bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A sarcopenia index based on serum creatinine and cystatin C cannot accurately detect either low muscle mass or sarcopenia in urban community-dwelling older people
Authors: He Qian , Jiang Jiaojiao , Xie Lingling , Zhang Luoying , Yang Ming
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the sarcopenia index (serum creatinine [mg/dl]/cystatin C [mg/dl] × 100) for estimating low muscle mass and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults. We included 371 older adults (≥60 years) with normal kidney function. Four common diagnostic criteria (the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), Asia Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS), International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWGS), and Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) criteria) were separately applied as the “gold standard”. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the ROC curves (AUC) were applied to evaluate the overall diagnostic accuracy. For identifying low muscle mass, the AUC ranged from 0.505 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.453–0.557) to 0.558 (95% CI 0.506–0.609). For identifying sarcopenia, the AUC ranged from 0.555 (95% CI 0.503–0.606) to 0.618 (95% CI 0.566–0.668). Subgroup analyses according to gender showed similar results. In conclusion, the sarcopenia index based on serum creatinine and cystatin C may not serve as biomarkers of either low muscle mass or sarcopenia in urban community-dwelling older people with normal kidney function.
Measurement of solid food intake in Drosophila via consumption-excretion of a dye tracer
Authors: Shell Brandon C. , Schmitt Rebecca E. , Lee Kristen M. , Johnson Jacob C. , Chung Brian Y. , Pletcher Scott D. , Grotewiel Mike
Published: July 2018

Although the Drosophila melanogaster (fly) model is a popular platform for investigating diet-related phenomena, it can be challenging to measure the volume of agar-based food media flies consume. We addressed this challenge by developing a dye-based method called Consumption-Excretion (Con-Ex). In Con-Ex studies, flies consume solid food labeled with dye, and the volume of food consumed is reflected by the sum of the dye inside of and excreted by flies. Flies consumed-excreted measurable amounts of FD&C Blue No. 1 (Blue 1) and other dyes in Con-Ex studies, but only Blue 1 was readily detectable at concentrations that had no discernable effect on consumption-excretion. In studies with Blue 1, consumption-excretion (i) increased linearly with feeding duration out to 24 h at two different laboratory sites, (ii) was sensitive to starvation, mating status and strain, and (iii) changed in response to alteration of media composition as expected. Additionally, the volume of liquid Blue 1 consumed from capillary tubes was indistinguishable from the volume of Blue 1 excreted by flies, indicating that excreted Blue 1 reflects consumed Blue 1. Our results demonstrate that Con-Ex with Blue 1 as a food tracer is a useful method for assessing ingestion of agar-based food media in adult flies.
Investigation of magnetic droplet solitons using x-ray holography with extended references
Authors: Burgos-Parra E. , Bukin N. , Sani S. , Figueroa A. I. , Beutier G. , Dupraz M. , Chung S. , Dürrenfeld P. , Le Q. Tuan , Mohseni S. M. , Houshang A. , Cavill S. A. , Hicken R. J. , Åkerman J. , van der Laan G. , Ogrin F. Y.
Published: July 2018

A dissipative magnetic soliton, or magnetic droplet, is a structure that has been predicted to exist within a thin magnetic layer when non-linearity is balanced by dispersion, and a driving force counteracts the inherent damping of the spin precession. Such a soliton can be formed beneath a nano-contact (NC) that delivers a large spin-polarized current density into a magnetic layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Although the existence of droplets has been confirmed from electrical measurements and by micromagnetic simulations, only a few attempts have been made to directly observe the magnetic landscape that sustains these structures, and then only for a restricted set of experimental parameter values. In this work we use and x-ray holography technique HERALDO, to image the magnetic structure of the [Co/Ni]x4 multilayer within a NC orthogonal pseudo spin-valve, for different range of magnetic fields and injected electric currents. The magnetic configuration imaged at −33 mA and 0.3 T for devices with 90 nm NC diameter reveals a structure that is within the range of current where the droplet soliton exist based on our electrical measurements and have it is consistent with the expected size of the droplet (∼100 nm diameter) and its spatial position within the sample. We also report the magnetisation configurations observed at lower DC currents in the presence of fields (0–50 mT), where it is expected to observe regimes of the unstable droplet formation.
FliS/flagellin/FliW heterotrimer couples type III secretion and flagellin homeostasis
Authors: Altegoer Florian , Mukherjee Sampriti , Steinchen Wieland , Bedrunka Patricia , Linne Uwe , Kearns Daniel B. , Bange Gert
Published: July 2018

Flagellin is amongst the most abundant proteins in flagellated bacterial species and constitutes the major building block of the flagellar filament. The proteins FliW and FliS serve in the post-transcriptional control of flagellin and guide the protein to the flagellar type III secretion system (fT3SS), respectively. Here, we present the high-resolution structure of FliS/flagellin heterodimer and show that FliS and FliW bind to opposing interfaces located at the N- and C-termini of flagellin. The FliS/flagellin/FliW heterotrimer is able to interact with FlhA-C suggesting that FliW and FliS are released during flagellin export. After release, FliW and FliS are recycled to execute a new round of post-transcriptional regulation and targeting. Taken together, our study provides a mechanism explaining how FliW and FliS synchronize the production of flagellin with the capacity of the fT3SS to secrete flagellin.
Transcriptional profiles of crossbred embryos derived from yak oocytes in vitro fertilized with cattle sperm
Authors: Zi Xiang-dong , Liu Shuang , Xia Wei , Xiong Xian-rong , Luo Bin
Published: July 2018

During mammalian pre-implantation embryonic development, dramatic and orchestrated changes occur in gene transcription. Pregnancy rates were low when yak females were crossbred with cattle breeds, but few studies exist to describe the unique molecular network regulation behind the pre-implantation development of these embryos. We determined the transcriptomes of crossbred embryos derived from yak oocytesin vitrofertilized with Jersey sperm using Illumina RNA-seq for the first time in this study. Embryos were sampled at the 2-, 4-, and 8-cell, morula and blastocyst stages. The results showed that in total, 291.9 million short reads were generated from the five libraries of 2-, 4-, and 8-cell, morula and blastocyst stages, with 276.2 million high-quality reads selected for further analysis. Eighty to 91% of the clean reads were aligned against the yak reference genome. A total of 19,072 transcripts were identified in five libraries, of which 7,785 transcripts were co-expressed in each stage and 2,013 transcripts were stage-specific. When a |log2ratio| ≥1 and q-value ≤ 0.05 were set as thresholds for identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we detected a total of 3,690 to 10,298 DEGs between any two consecutive stages. Based on the results of GO and KEGG enrichment, some of these DEGs potentially play an important role in regulating pre-implantation development, but they are most likely stage-specific. There were 2,960, 7,287, 6,420, 7,724 and 10,417 DEGs in 2-, 4-, 8-cell, morula and blastocyst stages between the crossbred embryos and purebred embryos of the yak, respectively, leading to a large difference in GO terms and pathways. In conclusion, we sequenced transcriptomes ofin vitro-produced crossbred embryos of yak and cattle during pre-implantation and provided comprehensive examinations of gene activities. These will be helpful for development of assisted reproductive technology and better understanding the early maternal-fetal or maternal-embryonic dialog in inter-species crossbreeding.
Activation of mesolimbic reward system via laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and hypothalamus in exercise-induced hypoalgesia
Authors: Kami Katsuya , Tajima Fumihiro , Senba Emiko
Published: July 2018

Ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons are the primary source of dopamine in target structures that constitute the mesolimbic reward system. Previous studies demonstrated that voluntary wheel running (VWR) by neuropathic pain (NPP) model mice produces exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH), and that activation of mesolimbic reward system may lead to EIH. However, the neuronal mechanism by which the mesolimbic reward system is activated by VWR is unknown. Here, we found that VWR produces EIH effects and reverses the marked reduction in activated lateral VTA (lVTA)-DA neurons induced by NPP. The proportions of activated laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT)-cholinergic and lateral hypothalamus-orexin neurons were significantly enhanced by VWR. Retrograde tracing and dual immunostaining revealed that VWR activates lVTA-projecting LDT-cholinergic/non-cholinergic and lateral hypothalamic area (LHA)-orexin/non-orexin neurons. Therefore, EIH effects may be produced, at least in part, by activation of the mesolimbic reward system via activation of LDT and LHA neurons.
Forcing of late Pleistocene ice volume by spatially variable summer energy
Authors: Haaga Kristian Agasøster , Brendryen Jo , Diego David , Hannisdal Bjarte
Published: July 2018

Changes in Earth’s orbit set the pace of glacial cycles, but the role of spatial variability in the insolation forcing of global ice volume remains unknown. Here, we leverage the intrinsic dynamical information in empirical records to show that ice volume responded to summer energy at high northern latitudes, as predicted by Milankovitch theory. However, the external forcing of ice volume encompasses insolation signals with a wide range of orbital frequency content, and cannot be fully accounted for by a unique time series. Southern mid-latitude insolation forcing coincides with the position of the subtropical front and the westerlies, which have been implicated in Quaternary climate changes. Dominant forcing modes at northern mid-latitudes are anti-phased with the canonical Milankovitch forcing, consistent with ice volume sensitivity to latitudinal insolation gradients.
Extremely Foldable and Highly Transparent Nanofiber-Based Electrodes for Liquid Crystal Smart Devices
Authors: Kim In Chul , Kim Tae-Hyung , Lee Seung Hee , Kim Byoung-Suhk
Published: July 2018

The nylon 6 nanofiber-reinforced cellulose acetate (NF-r-CA) film as a fiber-based transparent substrate is used to develop the highly transparent electrodes with excellent durable and extremely foldable properties. Mechanical properties of the NF-r-CA films are greatly improved, suggesting that the nanofibers provide an effective reinforcement. The NF-r-CA transparent films show smooth surface morphologies (RRMS ~ 27 nm) than as-spun nylon 6 nanofiber membrane, indicating the successful infiltration of cellulose acetate into the voids of nylon nanofiber membranes. The NF45-r-CA electrodes prepared using AgNWs concentration of 0.025 wt% and electrospinning time of 45 min are highly transparent (~90%), lower sheet resistance (~24 Ω sq−1) and mechanically robust (59.7 MPa). The sheet resistance of NF45-r-CA electrodes remains almost constant, and the change ratio is less than 0.01% even after a repeated bending test of 10,000 cycles (bending radius ~1 mm), whereas ITO electrode shows gradual increase in sheet resistance and then eventually no electrical signal at about 270 cycles. We also demonstrate the successful fabrication of the foldable polymer-disperse liquid crystal film utilizing highly transparent NF45-r-CA electrode, which shows outstanding working stability after bending test of 500 cycles at an extreme bending radius of 1.5 mm.
Radar-Based Heart Sound Detection
Authors: Will Christoph , Shi Kilin , Schellenberger Sven , Steigleder Tobias , Michler Fabian , Fuchs Jonas , Weigel Robert , Ostgathe Christoph , Koelpin Alexander
Published: July 2018

This paper introduces heart sound detection by radar systems, which enables touch-free and continuous monitoring of heart sounds. The proposed measurement principle entails two enhancements in modern vital sign monitoring. First, common touch-based auscultation with a phonocardiograph can be simplified by using biomedical radar systems. Second, detecting heart sounds offers a further feasibility in radar-based heartbeat monitoring. To analyse the performance of the proposed measurement principle, 9930 seconds of eleven persons-under-tests’ vital signs were acquired and stored in a database using multiple, synchronised sensors: a continuous wave radar system, a phonocardiograph (PCG), an electrocardiograph (ECG), and a temperature-based respiration sensor. A hidden semi-Markov model is utilised to detect the heart sounds in the phonocardiograph and radar data and additionally, an advanced template matching (ATM) algorithm is used for state-of-the-art radar-based heartbeat detection. The feasibility of the proposed measurement principle is shown by a morphology analysis between the data acquired by radar and PCG for the dominant heart sounds S1 and S2: The correlation is 82.97 ± 11.15% for 5274 used occurrences of S1 and 80.72 ± 12.16% for 5277 used occurrences of S2. The performance of the proposed detection method is evaluated by comparing the F-scores for radar and PCG-based heart sound detection with ECG as reference: Achieving an F1 value of 92.22 ± 2.07%, the radar system approximates the score of 94.15 ± 1.61% for the PCG. The accuracy regarding the detection timing of heartbeat occurrences is analysed by means of the root-mean-square error: In comparison to the ATM algorithm (144.9 ms) and the PCG-based variant (59.4 ms), the proposed method has the lowest error value (44.2 ms). Based on these results, utilising the detected heart sounds considerably improves radar-based heartbeat monitoring, while the achieved performance is also competitive to phonocardiography.
Analysis of diet-induced differential methylation, expression, and interactions of lncRNA and protein-coding genes in mouse liver
Authors: Silva Jose P. , van Booven Derek
Published: July 2018

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate expression of protein-coding genes in cis through chromatin modifications including DNA methylation. Here we interrogated whether lncRNA genes may regulate transcription and methylation of their flanking or overlapping protein-coding genes in livers of mice exposed to a 12-week cholesterol-rich Western-style high fat diet (HFD) relative to a standard diet (STD). Deconvolution analysis of cell type-specific marker gene expression suggested similar hepatic cell type composition in HFD and STD livers. RNA-seq and validation by nCounter technology revealed differential expression of 14 lncRNA genes and 395 protein-coding genes enriched for functions in steroid/cholesterol synthesis, fatty acid metabolism, lipid localization, and circadian rhythm. While lncRNA and protein-coding genes were co-expressed in 53 lncRNA/protein-coding gene pairs, both were differentially expressed only in 4 lncRNA/protein-coding gene pairs, none of which included protein-coding genes in overrepresented pathways. Furthermore, 5-methylcytosine DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing and targeted bisulfite sequencing revealed no differential DNA methylation of genes in overrepresented pathways. These results suggest lncRNA/protein-coding gene interactions in cis play a minor role mediating hepatic expression of lipid metabolism/localization and circadian clock genes in response to chronic HFD feeding.
Silicon Surface Tethered Polymer as Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interface
Authors: Shen Brian H. , Veith Gabriel M. , Tenhaeff Wyatt E.
Published: July 2018

We have developed a proof of concept electrode design to covalently graft poly(methyl methacrylate) brushes directly to silicon thin film electrodes via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. This polymer layer acts as a stable artificial solid electrolyte interface that enables surface passivation despite large volume changes during cycling. Thin polymer layers (75 nm) improve average first cycle coulombic efficiency from 62.4% in bare silicon electrodes to 76.3%. Average first cycle reversible capacity was improved from 3157 to 3935 mAh g−1, and average irreversible capacity was reduced from 2011 to 1020 mAh g−1. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy performed on silicon electrodes showed that resistance from solid electrolyte interface formation increased from 79 to 1508 Ω in untreated silicon thin films over 26 cycles, while resistance growth was lower – from 98 to 498 Ω – in silicon films functionalized with PMMA brushes. The lower increase suggests enhanced surface passivation and lower electrolyte degradation. This work provides a pathway to develop artificial solid electrolyte interfaces synthesized under controlled reaction conditions.
Rhesus monkeys metacognitively monitor memories of the order of events
Authors: Templer Victoria L. , Brown Emily Kathryn , Hampton Robert R.
Published: July 2018

Human working memory is a capacity- and duration-limited system in which retention and manipulation of information is subject to metacognitive monitoring and control. At least some nonhuman animals appear to also monitor and control the contents of working memory, but only relatively simple cases where animals monitor or control the presence or absence of single memories have been studied. Here we combine a comparatively complex order memory task with methodology that assesses the capacity to introspect about memory. Monkeys observed sequential presentations of five images, and at test, reported which of two images from the list had appeared first during study. Concurrently, they chose to complete or avoid these tests on a trial-by-trial basis. Monkeys “knew when they knew” the correct response. They were less accurate discriminating images that had appeared close in time to one another during study and were more likely to avoid these difficult tests than they were to avoid easier tests. These results indicate that monkeys can metacognitively monitor relatively complex properties of the contents of working memory, including the quality of representations of temporal relations among images.
Fe-Cr-Nb-B ferromagnetic particles with shape anisotropy for cancer cell destruction by magneto-mechanical actuation
Authors: Chiriac H. , Radu E. , Țibu M. , Stoian G. , Ababei G. , Lăbușcă L. , Herea D.-D. , Lupu N.
Published: July 2018

We introduce a new type of magnetic particles (MPs) prepared by wet milling of superferromagnetic Fe-Cr-Nb-B precursor glassy ribbons for cancer treatment by magneto-mechanical actuation in low magnetic fields (1 ÷ 20 Oe). The rectangular shapes of MPs and the superferromagnetism of the glassy alloys of which are made the MPs induce important magnetic shape anisotropies which, in association with a large saturation magnetization, generate an improved torque in a rotating magnetic field, producing important damages on the cellular viability of MG-63 human osteosarcoma (HOS) cells. The specific parameters such as MPs concentration, frequency and intensity of the applied magnetic field, or the time of exposure have a strong influence on the cancer cells viability. The specific behavior of the Fe-Cr-Nb-B MPs offers them destructive effect even in low magnetic fields such as 10 Oe, and this characteristic allows the use of coils systems which provide large experimental spaces. The novel MPs are used for the magneto-mechanical actuation alone or in association with hyperthermia, but also can be transported to the tumor sites by means of stem cells carriers.
High-density single cell mRNA sequencing to characterize circulating tumor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: D’Avola Delia , Villacorta-Martin Carlos , Martins-Filho Sebastiao N. , Craig Amanda , Labgaa Ismail , von Felden Johann , Kimaada Allette , Bonaccorso Antoinette , Tabrizian Parissa , Hartmann Boris M. , Sebra Robert , Schwartz Myron , Villanueva Augusto
Published: July 2018

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) release tumor cells to the bloodstream, which can be detected using cell surface markers. Despite numerous reports suggest a direct correlation between the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and poor clinical outcomes, few studies have provided a thorough molecular characterization of CTCs. Due to the limited access to tissue samples in patients at advanced stages of HCC, it is crucial to develop new technologies to identify HCC cancer drivers in routine clinical conditions. Here, we describe a method that sequentially combines image flow cytometry and high density single-cell mRNA sequencing to identify CTCs in HCC patients. Genome wide expression profiling of CTCs using this approach demonstrates CTC heterogeneity and helps detect known oncogenic drivers in HCC such as IGF2. This integrated approach provides a novel tool for biomarker development in HCC using liquid biopsy.
Method of Higher-order Operators for Quantum Optomechanics
Authors: Khorasani Sina
Published: July 2018

We demonstrate application of the method of higher-order operators to nonlinear standard optomechanics. It is shown that a symmetry breaking in frequency shifts exists, corresponding to inequivalency of red and blue side-bands. This arises from nonlinear higher-order processes leading to inequal detunings. Similarly, a higher-order resonance shift exists appearing as changes in both of the optical and mechanical resonances. We provide the first known method to explicitly estimate the population of coherent phonons. We also calculate corrections to spring effect due to higher-order interactions and coherent phonons, and show that these corrections can be quite significant in measurement of single-photon optomechanical interaction rate. It is shown that there exists non-unique and various choices for the higher-order operators to solve the optomechanical interaction with different multiplicative noise terms, among which a minimal basis offers exactly linear Langevin equations, while decoupling one Langevin equation and thus leaving the whole standard optomechanical problem exactly solvable by explicit expressions. We finally present a detailed treatment of multiplicative noise as well as nonlinear dynamic stability phases by the method of higher-order operators. Similar approach can be used outside the domain of standard optomechanics to quadratic and all other types of nonlinear interactions in quantum physics.
Ultrasound-assisted liquid–liquid spray extraction for the determination of multi-class trace organic compounds in high-volume water samples
Authors: Kaw Han Yeong , Li Junlin , Jin Xiangzi , Wang Zhao , Cong Linlin , He Miao , Li Donghao
Published: July 2018

A premier analytical method for the determination of multi-class trace organic compounds in high-volume water matrices.
A bacterial biosensor encoding a genetically modified LuxR receptor exhibits improved detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa's biomarker molecule 2-aminoacetophenone
Authors: Kviatkovski I. , Yarnitzky T. , Shushan S. , Schwartz-Harari O. , Nir-Paz R. , Helman Y.
Published: July 2018

A modified LuxR-M22 receptor (B) exhibits an improved affinity towards 2-aminoacetophenone (2-AA) relative to the native LuxR receptor (B).
Induced chirality sensing through formation and aggregation of the chiral imines double winged with pyrenes or perylenes
Authors: Wu Jianlin , Liang Wenting , Niu Tong , Wu Wanhua , Zhou Dayang , Fan Chunying , Ji Jiecheng , Gao Guowei , Men Jian , Yang Yonggang , Yang Cheng
Published: July 2018

Aggregation-amplified circular dichroism led to efficient and convenient chirality sensing.
Chemistry of 4-[(4-bromophenyl)ethynyl]pyridine at metal surfaces studied by STM
Authors: Ren Jindong , Larkin Eugene , Delaney Colm , Song Yang , Jin Xin , Amirjalayer Saeed , Bakker Anne , Du Shixuan , Gao Hongying , Zhang Yu-Yang , Draper Sylvia M. , Fuchs Harald
Published: July 2018

The DFT optimized 44BEP on metal (M) surfaces. The change of binding energy (Eb) and distances (dBr_sub and dN_sub) on different surfaces will bring different configurations and self-assembling behaviours.
Visible light accelerated hydrosilylation of alkynes using platinum–[acyclic diaminocarbene] photocatalysts
Authors: Gee Jack C. , Fuller Beth A. , Lockett Hannah-Marie , Sedghi Gita , Robertson Craig M. , Luzyanin Konstantin V.
Published: July 2018

Platinum–[diaminocarbene] complexes work as transition-metal photocatalysts for the hydrosilylation of alkynes under visible light irradiation.
Pharmaceutical solvate formation for the incorporation of the antimicrobial agent hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Kersten Kortney M. , Breen Meghan E. , Mapp Anna K. , Matzger Adam J.
Published: July 2018

Replacement of water in hydrated APIs with hydrogen peroxide allows for incorporation of a liquid antimicrobial agent into solid formulations.
Defect- and phase-engineering of Mn-mediated MoS2 nanosheets for ultrahigh electrochemical sensing of heavy metal ions: chemical interaction-driven in situ catalytic redox reactions
Authors: Zhou Wen-Yi , Li Shan-Shan , Xiao Xiang-Yu , Chen Shi-Hua , Liu Jin-Huai , Huang Xing-Jiu
Published: July 2018

An ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions is achieved via defect- and phase-engineering of Mn-mediated MoS2 nanosheets.
Metal-free naphthannulation reactions of yne-allenone esters for accessing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Authors: Sha Hong-Kai , Xu Ting , Liu Feng , Tang Bu-Zheng , Hao Wen-Juan , Tu Shu-Jiang , Jiang Bo
Published: July 2018

The first metal-free base-promoted naphthannulation reactions of yne-allenone esters were developed for the direct assembly of a wide range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with generally good yields.
Intriguing migrations in transient iminoborane adducts: two new pathways to aminoboranes
Authors: Winner Lena , Bélanger-Chabot Guillaume , Celik Mehmet Ali , Schäfer Marius , Braunschweig Holger
Published: July 2018

Two unusual reaction patterns of iminoboranes leading to aminoboranes are demonstrated: aryl-carboboration and carbene N–C bond activation.
Framework and coordination strain in two isostructural hybrid metal–organic perovskites
Authors: Sobczak Szymon , Chitnis Abhishek , Andrzejewski Michał , Mączka Mirosław , Gohil Smita , Garg Nandini , Katrusiak Andrzej
Published: July 2018

Compression of DmaNiFor3and DmaCoFor3has been investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy.
Coordination preference of hexa(2-pyridyl)benzene with copper(ii) directed by hydrogen bonding
Authors: Kwon Hyunchul , Lee Eunsung
Published: July 2018

Coordination modes of hexa(2-pyridyl)benzene ligand with copper(ii) ions were controlled by different solvents mainly due to hydrogen bonding.
Mechanistic investigation in the [1,4] and [1,2] Wittig rearrangement reactions: a DFT study
Authors: Nath Shilpa R. , Joshi Kaustubh A.
Published: July 2018

Mechanistic pathways associated with the sigmatropic Wittig rearrangement reactions along different routes have been investigated using density functional theory. The reaction barriers for the one-step as well as two-step pathways have been calculated and the [1,4]-Wittig rearrangement is predicted to occurviaa two-step mode. Detailed natural bond orbital calculations have been carried out to get deeper insights into these mechanistic pathways.
Control of photodissociation of the NaI molecule via pulse chirping
Authors: Sun Zhaopeng , Wang Chunyang , Zhao Wenkai , Zheng Yujun , Yang Chuanlu
Published: July 2018

Mapping of the predissociation branching ratios of the NaI molecule as a function of delay time td and chirp rate χ.
Nodal-chain network, intersecting nodal rings and triple points coexisting in nonsymmorphic Ba3Si4
Authors: Cai Jin , Xie Yuee , Chang Po-Yao , Kim Heung-Sik , Chen Yuanping
Published: July 2018

The coexistence of a nodal-chain network, intersecting nodal rings and triple points in Ba3Si4 and its phase transition under strain are presented.
Interface induced magnetic properties of Gd/Co heterostructures
Authors: Basha M. A. , Prajapat C. L. , Gupta M. , Bhatt Harsh , Kumar Yogesh , Ghosh S. K. , Karki V. , Basu S. , Singh Surendra
Published: July 2018

Correlation of the interface structure and magnetization of Gd/Co multilayers on annealing at 400 °C.
Reactive convective-dissolution in a porous medium: stability and nonlinear dynamics
Authors: Ghoshal Parama , Cardoso Silvana S. S.
Published: July 2018

We show that, unexpectedly, a dissolution reaction, A(aq) + B(s) → C(aq), with the density contribution of the product C smaller than that of the dissolved solute A, can destabilize a diffusive boundary layer accelerating the onset of convection and can substantially alter the nonlinear dynamic behaviour.
Circularly polarised fluorescence and phosphorescence calculations on organic molecules using the approximate coupled-cluster model CC2
Authors: Badala Viswanatha Chetana , Helmich-Paris Benjamin , Hättig Christof
Published: July 2018

The first coupled-cluster calculations for circularly polarised phosphorescence are reported using the second-order approximate singles and doubles model CC2.
Synthesis and characterization of rhodium, iridium, and palladium complexes of a diarylamido-based PNSb pincer ligand
Authors: Kosanovich Alex J. , Jordan Aldo M. , Bhuvanesh Nattamai , Ozerov Oleg. V.
Published: July 2018

A new diarylmido-based pincer proto ligand (iPrPNHSbPh) with one –PPri2 and one –SbPh2 side donor has been synthesized.
Carbon fabric supported 3D cobalt oxides/hydroxide nanosheet network as cathode for flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor
Authors: Qin Tianfeng , Dang Shan , Hao Jiaxin , Wang Zilei , Li Haoqian , Wen Yuxiang , Lu Shuqi , He Deyan , Cao Guozhong , Peng Shanglong
Published: July 2018

3D interconnected Co oxides/hydroxide nanosheets array with high specific surface area and small crystalline size is fabricated and shows excellent rate ability.
Cellulose nanofibrils anchored Ag on graphitic carbon nitride for efficient photocatalysis under visible light
Authors: Tian Cuihua , Tao Xu , Luo Sha , Qing Yan , Lu Xihong , She Jiarong , Wu Yiqiang
Published: July 2018

Cellulose nanofibrils were employed to anchor Ag onto a g-C3N4 framework to improve its photocatalytic activity remarkably under visible light.
Enhancement of the antioxidant efficiency of gallic acid derivatives in intact fish oil-in-water emulsions through optimization of their interfacial concentrations
Authors: Freiría-Gándara J. , Losada-Barreiro S. , Paiva-Martins F. , Bravo-Díaz C.
Published: July 2018

Knowledge on the interfacial concentration of antioxidants is crucial to understand their efficiency.
A software package for rigorously calculating optical plasma spectra and automatically retrieving plasma properties
Authors: Tan Xiaofeng
Published: July 2018

A free software package code named OPSIAL (Optical Plasma Spectral Calculation And Parameters Retrieval) for rigorously calculating optical plasma spectra and for automatically retrieving plasma parameters is presented.
Charge-controlled microfluidic formation of lipid-based single- and multicompartment systems
Authors: Haller Barbara , Göpfrich Kerstin , Schröter Martin , Janiesch Jan-Willi , Platzman Ilia , Spatz Joachim P.
Published: July 2018

We introduce a high-throughput microfluidic off-the-shelf approach for the on-demand creation of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) or multicompartment synthetic cell model systems.
A droplet microfluidic platform for efficient enzymatic chromatin digestion enables robust determination of nucleosome positioning
Authors: Xu Yi , Lee Jeong-Heon , Li Zhaoyu , Wang Liguo , Ordog Tamas , Bailey Ryan C.
Published: July 2018

A microfluidic device was designed to efficiently fragment chromatin for downstream epigenetic assays.
Molecular strategies to increase yeast iron accumulation and resistance
Authors: Ramos-Alonso Lucía , Wittmaack Nadine , Mulet Isabel , Martínez-Garay Carlos A. , Fita-Torró Josep , Lozano María Jesús , Romero Antonia M. , García-Ferris Carlos , Martínez-Pastor María Teresa , Puig Sergi
Published: July 2018

The expression of the constitutive Saccharomyces cerevisiae Aft1-1UP transcription factor increases iron accumulation, oxidative stress and iron-sensitivity, but diminishes oxygen consumption.
Synthesis and antitumor mechanisms of two novel platinum(ii) complexes with 3-(2′-benzimidazolyl)-7-methoxycoumarin
Authors: Qin Qi-Pin , Wang Shu-Long , Tan Ming-Xiong , Wang Zhen-Feng , Huang Xiao-Ling , Wei Qing-Min , Shi Bei-Bei , Zou Bi-Qun , Liang Hong
Published: July 2018

Pt2 is a novel telomerase inhibitor binding to c-myc promoter elements, which arrests the cell cycle at the G2/M phase and induces apoptosis and causes mitochondrial dysfunction.
Triplet state generation by furocoumarins revisited: a combined QSPR/DFT approach
Authors: Buglak Andrey A. , Kononov Alexei I.
Published: July 2018

We developed a QSPR model for fast virtual screening and prediction of the efficiency of triplet state generation by furocoumarins.
Type II fatty acid and polyketide synthases: deciphering protein–protein and protein–substrate interactions
Authors: Chen Aochiu , Re Rebecca N. , Burkart Michael D.
Published: July 2018

Metabolites from type II fatty acid synthase (FAS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) pathways differ broadly in their identities and functional roles.
Metal-free radical cascade chloromethylation of unactivated alkenes: synthesis of polychloro-substituted indolines
Authors: Pan Changduo , Gao Du , Yang Zhenkun , Wu Chao , Yu Jin-Tao
Published: July 2018

The di- and trichloromethylation of N-allyl anilines with CH2Cl2, CHCl3 and CCl4 was developed, leading to di- and trichloromethylated indolines.
New generation of spinning systems for robust active mixing on microfluidic CDs: oil/water emulsion as an evaluation test
Authors: Al-Halhouli Ala'aldeen , Al-Shishani Ghaith , Albagdady Ahmed , Al-Faqheri Wisam
Published: July 2018

Dual-motor setup. Produce a range of mixing frequency at low spinning speed. Can be implemented in multi-step processes.
MOF derived carbon based nanocomposite materials as efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions
Authors: Bhattacharyya Sohini , Das Chayanika , Maji Tapas Kumar
Published: July 2018

Hetero-atom doped porous carbon materials derived from MOFs are efficient noble metal-free electrocatalysts.
Sequential double C–H functionalization of 2,5-norbornadiene in flow
Authors: Kim Heejin , Yin Zuoyufan , Sakurai Hidehiro , Yoshida Jun-ichi
Published: July 2018

An integrated one-flow synthesis of 2-bromo-2,5-norbornadienes bearing a functional group at the 3-position was achieved in 3 min.
Microwave-assisted functionalization of the Aurivillius phase Bi2SrTa2O9: diol grafting and amine insertion vs. alcohol grafting
Authors: Wang Yanhui , Nikolopoulou Maria , Delahaye Emilie , Leuvrey Cédric , Leroux Fabrice , Rabu Pierre , Rogez Guillaume
Published: July 2018

The microwave-assisted functionalization of an Aurivillius phase is investigated towards various molecules – alcohols, diols and amino-alcohols – and the preferential reactivity of the various moieties is studied as a function of the reaction conditions.
Replacing H+by Na+or K+in phosphopeptide anions and cations prevents electron capture dissociation
Authors: Schneeberger Eva-Maria , Breuker Kathrin
Published: July 2018

By successively replacing H+by Na+or K+in phosphopeptide anions and cations, we show that the efficiency of fragmentation intocandz˙ orc˙ andzfragments from N–Cα backbone bond cleavage by negative ion electron capture dissociation (niECD) and electron capture dissociation (ECD) substantially decreases with increasing number of alkali ions attached.
Chain shape and thin film behaviour of poly(thiophene)-graft-poly(acrylate urethane)
Authors: Baek Paul , Mata Jitendra P. , Sokolova Anna , Nelson Andrew , Aydemir Nihan , Shahlori Rayomand , McGillivray Duncan J. , Barker David , Travas-Sejdic Jadranka
Published: July 2018

We investigate the effect of side chain length on the chain shape and thin film behaviour of conjugated graft copolymers.
Coarse-graining simulation approaches for polymer melts: the effect of potential range on computational efficiency
Authors: Dinpajooh Mohammadhasan , Guenza Marina G.
Published: July 2018

The integral equation coarse-graining (IECG) approach is a promising high-level coarse-graining (CG) method for polymer melts, with variable resolution from soft spheres to multi CG sites, which preserves the structural and thermodynamical consistencies with the related atomistic simulations. Taking advantage of the accuracy and transferability of the IECG model, we investigate the relation between the level of coarse-graining, the range of the CG potential, and the computational efficiency of a CG model.
Bending nematic liquid crystal membranes with phospholipids
Authors: Cumberland Jenieve , Lopatkina Tetiana , Murachver Matthew , Popov Piotr , Kenderesi Viktor , Buka Ágnes , Mann Elizabeth K. , Jákli Antal
Published: July 2018

Liquid crystal films suspended between air and glycerol become bent toward the glycerol surface at increasing DLPC concentrations above 1 μM.
Noble metal nanostructure-decorated molybdenum disulfide nanocomposites: synthesis and applications
Authors: Su Shao , Xu Yongqiang , Sun Qian , Gu Xiaodan , Weng Lixing , Wang Lianhui
Published: July 2018

Noble metal nanostructure-decorated MoS2 nanocomposites have been used in sensors, catalysts, antibacterial materials and batteries due to their excellent properties.
IR position-sensitive detectors based on double-junction asymmetric TiO2/MoS2/reduced graphene-oxide sandwiches
Authors: Javadi Mohammad , Gholami Mahdiyeh , Abdi Yaser
Published: July 2018

Benefiting from a self-powering facility, this novel configuration has high sensitivity in both photocurrent (5000 nA mm−1) and photovoltage (20 mV mm−1) modes.
Structure of ScpC, a virulence protease from Streptococcus pyogenes, reveals the functional domains and maturation mechanism
Authors: Jobichen Chacko , Tan Ying Chong , Prabhakar Mahalakshmi Tirumuru , Nayak Digant , Biswas Debabrata , Pannu Navraj S. , Hanski Emanuel , Sivaraman J.
Published: July 2018

Group A Streptococcus (GAS; Streptococcus pyogenes) causes a wide range of infections, including pharyngitis, impetigo, and necrotizing fasciitis, and results in over half a million deaths annually. GAS ScpC (SpyCEP), a 180-kDa surface-exposed, subtilisin-like serine protease, acts as an essential virulence factor that helps S. pyogenes evade the innate immune response by cleaving and inactivating C-X-C chemokines. ScpC is thus a key candidate for the development of a vaccine against GAS and other pathogenic streptococcal species. Here, we report the crystal structures of full-length ScpC wild-type, the inactive mutant, and the ScpC–AEBSF inhibitor complex. We show ScpC to be a multi-domain, modular protein consisting of nine structural domains, of which the first five constitute the PR + A region required for catalytic activity. The four unique C-terminal domains of this protein are similar to collagen-binding and pilin proteins, suggesting an additional role for ScpC as an adhesin that might mediate the attachment of S. pyogenes to various host tissues. The Cat domain of ScpC is similar to subtilisin-like proteases with significant difference to dictate its specificity toward C-X-C chemokines. We further show that ScpC does not undergo structural rearrangement upon maturation. In the ScpC–inhibitor complex, the bound inhibitor breaks the hydrogen bond between active-site residues, which is essential for catalysis. Guided by our structure, we designed various epitopes and raised antibodies capable of neutralizing ScpC activity. Collectively, our results demonstrate the structure, maturation process, inhibition, and substrate recognition of GAS ScpC, and reveal the presence of functional domains at the C-terminal region.
Eudesmane-type sesquiterpene diols directly synthesized by a sesquiterpene cyclase in Tripterygium wilfordii
Authors: Tong Yu-ru , Su Ping , Guan Hong-yu , Hu Tian-yuan , Chen Jin-long , Zhang Yi-feng , Zhao Yu-jun , Gao Lin-hui , Zhang Xia-nan , Huang Lu-qi , Gao Wei
Published: July 2018

Cryptomeridiol, a typical eudesmane diol, is the active principle component of the antispasmodic Proximol. Although it has been used for many years, the biosynthesis pathway of cryptomeridiol has remained blur. Among terpenoid natural products, terpenoid cyclases are responsible for cyclization and generation of hydrocarbon backbones. The cyclization is mediated by carbocationic cascades and ultimately terminated via deprotonation or nucleophilic capture. Isoprene precursors are, respectively, converted into hydrocarbons or hydroxylated backbones. A sesquiterpene cyclase in Tripterygium wilfordii (TwCS) was determined to directly catalyze (E,E)-farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) to unexpected eudesmane diols, primarily cryptomeridiol. The function of TwCS was characterized by a modular pathway engineering system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The major product determined by NMR spectroscopy turned out to be cryptomeridiol. This unprecedented production was further investigated in vitro, which verified that TwCS can directly produce eudesmane diols from FPP. Some key residues for TwCS catalysis were screened depending on the molecular model of TwCS and mutagenesis studies. As cryptomeridiol showed a small amount of volatile and medicinal properties, the biosynthesis of cryptomeridiol was reconstructed in S. cerevisiae. Optimized assays including modular pathway engineering and the CRISPR–cas9 system were successfully used to improve the yield of cryptomeridiol in the S. cerevisiae. The best engineered strain TE9 (BY4741 erg9::Δ-200-176 rox1::mut/pYX212-IDI + TwCS/p424-tHMG1) ultimately produced 19.73 mg/l cryptomeridiol in a shake flask culture.
Bleomycin-enhanced alternative splicing of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition in lung fibrosis
Authors: Chen Kui-Jun , Li Qing , Weng Chang-Mei , Duan Zhao-Xia , Zhang Dong-Dong , Chen Zhi-Qiang , Chen Jing , Wang Jian-Min
Published: July 2018

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an important public health problem, and it has few treatment options given its poorly understood etiology; however, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pneumocytes has been implicated as a factor. Herein, we aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms of lung fibrosis mediated by EMT, with a focus on the alternative splicing of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2), using bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrotic and transgenic mouse models. We employed BLM-induced and surfactant protein C (SPC)-Cre and LacZ double transgenic mouse models. The results showed that EMT occurred during lung fibrosis. BLM inhibited the expression of epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1), resulting in enhanced alternative splicing of FGFR2 to the mesenchymal isoform IIIc. BLM-induced lung fibrosis was also associated with the activation of TGF-β/Smad signaling. These findings have implications for rationally targetted strategies to therapeutically address IPF.
Effects of Different Electrode Configurations on the Narrow Band Level-Specific CE-Chirp and Tone-Burst Auditory Brainstem Response at Multiple Intensity Levels and Frequencies in Subjects With Normal Hearing
Authors: Dzulkarnain Ahmad Aidil Arafat , Abdullah Siti Aisyah , Ruzai Muhammad Amar Mohd , Ibrahim Siti Hajra Mu'minah Noor , Anuar Nur Farah Aida , Rahim ˈAfaf Ezzaty Abdul
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of 2 different electrode montages (ipsilateral and vertical) on the auditory brainstem response (ABR) findings elicited from narrow band (NB) level-specific (LS) CE-Chirp and tone-burst in subjects with normal hearing at several intensity levels and frequency combinations.

Method

Quasi-experimental and repeated-measures study designs were used in this study. Twenty-six adults with normal hearing (17 females, 9 males) participated. ABRs were acquired from the study participants at 3 intensity levels (80, 60, and 40 dB nHL), 3 frequencies (500, 1000, and 2000 Hz), 2 electrode montages (ipsilateral and vertical), and 2 stimuli (NB LS CE-Chirp and tone-burst) using 2 stopping criteria (fixed averages at 4,000 sweeps and
F
test at multiple points = 3.1).

Results

Wave V amplitudes were only 19%–26% larger for the vertical recordings than the ipsilateral recordings in both the ABRs obtained from the NB LS CE-Chirp and tone-burst stimuli. The mean differences in the
F
test at multiple points values and the residual noise levels between the ABRs obtained from the vertical and ipsilateral montages were statistically not significant. In addition, the ABR elicited from the NB LS CE-Chirp was significantly larger (up to 69%) than those from the tone-burst, except at the lower intensity level.

Conclusion

Both the ipsilateral and vertical montages can be used to record ABR to the NB LS CE-Chirp because of the small enhancement in the wave V amplitude provided by the vertical montage.
Resonant converter with wide input voltage range and input current ripple‐free
Authors: Lin Bor‐Ren
Published: July 2018

A current fed resonant converter is presented and developed to have the advantages of wide input voltage operation range and less ripple current. The developed circuit includes two boost inverters in the front stage and one resonant converter in the rear stage. Two boost converters are operated using interleave pulse‐width modulation in order to reduce the input ripple current. The resonant converter with voltage doubler circuit topology is adopted to obtain high‐voltage output and realise zero‐voltage turn‐on switching for all power switches over all load ranges. The active switches of two boost converters and the resonant converter share the same power switches so that the switch counts in the studied circuit are reduced. In order to extend the input voltage operation range, an additional boost converter is active when the input voltage is lower than the defined voltage level. Therefore, a wide input voltage range operation, 24–76 V, of the developed circuit can be realised to apply in the fuel cells or solar cells input applications. The feasibility and practicality of the developed circuit are confirmed by the test results with an 800 W prototype circuit.
Maximum simplex volume: an efficient unsupervised band selection method for hyperspectral image
Authors: Jiang Xuefeng , Zhang Lin , Liu Junrui , Li Shuying
Published: July 2018

Hyperspectral imaging makes it possible to obtain object information with fine spectral resolution as well as spatial resolution, which is beneficial to a wide array of applications. However, there is a high correlation among the bands in a hyperspectral image (HSI). Band selection (BS), selecting only some representative bands to describe well the original image, is an appropriate approach to tackle this problem. In this study, the authors propose an efficient greedy‐based unsupervised BS method, namely the maximum simplex volume by orthogonal‐projection BS method. The main contributions are two‐fold: (i) an information‐lossless compressed descriptor in the Euclidean sense that can reduce the amount of redundant information in the band analysis and (ii) an orthogonal‐projection‐based algorithm to find the band points forming the simplex of maximum volume. The experimental results on four real HSIs demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve satisfying pixel classification performances and is computationally fast.