bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adoption of environmental management tools: the dynamic capabilities contributions
Authors: Essid Moez , Berland Nicolas 
Published: July 2018

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze the organizational capabilities involved in the adoption of environmental management tools in eight large French firms. The analysis also examines the antecedents that contributed to the emergence of those capabilities and the consequences of their involvement in terms of environmental management.Design/methodology/approachTo analyze the organizational capabilities deployed when environmental management tools are adopted, this paper takes an exploratory approach based on a qualitative study of eight large French firms.FindingsThe findings show how organizational capabilities, dynamic and ordinary, are operationalized in the adoption of environmental management tools. This operationalization is made possible by internal and external antecedents and simple and complex routines. The findings also identify two possible configurations of organizational capabilities, each one leading to a specific form of environmental management. The first configuration leads to stand-alone environmental management systems, while the second succeeds in engendering integrated management systems. This study shows that this difference is explained by heterogeneous endowments in terms of antecedents across firms.Practical implicationsThe study provides useful information for managers about the conditions that favor and facilitate adoption of environmental management tools and the ways these conditions operate.Social implicationsThe study illustrates the impact of society on large firms’ adoption of certain environmental management practices. It shows that external visibility – which has created strong societal pressure – is one of the external antecedents that led eight large French firms to develop specific organizational capabilities.Originality/valueIn analyzing the antecedents, routines and capabilities involved in the adoption of environmental management tools, the study adds some original, innovative contributions to current knowledge on the conditions for adoption of such tools.
Microbial anaerobic Fe(II) oxidation – Ecology, mechanisms and environmental implications
Authors: Bryce Casey , Blackwell Nia , Schmidt Caroline , Otte Julia , Huang Yu‐Ming , Kleindienst Sara , Tomaszewski Elizabeth , Schad Manuel , Warter Viola , Peng Chao , Byrne James M. , Kappler Andreas 
Published: July 2018

SummaryIron is the most abundant redox‐active metal in the Earth's crust. The one electron transfer between the two most common redox states, Fe(II) and Fe(III), plays a role in a huge range of environmental processes from mineral formation and dissolution to contaminant remediation and global biogeochemical cycling. It has been appreciated for more than a century that microorganisms can harness the energy of this Fe redox transformation for their metabolic benefit. However, this is most widely understood for anaerobic Fe(III)‐reducing or aerobic and microaerophilic Fe(II)‐oxidizing bacteria. Only in the past few decades have we come to appreciate that bacteria also play a role in the anaerobic oxidation of ferrous iron, Fe(II), and thus can act to form Fe(III) minerals in anoxic settings. Since this discovery, our understanding of the ecology of these organisms, their mechanisms of Fe(II) oxidation and their role in environmental processes has been increasing rapidly. In this article, we bring these new discoveries together to review the current knowledge on these environmentally important bacteria, and reveal knowledge gaps for future research.
Autophagy‐related gene BbATG11 is indispensable for pexophagy and mitophagy, and contributes to stress response, conidiation and virulence in the insect mycopathogen Beauveria bassiana
Authors: Ding Jin‐Li , Peng Yue‐Jin , Chu Xin‐Ling , Feng Ming‐Guang , Ying Sheng‐Hua 
Published: July 2018

SummaryAutophagy is a conserved degradation system in eukaryotic cells that includes non‐selective and selective processes. Selective autophagy functions as a selective degradation mechanism for specific substrates in which autophagy‐related protein 11 (ATG11) acts as an essential scaffold protein. In B. bassiana, there is a unique ATG11 family protein, which is designated as BbATG11. Disruption of BbATG11 resulted in significantly reduced conidial germination under starvation stress. The mutant ΔBbATG11 displayed enhanced sensitivity to oxidative stress and impaired asexual reproduction. The conidial yield was reduced by approximately 75%, and this defective phenotype could be repressed by increasing exogenous nutrients. The virulence of the ΔBbATG11 mutant strain was significantly impaired as indicated in topical and intra‐hemocoel injection bioassays, with a greater reduction in topical infection. Notably, BbATG11 was involved in pexophagy and mitophagy, but these two autophagic processes appeared in different fungal physiological aspects. Both pexophagy and mitophagy were associated with nutrient shift, starvation stress and growth in the host hemocoel, but only pexophagy appeared in both oxidation‐stressed cells and aerial mycelia. This study highlights that BbATG11 mediates pexophagy and mitophagy in B. bassiana and links selective autophagy to the fungal stress response, conidiation and virulence.
2,3‐Butanediol catabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1
Authors: Liu Qiuyuan , Liu Yidong , Kang Zhaoqi , Xiao Dan , Gao Chao , Xu Ping , Ma Cuiqing 
Published: July 2018

Summary2,3‐Butanediol (2,3‐BD) is a primary microbial metabolite that enhances the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and alters the lung microbiome. 2,3‐BD exists in three stereoisomeric forms: (2R,3R)‐2,3‐BD, meso‐2,3‐BD and (2S,3S)‐2,3‐BD. In this study, we investigated whether and how P. aeruginosa PAO1 utilizes these 2,3‐BD stereoisomers and showed that all three stereoisomers were transformed into acetoin by (2R,3R)‐2,3‐butanediol dehydrogenase (BDH) or (2S,3S)‐2,3‐BDH. Acetoin was cleaved to form acetyl‐CoA and acetaldehyde by acetoin dehydrogenase enzyme system (AoDH ES). Genes encoding (2R,3R)‐2,3‐BDH, (2S,3S)‐2,3‐BDH and the E1 and E2 components of AoDH ES were identified as part of a new 2,3‐BD utilization operon. In addition, the regulatory protein AcoR promoted the expression of this operon using acetaldehyde, a cleavage product of acetoin, as its direct effector. The results of this study elucidate the integrated catabolic role of 2,3‐BD and may provide new insights in P. aeruginosa‐related infections.
Impact of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphism on Chronic Renal Failure Susceptibility
Authors: Li Li , Wan Qingsong , Yang Shikun , Zhao Saili 
Published: July 2018

AbstractOur pooled analysis aimed to assess the impact of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism on chronic renal failure (CRF) susceptibility. Relevant studies were searched from multiple databases, then pooled‐analyses were performed using Stata software. Eighteen studies involving 2512 CRF patients and 3630 healthy controls were included. Pooled analysis showed that VDR ApaI and TaqI gene polymorphism were not associated with CRF susceptibility either in Asian or in Caucasians populations, and VDR BsmI and FokI gene polymorphism were not associated with CRF susceptibility in overall populations. The subgroup analysis showed that VDR BsmI gene polymorphism was associated with CRF susceptibility in Chinese under the Allele model (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.59–0.97, P = 0.029). In Spanish individuals, VDR BsmI gene polymorphism was associated with CRF: Recessive model (BB vs. Bb + bb): OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.09–2.35, P = 0.016; Additive model (BB + bb vs. Bb): OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.21–2.12, P = 0.001). In addition, in the Asian subgroup, VDR FokI gene polymorphism was associated with CRF risk: Allele model (F vs. f): OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.16–0.59, P = 0.000; Dominant model (FF + Ff vs. ff): OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03–0.59, P = 0.009 and Recessive model (FF vs. Ff + ff): OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13–0.75, P = 0.009. This pooled analysis showed that VDR BsmI gene polymorphism was associated with CRF risk in the Chinese and Spanish individuals, and, VDR FokI gene polymorphism was associated with CRF risk in Asian subjects. But VDR ApaI and TaqI gene polymorphism were not associated with CRF risk either in Asian or in Caucasian individuals.
Newly designed 16S rRNA metabarcoding primers amplify diverse and novel archaeal taxa from the environment
Authors: Bahram Mohammad , Anslan Sten , Hildebrand Falk , Bork Peer , Tedersoo Leho 
Published: July 2018

SummaryHigh‐throughput studies of microbial communities suggest that Archaea are a widespread component of microbial diversity in various ecosystems. However, proper quantification of archaeal diversity and community ecology remains limited, as sequence coverage of Archaea is usually low owing to the inability of available prokaryotic primers to efficiently amplify archaeal compared to bacterial rRNA genes. To improve identification and quantification of Archaea, we designed and validated the utility of several primer pairs to efficiently amplify archaeal 16S rRNA genes based on up‐to‐date reference genes. We demonstrate that several of these primer pairs amplify phylogenetically diverse Archaea with high sequencing coverage, outperforming commonly used primers. Based on comparing the resulting long 16S rRNA gene fragments with public databases from all habitats, we found several novel family‐ to phylum‐level archaeal taxa from topsoil and surface water. Our results suggest that archaeal diversity has been largely overlooked due to the limitations of available primers, and that improved primer pairs enable to estimate archaeal diversity more accurately.
Bayesian inference and simulation approaches improve the assessment of Elo‐ratings in the analysis of social behaviour
Authors: Goffe Adeelia S. , Fischer Julia , Sennhenn‐Reulen Holger 
Published: July 2018

Abstract

The construction of rank hierarchies based on agonistic interactions between two individuals (“dyads”) is an important component in the characterization of the social structure of groups. To this end, winner‐loser matrices are typically created, which collapse the outcome of dyadic interactions over time, resulting in the loss of all information contained in the temporal domain. Methods that track changes in the outcome of dyadic interactions (such as “Elo‐ratings”) are receiving increasing interest. Critically, individual ratings are not just based on the succession of wins and losses, but depend on the values of start ratings and a shift coefficient. Recent studies improved existing methods by introducing a point estimation of these auxiliary parameters on the basis of a maximum likelihood (ML) approach. For a sound assessment of the rank hierarchies generated this way, we argue that measures of uncertainty of the estimates, as well as a quantification of the robustness of the methods, are also needed.

We introduce a Bayesian inference (BI) approach using “partial pooling”, which rests on the assumption that all start ratings are samples from the same distribution. We compare the outcome of the ML approach to that of the BI approach using real‐world data. In addition, we simulate different scenarios to explore in which way the Elo‐rating responds to social events (such as rank changes), and low numbers of observations.

Estimates of the start ratings based on “partial pooling” are more robust than those based on ML, also in scenarios where some individuals have only few observations. Our simulations show that assumed rank differences may fall well within the “uncertain” range, and that low sampling density, unbalanced designs, and coalitionary leaps involving several individuals within the hierarchy may yield unreliable results.

Our results support the view that Elo‐rating can be a powerful tool in the analysis of social behaviour, when the data meet certain criteria. Assessing the uncertainty greatly aids in the interpretation of results. We advocate running simulation approaches to test how well Elo‐ratings reflect the (simulated) true structure and how sensitive the rating is to true changes in the hierarchy.
Lipo‐prostaglandin E1 increases immediate arterial maximal flow velocity of free flap in patients undergoing reconstructive surgery
Authors: Jin Seok‐Joon , Suh Hyunsuk Peter , Lee Joonho , Hwang Jai‐Hyun , Hong Joon Pio (Jp) , Kim Young‐Kug 
Published: July 2018

BackgroundIn free flap surgery, the maintenance of proper blood flow after anastomosis of flap pedicle vessels is important. Lipo‐prostaglandin E1 (lipo‐PGE1) has been empirically administered to prevent blood flow insufficiency in a free flap reconstruction. We tested our hypothesis that lipo‐PGE1 administration increases the arterial inflow of free flap. We also evaluated lipo‐PGE1‐related haemodynamic changes and complications.MethodsThirty‐seven patients who underwent free flap reconstruction were analysed. Lipo‐PGE1 was administered 10 minutes after the vascular anastomosis of the free flap. The maximal blood flow velocity was measured at the free flap pedicle artery before and 30 minutes after lipo‐PGE1 administration using duplex ultrasonography. The primary outcome was the difference in the maximal blood flow velocity before and 30 minutes after lipo‐PGE1 administration. The arterial blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, stroke volume variation, and pulse pressure variation were measured simultaneously. Lipo‐PGE1‐related complications such as hypotension, bradycardia, hypothermia, facial flushing, diarrhoea, apnoea, and seizure were also investigated.ResultsThe maximal blood flow velocity was significantly increased at 30 minutes after lipo‐PGE1 administration compared to the level before lipo‐PGE1 administration (mean (standard deviation): 26.3 (8.7) cm/s vs 22.5 (8.0) cm/s, P = 0.002). The haemodynamic variables were not significantly different before and 30 minutes after lipo‐PGE1 administration. No lipo‐PGE1‐related complications occurred.ConclusionsLipo‐PGE1 significantly increases the maximal blood flow velocity without complications in patients undergoing free flap reconstruction and may be an effective and safe method of maintaining adequate blood flow in these cases.
Substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons and striatal interneurons are engaged in three parallel but interdependent postnatal neurotrophic circuits
Authors: Ortega‐de San Luis Clara , Sanchez‐Garcia Manuel A. , Nieto‐Gonzalez Jose Luis , García‐Junco‐Clemente Pablo , Montero‐Sanchez Adoracion , Fernandez‐Chacon Rafael , Pascual Alberto 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe striatum integrates motor behavior using a well‐defined microcircuit whose individual components are independently affected in several neurological diseases. The glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), synthesized by striatal interneurons, and Sonic hedgehog (Shh), produced by the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra (DA SNpc), are both involved in the nigrostriatal maintenance but the reciprocal neurotrophic relationships among these neurons are only partially understood. To define the postnatal neurotrophic connections among fast‐spiking GABAergic interneurons (FS), cholinergic interneurons (ACh), and DA SNpc, we used a genetically induced mouse model of postnatal DA SNpc neurodegeneration and separately eliminated Smoothened (Smo), the obligatory transducer of Shh signaling, in striatal interneurons. We show that FS postnatal survival relies on DA SNpc and is independent of Shh signaling. On the contrary, Shh signaling but not dopaminergic striatal innervation is required to maintain ACh in the postnatal striatum. ACh are required for DA SNpc survival in a GDNF‐independent manner. These data demonstrate the existence of three parallel but interdependent neurotrophic relationships between SN and striatal interneurons, partially defined by Shh and GDNF. The definition of these new neurotrophic interactions opens the search for new molecules involved in the striatal modulatory circuit maintenance with potential therapeutic value.
Multiple alleles of ACAN associated with chondrodysplastic dwarfism in Miniature horses
Authors: Eberth J. E. , Graves K. T. , MacLeod J. N. , Bailey E. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryChondrodysplastic dwarfism in Miniature horses appeared to be a recessive genetic trait based on the occurrence of affected offspring by normal parents. Dwarf phenotypes vary and range from abnormal abortuses to viable offspring with evidence of skeletal dysplasia. A genome‐wide association study implicated a region of ECA1 with dwarfism in Miniature horses. Aggrecan (ACAN) was a candidate gene in that region, and exons were sequenced to compare DNA sequences for dwarf and non‐dwarf horses. Sequencing led to the discovery of variants in exons 2, 6, 7 and 15 associated with dwarfism. The four variants are identified with reference to Ecab 3.0 (GCF_002863925.1) as g.95291270del (rs1095048841), g.95284530C>T (ERP107353), g.95282140C>G (rs1095048823) and g.95257480_95257500del (rs1095048839) and designated here as D1, D2, D3* and D4 respectively. A previous study at another laboratory reported dwarfism associated with homozygosity for D3*. Homozygotes for those variants and compound heterozygotes for any combination of those variants always expressed a dwarfism phenotype. However, eight additional horses with dwarfism were found, seven of which were heterozygotes for D2, D3* or D4, suggesting the existence of additional ACAN alleles causing dwarfism. Among Miniature horses, the combined frequency of D1, D2, D3* and D4 was 0.163, suggesting a carrier rate of 26.2% for alleles causing chondrodysplastic dwarfism.
Reducing the interval of a growth QTL on chromosome 4 in laying hens
Authors: Lyu S. , Arends D. , Nassar M. K. , Weigend A. , Weigend S. , Preisinger R. , Brockmann G. A. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryIn our previous research, we identified a QTL with an interval of 3.4 Mb for growth on chicken chromosome (GGA) 4 in an advanced intercross population of an initial cross between the New Hampshire inbred line (NHI) and the White Leghorn inbred line (WL77). In the current study, an association analysis was performed in a population of purebred white layers (WLA) with White Leghorn origin. Genotypic data of 130 SNPs within the previously identified 3.4‐Mb region were obtained using a 60K SNP chip. In total, 24 significant SNPs (LOD ≥ 4.44) on GGA4 were detected for daily weigh gain from 8 to 14 weeks and two SNPs (LOD ≥ 4.80) for body weight at 14 weeks. The QTL interval was reduced by 1.9 Mb to an interval of 1.5 Mb (74.6–76.1 Mb) that harbors 15 genes. Furthermore, to identify additional loci for chicken growth, a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) was carried out in a WLA population. The GWAS identified an additional QTL on GGA6 for body weight at six weeks (19.8–21.2 Mb). Our findings showed that by using a WLA population we were able to further reduce the QTL confidence interval previously detected using a NHI × WL77 advanced intercross population.
Gene therapy for C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency in a Murine Model of Hereditary angioedema
Authors: Qiu Ting , Chiuchiolo Maria J. , Whaley Adele S. , Russo Anthony R. , Sondhi Dolan , Kaminsky Stephen M. , Crystal Ronald G. , Pagovich Odelya E. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackgroundHereditary angioedema (HAE) is a life‐threatening, autosomal dominant disorder characterized by unpredictable, episodic swelling of the face, upper airway, oropharynx, extremities, genitalia, and gastrointestinal tract. Almost all cases of HAE are caused by mutations in the SERPING1 gene resulting in a deficiency in functional plasma C1 esterase inhibitor (C1EI), a serine protease inhibitor that normally inhibits proteases in the contact, complement, and fibrinolytic systems. Current treatment of HAE includes long‐term prophylaxis with attenuated androgens or human plasma‐derived C1EI and management of acute attacks with human plasma‐derived or recombinant C1EI, bradykinin, and kallikrein inhibitors, each of which requires repeated administration. As an approach to effectively treat HAE with a single treatment, we hypothesized that a one‐time intravenous administration of an adeno‐associated virus (AAV) gene transfer vector expressing the genetic sequence of the normal human C1 esterase inhibitor (AAVrh.10hC1EI) would provide sustained circulating C1EI levels sufficient to prevent angioedema episodes.MethodsTo study the efficacy of AAVrh.10hC1EI, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to create a heterozygote C1EI‐deficient mouse model (S63±) that shares characteristics associated with HAE in humans including decreased plasma C1EI and C4 levels. Phenotypically, these mice have increased vascular permeability of skin and internal organs.ResultsSystemic administration of AAVrh.10hC1EI to the S63± mice resulted in sustained human C1EI activity levels above the predicted therapeutic levels and correction of the vascular leak in skin and internal organs.ConclusionA single treatment with AAVrh.10hC1EI has the potential to provide long‐term protection from angioedema attacks in affected individuals.
Staphylococcus epidermidis from prosthetic joint infections induces lower IL‐1β release from human neutrophils than isolates from normal flora
Authors: Månsson Emeli , Söderquist Bo , Nilsdotter‐Augustinsson Åsa , Särndahl Eva , Demirel Isak 
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) differs from S. epidermidis isolated from normal flora in terms of its capacity to induce activation of caspase‐1 and release of IL‐1β in human neutrophils. The amount of active caspase‐1 was determined over 6 h by detecting Ac‐YVAD‐AMC fluorescence in human neutrophils incubated with S. epidermidis isolates from PJIs (ST2) or normal flora. The amount of IL‐1β was detected by ELISA in neutrophil supernatants after 6 h of incubation. Mean IL‐1β release was lower after incubation with S. epidermidis from PJIs compared to isolates from normal flora, but no statistically significant difference was found in active caspase‐1. Substantial inter‐individual differences in both active caspase‐1 and IL‐1β were noted. These results suggest that evasion of innate immune response, measured as reduced capacity to induce release of IL‐1β from human neutrophils, might be involved in the predominance of ST2 in S. epidermidis PJIs, but that other microbe‐related factors are probably also important.