bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elf5-centered transcription factor hub controls trophoblast stem cell self-renewal and differentiation through stoichiometry-sensitive shifts in target gene networks
Authors: Latos Paulina A. , Sienerth Arnold R. , Murray Alexander , Senner Claire E. , Muto Masanaga , Ikawa Masahito , Oxley David , Burge Sarah , Cox Brian J. , Hemberger Myriam
Published: December 2015

Elf5 is a transcription factor with pivotal roles in the trophoblast compartment, where it reinforces a trophoblast stem cell (TSC)-specific transcriptional circuit. However, Elf5 is also present in differentiating trophoblast cells that have ceased to express other TSC genes such as Cdx2 and Eomes. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the context-dependent role of Elf5 at the interface between TSC self-renewal and the onset of differentiation. We demonstrate that precise levels of Elf5 are critical for normal expansion of the TSC compartment and embryonic survival, asElf5overexpression triggers precocious trophoblast differentiation. Through integration of protein interactome, transcriptome, and genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation data, we reveal that this abundance-dependent function is mediated through a shift in preferred Elf5-binding partners; in TSCs, Elf5 interaction with Eomes recruits Tfap2c to triply occupied sites at TSC-specific genes, driving their expression. In contrast, the Elf5 and Tfap2c interaction becomes predominant as their protein levels increase. This triggers binding to double- and single-occupancy sites that harbor the cognate Tfap2c motif, causing activation of the associated differentiation-promoting genes. These data place Elf5 at the center of a stoichiometry-sensitive transcriptional network, where it acts as a molecular switch governing the balance between TSC proliferation and differentiation.
Isolation of Macrophage Early and Late Endosomes by Latex Bead Internalization and Density Gradient Centrifugation
Authors: Lamberti Giorgia , de Araújo Mariana E.G. , Huber Lukas A.
Published: December 2015

Immortalized macrophage lines and primary macrophages display the ability to internalize small latex beads through the endocytic pathway. This protocol describes a simple and robust method for separating endocytic organelles from macrophages on a sucrose gradient, taking advantage of the significantly lower density of the organelles containing latex beads compared with other intracellular organelles. The latex beads are retained in the endosomes as they mature; therefore, harvesting cells at different time points after internalization permits the purification of different organelle fractions, particularly early and late endosomes.
In Vitro Assembly and Analysis of the Apoptosome Complex
Authors: Langlais Claudia , Hughes Michelle A. , Cain Kelvin , MacFarlane Marion
Published: December 2015

This protocol describes an in vitro model for studying the mechanisms of caspase activation and native apoptosome complex assembly in cell-free extracts. Active caspases in dATP-activated lysates are detected by fluorimetry using a tetrapeptide substrate (DEVD) tagged with a fluorophore (AFC), which, when released, produces a real-time readout for caspase-3 and -7 (DEVDase) activity. Gel filtration is used to isolate the apoptosome complex from the activated lysates, and assembly of Apaf-1 and caspase-9 from their monomeric forms into the multiprotein apoptosome can be confirmed via western blot. Apoptosome complex activity can be shown by incubation with exogenous procaspase-3 and -7 followed by fluorimetric bioassay (to confirm functionality of the processed effector caspases) and/or western blotting (for detection of cleaved caspase-3 and -7). A method for preparation of free procaspases for the bioassay is also described.
Biochemical Analysis of Initiator Caspase-Activating Complexes: The Apoptosome and the Death-Inducing Signaling Complex
Authors: Langlais Claudia , Hughes Michelle A. , Cain Kelvin , MacFarlane Marion
Published: December 2015

Apoptosis is a highly regulated process that can be initiated by activation of death receptors or perturbation of mitochondria causing the release of apoptogenic proteins. This results in the activation of caspases, which are responsible for many of the biochemical and morphological changes associated with apoptosis. Caspases are normally inactive and require activation in a cascade emanating from an “initiator” or activating caspase, which in turn activates a downstream or “effector” caspase. Activation of initiator caspases is tightly regulated and requires the assembly of caspase-9 (via mitochondrial perturbation) or caspase-8/10 (via death receptor ligation) activating complexes, which are termed the apoptosome and the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC), respectively. These large multiprotein complexes can initially be separated according to size by gel filtration chromatography and subsequently analyzed by affinity purification or immunoprecipitation. The advantage of combining these techniques is one can first assess the assembly of individual components into a multiprotein complex, and then assess the size and composition of the native functional signaling platform within a particular cell type alongside a biochemical analysis of the enriched/purified complex. Here, we describe various methods currently used for characterization of the apoptosome and DISC.
Carbon constrains fungal endophyte assemblages along the timberline
Authors: Yang Teng , Weisenhorn Pamela , Gilbert Jack A. , Ni Yingying , Sun Ruibo , Shi Yu , Chu Haiyan
Published: December 2015

The alpha diversity of foliar fungal endophytes (FEs) in leaves of Betula ermanii in a subalpine timberline ecotone on Changbai Mountain, China increased with elevation. There were also significant differences in beta diversity along the elevation gradient. Among the environmental variables analysed, leaf carbon significantly increased with elevation, and was the most significant environmental factor that constrained the alpha and beta diversity in the FE communities. Tree height and the cellulose, lignin, and carbon/nitrogen ratio of the leaves also affected the FE assemblages. When controlled for the effects of elevation, leaf carbon was still the main driver of changes in evenness, Shannon diversity and FE community composition. The results offered clues of the carbon acquisition strategy of the foliar FEs across this cold terrain. There was strong multicollinearity between both annual precipitation and temperature, with elevation (|Pearson r| > 0.986), so the effects of these climatic variables were impossible to separate; however, they may play key roles, and the direct effects of both warrant further investigation. As pioneer decomposers of leaf litter, variations in diversity and community composition of FE measured here may feedback and influence carbon cycling and dynamics in these forest ecosystems.
Impact of OmpR on the membrane proteome of Yersinia enterocolitica in different environments: repression of major adhesin YadA and heme receptor HemR
Authors: Nieckarz Marta , Raczkowska Adrianna , Dębski Janusz , Kistowski Michał , Dadlez Michał , Heesemann Jürgen , Rossier Ombeline , Brzostek Katarzyna
Published: December 2015

Enteropathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica is able to grow within or outside the mammalian host. Previous transcriptomic studies have indicated that the regulator OmpR plays a role in the expression of hundreds of genes in enterobacteria. Here, we have examined the impact of OmpR on the production of Y. enterocolitica membrane proteins upon changes in temperature, osmolarity and pH. Proteomic analysis indicated that the loss of OmpR affects the production of 120 proteins, a third of which are involved in uptake/transport, including several that participate in iron or heme acquisition. A set of proteins associated with virulence was also affected. The influence of OmpR on the abundance of adhesin YadA and heme receptor HemR was examined in more detail. OmpR was found to repress YadA production and bind to the yadA promoter, suggesting a direct regulatory effect. In contrast, the repression of hemR expression by OmpR appears to be indirect. These findings provide new insights into the role of OmpR in remodelling the cell surface and the adaptation of Y. enterocolitica to different environmental niches, including the host.
THE ETHICAL IMPERATIVE: A Commentary on Karen Bakker's Privatizing Water
Authors: Gidwani Vinay
Published: December 2015

The virtuosity of Karen Bakker's book, Privatizing Water, lies in its depth of understanding and methodical assessment of water provision, its refusal to lapse into the easy embrace of entrenched dichotomies, and its relentless commitment to asking how we can find solutions to urban water crises that are workable and just. Bakker strives to extend this notion of justice to both the human and non‐human realms. Whether she succeeds is moot, because ‘ecological rights', as Bakker terms them, ultimately remain firmly bound to the anthropocentric: the future possibility of ‘human' and ‘community' rights.
Using Data Envelopment Analysis to Address the Challenges of Comparing Health System Efficiency
Authors: Cylus Jonathan , Papanicolas Irene , Smith Peter C.
Published: December 2015

Efficiency is one of the most potent measures of health system performance and is of particular interest to policy makers because it seeks to assess the valued outcomes of a health system in relation to the resources that are sacrificed to achieve those outcomes. However, the production process of the health care system is a complex sequence, and most indicators are only able to capture part of that process; these indicators offer limited scope for analysis. While researchers have previously constructed composite indicators which combine partial measures into a single number, the weights used for aggregating data can be contentious and may not be universally applicable across systems. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is most often used to compare the productivity of different producing entities, including health systems. In this article, we instead propose a method that relies on DEA to construct composite health system efficiency indicators from several partial efficiency measures. Among other noted benefits, this enables the construction of composite indicators where different weights are attached to partial indicators for each country, allowing countries to be viewed according to the weights that cast each in the best light. Our application of this method suggests that there is reasonable consistency among the countries that are found to be efficient.
Extended nicotine self‐administration increases sensitivity to nicotine, motivation to seek nicotine and the reinforcing properties of nicotine‐paired cues.
Authors: Clemens Kelly J. , Lay Belinda P. P. , Holmes Nathan M.
Published: December 2015

An array of pharmacological and environmental factors influence the development and maintenance of tobacco addiction. The nature of these influences likely changes across the course of an extended smoking history, during which time drug seeking can become involuntary and uncontrolled. The present study used an animal model to examine the factors that drive nicotine‐seeking behavior after either brief (10 days) or extended (40 days) self‐administration training. In Experiment 1, extended training increased rats' sensitivity to nicotine, indicated by a leftward shift in the dose–response curve, and their motivation to work for nicotine, indicated by an increase in the break point achieved under a progressive ratio schedule. In Experiment 2, extended training imbued the nicotine‐paired cue with the capacity to maintain responding to the same high level as nicotine itself. However, Experiment 3 showed that the mechanisms involved in responding for nicotine or a nicotine‐paired cue are dissociable, as treatment with the partial nicotine receptor agonist, varenicline, suppressed responding for nicotine but potentiated responding for the nicotine‐paired cue. Hence, across extended nicotine self‐administration, pharmacological and environmental influences over nicotine seeking increase such that nicotine seeking is controlled by multiple sources, and therefore highly resistant to change.
“Never Wholly Respectable:” Divination, Death, and Humanism in Contemporary Anthropology
Authors: Landry Timothy R.
Published: December 2015

In 1993, Bruce Grindal wrote that “Humanistic anthropology must never become wholly respectable.” Implying that humanism is anthropology's important gadfly or jester, designed to “challenge and occasionally outrage the priestly purveyors” of science, his influence perpetuates the continued salience and current engagement of interpretative and humanistic anthropology. In this article, I compare Grindal's work with Sisala notions of death in northern Ghana with my own work among Yorùbá peoples in Bénin, West Africa. Exploring anthropology's reflective turn, I use our combined ethnography to explore the ways in which humanistic approaches to anthropology are well positioned to engage with those subtle, complex, and sometimes “messy” layers of meaning that almost define the “human experience.” Struggling with similar themes, in 1983, Grindal wrote, in his prescient style, that he had with “intuitive certainty … witnessed the raising of the dead.” He described the experience as a “real” occurrence that “wounded and sickened” his “soul.” Here, I argue that this reaction is precisely the goal of humanistic anthropology. To be effective, humanistic anthropology, like life itself, while potentially uplifting and unifying, must also be painful and sickening. It is in this way that humanism facilitates an understanding—a type of divinatory “knowing—among disparate people who live in worlds that are at once vastly different and startlingly similar.
Chinese innovation in cardiovascular drug discovery
Authors: Wang Xin , Ji Yong , Yang Baofeng
Published: December 2015

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Chinese Innovation in Cardiovascular Drug Discovery. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-23
Management of multiple sclerosis in daily practice for general neurologist and healthcare professionals
Authors: Yokoyama Kazumasa , Hattori Nobutaka
Published: December 2015

When we consider neuroimmunological disorders, the most common disease is multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is an intractable disease, affecting younger generations with an increasing prevalence all over the world, including Japan. The main goal of treatment is to decrease the frequency of relapses, manage symptoms, improve function and delay disease progression for better quality of life. However, halting the neurodegenerative process of axonal damage is difficult, and that is why there is no cure for MS. In the present article, we summarize the current disease‐modifying therapies and the meaning of no evidence of disease activity. Even though the ability to initiate disease‐modifying therapies in the earlier stage of MS and the window of opportunity exists, patients need to stay on therapy for a long period of time. In this regard, there is no set algorithm to treat all of the complications of MS. Individual medicines are required to manage the specific symptoms to maintain the quality of life of the patient. In this review article, we concentrate on how healthcare professionals can manage the clinical symptoms of patients with MS.
Characterization of products of the early stages of pedogenesis in ornithogenic soil from Maritime Antarctica
Authors: Poggere G. C. , Melo V. F. , Francelino M. R. , Schaefer C. E. , Simas F. N.
Published: December 2015

Limited pedogenesis on the Antarctic continent results in unusual, but important, short‐range order inorganic phases and organo‐mineral complexes (both with broad peaks from X‐ray diffraction) in the clay fraction, which can be studied by sequential chemical extractions. We aimed to develop a better sequential extraction procedure to obtain more detailed discrimination of the short‐range order phases (SROP) of the clay fraction of soil from Maritime Antarctica. Selected chemical properties of the soil and clay fraction were related to different phases of these products. The total amount of SROP and organo‐mineral complexes in the clay fraction ranged from 15.1 to 43.9%, with greater occurrence in ornithogenic soil. The continuous incorporation of guano from penguins into the soil profile has contributed to increasing amounts of organo‐mineral complexes. Short‐range order phases have an important effect on soil chemical properties, such as an increase in non‐exchangeable acidity, quantity of hydroxyl groups on the surface of the colloidal fraction, the buffering capacity of Al3+ from non‐exchangeable and structural forms of the element, and a decrease in soil CEC. The greater number of sequential extraction steps enabled the separation of SROP and organo‐mineral complexes into two phases of stability, with a clear predominance of the more soluble forms.
Technology, offshoring and the task content of occupations in the United Kingdom
Authors: AKÇOMAK Semih , KOK Suzanne , ROJAS‐ROMAGOSA Hugo
Published: December 2015

The authors analyse change in employment levels and in the task content of occupations, both within occupations (i.e. at the intensive margin) and between occupations (i.e. at the extensive margin) in the United Kingdom over the period 1997–2006 using data from the national Skills Survey, which has comparable within‐occupation task data for three waves: 1997, 2001 and 2006. They find that within‐occupation task content changed significantly, and that the magnitude of change was similar to that found at the extensive margin. Their econometric results suggest that these intensive‐margin shifts can be explained by technological improvements but not by offshoring.
The Stigma of Testing Intentions Revisited: The Exonerating Effects of Favorable Test Results
Authors: Gangi Cynthia Elizabeth , Snodgrass Susan Lorena
Published: December 2015

The mere intention to get tested for HIV carries a significant moral stigma. The current work investigated the nature of this stigma by determining whether or not it persists in the face of invalidating evidence. Participants read a vignette about someone who declines an HIV test, accepts the test and is awaiting results, or accepts the test and receives negative results. Participants judged the person who received negative results as more moral than those who chose not to get tested. These results suggest that people who choose to get tested for HIV can be exonerated by negative results and may ultimately be viewed as more moral than those who choose not to get tested.
An Odds Ratio Approach for Detecting DDF Under the Nested Logit Modeling Framework
Authors: Terzi Ragip , Suh Youngsuk
Published: December 2015

An odds ratio approach (ORA) under the framework of a nested logit model was proposed for evaluating differential distractor functioning (DDF) in multiple‐choice items and was compared with an existing ORA developed under the nominal response model. The performances of the two ORAs for detecting DDF were investigated through an extensive simulation study. The impact of model misfit on the performance of each ORA was also examined. To facilitate practical interpretation of each method, effect size measures were obtained and compared. Finally, data from a college‐level mathematics placement test were analyzed using the two approaches.
Evaluation of Implementation of the Kentucky Court Rules of Procedure and Practice: An Approach to Assessing the Impact of Court Reform Efforts
Authors: Boes Corey , Collins‐Camargo Crystal , Thomas Tammi Alvey
Published: December 2015

This article describes a Supreme Court of Kentucky court improvement initiative designed to promote uniformity and improved court practice with an ultimate goal of the improvement of outcomes for children and families through implementation of Family Court Rules of Procedure and Practice. Twelve jurisdictions were purposely selected to exhibit a range of family and non‐family court jurisdictions, rural and middle‐sized locations. This article focuses on the results of court case file review related to indicators of due process and timeliness. Implications for court evaluation and reform activities are discussed.
Characterization and Sensory Evaluation of a Novel Grapefruit Beverage Made with Lactose‐Free Demineralized Milk Permeate
Authors: Rahimi Monireh , Kalbasi‐Ashtari Ahmad , Labbafi Mohsen , Longnecker Michael , Khodayian Fereidoon
Published: December 2015

A variety of fruit beverage formulations using demineralized milk permeates hydrolyzed with β‐galactosidase and mixed with concentrated grapefruit juice, sugar and pectin were evaluated for sensory criteria (appearance, aroma, mouthfeel, taste and after taste) and measured physiochemical (PC) parameters. The total sensory scores (TSS) and PC parameters of accepted beverages were comparable for most grapefruit drinks. The newly formulated beverages had very low lactose and sodium (<1%) without any astringency and salty taste. A regression model relating the TSS of the beverages and six effective PC parameters (Brix, lightness, color value of a, viscosity, sedimentation and pH) was formulated. The resulting regression model provides consistent predictions of TSS for the new beverages without having to impanel a new set of tasters to reassess the TSS properties of the new formulations. The model of TSS had an R2 value of 94% and provided the trend in TSS for the increases in the formulation parameters.

Practical Applications

Milk permeate (a low‐cost by‐product of the ultrafiltration) is a rich source of growth factors such as essential amino acids. Demineralized and dried milk permeate (DDMP) is a salt‐free additive with numerous nutrients and a long shelf life. Varying amounts of DDMP (hydrolyzed with β‐galactosidase), concentrated grapefruit juice (full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals), sugar and high methoxyl pectin were mixed to determine appealing physiochemical (PC) parameters and to evaluate sensory criteria (appearance, odor, mouthfeel, taste and aftertaste) after refining and pasteurization. The optimal combinations of raw materials resulted in pleasant beverages (free of lactose) that had total sensory scores (TSS) and PC parameters completely comparable with the scores and parameters of fresh grapefruit drink. A regression model relating TSS to important PC parameters yielded predicted TSS of the beverage with a high degree of accuracy. This model has a potential to predict TSS of a formulated beverage without performing the tedious and time‐consuming taste panel process.
Electrical Conductivity of Cabbage and Daikon Radish as Affected by Electrical Voltage, Frequency, Salt Concentration and Temperature
Authors: Duguay Ann‐Julie , Ramaswamy Hosahalli S. , Zareifard Mohammad Reza , Zhu Songming , Grabowski Stefan , Marcotte Michèle
Published: December 2015

Shredded cabbage (50% v/v) and Daikon radish cubes (57% v/v) were mixed with different salt solutions (0.15, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 1.85%), poured into a Teflon‐coated static Ohmic cell and heated from 30 to 70°C at different alternating current voltages (65, 80, 100, 120 or 135 V) and frequencies (60, 2,070, 5,030, 7,990 or 10,000 Hz). Voltage, current, time and temperature were measured to calculate electrical conductivities at different temperatures. For the modeling part, 750 g of a blended crude puree (particle size < 0.5 mm) was used to fill the Ohmic cell. Daikon radish gave the highest value for electrical conductivity of 1.07 S/m at 30°C and 1.85%, 100 V and 5,030 Hz while cabbage gave a value of 0.81 S/m under the same conditions. For cabbage, the electrical conductivity values increased with increasing frequency at higher voltage, but decreased at low voltage levels. An opposite trend was observed for Daikon radish. Modeling indicated that electrical conductivity increased quadratically with temperature, salt concentration and electrical voltage. Response surface models revealed that linear, cross products, as well as quadratic effects were significant with R2 > 0.98. The Maxwell–Eucken model, which describes solid particles dispersed in continuous liquid, showed good fit for the electrical conductivity data.

Practical Applications

Ohmic heating can be an alternative to conventional heat processing of food, reducing treatment time and improving quality. Ohmic heating has been generally recognized to provide uniform and rapid heating conditions. The electrical conductivity (EC) of food components is the key property in the Ohmic heating process and is dependent on many product and system‐dependent properties, especially the salt content. It is also the primary property needed for modeling the Ohmic heating effects of a system or product. This manuscript details the gathered data on electrical conductivity of cabbage and radish, and an appropriate modeling approach to describe their dependence on product and system properties. The study generates new data EC for the vegetables and how the EC is influenced by the two vegetables that differ significantly in structure.
Maternal rare inherited bleeding disorders and neonatal complications
Authors: Behboudi‐Gandevani Samira , Moghaddam‐Banaem Lida , Shahbazi Shirin , Ekhtesari Fatemeh
Published: December 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine the association between maternal inherited bleeding disorders and neonatal complications.

Material and Methods

This was a historical cohort study. The rare inherited bleeding disorders (RIBD) group consisted of a total of 100 women suffering from inherited bleeding disorders, aged 20–45 years who experienced pregnancy. In the healthy control group, 200 age‐ and body mass index‐matched women were selected. Details of demographic and obstetric characteristics of the samples in both groups were collected using their medical records.

Results

The mean ages of the women in the RIBD and healthy control groups were 32.6 (7.07) and 32.4 (7.3) years, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of age and other demographic characteristics of the women between the groups. The mean neonatal birthweight in the RIBD group was statistically lower than that in the healthy control group, 3018.2 (546.9) g vs 3299.4 (456.8) g, respectively (P = 0.021). The prevalence of low birthweight in the RIBD group was statistically higher in comparison to that in the healthy control group (P = 0.041).

After adjustment for potential confounders, it was found that maternal bleeding disorder had significant negative effects on birthweight in newborns (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–3.43, P = 0.001). Those infants were statistically more likely to experience head bleeding, early hyperbilirubinemia and hospitalization than the healthy group (P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Maternal rare inherited bleeding disorders may have a devastating consequence for neonates.
Assessment of age‐specific safety of laparoscopic surgery in elderly patients with ovarian tumors
Authors: Otake Akiko , Sasase Aya , Suzuki Atsuko , Takahashi Kayo , Sasamoto Naoko , Miyoshi Yukari , Shioji Mitsunori , Yamamoto Yoshimitsu , Adachi Kazushige
Published: December 2015

Aim

We assessed the age‐specific safety of laparoscopic surgery in elderly patients with ovarian tumors.

Material and Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 55 elderly patients treated by laparoscopic salpingo‐oophorectomy under the diagnosis of an ovarian tumor between January 2009 and December 2014.

We divided patients into three groups: “young‐elderly” (aged 65–74), “old‐elderly” (aged 75–84), and “super‐elderly” (aged 85–105) and assessed clinical characteristics, surgical results and postoperative course. Statistical significance of categorical variables was examined by the Student's t‐test, Mann–Whitney U test, or Fisher's exact test. Multiple regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis.

Results

Of a total of 55 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery, there were 36 patients in the young‐elderly group, 17 in the old‐elderly group, and two in the super‐elderly group. Statistical analysis was performed between the young‐elderly and the old‐elderly groups because of the small number in the super‐elderly group.

More frequent comorbidities were found in the patients in the old‐elderly than in the young‐elderly group (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.007). There were no significant differences in operative time, estimated blood loss and postoperative hospital stay between the young‐elderly and old‐elderly groups. Intraoperative complications only occurred in the young‐elderly group. Postoperative complications occurred in all groups.

Conclusions

Although patients in the old‐elderly group had a significantly higher risk for surgery, they had equivalent surgical results to the young‐elderly group for laparoscopic salpingo‐oophorectomy.
The Struggle for the Nature of “Prejudice”: “Prejudice” Expression as Identity Performance
Authors: Durrheim Kevin , Quayle Mike , Dixon John
Published: December 2015

This article develops an identity performance model of prejudice that highlights the creative influence of prejudice expressions on norms and situations. Definitions of prejudice can promote social change or stability when they are used to achieve social identification, explanation, and mobilization. Tacit or explicit agreement about the nature of prejudice is accomplished collaboratively by persuading others to accept (1) an abstract definition of “prejudice,” (2) concrete exemplars of “prejudice,” and (3) associated beliefs about how a target group should be treated. This article reviews three ways in which “prejudice” can be defined in the cut and thrust of social interaction, namely, by mobilizing hatred and violence, by accusation and denial, and by repression. The struggle for the nature of prejudice determines who can be badly treated and by whom. Studying such ordinary struggles to define what counts (and does not count) as “prejudice” will allow us to understand how identities are produced, norms are set into motion, and populations are mobilized as social relations are reformulated.
On Experiencing Meanings
Authors: Reiland Indrek
Published: December 2015

Do we perceptually experience meanings? For example, when we hear an utterance of a sentence like ‘Bertrand is British’ do we hear its meaning in the sense of being auditorily aware of it? Several philosophers like Tim Bayne and Susanna Siegel have suggested that we do (Bayne 2009: 390, Siegel 2006: 490‐491, 2011: 99‐100). They argue roughly as follows: 1) experiencing speech/writing in a language you are incompetent in is phenomenally different from experiencing speech/writing you are competent in; 2) this contrast is best explained by the fact that we experience meanings in the latter case, but not the former. In contrast, in an important recent discussion Casey O'Callaghan has argued that we do not (O'Callaghan 2011). He responds to the above contrast argument by claiming that this phenomenal contrast is instead best explained by the fact that we hear language‐specific phonological properties in the latter case, but not in the former. In this paper I argue that O'Callaghan's response to the popular contrast argument is too limited in scope, provide a more general response, and present a new case against experiencing meanings.
The White City: Race and Urban Politics
Authors: Seamster Louise
Published: December 2015

Urban regime analysis and growth machine theory offer critical tools to study power and inequality in cities. However, the field of urban politics has moved away from critically addressing race. I discuss these theories' potential contributions before suggesting scholars “bring race back” to urban politics in several key areas: studying “White urban regimes” in addition to Black urban regimes; examining how Whiteness factors into growth (and anti‐growth) coalitions; exploring how racial discourse shapes urban regimes; and accounting for the relationship between suburbs and “fringe cities” and the city, including suburban regimes.
A Multi‐Method Investigation of Mathematics Motivation for Elementary Age Students
Authors: Linder Sandra M. , Smart Julie B. , Cribbs Jennifer
Published: December 2015

This paper presents the results of a multi‐method study examining elementary students with high self‐reported levels of mathematics motivation. Second‐ through fifth‐grade students at a Title One school in the southeastern United States completed the Elementary Mathematics Motivation Instrument (EMMI), which examines levels of mathematics motivation across three subscales: (a) Math Anxiety, (b) Self‐Efficacy, and (c) Value of Math. Results from this quantitative phase were used to identify a sample for a qualitative phase examining how students who report high levels of motivation perceive mathematics. The resulting qualitative phase utilized a phenomenological design to explore mathematics motivation for a particular set of students in a fifth‐grade setting. Findings indicate that elementary students with high mathematics motivation value mathematics as a present and future oriented discipline and value teachers that deemphasize testing as a measure of success.
Genomic full‐length sequence of two HLA‐A alleles, A*24:03:01 and A*24:07:01, identified by cloning and sequencing
Authors: Xu Y. P. , Wang S. X.
Published: December 2015

Genomic full length sequences of HLA‐A*24:03:01 and A*24:07:01, identified by cloning and sequencing Chinese donors.
HLA‐A*02:06:21, a novel variant of HLA‐A*02:06, discovered in a Taiwanese bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell donor
Authors: Yang K. L. , Ng J. , Lazaro A. , Hung J. H. , Lin P. Y.
Published: December 2015

One nucleotide substitution at residue 318 of the HLA‐A*02:06:01:01 results in a new allele, HLA‐A*02:06:21.
Anatomical Description of Scapulocoracoid and Gill Arches of Benthobatis kreffti
Authors: Bini Junior Ítalo Rafael , Hirata dos Santos Camila Mayumi , Fazzano Gadig Otto Bismarck
Published: December 2015

This study describes the scapulocoracoid and the ventral gill arches of a rare benthic elasmobranch, Benthobatis kreffti, based on specimens collected at depth of 500 m off the coast of São Paulo state, southern Brazil. The scapulocoracoid has an anterior fontanelle that is placed laterally. Condyles are similar in size, unequally spaced, and they are not aligned horizontally. The mesocondyle is located below the other condyles. The posterior fenestrae are allocated within the cartilage of the scapulocoracoid, while the anterior fenestrae cross its lateral-posterior segment. The suprascapula is arched posteriorly, and it is not connected or fused to the synarcual or the vertebral column. Three unfused hypobranchial elements were found in the ventral gill arches. The ceratobranchials are rod-like shaped, with fenestrae from first to fourth ceratobranchials. The fifth is morphologically distinct and connected to the scapulocoracoid. There is a pair of elements above the basibranchial copula, of unknown origin, also reported for other congeneric species, Benthobatis marcida. Such character could represent an autapomorphy of the genus.
Necrophagy of a nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) by tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Authors: Rada Danilo P , Burgess George H , Rosa Ricardo S , Gadig Otto F
Published: December 2015

The aim of this study is to report a scavenging event, involving the consumption of a nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, by tiger sharks, Galeocerdo cuvier, at Fernando de Noronha archipelago, Brazil. Recreational divers found and photographed a bitten nurse shark carcass, just after sighting two tiger sharks near of the site. We estimated the sharks total lengths and discussed aspects of this feeding interaction using of images of forensic analysis. A straight cut on the nurse shark caudal fin, whose total lenght was estimated as 200 cm, suggest that it was caught by illegal fishing. A skin peeling process on the nurse shark fins indicates that the tiger sharks consumed it after its death, in a scavenging event. This is the first published report of a scavenging event involving the consumption ofan elasmobranch by tiger sharks, allowing a better comprehension of tiger sharks’ alimentary biology.
La dottrina della giustificazione: uno sguardo ecumenico
Authors: Abdelmalak Ashraf N. I.
Published: December 2015

La questione della “giustificazione” è una questione attualissima che risponde a domande vitali e necessarie degli uomini di tutti i tempi ed, in particolare, degli uomini d’oggi: Che cos’è che rende il cristiano giusto davanti a Dio? L’essere giusti
è frutto della sola nostra buona volontà? Qual è la salvezza che la fede cristiana promette? Il presente testo studia questa questione nell’importantissimo
documento intitolato Dichiarazione congiunta sulla dottrina della giustificazione, per sottolineare le categorie di “consenso differenziato” e di “unità nella diversità riconciliata”.
La experiencia mística en la Sagrada Escritura
Authors: González Bernal Edith
Published: December 2015

La Sagrada Escritura testimonia la experiencia genuina y gratuita de Dios en la vida de hombres y mujeres. Los dos testamentos hablan de una acción que como fuerza irresistible abarca la totalidad del ser humano, seduce, toma posesión y
empodera, para comunicarla y contagiarla. Así, la experiencia mística en el contexto bíblico se presenta como un proceso interior, espiritual, generado por un
encuentro que engendra un sublime conocimiento y tiene una intensa repercusión afectiva.
A Conjugate Fluid–Porous Approach for Simulating Airflow in Realistic Geometric Representations of the Human Respiratory System
Authors: DeGroot Christopher T. , Straatman Anthony G.
Published: December 2015

Simulation of flow in the human lung is of great practical interest as a means to study the detailed flow patterns within the airways for many physiological applications. While computational simulation techniques are quite mature, lung simulations are particularly complicated due to the vast separation of length scales between upper airways and alveoli. Many past studies have presented numerical results for truncated airway trees, however, there are significant difficulties in connecting such results with respiratory airway models. This article presents a new modeling paradigm for flow in the full lung, based on a conjugate fluid–porous formulation where the upper airway is considered as a fluid region with the remainder of the lung being considered as a coupled porous region. Results are presented for a realistic lung geometry obtained from computed tomography (CT) images, which show the method's potential as being more efficient and practical than attempting to directly simulate flow in the full lung.
Initial evaluation and comparison of plasma damage to atomic layer carbon materials using conventional and low Te plasma sources
Authors: Jagtiani Ashish V. , Miyazoe Hiroyuki , Chang Josephine , Farmer Damon B. , Engel Michael , Neumayer Deborah , Han Shu-Jen , Engelmann Sebastian U. , Boris David R. , Hernández Sandra C. , Lock Evgeniya H. , Walton Scott G. , Joseph Eric A.
Published: December 2015

The ability to achieve atomic layer precision is the utmost goal in the implementation of atomic layer etch technology. Carbon-based materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene are single atomic layers of carbon with unique properties and, as such, represent the ultimate candidates to study the ability to process with atomic layer precision and assess impact of plasma damage to atomic layer materials. In this work, the authors use these materials to evaluate the atomic layer processing capabilities of electron beam generated plasmas. First, the authors evaluate damage to semiconducting CNTs when exposed to beam-generated plasmas and compare these results against the results using typical plasma used in semiconductor processing. The authors find that the beam generated plasma resulted in significantly lower current degradation in comparison to typical plasmas. Next, the authors evaluated the use of electron beam generated plasmas to process graphene-based devices by functionalizing graphene with fluorine, nitrogen, or oxygen to facilitate atomic layer deposition (ALD). The authors found that all adsorbed species resulted in successful ALD with varying impact on the transconductance of the graphene. Furthermore, the authors compare the ability of both beam generated plasma as well as a conventional low ion energy inductively coupled plasma (ICP) to remove silicon nitride (SiN) deposited on top of the graphene films. Our results indicate that, while both systems can remove SiN, an increase in the D/G ratio from 0.08 for unprocessed graphene to 0.22 to 0.26 for the beam generated plasma, while the ICP yielded values from 0.52 to 1.78. Generally, while some plasma-induced damage was seen for both plasma sources, a much wider process window as well as far less damage to CNTs and graphene was observed when using electron beam generated plasmas.
Riluzole blocks perioperative ischemia-reperfusion injury and enhances postdecompression outcomes in cervical spondylotic myelopathy
Authors: Karadimas Spyridon K. , Laliberte Alex M. , Tetreault Lindsay , Chung Young Sun , Arnold Paul , Foltz Warren D. , Fehlings Michael G.
Published: December 2015

Riluzole complements surgical decompression in an animal model of cervical spondylotic myelopathy, improving long-term outcomes.
A cocktail of humanized anti–pertussis toxin antibodies limits disease in murine and baboon models of whooping cough
Authors: Nguyen Annalee W. , Wagner Ellen K. , Laber Joshua R. , Goodfield Laura L. , Smallridge William E. , Harvill Eric T. , Papin James F. , Wolf Roman F. , Padlan Eduardo A. , Bristol Andy , Kaleko Michael , Maynard Jennifer A.
Published: December 2015

A humanized antibody cocktail alleviates the high white blood cell count associated with severe pertussis infection and increases bacterial clearance in murine and baboon models.
Not just a fecal matter
Authors: Dronca Roxana
Published: December 2015

Gut microbiota may modulate the efficacy and/or toxicity of immune checkpoint blockade therapy in cancer.
Know the shunt flow
Authors: Heldt Thomas
Published: December 2015

Measuring cerebrospinal fluid flow in shunt catheters can aid in the early diagnosis of shunt malfunction in hydrocephalus patients.
Gene Loss and Error-Prone RNA Editing in the Mitochondrion of
Perkinsela
, an Endosymbiotic Kinetoplastid
Authors: David Vojtěch , Flegontov Pavel , Gerasimov Evgeny , Tanifuji Goro , Hashimi Hassan , Logacheva Maria D. , Maruyama Shinichiro , Onodera Naoko T. , Gray Michael W. , Archibald John M. , Lukeš Julius
Published: December 2015

Perkinsela
is an enigmatic early-branching kinetoplastid protist that lives as an obligate endosymbiont inside
Paramoeba
(Amoebozoa). We have sequenced the highly reduced mitochondrial genome of
Perkinsela
, which possesses only six protein-coding genes (
cox1
,
cox2
,
cox3
,
cob
,
atp6
, and
rps12
), despite the fact that the organelle itself contains more DNA than is present in either the host or endosymbiont nuclear genomes. An
in silico
analysis of two
Perkinsela
strains showed that mitochondrial RNA editing and processing machineries typical of kinetoplastid flagellates are generally conserved, and all mitochondrial transcripts undergo U-insertion/deletion editing. Canonical kinetoplastid mitochondrial ribosomes are also present. We have developed software tools for accurate and exhaustive mapping of transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) reads with extensive U-insertions/deletions, which allows detailed investigation of RNA editing via deep sequencing. With these methods, we show that up to 50% of reads for a given edited region contain errors of the editing system or, less likely, correspond to alternatively edited transcripts.

IMPORTANCE
Uridine insertion/deletion-type RNA editing, which occurs in the mitochondrion of kinetoplastid protists, has been well-studied in the model parasite genera
Trypanosoma
,
Leishmania
, and
Crithidia
.
Perkinsela
provides a unique opportunity to broaden our knowledge of RNA editing machinery from an evolutionary perspective, as it represents the earliest kinetoplastid branch and is an obligatory endosymbiont with extensive reductive trends. Interestingly, up to 50% of mitochondrial transcripts in
Perkinsela
contain errors. Our study was complemented by use of newly developed software designed for accurate mapping of extensively edited RNA-seq reads obtained by deep sequencing.
Junior doctors’ experiences of managing patients with medically unexplained symptoms: a qualitative study
Authors: Yon Katherine , Nettleton Sarah , Walters Kate , Lamahewa Kethakie , Buszewicz Marta
Published: December 2015

Objectives

To explore junior doctors’ knowledge about and experiences of managing patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) and to seek their recommendations for improved future training on this important topic about which they currently receive little education.

Design

Qualitative study using in-depth interviews analysed using the framework method.

Setting

Participants were recruited from three North Thames London hospitals within the UK.

Participants

Twenty-two junior doctors undertaking the UK foundation two-year training programme (FY1/FY2).

Results

The junior doctors interviewed identified a significant gap in their training on the topic of MUS, particularly in relation to their awareness of the topic, the appropriate level of investigations, possible psychological comorbidities, the formulation of suitable explanations for patients’ symptoms and longer term management strategies. Many junior doctors expressed feelings of anxiety, frustration and a self-perceived lack of competency in this area, and spoke of over-investigating patients or avoiding patient contact altogether due to the challenging nature of MUS and a difficulty in managing the accompanying uncertainty. They also identified the negative attitudes of some senior clinicians and potential role models towards patients with MUS as a factor contributing to their own attitudes and management choices. Most reported a need for more training during the foundation years, and recommended interactive case-based group discussions with a focus on providing meaningful explanations to patients for their symptoms.

Conclusions

There is an urgent need to improve postgraduate training about the topics of MUS and avoiding over-investigation, as current training does not equip junior doctors with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively and confidently manage patients in these areas. Training needs to focus on practical skill development to increase clinical knowledge in areas such as delivering suitable explanations, and to incorporate individual management strategies to help junior doctors tolerate the uncertainty associated with MUS.