Systematics of the Southeast Asian mongooses (Herpestidae,Carnivora): solving the mystery of the elusive collared mongoose and Palawan mongoose

Although recent molecular studies have clarified the phylogeny of mongooses, the systematics of the Southeast Asian species was incomplete as the collared mongoose Urva semitorquata and some debatable taxa (Hose's mongoose, Palawan mongoose) were missing in the analyses. We sequenced three mitochondrial (cytochrome b, ND2, control region) and one nuclear (beta‐fibrinogen intron 7) fragments of the Southeast Asian mongooses to clarify the systematic position of the different species and populations occurring in this region. Our results showed that the collared mongoose is closely related to the crab‐eating mongoose Urva urva, these two species forming a sister‐group to the short‐tailed mongoose Urva brachyura. Despite Sumatran collared mongooses having a peculiar orange phenotype, we showed that they exhibited very little genetic divergence to individuals from Borneo. In contrast, the populations of the short‐tailed mongoose from Borneo were strongly divergent to those from Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, and these might represent separate species. Within the crab‐eating mongoose, we observed little geographical genetic structure. Our study suggests that Hose's mongoose is not a valid species. The Palawan mongooses did not cluster with the other populations of the short‐tailed mongoose; they were closer to the collared mongoose and should be included in this species. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London     

Si‐Encapsulating Hollow Carbon Electrodes via Electroless Etching for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Remarkable improvements in the electrochemical performance of Si materials for Li‐ion batteries have been recently achieved, but the inherent volume change of Si still induces electrode expansion and external cell deformation. Here, the void structure in Si‐encapsulating hollow carbons is optimized in order to minimize the volume expansion of Si‐based anodes and improve electrochemical performance. When compared to chemical etching, the hollow structure is achieved via electroless etching is more advanced due to the improved electrical contact between carbon and Si. Despite the very thick electrodes (30 ～ 40 μm), this results in better cycle and rate performances including little capacity fading over 50 cycles and 1100 mA h g^?1 at 2C rate. Also, an in situ dilatometer technique is used to perform a comprehensive study of electrode thickness change, and Si‐encapsulating hollow carbon mitigates the volume change of electrodes by adoption of void space, resulting in a small volume increase of 18% after full lithiation corresponding with a reversible capacity of about 2000 mA h g^?1.     

Efficient,Cyanine Dye Based Bilayer Solar Cells

Simple bilayer solar cells, using commercially available cationic cyanine dyes as donors and evaporated C₆₀ layer as an acceptor are prepared. Cyanine dyes with absorption maxima of 578, 615 and 697 nm having either perchlorate or hexafluorophosphate counter‐ions are evaluated. The perchlorate dye leads to cells with S‐shape current‐voltage curves; only the dyes with the hexafluorophosphate counter‐ions lead to efficient solar cells. When the wide bandgap dyes are employed, S‐shape current‐voltage curves are obtained when the conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS is used as hole transport layer. Substitution of PEDOT:PSS with MoO₃ leads to cells with more rectangular current–voltage curves and high fill factors. Additionally, the cells using the MoO₃ layer for hole extraction lead to high open circuit voltages of 0.9 V. In the case that a low bandgap hexafluorophosphate dye is used with the HOMO above that of the PEDOT:PSS the cell performance is independent on the type of hole transport layer employed. Using this approach, bilayer solar cells are obtained with power efficiencies ranging from 1.8 to 2.9% depending on the particular dye employed. These are impressive numbers for bilayer solar cell that are partially solution processed in ambient conditions.     

Loss Mechanisms in Thick‐Film Low‐Bandgap Polymer Solar Cells

Polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells based on low bandgap polymer:fullerene blends are promising for next generation low‐cost photovoltaics. While these solution‐processed solar cells are compatible with large‐scale roll‐to‐roll processing, active layers used for typical laboratory‐scale devices are too thin to ensure high manufacturing yields. Furthermore, due to the limited light absorption and optical interference within the thin active layer, the external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells are severely limited. In order to produce polymer solar cells with high yields, efficient solar cells with a thick active layer must be demonstrated. In this work, the performance of thick‐film solar cells employing the low‐bandgap polymer poly(dithienogermole‐thienopyrrolodione) (PDTG‐TPD) was demonstrated. Power conversion efficiencies over 8.0% were obtained for devices with an active layer thickness of 200 nm, illustrating the potential of this polymer for large‐scale manufacturing. Although an average EQE > 65% was obtained for devices with active layer thicknesses > 200 nm, the cell performance could not be maintained due to a reduction in fill factor. By comparing our results for PDTG‐TPD solar cells with similar P3HT‐based devices, we investigated the loss mechanisms associated with the limited device performance observed for thick‐film low‐bandgap polymer solar cells.     

Proteomic analysis reveals tanshinone IIA enhances apoptosis of advanced cervix carcinoma CaSki cells through mitochondria intrinsic and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways

Cervix cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide, whereas paclitaxel, the first line chemotherapeutic drug used to treat cervical cancer, shows low chemosensitivity on the advanced cervical cancer cell line. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) exhibited strong growth inhibitory effect on CaSki cells (IC₅₀ = 5.51 μM) through promoting caspase cascades with concomitant upregulating the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK signaling. Comprehensive proteomics revealed the global protein changes and the network analysis implied that Tan IIA treatment would activate ER stress pathways that finally lead to apoptotic cell death. Moreover, ER stress inhibitor could alleviate Tan IIA caused cell growth inhibition and ameliorate C/EBP‐homologous protein as well as apoptosis signal‐regulating kinase 1 mediated cell death. The therapeutic interventions targeting the mitochondrial‐related apoptosis and ER stress responses might be promising strategies to conquer paclitaxel resistance.     

Confidence interval of intrinsic optimum temperature estimated using thermodynamic SSI model

The intrinsic optimum temperature for the development of ectotherms is one of the most important factors not only for their physiological processes but also for ecological and evolutional processes. The Sharpe–Schoolfield–Ikemoto (SSI) model succeeded in defining the temperature that can thermodynamically meet the condition that at a particular temperature the probability of an active enzyme reaching its maximum activity is realized. Previously, an algorithm was developed by Ikemoto (Tropical malaria does not mean hot environments. Journal of Medical Entomology, 45, 963–969) to estimate model parameters, but that program was computationally very time consuming. Now, investigators can use the SSI model more easily because a full automatic computer program was designed by Shi et al. (A modified program for estimating the parameters of the SSI model. Environmental Entomology, 40, 462–469). However, the statistical significance of the point estimate of the intrinsic optimum temperature for each ectotherm has not yet been determined. Here, we provided a new method for calculating the confidence interval of the estimated intrinsic optimum temperature by modifying the approximate bootstrap confidence intervals method. For this purpose, it was necessary to develop a new program for a faster estimation of the parameters in the SSI model, which we have also done.