bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mutations of Conserved Residues in the Major Homology Region Arrest Assembling HIV-1 Gag as a Membrane-Targeted Intermediate Containing Genomic RNA and Cellular Proteins
Authors: Tanaka Motoko , Robinson Bridget A. , Chutiraka Kasana , Geary Clair D. , Reed Jonathan C. , Lingappa Jaisri R.
Published: December 2015

The major homology region (MHR) is a highly conserved motif that is found within the Gag protein of all orthoretroviruses and some retrotransposons. While it is widely accepted that the MHR is critical for assembly of HIV-1 and other retroviruses, how the MHR functions and why it is so highly conserved are not understood. Moreover, consensus is lacking on when HIV-1 MHR residues function during assembly. Here, we first addressed previous conflicting reports by confirming that MHR deletion, like conserved MHR residue substitution, leads to a dramatic reduction in particle production in human and nonhuman primate cells expressing HIV-1 proviruses. Next, we used biochemical analyses and immunoelectron microscopy to demonstrate that conserved residues in the MHR are required after assembling Gag has associated with genomic RNA, recruited critical host factors involved in assembly, and targeted to the plasma membrane. The exact point of inhibition at the plasma membrane differed depending on the specific mutation, with one MHR mutant arrested as a membrane-associated intermediate that is stable upon high-salt treatment and other MHR mutants arrested as labile, membrane-associated intermediates. Finally, we observed the same assembly-defective phenotypes when the MHR deletion or conserved MHR residue substitutions were engineered into Gag from a subtype B, lab-adapted provirus or Gag from a subtype C primary isolate that was codon optimized. Together, our data support a model in which MHR residues act just after membrane targeting, with some MHR residues promoting stability and another promoting multimerization of the membrane-targeted assembling Gag oligomer.

IMPORTANCE
The retroviral Gag protein exhibits extensive amino acid sequence variation overall; however, one region of Gag, termed the major homology region, is conserved among all retroviruses and even some yeast retrotransposons, although the reason for this conservation remains poorly understood. Highly conserved residues in the major homology region are required for assembly of retroviruses; however, when these residues are required during assembly is not clear. Here, we used biochemical and electron microscopic analyses to demonstrate that these conserved residues function after assembling HIV-1 Gag has associated with genomic RNA, recruited critical host factors involved in assembly, and targeted to the plasma membrane but before Gag has completed the assembly process. By revealing precisely when conserved residues in the major homology region are required during assembly, these studies resolve existing controversies and set the stage for future experiments aimed at a more complete understanding of how the major homology region functions.
Qingdao Port Cardiovascular Health Study: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Spatz Erica S , Jiang Xianyan , Lu Jiapeng , Masoudi Frederick A , Spertus John A , Wang Yongfei , Li Xi , Downing Nicholas S , Nasir Khurram , Du Xue , Li Jing , Krumholz Harlan M , Liu Xiancheng , Jiang Lixin
Published: December 2015

Purpose

In China, efforts are underway to respond to rapidly increasing rates of heart disease and stroke. Yet the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in China may be different from that of other populations. Thus, there is a critical need for population-based studies that provide insight into the risk factors, incidence and outcomes of cardiovascular disease in China. The Qingdao Port Cardiovascular Health Study is designed to investigate the burden of cardiovascular disease and the sociodemographic, biological, environmental and clinical risk factors associated with disease onset and outcomes.

Participants

For this study, from 2000 through 2013, 32 404 employees aged 18 years or older were recruited from the Qingdao Port Group in China, contributing 221 923 annual health assessments. The mean age at recruitment was 43.4 (SD=12.9); 79% were male. In this ongoing study, annual health assessments, governed by extensive quality control mechanisms, include a questionnaire (capturing demographic and employment information, medical history, medication use, health behaviours and health outcomes), physical examination, ECG, and blood and urine analysis. Additional non-annual assessments include an X-ray, echocardiogram and carotid ultrasound; bio-samples will be collected for future genetic and proteomic analyses. Cardiovascular outcomes are accessed via self-report and are actively being verified with medical insurance claims; efforts are underway to adjudicate outcomes with hospital medical records.

Findings to date

Early findings reveal a significant increase in cardiovascular risk factors from 2000 to 2010 (hypertension: 26.4–39.4%; diabetes: 3.3–8.9%; hyperlipidaemia: 5.0–33.6%; body mass index >28 m/kg2: 14.1–18.6%).

Future Plans

We aim to generate novel insights about the epidemiology and outcomes of cardiovascular disease in China, with specific emphasis on the potentially unique risk factor profiles of this Chinese population. Knowledge generated will be disseminated in the peer-reviewed literature, and will inform population-based strategies to improve cardiovascular health in China.

Trial registration number

NCT02329886.
Discordance between presumed standard of care and actual clinical practice: the example of rubber dam use during root canal treatment in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network
Authors: Gilbert Gregg H , Riley Joseph L , Eleazer Paul D , Benjamin Paul L , Funkhouser Ellen
Published: December 2015

Objectives

Use of a rubber dam during root canal treatment is considered the standard of care because it enhances patient safety and optimises the odds of successful treatment. Nonetheless, not all dentists use a rubber dam, creating disconnect between presumed standard of care and what is actually done in clinical practice. Little is known about dentists’ attitudes towards use of the rubber dam in their practices. The objectives were to: (1) quantify these attitudes and (2) test the hypothesis that specific attitudes are significantly associated with rubber dam use.

Setting

National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (NationalDentalPBRN.org).

Participants

1490 network dentists.

Outcome measures

Dentists completed a questionnaire about their attitudes towards rubber dam use during root canal treatment. Three attitude scales comprised 33 items that used a 5-point ordinal scale to measure beliefs about effectiveness, inconvenience, ease of placement, comparison to other isolation techniques and patient factors. Factor analysis, cluster analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysed the relationship between attitudes and rubber dam use.

Results

All items had responses at each point on the 5-point scale, with an overall pattern of substantial variation across dentists. Five attitudinal factors (rubber dam effectiveness; inconvenient/time-consuming; ease of placement; effectiveness compared to Isolite; patient factors) and 4 clusters of practitioners were identified. Each factor and cluster was independently and strongly associated with rubber dam use.

Conclusions

General dentists have substantial variation in attitudes about rubber dam use. Beliefs that rubber dam use is not effective, inconvenient, time-consuming, not easy to place or affected by patient factors, were independently and significantly associated with lower rubber dam use. These attitudes explain why there is substantial discordance between presumed standard of care and actual practice.
Using time-varying asymptotic length and body condition of top piscivores to indicate ecosystem regime shift in the main basin of Lake Huron: a Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach
Authors: He Ji X. , Bence James R. , Roseman Edward F. , Fielder David G. , Ebener Mark P.
Published: December 2015

We evaluated the ecosystem regime shift in the main basin of Lake Huron that was indicated by the 2003 collapse of alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) and dramatic declines in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) abundance thereafter. We found that the period of 1995–2002 should be considered as the early phase of the final regime shift. We developed two Bayesian hierarchical models to describe time-varying growth based on the von Bertalanffy growth function and the length–mass relationship. We used asymptotic length as an index of growth potential and predicted body mass at a given length as an index of body condition. Modeling fits to length and body mass at age of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), Chinook salmon, and walleye (Sander vitreus) were excellent. Based on posterior distributions, we evaluated the shifts in among-year geometric means of the growth potential and body condition. For a given top piscivore, one of the two indices responded to the regime shift much earlier than the 2003 collapse of alewives, the other corresponded to the 2003 changes, and which index provided the early signal differed among the three top piscivores.
Two-loop vacuum polarization in QED at finite temperature
Authors: Haseeb Mahnaz Q. , Masood Samina S.
Published: December 2015

The self-energy of photons at finite temperature is presented, up to the two-loop corrections, using the real-time formalism. The renormalized coupling constant has been derived in a form that is relevant for all the temperature ranges of interest in QED, specifically for the temperatures around [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the electron mass. Finite temperature modification mainly comes through the hot fermions when [Formula: see text]. We use the calculations for the vacuum polarization to determine the dynamically generated mass of the photon, Debye screening length, and plasma frequency up to order [Formula: see text] as well as the electromagnetic properties of the background medium in the temperature range [Formula: see text]. At higher temperatures, the existing renormalization scheme does not work well because of the increase in the coupling constant. To exactly determine the validity of the renormalization scheme, the higher order calculations are required. The temperature, [Formula: see text], is of specific interest from the point of view of the early universe. Such calculations have also recently acquired significance due to the possibility of producing electron–positron plasma in the laboratory.
Path integral representation for polymer quantized scalar fields
Authors: Kajuri Nirmalya
Published: December 2015

According to loop quantum gravity, matter fields must be quantized in a background-independent manner. For scalar fields, such a background-independent quantization is called polymer quantization and is inequivalent to the standard Schrödinger quantization. It is therefore important to obtain predictions from the polymer quantized scalar field theory and compare with the standard results. As a step towards this, we develop a path integral representation for the polymer quantized scalar field. We notice several crucial differences from the path integral for the Schrödinger quantized scalar field. One important difference is the appearance of an extra summation at each point in the path integral for the polymer quantized theory. A second crucial difference is the loss of manifest Lorentz symmetry for a polymer quantized theory on Minkowski space.
Monte Carlo computation of the spectral density function in the interacting scalar field theory
Authors: Abbasi Navid , Davody Ali
Published: December 2015

We study the [Formula: see text] field theory in d = 4. Using bold diagrammatic Monte Carlo method, we solve the Schwinger–Dyson equations and find the spectral density function of the theory beyond the weak coupling regime. We then compare our result with the one obtained from the perturbation theory. At the end, we utilize our Monte Carlo result to find the vertex function as the basis for the computation of the physical scattering amplitudes.
Center vortices, area law and the catenary solution
Authors: Höllwieser Roman , Altarawneh Derar
Published: December 2015

We present meson–meson (Wilson loop) correlators in Z(2) center vortex models for the infrared sector of Yang–Mills theory, i.e. a hypercubic lattice model of random vortex surfaces and a continuous (2 + 1)-dimensional model of random vortex lines. In particular, we calculate quadratic and circular Wilson loop correlators in the two models, respectively, and observe that their expectation values follow the area law and show string breaking behavior. Further, we calculate the catenary solution for the two cases and try to find indications for minimal surface behavior or string surface tension leading to string constriction.
Comparative expression of the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor in the mouse, rat, and human kidney
Authors: Graca J. A. Z. , Schepelmann M. , Brennan S. C. , Reens J. , Chang W. , Yan P. , Toka H. , Riccardi D. , Price S. A.
Published: December 2015

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) was cloned over 20 years ago and functionally demonstrated to regulate circulating levels of parathyroid hormone by maintaining physiological serum ionized calcium concentration ([Ca2+]). The receptor is highly expressed in the kidney; however, intrarenal and intraspecies distribution remains controversial. Recently, additional functions of the CaSR receptor in the kidney have emerged, including parathyroid hormone-independent effects. It is therefore critical to establish unequivocally the localization of the CaSR in the kidney to relate this to its proposed physiological roles. In this study, we determined CaSR expression in mouse, rat, and human kidneys using in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry (using 8 different commercially available and custom-made antibodies), and proximity ligation assays. Negative results in mice with kidney-specific CaSR ablation confirmed the specificity of the immunohistochemistry signal. Both in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed CaSR expression in the thick ascending limb, distal tubule, and collecting duct of all species, with the thick ascending limb showing the highest levels. Within the collecting ducts, there was significant heterogeneity of expression between cell types. In the proximal tubule, lower levels of immunoreactivity were detected by immunohistochemistry and proximity ligation assays. Proximity ligation assays were the only technique to demonstrate expression within glomeruli. This study demonstrated CaSR expression throughout the kidney with minimal discrepancy between species but with significant variation in the levels of expression between cell and tubule types. These findings clarify the intrarenal distribution of the CaSR and enable elucidation of the full physiological roles of the receptor within this organ.
Mild loss of lung aeration augments stretch in healthy lung regions
Authors: Cereda Maurizio , Xin Yi , Hamedani Hooman , Clapp Justin , Kadlecek Stephen , Meeder Natalie , Zeng Johnathan , Profka Harrilla , Kavanagh Brian P. , Rizi Rahim R.
Published: December 2015

Inspiratory stretch by mechanical ventilation worsens lung injury. However, it is not clear whether and how the ventilator damages lungs in the absence of preexisting injury. We hypothesized that subtle loss of lung aeration during general anesthesia regionally augments ventilation and distension of ventilated air spaces. In eight supine anesthetized and intubated rats, hyperpolarized gas MRI was performed after a recruitment maneuver following 1 h of volume-controlled ventilation with zero positive end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP), FiO20.5, and tidal volume 10 ml/kg, and after a second recruitment maneuver. Regional fractional ventilation (FV), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of3He (a measurement of ventilated peripheral air space dimensions), and gas volume were measured in lung quadrants of ventral and dorsal regions of the lungs. In six additional rats, computed tomography (CT) images were obtained at each time point. Ventilation with ZEEP decreased total lung gas volume and increased both FV and ADC in all studied regions. Increases in FV were more evident in the dorsal slices. In each lung quadrant, higher ADC was predicted by lower gas volume and by increased mean values (and heterogeneity) of FV distribution. CT scans documented 10% loss of whole-lung aeration and increased density in the dorsal lung, but no macroscopic atelectasis. Loss of pulmonary gas at ZEEP increased fractional ventilation and inspiratory dimensions of ventilated peripheral air spaces. Such regional changes could help explain a propensity for mechanical ventilation to contribute to lung injury in previously uninjured lungs.
A New View of Ras Isoforms in Cancers
Authors: Nussinov Ruth , Tsai Chung-Jung , Chakrabarti Mayukh , Jang Hyunbum
Published: December 2015

Does small GTPase K-Ras4A have a single state or two states, one resembling K-Ras4B and the other N-Ras? A recent study of K-Ras4A made the remarkable observation that even in the absence of the palmitoyl, K-Ras4A can be active at the plasma membrane. Importantly, this suggests that K-Ras4A may exist in two distinct signaling states. In state 1, K-Ras4A is only farnesylated, like K-Ras4B; in state 2, farnesylated and palmitoylated, like N-Ras. The K-Ras4A hypervariable region sequence is positively charged, in between K-Ras4B and N-Ras. Taken together, this raises the possibility that the farnesylated but nonpalmitoylated state 1, like K-Ras4B, binds calmodulin and is associated with colorectal and other adenocarcinomas like lung cancer and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. On the other hand, state 2 may be associated with melanoma and other cancers where N-Ras is a major contributor, such as acute myeloid leukemia. Importantly, H-Ras has two, singly and doubly, palmitoylated states that may also serve distinct functional roles. The multiple signaling states of palmitoylated Ras isoforms question the completeness of small GTPase Ras isoform statistics in different cancer types and call for reevaluation of concepts and protocols. They may also call for reconsideration of oncogenic Ras therapeutics. Cancer Res; 76(1); 18–23. ©2015 AACR.
Clinical Manifestations of Respiratory Bronchiolitis as an Incidental Finding in Surgical Lung Biopsies: A Retrospective Analysis of a Large Austrian Registry
Authors: Scheidl Stefan J. , Kusej Marlene , Flick Holger , Stacher Elvira , Matzi Veronika , Kovacs Gabor , Popper Helmut H. , Costabel Ulrich , Olschewski Horst
Published: December 2015

Background: While respiratory bronchiolitis (RB) is a frequent histopathological finding in smoker's lungs, RB-associated interstitial lung disease (RB-ILD) remains a rare disease. Objectives: We analyzed how the histological finding of RB was associated with clinical information in a series of 684 consecutive surgical lung biopsies. Methods: Retrospective analysis with delineation of clinical manifestations, smoking habits, pulmonary function test, and blood gas analysis in patients with RB in surgical lung biopsy. In 240 of these biopsies, RB was diagnosed, and in 146 of these cases a full clinical dataset was available. Results: The final diagnosis of these 146 patients was consistent with RB-ILD (n = 18), pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (n = 7), various ILD (n = 9), spontaneous pneumothorax (n = 43), traumatic pneumothorax (n = 5), lung cancer (n = 41), various benign lung tumors (n = 8), and chronic pulmonary effusion (n = 15). Smoking history was positive in 93% of patients, 72% revealed centrilobular emphysema in their biopsy, and 58% described dyspnea as the main symptom. Amongst these diagnoses there were significant differences in age and smoking habits, but only small distinctions in pulmonary function test and blood gas analysis. Out of the patients with RB-ILD, 17% developed lung cancer in the later course. Conclusion: RB is strongly related to smoking, emphysema, and dyspnea and frequently associated with lung cancer. RB-ILD is a rare disease that may represent a considerable risk for lung cancer. Pulmonary function testing and blood gas analysis do not differ between RB-associated diseases. The finding of RB should prompt further diagnostic workup, and in case of RB-ILD, entail regular screening for lung cancer.
Association of AGTR1 Promoter Methylation Levels with Essential Hypertension Risk: A Matched Case-Control Study
Authors: Fan Rui , Mao Shuqi , Zhong Fade , Gong Minli , Yin Fengying , Hao Lingmei , Zhang Lina
Published: December 2015

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether methylation of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AGTR1) promoter contributed to the risk of essential hypertension (EH). A total of 96 EH cases and 96 gender- and age-matched healthy controls were recruited. Methylation of 8 CpG dinucleotides (CpG1-8) in the AGTR1 promoter was examined using the bisulphite pyrosequencing technology. Three CpG dinucleotides (CpG6-8) could not be well sequenced, therefore only the remaining 5 CpG sites were analysed. A significantly lower CpG1 methylation level was identified in EH cases than in controls (cases vs. controls: 6.74 ± 4.32% vs. 9.66 ± 5.45%, p = 0.007), and no significant association was observed in the remaining analyses. In addition, significantly lower CpG1 (p = 0.028) and higher CpG2 (p = 0.032) methylation levels were observed in males than in females. In the breakdown association test by gender, a higher CpG1 methylation level was also identified in EH in both males (p = 0.034) and females (p = 0.020). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that CpG1 methylation was a significant predictor of EH. Furthermore, CpG1 methylation was inversely correlated with uric acid levels in controls. The present study suggests that CpG1 hypomethylation in the AGTR1 promoter is likely associated with the risk of EH in the population assessed.
Regulator of G-Protein Signaling 5 Prevents Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Attenuates Neointima Formation
Authors: Daniel Jan-Marcus , Prock André , Dutzmann Jochen , Sonnenschein Kristina , Thum Thomas , Bauersachs Johann , Sedding Daniel G.
Published: December 2015

Objective—

Regulator of G-protein signaling 5 (RGS5) is abundantly expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and inhibits G-protein signaling by enhancing the guanosine triphosphate–hydrolyzing activity of Gα-subunits. In the present study, we investigated the effects of RGS5 on vascular SMC function in vitro and neointima formation after wire-induced injury in mice and determined the underlying mechanisms.

Approach and Results—

We found a robust expression of RGS5 in native arteries of C57BL/6 mice and a highly significant downregulation within neointimal lesions 10 and 21 days after vascular injury as assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. In vitro, RGS5 was found significantly downregulated after mitogenic stimulation of human coronary artery SMCs. To restore RGS5 levels, SMCs were transduced with adenoviral vectors encoding wild-type RGS5 or a nondegradable mutant. RGS5-WT and, even more prominently, the C2A-RGS5 mutant prevented SMC proliferation and migration. In contrast, the siRNA-mediated knockdown of RGS5 significantly augmented SMC proliferation. Following overexpression of RGS5, fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis of propidium iodide–stained cells indicated cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase. Mechanistically, inhibition of the phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and mitogen-activated protein kinase downstream signaling was shown to be responsible for the anti-proliferative effect of RGS5. Following wire-induced injury of the femoral artery in C57BL/6 mice, adenoviral-mediated overexpression of RGS5-WT or C2A-RGS5 significantly reduced SMC proliferation and neointima formation in vivo.

Conclusions—

Downregulation of RGS5 is an important prerequisite for SMC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, reconstitution of RGS5 levels represents a promising therapeutic option to prevent vascular remodeling processes.
Breaking with bourgeois rules and traditions
Authors: Löhnig Martin
Published: December 2015

When World War II ended in 1945, the plan was to build a society in the Soviet occupation zone and, later on, in the German Democratic Republic, which would break with the previously dominant bourgeois rules and traditions. Marriage and the family were utilized to achieve this goal. As the marriage law in force was the same in all parts of Germany between 1938 and 1955, this development has to be illustrated by analyzing the divorce files of the East German courts of Dresden and Leipzig in the late 1940s. By reviewing these documents, one cannot only reveal political and economic influences, but also discover the new household and family models of a socialist society.
Validation of an Instrument for Chinese Engineering Students’ Epistemological Development
Authors: Jiabin Zhu , Yu Hu , Qunqun Liu , Cox Monica F.
Published: December 2015

Perry’s theory has demonstrated usefulness in understanding students’ epistemological development and the implications for educational practices. It depicts the development of adults’ thinking in four stages: Dualism, Multiplicity, Relativism, and Commitment within Relativism. Challenges exist in large sample studies due to the lack of appropriate instruments that can represent the stages, in particular Multiplicity and Relativism. This challenge is of unique importance because the transition from Multiplicity to Relativism signifies the most dramatic change in thinking development. To map the epistemological development profile of Chinese engineering students on a large scale, this work re-constructed and validated a survey using Perry’s theory. We tested the survey through content and structural validation. Content validation was performed by collecting ratings from eight external content experts. Structural validation was accomplished through an exploratory factor analysis using responses from 621 Chinese engineering students. This survey can be useful for understanding Chinese engineering students’ epistemological development.
Nurturing Future Engineers
Authors: Zou Tracy X. P.
Published: December 2015

Engineering education in Hong Kong is experiencing significant changes in response to several major forces: (1) an increasing demand for future engineers who possess technical competencies, professional skills, and knowledge of ethical awareness and responsibilities; (2) accreditation requirements; and (3) the system-wide education reform in the region. Curriculum changes have taken place in several universities in Hong Kong with engineering majors but there are few conceptual articles providing in-depth discussions about the impact of the changes. This article aims to provide insights into the engineering curriculum reform in a broader context for university management, program leaders, and coordinators who are involved in curriculum design and implementation. Using a newly revamped engineering curriculum in one of the research-intensive universities in Hong Kong as an example, this article highlights the features of the new four-year engineering curriculum and discusses how it may contribute to the nurturing of future engineers. While clear progress has been made in providing students with a broad perspective and support, the influences of the prevailing culture of teaching and learning, the local perceptions of the engineering profession, and the decision making patterns of Hong Kong Chinese students cast a complicated picture. To fully achieve the goals of the new curriculum, universities should proactively address the challenges by the following actions: acting consistently to the commitment of holistic education, supporting students’ personal and value development, establishing reward mechanisms for faculty members’ contributions in student development, and investing in pedagogical development and innovations.
Students’ Perceptions of Humor and Creativity in Project-Organized Groups (pogs) in Engineering Design Education in China
Authors: Zhou Chunfang
Published: December 2015

This study explores engineering design students’ perceptions of humor in the experiences of creativity development in Project-Organized Groups (pogs). This study links theories including humor, learning, creativity, and engineering design in one framework. Empirically, this study carried out interviews with a total of 13 students in engineering design education at Northeastern University (neu) in China. We found that students think all humorous people are creative, and they welcome humor in project groups; they also regard humor as not only a personality or communication tool, but also the outcome of applying creative ideas in design practice. The students additionally think that humor is mainly used to keep individuals’ harmonious relationship with the group and that humor is the immediate ability to create using language in ongoing communication contexts. These findings are helpful to unpack the black box of humor from a learner’s perspective and contribute to future joint efforts of studies on humor and creativity in engineering design education.
petoe: A New Multi-Sector Collaboration Mechanism for Engineering Training in China
Authors: Jian Lin , Sunyu Wang , Shouwen Yu , Weifeng Qiao
Published: December 2015

In service to wider national strategies, the Plan for Educating and Training Outstanding Engineers (petoe) is a pilot reform initiative of higher education in China. It is a comprehensive, innovative, and unprecedented national plan putting forward four key tasks to establish a new multi-sector collaboration mechanism in engineering education. The new mechanisms include multi-sector coordination, participatory guidance of industry, joint training based on industry-university collaboration, and supportive policies of central and local governments. The purposes of the plan are to bridge the gap of supply and demand, promote the partnership between university and industry, and enhance the adaptability of engineering education to social and economic development. This paper discusses the above content with a focus on the challenges of Chinese engineering education, key mechanisms, program progress, impacts, and challenges for next steps.
Evaluation of NASA’s MERRA Precipitation Product in Reproducing the Observed Trend and Distribution of Extreme Precipitation Events in the United States
Authors: Ashouri Hamed , Sorooshian Soroosh , Hsu Kuo-Lin , Bosilovich Michael G. , Lee Jaechoul , Wehner Michael F. , Collow Allison
Published: December 2015

This study evaluates the performance of NASA’s Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) precipitation product in reproducing the trend and distribution of extreme precipitation events. Utilizing the extreme value theory, time-invariant and time-variant extreme value distributions are developed to model the trends and changes in the patterns of extreme precipitation events over the contiguous United States during 1979–2010. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) U.S. Unified gridded observation data are used as the observational dataset. The CPC analysis shows that the eastern and western parts of the United States are experiencing positive and negative trends in annual maxima, respectively. The continental-scale patterns of change found in MERRA seem to reasonably mirror the observed patterns of change found in CPC. This is not previously expected, given the difficulty in constraining precipitation in reanalysis products. MERRA tends to overestimate the frequency at which the 99th percentile of precipitation is exceeded because this threshold tends to be lower in MERRA, making it easier to be exceeded. This feature is dominant during the summer months. MERRA tends to reproduce spatial patterns of the scale and location parameters of the generalized extreme value and generalized Pareto distributions. However, MERRA underestimates these parameters, particularly over the Gulf Coast states, leading to lower magnitudes in extreme precipitation events. Two issues in MERRA are identified: 1) MERRA shows a spurious negative trend in Nebraska and Kansas, which is most likely related to the changes in the satellite observing system over time that has apparently affected the water cycle in the central United States, and 2) the patterns of positive trend over the Gulf Coast states and along the East Coast seem to be correlated with the tropical cyclones in these regions. The analysis of the trends in the seasonal precipitation extremes indicates that the hurricane and winter seasons are contributing the most to these trend patterns in the southeastern United States. In addition, the increasing annual trend simulated by MERRA in the Gulf Coast region is due to an incorrect trend in winter precipitation extremes.
Changes in Racial and Gender Inequality since 1970
Authors: Snipp C. Matthew , Cheung Sin Yi
Published: December 2015

The decades following 1970 to the present were an important period because they marked an era in which measures such as Affirmative Action were introduced to improve opportunities for American minorities and women. Ironically, this also was a period when income inequality dramatically increased in the United States. We analyze Census data from 1970 to 2009 to assess whether inequality in the earnings received by women and minorities has changed in this period. We find a complicated set of results. Racial inequalities persist though to a lesser extent than they did four decades earlier. Asian workers in particular have seen improvements and a lessening of inequality relative to White workers. Gender inequality also persists, though more in some groups than others. Overall, the results of this study underscore the persistence of racial and gender inequality in the United States.
Income Inequality and the Veteran Experience
Authors: MacLean Alair , Kleykamp Meredith
Published: December 2015

Previous researchers have evaluated how the dramatic rise in income inequality has affected the members of various groups of workers, such as those defined by gender, union status, and educational attainment. Yet apparently no researchers have yet explored how this increase may have affected people grouped by previous military service. This chapter addresses this gap by assessing trends in wage inequality between male veterans and nonveterans, and among veterans between 1979 and 2010. The findings suggest that similar to other groups, veterans have experienced decreased between-group inequality and increased within-group inequality and that these changes may stem not just from period but also from cohort effects.
Is Death “The Great Equalizer”? The Social Stratification of Death Quality in the United States
Authors: Carr Deborah
Published: December 2015

Socioeconomic status (SES) gradients in mortality risk are well documented, although less is known about whether the quality of older adults’ dying experiences is stratified by SES. I focus on six core components of a “good death”: pain and symptom management, acceptance, medical care that is concordant with one’s preferences, dying at home, emotional preparation, and formal preparations for end-of-life care. Analyses are based on four data sets spanning the 1980s through 2010s, a period marked by rising economic inequalities: Changing Lives of Older Couples (1986–1994), Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (1993–2010), New Jersey End of Life study (2005–2007), and Wisconsin Study of Families and Loss (2010–2014). I find evidence of SES disparities in two outcomes only: pain and advance care planning (ACP), widely considered an important step toward a “good death.” Implications for health care policy and practice, against the backdrop of the Affordable Care Act implementation, are discussed.
Selection into Street Gangs
Authors: Pyrooz David C. , Densley James A.
Published: December 2015

Objective:

The mechanisms underlying selection into street gangs remain elusive in the current inventory of theory and research on gangs, raising continued questions about not who or why, but how youth enter gangs and the attendant criminological implications. This study provides a suggestive analysis of an alternative framing of the selection process, one that is rooted in signaling theory.

Methods:

A signaling scale was constructed using a mixed graded response model and national longitudinal data to explore the thesis that (1) gang prospects select into gangs using hard-to-fake signals of quality and gangs, in turn, receive and interpret these signals to select high-quality over low-quality prospects and (2) the selection process in a signaling framework conditions the well-established relationship between gang membership and criminal offending.

Results:

Respondents scoring higher on a signaling scale were more likely to select into gangs prospectively and see greater, although nonlinear, increases in criminal offending upon entering gangs, net of adjusting for alternative explanations for these relationships.

Conclusions:

By further extending and analyzing signaling theory within the study of gang selection and criminal offending, the results of this study reveal that signaling theory has much to offer the study of gangs particularly and criminology generally.
Learning the Marshallese Phonological System: The Role of Cross-language Similarity on the Perception and Production of Secondary Articulations
Authors: Sturman Heather Willson , Baker-Smemoe Wendy , Carreño Sofía , Miller Bradley B
Published: December 2015

The current study determines the influence of cross-language similarity on native English speakers’ perception and production of Marshallese consonant contrasts. Marshallese provides a unique opportunity to study this influence because all Marshallese consonants have a secondary articulation. Results of discrimination and production tasks indicate that learners more easily acquire sounds if they are perceptually less similar to native language phonemes. In addition, the degree of cross-language similarity seemed to affect perception and production and may also interact with the effect of orthography.
Chemical crowd control agents
Authors: Menezes Ritesh G , Hussain Syed Ather , Rameez Mansoor Ali Merchant , Kharoshah Magdy A , Madadin Mohammed , Anwar Naureen , Senthilkumaran Subramanian
Published: December 2015

Chemical crowd control agents are also referred to as riot control agents and are mainly used by civil authorities and government agencies to curtail civil disobedience gatherings or processions by large crowds. Common riot control agents used to disperse large numbers of individuals into smaller, less destructive, and more easily controllable numbers include chloroacetophenone, chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile, dibenzoxazepine, diphenylaminearsine, and oleoresin capsicum. In this paper, we discuss the emergency medical care needed by sufferers of acute chemical agent contamination and raise important issues concerning toxicology, safety and health.
Explaining the Growth in US Health Care Spending Using State-Level Variation in Income, Insurance, and Provider Market Dynamics
Authors: Herring Bradley , Trish Erin
Published: December 2015

The slowed growth in national health care spending over the past decade has led analysts to question the extent to which this recent slowdown can be explained by predictable factors such as the Great Recession or must be driven by some unpredictable structural change in the health care sector. To help address this question, we first estimate a regression model for state personal health care spending for 1991-2009, with an emphasis on the explanatory power of income, insurance, and provider market characteristics. We then use the results from this simple predictive model to produce state-level projections of health care spending for 2010-2013 to subsequently compare those average projected state values with actual national spending for 2010-2013, finding that at least 70% of the recent slowdown in health care spending can likely be explained by long-standing patterns. We also use the results from this predictive model to both examine the Great Recession’s likely reduction in health care spending and project the Affordable Care Act’s insurance expansion’s likely increase in health care spending.
Interaction and Use of Speech-Generating Devices in the Homes of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders—An Analysis of Conversational Topics
Authors: Thunberg Gunilla , Ahlsén Elisabeth , Sandberg Annika Dahlgren
Published: December 2015

This project investigated the communication of four children with autism spectrum disorders, who used a speech-generating device (SGD) in one or two selected activities in their home environment. The children were between five and seven years of age. The conversational topics introduced by the children and their parents were analyzed. The introduction of the SGD increased conversational interaction, as measured by topic length, for all children in five of the six activities studied. The analysis of topics showed that conversation within the “ongoing activity” increased and that the irrelevant speech used by the two more verbal children was reduced with access to the SGD.
The Effects of Word Prediction and Text-to-Speech Technologies on the Narrative Writing Skills of Hispanic Students with Specific Learning Disabilities
Authors: Silió Monica C. , Barbetta Patricia M.
Published: December 2015

A multiple-baseline design across subjects was used to investigate the effects of word prediction and text-to-speech alone and in combination on four narrative composition-writing skills (writing fluency, syntax, spelling accuracy, and overall organization) of six fifth-grade Hispanic boys with specific learning disabilities (SLD). Participants were divided randomly and equally into Cohorts A and B. During baseline, both cohorts wrote for 15-minute sessions using word processing only. During intervention, Cohort A participants used word prediction, and then word prediction with text-to-speech. Concurrently, Cohort B participants used text-to-speech followed by text-to-speech with word prediction. The results indicated that word prediction alone or in combination with text-to-speech had a positive effect on the narrative composition-writing skills of the targeted students. With text-to-speech alone, inconsequential results were observed.
Is the Pen Mightier? Using Pentop Computers to Improve Secondary Students' Writing
Authors: Bouck Emily C. , Doughty Teresa Taber , Flanagan Sara M. , Szwed Kathryn , Bassette Laura
Published: December 2015

This study examined the efficacy of pentop computers on the written expression of three secondary students with mild disabilities. A multiple-probe design was used to establish pentop computers as a potentially effective tool for increasing the quality and quantity of written expression. Each student learned to use the pentop computer and the accompanying writing software. Students were instructed to write essays without using the pentop computer during baseline, and then with it during the intervention phase. When using the pentop computer, students' essay quality scores increased from baseline; during generalization students' scores decreased. Although a few technological problems were encountered, the pentop computer was found to be a valuable tool for students to use in planning and writing essays.
Using Speech Recognition Software to Increase Writing Fluency for Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Authors: Garrett Jennifer Tumlin , Heller Kathryn Wolff , Fowler Linda P. , Alberto Paul A. , Fredrick Laura D. , O'Rourke Colleen M.
Published: December 2015

Students with physical disabilities often have difficulty with writing fluency, despite the use of various strategies, adaptations, and assistive technology (AT). One possible intervention is the use of speech recognition software, although there is little research on its impact on students with physical disabilities. This study used an alternating treatments design to compare the use of speech recognition software to word processing on first draft writing with students with physical disabilities. Areas examined were fluency, accuracy, type of word errors, recall of intended meaning, and length. The results of this study indicated that fluency and length were greater for all participants with speech recognition compared to word processing, but accuracy was lower using speech recognition.
Learning to Drive a Wheelchair in Virtual Reality
Authors: Inman Dean P. , Loge Ken , Cram Aaron , Peterson Missy
Published: December 2015

This research project studied the effect that a technology-based training program, WheelchairNet, could contribute to the education of children with physical disabilities by providing a chance to practice driving virtual motorized wheelchairs safely within a computer-generated world. Programmers created three virtual worlds for training. Scenarios 1 and 2 promoted independent exploration, discovery, cause and effect relationships, and visual memory (skills prerequisite to independent mobility that orthopedically impaired children often lack due to lack of experience. Scenario 3 provided a more structured environment to establish appropriate street-crossing skills on a crosswalk with a traffic light. The project evaluated the children's progress in actual reality. Results from a multivariate repeated measures design suggest all four skills improved as a function of training time. Examination of individual data suggests that children spent most of their time in the first or second worlds in the early stages but, as their skills improved, they began to spend proportionally more time in the third (more difficult) street-crossing program. All those who completed the study showed gains in driving skills as indexed in actual reality. This is significant and supports the contention that children with severe orthopedic disabilities can acquire important functional skills in virtual reality without taking the risks of learning to drive in the real world and the cost of obtaining an actual wheelchair while they learn.
The Effects of Computer Graphic Organizers on the Persuasive Writing of Hispanic Middle School Students with Specific Learning Disabilities
Authors: Unzueta Caridad H. , Barbetta Patricia M.
Published: December 2015

A multiple baseline design investigated the effects of computer graphic organizers on the persuasive composition writing skills of four Hispanic students with specific learning disabilities. Participants reviewed the elements of persuasive writing and then developed compositions using a word processing program. Baseline planning was done with a paper and pencil, while intervention planning was done using a computer graphic organizer program. With variation, the use of computer graphic organizers during planning resulted in an increase in the total number of words written, time spent planning, number of supporting details planned, percentage of planned supporting details transferred to the composition, and syntactical maturity as measured by the number of T-units. Also observed was an improvement in the overall organization of the compositions as measured by an analytical scoring guide or rubric.
Interactive Whiteboard Technology for Students with Disabilities: A Year Long Exploratory Study
Authors: Allsopp David H. , Colucci Karen , Doone Elizabeth , Perez Luis , Bryant Ezzard , Holhfeld Tina N.
Published: December 2015

This exploratory study was conducted with a group of teachers at four partnership school sites (elementary, middle, and high school) who taught students with a range of disabilities. The study was designed to gain insight into how these teachers used interactive whiteboard technology (IWBT) in their classrooms, to ascertain their perceptions regarding the use of this technology for students with disabilities (SWD), and to learn about their perceptions regarding professional development needs related to the effective use of IWBT for SWD. Two points of focus were the extent to which these teachers' use of IWBT complemented research-supported instructional practices for SWD and the impact of contextual factors on their practice. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.