bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Up-Regulation of miR-96-5p Inhibits the Proliferation of FaDu Cell Line by Targeting mTOR
Authors: Liao Weili , Ling Yunzhi , Jiang Sui , Cai Huaxiong
Published: February 2018

Hypopharyngeal carcinoma is an upper respiratory-gastrointestinal tract cancer, with a complicated pathogenesis and high mortality. We predicted that hsa-miR-96-5p targeted mTOR. To test this hypothesis, the overexpression vector of miR-96-5p, mTOR 3'UTR and its mutant vector with cobinding sites of miR-96-5p, and shRNA-mTOR vectors were constructed. Two groups of FaDu cells were transfected with and without metformin (10 mmol/L), and cultivated for 48, 72 and 96 hours. RTPCR and Western blotting experiments showed that upregulation of miR-96-5p inhibited proliferation of FaDu cells. At the same time, we found that upregulation of miR-96-5p inhibited the growth of FaDu cells treated with metformin. After detecting the mTOR mutant 3'UTR loci by dual luciferase assay, we found that the recorded fluorescence values were much higher than that of the wildtype. We also determined that the ratio of firefly fluorescence value/Renilla fluorescence value was significantly higher than that of wild-type, indicating that mTOR was the direct target of the miR-965-p gene. In conclusion, miR-96-5p inhibited proliferation of FaDu cells by targeting mTOR, and it may serve as a potential target for tumor growth inhibition.
Carbon Dots: Highlight on Their Synthesis, Properties and Applications in Tumor Imaging and Therapy
Authors: Wu Yongzhi , Li Qiwen , Yang Dawei , Liao Jinfeng
Published: February 2018

Carbon dots (C-dots) are a kind of novel star nanomaterial and have gained extensive research attention in recent years. C-dots have some unique advantages, including adjustable fluorescence, excellent water solubility, ease of modification and negligible toxicity. Owing to their extraordinary
properties, C-dots have particularly been found to be promising for cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this review, we carried out a highlight on the current progress made for C-dots in the field of tumor theranostics. The synthetic methods, structure and components of C-dots were systematically
summarized. Meanwhile, their unique optical properties and mechanism of photoluminescence were discussed in depth. Furthermore, we have highlighted the applications of C-dots in bio-imaging, drug delivery and photo-triggered therapy for cancer theranostics.
Silver Nanoparticle—A Promising Anti-Mosquito's Agent: A Review
Authors: Sohail  , Mashwani Zia Rehman UR , Raja Naveed Iqbal , Ghaffar Abdul , Shah Muhammad Ali , Yameen Muhammad , Umar Sajid , Sohail Muhammad Luqman
Published: February 2018

Mosquitoes play a key role as vector for different diseases including malaria, filariasis, and dengue fever. Prevention and control of mosquito-borne diseases is a key challenge of huge public health importance. Limited tools are currently available against the main pathogens and parasites vectored by mosquitoes. Therefore, eco-friendly and effective control of mosquito vectors is of pivotal importance. Nanotechnology is a promising field and offers a wide range of research innovation in industrial sector. Plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles seems promising besides other control approaches and has recently gained attention as a cheap, rapid and eco-friendly method to control mosquito vector populations. Nanoparticle like silver shows a promising bioactivity against mosquitos due its size, shape and its characteristics. These may lead to the successful reduction of vector populations, since the sub-lethal doses of these nanoformulations are toxic towards theCulicidae, but not to their natural enemies. Nanoparticles may also boost the biocontrol agent predation rates. However, the field of green metal nanoparticles has certain limitation. Therefore, further research is needed to elaborate the precise mechanism(s) of action of green-fabricated metal nanoparticles and the optimization of the green nanosynthetic routes, in order to develop large-scale production of eco-friendly nanomosquitocides.
Recent Progress of Doxorubicin Nanomedicine in Hematologic Malignancies
Authors: Qu Ying , Niu Ting , Liu Zhigang , Chu Bingyang , Zhang Lan , Qian Zhiyong
Published: February 2018

Hematologic malignancies (HMs) are blood diseases that have a great threat on human health, including all kinds of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Chemotherapy is the basic and effective treatment. However, the side effects, relapse and drug resistance of the HMs remain a clinical challenge. Dox is an effective anthracycline drug for the HMs therapy, but the application is limited due to the adverse effects, especially the cardiotoxicity. Nanomedicine is an effective means to solve the problems that chemotherapeutics are facing, including reduction of the side effect, possessing targeting actions, enhancement of the antitumor activities, increasing the circulation time and so on. Recently many types of nanomedicines have been developed, including the liposomes, micelles, nanoparticles etc. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent progress of Dox nanomedicine in hematologic malignancies.
Impact of Coupling with an Ice–Ocean Model on Global Medium-Range NWP Forecast Skill
Authors: Smith Gregory C. , Bélanger Jean-Marc , Roy François , Pellerin Pierre , Ritchie Hal , Onu Kristjan , Roch Michel , Zadra Ayrton , Colan Dorina Surcel , Winter Barbara , Fontecilla Juan-Sebastian , Deacu Daniel
Published: February 2018

The importance of coupling between the atmosphere and the ocean for forecasting on time scales of hours to weeks has been demonstrated for a range of physical processes. Here, the authors evaluate the impact of an interactive air–sea coupling between an operational global deterministic medium-range weather forecasting system and an ice–ocean forecasting system. This system was developed in the context of an experimental forecasting system that is now running operationally at the Canadian Centre for Meteorological and Environmental Prediction. The authors show that the most significant impact is found to be associated with a decreased cyclone intensification, with a reduction in the tropical cyclone false alarm ratio. This results in a 15% decrease in standard deviation errors in geopotential height fields for 120-h forecasts in areas of active cyclone development, with commensurate benefits for wind, temperature, and humidity fields. Whereas impacts on surface fields are found locally in the vicinity of cyclone activity, large-scale improvements in the mid-to-upper troposphere are found with positive global implications for forecast skill. Moreover, coupling is found to produce fairly constant reductions in standard deviation error growth for forecast days 1–7 of about 5% over the northern extratropics in July and August and 15% over the tropics in January and February. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time a statistically significant positive impact of coupling has been shown in an operational global medium-range deterministic numerical weather prediction framework.
The Panorama of the Last Decade’s Theoretical Groundings of Educational Leadership Research: A Concept Co-Occurrence Network Analysis
Authors: Wang Yinying
Published: February 2018

Purpose: Given the essential role of theories in research, this study aims to identify the theories and concepts undergirding educational leadership research, illuminate the interconnections among them, and examine the evolution of the theoretical groundings of the field from 2005 to 2014. Methods: This study constructed a concept co-occurrence network, in which the nodes represent all the framing concepts that theoretically framed the 1,328 articles published in four leading educational leadership research journals ( Educational Administration Quarterly, Journal of Educational Administration, Educational Management Administration & Leadership, and Journal of School Leadership) over the past decade and the ties link the concepts that co-occur in an article. The reference frequency and centrality measures were used to identify the influential concepts. Next, the k-core analysis was performed to visualize the interconnections among the concepts. Moreover, a series of network cohesion measures were used to detect the changes in conceptual cohesion over the past decade. Findings: While 295 framing concepts guided the educational leadership empirical studies, a small number of concepts exerted a disproportionately large influence on the research. Furthermore, these influential concepts closely interplay with one another, and the strongest interconnection was seen between the concepts of leadership approaches and organizational perspectives. Last, the increasingly pluralistic theoretical foundation did not yield the growing conceptual cohesion in educational leadership. Implications: This study for the first time elucidates the structure and evolution of the theoretical groundings of educational leadership research, laying the foundation for further theory development and inviting researchers to bring conceptual cohesion to this field through integrating concepts, allowing random ideas to mutate, and developing new theories.
Openness of Perception as a Condition for Creativity
Authors: Schulman David
Published: February 2018

A creativity test and two perceptual tests were given to 89 fourth grade children: (a) Drawing Completion Task, consisting of simple line combinations from which interesting drawings were to be made; (b) Changing Figures Test, measuring the ability to see change in a succession of drawings; (c) Finding of Enclosed Areas Test, in which closed spaces had to be found in complex forms. Significant correlations were found between the creativity and perceptual openness tests. Other data were interpreted as suggesting that creativity is dependent upon perceptual openness. The importance of developing tests of creativity and stressing the need for perceptual experiences in school was indicated.
The International Standard Organization Calibration of the Pure Tone Audiometer
Authors: Nober E. Harris
Published: February 2018

This article is a detailed discussion of the American Standards Association 1951 calibration of the audiometer and the events that led up to the adoption in the United States of the International Standard Organization 1964 standard. Basic review is allocated to the physics of sound as it relates to audiometer calibration. A conversion table is provided to shift from one scale to the other. The clinical implications of the two scales are discussed.
Comparison of Comprehension of Two Forms of Compressed Speech
Authors: Foulke Emerson
Published: February 2018

An experiment was performed to determine the influence of word rate and the method used in compressing speech upon listening comprehension. One group of subjects heard speech made rapid by means of the Tempo Regulator. The other group heard speech made rapid by playing a record at a faster speed than the one used during recording. Each group was further divided into three subgroups, and each subgroup heard the selection at a different accelerated word rate. The three word rates employed were 253, 300, and 350 words per minute. Following this, subjects took a multiple choice test of listening comprehension based upon the selection heard. The analysis of variance of test scores showed the word rate variable to be highly significant. However, the method used in compressing speech was not a significant variable.
The Social Choices of Students in Racially Integrated Classes for the Culturally Disadvantaged Talented
Authors: Jansen Verna Godman , Gallagher James J.
Published: February 2018

Sociometric choices of 100 gifted disadvantaged children in 4 intermediate racially integrated classrooms were analyzed. The relationship of choice of seating, working, and playing companions to race, sex, and intelligence was studied. Substantial cross racial choices were made; however, various factors, such as sex and racial proportion in the classroom, appeared to influence the nature and kind of choice. Resulting sociometric patterns did not justify generalizations regarding social structures in integrated classrooms beyond the statement that some cross racial social choices can be expected for this age group.
A Comparative Study of Achieving and Underachieving Students of High Intellectual Ability
Authors: Chopra Sukhendra Lal
Published: February 2018

Comparison of 76 matched pairs of achieving and underachieving students of high intellectual ability showed that the fathers of the achievers had comparatively higher levels of education, higher occupational status, higher family incomes, better lodgings, smaller families, and a more stimulating cultural atmosphere in their homes. A larger proportion of the achievers expected to continue their studies, had some plans for a future occupation, and had higher occupational expectations.
State Provisions for Home Instruction
Authors: Best Gary A.
Published: February 2018

The current status of state provisions for home instruction was studied. Data from 47 states were tabulated in categories representative of areas of importance and concern: (a) state aid formulas; (b) types of exceptionality served; (c) criteria for eligibility; (d) limits on instructional time; (e) certification requirements; (f) telephone teaching provisions; and (g) supplementary services. Trends suggested by the data are also discussed.
A Study of School Attitudes, Peer Acceptance, and Personality of Creative Adolescents
Authors: Kurtzman Kenneth A.
Published: February 2018

A comparison of three groups of adolescents with differing levels of creativity was made to determine if they differed with respect to personality characteristics, peer acceptance, and attitudes toward school. The results indicate that more creative students tend to be more intelligent, adventurous, extroverted, and self confident. They also have a less favorable attitude toward school. In terms of peer acceptance, sex appears to be a factor. Higher creative boys receive greater acceptance while higher creative girls are less accepted by their classmates.
Behavioral Modification in a Junior High Learning Disabilities Classroom
Authors: Nolen Patricia A. , Kunzelmann Harold P. , Haring Norris G.
Published: February 2018

This study was conducted in the University of Washington Experimental Education Unit; subjects were 8 junior high age students admitted to the unit on the basis of having serious learning and behavior disorders. Individual programs were arranged for each child in the classroom. Activities known to be highly interesting to the students were established as reinforcement contingencies, used to reinforce academic activities. Functionally significant academic gains were recorded over a teaching period of approximately 100 days.
Modifying Perceptions of Trainable Mental Retardates
Authors: Jones Reginald L. , Marcotte Marcia , Markham Karen
Published: February 2018

A program is described and evaluated in which fifth and sixth grade pupils of high and average ability tutored trainable mental retardates (TMR's) for short daily periods. The program had been in existence 5 months at the time of evaluation. The results indicated that the tutors’ understanding and acceptance of TMR's were greater than that of nonparticipants. However, at the end of their experience, most tutors remained deficient in their understanding of the vocational and educational limitations imposed by this level of mental retardation. The need was expressed for informational programs on the nature of mental retardation as an integral part of projects involving direct contact between retarded and nonretarded children.
Doman-Delacato's Theory of Neurological Organization Applied with Retarded Children
Authors: Kershner John R.
Published: February 2018

To assess the effects of a program of physical activities consistent with the Doman-Delacato theory of neurological organization on the physical and intellectual development of trainable mentally retarded children, pretest and posttest data were collected from a Doman-Delacato experimental group and a nonspecific activity control group. In motor development, no significant pretest, posttest intergroup differences were found. Comparisons on mobility (creeping and crawling) and IQ (PPVT) yielded statistically significant gains in favor of the experimental group. The findings suggest the Doman-Delacato techniques may be beneficial with trainables in public schools.
SEIMC's and the Teacher of Children with Learning Disabilities: A Useful Partnership
Authors: McCarthy James J.
Published: February 2018

1. The present state of affairs in the field of learning disabilities suggests that a practitioner in this area be eclectic.

2. Being eclectic requires an intimate knowledge of what is currently available for use with children having learning disabilities, along with a skill in experimenting with various approaches in the classroom. Moreover, eclecticism is not in accord with the unitheoretical preservice work that many of today's practitioners have received. Accordingly, it is not without some effort that one accepts this view, for eclecticism requires a change in the manner of doing business.

3. SEIMC's and their local branches are in a position to assist in (a) making a wide variety of materials available, and (b) advising the practitioner on directions for use, applicability, and effectiveness. In-service training sessions are, or will be, available to the practitioner; hopefully the substance of these sessions will feed back into preservice training.

The inextricable bond between materials and methods suggests that both be carefully considered in the educational act. The birth and development of SEIMC's have given new impetus to exploring the contributions of materials to this act, and have thereby opened up many questions about research and professional training in special education. SEIMC's in time may have a profound influence on the fiber of special education. The newest and most ambiguous categorical area of special education is learning disabilities. Its practitioners can probably profit more than most special educators from a close and continuous contact with the SEIMC's because of (a) the present ambiguity of their field, and (b) the rather intimate way that materials relate to their teaching act. In terms of long range goals, the field of learning disabilities and the SEIMC's overlap and appear to be mutually enhancing.
Individual Patterns of Looking and Listening Preferences among Learning Disabled and Normal Children
Authors: Mira Mary P.
Published: February 2018

Preferences for looking and listening among 12 learning disabled and 12 normal children were analyzed by individually and directly recording the rates at which each child worked for the opportunity to look at and listen to a sound movie whose audio and visual channels were programed through two conjugate programers. Patterns of looking and listening preference were found and representative response records of some of these patterns are presented. Thirty-three percent of the children preferred to look and listen simultaneously; 37 percent would look but not always listen. No child was found who would listen but not look, while several of the learning disabled children would look but not listen. The three different conjugate procedures used in this study differed in their reliability and sensitivity to preferences and deficits.
CEC—Progress and Development
Authors: Geer William C.
Published: February 2018

This report reflects the accomplishments of a growing and dedicated CEC staff under the direction of excellent committees and the guidance of the CEC executive committee and board of governors. The contributions of the officers and workers in federations, branches, chapters, and divisions have been great We believe that the combination of local, state, provincial, and national resources is unique among organizations and provides action programs to stimulate further development and education of exceptional children in imaginative ways.
A Study of Emotionally Disturbed Children in Regular and Special Classes
Authors: Vacc Nicholas A.
Published: February 2018

This study was conducted to measure change in achievement and overt behavior of emotionally disturbed children in special and regular classes in Chautauqua County, New York. The social position of emotionally disturbed and normal children in regular classes was also assessed. A comparative description was made on the basis of the analyzed data and the following conclusions were made within the stated limitations of the study. The emotionally disturbed children in the regular classes achieved less well on the Wide Range Achievement Test and the Behavior Rating Scale than did the emotionally disturbed children in special classes. Further, the emotionally disturbed children in the regular classes were less well accepted than the normal children.
The Perceived Prestige of Normal and Special Education Teachers
Authors: Sharples Derek , Thomas David J.
Published: February 2018

A study of perceived prestige attributed to teaching in normal and special schools was conducted in England. A sample of 183 serving teachers in schools of all types completed a paired comparisons questionnaire. The results revealed that teachers in special schools are held in higher esteem than those in normal schools, with the exception that teaching in hospital schools is of comparatively low esteem. Prestige is seen to be related to the teaching experience of the subjects, although some conflicts are revealed between the perceptions of certain related teacher groups.
The Santa Monica Project: Evaluation of an Engineered Classroom Design with Emotionally Disturbed Children
Authors: Hewett Frank M. , Taylor Frank D. , Artuso Alfred A.
Published: February 2018

Six public school classrooms of children with learning and behavior problems were studied to assess the effectiveness of an engineered classroom design. The experimental condition consisted of rigid adherence to the design while the control condition provided any type program the teacher chose except use of token and tangible rewards. Task attention and achievement gains in arithmetic fundamentals were found to be significantly correlated with the presence of the engineered design.
Achievement Related Classroom Behavior of Secondary School Normal and Disturbed Students
Authors: Swift Marshall S. , Spivack George
Published: February 2018

How can the educator be helped to focus upon achievement related classroom behavior in an organized, reliable, and communicable fashion? Academically related behaviors were described by teachers of regular (public school) and special class (emotionally disturbed) junior-senior high school students. An initial 102 item scale was used by teachers to rate 882 regular class and 672 special class youngsters. The result was a 45 item scale defining 13 factors, 12 common to both the regular and special class groups. All of the 13 factors were significantly correlated with academic achievement in the special classes, 12 of the 13 in regular classes. The results were interpreted in terms of the relevance of behavior to academic success or failure.
Practices and Problems in Educating Deaf Retarded Children in Residential Schools
Authors: Anderson Robert M. , Stevens Godfrey D.
Published: February 2018

Information including epidemiological data from 6 residential schools for the deaf was collected. It included data relative to prevalence, classification, and nomenclature; numbers and kinds of disabilities in addition to deafness and mental retardation; and estimations of projected grade level expectancy for mentally retarded deaf children. A total of 304 (19 percent of the pupil population) pupils with an IQ of below 83 were enrolled in these schools; 132 of these children were classified as mentally retarded. Seventy-three children were reported to have one or more disabilities in addition to deafness and mental retardation. A mean grade level expectancy of 4.3 was predicted for 117 of the children.
Parental Attitudes and the Emotional Adjustment of Deaf Children
Authors: Neuhaus Maury
Published: February 2018

The parents of 84 deaf children of 3 age levels (3 to 7,8 to 12, and 13 to 19) were administered instruments designed to assess their attitudes toward children and toward disability. The results of this study indicated that there is a significant relationship between maternal and paternal attitudes toward children and the child's emotional adjustment at all 3 age levels, with one exception: the father's attitudes toward children between ages 3 to 7. No significant relationship was found between parental attitudes toward disability and the child's emotional adjustment. Parental attitudes toward children did not vary with the age of the child, while parental attitudes toward disability did.
Recreation for the Conduct Disorder Child
Authors: Glavin John , Witt Peter A.
Published: February 2018

This article describes the various successes and failures encountered in a year long sociorecreation program for conduct disorder children. The experience indicated that the conduct disorder child can be helped to achieve greater satisfaction in a recreation setting if the setting is structurally conducive to the control of his deviant behavior. The traditional models of free play and socially centered programing were tried first but failed. They could only be effectively utilized once the requisite social, physical, and behavioral skills had been acquired in a structured setting. A description is provided of the program's staff, structure, and content as well as certain leadership principles which emerged throughout the year.
Development of Scales for the Measurement of Orientation and Mobility of Young Blind Children
Authors: Lord F. E.
Published: February 2018

Due to the growing interest in extending orientation and mobility instruction to include elementary school age blind children, research was carried out to define the behavioral components in orientation and mobility which are relevant for young blind children, and to develop scales for the measurement of these skills. The construction of the scales is described, and experimental results with 173 blind children are presented.
Clarifying the Relationship between Academic Success and Overt Classroom Behavior
Authors: Swift Marshall S. , Spivack George
Published: February 2018

Using the Devereux Elementary School Behavior Rating Scale, a device developed to identify achievement related classroom behaviors in kindergarten through sixth grade, 298 ratings were made of children designated as achievers and underachievers at the fifth grade level. Achievement criteria were subtest scores on a group test and teacher assigned report card marks. The analysis of the relationship between classroom behavior and the achievement criteria indicates that when a child is underachieving, this is evident not only in the grade or test scores he receives but also in his broader functioning in the classroom. In addition to the poor achievement scores they receive, underachievers are clearly different, in terms of maladaptive overt behavior, from their achieving peers. This is particularly true when the achievement criterion is the teacher's judgment of the quality of the child's efforts.
Eye Rubbing in Blind Children: Application of a Sensory Deprivation Model
Authors: Thurrell Richard J. , Rice David G.
Published: February 2018

Eye rubbing is one of the stereotyped behaviors occurring in blind children and is of concern to those who work toward the acceptance and adjustment of the blind in the sighted world. It is relevant to other issues, such as child development, sensory deprivation, and “critical periods.” Confirmatory evidence for hypotheses drawn from sensory and social deprivation studies was found; children with capacity for only minimal, unpatterned visual input were rated significantly higher in eye rubbing than either the totally blind or those with more usable, patterned vision. An additional finding, that similar significant differences persisted but in diminished degree in older children compared to younger, was related to both training effects and “critical period” concepts.
The Age Placement of Academic Skills in Curriculum for the EMR
Authors: Meyen Edward L. , Hieronymus Albert N.
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance and age placement of certain operationally defined skill objectives relative to instructional programs for the educable mentally retarded and to compare the behavior of pupils in special classes with that of a representative sample. The basic skill areas included vocabulary, reading, language usage, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, arithmetic problem solving, arithmetic concepts, and work-study skills. Each skill was illustrated and operationally defined by a test item designed to specify the behavior required of the pupil and the difficulty of the skill. In all, 204 samples of behavior were studied. The importance of emphasizing academic skills in instructional programs for the EMR was assessed through the use of a specially designed inventory of skills. The inventory was submitted to 2 groups of judges for evaluation. The illustrative items were also organized into experimental tests and administered to 1,405 EMR children between the ages of 9 and 18 and to a representative sample of 2,187 pupils in grades 3 through 8.
The Physical Fitness and Motor Performance of Educable Mentally Retarded Children
Authors: Rarick G. Lawrence , Widdop James H. , Broadhead Geoffrey D.
Published: February 2018

A modification of the AAHPER Youth Physical Fitness Test was administered to a national sample of 4,235 educable retarded boys and girls, ages 8 to 18 years. Age changes in performance followed essentially the same trends as in normal children, although the retarded of both sexes were substantially behind standards on normal children. Sex differences in performance of the retarded were similar to those noted in normal children, the boys showing superiority in all tests at all ages. Inter correlations among the test items were low for both sexes at all age levels and of approximately the same magnitude as in children of normal intelligence.
Cutile Air and Bone Conduction Thresholds of the Deaf
Authors: Harris Nober E.
Published: February 2018

This article reports an exploration of whether low frequency air and bone thresholds elicited at high intensity levels from deaf children reflect valid auditory sensitivity or are mediated through cutaneous-tactile receptors. Twenty-one subjects comprised of 5 “priority deaf” subjects (totally deaf), 6 “control deaf” subjects (residual hearing) and 10 “normal” hearing were given a local subcutaneous injection of 2 percent xylocaine to eliminate local cutaneous-tactile interference. Results indicated the air thresholds extinguished during the anesthetic block only for priority deaf subjects with “cutile” (cutaneous-tactile) thresholds and not for the control deaf with residual hearing or for the normal hearing group. It was concluded that air and bone thresholds of many profoundly deaf children are not auditory but are mediated through cutaneous-tactile receptors.
The Rationale for Early Intervention
Authors: Caldwell Bettye M.
Published: February 2018

Antecedents of the current interest in early intervention are traced, with particular attention to the applicability of early intervention for exceptional children. The rationale presented draws inferential support from animal studies concerned with the effects of early experiences, descriptive studies contrasting development in children reared in different social environments, and major conceptual analyses of the importance of early stimulation for development. Empirical support is drawn from current and previous work demonstrating the results associated with early environmental enrichment. Guidelines are suggested for future research and action programs.
Ophthalmological Deficiencies in Deaf Children
Authors: Lawson Lawrence J. , Myklebust Helmer R.
Published: February 2018

The ophthalmological status of school aged deaf children was studied with control of age, sex, type of school, and success in learning. The incidence of eye defects was twice that found for hearing children. These deficiencies were equally distributed by age and school but were not directly related to success in learning. It appears that children with deafness also tend to have defects in vision. However, the precise nature of the association between visual deficiencies and deafness is not clear.
A Behavior Modification Classroom for Head Start Children with Problem Behaviors
Authors: Allen K. Eileen , Turner Keith D. , Everett Paulette M.
Published: February 2018

Twelve to 15 children with problem behaviors were enrolled in a demonstration head start class. The goals of the demonstration project were: (a) to provide remedial services for these children through the application of behavior modification procedures; (b) to provide head start teachers and related personnel with in-service training in behavior modification techniques; and (c) to conduct applied research based on the behavioral analyses of teacher-child interactions. Two case studies are presented. The first concerns an aggressively disruptive child, and the second, a child whose total behavioral repertoire consisted of bizarre and maladaptive behaviors.
Precision Techniques in the Management of Teacher and Child Behaviors
Authors: Gaasholt Marie
Published: February 2018

A practical method of evaluating teaching skills through precision teaching techniques is presented. Specific topics include: (a) measuring teacher contacts with various pupils; (b) measuring the effects of teacher behavior on pupil performance: and (c) establishing proficiency levels in writing and arithmetic.
Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 Coordinates Early Tooth Mineralization
Authors: Malik Z. , Alexiou M. , Hallgrimsson B. , Economides A.N. , Luder H.U. , Graf D.
Published: February 2018

Formation of highly organized dental hard tissues is a complex process involving sequential and ordered deposition of an extracellular scaffold, followed by its mineralization. Odontoblast and ameloblast differentiation involves reciprocal and sequential epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. Similar to early tooth development, various Bmps are expressed during this process, although their functions have not been explored in detail. Here, we investigated the role of odontoblast-derived Bmp2 for tooth mineralization using Bmp2 conditional knockout mice. In developing molars, Bmp2LacZ reporter mice revealed restricted expression of Bmp2 in early polarized and functional odontoblasts while it was not expressed in mature odontoblasts. Loss of Bmp2 in neural crest cells, which includes all dental mesenchyme, caused a delay in dentin and enamel deposition. Immunohistochemistry for nestin and dentin sialoprotein (Dsp) revealed polarization defects in odontoblasts, indicative of a role for Bmp2 in odontoblast organization. Surprisingly, pSmad1/5/8, an indicator of Bmp signaling, was predominantly reduced in ameloblasts, with reduced expression of amelogenin ( Amlx), ameloblastin ( Ambn), and matrix metalloproteinase ( Mmp20). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis and immunohistochemistry showed that loss of Bmp2 resulted in increased expression of the Wnt antagonists dickkopf 1 ( Dkk1) in the epithelium and sclerostin ( Sost) in mesenchyme and epithelium. Odontoblasts showed reduced Wnt signaling, which is important for odontoblast differentiation, and a strong reduction in dentin sialophosphoprotein ( Dspp) but not collagen 1 a1 ( Col1a1) expression. Mature Bmp2-deficient teeth, which were obtained by transplanting tooth germs from Bmp2-deficient embryos under a kidney capsule, showed a dentinogenesis imperfecta type II–like appearance. Micro–computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy revealed reduced dentin and enamel thickness, indistinguishable primary and secondary dentin, and deposition of ectopic osteodentin. This establishes that Bmp2 provides an early temporal, nonredundant signal for directed and organized tooth mineralization.
TRPM7 Mediates Mechanosensitivity in Adult Rat Odontoblasts
Authors: Won J. , Vang H. , Kim J.H. , Lee P.R. , Kang Y. , Oh S.B.
Published: February 2018

Odontoblasts, with their strategic arrangement along the outermost compartment of the dentin-pulp complex, have been suggested to have sensory function. In addition to their primary role in dentin formation, growing evidence shows that odontoblasts are capable of sensing mechanical stimulation. Previously, we found that most odontoblasts express TRPM7, the nonselective mechanosensitive ion channel reported to be critical in Mg2+ homeostasis and dentin mineralization. In line with this finding, we sought to elucidate the functional expression of TRPM7 in odontoblasts by pharmacological approaches and mechanical stimulation. Naltriben, a TRPM7-specific agonist, induced calcium transient in the majority of odontoblasts, which was blocked by TRPM7 blockers such as extracellular Mg2+ and FTY720 in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanical stretch of the odontoblastic membrane with hypotonic solution also induced calcium transient, which was blocked by Gd3+, a nonselective mechanosensitive channel blocker. Calcium transient induced by hypotonic solution was also blocked by high extracellular Mg2+ or FTY720. When TRPM7-mediated calcium transients in odontoblasts were analyzed on the subcellular level, remarkably larger transients were detected in the distal odontoblastic process compared with the soma, which was further verified with comparable immunocytochemical analysis. Our results demonstrate that TRPM7 in odontoblasts can serve as a mechanical sensor, with its distribution to facilitate intracellular Ca2+ signaling in the odontoblastic process. These findings suggest TRPM7 as a mechanical transducer in odontoblasts to mediate intracellular calcium dynamics under diverse pathophysiological conditions of the dentin.
Cabinets, Prime Ministers, and Corruption: A Comparative Analysis of Parliamentary Governments in Post-War Europe
Authors: Bäck Hanna , Teorell Jan , Lindberg Staffan I
Published: February 2018

Why are some states more corrupt than others? Drawing on the literature on governance in parliamentary democracies, we suggest that the degree of corruption depends on the ability of key political actors to control ministers who have been delegated power. We argue that the Prime Minister has incentives to limit corruption within the cabinet and has the ability to do so when there are certain “control mechanisms” at hand. One such mechanism is the PM’s ability to fire or demote ministers who are not behaving in accordance with his or her wishes. We hypothesize that governmental corruption will be lower in systems where the constitution grants the PM strong powers. Using a new dataset ( Varieties of Democracy), which provides more specific measures on high-level corruption across a longer time period, we analyze corruption in 26 West and East European democracies over the post-war period and find support for our hypothesis.
Generalization of Classic Question Order Effects Across Cultures
Authors: Stark Tobias H. , Silber Henning , Krosnick Jon A. , Blom Annelies G. , Aoyagi Midori , Belchior Ana , Bosnjak Michael , Clement Sanne Lund , John Melvin , Jónsdóttir Guðbjörg Andrea , Lawson Karen , Lynn Peter , Martinsson Johan , Shamshiri-Petersen Ditte , Tvinnereim Endre , Yu Ruoh-rong
Published: February 2018

Questionnaire design is routinely guided by classic experiments on question form, wording, and context conducted decades ago. This article explores whether two question order effects (one due to the norm of evenhandedness and the other due to subtraction or perceptual contrast) appear in surveys of probability samples in the United States and 11 other countries (Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom; N = 25,640). Advancing theory of question order effects, we propose necessary conditions for each effect to occur, and found that the effects occurred in the nations where these necessary conditions were met. Surprisingly, the abortion question order effect even appeared in some countries in which the necessary condition was not met, suggesting that the question order effect there (and perhaps elsewhere) was not due to subtraction or perceptual contrast. The question order effects were not moderated by education. The strength of the effect due to the norm of evenhandedness was correlated with various cultural characteristics of the nations. Strong support was observed for the form-resistant correlation hypothesis.
How High School Coursework Predicts Introductory College-Level Course Success
Authors: Woods Chenoa S. , Park Toby , Hu Shouping , Betrand Jones Tamara
Published: February 2018

Objective: In recent years, developmental education (DE) reform has led to a restructuring of the placement process, redesigning of course instructional modalities, or implementing student support services to supplement developmental coursework. In Florida, recent legislative changes allowed students to opt out of placement testing and enroll directly in college-level courses regardless of academic ability. The purpose of this study is to understand how students’ high school transcript information can be used in the academic advising process when students are no longer required to take standardized placement tests. Method: We used a combination of high school courses from statewide student-level data and conducted logistic regression analyses to understand how these courses help predict success in English Composition 1 and Intermediate Algebra. We also developed student profiles and presented predicted probabilities to illustrate how students with different combinations of high school coursework were predicted to pass their courses. Results: The results indicated that, generally, when students enrolled in introductory college-level courses, those with higher levels of high school preparation were predicted to pass at higher rates. However, even students whose coursework designated them as college-ready had predicted passing rates of 69.5% in English and 47.6% in Intermediate Algebra. Contributions: We recommend that college academic advisors use high school coursework, in addition to other factors, when advising students into courses and that advisors support students’ success by referring them to appropriate support services. We call for additional research to further understand how high school coursework can be used for flexible placement policies.
The Professional Mind-Set of City Managers: Implications for Public Administration
Authors: Reddick Christopher G. , Demir Tansu , Streib Greg
Published: February 2018

We develop a theoretical model of city manager professionalism addressing professional guidance and commitment, and four public service values: ethical solutions, neutral competence, political responsiveness, and political solutions. We tested these professionalism values on a national survey sample of city managers in the United States. Using structural equation modeling, we found evidence that professionalism acted directly on reported ethical behavior, and ethical behavior indirectly explained political responsiveness positively and political solutions negatively through neutral competence. Our analysis supports arguments that public service professionalization is possible and clarifies the pathways toward this important goal. Our study focuses on understanding how involvement in professional associations and activities relates to city manager perceptions of their own values and competence.
Hyperfunctioning Intrathyroid Parathyroid Gland: A Potential Cause of Failure in Parathyroid Surgery1
Authors: Wang Chiu-an
Published: February 2018

Four patients with hyperfunctioning intrathyroid parathyroid are reported. In each case the intrathyroid parathyroid was embedded within the thyroid parenchyma and appeared as a solitary ‘cold’ thyroid nodule by radioactive iodine scanning. It is believed that the intrathyroid parathyroid evolves as the lateral lobe of the thyroid fuses with the isthmus in the early development of the thyroid. Embryologically, an intrathyroid parathyroid is thus likely to be the superior gland. When the superior parathyroid gland is missing at the time of exploration, a nodule within the ipsilateral lobe of the thyroid may well be an intrathyroid parathyroid. Under these conditions, lobectomy for the exclusion of such a gland is mandatory.
Clinical use of Minoxidil (Loniten)
Authors: Joekes A M , Thompson F D , O'Regan P F B
Published: February 2018

The powerful peripheral vasodilator minoxidil, in a dose of 5-40 mg daily, controlled the previously refractory blood pressure in 45 out of 47 patients for periods up to fifty-seven months. The majority of the previous polypharmacy was withdrawn, leaving most of the patients taking a beta-blocking drug, minoxidil and a diuretic. Severe sodium retention leading to congestive cardiac failure necessitated the withdrawal of the drug in 3 patients. In one patient the drug was discontinued because of postural hypotension, and it was withdrawn in 2 female patients because of hirsutism. Five patients were removed from the trial as they were started on chronic maintenance haemodialysis or received a renal transplant. Significant glucose intolerance developed in one patient, requiring the addition of an oral hypoglycaemic agent. The 4 deaths that occurred were not directly related to treatment. Following the oral administration of 5 mg minoxidil, an obvious reduction in both the systolic and diastolic pressure was seen in two hours.
Hereford Hospital Prescribing Study: Description and Usefulness1
Authors: Barnett J W , Alexander A W , Hutchby J P , Wood J P , Bond B , Young D W
Published: February 2018

The mode of operation of a computer-based information system designed to link information about drug usage to diagnostic data is described. Details of the cost of this system are given. It is shown that the running costs are approximately £20 000 per year. Examples are given of the uses made of the data collected.
Potential Role of Cyclosporin a in Corneal Grafting
Authors: Hunter P A
Published: February 2018

The immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A has been shown to be effective in preventing corneal allograft reactions in rabbits when administered by intramuscular injection. However, when used systemically in man, the drug may have potentially serious side effects and a series of experiments has therefore been performed in order to investigate the use of topically applied cyclosporin A in rabbit corneal transplants. Using a single set model of the corneal allograft reaction, two groups of rabbits treated with topically applied cyclosporin A for periods of four and thirteen weeks respectively showed significantly increased graft survival compared with untreated controls (P < 0.001).
Newly Recognized Syndrome in the Neck: Horner's Syndrome with Ipsilateral Vocal Cord and Phrenic Nerve Palsies1
Authors: Payne C M E Rowland
Published: February 2018

Three patients are reported who exhibited a previously undescribed syndrome resulting from disruption of the sympathetic chain, the phrenic nerve and the innervation of the ipsilateral vocal cord. Each patient had pain in the ipsilateral shoulder and metastatic carcinoma of the breast. It is likely that this syndrome exists in association with other diseases such as carcinoma of the lung. The presence of this syndrome in patients with malignant disease has sinister significance and appears to carry a very grave prognosis.
Metrizamide Epidurography
Authors: Hamilton Gordon
Published: February 2018

The results are reported of lumbar epidurography in 110 patients suffering from low back pain. By using the water-soluble non-ionic contrast metrizamide, it has been possible to perform the examination on an outpatient basis. None of the patients has suffered from headache, nor any other complaint often associated with other diagnostic techniques which involve lumbar puncture. Epidurography is sufficiently accurate to be regarded as the examination of choice in the diagnosis of lumbar disc prolapse.