bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Divalent cations and molecular crowding buffers stabilize G-triplex at physiologically relevant temperatures
Authors: Jiang Hong-Xin , Cui Yunxi , Zhao Ting , Fu Hai-Wei , Koirala Deepak , Punnoose Jibin Abraham , Kong De-Ming , Mao Hanbin
Published: March 2015

G-triplexes are non-canonical DNA structures formed by G-rich sequences with three G-tracts. Putative G-triplex-forming sequences are expected to be more prevalent than putative G-quadruplex-forming sequences. However, the research on G-triplexes is rare. In this work, the effects of molecular crowding and several physiologically important metal ions on the formation and stability of G-triplexes were examined using a combination of circular dichroism, thermodynamics, optical tweezers and calorimetry techniques. We determined that molecular crowding conditions and cations, such as Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, promote the formation of G-triplexes and stabilize these structures. Of these four metal cations, Ca2+ has the strongest stabilizing effect, followed by K+, Mg2+ and Na+ in a decreasing order. The binding of K+ to G-triplexes is accompanied by exothermic heats and the binding of Ca2+ with G-triplexes is characterized by endothermic heats. G-triplexes formed from two G-triad layers are not stable at physiological temperatures; however, G-triplexes formed from three G-triads exhibit melting temperatures higher than 37°C, especially under the molecular crowding conditions and in the presence of K+ or Ca2+. These observations imply that stable G-triplexes may be formed under physiological conditions.
Implications of the causality principle for ultra chiral metamaterials
Authors: Gorkunov Maxim V. , Dmitrienko Vladimir E. , Ezhov Alexander A. , Artemov Vladimir V. , Rogov Oleg Y.
Published: March 2015

Chiral metamaterials – artificial subwavelength structures with broken mirror symmetry – demonstrate outstanding degree of optical chirality that exhibits sophisticated spectral behavior and can eventually reach extreme values. Based on the fundamental causality principle we show how one can unambiguously relate the metamaterial circular dichroism and optical activity by the generalized Kramers-Kronig relations. Contrary to the conventional relations, the generalized ones provide a unique opportunity of extracting information on material-dependent zeroes of transmission coefficient in the upper half plane of complex frequency. We illustrate the merit of the formulated relations by applying them to the observed ultra chiral optical transmission spectra of subwavelength arrays of chiral holes in silver films. Apart from the possibility of precise verification of experimental data, the relations enable resolving complex eigenfrequencies of metamaterial intrinsic modes and resonances.
Fast universal quantum gates on microwave photons with all-resonance operations in circuit QED
Authors: Hua Ming , Tao Ming-Jie , Deng Fu-Guo
Published: March 2015

Stark shift on a superconducting qubit in circuit quantum electrodynamics (QED) has been used to construct universal quantum entangling gates on superconducting resonators in previous works. It is a second-order coupling effect between the resonator and the qubit in the dispersive regime, which leads to a slow state-selective rotation on the qubit. Here, we present two proposals to construct the fast universal quantum gates on superconducting resonators in a microwave-photon quantum processor composed of multiple superconducting resonators coupled to a superconducting transmon qutrit, that is, the controlled-phase (c-phase) gate on two microwave-photon resonators and the controlled-controlled phase (cc-phase) gates on three resonators, resorting to quantum resonance operations, without any drive field. Compared with previous works, our universal quantum gates have the higher fidelities and shorter operation times in theory. The numerical simulation shows that the fidelity of our c-phase gate is 99.57% within about 38.1 ns and that of our cc-phase gate is 99.25% within about 73.3 ns.
Deciphering deterioration mechanisms of complex diseases based on the construction of dynamic networks and systems analysis
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Jin Suoqin , Lei Lei , Pan Zishu , Zou Xiufen
Published: March 2015

The early diagnosis and investigation of the pathogenic mechanisms of complex diseases are the most challenging problems in the fields of biology and medicine. Network-based systems biology is an important technique for the study of complex diseases. The present study constructed dynamic protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks to identify dynamical network biomarkers (DNBs) and analyze the underlying mechanisms of complex diseases from a systems level. We developed a model-based framework for the construction of a series of time-sequenced networks by integrating high-throughput gene expression data into PPI data. By combining the dynamic networks and molecular modules, we identified significant DNBs for four complex diseases, including influenza caused by either H3N2 or H1N1, acute lung injury and type 2 diabetes mellitus, which can serve as warning signals for disease deterioration. Function and pathway analyses revealed that the identified DNBs were significantly enriched during key events in early disease development. Correlation and information flow analyses revealed that DNBs effectively discriminated between different disease processes and that dysfunctional regulation and disproportional information flow may contribute to the increased disease severity. This study provides a general paradigm for revealing the deterioration mechanisms of complex diseases and offers new insights into their early diagnoses.
bFGF regulates autophagy and ubiquitinated protein accumulation induced by myocardial ischemia/reperfusion via the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway
Authors: Wang Zhou-Guang , Wang Yue , Huang Yan , Lu Qin , Zheng Lei , Hu Dong , Feng Wen-Ke , Liu Yan-Long , Ji Kang-Ting , Zhang Hong-Yu , Fu Xiao-Bing , Li Xiao-Kun , Chu Mao-Ping , Xiao Jian
Published: March 2015

Autophagy is involved in the development and/or progression of many diseases, including myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). In this study, we hypothesized a protective role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) both in vivo and in vitro and demonstrated that excessive autophagy and ubiquitinated protein accumulation is involved in the myocardial I/R model. Our results showed that bFGF improved heart function recovery and increased the survival of cardiomyocytes in myocardial I/R model. The protective effect of bFGF is related to the inhibition of LC3II levels. Additionally, bFGF enhances the clearance of Ub by p62 and increases the survival of H9C2 cells. Moreover, silencing of p62 partially blocks the clearance of Ub and abolishes the anti-apoptosis effect of bFGF. An shRNA against the autophagic machinery Atg7 increased the survival of H9C2 cells co-treated with bFGF and rapamycin. bFGF activates the downstream signaling of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. These results indicate that the role of bFGF in myocardial I/R recovery is related to the inhibition of excessive autophagy and increased ubiquitinated protein clearance via the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling. Overall, our study suggests a new direction for bFGF drug development for heart disease and identifies protein signaling pathways involved in bFGF action.
The Impact of Concomitant Genomic Alterations on Treatment Outcome for Trastuzumab Therapy in HER2-Positive Gastric Cancer
Authors: Lee Ji Yun , Hong Mineui , Kim Seung Tae , Park Se Hoon , Kang Won Ki , Kim Kyoung-Mee , Lee Jeeyun
Published: March 2015

Clinical benefit from trastuzumab and other anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) therapies in patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer (GC) remains limited by primary or acquired resistance. We aimed to investigate the impact of concomitant molecular alterations to HER2 amplification on the clinical outcome of trastuzumab-treated patients. Using immunohistochemistry (IHC), copy number variations (CNVs) and Ion Ampliseq Cancer Panel, we analyzed the status of concomitant alterations in 50 HER2-positive advanced GC patients treated with trastuzumab in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. The percentage of tumor samples with at least one concomitant alteration was 40% as assessed by IHC, 16% by CNVs and 64% by Ampliseq sequencing. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.0 months (95% confidence interval, 4.8–11.3). Patients were divided into two subgroups according to PFS values with a cutoff point of 8 months; results show that concomitant genomic alterations do not correlate with trastuzumab response. However, CNVs of CCNE1 significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with a shorter survival time. Our findings indicate that additional alterations implemented for prediction of clinical benefit from HER2-targeting agents in GC remained unclear. Further studies will be needed to elucidate the role of each specific biomarker and to optimize therapeutic approaches.
Selectively-informed particle swarm optimization
Authors: Gao Yang , Du Wenbo , Yan Gang
Published: March 2015

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a nature-inspired algorithm that has shown outstanding performance in solving many realistic problems. In the original PSO and most of its variants all particles are treated equally, overlooking the impact of structural heterogeneity on individual behavior. Here we employ complex networks to represent the population structure of swarms and propose a selectively-informed PSO (SIPSO), in which the particles choose different learning strategies based on their connections: a densely-connected hub particle gets full information from all of its neighbors while a non-hub particle with few connections can only follow a single yet best-performed neighbor. Extensive numerical experiments on widely-used benchmark functions show that our SIPSO algorithm remarkably outperforms the PSO and its existing variants in success rate, solution quality and convergence speed. We also explore the evolution process from a microscopic point of view, leading to the discovery of different roles that the particles play in optimization. The hub particles guide the optimization process towards correct directions while the non-hub particles maintain the necessary population diversity, resulting in the optimum overall performance of SIPSO. These findings deepen our understanding of swarm intelligence and may shed light on the underlying mechanism of information exchange in natural swarm and flocking behaviors.
Mechanochemical regulations of RPA's binding to ssDNA
Authors: Chen Jin , Le Shimin , Basu Anindita , Chazin Walter J. , Yan Jie
Published: March 2015

Replication protein A (RPA) is a ubiquitous eukaryotic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein that serves to protect ssDNA from degradation and annealing and as a template for recruitment of many downstream factors in virtually all DNA transactions in cell. During many of these transactions, DNA is tethered and is likely subject to force. Previous studies of RPA's binding behavior on ssDNA were conducted in the absence of force; therefore the RPA-ssDNA conformations regulated by force remain unclear. Here, using a combination of atomic force microscopy imaging and mechanical manipulation of single ssDNA tethers, we show that force mediates a switch of the RPA bound ssDNA from amorphous aggregation to a much more regular extended conformation. Further, we found an interesting non-monotonic dependence of the binding affinity on monovalent salt concentration in the presence of force. In addition, we discovered that zinc in micromolar concentrations drives ssDNA to a unique, highly stiff and more compact state. These results provide new mechanochemical insights into the influences and the mechanisms of action of RPA on large single ssDNA.
Facile synthesis of iron oxides/reduced graphene oxide composites: application for electromagnetic wave absorption at high temperature
Authors: Zhang Lili , Yu Xinxin , Hu Hongrui , Li Yang , Wu Mingzai , Wang Zhongzhu , Li Guang , Sun Zhaoqi , Chen Changle
Published: March 2015

Iron oxides/reduced graphene oxide composites were synthesized by facile thermochemical reactions of graphite oxide and FeSO4·7H2O. By adjusting reaction temperature, α-Fe2O3/reduced graphene oxide and Fe3O4/reduced graphene oxide composites can be obtained conveniently. Graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide sheets were demonstrated to regulate the phase transition from α-Fe2O3 to Fe3O4 via γ-Fe2O3, which was reported for the first time. The hydroxyl groups attached on the graphene oxide sheets and H2 gas generated during the annealing of graphene oxide are believed to play an important role during these phase transformations. These samples showed good electromagnetic wave absorption performance due to their electromagnetic complementary effect. These samples possess much better electromagnetic wave absorption properties than the mixture of separately prepared Fe3O4 with rGO, suggesting the crucial role of synthetic method in determining the product properties. Also, these samples perform much better than commercial absorbers. Most importantly, the great stability of these composites is highly advantageous for applications as electromagnetic wave absorption materials at high temperatures.
p53-dependent expression of CXCR5 chemokine receptor in MCF-7 breast cancer cells
Authors: Mitkin Nikita A. , Hook Christina D. , Schwartz Anton M. , Biswas Subir , Kochetkov Dmitry V. , Muratova Alisa M. , Afanasyeva Marina A. , Kravchenko Julia E. , Bhattacharyya Arindam , Kuprash Dmitry V.
Published: March 2015

Elevated expression of chemokine receptors in tumors has been reported in many instances and is related to a number of survival advantages for tumor cells including abnormal activation of prosurvival intracellular pathways. In this work we demonstrated an inverse correlation between expression levels of p53 tumor suppressor and CXCR5 chemokine receptor in MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. Lentiviral transduction of MCF-7 cells with p53 shRNA led to elevated CXCR5 at both mRNA and protein levels. Functional activity of CXCR5 in p53-knockdown MCF-7 cells was also increased as shown by activation of target gene expression and chemotaxis in response to B-lymphocyte chemoattractant CXCL13. Using deletion analysis and site-directed mutagenesis of the cxcr5 gene promoter and enhancer elements, we demonstrated that p53 appears to act upon cxcr5 promoter indirectly, by repressing the activity of NFκB transcription factors. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation and reporter gene analysis, we further demonstrated that p65/RelA was able to bind the cxcr5 promoter in p53-dependent manner and to directly transactivate it when overexpressed. Through the described mechanism, elevated CXCR5 expression may contribute to abnormal cell survival and migration in breast tumors that lack functional p53.
A system for ω-transaminase mediated (R)-amination usingl-alanine as an amine donor
Authors: Richter N. , Farnberger J. E. , Pressnitz D. , Lechner H. , Zepeck F. , Kroutil W.
Published: March 2015

Introduction of an alanine racemase allowed the use ofl-alanine as an initial amine source for the biocatalytic amination leading to (R)-amines.
A green method to gold–graphene nanocomposite from cyclodextrin functionalized graphene for efficient non-enzymatic electrochemical sensing applications
Authors: Aswathi R. , Ali Mohamed Mukthar , Shukla Anurudha , Sandhya K. Y.
Published: March 2015

Here, we report a new and green method of synthesis of gold nanoparticle functionalized graphene (Au–Gr) from β-cyclodextrin functionalized Gr (CD–Gr) with excellent electrochemical sensing properties.
Combination drug release of smart cyclodextrin-gated mesoporous silica nanovehicles
Authors: Zhou Shengwang , Sha Huizi , Ke Xiaokang , Liu Baorui , Wang Xizhang , Du Xuezhong
Published: March 2015

A smart γ-cyclodextrin-gated mesoporous silica delivery system with dual drug loading was constructedviadual dynamic covalent bonds in combination drug therapy.
Butadiene from acetylene–ethylene cross-metathesis
Authors: Trotuş Ioan-Teodor , Zimmermann Tobias , Duyckaerts Nicolas , Geboers Jan , Schüth Ferdi
Published: March 2015

Direct synthesis of butadiene from acetylene and ethylene, via enyne cross-metathesis, is demonstrated with commercial ruthenium carbene catalysts.
Dioxygenation of cysteamine to hypotaurine at a tris(pyrazolyl)borate iron(ii) unit – cysteamine dioxygenase mimicking?
Authors: Sallmann M. , Braun B. , Limberg C.
Published: March 2015

A novel complex TpMe,PhFe(SCH2CH2NH2) has been synthesized as a speculative model for ADO.
A pH-switched Pickering emulsion catalytic system: high reaction efficiency and facile catalyst recycling
Authors: Huang Jianping , Yang Hengquan
Published: March 2015

A smart Pickering emulsion catalytic system is first constructed, which not only exhibits fivefold reaction rate enhancement effects in comparison to the conventional biphasic reactions but also can be demulsified by tuning pH at the end of reaction, allowing for in situ recycling nanoparticle catalysts.
Oxidation with air by ascorbate-driven quinone redox cycling
Authors: Silveira-Dorta Gastón , Monzón Diego M. , Crisóstomo Fernando P. , Martín Tomás , Martín Víctor S. , Carrillo Romen
Published: March 2015

Ascorbate and catalytic amounts of menadione transform atmospheric oxygen into hydrogen peroxide which is able to carry out oxidation.
A novel microfluidic approach for extremely fast and efficient photochemical transformations in fluoropolymer microcapillary films
Authors: Reis N. M. , Li Puma G.
Published: March 2015

The fluoropolymer microcapillary film provides a disruptive, flexible and inexpensive platform for rapid high-throughput process analytics, photochemical transformations and synthesis.
Copper-catalyzed oxygen atom transfer of N-oxides leading to a facile deoxygenation procedure applicable to both heterocyclic and amine N-oxides
Authors: Jeong Jisu , Lee Donggun , Chang Sukbok
Published: March 2015

Copper-catalyzed deoxygenation ofN-oxides including both heterocyclic and amine derivatives was achieved by the catalytic oxygen atom transfer fromN-oxides toin situgenerated copper-carbenoid.
Water soluble polyhydroxyalkanoates: future materials for therapeutic applications
Authors: Li Zibiao , Loh Xian Jun
Published: March 2015

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are excellent candidate biomaterials due to their exceptional biodegradability and biocompatibility.
Highly efficient nanosized Mn and Fe codoped ceria-based solid solutions for elemental mercury removal at low flue gas temperatures
Authors: Jampaiah Deshetti , Ippolito Samuel J. , Sabri Ylias M. , Reddy Benjaram M. , Bhargava Suresh K.
Published: March 2015

Mn and Fe codoped ceria-based solid solutions are effective catalysts for Hg0 removal at low flue gas temperatures.
Study of the one-photon and two-photon properties of two water-soluble terpyridines and their zinc complexes
Authors: Shi Pengfei , Jiang Qin , Zhao Xuesong , Zhang Qiong , Tian Yupeng
Published: March 2015

The terpyridine and its Zn(ii) complex process large conjugation system and suitable electron donors, so that they display strong two-photon excited fluorescence.
Metabolic and biological profile of autochthonous Vitis vinifera L. ecotypes
Authors: Impei Stefania , Gismondi Angelo , Canuti Lorena , Canini Antonella
Published: March 2015

Vitis viniferaL. is a plant species rich in phenolic compounds that are usually associated with the health benefits of wine and grape consumption in the diet.
Additive, modular functionalization of reactive self-assembled monolayers: toward the fabrication of multilevel optical storage media
Authors: Gentili Denis , Barbalinardo Marianna , Manet Ilse , Durso Margherita , Brucale Marco , Mezzi Alessio , Melucci Manuela , Cavallini Massimiliano
Published: March 2015

We fabricated a multi-level fluorescent tag, consisting of two overlapping micrometric logic patterns of two fluorescent SAMs where each molecule preserves the individual functional properties.
The effects of shell layer morphology and processing on the electrical and photovoltaic properties of silicon nanowire radial p+–n+junctions
Authors: Wang Xin , Ke Yue , Kendrick Chito E. , Weng Xiaojun , Shen Haoting , Kuo Mengwei , Mayer Theresa S. , Redwing Joan M.
Published: March 2015

Single wire p+–n+radial junction nanowire solar cell devices were fabricated by low pressure chemical vapor deposition of n+silicon shell layers on p+silicon nanowires synthesized by vapor–liquid–solid growth.
Metal complex modified azo polymers for multilevel organic memories
Authors: Ma Yong , Chen Hong-Xia , Zhou Feng , Li Hua , Dong Huilong , Li You-Yong , Hu Zhi-Jun , Xu Qing-Feng , Lu Jian-Mei
Published: March 2015

Our approach enables modulating energy levels of azo polymers by varying the coordination metal ions. The ability to tune the bandgap energy of azo polymers provides an opportunity to develop new materials for high density data storage.
Efficient bulk heterojunction solar cells based on solution processed small molecules based on the same benzo[1,2-b:4, 5-b′]thiophene unit as core donor and different terminal units
Authors: Vijay Kumar Challuri , Cabau Lydia , Koukaras Emmanuel N. , Siddiqui Shahbaz A. , Sharma Ganesh D. , Palomares Emilio
Published: March 2015

Two novel molecules,DRT3-BDTandDTT3-BDT, based on a BDT central core (donor) and with different edge acceptor units linkedviaa terthiophene π-conjugation bridge, have been synthesized.
Facile synthesis of benzoindoles and naphthofurans through carbonaceous material-catalyzed cyclization of naphthylamines/naphthols with nitroolefins in water
Authors: Zhang Furen , Li Chunmei , Wang Chen , Qi Chenze
Published: March 2015

A facile and efficient approach has been established for the synthesis of benzoindole and naphthofuran derivatives via the metal-free cyclization reaction of nitroolefins with naphthylamines/naphthols.
Group 4 metal complexes bearing the aminoborane motif: origin of tandem ring-opening metathesis/vinyl-insertion polymerization
Authors: Wang M. , Xu G. , Wang D. , Zou Y. , Frey W. , Buchmeiser M. R.
Published: March 2015

The origin of tandem ring-opening metathesis/vinyl-insertion polymerization using tailored group 4 metal complexes is outlined.
Application of bis(glycidyloxy)phenylphosphine oxide as a chain extender for polyamide-6
Authors: Wirasaputra Alvianto , Zhao Jianqing , Zhu Yaming , Liu Shumei , Yuan Yanchao
Published: March 2015

Figure melt torque of PA6 mixed with different contents of chain extender BGPPO. The addition of small molecule diepoxide (BGPPO) greatly enhanced the melt torque, rheological and mechanical properties of polyamide-6 through chain extension reaction.
Ce0.80M0.12Sn0.08O2−δ (M = Hf, Zr, Pr, and La) ternary oxide solid solutions with superior properties for CO oxidation
Authors: Devaiah Damma , Tsuzuki Takuya , Boningari Thirupathi , Smirniotis Panagiotis G. , Reddy Benjaram M.
Published: March 2015

Ce0.80Pr0.12Sn0.08O2−δ combination catalyst exhibited highest CO oxidation activity owing to its high specific surface area, better reducibility, superior surface active oxygen species, and oxygen vacancies among various samples investigated.
Fluorofenidone-loaded PLGA microspheres for targeted treatment of paraquat-induced acute lung injury in rats
Authors: Tang Jing , Liu Zhenbao , Zhang Yue , Wang Ling , Li Dai , Ding Jinsong , Jiang Xuehua
Published: March 2015

Lung-targeting fluorofenidone (AKF) loaded PLGA microspheres (AKF-MS) for the treatment of paraquat (PQ)-induced acute lung injury in rats, were constructed by a solvent evaporation method.
Hemi-salen aluminum catalysts bearing N, N, O-tridentate type binaphthyl-Schiff-base ligands for the living ring-opening polymerisation of lactide
Authors: Gao Bo , Li Xiang , Duan Ranlong , Duan Qian , Li Yanhui , Pang Xuan , Zhuang Hejing , Chen Xuesi
Published: March 2015

Hemi-salen aluminum complexes bearing tridentate N, N, O-type binaphthyl-Schiff-base ligands were synthesized and studied as catalysts for living polymerisation of lactide.
Plasma-based dry reforming: improving the conversion and energy efficiency in a dielectric barrier discharge
Authors: Snoeckx R. , Zeng Y. X. , Tu X. , Bogaerts A.
Published: March 2015

Improving the conversion and energy efficiency in a dielectric barrier discharge for the production of chemicals and fuels from carbon dioxide and methane.
Controlled coalescence of two immiscible droplets for Janus emulsions in a microfluidic device
Authors: Zhang Ming-Yu , Zhao Hong , Xu Jian-Hong , Luo Guang-Sheng
Published: March 2015

We developed a simple microfluidic device to prepare Janus emulsions by the controlled coalescence of two immiscible droplets.
Facile synthesis of zeolite-encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles as superior catalysts for phenol oxidation
Authors: Luo Lei , Dai Chengyi , Zhang Anfeng , Wang Junhu , Liu Min , Song Chunshan , Guo Xinwen
Published: March 2015

Meso-ZSM-5 modified by polyethyleneimine has been found to be an excellent support for iron oxide with improved physicochemical properties of iron oxide particles including size and chemical state.
A study of the structure–activity relationship of the electrochemical performance and Li/Ni mixing of lithium-rich materials by neutron diffraction
Authors: Zhao Enyue , Hu Zhongbo , Xie Lei , Chen Xiping , Xiao Xiaoling , Liu Xiangfeng
Published: March 2015

4 mol% Mg-doped and 1 mol% Al-doped lithium-rich 0.3Li2MnO3·0.7LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 materials exhibit enhanced electrochemical performance due to reduced Li/Ni mixing.
Antileishmanial drug discovery: comprehensive review of the last 10 years
Authors: Sangshetti Jaiprakash N. , Kalam Khan Firoz A. , Kulkarni Abhishek A. , Arote Rohidas , Patil Rajendra H.
Published: March 2015

This review covers the current aspects of leishmaniasis including marketed drugs, new antileishmanial agents, and possible drug targets of antileishmanial agents.
Oxide-supported Ir nanodendrites with high activity and durability for the oxygen evolution reaction in acid PEM water electrolyzers
Authors: Oh Hyung-Suk , Nong Hong Nhan , Reier Tobias , Gliech Manuel , Strasser Peter
Published: March 2015

Ir nanodendrites (Ir-ND) supported on antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) show enhanced catalytic activity and stability for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolysis.
Accurate molecular weight determination of small molecules via DOSY-NMR by using external calibration curves with normalized diffusion coefficients
Authors: Neufeld Roman , Stalke Dietmar
Published: March 2015

We describe a novel development of MW-determination by using an external calibration curve approach with normalized diffusion coefficients.
Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped porous carbon derived from human hair as highly efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions
Authors: Liu Xiaojun , Zhou Weijia , Yang Linjing , Li Ligui , Zhang Zhenyuan , Ke Yunting , Chen Shaowei
Published: March 2015

N and S co-doped porous carbon derived from human hair exhibited high activity as stable metal-free electrocatalysts for HER, OER and ORR.
A Zn–NiO rechargeable battery with long lifespan and high energy density
Authors: Wang Xiaowei , Li Minxia , Wang Yanfang , Chen Bingwei , Zhu Yusong , Wu Yuping
Published: March 2015

The presented battery delivers an average output voltage of 1.75 V and an energy density of 228 W h kg−1 on the basis of the weight of the two electrodes. It is promising for environmentally friendly and low cost batteries with high energy densities and good cycling life.
An upconversion nanoprobe operating in the first biological window
Authors: Ju Qiang , Chen Xian , Ai Fujin , Peng Dengfeng , Lin Xudong , Kong Wei , Shi Peng , Zhu Guangyu , Wang Feng
Published: March 2015

A core–shell–shell upconversion nanoprobe is developed to generate 660 nm emission by 808 nm excitation.
Integrating dye-intercalated DNA dendrimers with electrospun nanofibers: a new fluorescent sensing platform for nucleic acids, proteins, and cells
Authors: Wang Huaming , Tang Wei , Wei Hejia , Zhao Yan , Hu Shichao , Guan Yan , Pan Wei , Xia Bin , Li Na , Liu Feng
Published: March 2015

A fluorescent dye-intercalated DNA dendrimer probe was integrated with electrospun nanofibers to create an amplified sensing platform for disease-related species.
Strong spin-lattice coupling in CrSiTe3
Authors: Casto L. D. , Clune A. J. , Yokosuk M. O. , Musfeldt J. L. , Williams T. J. , Zhuang H. L. , Lin M.-W. , Xiao K. , Hennig R. G. , Sales B. C. , Yan J.-Q. , Mandrus D.
Published: March 2015

CrSiTe3 has attracted recent interest as a candidate single-layer ferromagnetic semiconductor, but relatively little is known about the bulk properties of this material. Here, we report single-crystal X-ray diffraction, magnetic properties, thermal conductivity, vibrational, and optical spectroscopies and compare our findings with complementary electronic structure and lattice dynamics principles calculations. The high temperature paramagnetic phase is characterized by strong spin-lattice interactions that give rise to glassy behavior, negative thermal expansion, and an optical response that reveals that CrSiTe3 is an indirect gap semiconductor with indirect and direct band gaps at 0.4 and 1.2 eV, respectively. Measurements of the phonons across the 33 K ferromagnetic transition provide additional evidence for strong coupling between the magnetic and lattice degrees of freedom. The Si-Te stretching and Te displacement modes are sensitive to the magnetic ordering transition, a finding that we discuss in terms of the superexchange mechanism. Spin-lattice coupling constants are also extracted.
Vacuum space charge effects in sub-picosecond soft X-ray photoemission on a molecular adsorbate layer
Authors: Dell'Angela M. , Anniyev T. , Beye M. , Coffee R. , Föhlisch A. , Gladh J. , Kaya S. , Katayama T. , Krupin O. , Nilsson A. , Nordlund D. , Schlotter W. F. , Sellberg J. A. , Sorgenfrei F. , Turner J. J. , Öström H. , Ogasawara H. , Wolf M. , Wurth W.
Published: March 2015

Vacuum space charge induced kinetic energy shifts of O 1s and Ru 3d core levels in femtosecond soft X-ray photoemission spectra (PES) have been studied at a free electron laser (FEL) for an oxygen layer on Ru(0001). We fully reproduced the measurements by simulating the in-vacuum expansion of the photoelectrons and demonstrate the space charge contribution of the high-order harmonics in the FEL beam. Employing the same analysis for 400 nm pump-X-ray probe PES, we can disentangle the delay dependent Ru 3d energy shifts into effects induced by space charge and by lattice heating from the femtosecond pump pulse.
Effects of gravity on the acceleration and pair statistics of inertial particles in homogeneous isotropic turbulence
Authors: Parishani H. , Ayala O. , Rosa B. , Wang L.-P. , Grabowski W. W.
Published: March 2015

Within the context of heavy particles suspended in a turbulent airflow, we study the effects of gravity on acceleration statistics and radial relative velocity (RRV) of inertial particles. The turbulent flow is simulated by direct numerical simulation (DNS) on a 2563 grid and the dynamics of O(106) inertial particles by the point-particle approach. For particles/droplets with radius from 10 to 60 μm, we found that the gravity plays an important role in particle acceleration statistics: (a) a peak value of particle acceleration variance appears in both the horizontal and vertical directions at a particle Stokes number of about 1.2, at which the particle horizontal acceleration clearly exceeds the fluid-element acceleration; (b) gravity constantly disrupts quasi-equilibrium of a droplet’s response to local turbulent motion and amplifies extreme acceleration events both in the vertical and horizontal directions and thus effectively reduces the inertial filtering mechanism. By decomposing the RRV of the particles into three parts: (1) differential sedimentation, (2) local flow shear, and (3) particle differential acceleration, we evaluate and compare their separate contributions. For monodisperse particles, we show that the presence of gravity does not have a significant effect on the shear term. On the other hand, gravity suppresses the probability distribution function (pdf) tails of the differential acceleration term due to a lower particle-eddy interaction time in presence of gravity. For bidisperse cases, we find that gravity can decrease the shear term slightly by dispersing particles into vortices where fluid shear is relatively low. The differential acceleration term is found to be positively correlated with the gravity term, and this correlation is stronger when the difference in colliding particle radii becomes smaller. Finally, a theory is developed to explain the effects of gravity and turbulence on the horizontal and vertical acceleration variances of inertial particles at small Stokes numbers, showing analytically that gravity affects particle acceleration variance both in horizontal and vertical directions, resulting in an increase in particle acceleration variance in both directions. Furthermore, the effect of gravity on the horizontal acceleration variance is predicted to be stronger than that in the vertical direction, in agreement with our DNS results.
Effect of electromagnetic pulse transverse inhomogeneity on ion acceleration by radiation pressure
Authors: Lezhnin K. V. , Kamenets F. F. , Beskin V. S. , Kando M. , Esirkepov T. Zh. , Bulanov S. V.
Published: March 2015

During ion acceleration by radiation pressure, a transverse inhomogeneity of an electromagnetic pulse leads to an off-axis displacement of the irradiated target, limiting the achievable ion energy. This effect is analytically described within the framework of a thin foil target model and with particle-in-cell simulations showing that the maximum energy of the accelerated ions decreases as the displacement from the axis of the target's initial position increases. The results obtained can be applied to the optimization of ion acceleration by the laser radiation pressure with mass-limited targets.
Theoretical analysis of hard x-ray generation by nonperturbative interaction of ultrashort light pulses with a metal
Authors: Weisshaupt Jannick , Juvé Vincent , Holtz Marcel , Woerner Michael , Elsaesser Thomas
Published: March 2015

The interaction of intense femtosecond pulses with metals allows for generating ultrashort hard x-rays. In contrast to plasma theories, tunneling from the target into vacuum is introduced as electron generation step, followed by vacuum acceleration in the laser field and re-entrance into the target to generate characteristic x-rays and Bremsstrahlung. For negligible space charge in vacuum, the Kα flux is proportional to the incident intensity and the wavelength squared, suggesting a strong enhancement of the x-ray flux by mid-infrared driving pulses. This prediction is in quantitative agreement with experiments on femtosecond Cu Kα generation.
Capillary effects in guided crystallization of organic thin films
Authors: Fang Alta , Hailey Anna K. , Grosskopf Abigail , Anthony John E. , Loo Yueh-Lin , Haataja Mikko
Published: March 2015

Recently, it has been demonstrated that solvent-vapor-induced crystallization of triethylsilylethynyl anthradithiophene (TES ADT) thin films can be directed on millimeter length scales along arbitrary paths by controlling local crystal growth rates via pre-patterning the substrate. Here, we study the influence of capillary effects on crystallization along such channels. We first derive an analytical expression for the steady-state growth front velocity as a function of channel width and validate it with numerical simulations. Then, using data from TES ADT guided crystallization experiments, we extract a characteristic channel width, which provides the smallest feature size that can be obtained by this technique.
Photon antibunching in single-walled carbon nanotubes at telecommunication wavelengths and room temperature
Authors: Endo Takumi , Ishi-Hayase Junko , Maki Hideyuki
Published: March 2015

We investigated the photoluminescence of individual air-suspended single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) from 6 to 300 K. Time-resolved and antibunching measurements over the telecommunication wavelength range were performed using a superconducting single-photon detector. We detected moderate temperature independent antibunching behavior over the whole temperature range studied. To investigate the exciton dynamics, which is responsible for the antibunching behavior, we measured excitation-power and temperature dependence of the photoluminescence spectra and lifetime decay curves. These measurements suggested an exciton confinement effect that is likely caused by high-dielectric amorphous carbon surrounding the SWNTs. These results indicate that SWNTs are good candidates for light sources in quantum communication technologies operating in the telecommunication wavelength range and at room temperature.
Electronic structure evolution of fullerene on CH3NH3PbI3
Authors: Wang Chenggong , Wang Congcong , Liu Xiaoliang , Kauppi John , Shao Yuchuan , Xiao Zhengguo , Bi Cheng , Huang Jinsong , Gao Yongli
Published: March 2015

The thickness dependence of fullerene on CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite film surface has been investigated by using ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and inverse photoemission spectroscopy (IPES). The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) can be observed directly with IPES and UPS. It is observed that the HOMO level in fullerene shifts to lower binding energy. The XPS results show a strong initial shift of core levels to lower binding energy in the perovskite, which indicates that electrons transfer from the perovskite film to fullerene molecules. Further deposition of fullerene forms C60 solid, accompanied by the reduction of the electron transfer. The strongest electron transfer happened at 1/4 monolayer of fullerene.
Soft bodies make estimation hard: correlations among body dimensions and weights of multiple species of sea cucumbers
Authors: Prescott James , Zhou Shijie , Prasetyo Andhika P.
Published: March 2015

Tropical sea cucumbers are commonly exploited by small-scale, poorly managed fisheries. A fundamental problem in managing sea cucumber fisheries is the lack of basic knowledge of important life history characteristics for most species. As a result of plastic body dimensions, biological research on this group of animals becomes exceptionally challenging. To improve our understanding of essential biological parameters, we conducted a study to investigate correlations among various body measurements. We analysed a total of 18 sea cucumber species and more than 6600 individuals collected at Scott Reef in the Timor Sea, north-west Australia. We used hierarchical Bayesian errors-in-variables models to specifically take into account measurement errors that are obviously unavoidable. The measures included three types of weights (wet weight, gutted weight and dry weight) and two body dimensions (length and width). The modelling reveals that using both body length and width as independent variables, wet weight increases approximately linearly with body length, but is a power function (~1.6) of body width, although variability exists among species. Dry weight tends to increase more slowly with body length, but has a similar power function of body width. Linear relationships are established between the three types of weights. On average, ~11% of a live specimen and ~16% of a gutted specimen is processed to the commercially traded dry body wall. Our results can be applied to sea cucumbers in other areas and can be useful for data standardisation and size-based fisheries management.
Patterns of connectivity and population structure of the southern calamary Sepioteuthis australis in southern Australia
Authors: Smith Timothy M. , Green Corey P. , Sherman Craig D. H.
Published: March 2015

The southern calamary, Sepioteuthis australis, is a commercially and recreationally important inshore cephalopod endemic to southern Australia and New Zealand. Typical of other cephalopods, S. australis has a short life span, form nearshore spawning aggregations and undergo direct development. Such life history traits may restrict connectivity between spawning grounds creating highly structured and genetically differentiated populations that are susceptible to population crashes. Here we use seven polymorphic microsatellite markers to assess connectivity and population structure of S. australis across a large part of its geographic range in Australia. Little genetic differentiation was found between sampling locations. Overall, FST was low (0.005, 95% CI=<0.001–0.011) and we detected no significant genetic differentiation between any of the locations sampled. There was no strong relationship between genetic and geographical distance, and our neighbour joining analysis did not show clustering of clades based on geographical locations. Similarly, network analysis showed strong connectivity amongst most locations, in particular, Tasmania appears to be well connected with several other locations and may act as an important source population. High levels of gene flow and connectivity between S. australis sampling sites across Australia are important for this short-lived species, ensuring resilience against spatial and temporal mortality fluctuations.
Not just a number: effect of age on fertility, pregnancy and offspring vigour in thoroughbred brood-mares
Authors: Scoggin Charles F.
Published: March 2015

Advancing age can adversely affect a thoroughbred brood-mare’s reproductive efficiency and influence the commercial and athletic potential of her progeny. Causes for the decline in fertility include decreased oocyte and embryo quality, anatomical defects and endometrial degeneration. In addition, evidence exists that as the age of a dam increases, her foals will be at increased risk of morbidity and mortality during the neonatal period. Health issues can have lasting and deleterious effects on surviving foals, including decreased sale value and reduced athletic performance. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the association between mare age, fertility and offspring vigour in thoroughbred horses.
Three-dimensional architecture of extended synaptotagmin-mediated endoplasmic reticulum–plasma membrane contact sites
Authors: Fernández-Busnadiego Rubén , Saheki Yasunori , De Camilli Pietro
Published: March 2015

Significance

Membrane contact sites, the sites of close physical proximity between intracellular membranes, are emerging as key players in multiple cellular processes. In particular, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–plasma membrane (PM) contact sites play important roles in calcium homeostasis, signaling, and lipid regulation/exchange. However, the architecture of these contact sites remains poorly understood. Here we study the 3D architecture of ER–PM contact sites at molecular resolution using cryo-electron tomography. We define the structural signature of the ER–PM tethers mediated by the extended synaptotagmins (E-Syts) and show that E-Syts regulate ER–PM distance in a cytosolic Ca
2+
-dependent manner. These findings provide an important foundation towards elucidating E-Syt function and more generally the mechanisms of cross-talk between the ER and the PM.
Immunoglobulin transcript sequence and somatic hypermutation computation from unselected RNA-seq reads in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Blachly James S. , Ruppert Amy S. , Zhao Weiqiang , Long Susan , Flynn Joseph , Flinn Ian , Jones Jeffrey , Maddocks Kami , Andritsos Leslie , Ghia Emanuela M. , Rassenti Laura Z. , Kipps Thomas J. , de la Chapelle Albert , Byrd John C.
Published: March 2015

Significance

IGHV
mutation status is a well established prognostic factor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and also provides crucial insights into tumor cell biology and function. Currently, determination of
IGHV
transcript sequence, from which mutation status is calculated, requires a specialized laboratory procedure. RNA sequencing is a method that provides high resolution, high dynamic range transcriptome data that can be used for differential expression, isoform discovery, and variant determination. In this paper, we demonstrate that unselected next-generation RNA sequencing can accurately determine the
IGH@
sequence, including the complete sequence of the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3), and mutation status of CLL cells, potentially replacing the current method which is a specialized, single-purpose Sanger-sequencing based test.
Isolation of a spontaneous cerulenin-resistant sake yeast with both high ethyl caproate-producing ability and normal checkpoint integrity
Authors: Tamura Hiroyasu , Okada Hiroki , Kume Kazunori , Koyano Takayuki , Goshima Tetsuya , Nakamura Ryo , Akao Takeshi , Shimoi Hitoshi , Mizunuma Masaki , Ohya Yoshikazu , Hirata Dai
Published: March 2015

In the brewing of high-quality sake such as Daiginjo-shu, the cerulenin-resistant sake yeast strains with high producing ability to the flavor component ethyl caproate have been used widely. Genetic stability of sake yeast would be important for the maintenance of both fermentation properties of yeast and quality of sake. In eukaryotes, checkpoint mechanisms ensure genetic stability. However, the integrity of these mechanisms in sake yeast has not been examined yet. Here, we investigated the checkpoint integrity of sake yeasts, and the results suggested that a currently used cerulenin-resistant sake yeast had a defect in spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). We also isolated a spontaneous cerulenin-resistant sake yeast FAS2-G1250S mutant, G9CR, which showed both high ethyl caproate-producing ability and integrity/intactness of the checkpoint mechanisms. Further, morphological phenotypic robustness analysis by use of CalMorph supported the genetic stability of G9CR. Finally, we confirmed the high quality of sake from G9CR in an industrial sake brewing setting.
Shock Structures in Charge Variable Dusty Plasmas with Effect of Strongly Coupled Dust Particles
Authors: Mehran Shahmansouri , Bizhan Farokhi , Hossein Ashouri
Published: March 2015

A theoretical investigation has been carried out to study the effect of strong electrostatic interaction on the dust acoustic shock structures in strongly coupled dusty plasma with dust charge fluctuations. The fluid approach is employed, in which the strong electrostatic interaction is modeled by effective electrostatic temperature. A Burger-like equation, the coefficients of which are significantly modified by effects of strong coupling and dust charge fluctuation, is derived. It is shown that the combined effects of dust charge fluctuation, the ion/electron temperature, the ion/electron population, and strong coupling effect modify the basic properties of the dust acoustic waves in such a strongly coupled dusty plasma. The results of this work are compared with those observed by some laboratory experiments.
Mechanism behind Unique Properties of Local Heating in Nanoscale Junctions*
Authors: Zhou Li-Ling , Li Yong-Jun , Yu Li-Sheng
Published: March 2015

We investigate the unique properties of current-induced heat generation in nanojunctions, such as failed Q ∝ I relation (where Q is the heat generation and I the current), threshold voltage required to generate heat, etc. By employing the lead-quantum dot (QD)-lead system, we find these unique properties stem from (i) the discontinuity of Fermi distribution at chemical potentials of the leads and (ii) the satellite peaks in spectral function of the QD electron, which are induced by the electron-phonon interaction.