bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three TFL1 homologues regulate floral initiation in the biofuel plant Jatropha curcas
Authors: Li Chaoqiong , Fu Qiantang , Niu Longjian , Luo Li , Chen Jianghua , Xu Zeng-Fu
Published: February 2017

Recent research revealed that TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1) homologues are involved in the critical developmental process of floral initiation in several plant species. In this study, the functions of three putative TFL1 homologues (JcTFL1a, JcTFL1b and JcTFL1c) in the biofuel plant Jatropha curcas were analysed using the transgenic approach. JcTFL1b and JcTFL1c, but not JcTFL1a, could complement the TFL1 function and rescue early flowering and determinate inflorescence phenotype in tfl1-14 Arabidopsis mutant, thus suggesting that JcTFL1b and JcTFL1c may be homologues of TFL1. Transgenic Jatropha overexpressing JcTFL1a, JcTFL1b or JcTFL1c showed late flowering, whereas only JcTFL1b and JcTFL1c overexpression delayed flowering in transgenic Arabidopsis. JcTFL1b-RNAi transgenic Jatropha consistently exhibited moderately early flowering phenotype. JcFT and JcAP1 were significantly downregulated in transgenic Jatropha overexpressing JcTFL1a, JcTFL1b or JcTFL1c, which suggested that the late flowering phenotype of these transgenic Jatropha may result from the repressed expression of JcFT and JcAP1. Our results indicate that these three JcTFL1 genes play redundant roles in repressing flowering in Jatropha.
The scaling and allometry of organ size associated with miniaturization in insects: A case study for Coleoptera and Hymenoptera
Authors: Polilov Alexey A. , Makarova Anastasia A.
Published: February 2017

The study of the influence of body size on structure in animals, as well as scaling of organs, is one of the key areas of functional and evolutionary morphology of organisms. Most studies in this area treated mammals or birds; comparatively few studies are available on other groups of animals. Insects, because of the huge range of their body sizes and because of their colossal diversity, should be included in the discussion of the problem of scaling and allometry in animals, but to date they remain insufficiently studied. In this study, а total of 28 complete (for all organs) and 24 partial 3D computer reconstructions of body and organs have been made for 23 insect species of 11 families and five orders. The relative volume of organs was analyzed based on these models. Most insect organs display a huge potential for scaling and for retaining their organization and constant relative volume. By contrast, the relative volume of the reproductive and nervous systems increases by a considerable factor as body size decreases. These systems can geometrically restrain miniaturization in insects and determine the limits to the smallest possible body size.
High-fidelity self-assembly pathways for hydrogen-bonding molecular semiconductors
Authors: Lin Xu , Suzuki Mika , Gushiken Marina , Yamauchi Mitsuaki , Karatsu Takashi , Kizaki Takahiro , Tani Yuki , Nakayama Ken-ichi , Suzuki Mitsuharu , Yamada Hiroko , Kajitani Takashi , Fukushima Takanori , Kikkawa Yoshihiro , Yagai Shiki
Published: February 2017

The design of molecular systems with high-fidelity self-assembly pathways that include several levels of hierarchy is of primary importance for the understanding of structure-function relationships, as well as for controlling the functionality of organic materials. Reported herein is a high-fidelity self-assembly system that comprises two hydrogen-bonding molecular semiconductors with regioisomerically attached short alkyl chains. Despite the availability of both discrete cyclic and polymeric linear hydrogen-bonding motifs, the two regioisomers select one of the two motifs in homogeneous solution as well as at the 2D-confined liquid-solid interface. This selectivity arises from the high directionality of the involved hydrogen-bonding interactions, which renders rerouting to other self-assembly pathways difficult. In thin films and in the bulk, the resulting hydrogen-bonded assemblies further organize into the expected columnar and lamellar higher-order architectures via solution processing. The contrasting organized structures of these regioisomers are reflected in their notably different miscibility with soluble fullerene derivatives in the solid state. Thus, electron donor-acceptor blend films deliver a distinctly different photovoltaic performance, despite their virtually identical intrinsic optoelectronic properties. Currently, we attribute this high-fidelity control via self-assembly pathways to the molecular design of these supramolecular semiconductors, which lacks structure-determining long aliphatic chains.
Rumination and Default Mode Network Subsystems Connectivity in First-episode, Drug-Naive Young Patients with Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Zhu Xueling , Zhu Qiuling , Shen Huaizhen , Liao Weihua , Yuan Fulai
Published: February 2017

Neuroimaging evidence implicates the association between rumination and default mode network (DMN) in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the relationship between rumination and DMN subsystems remains incompletely understood, especially in patients with MDD. Thirty-three first-episode drug-naive patients with MDD and thirty-three healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled and underwent resting-sate fMRI scanning. Functional connectivity analysis was performed based on 11 pre-defined regions of interest (ROIs) for three DMN subsystems: the midline core, dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC) and medial temporal lobe (MTL). Compared with HCs group, patients with MDD exhibited increased within-system connectivity in the dMPFC subsystem and inter-system connectivity between the dMPFC and MTL subsystems. Decreased inter-system connectivity was identified between the midline core and dMPFC subsystem in MDD patients. Depressive rumination was positively correlated with within-system connectivity in the dMPFC subsystem (dMPFC-TempP) and with inter-system connectivity between the dMPFC and MTL subsystems (LTC-PHC). Our results suggest MDD may be characterized by abnormal DMN subsystems connectivity, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of the maladaptive self-focus in MDD patients.
Deep sequencing and transcriptome analyses to identify genes involved in secoiridoid biosynthesis in the Tibetan medicinal plant Swertia mussotii
Authors: Liu Yue , Wang Yi , Guo Fengxian , Zhan Lin , Mohr Toni , Cheng Prisca , Huo Naxin , Gu Ronghui , Pei Danning , Sun Jiaqing , Tang Li , Long Chunlin , Huang Luqi , Gu Yong Q.
Published: February 2017

Swertia mussotii Franch. is an important traditional Tibetan medicinal plant with pharmacological properties effective in the treatment of various ailments including hepatitis. Secoiridoids are the major bioactive compounds in S. mussotii. To better understand the secoiridoid biosynthesis pathway, we generated transcriptome sequences from the root, leaf, stem, and flower tissues, and performed de novo sequence assembly, yielding 98,613 unique transcripts with an N50 of 1,085 bp. Putative functions could be assigned to 35,029 transcripts (35.52%) based on BLAST searches against annotation databases including GO and KEGG. The expression profiles of 39 candidate transcripts encoding the key enzymes for secoiridoid biosynthesis were examined in different S. mussotii tissues, validated by qRT-PCR, and compared with the homologous genes from S. japonica, a species in the same family, unveiling the gene expression, regulation, and conservation of the pathway. The examination of the accumulated levels of three bioactive compounds, sweroside, swertiamarin, and gentiopicroside, revealed their considerable variations in different tissues, with no significant correlation with the expression profiles of key genes in the pathway, suggesting complex biological behaviours in the coordination of metabolite biosynthesis and accumulation. The genomic dataset and analyses presented here lay the foundation for further research on this important medicinal plant.
Realizing total reciprocity violation in the phase for photon scattering
Authors: Deák László , Bottyán László , Fülöp Tamás , Merkel Dániel Géza , Nagy Dénes Lajos , Sajti Szilárd , Schulze Kai Sven , Spiering Hartmut , Uschmann Ingo , Wille Hans-Christian
Published: February 2017

Reciprocity is when wave or quantum scattering satisfies a symmetry property, connecting a scattering process with the reversed one. While reciprocity involves the interchange of source and detector, it is fundamentally different from rotational invariance, and is a generalization of time reversal invariance, occurring in absorptive media as well. Due to its presence at diverse areas of physics, it admits a wide variety of applications. For polarization dependent scatterings, reciprocity is often violated, but violation in the phase of the scattering amplitude is much harder to experimentally observe than violation in magnitude. Enabled by the advantageous properties of nuclear resonance scattering of synchrotron radiation, we have measured maximal, i.e., 180-degree, reciprocity violation in the phase. For accessing phase information, we introduced a new version of stroboscopic detection. The scattering setting was devised based on a generalized reciprocity theorem that opens the way to construct new types of reciprocity related devices.
Specific pathways mediating inflammasome activation by Candida parapsilosis
Authors: Tóth Adél , Zajta Erik , Csonka Katalin , Vágvölgyi Csaba , Netea Mihai G. , Gácser Attila
Published: February 2017

Candida albicans and C. parapsilosis are human pathogens causing severe infections. The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a crucial role in host defence against C. albicans, but it has been previously unknown whether C. parapsilosis activates this complex. Here we show that C. parapsilosis induces caspase-1 activation and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion in THP-1, as well as primary, human macrophages. IL-1β secretion was dependent on NLRP3, K+-efflux, TLR4, IRAK, Syk, caspase-1, caspase-8 and NADPH-oxidase. Importantly, while C. albicans induced robust IL-1β release after 4 h, C. parapsilosis was not able to stimulate the production of IL-1β after this short incubation period. We also found that C. parapsilosis was phagocytosed to a lesser extent, and induced significantly lower ROS production and lysosomal cathepsin B release compared to C. albicans, suggesting that the low extent of inflammasome activation by C. parapsilosis may result from a delay in the so-called “signal 2”. In conclusion, this is the first study to examine the molecular pathways responsible for the IL-1β production in response to a non-albicans Candida species, and these results enhance our understanding about the immune response against C. parapsilosis.
Stacking multiple connecting functional materials in tandem organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Zhang Tao , Wang Deng-Ke , Jiang Nan , Lu Zheng-Hong
Published: February 2017

Tandem device is an important architecture in fabricating high performance organic light-emitting diodes and organic photovoltaic cells. The key element in making a high performance tandem device is the connecting materials stack, which plays an important role in electric field distribution, charge generation and charge injection. For a tandem organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with a simple Liq/Al/MoO3 stack, we discovered that there is a significant current lateral spreading causing light emission over an extremely large area outside the OLED pixel when the Al thickness exceeds 2 nm. This spread light emission, caused by an inductive electric field over one of the device unit, limits one’s ability to fabricate high performance tandem devices. To resolve this issue, a new connecting materials stack with a C60 fullerene buffer layer is reported. This new structure permits optimization of the Al metal layer in the connecting stack and thus enables us to fabricate an efficient tandem OLED having a high 155.6 cd/A current efficiency and a low roll-off (or droop) in current efficiency.
Targeted inhibition of Focal Adhesion Kinase Attenuates Cardiac Fibrosis and Preserves Heart Function in Adverse Cardiac Remodeling
Authors: Zhang Jie , Fan Guangpu , Zhao Hui , Wang Zhiwei , Li Fei , Zhang Peide , Zhang Jing , Wang Xu , Wang Wei
Published: February 2017

Cardiac fibrosis in post-myocardial infarction (MI), seen in both infarcted and non-infarcted myocardium, is beneficial to the recovery of heart function. But progressively pathological fibrosis impairs ventricular function and leads to poor prognosis. FAK has recently received attention as a potential mediator of fibrosis, our previous study reported that pharmacological inhibition of FAK can attenuate cardiac fibrosis in post MI models. However, the long-term effects on cardiac function and adverse cardiac remodelling were not clearly investigated. In this study, we tried to determine the preliminary mechanisms in regulating CF transformation to myofibroblasts and ECM synthesis relevant to the development of adverse cardiac remolding in vivo and in vitro. Our study provides even more evidence that FAK is directly related to the activation of CF in hypoxia condition in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Pharmacological inhibition of FAK significantly reduces myofibroblast differentiation; our in vivo data demonstrated that a FAK inhibitor significantly decreases fibrotic score, and preserves partial left ventricular function. Both PI3K/AKT signalling and ERK1/2 are necessary for hypoxia-induced CF differentiation and ECM synthesis; this process also involves lysyl oxidase (LOX). These findings suggest that pharmacological inhibition of FAK may become an effective therapeutic strategy against adverse fibrosis.
The WASP-Arp2/3 complex signal cascade is involved in actin-dependent sperm nuclei migration during double fertilization in tobacco and maize
Authors: Peng Xiongbo , Yan Tingting , Sun Mengxiang
Published: February 2017

Sperm nuclear migration during fertilization in Arabidopsis and rice has recently been found to be actin-dependent, but the driving force behind this actin cytoskeleton-dependent motion is unclear. Here, we confirmed that the actin-dependent sperm nuclei migration during fertilization is a conserved mechanism in plants. Using in vitro fertilization systems, we showed that a functional actin is also essential in maize and tobacco for sperm nuclei migration after gamete membrane fusion. Cytoskeleton depolymerization inhibitor treatments supported the view that sperm nuclei migration is actin-dependent but microtubule-independent in both egg cell and central cell during double fertilization. We further revealed that the actin-based motor myosin is not the driving force for sperm nuclear migration in maize and tobacco. The WASP-Arp2/3 complex signal cascade is shown here to be involved in the regulation of sperm nuclear migration in maize and tobacco. It is interesting that sperm nuclei migration within somatic cell also need WASP-Arp2/3 complex signal cascade and actin, suggesting that the mechanism of sperm nuclear migration is not gamete specific.
Distribution of valence electrons of the flavin cofactor in NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase
Authors: Takaba Kiyofumi , Takeda Kazuki , Kosugi Masayuki , Tamada Taro , Miki Kunio
Published: February 2017

Flavin compounds such as flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), flavin mononucleotide and riboflavin make up the active centers in flavoproteins that facilitate various oxidoreductive processes. The fine structural features of the hydrogens and valence electrons of the flavin molecules in the protein environment are critical to the functions of the flavoproteins. However, information on these features cannot be obtained from conventional protein X-ray analyses at ordinary resolution. Here we report the charge density analysis of a flavoenzyme, NADH-cytochromeb5reductase (b5R), at an ultra-high resolution of 0.78 Å. Valence electrons on the FAD cofactor as well as the peptide portion, which are clearly visualized even after the conventional refinement, are analyzed by the multipolar atomic model refinement. The topological analysis for the determined electron density reveals the valence electronic structure of the isoalloxazine ring of FAD and hydrogen-bonding interactions with the protein environment. The tetrahedral electronic distribution around the N5 atom of FAD in b5R is stabilized by hydrogen bonding with CαH of Tyr65 and amide-H of Thr66. The hydrogen bonding network leads to His49 composing the cytochromeb5-binding sitevianon-classical hydrogen bonds between N5 of FAD and CαH of Tyr65 and O of Tyr65 and CβH of His49.
Relish2 mediates bursicon homodimer-induced prophylactic immunity in the mosquito Aedes aegypti
Authors: Zhang Hongwei , Dong Shengzhang , Chen Xi , Stanley David , Beerntsen Brenda , Feng Qili , Song Qisheng
Published: February 2017

Bursicon is a neuropeptide hormone consisting of two cystine-knot proteins (burs α and burs β), responsible for cuticle tanning and other developmental processes in insects. Recent studies show that each bursicon subunit forms homodimers that induce prophylactic immunity in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that bursicon homodimers act in prophylactic immunity in insects, and possibly arthropods, generally, using the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. We found that burs α and burs β are expressed in larvae, pupae and newly emerged adults. Treating newly emerged Ae. aegypti and D. melanogaster adults with recombinant bursicon (r-bursicon) heterodimer led to cuticle tanning in both species. Treating larvae and adults with r-bursicon homodimers led to up-regulation of five anti-microbial peptide (AMP) genes, noting the possibility that bursicon heterodimers also lead to up-regulation of these genes can not been excluded. The induced AMPs effectively suppressed the growth of bacteria in vitro. RNAi knock-down of the transcriptional factor Relish2 abolished the influence of r-bursicon homodimers on AMP production. We infer the bursicon homodimers induce expression of AMP genes via Relish2 in Ae. aegypti, as prophylactic immunity to protect mosquitoes during the vulnerable stages of each molt.
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Observation of Phonon Condensate
Authors: Altfeder Igor , Voevodin Andrey A. , Check Michael H. , Eichfeld Sarah M. , Robinson Joshua A. , Balatsky Alexander V.
Published: February 2017

Using quantum tunneling of electrons into vibrating surface atoms, phonon oscillations can be observed on the atomic scale. Phonon interference patterns with unusually large signal amplitudes have been revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy in intercalated van der Waals heterostructures. Our results show that the effective radius of these phonon quasi-bound states, the real-space distribution of phonon standing wave amplitudes, the scattering phase shifts, and the nonlinear intermode coupling strongly depend on the presence of defect-induced scattering resonance. The observed coherence of these quasi-bound states most likely arises from phase- and frequency-synchronized dynamics of all phonon modes, and indicates the formation of many-body condensate of optical phonons around resonant defects. We found that increasing the strength of the scattering resonance causes the increase of the condensate droplet radius without affecting the condensate fraction inside it. The condensate can be observed at room temperature.
UVRAG Deficiency Exacerbates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity
Authors: An Lin , Hu Xiao-wen , Zhang Shasha , Hu Xiaowen , Song Zongpei , Naz Amber , Zi Zhenguo , Wu Jian , Li Can , Zou Yunzeng , He Lin , Zhu Hongxin
Published: February 2017

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective chemotherapeutic drug in the treatment of various types of cancers. However, its clinical application has been largely limited by potential development of cardiotoxicity. Previously we have shown that ultra-violet radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG), an autophagy-related protein, is essential for the maintenance of autophagic flux in the heart under physiological conditions. Here, we sought to determine the role of UVRAG-mediated autophagy in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Mouse models of acute or chronic DOX-induced cardiotoxicity were established. UVRAG deficiency exacerbated DOX-induced mortality and cardiotoxicity manifested by increased cytoplasmic vacuolization, enhanced collagen accumulation, elevated serum activities of lactate dehydrogenase and myocardial muscle creatine kinase, higher ROS levels, aggravated apoptosis and more depressed cardiac function. Autophagic flux was impaired in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. UVRAG deficiency aggravated impaired autophagic flux in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Intermittent fasting restored autophagy and ameliorated pathological alterations of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Collectively, our data suggest that UVRAG deficiency exacerbates DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, at least in part, through aggravation of DOX-induced impaired autophagic flux. Intermittent fasting, which restores blunted autophagic flux and ameliorates pathology in the mouse models of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, may be used as a potential preventive or therapeutic approach for DOX cardiotoxicity.
Hybrid plasmonic–photonic whispering gallery mode resonators for sensing: a critical review
Authors: Bozzola Angelo , Perotto Sara , De Angelis Francesco
Published: February 2017

In this review we present the state of the art and the most recent advances in the field of optical sensing with hybrid plasmonic–photonic whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators.
Graphitic carbon coupled poly(anthraquinone) for proton shuttle flow-in-a-cell application
Authors: Mathi Selvam , Kumar Rudra , Nagarale Rajaram K. , Sharma Ashutosh
Published: February 2017

An abstract showing the sandwich assembly of electro-osmotic pump along with graphitic carbon coupled polyanthraquinone and pump performance.
Ligand size dependence of U–N and U–O bond character in a series of uranyl hexaphyrin complexes: quantum chemical simulation and density based analysis
Authors: Di Pietro Poppy , Kerridge Andrew
Published: February 2017

A quantum chemical and density based analysis of bonding in uranyl hexaphyrin complexes, looking for trends in stability and covalency.
Can an ammonium-based room temperature ionic liquid counteract the urea-induced denaturation of a small peptide?
Authors: Ghosh Soumadwip , Dey Souvik , Patel Mahendra , Chakrabarti Rajarshi
Published: February 2017

The folding/unfolding equilibrium of proteins in aqueous medium can be altered by adding small organic molecules generally termed as co-solvents.
Chirality in curved polyaromatic systems
Authors: Rickhaus Michel , Mayor Marcel , Juríček Michal
Published: February 2017

Chiral non-planar polyaromatic systems that display zero, positive or negative Gaussian curvature are analysed and their potential to ‘encode’ chirality of larger sp2-carbon allotropes is evaluated. Shown is a hypothetical peanut-shaped carbon allotrope, where helical chirality results from the interplay of various curvature types.
Synthesis and characterization of a series of nickel(ii) alkoxide precursors and their utility for Ni(0) nanoparticle production
Authors: Treadwell LaRico J. , Boyle Timothy J. , Phelan W. Adam , Parkes Marie V. , Young David P.
Published: February 2017

A series of nickel alkoxides was synthesized and characterized as [Ni(OAr)2(py)x]. Precursor dependent, phase-specific Ni0nanoparticles were produced by a solution precipitation route:1(top) hcp and6(bottom) the fcc irregular shape Ni0NPs were formed.
A thiourea-functionalized metal–organic macrocycle for the catalysis of Michael additions and prominent size-selective effect
Authors: Yang Lu , Zhao Liang , Zhou Zhen , He Cheng , Sun Hui , Duan Chunying
Published: February 2017

A discrete tetranuclear metal–organic macrocycle (MOM) containing thiourea groups as hydrogen bonding sites was prepared and exhibited a high catalytic performance in Michael additions of nitrostyrenes to nitroalkanes and size-selectivity in heterogeneous phase.
Deep hydrodenitrification of pyridine by solid catalyst coupling with ionic liquids under mild conditions
Authors: Yao Haoyu , Wang Gang , Zuo Cuncun , Li Chunshan , Wang Erqiang , Zhang Suojiang
Published: February 2017

A new route for deep hydrodenitrification (HDN) by solid catalyst coupling with ionic liquids (ILs) under mild conditions was proposed.
Influence of LiCl aqueous solution concentration on the energetic performances of pure silica chabazite
Authors: Ronchi L. , Ryzhikov A. , Nouali H. , Daou T. J. , Patarin J.
Published: February 2017

Stored energy is increased by a factor of 5.5 for the “Si-CHA–20 M aqueous LiCl” system compared to the “Si-CHA–water” system.
Mechanistic investigations of the asymmetric hydrosilylation of ketimines with trichlorosilane reveals a dual activation model and an organocatalyst with enhanced efficiency
Authors: Li X. , Reeder A. T. , Torri F. , Adams H. , Jones S.
Published: February 2017

Mechanistic investigations of a catalyst used for the asymmetric hydrosilylation have revealed a ‘dual activation’ model and catalyst that maintains its performance at 0.01 mol% loading.
Structural evolution of FeH4 under high pressure
Authors: Li Fei , Wang Dashuai , Du Henan , Zhou Dan , Ma Yanming , Liu Yanhui
Published: February 2017

Here, we systematically investigated global energetically stable structures of FeH4 in the pressure range of 80–400 GPa using a first-principles structural search.
New green synthesized reduced graphene oxide–ZrO2 composite as high performance photocatalyst under sunlight
Authors: Gurushantha K. , Anantharaju K. S. , Renuka L. , Sharma S. C. , Nagaswarupa H. P. , Prashantha S. C. , Vidya Y. S. , Nagabhushana H.
Published: February 2017

ZrO2/rGO nanocomposite prepared via simple bio-mediated route exhibited excellent sunlight driven photocatalytic performance.
Nitrogen-doped carbon materials with cubic ordered mesostructure: low-temperature autoclaving synthesis for electrochemical supercapacitor and CO2capture
Authors: Liu Lei , Xu Shi-Da , Wang Feng-Yun , Song Yue-Jun , Liu Jie , Gao Ze-Min , Yuan Zhong-Yong
Published: February 2017

Nitrogen doped ordered mesoporous carbons with a 3-D body-centered cubic pore structure have been synthesized by means of a low-temperature autoclaving route under basic conditions, showing excellent performances for supercapacitors and CO2capture.
Analytical challenges associated with the determination of microplastics in the environment
Authors: Hale Robert C.
Published: February 2017

Rob Hale considers the significant analytical challenges posed through the use of plastics and the resulting small fragments they yield – microplastics – which are a major contaminant of concern for both human health and ecosystems worldwide.
Chiral crotyl geminal bis(silane): a useful reagent for asymmetric Sakurai allylation by selective desilylation-enabled chirality transfer
Authors: Chu Zhiwen , Wang Kai , Gao Lu , Song Zhenlei
Published: February 2017

Enantioselective synthesis of SiMe3/SiPh2Me-substituted crotyl geminal bis(silane) has been developed. This compound is a useful reagent for Ph3C+B(C6F5)4−-catalyzed asymmetric Sakurai allylation and one-pot Sakurai allylation/Prins cyclization processes. Chemoselective desilylation of SiPh2Me leads to efficient chirality transfer.
Limestone calcination under calcium-looping conditions for CO2 capture and thermochemical energy storage in the presence of H2O: an in situ XRD analysis
Authors: Valverde Jose Manuel , Medina Santiago
Published: February 2017

The presence of H2O at very low concentrations in the calciner significantly accelerates decomposition, while the resulting CaO crystal structure and reactivity are not modified.
Non-fullerene organic solar cells based on diketopyrrolopyrrole polymers as electron donors and ITIC as an electron acceptor
Authors: Jiang Xudong , Xu Yunhua , Wang Xiaohui , Wu Yang , Feng Guitao , Li Cheng , Ma Wei , Li Weiwei
Published: February 2017

Non-fullerene organic solar cells based on diketopyrrolopyrrole polymers as electron donors and ITIC as an electron acceptor were studied to show power conversion efficiencies of 4% with external quantum efficiencies above 0.4.
Assessing the stereoselectivity of Serratia marcescens CECT 977 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase
Authors: Médici Rosario , Stammes Hanna , Kwakernaak Stender , Otten Linda G. , Hanefeld Ulf
Published: February 2017

The meso-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase from Serratia marcescens CECT 977 can produce several optically active hydroxy ketones from both the alcohol or ketone precursor.
Sequential elucidation of the β-Ca3(PO4)2/TiO2 composite development from the solution precursors
Authors: Nandha Kumar P. , Kannan S.
Published: February 2017

Sequential formation of β-Ca3(PO4)2−r-TiO2 composites from the solution precursors that yields good mechanical strength.
Organic waste as a sustainable feedstock for platform chemicals
Authors: Coma M. , Martinez-Hernandez E. , Abeln F. , Raikova S. , Donnelly J. , Arnot T. C. , Allen M. J. , Hong D. D. , Chuck C. J.
Published: February 2017

Biorefineries have been established since the 1980s for biofuel production, and there has been a switch lately from first to second generation feedstocks in order to avoid the foodversusfuel dilemma. To a lesser extent, many opportunities have been investigated for producing chemicals from biomass using by-products of the present biorefineries, simple waste streams. Current facilities apply intensive pre-treatments to deal with single substrate types such as carbohydrates. However, most organic streams such as municipal solid waste or algal blooms present a high complexity and variable mixture of molecules, which makes specific compound production and separation difficult. Here we focus on flexible anaerobic fermentation and hydrothermal processes that can treat complex biomass as a whole to obtain a range of products within an integrated biorefinery concept.
P-Selectin and ICAM-1 synergy in mediating THP-1 monocyte adhesion in hemodynamic flow is length dependent
Authors: Edwards Erin Elizabeth , Thomas Susan Napier
Published: February 2017

P-Selectin/ICAM-1 co-presentation enhances THP-1 firm adhesion and decreases the length of adhesive substrate required for adhesion in flow.
Insights into selenylation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine: synthesis, structural and antimicrobial evaluation
Authors: Kumar Sanjeev , Sharma Nidhi , Maurya Indresh K. , Verma Ajay , Kumar Sangit , Bhasin K. K. , Sharma Rohit K.
Published: February 2017

An efficient methodology was developed to synthesize novel organoselenium derivatives of formyl-substituted imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine by nucleophilic aromatic substitution.
Stable and improved visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution using copper(ii)–organic frameworks: engineering the crystal structures
Authors: Song Ting , Zhang Li , Zhang Piyong , Zeng Jian , Wang Tingting , Ali Atif , Zeng Heping
Published: February 2017

Different crystal structures of copper–organic frameworks were constructed and served as broad-spectrum photocatalysts in the absence of any added cocatalyst and photosensitizer.
Hydrazone-modulated peptides for efficient gene transfection
Authors: Louzao Iria , García-Fandiño Rebeca , Montenegro Javier
Published: February 2017

The synthetic potential of dynamic bond formation is introduced for the delivery of plasmid DNA by modulated amphiphilic peptides. The synthetic advantage of these dynamic bonds allowed the identification of improved reagents (better efficiency and lower toxicity) for plasmid transfection assays in human HeLa cells.
Design of a thiophene-fused benzotriazole unit as an electron acceptor to build D–A copolymers for polymer solar cells
Authors: Zhou Pengcheng , Yang Yang , Chen Xingguo , Zhang Zhi-Guo , Li Yongfang
Published: February 2017

A new electron-acceptor, thiophene-fused benzotriazole (BTAZT), is designed for the first time to construct donor–acceptor copolymers with bithienyl substituted benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDTT) as an electron-donor unit for polymer solar cells (PSCs).
Data‐driven approximate optimal tracking control schemes for unknown non‐affine non‐linear multi‐player systems via adaptive dynamic programming
Authors: Jiang He , Luo Yanhong
Published: February 2017

Game theory, optimal control theory and adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) to deal with the optimal tracking control issue for unknown non‐affine multi‐player systems are integrated. It is known that non‐zero‐sum games of non‐linear multi‐player systems rely on solving a set of Hamilton–Jacobi equations, which are generally difficult to be computed analytically due to the non‐linear nature. Traditional ADP methods require the knowledge of accurate system models, and only consider the simple affine system version. A novel data‐driven Q‐learning approach, which only needs the measurable data generated by running systems, is proposed. To implement this method, neural networks (NNs) are utilised, and NN weights are updated through the least‐square form.
Class AB differential difference amplifier for enhanced common‐mode feedback
Authors: Lopez‐Martin A.J. , Garde M.P. , Ramirez‐Angulo J.
Published: February 2017

A class AB differential difference amplifier for continuous‐time common‐mode feedback (CMFB) is presented. It employs local CMFB to improve gain‐bandwidth product and dynamic performance of the CMFB loop, without increasing static power consumption or supply voltage requirements. Measurement results for a 0.5 μm CMOS test chip prototype validate the proposal.
Integrating wavelet transformation with Markov random field analysis for the depth estimation of light‐field images
Authors: Lee Wei‐Yu , Li Chi‐Ying , Yen Jia‐Yush
Published: February 2017

This study addresses the problem of recovering the three‐dimensional depth data from the images taken by a light‐field camera. Unlike the conventional approach to extract the depth information from the spatial and the angular gradients in the epipolar plane images (EPIs), this study proposes to check the similarity between the pixels for the estimation of EPI slopes and use a wavelet transformation augmented multi‐scale analysis to perform smart segmentations. The Markov random field is then applied for surface reconstruction. The proposed algorithm offers significant improvement to the depth estimation, especially for noise contaminated images. Application of the method on the light‐field images and on synthesised data show that the proposed method is robust against the noise and achieves better estimation results compared with the available literature.
Resonant slot antenna array on a ridge gap waveguide
Authors: Khaleghi Ali , TalePour Zeinab , Ramazan Mona
Published: February 2017

The design of a resonant slot array antenna in a single layer ridge gap waveguide is presented. Linear and planar array configurations are developed. The linear array includes eight series slots in the ridge gap waveguide that is powered by a coaxial transmission line. The planar antenna array is developed by incorporating a power divider of four branches in the ridge gap waveguide layer. Each branch of the power divider feeds the linear array. The planar antenna detail design for Ku‐band is provided, and the manufactured antenna is measured. The antenna impedance bandwidth of 7% at 13.5 GHz centre frequency, the gain of 20.5 dBi and the side lobe level of <14 dB are obtained.
Sonication and Microwave-Assisted Primary Amination of Potassium­ Aryltrifluoroborates and Phenylboronic Acids under Metal-Free Conditions
Authors: Kuik Dale , McCubbin J. , Tranmer Geoffrey
Published: February 2017

The transition-metal-free generation of a series of primary arylamines from potassium aryltrifluoroborates and phenylboronic acids­ is reported. The method uses a mild, inexpensive source of nitrogen (hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid) in cooperation with aqueous sodium hydroxide in acetonitrile. Both a sonication and a microwave-assisted method were developed, which are capable of converting ArBF3K functionalities into primary arylamines (ArNH2) in isolated yields of up to 78% (10 examples for each method). This report represents the first general method for the conversion of aryltrifluoroborates into primary arylamines under mild, transition-metal-free conditions in moderate to very good yields. The method is applicable to a wide array of substrates containing electron-donating, electron-neutral, or electron-withdrawing substituents. Both the sonication and microwave methods were also applied to the generation of anilines from phenylboronic acids in isolated yields of up to 96% (12 examples for each method) that were superior to existing room temperature methods in terms of yield, while also offering much shorter reaction times (15 min vs 16 h). In particular, the microwave method is the first to allow for the conversion of arylboronic acids containing strongly electron-withdrawing substituents into the corresponding anilines in good yields, along with electron-donating­ substituents in very good to excellent yields.
One-Step Synthesis of Methoxylated Phloroglucinol Derivatives Promoted by Niobium Pentachloride: An Experimental and Theoretical Approach
Authors: dos Santos Willian , de Oliveira Eliezer , Lavarda Francisco , Leonarczyk Ives , Ferreira Marco , da Silva-Filho Luiz
Published: February 2017

Phloroglucinol derivatives are an important class of natural compounds featuring the rhodomyrtone derivatives. In this work, the synthesis of compounds with a structure core of rhodomyrtosone I is described using a multicomponent reaction between aldehyde derivatives, dihydroresorcinol, and 3,5-dimethoxyphenol promoted by niobium pentachloride. This new method is simple, cost-effective, and provides a good yield. In addition, it can be conducted in good reaction times. Using Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies, bases are provided for a proposed reaction mechanism for the multicomponent reaction by exploring the energetics of proposed reactive intermediates and transition states.
Hyaluronic Acid Fillers in Soft Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Fallacara Arianna , Durini Elisa , Vertuani Silvia , Manfredini Stefano
Published: February 2017

Over the last years, hyaluronic acid (HA) injectable dermal fillers (DFs) have become the most popular agents for soft tissue contouring and volumizing. HA fillers are characterized by most of the properties that an ideal DF should have, due to HA unique chemical-physical properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and versatility. Therefore, HA DFs have revolutionized the filler market with a high number of products, which differ in terms of HA source, cross-linkage (agent and degree), HA concentration, hardness, cohesivity, consistency, inclusion or lack of anesthetic, indication, and longevity of correction. The article first provides a general introduction to DF world, and an overview of the different materials is available for fillers. Second, it describes the characteristics and the peculiarities of HA fillers, their differences from the other available materials, and therefore the reasons at the base of their success. Moreover, an update regarding the main Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved fillers is presented.
Adjuncts to Improve Nasal Reconstruction Results
Authors: Hurst Eva , Gordon Shayna
Published: February 2017

The final cosmetic appearance of nasal reconstruction scars is of paramount importance to both the patient and surgeon. Ideal postreconstruction nasal scars are flat and indistinguishable from surrounding skin. Unfortunately, even with meticulous surgical execution, nasal scars can occasionally be suboptimal. Abnormal fibroblast response can lead to hypertrophic nasal scars, and excessive angiogenesis may lead to telangiectasias or an erythematous scar. Imperfect surgical closure or poor postoperative management can lead to surgical outcomes with step-offs, depressions, suture marks, or dyspigmentation. Aesthetically unacceptable nasal scars can cause pruritus, tenderness, pain, sleep disturbance, and anxiety and depression in postsurgical patients. Fortunately, there are several minimally invasive or noninvasive techniques that allow for enhancement and improvement of cosmetic results with minimal risk and associated downtime. This article provides an overview of adjuncts to improve nasal reconstruction with a focus on techniques to be used in the postoperative period. Armed with an understanding of relevant available therapies, skillful surgeons may drastically improve the final cosmesis and outcome of nasal reconstruction scars.
Using Grafts and Granulation to Improve Nasal Repair
Authors: Gruber Paul , Walen Scott , Massa Sean , Maher Ian
Published: February 2017

Skin grafts offer a dynamic repair option for nasal defects of appropriate size, depth, and location. Granulation and grafting can successfully be used as stand-alone reconstructive options or in conjunction with flap repair. This article reviews suitable indications for graft and granulation use in nasal repair to achieve optimum functional and esthetic outcomes.
Reconstruction of the Intranasal Lining
Authors: Zenga Joseph , Chi John
Published: February 2017

Reconstruction of full-thickness nasal defects has been the subject of surgical inquiry and innovation for over 2,000 years. The replacement of the internal nasal lining is a critical feature of complex nasal reconstruction. Successful reconstruction can prevent cicatricial contraction, external distortion, and internal stenosis. An array of reconstructive possibilities has been described, including cutaneous, mucosal, and fascial options. The challenge to the reconstructive surgeon is to select the repair that maximizes internal stability, while maintaining a patent nasal airway, minimizing morbidity, and meeting patient expectations. This article reviews the options available for the reconstruction of the intranasal lining.
Interpolated Flaps
Authors: Karimnejad Kaveh , Maher Ian , Gruber Paul , Walen Scott , Gado Samkon
Published: February 2017

Nasal reconstruction has been articulated in the literature since 700 B.C. when the earliest iteration of the forehead flap was described in the Indian medical treatise, the Sushruta Samhita. Since then it has evolved into the interpolated flap which has served as a powerful tool for facial reconstruction. The interpolated flap is constructed from nonadjacent donor tissue that has an inherent blood supply. It requires a multistaged approach and is best suited for reconstruction of large or deep defects of the nose. There are three types of interpolated flaps used for nasal reconstruction: the forehead, melolabial, and nasofacial interpolation flaps. The nose is the central feature of the human face and its placement is both aesthetic and functional. Any defects owing to accidental or iatrogenic trauma can cause physiologic and psychological injury to patients. This article aims to review the aforementioned flaps and give indications, contraindications, procedure details, and future directions of these flaps.
Understanding the geometry of transport: Diffusion maps for Lagrangian trajectory data unravel coherent sets
Authors: Banisch Ralf , Koltai Péter
Published: February 2017

Dynamical systems often exhibit the emergence of long-lived coherent sets, which are regions in state space that keep their geometric integrity to a high extent and thus play an important role in transport. In this article, we provide a method for extracting coherent sets from possibly sparse Lagrangian trajectory data. Our method can be seen as an extension of diffusion maps to trajectory space, and it allows us to construct “dynamical coordinates,” which reveal the intrinsic low-dimensional organization of the data with respect to transport. The only a priori knowledge about the dynamics that we require is a locally valid notion of distance, which renders our method highly suitable for automated data analysis. We show convergence of our method to the analytic transfer operator framework of coherence in the infinite data limit and illustrate its potential on several two- and three-dimensional examples as well as real world data.
Coupling behaviors of graphene/SiO2/Si structure with external electric field
Authors: Onishi Koichi , Kirimoto Kenta , Sun Yong
Published: February 2017

A traveling electric field in surface acoustic wave was introduced into the graphene/SiO2/Si sample in the temperature range of 15 K to 300 K. The coupling behaviors between the sample and the electric field were analyzed using two parameters, the intensity attenuation and time delay of the traveling-wave. The attenuation originates from Joule heat of the moving carriers, and the delay of the traveling-wave was due to electrical resistances of the fixed charge and the moving carriers with low mobility in the sample. The attenuation of the external electric field was observed in both Si crystal and graphene films in the temperature range. A large attenuation around 190 K, which depends on the strength of external electric field, was confirmed for the Si crystal. But, no significant temperature and field dependences of the attenuation in the graphene films were detected. On the other hand, the delay of the traveling-wave due to ionic scattering at low temperature side was observed in the Si crystal, but cannot be detected in the films of the mono-, bi- and penta-layer graphene with high conductivities. Also, it was indicated in this study that skin depth of the graphene film was less than thickness of two graphene atomic layers in the temperature range.
Is Br2 hydration hydrophobic?
Authors: Alcaraz-Torres A. , Gamboa-Suárez A. , Bernal-Uruchurtu M. I.
Published: February 2017

The spectroscopic properties of bromine in aqueous systems suggest it can behave as either hydrophilic or hydrophobic solute. In small water clusters, the halogen bond and the hydrogen–halogen interaction are responsible for its specific way of binding. In water hydrates, it is efficiently hosted by two different cages forming the crystal structure and it has been frequently assumed that there is little or no interaction between the guest and the host. Bromine in liquid solution poses a challenging question due to its non-negligible solubility and the large blue shift measured in its absorption spectra. Using a refined semi-empirical force field, PM3-PIF, we performed a Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics study of bromine in liquid water. Here we present a detailed study in which we retrieved the most representative hydration structures in terms of the most frequent positions around bromine and the most common water orientations. Albeit being an approximate description of the total hydration phenomenon, it captures the contribution of the leading molecular interactions in form of the recurrent structures. Our findings confirm that the spectroscopic signature is mainly caused by the closest neighbors. The dynamics of the whole first hydration shell strongly suggests that the external molecules in that structure effectively isolate the bulk from the presence of bromine. The solvation structure fluctuates from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic-like environment along the studied trajectory.