bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression profiling of the bloom-forming cyanobacterium Nodularia CCY9414 under light and oxidative stress conditions
Authors: Kopf Matthias , Möke Fred , Bauwe Hermann , Hess Wolfgang R , Hagemann Martin
Published: February 2015

Massive blooms of toxic cyanobacteria frequently occur in the central Baltic Sea during the summer. In the surface scum, cyanobacterial cells are exposed to high light (HL) intensity, high oxygen partial pressure and other stresses. To mimic these conditions, cultures of Nodularia spumigena CCY9414, which is a strain isolated from a cyanobacterial summer bloom in the Baltic Sea, were incubated at a HL intensity of 1200 μmol photons m−2 s−1 or a combination of HL and increased oxygen partial pressure. Using differential RNA sequencing, we compared the global primary transcriptomes of control and stressed cells. The combination of oxidative and light stresses induced the expression of twofold more genes compared with HL stress alone. In addition to the induction of known stress-responsive genes, such as psbA, ocp and sodB, Nodularia cells activated the expression of genes coding for many previously unknown light- and oxidative stress-related proteins. In addition, the expression of non-protein-coding RNAs was found to be stimulated by these stresses. Among them was an antisense RNA to the phycocyanin-encoding mRNA cpcBAC and the trans-encoded regulator of photosystem I, PsrR1. The large genome capacity allowed Nodularia to harbor more copies of stress-relevant genes such as psbA and small chlorophyll-binding protein genes, combined with the coordinated induction of these and many additional genes for stress acclimation. Our data provide a first insight on how N. spumigena became adapted to conditions relevant for a cyanobacterial bloom in the Baltic Sea.
Insights into the Role of Substrates on the Interaction between Cytochrome b5 and Cytochrome P450 2B4 by NMR
Authors: Zhang Meng , Le Clair Stéphanie V. , Huang Rui , Ahuja Shivani , Im Sang-Choul , Waskell Lucy , Ramamoorthy Ayyalusamy
Published: February 2015

Mammalian cytochrome b5 (cyt b5) is a membrane-bound protein capable of donating an electron to cytochrome P450 (P450) in the P450 catalytic cycle. The interaction between cyt b5 and P450 has been reported to be affected by the substrates of P450; however, the mechanism of substrate modulation on the cyt b5-P450 complex formation is still unknown. In this study, the complexes between full-length rabbit cyt b5 and full-length substrate-free/substrate-bound cytochrome P450 2B4 (CYP2B4) are investigated using NMR techniques. Our findings reveal that the population of complexes is ionic strength dependent, implying the importance of electrostatic interactions in the complex formation process. The observation that the cyt b5-substrate-bound CYP2B4 complex shows a weaker dependence on ionic strength than the cyt b5-substrate-free CYP2B4 complex suggests the presence of a larger fraction of steoreospecific complexes when CYP2B4 is substrate-bound. These results suggest that a CYP2B4 substrate likely promotes specific interactions between cyt b5 and CYP2B4. Residues D65, V66, T70, D71 and A72 are found to be involved in specific interactions between the two proteins due to their weak response to ionic strength change. These findings provide insights into the mechanism underlying substrate modulation on the cyt b5-P450 complexation process.
Thickness-dependent SERS activities of gold nanosheets controllably synthesized via photochemical reduction in lamellar liquid crystals
Authors: Zhou Man , Lin Ming , Chen Lie , Wang Yongzheng , Guo Xiangke , Peng Luming , Guo Xuefeng , Ding Weiping
Published: February 2015

Gold nanosheets with well-tuned thicknesses were synthesized by a facile photochemical reduction method, and exhibited remarkable thickness-dependent SERS activities.
Synthesis, structures, and theoretical investigation of three polyoxomolybdate-based compounds: self-assembly, fragment analysis, orbital interaction, and formation mechanism
Authors: Tong Yi-Ping , Luo Guo-Tian , Zhen Jin , Shen You , Lin Yan-Wen
Published: February 2015

Three [Mo8O26]4− and [(SiO4)(Mo12O36)]4−-based polyoxoanion compounds were synthesized, together with fragment and orbital interaction analyses to explain the self-assembling mechanism of the polyoxoanions.
Robustness of thioamide dimer synthon, carbon bonding and thioamide–thioamide stacking in ferrocene-based thiosemicarbazones
Authors: Jawaria Rifat , Hussain Mazhar , Shafiq Zahid , Ahmad Hafiz Badaruddin , Tahir Muhammad Nawaz , Shad Hazoor Ahmad , Naseer Muhammad Moazzam
Published: February 2015

The role of thioureas in crystal engineering as robust supramolecular synthons is now recognized, but their analogs, namely thiosemicarbazones/N-iminothioureas, have not received the attention they deserve.
Quantifying non-Markovianity for a chromophore–qubit pair in a super-Ohmic bath
Authors: Liu Jing , Sun Kewei , Wang Xiaoguang , Zhao Yang
Published: February 2015

An approach based on a non-Markovian time-convolutionless polaron master equation is used to probe the quantum dynamics of a chromophore–qubit pair in a super-Ohmic bath and to quantify its non-markovianity.
Intramolecular charge transfer character in tetrathiafulvalene-annulated porphyrinoids: effects of core modification and protonation
Authors: Bolligarla Ramababu , Ishida Masatoshi , Shetti Vijayendra S. , Yamasumi Kazuhisa , Furuta Hiroyuki , Lee Chang-Hee
Published: February 2015

The effect of the core modification and protonation on the intramolecular charge transfer phenomenon was studied in the core-modified families of TTF-annulated porphyrinoids.
Structures, electronic properties and stability phase diagrams for copper(i/ii) bromide surfaces
Authors: Altarawneh Mohammednoor , Marashdeh Ali , Dlugogorski Bogdan Z.
Published: February 2015

This study presents a comprehensive periodic slab DFT investigation into structures, electronic properties and thermodynamic stability of all plausible terminations of CuBr and CuBr2surfaces. We find that surfaces terminated with negatively charged bromine atoms tend to be more stable if they are accompanied by significant relaxation.
Monte Carlo simulation and SAFT modeling study of the solvation thermodynamics of dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, ethanol and 1-propanol in the ionic liquid trimethylbutylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide
Authors: Vahid A. , Maginn E. J.
Published: February 2015

Molecular simulations and equation of state modelling enable accurate prediction of solute–ionic liquid mixing thermodynamics.
Mechanistic insight into water-modulated cycloisomerization of enynyl esters using an Au(i) catalyst
Authors: Liu Yuxia , Yang Xu , Liu Lingjun , Wang Hongliang , Bi Siwei
Published: February 2015

The Au(i)-catalyzed cycloisomerization reactions of 1,6-enylnyl ester are theoretically investigated to rationalize the observed product divergences by modulating H2O participation.
Cell culture on microfabricated one-dimensional polymeric structures for bio-actuator and bio-bot applications
Authors: Anand Sandeep V. , Yakut Ali M. , Saif M. Taher A.
Published: February 2015

Here, we present the development, characterization and quantification of a novel 1D/2D like polymeric platform for cell culture.
Ligand- and Brønsted acid/base-switchable reaction pathways in gold(i)-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of allenoic acids
Authors: Handa Sachin , Subramanium Sri S. , Ruch Aaron A. , Tanski Joseph M. , Slaughter LeGrande M.
Published: February 2015

Competing gold-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of γ-allenoic acids are optimized through ligand and Brønsted acid/base effects, affording three distinct classes of lactones.
Effect of pore geometries on the catalytic properties of NiO–Al2O3catalysts in CO2reforming of methane
Authors: Huang Xin , Sun Nannan , Xue Guangxin , Wang Changzhen , Zhan Haijuan , Zhao Ning , Xiao Fukui , Wei Wei , Sun Yuhan
Published: February 2015

Mesoporous NiO–Al2O3catalysts were prepared by an evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) method, during which the amount of HNO3added in the precursor solution was varied.
Doping activated carbon incorporated composite MIL-101 using lithium: impact on hydrogen uptake
Authors: Karikkethu Prabhakaran Prasanth , Deschamps Johnny
Published: February 2015

Enhancement of hydrogen storage capacity in composite MIL-101 by lithium ion doping.
One hydrogen bond does not a separation make, or does it? Resolution of amines by diacetoneketogulonic acid
Authors: Báthori Nikoletta B. , Nassimbeni Luigi R. , van de Streek Jacco
Published: February 2015

The chiral selectivity of diacetoneketogulonic acid (DAG) towards primary amines was rationalized.
Radical aminooxygenation of alkenes with N-fluoro-benzenesulfonimide (NFSI) and TEMPONa
Authors: Li Yi , Hartmann Marcel , Daniliuc Constantin Gabriel , Studer Armido
Published: February 2015

Reaction of various alkenes with N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) and TEMPONa provides aminooxygenation products in moderate to good yields.
Synthesis, molecular and electronic structure, and reactions of a Zn–Hg–Zn bonded complex
Authors: Blake Matthew P. , Kaltsoyannis Nikolas , Mountford Philip
Published: February 2015

Reaction of (Ar′NacNac)ZnI with K/Hg gave {(Ar′NacNac)Zn}2Hg (1), the first example of a bond between two different Group 12 metals. DFT and QTAIM analyses suggest a formal Zn(i)–Hg(0)–Zn(i) linkage;1reacts with I2, FpI or Fp2to give products of the type (Ar′NacNac)ZnX (X = I or Fp; Fp = CpFe(CO)2).
A label-free electrochemical strategy for highly sensitive methyltransferase activity assays
Authors: Zhou Jiawan , Zhang Xiaohua , Xiong Erhu , Yu Peng , Chen Jinhua
Published: February 2015

A label-free strategy for evaluation of DNA methyltransferase activity was developed based on electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid by graphene.
An in situ vapour phase hydrothermal surface doping approach for fabrication of high performance Co3O4 electrocatalysts with an exceptionally high S-doped active surface
Authors: Tan Zhijin , Liu Porun , Zhang Haimin , Wang Yun , Al-Mamun Mohammad , Yang Hua Gui , Wang Dan , Tang Zhiyong , Zhao Huijun
Published: February 2015

A vapour phase hydrothermal doping approach is developed to fabricate highly S-doped Co3O4 nanosheets as electrocatalysts for triiodide reduction in DSSCs.
Complex transition metal hydrides incorporating ionic hydrogen: thermal decomposition pathway of Na2Mg2FeH8and Na2Mg2RuH8
Authors: Humphries Terry D. , Matsuo Motoaki , Li Guanqiao , Orimo Shin-ichi
Published: February 2015

The optimised syntheses of Na2Mg2FeH8and Na2Mg2RuH8are reported and their thermal decomposition pathways established. The enthalpy and entropy of each decomposition step has been determined by PCI measurements.
Matrix site effects on vibrational frequencies of HXeCCH, HXeBr, and HXeI: a hybrid quantum-classical simulation
Authors: Niimi Keisuke , Taketsugu Tetsuya , Nakayama Akira
Published: February 2015

Vibrational spectroscopic simulation for HXeCCH, HXeBr, and HXeI in noble-gas matrices.
Heterobimetallic metallation studies of N,N-dimethylphenylethylamine (DMPEA): benzylic C–H bond cleavage/dimethylamino capture or intact DMPEA complex
Authors: Kennedy Alan R. , Mulvey Robert E. , Ramsay Donna L. , Robertson Stuart D.
Published: February 2015

The cleave and capture capacity of various bimetallic amido–alkyl mixtures is illustrated through reaction with the deprotonation sensitiveN,N-dimethylphenylethylamine.
Three-dimensional heterogeneous assembly of coded microgels using an untethered mobile microgripper
Authors: Chung Su Eun , Dong Xiaoguang , Sitti Metin
Published: February 2015

Three-dimensional heterogeneous assembly of coded microgels in enclosed aquatic environments is demonstrated using a remotely actuated and controlled magnetic microgripper by a customized electromagnetic coil system.
Bi- to tetravalent glycoclusters presenting GlcNAc/GalNAc as inhibitors: from plant agglutinins to human macrophage galactose-type lectin (CD301) and galectins
Authors: André Sabine , O'Sullivan Shane , Koller Christiane , Murphy Paul V. , Gabius Hans-Joachim
Published: February 2015

The trimeric C-type lectin MGL is involved in activating immune defence and virus uptake, thus becoming a target for inhibitor design. A tetravalent cluster with α-S-GalNAc proved to be effective in the nM range.
An ‘all in one’ approach for simultaneous chemotherapeutic, photothermal and magnetic hyperthermia mediated by hybrid magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Balasubramanian Sivakumar , Ravindran Girija Aswathy , Nagaoka Yutaka , Fukuda Takahiro , Iwai Seiki , Kizhikkilot Venugopal , Kato Kazunori , Maekawa Toru , Dasappan Nair Sakthikumar
Published: February 2015

Trimodal (chemo-photothermal and MHT) lethality imparted by triple targeted dual drug loaded hybrid MNPs.
Highly efficient, stable and reproducible CdSe-sensitized solar cells using copper sulfide as counter electrodes
Authors: Zhang Hua , Bao Huili , Zhong Xinhua
Published: February 2015

An efficiency of 6.28%, high stability and reproducibility for CdSe sensitized solar cells have been obtained using CuxS as counter electrodes.
Hydrophilic patterning of superhydrophobic surfaces by atmospheric‐pressure plasma jet
Authors: Chen Faze , Xu Wenji , Lu Yao , Song Jinlong , Huang Shuai , Wang Long , Parkin Ivan P. , Liu Xin
Published: February 2015

An atmospheric‐pressure plasma jet (APPJ) has been developed to fabricate hydrophilic patterns on superhydrophobic surfaces. The surface morphologies, chemical compositions and wettability were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier‐transform infrared spectrophotometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angle measurement. The results show that the superhydrophobic areas exposed to the APPJ could be completely converted to superhydrophilic without changing the macro and microsurface morphologies. The transition from superhydrophobicity to superhydrophilicity is because of the decrease of hydrophobic fluorine‐containing functional groups and the increase of the hydrophilic oxygen‐containing functional groups. Combined with scanning and mask technology, complex and large‐area wettability contrast patterns can be easily fabricated on various superhydrophobic substrates by the APPJ treatment. Additionally, the retention of intrinsic microstructures enables the surface to recover superhydrophobicity only by using surface fluorination. This results in a rapid reversible transition between superhydrophilicity and superhydrophobicity.
Robustness of n-GaAs carrier spin properties to 5 MeV proton irradiation
Authors: Pursley Brennan C. , Song X. , Torres-Isea R. O. , Bokari E. A. , Kayani A. , Sih V.
Published: February 2015

Modern electronic devices utilize charge to transmit and store information. This leaves the information susceptible to external influences, such as radiation, that can introduce short timescale charge fluctuations and, long term, degrade electronic properties. Encoding information as spin polarizations offers an attractive alternative to electronic logic that should be robust to randomly polarized transient radiation effects. As a preliminary step towards radiation-resistant spintronic devices, we measure the spin properties of n-GaAs as a function of radiation fluence using time-resolved Kerr rotation and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Our results show a modest to negligible change in the long-term electron spin properties up to a fluence of 1 × 1014 (5 MeV protons)/cm2, even as the luminescence decreases by two orders of magnitude.
High-pressure study of Ti50Ni25Fe25 powder produced by mechanical alloying
Authors: Ferreira A. S. , Rovani P. R. , de Lima J. C. , Pereira A. S.
Published: February 2015

A nanostructured Ti50Ni25Fe25 phase (B2) was formed by mechanical alloying and its structural stability was studied as a function of pressure. The changes were followed by X-ray diffraction. The B2 phase was observed up to 7 GPa; for larger pressures, the B2 phase transformed into a trigonal/hexagonal phase (B19) that was observed up to the highest pressure used (18 GPa). Besides B2 and B19, elemental Ni or a SS-(Fe,Ni) and FeNi3 were observed. With decompression, the B2 phase was recovered. Using in situ angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction patterns, the single line method was applied to obtain the apparent crystallite size and the microstrain for both the B2 and the B19 phases as a function of the applied pressure. Values of the bulk modulus for the B2, B19, elemental Ni or SS-(Fe,Ni) and FeNi3 phases were obtained by fitting the pressure dependence of the volume to a Birch–Murnaghan equation of state (BMEOS).
Strain-induced modulation of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Ta/CoFeB/MgO structures investigated by ferromagnetic resonance
Authors: Yu Guoqiang , Wang Zhenxing , Abolfath-Beygi Maryam , He Congli , Li Xiang , Wong Kin L. , Nordeen Paul , Wu Hao , Carman Gregory P. , Han Xiufeng , Alhomoudi Ibrahim A. , Amiri Pedram Khalili , Wang Kang L.
Published: February 2015

We demonstrate strain-induced modulation of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in (001)-oriented [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3](1−x)-[PbTiO3]x (PMN-PT) substrate/Ta/CoFeB/MgO/Ta structures using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). An in-plane biaxial strain is produced by applying voltage between the two surfaces of the PMN-PT substrate, and is transferred to the ferromagnetic CoFeB layer, which results in tuning of the PMA of the CoFeB layer. The strain-induced change in PMA is quantitatively extracted from the experimental FMR spectra. It is shown that both first and second-order anisotropy terms are affected by the electric field, and that they have opposite voltage dependencies. A very large value of the voltage-induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy modulation of ∼7000 fJ/V·m is obtained through this strain-mediated coupling. Using this FMR technique, the magnetostriction coefficient λ is extracted for the ultrathin 1.1 nm Co20Fe60B20 layer, and is found to be 3.7 × 10−5, which is approximately 4 times larger than the previously reported values for CoFeB films thicker than 5 nm. In addition, the effect of strain on the effective damping constant (αeff) is also studied and no obvious modulation of the αeff is observed. The results are relevant to the development of CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions for memory applications.
Preliminary investigation of an improved metal-dielectric cathode for magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator
Authors: Zhang Xiaoping , Dang Fangchao , Zhang Jun , Fan Yuwei , Li Zhiqiang
Published: February 2015

In order to explore the cathode with good repetition quality for the magnetically insulated transmission line oscillators, an improved metal-dielectric cathode is proposed and investigated experimentally. The cathode is designed to be step-like shape, and thin copper plated boards are periodically and compactly arrayed on the surface of the cathode base, which ensures the uniformity of the electrons emitted from the cusps of the copper plated boards. According to the numerical simulation results, the step-like shape is beneficial to convert the kinetic energy of the magnetic insulating current partially and enhance the beam-wave interaction efficiency. Finally, a preliminary experiment of an L-band magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator (MILO) with the improved metal-dielectric cathode is carried out. A high power microwave (HPM) with an average power of 1.95 GW is generated from the MILO, with an efficiency of 13.5%. Under the same experiment condition, the output power and main frequency with the presented cathode are almost the same to those with the velvet cathode. Apart from that, metal-dielectric cathode has the merits of small outgassing and long lifetime, and all of these make the improved metal-dielectric cathode significantly promising for the MILO repetition operation.
Spectral shape deformation in inverse spin Hall voltage in Y3Fe5O12|Pt bilayers at high microwave power levels
Authors: Lustikova J. , Shiomi Y. , Handa Y. , Saitoh E.
Published: February 2015

We report on the deformation of microwave absorption spectra and of the inverse spin Hall voltage signals in thin film bilayers of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and platinum at high microwave power levels in a 9.45-GHz TE011 cavity. As the microwave power increases from 0.15 to 200 mW, the resonance field shifts to higher values, and the initially Lorentzian spectra of the microwave absorption intensity as well as the inverse spin Hall voltage signals become asymmetric. The contributions from opening of the magnetization precession cone and heating of YIG cannot well reproduce the data. Control measurements of inverse spin Hall voltages on thin-film YIG|Pt systems with a range of line widths underscore the role of spin-wave excitations in spectral deformation.
Biomimetics of fetal alveolar flow phenomena using microfluidics
Authors: Tenenbaum-Katan Janna , Fishler Rami , Rothen-Rutishauser Barbara , Sznitman Josué
Published: February 2015

At the onset of life in utero, the respiratory system begins as a liquid-filled tubular organ and undergoes significant morphological changes during fetal development towards establishing a respiratory organ optimized for gas exchange. As airspace morphology evolves, respiratory alveolar flows have been hypothesized to exhibit evolving flow patterns. In the present study, we have investigated flow topologies during increasing phases of embryonic life within an anatomically inspired microfluidic device, reproducing real-scale features of fetal airways representative of three distinct phases of in utero gestation. Micro-particle image velocimetry measurements, supported by computational fluid dynamics simulations, reveal distinct respiratory alveolar flow patterns throughout different stages of fetal life. While attached, streamlined flows characterize the shallow structures of premature alveoli indicative of the onset of saccular stage, separated recirculating vortex flows become the signature of developed and extruded alveoli characteristic of the advanced stages of fetal development. To further mimic physiological aspects of the cellular environment of developing airways, our biomimetic devices integrate an alveolar epithelium using the A549 cell line, recreating a confluent monolayer that produces pulmonary surfactant. Overall, our in vitro biomimetic fetal airways model delivers a robust and reliable platform combining key features of alveolar morphology, flow patterns, and physiological aspects of fetal lungs developing in utero.
HfTi-nanoSQUID gradiometers with high linearity
Authors: Bechstein S. , Ruede F. , Drung D. , Storm J.-H. , Kieler O. F. , Kohlmann J. , Weimann T. , Schurig T.
Published: February 2015

We have developed a family of HfTi nanoSQUID gradiometers for different applications. These Nb-based nanoSQUIDs contain overdamped superconductor–normal conductor–superconductor (SNS) Josephson junctions with HfTi as a normal conducting barrier. The lateral dimensions of the junctions are about 200 nm × 200 nm, and the barrier thickness is nominally 30 nm. In order to enhance their practical use, the nanoSQUIDs are implemented with gradiometric SQUID and feedback loops, gradiometric transformers, and rf filters. The devices can be operated in an excitation field of up to a few mT with very low levels of nonlinearity. Due to the small loop size and the resulting low loop inductance, a white noise level down to 110 nΦ0/√Hz was achieved. The 1/f noise with a typical corner frequency below 1 kHz is dominated by critical current fluctuations. It can be reduced by applying bias reversal. A noise level of 600 nΦ0/√Hz was achieved at 1 Hz in a two-stage flux locked loop with bias reversal.
Metal ion complexation by soft nanoparticles: the effect of Ca2+ on electrostatic and chemical contributions to the Eigen-type reaction rate
Authors: Town Raewyn M.
Published: February 2015

Environmental context
The speciation of trace metals in the environment is often dominated by complexation with natural organic matter such as humic acid. Humic acid is a negatively charged soft nanoparticle and its electrostatic properties play an important role in its reactivity with metal ions. The presence of major cations, such as Ca2+, can decrease the effective negative charge in the humic acid particle body and thus modify the chemodynamics of its interactions with trace metal ions.

Abstract
The effect of Ca2+ on the chemodynamics of PbII complexation by humic acid (HA) is interpreted in terms of theory for permeable charged nanoparticles. The effect of the electrostatic field of a negatively charged nanoparticle on its rate of association with metal cations is governed by the interplay of (i) conductive enhancement of the diffusion of cations from the medium to the particle and (ii) ionic Boltzmann equilibration with the bulk solution leading to accumulation of cations in the particle body. Calcium ions accumulate electrostatically within the HA body and thus lower the magnitude of the negative potential in the particle. For the case where trace metal complexation takes place in a medium in which the particulate electrostatic field is set by pre-equilibration in the electrolyte, the lability of Pb-HA complexes is found to be significantly increased in Ca2+-containing electrolyte, consistent with the predicted change in particle potential. Furthermore, the rate-limiting step changes from diffusive supply to the particle body in a 1–1 electrolyte, to inner-sphere complexation in a 2–1 electrolyte. The results provide insights into the electrostatic and covalent contributions to the thermodynamics and kinetics of trace metal binding by soft nanoparticles.
Coupling of T cell receptor specificity to natural killer T cell development by bivalent histone H3 methylation
Authors: Dobenecker Marc-Werner , Kim Jong Kyong , Marcello Jonas , Fang Terry C. , Prinjha Rab , Bosselut Remy , Tarakhovsky Alexander
Published: February 2015

The fidelity of T cell immunity depends greatly on coupling T cell receptor signaling with specific T cell effector functions. Here, we describe a chromatin-based mechanism that enables integration of TCR specificity into definite T cell lineage commitment. Using natural killer T cells (iNKT cell) as a model of a T cell subset that differentiates in response to specific TCR signaling, we identified a key role of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) in coupling iNKT cell TCR specificity with the generation of iNKT cells. We found that the Zbtb16/PLZF gene promoter that drives iNKT cell differentiation possesses a bivalent chromatin state characterized by the simultaneous presence of negative and positive H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 modifications. Depletion of H3K27me3 at the Zbtb16/PLZF promoter leads to uncoupling of iNKT cell development from TCR specificity and is associated with accumulation of iNKT-like CD4+ cells that express a non-iNKT cell specific T cell repertoire. In turn, stabilization of H3K27me3 leads to a drastic reduction of the iNKT cell population. Our data suggest that H3K27me3 levels at the bivalent Zbtb16/PLZF gene define a threshold enabling precise coupling of TCR specificity to lineage commitment.
Epitaxial graphene contact electrode for silicon carbide based ultraviolet photodetector
Authors: Kus¸demir Erdi , Özkendir Dilce , Fırat Volkan , Çelebi Cem
Published: February 2015

We present the fabrication and characterization of graphene-semiconductor-graphene ultraviolet photodetector based on the rectifying character of Schottky junction at the interface between epitaxial graphene and SiC semiconductor. As-grown single layer epitaxial graphene is interdigitated as transparent conductive electrode to probe photo-generated charge carriers in a semi-insulating 4H-SiC substrate. The fabricated device exhibits the typical current-voltage characteristics of a conventional metal-semiconductor-metal type photodetector with low leakage current. Time-resolved photocurrent measurements suggest an excellent photocurrent reversibility and high response speed of the device. The measurements performed for different illumination wavelengths showed that the sample reveals higher responsivity values when it is exposed to the light with 254 nm wavelength. The obtained results imply that epitaxial graphene can be used readily as transparent conductive electrode for SiC based optoelectronic device applications.
Exploration of the critical depth hypothesis with a simple NPZ model
Authors: Lévy Marina
Published: February 2015

The critical depth hypothesis (CDH) is a predictive criteria for the onset of phytoplankton blooms that comes from the steady-state analytical solution of a simple mathematical model for phytoplankton growth presented by Sverdrup in 1953. Sverdrup's phytoplankton-only model is very elementary compared with state-of-the-art ecosystem models whose numerical solution in a time-varying environment do not systematically conform to the CDH. To highlight which model ingredients make the bloom onset deviate from the CDH, the complexity of Sverdrup's model is incrementally increased, and the impact that each new level of complexity introduced is analysed. Complexity is added both to the ecosystem model and to the parameterization of physical forcing. In the most complete experiment, the model is a one-dimensional Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton model that includes seasonally varying mixed layer depth and surface irradiance, light and nutrient limitation, variable grazing, self-shading, export, and remineralization. When complexity is added to the ecosystem model, it is found that the model solution only marginally deviates from the CDH. But when the physical forcing is also changed, the model solution can conform to two competing theories for the onset of phytoplankton blooms—the critical turbulence hypothesis and the disturbance recovery hypothesis. The key roles of three physical ingredients on the bloom onset are highlighted: the intensity of vertical mixing at the end of winter, the seasonal evolution of the mixed-layer depth from the previous summer, and the seasonal evolution of surface irradiance.
Streptomyces albiflavescens sp. nov., an actinomycete isolated from soil
Authors: Han Xiufang , Zheng Jimei , Xin Di , Xin Yuhua , Wei Xuexin , Zhang Jianli
Published: February 2015

Two actinobacterial strains, m20T and z8, were isolated from soil taken from rainforest areas/tropic forest region, Yunnan Province, south-west China. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities and DNA–DNA relatedness values between strains m20T and z8 were 100 and 88.2 %, respectively, which indicated that these two strains should be classified as the same species. The taxonomic position of the strains was determined by a polyphasic approach. Morphological and chemotaxonomic features of the strains were consistent with those of the genus

Streptomyces

. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains m20T and z8 formed an evolutionary branch within the genus

Streptomyces

and shared relatively high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values with other members of this genus, including ‘Streptomyces siamensis’ NBRC 108799 (98.95 %),

Streptomyces graminilatus

NBRC 108882T (98.25 %),

Streptomyces seoulensis

NBRC 16668T (98.11 %),

Streptomyces peucetius

ATCC 29050T (98.11 %) and

Streptomyces hygroscopicus subsp. ossamyceticus

ATCC 15420T (98.11 %). DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain m20T and the five above-mentioned strains were 56.3, 55.1, 52.8 , 50.1 and 48.4 %, respectively. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic properties, strains m20T and z8 could be distinguished from phylogenetically related members of the genus

Streptomyces

. The isolates thus merit species status within the genus

Streptomyces

, for which the name http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.6817
Streptomyces albiflavescens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is m20T ( = CGMCC 4.7111T = KCTC 29196T). Strain z8 ( = CGMCC 4.7112 = KCTC 29197) is a reference strain.
Custom executive education program charters: a beneficial task and useful template
Authors: Haskins Mark E. , Clawson James G.
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper introduces readers to the usefulness of, design of, and an example of a custom executive education program charter. As such, charters are posed as a key task to complete at the outset of a new custom executive education provider/client relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper codifies the attributes of a well-conceived and well-crafted program charter based on a number of years of having led custom executive education program design, development, and delivery activities.

Findings

– Six components of a useful and substantive custom executive education program charter are identified. Each is discussed as are the roles that a completed charter can contribute to in an ongoing custom executive education provider/client relationship.

Practical implications

– The field-inspired custom executive education program charter insights presented are immediately actionable by program providers and/or the client sponsors of such programs.

Originality/value

– Readers are provided with a template for crafting their own charters. The merits of having a charter are highlighted, as are some of the challenges involved in crafting one.
As a leader are you trustworthy? Building trust to transform team working
Authors: Sabatier Marielena
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance, from the author’s experience, of improving team working and rebuilding trust. The issue of trust is high on the agenda for many organizations, especially following the financial crisis and recent scandals that have affected sectors such as banking, retail and energy in the UK. Executive Coach Marielena Sabatier, CEO, Inspiring Potential examines why trust is so important in organizations and what business leaders can do to build trust amongst their teams and embed a culture of trust.

Design/methodology/approach

– The article takes a practical approach focusing on why trust has been damaged in organizations in recent years, why trust is so important and how senior mangers can build trust, providing tips on how to develop a culture of trust.

Findings

– Key findings are organizations that want to have a culture of trust must first analyse where they are going wrong, then leaders need to communicate a clear mission and purpose for the business and employees, they must lead by example and act with integrity always. Other key ingredients are to right any wrongs, to hold people accountable and to communicate openly at all times.

Originality/value

– The article highlights the importance, from the author’s experience, of improving team working and rebuilding trust.
The impact of social media on L&D: and what we should be doing about it
Authors: Paine Nigel
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This article aims to provide a succinct summary of the actions learning and development (L&D) professionals should take to get involved in and make the most of social media, both for themselves and their organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– This viewpoint is based on the author’s book published in 2014, which explores how corporate learning has changed in the past five years and what the big trends are currently.

Findings

– Social media is here to stay and will continually reinvent itself at perhaps even greater speed. L&D professionals in particular must quickly learn to embrace the technology to assist learners to build a personal knowledge framework and thereby assure their usefulness and enduring competence.

Originality/value

– By embracing social media you create an enabling and facilitating model, which shifts the burden of responsibility firmly onto the learner.
The art of influence: apply emotional intelligence and create time and space for thinking
Authors: Nabben Jennifer
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore how emotional intelligence and the emerging field of neuroscience can tell us much about how leaders can use their own emotions to positively influence people. The ability for leaders to positively influence others is a critical skill and yet it is often identified as a gap in leadership teams.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper draws on the work of Goleman, Kline, Ramachandran and Schwartz, as well as the author’s own recently published book.

Findings

– An emotionally intelligent leader, rather than assuming that those who speak the loudest have the most valuable contribution will be more likely to understand and value different thinking and personality styles and will take active steps to create an environment where people feel safe to contribute their very best thinking.

Practical implications

– This paper provides useful, practical advice to those involved in leadership development or leaders themselves who want to better understand how they can improve their ability to influence others.

Originality/value

– The paper provides practical advice, grounded in research, that professional learning and development executives or leaders themselves can put in action.
Inclusive versus exclusive learning: the secret ingredient to creating a truly “lean” and “learning” culture
Authors: Ballé Michael , Chaize Jacques , Jones Daniel
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is a first-hand study of lean improvement programs that has led the authors to distinguish two different forms of learning intent: exclusive learning versus inclusive learning. These two forms of learning reflect two different attitudes to learning. With exclusive learning, the executives expect to learn by themselves and then apply this learning to the organization – and then reap the benefits. With inclusive learning, the executives intend to learn with others and from their own learning efforts – and share the benefits. The authors argue that these learning attitudes account for a large part of the difference between the success and failure of lean initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on over 25 years of research studying Toyota – where the term “lean” was first used to describe their particular way of working – together with working with hundreds of other organizations around the world across all sectors.

Findings

– To implement a lean strategy that brings long-term, effective change requires senior executives to start with their own personal learning journey and to create an inclusive learning culture within their organization.

Originality/value

– The paper provides a succinct summary of how a different mindset is required from senior executives if they are to create and implement a truly lean strategy for their organization. Their behaviors enable or inhibit what the authors describe as an “inclusive” learning environment which will create and maintain a sustainable shift to a lean culture.
The impact of an integrated medical leadership programme
Authors: Agius Steven J. , Brockbank Amy , Baron Rebecca , Farook Saleem , Hayden Jacky
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine the impact of an integrated Medical Leadership Programme (MLP) on a cohort of participating specialty doctors and the NHS services with which they were engaged.

Design/methodology/approach

– This was a qualitative study designed to obtain rich textual data on a novel training intervention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participating MLP trainees at fixed points throughout the programme in order to capture their experiences. Resulting data were triangulated with data from extant documentation, including trainees’ progress reports and summaries of achievements. Recurring discourses and themes were identified using a framework thematic analysis.

Findings

– Evidence of the positive impact upon trainees and NHS services was identified, along with challenges. Evidence of impact across all the domains within the national Medical Leadership Competency Framework was also identified, including demonstrating personal qualities, working with others, managing services, improving services and setting direction.

Research limitations/implications

– Data were drawn from interviews with a small population of trainees undertaking a pilot MLP in a single deanery, so there are inevitable limitations for generalisability in the quantitative sense. Whilst the pilot trainees were a self-selected group, it was a group of mixed origin and ability.

Practical implications

– The study has provided valuable lessons for the design of future leadership programmes aimed at doctors in training.

Originality/value

– Identifying the effectiveness of an innovative model of delivery with regard to the Medical Leadership Curriculum may assist with medical staff engagement and support health service improvements to benefit patient care.
Production of entrepreneurship in small business activities of students
Authors: Järvi Taina
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The importance of entrepreneurship education and the lack of studies at the vocational level, have created a need to develop a model of entrepreneurship learning. The purpose of this paper is to determine what vocational college students learn about entrepreneurship from working in a small enterprise, how they learn it and what role the teacher has in the learning process.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data used are drawn from discussions between eight students (aged 16-18), where they assessed and developed their business activities conducted over the course of a year. Using qualitative data collection and analysis methods, content connected with entrepreneurship was examined to provide information about activities they undertook and how the learning process occurred.

Findings

– The findings indicate that learning in a small enterprise is a continuous process, where content, activities and process are intertwined. The core of learning is reflection-in-action, to develop entrepreneurial skills and behaviour.

Practical implications

– This paper may offer a means of applying a small business learning model to entrepreneurship learning. The results can benefit teachers planning entrepreneurship learning.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the understanding of student learning in small enterprises by empirically examining what learning takes place and how.
The composition of employment in new innovative firms
Authors: Lautenschläger Arndt
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The paper explores the composition of employment in new innovative firms. The purpose of this paper is to shed some light on the mixture of job positions at the firm level measured by employees’ occupational position, their qualification and specialisation, as well as their origin. As there is little known about the structure and quality of employment in new firms, insights are helpful for policymakers who are engaged in regional development and job creation.

Design/methodology/approach

– The database used for analysis comes from an interdisciplinary study on human-related success factors of business start-ups in the German state of Thuringia. Data were collected by means of 399 face-to-face interviews with the sole founder or the leading entrepreneur of a start-up firm. The findings are based on a multivariate data analysis using regression models.

Findings

– The results indicate that temporary employment is more likely inherent in fast growing firms. Academic spin-offs prefer to hire people with a university education and scientific background. Furthermore, it is found that manufacturing firms have a relatively higher demand for staff with a professional education as well as a technical background. However, there is no support for the thesis that innovative firms contribute to combating structural unemployment at least in the short run.

Research limitations/implications

– Results are limited to a particular geographical region. Researchers are strongly encouraged to conduct further research on the topic.

Practical implications

– The paper includes implications for policymakers in the field of unemployment reduction and employment creation.

Originality/value

– The paper explores the link between innovation and the quality of employment in new business ventures. This approach is in contrast to the bulk of other studies dealing with new employment generation in terms of numbers.
An effective collaboration model between industry and university based on the theory of self organization
Authors: Fateh Rad Mehdi , Seyedesfahani Mir Mehdi , Jalilvand Mohammad Reza
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to investigate the relationship between university and industry as two major infrastructures of national innovation system in all leading scientific and industrial settings.

Design/methodology/approach

– Large complex organizations with high technology that follow non-linear dynamic rules need to define concepts and adopt new approaches to achieve organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Among various models, a dynamic model of innovation was developed based on a joint investment between industry and university. Hence, the concepts of systems thinking and system dynamics were used.

Findings

– The results reveal three levels of industry and university communication from the lower levels to the higher levels.

Originality/value

– The value of this paper lies in adding two axes of “type of relationship” and “form of relationship” to the axis of “strength of relationship”, and a static three-dimensional space as a spatial capacity of the relationship between the industry and the university has been organized. Further, this is the first study that investigates the dynamic relationship between industry and university based on the self-organization theory and system thinking.