bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tafoni and honeycomb structures as indicators of ascending fluid flow and hypogene karstification
Authors: Klimchouk Alexander
Published: November 2017

Tafoni and honeycombs remain some of the most enigmatic and puzzling geomorphological phenomena. Their globally widespread occurrence across a wide range of lithologies and environmental conditions suggests that their formation is determined by a factor that overarches variations in these conditions and weathering processes. Based on a study of tafoni and honeycombs in the Crimean Piedmont, this paper demonstrates that the primary factor in their formation is the pre-exposure alteration of rocks along fractures and karst conduits as a result of fluid–rock interactions. Such alteration is commonly induced by ascending flow and is related to hypogene karstification. The morphological expression of cavernous features through removal of the alterite can occur under subsurface conditions, but is more frequent on exposure to atmospheric weathering. The local or regional characteristics of a weathering system are irrelevant or of only secondary importance in determining the localization and morphology of cavernous features. New features do not form on rock surfaces where the alteration zone was totally denuded or never present. The proposed model resolves major issues inherent to previous interpretations of cavernous features. It has general applicability and important implications for geodynamic and palaeohydrogeological reconstructions. Typical tafoni and honeycombs may indicate past events of ascending flow and the potential presence of hypogene karst systems.
ANRIL regulates production of extracellular matrix proteins and vasoactive factors in diabetic complications
Authors: Thomas Anu Alice , Feng Biao , Chakrabarti Subrata
Published: November 2017

noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have gained widespread interest due to their prevailing presence in various diseases. lncRNA ANRIL (a. k. a. CDKN2B-AS1) is located on human chromosome 9 (p21.3) and transcribed in opposite direction to the INK4b-ARF-INK4a gene cluster. It has been identified as a highly susceptible region for diseases such as coronary artery diseases and type 2 diabetes. Here, we explored its regulatory role in diabetic nephropathy (DN) and diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) in association with epigenetic modifiers p300 and polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) complex. We used an ANRIL-knockout (ANRILKO) mouse model for this study. The wild-type and ANRILKO animals with or without streptozotocin-induced diabetes were monitored for 2 min. At the end of the time point, urine and tissues were collected. The tissues were measured for fibronectin (FN), type IV collagen (Col1α4), and VEGF mRNA and protein expressions. Renal function was determined by the measurement of 24-h urine volume and albumin/creatinine ratio at euthanasia. Renal and cardiac structures were investigated using periodic acid-Schiff stain and/or immunohistochemical analysis. Elevated expressions of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins were prevented in ANRILKO diabetic animals. Furthermore, ANRILKO had a protective effect on diabetic mouse kidneys, as evidenced by lowering of urine volume and urine albumin levels in comparison with the wild-type diabetic animals. These alterations regulated by ANRIL may be mediated by p300 and enhancer of zeste 2 (EZH2) of the PRC2 complex. Our study concludes that ANRIL regulates functional and structural alterations in the kidneys and hearts in diabetes through controlling the expressions of ECM proteins and VEGF.
Effects of erythropoietin receptor activity on angiogenesis, tubular injury, and fibrosis in acute kidney injury: a “U-shaped” relationship
Authors: Shi Mingjun , Flores Brianna , Li Peng , Gillings Nancy , McMillan Kathryn L. , Ye Jianfeng , Huang Lily Jun-Shen , Sidhu Sachdev S. , Zhong Yong-Ping , Grompe Maria T. , Streeter Philip R. , Moe Orson W. , Hu Ming Chang
Published: November 2017

The erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) is widely expressed but its renoprotective action is unexplored. To examine the role of EpoR in vivo in the kidney, we induced acute kidney injury (AKI) by ischemia-reperfusion in mice with different EpoR bioactivities in the kidney. EpoR bioactivity was reduced by knockin of wild-type human EpoR, which is hypofunctional relative to murine EpoR, and a renal tubule-specific EpoR knockout. These mice had lower EPO/EpoR activity and lower autophagy flux in renal tubules. Upon AKI induction, they exhibited worse renal function and structural damage, more apoptosis at the acute stage (<7 days), and slower recovery with more tubulointerstitial fibrosis at the subacute stage (14 days). In contrast, mice with hyperactive EpoR signaling from knockin of a constitutively active human EpoR had higher autophagic flux, milder kidney damage, and better renal function at the acute stage but, surprisingly, worse tubulointerstitial fibrosis and renal function at the subacute stage. Either excess or deficient EpoR activity in the kidney was associated with abnormal peritubular capillaries and tubular hypoxia, creating a “U-shaped” relationship. The direct effects of EpoR on tubular cells were confirmed in vitro by a hydrogen peroxide model using primary cultured proximal tubule cells with different EpoR activities. In summary, normal erythropoietin (EPO)/EpoR signaling in renal tubules provides defense against renal tubular injury maintains the autophagy-apoptosis balance and peritubular capillary integrity. High and low EPO/EpoR bioactivities both lead to vascular defect, and high EpoR activity overides the tubular protective effects in AKI recovery.
Modeling the Subclonal Evolution of Cancer Cell Populations
Authors: Chowell Diego , Napier James , Gupta Rohan , Anderson Karen S. , Maley Carlo C. , Sayres Melissa A. Wilson
Published: November 2017

Increasing evidence shows that tumor clonal architectures are often the consequence of a complex branching process, yet little is known about the expected dynamics and extent to which these divergent subclonal expansions occur. Here, we develop and implement more than 88,000 instances of a stochastic evolutionary model simulating genetic drift and neoplastic progression. Under different combinations of population genetic parameter values, including those estimated for colorectal cancer and glioblastoma multiforme, the distribution of sizes of subclones carrying driver mutations had a heavy right tail at the time of tumor detection, with only 1 to 4 dominant clones present at ≥10% frequency. In contrast, the vast majority of subclones were present at <10% frequency, many of which had higher fitness than currently dominant clones. The number of dominant clones (≥10% frequency) in a tumor correlated strongly with the number of subclones (<10% of the tumor). Overall, these subclones were frequently below current standard detection thresholds, frequently harbored treatment-resistant mutations, and were more common in slow-growing tumors.

Significance: The model presented in this paper addresses tumor heterogeneity by framing expectations for the number of resistant subclones in a tumor, with implications for future studies of the evolution of therapeutic resistance. Cancer Res; 78(3); 830–9. ©2017 AACR.
The E3 Ligase RING1 Targets p53 for Degradation and Promotes Cancer Cell Proliferation and Survival
Authors: Shen Jiajia , Li Pengyu , Shao Xuejing , Yang Yang , Liu Xiujun , Feng Min , Yu Qiang , Hu Ronggui , Wang Zhen
Published: November 2017

As a component of the transcriptional repression complex 1 (PRC1), the ring finger protein RING1 participates in the epigenetic regulation in cancer. However, the contributions of RING1 to cancer etiology or development are unknown. In this study, we report that RING1 is a critical negative regulator of p53 homeostasis in human hepatocellular and colorectal carcinomas. RING1 acts as an E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase to directly interact with and ubiquitinate p53, resulting in its proteasome-dependent degradation. The RING domain of RING1 was required for its E3 Ub ligase activity. RING1 depletion inhibited the proliferation and survival of the p53 wild-type cancer cells by inducing cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and senescence, with only modest effects on p53-deficient cells. Its growth inhibitory effect was partially rescued by p53 silencing, suggesting an important role for the RING1–p53 complex in human cancer. In clinical specimens of hepatocellular carcinoma, RING1 upregulation was evident in association with poor clinical outcomes. Collectively, our results elucidate a novel PRC1-independent function of RING1 and provide a mechanistic rationale for its candidacy as a new prognostic marker and/or therapeutic target in human cancer.

Significance: These results elucidate a novel PRC1-independent function of RING1 and provide a mechanistic rationale for its candidacy as a new prognostic marker and/or therapeutic target in human cancer. Cancer Res; 78(2); 359–71. ©2017 AACR.
Safety of Diagnostic Cerebral and Spinal Digital Subtraction Angiography in a Developing Country: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Bashir Qasim , Ishfaq Asim , Baig Ammad Anwar
Published: November 2017

Background: Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) remains the gold standard imaging modality for cerebrovascular disorders. In contrast to developed countries, the safety of the procedure is not extensively reported from the developing countries. Herein, we present a retrospective analysis of the basic technique, indications, and outcomes in 286 patients undergoing diagnostic cerebral and spinal angiography in a developing country, Pakistan. Methods: A retrospective review of patient demographics, procedural technique and complication rates of 286 consecutive patients undergoing the diagnostic cerebral/spinal angiography procedure at one institution from May 2013 to December 2015 was performed. Neurological, systemic, or local complications occurring within and after 24 h of the procedure were recorded. Results: Mean age reported for all patients was 49.7 years. Of all the 286 cases, 175 were male (61.2%) and the rest female (111, 38.8%). Cerebral DSA was performed in 279 cases (97.6%), with 7 cases of spinal DSA (2.4%). Subarachnoid hemorrhage was the most common indication for DSA accounting for 88 cases (30.8%), closely followed by stroke (26.6%) and arteriosclerotic vascular disease (23.1%). No intra- or post-procedural neurological complications of any severity were seen in any of the 286 cases. One case of asymptomatic aortic dissection was reported (0.3%) in the entire cohort of patient population. Conclusion: Diagnostic cerebral/spinal digital subtraction angiography was found to be safe in Pakistan, with complication rates at par with and comparable to those reported in the developed world.
Interferon-Stimulated Genes as Enhancers of Antiviral Innate Immune Signaling
Authors: Crosse Keaton M. , Monson Ebony A. , Beard Michael R. , Helbig Karla J.
Published: November 2017

The ability of a host to curb a viral infection is heavily reliant on the effectiveness of an initial antiviral innate immune response, resulting in the upregulation of interferon (IFN) and, subsequently, IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). ISGs serve to mount an antiviral state within a host cell, and although the specific antiviral function of a number of ISGs has been characterized, the function of many of these ISGs remains to be determined. Recent research has uncovered a novel role for a handful of ISGs, some of them directly induced by IFN regulatory factor 3 in the absence of IFN itself. These ISGs, most with potent antiviral activity, are also able to augment varying arms of the innate immune response to viral infection, thereby strengthening this response. This new understanding of the role of ISGs may, in turn, help the recent advancement of novel therapeutics aiming to augment innate signaling pathways in an attempt to control viral infection and pathogenesis.
Regular access and adherence to medications of the specialized component of pharmaceutical services
Authors: Fritzen Janaína Soder , Motter Fabiane Raquel , Paniz Vera Maria Vieira
Published: November 2017

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of the adherence to the medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services and its association with regular access in users of these medications in the municipality of São Leopoldo, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with adults aged 20 years and over, who are users of medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services. Sampling was carried out consecutively for users who accessed the service of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services during the period from December 2014 to March 2015. Adherence was measured by the Brief Medication Questionnaire, and adherents were defined as those who did not present barriers to adherence in the three domains. Regular access was defined as getting all edications in the last three months, regardless of how it was obtained (paying or for free). Data analysis was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: We nterviewed 414 subjects, being them mostly women (60.9%), with mean age of 55 years (SD = 13), and using a single medication of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services (68.1%). The prevalence of adherence to the medications used in the last seven days was 28.3% and the prevalence of free regular access was 46.1%, and 25.7% did not have access to all treatment. After adjusting for the number of medications in the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services and the number of medications of continuous use, users who had free regular access in the last three months were 60% more likely to show adherence. For individuals with paid regular access, no association was found between access and adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The regularity in the free access to the medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services has an impact on the behavior of users, contributing to their commitment to treatment and self-care. The Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services needs programming in order to avoid irregular access, which suggests a significant limitation of the drug policies in Brazil.
Resolving Hydrometeorological Data Discontinuities along an International Border
Authors: Gronewold Andrew D. , Fortin Vincent , Caldwell Robert , Noel James
Published: November 2017

Monitoring, understanding, and forecasting the hydrologic cycle of large freshwater basins often requires a broad suite of data and models. Many of these datasets and models, however, are susceptible to variations in monitoring infrastructure and data dissemination protocols when watershed, political, and jurisdictional boundaries do not align. Reconciling hydrometeorological monitoring gaps and inconsistencies across the international Laurentian Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River basin is particularly challenging because of its size and because the basin’s dominant hydrologic feature is the vast surface waters of the Great Lakes.

For tens of millions of Canadian and U.S. residents that live within the Great Lakes basin, seamless binational datasets are needed to better understand and predict coastal water-level fluctuations and other conditions that could potentially threaten human and environmental health. Binational products addressing this need have historically been developed and maintained by the Coordinating Committee on Great Lakes Basic Hydraulic and Hydrologic Data (Coordinating Committee). The Coordinating Committee recently held its one-hundredth semiannual meeting and reflected on a range of historical accomplishments while setting goals for future work. This article provides a synthesis of those achievements and goals. Particularly significant legacy and recently developed datasets of the Coordinating Committee include historical Great Lakes surface water elevations, basin-scale tributary inflow to the Great Lakes, and basin-scale estimates of both over-lake and over-land precipitation. Moving forward, members of the Coordinating Committee will work toward customizing state-of-the-art hydrologic and meteorological forecasting systems across the entire Great Lakes basin and toward promoting their products and protocols as templates for successful binational coordination across other large binational freshwater basins.
The Effect of Human Adipose Tissue–Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Rat’s Subglottic Stenosis Model
Authors: Oh Seyeon , Kim Dong Young , Baek Min Kwan , Byun Kyunghee , Woo Joo Hyun
Published: November 2017

Objective:

Subglottic stenosis remains a clinical challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of human adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) in rat model of subglottic stenosis.

Subjects and Methods:

Ninety-six 13-week-old male rats were enrolled in this study. They were divided into 3 groups as normal control (NC) group, a subglottic injury and media injection (SM) group, and a subglottic injury and media-stem cell injection (SMSC) group. The hAMSCs were immediately injected into subglottis after injury. Histologic characteristics of subglottis; the mRNA expressions of interleukin-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor growth factor-β and basic fibroblast growth factor; and hAMSCs’ survival were evaluated.

Results:

The hAMSCs survived in the subglottis of the rat until 10 days after implantation. The NC and SMSC groups had a significantly wider subglottic lumen and thinner lamina propria than the SM group at 56 days after injury. Collagen intensity of subglottis was significantly higher in the SM group than in the NC and SMSC groups at 28 days after injury. Gene expression didn’t show significant difference between the SM group and the SMSC group.

Conclusions:

The hAMSCs injection was found to be helpful for preventing subglottic stenosis in a rat model.
Simplified Summative Temporal Bone Dissection Scale Demonstrates Equivalence to Existing Measures
Authors: Pisa Justyn , Gousseau Michael , Mowat Stephanie , Westerberg Brian , Unger Bert , Hochman Jordan B.
Published: November 2017

Introduction:

Emphasis on patient safety has created the need for quality assessment of fundamental surgical skills. Existing temporal bone rating scales are laborious, subject to evaluator fatigue, and contain inconsistencies when conferring points. To address these deficiencies, a novel binary assessment tool was designed and validated against a well-established rating scale.

Methods:

Residents completed a mastoidectomy with posterior tympanotomy on identical 3D-printed temporal bone models. Four neurotologists evaluated each specimen using a validated scale (Welling) and a newly developed “CanadaWest” scale, with scoring repeated after a 4-week interval.

Results:

Nineteen participants were clustered into junior, intermediate, and senior cohorts. An ANOVA found significant differences between performance of the junior-intermediate and junior-senior cohorts for both Welling and CanadaWest scales ( P < .05). Neither scale found a significant difference between intermediate-senior resident performance ( P > .05). Cohen’s kappa found strong intrarater reliability (0.711) with a high degree of interrater reliability of (0.858) for the CanadaWest scale, similar to scores on the Welling scale of (0.713) and (0.917), respectively.

Conclusion:

The CanadaWest scale was facile and delineated performance by experience level with strong intrarater reliability. Comparable to the validated Welling Scale, it distinguished junior from senior trainees but was challenged in differentiating intermediate and senior trainee performance.
A Path to Serious, Violent, Chronic Delinquency: The Harmful Aftermath of Adverse Childhood Experiences
Authors: Perez Nicholas M. , Jennings Wesley G. , Baglivio Michael T.
Published: November 2017

Adverse childhood experiences can affect the development of a child in many ways, leading to highly maladaptive behaviors, such as serious, violent, and chronic (SVC) delinquency. This study uses data from 64,329 Florida Department of Juvenile Justice youth, collected from 2007 to 2012, to examine both the direct and indirect effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on SVC delinquency. Using a generalized structural equation model, the effects of ACE scores are estimated on a youth’s likelihood of engaging in SVC delinquency while considering pathways through maladaptive personality traits (aggression and impulsivity), as well as adolescent problem behaviors (deviant peer imitation, school difficulties, substance abuse problems, and mental illness). The results suggest that a large proportion of the relationship between childhood adversity and SVC delinquency is mediated by maladaptive personality traits and adolescent problem behaviors. Study limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.
Qualitative analysis of the capacity to consent to treatment in patients with a chronic neurodegenerative disease: Alzheimer’s disease / Analisi qualitativa sulla capacità a prestare consenso al trattamento in pazienti con malattie cronico degenerative neuropsicoorganiche: Demenza di Alzheimer
Authors: Carabellese Felice , Felthous Alan R , La Tegola Donatella , Piazzolla Giuseppina , Distaso Salvatore , Logroscino Giancarlo , Leo Antonio , Ventriglio Antonio , Catanesi Roberto
Published: November 2017

Objective:

Informed consent is an essential element in doctor–patient relationship. In particular, obtaining valid informed consent from patients with neurocognitive diseases is a critical issue at present. For this reason, we decided to conduct research on elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) to assess their capacity to make treatment decisions.

Methods:

The experimental group comprised 70 Alzheimer patients who were admitted to the Neurodegenerative Disease Unit of the University of Bari. The control group consisted of 83 elderly patients without neurocognitive disorders who were hospitalized in the Geriatric Unit at the same university. After providing written consent to participate in the research, each subject underwent the following assessments: (a) assessment of comprehension sheet, (b) Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and Global Functioning Evaluation (GFE), (c) neurological evaluation, (d) neuropsychological assessment with a full battery of tests, (d) The MacArthur Treatment Competence Study (MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T); understanding, appreciating, reasoning and expressing a choice) and (e) a semi-structured interview administered by the patient’s caregiver.

Results/conclusion:

The present survey was designed to analyze possible qualitative and quantitative correlations between cognitive functioning and capacity to consent in relation to different degrees of severity of the neurodegenerative disorder. A large portion of the patients in our experimental sample did not appear to have the capacity to provide a valid consent. The authors present initial results of this study and discuss their possible implications.
On the forces of policy change and joint causation: insights from the banker’s bonus case
Authors: Braun Caelesta , Scherpenisse Jorren , van der Steen Martijn , van Twist Mark J.W.
Published: November 2017

One of the few robust findings in the public policy literature is that policy dynamics are both a function of stability and volatility. And although most theories of public policy making posit the occurrence of policy junctures as necessary conditions for significant change, studies that set out to unravel the underlying mechanisms of such policy junctures remain relatively rare. This article further develops the idea of policy junctures, commonly hypothesized to initiate significant change, as essentially entailing joint causation. We illustrate the joint and reinforcing nature of forces of change with a case study of bonus regulation. Based on document analysis and a political claim analysis, this article shows that most changes in bonus regulation were of a marginal nature. We argue that the intrinsically attractive nature of performance rewards that a bonus practice entails combined with a sheer lack of alternatives supported by a strong coalition on how to curb risk appetite in financial markets seem to count for the resilience of bonus practices. Theoretically, the case study contributes to theory development on joint causation that causes major policy change. Empirically, it unravels a key mechanism employed by the financial sector to resist reforms: offering an alternative no one can refuse.

Points for practitioners

There is a broad consensus in the policy literature that policy change usually results from multiple forces. We identify this crucial jointly causal nature of policy change and suggest that among the forces of change a strong policy alternative capable of uniting a broad coalition of stakeholders is a necessary condition for policy change. Financial reforms, in particular the practice of bonus payment, are thus not likely to result from tight regulation, but rather from real alternatives on how to reward professional excellence and curb risk appetite.
How innovation drivers, networking and leadership shape public sector innovation capacity
Authors: Lewis Jenny M. , Ricard Lykke Margot , Klijn Erik Hans
Published: November 2017

The need to understand innovation in public sector environments is growing. There is also a need to build theory, test it empirically and compare across jurisdictions. This article aims to understand the factors that have an impact on innovation capacity. It examines the self-rated innovation capacity of three European city governments – Barcelona, Copenhagen and Rotterdam – in regard to innovation drivers (structures, processes and contextual factors), external networking (levels of communication outside the municipality) and leadership qualities. Results from an online survey of senior administrators in the cities ( n = 323) was used to empirically analyse the relationships between these using a structural equation model. Leadership has a stronger effect than innovation drivers and external networking on self-rated innovation capacity for these three city governments.

Points for practitioners

Public sector innovation is a very important topic for public managers as the expectations on government agencies increase. Innovation capacity is related to innovation drivers and barriers, the amount of contact that individuals have with others outside their organization, and leadership. This empirical study of three cities shows that leadership has a bigger effect on innovation capacity than the structures, processes and contextual factors that drive innovation, as well as the amount of external contact that public managers have outside their organizations. In addition, for Barcelona and Copenhagen, the network governance and transformational types have the biggest effect on innovation, while for Rotterdam, it is the entrepreneurial type followed by the network governance type.
The Difference Between Instability and Uncertainty: Comment on Young and Holsteen (2017)
Authors: Slez Adam
Published: November 2017

Young and Holsteen (YH) introduce a number of tools for evaluating model uncertainty. In so doing, they are careful to differentiate their method from existing forms of model averaging. The fundamental difference lies in the way in which the underlying estimates are weighted. Whereas standard approaches to model averaging assign higher weight to better fitting models, the YH method weights all models equally. As I show, this is a nontrivial distinction, in that the two sets of procedures tend to produce radically different results. Drawing on both simulation and real-world examples, I demonstrate that in failing to distinguish between numerical variation and statistical uncertainty, the procedure proposed by YH will tend to overstate the amount of uncertainty resulting from variation across models. In standard circumstances, the quality of estimates produced using this method will tend to be objectively worse than that of conventional alternatives.
The Lifetime of Salience Extends Beyond the Initial Saccade
Authors: De Vries Jelmer P. , Van der Stigchel Stefan , Hooge Ignace T. C. , Verstraten Frans A. J.
Published: November 2017

Several models of selection in search predict that saccades are biased toward conspicuous objects (also referred to as salient objects). Indeed, it has been demonstrated that initial saccades are biased toward the most conspicuous candidate. However, in a recent study, no such bias was found for the second saccade, and it was concluded that the attraction of conspicuous elements is limited to only short-latency initial saccades. This conclusion is based on only a single feature manipulation (orientation contrast) and conflicts with the prediction of influential salience models. Here, we investigate whether this result can be generalized beyond the domain of orientation. In displays containing three luminance annuli (Experiment 1), we find a considerable bias toward the most conspicuous candidate for the second saccade. In Experiment 1, the target could not be discriminated peripherally. When we made the target peripherally discriminable, the second saccade was no longer biased toward the more conspicuous candidate (Experiment 2). Thus, conspicuity plays a role in saccadic selection beyond the initial saccade. Whether second saccades are biased toward conspicuous objects appears to depend on the type of feature contrast underlying the conspicuity and the peripheral discriminability of target properties.
Improving students’ freehand sketching skills in mechanical engineering curriculum
Authors: Uziak Jacek , Fang Ning
Published: November 2017

Freehand sketching is a fundamental skill in mechanical engineering and many other engineering disciplines. It not only serves as a communication tool among engineers, but plays a critical role in engineering design and problem solving. However, as computer-aided drafting has replaced traditional drawing classes nowadays, the training of students’ freehand sketching skills has been almost completely eliminated in modern engineering curricula. This paper describes the attributes of freehand sketching and its roles in several essential aspects of engineering; in particular, in its roles in problem solving, of which current literature has ignored. Representative examples are provided to show students’ freehand sketching skills in problem solving in a foundational undergraduate mechanical engineering course. Pedagogical suggestions are made on how to teach freehand sketching to engineering students.
Experimental and Mathematical Analyses Relating Circadian Period and Phase of Entrainment in Neurospora crassa
Authors: Lee Kwangwon , Shiva Kumar Prithvi , McQuade Sean , Lee Joshua Y. , Park Sohyun , An Zheming , Piccoli Benedetto
Published: November 2017

Circadian rhythms are observed in most organisms on earth and are known to play a major role in successful adaptation to the 24-h cycling environment. Circadian phenotypes are characterized by a free-running period that is observed in constant conditions and an entrained phase that is observed in cyclic conditions. Thus, the relationship between the free-running period and phase of entrainment is of interest. A popular simple rule has been that the entrained phase is the expression of the period in a cycling environment (i.e., that a short period causes an advanced phase and a long period causes a delayed phase). However, there are experimental data that are not explained by this simple relationship, and no systematic study has been done to explore all possible period-phase relationships. Here, we show the existence of stable period-phase relationships that are exceptions to this rule. First, we analyzed period-phase relationships using populations with different degrees of genome complexity. Second, we generated isogenic F1 populations by crossing 14 classical period mutants to the same female and analyzed 2 populations with a short period/delayed phase and a long period/advanced phase. Third, we generated a mathematical model to account for such variable relationships between period and phase. Our analyses support the view that the circadian period of an organism is not the only predictor of the entrained phase.
Inverse European Latitudinal Cline at the timeless Locus of Drosophila melanogaster Reveals Selection on a Clock Gene: Population Genetics of ls-tim
Authors: Zonato Valeria , Vanin Stefano , Costa Rodolfo , Tauber Eran , Kyriacou Charalambos P.
Published: November 2017

The spread of adaptive genetic variants in populations is a cornerstone of evolutionary theory but with relatively few biologically well-understood examples. Previous work on the ls-tim variant of timeless, which encodes the light-sensitive circadian regulator in Drosophila melanogaster, suggests that it may have originated in southeastern Italy. Flies characterized by the new allele show photoperiod-related phenotypes likely to be adaptive in seasonal environments. ls-tim may be spreading from its point of origin in Italy by directional selection, but there are alternative explanations for its observed clinal geographical distribution, including balancing selection and demography. From population analyses of ls-tim frequencies collected on the eastern side of the Iberian Peninsula, we show that ls-tim frequencies are inverted compared with those in Italy. This pattern is consistent with a scenario of directional selection rather than latitude-associated balancing selection. Neutrality tests further reveal the signature of directional selection at the ls-tim site, which is reduced a few kb pairs either side of ls-tim. A reanalysis of allele frequencies from a large number of microsatellite loci do not demonstrate any frequent ls-tim-like spatial patterns, so a general demographic effect or population expansion from southeastern Italy cannot readily explain current ls-tim frequencies. Finally, a revised estimate of the age of ls-tim allele using linkage disequilibrium and coalescent-based approaches reveals that it may be only 300 to 3000 years old, perhaps explaining why it has not yet gone to fixation. ls-tim thus provides a rare temporal snapshot of a new allele that has come under selection before it reaches equilibrium.
Analyzing Measurement Invariance of the Students’ Engagement Instrument Brief Version: The Cases of Denmark, Finland, and Portugal
Authors: Virtanen T. E. , Moreira P. , Ulvseth H. , Andersson H. , Tetler S. , Kuorelahti M.
Published: November 2017

The promotion of students’ engagement with school is an internationally acknowledged challenge in education. There is a need to examine the structure of the concept of student engagement and to discover the best practices for fostering it across societies. That is why the cross-cultural invariance testing of students’ engagement measures is highly needed. This study aimed, first, to find the reduced set of theoretically valid items to represent students’ affective and cognitive engagement forming the Brief-SEI (brief version of the Student Engagement Instrument; SEI). The second aim was to test the measurement invariance of the Brief-SEI across three countries (Denmark, Finland, and Portugal). A total of 4,437 seventh-grade students completed the SEI questionnaires in the three countries. The analyses revealed that of the total 33 original instrument items, 15 items indicated acceptable psychometric properties of the Brief-SEI. With these 15 items, cross-national factorial validity and invariances across genders and students with different levels of academic performance (samples from Finland and Portugal) were demonstrated. This article discusses the utility of the Brief-SEI in cross-cultural research and its applicability in different national school contexts.
Numerical study on the effect of geometrical parameters on the labyrinth–honeycomb seal performance
Authors: Alizadeh Mohammad , Nikkhahi Behnam , Farahani Alireza Shahrabi , Fathi Alireza
Published: November 2017

The advantages of labyrinth–honeycomb seals in turbomachines are widely increasing the usage of them. In this investigation, a numerical study has been done to simulate a labyrinth–honeycomb seal which is commonly used in rotor blade tip. Three-dimensional simulation has been performed by ANSYS-CFX. Simulation results show good agreements with experimental data. To have better understanding of flow behavior within the labyrinth–honeycomb seal, a set of sensitivity analyses on geometry parameters has been carried out. First, a smooth plate has been replaced with honeycomb and sensitivity analyses on geometry parameters have been performed. Then the sensitivity analyses of full model with honeycomb on the geometry parameters are done. The sensitivity analysis is done on: (i) gap between labyrinth and smooth plate or honeycomb, (ii) thickness of labyrinth fins, (iii) height of labyrinth fins, (iv) height of honeycomb cells (only for the honeycomb model), and (v) the effect of different fin thicknesses and their combinations. The results show that as the height of labyrinth rises, there would be much more vortices in the flow field and consequently the overall loss would increase and mass flow rate decreases. In addition, the width of labyrinth fins in small gaps has an important role on the mass flow rate. In small gaps, as the width of labyrinth fin decreases, the mass flow of smooth model decreases, but the mass flow of honeycomb model increases. Furthermore, in large gaps, the existence of smooth plate or honeycomb has minor influence on the flow field. In addition, larger cell depth of honeycombs leads to increasing loss. In this paper, a model with straightforward labyrinth is also investigated and the results have been compared with the stepped labyrinth.
Results from the post-exposure prophylaxis pilot program (P-QUAD) demonstration project in Los Angeles County
Authors: Beymer Matthew R , Kofron Ryan M , Tseng Chi-Hong , Bolan Robert K , Flynn Risa P , Sayles Jennifer M , Perez Mario J , Jordan Wilbert C , Landovitz Raphael J
Published: November 2017

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a promising but under-utilized strategy for HIV prevention in high-risk populations. Between March 2010 and June 2011, two community-based clinics in Los Angeles County provided PEP in a pilot program to 267 unique individuals. Courses were primarily dispensed to men who have sex with men (84%) and consisted overwhelmingly of a three-drug antiretroviral therapy regimen containing two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and either an integrase inhibitor (raltegravir) or a boosted protease inhibitor (lopinavir/ritonavir). Approximately 64% of all PEP courses were followed for at least 12 weeks, and seven individuals seroconverted. Of the seven seroconversions, six had subsequent re-exposure. The low rate of PEP failure calls for expanded funding for PEP in other jurisdictions.
Eugenics, medicine and psychiatry in Peru
Authors: Stucchi-Portocarrero Santiago
Published: November 2017

Eugenics was defined by Galton as ‘the science which deals with all influences that improve the inborn qualities of a race’. In Peru, eugenics was related to social medicine and mental hygiene, in accordance with the neo-Lamarckian orientation, that predominated in Latin America. Peruvian eugenists assumed the mission of fighting hereditary and infectious diseases, malnutrition, alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, criminality and everything that threatened the future of the ‘Peruvian race’. There were some enthusiastic advocates of ‘hard’ eugenic measures, such as forced sterilization and eugenic abortion, but these were never officially implemented in Peru (except for the compulsory sterilization campaign during the 1995–2000 period). Eugenics dominated scientific discourse during the first half of the twentieth century, but eugenic discourse did not disappear completely until the 1970s.
Are We Experienced? Reflections on the SUNY Experiential Learning Mandate
Authors: Isaak Jerry , Devine Michael , Gervich Curt , Gottschall Richard
Published: November 2017

Background: The State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest comprehensive public university system, recently proposed making experiential learning activities available to all students enrolled in an academic program. Each campus was tasked with examining the feasibility of including experiential learning activities as a degree requirement. The Plattsburgh campus faculty senate voted to reject this requirement. Purpose: In light of the Plattsburgh rejection of the SUNY mandate, this study seeks to examine the practice and perspectives of four Plattsburgh faculty through the lens of a single experiential learning assignment. Methodology/Approach: A case study approach was used to illuminate common and/or distinctive pedagogies of instructors across four disciplines. Findings/Conclusions: Common themes include the elements of choice, embodiment, relationships, and risk. Critical to each case study was the willingness and ability of the instructor to engage in the educational process as a participant and expert learner. Implications: If the state, university system, or campus seeks to mandate experiential/applied learning, the mandate should be focused on the pedagogical components of experiential education not on the types of activities that count.
The Matthew Effect and the Lucan Lawyer: The Ecological Consequences of Status Shocks
Authors: Reschke Brian P. , Stuart Toby E.
Published: November 2017

Who are the neighbors of those who attain high status, and what is their fate in the wake of another actor’s status elevation? In this essay, we consider the consequences of an individual’s change in status for proximate individuals and domains. Particularly, we identify two, potentially simultaneous shifts in resources: a concentration of local recognition around high-status individuals and their immediate neighbors, and an overall elevation of recognition to the domain. We identify conditions in which within-domain or between-domain reallocation will occur, and we outline opportunities for future research.
The Matthew Effect as an Unjust Competitive Advantage: Implications for Competition Near Status Boundaries
Authors: Piezunka Henning , Lee Wonjae , Haynes Richard , Bothner Matthew S.
Published: November 2017

Merton often envisioned status growth as a process of stepping across a boundary between one status grade and another more elite status grade. Such boundaries include the border between graduate school and a top academic department that young researchers try to traverse, or the frontier between scientists outside the French Academy and scientists inside the French Academy. As it is now common to measure status continuously using network data, the behavioral ramifications of status boundaries have been understudied in recent research. In this essay, we focus on competitive behaviors that emerge near a status boundary because of the desirability—as well as the “double injustice”—of the Matthew Effect. Offering insights for future research, we discuss how these competitive behaviors are likely to delay, or even derail, status growth for those who are near a status boundary.
Supporting the Social Lives of Secondary Students With Severe Disabilities: Considerations for Effective Intervention
Authors: Carter Erik W.
Published: November 2017

For adolescents with severe disabilities, efforts to enhance the social dimensions of schooling are widely advocated, yet rarely implemented. The peer interactions and relationships so critical to school success and individual well-being can be elusive for many students with intellectual disability, autism, and multiple disabilities. This article highlights promising approaches for enhancing the social lives of secondary students with severe disabilities. The author presents five areas of intervention for secondary schools: student-related factors, peer-related factors, support-related factors, opportunity-related factors, and context-related factors. Attention then turns to how various peer-mediated approaches—peer support arrangements, peer network interventions, and peer partner programs—can be drawn upon to address one or more of these important factors. Recommendations are offered for (a) implementing multicomponent interventions, (b) addressing fidelity in the context of individualized interventions, (c) measuring the social-related impact, (d) promoting changes in social outcomes that have widespread and long-term impact, and (e) encouraging schoolwide and sustained adoption of these approaches.
Gaming-value and culture-value: Understanding how players account for video game purchases
Authors: Johnson Mark R , Luo Yinyi
Published: November 2017

In most writing on video games, whether within or beyond the academy, the availability of gaming media is implicitly taken for granted. However, we propose that the act of video game purchase should be seen as an important aspect of the player–video game relationship. Drawing on original interview data, this work explores two types of video game purchasing that are common in contemporary Western gaming culture – the ‘pre-order’ (paying for a game before its release), and what we term ‘backlog purchasing’ (buying a cheap game unlikely to ever be played). Through Marx and Adorno’s theorizations of value, specifically exchange-value and use-value, we argue that, according to players, the meaningful aspects of those purchases are more than simply obtaining the entertainment value realized through gaming. Instead, different kinds of purchases activities are themselves imbued with varied and powerful values, by both players and the industry. We call these ‘gaming-value’ and ‘culture-value’. Furthermore, drawing on Lewis’ conceptualization of consumer capitalism, this article also traces the ideological root of, and the flow of power beneath, these two particular types of consumption. Through analysing video game purchases, we aim to shed light upon a crucial element of the audience–media relationship, as well as other theoretical issues, most notably adapting and updating Marxist concepts for the purpose of researching modern video games.
Training Providers in the Use of Evidence-Based Treatments: A Comparison of In-Person and Online Delivery Modes
Authors: Mallonee Sybil , Phillips Jennifer , Holloway Kevin , Riggs David
Published: November 2017

Evidenced-based psychotherapies (EBPs) are primarily disseminated via in-person workshops, which have been shown to be effective in training clinicians. However, there is limited space at these workshops, they occur in limited locations, and the time and money required to travel to these workshops is limiting for many providers. An online virtual and interactive training is a potential solution to increase EBP training opportunities for providers. The present study was an initial step to address this limitation in the current research. In-person workshops were compared with live 3-D workshops conducted in the online virtual and interactive platform, Second Life. Analysis of the data demonstrated that the 706 participants, regardless of training modality, demonstrated significant knowledge gains and that the magnitude of these gains did not differ across the in-person and virtual online training modalities. Participants in the online and in-person modality also did not differ in their perceived readiness to implement the EBP after the workshop. A significant difference in training satisfaction was found between the two modalities, with the in-person training group reporting higher satisfaction ratings than the online training participants. Overall, these findings suggest that virtual online EBP training is at least as effective as in-person training.