bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE BIAS OPTIMAL K IN THE M/M/1/K QUEUE: AN APPLICATION OF THE DEVIATION MATRIX
Authors: Hautphenne Sophie , Haviv Moshe
Published: October 2015

We study the optimal buffer capacity K for the M/M/1/K queue under some standard cost and reward structures by comparing various Markov reward processes. Using explicit expressions for the deviation matrix of the underlying Markov chains, we find the bias optimal value for K in the case of a tie between two consecutive optimal gain policies. We show that the bias optimal value depends both on whether the reward is granted upon arrival or departure of the customers, and on the initial queue size. Moreover, we demonstrate that in some specific cases the optimal policy is threshold-based with respect to the initial queue size.
Defending the Authoritarian Regime Online: China's “Voluntary Fifty-cent Army”
Authors: Han Rongbin
Published: October 2015

Recent studies on internet politics in China have gone beyond the once dominant control–liberalization perspective and directed intellectual attention to the varieties of online activism. Based on extensive in-depth online ethnographic work, this project explores the pluralization of online expression in Chinese cyberspace. Following a constituency of internet users who identify themselves as the “voluntary fifty-cent army,” the paper explores how these users acquire and consolidate their identity and combat criticism that targets the authoritarian regime. Analysis of the confrontational exchanges between the “voluntary fifty-cent army” and their opponents suggests that a perspective that goes beyond state censorship and regime-challenging activism is required in order to gain a better understanding of online expression in China. Close examination of why and how internet users may voluntarily defend the authoritarian regime also reveals how the dynamics in online discourse competition may work to the authoritarian regime's advantage.
Environmental factor analysis of cholera in China using remote sensing and geographical information systems
Authors: XU M. , CAO C. X. , WANG D. C. , KAN B. , XU Y. F. , NI X. L. , ZHU Z. C.
Published: October 2015

Cholera is one of a number of infectious diseases that appears to be influenced by climate, geography and other natural environments. This study analysed the environmental factors of the spatial distribution of cholera in China. It shows that temperature, precipitation, elevation, and distance to the coastline have significant impact on the distribution of cholera. It also reveals the oceanic environmental factors associated with cholera in Zhejiang, which is a coastal province of China, using both remote sensing (RS) and geographical information systems (GIS). The analysis has validated the correlation between indirect satellite measurements of sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH) and ocean chlorophyll concentration (OCC) and the local number of cholera cases based on 8-year monthly data from 2001 to 2008. The results show the number of cholera cases has been strongly affected by the variables of SST, SSH and OCC. Utilizing this information, a cholera prediction model has been established based on the oceanic and climatic environmental factors. The model indicates that RS and GIS have great potential for designing an early warning system for cholera.
The Impact of Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Gordon Olivia M. , Salkovskis Paul M. , Bream Victoria
Published: October 2015

Background: It is often suggested that, in general, co-morbid personality disorders are likely to interfere with CBT based treatment of Axis I disorders, given that personality disorders are regarded as dispositional and are therefore considered less amenable to change than axis I psychiatric disorders. Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the impact of co-occurring obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) on cognitive-behavioural treatment for OCD. Method: 92 individuals with a diagnosis of OCD participated in this study. Data were drawn from measures taken at initial assessment and following cognitive-behavioural treatment at a specialist treatment centre for anxiety disorders. Results: At assessment, participants with OCD and OCPD had greater overall OCD symptom severity, as well as doubting, ordering and hoarding symptoms relative to those without OCPD; however, participants with co-morbid OCD and OCPD demonstrated greater treatment gains in terms of OCD severity, checking and ordering than those without OCPD. Individuals with OCD and OCPD had higher levels of checking, ordering and overall OCD severity at initial assessment; however, at post-treatment they had similar scores to those without OCPD. Conclusion: The implications of these findings are discussed in the light of research on axis I and II co-morbidity and the impact of axis II disorders on treatment for axis I disorders.
Field Data Management: Integrating Cyberscience and Geoscience
Authors: Mookerjee Matty , Vieira Daniel , Chan Marjorie , Gil Yolanda , Pavlis Terry , Spear Frank , Tikoff Basil
Published: October 2015

The smartphone and tablet revolution has changed how geologists work in the field, but now the community must come up with standards to tame the flood of data.
Accurate lineshape spectroscopy and the Boltzmann constant
Authors: Truong G.-W. , Anstie J. D. , May E. F. , Stace T. M. , Luiten A. N.
Published: October 2015

Spectroscopy has an illustrious history delivering serendipitous discoveries and providing a stringent testbed for new physical predictions, including applications from trace materials detection, to understanding the atmospheres of stars and planets, and even constraining cosmological models. Reaching fundamental-noise limits permits optimal extraction of spectroscopic information from an absorption measurement. Here, we demonstrate a quantum-limited spectrometer that delivers high-precision measurements of the absorption lineshape. These measurements yield a very accurate measurement of the excited-state (6P1/2) hyperfine splitting in Cs, and reveals a breakdown in the well-known Voigt spectral profile. We develop a theoretical model that accounts for this breakdown, explaining the observations to within the shot-noise limit. Our model enables us to infer the thermal velocity dispersion of the Cs vapour with an uncertainty of 35 p.p.m. within an hour. This allows us to determine a value for Boltzmann’s constant with a precision of 6 p.p.m., and an uncertainty of 71 p.p.m.
Stability of single skyrmionic bits
Authors: Hagemeister J. , Romming N. , von Bergmann K. , Vedmedenko E. Y. , Wiesendanger R.
Published: October 2015

The switching between topologically distinct skyrmionic and ferromagnetic states has been proposed as a bit operation for information storage. While long lifetimes of the bits are required for data storage devices, the lifetimes of skyrmions have not been addressed so far. Here we show by means of atomistic Monte Carlo simulations that the field-dependent mean lifetimes of the skyrmionic and ferromagnetic states have a high asymmetry with respect to the critical magnetic field, at which these lifetimes are identical. According to our calculations, the main reason for the enhanced stability of skyrmions is a different field dependence of skyrmionic and ferromagnetic activation energies and a lower attempt frequency of skyrmions rather than the height of energy barriers. We use this knowledge to propose a procedure for the determination of effective material parameters and the quantification of the Monte Carlo timescale from the comparison of theoretical and experimental data.
ATP binding to neighbouring subunits and intersubunit allosteric coupling underlie proteasomal ATPase function
Authors: Kim Young-Chan , Snoberger Aaron , Schupp Jane , Smith David M.
Published: October 2015

The primary functions of the proteasome are driven by a highly allosteric ATPase complex. ATP binding to only two subunits in this hexameric complex triggers substrate binding, ATPase–20S association and 20S gate opening. However, it is unclear how ATP binding and hydrolysis spatially and temporally coordinates these allosteric effects to drive substrate translocation into the 20S. Here, we use FRET to show that the proteasomal ATPases from eukaryotes (RPTs) and archaea (PAN) bind ATP with high affinity at neighbouring subunits, which complements the well-established spiral-staircase topology of the 26S ATPases. We further show that two conserved arginine fingers in PAN located at the subunit interface work together as a single allosteric unit to mediate the allosteric effects of ATP binding, without altering the nucleotide-binding pattern. Rapid kinetics analysis also shows that ring resetting of a sequential hydrolysis mechanism can be explained by thermodynamic equilibrium binding of ATP. These data support a model whereby these two functionally distinct allosteric networks cooperate to translocate polypeptides into the 20S for degradation.
Topological data analysis for discovery in preclinical spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury
Authors: Nielson Jessica L. , Paquette Jesse , Liu Aiwen W. , Guandique Cristian F. , Tovar C. Amy , Inoue Tomoo , Irvine Karen-Amanda , Gensel John C. , Kloke Jennifer , Petrossian Tanya C. , Lum Pek Y. , Carlsson Gunnar E. , Manley Geoffrey T. , Young Wise , Beattie Michael S. , Bresnahan Jacqueline C. , Ferguson Adam R.
Published: October 2015

Data-driven discovery in complex neurological disorders has potential to extract meaningful syndromic knowledge from large, heterogeneous data sets to enhance potential for precision medicine. Here we describe the application of topological data analysis (TDA) for data-driven discovery in preclinical traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI) data sets mined from the Visualized Syndromic Information and Outcomes for Neurotrauma-SCI (VISION-SCI) repository. Through direct visualization of inter-related histopathological, functional and health outcomes, TDA detected novel patterns across the syndromic network, uncovering interactions between SCI and co-occurring TBI, as well as detrimental drug effects in unpublished multicentre preclinical drug trial data in SCI. TDA also revealed that perioperative hypertension predicted long-term recovery better than any tested drug after thoracic SCI in rats. TDA-based data-driven discovery has great potential application for decision-support for basic research and clinical problems such as outcome assessment, neurocritical care, treatment planning and rapid, precision-diagnosis.
Three-dimensional super-resolution protein localization correlated with vitrified cellular context
Authors: Liu Bei , Xue Yanhong , Zhao Wei , Chen Yan , Fan Chunyan , Gu Lusheng , Zhang Yongdeng , Zhang Xiang , Sun Lei , Huang Xiaojun , Ding Wei , Sun Fei , Ji Wei , Xu Tao
Published: October 2015

We demonstrate the use of cryogenic super-resolution correlative light and electron microscopy (csCLEM) to precisely determine the spatial relationship between proteins and their native cellular structures. Several fluorescent proteins (FPs) were found to be photoswitchable and emitted far more photons under our cryogenic imaging condition, resulting in higher localization precision which is comparable to ambient super-resolution imaging. Vitrified specimens were prepared by high pressure freezing and cryo-sectioning to maintain a near-native state with better fluorescence preservation. A 2-3-fold improvement of resolution over the recent reports was achieved due to the photon budget performance of screening out Dronpa and optimized imaging conditions, even with thin sections which is at a disadvantage when calculate the structure resolution from label density. We extended csCLEM to mammalian cells by introducing cryo-sectioning and observed good correlation of a mitochondrial protein with the mitochondrial outer membrane at nanometer resolution in three dimensions.
The Hepatitis E virus intraviral interactome
Authors: Osterman Andreas , Stellberger Thorsten , Gebhardt Anna , Kurz Marisa , Friedel Caroline C. , Uetz Peter , Nitschko Hans , Baiker Armin , Vizoso-Pinto Maria G.
Published: October 2015

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging virus causing epidemic acute hepatitis in developing countries as well as sporadic cases in industrialized countries. The life cycle of HEV is still poorly understood and the lack of efficient cell culture systems and animal models are the principal limitations for a detailed study of the viral replication cycle. Here we exhaustively examine all possible intraviral protein-protein interactions (PPIs) of HEV by systematic Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and LuMPIS screens, providing a basis for studying the function of these proteins in the viral replication cycle. Key PPIs correlate with the already published HEV 3D structure. Furthermore, we report 20 novel PPIs including the homodimerization of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), the self-interaction of the papain like protease and ORF3 interactions with the papain-like protease and putative replicase components: RdRp, methylase and helicase. Furthermore, we determined the dissociation constant (Kd) of ORF3 interactions with the viral helicase, papain-like protease and methylase, which suggest a regulatory function for ORF3 in orchestrating the formation of the replicase complex. These interactions may represent new targets for antiviral drugs.
Neurotoxic Methamphetamine Doses Increase LINE-1 Expression in the Neurogenic Zones of the Adult Rat Brain
Authors: Moszczynska Anna , Flack Amanda , Qiu Ping , Muotri Alysson R. , Killinger Bryan A.
Published: October 2015

Methamphetamine (METH) is a widely abused psychostimulant with the potential to cause neurotoxicity in the striatum and hippocampus. Several epigenetic changes have been described after administration of METH; however, there are no data regarding the effects of METH on the activity of transposable elements in the adult brain. The present study demonstrates that systemic administration of neurotoxic METH doses increases the activity of Long INterspersed Element (LINE-1) in two neurogenic niches in the adult rat brain in a promoter hypomethylation-independent manner. Our study also demonstrates that neurotoxic METH triggers persistent decreases in LINE-1 expression and increases the LINE-1 levels within genomic DNA in the striatum and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and that METH triggers LINE-1 retrotransposition in vitro. We also present indirect evidence for the involvement of glutamate (GLU) in LINE-1 activation. The results suggest that LINE-1 activation might occur in neurogenic areas in human METH users and might contribute to METH abuse-induced hippocampus-dependent memory deficits and impaired performance on several cognitive tasks mediated by the striatum.
E2 superfamily of ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes: constitutively active or activated through phosphorylation in the catalytic cleft
Authors: Valimberti Ilaria , Tiberti Matteo , Lambrughi Matteo , Sarcevic Boris , Papaleo Elena
Published: October 2015

Protein phosphorylation is a modification that offers a dynamic and reversible mechanism to regulate the majority of cellular processes. Numerous diseases are associated with aberrant regulation of phosphorylation-induced switches. Phosphorylation is emerging as a mechanism to modulate ubiquitination by regulating key enzymes in this pathway. The molecular mechanisms underpinning how phosphorylation regulates ubiquitinating enzymes, however, are elusive. Here, we show the high conservation of a functional site in E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes. In catalytically active E2s, this site contains aspartate or a phosphorylatable serine and we refer to it as the conserved E2 serine/aspartate (CES/D) site. Molecular simulations of substrate-bound and -unbound forms of wild type, mutant and phosphorylated E2s, provide atomistic insight into the role of the CES/D residue for optimal E2 activity. Both the size and charge of the side group at the site play a central role in aligning the substrate lysine toward E2 catalytic cysteine to control ubiquitination efficiency. The CES/D site contributes to the fingerprint of the E2 superfamily. We propose that E2 enzymes can be divided into constitutively active or regulated families. E2s characterized by an aspartate at the CES/D site signify constitutively active E2s, whereas those containing a serine can be regulated by phosphorylation.
Mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction due to the conversion of substituted cathinones to methylbenzamides in SH-SY5Y cells
Authors: den Hollander Bjørnar , Sundström Mira , Pelander Anna , Siltanen Antti , Ojanperä Ilkka , Mervaala Eero , Korpi Esa R. , Kankuri Esko
Published: October 2015

The increased use of cathinone-type designer drugs, known as legal highs, has led to concerns about their potential neurotoxicity due to their similarity to methamphetamine (METH). Therefore, closer investigations of their toxic effects are needed. We investigated the effects of the cathinones 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethcathinone (MDMC) and the amphetamine METH on cytotoxicity and mitochondrial respiration in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. We also investigated the contribution of reactive species, dopamine, Bcl-2 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) on toxicity. Finally, we investigated the effect of cathinone breakdown products using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry and studied their involvement in toxicity. We observed dose-dependent increases in cytotoxicity and decreases in mitochondrial respiration following treatment with all cathinones and amphetamines. Glutathione depletion increases amphetamine, but not cathinone toxicity. Bcl-2 and TNFα pathways are involved in toxicity but dopamine levels are not. We also show that cathinones, but not amphetamines, spontaneously produce reactive species and cytotoxic methylbenzamide breakdown products when in aqueous solution. These results provide an important first insight into the mechanisms of cathinone cytotoxicity and pave the way for further studies on cathinone toxicityin vivo.
The 9p21.3 risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is explained by a rare high-impact variant in CDKN2A
Authors: Vijayakrishnan Jayaram , Henrion Marc , Moorman Anthony V. , Fiege Bettina , Kumar Rajiv , Inacio da Silva Filho Miguel , Holroyd Amy , Koehler Rolf , Thomsen Hauke , Irving Julie A. , Allan James M. , Lightfoot Tracy , Roman Eve , Kinsey Sally E. , Sheridan Eamonn , Thompson Pamela D. , Hoffmann Per , Nöthen Markus M. , Mühleisen Thomas W. , Eisele Lewin , Bartram Claus R. , Schrappe Martin , Greaves Mel , Hemminki Kari , Harrison Christine J. , Stanulla Martin , Houlston Richard S.
Published: October 2015

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have provided strong evidence for inherited predisposition to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) identifying a number of risk loci. We have previously shown common SNPs at 9p21.3 influence ALL risk. These SNP associations are generally not themselves candidates for causality, but simply act as markers for functional variants. By means of imputation of GWAS data and subsequent validation SNP genotyping totalling 2,177 ALL cases and 8,240 controls, we have shown that the 9p21.3 association can be ascribed to the rare high-impactCDKN2Ap.Ala148Thr variant (rs3731249; Odds ratio = 2.42,P = 3.45 × 10−19). The association between rs3731249 genotype and risk was not specific to particular subtype of B-cell ALL. The rs3731249 variant is associated with predominant nuclear localisation of theCDKN2Atranscript suggesting the functional effect of p.Ala148Thr on ALL risk may be through compromised ability to inhibit cyclin D within the cytoplasm.
A combined experimental-numerical approach for determining mechanical properties of aluminum subjects to nanoindentation
Authors: Liu Mao , Lu Cheng , Tieu Kiet Anh , Peng Ching-Tun , Kong Charlie
Published: October 2015

A crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM) model has been developed to investigate the mechanical properties and micro-texture evolution of single-crystal aluminum induced by a sharp Berkovich indenter. The load-displacement curves, pile-up patterns and lattice rotation angles from simulation are consistent with the experimental results. The pile-up phenomenon and lattice rotation have been discussed based on the theory of crystal plasticity. In addition, a polycrystal tensile CPFEM model has been established to explore the relationship between indentation hardness and yield stress. The elastic constraint factor C is slightly larger than conventional value 3 due to the strain hardening.
Water adsorption on TiO2 surfaces probed by soft X-ray spectroscopies: bulk materials vs. isolated nanoparticles
Authors: Benkoula Safia , Sublemontier Olivier , Patanen Minna , Nicolas Christophe , Sirotti Fausto , Naitabdi Ahmed , Gaie-Levrel François , Antonsson Egill , Aureau Damien , Ouf François-Xavier , Wada Shin-Ichi , Etcheberry Arnaud , Ueda Kiyoshi , Miron Catalin
Published: October 2015

We describe an experimental method to probe the adsorption of water at the surface of isolated, substrate-free TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) based on soft X-ray spectroscopy in the gas phase using synchrotron radiation. To understand the interfacial properties between water and TiO2 surface, a water shell was adsorbed at the surface of TiO2 NPs. We used two different ways to control the hydration level of the NPs: in the first scheme, initially solvated NPs were dried and in the second one, dry NPs generated thanks to a commercial aerosol generator were exposed to water vapor. XPS was used to identify the signature of the water layer shell on the surface of the free TiO2 NPs and made it possible to follow the evolution of their hydration state. The results obtained allow the establishment of a qualitative determination of isolated NPs’ surface states, as well as to unravel water adsorption mechanisms. This method appears to be a unique approach to investigate the interface between an isolated nano-object and a solvent over-layer, paving the way towards new investigation methods in heterogeneous catalysis on nanomaterials.
Width-controlled M-type hexagonal strontium ferrite (SrFe12O19) nanoribbons with high saturation magnetization and superior coercivity synthesized by electrospinning
Authors: Jing Panpan , Du Jinlu , Wang Jianbo , wei Jinwu , Pan Lining , Li Jianan , Liu Qingfang
Published: October 2015

Width-controlled M-type hexagonal SrFe12O19 nanoribbons were synthesized for the first time via polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) sol assisted electrospinning followed by heat treatment in air and their chemical composition, microstructure and magnetic performance were investigated. Results demonstrated that as-obtained SrFe12O19 nanoribbons were well-crystallized with high purity. Each nanoribbon was self-assembled by abundant single-domain SrFe12O19 nanoparticles and was consecutive on structure and uniform on width. PVP in the spinning solution played a significant influence on the microstructure features of SrFe12O19 nanoribbons. With PVP concentration increasing, the ribbon-width was increased but the particle-size was reduced, which distributed on a same ribbon were more intensive and then the ribbon-surface became flat. The room temperature magnetic performance investigation revealed that considerable large saturation magnetization (Ms) and coercivity (Hc) were obtained for all SrFe12O19 nanoribbons and they increased with the ribbon-width broadening. The highest Ms of 67.9 emu·g−1 and Hc of 7.31 kOe were concurrently acquired for SrFe12O19 nanoribbons with the maximum ribbon-width. Finally, the Stoner-Wohlfarth curling model was suggested to dominate the magnetization reverse of SrFe12O19 nanoribbons. It is deeply expected that this work is capable of opening up a new insights into the architectural design of 1D magnetic materials and their further utilization.
Impacts of wind stilling on solar radiation variability in China
Authors: Lin Changgui , Yang Kun , Huang Jianping , Tang Wenjun , Qin Jun , Niu Xiaolei , Chen Yingying , Chen Deliang , Lu Ning , Fu Rong
Published: October 2015

Solar dimming and wind stilling (slowdown) are two outstanding climate changes occurred in China over the last four decades. The wind stilling may have suppressed the dispersion of aerosols and amplified the impact of aerosol emission on solar dimming. However, there is a lack of long-term aerosol monitoring and associated study in China to confirm this hypothesis. Here, long-term meteorological data at weather stations combined with short-term aerosol data were used to assess this hypothesis. It was found that surface solar radiation (SSR) decreased considerably with wind stilling in heavily polluted regions at a daily scale, indicating that wind stilling can considerably amplify the aerosol extinction effect on SSR. A threshold value of 3.5 m/s for wind speed is required to effectively reduce aerosols concentration. From this SSR dependence on wind speed, we further derived proxies to quantify aerosol emission and wind stilling amplification effects on SSR variations at a decadal scale. The results show that aerosol emission accounted for approximately 20% of the typical solar dimming in China, which was amplified by approximately 20% by wind stilling.
A Simple Approach to Characterize Gas-Aqueous Liquid Two-phase Flow Configuration Based on Discrete Solid-Liquid Contact Electrification
Authors: Choi Dongwhi , Lee Donghyeon , Sung Kim Dong
Published: October 2015

In this study, we first suggest a simple approach to characterize configuration of gas-aqueous liquid two–phase flow based on discrete solid-liquid contact electrification, which is a newly defined concept as a sequential process of solid-liquid contact and successive detachment of the contact liquid from the solid surface. This approach exhibits several advantages such as simple operation, precise measurement and cost-effectiveness. By using electric potential that is spontaneously generated by discrete solid–liquid contact electrification, the configurations of the gas-aqueous liquid two-phase flow such as size of a gas slug and flow rate are precisely characterized. According to the experimental and numerical analyses on parameters that affect electric potential, gas slugs have been verified to behave similarly to point electric charges when the measuring point of the electric potential is far enough from the gas slug. In addition, the configuration of the gas-aqueous liquid two-phase microfluidic system with multiple gas slugs is also characterized by using the presented approach. For a proof-of-concept demonstration of using the proposed approach in a self-triggered sensor, a gas slug detector with a counter system is developed to show its practicality and applicability.
Phylogenetic and genomic diversity in isolates from the globally distributed Acinetobacter baumannii ST25 lineage
Authors: Sahl Jason W. , Del Franco Mariateresa , Pournaras Spyros , Colman Rebecca E. , Karah Nabil , Dijkshoorn Lenie , Zarrilli Raffaele
Published: October 2015

Acinetobacter baumanniiis a globally distributed nosocomial pathogen that has gained interest due to its resistance to most currently used antimicrobials. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and phylogenetics has begun to reveal the global genetic diversity of this pathogen. The evolution ofA. baumanniihas largely been defined by recombination, punctuated by the emergence and proliferation of defined clonal lineages. In this study we sequenced seven genomes from the sequence type (ST)25 lineage and compared them to 12 ST25 genomes deposited in public databases. A recombination analysis identified multiple genomic regions that are homoplasious in the ST25 phylogeny, indicating active or historical recombination. Genes associated with antimicrobial resistance were differentially distributed between ST25 genomes, which matched our laboratory-based antimicrobial susceptibility typing. Differences were also observed in biofilm formation between ST25 isolates, which were demonstrated to produce significantly more extensive biofilm than an isolate from the ST1 clonal lineage. These results demonstrate that withinA. baumannii, even a fairly recently derived monophyletic lineage can still exhibit significant genotypic and phenotypic diversity. These results have implications for associating outbreaks with sequence typing as well as understanding mechanisms behind the global propagation of successfulA. baumanniilineages.
Irrigation depth far exceeds water uptake depth in an oasis cropland in the middle reaches of Heihe River Basin
Authors: Yang Bin , Wen Xuefa , Sun Xiaomin
Published: October 2015

Agricultural irrigation in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin consumes approximately 80% of the total river water. Whether the irrigation depth matches the water uptake depth of crops is one of the most important factors affecting the efficiency of irrigation water use. Our results indicated that the influence of plastic film on soil water δ18O was restricted to 0–30 cm soil depth. Based on a Bayesian model (MixSIR), we found that irrigated maize acquired water preferentially from 0–10 cm soil layer, with a median uptake proportion of 87 ± 15%. Additionally, maize utilised a mixture of irrigation and shallow soil water instead of absorbing the irrigation water directly. However, only 24.7 ± 5.5% of irrigation water remained in 0–10 cm soil layer, whereas 29.5 ± 2.8% and 38.4 ± 3.3% of the irrigation water infiltrated into 10–40 cm and 40–80 cm layers. During the 4 irrigation events, approximately 39% of the irrigation and rainwater infiltrated into soil layers below 80 cm. Reducing irrigation amount and developing water-saving irrigation methods will be important strategies for improving the efficiency of irrigation water use in this area.
Amino Acid Carbamates As Prodrugs Of Resveratrol
Authors: Mattarei Andrea , Azzolini Michele , La Spina Martina , Zoratti Mario , Paradisi Cristina , Biasutto Lucia
Published: October 2015

Resveratrol (3, 5, 4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a plant polyphenol, has important drug-like properties, but its pharmacological exploitation in vivo is hindered by its rapid transformation via phase II conjugative metabolism. One approach to bypass this problem relies on prodrugs. We report here the synthesis, characterization, stability and in vivo pharmacokinetic behaviour of prodrugs of resveratrol in which the OH groups are engaged in an N-monosubstituted carbamate ester (-OC(O)NHR) linkage with a natural amino acid (Leu, Ile, Phe, Thr) to prevent conjugation and modulate the physicochemical properties of the molecule. We also report a convenient, high-yield protocol to obtain derivatives of this type. The new carbamate ester derivatives are stable at pH 1, while they undergo slow hydrolysis at physiological pH and hydrolyse with kinetics suitable for use in prodrugs in whole blood. After administration to rats by oral gavage the isoleucine-containing prodrug was significantly absorbed and was present in the bloodstream as non-metabolized unaltered or partially deprotected species, demonstrating effective shielding from first-pass metabolism. We conclude that prodrugs based on the N-monosubstituted carbamate ester bond have the appropriate stability profile for the systemic delivery of phenolic compounds.
Epigenetic silencing of the MUPCDH gene as a possible prognostic biomarker for cyst growth in ADPKD
Authors: Woo Yu Mi , Shin Yubin , Hwang Jung-Ah , Hwang Young-Hwan , Lee Sunyoung , Park Eun Young , Kong Hyun Kyung , Park Hayne Cho , Lee Yeon-Su , Park Jong Hoon
Published: October 2015

Although autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common genetic disease and is characterized by the formation of multiple fluid-filled cysts, which results in renal failure, early diagnosis and treatment of ADPKD have yet to be defined. Herein, we observed that the promoter region of the gene encoding mucin-like protocadherin (MUPCDH) was hypermethylated in the renal tissue of patients with ADPKD compared to non-ADPKD controls. Inversely, MUPCDH was significantly repressed in ADPKD, especially in cyst-lining cells. Our results indicate that aberrant methylation of MUPCDH promoter CpG islands may be negatively correlated with reduced expression level of MUPCDH and that this contributes to abnormal cell proliferation in ADPKD. It suggests that methylation status of MUPCDH promoter can be used as a novel epigenetic biomarker and a therapeutic target in ADPKD.
Chemical Modification of Thermoplastic Starch
Authors: Carvalho Antonio José Felix
Published: October 2015

Thermoplastic starch (TPS) has been used since the 1990s as a thermoplastic material produced from native starch by its processing in the presence of a plasticizer, usually glycerol. The great advantage of TPS is the possibility of using conventional equipment from the plastics industry, either for its production or transformation into an end product. In addition, it is a low-cost material, biodegradable and produced from renewable sources. The main disadvantages are its poor mechanical properties, high water sensitivity and low compatibility with other thermoplastic materials. Several attempts have been made to overcome these drawbacks, such as blending with other polymers, reinforcing with fibers, particulate fillers and nanoparticles or nanofibers and chemical modification of TPS during its processing by reactive extrusion. The last option is a highly promising technique because it allows the production of virtually new materials in a very economical and efficient way. This chapter reviews the chemical modification of starch as TPS by extrusion processing or other similar techniques in which the material is in the melt state. Generally, this process is conducted in the presence of plasticizers such as glycerol, glycols and urea.
Application of Starch Nanocomposites in the Food Industry
Authors: Srikaeo Khongsak
Published: October 2015

Starch is one of the most abundant biopolymers and has strong advantages such as environmental compatibility, wide availability and low cost. Most starches in native form present limitations in their properties and therefore they need to be enhanced. One of the most promising technical advances has been the development of starch nanocomposites. This chapter describes the potential of starch nanocomposites with particular focus on applications in the food industry. The major topics include nanotechnology in foods, starch as the matrix with different nanofillers and starch nanoparticles.
ZnO nanoflowers with single crystal structure towards enhanced gas sensing and photocatalysis
Authors: Zhang Sha , Chen Hsueh-Shih , Matras-Postolek Katarzyna , Yang Ping
Published: October 2015

Single crystal ZnO nanoflowers composed of small ZnO nanoparticles with high crystallinity and grown along the {100} facet with an average size of 60 nm have a much better gas sensing response. ZnO–reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composites showed enhanced photocatalytic performance.
Femtosecond 2DIR spectroscopy of the nitrile stretching vibration of thiocyanate anions in liquid-to-supercritical heavy water. Spectral diffusion and libration-induced hydrogen-bond dynamics
Authors: Czurlok Denis , von Domaros Michael , Thomas Martin , Gleim Jeannine , Lindner Jörg , Kirchner Barbara , Vöhringer Peter
Published: October 2015

Femtosecond two-dimensional infrared (2DIR) spectroscopy was carried out to study the dynamics of vibrational spectral diffusion of the nitrile stretching vibration of thiocyanate.
Electrophoresis of pH-regulated nanoparticles: impact of the Stern layer
Authors: Mei Lanju , Chou Tzung-Han , Cheng Yu-Shen , Huang Ming-Jiang , Yeh Li-Hsien , Qian Shizhi
Published: October 2015

The Stern layer effect on the surface charge property and electrophoretic motion of pH-regulated silica nanoparticles is investigated theoretically.
Spectral pre and post processing for infrared and Raman spectroscopy of biological tissues and cells
Authors: Byrne Hugh J. , Knief Peter , Keating Mark E. , Bonnier Franck
Published: October 2015

This review presents the current understanding of the factors influencing the quality of spectra recorded and the pre-processing steps commonly employed to improve on spectral quality, as well as some of the most common techniques for classification and analysis of the spectral data for biomedical applications.
Directed synthesis of {CuII2ZnII2} and {CuII8ZnII8} heterometallic complexes
Authors: Heras Ojea María José , Wilson Claire , Coles Simon J. , Tuna Floriana , Murrie Mark
Published: October 2015

The polydentate ligand Bis–tris propane is used to assemble two Cu/Zn heterometallic complexes: a tetramer which displays an unusually strong Cu(ii)⋯Cu(ii) exchange given the Cu⋯Cu separation or, in the presence of base, a hexadecanuclear complex with a remarkable double-concentric ring structure.
Quercitrin offers protection against brain injury in mice by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation
Authors: Ma Jie-Qiong , Luo Rong-Zhen , Jiang Hai-Xia , Liu Chan-Min
Published: October 2015

Quercitrin is one of the primary flavonoid compounds present in vegetables and fruits.
Single-step chromatographic isolation of lithium from whole-rock carbonate and clay for isotopic analysis with multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry
Authors: Van Hoecke K. , Belza J. , Croymans T. , Misra S. , Claeys P. , Vanhaecke F.
Published: October 2015

An ion chromatographic procedure allows isolation of lithium from carbonate and clay material prior to isotope ratio determination with MC-ICP-MS.
Does lipophilicity affect the effectiveness of a transmembrane anion transporter? Insight from squaramido-functionalized bis(choloyl) conjugates
Authors: Li Zhi , Deng Li-Qun , Chen Jin-Xiang , Zhou Chun-Qiong , Chen Wen-Hua
Published: October 2015

Lipophilicity was found to have little effect on the effectiveness of squaramido-functionalized bis(choloyl) conjugates.
Pharmacological evaluation of hybrid thiazolidin-4-one-1,3,5-triazines for NF-κB, biofilm and CFTR activity
Authors: Srivastava Jitendra Kumar , Awatade Nikhil T. , Bhat Hans Raj , Kmit Arthur , Mendes Karina , Ramos Margarida , Amaral Margarida D. , Singh Udaya Pratap
Published: October 2015

A series of hybrid thiazolidin-4-one-1,3,5-triazines was evaluated for NF-κB, biofilm and CFTR activity.
A liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric study (LC/ESI-MS/MS) of in vivo metabolites of cisplatin in rat liver and brain tissues: deuterated experiments
Authors: Bandu Raju , Kim Hak Jin , Mok Hyuck Jun , Kim Kwang Pyo
Published: October 2015

In vivo rat liver and brain tissue metabolites of an anticancer drug, cisplatin, have been identified and characterized by using LC/ESI-MS/MS in combination with on-line H/D exchange experiments.
Electrochemical detection of azidothymidine on modified probes based on chitosan stabilised silver nanoparticles hybrid material
Authors: Tiwari Preeti , Kumar Ashish , Prakash Rajiv
Published: October 2015

Silver nanoparticle stabilized by chitosan is synthesized for modification of sensing probe for AZT estimation in human plasma.
Isolation of circulating tumour cells by physical means in a microfluidic device: a review
Authors: Patil Pravin , Madhuprasad Madhuprasad , Kumeria Tushar , Losic Dusan , Kurkuri Mahaveer
Published: October 2015

Isolation and enumeration of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from human blood has a huge significance in diagnosis and prognosis of cancer.
Hydrothermal decomposition of potassium feldspar under alkaline conditions
Authors: Liu S. K. , Han C. , Liu J. M. , Li H.
Published: October 2015

For the first time, a transitional compound [Ca2+ ≡ 2AlSi3O8− ≡ xOH−] was observed for K-feldspar hydrothermal alkaline decomposition, and a model was presented.
Electrodeposition of ultrathin nickel–cobalt double hydroxide nanosheets on nickel foam as high-performance supercapacitor electrodes
Authors: Xing Junheng , Wu Shaoyan , Ng K. Y. Simon
Published: October 2015

The present work demonstrates a facile, one-step electrodeposition approach for the preparation of ultrathin Ni–Co double hydroxide (DH) nanosheets on Ni foam as supercapacitor electrodes.
Nanohybrid membranes with hydroxide ion transport highways constructed from imidazolium-functionalized graphene oxide
Authors: Chen Huiling , Wang Jianshe , Bai Huijuan , Sun Jie , Li Yifan , Liu Yong , Wang Jingtao
Published: October 2015

Graphene oxide (GO) and functionalized GO have been widely employed to design and fabricate polymer–inorganic nanohybrid materials for electrochemical applications.
CuInSe2 thin film solar cells prepared by low-cost electrodeposition techniques from a non-aqueous bath
Authors: Londhe Priyanka U. , Rohom Ashwini B. , Chaure Nandu B.
Published: October 2015

Highly crystalline and stoichiometric CIS thin films have been electrodeposited from non-aqueous bath at temperature 130 °C. Superstrate solar cell structure (FTO/CdS/CIS/Au) exhibited 4.5% power conversion efficiency.
A porous aerogel nanocomposite of silver nanoparticles-functionalized cellulose nanofibrils for SERS detection and catalytic degradation of rhodamine B
Authors: Chook Soon Wei , Chia Chin Hua , Chan Chi Hoong , Chin Siew Xian , Zakaria Sarani , Sajab Mohd Shaiful , Huang Nay Ming
Published: October 2015

Herein, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were functionalised with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) via a green in situ hydrothermal synthesis approach. The produced nanocomposites were used for the detection and catalytic degradation of rhodamine B.
Miscible polypeptide blends of polytyrosine and poly(γ-methyl l-glutamate) with rigid-rod conformations
Authors: Lu Yi-Syuan , Kuo Shiao-Wei
Published: October 2015

A new miscible rod–rod polypeptide blend system comprising polytyrosine and poly(γ-methyl l-glutamate) from intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the phenolic OH groups of PTyr and the side chain CO groups of PMLG.
Tailoring base catalyzed synthesis of palm oil based alkyd resin through CuO nanoparticles
Authors: Ong Huei Ruey , Khan Md. Maksudur Rahman , Ramli Ridzuan , Rahman Md. Wasikur , Yunus Rosli Mohd
Published: October 2015

Palm oil based alkyd resin was synthesized by an alcoholysis–polyesterification process over a base catalyst tailored by copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles.
Controlled nitridation of tantalum (oxy)nitride nanoparticles towards optimized metal-support interactions with gold nanocatalysts
Authors: Yang Xiaoyun , He Sina , Shu Yijin , Shi Zhangping , Guo Yulin , Gao Qingsheng , Tang Yi
Published: October 2015

Optimized metal-support interactions were achieved on ionothermally prepared tantalum (oxy)nitrides with controlled nitridation, and the as-formed Auδ− species on TaON is efficient for nitrobenzene hydrogenation.
An ultrathin bilayer membrane with asymmetric wettability for pressure responsive oil/water emulsion separation
Authors: Hu Liang , Gao Shoujian , Zhu Yuzhang , Zhang Feng , Jiang Lei , Jin Jian
Published: October 2015

Superwetting bilayer membranes exhibit ultrahigh permeation flux and separation efficiency for both W/O and O/W emulsion separation by the modulation of the applied pressure.
Single-crystalline Ni(OH)2nanosheets vertically aligned on a three-dimensional nanoporous metal for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors
Authors: Hou Chao , Lang Xing-You , Wen Zi , Zhu Yong-Fu , Zhao Ming , Li Jian-Chen , Zheng Wei-Tao , Lian Jian-She , Jiang Qing
Published: October 2015

We report a rational design of hybrid electrodes with minimization of internal resistance for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors.
Natural carbon nanodots assisted development of size-tunable metal (Pd, Ag) nanoparticles grafted on bionic dendritic α-Fe2O3 for cooperative catalytic applications
Authors: Jiang Zhifeng , Jiang Deli , Wei Wei , Yan Zaoxue , Xie Jimin
Published: October 2015

We introduced an in situ method of preparing noble metal/dendritic Fe2O3 composites and evaluated their catalytic performances.
A facile nonpolar organic solution process of a nanostructured hematite photoanode with high efficiency and stability for water splitting
Authors: Wang Jian-Jun , Hu Yelin , Toth Rita , Fortunato Giuseppino , Braun Artur
Published: October 2015

A facile nonpolar organic solution approach has been developed for a high performance hematite photoanode at a low sintering temperature (550 °C).
Steric minimization towards high planarity and molecular weight for aggregation and photovoltaic studies
Authors: Han Liangliang , Hu Tong , Bao Xichang , Qiu Meng , Shen Wenfei , Sun Mingliang , Chen Weichao , Yang Renqiang
Published: October 2015

A steric minimization strategy is proposed to design a donor–acceptor polymer with high planarity, molecular weight and strong aggregation characteristics.
Stretchable light scattering display based on super strong liquid crystalline physical gels with special loofah-like 3D gel networks
Authors: Chen Si , Luo Xiao , He Huiwen , Tong Xiaoqian , Wu Bozhen , Ma Meng , Wang Xu
Published: October 2015

A unique stretchable liquid crystal light scattering display is reported in this paper with clear images shown at a maximum strain of 145% of the original length, based on super strong liquid crystalline physical gels with special loofah-like 3D gel networks.
Low‐current ripple LED driver by two‐phase driving approach
Authors: Wong Chi Shing , Lai Yuk Ming , Loo Ka Hong , Tse Chi K.
Published: October 2015

A two‐phase driving approach for light‐emitting diode (LED) power supply is proposed. The approach uses two rectangular current sources working complementarily to supply a constant current to the LED string so that the output current can contain very low ripple even without the use of any electrolytic capacitor in the driver circuit. A dual asymmetrical half‐bridge converter with power factor correction is used to realise the approach. A 60 W prototype is built and tested to validate the idea.
Zero‐current switching method for dc–dc buck converter in portable application
Authors: Zhang Haozhou , Zhao Menglian , Wu Xiaobo
Published: October 2015

A novel zero‐current switching (ZCS) method for dc–dc buck converter is proposed. Instead of a conventional high precision and high speed comparator, a comparator with adaptive offset is designed here. By detecting the conduction of parasitic body diode after low‐side power transistor turned off, the offset is automatically adjusted to achieve ZCS. Thus the delay and offset of comparator are no longer an obstacle in circuit design and the measurement results show that the turned‐off inductor current is <10 mA, 1% of the peak value of inductor current and its power consumption is no larger than traditional ones.
Enhanced processing and analysis of multi‐channel non‐invasive abdominal foetal ECG signals during labor and delivery
Authors: Martinek R. , Kelnar M. , Koudelka P. , Vanus J. , Bilik P. , Janku P. , Nazeran H. , Zidek J.
Published: October 2015

Here the authors explore, implement and verify the potential utility of hybrid intelligent adaptive systems for processing and analysis of multi‐channel non‐invasive abdominal foetal electrocardiogram (fECG) signals. This approach allows clinicians to enhance non‐invasive cardiotocography (CTG) with continuous ST waveform analysis (STAN) of fECG signals to improve intrapartum monitoring during labuor. The system uses a multi‐channel adaptive neuro‐fuzzy interference system with a new hybrid learning algorithm based on uniquely synthesised data, which comports well with real data acquired from clinical practice. The system allows the user to obtain a reference signal for objective verification. The functionality of the system has been evaluated not only by subjective criteria (an fECG morphology study by a gynaecologist), but also by objective criteria using quantitative performance metrics such as input and output signal‐to‐noise ratios, root mean square error, sensitivity S+, and positive predictive value among others. Experimental results indicate that hybrid neuro‐fuzzy systems have the potential to improve the diagnostic and monitoring qualities (sensitivity and specificity) of fECG signals while preserving their clinically important features by leveraging the combined utility of non‐invasive CTG and STAN.