bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Melanoma Cells Block PEDF Production in Fibroblasts to Induce the Tumor-Promoting Phenotype of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts
Authors: Nwani Nkechiyere G. , Deguiz Maria L. , Jimenez Benilde , Vinokour Elena , Dubrovskyi Oleksii , Ugolkov Andrey , Mazar Andrew P. , Volpert Olga V.
Published: February 2016

Loss of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF, SERPINF1) in cancer cells is associated with poor prognosis and metastasis, but the contribution of stromal PEDF to cancer evolution is poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the role of fibroblast-derived PEDF in melanoma progression. We demonstrate that normal dermal fibroblasts expressing high PEDF levels attenuated melanoma growth and angiogenesis in vivo, whereas PEDF-depleted fibroblasts exerted tumor-promoting effects. Accordingly, mice with global PEDF knockout were more susceptible to melanoma metastasis. We also demonstrate that normal fibroblasts in close contact with PEDF-null melanoma cells lost PEDF expression and tumor-suppressive properties. Further mechanistic investigations underlying the crosstalk between tumor and stromal cells revealed that melanoma cells produced PDGF-BB and TGFβ, which blocked PEDF production in fibroblasts. Notably, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) isolated from patient-derived tumors expressed markedly low levels of PEDF. Treatment of patient CAF and TGFβ-treated normal fibroblasts with exogenous PEDF decreased the expression of CAF markers and restored PEDF expression. Finally, expression profiling of PEDF-depleted fibroblasts revealed induction of IL8, SERPINB2, hyaluronan synthase-2, and other genes associated with tumor promotion and metastasis. Collectively, our results demonstrate that PEDF maintains tumor-suppressive functions in fibroblasts to prevent CAF conversion and illustrate the mechanisms by which melanoma cells silence stromal PEDF to promote malignancy. Cancer Res; 76(8); 2265–76. ©2016 AACR.
Functional Genomics Uncover the Biology behind the Responsiveness of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer Patients to Cetuximab
Authors: Bossi Paolo , Bergamini Cristiana , Siano Marco , Cossu Rocca Maria , Sponghini Andrea P. , Favales Federica , Giannoccaro Marco , Marchesi Edoardo , Cortelazzi Barbara , Perrone Federica , Pilotti Silvana , Locati Laura D. , Licitra Lisa , Canevari Silvana , De Cecco Loris
Published: February 2016

Purpose: To identify the tumor portrait of the minority of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients with recurrent–metastatic (RM) disease who upon treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab present a long-lasting response.

Experimental Design: The gene expression of pretreatment samples from 40 HNSCC-RM patients, divided in two groups [14 long-progression-free survival (PFS) and 26 short-PFS (median = 19 and 3 months, respectively)], was associated with PFS and was challenged against a dataset from metastatic colon cancer patients treated with cetuximab. For biologic analysis, we performed functional and subtype association using gene set enrichment analysis, associated biology across all currently available HNSCC signatures, and inferred drug sensitivity using data from the Cancer Genomic Project.

Results: The identified genomic profile exhibited a significant predictive value that was essentially confirmed in the single publicly available dataset of cetuximab-treated patients. The main divergence between long- and short-PFS groups was based on developmental/differentiation status. The long-PFS patients are characterized by basal subtype traits such as strong EGFR signaling phenotype and hypoxic differentiation, further validated by the significantly higher association with the hypoxia metagene. The short-PFS patients presented a strong activation of RAS signaling confirmed in an in vitro model of two isogenic HNSCC cell lines sensitive or resistant to cetuximab. The predicted drug sensitivity for all four EGFR inhibitors was higher in long- versus short-PFS patients (P range: <0.0022–1e−07).

Conclusions: Our data uncover the biology behind response to platinum-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab in RM-HNSCC cancer and may have translational implications improving treatment selection. Clin Cancer Res; 22(15); 3961–70. ©2016 AACR.

See related commentary by Chau and Hammerman, p. 3710
High Sensitivity of an Ha-RAS Transgenic Model of Superficial Bladder Cancer to Metformin Is Associated with ∼240-Fold Higher Drug Concentration in Urine than Serum
Authors: Liu Zhongbo , Yokoyama Noriko N. , Blair Christopher A. , Li Xuesen , Avizonis Daina , Wu Xue-Ru , Uchio Edward , Youssef Ramy , McClelland Michael , Pollak Michael , Zi Xiaolin
Published: February 2016

While pharmacoepidemiologic and laboratory studies have supported the hypothesis that the antidiabetic drug metformin may be useful in treating or preventing cancer, there is limited evidence to suggest which specific cancer sites may be particularly sensitive. Sensitivity likely is determined both by features of tumor pathophysiology and by pharmacokinetic factors. We used UPII-mutant Ha-ras transgenic mice that develop hyperplasia and low-grade, papillary urothelial cell carcinoma to determine whether metformin has activity in a model of superficial bladder cancer. Metformin significantly improved survival, reduced urinary tract obstruction, reduced bladder weight (a surrogate for tumor volume), and led to clear activation of AMP α kinase and inhibition of mTOR signaling in neoplastic tissue. We investigated the basis of the unusual sensitivity of this model to metformin, and observed that following oral dosing, urothelium is exposed to drug concentrations via the urine that are approximately 240-fold higher than those in the circulation. In addition, we observed that bladder cancer cell lines (RT4, UMUC-3, and J82) with homozygous deletion of either TSC1 or PTEN are more sensitive to metformin than those (TEU2, TCCSUP, and HT1376) with wild-type TSC1 and PTEN genes. Our findings provide a strong rationale for clinical trials of oral metformin in treatment of superficial bladder cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(3); 430–8. ©2016 AACR.
Addition of DHA Synergistically Enhances the Efficacy of Regorafenib for Kidney Cancer Therapy
Authors: Kim Jeffrey , Ulu Arzu , Wan Debin , Yang Jun , Hammock Bruce D , Weiss Robert H.
Published: February 2016

Kidney cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United States, and its incidence is increasing. The treatment of this malignancy took a major step forward with the recent introduction of targeted therapeutics, such as kinase inhibitors. Unfortunately, kinase inhibition is associated with the onset of resistance after 1 to 2 years of treatment. Regorafenib, like many multikinase inhibitors, was designed to block the activities of several key kinase pathways involved in oncogenesis (Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK) and tumor angiogenesis (VEGF-receptors), and we have recently shown that it also possesses soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitory activity, which may be contributing to its salutary effects in patients. Because sEH inhibition results in increases in the DHA-derived epoxydocosapentaenoic acids that we have previously described to possess anticancer properties, we asked whether the addition of DHA to a therapeutic regimen in the presence of regorafenib would enhance its beneficial effects in vivo. We now show that the combination of regorafenib and DHA results in a synergistic effect upon tumor invasiveness as well as p-VEGFR attenuation. In addition, this combination showed a reduction in tumor weights, greater than each agent alone, in a mouse xenograft model of human renal cell carcinoma (RCC), yielding the expected oxylipin profiles; these data were supported in several RCC cell lines that showed similar results in vitro. Because DHA is the predominant component of fish oil, our data suggest that this nontoxic dietary supplement could be administered with regorafenib during therapy for advanced RCC and could be the basis of a clinical trial. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(5); 890–8. ©2016 AACR.
Gait Speed Predicts 30-Day Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Alfredsson Joakim , Stebbins Amanda , Brennan J. Matthew , Matsouaka Roland , Afilalo Jonathan , Peterson Eric D. , Vemulapalli Sreekanth , Rumsfeld John S. , Shahian David , Mack Michael J. , Alexander Karen P.
Published: February 2016

Background—

Surgical risk scores do not include frailty assessments (eg, gait speed), which are of particular importance for patients with severe aortic stenosis considering transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Methods and Results—

We assessed the association of 5-m gait speed with outcomes in a cohort of 8039 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (November 2011–June 2014) and were included in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry. We evaluated the association between continuous and categorical gait speed and 30-day all-cause mortality before and after adjustment for Society of Thoracic Surgeons–predicted risk of mortality score and key variables. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality, bleeding, acute kidney injury, and stroke. The overall median gait speed was 0.63 m/s (25th–75th percentile, 0.47–0.79 m/s), with the slowest walkers (<0.5 m/s) constituting 28%, slow walkers (0.5–0.83 m/s) making up 48%, and normal walkers (>0.83 m/s) constituting 24% of the population. Thirty-day all-cause mortality rates were 8.4%, 6.6%, and 5.4% for the slowest, slow, and normal walkers, respectively (
P
<0.001). Each 0.2-m/s decrease in gait speed corresponded to an 11% increase in 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.22). The slowest walkers had 35% higher 30-day mortality than normal walkers (adjusted odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.80), significantly longer hospital stays, and a lower probability of being discharged to home.

Conclusions—

Gait speed is independently associated with 30-day mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Identification of frail patients with the slowest gait speeds facilitates preprocedural evaluation and anticipation of a higher level of postprocedural care.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01737528.
A review of plant diversity, vegetation, and phytogeography of the Khorassan-Kopet Dagh floristic province in the Irano-Turanian region (northeastern Iran–southern Turkmenistan)
Authors: MEMARIANI FARSHID , ZARRINPOUR VAJIHE , AKHANI HOSSEIN
Published: February 2016

The Khorassan-Kopet Dagh (KK) floristic province is located in the northeastern parts of Iran and partly in southern Turkmenistan. The area is a transition zone and a corridor connecting different provinces of the Irano-Turanian region and also Hyrcanian montane forests of the Euro-Siberian region. The unique combination of Irano-Turanian species and also presence of a local center of endemism are evidence of a separate biogeographic entity. The complicated topography, high habitat heterogeneity and vegetation history are reasons for the development of diverse vegetation types. In order to achieve up-to-date information on the plant diversity and distribution patterns, a database was prepared using all floristic records from the area defined as KK. A total of 2576 species/infraspecific taxa belonging to 702 genera and 112 families of vascular plants have been reported from the area, 2498 of which occur within Iran. Altogether, 28 different distribution patterns are recognized among five major phytogeographical groups, including widespread, tri-regional, bi-regional, Euro-Siberian and Irano-Turanian patterns. Irano-Turanian elements, which make up the core flora of KK, are subdivided further into 14 distribution patterns. A significant number of species, i.e. 356 species (13.8%), are endemic to the area. The flora of KK is highly influenced by central Irano-Turanian elements. The main vegetation types of the area include Juniperus woodlands, Pistacia vera woodlands, some isolated enclaves of Hyrcanian forests and scrub, cliff vegetation, mountain steppe communities, semi-desert steppes, loess and marl vegetation, halophytic vegetation, aquatic and hygrophilous communities, and ruderal/invasive plant communities. There are several major threats to the ecosystems and biodiversity of the area. The areas presently protected do not cover all of the vegetation types, and therefore many threatened species are not safe.
Redescription of Urophycis brasiliensis (Kaup 1858), a senior synonym of Urophycis latus Miranda Ribeiro 1903 (Gadiformes: Phycidae)
Authors: LEMES PAOLA C. R. , LOEB MARINA V. , SANTIFICETUR CÉSAR , MELO MARCELO R. S.
Published: February 2016

Urophycis Gill 1864 is a genus of demersal fish composed by eight valid species with anti-tropical distributions in the western Atlantic. Only two species occur in the South Atlantic: U. brasiliensis (Kaup 1858) and U. mystacea Miranda Ribeiro 1903. These species have similar ranges from southeastern Brazil to northern Argentina, but U. brasiliensis occurs in more shallow waters than U. mystacea. Both species are important fishery resources in southern Brazil and Uruguay. Herein, we redescribe U. brasiliensis based on comparison of types and additional specimens, including the description of the Sagitta otolith, formerly place U. latus Miranda Ribeiro 1903 as a junior synonym of U. brasiliensis, and provide an updated map of distribution.
Carnidae (Diptera) in the Canadian National Collection of Insects (Ottawa), with the description of five new species
Authors: STUKE JENS-HERMANN
Published: February 2016

The previously unidentified Carnidae in the Canadian National Collection of Insects (Ottawa) have been investigated. All faunistic records of 26 species are presented in this paper. Hemeromyia alberichae spec. nov. (USA), Meoneura hobbitoides spec. nov. (USA), Meoneura swifti spec. nov. (USA), Meoneura tinkerbellae spec. nov. (Canada), and Meoneura yodai spec. nov. (Canada) are described. First records are reported for Argentina, Canada, and Lebanon.
Who should work and who should care? Attitudes towards the desirable division of labour between mothers and fathers in five European countries
Authors: Edlund Jonas , Öun Ida
Published: February 2016

In this article, we study attitudes towards the gendered division of paid and unpaid work from a comparative perspective. Based on the notion that political institutions are important in structuring individuals’ orientations, five countries with different family policy arrangements are included in the analysis: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Poland and Sweden. Previous comparative attitude research has a strong bias towards public opinion about women’s employment, while research on attitudes towards men’s participation in care work is rare. Drawing on data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) 2012, we use latent class analysis to explore public opinion about: (a) how parents should divide the responsibilities of economic provision and unpaid work; and (b) whether and how parents should divide paid parental leave between them. The strongest support for a traditional organization of work and care is found in Poland, while the strongest support for an equal sharing of work and care responsibilities is found in Sweden. Among the Nordic countries, results differ. While those holding non-traditional ideals in Denmark and Finland emphasize the importance of full-time work for both parents, non-traditional Swedes instead emphasize that both parents should cut back their work hours and thereby share the responsibility for earning and caring in the family.
Migration, Relative Deprivation, and Psychological Well-Being in China
Authors: Jin Lei
Published: February 2016

This article investigates how rural-to-urban migration influences migrants’ perception of relative deprivation, and how relative deprivation mediates the effects of migration on psychological well-being in China. During the past three decades, China has experienced large-scale rural-to-urban migration. Because of the institutional barriers to their permanent settlement in cities, Chinese migrants are often “sojourners” in cities and maintain close bonds with their sending communities; return migration is common. It is therefore unclear to what extent current and return migrants use an urban or rural frame of reference when they assess their social positions and how that assessment influences their psychological well-being. The data come from the 2012 China Labor Dynamics Survey, a nationally representative survey. The analytical sample consists of 13,204 individuals. The positive aspect of psychological well-being is measured by happiness and the negative aspect is measured by the frequency of emotional problems affecting role functioning. Relative deprivation is indexed by two variables: subjective position on a 10-rung social ladder and perceived fairness of current living standard. The findings suggest that after moving to cities, migrants may have adopted an urban frame of reference and suffered institutional exclusion and personal discrimination. Consequently, current migrants are more likely to perceive relative deprivation than both rural and urban nonmigrants of similar characteristics. The urban frame of reference had lingering effects after migrants returned to rural areas, so that return migrants reported more relative deprivation than their rural counterparts. The higher level of relative derivation perceived by migrants and return migrants contributed to their lower levels of happiness, as compared with urban and rural nonmigrants. There is little evidence that relative deprivation mediates the relationship between migration and the frequency of emotional problems affecting role functioning. This study theorizes and provides evidence for a previously overlooked psychosocial pathway between migration and psychological well-being.
Promoting Terror or Sport? The Case of Qatar’s International Image
Authors: Samuel-Azran Tal , Yarchi Moran , Galily Yair , Tamir Ilan
Published: February 2016

Qatar’s successful bid for hosting the 2022 soccer World Cup is regarded as one in a series of attempts to change Qatar’s image as a terror-sponsoring state. To understand the power of hosting megasport events to rebuild a country’s international image, the present study compares the coverage of Qatari sport affairs with concurrent terror-sponsoring allegations, via a sentiment analysis of coverage of Qatari affairs by three international networks (SKY, CNN, and ITV) between August 20, 2013 and December 31, 2014. Surprisingly, the analysis found that terror-related articles contained significantly more positive sentiment than articles on other issues, whereas the tone toward Qatar in sport-related articles was significantly less positive than other topics. The study illustrates the limits of using sport as a soft power strategy, and underscores the superiority of on-the-ground efforts to deflect terror allegations as a strategy for improving a country’s image.
Decentralized Governance Structures Are Able to Handle CSR-Induced Complexity Better
Authors: Pirson Michael , Turnbull Shann
Published: February 2016

This article explores how both corporate governance and corporate social responsibility (CSR) can be improved by using insights from complexity theory. Complexity theory reveals that decentralized governance architecture is required for firms to absorb competently the increased intricacies, variety of variables, and objectives introduced by CSR. The current predominant form of centralized governance based on command-and-control hierarchies copes with complexities by reducing data inputs. This approach results in firms reducing their objectives, concerns, and insights about CSR. Firms with a decentralized “network” form of governance architecture are used to illustrate how the data inputs of each manager can be reduced through the decomposition of decision-making labor to improve the capability of the firm to intelligently absorb and manage complexity. Network governance also introduces a division of powers with stakeholders to facilitate information flow and strengthen incentives to manage the enterprise to enhance both shareholder value and CSR.
The Sacred Canopy
Authors: Nizigama Isaac
Published: February 2016

Peter L. Berger’s sociology of religion is one of the most studied and quoted in the contemporary social science of religions. Nevertheless, it is also one of the most discussed, notably because of the changes of position by the author with regard to his thought on the secularization of the modern world, and on the relationship between his theses of a sociological nature and his reflections on Protestant theology. The present article questions his global epistemological framework by placing that problematic within the framework of the criticisms which have been directed at ‘absolute functionalism,’ notably by the structuralists or moderate functionalists. By linking it with the prospect of going beyond the opposition between methodological holism and methodological individualism and between substantivism and functionalism, we propose a multidimensional approach to the religious, which seems to lead to a better understanding of the latter in its transformations and metamorphoses into modernity.
Le schème actantiel et l’interactionnisme de Peter L. Berger
Authors: David-Blais Martin
Published: February 2016

According to Berthelot, social sciences use several basic schemes in order to develop macro-level explanations, the Action Based Scheme being one of them. In this article, it is argued that one should not assimilate the Action Based Scheme solely to Methodological Individualism even though this tradition has received much credit. One key issue here is the status of cognition within explanation frames. More precisely, one should introduce within the explanation frames several types of cognitive states. It will be argued that there is a conceptual compatibility between the Action Based Scheme and the interactionist sociology that was proposed in the 1950s and 1960s. This theoretical exploration will focus on Peter Berger’s theory of secularization as developed in The Sacred Canopy. It will be claimed that Berger has not only proposed an explanation that brings up cognitive states, he also refers to cognitive states of a modest nature, more modest than those Methodological Individualism usually considers.
The Secret Ballot and the Market for Votes at 19th-Century British Elections
Authors: Kam Christopher
Published: February 2016

This article examines the impact of the secret ballot on the market for votes at parliamentary elections in the 19th-century United Kingdom. I use a formal model of an exchange between a candidate and a voter to predict the impact of the secret ballot on bribe prices, the marginal effect campaign spending on candidates’ electoral prospects, and election turnout. I test these predictions against original data on bribe prices and campaign expenditures at over 500 parliamentary elections. The results are consistent with the argument that the secret ballot induced British parliamentary candidates to divert their campaign spending away from vote-buying and toward turnout-buying. These results point to the adaptability of political actors in the face of institutional changes.
Nationalism and Ethnic-Based Trust
Authors: Robinson Amanda Lea
Published: February 2016

In diverse societies, individuals tend to trust coethnics more than non-coethnics. I argue that identification with a territorially defined nation, common to all ethnic groups, reduces the degree to which trust is ethnically bounded. I conduct a “lab-in-the-field” experiment at the intersection of national and ethnic boundaries in Malawi, which measures strength of national identification, experimentally manipulates national identity salience, and measures trust behaviorally. I find that shared nationality is a robust predictor of trust, equal in magnitude to the impact of shared ethnicity. Furthermore, national identification moderates the degree to which trust is limited to coethnics: While weak national identifiers trust coethnics more than non-coethnics, strong national identifiers are blind to ethnicity. Experimentally increasing national identity salience also eliminates the coethnic trust advantage among weak nationalists. These results offer micro-level evidence that a strong and salient national identity can diminish ethnic barriers to trust in diverse societies.
Consistency of the Performance and Nonperformance Methods in Gifted Identification
Authors: Acar Selcuk , Sen Sedat , Cayirdag Nur
Published: February 2016

Current approaches to gifted identification suggest collecting multiple sources of evidence. Some gifted identification guidelines allow for the interchangeable use of performance and nonperformance identification methods. This multiple criteria approach lacks a strong overlap between the assessment tools; however, interchangeable use of the instruments (replacing one for another) entails high regularity. This meta-analytic review investigated the consistency of using performance and nonperformance identification methods by examining the influence of three moderators in two different study analyses. Study 1 focused on correlational and comparison studies by using Pearson r as the index of effect size within a three-level multilevel design. Study 2 was conducted with three diagnostic proportional metrics: efficiency, effectiveness/sensitivity, and specificity. Results from Study 1 indicated the overall correlation between the performance and nonperformance gifted identification methods was medium ( r = .30). Teacher ratings yielded significantly higher consistency with performance measures than teacher or parent nomination and self-ratings. Study 2 showed that nonperformance methods are relatively strong in terms of specificity (70%) and effectiveness/sensitivity (59%) but not very efficient (39%). Analyses of four diagnostic quadrants indicated that performance and nonperformance gifted identification methods, when used alone, tend to identify different students who would not be identified otherwise despite some amount of convergence between the two. Our findings indicated that nonperformance and performance gifted identification methods cannot replace each other. They should be used concurrently rather than be used alone or consecutively.
Psychosocial experiences and needs of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in Ethiopia
Authors: Kebede Wassie , Kebede Konjit
Published: February 2016

This study was conducted with 12 women and 3 health professionals and employed a qualitative method with case study design. Accordingly, data were gathered through in-depth interviews. Content analysis technique was used to thematically organize the report. The study revealed that women with a diagnosis of cervical cancer experienced physical, psychosocial, and financial problems which resulted in affecting families. Coping mechanisms adopted by women to address the problems included receiving religious services and seeking support from families. The study recommends the provision of palliative care and other social supports. Social work practice implications are drawn from this study also.
Response to a strengths-based approach in social work in schools: An Indian school in Dubai
Authors: Pulla Venkat , Kay Amanda
Published: February 2016

Strengths-based approaches in social work have been introduced in the West in a number of social work settings including schools. As part of a research study, the authors investigated the overall reception of students, parents and school counsellors to a strengths-based approach in one-to-one counselling in a school setting. We have utilised a grounded theory approach, allowing the data to drive the research process and the findings to naturally emerge. As a result, the outcomes that unfolded at various stages in our research made us unpack the traditional core expectations of school social work, gaining an insight into the role and expectations of social work roles in a predominantly alien working population living in an Arab country. While the school social work literature is predominantly Western, school social work and its counselling component sit well within the cultures that we grappled with. Despite, this, we have cautiously considered the context of social work and the impacts of the application of strengths-based principles in non-Western environments. Implications for improving student engagement within schools; scope of social work counselling in schools and further research that explores social work methodologies in culturally diverse contexts along with the limitations of this study are discussed in this article.
Study of dynamic compressive behaviour of aramid and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene composites using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar
Authors: Shaker Khubab , Jabbar Abdul , Karahan Mehmet , Karahan Nevin , Nawab Yasir
Published: February 2016

In this paper, high strain rate compression properties of aramid and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene composites in the out-of-plane direction are tested at room temperature on a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar apparatus. Tests were conducted on composites reinforced with woven or Uni-Directional (UD) fabrics made from aramid or ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene as well as on composites reinforced with hybrid reinforcement. The strain rate is varied in the tests by changing the projectile shooting pressure. Four different pressures 2, 4, 6 and 8 bar were selected to change the strain rate. Stress–strain and energy absorption behaviour of eight type of samples were noted. Hybrid samples showed better performance in the energy absorption compared with other samples.
Toward the Development of a Self-Management Intervention to Promote Pro-Social Behaviors for Students With Visual Impairment
Authors: Ivy Sarah E. , Lather Amanda B. , Hatton Deborah D. , Wehby Joseph H.
Published: February 2016

Students with visual impairment (VI) lack access to the same models and reinforcers as students with sight. Consequentially, behaviors that children with sight acquire through observation must be explicitly taught to children with VI. In addition, children with VI have difficulty maintaining such behaviors. Therefore, interventions that promote self-management of students’ own behavior are desirable. In this study, three adolescents used self-talk to increase chewing with a closed mouth during mealtimes. We used explicit instruction to teach students the target behavior and to use a small vibrating device as a reminder to self-talk during mealtimes. Prompts were faded as participants increased chewing with a closed mouth. Following mealtimes, performance feedback and reinforcement were provided. All students increased percentage of intervals chewing with a closed mouth immediately at the start of intervention and maintained this behavior for up to 1 month post-intervention. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.
The Influence of Referee Bias on Extra Time in Elite Soccer Matches
Authors: Lago-Peñas Carlos , Gómez-López Maite
Published: February 2016

Referees have discretion over the addition of extra time at the end of the soccer game to compensate for lost time due to unusual stoppages. This study assesses if referees favor big teams by shortening close games where the big team is ahead and lengthening close games where the big team is behind. The sample comprises all 380 matches in the Spanish La Liga during the 2014–2015 season. The dependent variable was the extra time the referee decides to add to the second half. The independent variables were the score difference, opponent team’s level of play, yellow cards, red cards, player substitutions, average attendance, and fouls committed. Linear regression analysis suggested that the greater the score difference between teams, the less extra time was added by the referee. However, in close games, referees tended to add more time for a higher level team when they were behind and add less time when they were ahead. Red cards and the number of fouls committed increased the extra time.
Dynamic Parameters Variability
Authors: Pennone Juliana , Mezêncio Bruno , Amadio Alberto C. , Serrão Júlio C.
Published: February 2016

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the time between measures on ground reaction force running variability; 15 healthy men (age = 23.8 ± 3.7 years; weight = 72.8 ± 7.7 kg; height 174.3 ± 8.4 cm) performed two trials of running 45 minutes at 9 km/hr at intervals of seven days. The ground reaction forces were recorded every 5 minutes. The coefficients of variation of indicative parameters of the ground reaction forces for each condition were compared. The coefficients of variations of the ground reaction forces curve analyzed between intervals and sessions were 21.9% and 21.48%, respectively. There was no significant difference for the ground reaction forces parameters Fy1, tFy1, TC1, Imp50, Fy2, and tFy2 between intervals and sessions. Although the ground reaction forces variables present a natural variability, this variability in intervals and in sessions remained consistent, ensuring a high reliability in repeated measures designs.
Measuring Investment in Learning
Authors: Patterson Jae T. , Hart Amanda , Hansen Steve , Carter Michael J. , Ditor David
Published: February 2016

Heart rate variability (i.e., low frequency:high frequency ratio) was measured to differentiate invested cognitive effort during the acquisition and retention of a novel task. Participants (12 male, M = 25.1 year, SD = 3.6; 12 female, M = 22.8 year, SD = 1.1) were required to produce Braille equivalents of English letter primes on a standardized keyboard in proactive or retroactive conditions (groups, each n = 12). The correct Braille response was either provided before (i.e., proactively) or after (i.e., retroactively) the participant’s response. During acquisition, participants in the proactive group demonstrated shorter study time, greater recall success, and reported lower cognitive investment. Participants in the proactive and retroactive groups did not statistically differ in heart rate variability. For retention, the retroactive group showed greater recall success, lower perceived cognitive effort investment, and lower heart rate variability. The results highlight the usefulness of heart rate variability in discriminating the cognitive effort invested for a recently acquired skill.
Optimization of stretch and recovery properties of woven stretch fabrics
Authors: Kaynak Hatice Kübra
Published: February 2016

Stretch woven fabrics are widely used owing to their comfortable properties such as formability, fitting to the human body and shape retention after wearing. These distinguishing properties are determined by stretch and recovery tests. The aim of this study is to determine the optimum elastane draw ratio, load and relaxation type for best stretch and recovery properties of woven stretch fabrics. An optimization model is developed to determine the optimum draw ratio of the elastane core in the yarn, load applied to the fabric and relaxation type for the best response variables of stretch and permanent stretch. The effects of the elastane draw ratio, load applied to the fabric and relaxation type on stretch and permanent stretch properties are found to be statistically significant according to analysis of variance results. Regression models are obtained to estimate the stretch and recovery properties for different elastane draw ratios and load levels. Additionally, the effect of the elastane draw ratio of the yarn on the fatigue properties of woven bi-stretch fabrics is investigated for dry relaxed and laundered states.
The subjective well-being of older adults in Shanghai: The role of residential environment and individual resources
Authors: Liu Yafei , Dijst Martin , Geertman Stan
Published: February 2016

As a rapidly ageing population becomes an increasingly serious social challenge for Chinese megacities, issues affecting older adults’ subjective well-being (SWB) attract greater concern. However, it is difficult to gain a comprehensive understanding of older adults’ SWB, since most SWB theories focus only on specific factors. Moreover, residential environmental factors are hardly considered in studies of older adults’ SWB. In this paper we therefore investigate the effects of residential environment and individual resources on the SWB of older adults in Shanghai, using the integrative theoretical framework proposed by Lindenberg. We investigate the relationships between resources (residential environment and individual resources), needs satisfaction and SWB using multiple regression analysis. Our results show that the residential environment exerts a stronger impact on SWB than individual resources. Good quality residential building, good accessibility to medical and financial facilities, higher economic status of a neighbourhood, and a lower proportion of older adults in a neighbourhood are important environmental correlates of SWB. Health appears to be the most significant individual resource; other important individual resources include household income, a high-skilled occupation, a job in the public sector and living with grandchildren. Comfort is the most important basic need for older adults.
Exposure to Family Violence as a Predictor of Dating Violence and Child-to-Parent Aggression in Spanish Adolescents
Authors: Izaguirre Ainhoa , Calvete Esther
Published: February 2016

Witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment may place children on a lifelong trajectory toward violence. The primary aim of this research was to examine the associations between exposure to violence at home and two forms of violence in close relationships in Spanish adolescents: child-to-parent violence (CPV) and dating violence. A sample of 845 adolescents (13-18 years) completed measures of direct victimization and witnessing of IPV, as well as adolescent dating violence and CPV at Time 1, and measures of adolescent dating violence and CPV 6 months later. Findings indicate that direct victimization is more relevant for later CPV than is witnessing IPV against the mother. Namely, direct victimization by the mother and father predicted an increase in child-to-mother and child-to-father violence over time. Witnessing IPV and direct victimization by the father predicted an increase in dating violence victimization in girls at Time 2.
In a Galaxy Far, Far Away . . . Market Yourself Differently
Authors: Dolnicar Sara , Grün Bettina
Published: February 2016

The destination is the focal point of tourism marketing activities. Many definitions of destinations have been proposed in the past, but it remains unclear what a destination is from a consumer perspective at early stages of the destination choice process. Yet, it is the consumer perspective that matters most. The present study investigates consumer perceptions of what a destination is. Results indicate that (1) consumers have a very broad position on what a destination is, (2) the distance between the destination and home affects the size of the geographical area perceived as destination, and (3) geographically larger destinations are severely underresearched. Findings have implications for both tourism research and tourism marketing, indicating that destinations need to be marketed differently to long-haul tourists.
Missions in the Hebrew Bible revisited: Four theological trails instead of one confining concept
Authors: Riecker Siegbert
Published: February 2016

The discussion on missions in the Old Testament has led to an unsatisfying diversity of results. In order to let the Old Testament speak for itself as an independent voice of the Christian Bible, foreign concepts like “missions” have to be replaced by theological concepts inherent to the Hebrew Bible itself. The Torah and Former Prophets develop four theological lines within the theme-field of a positive (blessing) mandate to the nation of Israel concerning others: (1) the mandate as mediator of blessing to all the families of the earth; (2) the mandate as mediator of knowledge of God to non-Israelites; (3) the mandate as royal priesthood mediating between Yhwh and the Gentiles; (4) the mandate as host people for strangers. These mandates cannot be subsumed under one single organizing concept like (passive or centripetal) “missions,” “witness,” or “messenger.” Instead they have to be understood as situational specifications of the original blessing mandate to Abraham. The theological intention of these Old Testament texts is to actualize a vision of worldwide knowledge of God in the hearts of their readers.
Trait resilience moderates the longitudinal linkage between adolescent posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and posttraumatic growth
Authors: Ying Liuhua , Wang Yanli , Lin Chongde , Chen Chuansheng
Published: February 2016

The current study examined the longitudinal association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and posttraumatic growth (PTG) as well as the moderating role of trait resilience in that association. Participants completed measures of PTSD symptoms, PTG, and trait resilience at 12, 18, and 24 months after the Wenchuan earthquake. Results showed that after adjusting PTG at wave 1, PTSD symptoms at wave 1 were positively and significantly related to PTG at wave 2 for low-resilience individuals, but not for individuals with the other two levels (middle and high) of trait resilience. After adjusting PTSD symptoms at wave 1, PTG at wave 1 was positively and significantly related to PTSD symptoms at wave 2 for middle-resilience individuals, but not for individuals with the other two levels (low and high) of trait resilience. No other cross-lagged correlations were significant. Implications of the results for psychological service providers are discussed.
Experimental study on the pore structure characteristics of tight sandstone reservoirs in Upper Triassic Ordos Basin China
Authors: Zhang Zhiqiang , Shi Yongmin , Li He , Jin Wenqi
Published: February 2016

Tight sandstone reservoirs typically show a wide pore size distribution, which ranges from several nanometers to several hundred micrometers, requiring a combination of several techniques to properly characterize the pore structure characteristics. In this article, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen gas adsorption, pressure-controlled porosimetry, and rate-controlled porosimetry were applied to investigate the pore systems of five tight samples of Yanchang Formation in Upper Triassic Ordos Basin China. Pore throat types and shapes were qualitatively identified and classified by scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen gas adsorption, and pore size distribution was calculated by combination of nitrogen gas adsorption, pressure-controlled porosimetry, and rate-controlled porosimetry, which is proposed as a new method to obtain the overall pore structure characteristics of tight sandstone reservoirs; then analyzing microscopic pore structure controls of permeability stress sensitivity of tight sandstone reservoirs. Results indicate that three typical pore types exist in tight sandstone reservoirs, which are interparticle pores, grain dissolution pores and micro cracks, and pore shapes contain sheet and bent sheet, cylindrical, and bottle neck shapes. Pore size distribution develops from nano-micrometer scale completely in tight sandstone reservoir, nitrogen adsorption experiments can accurately characterize nanometer scale pore size distribution mainly ranging 2–50 nm; nano-micrometer scale pore throats distribution characteristics are quantitatively analyzed by pressure-controlled porosimetry and rate-controlled porosimetry, pore throats radius ranges 10 nm–40 µm using the former, pores radius ranges mainly 80–300 µm, throats radius ranges 100 nm–5 µm and pore throat ratio difference is bigger by the latter, and the pore throat structures determine the typical reservoir characteristics in Ordos basin. The emphasis of study on mechanism of permeability stress sensitivity currently is microscopic pore throat structures instead of macroscopic permeability, indicating that the strongest is micro cracks and neck pores, intergranular cylindrical pores and intragranular dissolution pores is the weakest. This is significant to the development of tight sandstone reservoirs.
Twenty-First-Century Workers’ Education in North America
Authors: Dolgon Corey , Roth Reuben
Published: February 2016

The main response (Mantsios 2015) to neoliberalism and the marginalization of labor studies in higher education has been the call for a “new” labor college—one that integrates “workforce development” and liberal arts, yet separates worker education from its working-class roots. This article interrogates the state of worker education and the impact of neoliberalism on various civic engagement efforts at colleges and universities. The authors argue for a critical reevaluation of workers’ education and labor studies programs, calling for organized workers to retake control of such projects to avoid the deradicalization of class politics now ascendant in neoliberal institutions.
What three-year-olds remember from their past
Authors: Hirte Monika , Graf Frauke , Kim Ziyon , Knopf Monika
Published: February 2016

From birth on, infants show long-term recognition memory for persons. Furthermore, infants from six months onwards are able to store and retrieve demonstrated actions over long-term intervals in deferred imitation tasks. Thus, information about the model demonstrating the object-related actions is stored and recognition memory for the objects as well as memory for the actions is retrieved. To study the development of long-term retention for different memory contents systematically, the present study investigated the recognition of person- and object-related information as well as the retention of actions in two samples of three-year-olds who had participated in a deferred imitation task at either nine or 18 months of age. Results showed that three-year-olds who had participated at nine months of age retained actions in a re-enactment task; however, they neither indicated person- nor object-recognition in a picture-choice task (recognition task). Children who had participated at 18 months of age demonstrated person- and object-recognition but no re-enactment at three years of age. Findings are discussed against the background of memory development from a preverbal to a verbal age and in regard to the characteristics of the recognition vs re-enactment tasks and the stimuli used.
The Transformative Power of Network Dynamics: A Research Agenda
Authors: Clegg Stewart , Josserand Emmanuel , Mehra Ajay , Pitsis Tyrone S.
Published: February 2016

The emergence and proliferation of network forms of organization has sparked interest and debate in organization studies. We have learned much about the effects of networks but our understanding of how they are formed, how they change, and how networks can themselves possess agential properties that make them complex social actants is limited. In selecting papers for this special issue, we were persuaded by arguments that our understanding of networks and their transformative power can benefit from greater attention to culture and discourse, which provide meaning and direction to network participants and are indispensable agentic resources. The special issue contains two sets of papers. The first set debates the articulation between the organized and emergent dynamics of networks and its impact on knowledge exchanges and innovation. The second set seeks to inform our understanding of the manifestations of power in network dynamics. For each section, we provide a tentative research agenda. Our hope is that this special issue will both advance our ability to conceptualize, measure and manage network evolution and enhance our understanding of the transformative impact of network dynamics on organizations and society.