bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the luminescence, mechanical, and thermal properties of ZnO-entrapped poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) gels
Authors: Celebioglu Nesrin , Yilmaz Yasar
Published: March 2017

ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized in the pores that are formed inside the PNIPAm (poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)) gels during polymerization. Different pore regions were obtained with changing the cross-linker concentrations of gels. We concluded from the SEM results that when the cross-linker concentration of the gels is increased, the average size of the pores becomes narrower. Thus, depending on the internal porosity of the gel, the size and distribution of ZnO nanoparticles were changed and accordingly it ranged in the fluorescence spectra. It is observed that fluorescence spectra of ZnO nanoparticles released from PNIPAm gel with low cross-linker concentration have only UV emission, while the nanoparticles released from PNIPAm gel with high cross-linker concentration have both the UV and the green emissions of ZnO. The size distributions of these nanoparticles were measured by Stabino-Nanoflex analyzer and it clearly indicates that the width of the size distribution decreases with increasing cross-linker concentration.

To see the effect of ZnO nanoparticles on the properties of the gel, we investigated the luminescence, mechanical, and thermal properties of these ZnO/PNIPAm composites and plain gels of which the internal morphology was set by changing the cross-linker concentration. The nature of interactions between the nanoparticles and polymer strands affects both mechanical and thermal behaviors. Compared to plain gels, entrapping ZnO nanoparticles into the gels cause an increased compressive elastic modulus and strength. We proved that ZnO nanoparticles improve considerably the mechanical properties of PNIPAm gels.
Extremes in Otolaryngology Resident Surgical Case Numbers: An Update
Authors: Baugh Tiffany P. , Franzese Christine B.
Published: March 2017

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of minimum case numbers on otolaryngology resident case log data and understand differences in minimum, mean, and maximum among certain procedures as a follow‐up to a prior study.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional survey using a national database.

Setting

Academic otolaryngology residency programs.

Subjects and Methods

Review of otolaryngology resident national data reports from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) resident case log system performed from 2004 to 2015. Minimum, mean, standard deviation, and maximum values for total number of supervisor and resident surgeon cases and for specific surgical procedures were compared.

Results

The mean total number of resident surgeon cases for residents graduating from 2011 to 2015 ranged from 1833.3 ± 484 in 2011 to 2072.3 ± 548 in 2014. The minimum total number of cases ranged from 826 in 2014 to 1004 in 2015. The maximum total number of cases increased from 3545 in 2011 to 4580 in 2015. Multiple key indicator procedures had less than the required minimum reported in 2015.

Conclusion

Despite the ACGME instituting required minimum numbers for key indicator procedures, residents have graduated without meeting these minimums. Furthermore, there continues to be large variations in the minimum, mean, and maximum numbers for many procedures. Variation among resident case numbers is likely multifactorial. Ensuring proper instruction on coding and case role as well as emphasizing frequent logging by residents will ensure programs have the most accurate data to evaluate their case volume.
The King’s Plunder, the King’s Justice: Sovereignty in British India, 1756–76
Authors: Govind Rahul
Published: March 2017

The following article is an attempt to contribute to an understanding of sovereignty in late eighteenth-century Britain and British India by examining the role of the King in his sovereign authorization of the East India Company. This sovereign authorization is illustrated through a study of the articulation of two elements from within the King’s prerogative in Britain between the 1750s and the 1770s as it applied to the East India Company: (a) the authority to sanction prize money, itself derived from the war and peace making authority of the King and (b) the authority to set up the ‘King’s Bench’, that is, the Supreme Court in 1773, where the King is virtually present and from which supreme juridical writs may be issued. In measuring the nature and scope of the King’s sovereignty, the article hopes to further the understanding of empire and its adumbrations in the Age of Enlightenment. It does so by arguing, on the one hand, that the conquests of the subcontinent will have to be related directly to a conceptualization of the King’s sovereignty, specifically the laws of prize; on the other hand, what is broadly seen as ‘custom’ cannot be understood outside the constituting ambit of sovereignty, that is, that by which laws are authorized. The specific implications of this for the development of laws in the subcontinent are sketched out.
Toward a Theory of Membership Association Finance
Authors: Bowman H. Woods
Published: March 2017

This article explores patterns in membership associations’ portfolios. It compares and contrasts portfolio theory, which predicts variety in revenue portfolios, with a newer benefits theory, which postulates that revenue options are constrained by the balance between the member benefits and societal benefits they produce. The research makes use of a new database that more accurately measures dues and program service revenue of associations than other databases. The weight of the evidence supports benefits theory more strongly than revenue portfolio theory. This research incidentally finds that revenue concentration increases with size and decreases with real estate ownership. The article introduces the concepts of one-off entry and exit costs on members (tariffs), which tend to reduce members’ sensitivity to the level of dues. Indeed, dues are often dominant among the associations having presumptively high tariffs, such as trade unions and certain recreational clubs.
What is ‘open-earedness’, and how can it be measured?
Authors: Hargreaves David J , Bonneville-Roussy Arielle
Published: March 2017

Recent years have seen some fundamental changes in the study of responses to music: the growth of neuroscientific approaches, in particular, is throwing new light on the role of imagination, affect and emotion. One focus has been on the nature of musical preferences in relation to other affective and cognitive judgements, and another has been on the issue of changes in musical preference across the lifespan. One explanatory concept which has proved useful in this respect is that of ‘open-earedness’, first formulated by Hargreaves in the suggestion that ‘younger children may be more “open-eared” to forms of music regarded by adults as unconventional; their responses may show less evidence of acculturation to normative standards of good taste than those of older subjects’. Louven recently published a critique of the ways in which this concept has been operationalized in subsequent research, proposing his own definition. In this paper we take a broad ranging view of ‘open-earedness’, proposing four different possible definitions, and ways in which these can be operationalized and measured. We use some data from a new test of preferences for musical genres and clips to test some of these operationalizations: the results suggest that the similarities between these four definitions are probably greater than the differences between them, but that they nevertheless provide a richer and more nuanced concept of open-earedness than hitherto.
Developing a metformin prescribing tool for use in adults with mental illness to reduce medication-related weight gain and cardiovascular risk
Authors: Smith Cassie , Myles Hannah , Galletly Cherrie
Published: March 2017

Objectives:

There is considerable evidence that metformin reduces weight gain associated with antipsychotic medication. The aim of this study was to develop an easy-to-use metformin prescribing tool in order to enable clinicians to prescribe metformin safely and confidently.

Methods:

The authors undertook a survey of clinicians and reviewed the published literature and existing guidelines concerning the use of metformin to reduce weight gain in adults with mental illness.

Results:

A metformin prescribing tool was devised based on the literature, national cardiovascular and diabetes guidelines and Australian metformin prescribing recommendations. The metformin prescribing tool guides clinicians through the considerations required for appropriate selection of the target patient population and safe prescription of metformin.

Conclusions:

A novel, easy-to-use, one-page reference has been developed for busy clinicians that can be laminated and displayed in consulting rooms and psychiatric inpatient units to address weight gain and obesity associated with antipsychotic medications in people with mental illness.
Risk Factors for Falls Among Older Adults Following Transition From Nursing Home to the Community
Authors: Marrero Jing , Fortinsky Richard H. , Kuchel George A. , Robison Julie
Published: March 2017

This study analyzes the incidence of falls for older adults who transitioned from institutions to the community through the Connecticut Money Follows the Person demonstration program, identifying intrinsic and extrinsic fall risk factors for this population. This prospective cohort study analyzed data from 648 Money Follows the Person participants aged 65 years and older, using 6- and 12-month posttransition surveys. Of the 648 participants, 161 (25.2%) fell in the first 6 months after transition, while 156 (24.5%) fell between 6 and 12 months after transition. Unmet medical care needs, depressive symptoms, mistreatment, and previous falls significantly predicted falls. Given the vulnerability of this population and increased use of fall-related health services, fall prevention represents a critical element in posttransition care. Beyond previously identified risk factors, care providers should consider issues such as unmet medical care needs, depressive symptoms, and mistreatment in assessing fall risk.
Bending problems in the theory of elastic materials with voids and surface effects
Authors: Lurie Sergey , Solyaev Yury , Volkov Alexander , Volkov-Bogorodskiy Dmitriy
Published: March 2017

In the present study, a comparison of pure, three-point, four-point and cantilever beam bending problems in the frame of the theory of elastic materials with voids (micro-dilatational elasticity) has been provided via analytical modelling and three-dimensional finite-element analysis. We consider the extended variant of the theory with surface effects using a variational approach. At first, we compare the known approximate semi-inverse analytical solution of the pure bending problem with a corresponding three-dimensional finite-element solution in the frame of micro-dilatational theory. It is demonstrated that in the numerical solution – unlike the analytical one – all boundary conditions are satisfied accurately, and there exist distortions of the cross-sections and lateral faces of the beam. The generalized analytical solution of the beam pure bending problem with surface effects is also established and compared with numerical simulations. The effective elastic properties of the beam with micro-dilatations are introduced by comparing its displacements and corresponding classical beam displacements. The influence of scale, coupling and surface parameters on the effective elastic moduli in different bending and simple tension tests is studied. It is shown that all considered types of bending experiments provide the determination of close values of the effective flexural modulus of the beams with different thickness. This means that it is possible to use any bending test with beams of different thickness for reliable identification of the material constants of the theory. It is also possible to use the simple analytical expression for an effective flexural modulus that follows from the analytical solution of the pure bending problem. It is also shown that stiffness of the beam with micro-dilatation in any bending tests should always be higher as compared with the stiffness of such a beam in simple tension. For thin beams, there are no scale effects, and its effective flexural modulus is equal to the material’s Young’s modulus without micro-dilatation. Possible rise of the negative size effects in the model with surface effects is also discussed.
Impact of a scribe program on patient throughput, physician productivity, and patient satisfaction in a community-based emergency department
Authors: Shuaib Waqas , Hilmi John , Caballero Joshua , Rashid Ijaz , Stanazai Hashim , Ajanovic Alan , Moshtaghi Alex , Amari Ahmed , Tawfeek Kerolos , Khurana Anjit , Hasabo Hesham , Baqais Abdulrehman , Mattar Ahmed A , Gaeta Theodore J
Published: March 2017

Previous literature on the impact of scribe programs varies and has mostly been reported from academic institutions or other clinics. We report the implementation of the scribe program in the emergency room of a community hospital and its impact on patient throughput, physician productivity, and patient satisfaction. We performed a quasi-experimental, before-and-after study measuring patient throughput metrics, physician productivity, and patient satisfaction. The intervention measuring the scribe implementation was divided into pre- and post-implementation periods. Patient throughput metrics were (1) door-to-room time, (2) room-to-doc time, (3) door-to-doc time, (4) doc-to-disposition time, and (5) length of stay for discharged/admitted patients. Our secondary outcome was physician productivity, which was calculated by measuring total patients seen per hour and work relative value units per hour. Additionally, we calculated the time-motion analysis in minutes to measure the emergency department physician’s efficiency by recording the following: (1) chart preparation, (2) chart review, (3) doctor–patient interaction, (4) physical examination, and (5) post-visit documentation. Finally, we measured patient satisfaction as provided by Press Ganey surveys. Data analysis was conducted in 12,721 patient encounters in the pre-scribe cohort, and 13,598 patient encounters in the post-scribe cohort. All the patient throughput metrics were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The patients per hour increased from 2.3 ± 0.3 pre-scribe to 3.2 ± 0.6 post-scribe cohorts (p < 0.001). Total work relative value units per hour increased from 241(3.1 ± 1.5 per hour) pre-scribe cohort to 336 (5.2 ± 1.4 per hour) post-scribe cohort (p < 0.001). The pre-scribe patient satisfaction was high and remained high in the post-scribe cohort. There was a significant increase in the clinician providing satisfactory feedback from the pre-scribe (3.9 ± 0.3) to the post-scribe (4.7 ± 0.1) cohorts (p < 0.01). We describe a prospective trial of medical scribe use in the emergency department setting to improve patient throughput, physician productivity, and patient satisfaction. We illustrate that scribe use in community emergency department is feasible and results in improvement in all three metrics.
Damage localization for beam structure by moving load
Authors: Yang Qiuwei , Liu JK , Sun BX , Liang CF
Published: March 2017

A static algorithm is presented in this article for damage localization in beam structures by moving load. Central to the damage localization approach is the combination of the moving load technique and the pure bending theory. The first advantage of the presented algorithm is that only a few sensors are needed in the static test. The second advantage of the presented algorithm is that only the deflection parameters of the current structure are needed in damage localization process. The proposed method is applied to a simple supported beam and its feasibility is verified using damage simulations. It was found that the defect location can be identified by inspecting the sudden increase in the curvature of the deflection curve for the beam. The results showed that the presented algorithm is effective on the localization of single damage or multiple damages in the beam structure without baseline data.
Poor survival in patients with scleroderma and pulmonary hypertension due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Bourji Khalil I. , Kelemen Benjamin W. , Mathai Stephen C. , Damico Rachel L. , Kolb Todd M. , Mercurio Valentina , Cozzi Franco , Tedford Ryan J. , Hassoun Paul M.
Published: March 2017

Pulmonary hypertension due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH‐HFpEF) has been poorly studied in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). We sought to compare clinical characteristics and survival of SSc patients with PH‐HFpEF (SSc‐PH‐HFpEF) versus pulmonary arterial hypertension (SSc‐PAH). We hypothesized that patients with SSc‐PH‐HFpEF have a similar poor overall prognosis compared with patients with SSc‐PAH when matched for total right ventricular load. The analysis included 117 patients with SSc‐PH (93 with SSc‐PAH versus 24 with SSc‐PH‐HFpEF) enrolled prospectively in the Johns Hopkins PH Registry. We examined baseline demographics and hemodynamics at diagnostic right heart catheterization (RHC), two‐dimensional echocardiographic characteristics, six‐minute walking distance (6MWD), treatment modalities, and laboratory values (serum NT‐proBNP, creatinine, uric acid, and sodium), and assessed survival. Demographics and clinical features were similar between the two groups. Baseline RHC showed significantly higher pulmonary and right heart pressures in the SSc‐PH‐HFpEF compared with the SSc‐PAH group. Trans‐pulmonary gradient (TPG), however, was equally elevated without significant difference between the groups. SSc‐PH‐HFpEF patients had left atrial enlargement on echocardiography compared with SSc‐PAH patients. No significant differences were found between groups for 6MWD, NT‐proBNP, and other laboratory values. Although overall median survival time was 4.6 years with no difference in mortality rate between the two groups (SSc‐PH‐HFpEF versus SSc‐PAH: 75% versus 59%; P = 0.26), patients with SSc‐PH‐HFpEF had a twofold increased risk of death compared with SSc‐PAH patients after adjusting for hemodynamics. Concomitant intrinsic pulmonary vascular disease and HFpEF likely contribute to very poor survival in patients with SSc‐PH‐HFpEF.
Genomic stability of pulmonary artery endothelial colony‐forming cells in culture
Authors: Drake Kylie M. , Federici Chiara , Duong Heng T. , Comhair Suzy A. , Erzurum Serpil C. , Asosingh Kewal , Aldred Micheala A.
Published: March 2017

Pulmonary vascular remodeling, including proliferation and migration of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC), is a pathologic hallmark of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Multiple studies have shown evidence of increased levels of DNA damage and lineage‐specific genetic changes in PAH lung vascular cells, suggesting increased genomic instability. Highly proliferative endothelial colony‐forming cell (ECFC) clones can be isolated from PAEC. Here we utilized ECFC to track chromosomal copy number of 20 PAH and eight control clones across serial passages using genome‐wide microarrays. All PAH clones were genomically stable for at least 20–22 population doublings. At very late passages, ECFC developed a highly aneuploid karyotype, but this was generally associated with senescence and was common to both PAH and controls. We also utilized ECFC to isolate the chromosomally abnormal cells from a mixed population of PAH PAEC. Analysis of PAEC harboring two different changes affecting chromosomes 1 and X demonstrated that both abnormalities were present in the same clone, indicating they originated in a common ancestral cell. In a second case, with a partial duplication of chromosome 17, clones carrying the duplication were more frequent at later passages than chromosomally normal clones from the same PAEC culture, suggesting the rearrangement may confer a proliferative advantage. Overall, this small study suggests that endothelial cells from PAH lungs are stable in culture, but that when chromosome abnormalities do occur, they may confer a selective advantage that allows expansion of the abnormal cell population and could contribute to lung vascular remodeling in vivo.
Steroid tape: A promising adjunct to scar management
Authors: Goutos Ioannis , Ogawa Rei
Published: March 2017

Introduction:

Intralesional steroid administration is a popular adjunct to scar management with numerous reports in the literature appraising this modality in hypertrophic and keloid scars. The percutaneous delivery of steroids using adhesive tape is an alternative modality, which was first described in the dermatological literature in the 1960s. It is infrequently used in most countries apart from the Orient, where it represents one of the mainstays of specialist scar management protocols.

Methods:

An English and Japanese literature review was performed and reports were stratified using the Joanna Briggs Institute Levels of Evidence. Data were extracted relating to the maximum dose of steroid that can be delivered safely, the reported therapeutic efficacy, as well as the side effects associated with the percutaneous delivery of steroids.

Discussion:

Steroid tape has the potential to be a safe and patient-friendly adjunct to scar management for carefully selected cases of keloid and hypertrophic scars. The main limitation for its widespread adoption is the lack of data to enable the determination of safe exposure thresholds in adult and paediatric patients.

Conclusion:

Despite the existing encouraging reports regarding the potential to be a useful adjunct in scar management, steroid tape is not widely used apart from a limited number of scar services worldwide. Further research is warranted to delineate the role of this modality in specialist scar management protocols.
Nontraditional Adult Learners
Authors: Chen Joseph C.
Published: March 2017

In the discourse on diversity in colleges and universities in the United States, an often-neglected population is nontraditional adult learners. This article explores this invisible aspect of undergraduate diversity, and addresses how competence-based education, which focuses on demonstrating the actual ability to do, is an innovative approach that caters to adult learners’ life phase and learning needs. College arguably is a youth-centric phase of life generally designed for the younger student. However, the stereotypical full-time student who lives on campus is actually a small percentage of the entire postsecondary population. Due to the demands of an increasingly competitive world of work, nontraditional adult learners will continue to seek out postsecondary education. Unfortunately, the credit hour system is a significant barrier for both entry and success of adult learners. Merits of competence-based education are discussed, and implications are provided to best meet this significant component of student diversity.
Intimidation, Assault, and Violence Against Media Practitioners in Ghana
Authors: Nyarko Jacob , Akpojivi Ufuoma
Published: March 2017

The ability of the media to function effectively as a fourth estate is hooked firmly on the maximum cooperation it receives from the different entities within society at whose service it operates. Recently, concerns have been raised in Ghana about the spate of assault and intimidation against media practitioners, and this action appears to hinder the independence, growth, and development of the media. Using an inductive approach for qualitative data analysis and drawing on the provocation theory, this study explored the degree of assault and intimidation in Ghana’s media environment and found that attacks on the media were traced to three major sources, namely, security agencies, communities/individual citizens, and supporters of political parties. The article further argued that the communication interplay of the aforementioned entities is ideal for a functioning public.
Tried in the Court of Public Opinion
Authors: Brown Kenon A. , Murphy Breann , Maxwell Lindsey C.
Published: March 2017

This study expands the empirical study of Benoit’s image repair theory by serving two purposes using a sports context. First, this study will specifically examine criminal transgressions by comparing the effectiveness of image repair attempts by athletes facing domestic violence charges compared to other crimes. Second, this study will look at the effectiveness of using the mortification (apology) strategy in combination with other predominant strategies used by athletes in order to repair one’s image. Using a 3 × 8 factorial experiment involving 490 participants, results showed that athletes facing domestic violence charges are perceived more negatively regardless of their response to the transgression. In addition, results also showed that using mortification in combination with corrective action is the best response for athletes, regardless of the crime. Finally, using the mortification strategy in combination with other strategies is more effective to repair an athlete’s image, suggesting that it may be better to use combination strategies to respond to transgressions.
Epidemiology and Impact of Abdominal Oblique Injuries in Major and Minor League Baseball
Authors: Camp Christopher L. , Conte Stan , Cohen Steven B. , Thompson Matthew , D’ Angelo John , Nguyen Joseph T. , Dines Joshua S.
Published: March 2017

Background:

Oblique injuries are known to be a common cause of time out of play for professional baseball players, and prior work has suggested that injury rates may be on the rise in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Purpose:

To better understand the current incidence of oblique injuries, determine their impact based on time out of play, and to identify common injury patterns that may guide future injury prevention programs.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiological study.

Methods:

Using the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System, all oblique injuries that resulted in time out of play in MLB and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) during the 2011 to 2015 seasons were identified. Player demographics such as age, position/role, and handedness were included. Injury-specific factors analyzed included the following: date of injury, timing during season, days missed, mechanism, side, treatment, and reinjury status.

Results:

A total of 996 oblique injuries occurred in 259 (26%) MLB and 737 (74%) MiLB players. Although the injury rate was steady in MiLB, the MLB injury rate declined ( P = .037). A total of 22,064 days were missed at a mean rate of 4413 days per season and 22.2 days per injury. The majority of these occurred during batting (n = 455, 46%) or pitching (n = 348, 35%), with pitchers losing 5 days more per injury than batters ( P < .001). The leading side was injured in 77% of cases and took 5 days longer to recover from than trailing side injuries ( P = .009). Seventy-nine (7.9%) players received either a corticosteroid or platelet-rich plasma injection, and the mean recovery time was 11 days longer compared with those who did not receive an injection ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

Although the rate of abdominal oblique injuries is on the decline in MLB, this is not the case for MiLB, and these injuries continue to represent a significant source of time out of play in professional baseball. The vast majority of injuries occur on the lead side, and these injuries result in the greatest amount time out of play. The benefit of injections for the treatment of oblique injuries remains unknown.
A theoretical analysis of roll-over-web coating of couple stress fluid
Authors: Ali Nasir , Atif Hafiz Muhammad , Javed Muhammad Asif , Sajid Muhammad
Published: March 2017

This paper presents the roll-coating analysis of couple stress fluid under lubrication approximation theory. The governing differential equation developed under the approximation is solved to get exact expressions for velocity and pressure gradient. The engineering quantities of interest such as pressure, roll-separating (load-carrying) force, and power input function are computed numerically. How the couple stress fluid material parameter affects velocity, pressure, pressure gradient, load-carrying force, and power input is shown graphically. One observes that couple stress model predicts higher pressure in the nip region when compared to the Newtonian model. The load-carrying force and power input exceed their Newtonian values for strong couple stress effects. Moreover, the separation point moves left of its Newtonian value with increasing couple stress effects.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: miR-484 suppresses proliferation and epithelial–mesenchymal transition by targeting ZEB1 and SMAD2 in cervical cancer cells
Authors: Hu Yang , Xie Hong , Liu Yankun , Liu Weiying , Liu Min , Tang Hua
Published: March 2017

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in cancer initiation and development. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a form of cellular plasticity that is critical for embryonic development and metastasis. The purpose of the study was to determine the function and mechanism of miR-484 in initiation and development of cervical cancer (CC).

Methods

We determined the expression levels of miR-484 in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines with RT-qPCR. Prediction algorithms and EGFP reporter assay were performed to evaluate the targets for miR-484. MTT assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometric analysis, transwell cell migration and invasion assays, and detection of EMT markers were employed to investigate the roles of miR-484 and the targets in regulation of cell proliferation and EMT process. We also used rescue experiments to confirm the effect of miR-484 on CC cells through directly regulating the expression of its targets.

Results

Firstly we found miR-484 was down-regulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines compared with their matched non-cancerous tissues or normal cervical keratinocytes cells. Further studies revealed that overexpression of miR-484 suppressed the cell proliferation, while exacerbates apoptosis. Besides, miR-484 suppressed cellular migration, invasion and EMT process of CC cells. EGFP reporter assay showed that miR-484 binds to ZEB1 and SMAD2 3′UTR region and reduced their expression. The expression of miR-484 had reverse correlation with SMAD2/ZEB1, and SMAD2/ZEB1 had positive correlation with each other in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, the ectopic expression of ZEB1 or SMAD2 could rescue the malignancies suppressed by miR-484, suggesting that miR-484 down-regulates ZEB1 and SMAD2 to repress tumorigenic activities.

Conclusion

We found miR-484 inhibits cell proliferation and the EMT process by targeting both ZEB1 and SMAD2 genes and functions as a tumor suppressor, which may served as potential biomarkers for cervical cancer.
Distinct and redundant functions of Esama and VE-cadherin during vascular morphogenesis
Authors: Sauteur Loïc , Affolter Markus , Belting Heinz-Georg
Published: March 2017

The cardiovascular system forms during early embryogenesis and adapts to embryonic growth by sprouting angiogenesis and vascular remodeling. These processes require fine-tuning of cell-cell adhesion to maintain and re-establish endothelial contacts, while allowing cell motility. We have compared the contribution of two endothelial cell-specific adhesion proteins, VE-cadherin (VE-cad/Cdh5) and Esama (endothelial cell-selective adhesion molecule a), during angiogenic sprouting and blood vessel fusion (anastomosis) in the zebrafish embryo by genetic analyses. Different combinations of mutant alleles can be placed into a phenotypic series with increasing defects in filopodial contact formation. Contact formation in esama mutants appears similar to wild type, whereas esama−/−; ve-cad+/− and ve-cad single mutants exhibit intermediate phenotypes. The lack of both proteins interrupts filopodial interaction completely. Furthermore, double mutants do not form a stable endothelial monolayer, and display intrajunctional gaps, dislocalization of Zo-1 and defects in apical-basal polarization. In summary, VE-cadherin and Esama have distinct and redundant functions during blood vessel morphogenesis, and both adhesion proteins are central to endothelial cell recognition during anastomosis.
Proline dehydrogenase promotes senescence through the generation of reactive oxygen species
Authors: Nagano Taiki , Nakashima Akio , Onishi Kengo , Kawai Kosuke , Awai Yuto , Kinugasa Mizuki , Iwasaki Tetsushi , Kikkawa Ushio , Kamada Shinji
Published: March 2017

Cellular senescence is a complex stress response characterized by permanent loss of proliferative capacity and is implicated in age-related disorders. Although the transcriptional activity of p53 (encoded by TP53) is known to be vital for senescence induction, the downstream effector genes critical for senescence remain unsolved. Recently, we have identified the proline dehydrogenase gene (PRODH) to be upregulated specifically in senescent cells in a p53-dependent manner, and the functional relevance of this to senescence is yet to be defined. Here, we conducted functional analyses to explore the relationship between PRODH and the senescence program. We found that genetic and pharmacological inhibition of PRODH suppressed senescent phenotypes induced by DNA damage. Furthermore, ectopic expression of wild-type PRODH, but not enzymatically inactive forms, induced senescence associated with the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the accumulation of DNA damage. Treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a ROS scavenger, prevented senescence induced by PRODH overexpression. These results indicate that PRODH plays a causative role in DNA damage-induced senescence through the enzymatic generation of ROS.
Missing-in-metastasis protein downregulates CXCR4 by promoting ubiquitylation and interaction with small Rab GTPases
Authors: Li Lushen , Baxter Shaneen S. , Gu Ning , Ji Min , Zhan Xi
Published: March 2017

Surface expression of chemokine receptor CXCR4 is downregulated by missing-in-metastasis protein (MIM; also known as MTSS1), a member of the inverse BAR (I-BAR)-domain protein family that recognizes and generates membranes with negative curvature. Yet, the mechanism for the regulation is unknown. Here, we show that MIM forms a complex with CXCR4 by binding to E3 ubiquitin ligase AIP4 (also known as ITCH) in response to stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1; also known as CXCL12). Overexpression of MIM promoted CXCR4 ubiquitylation, inhibited cellular response to SDF-1, caused accumulation and aggregation of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) in the cytoplasm, and promoted CXCR4 sorting into MVBs in a manner depending on binding to AIP4. In response to SDF-1, MIM also bound transiently to the small GTPase Rab5 at 5 min and to Rab7 at 30 min. Binding to Rab7 requires an N-terminal coiled-coil motif, deletion of which abolished MIM-mediated MVB formation and CXCR4 internalization. Our results unveil a previously unknown property of MIM that establishes the linkage of protein ubiquitylation with Rab-guided trafficking of CXCR4 in endocytic vesicles.
Strengthening charity regulation in England and Wales? The Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 and the impact of academic witnesses
Authors: Morgan Gareth G. , Morris Debra
Published: March 2017

Research on charity regulation is frequently triggered by charity law developments. However, it is often unclear what impact such research has on policy makers and parliamentarians shaping charity regulation. Both authors of this paper were called to give evidence to the Parliamentary Joint Committee examining the draft Bill that led to the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016. We review the possible impact of our evidence on the ultimate Act and on charity regulation more broadly.
‘Why are there always three?’: The Gothic occult in Dario Argento’s Three Mothers Trilogy
Authors: Hallam Lindsay
Published: March 2017

This article examines the occult and esoteric sources of Dario Argento’s Three Mothers Trilogy, comprising the films Suspiria (1977), Inferno (1980) and La terza madre (The Mother of Tears) (2007). The unique mythology created for these films does not rely on traditional Christian images of evil but instead draws from the practices and history of western esotericism, primarily that of alchemy. The Three Mothers and the powers they wield are expressed through the fundamental elements of the cinematic form, such as light, colour, sound and celluloid, rather than through the surface narrative. Although the films follow Gothic conventions, wherein witchcraft and the occult become synonymous with evil, I will argue that it is within the mise-en-scéne of the films themselves that one can discover the connections to alternative occult traditions.
The cultural capital of the gothic horror adaptation: The case of Dario Argento’s The Phantom of the Opera and Dracula 3D
Authors: Aldana Reyes Xavier
Published: March 2017

Dario Argento is the best-known living Italian horror director, but despite this his career is perceived to be at an all-time low. I propose that the nadir of Argento’s filmography coincides, in part, with his embrace of the gothic adaptation and that at least two of his late films, The Phantom of the Opera (1998) and Dracula 3D (2012), are born out of the tensions between his desire to achieve auteur status by choosing respectable and literary sources as his primary material and the bloody and excessive nature of the product that he has come to be known for. My contention is that to understand the role that these films play within the director’s oeuvre, as well as their negative reception among critics, it is crucial to consider how they negotiate the dichotomy between the positive critical discourse currently surrounding gothic cinema and the negative one applied to visceral horror.
(h)Actos o Cómo el arte se convierte en una tecnología blanda
Authors: Salcedo Fernández Alberto
Published: March 2017

La transmisión de la memoria asociada al Patrimonio Arquitectónico Industrial Obsolescente del País Vasco (PAIOPV)se está perdiendo. ¿Cómo puede la acción artística, entendida como una tecnología blanda, ser capaz de generar dinámicas institucionales y contribuir a “revitalizar” la memoria histórica? Contemplamos la hipótesis de que las acciones pueden ser metodologías que tratan con las interacciones humanas sociales y pueden aumentar la sensibilidad institucional sobre el valor del PAIOPV. Las acciones artísticas sobre PAIOPV objetivan facilitar la transmisión y revitalización de la memoria industrial vasca. El marco teórico se vertebra con 6 conceptos clave: espacio, obsolescencia, patrimonio, arquitectura industrial, tecnología blanda y acción artística. La metodología incluye un análisis de casos, la elaboración de una tipología y la creación de acciones artísticas. Las aportaciones son (1)una guía de buenas prácticas sobre para gestores del PAIOPV; (2) un archivo de testimonios orales sobre el PAIOPV y (3) una serie de acciones artísticas.
A selective study of clinical diphteric myocarditis
Authors: Wahab A. Samik , Sastroamidjojo Pustika
Published: March 2017

Diphtheria is still not a rare disease in Indonesia, especially not in crowded areas (Kwari et aI., 1965; Maemunah et aI., 1965; Asril et aI., 1968), often with high mortality in hospitals (Kwari et aI., 1965; Maemunah et aI., 1965; Asril et aI., 1968; Sulianti, 1971).
Neuroblastoma in a newborn infant
Authors: Tjandra H. , Sarwono E. , Tambayong E. H.
Published: March 2017

The incidence of neuroblastoma, one of the most common malignant neoplasms in infants and children is greatest at the age of two years; but occasionally is diagnosed at birth. The diagnosis may be simple or very complicated. It is even more difficult when it occurs in the newborn infant. At this age the primary tumor is usually small and undetected. The presenting sign is generally due to the massive hepatomegaly caused by metastasis.In this report we present a rare case of congenital neurablastoma with the sole clinical manifestation of liver enlargement. The difficulties in arriving at a correct diagnosis are emphasized.
Desenvolvimento e eficácia anti-inflamatória não-clínica de uma formulação anti-acne
Authors: Sousa Lima Francisco Gilvan , Albuquerque de Melo Júnior José de Maria , Nogueira da Costa Flávio , Rolim Campos Adriana
Published: March 2017

O processo inflamatório participa de todos os estágios do desenvolvimento da lesão acnéica. As plantas medicinais produzem compostos bioativos que lhes conferem ações terapêuticas, podendo ser utilizadas no tratamento de afecções da pele. Este trabalho teve como objetivo elaborar e testar a eficácia anti-inflamatória não-clínica de uma formulação contendo extratos glicólicos de Aloe vera, Ginkgo biloba L., Panax ginseng, Matricaria recutita e mel de abelha. Foram realizados estudos preliminares de estabilidade. As amostras foram analisadas com respeito às propriedades organolépticas, pH, centrifugação e gelo-degelo, durante 8 semanas. Foi realizada a avaliação do efeito anti-inflamatório tópico do gel-creme em modelo experimental de inflamação cutânea utilizando camundongos Swiss e C57BL⁄6J. Os animais receberam aplicações tópicas de óleo de Croton, durante 9 dias e, a partir do 5º dia, foram tratados com o gel-creme teste ou com gel-creme base (controle), duas vezes ao dia. A formulação apresentou boa estabilidade físico-química, para aos ensaios realizados. O gel-creme teste inibiu o edema de orelha após o tratamento, tendo seu efeito anti-inflamatório mais evidente nos camundongos da linhagem C57BL⁄6J. Este resultado sugere que o gel-creme é eficaz como agente anti-inflamatório tópico no processo inflamatório crônico, o que justificaria o seu uso no tratamento da acne vulgaris.
Comportamento da precipitação como fator ativo de processos erosivos no município de Rondon do Pará, PA (Brasil)
Authors: Rosa Amanda Gama , Dos Santos Joyse Tatiane Souza , Da Costa Jamer Andrade , Fonseca Dianne Danielle Farias , De Sousa Adriano Marlisom Leão
Published: March 2017

Buscando contribuir com informações acerca do comportamento da precipitação e a erosão em Rondon do Pará/PA, este trabalho buscou estimar a precipitação do município, entre os anos de 1999 e 2015, gerar uma normal provisória da precipitação e avaliar o comportamento desta nos casos de erosão registrados na região. Para isto, foram utilizados dados diários de precipitação obtidos a partir dos satélites CMORPH nos anos de 1999 a 2015, provenientes de um quadrante do município, com auxílio do software GrADS 2.0. De posse destes, foram gerados a normal provisória e o balanço hidrológico de Rondon do Pará. Dados de ocorrências de erosão da Defesa Civil foram obtidos para, junto aos de precipitação, serem analisados individualmente. A normal provisória apresentou ano hidrológico iniciando em outubro com a estação chuvosa e finalizando em setembro com o fim da estiagem, sendo o mês de março o mais chuvoso e agosto o menos chuvoso. O balanço hidrológico exibiu excedente hídrico nos meses de janeiro a abril e deficiência hídrica de junho a novembro, havendo reposição a partir de dezembro com a retomada das chuvas. Os casos de erosão apresentaram distribuição anual semelhante à distribuição da precipitação, indicando sua grande influência sobre os mesmos. A análise individual dos casos mostrou que a erosão pode ser decorrente tanto de precipitação ocorrida no dia do evento como acumulada nos cinco dias antecedentes ao evento, sendo este último caso o mais comum. Essas informações são úteis para o planejamento do município, nas áreas urbana e rural.
Analyzing Client Profitability across Diffusion Segments for a Continuous Innovation
Authors: Sood Ashish , Kumar V.
Published: March 2017

While a time-based segmentation approach to customer segmentation for new products allows firms to identify consumers in the innovator and early adopter segments, this study adds a profitability-based perspective to generate new insights. Using six years of data on the adoption of technology services over three generations from a large technology manufacturer–service provider across seven countries, the authors provide empirical evidence that the short-term and long-term profitability per period of clients in the early majority segment is the highest, followed by the late majority, the innovators, the early adopters, and the laggards, respectively. While a time-based segmentation approach enables firms to identify consumers who are likely to adopt new products sooner than others, a profitability-based perspective can complement their targeting strategy and enhance overall profits. Managers can make informed decisions on investments required to develop new markets with better estimates of the profitability of consumers from later segments. Our study offers managers the necessary insights to develop a road map for identifying and targeting the most profitable clients.
Tauberian theorems for statistically (C,1,1) summable double sequences of fuzzy numbers
Authors: Önder Zerrin , Çanak İbrahim , Totur Ümit
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we prove that a bounded double sequence of fuzzy numbers which is statistically convergent is also statistically (C, 1, 1) summable to the same number. We construct an example that the converse of this statement is not true in general. We obtain that the statistically (C, 1, 1) summable double sequence of fuzzy numbers is convergent and statistically convergent to the same number under the slowly oscillating and statistically slowly oscillating conditions in certain senses, respectively.
A Novel Focal Seizure Pattern Generated in Superficial Layers of the Olfactory Cortex
Authors: Uva Laura , Saccucci Stefania , Chikhladze Maia , Tassi Laura , Gnatkovsky Vadym , Milesi Gloria , Morbin Michela , de Curtis Marco
Published: March 2017

Seizure patterns identified in focal epilepsies caused by diverse etiologies are likely due to different pathogenic mechanisms. We describe here a novel, region-specific focal seizure pattern that mimics seizure activity observed in a subpopulation of patients submitted to presurgical monitoring with intracerebral electrodes. Distinctive seizure-like events (SLEs) are induced in the olfactory regions by acute treatment of both tangential brain slices and the isolated guinea pig brain with the potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine. Analysis of field potentials, intracellular activities, and extracellular potassium changes demonstrates that SLEs in the piriform cortex initiate in the superficial layer 1 lacking principal neurons with an activity-dependent increase of extracellular potassium. SLE progression (but not onset) does not require the participation of synaptic transmission and is mediated by diffusion of potassium to deep cortical layers. The novel seizure pattern here described is not observed in other cortical regions; it is proposed to rely on the peculiar organization of the superficial piriform cortex layers, which are characterized by unmyelinated axons and perisynaptic astroglial envelopes. This study reveals a sequence of ictogenic events in the olfactory cortex that were never described before in other cortical structures and supports the notion that altered potassium homeostasis and unmyelinated fibers may represent a potential vehicle for focal ictogenesis.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTWe describe a novel seizure pattern peculiar of the olfactory cortex that resembles focal seizures with low-voltage fast activity at onset observed in humans. The findings suggest that network mechanisms responsible for seizure onset can be region specific.