bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anthocyanins fromVitis coignetiaePulliat Inhibit Cancer Invasion and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, but These Effects Can Be Attenuated by Tumor Necrosis Factor in Human Uterine Cervical Cancer HeLa Cells
Authors: Lu Jing Nan , Lee Won Sup , Yun Jeong Won , Kim Min Jeong , Kim Hye Jung , Kim Dong Chul , Jeong Jae-Hoon , Choi Yung Hyun , Kim Gon-Sup , Ryu Chung Ho , Shin Sung Chul
Published: June 2013

Recently we have demonstrated that anthocyanins from fruits ofVitis coignetiaePulliat (AIMs) have anticancer effects. Here, we investigate the effects of AIMs on cell proliferation and invasion as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which have been linked to cancer metastasis in human uterine cervical cancer HeLa cells. AIMs inhibited the invasion of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner. AIMs inhibited MMP-9 expression in a dose-dependent manner. AIMs inhibited the motility of HeLa cells in a wound healing test. AIMs still suppressed NF-κB activation induced by TNF. AIMs also inhibited EMT in HeLa cells. AIMs suppressed vimentin, N-cadherin, andβ-catenin expression and induced E-cadherin. AIMs also suppressed expression ofβ-catenin and Snail, which was regulated by GSK-3. These effects of AIMs were also limited in the HeLa cells treated with TNF. In conclusion, this study indicates that AIMs have anticancer effects by suppressing NF-κB-regulated genes and EMT, which relates to suppression of IκBαphosphorylation and GSK-3 activity, respectively. However, the effects of AIMs were attenuated in the TNF-high condition.
Mucins Help to Avoid Alloreactivity at the Maternal Fetal Interface
Authors: Redzovic Arnela , Laskarin Gordana , Dominovic Marin , Haller Herman , Rukavina Daniel
Published: June 2013

During gestation, many different mechanisms act to render the maternal immune system tolerant to semi-allogeneic trophoblast cells of foetal origin, including those mediated via mucins that are expressed during the peri-implantation period in the uterus. Tumour- associated glycoprotein-72 (TAG-72) enhances the already established tolerogenic features of decidual dendritic cells with the inability to progress towards Th1 immune orientation due to lowered interferon (IFN)-γand interleukin (IL)-15 expression. Mucine 1 (Muc 1) supports alternative activation of decidual macrophages, restricts the proliferation of decidual regulatory CD56+bright natural killer (NK) cells, and downregulates their cytotoxic potential, including cytotoxic mediator protein expression. Removing TAG-72 and Muc 1 from the eutopic implantation site likely contributes to better control of trophoblast invasion by T cells and NK cells and appears to have important immunologic advantages for successful implantation, in addition to mechanical advantages. However, these processes may lead to uncontrolled trophoblast growth after implantation, inefficient defence against infection or tumours, and elimination of unwanted immunocompetent cells at the maternal-foetal interface. The use of mucins by tumour cells to affect the local microenvironment in order to avoid the host immune response and to promote local tumour growth, invasion, and metastasis confirms this postulation.
Management and Followup of Complicated Crown Fractures in Young Patients Treated with Partial Pulpotomy
Authors: Ojeda-Gutierrez Francisco , Martinez-Marquez Brenda , Arteaga-Larios Soraya , Ruiz-Rodriguez M. Socorro , Pozos-Guillen Amaury
Published: June 2013

Two cases of young patients with traumatized permanent teeth having complicated crown fractures are reported. Endodontic management included partial pulpotomy by the Cvek technique; restorative management included resin restoration and reattachment of the teeth fragments. Treatments were considered successful in all cases according to the following criteria: absence of clinical symptoms, absence of X-ray signs of pathology, and presence of pulpal vitality 6 to 25 months after treatment.
Global Strong Solutions to Some Nonlinear Dirac Equations in Super-Critical Space
Authors: Huh Hyungjin
Published: June 2013

We study the initial value problem of some nonlinear Dirac equations which areLmℝcritical. Corresponding to the structure of nonlinear terms, global strong solutions can be obtained in different Lebesgue spaces by using solution representation formula. The uniqueness of weak solutions is proved for the solutionU∈L∞0,T; Ym+2ℝ.
Learned Shrinkage Approach for Low-Dose Reconstruction in Computed Tomography
Authors: Shtok Joseph , Elad Michael , Zibulevsky Michael
Published: June 2013

We propose a direct nonlinear reconstruction algorithm for Computed Tomography (CT), designed to handle low-dose measurements. It involves the filtered back-projection and adaptive nonlinear filtering in both the projection and the image domains. The filter is an extension of the learned shrinkage method by Hel-Or and Shaked to the case of indirect observations. The shrinkage functions are learned using a training set of reference CT images. The optimization is performed with respect to an error functional in the image domain that combines the mean square error with a gradient-based penalty, promoting image sharpness. Our numerical simulations indicate that the proposed algorithm can manage well with noisy measurements, allowing a dose reduction by a factor of 4, while reducing noise and streak artifacts in the FBP reconstruction, comparable to the performance of a statistically based iterative algorithm.
Interaction of Wnt Signaling with BMP/Smad Signaling during the Transition from Cell Proliferation to Myogenic Differentiation in Mouse Myoblast-Derived Cells
Authors: Terada Kumiko , Misao Satomi , Katase Naoki , Nishimatsu Shin-ichiro , Nohno Tsutomu
Published: June 2013

Background.Wnt signaling is involved in muscle formation throughβ-catenin-dependent or -independent pathways, but interactions with other signaling pathways including transforming growth factorβ/Smad have not been precisely elucidated.Results.As Wnt4 stimulates myogenic differentiation by antagonizing myostatin (GDF8) activity, we examined the role of Wnt4 signaling during muscle differentiation in the C2C12 myoblast cell line. Among several extrinsic signaling molecules examined in a microarray analysis of C2C12 cells during the transition from cell proliferation to differentiation after mitogen deprivation,bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4)expression was prominently increased.Wnt4overexpression had similar effects onBMP4expression. BMP4 was able to inhibit muscle differentiation when added to the culture medium. BMP4 and noggin had no effects on the cellular localization ofβ-catenin induced by Wnt3a; however, the BMP4-induced phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8 was enhanced by Wnt4, but not by Wnt3a. The BMP antagonist noggin effectively stimulated muscle differentiation through binding to endogenous BMPs, and the effect of noggin was enhanced by the presence of Wnt3a and Wnt4.Conclusion.These results suggest that BMP/Smad pathways are modified through Wnt signaling during the transition from progenitor cell proliferation to myogenic differentiation, although Wnt/β-catenin signaling is not modified with BMP/Smad signaling.
Some Generalized Dependent Aggregation Operators with Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Information and Their Application to Exploitation Investment Evaluation
Authors: Qi Xiao-wen , Liang Chang-yong , Zhang Junling
Published: June 2013

We investigate multiple attribute group decision making (MAGDM) problems with arguments taking the form of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. In order to relieve influence of unfair arguments, a Gaussian distribution-based argument-dependent weighting method and a hybrid support-function-based argument-dependent weighting method are devised by, respectively, measuring support degrees of arguments indirectly and directly, based on which the Gaussian generalized interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy ordered weighted averaging operator (Gaussian-GIIFOWA) and geometric operator (Gaussian-GIIFOWG), the power generalized interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy ordered weighted averaging (P-GIIFOWA) operator and geometric (P-GIIFOWA) operator are proposed to generalize a wide range of aggregation operators for decision makers to flexibly choose in decision modelling. And some desirable properties of the proposed operators are also analyzed. Further, application of an approach integrating proposed operators to exploitation investment evaluation of tourist spots has shown the effectiveness and practicality of developed methods; experimental results also verify the properties of proposed operators.
Numerical Analysis of the Dislocation Density in Multicrystalline Silicon for Solar Cells by the Vertical Bridgman Process
Authors: Inoue Makoto , Nakano Satoshi , Harada Hirofumi , Miyamura Yoshiji , Gao Bing , Kangawa Yoshihiro , Kakimoto Koichi
Published: June 2013

We studied the effects of cooling process on the generation of dislocations in multicrystalline silicon grown by the vertical Bridgman process. From the temperature field obtained by a global model, the stress relaxation and multiplication of dislocations were calculated using the Haasen-Alexander-Sumino model. It was found that the multiplication of dislocations is higher in fast cooling processes. It was confirmed that residual stress is low at high temperatures because the movement of the dislocations relaxes the thermal strain, while the residual stress increases with decreasing temperature, because of reduced motion of dislocations and formation of a strain field at lower temperatures.
PUE Attack Detection in CWSN Using Collaboration and Learning Behavior
Authors: Blesa Javier , Romero Elena , Rozas Alba , Araujo Alvaro , Nieto-Taladriz Octavio
Published: June 2013

Cognitive Wireless Sensor Network (CWSN) is a new paradigm which integrates cognitive features in traditional Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) to mitigate important problems such as spectrum occupancy. Security in Cognitive Wireless Sensor Networks is an important problem because these kinds of networks manage critical applications and data. Moreover, the specific constraints of WSN make the problem even more critical. However, effective solutions have not been implemented yet. Among the specific attacks derived from new cognitive features, the one most studied is the Primary User Emulation (PUE) attack. This paper discusses a new approach, based on anomaly behavior detection and collaboration, to detect the PUE attack in CWSN scenarios. A nonparametric CUSUM algorithm, suitable for low resource networks like CWSN, has been used in this work. The algorithm has been tested using a cognitive simulator that brings important results in this area. For example, the result shows that the number of collaborative nodes is the most important parameter in order to improve the PUE attack detection rates. If the 20% of the nodes collaborates, the PUE detection reaches the 98% with less than 1% of false positives.
Contact- and agonist-regulated microvesiculation of human platelets
Authors: Liu Xiao , Liu Li , Zaske Ana-Maria , Zhou Zhou , Fu Yuanyuan , Yang Xi , Conyers Jodie , Li Min , Zhang Yanjun , Dong Jing-fei , Zhang Jianning
Published: June 2013

After exposure to an agonist, platelets are activated and become aggregated. They also shed membrane microparticles that participate in the pathogenesis of thrombosis, hyper-coagulation and inflammation. However, microvesiculation can potentially disrupt the integrity of platelet aggregation by shedding the membrane receptors and phosphatidylserine critical for forming and stabilising a platelet clot. We tested the hypothesis that adhesion and microvesiculation are functions of different subsets of platelets at the time of haemostasis by real-time monitoring of agonist-induced morphological changes and microvesiculation of human platelets. We identified two types of platelets that are adherent to fibrinogen: a high density bubble shape (HDBS) and low-density spread shape (LDSS). Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) predominantly induced HDBS platelets to vesiculate, whereas LDSS platelets were highly resistant to such vesiculation. Thrombin-receptor activating peptide (TRAP) stabilised platelets against microvesiculation by promoting a rapid HDBS-to-LDSS morphological transition. These activities of ADP and TRAP were reversed for platelets in suspension, independent of an engagement integrin αIIbβ 3. As the result of membrane contact, LDSS platelets inhibited the microvesiculation of HDBS platelets in response to ADP. Aspirin and clopidogrel inhibited ADP-induced microvesiculation through different mechanisms. These results suggest that platelet aggregation and microvesiculation occur in different subsets of platelets and are differently regulated by agonists, platelet-platelets and platelet-fibrinogen interactions.
Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Young Adult Populations From the United States, Finland, and Australia and Its Association With cIMT: The International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohort Consortium
Authors: Oikonen Mervi , Laitinen Tomi T. , Magnussen Costan G. , Steinberger Julia , Sinaiko Alan R. , Dwyer Terence , Venn Alison , Smith Kylie J. , Hutri‐Kähönen Nina , Pahkala Katja , Mikkilä Vera , Prineas Ronald , Viikari Jorma S. A. , Morrison John A. , Woo Jessica G. , Chen Wei , Nicklas Theresa , Srinivasan Sathanur R. , Berenson Gerald , Juonala Markus , Raitakari Olli T.
Published: June 2013

Background

Goals for cardiovascular (
CV
) disease prevention were set by the
A
merican
H
eart
A
ssociation in 2010 for the concept of
CV
health. Ideal
CV
health is defined by 7
CV
health metrics: blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, and physical activity on recommended levels; nonsmoking; and a healthy diet. We studied the prevalence of ideal
CV
health and its associations with ultrasonographically measured carotid intima‐media thickness (
cIMT
) cross‐sectionally in 5 international populations.

Methods and Results

Prevalence of ideal
CV
health was assessed among 5785 young adults (age, 36.6±3.2 years) comprising 335 participants from the
M
inneapolis
C
hildhood
C
ohort
S
tudies (
M
innesota), 723 from the
P
rinceton
F
ollow‐up
S
tudy, 981 from the
B
ogalusa
H
eart
S
tudy (
BHS
), 1898 from the
C
ardiovascular
R
isk in
Y
oung
F
inns
S
tudy (
YFS
), and 1848 from the
C
hildhood
D
eterminants of
A
dult
H
ealth
S
tudy (
CDAH
). Only 1% of the participants had all 7 ideal
CV
health metrics. The number of ideal
CV
health metrics associated inversely with
cIMT
in the 4 cohorts in which
cIMT
was available: for each additional ideal
CV
health metric,
cIMT
was 12.7 μm thinner in
M
innesota (
P
=0.0002), 9.1 μm thinner in
BHS
(
P
=0.05), 10.4 μm thinner in
YFS
(
P
<0.0001), and 3.4 μm thinner in
CDAH
(
P
=0.03).

Conclusions

The number of ideal
CV
health metrics was inversely associated with
cIMT
in the cohorts in which
cIMT
was available, indicating that ideal
CV
health metrics are associated with vascular health at the population level. Ideal
CV
health was rare in this large international sample of young adults, emphasizing the need for effective strategies for health promotion.
The CEO Effect
Authors: Mazutis Daina D.
Published: June 2013

This dissertation abstract and the reflection commentary present the work of Dr. Daina Mazutis. The dissertation addresses the relationship between strategic leadership and corporate social responsibility from the upper echelon and institutional theory perspectives. This extended dissertation abstract summarizes the research questions, methods, and findings, while the reflection commentary in the appendix discusses the author’s views about the research process as a junior scholar.
Cyberbullying Experience and Gender Differences Among Adolescents in Different Educational Settings
Authors: Heiman Tali , Olenik-Shemesh Dorit
Published: June 2013

Cyberbullying refers to a negative activity aimed at deliberate and repeated harm through the use of a variety of electronic media. This study examined the Internet behavior patterns and gender differences among students with learning disabilities who attended general education and special education classes, their involvement in cyberbullying, and the relationships among being cyberbullied, their responses, and their coping strategies. The sample consisted of 149 students with learning disabilities (LD) attending general education classes, 116 students with comorbid LD attending special education classes, and 242 typically achieving students. All the students, studying in middle and high schools, completed a self-report cyberbullying questionnaire. Findings indicate that although no significant differences emerged in the amount of surfing hours and students’ expertise in the use of the Internet, students attending special education classes are more likely to be cybervictims and cyberperpetrators; girls are more likely to be cybervictims, whereas boys are more likely to be cyberperpetrators. These results contribute to our understanding of students’ involvement in cyberbullying and can serve as a basis for developing preventive programs as well as intervention programs for students and for educational school teams.
New Urbanism/Smart Growth in the Scottish Highlands: Mobile Policies and Post-politics in Local Development Planning
Authors: MacLeod Gordon
Published: June 2013

The paper draws on recent theorising on policy mobility and post-politics to investigate the planning of a New Urbanist settlement, Tornagrain, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, and designed by Andres Duany. It details Duany's role as an influential ‘persuasive guru’ of New Urbanism and his signatory charrette as a participatory method for engaging local citizens into the New Urbanist model of place-making. Nonetheless, the Tornagrain case raises non-trivial questions about this model, not least the faith being placed in a globally mobile policy evangelist becoming, in effect, a doctrinal conduit for convening local democracy. The paper then contributes to recent debate on post-political planning, particularly in terms of how latent expressions of dissent in local planning processes often appear to be deamplified through endeavours to forge a post-political consensus, in part to masquerade rent hikes and profiteering on behalf of powerful landowners, glitzy architects, consultants and other associates.
How Places Influence Crime: The Impact of Surrounding Areas on Neighbourhood Burglary Rates in a British City
Authors: Hirschfield Alex , Birkin Mark , Brunsdon Chris , Malleson Nicolas , Newton Andrew
Published: June 2013

Burglary prevalence within neighbourhoods is well understood but the risk from bordering areas is under-theorised and under-researched. If it were possible to fix a neighbourhood’s location but substitute its surrounding areas, one might expect to see some influence on its crime rate. However, by treating surrounding areas as independent observations, ecological studies assume that identical neighbourhoods with markedly different surroundings are equivalent. If not, knowing the impact of different peripheries would have significance for crime prevention, land use planning and other policy domains. This paper tests whether knowledge of the demographic make-up of surrounding areas can improve on the prediction of a neighbourhood’s burglary rate based solely on its internal socio-demographics. Results identify significant between-area effects with certain types of periphery exerting stronger influences than others. The advantages and drawbacks of the spatial error and predictor lag model used in the analysis are discussed and areas for further research defined.
Analysis of thermal compressor efficiency in case of geothermal energy sources
Authors: Kalmár Ferenc , Szabó Gábor
Published: June 2013

Absorption chillers, having thermal compressors, need a heat source at high temperature to obtain cold energy. Because thermal comfort needs are continuously growing, thermal wells placed near cities with high cooling needs might be exploited efficiently all over the year, and the payback time of these systems might be reduced. To investigate the possibility of geothermal energy utilisation for cooling, the parameters of geothermal wells were analysed in the North Great Plain region. From available geothermal wells database, some wells were chosen in order to see which the possibilities are to raise the calculated efficiency value. Based on the repartition of the temperature gradient in Hungarian territory, a diagram was developed in which the efficiency of thermal compressors variation versus well depth is presented. It was stated that deepening the analysed wells with 600–700 m, the efficiency of thermal compressor will be two to three times higher than the original value.
A review of the adverse effects and safety of noradrenergic antidepressants
Authors: Whiskey Eromona , Taylor David
Published: June 2013

There are a variety of noradrenergic antidepressants available, most of which act by inhibiting neuronal noradrenaline re-uptake, although few drugs are specific for this action. Where drugs have numerous actions the adverse effects of noradrenaline reuptake may be difficult to isolate, although in this respect the adverse effects of reboxetine, a specific noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor, are illuminating. Noradrenergic antidepressants typically cause minor changes in blood and heart rate, sweating and insomnia. Other pharmacological actions shown by non-specific antidepressants may act to worsen or mitigate these adverse effects. Noradrenergic drugs are less likely than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to cause sexual dysfunction but more likely to cause urinary hesitancy. Doubts remain over the relative propensity for antidepressants with different modes of action to cause diabetes and hyponatraemia. Noradrenergic actions do not seem to confer a risk of death in overdose.
Physicians’ Tacit and Stated Policies for Determining Patient Benefit and Referral to Cardiac Rehabilitation
Authors: Beckstead Jason W. , Pezzo Mark V. , Beckie Theresa M. , Shahraki Farnaz , Kentner Amanda C. , Grace Sherry L.
Published: June 2013

Background/Purpose. The benefits of prescribing cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for patients following heart surgery is well documented; however, physicians continue to underuse CR programs, and disparities in the referral of women are common. Previous research into the causes of these problems has relied on self-report methods, which presume that physicians have insight into their referral behavior and can describe it accurately. In contrast, the research presented here used clinical judgment analysis (CJA) to discover the tacit judgment and referral policies of individual physicians. The specific aims were to determine 1) what these policies were, 2) the degree of self-insight that individual physicians had into their own policies, 3) the amount of agreement among physicians, and 4) the extent to which judgments were related to attitudes toward CR. Methods. Thirty-six Canadian physicians made judgments and decisions regarding 32 hypothetical cardiac patients, each described on 5 characteristics (gender, age, type of cardiovascular procedure, presence/absence of musculoskeletal pain, and degree of motivation) and then completed the 19 items of the Attitude towards Cardiac Rehabilitation Referral scale. Results. Consistent with previous studies, there was wide variation among physicians in their tacit and stated judgment policies, and self-insight was modest. On the whole, physicians showed evidence of systematic gender bias as they judged women as less likely than men to benefit from CR. Insight data suggest that 1 in 3 physicians were unaware of their own bias. There was greater agreement among physicians in how they described their judgments (stated policies) than in how they actually made them (tacit policies). Correlations between attitude statements and CJA measures were modest. Conclusions. These findings offer some explanation for the slow progress of efforts to improve CR referrals and for gender disparities in referral rates.
When Professions Shape Politics
Authors: Mehta Jal
Published: June 2013

Professionalization is an important but overlooked dimension in education politics, particularly the politics of accountability. To isolate the importance of professionalization, this article compares accountability movements in K-12 education with similar movements in higher education. I draw on three pairs of reports that have sought to impose accountability between 1983 and 2006, in each case comparing a report on K-12 with a similar report on higher education. I find that calls for accountability in both sectors have intensified over the period under study, but that higher education has been much more protected from accountability pressures by its greater degree of professionalization, its reputation, its greater share in the private sector, and its decentralized professional autonomy. In conclusion, I connect the findings to broader debates about professionalism and the future of accountability in the two sectors.
H∞/Predictive output control of a three-axis gyrostabilized platform
Authors: Darestani Mahdy Rezaei , Nikkhah Amir Ali , Sedigh Ali Khaki
Published: June 2013

In the presence of plant uncertainties, utilizing an appropriate controller for a smooth output tracking and elimination of high-frequency disturbances, especially in accurate systems is very important. In this paper, a controller is proposed based on the robust and optimal theory to achieve a combination of such characteristics in the face of model parameter variations and unknown disturbances. The proposed controller has been simulated on a three-axis gyro-stabilized MIMO platform and comparison results with a NLPID controller simulation are provided.
Testing times: testing patient acceptance and ability to self-screen for a No-Talk Testing service
Authors: Fernando I , Thompson C
Published: June 2013

Summary

Genitourinary medicine (GUM) departments need to be resource efficient to manage the increasing numbers of patients seeking to access services. At the Edinburgh GUM department, we wished to develop a new No-Talk Testing (NTT) clinic for asymptomatic, low-risk patients attending for routine sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening. We undertook a questionnaire feasibility study to determine patient acceptability and ability to self-screen for this service. A total of 267 respondents completed questionnaires regarding acceptability of a future NTT service; 227 agreed to comparison of their self-screen with clinician risk-assessment. Overall, patient acceptability for a future NTT service was high, with an average of 7.8/10 awarded for opinion. Seventy-three percent of patients agreed they would consider utilizing such a service in the future. Sixty-one percent of respondents suggested at least one benefit to a future NTT service; principally, prospects for increased speed, efficiency, capacity and reduced waiting times. Comparing STI risk self-assessment with clinician assessment, discrepancies were identified for 37% of individuals. However, a majority (70%) of the discrepancies identified were due to a risk being noted in the self-screen alone, and missed from clinician notes. In summary, the study demonstrated NTT as acceptable and feasible. Based on these results, we have now successfully introduced such a service within our department.
Willpower
Authors: Kugelmann Robert
Published: June 2013

Willpower has returned to contemporary psychology, drawing on ordinary speech, but the status of the will in psychology is not settled. Avoiding this antinomy of the will by proposing that willpower is an interactive kind (Hacking, 1999), this paper examines the significations of willpower as it developed in American culture and appeared in American newspapers from the 1850s to 1970. Willpower has diverse significations: self-control, resoluteness, and effort; testing of the limits of endurance; ability to influence and lead others; a visible sign of character; a measurable trait; a goal of education and training. Willpower was questioned, subordinated to other traits, and denied existence. Two conclusions arise: Qualitative research will enrich our understanding of willpower; and the history of willpower is essential to psychology’s understanding of it, showing willpower to be a category appropriate to societies where individual effort, despite circumstances and conventions, is a cultural good.
Morality and involvement in social virtual worlds: The intensity of moral emotions in response to virtual versus real life cheating
Authors: Gabriels Katleen , Poels Karolien , Braeckman Johan
Published: June 2013

Our focus lies on moral emotions in the social virtual world Second Life (SL). Based on media equation theory we could expect that moral emotions regulate social virtual interactions in a similar way as they do in real life (RL). However, emotions are also linked with involvement, and SL residents presumably are more involved in SL compared to non-residents. Via two quasi-experiments, we tested to what extent moral emotions felt when being cheated on by a love partner are comparable in intensity when this happens in SL versus RL. Results show that for SL residents the intensity of moral emotions did not differ between SL versus RL situations, whereas for non-residents a SL situation triggered less intense emotions. Further, for SL residents the level of involvement in SL had a significant impact on the moral emotions in response to a SL situation. In social virtual worlds, media equation thus seems to depend on involvement.
Managing clinical research permissions electronically: A novel approach to enhancing recruitment and managing consents
Authors: Sanderson Iain C , Obeid Jihad S , Madathil Kapil Chalil , Gerken Katherine , Fryar Katrina , Rugg Daniel , Alstad Colin E , Alexander Randall , Brady Kathleen T , Gramopadhye Anand K , Moskowitz Jay
Published: June 2013

Background

One mechanism to increase participation in research is to solicit potential research participants’ general willingness to be recruited into clinical trials. Such research permissions and consents typically are collected on paper upon patient registration. We describe a novel method of capturing this information electronically.

Purpose

The objective is to enable the collection of research permissions and informed consent data electronically to permit tracking of potential research participants’ interest in current and future research involvement and to provide a foundation for facilitating the research workflow.

Methods

The project involved systematic analysis focused on key areas, including existing business practices, registration processes, and permission collection workflows, and ascertaining best practices for presenting consent information to users via tablet technology and capturing permissions data. Analysis was followed by an iterative software development cycle with feedback from subject matter experts and users.

Results

An initial version of the software was piloted at one institution in South Carolina for a period of 1 year, during which consents and permission were collected during 2524 registrations of patients. The captured research permission data were transmitted to a clinical data warehouse. The software was later released as an open-source package that can be adopted for use by other institutions.

Limitations

There are significant ethical, legal, and informatics challenges that must be addressed at an institution to deploy such a system. We have not yet assessed the long-term impact of the system on recruitment of patients to clinical trials.

Conclusions

We propose that by improving the ability to track willing potential research participants, we can improve recruitment into clinical trials and, in the process, improve patient education by introducing multimedia to informed consent documents.
One Scale Fits All? Assessing Racial Differences in the Measurement of Attitudes Toward the Police
Authors: Posick Chad , Rocque Michael , McDevitt Jack
Published: June 2013

Research consistently shows that minorities have less confidence in the police and perceive less procedural justice during encounters than Whites. This work generally concludes that the differences in perceptions by race are due to actual differences in attitudes, then proceeds to explore the origins of these differences. However, scholarly work has not yet explored the possibility that this finding is related to how members of different racial groups answer and interpret questions about the police; in other words, how measurement properties of scales may contribute to these differences. Using data from the National Police Research Platform’s Police–Community Interaction Survey, we conduct analyses to assess the reliability and validity of two measures of attitudes toward the police and assess differential item functioning (DIF) by race using Rasch analysis. Our findings reveal that few items from the procedural justice scale indicated DIF. All other items comprising the confidence in the police and procedural justice scales exhibited no differential functioning by race, indicating that the historic finding of variation in attitudes toward police by race are likely due to real differences rather than measurement error.
Inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 1 maintains hemostasis in mice by regulating platelet polyphosphate levels
Authors: Ghosh Somadri , Shukla Dhananjay , Suman Komjeti , Lakshmi B. Jyothi , Manorama R. , Kumar Satish , Bhandari Rashna
Published: June 2013

Key Points

Inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 1 (IP6K1) knockout mice display lower inorganic polyphosphate levels in platelets. Low platelet polyphosphate leads to lengthened clotting time, altered clot architecture, and protection against pulmonary thromboembolism.
Genomic and phenotypic characterization of in vitro-generated Chlamydia trachomatis recombinants
Authors: Jeffrey Brendan M , Suchland Robert J , Eriksen Steven G , Sandoz Kelsi M , Rockey Daniel D
Published: June 2013

Background

Pre-genomic and post-genomic studies demonstrate that chlamydiae actively recombine in vitro and in vivo, although the molecular and cellular biology of this process is not well understood. In this study, we determined the genome sequence of twelve Chlamydia trachomatis recombinants that were generated in vitro under antibiotic selection. These strains were used to explore the process of recombination in Chlamydia spp., including analysis of candidate recombination hotspots, and to correlate known C. trachomatis in vitro phenotypes with parental phenotypes and genotypes.

Results

Each of the 190 examined recombination events was the product of homologous recombination, and no candidate targeting motifs were identified at recombination sites. There was a single deletion event in one recombinant progeny that resulted in the removal of 17.1 kilobases between two rRNA operons. There was no evidence for preference for any specific region of the chromosome for recombination, and analyses of a total of over 200 individual recombination events do not provide any support for recombination hotspots in vitro. Two measurable phenotypes were analyzed in these studies. First, the efficiency of attachment to host cells in the absence of centrifugation was examined, and this property segregated to regions of the chromosome that carry the polymorphic membrane protein (Pmp) genes. Second, the formation of secondary inclusions within cells varied among recombinant progeny, but this did not cleanly segregate to specific regions of the chromosome.

Conclusions

These experiments examined the process of recombination in C. trachomatis and identified tools that can be used to associate phenotype with genotype in recombinant progeny. There were no data supporting the hypothesis that particular nucleotide sequences are preferentially used for recombination in vitro. Selected phenotypes can be segregated by analysis of recombination, and this technology may be useful in preliminary analysis of the relationship of genetic variation to phenotypic variation in the chlamydiae.
Hedgehog signaling regulates hypoxia induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition and invasion in pancreatic cancer cells via a ligand-independent manner
Authors: Lei Jianjun , Ma Jiguang , Ma Qingyong , Li Xuqi , Liu Han , Xu Qinhong , Duan Wanxing , Sun Qing , Xu Jun , Wu Zheng , Wu Erxi
Published: June 2013

Background

Hypoxia plays a vital role in cancer epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion. However, it is not quite clear how hypoxia may contribute to these events. Here we investigate the role of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in hypoxia induced pancreatic cancer EMT and invasion.

Methods

Pancreatic cancer cells were cultured under controlled hypoxia conditions (3% O2) or normoxic conditions. HIF-1α siRNA, cyclopamine (a SMO antagonist) and GLI1 siRNA were used to inhibit HIF-1α transcription or Hh signaling activation. The effect of hypoxia and Hh signaling on cancer cell EMT and invasion were evaluated by Quantitative real-time PCR analysis, Western blot analysis and invasion assay.

Results

Here, we show that non-canonical Hh signaling is required as an important role to switch on hypoxia-induced EMT and invasion in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, our data demonstrate hypoxia induces EMT process as well as invasion, and activates the non-canonical Hh pathway without affecting sonic hedgehog homolog (SHH) expression. Moreover, these effects are reversible upon HIF-1α siRNA interference with unchanged SHH and patched1 (PTCH1) level. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that hypoxia induced invasion and EMT process are effectively inhibited by Smoothened (SMO) antagonist cyclopamine and GLI1 siRNA. In addition, GLI1 interference inhibited EMT progress with significantly suppressed vimentin expression, whereas inhibition of SMO through cyclopamine could not reduce vimentin level. This data indicate that hypoxia could trigger other factors (such as TGF-β, KRAS or RTK) bypassing SMO to activate GLI1 directly.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that Hh signaling modulates hypoxia induced pancreatic cancer EMT and invasion in a ligand-independent manner. Thus, Hh signaling may represent a promising therapeutic target for preventing pancreatic cancer progression.
Effective polyethylene glycol passivation for the inhibition of surface interactions of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and platelets
Authors: Sauter Alexander , Richter Gunther , Micoulet Alexandre , Martinez Aurora , Spatz Joachim P , Appel Silke
Published: June 2013

The inhibition of unspecific adhesion of human white blood cells is a prerequisite for applications requiring the control of defined surface interactions. In this study, a passivation agent based on polyethylene glycol (PEG) for glass surfaces was investigated for the use with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The grafting of 2000 g/mol methoxy-terminated PEG-urea-triethoxysilane (mPEG2000) onto glass surfaces successfully inhibited unspecific spreading of both human PBMC and platelets in all experiments. The prevention of surface interactions was independent on the anticoagulant used during blood collection. The total efficiency to prevent even transient immobilization of PBMC to the PEG modified surfaces was 97 ± 2%. This makes the passivation with PEG a well suited surface modification for preventing unspecific surface interaction in order to study only defined surface interactions of human PBMC.
Single view-based 3D face reconstruction robust to self-occlusion
Authors: Lee Youn Joo , Lee Sung Joo , Park Kang Ryoung , Jo Jaeik , Kim Jaihie
Published: June 2013

State-of-the-art 3D morphable model (3DMM) is used widely for 3D face reconstruction based on a single image. However, this method has a high computational cost, and hence, a simplified 3D morphable model (S3DMM) was proposed as an alternative. Unlike the original 3DMM, S3DMM uses only a sparse 3D facial shape, and therefore, it incurs a lower computational cost. However, this method is vulnerable to self-occlusion due to head rotation. Therefore, we propose a solution to the self-occlusion problem in S3DMM-based 3D face reconstruction.

This research is novel compared with previous works, in the following three respects. First, self-occlusion of the input face is detected automatically by estimating the head pose using a cylindrical head model. Second, a 3D model fitting scheme is designed based on selected visible facial feature points, which facilitates 3D face reconstruction without any effect from self-occlusion. Third, the reconstruction performance is enhanced by using the estimated pose as the initial pose parameter during the 3D model fitting process.

The experimental results showed that the self-occlusion detection had high accuracy and our proposed method delivered a noticeable improvement in the 3D face reconstruction performance compared with previous methods.
From Hermite Polynomials to Multifractional Processes
Authors: Marty Renaud
Published: June 2013

We consider a class of multifractional processes related to Hermite polynomials. We show that these processes satisfy an invariance principle. To prove the main result of this paper, we use properties of the Hermite polynomials and the multiple Wiener integrals. Because of the multifractionality, we also need to deal with variations of the Hurst index by means of some uniform estimates.
Drift Parameter Estimation for a Reflected Fractional Brownian Motion Based on its Local Time
Authors: Hu Yaozhong , Lee Chihoon
Published: June 2013

We consider a drift parameter estimation problem when the state process is a reflected fractional Brownian motion (RFBM) with a nonzero drift parameter and the observation is the associated local time process. The RFBM process arises as the key approximating process for queueing systems with long-range dependent and self-similar input processes, where the drift parameter carries the physical meaning of the surplus service rate and plays a central role in the heavy-traffic approximation theory for queueing systems. We study a statistical estimator based on the cumulative local time process and establish its strong consistency and asymptotic normality.
Notch controls retinal blood vessel maturation and quiescence
Authors: Ehling Manuel , Adams Susanne , Benedito Rui , Adams Ralf H.
Published: June 2013

Blood vessels form a hierarchically organized network of arteries, capillaries and veins, which develops through a series of growth, pruning and maturation processes. In contrast to the rapidly increasing insight into the processes controlling vascular growth and, in particular, endothelial sprouting and proliferation, the conversion of immature vessels into a fully functional, quiescent vasculature remains little understood. Here we used inducible, cell type-specific genetic approaches to show that endothelial Notch signaling is crucial for the remodeling of veins and the perivenous capillary plexus, which occurs after the completion of the initial angiogenic growth phase in the retina of adolescent mice. Mutant vessels showed ectopic proliferation and sprouting, defective recruitment of supporting mural cells, and failed to downregulate the expression of VEGF receptors. Surprisingly, by contrast Notch was dispensable in the endothelium of remodeling postnatal arteries. Taken together, our results identify key processes contributing to vessel remodeling, maturation and the acquisition of a quiescent phenotype in the final stage of developmental angiogenesis.
TIE-DYE: a combinatorial marking system to visualize and genetically manipulate clones during development in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Worley Melanie I. , Setiawan Linda , Hariharan Iswar K.
Published: June 2013

Two types of information are particularly valuable in understanding the development of a tissue or an organ from a small population of founder cells. First, it is useful to know the composition of the final structure in terms the contribution of individual founder cells. Second, it is important to understand cell-cell interactions. To facilitate the study of both of these aspects of organ development at a tissue-wide level, we have developed a method, TIE-DYE, that allows simultaneous lineage tracing of multiple cell populations as well as the genetic manipulation of a subset of these populations. Seven uniquely marked categories of cells are produced by site-directed recombination of three independent cassettes. We have used the TIE-DYE method to estimate the number of founder cells that give rise to the wing-imaginal disc during normal development and following compensatory growth caused by X-ray irradiation of the founder cells. We also show that four out of the seven types of marked clones can be genetically manipulated by gene overexpression or RNAi knockdown, allowing an assessment of the consequences of these manipulations on the entire wing disc. We demonstrate the utility of this system in studying the consequences of alterations in growth, patterning and cell-cell affinity.
Spontaneous Temperature Control Using Reversible Spectroscopic Responses of PNIPAM-coated Gold Nanorods
Authors: Shimoda Kohei , Fujigaya Tsuyohiko , Nakashima Naotoshi , Niidome Yasuro
Published: June 2013

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) was coated on gold nanorods (NRs) without forming aggregates. The PNIPAM-coated NRs (PNIPAM-NRs) formed aggregates at higher temperature than the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the PNIPAM layers. The aggregation showed reversible spectroscopic responses under repeated temperature cycles. When a PNIPAM-NR solution was irradiated with near-infrared (near-IR) light, the temperature increased and aggregates formed showing broad and weak surface plasmon bands. The spectroscopic responses in near-IR work as a negative feedback for heating a photoirradiated nanorod solution. The feedback offers spontaneous temperature control of the photoirradiated solution at the LCST of PNIPAM.
Methods to estimate premorbid intelligence
Authors: Karakuła Hanna , Stecka Mariola , Pawełczak Paweł
Published: June 2013

In the patient’s neuropsychiatric assessment it is important to evaluate the premorbid intelligence functioning. The aim of this study was the review of the methods used in estimating premorbid IQ and the evaluation of their reliability. Those methods were divided into four thematic groups concerned: with demographic variables, Wechsler’s scale WAIS-R, verbal tests and combination of various methods. This review allows choosing methods for the estimation of premorbid IQ, which can be useful in theory and in practice, during the formation of rehabilitation and treatment programs for patients with decline in intellectual functioning, caused by morbidity factors.
Novel fluorescent probes based on intramolecular charge- and
proton-transfer compounds
Authors: Yang Guoqiang , Li Shayu , Wang Shuangqing , Hu Rui , Feng Jiao , Li Yi , Qian Yan
Published: June 2013

Excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) compounds and intramolecular
charge-transfer (ICT) compounds have attracted attention due to their
interesting and even unique emission properties. The intense and
environment-sensitive emission showed by some members of the two families has
been exploited in fluorescent probes for various forms of environmental sensing.
In this paper, we summarize our recent study on the utilization of novel ESIPT
and ICT compounds with intense emission as fluorescent probes after an
introduction to the ESIPT and/or ICT processes and related photophysics
mechanism.