bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin-D receptor agonist calcitriol reduces calcification in vitro through selective upregulation of SLC20A2 but not SLC20A1 or XPR1
Authors: Keasey M. P. , Lemos R. R. , Hagg T. , Oliveira J. R. M.
Published: May 2016

Vitamin D deficiency (hypovitaminosis D) causes osteomalacia and poor long bone mineralization. In apparent contrast, hypovitaminosis D has been reported in patients with primary brain calcifications (“Fahr’s disease”). We evaluated the expression of two phosphate transporters which we have found to be associated with primary brain calcification (SLC20A2, whose promoter has a predicted vitamin D receptor binding site and XPR1) and one unassociated (SLC20A1), in an in vitro model of calcification. Expression of all three genes was significantly decreased in calcifying human bone osteosarcoma (SaOs-2) cells. Further, we confirmed that vitamin D (calcitriol) reduced calcification as measured by Alizarin Red staining. Cells incubated with calcitriol under calcifying conditions specifically maintained expression of the phosphate transporter SLC20A2 at higher levels relative to controls, by RT-qPCR. Neither SLC20A1 nor XPR1 were affected by calcitriol treatment and remained suppressed. Critically, knockdown of SLC20A2 gene and protein with CRISPR technology in SaOs2 cells significantly ablated vitamin D mediated inhibition of calcification. This study elucidates the mechanistic importance of SLC20A2 in suppressing the calcification process. It also suggests that vitamin D might be used to regulate SLC20A2 gene expression, as well as reduce brain calcification which occurs in Fahr’s disease and normal aging.
A systems biology pipeline identifies new immune and disease related molecular signatures and networks in human cells during microgravity exposure
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Sayak , Saha Rohini , Palanisamy Anbarasi , Ghosh Madhurima , Biswas Anupriya , Roy Saheli , Pal Arijit , Sarkar Kathakali , Bagh Sangram
Published: May 2016

Microgravity is a prominent health hazard for astronauts, yet we understand little about its effect at the molecular systems level. In this study, we have integrated a set of systems-biology tools and databases and have analysed more than 8000 molecular pathways on published global gene expression datasets of human cells in microgravity. Hundreds of new pathways have been identified with statistical confidence for each dataset and despite the difference in cell types and experiments, around 100 of the new pathways are appeared common across the datasets. They are related to reduced inflammation, autoimmunity, diabetes and asthma. We have identified downregulation of NfκB pathway via Notch1 signalling as new pathway for reduced immunity in microgravity. Induction of few cancer types including liver cancer and leukaemia and increased drug response to cancer in microgravity are also found. Increase in olfactory signal transduction is also identified. Genes, based on their expression pattern, are clustered and mathematically stable clusters are identified. The network mapping of genes within a cluster indicates the plausible functional connections in microgravity. This pipeline gives a new systems level picture of human cells under microgravity, generates testable hypothesis and may help estimating risk and developing medicine for space missions.
Gender differences in CNV burden do not confound schizophrenia CNV associations
Authors: Han Jun , Walters James T. R. , Kirov George , Pocklington Andrew , Escott-Price Valentina , Owen Michael J. , Holmans Peter , O’Donovan Michael C. , Rees Elliott
Published: May 2016

Compared with the general population, an excess of rare copy number variants (CNVs) has been identified in people with schizophrenia. Females with neurodevelopmental disorders and in the general population have been reported to carry more large, rare CNVs than males. Given that many schizophrenia datasets do not have equal gender ratios in cases and controls, sex differences in CNV burden might have impacted on estimates of case-related CNV burden and also on associations to individual loci. In a sample of 13,276 cases and 17,863 controls, we observed a small but significant excess of large (≥500 Kb), rare (<1%) CNVs in females compared with males in both cases and controls (OR = 1.17, P = 0.0012 for controls; OR = 1.11, P = 0.045 for cases). The burden of 11 schizophrenia-associated CNVs was significantly higher in female cases compared with male cases (OR = 1.38, P = 0.0055), but after accounting for the rates of CNVs in controls, we found no significant gender difference in the risk conferred by these loci. Controlling for gender had a negligible effect on the significance of association between specific CNVs and schizophrenia. The female excess of large CNVs in both cases and controls suggests a female protective mechanism exists for deleterious CNVs that may extend beyond neurodevelopmental phenotypes.
Filter-Based Dispersion-Managed Versatile Ultrafast Fibre Laser
Authors: Peng Junsong , Boscolo Sonia
Published: May 2016

We present the operation of an ultrafast passively mode-locked fibre laser, in which flexible control of the pulse formation mechanism is readily realised by an in-cavity programmable filter the dispersion and bandwidth of which can be software configured. We show that conventional soliton, dispersion-managed (DM) soliton (stretched-pulse) and dissipative soliton mode-locking regimes can be reliably targeted by changing the filter’s dispersion and bandwidth only, while no changes are made to the physical layout of the laser cavity. Numerical simulations are presented which confirm the different nonlinear pulse evolutions inside the laser cavity. The proposed technique holds great potential for achieving a high degree of control over the dynamics and output of ultrafast fibre lasers, in contrast to the traditional method to control the pulse formation mechanism in a DM fibre laser, which involves manual optimisation of the relative length of fibres with opposite-sign dispersion in the cavity. Our versatile ultrafast fibre laser will be attractive for applications requiring different pulse profiles such as in optical signal processing and optical communications.
Parallel Polarization State Generation
Authors: She Alan , Capasso Federico
Published: May 2016

The control of polarization, an essential property of light, is of wide scientific and technological interest. The general problem of generating arbitrary time-varying states of polarization (SOP) has always been mathematically formulated by a series of linear transformations, i.e. a product of matrices, imposing a serial architecture. Here we show a parallel architecture described by a sum of matrices. The theory is experimentally demonstrated by modulating spatially-separated polarization components of a laser using a digital micromirror device that are subsequently beam combined. This method greatly expands the parameter space for engineering devices that control polarization. Consequently, performance characteristics, such as speed, stability and spectral range, are entirely dictated by the technologies of optical intensity modulation, including absorption, reflection, emission and scattering. This opens up important prospects for polarization state generation (PSG) with unique performance characteristics with applications in spectroscopic ellipsometry, spectropolarimetry, communications, imaging and security.
Spatial organization of heterologous metabolic system in vivo based on TALE
Authors: Zhu Lv-yun , Qiu Xin-yuan , Zhu Ling-yun , Wu Xiao-min , Zhang Yuan , Zhu Qian-hui , Fan Dong-yu , Zhu Chu-shu , Zhang Dong-yi
Published: May 2016

For years, prokaryotic hosts have been widely applied in bio-engineering. However, the confined in vivo enzyme clustering of heterologous metabolic pathways in these organisms often results in low local concentrations of enzymes and substrates, leading to a low productive efficacy. We developed a new method to accelerate a heterologous metabolic system by integrating a transcription activator-like effector (TALE)-based scaffold system into an Escherichia coli chassis. The binding abilities of the TALEs to the artificial DNA scaffold were measured through ChIP-PCR. The effect of the system was determined through a split GFP study and validated through the heterologous production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) by incorporating TALE-fused IAA biosynthetic enzymes in E. coli. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to use the TALE system as a scaffold for the spatial organization of bacterial metabolism. This technique might be used to establish multi-enzymatic reaction programs in a prokaryotic chassis for various applications.
Independent Association between Sleep Fragmentation and Dyslipidemia in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Qian Yingjun , Yi Hongliang , Zou Jianyin , Meng Lili , Tang Xulan , Zhu Huaming , Yu Dongzhen , Zhou Huiqun , Su Kaiming , Guan Jian , Yin Shankai
Published: May 2016

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is independently associated with dyslipidemia. Previous studies have demonstrated that sleep fragmentation can impair lipid metabolism. The present study aimed to identify whether sleep fragmentation is independently associated with dyslipidemia, in a large-scale, clinic-based consecutive OSA sample. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,686 patients who underwent polysomnography (PSG) for suspicion of OSA from January 2008 to January 2013 at the sleep laboratory. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to evaluate the independent associations between the microarousal index (MAI) and lipid profiles adjusting for potential confounders, including metabolic syndrome components and nocturnal intermittent hypoxia. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for various types of dyslipidemia according to MAI quartiles, as determined by logistic regression were also evaluated. MAI was found positively associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) but not with total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). Furthermore, the adjusted ORs (95% confidence interval) for hyper-LDL cholesterolemia increased across MAI quartiles, as follows: 1 (reference), 1.3 (1.1–1.7), 1.6 (1.2–2.0) and 1.6 (1.2–2.1) (p = 0.001, linear trend). Sleep fragmentation in OSA is independently associated with hyper-LDL cholesterolemia, which may predispose patients with OSA to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Comparative Evaluation of the Artefacts Index of Dental Materials on Two-Dimensional Cone-beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Yuan Fusong , Chen Litong , Wang Xiaofei , Wang Yong , Lyu Peijun , Sun Yuchun
Published: May 2016

The aim of the study was to propose the artefact index on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of clinical prosthodontics materials and to compare the effect of the artefacts on CBCT image clarity of normal oral tissues. Seven spheres of different materials were secured on the centre of a resin baseboard, respectively and four human molarsin vitrowere placed at 10 mm front, back, left and right of the sphere. The board was scanned using CBCT with the same setting. 10 tomographic images from each of the seven data sets with clear artefacts was selected. The grayscale measuring tool of Photoshop software was used to measure the grayscale (G0) within the boundary of tomographic image and the grayscales of the streaky artefacts that were 1 mm and 20 mm outside the circular boundary (G1 and G2). The arc length, L1, of the circular boundary with artefacts was measured; the circumference, L2, was calculated. The artefact index, A, was determined as (G1/G0) × 0.5 + (G2/G1) × 0.4 + (L2/L1) × 0.1. The artefact index A can comprehensively represent the effect of artefacts on CBCT image clarity for oral tissue.
In vitro flow cytometry-based screening platform for cellulase engineering
Authors: Körfer Georgette , Pitzler Christian , Vojcic Ljubica , Martinez Ronny , Schwaneberg Ulrich
Published: May 2016

Ultrahigh throughput screening (uHTS) plays an essential role in directed evolution for tailoring biocatalysts for industrial applications. Flow cytometry-based uHTS provides an efficient coverage of the generated protein sequence space by analysis of up to 107 events per hour. Cell-free enzyme production overcomes the challenge of diversity loss during the transformation of mutant libraries into expression hosts, enables directed evolution of toxic enzymes and holds the promise to efficiently design enzymes of human or animal origin. The developed uHTS cell-free compartmentalization platform (InVitroFlow) is the first report in which a flow cytometry-based screened system has been combined with compartmentalized cell-free expression for directed cellulase enzyme evolution. InVitroFlow was validated by screening of a random cellulase mutant library employing a novel screening system (based on the substrate fluorescein-di-β-D-cellobioside) and yielded significantly improved cellulase variants (e.g. CelA2-H288F-M1 (N273D/H288F/N468S) with 13.3-fold increased specific activity (220.60 U/mg) compared to CelA2 wildtype: 16.57 U/mg).
Visible-light photoredox synthesis of unnatural chiral α-amino acids
Authors: Jiang Min , Jin Yunhe , Yang Haijun , Fu Hua
Published: May 2016

Unnatural chiral α-amino acids are widely used in fields of organic chemistry, biochemistry and medicinal chemistry, and their synthesis has attracted extensive attention. Although the asymmetric synthesis provides some efficient protocols, noble and elaborate catalysts, ligands and additives are usually required which leads to high cost. Distinctly, it is attractive to make unnatural chiral α-amino acids from readily available natural α-amino acids through keeping of the existing chiral α-carbon. However, it is a great challenge to construct them under mild conditions. In this paper, 83 unnatural chiral α-amino acids were prepared at room temperature under visible-light assistance. The protocol uses two readily available genetically coded proteinogenic amino acids, L-aspartic acid and glutamic acid derivatives as the chiral sources and radical precursors, olefins, alkynyl and alkenyl sulfones, and 2-isocyanobiphenyl as the radical acceptors, and various unnatural chiral α-amino acids were prepared in good to excellent yields. The simple protocol, mild conditions, fast reactions, and high efficiency make the method an important strategy for synthesis of diverse unnatural chiral α-amino acids.
Robust two-dimensional superconductivity and vortex system in Bi2Te3/FeTe heterostructures
Authors: Liu Hong-Chao , Li Hui , He Qing Lin , Sou Iam Keong , Goh Swee K. , Wang Jiannong
Published: May 2016

The discovery of two-dimensional superconductivity in Bi2Te3/FeTe heterostructures provides a new platform for the search of Majorana fermions in condensed matter systems. Since Majorana fermions are expected to reside at the core of the vortices, a close examination of the vortex dynamics in superconducting interface is of paramount importance. Here, we report the robustness of the interfacial superconductivity and 2D vortex dynamics in four as-grown and aged Bi2Te3/FeTe heterostructure with different Bi2Te3 epilayer thickness (3, 5, 7, 14 nm). After two years’ air exposure, superconductivity remains robust even when the thickness of Bi2Te3 epilayer is down to 3 nm. Meanwhile, a new feature at ~13 K is induced in the aged samples and the high field studies reveal its relevance to superconductivity. The resistance of all as-grown and aged heterostructures, just below the superconducting transition temperature follows the Arrhenius relation, indicating the thermally activated flux flow behavior at the interface of Bi2Te3 and FeTe. Moreover, the activation energy exhibits a logarithmic dependence on the magnetic field, providing a compelling evidence for the 2D vortex dynamics in this novel system. The weak disorder associated with aging-induced Te vacancies is possibly responsible for these observed phenomena.
Species-specific mutual regulation of p53 and miR-138 between human, rat and mouse
Authors: Li Jie , Xia Wei , Su Xueting , Qin Xingliang , Chen Ying , Li Shaohua , Dong Jie , Ding Hongmei , Li Hui , Huang Aixue , Ge Xingfeng , Hou Lvbin , Wang Chaonan , Sun Leqiao , Bai Chenjun , Shen Xuelian , Fang Tao , Liu Yuanlin , Zhang Yi , Zhang Hongru , Zhang Hongwen , Shao Ningsheng
Published: May 2016

In recent years, p53 was identified to regulate the expression of many miRNAs and was also regulated by miRNAs. In this paper, we found that miR-138 showed a pronounced increase after p53 activation in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, which is mediated by p53 binding sites in the promoter region of its host gene, but this did not happen with rat and mouse cells. More interestingly, we found that p53 could be also regulated by miR-138 in mouse and rat cells, but not in the human NSCLC cells. Our results suggest the existence of species-specific differences of the regulations of miRNA against its targets and the regulations of miRNA itself by other proteins.
Prevalence of colonic diverticulosis in mainland China from 2004 to 2014
Authors: Hong Wandong , Geng Wujun , Wang Chao , Dong Lemei , Pan Shuang , Yang Xinjing , Zippi Maddalena , Xu Chunfang , Zhou Mengtao , Pan Jingye
Published: May 2016

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of colonic diverticulosis in mainland China. Sixty two thousand and thirty-four colonoscopies performed between Jan 2004 and Dec 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The overall diverticulosis prevalence was 1.97% and out of this, 85.3% was right-sided. Prevalence does not change, significantly, on trends between the period 2004–2014. The peak of prevalence of diverticulosis was compared between the female group aged >70 years to the male one of 41–50 years. The other peak, otherwise, was compared between the group of 51–60 years with the right-sided diverticulosis to the one of >70 years with left-sided disease. Multivariate analysis suggested that the male gender could be a risk factor for diverticulosis in the group aged ≤70 years, but not for the older patients. In addition, among men was registered an increased risk factor for right-sided diverticulosis and, at the same time, a protective one for left-sided localization. In conclusion, the prevalence of colonic diverticulosis is very low in mainland China and it does not change significantly on trends over the time. Both the prevalence of this condition and its distribution changes according to the age and the genders. These findings may lead the researchers to investigate the mechanisms causing this kind of disease and its distribution in regard of the age and the gender.
CP-25, a novel compound, protects against autoimmune arthritis by modulating immune mediators of inflammation and bone damage
Authors: Chang Yan , Jia Xiaoyi , Wei Fang , Wang Chun , Sun Xiaojing , Xu Shu , Yang Xuezhi , Zhao Yingjie , Chen Jingyu , Wu Huaxun , Zhang Lingling , Wei Wei
Published: May 2016

Paeoniflorin-6′-O-benzene sulfonate (code: CP-25), a novel ester derivative of paeoniflorin (Pae), was evaluated in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) to study its potential anti-arthritic activity. AA rats were treated with CP-25 (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg) from days 17 to 29 after immunization. CP-25 effectively reduced clinical and histopathological scores compared with the AA groups. CP-25-treated rats exhibited decreases in pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α) coupled with an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine TGF-β1 in the serum. CP-25 treatment inhibited M1 macrophage activation and enhanced M2 macrophage activation by influencing cytokine production. Decreases in Th17-IL-17 and the Th17-associated transcription factor RAR-related orphan receptor gamma (ROR-γt) dramatically demonstrated the immunomodulatory effects of CP-25 on abnormal immune dysfunction. In addition, CP-25 suppressed the production of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9, which supported its anti-osteoclastic effects. The data presented here demonstrated that CP-25 significantly inhibited the progression of rat AA by reducing inflammation, immunity and bone damage. The protective effects of CP-25 in AA highlight its potential as an ideal new anti-arthritic agent for human RA.
Preventing High Fat Diet-induced Obesity and Improving Insulin Sensitivity through Neuregulin 4 Gene Transfer
Authors: Ma Yongjie , Gao Mingming , Liu Dexi
Published: May 2016

Neuregulin 4 (NRG4), an epidermal growth factor-like signaling molecule, plays an important role in cell-to-cell communication during tissue development. Its function to regulate energy metabolism has recently been reported. This current study was designed to assess the preventive and therapeutic effects of NRG4 overexpression on high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Using the hydrodynamic gene transfer method, we demonstrate that Nrg4 gene transfer in mice suppressed the development of diet-induced obesity, but did not affect pre-existing adiposity and body weight in obese mice. Nrg4 gene transfer curbed HFD-induced hepatic steatosis by inhibiting lipogenesis and PPARγ-mediated lipid storage. Concurrently, overexpression of NRG4 reduced chronic inflammation in both preventive and treatment studies, evidenced by lower mRNA levels of macrophage marker genes including F4/80, Cd68, Cd11b, Cd11c, and macrophage chemokine Mcp1, resulting in improved insulin sensitivity. Collectively, these results demonstrate that overexpression of the Nrg4 gene by hydrodynamic gene delivery prevents HFD-induced weight gain and fatty liver, alleviates obesity-induced chronic inflammation and insulin resistance, and supports the health benefits of NRG4 in managing obesity and obesity-associated metabolic disorders.
Coupled crystal orientation-size effects on the strength of nano crystals
Authors: Yuan Rui , Beyerlein Irene J. , Zhou Caizhi
Published: May 2016

We study the combined effects of grain size and texture on the strength of nanocrystalline copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) using a crystal-plasticity based mechanics model. Within the model, slip occurs in discrete slip events exclusively by individual dislocations emitted statistically from the grain boundaries. We show that a Hall-Petch relationship emerges in both initially texture and non-textured materials and our values are in agreement with experimental measurements from numerous studies. We find that the Hall-Petch slope increases with texture strength, indicating that preferred orientations intensify the enhancements in strength that accompany grain size reductions. These findings reveal that texture is too influential to be neglected when analyzing and engineering grain size effects for increasing nanomaterial strength.
Interface Engineering of Organic Schottky Barrier Solar Cells and Its Application in Enhancing Performances of Planar Heterojunction Solar Cells
Authors: Jin Fangming , Su Zisheng , Chu Bei , Cheng Pengfei , Wang Junbo , Zhao Haifeng , Gao Yuan , Yan Xingwu , Li Wenlian
Published: May 2016

In this work, we describe the performance of organic Schottky barrier solar cells with the structure of ITO/molybdenum oxide (MoOx)/boron subphthalocyanine chloride (SubPc)/bathophenanthroline (BPhen)/Al. The SubPc-based Schottky barrier solar cells exhibited a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 2.59 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.06 V, and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.82% under simulated AM1.5 G solar illumination at 100 mW/cm2. Device performance was substantially enhanced by simply inserting thin organic hole transport material into the interface of MoOx and SubPc. The optimized devices realized a 180% increase in PCE of 2.30% and a peak Voc as high as 1.45 V was observed. We found that the improvement is due to the exciton and electron blocking effect of the interlayer and its thickness plays a vital role in balancing charge separation and suppressing quenching effect. Moreover, applying such interface engineering into MoOx/SubPc/C60 based planar heterojunction cells substantially enhanced the PCE of the device by 44%, from 3.48% to 5.03%. Finally, we also investigated the requirements of the interface material for Schottky barrier modification.
Anhedonia and general distress show dissociable ventromedial prefrontal cortex connectivity in major depressive disorder
Authors: Young C B , Chen T , Nusslock R , Keller J , Schatzberg A F , Menon V
Published: May 2016

Anhedonia, the reduced ability to experience pleasure in response to otherwise rewarding stimuli, is a core symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD). Although the posterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex (pVMPFC) and its functional connections have been consistently implicated in MDD, their roles in anhedonia remain poorly understood. Furthermore, it is unknown whether anhedonia is primarily associated with intrinsic ‘resting-state’ pVMPFC functional connectivity or an inability to modulate connectivity in a context-specific manner. To address these gaps, a pVMPFC region of interest was first identified using activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. pVMPFC connectivity was then examined in relation to anhedonia and general distress symptoms of depression, using both resting-state and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging involving pleasant music, in current MDD and healthy control groups. In MDD, pVMPFC connectivity was negatively correlated with anhedonia but not general distress during music listening in key reward- and emotion-processing regions, including nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra, orbitofrontal cortex and insula, as well as fronto-temporal regions involved in tracking complex sound sequences, including middle temporal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus. No such dissociations were observed in the healthy controls, and resting-state pVMPFC connectivity did not dissociate anhedonia from general distress in either group. Our findings demonstrate that anhedonia in MDD is associated with context-specific deficits in pVMPFC connectivity with the mesolimbic reward system when encountering pleasurable stimuli, rather than a static deficit in intrinsic resting-state connectivity. Critically, identification of functional circuits associated with anhedonia better characterizes MDD heterogeneity and may help track of one of its core symptoms.
New Fe(iii) and Co(ii) salen complexes with pendant distamycins: selective targeting of cancer cells by DNA damage and mitochondrial pathways
Authors: Ali Asfa , Kamra Mohini , Bhan Arunoday , Mandal Subhrangsu S. , Bhattacharya Santanu
Published: May 2016

Distamycin like moieties conjugated with core Fe(iii) and Co(ii) based salens were synthesized and studied. The metal complexes showed better and differential activity toward cancer cell death.
Interfacial rheometry of polymer at a water–oil interface by intra-pair magnetophoresis
Authors: Cappelli Stefano , de Jong Arthur M. , Baudry Jean , Prins Menno W. J.
Published: May 2016

Pairs of magnetic particles at an oil–water interface are repeatedly separated and attracted to quantify the polymer-dependent interfacial drag.
Characterization of the aromatic profile in “zijuan” and “pu-erh” green teas by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with GC-O and GC-MS
Authors: He Chaojun , Guo Xiangmeng , Yang Yumin , Xie Yanfu , Ju Fengyang , Guo Wenbo
Published: May 2016

An HS-SPME-GC-O (GC-MS) method was developed to identify the aroma-active compounds in “zijuan” and “pu-erh” green teas.
Fast determination of aqueous fullerene C60aggregates by vortex-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry
Authors: Zouboulaki Rodopi , Psillakis Elefteria
Published: May 2016

This work presents a new, fast and simple method for the determination of fullerene C60aggregates (nC60) in environmental waters by vortex-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction (VALLME) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Preparation of a boronic acid functionalized magnetic adsorbent for sensitive analysis of fluoroquinolones in environmental water samples
Authors: Liu Cheng , Liao Yingmin , Huang Xiaojia
Published: May 2016

Schematic representation of the synthetic process of a boronic acid functionalized magnetic adsorbent.
Improved charge transportation at PbS QDs/TiO2 interface for efficient PEC hydrogen generation
Authors: Ikram Ashi , Sahai Sonal , Rai Snigdha , Dass Sahab , Shrivastav Rohit , Satsangi Vibha R.
Published: May 2016

Inclusion of PbS QDs underneath TiO2 thin film has been proven to be an effective strategy in enhancing the PEC response of TiO2 owing to higher number of photogenerated charge carriers & their efficient separation, along with long term stability.
Single-layer cadmium chalcogenides: promising visible-light driven photocatalysts for water splitting
Authors: Wang Jiajun , Meng Jie , Li Qunxiang , Yang Jinlong
Published: May 2016

Single-layer CdSe and CdTe sheets cut along the (001) lattice plane of the wurtzite phase are promising photocatalysts for water splitting.
Theory of diffusion-influenced reactions in complex geometries
Authors: Galanti Marta , Fanelli Duccio , Traytak Sergey D. , Piazza Francesco
Published: May 2016

Chemical transformations involving the diffusion of reactants and subsequent chemical fixation steps are generally termed “diffusion-influenced reactions” (DIR). In this paper we build a comprehensive theory to compute the reaction rate constant of DIRs involving complex reactive multi-boundary landscapes.
Electrochemical activation of a tetrathiafulvalene halogen bond donor in solution
Authors: Oliveira R. , Groni S. , Fave C. , Branca M. , Mavré F. , Lorcy D. , Fourmigué M. , Schöllhorn B.
Published: May 2016

Electrochemistry: a powerful tool for probing and controlling halogen bonding in solution.
Tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy imaging of opaque samples in organic liquid
Authors: Touzalin T. , Dauphin A. L. , Joiret S. , Lucas I. T. , Maisonhaute E.
Published: May 2016

We demonstrate the feasibility of Tip Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy in liquid for an upright illumination/collection configuration.
Compact film fabrication of porous coordination polymer Co3[Co(CN)6]2 and its reversible vapochromic behavior
Authors: Tang Hua-Yu , Chu Zhenyu , Li Cui-Ping , Ren Xiao-Ming , Xue Chen , Jin Wanqin
Published: May 2016

The compact films of porous coordination polymer Co3[Co(CN)6]2, fabricated using a layer-by-layer assembly approach, are highly sensitive to organic vapors and the vapochromic process is reproducible and reversible.
Photoluminescence, energy transfer and tunable color of Ce3+, Tb3+ and Eu2+ activated oxynitride phosphors with high brightness
Authors: Lü Wei , Huo Jiansheng , Feng Yang , Zhao Shuang , You Hongpeng
Published: May 2016

We report a series of tuneable light-emitting Ca3Al8Si4O17N4:Ce3+/Tb3+/Eu2+ oxynitride phosphors with high brightness.
Raman microspectroscopy for probing the impact of a dietary antioxidant on human breast cancer cells
Authors: Medeiros P. S. C. , Batista de Carvalho A. L. M. , Ruano C. , Otero J. C. , Marques M. P. M.
Published: May 2016

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer worldwide and the most frequent among women, being the fifth cause of death from neoplastic disease.
The effect of Schisandra chinensis extracts on depression by noradrenergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic systems in the forced swim test in mice
Authors: Yan Tingxu , Xu Mengjie , Wu Bo , Liao Zhengzheng , Liu Zhi , Zhao Xu , Bi Kaishun , Jia Ying
Published: May 2016

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., as a Chinese functional food, has been widely used in neurological disorders including insomnia and Alzheimer's disease.
Organocatalytic asymmetric addition of alcohols to cyclic trifluoromethyl ketimines: highly enantioselective synthesis of chiral N,O-ketals
Authors: Zhou Ding , Yu Xueting , Zhang Jian , Wang Wei , Xie Hexin
Published: May 2016

A highly enantioselective addition of alcohols to cyclic trifluoromethyl ketimines catalyzed by quinine-thiourea is developed.
Novel tri-block copolymers of poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(2,2,3,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl acrylate)-b-poly(acrylic acid) prepared via two-step RAFT emulsion polymerization
Authors: Qiao Zhi , Qiu Teng , Liu Weiwei , Guo Longhai , Li Xiaoyu
Published: May 2016

A facile method for preparing ABA tri-block functional elastomers via two-step RAFT emulsion polymerization is introduced in this work.
Isocyanide-based multicomponent reactions in the synthesis of heterocycles
Authors: Sadjadi Samahe , Heravi Majid M. , Nazari Niousha
Published: May 2016

In this review, we update our previous presentation, underscoring the recent applications of isocyanides as privileged synthons in the synthesis of various heterocyclic compounds, especially focused on those synthesizedviamulticomponent reactions.
Investigations on flame dynamics of premixed H2–air mixtures in microscale tubes
Authors: B. Aravind , Velamati Ratna Kishore , Singh Aditya P. , Yoon Y. , Minaev S. , Kumar Sudarshan
Published: May 2016

The flame propagation is affected by flame shape angle and wall heat transfer coeff. A minimum flame propagation speed is observed for planar flames with nearly zero flame shape angle for 580 h−2 K−1 wall heat transfer coeff. range.
Cobalt oxide nanoparticles embedded in flexible carbon nanofibers: attractive material for supercapacitor electrodes and CO2 adsorption
Authors: Iqbal Nousheen , Wang Xianfeng , Ge Jianlong , Yu Jianyong , Kim Hak-Yong , Al-Deyab Salem S. , El-Newehy Mohamed , Ding Bin
Published: May 2016

In this study, a novel and effective strategy has been developed to produce a flexible hierarchical hybrid nanostructured membrane for multifunctional applications.
Dendrimer surface orientation of the RGD peptide affects mesenchymal stem cell adhesion
Authors: Vida Y. , Collado D. , Najera F. , Claros S. , Becerra J. , Andrades J. A. , Perez-Inestrosa E.
Published: May 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for a range of tissue regeneration applications.
Polyaminocyclodextrin nanosponges: synthesis, characterization and pH-responsive sequestration abilities
Authors: Russo Marco , Saladino Maria Luisa , Chillura Martino Delia , Lo Meo Paolo , Noto Renato
Published: May 2016

New pH-responsive nanosponges were obtained by reacting four different polyaminocyclodextrins with heptakis-(6-bromo)-(6-deoxy)-β-cyclodextrin.
Facile fabrication of carboxymethyl cellulose sodium/graphene oxide hydrogel microparticles for water purification
Authors: Liu Jingjing , Chu Huijuan , Wei Hongliang , Zhu Hongzheng , Wang Gang , Zhu Jing , He Juan
Published: May 2016

Carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMCNa)/graphene oxide (GO) hydrogel microparticles (CGs) with the diameter of 2.2–3.6 μm were prepared facilely via spray drying and used as adsorbents for water purification.
Dual role of the reactant MOH (M=Li, Na or K) in the growth of ZnO quantum dots under a sol–gel process: promoter and inhibitor
Authors: Li Song , Ye Song , Liu Tianhua , Guo Zhuang , Wang Huiyun , Wang Deping
Published: May 2016

ZnO quantum dots (QDs) with tunable size and photoluminescence can be achieved simply by controlling their growth during the sol–gel synthesis process.
Nanoparticles in sonodynamic therapy: state of the art review
Authors: Xu Hongyan , Zhang Xia , Han Rubing , Yang Peimin , Ma Haifeng , Song Yan , Lu Zhichao , Yin Weidong , Wu XiangXia , Wang Hui
Published: May 2016

The different types and advantages of nanoparticles in sonodynamic therapy.
Synthesis and characterization of new dual stimuli-responsive bisazobenzene derivatives
Authors: Homocianu M. , Serbezeanu D. , Carja I.-D. , Macsim A. M. , Vlad-Bubulac T. , Airinei A.
Published: May 2016

“New bisazobenzene derivatives with remarkable and reversible response to optical and chemical stimuli were synthetized and characterized”.
High catalytic activity of Co3O4 nanoparticles encapsulated in a graphene supported carbon matrix for oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Xie Guiting , Chen Bohong , Jiang Zhongqing , Niu Xiaojun , Cheng Si , Zhen Zihao , Jiang Yu , Rong Haibo , Jiang Zhong-Jie
Published: May 2016

A simple method has been adopted for the synthesis of Co3O4 nanoparticles encapsulated in graphene supported carbon matrix, which could exhibit higher catalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction than the commercial Pt/C.
Preparation, characterization and application of Cu–Ni/TiO2in Orange II photodegradation under visible light: effect of different reaction parameters and optimization
Authors: Riaz Nadia , Chong F. K. , Man Z. B. , Sarwar R. , Farooq U. , Khan A. , Khan M. S.
Published: May 2016

A series of mono- and bimetallic Cu–Ni/TiO2photocatalysts were preparedviawet impregnation. The addition of metal onto the surface of TiO2led to a better photocatalytic performance for Orange II photodegradation under visible light irradiation.
Zinc oxide/copper sulfide nanorods as a highly catalytic counter electrode material for quantum dot sensitized solar cells
Authors: Eskandari Mehdi , Ghahary Raheleh , Shokri Maedeh , Ahmadi Vahid
Published: May 2016

Copper sulfide deposited ZnO nanorods (ZnO NRs/CuS) were applied as a new counter electrode material with high electrocatalytic activity towards polysulfide electrolyte, for QDSSCs with enhanced performance.
Experimental and theoretical studies of the nanostructured {Fe3O4@SiO2@(CH2)3Im}C(CN)3catalyst for 2-amino-3-cyanopyridine preparationviaan anomeric based oxidation
Authors: Zolfigol Mohammad Ali , Kiafar Mahya , Yarie Meysam , Taherpour Avat(Arman) , Saeidi-Rad Mahdi
Published: May 2016

2-Amino-4,6-diphenylnicotinonitriles were prepared by using Fe3O4@SiO2@(CH2)3Im}C(CN)3as a catalyst. Experimental and theoretical studies confirmed that the final step of the synthetic pathway is proceededviaan anomeric based oxidation mechanism.
Designing performance-based measures to assess the scientific thinking skills of chemistry undergraduate researchers
Authors: Harsh Joseph A.
Published: May 2016

Undergraduate research (UR) is a vetted educational tool that is commonly perceived to prepare students for entering graduate school and careers in STEM fields; however, scholarly attention to date has largely relied on self-report data, which may limit inferences about the causal effects on student outcomes. In light of this, recent calls have been made for innovative and rigorous assessment strategies to better understand the efficacy and impact of UR on key disciplinary skills, both in classroom and internship UR models, that can help inform decisions about educational refinement. To more accurately measure the effect of UR on students, well-designed performance-based assessments can be used to provide direct evidence to the development of targeted skills during their research experience. Given the limited availability of tested, adaptable (and freely available) performance measures for assessing undergraduate chemistry students' scientific thinking skills, this article outlines a five-step process drawn from the literature about how reliable tasks and rubrics can be developed by faculty interested in assessing the effect of research training in the lab and classroom. For this purpose, as an applied example, the manuscript describes the development, testing, and validation of the Performance assessment of Undergraduate Research Experiences (PURE) instrument, which was designed to directly characterize the effects of research experiences on chemistry students' analytical and data-driven decision-making through open-response tasks situated in real-world scientific problems. Initial results reveal that the PURE instrument has high face validity and good reliability in measuring the scientific thinking skills of chemistry student researchers, and documents differences in UR students' answer quality over time supporting the effect of UR on research skill growth and the viability of performance data to assess these changes.
Effect of multi-armed triphenylamine-based hole transporting materials for high performance perovskite solar cells
Authors: Park Sungmin , Heo Jin Hyuck , Yun Jae Hoon , Jung Tae Sub , Kwak Kyungwon , Ko Min Jae , Cheon Cheol Hong , Kim Jin Young , Im Sang Hyuk , Son Hae Jung
Published: May 2016

The performance of planar perovskite solar cells was enhanced by using hole transporting materials containing triphenylamine groups with a multi-armed structure.
UbFluor: a mechanism-based probe for HECT E3 ligases
Authors: Krist David T. , Park Sungjin , Boneh Galyah H. , Rice Sarah E. , Statsyuk Alexander V.
Published: May 2016

UbFluor is a mechanism-based probe that undergoes a direct transthiolation reaction with the catalytic cysteine of the model HECT E3 ligase Rsp5. We show that UbFluor can be utilized to conduct high-throughput screens (HTS) of small molecules against HECT ligases.
Catalytic activities for methanol oxidation on ultrathin CuPt3 wavy nanowires with/without smart polymer
Authors: Fu Gengtao , Yan Xiaoxiao , Cui Zhiming , Sun Dongmei , Xu Lin , Tang Yawen , Goodenough John B. , Lee Jong-Min
Published: May 2016

CuPt3 nanowires are synthesized with a thermosensitive amine-terminated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) polymer, displaying “smart” temperature-controllable electrocatalytic activity towards the methanol oxidation reaction.
Thiocyanate assisted performance enhancement of formamidinium based planar perovskite solar cells through a single one-step solution process
Authors: Yang Shida , Liu Wenqing , Zuo Lijian , Zhang Xinqian , Ye Tao , Chen Jiehuan , Li Chang-Zhi , Wu Gang , Chen Hongzheng
Published: May 2016

Thiocyanate ammonium additives are found to improve the performance of FAPbI3 based planar perovskite solar cells through a single one-step method.
Highly stable hollow bifunctional cobalt sulfides for flexible supercapacitors and hydrogen evolution
Authors: Ranaweera C. K. , Wang Z. , Alqurashi Esam , Kahol P. K. , Dvornic P. R. , Gupta Bipin Kumar , Ramasamy Karthik , Mohite Aditya D. , Gupta Gautam , Gupta Ram K.
Published: May 2016

Hollow structured cobalt sulfide exhibits excellent electrochemical properties for highly stable flexible supercapacitors and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
High thermoelectric performance of superionic argyrodite compound Ag8SnSe6
Authors: Li Lin , Liu Yuan , Dai Jiyan , Hong Aijun , Zeng Min , Yan Zhibo , Xu Jun , Zhang Dong , Shan Dan , Liu Shilei , Ren Zhifeng , Liu Jun-Ming
Published: May 2016

A good thermoelectric material usually has a high power factor and low thermal conductivity for high figure of merit (ZT), and is also environmentally friendly and economical.
Selenophosphate synthetase 1 is an essential protein with roles in regulation of redox homoeostasis in mammals
Authors: Tobe Ryuta , Carlson Bradley A. , Huh Jang Hoe , Castro Nadia P. , Xu Xue-Ming , Tsuji Petra A. , Lee Sang-Goo , Bang Jeyoung , Na Ji-Woon , Kong Young-Yun , Beaglehole Daniel , Southon Eileen , Seifried Harold , Tessarollo Lino , Salomon David S. , Schweizer Ulrich , Gladyshev Vadim N. , Hatfield Dolph L. , Lee Byeong Jae
Published: May 2016

Selenophosphate synthetase (SPS) was initially detected in bacteria and was shown to synthesize selenophosphate, the active selenium donor. However, mammals have two SPS paralogues, which are designated SPS1 and SPS2. Although it is known that SPS2 catalyses the synthesis of selenophosphate, the function of SPS1 remains largely unclear. To examine the role of SPS1 in mammals, we generated a Sps1-knockout mouse and found that systemic SPS1 deficiency led to embryos that were clearly underdeveloped by embryonic day (E)8.5 and virtually resorbed by E14.5. The knockout of Sps1 in the liver preserved viability, but significantly affected the expression of a large number of mRNAs involved in cancer, embryonic development and the glutathione system. Particularly notable was the extreme deficiency of glutaredoxin 1 (GLRX1) and glutathione transferase Omega 1 (GSTO1). To assess these phenotypes at the cellular level, we targeted the removal of SPS1 in F9 cells, a mouse embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell line, which affected the glutathione system proteins and accordingly led to the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the cell. Furthermore, we found that several malignant characteristics of SPS1-deficient F9 cells were reversed, suggesting that SPS1 played a role in supporting and/or sustaining cancer. In addition, the overexpression of mouse or human GLRX1 led to a reversal of observed increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the F9 SPS1/GLRX1-deficient cells and resulted in levels that were similar to those in F9 SPS1-sufficient cells. The results suggested that SPS1 is an essential mammalian enzyme with roles in regulating redox homoeostasis and controlling cell growth.
Breast Augmentation by Water-Jet Assisted Autologous Fat Grafting: A Report of 300 Operations
Authors: Muench Daniel
Published: May 2016

Background The BEAULI -method (Breast Augmentation by Lipotransfer) is available for extraction and processing of large transplantable fat quantities. The aim of this work is to describe the surgical technique precisely and reproducibly and to provide an overview of the autologous fat transfer based on surgical experience.

Method The author performed 300 autologous fat transplantations on 254 women between September 3, 2010, and May 13, 2015. Patients desiring moderate volume increase, fuller and firmer breasts, as well as an optimization of the silhouette, ideally with the concurrent desire of the correction of unwanted fat deposits, were selected. The fat was extracted via water-jet assisted liposuction (Body-jet, Human Med AG, Schwerin, Germany), and the fat cells were subsequently separated with the Lipocollector® (Human Med AG, Schwerin, Germany).

Results The results were assessed with a control exam and photo comparison and were based on the responses on a questionnaire. Overall, 35.9% of the patients defined the result as very good, 38.6% as good, 22.4% as satisfactory, and 3.1% as poor.

Conclusion This study shows that the autologous fat cell transplantation into the female breast via water-jet assisted liposuction achieves a moderate and harmoniously appearing breast volume enlargement as well as contour improvement. Further studies with more cases and longer observation periods over several years could contribute to improving the method of the autologous fat transfer regarding the grow-in rate, efficiency, and safety.
Optofluidics of plants
Authors: Psaltis Demetri , Vasdekis Andreas E. , Choi Jae-Woo
Published: May 2016

Optofluidics is a tool for synthesizing optical systems, making use of the interaction of light with fluids. In this paper we explore optofluidic mechanisms that have evolved in plants where sunlight and fluidic control combine to define most of the functionality of the plan. We hope that the presentation of how plants function, from an optofluidics point of view, will open a window for the optics community to the vast literature of plant physiology and provide inspiration for new ideas for the design of bio-mimetic optofluidic devices.
Ground states solutions for a non-linear equation involving a pseudo-relativistic Schrödinger operator
Authors: Ambrosio Vincenzo
Published: May 2016

In this paper we prove the existence, regularity, and symmetry of a ground state for a nonlinear equation in the whole space, involving a pseudo-relativistic Schrödinger operator.
Enhanced photo/electroluminescence properties of Eu-doped GaN through optimization of the growth temperature and Eu related defect environment
Authors: Zhu W. , Mitchell B. , Timmerman D. , Uedono A. , Koizumi A. , Fujiwara Y.
Published: May 2016

The influence of growth temperature on the surface morphology and luminescence properties of Eu-doped GaN layers grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy was investigated. By using a Eu source that does not contain oxygen in its molecular structure, and varying the growth temperature, the local defect environment around the Eu3+ ions was manipulated, yielding a higher emission intensity from the Eu3+ ions and a smoother sample surface. The optimal growth temperature was determined to be 960 °C and was used to fabricate a GaN-based red light-emitting diode with a significantly higher output power.