bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of adaptive bone formation in the etiology of stress fracture
Authors: Hughes Julie M , Popp Kristin L , Yanovich Ran , Bouxsein Mary L , Matheny Ronald W
Published: August 2016

Stress fractures are common injuries with load-bearing activities. Stress fractures have been reported in the scientific literature for over a century; however, the etiology continues to be investigated with important distinctions made between the contributions of the tissue-level processes of bone remodeling and modeling. In response to novel repetitive loading, increased bone remodeling may serve to replace fatigue-damaged bone while at the same time creating temporary porosity. Much attention has been given to the role of remodeling in the etiology of stress fracture; however, the role of bone modeling has received less attention. Modest increases in modeling, via bone formation on the periosteal surface of long bones in response to mechanical loading, greatly increases the fatigue resistance of bone. Thus, enhancing this adaptive bone formation is a promising target for stress fracture prevention, and a focus on adaptive bone formation may reveal novel risk factors for stress fracture.
Birds of a Feather Do Not Always Flock Together: A Critical Analysis of Latina Engineers and Their Involvement in Student Organizations
Authors: Banda Rosa M. , Flowers Alonzo M.
Published: August 2016

While an abundance of literature addresses undergraduate students’ lack of success in engineering programs, fewer studies examine the persistence of minority females, especially of Latinas. This study employed a qualitative method of inquiry to gain insight into the reasons why Latina undergraduate engineering majors sought membership in student organizations. Data analysis emerged the following findings: (a) fulfilling academic and social needs, (b) seeking a sense of belonging, and (c) choosing not to coalesce on the basis of race. The categorization of the aforementioned broad themes provides greater insight into the reasons why Latinas sought membership in certain student organizations.
Federal Funding for Mixed Methods Research in the Health Sciences in the United States: Recent Trends
Authors: Coyle Caitlin E. , Schulman-Green Dena , Feder Shelli , Toraman Sinem , Prust Margaret L. , Plano Clark Vicki L. , Curry Leslie
Published: August 2016

Although investigators in health sciences are increasingly interested in using mixed methods, greater adoption requires funding opportunities. Funding allocations can signal recognition of a particular methodology and proficiency of investigators in using such methods. We examined trends in prevalence of mixed methods research funded by federal agencies in the United States. We reviewed abstracts to describe the content and terminology related to mixed methods. The number of self-identified mixed methods awards ( n = 535; 2009-2014) increased modestly from previous trends ( n = 226; 1997-2008). Abstracts were highly variable in their depth of description and use of mixed methods terminology. We propose five elements to address when developing a scientific abstract for a mixed methods study to facilitate clear description of study design and methods.
Compensation for spindle’s axial thermal growth based on temperature variation on vertical machine tools
Authors: Liu Kuo , Chen Fei , Zhu Tiejun , Wu Yuliang , Sun Mingjia
Published: August 2016

A new spindle’s axial thermal growth model based on temperature variation is proposed considering the limitations of spindle’s axial thermal growth model based on rotating speed. The model based on temperature variation is thereafter derived, and its mechanism is analyzed. It is found that model based on temperature variation is more robust. In the proposed model, a filtering method for calculating error and the identification process for parameters are also presented. The environmental temperature variation error and the repeatability of thermal growth at a constant rotating speed were investigated using a drilling center. Thereafter, the thermal growths at different rotating speeds were investigated using the same drilling center. Furthermore, the thermal growth with the disturbance of cooler was investigated using a milling center. The comparison of model based on rotating speed and model based on temperature variation is simulated, and the results indicate that the robustness of model based on temperature variation for rotating speeds and disturbance of cooler is stronger than model based on rotating speed. Finally, the experimental verification is carried out.
Influence of edge slotting of magnet pole with fixed slot opening width on the cogging torque in inset permanent magnet synchronous machine
Authors: Ling Jeeng Min , Nur Tajuddin
Published: August 2016

The cogging torque in an inset permanent magnet synchronous machine causes some undesirable vibration and noises which should be reduced in the earliest possible stage of design. The influences of edge slotting and slot opening width in the magnet rotor pole on the cogging torque were investigated in this article. The structure of the proposed inset permanent magnet synchronous machine has 8 poles and 24 stator slots with fixed slot opening width and a modified magnet pole in the rotor. The finite element method magnetics (FEMM 4.2) tool was used to investigate the core saturation induced in the stator and rotor of the inset permanent magnet synchronous machine. The simulation results show that the slotting design in the magnet edge can effectively reduce the cogging torque of the inset permanent magnet synchronous machine.
Optimization of transport network in the Basin of Yangtze River with minimization of environmental emission and transport/investment costs
Authors: Shi Haiping , Xu Pengfei , Yang Zhongzhen
Published: August 2016

The capacity of the ship-lock at the Three Gorges Dam has become bottleneck of waterway transport and caused serious congestion. In this article, a continual network design model is established to solve the problem with minimizing the transport cost and environmental emission as well as infrastructure construction cost. In this bi-level model, the upper model gives the schemes of ship-lock expansion or construction of pass-dam highway. The lower model assigns the containers in the multi-mode network and calculates the transport cost, environmental emission, and construction investment. The solution algorithm to the model is proposed. In the numerical study, scenario analyses are done to evaluate the schemes and determine the optimal one in the context of different traffic demands. The result shows that expanding the ship-lock is better than constructing pass-dam highway.
Dynamic mechanical analysis of Norsorex/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber blends and their application in vibration control of steel frames
Authors: Xu Junhong , Li Aiqun , Wang Hao , Shen Yang
Published: August 2016

The damping properties of acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/Norsorex® blends were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis. The effects of Norsorex on the damping properties of acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/Norsorex blends were also studied. The results showed that 30-phr Norsorex could dramatically improve the damping of 70-phr acrylonitrile butadiene rubber. Compared with acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, the LA value of acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/Norsorex = 70/30 increased to 7.3 × 108 from 3.0 × 108 Pa K and the TA value increased from 26.6 to 28.4 K. To test the new high-damping-performance blends, shaking table tests on a four-story steel frame with viscoelastic damping wall were designed and the simulations were provided for verification. The experimental results indicated that the viscoelastic damping wall controlled the inter-story displacement well under apg = 7 m/s2, which exceeded the specified limit under uncontrolled conditions. The viscoelastic damping wall showed a better control effect on the displacement response than on the acceleration response subjected to El Centro ground motion for the second to fourth stories. The simulation results of SAP2000 structural analysis software showed good agreement with the experimental results. The differences between the acceleration and displacement time-history responses of the steel frame with acrylonitrile butadiene rubber and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/Norsorex (70/30) were simulated by SAP2000.
Optimal inverse magnetorheological damper modeling using shuffled frog-leaping algorithm–based adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system approach
Authors: Lin Xiufang , Chen Shumei
Published: August 2016

Magnetorheological dampers have become prominent semi-active control devices for vibration mitigation of structures which are subjected to severe loads. However, the damping force cannot be controlled directly due to the inherent nonlinear characteristics of the magnetorheological dampers. Therefore, for fully exploiting the capabilities of the magnetorheological dampers, one of the challenging aspects is to develop an accurate inverse model which can appropriately predict the input voltage to control the damping force. In this article, a hybrid modeling strategy combining shuffled frog-leaping algorithm and adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system is proposed to model the inverse dynamic characteristics of the magnetorheological dampers for improving the modeling accuracy. The shuffled frog-leaping algorithm is employed to optimize the premise parameters of the adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system while the consequent parameters are tuned by a least square estimation method, here known as shuffled frog-leaping algorithm-based adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system approach. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, the inverse modeling results based on the shuffled frog-leaping algorithm-based adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system approach are compared with those based on the adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system and genetic algorithm–based adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system approaches. Analysis of variance test is carried out to statistically compare the performance of the proposed methods and the results demonstrate that the shuffled frog-leaping algorithm-based adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system strategy outperforms the other two methods in terms of modeling (training) accuracy and checking accuracy.
Efficiency analysis of bubble pulsation formed by high-voltage discharge in nonfree field water
Authors: Yan Dong , Bian Decun , Zhao Jinchang , Yin Zhiqiang , Jia Shaohua , Feng Jianfeng
Published: August 2016

Bubble pulsation is known to occur as a result of high-voltage discharge in water. Due to advantages such as long duration and significant bubble pulsation production, this technique is widely used in industrial production. Bubble pulsation is directly reflected by the pulsation efficiency, which is mainly embodied in the transformation efficiency from the high-voltage discharge energy to the bubble expansion energy, as well as the residual rate of bubble pulsation energy. In this study, high-voltage discharge was used in water to form pulsating bubbles. The vertical displacement of water was restricted by the experimental equipment, so horizontal displacement was mainly generated. Therefore, any influence caused by the ascending motion of the bubbles could be effectively ignored. Consequently, the bubble pulsation process could be measured at stable hydraulic pressure. The pressure, bubble pulsation period and pulsation times generated by bubble expansion were measured in our experiments. The transient voltage and current were also measured. The relationship between bubble pulsation efficiency with discharge voltage and hydrostatic pressure was analyzed by combining the experimental results with results from simulations of bubble pulsation expansion.
Are educational governance reforms in a post-conflict society conforming to global standards? Examining the application of education convergence theory in an internationally supervised and politicized context
Authors: Komatsu Taro
Published: August 2016

This article examines whether and to what extent educational reforms in a post-conflict society conform to “global (regional) standards,” and explores the meaning of inconsistencies observed in the process of global reform transfer. Among the nations of the world, nowhere is the influence of external forces on educational reforms more evident than in post-conflict nations under close international supervision. A case study of post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina revealed that not only policies but also national legislation conformed to European democratic norms, while the externally-induced and somewhat contradictory reforms of centralization and decentralization did not materialize in practice. Ultimately, policy–practice gaps and changeability of global reform models may be expected since they leave room for strategic interactions between national and international actors based on the pragmatic considerations of both parties to achieve their own mandates and purposes.
How did the British media represent European political parties during the European parliament elections, 2014: A Europeanized media agenda?
Authors: Negrine Ralph
Published: August 2016

The European Parliament election of 2014 generated much interest on account of the rise of a whole array of populist ‘anti-EU’ parties. This was widely reported in the British media but did that coverage give British news consumers an insight into the character of these parties, where they stood in relation to one another and where they stood in relation to Britain’s own UKIP? This article sets out to examine not only how much coverage there was in the British media about European political parties but also whether that coverage enabled citizens to get a sense of the political positioning of populist anti-EU parties. These questions touch on the extent to which British media reflect and comment on populist parties, European affairs and hence on the Europeanization of the news agenda.
‘Mixing’ and ‘Bending’: The recontextualisation of discourses of sustainability in integrated reporting
Authors: Zappettini Franco , Unerman Jeffrey
Published: August 2016

Since their emergence, discourses of sustainability have been widely resemioticised in different genres and have intertextually merged with other discourses and practices. This article examines the emergence of Integrated Reporting (IR) as a new hybrid genre in which, along with financial information, organisations may choose to report the social and environmental impacts of their activities in one single document. Specifically, this article analyses a selected sample of IRs produced by early adopters to explore how discourses of sustainability have been recontextualised into financial and economic macro discourses and how different intertextual/interdiscursive relations have played out in linguistic constructions of ‘sustainability’. We contend that, by and large, the term sustainability has been appropriated, mixed with other discourses and semantically ‘bent’ to construct the organisation itself as being financially sustainable, that is, viable and profitable and for the primary benefit of shareholders. From this stance, we argue that, through the hybridity of IR, most companies have primarily colonised discourses of sustainability for the rhetorical purpose of self-legitimation.
Diffused peace facilitation and the cosmopolitan filmmaker’s dilemma
Authors: Kalnes Øyvind , Bakøy Eva
Published: August 2016

This article discusses the dilemmas documentary filmmakers face when acting upon the cosmopolitan ethos in a context of ongoing civil warfare and peace facilitation from the international society. This ethos is well known and accepted among Western audiences. When applied outside the Western hemisphere, the perspective of human-interest stories tends to get lost among audiences attached to the conflict. Instead, these stories may easily become identified as new public diplomacy on behalf of the participants on the ‘perceptual battlefield’ of war. The authors focus upon how this can be a challenge for Western states involved in peace processes in the same conflicts, especially for those small states that have little hard power and have to rely on gaining the trust of the conflicting parties. The article uses a case study of the Norwegian documentary My Daughter the Terrorist about the civil war in Sri Lanka as an example. The film became the epicentre of a major controversy during a critical stage in the peace process facilitated by the Norwegian government. The authors suggest the concept of diffused war can be translated as diffused peace facilitation to describe its effect on the peace process.
Shear layer flame stabilization sensitivities in a swirling flow
Authors: Foley Christopher , Chterev Ianko , Noble Bobby , Seitzman Jerry , Lieuwen Tim
Published: August 2016

A variety of different flame configurations and heat release distributions exist in high swirl, annular flows, due to the existence of inner and outer shear layers as well a vortex breakdown bubble. Each of these different configurations, in turn, has different thermoacoustic sensitivities and influences on combustor emissions, nozzle durability, and liner heating. This paper presents findings on the sensitivities of the outer shear layer- stabilized flames to a range of parameters, including equivalence ratio, bulkhead temperature, flow velocity, and preheat temperature. There is significant hysteresis for flame attachment/detachment from the outer shear layer and this hysteresis is also described. Results are also correlated with extinction stretch rate calculations based on detailed kinetic simulations. In addition, we show that the bulkhead temperature near the flame attachment point has significant impact on outer shear layer detachment. This indicates that understanding the heat transfer between the edge flame stabilized in the shear layer and the nozzle hardware is needed in order to predict shear layer flame stabilization limits. Moreover, it shows that simulations cannot simply assume adiabatic boundary conditions if they are to capture these transitions. We also show that the reference temperature for correlating these transitions is quite different for attachment and local blow off. Finally, these results highlight the deficiencies in current understanding of the influence of fluid mechanic parameters (e.g. velocity, swirl number) on shear layer flame attachment. For example, they show that the seemingly simple matter of scaling flame transition points with changes in flow velocities is not understood.
Relative Visual Oscillation Can Facilitate Visually Induced Self-Motion Perception
Authors: Nakamura Shinji , Palmisano Stephen , Kim Juno
Published: August 2016

Adding simulated viewpoint jitter or oscillation to displays enhances visually induced illusions of self-motion (vection). The cause of this enhancement is yet to be fully understood. Here, we conducted psychophysical experiments to investigate the effects of different types of simulated oscillation on vertical vection. Observers viewed horizontally oscillating and nonoscillating optic flow fields simulating downward self-motion through an aperture. The aperture was visually simulated to be nearer to the observer and was stationary or oscillating in-phase or counter-phase to the direction of background horizontal oscillations of optic flow. Results showed that vection strength was modulated by the oscillation of the aperture relative to the background optic flow. Vertical vection strength increased as the relative oscillatory horizontal motion between the flow and the aperture increased. However, such increases in vection were only generated when the added oscillations were orthogonal to the principal direction of the optic flow pattern, and not when they occurred in the same direction. The oscillation effects observed in this investigation could not be explained by motion adaptation or different (motion parallax based) effects on depth perception. Instead, these results suggest that the oscillation advantage for vection depends on relative visual motion.
Wrist bone mineral density utility in diagnosing hip osteoporosis in postmenopausal women
Authors: Eftekhar-Sadat Bina , Ghavami Mostafa , Toopchizadeh Vahideh , Ghahvechi Akbari Masood
Published: August 2016

Background:

Osteoporosis is a common bone disease that increases with age. Wrist bone mineral density (BMD) has significant correlation with other skeletal sites and it could be used as a diagnostic method for osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of wrist BMD in diagnosing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, 99 postmenopausal women with mean age of 57 ± 6.9 (range 50–76) years were evaluated. BMD of nondominant wrist, lumbar spine (L2–L4) and femur bone using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) device as well as lateral lumbosacral X-ray for degenerative joint disease (DJD) evaluation were measured. Mean T-score of wrist was lower than hip and lumbar area.

Results:

Osteopenia and osteoporosis were observed in 40.4% and 59.6% in the wrist, 38.4% and 24.2% in the hip and 36.4% and 49.5% in lumbar-spine BMD measurements, respectively. There was positive correlation between wrist BMD with hip BMD ( r = 0.468, p < 0.001) and lumbar BMD ( r = 0.322, p = 0.001). DJD due to lumbosacral X-ray was reported in 84 cases (84.8%) including mild DJD in 45 (53.5%), moderate DJD in 33 (39.3%) and severe DJD in 6 (7.2%).

Conclusions:

Our results showed that wrist BMD has better accuracy than lumbar BMD in diagnosing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Risk of post‐colonoscopy colorectal cancer due to incomplete adenoma resection: A nationwide, population‐based cohort study
Authors: Belderbos Tim DG , Pullens Hendrikus JM , Leenders Max , Schipper Marguerite EI , Siersema Peter D , van Oijen Martijn GH
Published: August 2016

Background

Most post‐colonoscopy colorectal cancers (PC‐CRCs) are thought to develop from missed or incompletely resected adenomas.

Aims

We aimed to assess the incidence rate of PC‐CRC overall and per colorectal segment, as a proxy for PC‐CRC due to incomplete adenoma resection, and to identify adenoma characteristics associated with these PC‐CRCs.

Methods

We performed a nationwide, population‐based cohort study, including all patients with a first colorectal adenoma between 2000–2010 in the Dutch Pathology Registry (PALGA). Outcomes were the incidence rate of PC‐CRC overall and of PC‐CRC in the same colorectal segment, occurring between six months and five years after adenoma resection. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to identify factors associated with PC‐CRCs in the same segment.

Results

We included 107,744 patients (mean age 63.4 years; 53.6% male). PC‐CRC was detected in 1031 patients (0.96%) with an incidence rate of 1.88 per 1000 person years. PC‐CRC in the same segment was found in 323 of 133,519 adenomas (0.24%) with an incidence rate of 0.56 per 1000 years of follow‐up. High‐grade dysplasia (hazard ratio (HR) 2.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.99–3.25) and both villous (HR 2.63, 95% CI 1.79–3.87) and tubulovillous histology (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.43–2.27) were risk factors for PC‐CRC in the same segment.

Conclusions

Approximately one‐third of PC‐CRCs are found in the same colorectal segment after adenoma resection and could therefore be a consequence of incomplete adenoma resection, occurring in one in 400 adenomas. The risk of PC‐CRC in the same segment is increased in adenomas with high‐grade dysplasia or (tubulo)villous histology.
Gezi Movement and the Networked Public Sphere: A Comparative Analysis in Global Context
Authors: Vatikiotis Pantelis , Yörük Zafer F.
Published: August 2016

The article draws on Gezi protests that took place in Turkey during the summer of 2013, inquiring the extent to which they were part of a global cycle of contention that has shocked the world the last 5 years. In this regard, concepts and constructs of social movement, new media, networking, and public sphere provide analytical tools to probe into the area. Issues that are addressed and critically discussed include the evaluation of the contemporary protest movements in terms of the global diffusion of neoliberal capitalism, the intersection of social media and collective action, and the critical reflection on the interplay between physical and mediated facets of action.
Missed Opportunities for HIV Diagnosis
Authors: Downing Asia , Garcia-Diaz Julia B.
Published: August 2016

It has been previously shown that patients may present for multiple health issues in the years preceding their initial HIV diagnosis. This retrospective cohort study analyzed the data of patients with a new HIV diagnosis, at Ochsner Health System between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012. The primary end point was missed opportunities, the number of healthcare visits these patients made in the 2 years prior to being diagnosed with HIV. The 125 patients in the study cohort had 649 healthcare visits during which an HIV test was not performed. These missed opportunities are the key to capturing the undiagnosed and unaware HIV-positive individual. Primary care is an ideal setting to conduct HIV testing for those who have access to regular health care. However, nontraditional providers should also be encouraged to conduct HIV testing regardless of their ability to provide treatment because evidence shows that knowledge of the diagnosis may change behavior.
“I Just Started Writing”
Authors: Everett Sakeena
Published: August 2016

Many Black male students in our nation’s schools feel like teachers do not see them for who they are or who they hope to become. In an academic enrichment writing course, high-achieving Black male secondary students utilized metaphor to imagine new realities for themselves. This article examines a Black male student’s narrative writing to capture how he made meaning of his own writing across academic settings as he transitioned from high school to college. The author argues metaphor functioned as a powerful catalyst for understanding how he constructed, embodied, and negotiated his racialized and gendered schooling experiences. In doing so, the author offers metaphor as an important entry point, theoretical framework, and pedagogical tool to promote substantial writing experiences for Black male students in academic spaces. This empirical research is intentional in honoring student voice—a perspective often void in research, yet invaluable in preparing teachers to work more effectively with this population.
ESL Teachers’ Perceptions About English Learners’ Reading Motivation
Authors: Protacio Maria Selena , Jang Bong Gee
Published: August 2016

The role of motivation in engaging students in reading activities and thus improving their reading achievement has been widely reported for the past decades. However, despite the increasing numbers of English learners (ELs) in the United States, little is known about how teachers perceive their motivation to read. Focus group methodology was used in this study to explore English as a second language teachers’ perceptions of ELs’ reading motivation. Three major themes that emerged from our qualitative analysis were (a) accessible texts, (b) self-concept, and (c) fitting in. The implications for both future research and classroom instruction are provided.
Children’s Eye Movements, Miscue Analysis Patterns, and Retellings When Reading a Counterpoint Picture Book
Authors: Liwanag Maria Perpetua Socorro U. , Pelatti Christina Yeager , Martens Ray , Martens Prisca
Published: August 2016

This study incorporated eye movement miscue analysis to investigate two second-graders’ oral reading and comprehension of a counterpoint picture book. Findings suggest the second-graders’ strategies when reading the written and pictorial text affected their comprehension as opposed to the number and location of their eye movements. Specifically, the data highlight the contextual nature of the counterpoint picture book and how the readers’ strategies influenced the ways students navigated the text, what they fixated on while reading the written and pictorial texts, and the effects of these eye movement data on their comprehension. These results highlight the importance of young students’ need to be able to distinguish and value the role of written and pictorial sign systems to facilitate success in an ever-expanding multimodal world.
Opportunities to Learn Give Children a Fighting Chance
Authors: Neuman Susan B.
Published: August 2016

Opportunity to learn reflects the quality of resources, school conditions, and curriculum necessary to enable students to achieve. It has long been recognized that such opportunities differ significantly for low-income students compared to their middle-income peers and contribute powerfully to education inequities across our country. This article provides three examples from research that attempt to change these odds to provide resources, ambitious curriculum, and avenues for parent engagement, which respect families and their influence on children’s outcomes. Based on an ecological perspective, it demonstrates that when structural inequalities are minimized, children are given a fighting chance.
Thermal wrinkling behavior of formable decorative film laminates
Authors: Balamurugan G Prasath , Pukadyil Rohan N , Malayery Mahdy M , Thompson Michael R , Vlachopoulos John , Nielsen Kent E , Brandys Frank A
Published: August 2016

This paper focuses on wrinkle development in decorative film laminates during heating operations with the goal to understand their driving factors and develop strategies to overcome such defects. The study looked at temperature and heating rate effects on the wrinkling behavior of a commercial black-out film laminated onto a metal substrate. The 135℃ threshold temperature identified for our film under which no wrinkles formed, related to the stiffness of its different construction layers. Heating rate was also noted by this study to be an important parameter in wrinkling; values between 1℃ and 350℃/min were tested. It was possible to exceed the threshold temperature stated above without wrinkling when the heating rate was sufficiently low (closer to 1℃/min, though less than 50℃/min was often sufficient depending on the final temperature). The heating rate effect is believed to be related to the time-dependent viscoelastic response of the compliant layer in relation to building thermal stresses.
Decidualized Endometriosis
Authors: Nanni Garth S. , Cohen Daniel J.
Published: August 2016

Decidualized endometriosis is a benign condition associated with ectopic endometrial tissue that has undergone a decidual reaction during pregnancy. A case is presented of a 31-year-old female who presented to an imaging center for a follow-up sonogram after experiencing one episode of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. A solid, highly vascular mass, with irregular borders, was seen that was not present in the sonogram two weeks prior. The mass was later revealed to be decidualized endometriosis. This is a rare condition that lacks extensive reporting in the literature. The case demonstrates a particularly odd location for this disease, in between the uterus and bladder. With multiple sonograms, it was difficult to ascertain the host of the mass. Due to the extent of vascularity within this structure, malignancy had to be considered, which led to a referral for additional testing.
A “Scientific Diversity” Intervention to Reduce Gender Bias in a Sample of Life Scientists
Authors: Moss-Racusin Corinne A. , van der Toorn Jojanneke , Dovidio John F. , Brescoll Victoria L. , Graham Mark J. , Handelsman Jo
Published: August 2016

Mounting experimental evidence suggests that subtle gender biases favoring men contribute to the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including many subfields of the life sciences. However, there are relatively few evaluations of diversity interventions designed to reduce gender biases within the STEM community. Because gender biases distort the meritocratic evaluation and advancement of students, interventions targeting instructors’ biases are particularly needed. We evaluated one such intervention, a workshop called “Scientific Diversity” that was consistent with an established framework guiding the development of diversity interventions designed to reduce biases and was administered to a sample of life science instructors (N = 126) at several sessions of the National Academies Summer Institute for Undergraduate Education held nationwide. Evidence emerged indicating the efficacy of the “Scientific Diversity” workshop, such that participants were more aware of gender bias, expressed less gender bias, and were more willing to engage in actions to reduce gender bias 2 weeks after participating in the intervention compared with 2 weeks before the intervention. Implications for diversity interventions aimed at reducing gender bias and broadening the participation of women in the life sciences are discussed.
Toward Inclusive STEM Classrooms: What Personal Role Do Faculty Play?
Authors: Killpack Tess L. , Melón Laverne C.
Published: August 2016

Private and public policies are increasingly aimed at supporting efforts to broaden participation of a diverse body of students in higher education. Unfortunately, this increase in student diversity does not always occur alongside changes in institutional culture. Unexamined biases in institutional culture can prevent diverse students from thriving and persisting in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Given the daily personal interactions that faculty have with students, we suggest that individual educators have the opportunity, and responsibility, to improve the retention and persistence of diverse students. However, in our experience, faculty professional development programs often limit discussions of diversity to “comfortable” topics (such as learning styles) and miss opportunities to explore deeper issues related to faculty privilege, implicit bias, and cues for stereotype threat that we all bring to the classroom. In this essay, we present a set of social science concepts that we can extend to our STEM courses to inform our efforts at inclusive excellence. We have recommended strategies for meaningful reflection and professional development with respect to diversity and inclusion, and aim to empower faculty to be change agents in their classrooms as a means to broadening participation in STEM fields.
Fine-Tuning Summer Research Programs to Promote Underrepresented Students’ Persistence in the STEM Pathway
Authors: Ghee Medeva , Keels Micere , Collins Deborah , Neal-Spence Cynthia , Baker Earnestine
Published: August 2016

Although the importance of undergraduate research experiences in preparing students for graduate study and research careers is well documented, specific examination of program components is needed to assess the impact of these programs on underrepresented (UR) students. The Leadership Alliance, a consortium of leading PhD-granting and minority-serving institutions (MSIs), has leveraged its diverse partnership to place UR students from MSI and non-MSI institutions in competitive research environments through its national Summer Research Early Identification Program. Using longitudinal pre/post data collected from student surveys, we applied social cognitive career theory as a conceptual framework to examine how research engagement, skill development, and mentorship aspects of a summer research program affect students’ commitment to pursue research careers. Self-reported knowledge of research skills, time engaged in research activity, and students’ understanding of and attitudes toward pursuing graduate study were measured in relation to the classification of students’ home undergraduate institution, level of students’ pre-existing research experience, and demographic factors. Our results provide evidence of specific programmatic components that are beneficial for UR students from varying academic and cultural backgrounds. This study describes important aspects of summer research programs that will contribute to students’ ability to persist in science careers.
Active Learning Outside the Classroom: Implementation and Outcomes of Peer-Led Team-Learning Workshops in Introductory Biology
Authors: Kudish Philip , Shores Robin , McClung Alex , Smulyan Lisa , Vallen Elizabeth A. , Siwicki Kathleen K.
Published: August 2016

Study group meetings (SGMs) are voluntary-attendance peer-led team-learning workshops that supplement introductory biology lectures at a selective liberal arts college. While supporting all students’ engagement with lecture material, specific aims are to improve the success of underrepresented minority (URM) students and those with weaker backgrounds in biology. Peer leaders with experience in biology courses and training in science pedagogy facilitate work on faculty-generated challenge problems. During the eight semesters assessed in this study, URM students and those with less preparation attended SGMs with equal or greater frequency than their counterparts. Most agreed that SGMs enhanced their comprehension of biology and ability to articulate solutions. The historical grade gap between URM and non-URM students narrowed slightly in Biology 2, but not in other biology and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. Nonetheless, URM students taking introductory biology after program implementation have graduated with biology majors or minors at the same rates as non-URM students, and have enrolled in postcollege degree programs at equal or greater rates. These results suggest that improved performance as measured by science grade point average may not be necessary to improve the persistence of students from underrepresented groups as life sciences majors.
Preparing Postbaccalaureates for Entry and Success in Biomedical PhD Programs
Authors: Hall Joshua D. , Harrell Jessica R. , Cohen Kimberley W. , Miller Virginia L. , Phelps Patricia V. , Cook Jeanette G.
Published: August 2016

Certain racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds remain underrepresented (UR) in the biomedical sciences. This underrepresentation becomes more extreme at each higher education stage. To support UR scholars during the critical transition from baccalaureate to PhD, we established an intensive, 1-yr postbaccalaureate training program. We hypothesized that this intervention would strengthen each participant’s competitiveness for leading PhD programs and build a foundation of skills and self-efficacy important for success during and after graduate school. Scholar critical analysis skills, lab technique knowledge, and Graduate Record Examination scores all improved significantly during the program. Scholars reported significant confidence growth in 21 of 24 categories related to success in research careers. In 5 yr, 91% (41/45) of scholars transitioned directly into PhD programs. Importantly, 40% (18/45) of participating postbaccalaureate scholars had previously been declined acceptance into graduate school; however, 17/18 of these scholars directly entered competitive PhD programs following our training program. Alumni reported they were “extremely well” prepared for graduate school, and 95% (39/41) are currently making progress to graduation with a PhD. In conclusion, we report a model for postbaccalaureate training that could be replicated to increase participation and success among UR scholars in the biomedical sciences.
Dietary fiber and the short-chain fatty acid acetate promote resolution of neutrophilic inflammation in a model of gout in mice
Authors: Vieira Angélica T , Galvão Izabela , Macia Laurence M , Sernaglia érica M , Vinolo Marco Aurélio R , Garcia Cristiana C , Tavares Luciana P , Amaral Flávio A , Sousa Lirlândia P , Martins Flaviano S , Mackay Charles R , Teixeira Mauro M
Published: August 2016

Gout is a disease characterized by the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in the joints. Continuous gout episodes may lead to unresolved inflammatory responses and tissue damage. We investigated the effects of a high-fiber diet and acetate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) resulting from the metabolism of fiber by gut microbiota, on the inflammatory response in an experimental model of gout in mice. Injection of MSU crystals into the knee joint of mice induced neutrophil influx and inflammatory hypernociception. The onset of inflammatory response induced by MSU crystals was not altered in animals given a high-fiber diet, but the high-fiber diet induced faster resolution of the inflammatory response. Similar results were obtained in animals given the SCFA acetate. Acetate was effective, even when given after injection of MSU crystals at the peak of the inflammatory response and induced caspase-dependent apoptosis of neutrophils that accounted for the resolution of inflammation. Resolution of neutrophilic inflammation was associated with decreased NF-κB activity and enhanced production of anti-inflammatory mediators, including IL-10, TGF-β, and annexin A1. Acetate treatment or intake of a high-fiber diet enhanced efferocytosis, an effect also observed in vitro with neutrophils treated with acetate. In conclusion, a high-fiber diet or one of its metabolic products, acetate, controls the inflammatory response to MSU crystals by favoring the resolution of the inflammatory response. Our studies suggest that what we eat plays a determinant role in our capacity to fine tune the inflammatory response. Introduction
Proplatelet formation is selectively inhibited by collagen type I through Syk-independent GPVI signaling
Authors: Semeniak Daniela , Kulawig Rebecca , Stegner David , Meyer Imke , Schwiebert Silke , Bösing Hendrik , Eckes Beate , Nieswandt Bernhard , Schulze Harald
Published: August 2016

Collagen receptors GPVI (also known as GP6) and integrin α2β1 are highly expressed on blood platelets and megakaryocytes, their immediate precursors. After vessel injury, subendothelial collagen becomes exposed and induces platelet activation to prevent blood loss. Collagen types I and IV are thought to have opposite effects on platelet biogenesis, directing proplatelet formation (PPF) towards the blood vessels to prevent premature release within the marrow cavity. We used megakaryocytes lacking collagen receptors or treated megakaryocytes with blocking antibodies, and could demonstrate that collagen-I-mediated inhibition of PPF is specifically controlled by GPVI. Other collagen types competed for binding and diminished the inhibitory signal, which was entirely dependent on receptor-proximal Src family kinases, whereas Syk and LAT were dispensable. Adhesion assays indicate that megakaryocyte binding to collagens is mediated by α2β1, and that collagen IV at the vascular niche might displace collagen I from megakaryocytes and thus contribute to prevention of premature platelet release into the marrow cavity and thereby directionally promote PPF at the vasculature.
The membrane trafficking and functionality of the K+-Cl− co-transporter KCC2 is regulated by TGF-β2
Authors: Roussa Eleni , Speer Jan Manuel , Chudotvorova Ilona , Khakipoor Shokoufeh , Smirnov Sergei , Rivera Claudio , Krieglstein Kerstin
Published: August 2016

Functional activation of the neuronal K+-Cl− co-transporter KCC2 (also known as SLC12A5) is a prerequisite for shifting GABAA responses from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing during development. Here, we introduce transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) as a new regulator of KCC2 membrane trafficking and functional activation. TGF-β2 controls membrane trafficking, surface expression and activity of KCC2 in developing and mature mouse primary hippocampal neurons, as determined by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, biotinylation of surface proteins and KCC2-mediated Cl− extrusion. We also identify the signaling pathway from TGF-β2 to cAMP-response-element-binding protein (CREB) and Ras-associated binding protein 11b (Rab11b) as the underlying mechanism for TGF-β2-mediated KCC2 trafficking and functional activation. TGF-β2 increases colocalization and interaction of KCC2 with Rab11b, as determined by 3D stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy and co-immunoprecipitation, respectively, induces CREB phosphorylation, and enhances Rab11b gene expression. Loss of function of either CREB1 or Rab11b suppressed TGF-β2-dependent KCC2 trafficking, surface expression and functionality. Thus, TGF-β2 is a new regulatory factor for KCC2 functional activation and membrane trafficking, and a putative indispensable molecular determinant for the developmental shift of GABAergic transmission.
Gα12 is required for renal cystogenesis induced by Pkd1 inactivation
Authors: Wu Yong , Xu Jen X. , El-Jouni Wassim , Lu Tzongshi , Li Suyan , Wang Qingyi , Tran Mei , Yu Wanfeng , Wu Maoqing , Barrera Ivan E. , Bonventre Joseph V. , Zhou Jing , Denker Bradley M. , Kong Tianqing
Published: August 2016

Mutation of PKD1, encoding the protein polycystin-1 (PC1), is the main cause of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The signaling pathways downstream of PC1 in ADPKD are still not fully understood. Here, we provide genetic evidence for the necessity of Gα12 (encoded by Gna12, hereafter Gα12) for renal cystogenesis induced by Pkd1 knockout. There was no phenotype in mice with deletion of Gα12 (Gα12−/−). Polyinosine-polycytosine (pI:pC)-induced deletion of Pkd1 (Mx1Cre+Pkd1f/fGα12+/+) in 1-week-old mice resulted in multiple kidney cysts by 9 weeks, but the mice with double knockout of Pkd1 and Gα12 (Mx1Cre+Pkd1f/fGα12−/−) had no structural and functional abnormalities in the kidneys. These mice could survive more than one year without kidney abnormalities except multiple hepatic cysts in some mice, which indicates that the effect of Gα12 on cystogenesis is kidney specific. Furthermore, Pkd1 knockout promoted Gα12 activation, which subsequently decreased cell–matrix and cell–cell adhesion by affecting the function of focal adhesion and E-cadherin, respectively. Our results demonstrate that Gα12 is required for the development of kidney cysts induced by Pkd1 mutation in mouse ADPKD.
Deep nuclear invaginations linked to cytoskeletal filaments: Integrated bioimaging of epithelial cells in 3D culture
Authors: Jorgens Danielle M. , Inman Jamie L. , Wojcik Michal , Robertson Claire , Palsdottir Hildur , Tsai Wen-Ting , Huang Haina , Bruni-Cardoso Alexandre , López Claudia S. , Bissell Mina J. , Xu Ke , Auer Manfred
Published: August 2016

The importance of context in regulation of gene expression is now an accepted principle; yet the mechanism by which the microenvironment communicates with the nucleus and chromatin in healthy tissues is poorly understood. A functional role for nuclear and cytoskeletal architecture is suggested by the phenotypic differences observed between epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Capitalizing on recent advances in cryogenic techniques, volume electron microscopy, and super-resolution light microscopy, we studied human mammary epithelial cells in 3D cultures forming growth-arrested acini. Intriguingly, we found deep nuclear invaginations and tunnels traversing the nucleus, encasing cytoskeletal actin and/or intermediate filaments, which connect to the outer nuclear envelope. The cytoskeleton is connected also to both other cells via desmosome adhesion complexes and to the cell's ECM via hemidesmosomes. This finding supports a physical/mechanical link from the desmosomes and hemidesmosomes to the nucleus, which previously was hypothesized but now is visualized for the first time. These unique structures including the nuclear invaginations and the cytoskeletal connectivity to the cell nucleus is consistent with a dynamic reciprocity between the nucleus and the outside of epithelial cells and tissues.