bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Solar‐Energy Driven Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation of Starch to Bioethanol for Fuel‐Cell Applications
Authors: Tabah Betina , Pulidindi Indra Neel , Chitturi Venkateswara Rao , Arava Leela Mohana Reddy , Gedanken Aharon 
Published: September 2015

AbstractA solar reactor was designed to perform the conversion of starch to ethanol in a single step. An aqueous starch solution (5 wt %) was fed into the reactor bed charged with Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and amylase, resulting in approximately 2.5 wt % ethanol collected daily (ca. 25 mL day−1). A significant amount of ethanol (38 g) was collected over 63 days, corresponding to 84 % of the theoretical yield. The production of ethanol without additional energy input highlights the significance of this new process. The ethanol produced was also demonstrated as a potential fuel for direct ethanol fuel cells. Additionally, the secondary metabolite glycerol was fully reduced to a value‐added product 1,3‐propanediol, which is the first example of a fungal strain (Baker's yeast) converting glycerol in situ to 1,3‐propanediol.
CD163 and CD206 expression does not correlate with tolerance and cytokine production in LPS‐tolerant human monocytes
Authors: Alves‐Januzzi Amanda Barba , Brunialti Milena Karina Colo , Salomao Reinaldo 
Published: September 2015

BackgroundLipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐tolerant monocytes produce small amounts of inflammatory cytokines, which is one of the characteristics of the alternative activated macrophages (AAM). These cells exhibited an increased expression of CD206 and CD163. Given the functional similarities of AAMs with the modulation of monocytes’ functions observed during sepsis and LPS‐tolerance, we evaluated whether the inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production by LPS‐tolerant monocytes is associated with the phenotype of cells expressing CD206 and CD163.MethodsWe investigated whether tolerant human monocytes would modulate their expression of CD206 and CD163, markers of alternative activation, and whether the level of their expression would be related to cytokines detection. Tolerance to LPS was induced in peripheral blood mononuclear cell by pre‐incubating the cells with increasing concentrations of LPS. The expression of CD206 and CD163 and intracellular TNF‐α and IL‐6 was determined 24 h after LPS challenge by flow cytometry.ResultsNo differences in CD163 expression were observed between tolerant and non‐tolerant cells, while the expression of CD206, which was decreased following LPS stimulation in non‐tolerized cells, was further reduced in tolerant cells. Decreased production of inflammatory cytokines was observed in the tolerized cells, regardless of the expression of CD163 and CD206, with the exception of IL‐6 in CD206+ monocytes, which was similarly expressed in both tolerized and non‐tolerized cells.ConclusionsThe effect of LPS in the expression of CD163 and CD206 on monocytes is not reverted in LPS tolerant cells, and the inhibition of inflammatory cytokines in tolerant cells is not related with modulation of these receptors. © 2016 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Complex spatial clonal structure in the macroalgae Fucus radicans with both sexual and asexual recruitment
Authors: Ardehed Angelica , Johansson Daniel , Schagerström Ellen , Kautsky Lena , Johannesson Kerstin , Pereyra Ricardo T. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractIn dioecious species with both sexual and asexual reproduction, the spatial distribution of individual clones affects the potential for sexual reproduction and local adaptation. The seaweed Fucus radicans, endemic to the Baltic Sea, has separate sexes, but new attached thalli may also form asexually. We mapped the spatial distribution of clones (multilocus genotypes, MLGs) over macrogeographic (>500 km) and microgeographic (<100 m) scales in the Baltic Sea to assess the relationship between clonal spatial structure, sexual recruitment, and the potential for natural selection. Sexual recruitment was predominant in some areas, while in others asexual recruitment dominated. Where clones of both sexes were locally intermingled, sexual recruitment was nevertheless low. In some highly clonal populations, the sex ratio was strongly skewed due to dominance of one or a few clones of the same sex. The two largest clones (one female and one male) were distributed over 100–550 km of coast and accompanied by small and local MLGs formed by somatic mutations and differing by 1–2 mutations from the large clones. Rare sexual events, occasional long‐distance migration, and somatic mutations contribute new genotypic variation potentially available to natural selection. However, dominance of a few very large (and presumably old) clones over extensive spatial and temporal scales suggested that either these have superior traits or natural selection has only been marginally involved in the structuring of genotypes.
Does hybridization with a widespread congener threaten the long‐term persistence of the Eastern Alpine rare local endemic Knautia carinthiaca?
Authors: Čertner Martin , Kolář Filip , Schönswetter Peter , Frajman Božo 
Published: September 2015

AbstractInterspecific hybridization, especially when regularly followed by backcrossing (i.e., introgressive hybridization), conveys a substantial risk for many endangered organisms. This is particularly true for narrow endemics occurring within distributional ranges of widespread congeners. An excellent example is provided by the plant genus Knautia (Caprifoliaceae): Locally endemic K. carinthiaca is reported from two isolated populations in southern Austria situated within an area predominantly occupied by widespread K. arvensis. While K. carinthiaca usually inhabits low‐competition communities on rocky outcrops, K. arvensis occurs mainly in dry to mesic managed grasslands, yet both species can coexist in marginal environments and were suspected to hybridize. Flow cytometry revealed that diploid K. carinthiaca only occurs at its locus classicus, whereas the second locality is inhabited by the morphologically similar but tetraploid K. norica. In the, therefore, single population of K. carinthiaca, flow cytometry and AFLP fingerprinting showed signs of introgressive hybridization with diploid K. arvensis. Hybridization patterns were also reflected in intermediate habitat preferences and morphology of the hybrids. Environmental barriers to gene flow seem to prevent genetic erosion of K. carinthiaca individuals from the core ecological niches, restricting most introgressed individuals to peripheral habitats. Efficient conservation of K. carinthiaca will require strict protection of its habitat and ban on forest clear cuts in a buffer zone to prevent invasion of K. arvensis. We demonstrate the large potential of multidisciplinary approaches combining molecular, cytometric, and ecological tools for a reliable inventory and threat assessment of rare species.
Prediction of macroscopic damage behaviour of precipitation strengthened steels via multiscale simulations
Authors: Molnar D. , Weber U. , Binkele P. , Rapp D. , Schmauder S. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractA multiscale modelling approach is presented that sequentially connects in total five simulation methods via parameter transfers in order to capture the macroscopic damage behaviour due to an underlying nano structure of copper precipitates in bcc iron. In this multiscale approach, information on precipitation states is taken from kinetic Monte‐Carlo and Phasefield simulations as well as from experimental data. Based on a calibration of Dislocation Dynamics by Molecular Dynamics simulations as well as on testing conditions known from experiments, Dislocation Dynamics simulations with an infinite dislocation on a single glide plane provide strengthening levels which are related to a reference stress‐strain curve obtained from experiments. Subsequently, the macroscopic damage behaviour is simulated with the Finite‐Element‐Method including the Rousselier Damage Model for the reference state as well as for the virtually aged states. The results are validated by comparison with experimental results and predictions are made with respect to specific precipitation cases. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Multiscale cohesive zone modeling of crack propagations in polycrystalline solids
Authors: Fan Houfu , Li Shaofan 
Published: September 2015

AbstractIn this work, we use an atomistic‐based multiscale cohesive zone model (MCZM) to simulate crack propagations in polycrystalline solids. The multiscale cohesive zone model is different from the conventional cohesive zone model, and it is essentially an interphase process zone that is capable of describing heterogenous material behavior by incorporating the finite‐size inhomogeneities such as grain boundary interphase, inclusions, and finite‐width persistent slip bands.The main novelties of this work are two: (1) Different order Cauchy Born rules of the same atomistic potential are used to describe the material strength for the grain interphase and bulk materials, which eliminates the setback of the conventional cohesive zone model that models the undamaged material as a “numerical composite” of bulk elements and cohe‐sive interface zones, and (2) Via integration by parts, we can derive the microstructure‐based interface cohesive law in both normal and tangential directions with respect to the boundary between bulk elements and interphase elements.By using the higher order Cauchy‐Born rule, the cohesive zones are shown to be weaker than the bulk. Numerical examples of crack propagations due to the high speed impact on materials with various cohesive strengths have been carried out. Both inter‐granular and trans‐granular fractures are captured by assuming the relative strength of the cohesive zones in the bulk and those along the grain boundaries. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Linking GABA and glutamate levels to cognitive skill acquisition during development
Authors: Cohen Kadosh Kathrin , Krause Beatrix , King Andrew J. , Near Jamie , Cohen Kadosh Roi 
Published: September 2015

AbstractDevelopmental adjustments in the balance of excitation and inhibition are thought to constrain the plasticity of sensory areas of the cortex. It is unknown however, how changes in excitatory or inhibitory neurochemical expression (glutamate, γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)) contribute to skill acquisition during development. Here we used single‐voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H‐MRS) to reveal how differences in cortical glutamate vs. GABA ratios relate to face proficiency and working memory abilities in children and adults. We show that higher glutamate levels in the inferior frontal gyrus correlated positively with face processing proficiency in the children, but not the adults, an effect which was independent of age‐dependent differences in underlying cortical gray matter. Moreover, we found that glutamate/GABA levels and gray matter volume are dissociated at the different maturational stages. These findings suggest that increased excitation during development is linked to neuroplasticity and the acquisition of new cognitive skills. They also offer a new, neurochemical approach to investigating the relationship between cognitive performance and brain development across the lifespan. Hum Brain Mapp 36:4334–4345, 2015. © 2015 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping Published byWiley Periodicals, Inc.
Neurofunctional topography of the human hippocampus
Authors: Robinson Jennifer L. , Barron Daniel S. , Kirby Lauren A. J. , Bottenhorn Katherine L. , Hill Ashley C. , Murphy Jerry E. , Katz Jeffrey S. , Salibi Nouha , Eickhoff Simon B. , Fox Peter T. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractMuch of what was assumed about the functional topography of the hippocampus was derived from a single case study over half a century ago. Given advances in the imaging sciences, a new era of discovery is underway, with potential to transform the understanding of healthy processing as well as the ability to treat disorders. Coactivation‐based parcellation, a meta‐analytic approach, and ultra‐high field, high‐resolution functional and structural neuroimaging to characterize the neurofunctional topography of the hippocampus was employed. Data revealed strong support for an evolutionarily preserved topography along the long‐axis. Specifically, the left hippocampus was segmented into three distinct clusters: an emotional processing cluster supported by structural and functional connectivity to the amygdala and parahippocampal gyrus, a cognitive operations cluster, with functional connectivity to the anterior cingulate and inferior frontal gyrus, and a posterior perceptual cluster with distinct structural connectivity patterns to the occipital lobe coupled with functional connectivity to the precuneus and angular gyrus. The right hippocampal segmentation was more ambiguous, with plausible 2‐ and 5‐cluster solutions. Segmentations shared connectivity with brain regions known to support the correlated processes. This represented the first neurofunctional topographic model of the hippocampus using a robust, bias‐free, multimodal approach. Hum Brain Mapp 36:5018–5037, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of patients' healthcare payment methods on hospital discharge process: evidence from India
Authors: Drew Brendan , Angeli Federica , Dave Karan , Pavlova Milena 
Published: September 2015

SummaryThis study investigates the impact of patients' payment methods on hospitals' discharge process. Patients' payment methods, particularly the use of third‐party payers, are documented to impact hospitals' behavior. However, evidence is still missing on how differences across payment categories affect hospital discharge, a complicated and poorly standardized process. Data are derived from a single case study carried out in 2014 at the Mazumdar Shaw Medical Center at the Narayana Health City Campus in Bangalore, India. A mixed‐method approach has been adopted. First, process mapping for different payment categories was conducted using unstructured interviews with staff and on‐the‐floor observations. Second, linear regression analysis was applied on a sample of 1000 discharges that occurred in January 2014 to investigate the impact of patients' payment categories on discharge turnaround time. The qualitative evidence highlights substantial variation in the discharge process across payment categories. Regression analyses reveal that the sequential process used to discharge community health insurance patients results in a significantly shorter discharge turnaround time and that cash‐paying patients do not experience any significantly shorter discharge duration. For hospital managers, this study provides important evidence that patient utilization of a third‐party payer does not hamper hospital efficiency. This finding should also encourage policy makers and third‐party payers to work towards expanding the medical insurance system, particularly in India and particularly community‐based schemes. At the same time, our findings document a strong fragmentation of discharge processes, which should spur hospitals and third‐party payers to cooperate in order to set standards and minimize disruptions to patient flows. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structure Modification and Spectroscopic Properties of Artificial Porphyrinoids
Authors: Zhou Zhikuan , Shen Zhen 
Published: September 2015

AbstractIn this review article, we summarize our recent progress in rational structure modification and spectroscopic studies of artificial porphyrinoids. Structural modifications, including meso aryl substitution, peripheral aromatic ring fusion, ring contraction and expansion, and core modification with heterocyclic subunits other than pyrrole, perturb the electronic structures and aromaticity of porphyrinoids, thus regulating their electronic properties. The relationship between structure and spectroscopic properties as well as the applications of these porphyrinoids are also reviewed.
Novel cellular evidence of oviduct secretions in the Chinese soft‐shelled turtlePelodiscus sinensis
Authors: Waqas Muhammad Yasir , Lisi Hu , Yang Ping , Ullah Shakeeb , Zhang Linli , Zhang Qian , Li Quanfu , Ahmad Nisar , Chen Wei , Zeshan Basit , Chen Qiusheng 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe oviduct is the location of fertilization and sperm storage. We examined the ultrastructure of the oviduct epithelium and its glandular secretions in the isthmus, uterus and vagina of Chinese soft‐shelled turtlePelodiscus sinensisusing light and transmission electron microscopy. The epithelium in these segments is lined with ciliated, secretory and other cells; the first two cell types span the entire epithelium, with secretory cells being predominant. The ciliated cells are characterized by the presence of a secretory vacuole that releases apocrine secretions into the lumen, whereas the secretory cells contain typical biphasic granules with both dark and light aspects. The third type of cells observed have wider proximal portion, abundant mitochondria, vacuoles, and narrow nuclei. The storage of spermatozoa is restricted to the isthmus, uterus, and vagina. In addition, the gland cells show prominent features, including the presence of granules of different shapes, sizes, and electron densities. The synthesis of these granules is described for the first time in this study. Mitochondria appear to play an important role in the formation of dense granules, the rough endoplasmic reticulum and microfilaments may also play a role in the maturation of these dense granules. After completing the maturation process, these granules are released into the lumen of the gland cells.J. Exp. Zool. 323A: 655–665, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Traffic noise affects embryo mortality and nestling growth rates in captive zebra finches
Authors: Potvin Dominique A. , MacDougall‐Shackleton Scott A. 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACTOver the past two decades, studies of songbird populations have detected decreases in the reproductive success of individuals living in urban areas. Anthropogenic noise is considered to be particularly detrimental, however the exact relationship between noise and reproductive success is still unclear because noise is often correlated with many other detrimental factors (e.g., predation, reduced territory quality). We used an experiment to specifically test the effects of urban noise on reproduction of captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We found that latency to breed and the size of successfully fledged clutches were consistent between groups, however success of initial nesting attempts was reduced by traffic noise. Further, this reduced success leading to increased numbers of nesting attempts by birds in the noise condition was due to higher levels of embryo mortality in the traffic noise treatment group, which also suffered a lag in nestling growth rates during the first two weeks post‐hatch. While parental baseline circulating corticosterone was not chronically affected by noise treatment, we identified some interaction effects whereby certain reproductive measures (laying latency and clutch size) were most strongly affected by treatment when mothers had higher levels of baseline corticosterone. These results indicate that traffic noise may reduce reproductive success through changes in parental behaviour, and that traffic noise may disproportionately affect chronically stressed individuals during reproduction. J. Exp. Zool. 323A: 722–730, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Impact of High Microfinance Growth on Loan Portfolio
Authors: Yimga Jules 
Published: September 2015

AbstractMost empirical studies in microfinance have disproportionately focused on its downstream effects—effects on the borrower—leaving the important question of how microfinance institutions are affected in the process, largely unanswered—upstream effects. This paper addresses this question by using panel data estimations to empirically investigate the causal effect of microfinance growth on microfinance institution loan portfolio quality. Surprisingly, we find evidence that portfolio quality improves with growth in outreach, which is contrary to the dominant view that higher growth leads to increased default risk. This result is robust across estimation methods and even after controlling for microfinance institutional characteristics and macroeconomic indicators. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unexpected reactivities in chain shuttling copolymerizations
Authors: Zinck Philippe 
Published: September 2015

AbstractChain shuttling copolymerization (CSP) is a modern polymerization technique that allows in a one‐step procedure access to multiblock microstructures of statistical copolymer blocks of different compositions, providing notably new thermoplastic elastomers. The process involves the shuttling of a growing copolymeric chain between two catalysts showing different reactivity ratios versus the comonomers. The complexity of the active species formed in the presence of two catalysts and a chain transfer agent can give rise to unexpected reactivities. They are presented and discussed in this contribution, including their possible origin when provided and the consequences regarding the design of catalytic systems for CSP.
Search and Integration in External Venturing: An Inductive Examination of Corporate Venture Capital Units
Authors: Basu Sandip , Phelps Corey C. , Kotha Suresh 
Published: September 2015

Research summaryHow do external venturing units effectively achieve external knowledge search and integration of their initiatives with mainstream organizational units? We investigate this largely unexplored question through an inductive study of 17 corporate venture capital units. We document a set of five novel practices that influence the efficacy of a unit's external search and internal integration and identify how these practices complement a broader set of practices used by all units. We highlight the entrepreneurial nature of managing an external venturing unit, often to overcome unfavorable corporate contexts, a perspective that prior research has largely overlooked. Our findings provide unique insights into why some corporate investors are better at learning from external start‐ups than others.Managerial summaryExternal venturing involves strategic partnerships by established firms with entrepreneurial ventures. Top management usually tasks autonomous units with searching for willing and potentially valuable partners. These units must integrate their activities with the operations of parent firms to elicit cooperation from important business units. To understand how external venturing units implement search and integration in combination, we study corporate venture capital (CVC) units, which form external partnerships through minority investments in start‐ups. While all units adopted fundamental processes that are well established in the venture capital community, certain processes that are idiosyncratic to corporate investing helped units demonstrate superior performance in their strategic missions. These processes often required CVC unit managers to be entrepreneurial and politically savvy in building connections with relevant personnel in parent firms. Copyright © 2015 Strategic Management Society