bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Coffee‐husk biochar application increased AMF root colonization, P accumulation, N2fixation, and yield of soybean grown in a tropical Nitisol, southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Asfaw Eskedar , Nebiyu Amsalu , Bekele Eshetu , Ahmed Milkiyas , Astatkie Tessema 
Published: March 2019

AbstractLow soil fertility and soil acidity are among the major bottlenecks that limit agricultural productivity in the humid tropics. Soil management systems that enhance soil fertility and biological cycling of nutrients are crucial to sustain soil productivity. This study was, therefore, conducted to determine the effects of coffee‐husk biochar (0, 2.7, 5.4, and 16.2 g biochar kg−1soil), rhizobium inoculation (with and without), and P fertilizer application (0 and 9 mg P kg−1soil) on arbuscular mycorrhyzal fungi (AMF) root colonization, yield, P accumulation, and N2fixation of soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merrill cv. Clark 63‐K] grown in a tropical Nitisol in Ethiopia. ANOVA showed that integrated application of biochar and P fertilizer significantly improved soil chemical properties, P accumulation, and seed yield. Compared to the seed yield of the control (without inoculation, P, and biochar), inoculation, together with 9 and 16.2 g biochar kg−1soil gave more than two‐fold increment of seed yield and the highest total P accumulation (4.5 g plant−1). However, the highest AMF root colonization (80%) was obtained at 16.2 g biochar kg−1soil without P and declined with application of 9 mg P kg−1soil. The highest total N content (4.2 g plant−1) and N2fixed (4.6 g plant−1) were obtained with inoculation, 9 mg P kg−1, and 16.2 g biochar kg−1soil. However, the highest %N derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa) (> 98%) did not significantly change between 5.4 and 16.2 g kg−1soil biochar treatments at each level of inoculation and P addition. The improved soil chemical properties, seed yield, P accumulation and N2fixation through combined use of biochar and P fertilizer suggest the importance of integrated use of biochar with P fertilizer to ensure that soybean crops are adequately supplied with P for nodulation and N2‐fixation in tropical acid soils for sustainable soybean production in the long term.
Improving dryland cropping system nitrogen balance with no‐tillage and nitrogen fertilization
Authors: Sainju Upendra M. , Ghimire Rajan , Pradhan Gautam P. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractStudies on N balance due to N inputs and outputs and soil N retention to measure cropping system performance and environmental sustainability are limited due to the complexity of measurements of some parameters. We measured N balance based on N inputs and outputs and soil N retention under dryland agroecosystem affected by cropping system and N fertilization from 2006 to 2011 in the northern Great Plains, USA. Cropping systems were conventional tillage barley (Hordeum vulgaris L.)–fallow (CTB‐F), no‐tillage barley–fallow (NTB‐F), no‐tillage barley–pea (Pisum sativum L.) (NTB‐P), and no‐tillage continuous barley (NTCB). In these cropping systems, N was applied to barley at four rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg N ha−1), but not to pea and fallow. Total N input due to N fertilization, pea N fixation, soil N mineralization, atmospheric N deposition, nonsymbiotic N fixation, and crop seed N and total N output due to grain N removal, denitrification, volatilization, N leaching, gaseous N (NOx) emissions, surface runoff, and plant senescence were 28–37% greater with NTB‐P and NTCB than CTB‐F and NTB‐F. Total N input and output also increased with increased N rate. Nitrogen accumulation rate at the 0–120 cm soil depth ranged from –32 kg N ha−1 y−1 for CTB‐F to 40 kg N ha−1 y−1 for NTB‐P and from –22 kg N ha−1 y−1 for N rates of 0 kg N ha−1 to 45 kg N ha−1 y−1 for 120 kg N ha−1. Nitrogen balance ranged from 1 kg N ha−1 y−1 for NTB‐P to 74 kg N ha−1 y−1 for CTB‐F. Because of increased grain N removal but reduced N loss to the environment and N fertilizer requirement as well as efficient N cycling, NTB‐P with 40 kg N ha−1 may enhance agronomic performance and environmental sustainability while reducing N inputs compared to other management practices.
Effect of fiber microstructure studied by Raman spectroscopy upon the mechanical properties of carbon fibers
Authors: Qian Xin , Wang Xuefei , Zhong Junjun , Zhi Jianhai , Heng Fangfang , Zhang Yonggang , Song Shulin 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe microstructure of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)‐based high‐performance carbon fibers, including high‐strength carbon fibers (HSCFs), high‐modulus carbon fibers (HMCFs), and ultrahigh‐modulus carbon fibers (UHMCFs), was systematically characterized by the Raman spectroscopy. Two characteristic bands, D‐line and G‐line, showed up in the Raman spectra of HSCFs, HMCFs, and UHMCFs. However, the wavenumber of the G‐line peak of HSCFs shifted to higher wavenumber (about 1,595 cm−1) and that of the D‐line peak of HMCFs and UHMCFs shifted to lower wavenumber (about 1,350 cm−1). The relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties of carbon fibers was also studied in detail. It was of significant relevance between surface disordered structure and the mechanical properties of HSCFs, and decreases in the full width at half maximum values of the disorder‐induced D‐line and A‐line could result in higher tensile strength and tensile modulus of HSCFs. As for HMCFs and UHMCFs, the disorder‐induced D′‐line more easily affected the tensile strength. A higher tensile modulus of HMCF and UHMCF was obtained as a result of decreases in the disordered structure and increases in the graphite structure. An increase of the intensity ratio ID/IG together with IA/IG (HSCFs) or ID′/IG (HMCFs and UHMCFs) could result in increases in the tensile strength and tensile modulus of carbon fibers.
Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering platform operating over wide pH range with minimal chemical enhancement effects: Test case of tyrosine
Authors: Moronshing Maku , Bhaskar Seemesh , Mondal Sudeshna , Ramamurthy Sai Sathish , Subramaniam Chandramouli 
Published: March 2019

AbstractDecoupling the contributions of electromagnetic and chemical enhancements in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) would lead to greater reliability and applicability in biological systems that involve large, localized pH gradients. However, suppressing short‐range, chemical enhancement effects in SERS has proved challenging due to unavoidable charge‐transfer interactions between analyte and the SERS platforms. This extends to both lithographically fabricated top‐down and self‐assembled bottom‐up SERS platforms. Here, we employ a Soret effect‐driven monodisperse nanoparticle assembly (Soret colloids [SCs]) with negligible surface charge (ξ < 16 mV) that provides exceptional SERS enhancement (analytical enhancement factor ~106) contributed predominantly by excitation of localized surface plasmon resonance (electromagnetic enhancement) with minimal electrostatic or charge‐transfer–based short‐range interactions. Significantly, the low ξ of SCs is invariant over a wide pH range (pH 4–7) indicating minimal electrostatic surface charge. The interaction of such SCs with ionic analytes such as tyrosine leads to uniform SERS dictated by electromagnetic enhancement mechanism. The absence of contribution from chemical enhancement is clearly established by the vibrational fingerprints of tyrosine that are devoid of any spectral shifts originating from charge transfer between tyrosine and SCs. Accordingly, all features of the tyrosine that are independent of pH such as C―H stretch (2,700–3,000 cm−1) and C―C stretch (1,440 cm−1) and C―C―C bending (1,010 cm−1) are completely preserved without any spectral shifts. Simultaneously, pH‐dependent vibrational features of tyrosine such as N―H stretch (1,545 cm−1), CO stretch (1,700 cm−1), COO− stretch (1,640 cm−1), C―O stretch (1,240 cm−1), and amide III bands (1,246 and 1,260 cm−1) are clearly observed. The intensities of such bands correspond exactly to the ionic state of tyrosine as dictated by the pH of the medium. This is reinforced by the crossover in the intensity of the pH‐dependent vibrational modes (C―O vs. COO‐ stretch, COO− vs. NH3+ stretch) that coincides with the isoelectric pH of tyrosine. Finally, reliable quantification of the charge and concentration of tyrosine using SCs are established, enabling its use for studying intrinsic cellular pathways using SERS.
The pressure effects and vibrational properties of energetic material: Hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (α‐RDX)
Authors: Fan Junyu , Su Yan , Zheng Zhaoyang , Zhang Qingyu , Zhao Jijun 
Published: March 2019

AbstractHexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX) is a secondary high‐explosive material with thermal stability and high‐detonation velocity. It has been widely utilized for military and civilian purposes. Using systematic first‐principle calculations, we comprehensively explore structural, mechanical, electronic, and vibrational properties of α‐RDX modulated by pressure loading. The evolutions of structure, elastic modulus, and band gap are examined. A near‐linear pressure response and strong anisotropy are shown preliminarily. Further, pressure response and strong anisotropy are exhibited by Raman spectra analysis under hydrostatic and uniaxial compressions. Calculated Raman spectrum is well in accordance with experimental data at ambient conditions. Under uniaxial compression, the anisotropic vibration properties of α‐RDX in different lattice directions are presented. The discontinuity in b axis and red shift along c axis, which is related to the modification of the strength of noncovalent interactions, is highlighted. Our results exhibit the comprehensive pressure responses and anisotropy of α‐RDX on the atomic level.
Raman spectroscopy: A tool to investigate alpha decay damage in a PuO2 crystal lattice and determining sample age since calcination
Authors: Villa‐Aleman Eliel , Houk Amanda L. , Bridges Nicholas J. , Shehee Thomas C. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractRaman microspectroscopy can be used to measure local physical properties of materials, such as the lattice parameter. Alpha decay induced lattice damage of plutonium dioxide (PuO2) results in the growth of new bands and broadening of the T2g band. A relationship between the change in the lattice parameter and storage time has been established in the literature using X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Our measured time‐dependent Raman spectra of PuO2 particulates matches the XRD results. This new Raman spectroscopic technique can provide dating information on the time elapsed since the last calcination of PuO2 using a single >5 μm particulate in contrast to 50 mg of 10–50 μm particles required by XRD.
Electrocatalytic activity of the metallic silver electrode for thiamethoxam reduction: application for the detection of a neonicotinoid in tomato and orange samples
Authors: Ajermoun Nourddine , Farahi Abdelfattah , Lahrich Sara , Bakasse Mina , Saqrane Sana , El Mhammedi Moulay Abderrahim 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBACKGROUNDThiamethoxam (3‐[(2‐chloro‐5‐thiazolyl)methyl]tetrahydro‐5‐methyl‐N‐nitro‐4H‐1,3,5‐oxadiazin‐4‐imine) belongs to a relatively new class of insecticides known as neonicotinoids, which can block irreversibly nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of the nervous system of insects. Its determination at trace levels is an acute analytical problem. Therefore, chromatography, spectroscopy, and electrochemical technics were reported. These last have several advantages (simple sensitive and less expensive). This work investigated the electro‐reduction of Thiamethoxam using simple and rapid method in real samples using metallic silver electrode.RESULTSSilver particles, known as effective catalysts in the reduction of nitro groups, were studied to explore their roles in the shift of thiamethoxam peak potential. Cyclic voltammetry, Tafel plot and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis suggest that metallic silver electrodes have a significantly greater electrocatalytic activity in thiamethoxam electroreduction than glassy carbon electrodes and carbon paste electrodes. The electrocatalytic activity of metallic silver electrodes in thiamethoxam reduction was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. A linear variation in cathodic current with the square root of the scan rate was observed, suggesting that the process is diffusion controlled. Several supporting electrolytes were tested, and the best results were obtained with Britton‐Robinson (BR) buffer, pH 10.4. A linear relationship between peak current and concentration was found in the range from 1.0 × 10−5 to 1.0 × 10−4 mol L−1 using square wave voltammetry (SWV) with a correlation coefficient of 0.994. The detection limit and quantification limit were 5.49 × 10−6 and 1.83 × 10−5 mol L−1, respectively.CONCLUSIONSilve metallic electrode exhibits efficient catalytic activity towards the Thiamethoxam reduction. The proposed electrode was then used for the determination of thiamethoxam in tomato anad orage juice samples. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Moral Injury and Spiritual Struggles in Military Veterans: A Latent Profile Analysis
Authors: Currier Joseph M. , Foster Joshua D. , Isaak Steven L. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractWar‐related traumas can lead to emotional, relational, and spiritual suffering. Drawing on two community samples of war zone veterans from diverse military eras (Study 1, N = 616 and Study 2, N = 300), the purpose of this study was to examine patterns of constellations between outcomes related to moral injury (MI) and common ways in which veterans may struggle with religion or spirituality, defined as divine, morality, meaning, interpersonal, and doubt. Results from latent profile analyses revealed three distinct classes across the samples, based on psychometrically validated instruments: (a) no MI‐related outcomes or spiritual struggles (nondistressed group; Study 1 = 72.7%, Study 2 = 75.0%); (b) MI‐related outcomes and equivalent or lower degrees of spiritual struggles relative to MI‐related outcomes (psychological MI group; Study 1 = 19.2%, Study 2 = 17.0%); and (c) MI‐related outcomes and salient struggles with religious faith or spirituality, both within their own profiles and compared to other groups (spiritual MI group; 8.1% and 8.0% in the two samples). When we compared severity of spiritual struggles within MI groups, turmoil with God or a higher power emerged as a defining feature of the spiritual MI group in both samples. In addition, secondary analyses revealed membership in this third group was linked with greater importance of religion or spirituality before military service, χ2(1, N = 616 and 300) = 4.468–8.273. Overall, although more research is needed, these findings highlight the possible utility of differentiating between psychological and spiritual subtypes of MI according to war zone veterans’ religious or spiritual backgrounds.
Practice patterns of reflux medication prescriptions in otolaryngology compared to other specialties
Authors: Luetzenberg Friederike S. , Jiang Nancy 
Published: March 2019

Objectives/HypothesisTo describe the trends in proton pump inhibitor (PPI) prescription rates and durations and compare them to those of H2‐receptor antagonists (H2RAs) between 2013 and 2016 in otolaryngology, gastroenterology, and family practice, following the increasing publications on PPI adverse effects and inappropriate prescribing.Study DesignRetrospective review of publicly available Medicare Part D prescribing data.MethodsPPI and H2RA prescription and beneficiary data were obtained through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website. For prescription rates, 30‐day fill counts were analyzed nationally and regionally per 10,000 Medicare members. Days supply per beneficiary was examined to show average prescription durations. Results were compared between otolaryngology, gastroenterology, and family practice. Medication‐related economic burden per year was calculated based on reported drug cost.ResultsFrom 2013 to 2016, PPI 30‐day fill counts remained stable, whereas H2RA prescription rates increased by up to 62% per 10,000 Medicare beneficiaries. The South consistently prescribed two to three times as much antireflux medication as the lowest prescribing region over time and across all three specialties. The days supply per beneficiary remained stable and ranged from an average of 128 to 203 days depending on the specialty. Antireflux medication‐related healthcare cost decreased steadily.ConclusionsDespite numerous publications describing a multitude of adverse events and inappropriate prescribing patterns of PPIs in the past decade, prescription rates and durations per beneficiary have remained stable in the fields of otolaryngology, gastroenterology, and family practice. Additionally, H2RA prescriptions have increased from 2013 to 2016.Level of EvidenceNA Laryngoscope, 130:321–327, 2020
Improved ultraviolet photo‐oxidation system yields estimates for deep‐sea dissolved organic nitrogen and phosphorus
Authors: Foreman Rhea K. , Björkman Karin M. , Carlson Craig A. , Opalk Keri , Karl David M. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractPhotolysis of dissolved organic matter using high‐intensity, ultraviolet (UV) light has been utilized since the 1960s as a method for the oxidation and subsequent quantification of dissolved organic nitrogen and phosphorus (DON and DOP) in both freshwater and marine water. However, conventional UV systems yielded variable and sometimes unreliable results; consequently, the method fell out of favor throughout much of the oceanographic community. Researchers turned to other oxidation methods such as persulfate oxidation or high‐temperature combustion, even though they have difficulty when DON and DOP are <10% of the total dissolved N and P (for example, in the deep sea and in surface waters at high latitudes). Here, we revive the UV oxidation method using modernized light‐generating equipment and high‐precision colorimetric analysis of the oxidation products, resulting in the most well‐constrained full ocean depth profiles of DON and DOP that are available to date. At Station ALOHA, in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, in the depth range of 900–4800 m, we find that DON is 2.2 ± 0.2 μmol L−1 (n  = 49), DOP is 0.049 ± 0.004 μmol L−1 (n  = 19), and the DOC : DON : DOP molar stochiometric relationship is 759 : 45 : 1. Preliminary estimates for the global ocean inventories of refractory DON and DOP are placed at 43.6 Pg N and 2.14 Pg P.
Experimental evaluation on the applicability of necrobiome analysis in forensic veterinary science
Authors: Tuccia Fabiola , Zurgani Emad , Bortolini Sara , Vanin Stefano 
Published: March 2019

AbstractDespite the wide usage of animals as models in forensic studies, the investigations of fundamental legal questions involving domesticated and nondomesticated animals were always given marginal attention compared to “human forensic,” and only recently the interest in the discipline is increasing. Our research focuses on the effect of the fur coat on the activity and development of microbial decomposers. In order to test this variable never assessed before, rabbit carcasses were used and results show that: (i) distinct and significant temporal changes in terms of metabolic activity and taxa distribution can be tracked over the decomposition process; (ii) the richness and the diversity of the bacterial communities does not significantly vary over time, but it does not mean that the species Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) do not change; (iii) the presence/absence of the fur on the carcasses does not significantly affect either the bacterial communities’ functional activity or the diversity intra‐ and intercommunity, neither at phylum nor at family resolution; (iv) the functional activity and the ecological diversity of the bacterial communities are significantly affected by the body region, while the relative abundance is not. Obtained data confirm previous observations and provide new insight in the Forensic Veterinary field in terms of equally using them in order to derive a statistical model for the PMI estimation. As a future perspective, a contribution to the Forensic Entomology approach will be given in legal investigations when domestic or wild animals are involved, regardless of the presence of a hair layer.
Receptor tyrosine kinase recepteur d'origine nantais as predictive marker for aggressive prostate cancer in African Americans
Authors: Bedolla Roble G. , Shah Dimpy P. , Huang Shih‐Bo , Reddick Robert L. , Ghosh Rita , Kumar Addanki P. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractPublished evidence shows a correlation between several molecular markers and prostate cancer (PCa) progression including in African Americans (AAs) who are disproportionately affected. Our early detection efforts led to the identification of elevated levels of antiapoptotic protein, c‐FLIP and its upstream regulatory factors such as androgen receptor (AR), recepteur d'origine nantais (RON), a receptor tyrosine kinase in human prostate tumors. The primary objective of this study was to explore whether these markers play a role in racial disparities using immunohistochemistry in prostatectomy samples from a cohort of AA, Hispanic Whites (HWs), and non‐Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify a statistical association between molecular markers, possible correlation with risk factors including race, obesity, prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) and disease aggressiveness. Further, changes in the levels and expression of these molecular markers were also evaluated using human PCa cell lines. We found significantly elevated levels of RON (
P = 0.0082), AR (
P = 0.0001), c‐FLIP (
P = 0.0071) in AAs compared with HWs or NHWs. Furthermore, a higher proportion of HW and NHWs had a high Gleason score (>6) but not PSA as compared to AAs (
P = 0.032). In summary, our findings suggest that PSA was important in predicting aggressive disease for the cohort overall; however, high levels of RON may play a role in predisposing AA men to develop aggressive disease. Future research is needed using large datasets to confirm these findings and to explore whether all or any of these markers could aid in race‐specific stratification of patients for treatment.