bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bioethics of New Assisted Reproduction
Authors: Purdy Laura 
Published: January 2015

AbstractInfertility is widespread, and, given socialisation about the value of genetically related children, causes much suffering. Assisted reproduction (AR) can enable the infertile to reproduce. As a mostly private sector enterprise, it is delivered primarily as innovative therapy rather than the product of rigorously vetted research, putting women and children at risk of both some immediate harms and unknown long‐term ones. This state of affairs also means that it is difficult for treatment to proceed with genuinely meaningful informed consent. There is also much ethical controversy about the ever‐widening potential scope of AR, among which can be found IVF, ICSI, PGD, PGS, frozen sperm, embryos and eggs, assisted hatching, surrogacy, genetic screening and testing, mtDNA donation and artificial gametes. Regulation of the procedures ranges from minimal or non‐existent to quite stringent; however, the latter does not necessarily focus on harm prevention.Key ConceptsHuman societies socialise their members to seek genetically related children, even at great cost.Infertility is widespread and causes much suffering.Much infertility could be prevented, but AR focuses on helping infertile individuals reproduce after it has developed.AR has, for the most part, developed as innovative treatment rather than as the product of rigorous research programmes, putting women and their children at risk of both immediate harm and unknown long‐term risks.The context within which AR proceeds also makes truly informed decision‐making and informed consent difficult.There is a much ethical controversy about AR.AR needs more stringent regulation to protect women and children from harm.
Genetics and Judaism
Authors: Leavitt Frank J 
Published: January 2015

Abstract

Jewish law (Halacha) rarely gives definitive answers and it is not the only source of Jewish thought. A Jewish philosophical–theological attitude may be more useful than Halacha when approaching new questions, such as problems in the ethics of genetics, which were not foreseen by the ancient Rabbis. Jewish mysticism (Kabala) is no less essential. An approach based on these three sources – Halacha, philosophical–theological thought and Kabala – in the context of specific debates, such as those over genetically modified organisms (GMOs), gene therapy, synthetic biology and genetic screening, can be valuable both in themselves and as illustrations of applications of a method. Maimonides' medical writings, although not ‘religious’ in the usual sense, are consistent with his more religious writings. So they are also relevant to a Jewish approach to genetics.

Key Concepts

Judaism includes Jewish law (Halacha), Jewish mysticism (Kabala) and a theologico‐philosophical tradition.

Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides), rabbi, philosopher and physician, is central to Halacha and to the Jewish theologico‐philosophical tradition.

Judaism is open to different and competing interpretations on the part of people who are hopefully learned in the sources.

Judaism is open to technology and may make use of it in Halachic decision making. But limits must be placed on the use of technology to interfere with basic processes of nature.

Even when biotechnology promises a high likelihood of saving human health or life, there may be limits to the extent to which we may violate human dignity.

Kabala presents a basis for serious questions about the mixing of species.

Maimonides' opinion that nature was not created for our benefit should be considered with respect to extreme interference with the basic structure of nature.

Halachic recommendations to go to extremes to avoid harming others preceded the Precautionary Principle and raise questions about experimentation in synthetic biology when safety has not yet been proven and when benefits to human health are still theoretical.
Chicken as a Developmental Model
Authors: Mok Gi F , Alrefaei Abdulmajeed F , McColl James , Grocott Tim , Münsterberg Andrea 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe development of a complex organism from a single cell, the fertilised egg, has fascinated people for centuries. Embryo development is highly reproducible and exquisitely regulated. How is it that all tissues and organs form in the right places and at the right time? How is the development of different organ systems coordinated, so that they all fit together correctly at the end? It is challenging to study development, because many embryos are small or inaccessible. The chick embryo is a popular model system with many experimental advantages, which include classic ‘cut and paste’ experiments and mechanistic gene function analyses. The combination of micromanipulations with gain‐ or loss‐of‐function is particularly powerful. The recent development of transgenic lines and advanced imaging techniques ensure that the chicken remains an attractive model system, which will continue to make major contributions to our understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling developmental processes.Key ConceptsThe chick embryo is easy to access and observe and is therefore an attractive model to study developmental processes.In the early stages, chick embryo morphology is very similar to human, both are amniotes and their development is very similar.The chicken and human genomes share considerable homology.Classic embryological manipulations, such as tissue ablations and tissue grafts, provide information about the contribution of particular cell populations to various organs. These experiments have also told us how cells and tissues influence each other in their developmental decisions.The molecular and cellular basis for many developmental processes and phenomena were first described in the chick, including limb patterning, neural crest migration, dorso‐ventral neural tube patterning, blood vessel formation, somite segmentation and left–right asymmetry.Experiments in chicken, which examine the function of genes, have helped elucidate the underlying mechanisms of human genetic diseases and provide a basis for testing novel therapies.Time‐lapse video microscopy can be used to image live chick embryos, eitherin ovoorex ovousing embryo culture.We can use chick embryos to visualise complex processes, including cell migration, cell–cell communication, cell differentiation and tissue morphogenesis, in an amniote system.
Brachypodium: A Model Temperate Grass
Authors: Mur Luis AJ , Corke Fiona MK , Doonan John H 
Published: January 2015

Abstract

Brachypodium distachyon
– Purple False Brome – is a model grass species that is being exploited to provide new information on cereals and biofuel crops.
B. distachyon
is a small, erect, annual, self‐fertile grass with undemanding growth requirements and a rapid life cycle.
B. distachyon
has a small genome (∼
350 Mbp
) and the genomes of several accessions have been sequenced. It has no economic value but comparative genomic approaches have used the smaller
B. distachyon
genome to identify key cereal genes, which have been difficult to pin down in larger genomes.
B. distachyon
is readily transformable using
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
; mutated populations have been developed and genome editing has been demonstrated so that it will be possible to assess the function of any gene. As genome sequencing and assembly becomes ever easier, more scientists will work directly on crops rather than models but
B. distachyon
is likely to remain useful for functional genomics approaches because of its small size and rapid life cycle.

Key Concepts

Brachypodium distachyon
is a model for grass and temperate grass species.

B. distachyon
has one of the smallest genomes in the Gramineae and it has been sequenced and annotated.

The genome sequence has been used in comparative genomic approaches to help map key trait in larger genome cereal crops.

Several
genetic
resources have been developed to aid elucidating gene function including mutagenised populations.

B. distachyon
has been used to give insights into cell wall construction, seed development and responses to environmental stress.
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
Authors: Zetterberg Henrik 
Published: January 2015

Abstract

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease in individuals with a history of multiple concussions or other forms of repetitive brain injury. A definite diagnosis can only be made post‐mortem and it is unclear why some individuals appear more susceptible to progressive neurological symptoms following repetitive brain injury than others. CTE has become a major concern in individuals exposed to increased risk of concussion, for example, sports athletes and some military personnel, but its prevalence in such risk groups is unknown. The condition shares some molecular pathologies with other neurodegenerative disorders and it appears that repetitive concussion can initiate a degenerative process involving protein misfolding that may propagate over the brain many years after the trauma. Clinical manifestations of CTE include a wide range of neurological and psychiatric symptoms. These should be treated but presently there is no disease‐modifying therapy against CTE. In contrast to most other neurodegenerative diseases, the condition is preventable.

Key Concepts

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) may develop secondary to repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries.

A definite diagnosis of CTE can only be made post‐mortem.

CTE can be prevented but not cured – prevention and symptomatic treatment are important.

Brain changes in CTE should be possible to detect and monitor using biomarkers.

It is important to study risk factors for CTE – why do some individuals appear to be more susceptible to chronic and sometimes progressive symptoms following traumatic brain injury than others?
Recent Advances in Solution‐Processable Dendrimers for Highly Efficient Phosphorescent Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes (PHOLEDs)
Authors: Xu Xianbin , Yang Xiaolong , Zhao Jiang , Zhou Guijiang , Wong Wai‐Yeung 
Published: January 2015

AbstractPhosphorescent dendrimers together with dendritic host materials have inherent advantages in achieving highly efficient phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (PHOLEDs) with low‐cost, solution‐processed device fabrication. Recently, much research effort has been devoted to developing these dendritic materials in the field of electroluminescence (EL). In this Focus Review, the major advances in this line of research are summarized and discussed. The crucial roles played by these dendritic organic electronic materials in coping with the key issues in the field of PHOLEDs have been specially emphasized. These include alleviating the triplet‐triplet annihilation effect through the site‐isolation effect associated with the dendritic structures, promoting charge‐carrier injection/transporting ability and ambipolar properties through functionalized dendrons, fulfilling simple PHOLEDs with high EL efficiencies, obtaining self‐hosting phosphorescent emitters, and avoiding undesired energy transfer process from phosphorescent cores to the dendrons. In addition, the future perspectives and ongoing challenges of this research frontier are also highlighted.
Reversible Reconfiguration of DNA Origami Nanochambers Monitored by Single‐Molecule FRET
Authors: Saccà Barbara , Ishitsuka Yuji , Meyer Rebecca , Sprengel Andreas , Schöneweiß Elisa‐Charlott , Nienhaus G. Ulrich , Niemeyer Christof M. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractToday, DNA nanotechnology is one of the methods of choice to achieve spatiotemporal control of matter at the nanoscale. By combining the peculiar spatial addressability of DNA origami structures with the switchable mechanical movement of small DNA motifs, we constructed reconfigurable DNA nanochambers as dynamic compartmentalization systems. The reversible extension and contraction of the inner cavity of the structures was used to control the distance‐dependent energy transfer between two preloaded fluorophores. Interestingly, single‐molecule FRET studies revealed that the kinetics of the process are strongly affected by the choice of the switchable motifs and/or actuator sequences, thus offering a valid method for fine‐tuning the dynamic properties of large DNA nanostructures. We envisage that the proposed DNA nanochambers may function as model structures for artificial biomimetic compartments and transport systems.
Structure and Mechanism of an Aspartimide‐Dependent Peptide Ligase in Human Legumain
Authors: Dall Elfriede , Fegg Julia C. , Briza Peter , Brandstetter Hans 
Published: January 2015

AbstractPeptide ligases expand the repertoire of genetically encoded protein architectures by synthesizing new peptide bonds, energetically driven by ATP or NTPs. Here, we report the discovery of a genuine ligase activity in human legumain (AEP) which has important roles in immunity and tumor progression that were believed to be due to its established cysteine protease activity. Defying dogma, the ligase reaction is independent of the catalytic cysteine but exploits an endogenous energy reservoir that results from the conversion of a conserved aspartate to a metastable aspartimide. Legumain’s dual protease–ligase activities are pH‐ and thus localization controlled, dominating at acidic and neutral pH, respectively. Their relevance includes reversible on–off switching of cystatin inhibitors and enzyme (in)activation, and may affect the generation of three‐dimensional MHC epitopes. The aspartate–aspartimide (succinimide) pair represents a new paradigm of coupling endergonic reactions in ATP‐scarce environments.
[Ag21{S2P(OiPr)2}12]+: An Eight‐Electron Superatom
Authors: Dhayal Rajendra S. , Liao Jian‐Hong , Liu Yu‐Chiao , Chiang Ming‐His , Kahlal Samia , Saillard Jean‐Yves , Liu C. W. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractA novel discrete [Ag21{S2P(OiPr)2}12](PF6) nanocluster has been synthesized and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and also NMR spectroscopy (1H, 31P), ESI mass spectrometry, and other analytic techniques (XPS, EDS, UV/Vis spectroscopy). The Ag21 skeleton has an unprecedented silver‐centered icosahedron that is capped by eight additional metal atoms. The whole framework is protected by twelve dithiophosphate ligands. According to the spherical Jellium model, the stability of monocationic nanocluster can be described by an 8‐electron superatom with 1S2 1P6 configuration, as confirmed by DFT calculations.
Highly Fluorescent and Water‐Soluble Diketopyrrolopyrrole Dyes for Bioconjugation
Authors: Heyer Elodie , Lory Pauline , Leprince Jérôme , Moreau Mathieu , Romieu Anthony , Guardigli Massimo , Roda Aldo , Ziessel Raymond 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe preparation of highly water‐soluble and strongly fluorescent diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) dyes using an unusual taurine‐like sulfonated linker has been achieved. Exchanging a phenyl for a thienyl substituent shifts the emission wavelength to near λ=600 nm. The free carboxylic acid group present in these new derivatives was readily activated and the dyes were subsequently covalently linked to a model protein (bovine serum albumin; BSA). The bioconjugates were characterized by electronic absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry, thus enabling precise determination of the labeling density (ratio DPP/BSA about 3 to 8). Outstanding values of fluorescence quantum yield (30 % to 59 %) for these bioconjugates are obtained. The photostability of these DPP dyes is considerably greater than that of fluorescein under the same irradiation conditions. Remarkably low detection limits between 80 and 300 molecules/μm2 were found for the BSA bioconjugates by fluorescence imaging with a epifluorescence microscope.
Preparation of Nanocrystalline Silicon from SiCl4 at 200 °C in Molten Salt for High‐Performance Anodes for Lithium Ion Batteries
Authors: Lin Ning , Han Ying , Wang Liangbiao , Zhou Jianbin , Zhou Jie , Zhu Yongchun , Qian Yitai 
Published: January 2015

AbstractCrystalline Si nanoparticles are prepared by reduction of SiCl4 with metallic magnesium in the molten salt of AlCl3 at 200 °C in an autoclave. AlCl3 not only acts as molten salt, but also participates in the reaction. The related experiments confirm that metallic Mg reduces AlCl3 to create nascent Al which could immediately reduce SiCl4 to Si, and the by‐product MgCl2 would combine with AlCl3 forming complex of MgAl2Cl8. As anode for rechargeable lithium ion batteries, the as‐prepared Si delivers the reversible capacity of 3083 mAh g−1 at 1.2 A g−1 after 50 cycles, and 1180 mAh g−1 at 3 A g−1 over 500 cycles.
A Facile Synthetic Route to a New SHG Material with Two Types of Parallel π‐Conjugated Planar Triangular Units
Authors: Song Jun‐Ling , Hu Chun‐Li , Xu Xiang , Kong Fang , Mao Jiang‐Gao 
Published: January 2015

AbstractA new SHG material, namely, Pb2(BO3)(NO3), which contains parallel π‐conjugated nitrate and borate anions, was obtained through a facile hydrothermal reaction by using Pb(NO3)2 and Mg(BO2)2⋅H2O as starting materials. Its structure contains honeycomb [Pb2(BO3)]∞ layers with noncoordination [NO3]− anions located at the interlayer space. Pb2(BO3)(NO3) shows a remarkable strong SHG response of approximately 9.0 times that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) and the material is also phase‐matchable. The large SHG coefficient of Pb2(BO3)(NO3) arises from the synergistic effect of the stereoactive lone pairs on Pb2+ cations and parallel alignment of π‐conjugated BO3 and NO3 units. Based on its unique properties, Pb2(BO3)(NO3) may have great potential as a high performance NLO material in photonic applications.
Nano‐SiO2/PMMA‐PU composite particles with core‐shell structure via emulsion polymerization and their application in epoxy resin
Authors: Huang Zeng Fang , Qu Xiao Yue , Chen Zheng 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACTA novel method of nano‐SiO2/poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA)‐polyurethane(PU) composite particles modifying epoxy resin is reported. The composite particles with the obvious core‐shell structure were prepared by emulsion polymerization of PMMA and PU prepolymer on the surface of nano‐SiO2. The diameter of the composite particles was 50–100 nm with dark core SiO2 (30–60 nm) and light shell polymer of PMMA and PU (20–30 nm); moreover, PU was well distributed in PMMA with about 10 nm diameter. After nano‐SiO2 was encapsulated by PMMA and PU, the Si content on the surface decreased rapidly to 2.08% and the N content introduced by PU was about 1.27%. The ratio of polymer to original nano‐SiO2 (fp), the grafting ratio of polymer to original nano‐SiO2 (fr) and the efficiency grafting ratio of polymer (fe) were, respectively, about 116.7%, 104.4%, and 89.5%. The as‐prepared composite particles were an effective toughness agent to modify epoxy resin, and the impact strength of the modified epoxy resin increased to 46.64 kJ m−2 from 19.12 kJ m−2 of the neat epoxy resin. This research may enrich the field of inorganic nanoparticles with important advances toward the modification for polymer composite materials. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41919.
Transformation of self‐assembled structures from spherical aggregates in solution to a network structure on a two‐dimensional surface
Authors: Wu Xu , Lin Jing , Yu Danfeng , Wang Jinben , Yang Hui , Su Yuzhi , Ma Aiqing , Sun Keji , Chen Yibo 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACTSelf‐assembled films of brush‐like amphiphilic copolymers with varying hydrophobic contents (fc12, 10–90 mol %) were prepared on glass slides. In addition, the surface tension and contact angles of solutions of these copolymers were also investigated. By combining the data obtained investigating the morphologies of the films, with the micropolarities, dimensions, and morphologies of the copolymer aggregates in solution phase, it was attempted to illustrate how the self‐assembled structures would adapt to a change in their surrounding environment from a three‐dimensional space in the solution phase into a two‐dimensional solid surface. The copolymer chains underwent inter‐ and intramolecular hydrophobic association simultaneously in the solution phase. When fc12 was increased, the stronger hydrophobicity led the side‐chains that were attached to the same backbone to become packed together, and this intramolecular association caused the copolymers to form smaller and more compact spherical aggregates. The solutions of these smaller and more compact spherical aggregates exhibited a lower surface tension and better wetting behavior on glass surfaces. In addition, these solutions ultimately formed thinner and more orderly network‐based porous films on glass surfaces. The observations described in this report revealed that the copolymer assemblies exhibited a morphological transformation from spherical aggregates in solution to a network structure when the copolymer became confined to a solid surface. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41945.
Years of life lived with disease and years of potential life lost in children who die of cancer in the United States, 2009
Authors: de Blank Peter M. , Ostrom Quinn T. , Rouse Chaturia , Wolinsky Yingli , Kruchko Carol , Salcido Joanne , Barnholtz‐Sloan Jill S. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractIncidence and survival rates are commonly reported statistics, but these may fail to capture the full impact of childhood cancers. We describe the years of potential life lost (YPLL) and years of life lived with disease (YLLD) in children and adolescents who died of cancer in the United States to estimate the impact of childhood cancer in the United States in 2009. We examined mortality data in 2009 among children and adolescents <20 years old in both the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) datasets. YPLL and YLLD were calculated for all deaths due to cancer. Histology‐specific YPLL and YLLD of central nervous system (CNS) tumors, leukemia, and lymphoma were estimated using SEER. There were 2233 deaths and 153,390.4 YPLL due to neoplasm in 2009. CNS tumors were the largest cause of YPLL (31%) among deaths due to cancer and were the cause of 1.4% of YPLL due to all causes. For specific histologies, the greatest mean YPLL per death was due to atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (78.0 years lost). The histology with the highest mean YLLD per death in children and adolescents who died of cancer was primitive neuroectodermal tumor (4.6 years lived). CNS tumors are the most common solid malignancy in individuals <20 years old and have the highest YPLL cost of all cancers. This offers the first histology‐specific description of YPLL in children and adolescents and proposes a new measure of cancer impact, YLLD, in individuals who die of their disease. YPLL and YLLD complement traditional indicators of mortality and help place CNS tumors in the context of other childhood malignancies.
Cu‐Decorated Ru Catalysts Supported on Layered Double Hydroxides for Selective Benzene Hydrogenation to Cyclohexene
Authors: Liu Jie , Xu Simin , Bing Weihan , Wang Fei , Li Changming , Wei Min , Evans David G. , Duan Xue 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene is of high value for the chemical industry owing to its inexpensive feedstock, atom economy, and operational simplicity. A tunable catalytic behavior towards the selective hydrogenation of benzene was obtained over Cu‐decorated Ru catalysts supported on a layered double hydroxide (denoted as RuxCuy/MgAl‐LDH), reaching a maximum cyclohexene yield of 44.0 % over Ru1.0Cu0.5/MgAl‐LDH at 150 °C and 5.0 MPa without employment of any additives. CO‐TPD (TPD=temperature‐programmed desorption) and in situ CO‐FTIR techniques demonstrated that Cu atoms preferentially deposit on the surface of low‐coordinated Ru atoms in RuxCuy/MgAl‐LDH catalysts, resulting in a low adsorption energy of cyclohexene on the modified sites as revealed by DFT calculations. This work not only gives an understanding of the correlation between the surface exposure of Ru active sites and the resulting selectivity, but also provides a green and additive‐free catalytic process for the selective hydrogenation of benzene.