bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing an Environmentally Sustainable Business Plan: An International B2B Case Study
Authors: Gabler Colin B. , Panagopoulos Nikolaos , Vlachos Pavlos A. , Rapp Adam 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBusiness may be in the best position to address the world's environmental problems. However, firms are still struggling with the how and when of their sustainability strategies. The goal of this case study is to uncover bridges and barriers to incorporating environmental issues into business strategy. We collect semi‐structured depth interviews with upper level executives at a global, B2B manufacturing firm. Analysis reveals six elements of an environmentally sustainable business plan: (1) unify the organizational vision, (2) create visible leadership, (3) address multiple stakeholders, (4) focus on innovation, (5) communicate the message, and (6) implement the strategy. We nest these components under the normative, strategic, and operational management framework of corporate sustainability, and then present future research directions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Lignin Hydrogenolysis: Improving Lignin Disassembly through Formaldehyde Stabilization
Authors: Kärkäs Markus D. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractLignocellulosic biomass is available in large quantities and constitutes an attractive feedstock for the sustainable production of bulk and fine chemicals. Although methods have been established for the conversion of its cellulosic fractions, valorization of lignin has proven to be challenging. The difficulty in disassembling lignin originates from its heterogeneous structure and its propensity to undergo skeletal rearrangements and condensation reactions during biorefinery fractionation or biomass pretreatment processes. A strategy for hindering the generation of these resistive interunit linkages during biomass pretreatment has now been devised using formaldehyde as a stabilizing agent. The developed method when combined with Ru/C‐catalyzed hydrogenolysis allows for efficient disassembly of all three biomass fractions: (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) and suggests that lignin upgrading can be integrated into prevailing biorefinery schemes.
Sex‐dependent infection causes nonadditive effects on kissing bug fecundity
Authors: Botto‐Mahan Carezza , Campos Verónica , Medel Rodrigo 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe influence of parasites on host reproduction has been widely studied in natural and experimental conditions. Most studies, however, have evaluated the parasite impact on female hosts only, neglecting the contribution of males for host reproduction. This omission is unfortunate as sex‐dependent infection may have important implications for host–parasite associations. Here, we evaluate for the first time the independent and nonindependent effects of gender infection on host reproductive success using the kissing bug Mepraia spinolai and the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi as model system. We set up four crossing treatments including the following: (1) both genders infected, (2) both genders uninfected, (3) males infected—females uninfected, and (4) males uninfected—females infected, using fecundity measures as response variables. Interactive effects of infection between sexes were prevalent. Uninfected females produced more and heavier eggs when crossed with uninfected than infected males. Uninfected males, in turn, sired more eggs and nymphs when crossed with uninfected than infected females. Unexpectedly, infected males sired more nymphs when crossed with infected than uninfected females. These results can be explained by the effect of parasitism on host body size. As infection reduced size in both genders, infection on one sex only creates body size mismatches and mating constraints that are not present in pairs with the same infection status. Our results indicate the fitness impact of parasitism was contingent on the infection status of genders and mediated by body size. As the fecundity impact of parasitism cannot be estimated independently for each gender, inferences based only on female host infection run the risk of providing biased estimates of parasite‐mediated impact on host reproduction.
Elevational range shifts in four mountain ungulate species from the Swiss Alps
Authors: Büntgen Ulf , Greuter Lucie , Bollmann Kurt , Jenny Hannes , Liebhold Andrew , Galván J. Diego , Stenseth Nils C. , Andrew Carrie , Mysterud Atle 
Published: April 2017

AbstractWarming‐induced range shifts along elevational and latitudinal gradients have been observed in several species from various taxa. The mobility and behavioral plasticity of large endothermic mammals, however, complicate the detection of climatic effects on their spatial distributions. Here, we analyzed 230,565 hunting locations of the four most abundant ungulate species in the European Alps: ibex, chamois, red deer, and roe deer. Year‐to‐year and inter‐decadal range shifts toward higher elevations in Switzerland coincided with warmer, snow‐free, and thus more favorable autumn conditions in the same area. The average harvest elevation of ibex, chamois, and red deer significantly increased between 1991 and 2013. Although this trend is anticipated to continue, behavioral plasticity may allow the Alpine ibex and other mountain ungulates to buffer some of the associated consequences of climate change. Our results demonstrate the utility of well‐replicated hunting archives to supplement shorter but more precise monitoring data. This study also provides independent evidence of animal range shifts in response to environmental change at interannual and multi‐decadal time‐scales.
Site‐specific gene expression analysis of implant‐near cells in a soft tissue infection model — Application of laser microdissection to study biomaterial‐associated infection
Authors: Svensson Sara , Trobos Margarita , Omar Omar , Thomsen Peter 
Published: April 2017

AbstractAnalysis of the implant–tissue interface is important for an understanding of the cellular response to biomaterials with different surface characteristics. However, inaccessibility to the site has restricted the detailed evaluation of the tissue surrounding the implant. Laser microdissection enables the isolation of specific cells and tissues for subsequent DNA, RNA, or protein analysis. The present experimental study employed laser microdissection to analyze tissue‐specific differences in gene expression in cells around infected or control titanium implants 72 h after subcutaneous implantation in a rat model. Three different tissue zones located 0–800 μm away from the implant–tissue interface were analyzed. Implant sites challenged with a dose of 106 CFU Staphylococcus epidermidis demonstrated higher gene expression of selected markers for inflammation (TNF‐α, IL‐6), cell recruitment (MCP‐1, IL‐8, IL‐8 R), infection (TLR2), and tissue remodeling (MMP‐9) compared with control implants. Furthermore, the gene expression analysis of the three extracted tissue zones revealed marked spatial differences, depending on the distance to the implant. Control implants continuously induced higher cell gene expression in the implant–tissue interface compared with cells 200–800 μm away from the implant, whereas the sites inoculated with S. epidermidis resulted in high gene expression further away from the implant as well. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that laser microdissection is an interesting tool, revealing both gene‐ and site‐specific gene expression patterns in the implant–tissue interface. The technique provides an opportunity for detailed molecular dissection of the biological events related to the implant but occurring at different distances from the implant. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2210–2217, 2017.
Epigenome-wide Association of DNA Methylation in Whole Blood With Bone Mineral Density
Authors: Morris John A , Tsai Pei-Chien , Joehanes Roby , Zheng Jie , Trajanoska Katerina , Soerensen Mette , Forgetta Vincenzo , Castillo-Fernandez Juan Edgar , Frost Morten , Spector Tim D , Christensen Kaare , Christiansen Lene , Rivadeneira Fernando , Tobias Jonathan H , Evans David M , Kiel Douglas P , Hsu Yi-Hsiang , Richards J Brent , Bell Jordana T 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACT

Genetic and environmental determinants of skeletal phenotypes such as bone mineral density (BMD) may converge through the epigenome, providing a tool to better understand osteoporosis pathophysiology. Because the epigenetics of BMD have been largely unexplored in humans, we performed an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of BMD. We undertook a large-scale BMD EWAS using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 array to measure site-specific DNA methylation in up to 5515 European-descent individuals (NDiscovery = 4614, NValidation = 901). We associated methylation at multiple cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD. We performed sex-combined and stratified analyses, controlling for age, weight, smoking status, estimated white blood cell proportions, and random effects for relatedness and batch effects. A 5% false-discovery rate was used to identify CpGs associated with BMD. We identified one CpG site, cg23196985, significantly associated with femoral neck BMD in 3232 females (p = 7.9 × 10−11) and 4614 females and males (p = 3.0 × 10−8). cg23196985 was not associated with femoral neck BMD in an additional sample of 474 females (p = 0.64) and 901 males and females (p = 0.60). Lack of strong consistent association signal indicates that among the tested probes, no large-effect epigenetic changes in whole blood associated with BMD, suggesting future epigenomic studies of musculoskeletal traits measure DNA methylation in a different tissue with extended genome coverage. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Published by Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Population‐Based Pharmacokinetic and Exposure‐Efficacy Analyses of Peginterferon Beta‐1a in Patients With Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Hu Xiao , Hang Yaming , Cui Yue , Zhang Jie , Liu Shifang , Seddighzadeh Ali , Deykin Aaron , Nestorov Ivan 
Published: April 2017

AbstractPeginterferon beta‐1a reduced annualized relapse rate as compared with placebo and was approved to treat multiple sclerosis patients. A population pharmacokinetic and an exposure‐efficacy model were developed to establish the quantitative relationship between pharmacokinetics and annualized relapse rate. The pharmacokinetics was well described by a 1‐compartment model with first‐order absorption and linear elimination kinetics. Body mass index was the most significant covariate that impacted both clearance and volume of distribution, which in turn impacted area under the curve and maximum serum concentration. Cumulative monthly area under the curve and annualized relapse rate were best described by a Poisson‐gamma (negative binomial) model, demonstrating that the improved efficacy of every‐2‐weeks dosing was driven by greater drug exposure. The results supported the superior efficacy of the every‐2‐week dosing regimen compared with the every‐4‐weeks dosing regimen.
Grooved surface texturing by electrical discharge machining (EDM) under different lubrication regimes
Authors: Vilhena L. M. , Ramalho A. , Cavaleiro A. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe aim of the present research work was to investigate the effectiveness of grooved surface texturing with a rhombic geometry under different lubrication regimes. Tribological investigation under unidirectional sliding was focused on the effect of texturing parameters including pattern area density on the coefficient of friction under different lubrication regimes, achieved by varying sliding speed and lubricant viscosity. Grooved patterns with different textured area densities were produced on steel samples by electrical discharge machining. Results of this investigation showed that under boundary lubrication, textures resist sliding thus resulting in increased friction. The largest improvement of friction reduction was observed under hydrodynamic lubrication, for low‐viscosity oil when using the textured disc with 21% pattern area density. The reduction of the coefficient of friction if compared with the untextured surface was of approximately 24%. Examination of the sliding surfaces has not shown any quantifiable wear for the contact conditions studied.
Parallel transmit capability of various RF transmit elements and arrays at 7T MRI
Authors: Rietsch Stefan H. G. , Orzada Stephan , Bitz Andreas K. , Gratz Marcel , Ladd Mark E. , Quick Harald H. 
Published: April 2017

PurposeIn this work, 22 configurations for remote radiofrequency (RF) coil arrays consisting of different transmit element designs for 7 Tesla (T) ultrahigh‐field MRI are compared by numerical simulations.MethodsInvestigated transmit RF element types are rectangular loops, micro striplines, micro striplines with meanders, 250‐mm shielded dipoles with meanders, and lambda over two dipoles with and without shield. These elements are combined in four different configurations of circumferential RF body arrays with four or eight transmit elements each. Comparisons included coupling behavior, degrees of freedom offered by the individual transmit patterns, and metrics like power and specific absorption rate efficiency.ResultsCoupling between neighboring RF elements is elevated (up to –7 dB) for all arrays with eight elements, whereas it is below –25 dB for arrays with only four elements. The cumulative sum of singular values points out highest degrees of freedom for the central transversal, reduced values in the central coronal, and minimum values in the sagittal slice. Concerning power and SAR efficiency, eight lambda over two dipoles are most advantageous.ConclusionsAmong the investigated remote arrays and parameters, a combination of eight dipoles appears to be most favorable for potential use in 7T body MRI. Magn Reson Med 79:1116–1126, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Online adaptive algorithm for optimal control of structures subjected to travelling loads
Authors: Pisarski Dominik , Myśliński Andrzej 
Published: April 2017

SummaryThe problem of adaptive optimal semiactive control of a structure subjected to a moving load is studied. The control is realised by a change of damping of the structure's supports. The results presented in the previous works of the authors demonstrate that switched optimal controls can be very efficient at reducing the vibration levels of the structure. On the other hand, these controls exhibit a high sensitivity to changes of the speed of the travelling load. The aim of this paper is to develop an algorithm that enables real‐time adaptation of the optimal controls according to both the measured speed of the travelling load and the estimated state of the structure. The control objective is to provide smooth passage for the vehicles and reduce the material stresses on the carrying structures. The designed adaptive algorithm uses reference optimal controls computed for constant speeds and a set of functions describing the sensitivity of the system dynamics to the measured parameters. The convergence of the algorithm, as well as aspects of its implementation, is studied. The performance of the proposed method is validated by means of numerical simulations conducted for different travelling speed scenarios. In the assumed objective functional, the proposed adaptive controller can outperform the reference optimal solutions by over 50%. The practicality of the proposed method should attract the attention of practising engineers.
Reproducibility of inspiratory muscle endurance testing using PowerBreathe for COPD patients
Authors: Basso‐Vanelli Renata P. , Di Lorenzo Valéria A.P. , Ramalho Mariane , Labadessa Ivana G. , Regueiro Eloisa M.G. , Jamami Mauricio , Costa Dirceu 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBackgroundAssessing the strength and endurance of respiratory muscles is fundamental for characterizing respiratory muscle dysfunction. Although a variety of tests are used to evaluate respiratory muscle endurance, not all of them are applicable in clinical practice. Assessments can be made using a practical device called PowerBreathe®, but its reproducibility has not been tested in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.AimTo verify the reproducibility of the inspiratory muscle endurance test using a manometer and PowerBreathe® in COPD patients.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was used. In total, 19 moderate–severe COPD patients, male and female, aged 50 to 80 years took part in the research. This evaluation consisted of 2 tests: an incremental test and a constant one held on the same day and repeated after 48 hr. The incremental test started with 10‐cm H2O, adding 10‐cm H2O every 2 min and taking 1 min of rest before increasing the load. The highest load that could be sustained for at least 1 min was considered the sustained maximum inspiratory pressure (SMIP) value. The constant test was performed at an intensity of 80% of the SMIP and the maximum time limit was 30 min.ResultsIn the incremental test, there was a significant increase in the SMIP compared to the test–retest (61 ± 24/64.7 ± 23.8; p = .015); the value of the relative reproducibility was 0.96, the standard error of the absolute measurement was 4.7 (95% confidence interval 9.2), and the minimum detectable difference was 10.9. In the Bland–Altman analysis, the mean error was 4.2 (confidence interval −7.6 to 16.1). The constant test was not reproducible.ConclusionIt was observed that the incremental test was reproducible to evaluate inspiratory muscle endurance in COPD patients. Furthermore, 2 tests needed to be carried out due to the learning effect.
Characteristics of PTB7‐Th:C bulk heterojunction photocells under low‐light illumination: Critical effect of dark parallel resistance
Authors: Tada Kazuya 
Published: April 2017

AbstractSolution‐processed organic photocell is one of the most promising candidates for the permanent power source for wireless devices. Since the device is not necessarily to be placed outdoor, and indoor light is generally weaker than outdoor light by 2–3 orders of magnitude, the characterization of the photocell under low‐light illumination is important for this purpose. In this study, bulk heterojunction photocells based on a low‐energy gap polymer poly[[4,8‐bis[5‐(2‐ethylhexyl)thiophene‐2‐yl]benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl][3‐fluoro‐2‐[(2‐ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4‐b]thiophenediyl]] (PTB7‐Th) as well as unmodified C prepared with a halogen‐free solvent 1,2,4‐trimethylbenzene, are characterized under low‐light illumination. The combination of a halogen‐free solvent with an unmodified fullerene potentially provides a way to develop environmentally friendly organic photocells. It is found that the photocells show higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) under lower light illumination intensity. That is, a device showing PCE of 4.9% under 1 sun illumination shows PCE over 9% at 3′ 10sun. A sublinear dependence of the short‐circuit photocurrent to the light intensity, as well as the increased fill‐factor at reduced illumination, is found to be a key to the high PCE at low‐light. The latter originates from the photoconduction in the composite. The critical effect of dark parallel resistance on the low‐light performance of the photocells is also demonstrated.
Second harmonic generation in asymmetric MgSe/CdSe/ZnCdMgSe quantum well structures
Authors: Yıldırım Hasan , Aslan Bulent 
Published: April 2017

AbstractMgSe/CdSe/ZnCdMgSe step quantum well structures and coupled quantum well structures under an applied electric field have been investigated for the process of second harmonic generation (SHG) with the double‐resonant condition. The structural parameters of the quantum wells having equally spaced three consecutive energy levels within the conduction band have been determined by solving Schrödinger equation. It is shown that the energy level separation can be continuously tuned between 214 and 472 meV by changing the thickness and the material composition of the layers. The product of dipole matrix elements used in determining the second‐order nonlinear susceptibility is calculated to be as much as 473 . This is lower than the values obtained in widely known GaAs based material systems because of the high effective mass of electron in these selenides. However, the second‐order nonlinear susceptibility that controls SHG is found to be of the order of at its maximum; this is comparable to the values found in similar systems.
Managing Innovation through Ma Thinking
Authors: Kodama Mitsuru 
Published: April 2017

How do leading companies, organizations and individuals unceasingly produce high‐quality innovations? The actions and thinking of leading practitioners (innovators) originate in Ma thinking, the core theoretical concept presented in this paper. This paper discusses how Ma thinking triggers the combination of creativity and efficiency in people and organizations needed for the achievement of innovation.In particular, this paper discusses new perspectives on organizational actions executed based on Ma thinking to strategically bring about new innovation, which involve dynamic thinking and practices at the micro level of practitioners not only in formal organizations but also in informal organizations.The paper presents detailed case studies and theoretical concepts of innovation activities at the micro level in business workplaces from the perspective of strategic activities and organizational actions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nanotechnology for Electroanalytical Biosensors of Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species
Authors: Seenivasan Rajesh , Kolodziej Charles , Karunakaran Chandran , Burda Clemens 
Published: April 2017

AbstractOver the past several decades, nanotechnology has contributed to the progress of biomedicine, biomarker discovery, and the development of highly sensitive electroanalytical / electrochemical biosensors for in vitro and in vivo monitoring, and quantification of oxidative and nitrosative stress markers like reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). A major source of ROS and RNS is oxidative stress in cells, which can cause many human diseases, including cancer. Therefore, the detection of local concentrations of ROS (e. g. superoxide anion radical; O2•−) and RNS (e. g. nitric oxide radical; NO• and its metabolites) released from biological systems is increasingly important and needs a sophisticated detection strategy to monitor ROS and RNS in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we discuss the nanomaterials‐based ROS and RNS biosensors utilizing electrochemical techniques with emphasis on their biomedical applications.
Tempering of Low-Temperature Bainite
Authors: Peet Mathew J. , Babu Sudarsanam Suresh , Miller Mike K. , Bhadeshia H. K. D. H. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractElectron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atom probe tomography have been used to identify the changes which occur during the tempering of a carbide-free bainitic steel transformed at 473 K (200 °C). Partitioning of solute between ferrite and thin-films of retained austenite was observed on tempering at 673 K (400 °C) for 30 minutes. After tempering at 673 K (400 °C) and 773 K (500 °C) for 30 minutes, cementite was observed in the form of nanometre scale precipitates. Proximity histograms showed that the partitioning of solutes other than silicon from the cementite was slight at 673 K (400 °C) and more obvious at 773 K (500 °C). In both cases, the nanometre scale carbides are greatly depleted in silicon.