bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical fitness predicts technical-tactical and time-motion profile in simulated Judo and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu matches
Authors: Coswig Victor S , Gentil Paulo , Bueno João CA , Follmer Bruno , Marques Vitor A , Del Vecchio Fabrício B
Published: April 2018

Background: Among combat sports, Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) present elevated physical fitness demands from the high-intensity intermittent efforts. However, information regarding how metabolic and neuromuscular physical fitness is associated with technical-tactical performance in Judo and BJJ fights is not available. This study aimed to relate indicators of physical fitness with combat performance variables in Judo and BJJ. Methods: The sample consisted of Judo (n = 16) and BJJ (n = 24) male athletes. At the first meeting, the physical tests were applied and, in the second, simulated fights were performed for later notational analysis. Results: The main findings indicate: i) high reproducibility of the proposed instrument and protocol used for notational analysis in a mobile device; ii) differences in the technical-tactical and time-motion patterns between modalities; iii) performance-related variables are different in Judo and BJJ; and iv) regression models based on metabolic fitness variables may account for up to 53% of the variances in technical-tactical and/or time-motion variables in Judo and up to 31% in BJJ, whereas neuromuscular fitness models can reach values up to 44 and 73% of prediction in Judo and BJJ, respectively. When all components are combined, they can explain up to 90% of high intensity actions in Judo. Discussion: In conclusion, performance prediction models in simulated combat indicate that anaerobic, aerobic and neuromuscular fitness variables contribute to explain time-motion variables associated with high intensity and technical-tactical variables in Judo and BJJ fights.
A tension-adhesion feedback loop in plant epidermis
Authors: Verger Stéphane , Long Yuchen , Boudaoud Arezki , Hamant Olivier
Published: April 2018

Mechanical forces have emerged as coordinating signals for most cell functions. Yet, because forces are invisible, mapping tensile stress patterns in tissues remains a major challenge in all kingdoms. Here we take advantage of the adhesion defects in the Arabidopsis mutant quasimodo1 (qua1) to deduce stress patterns in tissues. By reducing the water potential and epidermal tension in planta, we rescued the adhesion defects in qua1, formally associating gaping and tensile stress patterns in the mutant. Using suboptimal water potential conditions, we revealed the relative contributions of shape- and growth-derived stress in prescribing maximal tension directions in aerial tissues. Consistently, the tension patterns deduced from the gaping patterns in qua1 matched the pattern of cortical microtubules, which are thought to align with maximal tension, in wild-type organs. Conversely, loss of epidermis continuity in the qua1 mutant hampered supracellular microtubule alignments, revealing that coordination through tensile stress requires cell-cell adhesion.
Cultural shifts
Authors: Kuehn Bridget M
Published: April 2018

China’s one-child policy has resulted in scientists with families having experiences that are very different to those elsewhere in the world.
RNAi-mediated knockdown of MTNR1B without disrupting the effects of melatonin on apoptosis and cell cycle in bovine granulose cells
Authors: Liu Wenju , Wang Shujuan , Zhou Jinxing , Pang Xunsheng , Wang Like
Published: April 2018

Melatonin is well known as a powerful free radical scavenger and exhibits the ability to prevent cell apoptosis. In the present study, we investigated the role of melatonin and its receptor MTNR1B in regulating the function of bovine granulosa cells (GCs) and hypothesized the involvement of MTNR1B in mediating the effect of melatonin on GCs. Our results showed that MTNR1B knockdown significantly promoted GCs apoptosis but did not affect the cell cycle. These results were further verified by increasing the expression of pro-apoptosis genes (BAX and CASP3), decreasing expression of the anti-apoptosis genes (BCL2 and BCL-XL) and anti-oxidant genes (SOD1 and GPX4) without affecting cell cycle factors (CCND1, CCNE1 and CDKN1A) and TP53. In addition, MTNR1B knockdown did not disrupt the effects of melatonin in suppressing the GCs apoptosis or blocking the cell cycle. Moreover, MTNR1B knockdown did not affect the role of melatonin in increasing BCL2, BCL-XL, and CDKN1A expression, or decreasing BAX, CASP3, TP53, CCND1 and CCNE1 expression. The expression of MTNR1A was upregulated after MTNR1B knockdown, and melatonin promoted MTNR1A expression with or without MTNR1B knockdown. However, despite melatonin supplementation, the expression of SOD1 and GPX4 was still suppressed after MTNR1B knockdown. In conclusion, these findings indicate that melatonin and MTNR1B are involved in BCL2 family and CASP3-dependent apoptotic pathways in bovine GCs. MTNR1A and MTNR1B may coordinate the work of medicating the appropriate melatonin responses to GCs.
Genome comparison implies the role of Wsm2 in membrane trafficking and protein degradation
Authors: Zhang Guorong , Hua Zhihua
Published: April 2018

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) causes streak mosaic disease in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and has been an important constraint limiting wheat production in many regions around the world. Wsm2 is the only resistance gene discovered in wheat genome and has been located in a short genomic region of its chromosome 3B. However, the sequence nature and the biological function of Wsm2 remain unknown due to the difficulty of genetic manipulation in wheat. In this study, we tested WSMV infectivity among wheat and its two closely related grass species, rice (Oryza sativa) and Brachypodium distachyon. Based on the phenotypic result and previous genomic studies, we developed a novel bioinformatics pipeline for interpreting a potential biological function of Wsm2 and its ancestor locus in wheat. In the WSMV resistance tests, we found that rice has a WMSV resistance gene while Brachypodium does not, which allowed us to hypothesize the presence of a Wsm2 ortholog in rice. Our OrthoMCL analysis of protein coding genes on wheat chromosome 3B and its syntenic chromosomes in rice and Brachypodium discovered 4,035 OrthoMCL groups as preliminary candidates of Wsm2 orthologs. Given that Wsm2 is likely duplicated through an intrachromosomal illegitimate recombination and that Wsm2 is dominant, we inferred that this new WSMV-resistance gene acquired an activation domain, lost an inhibition domain, or gained high expression compared to its ancestor locus. Through comparison, we identified that 67, 16, and 10 out of 4,035 OrthoMCL orthologous groups contain a rice member with 25% shorter or longer in length, or 10 fold more expression, respectively, than those from wheat and Brachypodium. Taken together, we predicted a total of 93 good candidates for a Wsm2 ancestor locus. All of these 93 candidates are not tightly linked with Wsm2, indicative of the role of illegitimate recombination in the birth of Wsm2. Further sequence analysis suggests that the protein products of Wsm2 may combat WSMV disease through a molecular mechanism involving protein degradation and/or membrane trafficking. The 93 putative Wsm2 ancestor loci discovered in this study could serve as good candidates for future genetic isolation of the true Wsm2 locus.
Specific breast cancer prognosis‐subtype distinctions based onDNAmethylation patterns
Authors: Zhang Shumei , Wang Yihan , Gu Yue , Zhu Jiang , Ci Ce , Guo Zhongfu , Chen Chuangeng , Wei Yanjun , Lv Wenhua , Liu Hongbo , Zhang Dongwei , Zhang Yan
Published: April 2018

Tumour heterogeneity is an obstacle to effective breast cancer diagnosis and therapy.DNAmethylation is an important regulator of gene expression, thus characterizing tumour heterogeneity by epigenetic features can be clinically informative. In this study, we explored specific prognosis‐subtypes based onDNAmethylation status using 669 breast cancers from theTCGAdatabase. Nine subgroups were distinguished by consensus clustering using 3869 CpGs that significantly influenced survival. The specificDNAmethylation patterns were reflected by different races, ages, tumour stages, receptor status, histological types, metastasis status and prognosis. Compared with thePAM50 subtypes, which use gene expression clustering,DNAmethylation subtypes were more elaborate and classified the Basal‐like subtype into two different prognosis‐subgroups. Additionally, 1252 CpGs (corresponding to 888 genes) were identified as specific hyper/hypomethylation sites for each specific subgroup. Finally, a prognosis model based on Bayesian network classification was constructed and used to classify the test set intoDNAmethylation subgroups, which corresponded to the classification results of the train set. These specific classifications byDNAmethylation can explain the heterogeneity of previous molecular subgroups in breast cancer and will help in the development of personalized treatments for the new specific subtypes.
The Fractal Nature of Planetary Landforms and Implications to Geologic Mapping
Authors: Robbins Stuart J.
Published: April 2018

The primary product of planetary geologic and geomorphologic mapping is a group of lines and polygons that parameterize planetary surfaces and landforms. Many different research fields use those shapes to conduct their own analyses, and some of those analyses require measurement of the shape's perimeter or line length, sometimes relative to a surface area. There is a general lack of discussion in the relevant literature of the fact that perimeters of many planetary landforms are not easily parameterized by a simple aggregation of lines or even curves, but they instead display complexity across a large range of scale lengths; in fewer words, many planetary landforms are fractals. Because of their fractal nature, instead of morphometric properties converging on a single value, those properties will change based on the scale used to measure them. Therefore, derived properties can change—in some cases, by an order of magnitude or more—just when the measuring length scale is altered. This can result in significantly different interpretations of the features. Conversely, instead of a problem, analysis of the fractal properties of some landforms has led to diagnostic criteria that other remote sensing data cannot easily provide. This paper outlines the basic issue of the fractal nature of planetary landforms, gives case studies where the effects become important, and provides the recommendation that geologic mappers consider characterizing the fractal dimension of their mapped units via a relatively simple, straightforward calculation.
Real‐time hybrid simulation of semi‐active control using shaking table: Proposal and verification of a testing method for mid‐story isolated buildings
Authors: Yoshida Shohei , Fujitani Hideo , Mukai Yoichi , Ito Mai
Published: April 2018

This study proposes a real‐time hybrid simulation method for semi‐active control using a shaking table. The method can be used for simulating a mid‐story isolated building. This simulation system uses a test specimen for the upper structure, a semi‐active damper that is installed in the base isolation layer on the shaking table, and a lumped mass system for a lower structure for the computer simulation. A rotary inertia mass damper that contains magnetorheological fluid is used in the semi‐active control. The semi‐active control cannot avoid a control time lag. This time lag is estimated by assuming a first‐order lag system. The experimental and analytical results considering a control time lag are compared in this study. The validity of the real‐time hybrid simulation is verified.
Chilling Injury in Tropical Crops after Harvest
Authors: Heyes Julian A.
Published: April 2018

Tropical crops suffer from chilling injury after harvest, which has historically limited their global trade. The primary cause of chilling injury relates to membrane dysfunction leading to altered Ca2+flux and upregulation of cold‐regulated genes via C‐repeat binding factors (CBFs). Secondary damage results from generation of free radicals. Chilling injury leads to a diversity of internal and external symptoms in tropical crops. The most serious are those which occur only internally or take time to display after fresh products leave the chilling environment, as these symptoms are likely to lead to product rejection after purchase. Techniques for the detection of chilling injury by non‐destructive technologies are reviewed. A wide range of techniques has been tested empirically for reducing chilling susceptibility in tropical crops (step‐down cooling, hormetic treatments, intermittent warming, atmosphere modification, chemical treatments, and pre‐harvest manipulation) and is reviewed here. Faster progress may be possible if treatments can be based on knowledge of underlying mechanisms; for example, maximal heat shock protein gene expression may be an indicator of effective heat treatments. Options for introducing greater chilling tolerance through breeding are discussed, using wild relatives or introduced CBFs. Improved technologies are already leading to increased trade in tropical products which is beneficial for tropical economies.
Evolution and Taxonomy of the Grasses (Poaceae): A Model Family for the Study of Species‐Rich Groups
Authors: Hodkinson Trevor R.
Published: April 2018

The grass family Poaceae, with 11 500 species, is economically, ecologically, and evolutionarily one of the most successful species‐rich groups. Because of this, it represents a model family for the study of speciose taxa. Routine DNA sequencing has accelerated progress in the evolutionary study of grasses, leading to more stable taxonomic classifications; prototype DNA barcoding systems; and a better understanding of their biogeography, physiology, and ecology. This article examines the remaining challenges in the evolutionary and taxonomic study of grasses. These include assessing the monophyly of genera, improving species‐level phylogenetics, establishing a comprehensive DNA barcoding system, understanding diversification in geological time and geographical/ecological space, understanding morphological and physiological trait evolution (such as C4photosynthesis, polyploidy, and spikelet morphology), and understanding co‐evolution with other organisms such as herbivores and endophytic/mycorrhizal microbes.
Programming Cells for Dynamic Assembly of Inorganic Nano‐Objects with Spatiotemporal Control
Authors: Wang Xinyu , Pu Jiahua , An Bolin , Li Yingfeng , Shang Yuequn , Ning Zhijun , Liu Yi , Ba Fang , Zhang Jiaming , Zhong Chao
Published: April 2018

Programming living cells to organize inorganic nano‐objects (NOs) in a spatiotemporally precise fashion would advance new techniques for creating ordered ensembles of NOs and new bio–abiotic hybrid materials with emerging functionalities. Bacterial cells often grow in cellular communities called biofilms. Here, a strategy is reported for programming dynamic biofilm formation for the synchronized assembly of discrete NOs or hetero‐nanostructures on diverse interfaces in a dynamic, scalable, and hierarchical fashion. By engineering Escherichia coli to sense blue light and respond by producing biofilm curli fibers, biofilm formation is spatially controlled and the patterned NOs' assembly is simultaneously achieved. Diverse and complex fluorescent quantum dot patterns with a minimum patterning resolution of 100 µm are demonstrated. By temporally controlling the sequential addition of NOs into the culture, multilayered heterostructured thin films are fabricated through autonomous layer‐by‐layer assembly. It is demonstrated that biologically dynamic self‐assembly can be used to advance a new repertoire of nanotechnologies and materials with increasing complexity that would be otherwise challenging to produce.
Identifying the Key Role of Pyridinic‐N–Co Bonding in Synergistic Electrocatalysis for Reversible ORR/OER
Authors: Wang Xue‐Rui , Liu Jie‐Yu , Liu Zi‐Wei , Wang Wei‐Chao , Luo Jun , Han Xiao‐Peng , Du Xi‐Wen , Qiao Shi‐Zhang , Yang Jing
Published: April 2018

For many regenerative electrochemical energy‐conversion systems, hybrid electrocatalysts comprising transition metal (TM) oxides and heteroatom‐doped (e.g., nitrogen‐doped) carbonaceous materials are promising bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction/oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts, whose enhanced electrocatalytic activities are attributed to the synergistic effect originated from the TM–N–C active sites. However, it is still ambiguous which configuration of nitrogen dopants, either pyridinic or pyrrolic N, when bonded to the TM in oxides, predominately contributes to the synergistic effect. Herein, an innovative strategy based on laser irradiation is described to controllably tune the relative concentrations of pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen dopants in the hybrid catalyst, i.e., NiCo2O4 NPs/N‐doped mesoporous graphene. Comparative studies reveal the dominant role of pyridinic‐NCo bonding, instead of pyrrolic‐N bonding, in synergistically promoting reversible oxygen electrocatalysis. Moreover, density functional theory calculations provide deep insights into the corresponding synergistic mechanism. The optimized hybrid, NiCo/NLG‐270, manifests outstanding reversible oxygen electrocatalytic activities, leading to an overpotential different ΔE among the lowest value for highly efficient bifunctional catalysts. In a practical reversible Zn–air battery, NiCo/NLG‐270 exhibits superior charge/discharge performance and long‐term durability compared to the noble metal electrocatalysts.
Polyanionic Insertion Materials for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Barpanda Prabeer , Lander Laura , Nishimura Shin‐ichi , Yamada Atsuo
Published: April 2018

Efficient energy storage is a driving factor propelling myriads of mobile electronics, electric vehicles and stationary electric grid storage. Li‐ion batteries have realized these goals in a commercially viable manner with ever increasing penetration to different technology sectors across the globe. While these electronic devices are more evident and appealing to consumers, there has been a growing concern for micro‐to‐mega grid storage systems. Overall, the modern world demands energy in ‘terawatt’ scale. It needs a multipronged approach with alternate technologies complementing the Li‐ion batteries. One such viable approach is to design and implement Na‐ion batteries. With the uniform geographical distribution, abundance and materials economy of Na resources as well as a striking operational similarity to Li‐ion batteries, Na‐ion batteries have commercial potential, particularly for applications unrestricted by volumetric/gravimetric energy density. In pursuit of the development of Na‐ion batteries, suites of oxides, sulfides, fluorides, and polyanionic materials have been reported in addition to several organic complexes. This article gives an overview of recent progress in polyanionic framework compounds, with emphasis on high‐voltage candidates consisting of earth abundant elements. Guided by ternary phase diagrams, recently discovered and potential cathode candidates will be discussed gauging their performance, current status, and future perspectives.
Toward a High‐Performance All‐Plastic Full Battery with a'Single Organic Polymer as Both Cathode and Anode
Authors: Xie Jian , Wang Zilong , Xu Zhichuan J. , Zhang Qichun
Published: April 2018

The design and fabrication of high‐performance all‐plastic batteries is essentially important to achieve future flexible electronics. A major challenge in this field is the lack of stable and reliable soft organic electrodes with satisfactory performance. Here, a novel all‐plastic‐electrode based Li‐ion battery with a single flexible bi‐functional ladderized heterocyclic poly(quinone), (C6O2S2)n, as both cathode and anode is demonstrated. Benefiting from its unique ladder‐like quinone and dithioether structure, the as‐prepared polymer cathode shows a high energy density of 624 Wh kg−1 (vs lithium anode) and a stable battery life of 1000 cycles. Moreover, the as‐fabricated symmetric full‐battery delivers a large capacity of 249 mAh g−1 (at 20 mA g−1), a good capacity retention of 119 mAh g−1 after 250 cycles (at 1.0 A g−1) and a noteworthy energy density up to 276 Wh kg−1. The superior performance of poly(2,3‐dithiino‐1,4‐benzoquinone)‐based electrode rivals most of the state‐of‐the‐art demonstrations on organic‐based metal‐ion shuttling batteries. The study provides an effective strategy to develop stable bi‐functional electrode materials toward the next‐generation of high performance all‐plastic batteries.
Anchoring PdCu Amorphous Nanocluster on Graphene for Electrochemical Reduction of N2 to NH3 under Ambient Conditions in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Shi Miao‐Miao , Bao Di , Li Si‐Jia , Wulan Ba‐Ri , Yan Jun‐Min , Jiang Qing
Published: April 2018

As an alternative approach for N2 fixation under milder conditions, electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) represents a very attractive strategy for sustainable development and N2 cycle to store and utilize energy from renewable sources. However, the research on NRR electrocatalysts still mainly focuses on noble metals, while, high costs and limited resources greatly restrict their large‐scale applications. Herein, as a proof‐of‐concept experiment, taking PdCu amorphous nanocluster anchored on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as NRR catalysts, the optimum Pd0.2Cu0.8/rGO composite presents a synergistic effect and shows superior electrocatalytic performance toward NRR under ambient conditions (yield: 2.80 µg h−1 mgcat.−1 at −0.2 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode), which is much higher than that of monometallic, especially noble metal, counterparts. The superior catalytic performance of alloy catalysts with low noble metal loading would strongly spur interest toward more researches on NRR catalysts in the future.
3D‐DNA‐Origami‐Nanopartikel: von grundlegenden Designprinzipien hin zu neuartigen Anwendungen in der weichen Materie und den (Bio‐)Nanowissenschaften
Authors: Loescher Sebastian , Groeer Saskia , Walther Andreas
Published: April 2018

Die Herstellung Gerüst‐basierter, Gitter‐konstruierter 3D‐DNA‐Origami‐Strukturen ist eine aufstrebende, leistungsfähige und vielseitige Technik für die rationale Entwicklung nahezu beliebig strukturierter und monodisperser DNA‐basierter 3D‐Nanoobjekte. Basierend auf der unübertroffenen molekularen Programmierbarkeit der Sequenz‐spezifischen DNA‐Hybridisierung wird hierbei ein langer DNA‐Einzelstrang (Gerüststrang) mit vielen kurzen Einzelstrang‐Oligomeren (Faltungssträngen) zusammengefügt, die den Gerüststrang in einem Schritt zu einem 3D‐Gitter organisieren und so zu nanopartikulären 3D‐Strukturen führen. Die Zahl der Anwendungen von 3D‐DNA‐Origami nimmt stetig zu und steht mit zahlreichen Gebieten der Wissenschaft in Verbindung, z. B. mit anisometrisch strukturierten oder anisotrop funktionalisierten Nanopartikeln, grundlegenden Untersuchungen zur Überstrukturbildung, der Biomedizin und (Bio‐)Physik sowie mit der Sensorik und der Gestaltung optischer Materialien. Dieser Kurzaufsatz diskutiert die Grundlagen und jüngsten Fortschritte, von der Strukturbildung bis zu ausgewählten Anwendungen, und legt dabei den Fokus auf die Förderung eines interdisziplinären Austausches.
Multielectron‐Transfer‐based Rechargeable Energy Storage of Two‐Dimensional Coordination Frameworks with Non‐Innocent Ligands
Authors: Wada Keisuke , Sakaushi Ken , Sasaki Sono , Nishihara Hiroshi
Published: April 2018

The metallically conductive bis(diimino)nickel framework (NiDI), an emerging class of metal–organic framework (MOF) analogues consisting of two‐dimensional (2D) coordination networks, was found to have an energy storage principle that uses both cation and anion insertion. This principle gives high energy led by a multielectron transfer reaction: Its specific capacity is one of the highest among MOF‐based cathode materials in rechargeable energy storage devices, with stable cycling performance up to 300 cycles. This mechanism was studied by a wide spectrum of electrochemical techniques combined with density‐functional calculations. This work shows that a rationally designed material system of conductive 2D coordination networks can be promising electrode materials for many types of energy devices.
Der Einfluss von β‐Diiminato‐Liganden auf die As4‐Aktivierung durch Cobalt‐Komplexe
Authors: Spitzer Fabian , Balázs Gábor , Graßl Christian , Keilwerth Martin , Meyer Karsten , Scheer Manfred
Published: April 2018

In einer Studie zur Aktivierung von As4 zeigen drei [LCo(tol)]‐Komplexe (L=β‐Diiminato) sterische und elektronische Substituenteneinflüsse. Als flankierende Gruppen wurden 2,6‐Diisopropylphenyl (Dipp) und 2,6‐Dimethylphenyl (dmp) verwendet, einer der Liganden verfügt über einen H‐Gerüstsubstituenten (β‐Dialdiminat L0) und zwei weitere über Me‐Substituenten (β‐Diketiminat L3 und L1). In der Reaktion mit As4 wurden zweikernige Produkte [(LCo)2As4] (LM=L0 (1), L1 (2), L3 (3)) isoliert, von denen jedes im Festkörper einen individuell geformten [Co2As4]‐Kern aufweist: oktaedrisch in 1, prismatisch in 2 und Asteran‐ähnlich in 3. Die thermische Behandlung von 3 führt unter Abstraktion eines Arsenatoms zu [(L3Co)2As3] (4). Alle Produkte wurden durch Einkristall‐Röntgenstrukturanalyse, FD‐MS‐Spektrometrie und 1H‐NMR‐Spektroskopie charakterisiert. Eine Erklärung für die unterschiedliche Reaktivität wird vorgeschlagen und DFT‐Rechnungen geben Einblicke in die Beschaffenheit des flexiblen [Co2As4]‐Kerns.
Synthesis and characterization of novel chromone Schiff base complexes as p53 activators
Authors: Shakdofa Mohamad M.E. , Mousa Hanan A. , Labib Ammar A. , Abd‐El‐All Amira S. , El‐Beih Ahmed A. , Abdalla Mohamed M.
Published: April 2018

A series of chromone Schiff base complexes were prepared and analytically as well as spectroscopically characterized. The ligand was found to act as a monobasic tridentate ligand bonded covalently or coordinatively to the metal ion via deprotonated hydroxyl group, azomethine nitrogen atom and carbonyl oxygen atom of antipyrine moiety. Both electronic spectra and magnetic measurements indicated an octahedral or a distorted octahedral geometry around the metal ions for all metal complexes except the nickel complex, which had a tetrahedral geometry. In addition, the ability of the newly prepared compounds to activate the tumour suppressor p53 in cancer cells was studied, with zinc and copper complexes showing promising activities for p53 ubiquitination compared with diphenylimidazole (reference drug).
Porous Si/TiO2 nanowire photoanode for photoelectric catalysis under simulated solar light irradiation
Authors: Chen Zhangxiaoxiong , Yang Jikai , Yang Xiaotian , Zhao Yiming , Kang Jiaqi , Yang Fuyu , Zhang Yufei , Cheng Ming , Wang Guozheng , Duanmu Qingduo
Published: April 2018

Porous Si/TiO2 nanowire photoanodes were prepared by a combination of hydrothermal synthesis and metal‐assisted chemical etching. Characterization of samples was conducted using scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction, the results showing that a porous Si/TiO2 heterojunction structure was synthesized. Diffuse reflection spectra show that the porous Si/TiO2 nanowire photoanodes have a strong absorption. Photocurrent measurement shows that the photocurrent of the porous Si/TiO2 nanowire photoanodes at 6 h is higher than that of others in the measuring region. The photoelectric catalysis (PEC) activities of porous Si/TiO2 nanowire photoanodes were evaluated in degradation experiments of methylene blue under simulated solar light irradiation, and the sample at 6 h shows the highest PEC activity. Meanwhile, the PEC activity of the porous Si/TiO2 nanowire photoanode is higher than that of the single direct photocatalysis process or electric catalysis. The mechanism of the PEC of the porous Si/TiO2 nanowire photoanodes has been explained.
Catalytic effect of alkali and alkaline earth metals in different occurrence modes in Zhundong coals
Authors: Liang Dingcheng , Xie Qiang , Zhou Huabing , Yang Mingshun , Cao Junya , Zhang Jun
Published: April 2018

Two Zhundong coals, Nanlutian coal and Wucaiwan coal, were pretreated by a sequential extraction; alkali and alkaline earth metals (AAEMs) in different occurrence modes were separated from the coal samples. The contents and compositions of AAEMs in coal were investigated, and then a kinetic model was used to quantify their catalytic behavior. Experimental results show that the content of water‐soluble AAEMs is high and that these AAEMs are composed mainly of NaCl and other sodium species. After removing these AAEMs from the Nanlutian coal and the Wucaiwan coal, the activation energy required for gasification increases by 7.679 and 4.035 kJ mol−1, respectively. Some of the sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium species exist in ion‐exchangeable form, but the content is low. When the ion‐exchangeable AAEMs were removed, the activation energy increases by 5.117 and 1.400 kJ mol−1, respectively. The content of acid‐soluble AAEMs is high and composed mainly of calcium and magnesium salts. After removing these AAEMs, the activation energy was increased by 2.002 and 0.537 kJ mol−1, respectively. Finally, the content of insoluble AAEMs is very high, and this fraction is composed mainly of silicates and aluminosilicates. As these AAEMs are stable, their catalytic effect could be ignored.
Recent Advances in the Catalytic Enantioselective Reactions of para‐Quinone Methides
Authors: Li Wenjun , Xu Xianhong , Zhang Pengfei , Li Pengfei
Published: April 2018

In recent years, the catalytic enantioselective reactions of p‐QMs have drawn much attention, because of their distinctive reactivities. As such, a variety of chiral catalytic systems have been developed. This Focus Review describes the reactions of p‐QMs according to the chiral catalyst system used, with the aim of provide the first complete picture of the exciting developments in this field. Special emphasis is placed on recent work regarding their reaction mechanisms.
DNA repair protein XPA is differentially expressed in colorectal cancer and predicts better prognosis
Authors: Feng Xue , Liu Jingwei , Gong Yuehua , Gou Kaihua , Yang Huaiwei , Yuan Yuan , Xing Chengzhong
Published: April 2018

As an indispensable factor in DNA damage recognition step of nucleotide excision repair, XPA interacts with a series of proteins to initiate repair process. The expression characteristics of XPA in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its influence on CRC prognosis remain elusive. Tissue specimens of CRC and nontumor adjacent tissues from 283 patients were collected. XPA protein expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry staining. Nonparametric test was used to investigate the difference of XPA expression between CRC and nontumor adjacent tissues, as well as the correlation between XPA expression and clinicopathological parameters of CRC. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were applied to estimate the relationship between XPA expression and CRC prognosis. Meanwhile, we analyzed TCGA data to investigate the relation between XPA mRNA expression and survival of CRC. XPA protein expression was significantly decreased in CRC tissues compared with nontumor adjacent tissues (P = 0.001). Subgroup analysis indicated consistently significant down‐regulation of XPA in CRC tissues in age > 60 (P = 0.026), age ≤ 60 (P = 0.008), colon cancer (P = 0.009), and rectal cancer (P = 0.015) patients and males (P = 0.004). For clinicopathological parameters, CRC patients with drinking habits revealed XPA overexpression than nondrinkers (P = 0.032). For prognosis, CRC patients with high XPA protein expression had longer overall survival (OS) (HR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.39–0.97, P = 0.037). Stratified analysis suggested a better prognosis in relation to high XPA protein expression in patients over 60 years (adjusted HR = 0.48, P = 0.021), with rectal cancer (HR = 0.56, P = 0.037), without distant metastasis (HR = 0.58, P = 0.033), without tumor deposits (HR = 0.40, P = 0.006; adjusted HR = 0.44, P = 0.028), and with tumor diameter over 4 cm (HR = 0.49, P = 0.023). DNA repair protein XPA is significantly decreased in colorectal cancer tissues than in adjacent nontumor tissues. High expression of XPA protein showed significant relationship with better survival of CRC, especially rectal cancer. XPA might be a novel biomarker but might not be an independent factor to predict prognosis of CRC patients.
Effect of the Amino Acids L‐Methionine and D‐Threonine on Calcium Lactate Pentahydrate Crystallization
Authors: Kiran-Yildirim Bercem , Titiz-Sargut Sibel , Sayan Perviz
Published: April 2018

The crystallization of calcium lactate pentahydrate was performed in the absence and presence of the amino acids L‐methionine and D‐threonine. The metastable zone width was measured as a function of concentration of amino acids and cooling rate. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), filtration rate, and average particle size measurements were performed. FTIR results showed that all crystals formed in calcium L‐lactate pentahydrate form, but crystals, which had a needle‐like crystal structure in pure media, experienced a habit change in the presence of amino acids. The average particle size and the length‐to‐width ratio of the crystals increased in the presence of amino acids which appeared as reduction in mean specific cake resistance. The amino acids exerted enlargement effects on the metastable zone width.
A Zinc Cobalt Sulfide Nanosheet Array Derived from a 2D Bimetallic Metal–Organic Frameworks for High‐Performance Supercapacitors
Authors: Tao Kai , Han Xue , Cheng Qiuhui , Yang Yujing , Yang Zheng , Ma Qingxiang , Han Lei
Published: April 2018

Porous ternary metal sulfide integrated electrode materials with abundant electroactive sites and redox reactions are very promising for supercapacitors. Herein, a porous zinc cobalt sulfide nanosheet array on Ni foam (Zn‐Co‐S/NF) was constructed by facile growth of 2D bimetallic zinc/cobalt‐based metal–organic framework (Zn/Co‐MOF) nanosheets with leaf‐like morphology on NF, followed by additional sulfurization. The Zn‐Co‐S/NF nanosheet array acted directly as a supercapacitor electrode showing much better electrochemical performance (2354.3 F g−1 and 88.6 % retention over 1000 cycles) when compared with zinc cobalt sulfide powder (355.3 F g−1 and 75.8 % retention over 1000 cycles), which originates from good electrical conductivity and mechanical stability, abundant electroactive sites, and facilitated transportation of electrons and electrolyte ions due to the unique nanosheet array structure. An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device assembled from Zn‐Co‐S/NF and activated carbon electrodes can deliver a highest energy density of 31.9 Wh kg−1 and a maximum power density of 8.5 kW kg−1. Most importantly, this ASC also shows good cycling stability (71.0 % retention over 10000 cycles). Furthermore, a red LED can be powered by two connected ASCs, and thus as‐synthesized Zn‐Co‐S/NF has great potential for practical applications.
Differential Reactivity of Metal Binding Domains of Copper ATPases towards Cisplatin and Colocalization of Copper and Platinum
Authors: Fang Tiantian , Tian Yao , Yuan Siming , Sheng Yaping , Arnesano Fabio , Natile Giovanni , Liu Yangzhong
Published: April 2018

The Menkes (MNK) and Wilson (WLN) disease proteins are two P‐type ATPases responsible for active Cu efflux. These ATPases are also associated with resistance to cisplatin. In this work, different metal‐binding domains (MBDs) of ATPases (9 out of 12 domains) were compared based on their reactivity towards cisplatin. The reaction rates of the MBDs can be largely different; the reaction of MNK6 is about six times faster than that of WLN2. Copper coordination favors the platination of the MBDs to different extents. The rate of platination was generally greater for holo‐MBDs than for apo‐MBDS (particularly in the case of WLN4 and WLN2); however, it was negligibly affected in the case of MNK6. Interestingly, the platinum binding weakens the CuI coordination, but does not expel the copper ion from MBDs. The latter results nicely explain the inhibitory effect of Cu upon the cisplatin translocation promoted by Cu‐ATPases and can help in understanding how copper levels can modulate the sensitivity of cancer cells to platinum chemotherapy.
Oxygen Evolution Catalysis with Mössbauerite—A Trivalent Iron‐Only Layered Double Hydroxide
Authors: Ertl Michael , Andronescu Corina , Moir Jonathon , Zobel Mirijam , Wagner Friedrich E. , Barwe Stefan , Ozin Geoffrey , Schuhmann Wolfgang , Breu Josef
Published: April 2018

Mössbauerite is investigated for the first time as an “iron‐only” mineral for the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media. The synthesis proceeds via intermediate mixed‐valence green rust that is rapidly oxidized in situ while conserving the layered double hydroxide structure. The material catalyzes the oxygen evolution reaction on a glassy carbon electrode with a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at 1.63 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. Stability measurements, as well as post‐electrolysis characterization are presented. This work demonstrates the applicability of iron‐only layered double hydroxides as earth‐abundant oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. Mössbauerite is of fundamental importance since as an all Fe3+ material its performance has no contributions from unknown synergistic effects as encountered for mixed valence Co/Ni/Fe LDH.
Disability resources in higher education, part 4: Digital accessibility
Authors: Thompson Tom L.
Published: April 2018

Digital accessibility represents one of the biggest challenges in higher education, if not the biggest. Digital accessibility is defined by Whatis.com as “the ability of a website, mobile application, or electronic document to be easily navigated and understood by a wide range of users, including those users who have visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities.” Most operations and instruction that occur in higher education depend on digital communication systems (i.e., campus portals, learning management systems, email, etc.). The ubiquity of technology on campuses is a boon and at times a burden. The lack of accessibility within digital systems creates barriers to learning and participation for students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors.
Culture change, outreach transform school
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: April 2018

The faculty members in a school of biological sciences pursue diverse research. At the University of California, Irvine, the faculty concentrate on areas ranging from cell biology to cancer biology to evolution.
Characteristics of opioid‐maintained clients smoking fentanyl patches: The importance of confirmatory drug analysis illustrated by a case series and mini‐review
Authors: Kimergård Andreas , Dunne Jacklyn , Bøgen Anette , Hindersson Peter , Breindahl Torben
Published: April 2018

The increase in opioid prescribing in many European countries over the last decade has raised concerns about associated diversion, overdose, and mortality. Fentanyl is one of these synthetic opioids that is typically prescribed as a transdermal patch for pain that requires continuous pain relief and has been the focus of investigation due to reports of overdose and death. We report a case series of 14 drug addiction treatment entrants, who entered treatment in a service located in the region of Southern Denmark from August 2015 to December 2015 for smoking fentanyl patches. Clients presented with difficulties breathing and pains in the lungs. The clients had a history of past opioid use, including heroin. Relapses resulted in treatment disengagement. Immunoassays for fentanyl were used in the service. In some cases, false negative results occurred. Clients' urine samples were subsequently analysed in a collaborating laboratory. Seven clients tested positive for fentanyl. One client was positive for both fentanyl and heroin. Analyses were also positive for other opioids and metabolites in 6 clients, predominantly codeine and oxycodone. Results from confirmatory analysis contributed to clearer insights into clients' drug histories, which facilitated personalised care plans consisting of opioid agonist therapy informed by confirmed drug use. In Denmark, prescription levels of fentanyl are high, which has been accompanied by observations of diversion and smoking in a smaller population. In addition to revision of inappropriate prescribing to reduce diversion, we recommend increased reliance upon confirmatory drug analysis in the addiction treatment sector in Denmark.
Root diameter predicts the extramatrical hyphal exploration distance of the ectomycorrhizal fungal community
Authors: Chen Weile , Eissenstat David M. , Koide Roger T.
Published: April 2018

Locally coexisting tree species of temperate forests often vary widely in the diameter of their absorptive roots, resulting in contrasting strategies of root foraging within soil nutrient hot spots. We hypothesized that root diameter would also influence the extramatrical hyphal exploration distance of the mycorrhizal fungal community due to coevolution of the plant and fungal partners leading to functional complementarity. We collected absorptive roots from mature trees of nine ectomycorrhizal tree species in replicated monoculture plots of a plantation where the soil is relatively homogeneous. The identities of ectomycorrhizal fungal taxa and their relative abundances were determined by DNA sequencing. The hyphal exploration type (i.e., contact, short‐distance, medium‐distance or long‐distance) was assigned to each taxon, allowing us to calculate an index of the abundance‐weighted mean extramatrical hyphal exploration distance of the fungal community. Overall, there was a significant, positive correlation between root diameter and our index of hyphal exploration distance such that tree species with the thicker roots were associated with fungi with the longer hyphal exploration distance. Moreover, we found that root diameter negatively correlated with the proportion of contact ectomycorrhizal fungal taxa and positively correlated with the proportion of medium‐distance ectomycorrhizal fungal taxa. Our results suggest that among temperate ectomycorrhizal tree species, root diameter selects for communities of mycorrhizal fungi of specific exploration distance in a way that is consistent with root‐fungal functional complementarity in nutrient foraging.
Flowering and floral visitation predict changes in community structure provided that mycorrhizas remain intact
Authors: Bennett Jonathan A. , Cahill James F.
Published: April 2018

Pollination is critical for plant fitness and population dynamics, yet little attention is paid to the role of flowering and plant‐pollinator interactions in structuring plant communities, including community responses to environmental change. Changes in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), nutrient abundances, and plant litter all affect plant access to different resources, and are known regulators of community structure. Each factor can also affect flowering and plant‐pollinator interactions, potentially contributing to changes in community structure. To test whetherAMF, nutrients, and litter influenced the relationship between pollination and community structure, we conducted a 5‐yr field experiment applying fungicide, adding fertilizer, and removing plant litter in native grassland. We measured the distribution of flowers and floral visits among species in year three and linked these measures to changes in plant composition and species richness between years three and five. We hypothesized that an uneven distribution of flowers and visits among species would lead to greater community change, but that the treatments would disrupt this relationship by altering sexual allocation and recruitment. Consistent with our hypothesis, communities with uneven flower distributions exhibited greater changes in community composition and richness under ambient conditions. However,AMFsuppression neutralized this relationship and regulated the other treatment effects, highlighting the potential importance ofAMFfor stabilizing recruitment dynamics. Combined,AMFsuppression and nutrient addition caused species losses when few species flowered, likely by compounding stresses for those species. The treatment effects on the relationship between flowering and community composition were more nuanced, but were likely driven by increased competition and altered flowering among species. By contrast, community composition was more stable when visitation rates were uneven among species, irrespective of any treatments. This suggests that some species require high visitation rates to maintain their populations due to greater dependence on sexual reproduction. Combined, these results highlight the importance of flowering and floral visitation to the dynamics of grassland communities. They also suggest that altered recruitment dynamics is a major, yet understudied, mechanism by which environmental change affects communities. Consequently, understanding the effects of environmental change on plant communities will require study of both plant growth and sexual reproduction.
Sustained cross‐presentation capacity of murine splenic dendritic cell subsets in vivo
Authors: Ho Nataschja I. , Camps Marcel G. M. , de Haas Edwin F. E. , Ossendorp Ferry
Published: April 2018

An exclusive feature of dendritic cells (DCs) is their ability to cross‐present exogenous antigens in MHC class I molecules. We analyzed the fate of protein antigen in antigen presenting cell (APC) subsets after uptake of naturally formed antigen‐antibody complexes in vivo. We observed that murine splenic DC subsets were able to present antigen in vivo for at least a week. After ex vivo isolation of four APC subsets, the presence of antigen in the storage compartments was visualized by confocal microscopy. Although all APC subsets stored antigen for many days, their ability and kinetics in antigen presentation was remarkably different. CD8α+ DCs showed sustained MHC class I‐peptide specific CD8+ T‐cell activation for more than 4 days. CD8α− DCs also presented antigenic peptides in MHC class I but presentation decreased after 48 h. In contrast, only the CD8α− DCs were able to present antigen in MHC class II to specific CD4+ T cells. Plasmacytoid DCs and macrophages were unable to activate any of the two T‐cell types despite detectable antigen uptake. These results indicate that naturally occurring DC subsets have functional antigen storage capacity for prolonged T‐cell activation and have distinct roles in antigen presentation to specific T cells in vivo.
Carboxylic Acid Ester Adducts of Beryllium Chloride and Their Role in the Synthesis of Beryllium Nitrates
Authors: Scheibe Benjamin , Buchner Magnus R.
Published: April 2018

To investigate the synthetic route towards anhydrous Be(NO3)2 (2), beryllium esterates [BeCl2(MeOAc)2] (4a), [BeCl2(EtOAc)2] (4b), [BeCl2(iPrOAc)2] (4c), [BeCl2(MeOForm)2] (4d), [BeCl2(EtOForm)2] (4e), and [BeCl2(iPrOForm)2] (4f) were synthesized and spectroscopically characterized. Additionally, the crystal structure of [BeCl2(MeOAc)2] (4a) was determined and DFT calculations on these adducts were performed. These four‐coordinate beryllium complexes react, in contrast to BeCl2, readily with N2O4 under the evolution of NOCl to form ester adducts of Be(NO3)2 (5), which react with excess amounts of N2O4 to afford known (NO)2[Be(NO3)4] (1). However, it is not possible to completely remove the carboxylic acid esters from nitrosyl salt 1. Therefore, the thermal decomposition leads to the formation of mixtures of beryllium nitrates 2 and 5. Furthermore it could be shown that this mixture decomposes even at ambient temperature slowly to [Be4O](NO3)6 (3).