bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA-34a Attenuates Paclitaxel Resistance in Prostate Cancer Cells via Direct Suppression of JAG1/Notch1 Axis
Authors: Liu Xiaobing , Luo Xing , Wu Yuqi , Xia Ding , Chen Wei , Fang Zhenqiang , Deng Jianping , Hao Yaxing , Yang Xia , Zhang Teng , Zhou Luqiang , Wu Yingbing , Wang Qingqing , Xu Jie , Hu Xiaoyan , Li Longkun
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: Treatment options for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) are limited and typically centered on paclitaxel-based chemotherapy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether miR-34a attenuates chemoresistance to paclitaxel by regulating target genes associated with drug resistance. Methods: We used data from The Cancer Genome Atlas to compare miR-34a expression levels in prostate cancer (PC) tissues with normal prostate tissues. The effects of miR-34a inhibition and overexpression on PC proliferation were evaluated in vitro via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) proliferation, colony formation, apoptosis, and cell-cycle assays. A luciferase reporter assay was employed to identify the interactions between miR-34a and specific target genes. To determine the effects of up-regulation of miR-34a on tumor growth and chemo-resistance in vivo, we injected PC cells overexpressing miR-34a into nude mice subcutaneously and evaluated the rate of tumor growth during paclitaxel treatment. We examined changes in the expression levels of miR-34a target genes JAG1 and Notch1 and their downstream genes via miR-34a transfection by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot assay. Results: miR-34a served as an independent predictor of reduced patient survival. MiR-34a was down-regulated in PC-3PR cells compared with PC-3 cells. The CCK-8 assay showed that miR-34a overexpression resulted in increased sensitivity to paclitaxel while miR-34a down-regulation resulted in chemoresistance to paclitaxel in vitro. A study of gain and loss in a series of functional assays revealed that PC cells expressing miR-34a were chemosensitive. Furthermore, the overexpression of miR-34a increased the sensitivity of PC-3PR cells to chemotherapy in vivo. The luciferase reporter assay confirmed that JAG1 and Notch1 were directly targeted by miR-34a. Interestingly, western blot analysis and qRT-PCR confirmed that miR-34a inhibited the Notch1 signaling pathway. We found that miR-34a increased the chemosensitivity of PC-3PR cells by directly repressing the TCF1/ LEF1 axis. Conclusion: Our results showed that miR-34a is involved in the development of chemosensitivity to paclitaxel. By regulating the JAG1/Notch1 axis, miR-34a or its target genes JAG1 or Notch1 might serve as potential predictive biomarkers of response to paclitaxel-based chemotherapy and/or therapeutic targets that will help to overcome chemoresistance at the mCRPC stage.
Promoter Methylation of Ezrin and its Impact on the Incidence and Prognosis of Cervical Cancer
Authors: Qin Rui , Cao Lu , Wang Junrong , Liu Junbao
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: Aberrant localization and over-expression of Ezrin have been reported to be implicated in cervical cancer (CC). Aberrant promoter methylation of some gene families may serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers for CC. In this study, we explored the correlation of promoter methylation of the Ezrin gene with the incidence and prognosis of CC. Methods: Cervical tissues from a total of 483 patients with CC were collected from the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University. Samples were assigned into four groups accordingly to pathological diagnosis, namely the control group, the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I group, the CIN II-III group and the CC group. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect the mRNA expression of Ezrin. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was used to detect the promoter methylation of the Ezrin gene. The Kaplan-Meier product-limit method and the log-rank analysis were used for survival analysis, the Cox regression analysis for the prognostic factors for CC, and the logistic regression analysis for the risk factors for the occurrence of CC. Results: The methylation rate of the Ezrin gene was correspondingly increased from the control, the CIN I, the CIN II-III to the CC groups. Over-expressed mRNA of Ezrin was determined in CC tissues. The mRNA expression of Ezrin was correlated with tumor size, lymphatic metastasis, pathological grade and clinical stage (FIGO). The risk factors for the occurrence of CC were the number of abortions and the promoter methylation of the Ezrin gene. Poor prognosis of CC correlated to lymphatic metastasis, higher pathological grade, higher FIGO stage and positive Ezrin promoter methylation. Conclusion: These findings indicate that promoter methylation of the Ezrin gene may play a crucial role in carcinogenesis, progression and prognosis of CC.
Porphyrin‐Based SOD Mimic MnTnBuOE‐2‐PyP
5+
Inhibits Mechanisms of Aortic Valve Remodeling in Human and Murine Models of Aortic Valve Sclerosis
Authors: Anselmo Wanda , Branchetti Emanuela , Grau Juan B. , Li Gen , Ayoub Salma , Lai Eric K. , Rioux Nancy , Tovmasyan Artak , Fortier Jacqueline H. , Sacks Michael S. , Batinic‐Haberle Ines , Hazen Stanley L. , Levy Robert J. , Ferrari Giovanni
Published: October 2018

Background

Aortic valve sclerosis (
AVS
c), the early asymptomatic presentation of calcific aortic valve (AV) disease, affects 25% to 30% of patients aged >65 years. In vitro and ex vivo experiments with antioxidant strategies and antagonists of osteogenic differentiation revealed that
AVS
c is reversible. In this study, we characterized the underlying changes in the extracellular matrix architecture and valve interstitial cell activation in AVSc and tested in vitro and in vivo the activity of a clinically approved SOD (superoxide dismutase) mimic and redox‐active drug MnTnBu
OE
‐2‐PyP
5+
(
BMX
‐001).

Methods and Results

After receiving informed consent, samples from patients with
AVS
c, AV stenosis, and controls were collected. Uniaxial mechanical stimulation and in vitro studies on human valve interstitial cells were performed. An angiotensin
II
chronic infusion model was used to impose
AV
thickening and remodeling. We characterized extracellular matrix structures by small‐angle light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, histology, and mass spectrometry. Diseased human valves showed altered collagen fiber alignment and ultrastructural changes in
AVS
c, accumulation of oxidized cross‐linking products in AV stenosis, and reversible expression of extracellular matrix regulators ex vivo. We demonstrated that MnTnBu
OE
‐2‐PyP
5+
inhibits human valve interstitial cell activation and extracellular matrix remodeling in a murine model (C57
BL
/6J) of
AVS
c by electron microscopy and histology.

Conclusions

AVS
c is associated with architectural remodeling despite marginal effects on the mechanical properties in both human and mice. MnTnBu
OE
‐2‐PyP
5+
controls
AV
thickening in a murine model of
AVS
c. Because this compound has been approved recently for clinical use, this work could shift the focus for the treatment of calcific AV disease, moving from AV stenosis to an earlier presentation (
AVS
c) that could be more responsive to medical therapies.
Long‐Term Cardiac Function After Peripartum Cardiomyopathy and Preeclampsia: A Danish Nationwide, Clinical Follow‐Up Study Using Maximal Exercise Testing and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Ersbøll Anne S. , Bojer Annemie S. , Hauge Maria G. , Johansen Marianne , Damm Peter , Gustafsson Finn , Vejlstrup Niels G.
Published: October 2018

Background

Long‐term clinical studies of peripartum cardiomyopathy (
PPCM
) are few. We aimed to measure the long‐term effect of
PPCM
on cardiac function in comparison with the long‐term effects of severe preeclampsia and uncomplicated pregnancy.

Methods and Results

A nationwide Danish cohort of women diagnosed with
PPCM
from 2005 to 2014 (
PPCM
group) were invited to participate in a clinical follow‐up study including maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Matched women with previous severe preeclampsia (preeclampsia group) and previous uncomplicated pregnancies (uncomplicated pregnancies group) served as comparison groups. A total of 84 women with 28 in each group participated. Median time to follow‐up after
PPCM
was 91 months. Most women (85%) in the
PPCM
group reported no symptoms of heart failure. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction in the
PPCM
group was normal at 62%, but significantly lower than in the preeclampsia group and the uncomplicated pregnancies group where mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 69% and 67%, respectively (
P
<0.0001). Women in the
PPCM
group also had impaired diastolic function with reduced left ventricular peak filling rate, left atrial passive emptying volume, and left atrial passive emptying fraction. Maximal exercise capacity (peak
VO
2
) was also reduced in the
PPCM
group compared with the preeclampsia group and the uncomplicated pregnancies group, and
PPCM
, high body mass index, and low left ventricular ejection fraction independently predicted reduced peak
VO
2
. Only 1 woman with
PPCM
had late gadolinium enhancement.

Conclusions

Women generally recovered left ventricular ejection fraction and were asymptomatic 7 years after
PPCM
, but had subtle diastolic dysfunction on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and reduced peak
VO
2
. Focal myocardial fibrosis assessed with late gadolinium enhancement was, however, uncommon.
Ischemic Heart Disease Modifies the Association of Atrial Fibrillation With Mortality in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction
Authors: Mercer Ben N. , Koshy Aaron , Drozd Michael , Walker Andrew M. N. , Patel Peysh A. , Kearney Lorraine , Gierula John , Paton Maria F. , Lowry Judith E. , Kearney Mark T. , Cubbon Richard M. , Witte Klaus K.
Published: October 2018

Background

The
CASTLE
‐
AF
(Catheter Ablation versus Standard Conventional Therapy in Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Atrial Fibrillation) trial recently reported that catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (
AF
) improves survival in heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (
HF
r
EF
). However, established
AF
was not associated with mortality in trials of contemporary
HF
r
EF
pharmacotherapies. We investigated whether
HF
r
EF
pathogenesis may influence the conclusions of studies evaluating the prognostic impact of
AF
.

Methods and Results

Using a prospective cohort study of 791 patients with HFr
EF
, with
AF
determined using 24‐hour ambulatory
ECG
monitoring, univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to define the association between
AF
and mode‐specific mortality (mean follow‐up of 5.4 years). One‐year HF‐related hospitalization was assessed with binary logistic regression analysis. One‐year cardiac remodeling was assessed in a subgroup (n=378) using echocardiography.
AF
was present in 28.2% of patients, with 9.4% of these being paroxysmal. While
AF
was associated with increased risk of all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval 1.03–1.57), with diverging survival curves after 1 year of follow‐up, this association was lost in age‐sex–adjusted analyses. However,
AF
was associated with increased risk of age‐sex–adjusted all‐cause mortality in people with ischemic pathogenesis, with a statistically significant interaction between pathogenesis and
AF.
This was predominantly attributed to progressive HF deaths. After 1 year, HF hospitalization and cardiac remodeling were not associated with
AF
, even in people with ischemic pathogenesis.

Conclusions

AF
is associated with increased risk of death in
HF
r
EF
of ischemic pathogenesis, predominantly due to progressive HF deaths during long‐term follow‐up.
HF
r
EF
pathogenesis should be considered in trial design and interpretation.
Predictive Value of
18
F‐Sodium Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography in Detecting High‐Risk Coronary Artery Disease in Combination With Computed Tomography
Authors: Kitagawa Toshiro , Yamamoto Hideya , Nakamoto Yumiko , Sasaki Ko , Toshimitsu Shinya , Tatsugami Fuminari , Awai Kazuo , Hirokawa Yutaka , Kihara Yasuki
Published: October 2018

Background

Application of
18
F‐sodium fluoride (
18
F‐NaF) positron emission tomography (
PET
) to coronary artery disease has attracted interest. We investigated the utility of
18
F‐NaF uptake for predicting coronary events and evaluated the combined use of coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography (
CCTA
) and
18
F‐NaF
PET
/CT in
coronary artery disease
risk assessment.

Methods and Results

This study included patients with ≥1 coronary atherosclerotic lesion detected on
CCTA
who underwent
18
F‐NaF
PET
/
CT
. High‐risk plaque on
CCTA
was defined as plaque with low density (<30 Hounsfield units) and high remodeling index (>1.1). Focal
18
F‐NaF uptake in each lesion was quantified using the maximum tissue:background ratio (
TBR
max
), and maximum
TBR
max
per patient (M‐
TBR
max
) was determined. Thirty‐two patients having a total of 112 analyzed lesions were followed for 2 years after
18
F‐NaF
PET
/
CT
scan, and 11 experienced coronary events (acute coronary syndrome and/or late coronary revascularization [after 3 months]). Patients with coronary events had higher M‐
TBR
max
than those without (1.39±0.18 versus 1.19±0.17, respectively;
P
=0.0034). The optimal M‐
TBR
max
cutoff to predict coronary events was 1.28 (area under curve: 0.79). Patients with M‐
TBR
max
≥1.28 had a higher risk of earlier coronary events than those with lower M‐
TBR
max
(
P
=0.0062 by log‐rank test). In patient‐based (n=41) and lesion‐based (n=143) analyses of
CCTA
findings that predicted higher coronary
18
F‐NaF uptake, the presence of high‐risk plaque was a significant predictor of both M‐
TBR
max
≥1.28 and
TBR
max
≥1.28.

Conclusions

18
F‐NaF
PET
/
CT
has the potential to detect high‐risk
coronary artery disease
and individual coronary lesions and to predict future coronary events when combined with
CCTA
.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
www.umin.ac.jp
. Unique identifier:
UMIN
000013735.
Religious-Only Marriages in the UK
Authors: Parveen Rehana
Published: October 2018

Non-state-registered Muslim marriages are often considered as a poor alternative to civil marriage, accepted by vulnerable or ill-informed Muslim women. Problematizing such marriages is based on the assumption that entering into a civil marriage (in addition to or as an alternative to the Muslim marriage) is beneficial forallMuslim women. Listening to the narratives of the women concerned reveals a wide range of opinions, including those that prefer to enter into religious-only marriages. Solutions to the problems presented by unregistered religious-only marriages have thus far been proposed in a manner that reflects a discourse that considers unregistered marriages as somehow conceptually problematic. However, in so far as English law is concerned, the legal position of Muslims who enter into non-state-registered marriages is no different from that of cohabitees, who live together without the ‘protection’ of a civil marriage. Therefore, it may be worth considering whether the issue at stake is reconsidering family law and laws concerning cohabitation, rather than a separate set of rules and regulations for Muslims.
Georgia in Russia’s Discourse
Authors: Gelukashvili Irakli
Published: October 2018

This article examines how the geopolitical representations operate in the Kremlin’s imaging and discursive framing in the context of Georgia’s desire to join NATO and the EU. Furthermore, this paper will look at the existence of permanent motives, continuity or discontinuity on the same issues and the same challenges related to Russia’s relations with Georgia over a nine-year period. Russian authorities employed various, tactically shifting and discursively inconsistent framings on the same issues to give the special meaning to the events, their immediate causes, and their implication for the Russian state.
The Soviet Legacy of ‘national security’ in Russian Migration Policy
Authors: Heusala Anna-Liisa
Published: October 2018

The article analyzes the evolution of Russian migration policy vis-à-vis national security thinking in a historical perspective. The idea put forward is that Russian migration policy is built on the early Soviet experiences of population control, in which ‘national security’ was an essential component of policy developments. In today’s conditions, the interconnectedness of transnational security challenges, such as large-scale migration, is an important factor that officially motivates Russia to emphasize pragmatic institutional choices. Russia has followed the global trend of securitization of legislation and administrative policies underlying the re-emergence of national security as an important policy framework. This ambitious framework is constrained by unfinished institutional changes and legacies rooted in the Soviet past. Migration continues to be an arena of policy-making where different interests override each other. Russian migration policy can best be described as an attempt to find a balance between economic incentives and security concerns, or between institutional pathologies and recycled dysfunctions and the need for modernization.
A Brief Provider Training Video Improves Comfort With Recommending the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
Authors: Kumar Maya M. , Boies Eyla G. , Sawyer Mark H. , Kennedy Meredith , Williams Christine , Rhee Kyung E.
Published: October 2018

The American Academy of Pediatrics California Chapter 3 created a 20-minute training video targeting barriers to strong provider recommendation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The video included clinical vignettes featuring pediatricians modeling counseling techniques with vaccine-hesitant families. Ninety-six multidisciplinary providers (including pediatric residents) at 6 sites viewed the video and completed baseline and posttest questionnaires assessing their vaccine knowledge, attitudes toward vaccination, and comfort with skills needed to facilitate vaccination. Following the intervention, providers had substantial and statistically significant ( P < .05) improvements in multiple areas assessed, particularly knowledge of the burden of HPV-related disease in males and changes in vaccine response with age; likelihood of “strongly agreeing” that vaccination should not be delayed beyond preadolescence and that HPV vaccine is safe; and feeling “very comfortable” counseling vaccine-hesitant parents and facilitating vaccine completion. This cost-effective and easily disseminated training modality shows promise in increasing provider comfort with HPV vaccine counseling.
Illicit Stimulant Use Development in Adolescence and Early Adulthood Among Juvenile Offenders: Risk Factors Predicting Heterogeneity
Authors: Wojciechowski Thomas W.
Published: October 2018

The objectives of this article are to identify groups of trajectories of stimulant use across adolescence and early adulthood among juvenile offenders and to identify risk factors predicting development. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify developmental subgroups of stimulant users during the study period. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine baseline covariates’ relevance for predicting assignment to identified trajectory groups. A six-group model of stimulant use was found to best fit the data. Race, history of direct victimization at baseline, gender, low school commitment at baseline, low religiosity at baseline, and other substance use at baseline were all identified as predictors of trajectory group assignment. Juvenile offenders, particularly White and female offenders, are at elevated risk of illicit stimulant use during adolescence and early adulthood. Despite this, the vast majority of juvenile offenders in the sample had desisted by age 23, differing from research on other substances using this same sample.
Linking Student Achievement to Teacher Preparation: Emergent Challenges in Implementing Value Added Assessment
Authors: Noell George H. , Burns Jeanne M. , Gansle Kristin A.
Published: October 2018

Systemic efforts to strengthen teacher preparation in Louisiana led to the first statewide value-added assessment (VAA) of teacher preparation programs (TPPs). Subsequently, a number of states have adopted VAA of TPPs. The authors describe challenges that were confronted around the deployment of Louisiana’s VAA of TPPs. The discussion is organized around the challenges emerging from calculation, communication, and change. The discussion provides information that policy makers and teacher education leaders, rather than analysts, might find useful, and focuses on the types of challenges that a state or university system can expect to encounter in developing a VAA. We describe decisions made in response to specific challenges that appear to have been successful and some that in retrospect appear to have been mistakes. In addition, consideration is given to some unintended consequences of policy choices as well as the continuously changing policy landscape for the assessment of teacher preparation.
The veil you know: Individual and societal-level explanations for wearing the hijab in comparative perspective
Authors: Al-Kazi Lubna A , González Alessandra L
Published: October 2018

This article examines the individual and societal explanations for the persistence of the hijab as a conservative cultural norm in persistently religious and culturally conservative communities. Analyzing data from 300 hijab-wearing women in Egypt and 198 hijab-wearing women in Kuwait, our findings confirm the importance of considering societal as well as individual-level factors in the persistence of conservative cultural norms. We find that low salience of the hijab is associated with beliefs that others misuse the hijab. High salience of the hijab is correlated with beliefs that the hijab brings its wearer greater social mobility. Exposure to non-hijab-wearers was associated with both high and low salience of the hijab, and demonstrates the influence that exposure to norm breakers has on reinforcing the salience of conservative social norms.
Using Racial and Class Differences in Infant Mortality to Teach about White Privilege: A Cooperative Group Activity
Authors: Cebulak Jessica A. , Zipp John F.
Published: October 2018

A considerable amount of research across the past several decades has documented the emergence of a new racial ideology of “color-blindness” as well as evidence that white college students have difficulty recognizing the racial privileges that are obscured by this color-blindness. To address this, we developed a cooperative group White Privilege Activity that used racial and class differences in infant mortality to help students recognize the existence of white privilege. Fielding this in two mass lecture sections of Introductory Sociology, we found that exposure to content on white privilege along with the utilization of cooperative learning group exercises promoted a greater understanding of white privilege for both white and nonwhite students. Furthermore, we found that the racial composition of cooperative learning groups had a significant impact on white students’ racial privilege attitudes.
Some Problems With the Analytical Argument in Support of RP67 in the Context of the Bookmark Standard Setting Method
Authors: Baldwin Peter
Published: October 2018

The choice of response probability in the bookmark method has been shown to affect outcomes in important ways. These findings have implications for the validity of the bookmark method because panelists’ inability to internally adjust when given different response probabilities suggests that they are not performing the intended judgment task. In response to the concerns these findings raise, proponents of the bookmark method argue that such concerns can be addressed by using a response probability of .67. A crucial part of their argument includes the often-repeated claim that the .67 value corresponds with the maximum information for a correct response, which is believed to be beneficial in some way. In this article, it is shown that this claim is mistaken; that the formula upon which the .67 result is based is incorrect; that (for the relevant measurement model) there is no difference between the information for a correct response, for an incorrect response, or for the item overall; and, more generally, that the “maximize information” approach is based on the wrong likelihood function altogether.
41-Week Study of Progressive Diabetic Nephropathy in the ZSF1 fa/faCP Rat Model
Authors: Homer Bruce L. , Dower Ken
Published: October 2018

This symposium synopsis summarizes key results from a 41-week study of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in the type 2 diabetic ZSF1 fa/faCP rat model. During this study, we conducted longitudinal analysis of biomarkers, renal histopathology, ultrastructural assessment, renal quantitative image analysis, and transcriptome analysis of glomerular-enriched tissue. We concluded that there is translational value for using the ZSF1 rat model in mechanistic and therapeutic intervention efficacy studies for type 2 DN.
Optimal path shape for range-only underwater target localization using a Wave Glider
Authors: Masmitja Ivan , Gomariz Spartacus , Del-Rio Joaquin , Kieft Brian , O’Reilly Tom , Bouvet Pierre-Jean , Aguzzi Jacopo
Published: October 2018

Underwater localization using acoustic signals is one of the main components in a navigation system for an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) as a more accurate alternative to dead-reckoning techniques. Although different methods based on the idea of multiple beacons have been studied, other approaches use only one beacon, which reduces the system’s costs and deployment complexity. The inverse approach for single-beacon navigation is to use this method for target localization by an underwater or surface vehicle. In this paper, a method of range-only target localization using a Wave Glider is presented, for which simulations and sea tests have been conducted to determine optimal parameters to minimize acoustic energy use and search time, and to maximize location accuracy and precision. Finally, a field mission is presented, where a Benthic Rover (an autonomous seafloor vehicle) is localized and tracked using minimal human intervention. This mission shows, as an example, the power of using autonomous vehicles in collaboration for oceanographic research.
Real-world use of PCSK9 inhibitors: A single-center experience
Authors: Sarsam Sinan , Berry Abeer , Degheim George , Singh Robby , Zughaib Marcel
Published: October 2018

Objective

Hyperlipidemia is an important risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Many patients are intolerant to or have limited benefit from statins. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors have been approved for treating hyperlipidemia in these patients. We sought to investigate the impact of these medications in a real-world cardiology practice.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of 17 patients with either heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels above the treatment target despite maximally tolerated statins. Baseline lipid profile was compared with a repeat lipid profile obtained 4 to 6 weeks after initiating treatment with a PCSK9 inhibitor.

Results

The average duration of PCSK9 inhibitor treatment was 10.7 months. Lipid profile comparison showed that total cholesterol decreased from 243 ± 72 to 148 ± 39 (mg/dL) (39% reduction), triglycerides decreased from 185 ± 86 to 149 ± 62 (mg/dL) (19.5% reduction), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased from 56 ± 20 to 62 ± 26 (mg/dL) (10.7% increase), and LDL-C decreased from 154 ± 30 to 57 ± 32 (mg/dL) (63% reduction) from baseline.

Conclusions

PCSK9 inhibitors as add-on therapy to maximally tolerated statins resulted in an approximately 63% reduction in LDL-C.
Innovative ecological agricultural textiles*
Authors: Orth M. , Müller K. , Becker A. , Bergmann M. , Mattheß J. , Gries T.
Published: October 2018

Agricultural textiles are applied as a protective barrier against birds and insects, but also as ground covers against weeds and as protection from environmental factors. To protect plants from insects and other pests, pesticides and other protective agents are also used since a textile barrier is often insufficient or is not feasible. As these products have to be applied regularly, their use is costly and time-consuming. The situation also becomes more complicated when a textile is used to protect the field against other influences (e.g. frost). The application of pesticides and other protective agents in or on to the agricultural textile itself, enabling the active substances to be continuously released by the textile, is a viable alternative. Insecticides used in the agricultural sector pose an environmental problem, which cannot be solved even by incorporating them into textiles. A silica-based, ecological alternative will therefore be presented in this article.
Elastomeric heat-shielding materials containing microspheres modified with a heteroorganic modifier*
Authors: Kablov V.F. , Novopol’tseva O.M. , Keibal N.A. , Kochetkov V.G. , Pudovkin V.V.
Published: October 2018

The changes in the thermophysical and fire- and heat-shielding properties of compounds based on ethylene propylene rubber when hollow aluminosilicate microspheres (MSPs) are introduced were studied. The MSPs were treated with a heteroorganic modifier – phosphorus–boron–nitrogen-containing oligomer (PEDA), which is a combustion inhibitor. The physicomechanical characteristics of the vulcanisates and the magnitude of the Payne effect were determined. The vulcanisates contained 30 parts filler BS 120 and a sulphur vulcanising group, and also 1 part MSPs. The optimum MSP/PEDA ratio was 1:3. The ultra-high-frequency treatment of the mixture of MSPs and PEDA was especially effective. Using a Versa 3D electron microscope, the increase in the diameter of MSPs as a result of modification and the change in the atomic composition of the surface of MSPs were recorded. The modification of MSPs leads to a reduction in the Payne effect, to an increase in the interaction between rubber and filler, to a reduction in density, and to an increase in the cohesive strength. By comparison with a specimen without MSPs, the rate of linear combustion according to GOST 28157-89 decreases by 10%. The modification of MSPs leads to a decrease in this parameter by 5% by comparison with a specimen containing unmodified MSPs. The time of heating to 100°C of the unheated surface of a specimen heated on the other side to 2000°C increases by 50–60% and 11–19% respectively. The resistance to separation under conditions of erosion entrainment increases by 4–7%. The use of PEDA makes it possible to improve the adhesion of coating to substrate. A scheme of the interaction of MSPs and PEDA is put forward.
Trust and the Built Environment in New York City’s Public Housing
Authors: Beck Kevin
Published: October 2018

Public housing has been an important site for empirical research on concentrated poverty, social isolation, and social organization. Scholars have demonstrated that public housing was disproportionately built in high poverty neighborhoods, thereby exacerbating the physical and social isolation of residents. They have also hypothesized that physical features of public housing may contribute to a breakdown of social organization. These hypotheses motivated the demolition of large and physically deteriorated public housing structures throughout the United States. I use the New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey to test the hypotheses that large building size and visible building disorder are associated with mistrust among neighbors, as would be expected by theories linking the built environment to social organization. Although I find some evidence that trust is less common in large buildings with higher levels of disorder, I argue that critics of public housing overstate the social effects of the built environment.
A Novel Diabetic Mouse Model for Real-Time Monitoring of Clock Gene Oscillation and Blood Pressure Circadian Rhythm
Authors: Hou Tianfei , Su Wen , Guo Zhenheng , Gong Ming C.
Published: October 2018

Diabetic patients have an increased prevalence of blood pressure (BP) circadian rhythm disruption, which is associated with an increased risk of target organ damage and detrimental cardiovascular events. Limited information is available regarding the role of clock genes in the disruption of BP circadian rhythm in diabetes due to the lack of a diabetic animal model that allows real-time monitoring of clock gene oscillation. Here, we generated a novel diabetic db/db-mPer2Luc mouse model by crossing type 2 diabetic db/db mice with mPer2Luc knock-in mice. The daily rhythms of BP, heart rate, locomotor activity, and food and water intake were acquired by radiotelemetry or using metabolic chambers. The daily oscillation of mPer2 bioluminescence was recorded by LumiCycle in real-time in tissue explants and using the IVIS system in vivo. Our results show that db/db-mPer2Luc mice are obese, diabetic, and glucose intolerant. The db/db-mPer2Luc mice displayed a compromised BP daily rhythm, which was associated with disrupted daily rhythms in baroreflex sensitivity, locomotor activity, and metabolism, but not heart rate or food and water intake. The phase of the mPer2 daily oscillation was advanced to different extents in the explanted peripheral tissues from db/db-mPer2Luc mice relative to control mice. In contrast, no phase shift was detected in mPer2 daily oscillations in the explanted SCN. Moreover, advanced phase shift of the mPer2 daily oscillation was detected in the liver, kidney and submandibular gland in vivo of db/db-mPer2Luc mice. In conclusion, the diabetic db/db-mPer2Luc mouse is a novel animal model that allows real-time monitoring of mPer2 circadian rhythms ex vivo and in vivo. The results from db/db-mPer2Luc mice suggest that the desynchrony of mPer2 daily oscillation in peripheral tissues contributes to the loss of BP daily oscillation in diabetes.
Comparative manufacture and testing of induction- welded and adhesively bonded carbon fibre PEEK stiffened panels
Authors: Flanagan M , Doyle A , Doyle K , Ward M , Bizeul M , Canavan R , Weafer B , Ó Brádaigh CM , Harrison NM , Goggins J
Published: October 2018

This work presents details of manufacturing and testing of a carbon fibre polyetheretherketone induction-welded hat-stiffened panel. Mechanical testing is carried out to evaluate the performance of the welded assembly and results are compared with similar testing of an adhesively bonded panel. The results show that the welded panel and the bonded panel had similar load-bearing capacity (<2% difference) and stiffness (<1% difference). Optical microscopy is used to verify the weld quality and identify manufacturing artefacts associated with induction welding. Inspection of the panel after welding shows that the induction welding process caused minor warpage, voids and delamination in the panel. The work addresses the lack of data relating to demonstrator scale welded assemblies in the literature, demonstrates that continuous induction welding is a suitable assembly technique for aerospace and automotive components under uniaxial in-plane compressive loading and identifies process-induced artefacts that may occur during induction welding.
Proving I’m Right: Charter School Policy and Selective Exposure to Information
Authors: Blissett Richard S. L.
Published: October 2018

Research suggests that individuals may make choices about the information they consume that are influenced by what they already believe. In this study, I investigate this process in a particularly contentious policy arena: charter schools. What kinds of information are important to people as they evaluate charter school policy? Are their choices shaped by their prior beliefs? Overall, I find that indeed people tend to seek out information that aligns with their prior beliefs. Altogether, the results of this study suggest that the dynamics of selective exposure present in the political arena more broadly also exist within education policy.
Neglect of Growing Income and Asset Inequalities: A Flaw in Public Policy Discourses in India
Authors: Shetty S. L.
Published: October 2018

The article seeks to flag a fundamental flaw in public policies in India, namely, the neglect of growing inequalities in income and asset distributions and their causes and consequences. The article sets out a series of direct and indirect indicators of income and asset inequalities: inter-sectoral inequalities between rural-urban and farm and non-farm incomes, inter-state inequalities, gross inequalities in the distributions of urban incomes as per income-tax revenue statistics and explosive increases in remunerations of company executives. It has been pointed out that both in conception and actual implementation of the “inclusive growth” strategy, serious compromises have been made and inequalities have got worsened. In this respect, the article quotes extensively a comprehensive study done by the World Economic Forum very recently, which points out how India scores very poorly in its Inclusive Development Index (IDI) and attributes it to various policy failures.
Book Review: Himanshu, India Inequality Report 2018: Widening Gaps
Authors: Acharya Sarthi
Published: October 2018

Himanshu, India Inequality Report 2018: Widening Gaps. New Delhi: Oxfam India, 2018, 82 pp. Available at https://www.oxfamindia.org/sites/default/files/WideningGaps_IndiaInequalityReport2018.pdf
Book Review: Alexander de Frailas Barbosa, Maria Cristina Cacciamali and Gerry Rodgers, Growth and Inequality: The Contrasting Trajectories of India and Brazil
Authors: Reddy D. Narasimha
Published: October 2018

Alexander de Frailas Barbosa, Maria Cristina Cacciamali and Gerry Rodgers, Growth and Inequality: The Contrasting Trajectories of India and Brazil. New Delhi: Institute for Human Development and Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2017, xxvi + 349 pp.
Rapid differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus subspecies based on MALDI-TOF MS profiles
Authors: Pérez-Sancho Marta , Vela Ana I. , Horcajo Pilar , Ugarte-Ruiz María , Domínguez Lucas , Fernández-Garayzábal José F. , de la Fuente Ricardo
Published: October 2018

Staphylococcus aureus encompasses 2 subspecies ( aureus and anaerobius) with significant differences in their epidemiology and pathogenicity. We evaluated the suitability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for the rapid identification of both subspecies using a panel of 52 S. aureus isolates (30 subsp. anaerobius and 22 subsp. aureus) recovered from different origins, countries, and years. The on-board library identification system correctly identified 42 of 52 (81%) S. aureus isolates at the species level with score values >2.0. Limited performance was observed for differentiation of S. aureus subspecies (particularly subsp. anaerobius). Visual inspection of MALDI-TOF MS profiles identified 5 subspecies-specific mass peaks ( m/ z 3430 and 6861 in S. aureus subsp. anaerobius, and m/ z 4046, 6890, and 8093 in S. aureus subsp. aureus) with 100% sensitivity and specificity values, which is potentially useful for differentiating these subspecies. The suitability of 3 models, Genetic Analysis (GA), Quick Classifier (QC), and Supervised Neural Network, for automatic identification of both subspecies was evaluated using the Recognition Capability (RC) and Cross Validation (CV) values provided by the on-board ClinProTools software. The GA and QC models reached RC and CV values of 100%. Both models were externally validated using a panel of 26 S. aureus isolates of both subspecies, with both models correctly classifying all isolates of both subspecies. MALDI-TOF MS coupled with ClinProTools software represents a rapid and simple approach for S. aureus subspecies discrimination.
Artificial Intelligence and Social Simulation: Studying Group Dynamics on a Massive Scale
Authors: Hoey Jesse , Schröder Tobias , Morgan Jonathan , Rogers Kimberly B. , Rishi Deepak , Nagappan Meiyappan
Published: October 2018

Recent advances in artificial intelligence and computer science can be used by social scientists in their study of groups and teams. Here, we explain how developments in machine learning and simulations with artificially intelligent agents can help group and team scholars to overcome two major problems they face when studying group dynamics. First, because empirical research on groups relies on manual coding, it is hard to study groups in large numbers (the scaling problem). Second, conventional statistical methods in behavioral science often fail to capture the nonlinear interaction dynamics occurring in small groups (the dynamics problem). Machine learning helps to address the scaling problem, as massive computing power can be harnessed to multiply manual codings of group interactions. Computer simulations with artificially intelligent agents help to address the dynamics problem by implementing social psychological theory in data-generating algorithms that allow for sophisticated statements and tests of theory. We describe an ongoing research project aimed at computational analysis of virtual software development teams.
Region-Specific Phenotypes of Microglia: The Role of Local Regulatory Cues
Authors: De Biase Lindsay M. , Bonci Antonello
Published: October 2018

Microglia are ubiquitous, macrophage like cells within the central nervous system (CNS) that play critical roles in supporting neuronal health and viability. They can also influence neuronal membrane properties and synaptic connectivity, positioning microglia as key cellular players in both physiological and pathological contexts. Microglia have generally been assumed to be equivalent throughout the CNS, but accumulating evidence indicates that their properties vary substantially across distinct CNS regions. In comparison to our understanding of neuronal diversity and its functional importance, our knowledge about causes and consequences of microglial regional heterogeneity is extremely limited. To fully understand how microglia influence the function of specific neuronal populations and shape heightened susceptibility of some neurons to damage and disease, greater focus on microglial heterogeneity is needed.
Rethinking the Role of Assessment
Authors: Pike Gary R.
Published: October 2018

The prevailing wisdom is that by gathering information about outcomes, we can improve what we are doing and how we do it. But can information about outcomes alone help us make important changes to strengthen our programs and services? This is the question people at the University of Missouri–Columbia began to ask themselves. The answers they came up with are described in the following pages.
The Clery Act: Freedom of Information at what Cost to students?
Authors: Harshman Ellen , Puro Steven , Wolff Lori A.
Published: October 2018

The Clery Act, which requires full disclosure of campus crime statistics, is bringing campus disciplinary issues into the criminal justice system. The result, say the authors, is grave damage to the student-educator relationship as well as to student development. Can we reconcile the desire for consumer protection with the traditional values of higher education?
Bringing Students’: Experience to the Learning Process
Authors: Marienau Catherine , Fiddler Morry
Published: October 2018

Experience has been the focus of many approaches to student engagement and active learning. However, how can students make that critical connection between their own experiences and what they are studying? The authors show how student reflection is the key ingredient for transforming experience into meaningful learning.
Wide Margins
Authors: Williams Lee Burdette
Published: October 2018

Paying attention to students who don't fit in.
What Helps Some First-Generation Students Succeed
Authors: Rodriguez Sandria
Published: October 2018

Students who are the first in their extended families to attend college and then go on to lead lives of activism are the beneficiaries of a blend of large gestures of support and small acts of kindness. The author reports on research she conducted into the factors that result in lives of achievement among activist first-generation college graduates.
The Buddy System-Crisis Management at the University of Georgia
Authors: Goldstein Diana , Avery Cynthia M. , Day Jim
Published: October 2018

A crisis on campus generally means pulling together a complex institutional support network to deal with a tangle of academic and personal issues. In the case of the University of Georgia it may mean something as simple as having a buddy to rely on for help. Here's a program based on this simple idea.
It's Time We Started Paying Attention to Community College Students
Authors: Pascarella Ernest T.
Published: October 2018

While over a third of American college students are enrolled in community colleges, there is surprisingly little research on these institutions to inform our views of the role they play—or can play—in the world of higher education. Turning our attention to these long-ignored but widely attended institutions may mean challenging some common assumptions about what students can and should get out of postsecondary education.
Bringing it Home: Integrating Classroom and Residential Experiences
Authors: Minor Frankie D.
Published: October 2018

The University of Missouri–Columbia has brought Freshman Interest Groups into the residence halls. The residential life director reports on why they made this move—and the results they are seeing.
Playing by the Rules
Authors: Schofer Gregory
Published: October 2018

Student elections—opportunity for learning or just politics as usual? A student government adviser reports on controversies—and lessons—from recent student elections, and Susan Hopp, a director of student development, reflects on their meaning.
Facilitating Meaningful Dialogues about Race
Authors: Magolda Marcia B. Baxter
Published: October 2018

How can we move beyond facile and superficial discussions of race and help students come to a true understanding of their own racial identity in relationship to others? We need to start by taking a developmental approach, says the author.
Homelessness Immersion: Bridging the Gap between Experience and Analysis
Authors: Russo Michael S.
Published: October 2018

A number of years ago, educators at Molloy College were looking for a way to educate students about poverty that not only would provide theoretical information about the economic and social issues but would also help students develop personal insight into the experience of living in poverty. The result was the Homelessness Immersion Project, a year-long program that brought together community service efforts, coursework in different disciplines, and opportunities for personal reflection.
Making Room for Religious Diversity on Campus: The Spiritual Pathways Series at the University of Minnesota–Morris
Authors: Hodges Shannon
Published: October 2018

When the University of Minnesota–Morris (UMM) confronted the challenge of promoting religious expression for students of diverse spiritual orientations, the result was a series of forums entitled Spiritual Pathways. Here is how Spiritual Pathways brings together students, student affairs administrators, and faculty to discuss and understand diverse spiritual practices and perspectives.
Developing Community Constitutions at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Authors: Onge Stephen St. , Crawford Michael
Published: October 2018

How can campuses encourage civil behavior and promote a sense of responsibility among students? At the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, residence life staff have started a program designed to achieve these ends as students create and live by community constitutions.
Creating a Campus Climate that Truly Values Diversity
Authors: Clements Evelyn
Published: October 2018

Helping students become more aware and accepting of people from different cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds is a big challenge—one that Middlesex Community College took on in an interesting way. Instead of creating a single central program, educators there decided to look broadly across their two campuses for opportunities and ideas. The result was many small initiatives that together have had a large impact on the campus climate.