bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular mechanism driving retroperitoneal adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia in response to a high‐sugar diet
Authors: de Queiroz Karina Barbosa , Coimbra Roney Santos , Ferreira Amanda Rios , Carneiro Cláudia Martins , Paiva Nívia Carolina Nogueira , Costa Daniela Caldeira , Evangelista Elísio Alberto , Guerra‐Sá Renata
Published: August 2014

Scope

We have previously shown an increase in adipocyte size and lipid content in retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (rWAT) induced by an 8‐week high‐sugar diet (HSD). In this study, we assessed the effect of a HSD on the transcriptional activity of adipogenic genes in a time‐course study to provide insight regarding the genetic networks involved in the rWAT response to dietary sugar.

Methods and results

Weaned male Wistar rats were fed a standard chow diet or HSD (68% carbohydrates) for 4, 8 or 12 weeks, and rWAT was removed for histopathology and PCR array (adipogenesis) analyses. The HSD induced adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia in rWAT after 12 weeks of ingestion. Additionally, the HSD altered serum VLDL‐cholesterol, triacylglycerol and glucometabolic parameters. Hierarchical clustering revealed HSD‐induced changes in the expression patterns of the tested gene set. Pathway analysis, which used the enrichment analysis algorithm of the Thompson Reuters MetaCore platform, associated a cluster of differentially expressed genes with canonical pathways related to regulating adipocyte differentiation and proliferation (p‐value < 10−7).

Conclusion

HSD feeding post‐weaning increased both the adipocyte size and number by simultaneously up‐regulating pro‐adipogenic signals (the PPARγ pathway) and down‐regulating anti‐adipogenic signals (Wnt pathway) in young adults.
Nitrate and nitrite in the diet: How to assess their benefit and risk for human health
Authors: Habermeyer Michael , Roth Angelika , Guth Sabine , Diel Patrick , Engel Karl‐Heinz , Epe Bernd , Fürst Peter , Heinz Volker , Humpf Hans‐Ulrich , Joost Hans‐Georg , Knorr Dietrich , de Kok Theo , Kulling Sabine , Lampen Alfonso , Marko Doris , Rechkemmer Gerhard , Rietjens Ivonne , Stadler Richard H. , Vieths Stefan , Vogel Rudi , Steinberg Pablo , Eisenbrand Gerhard
Published: August 2014

Nitrate is a natural constituent of the human diet and an approved food additive. It can be partially converted to nitrogen monoxide, which induces vasodilation and thereby decreases blood pressure. This effect is associated with a reduced risk regarding cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Moreover, dietary nitrate has been associated with beneficial effects in patients with gastric ulcer, renal failure, or metabolic syndrome. Recent studies indicate that such beneficial health effects due to dietary nitrate may be achievable at intake levels resulting from the daily consumption of nitrate‐rich vegetables. N‐nitroso compounds are endogenously formed in humans. However, their relevance for human health has not been adequately explored up to now. Nitrate and nitrite are per se not carcinogenic, but under conditions that result in endogenous nitrosation, it cannot be excluded that ingested nitrate and nitrite may lead to an increased cancer risk and may probably be carcinogenic to humans. In this review, the known beneficial and detrimental health effects related to dietary nitrate/nitrite intake are described and the identified gaps in knowledge as well as the research needs required to perform a reliable benefit/risk assessment in terms of long‐term human health consequences due to dietary nitrate/nitrite intake are presented.
Curcumin enhances cell‐surface LDLR level and promotes LDL uptake through downregulation of PCSK9 gene expression in HepG2 cells
Authors: Tai Mi‐Hsueh , Chen Po‐Kong , Chen Pei‐Yi , Wu Ming‐Jiuan , Ho Chi‐Tang , Yen Jui‐Hung
Published: August 2014

Scope

Curcumin has been demonstrated as having numerous desirable characteristics, such as antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antiatherogenic activities. We report the hypocholesterolemic effect and molecular mechanism of curcumin.

Methods and results

We found that curcumin enhanced LDL receptor (LDLR) level on the cell surface, as well as LDLR activity; however, LDLR transcription and mRNA stability were not affected. Furthermore, we found that proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) gene was downregulated at the transcriptional level by curcumin, leading to an increase in LDL uptake in HepG2 cells. The curcumin‐responsive element of the PCSK9 promoter, a binding site for hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α (HNF‐1α), was also identified. We demonstrated that curcumin reduced the nuclear abundance of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α, resulting in its attenuated interaction with the PCSK9 promoter and leading to a downregulation of PCSK9 expression. Finally, we showed that curcumin decreased the statin‐induced PCSK9 expression and potentially synergized with statin administration.

Conclusion

Current results indicate that curcumin suppression of PCSK9 expression is associated with increases in cell‐surface LDLR and LDLR activity in hepatic cells and it acts in a molecular mechanism that is distinct from the statins. Curcumin exhibits hypolipidemic activity and may serve as a useful supplement to statin treatment for hypercholesterolemia.
ADE‐WCS‐FDTD method for general dispersive materials and PML implementation
Authors: Liang Feng , Chen Aobo , Zhao Deshuang , Wang Bing‐Zhong
Published: August 2014

An auxiliary differential equation (ADE) based weakly conditionally stable finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) method is presented for analysis of wave propagation in general hybrid dispersive materials. The perfectly matched layer is implemented in this novel scheme. Larger time step can be used and hence higher computational efficiency is obtained in this approach, as compared to conventional ADE‐FDTD method. Two numerical examples are included to verify the performances of the proposed algorithm. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2489–2495, 2014
A V‐band frequency quadrupler using subharmonic injection‐locked oscillator with push–push technique
Authors: Zhang Bo , Chou Min‐Li , Huang Fan‐Hsiu
Published: August 2014

A V‐band frequency quadrupler with high output power characteristic has been implemented and fabricated using 0.15 µm GaAs pHEMT technology. This quadrupler circuit is achieved by a second‐order subharmonic injection‐locked oscillator and a push–push frequency doubler as the output buffer. The free‐running oscillation frequency of the core oscillator is around 35 GHz with a tuning range of 3.25 GHz covering from 33.25 to 36.5 GHz. Using push–push circuit to be a frequency doubler under a proper bias condition, an optimized second harmonic signal can be accomplished with high harmonic suppression. The frequency of output signal in the quadrupler can present a wide tuning range from 66.5 to 73 GHz, and the maximum output power is −1.25 dBm with total dc consumption of 56 mW. With injecting a second‐order subharmonic signal into the core oscillator, the circuit exhibits an injection locking with an output locking range of about 1.6 GHz from 69.2 to 70.8 GHz. The output phase noise for 70‐GHz signal can be improved better than −105 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz frequency offset when the injected signal power is higher than 0 dBm. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2473–2480, 2014
Short range continuous wave radar for target detection in various mediums
Authors: Tauqeer Tauseef , Islam Maira , Aziz A. K.
Published: August 2014

This article presents simulation and hardware implementation of a low cost radar that can be used as a speed sensor or a metal detector. The overall hardware costs only U.S. $25 and has maximum free space range of 3.65 m. Its underground range is 4.3 cm under wet soil conditions with free space distance of 50 cm above ground. The proposed model provides a basis for designing a mine detector based on the amplitude of the reflected wave. As the frequency of the wave or the water content of the ground increases, the amplitude of the reflected wave decreases making the detection difficult. A comparison between different attenuations offered to the signal under different soil conditions and different Target's materials is presented. The frequency selected for the design implementation was 10.525 GHz. A speed sensor module, HB100 miniature microwave motion sensor was used to sense the reflected wave and was interfaced with a frequency meter implemented using a microcontroller. The module transmitted a continuous wave with amplitude of 15 dBm. The wave reflected from the target was received by module's receiving antenna. It was amplified using a noninverting amplifier and was converted to pulses using a comparator. These pulses were fed to the in‐house microcontroller‐based frequency meter, and the speed of the target was observed on the LCD interfaced. Complete ground modeling for different water content and free space modeling was also done. The proposed model provides a low cost stand‐alone implementation of the overall radar. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2484–2489, 2014
Ground‐embedded dual‐slot perturbation for switchable circularly polarized microstrip antenna
Authors: Kim Jongmyun , Kim Nam , Pyo Seongmin
Published: August 2014

This article reports a new ground‐embedded dual‐slot perturbation for a reconfigurable circularly polarized microstrip antenna. The perturbation consists of the small inner and the large outer slots with two PIN diodes in one diagonal corner for generating and alternating right‐/left‐handed circular polarization, respectively. The measured results of the implemented antenna which used the ground‐embedded dual slot show an agreement with the simulation and successfully demonstrate circularly‐polarized radiations with good controllability. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2537–2539, 2014
Wideband circularly polarized SIW antenna
Authors: Gao Fei , Zhang Fushun , Lu Lu , Jiao Yong‐Chang
Published: August 2014

A broadband right hand circularly polarized antenna based on a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) structure is proposed and experimentally investigated. A novel feeding transition from stripline to SIW introduces the proximity coupling method in SIW structure for meliorating the operating bandwidth. Multiple circularly polarized modes are generated to improve the axial ratio (AR) bandwidth without sacrificing the self‐consistent electrical shielding property. As a result, it is experimentally proved that an impedance bandwidth of 25.6% and an AR bandwidth of 12% have been obtained in X‐band. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2539–2542, 2014
Enhancement of sensitivity of RF modules for wireless health care and home security systems
Authors: Lin Yo‐Sheng , Liang Hsiao‐Bin , Lin Meng‐Chinh , Wang Chi‐Hsiung
Published: August 2014

An effective way to enhance the sensitivity of an RF module for wireless health care (and home security) products is reported. The RF module (followed by a microcontroller unit) consists of an RF front‐end, an radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and a baseband data recovery circuit (DRC). The RF front‐end comprises a power amplifier (PA) output matching network to enhance the output power of the PA, and a low‐noise amplifier (LNA) input matching network to improve the sensitivity of the LNA. The baseband DRC comprises a multiple feedback low‐pass filter to suppress out‐of‐channel noise/interference, and a comparator for rail‐to‐rail digital data recovery. This in turn results in an enormous enhancement of sensitivity (or operation range) of wireless health care (and home security) products equipped with this RF module. Compared with an RF module without the proposed DRC, a 10 dB improvement in sensitivity (from −106 to −116 dB) is achieved. Furthermore, RF field test of a wireless health care product (both with and without the proposed DRC in its RF module) shows a more than 100% enhancement in the wireless operation range (from 150 m to more than 300 m) and a 10‐dB improvement in adjacent channel selectivity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2563–2568, 2014
Electromagnetic simulation of VLSI circuits by the modified ADI‐FDTD method
Authors: Hwang Jiunn‐Nan , Chen Fu‐Chiarng
Published: August 2014

The alternating direction implicit (ADI) finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) method can be used to simulate very large scale integration (VLSI) circuits efficiently as the time step is not restricted by the Courant–Friedrich–Levy stability condition. When the Berenger's split‐field perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundary condition is used for the ADI‐FDTD method for open region simulation, the PML implementation will make this scheme unstable. In this article, the modified PML conductivity profiles are proposed to improve the stability of this scheme. Numerical simulations of the VLSI interconnect and RF inductor in time domain and frequency domain will be demonstrated to show the efficiency and accuracy of this method. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2530–2534, 2014
Determination of the complex permittivity of microfluids in a microstrip geometry
Authors: Schwartz Joshua D.
Published: August 2014

A novel configuration for estimating the broadband permittivity of small fluid volumes is presented using 2‐port S‐parameters. Unlike previous demonstrations in coplanar technology, our proposal places the analyte under a microstrip trace where better field overlap with the fluid improves device sensitivity. Fluid parameter estimates based on simulation are presented. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2604–2608, 2014
A CMOS transceiver for implantable cardioverter telemetry service
Authors: Kim Jin‐Sup , Choi Se‐Hwan , Shin Hyunchol
Published: August 2014

A CMOS transceiver is designed and fabricated for implantable cardioverter telemetry service. For the image rejection, a complex filter is used in the receiver instead of the conventional image rejection mixer type. Low power consumption is essential for the implantable medical service, thus the RF blocks such as the low noise amplifier, voltage controlled oscillator, and frequency synthesizer are designed by focusing on the low power operation. The transceiver is implemented in 0.18‐µm CMOS process, and operates with a single 1.8‐V supply. The sensitivity is −85 dBm. The phase noise characteristic of frequency synthesizer is −87 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset frequency. Maximum output power of the transmitter is −2.8 dBm. The transceiver achieves 500 kbps maximum data rate with 22 mW power consumption. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2580–2582, 2014
Refractive index sensor based on Mach–Zehnder interferometer formed by two cascaded single mode fiber corners
Authors: Shi Qingguo , Chen Daru , Jiang Xiaogang , Peng Baojin , Lei Xueqin
Published: August 2014

We reported a novel fiber sensor based on two cascaded single mode fiber corners, which has a high sensitivity for refractive index (RI) sensing and a low temperature crosstalk. RI sensing was experimentally demonstrated with an average sensitivity of 235 nm/RI unit in a RI range from 1.333 to 1.418, which is relatively high among the previously reported similar fiber sensors (e.g., it is about 10 times higher than that of the normal two or three‐cascaded‐taper based Mach–Zehnder interferometer). The proposed RI sensor was fabricated by fiber fusion splicer, where the fiber corner was fabricated by splicing the two overlapping single mode fibers, which ensures that the proposed RI sensor is compact and strong. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2642–2645, 2014
Extremely UWB/multiresonance monopole antenna with dual band‐notched function
Authors: Ebadzadeh S. R. , Nourinia J. , Ghobadi Ch.
Published: August 2014

In this article, a new design of multiresonance ultrawideband microstrip monopole antenna with dual band‐notched function is presented. The proposed antenna consists of an elliptical ground plane, a tapered microstrip feed‐line, and a circular radiating patch with an arc‐shaped slot and a pair of step‐shaped slits. The measured results reveal that the presented antenna offers a very wide bandwidth which provides a wide usable fractional bandwidth of more than 170% (2.2–28.4) with two notched bands that covering all the 5.2/5.8 GHz wireless local area network, and 4 GHz C‐bands. The designed antenna has small dimensions and is easy to fabricate. Simulated and experimental results for the designed antenna show that the proposed monopole antenna has good radiation behaviour within its operation frequency band. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2628–2630, 2014
Design of tunable optimal load circuit for maximum wireless power transfer efficiency
Authors: Jung Youn‐Kwon , Lee Bomson
Published: August 2014

A tunable optimal load circuit (OLC) for maximum wireless power transfer efficiency is presented for a magnetically coupled resonant system at 13.56 MHz. The OLC is required to transform the standardized 50 Ω receiver impedance to an optimal load to achieve maximum efficiency without using cumbersome feeding loops. The OLC based on a lumped‐element impedance converter is fabricated on a FR‐4 substrate. The size of the OLC is 25 × 50 mm. The series branch of the OLC is composed of a tunable series capacitor block and an inductor. The shunt branch of the OLC consists of a varactor and a capacitor block with switches. The theoretical and experimental results both showed that even though the loss in the inductor somewhat limits the achievable maximum efficiency, the efficiency with OLC is significantly enhanced compared with that without OLC. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2619–2622, 2014
Wideband impedance transformer with out‐of‐band suppression characteristics
Authors: Kim Phirun , Chaudhary Girdhari , Jeong Yongchae
Published: August 2014

This article presents the design of a wideband impedance transformer with out‐of‐band suppression characteristics. The out‐of‐band suppression characteristics are obtained by loading several transmission zeros at both the lower and upper stop‐bands. For experimental validation, a 50‐to‐25 Ω transformer has been implemented at a center frequency (f0) of 2.6 GHz. The measured results were in good agreement with simulations, showing a return loss better than 20 dB over 0.92 GHz (2.1–3.02 GHz) and an out‐of‐band suppression better than 18 dB over DC to 1.42 and 3.8 to 6.65 GHz. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2612–2616, 2014
Radio channel characterization for bluetooth communication systems onboard commercial aircrafts
Authors: Azpilicueta Leire , López Iturri Peio , Aguirre Erik , Falcone Francisco
Published: August 2014

In this article, a model based on a three dimensional ray‐launching algorithm is developed to analyze the behavior of a bluetooth system within a commercial aircraft. Results show that the use of deterministic techniques for radio planning purposes can aid to enhance the overall system efficiency. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2660–2664, 2014
Photonic phase stabilizing for fiber‐radio transmission using semiconductor optical amplifier
Authors: Chen Han , Sun Mingming , Sun Xiaohan
Published: August 2014

A novel optically controlled microwave phase stabilizing method based on semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is presented and the theoretical fundamentals of the design are explained. A prototype with a frequency of 10 GHz is experimentally demonstrated. It provides a stable phase drift that can be linearly compensated over 10 km single‐mode fiber with a single sideband phase noise below −100 dBc/Hz at an offset of 10 kHz by tuning the SOA injection current. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2745–2748, 2014
The influence of the deformation of a mobile phone on its antenna perfomance
Authors: Zhao Anping
Published: August 2014

In this article, the performance of a quad‐band GSM antenna affected by the bending and twisting deformation of a mobile phone is investigated. The study is based on a system printed wire board model containing two rigid parts at the two ends and one flexible part in the central, and the bending and twisting deformations occur mainly within the central part. It is shown that the antenna performance caused by this deformation can be ignored once the metallic back cover of the flexible display is properly shorted to the system ground plane. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2722–2725, 2014
Balanced UTE‐SSFP for 19F MR imaging of complex spectra
Authors: Goette Matthew J. , Keupp Jochen , Rahmer Jürgen , Lanza Gregory M. , Wickline Samuel A. , Caruthers Shelton D.
Published: August 2014

Purpose

A novel technique for highly sensitive detection of multiresonant fluorine imaging agents was designed and tested with the use of dual‐frequency 19F/1H ultrashort echo times (UTE) sampled with a balanced steady‐state free precession (SSFP) pulse sequence and three‐dimensional (3D) radial readout.

Methods

Feasibility of 3D radial balanced UTE‐SSFP imaging was demonstrated for a phantom comprising liquid perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB). Sensitivity of the pulse sequence was measured and compared with other sequences imaging the PFOB (CF2)6 line group including UTE radial gradient‐echo (GRE) at α = 30°, as well as Cartesian GRE, balanced SSFP, and fast spin‐echo (FSE). The PFOB CF3 peak was also sampled with FSE.

Results

The proposed balanced UTE‐SSFP technique exhibited a relative detection sensitivity of 51
min−1/2 (α = 30°), at least twice that of other sequence types with either 3D radial (UTE GRE: 20
min−1/2) or Cartesian k‐space filling (GRE: 12
min−1/2; FSE: 16
min−1/2; balanced SSFP: 23
min−1/2). In vivo imaging of angiogenesis‐targeted PFOB nanoparticles was demonstrated in a rabbit model of cancer on a clinical 3 Tesla scanner.

Conclusion

A new dual 19F/1H balanced UTE‐SSFP sequence manifests high SNR, with detection sensitivity more than two‐fold better than traditional techniques, and alleviates imaging problems caused by dephasing in complex spectra. Magn Reson Med 74:537–543, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Proteomics in mechanistic toxicology: History, concepts, achievements, caveats, and potential
Authors: Rabilloud Thierry , Lescuyer Pierre
Published: August 2014

Toxicoproteomics can be defined as the application of proteomic approaches to the understanding of toxicology problems, and this review deals with the various types of applications that have been described in the literature. Toxicoproteomics has been applied to very different classes of toxicants, from drugs and natural products to metals, or from industrial chemicals to nanoparticles and nanofibers. It has also been applied to address questions at different levels, from the search of the primary molecular targets of toxicants to the deciphering of the molecular responses of cells and tissues to toxicants. Although restricted to mammalian cells and tissues, this paper reviews these two levels of investigation and the different application areas of toxicoproteomics, leading to the discussion of the advantages and drawbacks of the most popular proteomic platforms. Some of the pending questions in toxicoproteomics are also critically addressed, such as the specificity, validation, and result hierarchization issues. The question of shared mechanisms, which are encountered in many toxicoproteomic papers dealing with different toxicants, is also discussed. Finally, the future of toxicoproteomics is briefly outlined.
Conformational plasticity of the Ebola virus matrix protein
Authors: Radzimanowski Jens , Effantin Gregory , Weissenhorn Winfried
Published: August 2014

Filoviruses are the causative agents of a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever with repeated outbreaks in Africa. They are negative sense single stranded enveloped viruses that can cross species barriers from its natural host bats to primates including humans. The small size of the genome poses limits to viral adaption, which may be partially overcome by conformational plasticity. Here we review the different conformational states of the Ebola virus (EBOV) matrix protein VP40 that range from monomers, to dimers, hexamers, and RNA‐bound octamers. This conformational plasticity that is required for the viral life cycle poses a unique opportunity for development of VP40 specific drugs. Furthermore, we compare the structure to homologous matrix protein structures from Paramyxoviruses and Bornaviruses and we predict that they do not only share the fold but also the conformational flexibility of EBOV VP40.
Fault detection and isolation for nonlinear systems via high‐order‐sliding‐mode multiple‐observer
Authors: Ríos H. , Davila J. , Fridman L. , Edwards C.
Published: August 2014

In this paper, fault detection and isolation problems are studied for a certain class of nonlinear systems. Under some structural conditions, multiple high‐order sliding‐mode observers are proposed. The value of the equivalent output injection is used for detecting faults and the multiple‐model approach for isolating particular faults in the system. The proposed method provides fast detection and isolation of actuator and plant faults. Simulation results support the proposed approach. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Frameworks Shaping an Online Professional Development Program for K–12 Teachers of ELLs: Toward Supporting the Sharing of Ideas for Empowering Classroom Teachers Online
Authors: Smith Sedef Uzuner
Published: August 2014

In efforts to maintain America's global competitiveness in the knowledge‐based economy, teacher professional development has moved to center stage. With increasing numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in U.S. schools, several states have adopted mandatory professional development for classroom teachers to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to shape these students' future capacity to contribute to the well‐being of the country. This article starts by addressing the question of whether using online delivery for teachers' professional development is a more viable option than using school‐ or site‐based programs. It then describes the frameworks that guided the design and organizational structures of an online teacher development program for K–12 teachers of ELLs. Insights shared in this article might serve as guidelines for framing the implementation of similar programs that aim to create empowered teachers who know how to work with ELLs.
Global Englishes, Translinguistic Identities, and Translingual Practices in a Community College ESL Classroom: A Practitioner Researcher Reports
Authors: Jain Rashi
Published: August 2014

English as a second language (ESL) classrooms in the United States increasingly include students who have had exposure to more than one global context of English. Unless explicitly discussed, the variations within global Englishes can lead to confusion and obstruct learning. In addition, sometimes teachers fail to acknowledge the Englishes that their students bring into the classrooms as valid and valuable, and miss an opportunity to teach their students even more effectively. Teachers who are themselves familiar with global contexts of English can draw upon their own translingual practices and translinguistic identities to validate their students' Englishes while teaching the target variety and developing their students' translingual competence. Translingualism in TESOL is emerging as a new paradigm, and the advances that have been made in theorization about translingual practices need to be supplemented with translingual pedagogies. In response, this article presents a practitioner research report on teaching ESL in a community college from a translingual perspective, and offers snapshots of classroom discussions around variations in postcolonial Englishes. The author emphasizes the need for teachers to acknowledge and validate the Englishes and translinguistic identities present in their classrooms, and shares implications for ESL practitioners' professional development, teacher education programs, as well as practitioner research.
The Making of an International Educator: Transnationalism and Nonnativeness in English Teaching and Learning
Authors: Solano‐Campos Ana
Published: August 2014

In the last decade, international teacher recruitment has accounted for an unprecedented number of nonnative‐English‐speaking teachers (NNESTs) from around the world hired to work in public schools in urban areas in the United States. However, the worldwide trend of international teacher recruitment, and its implications for issues of language, power, and identity involving NNESTs in the United States, continue to be an underrepresented area of study. In this article, the author looks at her own journey as a Costa Rican English teaching professional recruited to work as a teacher of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) in the United States. Using critical applied linguistics, she framed this study within the theories of linguistic imperialism and World Englishes. Through autoethnography, and more specifically narrative inquiry, she illuminates the local processes of socialization and globalization that contributed to her participation in the phenomena of international teacher recruitment, and reflects on her contestation and appropriation of the various linguistic and racial positionings that she experienced as a NNEST from Latin America in the United States and back in her country of origin. This article portrays the process of boundary‐crossing and identity expansion of one NNEST going back and forth between countries in the expanding and inner circles of World Englishes.
Fairness Issues in a Standardized English Test for Nonnative Speakers of English
Authors: Puspawati Indah
Published: August 2014

For nonnative English speakers, taking a standardized English proficiency test seems inevitable, because the scores achieved play an important role in such life events as admission to a school, gaining a scholarship, or securing a job. Considering their importance, it is imperative that such tests be not only valid and reliable, but also fair. Test takers' perceptions about such tests can provide empirical evidence on the social dimension of tests—a fundamental aspect of tests' validity and fairness. In the study described in this article, 13 international student teachers from diverse backgrounds at a mid‐sized university in the northeastern United States participated in focus group discussions designed to elicit their individual experiences of taking the TOEFL test. Results reveal perceived degrees of fairness and the participants' opinions of the reasons for unfairness. Findings suggest that tasks presented in English proficiency tests could be more finely tuned to accommodate the cultural differences of the test takers so their actual English proficiency can be more accurately measured. The article concludes with suggestions on how fairness issues in English proficiency tests can be better addressed.
Multimodal Concept Drawings: EngagingEALLearners in Brainstorming About Course Terms
Authors: Amicucci Ann N. , Lassiter Tracy
Published: August 2014

The authors describe a multimodal concept drawing activity designed to facilitate students' understanding of terms used within an assignment in a first‐year college writing course. In this activity, students write ideas, read definitions, study images, and create multimodal representations of a term in groups of classroom peers. The activity allows students of English as an additional language (EAL) with varying levels of English proficiency to engage with course terms and gives multilingual and monolingual students the opportunity to co‐construct knowledge.
Soil microarthropods in non‐intervention montane spruce forest regenerating after bark‐beetle outbreak
Authors: Farská Jitka , Prejzková Kristýna , Starý Josef , Rusek Josef
Published: August 2014

We studied Oribatida and Collembola in an old‐growth Norway spruce (Picea abies) forest that suffered a massive bark beetle (Ips typographus) outbreak in the 1990s and gradually decayed. It was left to regenerate naturally without human intervention. There was a high abundance of a few tolerant species and lower numbers of sensitive silvicolous ones. The most dominant species were Tectocepheus velatus, Platynothrus peltifer and Isotomiella minor. Although the details, which determine the identity of successful species, remain unknown, parthenogenesis, high reproduction rate and detrito‐ or detritofungivorous feeding were the common features of the most dominant species in our study. Trait assessment showed an overall predominance of parthenogenesis and high abundance of detritivorous oribatids. The soil functions connected with Oribatida and Collembola seem to be still affected by the bark‐beetle outbreak and our results indicate that the disturbance caused important changes in the functioning of the whole soil ecosystem.
Muscle wasting: an overview of recent developments in basic research
Authors: Palus Sandra , von Haehling Stephan , Springer Jochen
Published: August 2014

The syndrome of cachexia, i.e., involuntary weight loss in patients with underlying diseases, sarcopenia, i.e., loss of muscle mass due to aging, and general muscle atrophy from disuse and/or prolonged bed rest have received more attention over the last decades. All lead to a higher morbidity and mortality in patients, and therefore, they represent a major socio‐economic burden for the society today. This mini‐review looks at recent developments in basic research that are relevant to the loss of skeletal muscle. It aims to cover the most significant publication of last 3 years on the causes and effects of muscle wasting, new targets for therapy development, and potential biomarkers for assessing skeletal muscle mass. The targets include the following: (1) E‐3 ligases TRIM32, SOCS1, and SOCS3 by involving the elongin BC ubiquitin‐ligase, Cbl‐b, culling 7, Fbxo40, MG53 (TRIM72), and the mitochondrial Mul1; (2) the kinase MST1; and (3) the G‐protein Gαi2. D(3)‐creatine has the potential to be used as a novel biomarker that allows to monitor actual change in skeletal muscle mass over time. In conclusion, significant development efforts are being made by academic groups as well as numerous pharmaceutical companies to identify new target and biomarker muscles, as muscle wasting represents a great medical need, but no therapies have been approved in the last decades.
Technology for learning: how it has changed education
Authors: Dankbaar Mary E. W. , De Jong Peter G. M.
Published: August 2014

None
Cost of borderline personality disorder in Catalonia (Spain)
Authors: Salvador-Carulla L. , Bendeck M. , Ferrer M. , Andión Ó. , Aragonès E. , Casas M.
Published: August 2014

Introduction

The available information on the cost of illness of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is overtly insufficient for policy planning. Our aim was to estimate the costs of illness for BPD in Catalonia (Spain) for 2006.

Methods

This is a multilevel cross-design synthesis study combining a qualitative nominal approach, quantitative ‘top-down’ analysis of multiple health databases, and ‘bottom-up’ data of local surveys. Both direct and indirect costs have been estimated from a governmental and societal perspective.

Results

Estimated year-prevalence of BPD was 0.7% (41,921 cases), but only 9.6% of these cases were treated in the mental health system (4033 cases). The baseline of the total cost of BPD in Catalonia was 45.6 million €, of which 15.8 million € (34.7%) were direct costs related to mental health care. The cost distribution was 0.4% in primary care; 4% in outpatient mental health care; 4.7% in hospitalisation; 0.7% in emergency care; and 24.9% in pharmacotherapy. Additionally, the cost of drug addiction treatment for persons with BPD was 11.2%; costs associated with sheltered employment were 23.9% and those of crime and justice were 9.7%. Indirect costs – including temporary sick leave and premature death (suicide) – represented 20.5% of total costs. The average annual cost per patient was 11,308 €.

Conclusions

An under-reporting of BPD was identified by the experts in all health databases and official registries. Most of the BPD costs were not related to mental health care. Amongst the direct cost categories, pharmacotherapy had the largest proportion despite the lack of specificity for BPD. This distribution of costs reinforces the idea of BPD complexity related to an inadequate and inefficient use of health resources.
Heterologous expression of AtPAP2 in transgenic potato influences carbon metabolism and tuber development
Authors: Zhang Youjun , Sun Feng , Fettke Joerg , Schöttler Mark Aurel , Ramsden Lawrence , Fernie Alisdair R. , Lim Boon Leong
Published: August 2014

Changes in carbon flow and sink/source activities can affect floral, architectural, and reproductive traits of plants. In potato, overexpression (OE) of the purple acid phosphatase 2 of Arabidopsis (AtPAP2) resulted in earlier flowering, faster growth rate, increased tubers and tuber starch content, and higher photosynthesis rate. There was a significant change in sucrose, glucose and fructose levels in leaves, phloem and sink biomass of the OE lines, consistent with an increased expression of sucrose transporter 1 (StSUT1). Furthermore, the expression levels and enzyme activity of sucrose‐phosphate synthase (SPS) were also significantly increased in the OE lines. These findings strongly suggest that higher carbon supply from the source and improved sink strength can improve potato tuber yield.
Impaired cerebral angiogenesis in the fetal lamb model of persistent pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Cohen Susan S. , Powers Bethany R. , Lerch‐Gaggl Alexandra , Teng Ru‐Jeng , Konduri Girija Ganesh
Published: August 2014

Background

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is associated with increased risk of neuro‐developmental impairments. Whether relative fetal hypoxia during evolution of PPHN renders the fetal brain vulnerable to perinatal brain injury remains unclear. We hypothesized that in utero ductal constriction, which induces PPHN also impairs cerebral angiogenesis.

Methods

Fetal lambs with PPHN induced by prenatal ligation of the ductus arteriosus were compared to gestation matched twin controls. Freshly collected or fixed brain specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, and RT‐PCR.

Results

Cortical capillary density was decreased in PPHN lambs compared to controls (Glut‐1, isolectin B‐4 and factor VIII, n = 6, p < 0.05). Hypoxia inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein levels were decreased in cortical cell lysates of PPHN lambs. PPHN increased angiopoetin‐1 (Ang‐1) and tyrosine‐protein kinase receptor (Tie‐2) protein expression while angiopoetin‐2 (Ang‐2) protein levels were decreased (n = 6, p < 0.05). PPHN did not change mRNA levels of these proteins significantly (n = 6).

Conclusions

PPHN decreased cortical capillary density in fetal lamb brain. PPHN decreased the expression of proteins involved in angiogenesis. These findings suggest that PPHN is associated with impaired cortical angiogenesis.
Aurora‐A enhances malignant development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by phosphorylating β‐catenin
Authors: Jin Shunqian , Wang Xiaoxia , Tong Tong , Zhang Dongdong , Shi Ji , Chen Jie , Zhan Qimin
Published: August 2014

The Aurora‐A gene encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase that is frequently overexpressed in several types of human tumors. The overexpression of Aurora‐A has been observed to associate with the grades of differentiation, invasive capability and distant lymph node metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the molecular mechanism by which Aurora‐A promotes malignant development of ESCC is still largely unknown. In this study, we show that Aurora‐A overexpression enhances tumor cell invasion and metastatic potential in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, Aurora‐A overexpression inhibits the degradation of β‐catenin, promotes its dissociation from cell–cell contacts and increases its nuclear translocation. We also demonstrate for the first time that Aurora‐A directly interacts with β‐catenin and phosphorylates β‐catenin at Ser552 and Ser675. Substitutions of serine residue with alanine at single or both positions substantially attenuate Aurora‐A‐mediated stabilization of β‐catenin, abolish its cytosolic and nuclear localization as well as transcriptional activity. In addition, Aurora‐A overexpression is significantly correlated with increased cytoplasmic β‐catenin expression in ESCC tissues. In view of our results, we propose that Aurora‐A‐mediated phosphorylation of β‐catenin is a novel mechanism of malignancy development of tumor.
Emerging uses of patient generated health data in clinical research
Authors: Wood William A. , Bennett Antonia V. , Basch Ethan
Published: August 2014

Recent advancements in consumer directed personal computing technology have led to the generation of biomedically‐relevant data streams with potential health applications. This has catalyzed international interest in Patient Generated Health Data (PGHD), defined as “health‐related data – including health history, symptoms, biometric data, treatment history, lifestyle choices, and other information‐created, recorded, gathered, or inferred by or from patients or their designees (i.e. care partners or those who assist them) to help address a health concern.”(Shapiro et al., 2012) PGHD offers several opportunities to improve the efficiency and output of clinical trials, particularly within oncology. These range from using PGHD to understand mechanisms of action of therapeutic strategies, to understanding and predicting treatment‐related toxicity, to designing interventions to improve adherence and clinical outcomes. To facilitate the optimal use of PGHD, methodological research around considerations related to feasibility, validation, measure selection, and modeling of PGHD streams is needed. With successful integration, PGHD can catalyze the application of “big data” to cancer clinical research, creating both “n of 1” and population‐level observations, and generating new insights into the nature of health and disease.
Osteoporosis in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Bauman William A. , Cardozo Christopher P.
Published: August 2014

The pathophysiology, clinical considerations, and relevant experimental findings with regard to osteoporosis in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) will be discussed. The bone loss that occurs acutely after more neurologically motor complete SCI is unique for its sublesional skeletal distribution and rate, at certain skeletal sites approaching 1% of bone mineral density per week, and its resistance to currently available treatments. The areas of high bone loss include the distal femur, proximal tibia, and more distal boney sites. Evidence from a study performed in monozygotic twins discordant for SCI indicates that sublesional bone loss in the twin with SCI increases for several decades, strongly suggesting that the heightened net bone loss after SCI may persist for an extended period of time. The increased frequency of fragility fracture after paralysis will be discussed, and a few risk factors for such fractures after SCI will be examined. Because vitamin D deficiency, regardless of disability, is a relevant consideration for bone health, as well as an easily reversible condition, the increased prevalence of and treatment target values for vitamin D in this deficiency state in the SCI population will be reviewed. Pharmacological and mechanical approaches to preserving bone integrity in persons with acute and chronic SCI will be reviewed, with emphasis placed on efficacy and practicality. Emerging osteoanabolic agents that improve functioning of WNT/β‐catenin signaling after paralysis will be introduced as therapeutic interventions that may hold promise.
The re-regulation of the Italian university system through quality assurance. A mechanistic perspective
Authors: Capano Giliberto
Published: August 2014

This paper traces the developments of quality assurance in the Italian university system since the early 1990s. Based on the theoretical assumption that the ‘quality assurance’ label covers a wide range of different mixes of policy tools by means of which governments regulate (substantially at a distance) the systemic dynamics of their university systems, this paper adopts a mechanistic perspective in order to show how the Italian version of quality assurance, and of the respective NPM policy tools, has been significantly affected by the ambiguity of governments’ approaches to the question, and by the basic inability of universities to perform as corporate actors. This has resulted in quality assurance policy becoming yet another set of formal rules to be complied with, and has had the effect of partially re-centralizing the governance of the entire university system.
Linear difference equations, frieze patterns, and the combinatorial Gale transform
Authors: MORIER-GENOUD SOPHIE , OVSIENKO VALENTIN , EVAN SCHWARTZ RICHARD , TABACHNIKOV SERGE
Published: August 2014

We study the space of linear difference equations with periodic coefficients and (anti)periodic solutions. We show that this space is isomorphic to the space of tame frieze patterns and closely related to the moduli space of configurations of points in the projective space. We define the notion of a combinatorial Gale transform, which is a duality between periodic difference equations of different orders. We describe periodic rational maps generalizing the classical Gauss map.
Policy, Office and Votes: The Electoral Value of Ministerial Office
Authors: Martin Shane
Published: August 2014

Parties are not unitary actors, and legislators within the same party may have divergent interests, which complicates the understanding of parties’ motivations and behaviour. This article argues that holding a ministerial portfolio confers an electoral advantage, and so, in contrast to their co-partisans, politicians who are ministers simultaneously maximize policy, office and votes. New data on Irish elections over a thirty-year period show that ministers are insulated from the electoral cost of governing compared with their co-partisans. Differentiating between ministers and their co-partisans helps to resolve the puzzle of political parties’ choosing to enter government despite the evident electoral costs they will encounter. Moreover, previously overlooked electoral benefits of ministerial office help explain their desirability, and thus their ability to incentivize legislative behaviour in parliamentary regimes.
Property Investment
Authors: Paterson M. D.
Published: August 2014

This paper is the second edition of a paper presented last winter to the Glasgow Actuarial Students' Society and the Faculty of Actuaries Students' Society. It has been written with a view to giving some information to those who have no experience at all of property investment and also to stimulate discussion among the actuarial investment pundits. It has been written in the context of investment by old established Life Offices and large Pension Funds only (referred to as ‘Institutions’) unless the text states otherwise.

Part I is on similar lines to Binns, Chapter 16. Part II pursues some aspects in greater detail and is rather more opinionated, and it is hoped that those with experience of property investing will, in discussion, rise to the baits offered.