bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Feed-Forward Mechanosignaling Loop Confers Resistance to Therapies Targeting the MAPK Pathway in BRAF-Mutant Melanoma
Authors: Girard Christophe A. , Lecacheur Margaux , Ben Jouira Rania , Berestjuk Ilona , Diazzi Serena , Prod'homme Virginie , Mallavialle Aude , Larbret Frédéric , Gesson Maéva , Schaub Sébastien , Pisano Sabrina , Audebert Stéphane , Mari Bernard , Gaggioli Cédric , Leucci Eleonora , Marine Jean-Christophe , Deckert Marcel , Tartare-Deckert Sophie
Published: March 2020

Aberrant extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and stiffening is a physical hallmark of several solid cancers and is associated with therapy failure. BRAF-mutant melanomas treated with BRAF and MEK inhibitors almost invariably develop resistance that is frequently associated with transcriptional reprogramming and a de-differentiated cell state. Melanoma cells secrete their own ECM proteins, an event that is promoted by oncogenic BRAF inhibition. Yet, the contribution of cancer cell–derived ECM and tumor mechanics to drug adaptation and therapy resistance remains poorly understood. Here, we show that melanoma cells can adapt to targeted therapies through a mechanosignaling loop involving the autocrine remodeling of a drug-protective ECM. Analyses revealed that therapy-resistant cells associated with a mesenchymal dedifferentiated state displayed elevated responsiveness to collagen stiffening and force-mediated ECM remodeling through activation of actin-dependent mechanosensors Yes-associated protein (YAP) and myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF). Short-term inhibition of MAPK pathway also induced mechanosignaling associated with deposition and remodeling of an aligned fibrillar matrix. This provided a favored ECM reorganization that promoted tolerance to BRAF inhibition in a YAP- and MRTF-dependent manner. Matrix remodeling and tumor stiffening were also observed in vivo upon exposure of BRAF-mutant melanoma cell lines or patient-derived xenograft models to MAPK pathway inhibition. Importantly, pharmacologic targeting of YAP reversed treatment-induced excessive collagen deposition, leading to enhancement of BRAF inhibitor efficacy. We conclude that MAPK pathway targeting therapies mechanically reprogram melanoma cells to confer a drug-protective matrix environment. Preventing melanoma cell mechanical reprogramming might be a promising therapeutic strategy for patients on targeted therapies.

Significance:

These findings reveal a biomechanical adaptation of melanoma cells to oncogenic BRAF pathway inhibition, which fuels a YAP/MRTF-dependent feed-forward loop associated with tumor stiffening, mechanosensing, and therapy resistance.
Associations Between Long‐Term Fine Particulate Matter Exposure and Mortality in Heart Failure Patients
Authors: Ward‐Caviness Cavin K. , Weaver Anne M. , Buranosky Matthew , Pfaff Emily R. , Neas Lucas M. , Devlin Robert B. , Schwartz Joel , Di Qian , Cascio Wayne E. , Diaz‐Sanchez David
Published: March 2020

Background

Environmental health risks for individuals with heart failure (
HF
) have been inadequately studied, as these individuals are not well represented in traditional cohort studies. To address this we studied associations between long‐term air pollution exposure and mortality in
HF
patients.

Methods and Results

The study population was a hospital‐based cohort of individuals diagnosed with
HF
between July 1, 2004 and December 31, 2016 compiled using electronic health records. Individuals were followed from 1 year after initial diagnosis until death or the end of the observation period (December 31, 2016). We used Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the association of annual average fine particulate matter (
PM
2.5
) exposure at the time of initial
HF
diagnosis with all‐cause mortality, adjusted for age, race, sex, distance to the nearest air pollution monitor, and socioeconomic status indicators. Among 23 302
HF
patients, a 1 μg/m
3
increase in annual average
PM
2.5
was associated with an elevated risk of all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.13; 95% CI, 1.10–1.15). As compared with people with exposures below the current national
PM
2.5
exposure standard (12 μg/m
3
), those with elevated exposures experienced 0.84 (95% CI, 0.73–0.95) years of life lost over a 5‐year period, an observation that persisted even for those residing in areas with
PM
2.5
concentrations below current standards.

Conclusions

Residential exposure to elevated concentrations of
PM
2.5
is a significant mortality risk factor for
HF
patients. Elevated
PM
2.5
exposures result in substantial years of life lost even at concentrations below current national standards.
Link Between Elevated Long‐Term Resting Heart Rate Variability and Pulse Pressure Variability for All‐Cause Mortality
Authors: Yang Xiaolei , Hidru Tesfaldet Habtemariam , Han Xu , Zhang Xinyuan , Liu Yang , Wang Binhao , Li Huihua , Wu Shouling , Xia Yun‐Long
Published: March 2020

Background

Elevated long‐term systolic blood pressure and resting heart rate (RHR) variability are suggested to amplify the risk of all‐cause mortality (ACM). However, the link between increased RHR and pulse pressure for ACM remained unclear.

Methods and Results

This study analyzed 46 751 individuals from Kailuan Cohort Study for the end outcome of ACM. A Cox regression model was used to estimate hazard ratios for death events. Kaplan‐Meier analysis was performed to study the differences in survival as stratified by the SD, coefficient of variation, and average real variability of RHR and pulse pressure quartiles. A total of 1667 deaths (<65 years of age=866/40351, ≥65 years of age=801/6400) were recorded over 4.97±0.69 years follow‐up. Participants under the age of 65 years in the third and fourth quartiles of pulse pressure SD had an independent increase in risk for ACM (hazard ratio [95% CI], 1.16 [1.06–1.28]; and 1.19 [1.05–1.35], respectively). Additionally, participants >65 years of age had a higher risk for ACM across quartiles of RHR‐SD. The hazard ratio (95% CI) for the subjects in quartiles 2, 3, and 4 were 1.81 (1.10–2.97), 2.31 (1.37–1.3.90), and 2.64 (1.63–4.29), respectively.

Conclusions

An elevated long‐term RHR variability combined with an increased pulse pressure variability or vice versa amplifies the risk of ACM.
Association of Serum Lipoprotein (a) With the Requirement for a Peripheral Artery Operation and the Incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in People With Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Golledge Jonathan , Rowbotham Sophie , Velu Ramesh , Quigley Frank , Jenkins Jason , Bourke Michael , Bourke Bernie , Thanigaimani Shivshankar , Chan Dick C. , Watts Gerald F.
Published: March 2020

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between serum lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) concentration and the requirement for peripheral artery disease (
PAD
) operations or incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events.

Methods and Results

A total of 1472 people with
PAD
presenting with intermittent claudication (n=355), abdominal aortic aneurysm (n=989) or critical limb ischemia (n=128) were prospectively recruited from 4 outpatient clinics in Australia. Lp(a) was measured in serum samples collected at recruitment using an immunoassay. Participants were followed for a median (interquartile range) of 2.4 (0.1–6.1) years to record requirement for any
PAD
operation, defined to include any open or endovascular
PAD
intervention (lower limb peripheral revascularization,
abdominal aortic aneurysm
repair, other aneurysm repair, or carotid artery revascularization). Myocardial infarctions, strokes, and deaths were also recorded. The association of Lp(a) with events was assessed using Cox proportional hazard analysis adjusting for traditional risk factors. Participants with Lp(a) ≥30 mg/dL had a greater requirement for any
PAD
operation (hazard ratio, 1.20, 95%
CI
, 1.02–1.41) and lower limb peripheral revascularization alone (
hazard ratio
1.33, 95%
CI
, 1.06–1.66) but no increased risk of
major adverse cardiovascular events
or all‐cause mortality. Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL and a 40 mg/dL increase in Lp(a) were also associated with an increased risk of lower limb peripheral revascularization alone but not with other outcomes.

Conclusions

In participants with
PAD
referred for hospital management those with high Lp(a) had greater requirement for lower limb peripheral revascularization but Lp(a) was not consistently associated with other clinical events.
The Effects of Formalization on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Tax Payments: Panel Evidence from Viet Nam
Authors: Boly Amadou
Published: March 2020

Do firms pay more taxes after formalization? The answer to this question is nontrivial. Tax noncompliance can be a persistent behavior among formerly informal firms. Analyzing the relationship between formalization and tax payments can also be challenging if nonswitching and switching firms have different characteristics. I use a panel dataset built from five small and medium-sized enterprise surveys conducted in Viet Nam from 2005 to 2013. By comparing nonswitching informal firms to switchers, I show that switchers are more likely to pay taxes and to pay a higher amount, thereby confirming heterogeneity. By comparing switchers before and after formalization, I find that formalization increases tax payment likelihood by 20% and the tax amount paid by 93%. A control function approach indicates that my results are robust to potential endogeneity of formalization. Therefore, this paper provides supportive evidence for a key public policy rationale to promote formalization: increased tax revenues.
Measuring the Ecological Efficiency of Thermal Power Plants: Evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Qaiser Imran , Grigoriadis Theocharis
Published: March 2020

This paper assesses the environmental and economic efficiency of thermal plants operating on fossil fuels in Pakistan using methods based on data envelopment analysis. Using the material balance principle, we find that cost- and carbon-efficient points can only be obtained simultaneously by switching to gas. However, under an assumption of variable returns to scale, these points can still be obtained without this conversion through the application of best practices. Furthermore, about 26% of costs and about 34% of carbon emissions can be reduced without a switch to gas, but instead by using technically efficient inputs; this approach can also lead to a significant reduction in electricity prices and considerable environmental benefits. Power plants operating on residual fuel oil are significantly more technically efficient than plants operating on gas. Nonetheless, both types of plants have an equal share in forming the metafrontier as exhibited by the meta-technology ratio. There is a definite need to make plants more efficient by using the best possible combination of inputs and overhauling. Bootstrap results also suggest that further improvement in efficiency is possible.
Music Gesture and the Correspondence of Lines: Collaborative Video Mediation and Methodology
Authors: Portelli Daniel
Published: March 2020

Music Gesture can be thought of as being made up of dynamic, multisensorial lines. From this, the author draws from Ingold's “correspondence of lines” as a conception of music and a transformative compositional process, informing gestural line expressions and the development of notation systems for the body. The author outlines the technology he has developed for two compositions, involving a video scoring methodology and software that enables interactive video gestural sampling in a collaborative art music context. The author also engages with Ingold's concept of the “mesh,” as lines that overflow, and imagines how the mesh could be perceived through sensory modalities. This discourse of lines is contextualized through examples of absurdist instrumental pieces and corporeally based music.
The Instability of Slurs
Authors: Davis Christopher , McCready Elin
Published: March 2020

The authors outline a program for understanding the semantics and pragmatics of slur terms, proposing that slurs are mixed expressives that predicate membership in some social group G while simultaneously invoking a complex of historical facts and social attitudes about G. The authors then point to the importance of distinguishing between the potential offensive and derogatory effects of slur terms, with the former deriving from the impact on the listener of the invoked content itself, and the latter deriving from inferences about speaker attitudes and intentions. The authors use the resulting framework to discuss several controversial cases of slurs and slurring: (i) terms targeting political views such as ‘Nazi’ and ‘terf’, and (ii) cases in which non-slurs are used to derogate, as in cases of misgendering. The authors conclude that what counts as a slur is in part dependent on a background system of ideological assumptions, meaning that whether a particular term counts as a slur will depend in part on one’s ideological commitments and assumptions.
Reclamation
Authors: Popa-Wyatt Mihaela
Published: March 2020

Reclamation is the phenomenon of an oppressed group repurposing language to its own ends. A case study is reclamation of slur words. Popa-Wyatt and Wyatt (2018) argued that a slurring utterance is a speech act which performs a discourse role assignment. It assigns a subordinate role to the target, while the speaker assumes a dominant role. This pair of role assignments is used to oppress the target. Here the author focuses on how reclamation works and under what conditions its benefits can stabilise. She starts by reviewing the data and describing preconditions and motivations for reclamation. Can reclamation be explained in the same basic framework as regular slurring utterances? She argues that it can. The author also identifies some features that must be a prediction of any theory of reclamation. She concludes that reclamation is an instance of a much broader class of acts we do with words to change the distribution of power: it begets power, but it also requires it.
Taxonomic delimitation of endemic Ficus amplocarpa and Ficus dalhousiae Complexes (Moraceae) by DNA barcoding

Authors: MAHIMA KARTHIKEYAN , SUDHAKAR JANA VENKATA , RAMALINGAM SATHISHKUMAR
Published: March 2020

Ficus L. species are extensively diversified in India representing North-eastern states, peninsular region and Andaman and Nicobar Islands among which ten species are endemic. Thus closely related species confuses taxonomists and evolutionary researchers. Our study aims to distinguish the highly endangered closely allied species of Ficus genus with persistent variation. The first study complex includes Ficus dalhousiae and Ficus anamalayana and the second complex includes Ficus amplocarpa, Ficus guttata and Ficus laevis. The species in each complex groups are hard to distinguish because of their highly similar morphological characters. To resolve the taxonomical disputes, the nuclear loci ITS2 and chloroplast loci trnH-psbA were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship to understand the species boundaries. In our results, intra-specific divergence is not found in the two markers tested however, the total inter-specific divergence between F. dalhousiae and F. anamalayana is found to be 6.5% and in the case of F. amplocarpa and F. guttata is to be 8.5%. The highest divergence is observed in trnH-psbA (0.991 ± 0.713) followed by ITS2 (0.149 ± 0.064). Bayesian analysis showed a clear segregation between F. amplocarpa and F. guttata suggesting that they could be independent species not a variety of F. laevis. Similarly, bayesian analysis of F. dalhousiae and F. anamalayana results support that they can be treated as different species. Thereby, our study suggests that species within taxonomically complex group can be resolved by DNA barcoding.
Two penzigioid Xylaria species described from China based on morphological and molecular characters

Authors: MA HAI-XIA , QU ZHI , PENG MINGKAI , LI YU
Published: March 2020

A new pyrenomycetous fungus, Xylaria acericola, collected in Jilin Province, northeastern China, is described and illustrated on the basis of two collections. Both morphology and phylogenetic analysis of rDNA ITS and β-tubulin sequences support the establishment of this new species. Macroscopically, the new species is characterized by penzigioid stromata erumpent through bark of host plant. Microscopically, it has dark-brown to black, ellipsoid-inequilateral ascospores and large, urn-shaped ascus apical ring bluing in Melzer’s reagent. The differences between the new species and the related fungi are discussed. Another penzigioid Xylaria species, X. sibirica, is reported in China for the first time.
Platanthera jiuwanshanensis (Orchidaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China

Authors: QIN YING , HUANG YU-SONG , MENG TAO , LIU YAN
Published: March 2020

Platanthera jiuwanshanensis, a new species of Orchidaceae from Guangxi, China is described and illustrated. The new species resembles P. fujianensis, P. guangdongensis, P. minor and P. zijinensis, but it can be clearly distinguished from P. fujianensis, P. guangdongensis by the distinct characters in lateral sepals, lip, spur and column, and from P. minor, P. zijinensis by the distinct characters in rootstock, lip and leafless plant. Detailed morphological descriptions, colour photographs, distribution and diagnostic comparisons etc. are provided here.
Remarks on some interesting African Pamphagidae and Acrididae (Insecta: Orthoptera: Acridoidea)
Authors: MASSA BRUNO
Published: March 2020

The author reports about the results of a study of Porthetinae (Pamphagidae) and other Acridoidea preserved in some European museums. The taxonomy of African Porthetinae is still poorly known; some genera were established on variable characters (e.g.: the number of the flagellum segments, the shape of the hind femora or the prosternal tubercle) and collections generally hold only few specimens of this group. These insects are characterized by a remarkable sexual dimorphism, the males generally are winged while females are apterous. Because many species were described only from one sex (sometimes the female sex), there are objective difficulties to identify them correctly. The following synonymies are proposed here: Pagopedilum Karsch, 1896 = Stolliana Bolívar, 1916; Pagopedilum brevis (Walker, 1870) = Pagopedilum martini Bolívar, 1915; Cultrinotus poultoni Bolívar, 1915 = Cultrinotus luanensis Uvarov, 1953. The male of Pagopedilum bradyanum (Saussure, 1887) and adults male and female of Pagopedilum brevis (Walker, 1870) (known only from the nymph) are described. The distinction of the genera Lobosceliana Dirsh, 1958 and Xiphoceriana Dirsh, 1958 is revealed to be very difficult and they are probably synonyms, but more material should be studied. The stridulatory system found in different genera of Porthetinae is briefly described. Further, the South African Batrachotetrix cantans Saussure, 1888 (Pamphagidae: Akicerinae) is recorded for the first time in Namibia, Barombia tuberculosa sublaevis Bolívar, 1905 (Acrididae: Catantopinae) is synonymized with B. t. tuberculosa Karsch, 1891, a probable new brachypterous species of Rhachitopis (Acrididae: Euryphyminae) is reported from Angola, the Namibian Pycnodictya herero Karny, 1910 (Acrididae: Oedipodinae) is recorded for the first time from Angola, and the Tanzanian Tmetonota dispar Miller, 1929 (Acrididae: Oedipodinae) is recorded for the first time from Kenya.
Two new species of Amphinemura (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from Damingshan National Natural Reserve of Guangxi, China
Authors: MO RAORAO , WANG GUOQUAN , YANG DING , LI WEIHAI
Published: March 2020

Two new species of the Amphinemurinae genus Amphinemura, A. bifascia sp. nov. and A. bicornata sp. nov. are described from Damingshan National Natural Reserve of central Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of southern China. Their relationships to other similar species in the genus are discussed.
Snowflake Selfies: A Low-Cost, High-Impact Approach toward Student Engagement in Scientific Research (with Their Smartphones)
Authors: Kumjian Matthew R. , Bowley Kevin A. , Markowski Paul M. , Lombardo Kelly , Lebo Zachary J. , Kollias Pavlos
Published: March 2020

An engaged scholarship project called “Snowflake Selfies” was developed and implemented in an upper-level undergraduate course at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). During the project, students conducted research on snow using low-cost, low-tech instrumentation that may be readily implemented broadly and scaled as needed, particularly at institutions with limited resources. During intensive observing periods (IOPs), students measured snowfall accumulations, snow-to-liquid ratios, and took microscopic photographs of snow using their smartphones. These observations were placed in meteorological context using radar observations and thermodynamic soundings, helping to reinforce concepts from atmospheric thermodynamics, cloud physics, radar, and mesoscale meteorology courses. Students also prepared a term paper and presentation using their datasets/photographs to hone communication skills. Examples from IOPs are presented. The Snowflake Selfies project was well received by undergraduate students as part of the writing-intensive course at Penn State. Responses to survey questions highlight the project’s effectiveness at engaging students and increasing their enthusiasm for the semester-long project. The natural link to social media broadened engagement to the community level. Given the successes at Penn State, we encourage Snowflake Selfies or similar projects to be adapted or implemented at other institutions.
Modulation of the Relationship between ENSO and Its Combination Mode by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation
Authors: Geng Xin , Zhang Wenjun , Jin Fei-Fei , Stuecker Malte F. , Levine Aaron F. Z.
Published: March 2020

Recent studies demonstrated the existence of a conspicuous atmospheric combination mode (C-mode) originating from nonlinear interactions between El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific warm pool annual cycle (AC). Here we find that the C-mode exhibits prominent decadal amplitude variations during the ENSO decaying boreal spring season. It is revealed that the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) can largely explain this waxing and waning in amplitude. A robust positive correlation between ENSO and the C-mode is detected during a negative AMO phase but not during a positive phase. Similar results can also be found in the relationship of ENSO with 1) the western North Pacific (WNP) anticyclone and 2) spring precipitation over southern China, both of which are closely associated with the C-mode. We suggest that ENSO property changes due to an AMO modulation play a crucial role in determining these decadal shifts. During a positive AMO phase, ENSO events are distinctly weaker than those in an AMO negative phase. In addition, El Niño events concurrent with a positive AMO phase tend to exhibit a westward-shifted sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly pattern. These SST characteristics during the positive AMO phase are both not conducive to the development of the meridionally asymmetric C-mode atmospheric circulation pattern and thus reduce the ENSO/C-mode correlation on decadal time scales. These observations can be realistically reproduced by a coupled general circulation model (CGCM) experiment in which North Atlantic SSTs are nudged to reproduce a 50-yr sinusoidally varying AMO evolution. Our conclusion carries important implications for understanding seasonally modulated ENSO dynamics and multiscale climate impacts over East Asia.
Winds, Waves, and Turbulence on a Shallow Continental Shelf during Passage of a Tropical Storm
Authors: Gargett Ann E. , Savidge Dana K.
Published: March 2020

Measurements of collocated fields of atmospheric forcing, surface waves, and mean and turbulent velocities associated with passage of Tropical Storm (TS) Barry over the U.S. Navy Tower R2 on the Georgia continental shelf are presented. A vertical-beam ADCP enables computation of directional surface wave spectra and hence of directional Stokes functions of depth and time, as well as mean (including tidal) and turbulent velocities throughout the water column. Full-depth turbulent velocity and backscatter structures observed during TS Barry are determined to be Langmuir supercells (LS). The LS appear in the present observations and in similar observations from a shallower site only when a surface growth rate g* exceeds a critical value, providing a means of predicting how deep an unstratified water column must be before LS will not be expected. When observed, LS structures at Tower R2 are less organized than archetypical LS structures: we suggest that this result is due primarily to smaller near-bottom growth rate in the deeper water column. Despite g* values above the critical value, and appropriate values of Langmuir and Rayleigh numbers, full-depth velocity/backscatter structures disappear completely for a time between the two wind maxima associated with the TS, as wind veers rapidly clockwise with eye passage to the west of Tower R2. From the observations, the most likely explanation for this hiatus is decreased wave breaking during the period of wind veering, reducing surface supply of “effective” vertical vorticity that dominates generation of Langmuir circulation (LC). This result has significant implications for LES modeling of LC.
State Agency Discretion and Entrepreneurship in Regulated Markets
Authors: Grandy Jake B. , Hiatt Shon R.
Published: March 2020

Barriers to entry in regulated markets are frequently conceptualized as static features that must be removed or overcome if new entrants are to successfully enter a market. But government institutions regulating markets often comprise multiple levels that exist in tension with one another due to differing incentives and motivations. We argue that the principal–agent tension between elected officials and agency bureaucrats may render regulatory barriers to entry more malleable, even in the absence of formal policy changes. To test this proposition, we bring the administrative state center stage and examine how regulatory discretion—regulatory agencies’ flexibility to interpret and implement public policies created by elected officials—can influence the market entry of new ventures. Using data on regulatory approval of hydroelectric facilities in the United States from 1978 to 2014, we find that increased state agency discretion improves outcomes for new ventures relative to incumbent firms by freeing regulatory agency officials to interpret and implement policies according to a professional motivation of public service and reducing incumbents’ political influence.
Work-Related Aggression in Home-Based Working Environment: Experiences of Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong
Authors: Lai Yingtong , Fong Eric
Published: March 2020

Previous studies on workplace aggression and violence have limited their scope to the conventional formal workplace environment. Few have explored the possibility that an increasing number of people, especially females, who work in more informal settings may also face work-related aggression. Our research on a random sample of 2,017 migrant domestic female workers from the Philippines and Indonesia who work in Hong Kong focuses on a nonconventional workplace, the employer’s home, and examines how conditions specific to the home-based working environment are related to workers’ experiences of abuse. Findings suggest that both the working conditions (e.g., types of people served) and the workplace environment (e.g., the size of the home) are related to experiences of abusive behavior performed by employers in the domestic work setting. The findings extend our understanding of the concept of workplace and highlight new factors contributing to aggression and violence against workers when boundaries between work and home are blurred.
Simeon and Mary: Luke 1:38; 2:29
Authors: O’Collins SJ Gerald
Published: March 2020

Luke, and not least in the infancy narratives, introduces parallels, which, featuring similarities and differences, enrich the story and theological meaning. In a parallel not fully appreciated by Bovon, Tannehill, and other commentators, Luke links Mary and Simeon through the themes of ‘slave’, ‘word’, and in other ways. This article explores seven links that the evangelist makes between Mary and Simeon.
Underemployment and well-being in Europe
Authors: Heyes Jason , Tomlinson Mark
Published: March 2020

This article examines the consequences of underemployment for the well-being of workers in European countries. Previous studies of the impact of underemployment on well-being have tended to focus on a single country or occupational group and have examined single dimensions of underemployment. This article, by contrast, examines experiences across several European economies and explores two different dimensions of underemployment: the gap between hours of work and workers’ desired hours and the underutilisation of their skills and abilities. The article uses data from the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) and explains the consequences of underemployment for well-being by drawing on the international comparative political economy literature, particularly the theorisation and analysis of comparative employment and welfare regimes. We find that while underemployment is generally associated with lower levels of well-being, the nature and strength of relationships between different dimensions of underemployment and well-being vary between employment regimes. The article also highlights the detrimental consequences of ‘overemployment’ for workers’ well-being, and shows that the well-being of women tends to be lower than that of men, regardless of employment regime.
Neuro-fuzzy iterative learning control for 4-poster test rig
Authors: Dursun Ufuk , Cansever Galip , Üstoğlu İlker
Published: March 2020

In this paper, a new control method is presented for the 4-poster test systems. The primary aim of the paper is to improve the convergence speed and decrease the error rate for model-based iterative learning control (ILC), a widely used method as a tracking control. First, the dynamic equations of the system are generated, and the control problem is formulated. Then, an inverse model of the system is established directly through the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with auxiliary parameter (piston position) as a serial combination of two sub-models. In order to construct a neuro-fuzzy ILC (NFILC) structure, these sub-models are integrated into the neuro-fuzzy inverse controller (NFIC). Because of this new structure, the modified ILC rule has two layers. In the first layer, the controlled parameter, namely, the acceleration is iterated, whereas, in the second layer, the auxiliary parameter is iterated. The outcomes of the proposed control method are scrutinized by testing through a numerical simulation. Finally, it is demonstrated that the modified ILC rule dramatically increase the convergence speed and reduce the final error rate.
Dehumanizing Prisoners: Remaining Sentence Duration Predicts the Ascription of Mind to Prisoners
Authors: Deska Jason C. , Almaraz Steven M. , Hugenberg Kurt
Published: March 2020

We tested the novel hypothesis that the dehumanization of prisoners varies as a function of how soon they will be released from prison. Seven studies indicate that people ascribe soon-to-be-released prisoners greater mental sophistication than those with more time to serve, all other things being equal. Studies 3 to 6 indicate that these effects are mediated by perceptions that imprisonment has served the functions of rehabilitation, retribution, and future deterrence. Finally, Study 7 demonstrates that beliefs about rehabilitation and deterrence may be the most important in accounting for these effects. These findings indicate that the amount of time left on a prison sentence influences mind ascription to the incarcerated, an effect that has implications for our understanding of prisoner dehumanization.
Evaluating the Effect of Embedded Responses in Multimedia-Based Instruction With Preservice Teachers
Authors: Hirsch Shanna E. , Chow Jason C. , Randall Kristina N. , Nemer Shannon L. , McKown Georgia
Published: March 2020

We report the findings of a randomized controlled trial examining the use of content acquisition podcasts for teachers (CAP-Ts) with 94 preservice teacher participants from two public universities. This study is an extension of a previous CAP-T study. We examined whether active embedded questions in CAP-Ts increased participant knowledge of functional behavioral assessments (FBAs). Participants completed a pretest, treatment, and posttest assessment to measure the extent to which CAP-Ts with active embedded questions supported participant knowledge, improved application of FBA skills, and impacted social validity as compared with traditional CAP-Ts. Findings indicate that CAP-T with embedded questions did not produce significant changes in preservice teacher knowledge and application of skills. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Assessment of vascular stiffness in the internal carotid artery proximal to the carotid canal in Alzheimer’s disease using pulse wave velocity from low rank reconstructed 4D flow MRI
Authors: Rivera-Rivera Leonardo A , Cody Karly A , Eisenmenger Laura , Cary Paul , Rowley Howard A , Carlsson Cynthia M , Johnson Sterling C , Johnson Kevin M
Published: March 2020

Clinical evidence shows vascular factors may co-occur and complicate the expression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD); yet, the pathologic mechanisms and involvement of different compartments of the vascular network are not well understood. Diseases such as arteriosclerosis diminish vascular compliance and will lead to arterial stiffness, a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity. Arterial stiffness can be assessed using pulse wave velocity (PWV); however, this is usually done from carotid-to-femoral artery ratios. To probe the brain vasculature, intracranial PWV measures would be ideal. In this study, high temporal resolution 4D flow MRI was used to assess transcranial PWV in 160 subjects including AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), healthy controls, and healthy subjects with apolipoprotein ɛ4 positivity (APOE4+) and parental history of AD dementia (FH+). High temporal resolution imaging was achieved by high temporal binning of retrospectively gated data using a local-low rank approach. Significantly higher transcranial PWV in AD dementia and MCI subjects was found when compared to old-age-matched controls (AD vs. old-age-matched controls: P <0.001, AD vs. MCI: P = 0.029, MCI vs. old-age-matched controls P = 0.013). Furthermore, vascular changes were found in clinically healthy middle-age adults with APOE4+ and FH+ indicating significantly higher transcranial PWV compared to controls ( P <0.001).
Serum 24S-hydroxycholesterol predicts long-term brain structural and functional outcomes after hypoxia-ischemia in neonatal mice
Authors: Lu Fuxin , Fan Shujuan , Romo Andrea R , Xu Duan , Ferriero Donna M , Jiang Xiangning
Published: March 2020

The major pathway of brain cholesterol turnover relies on its hydroxylation into 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-HC) using brain-specific cytochrome P450 46A1 (CYP46A1). 24S-HC produced exclusively in the brain normally traverses the blood-brain barrier to enter the circulation to the liver for excretion; therefore, the serum 24S-HC level is an indication of cholesterol metabolism in the brain. We recently reported an upregulation of CYP46A1 following hypoxia-ischemia (HI) in the neonatal mouse brain and a correlation between serum 24S-HC levels and acute brain damage. Here, we performed a longitudinal study to investigate whether the serum 24S-HC concentrations predict long-term brain structural and functional outcomes. In postnatal day 9 mice subjected to HI, the serum 24S-HC levels increased at 6 h and 24 h after HI and correlated with the infarct volumes measured histologically or by T2-weighted MRI. The 24 h levels were associated with white matter volume loss quantified by MBP immunostaining and luxol fast blue staining. The animals with higher serum 24S-HC at 6 h and 24 h corresponded to those with more severe motor and cognitive deficits at 35-40 days after HI. These data suggest that 24S-HC could be a novel and early blood biomarker for severity of neonatal HI brain damage and associated functional impairments.
Sonic hedgehog is expressed in human brain arteriovenous malformations and induces arteriovenous malformations in vivo
Authors: Giarretta Igor , Sturiale Carmelo L , Gatto Ilaria , Pacioni Simone , Gaetani Eleonora , Porfidia Angelo , Puca Alfredo , Palucci Ivana , Tondi Paolo , Olivi Alessandro , Pallini Roberto , Pola Roberto
Published: March 2020

Abnormalities in arterial versus venous endothelial cell identity and dysregulation of angiogenesis are deemed important in the pathophysiology of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). The Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway is crucial for both angiogenesis and arterial versus venous differentiation of endothelial cells, through its dual role on the vascular endothelial growth factor/Notch signaling and the nuclear orphan receptor COUP-TFII. In this study, we show that Shh, Gli1 (the main transcription factor of the Shh pathway), and COUP-TFII (a target of the non-canonical Shh pathway) are aberrantly expressed in human brain AVMs. We also show that implantation of pellets containing Shh in the cornea of Efnb2/LacZ mice induces growth of distinct arteries and veins, interconnected by complex sets of arteriovenous shunts, without an interposed capillary bed, as seen in AVMs. We also demonstrate that injection in the rat brain of a plasmid containing the human Shh gene induces the growth of tangles of tortuous and dilated vessels, in part positive and in part negative for the arterial marker αSMA, with direct connections between αSMA-positive and -negative vessels. In summary, we show that the Shh pathway is active in human brain AVMs and that Shh-induced angiogenesis has characteristics reminiscent of those seen in AVMs in humans.
Driver Takeover Performance and Monitoring Behavior with Driving Automation at System-Limit versus System-Malfunction Failures
Authors: DeGuzman Chelsea A. , Hopkins Samantha A. , Donmez Birsen
Published: March 2020

Today’s vehicles are becoming highly automated, however, if the automation fails, drivers must take over control of the vehicle. Automation may fail as a result of known system limits (system-limit failure) or of malfunctions that are unforeseen by system designers (system-malfunction failure). The aim of this research was to quantify the differences between how these two failure types influence driver takeover performance and monitoring behaviors. In a simulator with SAE Level 2 driving automation, 18 drivers experienced both a system-limit and system-malfunction failure while engaging in a secondary task. Results show that drivers put their hands on the wheel 0.62 s sooner and took over 0.51 s faster for the system-limit failure compared with the system-malfunction failure. Eye tracking data revealed that the percent of time looking at the secondary task display was 12.7% lower and the percent of time looking at the roadway was 11.2% higher before the system-limit failure compared with before the system-malfunction failure. Given that takeover performance and monitoring behavior differ significantly based on failure type, a distinction should be made in the literature between system-limit and system-malfunction failures, and comparisons between previous studies using these failures should not be done without considering this distinction. Furthermore, as SAE Level 2 vehicles are currently available to consumers, efforts should be focused on supporting drivers’ mental models of automated systems, so that drivers are able to successfully predict system-limit failures.
Analysis of Scapular Kinematics and Muscle Activity by Use of Fine-Wire Electrodes During Shoulder Exercises
Authors: Berckmans Kelly , Castelein Birgit , Borms Dorien , Palmans Tanneke , Parlevliet Thierry , Cools Ann
Published: March 2020

Background:

During nonoperative or postoperative rehabilitation after sports injuries, exercise selection is often based on minimal load on the injured/repaired glenohumeral structures, while optimally activating scapulothoracic muscles. Previous research explored scapular muscle activity during rehabilitation exercises using surface electromyography (EMG). However, limited information exists about the deeper lying muscle activity, measured with fine-wire electrodes, even more in combination with 3-dimensional scapular kinematics.

Purpose:

To report scapular kinematics synchronously with surface and fine-wire EMG during specific shoulder exercises for early rehabilitation.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 23 healthy male patients were recruited. Three-dimensional scapular kinematics were measured combined with EMG recording of 8 muscles during 4 commonly used shoulder exercises (inferior glide, low row, lawnmower, and robbery). Upper (UT), middle (MT), and lower (LT) trapezius and serratus anterior muscle activities were measured with bipolar surface electrodes. Intramuscular electrodes were placed in the levator scapulae (LS), rhomboid major (RM), pectoralis minor (Pm), and infraspinatus (IS) muscles. All data were normalized as a percentage of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). A linear mixed model with Bonferroni correction was applied for statistical analysis.

Results:

Scapular kinematics revealed an anterior tilt position during the inferior glide, low row, and robbery ( P < .05). An upward rotation position between 20° and 30° was reached in all exercises except low row. Inferior glide (31°) and low row (42°) represented a significantly increased internal rotation position compared with lawnmower and robbery. Lawnmower and robbery showed significantly ( P < .05) more MT (lawnmower, 36% MVIC; robbery, 39% MVIC) and RM (lawnmower, 59% MVIC; robbery, 66% MVIC) activation compared with inferior glide and low row. Lawnmower and robbery showed significantly ( P < .05) less Pm activation (9.5%-12% MVIC). LS was significantly more active during robbery (58% MVIC) compared with inferior glide and low row (27%-36% MVIC) ( P < .05). IS showed moderate activity (24%-37% MVIC) for all exercises, except low row (13% MVIC).

Conclusion/Clinical Relevance:

This study provides new insights about scapular positions and activation of the deeper layer muscles during 4 commonly used shoulder rehabilitation exercises. The lawnmower showed a favorable position of the scapula with less Pm activity in contrast to the low row. The inferior glide, lawnmower, and robbery should not be implemented in early phases of shoulder rehabilitation because of their moderate muscle activity.
Child Dietary Diversity and Associated Factors Among Children in Somalian IDP Camps
Authors: Di Marcantonio Federica , Custodio Estefania , Abukar Yusuf
Published: March 2020

Background:

Malnutrition and food insecurity are major challenges in Somalia, particularly among small children living in internally displaced person (IDP) camps. Poor diet has been identified as a key driver of malnutrition in young children who depend for their diets on their household’s socioeconomic standing and access to food, as well as on the family’s caring and feeding practices.

Objective:

To assess the dietary diversity and identify the factors associated with it among children (6-23 months) in Somalian IDP camps.

Methods:

We used a cross-sectional survey conducted in 11 IDP camps in Somalia in June 2014 and in June 2015. A total of 3188 children aged 6 to 23 months were surveyed. Child diets were assessed using food frequency questionnaires, and dietary diversity was categorized using the minimum child dietary diversity (MDDC) indicator. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify the factors associated with the children’s dietary diversity. We built and compared 2 models using alternatively the household dietary diversity score (HDDS) and the food consumption score (FCS) as food security proxies.

Results:

Around 15% of children in IDP camps reached the minimum dietary diversity. Overall, our results confirm that not only are food security proxies the factors most associated with MDDC, but HDDS performs better than FCS. In addition, results identify that women as key decision-maker in the household, duration of household permanence in the settlement, women’s physiological status, frequency of milk feeding to child, type of toilet, and measles vaccination are positively associated with MDDC.

Conclusions:

To improve child dietary diversity in IDP camps, food security interventions should be broadened to include female empowerment and inclusive nutrition education (encouraging male participation) programs, as well as initiatives targeting children who do not live with pregnant or lactating women and that can support families beyond the first months after their arrival.
Confirming the Factor Structure of a Research-Based Mid-Semester Evaluation of College Teaching
Authors: Donlan Alice E. , Byrne Virginia L.
Published: March 2020

End-of-semester evaluations provide scalable data for university administrators, but typically do not provide instructors with timely feedback to inform their teaching practices. Midsemester evaluations have the potential to provide instructors with beneficial formative feedback that can contribute to improved teaching practices and student engagement. However, existing research on the construction of valid, reliable midsemester tools is rare, and there are no existing midsemester evaluation scales that were constructed using education research and psychometric analysis. To address this gap, we designed and piloted a midsemester evaluation of teaching with 29 instructors and 1,350 undergraduate students. We found evidence that our Mid-Semester Evaluation of College Teaching (MSECT) is a valid and reliable measure of four constructs of effective teaching: classroom climate, content, teaching practices, and assessment. Furthermore, our factor structure remained consistent across instructor genders, providing evidence that the MSECT may be less susceptible to gender bias than prior student evaluation measures.
Precrisis military hostility and escalation in international crises
Authors: Levin-Banchik Luba
Published: March 2020

Why do some international crises escalate into violence while others do not? I argue that an understanding of crisis behavior necessitates awareness of the processes preceding a crisis and propose two mechanisms that link precrisis hostility with crisis violence. The population fatigue mechanism suggests that precrisis hostility interrupts the everyday life of a population, strengthening its demand for a harsher response. If leaders behave with restraint during a crisis and after the crisis hostilities resume, leaders risk facing greater dissatisfaction from their now even more fatigued population. The baseline for resolve mechanism suggests that if states are actively hostile before a crisis, they must maintain hostility during a crisis to credibly demonstrate resolve. Findings on international crises between 1918 and 2010 support the interphase relationship: a crisis escalation is significantly more likely after a hostile precrisis period. The behavior of opponents can indicate how crises might unfold even before they begin.