bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Three Crossings” Compensations of the High Speed Moving MIMO Radar
Authors: Luo Cheng , He Zishu
Published: April 2014

The problems of the “Three Crossings” motions and compensations for the moving target of the high speed moving MIMO radar are studied. Firstly, the space model is established to describe the problems by educing the equations of delay and transmitting pattern, which are changing with time. The echo characteristics are analyzed and the formulas of the “Three Crossings” are given. Secondly, a compensation method, which uses the fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) to compensate the crossing Doppler-cell and the preprocess to compensate the crossing range-cell and crossing-beam, is proposed. This method could compensate the “Three Crossings” simultaneously with little complexity of calculation because the preprocess deals only with the transmitting signals. Lastly, the phantom antenna array is employed in the simulations, the working model of “sparse transmitting dense receiving” is applied to the simulation of crossing-beam, and the results of simulations demonstrate the validity and the practicability of the method of combining the preprocess and the FrFT to compensate “Three Crossings.”
Coronary Artery Disease Detection Using a Fuzzy-Boosting PSO Approach
Authors: Ghadiri Hedeshi N. , Saniee Abadeh M.
Published: April 2014

In the past decades, medical data mining has become a popular data mining subject. Researchers have proposed several tools and various methodologies for developing effective medical expert systems. Diagnosing heart diseases is one of the important topics and many researchers have tried to develop intelligent medical expert systems to help the physicians. In this paper, we propose the use of PSO algorithm with a boosting approach to extract rules for recognizing the presence or absence of coronary artery disease in a patient. The weight of training examples that are classified properly by the new rules is reduced by a boosting mechanism. Therefore, in the next rule generation cycle, the focus is on those fuzzy rules that account for the currently misclassified or uncovered instances. We have used coronary artery disease data sets taken from University of California Irvine, (UCI), to evaluate our new classification approach. Results show that the proposed method can detect the coronary artery disease with an acceptable accuracy. Also, the discovered rules have significant interpretability as well.
Rapid Degradation of Hfq-Free RyhB inYersinia pestisby PNPase Independent of Putative Ribonucleolytic Complexes
Authors: Deng Zhongliang , Liu Zizhong , Bi Yujing , Wang Xiaoyi , Zhou Dongsheng , Yang Ruifu , Han Yanping
Published: April 2014

The RNA chaperone Hfq in bacteria stabilizes sRNAs by protecting them from the attack of ribonucleases. Upon release from Hfq, sRNAs are preferably degraded by PNPase. PNPase usually forms multienzyme ribonucleolytic complexes with endoribonuclease E and/or RNA helicase RhlB to facilitate the degradation of the structured RNA. However, whether PNPase activity on Hfq-free sRNAs is associated with the assembly of RNase E or RhlB has yet to be determined. Here we examined the roles of the main endoribonucleases, exoribonucleases, and ancillary RNA-modifying enzymes in the degradation ofY. pestisRyhB in the absence of Hfq. Expectedly, the transcript levels of both RyhB1 and RyhB2 increase only after inactivating PNPase, which confirms the importance of PNPase in sRNA degradation. By contrast, the signal of RyhB becomes barely perceptible after inactivating of RNase III, which may be explained by the increase in PNPase levels resulting from the exemption ofpnpmRNA from RNase III processing. No significant changes are observed in RyhB stability after deletion of either the PNPase-binding domain of RNase E orrhlB. Therefore, PNPase acts as a major enzyme of RyhB degradation independent of PNPase-containing RNase E and RhlB assembly in the absence of Hfq.
Theoretical Analysis of an Amperometric Biosensor Based on Parallel Substrates Conversion
Authors: Praveen T. , Rajendran L.
Published: April 2014

The behaviour of an amperometric biosensor based on parallel substrates conversion for steady-state condition has been discussed. This analysis contains a nonlinear term related to enzyme kinetics. Simple and closed form of analytical expressions of concentrations and of biosensor current is derived. This model was originally reported by Vytautas Aseris and his team (2012). Concentrations of substrate and product are expressed in terms of single dimensionless parameter. A new approach to Homotopy perturbation method (HPM) is employed to solve the system of nonlinear reaction diffusion equations. Furthermore, in this work, the numerical solution of the problem is also reported using Matlab program. The analytical results are compared with the numerical results. The analytical result provided is reliable and efficient to understand the behavior of the system.
Solutions of Second-Orderm-Point Boundary Value Problems for Impulsive Dynamic Equations on Time Scales
Authors: Xu Xue , Wang Yong
Published: April 2014

We study a general second-orderm-point boundary value problems for nonlinear singular impulsive dynamic equations on time scalesuΔ∇(t)+a(t)uΔ(t)+b(t)u(t)+q(t)f(t,u(t))=0,t∈(0,1),t≠tk,uΔ(tk+)=uΔ(tk)-Ik(u(tk)), andk=1,2,…,n,u(ρ(0))=0,u(σ(1))=∑i=1m-2αiu(ηi)‍.The existence and uniqueness of positive solutions are established by using the mixed monotone fixed point theorem on cone and Krasnosel’skii fixed point theorem. In this paper, the function items may be singular in its dependent variable. We present examples to illustrate our results.
Myelofibrosis-Related Arthritis Successfully Treated with Hydroxyurea
Authors: Guillot Xavier , Moldovan Marius , Vidon Claire , Wendling Daniel
Published: April 2014

A 62-year-old woman suffering from one-year lasting, nonerosive peripheral arthritides with general health impairment and high acute-phase reactant levels was admitted to rheumatology department. The patient had suffered from chronic polyarthralgia and a thrombocytosis had been discovered 9 years before, with a recent increase in platelet count. All immunological blood tests were negative. Corticosteroid and methotrexate treatments improved pain, swollen joint count, and systemic inflammation. However, joints remained stiff and painful with two swollen wrists and persistent thrombocytosis. An iliac bone marrow biopsy was performed, showing primary myelofibrosis. Hydroxyurea treatment (500 mg per day) allowed to achieve complete and prolonged clinical and biological remission. After 6 months, a new disease flare occurred. The patient reached remission again after hydroxyurea dose increased to 1500 mg per day. This supports the hypothesis of idiopathic myelofibrosis-associated seronegative polyarthritis. This is the first reported case in which haemopathy-targeted treatment using hydroxyurea induced arthritis remission.
A New Species ofDikrellaOman, 1949 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) Found onCaryocar brasilienseCambess. (Caryocaraceae) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil
Authors: Coelho Luci Boa Nova , Leite Germano Leão Demolin , Da-Silva Elidiomar Ribeiro
Published: April 2014

A new species ofDikrellais described and figured based on specimens from Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil. The new species is diagnosed by the process of pygofer and the general form of aedeagus. Adult males, females, and also nymphs were found on pequi tree, suggesting thatDikrella caryocarn. sp. has its full life cycle in this plant.
Impaired JNK Signaling Cooperates with KrasG12D Expression to Accelerate Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Davies Clare C. , Harvey Emma , McMahon Raymond F.T. , Finegan Katherine G. , Connor Frances , Davis Roger J. , Tuveson David A. , Tournier Cathy
Published: April 2014

The c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and its two direct activators, namely the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 4 (MKK4) and MKK7, constitute a signaling node frequently mutated in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here we demonstrate the cooperative interaction of endogenous expression of KrasG12D with loss-of-function mutations in mkk4 or both, mkk4 and mkk7 genes in the pancreas. More specifically, impaired JNK signaling in a subpopulation of Pdx1-expressing cells dramatically accelerated the appearance of KrasG12D-induced acinar-to-ductal metaplasia and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias, which rapidly progressed to invasive PDAC within 10 weeks of age. Furthermore, inactivation of mkk4/mkk7 compromised acinar regeneration following acute inflammatory stress by locking damaged exocrine cells in a permanently de-differentiated state. Therefore, we propose that JNK signaling exerts its tumor suppressive function in the pancreas by antagonizing the metaplastic conversion of acinar cells toward a ductal fate capable of responding to oncogenic stimulation. Cancer Res; 74(12); 3344–56. ©2014 AACR.
Cancer Cell Lines for Drug Discovery and Development
Authors: Wilding Jennifer L. , Bodmer Walter F.
Published: April 2014

Despite the millions of dollars spent on target validation and drug optimization in preclinical models, most therapies still fail in phase III clinical trials. Our current model systems, or the way we interpret data from them, clearly do not have sufficient clinical predictive power. Current opinion suggests that this is because the cell lines and xenografts that are commonly used are inadequate models that do not effectively mimic and predict human responses. This has become such a widespread belief that it approaches dogma in the field of drug discovery and optimization and has spurred a surge in studies devoted to the development of more sophisticated animal models such as orthotopic patient-derived xenografts in an attempt to obtain more accurate estimates of whether particular cancers will respond to given treatments. Here, we explore the evidence that has led to the move away from the use of in vitro cell lines and toward various forms of xenograft models for drug screening and development. We review some of the pros and cons of each model and give an overview of ways in which the use of cell lines could be modified to improve the predictive capacity of this well-defined model. Cancer Res; 74(9); 2377–84. ©2014 AACR.
Expression Signature Defined byFOXM1–CCNB1Activation Predicts Disease Recurrence in Non–Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Authors: Kim Seon-Kyu , Roh Yun-Gil , Park Kiejung , Kang Tae-Hong , Kim Wun-Jae , Lee Ju-Seog , Leem Sun-Hee , Chu In-Sun
Published: April 2014

Purpose: Although standard treatment with transurethral resection and intravesical therapy (IVT) is known to be effective to address the clinical behavior of non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), many patients fail to respond to the treatment and frequently experience disease recurrence. Here, we aim to identify a prognostic molecular signature that predicts the NMIBC heterogeneity and response to IVT.

Experimental Design: We analyzed the genomic profiles of 102 patients with NMIBC to identify a signature associated with disease recurrence. The validity of the signature was verified in three independent patient cohorts (n = 658). Various statistical methods, including a leave-one-out cross-validation and multivariate Cox regression analyses, were applied to identify a signature. We confirmed an association between the signature and tumor aggressiveness with experimental assays using bladder cancer cell lines.

Results: Gene expression profiling in 102 patients with NMIBC identified a CCNB1 signature associated with disease recurrence, which was validated in another three independent cohorts of 658 patients. The CCNB1 signature was shown to be an independent risk factor by a multivariate analysis and subset stratification according to stage and grade [HR, 2.93; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.302–6.594; P = 0.009]. The subset analysis also revealed that the signature could identify patients who would benefit from IVT. Finally, gene network analyses and experimental assays indicated that NMIBC recurrence could be mediated by FOXM1–CCNB1–Fanconi anemia pathways.

Conclusions: The CCNB1 signature represents a promising diagnostic tool to identify patients with NMIBC who have a high risk of recurrence and to predict response to IVT. Clin Cancer Res; 20(12); 3233–43. ©2014 AACR.
Sleep Measures Expressing ‘Functional Uncertainty' in Elderlies' Sleep
Authors: Conte Francesca , Arzilli Cinzia , Errico Bruna Maria , Giganti Fiorenza , Iovino Daniele , Ficca Gianluca
Published: April 2014

Background: The notion of ‘functional uncertainty' during sleep was first proposed to indicate an inability of the central nervous system to maintain stable states by coordinating physiological processes. While the presence of functional uncertainty phenomena has been shown in infants and hypothesized in the elderly, its actual occurrence in the aged population has never been systematically investigated. Objective: The aim of the study is to identify, in the sleep of aged individuals, indexes of sleep instability and fragmentation as markers of functional uncertainty, by comparing a sample of healthy elderly subjects to one of young adults. Methods: We compared polysomnograhic recordings of 20 healthy elderly subjects (age range 65-85 years) with those of 20 young individuals (age range 22-32 years), with special regard to the variables expressing functional uncertainty in sleep, such as continuity (e.g. arousals, awakenings), stability (e.g. state transitions, periods of marked ‘functional uncertainty') and cyclic organization parameters. Results: Significant differences emerged for all variables of interest: the elderly group showed higher indexes of fragmentation and instability than the young, as well as less and shorter cycles, and a lower percentage of time spent in cycles. Conclusion: Our results support the hypothesis of a progressive sleep quality disruption with aging, expressed by pronounced sleep instability, fragmentation and disorganization. We propose that functional uncertainty measures could usefully be included in standard sleep assessments on both aged and sleep-disordered populations as accurate sleep quality indexes.
High On-Treatment Platelet Reactivity as a Risk Factor for Secondary Prevention After Coronary Stent Revascularization
Authors: Montalescot Gilles , Rangé Grégoire , Silvain Johanne , Bonnet Jean-Louis , Boueri Ziad , Barthélémy Olivier , Cayla Guillaume , Belle Loic , Van Belle Eric , Cuisset Thomas , Elhadad Simon , Pouillot Christophe , Henry Patrick , Motreff Pascal , Carrié Didier , Rousseau Hélène , Aubry Pierre , Monségu Jacques , Sabouret Pierre , O’Connor Stephen A. , Abtan Jérémie , Kerneis Mathieu , Saint-Etienne Christophe , Beygui Farzin , Vicaut Eric , Collet Jean-Philippe
Published: April 2014

Background—

Individualizing antiplatelet therapy after platelet function testing did not improve outcome after coronary stenting in the Assessment by a Double Randomization of a Conventional Antiplatelet Strategy Versus a Monitoring-Guided Strategy for Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation and of Treatment Interruption Versus Continuation One Year After Stenting (ARCTIC) study. Whether results are different during the phase of secondary prevention starting after hospital discharge, when periprocedural events have been excluded, is unknown.

Methods and Results—

In ARCTIC, 2440 patients were randomized before coronary stenting to a strategy of platelet function monitoring (VerifyNow P2Y
12
/aspirin point-of-care assay) with drug adjustment in suboptimal responders to antiplatelet therapy or to a conventional strategy without monitoring and without drug or dose changes. We performed a landmark analysis starting at the time of hospital discharge evaluating the primary end point of death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, stroke, or urgent revascularization through 1 year. After discharge, the primary end point occurred in 8.6% of patients in the monitoring arm and 7.9% in the conventional arm (hazard ratio, 1.105; 95% confidence interval, 0.835–1.461;
P
=0.48). Stent thrombosis or urgent revascularization occurred in 4.4% and 4.5% in the monitoring and conventional arms, respectively (
P
=0.99). There was no difference for any of the other ischemic end points. Major bleeding event rates were 1.8% in the monitoring arm and 2.8% in the conventional arm (
P
=0.11), whereas major or minor bleeding event rates were 2.3% and 3.4%, respectively (
P
=0.10).

Conclusions—

Detection of platelet hyper-reactivity by platelet function testing in patients undergoing coronary stenting with further therapeutic adjustment does not reduce ischemic recurrences after intervention. On-treatment platelet hyperreactivity cannot be considered as a risk factor requiring intervention for secondary prevention after percutaneous coronary revascularization.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00827411.
Furtum and manus / potestas
Authors: Sirks A.J.B.
Published: April 2014

The nature of furtum has been subjected to various interpretations, often with the assumption that this delict changed in nature between the Twelve Tables and end of the 2nd century A.D. It is submitted here that the delict was originally an intrusion upon the power (manus, potestas, dominium) of the pater familias and in its most acute form (furtum manifestum) punished with a religious sanction, viz. treating the fur as sacer. The same sanction is found in the Twelve Tables for other delicts, connected with the power of the pater familias. Since manifest furtum always implied that the fur was caught red-handed, desacralisation of the delict led to a reduction of this constellation to a mere being caught in the act. Assuming this to have been the original nature of furtum explains the forms of furtum usus and possessionis.
The Judgement on Athanasius in the Historiography of Christian Dogma (Mosheim—Baur—Harnack)
Authors: Meijering Eginhard
Published: April 2014

The present article studies the attitude of three prominent historiographers of Christian dogma towards Athanasius, viz., Johann Lorenz von Mosheim (1693–1755), Ferdinand Christian Baur (1792–1860), and Adolf von Harnack (1851–1930). Their different theological backgrounds resulted in different judgements on his expositions on the Trinity. Mosheim’s evaluation of Athanasius is positive, but he thinks Athanasius speculates too much about the mystery of the Trinity, which cannot be understood by reason. Baur considers his theology to reflect a crucial moment within the development of Christian thought, a moment that shows the internal dynamics of this development. Harnack is of the opinion that Christians owe it to Athanasius that Christian faith did not end up as moralism and cosmology. He also thinks that in Athanasius’views on Christ we can hardly find anything of the Jesus of the gospels.
The Stage-specific Testicular Germ Cell Apoptotic Response to Low-dose X-irradiation and 2,5-hexanedione Combined Exposure. I
Authors: Catlin Natasha R. , Huse Susan M. , Boekelheide Kim
Published: April 2014

Over the past decade, laser capture microdissection (LCM) has grown as a tool for gene expression profiling of small numbers of cells from tumor samples and of specific cell populations in complex tissues. LCM can be used to study toxicant effects on selected cell populations within the testis at different stages of spermatogenesis. There are several LCM-related hurdles to overcome, including issues inherent to the method itself, as well as biases that result from amplifying the LCM-isolated RNA. Many technical issues associated with the LCM method are addressed here, including increasing RNA yield and obtaining more accurate quantification of RNA yields. We optimized the LCM method optimized to generate RNA quantities sufficient for quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) array analysis without amplification and were able to validate the method through direct comparison of results from unamplified and amplified RNA from individual samples. The addition of an amplification step for gene expression studies using LCM RNA resulted in a bias, especially for low abundance transcripts. Although the amplification bias was consistent across samples, researchers should use caution when comparing results generated from amplified and unamplified LCM RNA. Here, we have validated the use of LCM-derived RNA with the qRT-PCR array, improving our ability to investigate cell-type and stage-specific responses to toxicant exposures.
Understanding users’ switching from online stores to mobile stores
Authors: Zhou Tao
Published: April 2014

Compared to online stores, mobile stores as an emerging application have received less adoption among users. This may be for the reason that they are locked into the relationship with online stores and are unwilling to switch from online stores to mobile stores. From a dual perspective of enablers and inhibitors, this research examined user switching from online stores to mobile stores. Enablers include trust transfer and flow, whereas the inhibitor is switching barrier. The results indicate that user switching receives a dual influence from both enablers and inhibitors. Among them, trust transfer has the largest effect on switching intention. These results imply that service providers need to be concerned with both aspects of enablers and inhibitors in order to facilitate user switching from online stores to mobile stores.
Geosynthetic clay liners shrinkage under simulated daily thermal cycles
Authors: Sarabadani Hamid , Rayhani Mohammad T
Published: April 2014

Geosynthetic clay liners are used as part of composite liner systems in municipal solid waste landfills and other applications to restrict the escape of contaminants into the surrounding environment. This is attainable provided that the geosynthetic clay liner panels continuously cover the subsoil. Previous case histories, however, have shown that some geosynthetic clay liner panels are prone to significant shrinkage and separation when an overlying geomembrane is exposed to solar radiation. Experimental models were initiated to evaluate the potential shrinkage of different geosynthetic clay liner products placed over sand and clay subsoils, subjected to simulated daily thermal cycles (60°C for 8 hours and 22°C for 16 hours) modelling field conditions in which the liner is exposed to solar radiation. The variation of geosynthetic clay liner shrinkage was evaluated at specified times by a photogrammetry technique. The manufacturing techniques, the initial moisture content, and the aspect ratio (ratio of length to width) of the geosynthetic clay liner were found to considerably affect the shrinkage of geosynthetic clay liners. The particle size distribution of the subsoil and the associated suction at the geosynthetic clay liner–subsoil interface was also found to have significant effects on the shrinkage of the geosynthetic clay liner.
Strain distribution in the intervertebral disc under unconfined compression and tension load by the optimized digital image correlation technique
Authors: Liu Qing , Wang Tai-Yong , Yang Xiu-Ping , Li Kun , Gao Li-Lan , Zhang Chun-Qiu , Guo Yue-Hong
Published: April 2014

The unconfined compression and tension experiments of the intervertebral disc were conducted by applying an optimized digital image correlation technique, and the internal strain distribution was analysed for the disc. It was found that the axial strain values of different positions increased obviously with the increase in loads, while inner annulus fibrosus and posterior annulus fibrosus experienced higher axial strains than the outer annulus fibrosus and anterior annulus fibrosus. Deep annulus fibrosus exhibited higher compressive and tensile axial strains than superficial annulus fibrosus for the anterior region, while there was an opposite result for the posterior region. It was noted that all samples demonstrated a nonlinear stress–strain profile in the process of deforming, and an elastic region was shown once the sample was deformed beyond its toe region.
The myth of America's “culture of consumerism”: Policy may help drive American household's fraying finances
Authors: Cohen Joseph N.
Published: April 2014

This article examines why American consumption has boomed over the past three decades, even as wages have stagnated and debt has risen. Although many analysts characterize rising spending as a product of a “culture of consumerism,” these analyses suggest that much of this spending growth is on well-being-essential products, whose prices have been rising quickly. Nonessential consumption growth is primarily occurring at the top of the US income pyramid, while the strains of paying for basic essentials may push lower income households into greater debt. America's purported inability to restrain consumption spending may be attributable to policy-induced structural factors that make basic necessities expensive, and less a product of modern marketing, media, or some other cultural phenomenon.
A qualitative investigation of early childhood teachers’ experiences of rhythm as pedagogy
Authors: Matthews Douglas R , Ubbes Valerie A , Freysinger Valeria J
Published: April 2014

Rhythm has been found to enhance not only biological functioning (e.g. balance, timing and coordination), but also to facilitate learning across sociocultural contexts. That is, rhythm may be a method of supporting child development and well-being. Hence, to the extent that children are not exposed to or engaged with rhythm, their development or the realization of their full potential may be limited. However, little research has explored the use of rhythm in early childhood education—a major context (in terms of time and importance) of children’s lives—or teachers’ experiences with rhythm in their pedagogy. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative study to investigate elementary teachers’ experiences of rhythm in their classroom teaching specifically, and in the teaching–learning process generally. A phenomenological approach that assumes that peoples’ perceptions present us with evidence of the world not as the world is thought to be but as it is lived was employed. Our goal was to understand the everyday pedagogy of a group of elementary school teachers, specifically, to understand how they experienced and constructed the role of rhythm in elementary education. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with study participants to probe and generate a rich description of the phenomenon of rhythm in the teaching–learning process. Results consisted of nine themes that convey (1) what rhythm meant to the teachers, (2) what they saw as the importance of rhythm in their teaching, and (3) the challenges they faced in incorporating rhythm in their teaching. Findings suggest that a broader and more inclusive range of activities (i.e. because rhythmic activities such as music, dance, oral rhymes, and other bodily movement) in the academic curriculum is important as such activities have the potential to improve the learning, development, and well-being of elementary school-age children and enhance the lived experiences of schooling for both educators and their students. However, a number of challenges also confront elementary educators who seek to incorporate rhythm into their pedagogy.
Gubernatorial Endorsements and Ballot Measure Approval
Authors: Burnett Craig M. , Parry Janine A.
Published: April 2014

Voters often make decisions on ballot measures with limited information. Research shows, however, that elite endorsements can help voters overcome their information deficiencies. Using survey experiments, we evaluate the effect of a gubernatorial endorsement on three recent ballot measures. We find that identifying the governor as a proponent of a particular measure has a significant effect on respondents' support for only one of the three ballot measures we examine: a highly publicized health initiative in 2000. For two lower profile referendums on bonds supporting higher education (in 2006) and roads (in 2011), a gubernatorial endorsement proved ineffective. These results hold even when we restrict our sample to respondents who are the most likely to be influenced by the treatment. As a result, we tentatively conclude that gubernatorial endorsements, while valuable to some voters, are highly conditional.
Perivascular adipose tissue-derived leptin promotes vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in metabolic syndrome rats
Authors: Li Hao , Wang Ya-Ping , Zhang Li-Na , Tian Gang
Published: April 2014

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT)-derived leptin is a detrimental adipocytokine and plays a critical role in the development of cardiovascular diseases in metabolic syndrome (MetS). During vascular remodeling, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) undergo phenotypic switching into a synthetic phenotype characterized by decreased expression of differentiation markers (smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, α-smooth muscle actin, and calponin) and increased proliferation. We aimed to determine whether PVAT-derived leptin influences VSMC phenotypic switching and to explore the underlying mechanisms in MetS rats. In vivo, 32 Wistar rats were divided into two groups that received either a normal diet (control rat) or a high-fat diet (MetS rats). After 16 weeks, rat aortas were stained using hematoxylin–eosin and imaged. VSMC differentiation markers and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), PVAT-derived leptin, aortic leptin receptor (ObR), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) expression were detected. In vitro, aortic VSMCs were incubated with MetS rat PVAT conditioned medium (PVAT-CM) to mimic in vivo conditions and were pretreated with a p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB 203580) or leptin antagonist. Differentiation marker expression, including PCNA and p38 MAPK, was detected. MetS rats exhibited pronounced insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and an associated increase in PVAT weight. VSMCs underwent phenotypic switching in MetS rat aorta and contributed to vascular remodeling. PVAT-derived leptin expression was higher in MetS rats than in control rats ( P < 0.01). ObRa expression and p38 MAPK phosphorylation were upregulated in MetS rat aorta. In vitro, VSMCs incubated with MetS rat PVAT-CM underwent phenotypic switching, associated with increased p38 MAPK phosphorylation. This VSMC phenotypic switching was inhibited by pretreatment with SB 203580 or a leptin antagonist. These results suggest that in MetS rats, PVAT-derived leptin promotes VSMC phenotypic switching via a p38 MAPK-dependent pathway to exacerbate vascular remodeling.
Her American Dream
Authors: Applin Samantha , Messner Steven F.
Published: April 2014

The purpose of this article is to present a gender-sensitized approach to Institutional-Anomie Theory (IAT) that recognizes the pervasiveness and import of gender at the institutional and cultural levels. Drawing on feminist literature, we discuss the gendering of the family and the economy, and the implications of such gendering for understanding the social organization of American society and the “institutional balance of power,” as explicated by Messner and Rosenfeld in Crime and the American Dream. At a cultural level, we propose that the tendency to conceive of men as normative helps reconcile two seemingly incompatible premises in IAT: the claim that there is a dominant form of social organization that characterizes American society and the empirical observation that cultural orientations and institutional involvement actually differ dramatically for males and females. From a social structural perspective, we describe the varying ways that institutions are by their very nature gendered and how the gendering of institutions can promote and sustain economic dominance—a particularly criminogenic institutional order. Based on these insights, we conclude by proposing some testable hypotheses about the interconnections among gender stratification, institutional structure, and societal levels of crime.
Innovative approaches to promoting cervical health and raising cervical cancer awareness by use of existing cultural structures in resource-limited countries: experiences with traditional marriage counseling in Zambia
Authors: Kapambwe Sharon , Parham Groesbeck , Mwanahamuntu Mulindi , Chirwa Susan , Mwanza Jacob , Amuyunzu-Nyamongo Mary
Published: April 2014

The Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Zambia (CCPPZ) has increasingly used community-level structures to increase the uptake and ensure the sustainability of the program. Traditional marriage counselors, the alangizi, who have existed in the Zambian society for many years, are one of the structures used by the program to impart cervical cancer knowledge and increase access to screening and care using an existing community structure. Several steps were followed in developing this intervention: (a) ensuring the alangizi understood the process of screening by encouraging them to go through the screening process; (b) workshops were arranged for the alangizi to meet and share experiences during which lessons were given on cervical cancer by health workers as well; and (c) eight alangizi were chosen to help document the lessons as part of ensuring that cervical cancer information is accurate and passed in a consistent manner.

Over 70 alangizi, who had undergone cervical cancer screening, were trained by CCPPZ. A ‘Cervical Cancer Training Manual for Marriage Counsellors’ was developed to help the alangizi integrate cervical cancer lessons in their routine teachings. An evaluation was conducted during the training of the alangizi that forms the basis for this paper. The results show that although the alangizi face key challenges in their work (e.g. changing social contexts), they are still considered relevant by most communities in Zambia and are potentially an important avenue for cervical cancer and other health information. This paper shows that it is possible to integrate sexual and reproductive health messages into existing structures in the community. However, it is important to design culturally specific and sensitive healthcare strategies that embrace locally accepted good practices.
Commentary on a meeting entitled ‘Building global capacity for non-communicable diseases (NCD) prevention: Defining direction and roles’
Authors: McQueen David , Pratt Michael , Blanchard Claire
Published: April 2014

This Commentary summarizes the key points that arose during a three-day meeting held in Atlanta in July 2012 on Building Global Capacity for NCD Prevention. A wide spectrum of participants representing many sectors of global health, including ministries of health from several low and middle-income countries (LMICs), governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations, national disease associations, academia, and global and regional institutions participated. Presentations and group discussions led to agreement on a number of actions that should be taken to increase capacity for coping with NCDs in LMICs. Key areas of discussion were on the role of research, workforce development, resources, and governance. While there was considerable agreement on what should be done, the workshop participants had difficulty in prioritizing these activities. This led to an agreement by the gathered participants that a follow-up Delphi study be conducted to help with prioritization.
The Scientific Method after Next
Authors: Stein David E.
Published: April 2014

Like the religions and creation myths that predated it, contemporary science provides a framework for attempting to understand the universe. Replacing faith-based dogma with a new consensus-based authority grounded in repeatable experiment and observation, science itself is based on a protocol known as the scientific method. Yet now, science, mathematics, and even logic are shaking their own foundations, with profound implications not only for the scientific method as a means of understanding the universe, but also for the relationship between science, religion, and mysticism.

For example, recent advances in quantum physics, and continual reinterpretations of earlier findings, are calling into question the notion of the detached observer—a notion fundamental to the contemporary scientific method—as well as the reductionistic approach of attempting to understand an entirety in terms of its components.

Other findings indicate that uncertainty, randomness, and inconsistency may be basic to nature, with pervasive implications to the predictive and descriptive capability of science. Science, in turn, is underpinned by mathematics and logic, which are axiomatic in nature and thus limited by Gödel's theorem, an implication of which is that axioms are ultimately unprovable. In a striking parallel with some Western religions, the axioms themselves are accepted by consensus and “on faith.” Beyond these gatekeepers to knowledge lies yet another. Stated differently, “This far and no further.” Like religion, science may hold mysteries that are beyond human reach.

Increasing studies of consciousness, intuitive processes, and some of the healing modalities can be expected to magnify the self-impacts of scientific research. This is because these studies generally do not yield the repeatable results that the scientific method demands. It is envisioned that the scientific method will need to evolve to encompass subjective experiences that have traditionally been regarded as outside its realm—perhaps starting with a framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of the observer and the observed. This paper explores the scientific findings that will shape the research protocols of tomorrow and the parallel and synergistic cultural, social, and academic trends.
Collective Intelligence and an Application by The Millennium Project
Authors: Glenn Jerome C.
Published: April 2014

There are a range of definitions for “collective intelligence” and applications. I define collective intelligence as “an emergent property from synergies among three elements—(1) data/info/knowledge, (2) software/hardware, and (3) experts and others with insight—that continually learns from feedback to produce just-in-time knowledge for better decisions than any of these elements acting alone.” This paper will briefly discuss why collective intelligence is needed, some early approaches to creating collective intelligence, what specifically is needed today, and an approach to constructing a collective intelligence system proposed by The Millennium Project called the Global Futures Intelligence System. This online integrated platform is designed to help support and improve global foresight as well as to provide a common platform for conducting futures research.
In the NIC of Time? Changing Our Minds about Global Foresight
Authors: Wilkinson Angela
Published: April 2014

The most recent report on global foresight published by the NIC provides an opportunity to reflect on the state of the art in the increasingly competitive and crowded arena of international foresight initiatives and global scenario publications. The NIC report offers scenarios to avoid the extreme reductionism of single line forecasting. The lack of new systemic insights offered by the scenarios may, however, contribute to an implementation gap and a failure to engage, reveal, and test the deeper assumptions about the future that are pivotal in ensuing national security in a multipolar, interdependent world.
Higher Education in the Future Tense
Authors: Shostak Arthur B.
Published: April 2014

Establishing a college or university Center for Futures Studies (CFS) could help set a campus proudly apart from and above competitors in the increasingly crowded world of Higher Education. It could generate a new class of vitally needed graduates—masters of the “art of the long view.” It could enrich the lives of faculty, students, and the entire community—both now and far into tomorrow. Higher Education belongs in the future tense, and a CFS can help point the way.
Peer Production and Prosumerism as a Model for the Future Organization of General Interest Services Provision in Developed Countries
Authors: Gajewska Katarzyna
Published: April 2014

Based on the examples of two collectives preparing lunches and giving them for free with an option of donation at Montreal universities, this article considers how services of general interest could be organized in an alternative way—namely how the combination of paid and unpaid work, spontaneous work involving high number of volunteers, and the dissociation of annual income from sale of output can serve as a model for providing needed public services. The probable expansion of such services in the future is supported by several current trends in the developed countries: for example, underemployment of human resources, a new work ethos, and the democratic deficit inherent in the current system of service provision by state or market providers. This article applies the case study method to illustrate citizens’ attitudes and to consider what structural and organizational changes may be needed to set up an alternative form of service provision potentially applicable to other venues.
Expression of a structurally constrained von Willebrand factor variant triggers acute thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in mice
Authors: Morioka Yoko , Casari Caterina , Wohner Nikolett , Cho Sungyun , Kurata Sachiko , Kitano Ayumi , Christophe Olivier D. , Lenting Peter J. , Li Renhao , Denis Cécile V. , Prévost Nicolas
Published: April 2014

Key Points

Introduction of a disulfide bond within the A2 domain renders VWF highly thrombogenic and resistant to proteolysis. Expression of mVWF/p.S1494C-p.A1534C in mice triggers an acute onset of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Oscillation of solutions of some generalized nonlinear α-difference equations
Authors: Manuel Mariasebastin Maria Susai , Kılıçman Adem , Srinivasan K , Babu G Dominic
Published: April 2014

In this paper, the authors discuss the oscillation of solutions of some generalized nonlinear α-difference equation

Δ

α
(
ℓ
)

(
p
(
k
)

Δ

α
(
ℓ
)

u
(
k
)
)

+
q
(
k
)
f

(
u

(
k
−
τ
(
k
)
)

)

=
0
,

k
∈
[
a
,
∞
)

, where the functions p, q, f and τ are defined in their domain of definition and

α
>
1

, ℓ is a positive real. Further,

u
f
(
u
)
>
0

for

u
≠
0

,

p
(
k
)
>
0

and

lim

k
→
∞

(
k
−
τ
(
k
)
)
=
∞

, where

R
k

=

∑

r
=
0

[

k
−
ℓ

ℓ

]

1

α
r

p
(
r
ℓ
)

→
∞

as

k
→
∞

and

u
(
k
)

is defined for

k
≥

min

i
≥
0

(
i
−
τ
(
i
)
)

for all

k
∈
[
a
,
∞
)

for some

a
∈
[
0
,
∞
)

.

MSC:39A12.
Evolving systemic functional linguistics: beyond the clause
Authors: Martin James R
Published: April 2014

In this autobiographical essay I reflect on my training in linguistics and the way it affected my interpretation and development of SFL theory. In particular I am concerned to show how I tried to help SFL evolve, accumulating previous understandings into a model with additional theoretical architecture taking descriptive responsibility for a wider range of linguistic data. This evolution is illustrated with respect to my work on discourse semantics (as part of stratified content plane), genre (as part of a stratified context plane) and appraisal (a discourse semantic framework for analysing feeling).
Subclinical inflammation on MRI of hand and foot of anticitrullinated peptide antibody–negative arthralgia patients at risk for rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: van Steenbergen Hanna W , van Nies Jessica AB , Huizinga Tom WJ , Reijnierse Monique , van der Helm-van Mil Annette HM
Published: April 2014

Introduction

It is known that anticitrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA)–positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has a preclinical phase. Whether this phase is also present in ACPA-negative RA is unknown. To determine this, we studied ACPA-negative arthralgia patients who were considered prone to progress to RA for local subclinical inflammation observed on hand and foot magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Methods

We studied a total of 64 ACPA-negative patients without clinically detectable arthritis and with arthralgia of the small joints within the previous 1 year. Because of the character of the patients’ symptoms, the rheumatologists considered these patients to be prone to progress to RA. For comparisons, we evaluated 19 healthy, symptom-free controls and 20 ACPA-negative RA patients, who were identified according to the 1987 American Rheumatism Association criteria. All participants underwent MRI of unilateral wrist, metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints. Synovitis and bone marrow oedema (BME) were scored according to the OMERACT rheumatoid arthritis magnetic resonance imaging scoring system, and the scores were summed to yield the ‘MRI inflammation score’. Scores were compared between groups. Among the ACPA-negative arthralgia patients, MRI inflammation scores were related to C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and the tenderness of scanned joints.

Results

MRI inflammation scores increased progressively among the groups of controls and ACPA-negative arthralgia and RA patients (median scores = 0, 1 and 10, respectively; P < 0.001). The MRI inflammation scores of ACPA-negative arthralgia patients were significantly higher than those of controls (P = 0.018). In particular, the synovitis scores were higher in ACPA-negative arthralgia patients (P = 0.046). Among the ACPA-negative arthralgia patients, inflammation was observed predominantly in the wrist (53%). The synovitis scores were associated with CRP levels (P = 0.007) and joint tenderness (P = 0.026). Despite the limited follow-up duration, five patients developed clinically detectable arthritis. These five patients had higher scores for MRI inflammation (P = 0.001), synovitis (P = 0.002) and BME (P = 0.003) compared to the other patients.

Conclusion

Subclinical synovitis was observed in the small joints of ACPA-negative arthralgia patients, and especially in patients whose conditions progressed to clinically detectable arthritis. This finding suggests the presence of a preclinical phase in ACPA-negative RA. Further longitudinal studies of these lesions and patients are required to confirm this hypothesis.
Intensive care unit depth of sleep: proof of concept of a simple electroencephalography index in the non-sedated
Authors: Reinke Laurens , van der Hoeven Johannes H , van Putten Michel JAM , Dieperink Willem , Tulleken Jaap E
Published: April 2014

Introduction

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are known to experience severely disturbed sleep, with possible detrimental effects on short- and long- term outcomes. Investigation into the exact causes and effects of disturbed sleep has been hampered by cumbersome and time consuming methods of measuring and staging sleep. We introduce a novel method for ICU depth of sleep analysis, the ICU depth of sleep index (IDOS index), using single channel electroencephalography (EEG) and apply it to outpatient recordings. A proof of concept is shown in non-sedated ICU patients.

Methods

Polysomnographic (PSG) recordings of five ICU patients and 15 healthy outpatients were analyzed using the IDOS index, based on the ratio between gamma and delta band power. Manual selection of thresholds was used to classify data as either wake, sleep or slow wave sleep (SWS). This classification was compared to visual sleep scoring by Rechtschaffen & Kales criteria in normal outpatient recordings and ICU recordings to illustrate face validity of the IDOS index.

Results

When reduced to two or three classes, the scoring of sleep by IDOS index and manual scoring show high agreement for normal sleep recordings. The obtained overall agreements, as quantified by the kappa coefficient, were 0.84 for sleep/wake classification and 0.82 for classification into three classes (wake, non-SWS and SWS). Sensitivity and specificity were highest for the wake state (93% and 93%, respectively) and lowest for SWS (82% and 76%, respectively). For ICU recordings, agreement was similar to agreement between visual scorers previously reported in literature.

Conclusions

Besides the most satisfying visual resemblance with manually scored normal PSG recordings, the established face-validity of the IDOS index as an estimator of depth of sleep was excellent. This technique enables real-time, automated, single channel visualization of depth of sleep, facilitating the monitoring of sleep in the ICU.