bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of sucrose and sensory systems in fruit selection and consumption ofAteles geoffroyiin Yucatan, Mexico
Authors: Pablo-Rodríguez Miriam , Hernández-Salazar Laura Teresa , Aureli Filippo , Schaffner Colleen M.
Published: March 2015

Our aim was to evaluate the role of sucrose and the role of smell, taste and touch in the selection and consumption of fruit in wild spider monkeys. We recorded the feeding bouts of 14 adults for 9 mo in the Otoch Ma’ax Yetel Kooh Reserve, Punta Laguna, Yucatan, Mexico. For each of 2346 inspections on fruits of six species the consumption or rejection and the use of touch, smell and taste was recorded. Ten fruit samples (five ripe and five unripe) from each species were collected and the sucrose concentration was determined with a refractometer. As expected, sucrose concentrations were higher in ripe than unripe fruits. The difference in sucrose concentration between ripe and unripe fruits was positively associated with the proportion of inspections on ripe fruits and the proportion of consumed ripe fruits. Furthermore, the senses of touch and taste were used more often when fruits were ripe, whereas the sense of smell was used more often when fruits were unripe. The results suggest that sensory cues and sucrose concentration play important roles in fruit selection in spider monkeys.
Non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy in seeds of Cheirodendron trigynum (Araliaceae) from the montane zone of Hawaii
Authors: Baskin Carol C. , Baskin Jerry M. , Yoshinaga Alvin
Published: March 2015

The Araliaceae is known to have seeds with underdeveloped embryos that must grow prior to radicle emergence, and thus they have morphological (MD) or morphophysiological (MPD) dormancy. Araliaceae is one of about 15 families with woody species in the tropical montane zone, and in Hawaii 15 species occur in the montane. Our purpose was to determine if seeds of the Hawaiian Araliaceae species Cheirodendron trigynum subsp. trigynum have MD or MPD and, if MPD, what level. In a move-along experiment, some seeds were incubated continuously at 15/6, 20/10 or 25/15°C, while others were moved sequentially from low to high or from high to low temperature regimes. Germination percentages and embryo growth were monitored. Also, the effects of cold and warm stratification on dormancy break were determined. Seeds had physiological dormancy (PD) in addition to small embryos that grew prior to germination, and thus MPD. PD was broken slowly ( ≥ 12 weeks), after which embryos grew rapidly, followed by root and shoot emergence. Embryos grew at temperatures suitable for warm stratification; thus, seeds have Type 1 non-deep simple MPD; the dormancy formula is C1bBb. Seeds from Oahu germinated to 94–100% at 15/6, 20/10 and 25/15°C, while those from the Big Island germinated to high percentages only at 15/6 and 20/10°C. Temperature shifts improved germination of seeds from the Big Island, and movement from either low to high or from high to low temperature regimes was effective in promoting germination. This is the first report of non-deep simple MPD in the Araliaceae.
An Educational Measure to Significantly Increase Critical Knowledge Regarding Interfacility Patient Transfers
Authors: Becker Torben K. , Skiba James F. , Sozener Cemal B.
Published: March 2015

Background

Patient transfers among medical facilities are high-risk situations. Despite this, there is very little training of physicians regarding the medical and legal aspects of transport medicine.

Objectives

To examine the effects of a one hour, educational intervention on Emergency Medicine (EM) residents’ and Critical Care (CC) fellows’ knowledge regarding the medical and legal aspects of interfacility patient transfers.

Methods

Prior to the intervention, physician knowledge regarding 12 key concepts in patient transfer was assessed using a pre-test instrument. A one hour, interactive, educational session followed immediately thereafter. Following the intervention, a post-intervention test was given between two and four weeks after delivery. Participants were also asked to describe any prior transportation-medicine-related education, their opinions as they relate to the relevance of the topic, and their comfort levels with patient transfers before and after the intervention.

Results

Only a minority of participants had received any formal training in patient transfers prior to the intervention, despite dealing with patient transfers on a frequent, often daily, basis. Both groups improved in several categories on the post-intervention test. They reported improved comfort levels with the medicolegal aspects of interfacility patient transfers after the intervention and felt well-prepared to manage transfers in their daily practice.

Conclusion

A one hour, educational intervention objectively increased EM and CC physician trainees’ understanding of some of the medicolegal aspects of interfacility patient transfers. The study demonstrated a lack of previous training on this important topic and improved levels of comfort with transfers after study participation.

BeckerTK, SkibaJF, SozenerCB. An educational measure to significantly increase critical knowledge regarding interfacility patient transfers. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(3):1-5
Analysing Judgments from a Feminist Perspective
Authors: Hunter Rosemary
Published: March 2015

This article, by Rosemary Hunter, is based on a presentation given at the national training day on ‘Law, Gender and Sexuality: Sources and Methods in Socio-Legal Research’ in May 2014, jointly sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Socio-Legal Studies Association and the British Library. She begins by describing the uses of judgments as sources within feminist research on judging, and then outlines three different methods of analysis employed within this research: quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and the newest method, that of rewriting judgments.
An Archive of the Women's Liberation Movement: a Document of Social and Legislative Change
Authors: Russell Polly
Published: March 2015

This paper, by Polly Russell, offers an introduction to the material available to researchers in the recently launched ‘Sisterhood & After: an Oral History of the Women's Liberation Movement’ archive at the British Library. Drawing from the archive's oral history recordings, the author demonstrates how they can be used to examine the ways that legislative changes are experienced and raise questions about the relation between legislative change, cultural change and the Women's Liberation Movement (WLM). The paper argues that these oral history recordings provide a unique opportunity to reflect on the ways that legislative and structural change were experienced by WLM activists in their everyday lives.
Evaluating Research: the Case of Legal Scholarly Outputs
Authors: Peruginelli Ginevra
Published: March 2015

Scientific scholarly communication is subject to selection rules. In recent years, the issues around the assessment of research results has assumed a central role in academia. Despite recent efforts, by several initiatives both at national and international level, and the adoption of guidelines that emerged from the evaluation of research programs at European level, the measurement and evaluation of the quality of research still faces strong opposition from all bibliometric areas, in which the instruments available (amount of citations identified, the impact factor, and so on) are not appropriate to the humanities and social sciences. In particular, specific attention is paid today to the role of the book, which is a fundamental resource in the processes of scientific scholarly communication. In this regard this paper, written by Ginevra Peruginelli, analyses the missing link between the indicators and legal scholars' notions of quality, with reference to the role of the monograph in legal science.
Numerical study of terahertz circular polarized substrate lens dipole antennas for polarization sensitive detectors
Authors: Mir Amna , Yu Junsheng , Chen Xiaodong , Ahmad Ishtiaq
Published: March 2015

Wide band circular polarized (CP) antennas behind extended hemispherical lenses suitable for polarization sensitive THz detector and wireless communication have been designed and characterized using numerical simulation. Two novel, compact and CP dipole antennas are designed and studied for this purpose. CP property of planar antennas is achieved by geometrical modifications of antennas without any complicated feeding structure. Due to compact dimensions, wideband performance and CP behavior, these designs have applications in circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and terahertz detectors. This numerical study deals with polarization diversity with substrate lens, effect of off axis displacement on CP behavior of lens antenna which determines number of pixels for any application, far field patterns variation due to lens's internal reflection, directivity variation attributed to internal reflection and losses. Radiation efficiency variation of antenna by antenna dimensions is also studied carefully to design appropriate lens from application's point of view. Off axis performance of antenna on hemisphere lens is also studied and redesigning of antenna by some geometric modification has been carried out to improve far field patterns.
Variation effect of plane-wave incidence on multiconductor transmission lines
Authors: Mejdoub Youssef , Rouijaa Hicham , Ghammaz Abdelilah
Published: March 2015

This paper addresses the study of the variation effects of incident plane wave on a multiconductor transmission line (MTL), using a coupling circuit model of MTL line with plane wave based on the method of characteristics (Branin method). This model is valid in the time and frequency domains. It has also an advantage of not presupposing the conditions of the charges applied to its ends, which allows it to be easily inserted in circuit simulators, such as SPICE, SABER, and ESACAP. We confirm the validity of this model by comparing our simulation results under ESACAP with other results, and we discuss the variation effects of the incident plane wave on an MTL line.
Prevalence of GermlineBAP1, CDKN2A, andCDK4Mutations in an Australian Population-Based Sample of Cutaneous Melanoma Cases
Authors: Aoude Lauren G. , Gartside Michael , Johansson Peter , Palmer Jane M. , Symmons Judith , Martin Nicholas G. , Montgomery Grant W. , Hayward Nicholas K.
Published: March 2015

Mutations in Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A)and Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 (CDK4) contribute to susceptibility in approximately 40% of high-density cutaneous melanoma (CMM) families and about 2% of unselected CMM cases. BRCA-1 associated protein-1 (BAP1)has been more recently shown to predispose to CMM and uveal melanoma (UMM) in some families; however, its contribution to CMM development in the general population is unreported. We sought to determine the contribution of these genes to CMM susceptibility in a population-based sample of cases from Australia. We genotyped 1,109 probands from Queensland families and found that approximately 1.31% harbored mutations inCDKN2A, including some with novel missense mutations (p.R22W, p.G35R and p.I49F).BAP1missense variants occurred in 0.63% of cases but noCDK4variants were observed in the sample. This is the first estimate of the contribution ofBAP1andCDK4to a population-based sample of CMM and supports the previously reported estimate ofCDKN2Agermline mutation prevalence.
Open Records Laws Increasingly Used to Harass Scientists
Authors: Bompey Nanci
Published: March 2015

A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists says that scientists and universities need to be prepared to respond to broad open records requests.
Large-Scale Electric Currents May Flow Through Mercury's Crust
Authors: Orwig Jessica
Published: March 2015

NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft discovered electric currents in Mercury's magnetosphere directed toward and away from the planet. Do the currents reach the planet? If so, where do they go?
Nanoscale probing of image-dipole interactions in a metallic nanostructure
Authors: Ropp Chad , Cummins Zachary , Nah Sanghee , Fourkas John T. , Shapiro Benjamin , Waks Edo
Published: March 2015

An emitter near a surface induces an image dipole that can modify the observed emission intensity and radiation pattern. These image-dipole effects are generally not taken into account in single-emitter tracking and super-resolved imaging applications. Here we show that the interference between an emitter and its image dipole induces a strong polarization anisotropy and a large spatial displacement of the observed emission pattern. We demonstrate these effects by tracking the emission of a single quantum dot along two orthogonal polarizations as it is deterministically positioned near a silver nanowire. The two orthogonally polarized diffraction spots can be displaced by up to 50 nm, which arises from a Young’s interference effect between the quantum dot and its induced image dipole. We show that the observed spatially varying interference fringe provides a useful measure for correcting image-dipole-induced distortions. These results provide a pathway towards probing and correcting image-dipole effects in near-field imaging applications.
Hidden Benefits of Electric Vehicles for Addressing Climate Change
Authors: Li Canbing , Cao Yijia , Zhang Mi , Wang Jianhui , Liu Jianguo , Shi Haiqing , Geng Yinghui
Published: March 2015

There is an increasingly hot debate on whether the replacement of conventional vehicles (CVs) by electric vehicles (EVs) should be delayed or accelerated since EVs require higher cost and cause more pollution than CVs in the manufacturing process. Here we reveal two hidden benefits of EVs for addressing climate change to support the imperative acceleration of replacing CVs with EVs. As EVs emit much less heat than CVs within the same mileage, the replacement can mitigate urban heat island effect (UHIE) to reduce the energy consumption of air conditioners, benefitting local and global climates. To demonstrate these effects brought by the replacement of CVs by EVs, we take Beijing, China, as an example. EVs emit only 19.8% of the total heat emitted by CVs per mile. The replacement of CVs by EVs in 2012 could have mitigated the summer heat island intensity (HII) by about 0.94°C, reduced the amount of electricity consumed daily by air conditioners in buildings by 14.44 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) and reduced daily CO2 emissions by 10,686 tonnes.
Phytonutrient diet supplementation promotes beneficial Clostridia species and intestinal mucus secretion resulting in protection against enteric infection
Authors: Wlodarska Marta , Willing Benjamin P. , Bravo David M. , Finlay B. Brett
Published: March 2015

Plant extracts, or phytonutrients, are used in traditional medicine practices as supplements to enhance the immune system and gain resistance to various infectious diseases and are used in animal production as health promoting feed additives. To date, there are no studies that have assessed their mechanism of action and ability to alter mucosal immune responses in the intestine. We characterized the immunomodulatory function of six phytonutrients: anethol, carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, capsicum oleoresin and garlic extract. Mice were treated with each phytonutrient to assess changes to colonic gene expression and mucus production. All six phytonutrients showed variable changes in expression of innate immune genes in the colon. However only eugenol stimulated production of the inner mucus layer, a key mucosal barrier to microbes. The mechanism by which eugenol causes mucus layer thickening likely involves microbial stimulation as analysis of the intestinal microbiota composition showed eugenol treatment led to an increase in abundance of specific families within the Clostridiales order. Further, eugenol treatment confers colonization resistance to the enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. These results suggest that eugenol acts to strengthen the mucosal barrier by increasing the thickness of the inner mucus layer, which protects against invading pathogens and disease.
SNP genotyping using TaqMan® technology: the CYP2D6*17 assay conundrum
Authors: Gaedigk Andrea , Freeman Natalie , Hartshorne Toinette , Riffel Amanda K. , Irwin David , Bishop Jeffrey R. , Stein Mark A. , Newcorn Jeffrey H. , Jaime Lazara Karelia Montané , Cherner Mariana , Leeder J. Steven
Published: March 2015

CYP2D6 contributes to the metabolism of many clinically used drugs and is increasingly tested to individualize drug therapy. The CYP2D6 gene is challenging to genotype due to the highly complex nature of its gene locus. TaqMan® technology is widely used in the clinical and research settings for genotype analysis due to assay reliability, low cost and the availability of commercially available assays. The assay identifying 1023C>T (rs28371706) defining a reduced function (CYP2D6*17) and several nonfunctional alleles, produced a small number of unexpected diplotype calls in three independent sets of samples, i.e. calls suggested the presence of a CYP2D6*4 subvariant containing 1023C>T. Gene resequencing did not reveal any unknown SNPs in the primer or probe binding sites in any of the samples, but all affected samples featured a trio of SNPs on their CYP2D6*4 allele between one of the PCR primer and probe binding sites. While the phenomenon was ultimately overcome by an alternate assay utilizing a PCR primer excluding the SNP trio, the mechanism causing this phenomenon remains elusive. This rare and unexpected event underscores the importance of assay validation in samples representing a variety of genotypes, but also vigilance of assay performance in highly polymorphic genes such as CYP2D6.
Plasmon coupled Fabry-Perot lasing enhancement in graphene/ZnO hybrid microcavity
Authors: Li Jitao , Jiang Mingming , Xu Chunxiang , Wang Yueyue , Lin Yi , Lu Junfeng , Shi Zengliang
Published: March 2015

The response of graphene surface plasmon (SP) in the ultraviolet (UV) region and the realization of short-wavelength semiconductor lasers not only are two hot research areas of great academic and practical significance, but also are two important issues lacked of good understanding. In this work, a hybrid Fabry-Perot (F-P) microcavity, comprising of monolayer graphene covered ZnO microbelt, was constructed to investigate the fundamental physics of graphene SP and the functional extension of ZnO UV lasing. Through the coupling between graphene SP modes and conventional optical microcavity modes of ZnO, improved F-P lasing performance was realized, including the lowered lasing threshold, the improved lasing quality and the remarkably enhanced lasing intensity. The underlying mechanism of the improved lasing performance was proposed based on theoretical simulation and experimental characterization. The results are helpful to design new types of optic and photoelectronic devices based on SP coupling in graphene/semiconductor hybrid structures.
Early crocodylomorph increases top tier predator diversity during rise of dinosaurs
Authors: Zanno Lindsay E. , Drymala Susan , Nesbitt Sterling J. , Schneider Vincent P.
Published: March 2015

Triassic predatory guild evolution reflects a period of ecological flux spurred by the catastrophic end-Permian mass extinction and terminating with the global ecological dominance of dinosaurs in the early Jurassic. In responding to this dynamic ecospace, terrestrial predator diversity attained new levels, prompting unique trophic webs with a seeming overabundance of carnivorous taxa and the evolution of entirely new predatory clades. Key among these was Crocodylomorpha, the largest living reptiles and only one of two archosaurian lineages that survive to the present day. In contrast to their existing role as top, semi-aquatic predators, the earliest crocodylomorphs were generally small-bodied, terrestrial faunivores, occupying subsidiary (meso) predator roles. Here we describe Carnufexcarolinensis a new, unexpectedly large-bodied taxon with a slender and ornamented skull from the Carnian Pekin Formation (~231 Ma), representing one of the oldest and earliest diverging crocodylomorphs described to date. Carnufex bridges a problematic gap in the early evolution of pseudosuchians by spanning key transitions in bauplan evolution and body mass near the origin of Crocodylomorpha. With a skull length of >50 cm, the new taxon documents a rare instance of crocodylomorphs ascending to top-tier predator guilds in the equatorial regions of Pangea prior to the dominance of dinosaurs.
High-resolution far-field ghost imaging via sparsity constraint
Authors: Gong Wenlin , Han Shensheng
Published: March 2015

Ghost imaging (GI) is a method to nonlocally image an object with a single-pixel detector. However, the speckle's transverse size at the object plane limits the system's imaging resolution for conventional GI linear reconstruction algorithm. By combining the sparsity constraint of imaging object with ghost imaging method, we demonstrate experimentally that ghost imaging via sparsity constraint (GISC) can dramatically enhance the imaging resolution even using the random measurements far below the Nyquist limit. The image reconstruction algorithm of GISC is based on compressive sensing. Factors affecting the reconstruction quality of high-resolution GISC, such as the receiving system's numerical aperture and the object's sparse representation basis, are also investigated experimentally. This high-resolution imaging technique will have great applications in the microscopy and remote-sensing areas.
Self-generated Local Heating Induced Nanojoining for Room Temperature Pressureless Flexible Electronic Packaging
Authors: Peng Peng , Hu Anming , Gerlich Adrian P. , Liu Yangai , Zhou Y. Norman
Published: March 2015

Metallic bonding at an interface is determined by the application of heat and/or pressure. The means by which these are applied are the most critical for joining nanoscale structures. The present study considers the feasibility of room-temperature pressureless joining of copper wires using water-based silver nanowire paste. A novel mechanism of self-generated local heating within the silver nanowire paste and copper substrate system promotes the joining of silver-to-silver and silver-to-copper without any external energy input. The localized heat energy was delivered in-situ to the interfaces to promote atomic diffusion and metallic bond formation with the bulk component temperature stays near room-temperature. This local heating effect has been detected experimentally and confirmed by calculation. The joints formed at room-temperature without pressure achieve a tensile strength of 5.7 MPa and exhibit ultra-low resistivity in the range of 101.3 nOhm·m. The good conductivity of the joint is attributed to the removal of organic compounds in the paste and metallic bonding of silver-to-copper and silver-to-silver. The water-based silver nanowire paste filler material is successfully applied to various flexible substrates for room temperature bonding. The use of chemically generated local heating may become a potential method for energy in-situ delivery at micro/nanoscale.
Role of liposome and peptide in the synergistic enhancement of transfection with a lipopolyplex vector
Authors: Munye Mustafa M. , Ravi Jascindra , Tagalakis Aristides D. , McCarthy David , Ryadnov Maxim G. , Hart Stephen L.
Published: March 2015

Lipopolyplexes are of widespread interest for gene therapy due to their multifunctionality and high transfection efficiencies. Here we compared the biological and biophysical properties of a lipopolyplex formulation with its lipoplex and polyplex equivalents to assess the role of the lipid and peptide components in the formation and function of the lipopolyplex formulation. We show that peptide efficiently packaged plasmid DNA forming spherical, highly cationic nanocomplexes that are taken up efficiently by cells. However, transgene expression was poor, most likely due to endosomal degradation since the polyplex lacks membrane trafficking properties. In addition the strong peptide-DNA interaction may prevent plasmid release from the complex and so limit plasmid DNA availability. Lipid/DNA lipoplexes, on the other hand, produced aggregated masses that showed poorer cellular uptake than the polyplex but contrastingly greater levels of transgene expression. This may be due to the greater ability of lipoplexes relative to polyplexes to promote endosomal escape. Lipopolyplex formulations formed spherical, cationic nanocomplexes with efficient cellular uptake and significantly enhanced transfection efficiency. The lipopolyplexes combined the optimal features of lipoplexes and polyplexes showing optimal cell uptake, endosomal escape and availability of plasmid for transcription, thus explaining the synergistic increase in transfection efficiency.
Probing Immobilization Mechanism of alpha-chymotrypsin onto Carbon Nanotube in Organic Media by Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Zhang Liyun , Xiao Xiuchan , Yuan Yuan , Guo Yanzhi , Li Menglong , Pu Xuemei
Published: March 2015

The enzyme immobilization has been adopted to enhance the activity and stability of enzymes in non-aqueous enzymatic catalysis. However, the activation and stabilization mechanism has been poorly understood on experiments. Thus, we used molecular dynamics simulation to study the adsorption of α-chymotrypsin (α-ChT) on carbon nanotube (CNT) in aqueous solution and heptane media. The results indicate that α-ChT has stronger affinity with CNT in aqueous solution than in heptane media, as confirmed by more adsorption atoms, larger contact area and higher binding free energies. Although the immobilization causes significant structure deviations from the crystal one, no significant changes in secondary structure of the enzyme upon adsorption are observed in the two media. Different from aqueous solution, the stabilization effects on some local regions far from the surface of CNT were observed in heptane media, in particular for S1 pocket, which should contribute to the preservation of specificity reported by experiments. Also, CNT displays to some extent stabilization role in retaining the catalytic H-bond network of the active site in heptane media, which should be associated with the enhanced activity of enzymes. The observations from the work can provide valuable information for improving the catalytic properties of enzymes in non-aqueous media.
Palladium-Mediated Dealkylation of N-Propargyl-Floxuridine as a Bioorthogonal Oxygen-Independent Prodrug Strategy
Authors: Weiss Jason T. , Carragher Neil O. , Unciti-Broceta Asier
Published: March 2015

Herein we report the development and biological screening of a bioorthogonal palladium-labile prodrug of the nucleoside analogue floxuridine, a potent antineoplastic drug used in the clinic to treat advanced cancers. N-propargylation of the N3 position of its uracil ring resulted in a vast reduction of its biological activity (~6,250-fold). Cytotoxic properties were bioorthogonally rescued in cancer cell culture by heterogeneous palladium chemistry both in normoxia and hypoxia. Within the same environment, the reported chemo-reversible prodrug exhibited up to 1,450-fold difference of cytotoxicity whether it was in the absence or presence of the extracellular palladium source, underlining the precise modulation of bioactivity enabled by this bioorthogonally-activated prodrug strategy.
A combination of targeted enrichment methodologies for whole-exome sequencing reveals novel pathogenic mutations
Authors: Miya Fuyuki , Kato Mitsuhiro , Shiohama Tadashi , Okamoto Nobuhiko , Saitoh Shinji , Yamasaki Mami , Shigemizu Daichi , Abe Tetsuo , Morizono Takashi , Boroevich Keith A. , Kosaki Kenjiro , Kanemura Yonehiro , Tsunoda Tatsuhiko
Published: March 2015

Whole-exome sequencing (WES) is a useful method to identify disease-causing mutations, however, often no candidate mutations are identified using commonly available targeted probe sets. In a recent analysis, we also could not find candidate mutations for 20.9% (9/43) of our pedigrees with congenital neurological disorder using pre-designed capture probes (SureSelect V4 or V5). One possible cause for this lack of candidates is that standard WES cannot sequence all protein-coding sequences (CDS) due to capture probe design and regions of low coverage, which account for approximately 10% of all CDS regions. In this study, we combined a selective circularization-based target enrichment method (HaloPlex) with a hybrid capture method (SureSelect V5; WES) and achieved a more complete coverage of CDS regions (~97% of all CDS). We applied this approach to 7 (SureSelect V5) out of 9 pedigrees with no candidates through standard WES analysis and identified novel pathogenic mutations in one pedigree. The application of this effective combination of targeted enrichment methodologies can be expected to aid in the identification of novel pathogenic mutations previously missed by standard WES analysis.
3D elemental sensitive imaging by full-field XFCT
Authors: Deng Biao , Du Guohao , Zhou Guangzhao , Wang Yudan , Ren Yuqi , Chen Rongchang , Sun Pengfei , Xie Honglan , Xiao Tiqiao
Published: March 2015

We propose a feasibility study to perform 3D elemental imaging for multiple elements of interest within a single sample using full-field X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (FF-XFCT).
Using X-ray fluorescence to measure inorganics in biopharmaceutical raw materials
Authors: Mondia J. P. , Goh F. , Bryngelson P. A. , MacPhee J. M. , Ali A. S. , Weiskopf A. , Lanan M.
Published: March 2015

XRF is used to measure metals in cell culture raw materials to provide consistency in cell performance and production.
Oxidative potential of particulate matter at a German motorway
Authors: Hellack Bryan , Quass Ulrich , Nickel Carmen , Wick Gabriele , Schins Roel P. F. , Kuhlbusch Thomas A. J.
Published: March 2015

Ambient particulate matter (PM10) was sampled alongside a motorway at clear up- and downwind situations and analysed to their oxidative potential.
Non-heme iron catalysts for epoxidation and aziridination reactions of challenging terminal alkenes: towards sustainability
Authors: Fingerhut Anja , Serdyuk Olga V. , Tsogoeva Svetlana B.
Published: March 2015

This review presents non-heme iron catalyzed epoxidations and aziridinations of terminal alkenes with respect to atom economy and sustainability.
Characterization of gypsum synthesized from LD slag fines generated at a waste recycling plant of a steel plant
Authors: Ashrit Shrenivas , Banerjee Pradip Kumar , Chatti Ravikrishna V. , R Venugopal , G Udayabhanu
Published: March 2015

Tabular, needle-shaped and rod-like morphology of synthesized gypsum crystals can be observed in the SEM micrographs at different magnifications.
Allylic oxidation of cyclohexene over ruthenium-doped titanium-pillared clay
Authors: Dali Ahmed , Rekkab-Hammoumraoui Ilhem , Choukchou-Braham Abderrahim , Bachir Redouane
Published: March 2015

Ruthenium-doped H-Montmorillonite (H-Mont) and Ti-pillared clay (Ti-PILC) were prepared then studied for oxidation of cyclohexene, with tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxygen source.
Strategies to enhance CO2capture and separation based on engineering absorbent materials
Authors: Lu Xiaoqing , Jin Dongliang , Wei Shuxian , Wang Zhaojie , An Changhua , Guo Wenyue
Published: March 2015

Strategies to enhance CO2capture and separation based on state-of-the-art adsorbent materials have been proposed by topological structure design, chemical doping, chemical functionalization, open metal sites, and electric fields. This review presents a constructive way for the design and screening of novel adsorbent materials.
Comparison of the methods for generating single-stranded DNA in SELEX
Authors: Liang Chao , Li Defang , Zhang Guangxian , Li Hui , Shao Ningsheng , Liang Zicai , Zhang Lingqiang , Lu Aiping , Zhang Ge
Published: March 2015

Size separation derived from unequal primers with chemical modification (right) achieved an almost equivalent recovery rate when compared to magnetic separation (left).
One-pot facile synthesis of platinum nanoparticle decorated reduced graphene oxide composites and their application in electrochemical detection of rutin
Authors: Pang Pengfei , Li Haizhen , Liu Yanpei , Zhang Yanli , Feng Lili , Wang Hongbin , Wu Zhan , Yang Wenrong
Published: March 2015

We report on the synthesis of platinum nanoparticle–reduced graphene oxide (PtNP–rGO) composites and their application as a novel architecture in electrochemical detection of rutin.
Analysis of fatty acids and triacylglycerides by Pd nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Silina Yuliya E. , Fink-Straube Claudia , Hayen Heiko , Volmer Dietrich A.
Published: March 2015

In this study, we propose a simple and rapid technique for characterization of free fatty acids and triacylglycerides (TAG) based on palladium nanoparticular (Pd-NP) surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) mass spectrometry (MS).
Growth rates and water stability of 2D boronate ester covalent organic frameworks
Authors: Smith Brian J. , Hwang Nicky , Chavez Anton D. , Novotney Jennifer L. , Dichtel William R.
Published: March 2015

The formation and stability of boronate ester COFs is monitored by turbidity spectroscopy, establishing rules for monomer effects and insights into the growth mechanism.
Highly efficient detection of hydrogen peroxide in solution and in the vapor phase via fluorescence quenching
Authors: Marks Patrick , Radaram Bhasker , Levine Mindy , Levitsky Igor A.
Published: March 2015

Herein we report the highly efficient and sensitive detection of hydrogen peroxide in both aqueous solution and in the vapor phaseviafluorescence quenching (turn-off mechanism) of the amplified fluorescent conjugated polymer–titanium complex induced by hydrogen peroxide.
Hyper-expanded interlayer separations in superconducting barium intercalates of FeSe
Authors: Yusenko K. V. , Sottmann J. , Emerich H. , Crichton W. A. , Malavasi L. , Margadonna S.
Published: March 2015

Superconducting phases with interlayer distance up to 13.1 Å were obtained by intercalation of Ba in β-FeSe using ammonothermal synthesis.
N,N′-Dialkyl-N,N′-diaryl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamides as donor ligands for separation of rare earth elements with a high and unusual selectivity. DFT computational and experimental studies
Authors: Ustynyuk Yu. A. , Borisova N. E. , Babain V. A. , Gloriozov I. P. , Manuilov A. Y. , Kalmykov S. N. , Alyapyshev M. Yu. , Tkachenko L. I. , Kenf E. V. , Ustynyuk N. A.
Published: March 2015

These diamides were predicted (DFT simulation) and then were proved to be efficient donor ligands for the separation of lanthanides.
Nanoporous silicon prepared through air-oxidation demagnesiation of Mg2Si and properties of its lithium ion batteries
Authors: Liang Jianwen , Li Xiaona , Hou Zhiguo , Guo Cong , Zhu Yongchun , Qian Yitai
Published: March 2015

Nanoporous silicon has been prepared through the air-oxidation demagnesiation of Mg2Si at 600 °C for 10 hours (Mg2Si + O2→ Si + MgO), followed by HCl washing.
Electrochemical fabrication of graphene nanomesh via colloidal templating
Authors: Mangadlao J. D. , de Leon A. C. C. , Felipe M. J. L. , Advincula R. C.
Published: March 2015

A simple fabrication of graphene nanomesh (GNM) was accomplished by arraying polystyrene (PS) spheres onto a CVD-deposited graphene, electro-deposition of carbazole units, removal of PS template and electrochemical oxidative etching. The GNM was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy.
Ultrasensitive detection of nitroexplosive – picric acid via a conjugated polyelectrolyte in aqueous media and solid support
Authors: Hussain Sameer , Malik Akhtar Hussain , Afroz Mohammad Adil , Iyer Parameswar Krishnan
Published: March 2015

Cationic polymer PMI detects picric acid at ppt levelsviacombination of ground state charge transfer, RET and electrostatic interactions. A paper strip test and a contact mode sensing platform using chitosan film confirm the method as simple, portable and cost-effective.
n-Bu4NI-catalyzed direct amination of ethers with aryl tetrazoles and triazoles via cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction
Authors: Wang Liang , Zhu Kai-qiang , Wu Wen-ting , Chen Qun , He Ming-yang
Published: March 2015

An efficient, metal-free protocol for direct amination of ethers with aryl tetrazoles and triazoles has been developed using the TBAI/TBHP system.
New iron tetrazolate frameworks: synthesis, temperature effect, thermal behaviour, Mössbauer and magnetic studies
Authors: Pimenta Vanessa , Le Quang Hoang Hanh , Clark Lucy , Lhoste Jérôme , Hémon-Ribaud Annie , Leblanc Marc , Grenèche Jean-Marc , Dujardin Gilles , Lightfoot Philip , Maisonneuve Vincent
Published: March 2015

Two mixed Fe2+/Fe3+hybrid fluorides: single crystal structures, Mössbauer spectrometry and magnetic properties.
A 2D bilayered metal–organic framework as a fluorescent sensor for highly selective sensing of nitro explosives
Authors: Hu Xiao-Li , Liu Fu-Hong , Qin Chao , Shao Kui-Zhan , Su Zhong-Min
Published: March 2015

A novel 2D bilayered Cd-MOF to detect nitrobenzene (NB) and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) has been reported. The results reveal that 1 can be applied as a fluorescent sensor for the detection of TNP with high sensitivity, selectivity, and recyclability.
Synthesis, characterization and gas sensing properties of novel homo and hetero dinuclear ball-type phthalocyanines
Authors: Kakı Esra , Altındal Ahmet , Salih Bekir , Bekaroğlu Özer
Published: March 2015

A ball-type homodinuclear Co(ii)–Co(ii) phthalocyanine (2) and ball-type heterodinuclear Co(ii)–Fe(ii) phthalocyanine (3) were synthesized and their gas sensing properties were investigated.
Correction: Unexpected optical activity of cerium in Y2O3:Ce3+, Yb3+, Er3+ up and down-conversion system
Authors: Marin Riccardo , Back Michele , Mazzucco Nicolò , Enrichi Francesco , Frattini Romana , Benedetti Alvise , Riello Pietro
Published: March 2015

Correction for ‘Unexpected optical activity of cerium in Y2O3:Ce3+, Yb3+, Er3+ up and down-conversion system’ by Riccardo Marin et al., Dalton Trans., 2013, 42, 16837–16845.
High yield production of formate by hydrogenating CO2 derived ammonium carbamate/carbonate at room temperature
Authors: Su Ji , Lu Mi , Lin Hongfei
Published: March 2015

A new CO2 utilization strategy was developed via hydrogenation of CO2 derived ammonium carbamate/carbonate to produce value-added formate.
A missing link between chiral four- and five-coordinate complexes
Authors: Lennartson Anders , Håkansson Mikael
Published: March 2015

A stereochemically labile complex, intermediate between square planar and distorted five-coordinate, was obtained in enantiomerically pure form through total spontaneous resolution.
Enhancing the mechanical and biological performance of a metallic biomaterial for orthopedic applications through changes in the surface oxide layer by nanocrystalline surface modification
Authors: Bahl Sumit , Shreyas P. , Trishul M. A. , Suwas Satyam , Chatterjee Kaushik
Published: March 2015

Nanocrystallization of a metal surface can improve its mechanical performance and biological response for designing longer lasting orthopedic implants.
Palladium-catalyzed α-arylation of carbonyls in the de novo synthesis of aromatic heterocycles
Authors: Potukuchi Harish K. , Spork Anatol P. , Donohoe Timothy J.
Published: March 2015

The enolate cross coupling reaction is a highly efficient method for the de novo synthesis of aromatic rings.
Correction: Light-driven conformational regulation of human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA in physiological conditions
Authors: Xing Xiwen , Wang Xiaolin , Xu Liang , Tai Yang , Dai Luyang , Zheng Xiaolong , Mao Wuxiang , Xu Xiaowei , Zhou Xiang
Published: March 2015

Correction for ‘Light-driven conformational regulation of human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA in physiological conditions’ by Xiwen Xing et al., Org. Biomol. Chem., 2011, 9, 6639–6645.
Synthesis, stabilization, growth behavior, and catalytic activity of highly concentrated silver nanoparticles using a multifunctional polymer in an aqueous-phase
Authors: Shahzad Aasim , Kim Woo-Sik , Yu Taekyung
Published: March 2015

Highly concentrated Ag nanoparticles (above 20 g L−1) synthesized by the reaction AgNO3 with BPEI exhibited long-term stability over more than 40 days.
Fabrication of novel perovskite-type Sr2Ta(Fe1−xGax)O6nanoparticles with high visible-light photocatalytic activity
Authors: Wang Jianan , Yang Honghui , Lv Wei , Yan Wei
Published: March 2015

Novel Sr2Ta(Fe1−xGax)O6perovskite photocatalysts with the excellent photocatalytic activity were successfully synthesized by a simple one-step sol–gel method.
Effects of magnetic ordering and electron correlations on the stability of FeN
Authors: Zhao Zhonglong , Bao Kuo , Duan Defang , Tian Fubo , Liu Bingbing , Cui Tian
Published: March 2015

The controversy surrounding the ground state of FeN was clarified by calculating the magnetic ordering and electron correlations.
Smoothened titania particles to improve radionuclide separation and their application to the development of a novel [68Ge]/[68Ga] generator
Authors: Cressier Damien , Oelsner Steve , Hunter Gary , Quarin Linda , Methot Nathalie , Wester Dennis , Barré Louisa
Published: March 2015

Smoothened titania particles for a long-lived radiopharmaceutical grade 68Ge/68Ga generator.
Fabrication and pseudocapacity behavior of elm flower branch-like nickel@graphene fibers
Authors: Yu Borong , He Hui , Lin Yongxing , Liu Xianglan , Tian Xingyou , Ding Xin
Published: March 2015

A facile strategy is demonstrated to fabricate novel elm-flower-branch-like fibers on which nickel@graphene nanosheets are grown to form three-dimensional hierarchical architectures.
Highly dispersed buckybowls as model carbocatalysts for C–H bond activation
Authors: Soykal I. Ilgaz , Wang Hui , Park Jewook , Li An-Ping , Liang Chengdu , Schwartz Viviane
Published: March 2015

Fullerene fragments function as highly active and selective carbon catalysts for C–H bond activation.
Fourier decomposition of polymer orientation in large-amplitude oscillatory shear flow
Authors: Giacomin A. J. , Gilbert P. H. , Schmalzer A. M.
Published: March 2015

In our previous work, we explored the dynamics of a dilute suspension of rigid dumbbells as a model for polymeric liquids in large-amplitude oscillatory shear flow, a flow experiment that has gained a significant following in recent years. We chose rigid dumbbells since these are the simplest molecular model to give higher harmonics in the components of the stress response. We derived the expression for the dumbbell orientation distribution, and then we used this function to calculate the shear stress response, and normal stress difference responses in large-amplitude oscillatory shear flow. In this paper, we deepen our understanding of the polymer motion underlying large-amplitude oscillatory shear flow by decomposing the orientation distribution function into its first five Fourier components (the zeroth, first, second, third, and fourth harmonics). We use three-dimensional images to explore each harmonic of the polymer motion. Our analysis includes the three most important cases: (i) nonlinear steady shear flow (where the Deborah number λω is zero and the Weissenberg number λγ̇0 is above unity), (ii) nonlinear viscoelasticity (where both λω and λγ̇0 exceed unity), and (iii) linear viscoelasticity (where λω exceeds unity and where λγ̇0 approaches zero). We learn that the polymer orientation distribution is spherical in the linear viscoelastic regime, and otherwise tilted and peanut-shaped. We find that the peanut-shaping is mainly caused by the zeroth harmonic, and the tilting, by the second. The first, third, and fourth harmonics of the orientation distribution make only slight contributions to the overall polymer motion.
Effects of repetitive bending on the magnetoresistance of a flexible spin-valve
Authors: Kwon J.-H. , Kwak W.-Y. , Choi H. Y. , Kim G. H. , Cho B. K.
Published: March 2015

A positive magnetostrictive single layer (CoFe) and top-pinned spin-valve structure with positive magnetostrictive free (NiFe) and pinned (CoFe) layers were deposited on flexible polyethylene terephthalate film to investigate the changes in the magnetic properties in flexible environments, especially with a repetitive bending process. It was found that the stress, applied by repetitive bending, changes significantly the magnetic anisotropy of both layers in a single and spin-valve structure depending on the direction of applied stress. The changes in magnetic anisotropy were understood in terms of the inverse magnetostriction effect (the Villari effect) and the elastic recovery force from the flexibility of the polymer substrate. Repetitive bending with tensile stress transverse (or parallel) to the magnetic easy axis was found to enhance (or reduce) the magnetic anisotropy and, consequently, the magnetoresistance ratio of a spin-valve. The observed effects of bending stress in this study should be considered for the practical applications of electro-magnetic devices, especially magneto-striction sensor.
Polarizable embedding with a multiconfiguration short-range density functional theory linear response method
Authors: Hedegård Erik Donovan , Olsen Jógvan Magnus Haugaard , Knecht Stefan , Kongsted Jacob , Jensen Hans Jørgen Aagaard
Published: March 2015

We present here the coupling of a polarizable embedding (PE) model to the recently developed multiconfiguration short-range density functional theory method (MC-srDFT), which can treat multiconfigurational systems with a simultaneous account for dynamical and static correlation effects. PE-MC-srDFT is designed to combine efficient treatment of complicated electronic structures with inclusion of effects from the surrounding environment. The environmental effects encompass classical electrostatic interactions as well as polarization of both the quantum region and the environment. Using response theory, molecular properties such as excitation energies and oscillator strengths can be obtained. The PE-MC-srDFT method and the additional terms required for linear response have been implemented in a development version of Dalton. To benchmark the PE-MC-srDFT approach against the literature data, we have investigated the low-lying electronic excitations of acetone and uracil, both immersed in water solution. The PE-MC-srDFT results are consistent and accurate, both in terms of the calculated solvent shift and, unlike regular PE-MCSCF, also with respect to the individual absolute excitation energies. To demonstrate the capabilities of PE-MC-srDFT, we also investigated the retinylidene Schiff base chromophore embedded in the channelrhodopsin protein. While using a much more compact reference wave function in terms of active space, our PE-MC-srDFT approach yields excitation energies comparable in quality to CASSCF/CASPT2 benchmarks.
Fragmentation and depolymerization of non-covalently bonded filaments
Authors: Zaccone A. , Terentjev I. , Di Michele L. , Terentjev E. M.
Published: March 2015

Protein molecules often self-assemble by means of non-covalent physical bonds to form extended filaments, such as amyloids, F-actin, intermediate filaments, and many others. The kinetics of filament growth is limited by the disassembly rate, at which inter-protein bonds break due to the thermal motion. Existing models often assume that the thermal dissociation of subunits occurs uniformly along the filament, or even preferentially in the middle, while the well-known propensity of F-actin to depolymerize from one end is mediated by biochemical factors. Here, we show for a very general (and generic) model, using Brownian dynamics simulations and theory, that the breakup location along the filament is strongly controlled by the asymmetry of the binding force about the minimum, as well as by the bending stiffness of the filament. We provide the basic connection between the features of the interaction potential between subunits and the breakup topology. With central-force (that is, fully flexible) bonds, the breakup rate is always maximum in the middle of the chain, whereas for semiflexible or stiff filaments this rate is either a minimum in the middle or flat. The emerging framework provides a unifying understanding of biopolymer fragmentation and depolymerization and recovers earlier results in its different limits.