bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating Efficacy of Cu Nano‐Particles as Additive for Bio‐Lubricants
Authors: Garg Pooja , Kumar Ajay , Thakre G. D. , Arya P. K. , Jain A. K.
Published: December 2017

Use of nano‐materials as lubricant additives is gaining tremendous importance due to their capabilities in enhancing the tribo‐performance. The nano‐particles of various elements and compounds are efficiently blended in mineral base oils enhancing their physico‐chemical as well as tribological properties. However, in recent times due to the environmental concerns, focus is being shifted toward bio based lubricants. Bio lubricants are obtained from plant oil by various chemical modification techniques. They are environment friendly, biodegradable and have better lubricating properties than the mineral oil based counterparts. The major challenge however for these lubricants is the selection of appropriate additives. The commercial additives developed for mineral base oils are generally toxic and not suitable for the Biolubricants. In this context, the present paper attempts to investigate the efficacy of Cu nano‐particles as additive for Biolubricants. The non‐edible karanja oil has been chemically modified to karanja ester and used as biolubricant. The functionalized Cu nano‐particles have been blended in various concentrations in biolubricant and the tribological performance investigated using four ball tribo‐tester. In order to ascertain the efficacy of Cu nano‐particles as additives, the tribo‐performance of Cu nano‐particle blended biolubricant has been compared with that of Zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate (ZDDP) blended biolubricant in equal concentrations. ZDDP is a conventional commercially available multi‐purpose additive that enhances the tribo‐performance of lubricating oils. The comparative study of experimental results showed that ZDDP helps in enhancing the anti‐wear performance of bio‐lubricant while the Cu nano‐particles aided in enhancement of anti‐friction behavior of biolubricant.
Effect of Volume Fraction of Minority Block on Morphology of PS‐b‐P4VP Nanotemplates
Authors: Kumari Yogita , Jangir Lokesh Kumar , Kumar Manoj , Swami K. C. , Awasthi Kamlendra
Published: December 2017

Ordered templates are of notable interest for the fabrication of highly ordered inorganic/organic nanostructures. In this report, ordered nanotemplates have been prepared using supramolecular assembly (SMA) from diblock copolymer polystyrene‐b‐poly(4‐vinylpyridine) (PS‐b‐P4VP) and 2‐(4‐hydroxyphenylazo) benzoic acid (HABA). HABA selectively associated with P4VP blocks by hydrogen bonds (molar ratio 1:1) and increases the relative volume fraction of P4VP/HABA. Solvent annealing by 1–4 dioxane improves the ordering in thin films of supramolecular assembly. Almost featureless morphology was observed before annealing, though the disordered cylindrical pores were observed on removal of HABA by ethanol. After solvent annealing in 1–4 dioxane, highly dense and hexagonally arranged cylindrical domains were observed perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. Removal of HABA leads to cylindrical pores with an average pore diameter of 15 ±1 nm and periodicity of 35 ± 1 nm. Perpendicularly oriented lamellar structure with a periodicity of □31 nm was obtained when the relative volume fraction of P4VP/HABA was altered to 0.5 by changing the molecular weight of copolymers. This method is very simple as compared to the lithographic process used for templates.
Swimming of a Waving Sheet in a Viscous Fluid
Authors: Choudhary Priyanka , Mandal Subhayan , Babu Sujin B.
Published: December 2017

We present the study of the swimming of a finite size Taylor sheet in a viscous fluid. To model the waving Taylor sheet, we use bead spring model with the bending potentials. To consider the hydrodynamic interaction between the beads, we employ the Rotne‐Prager mobility tensor. We show in the present study that for the rectangular sheet the frequency of the wave oscillation is proportional to the wave velocity also the flow field created by the sheet is the similar to that of the infinitely long Taylor sheet. In the present study, we also show that the ratio of the perpendicular and parallel friction coefficient is no longer a constant but varies with the dimensions of the sheet. The velocity of the sheet, scales very well with the finite length approximation of the Taylor sheet. The stroke efficiency of the swimmer is also calculated which show similar trends as the velocity with the finite dimensions of the sheet.
Genetic testing including targeted gene panel in a diverse clinical population of children with autism spectrum disorder: Findings and implications
Authors: Kalsner Louisa , Twachtman‐Bassett Jennifer , Tokarski Kristin , Stanley Christine , Dumont‐Mathieu Thyde , Cotney Justin , Chamberlain Stormy
Published: December 2017

Background

Genetic testing of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is now standard in the clinical setting, with American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMGG) guidelines recommending microarray for all children, fragile X testing for boys and additional gene sequencing, including PTEN and MECP2, in appropriate patients. Increasingly, testing utilizing high throughput sequencing, including gene panels and whole exome sequencing, are offered as well.

Methods

We performed genetic testing including microarray, fragile X testing and targeted gene panel, consistently sequencing 161 genes associated with ASD risk, in a clinical population of 100 well characterized children with ASD. Frequency of rare variants identified in individual genes was compared with that reported in the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC) database.

Results

We did not diagnose any conditions with complete penetrance for ASD; however, copy number variants believed to contribute to ASD risk were identified in 12%. Eleven children were found to have likely pathogenic variants on gene panel, yet, after careful analysis, none was considered likely causative of disease. KIRREL3 variants were identified in 6.7% of children compared to 2% in ExAC, suggesting a potential role for KIRREL3 variants in ASD risk. Children with KIRREL3 variants more often had minor facial dysmorphism and intellectual disability. We also observed an increase in rare variants in TSC2. However, analysis of variant data from the Simons Simplex Collection indicated that rare variants in TSC2 occur more commonly in specific racial/ethnic groups, which are more prevalent in our population than in the ExAC database.

Conclusion

The yield of genetic testing including microarray, fragile X (boys) and targeted gene panel was 12%. Gene panel did not increase diagnostic yield; however, we found an increase in rare variants in KIRREL3. Our findings reinforce the need for racial/ethnic diversity in large‐scale genomic databases used to identify variants that contribute to disease risk.
A framing analysis of the representation of the BP crisis in American newspapers: How do American news media frame the BP crisis?
Authors: Choi Jinbong
Published: December 2017

This study aims to identify how American major newspapers frame the BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis in 2 major daily newspapers, The New York Times and USA Today. In addition, this study exams what kinds of themes are used in conjunction with news frames for covering the BP oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. 489 articles were analyzed, 353 articles for The New York Times and 136 articles for USA Today. In a pretest, this study identified 6 main frames and 9 themes used by the collected news articles, and these 6 frames and 9 themes were used to analyze the collected news articles. Among 6 frames, the most common primary frame in the New York Times was attribution of responsibility, as compared to the most common primary theme in USA Today, solution. On the other hand, the most common theme in The New York Times was stopping the oil, as opposed to the most common theme found in USA Today, politics.
Decline in opioid prescribing after federal rescheduling of hydrocodone products
Authors: Raji Mukaila A. , Kuo Yong‐Fang , Adhikari Deepak , Baillargeon Jacques , Goodwin James S.
Published: December 2017

Purpose

To examine differences in opioid prescribing by patient characteristics and variation in hydrocodone combination product (HCP) prescribing attributed to states, before and after the 2014 Drug Enforcement Administration's reclassification of HCP from schedule III to the more restrictive schedule II.

Methods

We used 2013 to 2015 data for 9 202 958 patients aged 18 to 64 from a large nationally representative commercial health insurance program to assess the temporal trends in the monthly rate of opioid prescribing.

Results

HCP prescribing decreased by 26% from June 2013 to June 2015; the rate of prescriptions for any opioid decreased by 11%. Prescribing of non‐hydrocodone schedule III opioids increased slightly while prescribing of non‐hydrocodone schedule II opioids and tramadol was stable. Absolute decreases in HCP prescribing rates were larger in patients being treated for cancer (−2.26% vs −0.7% for non‐cancer patients, P < 0.0001) and in those with high comorbidities (−2.13% vs −0.55% for those with no comorbidity, P < 0.0001). Differences in the absolute and relative changes in HCP prescribing rates among states were large; for example, a relative decrease of 46.7% in Texas and a 12.7% increase in South Dakota. The variation in HCP prescribing attributable to the state of residence increased from 6.6% in 2013 to 8.7% in 2015.

Conclusions

The 2014 federal policy was associated with a decrease in rates of HCP and total opioid prescribing. The large decrease in the rates of HCP prescribing for patients with actively treated cancer may represent an unintended consequence.
Microwave assisted novel synthetic route for polyfluorenes containing triphenylamine and solubilizing alkyl moiety for blue emitting diodes
Authors: Mishra Alok V , Chandorkar Khushboo B , Patil Vishwanath R
Published: December 2017

A series of blue electroluminescent polyfluorenes (PFs) containing triphenylamine and various alkyl moieties were synthesized using an Ni(0) mediated C−C Yamamoto coupling reaction assisted by microwaves. The synthesized PFs were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. Their absorption and photoluminescence properties were investigated in solvent and found to possess characteristic electronic absorption and emission spectra. These PFs were found to emit in the blue region (407−415 nm) with high quantum yield in the range 0.41−0.73. Cyclic voltammetry studies of the PFs revealed that the compounds were stable under redox conditions with highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital in the range 5.24–5.29 eV and 1.98−2.01 eV, respectively. The EHOMO for the PFs was similar to the most widely used hole transporting materials N,N′‐Di(1‐naphthyl)‐N,N′‐diphenyl‐(1,1′‐biphenyl)‐4,4′‐diamine (NPD), N,N′‐Bis(3‐methylphenyl)‐N,N′‐diphenylbenzidine (TPD) and N2,N2,N2′,N2′,N7,N7,N7′,N7′‐octakis(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐9,9′‐spirobi[9H‐ fluorene]‐2,2′,7,7′‐tetramine, Spiro‐OMeTAD (spiro‐OMe‐TAD). The thermal stability observed for the PFs accounts for their use under ambient conditions. The electrochemical studies of the fabricated polymer light emitting diodes suggest that the PFs have potential to be used as hole transporting and blue electroluminescent materials for optoelectronic devices. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Controlled random copolymerization of rac‐lactide and ɛ‐caprolactone by well‐designed phenoxyimine Al complexes
Authors: Shi Tong , Luo Wenlong , Liu Shaofeng , Li Zhibo
Published: December 2017

The random copolymers poly(LA‐ran‐CL) have improved properties of degradability, mechanical strength, elasticity, and permeability over the PLA and PCL homopolymers. However, the synthesis of such copolymers is still a great challenge in polymer chemistry. In this contribution, we develop a simple but well‐designed phenoxyimine Al complex (4) with bulky Ph2CH groups, which achieves controlled random copolymerization of rac‐LA and ɛ‐CL in a living manner (Ð = 1.06–1.09). The reactivity ratios of rac‐LA and ɛ‐CL (rLA and rCL) are 1.09 and 1.05 and the average sequence lengths of the lactidyl unit (LLA) and the caproyl unit (LCL) are in the range of 1.9–2.0 at different stages of conversion. In marked contrast, Al complexes (1–3) having less bulky substituents on the ligands only produce gradient copolymers. Furthermore, this strategy of catalyst design would be readily extended to other catalytic systems including β‐ketiminato Al complex (5). © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 611–617
Conflicting evidence for the role of JNK as a target in breast cancer cell proliferation: Comparisons between pharmacological inhibition and selective shRNA knockdown approaches
Authors: Wood Rachel A. , Barbour Mark J. , Gould Gwyn W. , Cunningham Margaret R. , Plevin Robin J.
Published: December 2017

As a target, the JNK pathway has been implicated in roles including cell death, proliferation, and inflammation in variety of contexts which span cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative pathologies, and cancer. JNK1 and JNK2 have recently been demonstrated to function independently, highlighting a new parameter in the study of the JNK pathway. In order for JNK1 and JNK2‐specific roles to be defined, better tools need to be employed. Previous studies have relied upon the broad spectrum JNK inhibitor, SP600125, to characterize the role of JNK signaling in a number of cell lines, including the breast cancer cell line MCF‐7. In line with previous literature, our study has demonstrated that SP600125 treatment inhibited c‐Jun and JNK phosphorylation and MCF‐7 proliferation. However, in addition to targeting JNK1, JNK2, and JNK3, SP600125 has been previously demonstrated to suppress the activity of a number of other serine/threonine kinases, making SP600125 an inadequate tool for JNK isoform‐specific roles to be determined. In this study, lentiviral shRNA was employed to selectively knockdown JNK1, JNK2, and JNK1/2 in MCF‐7 cells. Using this approach, JNK phosphorylation was fully inhibited following stable knockdown of respective JNK isoforms. Interestingly, despite suppression of JNK phosphorylation, MCF‐7 cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, or cell death remained unaffected. These findings raise the question of whether JNK phosphorylation really is pivotal in MCF‐7 cell growth and death or if suppression of these events is a result of one of the many off‐targets cited for SP600125.
The British National Formulary: past, present and future
Authors: Ogden Joy
Published: December 2017

Since it was first published in 1949, the British National Formulary (BNF) has been the lead authority on the selection and use of medicines for health professionals in the UK. Here, Joy Ogden discusses how the BNF has evolved, from its first inception to the modern age of digital publishing.
Influence of Finite Size on the Electrocaloric Response in PbTiO3 Ceramics Near Room Temperature Using Landau Theory
Authors: Liu Zhen , Yang Bin , Cao Wenwu , Lookman Turab
Published: December 2017

We investigate the influence of grain size on the electrocaloric properties of ferroelectric systems using Landau theory. We study how the phase transformation temperature and electrocaloric property can be tuned by changing the grain size close to the critical size. Our results show that the electrocaloric coefficient at room temperature can be greatly enhanced by controlling the grain size. In particular, we calculate the adiabatic temperature change, ΔT to be ≈2 K with an electric field difference ΔE = 50 kV cm−1 at room temperature in a model for PbTiO3 ceramics. The results provide an approach to improving the electrocaloric properties at room temperature in experiments by engineering the grain size.
Mixed Substitution in P‐Doped Anatase TiO2 Probed by XPS and DFT
Authors: Korotin Michael A. , Boukhvalov Danil. W. , Gavrilov Nikolay V. , Kim Sang S. , Cholakh Seif O. , Kurmaev Ernst Z.
Published: December 2017

The investigation of the electronic structure of P‐ion implanted TiO2 thin films (E = 30 keV, D = 1 × 1017 cm−2) with anatase structure is performed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements (core levels and valence bands) and first‐principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. It is found that the XPS P 2p‐spectra reveal the presence of two signals at 134.2 and 130.3 eV which can be attributed to the formation of P–O (with P5+ ions) and P–Ti (with P3− ions) bonds, respectively. This means that both cationic (P → Ti) and anionic (P → O) substitution take place in P‐ion implanted anatase thin films. This conclusion is confirmed by DFT calculations which show that the XPS valence band structure of P:TiO2 can be reproduced only under mixed substitution. The presence of two kinds of phosphorus ions (P5+ and P3−) in ion‐implanted TiO2 can be useful for developing new multifunctional advanced materials with configurable properties for a wide range of applications.
A simple and reliable method reducing sulfate to sulfide for multiple sulfur isotope analysis
Authors: Geng Lei , Savarino Joel , Savarino Clara A. , Caillon Nicolas , Cartigny Pierre , Hattori Shohei , Ishino Sakiko , Yoshida Naohiro
Published: December 2017

Rationale

Precise analysis of four sulfur isotopes of sulfate in geological and environmental samples provides the means to extract unique information in wide geological contexts. Reduction of sulfate to sulfide is the first step to access such information. The conventional reduction method suffers from a cumbersome distillation system, long reaction time and large volume of the reducing solution. We present a new and simple method enabling the process of multiple samples at one time with a much reduced volume of reducing solution.

Methods

One mL of reducing solution made of HI and NaH2PO2 was added to a septum glass tube with dry sulfate. The tube was heated at 124°C and the produced H2S was purged with inert gas (He or N2) through gas‐washing tubes and then collected by NaOH solution. The collected H2S was converted into Ag2S by adding AgNO3 solution and the co‐precipitated Ag2O was removed by adding a few drops of concentrated HNO3.

Results

Within 2–3 h, a 100% yield was observed for samples with 0.2–2.5 μmol Na2SO4. The reduction rate was much slower for BaSO4 and a complete reduction was not observed. International sulfur reference materials, NBS‐127, SO‐5 and SO‐6, were processed with this method, and the measured against accepted δ34S values yielded a linear regression line which had a slope of 0.99 ± 0.01 and a R2 value of 0.998.

Conclusions

The new methodology is easy to handle and allows us to process multiple samples at a time. It has also demonstrated good reproducibility in terms of H2S yield and for further isotope analysis. It is thus a good alternative to the conventional manual method, especially when processing samples with limited amount of sulfate available.
Giving society a voice
Authors: Heeg Robert
Published: December 2017

As European politics becomes more unpredictable, discovering the true public sentiment is more vital than ever. We asked polling experts in the UK, France, Germany and Spain if more research could help take the pulse of the public in defining policy.
The Asian Millenial
Authors: Lee Wei Fen
Published: December 2017

What do social causes and status have in common?
It takes a team to make a transformation
Authors: Santovec Mary Lou
Published: December 2017

As a youngster, Tomikia Pickett LeGrande, Ed.D., thought she wanted to be a pharmacist. But an organic chemistry class “corrected” her beliefs.
Prominin-1/CD133: Lipid Raft Association, Detergent Resistance, and Immunodetection
Authors: Karbanová Jana , Lorico Aurelio , Bornhäuser Martin , Corbeil Denis , Fargeas Christine A.
Published: December 2017

The cell surface antigen prominin-1 (alias CD133) has gained enormous interest in the past 2 decades and given rise to debates as to its utility as a biological stem and cancer stem cell marker. Important and yet often overlooked knowledge that is pertinent to its physiological function has been generated in other systems given its more general expression beyond primitive cells. This article briefly discusses the importance of particular biochemical features of CD133 with relation to its association with membrane microdomains (lipid rafts) and proper immunodetection. It also draws attention toward the adequate use of detergents and caveats that may apply to the interpretation of the results generated.
Controlled‐Release‐Based Ultrasensitive and Highly Selective Turn‐On Fluorescent Mercury Biosensor
Authors: Wang Wei , Li Xin , Hou Xiaoshan , Wang Shiying , Wang Fengying , Luo Xiliang
Published: December 2017

A novel fluorescent biosensor for ultrasensitive and highly selective detection of Hg2+ was developed by coupling Hg2+‐induced conformational change of single‐stranded DNA recognition probe with T‐rich sequence and controlled‐release of cargo molecules loaded by Au nanocages with T–Hg2+–T coordination chemistry. A detection limit of as low as 1.4×10−12 M with an excellent selectivity toward Hg2+ could be achieved. The developed amplification strategy based on the controlled‐release of fluorescent molecules reached an extraordinary sensitivity of analyses, and may be further extended for the detection of a large class of analytes including protein, DNA and biological small molecules by combining molecular gate technology. The results of fluorescence microscopy imaging in living cells indicate that the fabricated system is an efficient controlled‐release biosensor in response to intracellular target molecules and predict its potential use for in situ molecular imaging in living systems.
Phase Equilibria and Condensed Phase Properties of Fluorinated Alkanes via First Principles Simulations
Authors: Goel Himanshu , Windom Zachary W. , Butler Charles L. , Rai Neeraj
Published: December 2017

Vapor liquid equilibria (VLE) of organic compounds is governed by weak non‐covalent interactions. This presents a significant challenge in predicting VLE using a first principles approach where density functional theory is used to model system potential. However, a dispersion corrected approach has significantly improved the performance of traditional density functionals. Here, we predict the VLE for a nonpolar carbon tetrafluoride (R14) and polar 1,1,1,2‐tetrafluoroethane (R134a) via first principles Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulations using PBE−D3 density functional. We find that the saturated liquid density for R14 is slightly under predicted for subcritical temperatures, while for R134a it is under predicted at lower reduced temperatures and over predicted at higher reduced temperatures. In the liquid phase, angle‐resolved pair correlation functions indicate slight preference for R143a to align in parallel and antiparallel orientation in the first solvation shell. The vibrational spectra reveal peak broadening in the condensed phase due to solvothermal effects. Overall, we find the PBE−D3 functional performance is better for the nonpolar molecule as compared to the polar one.
High Resolution Crystal Structures of the Acetohydroxyacid Synthase‐Pyruvate Complex Provide New Insights into Its Catalytic Mechanism
Authors: Lonhienne Thierry , Garcia Mario D. , Noble Chris , Harmer Jeffrey , Fraser James A. , Williams Craig M. , Guddat Luke W.
Published: December 2017

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) is the first enzyme in the biosynthesis pathway of the branched‐chain amino acids, catalyzing the condensation of pyruvate with another molecule of pyruvate or with 2‐ketobutyrate, to produce 2‐acetolactate or 2‐acetohydroxybutyrate, respectively. The catalytic subunit of the dimeric enzyme has thiamin diphosphate (ThDP), a divalent metal ion, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and two molecules of oxygen (O2(I) and O2(II)) as cofactors. Here, crystal structures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae AHAS in complex with pyruvate provide novel insights into the mechanistic features of this enzyme including: i) The precise position taken by pyruvate molecules as they enter the active site (i. e. prior to catalysis occurring) with conformations suitable for the transfer of electrons to/from O2(I) and FAD; ii) The formation of ternary donor‐acceptor‐O2(I) complexes and iii) The location of O2(II) relative to the substrate showing that it plays a critical role in the organization of substrate for catalysis. These structural data, accompanied by electron paramagnetic resonance evidence that a radical is produced during AHAS catalysis, lead to the proposal that FAD and O2 are involved in an indirect one‐electron redox cycle. In this mechanism, the spatial configurations of O2 and FAD in the active site can allow electrons to be exchanged with the substrates and catalytic intermediates to satisfy and control the overall AHAS catalyzed reaction.
Synthesis of Constrained Heterocycles Employing Two Post‐Ugi Cyclization Methods for Rapid Library Generation with In Cellulo Activity
Authors: McConnell Nicholas , Xu Zhigang , Kumarasamy Vishnu , Sun Daekyu , Frett Brendan , Li Hong‐yu
Published: December 2017

Benzimidazoles and quinoxalinones are present in the core of many pharmacologically relevant compounds. Several combinatorial methods have been developed to attach ring systems to both scaffolds for derivatization at select positions. Herein, we describe the development of novel constrained heterocyclic compounds attached to the N1 position of both benzimidazole and quinoxalinone scaffolds. Utilizing robust post‐Ugi cyclization methods, including the Ugi‐deprotection‐cyclization (UDC) methodology, allows for efficient access to a new area of chemical space. Additionally, molecular modeling and in cellulo screening was employed to therapeutically validate the compounds formed with this method.
Alkali Cation Effect During the Oscillatory Electroreduction of H2O2 on Pt
Authors: da Silva Kaline N. , Nagao Raphael , Sitta Elton
Published: December 2017

Hydrogen Peroxide Reduction Reaction (HPRR) catalyzed by Pt was studied in alkaline media and the effect of alkali cations were analyzed by the changes on dynamic instabilities presented by this system under high ohmic drop conditions. The origin of these instabilities is the competition between OH2− electroreduction and hydrogen adsorption on Pt surfaces, the latter being the first step for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Both HER and hydrogen adsorption are cation‐dependent which suggests that noncovalent interactions are able to stabilize the water molecules favoring the Pt−H formation. Thus, in an interphase, in which the noncovalent interactions are more effective, HPRR will proceed as an indirect poisoned system, reflecting on slow frequency oscillations (ω), for instance ωLiOH < ωNaOH < ωKOH for several H2O2 concentrations.
Allylic Selenocyanates as New Agents to Combat Fusarium Species Involved with Human Infections
Authors: Batista Bruna G. , Lana Daiane F. Dalla , Silveira Gustavo P. , Sá Marcus M. , Ferreira Misael , Russo Theo V. C. , Canto Rômulo F. S. , Barbosa Flavio A. R. , Braga Antônio L. , Kaminski Taís F. A. , de Oliveira Luís F. S. , Machado Michel M. , Lopes William , Vainstein Marilene H. , Teixeira Mário L. , Andrade Saulo F. , Fuentefria Alexandre M.
Published: December 2017

Fusarium is an emerging opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes local or systemic infections. The successful use of a therapeutic drug or combination antifungal therapies against Fusarium spp. are compromised because reports of multidrug resistance are currently frequent. Thus, the development of new antifungal capable of combating multidrug‐resistant Fusarium strains becomes necessary. This study presents the synthesis of seven new allylic selenocyanates and their screening against Fusarium spp. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of these compounds ranged from 4 to 64 μg mL−1, with the mechanism of action being related to fungal cell membrane disruption. Specific structural changes, such as widespread thinning along the hyphae, were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The effect of selenocyanates on cell viability and genotoxicity are concentration dependent, however they did not cause mutagenicity in human cells. Five selenocyanates were identified as nonirritant by the ex‐vivo HET‐CAM (Hen′s Egg Test‐Chorioallantoic Membrane) method. Allylic selenocyanates represents a promising alternative in the treatment and prevention of fusariosis.
Three‐Component Synthesis of 3,4‐Disubstituted Pyrazoles Using Diazosulfone as a Diazomethane Surrogate
Authors: Ahamad Shakir , Patidar Rajesh Kumar , Kumar Anuj , Kant Ruchir , Mohanan Kishor
Published: December 2017

A three‐component synthesis of 3‐acyl‐4‐(het)arylpyrazoles employing aldehydes, Horner‐Wadsworth‐Emmons reagents, and α‐diazo‐β‐ketosulfone has been achieved. The reaction involves a domino HWE reaction/1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition/desulfonylation process and generates the pyrazole derivatives in excellent yields. This three‐component strategy provides a versatile platform to synthesize a range of 3,4‐disubstituted pyrazoles employing diazoketosulfone as a diazomethane surrogate. The reaction exhibits high functional group tolerance and works under ambient conditions.
Syntheses and Structural Characterization of A3Sb3P2O14⋅3H2O (A=Rb, Cs, Tl and NH4) Phosphates; Facile Aqueous Ion Exchange Reactions of K3Sb3P2O14⋅3H2O
Authors: Walko Priyanka S. , Paidi Anil Kumar , Vidyasagar Kanamaluru
Published: December 2017

Four quaternary phosphates of antimony, A3Sb3P2O14⋅3H2O (A=Rb, Cs, Tl and NH4) have been prepared by solid state and hydrothermal reactions and structurally characterized by single crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction techniques. They are isostructural with reported K3Sb3P2O14⋅3H2O compound and all five of them have layered structure, wherein the hexagonal‐tungsten‐oxide (HTO) related (Sb3P2O14)3− anionic layers are interleaved with the A+ ions and water of crystallization. K3Sb3P2O14⋅3H2O undergoes topotactic ion‐exchange reactions with aqueous solutions of ACl (A=Rb, Cs, Tl, NH4) salts, almost quantitatively.
Liquid‐Crystalline Phthalocyanine Derivatives Bearing Oligosiloxane Moieties: Soft Columnar Mesophases Stabilized by Nanosegregation
Authors: Yamaoka Ryutaro , Funahashi Masahiro
Published: December 2017

Novel liquid‐crystalline (LC) nickel phthalocyanine (Ni−Pc) complexes bearing eight oligosiloxane moieties such as disiloxane and trisiloxane were synthesized and their liquid‐crystalline properties, as well as their carrier transport characteristics in the liquid‐crystalline phase, were studied. These LC Ni−Pc complexes with eight oligosiloxane moieties exhibited a columnar mesophase over a wide range of temperatures, including room temperature. The bulky oligosiloxane moieties inhibited the aggregation of the Ni−Pc cores and stabilized the columnar structure by nanosegregation. Moreover, these LC Pc−Ni complexes showed homeotropic alignment in sandwich‐type cells consisting of substrates coated with indium tin oxide. Time‐of‐flight measurements revealed ambipolar carrier transport properties in the columnar mesophases, in which electron transport was predominant.
Nanostructure PEO‐Silica Hybrids: A New Class of Additive Material for Composite Polymer Electrolytes
Authors: Mohanta Jagdeep , Panda Subhendu K , Singh Udai P. , Si Satyabrata
Published: December 2017

Hybrid nanostructure polyethylene oxide (PEO)‐silica hybrids (PSH) prepared by sol‐gel chemistry are utilized as novel nanofiller to fabricate PEO‐based nanocomposite polymer elecytrolytes (NCPEs) by adopting the conventional solvent casting approach. The resulting PSH hybrids are characterized by various techniques followed by their incorporation into NCPEs that result in enhancement in the Li‐ion conductivity and a maximum ionic conductivity of 7.20 × 10−5 S cm−1 is achieved with only 0.25% nanofillers. The temperature dependence conductivity study shows a linear behavior below melting temperature following the Arrhenius equation and shows non‐linear behavior above the melting temperature following the Vogel–Taumann–Fulcher (VTF) equation. Argand plots of various NCPEs both at room temperature and elevated temperature signify the role of various relaxation processes for such type of conducting behavior, which is further supported by dielectric and tangential loss studies. Moreover, X‐ray diffraction and Differential Scanning Calorimetry measurements are carried out to understand the change in polymer crystallinity in the resulting NCPEs and are well in accordance with the conductivity changes.
Solubilization of Hydrophobic Catalysts Using Nanoparticle Hosts
Authors: Jeong Youngdo , Tonga Gulen Yesilbag , Duncan Bradley , Yan Bo , Das Riddha , Sahub Chonticha , Rotello Vincent M.
Published: December 2017

A modular strategy for the solubilization and protection of hydrophobic transition metal catalysts using the hydrophobic pockets of water soluble gold nanoparticles is reported. Besides preserving original catalyst activity, this encapsulation strategy provides a protective environment for the hydrophobic catalyst and brings reusability. This system provides a versatile platform for the encapsulation of different hydrophobic transition metal catalysts, allowing a wide range of catalysis in water while uniting the advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis in the same system.
Academic and Career Development: Rethinking Advising for Asian American Students
Authors: Kodama Corinne M. , Huynh Jill
Published: December 2017

Academic and career development for Asian American students is complicated by cultural influences, interdependence with family, and racial stereotyping. This chapter highlights research, theory, and practice to help educators rethink traditional advising approaches to more appropriately work with Asian American students as they navigate their academics and careers.
From Reflection to Refraction
Authors: Accapadi Mamta
Published: December 2017

In this chapter, the author integrates the collective wisdom and research shared by the scholars in this monograph, encouraging student affairs practitioners to courageously transform identity‐relevant theory to practice in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander students and communities.
Quantitative analysis of Mo–Si–B alloy phases with wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS–SEM)
Authors: Kellner P.M. , Dijkstra H. , Glatzel U.
Published: December 2017

Mo–Si–B alloys show great potential as high temperature materials. Due to peak overlapping of B‐Kα and Mo‐Mζ, analyzing these alloys with microanalysis presents a real challenge. This paper describes the analytical methodology used to qualify and quantify the boron content in these alloys without stoichiometric reference samples by the use of a single parallel‐beam wavelength dispersive spectrometer. Characterization of boron is performed by using a coupled energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy—wavelength dispersive spectroscopy system in a scanning electron microscope. Self‐made pure element samples are used for calibration and quantification of the boron content.
Complicated grief and caregiving correlates among bereaved adolescent girls in South Africa
Authors: Thurman Tonya R. , Taylor Tory M. , Luckett Brian , Spyrelis Alexandra , Nice Johanna
Published: December 2017

To our knowledge, this is the first study to document correlates of complicated grief among bereaved adolescents in sub‐Saharan Africa. Participants included 339 female adolescents in South Africa who experienced the loss of a loved one at least six months prior to the survey; their primary caregivers were also surveyed. One‐fifth of adolescents were classified as having complicated grief using the Inventory of Complicated Grief Revised for Children in conjunction with grief‐induced functional impairment. The loss of a biological parent, the primary caregiver's level of grief, and economic stressors since the loss were associated with increased odds of complicated grief among adolescents. Adolescents' age, residential changes, time since the loss, multiple losses, bereavement due to death by illness, and caregiver depression did not affect the odds. Findings signal the potential of family‐centered interventions and economic support services for bereaved adolescents.
Gene expression regulation by heat-shock proteins: the cardinal roles of HSF1 and Hsp90
Authors: Mazaira Gisela I. , Daneri-Becerra Cristina , Zgajnar Nadia R. , Lotufo Cecilia M. , Galigniana Mario D.
Published: December 2017

The ability to permit gene expression is managed by a set of relatively well known regulatory mechanisms. Nonetheless, this property can also be acquired during a life span as a consequence of environmental stimuli. Interestingly, some acquired information can be passed to the next generation of individuals without modifying gene information, but instead by the manner in which cells read and process such information. Molecular chaperones are classically related to the proper preservation of protein folding and anti-aggregation properties, but one of them, heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90), is a refined sensor of protein function facilitating the biological activity of properly folded client proteins that already have a preserved tertiary structure. Interestingly, Hsp90 can also function as a critical switch able to regulate biological responses due to its association with key client proteins such as histone deacetylases or DNA methylases. Thus, a growing amount of evidence has connected the action of Hsp90 to post-translational modifications of soluble nuclear factors, DNA, and histones, which epigenetically affect gene expression upon the onset of an unfriendly environment. This response is commanded by the activation of the transcription factor heat-shock factor 1 (HSF1). Even though numerous stresses of diverse nature are known to trigger the stress response by activation of HSF1, it is still unknown whether there are different types of molecular sensors for each type of stimulus. In the present review, we will discuss various aspects of the regulatory action of HSF1 and Hsp90 on transcriptional regulation, and how this regulation may affect genetic assimilation mechanisms and the health of individuals.
The role of chloroplasts in plant pathology
Authors: Sowden Robert G. , Watson Samuel J. , Jarvis Paul
Published: December 2017

Plants have evolved complex tolerance systems to survive abiotic and biotic stresses. Central to these programmes is a sophisticated conversation of signals between the chloroplast and the nucleus. In this review, we examine the antagonism between abiotic stress tolerance (AST) and immunity: we propose that to generate immunogenic signals, plants must disable AST systems, in particular those that manage reactive oxygen species (ROS), while the pathogen seeks to reactivate or enhance those systems to achieve virulence. By boosting host systems of AST, pathogens trick the plant into suppressing chloroplast immunogenic signals and steer the host into making an inappropriate immune response. Pathogens disrupt chloroplast function, both transcriptionally—by secreting effectors that alter host gene expression by interacting with defence-related kinase cascades, with transcription factors, or with promoters themselves—and post-transcriptionally, by delivering effectors that enter the chloroplast or alter the localization of host proteins to change chloroplast activities. These mechanisms reconfigure the chloroplast proteome and chloroplast-originating immunogenic signals in order to promote infection.
Pixelated reconfiguration using electrically actuated liquid metal
Authors: Sarabia K.J. , Shiroma W.A. , Ohta A.T.
Published: December 2017

Discretised liquid metal is actuated in a 2 × 2 pixel grid to demonstrate pixelated reconfiguration. Within each pixel, continuous electro‐wetting actuates liquid metal from a lower to an upper reservoir, allowing that pixel to either appear or disappear without employing switches between adjacent pixels. Liquid metal is actuated within 0.3 s and is reversible.
Static map reconstruction and dynamic object tracking for a camera and laser scanner system
Authors: Zou Cheng , He Bingwei , Zhang Liwei , Zhang Jianwei
Published: December 2017

The vision‐based mobile robot's simultaneous localisation and mapping and navigation capability in dynamic environments are highly problematic elements of robot vision applications. The goal of this study is to reconstruct a static map and track the dynamic object for a camera and laser scanner system. An improved automatic calibration is designed to merge image and laser point clouds. Then, the fusion data is exploited to detect the slowly moved object and reconstruct static map. Tracking‐by‐detection requires the correct assignment of noisy detection results to object trajectories. In the proposed method, occluded regions are combined 3D motion models with object appearance to manage difficulties in crowded scenes. The proposed method was validated by experimental results gathered in a real environment and on publicly available data.
Low‐cost and compact RF switching system for wearable microwave head imaging with performance verification on artificial head phantom
Authors: Bashri Mohd Saiful Riza , Arslan Tughrul
Published: December 2017

This study presents a low‐cost, compact and lightweight radio frequency (RF) switching system for wearable head imaging applications. The proposed switching system is made from commercial off‐the‐shelf components. The switching system provides a wideband performance which covers operating frequency band from DC to 4 GHz. A low‐power microcontroller is integrated with two RF switches as a control system. An array of 12 wideband monopole antennas were connected to the proposed switching circuit and its performance was evaluated using an artificial human head phantom. To verify the performance of the system, a haemorrhagic stroke was mimicked by placing a spherical target of 30 mm in diameter inside the fabricated head phantom. Two data acquisition methods were applied using the switching system. In the first method, the reflection coefficients of the antennas were collected for healthy and unhealthy brain injury cases. For the second method, the transmission coefficients of the antennas were collected by utilising four antennas in the array as transmitting antennas while the rest of the antennas act as receiving antennas. The authors demonstrate that the proposed compact switching system could be used for future real‐time wearable detection systems embedded in various headgear products.
Measurement‐based analysis of specular and dense multipath components at 94 GHz in an indoor environment
Authors: Hanssens Brecht , Martínez‐Inglés María‐Teresa , Tanghe Emmeric , Plets David , Molina‐García‐Pardo José‐María , Oestges Claude , Martens Luc , Joseph Wout
Published: December 2017

In this study, the authors present a measurement‐based analysis of the indoor radio channel characteristics of both the specular and dense multipath components [specular part of the channel (SMC) and diffuse part of the channel] at 94 GHz within a 3 GHz bandwidth. On the basis of an investigation of the frequency stationarity of this band, they have selected multiple sub‐bands to perform their evaluation. A method is developed that allowed for the estimation of the specular propagation paths, after which the remainder is regarded as the diffuse spectrum. Radio channel characteristics such as the path loss, root‐mean‐square delay spread, and the SMC ratio have been calculated as a function of transmitter–receiver distance, and in the different sub‐bands. On the basis of the diffuse spectrum, the behaviour of the reverberation time is analysed for the first time in the 94 GHz band.
On the urgency of implementing Interest NACK into CCN: from the perspective of countering advanced interest flooding attacks
Authors: Wang Kai , Zhao Yude , Liu Shugang , Tong Xiangrong
Published: December 2017

Content centric networking (CCN) where content/named data as the first entity has become one of the most promising architectures for the future Internet. To achieve better security, the Interest NACKmechanism is introduced into CCN; however, it has not attracted enough attention and most of the CCN architectures do not embed Interest NACK until now. This study focuses on analysing the urgency of implementing Interest NACK into CCN, by designing a novel network threat named advanced interest flooding attack (AIFA) to attack CCN, which can not only exhaust the pending interest table (PIT) resource of each involved router just as normal interest flooding attack (IFA), but also keep each PIT entry unexpired until it finishes, making it harder to detect and more harmful when compared with the normal IFA. Specifically, the damage of AIFA on CCN architecture with and without Interest NACK is evaluated and analysed, compared with normal IFA, and then the urgency of implementing Interest NACK is highlighted.
Design and analysis of a novel wireless resistive analog passive sensor technique
Authors: Consul‐Pacareu Sergi , Morshed Bashir I.
Published: December 2017

Unobtrusive monitoring of physiological signals in natural settings is important for precision diagnostics. Fully‐passive wireless body‐worn sensors are viable and promising for unobtrusive monitoring. In this study, the authors present a new class of fully‐passive sensor, namely wireless resistive analog passive (WRAP) sensor. It uses resistive transducers at the sensors for converting physical stimulus to load modulation of carrier wireless signal at 13.56 MHz at low power (–20 to 0 dBm). The sensor is simply composed of a loop antenna, a tuning capacitor, and a resistive transducer suitable for the type of physiological signals to be measured. The authors report the characterisation of WRAP sensors for various resistive loads of 1.2 ω to 82 kω at various co‐axial distances (5–40 mm) between the TX and RX antennas. They have prototyped and characterised multiple WRAP sensors with several practical measurements of physiological signals such as heart rate, temperature, and pulse oximetry. They also demonstrate bio‐potential measurement (down to 400 μVpp) using metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistor as the transducer. These results show the feasibility of developing a new type of body‐worn fully‐passive WRAP sensors for unobtrusive physiological signal monitoring at real‐life settings for precision diagnostics of many disorders and tracking person‐centric therapy efficacy.
Scale dependence of galaxy biasing investigated by weak gravitational lensing: An assessment using semi-analytic galaxies and simulated lensing data
Authors: Simon Patrick , Hilbert Stefan
Published: December 2017

Galaxies are biased tracers of the matter density on cosmological scales. For future tests of galaxy models, we refine and assess a method to measure galaxy biasing as a function of physical scalekwith weak gravitational lensing. This method enables us to reconstruct the galaxy bias factorb(k) as well as the galaxy-matter correlationr(k) on spatial scales between 0.01hMpc−1≲k≲ 10hMpc−1for redshift-binned lens galaxies below redshiftz≲ 0.6. In the refinement, we account for an intrinsic alignment of source ellipticities, and we correct for the magnification bias of the lens galaxies, relevant for the galaxy-galaxy lensing signal, to improve the accuracy of the reconstructedr(k). For simulated data, the reconstructions achieve an accuracy of 3–7% (68% confidence level) over the abovek-range for a survey area and a typical depth of contemporary ground-based surveys. Realistically the accuracy is, however, probably reduced to about 10–15%, mainly by systematic uncertainties in the assumed intrinsic source alignment, the fiducial cosmology, and the redshift distributions of lens and source galaxies (in that order). Furthermore, our reconstruction technique employs physical templates forb(k) andr(k) that elucidate the impact of central galaxies and the halo-occupation statistics of satellite galaxies on the scale-dependence of galaxy bias, which we discuss in the paper. In a first demonstration, we apply this method to previous measurements in the Garching-Bonn Deep Survey and give a physical interpretation of the lens population.