bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cancer-associated rs6983267 SNP and its accompanying long noncoding RNACCAT2induce myeloid malignancies via unique SNP-specific RNA mutations
Authors: Shah Maitri Y. , Ferracin Manuela , Pileczki Valentina , Chen Baoqing , Redis Roxana , Fabris Linda , Zhang Xinna , Ivan Cristina , Shimizu Masayoshi , Rodriguez-Aguayo Cristian , Dragomir Mihnea , Van Roosbroeck Katrien , Almeida Maria Ines , Ciccone Maria , Nedelcu Daniela , Cortez Maria Angelica , Manshouri Taghi , Calin Steliana , Muftuoglu Muharrem , Banerjee Pinaki P. , Badiwi Mustafa H. , Parker-Thornburg Jan , Multani Asha , Welsh James William , Estecio Marcos Roberto , Ling Hui , Tomuleasa Ciprian , Dima Delia , Yang Hui , Alvarez Hector , You M. James , Radovich Milan , Shpall Elizabeth , Fabbri Muller , Rezvani Katy , Girnita Leonard , Berindan-Neagoe Ioana , Maitra Anirban , Verstovsek Srdan , Fodde Riccardo , Bueso-Ramos Carlos , Gagea Mihai , Manero Guillermo Garcia , Calin George A.
Published: March 2018

The cancer-risk-associated rs6983267 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and the accompanying long noncoding RNACCAT2in the highly amplified 8q24.21 region have been implicated in cancer predisposition, although causality has not been established. Here, using allele-specificCCAT2transgenic mice, we demonstrate thatCCAT2overexpression leads to spontaneous myeloid malignancies. We further identified thatCCAT2is overexpressed in bone marrow and peripheral blood of myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN) patients.CCAT2induces global deregulation of gene expression by down-regulating EZH2 in vitro and in vivo in an allele-specific manner. We also identified a novel non-APOBEC, non-ADAR, RNA editing at the SNP locus in MDS/MPN patients andCCAT2-transgenic mice. The RNA transcribed from the SNP locus in malignant hematopoietic cells have different allelic composition from the corresponding genomic DNA, a phenomenon rarely observed in normal cells. Our findings provide fundamental insights into the functional role of rs6983267 SNP andCCAT2in myeloid malignancies.
Promoter architecture determines cotranslational regulation of mRNA
Authors: Espinar Lorena , Schikora Tamarit Miquel Àngel , Domingo Júlia , Carey Lucas B.
Published: March 2018

Information that regulates gene expression is encoded throughout each gene but if different regulatory regions can be understood in isolation, or if they interact, is unknown. Here we measure mRNA levels for 10,000 open reading frames (ORFs) transcribed from either an inducible or constitutive promoter. We find that the strength of cotranslational regulation on mRNA levels is determined by promoter architecture. By using a novel computational genetic screen of 6402 RNA-seq experiments, we identify the RNA helicase Dbp2 as the mechanism by which cotranslational regulation is reduced specifically for inducible promoters. Finally, we find that for constitutive genes, but not inducible genes, most of the information encoding regulation of mRNA levels in response to changes in growth rate is encoded in the ORF and not in the promoter. Thus, the ORF sequence is a major regulator of gene expression, and a nonlinear interaction between promoters and ORFs determines mRNA levels.
Structural view of the helicase reveals thatZika virususes a conserved mechanism for unwinding RNA
Authors: Li Lei , Wang Jin , Jia Zhihui , Shaw Neil
Published: March 2018

Recent studies suggest a link between infection byZika virus(ZIKV) and the development of neurological complications. The lack of ZIKV-specific therapeutics has alarmed healthcare professionals worldwide. Here, crystal structures of apo and AMPPNP- and Mn2+-bound forms of the essential helicase of ZIKV refined to 1.78 and 1.3 Å resolution, respectively, are reported. The structures reveal a conserved trimodular topology of the helicase. ATP and Mn2+are tethered between two RecA-like domains by conserved hydrogen-bonding interactions. The binding of ligands induces the movement of backbone Cα and side-chain atoms. Numerous solvent molecules are observed in the vicinity of the AMPPNP, suggesting a role in catalysis. These high-resolution structures could be useful for the design of inhibitors targeting the helicase of ZIKV for the treatment of infections caused by ZIKV.
Redefining HR using people analytics: the case of Google
Authors: Shrivastava Shweta , Nagdev Kritika , Rajesh Anupama
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to highlight the importance of analytics and its advantages in the human resource domain using the example of Google, which has extensively used analytics to improve various aspects of people management.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses human resource analytics and illustrates how it has been successfully implemented by Google to enable better decision-making.

Findings

Implementation of analytics in the area of human resources can make people-related decision-making objective, transparent and data-driven and, thus, make the function “quantitative” in nature.

Originality/value

Although analytics has been widely implemented in functions such as finance and marketing, it is yet to gain a strong foothold in the domain of human resources. This paper discusses how Google, a leading organization in the field of technology, has been able to take impactful people-related decisions with the help of analytics.
Volatility spillover between stock and foreign exchange market of China: evidence from subprime Asian financial crisis
Authors: Jebran Khalil
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the volatility spillover dynamics between stock and foreign exchange market of China considering subprime 2007 financial crisis period.

Design/methodology/approach

This study considered daily data from January 2, 2002, to December 31, 2013. The sample period has been further divided into three periods; full sample period (January 2002-December 2013), pre-crisis period (January 2002-October 2007) and post-crisis period (October 2007-December 2013). This study opted Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Heteroskedasticity (EGARCH) model for the purpose of investigating asymmetric volatility spillover.

Findings

The results obtained using the EGARCH model imply that volatility spillover dynamics varies from period to period. In full sample period, the results show evidence of significant unidirectional volatility spillover from foreign exchange market to stock market. In pre-crisis period, the results indicate unidirectional volatility spillover from stock market to foreign exchange market. However, in post-crisis period, the results reveal significant bidirectional volatility spillover between stock and foreign exchange market.

Practical implications

The results of the study are important for policy makers because understanding the behavior of the financial markets, i.e. stock and foreign exchange market, would increase the success of policies implemented in a crisis situation. The results would help investors to formulate efficient portfolios.

Originality/value

This study is an important contribution to the existing literature in terms of analyzing volatility spillover between stock and foreign exchange market in an emerging economy, China. Furthermore, this study explored the volatility spillover dynamics between the two markets by considering the pre and post subprime Asian crisis period.
Workplace empowerment, quality of work life and employee commitment: a study on Indian healthcare sector
Authors: Nayak Tanaya , Sahoo Chandan Kumar , Mohanty Pravat Kumar
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to explore the relationship between workplace empowerment and employee commitment with quality of work life (QWL) as a mediator in the case of private healthcare employees in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a structured questionnaire to collect primary data from 279 employees of private healthcare units in India. AMOS 20 was used to analyse the data.

Findings

Results of data analysis confirm that the proposed hypotheses of the study were significant. Structural equation modelling revealed a best-fit model that demonstrated QWL to be a significant partial mediator between workplace empowerment and employee commitment.

Practical implications

This work provides a pragmatic view about the action mechanism through which workplace empowerment can aid in generating commitment among healthcare employees. The paper also offers insights for healthcare managers, administrators and practitioners.

Originality/value

The research is an attempt to integrate the employees as the core long-term assets of the healthcare system. The study establishes the triadic and symbiotic alliance of workplace empowerment, QWL and employee commitment in the novel context of healthcare.
Packaged scalable energy information systems for hotels
Authors: Singh Reshma , Mathew Paul , Granderson Jessica , Shukla Yash , Behera Amiya Ranjan
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Building energy information systems (EIS) are performance monitoring software, data acquisition hardware and communication systems used to store, analyze and display building energy data. Some $60bn are spent annually on wasted energy in the US buildings, and actions taken based on EIS data can enable operational energy savings of approximately 10 per cent in the US commercial sector (approximately two quads of primary energy). However, EIS adoption is low because of various technical and market challenges. This paper aims to provide technical specifications for standardized EIS packages that can help overcome barriers and accelerate scale.

Design/methodology/approach

A five-step approach was followed: identifying business drivers as key determinants for hotel sector-specific packages; addressing heterogeneity to develop standardized, tiered packages; determining performance metrics for key stakeholders; recommending streamlined data architecture; and developing visualization enabling insights and actions.

Findings

Technical specifications for two tiers (entry and advanced) of EIS packages for hotels have been developed. EIS vendor, integrator and client organization’s facilities and IT staff have been considered as key stakeholders. Findings from six field demonstrations show benefits of cost-effectiveness, through reduced transactional, first and operational costs, scalability, by accommodating heterogeneity across the building sub-sector, simplicity, by integrating meters, gateways and software in the package and actionability in organizations, across various decision-making levels.

Originality/value

Building owners and operators can use these specifications to ease procurement and installation of EIS in their facilities. EIS software vendors can use them to develop new product offerings for underserved sectors.
Efficiency, stability and asset quality of Islamic vis-à-vis conventional banks
Authors: Prima Sakti Muhammad Rizky , Mohamad Azhar
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how Indonesian Islamic banks differ from conventional banks in terms of their business model, asset quality, stability and efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on data from 2008 to 2012, the authors use t-test, z-score and data envelopment analysis (DEA) to assess the business model, as well as the asset quality, stability and efficiency of both the Islamic and conventional banks.

Findings

The results indicate that there are significant differences between the two – Islamic banks appear to not follow the conventional business model. Secondly, Islamic banks seem to have better asset quality and to be more stable than their conventional counterparts.

Originality/value

Finally, the DEA results also indicate that Islamic banks are relatively more efficient than conventional banks, as shown by their higher overall efficiency, as well as technical efficiency.
Correlation of epiploic foramen length to height, weight, breed, gender and age in horses
Authors: Alonso J. M. , Rosa G. S. , Marsiglia M. F. , Garcia Alves A. L. , Rodrigues C. A. , Watanabe M. J. , Figueiredo Pantoja J. C. , Hussni C. A.
Published: March 2018

Epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) is one of the most common causes of small intestinal strangulation in horses. Cribbing and previous episodes of colic are suggested as risk factors for its occurrence. The aim of this study was to correlate the height, weight, breed, gender and age to the epiploic foramen (EF) length. Forty‐three horses were submitted to post‐mortem measurement of epiploic foramen with abdominal and thoracic organs positioned in situ. After data collection, linear regression between EF length and the explanatory variables was performed. None of the post‐mortem physical variables was associated with EF length, supporting the hypothesis that there is no association between EF length and age, and that increased intra‐abdominal pressure is the most important factor predisposing to EFE recurrence.
Oligodendrocyte gene expression is reduced by and influences effects of chronic social stress in mice
Authors: Cathomas F. , Azzinnari D. , Bergamini G. , Sigrist H. , Buerge M. , Hoop V. , Wicki B. , Goetze L. , Soares S. , Kukelova D. , Seifritz E. , Goebbels S. , Nave K.‐A. , Ghandour M. S. , Seoighe C. , Hildebrandt T. , Leparc G. , Klein H. , Stupka E. , Hengerer B. , Pryce C. R.
Published: March 2018

Oligodendrocyte gene expression is downregulated in stress‐related neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression. In mice, chronic social stress (CSS) leads to depression‐relevant changes in brain and emotional behavior, and the present study shows the involvement of oligodendrocytes in this model. In C57BL/6 (BL/6) mice, RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐Seq) was conducted with prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus from CSS and controls; a gene enrichment database for neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes was used to identify cell origin of deregulated genes, and cell deconvolution was applied. To assess the potential causal contribution of reduced oligodendrocyte gene expression to CSS effects, mice heterozygous for the oligodendrocyte gene cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (Cnp1) on a BL/6 background were studied; a 2 genotype (wildtype, Cnp1+/−) × 2 environment (control, CSS) design was used to investigate effects on emotional behavior and amygdala microglia. In BL/6 mice, in prefrontal cortex and amygdala tissue comprising gray and white matter, CSS downregulated expression of multiple oligodendroycte genes encoding myelin and myelin‐axon‐integrity proteins, and cell deconvolution identified a lower proportion of oligodendrocytes in amygdala. Quantification of oligodendrocyte proteins in amygdala gray matter did not yield evidence for reduced translation, suggesting that CSS impacts primarily on white matter oligodendrocytes or the myelin transcriptome. In Cnp1 mice, social interaction was reduced by CSS in Cnp1+/− mice specifically; using ionized calcium‐binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA1) expression, microglia activity was increased additively by Cnp1+/− and CSS in amygdala gray and white matter. This study provides back‐translational evidence that oligodendrocyte changes are relevant to the pathophysiology and potentially the treatment of stress‐related neuropsychiatric disorders.
Emerging relationships in a new group of Western lowland gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, Columbia, SC
Authors: Huskisson S. M. , Chism J. L.
Published: March 2018

Behavioural interactions among members of a newly formed group of Western lowland gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla are analysed, from the early stages of group formation through the first several months after introduction. The group consisted of a male, two half‐sisters and an unrelated female. Data were collected in 15 minute focal animal samples for 3 hours twice a week in two 9 week observation blocks for a total of 99·25 observation hours. Hypotheses tested included: frequency of affiliative behaviours would increase over time, with more affiliative interactions between related females; and agonism would decrease over time. Overall, the mean rates of either behaviour type did not change between observation blocks (affiliative: P = 0·075; agonistic: P = 0·116) Total dyadic rates of affiliation were different in female–male dyads (P < 0·001) but not in female–female dyads (P = 0·525). Dyadic mean rates of agonism from both observation blocks were not different in either female–male or female–female dyads (P = 0·210). Using data from approach–withdrawal and grooming interactions, no strong dominance hierarchy was found among females, despite the relatedness of two of the three females. In general, the focal group exhibited group‐wide and intrasex relationships similar to those documented in other gorilla groups in zoos and in the wild, particularly with regard to the lack of consistent female social dominance.
RETRACTED: Alpha B‐crystallin promotes the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer via NF‐κB‐induced epithelial‐mesenchymal transition
Authors: Chen Dehu , Cao Gan , Qiao Chunzhong , Liu Guiyuan , Zhou Haihua , Liu Qinghong
Published: March 2018

Alpha B‐crystallin (CRYAB) is overexpressed in a variety of cancers. However, little is known about its specific function and regulatory mechanism in gastric cancer. Here, we first explore the role of CRYAB in gastric cancer progression and metastasis. The expression of CRYAB was determined by western blot and immunohistochemistry in gastric cancer tissues. Besides, methods including stably transfected against CRYAB into gastric cancer cells, western blot, migration and invasion assays in vitro and metastasis assay in vivo were also conducted. The expression of CRYAB is up‐regulated in gastric cancer tissues compared with matched normal tissues. High expression level of CRYAB is closely correlated with cancer metastasis and shorter survival time in patients with gastric cancer. Additionally, CRYAB silencing significantly suppresses epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, whereas CRYAB overexpression dramatically reverses these events. Mechanically, CRYAB facilitates gastric cancer cells invasion and metastasis via nuclear factor‐κ‐gene binding (NF‐κB)‐regulated EMT. These findings suggest that CRYAB expression predicts a poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Besides, CRYAB contributes to gastric cancer cells migration and invasion via EMT, mediated by the NF‐κB signalling pathway, thus possibly providing a novel therapeutic target for gastric cancer.
IL‐7 suppresses macrophage autophagy and promotes liver pathology in Schistosoma japonicum‐infected mice
Authors: Zhu Jifeng , Zhang Weiwei , Zhang Lina , Xu Lei , Chen Xiaojun , Zhou Sha , Xu Zhipeng , Xiao Ming , Bai Hui , Liu Feng , Su Chuan
Published: March 2018

In schistosomiasis japonica and mansoni, parasite eggs trapped in host liver elicit severe liver granulomatous inflammation that subsequently leads to periportal fibrosis, portal hypertension, haemorrhage or even death. Macrophages are critical for granuloma formation and the development of liver fibrosis during schistosomiasis. However, whether the aberrant regulation of macrophage autophagy has an effect on the development of liver immunopathology in schistosomiasis remains to be elucidated. In this study, we showed that Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) egg antigen (SEA)‐triggered macrophage autophagy limited the development of pathology in host liver. However, engagement of IL‐7 receptor (IL‐7R/CD127) on macrophages by S. japonicum infection‐induced IL‐7 significantly suppressed SEA‐triggered macrophage autophagy, which led to an enhanced liver pathology. In addition, anti‐IL‐7 neutralizing antibody or anti‐CD127 blocking antibody treatment increased macrophage autophagy and suppressed liver pathology. Finally, we demonstrated that IL‐7 protects macrophage against SEA‐induced autophagy through activation of AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK). Our study reveals a novel role for IL‐7 in macrophage autophagy and identifies AMPK as a novel downstream mediator of IL‐7‐IL‐7R signalling and suggests that manipulation of macrophage autophagy by targeting IL‐7‐IL‐7R signalling may have the potential to lead to improved treatment options for liver pathogenesis in schistosomiasis.
Does Adherence to Masculine Norms Shape Fathering Behavior?
Authors: Petts Richard J. , Shafer Kevin M. , Essig Lee
Published: March 2018

Research suggests that many fathers struggle balancing hegemonic masculine norms with new fatherhood ideals. This study uses data on 2,194 fathers from a national study on fathers of children aged 2 to 18 and incorporates a comprehensive assessment of masculine norms to examine whether adherence to masculine norms is associated with father involvement and whether this relationship is mediated by fathers' adherence to the new fatherhood ideal that promotes engaged, nurturing parenting. Results suggest that fathers who more closely adhere to masculine norms are less involved in instrumental and expressive parenting and are more likely to engage in harsh discipline than fathers who are less masculine. Adherence to masculine norms also reduces the likelihood of embracing the new fatherhood ideal, and adherence to the new fatherhood ideal at least partially mediates the relationship between masculinity and father involvement. Overall, despite changing expectations for fathers, hegemonic masculine norms continue to shape fathers' behavior.
Comparison of two melphalan protocols and evaluation of outcome and prognostic factors in multiple myeloma in dogs
Authors: Fernández Ricardo , Chon Esther
Published: March 2018

Background

Multiple myeloma (MM) in dogs typically is treated with melphalan. A daily melphalan dosing schedule reportedly is well tolerated and associated with favorable outcome. Although anecdotally a pulse dose regimen has resulted in successful responses, little long‐term outcome and safety data is available regarding this dosing regimen for dogs with MM.

Hypothesis/objectives

(1) To compare outcome and adverse event profiles between pulse dose and daily dose melphalan schedules and (2) to report prognostic factors in dogs with MM treated with melphalan. We hypothesized that both protocols would have similar outcomes and tolerability.

Animals

Thirty‐eight client‐owned dogs diagnosed with MM receiving pulse dose (n = 17) or daily dose (n = 21) melphalan.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study assessing outcome and adverse events in dogs receiving either protocol. Risk factors were evaluated for their prognostic relevance.

Results

Both regimens were well tolerated and similarly effective, with an overall median survival time of 930 days. Renal disease and neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were negative prognostic factors, whereas hypercalcemia and osteolytic lesions were not prognostic factors in this study population.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Positive results support the use of either dosing regimen for the treatment of dogs with MM, and renal disease and NLR were negative prognostic factors. Prospective, controlled, and randomized studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
Phytogeography of Genu and Homag, two mountains with an Irano–Turanian flora in the Saharo–Sindian regional zone, south Iran
Authors: Doostmohammadi Moslem , Samadi Nafiseh , Ghorbanalizadeh Atefeh
Published: March 2018

The Saharo–Sindian regional zone encompasses the flat and arid areas of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, southern Iran and the deserts of Pakistan and west India. There are some scattered mountains situated within this area, like Hoggar in Sahara, Saint Catherine in Sinai and Genu and Homag in southern Iran. These highlands serve as interglacial refugia for cold adapted plant species. In the present study, phytogeographical patterns and relationships of the flora of Genu and Homag mountains are described and discussed in relation to the phytogeography of the flora of low‐lying Hormoz Island. According to a chorological assesment of the flora, Genu and Homag mountains belong to the Irano–Turanian region with 59% of the species restricted to this area. In contrast, the surrounding lowland plains are part of the Saharo–Sindian area with a rather high proportion of widespread species (17%) and Somalia–Masai‐linking elements (20%). It is noteworthy that several Turanian enclaves also occur in the lowland zone. Furthermore, the distributional patterns imply that the mountainous Irano–Turkestanian region is an integrated area which is supposedly distinct from the Turanian lowland areas in the north and from the Saharo–Sindian lowland areas in the south. On the other hand, the expansive floras of Turanian and Saharo–Sindian regions are linked to each other. Endemic species in lowland areas in south Iran are mostly either frost sensitive vicariants of cold adapted Turanian species or of Saharo–Sindian origin, while the highland endemics in the area trace their origins to the Irano–Turkestanian region.
Regulatory T cells: a potential target in cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Shitara Kohei , Nishikawa Hiroyoshi
Published: March 2018

Cancer immunotherapy involving blockade of immune checkpoint molecules, such as CTLA‐4 and PD‐1, has shown remarkable clinical success across several types of malignancies. However, a fraction of patients experience disease progression after treatment; thus, exploring resistant mechanisms for immune checkpoint inhibitors and improving their treatment outcome with additional modalities are of great importance. CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells characterized by expression of the master regulatory transcription factor FOXP3 are a highly immune‐suppressive subset of CD4+ T cells that maintain immune homeostasis. Several preclinical and clinical studies suggest that Treg cells hamper immune surveillance against cancer in healthy individuals, prevent the development of effective antitumor immunity in tumor‐bearing patients, and promote tumor progression. Therefore, targeting Treg cells should be crucial to improving the treatment outcomes of cancer immunotherapy. Several clinical studies directly or indirectly targeting Treg cells in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors are ongoing or being planned. Understanding the characteristics and roles of Treg cells in cancer settings could make disease‐specific Treg‐targeted therapy more efficacious and reduce the incidence of immune‐related adverse effects mediated by Treg cell inhibition.
Can hyperparasitoids cause large‐scale outbreaks of insect herbivores?
Authors: Nenzén Hedvig K. , Martel Véronique , Gravel Dominique
Published: March 2018

Synchronous population fluctuations occur in many species and have large economic impacts, but remain poorly understood. Dispersal, climate and natural enemies have been hypothesized to cause synchronous population fluctuations across large areas. For example, insect herbivores cause extensive forest defoliation and have many natural enemies, such as parasitoids, that may cause landscape‐scale changes in density. Between outbreaks, parasitoid‐caused mortality of hosts/herbivores is high, but it drops substantially during outbreak episodes. Because of their essential role in regulating herbivore populations, we need to include parasitoids in spatial modelling approaches to more effectively manage insect defoliation. However, classic host‐parasitoid population models predict parasitoid density, and parasitoid density is difficult to relate to host‐level observations of parasitoid‐caused mortality. We constructed a novel model to study how parasitoids affect insect outbreaks at the landscape scale. The model represents metacommunity dynamics, in which herbivore regulation, colonisation and extinction are driven by interactions with the forest, primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. The model suggests that parasitoid spatial dynamics can produce landscape‐scale outbreaks. Our results propose the testable prediction that hyperparasitoid prevalence should increase just before the onset of an outbreak because of hyperparasitoid overexploitation. If verified empirically, hyperparasitoid distribution could provide a biotic indicator that an outbreak will occur.
Is there a common experience? Somali new mothers’ childbirth experiences in Norway and the United States
Authors: Clark Connie Lynn , Glavin Kari , Missal Bernita Eileen , Sæteren Berit
Published: March 2018

Background

Due to civil war, Somalis immigrants have settled in Norway and the United States. Large families are valued among Somalis and Somali women continue to give birth in their new countries. Research studies have been conducted with Somali immigrant new mothers in Norway and Minnesota, United States to understand perceptions of their childbirth experience.

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative study was to compare the childbirth experiences of Somali immigrant mothers in the United States and Norway to make recommendations to improve health care practice.

Design

This paper presents a comparison of two research studies in order to identify and explain similarities and differences between cross‐cultural immigrant populations.

Results

Both studies identified themes related to the importance of family support in the postpartum period, fear of Cesarean delivery, and relationships with nurses. These studies give recommendations for nurses on how to provide culturally sensitive care for Somali new mothers.

Conclusions

Implications for practice are that nurses should develop trusting relationships with Somali mothers and facilitate cultural and religious practices. Information regarding support resources in the community should be provided to Somali mothers throughout the perinatal period.
Differential Status Evaluations and Racial Bias in the Chilean Segregated School System
Authors: Salgado Mauricio , Castillo Javier
Published: March 2018

Although there is growing interest in studying the long‐ignored relationship between stratification and race in Chile, racial bias in person perception remains unknown. We hypothesize that the segregation of the Chilean school system generated a prestige order in which pupils are differentiated by status characteristics according to the type of school they attend, and that these evaluations are based on racial traits. To test this hypothesis, we study whether facial appearance is sufficient to impute the type of school a pupil is attending, and whether these categorizations evoke different status evaluations of wealth and morality based on race. Results confirm that participants’ perceptions of facial appearance allow them to situate pupils in the Chilean social structure. Faces categorized as studying at different types of schools varied in their perceived wealth. However, the relationship between moral traits and types of schools was weak. We also found evidence of racial bias in the participants’ perceptions of pupils’ faces: faces categorized as enrolled in municipal schools (low status) were judged with Amerindian or mestizo racial traits, while faces categorized as attending private fee‐paying schools (high status) were judged with white racial traits. We did not find a relationship between race and morality.
A Control Oriented Perspective for Security in Connected and Automated Vehicles
Authors: Pisu Pierluigi , Martin Jim , Biron Zoleikha Abdollahi
Published: March 2018

This article provides an overview of the potential attacks that can impact connected vehicles (CV) technologies and highlights how a resilient control scheme can be effective to mitigate the effect of these attacks by allowing the system to safely operate with reduced performance. CVs endure several challenges that can occur due to cyberattacks with purposes of disrupting the performance of the connected vehicles system. To improve safety and security, advanced vehicular control systems must be designed to be resilient to cyberattacks. The attack detection and switching strategy is formulated as an MPC-like optimization problem, where the control variable is constrained to a specific strategy and applied in a receding horizon fashion. The choice of the cost function plays an important role in the performance of the system. The results of the switching strategy show that in comparison with the perfect case—in which the attacks are perfectly identified and the correct strategy selected immediately—there is approximately a 22 percent strategy improvement that could still be achieved by changing the switching strategy.
Performance and Endurance Enhancement by Means of Turbine Cooling
Authors: Langston Lee S.
Published: March 2018

This article discusses how advancement in turbine cooling techniques has helped enhancing the performance and endurance of turbines. Gas turbine thermal efficiencies increase with higher temperatures of the gas flow exiting the combustor and entering the work-producing component—the turbine. The fundamental aim of a turbine heat transfer designer is to obtain the highest overall cooling effectiveness for a blade or vane, with the lowest possible penalty on thermodynamic performance. In the last 50 years, advances have led to an overall increase in turbine and vane cooling effectiveness, from 0.1 to 0.7. It started with convection only and has progressed with film cooling, thermal barrier coatings, and new materials and architectures. Temperature excesses in turbines are now as high as 1400°F (778°C) above alloy melting points. Film cooling is the key to attaining these levels, and to increasing them in the future, for yet higher gas turbine efficiencies.
Underwater Power Kites
Authors: Olinger David J.
Published: March 2018

This article discusses different features of underwater kites and its advantages in the turbine industry. The underwater kite moves fastest when it slaloms through the current in this way, much like a water skier. Electricity generated by the mounted turbine generator is transmitted along the tether to a moored, floating buoy, and then onto the power grid. This concept, now known as the Tethered Undersea Kite (TUSK), was first conceived by Magnus Landberg, a researcher in Sweden, in 2007. Underwater kites look to be feasible to build using commercial available technology. According to economic analyses conducted by other research teams, TUSK systems may be able to produce electricity at about half the current cost for fixed hydrokinetic turbines, and a bit below the cost of the power produced by offshore wind turbines. Those researchers attribute the lower costs to improved power-to-weight ratios derived from replacing the inner blades and support tower of a traditional turbine with a lightweight, low-cost tether.
The State of American Manufacturing 2017
Authors: Brown Alan S.
Published: March 2018

This article provides an insight into the state of American manufacturing through five snapshots based on research data. Two recent trends—outsourcing and digital services—have enabled manufacturers to stretch that old definition to the breaking point and made it difficult for statistics to capture the entirety of the manufacturing sector. Research and development supports better design and engineering, which add the majority of value to high-value products and the industrial processes needed to make them. Experts suggest that manufacturers are hiring people with the right skill sets. In a 2015 Deloitte Consulting and Manufacturing Institute survey, 80% of manufacturers reported a moderate or serious shortage of qualified applicants. Chinese exports have depressed entire manufacturing-oriented communities, leading to widespread unemployment and lower wages as local markets failed to adjust to this onslaught. However, it is believed that cheaper, more capable robots working with people might improve the economics of domestic production.
How Many Turbine Stages?
Authors: Gregory Brent A.
Published: March 2018

This article discusses various stages of turbines and the importance of having more stages in turbine design. The article also highlights reasons that determine the designer’s choice to select the number of turbine stages for a given design of gas turbine. The highest performance turbines are defined by lower work requirements and slower velocities in the gas path. The fundamental factors determining performance might be relegated to only two factors: demand on the turbine and axial velocity. Aircraft engine technologies drive new initiatives because of the need to increase firing temperature and dramatically improve efficiency for substantially less weight. Also, the expansion across each stage determined the annulus area so that the optimums implied by the Pearson chart were largely ignored in the article. Developments in aircraft engine gas turbines have forced heavy frame gas turbines’ original equipment manufacturers to rethink many historical paradigms.
Rekindling the Spark
Authors: Kosowatz John
Published: March 2018

This article presents advancements in the development of battery-powered vehicles and the comparison between battery-powered vehicles and internal combustion engine. With its SkyActiv-X, a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, Mazda hopes to improve fuel economy by as much as 20%. A 2016 study by Arthur D. Little, the international consulting firm, comparing battery electric vehicles (BEV) against internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV) stated, ‘the ultimate environmental and economic reality of electric vehicles is far more complicated than their promise.’ The study showed BEVs enjoy economic advantages. The electricity cost associated with operating BEVs over a distance of one mile is significantly lower than the cost of gasoline over the same distance for a conventional car. The report shows that most of the environmental impacts generated by ICEVs are localized to the combustion of gasoline in the engine; however, the BEV manufacturing process ‘generates a much more widely dispersed and damaging set of environmental impacts.’
Into the Muck
Authors: Zeldovich Lina
Published: March 2018

This article focuses on the use of aquatic robots for cleaning water bodies. Brooklyn Atlantis, a 40-pound unmanned aquatic vehicle, has been developed and used to collect gather water quality data and other info, such as pictures of oil-smeared animals or dying fish, vital for assessing the impact of environmental disasters. Brooklyn Atlantis has already made important discoveries from its data collection. With its underwater photographs of water turbidity, Brooklyn Atlantis also pinpointed sediment deposits that naturally accumulate with the canal’s water flow. The findings can inform engineers where the marsh grasses are more likely to grow and where the fish are more likely to spawn. As a result, these areas are being earmarked for a wetland reconstructions prototype. With a grant to commercialize the technology, Laut and Porfiri are actively looking to convert their project into a company that assesses environmental situations, helping to clean up and rebuild.
How Practical is 3-D Metal Printing?
Authors: Sharke Paul
Published: March 2018

This article explores the application of 3D printing technology in cost-sensitive industries such as consumer products and power systems. Metal printing offers advantages such as the ability to reduce parts count, assembly time, and weight while creating complex internal and external geometries that could not be made any other way to manufacturers in almost every industry. 3D design also makes it possible to customize medical and dental implants for each patient. Industrial product designer Keith Handy used the flexibility of 3D printing to redesign the system. Instead of putting the device above the chain, he built a tunnel-like part that the chain could pass through. Euro-K, a Berlin-based firm that develops small energy converters, created a burner that could do both. 3D printing enabled Euro-K to optimize the burner’s geometry to handle gaseous fuels and difficult-to-burn liquids like fuel oils, a byproduct of alcohol distillation, while reducing size. The article concludes that as new competitors enter the 3D printing arena, systems will grow better, faster, and less expensive. In addition, most important of all, engineers will be standing by with lots of new and surprising ways to take advantage of 3D metal technology
Using Splitters to Control Secondary Flow
Authors: Clark C. , Pullan G.
Published: March 2018

This article elaborates the concept of splitter vanes in controlling secondary flow. Secondary flow vortices are formed by the rotation of vorticity filaments, located in the endwall boundary layers, as the filaments move through the passage. The connection between the number of stators and the secondary kinetic energy suggests that the only way to significantly reduce the mixing loss is to increase the number of blades in the row. The designs evaluated were produced with fast turn-around computational fluid dynamics (10 minutes per solution) and automated optimization techniques. Experimental tests showed that the theory was correct, and that by increasing vane count, the secondary kinetic energy was reduced by up to 80%.
Effects of nonlinear frequency compression on the acoustic properties and recognition of speech sounds in Mandarin Chinese
Authors: Yang Jing , Qian Jinyu , Chen Xueqing , Kuehnel Volker , Rehmann Julia , von Buol Andreas , Li Yulin , Ren Cuncun , Liu Bo , Xu Li
Published: March 2018

The present study examined the change in spectral properties of Mandarin vowels and fricatives caused by nonlinear frequency compression (NLFC) used in hearing instruments and how these changes affect the perception of speech sounds in normal-hearing listeners. Speech materials, including a list of Mandarin monosyllables in the form of /dV/ (12 vowels) and /Ca/ (five fricatives), were recorded from 20 normal-hearing, native Mandarin-speaking adults (ten males and ten females). NLFC was based on Phonak SoundRecover algorithms. The speech materials were processed with six different NLFC parameter settings. Detailed acoustic analysis revealed that the high front vowel /i/ and certain compound vowels containing /i/ demonstrated positional deviation in certain processed conditions in comparison to the unprocessed condition. All five fricatives showed acoustic changes in spectral features in all processed conditions. Fourteen Mandarin-speaking, normal-hearing adult listeners performed phoneme recognition with the six NLFC processing conditions. When the cut-off frequency was set relatively low, recognition of /s/ was detrimentally affected, whereas none of the NLFC processing configurations affected the other phonemes. The discrepancy between the considerable acoustic changes and the negligible adverse effects on perceptual outcomes is partially accounted for by the phonology system and phonotactic constraints in Mandarin.
Making Decisions About Supplement Use
Authors: Maughan Ronald J. , Shirreffs Susan M. , Vernec Alan
Published: March 2018

The use of dietary supplements is widespread among athletes in all sports and at all levels of competition, as it is in the general population. For the athlete training at the limits of what is sustainable, or for those seeking a shortcut to achieving their aims, supplements offer the prospect of bridging the gap between success and failure. Surveys show, however, that this is often not an informed choice and that the knowledge level among consumers is often low and that they are often influenced in their decisions by individuals with an equally inadequate understanding of the issues at stake. Supplement use may do more harm than good, unless it is based on a sound analysis of the evidence. Where a deficiency of an essential nutrient has been established by appropriate investigations, supplementation can provide a rapid and effective correction of the problem. Supplements can also provide a convenient and time-efficient solution to achieving the necessary intake of key nutrients such as protein and carbohydrate. Athletes contemplating the use of supplements should consider the potential for both positive and negative outcomes. Some ergogenic supplements may be of benefit to some athletes in some specific contexts, but many are less effective than is claimed. Some may be harmful to health of performance and some may contain agents prohibited by anti-doping regulations. Athletes should make informed choices that maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks.
Accounting rules hobble Spanish institutes
Authors: Rabesandratana Tania
Published: March 2018

Staff at centers for solar energy research and oceanography raise alarm.
Sticker shock
Authors: Couzin-Frankel Jennifer
Published: March 2018

A data-savvy doctor speaks out about cancer drug costs.
Early life experience drives structural variation of neural genomes in mice
Authors: Bedrosian Tracy A. , Quayle Carolina , Novaresi Nicole , Gage Fred. H.
Published: March 2018

Genomic plasticity during brain development

Mice genomes contain many mobile retrotransposons. Bedrosian
et al.
analyzed DNA from the mouse hippocampus during development (see the Perspective by Song and Gleeson). They found that the amount of maternal care in the first few weeks of a mouse pup's life affected the number of copies of the L1 retrotransposon. The experience of maternal care was thus “recorded” in the DNA of these mice pups during a time when the brain was still actively developing.

Science
, this issue p.
1395
; see also p.
1330
Lymph node blood vessels provide exit routes for metastatic tumor cell dissemination in mice
Authors: Brown M. , Assen F. P. , Leithner A. , Abe J. , Schachner H. , Asfour G. , Bago-Horvath Z. , Stein J. V. , Uhrin P. , Sixt M. , Kerjaschki D.
Published: March 2018

An alternate route for metastatic cells

Metastatic tumor cells are thought to reach distant organs by traveling through the blood circulation or the lymphatic system. Two studies of mouse models now suggest a hybrid route for tumor cell dissemination. Pereira
et al.
and Brown
et al.
used distinct methodologies to monitor the fate of tumor cells in lymph nodes. They found that tumor cells could invade local blood vessels within a node, exit the node by entering the blood circulation, then go on to colonize the lung. Whether this dissemination route occurs in cancer patients is unknown; the answer could potentially change the way that affected lymph nodes are treated in cancer.

Science
, this issue p.
1403
, p.
1408
Locally translated mTOR controls axonal local translation in nerve injury
Authors: Terenzio Marco , Koley Sandip , Samra Nitzan , Rishal Ida , Zhao Qian , Sahoo Pabitra K. , Urisman Anatoly , Marvaldi Letizia , Oses-Prieto Juan A. , Forester Craig , Gomes Cynthia , Kalinski Ashley L. , Di Pizio Agostina , Doron-Mandel Ella , Perry Rotem Ben-Tov , Koppel Indrek , Twiss Jeffery L. , Burlingame Alma L. , Fainzilber Mike
Published: March 2018

Local control of localized protein synthesis

Localized protein synthesis provides spatiotemporal precision for injury responses and growth decisions at remote positions in nerve axons. Terenzio
et al.
show that this process is controlled by local translation of preexisting axonal mRNA encoding the master regulator mTOR (see the Perspective by Riccio). mTOR controls both its own synthesis and that of most newly synthesized proteins at axonal injury sites, thereby determining the subsequent survival and growth of the injured neuron.

Science
, this issue p.
1416
; see also p.
1331
Bioinspired spring origami
Authors: Faber Jakob A. , Arrieta Andres F. , Studart André R.
Published: March 2018

More than just simple folding

Origami involves folding two-dimensional sheets into complex three-dimensional objects. However, some shapes cannot be created using standard folds. Faber
et al.
studied the wing of an earwig, which can fold in ways not possible using origami and can alter its shape for flight. The authors replicated this ability by using a membrane that allows for deformations and variable stiffness. Prestretching generated energetically bistable origami patterns that exhibited passive self-folding behavior.

Science
, this issue p.
1386