bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross‐Cultural Adaptation of Corporate Expatriates
Authors: Tucker Michael F.
Published: December 2017

This entry is an examination of adaptation to life and work in other cultures by corporate employees and their spouses/partners when on international assignments. The relationship between adaptation and expatriate performance is discussed, as well as the curious lack of priority placed on intercultural assessment and training among global corporations. Six factors of intercultural adjustment are measured by means of the SETD (Survey of Expatriate Training and Development). A way of understanding successful adaptation is how expatriates overcome the fight/flight reaction to stress. Verbatim comments by expatriates describing the most difficult and most gratifying aspects of their experiences show the challenges they face as well as the positive outcomes to be achieved.
Cultural Diversity in Organizations
Authors: Tapia Andrés T. , Gisbert Gustavo
Published: December 2017

Traditional cultural diversity and inclusion initiatives can be effective for compliance efforts, sense of belonging, and raising awareness about differences. But they usually do not yield measurable improvements in the advancement of cultural diversity in leadership positions and in achieving the promise that greater diversity creates better business outcomes. What is missing in first‐generation cultural diversity and inclusion efforts is an emphasis on shifting from a paradigm focused on nurturing inclusive and open environments to one focused on building the actual skills necessary to manage the much more complex interpersonal and team dynamics. We propose that these skills can be bundled into inclusive leadership competencies, experiences, traits, and drivers. This requires leaders who not only are grounded in the business case and committed to the benefits of diversity for their organizations, but who are also skilled at leading inclusively.
Double Swing
Authors: Clausen Lisbeth
Published: December 2017

There are two main streams of understanding intercultural communication. The “classic” transmission models include the basic elements of communication involved in sending messages from a sender to a receiver. These models enable analysis of all communication elements and effects by focusing on sameness in communication. In contrast, Muneo Jay Yoshikawa's “double‐swing” model of intercultural communication between the East and West is based on an eastern understanding of dialogue, collaborative communication, and co‐creation of meaning. The double‐swing model enables an understanding of communication as an ongoing encounter where both sender and receiver have mutual respect. It has four modes of communication: the ethnocentric, the dialectic, the control, and the dialogic. Both models have something to offer intercultural communication, but the double‐swing model enables a worldview that is heterogeneous, pluralistic, and dynamic.
Ethnocentrism
Authors: Neuliep James W.
Published: December 2017

This entry profiles the concept of ethnocentrism. After presenting a brief history of the concept, the entry points out that ethnocentrism is entirely natural and not necessarily negative. Low ethnocentrism provides the basis of group solidarity and loyalty, for example. The chapter also points out how ethnocentrism is measured and how it affects intercultural communication within a variety of contexts.
Identity, Intercultural
Authors: Kim Young Yun
Published: December 2017

Intercultural identity is a key facet of intercultural transformation identified in the integrative communication theory of cross‐cultural adaptation. The theory explains that extensive and prolonged experiences of communication across cultural boundaries render a gradual psychological evolution from a largely monocultural identity to an increasingly “intercultural” way of relating to oneself and to others. Also identified in the theory are two interrelated processes of individuation and universalization in identity orientation, in which conventional, ascription‐based cultural identity plays a diminishing role in a person's daily existence. Some direct and indirect evidence for this theoretical claim is provided in studies of immigrants and sojourners, along with a variety of personal narratives offering a concrete insight into the reality of intercultural identity. The emerging intercultural personhood projects a path of creatively and constructively engaging oneself in the increasingly globalizing world.
Intercultural Communication and Translation
Authors: House Juliane
Published: December 2017

This entry connects intercultural communication and translation. It first characterizes the two fields of research and then discusses two opposing research strands that have come to influence both. Given the importance of the notion of culture in both research strands, the entry then examines the relationship between language and culture, and presents a functional‐pragmatic theory of translation/interpreting as recontextualization in intercultural communication. A cornerstone of this theory is the postulation of two fundamental translation types and the construct of a “cultural filter.” Exemplary empirical evidence is provided in the form of contrastive pragmatic and discourse analyses conducted with a particular language pair. Finally, the increasing dominance of one particular language used as a lingua franca in intercultural communication and its potential impact on global communicative processes will be discussed.
Intercultural Communication Apprehension
Authors: Neuliep James W.
Published: December 2017

This entry profiles intercultural communication apprehension (ICA). Defined as the fear or anxiety associated with interacting with people of different cultures and/or ethnic groups, this entry presents a brief history of the concept and reviews research showing that ICA is associated with a variety of other communication concepts. This entry also presents a scale that measures ICA that has been used in much of the prior research on this topic.
Intercultural Crisis Management
Authors: Lachlan Kenneth A. , Rainear Adam M.
Published: December 2017

Communicating across differing cultures is a challenging task. Crisis managers who find it necessary to communicate with multiple cultures must meet the needs of diverse subpopulations, stakeholders, employees of an organization, and the general public. Unfortunately, many crisis managers are ill‐prepared to communicate with a culture outside of their own. When attempting to manage the information and reaction to a crisis, practitioners deal with issues of ethnocentrism, stereotypes, and other cultural differences that can cause communication to fail. In order to avoid these barriers, practitioners should be well versed in aspects of all cultures that involve the organization and be willing to adapt to different language norms and media coverage when necessary. This entry examines some of the recent best practices and research in the domain of intercultural crisis communication and argues for more inclusive methods of meeting audience needs.
Interethnic Conflict Theories and Models
Authors: Landis Dan
Published: December 2017

Conflict between ethnic groups is a problem facing most societies and nation‐states. Many theories have been developed to both explain and predict the phenomenon and to outline ways to reduce the conflict. This entry summarizes the various theories and models of interethnic conflict and assesses the empirical data in support of each.
Cross‐Cultural Communication Theory and Research, Overview
Authors: Merkin Rebecca S.
Published: December 2017

Cross‐cultural communication theories explain phenomena related to cross‐cultural research. Cross‐cultural research compares and contrasts people's communication across diverse cultures and explains the consequences of these differences. This entry covers primary definitions of domain items included in the cross‐cultural theory and research area including concepts such as individualism, collectivism, high‐ or low‐context communication, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance. The cross‐cultural applications of exemplary theories generating research in cross‐cultural communication research (anxiety/uncertainty management theory and face negotiation theory) are summarized. Methodological issues and recent research are also discussed.
Semiotics of Cultural Communication
Authors: Klyukanov Igor E.
Published: December 2017

This entry starts by showing how the concepts of culture and communication were latently present in semiotics from the very beginning, becoming manifest over time as the relationships between semiotics and other disciplines developed. The main influences on the semiotics of culture, leading to its establishment as a research field aimed at answering a number of important questions, are noted. The entry then moves to show how cultural sign activity came to be viewed as communicative behavior focusing on the encounters between cultures. In this light, the extensions of the original framework of cultural semiotics are presented, focusing on the parallels between phenomenology and semiotics and with a special mention of the discipline of communicology. The entry concludes by emphasizing the ecological character of the semiotics of cultural communication, which is open to new possibilities in the form of radical alterities.
Communication Modes,French
Authors: Peeters Bert
Published: December 2017

The focus of this entry is on modes of communication that are widespread among the French of France. In general terms, the French have an acute sense of individuality and of personal autonomy, which leads them to adopt an interactional style that is often perceived as being rather formal. Individuality and personal autonomy also translate into a highly valued freedom of opinion. The French are known for the swiftness of their stance‐taking on the most various topics. Frankness is an important cultural value. It usually ranks higher than tact, which for many is tantamount to insincerity. Humor as understood in the English‐speaking world is very much an alien concept. The French have their own distinctive brand, which they callhumour. On the other hand, they have turned condemnation and contestation into art forms. Understatement and especially overstatement are perhaps more commonly used among the French than elsewhere.
Communication Modes,
T
ibetan
Authors: Dorjee Tenzin
Published: December 2017

Tibetan civilization is over two millennia old with its own unique landscape, history, language, religion, and culture. Most Tibetans live in Tibet under the Communist China regime, but an estimated 150,000 Tibetans have lived in diasporas since 1959. The status of Tibet is contested among Tibetan, Chinese, and Western Tibetologists. There is a dearth of intercultural communication research on Tibetan communication. It is contended that Tibetan communication modes are intimately related to Tibetan language, Tibetan culture, high‐context communication, and the current sociopolitical status of Tibet. Attentive listening is greatly emphasized in the Tibetan Buddhist education system and also in interpersonal and intergenerational interactions in the Tibetan cultural context.
Language Attitudes
Authors: Cargile Aaron Castelán
Published: December 2017

Language attitude research investigates patterned evaluative reactions that individuals have to a wide variety of language behaviors, including both “macro” (e.g., dialects and accents) and “micro” attitude objects (e.g., lexical and grammatical features). Although attitudes toward some paralinguistic behaviors may be hardwired, most language attitudes are socially constructed. The majority of studies have charted reactions to “macro” behaviors, and despite the fact that these evaluations differ between social groups, a consistent pattern has emerged around the world. In it, standard language speakers are almost universally favored on traits related to both status (e.g., wealth and intelligence) and dynamism (e.g., enthusiasm and liveliness), though evaluations of warmth‐related traits (e.g., friendliness) are generally mixed. Although research in this tradition has been primarily descriptive, new types of data promise a richer understanding of processes that help generate the evaluative reactions known as language attitudes.
Uncertainty–Identity Theory
Authors: Hogg Michael A. , Wagoner Joseph A.
Published: December 2017

Uncertainty–identity theory is a social psychological theory of the motivational role played by self‐uncertainty in group processes and intergroup relations. The key premise is that people identify with social groups to decrease feelings of self‐related uncertainty. Feelings of uncertainty, particularly when related to the self, produce a hydraulic motivational state that drives people to seek to reduce their uncertainty. Group identification through the process of self‐categorization very effectively reduces this uncertainty, particularly when the group is distinctive and clearly defined by a consensual norm. This analysis has implications for understanding societal extremism. Under some conditions of uncertainty, people may strive to belong to rigidly and hierarchically structured groups that are ideologically extreme and have strong and authoritative leadership.
Intercultural Training Effectiveness, Assessment of
Authors: Bhawuk Dharm P. S.
Published: December 2017

All interventions need to be evaluated for their impact, and since intercultural training programs are viewed as interventions employed by organizations to prepare sojourners to be effective while living in a foreign country, it is necessary to evaluate them. Validity of evaluation depends on the methodology of evaluation and the criterion measures used. Findings of evaluations that employ experimental or quasi‐experimental designs are considered more valid. Similarly, criterion measures with acceptable reliability and validity present credence to the evaluations. Intercultural training programs have been evaluated using experimental designs and reliable measures, and the findings support their effectiveness across samples, countries, and criteria.
Critical Intercultural Communication, Overview
Authors: Nakayama Thomas K. , Martin Judith N.
Published: December 2017

This entry provides an introduction to recent critical approaches to intercultural communication. The key elements in the critical intercultural lens are: an emphasis on the impact of larger societal (political, economic, historical, and sociocultural) forces on communication; a view of culture as fluid, dynamic, and changeable; the belief that power is an integral part of every intercultural encounter; and the perspective that the goal of studying intercultural communication is to ultimately eliminate oppression and bring about systemic change for a more just and equitable world.
Critical Approaches to Identity
Authors: Halualani Rona Tamiko
Published: December 2017

This entry highlights how critical approaches to identity engage how identity is framed and shaped by structures of power and inequalities. More specifically, a critical intercultural communication approach to identity is delineated and explained. The notions of personal and structural identities, misrecognition, and identity reconstruction or resistance are discussed.
Identity, Poststructuralist Approaches
Authors: Drzewiecka Jolanta A.
Published: December 2017

This entry provides an overview of poststructuralist approaches to identity and how they have been applied and developed by critical intercultural communication scholars. The key elements of poststructural conceptions of identity are: the decentered subject, the Other as defining the self, difference, power as constitutive of identities, identities being fluid, multiple, and produced through contextual intersections, the notion of agency as performative, and articulation and rearticulation of identity formations.
Intersectionality
Authors: Yep Gust A. , Chivers Nicholas T.
Published: December 2017

Intersectionality is, by necessity, by function, and by design, a complex, contested, and dynamic concept that highlights the interconnectedness of various forms of power, privilege, and oppression within cultural contexts. This entry aims to untangle some of the complexities associated with intersectionality, first by outlining the multifaceted nature of the term (ways in which it functions as an epistemological practice [way of knowing or learning], an ontological project [way of being or existing], a tool for political coalitionbuilding, and a resistant imaginary), then by describing many key ideas central to intersectionality (matrix thinking, power, identity, and social action), and finally describing several ways in which intersectionality is deployed in the context of intercultural communication scholarship, including an exploration into identity, features of current intersectional work, the emergence of thick intersectionalities, and methodological approaches for this research.
Sexual Orientation and Intercultural Communication
Authors: Eguchi Shinsuke
Published: December 2017

This entry offers a brief overview of the intersections and interplays between sexual orientation and intercultural communication that have been repeatedly neglected in the field. More specifically, the entry examines the recent emergence of queer intercultural communication to call for sexual orientation as a key aspect of cultural identity and belonging in today's globalized intercultural communication contexts.
Emotions and Expressions across Cultures
Authors: Altarriba Jeanette , Kazanas Stephanie A.
Published: December 2017

Decades of cross‐cultural research have revealed an interesting and important relationship between culture and emotion. The effects of culture are far‐reaching, with emotion sensitivity and recognition affected by cultural familiarity, a type of ingroup advantage. This entry describes cross‐cultural similarities and differences with regard to emotional expressions: how and when different emotions look and sound, as observed with a variety of stimuli. Recent investigations with emoticons have also provided insight into how emotional display rules differ in online venues. Applied research is presented to describe the effect of setting on these cross‐cultural differences. Findings from small‐ and large‐scale investigations demonstrate the many ways that culture influences how emotion is expressed between friends and family, with mental health professionals, and with coworkers. Both cross‐cultural and emotion researchers alike stress the importance of sensitivity training to better understand the ways in which emotion is expressed and perceived.
Favor‐Seeking Styles in Japan and the United States
Authors: Lee Hye Eun
Published: December 2017

Favor‐seeking is a directive type of speech act that attempts to impede the freedom of action of the hearer. Expressing apologies or thanks in conjunction with favor‐seeking can be viewed as a politeness strategy used to reduce the face threats associated with favor‐seeking. Since Japanese and Americans use apologies and thanks differently when seeking favors, understanding their differences is useful for effective intercultural communication.
Shame and Guilt across Cultures
Authors: Lewandowska‐Tomaszczyk Barbara , Wilson Paul A.
Published: December 2017

This entry assesses the cross‐cultural models and characteristics of shame and guilt as presented in contemporary emotion studies, with a special emphasis on such cultural dimensions as individualism and collectivism as well as religion, honor, and face. The position and function of shame and guilt in larger emotional clusters, which are specific to particular cultures and languages, are also considered. The entry concludes with reference to questionnaire‐based emotion research methods, the cognitive language corpus‐based approach, and other types of emotion studies methodologies.
Der Turm des Beyer‐Baus zu Dresden – ein schlankes Stahlbetontragwerk mit wechselvoller Geschichte
Authors: Oehmichen Maria , Lugenheim Matthias
Published: December 2017

Der Turm des Beyer‐Baus der Technischen Universität Dresden, eine frühe Stahlbetonkonstruktion aus dem Jahr 1913, erhebt sich in exponierter Lage über den Dächern der umliegenden Bebauung am Südhang der Stadt. Im Turm tragen bemerkenswert dünne Stützen fünf unterschiedlich ausgebildete, kreisringförmige Plattformen, wobei die vertikalen Stützglieder teilweise in den Plattformen abgefangen werden, sodass ein stringent perpendikularer Lastabtrag nicht vorhanden ist. Gemessen an der im Laufe der vergangenen Jahrzehnte wechselvollen Gestalt der Fassadenumhüllung des Turms gerät bei dieser schlanken Konstruktion die Wirkweise und Wirksamkeit der Gebäudeaussteifung rasch in das Interesse des statisch‐baukonstruktiv tätigen Ingenieurs. In den verschiedenen überlieferten Fassungen der Aussteifungssysteme gewährleisteten diverse eingefügte Mauerwerksscheiben die Turmaussteifung. Im Zuge der nunmehr anstehenden Sanierung besteht die gestalterische Absicht, dem Turm allansichtig eine transluzente Erscheinung zu geben, sodass die gegenwärtig vorhandenen Mauerwerksscheiben abgängig sind und durch eine geeignete Konstruktion kompensiert werden müssen. Die dazu erforderlichen Arbeiten im planenden Ingenieurbüro wurden von einer bemerkenswerten Diplomarbeit unterstützend vertieft, von deren Ergebnissen nachfolgend zu berichten ist.
RNA Decay Factor UPF1 Promotes Protein Decay: A Hidden Talent
Authors: M. Plank Terra‐Dawn , Wilkinson Miles F.
Published: December 2017

The RNA‐binding protein, UPF1, is best known for its central role in the nonsense‐mediated RNA decay (NMD) pathway. Feng et al. now report a new function for UPF1—it is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that specifically promotes the decay of a key pro‐muscle transcription factor: MYOD. UPF1 achieves this through its RING‐like domain, which confers ubiquitin E3 ligase activity. Feng et al. provide evidence that the ability of UPF1 to destabilize MYOD represses myogenesis. In the future, it will be important to define other protein substrates of UPF1‐driven ubiquitination and to determine whether this biochemical activity is responsible for some of UPF1's previously defined biological functions, including in development and stress responses. The exciting findings presented by Feng et al. open up the possibility that protein turnover and RNA turnover are coupled processes.
ICCS/ESCCA Consensus Guidelines to detect GPI‐deficient cells in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) and related Disorders Part 1 – Clinical Utility
Authors: Dezern Amy E. , Borowitz Michael J
Published: December 2017

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) arises as a consequence of the non‐malignant clonal expansion of one or more hematopoietic stem cells with an acquired somatic mutation of the PIGA gene (Brodsky RA. Blood 113 (2009) 6522–6527). Progeny of affected stem cells are deficient in glycosyl phosphatidylinositol–anchored proteins (GPI‐APs). This deficiency is readily detected by flow cytometry. Though this seems straightforward, the clinical utility of this testing requires that the ordering clinician understand not only the characteristics of the test, but also the biology of the underlying disease, and the clinical and laboratory manifestations in the individual patient. When interpreted correctly, the results from PNH flow cytometry testing, including presence and size of the clonal populations and the cell types involved, can allow the clinician to classify the disease appropriately; evaluate the risk of disease progression; and subsequently monitor response to therapy. In these guidelines, we discuss the evaluation of a patient with suspected PNH or other bone marrow failure disorders, with specific emphasis on the contribution of this testing to the diagnosis, classification, and monitoring of patients. For convenience we will commonly refer to these flow cytometry studies as “PNH testing” recognizing that an abnormal result is not diagnostic of PNH; rather both laboratory and clinical features are used to establish this diagnosis. © 2017 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Exercise and heart failure: an update
Authors: Cattadori Gaia , Segurini Chiara , Picozzi Anna , Padeletti Luigi , Anzà Claudio
Published: December 2017

The present update is dedicated to the evolution of the interaction between heart failure (HF) and exercise and how the scientific community has handled it. Indeed, on the one hand, HF is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality with a stable prevalence from 1998 onward varying between 6.3% and 13.3%. On the other hand, exercise is seen as a diagnostic and prognostic tool as well as a therapeutic intervention in chronic HF. More precisely, the knowledge, the clinical application, and the research interest on the mutual interactions between exercise and HF have different phases in disease progression:

Before HF onset (past): exercise provides protective benefit in preventing HF (primary prevention).

With HF present: exercise improvement with training provides benefits in HF (secondary prevention).

The prediction of future in HF patients: exercise impairment, as a leading characteristic of HF, is used as a prognostic factor.
Ecological risk, demography and technological complexity in the Late Pleistocene of northern Malawi: implications for geographical patterning in the Middle Stone Age
Authors: Thompson Jessica C. , Mackay Alexander , Nightingale Sheila , Wright David , Choi Jeong‐Heon , Welling Menno , Blackmore Hari , Gomani‐Chindebvu Elizabeth
Published: December 2017

The Late Pleistocene Middle Stone Age (MSA) record of Africa provides early examples of standardised stone tool production and complex manufacturing sequences, superficially implying a long‐term trend towards greater complexity in MSA technology at a continental scale. However, at this scale, spatial and temporal expressions of technological complexity are uneven. New lithic and chronometric data from the East–Central African record add further regional perspective to these patterns. Stone artefact assemblages from Karonga, northern, Malawi (92–22 ka), persistently lack the complexity demonstrated elsewhere in Africa at the same times, despite similar lithic raw materials. These new data provide an essential avenue for exploring hypotheses about the roles of environmental risk and demography in shaping the expression of MSA technology across the continent, not just at a local scale. When set within this framework, the simplicity of the Karonga MSA is best explained by its position in an environment that was persistently low in relative extrinsic subsistence risk. These results reinforce that motivations to invest in complex tools were variable through space and time, and that this variation, more than factors relating to behavioural capacity, may explain the patchy evidence for lithic complexity in the later MSA.
Delayed Hypersensitivity Reaction to OnabotulinumtoxinA
Authors: LeWitt Peter A.
Published: December 2017

View Supplementary Video 1
Reconceptualizing motivation for smoking cessation among people with rheumatoid arthritis as incentives and facilitators
Authors: Gath Megan E. , Stamp Lisa K. , Aimer Pip , Stebbings Simon , Treharne Gareth J.
Published: December 2017

Objectives

Smokers with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may have different motivations for, and barriers to, quitting. Understanding the motivations of smokers and ex‐smokers with RA will help in the design and implementation of targeted smoking cessation interventions for people with RA that are not based solely on extrapolation from the general population or populations with other chronic illnesses.

Methods

Twenty‐nine smokers and 10 recent ex‐smokers with RA participated in semi‐structured interviews via telephone 18 months after being offered a smoking cessation intervention in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The sample consisted of 27 women and 12 men (age range 32–78 years), of whom 14 had received the intervention, 14 had been in the control group and 11 had declined participation in the trial.

Results

Thematic analysis led to the formulation of four “incentives” to quit and five “facilitators” of quitting for people with RA. Desiring improvements to health (overall and specific to arthritis), social relationships and avoiding costs were incentives to quit. Coping with stress without smoking, commitment, mental preparedness, willpower and interventions were facilitators of quitting.

Conclusions

Becoming aware of the effects of smoking on arthritis provides an important motivation to quit smoking that may counter RA‐specific barriers to smoking cessation. Further research is needed to test whether similar incentives and facilitators of smoking cessation exist in other chronic illnesses, and how to develop interventions to address these motivational processes.
The effect of an educational intervention, based on clinical simulation, on the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
Authors: Fernández‐Ávila Daniel G. , Ruiz Álvaro J. , Gil Fabián , Mora Sergio A. , Tobar Carlos , Gutiérrez Juan M. , Rosselli Diego
Published: December 2017

Objective

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational tool for general physicians, based on rheumatological clinical simulation, for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Methods

A randomized clinical study was carried out, in which the physician research subjects were assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group (educational intervention for rheumatoid arthritis with clinical simulation) or the control group (educational intervention for the basic aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis). Four weeks after the educational intervention, the members of both groups completed an examination that included four clinical cases with real patients, two clinical cases with two clinical simulation models and six virtual clinical cases. In this examination, the participants noted clinical findings, established a diagnosis and defined the complementary tests they would request, if necessary, to corroborate their diagnosis.

Results

A total of 160 doctors participated (80 in the active educational intervention for rheumatoid arthritis and 80 in the control group), of whom 89 were women (56%). The mean age was 35 (standard deviation 7.7) years. Success was defined as a physician correctly diagnosing at least 10 of the 12 cases presented. A significant difference of 81.3% (95% confidence interval 72–90%; p < 0.001) in success was found in favour of the active group (88.8% versus 7.5%). A greater number of correct answers was found in the active group compared with the control group in the detection of clinical findings and in the number of complementary tests requested (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The study showed the effectiveness of an educational intervention based on clinical simulation to improve the diagnostic approach to rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The results open a new horizon in the teaching of rheumatology.
Encourage culture change about accessibility for students with disabilities
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: December 2017

On many campuses, discussions about accessibility for students with disabilities are framed around compliance and legalities. Cindy Jennings, director of learning technologies at the University of South Carolina Upstate, explained how she is reframing that discussion on her campus to center on an assurance perspective and shared responsibility at a session at the Online Learning Consortium Accelerate conference.
Proteomics in Pathology
Authors: Longuespée Rémi , Casadonte Rita , Schwamborn Kristina , Reuss David , Kazdal Daniel , Kriegsmann Katharina , von Deimling Andreas , Weichert Wilko , Schirmacher Peter , Kriegsmann Jörg , Kriegsmann Mark
Published: December 2017

Proteomic approaches are of growing importance in the biologist's toolbox. It greatly benefited from past and recent advances in sampling, chemical processing, mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation, and data processing. MS‐based analysis of proteins is now in the process of being translated in pathology for objective diagnoses. In this viewpoint, we present the workflows that we think are the most promising for applications in pathology. We also comment what we think are prerequisites for a successful translational implementation.
Experimental and RRKM Investigations on the Degradation of Ethyl Formate
Authors: Balla Rajakumar , Muthaiah Balaganesh , Arathala Parandaman
Published: December 2017

A Single pulse shock tube was used to investigate the thermal decomposition of ethyl formate over the temperature range of 909–1258 K and pressure range of 9–17 atm. RRKM (Rice‐Ramsperger‐Kassel‐Marcus) theory was used to estimate the temperature (500–2500 K) and pressure dependent (0.01–100 atm) rate coefficients. The products identified were methane, ethylene, and propane. The initial elementary step for the decomposition of ethyl formate is the unimolecular elimination of ethylene via the reaction CH3CH2OC(O)H → CH2=CH2 + HCOOH. The formed formic acid is further decomposed within the studied temperature range. A detailed reaction mechanism proposed with 21 species and 22 elementary reactions was used to simulate reactant and product distribution over the investigated temperature range. The temperature dependent rate coefficient for the total decomposition of ethyl formate was found to be
(909–1258 K)=2.68 × 1011 (s−1) exp (‐42.9 ± 2.2 kcal mol−1/RT). The bond dissociation energies were calculated for the various types of bonds. The calculated total rate coefficient for the thermal decomposition of ethyl formate is
(500–2500 K)=3.61 × 1013 (s−1) exp (‐53.4 kcal mol−1/RT) at high pressure limit.
The gp130 Cytokine Interleukin-11 Regulates Engraftment of Vav1–/– Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Lethally Irradiated Recipients
Authors: De Vita Serena , Li Yanhua , Harris Chad E. , McGuinness Meaghan K. , Ma Clement , Williams David A.
Published: December 2017

During bone marrow transplantation, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) respond to signals from the hematopoietic microenvironment by coordinately activating molecular pathways through Rho GTPases, including Rac. We have previously shown that deletion of Vav1, a hematopoietic-specific activator of Rac, compromises engraftment of transplanted adult HSPCs without affecting steady-state hematopoiesis in adult animals. Here, we show that Vav1–/– fetal HSPCs can appropriately seed hematopoietic tissues during ontogeny but cannot engraft into lethally irradiated recipients. We demonstrate that the engraftment defect of Vav1–/– HSPCs is abrogated in the absence of irradiation and demonstrate that Vav1 is critical for the response of HSPCs to the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-11 (IL-11) that is upregulated in the marrow of irradiated recipients. Vav1–/– HSPCs display abnormal proliferative responses to IL-11 in vitro and dysregulated activation of pathways critical to engraftment of HSPCs. The engraftment of Vav1–/– HSPCs can be partially rescued in irradiated recipients treated with an anti-IL-11 antibody. These data suggest that HSPCs may respond to different functional demands by selective usage of the IL-11-Vav-Rac pathway, contextualizing further the recent view that HSPCs capable of reconstituting the blood system following transplantation might be distinct from those supporting hematopoiesis during homeostatic conditions.
Concise Review: Adaptation of the Bone Marrow Stroma in Hematopoietic Malignancies: Current Concepts and Models
Authors: Doron Ben , Handu Mithila , Kurre Peter
Published: December 2017

The bone marrow stroma maintains hematopoiesis and coordinately regulates regenerative responses through dynamic interactions with hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Recent studies indicate that stromal components in the bone marrow of leukemia patients undergo a process of successive adaptation that in turn exerts dramatic effects on the hematopoietic stem cell compartment and promotes leukemic drug resistance. Therefore, functional changes in discrete marrow stromal populations can be considered an aspect of leukemia biogenesis in that they create an aberrant, self-reinforcing microenvironment. In this review, we will describe the current understanding of the remodeling of the hematopoietic stem cell niche following invasion by leukemia cells. We place emphasis on existing evidence of how mesenchymal stem cells and their progeny facilitate neoplastic growth and describe available models and analytical techniques to understand the conversion of the niche toward disease persistence.
Using John M. Keller's MVP Model in Teaching Professional Values and Behaviors
Authors: Theall Michael , Graham DeBorah D.
Published: December 2017

This chapter discusses teaching and learning in the affective domain and the development of beliefs, values, and behaviors common in professional school education. We use Keller's MVP model as the basis for designing a teacher education course where professional “dispositions” are critical learning outcomes.
Interactions of the manganese hyperaccumulator Phytolacca americana L. with soil pH and phosphate
Authors: DeGroote Kara V. , McCartha Grace L. , Pollard A. Joseph
Published: December 2017

Hyperaccumulators are plants that store exceptionally high concentrations of heavy metals or metalloids in their leaves. Phytolacca americana is one of the few species known to hyperaccumulate manganese (Mn); however, it is a common weedy species and has no specific association with high‐Mn soils. Neither the mechanism by which P. americana hyperaccumulates Mn nor the ecological significance of this trait are well understood. It has recently been suggested that P. americana secretes acids into the rhizosphere as a means of acquiring phosphate, which might coincidentally increase Mn uptake. To determine whether P. americana acidifies the surrounding soil, plants were grown in rhizoboxes providing access to living roots. A thin layer of agar containing bromocresol green pH indicator dye was placed on the roots to observe color changes indicating acidification. Comparative studies showed that P. americana acidifies the rhizosphere significantly more than the non‐accumulating plant Acalypha rhomboidea. A second experiment studied whether adjustment of soil pH and phosphate affect foliar Mn concentrations of P. americana. Concentrations of Mn in leaves were highest when plants were grown in acidified soils but were significantly lower in soils that were alkaline and/or enriched with phosphate. These results suggest that Mn hyperaccumulation may be a side effect of rhizosphere acidification as a phosphorus‐acquisition mechanism, rather than an adaptation in its own right. The findings provide fundamental information about hyperaccumulator physiology and evolution, and may be relevant to attempts to utilize P. americana for phytoremediation.
A Stack-Based Ensemble Framework for Detecting Cancer MicroRNA Biomarkers
Authors: Saha Sriparna , Mitra Sayantan , Yadav Ravi Kant
Published: December 2017

MicroRNA (miRNA) plays vital roles in biological processes like RNA splicing and regulation of gene expression. Studies have revealed that there might be possible links between oncogenesis and expression profiles of some miRNAs, due to their differential expression between normal and tumor tissues. However, the automatic classification of miRNAs into different categories by considering the similarity of their expression values has rarely been addressed. This article proposes a solution framework for solving some real-life classification problems related to cancer, miRNA, and mRNA expression datasets. In the first stage, a multiobjective optimization based framework, non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II, is proposed to automatically determine the appropriate classifier type, along with its suitable parameter and feature combinations, pertinent for classifying a given dataset. In the second page, a stack-based ensemble technique is employed to get a single combinatorial solution from the set of solutions obtained in the first stage. The performance of the proposed two-stage approach is evaluated on several cancer and RNA expression profile datasets. Compared to several state-of-the-art approaches for classifying different datasets, our method shows supremacy in the accuracy of classification.
A Novel Nonlinear Parameter Estimation Method of Soft Tissues
Authors: Tong Qianqian , Yuan Zhiyong , Zheng Mianlun , Liao Xiangyun , Zhu Weixu , Zhang Guian
Published: December 2017

The elastic parameters of soft tissues are important for medical diagnosis and virtual surgery simulation. In this study, we propose a novel nonlinear parameter estimation method for soft tissues. Firstly, an in-house data acquisition platform was used to obtain external forces and their corresponding deformation values. To provide highly precise data for estimating nonlinear parameters, the measured forces were corrected using the constructed weighted combination forecasting model based on a support vector machine (WCFM_SVM). Secondly, a tetrahedral finite element parameter estimation model was established to describe the physical characteristics of soft tissues, using the substitution parameters of Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio to avoid solving complicated nonlinear problems. To improve the robustness of our model and avoid poor local minima, the initial parameters solved by a linear finite element model were introduced into the parameter estimation model. Finally, a self-adapting Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm was presented, which is capable of adaptively adjusting iterative parameters to solve the established parameter estimation model. The maximum absolute error of our WCFM_SVM model was less than 0.03 Newton, resulting in more accurate forces in comparison with other correction models tested. The maximum absolute error between the calculated and measured nodal displacements was less than 1.5 mm, demonstrating that our nonlinear parameters are precise.
Considerations in setting up and planning a graft processing facility
Authors: Koh Mickey B.C.
Published: December 2017

The graft processing facility forms one of the core components of a clinical haematopoietic stem cell transplant program. The quality of a graft is instrumental in leading to consistent and reproducible outcomes of engraftment and other parameters. As such, meticulous planning and consideration is required and will include core elements including physical design and clinical correlates. The successful running of such a facility depends on an overarching quality program and adherence to local and international regulatory guidelines.
Loneliness, socio-economic status and quality of life in old age: the moderating role of housing tenure
Authors: SZABO AGNES , ALLEN JOANNE , ALPASS FIONA , STEPHENS CHRISTINE
Published: December 2017

The study investigated housing tenure as a factor moderating the effects of loneliness and socio-economic status (SES) on quality of life (control and autonomy, pleasure, and self-realisation) over a two-year period for older adults. Data from the 2010 and 2012 waves of the New Zealand Health, Work, and Retirement Study were analysed. Using case-control matching, for each tenant (N = 332) we selected a home-owner (N = 332) of the same age, gender, ethnicity, SES, working status and urban/rural residence. Structural equation modelling was employed to examine the impact of SES, housing tenure and loneliness on quality of life over time. Emotional loneliness exerted a significant negative main effect on control and autonomy and pleasure. Tenure and SES influenced control and autonomy, but not pleasure or self-realisation. Tenure moderated the effect of emotional loneliness on control and autonomy, with the negative effect of emotional loneliness weaker for home-owners compared to renters. Tenure moderated the effect of SES on control and autonomy, with the positive impact of SES stronger for home-owners. Findings suggest that owners capitalise on their material and financial resources more than tenants in terms of their quality of life. In addition, home-ownership can act as a protective factor against the harmful effects of emotional loneliness in old age.
Perceptions of Quality of Life and Pollution among China's Urban Middle Class: The Case of Smog in Tangshan
Authors: Li Xiaoyue , Tilt Bryan
Published: December 2017

After decades of rapid economic development, China is facing severe environmental problems. In particular, smog in urban areas has recently attracted a great deal of scientific and media attention both domestically and internationally. Our focus in this article is on public perceptions of smog in the northern city of Tangshan, which is routinely ranked as one of the urban areas with the worst air quality in the nation. In this article, we present the results of qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys with 341 urban residents. We examine how these residents perceive and weigh the importance of various aspects related to quality of life, including their experience with air pollution. Study participants considered environmental quality an issue of lower priority than many others; however, they surprisingly ranked it over economic concerns such as jobs and income. Their responses suggest that, for many urban residents, environmental problems like smog are fundamentally linked to basic quality of life concerns such as physical health and family well-being. We interpret our findings in the context of literature on the rise of China's middle class, the rise of environmental consciousness, and the role of gender in mediating perceptions of pollution and family health. We also consider the implications of these findings for the control and remediation of air pollution in China today.
Intergenerational transmission of violence: The mediating role of adolescent psychopathology symptoms
Authors: Low Sabina , Tiberio Stacey S. , Shortt Joann Wu , Mulford Carrie , Eddy J. Mark , Capaldi Deborah M.
Published: December 2017

Evidence on the intergenerational continuity of intimate partner violence (IPV) suggests small to moderate associations between childhood exposure and young adult IPV involvement, suggesting an indirect effects model. Yet, few prospective studies have formally tested meditational mechanisms. The current study tested a prospective (over 9 years) moderated-mediational model in which adolescent psychopathology symptoms (i.e., internalizing, externalizing, and combined) mediated the association between exposure to IPV in middle childhood and young adult IPV perpetration. In a more novel contribution, we controlled for proximal young adult partner and relationship characteristics. The sample consisted ofn= 205 participants, who were, on average, assessed for exposure to parent IPV at age 12.30 years, adolescent psychopathology symptoms at age 15.77 years, and young adult IPV at 21.30 years of age. Data suggest a small, significant direct path from IPV exposure to young adult perpetration, mediated only through adolescent externalizing. Gender moderation analyses reveal differences in sensitivity to exposure across developmental periods; for males, effects of exposure were intensified during the transition to adolescence, whereas for females, effects were amplified during the transition to adulthood. In both cases, the mediational role of psychopathology symptoms was no longer significant once partner antisocial behavior was modeled. Findings have important implications for both theory and timing of risk conveyance.