bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Participants Conform to Humans but Not to Humanoid Robots in an English Past Tense Formation Task
Authors: Beckner Clay , Rácz Péter , Hay Jennifer , Brandstetter Jürgen , Bartneck Christoph
Published: May 2015

In this article, we discuss the results of an experiment designed to test the boundaries of linguistic imitation in a group setting. While most prior work has focused on convergence in either sound structure or syntax, we investigate whether speakers’ choices in verb morphology are influenced by others. The experiment uses an Asch-type peer pressure methodology. Participants give responses to target stimuli in a verbal and a visual task in a group of human peers, a group of robots, or alone. These results demonstrate that morphological conformity occurs, but that it is socially constrained—it happens with human peers but not with robot peers. This supports a view of linguistic convergence as a deeply social process. The level of linguistic conformity displayed by individuals is related to their degree of conformity in nonlinguistic tasks, suggesting that there are individual propensities toward peer imitation that transcend modalities.
Bivalirudin as an adjunctive anticoagulant to heparin in the treatment of heparin resistance during cardiopulmonary bypass-assisted cardiac surgery
Authors: McNair E , Marcoux J-A , Bally C , Gamble J , Thomson D
Published: May 2015

Heparin resistance (unresponsiveness to heparin) is characterized by the inability to reach acceptable activated clotting time values following a calculated dose of heparin. Up to 20% of the patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass using unfractionated heparin (UFH) for anticoagulation experience heparin resistance. Although UFH has been the “gold standard” for anticoagulation, it is not without its limitations. It is contraindicated in patients with confirmed heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and heparin or protamine allergy. The safety and efficacy of the use of the direct thrombin inhibitor bivalirudin for anticoagulation during cardiac surgery has been reported. However, there have been no reports on the treatment of heparin resistance with bivalirudin during CPB. In this review, we report the favorable outcome of our single-center experience with the alternative use of bivalirudin in the management of anticoagulation of heparin unresponsive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Prison Meditation Movements and Mass Incarceration
Authors: Lyons Thomas , Cantrell W. Dustin
Published: May 2015

By some estimates, more than half of inmates held in jails and prisons in the United States have a substance use disorder. Treatments involving the teaching of meditation and other contemplative practices have been developed for a variety of physical and mental disorders, including drug and alcohol addiction. At the same time, an expanding volunteer movement across the country has been bringing meditation and yoga into jails and prisons. This review first examines the experimental research on one such approach—mindfulness meditation as a treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, as well as the research on mindfulness in incarcerated settings. We argue that to make a substantial impact on recidivism, such programs must mirror volunteer programs which emphasize interdependency and non-duality between the “helper” and the “helped,” and the building of meditation communities both inside and outside of prison.
Reversible alterations of the neuronal activity in spontaneous intracranial hypotension
Authors: Amemiya Shiori , Takahashi Koichi , Mima Tatsuo , Yoshioka Naoki , Miki Soichiro , Ohtomo Kuni
Published: May 2015

Aim

The aim of this article is to investigate the pathophysiology underlying the alternation of the cognitive function and neuronal activity in spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH).

Methods

Fifteen patients with SIH underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and working-memory (WM) test one day before and one month after a surgical operation. Alternation of the cognitive function and spontaneous neuronal activity measured as amplitude of the low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and the functional connectivity of the default-mode network (DMN) and frontoparietal networks (FPNs) were evaluated.

Results

WM performance significantly improved post-operatively. Whole-brain linear regression analysis of the ALFF revealed a positive correlation between cognitive performance change and ALFF change in the precuneus while a negative correlation was found in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortices (OFCs) and right medial frontal cortex (MFC). The ALFF changes normalised with the WM performance improvement post-operatively. The FPN activity in the right OFC was also increased pre-operatively. Partial correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between WM performance and right OFC activity controlled for right FPN activity.

Conclusions

The abnormal activity of the OFCs and MFC that is not originating from the synchronous intrinsic network activity, together with the decreased activity of the central node of the DMN, could lead to cognitive impairment in SIH that is reversible through restoration of the cerebrospinal fluid.
What Shapes Corporate Involvement in Voter Referendums? The Case of Opposition to GM Food Labeling
Authors: Banerjee Tarun , Murray Joshua
Published: May 2015

What propels the involvement of large U.S. corporations into statewide voter referendums? We test the argument of whether corporate political behavior is characterized by firm-level factors or more relational sectoral and classwide networks. Using the 2012 ballot proposition to mandate labeling of genetically modified (GM) foods in California as a case, we analyze corporate donation patterns. We find that while individual interests are significant predictors of involvement, these are eclipsed by relational factors. Corporate embeddedness in sectoral and classwide networks are strong predictors of political involvement, fostering greater opposition to GM food labeling. In addition, using dyadic analysis, we find these networks enable greater unity among these corporations. These findings have implications for our understanding of corporate involvement in voter referendums and on the collective political action of large corporations.
The Impact of Mental Aerobics Training on Older Adults
Authors: Hayslip Bert , Paggi Kay , Caballero Daniela
Published: May 2015

Mental Aerobics (MA) is a cognitively oriented intervention designed to improve older adults’ perceptions of their cognitive ability as well as positively impact their performance. Forty-seven community-residing older adults ( M age = 67.39, SD = 5.75) were randomly assigned to either a treatment ( n = 24) or a waiting list control ( n = 23) group. Participants in both treatment and control conditions completed measures of depression, self-rated health, cognitive functioning, and cognitive self-efficacy. Findings support the conclusion that MA can be an effective intervention in improving older adults’ affectivity, everyday task self-efficacy, and self-rated health. The impact of MA on measures of generalized fluid ability (Gf) and generalized crystallized ability (Gc) skills was moderated by level of education. The subsequent provision of MA training to controls minimized the performance differences between the treatment and control conditions, as well as the moderating effect of level of education. These findings suggest that MA can be effectively used to enhance older adults’ views of their skills, critical to efforts to maintain cognitive functioning into later life, although some older persons may benefit to a greater extent than others.
Exploring Expectations of Nonprofit Management Capabilities
Authors: Bish Adelle , Becker Karen
Published: May 2015

Management capabilities have been widely researched in the private and public sectors, yet there is less evidence relating to the nonprofit sector. Increasing pressures to balance the demands of organizational values with business performance in this sector leads to a focus on the managerial capabilities required to meet these expectations. This article reports an exploratory study of capability expectations of managers within an Australian nonprofit organization. Using semistructured interviews, data were collected from 21 managers across three hierarchical levels. Findings indicate that while there is some overlap with managerial requirements in the private and public sectors, there are some unique aspects of nonprofit operations which warrant further investigation. Specifically, there was an emphasis on personal knowledge and experience (i.e., self-awareness, discipline, knowledge, and strategic thinking) and having a commitment to the nonprofit sector and values of the organization. Expectations also varied depending on the level of management within the organization.
Nonprofits as “Schools of Democracy”
Authors: Dodge Jennifer , Ospina Sonia M.
Published: May 2015

This article presents a comparative case study of two nonprofit organizations that do community organizing in the environmental field and asks how do nonprofits school citizens in democracy? Although the literature suggests the importance of social capital, a practice approach surfaces important political dimensions that have not been sufficiently explored. We find that distinct organizational practices create contexts for participants to exercise specific ways of being and doing—called “subject positions”—vis-à-vis the state and their political community. These practices support member participation by serving to construct “citizens”—rather than customers or clients—who develop skills in critical thinking and who exercise agency in the organization and the policy field they seek to influence. These practices represent key mechanisms for schooling citizens in democracy in these nonprofit organizations and link participation in the organization with broader political participation. We discuss implications for theory and practice.
Surfactant and graphite powder–assisted electrical discharge machining of titanium alloy
Authors: Kolli Murahari , Kumar Adepu
Published: May 2015

Surfactant and graphite powder–assisted electrical discharge machining was proposed and experiments were performed on titanium alloy in this investigation. Analysis was carried out to observe changes in dielectric fluid behaviour, material removal rate, surface roughness, recast layer thickness, surface topography and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. It was found out that the addition of surfactant to dielectric fluid (electrical discharge machining oil + graphite powder) improved the material removal rate and surface roughness. It was noticed to have reduced the recast layer thickness and agglomeration of graphite and sediment particles. Biface material migrations between the electrode and the workpiece surface were identified, and migration behaviour was powerfully inhibited by the mixing of surfactant. Surfactant added into dielectric fluid played an important role in the discharge gap, which increased the conductivity, and suspended debris particles in dielectric fluid reduced the abnormal discharge conditions of the machine and improved the overall machining efficiency.
Identification approach for bottleneck clusters in a job shop based on theory of constraints and sensitivity analysis
Authors: Lei Qi , Li Tong
Published: May 2015

Manufacturing systems are constrained by one or more bottlenecks. Reducing bottlenecks improves the entire system. Finding bottlenecks, however, is a difficult task. In this study, a new bottleneck detection method based on theory of constrains and sensitivity analysis is presented to overcome the disadvantages of existing bottleneck identification methods for a job shop. First, a bottleneck index matrix is obtained by examining the sensitivity of system production performance to the capacity of each machine. Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution is then employed to calculate the comprehensive bottleneck index of each machine. Based on the calculation result, bottleneck machine clusters under different hierarchies are obtained through hierarchical cluster analysis. The designed identification approach, as a prior-to-run method, can identify bottleneck machine clusters under different hierarchies before the overall system circulation, thereby providing good guidance for subsequent production optimization. Finally, a set of job-shop scheduling problem benchmarks with different scales is selected for comparison between the proposed approach and existing approaches, such as, the shifting bottleneck detection method, the bottleneck detection method based on orthogonal experiment, and the bottleneck cluster identification method. By comparison, the proposed approach is proven to be credible and superior.
Theoretical and experimental investigation of pressure drop and refrigeration effect in pulse tube cryocooler
Authors: Badgujar AD , Atrey MD
Published: May 2015

The design of a highly efficient pulse tube cryocooler (PTC) is a subject of recent research activities. The PTC performance depends on various operating and design parameters. Regenerator is one of the very important components of the PTC which decides the low temperature that the PTC can attain. Efficiency of regenerator should be high enough, 96% or above, in order to reach very low temperature while the pressure drop in the regenerator is one of the parameters which needs to be analysed in detail. In the present work, theoretical and experimental investigations are carried out on two different single stage U type PTC. The volumes of regenerators and pulse tubes, in both the cases are kept same while the length to diameter (L/D) ratios of regenerators are changed. Investigations are carried out on these PTC with respect to pressure drop in the regenerator and net refrigeration effect obtained from the PTC at 80 K. The pressure drop increases from 0.29 bar to 2.07 bar with an increase in L/D ratio from 1.93 to 9, resulting in decrease in refrigeration effect from 6.1 W to 1.7 W at 80 K with 300 W input power. The study is further extended to understand the effect of coarse size stainless steel mesh size in the regenerator. Coarse size meshes filled up to 60% of regenerator length improved the refrigeration effect from 1.7 W to 2.8 W; however, further filling degrades the performance of the PTC. The experimental results are compared with theoretical results obtained by Sage software and Isothermal model.
Rear suspension design for an in-wheel-drive electric car
Authors: George Ashwin Dayal , Besselink Igo
Published: May 2015

The in-wheel motor configuration can provide more flexibility to electric car design, making the car more compact and lightweight. However, current suspension systems are not designed to incorporate an in-wheel powertrain, and studies have shown deterioration in ride comfort and handling when more unsprung mass is added to a vehicle. In order to develop a battery electric vehicle with an in-wheel powertrain, a new rear-suspension design is proposed after considering several designs that are currently used in cars. The suspension is designed specifically for an in-wheel powertrain and, by efficiently using the available space, all the components of the powertrain and the battery pack can be fitted compactly within the limited space available in a subcompact (B-segment) car. The design also mitigates some issues of the high unsprung mass as simulations were conducted to determine the ride comfort and the handling characteristics of the vehicle. The in-wheel module is currently being tested at the Eindhoven University of Technology.
Outcomes of on-site antiretroviral therapy provision in a South African correctional facility
Authors: Telisinghe Lilanganee , Hippner Piotr , Churchyard Gavin J , Gresak Gillian , Grant Alison D , Charalambous Salome , Fielding Katherine L
Published: May 2015

We evaluated a novel on-site antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme in a South African correctional facility using routinely collected programme data, from a retrospective cohort of adult inmates starting ART between 03/2007 and 03/2009 followed-up to 09/2009. We report (1) mortality (using survival analysis); (2) retention in the programme (to 09/2009); and (3) virological suppression at six and 12 months (<400 copies/ml) following ART initiation. In total, 404 started ART (median age 33 years; 91.3% men; median baseline CD4 cell count 152 cells/µl [interquartile range 85–225]). Among 299 starting ART for the first time (ART-naïve), 23 deaths occurred during 252 person-years (median follow-up nine months). Mortality rates were 17.2 at 0–6 months (95% confidence interval 10.9–26.9) and 2.8 at >6 months (95% confidence interval 1.1–7.5)/100 person-years; p < 0.001. At 09/2009, 35.6% (144/404) remained in the correctional facility, with 94.4% (136/144) retained in the programme; 38.4% (155/404) were released; and 20.0% (81/404) transferred to another facility. ART-naïve patients in care six and 12 months after ART initiation, 94.7% (124/131) and 92.5% (74/80) were virologically suppressed, respectively. High early mortality warrants the early identification and management of HIV-positive inmates. The high mobility of inmates necessitates systems for facilitating continuity of care. Good virological responses and retention supports decentralising HIV care to correctional facilities.
Radarfacies and sedimentological analysis: Study of sedimentary substrate from an archaeological site (shell mound), southern Brazil
Authors: Rodrigues Selma Isabel , Porsani Jorge Luís , Giannini Paulo César Fonseca , Fornari Milene , Atorre Tiago , DeBlasis Paulo , Ruiz Daniella Magalhães Gaeta
Published: May 2015

Integrated results of GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) and sedimentological analysis are presented for the Jabuticabeira II archaeological site (shell mound), Santa Catarina, Brazil. By means of radarfacies identification, this study aims to delimit the archaeological site and differentiate the coastal depositional systems that compose its substrates. For these purposes, available models of the temporal–spatial distribution of depositional systems in the area were used and sedimentological analysis (granulometry, quantification of heavy minerals and clay-mineral characterization) were performed on samples spaced at 0.5-m vertical intervals in auger drills cutting the identified radarfacies. GPR data were obtained along a radial grid, which allowed the rapid mapping of a large area (several hundred square metres). The results allowed to characterize an archaeological layer, the soil and two sedimentary layers (palaeolagoon and aeolian) in the substrates under and around the site. The high porosity and the grain size, cementation and heavy mineral segregation contrasts along wind-controlled laminations are for the reflector sharpness in the aeolian deposits. The archaeological site settlement mostly overlies the palaeolagoon, which was a newly emerged land during the epoch of occupation and is situated on the margins of aeolian deposits that formed in the region after the Holocene maximum flooding. This configuration reinforces the sambaquis occupation model of south-central Santa Catarina during the Holocene, strongly controlled by the proximity to lagoon bodies. The resolution of the data in this study was sufficient to advance our understanding of the regional sedimentary evolution and its relation with sambaqui occupation.
Starting Behind
Authors: Mann David R. , Wittenburg David C.
Published: May 2015

We estimate the wage offers and employment of young adults with and without disabilities using National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 data. We find evidence that wage offer and employment gaps between adults with and without disabilities emerge early and are largest for those with mental limitations or any type of severe limitation. The wage offer gaps we estimate between people with and without disabilities are almost always larger than the wage gaps between those groups. These employment and wage offer gaps that exist in early adulthood likely help explain some of the differences in human capital, employment, and earnings between older adults with and without disabilities. The results also highlight the need for interventions that improve the employability and wage offers of youth with disabilities.
Registered Nurses and Discharge Planning in a Taiwanese ED
Authors: Chang Wen , Goopy Suzanne , Lin Chun-Chih , Barnard Alan , Liu Hsueh-Erh , Han Chin-Yen
Published: May 2015

Published research on discharge planning is written from the perspective of hospital wards and community services. Limited research focuses on discharge planning in the emergency department (ED). The objective of this study was to identify ED nurses’ perceptions of factors influencing the implementation of discharge planning. This qualitative study collected data from 25 ED nurses through in-depth interviews and a drawing task in which participants were asked to depict on paper the implementation of discharge planning in their practice. Factors influencing discharge planning were grouped into three categories: discharge planning as a neglected issue in the ED, heavy workload, and the negative attitudes of ED patients and their families. The study highlighted a need for effective discharge planning to be counted as an essential clinical competency for ED nurses and factored into their everyday workload. Nurses perceived that organizational culture, and parents’ and relatives’ attitudes were barriers to implementing discharge teaching in the ED.
DEUS full observable universe simulations: Numerical challenge and outlooks
Authors: Reverdy Vincent , Alimi Jean-Michel , Bouillot Vincent , Rasera Yann , Corasaniti Pier-Stefano , Balmès Irène , Requena Stéphane , Delaruelle Xavier , Richet Jean-Noel
Published: May 2015

We report the realization of the first cosmological simulations on the scale of the whole observable universe. These simulations have been carried out on 4752 nodes of the Curie supercomputer as a part of the Dark Energy Universe Simulation: Full Universe Runs (DEUS-FUR) project which aims at establishing new probes to put constraints on the nature of dark energy by comparing the growth of large-scale structures, the characteristics of extreme statistical events and the matter distribution in redshift space. The numerical challenge of the first DEUS-FUR simulation associated with the concordance ΛCDM (Λ Cold Dark Matter) model was already presented during the 2012 supercomputing conference (Alimi et al., 2012, in The international conference for high performance computing, networking, storage and analysis). Here we first focus on the numerical aspects of the two new simulations. In practice, each one of these simulations has evolved 550 billion dark matter particles in an adaptive mesh refinement grid, and one of the new simulations has pushed back the total number of grid points from 2000 billion for the ΛCDM model to 2200 billion due to the formation of a larger number of structures. We highlight the optimizations and adjustments required to run such a set of simulations and we then summarize some important lessons learnt for future exascale computing projects.
Examining experiences of transition, instability and coping for young offenders in the community: A qualitative analysis
Authors: Heath Rebecca A , Priest Helena M
Published: May 2015

This article explores experiences of transition, instability and coping using a qualitative approach with young offenders within a specialist forensic child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS). Participants were four young people (aged 14–17 years) on community orders under the supervision of local youth offending teams (YOTs). Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Three main themes were identified: (i) people and places; (ii) growth; and (iii) managing difficult experiences. Findings suggest that young offenders are exposed to a wide range of challenging contextual factors including unpredictable or inadequate home environments, numerous transitions (between family members/foster placements and schools), limited engagement with educational settings and a lack of social support, supporting the findings of Paton et al. Findings also portrayed a sense of participants’ ‘psychological growth’ with development along a trajectory from a young child ‘acting out’ in response to the environments in which they were living; through a more reflective stage, in which they were able to begin to consider the situations they found themselves in; before reaching a position in which they were able to look beyond their day-to-day circumstances with some hope that their lives could be different in the future. Furthermore, accounts revealed that these young people had a limited range of functional coping strategies and had largely negative experiences of services. Clinical implications and the need for further research developing professionals’ understanding of the influence of early experiences on young offenders’ behaviour are discussed.
“What Do You Think We Should Do?”
Authors: Elliot Michelle L.
Published: May 2015

This article uses three concepts as a framework by which to examine how the interrelational elements of ethnographic approaches to qualitative inquiry reflect dimensions of therapeutic engagement. Participant observation, reflexivity, and context are all widely and routinely included within research methods; however, they are less frequently attended to directly in their experiential capacity through the lens of the researcher, clinician turned investigator. A unique study design will be profiled to reflect the complicated juxtaposition between methods, questions, sample population, time, space, and identity. Studying occupational therapy students traveling abroad for a short-term immersion experience, this narrative study called on a necessary and attentive awareness of locality as the researcher traveled with the group. Conducting ethnographic research where the researcher’s therapeutic skills aided and constrained relationships resulted in rich, guarded, and relevant insights that parallel the therapeutic use of self in occupational therapy practice.
Usefulness of the fusion imaging of 3D-CT and MRA for carotid artery stenting with minimum use of contrast medium in patient with renal dysfunction
Authors: Inoue Akihiro , Tagawa Masahiko , Kumon Yoshiaki , Watanabe Hideaki , Ohue Shiro , Ohtsuka Yoshihiro , Nakamura Yawara , Ohnishi Takanori
Published: May 2015

Patients with severe internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis with multiple medical problems generally undergo carotid artery stenting (CAS). However, it is difficult to perform CAS in some patients because iodinated contrast medium is hard to use. We report a patient with asymptomatic ICA stenosis and chronic renal failure, in whom successful treatment was achieved using CAS with minimal use of iodinated contrast medium. A 68-year-old man with severely chronic renal failure was consulted for treatment of left ICA stenosis. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and carotid echography revealed left ICA severe stenosis, and systemic non-contrast MRA showed left femoral artery constriction, but right femoral artery to be intact. CAS was therefore performed through the right femoral artery, using non-contrast three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) with MRA fusion imaging, intravascular ultrasonography, and a small amount of iodinated low-osmolar contrast medium. Postoperative course was uneventful with no aggravation of renal dysfunction, and he was discharged 7 days postoperatively. These techniques are very useful for patients with chronic renal failure, and this present case represents the first report of CAS treated by using non-contrast 3D-CT with MRA fusion image technique.
Ophthalmic artery occlusion immediately following placement of a flow diverter without clinical sequelae
Authors: Mascitelli Justin R , Pain Margaret , Panov Fedor , Bederson Joshua B , Patel Aman B
Published: May 2015

Branch vessel occlusion is a potential consequence following flow diverter placement for intracranial aneurysms, but the frequency and clinical impact has not been completely elucidated. In this case of a 45-year-old woman with a large left internal carotid artery aneurysm, the ophthalmic artery was covered by two flow diverters and was acutely occluded along with the aneurysm. Common carotid injections failed to demonstrate collateral flow to the ophthalmic artery via the external carotid artery. Nonetheless, the patient woke from anesthesia with objectively stable and subjectively improved vision. This case demonstrates that an acute occlusion of the ophthalmic artery without external carotid artery collaterals can be tolerated clinically.
Dynamic characteristics of priority control system for high-speed on–off digital valve
Authors: Zeng Yishan , Wang Daoming , Zi Bin , Zeng Qi
Published: May 2015

Dynamic characteristics of the priority control system are of great influence to the control effect, response speed, and working stability of the high-speed on–off digital valve. The main focus of this study is on revealing the dynamic properties of the priority control system for a developed high-speed on–off digital valve. In this article, a detailed introduction to the high-speed on–off digital valve and its priority control system is performed first, which includes the system function, structural composition, and operation principle. Thereafter, a simulation model of the priority control system is established using the AMESim software and the dynamic characteristics are simulated. Simulation results including the variations in the pulse-width modulation signal, coil current, and the main spool displacement of the directional valve are presented and discussed. They indicate that the opening time of the main spool increases with the duty ratio of the voltage signal. Moreover, the main spool displacement is basically equal in one single pulse-width modulation signal cycle, and thus, it is proportional to the cycle number of the pulse-width modulation signal. As a consequence, the priority control system possesses a good dynamic characteristic for the high-speed on–off digital valve as a pilot valve to achieve proportional control of main spool displacement for the directional valve.
Corrosion behaviour of nanochromium coatings deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering
Authors: Ren Y. J. , Wen W. , Chen J. , Chen J. L. , Qiu W. , He J. J.
Published: May 2015

Chromium films are frequently used as corrosion resistant coatings. Chromium coatings with a columnar structure deposited by magnetron sputtering demonstrate poor corrosion resistance. In this paper, a nanochromium coating with a non-columnar structure was deposited on 316L stainless steel by a direct current magnetron sputtering technique. The grain size of chromium coatings with a pyramidal structure was 95 nm. The corrosion performance of the bare and chromium coated steel in 0·5M H2SO4 was examined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, polarisation and open circuit potential measurements. The results showed that the corrosion rate of nanochromium coatings was lower than that of uncoated steel by more than one order of magnitude. Electrochemical impedance spectra of the nanochromium coatings exhibited distinct characteristics in corrosive solution. No obvious degradation was observed for the coatings after 768 h exposure to the corrosive solution.
High emissivity coating on C-263 substrate for high temperature applications
Authors: Roy S. , Maharana R. , Yashaswy V. , Bhanu Prasad V. V. , Das D. K.
Published: May 2015

An aluminium phosphate based high emissivity coating has been deposited on Ni based superalloy C-263 by dip coating method wherein the substrate was immersed in a chemical sol followed by curing of the green coating. Deposition of the coating by spraying the sol on the substrate surface has also been explored. The presence of carbon imparted high emissivity to the coating. Depending on the thickness of the coating, it exhibited an emissivity value of 0·6–0·9 in the wavelength range of 2.5–25 μm. The coating was found to offer good oxidation resistance to the substrate. Cyclic oxidation performance of uncoated and coated substrates has been evaluated at 800 and 1000°C for 100 h in air.
Leukemia stem cells in T-ALL require active Hif1α and Wnt signaling
Authors: Giambra Vincenzo , Jenkins Catherine E. , Lam Sonya H. , Hoofd Catherine , Belmonte Miriam , Wang Xuehai , Gusscott Sam , Gracias Deanne , Weng Andrew P.
Published: May 2015

Key Points

A real-time, integrated fluorescent Wnt reporter marks rare leukemia stem cells in T-ALL. Deletion of β-catenin or Hif1α reduces LIC frequency in established tumors, but does not affect the growth of bulk cells.
Low ATM protein expression in malignant tumor as well as cancer-associated stroma are independent prognostic factors in a retrospective study of early-stage hormone-negative breast cancer
Authors: Feng Xiaolan , Li Haocheng , Dean Michelle , Wilson Holly E , Kornaga Elizabeth , Enwere Emeka K , Tang Patricia , Paterson Alexander , Lees-Miller Susan P , Magliocco Anthony M , Bebb Gwyn
Published: May 2015

Introduction

The serine/threonine protein kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is critical in maintaining genomic integrity. Upon DNA double-strand breaks, ATM phosphorylates key downstream proteins including p53 and BRCA1/2, thereby orchestrating complex signaling pathways involved in cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, senescence and apoptosis. Although sporadic mutation of ATM occurs rarely in breast cancer, the status of its protein expression and its clinical significance in breast cancer remain not well established. Our study was designed to investigate the influence of ATM protein in both tumor and cancer-associated stroma on clinical outcome in hormone-positive (HPBC) and hormone-negative (HNBC) early-stage breast cancer (EBC).

Methods

Tissue microarrays (TMAs), containing formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded resected tumors from two cohorts of patients (HPBC cohort: n = 130; HNBC cohort: n = 168) diagnosed at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary, Canada, were analyzed for ATM protein expression using fluorescence immunohistochemistry (IHC) and automated quantitative analysis (AQUA). ATM expression levels were measured within the tumor as a whole (tATM) as indicated by pan-cytokeratin expression, tumor nuclear compartment (nATM) as indicated by both DAPI and pan-cytokeratin-positive results, and cancer-associated stroma (csATM) as indicated by vimentin-positive and pan-cytokeratin-negative results. ATM expression levels within these compartments were correlated with clinical outcome.

Results

While tATM and nATM were significantly lower in tumors compared to normal breast epithelial tissues, csATM was significantly higher than the corresponding normal tissue compartment. In addition, the median expression level of both tATM and nATM were two- to threefold lower (P <0.001) in HNBC than in HPBC. In both HNBC and HPBC cohorts, patients with low tATM, nATM and csATM tumors had significantly poorer survival outcomes than those with a high tATM, nATM and csATM, but this effect was more pronounced in HNBC. A multivariate analysis demonstrates that these biomarkers predict survival independent of tumor size and lymph node status, but only in the HNBC cohort (P <0.001).

Conclusions

Low ATM protein expression in both malignant tumor and stromal compartments likely contributes to the aggressive nature of breast cancer and is an independent prognostic factor associated with worse survival in HNBC patients.
Existence of extended Nash equilibriums of nonmonetized noncooperative games
Authors: Zhao Chunxiang , Hong Shihuang , Li Chunhong
Published: May 2015

In this paper, we consider extended Nash equilibriums of nonmonetized noncooperative games. By using a modified fixed point theorem of set-valued mappings on partially ordered sets, we prove an existence theorem of extended Nash equilibriums of the nonmonetized noncooperative game. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the advantages of our results.
Permeation thresholds for hydrophilic small biomolecules across microvascular and epithelial barriers are predictable on basis of conserved biophysical properties
Authors: Sarin Hemant
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Neutral small hydrophiles are permeable to varying degrees, across the aqueous pores of phospholipid bilayer protein channels, with their potential for permeation into cells being predictable, on the basis of hydrophilicity and size. Here, it is hypothesized that permeation thresholds for small hydrophiles, across capillary zona occludens tight junction and inter-epithelial junction pore complexes are predictable, on the basis of predicted hydrophilicity in context of predicted molecular size and charge distribution, as are those of cations and anions, on the basis of predicted ionization in context of predicted atomic size.

Methods

Small hydrophiles are categorized by charge distribution. 2-dimensional plots of predicted hydrophilic octanol-to-water partition coefficient (HOWPC; unitless) and predicted van der Waals diameter (vdWD; nm) are generated for each category. The predicted HOWPC-to-vdWD ratio (nm-1), and vdWDs for permeable hydrophile at the maximum and minimum HOWPC-to-vdWD, vdWD @ MAXimum HOWPC-to-vdWD and vdWD @ MINimum HOWPC-to-vdWD are determined. For cations and anions, the ionization-to-atomic diameter ratios (CI or AI-to-AD ratios; nm-1) are determined.

Results

Per sizes of mixed and pure polyneutral hydrophiles, the permeation size maximum for hydrophiles across tight junction pore complexes is >0.69 ≤ 0.73 nanometers and across inter-epithelial junction pore complexes is ≥ 0.81 nanometers. For hydrophiles with anionicity or cationicity, the vdWDs @ MAXimum HOWPC-to-vdWD are less than those of mixed and polyneutral hydrophiles across both tight and inter-epithelial junctions, ranges specific to category and junction type. For cations, the permeation threshold across tight junctions is between the CI-to-AD ratio of Na+ (+2.69 nm-1) and CH3-Hg+ (+2.36 nm-1), with CH3-Hg+ and K+ (+2.20 nm-1) being permeable; and for divalent cations, the threshold across inter-epithelial junctions is between the CI-to-AD ratio of Mg2+ (+6.25 nm-1) and Ca2+ (+5.08 nm-1) , Ca2+ being semi-permeable. For anions, the permeation threshold across tight junctions is between the AI-to-AD ratio of Cl- (-4.91 nm-1) and Br- (-4.17 nm-1), and the threshold across inter-epithelial junctions is between the AI-to-AD ratio of F- (-7.81 nm-1) and Cl- (-4.91 nm-1).

Conclusions

In silicomodeling reveals that permeation thresholds, of small molecule hydrophiles, cations and anions across junctional pore complexes, are conserved in the physiologic state.
CD13 mediates phagocytosis in human monocytic cells
Authors: Licona-Limón Ileana , Garay-Canales Claudia A , Muñoz-Paleta Ofelia , Ortega Enrique
Published: May 2015

CD13 is a membrane-bound ectopeptidase, highly expressed on monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. CD13 is involved in diverse functions, including degradation of peptide mediators, cellular adhesion, migration, viral endocytosis, signaling, and positive modulation of phagocytosis mediated by FcγRs and other phagocytic receptors. In this work, we explored whether besides acting as an accessory receptor, CD13 by itself is a primary phagocytic receptor. We found that hCD13 mediates efficient phagocytosis of large particles (erythrocytes) modified so as to interact with the cell only through CD13 in human macrophages and THP-1 monocytic cells. The extent of this phagocytosis is comparable with the phagocytosis mediated through the canonical phagocytic receptor FcγRI. Furthermore, we demonstrated that hCD13 expression in the nonphagocytic cell line HEK293 is sufficient to enable these cells to internalize particles bound through hCD13. CD13-mediated phagocytosis is independent of other phagocytic receptors, as it occurs in the absence of FcγRs, CR3, and most phagocytic receptors. Phagocytosis through CD13 is independent of its enzymatic activity but is dependent on actin rearrangement and activation of PI3K and is partially dependent on Syk activation. Moreover, the cross-linking of CD13 with antibodies rapidly induced pSyk in human macrophages. Finally, we observed that antibody-mediated cross-linking of hCD13, expressed in the murine macrophage-like J774 cell line, induces production of ROS. These results demonstrate that CD13 is a fully competent phagocytic receptor capable of mediating internalization of large particles.
Metabolic danger signals, uric acid and ATP, mediate inflammatory cross-talk between hepatocytes and immune cells in alcoholic liver disease
Authors: Petrasek Jan , Iracheta-Vellve Arvin , Saha Banishree , Satishchandran Abhishek , Kodys Karen , Fitzgerald Katherine A , Kurt-Jones Evelyn A , Szabo Gyongyi
Published: May 2015

Inflammation defines the progression of ALD from reversible to advanced stages. Translocation of bacterial LPS to the liver from the gut is necessary for alcohol-induced liver inflammation. However, it is not known whether endogenous, metabolic danger signals are required for inflammation in ALD. Uric acid and ATP, 2 major proinflammatory danger signals, were evaluated in the serum of human volunteers exposed to a single dose of ethanol or in supernatants of primary human hepatocytes exposed to ethanol. In vitro studies were used to evaluate the role of uric acid and ATP in inflammatory cross-talk between hepatocytes and immune cells. The significance of signaling downstream of uric acid and ATP in the liver was evaluated in NLRP3-deficient mice fed a Lieber-DeCarli ethanol diet. Exposure of healthy human volunteers to a single dose of ethanol resulted in increased serum levels of uric acid and ATP. In vitro, we identified hepatocytes as a significant source of these endogenous inflammatory signals. Uric acid and ATP mediated a paracrine inflammatory cross-talk between damaged hepatocytes and immune cells and significantly increased the expression of LPS-inducible cytokines, IL-1β and TNF-α, by immune cells. Deficiency of NLRP3, a ligand-sensing component of the inflammasome recognizing uric acid and ATP, prevented the development of alcohol-induced liver inflammation in mice and significantly ameliorated liver damage and steatosis. Endogenous metabolic danger signals, uric acid, and ATP are involved in inflammatory cross-talk between hepatocytes and immune cells and play a crucial role in alcohol-induced liver inflammation.
Vitamin A induces inhibitory histone methylation modifications and down-regulates trained immunity in human monocytes
Authors: Arts Rob J W , Blok Bastiaan A , van Crevel Reinout , Joosten Leo A B , Aaby Peter , Benn Christine Stabell , Netea Mihai G
Published: May 2015

Epidemiologic studies suggest that VAS has long-lasting immunomodulatory effects. We hypothesized that ATRA inhibits inflammatory cytokines in a model of trained immunity in monocytes by inducing epigenetic reprogramming through histone modifications. We used an previously described in vitro model of trained immunity, in which adherent monocytes of healthy volunteers were incubated for 24 h with BCG in the presence or absence of ATRA. After washing the cells, they were incubated for an additional 6 d in culture medium and restimulated with microbial ligands, and cytokine production was assessed. ATRA inhibited cytokine responses upon restimulation of monocytes, and this effect was exerted through increased expression of SUV39H2, a histone methyltransferase that induces the inhibitory mark H3K9me3. H3K9me3 at promoter sites of several cytokines was up-regulated by ATRA, and inhibition of SUV39H2 restored cytokine production. In addition to H3K9me3, the stimulatory histone mark H3K4me3 was down-regulated by ATRA at several promoter locations of cytokine genes. Therefore, we can conclude that ATRA inhibits cytokine production in models of direct stimulation or BCG-induced trained immunity and that these effects are mediated by histone modifications.
Fasting Enhances Pyroglutamyl Peptidase II Activity in Tanycytes of the Mediobasal Hypothalamus of Male Adult Rats
Authors: Lazcano Iván , Cabral Agustina , Uribe Rosa María , Jaimes-Hoy Lorraine , Perello Mario , Joseph-Bravo Patricia , Sánchez-Jaramillo Edith , Charli Jean-Louis
Published: May 2015

Fasting down-regulates the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis activity through a reduction of TRH synthesis in neurons of the parvocellular paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). These TRH neurons project to the median eminence (ME), where TRH terminals are close to the cytoplasmic extensions of β2 tanycytes. Tanycytes express pyroglutamyl peptidase II (PPII), the TRH-degrading ectoenzyme that controls the amount of TRH that reaches the anterior pituitary. We tested the hypothesis that regulation of ME PPII activity is another mechanism by which fasting affects the activity of the HPT axis. Semiquantitative in situ hybridization histochemistry data indicated that PPII and deiodinase 2 mRNA levels increased in tanycytes after 48 hours of fasting. This increase was transitory, followed by an increase of PPII activity in the ME, and a partial reversion of the reduction in PVN pro-TRH mRNA levels and the number of TRH neurons detected by immunohistochemistry. In fed animals, adrenalectomy and corticosterone treatment did not change ME PPII activity 72 hours later. Methimazole-induced hypothyroidism produced a profound drop in tanycytes PPII mRNA levels, which was reverted by 3 days of treatment with T4. The activity of thyroliberinase, the serum isoform of PPII, was increased at most fasting time points studied. We conclude that delayed increases in both the ME PPII as well as the thyroliberinase activities in fasted male rats may facilitate the maintenance of the deep down-regulation of the HPT axis function, despite a partial reactivation of TRH expression in the PVN.
Dgcr8 and Dicer are essential for sex chromosome integrity during meiosis in males
Authors: Modzelewski Andrew J. , Hilz Stephanie , Crate Elizabeth A. , Schweidenback Caterina T. H. , Fogarty Elizabeth A. , Grenier Jennifer K. , Freire Raimundo , Cohen Paula E. , Grimson Andrew
Published: May 2015

Small RNAs play crucial roles in regulating gene expression during mammalian meiosis. To investigate the function of microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) during meiosis in males, we generated germ-cell-specific conditional deletions of Dgcr8 and Dicer in mice. Analysis of spermatocytes from both conditional knockout lines revealed that there were frequent chromosomal fusions during meiosis, always involving one or both sex chromosomes. RNA sequencing indicates upregulation of Atm in spermatocytes from miRNA-deficient mice, and immunofluorescence imaging demonstrates an increased abundance of activated ATM kinase and mislocalization of phosphorylated MDC1, an ATM phosphorylation substrate. The Atm 3′UTR contains many potential microRNA target sites, and, notably, target sites for several miRNAs depleted in both conditional knockout mice were highly effective at promoting repression. RNF8, a telomere-associated protein whose localization is controlled by the MDC1–ATM kinase cascade, normally associates with the sex chromosomes during pachytene, but in both conditional knockouts redistributed to the autosomes. Taken together, these results suggest that Atm dysregulation in microRNA-deficient germ lines contributes to the redistribution of proteins involved in chromosomal stability from the sex chromosomes to the autosomes, resulting in sex chromosome fusions during meiotic prophase I.