bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knee Osteoarthritis after Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy: Prevalence and Progression of Radiographic Changes after 5 to 12 Years Compared with Contralateral Knee
Authors: Longo Umile Giuseppe , Ciuffreda Mauro , Candela Vincenzo , Rizzello Giacomo , D'Andrea Valerio , Mannering Nicholas , Berton Alessandra , Salvatore Giuseppe , Denaro Vincenzo
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this study was to study the clinical and radiographic changes in the knee after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) at a long-term follow-up compared with the contralateral knee. We assessed 57 patients (38 males and 19 females) with pre- and postoperative weight-bearing radiography with a follow-up ranging from 5.1 to 12.1 years (mean: 8.1) to analyze prevalence and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA) after APM. We stratified patients according to body mass index (BMI), type of lesion (degenerative vs. traumatic), and side of meniscectomy (medial, lateral, and medial plus lateral). Patients were evaluated both clinically with Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score and radiographically with the Kellgren and Lawrence (K/L) score. Radiographic OA was defined as K/L grade 2 or worse. The prevalence of knee OA was 62.69% in the tibiofemoral compartment. The progression of knee OA was statistically significant, ranging from 17.2% preoperatively to 65.95% postoperatively (p = 0.001) in the medial compartment and from 17.64% preoperatively to 58.82% postoperatively (p = 0.0324) in the lateral compartment. The progression of knee OA in the patellofemoral compartment ranged from 5.26 to 42.10% (p = 0.001). The OA progression regarding BMI was higher into the obese group than the normal-weight group and greater in the degenerative group than the traumatic one. The mean KOOS was 72.01 and the mean WOMAC was 73.84. The Spearman's test showed a statistical significance between clinical and radiographic results. Patients in the obese, overweight, and degenerative tear group had a greater predisposition to OA in the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral compartments after meniscectomy. The level of evidence is III, retrospective study.
Factors Known to Influence the Development of Necrotizing Enterocolitis to Modify Expression and Activity of Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase in a Newborn Neonatal Rat Model
Authors: Rentea Rebecca , Rentea Matthea , Biesterveld Ben , Liedel Jennifer , Gourlay David
Published: May 2018

Introduction Prematurity, formula feeding, and early weaning strongly influence enterocyte differentiation. Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), an endogenous protein expressed in the intestines, is one enzyme that is affected by these factors. IAP supplementation decreases the severity of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) injury. We, therefore, hypothesized that prematurity predisposes this population to NEC due to IAP deficiency and investigated IAP expression and function in a neonatal rat model.

Materials and Methods Pre- and full-term newborn Sprague-Dawley rat pups were sacrificed on consecutive days of life both after vaginal or cesarean birth and following either breast or formula feeding.

Results Compared with controls, cesarean delivery and formula feeding are associated with lower levels of IAP. The formula-fed pups continued to have low baseline IAP activity. Neither prematurity nor formula feeding led to differences of intestinal injury.

Conclusion Prematurity and formula feeding are associated with inhibition of IAP expression and activity. Both may increase the risk of NEC and early enteral supplementation of IAP to newborns at risk of NEC may be of therapeutic benefit.
Anthropometric and Anthroposcopic Analysis of Periorbital Features in Malaysian Population: An Inter-racial Study
Authors: Kumar Pramod , Bashour Mounir , Packiriswamy Vasanthakumar
Published: May 2018

In oculoplastic operations, knowledge of the dimensions of periorbital features based on age, gender, and race is essential for achieving better aesthetic result. This article seeks to determine the racial and gender differences of periorbital features among Malaysian Malay (MM), Malaysian Indian (MI), and Malaysian Chinese (MI) subjects. Evaluation of periorbital features was done on photographs of 200 MM, 200 MI, and 200 MC subjects, aged 18 to 26 years. The measured values were evaluated by an independent t-test. A significant difference was found between MM and MI in all measurements except interbrow distance in males, eyebrow thickness in females, and apex to lateral limbus distance in both sexes. Between MI and MC the difference was insignificant for interbrow distance in male groups, apex to lateral limbus distance in females, and palpebral fissure inclination and eyebrow apex angle in both sexes. Between MM and MC, significant differences were found for eyebrow thickness and medial canthus tilt in female group. Male groups showed significant difference for apex to lateral limbus and lateral canthus distance and eyebrow apex angle. Eyebrow height, palpebral fissure width, and intercanthal distance were significantly different in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism was found for all measurements in MI, but MM and MC showed insignificant difference for eyebrow apex angle. Four types of epicanthus were observed in MM and MC and three types in MI. Eyebrow apex between lateral limbus and lateral canthus was the most common position in all racial groups. Significant racial and gender differences exist for certain periorbital measurements. The knowledge of these differences is expected to influence the surgical outcome.
Anticancer Drug-Related Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: Challenges in Management and Antithrombotic Strategies
Authors: Galderisi Maurizio , Esposito Luca , Trimarco Valentina , Sorriento Daniela , Gerusalem Guy , Picardi Marco , Lancellotti Patrizio , Pane Fabrizio , Tufano Antonella
Published: May 2018

Cancer patients may experience nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) as a manifestation of cardiotoxicity. AF may be a direct effect of a neoplasm or, more often, appear as a postsurgical complication, especially after thoracic surgery. AF may also develop as a consequence of anticancer therapy (chemotherapy or radiotherapy), a condition probably underestimated. Cancer patients with AF require a multidisciplinary approach involving oncologists/hematologists, cardiologists, and coagulation experts. An echocardiogram should be performed to detect possible abnormalities of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, as well as left atrial dilation and the existence of valvular heart disease, to determine pretest probability of sinus rhythm restoration, and identify the best treatment. The choice of antiarrhythmic treatment in cancer patients may be difficult because scanty information is available on the interactions between anticancer agents and antiarrhythmic drugs. A careful evaluation of the antithrombotic strategy with the best efficacy/safety ratio is always needed. The use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) may be problematic because of the unpredictable therapeutic response and high bleeding risk in patients with active cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy and who may experience thrombocytopenia and changes in renal or hepatic function. Low molecular weight heparins (in particular for short and intermediate periods) and non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs) should be preferred. However, the possible pharmacological interactions of NOACs with both anticancer and antiarrhythmic drugs should be considered. Based on all these considerations, antiarrhythmic and anticoagulant therapy for AF should be tailored individually for each patient.
Perfusion Index: A Noninvasive Tool for Clinical Decision in Neonates with Suspected Sepsis?
Authors: Perri Alessandro , Barone Giovanni , Bottoni Anthea , Tiberi Eloisa , Zecca Enrico , Iannotta Rossella
Published: May 2018

Aim This article aims to assess whether perfusion index is significantly different in infants with positive C-reactive protein and/or positive cultures compared with a control group.

Methods This was a prospective observational cohort study. Perfusion index was evaluated in 80 neonates at the start of antibiotic therapy for suspected sepsis. Antibiotic therapy was started based on the antenatal history or the presence of clinical signs of sepsis such as hypo/hyperthermia, feed intolerance, lethargy, hypotonia, irregular cardiac rhythms, bradycardia, cyanosis, apnea, respiratory distress, and metabolic acidosis. A case group of 23 neonates with abnormal C- reactive protein (> 10 mg/L) and/or positive cultures (blood, liquor, or bronchoalveolar lavage cultures) was compared with a control group of 23 neonates.

Results Cases (mean gestational age [GA], 33 ± 5) and controls (mean GA, 33 ± 5) were matched according to the following criteria: GA (±2 weeks), postmenstrual age (±2 weeks), early (< 72 hours), or late (> 72 hours) onset of suspected infection. Mean perfusion index was 0.8 ± 0.3 in the case group and 1.2 ± 0.4 in the control group; p-value of < 0.001.

Conclusions Perfusion index can be considered a noninvasive, reproducible, and easy-to-apply tool for early diagnosis of a neonatal acute inflammation in course of sepsis.
Severe Maternal Morbidity and Hospital Cost among Hospitalized Deliveries in the United States
Authors: Chauhan Suneet , Blackwell Sean , Chen Han-Yang
Published: May 2018

Objective The objective of this study was to estimate the contemporary national rate of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and its associated hospital cost during delivery hospitalization.

Study Design We conducted a retrospective study identifying all delivery hospitalizations in the United States between 2011 and 2012. We used data from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. The delivery hospitalizations with SMM were identified by having at least one of the 25 previously established list of diagnosis and procedure codes. Aggregate and mean hospital costs were estimated. A generalized linear regression model was used to examine the association between SMM and hospital costs.

Results Of 7,438,946 delivery hospitalizations identified, the rate of SMM was 154 per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations. Without any SMM, the mean hospital cost was $4,300 and with any SMM, the mean hospital cost was $11,000. After adjustment, comparing to those without any SMM, the mean cost of delivery hospitalizations with any SMM was 2.1 (95% confidence interval: 2.1–2.2) times higher, and this ratio increases from 1.7-fold in those with only one SMM to 10.3-fold in those with five or more concurrent SMM.

Conclusion The hospital cost with any SMM was 2.1 times higher than those without any SMM. Our findings highlight the need to identify interventions and guide research efforts to mitigate the rate of SMM and its economic burden.
Psychologisch bzw. psychosomatisch relevante Aspekte in den Richtlinien zur Transplantationsmedizin der Bundesärztekammer
Authors: Kröncke Sylvia , Künsebeck Hans-Werner , Greif-Higer Gertrud
Published: May 2018

Für die Transplantationsmedizin in Deutschland gelten verbindliche Richtlinien der Bundesärztekammer, deren rechtliche Grundlage das 1997 verabschiedete Transplantationsgesetz darstellt. Im Jahr 2012 wurde eine umfassende Änderung des Richtlinienverfahrens angestoßen. Seitdem befinden sich alle Richtlinien in einem aufwendigen Revisionsprozess. Der vorliegende Beitrag erläutert zunächst relevante Hintergrundinformationen und erklärt die formalen Aspekte des Richtlinienverfahrens. Anschließend werden die psychologisch bzw. psychosomatisch relevanten Inhalte der Richtlinien zur Organtransplantation dargestellt. Diesbezüglich wird zunächst der Stand der Richtlinien vor den derzeitigen Überarbeitungen beschrieben. Nachfolgend werden bereits verabschiedete Änderungen sowie veröffentlichte Änderungsentwürfe erläutert. Im Anschluss werden die Revisionen aus Sicht der Autoren bewertet und Empfehlungen für weitere anzustrebende Änderungen gegeben. Des Weiteren werden Empfehlungen zu psychosozialen Aspekten der Evaluation und Nachsorge bei Lebendorganspende präsentiert, die in ähnlicher Form für eine in Arbeit befindliche Richtlinie der Bundesärztekammer vorgelegt wurden.
Discourses of technology, ageing and participation
Authors: Fleming Aysha , Mason Claire , Paxton Gillian
Published: May 2018

The proliferation of digital technology has brought about rapid social and economic change, the consequences of which have not been evenly distributed. Older people, in particular, tend to be less engaged with digital technology and as a result, are said to be at risk of 'digital exclusion'. In this paper, we explore how digital technology is discursively linked to ageing and social and economic participation. The analysis is based on 38 interviews with representatives of industry, government and civil society asked to share their views of the opportunities and risks associated with age and participation in the context of rapid developments in digital technology. Using discourse analysis we identify two competing ways interview participants made connections between digital technology and its perceived effects on the economic and social participation of an ageing population. In the first, digital technology drives human progress as a ‘fix’ to some of the social and economic challenges associated with ageing but also demands a cautious approach to minimise unforeseen negative consequences. In the second, digital technology is a tool, whose development can be driven by humans in order to solve a range of problems, including economic and social participation in later life. We consider the implications of these two discourses, discussing the potential of each for achieving a sense of empowerment in the ageing community and addressing the challenge of lifelong participation.
Effect of intrinsic electronic defect states on the morphology and optoelectronic properties of Sn-rich SnS particles
Authors: Singh Chetan C. , Panda Emila
Published: May 2018

A small variation in the elemental composition of a chemical compound can cause the formation of additional electronic defect states in the material, thereby altering the overall microstructure and thus induced properties. In this work, we observed chemical constitution-induced modification in the morphology and optoelectronic properties of SnS. To this end, SnS particles were prepared using the solution chemical route and were characterized using a wide range of experimental techniques, such as x-ray diffractometry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). All these SnS particles are found to be Sn-rich and p-type. However, distinctly different morphologies (i.e., flower-like and aggregated ones) are observed. These are then correlated with the electronic defect states, which are induced because of the presence of Sn vacancies, Sn antisites, and/or Sn interstitials. A combination of EDS, XPS, and STS data confirmed the presence of a higher concentration of Sn vacancies along with lower quantities of Sn interstitials and/or antisites in the SnS particles with flower-like morphologies giving rise to higher hole concentration, which subsequently leads to reduced transport, optical band gaps, and barrier heights.
Lattice thermal transport in group II-alloyed PbTe
Authors: Xia Yi , Hodges James M. , Kanatzidis Mercouri G. , Chan Maria K. Y.
Published: May 2018

PbTe, one of the most promising thermoelectric materials, has recently demonstrated a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of above 2.0 when alloyed with group II elements. The improvements are due mainly to significant reduction of lattice thermal conductivity (κl), which was in turn attributed to nanoparticle precipitates. However, a fundamental understanding of various phonon scattering mechanisms within the bulk alloy is still lacking. In this work, we apply the newly-developed density-functional-theory-based compressive sensing lattice dynamics approach to model lattice heat transport in PbTe, MTe, and Pb0.94M0.06Te (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba) and compare our results with experimental measurements, with focus on the strain effect and mass disorder scattering. We find that (1) CaTe, SrTe, and BaTe in the rock-salt structure exhibit much higher κl than PbTe, while MgTe in the same structure shows anomalously low κl; (2) lattice heat transport of PbTe is extremely sensitive to static strain induced by alloying atoms in solid solution form; (3) mass disorder scattering plays a major role in reducing κl for Mg/Ca/Sr-alloyed PbTe through strongly suppressing the lifetimes of intermediate- and high-frequency phonons, while for Ba-alloyed PbTe, precipitated nanoparticles are also important.
Crystal nucleation and metastable bcc phase in charged colloids: A molecular dynamics study
Authors: Ji Xinqiang , Sun Zhiwei , Ouyang Wenze , Xu Shenghua
Published: May 2018

The dynamic process of homogenous nucleation in charged colloids is investigated by brute-force molecular dynamics simulation. To check if the liquid-solid transition will pass through metastable bcc, simulations are performed at the state points that definitely lie in the phase region of thermodynamically stable fcc. The simulation results confirm that, in all of these cases, the preordered precursors, acting as the seeds of nucleation, always have predominant bcc symmetry consistent with Ostwald’s step rule and the Alexander-McTague mechanism. However, the polymorph selection is not straightforward because the crystal structures formed are not often determined by the symmetry of intermediate precursors but have different characters under different state points. The region of the state point where bcc crystal structures of large enough size are formed during crystallization is narrow, which gives a reasonable explanation as to why the metastable bcc phase in charged colloidal suspensions is rarely detected in macroscopic experiments.
Parametric study and optimization trends for the Von-Kármán-sodium dynamo experiment
Authors: Varela J.
Published: May 2018

We present magneto-hydrodynamic simulations of liquid sodium flow performed with the PLUTO compressible MHD code. We investigated the influence of the remanent magnetic field orientation and intensity, the impinging velocity field due to Ekman pumping as well as the impeller dimensions on the magnetic field collimation by helical flows in-between the impeller blades. For a simplified Cartesian geometry, we model the flow dynamics of a multi-blade impeller inspired by the Von-Kármán-Sodium experiment. This study shows that a remanent magnetic field oriented in the toroidal direction is the less efficient configuration to collimate the magnetic field, although if the radial or vertical components are not negligible, the collimation is significantly improved. As the intensity of the remanent magnetic field increases, the system magnetic energy becomes larger, but the magnetic field collimation efficiency remains the same, so the gain of magnetic energy is smaller as the remanent magnetic field intensity increases. The magnetic field collimation is modified if the impinging velocity field changes: the collimation is weaker if the impinging velocity increases from Γ = 0.8 to 0.9 and slightly larger if the impinging velocity decreases from Γ = 0.8 to 0.7. The analysis of the impeller dimensions points out that the most efficient configuration to collimate the magnetic field requires a ratio between the impeller blade height and the base longitude between 0.375 and 0.5. The largest enhancement of the hypothetical α2 dynamo loop, compared to the hypothetical Ω-α dynamo loop, is observed for the model that mimics the TM 73 impeller configuration rotating in the unscooping direction with a remanent magnetic field of 10–3 T orientated in the radial or vertical direction. The optimization trends obtained in the parametric analysis are also confirmed by simulations with a higher resolution and turbulence degree.
CVD diamond detector with interdigitated electrode pattern for time-of-flight energy-loss measurements of low-energy ion bunches
Authors: Cayzac W. , Pomorski M. , Blažević A. , Canaud B. , Deslandes D. , Fariaut J. , Gontier D. , Lescoute E. , Marmouget J. G. , Occelli F. , Oudot G. , Reverdin C. , Sauvestre J. E. , Sollier A. , Soullié G. , Varignon C. , Villette B.
Published: May 2018

Ion stopping experiments in plasma for beam energies of few hundred keV per nucleon are of great interest to benchmark the stopping-power models in the context of inertial confinement fusion and high-energy-density physics research. For this purpose, a specific ion detector on chemical-vapor-deposition diamond basis has been developed for precise time-of-flight measurements of the ion energy loss. The electrode structure is interdigitated for maximizing its sensitivity to low-energy ions, and it has a finger width of 100 μm and a spacing of 500 μm. A short single α-particle response is obtained, with signals as narrow as 700 ps at full width at half maximum. The detector has been tested with α-particle bunches at a 500 keV per nucleon energy, showing an excellent time-of-flight resolution down to 20 ps. In this way, beam energy resolutions from 0.4 keV to a few keV have been obtained in an experimental configuration using a 100 μg/cm2 thick carbon foil as an energy-loss target and a 2 m time-of-flight distance. This allows a highly precise beam energy measurement of δE/E ≈ 0.04%–0.2% and a resolution on the energy loss of 0.6%–2.5% for a fine testing of stopping-power models.
Nonlinear dynamics of contact interaction of a size-dependent plate supported by a size-dependent beam
Authors: Awrejcewicz J. , Krysko V. A. , Yakovleva T. V. , Pavlov S. P. , Krysko V. A.
Published: May 2018

A mathematical model of complex vibrations exhibited by contact dynamics of size-dependent beam-plate constructions was derived by taking the account of constraints between these structural members. The governing equations were yielded by variational principles based on the moment theory of elasticity. The centre of the investigated plate was supported by a beam. The plate and the beam satisfied the Kirchhoff/Euler-Bernoulli hypotheses. The derived partial differential equations (PDEs) were reduced to the Cauchy problems by the Faedo-Galerkin method in higher approximations, whereas the Cauchy problem was solved using a few Runge-Kutta methods. Reliability of results was validated by comparing the solutions obtained by qualitatively different methods. Complex vibrations were investigated with the help of methods of nonlinear dynamics such as vibration signals, phase portraits, Fourier power spectra, wavelet analysis, and estimation of the largest Lyapunov exponents based on the Rosenstein, Kantz, and Wolf methods. The effect of size-dependent parameters of the beam and plate on their contact interaction was investigated. It was detected and illustrated that the first contact between the size-dependent structural members implies chaotic vibrations. In addition, problems of chaotic synchronization between a nanoplate and a nanobeam were addressed.
Fluid simulations of plasma turbulence at ion scales: Comparison with Vlasov-Maxwell simulations
Authors: Perrone D. , Passot T. , Laveder D. , Valentini F. , Sulem P. L. , Zouganelis I. , Veltri P. , Servidio S.
Published: May 2018

Comparisons are presented between a hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell (HVM) simulation of turbulence in a collisionless plasma and fluid reductions. These include Hall-magnetohydrodynamics (HMHD) and Landau fluid (LF) or finite Larmor radius-Landau fluid (FLR-LF) models that retain pressure anisotropy and low-frequency kinetic effects such as Landau damping and, for the last model, finite Larmor radius (FLR) corrections. The problem is considered in two space dimensions, when initial conditions involve moderate-amplitude perturbations of a homogeneous equilibrium plasma subject to an out-of-plane magnetic field. LF turns out to provide an accurate description of the velocity field up to the ion Larmor radius scale, and even to smaller scales for the magnetic field. Compressibility nevertheless appears significantly larger at the sub-ion scales in the fluid models than in the HVM simulation. High frequency kinetic effects, such as cyclotron resonances, not retained by fluid descriptions, could be at the origin of this discrepancy. A significant temperature anisotropy is generated, with a bias towards the perpendicular component, the more intense fluctuations being rather spread out and located in a broad vicinity of current sheets. Non-gyrotropic pressure tensor components are measured and are shown to reach a significant fraction of the total pressure fluctuations, with intense regions closely correlated with current sheets.
Annealing behavior of open spaces in AlON films studied by monoenergetic positron beams
Authors: Uedono Akira , Yamada Takahiro , Hosoi Takuji , Egger Werner , Koschine Tönjes , Hugenschmidt Christoph , Dickmann Marcel , Watanabe Heiji
Published: May 2018

The impact of nitridation on open spaces in thin AlONx films deposited by a reactive sputtering technique was studied by using monoenergetic positron beams. For AlONx films with x = 0%–15%, positrons were found to annihilate from trapped states in open spaces, which coexist intrinsically in an amorphous structure with three different sizes. Nitrogen incorporation into the Al2O3 film increased the size of the open spaces, and their density increased as the post-deposition annealing temperature increased. The effect of nitrogen incorporation, however, diminished at x = 25%. The observed change in the network structure was associated with the formation of a stable amorphous structure, which we could relate to the electrical properties of AlONx/SiO2/Si gate stacks.
Rewiring of auxin signaling under persistent shade
Authors: Pucciariello Ornella , Legris Martina , Costigliolo Rojas Cecilia , Iglesias María José , Hernando Carlos Esteban , Dezar Carlos , Vazquez Martín , Yanovsky Marcelo J. , Finlayson Scott A. , Prat Salomé , Casal Jorge J.
Published: May 2018

Significance

In agricultural crops, plants are cultivated in close proximity, exposed to mutual shading. Photosensory receptors perceive this light environment and initiate growth responses that adjust the position of plant organs within the canopy to maximize light capture. During the early hours under shade, these responses are mediated by elevated levels of the hormone auxin. Here we show that under prolonged shade, the PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 light-signaling transcription factor, selected auxin receptors, their upstream regulatory miRNA, and downstream transcriptional regulators change their abundance to enhance growth responses, while auxin levels return to those observed before shade. Thus, in the presence of persistent shade, plants elicit a system-level rearrangement of auxin signaling, which sustains growth without increased auxin.
Targeted protein unfolding uncovers a Golgi-specific transcriptional stress response
Authors: Serebrenik Yevgeniy V. , Hellerschmied Doris , Toure Momar , López-Giráldez Francesc , Brookner Dennis , Crews Craig M.
Published: May 2018

In eukaryotic cells, organelle-specific stress-response mechanisms are vital for maintaining cellular homeostasis. The Golgi apparatus, an essential organelle of the secretory system, is the major site of protein modification and sorting within a cell and functions as a platform for spatially regulated signaling. Golgi homeostasis mechanisms that regulate organelle structure and ensure precise processing and localization of protein substrates remain poorly understood. Using a chemical biology strategy to induce protein unfolding, we uncover a Golgi-specific transcriptional response. An RNA-sequencing profile of this stress response compared with the current state-of-the-art Golgi stressors, nigericin and xyloside, demonstrates the enhanced precision of Golgi targeting achieved with our system. The data set further reveals previously uncharacterized genes that we find to be essential for Golgi structural integrity. These findings highlight the Golgi’s ability to sense misfolded proteins and establish new aspects of Golgi autoregulation.
The myosin light-chain kinase MLCK-1 relocalizes duringCaenorhabditis elegansovulation to promote actomyosin bundle assembly and drive contraction
Authors: Kelley Charlotte A. , Wirshing Alison C. E. , Zaidel-Bar Ronen , Cram Erin J.
Published: May 2018

We identify the Caenorhabditis elegans myosin light-chain kinase, MLCK-1, required for contraction of spermathecae. During contraction, MLCK-1 moves from the apical cell boundaries to the basal actomyosin bundles, where it stabilizes myosin downstream of calcium signaling. MLCK and ROCK act in distinct subsets of cells to coordinate the timing of contraction.
Recruitment of Dioxin Receptor to Active Transcription Sites
Authors: Elbi Cem , Misteli Tom , Hager Gordon L.
Published: May 2018

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR or dioxin receptor) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that heterodimerizes with the AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT/HIF-1β) to form an AhR/ARNT transcription factor complex. This complex binds to specific DNA sites in the regulatory domains of numerous target genes and mediates the biological effects of exogenous ligands. Herein, we have investigated the subcellular distribution of the AhR/ARNT complex in response to ligand stimulation, by using live-cell confocal and high-resolution deconvolution microscopy. We found that unliganded AhR shows a predominantly cytoplasmic diffuse distribution in mouse hepatoma cells. On addition of ligand, AhR rapidly translocates to the nucleus and accumulates in multiple bright foci. Inhibition of transcription prevented the formation of AhR foci. Dual- and triple-immunolabeling experiments, combined with labeling of nascent RNA, showed that the foci are transcription sites, indicating that upon ligand stimulation, AhR is recruited to active transcription sites. The interaction of AhR with ARNT was both necessary and sufficient for the recruitment of AhR to transcription sites. These results indicate that AhR/ARNT complexes are recruited to specific subnuclear compartments in a ligand-dependent manner and that these foci represent the sites of AhR target genes.
Posthumanism
Authors: Keeling Diane Marie , Lehman Marguerite Nguyen
Published: May 2018

Posthumanism is a philosophical perspective of how change is enacted in the world. As a conceptualization and historicization of both agency and the “human,” it is different from those conceived through humanism. Whereas a humanist perspective frequently assumes the human is autonomous, conscious, intentional, and exceptional in acts of change, a posthumanist perspective assumes agency is distributed through dynamic forces of which the human participates but does not completely intend or control. Posthumanist philosophy constitutes the human as: (a) physically, chemically, and biologically enmeshed and dependent on the environment; (b) moved to action through interactions that generate affects, habits, and reason; and (c) possessing no attribute that is uniquely human but is instead made up of a larger evolving ecosystem. There is little consensus in posthumanist scholarship about the degree to which a conscious human subject can actively create change, but the human does participate in change.

As distinguished from posthumanism, humanism is credited with attributing the conscious and intentional human subject as the dominant source of agency most worthy of scholarly attention. Since its inception during the Renaissance, humanism has been constituted in various ways throughout history, but as a collective body of literature, the human is typically constituted through humanism as: (a) autonomous from nature given the intellectual faculties of the mind that controls the body, (b) uniquely capable of and motivated by speech and reason, and (c) an exceptional animal that is superior to other creatures. Humanist assumptions concerning the human are infused throughout Western philosophy and reinforce a nature/culture dualism where human culture is distinct from nature. In contrast, a posthumanist scholar rejects this dichotomy through understanding the human as entangled with its environment. A posthumanist scholar of communication typically integrates scholarship from a variety of other disciplines including, but not limited to: art, architecture, cybernetics, ecology, ethology, geology, music, psychoanalysis, and quantum physics.
Dialogue, Listening, and Ethics
Authors: Makau Josina M.
Published: May 2018

Communication has the power to heal and to wound, to tyrannize and to liberate, to enlighten and to deceive, to inspire and to corrupt. Subjecting ideas to the scrutiny of others through engagements of difference has long been recognized as a vital resource for the fulfillment of communication’s constructive potential as well as a critically needed antidote to the corrupting influences associated with demagoguery, confirmation bias, ideological rigidity, and partisanship. Demographic shifts and technological advancements afford unparalleled opportunities for such open, deliberative engagements and related inquiries. Enriched by attentive listening, dialogic communication provides a particularly promising means of tapping these and other resources to reach across differences in pursuit of knowledge, understanding, truth, and wise discernment.

Despite their potential, however, listening and dialogue face formidable obstacles. Among these are dominant narratives regarding the human condition, power imbalances, and privilege, and their implications for communication ethics. Absolutism, radical relativism, and related false dilemmas pose significant obstacles as well. A transformation of vision—from individual adversarialism to an ethic of interdependence—offers a pathway out of the thicket, enabling humanity to tap communication’s potential in shared pursuit of human flourishing across the globe.
The Climate Change Regime
Authors: Pattberg Philipp , Widerberg Oscar
Published: May 2018

In 1992, when the international community agreed on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the science of climate change was under development, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were by and large produced by developed countries, and the concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere had just surpassed 350 ppm. Some 25 years later, climate change is scientifically uncontested, China has overtaken the United States as the world’s biggest emitter of CO2, and concentrations are now measured above 400 ppm. Against this background, states have successfully concluded a new global agreement under the UNFCCC, the 2015 Paris Agreement. Prior to the Paris Agreement, the climate regime focused on allocating emission reduction commitments among (a group of) countries. However, the new agreement has turned the climate regime on its feet by introducing an approach based on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Under this approach, states decide their ambition levels independently instead of engaging in negotiations about “who does what.” The result is a more flexible system that for the first time includes all countries in the quest to reduce GHG emissions to keep temperature increase below 2°C compared to preindustrial levels. Moreover, the international climate regime has transformed into a regime complex, denoting the broad activities of smaller groups of states as well as non-party actors, such as cities, regions, companies, and non-governmental organizations along with United Nations agencies.
Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Authors: Feng Yi
Published: May 2018

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a major component of globalization. Because of the important role it plays in economic growth and development, many scholars have directed their interest and knowledge to theoretical and/or empirical studies of the causes of FDI. There has been a rapidly growing body of literature that theorizes, hypothesizes, and empirically tests the determinants of FDI. There is no single theory of FDI; rather, various theories look at FDI from different angles and complement each other. Likewise, the empirical studies of FDI are incremental and experimental. The main theoretical approaches to FDI are presented, the empirical evidence gathered in the literature is introduced, and future research is discussed.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Older Adults
Authors: Hinrichsen Gregory A.
Published: May 2018

In clinical practice with older adults, depression is a common presenting problem and is usually interwoven with one or more life problems. These problems are often the focus of psychotherapy. Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) is a highly researched and effective treatment for depression in adults and older adults. IPT is time-limited, and as an individual psychotherapy it is usually conducted over 16 sessions. IPT focuses on one or two of four interpersonally relevant problems that may be a cause or consequence of depression. These include: role transitions (life change), interpersonal role disputes (conflict with another person), grief (complicated bereavement), and interpersonal deficits (social isolation and loneliness). The four IPT problem areas reflect issues that are frequently seen in psychotherapy with depressed older people.
The Extent and Nature of Gang Crime
Authors: Magee Lauren , Melde Chris
Published: May 2018

Street gangs have been the focus of attention for over a century, largely due to their reputation for involvement in illegal activities, especially violence. Indeed, gangs use this reputation for violence as a means of survival, as they seek to intimidate others in order to protect their members from attacks from rival gangs, and to limit the willingness of community members to cooperate with law enforcement officials. Research on the nature of these groups suggests they thrive in marginalized communities, where there are high rates of poverty, family instability, and limited institutional support. Much of the information on street gangs stems from data collected in the United States, but these groups have been documented across the globe in not insignificant numbers. While gangs certainly differ in their structure and organizational capacity, these groups are routinely associated with a disproportionate involvement in delinquent and criminal acts at the local level. Perhaps most concerning, gangs and gang members are known to be associated with substantially higher rates of interpersonal violence, including homicide, than non-gang-involved persons. From a developmental perspective, even brief periods of gang membership have been found to have negative consequences across the early portion of the life course, including reduced educational attainment, lower income, family instability, and a higher likelihood of arrest and incarceration. Overall, the negative effects gangs have on communities appears to outweigh any of the short-term benefits these groups provide their members.
Indigenous School Education in Brazil
Authors: Mello Roseli R. , de Souza Marcondy M. , Palomino Thaís J.
Published: May 2018

Self-determination of the original peoples of any nation, preservation of their territories, preservation of traditions, and negotiation of customs facing national cultures are central themes in the debate about and among indigenous peoples in the world. School education is directly linked to such themes as an instrument of acculturation or self-determination and emancipation. As in other countries of the globe, throughout history, what happened and is happening in Brazil is not isolated fact. Current conditions are the product of colonization processes, the development of industrial society, and more recently of globalization. Such historical processes bring struggles, confrontations, transformations, and solidarity. In the legal sphere, international conventions, declarations, and treaties have influenced more or less directly the norms and laws on the subject: from the papal bull and treaties between colonizing kingdoms, to the Declaration of Human Rights, to Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization, the Brazilian indigenous issue, like that of many other countries, is also based on, supported by, or held back by actions, debates, and international interests.

But what makes the case of Brazil worthy of relevance for thinking about indigenous education? Two elements make up an answer: the specific way the governors establish relations with the original peoples, and the fact that Brazil has the greatest diversity of indigenous communities.
Nationalism and Minorities in China
Authors: Dabringhaus Sabine
Published: May 2018

China’s minority policy after 1949 combined the Qing legacy with a socialist affirmative strategy. The concept of a multiethnic Chinese state derived from Qing ideology and policy in the 18th century, when the Qianlong emperor realized his vision of universal rulership by expanding the Qing empire deep into Central Asia. During the nation-building period of the first half of the 20th century, the imperial geobody was reconstituted as a Sinocentric and multiethnic nation-state. Ideological rivals the Guomindang and the Communist Party both pursued hegemonic strategies of national unity by constructing a new myth of national belonging firmly rooted in history. But China’s weak international position and the internal crisis of the Republican state prevented the implementation of any territorial concept of national unity. In the People’s Republic of China, ethnic diversity was restructured according to a majority-minority dichotomy. Historical multiculturalism was reduced to fifty-six rigid minzu “containers” defined by strictly applied criteria of language, religion, and customs. The minorities were integrated into the unitary Chinese nation and granted only regional autonomy. Although the autonomous regions produced expectations of belonging among their titular nationalities, the official minority policy was strongly assimilationist in the 1960s and 1970s, generating centrifugal forces of ethnic resistance. Since the 1990s, a popular nationalism stoked by the central government has been expanding into a broader sense of Chineseness in a globalizing world.
The Ismaili of Central Asia
Authors: Beben Daniel
Published: May 2018

The Ismailis are one of the largest Muslim minority populations of Central Asia, and they make up the second largest Shiʿi Muslim community globally. First emerging in the second half of the 8th century, the Ismaili missionary movement spread into many areas of the Islamic world in the 10th century, under the leadership of the Ismaili Fatimids caliphs in Egypt. The movement achieved astounding success in Central Asia in the 10th century, when many of the political and cultural elites of the region were converted. However, a series of repressions over the following century led to its almost complete disappearance from the metropolitan centers of Central Asia. The movement later re-emerged in the mountainous Badakhshan region of Central Asia (which encompasses the territories of present-day eastern Tajikistan and northeastern Afghanistan), where it was introduced by the renowned 11th-century Persian poet, philosopher, and Ismaili missionary Nasir-i Khusraw. Over the following centuries the Ismaili movement expanded among the populations of Badakhshan, reaching a population of over 200,000 in the 21st century. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Ismailis suffered a series of severe repressions, first under local Sunni Muslim rulers and later under the antireligious policies of the Soviet Union. However, in the decades since the end of the Soviet period, the Ismailis of the region have become increasingly connected with the global Ismaili community and its leadership. While many aspects of the history of Ismailism in the Badakhshan region remain obscure and unexplored, the discoveries of significant corpuses of manuscripts in private collections since the 1990s in the Badakhshan region have opened up wide possibilities for future research.
The Bantu Expansion
Authors: Bostoen Koen
Published: May 2018

The Bantu Expansion stands for the concurrent dispersal of Bantu languages and Bantu-speaking people from an ancestral homeland situated in the Grassfields region in the borderland between current-day Nigeria and Cameroon. During their initial migration across most of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa, which took place between approximately 5,000 and 1,500 years ago, Bantu speech communities not only introduced new languages in the areas where they immigrated but also new lifestyles, in which initially technological innovations such as pottery making and the use of large stone tools played an important role as did subsequently also farming and metallurgy. Wherever early Bantu speakers started to develop a sedentary way of life, they left an archaeologically visible culture. Once settled, Bantu-speaking newcomers strongly interacted with autochthonous hunter-gatherers, as is still visible in the gene pool and/or the languages of certain present-day Bantu speech communities. The driving forces behind what is the principal linguistic, cultural, and demographic process in Late Holocene Africa are still a matter of debate, but it is increasingly accepted that the climate-induced destruction of the rainforest in West Central Africa around 2,500 years ago gave a boost to the Bantu Expansion.
Latina/o Religious Politics
Authors: Hinojosa Felipe
Published: May 2018

Religion is at the heart of the Latina/o experience in the United States. It is a deeply personal matter that often shapes political orientations, how people vote, where they live, and the type of family choices they make. Latina/o religious politics—defined as the religious beliefs, ethics, and cultures that motivate social and political action in society—represent the historic interaction between popular and institutional religion. The evolution of Protestantism, Pentecostalism, and Catholic Social Action throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries illuminates the ways in which Latina/o religious communities interacted with movements for social justice.
Performance Assessment of Natural Hazards Governance
Authors: Eller Warren S. , Pennington Michael S.
Published: May 2018

Assessment is a necessary and critical component in process improvement. Moreover, there is a strong public expectation that because governance is a public good, it will incorporate demonstrable equitable and efficient processes. As a central tenet of New Public Management (NPM), a widely accepted approach to increase efficiency of public sector performance through the introduction of “business” practices, performance assessment has helped improve governance in general. However, employing assessment practices has been problematic at best in the realm of hazards preparedness and response. Notably, the fragmented nature of governance in the disaster response network, which spans both levels of government and public and private sectors, is not conducive to holistic evaluation. Similarly, the lack of clear goals, available funding, and trained evaluation personnel severely inhibit the ability to comprehensively assess performance in the management of natural hazards. Effective assessment in this area, that is evaluation that will significantly enhance hazard and vulnerability management in terms of mitigation, preparedness, and response, requires several distinct steps for effective implementation. This includes first understanding the dimensions of the natural hazards governance community and the assessment process. These are: (1) identifying the purpose of the review (formative—evaluation intending to improve processes or summative—evaluation intended for final examination of processes), (2) Identifying clear and concise goals for the program and ensuring these goals are consistent with federal, state, and local policy, and (3) identifying the underlying fragmentation between sectors, levels of governance, and disaster phase in the governance system. Based on these dimensions, the most effective assessments will be those that are incorporated within or developed from the actual governance system.