bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Persistence of Ebola virus in various body fluids during convalescence: evidence and implications for disease transmission and control
Authors: CHUGHTAI A. A. , BARNES M. , MACINTYRE C. R. 
Published: January 2016

SUMMARYThe aim of this study was to review the current evidence regarding the persistence of Ebola virus (EBOV) in various body fluids during convalescence and discuss its implication on disease transmission and control. We conducted a systematic review and searched articles from Medline and EMBASE using key words. We included studies that examined the persistence of EBOV in various body fluids during the convalescent phase. Twelve studies examined the persistence of EBOV in body fluids, with around 800 specimens tested in total. Available evidence suggests that EBOV can persist in some body fluids after clinical recovery and clearance of virus from the blood. EBOV has been isolated from semen, aqueous humor, urine and breast milk 82, 63, 26 and 15 days after onset of illness, respectively. Viral RNA has been detectable in semen (day 272), aqueous humor (day 63), sweat (day 40), urine (day 30), vaginal secretions (day 33), conjunctival fluid (day 22), faeces (day 19) and breast milk (day 17). Given high case fatality and uncertainties around the transmission characteristics, patients should be considered potentially infectious for a period of time after immediate clinical recovery. Patients and their immediate contacts should be informed about these risks. Convalescent patients may need to abstain from sex for at least 9 months or should use condoms until their semen tests are negative. Breastfeeding should be avoided during the convalescent phase. There is a need for more research on persistence, and a uniform approach to infection control guidelines in convalescence.
NLP-driven citation analysis for scientometrics
Authors: JHA RAHUL , JBARA AMJAD-ABU , QAZVINIAN VAHED , RADEV DRAGOMIR R. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThis paper summarizes ongoing research in Natural-Language-Processing-driven citation analysis and describes experiments and motivating examples of how this work can be used to enhance traditional scientometrics analysis that is based on simply treating citations as a ‘vote’ from the citing paper to cited paper. In particular, we describe our dataset for citation polarity and citation purpose, present experimental results on the automatic detection of these indicators, and demonstrate the use of such annotations for studying research dynamics and scientific summarization. We also look at two complementary problems that show up in Natural-Language-Processing-driven citation analysis for a specific target paper. The first problem is extracting citation context, the implicit citation sentences that do not contain explicit anchors to the target paper. The second problem is extracting reference scope, the target relevant segment of a complicated citing sentence that cites multiple papers. We show how these tasks can be helpful in improving sentiment analysis and citation-based summarization.
Coping strategies and mental health outcomes of conflict-affected persons in the Republic of Georgia
Authors: Saxon L. , Makhashvili N. , Chikovani I. , Seguin M. , McKee M. , Patel V. , Bisson J. , Roberts B. 
Published: January 2016

Aims.Adults who experienced the 1992 and 2008 armed conflicts in the Republic of Georgia were exposed to multiple traumatic events and stressors over many years. The aim was to investigate what coping strategies are used by conflict-affected persons in Georgia and their association with mental disorders.Method.A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 3600 adults, representing internally displaced persons (IDPs) from conflicts in the 1990s (n = 1200) and 2008 (n = 1200) and former IDPs who returned to their homes after the 2008 conflict (n = 1200). Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and coping strategies were measured using the Trauma Screening Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalised Anxiety and adapted version of the Brief Coping Inventory, respectively. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were used.Results.Coping strategies such as use of humour, emotional support, active coping, acceptance and religion were significantly associated with better mental health outcomes. Coping strategies of behavioural and mental disengagement, denial, venting emotions, substance abuse and gambling were significantly associated with poorer mental health outcomes. The reported use of coping strategies varied significantly between men and women for 8 of the 15 strategies addressed.Conclusions.Many conflict-affected persons in Georgia are still suffering mental health problems years after the conflicts. A number of specific coping strategies appear to be associated with better mental health and should be encouraged and supported where possible.
Quantum algorithms for topological and geometric analysis of data
Authors: Lloyd Seth , Garnerone Silvano , Zanardi Paolo 
Published: January 2016

AbstractExtracting useful information from large data sets can be a daunting task. Topological methods for analysing data sets provide a powerful technique for extracting such information. Persistent homology is a sophisticated tool for identifying topological features and for determining how such features persist as the data is viewed at different scales. Here we present quantum machine learning algorithms for calculating Betti numbers—the numbers of connected components, holes and voids—in persistent homology, and for finding eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the combinatorial Laplacian. The algorithms provide an exponential speed-up over the best currently known classical algorithms for topological data analysis.
Intracellular repair of oxidation-damaged α-synuclein fails to target C-terminal modification sites
Authors: Binolfi Andres , Limatola Antonio , Verzini Silvia , Kosten Jonas , Theillet Francois-Xavier , May Rose Honor , Bekei Beata , Stuiver Marchel , van Rossum Marleen , Selenko Philipp 
Published: January 2016

AbstractCellular oxidative stress serves as a common denominator in many neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease. Here we use in-cell NMR spectroscopy to study the fate of the oxidation-damaged Parkinson’s disease protein alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) in non-neuronal and neuronal mammalian cells. Specifically, we deliver methionine-oxidized, isotope-enriched α-Syn into cultured cells and follow intracellular protein repair by endogenous enzymes at atomic resolution. We show that N-terminal α-Syn methionines Met1 and Met5 are processed in a stepwise manner, with Met5 being exclusively repaired before Met1. By contrast, C-terminal methionines Met116 and Met127 remain oxidized and are not targeted by cellular enzymes. In turn, persisting oxidative damage in the C-terminus of α-Syn diminishes phosphorylation of Tyr125 by Fyn kinase, which ablates the necessary priming event for Ser129 modification by CK1. These results establish that oxidative stress can lead to the accumulation of chemically and functionally altered α-Syn in cells.
Electropolymerization on wireless electrodes towards conducting polymer microfibre networks
Authors: Koizumi Yuki , Shida Naoki , Ohira Masato , Nishiyama Hiroki , Tomita Ikuyoshi , Inagi Shinsuke 
Published: January 2016

AbstractConducting polymers can be easily obtained by electrochemical oxidation of aromatic monomers on an electrode surface as a film state. To prepare conducting polymer fibres by electropolymerization, templates such as porous membranes are necessary in the conventional methods. Here we report the electropolymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene and its derivatives by alternating current (AC)-bipolar electrolysis. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) derivatives were found to propagate as a fibre form from the ends of Au wires used as bipolar electrodes (BPEs) parallel to an external electric field, without the use of templates. The effects of applied frequency and of the solvent on the morphology, growth rate and degree of branching of these PEDOT fibres were investigated. In addition, a chain-growth model for the formation of conductive material networks was also demonstrated.
Confinement-deconfinement transition due to spontaneous symmetry breaking in quantum Hall bilayers
Authors: Pikulin D. I. , Silvestrov P. G. , Hyart T. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBand-inverted electron-hole bilayers support quantum spin Hall insulator and exciton condensate phases. Interest in quantum spin Hall effect in these systems has recently put them in the spotlight. We investigate such a bilayer in an external magnetic field. We show that the interlayer correlations lead to formation of a helical quantum Hall exciton condensate state. Existence of the counterpropagating edge modes in this system results in formation of a ground state spin-texture not supporting gapless single-particle excitations. The charged edge excitations in a sufficiently narrow Hall bar are confined: a charge on one of the edges always gives rise to an opposite charge on the other edge. Magnetic field and gate voltages allow the control of a confinement-deconfinement transition of charged edge excitations, which can be probed with nonlocal conductance. Confinement-deconfinement transitions are of great interest, not least because of their possible significance in shedding light on the confinement problem of quarks.
Structures of the E. coli translating ribosome with SRP and its receptor and with the translocon
Authors: Jomaa Ahmad , Boehringer Daniel , Leibundgut Marc , Ban Nenad 
Published: January 2016

AbstractCo-translational protein targeting to membranes is a universally conserved process. Central steps include cargo recognition by the signal recognition particle and handover to the Sec translocon. Here we present snapshots of key co-translational-targeting complexes solved by cryo-electron microscopy at near-atomic resolution, establishing the molecular contacts between the Escherichia coli translating ribosome, the signal recognition particle and the translocon. Our results reveal the conformational changes that regulate the latching of the signal sequence, the release of the heterodimeric domains of the signal recognition particle and its receptor, and the handover of the signal sequence to the translocon. We also observe that the signal recognition particle and the translocon insert-specific structural elements into the ribosomal tunnel to remodel it, possibly to sense nascent chains. Our work provides structural evidence for a conformational state of the signal recognition particle and its receptor primed for translocon binding to the ribosome–nascent chain complex.
Single-ion adsorption and switching in carbon nanotubes
Authors: Bushmaker Adam W. , Oklejas Vanessa , Walker Don , Hopkins Alan R. , Chen Jihan , Cronin Stephen B. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractSingle-ion detection has, for many years, been the domain of large devices such as the Geiger counter, and studies on interactions of ionized gasses with materials have been limited to large systems. To date, there have been no reports on single gaseous ion interaction with microelectronic devices, and single neutral atom detection techniques have shown only small, barely detectable responses. Here we report the observation of single gaseous ion adsorption on individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which, because of the severely restricted one-dimensional current path, experience discrete, quantized resistance increases of over two orders of magnitude. Only positive ions cause changes, by the mechanism of ion potential-induced carrier depletion, which is supported by density functional and Landauer transport theory. Our observations reveal a new single-ion/CNT heterostructure with novel electronic properties, and demonstrate that as electronics are ultimately scaled towards the one-dimensional limit, atomic-scale effects become increasingly important.
A novel mechanism for the biogenesis of outer membrane vesicles in Gram-negative bacteria
Authors: Roier Sandro , Zingl Franz G. , Cakar Fatih , Durakovic Sanel , Kohl Paul , Eichmann Thomas O. , Klug Lisa , Gadermaier Bernhard , Weinzerl Katharina , Prassl Ruth , Lass Achim , Daum Günther , Reidl Joachim , Feldman Mario F. , Schild Stefan 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) have important biological roles in pathogenesis and intercellular interactions, but a general mechanism of OMV formation is lacking. Here we show that the VacJ/Yrb ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transport system, a proposed phospholipid transporter, is involved in OMV formation. Deletion or repression of VacJ/Yrb increases OMV production in two distantly related Gram-negative bacteria, Haemophilus influenzae and Vibrio cholerae. Lipidome analyses demonstrate that OMVs from VacJ/Yrb-defective mutants in H. influenzae are enriched in phospholipids and certain fatty acids. Furthermore, we demonstrate that OMV production and regulation of the VacJ/Yrb ABC transport system respond to iron starvation. Our results suggest a new general mechanism of OMV biogenesis based on phospholipid accumulation in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane. This mechanism is highly conserved among Gram-negative bacteria, provides a means for regulation, can account for OMV formation under all growth conditions, and might have important pathophysiological roles in vivo.
Hepatic adenylate cyclase 3 is upregulated by Liraglutide and subsequently plays a protective role in insulin resistance and obesity
Authors: Liang Y , Li Z , Liang S , Li Y , Yang L , Lu M , Gu H F , Xia N 
Published: January 2016

Abstract
Objective:
Recent studies have demonstrated that adenylate cyclase 3 (AC3) has a protective role in obesity. This gene resides at the pathway with glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1. Liraglutide is a GLP-1 analog and has independent glucose and body weight (BW)-reducing effects. In the present study, we aimed to examine whether hepatic AC3 activity was regulated by Liraglutide and to further understand the effect of AC3 in reduction of BW and insulin resistance.

Subjects:
The diabesity and obese mice were induced from db/db and C57BL/6 J mice, respectively, by high-fat diet. Liraglutide (0.1 mg kg−1 per 12 h) was given to the mice twice daily for 12 weeks. C57BL/6 J mice fed with chow diet and obese or diabesity mice treated with saline were used as the controls. Hepatic AC3 gene expression at mRNA and protein levels was analyzed with real-time reverse transcription-PCR and western blot. Fasting blood glucose and serum insulin levels were measured and followed insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was evaluated according to the homeostasis model assessment.

Results:
After administration of Liraglutide, BW and HOMA-IR in obese and diabesity mice were decreased, whereas hepatic AC3 mRNA and protein expression levels were upregulated. The AC3 gene expression was negatively correlated with BW, HOMA-IR and the area ratio of hepatic fat deposition in the liver.

Conclusions:
The present study thus provides the evidence that hepatic AC3 gene expression is upregulated by Liraglutide. The reduction of BW and improvement of insulin resistance with Liraglutide may be partially explained by AC3 activation.
Serum S-adenosylmethionine, but not methionine, increases in response to overfeeding in humans
Authors: Elshorbagy A K , Jernerén F , Samocha-Bonet D , Refsum H , Heilbronn L K 
Published: January 2016

Abstract
Background:
Plasma concentration of the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is linearly associated with body mass index (BMI) and fat mass. As SAM is a high-energy compound and a sensor of cellular nutrient status, we hypothesized that SAM would increase with overfeeding.

Methods:
Forty normal to overweight men and women were overfed by 1250 kcal per day for 28 days.

Results:
Serum SAM increased from 106 to 130 nmol/l (P=0.006). In stratified analysis, only those with weight gain above the median (high-weight gainers; average weight gain 3.9±0.3 kg) had increased SAM (+42%, P=0.001), whereas low-weight gainers (weight gain 1.5±0.2 kg) did not (Pinteraction=0.018). Overfeeding did not alter serum concentrations of the SAM precursor, methionine or the products, S-adenosyl-homocysteine and homocysteine. The SAM/SAH (S-adenosylhomocysteine) ratio was unchanged in the total population, but increased in high-weight gainers (+52%, P=0.006, Pinteraction =0.005). Change in SAM correlated positively with change in weight (r=0.33, P=0.041) and fat mass (r=0.44, P=0.009), but not with change in protein intake or plasma methionine, glucose, insulin or low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol.

Conclusion:
Overfeeding raised serum SAM in proportion to the fat mass gained. The increase in SAM may help stabilize methionine levels, and denotes a responsiveness of SAM to nutrient state in humans. The role of SAM in human energy metabolism deserves further attention.
Global effects of local food-production crises: a virtual water perspective
Authors: Tamea Stefania , Laio Francesco , Ridolfi Luca 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBy importing food and agricultural goods, countries cope with the heterogeneous global water distribution and often rely on water resources available abroad. The virtual displacement of the water used to produce such goods (known as virtual water) connects together, in a global water system, all countries participating to the international trade network. Local food-production crises, having social, economic or environmental origin, propagate in this network, modifying the virtual water trade and perturbing local and global food availability, quantified in terms of virtual water. We analyze here the possible effects of local crises by developing a new propagation model, parsimonious but grounded on data-based and statistically-verified assumptions, whose effectiveness is proved on the Argentinean crisis in 2008–09. The model serves as the basis to propose indicators of crisis impact and country vulnerability to external food-production crises, which highlight that countries with largest water resources have the highest impact on the international trade and that not only water-scarce but also wealthy and globalized countries are among the most vulnerable to external crises. The temporal analysis reveals that global average vulnerability has increased over time and that stronger effects of crises are now found in countries with low food (and water) availability.
Direct Synthesis of Multicolor Fluorescent Hollow Carbon Spheres Encapsulating Enriched Carbon Dots
Authors: Chen Qiao-Ling , Ji Wen-Qing , Chen Su 
Published: January 2016

AbstractMulticolor fluorescent hollow carbon spheres (HCSs) are fabricated by an easy one-step route of in situ pyrolysis process with the use of natural scales and collagen powders as the precursor. The gas blow forming mechanism and photoluminescence (PL) emission mechanism of HCSs have been thoroughly discussed and proved that HCSs represent the first examples of three-dimensional multicolor fluorescent nanomaterials based on carbon dots (CDs). The HCSs encapsulate enriched carbon dots with high quantum yields (QYs) of 38% and thus are applied in inkjet printing and sensitized solar cells. This strategy offers a promising avenue for preparing multicolor fluorescent hollow carbon materials on an industrial scale.
Hunting for Monolayer Oxide Nanosheets and Their Architectures
Authors: Kim Hyung-Jun , Osada Minoru , Ebina Yasuo , Sugimoto Wataru , Tsukagoshi Kazuhito , Sasaki Takayoshi 
Published: January 2016

AbstractIn two-dimensional materials, thickness identification with a sufficient characterization range is essential to fundamental study and practical applications. Here, we report a universal optical method for rapid and reliable identification of single- to quindecuple-layers in oxide nanosheets (Ti0.87O2, Ca2Nb3O10, Ca2NaNb4O13). Because of their wide bandgap nature (Eg = ∼4 eV) and zero opacity, most oxide nanosheets exhibit a weak white-light contrast (<1.5%), which precludes optical identification. Through a systematic study of the optical reflectivity of Ti0.87O2 nanosheets on SiO2/Si substrates, we show that the use of thinner SiO2 (∼100 nm) offers optimum visualization conditions with a contrast of >5%; the contrast is a nonmonotonic function of wavelength and changes its sign at ≈550 nm; the nanosheets are brighter than the substrate at short wavelengths and darker at long ones. Such a nonmonotonic optical response is common to semiconducting oxide nanosheets, including Ca2Nb3O10 and Ca2NaNb4O13. The optical contrast differences between the substrates and nanosheets with different numbers of layers were collected, serving as a standard reference from which the number of layers can be determined by optical microscopy. Our method will facilitate the thickness-dependent study of various oxide nanosheets and their architectures, as well as expedite research toward practical applications.
Insights into the venom composition and evolution of an endoparasitoid wasp by combining proteomic and transcriptomic analyses
Authors: Yan Zhichao , Fang Qi , Wang Lei , Liu Jinding , Zhu Yu , Wang Fei , Li Fei , Werren John H. , Ye Gongyin 
Published: January 2016

AbstractParasitoid wasps are abundant and diverse hymenopteran insects that lay their eggs into the internal body (endoparasitoid) or on the external surface (ectoparasitoid) of their hosts. To make a more conducive environment for the wasps’ young, both ecto- and endoparasitoids inject venoms into the host to modulate host immunity, metabolism and development. Endoparasitoids have evolved from ectoparasitoids independently in different hymenopteran lineages.Pteromalus puparum, a pupal endoparasitoid of various butterflies, represents a relatively recent evolution of endoparasitism within pteromalids. Using a combination of transcriptomic and proteomic approaches, we have identified 70 putative venom proteins inP. puparum. Most of them show higher similarity to venom proteins from the related ectoparasitoidNasonia vitripennisthan from other more distantly related endoparasitoids. In addition, 13 venom proteins are similar to venoms of distantly related endoparasitoids but have no detectable venom matches inNasonia. These venom proteins may have a role in adaptation to endoparasitism. Overall, these results lay the groundwork for more detailed studies of venom function and adaptation to the endoparasitic lifestyle.
Growing sensitivity of maize to water scarcity under climate change
Authors: Meng Qingfeng , Chen Xinping , Lobell David B. , Cui Zhenling , Zhang Yi , Yang Haishun , Zhang Fusuo 
Published: January 2016

AbstractClimate change can reduce crop yields and thereby threaten food security. The current measures used to adapt to climate change involve avoiding crops yield decrease, however, the limitations of such measures due to water and other resources scarcity have not been well understood. Here, we quantify how the sensitivity of maize to water availability has increased because of the shift toward longer-maturing varieties during last three decades in the Chinese Maize Belt (CMB). We report that modern, longer-maturing varieties have extended the growing period by an average of 8 days and have significantly offset the negative impacts of climate change on yield. However, the sensitivity of maize production to water has increased: maize yield across the CMB was 5% lower with rainfed than with irrigated maize in the 1980s and was 10% lower (and even >20% lower in some areas) in the 2000s because of both warming and the increased requirement for water by the longer-maturing varieties. Of the maize area in China, 40% now fails to receive the precipitation required to attain the full yield potential. Opportunities for water saving in maize systems exist, but water scarcity in China remains a serious problem.