bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Linking N2O emissions from biochar-amended soil to the structure and function of the N-cycling microbial community
Authors: Harter Johannes , Krause Hans-Martin , Schuettler Stefanie , Ruser Reiner , Fromme Markus , Scholten Thomas , Kappler Andreas , Behrens Sebastian 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Nitrous oxide (N2O) contributes 8% to global greenhouse gas emissions. Agricultural sources represent about 60% of anthropogenic N2O emissions. Most agricultural N2O emissions are due to increased fertilizer application. A considerable fraction of nitrogen fertilizers are converted to N2O by microbiological processes (that is, nitrification and denitrification). Soil amended with biochar (charcoal created by pyrolysis of biomass) has been demonstrated to increase crop yield, improve soil quality and affect greenhouse gas emissions, for example, reduce N2O emissions. Despite several studies on variations in the general microbial community structure due to soil biochar amendment, hitherto the specific role of the nitrogen cycling microbial community in mitigating soil N2O emissions has not been subject of systematic investigation. We performed a microcosm study with a water-saturated soil amended with different amounts (0%, 2% and 10% (w/w)) of high-temperature biochar. By quantifying the abundance and activity of functional marker genes of microbial nitrogen fixation (nifH), nitrification (amoA) and denitrification (nirK, nirS and nosZ) using quantitative PCR we found that biochar addition enhanced microbial nitrous oxide reduction and increased the abundance of microorganisms capable of N2-fixation. Soil biochar amendment increased the relative gene and transcript copy numbers of the nosZ-encoded bacterial N2O reductase, suggesting a mechanistic link to the observed reduction in N2O emissions. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the impact of biochar on the nitrogen cycling microbial community and the consequences of soil biochar amendment for microbial nitrogen transformation processes and N2O emissions from soil.
The CCHamide 1 receptor modulates sensory perception and olfactory behavior in starved Drosophila
Authors: Farhan Abu , Gulati Jyotasana , Groβe-Wilde Ewald , Vogel Heiko , Hansson Bill S. , Knaden Markus 
Published: September 2013

AbstractThe olfactory response of the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster to food odor is modulated by starvation. Here we show that this modulation is not restricted to food odors and their detecting sensory neurons but rather increases the behavioral response to odors as different as food odors, repellents and pheromones. The increased behavioral responsiveness is paralleled by an increased physiological sensitivity of sensory neurons regardless whether they express olfactory or ionotropic receptors and regardless whether they are housed in basiconic, coeloconic, or trichoid sensilla. Silencing several genes that become up-regulated under starvation confirmed the involvement of the short neuropeptide f receptor in the starvation effect. In addition it revealed that the CCHamide-1 receptor is another important factor governing starvation-induced olfactory modifications.
Manageable N-doped Graphene for High Performance Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Zhang Yuewei , Ge Jun , Wang Lu , Wang Donghong , Ding Feng , Tao Xiaoming , Chen Wei 
Published: September 2013

AbstractCatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are at the heart of key green-energy fuel cell technology. N-doped graphene is a potential metal-free electrode with much better electrocatalytic activity, long-term stability and tolerance to crossover effect than expensive platinum-based electrocatalysts. Here, we report a feasible direct-synthesis method in preparing N-graphene with manageable N contents in a large scale. The resultant N-graphene used as electrocatalysts exhibits similar catalytic activity but superior stability compared to commercial Pt/C for ORR in an alkaline solution. It was found that their electrocatalytic activities were demonstrated to depend largely on N-doping content. When nitrogen content reaches a high value at about 24–25%, ORR reaction exhibits a favorable formation of water via a four-electron pathway. Furthermore, the effect of pyrolysis temperature and precursor on the activity of N-graphene is systematically analyzed and may shed some light on the principle of choosing appropriate way for preparing N-graphene.
Green tea polyphenol decreases the severity of portosystemic collaterals and mesenteric angiogenesis in rats with liver cirrhosis
Authors: Hsu Shao-Jung , Wang Sun-Sang , Hsin I-Fang , Lee Fa-Yauh , Huang Hui-Chun , Huo Teh-Ia , Lee Wen-Shin , Lin Han-Chieh , Lee Shou-Dong 
Published: September 2013

Abnormal angiogenesis in liver cirrhosis often leads to severe complications such as variceal haemorrhage and encephalopathy. Furthermore, splanchnic angiogenesis elevates portal pressure, in which angiogenic factors play pivotal roles. GTP (green tea polyphenol) extracted from Camellia sinensis has anti-angiogenic properties, but the effects on the parameters described above in cirrhosis have not been investigated. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of GTP in cirrhosis and to investigate the underlying mechanism. Liver cirrhosis was induced in Spraque–Dawley rats by common BDL (bile duct ligation). They randomly received GTP or DW (distilled water, vehicle) for 28 days, then haemodynamic parameters, portosystemic shunting, mesenteric window vascular density, intrahepatic angiogenesis, liver fibrosis, plasma VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) concentration, mesenteric angiogenic factor and receptor protein expression, and serum and mesenteric oxidative stress parameters were assessed. Compared with the DW group, GTP significantly decreased portosystemic shunting, liver fibrosis, intrahepatic angiogenesis, mesenteric window vascular density, VEGF concentration and down-regulated the mesenteric HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor)-1α, VEGF and phospho-Akt expression. In conclusion, GTP ameliorates the severity of portosystemic shunting and mesenteric angiogenesis via the suppression of HIF-1α, Akt activation and VEGF. GTP appears to be an appropriate agent in controlling portal hypertension-related complications via anti-angiogenesis.
Leaf-galling phylloxera on grapes reprograms host metabolism and morphology
Authors: Nabity Paul D. , Haus Miranda J. , Berenbaum May R. , DeLucia Evan H. 
Published: September 2013

SignificanceSome herbivorous insects induce galls, abnormal structures, in their host plants, benefiting the gall-forming parasite by providing nutritive tissue. The gall-forming insect phylloxera induces stomata, openings through which plants regulate water and CO2, on the upper surface of grape leaves where they typically do not occur. Carbon uptake and transpiration by induced stomata facilitate nutrient acquisition by gall tissue and phylloxera. Moreover, gall formation reprograms the host-leaf transcriptome to increase transcripts associated with sucrose mobilization and glycolysis and decrease defense-related transcripts. Thus, stomata induction by phylloxera reconfigures leaves to increase carbon gain, to partially offset negative impacts of gall formation.
Photoreceptor cells are major contributors to diabetes-induced oxidative stress and local inflammation in the retina
Authors: Du Yunpeng , Veenstra Alexander , Palczewski Krzysztof , Kern Timothy S. 
Published: September 2013

Significance
Studies of diabetic retinopathy have focused especially on the retinal vasculature, but recent studies suggest that the neural retina also is involved. Oxidative stress and local inflammatory changes have been shown to play important roles in the pathogenesis of this retinopathy, but the source of reactive oxygen species has been less clear. We now show that most of the oxidative stress in retinas of diabetic mice emanates from neural photoreceptor cells, and elimination of these cells in diabetes inhibits both the oxidative stress and inflammatory changes shown to cause the vascular lesions of diabetic retinopathy. These studies suggest a mechanism by which neural cells can initiate the vascular injury characteristic of diabetic retinopathy.
FPSAC: fast phylogenetic scaffolding of ancient contigs
Authors: Rajaraman Ashok , Tannier Eric , Chauve Cedric 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Motivations: Recent progress in ancient DNA sequencing technologies and protocols has lead to the sequencing of whole ancient bacterial genomes, as illustrated by the recent sequence of the Yersinia pestis strain that caused the Black Death pandemic. However, sequencing ancient genomes raises specific problems, because of the decay and fragmentation of ancient DNA among others, making the scaffolding of ancient contigs challenging.
Results: We show that computational paleogenomics methods aimed at reconstructing the organization of ancestral genomes from the comparison of extant genomes can be adapted to correct, order and orient ancient bacterial contigs. We describe the method FPSAC (fast phylogenetic scaffolding of ancient contigs) and apply it on a set of 2134 ancient contigs assembled from the recently sequenced Black Death agent genome. We obtain a unique scaffold for the whole chromosome of this ancient genome that allows to gain precise insights into the structural evolution of the Yersinia clade.
Availability and Implementation: Code, data and results are available at http://paleogenomics.irmacs.sfu.ca/FPSAC.
Contact: cedric.chauve@sfu.ca
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
On the progenitor of the Type Ic SN 2013dk in the Antennae galaxies
Authors: Elias-Rosa N. , Pastorello A. , Maund J. R. , Takáts K. , Fraser M. , Smartt S. J. , Benetti S. , Pignata G. , Sand D. , Valenti S. 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
We report the results of our search for the progenitor candidate of SN 2013dk, a Type Ic supernova (SN) that exploded in the Antennae galaxy system. We compare pre-explosion Hubble Space Telescope (HST) archival images with SN images obtained using adaptive optics at the ESO Very Large Telescope. We isolate the SN position to within 3σ uncertainty radius of 0.02 arcsec and show that there is no detectable point source in any of the HST filter images within the error circle. We set an upper limit to the absolute magnitude of the progenitor to be MF555W ≳ −5.7, which does not allow Wolf–Rayet (WR) star progenitors to be ruled out. A bright source appears 0.17 arcsec away, which is either a single bright supergiant or compact cluster, given its absolute magnitude of MF555W = −9.02 ± 0.28 extended wings and complex environment. However, even if this is a cluster, the spatial displacement of SN 2013dk means that its membership is not assured. The strongest statement that we can make is that in the immediate environment of SN 2013dk (within 10 pc or so), we find no clear evidence of either a point source coincident with the SN or a young stellar cluster that could host a massive WR progenitor.
Take-off aided by magnetic levitation technology
Authors: Robert Majka Andrzej 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of the paper is to analyze changes in the selected characteristics of an aircraft aided by a ground-based system using magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) to support safe take-off.

Design/methodology/approach
– The analysis of the mass characteristics of the main aircraft units with conventional constructing solutions was carried out in this paper. It allowed determining the mass of these units and verifying the obtained results on the basis of the known examples. Thanks to such an approach it was possible to determine the mass of the aircraft modified for the requirements of the ground and on-board system for support of the aircraft safe take-off and landing (GABRIEL) system taking into account the change in the weights of the modified units (fuselage, wings, power unit, landing gear, etc.). The weight of the aircraft in its basic version was determined on the basis of the common knowledge and methods described in the scientific literature which are based on the statistical analysis. The weight of the modified units for the needs of the GABRIEL system was determined on the basis of similar formulas taking into account the constructional changes in the airframe. The thrust required of the power unit was determined on the basis of the analysis of the steady state of the horizontal flight for the calculating aerodynamic characteristics determined by conventional methods. The characteristics in the take-off phase were determined solving the equation of motion of the aircraft influenced by the aerodynamic, electrodynamic forces and the forces that come from the power unit.

Findings
– The preliminary analysis shows that the take-off aid system that uses the phenomenon of MAGLEV is possible to be created using the present-day technology. However, the costs of its realization would make it economically unproved. But it could increase safety and reduce harmful influence on the environment caused by taking-off and landing aircrafts.

Research limitations/implications
– The analysis was carried out only for one chosen version of the solution which according to the author has the greatest chance to succeed. At the present-day state of the art, it seems problematic to use the proposed system to aid landing.

Practical implications
– The work shows a practical possibility to implement the proposed solution. The results of the analyses are a separate point for further research of similar systems.

Originality/value
– The work presents one of the aspects of the potential application of the innovatory conception of take-off and landing aid of transport aircrafts by the ground-based system using the MAGLEV technology.
Defining influence of load conditions on distribution and value of stresses in dual-power-path gear wheels applying FEM
Authors: Budzik Grzegorz , Kozik Bogdan , Pacana Jacek 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The analysis, carried out for this publication, concerned checking the nature of mating of gear wheels with different load conditions. The computation was made applying FEM in Abaqus 6.10-1 program and concerned spur gears in dual-power-path gears made of ABS. The same geometrical models, material parameters and boundary conditions were assumed for all the analysed stages of the computation. However, the values of torque transmitted from active wheels to passive wheel of the gearing were changed. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– Observing changes of stress levels for toothed wheel and pinions allows to state that for relatively low load values, bending stresses at tooth root change proportionally to the change of the applied load.

Findings
– Values of contact stresses on mating teeth flanks were also defined for the most loaded part of the dual-power-path gearing, namely for a pinion. In case of contact stresses, it was observed that together with constant increase of torque value, the values of stresses change but the nature of these changes is not proportional to the applied load. Out of all the analysed variants, the most favourable, from the point of view of durability, was the situation in initial (theoretical) model with regular power division on all mating wheels.

Originality/value
– Conclusions drawn as a result of numerical computation are helpful in defining the nature of work of dual-power-path gearing in different load conditions and will be compared to results of stand tests of the analysed gearing.
Engine and multitask airplane integration: criteria of engine parameters selection
Authors: Wygonik Piotr 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The paper aims to present a way of engine model integration, an aircraft (multitask) and the mission into the single model that allows to study, from the level of selection of the engine cycle parameters, the feasibility of a specific mission with the assumed aerodynamic characteristics exemplified by a multitask airplane.

Design/methodology/approach
– There were introduced dimensionless geometric and energetic criteria, binding parameters of the engine and the airplane. The following models were built: of the turbofan engine and the aircraft movements with the application of these criteria, creating a dimensionless model allowing for measuring the impact of engine design parameters on the efficiency of the mission undertaken.

Findings
– The results were limited to the presentation of the impact of circuit parameters, such as engine TIT, OPR, BR on the defined criteria. The application of dimensionless criteria reduced the dimension of the task.

Practical implications
– The presented method can be useful for engineers involved in the task of engine integration and the airplane at the preliminary design stage.

Originality/value
– The originality of the presented solutions is reduced to provide a different, unconventional approach to the design process and not (so far) the engine itself but the entire aviation system.
Lessons learned from a part-time worker typology applied to full-timers
Authors: Lynn-Senter Wittmer Jenell , E. Martin James 
Published: September 2013

Purpose– Research on work status differences has yielded inconsistent results and is not relevant for today's workforce, economic circumstances, or the changing nature of work. Inconsistencies may be due to substantial heterogeneity, rather than homogeneity, within each group (part-time (PT) and full-time (FT)). Thus, researchers created a PT worker typology based on demographics and personal life roles. Systematic differences in attitudes and behaviors across derived groups of PT workers were found. The purpose of the current study is to test the applicability of this PT worker typology on FT workers and to extend the typology's foundational theory, partial inclusion theory (PIT).Design/methodology/approach– The current study employs cluster analysis on three diverse samples (n=3,747) to establish a basis for the generalizability of the FT typology.Findings– Strong support was found for a similar, but distinct, FT employee typology. Attitudinal and behavioral differences were also found among the various FT groups which were similar to the differences found among the PT groups.Research limitations/implications– The current study has implications both for the application of PIT as well management and human resources. Targeted wellness and retention programs can be designed for various groups of FT employees, including scheduling flexibility and benefit plans.Originality/value– This is one of the first studies to examine the heterogeneity of the FT workforce, understanding that FT workers also have substantial life roles outside of work that likely affect their involvement and attitudes at work.
Corporate financial policies in emerging markets: the role of financial market development
Authors: Amo-Yartey Charles , Abor Joshua 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The paper aims to study the importance of financial market development and financial structure in explaining the financial policies of firms in emerging market countries.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper uses a panel data of 32 countries and the system generalized method of moments approach.

Findings
– The analysis shows that stock market development is associated with higher use of external finance relative to internal finance, while bond market development is associated with lower use of external finance relative to internal finance. The findings of this study also indicate that stock market development tends to shift the policies of firms towards less debt and more equity, and bond market development is associated with higher debt and less equity in emerging economies.

Originality/value
– The value of this study is in respect of its contribution to the extant literature on corporate financial policies in emerging market economies.
How do managers make sense of strategy?
Authors: Grazzini Frédérique 
Published: September 2013

Purpose– As a result of the global financial crisis, the meaning of action has reemerged as a central focus of the current debates. This paper seeks to analyze the meaning given by managers to their contribution to the strategy development process.Design/methodology/approach– The core underlying assumptions in this research are that social phenomena such as strategy are determined by representations shaped by discourse and that education is a major vector for promoting strategic discourses. Through the concepts of social representation and strategy lens, the paper examines the beliefs and paradigms underlying the strategy development process. Based on a sample of 1,033 managers, this research constructs a holistic typology of the social representations of strategy among managers.Findings– Four different groups of social representations of strategy are identified and characterized. Links are established between these groups and a range of socio-demographic, social, occupational and structural variables.Practical implications– By clarifying various paradigms and providing reference points, this research encourages increased awareness of these paradigms among managers in order to promote emancipation from them.Originality/value– The study is primarily synthesis-based at a theoretical level, but also in the analysis and interpretation of the role of strategists. It also helps to close the gap between research, teaching and practice.
Contractors perspective toward factors affecting labor productivity in building construction
Authors: Mahamid Ibrahim 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The study aims at identifying the factors affecting labor productivity in building construction projects in the West Bank in Palestine from contractors’ viewpoint.

Design/methodology/approach
– To do so, 59 contractors working in building construction completed a structured questionnaire survey and the factors were ranked according to their levels of influence. In all, 31 factors were identified through literature review. These factors were grouped into five groups: labor, managerial, materials and equipments, environmental, and financial.

Findings
– The analysis of the identified 31 factors indicates that the top-five factors negatively affecting labor productivity in building construction are: rework, lack of cooperation and communication between construction parties, financial status of the owner, lack of labor experience, and lack in materials.

Originality/value
– This study is original and has not been published before. The findings and recommendations of this study are very useful and helpful for the local firms and the international firms who are planning to do works in the West Bank
Exploring the link between organisational justice and job satisfaction and performance in Ghanaian hospitals
Authors: Abekah-Nkrumah Gordon , Ayimbillah Atinga Roger 
Published: September 2013

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine whether organisational justice (distributive justice, procedural justice and interactional justice) predicts job satisfaction and performance of health professionals and whether the demographic characteristics of hospital employees mediate the relationship between workplace justice and job satisfaction and performance.Design/methodology/approach– Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 300 respondents in seven hospitals using convenient sampling. Hypotheses were tested using multiple and hierarchical regression models.Findings– The paper established that distributive justice, procedural justice and interactional justice predict job satisfaction and performance of health professionals. However, their demographic characteristics are shown to partially mediate the relationship between organisational justice and job satisfaction but not performance.Originality/value– Granted that other studies exist, this is one of the few that focuses on hospitals and probably the first of its kind in Ghanaian hospitals. Thus the findings could be essential for policy and practice and also generate further discourse that may improve the extant literature and our understanding of the subject.