bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The History and Economics of Safe Assets
Authors: Gorton Gary
Published: June 2017

Safe assets play a critical role in an(y) economy. A safe asset is an asset that is (almost always) valued at face value without expensive and prolonged analysis. By design, there is no benefit to producing (private) information about its value, and this is common knowledge. Consequently, agents need not fear adverse selection when buying or selling safe assets. Safe assets can be easily used to exchange for goods or services or for another asset. These short-term safe assets can be money or money-like. A long-term safe asset can store value over time or be used as collateral. Much of human history can be written in terms of the search for and production of safe assets. But the most prevalent, privately produced short-term safe assets, bank debts, are subject to runs, and this has important implications for macroeconomics and for monetary policy.
EET intervention on Wnt1, NOV, and HO-1 signaling prevents obesity-induced cardiomyopathy in obese mice
Authors: Cao Jian , Singh Shailendra P. , McClung John A. , Joseph Gregory , Vanella Luca , Barbagallo Ignazio , Jiang Houli , Falck John R. , Arad Michael , Shapiro Joseph I. , Abraham Nader G.
Published: June 2017

We have previously reported that epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) has multiple beneficial effects on vascular function; in addition to its antiapoptotic action, it increases insulin sensitivity and inhibits inflammation. To uncover the signaling mechanisms by which EET reduces cardiomyopathy, we hypothesized that EET infusion might ameliorate obesity-induced cardiomyopathy by improving heme oxygenase (HO)-1, Wnt1, thermogenic gene levels, and mitochondrial integrity in cardiac tissues and improved pericardial fat phenotype. EET reduced levels of fasting blood glucose and proinflammatory adipokines, including nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV) signaling, while increasing echocardiographic fractional shortening and O2 consumption. Of interest, we also noted a marked improvement in mitochondrial integrity, thermogenic genes, and Wnt 1 and HO-1 signaling mechanisms. Knockout of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) in EET-treated mice resulted in a reversal of these beneficial effects including a decrease in myocardial Wnt1 and HO-1 expression and an increase in NOV. To further elucidate the effects of EET on pericardial adipose tissues, we observed EET treatment increases in adiponectin, PGC-1α, phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase, insulin receptor phosphorylation, and thermogenic genes, resulting in a “browning” pericardial adipose phenotype under high-fat diets. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate that an EET agonist increased Wnt1 and HO-1 signaling while decreasing NOV pathways and the progression of cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, this report presents a portal into potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of heart failure and metabolic syndrome.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The mechanism by which EET acts on obesity-induced cardiomyopathy is unknown. Here, we describe a previously unrecognized function of EET infusion that inhibits nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV) levels and activates Wnt1, hence identifying NOV inhibition and enhanced Wnt1 expression as novel pharmacological targets for the prevention and treatment of cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

Listen to this article's corresponding podcast at http://ajpheart.physiology.org/content/early/2017/05/31/ajpheart.00093.2017 .
Autophagy modulation: a potential therapeutic approach in cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: Wang Xuejun , Cui Taixing
Published: June 2017

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process used by the cell to degrade cytoplasmic contents for quality control, survival for temporal energy crisis, and catabolism and recycling. Rapidly increasing evidence has revealed an important pathogenic role of altered activity of the autophagosome-lysosome pathway (ALP) in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Although an early study suggested that cardiac autophagy is increased and that this increase is maladaptive to the heart subject to pressure overload, more recent reports have overwhelmingly supported that myocardial ALP insufficiency results from chronic pressure overload and contributes to maladaptive cardiac remodeling and heart failure. This review examines multiple lines of preclinical evidence derived from recent studies regarding the role of autophagic dysfunction in pressure-overloaded hearts, attempts to reconcile the discrepancies, and proposes that resuming or improving ALP flux through coordinated enhancement of both the formation and the removal of autophagosomes would benefit the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure resulting from chronic pressure overload.
Regulation of blood volume in lowlanders exposed to high altitude
Authors: Siebenmann Christoph , Robach Paul , Lundby Carsten
Published: June 2017

Humans ascending to high altitude (HA) experience a reduction in arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation and, as a result, arterial O2content ([Formula: see text]). As HA exposure extends, this reduction in [Formula: see text] is counteracted by an increase in arterial hemoglobin concentration. Initially, hemoconcentration is exclusively related to a reduction in plasma volume (PV), whereas after several weeks a progressive expansion in total red blood cell volume (RCV) contributes, although often to a modest extent. Since the decrease in PV is more rapid and usually more pronounced than the expansion in RCV, at least during the first weeks of exposure, a reduction in circulating blood volume is common at HA. Although the regulation of hematological responses to HA has been investigated for decades, it remains incompletely understood. This is not only related to the large number of mechanisms that could be involved and the complexity of their interplay but also to the difficulty of conducting comprehensive experiments in the often secluded HA environment. In this review, we present our understanding of the kinetics, the mechanisms and the physiological relevance of the HA-induced reduction in PV and expansion in RCV.
Exercise: Teaching myocytes new tricks
Authors: Powers Scott K.
Published: June 2017

Endurance exercise training promotes numerous cellular adaptations in both cardiac myocytes and skeletal muscle fibers. For example, exercise training fosters changes in mitochondrial function due to increased mitochondrial protein expression and accelerated mitochondrial turnover. Additionally, endurance exercise training alters the abundance of numerous cytosolic and mitochondrial proteins in both cardiac and skeletal muscle myocytes, resulting in a protective phenotype in the active fibers; this exercise-induced protection of cardiac and skeletal muscle fibers is often referred to as “exercise preconditioning.” As few as 3–5 consecutive days of endurance exercise training result in a preconditioned cardiac phenotype that is sheltered against ischemia-reperfusion-induced injury. Similarly, endurance exercise training results in preconditioned skeletal muscle fibers that are resistant to a variety of stresses (e.g., heat stress, exercise-induced oxidative stress, and inactivity-induced atrophy). Many studies have probed the mechanisms responsible for exercise-induced preconditioning of cardiac and skeletal muscle fibers; these studies are important, because they provide an improved understanding of the biochemical mechanisms responsible for exercise-induced preconditioning, which has the potential to lead to innovative pharmacological therapies aimed at minimizing stress-induced injury to cardiac and skeletal muscle. This review summarizes the development of exercise-induced protection of cardiac myocytes and skeletal muscle fibers and highlights the putative mechanisms responsible for exercise-induced protection in the heart and skeletal muscles.
Effect of calf-raise training on rapid force production and balance ability in elderly men
Authors: Ema Ryoichi , Ohki Shunsuke , Takayama Hirokazu , Kobayashi Yuji , Akagi Ryota
Published: June 2017

This study examined whether home-based, high-speed calf-raise training changes the rate of torque development (RTD) during plantar flexion contractions and balance performance in elderly men. Thirty-four healthy elderly men (73 ± 5 yr) were randomly assigned to a training or control group ( n = 17 in each group). The subjects in the training group completed 8 wk (3 times/wk) of home-based bilateral calf-raise training using body mass. Before and after the intervention, RTD during plantar flexion contractions and center-of-pressure (COP) displacement during single-leg standing were measured. Surface electromyographic amplitude of the triceps surae and tibialis anterior during the strength and single-leg standing was measured. Clinical magnitude-based inferences were used to interpret the training effect, with the smallest worthwhile effect assumed to be 0.2 of the baseline SD. The peak RTD increased 21% (90% confidence limits, ±19%) relative to the control group, which was accompanied by corresponding changes of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus (SOL) activations. The effect on COP displacement was possibly trivial (0%, ±13%), whereas substantial reduction in the MG (−19%, ±15%) and SOL (−25%, ±13%) activations during standing was observed. Our findings indicate that calf-raise training at home, performed without special equipment or venue, induces a substantial increase in the plantar flexors’ rapid force-generating capability and triceps surae activations. Although the training effect on standing balance performance was not substantial, observed changes in the triceps surae activations during standing are expected to contribute to future balance performance improvement.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Calf-raise training with the intent to move rapidly, without special equipment or venue, induces an improvement of explosive plantar flexion force, which is attributable to neuromuscular rather than musculotendinous adaptations. Although the training effect on balance performance was trivial, we found a sign of improvement (i.e., neuromuscular adaptations during standing). In conclusion, functional neuromuscular capacity can be enhanced by home-based calf-raise exercise in elderly men, which may protect against mobility loss with aging.
Quantifying the Benefits of Genome-Driven Oncology
Authors: Schram Alison M. , Hyman David M.
Published: June 2017

Summary: The excitement surrounding genomically selected cancer therapy has led many to question whether this treatment paradigm is living up to its initial promise. The MOSCATO study suggests that a genome-driven strategy for cancer therapy improves outcomes in a significant minority of patients who undergo molecular screening. Cancer Discov; 7(6); 552–4. ©2017 AACR.

See related article by Massard et al., p. 586.
Novel “Elements” of Immune Suppression within the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Gurusamy Devikala , Clever David , Eil Robert , Restifo Nicholas P.
Published: June 2017

Adaptive evolution has prompted immune cells to use a wide variety of inhibitory signals, many of which are usurped by tumor cells to evade immune surveillance. Although tumor immunologists often focus on genes and proteins as mediators of immune function, here we highlight two elements from the periodic table—oxygen and potassium—that suppress the immune system in previously unappreciated ways. While both are key to the maintenance of T-cell function and tissue homeostasis, they are exploited by tumors to suppress immuno-surveillance and promote metastatic spread. We discuss the temporal and spatial roles of these elements within the tumor microenvironment and explore possible therapeutic interventions for effective and promising anticancer therapies. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(6); 426–33. ©2017 AACR.
Calcium Channel Opening Rather than the Release of ATP Causes the Apoptosis of Osteoblasts Induced by Overloaded Mechanical Stimulation
Authors: Liu Lu , Li Hui , Cui Ying , Li Ruixin , Meng Fan , Ye Zi , Zhang Xizheng
Published: June 2017

Background: Stress fracture is one of the most common overuse injuries in athletes. Overloaded mechanical stimulation is an important factor affecting stress fractures, but the mechanism is unclear. Methods: MC3T3-E1 cells and a polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold were co-cultured, and finite element analysis (FEA) was used to analyze the load-carrying capability. Cell proliferation was investigated with CCK-8 assays. An alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity assay was used to evaluate cell differentiation. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using Hoechst/ PI double-labeling, Caspase-3 activity and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity assays. Realtime PCR and Western blotting were used to examine the gene and protein expression, respectively, of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9. Assays of the intracellular calcium with fluorescent probe technique and extracellular ATP with fluorometric assay kit were used to analyze the changes in the intracellular calcium concentration induced by calcium channel opening and the release of ATP, respectively, at different operation times. Results: When the apparent strain reached 10000 µε, the strain scope of fber at levels greater than 4000 µε was 60%. Overloading for 4 days and operation times of 0.5 h and 2 h increased the cell number and AKP secretion. However, apoptosis genes were activated at the same time, and the operation time of 2 h had a significantly greater effect than 0.5 h. At 8 days, the cell numbers were greater for the operation time of 0.5 h than for 2 h, and the 2-h groups had the fastest apoptosis rate. Overloading for 1 day increased intracellular calcium levels and ATP release. The increase in intracellular calcium could be blocked by the addition of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) or Hank's medium. Overloading for 8 days increased intracellular calcium levels but decreased extracellular ATP, and verapamil blocked the increase in intracellular calcium. Conclusion: We found that a simultaneous ‘double effect’ on osteoblasts was induced by overloading, which promoted cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Short-term overloading could open the cell membrane calcium channels and release calcium stores to elevate intracellular calcium levels, thereby promoting the proliferation and differentiation of cells to a greater extent than the effect of apoptosis. For long-term overloading, calcium channel opening in the membrane could lead to overloading of intracellular calcium levels, inducing an apoptosis effect that is greater than the effect on proliferation and differentiation.
Consumption of a Mango Fruit Powder Protects Mice from High-Fat Induced Insulin Resistance and Hepatic Fat Accumulation
Authors: Sabater Agustín G. , Ribot Joan , Priego Teresa , Vazquez Itxaso , Frank Sonja , Palou Andreu , Buchwald-Werner Sybille
Published: June 2017

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to gain more insight into the beneficial effects of mango fruit powder on the early metabolic adverse effects of a high-fat diet. Methods: The progressive dose-response effects of mango fruit powder on body composition, circulating parameters, and the expression of genes related to fatty acid oxidation and insulin sensitivity in key tissues were studied in mice fed a moderate (45%) high-fat diet. Results: Findings suggest that mango fruit powder exerts physiological protective effects in the initial steps of insulin resistance and hepatic lipid accumulation induced by a high-fat diet in mice. Moreover, AMPK and SIRT1 appear as key regulators of the observed improvement in fatty acid oxidation capacity, as well as of the improved insulin sensitivity and the increased glucose uptake and metabolism through the glycolytic pathway capacity in liver and skeletal muscle. Conclusion: In summary, this study provides evidence that the functional food ingredient (CarelessTM) from mango fruit prevents early metabolic alterations caused by a high-fat diet in the initial stages of the metabolic syndrome.
Efeito da prática de instrumentos musicais nas disfunções temporomandibulares e distúrbios do sono
Authors: Mariotto Lígia Gabrielle Sanches , Caetano Kátia Alessandra de Souza , Vidal Carla Larissa , Reis Andréa Cândido dos
Published: June 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation among recreational practice of musical instruments, temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), and sleep disturbances in a sample of musicians that are members of orchestras in a southeast area of Brazil. The participants practice playing instruments as a leisure activity. Method: this was a cross-sectional study with two groups. The comparison group included members from the general population.  Both group included 43 adults, being 14 women and 29 men. The mean age of comparison group is 28.35 (±4.867), and the mean age of musician group is 28.37 (±6.712). The participants completed self-rated questionnaires to assess TMDs symptoms and sleep disturbance. Results: tThe groups did not differ regarding the presence of TMDs symptoms, sleep disturbance, and demographic variables. A strong and negative correlation was observed between TMDs and time of playing a musical instrument. The participants with less practice in years in playing a musical instrument have 8.57 more chance of having TMDs than the musicians with a long history of playing an instrument. Conclusion: it seems that a long history of practicing a musical instrument as a leisure activity is associated with a lower chance of developing TMDs. This study reinforces the benefits of playing a musical instrument as a leisure activity to physical health, specifically, as a protective factor to developing TMDs.
Color stability evaluation of micro hybrid composite resins submitted to accelerated artificial aging
Authors: Ávila Gisseli Bertozzi , Dias Sérgio Candido , Valente Mariana Lima da Costa , Agnelli José Augusto Marcondes , Reis Andréa Cândido dos
Published: June 2017

Objective: The aesthetics of dental materials is extremely important for the success of oral rehabilitation. Thus, in the present study we evaluated the color stability and the surface degradation of three micro hybrid composite resins after accelerated artificial aging process (AAA). Methods: Were prepared 24 specimens (n=8) for each material: Solidex, Artglass and Cesead, dimensions of Ø 15 mm by 2 mm in thickness. The samples were subjected to color analysis, before and after AAA, in a spectrophotometer according to the CIE L*a*b* parameters, and a sample of each material, was selected for morphological evaluation under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The data were submitted to one-way ANOVA and Tukey test (α=0.05). Results: Artglass showed higher stability regarding the presence of red and yellow (p<0.05) when subjected to the AAA and fewer of these pigments (p<0.05) when compared to the Cesead and Solidex, which showed the highest luminance stability (p<0.05). ΔE Cesead was the most unstable (p<0.05). All resins analyzed by SEM showed superficial degradation when submitted to the AAA, mainly in resin Cesead. Conclusion: All materials analyzed demonstrate color change and surface degradation, Cesead resin showed the worse results.
Impact of Preeclampsia on Clinical and Functional Outcomes in Women With Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Lindley Kathryn J. , Conner Shayna N. , Cahill Alison G. , Novak Eric , Mann Douglas L.
Published: June 2017

Background—

Preeclampsia is a risk factor for the development of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), but it is unknown whether preeclampsia impacts clinical or left ventricular (LV) functional outcomes. This study sought to assess clinical and functional outcomes in women with PPCM complicated by preeclampsia.

Methods and Results—

This retrospective cohort study included women diagnosed with PPCM delivering at Barnes-Jewish Hospital between 2004 to 2014. The primary outcome was one-year event-free survival rate for the combined end point of death and hospital readmission. The secondary outcome was recovery of LV ejection fraction. Seventeen of 39 women (44%) with PPCM had preeclampsia. The groups had similar mean LV ejection fraction at diagnosis (29.6 with versus 27.3 without preeclampsia;
P
=0.5). Women with preeclampsia had smaller mean LV end-diastolic diameters (5.2 versus 6.0 cm;
P
=0.001), greater relative wall thickness (0.41 versus 0.35 mm Hg;
P
=0.009), and lower incidence of eccentric remodeling (12% versus 48%;
P
=0.03). Clinical follow-up was available for 32 women; 5 died of cardiovascular complications within 1 year of diagnosis (4/15 with versus 1/17 without preeclampsia;
P
=0.16). In time to event analysis, patients with preeclampsia had worse event-free survival during 1-year follow-up (
P
=0.047). Echocardiographic follow-up was available in 10 survivors with and 16 without preeclampsia. LV ejection fraction recovered in 80% of survivors with versus 25% without preeclampsia (
P
=0.014).

Conclusions—

PPCM with concomitant preeclampsia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and different patterns of LV remodeling and recovery of LV function when compared with patients with PPCM that is not complicated by preeclampsia.
Impact of Mean Transaortic Pressure Gradient on Long‐Term Outcome in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis and Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction
Authors: Bohbot Yohann , Kowalski Cedric , Rusinaru Dan , Ringle Anne , Marechaux Sylvestre , Tribouilloy Christophe
Published: June 2017

Background

Mean transaortic pressure gradient (
MTPG
) has never been validated as a predictor of mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis. We sought to determine the value of
MTPG
to predict mortality in a large prospective cohort of severe aortic stenosis patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and to investigate the cutoff of 60 mm Hg, proposed in American guidelines.

Methods and Results

A total of 1143 patients with severe aortic stenosis defined by aortic valve area ≤1 cm
2
and
MTPG
≥40 mm Hg were included. The population was divided into 3 groups according to
MTPG
: between 40 and 49 mm Hg, between 50 and 59 mm Hg, and ≥60 mm Hg. The end point was all‐cause mortality.
MTPG
was ≥60 mm Hg in 392 patients. Patients with
MTPG
≥60 mm Hg had a significantly increase risk of mortality compared with patients with
MTPG
<60 mm Hg (hazard ratio [
HR
]=1.62 [1.27–2.05]
P
<0.001), even for the subgroup of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic patients (
HR
=1.56 [1.04–2.34]
P
=0.032). After adjustment for established outcome predictors, patients with
MTPG
≥60 mm Hg had a significantly higher risk of mortality than patients with
MTPG
<60 mm Hg (
HR
=1.71 [1.33–2.20]
P
<0.001), even after adjusting for surgery as a time‐dependent variable (
HR
=1.71 [1.43–2.11]
P
<0.001). Similar results were observed for the subgroup of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic patients (
HR
=1.70 [1.10–2.32]
P
=0.018 and
HR
=1.68 [1.20–2.36]
P
=0.003, respectively).

Conclusions

This study shows the negative prognostic impact of high
MTPG
(≥60 mm Hg), on long‐term outcome of patients with severe aortic stenosis with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, irrespective of symptoms.
Accessible Environments for Diurnal-Period Waves in Simulated Tropical Cyclones
Authors: O’Neill Morgan E , Perez-Betancourt Diamilet , Wing Allison A.
Published: June 2017

A recent observational analysis has reported significant repeating diurnal signals propagating outward at cloud-top height from tropical cyclone centers. Modeling studies suggest that the visible upper-level impacts reflect a diurnal cycle through the depth of the troposphere. In this study, the possibility of wavelike diurnal responses in tropical cyclones is characterized using 3D cloud-resolving numerical simulations with and without a diurnal cycle. Diurnal waves can only begin to propagate well beyond the storm core, and the outflow region is most receptive to near-core diurnal propagation because of its anticyclonic flow. The tropical cyclone structure appears particularly hostile to diurnal wave propagation during periods when the eyewall experiences a temporary breakdown similar to an eyewall replacement cycle.
Impact of Poleward Moisture Transport from the North Pacific on the Acceleration of Sea Ice Loss in the Arctic since 2002
Authors: Lee H. J. , Kwon M. O. , Yeh S.-W. , Kwon Y.-O. , Park W. , Park J.-H. , Kim Y. H. , Alexander M. A.
Published: June 2017

Arctic sea ice area (SIA) during late summer and early fall decreased substantially over the last four decades, and its decline accelerated beginning in the early 2000s. Statistical analyses of observations show that enhanced poleward moisture transport from the North Pacific to the Arctic Ocean contributed to the accelerated SIA decrease during the most recent period. As a consequence, specific humidity in the Arctic Pacific sector significantly increased along with an increase of downward longwave radiation beginning in 2002, which led to a significant acceleration in the decline of SIA in the Arctic Pacific sector. The resulting sea ice loss led to increased evaporation in the Arctic Ocean, resulting in a further increase of the specific humidity in mid-to-late fall, thus acting as a positive feedback to the sea ice loss. The overall set of processes is also found in a long control simulation of a coupled climate model.
Quantifying Spatiotemporal Variations of Soil Moisture Control on Surface Energy Balance and Near-Surface Air Temperature
Authors: Schwingshackl Clemens , Hirschi Martin , Seneviratne Sonia I.
Published: June 2017

Soil moisture plays a crucial role for the energy partitioning at Earth’s surface. Changing fractions of latent and sensible heat fluxes caused by soil moisture variations can affect both near-surface air temperature and precipitation. In this study, a simple framework for the dependence of evaporative fraction (the ratio of latent heat flux over net radiation) on soil moisture is used to analyze spatial and temporal variations of land–atmosphere coupling and its effect on near-surface air temperature. Using three different data sources (two reanalysis datasets and one combination of different datasets), three key parameters for the relation between soil moisture and evaporative fraction are estimated: 1) the frequency of occurrence of different soil moisture regimes, 2) the sensitivity of evaporative fraction to soil moisture in the transitional soil moisture regime, and 3) the critical soil moisture value that separates soil moisture- and energy-limited evapotranspiration regimes. The results show that about 30%–60% (depending on the dataset) of the global land area is in the transitional regime during at least half of the year. Based on the identification of transitional regimes, the effect of changes in soil moisture on near-surface air temperature is analyzed. Typical soil moisture variations (standard deviation) can impact air temperature by up to 1.1–1.3 K, while changing soil moisture over its full range in the transitional regime can alter air temperature by up to 6–7 K. The results emphasize the role of soil moisture for atmosphere and climate and constitute a useful benchmark for the evaluation of the respective relationships in Earth system models.
Weak Tropical Cyclones Dominate the Poleward Migration of the Annual Mean Location of Lifetime Maximum Intensity of Northwest Pacific Tropical Cyclones since 1980
Authors: Zhan Ruifen , Wang Yuqing
Published: June 2017

The poleward migration of the annual mean location of tropical cyclone (TC) lifetime maximum intensity (LMI) has been identified in the major TC basins of the globe over the past 30 years, which is particularly robust over the western North Pacific (WNP). This study has revealed that this poleward migration consists mainly of weak TCs (with maximum sustained surface wind speed less than 33 m s−1) over the WNP. Results show that the location of LMI of weak TCs has migrated about 1° latitude poleward per decade since 1980, while such a trend is considerably smaller for intense TCs. This is found to be linked to a significant decreasing trend of TC genesis in the southern WNP and a significant increasing trend in the northwestern WNP over the past 30 years. It is shown that the greater sea surface temperature (SST) warming at higher latitudes associated with global warming and its associated changes in the large-scale circulation favor more TCs to form in the northern WNP and fewer but stronger TCs to form in the southern WNP.
Where “Old Heads” Prevail: Inmate Hierarchy in a Men’s Prison Unit
Authors: Kreager Derek A. , Young Jacob T.N. , Haynie Dana L. , Bouchard Martin , Schaefer David R. , Zajac Gary
Published: June 2017

Research on inmate social order, a once-vibrant area, receded just as U.S. incarceration rates climbed and the country’s carceral contexts dramatically changed. This study returns to inmate society with an abductive mixed-methods investigation of informal status within a contemporary men’s prison unit. We collected narrative and social network data from 133 male inmates housed in a unit of a Pennsylvania medium-security prison. Analyses of inmate narratives suggest that unit “old heads” provide collective goods in the form of mentoring and role modeling that foster a positive and stable peer environment. We test this hypothesis with Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) of peer nomination data. The ERGM results complement the qualitative analysis and suggest that older inmates and inmates who have been on the unit longer are perceived by their peers as powerful and influential. Both analytic strategies point to the maturity of aging and the acquisition of local knowledge as important for attaining informal status in the unit. In summary, this mixed-methods case study extends theoretical insights of classic prison ethnographies, adds quantifiable results capable of future replication, and points to a growing population of older inmates as important for contemporary prison social organization.
Managing Co-opetition for Shared Stakeholder Utility in Dynamic Environments
Authors: Brown Jill A. , Gianiodis Peter , Santoro Michael D.
Published: June 2017

The U.S. health care industry, like many industries, continues to face the need to adapt to new realities stemming from dynamic changes in the external environment. Some nonprofit hospitals have converted to integrated nonprofit/for-profit structures, fostering intra-firm co-opetition, that is, simultaneous cooperation and competition between units. This article examines this phenomenon and provides recommendations regarding controls and incentives that can help administrators actively manage co-opetition and promote shared utility between units. In industries where talent-intensive human capital competes for common resources and revenues, co-opetition can be a strategic tool to navigate competitive forces.
Paolo Volponi’s La macchina mondiale as a cybernetic utopia: The limits of a solely allegorical interpretation
Authors: Lima Eleonora
Published: June 2017

For Volponi’s characters, the condition of alienation is often determined by the industrial and post-industrial development, to which they oppose a lyrical and irrational language and an unwillingness to conform to social norms. Yet, in La macchina mondiale, the protagonist Anteo Crocioni derives his alienation from the techno-utopia he develops. Ostracized by his rural community, Anteo revels in the belief that human beings, created by mechanical automata, are complex machines meant to develop more sophisticated creatures to further their evolution. Volponi’s critics have interpreted Anteo’s theories as an allegory of an underlying socio-political commentary: the protagonist’s troubled mental situation would therefore make him a prophet, but also render his scientific elaboration meaningless—that is, unless it is interpreted through the lens of the socio-political allegory that the presence of Volponi behind the character justifies. Anteo’s treatise, though, is not just the product of a delusional mind. In fact, it relies on some of the leading theories in cybernetics, which this work aims to identify and analyze in order to propose a new interpretation of this novel that goes beyond an allegorical reading and recognizes, instead, the crucial importance that cybernetic theories played in Volponi’s literary elaboration.
Laboratory animal science course in Switzerland: participants’ points of view and implications for organizers
Authors: Crettaz von Roten Fabienne
Published: June 2017

Switzerland has implemented a mandatory training in laboratory animal science since 1999; however a comprehensive assessment of its effects has never been undertaken so far. The results from the analysis of participants in the Swiss Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) Category B compulsory courses in laboratory animal science run in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 showed that the participants fully appreciated all elements of the course. The use of live animals during the course was supported and explained by six arguments characterized with cognitive, emotional and forward-looking factors. A large majority considered that the 3R (replacement, reduction and refinement) principles were adequately applied during the course. Responses to an open question offered some ideas for improvements. This overall positive picture, however, revealed divergent answers from different subpopulations in our sample (for example, scientists with more hindsight, scientists trained in biology, or participants from Asian countries).
Subjective Importance as a Cue for Self-Reference
Authors: Culcea Ileana C. , Freitas Antonio L.
Published: June 2017

We investigated whether people’s judgments of self-reference could be influenced by cues of importance. Our investigation builds on evidence that information related to the self is processed in specialized ways and that implicit attributions affect how stimuli are interpreted. We hypothesized that the more important a trait descriptor was, the more likely participants would be to misremember it as having been presented in a self-referential manner. This hypothesis was tested using a source-memory task; subjective ratings of importance served as predictors of accuracy. In two experiments, logistic multilevel analyses supported our predictions, indicating that people use cues of importance when deciding if stimuli are self-referential. The results show that people do not rely solely on valence when making self-referential judgments; importance also can bias self-referential attributions. These findings have implications for social and autobiographical memory, including how people may assign responsibility for jointly produced actions.
“Pray That God Will Change You”: The Religious Social Ecology of Bias-Based Bullying Targeting Sexual and Gender Minority Youth—A Qualitative Study of Service Providers and Educators
Authors: Newman Peter A. , Fantus Sophia , Woodford Michael R. , Rwigema Marie-Jolie
Published: June 2017

The bullying of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) is pervasive, with documented negative impacts on health. We explored the social ecology of bullying of SGMY, with a focus on religion as a source or context of bullying. Semistructured interviews with service providers, educators, and administrators in Toronto, Canada, who work with SGMY explored perspectives on the bullying of SGMY, focusing on religiously based bullying and strategies for intervention. Interviews (45-60 minutes) were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The data revealed religiously based homophobic discourse that permeates religious (places of worship, faith-based schools) and secular microsystems (public schools, families) across SGMY’s social ecology. The language and ideology of “sin” and “conversion” were evidenced in direct religiously based bullying of SGMY in schools, and victimization in places of worship and family microsystems, as well as serving as a rationale for bullying and nonintervention by teachers, school staff, administrators, and family members. Multisectoral and multilevel influences of religiously based sexual prejudice on the bullying of SGMY suggest that existing individual-level and microsystem-level responses in schools should be augmented with institutional, policy, and legal interventions in SGMY’s more distal social ecology in order to effectively prevent religiously based homophobic bullying.
Resisting the Opportunity for Change
Authors: Druckman James N. , Kifer Martin J. , Parkin Michael
Published: June 2017

This article explores congressional campaigning on the web in 2016. What impact did the unique nature of the 2016 election have on those involved with the creation and maintenance of congressional campaign websites? Did it cause them to alter their approach to online campaigning? Using data from a survey of campaign insiders, we find that the factors that influence how congressional campaigns view and use their websites were largely impervious to the unique electoral environment. Results show that, consistent with previous election years, campaigns maintained a fairly uniform view of likely visitors and target audiences, and they tended to see their campaign websites as digital hubs, best used for capturing the campaign’s overall message. We also find that, as in other years, nonincumbents continued to use their websites to campaign more aggressively than incumbents. Overall, the results suggest that congressional campaigning on the web is primarily driven by stable factors that transcend technological advancements and shifts in the political environment.
Application of smart honeycomb structures for automotive passive safety
Authors: Ganilova Olga A , Low Jia J
Published: June 2017

Nowadays, most energy-absorbing devices used in industry absorb energy through permanent deformation. In some cases, consumers have to repair or even replace energy absorbers even after a mild collision. The work presented in this paper proposes a novel reusable solution in the form of a hybrid bumper–crush can design where a recoverable structure is integrated into the bumper beam and crush can for a mild-collision situation in addition to the traditional energy absorbers recommended for more severe collisions. The main investigation is focused around the performance and optimisation of a negative-stiffness honeycomb, the recoverable structure and the honeycomb-filled elements. A comprehensive study was carried out to investigate numerically the behaviour of these energy-absorbing structures in crash conditions, corresponding to real scenarios and simulated using a specially developed finite element model.
Quantitative monitoring of brittle fatigue crack growth in railway steel using acoustic emission
Authors: Shi Shengrun , Han Zhiyuan , Liu Zipeng , Vallely Patrick , Soua Slim , Kaewunruen Sakdirat , Papaelias Mayorkinos
Published: June 2017

Structural degradation of rails will unavoidably take place with time due to cyclic bending stresses, rolling contact fatigue, impact and environmental degradation. Rail infrastructure managers employ a variety of techniques and equipment to inspect rails. Still tens of rail failures are detected every year on all major rail networks. Inspection of the rail network is normally carried out at night time, when normal traffic has ceased. As the implementation of the 24-h railway moves forward to address the increasing demand for rail transport, conventional inspection processes will become more difficult to implement. Therefore, there is an obvious need to gradually replace outdated inspection methodologies with more efficient remote condition monitoring technology. The remote condition monitoring techniques employed should be able to detect and evaluate defects without causing any reduction in the optimum rail infrastructure availability. Acoustic emission is a passive remote condition monitoring technique which can be employed for the quantitative evaluation of the structural integrity of rails. Acoustic emission sensors can be easily installed on rails in order to monitor the structural degradation rate in real time. Therefore, apart from detecting defects, acoustic emission can be realistically applied to quantify damage. In this study, the authors investigated the performance of acoustic emission in detecting and quantifying damage in rail steel samples subjected to cyclic fatigue loads during experiments carried out under laboratory conditions. Herewith, the key results obtained are presented together with a detailed discussion of the approach employed in filtering noise sources during data acquisition and subsequent signal processing.
Experimental investigations on active control of multifrequency helicopter vibrations using discrete model predictive sliding mode control
Authors: Ma Xunjun , Lu Yang , Wang Fengjiao
Published: June 2017

The presented experimental results illustrate the recent advances in the reduction of multifrequency vibrations of helicopter fuselage using an active control of structural response system. Recently, to cancel the multifrequency helicopter vibrations, a hybrid control approach has been proposed combining the filtered-x least mean square algorithm with a discrete model predictive sliding mode controller. To verify its effectiveness and self-adaptability, a set of active control experiments of structural response are conducted on a free–free elastic beam, which simulates a helicopter in flight. Considering that the helicopter vibrations in practical applications are much more complex, the further experiments of real-time active control are performed using a model helicopter test system. Higher discrete frequency components, which are actually of concern, are selected as the control objectives during the tests. The algorithm’s control effects are sufficiently checked by single-input single-output and multiple-input multiple-output tests under different excitation conditions. For many cases the attenuation of measured response exceed level of 20 dB, with maximum reduction reaching 34.1 dB. These two sets of tests confirm that the active control system is practical for canceling the multifrequency helicopter vibrations.
Using lean manufacturing principles to evaluate wait times for HIV-positive patients in an urban clinic in Kenya
Authors: Monroe-Wise Aliza , Reisner Elizabeth , Sherr Kenneth , Ojakaa David , Mbau Lilian , Kisia Paul , Muhula Samuel , Farquhar Carey
Published: June 2017

As human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment programs expand in Africa, delivery systems must be strengthened to support patient retention. Clinic characteristics may affect retention, but a relationship between clinic flow and attrition is not established. This project characterized HIV patient experience and flow in an urban Kenyan clinic to understand how these may affect retention. We used Toyota’s lean manufacturing principles to guide data collection and analysis. Clinic flow was evaluated using value stream mapping and time and motion techniques. Clinic register data were analyzed. Two focus group discussions were held to characterize HIV patient experience. Results were shared with clinic staff. Wait times in the clinic were highly variable. We identified four main barriers to patient flow: inconsistent patient arrivals, inconsistent staffing, filing system defects, and serving patients out of order. Focus group participants explained how clinic operations affected their ability to engage in care. Clinic staff were eager to discuss the problems identified and identified numerous low-cost potential solutions. Lean manufacturing methodologies can guide efficiency interventions in low-resource healthcare settings. Using lean techniques, we identified bottlenecks to clinic flow and low-cost solutions to improve wait times. Improving flow may result in increased patient satisfaction and retention.
Anetoderma due to secondary syphilis: Report of two cases and discussion of the histopathological findings
Authors: Veasey John V , Lellis Rute F , Porto Renê L , Mattei Gladys MA
Published: June 2017

Anetoderma is a rare benign condition of diverse etiology whose characteristic is the diminution or absence of the dermal elastic fibers. Classified as primary and secondary, the latter associated with tumors, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Although the etiology of the lesions is well described in literature, the pathogenesis is still poorly determined. Anetoderma in syphilis is rare, and occurs even in the most uncommon cutaneous manifestations of the disease, such as the nodular form. In order to better understand the changes that lead to elastolysis, we propose a better correlation with the histopathological findings of the lesions that precede it. We present two cases of anetoderma secondary to syphilis, whose clinical aspects resembled the pattern of their initial secondary syphilis rash.
Mid- and late-Holocene environmental change in western Ireland: New evidence from coastal peats and fossil timbers with particular reference to relative sea-level change
Authors: O’Connell Michael , Molloy Karen
Published: June 2017

The results of radiocarbon dating and dendrochronological investigations of timbers (mainly pine and oak) preserved in coastal peats on the Atlantic coast of mid-western Ireland are reported. These are complemented by the results of pollen analytical investigations, including a detailed pollen profile from Lough Atalia, a brackish lake located within present-day Galway city and immediately to the east of the medieval town. The results from the fossil timber investigations show that pine stumps exposed on coastal intertidal peats in mid-western Ireland date mainly to ca. 3000 BC, that is, they are coeval with the so-called ‘pine flushes’ on blanket bog in western Ireland. Many of the oak timbers are considerably older while an oak on peat in Turlin Bay, near Silverstrand, persisted until ca. 2100 BC. This fossil timber record, taken in conjunction with the pollen records, suggests conditions very different to those pertaining at present, including absence of direct marine influence because of relative sea levels (RSLs) that were probably at least 2 m, and possibly up to 4 m, lower than at present. Mid-Holocene conditions were less stormy, and lower precipitation and/or higher evapotranspiration facilitated tree colonisation of peat surfaces. Intertidal peat layers at Salthill show that present-day RSL began to be approached at ca. AD 500. This agrees with the evidence from An Loch Mór, Inis Oírr, which indicates that salinity in this brackish lake began to increase noticeably at/immediately prior to ca. AD 1000. A notable feature of the pollen record from L. Atalia is a yew ( Taxus)-dominated woodland phase of ca. 600 years duration centred on 2550 BC. A major and widespread expansion of yew at about this time is a distinctive feature of mid-Holocene woodlands in western Ireland.
‘The spirit of 1914’: A redefinition and a defence
Authors: Ringmar Erik
Published: June 2017

The received wisdom has long been that people in Europe reacted with great enthusiasm as war was approaching in August, 1914. However, scholars who have investigated the matter have found little evidence of enthusiasm. There was no unique “spirit of 1914,” and people in general were not happy about the prospect of war. This revisionist thesis is now the new orthodoxy and should as such be subject to scrutiny. In this article I focus on the notion of an “experience.” Experiences are felt and gone through, the argument will be, not rationalized after the fact. As such they will always leave only faint traces in the historical sources. It is very difficult to say what people in August 1914 actually felt. As a way around this problem I suggest we should focus on a study of public moods. It is in a public mood that felt experiences arise and public moods are in principle open to historical investigation.