bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Promotes V-ATPase Activation and Vacuolar Acidification and Delays Methyl Jasmonate-Induced Leaf Senescence
Authors: Liu Jian , Ji Yingbin , Zhou Jun , Xing Da
Published: January 2016

PI3K and its product PI3P are both involved in plant development and stress responses. In this study, the down-regulation of PI3K activity accelerated leaf senescence induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and suppressed the activation of vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase). Yeast two-hybrid analyses indicated that PI3K bound to the V-ATPase B subunit (VHA-B). Analysis of bimolecular fluorescence complementation in tobacco guard cells showed that PI3K interacted with VHA-B2 in the tonoplasts. Through the use of pharmacological and genetic tools, we found that PI3K and V-ATPase promoted vacuolar acidification and stomatal closure during leaf senescence. Vacuolar acidification was suppressed by the PIKfyve inhibitor in 35S:AtVPS34-YFP Arabidopsis during MeJA-induced leaf senescence, but the decrease was lower than that in YFP-labeled Arabidopsis. These results suggest that PI3K promotes V-ATPase activation and consequently induces vacuolar acidification and stomatal closure, thereby delaying MeJA-induced leaf senescence.
Boston sport organizations and community disaster recovery
Authors: Finch Bryan
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by sport organizations in the community recovery efforts in Boston following the 2013 marathon bombings.

Design/methodology/approach

– Interview questions were created following initial site visits and content analysis of 40 media reports specifically dealing with social recovery efforts following the attacks. Six semi-structured interviews with professional team and organizational leaders were completed and analyzed to gain insight into the leader’s perspectives of the relief process. Finally, the media reports and interviews were reviewed and specific recovery efforts were classified into tangible, emotional, or informational support categories.

Findings

– The findings of this case study are specific to the disaster relief efforts in Boston, Massachusetts following the 2013 marathon bombings and therefore cannot be generalized beyond this scope. This paper provided focussed analysis of the reactions of several Boston area sport organizations during the immediate disaster recovery period. The long-term impacts of these efforts require further investigation.

Practical implications

– The examination of the viewpoints of the sport organization leaders following the disaster may provide insight for other sport organization leaders and civic officials as they prepare for future challenges.

Originality/value

– This paper provides a detailed examination of several sport organizations responses following the community disaster in Boston. It also provides unique perspectives from the sport organization leaders.
The game changes: “Disaster Prevention and Management” after a quarter of a century
Authors: Alexander David E.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding ofDisaster Prevention and Management. It reviews the modern-day challenges facing researchers, scholars and practitioners who work in the field of disaster risk reduction (DRR).

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper reviews key issues in DRR, including the relationship between capital and labour and its influence on vulnerability, the role of human mobility and migration in disaster vulnerability and the definition of welfare.

Findings

– There is a need for a major revision in the body of disaster theory so that it can take account dynamic changes in the modern world. In the future, climate change and migration may radically alter the bases of vulnerability, risk and impact. The ways in which this will occur are not yet clear, but indications can be gained from current trends and the state of foment in which the world presently exists.

Research limitations/implications

– Prediction of future developments is always subject to the caveat that unexpected influences may change the expected course of events. However, the authors need to anticipate developments in order to produce theory, policies and practical solutions that are well-thought-out and viable.

Practical implications

– Disaster theory must adapt to new conditions if it is to remain the “road-map” that clarifies complex realities and enables disasters to be managed and abated.

Social implications

– Huge changes in the stability, expectations and vulnerabilities of populations are underway. These need to be understood much more fully in terms of their ability to influence disaster risks and impacts.

Originality/value

– Presently, few analyses of the dynamism of global society are able to present a clear picture of the future needs of theory generation, scholarship and research.
Bullying and victimisation are common in four‐year‐old children and are associated with somatic symptoms and conduct and peer problems
Authors: Ilola Anna‐Marja , Lempinen Lotta , Huttunen Jukka , Ristkari Terja , Sourander Andre
Published: January 2016

Aim

There are few population‐based studies on bullying behaviour among preschool children. The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of bullying behaviour among four‐year‐old children, as reported by their parents, the prevalence of types of bullying behaviour and the associations between bullying behaviour and psychosocial factors.

Methods

This study was based on a population‐based study sample of 931 children who attended their check‐up at a child health clinic at four years of age. Parents completed the questionnaire about their child's bullying behaviour and risk factors during the check‐up.

Results

Bullying behaviour, especially being both a bully and a victim, was a common phenomenon among four‐year‐old children. Being a bully or both a bully and victim were most strongly associated with conduct problems, while being a victim was associated with somatic symptoms and peer problems.

Conclusion

Bullying behaviour was frequently found in preschool children and associated with a wide range of other problems, which indicate that routine checking of bullying behaviour should be included in child health clinic check‐ups. Bullying prevention programmes are usually targeted at school‐aged children, but this study highlights the importance of focusing already on preschool children.
ABCG2 deficiency in skin impairs re‐epithelialization in cutaneous wound healing
Authors: Chang Hsiao‐Min , Huang Wen‐Yen , Lin Sung‐Jan , Huang Wei‐Chao , Shen Chia‐Rui , Mao Wan‐Yu , Shen Chia‐Ning
Published: January 2016

The ATP‐binding cassette transporter ABCG2 is expressed in the interfollicular epidermis and mediates the side‐population phenotype in skin cells. However, the role of ABCG2 in skin is unclear. Increased expression levels of ABCG2 were found at the basal layer of transitional epidermis adjacent to cutaneous wounds in human patients, indicating that ABCG2 may be involved in regulating the wound healing process. To investigate the role of ABCG2 in cutaneous wound healing, full‐thickness skin wounds were created in ABCG2 knockout (ABCG2‐KO) and wild‐type mice. The healing process was analysed and revealed that ABCG2 deficiency in skin results in delays in wound closure and impairments in re‐epithelialization, as evidenced by reductions in both suprabasal differentiation and in p63‐expressing keratinocytes migrating from transitional epidermis to epithelial tongues. The reduction in p63‐expressing cells may be due to elevated levels of reactive oxygen species in ABCG2‐KO epidermis, which can cause DNA damage and lead to proliferation arrest. To determine whether ABCG2 deficiency affects the potency of epidermal stem/progenitor cells (EPCs), transplantation studies were carried out, which demonstrated that ABCG2‐KO EPCs display higher levels of γH2AX and lose the capacity to differentiate into suprabasal keratinocytes. A competitive repopulation assay confirmed that ABCG2 expression is critical for the proper expansion and differentiation of EPCs in cutaneous wounds. As EPCs are known to contribute to the healing of larger wounds, the current findings imply a functional role for ABCG2 in the expansion and differentiation of p63‐expressing EPCs. Thus, ABCG2 deficiency in skin impairs re‐epithelialization in cutaneous wound healing.
Gestational Age at Term, Delivery Circumstance, and Their Association with Childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms
Authors: Talge Nicole M. , Allswede Dana M. , Holzman Claudia
Published: January 2016

Background

Perinatal characteristics may identify subgroups of term‐born children at risk for academic and behavioural difficulties. Using follow‐up data from the Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health Study, we subdivided term births according to two potential markers of perinatal risk (gestational age, delivery circumstance) and evaluated their association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.

Methods

We included children born at term whose mothers completed the Conners’ Parent Rating Scales‐Revised‐Short Form (CPRS‐R‐S) (n = 610; ages: 3–9 years). The CPRS‐R‐S yields age and sex‐referenced T‐scores for the two primary dimensions of ADHD (inattention, hyperactivity) and an ADHD Index that reflects both dimensions. Using general linear models, we evaluated whether: (1) term delivery defined by gestational week (reference: 39–40 weeks), or (2) term delivery circumstance defined by labour onset type and mode of delivery (reference: spontaneous labour, vaginal delivery) was associated with these problems.

Results

Following adjustment for parity, sociodemographics, and maternal mental health both during pregnancy and at the child follow‐up survey, the induced labour plus caesarean group exhibited higher inattention and ADHD Index scores relative to the spontaneous labour, vaginal delivery group (inattention: mean difference = 5.1, 95% CI 0.6, 9.7; ADHD Index: mean difference = 4.1, 95% CI 0.5, 7.8). Findings were primarily driven by male children.

Conclusions

Among term‐born children, only those whose mothers experienced induction of labour that culminated in caesarean delivery exhibited higher levels of ADHD symptoms. Prenatal, antepartum, and/or postnatal factors associated with this delivery profile may reflect increased risk for such problems.
Evaluation of chemical properties of througfall, forest floor and seepage water in Spruce and Beech stands in the Highlands area of the Czech Republic
Authors: Fabiánek Tomáš , Menšík Ladislav , Drápelová Ida , Kulhavý Jiří
Published: January 2016

The objective of the transformation of spruce monocultures to close-to-nature forests is to create natural relationships between the species composition and the soil environment in a forest ecosystem. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the input of chemical substances via precipitation into forest floor, chemical properties of the forest floor with a view to the aluminum (Al), and the output of chemical substances via seepage water from the forest floor to the soil profile in an unmixed, 30 to 40-year old beech and spruce stand during the time period of 2004 through 2008. The study was carried out in the Rájec-Němčice field research station of the Deparment of Forest Ecology, Mendel University in Brno. The station is located in the Drahanská vrchovina Upland (on the eastern edge of the Bohemian Massif) in the Czech Republic. The aim of the study was to evaluate (i) the concentration and deposition of BC substances (= Ca, Mg, K), N (= NO3-, NH4+), pH, conductivity of throughfall, (ii) concentration and reserves of substances (Altot, BC, N), pH, C/N, Ca/Al ratio, BC/Al ratio, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and base saturation (BS) in the forest floor, (iii) concentration, pH, conductivity, output of substances (Al, BC, N) in seepage water from the forest floor to the soil profile. The results obtained demonstrate significant differences between spruce and beech stands. The values of determined characteristics show better conditions in the beech stand, eg: pH = 5,6; Al = 0,02 [mmol. l-1]; BC/Al = 8,3 in seepage waters. In the spruce stand: pH = 5,0; Al = 0,01 [mmol. l-1]; BC/Al = 11,4. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to notice effects of the stand species on the condition of the forest floor and its development. These effects were less favorable for the 34-year old spruce monoculture aged as compared to the 40-year old the beech monoculture (for the latter we found some positive, soil-improving effects) grown over a time period of two generations of unmixed spruce stands.
Iraq confronts a new enemy—the Persian Gulf
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: January 2016

Drought and dams allow saltwater to invade, threatening people and the ancient marshes of Mesopotamia.
DATA CHECK: For female scientists, mixed funding results at U.S. agencies
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: January 2016

Report to Congress finds a gender disparity in grant awards—and a dearth of data.
Accurate concentration control of mitochondria and nucleoids
Authors: Jajoo Rishi , Jung Yoonseok , Huh Dann , Viana Matheus P. , Rafelski Susanne M. , Springer Michael , Paulsson Johan
Published: January 2016

Mitochondria migration during mitosis

Every time a cell divides, it is faced with the problem of ensuring adequate distribution of all components to the daughter cells. This includes components that are present in relatively small numbers, like the mitochondria and their DNA-containing nucleoids. Jajoo
et al.
used quantitative time-lapse fluorescence microscopy of single yeast cells to explore how this works. Unlike chromosomes or macromolecules, mitochondria and nucleoids are distributed in proportion to the volume of cytoplasm received by each daughter cell. Partitioning errors are kept low by even distribution of the mitochondrial volume and roughly equal spacing of the nucleoids before they are distributed.

Science
, this issue p.
169
Human Cytomegalovirus Stimulates the Synthesis of Select Akt-Dependent Antiapoptotic Proteins during Viral Entry To Promote Survival of Infected Monocytes
Authors: Peppenelli Megan A. , Arend Kyle C. , Cojohari Olesea , Moorman Nathaniel J. , Chan Gary C.
Published: January 2016

Primary peripheral blood monocytes are responsible for the hematogenous dissemination of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) following a primary infection. To facilitate viral spread, we have previously shown HCMV to extend the short 48-h life span of monocytes. Mechanistically, HCMV upregulated two specific cellular antiapoptotic proteins, myeloid leukemia sequence 1 (Mcl-1) and heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), to block the two proteolytic cleavages necessary for the formation of fully active caspase 3 and the subsequent initiation of apoptosis. We now show that HCMV more robustly upregulated Mcl-1 than normal myeloid growth factors and that Mcl-1 was the only myeloid survival factor to rapidly induce HSP27 prior to the 48-h cell fate checkpoint. We determined that HCMV glycoproteins gB and gH signal through the cellular epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and αvβ3 integrin, respectively, during viral entry in order to drive the increase of Mcl-1 and HSP27 in an Akt-dependent manner. Although Akt is known to regulate protein stability and transcription, we found that gB- and gH-initiated signaling preferentially and cooperatively stimulated the synthesis of Mcl-1 and HSP27 through mTOR-mediated translation. Overall, these data suggest that the unique signaling network generated during the viral entry process stimulates the upregulation of select antiapoptotic proteins allowing for the differentiation of short-lived monocytes into long-lived macrophages, a key step in the viral dissemination strategy.

IMPORTANCEHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is endemic within the human population. Although primary infection is generally asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, HCMV is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the immunocompromised. The multiorgan inflammatory diseases associated with symptomatic HCMV infection are a direct consequence of the monocyte-mediated systemic spread of the virus. In order for peripheral blood monocytes to facilitate viral dissemination, HCMV subverts the short 48-h life span of monocytes by inducing the expression of cellular antiapoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and HSP27. Here, we demonstrate that the rapid and simultaneous upregulation of Mcl-1 and HSP27 is a distinctive feature of HCMV-induced monocyte survival. Moreover, we decipher the signaling pathways activated during viral entry needed for the robust synthesis of Mcl-1 and HSP27. Identifying the virus-specific mechanisms used to upregulate select cellular factors required for the survival of HCMV-infected monocytes is important to the development of new classes of anti-HCMV drugs.
State injury prevention policies and variation in death from injury
Authors: Kaufman Elinore J , Wiebe Douglas J
Published: January 2016

Objectives

Death from injury is frequently preventable, but injury remains a leading cause of death in the USA. While evidence-based strategies exist to prevent many types of injuries, effective policies for implementing these strategies at the population level are needed to reduce injury deaths. We identified promising injury prevention policies and evaluated their association with injury death rate (IDR).

Methods

We identified 11 injury prevention policies and accessed data on 2013 state and county IDRs. States were divided into strong, moderate and weak tertiles based on total number of policies in place. Adjusted regression modelling compared the strength of state prevention policies with IDRs at the state level and then at the county level to account for variability within states.

Results

The strength of state prevention policies (tertile) was not significantly associated with IDR in US states. However, counties in strong policy states had a 11.8-point lower IDR compared with those in weak policy states (p=0.001).

Conclusions

States with more injury prevention policies in place have lower rates of death from injury, particularly when evaluated at the county level. Implementing recommended prevention policies holds potential to prevent injury death in the USA.
Severe stress following bereavement during pregnancy and risk of pregnancy loss: results from a population-based cohort study
Authors: Plana-Ripoll Oleguer , Parner Erik , Olsen Jørn , Li Jiong
Published: January 2016

Background

Previous findings on the association between stress during pregnancy and pregnancy loss are inconsistent. We aimed to estimate this association using a large prospective cohort.

Methods

This population-based study included all 1 303 660 clinically recognised pregnancies in Denmark between 1995 and 2008. We categorised women as exposed to severe stress if they lost a child, sibling or parent during pregnancy. Cox Proportional Hazards models were used to study the association between exposure and rate of fetal death, starting with the follow-up on the day of completion of week 4 of pregnancy. In an attempt to control for unknown potential confounders, we also designed a pregnancy-matched analysis in which each woman had her own baseline risk of pregnancy loss and controls therefore for genetic and time-stable environmental factors.

Results

A total of 146 031 pregnancies ended in clinically recognised fetal loss (11.2%) and a total of 10 808 (0.8%) women were categorised as exposed. The overall risk of pregnancy loss was similar in the exposed and unexposed (aHR=1.05, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.15). Results from the pregnancy-matched analysis (performed in 423 women) showed stronger and significant associations (aHR=1.83, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.25). All the analyses indicated a stronger effect of bereavement when the mother lost a child or when the death was unexpected.

Conclusions

Our main results suggested no strong association between severe stress during pregnancy and risk of pregnancy loss. Results from the pregnancy-matched analyses considered information from a selected and small group of women for whom there may exist a stronger association between stress during pregnancy and pregnancy loss. The fact that an unexpected death or the loss of a child had a stronger effect in both analyses may indicate that severe stressful situations increase the risk of pregnancy loss.
Effect of fluid viscosity on surface patterns formed by gravitational instability
Authors: Shimokawa Michiko , Takami Toshiya
Published: January 2016

When a droplet of a higher-density solution (HDS) is placed on the top of a lower-density solution (LDS), the HDS on the surface of the LDS sinks due to gravitational instability. In the sinking process, the HDS draws a fractal pattern or a hole/cell pattern on the surface of the LDS. It is observed that the surface pattern is determined by an aspect ratio of the container and viscosity of the LDS. In the formation of the surface pattern, a time series of the HDS density is analyzed. It is found that the profile of the series for the fractal pattern is different from that for the hole/cell pattern. In order to clarify the difference, we propose a phenomenological model for the time series to obtain fitting functions for both patterns.
The Effects of Covenant Violations on the Underpricing of Seasoned Equity Offerings and the Implied Cost of Equity Capital
Authors: Ngo Anh , Duong Hong , Chen Anthony
Published: January 2016

This study examines the impact of covenant violations on the implied cost of equity capital and the underpricing of seasoned equity offerings (SEOs). Using a novel dataset of 1,028 first-time covenant violations from 1996–2011, we find a higher level of SEO underpricing during the period immediately following covenant violations. This suggests that creditors require violating firms to issue equity to lower leverage and that equity investors interpret the violation negatively. We also find that violating firms experience an average increase of 8.48% in the implied cost of equity capital. By comparing analysts’ earnings forecasts before and after the violations, we conclude that the negative effects on equity owe to the loss of flexibility that accompanies covenant violations, and are not simply a reflection of the deteriorating health of the firm.
Learning Join Queries from User Examples
Authors: Bonifati Angela , Ciucanu Radu , Staworko Sławek
Published: January 2016

We investigate the problem of learning join queries from user examples. The user is presented with a set of candidate tuples and is asked to label them as
positive
or
negative
examples, depending on whether or not she would like the tuples as part of the join result. The goal is to quickly infer an arbitrary
n
-ary join predicate across an arbitrary number
m
of relations while keeping the number of user interactions as minimal as possible. We assume no prior knowledge of the integrity constraints across the involved relations. Inferring the join predicate across multiple relations when the referential constraints are unknown may occur in several applications, such as data integration, reverse engineering of database queries, and schema inference. In such scenarios, the number of tuples involved in the join is typically large. We introduce a set of strategies that let us inspect the search space and aggressively prune what we call
uninformative
tuples, and we directly present to the user the
informative
ones—that is, those that allow the user to quickly find the goal query she has in mind. In this article, we focus on the inference of joins with equality predicates and also allow disjunctive join predicates and projection in the queries. We precisely characterize the frontier between tractability and intractability for the following problems of interest in these settings: consistency checking, learnability, and deciding the informativeness of a tuple. Next, we propose several strategies for presenting tuples to the user in a given order that allows minimization of the number of interactions. We show the efficiency of our approach through an experimental study on both benchmark and synthetic datasets.
Amazon and the self
Authors: Resca Andrea , Bygstad Bendik
Published: January 2016

In his classic book on the information society Castells described the relationship between "the self and the net". The rise of Internet giants such as Google, Apple and Amazon, have been spectacular successes on an unprecedented scale. However, the relationship we have with these companies is characterized by ambiguity; on the one hand it is part of the daily life, such as searching for information or buying a book, through personalized and easy-to-use services. On the other hand, the dominant position of these actors raises concerns on privacy, and monopoly power. In this paper we try to make sense of these asymmetrical relationships, and propose a way forward to achieve a more balanced relationship. Our empirical framing is an investigation of the evolution of Amazon, through the years 1995-2013. We analyze the company at two levels, focusing at first on the individual interaction and then at the level of infrastructure. For the customers the infrastructure is not visible, although the aggregates of personal and behavioral information are the basis for the rich set of "individualized" interactions between customers and company. The basic asymmetry of the relationship cannot be solved at an individual level. We therefore call for a new kind of institution, and discuss some alternative strategies..
Online disclosure of employment information
Authors: Badrul Nurul Amin , Williams Shirley Ann , Lundqvist Karsten Øster
Published: January 2016

This paper investigates the perceptions and behaviour of government employees regarding the disclosure of employment information. Two different contexts, namely 1) official websites and 2) online social networks (OSN: in this case, Facebook) that disclose employees' employment information are selected as contrasting platforms in order to understand how government employees behave towards the same type of information in different contexts. This preliminary study will draw from information boundary theory to discuss how employees' behaviour and perceptions towards a particular attribute vary between the two different contexts. A qualitative strategy was employed and five Malaysian participants from a range of public organizations were interviewed. The results suggest that while all participants were aware of the issue of disclosure, there were mixed responses regarding disclosure. Privacy boundaries were established when employees perceived the context as official and personal. Additionally, participants acted differently when they had the option not to disclose their employment information on their social network accounts. These findings provide knowledge about information disclosure in which privacy implications are influenced by contextual factors.
Alterity and freedom of information on the internet
Authors: Hammon Jasmin
Published: January 2016

Giving a short overview of the technical innovation of Deep Packet Inspection and "Internet fast-lanes", this paper shows the ethical dimension of giving up the founding principle of the open Internet. These new means of network management are fiercely discussed because of their inherent threat of censorship and attack on privacy. This paper will attempt to explain why the experience of otherness and both the freedom of information and the freedom of expression are endangered if Net Neutrality is no longer protected. Furthermore, it shows by means of some representative examples how this subject is reflected in contemporary literature.
Wilma ruined my life
Authors: Heimo Olli I. , Rantanen Minna M. , Kimppa Kai K.
Published: January 2016

The information system StarSoft Wilma used to track and report on the adolescents' behaviour at school can cause problematic situations. These problems manifest themselves in various ways: many of the markings in the system are either wholly unnecessary or at least questionable in nature. This is made the adolescents (and some guardians/teachers) resent the system. In this paper these side-effects are looked through and compared with an analysis of posts in the Facebook-group 'Wilma Ruined My Life'. As conclusions we claim that the system can create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion amongst the students: resembling an Orwellian or panopticon-like environment which might undermine the students' ability to become full and capable members of an open democratic society.
Case study research to reflect societal and ethical issues
Authors: Yaghmaei Emad , Brem Alexander
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this paper is to provide the systematic procedures of case study research. A robust case study protocol in the context of societal and ethical issues with a relevant guidelines will set to show how data should collect, present, and analyze. This paper takes in particular the context of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) as the phenomenon and investigates on how to apply the methodologies, which could assist us to identify the boundaries between societal and ethical issues and the emerging ICTs. As such, to interpret the collected data and build theory inductively, to have an excellent basis for further qualitative research within RRI context, systematic procedures are needed to conduct. This paper uses a holistic view to the literature for providing guidelines for conducting and reporting case study research for RRI context. It defines the information that needs to be gathered from the cases, the way this data is to be analyzed and the processes of reflections to be undertaken. Checklists for conducting the case study protocol are linked to each step of systematic procedures and applicable for researchers, ICT managers, reviewers, and readers to allow them taking account of societal and ethical aspects, in particular RRI principles in emerging ICTs in a proper way.
Ethical competence and social responsibility in scientific research using ICT tools
Authors: Asai Ryoko , Kavathatzopoulos Iordanis
Published: January 2016

This study explores how to improve and support researchers' ethical competence in scientific research and how to conduct research ethically, especially in research activities using Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Refining research ethics relating to ICT is unavoidable in the highly technological society of today, for example big data is used in different scientific research activities, and systems which support our daily lives are constructed based on the existing systems. In other words, technology reproduces technology itself. And almost all research activities need to use ICT through the whole research process. Moreover, researchers are required to be able to participate and react sensibly in ethical dialogues with society and citizens. Seen in that light, this study could be applicable not only to computer science and technology but also to a broad spectrum of research areas as the constructive notions of ethics, liberty and responsibility in research activity.
Information surveillance by governments
Authors: Oliva Mario Arias , Palma Ana María Lara , Murata Kiyoshi , Adams Andrew A.
Published: January 2016

This study investigates the attitudes towards and social impacts of Edward Snowden's revelations in Spain through a questionnaire survey answered by students in two Spanish universities (Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Burgos University). It is part of the worldwide cross-cultural analyses about privacy perceptions in young people. The survey results take into socio-cultural and political environment.
Carey grammar school
Authors: Taylor Richard , Fitzpatrick Michael
Published: January 2016

Many senior managers in schools see the acquisition and implementation of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) as key drivers in the advancement of their schools. Over the last 20 years pioneering schools, such as Carey Grammar School (Carey) in Melbourne, Australia have invested heavily in ICTs and created communities of digitally rich individuals. However, the extent to which these schools can be considered to have the attributes of a digital society, where there are shared beliefs, policies and practices with respect to the use of ICTs, has not been fully explored.

As schools such as Carey continue to heavily invest in ICTs, perhaps the biggest challenges senior managers will need to resolve are the apparent tensions that exist between the values and attitudes of staff, students and parents populations towards the ever changing digital environment. While it may never be possible for these schools to completely exhibit the characteristics of a digital society, it may be possible to measure the extent to which these schools shares common values and attitudes, and use the findings to inform future digital strategies.

To determine the extent that Carey is progressing towards becoming a digital society a questionnaire will be circulated to students in the 11th Grade (16--17 years old) that seeks to present their values and attitudes which underpin their relationship with technology. The analysis of the quantitative information from these questionnaires will provide baseline information that can be used to develop digital strategies in the future.
Transforming Cancer Prevention through Precision Medicine and Immune-oncology
Authors: Kensler Thomas W. , Spira Avrum , Garber Judy E. , Szabo Eva , Lee J. Jack , Dong Zigang , Dannenberg Andrew J. , Hait William N. , Blackburn Elizabeth , Davidson Nancy E. , Foti Margaret , Lippman Scott M.
Published: January 2016

We have entered a transformative period in cancer prevention (including early detection). Remarkable progress in precision medicine and immune-oncology, driven by extraordinary recent advances in genome-wide sequencing, big-data analytics, blood-based technologies, and deep understanding of the tumor immune microenvironment (TME), has provided unprecedented possibilities to study the biology of premalignancy. The pace of research and discovery in precision medicine and immunoprevention has been astonishing and includes the following clinical firsts reported in 2015: driver mutations detected in circulating cell-free DNA in patients with premalignant lesions (lung); clonal hematopoiesis shown to be a premalignant state; molecular selection in chemoprevention randomized controlled trial (RCT; oral); striking efficacy in RCT of combination chemoprevention targeting signaling pathway alterations mechanistically linked to germline mutation (duodenum); molecular markers for early detection validated for lung cancer and showing promise for pancreatic, liver, and ovarian cancer. Identification of HPV as the essential cause of a major global cancer burden, including HPV16 as the single driver of an epidemic of oropharyngeal cancer in men, provides unique opportunities for the dissemination and implementation of public health interventions. Important to immunoprevention beyond viral vaccines, genetic drivers of premalignant progression were associated with increasing immunosuppressive TME; and Kras vaccine efficacy in pancreas genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model required an inhibitory adjuvant (Treg depletion). In addition to developing new (e.g., epigenetic) TME regulators, recent mechanistic studies of repurposed drugs (aspirin, metformin, and tamoxifen) have identified potent immune activity. Just as precision medicine and immune-oncology are revolutionizing cancer therapy, these approaches are transforming cancer prevention. Here, we set out a brief agenda for the immediate future of cancer prevention research (including a “Pre-Cancer Genome Atlas” or “PCGA”), which will involve the inter-related fields of precision medicine and immunoprevention – pivotal elements of a broader domain of personalized public health. Cancer Prev Res; 9(1); 2–10. ©2016 AACR.
Regulation of CFTR Expression and Arginine Vasopressin Activity Are Dependent on Polycystin-1 in Kidney-Derived Cells
Authors: de Lemos Barbosa Carolina Monteiro , Souza-Menezes Jackson , Amaral Andressa Godoy , Onuchic Luiz Fernando , Cebotaru Liudmila , Guggino William B. , Morales Marcelo M.
Published: January 2016

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is characterized by the development of multiple, progressive, fluid-filled renal cysts that distort the renal parenchyma, leading to end-stage renal failure, mainly after the fifth decade of life. ADPKD is caused by a mutation in the PKD1 or PKD2 genes that encode polycystin-1 (PC-1) and polycystin-2 (PC-2), respectively. PC-1 is an important regulator of several signaling pathways and PC-2 is a nonselective calcium channel. The CFTR chloride channel is responsible for driving net fluid secretion into the cysts, promoting cyst growth. Arginine vasopressin hormone (AVP), in turn, is capable of increasing cystic intracellular cAMP, contributing to cell proliferation, transepithelial fluid secretion, and therefore to disease progression. The aim of this study was to assess if AVP can modulate CFTR and whether PC-1 plays a role in this potential modulation. Methods: M1 cells, derived from mouse cortical collecting duct, were used in the current work. The cells were treated with 10-7 M AVP hormone and divided into two main groups: transfected cells superexpressing PC-1 (Transf) and cells not transfected (Ctrl). CFTR expression was assessed by immunodetection, CFTR mRNA levels were quantified by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and CFTR net ion transport was measured using the Ussing chamber technique. Results: AVP treatment increased the levels of CFTR protein and mRNA. CFTR short-circuit currents were also increased. However, when PC-1 was overexpressed in M1 cells, no increase in any of these parameters was detected. Conclusions: CFTR chloride channel expression is increased by AVP in M1 cells and PC-1 is capable of regulating this modulation.
Hypercoagulabilty, venous thromboembolism, and death in patients with cancer
Authors: Posch Florian , Riedl Julia , Reitter Eva-Maria , Kaider Alexandra , Zielinski Christoph , Pabinger Ingrid , Ay Cihan
Published: January 2016

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication of malignancy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether multi-state modelling may be a useful quantitative approach to dissect the complex epidemiological relationship between hypercoagulability, VTE, and death in cancer patients. We implemented a three-state/three-transition unidirectional illness-death model of cancer-associated VTE in data of 1,685 cancer patients included in a prospective cohort study, the Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study (CATS). During the two-year follow-up period, 145 (8.6%) patients developed VTE, 79 (54.5%) died after developing VTE, and 647 (38.4%) died without developing VTE, respectively. VTE events during follow-up were associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of death (Transition Hazard ratio (HR)=2.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.36-3.77, p< 0.001). This observation was independent of cancer stage. VTE events that occurred later during follow-up exerted a stronger impact on the risk of death than VTE events that occurred at earlier time points (HR for VTE occurrence one year after baseline vs at baseline=2.30, 95% CI: 1.28-4.15, p=0.005). Elevated baseline D-dimer levels emerged as a VTE-independent risk factor for mortality (HR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.05-1.08, p< 0.001), and also predicted mortality risk in patients who developed VTE. A higher Khorana Score predicted both the risk for VTE and death, but did not predict mortality after cancer-associated VTE. In conclusion, multi-state modeling represents a very potent approach to time-to-VTE cohort data in the cancer population, and should be used for both observational and interventional studies on cancer-associated VTE.
Role of Brown Fat in Lipoprotein Metabolism and Atherosclerosis
Authors: Hoeke Geerte , Kooijman Sander , Boon Mariëtte R. , Rensen Patrick C.N. , Berbée Jimmy F.P.
Published: January 2016

Atherosclerosis, for which hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor, is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Western society, and new therapeutic strategies are highly warranted. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is metabolically active in human adults. Although positron emission tomography-computed tomography using a glucose tracer is the golden standard to visualize and quantify the volume and activity of BAT, it has become clear that activated BAT combusts fatty acids rather than glucose. Here, we review the role of brown and beige adipocytes in lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis, with evidence derived from both animal and human studies. On the basis of mainly data from animal models, we propose a model in which activated brown adipocytes use their intracellular triglyceride stores to generate fatty acids for combustion. BAT rapidly replenishes these stores by internalizing primarily lipoprotein triglyceride-derived fatty acids, generated by lipoprotein lipase–mediated hydrolysis of triglycerides, rather than by holoparticle uptake. As a consequence, BAT activation leads to the generation of lipoprotein remnants that are subsequently cleared via the liver provided that an intact apoE–low-density lipoprotein receptor pathway is present. Through these mechanisms, BAT activation reduces plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels and attenuates diet-induced atherosclerosis development. Initial studies suggest that BAT activation in humans may also reduce triglyceride and cholesterol levels, but potential antiatherogenic effects should be assessed in future studies.
Overexpression of Nitric Oxide Synthase Restores Circulating Angiogenic Cell Function in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: Implications for Autologous Cell Therapy for Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Chen Qiumei , Varga Monika , Wang Xiaoyin , Haddad Daniel J. , An Songtao , Medzikovic Lejla , Derakhshandeh Ronak , Kostyushev Dmitry S. , Zhang Yan , Clifford Brian T. , Luu Emmy , Danforth Olivia M. , Rafikov Ruslan , Gong Wenhui , Black Stephen M. , Suchkov Sergey V. , Fineman Jeffrey R. , Heiss Christian , Aschbacher Kirstin , Yeghiazarians Yerem , Springer Matthew L.
Published: January 2016

Background

Circulating angiogenic cells (
CAC
s) are peripheral blood cells whose functional capacity inversely correlates with cardiovascular risk and that have therapeutic benefits in animal models of cardiovascular disease. However, donor age and disease state influence the efficacy of autologous cell therapy. We sought to determine whether age or coronary artery disease (
CAD
) impairs the therapeutic potential of
CAC
s for myocardial infarction (
MI
) and whether the use of ex vivo gene therapy to overexpress endothelial nitric oxide (
NO
) synthase (
eNOS
) overcomes these defects.

Methods and Results

We recruited 40 volunteers varying by sex, age (< or ≥45 years), and
CAD
and subjected their
CAC
s to well‐established functional tests. Age and
CAD
were associated with reduced
CAC
intrinsic migration (but not specific response to vascular endothelial growth factor, adherence of
CAC
s to endothelial tubes,
eNOS mRNA
and protein levels, and 
NO
production. To determine how
CAC
function influences therapeutic potential, we injected the 2 most functional and the 2 least functional
CAC
isolates into mouse hearts post
MI
. The high‐function isolates substantially improved cardiac function, whereas the low‐function isolates led to cardiac function only slightly better than vehicle control. Transduction of the worst isolate with
eNOS cDNA
adenovirus increased
NO
production, migration, and cardiac function of post‐
MI
mice implanted with the
CAC
s. Transduction of the best isolate with
eNOS
small interfering
RNA
adenovirus reduced all of these capabilities.

Conclusions

Age and
CAD
impair multiple functions of
CAC
s and limit therapeutic potential for the treatment of
MI
.
eNOS
gene therapy in
CAC
s from older donors or those with
CAD
has the potential to improve autologous cell therapy outcomes.
Typification of seven names of Sorbus (Rosaceae) from China
Authors: Chen Xin
Published: January 2016

Sorbus Linnaeus (1753: 477) in its broad sense contains 100–250 species mainly distributed in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with 67 species in China (Phipps et al. 1990, Lu & Spongberg 2003, Kalkman 2004). In the course of taxonomic revision of Chinese Sorbus, typification of the following seven names is conducted or discussed here so that application of these names can be stabilized.
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of cord blood hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells amplified with glycosaminoglycan mimetic
Authors: Faivre Lionel , Parietti Véronique , Siñeriz Fernando , Chantepie Sandrine , Gilbert-Sirieix Marie , Albanese Patricia , Larghero Jérôme , Vanneaux Valérie
Published: January 2016

Background

Expansion protocols aim at both increasing the number of umbilical cord blood (UCB) hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and reducing the period of neutropenia in UCB HSPC graft. Because glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are known to be important components of the hematopoietic niche and to modulate growth factor effects, we explored the use of GAG mimetic OTR4131 to potentiate HSPC’s in vitro expansion and in vivo engraftment.

Methods

UCB CD34+ cells were expanded with serum-free medium, SCF, TPO, FLT3-lig and G-CSF during 12 days in the absence or the presence of increasing OTR4131 concentrations (0-100 μg/mL). Proliferation ratio, cell viability and phenotype, functional assays, migration capacity and NOD-scid/γc-/- mice engraftment were assessed after expansion.

Results

At Day 12, ratios of cell expansion were not significantly increased by OTR4131 treatment. Better total nucleated cell viability was observed with the use of 1 μg/mL GAG mimetic compared to control (89.6 % ± 3.7 % and 79.9 % ± 3.3 %, respectively). Phenotype analysis showed a decrease of monocyte lineage in the presence of OTR4131 and HSPC migration capacity was diminished when GAG mimetic was used at 10 μg/mL (10.9 % ± 4.1 % vs. 52.9 % ± 17.9 % for control). HSPC clonogenic capacities were similar whatever the culture conditions. Finally, in vivo experiments revealed that mice successfully engrafted in all conditions, even if some differences were observed during the first month. Three months after graft, bone marrow chimerism and blood subpopulations were similar in both groups.

Conclusions

UCB HSPCs ex-vivo expansion in the presence of OTR4131 is a safe approach that did not modify cell function and engraftment capacities. In our experimental conditions, the use of a GAG mimetic did not, however, allow increasing cell expansion or optimizing their in vivo engraftment.
“No” and No
Authors: Cronovich Paula T.
Published: January 2016

This article sheds light on the process of the unprecedented “No” campaign of 1988 in Chile, whereby Augusto Pinochet was ousted by a simple yes/no referendum, thus ending his more than fifteen years in power. Pablo Larraín's 2012 film No takes this historical event as the basis for its fiction and dramatizes the feat of the creative team, with film star Gael García Bernal as the lead. While the film has enjoyed international success, it has also been criticized for its one-dimensional portrayal. The film serves as a surface-level introduction to the campaign, but its focus on publicity agents leaves many key figures out of the picture. With a brief film synopsis set against information about the much more complex historical reality, the article's intention is to show a more complete picture of the opposition's victory, indicating what is omitted from Larraín's film while highlighting conflicts in the drama that ring true to history.