bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impaired Microcirculation in Children After Kidney Transplantation: Everolimus Versus Mycophenolate Based Immunosuppression Regimen
Authors: Ruben Stephan , Kreuzer Martin , Büscher Anja , Büscher Rainer , Thumfart Julia , Querfeld Uwe , Staude Hagen , Ahlenstiel-Grunow Thurid , Melk Anette , Fischer Dagmar-Christiane , Leifheit-Nestler Maren , Pape Lars , Haffner Dieter
Published: May 2018

Background/Aims: Whether the immunosuppressive regimen is associated with micro- and macro-vascular status in pediatric kidney transplant recipients (KTx) is unknown. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional, case-control study in 44 pediatric KTx patients on either everolimus (EVR) plus calcineurin inhibitor or standard treatment, i.e. mycophenolate mofetil plus calcineurin inhibitor. Measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) via ultrasound, central pulse wave velocity (PWV) by a cuff-based oscillometric technique, and skin microvascular blood flow during local heating via laser-Doppler-fluximetry (LDF) served as marker of subclinical vascular disease. Serum concentrations of angiopoietin-1 and -2, fibroblast-growth factor 23 (FGF23) and soluble klotho were measured. Results: EVR-treated patients exhibited a similar degree of hypertension, increased cIMT, elevated pro-inflammatory angiopoietin-2, and diminished endothelial survival factor angiopoietin-1 compared to healthy children but presented with a twofold more reduced skin micro-vascular function compared to standard treatment (each p< 0.001). By contrast, PWV and soluble klotho levels were normal in both groups. Conclusion: Endothelial dysfunction seems more frequent in KTx patients on EVR-based immunosuppressive regimen compared to standard immunosuppression.
PML-Nuclear Bodies Regulate the Stability of the Fusion Protein Dendra2-Nrf2 in the Nucleus
Authors: Burroughs Andrea Flores , Eluhu Sylvia , Whalen Diva , Goodwin J. Shawn , Sakwe Amos M. , Arinze Ifeanyi J.
Published: May 2018

Background/Aims: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a basic leucine-zipper transcription factor essential for cellular responses to oxidative stress. Degradation of Nrf2 in the cytoplasm, mediated by Keap1-Cullin3/RING box1 (Cul3-Rbx1) E3 ubiquitin ligase and the proteasome, is considered the primary pathway controlling the cellular abundance of Nrf2. Although the nucleus has been implicated in the degradation of Nrf2, little information is available on how this compartment participates in degrading Nrf2. Methods: Here, we fused the photoconvertible fluorescent protein Dendra2 to Nrf2 and capitalized on the irreversible change in color (green to red) that occurs when Dendra2 undergoes photoconversion to study degradation of Dendra2-Nrf2 in single live cells. Results: Using this approach, we show that the half-life (t1/2) of Dendra2-Nrf2 in the whole cell, under homeostatic conditions, is 35 min. Inhibition of the proteasome with MG-132 or induction of oxidative stress with tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) extended the half-life of Dendra2-Nrf2 by 6- and 28-fold, respectively. By inhibiting nuclear export using Leptomycin B, we provide direct evidence that degradation of Nrf2 also occurs in the nucleus and involves PML-NBs (Promyelocytic Leukemia-nuclear bodies). We further demonstrate that co-expression of Dendra2-Nrf2 and Crimson-PML-I lacking two PML-I sumoylation sites (K65R and K490R) changed the decay rate of Dendra2-Nrf2 in the nucleus and stabilized the nuclear derived Nrf2 levels in whole cells. Conclusion: Altogether, our findings provide direct evidence for degradation of Nrf2 in the nucleus and suggest that modification of Nrf2 in PML nuclear bodies contributes to its degradation in intact cells.
Overexpression of SARAF Ameliorates Pressure Overload–Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy Through Suppressing STIM1-Orai1 in Mice
Authors: Dai Fengdan , Zhang Yan , Wang Qiang , Li De , Yang Yongjian , Ma Shuangtao , Yang Dachun
Published: May 2018

Background/Aims: Activation of stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) and Orai1 participates in the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Store-operated Ca2+ entry-associated regulatory factor (SARAF) is an intrinsic inhibitor of STIM1-Orai1 interaction. Thus, we hypothesized that SARAF could prevent cardiac hypertrophy. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice, aged 8 weeks, were randomly divided into sham and abdominal aortic constriction surgery groups and were infected with lentiviruses expressing SARAF and GFP (Lenti-SARAF) or GFP alone (Lenti-GFP) via intramyocardial injection. At 4 weeks after aortic constriction, left ventricular structure and function were assessed by echocardiography and hemodynamic assays. The gene and protein expressions of SARAF, STIM1, and Orai1 were measured by quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively. Results: Gene and protein expressions of SARAF were significantly decreased, while STIM1 and Orai1 were increased in the heart tissue compared with sham group. Overexpression of SARAF in the heart prevented the upregulation of STIM1 and Orai1, and importantly, attenuated aortic constriction-induced decrease in maximal rate of left ventricular pressure decay and increases in thickness of interventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall, heart weight/body weight ratio, and size of cardiomyocytes. Blood pressure detected through the carotid artery and left ventricular systolic function were not affected by SARAF overexpression. In addition, overexpression of SARAF also attenuated angiotensin II-induced upregulation of STIM1 and Orai1 and hypertrophy of cultured cardiomyocytes. Conclusion: Overexpression of SARAF in the heart prevents cardiac hypertrophy, probably through suppressing the upregulation of STIM1/Orai1.
Geologia e geocronologia do Charnockito São Francisco Xavier e do Gabronorito Ribeirão do Paiol (MG/SP) e suas possíveis relações com processos crustais extensionais nos orógenos Brasília Meridional e Ribeira Central
Authors: Costa Rodrigo Vinagre da , Trouw Rudolph Allard Johannes , Mendes Julio Cezar
Published: May 2018

Na região entre as cidades de São Francisco Xavier, Monteiro Lobato, Campos do Jordão e São Bento do Sapucaí, estão expostas rochas metamórficas de fácies granulito de média pressão a anfibolito, associadas a Nappe Socorro e ao Terreno Embu. O Gabronorito Ribeirão do Paiol e o Charnockito São Francisco Xavier constituem corpos magmáticos encaixados em metagranitoides do Batólito Serra da Água Limpa. O Gabronorito Ribeirão do Paiol é isotrópico, tem textura inequigranular seriada hipidiomórfica a xenomórfica e idade de cristalização U-Pb LA-ICPMS de 534 ± 6 Ma. O Charnockito São Francisco Xavier possui textura isotrópica, equigranular a inequigranular seriada hipidiomórfica a xenomórfica e idade de cristalização entre 579 ± 5 Ma (núcleo dos grãos) e 562 ± 8 Ma (borda dos grãos), compatível com a evolução da Faixa Ribeira Central. O geotermômetro baseado em saturação de zircônio em rocha total aponta temperatura de cristalização de aproximadamente 880ºC para o charnockito. Os dois corpos exibem valores de εNd (t) negativos (-7,32 para o gabronorito e -12,41 para o charnockito), indicando contaminação e /ou origem crustal do magma gerador de ambos.
The phone walkers: a study of human dependence on inactive mobile devices
Authors: Schaposnik Laura P. , Unwin James
Published: May 2018

The development of mobile phones has largely increased human interactions. Whilst the use of these devices for communication has received significant attention, there has been little analysis of more passive interactions. Through census data on casual social groups, this work suggests a clear pattern of mobile phones being carried in people’s hands, without the person using it (that is, not looking at it). Moreover, this study suggests that when individuals join members of the opposite sex there is a clear tendency to stop holding mobile phones whilst walking. Although it is not clear why people hold their phones whilst walking in such large proportions (38% of solitary women, and 31% of solitary men), we highlight several possible explanation for holding the device, including the need to advertise status and affluence, to maintain immediate connection with friends and family, and to mitigate feelings related to anxiety and security.
Counterintuitive Demons: Pazuzu and Lamaštu in Iconography, Text, and Cognition
Authors: Maiden Brett
Published: May 2018

This paper examines the demons Pazuzu and Lamaštu from a cognitive science perspective. As hybrid creatures, the iconography of these demons combines an array of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic properties, and is therefore marked by a high degree of conceptual complexity. In a technical sense, they are what cognitive researchers refer to as radically “counterintuitive” representations. However, highly complex religious concepts are difficult in terms of cognitive processing, memory, and transmission, and, as a result, are prone to being spontaneously simplified in structure. Accordingly, there is reason to expect that the material images of Pazuzu and Lamaštu differed from the corresponding mental images of these demons. Specifically, it is argued here that in ancient cognition and memory, the demons would have been represented in a more cognitively optimal manner. This hypothesis is further supported by a detailed consideration of the full repertoire of iconographic and textual sources.
EU Mediation Practices in Ukraine during Revolutions: What Authority as a Peacemaker?
Authors: Natorski Michal
Published: May 2018

This article compares two different experiences of EU engagement in mediation in Ukraine: the Orange Revolution in 2004 and the Euromaidan crisis in 2013–2014. This comparison reflects two different outcomes of EU mediation practices under similar circumstances of political conflict between domestic political actors. The changing degree of collective EU authority recognized by other actors is the main driver behind varying EU mediation practices and outcomes. Authority conferred on the EU as a collective actor represents the legitimacy of its power, resources and competence to conduct mediation. However, such authority is always circumscribed by crisis-specific circumstances and volatile configurations of forces. Therefore, differing degrees of authority explain shifts in the effectiveness of EU mediation. To capture the authority of EU mediators in specific crisis situations, this article employs and interprets firsthand accounts of the experiences of actors directly involved in mediation.
Motives, Roles, Effectiveness and the Future of the EU as an International Mediator
Authors: Niemann Arne , Haastrup Toni , Bergmann Julian
Published: May 2018

This article concludes this special issue on the European Union as international mediator that set out to advance our theoretical and empirical knowledge aboutEUmediation. Providing a comprehensive reflection ofEUmediation activities and the diverse settings where they take place, this concluding article identifies some connection points between the articles and discusses their findings on the motives/drivers, roles/strategies, effectiveness and institutional capacities ofEUmediation. It discusses the implications of these findings for policymaking, focusing on the conditions forEUmediation effectiveness, the advantages of the multi-layered nature ofEUmediation and the need for flexible adaptation of mediation strategies. Finally, the article sets the scene for future research endeavors onEUmediation by identifying three future research avenues that focus on the politics, domestic effects and comparative advantage of theEUas international mediator.
A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification
Authors: MARSHALL DAVID C. , MOULDS MAX , HILL KATHY B. R. , PRICE BENJAMIN W. , WADE ELIZABETH J. , OWEN CHRISTOPHER L. , GOEMANS GEERT , MARATHE KIRAN , SARKAR VIVEK , COOLEY JOHN R. , SANBORN ALLEN F. , KUNTE KRUSHNAMEGH , VILLET MARTIN H. , SIMON CHRIS
Published: May 2018

A molecular phylogeny and a review of family-group classification are presented for 137 species (ca. 125 genera) of the insect family Cicadidae, the true cicadas, plus two species of hairy cicadas (Tettigarctidae) and two outgroup species from Cercopidae. Five genes, two of them mitochondrial, comprise the 4992 base-pair molecular dataset. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic results are shown, including analyses to address potential base composition bias. Tettigarcta is confirmed as the sister-clade of the Cicadidae and support is found for three subfamilies identified in an earlier morphological cladistic analysis. A set of paraphyletic deep-level clades formed by African genera are together named as Tettigomyiinae n. stat. Taxonomic reassignments of genera and tribes are made where morphological examination confirms incorrect placements suggested by the molecular tree, and 11 new tribes are defined (Arenopsaltriini n. tribe, Durangonini n. tribe, Katoini n. tribe, Lacetasini n. tribe, Macrotristriini n. tribe, Malagasiini n. tribe, Nelcyndanini n. tribe, Pagiphorini n. tribe, Pictilini n. tribe, Psaltodini n. tribe, and Selymbriini n. tribe). Tribe Tacuini n. syn. is synonymized with Cryptotympanini, and Tryellina n. syn. is synonymized with an expanded Tribe Lamotialnini. Tribe Hyantiini n. syn. is synonymized with Fidicinini. Tribe Sinosenini is transferred to Cicadinae from Cicadettinae, Cicadatrini is moved to Cicadettinae from Cicadinae, and Ydiellini and Tettigomyiini are transferred to Tettigomyiinae n. stat from Cicadettinae. While the subfamily Cicadinae, historically defined by the presence of timbal covers, is weakly supported in the molecular tree, high taxonomic rank is not supported for several earlier clades based on unique morphology associated with sound production.
Non-traditional skills in undergraduate medical education – the development of a teaching programme
Authors: Brady Chevonne , Zarb Mark
Published: May 2018

As a junior doctor in what is an increasingly struggling healthcare system, I am concerned to see that many of my junior and senior colleagues have opted not to continue onto the next stage of training. Whilst entrepreneurship, leadership and management are now accepted as important skills for doctors to be exposed to, this is clearly not filtering through to medical education at the undergraduate level. We have surveyed final year medical students regarding this and used these results to develop a national teaching programme which aims to provide junior doctors with skills such as management, leadership and enterprise which they would otherwise not be exposed to.
Slipping Past the Test: Heterogeneous Effects of Social Background in the Context of Inconsistent Selection Mechanisms in Higher Education
Authors: Yastrebov Gordey , Kosyakova Yuliya , Kurakin Dmitry
Published: May 2018

In this article, we analyze how the existence of alternative pathways to higher education, which implies different selection mechanisms, shapes social inequality in educational attainment. We focus on the Russian educational system, in which higher education can be accessed from academic and vocational tracks, but the rules of admission to higher education from these tracks are different. Access through the academic track is highly selective due to obligatory high-stakes testing, which determines secondary-school graduates’ eligibility to pursue higher education. The vocational track is generally less selective with regard to student intake and provides less restrictive access to higher education. We argue that this system has nuanced implications for social inequality. On one hand, transitions from vocational education to higher education can promote greater social mobility by offering an affordable and low-risk gateway to higher education for children from less-advantaged families. On the other hand, more-advantaged families might use the vocational track to higher education if their children face a high risk of failure in the more selective academic track. We test this conjecture and provide supporting evidence using data from the longitudinal survey Trajectories in Education and Careers.
Two-Faced Morality: Distrust Promotes Divergent Moral Standards for the Self Versus Others
Authors: Weiss Alexa , Burgmer Pascal , Mussweiler Thomas
Published: May 2018

People do not trust hypocrites, because they preach water, but drink wine. The current research shows that, ironically, when we distrust, we become moral hypocrites ourselves. We argue that experiencing distrust alerts us to the possibility that others may intent to exploit us, and that such looming exploitation differentially affects moral standards for the self versus others. Four studies ( N = 1,225) examined this possibility and its underlying motivational dynamic. Study 1 established a relationship between dispositional distrust and flexible, self-serving moral cognition. In Studies 2 and 3, participants experiencing distrust (vs. trust) endorsed more lenient moral standards for themselves than for others. Study 4 explored the role of the motivation to avoid exploitation in these effects. Specifically, participants’ dispositional victim sensitivity moderated the effect of distrust on hypocrisy. Together, these findings suggest that individuals who distrust and fear to be exploited show self-serving, and hence untrustworthy, moral cognition themselves.
Relationship Conflict, Work Conditions, and the Health of Mothers With Young Children
Authors: Cozzolino Elizabeth , Prickett Kate C. , Crosnoe Robert
Published: May 2018

Past research has shown that marital conflict is associated with poorer health among women and that new children come with declines in relationship quality and increased stress. The primary aim of this study was to explore how these two patterns converge—and what might buffer the risks of both to women’s health. We do so by examining the potential for paid work, more often thought of as a stressor for women managing family roles and relationships, to help women weather tensions at home while raising young children. Drawing on the work–family facilitation and research substitution perspectives, structural equation modeling analyzed integrated data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort and the Occupational Information Network database. The models revealed evidence that work characteristics can be protective. Specifically, the negative association between relationship conflict and mothers’ health was weaker when mothers or their partners worked in jobs with positive social–psychological conditions, such as feelings of sociability and support. These findings highlight the potential for work–family facilitation among new mothers.
The end of the television licence fee? Applying the German household levy model to the United Kingdom
Authors: Ramsey Phil , Herzog Christian
Published: May 2018

While the United Kingdom (UK) government has renewed the BBC Royal Charter until 2027 and confirmed that the television licence fee will last for this period, a medium-term shift from the television licence fee to a household levy is still a policy option. Drawing on the German experience, we discuss the probable difficulties, possible benefits and the overall implications of such a shift in the UK. The article employs a comparative media policy analysis. After a brief history of public service broadcasting funding in the UK, we provide an outline of the recent German public service media funding reform. We point out the difficulties from the German model to predict the future total revenues and elaborate on the suitability of it in the UK context, contrasting the possibilities of policy transfer and policy failure.
Comparison of the effects of endovenous laser ablation at 1470 nm versus 1940 nm and different energy densities
Authors: de Araujo Walter Junior Boim , Timi Jorge Rufino Ribas , Kotze Luiz Roberto , Vieira da Costa Cleber Rafael
Published: May 2018

Objectives

To evaluate histological and immunohistochemical changes in the great saphenous vein after endovenous laser ablation at two different wavelengths (1470 vs. 1940 nm) and linear endovenous energy density values (50 vs. 100 J/cm).

Method

Segments were obtained from the conventional eversion removal of great saphenous vein and divided into a control group and four groups for ex vivo irradiation (control group; A: 1470 nm, 50 J/cm; B: 1470 nm, 100 J/cm; C: 1940 nm, 50 J/cm; D: 1940 nm, 100 J/cm). Fifty venous segments ( n = 10/group) were analyzed. Changes were classified into low-temperature changes, moderate-temperature changes, high-temperature changes, and very high-temperature changes.

Results

In the intima, low-temperature changes + moderate-temperature changes were significantly more prevalent in group A (65.4%) than in D ( p = 0.001). In the media, low-temperature changes + moderate-temperature changes were achieved mostly in groups A and C (77.4% and 75.0%, respectively). In adventitia fragments, 100% of changes in group A were low-temperature changes + moderate-temperature changes.

Conclusions

The 1940-nm laser wavelength with linear endovenous energy density of 100 J/cm was excessively destructive to the intima and media causing a high rate of high-grade thermal damage. These findings corroborate the possibility of using lower linear endovenous energy densities with 1940-nm devices to achieve effective occlusion with less high grade thermal damage to the intima and media, as well as to prevent damages to the adventitia and perivenous tissues, including venous perforation and its attendant clinical consequences.
Acute onset of bulbar amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after flu – look at the differential diagnosis: A case report
Authors: Portaro Simona , Brizzi Teresa , Naro Antonino , Conti Nibali Valeria , Morabito Rosa , Bramanti Alessia , Calabrò Rocco Salvatore
Published: May 2018

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting upper and lower motor neurones. It can be either familial (fALS) or sporadic (sALS). ALS is characterized by muscle weakness and atrophy that can involve the limbs and trunk (i.e. the spinal form of the disease) or speech and swallowing (i.e. the bulbar form). The aetiology of sALS remains unclear although a gene–environment interaction has been proposed as a concomitant trigger for the neurodegenerative process together with viral infections, smoking, heavy metals and pesticide exposure. Herein, we report the case of a 67-year-old woman who experienced an acute onset of bulbar ALS with an atypical clinical course that was probably triggered by a bout of influenza.
Role of probiotics in the treatment of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in patients with HBV-induced liver cirrhosis
Authors: Xia Xiaoxue , Chen Jiang , Xia Jiayun , Wang Bin , Liu Hua , Yang Ling , Wang Ying , Ling Zongxin
Published: May 2018

Objective

This study was performed to investigate the role of probiotics ( Clostridium butyricum combined with Bifidobacterium infantis) in the treatment of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced liver cirrhosis.

Methods

Sixty-seven consecutive patients with HBV-induced cirrhosis without overt hepatic encephalopathy were screened using the number connection test and digit symbol test. The patients were randomized to receive probiotics (n = 30) or no probiotics (n = 37) for 3 months. At the end of the trial, changes in cognition, intestinal microbiota, venous ammonia, and intestinal mucosal barriers were analyzed using recommended systems biology techniques.

Results

The patients’ cognition was significantly improved after probiotic treatment. The predominant bacteria ( Clostridium cluster I and Bifidobacterium) were significantly enriched in the probiotics-treated group, while Enterococcus and Enterobacteriaceae were significantly decreased. Probiotic treatment was also associated with an obvious reduction in venous ammonia. Additionally, the parameters of the intestinal mucosal barrier were obviously improved after probiotic treatment, which might have contributed to the improved cognition and the decreased ammonia levels.

Conclusion

Treatment with probiotics containing C. butyricum and B. infantis represents a new adjuvant therapy for the management of MHE in patients with HBV-induced cirrhosis.
Intractable nausea and vomiting as an uncommon presentation in an anti-aquaporin 4-positive patient
Authors: Wang Lu , Su Hong-jun , Qi Jin-long , E Rui-fang , Zhao Kun
Published: May 2018

Autoantibodies targeting aquaporin 4 (AQP4) water channels are a sensitive and specific biomarker for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Presence of AQP4 antibodies distinguishes NMOSD from multiple sclerosis. We present our experience with an anti-AQP4 antibody-positive patient diagnosed with NMOSD who complained of intractable nausea and vomiting, not restricted to optic neuritis or acute myelitis during the first attack. Her symptoms partially resolved after appropriate therapy with intravenous methylprednisolone and oral prednisolone. Through this case, we hope to draw attention to an unusual neurological presentation of NMOSD which should be included in the differential diagnosis of intractable nausea and vomiting.
When Is Accreting/Deleting Texture Seen as In Front? Interpretation of Depth From Texture Motion
Authors: Tanrıkulu Ömer Dağlar , Froyen Vicky , Feldman Jacob , Singh Manish
Published: May 2018

Standard accounts of accretion/deletion of texture treat it as a definite cue to depth ordering: The accreting/deleting surface is interpreted as being behind the adjoining surface. Froyen, Feldman, and Singh showed that accretion/deletion can also, under certain circumstances, be perceived as a 3D column rotating in front, with the accretion/deletion explained by self-occlusion. These displays differ from traditional accretion/deletion displays in a number of factors, including the presence of figure/ground cues, accretion/deletion on both sides of boundaries, and in the number of distinct regions. In a series of experiments, we systematically manipulated each of these factors in order to determine what factors are actually instrumental in creating the rotating column (accretion/deletion in front) interpretation. In Experiment 1, the width of each region was kept fixed while manipulating the number of regions, and in Experiment 2, the width of the overall display was kept fixed. Observers indicated which set of regions they perceived to be in front. In both experiments, accreting/deleting regions were most likely to be seen in front when geometric figural cues favored a figural interpretation and when textural motion was introduced in all regions (rather than on just one side of each boundary). The number of regions had a relatively small effect (although this effect was larger in Experiment 2). These findings indicate that the geometry of the occluding contour is a critical factor in the interpretation of accretion/deleting, and future models of 3D interpretation involving accretion/deletion must include contour geometry as a key component.
Orange Is Less Than Green: An Examination of Bidirectionality in Grapheme-Color Synesthesia
Authors: Drew Stefanie A. , Awad Jasmine F. , Hackney Brandon C. , Fenn Elise
Published: May 2018

Grapheme-color synesthetes experience a sense of color when viewing graphemes (e.g., digits and letters). Traditionally, these synesthetic perceptions are considered to be unidirectional, where viewing a grapheme elicits a nonveridical sensation of color, but viewing a color does not induce a reciprocal sense of a grapheme. A growing body of research has emerged that suggests the potential for bidirectional percepts, wherein color facilitates additional grapheme perception. We present here a novel paradigm in which we presented two sets of pure color patches, based on synesthete’s reported colors, side-by-side and asked participants to indicate the color patch with the greater affiliated magnitude. Results indicated that the odds of answering correctly on trials were significantly greater for synesthetes (80.2% accuracy) than nonsynesthetes (52.1% accuracy). These results are aligned with other reports that support the notion of inducing a sense of magnitude from color in synesthetes. These findings challenge the traditional model of synesthesia as a unidirectional phenomenon and have implications of the neuronal communications that underlie perception in general.
Planetary Crises and the Difficulty of Being Modern
Authors: Chakrabarty Dipesh
Published: May 2018

This article questions whether the presently dominant ideas about globalisation and global warming work with very different conceptions of the ‘globe’ that are both connected and yet opposed to each other. The discussion on globalisation may be seen as an extension of homocentric narratives of modernity that see humans as separate from the natural world. The global warming literature, on the other hand, has led to a serious renewal of critical calls to abandon the nature/culture distinction. This article tracks some of the ethical difficulties of being modern at a time when collective human aspirations carry planetary implications. In the process, the article brings into conversation some post-human and post-colonial perspectives on our time.
Is British economic geography in decline?
Authors: Martin Ron
Published: May 2018

In this brief note on the movement (or should it be defection?) of UK economic geographers from geography departments into business schools, I argue that this movement is in fact part of a wider de-prioritization and emasculation of economic geography within many geography departments across the country. Yet this rundown of British economic geography has occurred precisely at a time when the importance and relevance of the subdiscipline have become increasingly recognized within national and local policy circles. Reversing the institutional decline of economic geography across the British university system is therefore imperative.
European Union regional discomfort before and after the crisis
Authors: Pontarollo Nicola , Ronchi Silvia , Serpieri Carolina
Published: May 2018

This study computes the Discomfort Index, also known as the Misery Index, for 276 European Union NUTS2 regions to determine how “suffering” a region is or not before and after the global crisis. The geographical distribution of European Union regions according to their discomfort has deeply changed in the post-financial crisis years.
Violence, Adolescence, and Canadian Religious Communities: A Quantitative Study
Authors: Michaelson Valerie , Donnelly Peter , Morrow William , King Nathan , Craig Wendy , Pickett William
Published: May 2018

Exposure to violence is recognized as a major health concern among adolescent populations. The evidence base that links religious involvement with risks for child violence is inconsistent. In a national analysis involving a weighted sample of 24,307 young people, we studied the perpetration of violence (fighting and bullying), as well as victimization by violence (bullying only), among young people who were affiliated with religious groups. One in four young Canadians reported involvement in such groups. Study findings confirmed some unique patterns among this group. First, these religiously involved children reported the same or greater levels of perpetration of violence than other children. Second, religiously involved children reported the same or greater levels of experiencing victimization from violence. Third, religious involvement appeared to protect against engagement in certain overt risk-taking behaviors, but not violence. These patterns were consistent even after adjustment for family, community, socioeconomic, and school-related determinants. If religious communities are to fulfill mandates that foster the protection and nurturing of children into healthy relationships, violence is best addressed using evidence-based strategies. Development of such effective preventive strategies requires the incorporation of contemporary evidence about the distribution, determinants, and possible effects of violence in such groups. Findings from our study suggest that a silence around the issue of violence may in fact be true in the context of some Canadian religious communities. Yet, if these communities make an intentional commitment to protecting children from violence and promoting healthy relationships, and are willing to learn from evidence-based practices that have shown to protect children from participating in and experiencing violent and victim behaviors, perhaps these disturbing trends could be reversed. This message is germane for all levels of leadership in Canadian religious communities.
The Revised Animal Preference Test: An Implicit Probe of Tendencies Toward Psychopathy
Authors: Penzel Ian B. , Bair Jessica , Liu Tianwei , Robinson Michael D.
Published: May 2018

At least some forms of interpersonal violence could follow from a vision of the self as a fierce, dominant creature. This should be particularly true when psychopathic (more proactive, less reactive) tendencies are involved. Possible relations of this type were examined in two studies (total N = 278) in which college student samples were presented with a new, structured version of an old projective test typically used in psychotherapy contexts. Participants were presented with predator–prey animal pairs (e.g., lion–zebra) that were not explicitly labeled as such. For each pair, the person was asked to choose the animal that they would more prefer to be. Participants who desired to be predator animals more often, on this Revised Animal Preference Test (RAPT), tended toward psychopathy to a greater extent. In Study 1, such relations were manifest in terms of correlations with psychopathic traits and with an interpersonal style marked by hostile dominance. Further analyses, though, revealed that predator self-identifications were more strongly related to primary psychopathy than secondary psychopathy. Study 2 replicated the interpersonal style correlates of the RAPT. In addition, photographs were taken of the participants in the second study and these photographs were rated for apparent hostility and dominance. As hypothesized, participants who wanted to be predator animals to a greater extent also appeared more hostile and dominant in their nonverbal behaviors. These studies suggest that projective preferences can be assessed in a reliable manner through the use of standardizing procedures. Furthermore, the studies point to some of the motivational factors that may contribute to psychopathy and interpersonal violence.
Examining Parental Expectations and Fault Attributions for Child Sexual Abuse
Authors: Zagrodney Jessica L. , Cummings Jorden A.
Published: May 2018

Previous research has demonstrated that nonoffending mothers are held at fault when their child is sexually abused and this fault is directly linked to a decrease in help-seeking behavior. It is unclear, however, whether similar fault is applied to nonoffending fathers, as little such research on fathers exists. What does exist is marked by methodological limitations. Using an experimental vignette design, 154 participants were randomly assigned to read one of two hypothetical abuse scenarios (i.e., nonoffending mother or nonoffending father) depicting the sexual abuse of a female child by an adult male perpetrator. Participants rated levels of fault attributions assigned to either parent and then provided open-ended responses outlining their reasons for their attribution ratings. Quantitatively, both mothers and fathers were assigned similar amounts of fault for the sexual abuse. Thematic analysis of participants’ justifications for their assigned fault attributions revealed both mothers and fathers are subject to similar expectations that either increase or decrease assigned fault, with the exception of one theme, Disbursement, in which participants distributed fault away from fathers toward others (e.g., the nonoffending mother). By understanding parent blaming and the reasons behind parent blaming attributions, future research can work to improve these attitudes.
Marianismo Beliefs, Intimate Partner Violence, and Psychological Distress Among Recently Immigrated, Young Adult Latinas
Authors: Da Silva Nicole , Verdejo Toni R. , Dillon Frank R. , Ertl Melissa M. , De La Rosa Mario
Published: May 2018

Marianismo is a Latino cultural value that describes both positive and negative aspects of traditional Latina femininity. Marianismo emphasizes culturally valued qualities such as interpersonal harmony, inner strength, self-sacrifice, and morality. Endorsement of marianismo is hypothesized to correlate with individual economic, educational, and personal variables. Marianismo also is theorized to potentially influence attitudes about, experiences of, and responses to intimate partner violence (IPV) among Latina women. The present study examined whether endorsement of marianismo beliefs mitigated or exacerbated psychological distress after experiences of IPV in a sample of 205 recently immigrated Latina women, aged 18 to 23 years. Latina women experiencing higher levels of IPV and endorsing greater marianismo beliefs were hypothesized to indicate greater psychological distress. Unexpectedly, women who endorsed more Subordinate to Others/ Self-Silencing to Maintain Harmony marianismo beliefs indicated more psychological distress ( p = .05), greater symptoms of psychological distress ( p = .01), and greater average distress ( p = .03) when they also reported less IPV than peers. Implications for understanding Latinas’ responses to and reporting of IPV, as well as for culturally tailored counseling interventions for this underserved and understudied population, are discussed.
Cell Phones and “Excessive Contact”: The Contradictory Imperatives Facing California’s Parole-Eligible Lifers
Authors: Ghandnoosh Nazgol
Published: May 2018

A growing literature emphasizes that U.S. correctional systems have remained committed to rehabilitative goals despite their turn toward incapacitation and punishment. Although past research has documented this commitment in prisons and parole supervision agencies, less is understood about how it is manifested in the discretionary parole release process. This article explores whether and how parole boards encourage people serving parole-eligible life sentences (“lifers”) to maintain ties to friends and family outside of prison, and the results of such encouragement. Interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, and parole-hearing transcripts reveal that California’s parole board encourages such rehabilitative ties through comments at parole hearings and through its parole-eligibility criteria. But to sustain these relationships, some lifers engage in misconduct to bypass restrictive prison policies by using contraband cell phones or engaging in physical contact with visitors that is deemed “excessive.” When detected, these disciplinary infractions become a stated cause of parole denials.
Critical Skills for Special Educator Effectiveness: Which Ones Matter Most, and to Whom?
Authors: Woolf Sara B.
Published: May 2018

Special education teachers are expected to fulfill diverse teaching and nonteaching tasks in comparison to their general education peers. However, their performance is evaluated with measures that were normed for use with general education teachers. These specialty teachers are also routinely evaluated by professionals who may lack formal special education training or experience. These conditions render special educators vulnerable for inaccurate performance evaluation. Explicit research is needed to clarify the professional skills that are most critical to special educators’ professional effectiveness and ensure continuity of focus on these skills in preservice teacher education and employment contexts. This qualitative study builds on an earlier empirical investigation that demonstrated consensus among three sets of professionals that the standards developed by Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) represented skills that are critical for special education teacher effectiveness. The current study describes which skill domains were identified as critical for special education teacher effectiveness across participant groups and those that reflected distinct groups’ perspectives. Implications for future research are presented relative to strategies to more clearly articulate special education teacher expertise and ways to strengthen continuity across preservice special education teacher education and in-service professional development contexts.
Preparation and characterization of phenolphthalein polyethersulfone/silica nanofibrous membranes by solution blowing
Authors: Song Guocheng , Chen Yang , Zhu Jing , Yu Junrong , Wang Yan , Hu Zuming
Published: May 2018

Phenolphthalein polyethersulfone (PES-C)/silica (SiO2) composite nanofibrous membranes were prepared via solution blowing. The spinning solutions were prepared by mixing a solution of PES-C in dimethylacetamide with different amounts of colloidal SiO2 in ethylene glycol. Attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and water contact angles were conducted to characterize the properties of composite nanofibrous membranes. The results showed that the thermal properties and surface wettability were improved by the addition of appropriate amount of nano-SiO2. Furthermore, permeation fluxes of pure water and the filtration of starch suspension were measured to evaluate the antifouling property of the PES-C/SiO2 composite membranes.
Investigation of the thermal ageing process and mechanism of benzoxazine/bismaleimide/cyanate ester copolymer
Authors: Wang Yiqun , Zhou Shiyi , Du Haiying , Zhang Wentao
Published: May 2018

Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites with thermosetting resin matrices are widely used in civil engineering (e.g. pultruded FRP plates and bars), and their thermal ageing behaviour is a concern when they are subjected to elevated temperatures (e.g. FRP chimney). In the present article, the effects of thermal ageing at 200°C and 250°C in air for up to 1000 h on mechanical properties and mechanism of the benzoxazine (Boz), bisphenol A dicyanate cyanate ester (BADCy), and 4,4′-bismaleimidodiphenyl methane (BMI) have been investigated. The effect of time in thermal ageing on structural and mechanical properties of the Boz/BMI/BADCy resin was deeply studied. The moisture absorption increases linearly with the square root of ageing time and it follows Fick’s second law. There are two main categories of reactions in thermal ageing: the first one is the post-curing process, which leads to a larger crosslinking density and a reduced interior stress; while the other is the formation of microcracks and thermal oxidation at the surface of the Boz/BMI/BADCy resin. The combination of the above factors leads to an increase–decrease variation in the mechanical properties. This work is believed to benefit the wide and safe application of a certain Boz/BMI/BADCy resin system in engineering application.
A threshold-regression model for track geometry degradation
Authors: Galván-Núñez Silvia , Attoh-Okine Nii
Published: May 2018

Track-related failures are a major factor contributing to train derailments in the United States. Therefore, determining the failure time is critical for safety purposes. Traditionally, failure time in track geometry has been modeled using defect data. However, unless it is an accident due to extreme events, track geometry fails as a result of an underlying degradation process. The first hitting time is referred to the probability distribution of the time at which the degradation path first reaches a safety threshold. This paper presents the formulation and implementation of the first hitting time in railway track geometry degradation using track geometry inspection data. The underlying degradation path is modeled as a Wiener process with drift, and the first hitting time follows an inverse Gaussian distribution. The results provide a more robust representation of the failure time in track geometry using degradation data.
Stone blowing as a remedial measure to mitigate differential movement problems at railroad bridge approaches
Authors: Boler Huseyin , Mishra Debakanta , Tutumluer Erol , Chrismer Steven , Hyslip James P
Published: May 2018

Railroad track transitions such as bridge approaches often experience recurrent track geometry problems due to differential settlement between the bridge and the adjacent track. The resulting “bump at the end of the bridge” leads to significant passenger discomfort and causes rapid deterioration of the track as well as vehicular components. In general, railroad managers address recurrent track geometry defects through track resurfacing methods, such as tamping that involve raising the track through mechanically induced vibration and rearrangement of particles within the ballast layer. Although widely used for track resurfacing, the tamping process tends to destabilize the ballast layer, and the track may rapidly return to its former deteriorated state based on the traffic flow. The method of “stone blowing,” on the other hand, which was developed as an alternative to tamping, relies on the principle of injecting fresh ballast particles into gaps underneath ties and raising the track level rather than disturbing the packing condition of the existing ballast. In a recently completed research study in the United States, stone blowing was successfully implemented as a remedial measure to mitigate the problem of differential movement at a problematic bridge approach along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. Advanced geotechnical instrumentation was used to monitor transient deformations within individual track substructure layers before and after stone blowing. Moreover, tie support conditions and track geometry data were also analyzed to quantify the effectiveness of stone blowing on the improvement of track performance.
Trajectory characteristic analysis influenced by initial state errors for long-range vehicles
Authors: Zheng Xu , Jing Wuxing , Gao Changsheng
Published: May 2018

The initial state errors, caused by the Earth’s un-homogeneity through the leveling and alignment of an inertial platform before launching a long-range vehicle, will bring about remarkable flight state deviations and fall point deviations by flight dynamics. In order to analyze the propagation characteristics of the initial state errors and rapidly estimate their influence magnitude, an analytical propagation model of trajectory design is deduced by employing state space perturbation theory in nominal launch coordinate system. Then, propagation matrices of engine-cutoff state deviations and fall point deviations are obtained. In the simulations, deviations of engine-cutoff and fall point are computed in the case of a fixed launch azimuth, different launch azimuths and different launch points. Next, propagation regularities of the initial state errors are analyzed from the launch point to the engine-cutoff as well as to fall point. Conclusions are as follows: (1) the estimation accuracy of flight states deviations during boost phase will be distinctly enhanced when considering the force term deviations; (2) in the case of different launch azimuths, position and velocity deviations of engine-cutoff in the x, y directions and longitudinal deviation of fall point are symmetrical at the azimuth of 45° where these deviations are maximum. Comparatively, position and velocity deviations of engine-cutoff in the z direction and lateral deviation of fall point are symmetrical at the azimuth of −45°; (3) the proposed analytical propagation model of the initial state errors has a high estimation accuracy within the error percentage of 2%, which can improve computational efficiency by 100 times and is more suitable for multiple simulation scenarios.