bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetically engineered flavonol enriched tomato fruit modulates chondrogenesis to increase bone length in growing animals
Authors: Choudhary Dharmendra , Pandey Ashutosh , Adhikary Sulekha , Ahmad Naseer , Bhatia Chitra , Bhambhani Sweta , Trivedi Prabodh Kumar , Trivedi Ritu
Published: February 2016

Externally visible body and longitudinal bone growth is a result of proliferation of chondrocytes. In growth disorder, there is delay in the age associated increase in height. The present study evaluates the effect of extract from transgenic tomato fruit expressing AtMYB12 transcription factor on bone health including longitudinal growth. Constitutive expression of AtMYB12 in tomato led to a significantly enhanced biosynthesis of flavonoids in general and the flavonol biosynthesis in particular. Pre-pubertal ovary intact BALB/c mice received daily oral administration of vehicle and ethanolic extract of wild type (WT-TOM) and transgenic AtMYB12-tomato (MYB12-TOM) fruits for six weeks. Animal fed with MYB12-TOM showed no inflammation in hepatic tissues and normal sinusoidal Kupffer cell morphology. MYB12-TOM extract significantly increased tibial and femoral growth and subsequently improved the bone length as compared to vehicle and WT-TOM. Histomorphometry exhibited significantly wider distal femoral and proximal tibial growth plate, increased number and size of hypertrophic chondrocytes in MYB12-TOM which corroborated with micro-CT and expression of BMP-2 and COL-10, marker genes for hypertrophic cells. We conclude that metabolic reprogramming of tomato by AtMYB12 has the potential to improve longitudinal bone growth thus helping in achievement of greater peak bone mass during adolescence.
Disordered RuO2 exhibits two dimensional, low-mobility transport and a metal–insulator transition
Authors: Osofsky M. S. , Krowne C. M. , Charipar K. M. , Bussmann K. , Chervin C. N. , Pala I. R. , Rolison D. R.
Published: February 2016

The discovery of low-dimensional metallic systems such as high-mobility metal oxide field-effect transistors, the cuprate superconductors and conducting oxide interfaces (e.g., LaAlO3/SrTiO3) has stimulated research into the nature of electronic transport in two-dimensional systems given that the seminal theory for transport in disordered metals predicts that the metallic state cannot exist in two dimensions (2D). In this report, we demonstrate the existence of a metal–insulator transition (MIT) in highly disordered RuO2 nanoskins with carrier concentrations that are one-to-six orders of magnitude higher and with mobilities that are one-to-six orders of magnitude lower than those reported previously for 2D oxides. The presence of an MIT and the accompanying atypical electronic characteristics place this form of the oxide in a highly diffusive, strong disorder regime and establishes the existence of a metallic state in 2D that is analogous to the three-dimensional case.
A mirror code for protein-cholesterol interactions in the two leaflets of biological membranes
Authors: Fantini Jacques , Di Scala Coralie , Evans Luke S. , Williamson Philip T. F. , Barrantes Francisco J.
Published: February 2016

Cholesterol controls the activity of a wide range of membrane receptors through specific interactions and identifying cholesterol recognition motifs is therefore critical for understanding signaling receptor function. The membrane-spanning domains of the paradigm neurotransmitter receptor for acetylcholine (AChR) display a series of cholesterol consensus domains (referred to as “CARC”). Here we use a combination of molecular modeling, lipid monolayer/mutational approaches and NMR spectroscopy to study the binding of cholesterol to a synthetic CARC peptide. The CARC-cholesterol interaction is of high affinity, lipid-specific, concentration-dependent and sensitive to single-point mutations. The CARC motif is generally located in the outer membrane leaflet and its reverse sequence CRAC in the inner one. Their simultaneous presence within the same transmembrane domain obeys a “mirror code” controlling protein-cholesterol interactions in the outer and inner membrane leaflets. Deciphering this code enabled us to elaborate guidelines for the detection of cholesterol-binding motifs in any membrane protein. Several representative examples of neurotransmitter receptors and ABC transporters with the dual CARC/CRAC motifs are presented. The biological significance and potential clinical applications of the mirror code are discussed.
Room-temperature Domain-epitaxy of Copper Iodide Thin Films for Transparent CuI/ZnO Heterojunctions with High Rectification Ratios Larger than 109
Authors: Yang Chang , Kneiß Max , Schein Friedrich-Leonhard , Lorenz Michael , Grundmann Marius
Published: February 2016

CuI is a p-type transparent conductive semiconductor with unique optoelectronic properties, including wide band gap (3.1 eV), high hole mobility (>40 cm2 V−1 s−1 in bulk) and large room-temperature exciton binding energy (62 meV). The difficulty in epitaxy of CuI is the main obstacle for its application in advanced solid-state electronic devices. Herein, room-temperature heteroepitaxial growth of CuI on various substrates with well-defined in-plane epitaxial relations is realized by reactive sputtering technique. In such heteroepitaxial growth the formation of rotation domains is observed and hereby systematically investigated in accordance with existing theoretical study of domain-epitaxy. The controllable epitaxy of CuI thin films allows for the combination of p-type CuI with suitable n-type semiconductors with the purpose to fabricate epitaxial thin film heterojunctions. Such heterostructures have superior properties to structures without or with weakly ordered in-plane orientation. The obtained epitaxial thin film heterojunction of p-CuI(111)/n-ZnO(00.1) exhibits a high rectification up to 2 × 109 (±2 V), a 100-fold improvement compared to diodes with disordered interfaces. Also a low saturation current density down to 5 × 10−9 Acm−2 is formed. These results prove the great potential of epitaxial CuI as a promising p-type optoelectronic material.
Internal exposure dynamics drive the Adverse Outcome Pathways of synthetic glucocorticoids in fish
Authors: Margiotta-Casaluci Luigi , Owen Stewart F. , Huerta Belinda , Rodríguez-Mozaz Sara , Kugathas Subramanian , Barceló Damià , Rand-Weaver Mariann , Sumpter John P.
Published: February 2016

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework represents a valuable conceptual tool to systematically integrate existing toxicological knowledge from a mechanistic perspective to facilitate predictions of chemical-induced effects across species. However, its application for decision-making requires the transition from qualitative to quantitative AOP (qAOP). Here we used a fish model and the synthetic glucocorticoid beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) to investigate the role of chemical-specific properties, pharmacokinetics, and internal exposure dynamics in the development of qAOPs. We generated a qAOP network based on drug plasma concentrations and focused on immunodepression, skin androgenisation, disruption of gluconeogenesis and reproductive performance. We showed that internal exposure dynamics and chemical-specific properties influence the development of qAOPs and their predictive power. Comparing the effects of two different glucocorticoids, we highlight how relatively similar in vitro hazard-based indicators can lead to different in vivo risk. This discrepancy can be predicted by their different uptake potential, pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles. We recommend that the development phase of qAOPs should include the application of species-specific uptake and physiologically-based PK/PD models. This integration will significantly enhance the predictive power, enabling a more accurate assessment of the risk and the reliable transferability of qAOPs across chemicals.
Serological detection and analysis of anti-VP1 responses against various enteroviruses (EV) (EV-A, EV-B and EV-C) in Chinese individuals
Authors: Gao Caixia , Ding Yingying , Zhou Peng , Feng Jiaojiao , Qian Baohua , Lin Ziyu , Wang Lili , Wang Jinhong , Zhao Chunyan , Li Xiangyu , Cao Mingmei , Peng Heng , Rui Bing , Pan Wei
Published: February 2016

The overall serological prevalence of EV infections based on ELISA remains unknown. In the present study, the antibody responses against VP1 of the EV-A species (enterovirus 71 (EV71), Coxsackievirus A16 (CA16), Coxsackievirus A5 (CA5) and Coxsackievirus A6 (CA6)), of the EV-B species (Coxsackievirus B3 (CB3)), and of the EV-C species (Poliovirus 1 (PV1)) were detected and analyzed by a NEIBM (novel evolved immunoglobulin-binding molecule)-based ELISA in Shanghai blood donors. The serological prevalence of anti-CB3 VP1 antibodies was demonstrated to show the highest level, with anti-PV1 VP1 antibodies at the second highest level, and anti-CA5, CA6, CA16 and EV71 VP1 antibodies at a comparatively low level. All reactions were significantly correlated at different levels, which were approximately proportional to their sequence similarities. Antibody responses against EV71 VP1 showed obvious differences with responses against other EV-A viruses. Obvious differences in antibody responses between August 2013 and May 2014 were revealed. These findings are the first to describe the detailed information of the serological prevalence of human antibody responses against the VP1 of EV-A, B and C viruses, and could be helpful for understanding of the ubiquity of EV infections and for identifying an effective approach for seroepidemiological surveillance based on ELISA.
Visualization of Surface Acoustic Waves in Thin Liquid Films
Authors: Rambach R. W. , Taiber J. , Scheck C. M. L. , Meyer C. , Reboud J. , Cooper J. M. , Franke T.
Published: February 2016

We demonstrate that the propagation path of a surface acoustic wave (SAW), excited with an interdigitated transducer (IDT), can be visualized using a thin liquid film dispensed onto a lithium niobate (LiNbO3) substrate. The practical advantages of this visualization method are its rapid and simple implementation, with many potential applications including in characterising acoustic pumping within microfluidic channels. It also enables low-cost characterisation of IDT designs thereby allowing the determination of anisotropy and orientation of the piezoelectric substrate without the requirement for sophisticated and expensive equipment. Here, we show that the optical visibility of the sound path critically depends on the physical properties of the liquid film and identify heptane and methanol as most contrast rich solvents for visualization of SAW. We also provide a detailed theoretical description of this effect.
Intrusion of Fukushima-derived radiocaesium into subsurface water due to formation of mode waters in the North Pacific
Authors: Kaeriyama Hideki , Shimizu Yugo , Setou Takashi , Kumamoto Yuichiro , Okazaki Makoto , Ambe Daisuke , Ono Tsuneo
Published: February 2016

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011 released radiocaesium (137Cs and 134Cs) into the North Pacific Ocean. Meridional transects of the vertical distribution of radiocaesium in seawater were measured along 147 °E and 155 °E in October–November 2012, 19 months after the accident. These measurements revealed subsurface peaks in radiocaesium concentrations at locations corresponding to two mode waters, Subtropical Mode Water and Central Mode Water. Mode water is a layer of almost vertically homogeneous water found over a large geographical area. Here we show that repeated formation of mode water during the two winter seasons after the Fukushima accident and subsequent outcropping into surface water transported radiocaesium downward and southward to subtropical regions of the North Pacific. The total amount of Fukushima-derived 134Cs within Subtropical Mode Water, decay-corrected to April 2011, was estimated to be 4.2 ± 1.1 PBq in October–November 2012. This amount of 134Cs corresponds to 22–28% of the total amount of 134Cs released to the Pacific Ocean.
Hiding true emotions: micro-expressions in eyes retrospectively concealed by mouth movements
Authors: Iwasaki Miho , Noguchi Yasuki
Published: February 2016

When we encounter someone we dislike, we may momentarily display a reflexive disgust expression, only to follow-up with a forced smile and greeting. Our daily lives are replete with a mixture of true and fake expressions. Nevertheless, are these fake expressions really effective at hiding our true emotions? Here we show that brief emotional changes in the eyes (micro-expressions, thought to reflect true emotions) can be successfully concealed by follow-up mouth movements (e.g. a smile). In the same manner as backward masking, mouth movements of a face inhibited conscious detection of all types of micro-expressions in that face, even when viewers paid full attention to the eye region. This masking works only in a backward direction, however, because no disrupting effect was observed when the mouth change preceded the eye change. These results provide scientific evidence for everyday behaviours like smiling to dissemble and further clarify a major reason for the difficulty we face in discriminating genuine from fake emotional expressions.
Inverted electro-mechanical behaviour induced by the irreversible domain configuration transformation in (K,Na)NbO3-based ceramics
Authors: Huan Yu , Wang Xiaohui , Koruza Jurij , Wang Ke , Webber Kyle G. , Hao Yanan , Li Longtu
Published: February 2016

Miniaturization of domains to the nanometer scale has been previously reported in many piezoelectrics with two-phase coexistence. Despite the observation of nanoscale domain configuration near the polymorphic phase transition (PPT) regionin virgin (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 (KNN) based ceramics, it remains unclear how this domain state responds to external loads and influences the macroscopic electro-mechanical properties. To this end, the electric-field-induced and stress-induced strain curves of KNN-based ceramics over a wide compositional range across PPT were characterized. It was found that the coercive field of the virgin samples was highest in PPT region, which was related to the inhibited domain wall motion due to the presence of nanodomains. However, the coercive field was found to be the lowest in the PPT region after electrical poling. This was related to the irreversible transformation of the nanodomains into micron-sized domains during the poling process. With the similar micron-sized domain configuration for all poled ceramics, the domains in the PPT region move more easily due to the additional polarization vectors. The results demonstrate that the poling process can give rise to the irreversible domain configuration transformation and then account for the inverted macroscopic piezoelectricity in the PPT region of KNN-based ceramics.
Effects of soil and topographic factors on vegetation restoration in opencast coal mine dumps located in a loess area
Authors: Wang Jinman , Wang Hongdan , Cao Yingui , Bai Zhongke , Qin Qian
Published: February 2016

Vegetation plays an important role in improving and restoring fragile ecological environments. In the Antaibao opencast coal mine, located in a loess area, the eco-environment has been substantially disturbed by mining activities, and the relationship between the vegetation and environmental factors is not very clear. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the effects of soil and topographic factors on vegetation restoration to improve the fragile ecosystems of damaged land. An investigation of the soil, topography and vegetation in 50 reclamation sample plots in Shanxi Pingshuo Antaibao opencast coal mine dumps was performed. Statistical analyses in this study included one-way ANOVA and significance testing using SPSS 20.0, and multivariate techniques of detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) using CANOCO 4.5. The RDA revealed the environmental factors that affected vegetation restoration. Various vegetation and soil variables were significantly correlated. The available K and rock content were good explanatory variables, and they were positively correlated with tree volume. The effects of the soil factors on vegetation restoration were higher than those of the topographic factors.
BPOZ-2 Gene Delivery Ameliorates Alpha-Synucleinopathy in A53T Transgenic Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Roy Avik , Rangasamy Suresh Babu , Kundu Madhuchhanda , Pahan Kalipada
Published: February 2016

Ankyrin-rich BTB/POZ domain containing protein-2 or BPOZ-2, a scaffold protein, has been recently shown to control the degradation of many biological proteins ranging from embryonic development to tumor progression. However, its role in the process of neuronal diseases has not been properly explored. Since, abnormal clearance of metabolic proteins contributes to the development of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) pathologies in Parkinson’s disease (PD), we are interested to explore if BPOZ-2 participates in the amelioration of α-syn in vivo in basal ganglia. Here we report that lentiviral administration of bpoz-2 gene indeed lowers the burden of α-syn in DA neurons in the nigra of A53T transgenic (A53T-Tg) mouse. Our detailed immunological analyses have shown that the overexpression of bpoz-2 dramatically improves both somatic and neuritic α-syn pathologies in the nigral DA neurons. Similarly, the specific ablation of bpoz-2 by lentiviral-shRNA stimulates the load of monomeric and polymeric forms of α-syn in the nigral DA neurons of A53T-Tg. While investigating the mechanism, we observed that BPOZ-2 was involved in a protein-protein association with PINK1 and therefore could stimulate PINK1-dependent autophagic clearance of α-syn. Our results have demonstrated that bpoz-2 gene delivery could have prospect in the amelioration of alpha-synucleinopathy in PD and other Lewy body diseases.
Coherent Nonlinear Optical Response Spatial Self-Phase Modulation in MoSe2 Nano-Sheets
Authors: Wang Wenhui , Wu Yanling , Wu Qiong , Hua Jiaojiao , Zhao Jimin
Published: February 2016

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are drawing increasing interest due to their relatively high carrier mobilities, valley pseudospins and gapped electronic structures, which all indicate interesting nonlinear optical properties of these 2D materials. However, such nonlinear optical properties are so far less investigated and their correlation with the electronic structure of the material is rarely probed. In this work, we have systematically investigated the spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM) of MoSe2 flakes in a suspension form, which is a coherent third-order nonlinear optical effect. The nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) and its wavelength-dependence are measured, yielding a value of 1.1 × 10−9 e.s.u. (SI: 1.53 × 10−17 m2/V2) at 532 nm laser excitation for effective one-layer MoSe2.
Evidence for genetic association of TBX21 and IFNG with systemic lupus erythematosus in a Chinese Han population
Authors: Leng Rui-Xue , Pan Hai-Feng , Liu Juan , Yang Xiao-Ke , Zhang Chao , Tao Sha-Sha , Wang De-Guang , Li Xiao-Mei , Li Xiang-Pei , Yang Wanling , Ye Dong-Qing
Published: February 2016

TBX21 recode T-bet which is an important transcription factor that drives the Th1 immune response primarily by promoting expression of the interferon-gamma (IFNG) gene. Recent studies have shown that genetic variants in TBX21 and IFNG are connected with risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of the present study was to replicate these genetic associations with SLE in Anhui Chinese population. Genotyping of 3 variants (rs4794067 in TBX21, rs2069705 and rs2069718 in IFNG) was performed. A total of 3732 subjects were included in the final analysis. The study only identified the association of rs2069705 with SLE susceptibility (T vs. C: odds ratio [OR] = 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00–1.26, P = 0.046). Combined analysis with Hong Kong GWAS showed that the OR for rs2069705 was 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01–1.21, P = 0.027). Further pooled analysis with Korean populations involving 10498 subjects showed a more significant association between rs2069705 and SLE (T vs. C: OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.04–1.19, P = 0.002; TT + TC vs. CC: OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.02–1.21, P = 0.012; TT vs. TC + CC: OR = 1.28, 95%CI = 1.07–1.54, P = 0.008; TT vs. CC: OR = 1.33, 95%CI = 1.10–1.60, P = 0.003). In addition, we also identified a significant genetic interaction between rs2069705 and rs4794067 in Anhui Chinese population. Our study suggests that IFNG and IFNG-TBX21 interaction are involved in SLE susceptibility.
Mass vaccination, immunity and coverage: modelling population protection against foot-and-mouth disease in Turkish cattle
Authors: Knight-Jones T. J. D. , Gubbins S. , Bulut A. N. , Stärk K. D. C. , Pfeiffer D. U. , Sumption K. J. , Paton D. J.
Published: February 2016

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Turkey is controlled using biannual mass vaccination of cattle. However, vaccine protection is undermined by population turnover and declining immunity. A dynamic model of the Turkish cattle population was created. Assuming biannual mass vaccination with a single-dose primary course, vaccine history was calculated for the simulated population (number of doses and time since last vaccination). This was used to estimate population immunity. Six months after the last round of vaccination almost half the cattle aged <24 months remain unvaccinated. Only 50% of all cattle would have received >1 vaccine dose in their life with the last dose given ≤6 months ago. Five months after the last round of vaccination two-thirds of cattle would have low antibody titres (<70% protection threshold). Giving a two-dose primary vaccination course reduces the proportion of 6–12 month old cattle with low titres by 20–30%. Biannual mass vaccination of cattle leaves significant immunity gaps and over-reliance on vaccine protection should be avoided. Using more effective vaccines and vaccination strategies will increase population immunity, however, the extent to which FMD can be controlled by vaccination alone without effective biosecurity remains uncertain.
The Macrophage-depleting Agent Clodronate Promotes Durable Hematopoietic Chimerism and Donor-specific Skin Allograft Tolerance in Mice
Authors: Li Zhanzhuo , Xu Xin , Feng Xingmin , Murphy Philip M.
Published: February 2016

Hematopoietic chimerism is known to promote donor-specific organ allograft tolerance; however, clinical translation has been impeded by the requirement for toxic immunosuppression and large doses of donor bone marrow (BM) cells. Here, we investigated in mice whether durable chimerism might be enhanced by pre-treatment of the recipient with liposomal clodronate, a macrophage depleting agent, with the goal of vacating BM niches for preferential reoccupation by donor hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). We found that liposomal clodronate pretreatment of C57BL/6 mice permitted establishment of durable hematopoietic chimerism when the mice were given a low dose of donor BM cells and transient immunosuppression. Moreover, clodronate pre-treatment increased durable donor-specific BALB/c skin allograft tolerance. These results provide proof-of-principle that clodronate is effective at sparing the number of donor BM cells required to achieve durable hematopoietic chimerism and donor-specific skin allograft tolerance and justify further development of a tolerance protocol based on this principle.
Role of Excessive Autophagy Induced by Mechanical Overload in Vein Graft Neointima Formation: Prediction and Prevention
Authors: Chang Ya-Ju , Huang Hui-Chun , Hsueh Yuan-Yu , Wang Shao-Wei , Su Fong-Chin , Chang Chih-Han , Tang Ming-Jer , Li Yi-Shuan , Wang Shyh-Hau , Shung Kirk K. , Chien Shu , Wu Chia-Ching
Published: February 2016

Little is known regarding the interplays between the mechanical and molecular bases for vein graft restenosis. We elucidated the stenosis initiation using a high-frequency ultrasonic (HFU) echogenicity platform and estimated the endothelium yield stress from von-Mises stress computation to predict the damage locations in living rats over time. The venous-arterial transition induced the molecular cascades for autophagy and apoptosis in venous endothelial cells (ECs) to cause neointimal hyperplasia, which correlated with the high echogenicity in HFU images and the large mechanical stress that exceeded the yield strength. The ex vivo perfusion of arterial laminar shear stress to isolated veins further confirmed the correlation. EC damage can be rescued by inhibiting autophagy formation using 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Pretreatment of veins with 3-MA prior to grafting reduced the pathological increases of echogenicity and neointima formation in rats. Therefore, this platform provides non-invasive temporal spatial measurement and prediction of restenosis after venous-arterial transition as well as monitoring the progression of the treatments.
Creation of Electron-doping Liquid Water with Reduced Hydrogen Bonds
Authors: Chen Hsiao-Chien , Mai Fu-Der , Hwang Bing-Joe , Lee Ming-Jer , Chen Ching-Hsiang , Wang Shwu-Huey , Tsai Hui-Yen , Yang Chih-Ping , Liu Yu-Chuan
Published: February 2016

The strength of hydrogen bond (HB) decides water’s property and activity. Here we propose the mechanisms on creation and persistence of innovatively prepared liquid water, which is treated by Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) under resonant illumination of green-light emitting diode (LED) to create Au NP-treated (sAuNT) water, with weak HB at room temperature. Hot electron transfer on resonantly illuminated AuNPs, which is confirmed from Au LIII-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra, is responsible for the creation of negatively charged sAuNT water with the incorporated energy-reduced hot electron. This unique electronic feature makes it stable at least for one week. Compared to deionized (DI) water, the resulting sAuNT water exhibits many distinct properties at room temperature. Examples are its higher activity revealed from its higher vapor pressure and lower specific heat. Furthermore, Mpemba effect can be successfully explained by our purposed hypothesis based on sAuNT water-derived idea of water energy and HB.
Hyper-active non-homologous end joining selects for synthetic lethality resistant and pathological Fanconi anemia hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Du Wei , Amarachintha Surya , Wilson Andrew F. , Pang Qishen
Published: February 2016

The prominent role of Fanconi anemia (FA) proteins involves homologous recombination (HR) repair. Poly[ADP-ribose] polymerase1 (PARP1) functions in multiple cellular processes including DNA repair and PARP inhibition is an emerging targeted therapy for cancer patients deficient in HR. Here we show that PARP1 activation in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in response to genotoxic or oxidative stress attenuates HSPC exhaustion. Mechanistically, PARP1 controls the balance between HR and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) in double strand break (DSB) repair by preventing excessive NHEJ. Disruption of the FA core complex skews PARP1 function in DSB repair and led to hyper-active NHEJ in Fanca−/− or Fancc−/− HSPCs. Re-expression of PARP1 rescues the hyper-active NHEJ phenotype in Brca1−/−Parp1−/− but less effective in Fanca−/−Parp1−/− cells. Inhibition of NHEJ prevents myeloid/erythroid pathologies associated with synthetic lethality. Our results suggest that hyper-active NHEJ may select for “synthetic lethality” resistant and pathological HSPCs.
Carbon Redox-Polymer-Gel Hybrid Supercapacitors
Authors: Vlad A. , Singh N. , Melinte S. , Gohy J.-F. , Ajayan P.M.
Published: February 2016

Energy storage devices that provide high specific power without compromising on specific energy are highly desirable for many electric-powered applications. Here, we demonstrate that polymer organic radical gel materials support fast bulk-redox charge storage, commensurate to surface double layer ion exchange at carbon electrodes. When integrated with a carbon-based electrical double layer capacitor, nearly ideal electrode properties such as high electrical and ionic conductivity, fast bulk redox and surface charge storage as well as excellent cycling stability are attained. Such hybrid carbon redox-polymer-gel electrodes support unprecedented discharge rate of 1,000C with 50% of the nominal capacity delivered in less than 2 seconds. Devices made with such electrodes hold the potential for battery-scale energy storage while attaining supercapacitor-like power performances.
Carbon nanotube intramolecular p-i-n junction diodes with symmetric and asymmetric contacts
Authors: Chen Changxin , Liao Chenghao , Wei Liangming , Zhong Hanqing , He Rong , Liu Qinran , Liu Xiaodong , Lai Yunfeng , Song Chuanjuan , Jin Tiening , Zhang Yafei
Published: February 2016

A p-i-n junction diode based on the selectively doped single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) had been investigated, in which two opposite ends of individual SWCNT channel were doped into the p- and n-type SWCNT respectively while the middle segment of SWCNT was kept as the intrinsic. The symmetric and asymmetric contacts were used to fabricate the p-i-n junction diodes respectively and studied the effect of the contact on the device characteristics. It was shown that a low reverse saturation current of ~20 pA could be achieved by these both diodes. We found that the use of the asymmetric contact can effectively improve the performance of the p-i-n diode, with the rectification ratio enhanced from ~102 for the device with the Au/Au symmetric contact to >103 for the one with the Pd/Al asymmetric contact. The improvement of the device performance by the asymmetric-contact structure was attributed to the decrease of the effective Schottky-barrier height at the contacts under forward bias, increasing the forward current of the diode. The p-i-n diode with asymmetric contact also had a higher rectification ratio than its counterpart before doping the SWCNT channel, which is because that the p-i-n junction in the device decreased the reverse saturated current.
Deubiquitinase MYSM1 Is Essential for Normal Bone Formation and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation
Authors: Li Ping , Yang Yan-Mei , Sanchez Suzi , Cui Dian-Chao , Dang Rui-Jie , Wang Xiao-Yan , Lin Qiu-Xia , Wang Yan , Wang Changyong , Chen Da-Fu , Chen Si-Yi , Jiang Xiao-Xia , Wen Ning
Published: February 2016

Deubiquitinase MYSM1 has been shown to play a critical role in hematopoietic cell differentiation and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells within the bone marrow. MSCs are progenitors to osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes, and myocytes. Although, MSCs have been extensively studied, the roles of MYSM1 in these cells remain unclear. Here we describe the function of MYSM1 on MSC maintenance and differentiation. In this report, we found that Mysm1−/− mice had a lower bone mass both in long bone and calvaria compared with their control counterpart. Preosteoblasts from Mysm1−/− mice did not show changes in proliferation or osteogenesis when compared to WT mice. Conversely, Mysm1−/− MSCs showed enhanced autonomous differentiation and accelerated adipogenesis. Our results demonstrate that MYSM1 plays a critical role in MSC maintenance and differentiation. This study also underscores the biological significance of deubiquitinase activity in MSC function. Mysm1 may represent a potential therapeutic target for controlling MSC lineage differentiation, and possibly for the treatment of metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
A new strategy to express the extracellular α-amylase from Pyrococcus furiosus in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens
Authors: Wang Ping , Wang Peili , Tian Jian , Yu Xiaoxia , Chang Meihui , Chu Xiaoyu , Wu Ningfeng
Published: February 2016

Extracellular α-amylase from Pyrococcus furiosus (PFA) shows great starch-processing potential for industrial application due to its thermostability, long half-life and optimal activity at low pH; however, it is difficult to produce in large quantities. In contrast, α-amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BAA) can be produced in larger quantities, but shows lower stability at high temperatures and low pH. Here, we describe a BAA protein expression pattern-mimicking strategy to express PFA in B. amyloliquefaciens using the expression and secretion elements of BAA, including the codon usage bias and mRNA structure of gene, promoter, signal peptide, host and cultivation conditions. This design was assessed to be successful by comparing the various genes (mpfa and opfa), promoters (PamyA and P43) and strains (F30, F31, F32 and F30-∆amyA). The final production of PFA yielded 2714 U/mL, about 3000- and 14-fold that reportedly produced in B. subtilis or E. coli, respectively. The recombinant PFA was optimally active at ~100 °C and pH 5 and did not require Ca2+ for activity or thermostability and >80% of the enzyme activity was retained after treatment at 100 °C for 4 h.
A flexible and biocompatible triboelectric nanogenerator with tunable internal resistance for powering wearable devices
Authors: Zhu Yanbo , Yang Bin , Liu Jingquan , Wang Xingzhao , Wang Luxian , Chen Xiang , Yang Chunsheng
Published: February 2016

Recently, triboelectric energy nanogenerators (TENGs) have been paid the most attention by many researchers to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. TENGs usually have a simple structure and a high output voltage. However, their high internal resistance results in low output power. In this work, we propose a flexible triboelectric energy nanogenerator with the double-side tribological layers of polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS) and PDMS/multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT). MWCNTs with different concentrations have been doped into PDMS to tune the internal resistance of triboelectric nanogenerator and optimize its output power. The dimension of the fabricated prototype is ~3.6 cm3. Three-axial force sensor is used to monitor the applied vertical forces on the device under vertical contact-separation working mode. The Prototype with 10 wt% MWCNT (Prototype I) produces higher output voltage than one with 2 wt% MWCNT (Prototype II) due to its higher dielectric parameter measured by LRC impedance analyzer. The triboelectric output voltages of Prototype I and Prototype II are 30 V and 25 V under the vertical force of 3.0 N, respectively. Their maximum triboelectric output powers are ~130 μW at 6 MΩ and ~120 μW at 8.6 MΩ under vertical forces, respectively.
A simple and rapid electrochemical sensing method for metribuzin determination in tap and river water samples
Authors: Stojanović Zorica , Đurović Ana , Kravić Snežana , Grahovac Nada , Suturović Zvonimir , Bursić Vojislava , Vuković Gorica , Brezo Tanja
Published: February 2016

This paper describes an electroanalytical method for the determination of metribuzin using a thin film mercury electrode by chronopotentiometry.
Simultaneous preparation and characterization of three high-purity type B fumonisins from maize culture
Authors: Guo Wenbo , Han Zheng , Yang Junhua , Rao Qinxiong , Zhao Zhihui
Published: February 2016

A reliable and large-scale preparative method was developed for the simultaneous preparation of high-purity fumonisin B1(FB1), fumonisin B2(FB2) and fumonisin B3(FB3) from maize culture inoculated withFusarium moniliformein this study.
Theoretical study about Mo2C(101)-catalyzed hydrodeoxygenation of butyric acid to butane for biomass conversion
Authors: Shi Yun , Yang Yong , Li Yong-Wang , Jiao Haijun
Published: February 2016

To explore the conversion mechanism of fatty acids to long-chain alkanes using molybdenum carbide catalysts, the full potential energy surface of the hydrogenation of butyric acid to butane on the H-pre-covered hexagonal Mo2C(101) surface has been systematically computed.
Enhanced upconversion emission in ZrO2–Al2O3 composite oxide
Authors: Cong Yan , Dong Bin , Yu Naisen , He Yangyang , Zhao Ying , Yang Yang
Published: February 2016

Significant enhancement of the UC emission in ZrO2–Al2O3 solid solutions samples was obtained compared to the pristine oxide samples—ZrO2 and Al2O3.
Tin-containing silicates: identification of a glycolytic pathway via 3-deoxyglucosone
Authors: Tolborg S. , Meier S. , Sádaba I. , Elliot S. G. , Kristensen S. K. , Saravanamurugan S. , Riisager A. , Fristrup P. , Skrydstrup T. , Taarning E.
Published: February 2016

We identify a glycolytic pathway through 3-deoxyglucosone using Lewis acid catalysts resulting in the formation of bio-based monomers.
Growth, crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface, dielectric and mechanical properties of a new organic single crystal: ‘Bis glycine’ squarate
Authors: Tyagi Nidhi , Sinha Nidhi , Yadav Harsh , Kumar Binay
Published: February 2016

Crystal structure and morphology of the novel BGSQ single crystal with Hirshfeld surface and high transmission in UV-Vis region.
Local structure and photocatalytic properties of sol–gel derived Mn–Li co-doped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductor nanocrystals
Authors: Dubey Deepak Kumar , Singh Digvijay Narayan , Kumar Shiv , Nayak Chandrani , Kumbhakar Pathik , Jha Sambhu Nath , Bhattacharya Dibyendu , Ghosh Anup Kumar , Chatterjee Sandip
Published: February 2016

The synthesized materials with visible light emission and dye degradation activity can be used effectively in future optoelectronic devices and in water purification for cleaning of dyes.
Effects of pH on the alginate dialdehyde (ADA)-crosslinking of natural biological tissues and in vitro study of the endothelial cell compatibility of ADA-crosslinked biological tissues
Authors: Yang Xu , Liu Jingwang , Xu Yuanwei , Gu Zhipeng , Xu Yuanting , Li Li , Yu Xixun
Published: February 2016

Investigating the optimal pH-environment for ADA fixation and the HUVECs compatibility of the ADA-fixed biological vascular scaffolds.
One-step synthesis of bulk Mo and Ni–Mo carbides for methanation
Authors: Huo Xiaodong , Wang Zhiqing , Huang Jiejie , Zhang Rong , Fang Yitian
Published: February 2016

β-Mo2C and Ni/β-Mo2C catalysts were prepared by a single-step thermal decomposition method using hexamethylentetramine (HMT) as a reducing agent and carbon source.
Nanomorphology-dependent pseudocapacitive properties of NiO electrodes engineered through a controlled potentiodynamic electrodeposition process
Authors: Kore Rohan M. , Mane Rajaram S. , Naushad Mu. , Khan Mohammad R. , Lokhande Balkrishna J.
Published: February 2016

Three nickel oxide (NiO) electrodes of different nanostructures have been successfully engineered through a controlled potentiodynamic electrodeposition process, which show a noticeable effect on pseudocapacitive properties of NiO electrodes.
Development of a process for generating three-dimensional microbial patterns amenable for engineering use
Authors: Mehta Sunita , Murugeson Saravanan , Prakash Balaji , Deepak Deepak
Published: February 2016

We describe in detail a process for generating three-dimensional patterns of microbes on an optimum substrate in such a way that the patterns are amenable for engineering applications.
DNA photo-cleaving agents in the far-red to near-infrared range – a review
Authors: Li Ziyi , Grant Kathryn B.
Published: February 2016

Ideal photonucleases for clinical applications cleave DNA upon activation with deeply penetrating far-red to near-infrared light.
Isorefractive high internal phase emulsion organogels for light induced reactions
Authors: Zhang Tao , Guo Qipeng
Published: February 2016

We report the fabrication of isorefractive high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) organogels and the as-prepared transparent HIPE organogels can be used for various light induced reactions.
Aromaticity of the doubly charged [8]circulenes
Authors: Baryshnikov Gleb V. , Valiev Rashid R. , Karaush Nataliya N. , Sundholm Dage , Minaev Boris F.
Published: February 2016

Magnetically induced current densities and current pathways have been calculated for a series of fully annelated dicationic and dianionic tetraphenylenes, which are also named [8]circulenes.
Crystal structures and color properties of new complex perovskite oxynitrides AMg0.2Ta0.8O2.6N0.4 (A = Sr, Ba)
Authors: Moon Keon-Ho , Kim Jung-Mi , Sohn Youngku , Cho Dae Won , Kim Young-Il , Avdeev Maxim
Published: February 2016

Perovskite oxynitrides via cooperative cation insertion and O/N exchange in layered oxide, for potential pigments and photocatalysts.
Role of crystal size on swing-effect and adsorption induced structure transition of ZIF-8
Authors: Tian Tian , Wharmby Michael T. , Parra José B. , Ania Conchi O. , Fairen-Jimenez David
Published: February 2016

The flexibility and structure transition behaviour of ZIF-8 in a series of samples with different particle size has been studied using a combination of high-resolution N2 gas adsorption isotherms and, for the first time, a broad in situ PXRD and Rietveld analysis.
[bmIm]OH-catalyzed amidation of azides and aldehydes: an efficient route to amides
Authors: Gu Lijun , Wang Wei , Liu Jiyan , Li Ganpeng , Yuan Minglong
Published: February 2016

A [bmIm]OH-catalyzed amidation of azides and aldehydes is reported. The overall transformation involves azide–enolate cycloaddition, which subsequently undergoes rearrangement to give amides.
Combinatorial phenotypic screen uncovers unrecognized family of extended thiourea inhibitors with copper-dependent anti-staphylococcal activity
Authors: Dalecki Alex G , Malalasekera Aruni P , Schaaf Kaitlyn , Kutsch Olaf , Bossmann Stefan H , Wolschendorf Frank
Published: February 2016

The continuous rise of multi-drug resistant pathogenic bacteria has become a significant challenge for the health care system. In particular, novel drugs to treat infections of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (MRSA) are needed, but traditional drug discovery campaigns have largely failed to deliver clinically suitable antibiotics. More than simply new drugs, new drug discovery approaches are needed to combat bacterial resistance. The recently described phenomenon of copper-dependent inhibitors has galvanized research exploring the use of metal-coordinating molecules to harness copper’s natural antibacterial properties for therapeutic purposes. Here, we describe the results of the first concerted screening effort to identify copper-dependent inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus. A standard library of 10 000 compounds was assayed for anti-staphylococcal activity, with hits defined as those compounds with a strict copper-dependent inhibitory activity. A total of 53 copper-dependent hit molecules were uncovered, similar to the copper independent hit rate of a traditionally executed campaign conducted in parallel on the same library. Most prominent was a hit family with an extended thiourea core structure, termed the NNSN motif. This motif resulted in copper-dependent and copper-specific S. aureus inhibition, while simultaneously being well tolerated by eukaryotic cells. Importantly, we could demonstrate that copper binding by the NNSN motif is highly unusual and likely responsible for the promising biological qualities of these compounds. A subsequent chemoinformatic meta-analysis of the ChEMBL chemical database confirmed the NNSNs as an unrecognized staphylococcal inhibitor, despite the family’s presence in many chemical screening libraries. Thus, our copper-biased screen has proven able to discover inhibitors within previously screened libraries, offering a mechanism to reinvigorate exhausted molecular collections.
Sequential curing of off-stoichiometric thiol–epoxy thermosets with a custom-tailored structure
Authors: Fernández-Francos Xavier , Konuray Ali-Osman , Belmonte Alberto , De la Flor Silvia , Serra Àngels , Ramis Xavier
Published: February 2016

A novel sequential dual-curable thermosetting system with a custom-tailorable structure based on a click thiol–epoxy reaction and excess epoxy is presented.
Monolithic nitrogen-doped carbon as a water sorbent for high-performance adsorption cooling
Authors: Huber Lukas , Ruch Patrick , Hauert Roland , Saucke Gesine , Matam Santhosh Kumar , Michel Bruno , Koebel Matthias M.
Published: February 2016

In the present study, we report on the development of monolithic, resin-based carbon adsorbents for adsorption heat pumps optimized for water as a sorbent.
Synthesis of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles as promising anticoagulant agents
Authors: B. Iyer Vishwanathan , B. M. Gurupadayya , Inturi Bharathkumar , Sairam K. Venkata , Pujar Gurubasavaraj V.
Published: February 2016

A series of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles were designed and subjected to molecular docking simulation onto the enzymes vitamin K epoxide reductase (PDB: 3KP9) and factor Xa (PDB: 1NFY) to visualize their binding affinity towards the said target proteins.
Tailoring the electrical and photo-electrical properties of a WS2 field effect transistor by selective n-type chemical doping
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Waqas , Iqbal Muhammad Zahir , Khan Muhammad Farooq , Kamran Muhammad Arshad , Majid Abdul , Alharbi Thamer , Eom Jonghwa
Published: February 2016

A doping technique achieved remarkable success in improving the electrical and semiconductor-to-metal transitions characteristics of WS2 FET.
Synthesis and characterization of N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium(ii) chlorides-1-methylindazole and -1-methylpyrazole complexes and their catalytic activity toward C–N coupling of aryl chlorides
Authors: Zhao Xiao-Yun , Zhou Quan , Lu Jian-Mei
Published: February 2016

N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium(ii) chlorides-1-methylindazole and -1-methylpyrazole complexes were successfully synthesized and characterized. Investigations showed that they were efficient catalysts in amine coupling with aryl chlorides at low catalyst loadings.
Compact triple‐band ground radiation antenna using two inner rectangular loops enclosed by two outer loops
Authors: Qu L. , Zhang R. , Lee H. , Kim H.
Published: February 2016

A triple‐band ground radiation antenna is proposed that can cover the 1575 MHz global positioning system (GPS) band and the 2.45 and 5.5 GHz WLAN bands, within a 6 × 9 mm ground clearance. The proposed triple‐band antenna is comprised of two inner rectangular loops, each enclosed by a larger outer loop. Each band can be adjusted for impedance matching by means of respective matching circuits. The −10 dB return loss bandwidths were simulated to be 17, 130 and 1000 MHz. Measurements indicated that sufficient bandwidth and good radiation performance were also achieved.
Ku‐band pre‐matched broadband GaN power amplifier with over 30 W power
Authors: Yuan Ye , Fan Yong , Chen Zhe , Yang Ziqiang , Lin Haodong
Published: February 2016

A Ku‐band pre‐matched broadband gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier is proposed. Compared to conventional internally matched power amplifier, this high‐power amplifier (HPA) can provide broadband and high‐power gain. Measurement results show that the HPA has >20 dB power gain in the frequency range of 13.5–17 GHz. The maximum saturated output power (Psat) of 46 dBm and power added efficiency (PAE) of 42% are achieved at 15.5 GHz.
Compact microstrip wideband bandpass filter with high selectivity
Authors: Huang Feng , Wang Jianpeng , Li Jialin , Wu Wen
Published: February 2016

A new microstrip wideband bandpass filter with compact size and high selectivity is presented. Originated from conventional two‐stage parallel coupled‐line prototype, modified parallel coupled‐line structure is proposed to obtain high selectivity with inherent transmission zeros nearby the passband. Centring at 2.5 GHz, the realised wideband filter exhibits a 3 dB fractional bandwidth of 54.4% with finite transmission zeros. Furthermore, the filter features with nice in‐band performance, and sharp out‐of‐band rejection. Experimental results are in good agreement with the simulated results.