bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Suicide following acute admissions for physical illnesses across England and Wales
Authors: Roberts S. E. , John A. , Kandalama U. , Williams J. G. , Lyons R. A. , Lloyd K.
Published: July 2017

Background

The study aim was to establish and quantify suicide risk following acute admissions for all major physical illnesses, for confirmatory purposes, from two independent information sources from different countries.

Methods

Record linkage of inpatient and death certificate data for 11 004 389 acute admissions for physical illnesses in England and 713 496 in Wales. The main outcome measure was standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for suicide at 1 year following discharge from hospital.

Results

There were 1781 suicides within 1 year of discharge in England (SMR = 1.7; 95% = 1.6–1.8) and 131 in Wales (SMR = 2.0; 1.7–2.3). Of 48 major physical illnesses that were associated with at least eight suicides in either country, there was high consistent suicide mortality (significant SMR >3) in both countries for constipation (SMR = 4.1 in England, 7.5 in Wales), gastritis (4.4 and 4.9) and upper gastrointestinal bleeding (3.4 and 4.5). There was high suicide mortality in one country for alcoholic liver disease, other liver disease and chronic pancreatitis; for epilepsy and Parkinson's disease; for diabetes, hypoglycaemia and hypo-osmolality & hyponatraemia; and for pneumonia, back pain and urinary tract infections.

Conclusions

There is little or no increased suicide mortality following acute admissions for most physical illnesses. Much of the increased suicide mortality relates to gastrointestinal disorders that are often alcohol related or specific chronic conditions, which may be linked to side effects from certain therapeutic medications. Acute hospital admissions for physical illnesses may therefore provide an opportunity for targeted suicide prevention among people with certain conditions, particularly alcohol related disorders.
Overlapping and disease specific trait, response, and reflection impulsivity in adolescents with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Jepsen J. R. M. , Rydkjaer J. , Fagerlund B. , Pagsberg A. K. , Jespersen R. av F. , Glenthøj B. Y. , Oranje B.
Published: July 2017

Background

Schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are developmental disorders with shared clinical characteristics such as cognitive impairments and impulsivity. Impulsivity is a core feature of ADHD and an important factor in aggression, violence, and substance use in schizophrenia. Based on the hypothesis that schizophrenia and ADHD represent a continuum of neurodevelopmental impairments, the aim was to identify overlapping and disease specific forms of impulsivity.

Methods

Adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age were assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-aged Children – Present and Lifetime Version. Subjects with early-onset, first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders (EOS) (N = 29) or ADHD (N = 29) and healthy controls (N = 45) were compared on two performance measures (Information Sampling Task, Stop Signal Task) and a subjective personality trait measure of impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Version 11 (BIS-11)).

Results

Significantly increased reflection impulsivity was observed in ADHD but not in the EOS group. No significant response inhibition deficits (stop signal reaction time) were found in the two clinical groups. The ADHD and the EOS group showed significantly increased motor, attentional, and non-planning subtraits of impulsivity.

Conclusions

Impaired pre-decisional information gathering appeared to be specific for ADHD while the information gathering was not significantly reduced in subjects with EOS. Neither the ADHD nor EOS group showed impaired response inhibition but shared increased personality subtraits of attentional, non-planning, and motor impulsivity although the latter was significantly more pronounced in ADHD. These increased subtraits of impulsivity may reflect diagnostic non-specific neurodevelopmental impairments in ADHD and EOS in adolescence.
On the subject matter of International Relations
Authors: Albert Mathias , Buzan Barry
Published: July 2017

This article deals with the subject matter of International Relations as an academic discipline. It addresses the issue of whether and how one or many realms could legitimately be claimed as the discipline’s prime subject. It first raises a number of problems associated with both identifying the subject matter of IR and ‘labelling’ the discipline in relation to competing terms and disciplines, followed by a discussion on whether, and to what degree, IR takes its identity from a confluence of disciplinary traditions or from a distinct methodology. It then outlines two possibilities that would lead to identifying IR as a discipline defined by a specific realm in distinction to other disciplines: (1) the ‘international’ as a specificrealmof the social world, functionally differentiated from other realms; (2) IR as being about everything in the social world above a particularscale. The final section discusses the implications of these views for the study of International Relations.
Impact of a dam on wintering waterbirds’ habitat use
Authors: ZENG QING , LU CAI , LI GANG , GUO ZHI-BIAO , WEN LI , LEI GUANG-CHUN
Published: July 2017

The degradation, alteration and depletion of riparian habitats caused by river regulation are among critical conservation concerns. Aquatic and riparian habitats support not only river-dwelling biota such as macroinvertebrates and fish, but also waterbirds, the top predators in the aquatic food web. Despite the intimate relationships between fish and waterbirds, the two groups are often investigated separately. Using an integrative approach, we examined the effects of dams on fish and scaly-sided merganser (Mergus squamatus), an endangered, iconic riverine species, where the lack of knowledge about habitat preferences greatly hampers long-term conservation efforts. Our analysis quantified three causal links: (1) water depth had direct, comparable, negative effects on both fish and waterbirds, and the path coefficients for fish and birds are –0.31 and –0.46, respectively; (2) river landscape heterogeneity directly and positively affected fish and waterbirds, and the path coefficients for fish and birds are 0.63 and 0.19, respectively; and (3) depth and river landscape also exerted indirect effects on waterbirds through their impacts on fish abundance, and the path coefficients for fish and birds are –0.15 and 0.28, respectively. Our findings could contribute to the rational spatial planning and sustainable operation of dams in that maintaining instream habitat availability and heterogeneity would benefit the whole riverine ecosystem.
Mental health difficulties and academic attainment: Evidence for gender-specific developmental cascades in middle childhood
Authors: Panayiotou Margarita , Humphrey Neil
Published: July 2017

We present a developmental cascade model of the longitudinal relationships between internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, and academic performance in middle childhood, utilizing a large sample (N = 1,771) from the United Kingdom in a 3-year, cross-lag design. Three hypotheses were tested: adjustment erosion, academic incompetence, and (cumulative) shared risk. In addition, we sought to examine whether developmental cascade pathways varied across gender, while also statistically exploring indirect, mediation pathways. Structural equation models that accounted for within-time covariance, data nesting, and temporal stability provided evidence of gender-specific effects as follows: externalizing-attainment adjustment erosion pathways were found only in boys, while attainment-internalizing/externalizing academic incompetence pathways were found only in girls. Analysis of mediation pathways provided further support for these gender-specific longitudinal profiles. Protective longitudinal internalizing-externalizing and externalizing-internalizing pathways were found for both boys and girls. Finally, while it improved model fit for both genders, the influence of cumulative shared risk on the aforementioned pathways was relatively meager, substantively affecting only one (externalizing-attainment adjustment erosion pathway in boys). The implications of these findings are discussed, and study limitations noted.
A TALE OF TWO HARTS: THE PARADOX IN ESSAYS ON BENTHAM
Authors: Swaminathan Shivprasad
Published: July 2017

This paper hypothesizes that the paradox Hart confesses to in Ch. X of Essays on Bentham was the result of metaethical ambivalence. Hart eclectically yokes together metaethically incompatible elements from two disparate models of “normativity of law” with different sources of normativity: the impinging model based on a cognitivist metaethic and the projectivist model based on a noncognitivist metaethic. The “sources” of normativity in the two models are different. On the impinging model the source of normativity is a reason-giving objective moral requirement, and on the projectivist model, the source of normativity is a motivationally affective conative attitude. The metaethical configuration of the rule of recognition in Essays on Bentham constrained Hart to postulate a “source” of normativity metaethically congruous with the impinging model. However, the “source” of normativity Hart seemed keen to advance—he makes an “attitude” the source of normativity—was only congruous with the projectivist model.
THE CONVENTIONAL MONETARY POLICY AND TERM STRUCTURE OF INTEREST RATES DURING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
Authors: Cenesizoglu Tolga , Larocque Denis , Normandin Michel
Published: July 2017

This paper analyzes whether the Fed had the ability through its conventional monetary policy to affect key economic and financial variables, and, in particular, the term structure of interest rates, during the recent financial crisis. This departs from the empirical literature that focuses mainly on the effectiveness of unconventional monetary policies during this episode, although these policies are appropriate only to the extent that the conventional policy was ineffective in the first place. Our identification strategy based on the conditional heteroskedasticity of the structural innovations allows us to specify a flexible structural vector auto-regressive process that relaxes the identifying assumptions commonly used in earlier studies. Comparing our results obtained from samples excluding and including the financial crisis, we find that the conventional monetary policy has lost its effectiveness shortly after the beginning of the financial turmoil. This result suggests that the Fed's use of unconventional policies was appropriate, at least, with the objective of changing the term structure of interest rates.
OIL PRICE SHOCKS, INFLATION, AND CHINESE MONETARY POLICY
Authors: Wang Yunqing , Zhu Qigui , Wu Jun
Published: July 2017

This paper proposes a New Keynesian dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model of the Chinese economy incorporating the demand of oil to study the effects of oil price shocks on the business cycle. The model answers several questions, including how monetary policy should respond to the disturbances from such shocks, and whether monetary authorities should use core inflation or headline inflation including oil price inflation as the monetary policy rule. The contributions could be summarized as follows: First, the model reveals that the oil transmission mechanism is determined by the nominal inertia, income effect, and the portfolio allocation effect. Second, both noncore inflation monetary policy and core inflation monetary policy that are simultaneously pegged to oil prices fluctuations are inferior to the monetary policy purely pegged to core inflation. Our findings suggest that the monetary policy should focus on core inflation instead of headline inflation.
REGULARITY AND STABILITY OF EQUILIBRIA IN AN OVERLAPPING GENERATIONS GROWTH MODEL
Authors: Mertens Jean-François , Rubinchik Anna
Published: July 2017

In an exogenous-growth economy with overlapping generations, the Cobb–Douglas production, any positive life-cycle productivity, and time-separable constant elasticity of substitution (CES) utility, we analyze local stability of a balanced growth equilibrium (BGE) with respect to changes in consumption endowments, which could be interpreted as a transfer policy. We show that generically, in the space of parameters, equilibria around a BGE are locally unique and are locally differentiable functions of endowments, with derivatives given by kernels. Furthermore, those equilibria are stable in the sense that the effects of temporary changes decay exponentially toward ±∞.
Protection of the biconcave profile of human erythrocytes against osmotic damage by ultraviolet-A irradiation through membrane-cytoskeleton enhancement
Authors: Li Cunbo , Li Zheming , Xun Shuang , Jiang Pengchong , Yan Rui , Chen Mincai , Hu Fen , Rupp Romano A , Zhang Xinzheng , Pan Leiting , Xu Jingjun
Published: July 2017

To perform various physiological functions, erythrocytes possess a unique biconcave shape provided by a special architecture of the membrane-skeleton system. In the present work, we use a simple irradiation method to treat human erythrocytes with 365 nm ultraviolet-A (UVA) light at the single-cell level in vitro. Depending on the irradiation dose, UVA show protection of the biconcave profile against the detrimental action of distilled water. This protective effect can also be confirmed for saponin that damages the membrane-skeleton by vesiculation and pore formation. Interestingly, at two irradiation doses of UVA pretreatment, erythrocytes still seem to exhibit cell viability as tested by trypan blue assay even if distilled water or saponin is added. The oxidants hydrogen peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide partly simulate the protective effects. Taken together, these results demonstrate that 365 nm UVA irradiation can protect the biconcave profile of human erythrocytes through membrane-skeleton enhancement associated with a production of oxidants.
DS16570511 is a small-molecule inhibitor of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter
Authors: Kon Naohiro , Murakoshi Michiko , Isobe Aya , Kagechika Katsuji , Miyoshi Naoki , Nagayama Takahiro
Published: July 2017

In cardiac myocytes, regulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ is important for cellular signaling and cardiac contraction. Ca2+ entry into the mitochondria is mediated by a highly selective Ca2+ channel called the mitochondrial calcium uniporter, which consists of a pore-forming subunit MCU and regulatory subunits such as MICU1. Although pharmacological regulation of the mitochondrial Ca2+ influx is a promising approach to controlling the cellular functions, a cell-permeable and specific inhibitor of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter has not yet been developed. Here, we identify a novel cell-permeable inhibitor of the uniporter by a high-throughput screening of 120 000 small-molecule compounds. In our study, DS16570511 dose-dependently inhibited serum-induced mitochondrial Ca2+ influx in HEK293A cells with an IC50 of 7 μM. DS16570511 inhibited Ca2+ uptake of isolated mitochondria from human cells, rat heart and pig heart. Overexpression of hMCU or hMICU1 in HEK293A cells increased mitochondrial Ca2+ influx, and the increases were completely suppressed by the pretreatment with DS16570511. DS16570511 also blocks mitochondrial Ca2+ overload in a Langendorff perfused beating rat heart. Interestingly, DS16570511 increased cardiac contractility without affecting heart rate in the perfused heart. These results show that DS16570511 is a novel cell-permeable inhibitor of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter and applicable for control of the cardiac functions.
Rapid synthesis of transition metal dichalcogenide–carbon aerogel composites for supercapacitor electrodes
Authors: Crane Matthew J. , Lim Matthew B. , Zhou Xuezhe , Pauzauskie Peter J.
Published: July 2017

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials have recently demonstrated exceptional supercapacitor properties after conversion to a metallic phase, which increases the conductivity of the network. However, freestanding, exfoliated transition metal dichalcogenide films exhibit surface areas far below their theoretical maximum (1.2 %), can fail during electrochemical operation due to poor mechanical properties, and often require pyrophoric chemicals to process. On the other hand, pyrolyzed carbon aerogels exhibit extraordinary specific surface areas for double layer capacitance, high conductivity, and a strong mechanical network of covalent chemical bonds. In this paper, we demonstrate the scalable, rapid nanomanufacturing of TMD (MoS2and WS2) and carbon aerogel composites, favoring liquid-phase exfoliation to avoid pyrophoric chemicals. The aerogel matrix support enhances conductivity of the composite and the synthesis can complete in 30 min. We find that the addition of transition metal dichalcogenides does not impact the structure of the aerogel, which maintains a high specific surface area up to 620 m2 g−1with peak pore radii of 10 nm. While supercapacitor tests of the aerogels yield capacitances around 80 F g−1at the lowest applied currents, the aerogels loaded with TMD’s exhibit volumetric capacitances up to 127% greater than the unloaded aerogels. In addition, the WS2aerogels show excellent cycling stability with no capacitance loss over 2000 cycles, as well as markedly better rate capability and lower charge transfer resistance compared to their MoS2-loaded counterparts. We hypothesize that these differences in performance stem from differences in contact resistance and in the favorability of ion adsorption on the chalcogenides.
High-order harmonic generation from the dressed autoionizing states
Authors: Fareed M. A. , Strelkov V. V. , Thiré N. , Mondal S. , Schmidt B. E. , Légaré F. , Ozaki T.
Published: July 2017

In high-order harmonic generation, resonant harmonics (RH) are sources of intense, coherent extreme-ultraviolet radiation. However, intensity enhancement of RH only occurs for a single harmonic order, making it challenging to generate short attosecond pulses. Moreover, the mechanism involved behind such RH was circumstantial, because of the lack of direct experimental proofs. Here, we demonstrate the exact quantum paths that electron follows for RH generation using tin, showing that it involves not only the autoionizing state, but also a harmonic generation from dressed-AIS that appears as two coherent satellite harmonics at frequencies ±2Ω from the RH (Ω represents laser frequency). Our observations of harmonic emission from dressed states open the possibilities of generating intense and broadband attosecond pulses, thus contributing to future applications in attosecond science, as well as the perspective of studying the femtosecond and attosecond dynamics of autoionizing states.
Cryo-EM structures of the ATP-bound Vps4E233Q hexamer and its complex with Vta1 at near-atomic resolution
Authors: Sun Shan , Li Lin , Yang Fan , Wang Xiaojing , Fan Fenghui , Yang Mengyi , Chen Chunlai , Li Xueming , Wang Hong-Wei , Sui Sen-Fang
Published: July 2017

The cellular ESCRT-III (endosomal sorting complex required for transport-III) and Vps4 (vacuolar protein sorting 4) comprise a common machinery that mediates a variety of membrane remodelling events. Vps4 is essential for the machinery function by using the energy from ATP hydrolysis to disassemble the ESCRT-III polymer into individual proteins. Here, we report the structures of the ATP-bound Vps4E233Q hexamer and its complex with the cofactor Vta1 (vps twenty associated 1) at resolutions of 3.9 and 4.2 Å, respectively, determined by electron cryo-microscopy. Six Vps4E233Q subunits in both assemblies exhibit a spiral-shaped ring-like arrangement. Locating at the periphery of the hexameric ring, Vta1 dimer bridges two adjacent Vps4 subunits by two different interaction modes to promote the formation of the active Vps4 hexamer during ESCRT-III filament disassembly. The structural findings, together with the structure-guided biochemical and single-molecule analyses, provide important insights into the process of the ESCRT-III polymer disassembly by Vps4.
Spatial cycles mediated by UNC119 solubilisation maintain Src family kinases plasma membrane localisation
Authors: Konitsiotis Antonios D. , Roßmannek Lisaweta , Stanoev Angel , Schmick Malte , Bastiaens Philippe I. H.
Published: July 2017

The peripheral membrane proto-oncogene Src family protein tyrosine kinases relay growth factor signals to the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. We unravel the spatial cycles of solubilisation, trapping on perinuclear membrane compartments and vesicular transport that counter entropic equilibration to endomembranes for maintaining the enrichment and activity of Src family protein tyrosine kinases at the plasma membrane. The solubilising factor UNC119 sequesters myristoylated Src family protein tyrosine kinases from the cytoplasm, enhancing their diffusion to effectively release Src family protein tyrosine kinases on the recycling endosome by localised Arl2/3 activity. Src is then trapped on the recycling endosome via electrostatic interactions, whereas Fyn is quickly released to be kinetically trapped on the Golgi by palmitoyl acyl-transferase activity. Vesicular trafficking from these compartments restores enrichment of the Src family protein tyrosine kinases to the plasma membrane. Interference with these spatial cycles by UNC119 knockdown disrupts Src family protein tyrosine kinase localisation and signalling activity, indicating that UNC119 could be a drug target to affect oncogenic Src family protein tyrosine kinase signalling.
An optogenetic toolbox for unbiased discovery of functionally connected cells in neural circuits
Authors: Förster Dominique , Dal Maschio Marco , Laurell Eva , Baier Herwig
Published: July 2017

Optical imaging approaches have revolutionized our ability to monitor neural network dynamics, but by themselves are unable to link a neuron’s activity to its functional connectivity. We present a versatile genetic toolbox, termed ‘Optobow’, for all-optical discovery of excitatory connections in vivo. By combining the Gal4-UAS system with Cre/lox recombination, we target the optogenetic actuator ChrimsonR and the sensor GCaMP6 to stochastically labeled, nonoverlapping and sparse subsets of neurons. Photostimulation of single cells using two-photon computer-generated holography evokes calcium responses in downstream neurons. Morphological reconstruction of neurite arbors, response latencies and localization of presynaptic markers suggest that some neuron pairs recorded here are directly connected, while others are two or more synapses apart from each other. With this toolbox, we discover wiring principles between specific cell types in the larval zebrafish tectum. Optobow should be useful for identification and manipulation of networks of interconnected neurons, even in dense neural tissues.
Why we need to quantise everything, including gravity
Authors: Marletto C. , Vedral V.
Published: July 2017

There is a long-standing debate about whether gravity should be quantised. A powerful line of argument in favour of quantum gravity considers models of hybrid systems consisting of coupled quantum–classical sectors. The conclusion is that such models are inconsistent: either the quantum sector’s defining properties necessarily spread to the classical sector, or they are violated. These arguments have a long history, starting with the debates about the quantum nature of the electromagnetic fields in the early days of quantum theory. Yet, they have limited scope because they rely on particular dynamical models obeying restrictive conditions, such as unitarity. In this paper we propose a radically different, more general argument, relying on less restrictive assumptions. The key feature is an information-theoretic characterisation of both sectors, including their interaction, via constraints on copying operations. These operations are necessary for the existence of observables in any physical theory, because they constitute the most general representation of measurement interactions. Remarkably, our argument is formulated without resorting to particular dynamical models, thus being applicable to any hybrid system, even those ruled by “post-quantum” theories. Its conclusion is also compatible with partially quantum systems, such as those that exhibit features like complementarity, but may lack others, such as entanglement. As an example, we consider a hybrid system of qubits and rebits. Surprisingly, despite the rebit’s lack of complex amplitudes, the signature quantum protocols such as teleportation are still possible.
Study of microstructure and fracture properties of blunt notched and sharp cracked high density polyethylene specimens
Authors: Pan Huanyu , Devasahayam Sheila , Bandyopadhyay Sri
Published: July 2017

This paper examines the effect of a broad range of crosshead speed (0.05 to 100 mm/min) and a small range of temperature (25 °C and 45 °C) on the failure behaviour of high density polyethylene (HDPE) specimens containing a) standard size blunt notch and b) standard size blunt notch plus small sharp crack – all tested in air. It was observed that the yield stress properties showed linear increase with the natural logarithm of strain rate. The stress intensity factors under blunt notch and sharp crack conditions also increased linearly with natural logarithm of the crosshead speed. The results indicate that in the practical temperature range of 25 °C and 45 °C under normal atmosphere and increasing strain rates, HDPE specimens with both blunt notches and sharp cracks possess superior fracture properties. SEM microstructure studies of fracture surfaces showed craze initiation mechanisms at lower strain rate, whilst at higher strain rates there is evidence of dimple patterns absorbing the strain energy and creating plastic deformation. The stress intensity factor and the yield strength were higher at 25 °C compared to those at 45 °C
Electronic structure of SrSn2As2 near the topological critical point
Authors: Rong L.-Y. , Ma J.-Z. , Nie S.-M. , Lin Z.-P. , Li Z.-L. , Fu B.-B. , Kong L.-Y. , Zhang X.-Z. , Huang Y.-B. , Weng H.-M. , Qian T. , Ding H. , Tai R.-Z.
Published: July 2017

Topological materials with exotic quantum properties are promising candidates for quantum spin electronics. Different classes of topological materials, including Weyl semimetal, topological superconductor, topological insulator and Axion insulator, etc., can be connected to each other via quantum phase transition. For example, it is believed that a trivial band insulator can be twisted into topological phase by increasing spin-orbital coupling or changing the parameters of crystal lattice. With the results of LDA calculation and measurement by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we demonstrate in this work that the electronic structure of SrSn2As2 single crystal has the texture of band inversion near the critical point. The results indicate the possibility of realizing topological quantum phase transition in SrSn2As2 single crystal and obtaining different exotic quantum states.
Unconventional band inversion and intrinsic quantum spin Hall effect in functionalized group-V binary films
Authors: Li Sheng-shi , Ji Wei-xiao , Li Ping , Hu Shu-jun , Zhou Tie , Zhang Chang-wen , Yan Shi-shen
Published: July 2017

Adequately understanding band inversion mechanism, one of the significant representations of topological phase, has substantial implications for design and regulation of topological insulators (TIs). Here, by identifying an unconventional band inversion, we propose an intrinsic quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect in iodinated group-V binary (ABI2) monolayers with a bulk gap as large as 0.409 eV, guaranteeing its viable application at room temperature. The nontrivial topological characters, which can be established by explicit demonstration of Z2 invariant and gapless helical edge states, are derived from the band inversion of antibonding states of px,y orbitals at the K point. Furthermore, the topological properties are tunable under strain engineering and external electric field, which supplies a route to manipulate the spin/charge conductance of edge states. These findings not only provide a new platform to better understand the underlying origin of QSH effect in functionalized group-V films, but also are highly desirable to design large-gap QSH insulators for practical applications in spintronics.
Adaptive evolution of a hyperthermophilic archaeon pinpoints a formate transporter as a critical factor for the growth enhancement on formate
Authors: Jung Hae-Chang , Lee Seong Hyuk , Lee Sung-Mok , An Young Jun , Lee Jung-Hyun , Lee Hyun Sook , Kang Sung Gyun
Published: July 2017

Previously, we reported that the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 could grow on formate and produce H2. Formate conversion to hydrogen was mediated by a formate-hydrogen lyase complex and was indeed a part of chemiosmotic coupling to ATP generation. In this study, we employed an adaptation approach to enhance the cell growth on formate and investigated molecular changes. As serial transfer continued on formate-containing medium at the serum vial, cell growth, H2 production and formate consumption increased remarkably. The 156 times transferred-strain, WTF-156T, was demonstrated to enhance H2 production using formate in a bioreactor. The whole-genome sequencing of the WTF-156T strain revealed eleven mutations. While no mutation was found among the genes encoding formate hydrogen lyase, a point mutation (G154A) was identified in a formate transporter (TON_1573). The TON_1573 (A52T) mutation, when introduced into the parent strain, conferred increase in formate consumption and H2 production. Another adaptive passage, carried out by culturing repeatedly in a bioreactor, resulted in a strain, which has a mutation in TON_1573 (C155A) causing amino acid change, A52E. These results implicate that substitution of A52 residue of a formate transporter might be a critical factor to ensure the increase in formate uptake and cell growth.
The permeability of fractured rocks in pressurised volcanic and geothermal systems
Authors: Lamur A. , Kendrick J. E. , Eggertsson G. H. , Wall R. J. , Ashworth J. D. , Lavallée Y.
Published: July 2017

The connectivity of rocks’ porous structure and the presence of fractures influence the transfer of fluids in the Earth’s crust. Here, we employed laboratory experiments to measure the influence of macro-fractures and effective pressure on the permeability of volcanic rocks with a wide range of initial porosities (1–41 vol. %) comprised of both vesicles and micro-cracks. We used a hand-held permeameter and hydrostatic cell to measure the permeability of intact rock cores at effective pressures up to 30 MPa; we then induced a macro-fracture to each sample using Brazilian tensile tests and measured the permeability of these macro-fractured rocks again. We show that intact rock permeability increases non-linearly with increasing porosity and decreases with increasing effective pressure due to compactional closure of micro-fractures. Imparting a macro-fracture both increases the permeability of rocks and their sensitivity to effective pressure. The magnitude of permeability increase induced by the macro-fracture is more significant for dense rocks. We finally provide a general equation to estimate the permeability of intact and fractured rocks, forming a basis to constrain fluid flow in volcanic and geothermal systems.
CD56 Is a Pathogen Recognition Receptor on Human Natural Killer Cells
Authors: Ziegler Sabrina , Weiss Esther , Schmitt Anna-Lena , Schlegel Jan , Burgert Anne , Terpitz Ulrich , Sauer Markus , Moretta Lorenzo , Sivori Simona , Leonhardt Ines , Kurzai Oliver , Einsele Hermann , Loeffler Juergen
Published: July 2017

Aspergillus(A.)fumigatusis an opportunistic fungal mold inducing invasive aspergillosis (IA) in immunocompromised patients. Although antifungal activity of human natural killer (NK) cells was shown in previous studies, the underlying cellular mechanisms and pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) are still unknown. Using flow cytometry we were able to show that the fluorescence positivity of the surface receptor CD56 significantly decreased upon fungal contact. To visualize the interaction site of NK cells andA.fumigatuswe used SEM, CLSM anddSTORM techniques, which clearly demonstrated that NK cells directly interact withA.fumigatusvia CD56 and that CD56 is re-organized and accumulated at this interaction site time-dependently. The inhibition of the cytoskeleton showed that the receptor re-organization was an active process dependent on actin re-arrangements. Furthermore, we could show that CD56 plays a role in the fungus mediated NK cell activation, since blocking of CD56 surface receptor reduced fungal mediated NK cell activation and reduced cytokine secretion. These results confirmed the direct interaction of NK cells andA.fumigatus, leading to the conclusion that CD56 is a pathogen recognition receptor. These findings give new insights into the functional role of CD56 in the pathogen recognition during the innate immune response.
Charge Injection, Carriers Recombination and HOMO Energy Level Relationship in Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Jiménez-López Jesús , Cambarau Werther , Cabau Lydia , Palomares Emilio
Published: July 2017

We present a comparative study between a series of well-known semiconductor polymers, used in efficient organic solar cells as hole transport materials (HTM), and the state-of-the art material used as hole transport material in perovskite solar cells: the spiro-OMeTAD. The observed differences in solar cell efficiencies are studied in depth using advanced photoinduced spectroscopic techniques under working illumination conditions. We have observed that there is no correlation between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels of the organic semiconductors and the measured open-circuit voltage (VOC). For instance, spiro-OMeTAD and P3HT have a comparable HOMO level of ~5.2 eV vs vacuum even though a difference in VOC of around 200 mV is recorded. This difference is in good agreement with the shift observed for the charge vs voltage measurements. Moreover, hole transfer from the perovskite to the HTM, estimated qualitatively from fluorescence quenching and emission lifetime, seems less efficient for the polymeric HTMs. Finally, the recombination currents from all devices were estimated by using the measured charge (calculated using photoinduced differential charging) and the carriers’ lifetime and their value resulted in accordance with the registered short-circuit currents (JSC) at 1 sun.
Therapeutic effects of sphingosine kinase inhibitor N,N-dimethylsphingosine (DMS) in experimental chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy
Authors: Vasconcelos Juliana Fraga , Meira Cássio Santana , Silva Daniela Nascimento , Nonaka Carolina Kymie Vasques , Daltro Pâmela Santana , Macambira Simone Garcia , Domizi Pablo Daniel , Borges Valéria Matos , Ribeiro-dos-Santos Ricardo , de Freitas Souza Bruno Solano , Soares Milena Botelho Pereira
Published: July 2017

Chagas disease cardiomyopathy is a parasite-driven inflammatory disease to which there are no effective treatments. Here we evaluated the therapeutic potential of N,N-dimethylsphingosine(DMS), which blocks the production of sphingosine-1-phosphate(S1P), a mediator of cellular events during inflammatory responses, in a model of chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy. DMS-treated, Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice had a marked reduction of cardiac inflammation, fibrosis and galectin-3 expression when compared to controls. Serum concentrations of galectin-3, IFNγ and TNFα, as well as cardiac gene expression of inflammatory mediators were reduced after DMS treatment. The gene expression of M1 marker, iNOS, was decreased, while the M2 marker, arginase1, was increased. DMS-treated mice showed an improvement in exercise capacity. Moreover, DMS caused a reduction in parasite load in vivo. DMS inhibited the activation of lymphocytes, and reduced cytokines and NO production in activated macrophage cultures in vitro, while increasing IL-1β production. Analysis by qRT-PCR array showed that DMS treatment modulated inflammasome activation induced by T. cruzi on macrophages. Altogether, our results demonstrate that DMS, through anti-parasitic and immunomodulatory actions, can be beneficial in the treatment of chronic phase of T. cruzi infection and suggest that S1P-activated processes as possible therapeutic targets for the treatment of Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.
Distinct contributions by frontal and parietal cortices support working memory
Authors: Mackey Wayne E. , Curtis Clayton E.
Published: July 2017

Although subregions of frontal and parietal cortex both contribute and coordinate to support working memory (WM) functions, their distinct contributions remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that perturbations to topographically organized human frontal and parietal cortex during WM maintenance cause distinct but systematic distortions in WM. The nature of these distortions supports theories positing that parietal cortex mainly codes for retrospective sensory information, while frontal cortex codes for prospective action.
Lateral-drag propulsion forces induced by anisotropy
Authors: Nefedov Igor S. , Rubi J. Miguel
Published: July 2017

We predict the existence of lateral drag forces near the flat surface of an absorbing slab made of an anisotropic material. The forces originate from the fluctuations of the electromagnetic field, when the anisotropy axis of the material forms a certain angle with the surface. In this situation, the spatial spectra of the fluctuating electromagnetic fields becomes asymmetric, different for positive and negative transverse wave vectors components. Differently from the case of van der Waals interactions in which the forward-backward symmetry is broken due to the particle movement, in our case the lateral motion results merely from the anisotropy of the slab. This new effect, of particular significance in hyperbolic materials, could be used for the manipulation of nanoparticles.
Predictive and tempo-flexible synchronization to a visual metronome in monkeys
Authors: Takeya Ryuji , Kameda Masashi , Patel Aniruddh D. , Tanaka Masaki
Published: July 2017

Predictive and tempo-flexible synchronization to an auditory beat is a fundamental component of human music. To date, only certain vocal learning species show this behaviour spontaneously. Prior research training macaques (vocal non-learners) to tap to an auditory or visual metronome found their movements to be largely reactive, not predictive. Does this reflect the lack of capacity for predictive synchronization in monkeys, or lack of motivation to exhibit this behaviour? To discriminate these possibilities, we trained monkeys to make synchronized eye movements to a visual metronome. We found that monkeys could generate predictive saccades synchronized to periodic visual stimuli when an immediate reward was given for every predictive movement. This behaviour generalized to novel tempi, and the monkeys could maintain the tempo internally. Furthermore, monkeys could flexibly switch from predictive to reactive saccades when a reward was given for each reactive response. In contrast, when humans were asked to make a sequence of reactive saccades to a visual metronome, they often unintentionally generated predictive movements. These results suggest that even vocal non-learners may have the capacity for predictive and tempo-flexible synchronization to a beat, but that only certain vocal learning species are intrinsically motivated to do it.
Gap junction-mediated regulation of endothelial cellular stiffness
Authors: Okamoto Takayuki , Kawamoto Eiji , Takagi Yoshimi , Akita Nobuyuki , Hayashi Tatsuya , Park Eun Jeong , Suzuki Koji , Shimaoka Motomu
Published: July 2017

Endothelial monolayers have shown the ability to signal each other through gap junctions. Gap junction-mediated cell-cell interactions have been implicated in the modulation of endothelial cell functions during vascular inflammation. Inflammatory mediators alter the mechanical properties of endothelial cells, although the exact role of gap junctions in this process remains unclear. Here, we sought to study the role of gap junctions in the regulation of endothelial stiffness, an important physical feature that is associated with many vascular pathologies. The endothelial cellular stiffness of living endothelial cells was determined by using atomic force microscopy. We found that tumor necrosis factor-α transiently increased endothelial cellular stiffness, which is regulated by cytoskeletal rearrangement and cell-cell interactions. We explored the role of gap junctions in endothelial cellular stiffening by utilizing gap junction blockers, carbenoxolone, inhibitory anti-connexin 32 antibody or anti-connexin 43 antibody. Blockade of gap junctions induced the cellular stiffening associated with focal adhesion formation and cytoskeletal rearrangement, and prolonged tumor necrosis factor-α-induced endothelial cellular stiffening. These results suggest that gap junction-mediated cell-cell interactions play an important role in the regulation of endothelial cellular stiffness.
Environmental impact of omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and vegan diet
Authors: Rosi Alice , Mena Pedro , Pellegrini Nicoletta , Turroni Silvia , Neviani Erasmo , Ferrocino Ilario , Di Cagno Raffaella , Ruini Luca , Ciati Roberto , Angelino Donato , Maddock Jane , Gobbetti Marco , Brighenti Furio , Del Rio Daniele , Scazzina Francesca
Published: July 2017

Food and beverage consumption has a great impact on the environment, although there is a lack of information concerning the whole diet. The environmental impact of 153 Italian adults (51 omnivores, 51 ovo-lacto-vegetarians, 51 vegans) and the inter-individual variability within dietary groups were assessed in a real-life context. Food intake was monitored with a 7-d dietary record to calculate nutritional values and environmental impacts (carbon, water, and ecological footprints). The Italian Mediterranean Index was used to evaluate the nutritional quality of each diet. The omnivorous choice generated worse carbon, water and ecological footprints than other diets. No differences were found for the environmental impacts of ovo-lacto-vegetarians and vegans, which also had diets more adherent to the Mediterranean pattern. A high inter-individual variability was observed through principal component analysis, showing that some vegetarians and vegans have higher environmental impacts than those of some omnivores. Thus, regardless of the environmental benefits of plant-based diets, there is a need for thinking in terms of individual dietary habits. To our knowledge, this is the first time environmental impacts of three dietary regimens are evaluated using individual recorded dietary intakes rather than hypothetical diet or diets averaged over a population.
Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins, PtFLAs, play important roles in GA-mediated tension wood formation in Populus
Authors: Wang Haihai , Jin Yanli , Wang Cuiting , Li Bei , Jiang Chunmei , Sun Zhencang , Zhang Zhiping , Kong Fanjing , Zhang Hongxia
Published: July 2017

In Populus, the transcripts of fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins (FLAs) are accumulated in tension wood (TW) xylem, however their biological functions in TW formation are largely unknown. In this work, we demonstrated that PtFLA6, one of poplar TW-associated PtFLAs, was abundantly expressed in TW, and mainly localized in differentiating G-fibers. The bended stems of PtFLA6 antisense transgenic poplar showed decreased transcripts of PtFLAs, including PtFLA6, and reduced PtFLA6 like proteins, leading to inhibited TW differentiation and formation. We also showed that gibberellin A3 (GA3) was enriched in the xylem of TW side, accompanied with a lowered level of PtRGA1, a poplar DELLA protein. When GA3 biosynthesis was restrained in the bended poplar stems by a GA biosynthesis inhibitor (daminozide), TW formation was obviously repressed, as a result of restricted PtRGA1 degradation, and reduced PtFLA6 like proteins and PtFLA expression. Further studies indicated that PtFLAs were negatively regulated by PtRGA1. This study suggests that PtFLAs play important roles in the poplar TW formation, possibly regulated by GA signaling.
Plasma dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 activity is associated with left ventricular systolic function in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Li Jing Wei , Chen Yun Dai , Liu Yu Qi , Wang Jin Da , Chen Wei Ren , Zhang Ying Qian , Ma Qiang
Published: July 2017

Plasma dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 activity (DPP4a) is inversely associated with left ventricular function in patients with heart failure (HF) or diabetes. However, the association between DPP4a and left ventricular function in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients has not been reported. We studied this association in 584 consecutive STEMI patients at a tertiary referral center from July 2014 to October 2015. DPP4a and plasma N-terminal prohormone of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were quantified by enzymatic assays. The median serum NT-proBNP levels were highest in patients of the lowest tertile (T1) of DPP4a compared with that of the highest tertile (T3) (p = 0.028). The STEMI patients in T1 exhibited lower left ventricular systolic function (T1 vs. T3: left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): 50.13 ± 9.12 vs. 52.85 ± 6.82%, p = 0.001). Multivariate logistic-regression analyses (adjusted for confounding variables) showed that a 1 U/L increase in DPP4a was associated with a decreased incidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) (adjusted odds ratio: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.87–0.94; p < 0.01). In conclusion, low DPP4a is independently associated with LVSD in STEMI patients, which suggests that DPP4 may be involved in the mechanisms of LVSD in STEMI patients.
Synthesis and biological properties of triazole-linked locked nucleic acid
Authors: Sharma Vivek K. , Singh Sunil K. , Krishnamurthy Pranathi M. , Alterman Julia F. , Haraszti Reka A. , Khvorova Anastasia , Prasad Ashok K. , Watts Jonathan K.
Published: July 2017

We have synthesized and studied the biological and biophysical properties of triazole-linked ribo and xylo locked nucleic acid (LNA).
Slow magnetic relaxation in five-coordinate spin-crossover cobalt(ii) complexes
Authors: Cui Hui-Hui , Wang Jing , Chen Xue-Tai , Xue Zi-Ling
Published: July 2017

Slow magnetic relaxation originating from the low spin state Co(ii) ions is firstly observed in five-coordinate spin-crossover Co(ii) complexes.
Coordinated nitrate anions can be directional π-hole donors in the solid state: a CSD study
Authors: Mooibroek Tiddo J.
Published: July 2017

Within the CSD sp2O-atoms cluster closer to the π-hole of NO3−when nitrate is coordinated to a metal.
Catalysis by solvation rather than the desolvation effect: exploring the catalytic efficiency of SAM-dependent chlorinase
Authors: Araújo Edson , Lima Anderson H. , Lameira Jerônimo
Published: July 2017

Chlorinase SalL active sites provide electrostatic stabilization of the transition state which is the origin of its catalytic effect.
Size dependent behavior of Fe3O4crystals during electrochemical (de)lithiation: an in situ X-ray diffraction, ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and theoretical investigation
Authors: Bock David C. , Pelliccione Christopher J. , Zhang Wei , Timoshenko Janis , Knehr K. W. , West Alan C. , Wang Feng , Li Yan , Frenkel Anatoly I. , Takeuchi Esther S. , Takeuchi Kenneth J. , Marschilok Amy C.
Published: July 2017

Crystal and atomic structural changes of Fe3O4upon electrochemical (de)lithiation were determined.
Redox cycling of iron by carbon dot enhanced chemiluminescence: mechanism of electron–hole induction in carbon dot
Authors: Shah Syed Niaz Ali , Lin Ling , Zheng Yongzan , Zhang Dingkun , Lin Jin-Ming
Published: July 2017

Mechanism of the N-CDs enhanced Fenton system.
The adsorption and diffusion behavior of noble metal adatoms (Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag and Au) on a MoS2 monolayer: a first-principles study
Authors: Wu Ping , Yin Naiqiang , Li Peng , Cheng Wenjing , Huang Min
Published: July 2017

Cu/Pd/Cu adatoms diffuse on a MoS2 monolayer with higher energy barriers and lower mobilities than those of Ag/Au adatoms.