bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using word clouds to Re‐envision letters of recommendation for residency applicants
Authors: Bayrak Sinehan B. , Villwock Jennifer A. , Villwock Mark R. , Chiu Alexander G. , Sykes Kevin J.
Published: November 2018

Objectives/Hypothesis

To develop a “word cloud”–based visual letter of recommendation (VLOR) and to evaluate its efficiency in discerning applicant quality compared to narrative letters of recommendation (NLORs).

Study Design

Cross‐sectional cohort study.

Methods

NLORs for 48 otolaryngology residency applicants interviewed from the 2016 application cycle were identified and mined for descriptive terms to generate a word cloud, referred to as a VLOR. Eight individuals reviewed and rated a total of 187 blinded NLORs and 48 VLORs on a four‐point scale (negative to exceptional). Median VLOR and NLOR scores and the time to review for each candidate were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

Results

It took significantly more time to review the NLORs in comparison to the VLORs (67 seconds, interquartile range [IQR]: 41–98 seconds vs. 17 seconds, IQR: 11–26 seconds, P < .001). There was no significant difference between median scores for VLORs and NLORs (P = .136). Review time and score correlated positively for VLORs and was statistically significant (ρ = 0.459, P = .001), indicating that more time spent reviewing equates to higher scores. The same relationship appeared with NLORs, but was not statistically significant (ρ = 0.276, P = .058).

Conclusions

VLORs are a novel and efficient additive tool for screening candidates for otolaryngology residency interview slots. Their scores do not significantly vary from NLOR scores and are significantly faster to evaluate.

Level of Evidence

2b

Laryngoscope, 129:2026–2030, 2019
A study on corrosion behaviors of laser cladded Fe−Cr−Ni coating in as‐cladded and machined conditions
Authors: Zhang Peirong , Liu Zhanqiang , Su Guosheng , Du Jin , Zhang Jingjie
Published: November 2018

This paper investigates the effect of turning process on surface quality and corrosion behaviors of laser cladded coatings on the 1045 steel. Corrosion resistance of the 1045 steel is improved by laser cladded Fe−Cr−Ni coatings. The as‐cladded coating behaves nobler and more resistant to corrosion compared to the 1045 steel substrate. By using turning as a finish process, surface roughness Ra of the laser cladded coating is decreased to 0.517 µm to meet the surface roughness requirement (i.e., Ra ≤ 0.8 µm) of a single‐telescopic hydraulic column. Also, surface defects including laps, cavities, and adhered material particles occur on the cladded coatings after machining. The machined coatings exhibit comparable polarization resistance compared to the as‐cladded condition, and the polarization resistance of the machined surface increases with feed rate increasing. The corrosion pits show sensitivity on feed marks induced by machining. This concentrated distribution of corrosion pits is a result of the fluctuation of local electron work function (EWF), which promotes the formation of local corrosion cells in adjacency to feed marks.
PPP3CB contributes to poor prognosis through activating nuclear factor of activated T‐cells signaling in neuroblastoma
Authors: Shakhova Irina , Li Yuanyuan , Yu Fan , Kaneko Yoshiki , Nakamura Yohko , Ohira Miki , Izumi Hideki , Mae Takao , Varfolomeeva Svetlana R. , Rumyantsev Alexander G. , Nakagawara Akira
Published: November 2018

We previously identified a gain‐of‐function mutation in PPP3CB in a neuroblastoma (NB) with MYCN amplification. Here we investigated the functional and clinical role of PPP3CB in NB. High PPP3CB expression was an independent indicator predicting poor prognosis of NB. Overexpression of wildtype or mutated PPP3CB (PPP3CBmut) promoted cell growth, but PPP3CB knockdown decreased cell growth in NB cells. Forced expressions of PPP3CB and PPP3CBmut activated NFAT2 and NFAT4 transcription factors and inhibited GSK3β activity, resulting in the increase in the expressions of c‐Myc, MYCN, and β‐catenin, which were downregulated in response to PPP3CB knockdown. Treatment with calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA) or FK506 suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptotic cell death in both MYCN‐amplified and MYCN‐non‐amplified NB cell lines. Expression of PPP3CB protein was decreased in response to two calcineurin inhibitors. c‐Myc, MYCN, and β‐catenin were downregulated at the mRNA and protein levels in CsA or FK506‐treated NB cells. Our data indicate that elevated expression of PPP3CB and the expression of its constitutively active mutant contribute to the aggressive behavior of NB tumors and therefore suggest that inhibition of calcineurin activity might have therapeutic potential for high‐risk NB.
DSCAM‐AS1 promotes tumor growth of breast cancer by reducing miR‐204‐5p and up‐regulating RRM2
Authors: Liang Wen‐Hui , Li Na , Yuan Zhi‐Qing , Qian Xin‐Lai , Wang Zhi‐Hui
Published: November 2018

Breast cancer (BC) is a common malignancy worldwide. More than 3 700 000 women die of BC every year. DSCAM‐AS1 was overexpressed several kinds of cancer and miR‐204‐5p was lowly expressed, which indicated that miR‐204‐5p had anti‐tumor activity and DSCAM‐AS1 had pro‐tumor activity. We intended to analyze DSCAM‐AS1, miR‐204‐5p, and ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2). Microarray analysis and quantitative Real Time fluorescence Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT‐PCR) were employed to determine DSCAM‐AS1 and miR‐204‐5p expression. Luciferase reporter assay was applied to examine the target relationship between DSCAM‐AS1, miR‐204‐5p, and RRM2. Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK‐8 assay), transwell assay, and flow cytometry were used to detect cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis. The expression of DSCAM‐AS1, miR‐204‐5p, and RRM2 were confirmed by Western blot. We also conducted in vivo assay to verify the effect of DSCAM‐AS1. DSCAM‐AS1 was up‐regulated, while miR‐204‐5p was down‐regulated in BC tissues and cells. DSCAM‐AS1 directly targeted miR‐204‐5p. DSCAM‐AS1 promoted the proliferation and invasion of BC cells by reducing miR‐204‐5p and inhibiting miR‐204‐5p expression. DSCAM‐AS1 expression was related to the expression of RRM2, and miR‐204‐5p could reverse the function of DSCAM‐AS1. RRM2 was up‐regulated in BC cells, and miR‐204‐5p inhibited RRM2 expression by targeting RRM2. Overexpression of RRM2 stimulated proliferation and cell invasion and impeded apoptosis. In vivo experiments showed that knockdown of DSCAM‐AS1 decreased the tumorigenesis of BC cells, increased the expression of miR‐204‐5p. DSCAM‐AS1 promoted proliferation and impaired apoptosis of BC cells by reducing miR‐204‐5p and enhancing RRM2 expression. DSCAM‐AS1/miR‐204‐5p/RRM2 may serve as novel therapeutic targets for BC.
NRP‐1 interacts with GIPC1 and SYX to activate p38 MAPK signaling and cancer stem cell survival
Authors: Grun Daniel , Adhikary Gautam , Eckert Richard L.
Published: November 2018

Epidermal cancer stem cells (ECS cells) comprise a limited population of cells that form aggressive, rapidly growing, and highly vascularized tumors. VEGF‐A/NRP‐1 signaling is a key driver of the ECS cell phenotype and aggressive tumor formation. However, relatively less is known regarding the downstream events following VEGF‐A/NRP‐1 interaction. In the present study, we show that VEGF‐A/NRP‐1, GIPC1, and Syx interact to increase RhoA‐dependent p38 MAPK activity to enhance ECS cell spheroid formation, invasion, migration, and angiogenic potential. Inhibition or knockdown of NRP‐1, GIPC1 or Syx attenuates RhoA and p38 activity to reduce the ECS cell phenotype, and NRP‐1 knockout, or pharmacologic inhibition of VEGF‐A/NRP‐1 interaction or RhoA activity, reduces p38 MAPK activity and tumor growth. Moreover, expression of wild‐type or constitutively‐active RhoA, or p38, in NRP1‐knockout cells, restores p38 activity and the ECS cell phenotype. These findings suggest that NRP‐1 forms a complex with GIPC1 and Syx to activate RhoA/ROCK‐dependent p38 activity to enhance the ECS cell phenotype and tumor formation.
HMGB1‐RAGE signaling facilitates Ras‐dependent Yap1 expression to drive colorectal cancer stemness and development
Authors: Qian Fei , Xiao Jianjia , Gai Ling , Zhu Jianwei
Published: November 2018

HMGB1‐RAGE signaling plays an integral role in inflammation‐driven carcinogenesis. In the present study, we showed that RAGE has direct association with K‐Ras following HMGB1 exposure in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed a significant co‐localization between RAGE and K‐Ras in HMGB1‐exposed CRC cells. Moreover, we uncovered that HMGB1‐mediated RAGE activation led to Yap1 accumulation in a Ras‐dependent mechanism in CRC cells. HMGB1 activated the expression of Yap1 downstream stemness marker proteins CD44 and Sox2 in RAGE‐ and Ras‐dependent manners. Furthermore, HMGB1 exposure led to the proliferation of CRC cells and the expansion of CRC stem cells. RAGE, Yap1 and CD44 were overexpressed in CRC specimens. Linear regression analysis revealed that the expression of RAGE was positively correlated with Yap1 in clinical CRC specimens. Both of RAGE and Yap1 expression were correlated with advanced histological grades, lymph node metastasis and TNM stages. Finally, we revealed that both of RAGE and Yap1 expression could predicted unfavorable prognosis in CRC patients. These findings implicated that HMGB1‐RAGE signaling may promote Yap1 activation and CRC progression, shedding new light on the mechanisms underlying inflammation‐driven CRC development.
A pilot trial of RNS60 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Paganoni Sabrina , Alshikho Mohamad J. , Luppino Sarah , Chan James , Pothier Lindsay , Schoenfeld David , Andres Patricia L. , Babu Suma , Zürcher Nicole R. , Loggia Marco L. , Barry Robert L. , Luotti Silvia , Nardo Giovanni , Trolese Maria Chiara , Pantalone Serena , Bendotti Caterina , Bonetto Valentina , De Marchi Fabiola , Rosen Bruce , Hooker Jacob , Cudkowicz Merit , Atassi Nazem
Published: November 2018

Introduction: RNS60 is a novel immune‐modulatory agent that has shown neuroprotective effects in amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) preclinical models. RNS60 is administered by weekly intravenous infusion and daily nebulization. The objective of this pilot open‐label trial was to test the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of long‐term RNS60 administration in ALS patients. Methods: The planned treatment duration was 23 weeks and the primary outcomes were safety and tolerability. Secondary outcomes included PBR28 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and plasma biomarkers of inflammation. Results: Sixteen participants with ALS received RNS60 and 13 (81%) completed 23 weeks of RNS60 treatment. There were no serious adverse events and no participants withdrew from the trial due to drug‐related adverse events. There were no significant changes in the biomarkers. Discussion: Long‐term RNS60 administration was safe and well‐tolerated. A large, multicenter, phase II trial of RNS60 is currently enrolling participants to test the effects of RNS60 on ALS biomarkers and disease progression. Muscle Nerve 59:303–308, 2019
A protocol for quantifying cardiogenic oscillations in dynamic 129Xe gas exchange spectroscopy: The effects of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Bier Elianna A. , Robertson Scott H. , Schrank Geoffry M. , Rackley Craig , Mammarappallil Joseph G. , Rajagopal Sudarshan , McAdams H. Page , Driehuys Bastiaan
Published: November 2018

The spectral parameters of hyperpolarized 129Xe exchanging between airspaces, interstitial barrier, and red blood cells (RBCs) are sensitive to pulmonary pathophysiology. This study sought to evaluate whether the dynamics of 129Xe spectroscopy provide additional insight, with particular focus on quantifying cardiogenic oscillations in the RBC resonance. 129Xe spectra were dynamically acquired in eight healthy volunteers and nine subjects with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). 129Xe FIDs were collected every 20 ms (TE = 0.932 ms, 512 points, dwell time = 32 μs, flip angle ≈ 20°) during a 16 s breathing maneuver. The FIDs were pre‐processed using the spectral improvement by Fourier thresholding technique (SIFT) and fit in the time domain to determine the airspace, interstitial barrier, and RBC spectral parameters. The RBC and gas resonances were fit to a Lorentzian lineshape, while the barrier was fit to a Voigt lineshape to account for its greater structural heterogeneity. For each complex resonance the amplitude, chemical shift, linewidth(s), and phase were calculated. The time‐averaged spectra confirmed that the RBC to barrier amplitude ratio (RBC:barrier ratio) and RBC chemical shift are both reduced in IPF subjects. Their temporal dynamics showed that all three 129Xe resonances are affected by the breathing maneuver. Most notably, several RBC spectral parameters exhibited prominent oscillations at the cardiac frequency, and their peak‐to‐peak variation differed between IPF subjects and healthy volunteers. In the IPF cohort, oscillations were more prominent in the RBC amplitude (16.8 ± 5.2 versus 9.7 ± 2.9%; P = 0.008), chemical shift (0.43 ± 0.33 versus 0.083 ± 0.05 ppm; P < 0.001), and phase (7.7 ± 5.6 versus 1.4 ± 0.8°; P < 0.001). Dynamic 129Xe spectroscopy is a simple and sensitive tool that probes the temporal variability of gas exchange and may prove useful in discerning the underlying causes of its impairment.
Evaluation of normal cadaveric Achilles tendon and enthesis with ultrashort echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging and indentation testing
Authors: Chen Bimin , Cheng Xin , Dorthe Erik W. , Zhao Yinghua , D'Lima Darryl , Bydder Graeme M. , Liu Sirun , Du Jiang , Ma Ya‐Jun
Published: November 2018

Entheses are regions where tendons and ligaments attach to bone, and are the primary target in seronegative and other diseases of the musculoskeletal (MSK) system. MRI has been widely used for visualizing features of inflammatory and degenerative MSK disease; however, normal tendons and entheses have short transverse relaxation times (T2), and show little or no signal with conventional clinical MRI pulse sequences, making it difficult to investigate their MR properties. In this study we examined the normal MR morphology of the cadaveric Achilles tendon and enthesis at 3 T using novel three‐dimensional ultrashort echo time (3D UTE) Cones sequences, and at 11.7 T using conventional MRI sequences. We also studied the MR properties of the Achilles tendon and enthesis including T2*, T1, and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR). In addition, MT modeling of macromolecular proton fractions was investigated using 3D UTE Cones sequences at 3 T. Indentation testing was performed to investigate the mechanical properties of the tendons and entheses, and this was followed by histological examination. In total five specimens (<50 years) were investigated. On average, tendons and entheses respectively had T2* values of 0.93 ± 0.48 ms and 2.77 ± 0.79 ms, T1 values of 644 ± 22 ms and 780 ± 55 ms, MTRs of 0.373 ± 0.03 and 0.244 ± 0.009 with an MT power of 1000° and frequency offset of 2 kHz, and macromolecular proton fractions of 18.0 ± 2.2% and 13.9 ± 1.9%. Compared with the tendon, the enthesis generally had a longer T2*, a longer T1, a lower MTR, and a lower macromolecular proton fraction as well as both a higher Young's modulus and stiffness. Results from this study are likely to provide a useful baseline for identifying deviations from the normal in seronegative arthritis and other disease of the entheses.
Levels of choline‐containing compounds in normal liver and liver metastases of colorectal cancer as recorded by 1H MRS
Authors: ter Voert Edwin E.G.W. , Heijmen Linda , van Asten Jack J.A. , Wright Alan J. , Nagtegaal Iris D. , Punt Cornelis J.A. , de Wilt Johannes H.W. , van Laarhoven Hanneke W.M. , Heerschap Arend
Published: November 2018

Purpose

A relatively high signal for choline‐containing compounds (total choline, tCho) is commonly found in 1H MR spectra of malignant tumors, but it is unclear if this also occurs in tumors in the liver. We evaluated the potential of the tCho signal in single voxel 1H MR spectra of the human liver to assess metastases of colorectal cancers.

Experiment

MR spectra of an 8 cm3 PRESS‐localized voxel were obtained at 3 T from the livers of 12 healthy volunteers and from metastatic lesions in 20 patients in two different sessions. To correct for motion artifacts, sequentially recorded spectra were individually phased and frequency aligned before averaging. Spectra were analyzed using LCModel and tissue levels estimated by water referencing. Repeatability was assessed with Bland–Altman analyses. To estimate tumor necrosis, diffusion‐weighted imaging of the liver was performed. High resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) spectra of tumor and normal liver samples were obtained at 11.7 T.

Results

With increasing tumor volumes, tCho levels decreased, indicating a partial volume effect. Mean tCho content in tumors larger than the PRESS voxel (>8 cm3) was significantly lower (p < 0.01) than for normal liver: 1.6 (range 0.0–3.4) versus 6.9 (range 4.9–11.1) mmol/kg wet weight, while it was comparable for tumors smaller than 8 cm3: 7.0 (range 3.8–9.3) mmol/kg. The higher 90th percentile apparent diffusion coefficient value in the larger lesions indicates more necrosis. Measurement repeatability was average in normal livers and poor in tumors. HRMAS did not show substantial differences in choline‐containing compounds between normal liver and metastasis.

Conclusion

An increased tCho content was not observed in 1H MR spectra of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer, compared with normal liver. This may be due to the background of a high tCho signal in spectra of normal liver or to an intrinsic lower tCho content in these tumors, but is most likely the result of necrosis in metastatic tumor tissue.
Simulation of the bioadhesive gelatin‐alginate conjugate loaded with antibiotic drugs
Authors: Knani Dafna , Foox Maytal , Zilberman Meital
Published: November 2018

In the present research, molecular modeling methods were used to study a novel bioadhesive composed of gelatin (protein) and alginate (polysaccharides), crosslinked with N‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl)‐N′‐ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). Three antibiotic drugs were added to the bioadhesive: Vancomycin, Ofloxacin, and Clindamycin. Computational tools were applied to estimate the crosslinking degree and compare the effect of the antibiotics on the physical properties of the gelatin‐alginate conjugate. The crosslinking degree was estimated by calculating the enthalpy of mixing of gelatin with alginate and their interaction with the crosslinking agents. The calculations revealed that gelatin mixes well with alginate, which enables their crosslinking. Various ratios between EDC and NHS were examined, and an optimal ratio was found. The interaction of alginate‐gelatin conjugate with the antibiotics was correlated to the experimental results of bonding strength. The most significant interaction of the conjugate is with clindamycin. The gelatin part is responsible for the strong interaction with clindamycin, and alginate forms strong interaction with ofloxacin. Thus, the interaction of alginate‐gelatin conjugate with the antibiotics is governed by the proportion between gelatin and alginate in the conjugate. The degradation rate of gelatin‐alginate was related to its interaction with water. It was found that the conjugate is highly hydrophilic. Gelatin is more soluble in water than both alginate and alginate‐gelatin and is probably the part in the conjugate that governs the solubility and degradation rate. Therefore, the degradation rate of the conjugate can be controlled by changing the proportion between gelatin and alginate.
Mechanical and thermal characterization of sisal fiber reinforced polylactic acid composites
Authors: Samouh Zineb , Molnar Kolos , Boussu François , Cherkaoui Omar , El Moznine Reddad
Published: November 2018

The advantages of green composites are including, but not limited to their environmental friendly nature, lightweight, reduction of production energy and costs, and recyclability. This work focuses on the mechanical, thermal, and dynamic mechanical properties of biocomposites. For that purpose, biosourced polymers were used, namely polylactic acid (PLA) and sisal fiber, and biocomposites were extruded and then injection molded with different contents of sisal fibers (5%, 10%, 15%). The results show that the increase of the rate of reinforcement improves the mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of the biocomposites made. By the increase of the sisal fiber content, the degree of crystallinity of the matrix was increased from 47% to 61%, as sisal fibers were acted as a nucleating agent for the PLA.
Synthesis of multifunctional high strength, highly swellable, stretchable and self‐healable pH‐responsive ionic double network hydrogels
Authors: Dixit Akansha , Bag Dibyendu S , Sharma Dhirendra K , Eswara Prasad Namburi
Published: November 2018

The multifunctional double network (DN) soft hydrogels reported here are highly swellable and stretchable pH‐responsive smart hydrogel materials with sufficient strength and self‐healing properties. Such multifunctional hydrogels are achieved using double crosslinking structures with multiple physical and chemical crosslinks. They consist of a copolymer network of acrylamide (AM) and sodium acrylate (Na‐AA) and other reversible network of poly(vinyl alcohol)–borax complex. They were characterized by Fourier transform IR analysis and studied for their hydrogen bonding and ionic interaction. The degree of equilibrium swelling was observed to be as high as 5959% (at pH 7.0) for a hydrogel with AM/Na‐AA = 25/75 wt% in the network (GS‐6 sample). The highest degree of swelling was observed to be 6494% at pH 8.5. The maximum tensile strength was measured to be 1670, 580 and 130 kPa for a DN hydrogel (GS‐2 sample: AM/Na‐AA =75/25 wt% with 20, 40 and 60 wt% water content, respectively). The self‐healing efficiency was estimated to be 69% for such a hydrogel. These multifunctional DN hydrogels with amalgamation of many functional properties are unique in hydrogel materials and such materials may find applications in sensors, actuators, smart windows and biomedical applications. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Thermoresponsive nanocomposites incorporating microplasma synthesized magnetic nanoparticles—Synthesis and potential applications
Authors: Nolan Hugo , Sun Daye , Falzon Brian G. , Maguire Paul , Mariotti Davide , Zhang Li , Sun Dan
Published: November 2018

The requirement for novel therapeutic and diagnostic techniques for biomedical applications has driven the development of multifunctional composite materials. This, in turn, has necessitated the use of novel synthesis and processing techniques for scalable nanocomposite production with tuneable material properties. Atmospheric Pressure Microplasma (APM) is a synthesis technique which has received considerable interest in recent years as a viable route for fabrication of nanoparticles (NPs) and NP/polymer composites. Here, we employ APM synthesis of NPs in solutions demonstrating, for the first time, the in situ synthesis of magnetic NPs (Fe3O4) in a hydrogel; fabricating a magnetic thermo‐responsive hydrogel (poly (N‐isopropylacrylamde)) composite. This demonstrates the applicability of our APM process for producing materials which are potentially relevant to the health sector.
Rescaling belonging in “Brexit Britain”: Spatial identities and practices of Polish nationals in Scotland after the U.K. Referendum on European Union membership
Authors: Botterill Kate , Hancock Jonathan
Published: November 2018

This paper discusses how the 2016 U.K. Referendum on European Union membership has shaped the spatial identities and practices of Polish nationals living in Scotland. On the basis of original qualitative data collected in Edinburgh after the referendum, we make two key arguments. First, the referendum was a catalyst for Polish nationals to rescale spatial identities and challenge normative definitions of nationalism and citizenship. We highlight the role of emotion as a key driver in this process, showing that multiscalar attachments to place and strategies for onward mobility, adaptation, and integration after Brexit are constructed through emotionality. Second, the paper argues that Polish nationals' spatial practices have been shaped by anti‐immigrant discourse and sentiment surrounding the Brexit vote. In particular, local public spaces are viewed simultaneously as sites of potential conflict and sites of meaningful intercultural engagement and everyday citizenship. A broader aim of the paper is to advance feminist theory and praxis in population geography through a focus on nonhierarchical and relational scales of experience to better understand migrant identities and practices in a changing Europe.
Phase II trial design with growth modulation index as the primary endpoint
Authors: Wu Jianrong , Chen Li , Wei Jing , Weiss Heidi , Miller Rachel W. , Villano John L.
Published: November 2018

Molecularly targeted, genomic‐driven, and immunotherapy‐based clinical trials continue to be advanced for the treatment of relapse or refractory cancer patients, where the growth modulation index (GMI) is often considered a primary endpoint of treatment efficacy. However, there little literature is available that considers the trial design with GMI as the primary endpoint. In this article, we derived a sample size formula for the score test under a log‐linear model of the GMI. Study designs using the derived sample size formula are illustrated under a bivariate exponential model, the Weibull frailty model, and the generalized treatment effect size. The proposed designs provide sound statistical methods for a single‐arm phase II trial with GMI as the primary endpoint.
Mean square stability of linear stochastic neutral‐type time‐delay systems with multiple delays
Authors: Li Zhao‐Yan , Lam James , Fang Ru
Published: November 2018

This paper studies mean square exponential stability of linear stochastic neutral‐type time‐delay systems with multiple point delays by using an augmented Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functional (LKF) approach. To build a suitable augmented LKF, a method is proposed to find an augmented state vector whose elements are linearly independent. With the help of the linearly independent augmented state vector, the constructed LKF, and properties of the stochastic integral, sufficient delay‐dependent stability conditions expressed by linear matrix inequalities are established to guarantee the mean square exponential stability of the system. Differently from previous results where the difference operator associated with the system needs to satisfy a condition in terms of matrix norms, in the current paper, the difference operator only needs to satisfy a less restrictive condition in terms of matrix spectral radius. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated by two numerical examples.
The nature of social organization of production: From firms to complex dynamics
Authors: Terra Leonardo Augusto Amaral , Passador João Luiz
Published: November 2018

The properties of the firm are crucial starting points for developing theories on economy and management. The aim of this study is to propose a general theory of the social organization of production, mapping the essential conditions for its creation, development, and growth. In order to do so, we propose an evolutionary theory in which the relations of the organization's sociotechnical system manifest themselves through a self‐perpetuating dynamic where leaders take on the role of social attractors and their viable outline is defined by their capacity for regeneration and by the flows of resources and information that pass through them. This goes against the finalist conceptions of the firm, in which the scope is to meet external demands. In this type of dynamics, the objective of the structure is to ensure its own organization and the realization of its identity and autonomy.
Expanding pronunciation instructional time beyond the classroom: Microsoft Office 2016 OneNote Class Notebook as an interactive delivery platform
Authors: Everly Pamela
Published: November 2018

Like other performance‐based subjects such as theater or music, pronunciation is heavily time‐dependent because students need plentiful opportunities to receive input, practice skills, and get coaching and feedback from their teachers. When the Language Education and Partnerships Intensive English Program at Wright State University offered a short‐term, campus/community adult ESL pronunciation course, the course planner/teacher chose Microsoft's Office 2016 OneNote Class Notebook (ONCN) program to compensate for time and availability issues common to adult learners that would interfere with their characteristic desires to see substantial progress as they engage in personally significant activities in a low‐stress environment. ONCN's capacity for handling multiple data types, providing individualized content, and delivering multiple computer‐assisted pronunciation technologies on demand increased the flexibility and efficiency of delivering content, practice opportunities, and teacher–student interaction. Digital class notebooks were created, consisting of a content library to maintain reference and course materials, a collaboration space for cooperative learning activities, and individual student notebooks containing weekly assignments and individualized materials and practice opportunities. Students could also make audio and video recordings of themselves for teacher and self‐assessment and submit scripts to receive model recordings from the teacher. This article details how teachers can create and use course notebooks with ONCN to expand pronunciation learning opportunities.
An investigation on the impact of substrate type, temperature, and iodine on moon jellyfish production
Authors: Green Thomas J. , Wolfenden David C. C. , Sneddon Lynne U.
Published: November 2018

Jellyfish are a popular public aquarium species, however, their collection from natural populations is undesirable due to impact on species abundance and bycatch. Thus, a sustainable supply of jellyfish bred in‐house would be highly desirable. Here we describe an investigation into developing a sustainable moon jellyfish, Aurelia aurita, breeding program by determining the impact of substrate type on reattachment of polyps and the influence of iodine and temperature on strobilation and ephyra production. To test whether reattachment and growth of moon jellyfish polyps are influenced by substrate type polyps were provided with anthropogenic and natural substrates after being dislodged in experimental aquaria. Polyps selectively re‐attached to plastics rather than natural materials. However, polyp growth was similar on all tested substrates. We tested whether cooling and addition of iodine affected strobilation. A period of cooling of around 10 °C while also introducing soluble iodine to the polyps enhanced strobilation rate. This method produced ephyra at a reliable rate in captivity negating the need for collection of wild individuals providing a supply of individuals for exhibit and for conservation research within a public aquarium. These results demonstrate that plastics should be adopted as an easier to colonize substrate and the use of cooling with iodine addition can enhance sustainable breeding protocols of moon jellyfish and may be relevant to the production of comparable jellyfish species.
Tourism Advertisements in Mexican Folkways (1925–1937)
Authors: Lindsay Claire
Published: November 2018

This chapter examines the use of advertisements in Mexican Folkways, a renowned magazine of folklore, visual art, and culture. It contends that attention to such features illustrates a central paradox at stake in the reliance on this periodical as a historiographical source. Methodologically, the chapter combines content and textual analysis of advertisements for El Buen Tono cigarettes and Mexico City hotels with a historically situated consideration of the context of their, and the magazine’s, production. In doing so, it spotlights what elsewhere Shelley Garrigan (2012) calls ‘the dialectical embrace of patrimony and market’ at various layers of the periodical and illuminates untold forms of recycling of processes and stakeholders that had been fundamental to nation-building during the
Porfiriato in the remaking of modern Mexico after 1920.
Carnosic acid potentiates the anticancer effect of temozolomide by inducing apoptosis and autophagy in glioma
Authors: Shao Naiyuan , Mao Jiahao , Xue Lian , Wang Rong , Zhi Feng , Lan Qing
Published: November 2018

Objective

Malignant glioma is a lethal brain tumor with a low survival rate and poor prognosis. New strategies are urgently needed to augment the chemotherapeutic effects of temozolomide (TMZ), the standard drug in glioma treatment. Carnosic acid (CA) has been reported to have anticancer, antioxidant and anti-infectious properties. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anticancer effects and the underlying mechanisms of CA in combination with TMZ in glioma cancer cells.

Methods

The glioma cancer cells were treated with TMZ, CA, or TMZ + CA. We evaluated cell survival by CCK-8 assay, cell anchorage-independent survival by colony formation assay, cell migration by wound-healing assay, cell cycle and cell apoptosis by flow cytometry, and protein expression by western blot.

Results

CA enhanced the cytotoxic effect of TMZ in glioma cancer cells. CA enhanced TMZ-induced inhibition of colony formation and cell migration and enhanced TMZ-induced cell cycle arrest and cellular apoptosis. Immunofluorescence suggested that CA in combination with TMZ triggered autophagy. Furthermore, CA promoted TMZ-induced cell cycle arrest and cellular apoptosis by Cyclin B1 inhibition and activation of PARP and Caspase-3, while CA promoted TMZ-induced cellular autophagy by p-AKT inhibition, p62 downregulation and LC3-I to LC3-II transition.

Conclusion

These data suggest that the combination therapy of CA and TMZ strengthens the anticancer effect of TMZ by enhancing apoptosis and autophagy.
Situated anticipation
Authors: van Dijk Ludger , Rietveld Erik
Published: November 2018

In cognitive science, long-term anticipation, such as when planning to do something next year, is typically seen as a form of ‘higher’ cognition, requiring a different account than the more basic activities that can be understood in terms of responsiveness to ‘affordances,’ i.e. to possibilities for action. Starting from architects that anticipate the possibility to make an architectural installation over the course of many months, in this paper we develop a process-based account of affordances that includes long-term anticipation within its scope. We present a framework in which situations and their affordances unfold, and can be thought of as continuing a history of practices into a current situational activity. In this activity affordances invite skilled participants to act further. Via these invitations one situation develops into the other; an unfolding process that sets up the conditions for its own continuation. Central to our process account of affordances is the idea that engaged individuals can be responsive to the direction of the process to which their actions contribute. Anticipation, at any temporal scale, is then part and parcel of keeping attuned to the movement of the unfolding situations to which an individual contributes. We concretize our account by returning to the example of anticipation observed in architectural practice. This account of anticipation opens the door to considering a wide array of human activities traditionally characterized as ‘higher’ cognition in terms of engaging with affordances.
Scientific deceit
Authors: John Stephen
Published: November 2018

This paper argues for a novel account of deceitful scientific communication, as “wishful speaking”. This concept is of relevance both to philosophy of science and to discussions of the ethics of lying and misleading. Section 1 outlines a case-study of “ghost-managed” research. Section 2 introduces the concept of “wishful speaking” and shows how it relates to other forms of misleading communication. Sections 3–5 consider some complications raised by the example of pharmaceutical research; concerning the ethics of silence; how research strategies—as well as the communication of results—may be misleading; and questions of multiple authorship. The conclusion suggests some more general conclusions.
Radical embodiment in two directions
Authors: Baggs Edward , Chemero Anthony
Published: November 2018

Radical embodied cognitive science is split into two camps: the ecological approach and the enactive approach. We propose that these two approaches can be brought together into a productive synthesis. The key is to recognize that the two approaches are pursuing different but complementary types of explanation. Both approaches seek to explain behavior in terms of the animal–environment relation, but they start at opposite ends. Ecological psychologists pursue an ontological strategy. They begin by describing the habitat of the species, and use this to explain how action possibilities are constrained for individual actors. Enactivists, meanwhile, pursue an epistemic strategy: start by characterizing the exploratory, self-regulating behavior of the individual organism, and use this to understand how that organism brings forth its animal-specific umwelt. Both types of explanation are necessary: the ontological strategy explains how structure in the environment constrains how the world can appear to an individual, while the epistemic strategy explains how the world can appear differently to different members of the same species, relative to their skills, abilities, and histories. Making the distinction between species habitat and animal-specific umwelt allows us to understand the environment in realist terms while acknowledging that individual living organisms are phenomenal beings.
On geodesic flows with symmetries and closed magnetic geodesics on orbifolds
Authors: ASSELLE LUCA , SCHMÄSCHKE FELIX
Published: November 2018

Let $Q$ be a closed manifold admitting a locally free action of a compact Lie group $G$. In this paper, we study the properties of geodesic flows on $Q$ given by suitable G-invariant Riemannian metrics. In particular, we will be interested in the existence of geodesics that are closed up to the action of some element in the group $G$, since they project to closed magnetic geodesics on the quotient orbifold $Q/G$.
Effect of bidi smoking on nasal mucociliary clearance: a comparative study
Authors: Paul B , Menon S S , Vasthare R , Balakrishnan R , Acharya S
Published: November 2018

Objective

To compare nasal mucociliary clearance in adult non-smokers, cigarette smokers and bidi smokers using the methylene blue dye test.

Methods

The study sample consisted of 20 non-smokers, 20 cigarette smokers and 20 bidi smokers (age range, 20–40 years). A single drop of the methylene blue dye was placed at the anterior end of the inferior turbinate of the participants’ nasal cavity. The distance travelled by the methylene blue in 15 minutes inside the nasal cavity was measured. Nasal mucociliary clearance of the three groups was compared using the Kruskal Wallis test.

Results

Nasal mucociliary clearance was significantly decreased in bidi smokers as compared to cigarette smokers and non-smokers (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between nasal mucociliary clearance and bidi smoking, number of cigarettes or bidis smoked per day, and pack-years (all p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Nasal mucociliary clearance measurement is a simple and useful index for assessing the effect of smoking on the mucociliary activity of nasal mucosa.
Congress as theatre: how advocates use ambiguity for political advantage
Authors: Bergquist Parrish
Published: November 2018

Ambiguity – the capacity to have multiple meanings – is endemic to politics. Ambiguity creates political opportunities, structures debates and provides leeway for political entrepreneurs to advance their interests. I use the 2012 passage and 2014 rollback of reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program to show how ambiguity enables political entrepreneurship. In this puzzling case, Congress enacted and rolled back changes that threatened to impose politically unpalatable costs. Using semi-structured interviews and congressional testimony, I show how political entrepreneurs engaged with ambiguity in the buildup to the reforms’ passage. They used information strategically to interpret problems, solutions, rules, and goals; shape legislators’ perceptions of the reforms’ political implications; and adapt their arguments to the policy windows that opened. The case shows that ambiguity facilitates policy reform, but the direction of change depends on the priorities that are salient when a policy window opens and on the interests of political entrepreneurs.
Misrecognition in the making of a state: Ghana’s international relations under Kwame Nkrumah
Authors: Gallagher Julia
Published: November 2018

This article draws on a Kleinian psychoanalytic reading of Hegel’s theory of the struggle for recognition to explore the role of international misrecognition in the creation of state subjectivity. It focuses on Ghana’s early years, when international relations were powerfully conceptualised and used by Kwame Nkrumah in his bid to bring coherence to a fragile infant state. Nkrumah attempted to create separation and independence from the West on the one hand, and intimacy with a unified Africa on the other. By creating juxtapositions between Ghana and these idealised international others, he was able to create a fantasy of a coherent state, built on a fundamental misrecognition of the wider world. As the fantasy bumped up against the realities of Ghana’s failing economy, fractured social structures, and complex international relationships, it foundered, causing alienation and despair. I argue that the failure of this early fantasy was the start of Ghana’s quest to begin processes of individuation and subjectivity, and that its undoing was an inevitable part of the early stages of misrecognition, laying the way for more grounded struggles for recognition and the development of a more complex state-subjectivity.
The productive force of the negative and the desire for recognition: Lessons from Hegel and Lacan
Authors: Epstein Charlotte
Published: November 2018

In this article I theorise the concept of misrecognition that we aim to bring to the study of international politics with this Special Issue. I draw upon three sources to do so: recognition theory, Hegel, and Jacques Lacan. I show that, while the seeds of an interest in misrecognition were laid in that interdisciplinary Hegelian scholarship known as recognition theory, it remains underdeveloped. To develop it into a concept I chart a path through recognition theory back to Hegel’s original dialectic of the master and servant in thePhenomenology of Spirit. What the dialectic captures, I argue, are the actual dynamics of misrecognition in social life, not an idealised form of recognition. This foundational, constitutive misrecognition is what Lacan also theorises by way of his concept of ‘fantasy’. Both Hegel and Lacan foreground a misrecognised, desiring subject that challenges the ways in which agency has been understood in international politics. Lastly, I show the purchase of a Hegelian-Lacanian analysis for IR by considering the relations between sovereignty and nuclear weapons under the lens of fantasy.
Agency (mis)recognition in international violence: the case of French jihadism
Authors: Lindemann Thomas
Published: November 2018

This contribution introduces a reconceptualisation of misrecognition that stresses ‘creative agency’ (gift, work, etc.) as a condition of self-consciousness. Drawing on Hegel’s The Phenomenology of Spirit, I argue that recognition struggles are often less motivated by the actors’ desire to have a special status than by the desire to make a ‘contribution’ to society, to ‘give’ something. The content of a socially valued contribution-gift (as per Marcel Mauss) varies from one society to another but it is linked to the very ability of actors to act on their ‘own’ and to shape their environment. Thus, subjects identifying with political units or social groups with little recognised agency, while imagining strong abilities to contribute to a given society, will easily feel slighted. It is impossible to be recognised as ‘subjects’ if one is denied in the ability to ‘contribute’ to a given society. I apply this perspective to the case of French jihadism, based on 13 interviews with prisoners in France suspected to belong to al-Qaeda or the Islamic State. These individuals experience ‘individual’ agency denial inside the ‘national’ community, but also agency denial of ‘Muslim sovereignty’ outside.
Intergenerational associations in physical maltreatment: Examination of mediation by delinquency and substance use, and moderated mediation by anger
Authors: Capaldi Deborah M. , Tiberio Stacey S. , Pears Katherine C. , Kerr David C. R. , Owen Lee D.
Published: November 2018

Findings as to whether individuals’ experiences of physical maltreatment from their parents in childhood predict their own perpetration of physical maltreatment toward their children in adulthood are mixed. Whether the maltreatment experienced is severe versus moderate or mild may relate to the strength of intergenerational associations. Furthermore, understanding of the roles of possible mediators (intervening mechanisms linking these behaviors) and moderators of the intervening mechanisms (factors associated with stronger or weaker mediated associations) is still relatively limited. These issues were examined in the present study. Mediating mechanisms based on a social learning model included antisocial behavior as assessed by criminal behaviors and substance use (alcohol and drug use), and the extent to which parental angry temperament moderated any indirect effects of antisocial behavior was also examined. To address these issues, data were used from Generations 2 and 3 of a prospective three-generational study, which is an extension of the Oregon Youth Study. Findings indicated modest intergenerational associations for severe physical maltreatment. There was a significant association of maltreatment history, particularly severe maltreatment with mothers’ and fathers’ delinquency. However, neither delinquency nor substance use showed significant mediational effects, and parental anger as a moderator of mediation did not reach significance.
Cellular fraction analysis of pericardial effusion helps the diagnosis of eosinophilic myocarditis
Authors: Tsuda Etsuko , Toyoshima Yuka , Yamada Osamu , Tsukada Masanori , Negishi Jun , Sakaguchi Heima , Ikeda Yoshihiko , Ishibashi-Udea Hatsue
Published: November 2018

Eosinophilic myocarditis is rare in children, and consequently, it is difficult to diagnose eosinophilic myocarditis rapidly. We report the clinical course of acute eosinophilic myocarditis with pericarditis in two adolescent boys and their associated electrocardiograms. The two patients, 13- and 14-year-old boys, developed cardiomegaly and chest pain with vomiting. On examination by two-dimensional echocardiography, thickening of the ventricular septum and a pericardial effusion were detected. The eosinophil count had increased by the pericardial effusion. Acute eosinophilic myocarditis often complicates a moderate to severe pericardial effusion owing to acute pericarditis. A cellular fraction analysis of the pericardial effusion is easy and useful for the diagnosis of eosinophilic myocarditis. Some serial changes in the electrocardiogram occur during each stage of acute eosinophilic myocarditis. They are induced by eosinophilic granules, which are capable of inducing tissue damage and dysfunction, and those changes in the electrocardiogram resemble the changes after an acute myocardial infarction. It is important to know the characteristics of eosinophilic myocarditis in order to prevent lethal complications.