Ivan Lupić i Bojana Schubert: Prvi hrvatski Shakespeare, Pučko otvoreno učilište »Dragutin Novak«, Ludbreg, 2016., 111 str.

The work was supported by EPSRC (EP/E061303/1 and EP/L017008/1). ADF acknowledges support from EPSRC (EP/I004602/1).The electrochemical deposition of Au onto Au substrates modified by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) was studied by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Patterned SAMs exhibiting electrochemical contrast were prepared by two different methods. One used microcontact printing (μCP) to generate a binary SAM of ω-(4'-methyl-biphenyl-4-yl)-propane thiol (CH3-C6H4-C6H4-(CH2)3-SH, MBP3) and octadecane thiol (CH3(CH2)17SH, ODT). Templated by the SAM, a gold microelectrode structure was electrodeposited featuring a line 15 μm wide and 3 mm long. After transfer to an epoxy substrate the structure proved to be electrically conductive across the full length. The other patterning method applied electron beam lithography (EBL) where electrochemical contrast was achieved by crosslinking molecules in a single component SAM of MBP3. An electron dose above 250 mC/cm2 results in a high deposition contrast. The choice of parameters for the deposition/lift-off process is found to be more critical for Au compared to Cu studied previously. The origin of the differences and implications for nanoscale patterning are discussed.PostprintPeer reviewe

The clinical predictive value of geriatric nutritional risk index in elderly rectal cancer patients received surgical treatment after neoadjuvant therapy

ObjectiveThe assessment of nutritional status has been recognized as crucial in the treatment of geriatric cancer patients. The objective of this study is to determine the clinical predictive value of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) in predicting the short-term and long-term prognosis of elderly rectal cancer (RC) patients who undergo surgical treatment after neoadjuvant therapy.MethodsBetween January 2014 and December 2020, the clinical materials of 639 RC patients aged ≥70 years who underwent surgical treatment after neoadjuvant therapy were retrospectively analysed. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for baseline potential confounders. Logistic regression analysis and competing risk analysis were conducted to evaluate the correlation between the GNRI and the risk of postoperative major complications and cumulative incidence of cancer-specific survival (CSS). Nomograms were then constructed for postoperative major complications and CSS. Additionally, 203 elderly RC patients were enrolled between January 2021 and December 2022 as an external validation cohort.ResultsMultivariate logistic regression analysis showed that GNRI [odds ratio = 1.903, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.120–3.233, p = 0.017] was an independent risk factor for postoperative major complications. In competing risk analysis, the GNRI was also identified as an independent prognostic factor for CSS (subdistribution hazard ratio = 3.90, 95% CI: 2.46–6.19, p < 0.001). The postoperative major complication nomogram showed excellent performance internally and externally in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration plots and decision curve analysis (DCA). When compared with other models, the competing risk prognosis nomogram incorporating the GNRI achieved the highest outcomes in terms of the C-index, AUC, calibration plots, and DCA.ConclusionThe GNRI is a simple and effective tool for predicting the risk of postoperative major complications and the long-term prognosis of elderly RC patients who undergo surgical treatment after neoadjuvant therapy

An animal model of SARS produced by infection of Macaca mulatta with SARS coronavirus.

A new SARS animal model was established by inoculating SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) into rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) through the nasal cavity. Pathological pulmonary changes were successively detected on days 5-60 after virus inoculation. All eight animals showed a transient fever 2-3 days after inoculation. Immunological, molecular biological, and pathological studies support the establishment of this SARS animal model. Firstly, SARS-CoV-specific IgGs were detected in the sera of macaques from 11 to 60 days after inoculation. Secondly, SARS-CoV RNA could be detected in pharyngeal swab samples using nested RT-PCR in all infected animals from 5 days after virus inoculation. Finally, histopathological changes of interstitial pneumonia were found in the lungs during the 60 days after viral inoculation: these changes were less marked at later time points, indicating that an active healing process together with resolution of an acute inflammatory response was taking place in these animals. This animal model should provide insight into the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-related pulmonary disease and greatly facilitate the development of vaccines and therapeutics against SARS

Coordination controlled electrodeposition and patterning of layers of palladium/copper nanoparticles on top of a self-assembled monolayer

Support by EPSRC (EP/E061303/1, EP/D048761/1) and the Chinese Scholarship Council and the University of St Andrews for a stipend (Z. Y.) are gratefully acknowledged.A scheme for the generation of bimetallic nanoparticles is presented which combines electrodeposition of one type of metal, coordinated to a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), with another metal deposited from the bulk electrolyte. In this way PdCu nanoparticles are generated by initial complexation of Pd2+ to a SAM of 3-(4-(pyridine-4-yl)phenyl)propane-1-thiol (PyP3) on Au/mica and subsequent reduction in an acidic aqueous CuSO4 electrolyte. Cyclic voltammetry reveals that the onset of Cu deposition is triggered by Pd reduction. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) shows that layers of connected particles are formed with an average thickness of less than 3 nm and lateral dimensions of particles in the range of 2 to 5 nm. In X-ray photoelectron spectra a range of binding energies for the Pd 3d signal is observed whereas the Cu 2p signal appears at a single binding energy, even though chemically different Cu species are present: normal and more noble Cu. Up to three components are seen in the N 1s signal, one originating from protonated pyridine moieties, the others reflecting the SAM-metal interaction. It is suggested that the coordination controlled electrodeposition yields layers of particles composed of a Pd core and a Cu shell with a transition region of a PdCu alloy. Deposited on top of the PyP3 SAM, the PdCu particles exhibit weak adhesion which is exploited for patterning by selective removal of particles employing scanning probe techniques. The potential for patterning down to the sub-10 nm scale is demonstrated. Harnessing the deposition contrast between native and PdCu loaded PyP3 SAMs, structures thus created can be developed into patterned continuous layers.PostprintPeer reviewe

Simple direct formation of self-assembled N-heterocyclic carbene monolayers on gold and their application in biosensing

CRL acknowledges the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UK) for the funding of his PhD studentship (EP/M506631).The formation of organic films on gold employing N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) has been previously shown to be a useful strategy for generating stable organic films. However, NHCs or NHC precursors typically require inert atmosphere and harsh conditions for their generation and use. Herein we describe the use of benzimidazolium hydrogen carbonates as bench stable solid precursors for the preparation of NHC films in solution or by vapour-phase deposition from the solid state. The ability to prepare these films by vapour-phase deposition permitted the analysis of the films by a variety of surface science techniques, resulting in the first measurement of NHC desorption energy (158±10 kJ mol−1) and confirmation that the NHC sits upright on the surface. The use of these films in surface plasmon resonance-type biosensing is described, where they provide specific advantages versus traditional thiol-based films.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The oyster genome reveals stress adaptation and complexity of shell formation

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas belongs to one of the most species-rich but genomically poorly explored phyla, the Mollusca. Here we report the sequencing and assembly of the oyster genome using short reads and a fosmid-pooling strategy, along with transcriptomes of development and stress response and the proteome of the shell. The oyster genome is highly polymorphic and rich in repetitive sequences, with some transposable elements still actively shaping variation. Transcriptome studies reveal an extensive set of genes responding to environmental stress. The expansion of genes coding for heat shock protein 70 and inhibitors of apoptosis is probably central to the oyster's adaptation to sessile life in the highly stressful intertidal zone. Our analyses also show that shell formation in molluscs is more complex than currently understood and involves extensive participation of cells and their exosomes. The oyster genome sequence fills a void in our understanding of the Lophotrochozoa. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

Generation of micro/nano metallic nanostructures using self-assembled monolayers as template and electrochemistry

This thesis studies a scheme to fabricate small-scaled metal structures by electrochemical metal deposition and lift off. The key point is the use of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to control both interfacial charge transfer in electrodeposition and adhesion of the deposit to the substrate. Patterned SAMs exhibiting blocking and non-blocking areas are applied as templates in electrochemical deposition of Cu or Au. Thiol SAMs on Au substrates are used, namely alkane thiols and thiols combining an aliphatic chain with a biphenyl or biphenyl analogous pyridine-phenyl moieties. The patterning of SAMs is realised with microcontact printing (μCP) and electron beam lithography. Electrochemical deposition based on defects in the SAMs is optimised towards generating small nanostructures and depending on the system single or stepped potential procedures are applied. Generated metal structures are transferred to an insulator by lift off. Au microstructures (~10 μm) have been made with microcontact printing and transferred onto epoxy glue, which can potentially be used as microelectrodes in electroanalytical chemistry. Sub-100 nm Cu features and sub-40 nm Au features have been created with electron beam lithography respectively. Lift off process has successfully transferred Cu nanostructures onto epoxy glue with high precision. In contrast to the deposition mediated by defects, Cu deposition mediated by discharging Pd²⁺ coordinated to a pyridine terminated SAM directly through the SAM molecules has been explored as a new approach. This new approach has potential to decrease the size of the metal structure further and the preliminary results show possibility of sub-10 nm features. SAMs prepared with a newly synthesised molecule, 3-(4'-(methylthio)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)propane-1-thiol, are characterised by STM, XPS and NEXAFS. The metal structures are investigated by SEM, AFM and STM

A Sensitivity Analysis of a Computer Model-Based Leak Detection System for Oil Pipelines

Improving leak detection capability to eliminate undetected releases is an area of focus for the energy pipeline industry, and the pipeline companies are working to improve existing methods for monitoring their pipelines. Computer model-based leak detection methods that detect leaks by analyzing the pipeline hydraulic state have been widely employed in the industry, but their effectiveness in practical applications is often challenged by real-world uncertainties. This study quantitatively assessed the effects of uncertainties on leak detectability of a commonly used real-time transient model-based leak detection system. Uncertainties in fluid properties, field sensors, and the data acquisition system were evaluated. Errors were introduced into the input variables of the leak detection system individually and collectively, and the changes in leak detectability caused by the uncertainties were quantified using simulated leaks. This study provides valuable quantitative results contributing towards a better understanding of how real-world uncertainties affect leak detection. A general ranking of the importance of the uncertainty sources was obtained: from high to low it is time skew, bulk modulus error, viscosity error, and polling time. It was also shown that inertia-dominated pipeline systems were less sensitive to uncertainties compared to friction-dominated systems

A Virtual Machine Consolidation Framework for MapReduce Enabled Computing Clouds

Abstract-In nowadays computing clouds, it is of the cloud providers' economic interests to correctly consolidate the workload of the virtual machines (VMs) into the suitable physical servers in the cloud data center in order to minimize the total maintenance cost. However, during the consolidation process, sufficient protection should be provided to the service level agreement (SLA) of the VMs. In this paper, the VM consolidation problem for MapReduce enabled computing clouds has been investigated. In the MapReduce enabled computing clouds, MapReduce jobs are carried out by homogeneous MapReduce VM instances that have identical hardware resource. Two resource allocation schemes with corresponding SLA constraints for the MapReduce VMs and the non-MapReduce VMs are proposed. Based on these schemes, the VM consolidation problem is modeled as an integer nonlinear optimization problem and an efficient algorithm has been proposed to locate its solutions. The results show that better VM consolidation performance can be achieved by colocating MapReduce instances together with nonMapReduce instances in the same set of physical servers