bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conducting Research at Language Centers: Practical Perspectives from the Field
Authors: Gass Susan , Juffs Alan , Starfield Sue , Hyland Ken
Published: November 2018

The focus in this article is on research in language centers. Four center directors provide examples of the place of research in language centers and focus on how teachers and researchers work together to facilitate large action research projects. The first section describes a survey of instructors in U.S.‐based intensive English programs (IEPs). The other sections then illustrate how research is encouraged and developed through clear frameworks, incentives, and the involvement of teaching faculty in research projects of different scales.
A hidden symmetry in quantum gravity
Authors: Ananth Sudarshan , Brink Lars , Majumdar Sucheta
Published: November 2018

Abstract

The action integral contains more information than the equations of motion. Since it is an integral, changes of the integration variables occasionally also expose symmetries more easily than working directly with the equations of motion. We have previously shown that there are signs of an extended exceptional symmetry for

$$ \mathcal{N}=8 $$

N
=
8

supergravity in four dimensions. The symmetry is such that the fields used in the Lagrangian are not representations of the symmetry. Instead one has to add representations to obtain a representation of the extended symmetry group. In this paper we discuss an extended symmetry in four-dimensional gravity which is the “Ehlers Symmetry” in three dimensions. It cannot be spanned by the helicity states of four-dimensional gravity but it can be realised once we treat the helicity states just as field variables of the functional integral, which can be changed like variables in any integral. We also explain how this symmetry is inherent in formulations of

$$ \mathcal{N}=8 $$

N
=
8

supergravity in four dimensions through a truncation in the field space to pure gravity. The establishment of these “hidden” symmetries should play an important role in the perturbative behaviour of the quantum theories. Since the method used n this paper is purely algebraic we will not provide any information on the geometric role of these symmetries.
Personality traits and Internet usage across generation cohorts: Insights from a nationally representative study
Authors: Roos John Magnus , Kazemi Ali
Published: November 2018

Studies examining the relationship between personality and Internet usage have usually used small and non-representative samples. In the present study, we examine the relationship between the Five Factor Model of Personality and Internet usage in a large nationally representative Swedish sample (N = 1694). Neuroticism was negatively associated with overall Internet usage, whereas extraversion and openness to experience were shown to be positively associated with overall Internet usage. However, exploring these associations across categories of Internet usage and generation cohorts revealed some other interesting patterns. Specifically, neuroticism was negatively associated with using the Internet for activities relating to information and duties but not for leisure and social activities. Extraversion was positively associated with using the Internet for leisure and social activities among DotNets (born 1977–1999), whereas among Dutifuls (born 1910–1945) and Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964) extraversion was positively associated with using the Internet for information and duty activities. Openness to experience was positively associated with Internet usage but only among Baby Boomers. Conscientiousness was a significant predictor of Internet usage only for DotNets and GenXers (born 1965–1976). In these cohorts, conscientiousness was positively associated with using the Internet for information and duty activities but negatively associated with using the Internet for leisure and social activities. Apparently, understanding the relationship between personality and Internet usage is not possible without considering the modifying role of categories of Internet usage and generation cohorts. The implications of the results for theory and practice are discussed in detail.
Validity evidence for programmatic assessment in competency-based education
Authors: Bok Harold G. J. , De Jong Lubberta H. , O’Neill Thomas , Maxey Connor , Hecker Kent G.
Published: November 2018

Introduction Competency-based education (CBE) is now pervasive in health professions education. A foundational principle of CBE is to assess and identify the progression of competency development in students over time. It has been argued that a programmatic approach to assessment in CBE maximizes student learning. The aim of this study is to investigate if programmatic assessment, i. e., a system of assessment, can be used within a CBE framework to track progression of student learning within and across competencies over time.
Methods Three workplace-based assessment methods were used to measure the same seven competency domains. We performed a retrospective quantitative analysis of 327,974 assessment data points from 16,575 completed assessment forms from 962 students over 124 weeks using both descriptive (visualization) and modelling (inferential) analyses. This included multilevel random coefficient modelling and generalizability theory.
Results Random coefficient modelling indicated that variance due to differences in inter-student performance was highest (40%). The reliability coefficients of scores from assessment methods ranged from 0.86 to 0.90. Method and competency variance components were in the small-to-moderate range.
Discussion The current validation evidence provides cause for optimism regarding the explicit development and implementation of a program of assessment within CBE. The majority of the variance in scores appears to be student-related and reliable, supporting the psychometric properties as well as both formative and summative score applications.
Revolution without regime change: The evidence from the post-Euromaidan Ukraine
Authors: Matsiyevsky Yuriy
Published: November 2018

What effects does a revolution have on the stability or change of a hybrid regime? Has the Ukraine’s regime changed since the 2014 revolution? To answer these questions I examine the changes in formal and informal institutions and the quantitative and qualitative composition of elites after the change of power in Ukraine in 2014. I argue that despite greater than in the post-orange period quantitative renewal of elites, qualitative change has not occurred. Meanwhile, the old operational code, or modus operandi, of elites’ political culture, composed of clientelism, secretive deals and quota based nominations to government positions continues to operate. The lack of elites’ renewal and the dominance of informal rules over formal procedures — two factors that keep the institutional core of Ukraine’s hybrid regime unchanged.
Epilepsy, Physical Activity and Sports: A Narrative Review
Authors: Carrizosa-Moog Jaime , Ladino Lady Diana , Benjumea-Cuartas Vanessa , Orozco-Hernández Juan Pablo , Castrillón-Velilla Diana Marcela , Rizvi Syed , Téllez-Zenteno José Francisco
Published: November 2018

People with epilepsy (PWE) are less physically active compared with the general population. Explanations include prejudice, overprotection, unawareness, stigma, fear of seizure induction and lack of knowledge of health professionals. At present, there is no consensus on the role of exercise in epilepsy. This paper reviews the current evidence surrounding the risks and benefits associated with physical activity (PA) in this group of patients. In the last decade, several publications indicate significant benefits in physiological and psychological health parameters, including mood and cognition, physical conditioning, social interaction, quality of life, as well as potential prevention of seizure presentation. Moreover, experimental studies suggest that PA provides mechanisms of neuronal protection, related to biochemical and structural changes including release of β-endorphins and steroids, which may exert an inhibitory effect on the occurrence of abnormal electrical activity. Epileptic discharges can decrease or disappear during exercise, which may translate into reduced seizure recurrence. In some patients, exercise may precipitate seizures. Available evidence suggests that PA should be encouraged in PWE in order to promote wellbeing and quality of life. There is a need for prospective randomized controlled studies that provide stronger clinical evidence before definitive recommendations can be made.
SPATIAL HAMILTONIAN IDENTITIES FOR NONLOCALLY COUPLED SYSTEMS
Authors: BAKKER BENTE , SCHEEL ARND
Published: November 2018

We consider a broad class of systems of nonlinear integro-differential equations posed on the real line that arise as Euler–Lagrange equations to energies involving nonlinear nonlocal interactions. Although these equations are not readily cast as dynamical systems, we develop a calculus that yields a natural Hamiltonian formalism. In particular, we formulate Noether’s theorem in this context, identify a degenerate symplectic structure, and derive Hamiltonian differential equations on finite-dimensional center manifolds when those exist. Our formalism yields new natural conserved quantities. For Euler–Lagrange equations arising as traveling-wave equations in gradient flows, we identify Lyapunov functions. We provide several applications to pattern-forming systems including neural field and phase separation problems.
A 25-year dynamic ecological analysis of psychiatric hospital admissions and prison committals: Penrose’s hypothesis updated
Authors: O’Neill C. J. , Kelly B. D. , Kennedy H. G.
Published: November 2018

Aims

There is renewed interest in the inverse association between psychiatric hospital and prison places, with reciprocal time trends shown in more than one country. We hypothesised that the numbers of admissions to psychiatric hospitals and committals to prisons in Ireland would also correlate inversely over time (i.e. dynamic measures of admission and committal rather than static, cross-sectional numbers of places).

Method

Publicly available activity statistics for psychiatric hospitals and prisons in Ireland were collated from 1986 to 2010.

Results

There was a reciprocal association between psychiatric admissions and prison committals (Pearson r=−0.788, p<0.001), an increase of 91 prison committals for every 100 psychiatric hospital admissions foregone.

Conclusion

Penrose’s hypothesis applies to admissions to psychiatric hospitals and prisons in Ireland over time (dynamic measures), just as it does to the numbers of places in psychiatric hospitals and prisons in Ireland and elsewhere (static, cross-sectional measures). Although no causal connection can be definitively established yet, mentally disordered prisoners are usually known to community mental health services. Psychiatric services for prisons and the community should be linked to ensure that the needs of those currently accessing care through prisons can also be met in the community.
Tropical Rainforest Dynamics and Palaeoclimate Implications since the late Pleistocene, Nilgiris, India
Authors: Raja Priyanka , Achyuthan Hema , Farooqui Anjum , Ramesh Rengaswamy , Kumar Pankaj , Chopra Sundeep
Published: November 2018

A multiproxy study involving sedimentology, palynology, radiocarbon dating, stable isotopes, and geochemistry was carried out on the Parsons Valley Lake deposit, Nilgiris, India, to determine palaeoclimatic fluctuations and their possible impact on vegetation since the late Pleistocene. The 72-cm-deep sediment core that was retrieved reveals five distinct palaeoclimatic phases: (1) Warm and humid conditions with a high lake stand before the last glacial maximum (LGM; ~29,800 cal yr BP), subsequently changing to a relatively cool and dry phase during the LGM. (2) Considerable dry conditions and lower precipitation occurred between ~16,300 and 9500 cal yr BP. During this period, the vegetation shrank and perhaps was confined to moister pockets or was a riparian forest cover. (3) An outbreak in the shift of monsoonal precipitation was witnessed in the beginning of the mid-Holocene, around 8400 cal yr BP, implying alteration in the shift toward warm and humid conditions, resulting in relatively high pollen abundance for evergreen taxa. (4) This phase exhibits a shift to heavier δ13C values around ~1850 cal yr BP, with an emergence of moist deciduous plants pointing to drier conditions. (5) Human activities contributed to the exceedingly high percentage ofAcaciaandPinuspollen during the Little Ice Age.
The Ambiguous Definition of Open Government: Parliamentarians, Journalists and Bloggers Define Open Government In Accordance With Their Interests
Authors: Wootten George W. , Kiss Simon J.
Published: November 2018

We present the results of a 2014 survey of Canadian parliamentarians, journalists and bloggers in which respondents were asked to rank competing definitions of open government. Overall, respondents preferred to define open government in terms of access to information and sources. However, controlling for age, ideology and language, we also found that respondents in the different positions ranked definitions of open government differently. Journalists are more likely than any other group to define open government in terms of access to information and sources. In contrast, parliamentarians who were members of a governing party were as likely to choose definitions of open government that emphasized public participation as they were to choose definitions that emphasized access to information. Opposition parliamentarians share more similarities with government parliamentarians than with journalists. These results suggest that key actors in the Canadian policy landscape define open government in ways that are consistent with their institutional interests. We suggest that these results reflect ways in which open government operates more like a buzzword, which helps explain the common pattern whereby opposition parties make promises to be more open and, after taking power, operate in less open ways. Moreover, these results raise questions about the extent to which open government can actually operate as an organizing principle.
Family values? Sexism and heteronormativity in Feminist Evolutionary Analytic (FEA) research
Authors: Kinsella Helen M. , Sjoberg Laura
Published: November 2018

In this article, we focus on the subset of evolutionary theorising self-identified as Feminist Evolutionary Analytic (FEA) within security studies and International Relations. We offer this accounting in four sections. First, we provide a brief overview of the argument that reproductive interests are the ‘origins’ of international violence. Second, we break down the definitions of gender, sex, and sexuality used in evolutionary work in security studies generally and in FEA specifically, demonstrating a lack of complexity in FEA’s accounts of the potential relations among the three and critiquing their essentialist heteronormative assumptions. Third, we argue that FEA’s failure to reflect on the history and context of evolutionary theorising, much less contemporary feminist critiques, facilitates its forwarding of the state and institutions as primarily neutral and corrective bulwarks against male violence. Fourth, we conclude by outlining what is at stake if we fail to correct for this direction in feminist, IR, and security research. We argue that FEA work misrepresents and narrows the potential for understanding and responding to violence, facilitating the continued instrumentalisation of women’s rights, increased government regulation of sexuality, and a more expansive form of militarism.
Error Modelling and Optimal Estimation of Laser Scanning Aided Inertial Navigation System in GNSS-Denied Environments
Authors: Liu W.I. , Li Zhixiong , Zhang Zhichao
Published: November 2018

A Laser Scanning aided Inertial Navigation System (LSINS) is able to provide highly accurate position and attitude information by aggregating laser scanning and inertial measurements under the assumption that the rigid transformation between sensors is known. However, a LSINS is inevitably subject to biased estimation and filtering divergence errors due to inconsistent state estimations between the inertial measurement unit and the laser scanner. To bridge this gap, this paper presents a novel integration algorithm for LSINS to reduce the inconsistences between different sensors. In this new integration algorithm, the Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (RBFNN) and Singular Value Decomposition Unscented Kalman Filter (SVDUKF) are used together to avoid inconsistent state estimations. Optimal error estimation in the LSINS integration process is achieved to reduce the biased estimation and filtering divergence errors through the error state and measurement error model built by the proposed method. Experimental tests were conducted to evaluate the navigation performance of the proposed method in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-denied environments. The navigation results demonstrate that the relationship between the laser scanner coordinates and the inertial sensor coordinates can be established to reduce sensor measurement inconsistencies, and LSINS position accuracy can be improved by 23·6% using the proposed integration method compared with the popular Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) algorithm.
Transitional spaces in the architecture of Luis Barragán and José Antonio Coderch: Casa Prieto López and Casa Ugalde
Authors: de Rentería Isabela , Velázquez Claudia Rueda
Published: November 2018

Luis Barragán (Guadalajara, Mexico, 1902-1988) and José Antonio Coderch (Barcelona, Spain, 1913-1984), despite having different origins, shared a common ground. Their architecture – based on Mediterranean tradition – was adapted to similar mild climate conditions, where shadowed and protected open spaces played a role as transitional spaces between indoors and outdoors. Those spaces were not treated as traditional elements incorporated within the buildings’ repertories, but were spatial proposals with a goal – rooted in their cultural backgrounds – of enriching the relationship between both realms. In this essay, common features arise when comparing two paradigmatic houses built by Barragán (Casa Prieto López, Mexico City, Mexico, 1950) and Coderch (Casa Ugalde, Caldes d’Estrach, Spain, 1951), within subjects such as the role of tradition, the relationship to the place, or the explanation of their architecture as a plastic experience.

Private and public are clearly separated in both architects’ works, generally by a hermetic and neutral facade, behind which indoors and outdoors are interwoven, in such a way that open spaces take part of the interior of their houses and views towards the landscape or the sky break up the limits. Some of the spaces are settled in a kind of ambiguous category: there will be enclosed rooms with no ceiling, or patios and porches with windows in them.

The common Mediterranean heritage appears within plane and plastered abstract walls, where plasticity rises from roughness, colour, light and shadow. The nuances appear in the personal interpretation of the experience of space, as well as in answer to the local conditions, and it is then that a different position in relation to nature emerges; whereas the Mediterranean coast is naturally soft and mild, the Mexican vegetation and geological features introduce a brave contrast between the open and the built.
ECONOMIC GROWTH WITH ENDOGENOUS ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS
Authors: Li Zhao , Chu Yujing , Gao Tianruo
Published: November 2018

Unlike most existing studies on the endogenous institutions, literature on theoretical growth has traditionally considered institutions as exogenous. In this paper, a learn-by-doing-based growth model is adopted and integrated with endogenous institutions to study how economic agents’ incentives engage in institutional improvements or exploit institutional imperfections. From maximization of identical agent utility, the economic growth model includes capital, labor, technology, and institutions. The study is to analyze the effect of institutions on the stability of equilibrium, balanced economic growth path, and convergence rate in the process of economic growth. It is concluded that, firstly, improving institutions is a decisive factor for China’s high economic growth rate for the past years; secondly, improving institutions can increase the capital stock per unit of effective labor in steady state; thirdly, imperfect institutions can explain income difference among countries; and finally, technology plays a key role only under the conditions adapting to institutions.
«Blended Learning»-Basiskurs Sonografie
Authors: Räschle Nino , Hari Roman
Published: November 2018

Zusammenfassung. In verschiedenen Ländern organisieren sich Studierende, um sich im «Peer-Tutoring» gegenseitig praktische Fähigkeiten der Sonografie beizubringen. Ein gemeinsames Projekt der Schweizer Universitäten und der SGUM geht aktiv unterstützend auf diese Bewegung zu. In einem E-Learning mit einem Grundlagen-Teil und zwölf organspezifischen Lektionen werden die Anatomie und die Standards der praktischen Untersuchung in Videos demonstriert. Zu jeder Lektion absolvieren die Studierenden praktische Übungsstunden mit einem Peer-Tutor und dokumentieren diese in einem Logbuch. Den Studierenden wird nach Bestehen der praktischen Abschlussprüfung der Grundkurs Abdomen-Sonografie der SGUM akkreditiert. Dieser Artikel beschreibt einige strategische und didaktische Überlegungen zu diesem innovativen Projekt sowie den aktuellen Stand der Implementierung.
Ion Energies Dominating Energy Density in the Inner Magnetosphere: Spatial Distributions and Composition, Observed by Arase/MEP‐i
Authors: Keika K. , Kasahara S. , Yokota S. , Hoshino M. , Seki K. , Nosé M. , Amano T. , Miyoshi Y. , Shinohara I.
Published: November 2018

We investigate the spatial distributions and composition of contributing energies, which we term an energy range that makes the dominant contribution to energy density, in the inner magnetosphere during the main phase of magnetic storms. We analyze data from the medium‐energy particle experiments‐ion mass analyzer (MEP‐i) on board the Arase satellite during six magnetic storms in year 2017 with the SYM‐H minimum smaller than −50 nT. The results show that the inner part (L ≤ 5) is dominated by relatively low‐energy ions adiabatically transported from the plasma sheet by enhanced convection. The contributing energies are higher for O+ than for H+ at higher L shells (L > 5), particularly during the storms driven by coronal mass ejections. The results provide in situ evidence of the contribution from mass‐dependent/selective acceleration processes associated with substorm activity to the buildup of the outer part the ring current.
Using Magnetic Topology to Probe the Sources of Mars' Nightside Ionosphere
Authors: Adams D. , Xu S. , Mitchell D. L. , Lillis R. J. , Fillingim M. , Andersson L. , Fowler C. , Connerney J. E. P. , Espley J. , Mazelle C.
Published: November 2018

We combine thermal electron densities in Mars' ionosphere with magnetic topology information to investigate the sources of the nightside ionosphere. Thermal electron density is measured in situ by the Langmuir Probe and Waves experiment onboard Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN, while magnetic topology is simultaneously inferred from suprathermal electron energy‐pitch angle distributions measured by the Solar Wind Electron Analyzer and the Magnetometer. Topologically closed regions inhibit electron impact ionization, allowing us to isolate the effects of plasma transport from the dayside, which exhibits a dawn‐dusk asymmetry. Pressure gradient forces on open magnetic field lines connected to the dayside ionosphere source the high‐altitude nightside ionosphere, resulting in higher densities. Regions that are topologically open to the nightside ionosphere allow us to assess in situ production by electron impact ionization, which is responsible for ~50% of the nightside ionosphere below ~160 km and ~25% above ~220 km (on average).
Elemental and Sr‐Nd Isotope Geochemistry of Sinking Particles in the Northern South China Sea: Implications for Provenance and Transportation
Authors: Liu Xi , Wei Gangjian , Zou Jieqiong , Guo Yangrui , Ma Jinlong , Chen Xuefei , Liu Ying , Chen Jianfang , Li Hongliang , Zeng Ti
Published: November 2018

Major and trace elements, Sr and Nd isotopes of bulk particles from the SCS‐NW and SCS‐N‐03 traps were studied to trace the provenance of sinking particles in the northern South China Sea (SCS). About 63% of biogenic materials and most of lithogenic materials from the SCS‐NW trap may be contributed from resuspended sediments, and more biogenic materials are collected in winter than in summer. The immobile‐element discrimination diagrams also indicate that the lithogenic materials of particles are, to a large degree, from local seafloor sediments, and that the lithogenic materials of particles from SCS‐N and SCS‐W traps have seasonal variations. Sr isotopes (87Sr/86Sr and δ88Sr) of bulk particles are significantly influenced by biogenic materials and cannot be used in provenance tracing. In contrast, Nd isotopes are ideal tools to trace particle provenance. However, the traditional Nd isotope (143Nd/144Nd) shows no statistical difference on the particles of the SCS‐NW and SCS‐N‐03 traps, making it unable to identify their provenance. Fortunately, the stable Nd isotope,ε146Nd, shows different correlation trends toε143Nd in these two traps, suggesting that stable Nd isotope can potentially identify the sources of lithogenic materials in the northern SCS. Our results indicate that distribution and transportation of sinking particles are controlled by currents of the SCS mainly driven by the East Asian Monsoon.
Tracking the Paleocene‐Eocene Thermal Maximum in the North Atlantic: A Shelf‐to‐Basin Analysis With a Regional Ocean Model
Authors: Hantsoo Kalev G. , Kump Lee R. , Haupt Bernd J. , Bralower Timothy J.
Published: November 2018

The Paleocene‐Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a transient greenhouse climate interval spurred by a large release of carbon to the ocean‐atmosphere approximately 56 million years ago, provides a geological point of comparison for potential effects of anthropogenic carbon emission. Geochemical proxies and fossil assemblages offer insight into the continental shelf response to the PETM, but global ocean‐atmosphere models cannot resolve shelf processes at sufficient resolution for model‐data comparisons. We present high‐resolution simulations of the pre‐PETM and PETM North Atlantic basin using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), including a resolved continental shelf along the eastern margin of North America in the Salisbury Embayment. ROMS' high‐resolution, terrain‐following coordinate system permits greater vertical resolution and eddy resolution along continental margins while also capturing open‐ocean processes. We find that during the PETM, benthic oxygen concentration ([O2]) in the Salisbury Embayment decreases 18% to an average state of year‐round mild hypoxia, while average benthic calcite saturation (Ω) declines from 4.4 to 2.3. These benthic decreases are driven largely by enhanced benthic oxic respiration, which occurs despite no increase in shelf productivity. Instead, increased respiration stems from less vigorous off‐shelf transport of organic matter due to (a) weakened along‐shelf water currents and (b) weakened coastal upwelling that forces productivity closer to the shelf seafloor. Model results do not include riverine inputs, which would have further lowered benthic [O2] and Ω. Our data suggest lowered benthic calcite saturation and mild hypoxia as an upper bound on the oxygenation state of the Salisbury Embayment seafloor during the PETM.
Evidence for Local and Systemic Immune Activation in Functional Dyspepsia and the Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review
Authors: Burns Grace , Carroll Georgia , Mathe Andrea , Horvat Jay , Foster Paul , Walker Marjorie M. , Talley Nicholas J. , Keely Simon
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND:

Subtle histopathologic features such as eosinophilia and increased mast cells have been observed in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), including functional dyspepsia (FD) and the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The mechanisms that drive recruitment of these cells to the gastrointestinal tract remain unexplained, largely due to the heterogeneity in phenotypes among patients diagnosed with such conditions. We aimed to systematically review the literature and collate the evidence for immune activation in FD and IBS, and where possible, detail the nature of activation.

METHODS:

Seven literature databases were searched using the keywords: ‘functional gastrointestinal disorder’, FGID, ‘functional dyspepsia’, ‘non-ulcer dyspepsia’, ‘idiopathic dyspepsia’, ‘irritable bowel syndrome’, IBS and ‘immun*’.

RESULTS:

Fifty-one papers reporting discordant immune features met the selection criteria for this review. Changes in lymphocyte populations, including B and T lymphocyte numbers and activation status were reported in IBS and FD, in conjunction with duodenal eosinophilia in FD and increased colonic mast cells in IBS. Increases in circulating α4+β7+ gut-homing T cells appear to be linked to the pathophysiology of both FD and IBS. Studies in the area are complicated by poor phenotyping of patients into subgroups and the subtle nature of the immune activity involved in FD and IBS.

CONCLUSIONS:

Alterations in proportions of gut-homing T lymphocytes in both FD and IBS indicate that a loss of mucosal homeostasis may drive the symptoms of FD and IBS. There is indirect evidence that Th17 responses may play a role in FGIDs, however the evidence for a Th2 immune phenotype in FD and IBS is limited. Although immune involvement is evident, large, well-characterised patient cohorts are required to elucidate the immune mechanisms driving the development of FGIDs.
Continuous performance test impairment in a 22q11.2 microdeletion mouse model: improvement by amphetamine
Authors: Nilsson Simon R. O. , Heath Christopher J. , Takillah Samir , Didienne Steve , Fejgin Kim , Nielsen Vibeke , Nielsen Jacob , Saksida Lisa M. , Mariani Jean , Faure Philippe , Didriksen Michael , Robbins Trevor W. , Bussey Timothy J. , Mar Adam C.
Published: November 2018

The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) confers high risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. These disorders are associated with attentional impairment, the remediation of which is important for successful therapeutic intervention. We assessed a 22q11.2DS mouse model (Df(h22q11)/+) on a touchscreen rodent continuous performance test (rCPT) of attention and executive function that is analogous to human CPT procedures. Relative to wild-type littermates, Df(h22q11)/+ male mice showed impaired attentional performance as shown by decreased correct response ratio (hit rate) and a reduced ability to discriminate target stimuli from non-target stimuli (discrimination sensitivity, or d’). The Df(h22q11)/+ model exhibited decreased prefrontal cortical-hippocampal oscillatory synchrony within multiple frequency ranges during quiet wakefulness, which may represent a biomarker of cognitive dysfunction. The stimulant amphetamine (0–1.0 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently improved d’ in Df(h22q11)/+ mice whereas the highest dose of modafinil (40 mg/kg, i.p.) exacerbated their d’ impairment. This is the first report to directly implicate attentional impairment in a 22q11.2DS mouse model, mirroring a key endophenotype of the human disorder. The capacity of the rCPT to detect performance impairments in the 22q11.2DS mouse model, and improvement following psychostimulant-treatment, highlights the utility and translational potential of the Df(h22q11)/+ model and this automated behavioral procedure.
Restoration of FBP1 suppressed Snail-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Liu Gao-Min , Li Qiao , Zhang Peng-Fei , Shen Shun-Li , Xie Wen-Xuan , Chen Bin , Wu Jian , Hu Wen-Jie , Huang Xiao-Yong , Peng Bao-Gang
Published: November 2018

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP1), one of the rate-limiting gluconeogenic enzymes, plays critical roles in several cancers and is treated as a tumour suppressor. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. Here, we demonstrated that FBP1 was significantly inhibited during Snail-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tissues in HCC. Restoration of FBP1 expression in HCC cancer cells suppressed EMT phenotype, tumour migration and tumour growth induced by Snail overexpression in SMMC-7721 cells. Gene set enrichment analyses revealed significantly enriched terms, including WNT, Notch, ESC, CSR and PDGF, in the group with high Snail and low FBP1 compared with those with low Snail and high FBP1. Low FBP1 expression was significantly correlated with higher AFP level, satellite nodules, portal vein tumour thrombus, and advanced tumour stage. Survival analyses showed that FBP1 was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival and recurrence-free survival. In conclusion, our study revealed a vital role for FBP1 in Snail-induced EMT and prognostic prediction in HCC.
Epigenetically reprogrammed methylation landscape drives the DNA self-assembly and serves as a universal cancer biomarker
Authors: Sina Abu Ali Ibn , Carrascosa Laura G. , Liang Ziyu , Grewal Yadveer S. , Wardiana Andri , Shiddiky Muhammad J. A. , Gardiner Robert A. , Samaratunga Hemamali , Gandhi Maher K. , Scott Rodney J. , Korbie Darren , Trau Matt
Published: November 2018

Epigenetic reprogramming in cancer genomes creates a distinct methylation landscape encompassing clustered methylation at regulatory regions separated by large intergenic tracks of hypomethylated regions. This methylation landscape that we referred to as Methylscape is displayed by most cancer types, thus may serve as a universal cancer biomarker. To-date most research has focused on the biological consequences of DNA Methylscape changes whereas its impact on DNA physicochemical properties remains unexplored. Herein, we examine the effect of levels and genomic distribution of methylcytosines on the physicochemical properties of DNA to detect the Methylscape biomarker. We find that DNA polymeric behaviour is strongly affected by differential patterning of methylcytosine, leading to fundamental differences in DNA solvation and DNA-gold affinity between cancerous and normal genomes. We exploit these Methylscape differences to develop simple, highly sensitive and selective electrochemical or colorimetric one-step assays for the detection of cancer. These assays are quick, i.e., analysis time ≤10 minutes, and require minimal sample preparation and small DNA input.
Integrative epigenetic taxonomy of primary prostate cancer
Authors: Stelloo Suzan , Nevedomskaya Ekaterina , Kim Yongsoo , Schuurman Karianne , Valle-Encinas Eider , Lobo João , Krijgsman Oscar , Peeper Daniel Simon , Chang Seiwon Laura , Feng Felix Yi-Chung , Wessels Lodewyk Frederik Ary , Henrique Rui , Jerónimo Carmen , Bergman Andries Marinus , Zwart Wilbert
Published: November 2018

The Androgen Receptor (AR) is the key-driving transcription factor in prostate cancer, tightly controlled by epigenetic regulation. To date, most epigenetic profiling has been performed in cell lines or limited tissue samples. Here, to comprehensively study the epigenetic landscape, we perform RNA-seq with ChIP-seq for AR and histone modification marks (H3K27ac, H3K4me3, H3K27me3) in 100 primary prostate carcinomas. Integrative molecular subtyping of the five data streams revealed three major subtypes of which two were clearly TMPRSS2-ERG dictated. Importantly, we identify a third subtype with low chromatin binding and activity of AR, but with high activity of FGF and WNT signaling. While positive for neuroendocrine-hallmark genes, these tumors were copy number-neutral with low mutational burden, significantly depleted for genes characteristic of poor-outcome associated luminal B-subtype. We present a unique resource on transcriptional and epigenetic control in prostate cancer, revealing tight control of gene regulation differentially dictated by AR over three subtypes.
Terahertz rectification in ring-shaped quantum barriers
Authors: Kang Taehee , Kim R. H. Joon-Yeon , Choi Geunchang , Lee Jaiu , Park Hyunwoo , Jeon Hyeongtag , Park Cheol-Hwan , Kim Dai-Sik
Published: November 2018

Tunneling is the most fundamental quantum mechanical phenomenon with wide-ranging applications. Matter waves such as electrons in solids can tunnel through a one-dimensional potential barrier, e.g. an insulating layer sandwiched between conductors. A general approach to control tunneling currents is to apply voltage across the barrier. Here, we form closed loops of tunneling barriers exposed to external optical control to manipulate ultrafast tunneling electrons. Eddy currents induced by incoming electromagnetic pulses project upon the ring, spatiotemporally changing the local potential. The total tunneling current which is determined by the sum of contributions from all the parts along the perimeter is critically dependent upon the symmetry of the loop and the polarization of the incident fields, enabling full-wave rectification of terahertz pulses. By introducing global geometry and local operation to current-driven circuitry, our work provides a novel platform for ultrafast optoelectronics, macroscopic quantum phenomena, energy harvesting, and multi-functional quantum devices.
Observation of bound state self-interaction in a nano-eV atom collider
Authors: Thomas Ryan , Chilcott Matthew , Tiesinga Eite , Deb Amita B. , Kjærgaard Niels
Published: November 2018

Quantum mechanical scattering resonances for colliding particles occur when a continuum scattering state couples to a discrete bound state between them. The coupling also causes the bound state to interact with itself via the continuum and leads to a shift in the bound state energy, but, lacking knowledge of the bare bound state energy, measuring this self-energy via the resonance position has remained elusive. Here, we report on the direct observation of self-interaction by using a nano-eV atom collider to track the position of a magnetically-tunable Feshbach resonance through a parameter space spanned by energy and magnetic field. Our system of potassium and rubidium atoms displays a strongly non-monotonic resonance trajectory with an exceptionally large self-interaction energy arising from an interplay between the Feshbach bound state and a different, virtual bound state at a fixed energy near threshold.
Author Correction: Comprehensive integrative analyses identify GLT8D1 and CSNK2B as schizophrenia risk genes
Authors: Yang Cui-Ping , Li Xiaoyan , Wu Yong , Shen Qiushuo , Zeng Yong , Xiong Qiuxia , Wei Mengping , Chen Chunhui , Liu Jiewei , Huo Yongxia , Li Kaiqin , Xue Gui , Yao Yong-Gang , Zhang Chen , Li Ming , Chen Yongbin , Luo Xiong-Jian
Published: November 2018

In the original version of this Article, the affiliation details for Qiushuo Shen incorrectly omitted ‘Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650204, China’. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Assessing the elastic properties of skeletal muscle and tendon using shearwave ultrasound elastography and MyotonPRO
Authors: Feng Y. N. , Li Y. P. , Liu C. L. , Zhang Z. J.
Published: November 2018

The purposes of this study were to compare Young’s modulus values determined by shear wave ultrasound elastography (SWUE) with stiffness index obtained using a hand-held MyotonPRO device on the resting stiffness of gastrocnemius muscle belly and Achilles tendon; and to examine the test-retest reliability of those stiffness measurement using hand-held MyotonPRO. Twenty healthy volunteers participated in the study. The measurement values of muscle and tendon was determined in dominant legs. Each marker point was assessed using MyotonPRO and SWUE, respectively. Intra-operator reliability of MyotonPRO was established in 10 of the subjects. The correlation coefficients between the values of muscle and tendon stiffness indices determined by MyotonPRO and SWUE were calculated. Significant correlations were found for muscle and tendon stiffness and Young’s modulus ranged from 0.463 to 0.544 (all P < 0.05). The intra-operator reliability ranged from good to excellent (ICC(3,1) = 0.787~0.928). These results suggest that the resting stiffness of gastrocnemius muscle belly and Achilles tendon measured by MyotonPRO is related to the Young’s modulus of those quantified by SWUE. The MyotonPRO shows good intra-operator repeatability. Therefore, the present study shows that MyotonPRO can be used to assess mechanical properties of gastrocnemius muscle belly and Achilles tendon with a resting condition.
GBF1 and Arf1 interact with Miro and regulate mitochondrial positioning within cells
Authors: Walch Laurence , Pellier Emilie , Leng Weihua , Lakisic Goran , Gautreau Alexis , Contremoulins Vincent , Verbavatz Jean-Marc , Jackson Catherine L.
Published: November 2018

The spatial organization of cells depends on coordination between cytoskeletal systems and intracellular organelles. The Arf1 small G protein and its activator GBF1 are important regulators of Golgi organization, maintaining its morphology and function. Here we show that GBF1 and its substrate Arf1 regulate the spatial organization of mitochondria in a microtubule-dependent manner. Miro is a mitochondrial membrane protein that interacts through adaptors with microtubule motor proteins such as cytoplasmic dynein, the major microtubule minus end directed motor. We demonstrate a physical interaction between GBF1 and Miro, and also between the active GTP-bound form of Arf1 and Miro. Inhibition of GBF1, inhibition of Arf1 activation, or overexpression of Miro, caused a collapse of the mitochondrial network towards the centrosome. The change in mitochondrial morphology upon GBF1 inhibition was due to a two-fold increase in the time engaged in retrograde movement compared to control conditions. Electron tomography revealed that GBF1 inhibition also resulted in larger mitochondria with more complex morphology. Miro silencing or drug inhibition of cytoplasmic dynein activity blocked the GBF1-dependent repositioning of mitochondria. Our results show that blocking GBF1 function promotes dynein- and Miro-dependent retrograde mitochondrial transport along microtubules towards the microtubule-organizing center, where they form an interconnected network.
Energy/Electron Transfer Switch for Controlling Optical Properties of Silicon Quantum Dots
Authors: Abdelhameed Mohammed , Aly Shawkat , Lant Jeremy T. , Zhang Xiaoran , Charpentier Paul
Published: November 2018

The superior optical properties of Silicon Quantum Dots (SQDs) have made them of increasing interest for a variety of biological and opto-electronic applications. The surface functionalization of the SQDs with aromatic ligands plays a key role in controlling their optical properties due to the interaction of the ligands with the electronic wave function of SQDs. However, there is limited reports in literature describing the impact of spacer groups connecting the aromatic chromophore to SQDs on the optical properties of the SQDs. Herein, we report the synthesis of two SQDs assemblies (1.6 nm average diameter) functionalized with perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide (PDI) chromophore through N-propylurea and propylamine spacers. Depending on the nature of the spacer, the photophysical measurements provide clear evidence for efficient energy and/or electron transfer between the SQDs and PDI. Energy transfer was confirmed to be the operative process when propylurea spacer was used, in which the rate was estimated to be ~2 × 109 s−1. On the other hand, the propylamine spacer was found to facilitate electron transfer process within the SQDs assembly. To illustrate functionality, the water soluble SQD-N-propylurea-PDI assembly was proven to be nontoxic and efficient for fluorescent imaging of embryonic kidney HEK293 cells and human bone cancerous U2OS cells.
Reconstructing charge-carrier dynamics in porous silicon membranes from time-resolved interferometric measurements
Authors: He Wei , Wu Rihan , Yurkevich Igor V. , Canham Leigh T. , Kaplan Andrey
Published: November 2018

We performed interferometric time-resolved simultaneous reflectance and transmittance measurements to investigate the carrier dynamics in pump-probe experiments on thin porous silicon membranes. The experimental data was analysed by using a method built on the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation and the Drude model, allowing us to reconstruct the excited carriers’ non-uniform distribution in space and its evolution in time. The analysis revealed that the carrier dynamics in porous silicon, with ~50% porosity and native oxide chemistry, is governed by the Shockley-Read-Hall recombination process with a characteristic time constant of 375 picoseconds, whereas diffusion makes an insignificant contribution as it is suppressed by the high rate of scattering.
Decreased microbial co-occurrence network stability and SCFA receptor level correlates with obesity in African-origin women
Authors: Dugas Lara R. , Bernabé Beatriz Peñalver , Priyadarshini Medha , Fei Na , Park Seo Jin , Brown Laquita , Plange-Rhule Jacob , Nelson David , Toh Evelyn C. , Gao Xiang , Dong Qunfeng , Sun Jun , Kliethermes Stephanie , Gottel Neil , Luke Amy , Gilbert Jack A. , Layden Brian T.
Published: November 2018

We compared the gut microbial populations in 100 women, from rural Ghana and urban US [50% lean (BMI < 25 kg/m2) and 50% obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2)] to examine the ecological co-occurrence network topology of the gut microbiota as well as the relationship of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) with obesity. Ghanaians consumed significantly more dietary fiber, had greater microbial alpha-diversity, different beta-diversity, and had a greater concentration of total fecal SCFAs (p-value < 0.002). Lean Ghanaians had significantly greater network density, connectivity and stability than either obese Ghanaians, or lean and obese US participants (false discovery rate (FDR) corrected p-value ≤ 0.01).Bacteroides uniformiswas significantly more abundant in lean women, irrespective of country (FDR corrected p < 0.001), while lean Ghanaians had a significantly greater proportion ofRuminococcus callidus,Prevotella copri, andEscherichia coli, and smaller proportions of Lachnospiraceae,BacteroidesandParabacteroides. Lean Ghanaians had a significantly greater abundance of predicted microbial genes that catalyzed the production of butyric acid via the fermentation of pyruvate or branched amino-acids, while obese Ghanaians and US women (irrespective of BMI) had a significantly greater abundance of predicted microbial genes that encoded for enzymes associated with the fermentation of amino-acids such as alanine, aspartate, lysine and glutamate. Similar to lean Ghanaian women, mice humanized with stool from the lean Ghanaian participant had a significantly lower abundance of family Lachnospiraceae and genusBacteroidesandParabacteroides, and were resistant to obesity following 6-weeks of high fat feeding (p-value < 0.01). Obesity-resistant mice also showed increased intestinal transcriptional expression of the free fatty acid (Ffa) receptorFfa2, in spite of similar fecal SCFAs concentrations. We demonstrate that the association between obesity resistance and increased predicted ecological connectivity and stability of the lean Ghanaian microbiota, as well as increased local SCFA receptor level, provides evidence of the importance of robust gut ecologic network in obesity.