bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural shape reconstruction of fiber Bragg grating flexible plate based on strain modes using finite element method
Authors: Li Li , Zhong Ben-shan , Li Wu-qian , Sun Wei , Zhu Xiao-jin
Published: May 2017

Structural shape reconstruction plays an important role in structural health motoring, for example, in the fields of aerospace and civil engineering. A reconstruction algorithm is indispensable for structural shape reconstruction using discrete physical information. This article shows how to implement structural shape reconstruction using a small number of stain data measured by fiber Bragg grating sensors. First, the basic theory of structural shape reconstruction is introduced based on strain modes. A transformation from the measured discrete strain data to global displacement field is done by modal coordinate, which is the same for strain mode shape superposition and displacement mode shape superposition. Second, sensor layout optimization is carried out. Optimization analyses for the number of sensors and sensor position are implemented, and results show a better reconstruction effect for the optimized sensor layout. Meanwhile, effective parameters of the sensor layout are discussed, such as the excitation frequency, excitation amplitude, and number of mode shapes. Finally, structural shape reconstruction algorithm based on strain modes is applied in experiments. Static deformation and dynamic deformation tests are conducted to verify the proposed approach. Their results show that the reconstructed displacements match well with those measured by a laser displacement sensor.
How to Meaningfully Incorporate Co-teaching Into Programs for Middle School Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Jackson Kaitlin M. , Willis Kristen , Giles Lauren , Lastrapes Renée E. , Mooney Paul
Published: May 2017

With the number of students with emotional or behavioral disorders who are being served in the general education classroom increasing, co-teaching has become a more common practice than ever before. Through the use of a hypothetical journey of a special educator placed in a co-teaching situation without prior experience, we provide practitioners with the context and rationale for implementing co-teaching effectively in combination with the incorporation of research-based instructional practices in an inclusion classroom.
Using Multiple-Stimulus Without Replacement Preference Assessments to Increase Student Engagement and Performance
Authors: Weaver Adam D. , McKevitt Brian C. , Farris Allie M.
Published: May 2017

Multiple-stimulus without replacement preference assessment is a research-based method for identifying appropriate rewards for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. This article presents a brief history of how this technology evolved and describes a step-by-step approach for conducting the procedure. A discussion of necessary materials and data sheets is included. Finally, a case study is presented to illustrate how the procedure can be used to improve behavioral and academic outcomes.
Biomarker Profile of Sepsis-Associated Coagulopathy Using Biochip Assay for Inflammatory Cytokines
Authors: Walborn Amanda , Hoppensteadt Debra , Syed Daneyal , Mosier Michael , Fareed Jawed
Published: May 2017

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a major pathophysiological mechanism of sepsis and greatly increases the risk of death in septic patients. Disseminated intravascular coagulation is a complex physiological phenomenon that involves inappropriate activation of coagulation, inflammation, and endothelial processes. The purpose of this study was to analyze the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the plasma of patients with DIC in order to compare the measured levels with those from healthy individuals, draw correlations, and provide a basis for further biomarker panel development. The inflammatory biomarkers interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon (IFN) γ, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and epidermal growth factor (EGF) showed significant ( P < .05) elevation in patients with DIC. Interestingly, while numerous correlations were present between IL-β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, MCP-1, and many of the inflammatory cytokines measured, VEGF and EGF exhibited much less extensive correlation, suggesting that their involvement in DIC may be independent of the other investigated inflammatory markers.
Mesial temporal lobe and subcortical grey matter volumes differentially predict memory across stages of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Sumowski James F , Leavitt Victoria M , Rocca Maria A , Inglese Matilde , Riccitelli Gianna , Buyukturkoglu Korhan , Meani Alessandro , Filippi Massimo
Published: May 2017

Background/Objective:

Memory deficits due to multiple sclerosis (MS) have been variably linked to lower subcortical grey matter (SCGM) and mesial temporal lobe (MTL) volumes. We investigated which is the better predictor and whether this changes across disease stages.

Methods/Results:

Memory was assessed in 315 patients. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measured volumes of total brain, grey matter, white matter, MTL (hippocampus, amygdala) and SCGM (thalamus, caudate). MTL predicted memory in the total sample and in patients with earlier (<10 years) or later (⩾10 years) relapsing disease. SCGM (specifically thalamus) predicted memory in progressive patients.

Conclusions:

Neuroanatomical correlates of memory deficits differ across disease stages.
Picasso's masks: Tracing the flow of cultural memory
Authors: Brockmeier Jens
Published: May 2017

The article highlights three features of a cultural or sociocultural notion of remembering and forgetting: mnemonic artifacts, the sign-mediated or semiotic fabric of memories, and the inherently social and cultural nature of individual remembering. The gist of the paper is concerned with the third feature, outlining the interwovenness of individual and collective (or social or cultural) memories. To explain this argument, a case study is presented that draws on a key work of modern art, Picasso's painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon ( The young ladies of Avignon), unfolding its multi-layered history of individual and collective memories.
False memories and real epistemic problems
Authors: Brown Steven D , Reavey Paula
Published: May 2017

The dichotomy between ‘truth’ and ‘falsity’ in relation to memory is difficult to clearly sustain. The veridicality of memory is typically established by drawing on the local, normative procedures that operate in a given setting (e.g. legal, clinical, social). Since all procedures are strictly relative, all memories are technically either ‘relatively falsified’ or ‘relatively as-yet-unfalsified’. False memory studies claim to be able explain the production of false memories, but do not offer criterion to effectively differentiate populations of so-called ‘true’ and ‘false’ victims. The narrative of the discovery of the ‘false memories’ themselves is inconsistent and demonstrates a significant level of imagination inflation and suggestibility to dominant narratives in post-war psychology. In attending to the setting specificity of memory, researchers may wish to consider how their work impacts on the experience–ecologies to which they contribute.
Bullying-related behaviour in adolescents with autism: Links with autism severity and emotional and behavioural problems
Authors: Fink Elian , Olthof Tjeert , Goossens Frits , van der Meijden Sandra , Begeer Sander
Published: May 2017

This study examined the association between peer-reported bullying-related behaviours (bully, victim, outsider and defender), age, gender, autism severity and teacher-rated emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, using a multi-informant approach. The sample comprised 120 adolescents (11% girls, Mage = 15.6 years, standard deviation = 1.89 years) attending a special school for children with autism. Results show that bullying decreased with age and was associated with behavioural problems, while victimisation was only associated with peer problems – a pattern of results comparable to studies exploring these associations in typically developing children. However, there were few associations among study variables for outsider or defender behaviours in this sample. Notably, children’s autism severity did not significantly predict bullying-related behaviours.
A community-based qualitative study of intergenerational resilience with Palestinian refugee families facing structural violence and historical trauma
Authors: Atallah Devin G.
Published: May 2017

The purpose of this study was to explore resilience processes in Palestinian refugee families living under Israeli occupation for multiple generations. Qualitative methods, critical postcolonial theories, and community-based research approaches were used to examine intergenerational protective practices and to contribute to reconceptualizations of resilience from indigenous perspectives. First, the researcher developed a collaborative partnership with a nongovernmental organization (NGO) in a UN refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Then, with the support of this NGO, semistructured group and individual interviews were completed with a total of 30 participants ( N = 30) ranging in age from 18 to 90 years old coming from 5 distinct extended family networks. Using grounded theory situational analysis, the findings were organized in a representation entitled Palestinian Refugee Family Trees of Resilience (PRFTR). These findings explain resilience in terms of three interrelated themes: (a) Muqawama/resistance to military siege and occupation; (b) Awda/return to cultural roots despite historical and ongoing settler colonialism; and (c) Sumoud/perseverance through daily adversities and accumulation of trauma. The study findings shed light on how Palestinian families cultivate positive adaptation across generations and highlight how incorporating community-based perspectives on the historical trauma and violent social conditions of everyday life under occupation may be critical for promoting resilience. Results may be relevant to understanding the transgenerational transmission of trauma and resilience within other displaced communities internationally.
Solving which trilemma? The many interpretations of equality, Pareto, and freedom of occupational choice
Authors: Olson Kristi A
Published: May 2017

According to the trilemma claim, we cannot have all three of equality, Pareto, and freedom of occupational choice. In response to the trilemma, John Rawls famously sacrificed equality by introducing incentives. In contrast, GA Cohen and others argued that we can, in fact, have all three provided that individuals are properly motivated by an egalitarian ethos. The incentives debate, then, concerns the plausibility of the ethos solution versus the plausibility of the incentives solution. Considerable ink has been spilled on both sides of the debate. Yet, in this essay, I argue that we cannot have this debate until we clarify the terms. Once we clarify the terms, however, we might discover that there is no debate to be had. This is because, depending on how equality, Pareto, and freedom of occupational choice are interpreted, there might not be a trilemma in the first place. Specifically, I use a small but crucial distinction in how equality, the egalitarian ethos, and Pareto are assessed – what I call the internal/external distinction – to disentangle the various paths each solution – the ethos or incentives – could take. I conclude that both solutions have gained illicit plausibility by virtue of not keeping the distinction straight.
Cracking the cultural code
Authors: Shah Dhara , Barker Michelle
Published: May 2017

The growth of Indian Information Technology (IT) sector has resulted in many Indian IT expatriates conducting projects at international client sites. Yet little is known about the sociocultural communication challenges these expatriates encounter. Adopting a qualitative, interpretive approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 47 Indian IT expatriates at client sites in Australia. The cultural validation and sociocultural competencies framework of the Excellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership Intercultural Skills Program was used to analyse expatriates’ workplace interactions. Respondents reported a lack of understanding of the ‘unwritten’ sociocultural communication rules in Australia. Communication differences contributed to their frustrations and dissatisfaction during expatriation. Insights into Indian IT expatriates’ experiences of negotiating communication competencies abroad can inform cross-cultural management scholarship and cross-cultural training. Making cultural norms explicit by embedding a cultural learning framework in cross-cultural training programs can contribute to productive, culturally diverse workplaces. The findings may provide fresh perspectives for organizations who prepare or receive expatriates, especially Indian professionals on assignment in Australia or other western countries.
Lacerations of the Soul: Rejection-Sensitive Business School Faculty and Perceived Publication Performance
Authors: Day Nancy E. , Porter Tracy H.
Published: May 2017

Work-related rejections, such as missing a promotion, failing to land a job, losing a client, or having a paper rejected, are common work experiences, and for some, such disappointments could be debilitating. Extensive psychological research shows rejection sensitivity negatively affects interpersonal relationships, but how it relates to work attitudes and behaviors has not been examined, and this study is the first to apply rejection sensitivity in a work setting. Using a cross-sectional sample of 339 tenured/tenure-track business faculty, we use need-to-belong and social identity theoretical approaches to examine how work-related rejection sensitivity predicts publication performance, coping style, and professional commitment. Findings show rejection-sensitive faculty report lower publication performance (in effort and quantity) and are less likely to use positive coping strategies. Although rejection sensitivity did not predict professional commitment, rejection-sensitive faculty who reported better publication performance were higher in professional commitment than rejection-sensitive faculty who reported lower performance. Based on these findings, we hope to improve academic leaders’ understanding that some otherwise qualified faculty will be more affected by rejection than others. Taking proactive stances to ensure these faculty are prepared to deal effectively with rejection through interventions such as mentoring and training would enhance the chances that all qualified faculty will succeed in the long term.
Anomalous Origin of Right Coronary Artery From Left Coronary Sinus—13 Cases Treated With the Reimplantation Technique
Authors: Cubero Alain , Crespo Alejandro , Hamzeh Gadah , Cortes Andrés , Rivas Daniel , Aramendi José Ignacio
Published: May 2017

Objectives:

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery is uncommon but potentially clinically significant. Manifestations vary from asymptomatic patients to those who present with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, syncope, arrhythmias, and sudden death. We describe our experience with surgical reimplantation and results at midterm follow-up.

Methods:

Between February 2003 and July 2016, a total of 13 patients with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the left sinus underwent surgical reimplantation.

Results:

Mean age was 39 years (range, 11-72 years). Eight patients presented with dyspnea and angina, two with acute myocardial infarction, and the remaining three were studied for atypical chest pain and ventricular premature contractions. Definitive diagnosis was achieved with coronary angiography in eight cases and with computed tomography scan in five. In all cases, the anomalous origin of the RCA from the left sinus had an intramural course except one case with interarterial (but not intramural) course. At operation, the RCA was dissected at the takeoff from the intramural course and reimplanted into the right sinus of Valsalva. There was no mortality. One patient had associated atherosclerotic coronary artery disease that required stent placement postoperatively. After a mean follow-up of 65 months (maximum 12 years), all patients are asymptomatic and have returned to exercise without limitations.

Conclusions:

The reimplantation technique provides a good physiological and anatomical repair, eliminates a slit-like ostium, avoids compression of the coronary artery between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, and gives similar results to the unroofing technique.
Hybrid Palliation for Interrupted Aortic Arch With Small Aortic Valve
Authors: Uno Yoshimasa , Masuoka Ayumu , Hotoda Kentarou , Katogi Toshiyuki , Suzuki Takaaki
Published: May 2017

Objectives:

Open heart surgery for interrupted aortic arch in the neonatal period is still a high-risk procedure related in part to patient factors such as low birth weight, other morphologic anomalies, and, especially, small aortic valve size. Recently, we performed hybrid palliation with bilateral pulmonary artery banding and ductal stenting as the first-stage palliation for such cases. In this study, the outcomes of this procedure were examined.

Methods:

Six cases of interrupted aortic arch with a small aortic valve underwent the hybrid procedure in the neonatal period in our institute from 2010 to 2015 (mean age: 6.8 days, mean body weight: 3.2 kg, mean z score of the aortic valve annulus: −8.3). Their postoperative clinical courses and results of the second-stage surgery were evaluated.

Results:

No mortality or severe morbidity was seen in association with initial hybrid palliation. Five of six patients were discharged from the hospital; the one exception had a significant urinary tract anomaly. None needed an additional catheter intervention or surgical procedure postoperatively. All surviving patients underwent second-stage surgery; three had biventricular repair by the conventional method or Damus-Kaye-Stansel anastomosis with the Rastelli procedure and the other three proceeded toward staged Fontan reconstruction. Growth of the aortic valve was seen in four patients, and increased indexed left ventricle volume was recognized in one after the palliation.

Conclusion:

Hybrid palliation could be useful not only to avoid high-risk neonatal surgery but also to allow for eventual selection of the second-stage surgery based on the observations of potential interval development of left ventricular structures.
Medial Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in Patients With Medial Knee Instability: A Systematic Review
Authors: Varelas Antonios N. , Erickson Brandon J. , Cvetanovich Gregory L. , Bach Bernard R.
Published: May 2017

Background:

The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is the most frequently injured ligament of the knee, but it infrequently requires surgical treatment. Current literature on MCL reconstructions is sparse and offers mixed outcome measures.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of isolated MCL reconstruction and multiligamentous MCL reconstruction. Our hypothesis was that in selective patients, MCL reconstruction would significantly improve objective and subjective patient knee performance measures, those being baseline valgus laxity, range of motion, objective and subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores, Tegner score, and Lysholm knee activity scores.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and utilizing 3 computer-based databases. Studies reporting clinical outcomes of patients undergoing MCL reconstruction due to chronic instability or injury with mean follow-up of at least 2 years and levels of evidence 1 to 4 were eligible for inclusion. All relevant subject demographics and study data were statistically analyzed using 2-sample and 2-proportion z tests.

Results:

Ten studies involving 275 patients met our inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 46 underwent isolated MCL reconstruction while another 229 underwent reconstruction of the MCL in addition to a variety of concomitant reconstructions. Overall outcomes for all patients were significant for (1) reducing the medial opening of the knee (8.1 ± 1.3 vs 1.4 ± 1.0 mm; P < .001), (2) improving the patient’s objective IKDC score (1.2% vs 88.4%; P < .001), (3) improving the patient’s subjective IKDC score (49.8 ± 6.9 vs 82.4 ± 9.6; P < .001), and (4) improving the Lysholm knee activity score (69.3 ± 5.9 vs 90.5 ± 6.6; P < .001). No differences existed between concomitant reconstruction groupings except that postoperative Lysholm scores were better for MCL/anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction than MCL/posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (94.3 ± 4.5 vs 84.0 ± 11.7; P < .001). Normal or nearly normal range of motion was obtained by 88% of all patients.

Conclusion:

The systematic review of 10 studies and 275 knees found that the reported patient outcomes after MCL reconstruction were significantly improved across all measures studied, with no significant difference in outcomes between concomitant reconstructions.
Incontinence and Nocturia in Older Adults After Hip Fracture: Analysis of a Secondary Outcome for a Parallel Group, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Zusman Enav Z. , McAllister Megan M. , Chen Peggy , Guy Pierre , Hanson Heather M. , Merali Khalil , Brasher Penelope M. A. , Cook Wendy L. , Ashe Maureen C.
Published: May 2017

Objective: To test the effect of a follow-up clinic on urinary incontinence (UI) and nocturia among older adults with hip fracture. Method: Fifty-three older adults (≥65 years) 3 to 12 months following hip fracture were enrolled and randomized to receive usual care plus the intervention (B4), or usual care (UC) only. The B4 group received management by health professionals, with need-based referrals. UI, nocturia, and quality of life were measured with questionnaires at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Results: There were 48 participants included in this analysis, and at baseline, 44% of study participants self-reported UI. At final assessment, six out of 24 B4 participants and 12 out of 24 UC participants reported UI. Four out of five study participants reported nocturia at baseline; this did not decrease during the study. Discussion: Following hip fracture, many older adults report UI and most report nocturia. Health professionals should be aware of the high occurrence of urinary symptoms among older adults post hip fracture.
Early Head Start, Pediatric Dental Use, and Oral Health–Related Quality of Life
Authors: Burgette J.M. , Preisser J.S. , Weinberger M. , King R.S. , Rozier R.G.
Published: May 2017

The objective of the study was to examine the mediating effect of child dental use on the effectiveness of North Carolina Early Head Start (EHS) in improving oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL). In total, 479 parents of children enrolled in EHS and 699 parents of Medicaid-matched children were interviewed at baseline when children were approximately 10 mo old and 24 mo later. In this quasi-experimental study, mediation analysis was performed using the counterfactual framework analysis, which employed 2 logit models with random effects: 1) for the mediator as a function of the treatment and covariates and 2) for the outcome as a function of the treatment, mediator, and covariates. The covariates were baseline dental OHRQoL, dental need, survey language, and a propensity score. We used in-person computer-assisted, structured interviews to collect information on demographic characteristics and dental use and to administer the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale, a measure of OHRQoL. Dental use had a mediation effect in the undesired direction with a 2–percentage point increase in the probability of any negative impact to OHRQoL (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3%–3.9%). Even with higher dental use by EHS participants, the probability of any negative impact to OHRQoL was approximately 8 percentage points lower if an individual were moved from the non-EHS group to the EHS group (95% CI, −13.9% to −1.2%). EHS increases child dental use, which worsens family OHRQoL. However, EHS is associated with improved OHRQoL overall.

Knowledge Transfer Statement: Study results can inform policy makers that comprehensive early childhood education programs improve oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL) for disadvantaged families with young children in pathways outside of clinical dental care. This awareness and its promotion can lead to greater resource investments in early childhood education programs. Information about the negative impacts of dental use on OHRQoL should lead to the development and testing of strategies in dentistry and Early Head Start to improve dental care experiences.
Lower Extremity Arterial Duplex, Toe-Brachial Index, and Computed Tomography Angiography Examinations in Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Case Presentation
Authors: Viduetsky Alexander , Benedict Matthew
Published: May 2017

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) commonly results from progressive narrowing of arteries in the extremities because of atherosclerosis. More than 8 million people in the United States have PAD. The majority of individuals with PAD are seniors with one or more cardiovascular disease risk factors. Because patients with PAD may be asymptomatic, the true incidence of PAD may be underreported. Accurate and timely diagnosis of PAD is very important for optimal treatment.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme enhances the oxidative response and bactericidal activity of neutrophils
Authors: Khan Zakir , Shen Xiao Z. , Bernstein Ellen A. , Giani Jorge F. , Eriguchi Masahiro , Zhao Tuantuan V. , Gonzalez-Villalobos Romer A. , Fuchs Sebastien , Liu George Y. , Bernstein Kenneth E.
Published: May 2017

Key Points

ACE plays an important physiological role in neutrophil antibacterial activity. ACE upregulation in mice neutrophils strongly enhances bactericidal activity via increased reduced NAD phosphate oxidase production of ROS.
Circulating soluble P-selectin must dimerize to promote inflammation and coagulation in mice
Authors: Panicker Sumith R. , Mehta-D’souza Padmaja , Zhang Nan , Klopocki Arkadiusz G. , Shao Bojing , McEver Rodger P.
Published: May 2017

Key Points

Circulating sP-selectin shed from cell surfaces must dimerize to promote inflammation or coagulation. Circulating sP-selectin is a consequence rather than a cause of cardiovascular disease.
Multidisciplinary evaluation of interstitial lung diseases: current insights
Authors: Walsh Simon L.F.
Published: May 2017

Multidisciplinary team (MDT) diagnosis is regarded as the diagnostic reference standard for interstitial lung disease (ILD). Several studies have reported that MDT diagnosis is associated with higher levels of diagnostic confidence and better interobserver agreement when compared to the individual components of the MDT in isolation. Although this recommendation is widely accepted, no guideline statement specifies what constitutes an MDT meeting and how its participants should govern it. Furthermore, the precise role of an MDT meeting in the setting of ILD may vary from one group to another. For example, in some cases, the meeting will confine its discussion to characterising the disease and formulating diagnosis. In others, management decisions may also be part of the discussion. Surprisingly, there is no consensus on how MDT diagnosis is validated. As multidisciplinary evaluation contains all the available clinical information on an individual patient, there is no reference standard against which the veracity of MDT diagnosis can be tested. Finally, many of these uncertainties surrounding MDT meeting practice are unlikely to be answered by traditional evidence-based studies, which create difficulties when generating guideline recommendations. There is clearly a need for expert consensus on what constitutes acceptable MDT meeting practice. This consensus will need to be flexible to accommodate the variability in resources available to fledgling MDT groups and the variable nature of patients requiring discussion.
A systematic review of overlapping microRNA patterns in systemic sclerosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Bagnato Gianluca , Roberts William Neal , Roman Jesse , Gangemi Sebastiano
Published: May 2017

Lung fibrosis can be observed in systemic sclerosis and in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, two disorders where lung involvement carries a poor prognosis. Although much has been learned about the pathogenesis of these conditions, interventions capable of reversing or, at the very least, halting disease progression are not available. Recent studies point to the potential role of micro messenger RNAs (microRNAs) in cancer and tissue fibrogenesis. MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNA sequences (20–23 nucleotides) that are endogenous, evolutionarily conserved and encoded in the genome. By acting on several genes, microRNAs control protein expression. Considering the above, we engaged in a systematic review of the literature in search of overlapping observations implicating microRNAs in the pathogenesis of both idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). Our objective was to uncover top microRNA candidates for further investigation based on their mechanisms of action and their potential for serving as targets for intervention against lung fibrosis. Our review points to microRNAs of the -29 family, -21-5p and -92a-3p, -26a-5p and let-7d-5p as having distinct and counter-balancing actions related to lung fibrosis. Based on this, we speculate that readjusting the disrupted balance between these microRNAs in lung fibrosis related to SSc and IPF may have therapeutic potential.
Navigating the challenges of digital health innovation: considerations and solutions in developing online and smartphone-application-based interventions for mental health disorders
Authors: Hill Claire , Martin Jennifer L. , Thomson Simon , Scott-Ram Nick , Penfold Hugh , Creswell Cathy
Published: May 2017

This article presents an analysis of challenges and considerations when developing digital mental health innovations. Recommendations include collaborative working between clinicians, researchers, industry and service users in order to successfully navigate challenges and to ensure e-therapies are engaging, acceptable, evidence based, scalable and sustainable.
KIR3DL1/HLA-B Subtypes Govern Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Relapse After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Authors: Boudreau Jeanette E. , Giglio Fabio , Gooley Ted A. , Stevenson Philip A. , Le Luduec Jean-Benoît , Shaffer Brian C. , Rajalingam Raja , Hou Lihua , Hurley Carolyn Katovich , Noreen Harriet , Reed Elaine F. , Yu Neng , Vierra-Green Cynthia , Haagenson Michael , Malkki Mari , Petersdorf Effie W. , Spellman Stephen , Hsu Katharine C.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Disease relapse remains a major challenge to successful outcomes in patients who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Donor natural killer (NK) cell alloreactivity in HCT can control leukemic relapse, but capturing alloreactivity in HLA-matched HCT has been elusive. HLA expression on leukemia cells—upregulated in the post-HCT environment—signals for NK cell inhibition via inhibitory killer immunoglobulin-like (KIR) receptors and interrupts their antitumor activity. We hypothesized that varied strengths of inhibition among subtypes of the ubiquitous KIR3DL1 and its cognate ligand, HLA-B, would titrate NK reactivity against acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).

Patients and Methods

By using an algorithm that was based on polymorphism-driven expression levels and specificities, we predicted and tested inhibitory and cytotoxic NK potential on the basis of KIR3DL1/HLA-B subtype combinations in vitro and evaluated their impact in 1,328 patients with AML who underwent HCT from 9/10 or 10/10 HLA-matched unrelated donors.

Results

Segregated by KIR3DL1 subtype, NK cells demonstrated reproducible patterns of strong, weak, or noninhibition by target cells with defined HLA-B subtypes, which translated into discrete cytotoxic hierarchies against AML. In patients, KIR3DL1 and HLA-B subtype combinations that were predictive of weak inhibition or noninhibition were associated with significantly lower relapse (hazard ratio [HR], 0.72; P = .004) and overall mortality (HR, 0.84; P = .030) compared with strong inhibition combinations. The greatest effects were evident in the high-risk group of patients with all KIR ligands (relapse: HR, 0.54; P < .001; and mortality: HR, 0.74; P < .008). Beneficial effects of weak and noninhibiting KIR3DL1 and HLA-B subtype combinations were separate from and additive to the benefit of donor activating KIR2DS1.

Conclusion

Consideration of KIR3DL1-mediated inhibition in donor selection for HLA-matched HCT may achieve superior graft versus leukemia effects, lower risk for relapse, and an increase in survival among patients with AML.
Unique cell biological profiles of retinal disease-causing missense mutations in the polarity protein Crumbs
Authors: Pellikka Milena , Tepass Ulrich
Published: May 2017

Mutations in human crumbs 1 (CRB1) are a major cause of retinal diseases that lead to blindness. CRB1 is a transmembrane protein found in the inner segment of photoreceptor cells (PRCs) and the apical membrane of Müller glia. The function of the extracellular region of CRB1 is poorly understood, although more than 80 disease-causing missense mutations have been mapped to it. We have recreated four of these mutations, affecting different extracellular domains, in Drosophila Crumbs (Crb). Crb regulates epithelial polarity and growth, and contributes to PRC differentiation and survival. The mutant Crb isoforms showed a remarkable diversity in protein abundance, subcellular distribution and ability to rescue the lack of endogenous Crb, elicit a gain-of-function phenotype or promote PRC degeneration. Interestingly, although expression of mutant isoforms led to a substantial rescue of the developmental defects seen in crb mutants, they accelerated PRC degeneration compared to that seen in retinas that lacked Crb, indicating that the function of Crb in cellular differentiation and cell survival depends on distinct molecular pathways. Several Crb mutant proteins accumulated abnormally in the rhabdomere and affected rhodopsin trafficking, suggesting that abnormal rhodopsin physiology contributes to Crb/CRB1-associated retinal degeneration.
A Wntless–SEC12 complex on the ER membrane regulates early Wnt secretory vesicle assembly and mature ligand export
Authors: Sun Jiaxin , Yu Shiyan , Zhang Xiao , Capac Catherine , Aligbe Onyedikachi , Daudelin Timothy , Bonder Edward M. , Gao Nan
Published: May 2017

Wntless (Wls) transports Wnt molecules for secretion; however, the cellular mechanism underlying the initial assembly of Wnt secretory vesicles is still not fully defined. Here, we performed proteomic and mutagenic analyses of mammalian Wls, and report a mechanism for formation of early Wnt secretory vesicles on ER membrane. Wls forms a complex with SEC12 (also known as PREB), an ER membrane-localized guanine nucleotide-exchange factor (GEF) activator of the SAR1 (the SAR1A isoform) small GTPase. Compared to palmitoylation-deficient Wnt molecules, binding of mature Wnt to Wls increases Wls–SEC12 interaction and promotes association of Wls with SAR1, the key activator of the COPII machinery. Incorporation of Wls into this exporting ER compartment is affected by Wnt ligand binding and SEC12 binding to Wls, as well as the structural integrity and, potentially, the folding of the cytosolic tail of Wls. In contrast, Wls–SEC12 binding is stable, with the interacting interface biochemically mapped to cytosolic segments of individual proteins. Mutant Wls that fails to communicate with the COPII machinery cannot effectively support Wnt secretion. These data suggest that formation of early Wnt secretory vesicles is carefully regulated to ensure proper export of functional ligands.
Prologue
Authors: Bates David
Published: May 2017

This introductory chapter details the background context behind the making of this book, from the author's motivations and influences to the approaches taken in writing the storied history of William the Conqueror. As well, the chapter dwells on the issues surrounding such a biography of William the Conqueror—William's life has always been, and will forever remain, a morally difficult subject. It brought about massive changes, but it did so at the expense of thousands of lives and was the cause of much misery. The chapter also sets out the framework for contextualising William's life within the Norman Conquest and the broader history of Europe.
The First Years
Authors: Bates David
Published: May 2017

This chapter discusses the birth of William the Conqueror, his childhood, as well as his family and the larger historical context in which he would grow up in. The son of Robert, duke of Normandy, and Herleva, his concubine, the chapter reveals the careful arrangements surrounding the child William, who was brought up to expect an aristocratic lifestyle which likewise heralded an era of political uncertainty. The chapter first delves into the matter of William's parentage before turning to the rule of Duke Robert and his influences in his son's life. It also looks into the court intrigues which served to highlight William's political importance growing up.
The Making of a Reputation
Authors: Bates David
Published: May 2017

This chapter examines the implications of the absence of any record of direct contact between William and Edward the Confessor after the autumn of 1052 until Harold II's visit to Normandy in 1064. It explores the political undercurrents that might have been taking shape during this period and what William's preoccupations might have been as tensions lingered over the succession question in England. The chapter asserts that these years must have been the time when he made the reputation on which the massive support he received in 1066 was founded. Alongside the deaths of the two northern French rulers most obviously capable of restraining him, this period also marked further developments in William's political trajectory which helped to further cement his reputation during the 1060s and beyond.
The Year of Victory
Authors: Bates David
Published: May 2017

This chapter chronicles the Battle of Hastings, with remarks on the proliferation of literature produced after the battle. This almost frenetic productivity, the chapter shows, makes the interpretation of the year 1066 and the years that followed different from that of any other period of William's life. Much that we rely on to provide our evidence was forged in the crucibles of victory and defeat and must be read with this in mind. For William, this was the year of the great victory and, in William of Malmesbury's famous words, ‘the day of destiny for England, a fatal disaster for our dear country’. The shaping of the invasion and its consequences for the decisions and events that followed are central to William's historical reputation.
King of the English
Authors: Bates David
Published: May 2017

This chapter examines a turning point in English history, following William's conquest of England and his coronation. His coronation not only had profound implications for England and the British Isles, but also for the histories of Normandy, France, Scandinavia, and Europe. Those alive on Christmas Day 1066 who speculated on the likely future would have been well aware of all this, but naturally quite unable to see the course that events were going to take. They certainly would not have known they were at the start of a process that can be traced fully, but not comprehensively, through Domesday Book's testimony, namely, the decimation of the fortunes of the native English aristocracy. This chapter thus foregrounds the context within which William conducted his kingship.
Dictatorship of Dread
Authors: Baberowski Jörg
Published: May 2017

This chapter describes Stalinism as a dictatorship of dread. It shows how Joseph Stalin's slave state destroyed and uprooted millions in a series of violent interventions that showed no regard for either human lives or dignity. Kolkhoz peasants were bound to the land, while draconian disciplinary laws tied workers to the factories. The Bolsheviks' public sphere left few possibilities for eluding the Stalinist regime's prescribed rituals and rules of language. This chapter also considers how Stalin used violence to subjugate even the elite of the Bolshevik Party, along with his destruction of the Communist Party, his annihilation of the army officer corps, and the self-destruction of the state apparatus because of his reign of terror. Finally, it emphasizes Stalin's omnipotence as a ruthless despot, his implementation of a system of mass murder, the end of mass terror, and the different situations of violence during his rule.
“Pick the Flowers while They’re in Bloom”
Authors: Heinzen James
Published: May 2017

Chapter 2 shifts the focus to bribery among law enforcement and criminal justice officials. The enormous number of arrests for nonpolitical crimes, and the influx of those cases into the courts, provides context for an upsurge of deal making in the overwhelmed legal agencies. Arrests gave rise to appeals, protests, and complaints. The sheer volume of cases created opportunity for judges and prosecutors to accept illicit gifts in exchange for reducing sentences or reviewing decisions, if they were willing to take the risk. In this sense, Stalin’s crackdown on the theft of “socialist property,” profiteering, and other economic and property crimes unexpectedly increased the prospects for offering and accepting bribes. Many petitioners, having lost confidence in the official channels, turned to potentially dangerous deals with officials.
“The Word ‘Bribe’ Was Never Mentioned”
Authors: Heinzen James
Published: May 2017

The third chapter turns to an examination of popular perceptions of the bribe, situating the practice within traditions of gift-giving to officials. Chapter 3 argues that it is productive to evaluate bribery as a type of negotiation shaped by personal and collective values, rather than simply as a contemptible act to be condemned morally. As such, the scope of actions labeled as “bribery” in this study is framed not exclusively by the Soviet criminal code but also by the outlooks, customs, social obligations, and practices of petitioners and officials. The chapter explores the micro-level of everyday interactions. How did people decide who to give gifts to? What kinds of assumptions did they bring to the negotiations? And how did petitioners and officials justify their actions, both as givers and as acceptors of gifts?
Military Justice at the Intersection of Counterrevolution and Corruption
Authors: Heinzen James
Published: May 2017

This chapter concludes that it was precisely in this period of postwar Stalinism that the party perfected the accusation of bribery as a weapon. Accusations of bribery became a non-violent tool to disgrace people in the post-mass-terror state. After the war, accusation of graft, one of the mundane realities of Russian life for centuries, became one of the party and procuracy’s preferred methods of targeting the leading legal institutions and other agencies and individuals. High court judges were accused not of political crimes under article 58 but of regular white-collar crimes. This change was something of an innovation in Stalinism. An accusation of corruption was an effective way of destroying a party member. The Procuracy sought evidence that would discredit judges both professionally—through accusations of selling their office, and personally—through accusations of “clannishness,” sexual “deviance,” or other moral corruption. In the absence of the pre-war practice of using of violence to punish entire categories of imagined criminals after the war, accusations of bribery served a critical purpose; not just to discredit people as trustworthy representatives of Soviet power, but also to destroy them as carriers of revolutionary truth. Bribery was a most effective charge, because its moral and political disgrace was total; it implied the corruption of the whole person. This chapter examines a bribery scandal in the Military Collegium and the military tribunals.
The Death of a Judge
Authors: Heinzen James
Published: May 2017

Prosecutors charged top judges serving in the supreme courts of the USSR and, the Russian, Ukrainian, and Georgian republics, as well as the Moscow City Court, and judges serving in several other important regional courts. The investigations were conducted completely in secret; neither the charges nor the associated trials were ever mentioned in the press. An exploration of these cases links an investigation of Stalinist high politics with an inquiry into the construction of narratives of corruption and deviance, and the repression of the judiciary after the war. What can the prosecution of prominent jurists tell us about the politics of fighting corruption and the methods of the regime in the late Stalin period? “The Affair of the High Courts,” as I call it, was a critical dimension of a postwar attack on the Soviet courts, carried out by the USSR Procuracy and the Central Committee Secretariat, most likely on the orders of Stalin. This chapter uncovers the origins of the scandal. The cases involved accusations of bribery against at least two dozen judges serving in the supreme courts of the RSFSR, the USSR, Ukraine, and Georgia, the Moscow City Court, and several other high courts. The Affair marks an important but unknown episode in the history of Stalinism. The chapter argues that the investigation into these cases in the High Courts should be treated as a Late Stalinist “Affair,” in some ways similar to the Leningrad Affair, the Mingrelian Affair, and the Affair of the Jewish Fascist Committee. While all these affairs have been closely examined by scholars with good access to archives, the Affair of the Soviet High Courts has not. The scandal ultimately tainted several prominent Soviet jurists, many with international reputations,
Friends and Family
Authors: Olyan Saul M.
Published: May 2017

This chapter explores the relationship between friends and family members, including shared expectations, common obligations of kin and friends, and differing expectations and responsibilities. It considers the evidence for gradations of friendship. The friend emerges as a distinct social actor through comparison with family members.
Failed Friendship
Authors: Olyan Saul M.
Published: May 2017

This chapter explores how failed friendship is portrayed in biblical sources. It includes an examination of the topos of the disloyal friend in the psalms of individual complaint and explores the causes of failed friendship.
Friendship in Narrative
Authors: Olyan Saul M.
Published: May 2017

This chapter considers the representation of a number of friendships in biblical narrative, including those of Ruth and Naomi, Jonathan and David, Job and his three comforters, Jephthah’s daughter and her companions, and Amnon and Jonadab.