bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are Firms that Contribute to Sustainable Development Valued by Investors?
Authors: Miralles‐Quiros Maria del Mar , Miralles‐Quiros Jose Luis , Arraiano Irene Guia 
Published: January 2017

AbstractSustainability reporting contributes to making sustainable development a higher priority for companies, increases the social responsibility of their managers, and reinforces the credibility and trust of their stakeholders. However, prior research about the value relevance of sustainability disclosure for financial stakeholders provides inconclusive results. In this context, the aim of our research is to analyse whether sustainability disclosure provides relevant information and incremental value for investors in the European setting where this practice has been steadily increasing in the period 2001–2013. Our overall results support the belief that conducting business in accordance with ethical norms is value relevant for European investors. However, our results also reveal that there is no homogeneity among markets, even for the periods before and after the global financial crisis. These findings could have several implications for internal and external stakeholders such as managers, shareholders, and policymakers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Synthesis and Characterisation of Reduced Graphene Oxide/Bismuth Composite for Electrodes in Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices
Authors: Wang Jiabin , Zhang Han , Hunt Michael R. C. , Charles Alasdair , Tang Jie , Bretcanu Oana , Walker David , Hassan Khalil T. , Sun Yige , Šiller Lidija 
Published: January 2017

AbstractA reduced graphene oxide/bismuth (rGO/Bi) composite was synthesized for the first time using a polyol process at a low reaction temperature and with a short reaction time (60 °C and 3 hours, respectively). The as‐prepared sample is structured with 20–50 nm diameter bismuth particles distributed on the rGO sheets. The rGO/Bi composite displays a combination of capacitive and battery‐like charge storage, achieving a specific capacity value of 773 C g−1 at a current density of 0.2 A g−1 when charged to 1 V. The material not only has good power density but also shows moderate stability in cycling tests with current densities as high as 5 A g−1. The relatively high abundance and low price of bismuth make this rGO/Bi material a promising candidate for use in electrode materials in future energy storage devices.
Identifying critical challenges in the adoption of cloud‐based services
Authors: Rahi Shiromani Balmukund , Bisui Sandip , Misra Subhas Chandra 
Published: January 2017

SummaryCloud computing provides a way to integrate and share information on a real‐time basis across an organization. The current organizations are adopting the cloud services to gain competitive advantage in real‐time data sharing. To meet the current demand in semiconductor industries, they must develop better techniques to produce electronic products at low cost and in a large scale. Adoption of cloud‐based services may resolve the fastest growing demand of technical advancement of semiconductor industries. The research presented in this paper is based on an analysis of the data obtained from the semiconductor sector. This study identifies the critical challenges associated with the cloud service adoption in semiconductor industries. Twelve critical challenges have been identified that need to be overcome for adopting the cloud services for any semiconductor industry. These are network/Internet availability, data security, integration of various services, monitoring of data and services, maintenance of computing performance, liability, power outage, service interruption, organizational change, business complexity, legal issues, and lack of awareness.
Xenopus as a model organism to study heterotrimeric G‐protein pathway during collective cell migration of neural crest
Authors: Toro‐Tapia G. , Villaseca S. , Leal J. I. , Beyer A. , Fuentealba J. , Torrejón M. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractCollective cell migration is essential in many fundamental aspects of normal development, like morphogenesis, organ formation, wound healing, and immune responses, as well as in the etiology of severe pathologies, like cancer metastasis. In spite of the huge amount of data accumulated on cell migration, such a complex process involves many molecular actors, some of which still remain to be functionally characterized. One of these signals is the heterotrimeric G‐protein pathway that has been studied mainly in gastrulation movements. Recently we have reported that Ric‐8A, a GEF for Gα proteins, plays an important role in neural crest migration in Xenopus development. Xenopus neural crest cells, a highly migratory embryonic cell population induced at the border of the neural plate that migrates extensively in order to differentiate in other tissues during development, have become a good model to understand the dynamics that regulate cell migration. In this review, we aim to provide sufficient evidence supporting how useful Xenopus model with its different tools, such as explants and transplants, paired with improved in vivo imaging techniques, will allow us to tackle the multiple signaling mechanisms involved in neural crest cell migration.
Exosomal trafficking in Xenopus development
Authors: Danilchik Michael , Tumarkin Tess 
Published: January 2017

AbstractExosomes are small extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by many cell types in both normal and pathogenic circumstances. Because EVs, particularly exosomes, are known to transfer biologically active proteins, RNAs and lipids between cells, they have recently become the focus of intense interest as potential mediators of cell‐cell communication, particularly in long‐range and juxtacrine signaling events associated with adaptive immune function and progression of cancer. Among the EVs, exosomes appear particularly adapted for long‐range delivery of cargoes between cells. Because of their association with disease states, the exciting potential for exosomes to serve as diagnostic biomarkers and as target‐specific biomolecule delivery vehicles has stimulated a broad range of biomedical investigations to learn how exosomes are generated, what their cargoes are, and how they might be tailored for uptake by remote targets. Addressing these questions requires experimental models in which biochemically useful amounts of material can be harvested, gene expression easily manipulated, and interpretable biological assays developed. The early Xenopus embryo fulfills these model‐system ideals in an in vivo context: during morphogenesis the embryo develops several large, fluid‐filled extracellular compartments across which numerous tissue‐specifying signals must cross, and which are abundantly endowed with exosomes and other EVs. Importantly, certain surface‐facing tissues avidly ingest EVs during gastrulation. Recent work has demonstrated that EVs can be isolated from these interstitial spaces in amounts suitable for proteomic and transcriptomic analysis. With its large numbers, great cell size, well‐understood fate map, and tolerance of a variety of experimental approaches, the Xenopus embryo provides a unique opportunity to both understand and manipulate the basic cell biology of exosomal trafficking in the context of an intact organism.
Drivers of soil and tree carbon dynamics in urban residential lawns: a modeling approach
Authors: Trammell T. L. E. , Pouyat R. V. , Carreiro M. M. , Yesilonis I. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractSoils constitute the largest sink of terrestrial carbon (C), and urban soils have the potential to provide significant soil C storage. Soils in urbanized landscapes experience a multitude of human alterations, such as compaction and management subsidies, that impact soil C dynamics. While field studies may provide data on urban soil C storage, modeling soil C dynamics under various human impact scenarios will provide a basis for identifying drivers of urban soil C dynamics and for predicting the potential for these highly altered soils to store C over time intervals not typically amenable to empirical validation. The goal of this study was to model soil C dynamics in residential lawns using CENTURY, a dynamic mechanistic model, to determine whether drivers of soil C dynamics in natural systems (e.g., soil texture) were equally useful for estimating soil C content of highly modified soils in urban residential areas. Without incorporating human impacts, we found no relationship between initial CENTURY model simulations and observed soil C (P > 0.05). Factors that best explained soil C accumulation for the observed soil C (bulk density, r2 = 0.30; home age, r2 = 0.37; P < 0.01) differed from those found important for the CENTURY model simulations (percent sand, r2 = 0.72, P < 0.001). Therefore, we conducted a modeling exercise to test whether simulating potential construction disturbance and lawn management practices would improve modeled soil and tree C. We found that incorporating these factors did improve CENTURY's ability to model soil and tree C (P < 0.001). The results from this analysis suggest that incorporating various human disturbances and management practices that occur in urban landscapes into CENTURY model runs will improve its ability to predict urban soil C dynamics, at least within a 100‐yr time frame. Thus, enhancing our ability to provide recommendations for management and development practices that result in increasing urban soil C storage.
Restoration and management for plant diversity enhances the rate of belowground ecosystem recovery
Authors: Klopf Ryan P. , Baer Sara G. , Bach Elizabeth M. , Six Johan 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe positive relationship between plant diversity and ecosystem functioning has been criticized for its applicability at large scales and in less controlled environments that are relevant to land management. To inform this gap between ecological theory and application, we compared recovery rates of belowground properties using two chronosequences consisting of continuously cultivated and independently restored fields with contrasting diversity management strategies: grasslands restored with high plant richness and managed for diversity with frequent burning (n = 20) and grasslands restored with fewer species that were infrequently burned (n = 15). Restoration and management for plant diversity resulted in 250% higher plant richness. Greater recovery of roots and more predictable recovery of the active microbial biomass across the high diversity management strategy chronosequence corresponded with faster recovery of soil structure. The high diversity grasslands also had greater nutrient conservation indicated by lower available inorganic nitrogen. Thus, mesic grasslands restored with more species and managed for high plant diversity with frequent burning enhances the rate of belowground ecosystem recovery from long‐term disturbance at a scale relevant to conservation practices on the landscape.
The effect of macadamia oil intake on muscular inflammation and oxidative profile kinetics after exhaustive exercise
Authors: Malvestiti Rosane , Borges Leandro da Silva , Weimann Eleine , Junior Edenilson Pinto da Silva , Levada‐Pires Adriana Cristina , Dermargos Alexandre , Lambertucci Rafael Herling , Hatanaka Elaine 
Published: January 2017

In this study, we evaluated the onset and resolution of inflammation in control and macadamia oil‐supplemented rats after a single session of exhaustive exercise. We also analysed the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Rats were supplemented for ten days with macadamia oil (25 mg/kg), which is rich in oleic and palmitoleic acids. On the 10th day, control and macadamia oil‐treated rats exercised to physical exhaustion. Plasma and muscular levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor alpha [TNF‐α], interleukin‐1 beta [IL‐1β], IL‐6, cytokine‐induced neutrophil chemoattractant‐3 [CINC‐3], macrophage inflammatory protein‐3‐alpha [MIP‐3α]) and soluble L‐selectin were measured prior to, immediately after, and 2, 24, and 48 h after exercise. Our data revealed increases in the muscle concentrations of IL‐1β, L‐selectin, CINC‐3, and MIP‐3α in the group supplemented with macadamia oil compared with the concentrations in the control group. CAT also increased in the treated group, which is important because pro‐inflammatory cytokines precede growth factor production and might alter the muscle repair process. We concluded that inflammation resulting from exhaustive exercise was greater in animals that received macadamia oil than in control animals.Practical applications: There are potential benefits of using fatty acids in the treatment of injured muscles, and these substances have been used in several types of injured tissues. Macadamia oil intake alters muscle healing signaling by influencing the production of reactive oxygen species and inflammatory mediators. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that the intake of immunomodulatory supplements would be beneficial to the muscular recovery of an athlete following a strenuous exercise session.The muscle healing process has three phases: inflammation, new tissue formation and tissue remodeling, and these phases might be modulated by fatty acids. After an exhaustive exercise session, muscle inflammatory markers from macadamia oil‐supplemented rats are augmented in comparison to non‐supplemented animals. Our data revealed increases in the muscle concentrations of IL‐1β, L‐selectin, CINC‐3, and MIP‐3α in the group supplemented with macadamia oil compared with the concentrations in the control group.
Acid/Base Multi‐Ion Exchange Membrane‐Based Electrolysis System for Water Splitting
Authors: Nazemi Mohammadreza , Padgett James , Hatzell Marta C. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractWater electrolysis potentially represents an environmentally friendly method for scalable hydrogen production and for intermittent renewable energy storage. Yet cost and high reaction overpotentials limit widespread implementation. Here, an electrolysis cell architecture that uses dissimilar electrolytes is shown to minimize the kinetic and thermodynamic considerations ascribed to electrolysis. The use of multiple monopolar ion exchange membranes (anion and cation selective) and multiple chambers (anolyte, catholyte, middle) allows stable electrolysis operation while a pH gradient is maintained across the electrolysis cell. This reduced the hydrogen and oxygen evolution onset potential by 0.65
0.03 and 0.62
0.01 V, resulting in a whole cell onset potential for water splitting of 0.79
0.02 V. The reduced onset potential was demonstrated for >15 h of operation under fixed current density, resulting in a decrease in energy consumption by 56 % when compared to similar pH electrolysis cells.
Site dependence and record selection schemes for building fragility and regional loss assessment
Authors: Kohrangi Mohsen , Vamvatsikos Dimitrios , Bazzurro Paolo 
Published: January 2017

SummaryWhen performing loss assessment of a geographically dispersed building portfolio, the response or loss (fragility or vulnerability) function of any given archetype building is typically considered to be a consistent property of the building itself. On the other hand, recent advances in record selection have shown that the seismic response of a structure is, in general, dependent on the nature of the hazard at the site of interest. This apparent contradiction begs the question: Are building fragility and vulnerability functions independent of site, and if not, what can be done to avoid having to reassess them for each site of interest? In the following, we show that there is a non‐negligible influence of the site, the degree of which depends on the intensity measure adopted for assessment. Employing a single‐period (e.g., first‐mode), spectral acceleration would require careful record selection at each site and result to significant site‐to‐site variability of the fragility or vulnerability function. On the other hand, an intensity measure comprising the geometric mean of multiple spectral accelerations considerably reduces such variability. In tandem with a conditional spectrum record selection that accounts for multiple sites, it can offer a viable approach for incorporating the effect of site dependence into fragility and vulnerability estimates. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Terrain attributes of earthquake‐ and rainstorm‐induced landslides in orogenic mountain Belt, Taiwan
Authors: Huang Jr‐Chuan , Milliman John D. , Lee Tsung‐Yu , Chen Yi‐Chin , Lee Jiin‐Fa , Liu Cheng‐Chien , Lin Jiun‐Chuan , Kao Shuh‐Ji 
Published: January 2017

AbstractLandsliding induced by earthquakes and rainstorms in montane regions is not only a sculptor for shaping the landscape, but also a driver for delivering sediments and above‐ground biomass downstream. However, the terrain attributes of earthquake‐ and rainstorm‐induced landslides are less discussed comprehensively in Taiwan. As part of an island‐wide inventory, we here compare and contrast the landslide terrain attributes resulting from two catastrophic events: the Chi‐Chi earthquake (Mw = 7.6, September 1999) and typhoon Morakot (rainfall >2500 mm, August 2009). Results show that the earthquake‐induced landslides are relatively small, round‐shaped and prone to occur primarily in middle and toe of slopes. In contrast, the rainstorm‐induced landslides are larger, horseshoe‐shaped and preferentially occurring in slope toes. Also, earthquake‐induced landslides, particularly large landslides, are usually found at steeper gradients, whereas rainstorm‐induced landslides aggregate at gradients between 25° and 40°. Lithologic control plays a secondary role in landsliding. From an island‐wide perspective, high landslide density locates in the region of earthquake intensity ≥ VI or one‐day rainfall ≥600 mm day−1. Through the landslide patterns and their terrain attributes, our retrospective approach sheds light on accessing the historical and remote events for close geophysical investigations. Finally, we should bear in mind that the landslide location, size, and terrain attributes varying with triggers may affect the landscape evaluation or biogeochemical processes in landslide‐dominated regions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhanced predictive signalling in schizophrenia
Authors: Schmack Katharina , Rothkirch Marcus , Priller Josef , Sterzer Philipp 
Published: January 2017

AbstractPositive symptoms of schizophrenia such as delusions and hallucinations are thought to arise from an alteration in predictive mechanisms of the brain. Here, we empirically tested the hypothesis that schizophrenia is associated with an enhanced signalling of higher‐level predictions that shape perception into conformity with acquired beliefs. Twenty‐one patients with schizophrenia and twenty‐eight healthy controls matched for age and gender took part in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment that assessed the effect of an experimental manipulation of cognitive beliefs on the perception of an ambiguous visual motion stimulus. At the behavioural level, there was a generally weaker effect of experimentally induced beliefs on perception in schizophrenia patients compared with controls, but a positive correlation between the effect of beliefs on perception and the severity of positive symptoms. At the neural level, belief‐related connectivity between a region encoding beliefs in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and a region encoding visual motion in the visual cortex (V5) was higher in patients compared with controls, indicating a stronger impact of cognitive beliefs on visual processing in schizophrenia. We suggest that schizophrenia might be associated with a generally weaker acquisition of externally generated beliefs and a compensatory increase in the effect of beliefs on sensory processing. Our current results are in line with the notion that enhanced signalling of higher‐level predictions that shape perception into conformity with acquired beliefs might underlie positive symptoms in schizophrenia. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1767–1779, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sequential learning during contextual fear conditioning guides the rate of systems consolidation: Implications for consolidation of multiple memory traces
Authors: Pedraza Lizeth K. , Sierra Rodrigo O. , Crestani Ana P. , Quillfeldt Jorge A. , de Oliveira Alvares Lucas 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACTSystems consolidation has been described as a time‐dependent reorganization process involving the neocortical and hippocampal networks underlying memory storage and retrieval. Previous studies of our lab were able to demonstrate that systems consolidation is a dynamic process, rather than a merely passive, time‐dependent phenomenon. Here, we studied the influence of sequential learning in contextual fear conditioning (CFC) with different training intensities in the time‐course of hippocampal dependency and contextual specificity. We found that sequential learning with high‐intensity shocks during CFC induces generalization of the first learning (context A) and maintains contextual specificity of the second learning (context B) 15 days after acquisition. Moreover, subsequent experiences reorganize brain structures involved in retrieval, accelerating the involvement of cortical structures and diminishing the hippocampal participation. Exposure to original context before novelty seems to only induce context specificity in hippocampal‐dependent memories. We propose that systems consolidation could be considered a potential biological mechanism for reducing possible interferences between similar memory traces. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.