bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure of the mouse TRPC4 ion channel
Authors: Duan Jingjing , Li Jian , Zeng Bo , Chen Gui-Lan , Peng Xiaogang , Zhang Yixing , Wang Jianbin , Clapham David E. , Li Zongli , Zhang Jin
Published: July 2018

Members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels conduct cations into cells. They mediate functions ranging from neuronally mediated hot and cold sensation to intracellular organellar and primary ciliary signaling. Here we report a cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of TRPC4 in its unliganded (apo) state to an overall resolution of 3.3 Å. The structure reveals a unique architecture with a long pore loop stabilized by a disulfide bond. Beyond the shared tetrameric six-transmembrane fold, the TRPC4 structure deviates from other TRP channels with a unique cytosolic domain. This unique cytosolic N-terminal domain forms extensive aromatic contacts with the TRP and the C-terminal domains. The comparison of our structure with other known TRP structures provides molecular insights into TRPC4 ion selectivity and extends our knowledge of the diversity and evolution of the TRP channels.
TRPS1 shapes YAP/TEAD-dependent transcription in breast cancer cells
Authors: Elster Dana , Tollot Marie , Schlegelmilch Karin , Ori Alessandro , Rosenwald Andreas , Sahai Erik , von Eyss Björn
Published: July 2018

Yes-associated protein (YAP), the downstream transducer of the Hippo pathway, is a key regulator of organ size, differentiation and tumorigenesis. To uncover Hippo-independent YAP regulators, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR screen that identifies the transcriptional repressor protein Trichorhinophalangeal Syndrome 1 (TRPS1) as a potent repressor of YAP-dependent transactivation. We show that TRPS1 globally regulates YAP-dependent transcription by binding to a large set of joint genomic sites, mainly enhancers. TRPS1 represses YAP-dependent function by recruiting a spectrum of corepressor complexes to joint sites. Loss of TRPS1 leads to activation of enhancers due to increased H3K27 acetylation and an altered promoter–enhancer interaction landscape. TRPS1 is commonly amplified in breast cancer, which suggests that restrained YAP activity favours tumour growth. High TRPS1 activity is associated with decreased YAP activity and leads to decreased frequency of tumour-infiltrating immune cells. Our study uncovers TRPS1 as an epigenetic regulator of YAP activity in breast cancer.
Nonequilibrium self-assembly dynamics of icosahedral viral capsids packaging genome or polyelectrolyte
Authors: Chevreuil Maelenn , Law-Hine Didier , Chen Jingzhi , Bressanelli Stéphane , Combet Sophie , Constantin Doru , Degrouard Jéril , Möller Johannes , Zeghal Mehdi , Tresset Guillaume
Published: July 2018

The survival of viruses partly relies on their ability to self-assemble inside host cells. Although coarse-grained simulations have identified different pathways leading to assembled virions from their components, experimental evidence is severely lacking. Here, we use time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering to uncover the nonequilibrium self-assembly dynamics of icosahedral viral capsids packaging their full RNA genome. We reveal the formation of amorphous complexes via an en masse pathway and their relaxation into virions via a synchronous pathway. The binding energy of capsid subunits on the genome is moderate (~7kBT0, with kB the Boltzmann constant and T0 = 298 K, the room temperature), while the energy barrier separating the complexes and the virions is high (~ 20kBT0). A synthetic polyelectrolyte can lower this barrier so that filled capsids are formed in conditions where virions cannot build up. We propose a representation of the dynamics on a free energy landscape.
Biosensor libraries harness large classes of binding domains for construction of allosteric transcriptional regulators
Authors: Juárez Javier F. , Lecube-Azpeitia Begoña , Brown Stuart L. , Johnston Christopher D. , Church George M.
Published: July 2018

The ability of bacteria to sense specific molecules within their environment and trigger metabolic responses in accordance is an invaluable biotechnological resource. While many transcription factors (TFs) mediating such processes have been studied, only a handful have been leveraged for molecular biology applications. To expand the repertoire of biotechnologically relevant sensors we present a strategy for the construction and testing of chimeric TF libraries, based on the fusion of highly soluble periplasmic binding proteins (PBPs) with DNA-binding domains (DBDs). We validate this concept by constructing and functionally testing two unique sense-and-respond regulators for benzoate, an environmentally and industrially relevant metabolite. This work will enable the development of tailored biosensors for novel synthetic regulatory circuits.
Development of MPFC function mediates shifts in self-protective behavior provoked by social feedback
Authors: Yoon Leehyun , Somerville Leah H. , Kim Hackjin
Published: July 2018

How do people protect themselves in response to negative social feedback from others? How does such a self-protective system develop and affect social decisions? Here, using a novel reciprocal artwork evaluation task, we demonstrate that youths show self-protective bias based on current negative social evaluation, whereas into early adulthood, individuals show self-protective bias based on accumulated evidence of negative social evaluation. While the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) mediates self-defensive behavior based on both current and accumulated feedback, the rostromedial prefrontal cortex (RMPFC) exclusively mediates self-defensive behavior based on longer feedback history. Further analysis using a reinforcement learning model suggests that RMPFC extending into VMPFC, together with posterior parietal cortex (PPC), contribute to age-related increases in self-protection bias with deep feedback integration by computing the discrepancy between current feedback and previously estimated value of self-protection. These findings indicate that the development of RMPFC function is critical for sophisticated self-protective decisions.
Author Correction: The nature of spin excitations in the one-third magnetization plateau phase of Ba3CoSb2O9
Authors: Kamiya Y. , Ge L. , Hong Tao , Qiu Y. , Quintero-Castro D. L. , Lu Z. , Cao H. B. , Matsuda M. , Choi E. S. , Batista C. D. , Mourigal M. , Zhou H. D. , Ma J.
Published: July 2018

The original version of this Article omitted the following from the Acknowledgements: ‘J. Ma’s primary affiliation is Shanghai Jiao Tong University.’ This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Prevalence and patterns of higher-order drug interactions in Escherichia coli
Authors: Tekin Elif , White Cynthia , Kang Tina Manzhu , Singh Nina , Cruz-Loya Mauricio , Damoiseaux Robert , Savage Van M. , Yeh Pamela J.
Published: July 2018

Interactions and emergent processes are essential for research on complex systems involving many components. Most studies focus solely on pairwise interactions and ignore higher-order interactions among three or more components. To gain deeper insights into higher-order interactions and complex environments, we study antibiotic combinations applied to pathogenic Escherichia coli and obtain unprecedented amounts of detailed data (251 two-drug combinations, 1512 three-drug combinations, 5670 four-drug combinations, and 13608 five-drug combinations). Directly opposite to previous assumptions and reports, we find higher-order interactions increase in frequency with the number of drugs in the bacteria’s environment. Specifically, as more drugs are added, we observe an elevated frequency of net synergy (effect greater than expected based on independent individual effects) and also increased instances of emergent antagonism (effect less than expected based on lower-order interaction effects). These findings have implications for the potential efficacy of drug combinations and are crucial for better navigating problems associated with the combinatorial complexity of multi-component systems.
Reductions in Retrieval Competition Predict the Benefit of Repeated Testing
Authors: Rafidi Nicole S. , Hulbert Justin C. , Brooks Paula P. , Norman Kenneth A.
Published: July 2018

Repeated testing leads to improved long-term memory retention compared to repeated study, but the mechanism underlying this improvement remains controversial. In this work, we test the hypothesis that retrieval practice benefits subsequent recall by reducing competition from related memories. This hypothesis implies that the degree of reduction in competition between retrieval practice attempts should predict subsequent memory for practiced items. To test this prediction, we collected electroencephalography (EEG) data across two sessions. In the first session, participants practiced selectively retrieving exemplars from superordinate semantic categories (high competition), as well as retrieving the names of the superordinate categories from exemplars (low competition). In the second session, participants repeatedly studied and were tested on Swahili-English vocabulary. One week after session two, participants were again tested on the vocabulary. We trained a within-subject classifier on the data from session one to distinguish high and low competition states. We then used this classifier to measure the change in competition across multiple successful retrieval practice attempts in the second session. The degree to which competition decreased for a given vocabulary word predicted whether it was subsequently remembered in the third session. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that repeated testing improves retention by reducing competition.
Novel multifunctional RKKY coupling layer for ultrathin perpendicular synthetic antiferromagnet
Authors: Chatterjee Jyotirmoy , Auffret Stephane , Sousa Ricardo , Coelho Paulo , Prejbeanu Ioan-Lucian , Dieny Bernard
Published: July 2018

A novel multi-functional antiferromagnetic coupling layer (MF-AFC) combining Ru and W is revealed to realize an extremely thin (3.8 nm), back-end-of-line compatible as well as magnetically and electrically stable perpendicular synthetic antiferromagnetic layer (pSAF), essential for spintronic memory and logic device applications. In addition to achieving antiferromagnetic RKKY coupling, this MF-AFC also acts as a Boron sink and texture-breaking layer. A detailed optimization of the thickness of the various involved layers has been carried out to obtain extremely thin-pSAF reference layer with stable magnetic properties, which enables the realization of sub-20 nm STT-MRAM cells. Two important advantages are provided by this ultrathin reference layer: the easing of the reference layer etching and the minimization of the dipolar field acting on the storage layer magnetization.
Hydra Mesoglea Proteome Identifies Thrombospondin as a Conserved Component Active in Head Organizer Restriction
Authors: Lommel Mark , Strompen Jennifer , Hellewell Andrew L. , Balasubramanian Gnana Prakash , Christofidou Elena D. , Thomson Andrew R. , Boyle Aimee L. , Woolfson Derek N. , Puglisi Kane , Hartl Markus , Holstein Thomas W. , Adams Josephine C. , Özbek Suat
Published: July 2018

Thrombospondins (TSPs) are multidomain glycoproteins with complex matricellular functions in tissue homeostasis and remodeling. We describe a novel role of TSP as a Wnt signaling target in the basal eumetazoan Hydra. Proteome analysis identified Hydra magnipapillata TSP (HmTSP) as a major component of the cnidarian mesoglea. In general, the domain organization of cnidarian TSPs is related to the pentameric TSPs of bilaterians, and in phylogenetic analyses cnidarian TSPs formed a separate clade of high sequence diversity. HmTSP expression in polyps was restricted to the hypostomal tip and tentacle bases that harbor Wnt-regulated organizer tissues. In the hypostome, HmTSP- and Wnt3-expressing cells were identical or in close vicinity to each other, and regions of ectopic tentacle formation induced by pharmacological β-Catenin activation (Alsterpaullone) corresponded to foci of HmTSP expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) confirmed binding of Hydra TCF to conserved elements in the HmTSP promotor region. Accordingly, β-Catenin knockdown by siRNAs reduced normal HmTSP expression at the head organizer. In contrast, knockdown of HmTSP expression led to increased numbers of ectopic organizers in Alsterpaullone-treated animals, indicating a negative regulatory function. Our data suggest an unexpected role for HmTSP as a feedback inhibitor of Wnt signaling during Hydra body axis patterning and maintenance.
Lack of frequency-tagged magnetic responses suggests statistical regularities remain undetected during NREM sleep
Authors: Farthouat Juliane , Atas Anne , Wens Vincent , De Tiege Xavier , Peigneux Philippe
Published: July 2018

Hypnopedia, or the capacity to learn during sleep, is debatable. De novo acquisition of reflex stimulus-response associations was shown possible both in man and animal. Whether sleep allows more sophisticated forms of learning remains unclear. We recorded during diurnal Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep auditory magnetoencephalographic (MEG) frequency-tagged responses mirroring ongoing statistical learning. While in NREM sleep, participants were exposed at non-awakenings thresholds to fast auditory streams of pure tones, either randomly organized or structured in such a way that the stream statistically segmented in sets of 3 elements (tritones). During NREM sleep, only tone-related frequency-tagged MEG responses were observed, evidencing successful perception of individual tones. No participant showed tritone-related frequency-tagged responses, suggesting lack of segmentation. In the ensuing wake period however, all participants exhibited robust tritone-related responses during exposure to statistical (but not random) streams. Our data suggest that associations embedded in statistical regularities remain undetected during NREM sleep, although implicitly learned during subsequent wakefulness. These results suggest intrinsic limitations in de novo learning during NREM sleep that might confine the NREM sleeping brain’s learning capabilities to simple, elementary associations. It remains to be ascertained whether it similarly applies to REM sleep.
New Insight for Surface Chemistries in Ultra-thin Self-assembled Monolayers Modified High-voltage Spinel Cathodes
Authors: Kim Dae-wook , Uchida Shuhei , Shiiba Hiromasa , Zettsu Nobuyuki , Teshima Katsuya
Published: July 2018

The electrochemical properties of the interface between the spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ (LNMO4-δ) cathodes and ethylene carbonate−dimethyl carbonate (EC-DMC) electrolyte containing 1 M of LiPF6 have been investigated to achieve high-voltage durability of LNMO4-δ/graphite full cells. Coating the LNMO4-δ crystal surface by a fluoroalkylsilane self-assembled monolayer with a thickness below 2 nm resulted in a capacity retention of 94% after 100 cycles at a rate of 1 C and suppression of capacity fading for both the cathode and anode of the full cell. The observed effect is likely caused by the inhibited oxidative decomposition of EC−DMC electrolyte and vinylene carbonate (VC) species at the LNMO4-δ crystal surface and formation of a stable VC solid electrolyte interface near the anode. Moreover, the results obtained via photoelectron spectroscopy and density-functional calculations revealed that the increase in the work function of the LNMO4-δ crystal surface due to the formation of Si−O−Mn species primary contributed to the inhibition of the oxidative decomposition of the electrolyte and VC molecules at the cathode/electrolyte interface.
Characterization of Der f 22 - a paralogue of the major allergen Der f 2
Authors: Reginald Kavita , Tan Chye Ling , Chen Simin , Yuen Liling , Goh Sock Yong , Chew Fook Tim
Published: July 2018

We previously identified an expressed sequence tag clone, Der f 22, showing 41% amino acid identity to published Der f 2, and show that both genes are possible paralogues. The objective of this study was to characterize the genomic, proteomic and immunological functions Der f 22 and Der f 2. The full-length sequence of Der f 2 and Der f 22 coded for mature proteins of 129 and 135 amino acids respectively, both containing 6 cysteine residues. Phylogenetic analysis of known group 2 allergens and their homologues from our expressed sequence tag library showed that Der f 22 is a paralogue of Der f 2. Both Der f 2 and Der f 22 were single gene products with one intron. Both allergens showed specific IgE-binding to over 40% of the atopic patients, with limited of cross-reactivity. Both allergens were detected at the gut region of D. farinae by immunostaining. Der f 22 is an important allergen with significant IgE reactivity among the atopic population, and should be considered in the diagnostic panel and evaluated as future hypoallergen vaccine therapeutic target.
Mechanical ventilation and Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia alter mitochondrial homeostasis
Authors: Blot Mathieu , Pauchard Laure-Anne , Dunn Irène , Donze Jennifer , Malnuit Stéphanie , Rebaud Chloé , Croisier Delphine , Piroth Lionel , Pugin Jérôme , Charles Pierre-Emmanuel
Published: July 2018

Required mechanical ventilation (MV) may contribute to bacterial dissemination in patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia. Significant variations in plasma mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been reported in sepsis according to the outcome. The impact of lung stretch during MV was addressed in a model of pneumonia. Healthy or S. pneumoniae infected rabbits were submitted to MV or kept spontaneously breathing (SB). Bacterial burden, cytokines release, mitochondrial DNA levels, integrity and transcription were assessed along with 48-hour mortality. Compared with infected SB rabbits, MV rabbits developed more severe pneumonia with greater concentrations of bacteria in the lungs, higher rates of systemic dissemination, higher levels of circulating inflammatory mediators and decreased survival. Pulmonary mtDNA levels were significantly lower in infected animals as compared to non-infected ones, whenever they were SB or MV. After a significant early drop, circulating mtDNA levels returned to baseline values in the infected SB rabbits, but remained low until death in the MV ones. Whole blood ex-vivo stimulation with Streptococcus pneumoniae resulted in a reduction of polymorphonuclear leukocytes mitochondrial density and plasma mtDNA concentrations. Thus, persistent mitochondrial depletion and dysfunction in the infected animals submitted to MV could account for their less efficient immune response against S. pneumoniae.
Revealing salt-expedited reduction mechanism for hollow silicon microsphere formation in bi-functional halide melts
Authors: Song Gyujin , Ryu Jaegeon , Kim Jin Chul , Lee Jeong Hyeon , Kim Sungho , Wang Chongmin , Kwak Sang Kyu , Park Soojin
Published: July 2018

The thermochemical reduction of silica to silicon using chemical reductants requires high temperature and has a high activation energy, which depends on the melting temperature of the reductant. The addition of bi-functional molten salts with a low melting temperature may reduce the required energy, and several examples using molten salts have been demonstrated. Here we study the mechanism of reduction of silica in the presence of aluminum metal reductant and aluminum chloride as bi-functional molten salts. An aluminum–aluminum chloride complex plays a key role in the reduction mechanism, reacting with the oxygen of the silica surfaces to lower the heat of reaction and subsequently survives a recycling step in the reaction. This experimentally and theoretically validated reaction mechanism may open a new pathway using bi-functional molten salts. Furthermore, the as-synthesized hollow porous silicon microsphere anodes show structural durability on cycling in both half/full cell tests, attributed to the high volume-accommodating ability.
BARM and BalticMicrobeDB, a reference metagenome and interface to meta-omic data for the Baltic Sea
Authors: Alneberg Johannes , Sundh John , Bennke Christin , Beier Sara , Lundin Daniel , Hugerth Luisa W. , Pinhassi Jarone , Kisand Veljo , Riemann Lasse , Jürgens Klaus , Labrenz Matthias , Andersson Anders F.
Published: July 2018

The Baltic Sea is one of the world’s largest brackish water bodies and is characterised by pronounced physicochemical gradients where microbes are the main biogeochemical catalysts. Meta-omic methods provide rich information on the composition of, and activities within, microbial ecosystems, but are computationally heavy to perform. We here present the Baltic Sea Reference Metagenome (BARM), complete with annotated genes to facilitate further studies with much less computational effort. The assembly is constructed using 2.6 billion metagenomic reads from 81 water samples, spanning both spatial and temporal dimensions, and contains 6.8 million genes that have been annotated for function and taxonomy. The assembly is useful as a reference, facilitating taxonomic and functional annotation of additional samples by simply mapping their reads against the assembly. This capability is demonstrated by the successful mapping and annotation of 24 external samples. In addition, we present a public web interface, BalticMicrobeDB, for interactive exploratory analysis of the dataset.
Paper-based visual detection of silver ions and l-cysteine with a dual-emissive nanosystem of carbon quantum dots and gold nanoclusters
Authors: Han Bingyan , Li Ying , Hu Xixi , Yan Qin , Jiang Jingmei , Yu Mingbo , Peng Tingting , He Gaohong
Published: July 2018

The detection of silver ions and l-cysteine with a dual-emissive nanosystem of carbon quantum dots and gold nanoclusters.
Liquid phase deposition of iron phosphate thin films
Authors: Mahboubi Ehsan , Yourdkhani Amin , Poursalehi Reza
Published: July 2018

Liquid phase deposition (LPD) has been applied for the synthesis of iron phosphate thin films as an example of an effective methodology for the thin film growth of other polyanionic compounds.
Synthesis, crystal growth and characterization of Zn0.5Mn0.5Te single crystal grown via the Bridgman technique
Authors: Joseph Daniel D. , Raja A. , Lee J. Y. , Balaji D. , Kim H. J. , Ramasamy P.
Published: July 2018

Single crystal of Zn0.5Mn0.5Te has been grown by the vertical Bridgman method.
SmFeO3 and Bi-doped SmFeO3 perovskites as an alternative class of electrodes in lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Liu Junnan , Sheha Eslam , El-Dek Samaa I. , Goonetilleke Damian , Harguindeguy Marine , Sharma Neeraj
Published: July 2018

The search for new electrodes in alkali-ion batteries requires the investigation of a variety of classes of materials, each showing subtly different crystal structure motifs or frameworks.
Asymmetric polyoxometalate electrolytes for advanced redox flow batteries
Authors: Friedl Jochen , Holland-Cunz Matthäa V. , Cording Faye , Pfanschilling Felix L. , Wills Corinne , McFarlane William , Schricker Barbara , Fleck Robert , Wolfschmidt Holger , Stimming Ulrich
Published: July 2018

A redox flow battery using two polyoxometalate electrolytes for anolyte and catholyte is described and investigated.
Synthesis of porous and metallic CoB nanosheets towards a highly efficient electrocatalyst for rechargeable Na–O2 batteries
Authors: Ma Jin-ling , Li Na , Zhang Qi , Zhang Xin-bo , Wang Jun , Li Kai , Hao Xian-feng , Yan Jun-min
Published: July 2018

A high-performance Na–O2 battery was achieved using a porous and metallic CoB nanosheet/carbon nanotube composite cathode, synthesised for the first time.
Synthesis of novel perillyl–dihydropyrimidinone hybrids designed for antiproliferative activity
Authors: Vendrusculo Vinicius , de Souza Vanessa P. , M. Fontoura Luiz Antônio , M. D'Oca Marcelo G. , Banzato Thais P. , Monteiro Paula A. , Pilli Ronaldo A. , de Carvalho João Ernesto , Russowsky Dennis
Published: July 2018

A series of fifteen novel dihydropyrimidinone hybrid compounds were synthesized in good yieldsviaa multicomponent reaction combined with the Huisgen reaction.
Tunable photoluminescence in a van der Waals heterojunction built from a MoS2monolayer and a PTCDA organic semiconductor
Authors: Habib Mohammad Rezwan , Li Hongfei , Kong Yuhan , Liang Tao , Obaidulla Sk. Md. , Xie Shuang , Wang Shengping , Ma Xiangyang , Su Huanxing , Xu Mingsheng
Published: July 2018

We observe synergistic photoluminescence of MoS2/PTCDA vdW heterostructure due to the interface interaction and improved crystal of PTCDA layer.
Buckling polystyrene beads with light
Authors: Wang Shuangshuang , Ding Tao
Published: July 2018

Laser irradiation transforms the polystyrene beads into nanopatterns of bull's eyes and concentric double rings via buckling effect.
Metal-agglomeration-suppressed growth of MoS2 and MoSe2 films with small sulfur and selenium molecules for high mobility field effect transistor applications
Authors: Jung Kwang Hoon , Yun Sun Jin , Choi Yongsuk , Cho Jeong Ho , Lim Jung Wook , Chai Hyun-Jun , Cho Dae-Hyung , Chung Yong-Duck , Kim Gayoung
Published: July 2018

This work reports an innovative method for achieving high quality MoS2 and MoSe2 films uniformly on large-area wafers at growth temperatures of 600 °C or lower.
Compressing liquid nanofoam systems: liquid infiltration or nanopore deformation?
Authors: Zhang Yue , Li Mingzhe , Gao Yuan , Xu Baoxing , Lu Weiyi
Published: July 2018

The competing mechanisms between solid nanopore deformation and liquid invasion for non-wetting liquid/nanopore systems under compression are addressed.
Dioxane-involving reaction for the synthesis of 3-aryl-1-(2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy)isoquinolines catalyzed by AgOTf
Authors: Pan Wan-Chen , Liu Jian-Quan , Wang Xiang-Shan
Published: July 2018

Dioxane was involved in the reaction of 2-(arylethynyl)benzaldehydes and 3-aminopyrazine-2-carbohydrazide and underwent a ring-opening reaction catalyzed by AgOTf to give 3-aryl-1-(2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy)isoquinolines in good yields.
Exposure of mass-selected bimetallic Pt–Ti nanoalloys to oxygen explored using scanning transmission electron microscopy and density functional theory
Authors: Gholhaki Saeed , Hung Shih-Hsuan , Cant David J. H. , Blackmore Caroline E. , Shard Alex G. , Guo Quanmin , McKenna Keith P. , Palmer Richard E.
Published: July 2018

Theoretical and experimental morphology induced by oxidation of the Ti element.
Small molecule generators of biologically reactive sulfur species
Authors: Bora Prerona , Chauhan Preeti , Pardeshi Kundansingh A. , Chakrapani Harinath
Published: July 2018

Reactive sulfur species (RSS) are integral to cellular survival and growth. Here, small molecule generators of RSS are reviewed.
Mesoporous silica–carbon composites fabricated by a universal strategy of hydrothermal carbonization: controllable synthesis and applications
Authors: Sun Xitong , Yu Wei , Yan Jingyu , Li Jiaqi , Jin Gaowa , Feng Jiatao , Guo Zhimou , Liang Xinmiao
Published: July 2018

A carbon layer with controlled thickness can be coated on the surface of mesoporous silica through the hydrothermal carbonization strategy.
Inexpensive and non-toxic water repellent coatings comprising SiO2 nanoparticles and long chain fatty acids
Authors: Heale Frances L. , Page Kristopher , Wixey James S. , Taylor Philip , Parkin Ivan P. , Carmalt Claire J.
Published: July 2018

Special wettability durable coatings, with water contact angles exceeding 140°, have been fabricated using inexpensive and non-toxic functionalised hydrophobic-silica nanoparticles embedded in fatty acids.
Understanding the interactability of chikungunya virus proteinsviamolecular recognition feature analysis
Authors: Singh Ankur , Kumar Ankur , Uversky Vladimir N. , Giri Rajanish
Published: July 2018

The chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus that has an enveloped icosahedral capsid and is transmitted byAedessp. mosquitos.
Atmospheric sink of β-ocimene and camphene initiated by Cl atoms: kinetics and products at NOxfree-air
Authors: Gaona-Colmán Elizabeth , Blanco María B. , Barnes Ian , Wiesen Peter , Teruel Mariano A.
Published: July 2018

Rate coefficients for the gas-phase reactions of Cl atoms with β-ocimene and camphene were determined to be (in units of 10−10cm3per molecule per s) 5.5 ± 0.7 and 3.3 ± 0.4, respectively.
Recombinant human BMP-7 grafted poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/hydroxyapatite scaffolds via polydopamine for enhanced calvarial repair
Authors: Xu Qinli , Li Ye , Zhu Yuhang , Zhao Kunchi , Gu Rui , Zhu Qingsan
Published: July 2018

Polydopamine-assisted rhBMP-7 immobilization on PLGA/hydroxyapatite scaffold via phase inversion for enhanced calvarial repair in vivo.
Diamines as switchable-hydrophilicity solvents with improved phase behaviour
Authors: Vanderveen Jesse R. , Geng Jialing , Zhang Susanna , Jessop Philip G.
Published: July 2018

Diamine switchable-hydrophilicity solvents can be removed from products, by carbonated water, with much greater efficiency than past switchable solvents.
Unravelling the structural rearrangement of polymer colloidal crystals under dry sintering conditions
Authors: Zozulya Alexey V. , Zaluzhnyy Ivan A. , Mukharamova Nastasia , Lazarev Sergey , Meijer Janne-Mieke , Kurta Ruslan P. , Shabalin Anatoly , Sprung Michael , Petukhov Andrei V. , Vartanyants Ivan A.
Published: July 2018

The structural rearrangement of polystyrene colloidal crystals under dry sintering conditions has been revealed by in situ grazing incidence X-ray scattering.
Metallo-supramolecular polymer engineered porous carbon framework encapsulated stable ultra-small nanoparticles: a general approach to construct highly dispersed catalysts
Authors: Ai Yongjian , He Mengqi , Zhang Feng , Long Yang , Li Yunzheng , Han Qiang , Ding Mingyu , Sun Hong-bin , Liang Qionglin
Published: July 2018

We developed an organometallic conjunction strategy for the scalable fabrication of porous carbon framework encapsulated sub-3 nm ultra-small nanoparticles.
Efficient solution-processed orange-red organic light-emitting diodes based on a novel thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter
Authors: Li Xing , Wang Kai , Shi Yi-Zhong , Zhang Ming , Dai Gao-Le , Liu Wei , Zheng Cai-Jun , Ou Xue-Mei , Zhang Xiao-Hong
Published: July 2018

A novel thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitter was designed and synthesized for solution-processed red organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).
Low‐cost multi‐layer antenna sub‐array for 79 GHz short‐range radar applications
Authors: Mosalanejad M. , Brebels S. , Soens C. , Vandenbosch G.A.E.
Published: July 2018

A new wideband cavity‐backed aperture coupled microstrip antenna is presented for 79 GHz short‐range multi‐input multi‐output radar applications. This design is based on a sub‐array consisting of two single elements, and each element is founded on a cavity backed aperture coupled patch antenna. A microstrip to strip‐line transition and a series feeding topology is used to feed the elements. The antennas are manufactured by using a new high‐resolution multi‐layer PCB technology. This technology is able to deliver high‐resolution stacked micro‐vias on very thin substrates. The performance of the designed antenna has been verified by both simulations and measurements. The bandwidth is 11.2%, and the maximum gain and efficiency are 6.05 dBi and 80% along 77–81 GHz.
Position‐aided fast millimetre‐wave beam training with compressive sensing
Authors: Xie Jianxiao , Jing Xiaojun , Gao Hui
Published: July 2018

A novel position‐aided fast millimetre‐wave beam training using compressive sensing (PAF‐CS) is proposed. In particular, the position information is used to obtain the angle‐of‐arrival, and this operation can facilitate beam alignment with significantly reduced system overhead. Aiming to resolve the position uncertainty, the PAF‐CS method first identifies a critical area by using the statistical information of the position error, and finds the best beams by using CS method. Theoretical analysis and simulation validate the superiority of the PAF‐CS method.
Approach for improving inter‐element isolation of orthogonally polarised MIMO slot antenna over ultra‐wide bandwidth
Authors: Saad A.A.R.
Published: July 2018

With the increasingly multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) applications in ultra‐wideband (UWB) communication systems, antenna researchers face big challenges in designing compact operational geometries that meet the essential demand of achieving high isolation among antenna elements over the ultra‐wide operating bandwidth. Disposed antenna elements orthogonally are seen to be the most common methodology to reduce mutual coupling of MIMO antenna by exploiting polarisation diversity performance. In such configuration, the mutual coupling mainly depends on the inter‐element spacing, which it may not be in line with the compact structure. In this Letter, taking the advantages of symmetry of planar UWB antennas, asymmetric feeding scheme miniaturising technique is utilised to improve the inter‐element isolation of a reference MIMO antenna made up of four previously designed slot antenna elements, closely‐disposed orthogonally. Analytical results have validated the design concept and the improved MIMO antenna using the halved‐chopped elements, showing good performance in terms of impedance matching, isolation, radiation features, signal correlation, and system fidelity factor.
Innovation rate sampling of non‐ideal piecewise polynomials
Authors: Fu Ning , Huang Guoxing , Sun Liwen , Qiao Liyan
Published: July 2018

Recent sampling results show that ideal piecewise polynomials can be modelled as finite‐rate‐of‐innovation (FRI) signals and perfectly recovered by spectral estimation. However, there is no any generic FRI model for non‐ideal piecewise polynomials. An FRI model is proposed as an extension of the VPW‐FRI (pulses with variable width) model for non‐ideal piecewise polynomials which have uncertain transition zones near discontinuity points. The derivative of non‐ideal piecewise polynomials as differentiated VPW pulse streams is assumed. The proposed model can be sampled by arbitrary kernels and recovered by a modified annihilating filter. For the extended model, simulation results analyse several factors that affect the model anti‐noise property and verify its superiority of better matching performance for real non‐ideal signals in comparison of the FRI model for ideal piecewise polynomials.
Phase improvement algorithm for NLFM waveform design to reduction of sidelobe level in autocorrelation function
Authors: Ghavamirad R. , Sebt M.A. , Babashah H.
Published: July 2018

A phase improvement algorithm has been developed to design the non‐linear frequency modulated (NLFM) signal for the four windows of Raised‐Cosine, Taylor, Chebyshev, and Kaiser. The authors have already designed NLFM signal by stationary phase method (SPM). The simulation results for the peak sidelobe level of the autocorrelation function in the phase improvement algorithm reveal a significant average decrement of about 5 dB with respect to the stationary phase method. Moreover, to evaluate the efficiency of the phase improvement algorithm, the minimum error value for each iteration is calculated.
Compact dual‐band filtering power divider based on SIW triangular cavities
Authors: Wang Yujie , Zhou Chunxia , Zhou Kang , Wu Wen
Published: July 2018

A compact dual‐band filtering power divider (FPD) is presented based on substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) triangular cavities (TCs). By exploiting the first two modes in SIW TCs, the FPD is synthesised and designed with centre frequencies of 5.5 and 8.3 GHz and identical absolute bandwidths of 0.8 GHz. Two‐section 50‐Ω transmission lines loaded with two resistors are explored to achieve good isolation at two arbitrary frequency bands of the dual‐band PFD. Good agreements can be observed between the measured and simulated results and better than 20‐dB isolation within the two passbands has been successfully achieved.
Performance of uplink WFRFT‐based hybrid carrier systems with non‐orthogonal multiple access
Authors: Wang Xiaolu , Labeau Fabrice , Mei Lin , Wang Zhenduo , Sha Xuejun
Published: July 2018

In this paper, the performance of hybrid carrier (HC) systems based on weighted fractional Fourier transform (WFRFT) is investigated in an uplink non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) scenario. NOMA is a promising technology to improve the system capacity, in which two users (far‐user and near‐user relative to a base station) are allocated to use the same time‐frequency resources, and the successive interference cancellation (SIC) technique is implemented to decode signals at the receiver. Considering the actual error decoding in the SIC process (i.e. imperfect SIC), NOMA cannot avoid the inter‐user interference (IUI) and residual interference (or error propagation). Therefore, firstly IUI and residual interference are analysed, and signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of the far‐user is expressed mathematically considering the residual interference. Then, based on the analysis of IUI, considering different WFRFT orders, a near‐user BER expression over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels is derived. Furthermore, the optimal WFRFT order selection to minimise the interference influence in the uplink is formulated and solved efficiently. Simulation results have verified the mathematical expression of SINR, the near‐user theoretical BER expression, and the proposed optimal WFRFT order selection to obtain the maximum sum spectral efficiency.
Traffic‐aware resource allocation scheme for mMTC in dynamic TDD systems
Authors: Teng Yinglei , Liang Wenyao , Zhang Yong , Yang Ruizhe
Published: July 2018

The asymmetry traffic between downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) in massive machine‐type communication (mMTC) systems is so prominent that it makes the traditionally fixed frame protocols insufficient to handle. Meanwhile, the dynamic time‐division duplexing (D‐TDD) is a promising and attractive technology since its number of time slots for the DL and UL can be asymmetric and adjusted dynamically. In the cellular and mMTC co‐existing network, to balance the discrepancy of the UL/DL ratio and alleviate the interference as well, in this study, the authors design a D‐TDD‐based transmission frame structure to first fulfil the basic transmission requirements of the human‐type communication (HTC) users with a low power almost blank subframe. Herein, the stochastic geometry methods are adopted to calculate spectral efficiencies of the HTC user equipment. Then, focusing on the worst queue state in mMTC, they devise the slot allocation problem with the min–max objective of the UL/DL queues and utilise the sub‐gradient descent (SGD) method for a solution. Simulation results show that the proposed traffic aware sub‐frame configuration is more appropriate for the dynamical asymmetry environment. Meanwhile, the adopted dynamic step size SGD algorithm can achieve a trade‐off between the worst‐case queue and the network throughput.
Outage probability of scheduled MRT scheme in cognitive MISO networks with imperfect CSI
Authors: Yang Jing , Wu Xinyu , Nguyen Hien M. , Ding Jie
Published: July 2018

In this study, the authors assess the performance of a cognitive multiple‐input single‐output (MISO) network, where the secondary base station schedules a secondary destination to communicate from K candidates, by employing scheduled maximal ratio transmission (MRT) scheme. A practical scenario is considered where imperfect channel state information (CSI) is taken into account. Specially, assuming Rayleigh fading channels, the exact expression for the cumulative distribution function of the received signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) at is derived, from which the outage probability (OP) at is obtained. An asymptotic expression for the OP at high SNR region is also presented, indicating the diversity gain that the scheduled MRT scheme can achieve. Furthermore, the interference OP at the primary receiver is discussed due to imperfect CSI in the link from base station to primary receiver link. Finally, extensive performance evaluation results accompanied with equivalent ones obtained by computer simulations are presented to corroborate the proposed analysis.
Local multiscale blur estimation based on toggle mapping for sharp region extraction
Authors: Gillibert Luc , Chabardès Théodore , Marcotegui Beatriz
Published: July 2018

In this study, a multiscale local blur estimation is proposed based on the existing local focus measure that combines gradient and toggle mapping. This method evaluates the quality of images regardless of their content (not in an autofocus context) and can predict Optical Character Recognition accuracy based on local blur. The resulting approach outperforms state of the art blur detection methods. Quantitative results are given on DIQA database. Moreover, the authors demonstrate its usefulness for extracting a region of interest from partially blurry images. Results are shown on images acquired by a project devoted to smartphone based text extraction for visually impaired people. In this study, sharp region extraction is essential since it allows warning the users when their picture is unusable. Moreover, it saves computing time.
Detection and analysis of large‐scale WT blade surface cracks based on UAV‐taken images
Authors: Peng Lin , Liu Jun
Published: July 2018

Aiming at the high cost and the poor working environment of the detection of large‐scale wind turbine (WT) cracks, an analytic detection method based on blade images taken by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is proposed in this study. For the characteristics of the UAV shooting and the location of the WT, the pre‐processing of motion blurring, image noise reduction and image enhancement is used to make the target area and crack details more clear and complete. Then, a crack analysis method based on the grey‐scale value is proposed, taking into account the distribution, severity and development trend of the cracks, so that the blind area in the daily detection of the WT can be reduced, the subsequent maintenance of the WT blade is made more accurate, and essentially the operation and maintenance costs be reduced considerably.
Enhancement of dim targets in a sea background based on long‐wave infrared polarisation features
Authors: Zhang Jing‐Hua , Zhang Yan , Shi Zhi‐Guang
Published: July 2018

According to Fresnel's formula and the energy conservation law, a model combining the infrared reflected effect and emitted effect is developed to calculate the polarisation degree. With this model, the polarisation degree difference between the sea surface and ship target in long‐wave infrared is simulated. To solve the problem of dim targets detection in a sea background, based on the polarisation difference of the sea surface and ship targets, a method of the non‐subsampled shearlets transformation is proposed to fuse the intensity image and polarisation image. The algorithm of distribution coefficients is applied to improve the contrast ratio between targets to background in low‐frequency subbands. The denoise scheme of the adaptive threshold is adopted to suppress noise and the conceptions of local direction contrast and region gradient are used as a choosing scheme to the preserve features and edges of images in high‐frequency subbands. Image evaluation indices of target contrast with the background and local signal‐to‐noise ratio are used to evaluate the enhancement effect of fused images. Results show that the evaluation indices of fused images with polarisation features are significantly improved, and comparisons with existing methods demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed method.
Multi‐scale deep neural network for salient object detection
Authors: Xiao Fen , Deng Wenzheng , Peng Liangchan , Cao Chunhong , Hu Kai , Gao Xieping
Published: July 2018

Salient object detection is a fundamental problem and has been received a great deal of attention in computer vision. Recently, deep learning model became a powerful tool for image feature extraction. In this study, the authors propose a multi‐scale deep neural network (MSDNN) for salient object detection. The proposed model first extracts global high‐level features and context information over the whole source image with the recurrent convolutional neural network. Then several stacked deconvolutional layers are adopted to get the multi‐scale feature representation and obtain a series of saliency maps. Finally, the authors investigate a fusion convolution module to build a final pixel level saliency map. The proposed model is extensively evaluated on six salient object detection benchmark datasets. Results show that the authors’ deep model significantly outperforms other 12 state‐of‐the‐art approaches.
Performance analysis of AO‐OFDM‐CDMA with advanced 2D‐hybrid coding for amplifier‐free LR‐PONs
Authors: Mrabet Hichem , Mhatli Sofien , Dayoub Iyad , Giacoumidis Elias
Published: July 2018

All‐optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (AO‐OFDM) and optical code‐division multiple‐access system (OCDMA) are combined in the first analytical model, which considers subcarrier hopping by means of advanced two‐dimensional (2D) hybrid‐coded (2D‐HC) signature. The model incorporates probabilistic subcarrier overlapping, multiple‐access interferences and is tested, for the first time, over amplifier‐free long‐reach passive optical networks (LR‐PONs) using cost‐effective intensity modulations and direct detection. For the upstream direction at 40 Gb/s, AO‐OFDM‐OCDMA outperforms a ‘classical’ multi‐channel OCDMA system for low received powers and any number of simultaneous users. In comparison to conventional 1D Walsh–Hadamard, 1D prime code and 2D prime hop system, coding with 2D‐HC can improve the performance of AO‐OFDM‐CDMA, thus allowing a higher number of simultaneous users in LR‐PON without optical amplification. From numerical simulations, the authors show that 16‐quadrature amplitude modulation (16‐QAM) AO‐OFDM‐CDMA with 45 users has comparable performance to conventional multi‐channel 16‐QAM coherent optical OFDM in the downstream direction and up to 58 km with 1:45 split ratio, without employing complex coherent technology. Similarly, based on the feasibility of physical implementation configuration, a budget power calculation is performed showing 108 km as maximum reachability distance for 40 Gb/s QAM signal, 1:64 split ratio when considering standard forward‐error‐correction.
Evaluating the risk of eavesdropping a visible light communication channel
Authors: Marin‐Garcia Ignacio , Guerra Victor , Chavez‐Burbano Patricia , Rabadan Jose , Perez‐Jimenez Rafael
Published: July 2018

Visible light communication (VLC) technologies are becoming a method to communicate with a wide range of devices. One of VLC's biggest proposed advantages is the inherent security that this technology provides. The concept of securing on VLC is based on its indoor use since optical radiation is confined by walls. However, doors and windows are usually present in any inhabited structure through which the optical signal can leak and be detected by external devices. In this study, the signal leaked through such a window and the risk of eavesdropping the VLC‐based channel may have is studied. In this way, a risk evaluation parameter, which includes different variables, is proposed and analysed.