bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Light-driven transport of plasmonic nanoparticles on demand
Authors: Rodrigo José A. , Alieva Tatiana
Published: September 2016

Laser traps provide contactless manipulation of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) boosting the development of numerous applications in science and technology. The known trapping configurations allow immobilizing and moving single NPs or assembling them, but they are not suitable for massive optical transport of NPs along arbitrary trajectories. Here, we address this challenging problem and demonstrate that it can be handled by exploiting phase gradients forces to both confine and propel the NPs. The developed optical manipulation tool allows for programmable transport routing of NPs to around, surround or impact on objects in the host environment. An additional advantage is that the proposed confinement mechanism works for off-resonant but also resonant NPs paving the way for transport with simultaneous heating, which is of interest for targeted drug delivery and nanolithography. These findings are highly relevant to many technological applications including micro/nano-fabrication, micro-robotics and biomedicine.
CCT2 Mutations Evoke Leber Congenital Amaurosis due to Chaperone Complex Instability
Authors: Minegishi Yuriko , Sheng XunLun , Yoshitake Kazutoshi , Sergeev Yuri , Iejima Daisuke , Shibagaki Yoshio , Monma Norikazu , Ikeo Kazuho , Furuno Masaaki , Zhuang Wenjun , Liu Yani , Rong Weining , Hattori Seisuke , Iwata Takeshi
Published: September 2016

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a hereditary early-onset retinal dystrophy that is accompanied by severe macular degeneration. In this study, novel compound heterozygous mutations were identified as LCA-causative in chaperonin-containing TCP-1, subunit 2 (CCT2), a gene that encodes the molecular chaperone protein, CCTβ. The zebrafish mutants of CCTβ are known to exhibit the eye phenotype while its mutation and association with human disease have been unknown. The CCT proteins (CCT α-θ) forms ring complex for its chaperon function. The LCA mutants of CCTβ, T400P and R516H, are biochemically instable and the affinity for the adjacent subunit, CCTγ, was affected distinctly in both mutants. The patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), carrying these CCTβ mutants, were less proliferative than the control iPSCs. Decreased proliferation under Cct2 knockdown in 661W cells was significantly rescued by wild-type CCTβ expression. However, the expression of T400P and R516H didn’t exhibit the significant effect. In mouse retina, both CCTβ and CCTγ are expressed in the retinal ganglion cells and connecting cilium of photoreceptor cells. The Cct2 knockdown decreased its major client protein, transducing β1 (Gβ1). Here we report the novel LCA mutations in CCTβ and the impact of chaperon disability by these mutations in cellular biology.
Single-shot laser pulse reconstruction based on self-phase modulated spectra measurements
Authors: Anashkina Elena A. , Ginzburg Vladislav N. , Kochetkov Anton A. , Yakovlev Ivan V. , Kim Arkady V. , Khazanov Efim A.
Published: September 2016

We report a method for ultrashort pulse reconstruction based only on the pulse spectrum and two self-phase modulated (SPM) spectra measured after pulse propagation through thin media with a Kerr nonlinearity. The advantage of this method is that it is a simple and very effective tool for characterization of complex signals. We have developed a new retrieval algorithm that was verified by reconstructing numerically generated fields, such as a complex electric field of double pulses and few-cycle pulses with noises, pedestals and dips down to zero spectral intensity, which is challenging for commonly used techniques. We have also demonstrated a single-shot implementation of the technique for the reconstruction of experimentally obtained pulses. This method can be used for high power laser systems operating in a single-shot mode in the optical, near- and mid-IR spectral ranges. The method is robust, low cost, stable to noise, does not require a priori information and has no ambiguity related to time direction.
Differential human urinary lipid profiles using various lipid-extraction protocols: MALDI-TOF and LIFT-TOF/TOF analyses
Authors: Tipthara Phornpimon , Thongboonkerd Visith
Published: September 2016

Changes in lipid levels/profiles can reflect health status and diseases. Urinary lipidomics, thus, has a great potential in clinical diagnostics/prognostics. Previously, only chloroform and methanol were used for extracting lipids from the urine. The present study aimed to optimize lipid extraction and examine differential lipid classes obtained by various extraction protocols. Urine samples were collected from eight healthy individuals and then pooled. Lipids were extracted by six solvent protocols, including (i) chloroform/methanol (1:1, v/v), (ii) chloroform/methanol (2:1, v/v), (iii) hexane/isopropanol (3:2, v/v), (iv) chloroform, (v) diethyl ether, and (vi) hexane. Lipid profiles of the six extracts were acquired by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) and some lipid classes were verified by LIFT-TOF/TOF MS/MS. The data revealed that phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) could be detected by all six protocols. However, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) were detectable only by protocols (i)–(iv), whereas phosphatidylserine (PS) was detectable only by protocols (iii)–(vi), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was detectable only by protocols (v)–(vi). In summary, we have demonstrated differential lipidome profiles yielded by different extraction protocols. These data can serve as an important source for selection of an appropriate extraction method for further highly focused studies on particular lipid classes in the human urine.
Combined Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Arterial Spin Labeling as Markers of Early Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Wei Xiaobo , Yan Ronghua , Chen Zhaoyu , Weng Ruihui , Liu Xu , Gao Huimin , Xu Xiaofeng , Kang Zhuang , Liu Zhexing , Guo Yan , Liu Zhenhua , Larsen Jan Petter , Wang Jin , Tang Beisha , Hallett Mark , Wang Qing
Published: September 2016

This study aimed to identify a PD-specific MRI pattern using combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) to discriminate patients with early PD from healthy subjects and evaluate disease status. Twenty-one early and 22 mid-late PD patients, and 22 healthy, age/gender-matched controls underwent 3-T MRI with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), fiber number (FN) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurements. We found that compared with healthy subjects, there was a profound reduction in FN passing through the SN in PD. FA in the SN and CBF in the caudate nucleus were inversely correlated with motor dysfunction. A negative correlation was observed between FA in the hippocampus (Hip) and the NMSS-Mood score, whereas CBF in the Hip and the prefrontal cortex(PFC) correlated with declined cognition. Stratified five-fold cross-validation identified FA in the SN(FA-SNAv), CBF in the PFC(CBF-PFCAv) and FA in the parietal white matter(FA-PWMAv), and the combination of these measurements offered relatively high accuracy (AUC 0.975, 90% sensitivity and 100% specificity) in distinguishing those with early PD from healthy subjects. We demonstrate that the decreased FNs through SN in combination with changes in FA-SNAv, CBF-PFCAv and FA-PWMAv values might serve as potential markers of early-stage PD.
Receptor and transporter binding and activity profiles of albiflorin extracted from Radix paeoniae Alba
Authors: Jin Zeng-liang , Gao Nana , Xu Weizhe , Xu Pingxiang , Li Shuaiqi , Zheng Yuan-yuan , Xue Ming
Published: September 2016

Albiflorin, a traditional Chinese herb, is a main component of Radix paeoniae Alba, which has been used for the treatment of depressive disorders since ancient times. However, the mechanism of the antidepressant effect of albiflorin is poorly understood. Thus, we explored the binding profile of albiflorin at neurotransmitter receptors and transporters. We also characterised the in vivo effect of albiflorin on monoaminergic systems by using microanalysis to determine the extracellular levels of serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) in the hypothalamus of freely moving rats administered albiflorin. We found that albiflorin inhibited the uptake of 5-HT and NE and displayed robust binding affinities for the transporters of both neurotransmitters. By contrast, albiflorin (10 μM) showed no significant affinity to a wide array of central nervous system receptors. The results of our in vivo microdialysis studies showed that administration of albiflorin (3.5, 7.0, 14.0 mg/kg) significantly increased extracellular concentrations of 5-HT and NE in the hypothalamus of freely moving rats. Overall, the current study showed that albiflorin is a novel 5-HT and NE reuptake inhibitor with high selectivity.
Histomorphometric and ultrastructural analysis of the tendon-bone interface after rotator cuff repair in a rat model
Authors: Kanazawa Tomonoshin , Gotoh Masafumi , Ohta Keisuke , Honda Hirokazu , Ohzono Hiroki , Shimokobe Hisao , Shiba Naoto , Nakamura Kei-ichiro
Published: September 2016

Successful rotator cuff repair requires biological anchoring of the repaired tendon to the bone. However, the histological structure of the repaired tendon-bone interface differs from that of a normal tendon insertion. We analysed differences between the normal tendon insertion and the repaired tendon-bone interface after surgery in the mechanical properties, histomorphometric analysis and 3-dimensional ultrastructure of the cells using a rat rotator cuff repair model. Twenty-four adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent complete cuff tear and subsequent repair of the supraspinatus tendon. The repaired tendon-bone interface was evaluated at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery. At each time point, shoulders underwent micro-computed tomography scanning and biomechanical testing (N = 6), conventional histology and histomorphometric analysis (N = 6) and ultrastructural analysis with focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope (FIB/SEM) tomography (N = 4). We demonstrated that the cellular distribution between the repaired tendon and bone at 12 weeks after surgery bore similarities to the normal tendon insertion. However, the ultrastructure of the cells at any time point had a different morphology than those of the normal tendon insertion. These morphological differences affect the healing process, partly contributing to re-tearing at the repair site. These results may facilitate future studies of the regeneration of a normal tendon insertion.
Litter input decreased the response of soil organic matter decomposition to warming in two subtropical forest soils
Authors: Wang Qingkui , He Tongxin , Liu Jing
Published: September 2016

Interaction effect of temperature and litter input on SOM decomposition is poor understood, restricting accurate prediction of the dynamics and stocks of soil organic carbon under global warming. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted an incubation experiment by adding 13C labeled leaf-litter into a coniferous forest (CF) soil and a broadleaved forest (BF) soil. In this experiment, response of the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of SOM decomposition to the increase in litter input was investigated. The temperature dependences of priming effect (PE) and soil microbial community were analyzed. The Q10 for CF soil significantly decreased from 2.41 in no-litter treatment to 2.05 in litter-added treatment and for BF soil from 2.14 to 1.82, suggesting that litter addition decreases the Q10. PE in the CF soil was 24.9% at 20 °C and 6.2% at 30 °C, and in the BF soil the PE was 8.8% at 20 °C and −7.0% at 30 °C, suggesting that PE decreases with increasing temperature. Relative PE was positively related to the concentrations of Gram-negative bacterial and fungal PLFAs. This study moves a step forward in understanding warming effect on forest carbon cycling by highlighting interaction effect of litter input and warming on soil carbon cycling.
Tumor suppressor p53 protects mice against Listeria monocytogenes infection
Authors: Wang Shaohui , Liu Pingping , Wei Jianchao , Zhu Zixiang , Shi Zixue , Shao Donghua , Ma Zhiyong
Published: September 2016

Tumor suppressor p53 is involved in regulating immune responses, which contribute to antitumor and antiviral activity. However, whether p53 has anti-bacterial functions remains unclear. Listeria monocytogenes (LM) causes listeriosis in humans and animals and it is a powerful model for studying innate and adaptive immunity. In the present study, we illustrate an important regulatory role of p53 during LM infection. p53 knockout (p53KO) mice were more susceptible to LM infection, which was manifested by a shorter survival time and lower survival rate. p53KO mice showed significant impairments in LM eradication. Knockdown of p53 in RAW264.7 and HeLa cells resulted in increased invasion and intracellular survival of LM. Furthermore, the invasion and intracellular survival of LM was inhibited in p53-overexpressing RAW264.7 and HeLa cells. LM-infected p53KO mice exhibited severe clinical symptoms and organ injury, presumably because of the abnormal production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12 and IL-18. Decreased IFN-γ and GBP1 productions were observed in LM-infected p53-deficient mice or cells. The combination of these defects likely resulted in the overwhelming LM infection in the p53KO mice. These observations indicate that p53 serves as an important regulator of the host innate immune that protects against LM infection.
Genetic and environmental influences on the germination of basidiospores in the Cryptococcus neoformans species complex
Authors: Forsythe Adrian , Vogan Aaron , Xu Jianping
Published: September 2016

In basidiomycetous fungi, the viability of basidiospores is an important component of sexual fitness. However, relatively little is known about the genetic and environmental factors influencing basidiospore germination. In this study, we used human opportunistic yeast pathogens, Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus deneoformans, as models to investigate the potential effects of selected genetic and environmental factors on basidiospore germination. A total of five strains with known genome structure were used to construct six crosses, three of which were between strains within the same species, while the remaining three were hybrid crosses between C. neoformans and C. deneoformans. Offspring from these crosses were incubated on two media (a nutrient-limiting and a nutrient-rich) and three temperatures (23 °C, 30 °C, and 37 °C). In general, spores from intra-specific crosses had greater germination rates than those from inter-specific crosses. Of the two environmental factors, temperature showed a greater influence than nutrient medium, with the 37 °C environment yielding lower germination rates than at 23 °C and 30 °C environments in most crosses. Furthermore, there were notable interaction effects between environmental factors and parental strains or strain pairs on basidiospore germination. We discuss the implications of these results on pathogenesis and speciation in this human fungal pathogen.
Validation of trophic and anthropic underwater noise as settlement trigger in blue mussels
Authors: Jolivet Aurélie , Tremblay Rejean , Olivier Fréderic , Gervaise Cédric , Sonier Rémi , Genard Bertrand , Chauvaud Laurent
Published: September 2016

Like the majority of benthic invertebrates, the blue mussel Mytilus edulis has a bentho-pelagic cycle with its larval settlement being a complex phenomenon involving numerous factors. Among these factors, underwater noise and pelagic trophic conditions have been weakly studied in previous researches. Under laboratory conditions, we tested the hypothesis that picoplankton assimilation by the pediveliger blue mussel larvae acts as a food cue that interacts with anthropic underwater sound to stimulate settlement. We used 13C-labeling microalgae to validate the assimilation of different picoplankton species in the tissues of pediveliger larvae. Our results clearly confirm our hypothesis with a significant synergic effect of these two factors. However, only the picoeukaryotes strains assimilated by larvae stimulated the settlement, whereas the non-ingested picocyanobacteria did not. Similar positive responses were observed with underwater sound characterized by low frequency vessel noises. The combination of both factors (trophic and vessel noise) drastically increased the mussel settlement by an order of 4 compared to the control (without picoplankton and noise). Settlement levels ranged from 16.5 to 67% in 67 h.
Parity and serum lipid levels: a cross-sectional study in chinese female adults
Authors: Lv Haichen , Yang Xiaolei , Zhou Yong , Wu Jing , Liu Henghui , Wang Youxin , Pan Yuanming , Xia Yunlong
Published: September 2016

Reproductive factors have been shown to correlate with lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parity and serum lipid levels in community-based Chinese female adults. A total of 4,217 female participants were enrolled. Parity was recorded according to questionnaire and serum lipid profile, including triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), was measured. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association of parity to serum lipid levels, while adjusting for demographics and metabolic risk factors. Parity in this population ranged from 0 to 7. After adjusting for potential confounders, it indicated that females with more than 2 parities appeared to be less likely to suffer from abnormal serum TC level compared with nulliparae (parity = 2, odds ratio (OR) = 0.457, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.284–0.736; parity ≥ 3, OR = 0.363, 95% CI = 0.202–0.653). These findings suggested that parity could correlate with lipid metabolism in Chinese women. Individuals with higher parity appeared to have a lower total cholesterol in blood.
Hydrothermal etching fabrication of TiO2@graphene hollow structures: mutually independent exposed {001} and {101} facets nanocrystals and its synergistic photocaltalytic effects
Authors: Liu Hui , Liu Shuang , Zhang Zhiling , Dong Xiaonan , Liu Tingting
Published: September 2016

Highly exposed facets TiO2 attracts enormous attention due to its excellent separation effect of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and induced high performance of photocatalytic activity. Herein, a novel hydrothermal etching reaction was used to synthesize graphene-wrapped TiO2 hollow core-shell structures. Different with the reported co-exposed facets TiO2 single crystal nanoparticles, the present TiO2 core layer is composed by the mutually independent exposed {001} and {101} facets nanocrystals. Combined with the reduced graphene oxide shell layer, this graphene-wrapped TiO2 hollow core-shell structures formed a Z-scheme photocatalytic system, which possess simultaneously the high charge-separation efficiency and strong redox ability. Additionally, the as-prepared samples show a higher absorption property for organic molecules and visible light due to the presence of graphene. All of these unique properties ensure the excellent photocatalytic activity for the graphene-wrapped TiO2 hollow structures in the synergistic photo-oxidation of organic molecules and photo-reduced of Cr(VI) process. The TiO2 core composed with mutually independent exposed {001} and {101} facets nanocrystals is propose to play an important role in the fabrication of this Z-scheme photocatalytic system. Fabrication of Z-scheme photocatalytic system based on this unique exposed facets TiO2 nanocrystals will provides a new insight into the design and fabrication of advanced photocatalytic materials.
Metabolomic signatures of drug response phenotypes for ketamine and esketamine in subjects with refractory major depressive disorder: new mechanistic insights for rapid acting antidepressants
Authors: Rotroff D M , Corum D G , Motsinger-Reif A , Fiehn O , Bottrel N , Drevets W C , Singh J , Salvadore G , Kaddurah-Daouk R
Published: September 2016

Ketamine, at sub-anesthetic doses, is reported to rapidly decrease depression symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD). Many patients do not respond to currently available antidepressants, (for example, serotonin reuptake inhibitors), making ketamine and its enantiomer, esketamine, potentially attractive options for treatment-resistant MDD. Although mechanisms by which ketamine/esketamine may produce antidepressant effects have been hypothesized on the basis of preclinical data, the neurobiological correlates of the rapid therapeutic response observed in patients receiving treatment have not been established. Here we use a pharmacometabolomics approach to map global metabolic effects of these compounds in treatment-refractory MDD patients upon 2 h from infusion with ketamine (n=33) or its S-enantiomer, esketamine (n=20). The effects of esketamine on metabolism were retested in the same subjects following a second exposure administered 4 days later. Two complementary metabolomics platforms were used to provide broad biochemical coverage. In addition, we investigated whether changes in particular metabolites correlated with treatment outcome. Both drugs altered metabolites related to tryptophan metabolism (for example, indole-3-acetate and methionine) and/or the urea cycle (for example, citrulline, arginine and ornithine) at 2 h post infusion (q<0.25). In addition, we observed changes in glutamate and circulating phospholipids that were significantly associated with decreases in depression severity. These data provide new insights into the mechanism underlying the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine and esketamine, and constitute some of the first detailed metabolomics mapping for these promising therapies.
White blood cell inflammatory markers are associated with depressive symptoms in a longitudinal study of urban adults
Authors: Beydoun M A , Beydoun H A , Dore G A , Canas J-A , Fanelli-Kuczmarski M T , Evans M K , Zonderman A B
Published: September 2016

Total white blood cell count (TWBCC) and percentage (%) composition of lymphocytes (PL) or neutrophils (PN) are linked to mid- and late-life depression, though sex-specific temporal relationships between those inflammatory markers and depressive symptoms remain unclear. The association between inflammation and depressive symptoms in longitudinal data on ethnically and socioeconomically diverse urban adults was examined with two hypotheses. In hypothesis 1, we examined the relationship between TWBCC, PL and PN with change in level of depressive symptoms from baseline to follow-up, stratifying by sex. In hypothesis 2, we examined reverse causality, by testing the relationship of depressive symptoms with change in TWBCC, PL and PN. Multiple linear mixed-effects regression models were performed to examine both the hypotheses. The sample sizes of participants (n) and repeated observations (n’) were: Hypothesis 1 (n=2009; n’=3501); Hypothesis 2 (n=2081; n’=3560). Among key findings (Hypothesis 1), in women, higher TWBCC was linked to a faster increase in depressive symptom total score (γ1112±s.e.: +0.81±0.28, P=0.003), with a slower increase over time in the positive affect subdomain coupled with faster increases in depressed affect and somatic complaints. Among women, baseline score on somatic complaints was positively associated with low PN (γ01a=+1.61±0.48, P<0.001) and high PL (γ01a=+1.16±0.45, P=0.011), whereas baseline score on positive affect was inversely related to higher PL (γ01a=−0.69±0.28, P=0.017). Results among men indicated that there was a positive cross-sectional relationship between low TWBCC and depressive symptoms, depressed affect and an inverse cross-sectional relationship with positive affect. However, over time, a low TWBCC in men was linked to a higher score on positive affect. There was no evidence of a bi-directional relationship between WBC parameters and depressive symptoms (Hypothesis 2). In sum, TWBCC and related markers were linked to depressive symptoms, mostly among women. Further longitudinal studies are needed to replicate this sex-specific association.
Ruthenium-catalyzed synthesis of tri-substituted 1,3,5-triazines from alcohols and biguanides
Authors: Zeng Ming , Wang Tao , Cui Dong-Mei , Zhang Chen
Published: September 2016

An efficient method for the synthesis of tri-substituted 1,3,5-triazine derivatives based on Ru-catalyzed reaction of alcohols with biguanides is presented.
Role of a nitrogenous bisphosphonate (local delivery) incorporated vitreous coating (with/without polymer) on surgical grade SS316L implant material to improve fixation at the damaged tissue site
Authors: Ray Sayantan , Acharya Rituparna , Saha Suman , Islam Amirul , Dey Sangeeta , Nandi Samit Kumar , Mandal Tapan Kumar , Banerjee Goutam , Chakraborty Jui
Published: September 2016

This study demonstrates the material and biological properties of a unique osteogenic drug eluting (local) coating on load bearing SS316L implant material with a tunable release profile.
Electrochemical sensor for individual and simultaneous determination of guanine and adenine in biological fluids and in DNA based on a nano-In–ceria modified glassy carbon paste electrode
Authors: Ibrahim Hossieny , Temerk Yassien , Farhan Nasser
Published: September 2016

A novel, simple and sensitive electrochemical method for individual and simultaneous determination of guanine and adenine was developed using an In doped ceria nanoparticle modified glassy carbon paste electrode (In–CeO2/GCPE).
Single layer PbI2: hydrogenation-driven reconstructions
Authors: Bacaksiz C. , Sahin H.
Published: September 2016

By performing density functional theory-based calculations, we investigate how a hydrogen atom interacts with the surfaces of monolayer PbI2 and how one- and two-side hydrogenation modifies its structural, electronic, and magnetic properties.
Huang-Lian-Jie-Du decoction treated sepsis via regulating ERK and SRC/STAT3 pathways and ameliorating metabolic status
Authors: Liao Shanting , Li Pei , Wang Junsong , Zhang Qian , Xu Dingqiao , Lv Yan , Yang Minghua , Kong Lingyi
Published: September 2016

LPS disturbed the metabolomic profiles and activated the ERK and SRC/STAT3 signaling pathways of mice, and HLJDD exerted therapeutic effects on sepsis induced by LPS.
Graphyne and graphdiyne: theoretical insight into ground and excited state properties
Authors: Chopra Siddheshwar
Published: September 2016

The ground and excited state properties of the two carbon allotropes, graphyne (C66H18) (gr1) and graphdiyne (C90H18) (gr2), in the form of nanoflakes were studied with the help of density functional theory (DFT) and time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT).
A RAFT copolymerization of NIPAM and HPMA and evaluation of thermo-responsive properties of poly(NIPAM-co-HPMA)
Authors: Luan Bao , Muir Benjamin W. , Zhu Jin , Hao Xiaojuan
Published: September 2016

66 (co)polymers of NIPAM and HPMA with varying MW, composition, and end functionality were synthesized by RAFT polymerization and their thermo-responsive properties were systematically evaluated.
Highly ordered bimolecular crystalline blends for low-noise and high-detectivity polymeric photodiodes
Authors: Sim Kyu Min , Yoon Seongwon , Chung Dae Sung
Published: September 2016

Suppressing noise current while maintaining high quantum efficiency is essential for realizing high-performance photodiodes.
Serelaxin improves the therapeutic efficacy of RXFP1-expressing human amnion epithelial cells in experimental allergic airway disease
Authors: Royce Simon G. , Tominaga Anna M. , Shen Matthew , Patel Krupesh P. , Huuskes Brooke M. , Lim Rebecca , Ricardo Sharon D. , Samuel Chrishan S.
Published: September 2016

Current asthma therapies primarily target airway inflammation (AI) and suppress episodes of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) but fail to treat airway remodelling (AWR), which can develop independently of AI and contribute to irreversible airway obstruction. The present study compared the anti-remodelling and therapeutic efficacy of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to that of human amnion epithelial stem cells (AECs) in the setting of chronic allergic airways disease (AAD), in the absence or presence of an anti-fibrotic (serelaxin; RLX). Female Balb/c mice subjected to the 9-week model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced chronic AAD, were either vehicle-treated (OVA alone) or treated with MSCs or AECs alone [intranasally (i.n.)-administered with 1×106 cells once weekly], RLX alone (i.n.-administered with 0.8 mg/ml daily) or a combination of MSCs or AECs and RLX from weeks 9–11 (n=6/group). Measures of AI, AWR and AHR were then assessed. OVA alone exacerbated AI, epithelial damage/thickness, sub-epithelial extracellular matrix (ECM) and total collagen deposition, markers of collagen turnover and AHR compared with that in saline-treated counterparts (all P<0.01 compared with saline-treated controls). RLX or AECs (but not MSCs) alone normalized epithelial thickness and partially diminished the OVA-induced fibrosis and AHR by ∼40–50% (all P<0.05 compared with OVA alone). Furthermore, the combination treatments normalized epithelial thickness, measures of fibrosis and AHR to that in normal mice, and significantly decreased AI. Although AECs alone demonstrated greater protection against the AAD-induced AI, AWR and AHR, compared with that of MSCs alone, combining RLX with MSCs or AECs reversed airway fibrosis and AHR to an even greater extent.
10 Mbps 0.3 nJ/bit OQPSK transceiver IC for 400–450 MHz medical telemetry
Authors: Jiang Hanjun , Weng Zhaoyang , Li Yang , Dong Jingjing , Rhee Woogeun , Wang Zhihua
Published: September 2016

A 10 Mbps OQPSK transceiver working in the 400–450 MHz frequency range is designed for medical telemetry applications requiring wireless communication with both high data rate and low power consumption. An inverter based phase‐switching transmitter has been proposed to lower the transmitter power consumption. Moreover, a digital‐assisted DC offset calibration (DCOC) technique that combines the PGA‐gain‐uncorrelated DCOC method and a lookup table is adopted to enable an zero‐IF receiver architecture. Fabricated in 65 nm CMOS process, both the transmitter and the receiver consumes ∼3 mW from 1 V supply at 10 Mbps data rate. The transceiver energy efficiency is ∼0.3 nJ/bit, which outperforms the similar designs in recent literature.
Human skin based flexible triboelectric nanogenerator using conductive elastomer and fabric films
Authors: Das P.S. , Park J.Y.
Published: September 2016

A single electrode based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) utilising a human skin as an active triboelectric layer for self‐powered wearable devices and electronics applications is presented. The proposed flexible TENG was fabricated by sandwiching a conductive elastomer and fabric films with polydimethylsiloxane through a simple and cost effective process. The fabricated device exhibited an average open‐circuit voltage and short‐circuit current of 107.2 V/0.32 μA/cm2 and 132 V/0.5 μA/cm2, respectively. With the integration of rectifier circuit, 4.7 μF capacitor was charged using the proposed TENG up to 6.6 V.
NLOS identification and mitigation based on channel state information for indoor WiFi localisation
Authors: Li Xiaohui , Cai Xiong , Hei Yongqiang , Yuan Ruiyang
Published: September 2016

Indoor localisation could benefit greatly from non‐line‐of‐sight (NLOS) identification and mitigation, since the major challenge for WiFi indoor ranging‐based localisation technologies is multipath and NLOS. NLOS identification and mitigation on commodity WiFi devices, however, are challenges due to limited bandwidth and coarse multipath resolution with mere MAC layer received signal strength index. In this study, the authors explore and exploit the finer‐grained PHY layer channel state information (CSI) to identify and mitigate NLOS. Key to the authors’ approach is exploiting several statistical features of CSI, which are proved to be particularly effective. The approaches, NLOS identification support vector machine (NISVM) and related channel information regression model (RCIRM), based on machine learning are proposed to identify NLOS and mitigate NLOS error, respectively. Experiment results in various indoor scenarios with severe interferences demonstrated an overall NLOS identification rate of 94.12% with a false alarm rate of 5.88% and a better mitigation performance.
Scalable multi‐port active‐bridge converters: modelling and optimised control
Authors: Vermulst Bas J.D. , Duarte Jorge L. , Lomonova Elena A. , Wijnands Korneel G.E.
Published: September 2016

This study presents the tools required to create a modular and scalable multi‐port converter structure, suitable for bidirectional power flow. A class of converters is defined based on the active bridge as basic building block. Any number of active bridges can be combined to form a multi‐port converter with any number of ports. For modelling of the converter, a Fourier‐based method is introduced to find an analytical converter model. Moreover, a scalable control method is proposed for these multi‐port converters: power‐balance control. The method uses Newton‐optimisation in order to reduce the circulating currents. Experimental verification on a prototype shows the methods operate as expected.
Dual‐mode LQR‐feedforward optimal control for non‐minimum phase boost converter
Authors: Zhang Mengting , Li Xiuliang , Liu Jia , Su Hongye
Published: September 2016

A digital dual‐mode linear quadratic regulator (LQR) with feedforward optimal controller is presented, which allows voltage control of a boost converter for wide‐load‐range condition, whether in continuous conduction mode (CCM) or in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). Based on the conventional LQR method, the proposed controller is designed and makes the following two improvements. First, in order to eliminate the phase error caused by right‐half‐phase zero emerged in non‐minimum phase boost converter, a feedforward controller is implemented by zero phase error tracking control technique because the inverse of non‐minimum phase system is unstable. Second, since the models of DC–DC converter in CCM or DCM are different, the proposed control strategy allows boost converter to autonomously operate in CCM or DCM controller by utilising a mode detector. The proposed mode detector greatly enhances the control performance in both operating modes. Finally, the proposed controller has been implemented for voltage control of a boost converter. The simulation and experimental results show the proposed controller offers better performance in both transient response and frequency response than the conventional LQR controller.
Providing a “challenge function”: Government social researchers in the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (2010–2015)
Authors: Kattirtzi Michael
Published: September 2016

Recent research in Science and Technology Studies (STS) and related fields has scrutinized UK policy institutions’ governance of technical policy domains, revealing the prevalence of naïve assumptions about citizens’ engagement with science and technology. Government officials are characterized as wedded to institutional commitments and averse to criticism. From that perspective, technical policy issues such as energy and climate change are addressed without the sufficient interrogation of assumptions about citizens. This study, based on an analysis of 15 interviews with civil servants and over 40 documents (including evidence reviews, policy reports, stakeholder publications and parliamentary records), presents a more varied picture within the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) during the years of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government (2010–2015). It focuses on two priority policy areas of the time: the Green Deal and the installation of smart meters in UK homes. It is shown that government social researchers in DECC have aided policy officials to rethink their understandings of citizens. Social researchers have achieved this through their institutionalized commitment to providing an evidence-based “challenge function”. I conclude that policy development on technical topics is more likely to be effective if policy officials engage with social researchers at an early stage, and if social researchers receive senior civil service representation and support. This article is published as part of a collection on scientific advice to governments.
Inverse barocaloric effects in ferroelectric BaTiO3 ceramics
Authors: Stern-Taulats E. , Lloveras P. , Barrio M. , Defay E. , Egilmez M. , Planes A. , Tamarit J.-LI. , Mañosa Ll. , Mathur N. D. , Moya X.
Published: September 2016

We use calorimetry to identify pressure-driven isothermal entropy changes in ceramic samples of the prototypical ferroelectric BaTiO3. Near the structural phase transitions at ∼400 K (cubic-tetragonal) and ∼280 K (tetragonal-orthorhombic), the inverse barocaloric response differs in sign and magnitude from the corresponding conventional electrocaloric response. The differences in sign arise due to the decrease in unit-cell volume on heating through the transitions, whereas the differences in magnitude arise due to the large volumetric thermal expansion on either side of the transitions.
Nonlinear effects on electrophoresis of a charged dielectric nanoparticle in a charged hydrogel medium
Authors: Bhattacharyya S. , De Simanta
Published: September 2016

The impact of the solid polarization of a charged dielectric particle in gel electrophoresis is studied without imposing a weak-field or a thin Debye length assumption. The electric polarization of a dielectric particle due to an external electric field creates a non-uniform surface charge density, which in turn creates a non-uniform Debye layer at the solid-gel interface. The solid polarization of the particle, the polarization of the double layer, and the electro-osmosis of mobile ions within the hydrogel medium create a nonlinear effect on the electrophoresis. We have incorporated those nonlinear effects by considering the electrokinetics governed by the Stokes-Brinkman-Nernst-Planck-Poisson equations. We have computed the governing nonlinear coupled set of equations numerically by adopting a finite volume based iterative algorithm. Our numerical method is tested for accuracy by comparing with several existing results on free-solution electrophoresis as well as results based on the Debye-Hückel approximation. Our computed result shows that the electrophoretic velocity decreases with the rise of the particle dielectric permittivity constant and attains a saturation limit at large values of permittivity. A significant impact of the solid polarization is found in gel electrophoresis compared to the free-solution electrophoresis.
Hysteresis of fluctuation dynamics associated with a fireball in a magnetized glow discharge plasma in a currentless toroidal assembly
Authors: Ghosh Sabuj , Shaw Pankaj Kumar , Saha Debajyoti , Janaki M. S. , Sekar Iyengar A. N.
Published: September 2016

Floating potential fluctuations associated with an anode fireball in a glow discharge plasma in the toroidal vacuum vessel of the SINP tokamak are found to exhibit different kinds of oscillations under the action of vertical magnetic field of different strengths. While increasing the vertical magnetic field, the fluctuations have shown transitions as: chaotic oscillation → inverse homoclinic transition → intermittency → chaotic oscillation. However, on decreasing the magnetic field, the fluctuations are seen to follow: chaotic oscillations → homoclinic transition → chaotic oscillation; that is the intermittent feature is not observed. Fireball dynamics is found to be closely related to the magnetic field applied; results of visual inspection with a high speed camera are in close agreement with the fluctuations, and the fireball dynamics is found to be closely related to the transitions. The statistical properties like skewness, kurtosis, and entropy of the fluctuations are also found to exhibit this hysteresis behaviour.
Amplitude modulation schemes for enhancing acoustically-driven microcentrifugation and micromixing
Authors: Ang Kar M. , Yeo Leslie Y. , Hung Yew M. , Tan Ming K.
Published: September 2016

The ability to drive microcentrifugation for efficient micromixing and particle concentration and separation on a microfluidic platform is critical for a wide range of lab-on-a-chip applications. In this work, we investigate the use of amplitude modulation to enhance the efficiency of the microcentrifugal recirculation flows in surface acoustic wave microfluidic systems, thus concomitantly reducing the power consumption in these devices for a given performance requirement—a crucial step in the development of miniaturized, integrated circuits for true portable functionality. In particular, we show that it is possible to obtain an increase of up to 60% in the acoustic streaming velocity in a microdroplet with kHz order modulation frequencies due to the intensification in Eckart streaming; the streaming velocity is increasing as the modulation index is increased. Additionally, we show that it is possible to exploit this streaming enhancement to effect improvements in the speed of particle concentration by up to 70% and the efficiency of micromixing by 50%, together with a modest decrease in the droplet temperature.
Non-thermal quenched damage phenomena: The application of the mean-field approach for the three-dimensional case
Authors: Abaimov Sergey G. , Akhatov Iskander S.
Published: September 2016

In this study, we apply the mean-field approach to the three-dimensional damage phenomena. The model approximates a solid as a polycrystalline material where grains are assumed isotropic. While the stiffness properties are considered homogeneous, the heterogeneous distribution of grains’ strengths provides the quenched statistical variability generating non-thermal fluctuations in the ensemble. Studying the statistical properties of the fluctuations, we introduce the concept of susceptibility of damage. Its divergence in the vicinity of the point of material failure can be treated as a catastrophe predictor. In accordance with this criterion, we find that damage growth in reality is much faster than it could be expected from intuitive engineering considerations. Also, we consider avalanches of grain failures and find that due to the slowing down effect the characteristic time of the relaxation processes diverges in the vicinity of the point of material failure.
Spinifex–mallee revegetation: implications for restoration after mineral-sands mining in the Murray–Darling Basin
Authors: Sluiter Ian R. K. , Schweitzer Andrew , Mac Nally Ralph
Published: September 2016

Mineral-sands mining in the semiarid and arid zone of south-eastern Australia is now a widespread disturbance that may adversely affect large areas of remnant vegetation, including mallee (Eucalyptus spp.) with hummock grass or spinifex (Triodia scariosa) understorey. No broad-scale restoration projects have been undertaken to revegetate mallee Eucalyptus species with spinifex. We report on the survivorship and relative importance (spatial coverage) of hand-planted tubestock 10 years after establishment in 2001, which included mallee Eucalyptus, Triodia scariosa, Acacia spp. and Hakea spp. These taxa are the dominant plants in a semiarid dune–swale system on a former mineral-sands mine licence area in semiarid, north-western Victoria. Mean survivorship of tubestock was 0.58 ± 0.04. Spinifex (Triodia scariosa), needlewood (Hakea) and several mallee species (Eucalyptus spp.) survived substantially better than the average of all tubestock-planted species, although Acacia spp. had low survivorships. Although the plantings were undertaken in the early stages of the most severe drought in the instrumental record (the ‘Millennium drought’), several taxa survived well and species such as spinifex established and developed ground coverage greater than the benchmark values for the ecological vegetation class of the location. We conclude that hand-planting of tubestock can achieve restoration objectives for this component of spinifex–mallee vegetation, even under extremely arduous conditions associated with long-term drought. We also herald the importance of taking a long-term view to the assessment of revegetation success, in this case 10 years.
Mechanical approach to chemical transport
Authors: Kocherginsky Nikolai , Gruebele Martin
Published: September 2016

Significance

It is useful to have a systematic and simple framework to describe transport and equilibrium in chemical systems. Here, we present a general Lagrangian-based approach to describe transport phenomena, while remaining consistent with chemical thermodynamics. Although we neglect heat flow independent of transport, the ease with which transport and equilibrium relations can be derived for any type of driving factors (electromagnetic, thermal, pressure, surface tension, etc.) should make this approach useful in physics, chemistry, biophysics, engineering, and even economics and social sciences.
Direct brain recordings reveal hippocampal rhythm underpinnings of language processing
Authors: Piai Vitória , Anderson Kristopher L. , Lin Jack J. , Dewar Callum , Parvizi Josef , Dronkers Nina F. , Knight Robert T.
Published: September 2016

Significance

Language is viewed as a predominantly perisylvian function typically studied in isolation from memory. We demonstrate that the same neuronal computations used by the hippocampus for memory function also subserve online language usage. Our findings specify that the hippocampal complex contributes to language in an active fashion, relating incoming words to stored semantic knowledge, a necessary process in the generation of sentence meaning. These findings represent a major step in integrating the studies of language and memory, significantly expanding the role of hippocampal theta oscillations and adding hippocampal structures to the neural network supporting language.
Ultradonut topology of the nuclear envelope
Authors: Torbati Mehdi , Lele Tanmay P. , Agrawal Ashutosh
Published: September 2016

Significance

Lipid membranes exhibit a variety of morphologies tailored to perform specific functions of cells and their organelles. A unique lipid structure is the nuclear envelope which houses the genome and plays a vital role in genome organization and signaling pathways. The nuclear envelope is composed of two fused membranes with thousands of toroid-shaped pores with extremely high curvatures, the origin of which remains an open question in biology. Here, we show that the architecture of this “ultradonut” may be generated by nanoscale buckling instabilities triggered by membrane stresses during nuclei growth. Our findings may help understand the impact of membrane mechanics on the geometry and the functionality of the nucleus and more generally, other double-membrane organelles in cells.
Spin and valence dependence of iron partitioning in Earth’s deep mantle
Authors: Piet Hélène , Badro James , Nabiei Farhang , Dennenwaldt Teresa , Shim Sang-Heon , Cantoni Marco , Hébert Cécile , Gillet Philippe
Published: September 2016

Significance

We studied high-pressure and high-temperature phase equilibria using state-of-the-art microanalytical techniques to measure iron partitioning and valence in iron-bearing lower-mantle rocks. Our data allow us to reconcile the discrepancies observed in previous reports, and to propose a comprehensive model of the evolution of iron partitioning in the lower mantle. We reveal an intricate interplay between spin and valence states. Our results suggest a mineral physics basis for rheological variations in the deep lower mantle as a process for stabilizing large thermochemical piles and large low-shear-velocity provinces.