bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid susceptibility profiling of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Mulroney K. T. , Hall J. M. , Huang X. , Turnbull E. , Bzdyl N. M. , Chakera A. , Naseer U. , Corea E. M. , Ellington M. J. , Hopkins K. L. , Wester A. L. , Ekelund O. , Woodford N. , Inglis T. J. J.
Published: May 2017

The expanding global distribution of multi-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae demands faster antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) to guide antibiotic treatment. Current ASTs rely on time-consuming differentiation of resistance and susceptibility after initial isolation of bacteria from a clinical specimen. Here we describe a flow cytometry workflow to determine carbapenem susceptibility from bacterial cell characteristics in an international K. pneumoniae isolate collection (n = 48), with a range of carbapenemases. Our flow cytometry-assisted susceptibility test (FAST) method combines rapid qualitative susceptible/non-susceptible classification and quantitative MIC measurement in a single process completed shortly after receipt of a primary isolate (54 and 158 minutes respectively). The qualitative FAST results and FAST-derived MIC (MICFAST) correspond closely with broth microdilution MIC (MICBMD, Matthew’s correlation coefficient 0.887), align with the international AST standard (ISO 200776-1; 2006) and could be used for rapid determination of antimicrobial susceptibility in a wider range of Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria.
Impact of Trace Minerals on Wound Healing of Footpad Dermatitis in Broilers
Authors: Chen Juxing , Tellez Guillermo , Escobar Jeffery , Vazquez-Anon Mercedes
Published: May 2017

Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is used in the poultry industry as an animal welfare criterion to determine stocking density. Trace minerals (TM) play a role in skin integrity and wound healing. This study evaluated the impact of TM on FPD and consisted of 3 treatments supplemented with 0 (NTM), low (LTM) and high (HTM) TM levels in the same basal diet. On d21, 71% birds in all treatments developed mild FPD and pens were top-dressed with dry litter to promote FPD healing. Compared to NTM, LTM reduced area under the curve (AUC) of FPD lesion scores during d21–42, HTM reduced the AUC of FPD lesion scores during d7–21 and d21–42. LTM improved growth performance on d14, HTM improved growth performance on d14 and d28. LTM and/or HTM increased gene expression of VEGF, TIMP3, TIMP4, MMP13, ITGA2, ITGA3 and CD40, which promoted collagen synthesis, deposition and organization; cell migration, matrix remodeling, and angiogenesis. LTM and/or HTM increased inflammation by upregulating TNFα and IL-1β during the early wound healing phase and reduced inflammation by downregulating IL-1β during the late wound healing phase. Our findings showed that TM not only improved growth performance but also reduced FPD development by promoting FPD wound healing.
Ecological relevance of skeletal fatty acid concentration and composition in Mediterranean scleractinian corals
Authors: Samorì Chiara , Caroselli Erik , Prada Fiorella , Reggi Michela , Fermani Simona , Dubinsky Zvy , Goffredo Stefano , Falini Giuseppe
Published: May 2017

The intra-skeletal fatty acid concentration and composition of four Mediterranean coral species, namely Cladocora caespitosa, Balanophyllia europaea, Astroides calycularis and Leptopsammia pruvoti, were examined in young and old individuals living in three different locations of the Mediterranean Sea. These species are characterized by diverse levels of organization (solitary or colonial) and trophic strategies (symbiotic or non-symbiotic). Fatty acids have manifold fundamental roles comprehensive of membrane structure fluidity, cell signaling and energy storage. For all species, except for B. europaea, the intra-skeletal fatty acid concentration was significantly higher in young individuals than in old ones. Moreover, fatty acid concentration was higher in colonial corals than in solitary ones and in the symbiotic corals compared to non-symbiotic ones. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that palmitic acid (16:0) was the most abundant fatty acid, followed by stearic (18:0) in order of concentration. Oleic acid (18:1) was detected as the third main component only in skeletons from symbiotic corals. These results suggest that, in the limits of the studied species, intra-skeletal fatty acid composition and concentration may be used for specific cases as a proxy of level of organization and trophic strategy, and eventually coral age.
Molecular and functional characterization of the BMPR2 gene in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Pousada Guillermo , Lupo Vincenzo , Cástro-Sánchez Sheila , Álvarez-Satta María , Sánchez-Monteagudo Ana , Baloira Adolfo , Espinós Carmen , Valverde Diana
Published: May 2017

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive disease that causes the obstruction of precapillary pulmonary arteries and a sustained increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. The aim was to analyze functionally the variants found in the BMPR2 gene and to establish a genotype-phenotype correlation. mRNA expression studies were performed using pSPL3 vector, studies of subcellular localization were performed using pEGFP-N1 vector and luciferase assays were performed using pGL3-Basic vector. We have identified 30 variants in the BMPR2 gene in 27 of 55 patients. In 16 patients we detected pathogenic mutations. Minigene assays revealed that 6 variants (synonymous, missense) result in splicing defect. By immunofluorescence assay, we observed that 4 mutations affect the protein localization. Finally, 4 mutations located in the 5′UTR region showed a decreased transcriptional activity in luciferase assays. Genotype-phenotype correlation, revealed that patients with pathogenic mutations have a more severe phenotype (sPaP p = 0.042, 6MWT p = 0.041), a lower age at diagnosis (p = 0.040) and seemed to have worse response to phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitors (p = 0.010). Our study confirms that in vitro expression analysis is a suitable approach in order to investigate the phenotypic consequences of the nucleotide variants, especially in cases where the involved genes have a pattern of expression in tissues of difficult access.
Validation of reference genes for the normalization of the RT-qPCR gene expression of virulence genes of Erwinia amylovora in apple shoots
Authors: Kałużna Monika , Kuras Anita , Puławska Joanna
Published: May 2017

To study the expression of pathogenicity-related genes inErwinia amylovora, seven candidate reference genes (ffh,glyA,gyrA,proC,pykA,recA,rpoB) were selected and validated with the following five different mathematic algorithms: geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, the delta CT method and the RefFinder web-based tool. An overall comprehensive ranking output from each of the selected software programs revealed thatproCandrecA, followed byffhandpykA, were the most stably expressed genes and can be recommended for the normalization of RT-qPCR data. A combination of the three reference genes,proC,recAandffh, allowed for the accurate expression analysis ofamsBandhrpNgenes and the calculation of their fold change inE. amylovoraafter its infection of susceptible and resistant apple cultivars. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study presenting a list of the most suitable reference genes for use in the relative quantification of target gene expression inE. amylovora in planta, selected on the basis of a multi-algorithm analysis.
Efficacy and tolerability of chemotherapy in Chinese patients with AIDS-related Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: An observational study
Authors: Xiao Jiang , Du Shuxu , Dai Guorui , Gao Guiju , Yang Di , Zhao Hongxin
Published: May 2017

We evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of chemotherapy in HIV-infected patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) receiving CHOP ± R (n = 17) or Burkitt lymphoma (BL) receiving CODOX-M/IVAC ± R (n = 15). The study was conducted in Beijing Ditan Hospital from January 2009 to August 2015. The following grade 4 adverse effects were observed in BL and DLBCL patients, respectively: neutropenia (80% versus 47.1%), anaemia (46.7% versus 5.9%), thrombocytopenia (53.3% versus 11.8%), bacterial pneumonia (33.3% versus 5.9%), and sepsis (20% versus 5.9%) (p < 0.05). In the BL group, 10 (66.7%) patients died from treatment-related or tumour-related causes, 5 (33.3%) achieved complete response, 1 achieved partial response (6.7%), and 7 developed progressive disease. The 1-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 33.3%. Of the DLBCL patients, 3 (17.6%) died from treatment-related causes, 14 (82.4%) achieved complete response, and 3 had progressive disease. The 1-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 82.4%. The strongest risk factor for death was relapse between chemotherapy cycles (adjusted hazard ratio = 47.3; 95%CI, 4.2–528.6, p = 0.002). Initiating antiretroviral therapy before chemotherapy failed to improve overall survival. DLBCL patients demonstrated good responses and survival outcomes, while BL patients could not tolerate chemotherapy due to more severe toxicity, and showed poor responses and survival outcomes.
Genetic variation and phylogeographic structure of the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, based on mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite markers
Authors: Wang Xing-Ya , Yang Xian-Ming , Lu Bin , Zhou Li-Hong , Wu Kong-Ming
Published: May 2017

Aphis gossypii, one of the most important agricultural pests in the world, can cause serious economic losses in the main crop-producing areas. To clarify issues such as the genetic differentiation, genetic structure, and demographic history ofA. gossypiipopulations, we used 10 nuclear microsatellite loci (SSR) and two mitochondrial gene sequences (COIandCytb) to investigate genetic diversity and population structure ofA. gossypiipopulations that were collected from 33 sampling sites in China from different climatic zones. SSR and mtDNA data suggested low to moderate levels of genetic diversity. A star-shaped network of mtDNA haplotypes indicated that the maternal ancestor of China cotton aphids likely originated in Xinjiang. The POPTREE, STRUCTURE and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) revealed two genetic clusters: an eastern and a western region group. Isolation by distance (IBD) results showed a positive correlation between geographic distance and genetic distance in the vast eastern region but not in the western region. Neutrality testing and mismatch distribution analysis provided strong evidence for a recent rapid expansion in most populations. Genetic bottleneck was not detected inA. gossypiipopulations of China. The present work can help us to develop strategies for managing this pest.
Mesporous 3C-SiC Hollow Fibers
Authors: Liu Yangwen , Hou Huilin , He Xinbo , Yang Weiyou
Published: May 2017

In the present work, for the first time, we reported the exploration of mesoporous 3C-SiC hollow fibers via single-spinneret electrospinning of polyureasilazane (PSN) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solution followed by high-temperature pyrolysis treatment. The resultant products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and N2 adsorption. The as-prepared hollow fibers with totally mesoporous walls were uniformly sized in diameter and high purity in morphology. They were composed of single-crystalline 3C-SiC nanoparticles with a surface area of 21.75 m2/g and average pore diameter of ~34 nm. The PSN concentration played a determined role on the formation of hollow fibers rather than the conventional solid counterparts, enabling their growth in a tunable manner. A possible mechanism was proposed for the formation of mesoporous SiC hollow fiber.
PDE3 inhibitor and EGCG combination treatment suppress cancer stem cell properties in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Kumazoe Motofumi , Takai Mika , Hiroi Shun , Takeuchi Chieri , Yamanouchi Maasa , Nojiri Takashi , Onda Hiroaki , Bae Jaehoon , Huang Yuhui , Takamatsu Kanako , Yamashita Shuya , Yamada Shuhei , Kangawa Kenji , Takahashi Takashi , Tanaka Hiroshi , Tachibana Hirofumi
Published: May 2017

Recurrence following chemotherapy is observed in the majority of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Recent studies suggest that cancer stem cells (CSCs) may be involved in PDAC recurrence and metastasis. However, an efficient approach to targeting pancreatic CSCs remains to be established. Here we show that in cancer cells overexpressing the 67-kDa laminin receptor (67LR)-dependent cyclic GMP (cGMP) inducer, epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and a phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) inhibitor in combination significantly suppressed the Forkhead box O3 and CD44 axis, which is indispensable for the CSC properties of PDAC. We confirmed that the EGCG and PDE3 inhibitor in combination strongly suppressed tumour formation and liver metastasis in vivo. We also found that a synthesized EGCG analog capable of inducing strong cGMP production drastically suppressed the CSC properties of PDAC and extended the survival period in vivo. In conclusion, the combination treatment of EGCG and a PDE3 inhibitor as a strong cGMP inducer could be a potential treatment candidate for the eradication of CSCs of PDAC.
Dramatic improvement of strain hardening and ductility to 95% in highly-deformable high-strength duplex lightweight steels
Authors: Sohn Seok Su , Song Hyejin , Kwak Jai-Hyun , Lee Sunghak
Published: May 2017

Ferrite + austenite duplex lightweight steels have been actively developed by adding low-density Al for overcoming a limitation of stiffness deterioration by a traditional approach to obtain a weight reduction. Multiple-stage deformation mechanism in lightweight steels, i.e., simultaneous formation of deformation-induced martensite and deformation twin and additional plasticity by twinning, has been nominated as an attractive strategy, but shows a steady flow behavior with early plastic instability. Here, we present a newly designed Fe-0.3C-9Mn-5Al steel in order to obtain an optimal level of stability of austenite and a resultant outstanding combination of tensile strength and ductility, e.g., 874 MPa and 72%, together with sufficiently high strain hardening. These enhanced properties are attributed to the decreased austenite stability by controlling the austenite size and alloying partitioning due to variation in austenite fraction inside duplex microstructures. The present work gives a promise for structural applications requiring both reduced specific weight and remarkable deformability.
Minimum toe clearance: probing the neural control of locomotion
Authors: Killeen Tim , Easthope Christopher S. , Demkó László , Filli Linard , Lőrincz Lilla , Linnebank Michael , Curt Armin , Zörner Björn , Bolliger Marc
Published: May 2017

Minimum toe clearance (MTC) occurs during a highly dynamic phase of the gait cycle and is associated with the highest risk of unintentional contact with obstacles or the ground. Age, cognitive function, attention and visual feedback affect foot clearance but how these factors interact to influence MTC control is not fully understood. We measured MTC in 121 healthy individuals aged 20–80 under four treadmill walking conditions; normal walking, lower visual field restriction and two Stroop colour/word naming tasks of two difficulty levels. Competition for cognitive and attentional resources from the Stroop task resulted in significantly lower mean MTC in older adults, with the difficult Stroop task associated with a higher frequency of extremely low MTC values and subsequently an increased modelled probability of tripping in this group. While older adults responded to visual restriction by markedly skewing MTC distributions towards higher values, this condition was also associated with frequent, extremely low MTC values. We reveal task-specific, age-dependent patterns of MTC control in healthy adults. Age-related differences are most pronounced during heavy, distracting cognitive load. Analysis of critically-low MTC values during dual-task walking may have utility in the evaluation of locomotor control and fall risk in older adults and patients with motor control deficits.
Crystal structure of TAZ-TEAD complex reveals a distinct interaction mode from that of YAP-TEAD complex
Authors: Kaan Hung Yi Kristal , Chan Siew Wee , Tan Siew Kim Joyce , Guo Fusheng , Lim Chun Jye , Hong Wanjin , Song Haiwei
Published: May 2017

The Hippo pathway is a tumor suppressor pathway that is implicated in the regulation of organ size. The pathway has three components: the upstream regulatory factors, the kinase core, and the downstream transcriptional machinery, which consists of YAP, TAZ (transcription co-activators) and TEAD (transcription factor). Formation of YAP/TAZ-TEAD complexes leads to the transcription of growth-promoting genes. Herein, we report the crystal structure of TAZ-TEAD4 complex, which reveals two binding modes. The first is similar to the published YAP-TEAD structure. The second is a unique binding mode, whereby two molecules of TAZ bind to and bridge two molecules of TEAD4. We validated the latter using cross-linking and multi-angle light scattering. Using siRNA, we showed that TAZ knockdown leads to a decrease in TEAD4 dimerization. Lastly, results from luciferase assays, using YAP/TAZ transfected or knockdown cells, give support to the non-redundancy of YAP/TAZ co-activators in regulating gene expression in the Hippo pathway.
Protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine selectively inhibits proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells
Authors: Lin Wanjun , Huang Jiajun , Yuan Zhongwen , Feng Senling , Xie Ying , Ma Wenzhe
Published: May 2017

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer lacking targeted therapy currently. Recent studies imply that protein kinase C may play important roles in TNBC development and could be a specific target. In this study, we evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of PKC inhibitor chelerythrine on a panel of breast cancer cell lines. Chelerythrine selectively inhibited the growth of TNBC cell lines compared to non-TNBC cell lines as demonstrated by in vitro cell proliferation assay and colony formation assay, as well as evidenced by in vivo xenograft assay. The selective anti-proliferative effect of chelerythrine was associated with induction of apoptosis in TNBC cell lines. We further demonstrated that PKN2, one of the PKC subtypes, was highly expressed in TNBC cell lines, and knocking down PKN2 in TNBC cells inhibited colony formation and xenograft growth. This indicates that PKN2 is required for the survival of TNBC cells, and could be the target mediates the selective activity of chelerythrine. Finally, combination of chelerythrine and chemotherapy reagent taxol showed synergistic/additive effect on TNBC cell lines. Our results suggest chelerythrine or other PKC inhibitors may be promising regimens for TNBC tumors.
Comparative analysis of Dendrobium plastomes and utility of plastomic mutational hotspots
Authors: Zhitao Niu , Shuying Zhu , Jiajia Pan , Ludan Li , Jing Sun , Xiaoyu Ding
Published: May 2017

Dendrobium is one of the largest genera in Orchidaceae, comprising about 800–1500 species mainly distributed in tropical Asia, Australasia, and Australia. There are 74 species and two varieties of this genus in China. Because of their ornamental and commercial value, Dendrobium orchids have been studied at low taxonomic levels. However, structural changes and effective mutational hotspots of Dendrobium plastomes have rarely been documented. Here, 30 Dendrobium plastomes were compared, comprising 25 newly sequenced in this study and five previously published. Except for their differences in NDH genes, these plastomes shared identical gene content and order. Comparative analyses revealed that the variation in size of Dendroubium plastomes was associated with dramatically changed length of InDels. Furthermore, ten loci were identified as the top-ten mutational hotspots, whose sequence variability was almost unchanged with more than 10 plastomes sampled, suggesting that they may be powerful markers for Dendrobium species. In addition, primer pairs of 47 polymorphic microsatellites were developed. After assessing the mean BS values of all combinations derived from the top-ten hotspots, we recommend that the combination of five hotspots—trnT-trnL, rpl32-trnL, clpP-psbB, trnL intron, and rps16-trnQ—should be used in the phylogenetic and identification studies of Dendrobium.
Maternal immune activation results in complex microglial transcriptome signature in the adult offspring that is reversed by minocycline treatment
Authors: Mattei D , Ivanov A , Ferrai C , Jordan P , Guneykaya D , Buonfiglioli A , Schaafsma W , Przanowski P , Deuther-Conrad W , Brust P , Hesse S , Patt M , Sabri O , Ross T L , Eggen B J L , Boddeke E W G M , Kaminska B , Beule D , Pombo A , Kettenmann H , Wolf S A
Published: May 2017

Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of developing psychiatric pathologies in later life. This link may be bridged by a defective microglial phenotype in the offspring induced by MIA, as microglia have key roles in the development and maintenance of neuronal signaling in the central nervous system. The beneficial effects of the immunomodulatory treatment with minocycline on schizophrenic patients are consistent with this hypothesis. Using the MIA mouse model, we found an altered microglial transcriptome and phagocytic function in the adult offspring accompanied by behavioral abnormalities. The changes in microglial phagocytosis on a functional and transcriptional level were similar to those observed in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease hinting to a related microglial phenotype in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Minocycline treatment of adult MIA offspring reverted completely the transcriptional, functional and behavioral deficits, highlighting the potential benefits of therapeutic targeting of microglia in psychiatric disorders.
Decarboxylative Umpolung of conjugated enals to β-carbanions for intramolecular nucleophilic addition to an aldehyde
Authors: Liu Feng , Tian Jiaxin , Liu Yong , Tao Chuangan , Zhu Hao , Zhang Aina , Xu Dongfang , Zhao Baoguo
Published: May 2017

Decarboxylative Umpolung converts enals to β-carbanions for intramolecular nucleophilic addition to an aldehyde group with excellent regio- and diastereoselectivities.
Phase purification of GaAs nanowires by prolonging the growth duration in MBE
Authors: Zhou Chen , Zheng Kun , Liao Zhi-Ming , Chen Ping-Ping , Lu Wei , Zou Jin
Published: May 2017

Single-phase nanowire sections are observed by prolonging the growth duration of GaAs nanowires.
On-line extraction and determination of residual sulfathiazole in pharmaceutical wastewater with molecularly imprinted polymers in a packed cartridge coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Zazouli Mohammad Ali , Akbari-adergani Behrouz , Javanbakht Mehran , Moein Mohammad Mahdi
Published: May 2017

A new, rapid and sensitive on-line extraction and determination technique was developed with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in a packed cartridge.
A beryllium-selective microcantilever sensor modified with benzo-9-crown-3 functionalized polymer brushes
Authors: Peng Rong-Peng , Xing Ling-Bao , Wang Xiao-Jun , Wu Cheng-Juan , Chen Bin , Ji Hai-Feng , Wu Li-Zhu , Tung Chen-Ho
Published: May 2017

Benzo-9-crown-3 functionalized polymer brushes were prepared via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization on the gold surface of microcantilevers for the selective detection of Be2+.
Supercritical fluid (CO2) chromatography for quantitative determination of selected cancer therapeutic drugs in the prescence of potential impurities in injection formulations
Authors: Rao G. Venkata Narasimha , B. Ravi , D. Jalandhar , P. Manoj , Nadh R. Venkata
Published: May 2017

In the present study, two cancer therapeutic drugs (docetaxel and bortezomib) were separated from their potential impurities on a chromatographic platform by utilizing CO2 gas (supercritical state) and quantified.
Metabolic comparison of dorsal versus ventral cells directly in the live 8-cell frog embryo by microprobe single-cell CE-ESI-MS
Authors: Onjiko Rosemary M. , Plotnick David O. , Moody Sally A. , Nemes Peter
Published: May 2017

We uncovered previously unknown metabolic differences between dorsal and ventral cells in the 8-cell vertebrate embryo using microprobe single-cell CE-ESI-MS.
Bioorthogonal double-fluorogenic siliconrhodamine probes for intracellular super-resolution microscopy
Authors: Kozma E. , Estrada Girona G. , Paci G. , Lemke E. A. , Kele P.
Published: May 2017

A series of double-fluorogenic siliconrhodamine-tetrazines were synthesized. One of these tetrazines is a membrane-permeant label allowing site-specific bioorthogonal tagging of intracellular proteins and super-resolution imaging.
Model peptide studies of Ag+binding sites from the silver resistance protein SilE
Authors: Chabert V. , Hologne M. , Sénèque O. , Crochet A. , Walker O. , Fromm K. M.
Published: May 2017

A model peptide study characterizes several Ag+-binding sites of the bacterial silver resistant protein SilE, providing new insights into its physiological role.
Investigating the effect of ionic strength on the suppression of dendrite formation during metal electrodeposition
Authors: Pearson Andrew K. , Kao Pon , O'Mullane Anthony P. , Bhatt Anand I.
Published: May 2017

The effect of ionic strength on dendrite formation and suppression has been investigated in an organic solvent (acetonitrile containing TBAPF6) and in the ionic liquid [EMIm][OTf].
Light-induced relaxation dynamics of the ferricyanide ion revisited by ultrafast XUV photoelectron spectroscopy
Authors: Engel Nicholas , Bokarev Sergey I. , Moguilevski Alexandre , Raheem Azhr A. , Al-Obaidi Ruba , Möhle Tobias , Grell Gilbert , Siefermann Katrin R. , Abel Bernd , Aziz Saadullah G. , Kühn Oliver , Borgwardt Mario , Kiyan Igor Yu. , Aziz Emad F.
Published: May 2017

The photoexcited ferricyanide undergoes an ultrafast spin crossover followed by Jahn–Teller distortion.
Intermediate phases during solid to liquid transitions in long-chain n-alkanes
Authors: Corsetti Stella , Rabl Thomas , McGloin David , Kiefer Johannes
Published: May 2017

Temperature-dependent Raman spectra of tetradecane, pentadecane and hexadecane are collected and analysed to unveil the difference in the speed of their phase transitions while gaining information about their structural changes.
Efficient light harvesting within a C153@Zr-based MOF embedded in a polymeric film: spectral and dynamical characterization
Authors: Gutiérrez M. , López-González M. , Sánchez F. , Douhal A.
Published: May 2017

Energy transfer within a hybrid C153@Zr-NDC composite material incorporated into PC films. M* and (E*) are the excited monomers and excimers of the MOF, respectively. C153 is Coumarin 153.
Unifying hydrotropy under Gibbs phase rule
Authors: Shimizu Seishi , Matubayasi Nobuyuki
Published: May 2017

A rational approach, aiming at constructing a unified theory of hydrotropy, will be presented based upon the first principles of statistical thermodynamics.
How silver segregation stabilizes 1D surface gold oxide: a cluster expansion study combined with ab initio MD simulations
Authors: Hoppe Sandra , Li Yong , Moskaleva Lyudmila V. , Müller Stefan
Published: May 2017

Gold surprises us again by the unusual stability of one-dimensional gold oxide structures supported on bimetallic surfaces of gold and silver.
Growth of two dimensional silica and aluminosilicate bilayers on Pd(111): from incommensurate to commensurate crystalline
Authors: Jhang Jin-Hao , Zhou Chao , Dagdeviren Omur E. , Hutchings Gregory S. , Schwarz Udo D. , Altman Eric I.
Published: May 2017

2D silicate lattice strain energy was significantly reduced by Al-doping resulting in a structural transition from incommensurate to commensurate crystalline.
Surface engineered tin foil for electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to formate
Authors: Daiyan Rahman , Lu Xunyu , Ng Yun Hau , Amal Rose
Published: May 2017

Commercially available Sn foil was anodized in organic solvents to fabricate stable and cost-effective electrode that is demonstrated to convert CO2to formate with high selectivity.
Transformations of silver nanoparticles in wastewater effluents: links to Ag bioavailability
Authors: Azimzada Agil , Tufenkji Nathalie , Wilkinson Kevin J.
Published: May 2017

Physicochemical modifications of silver nanoparticles in wastewaters determine their bioavailability toChlamydomonas reinhardtii.
Silver nanoparticle plasmonic enhanced förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging of protein-specific sialylation on the cell surface
Authors: Zhao Tingbi , Li Ting , Liu Yang
Published: May 2017

The AgNP plasmonic enhanced FRET method was developed for the imaging detection of protein-specific sialylation on the cell surface.
Turning on the solid emission from non-emissive 2-aryl-3-cyanobenzofurans by tethering tetraphenylethene for green electroluminescence
Authors: Peng Zhixing , Huang Kai , Tao Yuhan , Li Xihui , Zhang Lianpeng , Lu Ping , Wang Yanguang
Published: May 2017

Three green-emitting compounds 1–3 based on 2-aryl-3-cyanobenzofuran fluorophore tethered with aggregation-induced emission active (AIE-active) tetraphenylethene (TPE) were designed and synthesized.
Fast detection of volatile organic compounds from Staphylococcal blood cultures by CDI-MS
Authors: Hang Yaping , Chingin Konstantin , Liang Juchao , Wang Xiaozhong , Hu Longhua
Published: May 2017

Rapid recognition of Staphylococcal bacteremia in humans is a serious challenge in clinical research.
I2/TBPB mediated oxidative reaction of aryl acetaldehydes with amidines: synthesis of 1,2,5-triaryl-1H-imidazoles
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhang Fang-Dong , Tang Dong , Wu Ping , Zhang Xue-Guo , Chen Bao-Hua
Published: May 2017

A direct method for the synthesis of 1,2,5-triaryl-1H-imidazoles was achieved from acetaldehydes with amidines catalyzed by I2. Various substituted groups can be employed, and this reaction proceeds smoothly in moderate to good yields.
Application of the correct design of successive self-nucleation and annealing (SSA) to study the stereo-defects and its distribution of homo- and co-polypropylene
Authors: Ding Cong , Zhang Geng , Gu Jiangjiang , Cao Feifei , Zheng Xinsheng
Published: May 2017

The SSA revealed the differences in molecular chain microstructure of different PP samples when the preliminary characterization found that the homo-polypropylene or co-polypropylene samples had the similar mechanical and thermal properties.
In situ growth of cobalt sulfide hollow nanospheres embedded in nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene nanoholes as a highly active electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction and evolution
Authors: Qiao Xiaochang , Jin Jutao , Fan Hongbo , Li Yingwei , Liao Shijun
Published: May 2017

A highly efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst was grown by embedding cobalt sulfide hollow nanospheres in nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene nanoholes.
Nanocarbon based composite electrodes and their application in microbial fuel cells
Authors: Zhang Yizhen , Liu Lifen , Van der Bruggen Bart , Yang Fenglin
Published: May 2017

Recent progress and applications of carbon nanotubes, graphene, g-C3N4and their composite electrodes in MFCs and MFC–MBRs are summarized.
Hierarchical NiFeP microflowers directly grown on Ni foam for efficient electrocatalytic oxygen evolution
Authors: Yu Jiahao , Cheng Gongzhen , Luo Wei
Published: May 2017

3D hierarchical porous ternary (NixFe1−x)2P microflowers grown on Ni foam exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction with an exceptional overpotential of 219 mV at a current density of 20 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH and superior stability. This work paves the way to design and synthesize other TMPs for more applications.
Mineralized growth of Janus membrane with asymmetric wetting property for fast separation of a trace of blood
Authors: Zhang Wenbin , Hu Liang , Chen Hanmei , Gao Shoujian , Zhang Xiangcheng , Jin Jian
Published: May 2017

Janus membranes were fabricated by diffusion-controlled chemical precipitation of needle-like HAP nanocrystals and successfully applied for spontaneous separation of red cells from blood.
Two-photon fluorescent probe for detecting cell membranal liquid-ordered phase by an aggregate fluorescence method
Authors: Liu Yong , Meng Fangfang , Nie Jing , Niu Jie , Yu Xiaoqiang , Lin Weiying
Published: May 2017

In this study, we have engineered a novel two-photon fluorescent probe,TP-HVC18, which was suitable for imaging cell membranal Lo phase by an aggregate fluorescence method.
Polymorphism and mechanochromism of N-alkylated 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives containing different electron-withdrawing end groups
Authors: Lei Yunxiang , Zhou Yibin , Qian Lebin , Wang Yuxiang , Liu Miaochang , Huang Xiaobo , Wu Ge , Wu Huayue , Ding Jinchang , Cheng Yixiang
Published: May 2017

A series ofN-alkylated 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives were reported to exhibit polymorphic and mechanochromic properties.
High-efficiency quantum dot light-emitting diodes employing lithium salt doped poly(9-vinlycarbazole) as a hole-transporting layer
Authors: Shi Ying-Li , Liang Feng , Hu Yun , Wang Xue-Dong , Wang Zhao-Kui , Liao Liang-Sheng
Published: May 2017

The maximum external quantum efficiency of the device is 11.46% using PVK doped Li-TFSI as the hole-transporting layer.
Harnessing low frequency-based energy using a K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN) pigmented piezoelectric paint system
Authors: Purusothaman Yuvasree , Alluri Nagamalleswara Rao , Chandrasekhar Arunkumar , Kim Sang-Jae
Published: May 2017

A highly sensitive lead-free piezoelectric paint system for harvesting low-frequency vibration energy (<10 Hz) was developed.
A computational study of hydrogen detection by borophene
Authors: Novotný Michal , Domínguez-Gutiérrez Francisco Javier , Krstić Predrag
Published: May 2017

We present a quantum-classical molecular dynamics study of hydrogen irradiation of a single corrugated boron sheet in the incident energy range of 0.25–100 eV and report the resulting reflection, adsorption, and transmission probability, as well as quantum conductance in function of hydrogen coverage.
Hierarchical 3D-ordered macro-/mesoporous organosilicas with inverse opal morphology synthesized by a combination of nanocasting and pseudomorphic transformation
Authors: Simon T. , Brieler F. J. , Fröba M.
Published: May 2017

Here, we report the first synthesis of nanoporous organosilica hybrid materials with a hierarchical pore structure based on an inverse opal morphology.
Mucor circinelloides: efficiency of bioremediation response to heavy metal pollution
Authors: Zhang Xu , Yang Huanhuan , Cui Zhaojie
Published: May 2017

Mucor circinelloides, selected from mine tailings for heavy metal bioremediation, was characterized at the genetic level by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) analysis.
RUNX transcription factors at the interface of stem cells and cancer
Authors: Deltcheva Elitza , Nimmo Rachael
Published: May 2017

The RUNX1 transcription factor is a critical regulator of normal haematopoiesis and its functional disruption by point mutations, deletions or translocations is a major causative factor leading to leukaemia. In the majority of cases, genetic changes in RUNX1 are linked to loss of function classifying it broadly as a tumour suppressor. Despite this, several recent studies have reported the need for a certain level of active RUNX1 for the maintenance and propagation of acute myeloid leukaemia and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cells, suggesting an oncosupportive role of RUNX1. Furthermore, in solid cancers, RUNX1 is overexpressed compared with normal tissue, and RUNX factors have recently been discovered to promote growth of skin, oral, breast and ovarian tumour cells, amongst others. RUNX factors have key roles in stem cell fate regulation during homeostasis and regeneration of many tissues. Cancer cells appear to have corrupted these stem cell-associated functions of RUNX factors to promote oncogenesis. Here, we discuss current knowledge on the role of RUNX genes in stem cells and as oncosupportive factors in haematological malignancies and epithelial cancers.
Repurposing proteins for new bioinorganic functions
Authors: Churchfield Lewis A. , George Athira , Tezcan F. Akif
Published: May 2017

Inspired by the remarkable sophistication and complexity of natural metalloproteins, the field of protein design and engineering has traditionally sought to understand and recapitulate the design principles that underlie the interplay between metals and protein scaffolds. Yet, some recent efforts in the field demonstrate that it is possible to create new metalloproteins with structural, functional and physico-chemical properties that transcend evolutionary boundaries. This essay aims to highlight some of these efforts and draw attention to the ever-expanding scope of bioinorganic chemistry and its new connections to synthetic biology, biotechnology, supramolecular chemistry and materials engineering.
Highly reliable automotive integrated protection circuit for human body model ESD of +6 kV, over voltage, and reverse voltage
Authors: Cho S. , Lee D. , Ali I. , Kim S. , Pu Y. , Yoo S. , Lee K.
Published: May 2017

In this Letter, a highly reliable automotive integrated protection circuit for human body model electrostatic discharge (ESD) of + 6 kV with an over voltage of 8.2–16 V and a reverse voltage of −16 to 0 V is presented. In the automotive application, the reliability of the electronic device is important. In order to increase the reliability, a protection circuit is proposed to preserve the chip from over or reverse voltage. In contrast to the conventional comparator‐based protection circuits, only MOSFET and resistors are applied in this Letter. Especially, at the reverse voltage protection mode, the potential zeroing method is applied to block the latch up and break down in the MOSFET. In addition, to protect the chip from static electricity, the ESD is combined with the protection circuit. This circuit is implemented on chip in a 0.18 µm CMOS technology and the area of the fabricated circuit is 680 × 330 µm. The proposed circuit is operated to protect the chip from external voltage between 8.2 and 16 V or between −16 and 0 V.
Speed prediction from mobile sensors using cellular phone‐based traffic data
Authors: Basyoni Yarah , Abbas Hazem M. , Talaat Hoda , El Dimeery Ibrahim
Published: May 2017

The formulation of data‐driven short‐term traffic state prediction models is highly dependent on the characteristics of collected data. Mobile sensors, specifically, on‐board cellular phones (CPs) have proven success in wide scale real‐time traffic data collection, in areas with limited traffic surveillance infrastructure. In this research, four short‐term travel speed prediction models have been examined to cater the CP‐based traffic data environment. Time‐series concepts were adopted for speed prediction by autoregressive integrated moving average model and non‐linear autoregressive exogenous model that is trained by neural networks. Alternatively, Bayesian networks (BNTs) and dynamic BNTs (DBNs) speed prediction models, from the graphical‐based arena, have been investigated. The developed prediction models were tested in MATLAB environment on data from a simulation platform for 26‐of‐July corridor in Greater Cairo, Egypt. Testing results revealed the advantage of graphical‐based models in restricting the propagation of prediction errors from one time step to the next. BNT reported a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 6.31 ± 1.03, whereas the DBN model reported a MAPE of 5.34 ± 1.90.
Reading bits on a CD‐ROM without a photodiode
Authors: Wishon Michael Joseph , Locquet Alexandre , Mourozeau Guillaume , Choi Daeyoung , K.R. Sreejith , Sahai Aakash , Citrin David
Published: May 2017

The authors demonstrate that the bits of a Compact Disc – Read Only Memory (CD‐ROM) can be read without a photodiode (PD). A commercial CD‐ROM drive was used and left unmodified except a beam splitter was removed which would route the light to a PD. This allowed for the reflected light to be incident on the laser within the laser package itself. By monitoring fluctuations in the voltage across the laser diode under constant‐current injection, it was possible to read and interpret the bits from a spinning CD‐ROM.
New improved three‐phase hybrid multilevel inverter with reduced number of components
Authors: Saeidabadi Saeid , Ashraf Gandomi Amin , Hosseini Seyed Hossein , Sabahi Mehran , Ashraf Gandomi Yasser
Published: May 2017

A new three‐phase hybrid multilevel inverter configuration is proposed. The proposed inverter is modular and consists of three single‐phase H‐bridge inverters, one three‐phase H‐bridge inverter and auxiliary modules for increasing the number of output voltage levels. The performance of the proposed inverter has been compared with some of the commonly used inverters within the literature in terms of the number of components, blocking voltage and overall losses. The proposed multilevel inverter has lower number of insulated‐gate bipolar transistors and gate drivers and subsequently requires a relatively simple control strategy for generating the desired output voltage. Finally, the performance of the proposed inverter has been validated via a laboratory‐scale prototype along with numerical simulation.
C–H and N–H Bond Annulation of Benzamides with Isonitriles Catalyzed by Cobalt(III)
Authors: Kalsi Deepti , Barsu Nagaraju , Dahiya Pardeep , Sundararaju Basker
Published: May 2017

A simple efficient, atom-economical procedure was developed for the cobalt-catalyzed C–H bond annulation of benzamides with isonitriles under mild conditions. The reaction tolerates a variety of functional group including heterocycles. Diverse 3-(alkylimino)-2-quinolin-8-yl-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-1-ones were synthesized using isonitriles as the C1 source through C–H and N–H bond annulation via C–H bond activation in a ‘green’ solvent. Vinylamides were also used similarly with tert-butyl isonitrile to give 3-(tert-butylimino)-1-quinolin-8-yl-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-ones.
Krankenhausplanung: Wie geht es dem Krankenhaus im Bundestagswahljahr?
Authors: Gerster Florian
Published: May 2017

Der deutsche Gesundheitsmarkt hat ein Volumen von über 330 Milliarden Euro im Jahr. Der Krankenhaussektor macht davon über ein Viertel aus. Die Zahl der Krankenhäuser in Deutschland liegt knapp unter 2.000; die – entscheidendere – Bettenzahl knapp über 500.000.
Zwei Welten treffen aufeinander
Authors: Mau Jens
Published: May 2017

Elektronische Gesundheitskarte, Interoperabilität, Arzneimitteltherapiesicherheit – diese Themen stecken im Schlamm der Selbstverwaltung. Auch das E-Health-Gesetz hat nicht für den nötigen Schub nach vorne gesorgt. Auf der anderen Seite sorgten zuletzt Meldungen wie diese für Aufsehen: Der neue Sana-Chef Thomas Lemke setzt das Thema Digitalisierung nach ganz oben auf seine Agenda. Die Techniker Krankenkasse entwickelt mit IBM ihre eigene Patientenakte. Ein strauchelnder Grund- und Regelversorger macht mit Udo Purwin einen IT-Leiter zum Klinikgeschäftsführer – quasi als letzte Rettung.
FKT-Messe mit BuFaTa 2017: Wissen für Macher
Authors: Thalmayr Maria
Published: May 2017

„Gute Technik hat ihren Preis. Wir müssen also klug investieren. Die 2. Fachmesse Krankenhaus Technologie mit BuFaTa 2017 ermöglicht einen intensiven Austausch zwischen Klinikmanagement, Krankenhaustechnik und Industrie. Hier können wir gemeinsam die Entwicklung unserer Gesundheitseinrichtungen vorantreiben“, erklärt Josef Düllings.
Energie im Krankenhaus: Digitale Transformation
Authors: Thalmayr Maria
Published: May 2017

Am 1. Juni findet im Eventhotel Pyramide in Vösendorf der 4. Fachkongress „Energie im Krankenhaus“ statt. Ökonomie, Ökologie und Versorgungssicherheit sind die grundlegenden Vorgaben bei dieser Kernaufgabe der Technik. Die anstehende Digitalisierung hängt die Latte dabei in jeder Hinsicht um einiges höher.
Under Pressure: Intraluminal Filling Pressures of Postpartum Hemorrhage Tamponade Balloons
Authors: Antony Kathleen , Racusin Diana , Belfort Michael , Dildy Gary
Published: May 2017

Objective Uterine tamponade by fluid-filled balloons is now an accepted method of controlling postpartum hemorrhage. Available tamponade balloons vary in design and material, which affects the filling attributes and volume at which they rupture. We aimed to characterize the filling capacity and pressure-volume relationship of various tamponade balloons.

Study Design Balloons were filled with water ex vivo. Intraluminal pressure was measured incrementally (every 10 mL for the Foley balloons and every 50 mL for all other balloons). Balloons were filled until they ruptured or until 5,000 mL was reached.

Results The Foley balloons had higher intraluminal pressures than the larger-volume balloons. The intraluminal pressure of the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube (gastric balloon) was initially high, but it decreased until shortly before rupture occurred. The Bakri intraluminal pressure steadily increased until rupture occurred at 2,850 mL. The condom catheter, BT-Cath, and ebb all had low intraluminal pressures. Both the BT-Cath and the ebb remained unruptured at 5,000 mL.

Conclusion In the setting of acute hemorrhage, expeditious management is critical. Balloons that have a low intraluminal pressure-volume ratio may fill more rapidly, more easily, and to greater volumes. We found that the BT-Cath, the ebb, and the condom catheter all had low intraluminal pressures throughout filling.
Medial Femoral Condyle Flap Reconstruction of a Maxillary Defect with a 3D Printing Template
Authors: Taylor Erin , Wu Winona , Kamali Parisa , Ferraro Nalton , Upton Joseph , Lin Samuel , Iorio Matthew
Published: May 2017

Background The medial femoral condyle (MFC) flap is a well-vascularized corticocancellous flap based off the descending genicular artery that can be used to reconstruct difficult bony nonunions. Although frequently used in reconstruction of extremity defects, the MFC flap is rarely used in maxillofacial reconstruction.

Methods We present a case example of an MFC vascularized corticocancellous free flap for reconstruction of an ameloblastoma maxillary defect. Additionally, we describe our use of a three-dimensional (3D) template to create an intraoperative osteotomy model for contouring the MFC flap.

Results Preoperative 3D printing of the maxillary defect and design of a methylmethacrylate template enabled the precise and rapid contouring of a well-vascularized bone flap. Postoperative 3D CT scan demonstrated satisfactory positioning of the MFC flap within the maxilla.

Conclusion The 3D printing technology continues to advance craniofacial reconstruction and allows for the efficient and precise creation of vascularized bone flaps. The MFC vascularized flap has the potential of becoming a workhorse flap in maxillary defect reconstruction alongside the use of 3D printing technology.