordinate system are also framed within an evolutionary perspective. Regression on PhILR transformed human microbiota data identified evolutionarily neighboring bacterial clades that may have differentiated to adapt to distinct body sites. Variance statistics showed that the degree of covariation of bacterial clades across human body sites tended to increase with phylogenetic relatedness between clades. These findings support the hypothesis that environmental selection, not competition between bacteria, plays a dominant role in structuring human-associated microbial communities.
The transcriptome of the avian malaria parasitePlasmodium ashfordidisplays host-specific gene expression
Authors: Videvall Elin , Cornwallis Charlie K. , Ahrén Dag , Palinauskas Vaidas , Valkiūnas Gediminas , Hellgren Olof
Published: September 2016

Malaria parasites (Plasmodiumspp.) include some of the world’s most widespread and virulent pathogens. Our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms these parasites use to invade and exploit hosts other than mice and primates is, however, extremely limited. It is therefore imperative to characterize transcriptome-wide gene expression from non-model malaria parasites and how this varies across host individuals. Here, we used high-throughput Illumina RNA-sequencing on blood from wild-caught Eurasian siskins experimentally infected with a clonal strain of the avian malaria parasitePlasmodium ashfordi(lineage GRW2). By using a multi-step approach to filter out host transcripts, we successfully assembled the blood-stage transcriptome ofP. ashfordi.A total of 11 954 expressed transcripts were identified, and 7 860 were annotated with protein information. We quantified gene expression levels of all parasite transcripts across three hosts during two infection stages – peak and decreasing parasitemia. Interestingly, parasites from the same host displayed remarkably similar expression profiles during different infection stages, but showed large differences across hosts, indicating thatP. ashfordimay adjust its gene expression to specific host individuals. We further show that the majority of transcripts are most similar to the human parasitePlasmodium falciparum,and a large number of red blood cell invasion genes were discovered, suggesting evolutionary conserved invasion strategies between mammalian and avianPlasmodium.The transcriptome ofP. ashfordiand its host-specific gene expression advances our understanding ofPlasmodiumplasticity and is a valuable resource as it allows for further studies analysing gene evolution and comparisons of parasite gene expression.