bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Time stability and variability of Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer soil moisture during Southern Great Plains hydrology experiments
Authors: Jacobs Jennifer M. , Hsu En‐Ching , Choi Minha 
Published: June 2010

AbstractVariability and time‐stability analysis for field‐scale (800 m) Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer soil moisture within a satellite scale footprint (∼ 50 km) were quantified using observations from the Southern Great Plains Hydrology Experiment 1997 and 1999 (SGP97 and SGP99). The pixels' time‐stability properties were examined with respect to soil, vegetation and topographic parameters in order to determine which physical parameters can be used to identify good candidate observation locations for validating soil moisture from satellite observations and global‐scale model output. The results show that the time‐stability concept remains valid at the satellite scale. The root mean square error values were 1·47, 1·51, 1·93 and 2·32% for the 1st, 2nd, 50th and 100th most stable fields, respectively. The most stable locations had sand and clay percentages consistent with sandy loam soils and moderate to high normalized difference vegetation index values. Neither land cover nor topography properties could be used to identify potentially stable fields in the study region. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spatial and temporal variability of annual and seasonal precipitation over the desert region of China during 1951–2005
Authors: Xu Ligang , Zhou Hongfei , Liang Chuan , DU Li , Li Hui 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe spatial and temporal variations of precipitation in the desert region of China (DRC) from 1951 to 2005 were investigated using a rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF), the precipitation concentration index (PCI) and the Mann–Kendall trend test method (M‐K method). In addition, the association between variation patterns of precipitation and large‐scale circulation were also explored using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis data. The results indicated that the spatial pattern of precipitation was primarily the local climate effect significant type, with the first three EOFs explaining a total of 55·3% of the variance, and the large‐scale climate system effect type, which explained 9·8% of the variance. Prior to the 1970s, the East Asian summer monsoon was stronger, which resulted in abundant precipitation in the Inner Mongolia region. Conversely, the climate of the Xinjiang region was controlled by westerly circulation and had lower precipitation. However, this situation has been reversed since the 1980s. It is predicted that precipitation will decrease by 15–40 and 0–10 mm/year in the Inner Mongolia plateau and southern Xinjiang, respectively, whereas it will likely increase by 10–40 mm/year in northern Xinjiang. Additionally, 58–62% of the annual rainfall occurred during summer in the DRC, with precipitation increasing during spring and summer and decreasing in winter. The intra‐annual precipitation is becoming uniform, but the inter‐annual variability in precipitation has been increasing in the western portions of the DRC. The probability of precipitation during the study period increased by 30% and 22·2% in the extreme‐arid zones and arid zones, respectively. Conversely, the probability of precipitation during the study period decreased by 18·5% and 37·5% in the semi‐arid zones and semi‐wet zones, respectively. It is predicted that the northwest portion of the DRC will become warmer and wetter, while the central portion will become warmer and drier and the northeast portion will be subjected to drought. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unusual Features of the Unusual Ribosomal Elongation Factor EF4 (LepA)
Authors: Pech Markus , Yamamoto Hiroshi , Karim Zhala , Nierhaus Knud H. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractBacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts contain the highly conserved elongation factor EF4; they have in common that the intracellular ionic strength can change dramatically, in contrast to that of archaea and eukaryotic cytoplasm, where EF4 is absent. This factor has the unique function of back‐translocating ribosomes, viz., it exerts the opposite function as EF‐G. Under unfavorable growth conditions which increase the intracellular ionic strength, such as high salts, low pH, or low temperature, wild‐type cells effectively overgrow strains lacking the EF4 gene lepA. Under these conditions most of EF4 is present in the cytoplasm, and only small amounts in the membrane fraction; the opposite is true under optimal conditions, indicating that the membrane is a storage organ for EF4. This factor tunes bacteria for fitness at high ionic strength by (i) improving the active fraction by reactivating unscheduled stalled ribosomes, and (ii) increasing significantly the rate of protein synthesis.
Comparison study of Doppler ultrasound surveillance of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene‐covered stent versus bare stent in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt
Authors: Huang Qian , Wu Xingjiang , Fan Xinxin , Cao Jianmin , Han Jianming , Xu Lin , Li Ning 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjective.This prospectively randomized controlled study aimed to assess with Doppler ultrasound (US) the shunt function of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)‐covered transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) stent versus bare stent and to evaluate the usefulness of routine TIPS follow‐up of ePTFE‐covered stents.Methods.Sixty consecutive patients were randomized for bare or covered transjugular TIPS stenting in our institution between April 2007 and April 2009. Data of follow‐up Doppler US, angiography, and portosystemic pressure gradient measurements were collected and analyzed.Results.The follow‐up period was 8.34 ± 4.42 months in the bare‐stent group and 6.16 ± 3.89 months in the covered‐stent group. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar in both groups. Two hundred three US studies were performed in 60 patients, with a mean of 3.4 per patient, and demonstrated abnormalities in 28 patients (21 bare stents, 7 ePTFE‐covered stents), 19 of them (13 in bare‐stent group, 6 in covered‐stent group) showing no clinical evidence of recurrence. Ten of 13 patients in the bare‐stent group underwent balloon angioplasty or additional stent placement, whereas only one of six patients in the covered‐stent group needed reintervention for intimal hyperplasia. The average peak velocity in the midshunt of ePTFE‐covered stent was 139 ± 26 cm/s after TIPS creation and 125 ± 20 cm/s during follow‐up, which was significantly higher than the bare‐stent group (p < 0.05). The main portal vein and hepatic artery showed higher flow velocities in the ePTFE‐covered stent group than in the bare‐stent group. ePTFE‐covered stents maintained lower portosystemic pressure gradient than bare stents (9.5 ± 2.9 versus 13.2 ± 1.5 mmHg, p < 0.05).Conclusions.ePTFE‐covered stents resulted in higher patency rates and better hemodynamics than bare stents. Routine US surveillance may not be necessary in patients with ePTFE‐covered TIPS stent. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 38:353‐360, 2010
One‐pot synthesis of functionalized fused 4H‐pyran systems
Authors: Bayat Mohammad , Shiraz Nader Zabarjad , Asayesh Soheila Shafei 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
magnified image Cyclohexyl isocyanides react with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates in the presence of CH‐acids such as cyclohexane‐1,3‐dione or N,N′‐dimethylbarbituric acid in one‐pot to afford 4H‐pyran annulated heterocyclic systems in fairly high yields. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2010)
Culture and branding are at the heart of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals' growth strategy
Authors: Grossman Ross , Renton George 
Published: June 2010

AbstractA strategic partnership required that this successful biotech company add, in just one year, nearly 50 percent more employees, including top‐notch scientific talent, and then do it again just two years later. A key challenge was to preserve, in the midst of high organizational growth, the unique cultural DNA that has been part of the company's code for success. The authors describe a major employment branding initiative, which included a cultural assessment based on Jungian archetypes, that enabled the company to position its culture as the key differentiator in its recruitment strategy. They discuss the surfacing and articulation of five key cultural attributes that exemplify the culture and how they are used to attract and select new employees for a strong cultural fit; engage existing employees around the defining values and behaviors needed for success; and define the company's external brand. They also describe how HR practices have been implemented or modified to sustain these characteristics as part of the organizational fabric. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Labile soil organic carbon, soil fertility, and crop productivity as influenced by manure and mineral fertilizers in the tropics
Authors: Prasad Datta Siba , Kumar Rattan Raj , Chandra Suresh 
Published: June 2010

AbstractIn recent years, organic agriculture has been receiving greater attention because of the various problems like deterioration in soil health and environmental quality under conventional chemical‐intensive agriculture. However, little information is available on the comparative study related to the impact of use of mineral fertilizers and organic manures on the soil quality and productivity. A long‐term field experiment was initiated in 2001 to monitor some of the important soil‐quality parameters and productivity under soybean–wheat crop rotation. The treatments consisted of 0, 30, and 45 kg N ha–1for soybean and of 0, 120, and 180 kg N ha–1for wheat. The entire amount of N was supplied to both the crops through urea and farmyard manure (FYM) alone or in combination at 1:1 ratio. Results indicated that Walkley‐and‐Black C (WBC; chromic acid–oxidizable) exhibited a marginal increase under only organic treatments as compared to control treatment (without fertilizers and manure) after completion of five cropping cycles. In case of labile‐C (KMnO4‐oxidizable) content in soil, relatively larger positive changes were recorded under organic, mixed inputs (integrated) and mineral fertilizers as compared to WBC. Maximum improvement in the values of C‐management index (CMI), a measure of soil quality was recorded under organic (348–362), followed by mixed inputs (268–322) and mineral fertilizers (198–199) as compared to the control treatment after completion of five cropping cycles. Similarly there was a substantial increase in KCl‐extractable N; in Olsen‐P; as well as in DTPA‐extractable Zn, Fe, and Mn under organic treatments. Although labile soil C positively contributed to the available N, P, K, Zn, Fe, and Mn contents in soil, it did not show any relationship with the grain yield of wheat. After completion of the sixth cropping cycle, organic treatments produced 23% and 39% lower grain yield of wheat as compared to that under urea‐treated plots. Relatively higher amount of mineral N in soil at critical growth stages and elevated N content in plant under mineral‐fertilizer treatments compared to FYM treatments were responsible for higher yield of wheat under mineral fertilizers.
Alterations in total microbial activity and nitrification rates in soil due to amoxicillin‐spiked pig manure
Authors: Kotzerke Anja , Fulle Melanie , Sharma Shilpi , Kleineidam Kristina , Welzl Gerhard , Lamshöft Marc , Schloter Michael , Wilke Berndt‐Michael 
Published: June 2010

AbstractMost veterinary drugs enter the environment via manure application. However, ecotoxic effects of antibiotics are varying as a function of their physicochemical characteristics and for most antibiotics it is still unclear how these substances interact with soil biota. It was the aim of the present study to investigate effects of manure containing different concentrations of the antibiotic amoxicillin (AMX) on microbial‐community function in two different soils over an incubation time of 18 d. Therefore, soil respiration, potential nitrification, and the products of N turnover were measured. We could show that CaCl2‐extractable amounts of AMX in soil are low, even shortly after the application of high doses together with manure. Thus, not surprisingly basal respiration in soil was not influenced by the addition of the antibiotic with manure. In contrast, mainly shortly after manure addition the kinetic of substrate‐induced respiration was clearly shifted by the treatments depending on the presence of AMX in the manure. Potential nitrification rates in the two different soils were not significantly affected when data were related to the overall incubation time by the application of AMX to the manure. However, shortly after the addition of the manure containing AMX, a tendency to lower turnover rates was visible compared to the application of pure manure.
Effects of silver nanoparticles on the microbiota and enzyme activity in soil
Authors: Hänsch Mathias , Emmerling Christoph 
Published: June 2010

AbstractTo assess the impact of silver nanoparticles (SNP) on soil microbial biomass, microbial activity, and enzyme activities, a medium‐term experiment over four months was performed in which soil was applied with increasing SNP‐application rates compared to a control. The treatments included a single SNP‐application dose analogous to 3.2 (SNP‐1), 32 (SNP‐10), and 320 (SNP‐100) μg Ag (kg dry soil)–1 and a control without SNP application, respectively. At the end of the experiment, clear evidence was found that microbial biomass was significantly decreased with increasing SNP‐application rate, while basal respiration was increased in this direction. In addition, metabolic quotients were increased in the SNP treatments compared to the control. This is at least circumstantial evidence that the efficiency of substrate use was lowered in SNP‐treated soils. Another suggestion might be that after four months microbial‐community composition was changed due to SNP. No treatment effects were found for microbial biomass N, fluorimetric enzymes, and the abiotic soil parameters pH and soil organic C.
Kinetics of the simultaneous oxidation of nickel(II) and sulfur(IV) by oxygen in alkaline medium in Ni(II)–sulfur(IV)–O2 system
Authors: Sharma Anil Kumar , Mudgal Punit Kumar , Bansal S. P. , Gupta K. S. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractIn the Ni(II)–S(IV)–O2 system in the region of pH > 8.4, both Ni(II) and S(IV) are simultaneously autoxidized, and when sulfur is consumed fully NiOOH precipitates. At pH > 8.4, ethanol has no effect on the rate, whereas ammonia strongly inhibits the reaction when pH > 7.0. The kinetics of the reaction, in both the presence and the absence of ethanol, is defined by the rate law

equation image

where k is the rate constant, KO is the equilibrium constant for the adsorption of O2 on Ni(OH)2 particle surface. In ammonia buffer, the factor F is defined by

equation image

where K, KOH, K1, K2, K3, and K4 are the stability constants of NiSO3, NiOH+, Ni(NH3)2+, Ni(NH3), Ni(NH3), and Ni(NH3), respectively. In unbuffered medium, the factor F reduces to

equation image

The values of k and Ksp were found to be (1.3 ± 0.08) × 10−1 s−1 and (4.2 ± 3.5) × 10−16, respectively, at 30°C. A nonradical mechanism that assumes the adsorption of both SO32− and O2 on the Ni(OH)2 particle surface has been proposed. At pH ≤ 8.2, Ni(II) displays no catalytic activity for sulfur(IV)‐autoxidation and it is also not oxidized to NiOOH. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 464–478, 2010
A comparison of management approaches to control muddy floods in central Belgium, northern France and southern England
Authors: Evrard O. , Heitz C. , Liégeois M. , Boardman J. , Vandaele K. , Auzet A.‐V. , van Wesemael B. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractMuddy floods, i.e. water flowing from agricultural fields and carrying large quantities of soil, affect routinely numerous municipalities of central Belgium, northern France and southern England. A comparison of flood frequency between different European regions is difficult, because of the lack of a uniform and official database as well as the landscape heterogeneity of administrative entities. Agri‐environmental measures [AEMs; e.g. grass buffer strips (GBS)] can contribute to the control of muddy floods but their installation is voluntary and depends therefore on farmers' willingness. Actions to increase awareness and to inform the farmers proved to increase drastically their participation rate in AEM programmes. In all the studied regions, flood prone areas are increasingly taken into account to define land approved for development. Moreover, several schemes for the control of muddy floods have also been proposed at the regional scale. However, there is a spatial mismatch between the scale at which muddy floods are triggered (small catchment scale) and the scale at which public authorities can operate (municipality, grouping of municipalities, delineated flood prone areas, river basin). In future, beside curative measures (e.g. retention ponds and dams), farming techniques preventing runoff and erosion in the field (e.g. conservation tillage) should be encouraged. This could be achieved by the creation of a new AEM. Moreover, guidelines for the location of AEMs could usefully be introduced. Existing flood control schemes should also be systematically carried out by catchment agencies including legal, environmental and financial expertise. These agencies should be set up for local groupings of municipalities and provide them technical assistance to equip the flood prone areas and carry out maintenance of the implemented control measures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular dynamics simulations of elastohydrodynamic lubrication oil film
Authors: Washizu Hitoshi , Ohmori Toshihide 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThis paper reviews recent research in molecular dynamics studies of the traction properties of hydrocarbon fluids under elastohydrodynamic lubrication, focusing on the technical problems that arise on making predictions of the traction properties of an oil film with a submicron thickness at the actual sliding contacts of the machine elements by at a nanoscale molecular simulation. The effect of the oil film thickness and shear rate are examined including the result of a submicron thickness simulation of the oil film using a tera‐flops computer. The mechanism of the phase transition of the fluids under high pressure, the boundary slip, and the momentum transfer related to the molecular structure of the fluids are also presented. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Application of Mhaskar‐Prestin operators to the convergence of orthonormal expansions
Authors: Mashele H. P. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractLet I be either R or (–1, 1), and let W: I → (0, ∞). Assume that W2 is a weight. We study the quasi‐interpolatory polynomial operators τl,n,m introduced by Mhaskar and Prestin, for Freud weights, Erdös weights, and the exponential weights on (–1, 1). We investigate boundedness of τl,n,m in weighted Lp spaces. We then use this result to show that
equation image
for even exponetial weights (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
On the stable rank and reducibility in algebras of real symmetric functions
Authors: Rupp R. , Sasane A. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractLet Aℝ(𝔻) denote the set of functions belonging to the disc algebra having real Fourier coefficients. We show that Aℝ(𝔻) has Bass and topological stable ranks equal to 2, which settles the conjecture made by Brett Wick in [18]. We also give a necessary and sufficient condition for reducibility in some real algebras of functions on symmetric domains with holes, which is a generalization of the main theorem in [18]. A sufficient topological condition on the symmetric open set 𝔻 is given for the corresponding real algebra Aℝ(𝔻) to have Bass stable rank equal to 1 (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Modular Approaches to Star and Miktoarm Star Polymers by ATRP of Cross‐Linkers
Authors: Gao Haifeng , Matyjaszewski Krzysztof 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe topologies and site‐specific functionalities of a variety of star and miktoarm star copolymers can be easily manipulated by copolymerization of monomers and cross‐linkers using the ATRP technique. The polymerization of monomer prior to addition of cross‐linker produced core cross‐linked star polymers with initiating sites in the core, while polymerization of cross‐linker before monomer led to the core cross‐linked star polymers with initiating sites on the star periphery. When a mixture of linear macroinitiator and/or macromonomer was cross‐linked in a one‐pot reaction, miktoarm star copolymers with freely‐varied arm compositions and ratios were obtained.
HyperMacs – Highly Branched Network Precursors or Semi‐Interpenetrating Networks?
Authors: Dodds Jonathan M. , Hutchings Lian R. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractWe describe here a strategy for the synthesis of HyperMacs – long‐chain branched analogues of hyperbranched polymers. The building blocks for HyperMacs, AB2 macromonomers, are synthesized by living anionic polymerization and, as such, are well‐defined in terms of molecular weight (MW) and polydispersity. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) studies show that the nature of the coupling reaction used to generate the highly branched HyperMacs results in branched polymers with a distribution of MWs and architectures. Solubility studies show that, in certain cases, a significant weight fraction of the resulting HyperMacs forms insoluble, swollen gels when added to a good solvent, and SEC analysis shows that a modest weight fraction of the soluble polymer has a “very high MW”, in excess of 10,000,000 g mol−1. Although an AB2 coupling reaction should, in theory, not lead to a “crosslinked” network, such is the efficiency of this reaction that the resulting polymers appear to behave as semi‐interpenetrating networks.
Multi‐Functional Conetworks Based on Cross‐Linked Star Polymers
Authors: Georgiou Theoni K. , Achilleos Demetra S. , Patrickios Costas S. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThree series of conetworks based on cross‐linked star polymers of different architectures were prepared using group transfer polymerization. The first series of conetworks were amphiphilic, based on the hydrophobic monomer benzyl methacrylate and the ionizable hydrophilic 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA); the second series were double‐hydrophobic, based on methyl methacrylate and n‐butyl methacrylate; the third series were ampholytic, based on the negatively ionizable methacrylic acid (MAA) and the positively ionizable DMAEMA. The MAA units were introduced into the conetworks via the polymerization of tetrahydropyranyl methacrylate followed by its acid hydrolysis after network formation. All the precursors to the conetworks were characterized in terms of their molecular weights using gel permeation chromatography. The degrees of swelling (DSs) of all the conetworks were measured as a function of pH or in a mixture of solvents. Moreover, the effect of the architecture of the conetworks on the DS was investigated. The DS was found to be influenced more by the charge density of the conetwork than by the compatibility with the solvent, and more by the solvent compatibility than by the architecture of the conetwork.