bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The changing global landscape of health and disease: addressing challenges and opportunities for sustaining progress towards control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
Authors: Molyneux David H. , Dean Laura , Adekeye Oluwatosin , Stothard J. Russell , Theobald Sally
Published: March 2018

The drive to control neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) has had many successes but to reach defined targets new approaches are required. Over the last decade, NTD control programmes have benefitted from increased resources, and from effective partnerships and long-term pharmaceutical donations. Although the NTD agenda is broader than those diseases of parasitic aetiology there has been a massive up-scaling of the delivery of medicines to some billion people annually. Recipients are often the poorest, with the aspiration that NTD programmes are key to universal health coverage as reflected within the 2030 United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs). To reach elimination targets, the community will need to adapt global events and changing policy environments to ensure programmes are responsive and can sustain progress towards NTD targets. Innovative thinking embedded within regional and national health systems is needed. Policy makers, managers and frontline health workers are the mediators between challenge and change at global and local levels. This paper attempts to address the challenges to end the chronic pandemic of NTDs and achieve the SDG targets. It concludes with a conceptual framework that illustrates the interactions between these key challenges and opportunities and emphasizes the health system as a critical mediator.
Rarely reported, widely distributed, and unexpectedly diverse: molecular characterization of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) infecting bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae:Bombus) in the USA
Authors: Tripodi Amber D. , Strange James P.
Published: March 2018

Mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithida: Mermithidae) parasitize a wide range of both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate hosts, yet are recorded in bumble bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae:Bombus) only six times historically. Little is known about the specific identity of these parasites. In a single-season nationwide survey of internal parasites of 3646 bumble bees, we encountered six additional instances of mermithid parasitism in four bumble bee species and genetically characterized them using two regions of 18S to identify the specific host–parasite relationships. Three samples from the northeastern USA are morphologically and genetically identified asMermis nigrescens, whereas three specimens collected from a single agricultural locality in the southeast USA fell into a clade with currently undescribed species. Nucleotide sequences of the V2–V6 region of 18S from the southeastern specimens were 2.6–3.0% divergent from one another, and 2.2–4.0% dissimilar to the nearest matches to available data. The dearth of available data prohibits positive identification of this parasite and its affinity for specific bumble bee hosts. By doubling the records of mermithid parasitism of bumble bee hosts and providing genetic data, this work will inform future investigations of this rare phenomenon.
Where Swedish polar research began: the Linnaean apostle Anton Rolandson Martin's voyage to Spitsbergen in 1758
Authors: Hagström Jonas
Published: March 2018

In 1758 the renowned Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus sent his student Anton Rolandson Martin to the Arctic on-board a whaler to collect scientific specimens. He became the first Swedish scientist to sail these northern waters and to set foot on Spitsbergen. But what route did the ship take and where exactly did he land? By using a combination of geographical information in Martin's diary together with latitude and wind directions from his meteorological records the ship's voyage has been reconstructed. The whaler set course directly to the west coast of Spitsbergen and then patrolled waters from there to the eastern flank of the ice fields off Greenland. The ship then returned to Spitsbergen as the whaling season drew to an end. Martin got the chance to set foot on land only once and for just two hours. After recent field work at the presumed locality 258 years after Martin's visit, his descriptions of the islets were checked and a first-hand comparison was made between the rock sample Martin brought home and the local bedrock. The author is now confident that the landing took place on Forlandsøyane islands, situated off the southwestern coast of Prins Karls Forland.
Political and legal antecedents of affirmative action: a comparative framework
Authors: Sommer Udi , Asal Victor
Published: March 2018

Much of the literature on affirmative action is normative. Further, in scholarship that takes an empirical approach to examine this topic, the object of inquiry is typically the ramifications of such provisions – most notably the extent to which they foster social transformation. Yet, we know surprisingly little about the antecedents of affirmative action. This work examines what variables systematically predict affirmative action. We focus on the policy feedback literature and compensatory justice frameworks to examine the effects of democracy, modernisation and globalisation on affirmative action programmes. Time-series cross-sectional analyses of data for hundreds of groups from all over the globe for the period 1985–2003 confirm our hypotheses. This is the first work to examine affirmative action programmes in a large-N framework of such scale. We find that such programmes systematically correlate with democracy, modernisation and globalisation.
Being perceptible: Animacy, existentiality and intersubjectivity in constructions with the Finnish verbkuulua‘to be perceptible (through hearing)’
Authors: Peltola Rea
Published: March 2018

This paper deals with the grammatical differences and overlaps between the uses of the Finnishkuuluaas a verb of auditory perceptibility (‘to be audible’) and as a verb of appearance, when employed in negative clauses (‘to be imperceptible (through unspecified sensory input)’). Both meanings entail perceptibility, existentiality and motion from the experienced towards the experiencer. However, they differ significantly in regard to the nature of the motion as well as the degree of animacy of the subject referent. As a verb of auditory perceptibility,kuuluaaccepts mainly inanimate subjects referring to a perceivable sound. As a verb of appearance,kuuluais mostly used with animate subjects. The semantic difference between the two constructions is accounted for in terms of objective and intersubjective meaning construal. The potential movement of a sound towards the experiencer concerns the relationship between the world and the subject of conceptualization, whereas the non-appearance of an animate being is viewed on the level of intersubjective cognitive coordination, with regard to interactional expectations. The results of this study shed light on the complex semantics of perceptibility. The analysis is based on 1,528 occurrences ofkuuluain dialectal and literary data.
Gaps in biodiversity occurrence information may hamper the achievement of international biodiversity targets: insights from a cross-taxon analysis
Authors: GIRARDELLO MARCO , MARTELLOS STEFANO , PARDO ADARA , BERTOLINO SANDRO
Published: March 2018

Species distribution data are critical information sources when it comes to implementing the multiple Aichi Targets set by the international Convention on Biological Diversity. Although there have been international-scale efforts to aggregate distribution data, the magnitudes and locations of the gaps in biodiversity knowledge remain unclear. In this study, we use a large database, including over 200 000 species occurrence records, to identify knowledge gaps in biodiversity inventories for nine animal taxa in a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot. Spatial modelling methods were employed to relate the completeness of inventories to population, road and protected area density. The completeness of faunistic inventories was correlated with the amount of protected areas, roads and population density. Despite more than 200 years of faunistic sampling, knowledge of the distributions of most animal taxa is still limited, especially for invertebrates. As the window of opportunity for achieving Aichi Targets 11 and 19 begins to close, means of filling such knowledge gaps are required. We argue that a combination of quantitative tools and citizen science data collection programmes may help inform conservation decisions.
The Visual Conquest of International Law: Brute Boundaries, the Map, and the Legacy of Cartogenesis
Authors: RAJKOVIC NIKOLAS M.
Published: March 2018

The late critical geographer Brian Harley forewarned that modern cartography had come to control and even ‘imprison’ spatial understandings of the earth. Where does this leave international lawyers when they encounter a quintessential ‘World Map’? Quite bluntly: tied to an inscriptive institution that has embodied the modern legibility and visualization of earth space. When speaking about the global arrangements of economic and political power constituted through law, what emerges, therefore, is the need for an expanded spatial literacy among international lawyers that critically engages the graphic legacy and influence of the geometric map. To enhance that literacy, I reach beyond the doctrinal field to engage a powerful spatial critique that has thus far encompassed scholarship across geography, international relations (IR) and sociology. A critique that took impetus over 20 years ago with John Agnew's assertion that modern social science had become captured by a ‘territorial trap’. The article attempts to enrich that critique with Mark Salter's insight on material power, Marshall McLuhan's emphasis on the medium of communication, and Bruno Latour's critique of cartographic naturalism. Specifically, I introduce the concept of cartogenesis as a way of underlining the deeper legacy and consequence of modern cartography, and specifically how the map medium should be grasped as a historical actant that has inscribed a particular ‘ground map’ of international authority. Lastly, the article looks at how geometric mapping now confronts new inscriptive ordering in the forms of transnational lists and contracts, which assert a growing scale of authority over earth space to an extent not seen since the Mercator Projection was recognized as an overriding geographic model.
100 years on: a re-evaluation of the first discovery of microfauna from Ross Island, Antarctica
Authors: Velasco-Castrillón Alejandro , Hawes Ian , Stevens Mark I.
Published: March 2018

Over a century ago microfaunal diversity was first recorded by James Murray in lakes at Cape Royds, Ross Island, Antarctica. The report stands as the seminal study for today’s biodiversity investigations, and as a baseline to evaluate changes in faunal communities and introductions. In the present study, Cape Royds lakes were revisited and the mitochondrial c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and morphology were used to compare diversity of Rotifera, Tardigrada and Nematoda with the records Murray published in the early 1900s. Cyanobacterial mats and the water column were sampled for microfauna from the five largest lakes using methods described by Murray. Across all five lakes similar patterns were observed for species distribution of all three phyla reported by Murray over 100 years ago. Some changes in species assemblages were identified within and between lakes, but there were no new introductions of named species for the Cape Royds region. Some of the species included by Murray in his monograph have been recently redescribed as Antarctic endemics, but others still retain their original name from the Northern Hemisphere holotypes and are also in need of revision to adequately determine the true endemism for these faunal groups.
Impact of meal fatty acid composition on postprandial lipaemia, vascular function and blood pressure in postmenopausal women
Authors: Rathnayake Kumari M. , Weech Michelle , Jackson Kim G. , Lovegrove Julie A.
Published: March 2018

CVD are the leading cause of death in women globally, with ageing associated with progressive endothelial dysfunction and increased CVD risk. Natural menopause is characterised by raised non-fasting TAG concentrations and impairment of vascular function compared with premenopausal women. However, the mechanisms underlying the increased CVD risk after women have transitioned through the menopause are unclear. Dietary fat is an important modifiable risk factor relating to both postprandial lipaemia and vascular reactivity. Meals rich in SFA and MUFA are often associated with greater postprandial TAG responses compared with those containingn-6 PUFA, but studies comparing their effects on vascular function during the postprandial phase are limited, particularly in postmenopausal women. The present review aimed to evaluate the acute effects of test meals rich in SFA, MUFA andn-6 PUFA on postprandial lipaemia, vascular reactivity and other CVD risk factors in postmenopausal women. The systematic search of the literature identified 778 publications. The impact of fat-rich meals on postprandial lipaemia was reported in seven relevant studies, of which meal fat composition was compared in one study described in three papers. An additional study determined the impact of a high-fat meal on vascular reactivity. Although moderately consistent evidence suggests detrimental effects of high-fat meals on postprandial lipaemia in postmenopausal (than premenopausal) women, there is insufficient evidence to establish the impact of meals of differing fat composition. Furthermore, there is no robust evidence to conclude the effect of meal fatty acids on vascular function or blood pressure. In conclusion, there is an urgent requirement for suitably powered robust randomised controlled trials to investigate the impact of meal fat composition on postprandial novel and established CVD risk markers in postmenopausal women, an understudied population at increased cardiometabolic risk.
THE DEMAND FOR LIQUID ASSETS: EVIDENCE FROM THE MINFLEX LAURENT DEMAND SYSTEM WITH CONDITIONALLY HETEROSKEDASTIC ERRORS
Authors: Chang Dongfeng , Serletis Apostolos
Published: March 2018

We investigate the demand for money and the degree of substitutability among monetary assets in the United States using the generalized Leontief and the Minflex Laurent (ML) models as suggested by Serletis and Shahmoradi (2007). In doing so, we merge the demand systems literature with the recent financial econometrics literature, relaxing the homoskedasticity assumption and instead assuming that the covariance matrix of the errors of flexible demand systems is time-varying. We also pay explicit attention to theoretical regularity, treating the curvature property as a maintained hypothesis. Our findings indicate that only the curvature constrained ML model with a Baba, Engle, Kraft, and Kroner (BEKK) specification for the conditional covariance matrix is able to generate inference consistent with theoretical regularity.
Access to Trade Justice: Fixing NAFTA's Flawed State-to-State Dispute Settlement Process
Authors: LESTER SIMON , MANAK INU , ARPAS ANDREJ
Published: March 2018

Without a properly functioning dispute process, the obligations in a trade agreement may not be worth much. As part of the NAFTA renegotiation, the NAFTA parties should try to fix certain flaws in the NAFTA Chapter 20 dispute settlement process that emerged a few years after NAFTA came into force. Chapter 20 was used regularly in its early years, but usage dropped considerably after panel selection was blocked in a case involving US restrictions on Mexican sugar. In this paper, we examine recent innovations on panel selection in the TPP, CETA, and JEEPA dispute provisions, and draw from those to develop principles that can guide revisions to the NAFTA Chapter 20 panel selection process.
INTRODUCTION: TEXTS, CONTEXTS, AND THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOANALYSIS: FORUM ON DAGMAR HERZOG,COLD WAR FREUD: PSYCHOANALYSIS IN AN AGE OF CATASTROPHE
Authors: ROBCIS CAMILLE
Published: March 2018

The title of Dagmar Herzog's exciting new book,Cold War Freud: Psychoanalysis in an Age of Catastrophes, immediately raises a series of questions. If we understand the Cold War as a particular moment in history ranging from the 1940s to the 1980s, but also as a time of intense politicization, we might wonder about the juxtaposition of “Cold War” and “Freud”—the juxtaposition of history and politics with psychoanalysis. When Freud invented psychoanalysis at the end of the nineteenth century, his primary motivation was to treat individuals in their idiosyncrasy through the “talking cure” and the process of transference with the analyst. In that sense, psychoanalysis, at least as Freud exposed it in his initial case studies, had little to say about collective phenomena such as politics. Furthermore, in his more theoretical writings, one of Freud's explicit goals was to develop a theory of subjectivity that went beyond historical specificity. Of course, social and familial configurations affected the psyche in distinctive ways, but neurosis, psychosis, and perversion were subjectivestructuresrather than historical developments. Freud's main concepts—whether it be the unconscious, the drives, desire, the Oedipus complex—characterized human subjectivity in general. They pointed to the uniqueness of the self as opposed to the animal who was ultimately governed by nature, biology, and instincts. In other words, at first glance, Freudian psychoanalysis was not meant to be historical or political.
Microscopy Today 2007 Salary Survey Results
Authors: Anderson Ron , Foster Barbara
Published: March 2018

Salary Surveys continue to create considerable interest. We still get requests for our 2004 salary survey results to this day. The current survey parallels the format of the 2004 survey, asking the identical questions to facilitate comparisons. The 2007 survey was sent by email to those Microscopy Today subscribers in the United States for whom we had email addresses. Respondents completed the survey on the internet within an eight-day window in mid-May 2007. We needed 350 respondents in order to have results accurate to ± 3%; we had 674 respondents. The survey was anonymous. Thank you to all that participated.
The College of Microscopy — Meeting Rapidly Growing Microscopy Demands
Authors: Brooks Donald A
Published: March 2018

The McCrone Group Inc. recently announced the completion of a 40,000 sq ft addition to house its new College of Microscopy. Since its founding in 1956, The McCrone Group has grown into a multi-faceted organization and now encompasses three main organizations, McCrone Associates - the analytical service and consulting firm; McCrone Microscopes & Accessories - the microscope and instrument sales group; and, the College of Microscopy - the microscopy learning center. The newly completed addition houses the first and only College of Microscopy and offers the largest array of basic and advanced modern microscopy courses and analytical instrumentation within any single educational facility worldwide. At The McCrone Group, we have more than $15 million worth of microscopes and analytical instrumentation and assembled one of the best scientific/administrative teams in the world.
Getting Epoxy Semi-Thin Sections to Stick to Glass Slides
Authors: Ahlstrand Gilbert (Gib)
Published: March 2018

Semi-thin sections don't always want to stick to glass slides, but subbing slides is usually not needed. For sections about 2 μm thick and no larger than 4 mm on a slide, this simple method works well for me:

1) Clean 1x3 inch glass slides with an ethanol rinse, then air dry at room temperature or blow down with a hair dryer. 2) Collect sections on a drop or two of distilled water on the slide, transferred there from the microtome with a clean fine tipped artists brush. Collect about 8-12 sections per drop. 3) Warm the slide beneath the water drop from below using an alcohol lamp, fairly hot, but not to boil, of course. After drying by heating the sections stick quite well. 4) Stain, usually with 0.2 μm filtered toluidine blue, again heating but gently this time, for about a minute, until stain “develops” the section. 5) Rinse that stain off with distilled water from a squirt bottle, even directing the spray right onto the sections to get rid of any precipitate. Dry again gently with flame.

The heating is the trick. There should not be any need for subbing or otherwise treating slides other than cleaning them.
Improved Sectioning of Polymers Using an Oscillating Diamond Knife for Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Harris JD , Vastenhout JS
Published: March 2018

Polymers are viscoelastic materials that can often deform during microtome sectioning. Similar to plastic embedded biological materials, many methods have been developed over the years to not only improve the image contrast of these materials but also to harden the material for improved sectioning during microtomy. Even with these improvements, a common artifact, compression, during the sectioning of this class of materials remains problematic.

Compression is caused by several factors: hardness of the sample, embedding media, wedge angle of the knife, interaction between the diamond and sample surface, section thickness and cutting speed. It has been found that reducing the knife angle from 45º to 35° leads to a reduction in compression. Recent efforts to further reduce the compression of ultra-thin sections have led to the invention of an oscillating diamond knife.
Applications for Automated Particle Analysis
Authors: Anderhalt Robert , Swenson Lara
Published: March 2018

Electron microscopy and x-ray microanalysis are common techniques in many research, development and quality labs (Garratt-Reed and Bell, 2002; Goldstein et al., 2003). As systems become ever more automated, as well as easy to use, new applications for the use of these systems develop and expand. One such application is particle analysis. These “particles” might be small loose fragments that can be applied to a conductive adhesive or a filter, embedded in epoxy and polished, or they can be inclusions within collect an EDS spectrum.
Fly Microdroplets Viewed Big: a Cryo-SEM Approach
Authors: Gorb Stanislav N
Published: March 2018

There are numerous biological surfaces covered with secretory fluids, such as the adhesive pads of insects, sticky trichomes of plants, gustatory drops on plant leaves, lubricating coatings of vertebrate joints, etc. These fluids can be well visualised using light microscopy methods, however it is difficult to obtain detailed high magnification ultrastructural information on the morphology of these small-volume droplets. Conventional SEM preparation methods fail, because of the presence of vacuum and/or the instability of the subject fluid under the electron beam. Part of the problem can be resolved by the use of an Environmental SEM (ESEM) or an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), but the first method is restricted in its resolution and the second method has difficulty with resolving the complex geometry of the substrate and is rather slow for the analysis of these small, fast-evaporating droplets. Moreover, it is desirable in many applications to visualise the fluid behaviour at the contact interface between two surfaces, and this task cannot be resolved via the conventional application of either SEM or AFM methods. Herewith, we describe a Cryo-SEM approach successfully applied for visualisation of droplets of various fluids deposited on a substrate, or located at the interface between two surfaces.
A Simplified Method for Formulation of Epoxy Resin Embedding Media
Authors: Ann Ellis E
Published: March 2018

In a recent paper on the revised formulation of Spurr low viscosity embedding medium with ERL 4221 the importance of maintaining an appropriate anhydride:epoxide (A:E) ratio was discussed. By understanding a few simple concepts about epoxy resin formulations and setting up a formulation table it is possible to create new resin mixtures with good sectioning properties and other desirable properties such as decreased viscosity and increased beam stability.

Before starting a formulation you need to know the molecular weight of the anhydride and the WPE (weight per epoxide equivalent) of the epoxy resin component. The molecular weights and WPEs are usually printed on the bottle or can be obtained from the vendor. An A:E ratio of 0.7:1.0 -1.0:1.0 is used for most biological specimens. Increasing the A:E ratio results in a harder block; decreasing the A:E ratio results in a softer block. Table 1 shows a basic formulation spreadsheet where the molecular weights of the anhydrides and the WPEs of the epoxy resin components can be entered. The A:E ratio is entered under the anhydride for the molar ratio and the molar ratios of the epoxy components are entered under the epoxy components. The calculations are done as shown in each column and row.
Emission Myths #2
Authors: Schamber Fred
Published: March 2018

Most electron microscopists appreciate that proper operation of the source is vital to the operation of the entire instrument. But because the gun involves a complex interplay of phenomena, few of which can be directly observed, some common misconceptions have gained currency — typically these "myths" contain a kernel of truth, but they can also mislead when accepted uncritically. In this series of articles, we explore three areas of common misunderstanding relative to operation of the thermionic {tungsten filament or LaB6) gun. (Field emitters are subject to very different considerations.)
A Simple Preparation Method for Holey Carbon Grids
Authors: Tivol Bill
Published: March 2018

There are two distinct uses for holey carbon grids: for image checking and for support for ultrathin carbon films for cryo- EM. This procedure gives holes that are too large for convenient image checking, but are the appropriate size for support of carbon films. The procedure is divided into making the formvar mixture, dipping the slides and getting the film on the grids.

1) Take 45 mL of chloroform, add 0.2 g of formvar, and shake to dissolve. A small brawn glass jar with a capacity of 100 mL is the best container to use, and the jars from commercial formvar solution are ideal.
Solid-Fuel Use Puts Human Health at Risk
Authors: Witman Sarah
Published: March 2018

Data gaps obscure the full extent of deaths caused by heating homes with wood and other solid fuels.
Studying an antiaromatic polycyclic hydrocarbon adsorbed on different surfaces
Authors: Majzik Zsolt , Pavliček Niko , Vilas-Varela Manuel , Pérez Dolores , Moll Nikolaj , Guitián Enrique , Meyer Gerhard , Peña Diego , Gross Leo
Published: March 2018

Antiaromatic and open-shell molecules are attractive because of their distinct electronic and magnetic behaviour. However, their increased reactivity creates a challenge for probing their properties. Here, we describe the on-surface and in-solution generation and characterisation of a highly reactive antiaromatic molecule: indeno[1,2-b]fluorene (IF). In solution, we generated IF by KI-induced dehalogenation of a dibromo-substituted precursor molecule and found that IF survives for minutes at ambient conditions. Using atom manipulation at low temperatures we generated IF on Cu(111) and on bilayer NaCl. On these surfaces, we characterised IF by bond-order analysis using non-contact atomic force microscopy with CO-functionalised tips and by orbital imaging using scanning tunnelling microscopy. We found that the closed-shell configuration and antiaromatic character predicted for gas-phase IF are preserved on the NaCl film. On Cu(111), we observed significant bond-order reorganisation within the s-indacene moiety because of chemisorption, highlighting the importance of molecule surface interactions on the π-electron distribution.
Molecular basis of binding between the global post-transcriptional regulator CsrA and the T3SS chaperone CesT
Authors: Ye Fei , Yang Fanli , Yu Ruijie , Lin Xi , Qi Jianxun , Chen Zhujun , Cao Yu , Wei Yuquan , Gao George F. , Lu Guangwen
Published: March 2018

The T3SS chaperone CesT is recently shown to interact with the post-transcriptional regulator CsrA to modulate post-attachment signaling in enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. The molecular basis of the CesT/CsrA binding, however, remains elusive. Here, we show that CesT and CsrA both created two ligand binding sites in their homodimers, forming irregular multimeric complexes in solution. Through construction of a recombinant CsrA-dimer (Re-CsrA) that contains a single CesT binding site, the atomic binding features between CesT and CsrA are delineated via the structure of the CesT/Re-CsrA complex. In contrast to a previously reported N-terminally swapped dimer-form, CesT adopts a dimeric architecture with a swapped C-terminal helix for CsrA engagement. In CsrA, CesT binds to a surface patch that extensively overlaps with its mRNA binding site. The binding mode therefore justifies a mechanism of CsrA-modulation by CesT via competitive inhibition of the CsrA/mRNA interactions.
TiO2 photocatalysis for C–C bond formation
Authors: Ma Dongge , Liu Anan , Li Shuhong , Lu Chichong , Chen Chuncheng
Published: March 2018

Synergistic utilization of TiO2-photo-generated holes and electrons is a potential protocol for catalytic C–C bond formation reactions.
High voltage structural evolution and enhanced Na-ion diffusion in P2-Na2/3Ni1/3−xMgxMn2/3O2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) cathodes from diffraction, electrochemical and ab initio studies
Authors: Tapia-Ruiz Nuria , Dose Wesley M. , Sharma Neeraj , Chen Hungru , Heath Jennifer , Somerville James W. , Maitra Urmimala , Islam M. Saiful , Bruce Peter G.
Published: March 2018

A detailed investigation on the effects of Mg substitution (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) in high voltage P2-Na2/3Ni1/3−xMgxMn2/3O2 cathode materials for Na-ion batteries.
Schizophrenia: synthetic strategies and recent advances in drug design
Authors: Azmanova Maria , Pitto-Barry Anaïs , Barry Nicolas P. E.
Published: March 2018

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder. Current and emerging approaches for the treatment of schizophrenia are surveyed.
Design and characterization of ultrastable, biopassive and lubricious cyclic poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline) brushes
Authors: Yan Wenqing , Divandari Mohammad , Rosenboom Jan-Georg , Ramakrishna Shivaprakash N. , Trachsel Lucca , Spencer Nicholas D. , Morgese Giulia , Benetti Edmondo M.
Published: March 2018

Bilayer films featuring cyclic, poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline) brush interfaces display excellent biopassivity, lubrication and long-term stability in chemically harsh aqueous environments.
Heavy metal accumulation and its spatial distribution in agricultural soils: evidence from Hunan province, China
Authors: Li Xuezhen , Zhao Zhongqiu , Yuan Ye , Wang Xiang , Li Xueyan
Published: March 2018

Literature related to heavy metal soil pollution in Hunan province was reviewed and a spatial auto-correlation method applied to reveal the spatial distribution of heavy metal accumulation. The heavy metal content was highest in eastern Hunan.
MiR-19b alleviates MPP+-induced neuronal cytotoxicityviatargeting the HAPLN4/MAPK pathway in SH-SY5Y cells
Authors: Liu Wei , Geng Lijiao , Chen Yong
Published: March 2018

MiR-19b has been reported to be involved in nervous system disease including Parkinson's disease (PD).
Analytical and advanced kinetic models for characterization of chain-growth copolymerization: the state-of-the-art
Authors: Fierens S. K. , Van Steenberge P. H. M. , Reyniers M.-F. , D'hooge D. R. , Marin G. B.
Published: March 2018

A detailed overview is given on the currently developed analytical and advanced kinetic models to calculate the main bulk/solution chain-growth copolymerization characteristics.
Ultra-fast and selective oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde catalyzed by a C-scorpionate Cu(ii) complex
Authors: Duarte Tiago A. G. , Carvalho Ana P. , Martins Luísa M. D. R. S.
Published: March 2018

Ultra-fast, selective and eco-friendly synthesis of benzaldehyde by oxidation of styrene catalyzed by a C-scorpionate Cu(ii) complex.
Cu–Pd bimetallic nanoalloy anchored on a N-rich porous organic polymer for high-performance hydrodeoxygenation of biomass-derived vanillin
Authors: Shit Subhash Chandra , Singuru Ramana , Pollastri Simone , Joseph Boby , Rao Bolla Srinivasa , Lingaiah Nakka , Mondal John
Published: March 2018

A N-rich porous organic polymer-anchored bimetallic Cu–Pd nanoalloy exhibited superior catalytic activity with improved stability for biomass-derived selective hydrodeoxygenation of vanillin.
Human serum albumin stabilizes aqueous silver nanoparticle suspensions and inhibits particle uptake by cells
Authors: Kennedy D. C. , Qian H. , Gies V. , Yang L.
Published: March 2018

Human serum albumin forms a protein corona that stabilizes silver nanoparticles in water better than commercial polymers.
Coagulation of colloidal particles with ferrate(vi)
Authors: Lv Dongyu , Zheng Lei , Zhang Huiqin , Deng Yang
Published: March 2018

Coagulation and chemical oxidation have long been recognized as two major mechanisms of ferrate(vi) (i.e. FeO42−, an oxyanion containing Fe(vi)) in its environmental applications.
Antinutritional factors and hypocholesterolemic effect of wild apricot kernel (Prunus armeniacaL.) as affected by detoxification
Authors: Tanwar Beenu , Modgil Rajni , Goyal Ankit
Published: March 2018

Detoxification treatment substantially reduced antinutritional factors along with the complete removal of hydrocyanic acid from wild (bitter) apricot kernel and improved the hypocholesterolemic effect in male Wistar albino rats.
The effect ofLactobacillus acidophilusandLactobacillus caseion thein vitrobioaccessibility of flaxseed lignans (Linum usitatissimumL.)
Authors: Muñoz O. , Fuentealba C. , Ampuero D. , Figuerola F. , Estévez A. M.
Published: March 2018

L. caseislightly improves the bioaccessibility of SDG for whole flaxseed digestion.
Orienting proteins by nanostructured surfaces: evidence of a curvature-driven geometrical resonance
Authors: Messina Grazia M. L. , Bocchinfuso Gianfranco , Giamblanco Nicoletta , Mazzuca Claudia , Palleschi Antonio , Marletta Giovanni
Published: March 2018

A “geometrical resonance effect” drives protein orientation at nanocurved surfaces, depending on the matching of dimensions and charge distribution.
Assembling silicon quantum dots into wires, networks and rods via metal ion bridges
Authors: Ohata Yuki , Sugimoto Hiroshi , Fujii Minoru
Published: March 2018

Wires, networks and rods of Si quantum dots (QDs) are produced by bridging Si QDs with metal ions and the electrical properties are studied.
A bio-inspired dumbbell-shaped nanochannel with a controllable structure and ionic rectification
Authors: Xiao Kai , Chen Lu , Xie Ganhua , Li Pei , Kong Xiang-Yu , Wen Liping , Jiang Lei
Published: March 2018

By fabricating a structure-tailorable dumbbell-shaped nanochannel, the nanofluidic diode with a wide rectification range from ohmic behavior to a high rectification ratio was achieved.
Opposite-charge repulsive cation and anion pair cooperative organocatalysis in ring-opening polymerization
Authors: Xu Jiaxi , Liu Jingjing , Li Zhenjiang , Xu Songquan , Wang Haixin , Guo Tianfo , Gao Yu , Zhang Lei , Zhang Chan , Guo Kai
Published: March 2018

A new strained ion pair catalysis was proposed in ring-opening polymerization.
Pillar[5]arene-based multifunctional supramolecular hydrogel: multistimuli responsiveness, self-healing, fluorescence sensing, and conductivity
Authors: Chen Jin-Fa , Lin Qi , Yao Hong , Zhang You-Ming , Wei Tai-Bao
Published: March 2018

A pillar[5]arene-based multi-stimuli responsive supramolecular hydrogel has been constructed. This hydrogel not only could ultra-sensitively detect Fe3+ by fluorescence, but it is also an excellent self-healing and conductive material.
A multifunctional composite Fe3O4/MOF/l-cysteine for removal, magnetic solid phase extraction and fluorescence sensing of Cd(ii)
Authors: Fan Lu , Deng Min , Lin Caixue , Xu Chen , Liu Yana , Shi Zhennan , Wang Yingxi , Xu Zushun , Li Ling , He Man
Published: March 2018

Fe3O4/MOF (metal organic framework)/l-cysteine was synthesized and applied for the removal of Cd(ii) from wastewater.
The Yxy colour space parameters as novel signalling tools for digital imaging sensors in the analytical laboratory
Authors: Mohamed Ashraf A. , Shalaby Ahmed A. , Salem Abdelnaby M.
Published: March 2018

Digital imaging devices can be promising, sensitive, and cost-effective chemical sensors for resource-limited settings and locally deprived communities.
Biodegradable copolypeptide hydrogel prodrug accelerates dermal wound regeneration by enhanced angiogenesis and epithelialization
Authors: Chen Anqi , He Huacheng , Ma Guanglong , Li Yi , Jiang Shishuang , Xuan Xuan , Song Yi , Zhang Cuiyun , Xiao Jian , Xu Yunsheng , Wu Jiang , Chen Shengfu
Published: March 2018

Biodegradable hydrogel as a wound dressing and therapeutic prodrug promoting wound regeneration through enhanced angiogenesis and epithelialization.
A correlation study of biological activity and molecular docking of Asp and Glu linked bis-hydrazones of quinazolinones
Authors: Kumara H. K. , Suhas R. , Suyoga Vardhan D. M. , Shobha M. , Channe Gowda D.
Published: March 2018

The present investigation involves the synthesis and spectroscopic and biological activity studies of the bis-hydrazones of quinazolinones derived from aspartic acid and glutamic acid.
A structural dissection of protein–RNA interactions based on different RNA base areas of interfaces
Authors: Hu Wen , Qin Liu , Li Menglong , Pu Xuemei , Guo Yanzhi
Published: March 2018

Qualitative and quantitative measurements of the influence of structure and composition of RNA interfaces on protein–RNA interactions.
Study on the degradation mechanism and pathway of benzene dye intermediate 4-methoxy-2-nitroaniline via multiple methods in Fenton oxidation process
Authors: Guo Ying , Xue Qiang , Cui Kangping , Zhang Jia , Wang Hui , Zhang Huanzhen , Yuan Fang , Chen Honghan
Published: March 2018

Benzene dye intermediate (BDI) 4-methoxy-2-nitroaniline (4M2NA) wastewater has caused significant environmental concern due to its strong toxicity and potential carcinogenic effects.
Molecular modeling studies and in vitro screening of dihydrorugosaflavonoid and its derivatives against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Puranik Ninad V. , Srivastava Pratibha , Swami Sagar , Choudhari Amit , Sarkar Dhiman
Published: March 2018

Novel drug regimens against tuberculosis (TB) are urgently needed and may be developed by targeting essential enzymes of Mtb that sustain the pathogenicity of tuberculosis. Dihydrorugosaflavonoid interacted with the active pocket of MabA and PanK.
Heterogeneous phosphorus-doped WO3−x/nitrogen-doped carbon nanowires with high rate and long life for advanced lithium-ion capacitors
Authors: Xu Juan , Liao Zhenhua , Zhang Jiabao , Gao Biao , Chu Paul K. , Huo Kaifu
Published: March 2018

A high-performance lithium-ion capacitor anode comprising heterogeneous P-WO3−x/NC nanowires with high capacity, high rate and long cycle life is presented.
Themed issue on advances in solid state chemistry and its applications
Authors: Kirk Caroline A. , Morrison Finlay D. , Skakle Jan , Sinclair Derek C. , Irvine John T. S.
Published: March 2018

Guest Editors Caroline Kirk, Finlay Morrison, Jan Skakle, Derek Sinclair and John Irvine introduce this Journal of Materials Chemistry A themed issue on advances in solid state chemistry and its applications, in celebration of Professor Tony West’s 70th birthday.
Photoresponsive fiber scaffolds with a core–sheath nanostructure for regulating cell behaviors
Authors: Nagata Kazuho , Kurebayashi Tetsuya , Imato Keiichi , Takeda Naoya
Published: March 2018

Regulation of cell adhesion on the photoresponsive microfibers fabricated by a core–sheath electrospinning technique stably depositing a nano-layer of the non-spinnable polymer.
Robust adaptive beamforming using iterative variable loaded sample matrix inverse
Authors: Li Xingxing , Wang Dang‐Wei , Ma Xiaoyan , Xiong Zhiming
Published: March 2018

In the presence of steering vector (SV) mismatch, a novel iterative variable loading robust adaptive beamforming approach is presented in a new perspective. The proposed method searches for the desired array SV iteratively based on the relationship between the optimal weight vector and the assumed SV of standard Capon beamformer, which avoids any Lagrange multiplier methodology or the convex optimisation methods in each iteration. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method.
Chain observer for Lipschitz non‐linear systems with long time‐varying delayed measurements
Authors: Targui Boubekeur , Hernández‐González Omar , Astorga‐Zaragoza Carlos‐Manuel , Guerrero‐Sánchez Maria Eusebia
Published: March 2018

The main contribution of this study is to present a chain observer for Lipschitz non‐linear systems when the output measurements are affected by a long known and bounded time‐varying delay. The proposed chain observer is composed by a set of observers with similar algorithms. Each observer estimates the state in a time horizon, while the first observer of the chain estimates the current state. The structure of each observer of the chain is based on the presence of a dynamical term which permits the compensation of the time‐varying delay. The observer gain is computed by solving parameterised linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) which depend on the delay. The less conservative Lipschitz condition allows to manage less restrictive LMI stability conditions, which leads to a more general class of Lipschitz non‐linear systems. A Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional is used to demonstrate that the estimation error converges asymptotically to zero. The performance of the proposed observer is evaluated through numerical examples. The observer exhibits good estimation of the system state, even in the presence of significant delayed measurements.
Hybrid global maximum power point tracking approach for photovoltaic power optimisers
Authors: Başoğlu Mustafa Engin , Çakır Bekir
Published: March 2018

A new hybrid global maximum power point (MPP) tracking (MPPT) method is introduced in this study by using an improved 0.8 VOC model‐based algorithm containing a smart power scanning procedure which is based on the sign of a change of photovoltaic (PV) module power. By courtesy of this procedure, the global MPP is determined effectively and within a small scanning time interval. The effectiveness of the proposed global MPPT algorithm has been validated by experimental studies. One of the buck‐boost converter types, a single‐ended primary inductance converter was implemented in this context. Experimental results show that tracking efficiency in the proposed algorithm is very satisfactory since blind scanning is prevented. Furthermore, it is presented in the experimental results that tracking efficiency is bigger in the proposed shading detection approach by up to 11.29% than the other technique which monitors voltage and current variations. In addition, there are no high software and hardware burdens which make this MPPT algorithm applicable especially in the smart alternating current module, module‐integrated converters, PV power optimisers, and module level distributed MPPT applications.
Method for estimating tropospheric bias in passive detection system
Authors: Liu Zan , Chen Xihong , Liu Jin , Liu Qiang
Published: March 2018

Electromagnetic wave propagated via troposcatter is a valuable candidate for beyond line‐of‐sight detection. To improve the location accuracy of passive detection system based on troposcatter, path delay and angle bias caused by tropospheric refraction effect are estimated through the ray tracing method. As well, the Hopfield model is introduced to overcome ray tracing method's dependence on radiosonde data. Finally, consequences indicate that the Hopfield model can describe the tropospheric refraction better than other models. As well, the ray tracing method improved by the Hopfield model can effectively estimate path delay and angle bias.
Radiation from rapidly rotating oblate neutron stars
Authors: Nättilä J. , Pihajoki P.
Published: March 2018

A theoretical framework for emission originating from rapidly rotating oblate compact objects is described in detail. Using a Hamilton-Jacobi formalism, we show that special relativistic rotational effects such as aberration of angles, Doppler boosting, and time dilatation naturally emerge from the general relativistic treatment of rotating compact objects. We use the Butterworth–Ipser metric expanded up to the second order in rotation and hence include effects of light bending, frame-dragging, and quadrupole deviations on our geodesic calculations. We also give detailed descriptions of the numerical algorithms used and provide an open-source implementation of the numerical framework calledBENDER. As an application, we study spectral line profiles (i.e., smearing kernels) from rapidly rotating oblate neutron stars. We find that in this metric description, the second-order quadrupole effects are not strong enough to produce narrow observable features in the spectral energy distribution for almost any physically realistic parameter combination, and hence, actually detecting them is unlikely. The full width at tenth-maximum and full width at half-maximum of the rotation smearing kernels are also reported for all viewing angles. These can then be used to quantitatively estimate the effects of rotational smearing on the observed spectra. We also calculate accurate pulse profiles and observer skymaps of emission from hot spots on rapidly rotating accreting millisecond pulsars. These allow us to quantify the strength of the pulse fractions one expects to observe from typical fast-spinning millisecond pulsars.
ALMA detection of a tentative nearly edge-on rotating disk around the nearby AGB star R Doradus
Authors: Homan Ward , Danilovich Taissa , Decin Leen , de Koter Alex , Nuth Joseph , Van de Sande Marie
Published: March 2018

A spectral scan of the circumstellar environment of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star R Doradus was taken with ALMA in cycle 2 at frequencies between 335 and 362 GHz and with a spatial resolution of ~150 milliarcseconds. Many molecular lines show a spatial offset between the blue and red shifted emission in the innermost regions of the wind. The position-velocity diagrams of this feature, in combination with previous SPHERE data and theoretical work point towards the presence of a compact differentially rotating disk, orientated nearly edge-on. We model the 28SiO (v = 1,  J = 8 → 7) emission with a disk model. We estimate the disk mass and angular momentum to be 3 × 10−6 M⊙ and 5 × 1040 m2 kg s−1. The latter presents an “angular momentum problem” that may be solved by assuming that the disk is the result of wind-companion interactions with a companion of at least 2.5 earth masses, located at 6 AU, the tentatively determined location of the disk’s inner rim. An isolated clump of emission is detected to the south-east with a velocity that is high compared to the previously determined terminal velocity of the wind. Its position and mean velocity suggest that it may be associated with a companion planet, located at the disk’s inner rim.