bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The current and emerging sources of technical lignins and their applications
Authors: Li Tao , Takkellapati Sudhakar 
Published: July 2018

AbstractTechnical lignins are bulk feedstocks. They are generated as byproducts from pulping or cellulosic ethanol production. As lignin undergoes significant structural changes as a result of chemical and physical treatments, all technical lignins are unique in terms of chemical structure, molecular weight, polydispersity, and impurity profile.Kraft lignin is potentially the largest source of technical lignin as new isolation technologies have been implemented on an industrial scale in recent years. Lignosulfonate has been an integral product in sulfite pulping biorefineries. It has a well established market in the construction industry. Organosolv‐like lignin production is increasing as cellulosic ethanol has been promoted as a substitute for fossil fuel. It may have unique applications because it has low molecule weight and is free from sulfur. Technical applications of lignin are expected to expand as its characteristics are improved with fractionation or chemical modification.The application of technical lignin has been focusing on developing products equivalent to those made by petroleum chemicals. Recent developments in technical lignin supply should increase its market share as an additive in polyurethanes and as a substitute for phenol‐formaldehyde adhesives. Quality improvement of technical lignin may also encourage the study of lignin as an alternative feedstock for carbon fiber. Moreover, technical lignin depolymerization has been extensively explored to provide renewable aromatic chemicals. Starting from controlled pyrolysis and thermal liquefaction as the baseline technologies, many different chemical depolymerizations have been invented with a wide range of underlying chemical principles. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Control of amino acid transport into Chinese hamster ovary cells
Authors: Geoghegan Darren , Arnall Claire , Hatton Diane , Noble‐Longster Joanne , Sellick Christopher , Senussi Tarik , James David C. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractAmino acid transporters (AATs) represent a key interface between the cell and its environment, critical for all cellular processes: Energy generation, redox control, and synthesis of cell and product biomass. However, very little is known about the activity of different functional classes of AATs in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, how they support cell growth and productivity, and the potential for engineering their activity and/or the composition of amino acids in growth media to improve CHO cell performance in vitro. In this study, we have comparatively characterized AAT expression in untransfected and monoclonal antibody (MAb)‐producing CHO cells using transcriptome analysis by RNA‐seq, and mechanistically dissected AAT function using a variety of transporter‐specific chemical inhibitors, comparing their effect on cell proliferation, recombinant protein production, and amino acid transport. Of a possible 56 mammalian plasma membrane AATs, 16 AAT messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were relatively abundant across all CHO cell populations. Of these, a subset of nine AAT mRNAs were more abundant in CHO cells engineered to produce a recombinant MAb. Together, upregulated AATs provide additional supply of specific amino acids overrepresented in MAb biomass compared to CHO host cell biomass, enable transport of synthetic substrates for glutathione synthesis, facilitate transport of essential amino acids to maintain active protein synthesis, and provide amino acid substrates for coordinated antiport systems to maintain supplies of proteinogenic and essential amino acids.
Modelling the consumer decision‐making process to identify key drivers and bottlenecks in the adoption of environmentally friendly products
Authors: Shim Dongnyok , Shin Jungwoo , Kwak So‐Yoon 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThis paper empirically identifies the attitude‐behaviour gap phenomenon, which has been witnessed frequently in environmentally friendly products, by suggesting a general and flexible Bayesian multivariate model and applying it to survey data. Since cognitive, affective and conative stages, which are closely related to the attitude‐behaviour gap, are successive stages in the consumer decision‐making process, these must be considered simultaneously in empirical analysis. For this reason, a recursive multivariate probit model is proposed. According to the empirical analysis, the affective stage (interest and preference) does not lead to the conative stage (intention to use and intention to purchase) in an analysis of eco‐friendly detergent. By contrast, in an electric vehicle analysis, the affective stage partially influences the conative stage through the relationship between preference and usage intention, and through the relationship between interest and purchase intention. It was also found that high compatibility and low complexity must be emphasized in eco‐friendly detergent, and that high relative advantage and compatibility must be emphasized for an electric vehicle in order to bridge the attitude‐behaviour gap successfully.
Application of the modified Zajicek criteria to diagnose probable spinal cord neurosarcoidosis
Authors: Owen Ceris Ifan , Jabeen Farrah , Bhattacharjee Anupam 
Published: July 2018

Key Clinical MessageNeurosarcoidosis represents a significant diagnostic challenge, as clinical features overlap with other neuroinflammatory conditions, and biopsy of affected neuronal tissue is often high risk or not feasible. Here we highlight application of the modified Zajicek criteria to diagnose probable spinal neurosarcoidosis in the absence of histology from affected neuronal tissue.
Dynamic Behavior of Covalent Organic Cages
Authors: Ono Kosuke , Iwasawa Nobuharu 
Published: July 2018

AbstractDiscrete, large, covalent organic cages have recently been constructed by utilizing various types of dynamic covalent bond formation. The reversibility of bond formation can provide an opportunity to exhibit unique dynamic behavior; however, the transformation of such rigid cages to other structures remains challenging. To clarify the current status of this emerging research field, this Concept article gives an overview of recent progress of the dynamic behavior of covalent organic cages by classifying them into four types of transformation, namely, dimerization into the interlocked cages, transformation into different cage structures, exchange of components, and disassembly. The driving forces of such dynamic behavior and problems to be solved are also highlighted.
Environmentally Sensitive Fluorescent Nucleoside Analogues for Surveying Dynamic Interconversions of Nucleic Acid Structures
Authors: Sholokh Marianna , Sharma Rajhans , Grytsyk Natalia , Zaghzi Lyes , Postupalenko Viktoriia Y. , Dziuba Dmytro , Barthes Nicolas P. F. , Michel Benoît Y. , Boudier Christian , Zaporozhets Olga A. , Tor Yitzhak , Burger Alain , Mély Yves 
Published: July 2018

AbstractNucleic acids are characterized by a variety of dynamically interconverting structures that play a major role in transcriptional and translational regulation as well as recombination and repair. To monitor these interconversions, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)‐based techniques can be used, but require two fluorophores that are typically large and can alter the DNA/RNA structure and protein binding. Additionally, events that do not alter the donor/acceptor distance and/or angular relationship are frequently left undetected. A more benign approach relies on fluorescent nucleobases that can substitute their native counterparts with minimal perturbation, such as the recently developed 2‐thienyl‐3‐hydroxychromone (3HCnt) and thienoguanosine (thG). To demonstrate the potency of 3HCnt and thG in deciphering interconversion mechanisms, we used the conversion of the (−)DNA copy of the HIV‐1 primer binding site (−)PBS stem‐loop into (+)/(−)PBS duplex, as a model system. When incorporated into the (−)PBS loop, the two probes were found to be highly sensitive to the individual steps both in the absence and the presence of a nucleic acid chaperone, providing the first complete mechanistic description of this critical process in HIV‐1 replication. The combination of the two distinct probes appears to be instrumental for characterizing structural transitions of nucleic acids under various stimuli.
Synergistic Catalysis: Highly Enantioselective Acetyl Aza‐arene Addition to Enals
Authors: Meazza Marta , Sitinova Gabriela , Poderi Cecilia , Mancinelli Michele , Zhang Kaiheng , Mazzanti Andrea , Torres Ramon Rios 
Published: July 2018

AbstractA novel catalytic enantioselective methodology based on synergistic catalysis for the synthesis of chiral 2‐acyl pyridines and pyrazines is reported. The strategy involves the metal–Lewis acid activation of acetyl aza‐arenes and the secondary‐amine activation of enals. The proposed mechanism is supported by DFT calculations.
Two Consecutive Magneto‐Structural Gas–Solid Transformations in Non‐Porous Molecular Materials
Authors: Miguel‐Donet Julia , López‐Cabrelles Javier , Calvo Galve Néstor , Coronado Eugenio , Mínguez Espallargas Guillermo 
Published: July 2018

AbstractModification of the magnetic properties in a solid‐state material upon external stimulus has attracted much attention in the recent years for their potential applications as switches and sensors. Within the field of coordination polymers, gas sorption studies typically focus on porous solids, with the gas molecules accommodating in the channels. Here we present a 1D non‐porous coordination polymer capable of incorporating HCl gas molecules, which not only causes a reordering of its atoms in the solid state but also provokes dramatic changes in the magnetic behavior. Subsequently, a further solid–gas transformation can occur with the extrusion of HCl gas molecules causing a second structural rearrangement, which is also accompanied by modification in the magnetic path between the metal centers. Unequivocal evidence of the two‐step magnetostructural transformation is provided by X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction.
An Ultrafast Sonochemical Strategy to Synthesize Lipase‐Manganese Phosphate Hybrid Nanoflowers with Promoted Biocatalytic Performance in the Kinetic Resolution of β‐Aryloxyalcohols
Authors: Soni Surbhi , Dwivedee Bharat P. , Banerjee Uttam C. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractHerein we report an expeditious and facile sonochemical synthesis method that takes just a few minutes to produce organic‐inorganic hybrid nanoflowers and their application as a nanobiocatalyst. Surfactant treated Burkholderia cepacia lipase was used as the organic component and manganese sulfate as the inorganic component to synthesize the nanoflowers in less than 10 minutes. Careful investigation of the process parameters was performed to obtain the optimized value for each attribute viz. sonication time (7.5 min), lipase concentration (0.1 mg/mL), MnSO4 concentration (150 mM), sonication frequency (33 kHz) and pH (8.0). An additional post‐synthesis treatment of nanoflowers with N‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) increased their reusability to over nine cycles with an overall six‐fold increase in the activity. In addition, thermal stability was demonstrated through a twenty‐fold increase in the half‐life of immobilized lipase at 80 °C than in free form. The hybrid nanoflowers displayed a marked improvement in the kinetic resolution of racemic intermediates of metoprolol, a selective β‐1 blocker drug [C (%)=46.7, eep=96.5, E=156] and cloranolol, a non‐selective β‐blocker drug [C (%)=49.5, eep=96.0, E=157] compared to free lipase which signifies its importance as a nanobiocatalyst.
FRET‐based Solid‐state Luminescent Glyphosate Sensor Using Calixarene‐grafted Ruthenium(II)bipyridine Doped Silica Nanoparticles
Authors: Ashwin Bosco Christin Maria Arputham , Saravanan Chokalingam , Stalin Thambusamy , Muthu Mareeswaran Paulpandian , Rajagopal Seenivasan 
Published: July 2018

AbstractCalixarene‐functionalized luminescent nanoparticles were successfully fabricated for the FRET‐based selective and sensitive detection of the organophosphorus pesticide glyphosate (GP). p‐Tert‐butylcalix[4]arene was grafted on the surface of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ incorporated SiNps to produce self‐assembled nanosensors (RSC). FRET was switched on in the presence of GP by means of energy transfer due to binding with p‐tert‐butylcalix[4]arene grafted on the surface of the RSC. The FRET efficiency of the GP‐RSC system was increased gradually with the addition of GP. The FRET efficiency was evaluated as 87.69 % and a high binding affinity was established by the binding constant value, 1.16×107 M−1, using a Langmuir binding isotherm plot. The estimated limit of detection (LOD) was 7.91×10−7 M, which was lower than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendation. The probe also effectively responds to real sample analysis. The sensitivity and selectivity was realized due to the efficient FRET towards the fluorescence properties of the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ complex.
Assessing Skewed X‐Chromosome Inactivation
Authors: Liehr Thomas , Ziegler Monika , Löhmer Sharon , Weise Anja 
Published: July 2018

AbstractWe describe a simple and straightforward method for detection and characterization of X‐chromosome inactivation in females and/or individuals with more than one X chromosome. The X‐chromosome inactivation pattern is visualized on a single‐cell level using 5‐ethynyl‐2‐deoxyuridine (EdU) instead of the previously widely applied 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine (BUdR). The fluorochrome‐labeled nucleoside analog EdU is incorporated into late‐replication chromosomal regions of living blood cells in vitro; thus, it can also be used to specifically highlight the inactive X chromosome within a cytogenetic preparation. The EdU‐based test for assessing skewed X‐chromosome inactivation can only be meaningfully applied if the X chromosome of the index patient can be cytogenetically distinguished under a microscope from the normal one. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Corporate social responsibility and strategic company behaviour: CVS Health's discontinuation of tobacco products
Authors: Liu Lirong , Li Shiyou , Opara Michael 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe elimination of tobacco products by CVS Health represents a special case of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with substantial costs—about $2 billion revenue loss in tobacco annually. This paper examines how CVS Health's stock market performance was affected by two events: the announcement (5 February 2014) and the implementation (1 October 2014) of the elimination of tobacco products. The study event approach and regression models are used to examine both short‐ and long‐term effects. The results show positive and significant abnormal returns during both events, with effects being much stronger during the implementation event period. In the long term, the net effects become neutral, most likely because the positive effects of CSR and the negative effects of the revenue loss offset each other. The results have important implications for both the retail pharmacy industry and companies in other industries. Socially responsible actions, such as the elimination of harmful products could impose substantial revenue losses or extra expenses, but more importantly, they can have a positive and significant impact on corporate financial performance. Thus, such actions benefit not only the stakeholders, but also the shareholders, and are consistent with both stakeholder theory and shareholder theory.
Mixed Ionic–Electronic Conduction in NiFe2O4–Ce0.8Gd0.2O2−δ Nanocomposite Thin Films for Oxygen Separation
Authors: Solís Cecilia , Toldra‐Reig Fidel , Balaguer María , Somacescu Simona , Garcia‐Fayos Julio , Palafox Elena , Serra José M. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractNiFe2O4–Ce0.8Gd0.2O2−δ (NFO/CGO) nanocomposite thin films were prepared by simultaneously radio‐frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering of both NFO and CGO targets. The aim is the growth of a CO2‐stable composite layer that combines the electronic and ionic conduction of the separate NFO and the CGO phases for oxygen separation. The effect of the deposition temperature on the microstructure of the film was studied to obtain high‐quality composite thin films. The ratio of both phases was changed by applying different power to each ceramic target. The amount of each deposited phase as well as the different oxidation states of the nanocomposite constituents were analyzed by means of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The transport properties were studied by conductivity measurements as a function of temperature and pO2. These analyses enabled (1) selection of the best deposition temperature (400 °C), (2) correlation of the p‐type electronic behavior of the NFO phase with the hole hopping between Ni3+–Ni2+, and (3) following the conductivity behavior of the grown composite layer (prevailing ionic or electronic character) attained by varying the amount of each phase. The sputtered layer exhibited high ambipolar conduction and surfaceexchange activity. A 150 nm‐thick nanograined thin film was deposited on a 20 μm‐thick Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ asymmetric membrane, resulting in up to 3.8 mL min−1 cm−2 O2 permeation at 1000 °C under CO2 atmosphere.
Developing climate‐smart restoration: Can plant microbiomes be hardened against heat waves?
Authors: Rubin Rachel L. , Koch George W. , Martinez Ayla , Mau Rebecca L. , Bowker Matthew A. , Hungate Bruce A. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractHeat waves are increasing in frequency and intensity, presenting a challenge for the already difficult practice of ecological restoration. We investigated whether pre‐heating locally sourced rhizosphere soil (inoculum) could acclimatize plants to a field‐imposed heat wave in a restoration setting. Soil heating in the laboratory caused a marked shift in rhizosphere bacterial community composition, accompanied by an increase in species evenness. Furthermore, pre‐heated rhizosphere soil reduced plant height, number of leaves, and shoot mass of the C4 grass, blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), and it reduced the shoot mass of the C3 grass, Arizona fescue (Festuca arizonica) in the glasshouse. Following transplantation and the application of a field heat wave, pre‐heated inoculum did not influence heat wave survival for either plant species. However, there were strong species‐level responses to the field heat wave. For instance, heat wave survivorship was over four times higher in blue grama (92%) than in Arizona fescue (22%). These results suggest that the use of C4 seeds may be preferable for sites exhibiting high heat wave risk. Further research is needed to understand whether inocula are more effective in highly degraded soil in comparison with partially degraded soils.
Shrub encroachment, productivity pulses, and core‐transient dynamics of Chihuahuan Desert rodents
Authors: Schooley Robert L. , Bestelmeyer Brandon T. , Campanella Andrea 
Published: July 2018

AbstractDrylands worldwide are experiencing shrub encroachment into grasslands with potential consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Climate change could increase the rate of shrub encroachment, amplify precipitation variability, and thus alter bottom‐up processes for animal communities. Desert rodents are important biodiversity elements of arid grasslands and shrublands that exert strong effects on soil, vegetation, and other animal species. We used long‐term data from the Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research site in the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico to ask whether bottom‐up control of desert rodents changes across shrub encroachment gradients. Our design included spatial blocks with replicated ecological states representing transitions from black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) to honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa). Grassland‐to‐shrubland transitions did not produce degraded ecosystems, on average, with reduced net primary production or decreased rodent biomass. However, more rodent biomass was supported on unencroached grasslands following droughts whose frequency and severity may increase in southwestern United States. Hence, the observed evenness in rodent biomass across ecological states should be sensitive to climate change. The best predictors of rodent biomass also differed markedly for two trophic groups. This outcome was explained by considering core‐transient dynamics. Granivores were mostly core species that regularly occurred on sites and responded to lagged net primary production at local scales, whereas folivores included transient species (especially Sigmodon hispidus) that responded to lagged precipitation at broader scales via spillover dynamics. Bottom‐up processes for desert rodents across shrub invasion gradients were understood by integrating lagged responses to productivity pulses with core‐transient structuring of communities.
Extreme events and subtle ecological effects: lessons from a long‐term sugar maple–American beech comparison
Authors: Nolet Philippe , Kneeshaw Daniel 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIncreasing extreme events that are related to global change are expected to affect the dynamics of forest ecosystems. If disruptive stressors (e.g., insects, drought) affect tree vigor without causing mortality, the ecological effects may be subtle, making subsequent ecosystem dynamics more difficult to predict than in the case of disturbances causing death. Based on the literature and our personal observations, we expected that such a subtle change could have occurred in the dynamics between sugar maple and American beech. We implemented a targeted paired‐sampling design (1) to verify whether a change occurred (gradual or abrupt, recovered or not) in the growth dynamics between the two species over a 57‐yr period, (2) to identify the likely causes of this change, and (3) to investigate whether such changes could trigger other long‐time ecological consequences. We found that sugar maple growth was negatively affected by an extreme event (or a few events) between 1986 and 1989, while American beech was not affected. Twenty years after the 1986–1989 abrupt growth decrease, sugar maple (1) had a slower growth than American beech, although it was previously similar, (2) did not respond to monthly climatic variations as it did prior to the abrupt growth decrease, and (3) had lower resilience when faced with a new stress event. Overall, our study, besides showing that extreme events with subtle effects may change the dynamics of an ecosystem, also illustrates that these events may accelerate ecosystem misadaptation to climate. Fine‐scale targeted monitoring is essential to complement broad‐scale monitoring to detect such misadaptations in a global change context.