bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploiting Integrity Constraints for Cleaning Trajectories of RFID-Monitored Objects
Authors: Fazzinga Bettina , Flesca Sergio , Furfaro Filippo , Parisi Francesco
Published: November 2016

A probabilistic framework for cleaning the data collected by Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID) tracking systems is introduced. What has to be cleaned is the set of trajectories that are the possible interpretations of the readings: a trajectory in this set is a sequence whose generic element is a location covered by the reader(s) that made the detection at the corresponding time point. The cleaning is guided by integrity constraints and consists of discarding the inconsistent trajectories and assigning to the others a suitable probability of being the actual one. The probabilities are evaluated by adopting
probabilistic conditioning
that logically consists of the following steps. First, the trajectories are assigned
a priori
probabilities that rely on the independence assumption between the time points. Then, these probabilities are revised according to the spatio-temporal correlations encoded by the constraints. This is done by conditioning the
a priori
probability of each trajectory to the event that the constraints are satisfied: this means taking the ratio of this
a priori
probability to the sum of the
a priori
probabilities of all the consistent trajectories. Instead of performing these steps by materializing all the trajectories and their
a priori
probabilities (which is infeasible, owing to the typically huge number of trajectories), our approach exploits a data structure
called conditioned trajectory graph (ct-graph)
that compactly represents the trajectories and their conditioned probabilities, and an algorithm for efficiently constructing the ct-graph, which progressively builds it while avoiding the construction of components encoding inconsistent trajectories.
Using
n
-Grams to Identify Time Periods of Cultural Influence
Authors: Knight Gregory P. , Tabrizi Nasseh
Published: November 2016

An author's literary style is influenced by the cultural time period in which the author lives. The author's ideas, and the words chosen to express them, can help identify the cultural time period that most influenced the author.

Ideas are expressed in language through sequences of words called
n
-grams. Over the past several years, Google has been engaged in digitizing millions of books. As part of this endeavor, Google has created a database of
n
-grams extracted from these digitized books and has made the database available to researchers online. This is the first time ever that such an extensive repository of cultural data has been made available.

This study develops and tests an original method for utilizing Google's database to identify the cultural time period that most influenced the author of a published work. Several undisputed literary works are examined, from which sets of
n
-grams are extracted and compared against the Google database. The frequency and distribution of
n
-gram matches allow us to determine the cultural time period that most influenced the author. The method is also tested against several literary works having uncertain or disputed authorship and period of composition.

The results suggest that the method developed provides a reasonable approximation of the time period of greatest cultural influence for each book. Unexpectedly, the results tend to support conclusions reached by another researcher with regard to prior literary influences on the
Ern Malley Poems
. In addition, they lend support to early 19
th
-century origins for authorship of
Book of Mormon
Intelligent Process Adaptation in the SmartPM System
Authors: Marrella Andrea , Mecella Massimo , Sardina Sebastian
Published: November 2016

The increasing application of process-oriented approaches in new challenging dynamic domains beyond business computing (e.g., healthcare, emergency management, factories of the future, home automation, etc.) has led to reconsider the level of flexibility and support required to manage complex knowledge-intensive processes in such domains. A knowledge-intensive process is influenced by user decision making and coupled with contextual data and knowledge production, and involves performing complex tasks in the “physical” real world to achieve a common goal. The physical world, however, is not entirely predictable, and knowledge-intensive processes must be robust to unexpected conditions and adaptable to unanticipated exceptions, recognizing that in real-world environments it is not adequate to assume that all possible recovery activities can be predefined for dealing with the exceptions that can ensue. To tackle this issue, in this paper we present SmartPM, a model and a prototype Process Management System featuring a set of techniques providing support for automated adaptation of knowledge-intensive processes at runtime. Such techniques are able to automatically adapt process instances when unanticipated exceptions occur, without explicitly defining policies to recover from exceptions and without the intervention of domain experts at runtime, aiming at reducing error-prone and costly manual ad-hoc changes, and thus at relieving users from complex adaptations tasks. To accomplish this, we make use of well-established techniques and frameworks from Artificial Intelligence, such as situation calculus, IndiGolog and classical planning. The approach, which is backed by a formal model, has been implemented and validated with a case study based on real knowledge-intensive processes coming from an emergency management domain.
Prediction and Simulation of Human Mobility Following Natural Disasters
Authors: Song Xuan , Zhang Quanshi , Sekimoto Yoshihide , Shibasaki Ryosuke , Yuan Nicholas Jing , Xie Xing
Published: November 2016

In recent decades, the frequency and intensity of natural disasters has increased significantly, and this trend is expected to continue. Therefore, understanding and predicting human behavior and mobility during a disaster will play a vital role in planning effective humanitarian relief, disaster management, and long-term societal reconstruction. However, such research is very difficult to perform owing to the uniqueness of various disasters and the unavailability of reliable and large-scale human mobility data. In this study, we collect big and heterogeneous data (e.g., GPS records of 1.6 million users
1
over 3 years, data on earthquakes that have occurred in Japan over 4 years, news report data, and transportation network data) to study human mobility following natural disasters. An empirical analysis is conducted to explore the basic laws governing human mobility following disasters, and an effective human mobility model is developed to predict and simulate population movements. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of our model, and they suggest that human mobility following disasters can be significantly more predictable and be more easily simulated than previously thought.
Building a Hybrid Warehouse
Authors: Tian Yuanyuan , Özcan Fatma , Zou Tao , Goncalves Romulo , Pirahesh Hamid
Published: November 2016

The Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) has become an important data repository in the enterprise as the center for all business analytics, from SQL queries and machine learning to reporting. At the same time, enterprise data warehouses (EDWs) continue to support critical business analytics. This has created the need for a new generation of a special federation between Hadoop-like big data platforms and EDWs, which we call the
hybrid warehouse
. There are many applications that require correlating data stored in HDFS with EDW data, such as the analysis that associates click logs stored in HDFS with the sales data stored in the database. All existing solutions reach out to HDFS and read the data into the EDW to perform the joins, assuming that the Hadoop side does not have efficient SQL support.

In this article, we show that it is actually better to do most data processing on the HDFS side, provided that we can leverage a sophisticated execution engine for joins on the Hadoop side. We identify the best hybrid warehouse architecture by studying various algorithms to join database and HDFS tables. We utilize Bloom filters to minimize the data movement and exploit the massive parallelism in both systems to the fullest extent possible. We describe a new
zigzag join
algorithm and show that it is a robust join algorithm for hybrid warehouses that performs well in almost all cases. We further develop a sophisticated cost model for the various join algorithms and show that it can facilitate query optimization in the hybrid warehouse to correctly choose the right algorithm under different predicate and join selectivities.
Community Detection with Topological Structure and Attributes in Information Networks
Authors: Wu Zhonggang , Lu Zhao , Ho Shan-Yuan
Published: November 2016

Information networks contain objects connected by multiple links and described by rich attributes. Detecting community for these networks is a challenging research problem, because there is a scarcity of effective approaches that balance the features of the network structure and the characteristics of the nodes. Some methods detect communities by considering topological structures while ignoring the contributions of attributes. Other methods have considered both topological structure and attributes but pay a high price in time complexity. We establish a new community detection algorithm which explores both topological Structure and Attributes using Global structure and Local neighborhood features (SAGL) which also has low computational complexity. The first step of SAGL evaluates the global importance of every node and calculates the similarity of each node pair by combining edge strength and node attribute similarity. The second step of SAGL uses a clustering algorithm that identifies communities by measuring the similarity of two nodes, calculated by the distance of their neighbors. Experimental results on three real-world datasets show the effectiveness of SAGL, particularly its fast convergence compared to current state-of-the-art attributed graph clustering methods.
Personalized Group Recommender Systems for Location- and Event-Based Social Networks
Authors: Purushotham Sanjay , Kuo C.-C. Jay
Published: November 2016

Location-Based Social Networks (LBSNs) such as Foursquare, Google+ Local, and so on, and Event-Based Social Networks (EBSNs) such as Meetup, Plancast, and so on, have become popular platforms for users to plan, organize, and attend social events with friends and acquaintances. These LBSNs and EBSNs provide rich content such as
online
and
offline
user interactions, location/event descriptions that can be leveraged for personalized group recommendations. In this article, we propose novel Collaborative Filtering-based Bayesian models to capture the location or event semantics and group dynamics such as user interactions, user group membership, user influence, and the like for personalized group recommendations. Empirical experiments on two large real-world datasets (Gowalla LBSN dataset and Meetup EBSN dataset) show that our models outperform the state-of-the-art group recommender systems. We discuss the group characteristics of our datasets and show that modeling of group dynamics learns better group preferences than aggregating individual user preferences. Moreover, our model provides human interpretable results that can be used to understand group participation behavior and location/event popularity.
On Local Expert Discovery via Geo-Located Crowds, Queries, and Candidates
Authors: Niu Wei , Liu Zhijiao , Caverlee James
Published: November 2016

Local experts are critical for many location-sensitive information needs, and yet there is a research gap in our understanding of the factors impacting who is recognized as a local expert and in methods for discovering local experts. Hence, in this article, we explore a geo-spatial learning-to-rank framework for identifying local experts. Three of the key features of the proposed approach are: (i) a learning-based framework for integrating multiple user-based, content-based, list-based, and crowd-based factors impacting local expertise that leverages the fine-grained GPS coordinates of millions of social media users; (ii) a location-sensitive random walk that propagates crowd knowledge of a candidate’s expertise; and (iii) a comprehensive controlled study over AMT-labeled local experts on eight topics and in four cities. We find significant improvements of local expert finding versus two state-of-the-art alternatives, as well as evidence for the generalizability of local expert ranking models to new topics and new locations.
Animal Proteins as Important Contributors to a Healthy Human Diet
Authors: Elmadfa Ibrahim , Meyer Alexa L.
Published: November 2016

Adequate protein intake is critical for health and development. Generally, protein of animal origin is of higher quality for humans owing to its amino acid pattern and good digestibility. When administered in mixtures it can enhance the quality of plant proteins, but its availability is often low in low-income communities, especially in young children, the elderly, and pregnant and lactating women, who have increased requirements and in whom high-quality protein also stimulates (bone) growth and maintenance. Although high protein intake was associated with increased type 2 diabetes mellitus risk, milk and seafood are good sources of branched chain amino acids and taurine, which act beneficially on glucose metabolism and blood pressure. However, high consumption of protein-rich animal food is also associated with adverse health effects and higher risk for noncommunicable diseases, partly related to other components of these foods, like saturated fatty acids and potential carcinogens in processed meat but also the atherogenic methionine metabolite homocysteine. In moderation, however, animal proteins are especially important for health maintenance in vulnerable persons.
The Impact of Trap Type and Design Features on Survey and Detection of Bark and Woodboring Beetles and Their Associates: A Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Allison Jeremy D. , Redak Richard A.
Published: November 2016

A large literature on the survey and detection of forest Coleoptera and their associates exists. Identification of patterns in the effect of trap types and design features among guilds and families of forest insects would facilitate the optimization and development of intercept traps for use in management programs. We reviewed the literature on trapping bark and woodboring beetles and their associates and conducted meta-analyses to examine patterns in effects across guilds and families; we observed the following general patterns: (a) Panel traps were superior to multiple-funnel traps, (b) bark beetles and woodborers were captured in higher numbers in traps treated with a surface treatment to make them slippery than untreated traps, (c) panel and multiple-funnel traps equipped with wet cups outperformed traps with dry cups, (d) black traps were superior to white and clear traps, and (e) purple traps were as good as or superior to green traps for Agrilus spp.
Learning in Insect Pollinators and Herbivores
Authors: Jones Patricia L. , Agrawal Anurag A.
Published: November 2016

The relationship between plants and insects is influenced by insects’ behavioral decisions during foraging and oviposition. In mutualistic pollinators and antagonistic herbivores, past experience (learning) affects such decisions, which ultimately can impact plant fitness. The higher levels of dietary generalism in pollinators than in herbivores may be an explanation for the differences in learning seen between these two groups. Generalist pollinators experience a high level of environmental variation, which we suggest favors associative learning. Larval herbivores employ habituation and sensitization—strategies useful in their less variable environments. Exceptions to these patterns based on habitats, mobility, and life history provide critical tests of current theory. Relevant plant traits should be under selection to be easily learned and remembered in pollinators and difficult to learn in herbivores. Insect learning thereby has the potential to have an important, yet largely unexplored, role in plant-insect coevolution.
Incompressible Rayleigh–Taylor Turbulence
Authors: Boffetta Guido , Mazzino Andrea
Published: November 2016

Basic fluid equations are the main ingredient in the development of theories of Rayleigh–Taylor buoyancy-induced instability. Turbulence arises in the late stage of the instability evolution as a result of the proliferation of active scales of motion. Fluctuations are maintained by the unceasing conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy. Although the dynamics of turbulent fluctuations is ruled by the same equations controlling the Rayleigh–Taylor instability, here only phenomenological theories are currently available. The present review provides an overview of the most relevant (and often contrasting) theoretical approaches to Rayleigh–Taylor turbulence together with numerical and experimental evidence for their support. Although the focus is mainly on the classical Boussinesq Rayleigh–Taylor turbulence of miscible fluids, the review extends to other fluid systems with viscoelastic behavior, affected by rotation of the reference frame, and, finally, in the presence of reactions.
Motion of Deformable Drops Through Porous Media
Authors: Zinchenko Alexander Z. , Davis Robert H.
Published: November 2016

This review describes recent progress in the fundamental understanding of deformable drop motion through porous media with well-defined microstructures, through rigorous first-principles hydrodynamical simulations and experiments. Tight squeezing conditions, when the drops are much larger than the pore throats, are particularly challenging numerically, as the drops nearly coat the porous material skeleton with small surface clearance, requiring very high surface resolution in the algorithms. Small-scale prototype problems for flow-induced drop motion through round capillaries and three-dimensional (3D) constrictions between solid particles, and for gravity-induced squeezing through round orifices and 3D constrictions, show how forcing above critical conditions is needed to overcome trapping. Scaling laws for the squeezing time are suggested. Large-scale multidrop/multiparticle simulations for emulsion flow through a random granular material with multiple drop breakup show that the drop phase generally moves faster than the carrier fluid; both phase velocities equilibrate much faster to the statistical steady state than does the drop-size distribution.
Simulation Methods for Particulate Flows and Concentrated Suspensions
Authors: Maxey Martin
Published: November 2016

Numerical simulations are extensively used to investigate the motion of suspended particles in a fluid and their influence on the dynamics of the overall flow. Contexts range from the rheology of concentrated suspensions in a viscous fluid to the dynamics of particle-laden turbulent flows. This review summarizes several current approaches to the numerical simulation of rigid particles suspended in a flow, pointing out both common features and differences, along with their primary range of application. The focus is on non-Brownian systems for which thermal fluctuations do not play a role, whereas interparticle forces may result in particle self-assembly. Applications may include the motion of a few isolated particles with complex shape or the collective dynamics of many suspended particles.
Questions Under Discussion: Where Information Structure Meets Projective Content
Authors: Beaver David I. , Roberts Craige , Simons Mandy , Tonhauser Judith
Published: November 2016

We discuss problems familiar from the literature on presupposition and information structure, and illustrate how a synthesis using the Question Under Discussion (QUD) framework yields fresh insight. In this framework, discourse is analyzed in terms of the strategy of inquiry pursued by the interlocutors, and individual utterances are interpreted relative to the question being addressed. This way of thinking offers a new perspective on diverse phenomena, including the projection of presuppositions, association with focus, contrastive topic marking, and variability of projection behavior. We review the principal issues and prior lines of research in each of these areas, and show how the issues may be recast in QUD terms.
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and Abrupt Climate Change
Authors: Lynch-Stieglitz Jean
Published: November 2016

Abrupt changes in climate have occurred in many locations around the globe over the last glacial cycle, with pronounced temperature swings on timescales of decades or less in the North Atlantic. The global pattern of these changes suggests that they reflect variability in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). This review examines the evidence from ocean sediments for ocean circulation change over these abrupt events. The evidence for changes in the strength and structure of the AMOC associated with the Younger Dryas and many of the Heinrich events is strong. Although it has been difficult to directly document changes in the AMOC over the relatively short Dansgaard-Oeschger events, there is recent evidence supporting AMOC changes over most of these oscillations as well. The lack of direct evidence for circulation changes over the shortest events leaves open the possibility of other driving mechanisms for millennial-scale climate variability.
Quorum Sensing in Marine Microbial Environments
Authors: Hmelo Laura R.
Published: November 2016

Quorum sensing (QS) is a form of chemical communication used by certain bacteria that regulates a wide range of biogeochemically important bacterial behaviors. Although QS was first observed in a marine bacterium nearly four decades ago, only in the past decade has there been a rise in interest in the role that QS plays in the ocean. It has become clear that QS, regulated by signals such as acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) or furanosyl-borate diesters [autoinducer-2 (AI-2) molecules], is involved in important processes within the marine carbon cycle, in the health of coral reef ecosystems, and in trophic interactions between a range of eukaryotes and their bacterial associates. The most well-studied QS systems in the ocean occur in surface-attached (biofilm) communities and rely on AHL signaling. AHL-QS is highly sensitive to the chemical and biological makeup of the environment and may respond to anthropogenic change, including ocean acidification and rising sea surface temperatures.
Antimalarial Drugs as Immune Modulators: New Mechanisms for Old Drugs
Authors: An Jie , Minie Mark , Sasaki Tomikazu , Woodward Joshua J. , Elkon Keith B.
Published: November 2016

The best known of the naturally occurring antimalarial compounds are quinine, extracted from cinchona bark, and artemisinin (qinghao), extracted from Artemisia annua in China. These and other derivatives are now chemically synthesized and remain the mainstay of therapy to treat malaria. The beneficial effects of several of the antimalarial drugs (AMDs) on clinical features of autoimmune disorders were discovered by chance during World War II. In this review, we discuss the chemistry of AMDs and their mechanisms of action, emphasizing how they may impact multiple pathways of innate immunity. These pathways include Toll-like receptors and the recently described cGAS-STING pathway. Finally, we discuss the current and future impact of AMDs on systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and devastating monogenic disorders (interferonopathies) characterized by expression of type I interferon in the brain.
Stem Cell Extracellular Vesicles: Extended Messages of Regeneration
Authors: Riazifar Milad , Pone Egest J. , Lötvall Jan , Zhao Weian
Published: November 2016

Stem cells are critical to maintaining steady-state organ homeostasis and regenerating injured tissues. Recent intriguing reports implicate extracellular vesicles (EVs) as carriers for the distribution of morphogens and growth and differentiation factors from tissue parenchymal cells to stem cells, and conversely, stem cell–derived EVs carrying certain proteins and nucleic acids can support healing of injured tissues. We describe approaches to make use of engineered EVs as technology platforms in therapeutics and diagnostics in the context of stem cells. For some regenerative therapies, natural and engineered EVs from stem cells may be superior to single-molecule drugs, biologics, whole cells, and synthetic liposome or nanoparticle formulations because of the ease of bioengineering with multiple factors while retaining superior biocompatibility and biostability and posing fewer risks for abnormal differentiation or neoplastic transformation. Finally, we provide an overview of current challenges and future directions of EVs as potential therapeutic alternatives to cells for clinical applications.
The Central Control of Energy Expenditure: Exploiting Torpor for Medical Applications
Authors: Cerri Matteo
Published: November 2016

Autonomic thermoregulation is a recently acquired function, as it appears for the first time in mammals and provides the brain with the ability to control energy expenditure. The importance of such control can easily be highlighted by the ability of a heterogeneous group of mammals to actively reduce metabolic rate and enter a condition of regulated hypometabolism known as torpor. The central neural circuits of thermoregulatory cold defense have been recently unraveled and could in theory be exploited to reduce energy expenditure in species that do not normally use torpor, inducing a state called synthetic torpor. This approach may represent the first steps toward the development of a technology to induce a safe and reversible state of hypometabolism in humans, unlocking many applications ranging from new medical procedures to deep space travel.
Huxleys’ Missing Filament: Form and Function of Titin in Vertebrate Striated Muscle
Authors: Lindstedt Stan , Nishikawa Kiisa
Published: November 2016

Although superthin filaments were inferred from early experiments on muscle, decades passed before their existence was accepted. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that titin, the largest known protein, first appeared in the common ancestor of chordates and nematodes and evolved rapidly via duplication. Twitchin and projectin evolved later by truncation. Sallimus mutants in Drosophila exhibit disrupted sarcomere and chromosome structure, suggesting that giant proteins may have evolved as chromosomal scaffolds that were co-opted for a similar purpose in striated muscles. Though encoded by only one gene, titin comprises hundreds of exons and has the potential for enormous diversity. Shorter isoforms typically confer greater passive stiffness associated with smaller in vivo muscle strains. Recent studies demonstrate unequivocally that titin stiffness increases upon muscle activation, but the mechanisms are only now being uncovered. Although some basic principles have been established, a vast opportunity remains to extend our understanding of titin function in striated muscle.
Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Murray Peter J.
Published: November 2016

Macrophage polarization refers to how macrophages have been activated at a given point in space and time. Polarization is not fixed, as macrophages are sufficiently plastic to integrate multiple signals, such as those from microbes, damaged tissues, and the normal tissue environment. Three broad pathways control polarization: epigenetic and cell survival pathways that prolong or shorten macrophage development and viability, the tissue microenvironment, and extrinsic factors, such as microbial products and cytokines released in inflammation. A plethora of advances have provided a framework for rationally purifying, describing, and manipulating macrophage polarization. Here, I assess the current state of knowledge about macrophage polarization and enumerate the major questions about how activated macrophages regulate the physiology of normal and damaged tissues.
Nasal high-flow therapy reduces work of breathing compared with oxygen during sleep in COPD and smoking controls: a prospective observational study
Authors: Biselli Paolo J. C. , Kirkness Jason P. , Grote Ludger , Fricke Kathrin , Schwartz Alan R. , Smith Philip , Schneider Hartmut
Published: November 2016

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) endure excessive resistive and elastic loads leading to chronic respiratory failure. Oxygen supplementation corrects hypoxemia but is not expected to reduce mechanical loads. Nasal high-flow (NHF) therapy supports breathing by reducing dead space, but it is unclear how it affects mechanical loads of patients with COPD. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of low-flow oxygen and NHF therapy on ventilation and work of breathing (WOB) in patients with COPD and controls during sleep. Patients with COPD ( n = 12) and controls ( n = 6) were recruited and submitted to polysomnography to measure sleep parameters and ventilation in response to administration of oxygen and NHF. A subset of six patients also had an esophageal catheter inserted for the purpose of measuring WOB. Patients with COPD had similar minute ventilation (V̇e) but lower tidal volumes than matched controls. With oxygen, [Formula: see text]was increased and V̇e was reduced in both controls and patients with COPD, but there was an increase in transcutaneous CO2 levels. NHF produced a greater reduction in V̇e and was associated with a reduction in CO2 levels. Although NHF halved WOB, oxygen produced only a minor reduction in this parameter. We conclude that oxygen produced little change in WOB, which was associated with CO2 elevations. On the other hand, NHF produced a large reduction in V̇e and WOB with a concomitant decrease in CO2 levels. Our data indicate that NHF improves alveolar ventilation during sleep compared with oxygen and room air in patients with COPD and therefore can decrease their cost of breathing.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Nasal high-flow (NHF) therapy can support ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during sleep by decreasing the work of breathing and improving CO2 levels. On the other hand, oxygen supplementation corrects hypoxemia, but it produces only a minimal reduction in work of breathing and is associated with increased CO2 levels. Therefore, NHF can be a useful method to assist ventilation in patients with increased respiratory mechanical loads.
MENA Confers Resistance to Paclitaxel in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Oudin Madeleine J. , Barbier Lucie , Schäfer Claudia , Kosciuk Tatsiana , Miller Miles A. , Han Sangyoon , Jonas Oliver , Lauffenburger Douglas A. , Gertler Frank B.
Published: November 2016

Taxane therapy remains the standard of care for triple-negative breast cancer. However, high frequencies of recurrence and progression in treated patients indicate that metastatic breast cancer cells can acquire resistance to this drug. The actin regulatory protein MENA and particularly its invasive isoform, MENAINV, are established drivers of metastasis. MENAINV expression is significantly correlated with metastasis and poor outcome in human patients with breast cancer. We investigated whether MENA isoforms might play a role in driving resistance to chemotherapeutics. We find that both MENA and MENAINV confer resistance to the taxane paclitaxel, but not to the widely used DNA-damaging agents doxorubicin or cisplatin. Furthermore, paclitaxel treatment does not attenuate growth of MENAINV-driven metastatic lesions. Mechanistically, MENA isoform expression alters the ratio of dynamic and stable microtubule populations in paclitaxel-treated cells. MENA expression also increases MAPK signaling in response to paclitaxel treatment. Decreasing ERK phosphorylation by co-treatment with MEK inhibitor restored paclitaxel sensitivity by driving microtubule stabilization in MENA isoform–expressing cells. Our results reveal a novel mechanism of taxane resistance in highly metastatic breast cancer cells and identify a combination therapy to overcome such resistance. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(1); 143–55. ©2016 AACR.
Bloom's Syndrome: Clinical Spectrum, Molecular Pathogenesis, and Cancer Predisposition
Authors: Cunniff Christopher , Bassetti Jennifer A. , Ellis Nathan A.
Published: November 2016

Bloom's syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency, photosensitive skin changes, immune deficiency, insulin resistance, and a greatly increased risk of early onset of cancer and for the development of multiple cancers. Loss-of-function mutations of BLM, which codes for a RecQ helicase, cause Bloom's syndrome. The absence of a functional BLM protein causes chromosome instability, excessive homologous recombination, and a greatly increased number of sister chromatid exchanges that are pathognomonic of the syndrome. A common founder mutation designated blmAsh is present in about 1 in 100 persons of Eastern European Jewish ancestry, and there are additional recurrent founder mutations among other populations. Missense, nonsense, and frameshift mutations as well as multiexonic deletions have all been observed. Bloom's syndrome is a prototypical chromosomal instability syndrome, and the somatic mutations that occur as a result of that instability are responsible for the increased cancer risk. Although there is currently no treatment aimed at the underlying genetic abnormality, persons with Bloom's syndrome benefit from sun protection, aggressive treatment of infections, surveillance for insulin resistance, and early identification of cancer.
Dual Endothelin-A/Endothelin-B Receptor Blockade and Cardiac Remodeling in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Valero-Munoz Maria , Li Shanpeng , Wilson Richard M. , Boldbaatar Batbold , Iglarz Marc , Sam Flora
Published: November 2016

Background—

Despite the increasing prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in humans, there remains no evidence-based therapies for HFpEF. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) antagonists are a possibility because elevated ET-1 levels are associated with adverse cardiovascular effects, such as arterial and pulmonary vasoconstriction, impaired left ventricular (LV) relaxation, and stimulation of LV hypertrophy. LV hypertrophy is a common phenotype in HFpEF, particularly when associated with hypertension.

Methods and Results—

In the present study, we found that ET-1 levels were significantly elevated in patients with chronic stable HFpEF. We then sought to investigate the effects of chronic macitentan, a dual ET-A/ET-B receptor antagonist, on cardiac structure and function in a murine model of HFpEF induced by chronic aldosterone infusion. Macitentan caused LV hypertrophy regression independent of blood pressure changes in HFpEF. Although macitentan did not modulate diastolic dysfunction in HFpEF, it significantly reduced wall thickness and relative wall thickness after 2 weeks of therapy. In vitro studies showed that macitentan decreased the aldosterone-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. These changes were mediated by a reduction in the expression of cardiac myocyte enhancer factor 2a. Moreover, macitentan improved adverse cardiac remodeling, by reducing the stiffer cardiac collagen I and titin n2b expression in the left ventricle of mice with HFpEF.

Conclusions—

These findings indicate that dual ET-A/ET-B receptor inhibition improves HFpEF by abrogating adverse cardiac remodeling via antihypertrophic mechanisms and by reducing stiffness. Additional studies are needed to explore the role of dual ET-1 receptor antagonists in patients with HFpEF.
Variants of Rab GTPase–Effector Binding Protein-2 Cause Variation in the Collateral Circulation and Severity of Stroke
Authors: Lucitti Jennifer L. , Sealock Robert , Buckley Brian K. , Zhang Hua , Xiao Lin , Dudley Andrew C. , Faber James E.
Published: November 2016

Background and Purpose—

The extent (number and diameter) of collateral vessels varies widely and is a major determinant, along with arteriogenesis (collateral remodeling), of variation in severity of tissue injury after large artery occlusion. Differences in genetic background underlie the majority of the variation in collateral extent in mice, through alterations in collaterogenesis (embryonic collateral formation). In brain and other tissues, ≈80% of the variation in collateral extent among different mouse strains has been linked to a region on chromosome 7. We recently used congenic (CNG) fine mapping of C57BL/6 (B6, high extent) and BALB/cByJ (BC, low extent) mice to narrow the region to a 737 Kb locus,
Dce1
. Herein, we report the causal gene.

Methods—

We used additional CNG mapping and knockout mice to narrow the number of candidate genes. Subsequent inspection identified a nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism between B6 and BC within
Rabep2
(rs33080487). We then created B6 mice with the BC single nucleotide polymorphism at this locus plus 3 other lines for predicted alteration or knockout of
Rabep2
using gene editing.

Results—

The single amino acid change caused by rs33080487 accounted for the difference in collateral extent and infarct volume between B6 and BC mice attributable to
Dce1
. Mechanistically, variants of
Rabep2
altered collaterogenesis during embryogenesis but had no effect on angiogenesis examined in vivo and in vitro.
Rabep2
deficiency altered endosome trafficking known to be involved in VEGF-A→VEGFR2 signaling required for collaterogenesis.

Conclusions—

Naturally occurring variants of
Rabep2
are major determinants of variation in collateral extent and stroke severity in mice.
Crustacean zooplankton assemblages in Algerian saline lakes: a comparison with their Chilean Altiplano counterparts
Authors: De los Ríos-Escalante Patricio , Amarouayache Mounia
Published: November 2016

Crustacean communities in saline lakes are regulated mainly by salinity, and a significant inverse correlation can be found between salinity and species richness. The aim of the present study is to compare the carcinological diversity of two distinct arid regions of the world: Algerian saline lakes, locally called “chotts” and “sebkhas”, and their Chilean Altiplano counterparts, and to determine if there are similar regulator patterns that influence the composition of those communities. The main halophilic taxon common to both regions was the anostracan Artemia at high salinities. However, many other halotolerant crustaceans may occur in Algerian chotts and sebkhas, such as Phallocryptus spinosa, Branchinectella media, Moina salina, Cletocamptus retrogressus, Arctodiaptomus salinus and Heterocypris sp. In Chilean saline lakes the calanoid copepod Boeckella poopoensis was an important component of zooplankton at high salinities, while ostracods were totally absent. The results of correlation analysis revealed a significant inverse correlation between salinity and species number (Algeria, , , p-value = 0.0032; Chile, , ; p-value < 0.0165). The results of null model analysis describing species co-occurrence showed that the species communities are random for Algerian saline lakes due to the presence of many halotolerant species. For Chilean saline lakes, the species communities are structured.
Historical and Projected Eastern Pacific and Intra-Americas Sea TD-Wave Activity in a Selection of IPCC AR5 Models
Authors: Serra Yolande L. , Geil Kerrie
Published: November 2016

The tracks of westward-propagating synoptic disturbances across the Intra-Americas Sea (IAS) and far-eastern Pacific, known as easterly waves or tropical depression (TD) waves, are an important feature of the region’s climate. They are associated with heavy rainfall events, seed the majority of tropical cyclones, and contribute to the mean rainfall across the region. This study examines the ability of current climate models (CMIP5) to simulate TD-wave activity and associated environmental factors across the IAS and far-eastern Pacific as compared to reanalysis. Model projections for the future are then compared with the historical model experiment to investigate the southward shift in CMIP5 track density and the environmental factors that may contribute to it. While historical biases in TD-wave track-density patterns are well correlated with model biases in sea surface temperature and midlevel moisture, the projected southward shift of the TD track density by the end of the twenty-first century in CMIP5 models is best correlated with changes in deep wind shear and midlevel moisture. In addition, the genesis potential index is found to be a good indicator of both present and future regions of high TD-wave track density for the models in this region. This last result may be useful for understanding the more complex relationship between tropical cyclones and this index in models found in other studies.
The Vertical Structure of Low-Frequency Motions in the Nearshore. Part II: Theory
Authors: Lippmann Thomas C. , Bowen Anthony J.
Published: November 2016

Field observations from a vertical stack of two-component current meters obtained from the 1994 Duck94 nearshore field experiment (presented in a companion paper by Lippmann, et al.) show significant vertical structure in energy, phase, and rotation of motions at low frequencies around 0.005 Hz. Low-frequency motions are typically modeled in the surfzone with the shallow-water (depth averaged) momentum equations that do not allow for any vertical structure. Following work from the shelf tidal community (Prandle), this study shows that the observations are consistent with the depth-varying momentum equations including shear stresses induced by a bottom boundary layer described by a constant eddy viscosity νt and bottom friction given by a constant drag coefficient and depth-averaged velocity . The bidirectional flow field is solved over arbitrary depth profiles varying only in the cross-shore direction h(x) in the presence of a vertically uniform mean alongshore current with cross-shore shear structure V(x). Analytic solutions are found to depend on νt, cd, h, ∂V/∂x, and the parameter , where σ and k are the radian frequency and alongshore wavenumber of the oscillating motion. Model behavior is explored by plotting solutions for a given parameter space as functions of the nondimensional depth H = λh and dimensionless friction parameter that combines the effects of bottom drag and vertical mixing. The behavioral changes in amplitude, phase shift, and rotational structure over the water column are qualitatively similar to those observed in the field.
Deadly Tornadoes in Poland from 1820 to 2015
Authors: Taszarek Mateusz , Gromadzki Jakub
Published: November 2016

Using historical sources derived from 12 Polish digital libraries, an investigation into killer tornado events was carried out. Although some of the cases took place more than 150 years ago, it was still possible to identify tornado phenomena and the course of events. This study has shown that historical sources contain dozens of tornado reports, sometimes with information precise enough to reconstruct the tornado damage paths. In total, 26 newly identified deadly tornado cases were derived from the historical sources and the information on 11 currently known was expanded. An average of 1–2 killer tornadoes with 5 fatalities may be depicted for each decade and this rate is decreasing over time. It was estimated that 5%–10% of significant tornadoes in Poland have caused fatalities and the average number of fatalities per significant tornado was roughly 0.27. Most of the cases were reported in late July and early August. The majority of deaths and injuries were associated with victims being lifted or crushed by buildings (usually a wooden barn). Most of these cases took place in rural areas but some tornadoes hit urban areas, causing a higher number of fatalities. The spatial distribution of cases included maxima in the central lowland and south-central upland of Poland. In a noticeable fraction of cases (38%), large hail occurred either before or after passage of the tornado.
Using Mobile Technology to Engage Children With Nature
Authors: Crawford Maxine R. , Holder Mark D. , O’Connor Brian P.
Published: November 2016

The efficacy of a mobile application to increase connectedness to nature and impart flora/fauna/ecological knowledge was assessed in 747 children in three separate and distinctive parks: a wetland, a prairie grassland, and an indoor tropical garden. The mobile application was developed with place-based education in mind. At each park, children were randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group of children toured the park using an application on a mobile device with their chaperones, another group toured the park with an environmental educator and their chaperones, and a third group toured the parks with a paper map and their chaperones. Results showed that the mobile application was just as effective at connecting children to nature as more traditional ways of non-formal environmental education, but the mobile application offered additional benefits such as higher ratings of fun.
Trade Unions in Segmented Labor Markets: Evidence from the German Metal and Chemical Sectors
Authors: Dorigatti Lisa
Published: November 2016

Drawing on case studies in the German metal and chemical sectors, this article addresses trade unions’ behavior toward employers’ labor market segmentation strategies and, in particular, their use of outsourcing. Findings illustrate that, contrary to the expectations of the dualization literature, trade unions do not always give priority to their core constituency over the interests of temporary or peripheral workers. Union actions are not solely determined by the aim of defending the interests of their current members but depend instead on the interrelationship between unions’ identity and their members’ and organizational interests.
A low-cost design experience for junior-level electronics circuits laboratories through emulation of industry-printed circuit board design practice
Authors: Kim Ernest M , Schubert Thomas F
Published: November 2016

Over a 2-year period, printed circuit board layout design and test were included in the laboratory portion of the second of two junior-level electronic circuits courses. Printed circuit board design using industry-accepted board specifications and standard industry Gerber file export experience was developed. The students’ printed circuit board design experience emulated real-world situations and cost criteria. The instructor served as the fabricator in this model of the industrial design situation. Students individually used industry standard schematic capture and layout software to develop a printed circuit board for a simplified discrete µA741 operational amplifier. The layout designs were submitted as industry standard Gerber files electronically to the instructor/fabricator for evaluation. Grades were assigned by evaluating the accuracy and cost effectiveness of the design by minimizing traces, reducing printed circuit board geometry, and limiting the number of vias, which ultimately reduces fabricator tooling cost. Feedback was provided by the instructor who acted as the industry fabricator to individual students. A single fabricated printed circuit board, designed by the instructor (and fabricated by a commercial printed circuit board manufacturer), was delivered to students for assembly and test. By delivering a single printed circuit board design to students, fabrication costs can be minimized and students can inspect the delivered board as an exemplar. Assessments of the student perceptions of knowledge of and confidence in applying printed circuit board techniques in designing and releasing a printed circuit board were conducted prior to and after the printed circuit board layout design and test. On a 5-point scale, overall student-reported knowledge increased by 2.14 and overall student confidence increased by 1.20 points. Faculty assessment of knowledge, as measured by scoring short answers to knowledge statements, correlated well with student report and showed an average increase of 2.70.