bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and Characterization of Hypoxia-Regulated Endothelial Circular RNA
Authors: Boeckel Jes-Niels , Jaé Nicolas , Heumüller Andreas W. , Chen Wei , Boon Reinier A. , Stellos Konstantinos , Zeiher Andreas M. , John David , Uchida Shizuka , Dimmeler Stefanie
Published: September 2015

Rationale:

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are noncoding RNAs generated by back splicing. Back splicing has been considered a rare event, but recent studies suggest that circRNAs are widely expressed. However, the expression, regulation, and function of circRNAs in vascular cells is still unknown.

Objective:

Here, we characterize the expression, regulation, and function of circRNAs in endothelial cells.

Methods and Results:

Endothelial circRNAs were identified by computational analysis of ribo-minus RNA generated from human umbilical venous endothelial cells cultured under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Selected circRNAs were biochemically characterized, and we found that the majority of them lacks polyadenylation, is resistant to RNase R digestion and localized to the cytoplasm. We further validated the hypoxia-induced circRNAs cZNF292, cAFF1, and cDENND4C, as well as the downregulated cTHSD1 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in cultured endothelial cells. Cloning of cZNF292 validated the predicted back splicing of exon 4 to a new alternative exon 1A. Silencing of cZNF292 inhibited cZNF292 expression and reduced tube formation and spheroid sprouting of endothelial cells in vitro. The expression of pre-mRNA or mRNA of the host gene was not affected by silencing of cZNF292. No validated microRNA-binding sites for cZNF292 were detected in Argonaute high-throughput sequencing of RNA isolated by cross-linking and immunoprecipitation data sets, suggesting that cZNF292 does not act as a microRNA sponge.

Conclusions:

We show that the majority of the selected endothelial circRNAs fulfill all criteria of bona fide circRNAs. The circRNA cZNF292 exhibits proangiogenic activities in vitro. These data suggest that endothelial circRNAs are regulated by hypoxia and have biological functions.
Quick Reference List of Basic Literature to Identify Tropical African Bryophytes

Authors: Pócs Tamás , O’Shea Brian
Published: September 2015

The aim of this short and selected reference list is to guide bryologists in the very scattered African literature when they try to identify specimens, as no standard bryofloras are available for the whole of Tropical Africa. The idea to compile such a reference list was raised during the Tropical Bryology Workshop held by the British Bryological Society, in the Botany School of Cambridge University, on the 21st of September 1990. The list is based on the senior author’s private library and files. We hope that the publication and distribution of such a list, even if incomplete, will prove to be useful for the future taxonomic and floristic works in Tropical Africa with special reference to the Bryologia Africana Project. We also hope that it will encour- age further collecting and identification by those who are not well versed in or do not possess the very diversified taxonomic literature on African bryo- phytes.
The genus Notomicrus in Guadeloupe, with description of three new species (Coleoptera: Noteridae)
Authors: MANUEL MICHAEL
Published: September 2015

The genus Notomicrus Sharp, 1882 is recorded from Guadeloupe for the first time. Examination of recently collected material revealed the presence of four species, of which three are described as new species so far endemic to Guadeloupe. Notomicrus sabrouxi sp. n. is akin to the continental Neotropical species N. gracilipes Sharp, 1882 and N. traili Sharp, 1882. Notomicrus chailliei sp. n. and N. femineus sp. n. are sibling species which diverge from each other by 3.4% of observed distance in cytochrome oxidase 1 sequences. The latter species seems to be comprised of only females, and is suspected to reproduce by obligate parthenogenesis. The fourth species is N. sharpi Balfour-Browne, 1939. These species are morphologically described notably through scanning electron microscopy study, and data on their distribution in the Guadeloupe archipelago and habitat preferences are presented and discussed.
Two new species of family Neotanaidae (Peracarida: Tanaidacea) from the Antarctic and Mid-Pacific Oceans
Authors: ARAÚJO-SILVA CATARINA L. , FROUFE ELSA , LARSEN KIM
Published: September 2015

Samples collected from the Antarctic (ANDEEP/2002) and Mid-Pacific (BIONOD/2012) Oceans allowed analyses of several specimens of the family Neotanaidae. From these surveys two new species are described: Neotanais bicornutus and Venusticrus thor. The new material led to a re-diagnosis of Venusticrus, and N. rotermundiae is now assigned to this genus. The male of N. bicornutus shares a number of characters with the "robustus" species group, but differs by having a pleotelson about 1.5 times as wide as long, cheliped carpus about 1.5 times as long as cephalothorax, cheliped propodus with two long dorsal projections, and uropod endopod article 1 with 8–10 fine setae proximal to mid-length on outer margin. The N. bicornutus preparatory female differs from all species by a combination of characters including the number of setae on dorsal margin of cheliped carpus (about 15 setae), the uropod attachment slightly posterior to mid-length, uropod basal article about 2.7 times as long as endopod article 1. The female of V. thor differs from those of V. insolitus, V. glandurus and V. rotermundiae by the body proportions, the pleon having three lateral setae on epimera, pleon with a blunt ventral keel, pereopodal setation, number of setae on maxilliped endite and basis as well as other characters. Total genomic DNA was extracted from two specimens of V. thor and sequences of two genes, i.e., cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI) and ribosomal (28S) were obtained.
A new Asian genus of the tribe Elicini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Tropiduchidae) with two new species from Vietnam
Authors: WANG MENGLIN , STROIŃSKI ADAM , BOURGOIN THIERRY , ZHANG YALIN
Published: September 2015

A new genus Connelicita gen. nov. with 2 new species (C. backyensis sp. nov. and C. haiphongensis sp. nov.) of Tropiduchidae Elicini from Vietnam are described and illustrated. The Chinese species C. lungchowensis (Chou et Lu, 1977) comb. nov. is transferred into this new genus from the genus Sassula (Nogodinidae). A key to species of the new genus distributed in North Vietnam and China (Guangxi) is provided.
On the specific status of Hedotettix cristatus Karny, 1915 (Tetrigidae: Tetriginae)
Authors: SKEJO JOSIP , GUPTA SUNIL KUMAR
Published: September 2015

Hedotettix cristatus Karny, 1915 is a species described from a single male specimen from Taiwan. Wagan & Kevan in 1992 synonymised the species with Hedotettix punctatus Hancock, 1909. We re-evaluated the specific status of H. cristatus and made a detailed comparison between valuable diagnostic characters. Females of H. cristatus are reported and new localities for the species, found on amateur photos from Taiwan, are presented. H. cristatus stat.rev. is a valid species, endemic to Taiwan, while H. punctatus is a species with a disjunctive distribution, partly in India and partly in China (Hainan, Guangdong, Hubei). The main diagnostic differences between two species are: 1) antennal grooves position: in H. cristatus antennal grooves are situated at the level of the lower margin of the compound eyes or slightly below it, while in H. punctatus, however, antennal grooves are situated slightly above the lower margin of the compound eyes, never at its level or below, 2) scutellum morphology: in H. cristatus, frontal costa bifurcation starts in about upper ¼ of the compound eye height, while in H. punctatus it starts at the level of upper margin of compound eyes or slightly below (with rare exceptions), 3)  ratio of femora length/width: H. cristatus is species of robust femora, while H. punctatus has slender femora and 4) prozonal carinae: indistinguishable in H. cristatus, clear and elevated in H. punctatus. H. cristitergus Hancock, 1915 syn.nov. is synonymized with H. punctatus, as already proposed in some old papers.
The Early 1990s Change in ENSO–PSA–SAM Relationships and Its Impact on Southern Hemisphere Climate
Authors: Yu Jin-Yi , Paek Houk , Saltzman Eric S. , Lee Tong
Published: September 2015

This study uncovers an early 1990s change in the relationships between El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and two leading modes of the Southern Hemisphere (SH) atmospheric variability: the southern annular mode (SAM) and the Pacific–South American (PSA) pattern. During austral spring, while the PSA maintained a strong correlation with ENSO throughout the period 1948–2014, the SAM–ENSO correlation changed from being weak before the early 1990s to being strong afterward. Through the ENSO connection, PSA and SAM became more in-phase correlated after the early 1990s. The early 1990s is also the time when ENSO changed from being dominated by the eastern Pacific (EP) type to being dominated by the central Pacific (CP) type. Analyses show that, while the EP ENSO can excite only the PSA, the CP ENSO can excite both the SAM and PSA through tropospheric and stratospheric pathway mechanisms. The more in-phase relationship between SAM and PSA impacted the post-1990s Antarctic climate in at least two aspects: 1) a stronger Antarctic sea ice dipole structure around the Amundsen–Bellingshausen Seas due to intensified geopotential height anomalies over the region and 2) a shift in the phase relationships of surface air temperature anomalies among East Antarctica, West Antarctica, and the Antarctic Peninsula. These findings imply that ENSO–Antarctic climate relations depend on the dominant ENSO type and that ENSO forcing has become more important to the Antarctic sea ice and surface air temperature variability in the past two decades and will in the coming decades if the dominance of CP ENSO persists.
Influence of the Kuroshio on Mesoscale Convective Systems in the Baiu Frontal Zone over the East China Sea
Authors: Sato Kazutoshi , Manda Atsuyoshi , Moteki Qoosaku , Komatsu Kensuke K. , Ogata Koto , Nishikawa Hatsumi , Oshika Miki , Otomi Yuriko , Kunoki Shiori , Kanehara Hisao , Aoshima Takashi , Shimizu Kenichi , Uchida Jun , Shimoda Masako , Yagi Mitsuharu , Minobe Shoshiro , Tachibana Yoshihiro
Published: September 2015

Two mesoscale convective events in the baiu frontal zone (BFZ) were documented, based on intensive atmospheric soundings and oceanic castings in the East China Sea during May 2011, in addition to continuous surface meteorological observations, satellite products, and objective analyses. These events occurred while the BFZ was nearly stagnant and a mesolow was deepening in the zone. Near-surface southerlies associated with the low-level jet transported a warm, humid air mass from south of the BFZ. Enhanced evaporation, which was mainly attributable to the high sea surface temperature of the Kuroshio, augmented the moisture content of the air mass and helped maintain a convectively unstable stratification in the lower troposphere around the BFZ.
Double Impact: When Both Tornadoes and Flash Floods Threaten the Same Place at the Same Time
Authors: Nielsen Erik R. , Herman Gregory R. , Tournay Robert C. , Peters John M. , Schumacher Russ S.
Published: September 2015

While both tornadoes and flash floods individually present public hazards, when the two threats are both concurrent and collocated (referred to here as TORFF events), unique concerns arise. This study aims to evaluate the climatological and meteorological characteristics associated with TORFF events over the continental United States. Two separate datasets, one based on overlapping tornado and flash flood warnings and the other based on observations, were used to arrive at estimations of the instances when a TORFF event was deemed imminent and verified to have occurred, respectively. These datasets were then used to discern the geographical and meteorological characteristics of recent TORFF events. During 2008–14, TORFF events were found to be publicly communicated via overlapping warnings an average of 400 times per year, with a maximum frequency occurring in the lower Mississippi River valley. Additionally, 68 verified TORFF events between 2008 and 2013 were identified and subsequently classified based on synoptic characteristics and radar observations. In general, synoptic conditions associated with TORFF events were found to exhibit similar characteristics of typical tornadic environments, but the TORFF environment tended to be moister and have stronger synoptic-scale forcing for ascent. These results indicate that TORFF events occur with appreciable frequency and in complex meteorological scenarios. Furthermore, despite these identified differences, TORFF scenarios are not easily distinguishable from tornadic events that fail to produce collocated flash flooding, and present difficult challenges both from the perspective of forecasting and public communication.
Personal health monitoring – exploiting the power of the personal telephone
Authors: Hannan Amir
Published: September 2015

Many health issues that we currently face are related to our lifestyle choices. Educating patients can help them to make better informed health decisions. The internet and smartphones, mobile telephones that perform many of the functions of a computer, are becoming more accessible to the majority of the population. Applications on smartphones and professional health websites can signpost patients to trusted information and allow them to co-produce records. Empowering patients, staff and organizations through enabling access to records and understanding, building a partnership trust and the use of social media can enable people to do more and hopefully improve outcomes. In this article, I describe the steps we have taken to facilitate such interactions within our own primary care practice and the response of patients to these initiatives.
Partisan Cues and Vote Choice in New Multiparty Systems
Authors: Conroy-Krutz Jeffrey , Moehler Devra C. , Aguilar Rosario
Published: September 2015

There are numerous studies of the effects of partisan cues in established party systems, but almost none on how they affect voting in new party systems. This lacuna might stem from untested assumptions that partisan cues are un-influential where parties lack multigenerational psychological bonds with citizens and long-standing records. Alternatively, we theorize that even in new party systems, voters use partisan cues to assess candidates’ capabilities, preferences, and electoral viability. We test this theory through an experiment in which we varied inclusion of party identifiers on mock ballots in Uganda, where the multiparty system was only 5 years old. We find that partisan cues increased selection of major-party candidates over independents, casting of straight-ticket ballots, and votes for copartisans. Our results challenge the common assumption that partisan labels are irrelevant in new party systems. Partisan cues can influence political decision making, even when party systems are young.
Connection or Independence
Authors: Ma Ting-Lan , Bellmore Amy
Published: September 2015

This study investigates differences and similarities in coping responses to peer victimization and the way culture is reflected in the social cognitions adolescents used in choosing their coping responses through a mixed-method design with 731 Taiwanese and 470 U.S. adolescents. Adolescents provided coping responses to peer victimization via both hypothetical situations and within structured open-ended questions. Two culturally distinctive psychological frameworks, seeking connection in Taiwan and showing independence in the United States, were reflected in both the coping responses that adolescents endorsed (i.e., more seeking adults’ support in Taiwan and more problem-solving coping in the United States) and the social cognitions used in the coping process (e.g., connection seeking in Taiwan and self-independence demonstration in the United States). Taiwan and U.S. adolescents also differ in the prevalence of coping strategies in the real-life peer victimization descriptions in a way that was comparable with our quantitative findings (i.e., more seeking friends and adults’ support in Taiwan and more solving the problem on one’s own in the United States).
RANTES and SDF-1 Are Keys in Cell-based Therapy of TMJ Osteoarthritis
Authors: Lu L. , Zhang X. , Zhang M. , Zhang H. , Liao L. , Yang T. , Zhang J. , Xian L. , Chen D. , Wang M.
Published: September 2015

The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of injections of local bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on osteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and to explore the role of stromal cell–derived factor 1 (SDF-1) and regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in this effect. Fundamentally, OA of the TMJ was induced by unilateral anterior crossbite in mice. Exogenous green fluorescent protein–labeled BMSCs (GFP-BMSCs) were weekly injected into the TMJ region for 4, 8, and 12 wk. The reparative effects of exogenous GFP-BMSCs were investigated by morphological observation and micro–computed tomography. The differentiation of GFP-BMSCs in the cartilage was examined by double immunofluorescence of GFPs with type II collagen, and the expression of related factors in the condylar cartilage was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The role of RANTES and SDF-1 in the therapeutic effect of exogenous BMSCs was examined by both in vitro and in vivo studies. The OA cartilage of the TMJ displays a synchronous increase in SDF-1 and RANTES expression and a higher capability of attracting the migration of GFP-BMSCs. The implanted GFP-BMSCs differentiated into type II collagen–positive cells and reversed cartilage degradation and subchondral bone loss in mice with OA of the TMJ. The migration of GFP-BMSCs towards OA cartilage and the rescuing effect of GFP-BMSC injections were impaired by the inhibitors of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and C-C chemokine receptor type 1 (CCR1), which are the receptors of SDF-1 and RANTES, respectively. Our data indicated that SDF-1/CXCR4 and RANTES/CCR1 signals are pivotal and function synergistically in the recruitment of GFP-BMSCs towards degraded cartilage in mice OA of the TMJ.
Oral Microbiome Metabolism
Authors: Takahashi N.
Published: September 2015

Recent advances in molecular biology have facilitated analyses of the oral microbiome (“Who are they?”); however, its functions (e.g., metabolic activities) are poorly understood (“What are they doing?”). This review aims to summarize our current understanding of the metabolism of the oral microbiome. Saccharolytic bacteria—including Streptococcus, Actinomyces, and Lactobacillus species—degrade carbohydrates into organic acids via the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway and several of its branch pathways, resulting in dental caries, while alkalization and acid neutralization via the arginine deiminase system, urease, and so on, counteract acidification. Proteolytic/amino acid–degrading bacteria, including Prevotella and Porphyromonas species, break down proteins and peptides into amino acids and degrade them further via specific pathways to produce short-chain fatty acids, ammonia, sulfur compounds, and indole/skatole, which act as virulent and modifying factors in periodontitis and oral malodor. Furthermore, it is suggested that ethanol-derived acetaldehyde can cause oral cancer, while nitrate-derived nitrite can aid caries prevention and systemic health. Microbial metabolic activity is influenced by the oral environment; however, it can also modify the oral environment, enhance the pathogenicity of bacteria, and induce microbial selection to create more pathogenic microbiome. Taking a metabolomic approach to analyzing the oral microbiome is crucial to improving our understanding of the functions of the oral microbiome.
A forensic hypothesis for the mystery of al-Hasan’s death in the 7th century: Mercury(I) chloride intoxication
Authors: Burke Nicole , Golas Mitchell , Raafat Cyrus L. , Mousavi Aliyar
Published: September 2015

The puzzle of a mysterious death in the Middle Ages has been hypothesized in terms of contemporary forensic legal and scientific methods. That al-Hasan ibn-‘Ali died in 669 aged just 45 has been forensically analyzed based on written sources that dictate eyewitness accounts of historical events. The report of the contemporaneous poisoning of another individual who resided under the same household as al-Hasan’s and experienced similar, yet non-lethal, symptoms has served as the beginning of the analysis. In light of ancient (medieval) documents and through using mineralogical, medical, and chemical facts, it has been hypothesized that mineral calomel (mercury(I) chloride, Hg2Cl2) from a certain region in the Byzantine Empire (present-day western Turkey) was the substance primarily responsible for the murder of al-Hasan.
An incest case with three biological brothers as alleged fathers: Even 22 autosomal STR loci analysis would not suffice without the mother
Authors: Canturk Kemal Murat , Emre Ramazan , Gurkan Cemal , Komur Ilhami , Muslumanoglu Omer , Dogan Muhammed
Published: September 2015

Here, we report an incest paternity case involving three biological brothers as alleged fathers (AFs), their biological sister and her child that was investigated using the Investigator ESSplex Plus, AmpFLSTR Identifiler Plus/Investigator IDplex Plus and PowerPlex 16 kits. Initial duo paternity investigations using 15-loci autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) analyses failed to exclude any of the AFs. Despite the fact that one of the brothers, AF1, had a mismatch with the child at a single locus (D2S1338), the possibility of a single-step mutation could not be ruled out. When the number of autosomal STR loci analysed was increased to 22 without the inclusion of the mother, AF2 and AF3 still could not be excluded, since both of them again had no mismatches with the child. A breakthrough was possible only upon inclusion of the mother so that trio paternity investigations were carried out. This time AF1 and AF2 could be excluded at two loci (D2S1338 and D1S1656) and six loci (vWa, D1S1656, D12S391, FGA, PENTA E and PENTA D), respectively, and AF3 was then the only brother who could not be excluded from paternity. Subsequent statistical analyses suggested that AF3 could be the biological father of the child with a combined paternity index >100 billion and a probability of paternity >99.99999999%. These findings consolidate the fact that complex paternity cases such as those involving incest could benefit more from the inclusion of the mother than simply increasing the number of STR loci analysed.
Jail Staff Members’ Views on Jailed Women’s Mental Health, Trauma, Offending, Rehabilitation, and Reentry
Authors: Belknap Joanne , Lynch Shannon , DeHart Dana
Published: September 2015

Since the 1970s, both women’s incarceration and research on incarcerated women have expanded. This qualitative study is unique in reporting perspectives of 37 jail staff members (e.g., supervisors, line staff, and mental and physical health care providers), from four regions of the United States. Interviews explored staff perceptions of women’s pathways to jail and their individual, structural, and reentry needs and challenges, including frequent experiences of interpersonal violence and struggles with mental health. Staff perceptions were consistent with the existing literature. Most of the staff were at least partially sympathetic to and aware of the women’s difficult and varied lives and challenges.
Flame retardancy and conductive properties of polyester fabrics coated with polyaniline
Authors: Yu Jian , Zhou Tianchi , Pang Zengyuan , Wei Qufu
Published: September 2015

Polyester fabrics were coated by polyaniline synthesized via in-situ chemical polymerization and doped with HCl and H3PO4. The coated fabrics were examined by scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectrum and thermogravimetric analysis. The performance of flame retardancy and conductivity of polyester fabrics were studied by Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) and cyclic voltammetry measurements. Experimental results indicated that the modified polyester fabrics had both excellent flame retardancy and conductivity. The sample molar ratio of ammonium persulfate (APS) to aniline of 1.2:1 resulted in the highest conductivity of 17.8 s/cm and the highest LOI of 42 vol% was acquired at the molar ratio of aniline to APS of 1:2.
“There Ain’t No White People Here”
Authors: Woodson Ashley N.
Published: September 2015

In this article, the author uses the critical race theoretical construct of master narrative to explore historical and ideological assumptions about the Civil Rights Movement held by two Black youth in an urban community. Master narrative is defined as the dominant social mythologies that mute, erase, and neutralize features of racial struggle. Through a synthesis of literature by critical race theorists and critical social historians, the author outlines four themes present in master narratives about the Movement, and illustrates how each theme functions to reinforce ideologies of White supremacy. Through counterstory, the author examines ways in which these themes seem to constrain participants’ understandings of race, racism, and racial struggle. The author concludes posing questions to encourage urban social studies educators to think deeply about their historical content knowledge, curriculum, and classroom practices, and restating the need for continued exploration into the implications of master narrative in Black, urban students’ understandings of history and their contemporary conditions.
Neoliberalism, economic restructuring and policy change: Precarious housing and precarious employment in Australia
Authors: Beer Andrew , Bentley Rebecca , Baker Emma , Mason Kate , Mallett Shelley , Kavanagh Anne , LaMontagne Tony
Published: September 2015

Housing, employment and economic conditions in many nations have changed greatly over the past decades. This paper explores the ways in which changing housing markets, economic conditions and government policies have affected vulnerable individuals and households, using Australia as a case study. The paper finds a substantial number and proportion of low income Australians have been affected by housing and employment that is insecure with profound implications for vulnerability. Importantly, the paper suggests that in Australia the economic gains achieved as a consequence of mining-related growth in the early 2000s were translated as greater employment security for some on low incomes, but not all. Enhanced access to employment in this period was differentiated by gender, with women largely missing out on the growth in jobs. For the population as a whole, employment gains were offset by increased housing insecurity as accommodation costs rose. The paper finds low income lone parents were especially vulnerable because they were unable to benefit from a buoyant labour market over the decade 2000–2010. They were also adversely affected by national policy changes intended to encourage engagement with paid work. The outcomes identified for Australia are likely to have been mirrored in other nations, especially those that have embraced, or been forced to adopt, more restrictive welfare and income support regimes.
Notes towards the queer Asian city: Singapore and Hong Kong
Authors: Yue Audrey , Leung Helen Hok-Sze
Published: September 2015

The last decade has witnessed the emergence and consolidation of new and established gay cities in East and Southeast Asia, in particular, the sexualisation of the Singapore city-state, the commerce-led boom of queer Bangkok, the rise of middle-class gay consumer cultures in Manila and Hong Kong, and the proliferation of underground LGBT scenes in Shanghai and Beijing. In the West, scholarships on urban gay centres such as San Francisco, New York and London focus on the paradigms of ethnicity (Sinfield, 1996), gentrification (Bell and Binnie, 2004) and creativity (Florida, 2002). Mapping the rise of commercial gay neighbourhoods by combining the history of ghettos and its post-closet geography of community villages, these studies chart a teleological model of sexual minority rights, group recognition and homonormative mainstream assimilation. Instead of defaulting to these specifically North American and European paradigms and debates, this paper attempts to formulate a different theoretical framework to understand the rise of the queer Asian city. Providing case studies on Singapore and Hong Kong, and deploying an inter-disciplinary approach including critical creative industrial studies and cultural studies this paper examines the intersections across the practices of gay clusters, urban renewal and social movement. It asks: if queer Asian sexual cultures are characterised by disjunctive modernities, how do such modernities shape their spatial geographies and produce the material specificities of each city?
Countering decline of industrial sites: Do local economic development policies target the neediest places?
Authors: Beekmans Jasper , Ploegmakers Huub , Martens Karel , van der Krabben Erwin
Published: September 2015

Local economic development is a much used tool for the regeneration of urban areas. Although the designation and effectiveness of local economic development policies has been studied extensively in existing literature, the question as to whether these policies are aimed at the areas that are most in need of these policies remains relatively understudied. This question has been answered using the case of industrial sites in the Netherlands. This particular type of urban area in the Netherlands has experienced problems with rapid urban area decline and has therefore been targeted by various area-based regeneration initiatives for many years. The economic performance is the main justification for the designation of industrial sites that are in greater need of regeneration. However, another pertinent and unanswered question is: are the industrial sites targeted for regeneration really the ones that underperform economically? (Multinomial) logistic regression analysis is used to answer this question. Differences in economic performance, measured by the growth in employment figures, the number of companies and property values, between industrial sites that are targeted for regeneration in two different rounds of regeneration initiatives and non-targeted sites are studied. The analysis shows that the differences in economic performance are negligible between these groups. It indicates that other criteria, such as political and strategic decision making influence policymakers’ decisions to target industrial sites for regeneration, thus making it at least doubtful that public money for the regeneration of industrial sites is being spent on what it is meant for.
From gentrification to youthification? The increasing importance of young age in delineating high-density living
Authors: Moos Markus
Published: September 2015

This paper considers the importance of age in delineating urban space, the latter operationalised as high-density living. Many cities have experienced an increase in inner city living contributing to gentrification. Today, inner cities contain more amenities, public transit and housing options than in the past but there are also growing affordability concerns owing to rising prices. Especially young adults, sometimes dubbed Millennials, are making location decisions in a context of lower employment security, higher costs and continuing high-density re-development that now extends into suburban areas in some cases. The analysis in this paper shows evidence of a youthification process that results in an increasing association of high-density living with the young adult lifecycle stage. The higher density areas remain young over time as new young adults move into neighbourhoods where there are already young people living, and they move out if their household size increases. Youthified spaces have become characterised by small housing units that are not generally occupied by households with children. Additionally, some areas are exhibiting generational bifurcation as both older and younger adults live in some higher density areas. Youthification is driven by a combination of lifestyle, demographic, macro-economic and housing market changes that require further investigation. The youthification process is not replacing, but occurring alongside, gentrification and points to young age as a delineator of high-density living becoming more important over time. However, immigration, measures of social class and household size still remain the most important explanatory variables of high-density living.
Multiple Facets of Self-Control in Arab Adolescents: Parallel Pathways to Greater Happiness and Less Physical Aggression
Authors: Gavriel-Fried Belle , Ronen Tammie , Agbaria Qutaiba , Orkibi Hod , Hamama Liat
Published: September 2015

Adolescence is a period of dramatic change that necessitates using skills and strengths to reduce physical aggression and increase happiness. This study examined the multiple facets of self-control skills in achieving both goals simultaneously, in a sample of 248 Arab adolescents in Israel. We conceptualized and tested a new multi-mediator model that posited two parallel paths. Structural equation modeling with bootstrap analysis supported the hypothesized model where self-control linked with subjective happiness directly, and indirectly through positive emotions and social support. In addition, self-control linked directly to physical aggression, and indirectly through hostility and anger. The findings provide new theoretical conceptualizations for further research and suggest possible mechanisms for prevention and intervention programs.
Relationship between soluble intercellular adhesion molecules and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Alaşehirli Belgin , Oguz Elif , Gokcen Cem , Erbagcı Ayse Binnur , Orkmez Mustafa , Demiryurek Abdullah T
Published: September 2015

Objective

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood-oneset psychiatric disease, characterized by excessive overactivity, inattention, and impulsiveness. In recent studies, it is emphasized that inflammation may have a role in ADHD. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether there are associations between ADHD and serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecules (s-ICAMs) which have important role in inflammatory diseases. We also measured the levels of these molecules after treatment with oros-methylphenidate.

Methods

Twenty-five patients diagnosed with ADHD according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV-TR criteria and 18 healthy volunteer controls were included in this study. The levels of sICAMs were measured in the serum of the patients and healthy volunteers by ELISA kit as described.

Results

The levels of sICAM-1 and sICAM-2 were significantly higher in patients compared with controls. The level of sICAM-2 was decreased significantly in group treated with oros-methylphenidate.

Conclusions

This is the first study pointing out the relationship between sICAMs and ADHD. The changes in sICAM-2 level may have a role in the effect mechanism of oros-methylphenidate, used for the treatment of ADHD.
Worker Performance in State-Owned Factories in Maoist China
Authors: Li Huaiyin
Published: September 2015

Drawing on in-depth interviews with 97 retirees in different cities, this article reexamines worker performance in state-owned enterprises during the Mao era. It disputes the conventional wisdom that assumes widespread shirking and inefficiency in state firms before the reform and attributes this problem primarily to the lack of adequate material incentives. Instead, this article investigates the issue of work incentives in the context in which multiple economic, social, and political factors worked together to motivate and constrain workers. It argues that state-firm workers were subject to not only the pressure of political conformity, disciplinary regulations, and peer-to-peer surveillance at the workplace but also the incentives embedded in their shared consciousness as a privileged group, their identity as members of a work unit, and, most important, the opportunities for upward mobility that motivated them in the absence of material stimuli. Workers’ performance, therefore, varied over time and space, depending on how the mechanisms of motivation and control operated on the shop floor.
The Balanced Ideological Antipathy Model
Authors: Crawford Jarret T. , Mallinas Stephanie R. , Furman Bryan J.
Published: September 2015

We introduce the balanced ideological antipathy (BIA) model, which challenges assumptions that right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) predict inter-group antipathy per se. Rather, the effects of RWA and SDO on antipathy should depend on the target’s political orientation and political objectives, the specific components of RWA, and the type of antipathy expressed. Consistent with the model, two studies ( N = 585) showed that the Traditionalism component of RWA positively and negatively predicted both political intolerance and prejudice toward tradition-threatening and -reaffirming groups, respectively, whereas SDO positively and negatively predicted prejudice (and to some extent political intolerance) toward hierarchy-attenuating and -enhancing groups, respectively. Critically, the Conservatism component of RWA positively predicted political intolerance (but not prejudice) toward each type of target group, suggesting it captures the anti-democratic impulse at the heart of authoritarianism. Recommendations for future research on the relationship between ideological attitudes and inter-group antipathy are discussed.
Regional Labor Market Performance in Europe
Authors: Herwartz Helmut , Niebuhr Annekatrin
Published: September 2015

The labor market effects of the recent financial and economic crisis are rather heterogeneous across countries and regions. Such differences in labor market performance among industrialized countries are an issue of ongoing research. The objective of this article is to analyze labor market disparities among European regions and to provide evidence on the factors behind these differences. Whereas previous research focused on the effects of national labor market institutions, we also take structural characteristics of regions into account and investigate differences in labor demand responsiveness and their potential determinants. The data set covers the Nomenclature des unités territoriales statistiques 2 regions in the EU15 for the period 1980 to 2008. We employ an error correction model that is combined with spatial residual correlation. Our findings point to substantially distinct wage and output elasticities of employment among European countries and regions. Moreover, the rate of adjustment to disequilibrium is subject to significant variation across units of observation. There is robust evidence that labor market institutions affect the adjustment speed of regional labor markets and the wage elasticity of employment. Moreover, the findings suggest that some characteristics of regional labor markets matter as well. However, corresponding results are less robust compared with the evidence on labor market institutions.
Indentation Measurements to Validate Dynamic Elasticity Imaging Methods
Authors: Altahhan Khaldoon N. , Wang Yue , Sobh Nahil , Insana Michael F.
Published: September 2015

We describe macro-indentation techniques for estimating the elastic modulus of soft hydrogels. Our study describes (a) conditions under which quasi-static indentation can validate dynamic shear-wave imaging estimates and (b) how each of these techniques uniquely biases modulus estimates as they couple to the sample geometry. Harmonic shear waves between 25 and 400 Hz were imaged using ultrasonic Doppler and optical coherence tomography methods to estimate shear dispersion. From the shear-wave speed of sound, average elastic moduli of homogeneous samples were estimated. These results are compared directly with macroscopic indentation measurements measured two ways. One set of measurements applied Hertzian theory to the loading phase of the force–displacement curves using samples treated to minimize surface adhesion forces. A second set of measurements applied Johnson–Kendall–Roberts theory to the unloading phase of the force–displacement curve when surface adhesions were significant. All measurements were made using gelatin hydrogel samples of different sizes and concentrations. Agreement within 5% among elastic modulus estimates was achieved for a range of experimental conditions. Consequently, a simple quasi-static indentation measurement using a common gel can provide elastic modulus measurements that help validate dynamic shear-wave imaging estimates.
Using Automated Scoring to Evaluate Written Responses in English and French on a High-Stakes Clinical Competency Examination
Authors: Latifi Syed , Gierl Mark J. , Boulais André-Philippe , De Champlain André F.
Published: September 2015

We present a framework for technology-enhanced scoring of bilingual clinical decision-making (CDM) questions using an open-source scoring technology and evaluate the strength of the proposed framework using operational data from the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination. Candidates’ responses from six write-in CDM questions were used to develop a three-stage–automated scoring framework. In Stage 1, the linguistic features from CDM responses were extracted. In Stage 2, supervised machine learning techniques were employed for developing the scoring models. In Stage 3, responses to six English and French CDM questions were scored using the scoring models from Stage 2. Of the 8,007 English and French CDM responses, 7,643 were accurately scored with an agreement rate of 95.4% between human and computer scoring. This result serves as an improvement of 5.4% when compared with the human inter-rater reliability. Our framework yielded scores similar to those of expert physician markers and could be used for clinical competency assessment.
Association Between Parents’ Marital Status and the Development of Purpose, Hope, and Self-Esteem in Adolescents in Hong Kong
Authors: Chui Wing Hong , Wong Mathew Y. H.
Published: September 2015

This study investigates the role of parents’ marital status in adolescents’ mental well-being. Although the separation of parents is generally regarded as a negative condition on adolescents’ growth, we find evidence of strong positive development in certain areas. Faced with an adverse family background, even though teenagers might have lower happiness and life satisfaction, they come to develop stronger purpose in life, higher hope for the future, and higher self-esteem. We argue that this is because the tougher circumstances force them to become independent and develop their own identity. On the other hand, these attributes are found to be lower among older adolescents in “normal” family backgrounds, which provide an interesting contrast to prior research, which has argued that intact families are positive for development. The results of this study have strong implications for the study of teenage well-being.
Is Cost of Living Related to Living Alone Among Older Persons? Evidence From the Elder Economic Security Standard Index
Authors: Mutchler Jan E. , Lyu Jiyoung , Xu Ping , Burr Jeffrey A.
Published: September 2015

This study examines whether the cost of living is related to the probability of living alone among unmarried persons age 65 years and older in the United States. Cost of living is measured at the metropolitan area level by the Elder Economic Security Standard Index, which takes into account geographic variability in cost of housing, food, transportation, and medical care. Using multilevel modeling, we find that higher cost of living is related to a lower likelihood of living alone net of personal resources. Results also show that the gap in the likelihood of living alone between high- and low-income older adults is slightly lessened in low-cost metropolitan areas. We conclude that the price of “purchasing privacy” is substantially higher in some metropolitan areas than in others. These findings inform policies designed to help older adults age in place.
Empirical Derivation of Correction Factors for Human Spiral Ganglion Cell Nucleus and Nucleolus Count Units
Authors: Robert Mark E. , Linthicum Fred H.
Published: September 2015

Objective

Profile count method for estimating cell number in sectioned tissue applies a correction factor for double count (resulting from transection during sectioning) of count units selected to represent the cell. For human spiral ganglion cell counts, we attempted to address apparent confusion between published correction factors for nucleus and nucleolus count units that are identical despite the role of count unit diameter in a commonly used correction factor formula.

Study Design

We examined a portion of human cochlea to empirically derive correction factors for the 2 count units, using 3‐dimensional reconstruction software to identify double counts.

Setting

The Neurotology and House Histological Temporal Bone Laboratory at University of California at Los Angeles.

Subjects and Methods

Using a fully sectioned and stained human temporal bone, we identified and generated digital images of sections of the modiolar region of the lower first turn of cochlea, identified count units with a light microscope, labeled them on corresponding digital sections, and used 3‐dimensional reconstruction software to identify double‐counted count units.

Results

For 25 consecutive sections, we determined that double‐count correction factors for nucleus count unit (0.91) and nucleolus count unit (0.92) matched the published factors. We discovered that nuclei and, therefore, spiral ganglion cells were undercounted by 6.3% when using nucleolus count units.

Conclusion

We determined that correction factors for count units must include an element for undercounting spiral ganglion cells as well as the double‐count element. We recommend a correction factor of 0.91 for the nucleus count unit and 0.98 for the nucleolus count unit when using 20‐µm sections.
RETRACTED: PRM Scale: An Innovative Tool for Indian Automobile Sector
Authors: Agarwal Anuja , Singh Deepali
Published: September 2015

The research study aims at developing a reliable partner relationship management (PRM) scale specific to Indian automobile sector. The review of literature on PRM has revealed a need to develop such scale for more effective implementation of PRM practices with sound value-laden relationship between the manufacturer and the channel partners. Literature review is followed by questionnaire development through depth interview with some of the automobile manufacturers and channel partners belonging to the northern and southern regions of India. A questionnaire survey was carried out and a standard methodology was used consisting of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis for analyzing data and ultimately for scale development. Findings of the study revealed PRM as a multidimensional construct comprising five factors, namely organizational structure, trust, commitment, customization and market orientation. These factors should be given the utmost importance for relationship enhancement among channel partners specifically in the Indian automobile sector. The novelty of the research work lies in proposing a reliable and valid measurement instrument for enhancing PRM effectiveness.