bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Study of Tocopherol Contents and Fatty Acids Composition in Twenty Almond Cultivars of Afghanistan
Authors: Zamany Ahmad Jawid , Samadi Ghulam Rasoul , Kim Doo Hwan , Keum Young‐Soo , Saini Ramesh Kumar
Published: April 2017

Afghanistan is the fourth largest producer of almonds in the world producing 78 native and 6 imported cultivars. However, till date, there have been no comprehensive data on nutrient profiles of the native cultivars. Thus, in the present investigation, tocopherol contents and fatty acid composition from the kernels of 20 selected native almond cultivars of Afghanistan were analyzed. The ranges of variability for the studied nutrients were similar to those already reported for almonds grown in other countries, such as 47.8–66.1% of total lipids (fresh weight basis), 62.54–81.57% of oleic acid in the total lipids, and 139.1–355.0 μg/g α‐tocopherol in kernels. With respect to cultivars, significantly (p < 0.05) high content of total lipids were recorded in ‘Belabai’ and ‘Sattarbai’ (Afghan grade), oleic acid in ‘Khairodini’ and of α‐tocopherol in ‘Khairodini‐161 Samangan’ and ‘Belabai’ cultivars. Kernels from these cultivars can be used for nutrient dense food formulations. Daily consumption of 50 g almonds is sufficient to meet the RDA of α‐tocopherol (15 mg/day), considering the average 300 μg/g of α‐tocopherol in Afghan almonds. Also, these nutrient rich cultivars can be used in almond breeding programs globally, to focus on improving kernel oil composition and nutrient contents.
Les données pondérales dans l'étude des ossuaires : l'exemple du caveau 2215 de l'église des Carmes, place Albert-1erà Montpellier
Authors: Rouquet J. , Lardé S. , Longepierre S.
Published: April 2017

Au cours de la fouille préventive d'une église médiévale et moderne, menée à la place Albert-1erde Montpellier, un caveau, situé dans le chœur, a livré une importante quantité d'ossements. Les délais imposés à cette opération ont limité les observations de terrain et, par là même, la compréhension du fonctionnement de cette structure. Le prélèvement des vestiges selon un carroyage implanté dans le caveau a toutefois permis de mener une étude pondérale des restes osseux. Cette étude s'inspire des méthodes d'analyse des crémations, dont le protocole et les outils sont bien connus et ont été largement diffusés. Elle s'appuie sur la détermination et le tri des fragments osseux par région anatomique et le pesage des lots ainsi constitués. Les poids obtenus ont été enregistrés dans un tableur, habituellement utilisé pour l'étude des crémations, afin d'analyser la représentation des régions anatomiques dans cet amas osseux ainsi que leur répartition au sein du caveau. Ce protocole a permis de montrer que toutes les parties du corps étaient correctement représentées, y compris dans leurs plus petits éléments. Cela a confirmé l'hypothèse de dépôts primaires au sein de cette structure et mis en évidence une distribution des ossements qui suit globalement l'ordre anatomique, évoquant une orientation des défunts conforme au rite chrétien.
Integrated single- and two-photon light sheet microscopy using accelerating beams
Authors: Piksarv Peeter , Marti Dominik , Le Tuan , Unterhuber Angelika , Forbes Lindsey H. , Andrews Melissa R. , Stingl Andreas , Drexler Wolfgang , Andersen Peter E. , Dholakia Kishan
Published: April 2017

We demonstrate the first light sheet microscope using propagation invariant, accelerating Airy beams that operates both in single- and two-photon modes. The use of the Airy beam permits us to develop an ultra compact, high resolution light sheet system without beam scanning. In two-photon mode, an increase in the field of view over the use of a standard Gaussian beam by a factor of six is demonstrated. This implementation for light sheet microscopy opens up new possibilities across a wide range of biomedical applications, especially for the study of neuronal processes.
Protectin DX ameliorates palmitate- or high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance and inflammation through an AMPK-PPARα-dependent pathway in mice
Authors: Jung Tae Woo , Kim Hyoung-Chun , Abd El-Aty A. M. , Jeong Ji Hoon
Published: April 2017

Protectin DX (PDX), a double lipoxygenase derivative of docosahexaenoic acid, has been reported to attenuate inflammation and insulin resistance. In the current study, we explored the effects of PDX on hyperlipidemia-induced insulin resistance and inflammation through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα). PDX attenuated the impairment of insulin receptor substrate 1/Akt–mediated insulin signaling in palmitate-treated differentiated C2C12 cells and soleus skeletal muscle of HFD-fed mice. Furthermore, PDX treatment significantly ameliorated HFD-induced weight gain and improved glucose tolerance in mice. Nuclear factor kB nuclear translocation, inhibitory kBα phosphorylation, and expression of proinflammatory cytokines were markedly attenuated by PDX in both in vitro and in vivo models. PDX treatment markedly augmented AMPK phosphorylation and PPARα expression in C2C12 cells and in skeletal muscle of mice. AMPK- and PPARα-specific siRNAs significantly abrogated the suppressive effects of PDX on palmitate-induced insulin resistance and inflammation. Furthermore, PDX markedly stimulated the expression of genes related to fatty acid oxidation. These effects of PDX were significantly suppressed by AMPK and PPARα siRNAs. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that PDX ameliorates insulin resistance and inflammation and stimulates fatty acid oxidation through AMPK- and PPARα-mediated pathways in skeletal muscle.
Bioinspired Diatomite Membrane with Selective Superwettability for Oil/Water Separation
Authors: Lo Yu-Hsiang , Yang Ching-Yu , Chang Haw-Kai , Hung Wei-Chen , Chen Po-Yu
Published: April 2017

Membranes with selective superwettability for oil/water separation have received significant attention during the past decades. Hierarchical structures and surface roughness are believed to improve the oil repellency and the stability of Cassie-Baxter state. Diatoms, unicellular photosynthetic algae, possess sophisticated skeletal shells (called frustules) which are made of hydrated silica. Motivated by the hierarchical micro- and nanoscale features of diatom, we fabricate a hierarchical diatomite membrane which consists of aligned micro-sized channels by the freeze casting process. The fine nano-porous structures of frustules are well preserved after the post sintering process. The bioinspired diatomite membrane performs both underwater superoleophobicity and superhydrophobicity under various oils. Additionally, we demonstrate the highly efficient oil/water separation capabililty of the membranes in various harsh environments. The water flux can be further adjusted by tuning the cooling rates. The eco-friendly and robust bioinspired membranes produced by the simple, cost-effective freeze casting method can be potentially applied for large scale and efficient oil/water separation.
Identification of DNA single-base mismatches by resistivity of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-ssDNA copolymer brush films at dual temperatures
Authors: Liu Yi-Zu , Manivannan Karthikeyan , Lee Ai-Wei , Huang Yan-Jiun , Wei Po-Li , Chen Jem-Kun
Published: April 2017

The resistivity of tethered PNIPAAm-b-ssDNA copolymer brushes can be exploited to detect a label-free target by homogeneous complexation and phase separation.
Synthesis of ene-yne-enes by nickel-catalyzed double SN2′ substitution of 1,6-dichlorohexa-2,4-diyne
Authors: Wang Gongbao , Lindeboom Erik-Jan , van Heerewaarden Chris , Minnaard Adriaan J.
Published: April 2017

1,6-Dichlorohexa-2,4-diyne undergoes nickel-catalyzed double substitution with aryl and alkenyl Grignard reagents to provide substituted ene-yne-enes.
Ambient temperature NO oxidation over Cr-based amorphous mixed oxide catalysts: effects from the second oxide components
Authors: Wang Aiyong , Lin Bo , Zhang Hanlei , Engelhard Mark H. , Guo Yanglong , Lu Guanzhong , Peden Charles H. F. , Gao Feng
Published: April 2017

Three series of Cr-based mixed oxides (Cr–Co, Cr–Fe, and Cr–Ni oxides) with high specific surface areas and amorphous textures were synthesized using a novel sol–gel method.
Tripodal amine ligands for accelerating Cu-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition: efficiency and stability against oxidation and dissociation
Authors: Zhu Zhiling , Chen Haoqing , Li Siheng , Yang Xunmo , Bittner Eric , Cai Chengzhi
Published: April 2017

Oligo(ethylene glycol) tethered Cu(i) ligands sacrificially protect catalysts and biomolecules from being oxidized in the CuAAC reaction.
Ultrathin Co–Fe hydroxide nanosheet arrays for improved oxygen evolution during water splitting
Authors: Zhou Tingting , Cao Zhen , Wang Heng , Gao Zhen , Li Long , Ma Houyi , Zhao Yunfeng
Published: April 2017

The Fe-doping of hierarchical Co hydroxide nanosheet arrays (CoyFe1−y(OH)xNSAs) integrated on a three-dimensional electrode is shown to contribute to both increasing the available surface area and number of active sites.
A simple and sensitive sensor based on a molecularly imprinted polymer-modified carbon paste electrode for the determination of curcumin in foods
Authors: Zhou Q. , Zhai H. Y. , Pan Y. F. , Li K.
Published: April 2017

A highly sensitive and selective molecularly imprinted polymer-modified carbon paste electrode (MIP-CPE) was designed.
In situ synthesis and immobilization of a Cu(ii)–pyridyl complex on silica microspheres as a novel Fenton-like catalyst for RhB degradation at near-neutral pH
Authors: Yuan Wenhua , Zhang Chaoying , Wei Hong , Wang Qinqin , Li Kebin
Published: April 2017

A Cu(ii)–pyridyl complex was in situ synthesized and immobilized onto silica microspheres as a highly effective Fenton-like catalyst at near-neutral pH.
Emulsion-derived hierarchically porous polystyrene solid foam for oil removal from aqueous environment
Authors: Zhang Ning , Zhong Suting , Chen Teng , Zhou Yu , Jiang Wei
Published: April 2017

A novel co-stabilizer consisting of Span 20 and Fe3O4 particles stabilized the emulsions well and generated the hierarchically porous Fe3O4/polystyrene foams.
Well-defined CoxCeO2+x–MoS2 nanotube hybrids as novel electrocatalysts for promising hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Wang Qin , Liu Zhengqing , Zhang Xinyu , Zhao Hongyang , Luo Chen , Jiao Huan , Du Yaping
Published: April 2017

Well-defined CoxCeO2+x–MoS2 nanotube hybrids displayed excellent HER performance.
One-electron intermediates of water oxidation & the role of solvation in their stability
Authors: Chen X. , Aschaffenburg D. , Cuk T.
Published: April 2017

The recent observations of one-electron intermediates of the water oxidation reaction, which localize charge to the surface, suggest that their stability is guided by solvation; in turn, this calls for an expansion of current theoretical calculations of their charge trapping capacity to include explicit solvent.
Copper on carbon materials: stabilization by nitrogen doping
Authors: Bulushev Dmitri A. , Chuvilin Andrey L. , Sobolev Vladimir I. , Stolyarova Svetlana G. , Shubin Yury V. , Asanov Igor P. , Ishchenko Arcady V. , Magnani Giacomo , Riccò Mauro , Okotrub Alexander V. , Bulusheva Lyubov G.
Published: April 2017

N-doping of carbon support prevents sintering of Cu and provides its high catalytic activity in H2 formation from formic acid.
New design of hydrogels with tuned electro-osmosis: a potential model system to understand electro-kinetic transport in biological tissues
Authors: Khairulina Kateryna , Chung Ung-il , Sakai Takamasa
Published: April 2017

A series of charged polymer gels with precisely controlled magnitude and direction of electro-osmotic flow was prepared and opens up the possibility for understanding the contribution of electro-osmosis to transport phenomenon in native biological tissues.
Enhanced second harmonic generation in individual barium titanate nanoparticles driven by Mie resonances
Authors: Ma Churong , Yan Jiahao , Wei Yuming , Liu Pu , Yang Guowei
Published: April 2017

Although previous designs of nonlinear optical (NLO) nanostructures have focused on photonic crystals and metal plasmonic nanostructures, complex structures, large ohmic loss, and Joule heating greatly hinder their practical applications.
Knockdown of PRDX2 sensitizes colon cancer cells to 5-FU by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Xu Jun , Zhang Shouru , Wang Rong , Wu Xingye , Zeng Li , Fu Zhongxue
Published: April 2017

Although, 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) remains widely used in adjuvant therapy in patients with colon cancer, resistance to 5-FU-based chemotherapy is an important reason for treatment failure. Recent studies have reported that an enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system shows drug resistance to 5-FU. Peroxiredoxin-2 (PRDX2), is an important member of the ROS scavenging system, and may be a potential target that promotes chemosensitivity to 5-FU in colon cancer. Here, we depleted PRDX2 by PRDX2-shRNA-LV transduction in two colon cancer cell lines and found that in vitro PRDX2 knockdown facilitates cell death, and apoptosis in 5-FU-treated colon cancer cells. In addition, we found that PRDX2 depletion in mice treated with 5-FU resulted in, inhibition of tumor growth, compared with mice treated with 5-FU alone. Our data also suggested that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway links PRDX2 with 5-FU-induced apoptosis in colon cancer. Furthermore, when PRDX2 was overexpressed in colon cancer cells, we found increased p-AKT protein expression and reduced Bcl-2/Bax protein expression. PRDX2 and p-AKT protein expression were analyzed by immunohistochemistry technology in human colon carcinoma tissues. Pearson correlation coefficient is 0.873 and P<0.05. PRDX2 depletion led to reduced p-AKT expression and PI3K/AKT pathway inhibition promoted cell apoptosis in HT29 cell line. Taken together, our study suggests that decreasing the expression of PRDX2 could be a promising strategy for increasing the sensitivity of colon cancer cells to 5-FU.
Adaptive differential correspondence imaging based on sorting technique
Authors: Wu Heng , Zhang Xianmin , Shan Yilin , He Zhenya , Li Hai , Luo Chunling
Published: April 2017

We develop an adaptive differential correspondence imaging (CI) method using a sorting technique. Different from the conventional CI schemes, the bucket detector signals (BDS) are first processed by a differential technique, and then sorted in a descending (or ascending) order. Subsequently, according to the front and last several frames of the sorted BDS, the positive and negative subsets (PNS) are created by selecting the relative frames from the reference detector signals. Finally, the object image is recovered from the PNS. Besides, an adaptive method based on two-step iteration is designed to select the optimum number of frames. To verify the proposed method, a single-detector computational ghost imaging (GI) setup is constructed. We experimentally and numerically compare the performance of the proposed method with different GI algorithms. The results show that our method can improve the reconstruction quality and reduce the computation cost by using fewer measurement data.
Toward a direct and scalable identification of reduced models for categorical processes
Authors: Gerber Susanne , Horenko Illia
Published: April 2017

Significance

We derive a computational framework that allows highly scalable identification of reduced Bayesian and Markov relation models, their uncertainty quantification, and inclusion of a priori physical information. It does not rely on the prior knowledge or a necessity of estimation of the full matrix of system’s relations in any step. Application to a molecular dynamics (MD) example showed that this methodology opens possibilities for a robust construction of reduced Markov state models directly from the MD data—providing ways of bridging the gap toward longer simulation times and larger systems in computational MD.
When work becomes meditation: how managers use work as a tool for personal growth
Authors: Lychnell Lasse
Published: April 2017

This paper identifies an empirically grounded process for how managers apply a meditative attitude to work in order to further personal growth. When managers actively engage in challenging situations with a meditative attitude, the process unfolds as the managers’ focus shifts from attending to suffering, to witnessing what is, and responding with authenticity. The study is based on qualitative analysis of empirical material generated during a two-year, in-depth, clinical inquiry of how seven CEOs and business owners of small and medium-sized companies integrate their spiritual development insights into their working lives. Meditation practice provides mangers with a foundation for personal growth by increasing their capacity to explore situations through a different light, changing their perspectives of life. This study shows that work can provide the individual with an environment where this capacity can be practiced and embodied in real time to further personal growth.
Raymond Williams and Communication Studies
Authors: McGuigan Jim
Published: April 2017

Raymond Williams (1921–1988) is often cited as one of the founders of the interdisciplinary field of education and research known as cultural studies (CS). To be more specific, he formulated an influential methodology that he named “cultural materialism,” which has an affinity with CS but is a distinctive perspective in its own right. Williams’s most celebrated book, Culture and Society 1780–1950 (1958), traced British Romanticism’s critical response to the Industrial Revolution and successive debates on social and cultural change. At the time of publication, Williams declared “culture” to be “ordinary,” thereby challenging the cultural elitism of literary study and opening up questions concerning mass-popular culture. However, Williams distanced himself from the populist study of communications and culture that became fashionable in the 1980s. His transition from literary criticism and history to sociological commentary and speculation on future prospects was signaled further by his 1961 sequel to Culture and Society, The Long Revolution.

Williams challenged the behaviorism of American-originated communication studies and drew upon European critical theories in his own work. His academic specialism was dramatic form, which he studied historically and related to theatrical and audiovisual trends in modern drama. His perspective of cultural materialism broke entirely with idealist approaches to the arts and communications media. However, he was firmly opposed to technologically determinist explanations of the emergence of new media and the dynamics of social change, On technical innovation, he emphasized the role of intentionality, the materiality of discourse, and the social conditions of cultural production and circulation. His key concepts include selective tradition, structure of feeling, and mobile privatization. Williams later coined the term “Plan X” to refer to the rise of military recklessness and unregulated “free-market” political economy and communications during the late 20th century. His final non-fiction book (he also wrote novels), Towards 2000 (1985), has been updated to take account of developments in culture, society, and the environment over the past 30 years.
Impact of Journalistic Background, Professional Norms, and Culture on Climate Change Coverage
Authors: Engesser Sven
Published: April 2017

Among the factors that influence news decisions relative to climate change, journalistic background, professional norms, and culture are particularly important. There is empirical evidence that conservative journalists and media outlets are less likely to support the scientific consensus on climate change and more likely to promote climate change contrarianism.

Journalists with less expertise on climate change may produce less accurate coverage, investigative journalists may be more critical towards science, and journalists with a positive attitude towards the subject of climate change may make it more salient in the news.

There is also indication that climate journalists abandon the norm of balance and increasingly employ strategies of novelty, dramatization, personalization, and localization. The climate journalists also tend to synchronize their coverage to the policies of their governments.

Finally, journalists from the interpretive community around the IPCC or from science-friendly cultures are more likely to support the consensus on climate change, while journalists from collectivist cultures are more likely to endorse binding international agreements.
Race, Class, Gender and Climate Change Communication
Authors: Pearson Adam R. , Ballew Matthew T. , Naiman Sarah , Schuldt Jonathon P.
Published: April 2017

Interest in the audience factors that shape the processing of climate change messaging has risen over the past decade, as evidenced by dozens of studies demonstrating message effects that are contingent on audiences’ political values, ideological worldviews, and cultural mindsets. Complementing these efforts is a growing interest in understanding the role of nonpartisan social factors—including racial and ethnic identities, social class, and gender—that have received comparably less attention but are critical for understanding how the challenges posed by climate change can be effectively communicated in pluralistic societies. Research and theory on the effects of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (education and income), and gender on climate change perceptions suggest that each of these factors can independently and systematically shape people’s attitudes and beliefs about climate change, as well as both individual and collective motivations to address it. Moreover, the literature suggests that these factors often interact with political orientation (ideology and party affiliation) such that climate change beliefs and risk perceptions are typically more polarized for members of advantaged groups than disadvantaged groups. Notably, differential polarization in the perceived dangers posed by climate change has increased in some group dimensions (e.g., race and income) from 2000 to 2010. Groups for whom the issue of climate change may be less politically charged, such as racial and ethnic minorities and members of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, thus represent critical audiences for bridging growing partisan divides and building policy consensus. Nevertheless, critical knowledge gaps remain. In particular, few studies have examined effects of race or ethnicity beyond the U.S. context or explored ways in which race, ethnicity, class, and gender may interact to influence climate change engagement. Increasing attention to these factors, as well as the role of diversity more generally in environmental communication, can enhance understanding of key barriers to broadening public participation in climate discourse and decision-making.
Incrementalism and Public Policy-Making
Authors: Hayes Michael
Published: April 2017

Incrementalism is a model of the policy process advanced by Charles Lindblom, who views rational decision making as impossible for most issues due to a combination of disagreement over objectives and an inadequate knowledge base. Policies are made instead through a pluralistic process of partisan mutual adjustment in which a multiplicity of participants focus on proposals differing only incrementally from the status quo. Significant policy change occurs, if at all, through a gradual accumulation of small changes, a process Lindblom calls seriality.

While Lindblom sees nonincremental policy departures as extremely rare, subsequent research suggests that major policy departures may occur in response to crises or mass public arousal, through the development of a rationalizing breakthrough after many years of experience with policy implementation, or through a process of punctuated equilibrium. While many scholars and policymakers have argued that nonincremental alternatives may at times be superior to incremental ones, implementing nonincremental policy departures poses special problems and often gives way to incrementalism in the administrative process as public attention and support for strong action wane. Nonincremental policy departures are more likely to be both enduring and effective where long experience with an issue leads to consensus on values and an adequate knowledge base, giving rise to a rationalizing breakthrough.

Properly understood, incrementalism is a form of what Sowell termed systemic rationality. The policy process would work more efficiently if all participants recognized the superiority of systemic rationality over what Sowell calls articulated rationality, just as Lindblom does in arguing the superiority of incrementalism over the synoptic ideal. For all its problems, our current system of polarized parties fails to eliminate the need for incrementalism. To the contrary, conditional party government makes possible a new form of partisan incrementalism that offers some advantages over traditional incrementalism.
Field Experiments on Political Behavior
Authors: John Peter
Published: April 2017

Field experiments allow researchers on political behavior to test causal relationships between mobilization and a range of outcomes, in particular, voter turnout. These studies have rapidly increased in number since 2000, many assessing the impact of nonpartisan Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) campaigns. A more recent wave of experiments assesses ways of persuading voters to change their choice of party or alter their social and political attitudes. Many studies reveal positive impacts for these interventions, especially for GOTV. However, there are far fewer trials carried out outside the United States, which means it is hard to confirm external validity beyond the U.S. context, even though many comparative experiments reproduce U.S. findings. Current studies, both in the United States and elsewhere, are growing in methodological sophistication and are leveraging new ways of measuring political behavior and attitudes.
Performance Management in Public Administration
Authors: Olvera Johabed G. , Avellaneda Claudia N.
Published: April 2017

As one of the reforms supported by the New Public Management movement, Performance Management Systems (PMSs) have been implemented worldwide, across various policy areas and different levels of government. PMSs require public organizations to establish clear goals, measure indicators of these purposes, report this information, and, ultimately, link this information with strategic decisions aimed at improving agencies’ performances. Therefore, the components of any PMS include: (1) strategic planning; (2) data collection and analysis (performance measurement); and (3) data utilization for decision-making (performance management). However, the degree of adoption and implementation of PMS components varies across both countries and levels of government. Therefore, in understanding the role of PMSs in public administration, it is important to recognize that the drivers explaining the adoption of PMS components may differ from those explaining their implementation. Although the goal of any PMS is to boost government performance, the existent empirical evidence assessing PMS impact on organizational performance reports mixed results, and suggests that the implementation of PMSs may generate some unintended consequences. Moreover, while worldwide there is a steady increase in the adoption of performance metrics, the same cannot be said about the use of these metrics in decision-making or performance management. Research on the drivers of adoption and implementation of PMSs in developing countries is still lacking.
Counterfactuals and Foreign Policy Analysis
Authors: Lebow Richard Ned
Published: April 2017

Counterfactuals seek to alter some feature or event of the pass and by means of a chain of causal logic show how the present might, or would, be different. Counterfactual inquiry—or control of counterfactual situations—is essential to any causal claim. More importantly, counterfactual thought experiments are essential, to the construction of analytical frameworks. Policymakers routinely use then by to identify problems, work their way through problems, and select responses. Good foreign-policy analysis must accordingly engage and employ counterfactuals.

There are two generic types of counterfactuals: minimal-rewrite counterfactuals and miracle counterfactuals. They have relevance when formulating propositions and probing contingency and causation. There is also a set of protocols for using both kinds of counterfactuals toward these ends, and it illustrates the uses and protocols with historical examples. Policymakers invoke counterfactuals frequently, especially with regard to foreign policy, to both choose policies and defend them to key constituencies. They use counterfactuals in a haphazard and unscientific manner, and it is important to learn more about how they think about and employ counterfactuals to understand foreign policy.
Work, Stress, Coping, and Stress Management
Authors: Glazer Sharon , Liu Cong
Published: April 2017

Work stress refers to the process of job stressors, or stimuli in the workplace, leading to strains, or negative responses or reactions. Organizational development refers to a process in which problems or opportunities in the work environment are identified, plans are made to remediate or capitalize on the stimuli, action is taken, and subsequently the results of the plans and actions are evaluated. When organizational development strategies are used to assess work stress in the workplace, the actions employed are various stress management interventions. Two key factors tying work stress and organizational development are the role of the person and the role of the environment. In order to cope with work-related stressors and manage strains, organizations must be able to identify and differentiate between factors in the environment that are potential sources of stressors and how individuals perceive those factors. Primary stress management interventions focus on preventing stressors from even presenting, such as by clearly articulating workers’ roles and providing necessary resources for employees to perform their job. Secondary stress management interventions focus on a person’s appraisal of job stressors as a threat or challenge, and the person’s ability to cope with the stressors (presuming sufficient internal resources, such as a sense of meaningfulness in life, or external resources, such as social support from a supervisor). When coping is not successful, strains may develop. Tertiary stress management interventions attempt to remediate strains, by addressing the consequence itself (e.g., diabetes management) and/or the source of the strain (e.g., reducing workload). The person and/or the organization may be the targets of the intervention. The ultimate goal of stress management interventions is to minimize problems in the work environment, intensify aspects of the work environment that create a sense of a quality work context, enable people to cope with stressors that might arise, and provide tools for employees and organizations to manage strains that might develop despite all best efforts to create a healthy workplace.
Stomatogastric Nervous System
Authors: Stein Wolfgang
Published: April 2017

The crustacean stomatogastric nervous system contains a set of distinct but interacting rhythmic motor circuits that control movements of the foregut. When isolated, these circuits produce activity patterns that are almost perfect replicas of their behavior in vivo. The ease with which distinct circuit neurons are identified, recorded, and manipulated has provided considerable insight into the general principles of how motor circuits operate and are controlled at the cellular level. The small number of relatively large neurons has facilitated several technical advances in neuroscience research and allowed the identification of one of the earliest circuit connectomes. This enabled, for the first time, studies of circuit dynamics using the relationships between all component neurons of a nervous center. A major discovery was that circuits are not dedicated to producing a single neuronal activity pattern, and that the involved neurons are not committed to particular circuits. This flexibility results predominantly from the ability of neuromodulators to change the cellular and synaptic properties of circuit neurons. The relatively unique access to, and detailed documentation of, identified circuit, sensory, and descending pathways has also started new avenues into examining how individual modulatory neurons and transmitters affect their target cells. Groundbreaking experimental and modeling work has further demonstrated that the intrinsic properties of neurons depend on their recent history of activation and that neurons and circuits counterbalance destabilizing influences by compensatory homeostatic regulation of ionic conductances. The stomatogastric microcircuits continue to provide key insight into neural circuit operation in numerically larger and less accessible systems.
Raptor Vision
Authors: Mitkus Mindaugas , Potier Simon , Martin Graham R. , Duriez Olivier , Kelber Almut
Published: April 2017

Diurnal raptors (birds of the orders Accipitriformes and Falconiformes), renowned for their extraordinarily sharp eyesight, have fascinated humans for centuries. The high visual acuity in some raptor species is possible due to their large eyes, both in relative and absolute terms, and a high density of cone photoreceptors. Some large raptors, such as wedge-tailed eagles and the Old World vultures, have visual acuities twice as high as humans and six times as high as ostriches—the animals with the largest terrestrial eyes. The raptor retina has rods, double cones, and four spectral types of single cones. The highest density of single cones occurs in one or two specialized retinal regions: the foveae, where, at least in some species, rods and double cones are absent. The deep central fovea allows for the highest acuity in the lateral visual field that is probably used for detecting prey from a large distance. Pursuit-hunting raptors have a second, shallower, temporal fovea that allows for sharp vision in the frontal field of view. Scavenging carrion eaters do not possess a temporal fovea that may indicate different needs in foraging behavior. Moreover, pursuit-hunting and scavenging raptors also differ in configuration of visual fields, with a more extensive field of view in scavengers.

The eyes of diurnal raptors, unlike those of most other birds, are not very sensitive to ultraviolet light, which is strongly absorbed by their cornea and lens. As a result of the low density of rods, and the narrow and densely packed single cones in the central fovea, the visual performance of diurnal raptors drops dramatically as light levels decrease. These and other visual properties underpin prey detection and pursuit and show how these birds’ vision is adapted to make them successful diurnal predators.
Neural Population Coding of Natural Sounds in Non-flying Mammals
Authors: Nelken Israel
Published: April 2017

Understanding the principles by which sensory systems represent natural stimuli is one of the holy grails of neuroscience. In the auditory system, the study of the coding of natural sounds has a particular prominence. Indeed, the relationships between neural responses to simple stimuli (usually pure tone bursts)—often used to characterize auditory neurons—and complex sounds (in particular natural sounds) may be complex. Many different classes of natural sounds have been used to study the auditory system. Sound families that researchers have used to good effect in this endeavor include human speech, species-specific vocalizations, an “acoustic biotope” selected in one way or another, and sets of artificial sounds that mimic important features of natural sounds.

Peripheral and brainstem representations of natural sounds are relatively well understood. The properties of the peripheral auditory system play a dominant role, and further processing occurs mostly within the frequency channels determined by these properties. At the level of the inferior colliculus, the highest brainstem station, representational complexity increases substantially due to the convergence of multiple processing streams. Undoubtedly, the most explored part of the auditory system, in term of responses to natural sounds, is the primary auditory cortex. In spite of over 50 years of research, there is still no commonly accepted view of the nature of the population code for natural sounds in the auditory cortex. Neurons in the auditory cortex are believed by some to be primarily linear spectro-temporal filters, by others to respond to conjunctions of important sound features, or even to encode perceptual concepts such as “auditory objects.” Whatever the exact mechanism is, many studies consistently report a substantial increase in the variability of the response patterns of cortical neurons to natural sounds. The generation of such variation may be the main contribution of auditory cortex to the coding of natural sounds.
Language and Linguistics in Medieval Europe
Authors: Hayden Deborah
Published: April 2017

During the period from the fall of the Roman empire in the late 5th century to the beginning of the European Renaissance in the 14th century, the development of linguistic thought in Europe was characterized by the enthusiastic study of grammatical works by Classical and Late Antique authors, as well as by the adaptation of these works to suit a Christian framework. The discipline of grammatica, viewed as the cornerstone of the ideal liberal arts education and as a key to the wider realm of textual culture, was understood to encompass both the systematic principles for speaking and writing correctly and the science of interpreting the poets and other writers. The writings of Donatus and Priscian were among the most popular and well-known works of the grammatical curriculum, and were the subject of numerous commentaries throughout the medieval period. Although Latin persisted as the predominant medium of grammatical discourse, there is also evidence from as early as the 8th century for the enthusiastic study of vernacular languages and for the composition of vernacular-medium grammars, including sources pertaining to Anglo-Saxon, Irish, Old Norse, and Welsh. The study of language in the later medieval period is marked by experimentation with the form and layout of grammatical texts, including the composition of textbooks in verse form. This period also saw a renewed interest in the application of philosophical ideas to grammar, inspired in part by the availability of a wider corpus of Greek sources than had previously been unknown to western European scholars, such as Aristotle’s Physics, Metaphysics, Ethics, and De Anime. A further consequence of the renewed interest in the logical and metaphysical works of Aristotle during the later Middle Ages is the composition of so-called ‘speculative grammars’ written by scholars commonly referred to as the ‘Modistae’, in which the grammatical description of Latin formulated by Priscian and Donatus was integrated with the system of scholastic philosophy that was at its height from the beginning of the 13th to the middle of the 14th century.
Comparative genomic analysis of SET domain family reveals the origin, expansion, and putative function of the arthropod-specific SmydA genes as histone modifiers in insects
Authors: Jiang Feng , Liu Qing , Wang Yanli , Zhang Jie , Wang Huimin , Song Tianqi , Yang Meiling , Wang Xianhui , Kang Le
Published: April 2017

The SET domain is an evolutionarily conserved motif present in histone lysine methyltransferases, which are important in the regulation of chromatin and gene expression in animals. In this study, we searched for SET domain–containing genes (SET genes) in all of the 147 arthropod genomes sequenced at the time of carrying out this experiment to understand the evolutionary history by which SET domains have evolved in insects. Phylogenetic and ancestral state reconstruction analysis revealed an arthropod-specific SET gene family, named SmydA, that is ancestral to arthropod animals and specifically diversified during insect evolution. Considering that pseudogenization is the most probable fate of the new emerging gene copies, we provided experimental and evolutionary evidence to demonstrate their essential functions. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis and in vitro methyltransferase activity assays showed that the SmydA-2 gene was transcriptionally active and retained the original histone methylation activity. Expression knockdown by RNA interference significantly increased mortality, implying that the SmydA genes may be essential for insect survival. We further showed predominantly strong purifying selection on the SmydA gene family and a potential association between the regulation of gene expression and insect phenotypic plasticity by transcriptome analysis. Overall, these data suggest that the SmydA gene family retains essential functions that may possibly define novel regulatory pathways in insects. This work provides insights into the roles of lineage-specific domain duplication in insect evolution.
Risk Factors for Intracranial Aneurysm Rupture: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kleinloog Rachel , de Mul Nikki , Verweij Bon H , Post Jan Andries , Rinkel Gabriel J E , Ruigrok Ynte M
Published: April 2017

BACKGROUND

Intracranial aneurysm rupture prediction is poor, with only a few risk factors for rupture identified and used in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE

To provide an overview of all the risk factors (including genetic, molecular, morphological, and hemodynamic factors) that have potential for use in clinical practice.

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed and EMBASE and focused on factors that can be easily assessed in clinical practice, might be used for rupture prediction in clinical practice, and/or are potential targets for further research. Studies were categorized according to methodological quality, and a meta-analysis was performed, if possible.

RESULTS

We included 102 studies describing 144 risk factors that fulfilled predefined criteria. There was strong evidence for the morphological factors irregular shape (studied in 4 prospective cohort studies of high-quality, pooled odds ratio [OR] of 4.8 [95% confidence interval 2.7-8.7]), aspect ratio (pooled OR 10.2 [4.3-24.6]), size ratio, bottleneck factor, and height-to-width ratio to increase rupture risk. Moderate level of evidence was found for presence of contact with the perianeurysmal environment (pooled OR 3.5 [1.4-8.4]), unbalanced nature of this contact (pooled OR 17.8 [8.3-38.5]), volume-to-ostium ratio, and direction of the aneurysm dome (pooled OR 1.5 [1.2-1.9]).

CONCLUSION

Irregular aneurysm shape was identified as a risk factor with potential for use in clinical practice. The risk factors aspect ratio, size ratio, bottleneck factor, height-to-width ratio, contact with the perianeurysmal environment, volume-to-ostium ratio, and dome-direction should first be confirmed in multivariate analysis and incorporated in prediction models.
The Four-Tier Continuum of Academic and Behavioral Support (4T-CABS) Model: An Integrated Model for Medical Student Success
Authors: Stegers-Jager Karen M. , Cohen-Schotanus Janke , Themmen Axel P.N.
Published: April 2017

Not all students cope successfully with the demands of medical school, and students’ struggles may result in study delay or dropout. To prevent these outcomes, medical schools need to identify students who are experiencing academic difficul ties and provide them with timely interventions through access to support programs. Although the importance of early identification and intervention is well recognized, less is known about successful strategies for identifying and supporting struggling students.

Building on the literature and their own empirical findings, the authors propose an integrated, school-wide model for medical student success comprising a continuum of academic and behavioral support. This Four-Tier Continuum of Academic and Behavioral Support (4T-CABS) model focuses on improving both academic and behavioral outcomes by offering support for students at four levels, which range from adequate instruction for all, to targeted small-group interventions, to individualized support, and also include exit support for students who might be better off in another degree program. Additionally, medical schools should provide both academic and behavioral support; set high, yet realistic expectations and clearly communicate these to students; and intervene early, which requires timely identification of at-risk students who would benefit from the different types and tiers of support. Finally, interventions should be evidence based and fit the needs of the identified groups of students. The authors argue that adopting the core principles of the 4T-CABS model will enable medical schools to maximize academic engagement and performance for all students.
DNA Hydroxymethylation by Ten-eleven Translocation Methylcytosine Dioxygenase 1 and 3 Regulates Nociceptive Sensitization in a Chronic Inflammatory Pain Model
Authors: Pan Zhiqiang , Xue Zhou-Ya , Li Guo-Fang , Sun Meng-Lan , Zhang Ming , Hao Ling-Yun , Tang Qian-Qian , Zhu Li-Jiao , Cao Jun-Li
Published: April 2017

Background

Ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase converts 5-methylcytosine in DNA to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, which plays an important role in gene transcription. Although 5-hydroxymethylcytosine is enriched in mammalian neurons, its regulatory function in nociceptive information processing is unknown.

Methods

The global levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase were measured in spinal cords in mice treated with complete Freund’s adjuvant. Immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, and behavioral tests were used to explore the downstream ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-dependent signaling pathway.

Results

Complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced nociception increased the mean levels (± SD) of spinal 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (178 ± 34 vs. 100 ± 21; P = 0.0019), ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-1 (0.52 ± 0.11 vs. 0.36 ± 0.064; P = 0.0088), and ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-3 (0.61 ± 0.13 vs. 0.39 ± 0.08; P = 0.0083) compared with levels in control mice (n = 6/group). The knockdown of ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-1 or ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-3 alleviated thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, whereas overexpression cytosinethem in naïve mice (n = 6/group). Down-regulation of spinal ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-1 and ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-3 also reversed the increases in Fos expression (123 ± 26 vs. 294 ± 6; P = 0.0031; and 140 ± 21 vs. 294 ± 60; P = 0.0043, respectively; n = 6/group), 5-hydroxymethylcytosine levels in the Stat3 promoter (75 ± 16.1 vs. 156 ± 28.9; P = 0.0043; and 91 ± 19.1 vs. 156 ± 28.9; P = 0.0066, respectively; n = 5/group), and consequent Stat3 expression (93 ± 19.6 vs. 137 ± 27.5; P = 0.035; and 72 ± 15.2 vs. 137 ± 27.5; P = 0.0028, respectively; n = 5/group) in complete Freund’s adjuvant-treated mice.

Conclusions

This study reveals a novel epigenetic mechanism for ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-1 and ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase-3 in the modulation of spinal nociceptive information via targeting of Stat3.