bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bias Within
Authors: Hall Marla B. , Carter-Francique Akilah R. , Lloyd Stacy M. , Eden Tiffany M. , Zuniga Angie V. , Guidry Jeffrey J. , Jones Lovell A.
Published: March 2015

Breast cancer mortality has affected African American women at a disproportionate rate. The purpose of this research was to assess how health professionals’ cultural competence contributes to African American women’s barriers to and receipt of mammograms. Sixty-one African American women residing in Harris County, Texas, shared their views within a series of focus groups. Theoretical propositions from the PEN-3 model were used to understand mammography adherence at the interpersonal level. Participants noted various perceived factors associated with mammography incompliance. Lack of professionalism of clinicians and clerical staff contributed to a decrease in health care services utilization. In addition, cultural insensitivity and discriminatory behavior enabled an attitude of medical mistrust. Improving patient–provider communication, through culturally appropriate centered educational efforts, is a beneficial strategy for breast health programs among underserved populations.
Influenza in Bristol Bay, 1919
Authors: deValpine Maria Gilson
Published: March 2015

The 1918 influenza pandemic has been blamed for as many as 50 million deaths worldwide. Like all major disasters, the full story of the pandemic includes smaller, less noted episodes that have not attracted historical attention. The story of the 1919 wave of the influenza pandemic in Bristol Bay Alaska is one such lost episode. It is an important story because the most accessible accounts—the Congressional Record and the Coast Guard Report—are inconsistent with reports made by employees, health care workers, and volunteers at the site of the disaster. Salmon fishing industry supervisors and medical officers recorded their efforts to save the region’s Native Alaskans in private company reports. The federal Bureau of Education physician retained wireless transmission, reports, and letters of events. The Coast Guard summarized its work in its Annual Report of 1920. The independent Bureau of Fisheries report to the Department of Commerce reveals the Coast Guard report at striking odds with others and reconciles only one account. This article explores the historical oversight, and attempts to tell the story of the 1919 wave of the pandemic which devastated the Native Alaskan population in this very remote place.
A Longitudinal Study of Special Education Due Process Hearings in Massachusetts
Authors: Blackwell William H. , Blackwell Vivian V.
Published: March 2015

Of the three formal dispute resolution procedures provided by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 2004(IDEA), due process hearings are the most costly in terms of time, fiscal resources, and impact on relationships between school personnel and parents. This study examined 258 due process hearings held over the past 8 years in Massachusetts to examine the characteristics of students at the center of these disputes, the issues that were addressed in the hearings, and the representation utilized by parents and school districts. The findings from this study indicated that (a) Massachusetts school districts utilized attorney representation and won due process hearings at notably higher levels than parents, and (b) the most frequently addressed issues at due process hearings were Individualized Education Program (IEP) development/implementation and educational program placement, which are issues that represent the core mandate of IDEA to provide a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment (34 C.F.R. §300.300, 300.550). The authors present recommendations for policy actions and areas for future research.
The Impact of Professional Development on the Quality of the Transition Components of IEPs
Authors: Flannery K. Brigid , Lombardi Allison , Kato Mimi McGrath
Published: March 2015

Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), transition needs and services are to be discussed as part of the Individual Education Program (IEP) planning process, and decisions based on students’ future goals are to be documented in the IEP. These transition requirements were included in IDEA in order to plan with the student, family, school, and agencies; assist students to see the path to the future; and increase their success post high school. In this study, 27 secondary teachers received professional development (PD) on the transition components in the IEP. The impact on the inclusion and quality of these components was evaluated using 302 IEPs collected before and after the PD. Preliminary findings show promise in positively affecting the IEP components.
Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of Unknown Origin Presenting as Small Bowel Perforation
Authors: Alkabie Samir , Bello Brian , Martinez Roberto F. , Geis W. Peter , Ballo Michael S.
Published: March 2015

Metastatic malignant tumors that originate from occult primaries are defined as “cancers of unknown origin.” We herein present the case of a 59-year-old man who presented with small bowel perforation secondary to metastatic adenocarcinoma of an unknown primary site. Imaging exhibited two pulmonary nodules, neither of which was dominant, along with mediastinal and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. Immunohistochemical profiling of the small bowel biopsy specimens revealed the tumor was most likely pulmonary in origin.
The Effectiveness of a 6-Week Intervention Program Aimed at Modifying Running Style in Patients With Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome
Authors: Helmhout Pieter H. , Diebal Angela R. , van der Kaaden Lisanne , Harts Chris C. , Beutler Anthony , Zimmermann Wes O.
Published: March 2015

Background:

Previous studies have reported on the promising effects of changing running style in patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) using a 6-week training program aimed at adopting a forefoot strike technique. This study expands that work by comparing a 6-week in-house, center-based run training program with a less extensive, supervised, home-based run training program (50% home training).

Hypothesis:

An alteration in running technique will lead to improvements in CECS complaints and running performance, with the less supervised program producing less dramatic results.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Nineteen patients with CECS were prospectively enrolled. Postrunning intracompartmental pressure (ICP), run performance, and self-reported questionnaires were taken for all patients at baseline and after 6 weeks of running intervention. Questionnaires were also taken from 14 patients (7 center-based, 6 home-based) 4 months posttreatment.

Results:

Significant improvement between preintervention and postintervention rates was found for running distance (43%), ICP values (36%), and scores on the questionnaires Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE; 36%), Lower Leg Outcome Survey (LLOS; 18%), and Patient Specific Complaints (PSC; 60%). The mean posttreatment score on the Global Rating of Change (GROC) was between +4 and +5 (“somewhat better” to “moderately better”). In 14 participants (74%), no elevation of pain was reported posttreatment, compared with 3 participants (16%) at baseline; in all these cases, the running test was aborted because of a lack of cardiorespiratory fitness. Self-reported scores continued to improve 4 months after the end of the intervention program, with mean improvement rates of 48% (SANE), 26% (LLOS), and 81% (PSC). The mean GROC score improved to +6 points (“a great deal better”).

Conclusion:

In 19 patients diagnosed with CECS, a 6-week forefoot running intervention performed in both a center-based and home-based training setting led to decreased postrunning lower leg ICP values, improved running performances, and self-assessed leg condition. The influence of training group was not statistically significant. Overall, this is a promising finding, taking into consideration the significantly reduced investments in time and resources needed for the home-based program.
Love Is (Color)blind
Authors: Chou Rosalind , Lee Kristen , Ho Simon
Published: March 2015

The literature on racism at the university level is extensive, but few studies have examined the unique position of Asian American undergraduates. Studies of racial discrimination toward Asian Americans remain largely quantitative in nature and few in number. Through rich qualitative data, this article describes how Asian American undergraduates use language to negotiate their social experiences, romantic relationships, and identity at the elite university. It documents various discursive strategies Asian Americans use to cope with and negotiate racialized encounters. Frequent among the participants is the use of a color-blind discourse to describe such experiences. To understand the particular way Asian Americans practice color-blind talk, this article interrogates the intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality and the specific racialization of this minority group. Further, such analysis reveals a racialized social landscape in higher education that is made more intractable through Asian Americans’ use of color-blind discourse. Finally, the article examines how Asian American undergraduates say they would respond to racism and illustrates discourse as a social practice with the potential to reproduce or resist racism.
The “Not-So-Final Remark”
Authors: Ford Kristie A. , Orlandella Josephine
Published: March 2015

This project examines white student learning in the Intergroup People of Color-White People Dialogues (POC-WHITE) and Intragroup White Racial Identity Dialogues (IWRID) at a small liberal arts college in the Northeast. Specifically, in this article, we explore the following research question: At the conclusion of the dialogues, how do white students conceptualize their white racial identity in relation to ally development and motivation to engage in antiracist action? Through content analyses of student papers, this study advances our understanding of how white students make sense of alliance building in an effort to create social change; it also extends national efforts to conduct research on inter/intragroup dialogues and their impact on white students.
Is the Sky Really the Limit? Exploring the Attitude-Achievement Paradox in the Belgian Context
Authors: Van Praag Lore , D’hondt Fanny , Stevens Peter , Van Houtte Mieke
Published: March 2015

While immigrant students in Belgium have expressed high educational aspirations, if we compare them with ethnic majority students, those aspirations are not reflected in their achievement results. Ethnographic observations and semi-structured interviews with students from 10 class groups in three Flemish schools (northern part of Belgium) were used to understand why these high aspirations are not translated into actual examination results, also known as the attitude-achievement paradox. Our findings indicate that all students generally believe in the importance of education to get ahead in Belgian society. Analyses reveal, however, that although students of immigrant descent want to achieve in society, they perceive more barriers—such as labor market discrimination—than those of non-immigrant descent to becoming successful. They have figured out distinct defensive coping strategies to circumvent those barriers, such as choosing jobs that do not invite discrimination and attempting to achieve in school in order to prove one’s worth or prove someone wrong, all of which eventually seemed to affect their educational outcomes. The particular choices students made to deal with perceptions and experiences of discrimination should be understood within the local immigrant networks in which they live and depends on the (perceived) nature of discrimination.
Modelling thermal cycles and intermetallic growth during friction melt bonding of ULC steel to aluminium alloy 2024-T3
Authors: Crucifix S. , van der Rest C. , Jimenez-Mena N. , Jacques P. J. , Simar A.
Published: March 2015

Dissimilar materials, aluminium 2024-T3 and ultralow carbon steel, have been welded by a novel process called friction melt bonding. A finite element thermal model is developed to predict temperature cycles and to estimate the fusion pool geometry and the intermetallic bonding layer thickness. The total mechanical power input in pseudo-steady state is inferred from in situ measurements at the tool torque and rotational speed. Temperature dependent properties, including the latent heat of fusion, and proper contact conditions between the welded plates and the backing plate are included. Predicted temperatures are in agreement with the measurements at various distances from the weld centreline. Molten pool geometries and intermetallic thicknesses, whose control is crucial to insure good weld mechanical performances, are also in accordance with the experimental observations.
Downregulation of the Wnt inhibitor CXXC5 predicts a better prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Kühnl Andrea , Valk Peter J. M. , Sanders Mathijs A. , Ivey Adam , Hills Robert K. , Mills Ken I. , Gale Rosemary E. , Kaiser Martin F. , Dillon Richard , Joannides Melanie , Gilkes Amanda , Haferlach Torsten , Schnittger Susanne , Duprez Estelle , Linch David C. , Delwel Ruud , Löwenberg Bob , Baldus Claudia D. , Solomon Ellen , Burnett Alan K. , Grimwade David
Published: March 2015

Key Points

CXXC5 inhibits Wnt signaling and is a candidate tumor suppressor in AML. Low CXXC5 expression is an independent prognostic factor in AML.
Tumor expression, plasma levels and genetic polymorphisms of the coagulation inhibitor TFPI are associated with clinicopathological parameters and survival in breast cancer, in contrast to the coagulation initiator TF
Authors: Tinholt Mari , Vollan Hans Kristian Moen , Sahlberg Kristine Kleivi , Jernström Sandra , Kaveh Fatemeh , Lingjærde Ole Christian , Kåresen Rolf , Sauer Torill , Kristensen Vessela , Børresen-Dale Anne-Lise , Sandset Per Morten , Iversen Nina
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Hypercoagulability in malignancy increases the risk of thrombosis, but is also involved in cancer progression. Experimental studies suggest that tissue factor (TF) and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) are involved in cancer biology as a tumor- promoter and suppressor, respectively, but the clinical significance is less clear. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical relevance of TF and TFPI genetic and phenotypic diversity in breast cancer.

Methods

The relationship between tumor messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and plasma levels of TF and TFPI (α and β), tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) in F3 (TF) (n = 6) and TFPI (n = 18), and clinicopathological characteristics and molecular tumor subtypes were explored in 152 treatment naive breast cancer patients. The effect of tumor expressed TF and TFPIα and TFPIβ on survival was investigated in a merged breast cancer dataset of 1881 patients.

Results

Progesterone receptor negative patients had higher mRNA expression of total TFPI (α + β) (P = 0.021) and TFPIβ (P = 0.014) in tumors. TF mRNA expression was decreased in grade 3 tumors (P = 0.003). In plasma, total TFPI levels were decreased in patients with larger tumors (P = 0.013). SNP haplotypes of TFPI, but not TF, were associated with specific clinicopathological characteristics like tumor size (odds ratio (OR) 3.14, P = 0.004), triple negativity (OR 2.4, P = 0.004), lymph node spread (OR 3.34, P = 0.006), and basal-like (OR 2.3, P = 0.011) and luminal B (OR 3.5, P = 0.005) molecular tumor subtypes. Increased expression levels of TFPIα and TFPIβ in breast tumors were associated with better outcome in all tumor subtypes combined (P = 0.007 and P = 0.005) and in multiple subgroups, including lymph node positive subjects (P = 0.006 and P = 0.034).

Conclusions

This study indicates that genetic and phenotypic variation of both TFPIα and TFPIβ, more than TF, are markers of cancer progression. Together with the previously demonstrated tumor suppressor effects of TFPI, the beneficial effect of tumor expressed TFPI on survival, renders TFPI as a potential anticancer agent, and the clinical significance of TFPI in cancer deserves further investigation.
Site-specific programming of the host epithelial transcriptome by the gut microbiota
Authors: Sommer Felix , Nookaew Intawat , Sommer Nina , Fogelstrand Per , Bäckhed Fredrik
Published: March 2015

Background

The intestinal epithelium separates us from the microbiota but also interacts with it and thus affects host immune status and physiology. Previous studies investigated microbiota-induced responses in the gut using intact tissues or unfractionated epithelial cells, thereby limiting conclusions about regional differences in the epithelium. Here, we sought to investigate microbiota-induced transcriptional responses in specific fractions of intestinal epithelial cells. To this end, we used microarray analysis of laser capture microdissection (LCM)-harvested ileal and colonic tip and crypt epithelial fractions from germ-free and conventionally raised mice and from mice during the time course of colonization.

Results

We found that about 10% of the host’s transcriptome was microbially regulated, mainly including genes annotated with functions in immunity, cell proliferation, and metabolism. The microbial impact on host gene expression was highly site specific, as epithelial responses to the microbiota differed between cell fractions. Specific transcriptional regulators were enriched in each fraction. In general, the gut microbiota induced a more rapid response in the colon than in the ileum.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that the microbiota engage different regulatory networks to alter host gene expression in a particular niche. Understanding host-microbiota interactions on a cellular level may facilitate signaling pathways that contribute to health and disease and thus provide new therapeutic strategies.
Association analyses confirm five susceptibility loci for systemic lupus erythematosus in the Han Chinese population
Authors: Sheng Yu-jun , Xu Jian-hua , Wu Yong-gui , Zuo Xian-bo , Gao Jin-ping , Lin Yan , Zhu Zheng-wei , Wen Lei-lei , Yang Chao , Liu Lu , Cheng Yu-yan , Chang Yan , Yang Lu-lu , Zhou Fu-sheng , Tang Xian-fa , Zheng Xiao-dong , Yin Xian-yong , Tang Hua-yang , Sun Liang-dan , Cui Yong , Yang Sen , Zhang Xue-jun
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease. Currently, numerous genetic loci of SLE have been confirmed. Here we try to further explore additional genes contributing to SLE susceptibility in this study.

Methods

Forty nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with moderate-risk for SLE in previous study were genotyped in a large-scale replication study with a total of 3,522 cases and 8,252 controls using the Sequenom Massarray system. Association analyses were performed using logistic regression with gender or sample cohorts as a covariate through PLINK 1.07 software.

Results

This replication effort confirmed five reported SLE susceptibility loci reaching genome-wide levels of significance (P
meta
<5.00 × 10−08): TNFSF4 (rs1418190, odds ratio (OR) = 0.81, Pmeta = 1.08 × 10−08; rs4916219, OR = 0.80, Pmeta = 7.77 × 10−09), IRF8 (rs2934498, OR = 1.25, Pmeta = 4.97 × 10−09), miR-146a (rs2431697, OR = 0.69, Pmeta = 1.15 × 10−22), CD44 (rs2732547, OR = 0.82, Pmeta = 1.55 × 10−11), and TMEM39A (rs12494314, OR = 0.84, Pmeta = 1.01 × 10−09). Further logistic regression analysis indicated that the genetic effects within TNFSF4 detected in this study are independent from our previously reported signals.

Conclusions

This study increases the number of established susceptibility loci for SLE in Han Chinese population and highlights the contribution of multiple variants of modest effect. Although further studies will be required to identify the causal alleles within these loci, the findings make a significant step forward in our understanding of the genetic contribution to SLE in Chinese population.
Nuclear reprogramming with a non-integrating human RNA virus
Authors: Driscoll Christopher B , Tonne Jason M , El Khatib Moustafa , Cattaneo Roberto , Ikeda Yasuhiro , Devaux Patricia
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Advances in the field of stem cells have led to novel avenues for generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from differentiated somatic cells. iPSCs are typically obtained by the introduction of four factors—OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and cMYC—via integrating vectors. Here, we report the feasibility of a novel reprogramming process based on vectors derived from the non-integrating vaccine strain of measles virus (MV).

Methods

We produced a one-cycle MV vector by substituting the viral attachment protein gene with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. This vector was further engineered to encode for OCT4 in an additional transcription unit.

Results

After verification of OCT4 expression, we assessed the ability of iPSC reprogramming. The reprogramming vector cocktail with the OCT4-expressing MV vector and SOX2-, KLF4-, and cMYC-expressing lentiviral vectors efficiently transduced human skin fibroblasts and formed iPSC colonies. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunostaining confirmed induction of endogenous pluripotency-associated marker genes, such as SSEA-4, TRA-1-60, and Nanog. Pluripotency of derived clones was confirmed by spontaneous differentiation into three germ layers, teratoma formation, and guided differentiation into beating cardiomyocytes.

Conclusions

MV vectors can induce efficient nuclear reprogramming. Given the excellent safety record of MV vaccines and the translational capabilities recently developed to produce MV-based vectors now used for cancer clinical trials, our MV vector system provides an RNA-based, non-integrating gene transfer platform for nuclear reprogramming that is amenable for immediate clinical translation.
Human hepatic stem cells transplanted into a fulminant hepatic failure Alb-TRECK/SCID mouse model exhibit liver reconstitution and drug metabolism capabilities
Authors: Zhang Ran-Ran , Zheng Yun-Wen , Li Bin , Tsuchida Tomonori , Ueno Yasuharu , Nie Yun-Zhong , Taniguchi Hideki
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Chimeric mice with humanized livers were recently established by transplanting human hepatocytes. This mouse model that is repopulated with functional human hepatocytes could be a useful tool for investigating human hepatic cell biology and drug metabolism and for other preclinical applications. Successfully transplanting human hepatocytes into mice requires that recipient mice with liver failure do not reject these human cells and provide a suitable microenvironment (supportive niche) to promote human donor cell expansion and differentiation. To overcome the limitations of current mouse models, we used Alb-TRECK/SCID mice for in vivo human immature hepatocyte differentiation and humanized liver generation.

Methods

1.5 μg/kg diphtheria toxin was administrated into 8-week-old Alb-TRECK/SCID mice, and the degree of liver damage was assessed by serum aspartate aminotransferase activity levels. Forty-eight hours later, mice livers were sampled for histological analyses, and the human donor cells were then transplanted into mice livers on the same day. Chimeric rate and survival rate after cell transplantation was evaluated. Expressions of human hepatic-related genes were detected. A human albumin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed after 50 days of transplantation. On day 60 after transplantation, drug metabolism was examined in mice.

Results

Both human primary fetal liver cells and hepatic stem cells were successfully repopulated in the livers of Alb-TRECK/SCID mice that developed lethal fulminant hepatic failure after administering diphtheria toxin; the repopulation rate in some mice was nearly 100%. Compared with human primary fetal liver cells, human hepatic stem cell transplantation rescued Alb-TRECK/SCID mice with lethal fulminant hepatic failure, and human hepatic stem cell-derived humanized livers secreted more human albumin into mouse sera and also functioned as a “human liver” that could metabolize the drugs ketoprofen and debrisoquine.

Conclusion

Our model of a humanized liver in Alb-TRECK/SCID mice may provide for functional applications such as drug metabolism, drug to drug interactions, and promote other in vivo and in vitro studies.
Acyclic retinoid induces differentiation and apoptosis of murine hepatic stem cells
Authors: Guan Hong-Bin , Nie Yun-Zhong , Zheng Yun-Wen , Takiguchi Kazuya , Yu Hong-Wei , Zhang Ran-Ran , Li Bin , Tsuchida Tomonori , Taniguchi Hideki
Published: March 2015

Introduction

The therapeutic potential of acyclic retinoid (ACR), a synthetic retinoid, has been confirmed in experimental and clinical studies. Therapeutic targets include precancerous and cancer stem cells. As ACR is also involved in developmental processes, its effect on normal hepatic stem cells (HpSCs) should be investigated for understanding the underlying mechanisms. Here, we examined effects of the acyclic retinoid peretinoin on fresh isolated murine HpSCs.

Methods

We isolated c-kit−CD29+CD49f+/lowCD45−Ter119− cells from murine fetal livers using flow cytometry. To evaluate the effect of ACR, we traced clonal expansion and analyzed cell differentiation as well as apoptosis during the induction process by immunofluorescent staining and marker gene expression.

Results

ACR dose-dependently inhibited HpSCs expansion. Stem cell clonal expansion was markedly inhibited during the culture period. Moreover, ACR showed a significant promotion of HpSC differentiation and induction of cellular apoptosis. The expression of stem cell marker genes, Afp, Cd44, and Dlk, was downregulated, while that of mature hepatocyte genes, Alb and Tat, and apoptosis-related genes, Annexin V and Caspase-3, were upregulated. Flow cytometry showed that the proportion of Annexin V-positive cells increased after ACR incubation compared with the control. Data obtained by immunofluorescent staining for albumin and Caspase-3 corroborated the data on gene expression. Finally, we found that ACR directly regulates the expression of retinoic acid receptors and retinoid X receptors.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that ACR inhibits the clonal expansion of normal HpSCs in vitro and promotes the differentiation of immature cells by regulating receptors of retinoic acid.
The importance of frequency in estimating labour market transition rates
Authors: Gomes Pedro
Published: March 2015

Labour market transition rates are typically estimated using survey data, which are mainly carried out at monthly or quarterly frequency. I argue that rates from surveys at different frequencies are not comparable, even if corrected for time aggregation. I estimate labour market transition rates using monthly and quarterly frequency CPS data. I apply a time-aggregation correction to make them comparable. I find notable differences in terms of levels and volatilities. While the continuous time-aggregation correction does not alter the unemployment decomposition using the monthly survey, it does so when using the quarterly survey.

Jel codes:E24; J60
Projections of potential flows to the enlarging EU from Ukraine, Croatia and other Eastern neighbors
Authors: Fertig Michael , Kahanec Martin
Published: March 2015

This study evaluates potential migration flows to the European Union from its Eastern neighbors and Croatia. We perform out-of-sample forecasts to time series cross-sectional data about post-enlargement migration flows following the EU’s 2004 enlargement. We consider two baseline policy scenarios, with and without accession of sending countries to the EU. Our results show that migration flows are driven by migration costs and economic conditions, but the largest effects accrue to policy variables. In terms of the predicted flows: (i) we can expect modest migration flows in the case of no liberalization of labor markets and only moderately increased migration flows under liberalization; (ii) after an initial increase following liberalization, migration flows will subside to a long run steady state; (iii) Ukraine will send the most migrants; and (iv) the largest inflows in absolute terms are predicted for Germany, Italy and Austria, whereas Ireland, Denmark, Finland and again Austria are the main receiving countries relative to their population.
Mesh-objective two-scale finite element analysis of damage and failure in ceramic matrix composites
Authors: Meyer Pascal , Waas Anthony M
Published: March 2015

A mesh-objective two-scale finite element approach for analyzing damage and failure of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites is presented here. The commercial finite element software suite Abaqus is used to generate macroscopic models, e.g., structural-level components or parts of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), coupled with a second finite element code which pertains to the sub-scale at the fiber-matrix interface level, which is integrated seamlessly using user-generated subroutines and referred to as the integrated finite element method (IFEM). IFEM calculates the reaction of a microstructural sub-scale model that consists of a representative volume element (RVE) which includes all constituents of the actual material, e.g., fiber, matrix, and fiber/matrix interfaces, details of packing, and nonuniformities in properties. The energy-based crack band theory (CBT) is implemented within IFEM’s sub-scale constitutive laws to predict micro-cracking in all constituents included in the model. The communication between the micro- and macro-scale is achieved through the exchange of strain, stress, and stiffness tensors. Important failure parameters, e.g., crack path and proportional limit, are part of the solution and predicted with a high level of accuracy. Numerical predictions are validated against experimental results.
Estrogens Prevent Metabolic Dysfunctions Induced by Circadian Disruptions in Female Mice
Authors: Zhu Liangru , Zou Fang , Yang Yongjie , Xu Pingwen , Saito Kenji , Othrell Hinton Antentor , Yan Xiaofeng , Ding Hongfang , Wu Qi , Fukuda Makoto , Sun Zheng , Tong Qingchun , Xu Yong
Published: March 2015

Circadian disruption has become a significant factor contributing to the epidemics of obesity and insulin resistance. However, interventions to treat metabolic dysfunctions induced by circadian disruptions are limited. The ovarian hormone, estrogen, produces important antiobesity and antidiabetic effects in female animals and has profound effects on daily behavioral rhythms. Here, we show that in female mice depleted with endogenous estrogens, a jet-lag paradigm induced visceral fat accumulation and systemic insulin resistance, which were associated with altered expression of multiple circadian genes in the visceral fat depot. Interestingly, all these jet-lag-induced deficits were completely rescued in female mice supplemented with exogenous estrogens. We further examined 24-hour oscillations of circadian genes in adipose tissues in female mice with estrogen depletion or replacement and showed that expression levels of the circadian gene, period circadian protein homolog 2, oscillate in visceral adipose tissue in an estrogen-dependent manner. Together, our results indicate that estrogens interact with the intrinsic circadian clock in adipose tissue and prevent abnormal lipid accumulation caused by circadian disruptions.
Ultrafast Photoelectron Imaging Using Tunable UV and Vacuum UV Pulses
Authors: Bartlett Nate C-M , Ogi Yoshihiro , Suzuki Toshinori
Published: March 2015

We have constructed an ultrafast laser system that generates both a tunable deep UV pulse and a 158 nm vacuum UV pulse, and performed photoelectron imaging of pyrazine in a supersonic molecular beam. The time-resolution was estimated to be 0.3 ps from a Xe photoionization cross-correlation measurement. The picosecond decay time of the S1(n, π*) state populated by 251 nm excitation was found to be shorter than that previously measured using 264/266 nm excitation. The 3s and 3p Rydberg states excited using the 158 nm pulse were also observed.
Structural fidelity and NMR relaxation analysis in a prototype RNA hairpin
Authors: Giambaşu George M. , York Darrin M. , Case David A.
Published: March 2015

RNA hairpins are widespread and very stable motifs that contribute decisively to RNA folding and biological function. The GTP1G2C3A4C5U6U7C8G9G10U11G12C13C14 construct (with a central UUCG tetraloop) has been extensively studied by solution NMR, and offers and excellent opportunity to evaluate the structure and dynamical description afforded by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Here, we compare average structural parameters and NMR relaxation rates estimated from a series of multiple independent explicit solvent MD simulations using the two most recent RNA AMBER force fields (ff99andff10). Predicted overall tumbling times are ∼20% faster than those inferred from analysis of NMR data and follow the same trend when temperature and ionic strength is varied. The Watson–Crick stem and the “canonical” UUCG loop structure are maintained in most simulations including the characteristicsynconformation along the glycosidic bond of G9, although some key hydrogen bonds in the loop are partially disrupted. Our analysis pinpoints G9–G10 backbone conformations as a locus of discrepancies between experiment and simulation. In general the results for the more recent force-field parameters (ff10) are closer to experiment than those for the older ones (ff99). This work provides a comprehensive and detailed comparison of state of the art MD simulations against a wide variety of solution NMR measurements.
Genome-wide profiling of the C. elegans dsRNAome
Authors: Whipple Joseph M. , Youssef Osama A. , Aruscavage P. Joseph , Nix David A. , Hong Changjin , Johnson W. Evan , Bass Brenda L.
Published: March 2015

Recent studies hint that endogenous dsRNA plays an unexpected role in cellular signaling. However, a complete understanding of endogenous dsRNA signaling is hindered by an incomplete annotation of dsRNA-producing genes. To identify dsRNAs expressed in Caenorhabditis elegans, we developed a bioinformatics pipeline that identifies dsRNA by detecting clustered RNA editing sites, which are strictly limited to long dsRNA substrates of Adenosine Deaminases that act on RNA (ADAR). We compared two alignment algorithms for mapping both unique and repetitive reads and detected as many as 664 editing-enriched regions (EERs) indicative of dsRNA loci. EERs are visually enriched on the distal arms of autosomes and are predicted to possess strong internal secondary structures as well as sequence complementarity with other EERs, indicative of both intramolecular and intermolecular duplexes. Most EERs were associated with protein-coding genes, with ∼1.7% of all C. elegans mRNAs containing an EER, located primarily in very long introns and in annotated, as well as unannotated, 3′ UTRs. In addition to numerous EERs associated with coding genes, we identified a population of prospective noncoding EERs that were distant from protein-coding genes and that had little or no coding potential. Finally, subsets of EERs are differentially expressed during development as well as during starvation and infection with bacterial or fungal pathogens. By combining RNA-seq with freely available bioinformatics tools, our workflow provides an easily accessible approach for the identification of dsRNAs, and more importantly, a catalog of the C. elegans dsRNAome.
Comparative Characteristics of New and Old Generations of Basic General Education Standards
Authors: �������  , Evplova Ekaterina
Published: March 2015

The article proves relevance of basic general education transition to the Standard of new generation. Main characteristics of the Federal state educational

standard of basic general education are listed. The author attempts to analyze shortcomings of the traditional education system and advantages

of the second generation Standard. The comparative characteristics of new and old generations of basic general education standards is carried out on

the basis of the following indicators: responsibility of a teacher, teaching objectives, structure of the concept "education", the content of education, transfer

of knowledge, the relation of parents to school, results of training, material equipment of the educational organizations, the last stage of occupation,

documentary maintenance of a lesson, differentiation is more whole than training, the used methods of training, a form of the organization of cognitive

activity of pupils. Definitions of following concepts are revealed: "personal results", "metasubject results", "subject results", "universal educational actions"

(informative, regulatory, communicative)", "an educational task", "educational actions". The role of the teacher in an education system is exposed to

change. Today, the teacher stops being an information source. The role of teacher extends. The modern teacher is the researcher, the consultant, the

manager, the project manager, the navigator of effective work with knowledge, the tutor. The main task of the teacher is creation and organization of

the conditions initiating independent educational activity of school students leading to educational results. By results of studying of this problem conclusion

is drawn that essential distinctions of standards of old and new generation are already noticeable. However the greatest difference can be seen

comparing identities of the pupils prepared according to old and new standards. It will be possible to estimate efficiency of the Federal state educational

standard of the main general education only after its universal introduction.
Basic Directions of Training Educators in Employing Web-Resources for Professional Self-Development
Authors: ��������  , Kuznetsov A. , ����������  , Nimatulaev M.
Published: March 2015

The priority task of the present-day system of supplementary professional education, aimed at timely retraining of educators and providing for innovative

ways of developing educators, is to elaborate a system of continuous education and post-graduate qualification upgrading, where self-development

plays an important role. One of the critical factors in meeting requirements imposed on the new system of supplementary professional education

is to provide wide use of Web technologies potential for educators� self-development. To self-improve their qualification, the educators should master

information and communicational competencies. Teachers should be engaged in and develop by themselves professional network communities, to

employ teleconferencing technologies, to participate in various thematic forums and social networks in order to involve their colleagues in the process

of professional self-improvement, to initiate various ways of pedagogical interaction, based on various types of communications, personal contacts

etc. One of the primary tasks, aimed at ensuring the innovative features of education in this country for the period up to 2020, would be to establish the

system of continuous education, training and retraining of educators and professional development of post-graduates, �yesterday�s students�.
Internal Labor Markets, Firm-Specific Human Capital, and Heterogeneity Antecedents of Employee Idiosyncratic Deal Requests
Authors: Lee Jeong-Yeon , Bachrach Daniel G. , Rousseau Denise M.
Published: March 2015

A field study of 615 managers in 11 Korean manufacturing firms extends theory regarding labor contracting to the study of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals). Despite i-deals’ potential to benefit both employees and employers, economic theory asserts that employers attempt to reduce individual contracting by use of internal labor markets (ILMs). This study identifies limits to that assertion by identifying conditions under which i-deals are sought, despite employee participation in ILMs. Furthermore, we develop and test theory reconciling the roles of ILMs and firm-specific human capital in employee requests for i-deals. Employee reports of ILM practices are negatively related to i-deal requests, whereas firm-specific human capital is positively related to these requests. In addition, we find an interaction between the two such that the suppressive effects of ILM reports on i-deal requests hold largely for workers with low firm-specific human capital. Individuals with high firm-specific human capital tend to seek i-deals despite reported ILM practices. I-deal requests also increase with group-level heterogeneity in firm-specific human capital. In all, our findings suggest that ILMs function as economic theory asserts for workers with limited firm-specific human capital, but they are less able to reduce i-deal requests among workers with higher firm-specific human capital.
Correlation between Fibrillin-1 Degradation and mRNA Downregulation and Myofibroblast Differentiation in Cultured Human Dental Pulp Tissue
Authors: Yoshiba Nagako , Yoshiba Kunihiko , Ohkura Naoto , Takei Erika , Edanami Naoki , Oda Youhei , Hosoya Akihiro , Nakamura Hiroaki , Okiji Takashi
Published: March 2015

Myofibroblasts and extracellular matrix are important components in wound healing. Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) is a marker of myofibroblasts. Fibrillin-1 is a major constituent of microfibrils and an extracellular-regulator of TGF-β1, an important cytokine in the transdifferentiation of resident fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. To study the correlation between changes in fibrillin-1 expression and myofibroblast differentiation, we examined alterations in fibrillin-1 and α-SMA expression in organotypic cultures of dental pulp in vitro. Extracted healthy human teeth were cut to 1-mm-thick slices and cultured for 7 days. In intact dental pulp, fibrillin-1 was broadly distributed, and α-SMA was observed in pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells. After 7 days of culture, immunostaining for fibrillin-1 became faint concomitant with a downregulation in its mRNA levels. Furthermore, fibroblasts, odontoblasts and Schwann cells were immunoreactive for α-SMA with a significant increase in α-SMA mRNA expression. Double immunofluorescence staining was positive for pSmad2/3, central mediators of TGF-β signaling, and α-SMA. The administration of inhibitors for extracellular matrix proteases recovered fibrillin-1 immunostaining; moreover, fibroblasts lost their immunoreactivity for α-SMA along with a downregulation in α-SMA mRNA. These findings suggest that the expression of α-SMA is TGF-β1 dependent, and fibrillin-1 degradation and downregulation might be implicated in the differentiation of myofibroblasts in dental pulp wound healing.
Diversity 2.0: A framework for audience participation in assessing media systems
Authors: Horowitz Minna Aslama , Napoli Philip M.
Published: March 2015

The concept of diversity has always been an underlying principle in media policy-making and the era of participatory media has not changed that core concern. However, dramatic changes in contemporary media systems suggest a need to reconsider how this complex principle is conceptualized and applied. Social media have brought about a seemingly infinite amount of sources and content by lowering the barriers to participation in the fields of media and communications. Much hope has been attributed to their democratizing potential. However, empirical evidence indicates that much digital media consumption focuses on content provided by few actors, and is becoming polarized. And while the rapid diffusion of new media technologies facilitates more participatory communication, persistent digital divides hinder opportunities for access and production. This article argues that diversity as a policy-making principle needs to be refocused to address these opportunities and challenges regarding the role that media systems can play in fostering citizenship, civil society and participation. Based on existing academic and public/policy discourses, the article constructs a framework of participatory modalities and discusses their relationship with the conventional dimensions of diversity, as well as their relevance in terms of policies and regulation.
Negotiating contemporary romance: Twilight fan fiction
Authors: Isaksson Malin
Published: March 2015

Produser interaction through fan fictions (fanfics) results in expansions of the narrow range of stories provided by the increasingly consolidated production companies, and is therefore an important contribution to meaning-making discussions about love, gender and sexualities. Fanfic authors rework the romance of Twilight in ways that question its unequal gender power relations, the abstinence and hetero-norms, and the romantic staple of one true love. Given their potential influence on commercial producers, fanfics are more than mere ‘interaction’ yet are not full ‘participation’ according to Carpentier’s AIP model.
Episódios extremos de precipitação e fragilidade dos ambientes urbanos: exemplos de Portugal e do Brasil
Authors: Amorim Margarete Cristiane de Costa Trindade , Monteiro Ana
Published: March 2015

Este artigo tem como objetivo ajudar a avaliar a efetiva “excepcionalidade” de episódios chuvosos, mas, simultaneamente, também aproveitar para refletir sobre a “perigosidade” das modernas opções de planejamento, demonstrando que os atuais desenhos urbanos, tanto no Brasil, como em Portugal, ignoram os sítios e as posições geográficas, replicando modelos em qualquer latitude e aumentando, com isso, as causas de progressão da vulnerabilidade que transformam, por exemplo, alguns episódios chuvosos extremos em catástrofes
A desestruturação do mundo rural em áreas de montanha e o risco de incêndio – o caso da serra da Cabreira (Vieira do Minho)
Authors: Bento-Gonçalves António , Vieira António , Ferreira Leite Flora , Oliveira Martins Carla , Costa Silva Francisco
Published: March 2015

A desestruturação do mundo rural, em particular em áreas de montanha, levou a um forte incremento do número de deflagrações de incêndios florestais, bem como da respectiva área ardida, constituindo a serra da Cabreira um excelente exemplo dessa realidade.
Levantamento pedológico em vertente sujeita a movimentos de massa – Ubatuba (São Paulo, Brasil)
Authors: Verbicaro Perdomo Carolina , Ladeira Francisco Sergio Bernardes
Published: March 2015

Os movimentos de massa são fenômenos naturais de evolução das vertentes, mas podem corresponder a grandes riscos. A área de estudo localiza-se no litoral norte do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. O objetivo do trabalho foi o de caracterizar macromorfologicamente os solos das vertentes, além de fazer a análise química e mineralógica de rotina. Os perfis são espessos e com variação pedológica. A análise química mostrou altos teores de alumínio e de hidrogênio.
Dinâmica de funcionamento da paisagem e relações de ocupação e risco de movimentos de massa e inundações. Cenários da região da Baixada Santista no estado de São Paulo e das costas do cacau e do descobrimento no estado da Bahia, Brasil
Authors: Célia de Oliveira Regina
Published: March 2015

As zonas de domínio costeiro constituem-se em áreas que apresentam em função de sua gênese uma complexidade de formas e processos condicionados por diversos fatores. Tais fatores se integram na elaboração de cenários que se estruturam sob níveis diversos de fragilidades ambientais, alteradas drasticamente em função do modelo de uso e ocupação da terra. As Regiões da Baixada Santista no estado de São Paulo e da Costa do Cacau e Costa do Descobrimento no sul do Estado da Bahia/Brasil apresentam um intenso uso urbano e rural estabelecendo-se como áreas de risco de movimentos de massa e inundações. Pretende-se
Riscos de secas em Portugal continental
Authors: Cabrinha Pires Vanda , Silva Álvaro , Mendes Luisa
Published: March 2015

Para se analisar qual o risco do fenómeno da seca em Portugal Continental foi efectuado um estudo que consistiu em caracterizar a evolução histórica das situações de seca no Continente através do índice meteorológico PDSI (Palmer, 1965), o qual detecta períodos de seca e os classifica em termos de sua intensidade.