bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tribological performance evaluation and sensitivity analysis of piston ring lubricating film with deformed cylinder liner
Authors: Usman Ali , Ahmad Cheema Taqi , Woo Park Cheol
Published: April 2015

The interface between piston ring and cylinder liner is lubricated with an oil film to improve wear resistance and operating life of the engine. The high combustion pressure, variable loadings, manufacturing errors, and thermal distortions in the engine cylinder deform the cylinder liner, thus making a significant effect on the lubricant performance. To investigate the effects of cylinder liner deformation on the piston ring lubrication, a 2D model of elastohydrodynamic lubrication under fully flooded conditions was considered. Various elliptically deformed profiles of the cylinder liner were tested to evaluate conformability, lubricating film thickness, friction, power loss, and lubrication flow rate for a complete four-stroke engine cycle. Comparative analysis of the simulation results was conducted to evaluate the dependency of engine performance on deformed bore shape. Results showed that the lubricating film thickness and engine performance parameters strongly depend on the cylinder liner shape and the degree of distortion.
Transparency in search of a theory
Authors: Fenster Mark
Published: April 2015

Transparency’s importance as an administrative norm seems self-evident. Prevailing ideals of political theory stipulate that the more visible government is, the more democratic, accountable, and legitimate it appears. The disclosure of state information consistently disappoints, however: there is never enough of it, while it often seems not to produce a truer democracy, a more accountable state, better policies, and a more contented populace. This gap between theory and practice suggests that the theoretical assumptions that provide the basis for transparency are wrong. This article argues that transparency is best understood as a theory of communication that excessively simplifies and thus is blind to the complexities of the contemporary state, government information, and the public. Taking them fully into account, the article argues, should lead us to question the state’s ability to control information, which in turn should make us question not only the improbability of the state making itself visible, but also the improbability of the state keeping itself secret.
Numerical operations, transparency illusions and the datafication of governance
Authors: Hansen Hans Krause
Published: April 2015

Building on conceptual insights from the history and sociology of numbers, media and surveillance studies, and theories of governance and risk, this article analyzes the forms of transparency produced by the use of numbers in social life. It examines what it is about numbers that often makes their ‘truth claims’ so powerful, investigates the role that numerical operations play in the production of retrospective, real-time and anticipatory forms of transparency in contemporary politics and economic transactions, and discusses some of the implications resulting from the increasingly abstract and machine-driven use of numbers. It argues that the forms of transparency generated by machine-driven numerical operations open up for individual and collective practices in ways that are intimately linked to precautionary and pre-emptive aspirations and interventions characteristic of contemporary governance. As such, these numerical operations raise important political and ethical questions that deserve further conceptual and empirical scrutiny.
Timing is everything: The role of contextual and terrorism-specific factors in the sentencing outcomes of terrorist offenders
Authors: Amirault Joanna , Bouchard Martin
Published: April 2015

The punishment of terrorist offenders remains a relatively unexplored topic. Research is especially needed in the United Kingdom in light of the continued criminalization of terrorism-specific offences and the July 2005 bombings. Using a sample of terrorist offenders convicted in the United Kingdom ( n = 156), the current study examines the impact of legislative and incident-based contextual factors on sentencing outcomes. The findings indicate that changing contextual environments significantly affect sentencing outcomes, and that the effects of being adjudicated at different time points have unique implications for offenders motivated by an Islamic extremist ideology. Further, evidence of a temporal effect is uncovered, and the potential of a lingering 9/11 effect is addressed.
An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Mind–Body Interventions Targeting Sleep on Salivary Oxytocin Levels in Cancer Survivors
Authors: Lipschitz David L. , Kuhn Renee , Kinney Anita Y. , Grewen Karen , Donaldson Gary W. , Nakamura Yoshio
Published: April 2015

Cancer survivors experience high levels of distress, associated with a host of negative psychological states, including anxiety, depression, and fear of recurrence, which often lead to sleep problems and reduction in quality of life (QOL) and well-being. As a neuropeptide hormone associated with affiliation, calmness, and well-being, oxytocin may be a useful biological measure of changes in health outcomes in cancer survivors. In this exploratory study, which comprised a subset of participants from a larger study, we evaluated ( a) the feasibility and reliability of salivary oxytocin (sOT) levels in cancer survivors and ( b) the effects of 2 sleep-focused mind–body interventions, mind–body bridging (MBB) and mindfulness meditation (MM), compared with a sleep hygiene education (SHE) control, on changes in sOT levels in 30 cancer survivors with self-reported sleep disturbance. Interventions were conducted in 3 sessions, once per week for 3 weeks. Saliva samples were collected at baseline, postintervention (~1 week after the last session), and at the 2-month follow-up. In this cancer survivor group, we found that intra-individual sOT levels were fairly stable across the 3 time points, of about 3 months’ duration, and mean baseline sOT levels did not differ between females and males and were not correlated with age. Correlations between baseline sOT and self-report measures were weak; however, several of these relationships were in the predicted direction, in which sOT levels were negatively associated with sleep problems and depression and positively associated with cancer-related QOL and well-being. Regarding intervention effects on sOT, baseline-subtracted sOT levels were significantly larger at postintervention in the MBB group as compared with those in SHE. In this sample of cancer survivors assessed for sOT, at postintervention, greater reductions in sleep problems were noted for MBB and MM compared with that of SHE, and increases in mindfulness and self-compassion were observed in the MBB group compared with those in SHE. The findings in this exploratory study suggest that sOT may be a reliable biological measure over time that may provide insight into the effects of mind–body interventions on health outcomes in cancer survivors.
High-Dose Asian Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) for Cancer-Related Fatigue
Authors: Yennurajalingam Sriram , Reddy Akhila , Tannir Nizar M. , Chisholm Gary B. , Lee Richard Tsong , Lopez Gabriel , Escalante Carmen P. , Manzullo Ellen F. , Frisbee Hume Susan , Williams Janet L. , Cohen Lorenzo , Bruera Eduardo
Published: April 2015

Introduction and Objective. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common and severe symptom in patients with cancer. The number and efficacy of available treatments for CRF are limited. The objective of this preliminary study was to assess the safety of high-dose Panax ginseng (PG) for CRF. Methods. In this prospective, open-label study, 30 patients with CRF (≥4/10) received high-dose PG at 800 mg orally daily for 29 days. Frequency and type of side effects were determined by the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. Scores on the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F) scale, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were assessed at baseline, day 15, and day 29. Global Symptom Evaluation (GSE) was assessed at day 29. Results. Of the 30 patients enrolled, 24 (80%) were evaluable. The median age was 58 years; 50% were females, and 84% were white. No severe (≥grade 3) adverse events related to the study drug were reported. Of the 24 evaluable patients, 21 (87%) had an improved (by ≥3 points) FACIT-F score by day 15. The mean ESAS score (standard deviation) for well-being improved from 4.67 (2.04) to 3.50 (2.34) ( P = .01374), and mean score for appetite improved from 4.29 (2.79) to 2.96 (2.46) ( P = .0097). GSE score of PG for fatigue was ≥3 in 15/24 patients (63%) with median improvement of 5. Conclusion. PG is safe and improves CRF fatigue as well as overall quality of life, appetite, and sleep at night. Randomized controlled trials of PG for CRF are justified.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Cancer Patients in Rural Australia
Authors: Sullivan Aimee , Gilbar Peter , Curtain Colin
Published: April 2015

Aim. Numerous studies have demonstrated the high prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in metropolitan cancer cohorts but few have been conducted in regional and remote populations. This study aimed to investigate the trends and regional variations in CAM use by cancer patients at a regional cancer care center in Toowoomba, South East Queensland, Australia. Methods. All English-speaking adult cancer patients attending the regional cancer care center were invited to participate. Eligible patients were provided a self-administered questionnaire that was developed based on published surveys. Ethics approval was obtained. Results. Overall 142 patients completed the questionnaire and 68% were currently or had previously used at least one form of CAM. CAM users and nonusers did not differ significantly by region, age, gender, time since diagnosis, income, town size, treatment intent, or metastases. CAM users were more likely to have a higher level of education. Concurrent CAM use with conventional treatment was reported by approximately half of respondents. The most common reason for CAM use was “to improve general physical well-being.” The most common sources of CAM information were family (31%) and friends (29%). Disclosure of CAM use to either the general practitioner or specialist was reported by 46% and 33% of patients, respectively. The most common reason for nondisclosure was “doctor never asked.” Conclusion. This study supports previous research that CAM use is as common in regional and remote areas as metropolitan areas. Nondisclosure of CAM use to health professionals was common. Future research needs to focus on strategies to improve communication between patients and health professionals about the use of CAM.
The Parent–Peer Interface
Authors: Walters Glenn D.
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this study was to determine whether inductive parenting is capable of reducing delinquent peer influence. This hypothesis was tested using the first four waves (1976–1979) and all 1,725 (918 boys and 807 girls) members of the National Youth Survey (NYS). Inductive parenting was scored from 6 dichotomous items completed by a parent at Wave 1. Peer influence and selection were based on measures of peer and own delinquency completed by adolescent members of the NYS. As predicted, the pathway from inductive parenting to peer influence was significant and the pathway from inductive parenting to peer selection was not, although the two pathways were not significantly different from one another. These results suggest that inductive parenting exerts a small but potentially important effect on peer influence and may be one way of preventing the proactive or instrumental criminality believed to be transmitted through the peer influence process.
Effects of M3 Curriculum on Mathematics and English Proficiency Achievement of Mathematically Promising English Language Learners
Authors: Cho Seokhee , Yang Jenny , Mandracchia Marcella
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Mentoring Mathematical Minds (M3) units on gains in mathematics achievement and English proficiency of mathematically promising English language learners (MPELLs) in the third grade. The M3 program, developed by Gavin et al., was implemented for 1 year with treatment MPELLs ( n = 86) but not with comparison MPELLs ( n = 85). Treatment teachers attended 5 days of professional development provided by the program development team members. Researchers analyzed findings using hierarchical linear modeling and found that treatment students demonstrated significantly higher gains in mathematics achievement than comparison students ( d = .63), but not in English proficiency. Qualitative data focused on treatment teachers’ instructional behaviors were collected and included in considerations for high- and low-fidelity implementation with treatment students and teachers. The results supplemented the evidence that students’ achievement gains in mathematics could be from the challenging mathematics content and instructional and language scaffolding strategies within the M3 units.
Searching for Evidence-Based Practice
Authors: Missett Tracy C. , Foster Lisa H.
Published: April 2015

In an environment of accountability, the development of evidence-based practices is expected. To demonstrate that a practice is evidence based, quality indicators of rigorous methodology should be present including indications that teachers implementing an intervention have done so with fidelity to its design. Because evidence-based practices assume fidelity of implementation (FOI), failure to establish FOI limits the conclusions that can be drawn from any outcome evaluation. This study surveys the gifted education literature to ascertain the degree to which FOI has been assessed, reported, and tied to measured outcomes in curriculum intervention efficacy studies and outcome evaluations. Of the 11 curriculum intervention studies included in this survey, each addressed FOI. The nature and quality of the methods used, however, to measure FOI, as well as the degree to which fidelity data were reported, varied widely among these studies, which suggests the need for increased methodological rigor in gifted curriculum research.
Student Bodies
Authors: Adkins Timothy , England Paula , Risman Barbara J. , Ford Jessie
Published: April 2015

Using the Online College Social Life Survey, we examine whether the sex ratio of the student body of a college or university affects whether heterosexual students hook up, have relationships, have intercourse, or have attitudes favorable toward casual sex. The gendered dyadic power model predicts that, if men are more interested in having sex than women, as the ratio of women to men goes up, men will increasingly have the upper hand and more sex will occur. Consistent with the prediction, we find that where the ratio of women to men is higher, students of both sexes hook up more and accumulate more sexual partners, but inconsistent with it, students are no more likely to have intercourse in a given hookup where the ratio of women is higher.
Fitting top seal topography and CO2 layer thickness to time-lapse seismic amplitude maps at Sleipner
Authors: Kiær Anders Fredrik
Published: April 2015

Injected [Formula: see text] at the Sleipner storage site is migrating into several thin layers. Using a tuning relationship, two different layer thicknesses can give the same reflection amplitude, and it is then not possible to go from amplitudes to [Formula: see text] layer thicknesses without further constraints. Exploiting spatial and time-lapse dependencies in the reflection amplitude maps makes it possible to resolve this ambiguity and create layer thickness maps when the [Formula: see text] flow is gravity dominated. The topography of the sealing cap rock was used as an optimization parameter. Tests were done on synthetic data and real data from the Sleipner [Formula: see text] injection. The resulting topography map for the Sleipner case deviated by 5.3 m on average from simple time-depth mapping, which is within the mapping uncertainty. Although the predictive power is limited, outputs of the method can be used to check if the flow matches a gravity-dominated model or if other flow mechanisms are needed to explain the observations.
Correlation between seismic diffractions extracted from vertical seismic profiling data and borehole logging in a carbonate environment
Authors: Klokov Alexander , Irkabaev Damir , Ogiesoba Osareni C. , Munasypov Nail
Published: April 2015

Seismic diffractions may play an important role in seismic interpretation because they characterize geologic objects that might not be visible for conventional seismic attribute analysis. Diffractivity may be caused by, and consequently may define, tectonic dislocations (faults and fractures), lithologic variations, and fluid saturation within rocks. We have tied seismic diffractions extracted from vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data and borehole logging, from which we recognized the reasons that were responsible for diffractivity of the strata. First, we processed a multisource multicomponent VSP data set to extract seismic diffractions and constructed diffraction images of the strata for all three of the VSP data components. Then, we performed joint analysis of well logs and diffractions to obtain petrophysical attributes associated with diffraction images. We divided the rock succession into several units, which have different diffraction properties. We identified compacted rock, alternating intervals, isolated fractured zones, and fluid-saturated layers.
Relative Importance of the Arcuate and Anteroventral Periventricular Kisspeptin Neurons in Control of Puberty and Reproductive Function in Female Rats
Authors: Hu M. H. , Li X. F. , McCausland B. , Li S. Y. , Gresham R. , Kinsey-Jones J. S. , Gardiner J. V. , Sam A. H. , Bloom S. R. , Poston L. , Lightman S. L. , Murphy K. G. , O'Byrne K. T.
Published: April 2015

Kisspeptin plays a critical role in pubertal timing and reproductive function. In rodents, kisspeptin perikarya within the hypothalamic arcuate (ARC) and anteroventral periventricular (AVPV) nuclei are thought to be involved in LH pulse and surge generation, respectively. Using bilateral microinjections of recombinant adeno-associated virus encoding kisspeptin antisense into the ARC or AVPV of female rats at postnatal day 10, we investigated the relative importance of these two kisspeptin populations in the control of pubertal timing, estrous cyclicity, and LH surge and pulse generation. A 37% knockdown of kisspeptin in the AVPV resulted in a significant delay in vaginal opening and first vaginal estrous, abnormal estrous cyclicity, and reduction in the occurrence of spontaneous LH surges, although these retained normal amplitude. This AVPV knockdown had no effect on LH pulse frequency, measured after ovariectomy. A 32% reduction of kisspeptin in the ARC had no effect on the onset of puberty but resulted in abnormal estrous cyclicity and decreased LH pulse frequency. Additionally, the knockdown of kisspeptin in the ARC decreased the amplitude but not the incidence of LH surges. These results might suggest that the role of AVPV kisspeptin in the control of pubertal timing is particularly sensitive to perturbation. In accordance with our previous studies, ARC kisspeptin signaling was critical for normal pulsatile LH secretion in female rats. Despite the widely reported role of AVPV kisspeptin neurons in LH surge generation, this study suggests that both AVPV and ARC populations are essential for normal LH surges and estrous cyclicity.
On Admissibility of Use of the Terms "Trade Mark", "Service Mark" and "Production Mark"
Authors: Rozhkova Marina
Published: April 2015

The analysis of the Russian legal literature allowed the author to make an assumption that the Russian lawyers are too constrained in the use, alongside with the terms “trade mark” and “service mark”, of other terms indicating the varieties of such marks (“trade mark”, “service mark”, “production mark” etc). This is the consequence of the widespread assertion that only terms “trade mark” and “service mark” are appropriate for the use, as opposed to other, “illegitimate” terms. Based on the study of the domestic legislation evolution in the field of regulation of relations concerning trade marks and service marks, the author concludes that the meaning of the terms used in the legislation during various stages of its development was frequently misrepresented, because doctrinal developments (both domestic and foreign) were not employed. In conclusion of the study the author elicits that the refusal from the use of the terms in question, as well as from a detailed classification of the marks applied to goods and services, impoverishes the domestic doctrine, which needs correction.
The Impact of Judicial Practice on the Improvement of Legislation on Disciplinary Responsibility
Authors: Lomakina Lyubov
Published: April 2015

The article reviews the issues of interrelation between judicial practice and law-making process. This article aims to show the impact of the explanations of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on the law-making process which served the basis for amending the RF Labour code, and also the impact of the explanations which should be implemented through their legislative consolidation on a priority basis. The analysis of the judicial practice has shown that clarifications of the highest judicial body also promote the uniform application of the law. The legal literature reviews judicial practice as a substantial factor of legislation perfection in general and draws the conclusion about the impact of judicial practice on the improvement of the legislation on disciplinary responsibility. Further improvement of the labor legislation requires a closer connection between legislative and law enforcement authorities.
Legal Information as the Requirement for the Implementation of Modern Russian Legal Policy
Authors: Rybakov Oleg
Published: April 2015

The author considers the issues of legal information significance as the most important and necessary requirement for the formation and implementation of the modern Russian legal policy, analyzes the problems of the content and classification of legal information, provides own definitions of the modern Russian legal policy taking into account the update of various aspects of its understanding, reveals dependence of legal policy efficiency from the communication space development level, differentiates between information legal policy and communication legal policy, shows that the variety of legal policy forms (law-making, enforcement, doctrinal etc.) makes actual the importance of information that can have legal value, which requires terminological reflection of this phenomenon. The author points out that communication legal policy focuses on the creation of legal basis for the information society formation, management over the technological development of the state’s communicative space, its timely modernization and improvement, determines that information that can be of legal importance, is differentiated according to the forms of the legal policy implementation, and is updated and used with the help of legal tools and methods.
Retroactive Effect of International Treaties
Authors: Balkhaeva Sayana
Published: April 2015

The author studies the issue of retroactive effect of international treaties. The author identifies and analyzes the following types of retroactivity of international treaties: 1) an international treaty contains explicit retroactive provisions; 2) retroactive effect follows from the interpretation of treaty provisions. The performed analysis indicates that the principle of non-retroactivity is not absolute and there may be exceptions that are permitted only upon the decision of the subjects of international law. Such exceptions can be justified both by the very nature of the international treaty (interpretative agreements, which are intended to ensure interpretation of the earlier concluded treaty) and by human considerations (international treaties in the sphere of legal assistance). Retroactive effect may also be caused by additional or explanatory nature of the treaty itself, for example, when the states seek to avoid interruption in the application of the rules of two successive treaties, etc. Thus, the causes of individual cases of retroactivity of international treaties should be interpreted in each specific case depending on the will and the position of the contracting parties.
Efficiency of Understanding of Law in the Modern Legal Science
Authors: Vlasyenko Nikolay
Published: April 2015

The question of the effectiveness of the methodological foundations of the study the essence of law in modern jurisprudence is raised. It is noted that researchers often neglected ontological and epistemological requirements needed to achieve a fair result. The praxeological criterion is also not considered. As the result there is a weak argumentation, unconvincing findings and the increasing number of theories, their hybrids. The author believes that one of the criterion of efficiency is using the knowledge of the categories of uncertainty and certainty, the properties of which include tangible and intangible nature. Universality and dialectical unity of these categories is confirmed by their prevalence in the social fabric, including the law. Moreover, the universality of the categories of certainty and uncertainty is limitless and includes not only matter, but also knowledge. It is concluded that these categories are an important cognitive tool. From this perspective natural law theory, integrative theory, communicative theory are analyzed. From the perspective of uncertainty and certainty categories it is analyzed classical and modern schools of law. The author talks about legal positivism, natural law school, integrative and libertarian and communicative understanding of the essence of law, offers evaluate the productivity of theories of law by means of categories of certainty and uncertainty.
Price Commitments with Strategic Consumers: Why It Can Be Optimal to Discount More Frequently … Than Optimal
Authors: Cachon Gérard P. , Feldman Pnina
Published: April 2015

In many markets consumers incur search costs, and firms choose a long-run pricing strategy that determines how they respond to market conditions. A pricing strategy may involve commitments to take actions that do not optimize short-term revenue given the information the firm learns about demand. For example, as already suggested in the literature, the firm could commit to a single price no matter whether demand is strong or weak. We introduce a new strategy—charge a “high” price only if demand is indeed “high,” otherwise offer a discount. This strategy discounts more frequently than would maximize revenue conditional on demand. Nevertheless, the frequent discounts attract consumers. We show that (i) the discount-frequently strategy is optimal (whether capacity is adjustable or not), (ii) discount-frequently is often much better than other pricing strategies, especially if no price commitment is made, and (iii) “overbuying” capacity (e.g., inventory) to attract consumers (by signaling availability and the likelihood of discounts) is a poor strategy. Contrary to some recommendations in the literature to limit markdowns and to purchase ample capacity, our results provide support for a strategy that embraces frequent discounts and moderate capacity.
Design of Near Optimal Decision Rules in Multistage Adaptive Mixed-Integer Optimization
Authors: Bertsimas Dimitris , Georghiou Angelos
Published: April 2015

In recent years, decision rules have been established as the preferred solution method for addressing computationally demanding, multistage adaptive optimization problems. Despite their success, existing decision rules (a) are typically constrained by their a priori design and (b) do not incorporate in their modeling adaptive binary decisions. To address these problems, we first derive the structure for optimal decision rules involving continuous and binary variables as piecewise linear and piecewise constant functions, respectively. We then propose a methodology for the optimal design of such decision rules that have a finite number of pieces and solve the problem robustly using mixed-integer optimization. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods in the context of two multistage inventory control problems. We provide global lower bounds and show that our approach is (i) practically tractable and (ii) provides high quality solutions that outperform alternative methods.
Towards a critical ecology of child development in social work: aligning the theories of Bronfenbrenner and Bourdieu
Authors: Houston Stan
Published: April 2015

Bronfenbrenner’s model of bio-ecological development has been utilised widely within the social sciences, in the field of human development, and in social work. Yet, while championing the rights of marginalised families and communities, Bronfenbrenner had under-theorised the role of power, agency and structure in shaping the ‘person–context’ interrelationship, life opportunities and social wellbeing. To respond to this deficit, this article first outlines Bronfenbrenner’s ‘person, process, context and time’ model. It then seeks to loosely align aspects of Bronfenbrenner’s model with Bourdieu’s analytical categories of habitus, field and capital. It is argued that these latter categories enable social workers to develop a critical ecology of child development, taking account of power and the interplay between agency and structure. The implications of the alignment for child and family social work are considered in the final section.
On the μ-invariant of Katz p-adic L-functions attached to imaginary quadratic fields
Authors: Oukhaba Hassan , Viguié Stéphane
Published: April 2015

We extend to p = 2 and p = 3 the result of Gillard and Schneps which states that the μ-invariant of Katz p-adic L-functions attached to imaginary quadratic fields along the Coates–Wiles ℤ
p
-extension is zero for p > 3. The arithmetic interpretation of this fact is given in the introduction.
Identity work and face work across linguistic and cultural boundaries
Authors: Joseph John E.
Published: April 2015

Identity and face are each an imagining of the self, or of another, within a public sphere involving multiple actors. Because they have come into language and discourse research from different directions, researchers frame them in such a way that they can seem only tangentially related. This article examines what binds and distinguishes them, by approaching a set of conversational data – all from Scotland, yet crossing perceived cultural and linguistic boundaries – from the point of view of both the face work and the identity work undertaken by the participants. Identity and face are often taken as representing durative and punctual ways of looking at the same phenomena. Yet explanations of punctual actions and events always have recourse to durative characteristics of those who perform them; and evidence for those durative characteristics is drawn from the punctual actions and events interpreted as embodying and indexing them. This complexity is multiplied by that of the different scales on which face and identity are observed and indexed.
“Mind your own esteemed business”: Sarcastic honorifics use and impoliteness in Korean TV dramas
Authors: Brown Lucien
Published: April 2015

Honorifics have traditionally been analyzed as markers of “deference” and have been connected with positive values such as “respect”, “dignity” and “elegance”. However, in this paper, I demonstrate that these readings only apply to normative and stereotypical patterns of honorifics use. When applied in other contexts, where their use is not normally expected, honorifics take on different social meanings, including sarcasm. Through the analysis of Korean television dramas, I show that sarcastic applications of honorifics may be applied both for “mock” impoliteness and “genuine” face-threatening impoliteness. Although these sarcastic usages occur most frequently between intimates (i.e., where the use of honorifics is marked), there also exist devices for being sarcastic towards adult strangers (even though in such contexts honorifics may be considered unmarked and normative). Crucially, my examples demonstrate that honorifics may communicate sarcasm in and of themselves. This sarcastic meaning is strongest when honorifics are applied in ways that remains “relevant”; in other words, when they make reference to knowledge or social norms shared by the community of practice. The findings confirm once and for all that honorifics are not “deferential” in an absolute sense. More broadly, the paper clarifies the position of sarcasm and irony within impoliteness theory.
‘Maybe she just hasn’t matured yet’: Politeness, gate-keeping and the maintenance of status quo in a community of practice
Authors: Clark Jodie
Published: April 2015

Politeness research has much to offer work that explores the complexities of gate-keeping in a community of practice. In this article I draw upon principles and terminology from politeness research to explore the tension that arises when members of a particular community of practice (a university field hockey team) who are morally opposed to homosexuality are confronted with the fact that some of their teammates are openly gay. This line of investigation relies upon a redefinition of politeness2: I define politeness2 as the moral compulsion to respect the boundaries around different levels of social structure, which include (but are not limited to) sets of attitudes, perspectives and priorities. In the hockey players’ community of practice, two moral priorities are in conflict: an aversion to homosexuality on the one hand, and a desire for a friendly, socially inclusive club on the other. I investigate the various evaluative resources participants draw upon/produce in this community, which include evaluation schemes based upon the labels “rude” and “im/mature”. I claim that the label “im/mature” – and concepts related to this label – function in this community as a means of concealing the conflict between the two moral priorities and maintaining a commitment to both.
Chronic Nicotine Activates Stress/Reward-Related Brain Regions and Facilitates the Transition to Compulsive Alcohol Drinking
Authors: Leão Rodrigo M. , Cruz Fábio C. , Vendruscolo Leandro F. , de Guglielmo Giordano , Logrip Marian L. , Planeta Cleopatra S. , Hope Bruce T. , Koob George F. , George Olivier
Published: April 2015

Alcohol and nicotine are the two most co-abused drugs in the world. Previous studies have shown that nicotine can increase alcohol drinking in nondependent rats, yet it is unknown whether nicotine facilitates the transition to alcohol dependence. We tested the hypothesis that chronic nicotine will speed up the escalation of alcohol drinking in rats and that this effect will be accompanied by activation of sparsely distributed neurons (neuronal ensembles) throughout the brain that are specifically recruited by the combination of nicotine and alcohol. Rats were trained to respond for alcohol and made dependent using chronic, intermittent exposure to alcohol vapor, while receiving daily nicotine (0.8 mg/kg) injections. Identification of neuronal ensembles was performed after the last operant session, using immunohistochemistry. Nicotine produced an early escalation of alcohol drinking associated with compulsive alcohol drinking in dependent, but not in nondependent rats (air exposed), as measured by increased progressive-ratio responding and increased responding despite adverse consequences. The combination of nicotine and alcohol produced the recruitment of discrete and phenotype-specific neuronal ensembles (∼4–13% of total neuronal population) in the nucleus accumbens core, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, central nucleus of the amygdala, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, and posterior ventral tegmental area. Blockade of nicotinic receptors using mecamylamine (1 mg/kg) prevented both the behavioral and neuronal effects of nicotine in dependent rats. These results demonstrate that nicotine and activation of nicotinic receptors are critical factors in the development of alcohol dependence through the dysregulation of a set of interconnected neuronal ensembles throughout the brain.
A New CRB1 Rat Mutation Links Müller Glial Cells to Retinal Telangiectasia
Authors: Zhao Min , Andrieu-Soler Charlotte , Kowalczuk Laura , Paz Cortés María , Berdugo Marianne , Dernigoghossian Marilyn , Halili Francisco , Jeanny Jean-Claude , Goldenberg Brigitte , Savoldelli Michèle , El Sanharawi Mohamed , Naud Marie-Christine , van Ijcken Wilfred , Pescini-Gobert Rosanna , Martinet Danielle , Maass Alejandro , Wijnholds Jan , Crisanti Patricia , Rivolta Carlo , Behar-Cohen Francine
Published: April 2015

We have identified and characterized a spontaneous Brown Norway from Janvier rat strain (BN-J) presenting a progressive retinal degeneration associated with early retinal telangiectasia, neuronal alterations, and loss of retinal Müller glial cells resembling human macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel 2), which is a retinal disease of unknown cause. Genetic analyses showed that the BN-J phenotype results from an autosomal recessive indel novel mutation in theCrb1gene, causing dislocalization of the protein from the retinal Müller glia (RMG)/photoreceptor cell junction. The transcriptomic analyses of primary RMG cultures allowed identification of the dysregulated pathways in BN-J rats compared with wild-type BN rats. Among those pathways, TGF-β and Kit Receptor Signaling, MAPK Cascade, Growth Factors and Inflammatory Pathways, G-Protein Signaling Pathways, Regulation of Actin Cytoskeleton, and Cardiovascular Signaling were found. Potential molecular targets linking RMG/photoreceptor interaction with the development of retinal telangiectasia are identified. This model can help us to better understand the physiopathologic mechanisms of MacTel 2 and other retinal diseases associated with telangiectasia.
The Upregulation of α2δ-1 Subunit Modulates Activity-Dependent Ca2+Signals in Sensory Neurons
Authors: D'Arco Marianna , Margas Wojciech , Cassidy John S. , Dolphin Annette C.
Published: April 2015

As auxiliary subunits of voltage-gated Ca2+channels, the α2δ proteins modulate membrane trafficking of the channels and their localization to specific presynaptic sites. Following nerve injury, upregulation of the α2δ-1 subunit in sensory dorsal root ganglion neurons contributes to the generation of chronic pain states; however, very little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here we show that the increased expression of α2δ-1 in rat sensory neurons leads to prolonged Ca2+responses evoked by membrane depolarization. This mechanism is coupled to CaV2.2 channel-mediated responses, as it is blocked by a ω-conotoxin GVIA application. Once initiated, the prolonged Ca2+transients are not dependent on extracellular Ca2+and do not require Ca2+release from the endoplasmic reticulum. The selective inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+uptake demonstrates that α2δ-1-mediated prolonged Ca2+signals are buffered by mitochondria, preferentially activated by Ca2+influx through CaV2.2 channels. Thus, by controlling channel abundance at the plasma membrane, the α2δ-1 subunit has a major impact on the organization of depolarization-induced intracellular Ca2+signaling in dorsal root ganglion neurons.
Impact of Maternal n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Deficiency on Dendritic Arbor Morphology and Connectivity of DevelopingXenopus laevisCentral NeuronsIn Vivo
Authors: Igarashi Miki , Santos Rommel A. , Cohen-Cory Susana
Published: April 2015

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) is an essential component of the nervous system, and maternal n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are an important source for brain development. Here, the impact of DHA on developing central neurons was examined using an accessiblein vivomodel.Xenopus laevisembryos from adult female frogs fed n-3 PUFA-adequate or deficient diets were analyzed every 10 weeks for up to 60 weeks, when frogs were then switched to a fish oil-supplemented diet. Lipid analysis showed that DHA was significantly reduced both in oocytes and tadpoles 40 weeks after deprivation, and brain DHA was reduced by 57% at 60 weeks.In vivoimaging of single optic tectal neurons coexpressing tdTomato and PSD-95-GFP revealed that neurons were morphologically simpler in tadpoles from frogs fed the deficient diet compared with the adequate diet. Tectal neurons had significantly fewer dendrite branches and shorter dendritic arbor over a 48 h imaging period. Postsynaptic cluster number and density were lower in neurons deprived of n-3 PUFA. Moreover, changes in neuronal morphology correlated with a 40% decrease in the levels of BDNF mRNA and mature protein in the brain, but not in TrkB. Importantly, switching to a fish oil-supplemented diet induced a recovery in DHA content in the frog embryos within 20 weeks and diminished the deprivation effects observed on tectal neurons of Stage 45 tadpoles. Consequently, our results indicate that DHA impacts dendrite maturation and synaptic connectivity in the developing brain, and it may be involved in neurotrophic support by BDNF.
Modulations in Oscillatory Frequency and Coupling in Globus Pallidus with Increasing Parkinsonian Severity
Authors: Connolly Allison T. , Jensen Alicia L. , Bello Edward M. , Netoff Theoden I. , Baker Kenneth B. , Johnson Matthew D. , Vitek Jerrold L.
Published: April 2015

While beta oscillations often occur within the parkinsonian basal ganglia, how these oscillations emerge from a naive state and change with disease severity is not clear. To address this question, a progressive, nonhuman primate model of Parkinson's disease was developed using staged injections of MPTP. Within each parkinsonian state (naive, mild, moderate, and severe), spontaneous local field potentials were recorded throughout the sensorimotor globus pallidus. In the naive state, beta oscillations (11–32 Hz) occurred in half of the recordings, indicating spontaneous beta oscillations in globus pallidus are not pathognomonic. Mild and moderate states were characterized by a narrower distribution of beta frequencies that shifted toward the 8–15 Hz range. Additionally, coupling between the phase of beta and the amplitude of high-frequency oscillations (256–362 Hz) emerged in the mild state and increased with severity. These findings provide a novel mechanistic framework to understand how progressive loss of dopamine translates into abnormal information processing in the pallidum through alterations in oscillatory activity. The results suggest that rather than the emergence of oscillatory activity in one frequency spectrum or the other, parkinsonian motor signs may relate more to the development of altered coupling across multiple frequency spectrums.
Subthalamic Nucleus Local Field Potential Activity Helps Encode Motor Effort Rather Than Force in Parkinsonism
Authors: Tan Huiling , Pogosyan Alek , Ashkan Keyoumars , Cheeran Binith , FitzGerald James J. , Green Alexander L. , Aziz Tipu , Foltynie Thomas , Limousin Patricia , Zrinzo Ludvic , Brown Peter
Published: April 2015

Local field potential (LFP) recordings from patients with deep brain stimulation electrodes in the basal ganglia have suggested that frequency-specific activities correlate with force or effort, but previous studies have not been able to disambiguate the two. Here, we dissociated effort from actual force generated by contrasting the force generation of different fingers while recording LFP activity from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in patients with Parkinson's disease who had undergone functional surgery. Patients were studied while on their normal dopaminergic medication. We investigated the relationship between frequency-specific oscillatory activity in the STN and voluntary flexion of either the index or little finger at different effort levels. At each tested effort level (10%, 25%, and 40% of the maximal voluntary contraction force of each individual finger), the index finger generated larger force than the little finger. Movement-related suppression of beta-band power in the STN LFP was significantly modulated by effort, but not by which finger was used, suggesting that the beta suppression in the STN LFP during sustained contraction serves as a proxy for effort. The absolute force scaled with beta power suppression, but with the scaling determined by the maximal voluntary contraction force of the motor effector. Our results argue against the hypothesis that the basal ganglia are directly involved in the parameterization of force during movement and support a role of the STN in the control of motor effort to be attributed to a response.
Arginine Deprivation and Immune Suppression in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Kan Matthew J. , Lee Jennifer E. , Wilson Joan G. , Everhart Angela L. , Brown Candice M. , Hoofnagle Andrew N. , Jansen Marilyn , Vitek Michael P. , Gunn Michael D. , Colton Carol A.
Published: April 2015

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a critical unsolved question; and although recent studies have demonstrated a strong association between altered brain immune responses and disease progression, the mechanistic cause of neuronal dysfunction and death is unknown. We have previously described the unique CVN-AD mouse model of AD, in which immune-mediated nitric oxide is lowered to mimic human levels, resulting in a mouse model that demonstrates the cardinal features of AD, including amyloid deposition, hyperphosphorylated and aggregated tau, behavioral changes, and age-dependent hippocampal neuronal loss. Using this mouse model, we studied longitudinal changes in brain immunity in relation to neuronal loss and, contrary to the predominant view that AD pathology is driven by proinflammatory factors, we find that the pathology in CVN-AD mice is driven by local immune suppression. Areas of hippocampal neuronal death are associated with the presence of immunosuppressive CD11c+microglia and extracellular arginase, resulting in arginine catabolism and reduced levels of total brain arginine. Pharmacologic disruption of the arginine utilization pathway by an inhibitor of arginase and ornithine decarboxylase protected the mice from AD-like pathology and significantly decreased CD11c expression. Our findings strongly implicate local immune-mediated amino acid catabolism as a novel and potentially critical mechanism mediating the age-dependent and regional loss of neurons in humans with AD.