bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Secret Dynamism of Divine Simplicity
Authors: Mazzocco Mariel
Published: April 2018

While it was a centerpiece of medieval theology, the thesis of God's simplicity is often perceived by contemporary thinkers as enigmatic or even incoherent. After having presented the recent debate on divine simplicity from a historical perspective, this paper questions the attribute of simplicity from the perspective of the fourteenth‐century German preacher Meister Eckhart and shows that the so‐called speculative mystical thought of the Middle Ages is able to suggest new perspectives regarding God's simplicity, and to enrich discussions on this difficult aspect of the divine nature.
Effects of BMP‐2 on the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells in fibrous dysplasia
Authors: Um S , Kim HY , Seo B‐M
Published: April 2018

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of BMP‐2 on bone‐grafting procedures for the treatment of fibrous dysplasia based on in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Subjects and Methods

Proliferation of stem cells was determined by colony‐forming assay, CCK‐8 assay and BrdU staining. OCT4 and NANOG expression was analysed by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. Osteogenic differentiation was assessed by measuring ALP activity, Alizarin red S staining and in vivo transplantation. Gene expression of the osteogenic markers, osteocalcin and type 1 collagen, was determined by RT‐PCR.

Results

FD‐BMSCs showed few calcium deposits and low ALP activity. Bone formation by transplanted FD‐BMSCs was also suppressed relative to that of normal BMSCs. However, BMP‐2 treatment enhanced osteogenic differentiation of FD‐BMSCs mixed with normal BMSCs in vitro and in vivo. Overall, BMP‐2 treatment promoted osteogenic differentiation of FD‐BMSCs mixed with normal BMSCs.

Conclusions

In patients with FD, stem cells in affected bone are influenced by the mutation, resulting in weak bone formation with the proliferation of immature osteogenic cells. Current treatment of FD involves surgical removal of excess bulk lesions, which can cause facial disfigurement. Our results suggest that BMP‐2 application is a good adjunctive modality to the surgical treatment of patients with FD.
The use of cardiac‐CT alone to exclude left atrial thrombus before atrial fibrillation ablation: Efficiency, safety, and cost analysis
Authors: Mosleh Wassim , Sheikh Ali , Said Zaid , Ahmed Mohamed Abdel‐Aal , Gadde Siri , Shah Tanvi , Wilson Michael F. , Beck Hiroko , Kim Chee , Sharma Umesh C.
Published: April 2018

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a growing financial burden on the healthcare system. Cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) is needed for pulmonary vein mapping before AF ablation (AFA). CCTA has shown to be an alternative to transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) to rule out left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) pre‐AFA. We aim to examine the safety, cost‐effectiveness, and time‐efficiency of utilizing CCTA alone to rule out LAAT before AFA.

Methods

We prospectively screened patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing cryoablation. CCTA with delayed enhancement was performed within 72 hours of AFA. Once LAAT was ruled out, patients were enrolled and planned TEE was cancelled. A retrospective control cohort that had both CCTA and TEE prior to AFA was identified. Direct cost data, electrophysiology laboratory utilization time, and 30‐day stroke outcomes were collected from the EMR, follow‐up phone calls, or clinic visits, and comparative analyses were performed.

Results

Seventy patients met the inclusion criteria in the prospective CCTA‐only cohort, and 71 for the retrospective CCTA+TEE cohort. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. There was a nonsignificant reduction in overall cost ($15,870 ± 1,710 vs $16,557 ± 2,508, P = 0.06) in CCTA‐only cohort, whereas the electrophysiology laboratory utilization time was significantly reduced (241.6 ± 41.7 vs 181.3 ±36.4 minutes, P < 0.001). There were no strokes reported on 30‐day follow‐up in the CCTA‐only group.

Conclusions

In low‐to‐intermediate stroke risk patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing cryoablation, eliminating TEE and employing CCTA‐only strategy to rule‐out LAAT improves electrophysiology laboratory efficiency without influencing periprocedural cost or increasing postprocedural stroke risk.
Early repolarization is involved in ventricular fibrillation in patients with variant angina
Authors: Shinohara Tetsuji , Kondo Hidekazu , Fukui Akira , Akioka Hidefumi , Teshima Yasushi , Yufu Kunio , Nakagawa Mikiko , Takahashi Naohiko
Published: April 2018

Background

Variant angina (VA) is caused by reversible coronary artery spasm, which is characterized by chest pain with ST segment elevations on a standard 12‐lead electrocardiogram (ECG) at rest. VA attack often causes lethal ventricular arrhythmia. The early repolarization (ER) pattern is associated with ventricular fibrillation (VF). However, whether the ER pattern is involved in VF in patients with VA is not known. We investigated the association between the ER pattern and VF in patients with VA.

Methods

Fifty patients underwent induction of ST elevation on 12‐lead ECGs with total or nearly total occlusion by provocation test (VA patients). Twelve of these patients underwent induction of VF or had documented VF before hospital admission (VF occurrence group). The J‐wave morphology was characterized as exhibiting notching or slurring. The amplitude of each J wave was measured manually with amplified waveforms.

Results

ER patterns were observed significantly more often in the VF occurrence group than in the non‐VF occurrence group (P = 0.007). The J‐wave amplitude was significantly higher in the VF occurrence group compared with the non‐VF occurrence group (P = 0.02). Univariate analyses suggested that age, smoking, and ER patterns were associated with VF. Upon multivariate analyses, age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.880; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.794–0.975; P = 0.014) and ER patterns (OR = 8.937; 95% CI:1.661–48.06; P = 0.011) predicted VF independently.

Conclusions

These data suggest that an ER pattern in VA patients is a risk factor for VF. The ER pattern may be one of the useful factors for adaptation of implantation of implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator in patients with coronary spasm‐induced VF.
Civil service management and corruption: What we know and what we don't
Authors: Meyer‐Sahling Jan‐Hinrik , Mikkelsen Kim Sass , Schuster Christian
Published: April 2018

Numerous studies have linked a range of economic, social, and institutional variables with corruption in government. Yet, most of this literature overlooks the management of public officials themselves. This is a relevant omission: almost all corrupt exchanges involve public officials. This article reviews studies—36 in total—that do address civil service management and anti‐corruption. It finds that prior works assess a narrow set of civil service management structures. Meritocratic recruitment and, less robustly, pay levels have been associated with lower corruption. By contrast, robust evidence on how corruption relates to other established public personnel management areas—such as distinct pay structures (rather than levels), promotion, transfer, and job stability practices—is largely unavailable. The article thus calls for research assessing the effects of a broader set of civil service management practices to gain a deeper understanding of corruption, and how to curb it.
Deviance and Vice: Strength as a Theoretical Virtue in the Epistemology of Logic
Authors: Russell Gillian
Published: April 2018

This paper is about the putative theoretical virtue ofstrength, as it might be used in abductive arguments to the correct logic in the epistemology of logic. It argues for three theses. The first is that the well‐defined property oflogical strengthis neither a virtue nor a vice, so that logically weaker theories are not—all other things being equal—worse or better theories than logically stronger ones. The second thesis is that logical strength does not entail the looser characteristic ofscientific strength, and the third is that many modern logics are on a par—or can be made to be on a par—with respect to scientific strength.
The puzzle of hyper‐change
Authors: Law Andrew
Published: April 2018

If there is a second dimension of time – a so‐called ‘hypertime’ – is it logically possible for the past to change? Some have said yes; others have said no. I say yesprovidedthat one has the appropriate ontological view of hypertime. So far, the ontology of hypertime has seldom been discussed. As such, this paper not only defends the logical possibility of a changing past, but aims to start a discussion on what ontological commitments are required to make sense of a changing past.
Intending, believing, and supposing at will
Authors: Shepherd Joshua
Published: April 2018

In this paper I consider an argument for the possibility of intending at will, and its relationship to an argument about the possibility of believing at will. I argue that although we have good reason to think we sometimes intend at will, we lack good reason to think this in the case of believing. Instead of believing at will, agents like us often suppose at will.
UC‐1V150, a potent TLR7 agonist capable of activating macrophages and potentiating mAb‐mediated target cell deletion
Authors: Dahal L. N. , Gadd A. , Edwards A. D. , Cragg M. S. , Beers S. A.
Published: April 2018

Toll‐like receptors (TLR) are critical mediators of the immune system with their activation linked to infection, inflammation and the pathogenesis of immune diseases including autoimmunity and cancer. For this reason, over the last 2 decades, TLR and their associated signalling pathways have been targeted therapeutically to enhance innate and adaptive immunity. Several TLR ligands, both endogenous and synthetic are at various phases of clinical testing, and new ligands are continually emerging. Agonists of TLR7 are known immune response modifiers, simultaneously stimulating several cell types, resulting in immune cell activation and cytokine and chemokine release. The immune stimulating properties of the TLR7 agonist Imiquimod has also been exploited for use in the treatment of malignant superficial tumours of the skin. Here, we investigated a novel TLR7 agonist UC‐1V150 and demonstrate it activates both human and mouse myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo, to deliver potent FcγR‐mediated engulfment of opsonized target cells.
When does the influence of maturation on anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics increase and subside?
Authors: Towlson C. , Cobley S. , Parkin G. , Lovell R.
Published: April 2018

The relationships between maturation and anthropometric and physical performance characteristics are dynamic and often asynchronous; confounding the capability to accurately evaluate performance during adolescence. This study aimed to (i) examine the influence of chronological age (CA) and somatic maturation (YPHV) upon anthropometric and physical performance parameters, and (ii) identify the transition/change time points in these relationships using segmental regression. N = 969 soccer players (8‐18 years of age) completed anthropometric and physical test assessments, including a countermovement jump (CMJ), agility T test, 10 and 20 m sprints, and multistage fitness test (MSFT). When modeled against CA and YPHV, results identified time point phases with increased rates of stature (CA‐7.5, YPHV‐8.6 cm/y at 10.7‐15.2 years or −3.2 to +0.8 YPHV) and body mass gain (CA‐7.1, YPHV‐7.5 kg/y at 11.9‐16.1 years or −1.6 to +4.0 YPHV), followed by gain reductions. Increased rates of sprint performance development (31%‐43% gains) occurred at 11.8‐15.8 CA or −1.8 to +1.2 YPHV, with gains subsiding thereafter. CMJ, T test, and MSFT gains appeared relatively linear with no change in developmental rate apparent. Developmental tempos did again, however, subside at circa (CMJ and T test) to post‐PHV (MSFT). Based on our sample and analysis, periods of increased developmental rates (stature, mass, sprint) were apparent alongside progressive gains for other physical measures, before all subsided at particular age and maturation time points. Findings highlight dynamic asynchronous development of players, physical attributes, and the need to account for the influence of maturation on athletic performance until post‐PHV.
Altered stress hormone response following acute exercise during prostate cancer treatment
Authors: Hanson E. D. , Sakkal S. , Evans W. S. , Violet J. A. , Battaglini C. L. , McConell G. K. , Hayes A.
Published: April 2018

Exercise training reduces the side effects of cancer treatments; however, the stress hormone response to acute exercise during prostate cancer (PCa) treatment is unclear. The study purpose was to examine the effects of acute exercise on circulating cortisol, epinephrine (Epi), and norepinephrine (NE) concentrations during PCa treatment with and without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Men with PCa (n = 11), with PCa on ADT (n = 11), and with non‐cancer controls (n = 8) had blood samples for stress hormones collected before and immediately (0 hour), 2 hours, and 24 hours after 45 minutes of intermittent cycling at 60% of peak wattage. NE increased by 385% (P < .001) at 0 hour and remained elevated at 2 hours (P < .05) with no group differences. Overall, cortisol significantly increased at 0 hour (36%, P < .012) and then significantly decreased below baseline at 2 hours (−24%, P < .001) before returning to resting levels at 24 hours. Cortisol levels during ADT were 32% lower than PCa (P = .006) with no differences vs controls. Epi increased immediately after exercise more in controls (817%, P < .001) than with ADT (700%) and PCa (333%) patients, and both cancer groups’ absolute levels were attenuated relative to controls (ADT: −54%, PCa: −52%, P = .004). Compared with age‐matched controls, PCa and ADT patients exhibited similar stress hormone responses with acute exercise for NE and cortisol but an attenuated EPI response that suggests altered adrenal function. Future studies should examine the physical stress of multiple exercise bouts to verify these findings and to explore the functional hormonal effects, such as immune and metabolic responses, during cancer treatment.
The economy. How do the media cover it and what are the effects? A literature review
Authors: Damstra Alyt , Boukes Mark , Vliegenthart Rens
Published: April 2018

This article provides an overview of key findings in the field of economic news research. The focus is on the relationship between the real economy and economic news, and the subsequent effects of economic news on people's economic perceptions. Additionally, we discuss research that looks into the construction of economic and financial news. Recommendations for future research relate to the application of mixed methods approaches and individual level studies, and a specific focus on new (social) media.
Hepatocellular carcinoma: Prospects for natural killer cell immunotherapy
Authors: Kumar N. , Khakoo S. I.
Published: April 2018

Liver disease is a growing cause of death in the United Kingdom and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising (http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/). The combination of an immunosuppressive environment within the liver and suboptimal host anti‐tumour immune responses may account for the poor survival outcome of HCC. Understanding how tumours evade immune recognition coupled with new insights into the unique immunological environment within the liver will be critical to developing liver‐specific immunotherapies.
Impact of range‐parallel sediment transport on 2D thermo‐mechanical models of mountain belts: Application to the Kyrgyz Tien Shan
Authors: Jourdon Anthony , Le Pourhiet Laetitia , Petit Carole , Rolland Yann
Published: April 2018

Evolving mountain belts dynamics is very sensitive to surface processes. The surface processes affect tectonics by enhancing crust exhumation and thermal weakening, and depositing soft yet cold sediments in surrounding basins. While 2D plane strain models approximate cylindrical tectonic structures well, simple 1D mass transfer cannot capture erosion–sedimentation complexity. The Eastern Kyrgyz Tien Shan, where structures, basins and exhumation rates are well constrained, is used here to illustrate this issue. Thermo‐mechanical models demonstrate that 1D transport cannot adjust both basin geometry and Apatite Fission Track exhumation ages. When out‐of‐plane sediment transfer is considered, the amount of evacuated sediment delays or accelerates the formation of new faults, affecting the relative timing of exhumation. For our case study, lateral drainage must evacuate 80% of the sediments to match the geological constraints, which is consistent with other source to sink analyses. This indicates that lateral drainage should not be neglected in regional 2D models.
The NUCLEAR FACTOR‐CONSTANS complex antagonizes Polycomb repression to de‐repress FLOWERING LOCUS T expression in response to inductive long days in Arabidopsis
Authors: Luo Xiao , Gao Zheng , Wang Yizhong , Chen Zhijuan , Zhang Wenju , Huang Jirong , Yu Hao , He Yuehui
Published: April 2018

Many plants sense the seasonal cues, day length or photoperiod changes, to align the timing of the developmental transition to flowering with changing seasons for reproductive success. Inductive day lengths through the photoperiod pathway induce the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) or FT relatives that encode a major mobile florigen to promote flowering. In Arabidopsis thaliana, under inductive long days the photoperiod pathway output CONSTANS (CO) accumulates toward the end of the day, and associates with the B and C subunits of Nuclear Factor Y (NF‐Y) to form the NF‐CO complex that acts to promote FT expression near dusk, whereas Polycomb group (PcG) proteins function to silence FT expression. How NF‐CO acts to antagonize the function of PcG proteins to regulate FT expression remains unclear. Here, we show that the NF‐CO complex bound to the proximal FT promoter, through chromatin looping, acts in concert with an NF‐Y complex bound to a distal enhancer to reduce the levels of PcG proteins, including both Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and PRC2 at the FT promoter, leading to a relieving of Polycomb silencing and thus FT de‐repression near dusk. Thus, our study provides molecular insights on how the ‘active’ photoperiod pathway and the ‘repressive’ Polycomb silencing system interact to control temporal FT expression, conferring the long‐day induction of flowering in Arabidopsis.
Efficient in planta gene targeting in tomato using geminiviral replicons and the CRISPR/Cas9 system
Authors: Dahan‐Meir Tal , Filler‐Hayut Shdema , Melamed‐Bessudo Cathy , Bocobza Samuel , Czosnek Henryk , Aharoni Asaph , Levy Avraham A.
Published: April 2018

Current breeding relies mostly on random mutagenesis and recombination to generate novel genetic variation. However, targeted genome editing is becoming an increasingly important tool for precise plant breeding. Using the CRISPR‐Cas system combined with the bean yellow dwarf virus rolling circle replicon, we optimized a method for targeted mutagenesis and gene replacement in tomato. The carotenoid isomerase (CRTISO) and phytoene synthase 1 (PSY1) genes from the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway were chosen as targets due to their easily detectable change of phenotype. We took advantage of the geminiviral replicon amplification as a means to provide a large amount of donor template for the repair of a CRISPR‐Cas‐induced DNA double‐strand break (DSB) in the target gene, via homologous recombination (HR). Mutagenesis experiments, performed in the Micro‐Tom variety, achieved precise modification of the CRTISO and PSY1 loci at an efficiency of up to 90%. In the gene targeting (GT) experiments, our target was a fast‐neutron‐induced crtiso allele that contained a 281‐bp deletion. This deletion was repaired with the wild‐type sequence through HR between the CRISPR‐Cas‐induced DSB in the crtiso target and the amplified donor in 25% of the plants transformed. This shows that efficient GT can be achieved in the absence of selection markers or reporters using a single and modular construct that is adaptable to other tomato targets and other crops.
Cardiac‐gated, phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography is a reliable and reproducible technique for quantifying blood flow in canine major cranial abdominal vessels
Authors: Del Chicca Francesca , Schwarz Andrea , Grest Paula , Willmitzer Florian , Dennler Matthias , Kircher Patrick R.
Published: April 2018

Blood flow changes in cranial abdominal vessels are important contributing factors for canine hepatic disease. This prospective, experimental, pilot study aimed to evaluate cardiac‐gated, phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography (PCMRA) as a method for characterizing blood flow in canine major cranial abdominal vessels. Eleven, healthy, adult beagle dogs were sampled. Cardiac‐gated, phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography of the cranial abdomen was performed in each dog and blood flow was independently measured in each of the major cranial abdominal vessels by three observers, with two observers recording blood flow values once and one observer recording blood flow values three times. Each dog then underwent ultrasonographic examination of the liver with fine needle aspirations and biopsies submitted to cytologic and histologic examination. The mean absolute stroke volume and velocity were respectively 9.6 ± 1.9 ml and –11.1 ± 1.1 cm/s for the cranial abdominal aorta, 2.1 ± 0.6 ml and –6.6 ± 1.9 cm/s for the celiac artery, and 2.3 ± 1.0 ml and –7.9 ± 3.1 cm/s for the cranial mesenteric artery. The mean absolute stroke volume and velocity were respectively 6.7 ± 1.3 ml and 3.9 ± 0.9 cm/s for the caudal vena cava and 2.6 ± 0.9 ml and 3.2 ± 1.2 cm/s for the portal vein. Intraobserver reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.9). Interobserver reproducibility was also excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.89–0.99). Results of liver ultrasonography, cytology, and histopathology were unremarkable. Findings indicated that cardiac‐gated, phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography is a feasible technique for quantifying blood blow in canine major cranial abdominal vessels. Blood flow values from this sample of healthy beagles can be used as background for future studies on canine hepatic disease.
Second Language Acquisition and world Englishes: Dialogue and engagement
Authors: De Costa Peter I. , Crowther Dustin
Published: April 2018

In spite of the explosive growth in the global use of English, the subfields of Second Language Acquisition and world Englishes have failed to establish a synergistic relationship that can propel both areas of research forward well into the 21st century. In this pedagogically‐oriented article, we survey how previously established barriers between these vibrant disciplines have begun to erode, and illustrate how increased dialogue between both streams can address real world problems through a contemporary reconceptualization of person, place, process, and multilingualism and modality.
World Englishes, Second Language Acquisition, and the linguistic system conundrum
Authors: Wee Lionel
Published: April 2018

Despite the good reasons why WE and SLA ought to be establishing a dialogue with one another, this has yet to be the case in any substantive manner. This paper argues that a fundamental issue that needs to be addressed if the gap between world Englishes (WE) and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is to be bridged is ‘the linguistic system conundrum’, or how references to distinct L1s and L2s (common in SLA) can be coherently related to sociolinguistic claims (increasingly common in WE) about the porosity of language categories. I suggest, by drawing on Deleuze's notion of an ‘assemblage’ (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987), how the conundrum can be resolved in a way that: (i) preserves the insights gleaned from SLA and WE; as well as (ii) opens up pathways for greater dialogue and common research.
Ontologies of language, Second Language Acquisition, and world Englishes
Authors: Ortega Lourdes
Published: April 2018

What has strained the relations between the fields of world Englishes and Second Language Acquisition (SLA), denounced by Sridhar and Sridhar (1986; Sridhar, 1994) and felt by many others during these past 30 years? I first characterize a number of the differences in disciplinary goals and orientations that have contributed to the tensions. I then argue that it is ultimately differences in the ontologies of language that are the largest hurdle to establishing synergies between the two fields. I weigh what has been gained and lost in SLA by the unquestioned adoption of essentialist ontologies and argue that it has locked SLA research into a monolingual worldview that the field can no longer afford. I also call for the continuation of research that illuminates multilingual success but also addresses the phenomenological and emic reality of the ‘native’ and ‘nonnative’ dichotomy, as many multilinguals experience their ‘nonnativeness’ as oppression that they must constantly manage and negotiate under the hegemony of monolingual ideologies. I close with four recommendations for changes in SLA that might help a new future where WE and SLA mutually benefit from their disciplinary achievements.
Second Language Acquisition, WE, and language as a complex adaptive system (CAS)
Authors: Larsen‐Freeman Diane
Published: April 2018

The field of Second Language Acquisition/Development (SLA/D) has evolved to a point where the paradigm gap between SLA/D and world Englishes (WE), identified by Sridhar and Sridhar (1986), has narrowed. The closing of the gap is due in part to SLA/D and WE leaving behind their ontological inheritance of a static competence from linguistics and finding common ground in a view of language as a complex adaptive system. While differences between the two fields are real and will rightly prevail, there may now exist an opening for a dialogue that can lead to a closing of the gap.
Second Language Acquisition, world Englishes, and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)
Authors: Mauranen Anna
Published: April 2018

English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) is a complex form of language contact, which is viewed from three key perspectives: the cognitive, the micro‐social /interactional, and the macro‐social. Each contributes crucially to the whole, and each frame has its own dynamics, while feeding into the other levels. Each operates in its particular time scale, resulting in multiple synchronous and asynchronous processes of change. As a contact language, ELF embodies second language use (SLU), which is distinct from Second Language Acquisition (SLA). We can expect ELF to have affinities with world Englishes (WE), and there are indications that ELF is closer to WE than to SLA. English as a Lingua Franca provides unique insights for understanding second languages, on account of its global diffusion and its multiplex contacts with other languages.
Listening Skills Development in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language and The Usage of Metacognitive Strategies
Authors: Öztürk Başak Karakoç
Published: April 2018

The aim of this study is to determine the state of using metacognitive strategies to develop listening skills in teaching Turkish as a foreign language to Syrian children. This research is a descriptive study designed with the survey method. In June 2017, the Certification Program for Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language was organized for Turkish educators who work in Adana, as a part of “The Project of Supporting Syrian Children’s Integration into the Turkish Education System”. In this context, all Turkish educators who work in Adana composed the population of this study while 108 Turkish educators constituted the sample of the study. In this study, the data were collected by the “Metacognitive Listening Strategies Opinion Form” developed by the researcher and analyzed with descriptive statistical techniques.  The findings of the study showed that most of the metacognitive strategies that can be used before listening are rarely used and that the response rates as to “always” or “often” in the questionnaire are quite low. It was observed that Turkish educators usually “rarely” used strategies apart from the strategy of “underlining words the meaning of which they do not know” in the listening process.The findings further indicated that more strategies were used before and after listening than during listening and that the most frequently used strategies by learners were summarizing the listening text in their own words, expressing the theme and main idea of the text they were listening to, telling which section/s in the listening text they mostly focused on, and answering the listening comprehension questions.
Establishment of a radiotelemetric recording technique in mice to investigate gastric slow waves: Modulatory role of putative neurotransmitter systems
Authors: Wang Huichuan , Lu Zengbing , Liu Yuen Hang , Sun Yayi , Tu Longlong , Ngan Man P. , Yeung Chi‐Kong , Rudd John A.
Published: April 2018

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Gastric slow waves originating from the interstitial cells of Cajal–smooth muscle syncytium are usually studied in culture or in tissue segments, but nobody has described recordings of slow waves from awake, freely moving mice. Can radiotelemetry be used to record slow waves, and do they respond predictably to drug treatment?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Radiotelemetry can be used to record slow waves from awake, freely moving mice, permitting an examination of drug actions in vivo, which is crucial to drug discovery projects for characterizing the effects of drugs and metabolites on gastrointestinal function.

The mouse is the most commonly used species in preclinical research, and isolated tissues are used to study slow waves from the interstitial cells of Cajal–smooth muscle syncytium of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to establish a radiotelemetric technique in awake mice to record gastric myoelectric activity from the antrum to gain insight into the effects of endogenous modulatory systems on slow waves. Under general anaesthesia, two biopotential wires from a telemetry transmitter were sutured into the antrum of male ICR (imprinting control region) mice. The animals were allowed 1 week to recover from surgery before the i.p. administration of drugs to stimulate or inhibit slow waves. The basal dominant frequency of slow waves was 6.96 ± 0.43 c.p.m., and the percentages of power in the bradygastric, normogastric and tachygastric ranges were 6.89 ± 0.98, 37.32 ± 1.72 and 34.38 ± 0.77%, respectively (n = 74). Nicotine at 1 mg kg−1 increased normogastric power, but at 3 mg kg−1 it increased bradygastric power (P < 0.05). Metoclopramide at 10 mg kg−1 increased normogastric power; sodium nitroprusside at 10 mg kg−1 had latent effects on tachygastric power (P < 0.05); and l‐NAME at 10 mg kg−1 had no effect (P > 0.05). Nicotine and bethanechol also caused varying degrees of hypothermia (>1°C reductions; P < 0.05). In conclusion, radiotelemetry can be used to record slow waves from awake, freely moving mice. In light of our findings, we recommend that studies assessing slow waves should also assess body temperature simultaneously.
Age‐related changes in late I‐waves influence motor cortex plasticity induction in older adults
Authors: Opie George M. , Cirillo John , Semmler John G.
Published: April 2018

Key points

The response to neuroplasticity interventions using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is reduced in older adults, which may be due, in part, to age‐related alterations in interneuronal (I‐wave) circuitry.

The current study investigated age‐related changes in interneuronal characteristics and whether they influence motor cortical plasticity in older adults.

While I‐wave recruitment was unaffected by age, there was a shift in the temporal characteristics of the late, but not the early I‐waves.

Using I‐wave periodicity repetitive TMS (iTMS), we showed that these differences in I‐wave characteristics influence the induction of cortical plasticity in older adults.

Previous research shows that neuroplasticity assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is reduced in older adults. While this deficit is often assumed to represent altered synaptic modification processes, age‐related changes in the interneuronal circuits activated by TMS may also contribute. Here we assessed age‐related differences in the characteristics of the corticospinal indirect (I) waves and how they influence plasticity induction in primary motor cortex. Twenty young (23.7 ± 3.4 years) and 19 older adults (70.6 ± 6.0 years) participated in these studies. I‐wave recruitment was assessed by changing the direction of the current used to activate the motor cortex, whereas short‐interval intracortical facilitation (SICF) was recorded to assess facilitatory I‐wave interactions. In a separate study, I‐wave periodicity TMS (iTMS) was used to examine the effect of I‐wave latency on motor cortex plasticity. Data from the motor‐evoked potential (MEP) onset latency produced using different coil orientations suggested that there were no age‐related differences in preferential I‐wave recruitment (P = 0.6). However, older adults demonstrated significant reductions in MEP facilitation at all 3 SICF peaks (all P values < 0.05) and a delayed latency of the second and third SICF peaks (all P values < 0.05). Using I‐wave intervals that were optimal for young and older adults, these changes in the late I‐waves were shown to influence the plasticity response in older adults after iTMS. These findings suggest that temporal characteristics are delayed for the late I‐waves in older adults, and that optimising TMS interventions based on I‐wave characteristics may improve the plasticity response in older adults.
Breathing regulation and blood gas homeostasis after near complete lesions of the retrotrapezoid nucleus in adult rats
Authors: Souza George M. P. R. , Kanbar Roy , Stornetta Daniel S. , Abbott Stephen B.G. , Stornetta Ruth L. , Guyenet Patrice G.
Published: April 2018

Key points

The retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) drives breathing proportionally to brain but its role during various states of vigilance needs clarification.

Under normoxia, RTN lesions increased the arterial set‐point, lowered the set‐point and reduced alveolar ventilation relative to CO2 production. Tidal volume was reduced and breathing frequency increased to a comparable degree during wake, slow‐wave sleep and REM sleep. RTN lesions did not produce apnoeas or disordered breathing during sleep.

RTN lesions in rats virtually eliminated the central respiratory chemoreflex (CRC) while preserving the cardiorespiratory responses to hypoxia; the relationship between CRC and number of surviving RTN Nmb neurons was an inverse exponential.

The CRC does not function without the RTN. In the quasi‐complete absence of the RTN and CRC, alveolar ventilation is reduced despite an increased drive to breathe from the carotid bodies.

The retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) is one of several CNS nuclei that contribute, in various capacities (e.g. CO2 detection, neuronal modulation) to the central respiratory chemoreflex (CRC). Here we test how important the RTN is to PCO2 homeostasis and breathing during sleep or wake. RTN Nmb‐positive neurons were killed with targeted microinjections of substance P–saporin conjugate in adult rats. Under normoxia, rats with large RTN lesions (92 ± 4% cell loss) had normal blood pressure and arterial pH but were hypoxic (−8 mmHg PaO2) and hypercapnic (+10 mmHg ). In resting conditions, minute volume (VE) was normal but breathing frequency (fR) was elevated and tidal volume (VT) reduced. Resting O2 consumption and CO2 production were normal. The hypercapnic ventilatory reflex in 65% FiO2 had an inverse exponential relationship with the number of surviving RTN neurons and was decreased by up to 92%. The hypoxic ventilatory reflex (HVR; FiO2 21–10%) persisted after RTN lesions, hypoxia‐induced sighing was normal and hypoxia‐induced hypotension was reduced. In rats with RTN lesions, breathing was lowest during slow‐wave sleep, especially under hyperoxia, but apnoeas and sleep‐disordered breathing were not observed. In conclusion, near complete RTN destruction in rats virtually eliminates the CRC but the HVR persists and sighing and the state dependence of breathing are unchanged. Under normoxia, RTN lesions cause no change in VE but alveolar ventilation is reduced by at least 21%, probably because of increased physiological dead volume. RTN lesions do not cause sleep apnoea during slow‐wave sleep, even under hyperoxia.
Mechanics of Periodic Film Cracking in Bilayer Structures Under Stretching
Authors: Meng Xianhong , Wang Zihao , Vinnikova Sandra , Wang Shuodao
Published: April 2018

In a bilayer structure consisting of a stiff film bonded to a soft substrate, the stress in the film is much larger when the rigidity of the film is much higher than that of the substrate so that film cracking is a common phenomenon in bilayer structures such as flexible electronics and biological tissues. In this paper, a theoretical model is developed to analyze the normal stress distribution in the structure to explain the mechanism of the formation of periodic crack patterns. The effects of geometrical and material parameters are systematically discussed. The analytical result agrees well with finite element analysis, and the prediction of spacing between cracks agrees with experiments from the literature.
A Simplified Indirect Measuring Method for the Notch Stress in a Thin Cylindrical Shell
Authors: Wang Bo , Shi Yunfeng , Li Rui , Wang Bin
Published: April 2018

In this paper, a new simplified indirect measuring method (SIMM) is proposed for the notch stress of a circumferentially notched thin cylindrical shell by measuring the stresses away from the notch with the conventional strain gauges. The explicit relationships between the measurable stresses and notch-root stress in both the elastic and plastic stages are derived. A refined finite element modeling indicates that the developed measuring method for notch stress is feasible, and the measuring accuracy is satisfactory. A series of quasi-static tensile experiments were conducted, with both the strain gauges and advanced optical measuring method applied. Good agreement with the optical measuring results further confirms the validity and accuracy of the present method. Our method has the advantages of low cost, easy implementation, and independence of the environmental disturbance such that it has potential for wide applicability in both laboratory and in situ notch stress measurements, which is of great significance for the design of some important aerospace structures such as pyrotechnic separation devices.
Mass spectrometric method for estimating dissociation rates in hydrogen discharge plasmas
Authors: Cotter A. , Stowell Alexander , Carlson John , Doyle James R.
Published: April 2018

Hydrogen (H2) discharge plasmas are important tools in plasma processing and provide a relatively simple example of a reactive plasma for basic research. An important parameter that characterizes such plasmas is the hydrogen dissociation rate. However, conventional methods using mass spectrometry to measure depletion in reactive plasmas cannot be applied to H2 discharges, due to the fast recombination of the dissociation product H atoms on the electrode surfaces. Here, the authors propose a method to measure the dissociation rate in low power discharges by adding a small partial pressure of deuterium (D2) to the plasma. At such low concentrations, the probability of reforming D2 is very small. Instead the dissociated D2 is converted into HD, and thus the change of D2 partial pressure monitored by a mass spectrometer can give the dissociation rate of D2, which can then be used to infer the H2 dissociation rate. Due to differences in the electron collisional dissociation cross section, a correction of the order unity is required to accurately translate the D2 dissociation rate into an H2 dissociation rate. The method is used to estimate the H atom density for a 100 mTorr radio-frequency plasma as a function of discharge power.
“Physics Stories”: How the Early Technologies of High Voltage and High Vacuum Led to “Modern Physics”
Authors: Greenslade Thomas B.
Published: April 2018

Some of you may remember the 1979 television series “Connections” that was written and narrated by James Burke, a British science writer. Burke’s technique was to choose a number of seemingly unrelated ideas and show how they led to developments in science and technology. This is an enjoyable business, even if some of the connections seem to be stretched at times, and led to a book by Burke. In a number of talks that I have given over the years, I have made somewhat less fanciful connections that suggest how the technologies of high vacuum and high voltage led to what used to be called “modern physics.” Today we might limit the “modern” era to the years from 1890 to 1920 that gave the first workable theories of small-scale physics.
A Bullet-Block Experiment that Explains the Chain Fountain
Authors: Pantaleone J. , Smith R.
Published: April 2018

It is common in science for two phenomena to appear to be very different, but in fact follow from the same basic principles. Here we consider such a case, the connection between the chain fountain and a bullet-block collision experiment. When an upward moving bullet strikes a wooden block resting on a horizontal table, the block will rise to a higher height when the bullet strikes near the end of the block. This is because the quickly rotating block experiences an additional upward “reaction” force from its contact with the table. Such a reaction force also explains the chain fountain. When a chain falls from a pile in a container to the floor below, the chain rises up above the container. This rise occurs because the quickly rotating links in the container push off of the surface beneath them. We derive a model that accurately describes our measurements in the bullet-block experiment, and then use this same model to calculate an approximate expression for the distance the chain rises above the container. More extensive discussions of the chain fountain are available elsewhere.
Promoting Reflective Physics Teaching Through the Use of Collaborative Learning Annotation System
Authors: Milner-Bolotin Marina
Published: April 2018

Effective physics teaching requires extensive knowledge of physics, relevant pedagogies, and modern educational technologies that can support student learning. Acquiring this knowledge is a challenging task, considering how fast modern technologies and expectations of student learning outcomes and of teaching practices are changing Therefore 21st-century physics teachers should be supported in developing a different way of thinking about technology-enhanced physics teaching and learning. We call it Deliberate Pedagogical Thinking with Technology, and base it on the original Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge frameworks. However, unlike the two aforementioned frameworks, the Deliberate Pedagogical Thinking with Technology emphasizes not only teachers’ knowledge, but also their attitudes and dispositions about using digital tools in order to support student learning. This paper examines how an online system that allows an ongoing discussion of videos uploaded on it by the students can support reflection in physics teacher education. Examples of using such a system in physics teacher education and teacher-candidates’ feedback on their experiences with it are also discussed.
Highly directional pressure sensing using phase gradients
Authors: Lawrence Joseph S. , Gee Kent L. , Neilsen Tracianne B. , Sommerfeldt Scott D.
Published: April 2018

The recently developed Phase and Amplitude Gradient Estimator (PAGE) method [Thomas et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137, 3366–3376 (2015)] estimates active intensity with a much greater bandwidth of accuracy than traditional intensity estimates. In this formulation, the intensity direction comes from the phase gradient, which when estimated from unwrapped transfer function phases can be accurate above the spatial Nyquist frequency. The phase gradient term can also be used to express pressure as a sum of directional components, which is derived by using the continuity equation with Euler’s equation. These directional pressure components have a cosine-squared directivity, which can be increased to higher orders by raising the power of the phase gradient. This method allows for the creation of highly directional pressure sensors in one or multiple dimensions using a limited number of microphones. [Work supported by NSF.]
Vessel sound cuts down communication space for vocalising fish and marine mammals
Authors: Putland Rosalyn L. , Merchant Nathan D. , Farcas Adrian , Radford Craig A.
Published: April 2018

Anthropogenic noise across the world’s oceans threatens the ability of vocalizing marine species to communicate. Some species vocalize at key life stages or whilst foraging, and disruption to the acoustic habitat at these times could lead to adverse consequences at the population level. To explore the risk of such impacts, we investigated the effect of vessel noise on the communication space of the Bryde’s whale Balaenoptera edeni, an endangered species which vocalizes at low frequencies and bigeye Pempheris adspersa, a nocturnal fish species which uses contact calls to maintain group cohesion while foraging. By combining long-term acoustic monitoring data with AIS vessel-tracking data and acoustic propagation modelling, a quantitative method for determining the impact of vessel noise on their communication space was established. Routine vessel passages cut down communication space by up to 61.5% for bigeyes and 87.4% for Bryde’s whales. The influence of vessel noise on communication space also exceeded natural variability between 3.9 and 18.9% of the monitoring period. To combat potential effects of vessel sound, we propose the application or extension of ship speed restrictions in ecologically significant areas, since our results indicate a reduction in sound source levels for vessels transiting at lower speeds.
Midbrain sensitivity to frequency “chirps:” Implications for coding voiced speech sounds
Authors: Carney Laurel H. , Fan Langchen , Henry Kenneth S.
Published: April 2018

Many neurons in the mammalian midbrain (inferior colliculus, IC) have strong selectivity for direction of frequency transitions (“chirps”), which often co-exist with the better-known sensitivity for amplitude-modulation (AM) frequency. Chirps occur when harmonics with a phase gradient are summed, as in Schroeder-phase harmonic stimuli. Chirps also occur in voiced speech due to the phase properties of vocal tract resonances. IC neurons are direction-selective for chirps in stimuli with fundamental frequencies in the voice-pitch range, and chirp selectivity can be achieved in an AM-tuned IC model by adding off-CF inhibition. Here, we will show physiological and model responses illustrating how chirps influence IC responses to speech in awake rabbit. In healthy auditory-nerve (AN) responses, the frequency extent, or size, of chirps vary with proximity of AN tuning to formant peaks due to inner ear nonlinearities. For example, synchrony capture causes one harmonic to dominate responses of AN fibers near spectral peaks, and responses that are dominated by one harmonic do not exhibit chirps. The systematic variation in chirp size across frequency channels and strong selectivity of IC neurons for chirps suggest a role for this feature in coding voiced speech. Importantly, this coding mechanism is vulnerable to sensorineural hearing loss.
Elimination of established tumors with nanodisc-based combination chemoimmunotherapy
Authors: Kuai Rui , Yuan Wenmin , Son Sejin , Nam Jutaek , Xu Yao , Fan Yuchen , Schwendeman Anna , Moon James J.
Published: April 2018

We report a new nanoparticle system for chemoimmunotherapy that elicits robust antitumor immunity against established tumors.
The uncanny valley of haptics
Authors: Berger Christopher C. , Gonzalez-Franco Mar , Ofek Eyal , Hinckley Ken
Published: April 2018

During virtual experiences, enhanced haptic feedback incongruent with other sensory cues can reduce subjective realism.