bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nano-thick calcium oxide armed titanium: boosts bone cells against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Cao Huiliang , Qin Hui , Zhao Yaochao , Jin Guodong , Lu Tao , Meng Fanhao , Zhang Xianlong , Liu Xuanyong
Published: February 2016

Since the use of systemic antibiotics for preventing acute biomaterial-associated infections (BAIs) may build up bacterial resistance and result in huge medical costs and unpredictable mortality, new precaution strategies are required. Here, it demonstrated that titanium armed with a nano-thick calcium oxide layer was effective on averting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in rabbits. The calcium oxide layer was constructed by, firstly, injecting of metallic calcium into titanium via a plasma immersion ion implantation process and then transforming the outer most surface into oxide by exposing to the atmosphere. Although the calcium oxide armed titanium had a relative low reduction rate (~74%) in growth of MRSA in vitro, it could markedly promote the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs), restore local bone integration against the challenge of MRSA and decrease the incidence of MRSA infection with a rate of 100% (compared to the titanium control). This study demonstrated for the first time that calcium, as one of the major elements in a human body, could be engineered to avert MRSA infections, which is promising as a safe precaution of disinfection for implantable biomedical devices.
miR-155 acts as an anti-inflammatory factor in atherosclerosis-associated foam cell formation by repressing calcium-regulated heat stable protein 1
Authors: Li Xiaoyi , Kong Deyong , Chen Heming , Liu Shuiyi , Hu Hui , Wu Tangwei , Wang Jing , Chen Weiqun , Ning Yong , Li Yong , Lu Zhongxin
Published: February 2016

Atherosclerosis (AS) is chronic inflammation in response to lipid accumulation. MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is being increasingly studied to evaluate its potential as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in many diseases. However, delineating the role of miR-155 in AS remains difficult. Here, we detected constitutive expression of several microRNAs (miRNAs) possibly associated with cardiovascular disease in foam cells and clinical specimens from patients with AS. Among them, we found that the level of miR-155 in foam cells was the most significantly elevated in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, the expression of miR-155 was elevated in the plasma and plaque of patients with AS. We also reported for the first time that miR-155 targets calcium-regulated heat stable protein 1 (CARHSP1), which regulates the stability of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) mRNA. Furthermore, we investigated the mechanism by which the miR-155 level is elevated. miR-155 upregulation is due to transcriptional regulation by nuclear factor (NF)-κB, which is activated by the inflammatory factor TNF-α. In summary, increased miR-155 relieves chronic inflammation by a negative feedback loop and plays a protective role during atherosclerosis-associated foam cell formation by signaling through the miR-155–CARHSP1–TNF-α pathway.
Autotetraploid cell Line induced by SP600125 from crucian carp and its developmental potentiality
Authors: Zhou Yonghua , Wang Mei , Jiang Minggui , Peng Liangyue , Wan Cong , Liu Jinhui , Liu Wenbin , Zhao Rurong , Zhao Xiaoyang , Hu Wei , Liu Shaojun , Xiao Yamei
Published: February 2016

Polyploidy has many advantages over diploidy, such as rapid growth, sterility and disease resistance and has been extensively applied in agriculture and aquaculture. Though generation of new polyploids via polyploidization has been achieved in plants by different ways, it is comparatively rare in animals. In this article, by a chemical compound, SP600125, polyploidization is induced in fish cells in vitro and a stable autotetraploid cell line has been generated from diploid fibroblast cells of crucian carp. As a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (Jnk) inhibitor, SP600125 does not function during the induction process of polyploidization. Instead, the p53 signal pathway might be involved. Using the SP600125-induced tetraploid cells and eggs of crucian carp as the donors and recipients, respectively, nuclear transplantation was conducted such that tetraploid embryos were obtained. It suggests that combining polyploidization and the somatic cell nuclear transfer technique (SCNT) is an efficient way to generate polyploidy and the presented method in this research for generating the tetraploid fish from diploid fish can provide a useful platform for polyploid breeding.
TPhP exposure disturbs carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the DNA damage repair system in zebrafish liver
Authors: Du Zhongkun , Zhang Yan , Wang Guowei , Peng Jianbiao , Wang Zunyao , Gao Shixiang
Published: February 2016

Triphenyl phosphate is a high production volume organophosphate flame retardant that has been detected in multiple environmental media at increasing concentrations. The environmental and health risks of triphenyl phosphate have drawn attention because of the multiplex toxicity of this chemical compound. However, few studies have paid close attention to the impacts of triphenyl phosphate on liver metabolism. We investigated hepatic histopathological, metabolomic and transcriptomic responses of zebrafish after exposure to 0.050 mg/L and 0.300 mg/L triphenyl phosphate for 7 days. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant changes in the contents of glucose, UDP-glucose, lactate, succinate, fumarate, choline, acetylcarnitine, and several fatty acids. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that related pathways, such as the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, PPAR signaling pathway and fatty acid elongation, were significantly affected. These results suggest that triphenyl phosphate exposure markedly disturbs hepatic carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in zebrafish. Moreover, DNA replication, the cell cycle, and non-homologous end-joining and base excision repair were strongly affected, thus indicating that triphenyl phosphate hinders the DNA damage repair system in zebrafish liver cells. The present study provides a systematic analysis of the triphenyl phosphate-induced toxic effects in zebrafish liver and demonstrates that low concentrations of triphenyl phosphate affect normal metabolism and cell cycle.
Natural variation in non-coding regions underlying phenotypic diversity in budding yeast
Authors: Salinas Francisco , de Boer Carl G. , Abarca Valentina , García Verónica , Cuevas Mara , Araos Sebastian , Larrondo Luis F. , Martínez Claudio , Cubillos Francisco A.
Published: February 2016

Linkage mapping studies in model organisms have typically focused their efforts in polymorphisms within coding regions, ignoring those within regulatory regions that may contribute to gene expression variation. In this context, differences in transcript abundance are frequently proposed as a source of phenotypic diversity between individuals, however, until now, little molecular evidence has been provided. Here, we examined Allele Specific Expression (ASE) in six F1 hybrids from Saccharomyces cerevisiae derived from crosses between representative strains of the four main lineages described in yeast. ASE varied between crosses with levels ranging between 28% and 60%. Part of the variation in expression levels could be explained by differences in transcription factors binding to polymorphic cis-regulations and to differences in trans-activation depending on the allelic form of the TF. Analysis on highly expressed alleles on each background suggested ASN1 as a candidate transcript underlying nitrogen consumption differences between two strains. Further promoter allele swap analysis under fermentation conditions confirmed that coding and non-coding regions explained aspartic and glutamic acid consumption differences, likely due to a polymorphism affecting Uga3 binding. Together, we provide a new catalogue of variants to bridge the gap between genotype and phenotype.
Sparse cliques trump scale-free networks in coordination and competition
Authors: Gianetto David A. , Heydari Babak
Published: February 2016

Cooperative behavior, a natural, pervasive and yet puzzling phenomenon, can be significantly enhanced by networks. Many studies have shown how global network characteristics affect cooperation; however, it is difficult to understand how this occurs based on global factors alone, low-level network building blocks, ormotifsare necessary. In this work, we systematically alter the structure of scale-free and clique networks and show, through a stochastic evolutionary game theory model, that cooperation on cliques increases linearly withcommunity motifcount. We further show that, for reactive stochastic strategies, network modularity improves cooperation in theanti-coordinationSnowdrift game and the Prisoner’s Dilemma game but not in the Stag Hunt coordination game. We also confirm the negative effect of the scale-free graph on cooperation when effective payoffs are used. On the flip side, clique graphs are highly cooperative across social environments. Adding cycles to the acyclic scale-free graph increases cooperation when multiple games are considered; however, cycles have the opposite effect on how forgiving agents are when playing the Prisoner’s Dilemma game.
Replication and shedding of MERS-CoV in Jamaican fruit bats (Artibeus jamaicensis)
Authors: Munster Vincent J. , Adney Danielle R. , van Doremalen Neeltje , Brown Vienna R. , Miazgowicz Kerri L. , Milne-Price Shauna , Bushmaker Trenton , Rosenke Rebecca , Scott Dana , Hawkinson Ann , de Wit Emmie , Schountz Tony , Bowen Richard A.
Published: February 2016

The emergence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) highlights the zoonotic potential of Betacoronaviruses. Investigations into the origin of MERS-CoV have focused on two potential reservoirs: bats and camels. Here, we investigated the role of bats as a potential reservoir for MERS-CoV. In vitro, the MERS-CoV spike glycoprotein interacted with Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) receptor and MERS-CoV replicated efficiently in Jamaican fruit bat cells, suggesting there is no restriction at the receptor or cellular level for MERS-CoV. To shed light on the intrinsic host-virus relationship, we inoculated 10 Jamaican fruit bats with MERS-CoV. Although all bats showed evidence of infection, none of the bats showed clinical signs of disease. Virus shedding was detected in the respiratory and intestinal tract for up to 9 days. MERS-CoV replicated transiently in the respiratory and, to a lesser extent, the intestinal tracts and internal organs; with limited histopathological changes observed only in the lungs. Analysis of the innate gene expression in the lungs showed a moderate, transient induction of expression. Our results indicate that MERS-CoV maintains the ability to replicate in bats without clinical signs of disease, supporting the general hypothesis of bats as ancestral reservoirs for MERS-CoV.
Impact of sustainable feeds on omega-3 long-chain fatty acid levels in farmed Atlantic salmon, 2006–2015
Authors: Sprague M. , Dick J.R. , Tocher D.R.
Published: February 2016

As the global population and its demand for seafood increases more of our fish will come from aquaculture. Farmed Atlantic salmon are a global commodity and, as an oily fish, contain a rich source of the health promoting long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. Replacing the traditional finite marine ingredients, fishmeal and fish oil, in farmed salmon diets with sustainable alternatives of terrestrial origin, devoid of EPA and DHA, presents a significant challenge for the aquaculture industry. By comparing the fatty acid composition of over 3,000 Scottish Atlantic salmon farmed between 2006 and 2015, we find that terrestrial fatty acids have significantly increased alongside a decrease in EPA and DHA levels. Consequently, the nutritional value of the final product is compromised requiring double portion sizes, as compared to 2006, in order to satisfy recommended EPA + DHA intake levels endorsed by health advisory organisations. Nevertheless, farmed Scottish salmon still delivers more EPA + DHA than most other fish species and all terrestrial livestock. Our findings highlight the global shortfall of EPA and DHA and the implications this has for the human consumer and examines the potential of microalgae and genetically modified crops as future sources of these important fatty acids.
Friend or foe? Biological and ecological traits of the European ash dieback pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus in its native environment
Authors: Cleary Michelle , Nguyen Diem , Marčiulynienė Diana , Berlin Anna , Vasaitis Rimvys , Stenlid Jan
Published: February 2016

Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, an introduced ascomycete fungus and primary causal agent of European ash dieback, was investigated onFraxinus mandshuricatrees in its native range in Primorye region of Far East Russia. This evidence is the first report ofH. fraxineuson healthy, asymptomaticF. mandshuricatrees. High-throughput sequencing revealed 49 distinct fungal taxa associated with leaves ofF. mandshurica, 12 of which were identified to species level. Phyllosphere fungal assemblages were similar among sites despite being largely geographically distant. Many organisms comprising the foliar fungal community onF. mandshuricain Far East Russia have similarity to those reported inhabitingF. excelsiorin Europe based on previous studies. However,Mycosphaerellasp., the most dominant species in this study and detected in nearly all samples, was associated only withF. mandshurica. Genetic diversity ofH. fraxineuswas significantly higher in the Far East Russian population than in Europe. In contrast to its aggressive behaviour onFraxinus excelsiorin Europe,H. fraxineusappears to be a benign associate of indigenousF. mandshuricathat initially induces quiescent and asymptomatic infections in healthy trees prior to active host colonization normally associated with modification of host tissue during senescence.
Induction of site-specific chromosomal translocations in embryonic stem cells by CRISPR/Cas9
Authors: Jiang Junfeng , Zhang Li , Zhou Xingliang , Chen Xi , Huang Guanyi , Li Fengsheng , Wang Ruizhe , Wu Nancy , Yan Youzhen , Tong Chang , Srivastava Sankalp , Wang Yue , Liu Houqi , Ying Qi-Long
Published: February 2016

Chromosomal translocation is the most common form of chromosomal abnormality and is often associated with congenital genetic disorders, infertility and cancers. The lack of cellular and animal models for chromosomal translocations, however, has hampered our ability to understand the underlying disease mechanisms and to develop new therapies. Here, we show that site-specific chromosomal translocations can be generated in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) via CRISPR/Cas9. Mouse ESCs carrying translocated chromosomes can be isolated and expanded to establish stable cell lines. Furthermore, chimeric mice can be generated by injecting these mESCs into host blastocysts. The establishment of ESC-based cellular and animal models of chromosomal translocation by CRISPR/Cas9 provides a powerful platform for understanding the effect of chromosomal translocation and for the development of new therapeutic strategies.
Unraveling and engineering the production of 23,24-bisnorcholenic steroids in sterol metabolism
Authors: Xu Li-Qin , Liu Yong-Jun , Yao Kang , Liu Hao-Hao , Tao Xin-Yi , Wang Feng-Qing , Wei Dong-Zhi
Published: February 2016

The catabolism of sterols in mycobacteria is highly important due to its close relevance in the pathogenesis of pathogenic strains and the biotechnological applications of nonpathogenic strains for steroid synthesis. However, some key metabolic steps remain unknown. In this study, the hsd4A gene from Mycobacterium neoaurum ATCC 25795 was investigated. The encoded protein, Hsd4A, was characterized as a dual-function enzyme, with both 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and β-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities in vitro. Using a kshAs-null strain of M. neoaurum ATCC 25795 (NwIB-XII) as a model, Hsd4A was further confirmed to exert dual-function in sterol catabolism in vivo. The deletion of hsd4A in NwIB-XII resulted in the production of 23,24-bisnorcholenic steroids (HBCs), indicating that hsd4A plays a key role in sterol side-chain degradation. Therefore, two competing pathways, the AD and HBC pathways, were proposed for the side-chain degradation. The proposed HBC pathway has great value in illustrating the production mechanism of HBCs in sterol catabolism and in developing HBCs producing strains for industrial application via metabolic engineering. Through the combined modification of hsd4A and other genes, three HBCs producing strains were constructed that resulted in promising productivities of 0.127, 0.109 and 0.074 g/l/h, respectively.
Host kinin B1 receptor plays a protective role against melanoma progression
Authors: Maria Andrea G. , Dillenburg-Pilla Patrícia , Reis Rosana I. , Floriano Elaine M. , Tefé-Silva Cristiane , Ramos Simone G. , Pesquero João B. , Nahmias Clara , Costa-Neto Claudio M.
Published: February 2016

Melanoma is a very aggressive tumor that arises from melanocytes. Late stage and widely spread diseases do not respond to standard therapeutic approaches. The kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) participates in biological processes such as vasodilatation, pain and inflammatory response. However, the role of KKS in tumor formation and progression is not completely understood. The role of the host kinin B1 receptor in melanoma development was evaluated using a syngeneic melanoma model. Primary tumors and metastasis were respectively induced by injecting B16F10 melanoma cells, which are derived from C57BL/6 mice, subcutaneously or in the tail vein in wild type C57BL/6 and B1 receptor knockout mice (B1−/−). Tumors developed in B1−/− mice presented unfavorable prognostic factors such as increased incidence of ulceration, higher levels of IL-10, higher activation of proliferative pathways such as ERK1/2 and Akt, and increased mitotic index. Furthermore, in the metastasis model, B1−/− mice developed larger metastatic colonies in the lung and lower CD8+immune effector cells when compared with WT animals. Altogether, our results provide evidences that B1−/− animals developed primary tumors with multiple features associated with poor prognosis and unfavorable metastatic onset, indicating that the B1 receptor may contribute to improve the host response against melanoma progression.
Prognostic role of Gli1 expression in solid malignancies: a meta-analysis
Authors: Cheng Ji , Gao Jinbo , Tao Kaixiong
Published: February 2016

Gli1 is a downstream transcriptional factor of Sonic hedgehog pathway in mammalians, and has been recognized as a proliferative indicator of carcinogenesis. However, its actual role in prognosis among solid malignancies remains unclear. Therefore we performed this meta-analysis aiming to discover the correlation between Gli1 positivity and clinical prognosis in patients suffering from diverse carcinomas. A total of 39 studies containing 4496 cases were selected into our quantitative analysis via electronic database search. Original data of 3-year, 5-year, 10-year overall survival and disease-free survival were extracted and calculated using odds ratio and Mantel-Haenszel model. Subgroup analysis was also conducted to clarify the possible confounding factors. P < 0.05 was considered significant in statistics. Gli1 redundancy was associated with worse 3-year, 5-year, 10-year overall survival and disease-free survival in solid malignancies. Different source regions, sample-size, mean-age and detection approaches had no impact on the negative prognostic effect of Gli1 over-expression. Nevertheless, stratified by cancer type and subcellular localization, cytoplasmic Gli1 expression and Gli1 positivity in intracranial tumors was not correlated to poorer 3-year and 5-year prognosis. The over-expression of Gli1 is a credible indicator of poorer prognosis in most of solid malignancies, irrespective of intracranial tumors.
Exploring photochemistry of p-bromophenylsulfonyl, p-tolylsulfonyl and methylsulfonyl azides by ultrafast UV-pump–IR-probe spectroscopy and computations
Authors: Kuzmin A. V. , Neumann C. , van Wilderen L. J. G. W. , Shainyan B. A. , Bredenbeck J.
Published: February 2016

The photochemistry of three sulfonylazides was studied by femtosecond time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectroscopy and quantum chemical computations.
Single-molecule imaging of DNA polymerase I (Klenow fragment) activity by atomic force microscopy
Authors: Chao J. , Zhang P. , Wang Q. , Wu N. , Zhang F. , Hu J. , Fan C. H. , Li B.
Published: February 2016

Observing DNA replicationin situat the single-molecule level by atomic force microscopy.
Synthesis and evaluation of neuroprotective 4-O-substituted chrysotoxine derivatives as potential multifunctional agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Guan Li , Hao Yanfeng , Chen Lei , Wei Meng-Lin , Jiang Qin , Liu Wen-Yuan , Zhang Yan-Bo , Zhang Jie , Feng Feng , Qu Wei
Published: February 2016

A series of 4-O-substituted chrysotoxine (CTX) derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated as multifunctional agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Modulating photogenerated electron transfer with selectively exposed Co–Mo facets on a novel amorphous g-C3N4/CoxMo1−xS2 photocatalyst
Authors: Hao Xuqiang , Jin Zhiliang , Min Shixiong , Lu Gongxuan
Published: February 2016

Novel photocatalysts, g-C3N4/Co0.04Mo0.96S2 with different exposed facets of Co–Mo, were employed as catalysts for the examination of facet-dependent catalytic activity toward photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.
The effect of Funnelliformis mosseae inoculation on the phytoremediation of atrazine by the aquatic plant Canna indica L. var. flava Roxb.
Authors: Dong Jing , Wang Li , Ma Fang , Yang Jixian , Qi Shanshan , Zhao Ting
Published: February 2016

Funnelliformis mosseaeinoculation exhibited a beneficial effect on the phytoremediation of atrazine in water by the aquatic plantCanna indicaL.
Effects of silica-coated carbon nanotubes on the curing behavior and properties of epoxy composites
Authors: Li Ao , Li Weizhen , Ling Yang , Gan Wenjun , Brady Michael A. , Wang Cheng
Published: February 2016

Carbon nanotubes coated with silica and resultant effects on epoxy composites.
Tunable electrorheological characteristics and mechanism of a series of graphene-like molybdenum disulfide coated core–shell structured polystyrene microspheres
Authors: Wang Xiaowen , Qian Xing , Jiang Xiancai , Lu Zhen , Hou Linxi
Published: February 2016

Core–shell structured molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) coated polystyrene (PS) microspheres are synthesized with the help of hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) through negative–positive electrostatic attraction.
Catalytic oxidation of aromatic amines to azoxy compounds over a Cu–CeO2 catalyst using H2O2 as an oxidant
Authors: Shukla Astha , Singha Rajib Kumar , Konathala L. N. Sivakumar , Sasaki Takehiko , Bal Rajaram
Published: February 2016

Highly dispersed Cu-nanoparticles supported on nanocrystalline CeO2 were prepared which showed good catalytic activity toward selective oxidation of aromatic amines.
Anstifolines A and B, two dimeric furoquinoline alkaloids from the root bark of Dictamnus angustifolius
Authors: Sun Jianbo , Jiang Neng , Lv Mengying , Tang Benqin , Wang Pei , Liang Jingyu , Chen Li
Published: February 2016

Anstifolines A and B, two dimeric furoquinoline alkaloids with unique coupling patterns were isolated from the root bark of Dictamnus angustifolius.
Photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide using iodine-doped titanium dioxide with high exposed {001} facets under visible light
Authors: He Zhiqiao , Yu Yan , Wang Da , Tang Juntao , Chen Jianmeng , Song Shuang
Published: February 2016

Iodine-doped titanium dioxide nanosheets with high exposed {001} facets (IFTO) were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal treatment followed by calcination at 350 °C.
A study of the growth-time effect on graphene layer number based on a Cu–Ni bilayer catalyst system
Authors: Wu Tao , Liu Zhiduo , Chen Guoxin , Dai Dan , Sun Hongyan , Dai Wen , Jiang Nan , Jiang Ye Hua , Lin Cheng-Te
Published: February 2016

Graphene layer number is controlled by changing Cu–Ni ratio and growth time. Single- and few-layer graphene are formed separately on Cu- and Ni-rich catalysts. The growth of bilayer graphene is attributed to the synergic effect of Cu and Ni (1 : 1).
Chromium complexes containing a tetradentate [OSSO]-type bisphenolate ligand as a novel family of catalysts for the copolymerization of carbon dioxide and 4-vinylcyclohexene oxide
Authors: Si Gaoshan , Zhang Li , Han Bing , Zhang Hongye , Li Xiangqing , Liu Binyuan
Published: February 2016

A functional polycarbonate is efficiently prepared by new [OSSO]CrX catalyzing the copolymerization of 4-vinylcyclohexene oxide with carbon dioxide.
Dynamics of cracking in drying colloidal sheets
Authors: Sengupta Rajarshi , Tirumkudulu Mahesh S.
Published: February 2016

The images show the time evolution of a crack in a thin sheet of colloidal particles. The motion of the crack has been modeled as a competition between the release of the elastic energy stored in the particle network, the increase in surface energy as a result of the growth of a crack, the rate of viscous dissipation of the interstitial fluid and the kinetic energy associated with a moving crack. Scale bar: 200 μm.
N-Doped graphene-coated molybdenum carbide nanoparticles as highly efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Yang Xiaojian , Feng Xiaojia , Tan Huaqiao , Zang Hongying , Wang Xinlong , Wang Yonghui , Wang Enbo , Li Yangguang
Published: February 2016

New N-doped graphene-coated molybdenum carbide nanoparticles are prepared, which exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity and long-term durability for the hydrogen evolution reaction.
Nature inspiring processing route toward high throughput production of perovskite photovoltaics
Authors: Ishihara Hidetaka , Sarang Som , Chen Yen-Chang , Lin Oliver , Phummirat Pisrut , Thung Lai , Hernandez Jose , Ghosh Sayantani , Tung Vincent
Published: February 2016

We report our results of developing perovskite thin films with high coverage, improved uniformity and preserved crystalline continuity in a single pass deposition.
Heteroatom doped graphdiyne as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium
Authors: Zhang Shuangshuang , Cai Yingjun , He Hongyan , Zhang Yaqin , Liu Rongji , Cao Hongbin , Wang Meng , Liu Jingjing , Zhang Guangjin , Li Yuliang , Liu Huibiao , Li Bin
Published: February 2016

N, F co-doped graphdiyne was synthesized, which showed comparable electrocatalytic activity to Pt/C for ORR.
Antibacterial properties of nitric oxide-releasing porous silicon nanoparticles
Authors: Hasanzadeh Kafshgari M. , Delalat B. , Harding F. J. , Cavallaro A. , Mäkilä E. , Salonen J. , Vasilev K. , Voelcker N. H.
Published: February 2016

In this study, the antibacterial efficacy of NO-releasing porous silicon nanoparticles (pSiNPs) is reported. NO-releasing pSiNPs were producedviathe conjugation ofS-nitrosothiol (SNO) andS-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) donors to the nanoparticle surfaces.
Oxygen delivering biomaterials for tissue engineering
Authors: Farris Ashley L. , Rindone Alexandra N. , Grayson Warren L.
Published: February 2016

Various technologies have been developed to increase oxygen deliveryin vivoand enhance the effectiveness of tissue engineering strategies. The article provides an overview of the underlying mechanisms driving these technologies.
Metallocene supported core@LDH catalysts for slurry phase ethylene polymerisation
Authors: Buffet Jean-Charles , Byles Coral F. H. , Felton Ryan , Chen Chunping , O'Hare Dermot
Published: February 2016

Immobilisation of rac-(EBI)ZrCl2 on the hybrid catalysts, core@AMO-LDH, demonstrate synergistic effects in which the polymerisation activity is up to three times higher than rac-(EBI)ZrCl2 supported on analogous single phase supports.
Self-assembled ion-pair organocatalysis – asymmetric Baeyer–Villiger oxidation mediated by flavinium–cinchona alkaloid dimer
Authors: Poudel Pramod Prasad , Arimitsu Kenji , Yamamoto Kana
Published: February 2016

An ion-pair catalyst generated by assembly of a chiral flavinium and a cinchona alkaloid dimer for use in asymmetric Baeyer–Villiger oxidation is presented.
Observation of single-file diffusion in a MOF
Authors: Jobic H.
Published: February 2016

Quasi-elastic neutron scattering allows us to observe single-file diffusion of neopentane in MIL-47(V).
Assessing the ligand selectivity of sphingosine kinases using molecular dynamics and MM-PBSA binding free energy calculations
Authors: Fang Liang , Wang Xiaojian , Xi Meiyang , Liu Tianqi , Yin Dali
Published: February 2016

Three residues of SK1 were identified important for selective SK1 inhibitory activity via SK2 homology model building, molecular dynamics simulation, and MM-PBSA studies.
Manganese(ii)-catalyzed modular synthesis of isoquinolines from vinyl isocyanides and hydrazines
Authors: Mao Hong , Gao Mingchun , Liu Bingxin , Xu Bin
Published: February 2016

An efficient manganese(ii)-catalyzed oxidative radical cascade reaction was developed from vinyl isocyanides and hydrazines leading to the modular synthesis of multi-substituted isoquinolines, phenanthridines and pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines.
Hydrothermal conversion of layered hydroxide nanosheets into (Y0.95Eu0.05)PO4 and (Y0.96−xTb0.04Eux)PO4 (x = 0–0.10) nanocrystals for red and color-tailorable emission
Authors: Wang Zhihao , Li Ji-Guang , Zhu Qi , Li Xiaodong , Sun Xudong
Published: February 2016

Anion-exchange of NO3−-LRH nanosheets with phosphate has led to (Y,Tb,Eu)PO4 nanocrystals showing color-tailorable emissions.
Intramolecular functional group differentiation as a strategy for the synthesis of bridged bicyclic β-amino acids
Authors: Tymtsunik Andriy V. , Kokhan Serhii O. , Ivon Yevhen M. , Komarov Igor V. , Grygorenko Oleksandr O.
Published: February 2016

Differentiation of identical electrophilic functional groups (carboxylates) by a strategically placed internal nucleophile (an amino group) in cyclic precursors was used as a key general approach to functionalized azabicyclic scaffolds.
CSJ acting as a versatile highly efficient greener resource for organic transformations
Authors: Maity Himadri Sekhar , Misra Kaushik , Mahata Tanushree , Nag Ahindra
Published: February 2016

We have reported the simple, new, greener biotransformation for the selective reduction of aromatic aldehydes, decarboxylation of aromatic acids and hydrolysis of aromatic compounds byCucumis sativusL. juice (CSJ).
Kinetics analysis and automated online screening of aminocarbonylation of aryl halides in flow
Authors: Moore Jason S. , Smith Christopher D. , Jensen Klavs F.
Published: February 2016

The Pd-catalyzed aminocarbonylation of aromatic bromides was investigated in both a silicon microreactor and a packed-bed tubular reactor. An automated transient temperature ramp method with in-line IR analysis led to significantly more rapid determination of reaction kinetics than traditional steady-state screening for offline GC analysis.
Study on the bio-functionalization of memristive nanowires for optimum memristive biosensors
Authors: Tzouvadaki I. , Madaboosi N. , Taurino I. , Chu V. , Conde J. P. , De Micheli G. , Carrara S.
Published: February 2016

Semiconductor nanowires are emerging as promising building blocks for biosensors enabling direct electrical detection of various biomolecules.
DOA estimation algorithms for low‐angle targets with MIMO radar
Authors: Shi Junpeng , Hu Guoping , Lei Teng
Published: February 2016

The direction of arrival estimation algorithm for low‐angle targets with MIMO radar is discussed, and a novel peaks searching algorithm according to the multipath received signal model is derived. The proposed algorithm, which uses the multipath echo signal power and MIMO radar spatial diversity, can avoid the effects of complex multipath transmitter variable and targets glint. It is illustrated that the algorithm has a better performance with the increase of multipath variable or the transmit antennas. Simulation results verify the usefulness of the algorithm.
Koch fractal inductors printed on flexible substrate
Authors: Djuric S.
Published: February 2016

Performance analysis of Koch fractal inductors, printed in ink‐jet technology, is presented. Koch fractal inductors are printed on a flexible polyimide film in two, three, four and eight layers, using silver nanoparticle ink as the conductor. It was shown that inductors performance improved with increasing the number of conductive layers. In addition, a coreless flexible transformer based on Koch fractal design is presented. The inductance and quality factor of the inductors and transformer windings were measured by impedance analyser in the frequency range from 1 to 250 MHz.
RZ‐absolute added correlative coding (AACC) transmission system featuring improved receiver sensitivity for high‐speed optical transport
Authors: Dong‐Nhat N. , Malekmohammadi A.
Published: February 2016

A novel multilevel signalling scheme based on absolute added correlative coding (AACC) is proposed and numerically demonstrated for high‐speed fibre optic communication systems. Return‐to‐zero AACC (RZ‐AACC) signal with three different duty cycles of 33, 50 and 67% was created utilising a lithium niobate (LiNbO3) Mach–Zehnder modulator with a sinusoidal drive waveform. The spectral width and receiver sensitivity of 4‐instensity level RZ‐AACC with 33, 50 and 67% are discussed and compared against conventional AACC and RZ 4‐ary pulse‐amplitude modulation formats.
Frequency‐tunable patch antenna with liquid‐metal‐actuated loading slot
Authors: Moorefield M.R. , Gough R.C. , Morishita A.M. , Dang J.H. , Ohta A.T. , Shiroma W.A.
Published: February 2016

A frequency‐tunable microstrip patch antenna with a liquid‐metal‐actuated loading slot is presented. The electrical length of the loading slot located beneath the resonating patch is altered by filling and evacuating liquid metal from fluidic channels along the ground plane. The slot reactively loads the antenna, altering the resonant frequency as its length is changed. Frequency tuning is achieved from 1.85 to 2.07 GHz, corresponding to an 11.2% tuning bandwidth.
Dual‐band dual‐sense circularly polarised square slot antenna with simple structure
Authors: Rui Xu , Li Jianying , Wei Kun
Published: February 2016

A dual‐band dual‐sense circularly polarised (CP) square slot antenna is presented. The proposed antenna consists of a L‐shape patch and two rectangular strips around two opposite corners on the lower ground. By adjusting the size of them, a broadband dual‐band dual‐sense CP antenna can be obtained. It can radiate right‐hand circular polarisation at 3.0 GHz and left‐hand circular polarisation at 5.5 GHz at +z direction. The measured results of impedance bandwidths for S11 < −10 dB are 38.8% (2.51–3.72 GHz) and 27.5% (4.83–6.37 GHz). The 3 dB axial ratio bandwidths are 37.4% (2.50–3.65 GHz) and 16.3% (5.02–5.91 GHz).
Iterative receiver based on the EGC for massive MIMO schemes using SC‐FDE modulations
Authors: Dinis R. , Montezuma P.
Published: February 2016

This Letter considers the use of massive multiple‐input, multiple‐output (MIMO) combined with single‐carrier with frequency‐domain equalisation (SC‐FDE) modulations. A low‐complexity iterative frequency‐domain receiver based on the equal gain combining (EGC) approach is proposed. This receiver does not require matrix inversions and has excellent performance, which can be very close to the matched filter bound after just a few iterations, even when the number of receive antennas is not very high.
Improved equal current approach for reference current generation in shunt applications under unbalanced and distorted source and load conditions
Authors: Gawande Snehal Panjabrao , Ramteke Manoj R. , Pande Nivedita
Published: February 2016

This study emphasises on a new comprehensive approach for generating the reference compensator currents for distribution static compensator (DSTATCOM) under unbalanced and distorted source and load conditions. A shunt connected DSTATCOM is configured using a three level neutral point clamped inverter topology to achieve load compensation. The behaviour of shunt compensator is analysed using synchronous detection method (SDM) and its different approaches. To overcome the drawbacks of SDM, improved equal current (IEC) SDM with the extraction of fundamental positive sequence component is proposed. Moreover, the performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with the most robust and widely accepted instantaneous reactive power theory. The proposed control algorithm works more effectively under magnitude and phase unbalance as well as distorted source conditions. The detail simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the superiority of the proposed method.
Effect of circulating current on input line current of 12‐pulse rectifier with active inter‐phase reactor
Authors: Meng Fangang , Gao Lei , Yang Wei
Published: February 2016

This study analyses quantitatively the effect of circulating current's amplitude and phase on the input line current of 12‐pulse rectifier with active inter‐phase reactor. The input line current and its total harmonic distortion (THD) are calculated under different amplitudes and phases of circulating current, and according to the calculation results, the effect of circulating current is analysed. Different from the previous results, it is obtained that the system has better performance when the amplitude of circulating current is slightly less than, but not equal to the half of load current. Both phase lagging and leading increase the THD of input line current. Some simulation and experiment are carried out to validate the theoretical analysis.
Simple brushless DC motor drive for solar photovoltaic array fed water pumping system
Authors: Singh Bhim , Kumar Rajan
Published: February 2016

This study deals with a buck–boost converter controlled solar photovoltaic (SPV) array fed water pumping in order to achieve the maximum efficiency of an SPV array and the soft starting of a permanent magnet brushless DC (BLDC) motor. The current sensors normally used for speed control of BLDC motor are completely eliminated. The speed of BLDC motor is controlled through the variable DC‐link voltage of a voltage‐source inverter (VSI). The VSI is operated by fundamental frequency switching, avoiding the losses due to high‐frequency switching, in order to enhance the efficiency of the proposed system. The dynamic and steady‐state behaviours of the proposed system are demonstrated under rapid variations in atmospheric conditions. An experimental validation is also made to validate the design and simulated results under real circumstances on a developed prototype.
New GPS anti‐jamming system based on multiple short‐time Fourier transform
Authors: Rezaei Mohammad Javad , Abedi Mohsen , Mosavi Mohammad Reza
Published: February 2016

In this study, an enhanced short‐time Fourier transform (STFT)‐based jamming mitigation system which employs several windows to increase time–frequency (t–f) plane resolution is proposed. A technique for employing near‐optimum windows is also proposed. It is observed that selection of these windows leads to increasing the resolution of the t–f representation. An infinite impulse‐response notch filter is employed for jamming removal process. Performance of the proposed method is evaluated by a set of measured global positioning system data. It is compared with conventional STFT‐based algorithms reported in literature.
Digital beamforming antenna array with polarisation multiplexing for mobile high‐speed satellite terminals at Ka‐band
Authors: Rohrdantz Benjamin , Kuhlmann Karsten , Stark Alexander , Geise Alexander , Jacob Arne F.
Published: February 2016

In this contribution, a planar antenna array terminal for mobile satellite communications at Ka‐band is proposed. This Earth station on mobile platform uses separate transmit and receive apertures to obtain a flat design well suited for aeronautical applications. Digital beamforming is applied for fast beam scanning, tracking, and enhanced post‐processing capabilities. The active antenna elements exhibit dual polarisation to comply with a four‐colour spot beam arrangement commonly used by high‐throughput satellites. Advanced frontend packaging concepts for a high integration density enable half wavelength element spacing. This prevents grating lobes and yields a large scanning range. A modular approach allows to flexibly adapt the array size to the application specific needs. An 8 × 8 receiver (Rx) array at 20 GHz and a 16 × 3 transmitter array at 30 GHz are demonstrated. The measured results obtained in conjunction with inter‐element decoupling validate the approach. The principal suitability of the Rx array for the intended application is tested in a field experiment.
Asymmetric lightly doped Schottky barrier CNTFET
Authors: Ghasemi Nejad Raeini Amin , Kordrostami Zoheir
Published: February 2016

For the first time, an asymmetric lightly doped Schottky barrier carbon nanotube field effect transistor (SB_CNTFETs) is proposed and simulated using quantum simulations. Comparisons are made among four SB_CNTFETs structures for electrical characteristics. One is the conventional SB_CNTFET with an intrinsic channel. The other proposed and studied designations are an asymmetrically doped SB_CNTFET with a doped region near the source only, a symmetrically doped source and drain SB_CNTFETand an asymmetric lightly doped SB_CNTFET which shows the ultimate performance among all. The results show that the new asymmetric lightly doped design decreases significantly the leakage current and thus increases on/off ratio as well as cutoff frequency. It is also demonstrated that this structure possesses two perceivable steps in potential profile of the channel, which lead to another lateral electric field peak inside the channel which leads to the immunity against short‐channel effects. The cutoff frequency characteristics of the four structures of SB_CNTFETs have been discussed. Results show that for channel lengths >30 nm cutoff frequency of the asymmetric lightly doped SB_CNTFETis greater than others. The effect of different doped region lengths in a 30 nm SB_CNTFET has been discussed as well. The proposed new design is promising from several points of view discussed in the study.
Flexible route to fabricate excellent adsorbents for vitamin B12 by specially designed oil‐drop process
Authors: Guo Bingzhi , Huang Yilun , Gong Qianming , Wang Junjie , Zhuang Daming , Liang Ji
Published: February 2016

This work presented the preparation of an excellent adsorbent composed of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and activated carbon (AC) with hierarchical porous structure by specially designed oil‐drop process. In this process, CNTs were pre‐dispersed in the ethanol diluted phenolic formaldehyde resin and subsequently, the uniform suspension was injected dropwise into the stratified liquids. These liquids were composed of paraffin, polydimethyl siloxane and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐6000 aqueous solution with different densities. After being semi‐cured in the three‐layered liquids at 70°C, the spheres were carbonised at 600°C and further activated at 800°C with steam. Scanning electron microscope observations indicated that compared with those prepared by two‐layered oil bath in the authors’ previous work, the CNTs/phenolic resin spheres acquired by the modified oil‐drop method would absorb PEG‐6000 instead of polydimethyl siloxane and hence no residue of silica spheres produced in the final CNTs/AC spheres. Meanwhile, pore structure analyses indicated that the average diameter of the pores in the CNTs/AC spheres increased from 8.1 to 23.3 nm, which could be ascribed to the pore forming effect of PEG‐6000. The adsorption capacity for vitamin B12 by the porous CNTs/AC spheres reached 52.98 mg/g, which was much higher than commercial AC beads and macroporous resin spheres. This implied that the CNTs/AC spheres could have potential applications in hemoperfusion.
Investigation on the effect of sintering under oxygen atmosphere on microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of ZnNb2O6 ceramics
Authors: Shahgholi Nafiseh , Asadian Keivan
Published: February 2016

The effect of sintering in air and oxygen atmospheres on microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of ZnNb2O6 ceramics has been investigated and compared. For most cases samples sintered in oxygen atmosphere exhibited higher density than those sintered in air atmosphere. The highest densities obtained for samples sintered in air and oxygen atmospheres were 93.6 and 95.2% of the theoretical value, respectively. The variation of relative permittivity (εr) values with temperature for samples sintered in air and oxygen atmospheres followed the variation in the density values. The highest values of εr for samples sintered in air and oxygen atmospheres were 22.6 and 23.5, respectively. A considerable improvement in Q × f (Q and f are quality factor and resonant frequency, respectively) was obtained for most sintering temperatures when sintering was performed in oxygen atmosphere. The highest Q × f obtained for samples sintered in air and oxygen atmospheres were 82,688 and 81,204 GHz, respectively. Temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τf) values closer to the ideal value (0 ppm/°C) was exhibited by samples sintered in oxygen atmosphere. The best values of τf for air and oxygen sintering atmospheres are −59.4 and −48.6 ppm/°C, respectively.
Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using dextran‐graft‐polyacrylamide as template
Authors: Kutsevol Nataliya , Chumachenko Vasyl , Rawiso Michel , Shyichuk Alexander
Published: February 2016

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles (NPs) has been performed using partially hydrolysed star‐shaped graft copolymer of polyacrylamide to dextran as auxiliary capping agent. The star‐branched copolymer proved to be a very good template for NP synthesis due to high local concentration of functional groups. Good biocompatibility of the copolymer was confirmed by phagocytic index value equal to 84%. In addition to this, the green synthesis approach was ensured using glucose as non‐toxic reducing agent. Surface plasmon resonance spectra of the obtained NPs contained two characteristic bands situated at 270–300 and 420–450 nm. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that NPs synthesised in neutral solution (pH = 7) have average diameters equal 10–60 nm with a small portion of NP aggregates. Synthesis carried out at pH = 12 resulted in increased yield of NPs probably due to increased reducing power of glucose in alkaline medium. NPs synthesised in alkaline solution were sized from 20 to 300 nm and contained a large portion of NP aggregates.
Spin-filter and negative differential resistance effect in zigzag-edged bilayer graphene nanoribbon devices
Authors: Ni Yun , Xiao Li-Xia , Zu Feng-Xia , Zhu Si-Cong , Yao Kai-Lun
Published: February 2016

By performing first-principle quantum transport calculation, the spin-dependent transport properties of zigzag-edged bilayer graphene nanoribbon based devices are investigated. There are four kinds of structures with different stacking sequences and treatment of dangling bonds considered in our work. It is shown that the devices are perfect spin-filters with extremely large spin polarization as well as substantial negative differential resistance effects, which are affected by the stacking sequences and edge structures. All these phenomena can be explained by the spin-resolved local density of states and the tranmission spectra.