bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Making sense of loss through spirituality: Perspectives of African American family members who have experienced the death of a close family member to cancer
Authors: Hamilton Jill B. , Best Nakia C. , Wells Jessica S. , Worthy Valarie C.
Published: December 2017

Objective

Among African Americans, spirituality is meaning or purpose in life and a faith in God who is in control of health and there to provide support and guidance in illness situations. Using qualitative methods, we explored the use of spirituality to make sense of the end-of-life and bereavement experiences among family members of a deceased cancer patient.

Method

Data in this report come from 19 African Americans who experienced the loss of a family member to cancer. A qualitative descriptive design was used with criterion sampling, open-ended semistructured interviews, and qualitative content analysis.

Results

Participants made sense of the death of their loved one using the following five themes: Ready for life after death; I was there; I live to honor their memory; God's wisdom is infinite; and God prepares you and brings you through. These five themes are grounded in conceptualizations of spirituality as connectedness to God, self, and others.

Significance of results

Our findings support the results that even during bereavement, spirituality is important in the lives of African Americans. African American family members might struggle with issues related to life after death, their ability to be physically present during end-of-life care, and disentangling beliefs around God's control over the beginning and ending of life. The findings in this report can be used to inform healthcare providers to better support and address the needs for support of African American family members during end-of-life and bereavement experiences.
Survey of solution dynamics in Src kinase reveals allosteric cross talk between the ligand binding and regulatory sites
Authors: Tong Michael , Pelton Jeff G. , Gill Michelle L. , Zhang Weibing , Picart Francis , Seeliger Markus A.
Published: December 2017

The catalytic domain of protein tyrosine kinases can interconvert between active and inactive conformations in response to regulatory inputs. We recently demonstrated that Src kinase features an allosteric network that couples substrate-binding sites. However, the extent of conformational and dynamic changes that are propagated throughout the kinase domain remains poorly understood. Here, we monitor by NMR the effect of conformationally selective inhibitors on kinase backbone dynamics. We find that inhibitor binding and activation loop autophosphorylation induces dynamic changes across the entire kinase. We identify a highly conserved amino acid, Gly449, that is necessary for Src activation. Finally, we show for the first time how the SH3–SH2 domains perturb the dynamics of the kinase domain in the context of the full length protein. We provide experimental support for long-range communication in Src kinase that leads to the relative stabilization of active or inactive conformations and modulation of substrate affinity.
Single-molecule imaging reveals multiple pathways for the recruitment of translesion polymerases after DNA damage
Authors: Thrall Elizabeth S. , Kath James E. , Chang Seungwoo , Loparo Joseph J.
Published: December 2017

Unrepaired DNA lesions are a potent block to replication, leading to replication fork collapse, double-strand DNA breaks, and cell death. Error-prone polymerases overcome this blockade by synthesizing past DNA lesions in a process called translesion synthesis (TLS), but how TLS polymerases gain access to the DNA template remains poorly understood. In this study, we use particle-tracking PALM to image live Escherichia coli cells containing a functional fusion of the endogenous copy of Pol IV to the photoactivatable fluorescent protein PAmCherry. We find that Pol IV is strongly enriched near sites of replication only upon DNA damage. Surprisingly, we find that the mechanism of Pol IV recruitment is dependent on the type of DNA lesion, and that interactions with proteins other than the processivity factor β play a role under certain conditions. Collectively, these results suggest that multiple interactions, influenced by lesion identity, recruit Pol IV to sites of DNA damage.
Novel inhibitors targeting Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus capsid protein identified using In Silico Structure-Based-Drug-Design
Authors: Shechter Sharon , Thomas David R. , Lundberg Lindsay , Pinkham Chelsea , Lin Shih-Chao , Wagstaff Kylie M. , Debono Aaron , Kehn-Hall Kylene , Jans David A.
Published: December 2017

Therapeutics are currently unavailable for Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), which elicits flu-like symptoms and encephalitis in humans, with an estimated 14% of cases resulting in neurological disease. Here we identify anti-VEEV agents using in silico structure-based-drug-design (SBDD) for the first time, characterising inhibitors that block recognition of VEEV capsid protein (C) by the host importin (IMP) α/β1 nuclear transport proteins. From an initial screen of 1.5 million compounds, followed by in silico refinement and screening for biological activity in vitro, we identified 21 hit compounds which inhibited IMPα/β1:C binding with IC50s as low as 5 µM. Four compounds were found to inhibit nuclear import of C in transfected cells, with one able to reduce VEEV replication at µM concentration, concomitant with reduced C nuclear accumulation in infected cells. Further, this compound was inactive against a mutant VEEV that lacks high affinity IMPα/β1:C interaction, supporting the mode of its antiviral action to be through inhibiting C nuclear localization. This successful application of SBDD paves the way for lead optimization for VEEV antivirals, and is an exciting prospect to identify inhibitors for the many other viral pathogens of significance that require IMPα/β1 in their infectious cycle.
Quantifying Nearshore Sea Turtle Densities: Applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Population Assessments
Authors: Sykora-Bodie Seth T. , Bezy Vanessa , Johnston David W. , Newton Everette , Lohmann Kenneth J.
Published: December 2017

Although sea turtles face significant pressure from human activities, some populations are recovering due to conservation programs, bans on the trade of turtle products, and reductions in bycatch. While these trends are encouraging, the status of many populations remains unknown and scientific monitoring is needed to inform conservation and management decisions. To address these gaps, this study presents methods for using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to conduct population assessments. Using a fixed-wing UAS and a modified strip-transect method, we conducted aerial surveys along a three-kilometer track line at Ostional, Costa Rica during a mass-nesting event of olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea). We visually assessed images collected during six transects for sea turtle presence, resulting in 682 certain detections. A cumulative total of 1091 certain and probable turtles were detected in the collected imagery. Using these data, we calculate estimates of sea turtle density (km−2) in nearshore waters. After adjusting for both availability and perception biases, we developed a low-end estimate of 1299 ± 458 and a high-end estimate of 2086 ± 803 turtles km−2. This pilot study illustrates how UAS can be used to conduct robust, safe, and cost-effective population assessments of sea turtle populations in coastal marine ecosystems.
High Density Arrayed Ni/NiO Core-shell Nanospheres Evenly Distributed on Graphene for Ultrahigh Performance Supercapacitor
Authors: Liu Fanggang , Wang Xiaobing , Hao Jin , Han Shuang , Lian Jianshe , Jiang Qing
Published: December 2017

A novel NiO/Ni/RGO three-dimensional core-shell architecture consisting of Ni nanoparticles as core, NiO as shell and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as conductivity layer, has been constructed by redox reactions with hydrothermal method and heat treatment. High density arrayed nickel nanoparticles (20 nm diameter) semi-coated by a 3 nm thick layer of NiO are evenly distributed on the surface of graphene. This elaborate design not only uses abundant NiO surfaces to provide a wealth of active sites, but also bridges electrochemical active NiO shell and graphene by Ni core to construct an interconnected 3D conductive network. Since both electrochemical activity and excellent conductivity are reserved in this Ni/NiO core-shell/graphene layer 3D structure, the as-prepared electrode material exhibits an extremely high specific capacitance (2048.3 F g−1 at current density of 1 A g−1) and excellent cycle stability (77.8% capacitance retention after 10000 cycles at current density of 50 A g−1). The novel method presented here is easy and effective and would provide reference for the preparation of other high performance supercapacitor electrodes.
N-Acetylcysteine Attenuates the Development of Renal Fibrosis in Transgenic Mice with Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Giam Beverly , Kuruppu Sanjaya , Chu Po-Yin , Smith A. Ian , Marques Francine Z. , Fiedler April , Horlock Duncan , Kiriazis Helen , Du Xiao-Jun , Kaye David M. , Rajapakse Niwanthi W.
Published: December 2017

Mechanisms underlying the renal pathology in cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) type 2 remain elusive. We hypothesised that renal glutathione deficiency is central to the development of CRS type 2. Glutathione precursor, N-acetylcysteine (NAC;40 mg/kg/day; 8 weeks) or saline were administered to transgenic mice with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and wild-type (WT) controls. Cardiac structure, function and glutathione levels were assessed at the end of this protocol. Renal fibrosis, glutathione content, expression of inflammatory and fibrotic markers, and function were also evaluated. In both genotypes, NAC had minimal effect on cardiac glutathione, structure and function (P ≥ 0.20). In NAC treated DCM mice, loss of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), tubulointerstitial and glomerular fibrosis and renal oxidised glutathione levels were attenuated by 38%, 99%, 70% and 52% respectively, compared to saline treated DCM mice (P ≤ 0.01). Renal expression of PAI-1 was greater in saline treated DCM mice than in WT mice (P < 0.05). Renal PAI-1 expression was less in NAC treated DCM mice than in vehicle treated DCM mice (P = 0.03). Renal IL-10 expression was greater in the former cohort compared to the latter (P < 0.01). These data indicate that normalisation of renal oxidized glutathione levels attenuates PAI-1 expression and renal inflammation preventing loss of GFR in experimental DCM.
An Adaptive Cultural Algorithm with Improved Quantum-behaved Particle Swarm Optimization for Sonar Image Detection
Authors: Wang Xingmei , Hao Wenqian , Li Qiming
Published: December 2017

This paper proposes an adaptive cultural algorithm with improved quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (ACA-IQPSO) to detect the underwater sonar image. In the population space, to improve searching ability of particles, iterative times and the fitness value of particles are regarded as factors to adaptively adjust the contraction-expansion coefficient of the quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization algorithm (QPSO). The improved quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization algorithm (IQPSO) can make particles adjust their behaviours according to their quality. In the belief space, a new update strategy is adopted to update cultural individuals according to the idea of the update strategy in shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA). Moreover, to enhance the utilization of information in the population space and belief space, accept function and influence function are redesigned in the new communication protocol. The experimental results show that ACA-IQPSO can obtain good clustering centres according to the grey distribution information of underwater sonar images, and accurately complete underwater objects detection. Compared with other algorithms, the proposed ACA-IQPSO has good effectiveness, excellent adaptability, a powerful searching ability and high convergence efficiency. Meanwhile, the experimental results of the benchmark functions can further demonstrate that the proposed ACA-IQPSO has better searching ability, convergence efficiency and stability.
A Drosophila ex vivo model of olfactory appetitive learning
Authors: Suzuki-Sawano Ema , Ueno Kohei , Naganos Shintaro , Sawano Yoshihiro , Horiuchi Junjiro , Saitoe Minoru
Published: December 2017

During olfactory appetitive learning, animals associate an odor, or conditioned stimulus (CS), with an unconditioned stimulus (US), often a sugar reward. This association induces feeding behavior, a conditioned response (CR), upon subsequent exposure to the CS. In this study, we developed a model of this behavior in isolated Drosophila brains. Artificial activation of neurons expressing the Gr5a sugar-responsive gustatory receptor (Gr5a GRNs) induces feeding behavior in starved flies. Consistent with this, we find that in dissected brains, activation of Gr5a GRNs induces Ca2+ transients in motor neurons, MN11 + 12, required for ingestion. Significantly, activation of Gr5a GRNs can substitute for presentation of sugar rewards during olfactory appetitive learning. Similarly, in dissected brains, coincident stimulation of Gr5a GRNs and the antennal lobe (AL), which processes olfactory information, results in increased Ca2+ influx into MN11 + 12 cells upon subsequent AL stimulation. Importantly, olfactory appetitive associations are not formed in satiated flies. Likewise, AL-evoked Ca2+ transients in MN11 + 12 are not produced in ex vivo brains from satiated flies. Our results suggest that a starved/satiated state is maintained in dissected brains, and that this ex vivo system will be useful for identification of neural networks involved in olfactory appetitive learning.
Misato underlies visceral myopathy in Drosophila
Authors: Min Soohong , Yoon Woongchang , Cho Hyunho , Chung Jongkyeong
Published: December 2017

Genetic mechanisms for the pathogenesis of visceral myopathy (VM) have been rarely demonstrated. Here we report the visceral role of misato (mst) in Drosophila and its implications for the pathogenesis of VM. Depletion of mst using three independent RNAi lines expressed by a pan-muscular driver elicited characteristic symptoms of VM, such as abnormal dilation of intestinal tracts, reduced gut motility, feeding defects, and decreased life span. By contrast, exaggerated expression of mst reduced intestine diameters, but increased intestinal motilities along with thickened muscle fibers, demonstrating a critical role of mst in the visceral muscle. Mst expression was detected in the adult intestine with its prominent localization to actin filaments and was required for maintenance of intestinal tubulin and actomyosin structures. Consistent with the subcellular localization of Mst, the intestinal defects induced by mst depletion were dramatically rescued by exogenous expression of an actin member. Upon ageing the intestinal defects were deteriorative with marked increase of apoptotic responses in the visceral muscle. Taken together, we propose the impairment of actomyosin structures induced by mst depletion in the visceral muscle as a pathogenic mechanism for VM.
A new and general approach to signal denoising and eye movement classification based on segmented linear regression
Authors: Pekkanen Jami , Lappi Otto
Published: December 2017

We introduce a conceptually novel method for eye-movement signal analysis. The method is general in that it does not place severe restrictions on sampling frequency, measurement noise or subject behavior. Event identification is based on segmentation that simultaneously denoises the signal and determines event boundaries. The full gaze position time-series is segmented into an approximately optimal piecewise linear function in O(n) time. Gaze feature parameters for classification into fixations, saccades, smooth pursuits and post-saccadic oscillations are derived from human labeling in a data-driven manner. The range of oculomotor events identified and the powerful denoising performance make the method useable for both low-noise controlled laboratory settings and high-noise complex field experiments. This is desirable for harmonizing the gaze behavior (in the wild) and oculomotor event identification (in the laboratory) approaches to eye movement behavior. Denoising and classification performance are assessed using multiple datasets. Full open source implementation is included.
Electrical stimulation of macaque lateral prefrontal cortex modulates oculomotor behavior indicative of a disruption of top-down attention
Authors: Schwedhelm Philipp , Baldauf Daniel , Treue Stefan
Published: December 2017

The lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC) of primates is hypothesized to be heavily involved in decision-making and selective visual attention. Recent neurophysiological evidence suggests that information necessary for an orchestration of those high-level cognitive factors are indeed represented in the lPFC. However, we know little about the specific contribution of sub-networks within lPFC to the deployment of top-down influences that can be measured in extrastriate visual cortex. Here, we systematically applied electrical stimulations to areas 8Av and 45 of two macaque monkeys performing a concurrent goal-directed saccade task. Despite using currents well above saccadic thresholds of the directly adjacent Frontal Eye Fields (FEF), saccades were only rarely evoked by the stimulation. Instead, two types of behavioral effects were observed: Stimulations of caudal sites in 8Av (close to FEF) shortened or prolonged saccadic reaction times, depending on the task-instructed saccade, while rostral stimulations of 8Av/45 seem to affect the relative attentional weighting of saccade targets as well as saccadic reaction times. These results illuminate important differences in the causal involvement of different sub-networks within the lPFC and are most compatible with a stimulation-induced biasing of stimulus processing that accelerates the detection of saccade targets presented ipsilateral to stimulation through a disruption of contralaterally deployed top-down attention.
Urinary miR-21 as a potential biomarker of hypertensive kidney injury and fibrosis
Authors: Chen Congcong , Lu Chaosheng , Qian Yan , Li Haiyan , Tan Yi , Cai Lu , Weng Huachun
Published: December 2017

Kidney biopsy is considered the golden criterion for diagnosing the etiology of kidney disease but accompanied by non-negligible complications. We explored the possibility of using urinary microRNA (miRNA) as a non-invasive biomarker for hypertensive kidney injury. We assessed differential miRNA expressions in the kidneys and urine of hypertensive mice with kidney injury induced by deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt compared to the controls. DOCA-salt treatment significantly increased renal tubular lesions from day 2 and mRNA expression of fibrosis-related genes from day 4 compared to the controls, respectively. Urinary albumin and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was significantly increased on day 8 compared to the controls. Array results showed that 20 out of 585 miRNAs were highly expressed in the kidneys and significantly increased on day 8 compared to the controls, including miR-21, miR-146b, miR-155 and miR-132, which were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and were significantly higher from day 4. The miR-21/creatinine in the urine from day 4 was significantly higher than that of the controls and was detected earlier than urinary albumin. In conclusion, we have identified urinary miR-21 that correlates with histopathological lesions and functional markers of kidney damage to facilitate a potential noninvasive detection for hypertensive kidney injury.
Expression profiling of the retina of pde6c, a zebrafish model of retinal degeneration
Authors: Zhang Liyun , Zhang Xinlian , Zhang Gaonan , Pang Chi Pui , Leung Yuk Fai , Zhang Mingzhi , Zhong Wenxuan
Published: December 2017

Retinal degeneration often affects the whole retina even though the disease-causing gene is specifically expressed in the light-sensitive photoreceptors. The molecular basis of the retinal defect can potentially be determined by gene-expression profiling of the whole retina. In this study, we measured the gene-expression profile of retinas microdissected from a zebrafishpde6cw59(pde6c) mutant. This retinal-degeneration model not only displays cone degeneration caused by a cone-specific mutation, but also other secondary cellular changes starting from 4 days postfertilization (dpf). To capture the underlying molecular changes, we subjectedpde6cand wild-type (WT) retinas at 5 dpf/ 120 h postfertilization (hpf) to RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) on the Illumina HiSeq 2,000 platform. We also validated the RNA-Seq results by Reverse Transcription Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) of seven phototransduction genes. Our analyses indicate that the RNA-Seq dataset was of high quality, and effectively captured the molecular changes in the wholepde6cretina. This dataset will facilitate the characterization of the molecular defects in thepde6cretina at the initial stage of retinal degeneration.
An RNA-Seq atlas of gene expression in mouse and rat normal tissues
Authors: Söllner Julia F. , Leparc German , Hildebrandt Tobias , Klein Holger , Thomas Leo , Stupka Elia , Simon Eric
Published: December 2017

Gene functionality is closely connected to its expression specificity across tissues and cell types. RNA-Seq is a powerful quantitative tool to explore genome wide expression. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive RNA-Seq dataset across the same 13 tissues for mouse and rat, two of the most relevant species for biomedical research. The dataset provides the transcriptome across tissues from three male C57BL6 mice and three male Han Wistar rats. We also describe our bioinformatics pipeline to process and technically validate the data. Principal component analysis shows that tissue samples from both species cluster similarly. We show by comparative genomics that many genes with high sequence identity with respect to their human orthologues also have a highly correlated tissue distribution profile and are in agreement with manually curated literature data for human. In summary, the present study provides a unique resource for comparative genomics and will facilitate the analysis of tissue specificity and cross-species conservation in higher organisms.
Temporally inter-comparable maps of terrestrial wilderness and the Last of the Wild
Authors: Allan James R. , Venter Oscar , Watson James E.M.
Published: December 2017

Wilderness areas, defined as areas free of industrial scale activities and other human pressures which result in significant biophysical disturbance, are important for biodiversity conservation and sustaining the key ecological processes underpinning planetary life-support systems. Despite their importance, wilderness areas are being rapidly eroded in extent and fragmented. Here we present the most up-to-date temporally inter-comparable maps of global terrestrial wilderness areas, which are essential for monitoring changes in their extent, and for proactively planning conservation interventions to ensure their preservation. Using maps of human pressure on the natural environment for 1993 and 2009, we identified wilderness as all ‘pressure free’ lands with a contiguous area >10,000 km2. These places are likely operating in a natural state and represent the most intact habitats globally. We then created a regionally representative map of wilderness following the well-established ‘Last of the Wild’ methodology; which identifies the 10% area with the lowest human pressure within each of Earth’s 60 biogeographic realms, and identifies the ten largest contiguous areas, along with all contiguous areas >10,000 km2.
Development of a fluorescent capillary biosensor based on self-assembled AuNP/LDH for micro-volume intracellular pyruvate
Authors: Luo Ya-Xiong , Li Qiao-Jing , Zhou Lang , Li Yong-Sheng , Gao Xiu-Feng
Published: December 2017

A highly sensitive fluorescent capillary biosensor based on self-assembled AuNPs/LDH for micro-volume intracellular pyruvate.
Rapid and sensitive detection of neuron specific enolase with a polydopamine coated plasmonic chip utilizing a rear-side coupling method
Authors: Toma M. , Izumi S. , Tawa K.
Published: December 2017

A rapid and sensitive detection of a cancer marker, neuron specific enolase (NSE), is demonstrated by using a disposable silver plasmonic chip functionalized with a mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) coating.
Ultra-facile and rapid colorimetric detection of Cu2+ with branched polyethylenimine in 100% aqueous solution
Authors: Shao Hong , Ding Yadan , Hong Xia , Liu Yichun
Published: December 2017

An ultra-facile and rapid colorimetric method was explored to detect Cu2+ in 100% aqueous solution by using only BPEI.
Electrochemical microdevices for rapid and on-site determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration of antibiotics
Authors: Onishi K. , Enomoto J. , Araki T. , Takagi R. , Suzuki H. , Fukuda J.
Published: December 2017

A tool for rapid selection of appropriate antibiotics may be useful to maximize the benefits of their effectiveness against severe infectious diseases.
N-Gemini peptides: cytosolic protease resistance via N-terminal dimerization of unstructured peptides
Authors: Fayer Effrat L. , Gilliland William M. , Ramsey J. Michael , Allbritton Nancy L. , Waters Marcey L.
Published: December 2017

N-Terminal dimerization is a synthetically straight-forward strategy to provide protease resistance to unstructured peptides while maintaining their biological function.
Photo-induced H2evolution from waterviathe dissociation of excitons in water-dispersible single-walled carbon nanotube sensitizers
Authors: Ishimoto Kango , Tajima Tomoyuki , Miyake Hideaki , Yamagami Masahiro , Kurashige Wataru , Negishi Yuichi , Takaguchi Yutaka
Published: December 2017

To observe a clear-cut example of the formation of mobile carriers from excitons on semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs), water-dispersible s-SWCNT nanocomposites were fabricated.
In situ electrochemical development of copper oxide nanocatalysts within a TCNQ nanowire array: a highly conductive electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Ren Xiang , Ji Xuqiang , Wei Yicheng , Wu Dan , Zhang Yong , Ma Min , Liu Zhiang , Asiri Abdullah M. , Wei Qin , Sun Xuping
Published: December 2017

CuO nanocatalysts confined TCNQ nanowires array is in situ developed on Cu foam via room-temperature anode oxidation of Cu(TCNQ) nanoarray, demonstrating superior OER activity in alkaline condition.
Bis(alkylidynyl)tellurides and ditellurides
Authors: Frogley Benjamin J. , Hill Anthony F. , Manzano Richard A. , Sharma Manab
Published: December 2017

The tellurocarbonylates [M(CTe)(CO)2(Tp*)]− (M = Mo, W; obtained from [M(CBr)(CO)2(Tp*)] and Li2Te or [M(CLi)(CO)2(Tp*)] and Te) react with an additional equivalent of [M(CBr)(CO)2(Tp*)] to give bis(alkylidynyl)tellurides, [M2(μ-CTeC)(CO)4(Tp*)2], whilst oxidation with [Fe(η-C5H5)2]PF6 affords the corresponding ditellurides [M2(μ-CTe2C)(CO)4(Tp*)2].
Facile synthesis and bridgehead-functionalization of bicyclo[3.3.3]pentasiloxanes
Authors: Yokouchi Yuki , Ishida Shintaro , Onodera Tsunenobu , Oikawa Hidetoshi , Iwamoto Takeaki
Published: December 2017

Various bicyclo[3.3.3]pentasiloxanes (BPSO) were successfully synthesized via regioselective functionalization at the bridgehead positions.
Synthesis, characterization, and growth mechanism of motifs of ultrathin cobalt-substituted NaFeSi2O6 nanowires
Authors: Lewis Crystal S. , Moronta Dominic , Terban Maxwell W. , Wang Lei , Yue Shiyu , Zhang Cheng , Li Qiang , Corrao Adam , Billinge Simon J. L. , Wong Stanislaus S.
Published: December 2017

We report on the synthesis and mechanistic study of Co-substituted pyroxene nanowires of controllable dimensions and their subsequent correlation with magnetic properties.
Theoretical insights into the catalytic mechanism for the oxygen reduction reaction on M3(hexaiminotriphenylene)2 (M = Ni, Cu)
Authors: Tian Yu , Zhang Zengsong , Wu Caixia , Yan Likai , Chen Wei , Su Zhongmin
Published: December 2017

The mechanism of the oxygen reduction reaction on 2D M3(HITP)2 (M = Ni, Cu) in an acidic medium: theoretical insights.
KL double core hole pre-edge states of HCl
Authors: Koulentianos D. , Püttner R. , Goldsztejn G. , Marchenko T. , Travnikova O. , Journel L. , Guillemin R. , Céolin D. , Piancastelli M. N. , Simon M. , Feifel R.
Published: December 2017

The formation of double core hole pre-edge states of the form 1s−12p−1(1,3P)σ*,n for HCl, located on the binding energy scale as deep as 3 keV, has been investigated by means of a high resolution single channel electron spectroscopy technique recently developed for the hard X-ray region.
Effects of non-equilibrium angle fluctuation on F1-ATPase kinetics induced by temperature increase
Authors: Tamiya Yuji , Watanabe Rikiya , Noji Hiroyuki , Li Chun-Biu , Komatsuzaki Tamiki
Published: December 2017

Non-equilibrium angle fluctuation in molecular motor F1-ATPase induces non-Arrhenius kinetics and negative correlation between Pi release and hydrolysis dwell time.
Solvent and concentration effects on highly defined, colloid-like ionic clusters in solution
Authors: Eisermann Jana , Prager Lukas , Hinderberger Dariush
Published: December 2017

We characterize the process of ionic self-assembly involving a macrocyclic tetraimidazolium molecular box and small dianionic salts into highly defined, colloid-like ionic clusters called ionoids.
The role of charge and proton transfer in fragmentation of hydrogen-bonded nanosystems: the breakup of ammonia clusters upon single photon multi-ionization
Authors: Oostenrijk Bart , Walsh Noelle , Laksman Joakim , Månsson Erik P. , Grunewald Christian , Sorensen Stacey L. , Gisselbrecht Mathieu
Published: December 2017

The charge and proton dynamics in hydrogen-bonded networks are investigated using ammonia as a model system.
Formation of new polymorphs and control of crystallization in molecular glass-formers by electric field
Authors: Adrjanowicz K. , Paluch M. , Richert R.
Published: December 2017

We show that an electric field is able to modify the crystallization tendency of a low-molecular weight glass-forming liquid.
Importance of protein flexibility on molecular recognition: modeling binding mechanisms of aminopyrazine inhibitors to Nek2
Authors: Tang Xinyi , Wang Zhe , Lei Tailong , Zhou Wenfang , Chang Shan , Li Dan
Published: December 2017

NIMA-related kinase 2 (Nek2) plays a significant role in cell cycle regulation, and overexpression of Nek2 has been observed in several types of carcinoma, suggesting it is a potential target for cancer therapy. Computational methods were employed for deep understanding the interaction between Nek2 and inhibitors for future inhibitor design.
Noble gas encapsulated B40cage
Authors: Pan Sudip , Ghara Manas , Kar Susmita , Zarate Ximena , Merino Gabriel , Chattaraj Pratim K.
Published: December 2017

B40is noted to act as an effective host for noble gas atoms because of the very high kinetic stability of the noble gas encapsulated analogues.
Visible light-driven selective hydrogenation of unsaturated aromatics in an aqueous solution by direct photocatalysis of Au nanoparticles
Authors: Huang Yiming , Liu Zhe , Gao Guoping , Xiao Qi , Martens Wayde , Du Aijun , Sarina Sarina , Guo Cheng , Zhu Huaiyong
Published: December 2017

Selective hydrogenation of various chemical bonds, such as CC, CC, CO, NO, and CN, is efficiently driven by visible light over a supported gold nanoparticle (AuNP) photocatalyst under mild reaction conditions.
Soft-Pillared@Magadiite: influence of the interlayer space and amine type on CO2 adsorption
Authors: Vieira Rômulo B. , Pastore Heloise O.
Published: December 2017

Soft-Pillared@Magadiite can adsorb 0.36 mmol g−1 at 25 °C and desorb CO2 below 90 °C.
Luminescence properties and the thermal quenching mechanism of Mn2+ doped Zn2GeO4 long persistent phosphors
Authors: Chi Fengfeng , Wei Xiantao , Jiang Bin , Chen Yonghu , Duan Changkui , Yin Min
Published: December 2017

Luminescence and thermal quenching mechanisms for excitation and emission in ZGO:2% Mn2+ phosphors.
Photophysical dynamics of the efficient emission and photosensitization of [Ir(pqi)2(NN)]+complexes
Authors: Zanoni Kassio P. S. , Ito Akitaka , Grüner Malte , Murakami Iha Neyde Y. , de Camargo Andrea S. S.
Published: December 2017

Rational photophysical investigation through experimental and theoretical analyses reveals the photophysical dynamics of the highly-emissive [Ir(pqi)2(NN)]+complex series, with remarkable emission quantum yields and efficient generation of singlet oxygen.
Insights into disilylation and distannation: sequence influence and ligand/steric effects on Pd-catalyzed difunctionalization of carbenes
Authors: Yue Xiaoyu , Shan Chunhui , Qi Xiaotian , Luo Xiaoling , Zhu Lei , Zhang Tao , Li Yuanyuan , Li Yingzi , Bai Ruopeng , Lan Yu
Published: December 2017

Density functional theory (DFT) calculation has been used to reveal the mechanism of Pd-catalyzed disilylation of carbene, which is a pathway to construct disilylmethane derivatives.
Slow relaxation of magnetization in a bis-mer-tridentate octahedral Co(ii) complex
Authors: Sertphon Darunee , Murray Keith S. , Phonsri Wasinee , Jover Jesús , Ruiz Eliseo , Telfer Shane G. , Alkaş Adil , Harding Phimphaka , Harding David J.
Published: December 2017

A field-induced CoII single-ion magnet is described. Supramolecular effects on magnetic anisotropy, and the relaxation mechanism are discussed.
Supramolecular self-assembly of heterobimetallic complexes: a new N,P-based, selective heteroditopic ligand
Authors: Hutchinson Daniel John , Clauss Reike , Sárosi Menyhárt-Botond , Hey-Hawkins Evamarie
Published: December 2017

Pyrimidine-hydrazone and phosphole architectures have been combined to create a new heteroditopic ligand capable of forming heterobimetallic ZnII/PdII, PbII/PdII and CuII/PdII complexes in high yielding stepwise or one pot reactions.
Unprecedented size-sieving ability in polybenzimidazole doped with polyprotic acids for membrane H2/CO2 separation
Authors: Zhu Lingxiang , Swihart Mark T. , Lin Haiqing
Published: December 2017

Acid doped polybenzimidazole shows exceptionally high performance for H2/CO2 separation with unprecedented selectivity of 140 at 150 °C.
The use of high hydrostatic pressure to modulate milk protein interactions for the production of an alpha-lactalbumin enriched-fraction
Authors: Marciniak Alice , Suwal Shyam , Britten Michel , Pouliot Yves , Doyen Alain
Published: December 2017

An innovative and green method for the fractionation of α-lactalbumin with 86% purity from whey protein solution was developed using high hydrostatic pressure as a pretreatment.
High-precision modular microfluidics by micromilling of interlocking injection-molded blocks
Authors: Owens Crystal E. , Hart A. John
Published: December 2017

Fabrication and use of a modular microfluidic system for fluid mixing, droplet production, and integrating sensors, using interchangeable micromachined blocks.
Plug-and-actuate on demand: multimodal individual addressability of microarray plates using modular hybrid acoustic wave technology
Authors: Rezk Amgad R. , Ramesan Shwathy , Yeo Leslie Y.
Published: December 2017

Integrating versatile microfluidic liquid handling technology with existing drug discovery laboratory formats.
A novel heterometallic compound for design and study of electrical properties of silver nanoparticles-decorated lead compounds
Authors: Nassar A. M. , Abo Zeid E. F. , Elseman A. M. , Alotaibi N. F.
Published: December 2017

A novel Ag-NPs decorated on hexagonal-like PbCO3 was constructed with a novel heterometallic compound (AgPb(C2O4)(NO3)) through thermal heating at 523 K.
Simple tuning of the luminescence properties of the double rollover cycloplatinated(ii) structure by halide ligands
Authors: Paziresh Sareh , Babadi Aghakhanpour Reza , Rashidi Mehdi , Nabavizadeh S. Masoud
Published: December 2017

The luminescence properties of double rollover cycloplatinated(ii) complexes and the effects of halogen ligands on the luminescence properties are investigated.
A cyanide-triggered hydrogen-bond-breaking deprotonation mechanism: fluorescent detection of cyanide using a thioacetohydrazone-functionalized bispillar[5]arene
Authors: Wei Tai-Bao , Ding Jin-Dong , Chen Jin-Fa , Han Bing-Bing , Jiang Xiao-Mei , Yao Hong , Zhang You-Ming , Lin Qi
Published: December 2017

Bispillar[5]arene-based fluorescent sensor was used for fluorescent detection of cyanide anions through deprotonation accompanied by intermolecular hydrogen bond breakage.
A turn-on fluorescent sensor for highly sensitive mercury(ii) detection based on a carbon dot-labeled oligodeoxyribonucleotide and MnO2 nanosheets
Authors: Li Jingshuai , Du Bin , Li Yuewen , Wang Yaoguang , Wu Dan , Wei Qin
Published: December 2017

ssDNA–QDs can bind to MnO2 nanosheets with a higher appetency than dsDNA–QDs.
Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of fluoreones from bis(2-bromophenyl)methanols
Authors: Gao Qian , Xu Senmiao
Published: December 2017

Palladium plays a dual role in synthesizing fluorenones from bis(2-bromophenyl)methanols.
An experiment-based model quantifying antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles onEscherichia coli
Authors: Haque Mohammad A. , Imamura Riku , Brown George A. , Krishnamurthi Venkata R. , Niyonshuti Isabelle I. , Marcelle Tiffany , Mathurin Leanne E. , Chen Jingyi , Wang Yong
Published: December 2017

We developed a quantitative model that agrees with, and provides simple parameters to quantify, experimental measurements of AgNPs' antimicrobial activity.
Dielectric and current–voltage characteristics of flexible Ag/BaTiO3 nanocomposite films processed at near room temperature
Authors: Kim Seung Won , Choi Hong Rak , Han Chan Su , Kim Da Bin , Kim Ji Won , Cho Yong Soo
Published: December 2017

A room temperature processing of printed Ag/BaTiO3 nanocomposites results in a flexible capacitor with a dielectric constant of 300.
Hydrothermal synthesis of Ba3Sc2F12:Yb3+, Ln3+ (Ln = Er, Ho, Tm) crystals and their up conversion white light emission
Authors: Wang Wei , Li Yunxi , Hu Shanshan , Zhang Xuemei , Tang Jianfeng , Yang Jun
Published: December 2017

We have successfully synthesized Ba3Sc2F12:Yb3+, Ln3+ (Ln = Er, Ho, Tm) crystals and achieved multicolor luminescence including the white light UC emission.
Stereoelectronic control of oxidation potentials of 3,7-bis(diarylamino)phenothiazines
Authors: Karimata Ayumu , Suzuki Shuichi , Kozaki Masatoshi , Okada Keiji
Published: December 2017

We found a unique stereoelectronic-substituent effect on the oxidation potentials of bis(diarylamino)phenothiazines through large conformational changes during the oxidation process.
Form factor for distorted semi-flexible polymer chains
Authors: Sigel Reinhard
Published: December 2017

The statistical presence of kinks which form defects in semi-flexible polymer chains leads to a polydispersity in the effective persistence length.
Highly efficient α-Mn2O3@α-MnO2-500 nanocomposite for peroxymonosulfate activation: comprehensive investigation of manganese oxides
Authors: Khan Aimal , Wang Huabin , Liu Yong , Jawad Ali , Ifthikar Jerosha , Liao Zhuwei , Wang Ting , Chen Zhuqi
Published: December 2017

α-Mn2O3@α-MnO2-500 nanocomposites with nanorod structure and mixed valence states demonstrated the highest efficiency for peroxymonosulfate activation.
Litchi-like porous Fe/N/C spheres with atomically dispersed FeNx promoted by sulfur as highly efficient oxygen electrocatalysts for Zn–air batteries
Authors: Wei Qiliang , Zhang Gaixia , Yang Xiaohua , Fu Yanqing , Yang Guanhua , Chen Ning , Chen Weifeng , Sun Shuhui
Published: December 2017

Litchi-like porous Fe/N/C spheres with atomically dispersed FeNx promoted by sulfur are highly efficient electrocatalysts for high-power Zn–air batteries.
Graphene-coupled Ti3C2MXenes-derived TiO2mesostructure: promising sodium-ion capacitor anode with fast ion storage and long-term cycling
Authors: Wang Rutao , Wang Shijie , Zhang Yabin , Jin Dongdong , Tao Xinyong , Zhang Li
Published: December 2017

Graphene coupled Ti3C2MXenes-derived TiO2mesostructure with robust Na-ion charge storage properties enables the fabrication of high-performance Na-ion capacitors.
Structure and activity of ChiX: a peptidoglycan hydrolase required for chitinase secretion by Serratia marcescens
Authors: Owen Richard A. , Fyfe Paul K. , Lodge Adam , Biboy Jacob , Vollmer Waldemar , Hunter William N. , Sargent Frank
Published: December 2017

The Gram-negative bacterium Serratia marcescens secretes many proteins that are involved in extracellular chitin degradation. This so-called chitinolytic machinery includes three types of chitinase enzymes and a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase. An operon has been identified in S. marcescens, chiWXYZ, that is thought to be involved in the secretion of the chitinolytic machinery. Genetic evidence points to the ChiX protein being a key player in the secretion mechanism, since deletion of the chiX gene in S. marcescens led to a mutant strain blocked for secretion of all members of the chitinolytic machinery. In this work, a detailed structural and biochemical characterisation of ChiX is presented. The high-resolution crystal structure of ChiX reveals the protein to be a member of the LAS family of peptidases. ChiX is shown to be a zinc-containing metalloenzyme, and in vitro assays demonstrate that ChiX is an l-Ala d-Glu endopeptidase that cleaves the cross-links in bacterial peptidoglycan. This catalytic activity is shown to be intimately linked with the secretion of the chitinolytic machinery, since substitution of the ChiX Asp-120 residue results in a variant protein that is both unable to digest peptidoglycan and cannot rescue the phenoytype of a chiX mutant strain.
Multiple substitutions lead to increased loop flexibility and expanded specificity in Acinetobacter baumannii carbapenemase OXA-239
Authors: Harper Thomas M. , June Cynthia M. , Taracila Magdalena A. , Bonomo Robert A. , Powers Rachel A. , Leonard David A.
Published: December 2017

OXA-239 is a class D carbapenemase isolated from an Acinetobacter baumannii strain found in Mexico. This enzyme is a variant of OXA-23 with three amino acid substitutions in or near the active site. These substitutions cause OXA-239 to hydrolyze late-generation cephalosporins and the monobactam aztreonam with greater efficiency than OXA-23. OXA-239 activity against the carbapenems doripenem and imipenem is reduced ∼3-fold and 20-fold, respectively. Further analysis demonstrated that two of the substitutions (P225S and D222N) are largely responsible for the observed alteration of kinetic parameters, while the third (S109L) may serve to stabilize the protein. Structures of OXA-239 with cefotaxime, doripenem and imipenem bound as acyl-intermediates were determined. These structures reveal that OXA-239 has increased flexibility in a loop that contains P225S and D222N. When carbapenems are bound, the conformation of this loop is essentially identical with that observed previously for OXA-23, with a narrow active site that makes extensive contacts to the ligand. When cefotaxime is bound, the loop can adopt a different conformation that widens the active site to allow binding of that bulky drug. This alternate conformation is made possible by P225S and further stabilized by D222N. Taken together, these results suggest that the three substitutions were selected to expand the substrate specificity profile of OXA-23 to cephalosporins and monobactams. The loss of activity against imipenem, however, suggests that there may be limits to the plasticity of class D enzymes with regard to evolving active sites that can effectively bind multiple classes of β-lactam drugs.
LncRNA GAS5 suppresses ovarian cancer by inducing inflammasome formation
Authors: Li Jie , Yang Chen , Li Yinguang , Chen Aiyue , Li Li , You Zeshan
Published: December 2017

Objective: Long noncoding RNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (lncRNA GAS5) is involved in various kinds of cancer. However, the role of lncGAS5 in the development of ovarian cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we explored the cellular mechanism and clinical value of lncRNA GAS5 in ovarian cancer.

Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect mRNA level of lncRNA GAS5 in 20 ovarian cancer tissues. The effect of lncRNA GAS5 on cell proliferation was performed using CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect the protein level of lncRNA GAS5 potential target. Standard sandwich ELISA was used to quantify the level of inflammatory cytokines. The cells with stable expression of lncRNA GAS5 were injected into nude mice to study the effect of lncRNA GAS5 on tumorigenesis in vivo.

Results: The expression of lncRNA GAS5 was significantly decreased in ovarian cancer tissues. Decrease in lncRNA GAS5 expression resulted in increased cell proliferation and colony formation and reduced ovarian cancer cell apoptosis. In contrast, exogenous overexpression of lncRNA GAS5 in ovarian cancer cells inhibited proliferation, colony formation, and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, the role of lncRNA GAS5 in ovarian cancer was associated with inflammasome formation and pyroptosis.

Conclusion: These results suggested that lncRNA GAS5 acts as tumor suppressor and could be used as a potential treatment target for diagnosis and therapy of ovarian cancer.
Sex-dependent differences in inflammatory responses during liver regeneration in a murine model of acute liver injury
Authors: Bizzaro Debora , Crescenzi Marika , Di Liddo Rosa , Arcidiacono Diletta , Cappon Andrea , Bertalot Thomas , Amodio Vincenzo , Tasso Alessia , Stefani Annalisa , Bertazzo Valentina , Germani Giacomo , Frasson Chiara , Basso Giuseppe , Parnigotto Pierpaolo , Alison Malcolm Ronald , Burra Patrizia , Conconi Maria Teresa , Russo Francesco Paolo
Published: December 2017

A sexual dimorphism in liver inflammation and repair was previously demonstrated. Its cellular dissection in the course of acute liver injury (ALI) was explored. BALB/c mice were treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) by intraperitoneal injection and killed after 3, 5, and 8 days. Histological and hepatic cell population analyses were performed. The correlation between androgen receptor (AR) expression and liver recruited inflammatory cells was investigated by treatment with the AR antagonist flutamide. Additionally, patients with a diagnosis of drug induced liver injury (DILI) were included in the study, with a particular focus on gender dimorphism in circulating monocytes. A delayed resolution of necrotic damage and a higher expression of proinflammatory cytokines were apparent in male mice along with a slower recruitment of inflammatory monocytes. F4/80+CD11b+ macrophages and CD11bhighGr-1high monocytes expressed AR and were recruited later in male compared with female livers after CCl4 treatment. Moreover, CD11bhighAR+Gr-1high recruitment was negatively modulated by flutamide in males. Analysis of DILI patients showed overall a significant reduction in circulating mature monocytes compared with healthy subjects. More interestingly, male patients had higher numbers of immature monocytes compared with female patients.

A stronger cytotoxic tissue response was correlated with an impaired recruitment of CD11bhighAR+Gr-1high cells and F4/80+CD11b+ macrophages in the early inflammatory phase under AR signaling. During DILI, a dimorphic immune response was apparent, characterized by a massive recruitment of monocytes to the liver both in males and females, but only in males was this recruitment sustained by a turnover of immature monocytes.