bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of a Comprehensive Function-Based Intervention Applied Across Multiple Educational Settings
Authors: Gann Candace J. , Ferro Jolenea B. , Umbreit John , Liaupsin Carl J.
Published: September 2013

This study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a comprehensive function-based intervention applied across multiple inclusive classroom settings. The participant was a middle school student diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome who exhibited chronic off-task behaviors across all academic environments. This study was conducted across two phases: (a) A descriptive functional behavior assessment (FBA) was conducted across all inclusive classroom environments and (b) a single, comprehensive function-based intervention was developed based on the results of the FBA followed by the implementation of a comprehensive function-based intervention in each inclusive classroom environment using a multiple probe design. The comprehensive function-based intervention markedly improved the participant’s on-task behavior in each classroom setting. Furthermore, social validity ratings by each teacher revealed that the comprehensive, function-based intervention was preferable to the previously used classroom practices. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
Gender Gaps
Authors: Lindstrom Lauren , Harwick Robin M. , Poppen Marcus , Doren Bonnie
Published: September 2013

Young women with disabilities face multiple barriers in making the transition from high school to meaningful careers. This study used focus groups and individual interviews with high school girls with disabilities, college women with disabilities, high school special education teachers, school administrators and employers to examine career development and transition needs for young women with disabilities. Barriers and supports were identified in four major categories: a) individual/interpersonal skills, b) career options, c) school system issues, and d) disability needs. Recommendations for practice are discussed.
Multi-scale modeling of ion transport in high-strain ionomers with conducting powder electrodes
Authors: He Xingxi , Leo Donald J , Akle Barbar
Published: September 2013

Ionomeric polymer transducers exhibit electromechanical coupling capabilities. The ion transport due to electric stimulus is the primary mechanism of actuation for a class of polymeric active materials known as ionomeric polymer transducers. In this article, a two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation of ion hopping has been developed to describe ion transport in materials that have fixed and mobile charge similar to the structure of the ionic polymer transducer. Such Monte Carlo simulations were performed to study the influence of conducting powder electrodes on stationary ion distribution in actuation. Ion accumulation around the powder sphere at the cathode is clearly observed in simulation results. Moreover, based on the unique property of stationary charge density of ionomeric polymer transducers in actuation, this article proposed a novel multi-scale model connecting Monte Carlo simulation for the material boundaries and a continuum model for the central part. To validate this multi-scale model, the simulation results are compared with experimental measurements. Both transient and steady-state responses from the experiments show reasonable agreement with those from the multi-scale model.
Distributed People and Distributed Information
Authors: McLeod Poppy Lauretta
Published: September 2013

The theoretical framework of vigilant interaction theory is used to examine information exchange and decision-making quality in virtual teams. Groups completed a hidden profile task in one of three geographic dispersion conditions: all members colocated, isolated, or mixed with two colocated and two isolated members. Vigilant interaction—discussion of task information, attention to other group members’ information, discussion of positive and negative attributes of the alternatives, and systematic information processing—predicted decision quality. Explicit reminders of information differences predicted pooling of unique information. No evidence was found for difficulties in interaction and task performance due to subgroup faultline dynamics; instead vigilant interaction was highest in groups with mixed distributions, suggesting they exerted compensatory effort. Exploratory analyses suggested that temporal vigilance was lowest in completely distributed groups. Implications for new dimensions of the vigilant interaction theory framework are discussed.
Analyzing Sequence Data
Authors: Biemann Torsten , Datta Deepak K.
Published: September 2013

In this article we discuss optimal matching (OM), an invaluable yet underutilized tool in the analysis of sequence data. Initially developed in biology to identify and study patterns in DNA sequences, OM subsequently migrated over to sociology, where it has been used to examine career patterns in life course research. It involves the computation of the number of insertions, deletions, and substitutions of sequence elements that are needed to transform one sequence into another and the costs associated with such transformations. The goal is to identify similarities across sequences, which can then be used for pattern identification. Along with a discussion of the logic underlying OM analysis, we provide an illustration of its use in the examination of careers of deans at U.S. business schools. In addition, we use Monte Carlo simulation to compare OM and cluster analysis and highlight the superiority of OM analysis in the analysis of sequence data. Also discussed are recent methodological advances that have been made in OM and our recommendations and guidelines for future applications of OM in management research.
Bigger Is Not Always Better
Authors: Carr Deborah , Murphy Lauren F. , Batson Heather D. , Springer Kristen W.
Published: September 2013

We use data from the Midlife Development in the United States study to examine how sexual satisfaction, frequency, and number of partners are associated with men’s body weight. We consider five body weight categories (underweight, normal, overweight, obese I, and obese II/III), and control for potential explanatory factors including demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, health, perceived stigmatization, and adolescent weight. Obese II/III men report significantly less sexual satisfaction and less frequent sexual activity, and a greater likelihood of having no sex partner compared to normal weight men. Physical and mental health conditions partially account for obese II/III men’s less satisfying and less frequent sex. However, the deleterious effects of obesity are suppressed by youthful weight. Obese II/III men are more likely to have been overweight adolescents, an attribute associated with more frequent and satisfying sex in adulthood. We discuss implications for the study of masculinities, and the ways that bodies and their symbolic meanings can shape men’s sexual lives.
Early detection of neutralizing antibodies to interferon-beta in multiple sclerosis patients: binding antibodies predict neutralizing antibody development
Authors: Hegen H , Millonig A , Bertolotto A , Comabella M , Giovanonni G , Guger M , Hoelzl M , Khalil M , Killestein J , Lindberg R , Malucchi S , Mehling M , Montalban X , Polman CH , Rudzki D , Schautzer F , Sellebjerg F , Sørensen PS , Deisenhammer F
Published: September 2013

Background:

Neutralizing antibodies (NAb) affect efficacy of interferon-beta (IFN-b) treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. NAbs evolve in up to 44% of treated patients, usually between 6–18 months on therapy.

Objectives:

To investigate whether early binding antibody (BAb) titers or different IFN-b biomarkers predict NAb evolution.

Methods:

We included patients with MS or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) receiving de novo IFN-b treatment in this prospective European multicenter study. Blood samples were collected at baseline, before and after the first IFN-b administration, and again after 3, 12 and 24 months on that therapy; for determination of NAbs, BAbs, gene expression of MxA and protein concentrations of MMP-9, TIMP-1, sTRAIL, CXCL-10 and CCL-2.

Results:

We found that 22 of 164 (13.4%) patients developed NAbs during a median time of 23.8 months on IFN-b treatment. Of these patients, 78.9% were BAb-positive after 3 months. BAb titers ≥ 1:2400 predicted NAb evolution with a sensitivity of 74.7% and a specificity of 98.5%. Cross-sectionally, MxA levels were significantly diminished in the BAb/NAb-positive samples; similarly, CXCL-10 and sTRAIL concentrations in BAb/NAb-positive and BAb-positive/NAb-negative samples, respectively, were also diminished compared to BAb/NAb-negative samples.

Conclusions:

BAb titers reliably predict NAbs. CXCL-10 is a promising sensitive biomarker for IFN-b response and its abrogation by anti-IFN-b antibodies.
Helping by hurting: the paradox of suffering in social justice education
Authors: Mintz Avi I.
Published: September 2013

Suffering has a complex role in social justice education. The alleviation or eradication of suffering is a goal of social justice education while, simultaneously, students suffer in the process of learning about the suffering of others. Educational theorists have attempted to resolve this paradox in various ways and the author of this article identifies and discusses four distinct resolutions. First, student suffering is permissible because it is self-inflicted (rather than inflicted by the teacher). Second, the students’ pain, compassion, is desirable and distinct from the pain experienced by victims of injustice. Third, students should experience the same kind of suffering as the victims of injustice in order to inoculate them against racist, discriminatory, and oppressive attitudes. Fourth, the suffering of marginalized and oppressed students is a distinct form of suffering that empowers students by enabling them to recognize their own suffering.
A neo-Aristotelian account of education, justice, and the human good
Authors: Curren Randall
Published: September 2013

This article sketches the contours of a neo-Aristotelian account of education, justice, and the human good, organized around a sequence of three increasingly distinctive features of the Aristotelian understanding of respect for persons as rational beings. The first and second of these features bear on important aspects of educational justice, especially in the realm of civic education, and the third bears more generally on the just provision of educational foundations for human flourishing or eudaimonia. A liberalized and empirically grounded version of Aristotle’s conception of flourishing and its promotion by means of ‘liberal’ education is presented in the context of a contractualist reconstruction of Aristotle’s account of a just constitution.
A Day in the Life of New Headteachers
Authors: Earley Peter , Bubb Sara
Published: September 2013

It is known that the work of headteachers is demanding. Observation, diaries and logs completed by headteachers show a relentless, complex and emotionally demanding workload. What can be learned about headship from how new headteachers spend their time, and perhaps as importantly, what can new headteachers themselves learn? This article draws upon data, including that derived from observation, from a small-scale qualitative study of new headteachers in large cities, funded by the English National College for School Leadership. It examines how headteachers spend their days, the challenges faced and the value of being observed. It argues that the learning about leaders and leadership from observation has been considerable. A new observational classification is outlined. An analysis of the headteachers’ day provided insights into the things that mattered most, the challenges currently faced and how they were acting as learning-centred leaders. The other main form of learning from observation was for the research participants themselves. Gaining feedback and reflecting on their actions and use of time as school leaders was deemed to be very helpful. The article concludes by suggesting that being observed has the potential to be a powerful form of leadership development.
Palliative care consults in oncology: what are we waiting for? A case report
Authors: Kelliher Elizabeth
Published: September 2013

Palliative care focuses on symptom management and decreased suffering in all aspects of health. Although it has been shown that palliative care improves emotional and clinical outcomes for patients and families, it remains an underutilized specialty particularly in the field of oncology. Involving cancer patients in palliative care can sometimes be confused with the idea of giving up, or losing hope. This is especially true when patients are young. The following case report provides an example of a patient who may have benefited from palliative specialists’ involvement early in his disease, potentially sparing him and his family prolonged, physical, and emotional suffering.
Failure of Cement-Augmented Pedicle Screws in the Osteoporotic Spine
Authors: Mesfin Addisu , Komanski Christopher B. , Khanna A. Jay
Published: September 2013

The treatment of patients with osteoporosis and spinal abnormalities that require surgical intervention is difficult because of the challenge of achieving fixation in osteoporotic bone. As the population ages, this challenge is becoming a common problem in the field of spinal surgery. Although numerous publications exist about the biomechanical benefits of various fixation devices and techniques, no standard of care has emerged that offers a clear method for accomplishing spinal stabilization in such patients. This case presents the failure mode of cement-augmented pedicle screws in a patient with severe osteoporosis, a description of the methods used to attain fixation and spinal stability during the revision surgery, and the outcome achieved for the patient 1 year after surgery. An 82-year-old female with a T9 burst fracture and a history of osteoporosis underwent minimally invasive instrumentation from T5 to T12, fusion from T7 to T11, and decompression from T8 to T10. Four weeks after surgery, the patient returned to the hospital because of back pain. Imaging studies showed that the pedicle screws at T11 and T12, which were augmented with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), had pulled out of the vertebral bodies. The pedicle screws failed by disengaging from the PMMA and displacing posteriorly and inferiorly. The PMMA did not appear to move during this process. A revision surgery was performed, in which the posterior construct was extended caudally and cephalad, the pedicle screws were augmented with PMMA, and a titanium hook and woven polyester band were used to increase the points of fixation. At 1-year follow-up after revision, our patient showed radiographic evidence of fusion, and the construct continued to maintain stability in the osteoporotic spine.
Regulation of vascular leak and recovery from ischemic injury by general and VE-cadherin–restricted miRNA antagonists of miR-27
Authors: Young Jennifer A. , Ting Ka Ka , Li Jia , Moller Thorleif , Dunn Louise , Lu Ying , Lay Angelina J. , Moses Joshua , Prado-Lourenço Leonel , Khachigian Levon M. , Ng Martin , Gregory Philip A. , Goodall Gregory J. , Tsykin Anna , Lichtenstein Ilana , Hahn Christopher N. , Tran Nham , Shackel Nicholas , Kench James G. , McCaughan Geoffrey , Vadas Mathew A. , Gamble Jennifer R.
Published: September 2013

Key Points

Blockmirs are designed against the miR-27 binding site in VE-cadherin and display restricted specificity. Blockmirs regulate VE-cadherin and endothelial cell junctions, inhibit edema, and promote angiogenesis associated with ischemia.
MicroRNA-146a regulates survival and maturation of human plasmacytoid dendritic cells
Authors: Karrich Julien J. , Jachimowski Loes C. M. , Libouban Marion , Iyer Anand , Brandwijk Kim , Taanman-Kueter Esther W. , Nagasawa Maho , de Jong Esther C. , Uittenbogaart Christel H. , Blom Bianca
Published: September 2013

Key Points

MiR-146a expression is induced by TLR ligation expressed in pDCs. MiR-146a regulates pDC effector functions, including cytokine production and costimulatory capacity.
The interaction between factor H and VWF increases factor H cofactor activity and regulates VWF prothrombotic status
Authors: Rayes Julie , Roumenina Lubka T. , Dimitrov Jordan D. , Repessé Yohann , Ing Mathieu , Christophe Olivier , Jokiranta T. Sakari , Halbwachs-Mecarelli Lise , Borel-Derlon Annie , Kaveri Srinivas V. , Frémeaux-Bacchi Véronique , Lacroix-Desmazes Sébastien
Published: September 2013

Key Points

Complement factor H and von Willebrand factor colocalize in the Weibel-Palade bodies of endothelial cells and interact in normal plasma. Formation of the complex enhances FH cofactor activity and VWF-mediated platelet aggregation.
Platelets mediate increased endothelium permeability in dengue through NLRP3-inflammasome activation
Authors: Hottz Eugenio D. , Lopes Juliana F. , Freitas Carla , Valls-de-Souza Rogério , Oliveira Marcus F. , Bozza Marcelo T. , Da Poian Andrea T. , Weyrich Andrew S. , Zimmerman Guy A. , Bozza Fernando A. , Bozza Patricia T.
Published: September 2013

Key Points

Dengue infection triggers functional inflammasome assembly in platelets. Platelets may contribute to increased vascular permeability in dengue virus infection by synthesis and release of IL-1β.
Lymphocyte cytosolic protein 1 is a chronic lymphocytic leukemia membrane-associated antigen critical to niche homing
Authors: Dubovsky Jason A. , Chappell Danielle L. , Harrington Bonnie K. , Agrawal Kitty , Andritsos Leslie A. , Flynn Joseph M. , Jones Jeffrey A. , Paulaitis Michael E. , Bolon Brad , Johnson Amy J. , Byrd John C. , Muthusamy Natarajan
Published: September 2013

Key Points

The authors developed a novel method for isolating tumor membrane antigens. LCP1 is functionally relevant to leukemia chemokine induced migration.
Staphylococcus aureus small colony variants are susceptible to light activated antimicrobial agents
Authors: Tubby Sarah , Wilson Michael , Wright John A , Zhang Ping , Nair Sean P
Published: September 2013

Background

Antibiotic therapy can select for small colony variants of Staphylococcus aureus that are more resistant to antibiotics and can result in persistent infections, necessitating the development of more effective antimicrobial strategies to combat small colony variant infections. Photodynamic therapy is an alternative treatment approach which utilises light in combination with a light-activated antimicrobial agent to kill bacteria via a non-specific mechanism of action. In this study, we investigated whether the combination of 665 nm laser light and the light-activated antimicrobial agent methylene blue was able to successfully kill S. aureus small colony variants. S. aureus and isogenic stable small colony variant were exposed to varying doses (1.93 to 9.65 J/cm2) of 665 nm laser light in the presence of varying concentrations (1 to 20 μM) of methylene blue.

Results

The combination of 665 nm laser light and methylene blue was found to be an effective strategy for the killing of small colony variants. At the highest light dose (9.65 J/cm2) and methylene blue concentration (20 μM) tested, the number of viable bacteria decreased by approximately 6.9 log10 for the wild type and approximately 5 log10 for the small colony variant.

Conclusions

These results suggest that photodynamic therapy has potential for use in the treatment of superficial infections caused by small colony variants of S. aureus and supports further research in this field.
Quantification of serum hepatitis B surface antigen in predicting the response of pegylated interferon alfa-2a in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B with prior lamivudine exposure
Authors: Weng Min , Zeng Wei-Zheng , Wu Xiao-Ling , Zhang Yong , Jiang Ming-De , Wang Zhao , Zhou De-Jiang , He Xuan
Published: September 2013

Aims

Majority of previous studies of pegylated interferon α-2a (PegIFNα-2a) forced on naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and the data of PegIFNα-2a in therapy of patients with prior exposure to nucleos(t)ide analogues is rare. This study aimed to investigate the predictive role of serum quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in predicting sustained response of PegIFNα-2a in HBeAg-positive CHB patients with prior lamivudine exposure.

Methods

Forty-six patients with prior lamivudine exposure received PegIFNα-2a for 12 months and followed-up for 6 months. The clinical features of responders and non-responders were compared, and the predictive role of quantitative HBsAg in predicting responders at the end of follow-up was evaluated. Responders were defined as an ALT normalization, HBeAg seroconversion and sustained virological response at the end of follow-up.

Results

In this cohort, only 26.1% (12/46) patients were responders. The baseline characteristics of the responders and non-responders were similar; however, the rates of ALT normalization, HBV DNA undetectability and HBeAg seroconversion were all significantly higher in responders than that in non-responders. During the treatment and follow-up, the HBsAg levels were all significantly lower in responders than that in non-responders. In predicting reponders, the serum HBsAg cutoff of 6000 IU/mL at months 6 had a positive predictive value of 73.3 and a negative predictive value of 96.8%, and with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.869.

Conclusion

The responders toward PegIFNα-2a in CHB patients with prior lamivudine exposure is not high, and serum HBsAg <6000 IU/Ml at months 6 of on-treatment had a high value to predict long-term outcomes of treatment.
Glial scaffold required for cerebellar granule cell migration is dependent on dystroglycan function as a receptor for basement membrane proteins
Authors: Nguyen Huy , Ostendorf Adam P , Satz Jakob S , Westra Steve , Ross-Barta Susan E , Campbell Kevin P , Moore Steven A
Published: September 2013

Background

Cobblestone lissencephaly is a severe neuronal migration disorder associated with congenital muscular dystrophies (CMD) such as Walker-Warburg syndrome, muscle-eye-brain disease, and Fukuyama-type CMD. In these severe forms of dystroglycanopathy, the muscular dystrophy and other tissue pathology is caused by mutations in genes involved in O-linked glycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan. While cerebellar dysplasia is a common feature of dystroglycanopathy, its pathogenesis has not been thoroughly investigated.

Results

Here we evaluate the role of dystroglycan during cerebellar development. Brain-selective deletion of dystroglycan does not affect overall cerebellar growth, yet causes malformations associated with glia limitans disruptions and granule cell heterotopia that recapitulate phenotypes found in dystroglycanopathy patients. Cerebellar pathology in these mice is not evident until birth even though dystroglycan is lost during the second week of embryogenesis. The severity and spatial distribution of glia limitans disruption, Bergmann glia disorganization, and heterotopia exacerbate during postnatal development. Astrogliosis becomes prominent at these same sites by the time cerebellar development is complete. Interestingly, there is spatial heterogeneity in the glia limitans and granule neuron migration defects that spares the tips of lobules IV-V and VI.

Conclusions

The full spectrum of developmental pathology is caused by loss of dystroglycan from Bergmann glia, as neither granule cell- nor Purkinje cell-specific deletion of dystroglycan results in similar pathology. These data illustrate the importance of dystroglycan function in radial/Bergmann glia, not neurons, for normal cerebellar histogenesis. The spatial heterogeneity of pathology suggests that the dependence on dystroglycan is not uniform.
Accumulation of M1-like macrophages in type 2 diabetic islets is followed by a systemic shift in macrophage polarization
Authors: Cucak Helena , Grunnet Lars Groth , Rosendahl Alexander
Published: September 2013

Human T2D is characterized by a low-grade systemic inflammation, loss of β-cells, and diminished insulin production. Local islet immunity is still poorly understood, and hence, we evaluated macrophage subpopulations in pancreatic islets in the well-established murine model of T2D, the db/db mouse. Already at 8 weeks of disease, on average, 12 macrophages were observed in the diabetic islets, whereas only two were recorded in the nondiabetic littermates. On a detailed level, the islet resident macrophages increased fourfold compared with nondiabetic littermates, whereas a pronounced recruitment (eightfold) of a novel subset of macrophages (CD68+F4/80−) was observed. The majority of the CD68+F4/80+ but only 40% of the CD68+F4/80− islet macrophages expressed CD11b. Both islet-derived macrophage subsets expressed moderate MHC-II, high galectin-3, and low CD80/CD86 levels, suggesting the cells to be macrophages rather than DCs. On a functional level, the vast majority of the macrophages in the diabetic islets was of the proinflammatory, M1-like phenotype. The systemic immunity in diabetic animals was characterized by a low-grade inflammation with elevated cytokine levels and increase of splenic cytokine, producing CD68+F4/80− macrophages. In late-stage diabetes, the cytokine signature changed toward a TGF-β-dominated profile, coinciding with a significant increase of galectin-3-positive macrophages in the spleen. In summary, our results show that proinflammatory M1-like galectin-3+ CD80/CD86low macrophages invade diabetic islets. Moreover, the innate immunity matures in a diabetes-dependent manner from an initial proinflammatory toward a profibrotic phenotype, supporting the concept that T2D is an inflammatory disease.
An essential role for platelet-activating factor in activating mast cell migration following ultraviolet irradiation
Authors: Chacón-Salinas Rommel , Chen Limo , Chávez-Blanco Alma D , Limón-Flores Alberto Y , Ma Ying , Ullrich Stephen E
Published: September 2013

The UVB (290–320 nm) radiation in sunlight is responsible for inducing skin cancer. Exposure to UV radiation is also immunosuppressive, and the systemic immune suppression induced by UV is a well-recognized risk factor for cancer induction. As UVB radiation is absorbed within the upper layers of the skin, indirect mechanisms must play a role in activating systemic immune suppression. One prominent example is mast cell migration, which from the skin to the draining LN is an essential step in the cascade of events leading to immune suppression. What triggers mast cell migration is not entirely clear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that PAF, a lipid mediator of inflammation produced by the skin in response to UV exposure, is involved. Mast cell-deficient mice (KitW-sh/W-sh) are resistant to the suppressive effect of UV radiation, and reconstituting mast cell-deficient mice with normal bone marrow-derived mast cells restores susceptibility to immunosuppression. However, when mast cells from PAFR−/− mice were used, the reconstituted mice were not susceptible to the suppressive effects of UV. Furthermore, PAFR−/− mice showed impaired UV-induced mast cell migration when compared with WT mice. Finally, injecting PAF into WT mice mimicked the effect of UV irradiation and induced mast cell migration but not in PAFR−/− mice. Our findings indicate that PAFR binding induces mast cells to migrate from the skin to the LNs, where they mediate immune suppression.
Wavelet spectral probe for seismic structure interpretation and fracture characterization: A workflow with case studies
Authors: Gao Dengliang
Published: September 2013

Conventional amplitude images are routinely and often exclusively used to interpret subsurface structures; however, the amplitude images are composite seismic response to various geologic features at different scales. The interference makes it difficult to investigate structural details that are not visually discernible in the amplitude images. This paper presents a new algorithmic workflow to unravel seismic structural details by differentiating waveform characteristics at varying scales. Using a wavelet model as a spectral probe, the algorithm performs a least-squares linear regression between the model and data at each sample location to calculate the absolute correlation coefficient. The resulting absolute correlation coefficient attribute, which is indicative of instantaneous waveform similarity relative to the wavelet spectral probe, provides a superior image with enhanced precision and resolution of the structural grain. Two case studies in the Powder River and the Appalachian Basins demonstrate that the new algorithm helps investigate kinematic relationships among structural elements and differentiate between structural styles. In particular, the algorithm helps better define the along-strike structural variation and segmentation associated with cross-strike lineaments in the foreland basins. Comparative analysis indicates that the wavelet spectral probe algorithm helps shed new light on subtle but critical structural fabrics not easily discernible from conventional amplitude images. Revealing such information has important implications for better defining basin structural complexities and reservoir heterogeneity, detecting faults and fractures at different scales, and modeling fractured reservoirs.
Interpretation of airborne and ground magnetic and gamma-ray spectrometry data in prospecting for base metals in the central-north part of the Itabuna-Salvador-Curaçá Block, Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Gonçalves Bruno F. , Sampaio Edson E. S
Published: September 2013

Interpretation of airborne and ground magnetic and radiometric geophysical data is fundamental to provide support for geologic mapping and exploration of mineral resources. This is particularly important of the Itabuna-Salvador-Curaçá Block component of the São Francisco Craton in the state of Bahia, Brazil, which bears important base metal mineralization in ultramafic intrusions. The interpreted airborne data covered part of the northern segment, and the ground data comprised an area of [Formula: see text] in the northern segment of that Archean block. The radiometric interpretation was only qualitative, and the magnetic interpretation was qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative interpretation defined distinct configurations of the geophysical signatures. So, it furnished possible regional and local geologic models and also helped to infer the distribution of magnetization and radiometric content in the rocks. The quantitative interpretation started with Werner deconvolution for a preliminary identification of the magnetic sources, and 2D magnetic modeling improved the definition of the anomalous bodies in terms of geometry, depth to the top, and magnetic susceptibility. The combined qualitative and quantitative interpretation allowed mapping of the rocks that contain magnetic and metallic minerals, as well as felsic lithology, such as granites and orthogneisses, and mafic lithology, such as gabbros and amphibolites. It also suggested that most of the northwest–southeast lineaments related to felsic and mafic magnetic intrusions. The analysis may extend to other areas of the block and be integrated with field and laboratory geologic, geophysical, and geochemical studies for an adequate exploration of nickel, copper, and chromium that are potentially present in the region.
Development of a Rotation Algorithm for Earthquake Damage Diagnosis
Authors: Cheung Allen , Kiremidjian Anne S.
Published: September 2013

In the attempt to develop simple damage detection algorithms that can be embedded in structural monitoring systems for rapid condition assessment following a large earthquake, a new algorithm is developed that characterizes structural damage, based on the residual drift following a strong motion. The residual drift is estimated from rotations computed from strong motion structural response acceleration measurements taken at key points on the structure. The Paulay and Priestley (1992) plastic hinge model is used to evaluate the residual drift, given rotation measurements at points on a single column. The algorithm is tested using data collected from a set of reinforced concrete single-column shaking tests, performed at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the University of California, Berkeley. Results from the tests indicate that the rotation algorithm can potentially be used for detecting and quantifying damage to single-column structures using one rotation measurement. Additional calibration and further testing of the algorithm will be necessary to reduce possible overestimation of the residual drift present on the column due to the simplicity of the column deformation model. Nevertheless, the results serve as an initial proof of concept that can be useful and very practical as a rapid damage estimation technique.
Selection of Ground Motion Prediction Equations for the Global Earthquake Model
Authors: Stewart Jonathan P. , Douglas John , Javanbarg Mohammad , Bozorgnia Yousef , Abrahamson Norman A. , Boore David M. , Campbell Kenneth W. , Delavaud Elise , Erdik Mustafa , Stafford Peter J.
Published: September 2013

Ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) relate ground motion intensity measures to variables describing earthquake source, path, and site effects. From many available GMPEs, we select those models recommended for use in seismic hazard assessments in the Global Earthquake Model. We present a GMPE selection procedure that evaluates multidimensional ground motion trends (e.g., with respect to magnitude, distance, and structural period), examines functional forms, and evaluates published quantitative tests of GMPE performance against independent data. Our recommendations include: four models, based principally on simulations, for stable continental regions; three empirical models for interface and in-slab subduction zone events; and three empirical models for active shallow crustal regions. To approximately incorporate epistemic uncertainties, the selection process accounts for alternate representations of key GMPE attributes, such as the rate of distance attenuation, which are defensible from available data. Recommended models for each domain will change over time as additional GMPEs are developed.
Cyclic Performance of Welded Unreinforced Flange-Welded Web Moment Connections
Authors: Han Sang Whan , Moon Ki Hoon , Jung Jin
Published: September 2013

The welded unreinforced flange-welded web (WUF-W) moment connection is a prequalified connection for the special moment frame (SMF) specified in AISC 358-10. In this study, inelastic cyclic tests of four WUF-W specimens were conducted to evaluate the seismic performance of WUF-W connections with different beam depths and panel zone strength ratios. The specimens were made to satisfy the design and detailing criteria specified in AISC 341-10 and AISC 358-10. Test results showed that the WUF-W connections with a beam depth of 692 mm passed the acceptance criteria required for SMF connections, whereas the WUF-W connections with a beam depth of 890 mm did not meet the criteria.
Optimization-Based Probabilistic Consequence Scenario Construction for Lifeline Systems
Authors: Gearhart Jared , Brown Nathanael , Jones Dean , Nozick Linda , Romero Natalia , Xu Ningxiong
Published: September 2013

The construction of a suite of consequence scenarios that is consistent with the joint distribution of damage to a lifeline system is critical to properly estimating regional loss after an earthquake. This paper describes an optimization method that identifies a suite of consequence scenarios that can be used in regional loss estimation for lifeline systems when computational demands are of concern, and it is important to capture the spatial correlation associated with individual events. This method is applied to a realistic case study focused on the highway network in Memphis, Tennessee, within the New Madrid Seismic Zone. This case study illustrates that significantly fewer consequence scenarios are needed with this method than would be required using Monte Carlo simulation.
Damping Scaling Factors for Elastic Response Spectra for Shallow Crustal Earthquakes in Active Tectonic Regions: “Average” Horizontal Component
Authors: Rezaeian Sanaz , Bozorgnia Yousef , Idriss I. M. , Abrahamson Norman , Campbell Kenneth , Silva Walter
Published: September 2013

Ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) for elastic response spectra are typically developed at a 5% viscous damping ratio. In reality, however, structural and nonstructural systems can have other damping ratios. This paper develops a new model for a damping scaling factor ( DSF) that can be used to adjust the 5% damped spectral ordinates predicted by a GMPE for damping ratios between 0.5% to 30%. The model is developed based on empirical data from worldwide shallow crustal earthquakes in active tectonic regions. Dependencies of the DSF on potential predictor variables, such as the damping ratio, spectral period, ground motion duration, moment magnitude, source-to-site distance, and site conditions, are examined. The strong influence of duration is captured by the inclusion of both magnitude and distance in the DSF model. Site conditions show weak influence on the DSF. The proposed damping scaling model provides functional forms for the median and logarithmic standard deviation of DSF, and is developed for both RotD50 and GMRotI50 horizontal components. A follow-up paper develops a DSF model for vertical ground motion.
Seismic Damage Accumulation in Highway Bridges in Earthquake-Prone Regions
Authors: Ghosh Jayadipta , Padgett Jamie E. , Sánchez-Silva Mauricio
Published: September 2013

Civil infrastructures, such as highway bridges, located in seismically active regions are often subjected to multiple earthquakes, including multiple main shocks during their service life or main shock–aftershock sequences. Repeated seismic events result in reduced structural capacity and may lead to bridge collapse, causing disruption in the normal functioning of transportation networks. This study proposes a framework to predict damage accumulation in structures subjected to multiple shock scenarios after developing damage index prediction models and accounting for the probabilistic nature of the hazard. The versatility of the proposed framework is demonstrated on a case-study highway bridge located in California for two distinct hazard scenarios: (1) multiple main shocks during the service life and (2) multiple aftershock earthquake occurrences following a single main shock. Results reveal that in both cases there is a significant increase in damage index exceedance probabilities due to repeated shocks within the time window of interest.
MicroRNAs in Cardiovascular Health: From Order to Disorder
Authors: Karunakaran Denuja , Rayner Katey J.
Published: September 2013

In the last decade, microRNAs (miRNAs) have revolutionized how we understand metabolism and disease. These small, 20- to 22-nucleotide RNA molecules fine-tune gene expression and can often coordinate multiple genes in a single pathway. Given the multifactorial nature of cardiovascular disease, it is perhaps not surprising that miRNAs have been shown to orchestrate many aspects of disease development, from modulating metabolic risk factors over a lifetime (eg, cholesterol and hormones) to controlling the response to an acute cardiovascular event (eg, inflammation and hypoxia). In this review, we discuss how miRNAs exert control over metabolic pathways that maintain vascular health and, when these pathways go awry, how miRNAs can be targeted for therapeutic modulation.
“Her Later Works Happily Forgotten”: Rewriting Frances Burney and Old Age
Authors: Looser Devoney
Published: September 2013

This essay considers Frances Burney’s last published work, Memoirs of Doctor Burney (1832), for its sustained attention to gender, aging, and authorship. When the Memoirs is read from cover to cover, significant and previously unnoticed patterns emerge that offer new insights into Burney’s conceptions of and ruminations on authorial celebrity in old age. The narration of the Memoirs provides a compelling picture of what an aged woman author was up against in fashioning a persona in her text. Examining the complicated reception of the Memoirs also advances our discussion of Burney’s little read—and too-often misunderstood—late writings. This essay concludes that the Memoirs ought to be revalued for its importance to literary history and feminist aging studies, at the same time providing a new line of inquiry to help us make sense of its supposed failure.
Court and Sparkle
Authors: Rand Erica
Published: September 2013

“Court and Sparkle” looks at effects, ideas, and diversions in discourses around gender authenticity in sport through two 2010 controversies. One involved Kye Allums, who came out as transgender right before his third season playing NCAA Division I basketball for George Washington University, announcing plans to stay on the women's team that he had a scholarship to play for. The other involved the figure skater Johnny Weir, whose departures from masculine norms had long been part of his public reputation and who was competing for the United States in the Winter Olympics when two broadcasters joked that he needed a “gender test.” By staging something of a queer sports-studies date between these two athletes from extremely different sports, I highlight the vast reach of dubious binarisms that ought to be easily dismissed as well as how gender policing plays out in the particular contexts of institutionalized racism in which it occurs. With Allums, systemic racism inside (and outside) education contributes to staging a debate about whether Allums deserves to keep an athletic scholarship he received as female instead of about why attending or remaining at George Washington depended on basketball in the first place. With Weir, the articulation of bigotry in terms of needing a “gender test” builds intentionally on the history of subjecting Olympic athletes competing as female to medical “sex verification” testing, while the use of the racialized category Russian, by or against him, to designate “gender outlaw” depends on long histories in US skating of rejecting particular racial, ethnic, and national cultural and political models.
A mouse model for inducible overexpression of Prdm14 results in rapid-onset and highly penetrant T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL)
Authors: Carofino Brandi L. , Ayanga Bernard , Justice Monica J.
Published: September 2013

PRDM14 functions in embryonic stem cell (ESC) maintenance to promote the expression of pluripotency-associated genes while suppressing differentiation genes. Expression of PRDM14 is tightly regulated and typically limited to ESCs and primordial germ cells; however, aberrant expression is associated with tumor initiation in a wide variety of human cancers, including breast cancer and leukemia. Here, we describe the generation of a Cre-recombinase-inducible mouse model for the spatial and temporal control of Prdm14 misexpression [ROSA26 floxed-stop Prdm14 (R26PR)]. When R26PR is mated to either of two Cre lines, Mx1-cre or MMTV-cre, mice develop early-onset T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) with median overall survival of 41 and 64 days for R26PR;Mx1-cre and R26PR;MMTV-cre, respectively. T-ALL is characterized by the accumulation of immature single-positive CD8 cells and their widespread infiltration. Leukemia is preceded by a dramatic expansion of cells resembling hematopoietic stem cells and lymphoid-committed progenitors prior to disease onset, accompanied by a blockage in B-cell differentiation at the early pro-B stage. Rapid-onset PRDM14-induced T-ALL requires factors that are present in stem and progenitor cells: R26PR;dLck-cre animals, which express Prdm14 starting at the double-positive stage of thymocyte development, do not develop disease. PRDM14-induced leukemic cells contain high levels of activated NOTCH1 and downstream NOTCH1 targets, including MYC and HES1, and are sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of NOTCH1 with the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT. Greater than 50% of human T-ALLs harbor activating mutations in NOTCH1; thus, our model carries clinically relevant molecular aberrations. The penetrance, short latency and involvement of the NOTCH1 pathway will make this hematopoietic R26PR mouse model ideal for future studies on disease initiation, relapse and novel therapeutic drug combinations. Furthermore, breeding R26PR to additional Cre lines will allow for the continued development of novel cancer models.
Effect of Structure-Directing Agents on FAU–CHA Interzeolite Conversion and Preparation of High Pervaporation Performance CHA Zeolite Membranes for the Dehydration of Acetic Acid Solution
Authors: Yamanaka Naoki , Itakura Masaya , Kiyozumi Yoshimichi , Sadakane Masahiro , Sano Tsuneji
Published: September 2013

FAU–CHA interzeolite conversions were investigated in the presence of benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (BTMAOH) and 1-adamantyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (AdaTMOH) as organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs). AdaTMOH was well able to both decompose/dissolve the starting FAU-type zeolites into locally ordered aluminosilicate species (nanoparts) and transform them into CHA-type zeolites. In contrast, although BTMAOH did not show such high performance in the decomposition and transformation as compared to AdaTMOH, the obtained CHA-type zeolites exhibited higher acid stability. Next, the application of the highly acid-resistant CHA-type zeolites to membranes was investigated. The CHA zeolite membrane prepared on the outer surface of a porous α-alumina tube by FAU–CHA interzeolite conversion demonstrated excellent pervaporation performance in the dehydration of acetic acid aqueous solution. A high permeate flux of ca. 8 kg m−2 h−1 with a high separation factor of ca. 2500 was maintained during long-term (1700 h) testing.
Spectroscopic Analysis of the Interaction of Human Serum Albumin with Tricationic Phosphorus Porphyrins Bearing Axial Pyridinio Groups
Authors: Matsumoto Jin , Kubo Tomoya , Shinbara Tomohiko , Matsuda Naomi , Shiragami Tsutomu , Fujitsuka Mamoru , Majima Tetsuro , Yasuda Masahide
Published: September 2013

Much attention has been paid to water-soluble porphyrins and metalloporphyrins as potential sensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Thus, water-soluble tricationic phosphorus porphyrin complexes were prepared via the introduction of an N-alkylpyridinio group on the axial ligands of phosphorus porphyrins. The resulting tricationic phosphorus porphyrins readily dissolve in aqueous solutions without the formation of aggregates, even at high concentration. Moreover, the affinity of the porphyrins to human serum albumin (HSA) is a key factor in their application to PDT since HSA plays an important role in the transport of drug molecules to a target cell. Interactions between the tricationic phosphorus porphyrins and HSA were examined on the basis of changes in the Soret bands of the absorption and fluorescence spectra of phosphorus porphyrin solutions in the presence of HSA and the fluorescence quenching of HSA by the tricationic phosphorus porphyrins. Tricationic phosphorus porphyrins with moderately long alkyl chains on the pyridinio group were strongly adsorbed on the HSA at a position near the tryptophan residue of HSA. This result suggests that tricationic phosphorus porphyrins containing alkyl groups are good candidates as PDT reagents because of their high water solubility and high affinity for HSA.