bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Multivariate Statistical Techniques for the Characterization of Groundwater Quality of Bacheli and Kirandul Area, Dantewada District, Chattisgarh
Authors: Behera Bhagirathi , Das Mira
Published: January 2018

Either naturally occurring process or human activities may have a significant impact on the quality of sub-surface waters which further limit its use. Multivariate statistical techniques such as factor analysis (FA), cluster analysis (CA) were applied for the evaluation of spatial variations and the interpretation of ground water quality data around Bacheli and Kirandul area. The major anions, cations and heavy metals were determined for each of 20 samples collected in pre-monsoon seasons. Hydrochemical parameters like EC, pH, TDS, TH, TA, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Cl−, F−, SO42−, As, Sb, Se, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu were estimated in pre monsoon and post monsoon seasons. Different geochemical controls of the investigated parameters were also assessed. Factor 1 explains 33.47% of the total variance and indicates atmospheric controls and silicate mineral weathering process. Factor 2 explains 13.83% of total variance, indicating silicate mineral weathering process resulting in elevated pH. Generally, water types tend towards magnesium-bicarbonate-chloride.
Expression and significance of ASPP2 in squamous carcinoma of esophagus
Authors: Liu Bo , Yang Lv , Li Xiu‐Juan , Li Rou , Sun Wei , Chen Xiao‐Yi , Liu Jun‐Chao
Published: January 2018

To study the significance of apoptosis stimulating protein of P53 2 (ASPP2) expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), immunohistochemistry S‐P method was used to examine the expression of ASPP2 in 136 cases of ESCC, 35 cases of high grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN), 29 cases of low grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) and 37 cases of normal esophageal epithelium (NEE). The associations of ASPP2 expression with clinicopathological data and overall survival (OS) were also analyzed. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) was performed to evaluate ASPP2 expression in a total of 20 matched human ESCC tumor tissues and normal adjacent tissues (NAT). In addition, EC109 cells were treated with cisplatin (CDDP) in vitro for 24 h (the intervention group) and the control group was set up at the same time. Western blot was used to examine the expression of ASPP2 protein between the two groups. The expression of ASPP2 decreased progressively from NEE to LGIN, to HGIN, and to ESCC, and it was related to TNM stage, histological differentiation and lymph node metastasis in ESCC (P < 0.05). ASPP2 was a protective factor of patients with ESCC (P = 0.008). The relative expression of ASPP2 mRNA was markedly downregulated in ESCC compared with the paired NAT (P < 0.01). Western blot results showed that cells in the intervention group could express ASPP2 while there was no expression of ASPP2 in the control group. Taken together, these results indicate that the abnormal expression of ASPP2 may play an important role for development and metastasis in ESCC.
Eldonioids with associated trace fossils from the lower Cambrian Emu Bay Shale Konservat-Lagerstätte of South Australia
Authors: Schroeder Natalie I. , Paterson John R. , Brock Glenn A.
Published: January 2018

Rare specimens of eldonioids recovered from the lower Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 4) Emu Bay Shale (EBS) Konservat-Lagerstätte represent the first record of the group for the Cambrian of East Gondwana. The disc-shaped body of the EBS taxon bears fine concentric corrugations on the dorsal surface and, ventrally, a series of internal lobes that have primary and secondary bifurcations, as well as a coiled sac. It appears to be most similar toRotadiscusandPararotadiscusof the Cambrian Chengjiang and Kaili biotas of South China, respectively. While the structure of the internal lobes would indicate that this occurrence in the EBS represents a new taxon within the Rotadiscidae, lack of detail regarding the precise number of internal lobes and the condition of the circumoral tentacles warrants a more conservative approach in leaving the genus and species under open nomenclature. The EBS specimens also host trace fossils, including the remains of a burrow, which are generally lacking in the body-fossil-bearing layers of the Konservat-Lagerstätte interval. These traces appear to have been made by small organisms and are similar to traces associated with the discs ofPararotadiscus guizhouensis(Zhao and Zhu, 1994) from the Kaili Biota. The available taphonomic, paleoenvironmental, and ichnological evidence indicates that the EBS eldonioids are most likely vagrants that were transported or settled into the ‘preservational trap’ and subsequently exposed on the substrate for a brief period before burial, thereby allowing organisms to exploit their carcasses for nutrients or other purposes.
Getting Along or Going Alone: Understanding Collaboration Between Local Governments and NGOs in Bolivia
Authors: Nelson-Nuñez Jami , Cartwright Kate
Published: January 2018

What explains mayors’ collaboration with nongovernmental organizations in delivering public goods and services? While some successful collaborations are established, in other cases the call for NGOs to coordinate with governments goes unheeded. Collaboration minimizes the duplication of effort, maximizes information sharing, and builds capacity. Given the scholarly consensus on the importance of collaboration, we know little about it at local levels, where it may matter most. This article focuses on Bolivia, a country with deep decentralization reforms and an active NGO sector. It utilizes survey data on mayors from 2007 to provide insight into the variation in NGO–local government collaboration across a country. It argues that political context is important: mayoral turnover, greater community group engagement, and more municipal resources deter collaboration. The findings illustrate the strategic interplay between state and nonstate actors and explain the uneven geographies of partnerships in governance.
Current management: migraine headache
Authors: Silberstein Stephen D.
Published: January 2018

Migraine varies in its frequency, severity, and impact; treatment should consider these variations and the patient’s needs and goals. Migraine pharmacologic treatment may be acute (abortive) or preventive (prophylactic), and patients often require both. New medication devices are available or in development, including an intracutaneous, microneedle system of zolmitriptan and sumatriptan, and breath-powered powder sumatriptan intranasal treatment. Lasmiditan, a 5-HT1Freceptor agonist, is in development for acute treatment, as are small molecule calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists (Gepants) for acute and preventive treatment. Antibodies to CGRP and its receptor are being developed for migraine prevention. All 4 treatments are effective and have, as of yet, no safety concerns.
Cross-modal priming in bilingual sentence processing
Authors: MARINIS THEODOROS
Published: January 2018

This paper provides a concise overview of the cross-modal priming methodology, it presents a selection of key studies to illustrate how this method can be used to address lexical and syntactic processing and discusses advantages and disadvantages, along with issues that need to be taken into consideration when designing studies that address sentence processing in bilinguals.
Erratum: Current applications of multiparameter flow cytometry in plasma cell disorders
Authors: Jelinek T , Bezdekova R , Zatopkova M , Burgos L , Simicek M , Sevcikova T , Paiva B , Hajek R
Published: January 2018

Correction to: Blood Cancer Journal (2017) 7, e617; doi:10.1038/bcj.2017.90; published online 20 October 2017 Since the publication of this paper the authors have noticed that some of the references cited in the text were not numbered correctly. A duplicate reference in the reference list was removed during the production process but the references were not correctly re-numbered in the text.
Igf1 and Pacap rescue cerebellar granule neurons from apoptosis via a common transcriptional program
Authors: Maino B , D’Agata V , Severini C , Ciotti MT , Calissano P , Copani A , Chang Y-C , DeLisi C , Cavallaro S
Published: January 2018

A shift of the delicate balance between apoptosis and survival-inducing signals determines the fate of neurons during the development of the central nervous system and its homeostasis throughout adulthood. Both pathways, promoting or protecting from apoptosis, trigger a transcriptional program. We conducted whole-genome expression profiling to decipher the transcriptional regulatory elements controlling the apoptotic/survival switch in cerebellar granule neurons following the induction of apoptosis by serum and potassium deprivation or their rescue by either insulin-like growth factor-1 (Igf1) or pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (Pacap). Although depending on different upstream signaling pathways, the survival effects of Igf1 and Pacap converged into common transcriptional cascades, thus suggesting the existence of a general transcriptional program underlying neuronal survival.
Shifting priorities: highly conserved behavioral and brain network adaptations to chronic stress across species
Authors: Nikolova Yuliya S. , Misquitta Keith A. , Rocco Brad R. , Prevot Thomas D. , Knodt Annchen R. , Ellegood Jacob , Voineskos Aristotle N. , Lerch Jason P. , Hariri Ahmad R. , Sibille Etienne , Banasr Mounira
Published: January 2018

Parallel clinical and preclinical research have begun to illuminate the biological basis of stress-related disorders, including major depression, but translational bridges informing discrete mechanistic targets for intervention are missing. To address this critical need, we used structural MRI in a mouse model and in a large human sample to examine stress effects on brain structure that may be conserved across species. Specifically, we focused on a previously unexplored approach, whole-brain structural covariance, as it reflects synchronized changes in neuroanatomy, potentially due to mutual trophic influences or shared plasticity across regions. Using the unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) paradigm in mouse we first demonstrate that UCMS-induced elevated behavioral emotionality correlates with increased size of the amygdala and other corticolimbic regions. We further identify focal increases in the amygdala’s ‘hubness’ (degree and strength) set against the background of a global stress-related loss of network clustering and modularity. These macroscopic changes are supported on the molecular level by increased postsynaptic density-95 protein in the amygdala, consistent with stress-induced plastic changes and synaptic strengthening. Finally, we provide clinical evidence that strikingly similar structural network reorganization patterns exist in young adults reporting high childhood trauma and increased mood symptoms. Collectively, we provide initial translational evidence for a conserved stress-related increase in amygdala-centered structural synchrony, as measured by enhanced structural covariance, which is paralleled by a decrease in global structural synchrony. This putative trade-off reflected in increased amygdala-centered plastic changes at the expense of global structural dedifferentiation may represent a mechanistic pathway for depression and related psychopathology.
Insight into the role of PIKK family members and NF-кB in DNAdamage-induced senescence and senescence-associated secretory phenotype of colon cancer cells
Authors: Strzeszewska Anna , Alster Olga , Mosieniak Grażyna , Ciolko Agata , Sikora Ewa
Published: January 2018

Senescence of cancer cells is an important outcome of treatment of many cancer types. Cell senescence is a permanent cell cycle arrest induced by stress conditions, including DNA damage. DNA damage activates DNA damage response (DDR), which involves members of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinase (PIKK) superfamily: protein kinases ATM, ATR, and DNA-PKcs. The so-far collected data indicate that ATM, with its downstream targets CHK2, p53, and p21, is the key protein involved in DDR-dependent senescence. It was also documented that the so-called senescence-associated secretory phenotype-SASP relies on ATM/CHK2, and not on p53 signaling. Moreover, genotoxic agents used in cancer treatment can activate NF-κB, which also induces transcription of SASP genes. In this paper, we have studied the involvement of three PIKK family members in colon cancer cell senescence and connection between DNA-damage-induced senescence and NF-κB-regulated SASP in p53-proficient and p53-deficient colon cancer cells treated with doxorubicin. We showed that doxorubicin induced cell senescence in both p53+/+ and p53−/− HCT116 cells, proving that this process is p53-independent. Senescence was successfully abrogated by a PIKK inhibitor, caffeine, or by simultaneous silencing of three PIKKs by specific siRNAs. By silencing individual members of PIKK family and analyzing common markers of senescence, the level of p21 and SA-β-Gal activity, we came to the conclusion that ATR kinase is crucial for the onset of senescence as, in contrast to ATM and DNA-PKsc, it could not be fully substituted by other PIKKs. Moreover, we showed that in case of silencing the three PIKKs, there was no SASP reduction accompanying the decrease in the level of p21 and SA-β-Gal (Senescence-Associated-β-Galactosidase) activity; whereas knocking down the NF-κB component, p65, abrogated SASP, but did not affect other markers of senescence, proving that DNA damage regulated senescence independently and NF-κB evoked SASP.
Molecular and physiological roles of the adaptor protein CARD9 in immunity
Authors: Zhong Xiaoming , Chen Bin , Yang Liang , Yang Zhiwen
Published: January 2018

CARD9 is a caspase recruitment domain-containing signaling protein that plays a critical role in innate and adaptive immunity. It has been widely demonstrated that CARD9 adaptor allows pattern recognition receptors to induce NF-κB and MAPK activation, which initiates a “downstream” inflammation cytokine cascade and provides effective protection against microbial invasion, especially fungal infection. Here our aim is to update existing paradigms and summarize the most recent findings on the CARD9 signaling pathway, revealing significant mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of CARD9 deficiency. We also discuss the effect of CARD9 genetic mutations on the in vivo immune response, and highlight clinical advances in non-infection inflammation.
Sirt6 overexpression suppresses senescence and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells by inducing autophagy in a model of intervertebral disc degeneration
Authors: Chen Jian , Xie Jun-Jun , Jin Meng-Yun , Gu Yun-Tao , Wu Cong-Cong , Guo Wei-Jun , Yan Ying-Zhao , Zhang Zeng-Jie , Wang Jian-Le , Zhang Xiao-Lei , Lin Yan , Sun Jia-Li , Zhu Guang-Hui , Wang Xiang-Yang , Wu Yao-Sen
Published: January 2018

Treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) seeks to prevent senescence and death of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. Previous studies have shown that sirt6 exerts potent anti-senescent and anti-apoptotic effects in models of age-related degenerative disease. However, it is not known whether sirt6 protects against IDD. Here, we explored whether sirt6 influenced IDD. The sirt6 level was reduced in senescent human NP cells. Sirt6 overexpression protected against apoptosis and both replicative and stress-induced premature senescence. Sirt6 also activated NP cell autophagy both in vivo and in vitro. 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and chloroquine (CQ)-mediated inhibition of autophagy partially reversed the anti-senescent and anti-apoptotic effects of sirt6, which regulated the expression of degeneration-associated proteins. In vivo, sirt6 overexpression attenuated IDD. Together, the data showed that sirt6 attenuated cell senescence, and reduced apoptosis, by triggering autophagy that ultimately ameliorated IDD. Thus, sirt6 may be a novel therapeutic target for IDD treatment.
2,5-Hexanedione induces dopaminergic neurodegeneration through integrin αMβ2/NADPH oxidase axis-mediated microglial activation
Authors: Zhang Cong , Hou Liyan , Yang Jie , Che Yuning , Sun Fuqiang , Li Huihua , Wang Qingshan
Published: January 2018

Recent study demonstrated that chronic exposure to solvents increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra (SN). n-Hexane, a widely used organic solvent, displays central-peripheral neurotoxicity, which is mainly mediated by its active metabolite, 2,5-hexanedione (HD). However, whether HD exposure contributes to PD remains unclear. In this study, we found that rats exposed to HD displayed progressive dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the nigrostriatal system. Microglial activation was also detected in HD-treated rats, which occurred prior to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Moreover, depletion of microglia markedly reduced HD-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. Mechanistic study revealed an essential role of microglial integrin αMβ2-NADPH oxidase (NOX2) axis in HD-elicited neurotoxicity. HD activated NOX2 by inducing membrane translocation of NOX2 cytosolic subunit, p47phox. Integrin αMβ2 was critical for HD-induced NOX2 activation since inhibition or genetic deletion of αMβ2 attenuated NOX2-generated superoxide and p47phox membrane translocation in response to HD. Src and Erk, two downstream signals of αMβ2, were recognized to bridge HD/αMβ2-mediated NOX2 activation. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of αMβ2-NOX2 axis attenuated HD-induced microglial activation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Our findings revealed that HD exposure damaged nigrostriatal dopaminergic system through αMβ2-NOX2 axis-mediated microglial activation, providing, for the first time, experimental evidence for n-hexane exposure contributing to the etiology of PD.
Loss of ASXL1 in the bone marrow niche dysregulates hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell fates
Authors: Zhang Peng , Chen Zizhen , Li Rong , Guo Ying , Shi Hui , Bai Jie , Yang Hui , Sheng Mengyao , Li Zhaomin , Li Zhuo , Li Jianping , Chen Shi , Yuan Weiping , Cheng Tao , Xu Mingjiang , Zhou Yuan , Yang Feng-Chun
Published: January 2018

Somatic or de novo mutations of Additional sex combs-like 1 (ASXL1) frequently occur in patients with myeloid malignancies or Bohring-Opitz syndrome, respectively. We have reported that global loss of Asxl1 leads to the development of myeloid malignancies and impairs bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) fates in mice. However, the impact of Asxl1 deletion in the BM niche on hematopoiesis remains unclear. Here, we showed that BMSCs derived from chronic myelomonocytic leukemia patients had reduced expression of ASXL1, which impaired the maintaining cord blood CD34+ cell colony-forming capacity with a myeloid differentiation bias. Furthermore, Asxl1 deletion in the mouse BMSCs altered hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSC/HPC) pool and a preferential myeloid lineage increment. Immunoprecipitation and ChIP-seq analyses demonstrated a novel interaction of ASXL1 with the core subunits of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) complex. Convergent analyses of RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data revealed that loss of Asxl1 deregulated RNAPII transcriptional function and altered the expression of genes critical for HSC/HPC maintenance, such as Vcam1. Altogether, our study provides a mechanistic insight into the function of ASXL1 in the niche to maintain normal hematopoiesis; and ASXL1 alteration in, at least, a subset of the niche cells induces myeloid differentiation bias, thus, contributes the progression of myeloid malignancies.
Crystal structure of lipid A disaccharide synthase LpxB from Escherichia coli
Authors: Bohl Heather O. , Shi Ke , Lee John K. , Aihara Hideki
Published: January 2018

Most Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a glycolipid called lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which forms a barrier to hydrophobic toxins and, in pathogenic bacteria, is a virulence factor. During LPS biosynthesis, a membrane-associated glycosyltransferase (LpxB) forms a tetra-acylated disaccharide that is further acylated to form the membrane anchor moiety of LPS. Here we solve the structure of a soluble and catalytically competent LpxB by X-ray crystallography. The structure reveals that LpxB has a glycosyltransferase-B family fold but with a highly intertwined, C-terminally swapped dimer comprising four domains. We identify key catalytic residues with a product, UDP, bound in the active site, as well as clusters of hydrophobic residues that likely mediate productive membrane association or capture of lipidic substrates. These studies provide the basis for rational design of antibiotics targeting a crucial step in LPS biosynthesis.
Highly-efficient quantum memory for polarization qubits in a spatially-multiplexed cold atomic ensemble
Authors: Vernaz-Gris Pierre , Huang Kun , Cao Mingtao , Sheremet Alexandra S. , Laurat Julien
Published: January 2018

Quantum memory for flying optical qubits is a key enabler for a wide range of applications in quantum information. A critical figure of merit is the overall storage and retrieval efficiency. So far, despite the recent achievements of efficient memories for light pulses, the storage of qubits has suffered from limited efficiency. Here we report on a quantum memory for polarization qubits that combines an average conditional fidelity above 99% and efficiency around 68%, thereby demonstrating a reversible qubit mapping where more information is retrieved than lost. The qubits are encoded with weak coherent states at the single-photon level and the memory is based on electromagnetically-induced transparency in an elongated laser-cooled ensemble of cesium atoms, spatially multiplexed for dual-rail storage. This implementation preserves high optical depth on both rails, without compromise between multiplexing and storage efficiency. Our work provides an efficient node for future tests of quantum network functionalities and advanced photonic circuits.
High-resolution spatiotemporal transcriptome mapping of tomato fruit development and ripening
Authors: Shinozaki Yoshihito , Nicolas Philippe , Fernandez-Pozo Noe , Ma Qiyue , Evanich Daniel J. , Shi Yanna , Xu Yimin , Zheng Yi , Snyder Stephen I. , Martin Laetitia B. B. , Ruiz-May Eliel , Thannhauser Theodore W. , Chen Kunsong , Domozych David S. , Catalá Carmen , Fei Zhangjun , Mueller Lukas A. , Giovannoni James J. , Rose Jocelyn K. C.
Published: January 2018

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an established model for studying fruit biology; however, most studies of tomato fruit growth and ripening are based on homogenized pericarp, and do not consider the internal tissues, or the expression signatures of individual cell and tissue types. We present a spatiotemporally resolved transcriptome analysis of tomato fruit ontogeny, using laser microdissection (LM) or hand dissection coupled with RNA-Seq analysis. Regulatory and structural gene networks, including families of transcription factors and hormone synthesis and signaling pathways, are defined across tissue and developmental spectra. The ripening program is revealed as comprising gradients of gene expression, initiating in internal tissues then radiating outward, and basipetally along a latitudinal axis. We also identify spatial variations in the patterns of epigenetic control superimposed on ripening gradients. Functional studies elucidate previously masked regulatory phenomena and relationships, including those associated with fruit quality traits, such as texture, color, aroma, and metabolite profiles.
Nanotwinned and hierarchical nanotwinned metals: a review of experimental, computational and theoretical efforts
Authors: Sun Ligang , He Xiaoqiao , Lu Jian
Published: January 2018

The recent studies on nanotwinned (NT) and hierarchical nanotwinned (HNT) face-centered cubic (FCC) metals are presented in this review. The HNT structures have been supposed as a kind of novel structure to bring about higher strength/ductility than NT counterparts in crystalline materials. We primarily focus on the recent developments of the experimental, atomistic and theoretical studies on the NT and HNT structures in the metallic materials. Some advanced bottom-up and top-down techniques for the fabrication of NT and HNT structures are introduced. The deformation induced HNT structures are available by virtue of severe plastic deformation (SPD) based techniques while the synthesis of growth HNT structures is so far almost unavailable. In addition, some representative molecular dynamics (MD) studies on the NT and HNT FCC metals unveil that the nanoscale effects such as twin spacing, grain size and plastic anisotropy greatly alter the performance of NT and HNT metals. The HNT structures may initiate unique phenomena in comparison with the NT ones. Furthermore, based on the phenomena and mechanisms revealed by experimental and MD simulation observations, a series of theoretical models have been proposed. They are effective to describe the mechanical behaviors of NT and HNT metals within the applicable scope. So far the development of manufacturing technologies of HNT structures, as well as the studies on the effects of HNT structures on the properties of metals are still in its infancy. Further exploration is required to promote the design of advanced materials.
Development of novel fluorescent histamine H1-receptor antagonists to study ligand-binding kinetics in living cells
Authors: Stoddart Leigh A. , Vernall Andrea J. , Bouzo-Lorenzo Monica , Bosma Reggie , Kooistra Albert J. , de Graaf Chris , Vischer Henry F. , Leurs Rob , Briddon Stephen J. , Kellam Barrie , Hill Stephen J.
Published: January 2018

The histamine H1-receptor (H1R) is an important mediator of allergy and inflammation. H1R antagonists have particular clinical utility in allergic rhinitis and urticaria. Here we have developed six novel fluorescent probes for this receptor that are very effective for high resolution confocal imaging, alongside bioluminescence resonance energy transfer approaches to monitor H1R ligand binding kinetics in living cells. The latter technology exploits the opportunities provided by the recently described bright bioluminescent protein NanoLuc when it is fused to the N-terminus of a receptor. Two different pharmacophores (mepyramine or the fragment VUF13816) were used to generate fluorescent H1R antagonists conjugated via peptide linkers to the fluorophore BODIPY630/650. Kinetic properties of the probes showed wide variation, with the VUF13816 analogues having much longer H1R residence times relative to their mepyramine-based counterparts. The kinetics of these fluorescent ligands could also be monitored in membrane preparations providing new opportunities for future drug discovery applications.
Natural Intermediate Band in I 2 -II-IV-VI4 Quaternary Chalcogenide Semiconductors
Authors: Liu Qiheng , Cai Zenghua , Han Dan , Chen Shiyou
Published: January 2018

An intermediate band in the band gap of semiconductors is fundamental to the development of the intermediate band solar cells, but it is usually produced artificially, which imposes technical challenges on the experimental realization. Here we found that there are natural intermediate bands in the band gaps of the I2-II-IV-VI4quaternary chalcogenide semiconductors such as Cu2ZnSnS4and Ag2ZnSnSe4, which had been proposed as promising light-absorber semiconductors in thin film solar cells. By first-principles calculations, we found the lowest conduction band of these I2-II-IV-VI4semiconductors in the kesterite structure is isolated (a lone band, resulting from the energy separation between Sn 5s and 5p states), which can be viewed as a natural intermediate band. The gap between the intermediate band and higher-energy conduction band can be increased through changing the crystal structure from the zincblende-derived kesterite structure to the wurtzite-derived wurtzite-kesterite structure. In contrast, the intermediate-conduction band gap shrinks when the component element Sn is replaced by Ge (Cu2ZnGeS4), and the gap even disappears (intermediate band disappear) when Sn is replaced by Si (Cu2ZnSiS4). Through tuning the intermediate-conduction and intermediate-valence band gaps, we show that the wurtzite-kesterite structured Ag2ZnSnSe4may be a potential light-absorber semiconductor in intermediate band solar cells.
Studies on the Proteome of Human Hair - Identification of Histones and Deamidated Keratins
Authors: Adav Sunil S. , Subbaiaih Roopa S. , Kerk Swat Kim , Lee Amelia Yilin , Lai Hui Ying , Ng Kee Woei , Sze Siu Kwan , Schmidtchen Artur
Published: January 2018

Human hair is laminar-fibrous tissue and an evolutionarily old keratinization product of follicle trichocytes. Studies on the hair proteome can give new insights into hair function and lead to the development of novel biomarkers for hair in health and disease. Human hair proteins were extracted by detergent and detergent-free techniques. We adopted a shotgun proteomics approach, which demonstrated a large extractability and variety of hair proteins after detergent extraction. We found an enrichment of keratin, keratin-associated proteins (KAPs), and intermediate filament proteins, which were part of protein networks associated with response to stress, innate immunity, epidermis development, and the hair cycle. Our analysis also revealed a significant deamidation of keratin type I and II, and KAPs. The hair shafts were found to contain several types of histones, which are well known to exert antimicrobial activity. Analysis of the hair proteome, particularly its composition, protein abundances, deamidated hair proteins, and modification sites, may offer a novel approach to explore potential biomarkers of hair health quality, hair diseases, and aging.
Structural effect of two-dimensional BNNS on grain growth suppressing behaviors in Al-matrix nanocomposites
Authors: Nam Seungjin , Chang Kunok , Lee Woonki , Kim Moon J. , Hwang Jun Yeon , Choi Hyunjoo
Published: January 2018

While nanocrystalline (NC) metals exhibit superior strength to conventional microcrystalline metals, their thermal instability has hampered their application at high temperatures. Herein, two-dimensional (2D) boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) are proposed as reinforcement to enhance the strength as well as the thermal stability of NC Al. The strength of pure Al was increased from 80 to 468 MPa by refining its grains from ~600 to ~40 nm, and it was further enhanced to 685 MPa by incorporating 2 vol% of BNNS. Moreover, the small amount of BNNS was found to effectively suppress grain growth of NC Al at 580 °C (~0.9 Tm, where Tm is the melting point of Al), which prevented a strength drop at high temperature. Finally, the Zener pinning model in conjunction with phase-field simulations was utilized to qualitatively analyze the effect of the BNNS on the grain boundary pinning as a function of volume, shape, and orientation of the reinforcement. The model demonstrated that the pinning force of 2D reinforcements is much higher than that of spherical particles. Hence, 2D BNNS offer the possibility of developing Al-matrix nanocomposites for high-temperature structural applications.
Bar adsorptive microextraction (BAμE) with a polymeric sorbent for the determination of emerging contaminants in water samples by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: de Souza M. P. , Rizzetti T. M. , Francesquett J. Z. , Prestes O. D. , Zanella R.
Published: January 2018

A central composite design was applied to evaluate different sorbents in BAμE for the determination of emerging contaminants in water by UHPLC-MS/MS.
Porphyrin-sensitized solar cells: systematic molecular optimization, coadsorption and cosensitization
Authors: Song Heli , Liu Qingyun , Xie Yongshu
Published: January 2018

Systematic porphyrin dye optimization along with coadsorption and cosensitization strategies in achieving high efficiencies in dye-sensitized solar cells are highlighted.
Syntheses of copper–iodine cluster-based frameworks for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue
Authors: Liu Juan , Tang Yu-Huan , Wang Fei , Zhang Jian
Published: January 2018

Cu–I cluster-based MOFs show a broad range of absorption in the visible region and exhibit excellent photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye under visible light.
Trends in adsorption of electrocatalytic water splitting intermediates on cubic ABO3 oxides
Authors: Montoya Joseph H. , Doyle Andrew D. , Nørskov Jens K. , Vojvodic Aleksandra
Published: January 2018

The reactivity of solid oxide surfaces towards adsorption of oxygen and hydrogen is a key metric for the design of new catalysts for electrochemical water splitting.
Complexation of halide ions to tyrosine: role of non-covalent interactions evidenced by IRMPD spectroscopy
Authors: Corinti Davide , Gregori Barbara , Guidoni Leonardo , Scuderi Debora , McMahon Terry B. , Chiavarino Barbara , Fornarini Simonetta , Crestoni Maria Elisa
Published: January 2018

IRMPD spectra and calculations reveal the binding motifs of halide ions to tyrosine and its nitro derivative, 3-nitro-tyrosine.
Solvent control of charge transfer excited state relaxation pathways in [Fe(2,2′-bipyridine)(CN)4]2−
Authors: Kjær Kasper S. , Kunnus Kristjan , Harlang Tobias C. B. , Van Driel Tim B. , Ledbetter Kathryn , Hartsock Robert W. , Reinhard Marco E. , Koroidov Sergey , Li Lin , Laursen Mads G. , Biasin Elisa , Hansen Frederik B. , Vester Peter , Christensen Morten , Haldrup Kristoffer , Nielsen Martin M. , Chabera Pavel , Liu Yizhu , Tatsuno Hideyuki , Timm Cornelia , Uhlig Jens , Sundstöm Villy , Németh Zoltán , Szemes Dorottya Sárosiné , Bajnóczi Éva , Vankó György , Alonso-Mori Roberto , Glownia James M. , Nelson Silke , Sikorski Marcin , Sokaras Dimosthenis , Lemke Henrik T. , Canton Sophie E. , Wärnmark Kenneth , Persson Petter , Cordones Amy A. , Gaffney Kelly J.
Published: January 2018

By combining transient X-ray and optical studies, we reveal the solvent influence on excited state potential energy surfaces of [Fe(bpy)(CN)4]2−.
Band alignment and charge transfer predictions of ZnO/ZnX (X = S, Se or Te) interfaces applied to solar cells: a PBE+Utheoretical study
Authors: Flores Efracio Mamani , Gouvea Rogério Almeida , Piotrowski Maurício Jeomar , Moreira Mário Lucio
Published: January 2018

We performed first-principles calculations within PBE and PBE+Uapproximations to study ZnO and ZnX bulk systems and ZnO/ZnX interfaces (X = S, Se or Te), to the better comprehension of charge transference through the interface.
Sustained consumption of cocoa-based dark chocolate enhances seizure-like events in the mouse hippocampus
Authors: Cicvaric Ana , Bulat Tanja , Bormann Daniel , Yang Jiaye , Auer Bastian , Milenkovic Ivan , Cabatic Maureen , Milicevic Radoslav , Monje Francisco J.
Published: January 2018

This study characterizes the effects of sustained dark-chocolate consumption on mouse behavior and reveals its potential to induce seizure-like events in the hippocampus, a brain structure critical for memory storage.
Catalytic hydrogenation of N-4-nitrophenyl nicotinamide in a micro-packed bed reactor
Authors: Yang Cuixian , Teixeira Andrew R. , Shi Yanxiang , Born Stephen C. , Lin Hongkun , Li Song Yunfei , Martin Benjamin , Schenkel Berthold , Peer Lachegurabi Maryam , Jensen Klavs F.
Published: January 2018

Recent advancements in micro-flow technologies and a drive toward more efficient, greener and safer processes have led to a renaissance in flow-chemistry for pharmaceutical production.
5,6-Benzoflavones as cholesterol esterase inhibitors: synthesis, biological evaluation and docking studies
Authors: Singh Jatinder V. , Kaur Anumeet , Bhagat Kavita , Gupta Manish K. , Singh Manwinder , Singh Harbinder , Bedi Preet Mohinder S.
Published: January 2018

A library of forty 5,6-benzoflavone derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory potential against cholesterol esterase (CEase) enzyme.
Supercritical CO2 assisted synthesis of sulfur-modified zeolites as high-efficiency adsorbents for Hg2+ removal from water
Authors: Fang Ruyi , Lu Chengwei , Zhang Wenkui , Xiao Zhen , Chen Hongfeng , Liang Chu , Huang Hui , Gan Yongping , Zhang Jun , Xia Yang
Published: January 2018

A facile supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) synthetic strategy has been successfully developed for fabricating a new kind of highly efficient sulfur-modified zeolite sorbent for the removal of Hg2+ from water.
Fullerene derivative with a branched alkyl chain exhibits enhanced charge extraction and stability in inverted planar perovskite solar cells
Authors: Tian Chengbo , Castro Edison , Betancourt-Solis German , Nan Ziang , Fernandez-Delgado Olivia , Jankuru Sohan , Echegoyen Luis
Published: January 2018

Devices based on PC61BEH showed an improved overall performance compared to those with PC61BM as the electron transporting material.
Real-time and label-free detection of bisphenol A by an ssDNA aptamer sensor combined with dual polarization interferometry
Authors: Su Yu , Xu Huaguo , Chen Yonghui , Qi Jinxia , Zhou Xiang , Ge Renshan , Lin Zhenkun
Published: January 2018

DPI is an efficient and reliable platform for detection of organic pollutants and toxicants.
Hot off the press
Authors: Hill Robert A. , Sutherland Andrew
Published: January 2018

A personal selection of 32 recent papers is presented covering various aspects of current developments in bioorganic chemistry and novel natural products such as illisimonin A from Illicium simonsii.
Direct observation of the topological spin configurations mediated by the substitution of rare-earth element Y in MnNiGa alloy
Authors: Zuo S. L. , Zhang Y. , Peng L. C. , Zhao X. , Li R. , Li H. , Xiong J. F. , He M. , Zhao T. Y. , Sun J. R. , Hu F. X. , Shen B. G.
Published: January 2018

The spin configuration evolution due to the Y substitution and electromagnetic manipulation in MnNiGaY.
Enhanced moisture sensing properties of a nanostructured ZnO coated capacitive sensor
Authors: Singh Harinder , Kumar Akshay , Bansod Babankumar S. , Singh Tejbir , Thakur Anup , Singh Tarandip , Sharma Jeewan
Published: January 2018

This work reports the enhancement in sensitivity of a simple and low-cost capacitive moisture sensor using a thin film of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on electrodes.
A novel method of three-dimensional hetero-spectral correlation analysis for the fingerprint identification of humic acid functional groups for hexavalent chromium retention
Authors: Zhang Jia , Yin Huilin , Samuel Barnie , Liu Fei , Chen Honghan
Published: January 2018

A method of three-dimensional hetero-spectral correlation analysis was developed for fingerprint identification of humic acid functional groups for Cr(vi) retention.
Hydroalkylation modification of naphthene-based aromatic-rich fraction and its influences on mesophase development
Authors: Li Ming , Liu Dong , Lou Bin , Zhang Yadong , Yu Shitao , Ding Jnuwei
Published: January 2018

Naphthene-based aromatic-rich fraction was modified by tetrahydronaphthalene and polyethylene glycol to obtain modified materials which were selected to prepare mesophase pitches by a direct condensation method.
Theoretical study on narrow Fano resonance of nanocrescent for the label-free detection of single molecules and single nanoparticles
Authors: Zheng Chunjie , Jia Tianqing , Zhao Hua , Xia Yingjie , Zhang Shian , Feng Donghai , Sun Zhenrong
Published: January 2018

The narrow Fano resonance caused by the strong narrow resonant absorption is highly sensitive to a trapped nanoparticle.
Statistics of the network of organic chemistry
Authors: Jacob Philipp-Maximilian , Lapkin Alexei
Published: January 2018

A comprehensive analysis of statistical properties of a network of organic reactions reveals several generic traits. This knowledge can be used in the development of optimal reaction sequences.
Supramolecular scaffolds enabling the controlled assembly of functional molecular units
Authors: Ishiwari Fumitaka , Shoji Yoshiaki , Fukushima Takanori
Published: January 2018

This perspective describes the construction of 0D–3D organic and polymeric architectures using “robust” supramolecular scaffolds.
Effect of counterion excluded volume on the conformational behavior of polyelectrolyte chains
Authors: Gordievskaya Yulia D. , Gavrilov Alexey A. , Kramarenko Elena Yu.
Published: January 2018

Polyelectrolyte chain conformations under strong electrostatic interactions crucially depend on the excluded volume of the counterions.
From anthraquinone to heterocoronene as stable red chromophore
Authors: Duan Ruomeng , Schollmeyer Dieter , Müllen Klaus , Li Chen
Published: January 2018

A new heterocoronene-based chromophore was synthesized via a two-step reaction and showed similar photostability to perylenetetracaboxdiimides.
Complex molecular systems: a frontier of molecular science
Authors: Tahara Tahei , Kitao Akio , Mizutani Yasuhisa , Kandori Hideki , Fujii Masaaki
Published: January 2018

This themed issue includes a collection of articles on complex molecular systems: supramolecules, biomolecules and interfaces.
Generalised statistical distribution for turbulence‐induced fading in wireless optical communication systems
Authors: Samimi Hossein
Published: January 2018

The unified M distribution is recently proposed for analysing turbulence‐induced fading effects in wireless optical communication (WOC) systems. In developing this model, the large‐scale fluctuations have been approximated by gamma distribution, instead of widely accepted log‐normal distribution. However, the accuracy of this approximation decreases when the variance of the log‐normal distribution is large. As another approach, the inverse‐Gaussian (IG) distribution has been proposed in the literature to model the large‐scale fluctuation, results in a new accurate, closed‐form distribution termed as S model. To generalise the above results, in this study, the authors propose to approximate the large‐scale fluctuations by generalised IG distribution. They show that this new approach results in an accurate, closed‐form generalised distribution, called here as H model which includes M and S models as its special cases. To show the applicability of the presented model, they consider a WOC system with heterodyne detection scheme and investigate its bit error rate (BER) performance over H ‐distributed fading channel. They derive closed‐form analytical expression for the BER of the considered system and show that in a special case, it coincides with the results presented in the open technical literature.
High voltage gain dc–dc converters based on coupled inductors
Authors: Babaei Ebrahim , Saadatizadeh Zahra
Published: January 2018

In this study, two new high voltage gain dc–dc converters are proposed. In the proposed converters, two coupled inductors are used to increase and decrease the output voltage more than the traditional dc–dc converters in boost and buck operations, respectively. In these converters, by increasing the turns ratio of the coupled inductors, the voltage conversion ratio is increased for the whole range of duty cycles. The proposed topologies are analysed in all operating modes and the values of current stresses of all switches, voltage stresses on all switches, input current ripples and voltage gains are calculated for boost and buck operations. Finally, the accurate performance of the proposed converters is verified through experimental and Power System Computer Aided Design (PSCAD)/Electro Magnetic Transient Design and Control (EMTDC) simulation results.
Optimisation of radar search patterns in localised clutter and terrain masking under direction‐specific scan update rates constraints
Authors: Briheche Yann , Barbaresco Frederic , Bennis Fouad , Chablat Damien
Published: January 2018

Cognitive radars are systems capable of optimising emission and processing by exploiting knowledge about environment and operational scenario. Those improvements are achieved by controlling new degrees of freedom offered by modern radar technology. In particular, active phased‐array radars can perform two‐dimensional beam‐steering and beam‐forming. Those new capabilities allow adaptation of radar search patterns to localised constraints. The authors present an improvement from their previous set cover approximation for radar search pattern time‐budget minimisation, accounting for localised constraints of terrain masking and direction‐specific scan update rates. The addition of those constraints, however, does not modify the underlying mathematical structure of the problem, which can be solved using integer programming methods.
Harmonic control optimisation model considering power generation of microgrid
Authors: Wang Ning , Wei Kai , Yuan Jie , Jia Qingquan
Published: January 2018

In a microgrid with a large amount of photovoltaic (PV), the harmonic pollution problem is mostly caused by the non‐linear load in the PV system and the microgrid. The multi‐function grid‐connected inverter (MFGCI) and the active power filter (APF) used to control the harmonic pollution is integrated into the framework of the bi‐layer planning model in this paper. The upper layer model of the bi‐layer optimisation is based on the cost of the microgrid power generation with PV as the objective function. Consider the maintenance costs of PV power generation and MFGCI equipment, line loss costs, purchase expectations and sales period expectations. The lower objective function is the minimum root mean square of the harmonic distortion rate of each node of the microgrid satisfying the MFGCI and APF capacity allocation constraint. The improved particle swarm optimisation algorithm and Latin hypercube technology are used to solve the bi‐layer planning model. The results show that in the microgrid, the integrated optimisation method based on the bi‐layer planning model is optimised for MFGCI and APF. It has a significant effect on the efficient operation of the microgrid and the improvement of power quality level of the microgrid.
Analysis of the influence of renewable energy generation on market power
Authors: Shang Nan , Guo Li , Ding Yi , Lin You , Liu Lei , Shao Changzheng , Song Yonghua
Published: January 2018

With the ever‐increasing integration of renewable energies (RES) into the power system, the bidding strategies and the market power of the conventional generating units are expected to change. Given that this study proposes a novel market power analysis model to identify the influence of RES on the market power of those conventional generation companies. Evidenced by the case studies, it can be found that the market power of the conventional generating units, referred to as the market revenue share, fluctuates with the variable power output of the RES. Moreover, it suggests that the system operators can closely monitor generation companies’ market power change and mitigate their market power if necessary by means such as restricting their offers.
Method of calculating the maximum transmission capability with unified power flow controller
Authors: Jiankun Liu , Ningyu Zhang , Xinyao Zhu , Ke Xu , Zhe Chen
Published: January 2018

This study proposed an algorithm for calculating the maximum transmission capacity considering unified power flow controller (UPFC). At the beginning, the equivalent virtual generator, located on ends of UPFC's branch, is obtained based on the source model of UPFC. Then, for the purpose of obtaining the range of transmission power, the maximum (minimum) active/reactive power is treated as an optimising object. Meanwhile, the series voltage and shunt current of the UPFC, as well as other generators’ reactive power, are selected as control variables. As a result, the optimisation model could be formed in UPFC, SSSC and STATCOM modes, respectively, in which buses voltage and transmission limits are also supplied. Based on the characteristics of the above model, the interior point method is used to achieve the optimal solution. In the end, Nanjing western power grid and Suzhou southern power grid are tested to prove the effective and correctness of the introduced algorithm.