bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficient dissolved organic carbon production and export in the oligotrophic ocean
Authors: Roshan Saeed , DeVries Timothy
Published: December 2017

Biologically fixed carbon is transferred from the surface to deep ocean as sinking particles or dissolved organic carbon (DOC). DOC is estimated to account for ~20% of global export production, but the degree to which this varies regionally has not been assessed at a global scale. Here we present the first observationally based global-scale assessment of DOC production and export, obtained by combining an artificial neural network estimate of the global DOC distribution, and a data-constrained ocean circulation model. Our results demonstrate that the efficiency of DOC production and export varies more than threefold across oceanographic regions. DOC production and export display a pronounced peak in the oligotrophic subtropical oceans, where DOC accounts for roughly half of the total organic carbon export. These stratified nutrient-depleted regions are expected to expand with future warming, amplifying the role of DOC in the biological pump, and magnifying the need to improve DOC cycling in climate models.
Calcination does not remove all carbon from colloidal nanocrystal assemblies
Authors: Mohapatra Pratyasha , Shaw Santosh , Mendivelso-Perez Deyny , Bobbitt Jonathan M. , Silva Tiago F. , Naab Fabian , Yuan Bin , Tian Xinchun , Smith Emily A. , Cademartiri Ludovico
Published: December 2017

Removing organics from hybrid nanostructures is a crucial step in many bottom-up materials fabrication approaches. It is usually assumed that calcination is an effective solution to this problem, especially for thin films. This assumption has led to its application in thousands of papers. We here show that this general assumption is incorrect by using a relevant and highly controlled model system consisting of thin films of ligand-capped ZrO2 nanocrystals. After calcination at 800 °C for 12 h, while Raman spectroscopy fails to detect the ligands after calcination, elastic backscattering spectrometry characterization demonstrates that ~18% of the original carbon atoms are still present in the film. By comparison plasma processing successfully removes the ligands. Our growth kinetic analysis shows that the calcined materials have significantly different interfacial properties than the plasma-processed counterparts. Calcination is not a reliable strategy for the production of single-phase all-inorganic materials from colloidal nanoparticles.
Sporadic low-velocity volumes spatially correlate with shallow very low frequency earthquake clusters
Authors: Tonegawa Takashi , Araki Eiichiro , Kimura Toshinori , Nakamura Takeshi , Nakano Masaru , Suzuki Kensuke
Published: December 2017

A low-velocity zone (LVZ) has been detected by seismic exploration surveys within the Nankai accretionary prism toe off the Kii Peninsula, southwestern Japan, and is considered to be a mechanically weak volume at depth. Such mechanical heterogeneities potentially influence seismic and tsunamigenic slips on megathrust earthquakes in the subduction zone. However, the spatial distribution of the LVZ along the trough-parallel direction is still elusive. Here we show sporadic LVZs in the prism toe from one-dimensional shear wave velocity (Vs) profiles obtained at 49 cabled ocean bottom stations, which were estimated by a nonlinear inversion technique, simulated annealing, using the displacement–pressure ratios of the Rayleigh wave. The estimated distribution of LVZs along the trough widely correlates with the epicentres of shallow very low frequency earthquakes (sVLFEs), which suggests that sVLFEs are activated in the sporadically distributed low-velocity and mechanically weak volumes where fluids significantly reduce the shear strength of faults.
Oestrogen Receptor-α binds the FOXP3 promoter and modulates regulatory T-cell function in human cervical cancer
Authors: Adurthi Sreenivas , Kumar Mahesh M. , Vinodkumar H. S. , Mukherjee Geetashree , Krishnamurthy H. , Acharya K. Kshitish , Bafna U. D. , Uma Devi K. , Abhishekh B. , Krishna Sudhir , Parchure A. , Alka Murali , Jayshree R. S.
Published: December 2017

Oestrogen controls Foxp3 expression in regulatory T cells (Treg cells) via a mechanism thought to involve oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα), but the molecular basis and functional impact of ERα signalling in Treg cells remain unclear. We report that ERα ligand oestradiol (E2) is significantly increased in human cervical cancer (CxCa) tissues and tumour-infiltrating Treg cells (CD4+CD25hiCD127low), whereas blocking ERα with the antagonist ICI 182,780 abolishes FOXP3 expression and impairs the function of CxCa infiltrating Treg cells. Using a novel approach of co-immunoprecipitation with antibodies to E2 for capture, we identified binding of E2:ERα complexes to FOXP3 protein in CxCa-derived Treg cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses of male blood Treg cells revealed ERα occupancy at the FOXP3 promoter and conserved non-coding DNA elements 2 and 3. Accordingly, computational analyses of the enriched regions uncovered eight putative oestrogen response elements predicted to form a loop that can activate the FOXP3 promoter. Together, these data suggest that E2-mediated ERα signalling is critical for the sustenance of FOXP3 expression and Treg cell function in human CxCa via direct interaction of ERα with FOXP3 promoter. Overall, our work gives a molecular insight into ERα signalling and highlights a fundamental role of E2 in controlling human Treg cell physiology.
Three-dimensional (3D) culture of adult murine colon as an in vitro model of cryptosporidiosis: Proof of concept
Authors: Baydoun Martha , Vanneste Sadia Benamrouz , Creusy Colette , Guyot Karine , Gantois Nausicaa , Chabe Magali , Delaire Baptiste , Mouray Anthony , Baydoun Atallah , Forzy Gerard , Chieux Vincent , Gosset Pierre , Senez Vincent , Viscogliosi Eric , Follet Jérôme , Certad Gabriela
Published: December 2017

Cryptosporidium parvum is a major cause of diarrheal illness and was recently potentially associated with digestive carcinogenesis. Despite its impact on human health, Cryptosporidium pathogenesis remains poorly known, mainly due to the lack of a long-term culture method for this parasite. Thus, the aim of the present study was to develop a three-dimensional (3D) culture model from adult murine colon allowing biological investigations of the host-parasite interactions in an in vivo-like environment and, in particular, the development of parasite-induced neoplasia. Colonic explants were cultured and preserved ex vivo for 35 days and co-culturing was performed with C. parvum. Strikingly, the resulting system allowed the reproduction of neoplastic lesions in vitro at 27 days post-infection (PI), providing new evidence of the role of the parasite in the induction of carcinogenesis. This promising model could facilitate the study of host-pathogen interactions and the investigation of the process involved in Cryptosporidium-induced cell transformation.
Metabolic profiling of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos by NMR spectroscopy reveals multifaceted toxicity of β-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)
Authors: Roy Upasana , Conklin Laura , Schiller Jürgen , Matysik Jörg , Berry John P. , Alia A.
Published: December 2017

β-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) has been linked to several interrelated neurodegenerative diseases. Despite considerable research, specific contributions of BMAA toxicity to neurodegenerative diseases remain to be fully resolved. In the present study, we utilized state-of-the-art high-resolution magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (HRMAS NMR), applied to intact zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos, as a model of vertebrate development, to elucidate changes in metabolic profiles associated with BMAA exposure. Complemented by several alternative analytical approaches (i.e., in vivo visualization and in vitro assay), HRMAS NMR identified robust and dose-dependent effect of BMAA on several relevant metabolic pathways suggesting a multifaceted toxicity of BMAA including: (1) localized production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), in the developing brain, consistent with excitotoxicity; (2) decreased protective capacity against excitotoxicity and oxidative stress including reduced taurine and glutathione; (3) inhibition of several developmentally stereotypical energetic and metabolic transitions, i.e., metabolic reprogramming; and (4) inhibition of lipid biosynthetic pathways. Matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry further identified specific effects on phospholipids linked to both neural development and neurodegeneration. Taken together, a unified model of the neurodevelopmental toxicity of BMAA in the zebrafish embryo is presented in relation to the potential contribution of BMAA to neurodegenerative disease.
Individual differences in empathy are associated with apathy-motivation
Authors: Lockwood Patricia L. , Ang Yuen-Siang , Husain Masud , Crockett Molly J.
Published: December 2017

Empathy - the capacity to understand and resonate with the experiences of other people - is considered an essential aspect of social cognition. However, although empathy is often thought to be automatic, recent theories have argued that there is a key role for motivation in modulating empathic experiences. Here we administered self-report measures of empathy and apathy-motivation to a large sample of healthy people (n = 378) to test whether people who are more empathic are also more motivated. We then sought to replicate our findings in an independent sample (n = 198) that also completed a behavioural task to measure state affective empathy and emotion recognition. Cognitive empathy was associated with higher levels of motivation generally across behavioural, social and emotional domains. In contrast, affective empathy was associated with lower levels of behavioural motivation, but higher levels of emotional motivation. Factor analyses showed that empathy and apathy are distinct constructs, but that affective empathy and emotional motivation are underpinned by the same latent factor. These results have potentially important clinical applications for disorders associated with reduced empathy and motivation as well as the understanding of these processes in healthy people.
Activation of non-canonical WNT signaling in human visceral adipose tissue contributes to local and systemic inflammation
Authors: Zuriaga María A. , Fuster José J. , Farb Melissa G. , MacLauchlan Susan , Bretón-Romero Rosa , Karki Shakun , Hess Donald T. , Apovian Caroline M. , Hamburg Naomi M. , Gokce Noyan , Walsh Kenneth
Published: December 2017

The accumulation of visceral adiposity is strongly associated with systemic inflammation and increased cardiometabolic risk. WNT5A, a non-canonical WNT ligand, has been shown to promote adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance in animal studies. Among other non-canonical pathways, WNT5A activates planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling. The current study investigated the potential contribution of non-canonical WNT5A/PCP signaling to visceral adipose tissue (VAT) inflammation and associated metabolic dysfunction in individuals with obesity. VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) samples obtained from subjects undergoing bariatric surgery were analyzed by qRT-PCR for expression of WNT/PCP genes. In vitro experiments were conducted with preadipocytes isolated from VAT and SAT biopsies. The expression of 23 out of 33 PCP genes was enriched in VAT compared to SAT. Strong positive expression correlations of individual PCP genes were observed in VAT. WNT5A expression in VAT, but not in SAT, correlated with indexes of JNK signaling activity, IL6, waist-to-hip ratio and hsCRP. In vitro, WNT5A promoted the expression of IL6 in human preadipocytes. In conclusion, elevated non-canonical WNT5A signaling in VAT contributes to the exacerbated IL-6 production in this depot and the low-grade systemic inflammation typically associated with visceral adiposity.
Bullying incidences identification within an immersive environment using HD EEG-based analysis: A Swarm Decomposition and Deep Learning approach
Authors: Baltatzis Vasileios , Bintsi Kyriaki-Margarita , Apostolidis Georgios K. , Hadjileontiadis Leontios J.
Published: December 2017

Bullying is an everlasting phenomenon and the first, yet difficult, step towards the solution is its detection. Conventional approaches for bullying incidence identification include questionnaires, conversations and psychological tests. Here, unlike the conventional approaches, two experiments are proposed that involve visual stimuli with cases of bullying- and non-bullying- related ones, set within a 2D (simple video preview) and a Virtual Reality (VR) (immersive video preview) context. In both experimental settings, brain activity is recorded using high density (HD) (256 channels) electroencephalogram (EEG), and analyzed to identify the bullying stimuli type (bullying/non-bullying) and context (2D/VR). The proposed classification analysis uses a convolutional neural network (CNN), applying deep learning on the oscillatory modes (OCMs) embedded within the raw HD EEG data. The extraction of OCMs from the HD EEG data is achieved with swarm decomposition (SWD), which efficiently accounts for the non-stationarity and noise contamination of the raw HD EEG data. Experimental results from 17 subjects indicate that the new SWD/CNN approach achieves high discrimination accuracy (AUC = 0.987 between bullying/non-bullying stimuli type; AUC = 0.975, between bullying/non-bullying stimuli type and 2D/VR context), paving the way for better understanding of how brain’s responses could act as indicators of bullying experience within immersive environments.
Ultra-bright γ-ray emission and dense positron production from two laser-driven colliding foils
Authors: Li Han-Zhen , Yu Tong-Pu , Liu Jin-Jin , Yin Yan , Zhu Xing-Long , Capdessus Remi , Pegoraro Francesco , Sheng Zheng-Ming , McKenna Paul , Shao Fu-Qiu
Published: December 2017

Matter can be transferred into energy and the opposite transformation is also possible by use of high-power lasers. A laser pulse in plasma can convert its energy intoγ-rays and thene−e+pairs via the multi-photon Breit-Wheeler process. Production of dense positrons at GeV energies is very challenging since extremely high laser intensity ~1024 Wcm−2is required. Here we propose an all-optical scheme for ultra-brightγ-ray emission and dense positron production with lasers at intensity of 1022–23 Wcm−2. By irradiating two colliding elliptically-polarized lasers onto two diamondlike carbon foils, electrons in the focal region of one foil are rapidly accelerated by the laser radiation pressure and interact with the other intense laser pulse which penetrates through the second foil due to relativistically induced foil transparency. This symmetric configuration enables efficient Compton back-scattering and results in ultra-brightγ-photon emission with brightness of ~1025photons/s/mm2/mrad2/0.1%BW at 15 MeV and intensity of 5 × 1023 Wcm−2. Our first three-dimensional simulation with quantum-electrodynamics incorporated shows that a GeV positron beam with density of 2.5 × 1022cm−3and flux of 1.6 × 1010/shot is achieved. Collective effects of the pair plasma may be also triggered, offering a window on investigating laboratory astrophysics at PW laser facilities.
Negative charge and membrane-tethered viral 3B cooperate to recruit viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase 3D
pol
Authors: Dubankova Anna , Humpolickova Jana , Klima Martin , Boura Evzen
Published: December 2017

Most single stranded plus RNA viruses hijack phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases (PI4Ks) to generate membranes highly enriched in phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P). These membranous compartments known as webs, replication factories or replication organelles are essential for viral replication because they provide protection from the innate intracellular immune response while serving as platforms for viral replication. Using purified recombinant proteins and biomimetic model membranes we show that the nonstructural viral 3A protein is sufficient to promote membrane hyper-phosphorylation given the proper intracellular cofactors (PI4KB and ACBD3). However, our bio-mimetic in vitro reconstitution assay revealed that rather than the presence of PI4P specifically, negative charge alone is sufficient for the recruitment of 3Dpol enzymes to the surface of the lipid bilayer. Additionally, we show that membrane tethered viral 3B protein (also known as Vpg) works in combination with the negative charge to increase the efficiency of membrane recruitment of 3Dpol.
Serotype and virulence genes of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from mink and its pathogenesis in mice and mink
Authors: Jian-li Wang , Yuan-yuan Shang , Shou-yu Guo , Fei-fei Diao , Jia-yu Yu , Xue-hua Wei , Yong-feng Zhao , Shi-jin Jiang , Zhi-jing Xie
Published: December 2017

In the study, 15 K. pneumoniae strains were isolated from the mink experiencing respiratory distress in mideastern Shandong province, China, and the prevalence of K. pneumoniae in the sampled mink was 11.9% (15/126). Fourteen (93.33%) of the 15 K. pneumoniae isolates were identified as serotype K2 and hypermucoviscosity phenotype. The 12 virulence-associated genes of the K. pneumoniae isolates were tested. The prevalence of the wabG gene for the isolates were 100% (15/15), the ureA gene 100% (15/15), the rmpA gene 93.33% (14/15), the aerobactin gene 93.33% (14/15), the uge gene 93.33% (14/15), the IucB gene 80% (12/15) and the ybtA gene 13.33% (2/15). But the other five genes, fim, iroNB, wcaG, alls and kfuBC, gave a negative PCR reaction in the 15 isolates, respectively. The animal experiments using K. pneumoniae-SD-12 and K. pneumoniae-SD-21 demonstrated that the serotype K2 was high virulence for mice and mink. These finding implied there exist potential threat that K. pneumoniae pathogens could transmit to human, especially the fur animal farm workers and residents lived near the fur animal farms. Therefore, the etiology and epidemiological surveillance of K. pneumoniae in mink should be strengthened for people’s public health.
A new high-pressure form of Mg2SiO4 highlighting diffusionless phase transitions of olivine
Authors: Tomioka Naotaka , Okuchi Takuo
Published: December 2017

High-pressure polymorphism of olivine (α-phase of Mg2SiO4) is of particular interest for geophysicists aiming to understand the structure and dynamics of the Earth’s interior because of olivine’s prominent abundance in the upper mantle. Therefore, natural and synthetic olivine polymorphs have been actively studied in the past half century. Here, we report a new high-pressure polymorph, the ε*-phase, which was discovered in a heavily shocked meteorite. It occurs as nanoscale lamellae and has a topotaxial relationship with the host ringwoodite (γ-phase of Mg2SiO4). Olivine in the host rock entrapped in a shock-induced melt vein initially transformed into polycrystalline ringwoodite through a nucleation and growth mechanism. The ringwoodite grains then coherently converted into the ε*-phase by shear transformation during subsequent pressure release. This intermediate metastable phase can be formed by all Mg2SiO4 polymorphs via a shear transformation mechanism. Here, we propose high-pressure transformations of olivine that are enhanced by diffusionless processes, not only in shocked meteorites but also in thick and cold lithosphere subducting into the deep Earth.
Development of Decision Forest Models for Prediction of Drug-Induced Liver Injury in Humans Using A Large Set of FDA-approved Drugs
Authors: Hong Huixiao , Thakkar Shraddha , Chen Minjun , Tong Weida
Published: December 2017

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) presents a significant challenge to drug development and regulatory science. The FDA’s Liver Toxicity Knowledge Base (LTKB) evaluated >1000 drugs for their likelihood of causing DILI in humans, of which >700 drugs were classified into three categories (most-DILI, less-DILI, and no-DILI). Based on this dataset, we developed and compared 2-class and 3-class DILI prediction models using the machine learning algorithm of Decision Forest (DF) with Mold2 structural descriptors. The models were evaluated through 1000 iterations of 5-fold cross-validations, 1000 bootstrapping validations and 1000 permutation tests (that assessed the chance correlation). Furthermore, prediction confidence analysis was conducted, which provides an additional parameter for proper interpretation of prediction results. We revealed that the 3-class model not only had a higher resolution to estimate DILI risk but also showed an improved capability to differentiate most-DILI drugs from no-DILI drugs in comparison with the 2-class DILI model. We demonstrated the utility of the models for drug ingredients with warnings very recently issued by the FDA. Moreover, we identified informative molecular features important for assessing DILI risk. Our results suggested that the 3-class model presents a better option than the binary model (which most publications are focused on) for drug safety evaluation.
Near-Infrared Plasmonic Assemblies of Gold Nanoparticles with Multimodal Function for Targeted Cancer Theragnosis
Authors: Kim Seong-Eun , Lee Bo-Ram , Lee Hohyeon , Jo Sung Duk , Kim Hyuncheol , Won You-Yeon , Lee Jeewon
Published: December 2017

Here we report a novel assembly structure of near-infrared plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), possessing both photoacoustic (PA) and photothermal (PT) properties. The template for the plasmonic AuNP assembly is a bioconjugate between short double-strand DNA (sh-dsDNA) and human methyl binding domain protein 1 (MBD1). MBD1 binds to methylated cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (mCGs) within the sequence of sh-dsDNA. Hexahistidine peptides on the engineered MBD1 function as a nucleation site for AuNP synthesis, allowing the construction of hybrid conjugates, sh-dsDNA-MBD1-AuNPs (named DMAs). By varying the length of sh-dsDNA backbone and the spacer between two adjacent mCGs, we synthesized three different DMAs (DMA_5mCG, DMA_9mCG, and DMA_21mCG), among which DMA_21mCG exhibited a comparable photothermal and surprisingly a higher photoacoustic signals, compared to a plasmonic gold nanorod. Further, epidermal growth factor receptor I (EGFR)-binding peptides are genetically attached to the MBD1 of DMA_21mCG, enabling its efficient endocytosis into EGFR-overexpressing cancer cells. Notably, the denaturation of MBD1 disassembled the DMA and accordingly released the individual small AuNPs (<5 nm) that can be easily cleared from the body through renal excretion without causing accumulation/toxicity problems. This DMA-based novel approach offers a promising platform for targeted cancer theragnosis based on simultaneous PA imaging and PT therapy.
Pairing sound with vagus nerve stimulation modulates cortical synchrony and phase coherence in tinnitus: An exploratory retrospective study
Authors: Vanneste Sven , Martin Jeffrey , Rennaker Robert L. , Kilgard Michael P.
Published: December 2017

Recent research has shown that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with tones or with rehabilitative training can help patients to achieve reductions in tinnitus perception or to expedite motor rehabilitation after suffering an ischemic stroke. The rationale behind this treatment is that VNS paired with experience can drive neural plasticity in a controlled and therapeutic direction. Since previous studies observed that gamma activity in the auditory cortex is correlated with tinnitus loudness, we assessed resting-state source-localized EEG before and after one to three months of VNS-tone pairing in chronic tinnitus patients. VNS-tone pairing reduced gamma band activity in left auditory cortex. VNS-tone pairing also reduced the phase coherence between the auditory cortex and areas associated with tinnitus distress, including the cingulate cortex. These results support the hypothesis that VNS-tone pairing can direct therapeutic neural plasticity. Targeted plasticity therapy might also be adapted to treat other conditions characterized by hypersynchronous neural activity.
Long-term monitoring of coral reef fish assemblages in the Western central pacific
Authors: Heenan Adel , Williams Ivor D. , Acoba Tomoko , DesRochers Annette , Kosaki Randall K. , Kanemura Troy , Nadon Marc O. , Brainard Russell E.
Published: December 2017

Throughout the tropics, coral reef ecosystems, which are critically important to people, have been greatly altered by humans. Differentiating human impacts from natural drivers of ecosystem state is essential to effective management. Here we present a dataset from a large-scale monitoring program that surveys coral reef fish assemblages and habitats encompassing the bulk of the US-affiliated tropical Pacific, and spanning wide gradients in both natural drivers and human impact. Currently, this includes >5,500 surveys from 39 islands and atolls in Hawaii (including the main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands) and affiliated geo-political regions of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Pacific Remote Islands Areas. The dataset spans 2010–2017, during which time, each region was visited at least every three years, and ~500–1,000 surveys performed annually. This standardised dataset is a powerful resource that can be used to understand how human, environmental and oceanographic conditions influence coral reef fish community structure and function, providing a basis for research to support effective management outcomes.
A comparison of structural–functional equation models to identify fatty acids on three common gas chromatography columns
Authors: Wotherspoon A. T. L. , Reeves K. L. , Crawford J.
Published: December 2017

Reported herein is a series of new structural–functional relationship equations which provide relevant structural information of unknown fatty acid methyl esters (double-bonds, chain-length, and omega-bond position) based upon temperature induced shifts in equivalent chain length's (ECLs).
A square planar gold(iii) bis-(1,1′-dimethyl-3,3′-methylene-diimidazol-2,2′-diylidene) trication as an efficient and selective receptor towards halogen anions: the cooperative effect of Au⋯X and X⋯HC interactions
Authors: Baron Marco , Dall'Anese Anna , Tubaro Cristina , Orian Laura , Di Marco Valerio , Bogialli Sara , Graiff Claudia , Basato Marino
Published: December 2017

A tetra-NHC gold(iii) complex acts as anion sensor.
MnAPO-5 as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for selective liquid phase partial oxidation reactions
Authors: Chatterjee Sauvik , Bhanja Piyali , Paul Luna , Ali Mahammad , Bhaumik Asim
Published: December 2017

A robust manganese(iv)-containing aluminophosphate material (MnAPO-5) with an AFI framework which showed excellent catalytic efficiency in the selective oxidation of styrene and the synthesis of adipic acid from cyclohexanone has been developed.
Mono- and dinuclear Ni(i) products formed upon bromide abstraction from the Ni(i) ring-expanded NHC complex [Ni(6-Mes)(PPh3)Br]
Authors: Blackaby William J. M. , Sabater Sara , Poulten Rebecca C. , Page Michael J. , Folli Andrea , Krewald Vera , Mahon Mary F. , Murphy Damien M. , Richards Emma , Whittlesey Michael K.
Published: December 2017

New T- and Y-shaped Ni(i) complexes are reported and analysed by DFT and EPR.
Ligand dependent assembly of trinuclear titanium-oxo units into coordination tetrahedra and capsules
Authors: Fan Xi , Narayanam Nagaraju , Gao Meiyan , Zhang Lei , Zhang Jian
Published: December 2017

Trinuclear Ti3(μ3-O) units have been applied as building units for the construction of different coordination cages such as {Ti6} clusters, {Ti9Cu} tetrahedrons and {Ti18} capsules.
Amaranth addition to enzymatically modified wheat flour improves dough functionality, bread immunoreactivity and quality
Authors: Heredia-Sandoval N. G. , Calderón de la Barca A. M. , Carvajal-Millán E. , Islas-Rubio A. R.
Published: December 2017

Consumers with gluten-related disorders require gluten reduced foods to avoid an immune response.
Laminated bilayer MoS2 with weak interlayer coupling
Authors: Zhou Wenda , Yuan Cailei , Hong Aijun , Luo Xingfang , Lei Wen
Published: December 2017

Laminated bilayer MoS2 structures are prepared with MoS2 nanoparticles trapped between two individual MoS2 layers which can prevent the formation of a true stacking structure held together by van der Waals interaction.
Synthesis of spirocyclic orthoesters by ‘anomalous’ rhodium(ii)-catalysed intramolecular C–H insertions
Authors: Lombard Fanny J. , Lepage Romain J. , Schwartz Brett D. , Johnston Ryne C. , Healy Peter C. , Krenske Elizabeth H. , Coster Mark J.
Published: December 2017

Spirocyclic orthoesters are synthesised by ‘anomalous’ Rh(ii)-catalysed intramolecular C–H insertion reactions.
Combining paired analytical metabolomics and common garden trial to study the metabolism and gene variation of Ginkgo biloba L. cultivated varieties
Authors: Liu Xin-Guang , Lu Xu , Wang Ji-Xin , Wu Bin , Lin Lin , Wang Hui-Ying , Guo Ru-Zhou , Li Ping , Yang Hua
Published: December 2017

Paired analytical targeted metabolomics and common garden trial were combined to uncover the gene basis for plant secondary metabolite synthesis.
Emerging trends in organotellurolate chemistry derived from platinoids
Authors: Chauhan Rohit Singh , Shivran Neelam
Published: December 2017

This perspective begins with the discussion of various basic synthetic approaches applied for the synthesis of several organotellurium ligands, their chemistry derived from platinum group metals, and the reactivity difference among them.
1,3-Dipolar [3 + 3] cycloaddition of α-halohydroxamate-based azaoxyallyl cations with hydrazonoyl chloride-derived nitrile imines
Authors: Zhao Hong-Wu , Zhao Yu-Di , Liu Yue-Yang , Zhao Li-Jiao , Song Xiu-Qing , Chen Xiao-Qin , Pang Hai-Liang , Du Juan , Feng Ning-Ning
Published: December 2017

Promoted by Et3N, the 1,3-dipolar [3 + 3] cycloaddition of α-halohydroxamate-based azaoxyallylcations with hydrazonoyl chloride-derived nitrile imines occurred efficiently, and furnished desired products in acceptable chemical yields.
Effect of electrical injection-induced stress on interband transitions in high Al content AlGaN MQWs
Authors: Zheng Jinjian , Li Jinchai , Zhong Zhibai , Lin Wei , Chen Li , Li Kongyi , Wang Xinghe , Chou Chilun , Li Shuiqing , Kang Junyong
Published: December 2017

The light extraction from AlGaN deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) is known to be limited by the fundamental valence band crossover issue.
Characterizing the free ammonia exposure to the nutrients removal in activated sludge systems
Authors: Cao Jiashun , Yu Yunxiao , Xie Kun , Luo Jingyang , Feng Qian , Fang Fang , Li Chao , Xue Zhaoxia
Published: December 2017

As a by-product during liquid production, the liquor wastewater exhibits tremendous environmental risks and may cause undesirable effects to the biological systems due to the high concentration of ammonia.
Research on influencing factors and its optimization of metal powder injection molding without mold via an innovative 3D printing method
Authors: Yan Xiaokang , Hao Liang , Xiong Wei , Tang Danna
Published: December 2017

This work makes it possible to carry out metal powder injection molding without a mold to manufacture metal and alloy components.
Facile synthesis of nitrogen-doped porous carbon for high-performance supercapacitors
Authors: Yang Wang , Yang Wu , Kong Lina , Song Ailing , Qin Xiujuan
Published: December 2017

Nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NCs) have been synthesized by direct pyrolysis of a mixture containing melamine, iron nitrate and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA).
Site-selective 18F fluorination of unactivated C–H bonds mediated by a manganese porphyrin
Authors: Liu Wei , Huang Xiongyi , Placzek Michael S. , Krska Shane W. , McQuade Paul , Hooker Jacob M. , Groves John T.
Published: December 2017

A direct aliphatic C–H 18F labeling method using [18F]fluoride ion at inaccessible and unreactive sites is reported.
Carboxylated polyimide separator with excellent lithium ion transport properties for a high-power density lithium-ion battery
Authors: Lin Chun-Er , Zhang Hong , Song You-Zhi , Zhang Yin , Yuan Jia-Jia , Zhu Bao-Ku
Published: December 2017

Carboxyl groups on the separator improve the lithium ion transport rate by 6 times in the lithium ion battery.
Engineering the coordination geometry of metal–organic complex electrocatalysts for highly enhanced oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Yan Dafeng , Dong Chung-Li , Huang Yu-Cheng , Zou Yuqin , Xie Chao , Wang Yanyong , Zhang Yiqiong , Liu Dongdong , Shen Shaohua , Wang Shuangyin
Published: December 2017

For the first time, we have successfully generated coordinatively unsaturated metal sites in phytic acid–Co2+ based metal–organic complexes by engineering the coordination geometry with room-temperature plasma technology.
Cyclodextrin–gold nanocluster decorated TiO2 enhances photocatalytic decomposition of organic pollutants
Authors: Zhu Haiguang , Goswami Nirmal , Yao Qiaofeng , Chen Tiankai , Liu Yanbiao , Xu Qingfeng , Chen Dongyun , Lu Jianmei , Xie Jianping
Published: December 2017

We decorated per-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin protected gold nanoclusters on TiO2 nanoparticles to improve photocatalytic activity by inhibiting electron–hole pair recombination and absorbing organic targets via host–guest interactions.
Copper-embedded reduced graphene oxide fibers for multi-sensors
Authors: Yeo Chang Su , Kim Hyunjin , Lim Taekyung , Kim Hyuk Joon , Cho Sanghun , Cho Kang Rae , Kim Youn Sang , Shin Min Kyoon , Yoo Jeeyoung , Ju Sanghyun , Park Sang Yoon
Published: December 2017

A copper-embedded reduced graphene oxide (CRGO) fiber-based sensor exhibited chemical sensitive/temperature insensitive or chemical insensitive/temperature sensitive characteristics, depending on the Cu concentration in the CRGO.
Intrinsic low dielectric constant polyimides: relationship between molecular structure and dielectric properties
Authors: Bei Runxin , Qian Chao , Zhang Yi , Chi Zhenguo , Liu Siwei , Chen Xudong , Xu Jiarui , Aldred Matthew P.
Published: December 2017

By increasing the number of benzene rings in the pendant group, the dielectric constant of the as-prepared polyimides can be effectively decreased.
Oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species: a review of their role in ocular disease
Authors: Ung Lawson , Pattamatta Ushasree , Carnt Nicole , Wilkinson-Berka Jennifer L. , Liew Gerald , White Andrew J.R.
Published: December 2017

For many years, oxidative stress arising from the ubiquitous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various eye diseases. While emerging research has provided some evidence of the important physiological role of ROS in normal cell function, disease may arise where the concentration of ROS exceeds and overwhelms the body’s natural defence against them. Additionally, ROS may induce genomic aberrations which affect cellular homoeostasis and may result in disease. This literature review examines the current evidence for the role of oxidative stress in important ocular diseases with a view to identifying potential therapeutic targets for future study. The need is particularly pressing in developing treatments for conditions which remain notoriously difficult to treat, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.
Factors Associated With Depression in Patients With Tinnitus and Hyperacusis
Authors: Aazh Hashir , Moore Brian C. J.
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess factors associated with depression for patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Method

Data were gathered from the records of 620 consecutive patients who sought help concerning their tinnitus or hyperacusis from an audiology clinic in the United Kingdom.

Results

One third of the patients had borderline abnormal or abnormal scores on the Depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D). Linear regression models showed that HADS-D scores were related to scores for tinnitus handicap, tinnitus loudness, and uncomfortable loudness levels. Mediation analyses showed that (a) the influence of tinnitus handicap scores on HADS-D scores was mainly mediated via the effects of insomnia, hyperacusis, and anxiety; (b) the influence of tinnitus loudness scores on HADS-D scores was fully mediated via the effects of tinnitus handicap, insomnia, hyperacusis handicap, and anxiety; (c) and the small influence of uncomfortable loudness levels on HADS-D scores was fully mediated by hyperacusis handicap and anxiety.

Conclusion

Those involved in the management of patients with tinnitus and/or hyperacusis should use a wide range of instruments to assess the full impact of tinnitus on a patient's life and should be prepared to refer a patient for treatment for depression, especially when the patient has anxiety, hyperacusis, and/or insomnia.
The First Step to Early Intervention Following Diagnosis: Communication in Pediatric Hearing Aid Orientation Sessions
Authors: Watermeyer Jennifer , Kanji Amisha , Sarvan Safiyyah
Published: December 2017

Purpose

This preliminary study aimed to explore communication processes and information exchange in pediatric hearing aid orientation (HAO) sessions. Effective information exchange in such sessions is crucial to support appropriate hearing aid use.

Method

Using a qualitative sociolinguistic framework, we recorded and analyzed 5 HAO sessions between 2 audiologists and 5 caregivers of children who had just been fitted with hearing aids. We also conducted semistructured interviews with the audiologists and caregivers and analyzed these using content analysis.

Results

By necessity, audiologists provide a significant amount of information about hearing aids to caregivers in HAO sessions. Although caregivers in our study recalled and understood certain points such as the importance of not getting the hearing aids wet, crucial information about insertion and cleaning was often not recalled. Some caregivers misunderstood how the hearing aids would assist their child.

Conclusions

Caregivers need time to practice and absorb the information given, particularly given the emotional aspects associated with the diagnosis and “switch-on.” There is a need to revisit approaches to information giving, which align with the ongoing early intervention process. We offer some suggestions for improving HAO sessions and information giving about hearing aids.
Sentence-Level Movements in Parkinson's Disease: Loud, Clear, and Slow Speech
Authors: Kearney Elaine , Giles Renuka , Haworth Brandon , Faloutsos Petros , Baljko Melanie , Yunusova Yana
Published: December 2017

Purpose

To further understand the effect of Parkinson's disease (PD) on articulatory movements in speech and to expand our knowledge of therapeutic treatment strategies, this study examined movements of the jaw, tongue blade, and tongue dorsum during sentence production with respect to speech intelligibility and compared the effect of varying speaking styles on these articulatory movements.

Method

Twenty-one speakers with PD and 20 healthy controls produced 3 sentences under normal, loud, clear, and slow speaking conditions. Speech intelligibility was rated for each speaker. A 3-dimensional electromagnetic articulograph tracked movements of the articulators. Measures included articulatory working spaces, ranges along the first principal component, average speeds, and sentence durations.

Results

Speakers with PD demonstrated significantly smaller jaw movements as well as shorter than normal sentence durations. Between-speaker variation in movement size of the jaw, tongue blade, and tongue dorsum was associated with speech intelligibility. Analysis of speaking conditions revealed similar patterns of change in movement measures across groups and articulators: larger than normal movement sizes and faster speeds for loud speech, increased movement sizes for clear speech, and larger than normal movement sizes and slower speeds for slow speech.

Conclusions

Sentence-level measures of articulatory movements are sensitive to both disease-related changes in PD and speaking-style manipulations.
PAM‐4 VCSEL driver with selective falling‐edge pre‐emphasis
Authors: Soenen W. , Lambrecht J. , Yin X. , Spiga S. , Amann M.‐C. , Van Steenberge G. , Bakopoulos P. , Bauwelinck J.
Published: December 2017

Data centre optical links are migrating to four‐level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM‐4) as a method to extend the data rate while covering longer distances. Vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting lasers (VCSELs) enable the integration of low‐power transmitters, but their non‐linear and bias‐dependent behaviour makes conventional feed‐forward equalisation less effective. This Letter presents a SiGe BiCMOS PAM‐4 driver that boosts the falling‐edge to the bottom level through a selective pre‐emphasis technique. Experiments at 25 GBd (50 Gb/s) reveal that adding selective pre‐emphasis to a 4‐tap equalised current driving a 20.6 GHz VCSEL, relaxes the critical PAM‐4 link budget requirements by >1 dB at the KP4 forward error correction threshold of . The potential of PAM‐4 VCSEL transmitters can be significantly enhanced by including selective pre‐emphasis to the equalisation topology while requiring minimal overhead.
Simple wideband FPD with sharp passband selectivity and nice UWB isolation
Authors: Zhang Gang , Yang Jiquan , Zhao Yang
Published: December 2017

A simple wideband filtering‐response power divider (FPD) with sharp passband selectivity and good UWB isolation is presented. By ingeniously integrating multimode resonators and stub attached coupled‐line isolation network, the FPD is initially built. Compared to those in the literatures, the presented wideband FPD features its simple structure and good wideband performance. For demonstration, a prototype FPD with a central frequency of 2.46 GHz and 3 dB fractional bandwidth of 22.8% is implemented. Final results indicate that this FPD possesses not only sharp frequency selectivity and wide stopband attributing to six created transmission zeros, but also an isolation better than 16 dB over an UW isolated frequency band (from DC to 2.67f0).
Energy efficiency of ultra‐dense small‐cell downlink networks with adaptive cell breathing
Authors: Jin Hu , Wu Xuelian , Kim Hyung‐sup , Jung Bang Chul
Published: December 2017

The authors propose an adaptive cell‐breathing (ACB) technique to improve the energy efficiency (EE) of a downlink cellular network consisting of small‐cell base stations (BSs), wherein each BS adaptively adjusts its transmission power such that the received signal strength of the worst‐case user is larger than a pre‐defined threshold. They also propose an aggressive BS on–off (ABO) technique in which the small‐cell BSs having a number of users smaller than a certain value, , are turned off, whereas conventional techniques only turn off the empty BSs. They adopt a stochastic geometry for modelling the locations of both BSs and users. Simulation results show that the ACB technique yields a much better EE than the power on–off technique with a fixed power, including the ABO technique. In particular, the EE of the ACB technique is proportional to , where denotes the BS density and the exponent c denotes the increasing ratio of the EE to in the domain. The EE of the ABO technique tends to increase as increases.
Power allocation under global and individual power constraints for full‐duplex relay networks
Authors: Liu Yi , Xu Xiaowei , Ma Ying , Zhang Hailin
Published: December 2017

In this study, the authors propose a power allocation strategy for full‐duplex relay (FDR) networks, where two cases are considered according to whether the direct link is desired or not. The power allocation is studied in two scenes under the amplify‐and‐forward and decode‐and‐forward protocols, respectively. Aiming at maximising the system capacity, the authors derive the optimal power allocation strategy under the condition that the source and relay have the same maximum power constraint and the total power is limited. The effects of global and individual power constraints for FDR on system capacity are analysed. Simulations verify the theoretical analysis and indicate that the proposed power allocation strategy enhances the system performance greatly compared with uniform power allocation.
Queue‐aware energy minimisation through sparse beamforming in C‐RAN
Authors: Ouyang Weiping , Teng Yinglei , Song Mei , Zhao Wanxin
Published: December 2017

This paper considers the queue‐aware optimal energy minimisation sparse beamforming design (QESB)in a downlink cloud radio access network (C‐RAN) system where multi‐RRHcommunicates with multi‐user through a central computing cloud via digitalfront‐haul links. The problem is formulated as the joint optimisation problem ofthe transmission energy consumption, system queue length and front‐haul costwith sparse beamforming design. As we know, the beamforming design adaptive toboth QSI and CSI is challenging because of the high complexity. Apart fromprevious works that take queue length as constraints, in this paper we directlyminimise the queue length state involved joint optimisation problem with SINRconstraints. A smooth function is proposed to approximate the ‐norm function which is discrete andnon‐convex. To overcome the challenge due to the non‐convexity of theoptimisation problem, the semidefinite relaxation (SDR) technology is utilisedto convert the primitive problem into the difference of convex (DC) programmingproblem, and convex and concave procedure (CCP) algorithm is used to induce thesparsity of the beamforming control. The simulation results show that the schemeproposed by this paper can obtain a good tradeoff between system energyconsumption, queue length and front‐haul cost with SINR constraints in C‐RANsystem.
Underlay cognitive radio networks with cooperative non‐orthogonal multiple access
Authors: Lee Sunyoung , Duong Trung Q. , da Costa Daniel Benevides , Ha Dac‐Binh , Nguyen Sang Quang
Published: December 2017

In this study, a cooperative non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) scheme is investigated in an underlay cognitive radio network. With this aim, a number of secondary users are concerned in the cooperative NOMA, in which a user with strong channel gains is properly selected (to act as a relay) by a multi‐antenna base station () for assisting another user with poor channel gains in the presence of a primary network. Closed‐form expressions for the outage probability of the secondary network are derived, based on which the asymptotic outage behaviours of each secondary user assuming various realistic cases are discussed. Our analytical results clearly reveal that an outage floor may exist in the outage probability of the secondary users, being determined by the interference constraint and the number of antennas at the . The impact of the multiple antennas and the number of cooperative NOMA users on the system performance is examined, and it shows that the cell‐edge user under poor channel gains can benefit from both the cooperative NOMA and opportunistic relay transmission.
Privacy‐friendly and efficient secure communication framework for V2G networks
Authors: He Daojing , Chan Sammy , Guizani Mohsen
Published: December 2017

The vehicle‐to‐grid (V2G) technology enables electric vehicles to deliver electricity into power systems, providing them supplementary capacity. On the other hand, a new set of security threats are brought to smart grid participants by V2G networks. However, security and privacy in V2G networks have so far received little attention, despite a rich literature on the design of conceptual structures or the impact of V2G networks on the current grid. In this study, the authors explore the features of V2G communication networks and identify their security challenges for communication functions. The authors then establish a novel and secure communication framework for V2G networks to achieve a balance among security, privacy preservation, efficiency and accountability without relying on any trusted third party. The feasibility of the framework is demonstrated by experimental results.