bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘We should assess the students in more authentic situations’
Authors: Backman Erik , Pearson Phil
Published: June 2015

The question of what knowledge a student of Physical Education (PE) needs to develop during PE teacher education (PETE) was recently discussed. One form of knowledge is the movement practices that students must meet during their education. Given the limited time, a delicate matter is whether to prioritize movement knowledge and consider it as subject matter knowledge (e.g. performance of the freestyle stroke) or as pedagogical content knowledge (e.g. teaching how to perform the freestyle stroke). The aim is to investigate Swedish PE teacher educators’ views on the meaning of movement skills for future PE teachers and to analyse the learning cultures made visible in the ways the meaning of movement is expressed. We conducted interviews with 12 teacher-educators and collected documents with tasks for assessment from five PETE universities in Sweden. Inspired by Bourdieu’s field metaphor, and particularly its use by Hodkinson et al. on learning cultures, we then analysed the collected material. In the results, different views on the meaning of movement skills are made visible. The PE teacher can be seen as an instructor, as well as a facilitator of movements. Movement skills can be seen as essential for a teacher in PE, as well as valuable but not essential. Movement quality can also be viewed as universal, as well as contextual. Swedish teacher educators in PE appear to ascribe value to all the positions made visible in this study. These results are discussed from the perspectives of epistemology, assessment and learning cultures.
When teaching gets tough – Professional community inhibitors of teacher-targeted bullying and turnover intentions
Authors: Pyhältö Kirsi , Pietarinen Janne , Soini Tiina
Published: June 2015

Bullying in school has become an international concern in recent decades. Yet, we know surprisingly little about inhibitors of teacher-targeted bullying. The study focused on exploring the interrelation between the teacher–working environment fit, bullying, experienced exhaustion and turnover intentions. Altogether 2310 comprehensive school teachers completed the professional agency survey. The analysis was carried out using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results confirmed that the teacher–working environment fit, that is, receiving collegial support and acknowledgement, combined with a positive professional climate and ability to solve problems constructively, can function as inhibitors of both teacher-targeted bullying and exhaustion. Also, a modest reciprocal relationship between bullying and experienced exhaustion was detected. The study further showed exhaustion and bullying to be significant determinants of teacher turnover.
Economic nationalism and the cultural politics of consumption under austerity: The rise of ethnocentric consumption in Greece
Authors: Lekakis Eleftheria J.
Published: June 2015

By nuancing the politics of consumption in the context of austerity, this article highlights the rise of economic nationalism and the reconfiguration of consumer cultures at the aftermath of the global financial crisis. As it argues, in the context of Greece, three types of consumer culture have manifested; these are evoking consumption as resilience, resistance or reinforcement. This work focuses on the latter through the phenomenon of ethnocentric consumption, which is part and parcel of economic nationalism. Economic nationalism can be explored through promotion of ethnocentric consumption and is demonstrable both in the inception and constitution of nation states, but also in times of crisis. This article critically appraises ethnocentric consumption as consumption based on ethnocentric criteria (natural resources, ownership, production, manufacturing, distribution and labour force). In the context of the crisis in Greece, economic nationalism has become manifest as a solution to the national economy. The specific case chosen is a citizens’ movement and its campaign for the promotion of ethnocentric consumption. A close examination of the campaign (We Consume What We Produce) reveals the historical alignment of the state’s and citizens’ economic interests, the reverberation of state narrative from the 1980s and exclusionary nationalism which is also used by fascists. Campaigns for ethnocentric consumption limit the creativity of consumer politics. First, this phenomena appears to be an alternative vehicle for political parties. Second, it is tied around a normative narrative of economic recovery, which is particularly mythological. Third, its overall target is to maximise competitiveness on a global scale, and finally, it demonstrates a densely dangerous relationship with economic nationalism. Yet, it is important to situate this phenomenon within the context of consumer cultures under austerity, especially as more creative modalities of social economy initiatives by grassroots groups have been re-socialising the market.
Correlation of ACE gene deletion/insertion polymorphism and risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension: a meta-analysis based on 10,236 subjects
Authors: Miao Hai-Wei , Gong Hui
Published: June 2015

Objectives:

To clarify the association of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene deletion/insertion polymorphism with risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Methods:

We systematically searched China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, Chongqing WeiPu database and PubMed up to March 2014 to collect related case–control studies. RevMan 5.0 software was used for meta-analysis after evaluating the quality of enrolled studies and extracting the data.

Results:

A total of 45 case–control studies was selected, including 10,236 subjects. The meta-analysis was assessed by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after genotype consolidation. In total, D allele vs I allele: OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.33–1.86; genotype DD vs genotype II + DI: OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.48–2.32; genotype II vs genotype DI + DD: OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.53–0.80. In the Asian population, D allele vs I allele: OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.36–2.38; genotype DD vs genotype II + DI: OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.53–3.30; genotype II vs genotype DI + DD: OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.41–0.76. In the Caucasian population, D allele vs. I allele: OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.08–1.44; genotype DD vs. genotype II + DI: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.10–1.41; genotype II vs. genotype DI + DD: OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.83–1.11.

Conclusion:

The ACE gene insertion/deletion polymorphism is associated with the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension.
Thinning-based models in the analysis of integer-valued time series: a review
Authors: Scotto Manuel G. , Weiß Christian H. , Gouveia Sónia
Published: June 2015

This article aims at providing a comprehensive survey of recent developments in the field of integer-valued time series modelling, paying particular attention to models obtained as discrete counterparts of conventional autoregressive moving average and bilinear models, and based on the concept of thinning. Such models have proven to be useful in the analysis of many real-world applications ranging from economy and finance to medicine. We review the literature of the most relevant thinning operators proposed in the analysis of univariate and multivariate integer-valued time series with either finite or infinite support. Finally, we also outline and discuss possible directions of future research.
Is tertiary education expansion observable in private returns to education? (Evidence for Middle and Eastern European Countries)
Authors: Štefánik Miroslav , Horvát Peter
Published: June 2015

This article provides evidence about differences in the recent tertiary education expansion in Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Focusing on these differences, we have examined private returns to tertiary education acquired before and after the tertiary education expansion. We compare these returns as follows: Austria with Germany and then the Czech Republic with Poland and Slovakia. Estimating private returns to education by applying the Mincerian (Mincer, 1974) approach on European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions micro data (EU-SILC, n.d.), we show the differences that arise concerning the evaluation of tertiary education in the labour markets of these countries. While in Austria and Germany a more recent tertiary education is related to higher private returns, this is not the case in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia where a declining trend towards private returns in more recent tertiary education is observable.
Is there any association between cognitive status and functional capacity during exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
Authors: Ozyemisci-Taskiran Ozden , Bozkurt Sinem Ozcan , Kokturk Nurdan , Karatas Gulcin Kaymak
Published: June 2015

The aim of this study is to screen the cognitive function during exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and investigate whether there is any association between cognitive function and functional impairment, disease severity, or other clinical parameters. Age and sex-matched 133 subjects with COPD exacerbation, 34 stable COPD subjects, and 34 non-COPD subjects were enrolled in this study. For the purpose of this study, mini–mental state examination (MMSE) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale were performed. Six-minute walk distance (6MWD) was recorded, and BODE index was calculated. COPD subjects with exacerbation had the lowest MMSE scores ( p = 0.022). Frequency of subjects with MMSE score lower than 24 is 22.6, 8.8, and 8.8% in the COPD subjects with exacerbation, stable COPD, and non-COPD control subjects, respectively. The COPD subjects with exacerbation who had MMSE scores lower than 24 were older and less educated. Subjects with COPD exacerbation had shorter 6MWD than that of stable COPD and non-COPD subjects. After controlling for the impact of age and educational level on MMSE, there was no association between 6MWD and MMSE scores in subjects with COPD exacerbation. Cognitive impairment is an important comorbidity during COPD exacerbation. Functional capacity is also lower in exacerbation. However, no association was found between cognitive impairment and functional capacity during exacerbation.
Abnormality of Auditory Mismatch Negativity in Depression and Its Dependence on Stimulus Intensity
Authors: Restuccia Domenico , Vollono Catello , Scaloni Lorenzo , Buccelletti Francesco , Camardese Giovanni
Published: June 2015

Mismatch negativity (MMN) is thought to reveal several abnormalities of cognitive functioning. Although depression often affects cognitive functioning, previous studies concerning MMN in depressed patients provided conflicting results. In recent reports, it has been suggested that depressed patients may show abnormal auditory response to regular auditory stimuli presented with at a relatively high intensity. We thus recorded acoustic MMN in 16 drug-free patients suffering from moderate depression and in 10 healthy subjects at 2 different stimulus intensities. Differences in MMN latency and amplitude between depressed patients and healthy subjects reached the significance level only for high intensity stimulation, and they were consistent with a dysfunction of frontal MMN subcomponents in depressed patients. This finding suggests that consistent MMN abnormalities can be observed in depressed patients by using high-intensity stimulation; moreover, it supports the hypothesis of disturbances of frontal networks in depression even in early stages of disease.
Bioinformatics analysis of transcription profiling of sepsis
Authors: Wu Yanfeng , Xia Peng , Zheng Changjun
Published: June 2015

Sepsis is a fatal whole-body inflammatory response that complicates a serious infection. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of sepsis, transcription profile data of GSE12624 which included a total of 70 samples (34 sepsis samples and 36 non-sepsis samples) was downloaded. The t test based on Bayes method in limma package was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between sepsis and non-sepsis samples (criterion: P value <0.05). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was conducted to investigate the biological processes involved DEGs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and sub-network analysis were conducted to investigate the interactions between DEGs. A total of 894 DEGs, including 479 downregulated DEGs and 415 upregulated DEGs, were identified in sepsis samples comparing with non-sepsis samples. GO enrichment analysis showed that DEGs mainly involved in cellular metabolic process, primary metabolic process, and response to organic cyclic compound. In the PPI network, four genes of CDC2, GTF2F2, PCNA, and SMAD4 with degrees more than 10 were identified. Subsequently, four sub-networks, in which genes of PTBP1, PSMA3, PSMA6, PSMB9, PSMB10, and GADD45 had relative high degrees were identified from the PPI network. After the discussion referring to previous studies, we suggested that CDC2, GTF2F2, PCNA, SMAD4 PSMA3, PTBP1, and GADD45 might be used as new therapeutic targets for sepsis. However, experiments should be further performed to prove the practical utility of these candidates.
Thought bite: A case study of the social construction of a crime and justice concept
Authors: Surette Ray
Published: June 2015

The social construction of copycat crime exhibits a process in which a new criminological meme developed first as a media construct and subsequently as a criminological concept. How common the sequence where criminologists follow the media in the construction of crime and justice reality is unknown. The examination of the social construction of copycat crime suggested that the media create a new crime and justice construct through increased usage and modification of either newly minted or previously existing phrases that are disseminated as new crime and justice memes. In the case of copycat crime, media usage and public acceptance foreshadowed criminologists’ use of the phrase. A multi-step social construction process is hypothesized. A new construct becomes established and accepted in the public lexicon and popular media content; criminology researchers and practitioners note the increased public interest; renamed and reinvigorated research follows, and successful constructs become validated crime and justice phenomena. Employing the social construction history of copycat crime as a case study, this article details the social construction activities in the public and media spheres that created receptive environments for a unique new criminological construct to be developed. Traced from the inception of its component parts to its birth and adoption, the social construction of “copycat crime” demonstrates a useful methodology for the study of other crime and justice constructions and suggests that the relationship between criminology and the media regarding the social construction of crime and justice be further explored.
Ultrasound of lower limb sports injuries
Authors: Purohit Neeraj B , King Leonard J
Published: June 2015

Musculoskeletal ultrasound utilises high-frequency linear transducers to produce high-resolution images of soft tissue structures. It is an increasingly useful tool in the assessment of both acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries; it is relatively cheap, portable and can be used to facilitate targeted injections. In this review paper, we aim to provide a summary on the normal and abnormal appearances of skeletal tissue in the setting of acute and chronic lower limb sporting injuries.
Restless leg syndrome in pregnancy
Authors: Grover Aarti , Clark-Bilodeau Courtney , D’Ambrosio Carolyn M
Published: June 2015

Restless leg syndrome, more recently renamed Willis-Ekbom disease, is a condition that disrupts sleep and occurs more frequently in the pregnant population. We present a 39-year-old woman with restless legs syndrome in the third trimester and discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology and therapeutic options in the pregnant population while highlighting the challenges posed by the lack of safety data of approved drugs.
The validity and reliability of attending evaluations of medicine residents
Authors: Jackson Jeffrey L , Kay Cynthia , Frank Michael
Published: June 2015

Objectives:

To assess the reliability and validity of faculty evaluations of medicine residents.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study (2004–2012) involving 228 internal medicine residency graduates at the Medical College of Wisconsin who were evaluated by 334 attendings. Measures included evaluations of residents by attendings, based on six competencies and interns and residents’ performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine certification exam and annual in-service training examination. All residents had at least one in-service training examination result and 80% allowed the American Board of Internal Medicine to release their scores.

Results:

Attending evaluations had good consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.96). There was poor construct validity with modest inter-rater reliability and evidence that attendings were rating residents on a single factor rather than the six competencies intended to be measured. There was poor predictive validity as attending ratings correlated weakly with performance on the in-service training examination or American Board of Internal Medicine certification exam.

Conclusion:

We conclude that attending evaluations are poor measures for assessing progress toward competency. It may be time to move beyond evaluations that rely on global, end-of-rotation appraisals.
Fatal persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and vascular graft infections complicated with the formation of multiple abscesses despite aggressive medical therapy
Authors: Shiba Mikio , Yanai Mitsuru , Maeda Hideaki , Shiono Motomi
Published: June 2015

A 40-year-old man underwent ascending aorta replacement for an acute type A aortic dissection. After the operations, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was identified in sputum and blood cultures. Although anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus drugs were administered, most of the intermittent blood cultures remained positive. The focus of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection was not evident in the early stages, and no specific symptoms such as abscess or endocarditis were observed. However, abscesses in the brain, mediastinum and spleen were found 3 years after the operation. The minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin gradually increased from 1 to 4 µg/mL during the course of treatment. This case provides evidence for a potential role of combination therapy.
An Observation of the Correlation Between ACEI and ARB Medications and Chronic Pain Medication Utilization in a Community Pharmacy
Authors: Babcock Charles , Gresham Chelsea
Published: June 2015

Background. Bradykinin has shown to affect pain hypersensitivity via reducing the pain threshold when it binds to bradykinin B1 receptors. Bradykinin B1 receptors are upregulated following tissue injury. Thus, any mechanism causing an increase in bradykinin could escalate pain perception. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) increase bradykinin by blocking the ACE enzyme from inactivating bradykinin. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) do not increase bradykinin as much and may not make patients as susceptible to chronic pain by the described expected mechanism. Objective. This analysis observed retrospective data from a single community pharmacy to determine if there was a difference between patient groups who chronically used ACEIs and ARBs regarding their use of chronic pain medications. Methods. Reports were generated containing all prescription fills of ACEIs and ARBs during the 18-month period and length of therapy was determined from that report per patient. The patients meeting the length of therapy requirements were assessed for pain medication usage to determine presence and length of pain medication therapy. Results. The percentage of patients filling chronic pain medications among chronic ACEI patients was 3.99% higher than chronic ARB patients. This was not statistically different. Other evaluated group differences were not statistically significant.
Antiretroviral Drug Exposures Reported to Texas Poison Centers
Authors: Forrester Mathias B.
Published: June 2015

Background. A number of different antiretroviral drugs are used to manage patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Objective. This study describes antiretroviral drug exposures reported to a large statewide poison center system. Methods. Cases were all antiretroviral drug exposures reported to the Texas Poison Center Network during 2000 to 2014. The distribution of cases was determined for various demographic and clinical factors. Results. Of a total of 632 exposures, the most commonly reported drugs were emtricitabine–tenofovir combination (17.1%), efavirenz–emtricitabine–tenofovir combination (13.8%), ritonavir (10.9%), lamivudine–zidovudine combination (10.3%), and efavirenz (10.1%). The annual number of antiretroviral drug exposures increased from 34 in 2000 to 67 in 2014. Males comprised 67.9% of the patients; 72.2% were 20 years or older. The exposures were 58.5% unintentional and 37.5% intentional. Only antiretroviral drugs were reported in 440 of the exposures. Of these exposures, 62.5% were managed on site, 28.0% were already at or en route to a health care facility when the poison center was contacted, and 8.6% were referred to a health care facility. The exposures were not serious in 88.7% of these cases. The most frequently reported adverse clinical effects were vomiting (5.7%), nausea (4.8%), dizziness/vertigo (3.2%), and drowsiness/lethargy (3.2%). Conclusions. The most commonly reported antiretroviral drugs were emtricitabine–tenofovir combination and efavirenz–emtricitabine–tenofovir combination. The patients were most likely to be adults and males. The exposures tended to be unintentional. Of those exposures involving only antiretroviral drugs, the majority of the exposures were not serious and could be managed outside of a health care facility.
Common variants of NFE2L2 gene predisposes to acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with severe sepsis
Authors: Acosta-Herrera Marialbert , Pino-Yanes Maria , Blanco Jesús , Ballesteros Juan Carlos , Ambrós Alfonso , Corrales Almudena , Gandía Francisco , Subirá Carlés , Domínguez David , Baluja Aurora , Añón José Manuel , Adalia Ramón , Pérez-Méndez Lina , Flores Carlos , Villar Jesus ,   for the GRECIA and GEN-SEP networks
Published: June 2015

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether common variants across the nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2) gene contribute to the development of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with severe sepsis. NFE2L2 is involved in the response to oxidative stress, and it has been shown to be associated with the development of ARDS in trauma patients.

Methods

We performed a case–control study of 321 patients fulfilling international criteria for severe sepsis and ARDS who were admitted to a Spanish network of post-surgical and critical care units, as well as 871 population-based controls. Six tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NFE2L2 were genotyped, and, after further imputation of additional 34 SNPs, association testing with ARDS susceptibility was conducted using logistic regression analysis.

Results

After multiple testing adjustments, our analysis revealed 10 non-coding SNPs in tight linkage disequilibrium (0.75 ≤ r2 ≤ 1) that were associated with ARDS susceptibility as a single association signal. One of those SNPs (rs672961) was previously associated with trauma-induced ARDS and modified the promoter activity of the NFE2L2 gene, showing an odds ratio of 1.93 per T allele (95 % confidence interval, 1.17–3.18; p = 0.0089).

Conclusions

Our findings support the involvement of NFE2L2 gene variants in ARDS susceptibility and reinforce further exploration of the role of oxidant stress response as a risk factor for ARDS in critically ill patients.
DNA methylation regulates sclerostin (SOST) expression in osteoarthritic chondrocytes by bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) induced changes in Smads binding affinity to the CpG region of SOST promoter
Authors: Papathanasiou Ioanna , Kostopoulou Fotini , Malizos Konstantinos N. , Tsezou Aspasia
Published: June 2015

Introduction

Sclerostin (SOST), a soluble antagonist of Wnt signaling, is expressed in chondrocytes and contributes to chondrocytes’ hypertrophic differentiation; however its role in osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis is not well known. Based on our previous findings on the interaction between Wnt/β-catenin pathway and BMP-2 in OA, we aimed to investigate the role of DNA methylation and BMP-2 on SOST’s expression in OA chondrocytes.

Methods

SOST mRNA and protein expression levels were investigated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot, respectively. The methylation status of SOST promoter was analysed using methylation-specific PCR (MSP), quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) and bisulfite sequencing analysis. The effect of BMP-2 and 5’-Aza-2-deoxycytidine (5-AzadC) on SOST’s expression levels were investigated and Smad1/5/8 binding to SOST promoter was assessed by Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChΙP).

Results

We observed that SOST’s expression was upregulated in OA chondrocytes compared to normal. Moreover, we found that the CpG region of SOST promoter was hypomethylated in OA chondrocytes and 5-AzadC treatment in normal chondrocytes resulted in decreased SOST methylation, whereas its expression was upregulated. BMP-2 treatment in 5-AzadC-treated normal chondrocytes resulted in SOST upregulation, which was mediated through Smad 1/5/8 binding on the CpG region of SOST promoter.

Conclusions

We report novel findings that DNA methylation regulates SOST’s expression in OA, by changing Smad 1/5/8 binding affinity to SOST promoter, providing evidence that changes in DNA methylation pattern could underlie changes in genes’ expression observed in OA.
The sensitivity of present-time electricity demand on past climate change: a case study for Italy
Authors: Scapin Simone , Apadula Francesco , Brunetti Michele , Maugeri Maurizio
Published: June 2015

A methodology for estimating secular daily minimum, mean and maximum (Tn, Tm and Tx) temperature records for any urbanised point of a 30-arc-second-resolution grid covering Italy is presented. It is based on the superimposition of 1961–1990 climatologies and departures from them (anomalies). The anomalies are obtained by applying inverse distance weighting to 143 Italian high-quality records, whereas the climatologies are based on a larger dataset and on the application of local weighted linear regression of temperature versus elevation.

The grid-point Tn, Tm and Tx records are then used to set up secular records (period 1801–2013) of temperature-derived variables that influence Italy present-time national electricity demand. They are national averages over Italian urbanised areas of cooling degree-days (CDD), heating degree-days (HDD) and solar radiation deficit with respect to a defined threshold (S), with solar radiation estimated using daily temperature range as a proxy.

The monthly and yearly sums of the daily CDD, HDD and S records are then used, alongside with a model allowing to link these variables to present-time Italy electricity demand, in order to understand the impact of climate variability and change on present-time Italian electricity demand. We find that temperature changes as the ones observed in the last two centuries are capable of altering significantly the present-time monthly profile of the electricity demand, raising (lowering) summer (winter) months contributions. The impact is higher in summer months where it exceeds 5 % of present-time Italy average monthly electricity demand, whereas the decrease of the winter demand is rather low because of a very limited use of electricity for heating. The summer and winter opposite-sign changes result globally in an increase of the yearly demand of about 5 TWh, corresponding to about 1.5-2.0 % of present-time Italy yearly electricity demand.
The research on the formation mechanism of extraordinary oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle in hibernating ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus)
Authors: Jiang Shanfeng , Gao Yunfang , Zhang Yangmei , Liu Kun , Wang Huiping , Goswami Nandu
Published: June 2015

Background

Previous studies indicate that hibernating animals, under conditions of torpor for long periods, show an increased oxidative muscle fibers (type I) ratio and a decreased glycolytic muscle fibers (type II) ratio in skeletal muscle and accompanied by extraordinary oxidative ability. This observation is completely contrasted with non-hibernators, which show a shift of oxidative muscle fibers (type I) to glycolytic muscle fibers (type II). Presently, the mechanisms by which these changes occur remain unclear. To investigate the mechanism of high oxidative capacity of the skeletal muscles in hibernating ground squirrels, capillary density (CD), and capillary/fiber (C/F) were measured by immunohistochemistry. mRNA expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined using real-time quantitative PCR assay. Spectrophotometry was applied to determine the activities of hexokinase (PK), pyruvate kinase (HK), and cytochrome c oxidase (CcO).

Results

In the soleus muscle (SOL), mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF in torpor became slightly lower but were not statistically significant; they were, however, significantly higher in the arousal group. In hibernating animals, no significant change occurred in CD but C/F increased by 15 %. CcO showed the highest activity in torpor. There were no significant differences in the activities of HK and PK between the torpid animals and summer active animals in SOL. However, PK activity increased by 34 % after hibernation.

Conclusions

Oxidative capacity may be ensured by an increase of capillary supply of skeletal muscle in hibernating animals.
Defining the phenotype of neutrophils following reverse migration in zebrafish
Authors: Ellett Felix , Elks Philip M , Robertson Anne L , Ogryzko Nikolay V , Renshaw Stephen A
Published: June 2015

Stimulation of neutrophil reverse migration presents an attractive, alternative therapeutic pathway to driving inflammation resolution. However, little is known about whether the activity of wound-experienced neutrophils is altered and whether encouraging dispersal of such neutrophils back into the body may have undesirable consequences. This study used a zebrafish tail transection inflammation model, in combination with a photoconvertible neutrophil transgenic line, to allow internally controlled, simultaneous comparison of reverse-migrated neutrophils with naïve neutrophils in the presence and absence of secondary insult. Detailed microscopy revealed that reverse-migrated neutrophils exhibited an activated morphology but responded normally to secondary insult and are able to mount an effective antimicrobial response to Staphylococcus aureus. These results support a model in which reverse-migrated neutrophils exhibit no long-term behavioral alterations and encourage the notion of enhanced reverse migration as a viable target for pharmaceutical manipulation.
Quantification of regenerative potential in primary human mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Linnemann Jelena R. , Miura Haruko , Meixner Lisa K. , Irmler Martin , Kloos Uwe J. , Hirschi Benjamin , Bartsch Harald S. , Sass Steffen , Beckers Johannes , Theis Fabian J. , Gabka Christian , Sotlar Karl , Scheel Christina H.
Published: June 2015

We present an organoid regeneration assay in which freshly isolated human mammary epithelial cells are cultured in adherent or floating collagen gels, corresponding to a rigid or compliant matrix environment. In both conditions, luminal progenitors form spheres, whereas basal cells generate branched ductal structures. In compliant but not rigid collagen gels, branching ducts form alveoli at their tips, express basal and luminal markers at correct positions, and display contractility, which is required for alveologenesis. Thereby, branched structures generated in compliant collagen gels resemble terminal ductal-lobular units (TDLUs), the functional units of the mammary gland. Using the membrane metallo-endopeptidase CD10 as a surface marker enriches for TDLU formation and reveals the presence of stromal cells within the CD49fhi/EpCAM− population. In summary, we describe a defined in vitro assay system to quantify cells with regenerative potential and systematically investigate their interaction with the physical environment at distinct steps of morphogenesis.
Alternate routes to the cell surface underpin insulin-regulated membrane trafficking of GLUT4
Authors: Kioumourtzoglou Dimitrios , Pryor Paul R. , Gould Gwyn W. , Bryant Nia J.
Published: June 2015

Insulin-stimulated delivery of glucose transporters (GLUT4) from specialized intracellular GLUT4 storage vesicles (GSVs) to the surface of fat and muscle cells is central to whole-body glucose. This translocation and subsequent internalization of GLUT4 back into intracellular stores transits numerous small membrane-bound compartments (internal GLUT4-containing vesicles; IGVs) including GSVs, but the function of these different compartments is not clear. Cellugyrin and sortilin define distinct populations of IGV; sortilin-positive IGVs represent GSVs, but the function of cellugyrin-containing IGVs is unknown. Here we demonstrate a role for cellugyrin in intracellular sequestration of GLUT4 in HeLa cells and have used a proximity ligation assay to follow changes in pairwise associations between cellugyrin, sortilin, GLUT4 and membrane trafficking machinery following insulin-stimulation of 3T3-L1 adipoctyes. Our data suggest that insulin stimulates traffic from cellugyrin- to sortilin- membranes, and that cellugyrin-IGVs provide an insulin-sensitive reservoir to replenish GSVs following insulin-stimulated exocytosis of GLUT4. Furthermore, our data support the existence of a pathway from cellugyrin-membranes to the surface of 3T3-L1 adipocytes that bypasses GSVs under basal conditions, and that insulin diverts traffic away from this into GSVs.
Shiga toxin stimulates clathrin-independent endocytosis of VAMP2/3/8 SNARE proteins
Authors: Renard Henri-François , Garcia-Castillo Maria Daniela , Chambon Valérie , Lamaze Christophe , Johannes Ludger
Published: June 2015

Endocytosis is an essential cellular process that is often hijacked by pathogens and pathogenic products. Endocytic processes can be classified into two broad categories, dependent or not on clathrin. The SNARE proteins VAMP2, 3 and 8 are internalized in a clathrin-dependent manner. Yet, the full scope of their endocytic behavior has not yet been elucidated. Here, we found that VAMP2, 3, and 8 are localized on plasma membrane invaginations and very early uptake structures that are induced by the bacterial Shiga toxin, which enters cells by clathrin-independent endocytosis. We show that toxin trafficking into cells and cell intoxication rely on these SNARE proteins. Of note, the cellular uptake of VAMP2, 3, and 8 is increased in the presence of Shiga toxin, even when their clathrin-dependent endocytosis is blocked. We therefore conclude that VAMP2, 3, and 8 are removed from the plasma membrane via non-clathrin pathways, in addition to their clathrin-dependent uptake. Moreover, our study identifies these SNARE proteins as the first transmembrane trafficking factors that functionally associate at the plasma membrane with the toxin-driven clathrin-independent uptake process.
Molecular control of the Wee1 regulatory pathway by the SAD kinase Cdr2
Authors: Guzmán-Vendrell Mercè , Rincon Sergio A. , Dingli Florent , Loew Damarys , Paoletti Anne
Published: June 2015

Cell growth and division are tightly coordinated to maintain cell size constant during successive cell cycles. In S.pombe the SAD kinase Cdr2 regulates cell size at division and division plane positioning. Cdr2 forms nodes on the medial cortex containing an inhibitory pathway for Wee1, under the negative control of polar gradients of the DYRK kinase Pom1. This pathway involves the SAD kinase Cdr1, a direct inhibitor of Wee1. Cdr2 also interacts with the anillin Mid1 which defines the division plane, and with additional components of medial cortical node, including Blt1, which participate in their mitotic promoting and cytokinetic functions. We show that Cdr2 interaction with Wee1 and Mid1 requires Cdr2 UBA domain necessary for its kinase activity. In contrast, Cdr1 associates with Cdr2 C-terminus composed of basic and KA-1 lipid-binding domains. Mid1 also interacts with Cdr2 C-terminus and may bridge the N- and C-terminal domains while Blt1 associates with the central spacer region. We propose that the association of Cdr2 effectors with different domains may constrain Cdr1 and Wee1 spatially to promote Wee1 inhibition upon Cdr2 kinase activation.
Attention Duras
Authors: Caroline William
Published: June 2015

In 2015 The Centre Pompidou in Paris celebrated the centenary of Marguerite Duras’s birth with minimal means and quiet panache: an exhibit, “Duras Song,” occupied a corner of the Centre’s public library while a complete retrospective of all her films was shown in the Centre’s movie theatres. Both were well attended, and the films often sold out. This article recounts the author’s experiences with the exhibition vis-a-vis his engagement with Duras’s literary and film work within and beyond the context of the Centre Pompidou centenary.
Black Media Matters
Authors: Beckman Karen
Published: June 2015

On May 13, 1985, the City of Philadelphia bombed the home of the radical black organization MOVE that was founded by John Africa in 1972. The military-style attack killed 11 occupants of the house, including 5 children, and destroyed almost two square blocks of a residential neighborhood, rendering 250 men, women and children homeless. In the midst of both contemporary protests responding to excessive police violence against African Americans and the military’s use of drone airpower, “Black Media Matters” returns our attention to the 1987 documentary, The Bombing of Osage Avenue, produced and directed by Louis Massiah, written and narrated by Toni Cade Bambara. Drawing on the archives of both Massiah and Bambara, this essay explores the film as a model of a media response to black political protest, death and suffering that resists spectacularization and oversimplification, and instead fosters historical awareness and critical reflection.
Bernie Cook Reflects on Katrina Media at the Ten-Year Mark in FLOOD OF IMAGES: Media, Memory, and Hurricane Katrina
Authors: Longo Regina
Published: June 2015

An interview with scholar Bernie Cook discussing his newly published book FLOOD OF IMAGES: Media, Memory, and Hurricane Katrina. Readers of Film Quarterly are encouraged to visit filmquarterly.org to download a free chapter of Cook’s book.
Working Collaboratively to Improve Students’ Application of Critical Thinking to Information Literacy Skills
Authors: Refaei Brenda , Kumar Rita , Harmony Stephena
Published: June 2015

Students’ limited information literacy skills raise concerns among writing instructors and librarians alike. In order to improve students’ information literacy skills, a librarian and writing instructors at a two-year open-access college collaborated to design information literacy instruction and collected student work to evaluate its effectiveness with regard to students’ ability to find and evaluate sources. Our experience from our collaborative approach indicates that by using specifically designed instructional activities such as concept maps and research logs, students’ ability to think critically about their information literacy skills can be improved.
Graduate Student Writers
Authors: Grav Peter F. , Cayley Rachael
Published: June 2015

Genre analysis has become an important tool for teaching writing across the disciplines to non-native English-speaking (EL2) and native English-speaking (EL1) graduate students alike. Since the pressing needs of EL2 graduate students have meant that educators often teach them in separate classes, and since genre-based research into teaching higher-level writing has been largely generated in fields such as English for Academic Purposes, we have an insufficient understanding of whether this instructional mode plays out similarly in EL1 and EL2 classrooms. Launching a genre-based course on writing research articles in parallel sections for EL1 and EL2 graduate students provided an opportunity to address this knowledge shortfall. This article qualitatively examines the different classroom behaviors observed in each version of the course when a common curriculum was used and specifically explores three key themes: initial receptivity, nature of student engagement, and overall assessment. Our study shows that although EL2 and EL1 learners have similar needs, the obstacles to their benefitting from genre-based instruction are different; EL2 students must learn to identify themselves as needing writing support that transcends linguistic matters, while EL1 students must learn to identify themselves as needing writing support despite their linguistic competence. Providing the same mode of instruction can benefit both populations as long as educators are sensitive to the specific challenges each population presents in the classroom. The insights gained contribute to the scholarship on genre-based teaching and offer ways of better meeting the needs of EL1 and EL2 students alike.
Developing Academic Writing in Undergraduate Nursing
Authors: Murray Jacqueline Mary
Published: June 2015

This article outlines strategies that have been put in place in a nursing degree program with the aim of increasing student confidence regarding academic writing in the field of nursing. It introduces an embedded co-teaching approach and outlines how this approach is enacted in practice. Strategies are introduced, including class sessions, a three part multi-stage assignment, and the feedback systems being used. Issues identified in the literature with regard to academic writing in undergraduate study are discussed, and a case is put forward for the continued use of embedded discipline-specific classes for nursing and other students in higher education.
What Do They Mean?
Authors: Gennaro Kristen di
Published: June 2015

Writing scholars often note the heterogeneity of the second language (L2) student population in higher education writing courses, but only recently have researchers begun to carefully examine differences in the writing ability of international L2 learners and U.S. resident L2 learners. Most of the empirical research to date focuses on the two groups’ grammatical accuracy to the exclusion of other dimensions of writing ability. Such a limited focus not only underrepresents the multifaceted construct of writing ability, but also overlooks potential areas where noticeable differences across the two groups’ writing ability might surface. Although arguably less salient than grammatical (in)accuracy, and not as prevalent in scoring rubrics, students’ use of sociopragmatic features in writing offers an alternative approach for comparing the two groups of learners beyond their use of grammatical forms. Thus, the current study describes and compares how international and U.S. resident L2 learners used certain sociopragmatic markers in their writing. By focusing on the meanings associated with these markers, the study suggests that students’ use of such markers reflects their sociopragmatic awareness. Findings indicate that the two groups of writers may be more similar than different, contrary to previous research.
The Danger of Dyadic Thought
Authors: Fitz Gerald James M.
Published: June 2015

This essay is concerned with contemporary writing center and composition studies and focuses on including fiction in both the theory and practice of writing centers and classrooms. Stemming from contemporary theorists such as Andrea Lunsford and Min-zhan Lu, my work incorporates Sapphire’s (1996) novel, Push, so as to highlight the unique perspectives fiction can give as to how we approach teaching and tutoring students. Offering fiction as impacting both theory and practice – in its potential inclusion within tutor-training syllabi, for instance – I assert that fiction is an untapped resource for writing center and pedagogical studies that is often overlooked or cast aside. By also observing race and education theorists such as Laura Greenfield, Karen Rowan, and Victor Villanueva, my analysis of Sapphire’s work makes evident the potential for fiction to more thoroughly inform our approaches towards past, present, and future writing center and pedagogical studies.
The Art of Storytelling
Authors: Walwema Josephine
Published: June 2015

This article is based on the idea that there is latent storytelling already in proposals. It explores the various ways in which storytelling functions as a pedagogical model of teaching the writing of proposals in business and technical writing courses. The central premise is that stories, like proposals, are forms of discourse that place events sequentially from beginning to end with meaningful and graspable connections in between. Stories take (identified) audiences into account by being selective of events that are carefully rearranged and described through composites of scenarios and characters. This article explores those storytelling patterns in theory and in practice. It aims to enhance the perspective of teaching proposal writing by calling attention to a seemingly inconsequential or unrelated notion – storytelling.
Screencasting for Enhanced Teaching and Learning in Blended and Online Creative Writing Classes
Authors: Valeri Laura
Published: June 2015

Screencasting is a technology that enables the user to record screen activity on video while also capturing audio or video narration of the lecturer demonstrating that screen activity. This technology has improved over the years, and has now become streamlined enough to be integrated easily in popular learning platforms like Blackboard, Desire2Learn, and Moodle. The technology’s high usability factor and the varieties of screencasting software now available as open source makes screencasting appealing to writing instructors, not only as a means to improve teaching, but also as a tool for students to create and engage with multimedia texts that facilitate the acquisition of contemporary literacy skills. In the United States, the National Council of Teachers of English proposes that 21st century definitions of literacy must, among other things, include the ability of writers and readers to analyze, create, and interact with multimedia texts and to gain proficiency with the use of modern technologies. I argue that screencasting is a practical and creative technology that can be used for a variety of purposes: to address 21st century literacy requirements in writing classes, to improve teaching effectiveness in both online and “flipped classroom” learning, and to enhance the instructor’s social presence in online learning environments. I give examples from my own teaching experience using Camtasia and ScreenFlow software, as well as review some popular applications of screencasting technology currently in use in academic environments.