bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combustion calorimetry of carbonate electrolytes used in lithium ion batteries
Authors: Zhang Wenxia , Chen Xiao , Chen Qinpei , Ding Chao , Liu Jiahao , Chen Mingyi , Wang Jian
Published: September 2014

In this article, some of the combustion properties of three carbonate solvent mixtures commonly used as the electrolytes of lithium ion batteries are considered by means of the ISO 5660 cone calorimeter. Experimental findings reveal that the heat release rate, the most important parameter in fire science, exhibits a significant variation among the carbonate mixtures. Other key parameters governing the fire-induced hazards such as total heat release, mass loss rate, combustion efficiency, and concentration of the major exhaust gases are also determined and analyzed. Furthermore, as some researchers argue that oxygen consumption calorimetry is likely to over-predict the chemical heat release for lithium ion cells, another thermal chemistry method based on stoichiometry for heat release rate calculation is adopted. Heat release rate results of the three carbonate solvent mixtures obtained by these two separate methods are found to be in good agreement. Thus, oxygen consumption calorimetry is considered to be an appropriate technique to determine the heat release in fires in relation to electrolytes of lithium ion batteries.
“My Culture Helps Me Make Good Decisions”
Authors: Qin Desiree Baolian , Saltarelli Andy , Rana Meenal , Bates Laura , Lee Jungah Ah , Johnson Deborah J.
Published: September 2014

The last two decades have witnessed growing research on the experiences of children and youth after migration or resettlement. However, nearly all of this research focuses on children and youth who arrived in the country with their parents. We know little of the unique experiences of refugee youngsters who came to this country without parental company. How do they negotiate the different cultures in the absence of parents? In this article, we draw on in-depth interview data with 19 Sudanese emerging adults who came to the United States as unaccompanied refugee minors to examine issues of acculturation and adaptation. Our findings show that having a strong root in their native culture and identity helped them make good choices, maintain focus, and avoid distractions associated with negative aspects of the U.S. youth culture. Our participants also discussed the importance of learning the new ways. As a result, those who maintained their native culture and combined it with the positive aspect of the U.S. culture were the ones who did best in their adaptation. Our research confirms previous findings on immigrant and refugee youth with parents that a bicultural orientation is the best for adaptation. Our findings also illustrate a more specific and agentic process of cultural appropriation with a flexible orientation.
“It Seems Like No One Cares”
Authors: Teixeira Samantha
Published: September 2014

This article presents findings from a Participatory Photo Mapping (PPM) project designed to understand young people’s perceptions of the neighborhood environment. PPM is an approach that integrates photography, community mapping, and walk-along interviews to learn about people’s lived experience in a spatial context. Ten participants aged 14 to 17 years were recruited from a youth program in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Participants designed neighborhood tours and through their analysis, identified vacant properties as a key concern. They reported that vacant properties affect them personally by facilitating illicit drug activity and perpetuating the sense that “people don’t care” about their neighborhood. Furthermore, they described their own role in changing their neighborhood to improve environmental conditions. These findings add qualitative support to the notion that teenagers’ own perceptions of neighborhood features may have an impact on outcomes such as anxiety and hopelessness and suggest implications for engaging youth in assessing and intervening in their neighborhood environment.
The Roles of School-Based Law Enforcement Officers and How These Roles Are Established
Authors: McKenna Joseph M. , Martinez-Prather Kathy , Bowman Scott W.
Published: September 2014

Recently, considerable attention has been directed to violence and misbehavior in U.S. schools. In turn, schools have looked for solutions to address such concerns, one of which is the use of law enforcement officers. The aim of this research is to explore how law enforcement officers define their actual roles, as well as their perceived roles in an educational setting. Also, this study examines the process for establishing these roles within the school environment. A total of 26 law enforcement officers were contacted by phone and participated in an in-depth interview. Each interview was transcribed into NVivo, and subsequently coded to identify general themes and common phrases. The findings suggest that officers working in the school environment are taking on many roles, some of which they do not consider appropriate. In addition, who establishes these roles varies considerably. The findings are discussed in terms of their deviation from prior literature as well as needed future research endeavors.
The Relation Between Diabetes Self-Efficacy and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults
Authors: Kim Giyeon , Shim Ruth , Ford Katy L. , Baker Tamara A.
Published: September 2014

Objective: This study examined racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between diabetes self-efficacy and psychological distress among older adults with diabetes mellitus. Method: Adults aged 60 or older with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus ( N = 3,067) were drawn from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. Results: After controlling for covariates, African Americans and those with higher levels of diabetes self-efficacy tended to have lower levels of psychological distress. Significant interactions were found in the Hispanic/Latino and Asian groups: The effect of diabetes self-efficacy on psychological distress was greater for Hispanics/Latinos and Asians than non-Hispanic Whites. Discussion: Findings suggest that diabetes self-efficacy is associated with psychological distress among older diabetic patients and that race/ethnicity moderates the relationship between diabetes self-efficacy and psychological distress. Increasing diabetes self-efficacy will help racial/ethnic minority older patients with diabetes to improve psychological well-being at a greater level.
A sound and efficient measure of joint congruence
Authors: Conconi Michele , Castelli Vincenzo Parenti
Published: September 2014

In the medical world, the term “congruence” is used to describe by visual inspection how the articular surfaces mate each other, evaluating the joint capability to distribute an applied load from a purely geometrical perspective. Congruence is commonly employed for assessing articular physiology and for the comparison between normal and pathological states. A measure of it would thus represent a valuable clinical tool. Several approaches for the quantification of joint congruence have been proposed in the biomechanical literature, differing on how the articular contact is modeled. This makes it difficult to compare different measures. In particular, in previous articles a congruence measure has been presented which proved to be efficient and suitable for the clinical practice, but it was still empirically defined. This article aims at providing a sound theoretical support to this congruence measure by means of the Winkler elastic foundation contact model which, with respect to others, has the advantage to hold also for highly conforming surfaces as most of the human articulations are. First, the geometrical relation between the applied load and the resulting peak of pressure is analytically derived from the elastic foundation contact model, providing a theoretically sound approach to the definition of a congruence measure. Then, the capability of congruence measure to capture the same geometrical relation is shown. Finally, the reliability of congruence measure is discussed.
Detecting Knowledge of Incidentally Acquired, Real-World Memories Using a P300-Based Concealed-Information Test
Authors: Meixner John B. , Rosenfeld J. Peter
Published: September 2014

Autobiographical memory for events experienced during normal daily life has been studied at the group level, but no studies have yet examined the ability to detect recognition of incidentally acquired memories among individual subjects. We present the first such study here, which employed a concealed-information test in which subjects were shown words associated with activities they had experienced the previous day. Subjects wore a video-recording device for 4 hr on Day 1 and then returned to the laboratory on Day 2, where they were shown words relating to events recorded with the camera (probe items) and words of the same category but not relating to the subject’s activities (irrelevant items). Electroencephalograms were recorded, and presentation of probe items was associated with a large peak in the amplitude of the P300 component. We were able to discriminate perfectly between 12 knowledgeable subjects who viewed stimuli related to their activities and 12 nonknowledgeable subjects who viewed only irrelevant items. These results have strong implications for the use of memory-detection paradigms in criminal contexts.
State and Trait Effects on Individual Differences in Children’s Mathematical Development
Authors: Bailey Drew H. , Watts Tyler W. , Littlefield Andrew K. , Geary David C.
Published: September 2014

Substantial longitudinal relations between children’s early mathematics achievement and their much later mathematics achievement are firmly established. These findings are seemingly at odds with studies showing that early educational interventions have diminishing effects on children’s mathematics achievement across time. We hypothesized that individual differences in children’s later mathematical knowledge are more an indicator of stable, underlying characteristics related to mathematics learning throughout development than of direct effects of early mathematical competency on later mathematical competency. We tested this hypothesis in two longitudinal data sets, by simultaneously modeling effects of latent traits (stable characteristics that influence learning across time) and states (e.g., prior knowledge) on children’s mathematics achievement over time. Latent trait effects on children’s mathematical development were substantially larger than state effects. Approximately 60% of the variance in trait mathematics achievement was accounted for by commonly used control variables, such as working memory, but residual trait effects remained larger than state effects. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Perceived social support as predictors of adolescents’ career exploration
Authors: Turan Erkan , Çelik Eyüp , Turan Mehmet Emin
Published: September 2014

The aim of this study was to examine whether adolescents’ career exploration is predicted by perceived social support. Participants were 718 seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth grade students. In this research, simultaneous regression analysis assessed the contributions of perceived social support to the adolescent’s career exploration. Perceived family social support, perceived friends’ social support, and perceived significant other social support correlated significantly with the career exploration. The simultaneous regression analysis showed that perceived family social support, perceived friends’ social support, and perceived significant other social support were a significant predictor of career exploration.
The international symposia on career development and public policy: Retrospect and prospect
Authors: Watts AG , Bezanson Lynne , McCarthy John
Published: September 2014

Between 1999 and 2011, seven international symposia on career development and public policy were held at various venues across the world, and an International Centre was established to support and maintain continuity between these events. These developments were closely intertwined with a number of other significant international developments. The origins of the symposia are described; their core design features are defined; their evolution is outlined and reviewed; and their impact is assessed. This article concludes with a discussion of the prospects for future symposia and for the International Centre.
Assessing the congruence of worker and workplace using the proximities of their RIASEC types
Authors: Hutchinson TP
Published: September 2014

Vocational interest inventories are often designed, scored and interpreted in accordance with the six Holland types (R, I, A, S, E and C) and their hexagonal arrangement. A three-letter code then identifies the three types on which the person scored most highly. The congruence between a person and their environment (e.g. workplace or field of study) may affect their satisfaction and performance, and how to define congruence is a question of long standing. The method proposed here is based on (a) the presence and position of each of the six Holland types in the two three-letter codes being compared (or their absence from the codes) and (b) proximities of all pairs of types, reflecting the hexagonal arrangement of the types. There is discussion of whether the hexagonal arrangement ought to be used in calculating congruence, but a definite answer is not yet clear.
A new tracking error-based adaptive controller for servo-hydraulic actuator control
Authors: Mirza Hessabi Reza , Ashasi-Sorkhabi Ali , Mercan Oya
Published: September 2014

Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) is a testing method which combines the response from an experiment (i.e., experimental substructure) with that of a computer model (i.e., analytical substructure) in real-time. The accuracy and stability of the RTHS are prone to the propagation of error in the measured signals. Thus, critical developments in servo-hydraulic actuator control are needed to enable a wide application of this testing technique. In this study, a new tracking error compensation strategy for servo-hydraulic actuator control is developed, and numerically and experimentally evaluated. This compensation procedure is formulated based on a new set of tracking error indicators, namely, frequency domain-based (FDB) error indicators, which uncouple phase (lag and lead) and amplitude (overshoot and undershoot) errors and quantify them. These indicators are then incorporated into a two degree-of-freedom (d.f.) controller to develop closed-form equations to design an adaptive servo-hydraulic controller with improved tracking performance. The FDB indicators and the new adaptive controller are studied through numerical simulations in Simulink and LabVIEW and also verified experimentally. The proposed controller is computationally efficient, it can be implemented in real-time and it does not require any user-defined (i.e., predetermined) coefficients. As a result of its two d.f. formulation, this adaptive controller can be introduced to any closed-loop servo-controller through a digital or analog interface depending on the experimental setup properties. As such, it can be used to improve the tracking capability of any single hydraulic actuator system, which is essential in RTHS.
Wall-plug efficiency analysis of semi-active piezoelectric shunt damping systems
Authors: Václavík Jan , Kodejška Miloš , Mokrý Pavel
Published: September 2014

Analysis of the wall-plug efficiency, i.e. the ratio of reflected and absorbed acoustic power over the total electric input power, of semi-active vibration control devices based on the principle of the active piezoelectric shunt damping is presented. The vibration suppression element in the considered vibration control device consists of a piezoelectric actuator, which is connected to the active synthetic impedance shunt circuit that emulates a negative capacitance. Two types of power amplifiers can be used in the implementation of the synthetic impedance: linear (class B, AB) and switching (class D). Using both implementations of the synthetic impedance, a decrease in the transmissibility of vibration by about 30 dB in narrow frequency ranges around 500 Hz, 700 Hz, 900 Hz, and 1.1 kHz has been achieved. The mechanical input power transferred from the source of vibration to the vibration control system, the electric power flow from the piezoelectric actuator to the active shunt impedance, and the wall-plug input electric power were measured. It was demonstrated that the wall-plug input electric power of the vibration control device can be reduced by more than 90% by implementing the switching power stage in the synthetic impedance. Strengths and weaknesses of the two aforementioned implementations of the synthetic impedance shunt circuit in the semi-active vibration control device are analyzed. The key factor in the analysis is the wall-plug efficiency. Principles that can enhance the wall-plug efficiency of the device are discussed.
Relationships Among Prenatal Depression, Plasma Cortisol, and Inflammatory Cytokines
Authors: Shelton Melissa M. , Schminkey Donna L. , Groer Maureen W.
Published: September 2014

A secondary pilot study was carried out as part of a larger parent study of thyroid function in pregnancy and postpartum. All women in the parent study ( N = 631) had blood samples, demographic data, and measures of perceived stress and dysphoric moods collected between 16 and 26 weeks’ gestation. The current study was completed with a subset of 105 pregnant women to examine the relationships among perceived stress, depression, plasma cortisol, and cytokines during the second trimester of pregnancy. Stress was measured using Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale and dysphoric moods using the Profile of Mood States Depression/Dejection Scale. Cytokines were measured by a 12-plex analysis on a Luminex-200, and cortisol was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on stored plasma samples. Stress and depression scores were highly correlated, and depressive symptoms were inversely correlated with 3 of the 12 cytokines: interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-7. Cortisol was inversely correlated with proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13). These data support the new conceptualizations of normal pregnancy as an inflammatory state that is carefully regulated, as both excessive and inadequate inflammation are potentially hazardous to the health of the pregnancy and fetus.
Foucault’s dispositive: The perspicacity of dispositive analytics in organizational research
Authors: Raffnsøe Sverre , Gudmand-Høyer Marius , Thaning Morten S.
Published: September 2014

While Foucault’s work has had a crucial impact on organizational research, the analytical potential of the dispositive has not been sufficiently developed. The purpose of this article is to reconstruct the notion of the dispositive as a key conception in Foucault’s thought, particularly in his lectures at the Collège de France, and to develop dispositional analytics with specific reference to matters of organization. Foucault’s dispositional analysis articulates a history of interrelated social technologies that have been constructed to organize how we relate to each other. The article distinguishes various dispositional prototypes. It shows how dispositional analytics leads the way beyond general periodizations and established dichotomies such as the either-or of the discursive and non-discursive, power and freedom, determinism, and agency; and it demonstrates how dispositional analytics can contribute to a more complex understanding of organizational dynamics, power, strategy, resistance, and critique. Dispositional analytics allows for a new interpretation and use of Foucault in relation to organization studies.
Early Intervention for the Prevention of Offending in Northern Ireland
Authors: Haydon Deena
Published: September 2014

Policy and practice in education, health, social care and youth justice have increasingly reflected the assumption that the more ‘risk factors’ a child experiences, the more likely s/he is to suffer ‘negative’ outcomes (including involvement in ‘anti-social’ or ‘criminal’ behaviour). This has led to an emphasis on targeting individuals considered ‘at risk’ through ‘early intervention’ programmes. At the heart of debate about such programmes is their intended objective: addressing the needs of any child or young person as they are identified?; prevention of offending based on assessment of ‘criminogenic’ risk factors?; or diversion from the formal criminal justice system for those already involved in ‘anti-social’ or ‘criminal’ behaviours? The needs and circumstances of children defined ‘at risk of offending’ are often the same as those of children ‘in need’. If they are considered ‘in trouble’ rather than ‘troubled’, emphasis is potentially shifted away from their personal development and well-being towards their regulation and criminalization. Drawing on primary research with practitioners implementing an ‘Early Intervention for the Prevention of Offending’ Programme for 8−13 year-olds in Northern Ireland, this article explores the tensions involved in ‘addressing need’ and ‘preventing offending’.
Weighing Costs and Benefits
Authors: Timberlake Maria T.
Published: September 2014

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that all students receive access to the general education curriculum but does not define adequate access. Street-level bureaucracy theory was used to investigate special educators’ interpretation of their role and responsibility to create academic access for students with significant cognitive disabilities. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted with elementary, middle, and secondary special educators ( n = 33) across one state. Findings revealed that access was ultimately a consistent series of decisions. Participants relied on their ethical beliefs about disability and schooling to make cost–benefit decisions, predicting and assigning value to the long-term benefits of academic activities. Researchers and policymakers concerned with academic access should recognize that special educators’ implementation of new interventions will likely be filtered through the process of access described. New initiatives and strategies should explicitly illustrate how they increase the benefits and reduce the costs of inclusive academic experiences for students with severe disabilities.
Effects of Peer Networks on the Social Interactions of High School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Gardner Karen F. , Carter Erik W. , Gustafson Jenny R. , Hochman Julia M. , Harvey Michelle N. , Mullins Teagan S. , Fan Hannah
Published: September 2014

Supporting social interactions and positive peer relationships is an important element of comprehensive secondary education and transition programming. For many adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), such social connections may be fairly limited apart from intentional programming. We examined the efficacy and social validity of peer network interventions as an avenue for promoting social interactions and social skills for two high school students with ASD. The introduction of peer networks was accompanied by substantial increases in peer interactions for both students. Adult facilitators, peer partners, and students with ASD each considered the intervention to be acceptable and feasible to implement. We offer recommendations for designing social-focused interventions for adolescents with ASD and highlight future research directions.
What Legitimizes Segregation? The Context of Special Education Discourse
Authors: Jackson Lewis
Published: September 2014

Ryndak and colleagues provide a strong case that progress toward more and better access to general education is not occurring for students with intellectual disabilities. This response to their paper begins by agreeing with their assessment of our current situation, then it offers one possible reason for this state of affairs: the discourse that occurs when special education teams are planning outcomes and instruction for these students discourages the use of grade-level curriculum and general education classrooms. Part of the problem is that the discourse preserves segregation through a planning terminology that is inconsistent with how all other students in a school are assessed and described. However, it is also argued that a major property of this discourse is a misguided emphasis on “functional skills,” and that this emphasis contributes to our lack of progress in achieving access to general education curriculum and settings. A related argument is also made that the educational goal development process that typically occurs within special education discourse derives student outcomes from varied skill sources that, collectively, do not offer the structure and coherency of a real curriculum. This process, justified at least in part by interpretations of individualization, may also be impeding our movement toward greater alignment with general education for these students. A case is made for school districts establishing policies that require the use of grade-level general education curriculum with these students. Potential issues and concerns related to individualization, content standards, curriculum adaptation, and progress monitoring are discussed.
Occurrence of Increased Arterial Stiffness in a Cohort of Adult Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus When Compared to Normoglycemic Controls
Authors: George Belinda , Bantwal Ganapathi , Ayyar Vageesh , Mathew Vivek
Published: September 2014

Objectives:

The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among patients with type 1 diabetes is underestimated. This study was conducted to assess the cardiovascular risk by comparing arterial stiffness in type 1 diabetes with that of controls.

Research design and methods:

Thirty-one type 1 diabetes patients and 31 age- and gender-matched controls were included. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) was measured using Periscope, a noninvasive device.

Results:

The ba-PWV was found to be significantly elevated among the patients with diabetes (1177.09 ± 180.1 cm/s) when compared with the controls (1057.99 ± 95.8 cm/s) ( P = .003). The ba-PWV showed positive correlation with age ( r = .43, P = .014), heart rate ( r = .49, P = .005), blood pressure ( r = .65, P < .001), and LDL ( r = .46, P = .008) among patients with diabetes. Linear regression analysis revealed that diabetes, age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and BMI were independently associated with ba-PWV ( R2 = .589). On subdividing the diabetes cohort into quintiles for LDL and SBP, a substantial increase in ba-PWV was seen at LDL > 102 mg/dl (1187.8 cm/s to 1364.9 cm/s, P = .09) and SBP > 130 mmHg (1176.1 cm/s to 1369.4 cm/s, P = .03).

Conclusions:

Arterial stiffness as assessed by ba-PWV is significantly increased among patients with type 1 diabetes compared to healthy controls, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Early screening for arterial stiffness using a cheap and effective method among patients with SBP > 130 mmHg and LDL > 102 mg/dl may help identify those with heightened cardiovascular risk.
Dilemmas Surrounding Interpretation of Gastric Residuals in the NICU Setting
Authors: Kaminski Mary M. , Clancy Karen L. , Steward Deborah K.
Published: September 2014

Providing enteral nutrition to preterm infants is a challenge because of the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract. Clinicians often take a cautious approach to advancing enteral feedings because of concerns related to development of feeding intolerance or necrotizing enterocolitis. Gastric residuals provide a mechanism for monitoring feeding tolerance since they are easy to obtain and quantify. Despite the common practice of monitoring gastric residuals, there is a lack of agreement in determining when an obtained gastric residual becomes clinically significant. Furthermore, numerous factors can affect the characteristics of the gastric residual. A review of the literature demonstrates significant variability in defining a clinically significant gastric residual. Importantly, there is a lack of available evidence to support selected parameters. Recommendations for practice are discussed.
Embedding a Psychologist Into Primary Care Increases Access to Behavioral Health Services
Authors: Miller-Matero Lisa Renee , Dubaybo Fatin , Ziadni Maisa S. , Feit Rachel , Kvamme Rachel , Eshelman Anne , Keimig William
Published: September 2014

Background: Patients commonly report psychological issues during primary care visits; however, few patients will follow through with a referral for behavioral health services at an outside facility. Therefore, patients may benefit from having psychologists embedded into primary care clinics. The purpose of this study was to determine who saw a primary care psychologist and to investigate which patient characteristics predicted who was more likely to attend subsequent visits with behavioral health services. Methods: There were 96 patients referred to a primary care psychologist by their primary care physician. Chart reviews were conducted to obtain patient characteristics and to determine whether the patients attended a subsequent visit with behavioral health services after the initial evaluation. Results: There were 84.4% of patients who completed an initial evaluation with a psychologist and 15.6% either cancelled or did not show for this evaluation. Of those who completed the initial evaluation, more than half had never received treatment from a behavioral health specialist. Of the 70.4% patients recommended to attend additional behavioral health treatment, 54.4% of patients attended a subsequent visit. Gender, age, race, years of education, and whether a patient had previous behavioral treatment did not predict who was more likely to attend a subsequent behavioral health visit after the initial evaluation. Conclusions: Embedding a psychologist in a primary care clinic leads to increased access to behavioral health services, especially among patients who may not seek out these services themselves or follow through with a physician’s referral to an outside behavioral health clinic.
Sonographic Diagnosis of Antley-Bixler PORD-Type Syndrome
Authors: Ghazle Hamad H. , Newcomb Patricia M.
Published: September 2014

Antley-Bixler syndrome (ABS)—consisting of ABS type 1 (skeletal only) and ABS type 2, associated with cytochrome 450 mutations and P450 oxidoreductase deficiency (PORD-ABS)—is a heterogeneous syndrome with a constellation of skeletal deformation findings that classically include skull, facial, and appendicular defects. The hallmarks of ABS type 1 include craniosynostosis, midface hypoplasia, radiohumeral/radioulnar synostosis, arachnodactyly, bowing of the femur, congenital fractures, and choanal atresia. ABS has historically been identified at newborn or childhood examination using radiographic, computed tomography, or stillbirth autopsy. However, in recent years, antenatal ultrasonography has identified craniosynostotic conditions in utero. We present a case of PORD with the ABS phenotype diagnosed by sonography in utero at an early gestation (13–16 weeks), which included mutations in the POR gene. Sonographers, sonologists, and perinatologists aware of the diversity of this rare condition will be well prepared to raise the suspicion of Antley-Bixler PORD-type syndrome.
Role of Serum TNFα Level in Atherosclerosis in Egyptian Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients
Authors: Menyawi Manal , Fawzy Mary Wadie , Ojra Y. Y. , Shaker Olfat G. , Edrees Amr
Published: September 2014

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease that principally affects women in their childbearing years. Many cytokines have been implicated in regulating disease activity and the involvement of different organs in patients with SLE. The study was conducted to determine serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) levels in SLE patients and its relation to clinically active disease and to assess the possible role of serum TNFα level in atherosclerosis. Thirty Egyptian female patients with SLE and 15 matched healthy control subjects had serum TNFα levels measured. In addition, the relation of common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) to serum TNFα was evaluated. Mean serum TNFα level of SLE patients was 48.36 ± 58.27 pg/ml, significantly different from the control group (17.62 ± 16.63 pg/ml; P = .014). There was a statistically significant difference in right carotid CIMT between SLE patients (0.06 ± 0.01 cm) and the control group (0.054 ± 0.009; P = .002). There was also a statistically significant difference in left carotid CIMT between lupus nephritis patients (0.07 ± 0.01) and non–lupus nephritis patients (0.06 ± 0.01; P = .027). These data indicate the activation of immune response in SLE patients suggested by their high levels of TNFα. Increased CITM in lupus patients was not related to TNFα and the lipid profile, suggesting an underlying etiology for atherosclerosis in lupus patients other than those factors. High CIMT in nephritis patients denote the role of nephritis in atherosclerosis.
Splenic TFH expansion participates in B-cell differentiation and antiplatelet-antibody production during immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Audia Sylvain , Rossato Marzia , Santegoets Kim , Spijkers Sanne , Wichers Catharina , Bekker Cornelis , Bloem Andries , Boon Louis , Flinsenberg Thijs , Compeer Ewoud , van den Broek Theo , Facy Olivier , Ortega-Deballon Pablo , Berthier Sabine , Leguy-Seguin Vanessa , Martin Laurent , Ciudad Marion , Samson Maxime , Trad Malika , Lorcerie Bernard , Janikashvili Nona , Saas Philippe , Bonnotte Bernard , Radstake Timothy R. D. J.
Published: September 2014

Key Points

Human splenic TFH expansion during ITP participates in B-cell differentiation and antiplatelet-antibody production. IL-21 and CD40 are key TFH molecules that could be promising targets in the treatment of ITP.
Antibody Fc engineering improves frequency and promotes kinetic boosting of serial killing mediated by NK cells
Authors: Romain Gabrielle , Senyukov Vladimir , Rey-Villamizar Nicolas , Merouane Amine , Kelton William , Liadi Ivan , Mahendra Ankit , Charab Wissam , Georgiou George , Roysam Badrinath , Lee Dean A. , Varadarajan Navin
Published: September 2014

Key Points

Fc-engineered mAb promotes NK cell ADCC via better activation, serial killing, and kinetic boosting at higher target cell densities. Enhanced target killing also increased frequency of NK cell apoptosis, but this effect is donor-dependent.
In vitro evidence of a tissue factor-independent mode of action of recombinant factor VIIa in hemophilia
Authors: Augustsson Cecilia , Persson Egon
Published: September 2014

Key Points

The negative impact on thrombin generation of zymogen FVII competing with rFVIIa for TF is counteracted by FVII (auto)activation. Correction of hemophilia A occurs in a rFVIIa concentration range where detectable effects of FVII competition are minimal or absent.
Clinical heterogeneity and predictors of outcome in primary autoimmune hemolytic anemia: a GIMEMA study of 308 patients
Authors: Barcellini Wilma , Fattizzo Bruno , Zaninoni Anna , Radice Tommaso , Nichele Ilaria , Di Bona Eros , Lunghi Monia , Tassinari Cristina , Alfinito Fiorella , Ferrari Antonella , Leporace Anna Paola , Niscola Pasquale , Carpenedo Monica , Boschetti Carla , Revelli Nicoletta , Villa Maria Antonietta , Consonni Dario , Scaramucci Laura , De Fabritiis Paolo , Tagariello Giuseppe , Gaidano Gianluca , Rodeghiero Francesco , Cortelezzi Agostino , Zanella Alberto
Published: September 2014

Key Points

Mixed, atypical, and warm immunoglobulin G plus C AIHA (∼30% of cases) more frequently have a severe onset (Hb ≤6 g/dL) and require multiple therapy lines. Infections, particularly after splenectomy, acute renal failure, Evans syndrome, and multitreatment, were predictors of fatal outcome.
Efficient solar photocatalyst based on cobalt oxide/iron oxide composite nanofibers for the detoxification of organic pollutants
Authors: Asif Safi Asim Bin , Khan Sher Bahadar , Asiri Abdullah M
Published: September 2014

A Co3O4/Fe2O3 composite nanofiber-based solar photocatalyst has been prepared, and its catalytic performance was evaluated by degrading acridine orange (AO) and brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) beneath solar light. The morphological and physiochemical structure of the synthesized solar photocatalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FESEM indicates that the Co3O4/Fe2O3 composite has fiber-like nanostructures with an average diameter of approximately 20 nm. These nanofibers are made of aggregated nanoparticles having approximately 8.0 nm of average diameter. The optical properties were examined by UV-visible spectrophotometry, and the band gap of the solar photocatalyst was found to be 2.12 eV. The as-grown solar photocatalyst exhibited high catalytic degradation in a short time by applying to degrade AO and BCB. The pH had an effect on the catalytic performance of the as-grown solar photocatalyst, and it was found that the synthesized solar photocatalyst is more efficient at high pH. The kinetics study of both AO and BCB degradation indicates that the as-grown nanocatalyst would be a talented and efficient solar photocatalyst for the removal of hazardous and toxic organic materials.
Intimate Devotion: Recusant Martyrs and the Making of Relics in Post-Reformation England
Authors: Malo Robyn
Published: September 2014

As much recent work on recusancy in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England has shown us, the Protestant Reformation did not instantaneously wipe out the remnants of Catholic belief. This essay takes up sixteenth- and seventeenth-century recusant prose and verse accounts of the executions of four priests: Edmund Campion and Alexander Brian in 1581, Edmund Geninges in 1591, and Robert Southwell in 1595. In the narratives of these deaths, we can see how English Reformations not only occasioned new relic-making by English Catholics, but also, paradoxically, resulted in relic cults that were more accessible and intimate than those of the medieval Catholic past. In contrast to the relic cults of late medieval England, martyrs were exemplary models to follow, confessors, friends, and confidantes; and supplicants could be like the saint in that they too might be persecuted, might suffer bodily torments for the faith, and might work miracles by virtue of their suffering.
Ihog and Boi elicit Hh signaling via Ptc but do not aid Ptc in sequestering the Hh ligand
Authors: Camp Darius , Haitian He Billy , Li Sally , Althaus Irene W. , Holtz Alexander M. , Allen Benjamin L. , Charron Frédéric , van Meyel Donald J.
Published: September 2014

Hedgehog (Hh) proteins are secreted molecules essential for tissue development in vertebrates and invertebrates. Hh reception via the 12-pass transmembrane protein Patched (Ptc) elicits intracellular signaling through Smoothened (Smo). Hh binding to Ptc is also proposed to sequester the ligand, limiting its spatial range of activity. In Drosophila, Interference hedgehog (Ihog) and Brother of ihog (Boi) are two conserved and redundant transmembrane proteins that are essential for Hh pathway activation. How Ihog and Boi activate signaling in response to Hh remains unknown; each can bind both Hh and Ptc and so it has been proposed that they are essential for both Hh reception and sequestration. Using genetic epistasis we established here that Ihog and Boi, and their orthologs in mice, act upstream or at the level of Ptc to allow Hh signal transduction. In the Drosophila developing wing model we found that it is through Hh pathway activation that Ihog and Boi maintain the boundary between the anterior and posterior compartments. We dissociated the contributions of Ptc from those of Ihog/Boi and, surprisingly, found that cells expressing Ptc can retain and sequester the Hh ligand without Ihog and Boi, but that Ihog and Boi cannot do so without Ptc. Together, these results reinforce the central role for Ptc in Hh binding in vivo and demonstrate that, although Ihog and Boi are dispensable for Hh sequestration, they are essential for pathway activation because they allow Hh to inhibit Ptc and thereby relieve its repression of Smo.
Lhx3 and Lhx4 suppress Kolmer–Agduhr interneuron characteristics within zebrafish axial motoneurons
Authors: Seredick Steve , Hutchinson Sarah A. , Van Ryswyk Liesl , Talbot Jared C. , Eisen Judith S.
Published: September 2014

A central problem in development is how fates of closely related cells are segregated. Lineally related motoneurons (MNs) and interneurons (INs) express many genes in common yet acquire distinct fates. For example, in mouse and chick Lhx3 plays a pivotal role in the development of both cell classes. Here, we utilize the ability to recognize individual zebrafish neurons to examine the roles of Lhx3 and its paralog Lhx4 in the development of MNs and ventral INs. We show that Lhx3 and Lhx4 are expressed by post-mitotic axial MNs derived from the MN progenitor (pMN) domain, p2 domain progenitors and by several types of INs derived from pMN and p2 domains. In the absence of Lhx3 and Lhx4, early-developing primary MNs (PMNs) adopt a hybrid fate, with morphological and molecular features of both PMNs and pMN-derived Kolmer–Agduhr′ (KA′) INs. In addition, we show that Lhx3 and Lhx4 distinguish the fates of two pMN-derived INs. Finally, we demonstrate that Lhx3 and Lhx4 are necessary for the formation of late-developing V2a and V2b INs. In conjunction with our previous work, these data reveal that distinct transcription factor families are deployed in post-mitotic MNs to unequivocally assign MN fate and suppress the development of alternative pMN-derived IN fates.
Repression of Gurken translation by a meiotic checkpoint inDrosophilaoogenesis is suppressed by a reduction in the dose ofeIF1A
Authors: Li Wei , Klovstad Martha , Schüpbach Trudi
Published: September 2014

In Drosophila melanogaster, the anteroposterior (AP) and dorsoventral (DV) axes of the oocyte and future embryo are established through the localization and translational regulation of gurken (grk) mRNA. This process involves binding of specific factors to the RNA during transport and a dynamic remodeling of the grk-containing ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes once they have reached their destination within the oocyte. In ovaries of spindle-class females, an activated DNA damage checkpoint causes inefficient Grk translation and ventralization of the oocyte. In a screen for modifiers of the oocyte DV patterning defects, we identified a mutation in the eIF1A gene as a dominant suppressor. We show that reducing the function of eIF1A in spnB ovaries suppresses the ventralized eggshell phenotype by restoring Grk expression. This suppression is not the result of more efficient DNA damage repair or of disrupted checkpoint activation, but is coupled to an increase in the amount of grk mRNA associated with polysomes. In spnB ovaries, the activated meiotic checkpoint blocks Grk translation by disrupting the accumulation of grk mRNA in a translationally competent RNP complex that contains the translational activator Oo18 RNA-binding protein (Orb); this regulation involves the translational repressor Squid (Sqd). We further propose that reduction of eIF1A allows more efficient Grk translation possibly because of the presence of specific structural features in the grk 5′UTR.
Nodal signaling regulates specification of ascidian peripheral neurons through control of the BMP signal
Authors: Ohtsuka Yukio , Matsumoto Jun , Katsuyama You , Okamura Yasushi
Published: September 2014

The neural crest and neurogenic placodes are thought to be a vertebrate innovation that gives rise to much of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Despite their importance for understanding chordate evolution and vertebrate origins, little is known about the evolutionary origin of these structures. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the development of ascidian trunk epidermal sensory neurons (ESNs), which are thought to function as mechanosensory neurons in the rostral-dorsal trunk epidermis. We found that trunk ESNs are derived from the anterior and lateral neural plate border, as is the case in the vertebrate PNS. Pharmacological experiments indicated that intermediate levels of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signal induce formation of ESNs from anterior ectodermal cells. Gene knockdown experiments demonstrated that HrBMPa (60A-subclass BMP) and HrBMPb (dpp-subclass BMP) act to induce trunk ESNs at the tailbud stage and that anterior trunk ESN specification requires Chordin-mediated antagonism of the BMP signal, but posterior trunk ESN specification does not. We also found that Nodal functions as a neural plate border inducer in ascidians. Nodal signaling regulates expression of HrBMPs and HrChordin in the lateral neural plate, and consequently specifies trunk ESNs. Collectively, these findings show that BMP signaling that is regulated spatiotemporally by Nodal signaling is required for trunk ESN specification, which clearly differs from the BMP gradient model proposed for vertebrate neural induction.
Translational profiling through biotinylation of tagged ribosomes in zebrafish
Authors: Housley Michael P. , Reischauer Sven , Dieu Marc , Raes Martine , Stainier Didier Y. R. , Vanhollebeke Benoit
Published: September 2014

Heterogeneity within a population of cells of the same type is a common theme in metazoan biology. Dissecting complex developmental and physiological processes crucially relies on our ability to probe the expression profile of these cell subpopulations. Current strategies rely on cell enrichment based on sequential or simultaneous use of multiple intersecting markers starting from a heterogeneous cell suspension. The extensive tissue manipulations required to generate single-cell suspensions, as well as the complexity of the required equipment, inherently complicate these approaches. Here, we propose an alternative methodology based on a genetically encoded system in the model organism Danio rerio (zebrafish). In transgenic fish, we take advantage of the combinatorial biotin transfer system, where polysome-associated mRNAs are selectively recovered from cells expressing both a tagged ribosomal subunit, Rpl10a, and the bacterial biotin ligase BirA. We have applied this technique to skeletal muscle development and identified new genes with interesting temporal expression patterns. Through this work we have thus developed additional tools for highly specific gene expression profiling.