bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Species separation and kinetic effects in collisional plasma shocks
Authors: Bellei C. , Rinderknecht H. , Zylstra A. , Rosenberg M. , Sio H. , Li C. K. , Petrasso R. , Wilks S. C. , Amendt P. A.
Published: May 2014

The properties of collisional shock waves propagating in uniform plasmas are studied with ion-kinetic calculations, in both slab and spherical geometry and for the case of one and two ion species. Despite the presence of an electric field at the shock front—and in contrast to the case where an interface is initially present [C. Bellei et al., Phys. Plasmas 20, 044702 (2013)]—essentially no ion reflection at the shock front is observed due to collisions, with a probability of reflection ≲10−4 for the cases presented. A kinetic two-ion-species spherical convergent shock is studied in detail and compared against an average-species calculation, confirming effects of species separation and differential heating of the ion species at the shock front. The effect of different ion temperatures on the DT and D3He fusion reactivity is discussed in the fluid limit and is estimated to be moderately important.
Kinetic mix mechanisms in shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions
Authors: Rinderknecht H. G. , Sio H. , Li C. K. , Hoffman N. , Zylstra A. B. , Rosenberg M. J. , Frenje J. A. , Gatu Johnson M. , Séguin F. H. , Petrasso R. D. , Betti R. , Yu Glebov V. , Meyerhofer D. D. , Sangster T. C. , Seka W. , Stoeckl C. , Kagan G. , Molvig K. , Bellei C. , Amendt P. , Landen O. , Rygg J. R. , Smalyuk V. A. , Wilks S. , Greenwood A. , Nikroo A.
Published: May 2014

Shock-driven implosions of thin-shell capsules, or “exploding pushers,” generate low-density, high-temperature plasmas in which hydrodynamic instability growth is negligible and kinetic effects can play an important role. Data from implosions of thin deuterated-plastic shells with hydroequivalent D3He gas fills ranging from pure deuterium to pure 3He [H. G. Rinderknecht et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 135001 (2014)] were obtained to evaluate non-hydrodynamic fuel-shell mix mechanisms. Simulations of the experiments including reduced ion kinetic models support ion diffusion as an explanation for these data. Several additional kinetic mechanisms are investigated and compared to the data to determine which are important in the experiments. Shock acceleration of shell deuterons is estimated to introduce mix less than or comparable to the amount required to explain the data. Beam-target mechanisms are found to produce yields at most an order of magnitude less than the observations.
Temporal evolution characteristics of an annular-mode gliding arc discharge in a vortex flow
Authors: Zhao Tian-Liang , Liu Jing-Lin , Li Xiao-Song , Liu Jin-Bao , Song Yuan-Hong , Xu Yong , Zhu Ai-Min
Published: May 2014

An annular-mode gliding arc discharge powered by a 50 Hz alternating current (ac) supply was studied in a vortex flow of dry and humid air. Its temporal evolution characteristics were investigated by electrical measurement, temporally resolved imaging, and temporally resolved optical emission spectroscopic measurements. Three discharge stages of arc-ignition, arc-gliding, and arc-extinction were clearly observed in each half-cycle of the discharge. During the arc-gliding stage, the intensity of light emission from the arc root at the cathode was remarkably higher than that at other areas. The spectral intensity of N2(C3Πu−B3Πg) during the arc-ignition stage was much higher than that during the arc-gliding stage, which was contrary to the temporal evolutions of spectral intensities for N2+(B2Σu+−X2Σg+) and OH(A2Σ+−X2Πi). Temporally resolved vibrational and rotational temperatures of N2 were also presented and decreased with increasing the water vapor content.
Approach towards quasi-monoenergetic laser ion acceleration with doped target
Authors: Morita Toshimasa
Published: May 2014

Ion acceleration using a laser pulse irradiating a disk target that includes hydrogen and carbon is examined using three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that over 200 MeV protons can be generated using a 620 TW, 5 × 1021 W/cm2 laser pulse. In a polyethylene (CH2) target, protons and carbon ions separate and form two layers by radiation pressure acceleration. A strong Coulomb explosion in this situation and Coulomb repulsion between each layer generates high energy protons. A doped target consisting of low density hydrogen within a carbon disk becomes a double layer target that is comprised of a thin low density hydrogen disk on the surface of a high-Z atom layer. This then generates a quasi-monoenergetic proton beam.
Single cell kinase signaling assay using pinched flow coupled droplet microfluidics
Authors: Ramji Ramesh , Wang Ming , Bhagat Ali Asgar S. , Tan Shao Weng Daniel , Thakor Nitish V. , Teck Lim Chwee , Chen Chia-Hung
Published: May 2014

Droplet-based microfluidics has shown potential in high throughput single cell assays by encapsulating individual cells in water-in-oil emulsions. Ordering cells in a micro-channel is necessary to encapsulate individual cells into droplets further enhancing the assay efficiency. This is typically limited due to the difficulty of preparing high-density cell solutions and maintaining them without cell aggregation in long channels (>5 cm). In this study, we developed a short pinched flow channel (5 mm) to separate cell aggregates and to form a uniform cell distribution in a droplet-generating platform that encapsulated single cells with >55% encapsulation efficiency beating Poisson encapsulation statistics. Using this platform and commercially available Sox substrates (8-hydroxy-5-(N,N-dimethylsulfonamido)-2-methylquinoline), we have demonstrated a high throughput dynamic single cell signaling assay to measure the activity of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in lung cancer cells triggered by cell surface ligand binding. The phosphorylation of the substrates resulted in fluorescent emission, showing a sigmoidal increase over a 12 h period. The result exhibited a heterogeneous signaling rate in individual cells and showed various levels of drug resistance when treated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, gefitinib.
Effects of black seed oil and Ferula elaeochytris supplementation on ruminal fermentation as tested in vitro with the rumen simulation technique (Rusitec)
Authors: Klevenhusen F. , Deckardt K. , Sizmaz Ö. , Wimmer S. , Muro-Reyes A. , Khiaosa-ard R. , Chizzola R. , Zebeli Q.
Published: May 2014

Plant bioactive compounds are currently viewed as possible feed additives in terms of methane mitigation and improvement of ruminal fermentation. A range of analyses, including the botanical characterisation, chemical composition and in vitro efficiency, have to be conducted before testing the compounds in vivo. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to identify the main bioactive components of black seed (Nigella sativa) oil (BO) and of the root powder of Ferula elaeochytris (FE), and (2) to investigate their effects on ruminal fermentation in vitro, when supplemented in different dosages to a diet (1 : 1, forage : concentrate), using the rumen simulation technique (Rusitec). Main compounds of BO were thymoquinone and p-cymene and α-pinene in FE. Supplementation of the diet with BO and FE did not affect concentration of volatile fatty acids but ammonia concentrations decreased with both supplements (P < 0.001). No effects of supplements on protozoal counts were detected but in vitro disappearance of DM and organic matter tended to increase with 50 mg/L FE (P < 0.1), compared with the control.
Novel Tartrate-Based Guanidines for Enantioselective Fluorination of 1,3-Dicarbonyl and α-Cyano Carbonyl Compounds
Authors: Zou Liwei , Bao Xiaoze , Zhang Huanrui , Song Yuming , Qu Jingping , Wang Baomin
Published: May 2014

A novel library of chiral guanidines featuring the tartaric acid skeleton is easily accessed with tunable steric and electronic properties. A guanidine molecule of this library with an incorporated 2,6-diisoaniline fragment was identified as a suitable promoter for the enantioselective fluorination of 1,3-dicarbonyl and α-cyano carbonyl compounds to furnish the fluorinated product with up to 84 % ee and 99 % yield using N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) as the fluorinating agent.
The aerodynamic performance of the feathertail glider, Acrobates pygmaeus (Marsupialia: Acrobatidae)
Authors: Pridmore Peter A. , Hoffmann Peter H.
Published: May 2014

Photographic and videographic investigations of the aerodynamic performance of four captive adult Acrobates pygmeus are described. During short (1–4 m) glides, steep angles of descent (>45°) and large angles of attack (up to 50°) were used mid-flight, and the possums failed to achieve steady velocities. During longer (>10 m) glides steady velocities of 5.3–7.5 m s–1 were achieved, and glide angles of 21–42° and angles of attack between 36° and 45° were used. The best (lowest) glide angles used at steady velocity were similar to those documented in sugar gliders, but involved lower air speeds. During steady gliding the forelimbs of Acrobates assumed an ‘elbows-out’ disposition similar to that of Petauroides volans, and unlike that of petaurid gliders. A glide polar for Acrobates shows that it uses lower air speeds and higher sinking speeds than other gliding animals for which polars are available (several birds and one bat). Few data on the radius of turn and sinking speed were obtained; nevertheless, in accord with theory, sinking speeds were higher during tighter turns. During flight the feather-like tail was used to generate pitching movements and adjust the angle of attack and hence glide angle. However, the control of turns seems to be achieved primarily through limb adjustments.
Activation of the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response by lipid disequilibrium without disturbed proteostasis in vivo
Authors: Hou Nicole S. , Gutschmidt Aljona , Choi Daniel Y. , Pather Keouna , Shi Xun , Watts Jennifer L. , Hoppe Thorsten , Taubert Stefan
Published: May 2014

Significance

The unfolded protein response of the endoplasmic reticulum (UPR
ER
) is induced by proteotoxic conditions. Lipid disequilibrium also activates the UPR
ER
, but whether this activation is accompanied by disturbed proteostasis in vivo remains controversial. In this study, we show that in the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
compromised fatty acid desaturation and reduced phosphatidylcholine production activate the UPR
ER
without overt proteostatic imbalance, as assessed by molecular, pharmacological, and genetic analyses. This finding suggests that membrane composition is a direct input able to activate UPR
ER
signaling even when proteostasis in the ER is largely intact. The activation of the UPR
ER
by independent inputs may reflect the central role of the ER in both lipid and protein biosynthesis.
How molecular knots can pass through each other
Authors: Trefz Benjamin , Siebert Jonathan , Virnau Peter
Published: May 2014

Significance

We suggest and explain a mechanism in which two molecular knots on a DNA strand can pass through each other and swap positions along the strand: One of the two knots expands in size and the other diffuses along the contour of the former. This peculiar mechanism, which only requires a few

k
B
T

, is not only interesting from an aesthetic point of view but may also play a role in future technological applications such as nanopore sequencing once strand sizes exceed 100,000 base pairs.
PILRα and PILRβ have a siglec fold and provide the basis of binding to sialic acid
Authors: Lu Qiong , Lu Guangwen , Qi Jianxun , Wang Han , Xuan Yifang , Wang Qihui , Li Yan , Zhang Yanfang , Zheng Chunfu , Fan Zheng , Yan Jinghua , Gao George F.
Published: May 2014

Significance

The paired immunoglobulin-like type 2 receptor α (PILRα) and β (PILRβ) are important surface molecules which, upon ligand binding, can deliver opposing signals to modulate the host immune responses. In this study, we elucidated the molecular basis on the ligand binding of PILRs by systematic structural and functional assays. Both PILRα and PILRβ show a typical siglec-like fold but exhibit variant binding avidities for sialic acid (SA). We further identified key residues responsible for SA binding and elucidated the atomic interaction details via a complex crystal structure. In conclusion, the SA recognition mechanism for the PILR receptors has been, for the first time to our knowledge, systematically investigated and clearly presented.
Removing T-cell epitopes with computational protein design
Authors: King Chris , Garza Esteban N. , Mazor Ronit , Linehan Jonathan L. , Pastan Ira , Pepper Marion , Baker David
Published: May 2014

Significance

Proteins represent the fastest-growing class of pharmaceuticals for a diverse range of clinical applications. Computational protein design has the potential to create a novel class of therapeutics with tunable biophysical properties. However, the immune system reacts to T-cell epitope sequences in non-human proteins, leading to neutralization and elimination by the immune system. Here, we combine machine learning with structure-based protein design to identify and redesign T-cell epitopes without disrupting function of the target protein. We test the method experimentally, removing T-cell epitopes from GFP andPseudomonasexotoxin A while maintaining function.
Genetic and educational assortative mating among US adults
Authors: Domingue Benjamin W. , Fletcher Jason , Conley Dalton , Boardman Jason D.
Published: May 2014

Significance

It is well established that individuals are more similar to their spouses than other individuals on important traits, such as education level. The genetic similarity, or lack thereof, between spouses is less well understood. We estimate the genome-wide genetic similarity of spouses and compare the magnitude of this value to a comparable measure of educational similarity. We find that spouses are more genetically similar than two individuals chosen at random but this similarity is at most one-third the magnitude of educational similarity. Furthermore, social sorting processes in the marriage market are largely independent of genetic dynamics of sexual selection.
Inferring fitness landscapes by regression produces biased estimates of epistasis
Authors: Otwinowski Jakub , Plotkin Joshua B.
Published: May 2014

Significance

The dynamics of evolution depend on an organism’s fitness landscape: the mapping from genotypes to reproductive capacity. Knowledge of the fitness landscape can help resolve questions, such as how quickly a pathogen will acquire drug resistance or by what pattern of mutations. However, direct measurement of a fitness landscape is impossible because of the vast number of genotypes. Here, we critically examine regression techniques used to approximate fitness landscapes from data. We find that such regressions are subject to two inherent biases that distort the biological quantities of greatest interest, often making evolution seem less predictable than it actually is. We discuss methods that may mitigate these biases in some cases.
A restricted population of CB
1
cannabinoid receptors with neuroprotective activity
Authors: Chiarlone Anna , Bellocchio Luigi , Blázquez Cristina , Resel Eva , Soria-Gómez Edgar , Cannich Astrid , Ferrero José J. , Sagredo Onintza , Benito Cristina , Romero Julián , Sánchez-Prieto José , Lutz Beat , Fernández-Ruiz Javier , Galve-Roperh Ismael , Guzmán Manuel
Published: May 2014

Significance

Cannabinoids and their endogenous counterparts, the so-called endocannabinoids, promote neuroprotection in laboratory animals by engaging CB
1
cannabinoid receptors, one of the most abundant types of receptors in the brain. However, the assessment of the physiological relevance and therapeutic potential of the CB
1
receptor in neurological diseases is hampered, at least in part, by the lack of knowledge of the neuron-population specificity of CB
1
receptor action. This study shows that a unique and well-defined population of CB
1
receptors, namely that located on glutamatergic terminals, plays a key neuroprotective role in the mouse brain. This finding opens a new conceptual view on how the CB
1
receptor evokes neuroprotection, and provides preclinical support for improving the development of cannabinoid-based neuroprotective therapies.
Age constraints on the dispersal of dinosaurs in the Late Triassic from magnetochronology of the Los Colorados Formation (Argentina)
Authors: Kent Dennis V. , Santi Malnis Paula , Colombi Carina E. , Alcober Oscar A. , Martínez Ricardo N.
Published: May 2014

Significance

Uncertainties in reported
40
Ar/
39
Ar dates from the Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina allow its dinosaur-bearing fauna to be Norian in age and possibly contemporaneous with some of the older U-Pb dated dinosaur-bearing units in the Chinle Formation of the American Southwest. Our magnetochronology of the previously undated Los Colorados Formation, which also contains a diverse dinosaur assemblage, constrains its age to the interval from 227 to 213 Ma (Norian) and thereby largely restricts the underlying Ischigualasto Formation to the Carnian. Rise of early dinosaurs was thus diachronous across the Americas with their dispersal from the austral temperate belt blocked until later in the Norian. The breakout may have resulted from critically lowered climatic barriers associated with decreasing atmospheric
p
CO
2
levels.
Promotion of atomic hydrogen recombination as an alternative to electron trapping for the role of metals in the photocatalytic production of H
2
Authors: Joo Ji Bong , Dillon Robert , Lee Ilkeun , Yin Yadong , Bardeen Christopher J. , Zaera Francisco
Published: May 2014

Significance

The use of catalysis assisted by light is a promising route to convert solar energy into chemical fuels such as H
2
. Photon absorption promotes electrons in semiconductor catalysts from the valence to the conduction band of those solids, and the excited electrons may be used to reduce protons in water to produce hydrogen gas. Unfortunately, those electrons tend to rapidly return to their ground state instead. The addition of metals has been shown to enhance photocatalytic activity, and that has been explained by their ability to trap the excited electrons and quench the electron–hole recombination process that neutralizes the photoexcitation. Here we challenge the validity of this model and provide an alternative explanation for the enhancement. A new thinking about this mechanism may result in new searches for appropriate cocatalysts.
Chronic and intensive bottom trawling impairs deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystem functioning
Authors: Pusceddu Antonio , Bianchelli Silvia , Martín Jacobo , Puig Pere , Palanques Albert , Masqué Pere , Danovaro Roberto
Published: May 2014

Significance

Deep-sea ecosystem processes play a key role in global functioning of the planet. These functions are largely dependent upon deep-sea biodiversity. Industrial fisheries, after the depletion of fish stocks and destruction of the marine habitats on continental shelves, are now rapidly moving deeper into the ocean interior. We show here that bottom trawling along continental slopes has a major impact on deep-sea sedimentary ecosystems, causing their degradation and infaunal depauperation. Deep-sea fisheries, indeed, cause the collapse of benthic biodiversity and ecosystem functions, with potential consequences on the biogeochemical cycles. These findings support the claim of immediate actions for a sustainable management of fisheries in deep-sea environments.
Boundary singularities produced by the motion of soap films
Authors: Goldstein Raymond E. , McTavish James , Moffatt H. Keith , Pesci Adriana I.
Published: May 2014

Significance

The dynamics of topological rearrangements of surfaces are generically associated with singularities. It is not yet understood whether the location of a singularity (in the bulk or at boundaries) is a general consequence of the surface topology, nor how this dependence could arise from an equation of motion for the surface. Here we use experiments on soap films, computation, and theory to introduce simple and intuitive concepts to describe generic transitions and their singularities. In particular, we propose a criterion to predict, from the configuration of the initial state, the location of the singularity. This criterion involves the topological linkage between the bounding curve of the surface and a local systole, the local nontrivial minimum-length closed curve on the surface.
Gas loss in simulated galaxies as they fall into clusters
Authors: Cen Renyue , Pop Ana Roxana , Bahcall Neta A.
Published: May 2014

Significance

Observations show that galaxies located in dense environments such as clusters of galaxies are mostly dominated by an old stellar population with little or no star formation or cold gas. This effect is likely caused by ram pressure stripping of the gas in galaxies as they travel with high speed through the hot intracluster gas that permeates all clusters. But where and when do galaxies start losing their cold gas? What are their trajectories, and how long does it take them to lose their gas? In this article, we use high-resolution cosmological simulations to investigate these questions of how galaxies lose their cold gas as they fall into clusters of galaxies.
Stereospecific
cis-
and
trans
-ring fusions arising from common intermediates
Authors: Townsend Steven D. , Ross Audrey G. , Liu Kai , Danishefsky Samuel J.
Published: May 2014

Significance

The development of strategies in organic synthesis is an important challenge, from the perspective of creative design as well as application to the pharmaceutical industry. In this paper, we study a promising new solution to a classical problem in organic synthesis: namely, the control of ring junction stereochemistry in a particularly challenging setting, wherein one of the rings composing the junction is four membered. This system was selected because it poses a particularly difficult challenge for the synthesis of
trans
-fused junctions. We believe that the solution to the problem described herein will have broad applications in organic synthesis.
Language Contact, Inherited Similarity and Social Difference
Authors: Law Danny
Published: May 2014

This book offers a study of long-term, intensive language contact between more than a dozen Mayan languages spoken in the lowlands of Guatemala, Southern Mexico and Belize. It details the massive restructuring of syntactic and semantic organization, the calquing of grammatical patterns, and the direct borrowing of inflectional morphology, including, in some of these languages, the direct borrowing of even entire morphological paradigms. The in-depth analysis of contact among the genetically related Lowland Mayan languages presented in this volume serves as a highly relevant case for theoretical, historical, contact, typological, socio- and anthropological linguistics. This linguistically complex situation involves serious engagement with issues of methods for distinguishing contact-induced similarity from inherited similarity, the role of social and ideological variables in conditioning the outcomes of language contact, cross-linguistic tendencies in language contact, as well as the effect that inherited similarity can have on the processes and outcomes of language contact.
Chapter 1. Integrating applied linguistics and literacies with STEM education
Authors: Hanauer David I. , Curry Mary Jane
Published: May 2014

This chapter describes the impetus for this collection of papers and provides an overview of the ways in which applied linguistics and literacies can be integrated with the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We first explore the value of applied linguistics and literacies approaches to researching STEM education. Through a review of the studies included in this book, we present their underpinning theoretical orientations, research methodologies, communicative forms, and aims. We propose a facilitative role for applied linguistics in terms of the broad educational agenda of STEM.
Chapter 2. Drawing upon applied linguistics to attain goals in an interdisciplinary chemistry–applied linguistics project
Authors: Stoller Fredricka L. , Robinson Marin S.
Published: May 2014

Students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), like students in other tertiary-level areas, benefit from learning to read and write in their disciplines as they progress in their studies. This chapter reports on a successful collaborative project that brought together faculty in chemistry and applied linguistics to analyze the language of chemistry in four types of disciplinary writing (i.e. genres). Findings were used to design instructional materials and develop a discipline-specific course, to be taught by chemistry faculty, aimed at improving students’ disciplinary literacy skills. The focus of the chapter is on the contributions of various subfields of applied linguistics to project goals, emphasizing the contributions of English for Specific Purposes, discourse analysis, corpus linguistics, and language teaching pedagogy. Interdisciplinary partnerships, such as the one showcased in this chapter, are particularly fruitful when disciplinary-language issues are at stake. STEM faculty and faculty in language-related disciplines can combine their different but complementary resources to achieve goals that might not be possible to attain independently. With a heightened understanding of disciplinary language and the literacy practices specific to particular STEM fields, meaningful instructional materials and discipline-specific classes can be developed to give students access to and control of the literacy practices and genres valued by STEM fields.
Chapter 5. Writing as social practice in engineering
Authors: Gimenez Julio
Published: May 2014

This chapter reports on a collaborative study that used a range of qualitative data (interviews, observations, talk around text, and written reports) as its empirical base to examine academic and professional writing in four schools of the faculty of engineering at a British university. Findings demonstrate that writing in these schools is closely related to its context of production. As such, writing not only reflects the views on knowledge and ideologies of engineering as a discipline but also helps to reaffirm them. The findings contribute to understandings of the nature and dynamics of writing as social practice that emerged from the research efforts of a cross-disciplinary team of researchers in applied linguistics and engineering. They show that both applied linguists and engineers can inform pedagogical approaches to disciplinary writing practices so that they can become more context- and discipline-specific. The chapter concludes by suggesting avenues for further cross-disciplinary research in writing.
Chapter 7. Mathematics education, cultural practices, and communication
Authors: Moreira Darlinda , Latas Joana
Published: May 2014

This chapter addresses the role of students’ cultural practices in mathematical tasks as a means of enhancing discourse and communication in multicultural classes. It starts by presenting the features of mathematical discourse and highlighting their relationship with students’ native languages and cultures. Next, the concept of cultural practices is discussed and framed in the context of mathematics education. Its potential to launch the construction of mathematical meanings is explored. The integration of students’ cultural practices in the teaching and learning of mathematics is illustrated and discussed through the presentation of examples taken from classroom activities. These examples were collected from a research project that used a qualitative methodological approach to study the integration of students’ cultural practices in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Seventh-grade students’ cultural practices such as surfing were adapted and presented as activities that supported the learning of mathematical concepts. The chapter concludes by arguing for the contributions of students’ cultural practices to the development of their ability to communicate mathematically, to use appropriate forms of language, and to connect mathematics to their daily experiences.
Chapter 9. Improving girls’ interest in mathematics through writing
Authors: Reilly Edel M.
Published: May 2014

This chapter argues that one effective way to engage students, especially female students, in the learning of mathematics is to incorporate writing activities into mathematics classrooms. The chapter reports on findings from a mixed-methods research study which examined female and male middle school students’ perceptions of using writing as a tool for learning mathematics. Two research questions were examined: (1) What are students’ attitudes towards writing in mathematics classes? (2) What indications of mathematical knowledge growth and learner development can be found in student writing for mathematics classes? A survey instrument was administered to 293 middle school students. Using a Likert Scale format, the students responded to 28 survey items about their study of mathematics and their use of writing in mathematics classes. A t-test was used to analyze these quantitative survey results. Additionally, five open-ended questions on the survey asked what students had learned from using writing in their mathematics classes and how they viewed this teaching approach. These open-ended responses were qualitatively analyzed to provide a deeper understanding of students’ views on the use of writing in mathematics classes. Ultimately this study offers evidence which suggests that writing can be a key to heightening female students’ interest in mathematics.
Chapter 10. Facilitating STEM education through interdisciplinarity
Authors: Bauerle Cynthia , Hatfull Graham F. , Hanauer David I.
Published: May 2014

There is increasing pressure for STEM education to reform in the direction of student-centered learning approaches, active learning, interdisciplinarity, and data-driven evaluations and assessments of student learning. These requirements derive from the need for STEM education to facilitate economic development, national health, technological innovation, and appropriate demographic representation. These contingencies create the need and opportunity for the integration of applied linguistic expertise within STEM education. In this chapter, a senior project officer from a major funding institution, a leading scientist, and a seasoned applied linguist discuss and exemplify the role and conditions in which applied linguistics can facilitate different aspects of STEM education. The Phage Hunting Integrating Research and Education (PHIRE) program is presented as an example of a collaboration that constructed shared, interdisciplinary education projects designed to enhance the program’s pedagogical mission.
On state of mind and grammatical forms  from functional perspectives
Authors: Johnson Yuki
Published: May 2014

The basic usages of the auxiliary verbs ~garu and ~(te)iru are generally understood as expressing desire and thoughts other than those of the speaker him/herself. A proposition accompanying~garu and ~(te)iru is often used with a modal, such as mitai, rashii, etc.; therefore, it belongs to the territory of the speaker domain. However, the proposition concerns another individual’s feelings that the speaker cannot perceive directly and is not an exclusive possession of the speaker. Using real-life usages that incorporate the notion of “territory of information” proposed by Kamio (1990) and the notion of “empathy,” by Kuno (1998), it is found that issues of hierarchy and empathy are deeply intertwined in their use in authentic communication and do not necessarily follow the description of standard grammar.
The semantic basis of grammatical development
Authors: Shirai Yasuhiro
Published: May 2014

This chapter reviews semantic bias observed in the acquisition of grammatical categories, and examines its theoretical implications. It first reviews the acquisition of tense-aspect morphology, in particular of English, and proposes a model of grammatical development called the “input-based prototype formation”, taking examples from cross-linguistic data. I will then discuss semantic bias observed in the acquisition of pronominal case in English, conditionals in Japanese and Korean, causative morphology in Japanese, nominative case omission in Japanese and Korean, and relative clause construction in Japanese. Based on the review, I will argue against modularity and the innateness hypothesis, which constitutes the fundamental assumptions espoused by generative grammar, and argue for further analysis of semantic bias in frequency distribution in the input language that children are exposed to.
Interchangeability of so-called interchangeable particles
Authors: Kabata Kaori
Published: May 2014

Three different sets of empirical data are compared to examine the usage distributions of ni and e, two particles that have been traditionally considered to be interchangeable in marking allative relations. The data from the speaker’s judgment test are more consistent with the semantic analyses of the two particles, exhibiting interaction between semantic contexts and particle preference. However, the usage distributions in the spoken and written corpora exhibited a strong bias for ni regardless of the semantic environment. The discrepancy between what is generally considered to be ‘acceptable’ in Japanese grammar and the actual usage data stresses the impact of the empirical data in the further understanding of lexical representation.
The re-examination of so-called ‘clefts’
Authors: Mori Junko
Published: May 2014

Using conversation analysis as a central tool for analysis, this chapter examines how conversational participants utilize a cleft construction, which begins with -no wa topic clause, as a resource to construct and process their turns at talk. Unlike the well-formed structure of this construction described in reference grammar, it is rare for the speakers in talk-in-interaction to end the unit initiated with the -no wa topic clause with a clause marked by a nominalizer. The current analysis demonstrates how the the -no wa topic clause serves as a prospective indexical that pre-announces the nature of the forthcoming extended talk and provides the recipients an interpretive framework, and thereby contributes to the investigation of the mutual relationship between interaction and grammar.
Activity, participation, and joint turn construction
Authors: Hayashi Makoto
Published: May 2014

“Once we register that language figures in the actual, practical activities of the lives of people and societies, and that how the language is configured is more than incidentally related to its involvement in those activities, it is readily apparent that, at the very least, attention must be paid to what the relationship is between activity, action and the orderly deployment of language called grammar.” (Schegloff, Ochs & Thompson 1996: 21)
Context in constructions
Authors: Matsumoto Yoshiko
Published: May 2014

This paper illustrates the importance of context for grammar by examining discourse data of the nonsubject honorific construction o – Verb (stem) – suru.   Building upon previous studies that argued that non-subject honorifics are subject to a pragmatic condition of benefit transfer between the subject and nonsubject referents, I argue that the targeted referents of nonsubject honorification are reorganized to the two participants of the discourse: the speaker and the addressee.  The variations in the o-Verb (stem) – suru form are explained from the constructional and frame semantics perspectives as a process of cognitive and intersubjective (e.g., Traugott and Dasher 2002) reorganization of grammatical constructions motivated by contextual conditions of use and the speaker’s intention with respect to the addressee.
The use and interpretation of “regional” and “standard” variants in Japanese conversation
Authors: Okamoto Shigeko
Published: May 2014

It is often said that language standardization has been steadily advancing in modern Japan and that speakers in regional Japan are now bi-dialectal and code-switch between “Standard” and “regional” Japanese. The notion of code-switching, however, assumes the existence of varieties, or well-defined linguistic systems, that are distinct from each other. In this study, I examine the use of “Standard Japanese” and “regional dialects” and argue that it is much more complex and dynamic than what can be possibly accounted for in terms of the notion of code-switching involving two distinct varieties. I explore an alternative account employing the notion of variant choice and characterize the social meanings of “Standard” and “regional” variants as context-dependent and as multiple and ambiguous.
The current state of Arab cinema: the stories of individuals…and an update on documentary films
Authors: Jarjoura Nadim
Published: May 2014

Cinematic works in the Arab world, unified only by language, differ in their artfulness and their format both among countries and within each country. Equally, even countries with long-established cinema cultures have witnessed ups and downs. Thus we can observe that ‘Egyptian Neo-Realism’ emerged at the end of the last century to counter the decline in Egyptian cinema, once known for its nobility and rootedness. Contemporary ‘Arab Cinema’ is not only about artfulness; it also unveils the sufferings, concerns and interests of people through technical and cognitive development as well as innovative ideas. The most prominent actors in this genre in the Middle East are Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. However, young directors in the Gulf region are seeking to acquire experience and professionalism, notably in Saudi Arabia where restrictions on daily life have become an incentive for rebellion and creativity. In addition, the Arab Maghreb countries have made great cinematic contributions, using their own methods and experiences, along with modern technology, to shed light on current political and humanitarian situations in the Arab world. Today, cinematic works are confronting censorship and oppression (due to political or religious reasons), not only in conservative countries such as Saudi Arabia but also in Arab states usually considered ‘liberated’ and ‘democratic’ like Tunisia, Morocco and Lebanon.
Middle class transformations in the Arab World
Authors: Badawi Ahmad Mousa
Published: May 2014

The emergence of the middle class in the Arab world, was different from the emergence of this class in Europe. The difference was not limited to the beginning of this existence, but also extends to its transformations. In the wake of the Arab Spring revolutions, there was considerable debate on the role of the middle class in these revolutions, and this motivated the research on which this paper is based, during the period from February 2011 until May 2013. The paper aims to track civilizational transformations (economic, political, social and cultural) that affect the structure of the Arab middle class since independence until the present, with a focus on the past decade.
Cinema and its image
Authors: Elgamal Amal
Published: May 2014

Cinema, or motion pictures, is known as ‘the art of the moving image’. Historically, fine arts have never been prohibited by the three monotheistic religions, but after the emergence of cinema, some religious leaders not only considered it ‘undesirable’ but also called for its outright prohibition. However, no consensus has ever been reached among jurists. Cinema is a universal language and a method of narration, recounting and storytelling whose popularity exceeds that of any other art as it is more entertaining and bedazzling. Egypt was a pioneer among Arab countries in the field of cinema, producing immortal films that addressed the sufferings and concerns of its people in an artistic manner. Throughout the history of Arab cinema its trends have varied from realism and neo-realism to biography, which was introduced by Youssef Chahine. Moreover, the evolution of cinema in Arab countries, notably Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon, could not have been achieved without breaking taboos and tackling problematic issues within society.
Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Signaling in Schistosoma‐Induced Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Chabon Jacob J. , Gebreab Liya , Kumar Rahul , Debella Elias , Tanaka Takeshi , Koyanagi Dan , Garcia Alexandra Rodriguez , Sanders Linda , Perez Mario , Tuder Rubin M. , Graham Brian B.
Published: May 2014

There is significant evidence that Th2 (T helper 2)‐mediated inflammation supports the pathogenesis of both human and experimental animal models of pulmonary hypertension (PH). A key immune regulator is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is produced by Th2 inflammation and can itself contribute to Th2 pulmonary responses. In this study, we interrogated the role of VEGF signaling in a murine model of schistosomiasis‐induced PH with a phenotype of significant intrapulmonary Th2 inflammation, vascular remodeling, and elevated right ventricular pressures. We found that VEGF receptor blockade partially suppressed the levels of the Th2 inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)‐4 and IL‐13 in both the lung and the liver after Schistosoma mansoni exposure and suppressed pulmonary vascular remodeling. These findings suggest that VEGF positively contributes to schistosomiasis‐induced vascular inflammation and remodeling, and they also provide evidence for a VEGF‐dependent signaling pathway necessary for pulmonary vascular remodeling and inflammation in this model.
Variable Screening and Decolonization Protocols for Staphylococcus aureus Carriage Prior to Surgical Procedures
Authors: Kline Susan , Highness Maya , Herwaldt Loreen A. , Perl Trish M.
Published: May 2014

We surveyed the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Research Network, the Minnesota Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, and the Minnesota Hospital Association to assess presurgical Staphylococcus aureus screening and decolonization practices. The practices varied widely among responding facilities. The majority of respondents (63%) did not screen for S. aureus preoperatively.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(7):880–882
On the classification of fibrations
Authors: Blomgren M. , Chachólski W.
Published: May 2014

We identify the homotopy type of the moduli of maps with a given homotopy type of the base and the homotopy fiber. A new model for the space of weak equivalences and its classifying space is given.
Quality of surgical care and readmission in elderly glioblastoma patients
Authors: Nuño Miriam , Ly Diana , Mukherjee Debraj , Ortega Alicia , Black Keith L. , Patil Chirag G.
Published: May 2014

Background

Thirty-day readmissions post medical or surgical discharge have been analyzed extensively. Studies have shown that complex interactions of multiple factors are responsible for these hospitalizations.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Medicare database of newly diagnosed elderly glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients who underwent surgical resection between 1991 and 2007. Hospitals were classified into high- or low-readmission rate cohorts using a risk-adjusted methodology. Bivariate comparisons of outcomes were conducted. Multivariate analysis evaluated differences in quality of care according to hospital readmission rates.

Results

A total of 1,273 patients underwent surgery in 338 hospitals; 523 patients were treated in 228 high-readmission hospitals and 750 in 110 low-readmission hospitals. Patient characteristics for high-versus low-readmission hospitals were compared. In a confounder-adjusted model, patients treated in high- versus low-readmission hospitals had similar outcomes. The hazard of mortality for patients treated at high- compared to low-readmission hospitals was 1.06 (95% CI, 0.095%–1.19%). While overall complications were comparable between high- and low-readmission hospitals (16.3% vs 14.3%; P = .33), more postoperative pulmonary embolism/deep vein thrombosis complications were documented in patients treated at high-readmission hospitals (7.5% vs 4.1%; P = .01). Adverse events and levels of resection achieved during surgery were comparable at high- and low-readmission hospitals.

Conclusions

For patients undergoing GBM resection, quality of care provided by hospitals with the highest adjusted readmission rates was similar to the care delivered by hospitals with the lowest rates. These findings provide evidence against the preconceived notion that 30-day readmissions can be used as a metric for quality of surgical and postsurgical care.
The Tandem Etalon Magnetograph of the Solar Magnetic Activity Research Telescope (SMART) at Hida Observatory
Authors: Nagata Shin’ichi , Morita Satoshi , Ichimoto Kiyoshi , Nishida Keisuke , Nakatani Yoshikazu , Kimura Goichi , Kaneda Naoki , Kitai Reizaburou , UeNo Satoru , Ishii Takako T.
Published: May 2014

The imaging photospheric magnetograph using tandem Fabry–Perot filters is newly installed in the Solar Magnetic Activity Research Telescope (SMART) of Hida Observatory, Kyoto University. The instrument, Tandem Etalon Magnetograph (TEM), consists of a rotating wave plate, tandem Fabry–Perot filters which scan the Fe i 6302.5 Å line with ∼ 130 mÅ bandwidth, a polarizing beam splitter, and two CCD cameras simultaneously taking orthogonally polarized light with a frame rate of 30 frames per second. We have confirmed that the Stokes vector map deduced from 20 s integration achieves a polarimetric sensitivity of ∼ 5 × 10−4 for all polarization states at one wavelength, which is higher than is achieved with a space instrument such as the Spectro-Polarimeter aboard Hinode or the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager aboard the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO). We expect the complementary observations by SMART/TEM, Hinode, and SDO can shed new light on the trigger and energy storage mechanism of solar flares.
Victimhood and Attitudes towards Dealing with the Legacy of a Violent Past: Northern Ireland as a Case Study
Authors: Brewer John D. , Hayes Bernadette C.
Published: May 2014

Research Highlights and Abstract

Using Northern Ireland as a case study, this article provides the first nationally representative and systematic study of victims' views on how to deal with the past; Focusing specifically on Northern Ireland, it both investigates and provides a comprehensive account of the marked divisions between the various religious groupings—Protestants, Catholics and the non-affiliated—in terms of a range of truth recovery mechanisms to deal with legacy of its violent past; It empirically investigates and validates two key predictors—perceptions of victimhood and general attitudes towards the past—in determining the source of these divisions It outlines the implications of our findings for other societies emerging from conflict.

Truth recovery mechanisms have become a cornerstone of peacebuilding efforts in societies emerging from conflict. Yet, to date, the view of victims in post-conflict societies concerning such arrangements remains highly anecdotal and often second-hand in nature. Mindful of this omission and using Northern Ireland as a case study, this article investigates the views of victims towards a range of mechanisms to deal with the legacy of Northern Ireland's violent past. Based on the 2011 Northern Ireland Social and Political Attitudes Survey, the results suggest some marked divisions in relation to this issue, with victims within the Catholic community being significantly more supportive of such initiatives than either Protestants or those with no religion. Moreover, while perceptions of victimhood emerge as the key predictor of attitudes among Protestants and the non-affiliated, general opinions on how to deal with the past are the key determinant of views among members of the Catholic community.