bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managing the Interpersonal Aspect of Performance Management
Authors: Ock Jisoo , Oswald Frederick L.
Published: April 2015

It is safe to assume that an accurate performance appraisal (PA) is an important prerequisite to an effective performance management (PM) system, because with accurate PA information, management, teams, and employees can engage in the process of identifying and developing a wide range of job-relevant knowledge or skills to improve job performance. However, researchers and practitioners alike must continue to push for PA to be something other an administrative ritual; the ideal goal for PA is for it to contribute to a reliable process that can offer practical help to organizational operations, including PM. As Pulakos, Mueller Hanson, Arad, and Moye (2015) have pointed out, supervisors are concerned about demotivating or disengaging employees by providing PA ratings that are too much lower than the highest rating or ranking that is available, so having ratings that are clustered at the high end of the rating scale is quite common across organizations (Bretz, Milkovich, & Read, 1992).
A numerical evaluation of the asymptotic theory of receptivity for subsonic compressible boundary layers
Authors: De Tullio Nicola , Ruban Anatoly I.
Published: April 2015

The capabilities of the triple-deck theory of receptivity for subsonic compressible boundary layers have been thoroughly investigated through comparisons with numerical simulations of the compressible Navier–Stokes equations. The analysis focused on the two Tollmien–Schlichting wave linear receptivity problems arising due to the interaction between a low-amplitude acoustic wave and a small isolated roughness element, and the low-amplitude time-periodic vibrations of a ribbon placed on the wall of a flat plate. A parametric study was carried out to look at the effects of roughness element and vibrating ribbon longitudinal dimensions, Reynolds number, Mach number and Tollmien–Schlichting wave frequency. The flat plate is considered isothermal, with a temperature equal to the laminar adiabatic-wall temperature. Numerical simulations of the full and the linearised compressible Navier–Stokes equations have been carried out using high-order finite differences to obtain, respectively, the steady basic flows and the unsteady disturbance fields for the different flow configurations analysed. The results show that the asymptotic theory and the Navier–Stokes simulations are in good agreement. The initial Tollmien–Schlichting wave amplitudes and, in particular, the trends indicated by the theory across the whole parameter space are in excellent agreement with the numerical results. An important finding of the present study is that the behaviour of the theoretical solutions obtained for$\mathit{Re}\rightarrow \infty$holds at finite Reynolds numbers and the only conditions needed for the theoretical predictions to be accurate are that the receptivity process be linear and the free-stream Mach number be subsonic.
Avoidant Attachment and the Processing of Emotion Information: Selective Attention or Cognitive Avoidance?
Authors: Andriopoulos Panoraia , Kafetsios Konstantinos
Published: April 2015

The present study investigated avoidant attachment orientation differences in emotion processing biases under different conditions of attachment schema activation (subliminal, supraliminal or no-activation). After completing a dimensional assessment of adult attachment, 97 participants were randomly assigned to one of the three activating conditions and subsequently performed an Emotional Stroop Task including attachment and emotion positive and negative words. Consistently, in the supraliminal activation condition, avoidant participants demonstrated higher interference of attachment-related and emotional stimuli compared to the no-activation condition; they focused on the task-relevant processes (colour naming), ignoring the semantic meaning of the words (lower interference). The results of the present study suggest that avoidant individuals use both pre-emptive and post-emptive strategies under different activating conditions in the processing of emotion information. The results also highlight interpretation of latencies in the Emotional Stroop Task for avoidant participants.
Evaluation of competition between a native and an invasive hornet species: do seasonal phenologies overlap?
Authors: Monceau K. , Maher N. , Bonnard O. , Thiéry D.
Published: April 2015

One common dogma in ecology is based on the competitive exclusion principle. Hence, competition is often considered to be one of the primary determinants of the structure and functioning of ecosystems. In this paper, we investigate how the nativeVespa crabroand the recently introducedVespa velutinashow some degree of niche differentiation that potentially minimizes their interspecific competition, the two dimensions investigated here being seasonal activity patterns and preferences for food. These two species share common characteristics: they are closely related, live in the same areas, belong to the same guild (predators), exploit the same kind of food sources, and exhibit a similar annual life cycle. Considering all these similarities, interspecific competition may occur if the two species exhibit identical seasonal phenologies. Our data show that their seasonal phenologies overlap to some extent probably due to biological constraints common to Vespinae. The shifts in time observed here allow the hornet species to not directly compete for food sources at the same time. It does not however exclude indirect competition, especially in a ‘first-come, first-served’ fashion.
Scaling the Commanding Heights: The colonial conglomerates and the changing political economy of French Indochina
Authors: SASGES GERARD
Published: April 2015

By the late 1800s the colonial state's increasing capacity to regulate, finance, and tax had begun to open up new opportunities for locally based French enterprises in Indochina. Chinese syndicates that had previously dominated the economy found themselves deprived of existing revenue streams and denied access to new ones. The result was an ‘Indochinese moment’ when a handful of colonial conglomerates used profits from state contracts, monopolies, and subsidies as a base for growth and diversification after 1900. Yet scaling the commanding heights of the economy was not easy, and was only achieved thanks to sustained and powerful state intervention. Moreover, one of the effects of the economic crisis after 1928 was the end of this Indochinese moment and a shift in initiative to a new partnership that linked an increasingly technocratic state with the financiers and experts of the Bank of Indochina. This article investigates this complex interaction of state power, technology, and capital flows with local Chinese, French, and indigenous Indochinese actors, using one particular conglomerate, the Fontaine group, as a case study to shed light on the mechanisms that linked an interventionist state to capitalist enterprise and ultimately to the remaking of the Indochinese economy.
Artists and Engineers
Authors: Mellor D. H.
Published: April 2015

I dispute a widespread contrast between the sciences and the humanities that undervalues the latter compared to the former. This contrast assumes that science is more valuable than the humanities because it is more useful, an assumption I reject on the grounds that (a) science is not more useful than the humanities and (b) the value of usefulness, being instrumental, depends on the non-instrumental value of what it's usefulness for. I conclude that science is not made more valuable than the humanities either by its instrumental or by its non-instrumental value.
Finding Debris Clouds Around Asteroids Headed Our Way
Authors: Laursen Lucas
Published: April 2015

Small spikes in the solar system's magnetic field may help scientists detect overlooked and possibly dangerous debris clouds around near-Earth asteroids.
Chemokines in cellular positioning and human disease
Authors: Groom Joanna R
Published: April 2015

The April 2015 issue contains a Special Feature on “Chemokines in cellular positioning and human disease”. Chemokines serve as critical extracellular mediators of cell migration and retention. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of how cells are positioned within peripheral and lymphoid tissues for the development of timely effector and memory responses. In addition, advances in structural determination of chemokine receptor‐ligand complexes and the identification of genetic mutations that impact cell migration have brought us closer to targeting this system for the development of new anti‐inflammatory and anti‐tumor based drugs. Immunology and Cell Biology thanks the coordinator of this Special Feature ‐ Joanna Groom ‐ for her planning and input.
Tracing the evolutionary origins of insect renal function
Authors: Halberg Kenneth A. , Terhzaz Selim , Cabrero Pablo , Davies Shireen A. , Dow Julian A. T.
Published: April 2015

Knowledge on neuropeptide receptor systems is integral to understanding animal physiology. Yet, obtaining general insight into neuropeptide signalling in a clade as biodiverse as the insects is problematic. Here we apply fluorescent analogues of three key insect neuropeptides to map renal tissue architecture across systematically chosen representatives of the major insect Orders, to provide an unprecedented overview of insect renal function and control. In endopterygote insects, such as Drosophila, two distinct transporting cell types receive separate neuropeptide signals, whereas in the ancestral exopterygotes, a single, general cell type mediates all signals. Intriguingly, the largest insect Order Coleoptera (beetles) has evolved a unique approach, in which only a small fraction of cells are targets for neuropeptide action. In addition to demonstrating a universal utility of this technology, our results reveal not only a generality of signalling by the evolutionarily ancient neuropeptide families but also a clear functional separation of the types of cells that mediate the signal.
Interactions between horizontally acquired genes create a fitness cost in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: San Millan Alvaro , Toll-Riera Macarena , Qi Qin , MacLean R. Craig
Published: April 2015

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays a key role in bacterial evolution, especially with respect to antibiotic resistance. Fitness costs associated with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are thought to constrain HGT, but our understanding of these costs remains fragmentary, making it difficult to predict the success of HGT events. Here we use the interaction betweenP. aeruginosaand a costly plasmid (pNUK73) to investigate the molecular basis of the cost of HGT. Using RNA-Seq, we show that the acquisition of pNUK73 results in a profound alteration of the transcriptional profile of chromosomal genes. Mutations that inactivate two genes encoded on chromosomally integrated MGEs recover these fitness costs and transcriptional changes by decreasing the expression of the pNUK73 replication gene. Our study demonstrates that interactions between MGEs can compromise bacterial fitness via altered gene expression, and we argue that conflicts between mobile elements impose a general constraint on evolution by HGT.
Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment for temporal investigation of single-electron fractionalization
Authors: Freulon V. , Marguerite A. , Berroir J.-M. , Plaçais B. , Cavanna A. , Jin Y. , Fève G.
Published: April 2015

Coulomb interaction has a striking effect on electronic propagation in one-dimensional conductors. The interaction of an elementary excitation with neighbouring conductors favours the emergence of collective modes, which eventually leads to the destruction of the Landau quasiparticle. In this process, an injected electron tends to fractionalize into separated pulses carrying a fraction of the electron charge. Here we use two-particle interferences in the electronic analogue of the Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment in a quantum Hall conductor at filling factor 2 to probe the fate of a single electron emitted in the outer edge channel and interacting with the inner one. By studying both channels, we analyse the propagation of the single electron and the generation of interaction-induced collective excitations in the inner channel. These complementary pieces of information reveal the fractionalization process in the time domain and establish its relevance for the destruction of the quasiparticle, which degrades into the collective modes.
Synthesis of tetrasubstituted 1-silyloxy-3-aminobutadienes and chemistry beyond Diels–Alder reactions
Authors: Li Xijian , Peng Siyu , Li Li , Huang Yong
Published: April 2015

Electron-rich dienes have revolutionized the synthesis of complex compounds since the discovery of the legendary Diels–Alder cycloaddition reaction. This highly efficient bond-forming process has served as a fundamental strategy to assemble many structurally formidable molecules. Amino silyloxy butadienes are arguably the most reactive diene species that are isolable and bottleable. Since the pioneering discovery by Rawal, 1-amino-3-silyloxybutadienes have been found to undergo cycloaddition reactions with unparalleled mildness, leading to significant advances in both asymmetric catalysis and total synthesis of biologically active natural products. In sharp contrast, this class of highly electron-rich conjugated olefins has not been studied in non-cycloaddition reactions. Here we report a simple synthesis of tetrasubstituted 1-silyloxy-3-aminobutadienes, a complementarily substituted Rawal’s diene. This family of molecules is found to undergo a series of intriguing chemical transformations orthogonal to cycloaddition reactions. Structurally diverse polysubstituted ring architectures are established in one step from these dienes.
Diverse synaptic plasticity mechanisms orchestrated to form and retrieve memories in spiking neural networks
Authors: Zenke Friedemann , Agnes Everton J. , Gerstner Wulfram
Published: April 2015

Synaptic plasticity, the putative basis of learning and memory formation, manifests in various forms and across different timescales. Here we show that the interaction of Hebbian homosynaptic plasticity with rapid non-Hebbian heterosynaptic plasticity is, when complemented with slower homeostatic changes and consolidation, sufficient for assembly formation and memory recall in a spiking recurrent network model of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. In the model, assemblies were formed during repeated sensory stimulation and characterized by strong recurrent excitatory connections. Even days after formation, and despite ongoing network activity and synaptic plasticity, memories could be recalled through selective delay activity following the brief stimulation of a subset of assembly neurons. Blocking any component of plasticity prevented stable functioning as a memory network. Our modelling results suggest that the diversity of plasticity phenomena in the brain is orchestrated towards achieving common functional goals.
Modelling breast cancer requires identification and correction of a critical cell lineage-dependent transduction bias
Authors: Hines William C. , Yaswen Paul , Bissell Mina J.
Published: April 2015

Clinically relevant human culture models are essential for developing effective therapies and exploring the biology and etiology of human cancers. Current breast tumour models, such as those from oncogenically transformed primary breast cells, produce predominantly basal-like properties, whereas the more common phenotype expressed by the vast majority of breast tumours are luminal. Reasons for this puzzling, yet important phenomenon, are not understood. We show here that luminal epithelial cells are significantly more resistant to viral transduction than their myoepithelial counterparts. We suggest that this is a significant barrier to generating luminal cell lines and experimental tumours in vivo and to accurate interpretation of results. We show that the resistance is due to lower affinity of luminal cells for virus attachment, which can be overcome by pretreating cells—or virus—with neuraminidase. We present an analytical method for quantifying transductional differences between cell types and an optimized protocol for transducing unsorted primary human breast cells in context.
Cell voltage versus electrode potential range in aqueous supercapacitors
Authors: Dai Zengxin , Peng Chuang , Chae Jung Hoon , Ng Kok Chiang , Chen George Z.
Published: April 2015

Supercapacitors with aqueous electrolytes and nanostructured composite electrodes are attractive because of their high charging-discharging speed, long cycle life, low environmental impact and wide commercial affordability. However, the energy capacity of aqueous supercapacitors is limited by the electrochemical window of water. In this paper, a recently reported engineering strategy is further developed and demonstrated to correlate the maximum charging voltage of a supercapacitor with the capacitive potential ranges and the capacitance ratio of the two electrodes. Beyond the maximum charging voltage, a supercapacitor may still operate, but at the expense of a reduced cycle life. In addition, it is shown that the supercapacitor performance is strongly affected by the initial and zero charge potentials of the electrodes. Further, the differences are highlighted and elaborated between freshly prepared, aged under open circuit conditions and cycled electrodes of composites of conducting polymers and carbon nanotubes. The first voltammetric charging-discharging cycle has an electrode conditioning effect to change the electrodes from their initial potentials to the potential of zero voltage and reduce the irreversibility.
Recombinant Mutated Human TNF in Combination with Chemotherapy for Stage IIIB/IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized, Phase III Study
Authors: Ma Xiaowen , Song Yang , Zhang Kuo , Shang Lei , Gao Yuan , Zhang Wei , Xue Xiaochang , Jia Huimin , Geng Jian , Zhou Wei , Dang Yazheng , Li Enxiao , Ti Xinyu , Fan Fulin , Zhang Yingqi , Li Meng
Published: April 2015

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), an anti-angiogenic agent in cancer treatment, is limited to isolated limb perfusion due to systemic toxicities. We previously prepared a TNF mutant (rmhTNF) that significantly improved responses in lung cancer patients and exhibited a promising safety profile in phase I and II studies. To further investigate whether rmhTNF with standard chemotherapy provides a survival benefit, 529 patients with stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were randomly assigned to receive docetaxel plus carboplatin/cisplatin with rmhTNF (265) or chemotherapy alone (264). After four cycles of treatment, the median overall survival was 13.7 months in the chemotherapy plus rmhTNF group compared with 10.3 months in the chemotherapy group (hazard ratio (HR) 0.75, P = 0.001). The median progression-free survival in the chemotherapy plus rmhTNF group and the chemotherapy group was 8.6 and 4.5 months (HR 0.76, P = 0.001), respectively, with corresponding response rates of 38.5% and 27.7% (P = 0.008). Increased hyperpyrexia and pulmonary hemorrhage were associated with rmhTNF, but most effects were well tolerated. The results indicated that rmhTNF effectively potentiated chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC and was comparable with bevacizumab, an angiogenesis inhibitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for NSCLC.
Sulfonium Salts as Leaving Groups for Aromatic Labelling of Drug-like Small Molecules with Fluorine-18
Authors: Sander Kerstin , Gendron Thibault , Yiannaki Elena , Cybulska Klaudia , Kalber Tammy L. , Lythgoe Mark F. , Årstad Erik
Published: April 2015

Positron emission tomography (PET) is unique in that it allows quantification of biochemical processes in vivo, but difficulties with preparing suitably labelled radiotracers limit its scientific and diagnostic applications. Aromatic [18F]fluorination of drug-like small molecules is particularly challenging as their functional group compositions often impair the labelling efficiency. Herein, we report a new strategy for incorporation of 18F into highly functionalized aromatic compounds using sulfonium salts as leaving groups. The method is compatible with pharmacologically relevant functional groups, including aliphatic amines and basic heterocycles. Activated substrates react with [18F]fluoride at room temperature and with heating the reaction proceeds in the presence of hydrogen bond donors. Furthermore, the use of electron rich spectator ligands allows efficient and regioselective [18F]fluorination of non-activated aromatic moieties. The method provides a broadly applicable route for 18F labelling of biologically active small molecules and offers immediate practical benefits for drug discovery and imaging with PET.
Luminescence studies on SnO2 and SnO2:Eu nanocrystals grown by laser assisted flow deposition
Authors: Santos N. F. , Rodrigues J. , Holz T. , Ben Sedrine N. , Sena A. , Neves A. J. , Costa F. M. , Monteiro T.
Published: April 2015

Eu3+ optically-activated transparent conductive tin oxide nanocrystals were produced by the innovative laser assisted flow deposition technique.
An optical spectroscopic study on two-dimensional group-VI transition metal dichalcogenides
Authors: Zeng Hualing , Cui Xiaodong
Published: April 2015

The ultimate goal of making atomically thin electronic devices stimulates intensive research on layered materials, in particular the group-VI transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs).
Panoptically exfoliated morphology of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE)/ethylene methacrylate copolymer (EMA)/layered silicate nanocomposites by novel in situ covalent modification using poly(ε-caprolactone)
Authors: Bhagabati Purabi , Chaki Tapan Kumar , Khastgir Dipak
Published: April 2015

Exfoliated morphology of covalently modified Cloisite 20A and 30B leading to phenomenal mechanical and thermal properties of C60E40/layered silicates.
Sensitive and stable pre-calibrated solid-phase extraction columns for environmental and forensic quantification using isotope dilution mass spectrometry
Authors: Wagner Rebecca L. , Boggess Andrew J. , Wetzel Stephanie J. , Kingston H. M. Skip
Published: April 2015

A technique has been developed to pre-calibrate solid-phase extraction columns for quantification using isotope dilution mass spectrometry.
Structure transition of Au18 from pyramidal to a hollow-cage during soft-landing onto a TiO2(110) surface
Authors: Li Lei , Li Hui , Zeng Xiao Cheng
Published: April 2015

Simulation of the soft-landing process of pyramidal Au18 onto a rutile TiO2(110) surface using large-scale BOMD simulation.
Silver(i) NHC mediated C–C bond activation of alkyl nitriles and catalytic efficiency in oxazoline synthesis
Authors: Heath Rachael , Müller-Bunz Helge , Albrecht Martin
Published: April 2015

C–C bond cleavage is achieved with silver carbene species under relatively mild conditions (80 °C) stoichiometrically, and aldol condensation is catalyzed at ambient temperatures in high efficiency, with turnover numbers up to 5000 h−1, thus disclosing new applications and synthetic opportunities based on easily accessible silver carbene complexes.
The racemate-to-homochiral approach to crystal engineering via chiral symmetry breaking
Authors: An Guanghui , Yan Pengfei , Sun Jingwen , Li Yuxin , Yao Xu , Li Guangming
Published: April 2015

Racemate-to-homochiral crystallization was highlighted for symmetry breaking phenomena by showing clear pictures of the mechanism and development history.
Random lasing realized in n-ZnO/p-MgZnO core–shell nanowire heterostructures
Authors: Lu Ying-Jie , Shan Chong-Xin , Jiang Ming-Ming , Hu Guang-Chong , Zhang Nan , Wang Shuang-Peng , Li Bing-Hui , Shen De-Zhen
Published: April 2015

Low threshold electrically pumped random lasers were realized in n-ZnO/p-MgZnO core–shell nanowire heterostructures.
Revealing chemical ordering in Pt–Co nanoparticles using electronic structure calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Authors: Kovács Gábor , Kozlov Sergey M. , Matolínová Iva , Vorokhta Mykhailo , Matolín Vladimír , Neyman Konstantin M.
Published: April 2015

PtYCo1−Y-core@Co-rich-subsurface@Pt-shell structure is identified in several nm large Pt–Co particles using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and an optimization method based on density-functional calculations.
Perovskite photovoltachromic cells for building integration
Authors: Cannavale Alessandro , Eperon Giles E. , Cossari Pierluigi , Abate Antonio , Snaith Henry J. , Gigli Giuseppe
Published: April 2015

Photovoltachromic devices combine photovoltaic and electrochromic behaviours to enable adjustable transparency glazing, where the photovoltaic component supplies the power to drive the coloration.
Biocatalytic synthesis of ultra-long-chain fatty acid sugar alcohol monoesters
Authors: Wei Wei , Feng Fengqin , Perez Bianca , Dong Mingdong , Guo Zheng
Published: April 2015

The enzymatic conjugation of ultra-long-chain fatty acids with a variety of sugar alcohols creates an array of molecules that could be used for multipurpose applications, from orthorhombic packing enhancers to excipients for the preparation of surfactant-free solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs).
Enzyme cascade reactions: synthesis of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and carboxylic acids using oxidases in tandem
Authors: McKenna Shane M. , Leimkühler Silke , Herter Susanne , Turner Nicholas J. , Carnell Andrew J.
Published: April 2015

Three enzymes are combined under mild conditions for the preparative scale oxidation of HMF to FDCA and a range of 10 alcohols.
Synthesis of multiply substituted 1,6-dihydropyridines through Cu(i)-catalyzed 6-endo cyclization
Authors: Mizoguchi Haruki , Watanabe Ryo , Minami Shintaro , Oikawa Hideaki , Oguri Hiroki
Published: April 2015

Copper-catalyzed 6-endo cyclization of N-propargylic β-enaminocarbonyls was developed for the synthesis of oxidation-labile 1,6-dihydropyridines.
Integrated electrospun carbon nanofibers with vanadium and single-walled carbon nanotubes through covalent bonds for high-performance supercapacitors
Authors: Tang Kexin , Li Yuping , Cao Hongbin , Duan Feng , Zhang Jason , Zhang Yi , Wang Yi
Published: April 2015

A one-step electrospun ternary V–SWCNTs–CNFs material demonstrates an integrated structure by V–N–C, V–O–C and VO bonds with a high capacitance of 479 F g−1.
Colorimetric and optical discrimination of halides by a simple chemosensor
Authors: Haque Syed A. , Bolhofner Robert L. , Wong Bryan M. , Hossain Md. Alamgir
Published: April 2015

A simple tripodal copper(ii) complex discriminates halides via a distinct color change for each halide in acetonitrile.
Aminopyrene functionalized reduced graphene oxide as a supercapacitor electrode
Authors: Teo Ellie Yi Lih , Lim Hong Ngee , Jose Rajan , Chong Kwok Feng
Published: April 2015

The electron transfer between an amine and rGO contributes to the pseudocapacitive behavior of aminopyrene functionalized rGO.
Enzyme-catalysed regio- and enantioselective preparative scale synthesis of (S)-2-hydroxy alkanones
Authors: Loderer C. , Ansorge-Schumacher M. B.
Published: April 2015

The alcohol dehydrogenase CPCR2 was applied for the asymmetric reduction of 2,3-alkanediones to the corresponding (S)-2-hydroxy alkanones with high regio- and stereoselectivity and in preparative scale.
One-pot synthesis of micro/nano structured β-Bi2O3 with tunable morphology for highly efficient photocatalytic degradation of methylparaben under visible-light irradiation
Authors: Xiao Xin , Hu Ruiping , Tu Shunheng , Zheng Chunxia , Zhong Huan , Zuo Xiaoxi , Nan Junmin
Published: April 2015

Micro/nanostructures β-Bi2O3 with tunable morphologies were synthesized via an one-pot solvothermal–calcining route for efficient visible-light photocatalytic removal of methylparaben from water.
A Pd complex of a NNN pincer ligand supported on γ-Fe2O3@SiO2 as the first magnetically recoverable heterogeneous catalyst for C–P bond forming reactions
Authors: Sobhani Sara , Vahidi Zahra , Zeraatkar Zohre , Khodadadi Samaneh
Published: April 2015

A Pd complex of the NNN pincer ligand supported on γ-Fe2O3@SiO2 was used as a new catalyst for a phosphonation reaction.
In situ fabrication of graphene decorated microstructured globe artichokes of partial molar nickel cobaltite anchored on a Ni foam as a high-performance supercapacitor electrode
Authors: Syedvali Pinjari , Rajeshkhanna Gaddam , Umeshbabu Ediga , Kiran Gundla Uday , Rao G. Ranga , Justin Ponniah
Published: April 2015

3D microstructured globe artichokes of a rGO/Ni0.3Co2.7O4 composite were synthesized through a hydrothermal method to contribute an efficient work nature as supercapacitor electrodes.
Hydroxyl functionalization improves the surface passivation of nanostructured silicon solar cells degraded by epitaxial regrowth
Authors: Song Jae-Won , Nam Yoon-Ho , Park Min-Joon , Shin Sun-Mi , Wehrspohn Ralf B. , Lee Jung-Ho
Published: April 2015

Nanoscale epitaxy of silicon is found to deteriorate the passivation performance by ALD-Al2O3in nanostructured solar cells. Hydroxyl functionalization by oxygen plasma decreased the surface recombination velocity.
High photocurrent generation by photosystem I on artificial interfaces composed of π-system-modified graphene
Authors: Feifel S. C. , Stieger K. R. , Lokstein H. , Lux H. , Lisdat F.
Published: April 2015

We report on the development of graphene-nanobiohybrid light-harvesting electrodes consisting of photosystem I and π-system modified graphene electrodes.
Guanidinium octahydrotriborate: an ionic liquid with high hydrogen storage capacity
Authors: Chen Weidong , Huang Zhenguo , Wu Guotao , He Teng , Li Zhao , Chen Juner , Guo Zaiping , Liu Huakun , Chen Ping
Published: April 2015

Guanidinium octahydrotriborate, with a melting point of <−10 °C, releases >10 wt% high purity hydrogen below 100 °C.
Pyrochlore electrocatalysts for efficient alkaline water electrolysis
Authors: Parrondo Javier , George Morgan , Capuano Christopher , Ayers Katherine E. , Ramani Vijay
Published: April 2015

Lead ruthenate pyrochlore showed exceptional OER activity and stability when tested in a solid-state alkaline water electrolyzer.
An injectable aldehyded 1-amino-3,3-diethoxy-propane hyaluronic acid–chitosan hydrogel as a carrier of adipose derived stem cells to enhance angiogenesis and promote skin regeneration
Authors: Chang Qiang , Gao Haiyun , Bu Shouhan , Zhong Wen , Lu Feng , Xing Malcolm
Published: April 2015

We report an injectable aldehyded 1-amino-3,3-diethoxy-propane (ADEP)–hyaluronic acid (AHA)–chitosan (CS) hydrogel.
Phosphine oxide-jointed electron transporters for the reduction of interfacial quenching in highly efficient blue PHOLEDs
Authors: Kan Wenjing , Zhu Liping , Wei Ying , Ma Dongge , Sun Mingzhi , Wu Zhongbin , Huang Wei , Xu Hui
Published: April 2015

Highly efficient electron-transporting benzimidazole derivatives ofxPBIPOwith phosphine oxide joints were constructed to investigate the determinants for efficiency reduction.
Interleukin-6 promotes dietary carcinogen-induced DNA damage in colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Patel Saroor A. A. , Gooderham Nigel J.
Published: April 2015

Pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 promotes dietary carcinogen-mediated DNA damage in 2D and 3D cultured cells by inducingCYP1B1expression through miR27b downregulation.
Research and practical utilisation of low‐intensity stochastic energy
Authors: Norkevičius Povilas , Balčiūnas Povilas
Published: April 2015

Renewable energy sources generate stochastic electric power that depends on factors that vary widely. The average wind speed throughout Lithuania varies from 3.1–6.1 m/s at a height of 50 m. Low, stochastic wind energy dominates in the European Union and Lithuania. In Lithuania, the recorded hydro energy potential of 472 small rivers is approximately 585 MW of power. Range of runoff highly varies of Lithuanian small rivers. These are huge wind and hydro energy resources that low energy potential is poorly utilised because of the very complex structures of power converter systems and their low quality of converted power. The application of a dual electric system that can operate with either I = constant and U = variable or U = constant and I = variable appliance is one of the possibilities to solve renewable energy sources low‐intensity stochastic energy utilisation problems. This research article presents the features of a dual electric system and the simulation schemes, research results, aspects of practical applications of the inverter – three‐phase dual electric system converter with the simple control system that confirms highly effective power extraction in low and high‐intensity stochastic energy.
Practical signal processing algorithm for wide‐area surveillance‐GMTI mode
Authors: Yan He , Zhu Daiyin , Wang Robert , Mao Xinhua
Published: April 2015

On the basis of the real data acquired with an X‐band airborne wide‐area surveillance (WAS)‐GMTI radar, a practical signal processing algorithm for WAS‐GMTI mode is proposed, and it is simple and effective for real‐time processing. The key feature of the new algorithm is that the spatial steering vector and fixed channel error are estimated according to the result of the Doppler centroid estimation. This is due to the fact that the angle corresponding to the Doppler centroid is just the antenna look direction. In this study, the detailed description of the algorithm is presented with four steps: pre‐processing, clutter suppression, constant false alarm rate detection and parameter estimation. Besides, to observe the effect of the proposed algorithm, the real data processing results are shown after each step. Finally, moving target positioning results of five successive scan periods is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new algorithm.
Electrically and magnetically dual-driven Janus particles for handwriting-enabled electronic paper
Authors: Komazaki Y. , Hirama H. , Torii T.
Published: April 2015

In this work, we describe the synthesis of novel electrically and magnetically dual-driven Janus particles for a handwriting-enabled twisting ball display via the microfluidic technique. One hemisphere of the Janus particles contains a charge control agent, which allows the display color to be controlled by applying a voltage and superparamagnetic nanoparticles, allows handwriting by applying a magnetic field to the display. We fabricated a twisting ball display utilizing these Janus particles and tested the electric color control and handwriting using a magnet. As a result, the display was capable of permitting handwriting with a small magnet in addition to conventional color control using an applied voltage (80 V). Handwriting performance was improved by increasing the concentration of superparamagnetic nanoparticles and was determined to be possible even when 80 V was applied across the electrodes for 4 wt. % superparamagnetic nanoparticles in one hemisphere. This improvement was impossible when the concentration was reduced to 2 wt. % superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The technology presented in our work can be applied to low-cost, lightweight, highly visible, and energy-saving electronic message boards and large whiteboards because the large-size display can be fabricated easily due to its simple structure.
Metal-oxide buffer layer for maintaining topological bumpy surface underlayer of columnar CoPt-SiO2 granular media deposited at high substrate temperature
Authors: Tham Kim Kong , Hinata Shintaro , Saito Shin , Takahashi Migaku
Published: April 2015

Investigation of surface topography for underlayer with various metal-oxide buffer layer (BL) materials for magnetic recording media is reported. In the previous study, it was found out that the application of a high substrate temperature deposition process to a granular layer with a magnetic alloy and a non-magnetic oxide material, such as CoPtCr-SiO2, will induce lamellar and spherical grains due to the flattening of the underlayer bumpy surface by recrystallization. By depositing a CoCr-SiO2 BL onto the Ru underlayer at room temperature, CoCr grains grow epitaxially onto Ru grains and SiO2 segregates to Ru boundaries. Consequently, bumpy surface morphology of the underlayer is maintained even though heated to around 400 °C before depositing the granular layer. Therefore, CoPt magnetic grains of a Co82.4Pt17.6− 27.7 vol. % SiO2 granular film deposited on the underlayer grow epitaxially on CoCr grains with columnar structure. As a result, high average Ku⊥ of around 6.7 × 106 erg/cm3 can be obtained. Among the studied BL materials, CoCr-SiO2 shows the highest thermal resistance with root mean square surface roughness (Rq) of around 1.7 nm after heating at around 400 °C. To obtain columnar magnetic grains with critical thickness more than 13 nm, underlayer with Rq more than 1.6 nm is needed.
Temperature distribution of granular media for heat assisted magnetic recording
Authors: Wang Sumei , Victora R. H.
Published: April 2015

The thermal distribution of granular media for heat assisted magnetic recording has been explored by the heat Fourier equation; particularly, the effect of the thermal conductivities in the grain boundary has been extensively investigated. When the thermal conductivity is sufficiently small, the grain boundary provides a natural constraint to heat dissipation: the effective in-plane thermal conductivity can be ten times smaller than that of FePt with the decrease limited only by the heat dissipation through the interlayer MgO. For low thermal conductivities in the grain boundary, the out of plane thermal gradient increases sharply owing to the inability of the heat to spread. Therefore, a compromise between power consumption and uniformity of the temperature distribution within grains should be taken into account when optimizing the media design.
Soft chemical control of the crystal and magnetic structure of a layered mixed valent manganite oxide sulfide
Authors: Blandy Jack N. , Abakumov Artem M. , Christensen Kirsten E. , Hadermann Joke , Adamson Paul , Cassidy Simon J. , Ramos Silvia , Free David G. , Cohen Harry , Woodruff Daniel N. , Thompson Amber L. , Clarke Simon J.
Published: April 2015

Oxidative deintercalation of copper ions from the sulfide layers of the layered mixed-valent manganite oxide sulfide Sr2MnO2Cu1.5S2 results in control of the copper-vacancy modulated superstructure and the ordered arrangement of magnetic moments carried by the manganese ions. This soft chemistry enables control of the structures and properties of these complex materials which complement mixed-valent perovskite and perovskite-related transition metal oxides.
Differential Processing of Vertical Interfeature Relations Due to Real-Life Experience with Personally Familiar Faces
Authors: Ramon Meike
Published: April 2015

Identification of personally familiar faces is possibly the most complex and likewise efficient task achieved by the human visual system, yet to date the mechanisms underlying this extreme proficiency remain largely unknown. Building on empirical evidence from unfamiliar face processing in healthy populations and neuropsychological patients, the present work aimed to determine the type of information processed differently due to repeated, real-life experience with faces. A modulatory effect of familiarity was observed for processing of vertical interfeature distances, which have been suggested to rely on holistic processing skills. Contrariwise, no such effect was found for processing of information that can be discriminated locally (ie featural cues, interocular distances). The results indicate that familiarity-related advantages in face processing may arise from more efficient, or increased, holistic processing.
Early evidence for the use of wheat and barley as staple crops on the margins of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: d’Alpoim Guedes Jade A. , Lu Hongliang , Hein Anke M. , Schmidt Amanda H.
Published: April 2015

Significance

Adapting agricultural systems to the high-altitude environment of the Tibetan Plateau has long been considered a major challenge for farmers. It has been asserted previously that the ecological characteristics of wheat and barley delayed their spread into East Asia. We argue instead that the ability of these crops to tolerate frost and their low heat requirements facilitated their spread into the high-altitude margins of western China. Following their introduction to this region, these crops rapidly replaced Chinese millets that could not adapt to the cooler temperatures of post-Holocene climatic optimum East Asia. We present data from the eastern Tibetan Plateau demonstrating that wheat and barley rapidly became staple crops shortly after their introduction.
Chemical messages in 170-year-old champagne bottles from the Baltic Sea: Revealing tastes from the past
Authors: Jeandet Philippe , Heinzmann Silke S. , Roullier-Gall Chloé , Cilindre Clara , Aron Alissa , Deville Marie Alice , Moritz Franco , Karbowiak Thomas , Demarville Dominique , Brun Cyril , Moreau Fabienne , Michalke Bernhard , Liger-Belair Gérard , Witting Michael , Lucio Marianna , Steyer Damien , Gougeon Régis D. , Schmitt-Kopplin Philippe
Published: April 2015

Significance

The composition of 170-y-old champagne samples found in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea constitutes a remarkable and unprecedented example of long-term combinatorial chemistry, which can occur in such sealed 750-mL microlaboratories. Multiple analytical tools, including metabolomics, metallomics, and sensory analysis, were combined to characterize the molecular diversity of these champagnes having aged in close-to-perfect conditions at the bottom of the sea. The analyzed champagnes retained intrinsic features allowing us to shed light on the winemaking practices in use in the middle of the 19th century. Therefore, this archeochemistry approach enabled us to rewrite a piece of our cultural heritage.
Predicting plant vulnerability to drought in biodiverse regions using functional traits
Authors: Skelton Robert Paul , West Adam G. , Dawson Todd E.
Published: April 2015

Significance

Recent reports of widespread drought-induced plant die-back have enhanced the need to understand variation in plant hydraulic strategies and to determine which species are susceptible to drought-induced mortality. Finding meaningful ways to describe the many different types of responses plants might demonstrate in biodiverse regions can be extremely challenging. Here, we present the architecture in which functional traits can be incorporated into a known hydraulic framework to provide additional insight into the range of hydraulic strategies present in diverse communities. Merging stomatal regulation strategies that represent an index of water use behavior with xylem hydraulic strategies that represent water transport and vulnerability to water deficit behavior facilitates a more comprehensive framework to characterize plant response to drought.
Relationship Between 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Cognitive Function in Community-Living Older Adults: The UCSD Ambulatory Blood Pressure Study
Authors: Conway Kyle S. , Forbang Nketi , Beben Tomasz , Criqui Michael H. , Ix Joachim H. , Rifkin Dena E.
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND

Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) patterns have been associated with diminished cognitive function in hypertensive and very elderly populations. The relationship between ambulatory BP patterns and cognitive function in community-living older adults is unknown.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study in which 24-hour ambulatory BP, in-clinic BP, and cognitive function measures were obtained from 319 community-living older adults.

RESULTS

The mean age was 72 years, 66% were female, and 13% were African-American. We performed linear regression with performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as the primary outcome and 24-hour BP patterns as the independent variable, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and comorbidities. Greater nighttime systolic dipping (P = 0.046) and higher 24-hour diastolic BP (DBP; P = 0.015) were both significantly associated with better cognitive function, whereas 24-hour systolic BP (SBP), average real variability, and ambulatory arterial stiffness were not.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher 24-hour DBP and greater nighttime systolic dipping were significantly associated with improved cognitive function. Future studies should examine whether low 24-hour DBP and lack of nighttime systolic dipping predict future cognitive impairment.
An overview of flux braiding experiments
Authors: Wilmot-Smith A. L.
Published: April 2015

In a number of papers dating back to the 1970s, Parker has hypothesized that, in a perfectly ideal environment, complex photospheric motions acting on a continuous magnetic field will result in the formation of tangential discontinuities corresponding to singular currents. I review direct numerical simulations of the problem and find that the evidence points to a tendency for thin but finite-thickness current layers to form, with thickness exponentially decreasing in time. Given a finite resistivity, these layers will eventually become important and cause the dynamical process of energy release. Accordingly, a body of work focuses on evolution under continual boundary driving. The coronal volume evolves into a highly dynamic but statistically steady state where quantities have a temporally and spatially intermittent nature and where the Poynting flux and dissipation are decoupled on short time scales. Although magnetic braiding is found to be a promising coronal heating mechanism, much work remains to determine its true viability. Some suggestions for future study are offered.
Suppression of pervasive noncoding transcription in embryonic stem cells by esBAF
Authors: Hainer Sarah J. , Gu Weifeng , Carone Benjamin R. , Landry Benjamin D. , Rando Oliver J. , Mello Craig C. , Fazzio Thomas G.
Published: April 2015

Approximately 75% of the human genome is transcribed, the majority of which does not encode protein. However, many noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are rapidly degraded after transcription, and relatively few have established functions, questioning the significance of this observation. Here we show that esBAF, a SWI/SNF family nucleosome remodeling factor, suppresses transcription of ncRNAs from ∼57,000 nucleosome-depleted regions (NDRs) throughout the genome of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We show that esBAF functions to both keep NDRs nucleosome-free and promote elevated nucleosome occupancy adjacent to NDRs. Reduction of adjacent nucleosome occupancy upon esBAF depletion is strongly correlated with ncRNA expression, suggesting that flanking nucleosomes form a barrier to pervasive transcription. Upon forcing nucleosome occupancy near two NDRs using a nucleosome-positioning sequence, we found that esBAF is no longer required to silence transcription. Therefore, esBAF’s function to enforce nucleosome occupancy adjacent to NDRs, and not its function to maintain NDRs in a nucleosome-free state, is necessary for silencing transcription over ncDNA. Finally, we show that the ability of a strongly positioned nucleosome to repress ncRNA depends on its translational positioning. These data reveal a novel role for esBAF in suppressing pervasive transcription from open chromatin regions in ESCs.