bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Research and development of Zika virus vaccines
Authors: Dawes Brian E , Smalley Claire A , Tiner Bethany L , Beasley David WC , Milligan Gregg N , Reece Lisa M , Hombach Joachim , Barrett Alan DT 
Published: July 2016

AbstractZika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, and is transmitted by Aedes sp. mosquitoes. There are three genetic lineages of ZIKV: the East African, West African and Asian lineages. Until recently, Zika fever (ZF) has normally been considered a rare, mild febrile disease, but reports since 2012 have shown potentially severe complications associated with ZIKV infection, including microcephaly and Guillain–Barré syndrome. There are no licensed vaccines for ZIKV; however, many vaccine platforms/approaches that have been utilised for other flavivirus vaccines are being applied to ZIKV. Given the current outbreak of ZIKV in the Americas with its associated risks to pregnancy, we summarise what is known about the virus, how knowledge of currently licensed flavivirus vaccines can be applied to ZIKV vaccine development and the assessments of potential challenges for ZIKV vaccine testing and evaluation.
Ligubenzocycloheptanone A, a Novel Tricyclic Butenolide with a 6/7/5 Skeleton from Ligusticum chuanxiong
Authors: Han Bing , Zhang Xu , Feng Zi-Ming , Jiang Jian-Shuang , Li Li , Yang Ya-Nan , Zhang Pei-Cheng 
Published: July 2016

AbstractLigubenzocycloheptanone A (1), a novel tricyclic butenolide with a 6/7/5-membered ring skeleton, was isolated from the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong. Its unusual structure was determined using UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR data, X-ray diffraction crystallography and by the comparison of experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. 1 possessed a benzocycloheptanone core featuring butyrolactone, which is rarely observed in nature. A possible biosynthetic pathway was proposed. Ligubenzocycloheptanone A showed strong radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 2.3 μM.
Deciphering and modulating G protein signalling in C. elegans using the DREADD technology
Authors: Prömel Simone , Fiedler Franziska , Binder Claudia , Winkler Jana , Schöneberg Torsten , Thor Doreen 
Published: July 2016

AbstractG-protein signalling is an evolutionary conserved concept highlighting its fundamental impact on developmental and functional processes. Studies on the effects of G protein signals on tissues as well as an entire organism are often conducted in Caenorhabditis elegans. To understand and control dynamics and kinetics of the processes involved, pharmacological modulation of specific G protein pathways would be advantageous, but is difficult due to a lack in accessibility and regulation. To provide this option, we designed G protein-coupled receptor-based designer receptors (DREADDs) for C. elegans. Initially described in mammalian systems, these modified muscarinic acetylcholine receptors are activated by the inert drug clozapine-N-oxide, but not by their endogenous agonists. We report a novel C. elegans-specific DREADD, functionally expressed and specifically activating Gq-protein signalling in vitro and in vivo which we used for modulating mating behaviour. Therefore, this novel designer receptor demonstrates the possibility to pharmacologically control physiological functions in C. elegans.
Spatial temperature gradients guide axonal outgrowth
Authors: Black Bryan , Vishwakarma Vivek , Dhakal Kamal , Bhattarai Samik , Pradhan Prabhakar , Jain Ankur , Kim Young-tae , Mohanty Samarendra 
Published: July 2016

AbstractFormation of neural networks during development and regeneration after injury depends on accuracy of axonal pathfinding, which is primarily believed to be influenced by chemical cues. Recently, there is growing evidence that physical cues can play crucial role in axonal guidance. However, detailed mechanism involved in such guidance cues is lacking. By using weakly-focused near-infrared continuous wave (CW) laser microbeam in the path of an advancing axon, we discovered that the beam acts as a repulsive guidance cue. Here, we report that this highly-effective at-a-distance guidance is the result of a temperature field produced by the near-infrared laser light absorption. Since light absorption by extracellular medium increases when the laser wavelength was red shifted, the threshold laser power for reliable guidance was significantly lower in the near-infrared as compared to the visible spectrum. The spatial temperature gradient caused by the near-infrared laser beam at-a-distance was found to activate temperature-sensitive membrane receptors, resulting in an influx of calcium. The repulsive guidance effect was significantly reduced when extracellular calcium was depleted or in the presence of TRPV1-antagonist. Further, direct heating using micro-heater confirmed that the axonal guidance is caused by shallow temperature-gradient, eliminating the role of any non-photothermal effects.
Detecting early signs of the 2007–2008 crisis in the world trade
Authors: Saracco Fabio , Di Clemente Riccardo , Gabrielli Andrea , Squartini Tiziano 
Published: July 2016

AbstractSince 2007, several contributions have tried to identify early-warning signals of the financial crisis. However, the vast majority of analyses has focused on financial systems and little theoretical work has been done on the economic counterpart. In the present paper we fill this gap and employ the theoretical tools of network theory to shed light on the response of world trade to the financial crisis of 2007 and the economic recession of 2008–2009. We have explored the evolution of the bipartite World Trade Web (WTW) across the years 1995–2010, monitoring the behavior of the system both before and after 2007. Our analysis shows early structural changes in the WTW topology: since 2003, the WTW becomes increasingly compatible with the picture of a network where correlations between countries and products are progressively lost. Moreover, the WTW structural modification can be considered as concluded in 2010, after a seemingly stationary phase of three years. We have also refined our analysis by considering specific subsets of countries and products: the most statistically significant early-warning signals are provided by the most volatile macrosectors, especially when measured on developing countries, suggesting the emerging economies as being the most sensitive ones to the global economic cycles.
Vocal fold control beyond the species-specific repertoire in an orang-utan
Authors: Lameira Adriano R. , Hardus Madeleine E. , Mielke Alexander , Wich Serge A. , Shumaker Robert W. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractVocal fold control was critical to the evolution of spoken language, much as it today allows us to learn vowel systems. It has, however, never been demonstrated directly in a non-human primate, leading to the suggestion that it evolved in the human lineage after divergence from great apes. Here, we provide the first evidence for real-time, dynamic and interactive vocal fold control in a great ape during an imitation “do-as-I-do” game with a human demonstrator. Notably, the orang-utan subject skilfully produced “wookies” – an idiosyncratic vocalization exhibiting a unique spectral profile among the orang-utan vocal repertoire. The subject instantaneously matched human-produced wookies as they were randomly modulated in pitch, adjusting his voice frequency up or down when the human demonstrator did so, readily generating distinct low vs. high frequency sub-variants. These sub-variants were significantly different from spontaneous ones (not produced in matching trials). Results indicate a latent capacity for vocal fold exercise in a great ape (i) in real-time, (ii) up and down the frequency spectrum, (iii) across a register range beyond the species-repertoire and, (iv) in a co-operative turn-taking social setup. Such ancestral capacity likely provided the neuro-behavioural basis of the more fine-tuned vocal fold control that is a human hallmark.
Autophagy is induced in the skeletal muscle of cachectic cancer patients
Authors: Aversa Zaira , Pin Fabrizio , Lucia Simone , Penna Fabio , Verzaro Roberto , Fazi Maurizio , Colasante Giuseppina , Tirone Andrea , Fanelli Filippo Rossi , Ramaccini Cesarina , Costelli Paola , Muscaritoli Maurizio 
Published: July 2016

AbstractBasal rates of autophagy can be markedly accelerated by environmental stresses. Recently, autophagy has been involved in cancer-induced muscle wasting. Aim of this study has been to evaluate if autophagy is induced in the skeletal muscle of cancer patients. The expression (mRNA and protein) of autophagic markers has been evaluated in intraoperative muscle biopsies. Beclin-1 protein levels were increased in cachectic cancer patients, suggesting autophagy induction. LC3B-I protein levels were not significantly modified. LC3B-II protein levels were significantly increased in cachectic cancer patients suggesting either increased autophagosome formation or reduced autophagosome turnover. Conversely, p62 protein levels were increased in cachectic and non-cachectic cancer patients, suggesting impaired autophagosome clearance. As for mitophagy, both Bnip3 and Nix/Bnip3L show a trend to increase in cachectic patients. In the same patients, Parkin levels significantly increased, while PINK1 was unchanged. At gene level, Beclin-1, p-62, BNIP3, NIX/BNIP3L and TFEB mRNAs were not significantly modulated, while LC3B and PINK1 mRNA levels were increased and decreased, respectively, in cachectic cancer patients. Autophagy is induced in the skeletal muscle of cachectic cancer patients, although autophagosome clearance appears to be impaired. Further studies should evaluate whether modulation of autophagy could represent a relevant therapeutic strategy in cancer cachexia.
Signatures of a globally optimal searching strategy in the three-dimensional foraging flights of bumblebees
Authors: Lihoreau Mathieu , Ings Thomas C. , Chittka Lars , Reynolds Andy M. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractSimulated annealing is a powerful stochastic search algorithm for locating a global maximum that is hidden among many poorer local maxima in a search space. It is frequently implemented in computers working on complex optimization problems but until now has not been directly observed in nature as a searching strategy adopted by foraging animals. We analysed high-speed video recordings of the three-dimensional searching flights of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) made in the presence of large or small artificial flowers within a 0.5 m3 enclosed arena. Analyses of the three-dimensional flight patterns in both conditions reveal signatures of simulated annealing searches. After leaving a flower, bees tend to scan back-and forth past that flower before making prospecting flights (loops), whose length increases over time. The search pattern becomes gradually more expansive and culminates when another rewarding flower is found. Bees then scan back and forth in the vicinity of the newly discovered flower and the process repeats. This looping search pattern, in which flight step lengths are typically power-law distributed, provides a relatively simple yet highly efficient strategy for pollinators such as bees to find best quality resources in complex environments made of multiple ephemeral feeding sites with nutritionally variable rewards.
Organic nitrogen uptake is a significant contributor to nitrogen economy of subtropical epiphytic bryophytes
Authors: Song Liang , Lu Hua-Zheng , Xu Xing-Liang , Li Su , Shi Xian-Meng , Chen Xi , Wu Yi , Huang Jun-Biao , Chen Quan , Liu Shuai , Wu Chuan-Sheng , Liu Wen-Yao 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWithout any root contact with the soil, epiphytic bryophytes must experience and explore poor, patchy, and heterogeneous habitats; while, the nitrogen (N) uptake and use strategies of these organisms remain uncharacterized, which obscures their roles in the N cycle. To investigate the N sources, N preferences, and responses to enhanced N deposition in epiphytic bryophytes, we carried out an in situ manipulation experiment via the 15N labelling technique in an Asian cloud forest. Epiphytic bryophytes obtained more N from air deposition than from the bark, but the contribution of N from the bark was non-negligible. Glycine accounted for 28.4% to 44.5% of the total N in bryophyte tissue, which implies that organic N might serve as an important N source. Increased N deposition increased the total N uptake, but did not alter the N preference of the epiphytic bryophytes. This study provides sound evidence that epiphytic bryophytes could take up N from the bark and wet deposition in both organic and inorganic N forms. It is thus important to consider organic N and bark N sources, which were usually neglected, when estimating the role of epiphytic bryophytes in N cycling and the impacts of N deposition on epiphytic bryophytes in cloud forests.
Human DNA-Damage-Inducible 2 Protein Is Structurally and Functionally Distinct from Its Yeast Ortholog
Authors: Sivá Monika , Svoboda Michal , Veverka Václav , Trempe Jean-François , Hofmann Kay , Kožíšek Milan , Hexnerová Rozálie , Sedlák František , Belza Jan , Brynda Jiří , Šácha Pavel , Hubálek Martin , Starková Jana , Flaisigová Iva , Konvalinka Jan , Šašková Klára Grantz 
Published: July 2016

AbstractAlthough Ddi1-like proteins are conserved among eukaryotes, their biological functions remain poorly characterized. Yeast Ddi1 has been implicated in cell cycle regulation, DNA-damage response and exocytosis. By virtue of its ubiquitin-like (UBL) and ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domains, it has been proposed to serve as a proteasomal shuttle factor. All Ddi1-like family members also contain a highly conserved retroviral protease-like (RVP) domain with unknown substrate specificity. While the structure and biological function of yeast Ddi1 have been investigated, no such analysis is available for the human homologs. To address this, we solved the 3D structures of the human Ddi2 UBL and RVP domains and identified a new helical domain that extends on either side of the RVP dimer. While Ddi1-like proteins from all vertebrates lack a UBA domain, we identify a novel ubiquitin-interacting motif (UIM) located at the C-terminus of the protein. The UIM showed a weak yet specific affinity towards ubiquitin, as did the Ddi2 UBL domain. However, the full-length Ddi2 protein is unable to bind to di-ubiquitin chains. While proteomic analysis revealed no activity, implying that the protease requires other factors for activation, our structural characterization of all domains of human Ddi2 sets the stage for further characterization.
Stress-induced and epigenetic-mediated maize transcriptome regulation study by means of transcriptome reannotation and differential expression analysis
Authors: Forestan Cristian , Aiese Cigliano Riccardo , Farinati Silvia , Lunardon Alice , Sanseverino Walter , Varotto Serena 
Published: July 2016

AbstractPlant’s response and adaptation to abiotic stresses involve sophisticated genetic and epigenetic regulatory systems. To obtain a global view of molecular response to osmotic stresses, including the non-coding portion of genome, we conducted a total leaf transcriptome analysis on maize plants subjected to prolonged drought and salt stresses. Stress application to both B73 wild type and the epiregulator mutant rpd1-1/rmr6 allowed dissection of the epigenetic component of stress response. Coupling total RNA-Seq and transcriptome re-assembly we annotated thousands of new maize transcripts, together with 13,387 lncRNAs that may play critical roles in regulating gene expression. Differential expression analysis revealed hundreds of genes modulated by long-term stress application, including also many lncRNAs and transposons specifically induced by stresses. The amplitude and dynamic of the stress-modulated gene sets are very different between B73 and rpd1-1/rmr6 mutant plants, as result of stress-like effect on genome regulation caused by the mutation itself, which activates many stress-related genes even in control condition. The analyzed extensive set of total RNA-Seq data, together with the improvement of the transcriptome and the identification of the non-coding portion of the transcriptome give a revealing insight into the genetic and epigenetic mechanism responsible for maize molecular response to abiotic stresses.
Galangin Induces Autophagy via Deacetylation of LC3 by SIRT1 in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Li Xv , Wang Yajun , Xiong Yuzhen , Wu Jun , Ding Hang , Chen Xiaoyi , Lan Liubo , Zhang Haitao 
Published: July 2016

AbstractGalangin suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis and autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, but the precise mechanism is not clear. In this study, we demonstrated that galangin induced autophagy, enhanced the binding of SIRT1-LC3 and reduced the acetylation of endogenous LC3 in HepG2 cells. But this autophagy was inhibited by inactivation of SIRT1 meanwhile, galangin failed to reduce the acetylation of endogenous LC3 after SIRT1 was knocked-down. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a new mechanism by which galangin induces autophagy via the deacetylation of endogenous LC3 by SIRT1.
Internalized Tau sensitizes cells to stress by promoting formation and stability of stress granules
Authors: Brunello Cecilia A. , Yan Xu , Huttunen Henri J. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractStress granules are membrane-less RNA- and RNA-binding protein-containing complexes that are transiently assembled in stressful conditions to promote cell survival. Several stress granule-associated RNA-binding proteins have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, a close link was recently identified between the stress granule core-nucleating protein TIA-1 and Tau. Tau is a central pathological protein in Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies and misfolded, aggregated Tau is capable of propagating pathology via cell-to-cell transmission. Here we show that following internalization hyperphosphorylated extracellular Tau associates with stress granules in a TIA-1 dependent manner. Cytosolic Tau normally only weakly interacts with TIA-1 but mutations mimicking abnormal phosphorylation promote this interaction. We show that internalized Tau significantly delays normal clearance of stress granules in the recipient cells sensitizing them to secondary stress. These results suggest that secreted Tau species may have properties, likely related to its hyperphosphorylation and oligomerization, which promote pathological association of internalized Tau with stress granules altering their dynamics and reducing cell viability. We suggest that stress granules and TIA-1 play a central role in the cell-to-cell transmission of Tau pathology.
Efficient high repetition rate electro-optic Q-switched laser with an optically active langasite crystal
Authors: Ma Shihui , Yu Haohai , Zhang Huaijin , Han Xuekun , Lu Qingming , Ma Changqin , Boughton Robert I. , Wang Jiyang 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWith an optically active langasite (LGS) crystal as the electro-optic Q-switch, we demonstrate an efficient Q-switched laser with a repetition rate of 200 kHz. Based on the theoretical analysis of the interaction between optical activity and electro-optic property, the optical activity of the crystal has no influence on the birefringence during Q-switching if the quarter wave plate used was rotated to align with the polarization direction. With a Nd:LuVO4 crystal possessing a large emission cross-section and a short fluorescence lifetime as the gain medium, a stable LGS Q-switched laser was designed with average output power of 4.39 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 29.4% and with a minimum pulse width of 5.1 ns. This work represents the highest repetition rate achieved so far in a LGS Q-switched laser and it can provide a practical Q-switched laser with a tunable high repetition rates for many applications, such as materials processing, laser ranging, medicine, military applications, biomacromolecule materials, remote sensing, etc.
Ultrahard stitching of nanotwinned diamond and cubic boron nitride in C2-BN composite
Authors: Liu Xiaobing , Chen Xin , Ma Hong-An , Jia Xiaopeng , Wu Jinsong , Yu Tony , Wang Yanbin , Guo Jiangang , Petitgirard Sylvain , Bina Craig R. , Jacobsen Steven D. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractMaterials combining the hardness and strength of diamond with the higher thermal stability of cubic boron nitride (cBN) have broad potential value in science and engineering. Reacting nanodiamond with cBN at moderate pressures and high temperatures provides a pathway to such materials. Here we report the fabrication of Cx-BN nanocomposites, measuring up to 10 mm in longest dimension, by reacting nanodiamond with pre-synthesized cBN in a large-volume press. The nanocomposites consist of randomly-oriented diamond and cBN domains stitched together by sp3-hybridized C-B and C-N bonds, leading to p-type semiconductivity. Dislocations near the sutures accommodate lattice mismatch between diamond and cBN. Nanotwinning within both diamond and cBN domains further contributes to a bulk hardness ~50% higher than sintered cBN. The nanocomposite of C2-BN exhibits p-type semiconductivity with low activation energy and high thermal stability, making it a functional, ultrahard substance.
Underdamped scaled Brownian motion: (non-)existence of the overdamped limit in anomalous diffusion
Authors: Bodrova Anna S. , Chechkin Aleksei V. , Cherstvy Andrey G. , Safdari Hadiseh , Sokolov Igor M. , Metzler Ralf 
Published: July 2016

AbstractIt is quite generally assumed that the overdamped Langevin equation provides a quantitative description of the dynamics of a classical Brownian particle in the long time limit. We establish and investigate a paradigm anomalous diffusion process governed by an underdamped Langevin equation with an explicit time dependence of the system temperature and thus the diffusion and damping coefficients. We show that for this underdamped scaled Brownian motion (UDSBM) the overdamped limit fails to describe the long time behaviour of the system and may practically even not exist at all for a certain range of the parameter values. Thus persistent inertial effects play a non-negligible role even at significantly long times. From this study a general questions on the applicability of the overdamped limit to describe the long time motion of an anomalously diffusing particle arises, with profound consequences for the relevance of overdamped anomalous diffusion models. We elucidate our results in view of analytical and simulations results for the anomalous diffusion of particles in free cooling granular gases.
Physics of Majorana modes in interacting helical liquid
Authors: Sarkar Sujit 
Published: July 2016

AbstractAs an attempt to understand and search for the existence of Majorana zero mode, we study the topological quantum phase transition and also the nature of this transition in helical liquid system, which appears in different physical systems. We present Majorana-Ising transition along with the phase boundary in the presence of interaction. We show the appearance of Majorana mode under the renormalization of the parameters of the system and also the topological protection of it. We present the length scale dependent condition for the appearance of Majorana edge state and also the absence of edge state for a certain regime of parameter space.