bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Friendship fears and communities of convenience in Africa’s urban estuaries: Connection as measure of urban condition
Authors: Landau Loren B
Published: April 2017

Across the developing world, immigrants, internal migrants and long-time residents increasingly co-occupy and co-produce estuarial zones: sites loosely structured by the disciplines of state, formal employment or hegemonic cultural norms. In these hyper-diverse, often highly fluid sites, the appearance and form of friendships and solidarities are varied and revealing. Drawing on examples from rapidly transforming African cities – particularly Johannesburg and Nairobi – this article adds three facets to the emerging literature on urban friendship. First, it outlines conditions under which the localised intimacy of friendship represents a potentially frightening form of social obligation and regulation. Given many ‘southern’ urban economies’ uncertainty and migrants’ orientation to ‘multiple elsewheres’, local solidarities – including friendship – are often more frustration than facilitator. Second, it suggests that amidst these seemingly anomic, distrustful sites, residents forge shared values and socialities that eschew friendships’ potentially confining bonds. These ‘communities of convenience’ illustrate the value of solidarity in migrant-rich spaces while raising broader questions about the spatial scale and role of affective relationships in overcoming economic and physical precarity. It lastly argues that the relative strength of localised friendships provide a means of comparing urban sites while revealing rationalities – political, economic and social – at work: friendship fears reveal the distinct estuarial spaces shaped by ongoing movements of people into, out of, and through precarious cities of the south.
Research 101: An Initiative to Encourage and Facilitate Quality Resident Research in a Military Setting
Authors: Marshall Kathryn E. , Hammill Tanisha L.
Published: April 2017

Objective

Describe and evaluate a structured research program initiated at a tertiary Department of Defense (DOD) Medical Training Facility (MTF) to encourage and facilitate the conduct of research investigations, specifically among residents and junior or inexperienced investigators, but applicable for all DOD otolaryngology (ENT) and audiology providers.

Methods

A new comprehensive program was deployed in the ENT clinic at Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) to help improve the research program. Identified gaps in research methods and regulatory training were incorporated into the existing graduate medical education program along with structured mentorship between residents and senior staff. Academic achievements (eg, research protocols, publications, presentations at national/international meetings, and funding) for the ENT clinic were examined from 1992 to 2016, and changes in academic achievements were analyzed for success.

Results

The implementation of a structured research curriculum improved the number of protocols submitted and the quality of research being accepted for publication (ie, journal impact factor). Funding for research increased significantly to represent a third of the total research portfolio for the entire hospital.

Discussion

The benefit of employing a research specialist to oversee the resident research experience can greatly influence the quantity and quality of a resident program’s research portfolio.

Implications for Practice

Improving resident research activity can potentially advance the quality of the resident program, help with evidence‐based medical approaches, and increase residents’ chances of matching for fellowship.
Virtual Mapping of the Frontal Recess: Guiding Safe and Efficient Frontal Sinus Surgery
Authors: Patel Neil S. , Dearking Amy C. , O’Brien Erin K. , Pallanch John F.
Published: April 2017

Objective

To define relationships between the frontal sinus opening, ostia of other frontal recess cells, and endoscopic landmarks and to develop a clinically useful framework to guide frontal sinus surgery.

Study Design

Retrospective review.

Setting

Tertiary care academic referral center.

Methods

Adult patients with computed tomography (CT) without sinonasal pathology were included. Virtual endoscopy (using OsiriX) and corresponding CT reconstructions were used to identify all visible ostia in the frontal recess and characterize their positions in spaces between the uncinate/agger nasi (U), bulla ethmoidalis (EB), and middle turbinate (MT).

Results

Two hundred sides in 100 patients (median age 51 years, 62% female) were analyzed. The “center” of each map was defined as the intersection of spaces between U, EB, and MT. The frontal sinus opening was in the “center” in 53% of frontal recesses, lateral to this position in 29%, and anterior in 11%. When the frontal sinus opening was at the “center,” anterior ostia drained frontal Kuhn T cells in 51% and intersinus septal cells in 23%. The skull base attachment of the apical strut of the uncinate process demarcated medial and lateral within the space between U and EB, with the opening to the frontal sinus medial in 68% and lateral in 31%. Left‐right asymmetry in frontal sinus openings was noted in 46% of patients.

Conclusion

Combining preoperative imaging and knowledge of these anatomic relationships may facilitate more efficient frontal outflow tract identification and instrumentation. This represents the first and largest description of ostial configurations relative to endoscopic structural landmarks.

Level of Evidence:

4
Locoregional Flaps for Oral Cavity Reconstruction: A Review of Modern Options
Authors: Patel Urjeet A. , Hartig Gregory K. , Hanasono Matthew M. , Lin Derrick T. , Richmon Jeremy D.
Published: April 2017

Objective

To review state‐of‐the‐art modifications and advances in soft tissue local and regional flap reconstruction of the oral cavity and to determine the role these techniques play in current practice.

Data Sources

Review of the literature regarding oral cavity reconstruction.

Review Methods

The authors describe advances in locoregional reconstructive options and assimilate data from the literature that compare recent advances to the historic standards.

Conclusions

Modern advances in regional reconstruction of the oral cavity offer outstanding results and demonstrate potential advance over free tissue transfer. These modifications demonstrate the prominent role that regional reconstruction can play in oral cavity reconstruction.

Implications for Practice

With a more complete understanding of these options, the surgeon is better able to tailor the reconstruction to the needs of the patient to provide high‐quality cost‐effective care.
Don’t Fight Like a Girl
Authors: Ashley Wendy , Tapia Jessica , Constantine Brown Jodi L. , Block Orion
Published: April 2017

Military culture promotes status hierarchy and a hypermasculine paradigm, upholding combat arms, and war heroism to exemplify the ideal soldier, contributing to existing gender disparities. This study utilized an online anonymous survey of U.S. military veterans ( N = 25) to examine veterans’ likability related to gender and level of combat exposure using frequencies, descriptives, and Mann–Whitney U tests. Results indicate that veterans prefer combat experienced and male soldiers. Female, noncombat exposed or injured veterans may be more socially isolated than their male counterparts following military service or deployment, illuminating potential barriers to help seeking and service provision with this vulnerable population.
Recommendations for Adopting the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes Into U.S. Policy
Authors: Soldavini Jessica , Taillie Lindsey Smith
Published: April 2017

In 1981, the World Health Organization adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes ( International Code), with subsequent resolutions adopted since then. The International Code contributes to the safe and adequate provision of nutrition for infants by protecting and promoting breastfeeding and ensuring that human milk substitutes, when necessary, are used properly through adequate information and appropriate marketing and distribution. Despite the World Health Organization recommendations for all member nations to implement the International Code in its entirety, the United States has yet to take action to translate it into any national measures. In 2012, only 22.3% of infants in the United States met the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation of at least 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding. Countries adopting legislation reflecting the provisions of the International Code have seen increases in breastfeeding rates. This article discusses recommendations for translating the International Code into U.S. policy. Adopting legislation that implements, monitors, and enforces the International Code in its entirety has the potential to contribute to increased rates of breastfeeding in the United States, which can lead to improved health outcomes in both infants and breastfeeding mothers.
Machining comparison of aerospace materials considering minimum quantity cutting fluid: A clean and green approach
Authors: Gupta Munish Kumar , Sood PK
Published: April 2017

Efficient removal of heat from the chip formation zone in the machining of aerospace materials is quite crucial for attaining viability with respect to cost and productivity. The recently embraced cooling and lubrication method in the context of environmental friendly and sustainable manufacturing includes the application of minimum quantity cutting fluid. This article presents an experimental investigation, complemented with an evolutionary optimization technique, for studying the impact on cutting forces, surface roughness, tool wear, and chip control in the turning of the two aero-engine alloys (Inconel-800 and titanium-II) with or without using minimal-quantity cooling lubrication fluid. In addition, the multiple regression technique is applied to find the relationship between responses and input parameter such as cutting speed, feed rate, and approach angle. Afterward, the sensitivity analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests have been performed to test the statistical significance of proposed predictive models. At the end of work, the experimental data have been optimized through two evolutionary techniques, i.e. particle swarm optimization and bacterial foraging optimization, also compared to the much-used desirability technique. It has been concluded that the cooling option of applying minimum quantity cutting fluid proved beneficial for machining these aerospace materials. Moreover, the evolutionary techniques gave much more accurate results when compared to the desirability technique with particle swarm optimization and was concluded as the best one out of the three techniques on the basis of minimum average time taken and minimum percentage error.
Anti-heparan sulfate antibody and functional loss of glomerular heparan sulfate proteoglycans in lupus nephritis
Authors: Kim H-J , Hong Y-H , Kim Y-J , Kim H-S , Park J-W , Do J-Y , Kim K-J , Bae S-W , Kim C-W , Lee C-K
Published: April 2017

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the features of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) as agrins of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and circulating anti–heparan sulfate (HS) antibodies in lupus nephritis, comparing titers among the following groups: lupus nephritis (LN), non-renal lupus, non-lupus nephritis, and healthy controls.

Methods

The stage of nephritis was determined based on the kidney biopsy. Alcian blue staining and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for agrin were performed for histological evaluation of GBM HSPGs in normal glomeruli, non-lupus membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), and lupus MGN. The results were used for measurement of the serum anti-HS antibody titers using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the following groups: 38 healthy controls, 38 non-lupus nephritis, 37 non-renal lupus, and 38 LN.

Results

Glomerulus HSPGs were stained bluish-green along the GBM with Alcian blue. However, IHC staining against agrin was almost completely negative in the lupus MGN group compared with the normal and non-lupus MGN groups, which showed brown staining of GBM. A higher level of anti-HS IgG was detected in LN compared with other groups, respectively. Higher titers were associated with the presence of SLE and nephritis. A higher degree of proteinuria normalized to glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was observed in association with higher anti-HS antibody titers in LN.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated a functional loss of GBM HSPGs and higher levels of circulating anti-HS antibodies as a characteristic feature of lupus nephritis, suggesting their involvement in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis and proteinuria.
Looking to the future
Authors: Hadwiger Felix
Published: April 2017

About 10 per cent of all global framework agreements include a reference to mediation or arbitration procedures. Therefore in 2016 the 105th International Labour Conference commissioned the ILO to assist global union federations and multinational companies in mediation and dispute settlement where appropriate. However, in the existing literature alternative dispute resolution constitutes uncharted territory when discussing mechanisms to strengthen compliance with global framework agreements. This article starts to fill this void, presenting six reasons for the growing necessity to start developing a procedural framework for alternative dispute resolution in global framework agreements. Most importantly, increasingly technical agreements can no longer be enforced through reputational sanctions, while their increasing ‘juridification’ aggravates the risk of external legal disputes. However, most multinational companies and global union federations do not have procedures for alternative dispute resolution and without a comprehensive procedural framework references to mediation or arbitration are unlikely to lead to the resolution of any dispute.
Towards collective protections for crowdworkers
Authors: Donini Annamaria , Forlivesi Michele , Rota Anna , Tullini Patrizia
Published: April 2017

The ‘sharing economy’ and the collaborative economy are shaping new forms of employment in which digital platforms enable multilateral work relationships. This article discusses some initiatives aimed at the collective protection of crowdworkers. The first section investigates whether it is possible to extend EU labour protection – in particular, collective rights – to independent digital contractors. The second section looks at whether the national level may offer more effective measures for economically dependent digital workers or for distance workers, by comparing three selected countries: Italy, France and Spain. The article then explores the possibility of extending to crowdworkers the protections offered by collective bargaining and addresses how trade unions could have a role in implementing guarantees for crowdworkers. Comparative analysis is used to show how different constitutional systems recognise freedom of association, especially in relation to ‘subordinated’ workers. A strategy of viewing collective rights as human rights could be applied in order to reduce the contractual weakness of self-employed workers on digital platforms – and might even form the basis of a bill of rights.
Review of Current Applications of Immunohistochemistry in Pediatric Nonneoplastic Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary, and Pancreatic Lesions
Authors: de Nanassy Joseph , El Demellawy Dina
Published: April 2017

Immunohistochemical (IHC) stains are widely used by pathologists for a variety of considerations in the diagnostic workup of pediatric nonneoplastic lesions in gastrointestinal (GI), hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic lesions. The pathologic changes cover a wide range and types of presentations, including inflammatory (bacterial and viral), metaplastic, posttransplant lymphoproliferative, autoimmune, metabolic, degenerative, developmental, and genetic conditions, among others. The everyday practical value of IHC stains covers primary identification, confirmation, differential, and/or exclusionary roles in the hands and eyes and minds of the practitioners. This article is intended to review and discuss the currently available IHC stains for a variety of pediatric GI, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic lesions as encountered in the day-to-day practice of pathologists and clinicians. It reflects the most recent methods and types of IHC stains with the stated aim of helping to provide a quick reference for diagnostic considerations and thereby facilitate the workup of a broad range of GI and related conditions in a pediatric population. The tables provide a handy reference on a wide range of IHC stains for commonly encountered lesions covering a variety of pediatric GI, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic conditions that are amenable to light microscopic diagnostic interpretation.
Pesticide Residues in Commercial Lettuce, Onion, and Potato Samples From Bolivia—A Threat to Public Health?
Authors: Skovgaard Marlene , Renjel Encinas Susana , Jensen Olaf Chresten , Andersen Jens Hinge , Condarco Guido , Jørs Erik
Published: April 2017

Bolivia does not have a surveillance program for pesticide residues in food. The few published studies have suggested that pesticide contamination in food may present a public health problem. Data are lacking for all foods except tomatoes and breast milk. In this study 10 potato, 10 onion, and 10 lettuce samples from La Paz were sampled on August 15, 2015 at a local market and screened for 283 pesticides. Residues of cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, difenoconazol, or/and λ-cyhalothrin were detected in 50% of the lettuce samples, whereas no pesticides were found in potatoes and onions. In 20% of the lettuce samples, the measurements were above the maximum residue limits, and 2 or 3 pesticides were identified simultaneously. Washing almost halved the pesticide levels, but still 20% of the samples showed measurements above the limits. No samples contained concentrations of pesticides which alone or together would lead to exposures that exceeded the acceptable daily intake or the acute reference dose. To protect consumers from pesticide poisonings and chronic effects, the development of measures for prevention, control, and monitoring of food contamination by pesticides in Bolivia is suggested.
Network-based approaches for evaluating ambient assisted living (AAL) technologies
Authors: Gomersall Tim , Nygård Louise , Mihailidis Alex , Sixsmith Andrew , Hwang Amy S. , Hedman Annicka , Astell Arlene
Published: April 2017

Ambient assisted living technologies could support people experiencing physical or cognitive challenges, to maintain social identities and complex activities of daily living. Although there has been substantial investment in developing ambient assisted living innovation, less effort has been devoted to understanding how to evaluate the impact of ambient assisted living on physical and mental health. Taking a theory-based evaluation approach, we suggest firstly that ambient assisted living technologies rely on networks of people and organizations to function, and secondly, analysing the changing structure of networks can bridge the gap between socio-technological change and individual-level capabilities. We present conceptual arguments for taking a network perspective in ambient assisted living evaluations, illustrated with examples from our own group’s work on technology use among older people with cognitive impairments. We then discuss the different types of network-based evaluation approaches available, their theoretical assumptions, and the sort of research questions they could address.
Does “flipping” promote engagement?: A comparison of a traditional, online, and flipped class
Authors: Burke Alison S , Fedorek Brian
Published: April 2017

“Flipped” or inverted classrooms are designed to utilize class time for application and knowledge building, while course content is delivered through the use of online lectures and watched at home on the students’ time. It is believed that flipped classrooms promote student engagement and a deeper understanding of the class material. The purpose of this study is to compare self-reported student engagement in three separate course modalities: traditional face-to-face lecture class, flipped class, and an online class. It is hypothesized that the flipped class will report higher levels of student engagement because of the nature of the active learning environment.
Exploring young children’s images on robots
Authors: Cheng Ching-Ching , Huang Kuo-Hung , Huang Siang-Mei
Published: April 2017

In recent years, human features of the robots are increasingly studied. For example, educational robots are developed and marketed to accompany children. Above all, humanoid robots must deliver friendly images to those young children to interact with. Although many prior studies aimed at the inquiry of robot images based on adult’s view, there are few in-depth studies of children’s perceptions of robot image. This study aims to investigate kindergarten and elementary school students’ perceptions on robots, including perceptions on robot personalities, appearance, and associated emotional expression. A questionnaire about robot’s image was designed to investigate the perception of kindergarten and elementary school students (N = 250). The results indicated that the children had different perceptions of robot emotion with diverse robot appearance, and the children with difference gender had diverse perceptions of robot behavior and emotion. The results of this study can be applied to robot’s design and development in the future.
“You’ll never stand-alone”: Electronic monitoring in Germany
Authors: Dünkel Frieder , Thiele Christoph , Treig Judith
Published: April 2017

Electronic monitoring (EM) in Germany is used only exceptionally in cases of high-risk offenders released from prison after fully having served a prison sentence or after release from the preventive detention measure (added to a prison sentence in cases of “dangerous” violent or sex offenders). About 70 cases on a daily total of more than 36,000 supervision of conduct cases are under global positioning system (GPS)-EM. Only in one federal state (Hesse) EM on radio frequency technology is also used to avoid pre-trial detention or in regular probation/parole cases. Numbers remain very low also in this context. EM is always combined with a probation or supervision of conduct order, which means that it is embedded in the rehabilitative work of the probation services. The German judiciary and crime policy are very reluctant to expand EM, as there is no pressure from the prison system (no overcrowding) and the “ordinary” probation service (without EM) works quite efficiently.
Advancing electronic monitoring in Scotland: Understanding the influences of localism and professional ideologies
Authors: Graham Hannah , McIvor Gill
Published: April 2017

Scotland has one of the highest prison population rates in western Europe, coinciding with a recent growth in interest in electronic monitoring (EM) as a potential mechanism for diversion and decarceration. Scotland also has a relatively sophisticated suite of community sanctions and measures – from which court-imposed and prison-imposed EM orders have, for 15 years, been largely kept separate, until now. There are plans for integration, with new EM technologies and modalities to be introduced. This article analyses the perspectives of Scottish practitioners and decision-makers regarding current stand-alone uses of EM, canvassing relevant jurisdictional findings from within a larger European cross-national comparative research project. It reveals localised, institutional and professional differences in the Scottish criminal justice field. Our analysis demonstrates that Scottish practitioners want more integration in principle, but forewarns that the extent of their support may partly depend on how and by whom this is done in practice.
The Effects of Elbow Bracing on Medial Elbow Joint Space Gapping Associated With Repetitive Throwing in High School Baseball Players
Authors: Hattori Hiroshi , Akasaka Kiyokazu , Otsudo Takahiro , Takei Keiichi , Yamamoto Mitsuru
Published: April 2017

Background:

Throwing athletes risk medial elbow injury from extreme valgus stress generated across the medial elbow during throwing. Braces have been developed to protect the elbow joint; however, no previous study has investigated the effects of elbow bracing on medial elbow joint space gapping associated with repetitive throwing.

Hypothesis/Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of elbow bracing on medial elbow joint space gapping during repetitive throwing. Our hypothesis was that an elbow brace may reduce mechanical stress on the elbow by reducing medial elbow joint space gapping.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Twenty-five high school baseball players participated in this study. Each subject pitched 100 times under 2 conditions: control (without elbow brace) and elbow brace. The ulnohumeral joint space was measured ultrasonically before pitching and after every block of 20 pitches. Measurement of the ulnohumeral joint space was carried out using ultrasound with the forearm hanging by the side. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and post hoc tests were used to compare ulnohumeral joint space with repeated pitching and between the elbow brace and control conditions.

Results:

In the control condition, ulnohumeral joint space after 60 pitches was significantly greater than that before pitching ( P < .01). In contrast, in the elbow brace condition, ulnohumeral joint space was not significantly different after repeated pitching. When comparing these 2 conditions, ulnohumeral joint space in the control condition was significantly greater than that in the elbow brace condition after 60 pitches ( P < .01).

Conclusion:

An elbow brace has the effect of preventing medial elbow joint space gapping with repeated throwing when determined ultrasonically by measuring the ulnohumeral joint space under gravity load.

Clinical Relevance:

An elbow brace worn during baseball pitching practice may help reduce mechanical stress on the elbow by reducing medial elbow joint space gapping.
Determination of wavefront attributes by differential evolution in the presence of conflicting dips
Authors: Walda Jan , Gajewski Dirk
Published: April 2017

The common-reflection surface (CRS) method represents a multidimensional stacking approach; i.e., the stacking surface is determined in the midpoint and offset directions. In the 2D case, three attributes span the stacking surface, thus requiring a three-parameter search contrary to a one-parameter search in the classic common-midpoint stack. However, CRS wavefront attributes use data redundancy in the midpoint direction as well, which makes them very useful in several seismic applications, e.g., data preconditioning, velocity model building, and migration. Contrary to previous works, we simultaneously estimate CRS attributes using differential evolution in subcubes of the 3D search space. Differential evolution is a global optimization technique that performs particularly well when the objective function is unknown. Because we apply DE for each subcube, we could find local maxima, additionally to the global maximum. Therefore, conflicting dips are recognized and can be used for the stack and subsequent CRS attribute-based processing, which has been an issue in the past. Our land data results from the Donbas Foldbelt in southeast Ukraine demonstrate that our method reduces coherent steep dipping noise and reveal more subsurface structures. Application of the CRS attributes for prestack data enhancement shows that velocity analysis can be carried out more reliably.
Reliability of velocity measurements made by monopole acoustic logging-while-drilling tools in fast formations
Authors: Wang Hua , Fehler Michael , Miller Douglas
Published: April 2017

The accuracy of velocity measurements made using a monopole acoustic logging-while-drilling (ALWD) measurement tool is influenced by the eccentering of the tool due to complex drill string movements. We have used the velocity of collar flexural mode (at the source frequency range) as a reference and classified the fast formations into (1) fast-fast (FF) formations with compressional velocity far larger than the collar flexural velocity and (2) slow-fast (SF) formations with compressional velocity approaching that of the collar flexural velocity. We use a 3D finite-difference method to simulate the response of an eccentered monopole ALWD tool with different eccentering magnitudes (offsets) for the two types of formations to facilitate better interpretation of velocity measurements made in an actual drilling environment. We find that the collar extensional mode, existing in the centralized and eccentered tool cases, only affects the formation P-wave measurement and can be eliminated by using an isolator. The collar flexural mode, which is a shear motion in the collar and can only be excited in a centralized tool by a dipole source, is also excited when a monopole tool is eccentered, and it significantly affects the measurement of the compressional velocity in the SF formation and that of the shear velocity in the FF formation, even for small eccentering offsets. Thus, the uncorrected monopole ALWD tool provides unreliable formation velocities (either the compressional or shear velocities) in fast formations because of the significant influence of the tool offsets on the measurement. To minimize the influence of tool offset on the measurements, we compared the differences between the waveforms collected for different azimuths and tool offsets and the centralized monopole waveforms.
Small Sample Sizes Confound Understanding of Cardiometabolic Responses to Exercise
Authors: Pescatello Linda S. , Corso Lauren M.L. , MacDonald Hayley V. , Thompson Paul D. , Taylor Beth A. , Panza Gregory A. , Zaleski Amanda L. , Johnson Blair T. , Chen Ming-Hui
Published: April 2017

Considerable variability exists in the cardiometabolic disease biomarker response to exercise. We propose that a major contributor to this heterogeneity is underpowered studies due to small sample sizes. To test our hypothesis, we conducted a systematic review to identify meta-analyses/reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCT) and RCT that examined the cardiometabolic disease biomarker response to aerobic and resistance exercise.
The C-terminal dsRNA-binding domain of Drosophila Dicer-2 is crucial for efficient and high-fidelity production of siRNA and loading of siRNA to Argonaute2
Authors: Kandasamy Suresh K. , Zhu Li , Fukunaga Ryuya
Published: April 2017

Drosophila Dicer-2 efficiently and precisely produces 21-nucleotide (nt) siRNAs from long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) substrates and loads these siRNAs onto the effector protein Argonaute2 for RNA silencing. The functional roles of each domain of the multidomain Dicer-2 enzyme in the production and loading of siRNAs are not fully understood. Here we characterized Dicer-2 mutants lacking either the N-terminal helicase domain or the C-terminal dsRNA-binding domain (CdsRBD) (ΔHelicase and ΔCdsRBD, respectively) in vivo and in vitro. We found that ΔCdsRBD Dicer-2 produces siRNAs with lowered efficiency and length fidelity, producing a smaller ratio of 21-nt siRNAs and higher ratios of 20- and 22-nt siRNAs in vivo and in vitro. We also found that ΔCdsRBD Dicer-2 cannot load siRNA duplexes to Argonaute2 in vitro. Consistent with these findings, we found that ΔCdsRBD Dicer-2 causes partial loss of RNA silencing activity in vivo. Thus, Dicer-2 CdsRBD is crucial for the efficiency and length fidelity in siRNA production and for siRNA loading. Together with our previously published findings, we propose that CdsRBD binds the proximal body region of a long dsRNA substrate whose 5′-monophosphate end is anchored by the phosphate-binding pocket in the PAZ domain. CdsRBD aligns the RNA to the RNA cleavage active site in the RNase III domain for efficient and high-fidelity siRNA production. This study reveals multifunctions of Dicer-2 CdsRBD and sheds light on the molecular mechanism by which Dicer-2 produces 21-nt siRNAs with a high efficiency and fidelity for efficient RNA silencing.
DNA nanochannels
Authors: Wang Dianming , Zhang Yiyang , Liu Dongsheng
Published: April 2017

Transmembrane proteins are mostly nanochannels playing a highly important role in metabolism. Understanding their structures and functions is vital for revealing life processes. It is of fundamental interest to develop chemical devices to mimic biological channels. Structural DNA nanotechnology has been proven to be a promising method for the preparation of fine DNA nanochannels as a result of the excellent properties of DNA molecules. This review presents the development history and current situation of three different types of DNA nanochannel: tile-based nanotube, DNA origami nanochannel, and DNA bundle nanochannel.
Recent advances in preoperative management of esophageal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Harada Kazuto , Mizrak Kaya Dilsa , Baba Hideo , Ajani Jaffer A.
Published: April 2017

Esophageal cancer is an aggressive malignancy with increasing incidence, and the prognosis of patients treated by surgery alone remains dismal. Preoperative treatment can modestly prolong overall survival. Preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiation is the standard of care for resectable esophageal cancer (greater than clinical stage I and less than clinical stage IV). One of the challenges is to predict complete response in the surgical specimen from preoperative therapy and to avoid surgery in some patients but also predict ineffectiveness of preoperative therapy if the tumor is resistant and avoid such therapies altogether. In-depth understanding of the molecular biology could lead to personalized therapy, and in the future, clinical trials designed according to molecular features are expected. Here, we summarize preoperative treatment for esophageal adenocarcinoma and their potential.
Mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic neuropathy may be involved in the development of neuropathic pain via a reduction in neurosteroid synthesis
Authors: Humble Stephen R.
Published: April 2017

Background: Recent work in a model of diabetic neuropathy revealed that layer 2/3 cortical pyramidal neurones of the pain pathway exhibited reduced endogenous neurosteroid modulation of the GABAAR and exogenously applied neurosteroids had an exaggerated impact. It is postulated that this is related to reduced precursor synthesis, due to mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic neuropathy. Benzodiazepines are also known to activate neurosteroidogenesis by binding to mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO). This study explored the differential effect of diazepam on GABAAR modulation via neurosteroidogenesis in diabetic and wild type (WT) mice.

Methods: Whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used on slices of neural tissue. Electrophysiological recordings were obtained from layer 2/3 cortical pyramidal neurons of the pain pathway from mice with type-II diabetic neuropathy (ob/ob) and WT controls aged 60-80 days.

Results: There was a key difference in the response of the WT and ob/ob cortical neurons to simultaneous incubation with diazepam and flumazenil. In contrast, diazepam and the 5a-reductase inhibitor finasteride, individually or in combination, produced the same response in both strains.

Conclusions: The exaggerated effect of diazepam on GABAergic inhibitory tone in the ob/ob, despite the presence of the GABAAR benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil is likely observed due to physiological upregulation of key neurosteroidogenic enzymes in response to the reduced pregnenolone synthesis by the mitochondria. By increasing pregnenolone via TSPO activation, it is possible to promote enhanced neurosteroidogenesis and increase GABAergic inhibitory tone via an alternate route. In diabetic neuropathic pain, mitochondrial dysfunction may play an important role. Enhancing the GABAergic neurosteroid tone could be of potential therapeutic benefit.
Statistical studies of low-power solar flares. Distribution of flares by area, brightness, and classes
Authors: Боровик Александр , Borovik Aleksandr , Жданов Антон , Zhdanov Anton
Published: April 2017

An electronic database has been created for 123801 solar flares that occurred on the Sun over the period from 1972 to 2010. It is based on catalogs of the Solar Geophysical Data (SGD) and Quarterly Bulletin on Solar Activity. A software package has been used for statistical data preprocessing. The first results revealed a number of new features in the distribution of parameters of solar flares, which differ from those obtained previously. We have found that more than 90 % of all solar flares are low-power. The most numerous class comprises SF flares (64 %). Flare activity shows a pronounced cyclicity and high correlation with Wolf numbers. The highest correlation coefficients indicate S and 1 solar flares. There is also a high correlation between individual flare classes: S and 1, 1 and (2–4). The results obtained previously [Mitra et al., 1972] which provide evidence of the prevalence of SN solar flares (47 %) and the existence of significant peaks for SN and 1N flares, have not been confirmed. The distri-bution of the number of solar flares with increasing op-tical importance smoothly decreases without significant deviations. With increasing optical importance, solar flares are gradually redistributed toward an increase in brightness class. The excess of the number of SN and 1N solar flares present in the distributions obtained in [Mitra et al., 1972] are most likely associated with poor statistics.
Heliospheric modulation of cosmic rays: model and observation
Authors: Герасимова Сардаана , Gerasimova Sardaana , Гололобов Петр , Gololobov Peter , Григорьев Владислав , Grigoryev Vladislav , Кривошапкин Прокопий , Krivoshapkin Prokopy , Крымский Гермоген , Krymsky Germogen , Стародубцев Сергей , Starodubtsev Sergei
Published: April 2017

This paper presents the basic model of cosmic ray modulation in the heliosphere, developed in Yu.G. Shafer Institute of Cosmophysical Research and Aeronomy of the Siberian Branch of RAS. The model has only one free modulation parameter: the ratio of the regular magnetic field to the turbulent one. It may also be applied to the description of cosmic ray intensity variations in a wide energy range from 100 MeV to 100 GeV. Possible mechanisms of generation of the mentioned turbulence field are considered. The primary assumption about the electrical neutrality of the heliosphere appears to be wrong, and the zero potential needed to match the model with observations in the plane of the solar equator can be achieved if the frontal point of the heliosphere, which is flowed around by interstellar gas, lies near the mentioned plane. We have revealed that the abnormal rise of cosmic ray intensity at the end of solar cycle 23 is related to the residual modulation produced by the subsonic solar wind behind the front of a standing shock wave. The model is used to describe features of cosmic ray intensity variations in several solar activity cycles.
Understanding Voluntary Knowledge Provision and Content Contribution Through a Social-Media-Based Prediction Market: A Field Experiment
Authors: Qiu Liangfei , Kumar Subodha
Published: April 2017

The performance of prediction markets depends crucially on the quality of user contribution. A social-media-based prediction market can utilize aspects of social effects to improve users’ contribution quality. In this study, we examine the causal effect of social audience size and online endorsement on prediction market participants’ prediction accuracy through a randomized field experiment. By conducting a comprehensive treatment effect analysis, we estimate both the average treatment effect (ATE) and the quantile treatment effect using the difference-in-differences method. Our empirical results on ATE show that an increase in audience size leads to an improvement in prediction accuracy, and that a higher level of online endorsement also leads to prediction improvements. Interestingly, we find that the quantile treatment effects are heterogeneous: users of intermediate prediction ability respond most positively to an increase in social audience size and online endorsement. These findings suggest that prediction markets can target people of intermediate abilities to obtain the most significant prediction improvement.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2016.0679 .
Reorganization and Tie Decay Choices
Authors: Kleinbaum Adam M.
Published: April 2017

Whereas most research on network evolution has focused on the role of interaction opportunities in the formation of new ties, this paper addresses tie decay choices. When the opportunity structure gets reorganized, social actors make choices about which ties to retain and which to allow to decay, informed by their past experience of the tie. I argue that, conditional on changes in opportunity, people (especially those with Machiavellian personalities) choose to retain ties to valuable contacts, they retain reciprocated ties (especially with highly empathic others), and they retain socially embedded ties (especially if they are low self-monitors). The empirical design, which exploits a randomized natural experiment, confirms these hypotheses and suggests that our understanding of tie decay choices—and, consequently, of network evolution—is enhanced by an integrated theoretical perspective that encompasses both social structure and social psychology.

This paper was accepted by Olav Sorenson, organizations.
Book Review
Authors: Grove Jaleen
Published: April 2017

Drawing Blood, Molly Crabapple (2015) New York: HarperCollins, 352 pp., ISBN-10: 0062323644, h/bk, $29.99
PENGARUH KEDALAMAN AIR KOLAM TADAH HUJAN TERHADAP KELANGSUNGAN HIDUP DAN PERTUMBUHAN IKAN LELE LOKAL (Clarias batrachus)
Authors: Yunus Mohammad , Priyadi Agus , Wahid Abdul
Published: April 2017

Ketersedian air kolam tadah hujan sangat terbatas, sehingga mengakibatkan variasisuhu air harian cukup besar, dan akan berpengaruh terhadap ikan lele yang pekaterhadap perubahan suhu yang cukup besar.
Effects of aspect ratio of footings on bearing capacity for geogrid-reinforced sand over soft soil
Authors: Saha Roy S. , Deb K.
Published: April 2017

Model plate load tests of rigid rectangular footings of different aspect ratios resting on sand overlying soft soil with or without a layer of geogrid at the interface are presented. The width (B) and length (L) of the footings are chosen so that the L/B ratio (aspect ratio) is varied as 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0. The study aims to investigate the effects of the aspect ratio of the rectangular footings and the thickness of the sand layer on bearing capacity, settlement characteristics, load-spread angle, and sizes of geogrid layer (at optimum sand thickness). The strain distribution along the reinforcement is also studied. Based on the test results, an analytical method is proposed to calculate the load carrying capacity of rectangular footings resting on reinforced or unreinforced sand over soft soil. It is found that the optimum sand thickness to footing width ratio is not dependent on the aspect ratio of the rectangular footings. However, the optimum sizes of geogrid reinforcement increase with an increase in aspect ratio of the footings. Also, the load-spread angle increases with an increase in aspect ratio. It is also observed that the load-spread angle in the lengthways direction of a footing is smaller than that in the widthways direction, and it is more pronounced in the case of reinforced soil compared to unreinforced soil.
Otimização de um programa Kaizen em uma empresa do setor metal mecânico
Authors: Cardoso Josimara Santos , Luz Cristina Garcia da , Silva André Luiz Emmel , Silva Patricia Paz , Moraes Jorge André Ribas
Published: April 2017

Manter um programa de melhoria contínua ativo dentro das organizações é um desafio permanente para os gestores. Após a implantação, muitos programas perdem força e caem em descrédito. Este artigo apresenta o programa Kaizen em uma empresa do setor metal mecânico, tendo como objetivo avaliar as etapas de implantação, as facilidades e dificuldades enfrentadas após a implantação e contribuir com sugestões de melhorias. O escopo do trabalho fundamenta-se na base Kaizen e suas práticas de implantação, focando na mudança cultural e comportamental dos funcionários de chão de fábrica. O resultado mostrou que são grandes as chances de abandonar a ferramenta após o surgimento das primeiras melhorias. Para evitar isso, o comprometimento das lideranças e os resultados obtidos em curto período de tempo são elementos vitais.
Depuración y reutilización de aguas en España.
Authors: Melgarejo-Moreno Joaquín , López-Ortiz M.ª Inmaculada
Published: April 2017

El tema de la depuración y la reutilización de las aguas es de gran trascendencia, sobre todo en los espacios donde la escasez de recursos convencionales es un problema estructural, como es el caso de España. El potencial que presenta este recurso no convencional, estratégico en las situaciones de déficit, es incuestionable; máxime si se tiene en cuenta en el marco de la planificación y bajo el supuesto de un modelo de explotación hídrica que tenga como objetivo prioritario la conservación, protección y mejora de la calidad del agua, y la utilización sostenible y eficiente de los recursos naturales. En el trabajo se pone de manifiesto cómo depuración y reutilización van ligadas, ya que la reutilización de aguas residuales está asociada a una regeneración previa, y son dos herramientas esenciales del modelo ambiental del agua, tal como lo preconiza la normativa comunitaria. El ingreso de España en las instituciones europeas ha sido un revulsivo en los temas ambientales, por cuanto ha supuesto la exigencia de adaptar al país a la normativa europea, mucho más exigente. El esfuerzo realizado ha sido importante, pero todavía estamos lejos de cumplir con todos los requerimientos de Europa.
Reutilización de aguas regeneradas: aproximación a los costes de producción y valoración de su uso
Authors: Villar-García Alberto del
Published: April 2017

El presente trabajo tiene dos objetivos principales. Por una parte, analizar los costes de producción del agua regenerada y los servicios asociados para su reutilización en la producción de bienes y servicios. Y, por otro lado, determinar el valor económico de las actividades productivas sustentadas con estos recursos no naturales. Se ha podido analizar actuaciones y proyectos que representan más del veinte por ciento del volumen total de agua reutilizada en España, obteniendo una estimación de indicadores de costes de inversión y de explotación, junto a un indicador de coste medio de producción y distribución de 1,10 €/m3. A partir de indicadores de productividad se estima que el valor económico de los bienes y servicios producidos por la reutilización es de unos 2.165 millones de euros anuales.