bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antitumor activities of Liver-targeting peptide modified Recombinant human Endostatin in BALB/c-nu mice with Hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Yan Ma , Dongmei Bao , Jingjing Zhang , Xiaobao Jin , Jie Wang , Yan Wang , Jiayong Zhu
Published: October 2017

In our previous study, a liver-targeting peptide CSP I-plus modified recombinant human Endostatin (rEndostatin, endostar) (rES-CSP) was constructed and showed potent antiangiogenic capability and could specifically bind to human hepatocellular carcinoma cells to make a direct inhibition in vitro. In this study, the biological activities of rES-CSP in vivo were evaluated by subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft nude mice model of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells HepG2. We found that rES-CSP significantly decreased tumor volume to 54.9% in the nude mice with subcutaneous xenograft compared with the control. In orthotopic xenograft model, rES-CSP not only decreased tumor volume (to 39.6% compared with the control) and tumor weight, it also increased its biodistribution in the liver tissue and hepatoma tissue. Moreover, lower microvessel density (MVD) and higher apoptotic index (AI) were also observed in the tumor tissues. It had no significant side-effects on the heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney of mice. Results indicated CSP I-plus modified Endostar may be a potential candidate for a targeting therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma.
Flexible PVDF membranes with exceptional robust superwetting surface for continuous separation of oil/water emulsions
Authors: Xiong Zhu , Lin Haibo , Liu Fu , Xiao Peng , Wu Ziyang , Li Tiantian , Li Dehong
Published: October 2017

Instability of superwetting surface is the stumbling block of flexible polymeric membranes for continuous separation of water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions. Manipulation of rigid superwetting nano-TiO2 on hierarchical poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane by mimicking the plant roots holding soil behaviour enabled the generation of robust superwetting surface withstanding the harshly physical and chemical torture. The unique interface combination, which fabricated by a compacted nano-layer with the thickness of ~20 μm, was disclosed by systematic structure characterization. As demonstrated by SEM, LSCM and nano-CT, the pristine PVDF membrane with large quantities of cilia-like micro/nano-fibrils can function as the plant roots to capture, cage and confine the nanoparticles to form a robustly rigid nano-coating. The as-prepared membranes showed excellent durable separation performance both in varieties of stabilized water-in-oil and oil-in-water emulsion separation for a long term with few nanoparticles loss in a continuous crossflow mode. The strategy of assembling rigid inorganic nano-particles on flexible surface offers a window of opportunity for preparation of robust organic-inorganic hybrid membranes not only for continuous oil/water emulsion separation, but also for other functional application, such as electric conduction, heat conduction, ion exchange, and in membrane catalytic reactors etc.
Learning from soil gas change and isotopic signatures during 2012 Emilia seismic sequence
Authors: Sciarra Alessandra , Cantucci Barbara , Coltorti Massimo
Published: October 2017

Soil surveys were performed in Medolla (Italy), a peculiar area characterized by spotty high soil temperature, gas vent, and lack of vegetation, to determine the migration mechanisms and spatial behavior of gas species. Hereby we present soil gas measurements and their isotopic ratios measured between 2008 and 2015, including the 2012 Emilia-Romagna seismic sequence. We found that soil gas concentrations markedly changed during the main shocks of May 20 and 29, 2012 (Mw 6.1 and 6.0, respectively), highlighting the presence of a buried fault intersecting the gas vents. We suggest that crustal dilation associated with seismic activity favored the uprising of geogas towards the surface. Changes in the isotopic signature highlight the contribution of two distinct sources, one deeper, thermogenic and another superficial related to organic-rich layer, whose relative contribution varied before, during and after the earthquake. We suppose an increase of microbial component likely due to the ground shaking of shallower layers linked to seismic sequence, which masks the thermogenic contribution. Although the changes we detect are specific for an alluvial plain, we deduce that analogous processes may be active elsewhere, and that soil gas geochemistry represents an useful tool to discriminate the gas migration related to seismic activity.
Dynamic Pseudorotaxane Crystals Containing Metallocene Complexes
Authors: Chen Kai-Jen , Chen Pei-Lin , Horie Masaki
Published: October 2017

Molecular machines and switches composed of flexible pseudorotaxanes respond to external stimuli, transducing incident energy into mechanical motions. This study presents thermo- and photoresponsive dynamic pseudorotaxane crystals composed of axle molecules containing ferrocene or ruthenocene groups threaded through dibenzo[24]crown-8 ether rings. The ruthenocene-containing pseudorotaxane exhibits a crystal-to-crystal thermal phase transition at 86 °C, which is much lower than that of the ferrocene-containing pseudorotaxane (128 °C). Single-crystal X-ray crystallography at various temperatures reveals the details of the structural changes, and shows that the bulky ruthenocene provides distortion in the pseudorotaxane structure to facilitate twisting of the axle molecule. A mixed ferrocene and ruthenocene pseudorotaxane crystal is applied to photomechanical conversion under 405 nm laser irradiation at 85 °C and provides a lifting force 6,400-times the weight of the crystal itself upon phase transition.
In vivo and ex vivo methods of growing a liver bud through tissue connection
Authors: Yanagi Yusuke , Nakayama Koichi , Taguchi Tomoaki , Enosawa Shin , Tamura Tadashi , Yoshimaru Koichiro , Matsuura Toshiharu , Hayashida Makoto , Kohashi Kenichi , Oda Yoshinao , Yamaza Takayoshi , Kobayashi Eiji
Published: October 2017

Cell-based therapy has been proposed as an alternative to orthotopic liver transplantation. The novel transplantation of an in vitro-generated liver bud might have therapeutic potential. In vivo and ex vivo methods for growing a liver bud are essential for paving the way for the clinical translation of liver bud transplantation. We herein report a novel transplantation method for liver buds that are grown in vivo involving orthotopic transplantation on the transected parenchyma of the liver, which showed long engraftment and marked growth in comparison to heterotopic transplantation. Furthermore, this study demonstrates a method for rapidly fabricating scalable liver-like tissue by fusing hundreds of liver bud-like spheroids using a 3D bioprinter. Its system to fix the shape of the 3D tissue with the needle-array system enabled the fabrication of elaborate geometry and the immediate execution of culture circulation after 3D printing—thereby avoiding an ischemic environment ex vivo. The ex vivo-fabricated human liver-like tissue exhibited self-tissue organization ex vivo and engraftment on the liver of nude rats. These achievements conclusively show both in vivo and ex vivo methods for growing in vitro-generated liver buds. These methods provide a new approach for in vitro-generated liver organoids transplantation.
Somatic mutation driven codon transition bias in human cancer
Authors: Son Hyeonju , Kang Hyundeok , Kim Hyun Seok , Kim Sangwoo
Published: October 2017

Accumulation of DNA mutations alters amino acid sequence in the key domains of oncoproteins, leading to cellular malignant transformation. Due to redundancy of the genetic code, the same amino acid alteration can be achieved by multiple distinct genetic mutations, which are considered functionally identical and not actively distinguished in the current cancer genome research. For the first time, we analyzed the distribution of codon level transitions acquired by somatic mutations in human cancers. By analyzing the ~2.5 million nonsynonymous somatic single nucleotide variations (SNVs) found in the COSMIC database, we found 41 recurrent amino acid alterations whose DNA changes are significantly biased toward a specific codon transition. Additional analyses partially identified functional discrepancies between the favored and avoided codon transitions in terms of mutational process, codon usage, alternative splicing, and mRNA stability.
Photocatalytic properties of PbS/graphene oxide/polyaniline electrode for hydrogen generation
Authors: Shaban Mohamed , Rabia Mohamed , El-Sayed Asmaa M. Abd , Ahmed Aya , Sayed Somaya
Published: October 2017

In this work, roll-graphene oxide (Ro-GO), polyaniline (PANI) nano/microparticles, and PbS nanoparticles were prepared by modified Hammer, oxidative polymerization, and chemical bath deposition methods, respectively. These nano/microstructures were characterized, optimized, and designed to form PbS/Ro-GO/PANI nano/microcomposite. Also, the ratios of PbS and Ro-GO were optimized, and the optimized composition of the used composite was 0.4 g PANI, 0.125 g Ro-GO, and 0.075 g PbS. The band gap values for PANI, PbS, Ro-GO, and PbS/Ro-GO/PANI rocomposite were 3, 1.13, 2.86, (1.16, 2) eV, respectively. Two photoelectrode assemblies, Au/PbS/Ro-GO/PANI and PbS/Ro-GO/PANI/ITO/glass were used for the photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen generation. In the first assembly 45 nm- Au layer was sputtered on the surface of a disk of PbS/Ro-GO/PANI composite. For the second assembly, a disk of PbS/Ro-GO/PANI composite was glued on ITO glass using Ag-THF paste. The lifetime efficiency values were 64.2 and 43.4% for the first and second electrode for 2 h, respectively. Finally, the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) and photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) were calculated under monochromatic illumination conditions. The optimum IPCE efficiency at 390 nm was 9.4% and 16.17%, whereas ABPE % efficiency was 1.01% and 1.75% for Au/PbS/Ro-GO/PANI and PbS/Ro-GO/PANI/ITO/glass, respectively.
Electrically Tunable Gap Surface Plasmon-based Metasurface for Visible Light
Authors: Guo Jingjing , Tu Yan , Yang Lanlan , Zhang Ruiwen , Wang Lili , Wang Baoping
Published: October 2017

In this paper, an electrically tunable metasuface is designed for visible regime. The device mainly consists of a V-shaped metallic metasurface, an ITO film, an electro-optic (EO) dielectric and a metal layer fabricated on a silica substrate. A continuous electrical modulation of resonant wavelength has been theoretically demonstrated in the visible range from 555 nm to 640 nm by changing the voltage applied on the EO dielectric from −20 V to 20 V. During the modulation, the steering angle also changes with the selective color. The peak cross-polarized reflectivity is higher than 48% and the bandwidth is narrower than 60 nm. The resonant wavelength shift can be explained by that the refractive index variation of the EO material induces resonance condition changes of the gap surface plasmon (GSP). The results provide a novel design solution for active plasmonic devices, especially for dynamic metadevices.
Impact Of Hypertension versus Diabetes on Cardiovascular and All-cause Mortality in Iranian Older Adults: Results of 14 Years of Follow-up
Authors: Zafari Neda , Asgari Samaneh , Lotfaliany Mojtaba , Hadaegh Amirreza , Azizi Fereidoun , Hadaegh Farzad
Published: October 2017

To evaluate the joint effect of hypertension (HTN) and diabetes (DM) on coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke event, all-cause, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in Middle Eastern older adults, 2747 people (1436 women) aged ≥ 50 years, free of CVD at baseline, were categorized into four groups (HTN−/DM−, HTN+/DM−, HTN−/DM+, HTN+/DM+). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were run for different outcomes. To compare the impact of HTN versus DM, HTN+/DM− was considered as reference. In a median of 13.9 years, incidence rate of CHD, and stroke event, all-cause and CVD mortality in total population were 19.0, 4.7, 13.5, and 6.4 per 1000 person-years, respectively. The multivariate sex-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of HTN−/DM+ for CHD, stroke, all-cause mortality and CVD mortality were 1.19 (confidence interval (CI): 0.9–1.57), 1.07 (CI: 0.63–1.82), 1.62 (CI: 1.2–2.18), and 1.28 (CI: 0.83–1.97); the corresponding HRs for HTN+/DM+ were 1.96 (CI: 1.57–2.46), 1.66 (CI: 1.1–2.52), 2.32 (CI: 1.8–2.98), and 2.6 (CI: 1.85–3.65) respectively. The associations between HTN/DM status with stroke incidence and all-cause mortality were stronger among men than in women (P for interaction <0.05). Compared to HTN+/DM−, HTN−/DM+ increases all-cause mortality by 62%, however, they are not considerably different regarding CHD, stroke incidence and CVD mortality.
Water vapor sorption properties of cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibers using dynamic vapor sorption apparatus
Authors: Guo Xin , Wu Yiqiang , Xie Xinfeng
Published: October 2017

Hygroscopic behavior is an inherent characteristic of nanocellulose which strongly affects its applications. In this study, the water vapor sorption behavior of four nanocellulose samples, such as cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibers with cellulose I and II structures (cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) I, CNC II, cellulose nanofibers (CNF) I, and CNF II) were studied by dynamic vapor sorption. The highly reproducible data including the running time, real-time sample mass, target relative humidity (RH), actual RH, and isotherm temperature were recorded during the sorption process. In analyzing these data, significant differences in the total running time, equilibrium moisture content, sorption hysteresis and sorption kinetics between these four nanocellulose samples were confirmed. It was important to note that CNC I, CNC II, CNF I, and CNF II had equilibrium moisture contents of 21.4, 28.6, 33.2, and 38.9%, respectively, at a RH of 95%. Then, the sorption kinetics behavior was accurately described by using the parallel exponential kinetics (PEK) model. Furthermore, the Kelvin-Voigt model was introduced to interpret the PEK behavior and calculate the modulus of these four nanocellulose samples.
sRAGE alleviates neutrophilic asthma by blocking HMGB1/RAGE signalling in airway dendritic cells
Authors: Zhang Fang , Su Xin , Huang Gang , Xin Xiao-Feng , Cao E-Hong , Shi Yi , Song Yong
Published: October 2017

Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) plays a role in inflammatory reactions. The soluble form of RAGE (sRAGE) acts as a decoy to inhibit interactions of RAGE with advanced glycation end products such as High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). We have demonstrated that HMGB1 directs Th17 skewing by regulating dendritic cell (DC) functions in a previous study. However, the protective effects of HMGB1 blockade with sRAGE in the development of neutrophilic asthma remain unclear. Here, we showed that allergen challenge decreased expression of sRAGE in a murine model of neutrophilic asthma, correlating well with neutrophil counts and interleukin (IL)-17 production. When HMGB1 signalling was blocked by intratracheal administration of sRAGE before sensitisation, HMGB1 expression, neutrophilic inflammation, and Th17-type responses were reduced significantly. Anti-asthma effects of sRAGE were achieved by inhibition of RAGE and IL-23 expression in airway CD11c+ antigen-presenting cells. Finally, we showed that sRAGE inhibited Th17 polarisation induced by recombinant HMGB1 (rHMGB1)-activated dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro. Adoptive transfer of rHMGB1-activated DCs was sufficient to restore airway inflammation, whereas transfer of rHMGB1 plus sRAGE-activated DCs significantly reduced neutrophilic inflammation. Thus, sRAGE prevents Th17-mediated airway inflammation in neutrophilic asthma at least partly by blocking HMGB1/RAGE signalling in DCs.
Epigenetics and adaptive phenotypic variation between habitats in an asexual snail
Authors: Thorson Jennifer L.M. , Smithson Mark , Beck Daniel , Sadler-Riggleman Ingrid , Nilsson Eric , Dybdahl Mark , Skinner Michael K.
Published: October 2017

In neo-Darwinian theory, adaptation results from a response to selection on relatively slowly accumulating genetic variation. However, more rapid adaptive responses are possible if selectable or plastic phenotypic variation is produced by epigenetic differences in gene expression. This rapid path to adaptation may prove particularly important when genetic variation is lacking, such as in small, bottlenecked, or asexual populations. To examine the potential for an epigenetic contribution to adaptive variation, we examined morphological divergence and epigenetic variation in genetically impoverished asexual populations of a freshwater snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, from distinct habitats (two lakes versus two rivers). These populations exhibit habitat specific differences in shell shape, and these differences are consistent with adaptation to water current speed. Between these same habitats, we also found significant genome wide DNA methylation differences. The differences between habitats were an order of magnitude greater than the differences between replicate sites of the same habitat. These observations suggest one possible mechanism for the expression of adaptive shell shape differences between habitats involves environmentally induced epigenetic differences. This provides a potential explanation for the capacity of this asexual snail to spread by adaptive evolution or plasticity to different environments.
WRKY43 regulates polyunsaturated fatty acid content and seed germination under unfavourable growth conditions
Authors: Geilen Katja , Heilmann Mareike , Hillmer Stefan , Böhmer Maik
Published: October 2017

Seed germination and postgerminative growth of Arabidopsis thaliana and various other plant species are arrested in response to unfavourable environmental conditions by signalling events involving the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA). In this study, we showed that loss of the seed-specific WRKY DNA-BINDING PROTEIN 43 (WRKY43) conferred increased tolerance towards high salt, high osmolarity and low temperature during seed germination in Arabidopsis. The wrky43 loss of function lines displayed increased inhibition of seed germination in response to exogenous ABA; whereas lines overexpressing WRKY43 were more tolerant towards exogenous ABA. Biochemical analysis of fatty acid composition revealed that loss of WRKY43 increased polyunsaturated fatty acid content in seeds, particularly 18:2Δ9,12 and 18:3Δ9,12,15 in triacylglycerols and phospholipids, indicating an important physiological effect on fatty acid desaturation with ramifications for the tolerance of plants to cold and osmotic stress and possibly, for oilseed engineering. Molecular analyses showed that ABA-induced regulation of FUSCA3, ZAT10 and seed storage proteins were absent in the wrky43 mutant. In summary, WRKY43 encodes for a novel positive regulator of ABA-dependent gene regulation and as a potent modulator of fatty acid desaturation and seed filling, which results in increased tolerance to abiotic stress.
Imatinib Alters Agonists-mediated Cytoskeletal Biomechanics in Lung Endothelium
Authors: Wang X. , Bleher R. , Wang L. , Garcia J. G. N. , Dudek S. M. , Shekhawat G. S. , Dravid V. P.
Published: October 2017

The endothelium serves as a size-selective barrier and tightly controls the fluid exchange from the circulation to the surrounding tissues. In this study, a multiplexed microscopy characterization is developed to study the spatio-temporal effects of Abl kinases on endothelial cytoskeletal structure using AFM, SEM, and immunofluorescence. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) produces significant endothelial barrier enhancement by means of peripheral actin rearrangement. However, Abl kinase inhibition by imatinib reduces rapid redistribution of the important cytoskeletal proteins to the periphery and their association with the cortical actin ring. Herein, it moderates the thickness of the cortical actin ring, and diminishes the increase in elastic modulus at the periphery and cytoplasm. These findings demonstrate that imatinib attenuates multiple cytoskeletal changes associated with S1P-mediated endothelial barrier enhancement and suggest a novel role for Abl kinases in mediating these S1P effects. These observations bridge the gap between molecule dynamics, structure complexity and function connectivity across varied length-scales to improve our understanding on human pulmonary endothelial barrier regulation. Moreover, our study suggests a framework for understanding form-function relationships in other biomechanical subsystems, wherein complex hierarchical organization programmed from the molecular scale to the cellular and tissue levels has an intimate relationship to the overall physiological function.
An early warning system to forecast the close of the spring burning window from satellite-observed greenness
Authors: Pickell Paul D. , Coops Nicholas C. , Ferster Colin J. , Bater Christopher W. , Blouin Karen D. , Flannigan Mike D. , Zhang Jinkai
Published: October 2017

Spring represents the peak of human-caused wildfire events in populated boreal forests, resulting in catastrophic loss of property and human life. Human-caused wildfire risk is anticipated to increase in northern forests as fuels become drier, on average, under warming climate scenarios and as population density increases within formerly remote regions. We investigated springtime human-caused wildfire risk derived from satellite-observed vegetation greenness in the early part of the growing season, a period of increased ignition and wildfire spread potential from snow melt to vegetation green-up with the aim of developing an early warning wildfire risk system. The initial system was developed for 392,856 km2of forested lands with satellite observations available prior to the start of the official wildfire season and predicted peak human-caused wildfire activity with 10-day accuracy for 76% of wildfire-protected lands by March 22. The early warning system could have significant utility as a cost-effective solution for wildfire managers to prioritize the deployment of wildfire protection resources in wildfire-prone landscapes across boreal-dominated ecosystems of North America, Europe, and Russia using open access Earth observations.
Differential gene expression of Australian Cricotopus draysoni (Diptera: Chironomidae) populations reveals seasonal association in detoxification gene regulation
Authors: Krosch Matt N. , Bryant Litticia M. , Vink Sue
Published: October 2017

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of organismal response to human-derived ecosystem change is recognised as a critical tool in monitoring and managing impacts, especially in freshwater systems. Fundamental to this approach is to determine the genes involved in responding to ecosystem change and detect modifications to their expression and activity in natural populations. Potential targets for this approach include well-known detoxification genes that are upregulated in response to stress. Here, we tested whether expression of such genes varied in association with differences in ecosystem health and could be detected in the field. We sampled populations of the freshwater midge, Cricotopus draysoni, from two geographically proximate sites in southeast Queensland, Australia, which differed in their ecosystem health, at multiple time points. We assessed transcriptome-level differential gene expression and predicted greatest differential expression between sites, associated with organismal responses to local physico-chemical factors. In contrast, we observed a clear and dramatic difference in gene expression – including of known detoxification genes – between time points, specifically between periods at the start and end of the austral summer rainfall when in-stream water levels are most different. These data suggest that these waterways experience greatest pollution load when water levels are high following rainfall events.
Erratum: An exactly solvable, spatial model of mutation accumulation in cancer
Authors: Paterson Chay , Nowak Martin A. , Waclaw Bartlomiej
Published: October 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 39511; published online: 22 December 2016; updated: 20 October 2017. A Supplementary Information data file and Supplementary Mathematica notebook file were omitted from the original version of this Article. This has been corrected in the PDF and HTML version of the Article.
Correction: Corrigendum: Bottom-trawling along submarine canyons impacts deep sedimentary regimes
Authors: Paradis Sarah , Puig Pere , Masqué Pere , Juan-Díaz Xènia , Martín Jacobo , Palanques Albert
Published: October 2017

Scientific Reports 7: Article number: 43332; published online: 24 February 2017; updated: 20 October 2017. This Article contains an error in Figure 3, where the sedimentation rate from Besòs-3 ‘0.078 cm/y’ is incorrectly given as ‘0.39 cm/y’. The correct Figure 3 appears below as Figure 1.
Microfluidic methods for aptamer selection and characterization
Authors: Dembowski Sean K. , Bowser Michael T.
Published: October 2017

This review highlights advances and trends in microfluidic techniques for selecting and characterizing nucleic acid aptamers.
Terahertz spectroscopy for the isothermal detection of bacterial DNA by magnetic bead-based rolling circle amplification
Authors: Yang Xiang , Yang Ke , Zhao Xiang , Lin Zhongquan , Liu Zhiyong , Luo Sha , Zhang Yang , Wang Yunxia , Fu Weiling
Published: October 2017

A terahertz biosensor based on rolling circle amplification was developed for the isothermal detection of bacterial DNA.
Structure-dependent SERS activity of plasmonic nanorattles with built-in electromagnetic hotspots
Authors: Liu Keng-Ku , Tadepalli Sirimuvva , Wang Zheyu , Jiang Qisheng , Singamaneni Srikanth
Published: October 2017

We investigate the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of plasmonic nanorattles obtained through different degrees of galvanic replacement of Au@Ag nanocubes.
Dimeric camptothecin-loaded RGD-modified targeted cationic polypeptide-based micelles with high drug loading capacity and redox-responsive drug release capability
Authors: Guo Zhaopei , Zhou Xingzhi , Xu Mengze , Tian Huayu , Chen Xuesi , Chen Meiwan
Published: October 2017

Dimeric CPT (DCPT) could be largely encapsulated in polypeptide micelle RGD-PEG-g-PLL-b-PLeu (DRPPP) with redox-sensitive drug release capability, showing remarkable cellular uptakeviaRGD targeting, enhanced cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis.
Aldol condensation of biomass-derived platform molecules over amine-grafted hierarchical FAU-type zeolite nanosheets (Zeolean) featuring basic sites
Authors: Yutthalekha Thittaya , Suttipat Duangkamon , Salakhum Saros , Thivasasith Anawat , Nokbin Somkiat , Limtrakul Jumras , Wattanakit Chularat
Published: October 2017

Amine-grafted FAU nanosheets exhibited the superior catalytic performance for the aldol condensation of biomass feedstocks to chemicals yielding the desired product close to 100%.
New complexes constructed from in situ nitration of (1H-tetrazol-5-yl)phenol: synthesis, structures and properties
Authors: Du Ceng-Ceng , Wang Xin-Fang , Zhou Sheng-Bin , Wang Duo-Zhi , Jia Dianzeng
Published: October 2017

New complexes based on three precursors via in situ nitration have been prepared. Moreover, the solid state UV-vis spectra and band gap energy of those complexes were investigated, and the luminescent properties (1–3, 7 and 8) and magnetic properties (3–6 and 9) were also discussed.
Type I vs. quasi-type II modulation in CdSe@CdS tetrapods: ramifications for noble metal tipping
Authors: Pavlopoulos Nicholas G. , Dubose Jeffrey T. , Liu Yawei , Huang Xing , Pinna Nicola , Willinger Marc-Georg , Lian Tianquan , Char Kookheon , Pyun Jeffrey
Published: October 2017

We report on noble metal tipping of heterostructured nanocrystals (NCs) of CdSe@CdS tetrapods (TPs) as a chemical reaction to manifest energetic differences between type I and quasi-type II heterojunctions.
Rotational spectroscopy of the methyl glycidate–water complex: conformation and water and methyl rotor tunnelling motions
Authors: Gall Jason T. A. , Thomas Javix , Xie Fan , Wang Zhibo , Jäger Wolfgang , Xu Yunjie
Published: October 2017

Rotational transitions of methyl glycidate–water exhibit relatively large water tunnelling splittings, a surprise considering that water is quite tightly bound.
Density functional theory modeling of C–Au chemical bond formation in gold implanted polyethylene
Authors: Antušek Andrej , Blaško Martin , Urban Miroslav , Noga Pavol , Kisić Danilo , Nenadović Miloš , Lončarević Davor , Rakočević Zlatko
Published: October 2017

We have studied processes of gold ion implantation in polyethylene (PE) by theoretical chemistry methods.
Controlled multimodal hierarchically porous electrode self-assembly of electrochemically exfoliated graphene for fully solid-state flexible supercapacitor
Authors: Sari Nurlia P. , Dutta Dipak , Jamaluddin Anif , Chang Jeng-Kuei , Su Ching-Yuan
Published: October 2017

We present here, a concentration dependent freeze-dry technique to obtain 3D graphene architectures with predetermined micron sized macropores and multimodal hierarchical nanopores for electrodes in flexible energy storage devices.
Environment-assisted quantum transport through single-molecule junctions
Authors: Sowa Jakub K. , Mol Jan A. , Briggs G. Andrew D. , Gauger Erik M.
Published: October 2017

The celebrated mechanism of environment-assisted quantum transport is translated to the realm of charge transfer in molecular systems.
Band edge tuned ZnxCd1−xS solid solution nanopowders for efficient solar photocatalysis
Authors: Ghosh Shrabani , Sarkar Samrat , Das Bikram Kumar , Sen Dipayan , Samanta Madhupriya , Chattopadhyay Kalyan Kumar
Published: October 2017

Natural sunlight assisted catalytic activity of hydrothermally synthesized zinc blende ZnxCd1−xS solid solution with theoretical insights.
Enhanced nonlinear optical response from dihydroxy(5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl porphyrinato)tin(iv) or SnTPP in a fully plastic photonic crystal microcavity
Authors: Vijisha M. V. , Sini V. V. , Siji Narendran N. K. , Chandrasekharan K.
Published: October 2017

The nonlinear optical response from a spin casted all polymeric 1-D photonic crystal microcavity (PPCC) with an SnTPP doped defect state is investigated.
Exploiting the photocatalytic activity of gold nanoparticle-functionalized niobium oxide perovskites in nitroarene reductions
Authors: Piggott Emily K. , Hope Taylor O. , Crabbe Bry W. , Jalbert Pierre-Michel , Orlova Galina , Hallett-Tapley Geniece L.
Published: October 2017

Novel gold nanoparticle@niobium oxide perovskite composites promote the photoreduction of para-substituted nitroarenes, where electron-withdrawing groups accelerate the photocatalytic reaction.
Conversion and coking of olefins on SAPO-34
Authors: Hu Bing , Mao Guoliang , Wang Dakang , Fu Yadong , Wang Baohui , Luo Mingjian
Published: October 2017

Olefins' reactions lead to the formation of soluble and insoluble coke at the near-surface region of a SAPO-34 crystal.
Iodine catalyzed oxidation of alcohols and aldehydes to carboxylic acids in water: a metal-free route to the synthesis of furandicarboxylic acid and terephthalic acid
Authors: Hazra Susanta , Deb Mayukh , Elias Anil J.
Published: October 2017

Iodine(iii) catalyzed metal free method for oxidation of alcohols and aldehydes in water.
Enzymatic surface hydrolysis of poly(ethylene furanoate) thin films of various crystallinities
Authors: Weinberger S. , Haernvall K. , Scaini D. , Ghazaryan G. , Zumstein M. T. , Sander M. , Pellis A. , Guebitz G. M.
Published: October 2017

This work reports on the successful production of poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) thin films and a comparison of the enzymatic hydrolysis of PEF and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films with three different crystallinities (0, 10 and 20%).
Array-based detection of isomeric and analogous analytes employing synthetically modified fluorophore attached β-cyclodextrin derivatives
Authors: Chaudhuri Sauradip , DiScenza Dana J. , Smith Benjamin , Yocum Reid , Levine Mindy
Published: October 2017

Improved selectivity and sensitivity using covalent fluorophore–cyclodextrin analogues resulted in 100% successful classification for five classes of analytes.
Effective removal of Pb(ii) using a graphene@ternary oxides composite as an adsorbent in aqueous media
Authors: La Duong Duc , Thi Hoai Phuong Nguyen , Nguyen Tuan Anh , Bhosale Sheshanath V.
Published: October 2017

A one-pot hydrothermal method to prepare a graphene@Fe–Mg–Cu ternary oxide composite and the proposed adsorption mechanism for removal of Pb(ii) ions.
A disc-like Co7 cluster with a solvent dependent catecholase activity
Authors: Ahamad M. Naqi , Sama Farasha , Akhtar Muhammad Nadeem , Chen Yan-Cong , Tong Ming-Liang , Ahmad Musheer , Shahid M. , Hussain Sahid , Khan Kulsum
Published: October 2017

Herein, we report the first example of a new Co7 disc-like cluster with a solvent dependent catecholase activity characterized by spectral, X-ray and magnetic studies.
Ionic liquid-assisted synthesis of Ag/Ag2Te nanocrystals via a hydrothermal route for enhanced photocatalytic performance
Authors: Kumar Neeraj , Sinha Ray Suprakas , Ngila Jane Catherine
Published: October 2017

Herein, Ag2Te and Ag/Ag2Te nanocrystals were synthesised via a hydrothermal method using diphenyl ditelluride as a new tellurium source and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate (BMIA IL) as a structure controlling and conducting coating source.
Identification of pH-dependent synergy on Ru/MoS2 interface: a comparison of alkaline and acidic hydrogen evolution
Authors: Liu Jinlong , Zheng Yao , Zhu Dongdong , Vasileff Anthony , Ling Tao , Qiao Shi-Zhang
Published: October 2017

By comparing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activities of Ru/MoS2/CP in alkaline and acidic solutions, a pH-dependent synergy has been identified on the Ru/MoS2 interface for superior alkaline HER efficiency.
Ternary hybrid nanostructures of Au–CdS–ZnO grown via a solution–liquid–solid route using Au–ZnO catalysts
Authors: Flomin Kobi , Diab Mahmud , Mokari Taleb
Published: October 2017

Au–CdS–ZnO heterostructures with a novel morphology were synthesized by a non-conventional strategy which combines seeded growth with solution–liquid–solid growth.
Substrate-free copper nanoclusters exhibit super diamagnetism and surface based soft ferromagnetism
Authors: Raju Yuvaraja , Krishnamurthi Pattabiraman , Paulose P. L. , Manoharan Periakaruppan T.
Published: October 2017

Experimental evidence of enhanced or giant diamagnetism or superdiamagnetism of Cu9clusters.
Formation of N-sulfonyl imines from iminoiodinanes by iodine-promoted, N-centered radical sulfonamidation of aldehydes
Authors: Hopkins Megan D. , Scott Kristina A. , DeMier Brettany C. , Morgan Heather R. , Macgruder Jesse A. , Lamar Angus A.
Published: October 2017

A light-promoted, non-traditional carbonyl activation via a N-centered radical (NCR) species to produce activated imines using iminoiodinanes is reported.
Photocatalytic activity of Hemin (Fe(iii) porphyrin) anchored BaTiO3under the illumination of visible light: synergetic effects of photosensitization, photo-Fenton & photocatalysis processes
Authors: Gomathi Devi L. , Nithya P. M.
Published: October 2017

The robust photocatalytic efficiency of hemin anchored BaTiO3is due to the synergetic effect among photosensitization, reactive1O2and redox reactions involving Fe2+/Fe3+.
Effect of the relative permittivity of oxides on the performance of triboelectric nanogenerators
Authors: Kim Yeon Joo , Lee Jaejun , Park Sangwon , Park Chanho , Park Cheolmin , Choi Heon-Jin
Published: October 2017

The influence of the relative permittivity of dielectric materials on the performance of TENGs, by controlling the positive plate with various oxide materials, has been demonstrated.
Anti-ulcerogenic effect of KFP-H008 against ethanol-induced gastric ulcerviap38 MAPK/NF-κB pathway
Authors: Su Mei , Li Cheng-yuan , Zhou Lin , Yan Yun-yi , Ao Lu-yao , Wang Guang-ji , Fang Wei-rong , Li Yun-man
Published: October 2017

KFP-H008, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker developed for the treatment of acid-related diseases, has been reported to inhibit gastric acid secretion effectively, while its effects on gastric ulcer have not been previously explored.
Maintaining nanoimprinting-induced face-on alignment in poly(3-hexylthiophene) nanopillars after thermal annealing
Authors: Wang Chao , Wang Kaixuan , Qian Menxiang , Yu Haiming , Ding Guangzhu , Liu Jieping
Published: October 2017

The nanoimprinting-induced face-on alignment in poly(3-hexylthiophene) nanopillars is surprisingly maintained after thermal annealing.
Synthesis and crystal structure of new monometallic Ni(ii) and Co(ii) complexes with an asymmetrical aroylhydrazone: effects of the complexes on DNA/protein binding property, molecular docking, and in vitro anticancer activity
Authors: Li Yueqin , Yang Zhiwei , Zhou Minya , Li Yun
Published: October 2017

Cytotoxic nickel and cobalt complexes containing asymmetrical aroylhydrazone were synthesized and their interactions with HS–DNA and BSA protein were investigated, which was supported by molecular docking studies.
Stereocomplexed physical hydrogels with high strength and tunable crystallizability
Authors: Cao Heqing , Chang Xiaohua , Mao Hailiang , Zhou Jian , Wu Zi Liang , Shan Guorong , Bao Yongzhong , Pan Pengju
Published: October 2017

Novel stereocomplexed physical hydrogels with tunable crystallizability and high strength were prepared. The microstructure, swelling behavior, and mechanical and shape memory properties of the obtained hydrogels can be tailored by varying the copolymer composition and crystallinity of the stereocomplex.
Carbon thin-layer-coated manganese oxide nanocrystals as an effective support for high-performance Pt electrocatalysts stabilized at a metal–metal oxide–carbon triple junction
Authors: Lee Dong-Gyu , Jeong Hwakyeung , Jeon Ki-Wan , Zhang Luojiang , Park Kwanghee , Ryu Sunmin , Kim Jongwon , Lee In Su
Published: October 2017

Carbon thin-layer-coated manganese-oxide nanocrystals as an effective support for high-performance Pt electrocatalysts stabilized at a metal–metal oxide–carbon triple junction.
Unconventional mesoporous single crystalline NiO by synergistically controlled evaporation and hydrolysis
Authors: Wu Hao , Geng Jing , Han Peng , Ge Hongtao , Alenizi Abdullah M. , Zheng Gengfeng
Published: October 2017

Mesoporous single-crystal NiO was synthesized by controlling metal ion hydrolysis and solvent evaporation rates, exhibiting excellent electrochemical activities.
A photo-cleavable polyprodrug-loaded wound dressing with UV-responsive antibacterial property
Authors: Pang Qian , Zheng Xiaowen , Luo Yu , Ma Lie , Gao Changyou
Published: October 2017

A wound dressing with UV-responsive antibacterial property was prepared by loading a photo-cleavable polyprodrug (LHP) into poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium alginate (PVA/SA) wound dressing to overcome the overuse of antibiotics.
A controllable honeycomb-like amorphous cobalt sulfide architecture directly grown on the reduced graphene oxide–poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) composite through electrodeposition for non-enzyme glucose sensing
Authors: Meng Alan , Sheng Liying , Zhao Kun , Li Zhenjiang
Published: October 2017

A facile, controllable two-step electrodeposition route was developed, whereby a honeycomb-like amorphous CoxSy architecture was obtained via direct growth on rGO–PEDOT/GCE as an electrode for glucose detection.
Sensing properties, energy transfer mechanism and tuneable particle size processing of luminescent two-dimensional rare earth coordination networks
Authors: Godoy Agustín A. , Gomez Germán E. , Kaczmarek Anna M. , Van Deun Rik , Furlong Octavio J. , Gándara Felipe , Monge María A. , Bernini María C. , Narda Griselda E.
Published: October 2017

A new family of luminescent 2D coordination networks: energy pathways for sensitization mechanisms and chemical–physical sensing features.
An excellent cyan-emitting orthosilicate phosphor for NUV-pumped white LED application
Authors: Liu Yongfu , Silver Jack , Xie Rong-Jun , Zhang Jiahua , Xu Huawei , Shao Hezhu , Jiang Jun , Jiang Haochuan
Published: October 2017

The Ba9Lu2Si6O24:Ce3+cyan phosphor has excellent luminescence properties and displays promising application in NUV-based white LEDs with high performance.
A pair of conjoined donor–acceptor butterflies as promising solution-processable aggregation-enhanced emission FR/NIR EL emitters
Authors: Xue Shanfeng , Wu Yongjin , Lu Yuansheng , Xu Xin , Sun Qikun , Yang Wenjun
Published: October 2017

The first report on efficient solution-processed FR/NIR AIE/AEE EL materials and devices with light emission at 659 nm and 683 nm, respectively.
Correction: Near-infrared emitting single squaraine dye aggregates with large Stokes shifts
Authors: Paternò G. M. , Moretti L. , Barker A. J. , D'Andrea C. , Luzio A. , Barbero N. , Galliano S. , Barolo C. , Lanzani G. , Scotognella F.
Published: October 2017

Correction for ‘Near-infrared emitting single squaraine dye aggregates with large Stokes shifts’ by G. M. Paternò et al., J. Mater. Chem. C, 2017, 5, 7732–7738.
miR-19a protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis via PTEN/PI3K/p-Akt pathway
Authors: Sun Guochao , Lu Ying , Li Yingxia , Mao Jun , Zhang Jun , Jin Yanling , Li Yan , Sun Yan , Liu Lei , Li Lianhong
Published: October 2017

miRNAs have been implicated in processing of cardiac hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced injury. Recent studies demonstrated that miR-19a might provide a potential cardioprotective effect on myocardial disease. However, the effect of miR-19a in regulating myocardial ischemic injury has not been previously addressed. The present study was to investigate the effect of miR-19a on myocardial ischemic injury and identified the potential molecular mechanisms involved. Using the H/R model of rat cardiomyocytes H9C2 in vitro, we found that miR-19a was in low expression in H9C2 cells after H/R treatment and H/R dramatically decreased cardiomyocyte viability, and increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which were attenuated by co-transfection with miR-19a mimic. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and Western blotting assay revealed that PTEN was a direct target gene of miR-19a, and miR-19a suppressed the expression of PTEN via binding to its 3′-UTR. We further identified that overexpression of miR-19a inhibited the expression of PTEN at the mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, PTEN was highly expressed in H/R H9C2 cells and the apoptosis induced by H/R was associated with the increase in PTEN expression. Importantly, miR-19a mimic significantly increased p-Akt levels under H/R. In conclusion, our findings indicate that miR-19a could protect against H/R-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis by inhibiting PTEN /PI3K/p-Akt signaling pathway.
Compact folded square‐loop antenna for reading near‐field RFID tags in blood sample tracking system
Authors: Lin Y.F. , Liao C.T. , Chen H.M. , Jiang Z.D.
Published: October 2017

A highly compact (25 × 25 × 0.8 mm3) dual‐band folded square‐loop antenna is proposed for reading near‐field RF identification (RFID) tags. The antenna has a strong and uniform magnetic field in the near‐field zone of the square loop. The side length of the square loop (∼λ/16) generates resonant frequencies in two conventional modes (0.5λ and 1.0λ). Experimental interrogation of a small RFID button tag attached to a blood sample collection tube showed that the antenna has a small interrogation zone (15 × 15 mm2), which avoids unnecessary interrogation. Experiments also showed that with an input power of 25 dBm, the antenna can tag at a distance of up to 40 mm, which confirmed its suitability for reading button‐type RFID tags attached to blood sample collection tubes and other specimen containers.
Dual‐band bandpass filter using loop resonator with independently‐tunable passband
Authors: Wangshuxing Ieu , Zhou Dongfang , Zhang Dewei , Han Shuaitao
Published: October 2017

A dual‐band microstrip bandpass filter using the rectangular loop resonator (RLR) is proposed. A microstrip open stub is implemented to perturb modes of the RLR, and the two modes form the low‐frequency passband. The stepped impendence microstrip lines are adopted to excite the RLR and the lines also work as the resonant stubs, i.e. one is 3/4‐wavelength resonance stub and another is full‐wavelength resonance stub. As a result, the second passband is introduced. Furthermore, each passband can be tuned independently through the corresponding resonant paths (parameters), which are discussed in detail. Without the connection stub between stepped impendence microstrip lines and RLR, this dual‐band bandpass filter will degenerate to a dual‐mode single‐band bandpass filter and the corresponding results are also obtained and demonstrated. The measured results agree with the simulated results well.
Compact wideband‐balanced bandpass filter with high‐selectivity and wideband CM suppression
Authors: Shi Jin , Shen Zhidan , Qiang Jun , Cao Qinghua
Published: October 2017

A wideband‐balanced bandpass filter is presented using two half‐wavelength transmission lines, two coupled lines and one‐stepped impedance stub. Compared to the reported wideband‐balanced bandpass filters, the proposed one shows the advantages of small total length, high‐frequency selectivity and wideband common‐mode (CM) suppression. The bandwidth of CM suppression and differential‐mode transmission, and the positions of transmission zeros are controllable by the parameters. One prototype was designed, fabricated and measured with the total length of 2λg (λg is the guided wavelength at the centre frequency f0), 3 dB fractional bandwidth of 61% and 15 dB CM suppression bandwidth of 3.67f0.
Comparative study on various dielectric barriers and their effect on breakdown voltage
Authors: Foruzan Elham , Akmal Amir A.S. , Niayesh Kaveh , Lin Jeremy , Sharma Desh Deepak
Published: October 2017

Non‐pressurised air is extensively used as basic insulation medium in high‐voltage equipment. Unfortunately, an inherent property of air‐insulated design is that the system tends to become physically large. On the other hand, the application of dielectric barriers can increase the breakdown voltage and therefore decrease the size of the equipment. In this study, the impact of dielectric barriers on breakdown voltage enhancement is investigated under both direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac) applied voltages. For this purpose, three kinds of dielectric barriers in two different high‐voltage electrode structures are investigated. In the first structure, several experiments are carried out with four different electrode arrangements, keeping the inter‐electrode gap constant while varying the position of the dielectric barrier between the electrodes. In the second structure, the inter‐electrode gap is varied while the high‐voltage electrode is covered with dielectric materials. The influences of different parameters such as inter‐electrode spacing, electric field non‐uniformity factor, and dielectric materials on the breakdown voltage are investigated for applied 50 Hz ac and dc voltages. In addition, a simulation model to approximately calculate the breakdown voltage is proposed and validated with the experimental results.