bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Results of survey on hedging practices
Authors: Cadman J. M. , Bhatia R. , Dissanayake N. A. , Mageed S. , Rogers I. J. , Zavadlal G. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe hedging practices survey took place towards the end of 2015 in the final few months prior to Solvency II regulations coming into force. At the point of completing the survey we would expect that companies would have largely transitioned their hedging approaches to work in a Solvency II environment. There may be some cases where further changes were planned but not implemented at the point of completing the survey. Further, as familiarity with working under the new regulations increases, approaches are expected to continue to develop over time. The working party hopes that this report is useful in summarising industry attitudes at this point in time and as a comparator in future years. Before launching the survey we did have several conjectures of what we may expect to see in the results. Some proved true, for some it was difficult to glean any strong conclusion from the data, and there were one or two where results countered what we expected to see.
Mycelium-mediated transfer of water and nutrients stimulates bacterial activity in dry and oligotrophic environments
Authors: Worrich Anja , Stryhanyuk Hryhoriy , Musat Niculina , König Sara , Banitz Thomas , Centler Florian , Frank Karin , Thullner Martin , Harms Hauke , Richnow Hans-Hermann , Miltner Anja , Kästner Matthias , Wick Lukas Y. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractFungal–bacterial interactions are highly diverse and contribute to many ecosystem processes. Their emergence under common environmental stress scenarios however, remains elusive. Here we use a synthetic microbial ecosystem based on the germination of Bacillus subtilis spores to examine whether fungal and fungal-like (oomycete) mycelia reduce bacterial water and nutrient stress in an otherwise dry and nutrient-poor microhabitat. We find that the presence of mycelia enables the germination and subsequent growth of bacterial spores near the hyphae. Using a combination of time of flight- and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF- and nanoSIMS) coupled with stable isotope labelling, we link spore germination to hyphal transfer of water, carbon and nitrogen. Our study provides direct experimental evidence for the stimulation of bacterial activity by mycelial supply of scarce resources in dry and nutrient-free environments. We propose that mycelia may stimulate bacterial activity and thus contribute to sustaining ecosystem functioning in stressed habitats.
Towards colloidal spintronics through Rashba spin-orbit interaction in lead sulphide nanosheets
Authors: Ramin Moayed Mohammad Mehdi , Bielewicz Thomas , Zöllner Martin Sebastian , Herrmann Carmen , Klinke Christian 
Published: June 2017

AbstractEmploying the spin degree of freedom of charge carriers offers the possibility to extend the functionality of conventional electronic devices, while colloidal chemistry can be used to synthesize inexpensive and tunable nanomaterials. Here, in order to benefit from both concepts, we investigate Rashba spin–orbit interaction in colloidal lead sulphide nanosheets by electrical measurements on the circular photo-galvanic effect. Lead sulphide nanosheets possess rock salt crystal structure, which is centrosymmetric. The symmetry can be broken by quantum confinement, asymmetric vertical interfaces and a gate electric field leading to Rashba-type band splitting in momentum space at the M points, which results in an unconventional selection mechanism for the excitation of the carriers. The effect, which is supported by simulations of the band structure using density functional theory, can be tuned by the gate electric field and by the thickness of the sheets. Spin-related electrical transport phenomena in colloidal materials open a promising pathway towards future inexpensive spintronic devices.
Flexible integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics
Authors: Chen Bigeng , Wu Hao , Xin Chenguang , Dai Daoxin , Tong Limin 
Published: June 2017

AbstractSilicon photonics has been developed successfully with a top-down fabrication technique to enable large-scale photonic integrated circuits with high reproducibility, but is limited intrinsically by the material capability for active or nonlinear applications. On the other hand, free-standing nanowires synthesized via a bottom-up growth present great material diversity and structural uniformity, but precisely assembling free-standing nanowires for on-demand photonic functionality remains a great challenge. Here we report hybrid integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics with high flexibility by coupling free-standing nanowires onto target silicon waveguides that are simultaneously used for precise positioning. Coupling efficiency between a free-standing nanowire and a silicon waveguide is up to ~97% in the telecommunication band. A hybrid nonlinear-free-standing nanowires–silicon waveguides Mach–Zehnder interferometer and a racetrack resonator for significantly enhanced optical modulation are experimentally demonstrated, as well as hybrid active-free-standing nanowires–silicon waveguides circuits for light generation. These results suggest an alternative approach to flexible multifunctional on-chip nanophotonic devices.
Using defects to store energy in materials – a computational study
Authors: Lu I-Te , Bernardi Marco 
Published: June 2017

AbstractEnergy storage occurs in a variety of physical and chemical processes. In particular, defects in materials can be regarded as energy storage units since they are long-lived and require energy to be formed. Here, we investigate energy storage in non-equilibrium populations of materials defects, such as those generated by bombardment or irradiation. We first estimate upper limits and trends for energy storage using defects. First-principles calculations are then employed to compute the stored energy in the most promising elemental materials, including tungsten, silicon, graphite, diamond and graphene, for point defects such as vacancies, interstitials and Frenkel pairs. We find that defect concentrations achievable experimentally (~0.1–1 at.%) can store large energies per volume and weight, up to ~5 MJ/L and 1.5 MJ/kg for covalent materials. Engineering challenges and proof-of-concept devices for storing and releasing energy with defects are discussed. Our work demonstrates the potential of storing energy using defects in materials.
Arrestins contribute to amyloid beta-induced cell death via modulation of autophagy and the α7nAch receptor in SH-SY5Y cells
Authors: Liu Yi-qing , Jia Meng-qi , Xie Zhao-hong , Liu Xiao-fei , Hui-Yang  , Zheng Xiao-lei , Yuan Hui-qing , Bi Jian-zhong 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAmyloid β-protein (Aβ) is believed to contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here we showed that Aβ25-35 rapidly caused activation of autophagy, subsequently leading to reduction of autophagy associated with cellular apoptosis. Further investigation revealed that the accumulation of β-arrestin 1 (ARRB1) caused by Aβ25-35 contributed to the induction of autophagic flux. The depletion of ARRB1 led to decreases in the expression of LC3B, Atg7, and Beclin-1, which are essential for the initiation of autophagy. ARRB1 depletion also reduced downstream ERK activity and promoted Aβ25-35-induced cell death. As with ARRB1, transient upregulation of ARRB2 by Aβ25-35 was observed after short treatment durations, whereas genetic reduction of ARRB2 caused a marked increase in the expression of the α7nAch receptor at the cell surface, which resulted in partial reversal of Aβ25-35-induced cell death. Although expression of both ARRB1 and ARRB2 was reduced in serum from patients with AD, the levels of ARRB1 were much lower than those of ARRB2 in AD. Thus, our findings indicate that ARRB1/2 play different roles in Aβ25-35 cytotoxicity, which may provide additional support for exploring the underlying molecular mechanism of AD.
Interaction of PKR with single-stranded RNA
Authors: Mayo Christopher B. , Cole James L. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAlthough the antiviral kinase PKR was originally characterized as a double-stranded RNA activated enzyme it can be stimulated by RNAs containing limited secondary structure. Single-stranded regions in such RNAs contribute to binding and activation but the mechanism is not understood. Here, we demonstrate that single-stranded RNAs bind to PKR with micromolar dissociation constants and can induce activation. Addition of a 5′-triphosphate slightly enhances binding affinity. Single-stranded RNAs also activate PKR constructs lacking the double-stranded RNA binding domain and bind to a basic region adjacent to the N-terminus of the kinase. However, the isolated kinase is not activated by and does not bind single-stranded RNA. Photocrosslinking measurements demonstrate that that the basic region interacts with RNA in the context of full length PKR. We propose that bivalent interactions with the double stranded RNA binding domain and the basic region underlie the ability of RNAs containing limited structure to activate PKR by enhancing binding affinity and thereby increasing the population of productive complexes containing two PKRs bound to a single RNA.
JNK Activation Turns on LPS- and Gram-Negative Bacteria-Induced NADPH Oxidase-Dependent Suicidal NETosis
Authors: Khan Meraj A. , Farahvash Armin , Douda David N. , Licht Johann-Christoph , Grasemann Hartmut , Sweezey Neil , Palaniyar Nades 
Published: June 2017

AbstractNeutrophils cast neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to ensnare microbial pathogens. Nevertheless, the molecular rheostats that regulate NETosis in response to bacteria are not clearly established. We hypothesized that stress-activated protein kinase or c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (SAPK/JNK) is a molecular switch that turns on NETosis in response to increasing concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and Gram-negative bacteria. Here we show that Escherichia coli LPS (0111:B4; 10–25 μg/ml), but not phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), activates JNK in human neutrophils in a dose-dependent manner. JNK inhibitors SP600125 and TCSJNK6o, and a TLR4 inhibitor TAK242 suppress reactive oxygen species production and NETosis in LPS-, but not PMA-treated neutrophils. Diphenyleneiodonium suppresses LPS-induced NETosis, confirming that endotoxin induces NADPH oxidase-dependent NETosis. Immunoblots, Sytox Green assays, and confocal microscopy of cleaved caspase-3 and nuclear morphology show that JNK inhibition does not induce apoptosis in LPS-stimulated neutrophils. JNK inhibition also suppresses NETosis induced by two typical Gram-negative bacteria, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Therefore, we propose that neutrophils use a TLR4-dependent, JNK-mediated molecular sensing mechanism to initiate NADPH oxidase-dependent suicidal NETosis in response to increasing concentrations of LPS, and Gram-negative bacteria. The LPS-TLR4-JNK activation axis determines the fate of these cells: to be or not to be NETotic neutrophils.
Molecular identification in metabolomics using infrared ion spectroscopy
Authors: Martens Jonathan , Berden Giel , van Outersterp Rianne E. , Kluijtmans Leo A. J. , Engelke Udo F. , van Karnebeek Clara D. M. , Wevers Ron A. , Oomens Jos 
Published: June 2017

AbstractSmall molecule identification is a continually expanding field of research and represents the core challenge in various areas of (bio)analytical science, including metabolomics. Here, we unequivocally differentiate enantiomeric N-acetylhexosamines in body fluids using infrared ion spectroscopy, providing orthogonal identification of molecular structure unavailable by standard liquid chromatography/high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. These results illustrate the potential of infrared ion spectroscopy for the identification of small molecules from complex mixtures.
Phylogeography of Petrolisthes armatus, an invasive species with low dispersal ability
Authors: Hiller Alexandra , Lessios Harilaos A. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractTheoretically, species with high population structure are likely to expand their range, because marginal populations are free to adapt to local conditions; however, meta-analyses have found a negative relation between structure and invasiveness. The crab Petrolisthes armatus has a wide native range, which has expanded in the last three decades. We sequenced 1718 bp of mitochondrial DNA from native and recently established populations to determine the population structure of the former and the origin of the latter. There was phylogenetic separation between Atlantic and eastern Pacific populations, and between east and west Atlantic ones. Haplotypes on the coast of Florida and newly established populations in Georgia and South Carolina belong to a different clade from those from Yucatán to Brazil, though a few haplotypes are shared. In the Pacific, populations from Colombia and Ecuador are highly divergent from those from Panamá and the Sea of Cortez. In general, populations were separated hundreds to million years ago with little subsequent gene flow. High genetic diversity in the newly established populations shows that they were founded by many individuals. Range expansion appears to have been limited by low dispersal rather than lack of ability of marginal populations to adapt to extreme conditions.
Direct evidence for cell adhesion-mediated radioresistance (CAM-RR) on the level of individual integrin β1 clusters
Authors: Babel Laura , Grunewald Miriam , Lehn Robert , Langhans Markus , Meckel Tobias 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe cellular interaction with the extracellular matrix (ECM) modulates many key processes such as proliferation, migration, differentiation and survival. In addition, cells cultured under 3D conditions in presence of an ECM display a marked radioresistance towards ionizing radiation (IR) in comparison to conventionally 2D cultured cells. This process, also known as “cell-adhesion-mediated-radio-resistance” (CAM-RR), has been linked to the chromatin structure that differs between cells cultured on stiff surfaces versus cell grown on soft planar supports or in 3D environments. As integrins are the key mediators of cell adhesion and mechanosensing, they originate the molecular signalling towards chromatin remodelling in response to a cell’s microenvironment. We aimed to investigate this molecular origin that leads to CAM-RR by investigating the distribution of integrins at the single molecule level and show that cells cultured in 2D keep a lower fraction of integrin β1 in clusters and maintain a less defined cluster status than 3D cultured cells. Upon X-irradiation this nanoscale distribution of integrin β1 is disturbed at much lower dosages in 2D versus 3D cultured cells. Radioresistance is thus linked to the ability to maintain a well defined organization of integrins in clusters, making integrin distribution a potential drug target for radiosensitization.
Catalytic transformation of functionalized carboxylic acids using multifunctional rhenium complexes
Authors: Naruto Masayuki , Agrawal Santosh , Toda Katsuaki , Saito Susumu 
Published: June 2017

AbstractCarboxylic acids (CAs) are one of the most ubiquitous and important chemical feedstocks available from biorenewable resources, CO2, and the petrochemical industry. Unfortunately, chemoselective catalytic transformations of CH
n
CO2H (n = 1–3) groups into other functionalities remain a significant challenge. Herein, we report rheniumV complexes as extremely effective precatalysts for this purpose. Compared to previously reported heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts derived from high- or low-valent metals, the present method involves a α-C–H bond functionalization, a hydrogenation, and a hydrogenolysis, which affords functionalized alcohols with a wide substrate scope and high chemoselectivity under relatively mild reaction conditions. The results represent an important step toward a paradigm shift from ‘low-valent’ to ‘high-valent’ metal complexes by exploring a new portfolio of selective functional group transformations of highly oxygenated organic substrates, as well as toward the exploitation of CAs as a valuable biorenewable feedstock.
Evaluation of the MTBDRplus 2.0 assay for the detection of multidrug resistance among persons with presumptive pulmonary TB in China
Authors: Tan Yaoju , Li Qiang , Wang Qing , Sun Huiping , Chen Jin , Cai Xingshan , Yao Yinchai , Bao Xundi , Wang Chao , Liu Yuan , Wu Xia , Pang Yu , Zhao Yanlin 
Published: June 2017

AbstractWe have conducted a multicenter study of the diagnostic accuracy of the MTBDRplus 2.0 assay in compared with conventional and molecular reference standard in four tuberculosis (TB)-specialized hospitals of China. A total of 5038 patients were enrolled in this study. The overall sensitivity of the assay for the diagnosis of TB was 92.7% [1723/1858, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 91.5–93.9]. In smear-positive/culture-positive cases the sensitivity was 97.7% (995/1018, 95% CI: 96.6–98.6), whereas in smear-negative/culture-positive cases it was 86.7% (728/840, 95% CI: 84.2–88.9). The agreement rate between MTBDRplus 2.0 and Xpert MTB/RIF was 97.7% (1015/1039, 95% CI: 96.6–98.5) for smear-positive cases and 97.0% (3682/3794, 95% CI: 96.5–97.6) for smear-negative cases. As compared with phenotypic drug susceptibility testing, the MTBDRplus 2.0 correctly identified 298 of 315 patients (94.6%, 95% CI: 91.5–96.8) with rifampicin-resistance. As noted previously, isoniazid resistance is associated with many different mutations and consequently the sensitivity compared to phenotypic testing was lower (81.0%, 95% CI: 76.8–84.7). In conclusion, this assay is a rapid, accurate test in terms of increased sensitivity for detecting smear-negative TB patients, as well as an alternative for detecting both RIF and INH resistance in persons with presumptive TB, whereas the absence of a mutation in the specimens must be interpreted cautiously.
Relict high-Andean ecosystems challenge our concepts of naturalness and human impact
Authors: Sylvester Steven P. , Heitkamp Felix , Sylvester Mitsy D. P. V. , Jungkunst Hermann F. , Sipman Harrie J. M. , Toivonen Johanna M. , Gonzales Inca Carlos A. , Ospina Juan C. , Kessler Michael 
Published: June 2017

AbstractWhat would current ecosystems be like without the impact of mankind? This question, which is critical for ecosystem management, has long remained unanswered due to a lack of present-day data from truly undisturbed ecosystems. Using mountaineering techniques, we accessed pristine relict ecosystems in the Peruvian Andes to provide this baseline data and compared it with the surrounding accessible and disturbed landscape. We show that natural ecosystems and human impact in the high Andes are radically different from preconceived ideas. Vegetation of these ‘lost worlds’ was dominated by plant species previously unknown to science that have become extinct in nearby human-affected ecosystems. Furthermore, natural vegetation had greater plant biomass with potentially as much as ten times more forest, but lower plant diversity. Contrary to our expectations, soils showed relatively little degradation when compared within a vegetation type, but differed mainly between forest and grassland ecosystems. At the landscape level, a presumed large-scale forest reduction resulted in a nowadays more acidic soilscape with higher carbon storage, partly ameliorating carbon loss through deforestation. Human impact in the high Andes, thus, had mixed effects on biodiversity, while soils and carbon stocks would have been mainly indirectly affected through a suggested large-scale vegetation change.
Fibroblasts derived from oesophageal adenocarcinoma differ in DNA methylation profile from normal oesophageal fibroblasts
Authors: Smith Eric , Palethorpe Helen M. , Hayden Annette L. , Young Joanne P. , Underwood Timothy J. , Drew Paul A. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractOesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is increasing in incidence and has a poor prognosis. Tumour derived fibroblasts (TDFs) differ functionally from normal fibroblasts (NDFs), and play a pivotal role in cancer. Many of the differences persist through subculture. We measured the DNA methylation profiles of 10 TDFs from OAC with 12 NDF from normal oesophageal mucosa using Infinium HumanMethylation450 Beadchips and found they differed in multidimensional scaling analysis. We identified 4,856 differentially methylated CpGs (DMCs, adjusted p < 0.01 and absolute difference in average β-value > 0.15), of which 3,243 (66.8%) were hypomethylated in TDFs compared to NDFs. Hypermethylated DMCs were enriched at transcription start sites (TSSs) and in CpG islands, and depleted in transcriptional enhancers. Gene ontology analysis of genes with DMCs at TSSs revealed an enrichment of genes involved in development, morphogenesis, migration, adhesion, regulation of processes and response to stimuli. Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) is a marker of activated fibroblasts and a poor prognostic indicator in OAC. Hypomethylated DMCs were observed at the TSS of transcript variant 2 of α-SMA, which correlated with an increase in α-SMA protein expression. These data suggest that DNA methylation may contribute to the maintenance of the TDF phenotype.
Peroxyoxalate Chemiluminescent Reaction as a Tool for Elimination of Tumour Cells Under Oxidative Stress
Authors: Romanyuk Andrey V. , Grozdova Irina D. , Ezhov Alexander A. , Melik-Nubarov Nickolay S. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe overproduction of hydrogen peroxide is an inherent feature of some tumour cells and inflamed tissues. We took advantage of this peculiarity to eliminate cells using chemiluminescent peroxyoxalate reaction. We designed dispersions containing polyoxalate and tetramethylhematoporhyrin (TMHP) in dimethylphthalate droplets stabilized with Pluronic L64. The porphyrin plays the dual role. On the one hand, it serves as an activator of the peroxyoxalate reaction of polyoxalate with intracellular hydrogen peroxide and experiences excitation as a result of the reaction. The light emitted in the reaction in the model system without cells was used to optimize the dispersion’s composition. On the other hand, TMHP acts as a photosensitizer (PS) causing cell damage. The formation of singlet oxygen led to cell elimination if the dispersions were used in combination with inducers of oxidative stress: hydrogen peroxide, paraquat, antitumour drug doxorubicin, or a nutritional additive menadione. The PS-induced cytotoxicity correlated with the level of intracellular ROS. The developed approach targeted to endogenous ROS is orthogonal to the classical chemotherapy and can be applied to increase its efficiency.
Adaptive Carbon Allocation by Plants Enhances the Terrestrial Carbon Sink
Authors: Xia Jiangzhou , Yuan Wenping , Wang Ying-Ping , Zhang Quanguo 
Published: June 2017

AbstractCarbon allocation is one of the most important physiological processes to optimize the plant growth, which exerts a strong influence on ecosystem structure and function, with potentially large implications for the global carbon budget. However, it remains unclear how the carbon allocation pattern has changed at global scale and impacted terrestrial carbon uptake. Based on the Community Atmosphere Biosphere Land Exchange (CABLE) model, this study shows the increasing partitioning ratios to leaf and wood and reducing ratio to root globally from 1979 to 2014. The results imply the plant optimizes carbon allocation and reaches its maximum growth by allocating more newly acquired photosynthate to leaves and wood tissues. Thus, terrestrial vegetation has absorbed 16% more carbon averagely between 1979 and 2014 through adjusting their carbon allocation process. Compared with the fixed carbon allocation simulation, the trend of terrestrial carbon sink from 1979 to 2014 increased by 34% in the adaptive carbon allocation simulation. Our study highlights carbon allocation, associated with climate change, needs to be mapped and incorporated into terrestrial carbon cycle estimates.