bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE CULTURE OF COMBINATION: SOLIDARITIES AND COLLECTIVE ACTION BEFORE TOLPUDDLE
Authors: GRIFFIN CARL J.
Published: May 2015

Beyond the repression of the national waves of food rioting during the subsistence crises of the 1790s, workers in the English countryside lost the will and ability to mobilize. Or so the historical orthodoxy goes. Such a conceptualization necessarily positions the ‘Bread or Blood’ riots of 1816, the Swing rising of 1830, and, in particular, the agrarian trade unionism practised at Tolpuddle in 1834 as exceptional events. This article offers a departure by placing Tolpuddle into its wider regional context. The unionists at Tolpuddle, it is shown, were not making it up as they went along but instead acted in ways consistent with shared understandings and experiences of collective action and unionism practised throughout the English west. In so doing, it pays particular attention to the forms of collective action – and judicial responses – that extended between different locales and communities and which joined farmworkers, artisans, and industrial workers together. So conceived, Tolpuddle was not an exception. Rather, it can be more usefully understood as a manifestation of deeply entrenched cultures, an episode that assumes its historical potency because of its subsequent politicized representations.
‘MARXISTS OF STRICT OBSERVANCE’? THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL DEFENCE, AND THE QUESTION OF WAR
Authors: MULHOLLAND MARC
Published: May 2015

In August 1914, as war broke out, socialist parties across Europe offered support to their own governments. The Socialist International was shattered. This rush to defencism has traditionally been seen as a volte face in which the International's frequent protestations in favour of peace and international working-class solidarity were suddenly abandoned. The collapse has been variously ascribed to socialist helplessness, betrayal, or ideological incoherence. This article examines the International's attitudes to war and peace as developed and espoused in the decades before 1914, and finds that the decisions of the constituent socialist parties in 1914 were understandable within this context. Socialists were not abandoning past ideals, but attempting to put them into practice. The circumstances of modern war, however, made traditional distinctions – between aggressor and defensive belligerents, and between ‘progressive’ and ‘reactionary’ nations – difficult to maintain. For some socialists, this meant that socialists of every country had a certain justification in rallying to their nation's defence. For Lenin and the Bolsheviks, however, if no capitalist country could be considered innocent, then all must be guilty.
HECKSCHER RELOADED? MERCANTILISM, THE STATE, AND EUROPE'S TRANSITION TO INDUSTRIALIZATION, 1600–1900*
Authors: RȪSSNER PHILIPP ROBINSON
Published: May 2015

Recent years have seen an increase in the number of historical studies dealing with the state and its involvement in the process of economic growth, both prior to and during the transition known as industrialization. This is striking inasmuch as for a long time the state as an actor had been absent from the master narratives in history. It is still lacking in most studies on the Great Divergence, i.e. the story explaining the long-run differential growth trajectories between Europe and Asia, c.ad1500–2000. It has been, likewise, missing in the more ‘Euro-centrist’ accounts on the perceived ‘European miracle’ – models that were to an extent influenced by neoclassical theory about market performance and economic development, which quite naturally saw little room for the pro-active state in the explanation of economic success, and against which much of the Great Divergence narrative was developed as an alternative model. As an actor, the state has also been missing from most of the accounts on Europe's first transition to industrialization. And it has had, until very recently, very little place in modern economic theory explaining long-run growth and economic change. Even the wider public opinion – just think of journalist T. Friedman's early 2000s best-sellerThe world is flat – had, by the late twentieth century, increasingly subscribed to the idea that free markets, unfettered globalization, and the ‘invisible hand’ were the best means to achieve economic health.
Nuclear Brinkmanship, Limited War, and Military Power
Authors: Powell Robert
Published: May 2015

An open question in nuclear deterrence theory is whether and how the balance of military power affects the dynamics of escalation. The balance of military strength plays virtually no role in standard accounts of brinkmanship. But this is largely by assumption and seems incompatible with an apparent trade-off between power and risk that decision makers have faced in some actual crises. This paper incorporates this trade-off in a modified model of nuclear brinkmanship. A main result is that the more likely the balance of resolve is to favor a defender, the less military power a challenger brings to bear. The model also formalizes the stability-instability paradox, showing that a less stable strategic balance, that is, a sharper trade-off between power and risk, makes conflict at high levels of violence less likely but conflict at lower levels more likely. The analysis also helps explain the incentives different states have to adopt different nuclear doctrines and force postures.
Chemical stabilization of organic carbon in agricultural soils in a semi-arid region (SE Spain)
Authors: SIERRA M. , MARTÍNEZ F. J. , BRAOJOS V. , ROMERO-FREIRE A. , ORTIZ-BERNAD I. , MARTÍN F. J.
Published: May 2015

Land use and management, together with soil properties, determine soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration and its stabilization mechanisms. Four soils (0–30 cm depth) were studied in a semi-arid region with different uses and management regimes: two soils with olive cultivation, both under a non-tillage regime and one with a cover crop (OCC) and the other without (ONT); a fluvial terrace soil (FT) with cereal–sunflower–fallow rotation; and an unaltered soil under natural vegetation (oak trees; OT). The OT soil had a higher SOC concentration than the agricultural soils (OCC, ONT and FT), followed by the FT soil without significant differences. The olive grove soils had a lower SOC concentration but the two types of management differed significantly, with higher concentrations due to the cover crop. Hydrofluoric acid (HF)-soluble, hydrochloric acid (HCl)-resistant, and non-oxidizable (sodium peroxodisulphate; Na2S2O8) SOC fractions were determined at different depths (0–5, 5–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm). The relative HCl-resistant and non-oxidizable SOC fractions increased with depth, whereas the relative HF-soluble SOC fraction varied slightly among the four soils considered. Differences in the SOC-stabilization mechanism were found according to the chemical SOC fractionation. In the FT and OT soils, where HF-soluble SOC and soil respiration rates were higher, the intense biological activity rapidly degraded the plant debris, being partially fixed and stabilized by the fine mineral-soil fraction as the principal stabilization mechanism of SOC. The olive grove soils had lower biological activity but higher SOC resistance to oxidation with Na2S2O8, thus suggesting that chemical recalcitrance of soil organic matter was a relevant stabilization mechanism in these soils.
Collective action by older people in natural disasters: the Great East Japan Earthquake
Authors: YOTSUI MIHOKO , CAMPBELL CATHERINE , HONMA TERUO
Published: May 2015

How can social participation by older people support their wellbeing? We explore the elder-focused community support system developed in Minamisanriku town after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. Many elderly people lost all their material possessions and were moved from their devastated home communities to temporary housing. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 participants including 14 community workers and three members in the Minamisanriku Council of Social Welfare (MCSW) in a programme framed by the MCSW's disaster-response model. Thematic analysis highlighted how older people's involvement in the visiting programme of their temporary community, and conducting twice-daily visits to other vulnerable elders, enabled them to provide valued social support to isolated and homebound peers. It also helped reconstruct their own social identities shattered by the dissolution of former communities, the shock of displacement and loss of possessions. This positive social participation was heavily influenced by strong bridges between their temporary community and MCSW support staff and infrastructure that promoted and supported their visits. Our study highlights how strong and empowering relationships amongst older people can be facilitated by an active government-funded support agency that is immediately responsive to the needs and deeply respectful of the world-views of vulnerable groups.
Foreword for special issue for RAAD 2013 Conference – ROBOTICA
Authors: Carbone Giuseppe , Nemec Bojan
Published: May 2015

This special issue is associated with the 22nd International Workshop on Robotics in the Alpe-Adria-Danube Region (RAAD2013) that took place on September 11 to 13, 2013 in Portorož, Slovenia. The RAAD conference series was established in 1992 (initially under the name RAA). At that time, RAAD played an important role towards enhancing international cooperation among neighborhood countries, while addressing the evolution of robotics from classical industrial applications to novel challenging areas such as service and humanoid robotics. Although RAAD conference got its name from a geographical region (Alpe-Adria-Danube), it was never meant to be limited to participants coming solely from this region. This aspect has grown through the years and in 2013 RAAD has got 50 papers from authors who came from 20 different countries. Invited plenary lectures have been delivered by Prof. Auke Ijspeert from EPFL (Switzerland), Prof. Alin Albu-Schäffer from DLR (Germany), and prof. I-Ming Chen from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
From Cautionary Chart-Topper to Friendly Beverage Anthem: Michael Jackson's “Billie Jean” and Pepsi's “Choice of a New Generation” Television Campaign
Authors: LOVE JOANNA
Published: May 2015

In 1984 Pepsi-Cola released two groundbreaking commercials for its “Choice of a New Generation” campaign. Marketers reimagined Pepsi's product alongside superstar Michael Jackson's most iconic visual “symbols” and composed a slogan to be sung over fragments of the backing-track to his then-hit song, “Billie Jean.” Although merely replacing Jackson's original lyrics about lust and revenge with a family-oriented slogan had the potential to change meaning potentials the song held in other contexts, it was the re-working of Jackson's celebrity image and omission of key musical structures present within the original that allowed “Billie Jean” to acquire new meanings in the commercials. On the album, careful voice leading practices that pivot precariously between the natural and flat-VI underpin the score's complex harmonic structures to reinforce Jackson's cautionary tale. Pepsi's commercials, on the other hand, skillfully pick “Billie Jean” apart, extract its most memorable themes, and stitch the fragments back together. Consequently, when paired with Pepsi's overtly positive images, the reworked track noticeably diffuses the tension expressed in the original. By incorporating formal musical analysis, musicological inquiry, and formative cultural theory on advertising, MTV, and musical meaning in multimedia, this article contributes to growing discussions about pre-existing popular music's roles in advertising.
Genome-wide RNAi screen for synthetic lethal interactions with the C. elegans kinesin-5 homolog BMK-1
Authors: Maia André F. , Tanenbaum Marvin E. , Galli Matilde , Lelieveld Daphne , Egan David A. , Gassmann Reto , Sunkel Claudio E. , van den Heuvel Sander , Medema René H.
Published: May 2015

Kinesins are a superfamily of microtubule-based molecular motors that perform various transport needs and have essential roles in cell division. Among these, the kinesin-5 family has been shown to play a major role in the formation and maintenance of the bipolar mitotic spindle. Moreover, recent work suggests that kinesin-5 motors may have additional roles. In contrast to most model organisms, the sole kinesin-5 gene in Caenorhabditis elegans, bmk-1, is not required for successful mitosis and animals lacking bmk-1 are viable and fertile. To gain insight into factors that may act redundantly with BMK-1 in spindle assembly and to identify possible additional cellular pathways involving BMK-1, we performed a synthetic lethal screen using the bmk-1 deletion allele ok391. We successfully knocked down 82% of the C. elegans genome using RNAi and assayed viability in bmk-1(ok391) and wild type strains using an automated high-throughput approach based on fluorescence microscopy. The dataset includes a final list of 37 synthetic lethal interactions whose further study is likely to provide insight into kinesin-5 function.
Phase transitions of the ionic Hubbard model on the honeycomb lattice
Authors: Lin Heng-Fu , Liu Hai-Di , Tao Hong-Shuai , Liu Wu-Ming
Published: May 2015

Many-body problem on the honeycomb lattice systems have been the subject of considerable experimental and theoretical interest. Here we investigate the phase transitions of the ionic Hubbard model on the honeycomb lattice with an alternate ionic potential for the half filling and hole doping cases by means of cellular dynamical mean field theory combining with continue time quantum Monte Carlo as an impurity solver. At half filling, as the increase of the interaction at a fixed ionic potential, we find the single particle gap decreases firstly, reaches a minimum at a critical interaction "Equation missing", then increases upturn. At "Equation missing", there is a band insulator to Mott insulator transition accompanying with the presence of the antiferromagnetic order. Away from half filing, the system shows three phases for the different values of hole density and interaction, paramagnetic metal, antiferromagnetic metal and ferromagnetic metal. Further, we present the staggered particle number, the double occupancy, the staggered magnetization, the uniform magnetization and the single particle spectral properties, which exhibit characteristic features for those phases.
Spatially and spectrally engineered spin-orbit interaction for achromatic virtual shaping
Authors: Pu Mingbo , Zhao Zeyu , Wang Yanqin , Li Xiong , Ma Xiaoliang , Hu Chenggang , Wang Changtao , Huang Cheng , Luo Xiangang
Published: May 2015

The geometries of objects are deterministic in electromagnetic phenomena in all aspects of our world, ranging from imaging with spherical eyes to stealth aircraft with bizarre shapes. Nevertheless, shaping the physical geometry is often undesired owing to other physical constraints such as aero- and hydro-dynamics in the stealth technology. Here we demonstrate that it is possible to change the traditional law of reflection as well as the electromagnetic characters without altering the physical shape, by utilizing the achromatic phase shift stemming from spin-orbit interaction in ultrathin space-variant and spectrally engineered metasurfaces. The proposal is validated by full-wave simulations and experimental characterization in optical wavelengths ranging from 600 nm to 2800 nm and microwave frequencies in 8-16 GHz, with echo reflectance less than 10% in the whole range. The virtual shaping as well as the revised law of reflection may serve as a versatile tool in many realms, including broadband and conformal camouflage and Kinoform holography, to name just a few.
Interferon gamma-induced protein 10 is associated with insulin resistance and incident diabetes in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Chang Chia-Chu , Wu Chia-Lin , Su Wei-Wen , Shih Kai-Lun , Tarng Der-Cherng , Chou Chen-Te , Chen Ting-Yu , Kor Chew-Teng , Wu Hung-Ming
Published: May 2015

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an important risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), a proinflammatory chemokine, plays a crucial role in inflammatory diseases. This cross-sectional pilot study investigated whether circulating IP-10 is associated with the progression of liver disease and prediabetes in patients with NAFLD. A total of 90 patients with NAFLD alone (n = 48) or NAFLD with incident diabetes (n = 42) and 43 controls participated in this study. Fasting plasma was used to assess metabolic parameters, inflammatory factors, endotoxin levels and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations. Insulin resistance was estimated using homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR). IP-10 levels were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD alone (median (interquartile range): 369.44 (309.30–418.97) pg/mL) and in those with incident diabetes (418.99 (330.73–526.04) pg/mL) than in controls (293.37 (214.10–331.57) pg/mL) (P < 0.001). IP-10 levels were positively correlated with levels of alanine aminotransferase, hs-CRP, MDA, MCP-1 and TNF-α as well as HOMA-IR values. Ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed IP-10 was an independent risk factor associated with progressive liver injury, insulin resistance and incident diabetes. Circulating IP-10 may be a non-invasive biomarker for disease progression and subsequent diabetes development of NAFLD.
Quality of fresh organic matter affects priming of soil organic matter and substrate utilization patterns of microbes
Authors: Wang Hui , Boutton Thomas W. , Xu Wenhua , Hu Guoqing , Jiang Ping , Bai Edith
Published: May 2015

Changes in biogeochemical cycles and the climate system due to human activities are expected to change the quantity and quality of plant litter inputs to soils. How changing quality of fresh organic matter (FOM) might influence the priming effect (PE) on soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization is still under debate. Here we determined the PE induced by two 13C-labeled FOMs with contrasting nutritional quality (leaf vs. stalk of Zea mays L.). Soils from two different forest types yielded consistent results: soils amended with leaf tissue switched faster from negative PE to positive PE due to greater microbial growth compared to soils amended with stalks. However, after 16 d of incubation, soils amended with stalks had a higher PE than those amended with leaf. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) results suggested that microbial demand for carbon and other nutrients was one of the major determinants of the PE observed. Therefore, consideration of both microbial demands for nutrients and FOM supply simultaneously is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms of PE. Our study provided evidence that changes in FOM quality could affect microbial utilization of substrate and PE on SOM mineralization, which may exacerbate global warming problems under future climate change.
Multilayer thin films with compositional PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3/Bi1.5Zn1.0Nb1.5O7 layers for tunable applications
Authors: Yu Shihui , Li Lingxia , Zhang Weifeng , Sun Zheng , Dong Helei
Published: May 2015

The dielectric properties and tunability of multilayer thin films with compositional PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3/Bi1.5Zn1.0Nb1.5O7 (PZT/BZN) layers (PPBLs) fabricated by pulsed laser deposition on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrate have been investigated. Dielectric measurements indicate that the PZT/BZN bilayer thin films exhibit medium dielectric constant of about 490, low loss tangent of 0.017 and superior tunable dielectric properties (tunability = 49.7% at 500 kV/cm) at a PZT/BZN thickness ratio of 3, while the largest figure of merit is obtained as 51.8. The thickness effect is discussed with a series connection model of bilayer capacitors and the calculated dielectric constant and loss tangent are obtained. Furthermore, five kinds of thin–film samples comprising single bilayers, two, three, four and five PPBLs were also elaborated with the final same thickness. The four PPBLs show the largest dielectric constant of ~538 and tunability of 53.3% at a maximum applied bias field of 500 kV/cm and the lowest loss tangent of ~0.015, while the largest figure of merit is 65.6. The results indicate that four PPBLs are excellent candidates for applications of tunable devices.
Variation in koala microbiomes within and between individuals: effect of body region and captivity status
Authors: Alfano Niccoló , Courtiol Alexandre , Vielgrader Hanna , Timms Peter , Roca Alfred L. , Greenwood Alex D.
Published: May 2015

Metagenomic analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA has been used to profile microbial communities at high resolution and to examine their association with host diet or diseases. We examined the oral and gut microbiome composition of two captive koalas to determine whether bacterial communities are unusual in this species, given that their diet consists almost exclusively of Eucalyptus leaves. Despite a highly specialized diet, koala oral and gut microbiomes were similar in composition to the microbiomes from the same body regions of other mammals. Rectal swabs contained all of the diversity present in faecal samples, along with additional taxa, suggesting that faecal bacterial communities may merely subsample the gut bacterial diversity. Furthermore, the faecal microbiomes of the captive koalas were similar to those reported for wild koalas, suggesting that captivity may not compromise koala microbial health. Since koalas frequently suffer from ocular diseases caused by Chlamydia infection, we also examined the eye microbiome composition of two captive koalas, establishing the healthy baseline for this body part. The eye microbial community was very diverse, similar to other mammalian ocular microbiomes but with an unusually high representation of bacteria from the family Phyllobacteriaceae.
Velvet-mediated repression of β-glucan synthesis in Aspergillus nidulans spores
Authors: Park Hee-Soo , Man Yu Yeong , Lee Mi-Kyung , Jae Maeng Pil , Chang Kim Sun , Yu Jae-Hyuk
Published: May 2015

Beta-glucans are a heterologous group of fibrous glucose polymers that are a major constituent of cell walls in Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes fungi. Synthesis of β (1,3)- and (1,6)-glucans is coordinated with fungal cell growth and development, thus, is under tight genetic regulation. Here, we report that β-glucan synthesis in both asexual and sexual spores is turned off by the NF-kB like fungal regulators VosA and VelB in Aspergillus nidulans. Our genetic and genomic analyses have revealed that both VosA and VelB are necessary for proper down-regulation of cell wall biosynthetic genes including those associated with β-glucan synthesis in both types of spores. The deletion of vosA or velB results in elevated accumulation of β-glucan in asexual spores. Double mutant analyses indicate that VosA and VelB play an inter-dependent role in repressing β-glucan synthesis in asexual spores. In vivo chromatin immuno-precipitation analysis shows that both VelB and VosA bind to the promoter region of the β-glucan synthase gene fksA in asexual spores. Similarly, VosA is required for proper repression of β-glucan synthesis in sexual spores. In summary, the VosA-VelB hetero-complex is a key regulatory unit tightly controlling proper levels of β-glucan synthesis in asexual and sexual spores.
Impact of dataset diversity on accuracy and sensitivity of parallel factor analysis model of dissolved organic matter fluorescence excitation-emission matrix
Authors: Yu Huarong , Liang Heng , Qu Fangshu , Han Zheng-shuang , Shao Senlin , Chang Haiqing , Li Guibai
Published: May 2015

Parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis enables a quantitative analysis of excitation-emission matrix (EEM). The impact of a spectral variability stemmed from a diverse dataset on the representativeness of the PARAFAC model needs to be examined. In this study, samples from a river, effluent of a wastewater treatment plant and algae secretion were collected and subjected to PARAFAC analysis. PARAFAC models of global dataset and individual datasets were compared. It was found that the peak shift derived from source diversity undermined the accuracy of the global model. The results imply that building a universal PARAFAC model that can be widely available for fitting new EEMs would be quite difficult, but fitting EEMs to existing PARAFAC model that belong to a similar environment would be more realistic. The accuracy of online monitoring strategy that monitors the fluorescence intensities at the peaks of PARAFAC components was examined by correlating the EEM data with the maximum fluorescence (Fmax) modeled by PARAFAC. For the individual datasets, remarkable correlations were obtained around the peak positions. However, an analysis of cocktail datasets implies that the involvement of foreign components that are spectrally similar to local components would undermine the online monitoring strategy.
Stencil Nano Lithography Based on a Nanoscale Polymer Shadow Mask: Towards Organic Nanoelectronics
Authors: Yun Hoyeol , Kim Sangwook , Kim Hakseong , Lee Junghyun , McAllister Kirstie , Kim Junhyung , Pyo Sengmoon , Sung Kim Jun , Campbell Eleanor E. B. , Hyoung Lee Wi , Wook Lee Sang
Published: May 2015

A stencil lithography technique has been developed to fabricate organic-material-based electronic devices with sub-micron resolution. Suspended polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) membranes were used as shadow masks for defining organic channels and top electrodes. Arrays of pentacene field effect transistors (FETs) with various channel lengths from 50 μm down to 500 nm were successfully produced from the same batch using this technique. Electrical transport measurements showed that the electrical contacts of all devices were stable and the normalized contact resistances were much lower than previously studied organic FETs. Scaling effects, originating from the bulk space charge current, were investigated by analyzing the channel-length-dependent mobility and hysteresis behaviors. This novel lithography method provides a reliable means for studying the fundamental transport properties of organic materials at the nanoscale as well as enabling potential applications requiring the fabrication of integrated organic nanoelectronic devices.
A new lithium-rich anti-spinel in Li–O–Br system
Authors: Zhang J. , Zhu J. , Wang L. , Zhao Y.
Published: May 2015

First-ever anti-spinel obtained by the dehydration reaction Li5Br(OH)4 = Li3OBr + 2LiOH + H2O under moderate pressure and temperature conditions.
Efficient photocatalytic selective nitro-reduction and C–H bond oxidation over ultrathin sheet mediated CdS flowers
Authors: Pahari Sandip Kumar , Pal Provas , Srivastava Divesh N. , Ghosh Subhash Ch. , Panda Asit Baran
Published: May 2015

Visible light driven selective nitro reduction and oxidation of saturated sp3 C–H bonds using ultrathin (0.8 nm) sheet mediated uniform CdS flowers as catalyst under a household 40 W CFL lamp using molecular oxygen as oxidant is reported.
Synthesis of enantioenriched 1,2-trans-diamines using the borono-Mannich reaction with N-protected α-amino aldehydes
Authors: Norsikian Stéphanie , Beretta Margaux , Cannillo Alexandre , Martin Amélie , Retailleau Pascal , Beau Jean-Marie
Published: May 2015

The three-component Petasis borono-Mannich reaction starting with easily accessible N-protected α-amino aldehydes produces efficiently and diastereoselectively 1,2-trans-diamines with an enantiomeric excess of up to 98%.
Alternating assembly of Ni–Al layered double hydroxide and graphene for high-rate alkaline battery cathode
Authors: Hu Junyan , Lei Gang , Lu Zhouguang , Liu Kaiyu , Sang Shangbin , Liu Hongtao
Published: May 2015

A Ni–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH)–graphene superlattice composite via alternating assembly of the exfoliated thin flakes with opposite charges is constructed for high-rate alkaline secondary battery cathode material.
Thymidylate synthase inspired biomodel reagent for the conversion of uracil to thymine
Authors: Singh Palwinder , Kumar Arun , Kaur Sukhmeet , Singh Amrinder
Published: May 2015

Inspired by TSase catalysis for dUMP conversion to dTMP, a biomodel reagent is developed.
Kinks in experimental diffusion profiles of a dissolving semi-crystalline polymer explained by a concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient
Authors: Hermes Helen E. , Sitta Christoph E. , Schillinger Burkhard , Löwen Hartmut , Egelhaaf Stefan U.
Published: May 2015

Although we observe sharp diffusion fronts, our experimental neutron radiography data can be explained using Fick's laws without resorting to non-Fickian – such as Case II – arguments.
Crystallographic dependence of photocatalytic activity of WO3thin films prepared by molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Li Guoqiang , Varga Tamas , Yan Pengfei , Wang Zhiguo , Wang Chongmin , Chambers Scott A. , Du Yingge
Published: May 2015

The (111) surface of WO3is found to have the highest photocatalytic reactivity, followed by (110) and (001).
Excited state dynamics of thiophene and bithiophene: new insights into theoretically challenging systems
Authors: Prlj Antonio , Curchod Basile F. E. , Corminboeuf Clémence
Published: May 2015

ADC(2) surface hopping study of the ultrafast deactivation mechanisms for thiophene and bithiophene.
Low barriers for hydrogen diffusion in sII clathrate
Authors: Trinh Thuat T. , Waage Magnus H. , van Erp Titus S. , Kjelstrup Signe
Published: May 2015

The transport of gas molecules in hydrates is presently poorly understood.
An ‘all pigment’ model of excitation quenching in LHCII
Authors: Chmeliov Jevgenij , Bricker William P. , Lo Cynthia , Jouin Elodie , Valkunas Leonas , Ruban Alexander V. , Duffy Christopher D. P.
Published: May 2015

This work presents the first all-pigment microscopic model of a major light-harvesting complex of plants and the first attempt to capture the dissipative character of the known structure.
Engineered biosynthesis of natural products in heterologous hosts
Authors: Luo Yunzi , Li Bing-Zhi , Liu Duo , Zhang Lu , Chen Yan , Jia Bin , Zeng Bo-Xuan , Zhao Huimin , Yuan Ying-Jin
Published: May 2015

Biosynthesis of natural products in heterologous hosts is improved significantly with new tools and strategies in synthetic biology.
Structural and magnetic studies on three new mixed metal copper(ii) selenites and tellurites
Authors: Cao Xue-Li , Kong Fang , He Zhang-Zhen , Mao Jiang-Gao
Published: May 2015

Detailed structural and magnetic property characterizations on three new mixed metal copper(ii) selenites or tellurites have been reported.
CeO2nanorod/g-C3N4/N-rGO composite: enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance and the role of N-rGO as electronic transfer media
Authors: Wang Li , Ding Jing , Chai Yuanyuan , Liu Qianqian , Ren Jia , Liu Xin , Dai Wei-Lin
Published: May 2015

A novel CeO2nanorod/g-C3N4/N-rGO ternary composite was synthesized using a simple ultrasonic-heat treatment method for application in the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants under the irradiation of visible light.
Pterostilbene improves glycaemic control in rats fed an obesogenic diet: involvement of skeletal muscle and liver
Authors: Gómez-Zorita S. , Fernández-Quintela A. , Aguirre L. , Macarulla M. T. , Rimando A. M. , Portillo M. P.
Published: May 2015

This study aims to determine whether pterostilbene improved glycaemic control in rats showing insulin resistance induced by an obesogenic diet.
Prediction of microalgae hydrothermal liquefaction products from feedstock biochemical composition
Authors: Leow Shijie , Witter John R. , Vardon Derek R. , Sharma Brajendra K. , Guest Jeremy S. , Strathmann Timothy J.
Published: May 2015

Models for microalgae hydrothermal liquefaction were developed from conversion ofNannochloropsiscultivated to varying biochemical composition and fatty acid content.
Transportation, dispersion and ordering of dense colloidal assemblies by magnetic interfacial rotaphoresis
Authors: van Reenen A. , de Jong A. M. , Prins M. W. J.
Published: May 2015

We reveal a method to transport, disperse and order dense assemblies of magnetically responsive colloids on a surface within seconds and with velocities of mm s−1.
Transactivation of the human retinoid X receptor by organotins: use of site-directed mutagenesis to identify critical amino acid residues for organotin-induced transactivation
Authors: Hiromori Youhei , Aoki Akira , Nishikawa Jun-ichi , Nagase Hisamitsu , Nakanishi Tsuyoshi
Published: May 2015

Organotins, such as tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT), may disrupt endocrine activity in mammals arising from their ability to act as ligands for the retinoid X receptor (RXR) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). The structure of TBT is completely different from that of 9-cis retinoic acid (9cRA), an endogenous RXR ligand; and X-ray crystallographic studies have revealed that TBT and 9cRA have distinct binding interactions with human RXRα. Therefore, organotins and rexinoids likely activate RXR by different mechanisms. Here, we used human RXRα mutants to investigate which amino acid residues of the receptor are critical for transactivation induced by rexinoids and organotins. We found that 9cRA and a synthetic RXR agonist (LG100268) failed to activate R316A and L326A RXRα mutants. In contrast, all the tested organotins activated the R316A mutant, the L326A mutant, or both but failed to activate a C432A mutant. These results suggest that the importance of L326, which is located in the β-strand, for rexinoid-induced transactivation of RXRα is comparable to that of R316; in contrast, C432 is critical for organotin-induced transactivation, whereas R316 and L326 are not required. We used a PPARγ/RXRα C432A heterodimer to determine whether TBT and TPT could activate the heterodimer by binding to PPARγ. We found that TBT and TPT activated the PPARγ/RXRα C432A heterodimer, which suggests that both compounds can activate the heterodimer through PPARγ. These findings indicate that the amino acid residues that are critical for organotin-induced transactivation of RXRα are distinct from those required for rexinoid-induced transactivation.
Biphenyl appended BODIPY derivatives showing combined environmental polarity and heavy metal cation sensing functionality
Authors: Richards Gary James , Gobo Yuki , Yamamura Masaki , Nabeshima Tatsuya
Published: May 2015

Novel BODIPY derivatives exhibiting environmental polarity and combined environmental polarity/Hg2+ and Pb2+ fluorescence sensing properties have been prepared. The sensing properties are the result of a switchable photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) quenching mechanism.
A gold nanohole array based surface-enhanced Raman scattering biosensor for detection of silver(i) and mercury(ii) in human saliva
Authors: Zheng Peng , Li Ming , Jurevic Richard , Cushing Scott K. , Liu Yuxin , Wu Nianqiang
Published: May 2015

A sensitive SERS sensor has been developed by utilizing plasmon coupling between the Au nanostar and the Au nanohole array.
New fluorinated fructose analogs as selective probes of the hexose transporter protein GLUT5
Authors: Soueidan Olivier-Mohamad , Trayner Brendan J. , Grant Tina N. , Henderson Jeff R. , Wuest Frank , West F. G. , Cheeseman Chris I.
Published: May 2015

Two fluorinated fructose analogs are taken up by tumor cells in culture. Their high affinity for the transporter protein GLUT5 provides information on the structural demands of its binding site, and suggests approaches towards new molecular imaging probes.
Palladium-catalyzed chemoselective synthesis of indane-1,3-dione derivatives via tert-butyl isocyanide insertion
Authors: Duan Huaqing , Chen Zhong , Han Li , Feng Yulin , Zhu Yongming , Yang Shilin
Published: May 2015

A simple and efficient strategy for the synthesis of indane-1,3-dione derivatives through a palladium(0)-catalyzed reaction incorporating tert-butyl isocyanide has been developed.
Studies on tridecaptin B1, a lipopeptide with activity against multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria
Authors: Cochrane Stephen A. , Lohans Christopher T. , van Belkum Marco J. , Bels Manon A. , Vederas John C.
Published: May 2015

Tridecaptin B1is a new lipopeptide with activity against Gram-negative bacteria.
Preparation of emissive glucose-containing polymer nanoparticles and their cell imaging applications
Authors: Wang Ke , Zhang Xiaoyong , Zhang Xiqi , Ma Chunping , Li Zhen , Huang Zengfang , Zhang Qingsong , Wei Yen
Published: May 2015

Water dispersible, bright and biocompatible fluorescent glycopolymer nanoparticles were facilely fabricated, and their cellular imaging application was successfully demonstrated.
Pyrrolo[3,4-g]quinoxaline-6,8-dione-based conjugated copolymers for bulk heterojunction solar cells with high photovoltages
Authors: Xu Xiaofeng , Wang Chuanfei , Bäcke Olof , James David I. , Bini Kim , Olsson Eva , Andersson Mats R. , Fahlman Mats , Wang Ergang
Published: May 2015

D–A copolymers incorporating new pyrrolo[3,4-g]quinoxaline-6,8-dione (PQD) building blocks were synthesized for bulk heterojunction solar cells with high photovoltages.
Multifunctional polyelectrolyte multilayers coated onto Gd2O3:Yb3+,Er3+@MSNs can be used as drug carriers and imaging agents
Authors: Huang Shanshan , Cheng Ziyong , Chen Yinyin , Liu Bei , Deng Xiaoran , Ma Ping'an , Lin Jun
Published: May 2015

Multifunctional polyelectrolyte multilayers coated Gd2O3:Yb3+,Er3+@MSNs were fabricated as potential drug delivery system with MRI, UCL, and pH-responsive release properties.
Unusual stability of multiply charged organo-metallic complexes
Authors: Giri Santanab , Child Brandon Z. , Zhou Jian , Jena Puru
Published: May 2015

The addition of electron(s), capable of simultaneously satisfying three electron counting rules, renders unusual stability to the charged organometallic complexes.
251 fs pulse generation with a Nd3+-doped Ca3Gd2(BO3)4 disordered crystal
Authors: Pan Zhongben , Ma Jie , Xu Honghao , Tang Dingyuan , Cai Huaqiang , Yu Haohai , Zhang Huaijin , Wang Jiyang
Published: May 2015

Autocorrelation trace and spectrum of the mode-locked pulses.
A WAXS/SAXS study on the deformation behavior of β-nucleated propylene–ethylene random copolymer subjected to uniaxial stretching
Authors: Zhang Chunbo , Liu Guoming , Jiang Qianhong , Yang Jian , Zhao Ying , Wang Dujin
Published: May 2015

Structural evolution of β-nucleated propylene–ethylene random copolymer during stretching was studied. A deformation model combining crystal transition, cavitation and orientation depending on drawing temperature was proposed.
A novel molecularly imprinted polymer thin film at surface of ZnO nanorods for selective fluorescence detection of para-nitrophenol
Authors: Wei Xiao , Zhou Zhiping , Hao Tongfan , Li Hongji , Zhu Yanzhuo , Gao Lin , Yan Yongsheng
Published: May 2015

A novel MIPs-based ZnO nanorods with molecular recognition ability forpara-nitrophenol was successfully synthesizedviaa surface imprinting-directing polymerization.
Improvement of polypropylene nonwoven fabric antibacterial properties by the direct fluorination
Authors: Prorokova N. P. , Istratkin V. A. , Kumeeva T. Yu. , Vavilova S. Yu. , Kharitonov A. P. , Bouznik V. M.
Published: May 2015

Fluorination of polypropylene nonwoven fabric totally suppresses Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans microfungus reproduction and partially – Escherichia coli reproduction.
Design and synthesis of 3D hierarchical NiCo2S4@MnO2 core–shell nanosheet arrays for high-performance pseudocapacitors
Authors: Xu Kaibing , Ren Qilong , Liu Qian , Li Wenyao , Zou Rujia , Hu Junqing
Published: May 2015

3D hierarchical NiCo2S4@MnO2 hybrid materials have been successfully prepared for high-performance pseudocapacitors, which show outstanding electrochemical performance in supercapacitors such as high areal capacitance and good cyclic stability.
Cation assisted complexation of octacarbazolylphenyl substituted Zn(ii)-tetraphenylporphyrin with [2,2,2]cryptand
Authors: Mamardashvili Galina M. , Maltceva Olga V. , Mamardashvili Nugzar Zh. , Nguyen Nguyen Tran , Dehaen Wim
Published: May 2015

Supramolecular complex formed from a carbazolylphenyl-porphyrin first generation dendrimer and [2,2,2]cryptand was prepared and investigated the influence of alkali metal cations on its formation and properties.
Laser-induced transformation of freestanding carbon nanotubes into graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Van Hai Hoang , Badura Kaelyn , Zhang Mei
Published: May 2015

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) were successfully produced by using a laser to transform the tubular structure of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
Highly active Au–Pd nanoparticles supported on three-dimensional graphene–carbon nanotube hybrid for selective oxidation of methanol to methyl formate
Authors: Wang Ruiyi , Wu Zhiwei , Wang Guofu , Qin Zhangfeng , Chen Chengmeng , Dong Mei , Zhu Huaqing , Fan Weibin , Wang Jianguo
Published: May 2015

Carbon nanotubes inserted in graphene give the Au–Pd/Gr–CNT catalyst high activity in methanol oxidation to methyl formate.
Metal-free activation of peroxymonosulfate by g-C3N4 under visible light irradiation for the degradation of organic dyes
Authors: Tao Yufang , Ni Qian , Wei Mingyu , Xia Dongsheng , Li Xiaoxia , Xu Aihua
Published: May 2015

g-C3N4 was demonstrated as a stable metal-free photocatalyst to activate peroxymonosulfate under visible light irradiation for the degradation of organic dyes.
Crosslinking of collagen using a controlled molecular weight bio-crosslinker: β-cyclodextrin polyrotaxane multi-aldehydes
Authors: Liu Sa , Xie Renjian , Cai Jie , Wang Lin , Shi Xuetao , Ren Li , Wang Yingjun
Published: May 2015

A novel bio-crosslinker which can improve the properties of collagen effectively.
Synergy between Pd and Au in a Pd–Au(100) bimetallic surface for the water gas shift reaction: a DFT study
Authors: Saqlain Muhammad Adnan , Hussain Akhtar , Siddiq Muhammad , Leitão Alexandre A.
Published: May 2015

Density functional theory calculations were performed to model a reaction relevant bimetallic surface and study the water gas shift reaction.
Solvothermally synthesized graphene nanosheets supporting spinel NiFe2O4 nanoparticles as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Li Pengxi , Ma Ruguang , Zhou Yao , Chen Yongfang , Zhou Zhenzhen , Liu Guanghui , Liu Qian , Peng Guihua , Wang Jiacheng
Published: May 2015

Solvothermally synthesized graphene nanosheets supporting spinel NiFe2O4 nanoparticles was prepared under hydrothermal treatment, exhibiting both excellent activity for oxygen reduction and superior long-term durability to commercial Pt/C.
Experimental observation of TiN12+ cluster and theoretical investigation of its stable and metastable isomers
Authors: Ding Ke-Wei , Li Xiao-Wei , Xu Hong-Guang , Li Tao-Qi , Ge Zhong-Xue , Wang Qian , Zheng Wei-Jun
Published: May 2015

In the Oh symmetric structure of TiN12+, the interaction between Ti and N2 weakens the N–N bond significantly.
Three-dimensional clustering of Janus cylinders by convex curvature and hydrophobic interactions
Authors: Kim Jongmin , Oh Myung Seok , Choi Chang-Hyung , Kang Sung-Min , Kwak Moo Jin , You Jae Bem , Im Sung Gap , Lee Chang-Soo
Published: May 2015

The geometry or degree of hydrophobic interaction in Janus microcylinders affects the formation of the assembled structures.
CuInS2/ZnS nanocrystals as sensitisers for NiO photocathodes
Authors: Macdonald Thomas J. , Mange Yatin J. , Dewi Melissa R. , Islam Husn U. , Parkin Ivan P. , Skinner William M. , Nann Thomas
Published: May 2015

Nickel oxide (NiO) is the most universally studied photocathode to date. We demonstrate that non-toxic CuInS2/ZnS NCs can be used to sensitise NiO photocathodes to achieve an (almost) all-inorganic system.
Graphene–bacteria composite for oxygen reduction and lithium ion batteries
Authors: Wang Xuewan , Ai Wei , Li Nan , Yu Ting , Chen Peng
Published: May 2015

Heteroatom-doped graphene–bacteria composite exhibits superior performance for oxygen reduction and lithium ion storage.
Thermal energy storage in a supramolecular assembly of [C6H11NH3]+[CF3COO]−(C6H11= cyclohexyl)
Authors: Guo Jiangbin , Tang Wen , Wu Binbin , Zhao Haixia , Long Lasheng , Zheng Lansun
Published: May 2015

Investigation on the structure of new compound [C6H11NH3]+[CF3COO]−(1) reveals that the disorder of the anions plays a key role in the thermal energy storage. Studies on the thermal and physical properties of1indicate that utilization of the sensible heat in1can significantly enhance its ability to store thermal energy.
Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution using graphitic carbon nitride coupled with nanoporous graphene co-doped by S and Se
Authors: Shinde S. S. , Sami Abdul , Lee Jung-Ho
Published: May 2015

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution using non-precious metals or metal-free catalysts is critically necessary because platinum-based electrocatalysts are greatly limited in scalable commercialization of hydrogen generation due to their high cost.
Compound defects and thermoelectric properties in ternary CuAgSe-based materials
Authors: Wang Xiaobei , Qiu Pengfei , Zhang Tiansong , Ren Dudi , Wu Lihua , Shi Xun , Yang Jihui , Chen Lidong
Published: May 2015

Carrier concentrations dominated the TE properties in CuAgSe-based materials, which is a promising thermoelectric material near room temperature.
Strontium delivery on topographical titanium to enhance bioactivity and osseointegration in osteoporotic rats
Authors: Wen Jin , Li Jinhua , Pan Hongya , Zhang Wenjie , Zeng Deliang , Xu Lianyi , Wu Qianju , Zhang Xiuli , Liu Xuanyong , Jiang Xinquan
Published: May 2015

Strontium-substituted hierarchical Ti surface can enhance the osseointegration by both increasing new bone formation and reducing bone resorption under osteoporotic conditions.
Fabrication of sub-cell size “spiky” nanoparticles and their interfaces with biological cells
Authors: Xie Xi , Melosh Nicholas A.
Published: May 2015

Synthesis of hierarchical “spiky” nanoparticles covered with stiff nanowires for biological cellular interface and engulfment.
Diffusion properties of inkjet printed ionic self-assembling polyelectrolyte hydrogels
Authors: Limem Skander , Calvert Paul
Published: May 2015

In the present work, Crank's model was used to characterize solute transport in inkjet printed polyelectrolyte gels.
Strontium modified calcium phosphate cements – approaches towards targeted stimulation of bone turnover
Authors: Schumacher Matthias , Gelinsky Michael
Published: May 2015

Strontium modified calcium phosphate cements can target local bone turnover by stimulating osteoblast proliferation and differentiation (1) as well as bone mineralisation (2), reducing osteoclastogenesis (3) and resorption activity, increase osteoclast apoptosis (4) and affect osteoblast/osteoclast paracrine signalling (5).
Design and modelling of MEMS DC–DC converter
Authors: Samaali H. , Ouni B. , Najar F.
Published: May 2015

A new microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) design of an integrated DC–DC converter electrostatically driven is proposed. The converter has one output based on the tunable capacitor principle. The output voltage has been achieved by designing a capacitor with different gaps. Compared to previous research works, the complete mathematical model of the converter is proposed. To examine the dynamic behaviour of the converter two different methods are used: the differential quadratic method and the Galerkin method. The obtained results show good agreement between the methods. In addition, two mechanical switches are added in the structure to replace the conventional diodes that have the advantage of zero leakage current, low power consumption and synchronous operations. Results show that the converter takes about 22.73 ms to convert a 5 V voltage to a range of voltages that are varied from 10 to 50 V.