bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adaptation and plasticity in aboveground allometry variation of four pine species along environmental gradients
Authors: Vizcaíno‐Palomar Natalia , Ibáñez Inés , González‐Martínez Santiago C. , Zavala Miguel A. , Alía Ricardo 
Published: October 2016

AbstractPlant species aboveground allometry can be viewed as a functional trait that reflects the evolutionary trade‐off between above‐ and belowground resources. In forest trees, allometry is related to productivity and resilience in different environments, and it is tightly connected with a compromise between efficiency‐safety and competitive ability. A better understanding on how this trait varies within and across species is critical to determine the potential of a species/population to perform along environmental gradients. We followed a hierarchical framework to assess tree height‐diameter allometry variation within and across four common European Pinus species. Tree height‐diameter allometry variation was a function of solely genetic components –approximated by either population effects or clinal geographic responses of the population's site of origin– and differential genetic plastic responses –approximated by the interaction between populations and two climatic variables of the growing sites (temperature and precipitation)–. Our results suggest that, at the species level, climate of the growing sites set the tree height‐diameter allometry of xeric and mesic species (Pinus halepensis, P. pinaster and P. nigra) apart from the boreal species (P. sylvestris), suggesting a weak signal of their phylogenies in the tree height‐diameter allometry variation. Moreover, accounting for interpopulation variability within species for the four pine species aided to: (1) detect genetic differences among populations in allometry variation, which in P. nigra and P. pinaster were linked to gene pools –genetic diversity measurements–; (2) reveal the presence of differential genetic variation in plastic responses along two climatic gradients in tree allometry variation. In P. sylvestris and P. nigra, genetic variation was the result of adaptive patterns to climate, while in P. pinaster and P. halepensis, this signal was either weaker or absent, respectively; and (3) detect local adaptation in the exponent of the tree height‐diameter allometry relationship in two of the four species (P. sylvestris and P. nigra), as it was a function of populations' latitude and altitude variables. Our findings suggest that the four species have been subjected to different historical and climatic constraints that might have driven their aboveground allometry and promoted different life strategies.
Coast‐wide recruitment dynamics of Olympia oysters reveal limited synchrony and multiple predictors of failure
Authors: Wasson Kerstin , Hughes Brent B. , Berriman John S. , Chang Andrew L. , Deck Anna K. , Dinnel Paul A. , Endris Charlie , Espinoza Michael , Dudas Sarah , Ferner Matthew C. , Grosholz Edwin D. , Kimbro David , Ruesink Jennifer L. , Trimble Alan C. , Vander Schaaf Dick , Zabin Chela J. , Zacherl Danielle C. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractRecruitment of new propagules into a population can be a critical determinant of adult density. We examined recruitment dynamics in the Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida), a species occurring almost entirely in estuaries. We investigated spatial scales of interannual synchrony across 37 sites in eight estuaries along 2,500 km of Pacific North American coastline, predicting that high vs. low recruitment years would coincide among neighboring estuaries due to shared exposure to regional oceanographic factors. Such synchrony in recruitment has been found for many marine species and some migratory estuarine species, but has never been examined across estuaries in a species that can complete its entire life cycle within the same estuary. To inform ongoing restoration efforts for Olympia oysters, which have declined in abundance in many estuaries, we also investigated predictors of recruitment failure. We found striking contrasts in absolute recruitment rate and frequency of recruitment failure among sites, estuaries, and years. Although we found a positive relationship between upwelling and recruitment, there was little evidence of synchrony in recruitment among estuaries along the coast, and only limited synchrony of sites within estuaries, suggesting recruitment rates are affected more strongly by local dynamics within estuaries than by regional oceanographic factors operating at scales encompassing multiple estuaries. This highlights the importance of local wetland and watershed management for the demography of oysters, and perhaps other species that can complete their entire life cycle within estuaries. Estuaries with more homogeneous environmental conditions had greater synchrony among sites, and this led to the potential for estuary‐wide failure when all sites had no recruitment in the same year. Environmental heterogeneity within estuaries may thus buffer against estuary‐wide recruitment failure, analogous to the portfolio effect for diversity. Recruitment failure was correlated with lower summer water temperature, higher winter salinity, and shorter residence time: all indicators of stronger marine influence on estuaries. Recruitment failure was also more common in estuaries with limited networks of nearby adult oysters. Large existing oyster networks are thus of high conservation value, while estuaries that lack them would benefit from restoration efforts to increase the extent and connectivity of sites supporting oysters.
Inferring species interactions from co‐occurrence data with Markov networks
Authors: Harris David J. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractInferring species interactions from co‐occurrence data is one of the most controversial tasks in community ecology. One difficulty is that a single pairwise interaction can ripple through an ecological network and produce surprising indirect consequences. For example, the negative correlation between two competing species can be reversed in the presence of a third species that outcompetes both of them. Here, I apply models from statistical physics, called Markov networks or Markov random fields, that can predict the direct and indirect consequences of any possible species interaction matrix. Interactions in these models can be estimated from observed co‐occurrence rates via maximum likelihood, controlling for indirect effects. Using simulated landscapes with known interactions, I evaluated Markov networks and six existing approaches. Markov networks consistently outperformed the other methods, correctly isolating direct interactions between species pairs even when indirect interactions or abiotic factors largely overpowered them. Two computationally efficient approximations, which controlled for indirect effects with partial correlations or generalized linear models, also performed well. Null models showed no evidence of being able to control for indirect effects, and reliably yielded incorrect inferences when such effects were present.
On the Benefits of Using Process Indicators in Local Sustainability Monitoring: Lessons from a Dutch municipal ranking (1999–2014)
Authors: Niemann Ludger , Hoppe Thomas , Coenen Frans 
Published: October 2016

AbstractThe sustainability performance of cities is subject to an ever‐growing number of monitoring tools. While most initiatives work with outcome indicators that are generally associated with limited direct policy relevance, a minority of tools focuses on sustainability‐related processes and particularly local government policies. In this article, we explore the benefits, limitations and conditions under which this approach can function. While several process‐oriented tools offered to European local governments have lacked participation and foundered, the Local Sustainability Meter (LSM) has been widely used in the Netherlands, with close to 90% of all Dutch municipalities participating since 1999 in some of its multi‐year editions. An evaluative case study presented in this article shows that the LSM stimulated competition for policy performance, conceptual learning and the strengthening of local governance and inter‐municipal networks. The LSM's design choices of combining voluntary, transparent self‐assessments at periodic intervals with public rankings and awards proved to be an effective – and economic – way of disseminating sustainability policies. Its limitations include an inherent focus on generic, standardized policy prescriptions and little knowledge on actual sustainability outcomes. These findings are relevant for policy‐makers and developers of (local) sustainability monitoring tools. This study contributes to the growing literature on (i) sustainability policies and (ii) municipal monitoring and ranking tools. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Effects of pre‐fire age and health status on vulnerability to incapacitation and death from exposure to carbon monoxide and smoke irritants in Rosepark fire incident victims
Authors: Purser David A. 
Published: October 2016

SummaryAge‐related decline and illness increase susceptibility to smoke and toxic fire gases, with incapacitation and death likely for lower exposures. Carbon monoxide (CO) in non‐burned fire fatalities as %COHb indicates the fatal ‘dose’ of toxic effluents (including CO and other toxic species). The elderly and infirm should be overcome earlier during a fire, with lower post‐mortem blood %COHb levels than younger fatalities. The Rosepark care home incident involved 18 elderly casualties (average age 85 years, range 61–99) with a variety of illnesses. Post‐mortem reports and health records provided %COHb concentrations at death or time of rescue, age and pre‐fire health status. To examine effects of health status on susceptibility, heart, circulation, lungs and general health conditions were classified on a 0–5 severity scale for each condition. Scores for each subject were plotted against age or %COHb and examined for trends. No increase in susceptibility to incapacitation was found for survivors. %COHb in fatalities (range 48–82% average 63% COHb) was similar to published levels for young adults (average 61% COHb). There was no increasing susceptibility with age or severity of lung or ‘other health’ conditions, but some trend with severity of cardiovascular disease, especially heart disease (statistically significant 5% level). Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dissipation matrix and artificial heat conduction for Godunov‐type schemes of compressible fluid flows
Authors: Li Jiequan , Tian Baolin , Wang Shuanghu 
Published: October 2016

SummaryThis paper aims to reassess the Riemann solver for compressible fluid flows in Lagrangian frame from the viewpoint of modified equation approach and provides a theoretical insight into dissipation mechanism. It is observed that numerical dissipation vanishes uniformly for the Godunov‐type schemes in the sense that associated dissipation matrix has zero determinant if an exact or approximate Riemann solver is used to construct numerical fluxes in the Lagrangian frame. This fact connects to some numerical defects such as the wall‐heating phenomenon and start‐up errors. To cure these numerical defects, a traditional numerical viscosity is added, as well as the artificial heat conduction is introduced via a simple passage of the Lax–Friedrichs type discretization of internal energy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrologic response of engineered media in living roofs and bioretention to large rainfalls: experiments and modeling
Authors: Liu Ruifen , Fassman‐Beck Elizabeth 
Published: October 2016

AbstractThe hydrologic response of engineered media plays an important role in determining a stormwater control measure's ability to reduce runoff volume, flow rate, timing, and pollutant loads. Five engineered media, typical of living roof and bioretention stormwater control measures, were investigated in laboratory column experiments for their hydrologic responses to steady, large inflow rates. The inflow, medium water content response, and outflow were all measured. The water flow mechanism (uniform flow vs. preferential flow) was investigated by analyzing medium water content response in terms of timing, magnitude, and sequence with depth. Modeling the hydrologic process was conducted in the HYDRUS‐1D software, applying the Richards equation for uniform flow modeling, and a mobile–immobile model for preferential flow modeling. Uniform flow existed in most cases, including all initially dry living roof media with bimodal pore size distributions and one bioretention medium with unimodal pore size distribution. The Richards equation can predict the outflow hydrograph reasonably well for uniform flow conditions when medium hydraulic properties are adequately represented by appropriate functions. Preferential flow was found in two media with bimodal pore size distributions. The occurrence of preferential flow is more likely due to the interaction between the bimodal pore structure and the initial water content rather than the large inflow rate.
Water storage dynamics in a till hillslope: the foundation for modeling flows and turnover times
Authors: Amvrosiadi Nino , Seibert Jan , Grabs Thomas , Bishop Kevin 
Published: October 2016

AbstractStudies on hydrology, biogeochemistry, or mineral weathering often rely on assumptions about flow paths, water storage dynamics, and transit times. Testing these assumptions requires detailed hydrometric data that are usually unavailable at the catchment scale. Hillslope studies provide an alternative for obtaining a better understanding, but even on such well‐defined and delimited scales, it is rare to have a comprehensive set of hydrometric observations from the water divide down to the stream that can constrain efforts to quantify water storage, movement, and turnover time. Here, we quantified water storage with daily resolution in a hillslope during the course of almost an entire year using hydrological measurements at the study site and an extended version of the vertical equilibrium model. We used an exponential function to simulate the relationship between hillslope discharge and water table; this was used to derive transmissivity profiles along the hillslope and map mean pore water velocities in the saturated zone. Based on the transmissivity profiles, the soil layer transmitting 99% of lateral flow to the stream had a depth that ranged from 8.9 m at the water divide to under 1 m closer to the stream. During the study period, the total storage of this layer varied from 1189 to 1485 mm, resulting in a turnover time of 2172 days. From the pore water velocities, we mapped the time it would take a water particle situated at any point of the saturated zone anywhere along the hillslope to exit as runoff. Our calculations point to the strengths as well as limitations of simple hydrometric data for inferring hydrological properties and water travel times in the subsurface.
Improved human endometrial stem cells differentiation into functional hepatocyte‐like cells on a glycosaminoglycan/collagen‐grafted polyethersulfone nanofibrous scaffold
Authors: Khademi Farzaneh , Ai Jafar , Soleimani Masoud , Verdi Javad , Mohammad Tavangar Seyed , Sadroddiny Esmaeil , Massumi Mohammad , Mahmoud Hashemi Seyed 
Published: October 2016

AbstractLiver tissue engineering (TE) is rapidly emerging as an effective technique which combines engineering and biological processes to compensate for the shortage of damaged or destroyed liver tissues. We examined the viability, differentiation, and integration of hepatocyte‐like cells on an electrospun polyethersulfone (PES) scaffold, derived from human endometrial stem cells (hEnSCs). Natural polymers were separately grafted on plasma‐treated PES nanofibers, that is, collagen, heparan sulfate (HS) and collagen–HS. Galactosilated PES (PES‐Gal) nanofibrous were created. The engineering and cell growth parameters were considered and compared with each sample. The cellular studies revealed increased cell survival, attachment, and normal morphology on the bioactive natural polymer‐grafted scaffolds after 30 days of hepatic differentiation. The chemical and molecular assays displayed hepatocyte differentiation. These cells were also functional, showing glycogen storage, α‐fetoprotein, and albumin secretion. The HS nanoparticle‐grafted PES nanofibers demonstrated a high rate of cell proliferation, differentiation, and integration. Based on the observations mentioned above, engineered tissue is a good option in the future, for the commercial production of three‐dimensional liver tissues for clinical purposes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2516–2529, 2017.
Characterization and biocompatibility evaluation of bacterial cellulose‐based wound dressing hydrogel: effect of electron beam irradiation doses and concentration of acrylic acid
Authors: Mohamad Najwa , Buang Fhataheyah , Mat Lazim Azwan , Ahmad Naveed , Martin Claire , Mohd Amin Mohd Cairul Iqbal 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTThe use of bacterial cellulose (BC)‐based hydrogel has been gaining attention owing to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. This study was designed to investigate the effect of radiation doses and acrylic acid (AA) composition on in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of BC/AA as wound dressing materials. Physical properties of the hydrogel, that is, thickness, adhesiveness, rate of water vapor transmission, and swelling were measured. Moreover, the effect of these parameters on skin irritation and sensitization, blood compatibility, and cytotoxicity was studied. Increased AA content and irradiation doses increased the thickness, crosslinking density, and improved the mechanical properties of the hydrogel, but reduced its adhesiveness. The swelling capacity of the hydrogel increased significantly with a decrease in the AA composition in simulated wound fluid. The water vapor permeability of polymeric hydrogels was in the range of 2035–2666 [g/(m−2 day−1)]. Dermal irritation and sensitization test demonstrated that the hydrogel was nonirritant and nonallergic. The BC/AA hydrogel was found to be nontoxic to primary human dermal fibroblast skin cells with viability >88% and was found to be biocompatible with blood with a low hemolytic index (0.80–1.30%). Collectively, these results indicate that these hydrogels have the potential to be used as wound dressings. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2553–2564, 2017.
Metabolic Fate of Branched‐Chain Amino Acids During Adipogenesis, in Adipocytes From Obese Mice and C2C12 Myotubes
Authors: Estrada‐Alcalde Isabela , Tenorio‐Guzman Miriam R. , Tovar Armando R. , Salinas‐Rubio Daniela , Torre‐Villalvazo Ivan , Torres Nimbe , Noriega Lilia G. 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTBranched‐chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism is regulated by the branched‐chain aminotransferase (BCAT2) and the branched‐chain α‐keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDH). BCAT2 and BCKDH expression and activity are modified during adipogenesis and altered in adipose tissues of mice with genetic or diet‐induced obesity. However, little is known about how these modifications and alterations affect the intracellular metabolic fate of BCAAs during adipogenesis, in adipocytes from mice fed a control or high‐fat diet or in C2C12 myotubes. Here, we demonstrate that BCAAs are mainly incorporated into proteins during the early stages of adipocyte differentiation. However, they are oxidized and incorporated into lipids during the late days of differentiation. Conversely, 92% and 97% of BCAA were oxidized, 1.6% and 6% were used for protein synthesis and 1.2% and 1.5% were incorporated into lipids in adipocytes from epididymal and subcutaneous adipose tissue, respectively. All three pathways were decreased in adipocytes from mice fed a high‐fat diet. In C2C12 myotubes, leucine is mainly used for protein synthesis and palmitate is incorporated into lipids. Interestingly, leucine decreased both palmitate oxidation and its incorporation to lipids and proteins; and palmitate increased leucine oxidation and decreased its incorporation to lipids and proteins in a dose‐dependent manner. These results demonstrate that BCAA metabolic fate differs between the early and late stages of adipocyte differentiation and in adipocytes from mice fed a control or high‐fat diet; and that leucine affects the metabolic fate of palmitate and vice versa in C2C12 myotubes. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 808–818, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Lipase based static emulsions as efficient biocatalysts for biodiesel production
Authors: Ma Li , Zhou Liya , Jiang Yanjun , He Ying , Wang Lihui , Gao Jing 
Published: October 2016

AbstractBACKGROUNDEnzymatic production of biodiesel is an alternative solution to circumvent the problems associated with chemical catalysis. However, the drawbacks, including lower stability and reusability of the lipase, often make this route unfeasible for industrial application.RESULTSA stable biocatalyst system was prepared by trapping an aqueous solution of Burkholderiacepacia lipase (BCL) in bead‐shaped silicone microspheres (named lipase‐based static emulsions). Compared with free BCL, lipase‐based static emulsions showed outstanding stability under vigorous shaking conditions and the thermal stability was improved. The lipase‐based static emulsions were employed to catalyze the transesterification of soybean oil with ethanol for biodiesel production. Under the optimum conditions, about 95.42% of FAEE yield was achieved in 30 h. In addition, the lipase‐based static emulsions presented good reusability, and the FAEE yield remained at more than 70.63% after 15 successive reaction cycles. The lipase‐based static emulsions were also used to catalyze the transesterification of jatropha oil and cottonseed oil with ethanol for biodiesel production, and the maximum FAEE yield was 96.10% and 90.39%, respectively.CONCLUSIONSLipase‐based static emulsions were developed as robust biocatalysts by trapping an aqueous solution of lipase in silicone microspheres. The lipase‐based static emulsions catalyzed process may be a suitable technique for biodiesel production. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Optimizing dilute phosphoric acid pretreatment of wheat straw in the laboratory and in a demonstration plant for ethanol and edible fungal biomass production using Neurospora intermedia
Authors: Nair Ramkumar B , Lundin Magnus , Lennartsson Patrik R , Taherzadeh Mohammad J 
Published: October 2016

AbstractBACKGROUNDA method is described that uses dilute phosphoric acid for wheat straw pretreatment and subsequent ethanol and fungal biomass production with the edible fungus Neurospora intermedia. Dilute phosphoric acid pretreatment of wheat straw was optimized at a laboratory scale, and the results were validated in a biorefinery demonstration plant for the first time. The various conditions for the dilute acid pretreatment include such factors as phosphoric acid concentrations (0.5–3.0% w/v), temperature (150–210 °C), and reaction time (5–20 min).RESULTSThe optimal pretreatment conditions were determined as an acid concentration of 1.75% (w/v) at a temperature of 190 °C for 15 min, based on the maximum enzymatic digestibility with the minimum inhibitor release. The efficiency of enzymatic polysaccharide hydrolysis was 36% for untreated straw and 86% for straw pretreated with dilute phosphoric acid. Scale up of the pretreatment at a biorefinery demonstration plant improved the process, with the subsequent efficiency of polysaccharide hydrolysis being 95% of the theoretical maximum. Ethanol fermentation of enzymatically hydrolyzed wheat straw using N. intermedia showed an improvement in the ethanol yield from 29% (with untreated straw) to 94% (with dilute phosphoric acid pretreated straw) of the theoretical maximum.CONCLUSIONThis study opens up an alternative strategy for the efficient use of wheat straw for the production of ethanol and edible fungal biomass in existing wheat‐to‐ethanol plants. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry