bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
College Student Cyberbullying: Self‐Esteem, Depression, Loneliness, and Attachment
Authors: Varghese Mary E. , Pistole M. Carole
Published: April 2017

In an online survey (N = 338) at a large midwestern university, frequency counts indicated that 51 (15.1%) undergraduate students were cyberbully victims during college, and 27 (8.0%) were cyberbully offenders during college. In simultaneous regressions, maternal attachment anxiety explained unique variance in cybervictimization and cyberoffending. In multivariate analyses of variance, cyberbully victims (vs. nonvictims) reported higher depression, loneliness, and maternal attachment anxiety, and cyberbully offenders (vs. nonoffenders) reported lower self‐esteem and higher maternal attachment anxiety. College counseling implications are discussed.
Adapting Dialectical Behavior Therapy for College Counseling Centers
Authors: Chugani Carla D.
Published: April 2017

College counseling centers report increased student presentation with severe psychological issues (Gallagher, ). Although dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has demonstrated efficacy with multiple clinical populations, standard model DBT is not feasible for many traditional college counseling centers. This article describes the iterative development and evolution of a comprehensive DBT program adapted to fit the scope of a traditional college counseling center. Guidelines for implementing lessons learned over the 3 years of the program are provided.
Catalytic Activity of Cobalt Nanoparticles for Dye and 4‐Nitro Phenol Degradation: A Kinetic and Mechanistic Study
Authors: Khan Mohammad Naved , Bashir Ommer , Khan Tabrez Alam , Al‐Thabaiti Shaeel Ahmed , Khan Zaheer
Published: April 2017

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) capped nanosized α‐cobalt hydroxides (CoNPs) were prepared to the removal of Congo red at room temperature in the absence and presence of sunlight. UV/visible spectra reveal that the CoNPs and NaBH4 have no catalytic effects toward Congo red and 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) degradation, whereas CoNPs act as an efficient catalyst with a small amount of NaBH4. The catalytic reaction has an induction period followed by an autoacceleration, which depends on the [NaBH4]. The reaction follows fractional‐order kinetics with respect to [NaBH4] for Congo red degradation. The activation energies were found to be 24 and 74 kJ mol−1, respectively, for Congo red and 4‐NP catalyzed reactions. The AgNPs has no catalytic activity toward Congo red. The degradation pathway mechanism with observed kinetics has been proposed and discussed, which follows the following rate law:
Stability analysis of mathematical models for nonlinear growth kinetics of breast cancer stem cells
Authors: Guo Chengjun , Ahmed Sameed , Guo Chengxian , Liu Xinfeng
Published: April 2017

Cancer stem cells are responsible for tumor survival and resurgence and are thus essential in developing novel therapeutic strategies against cancer. Mathematical models can help understand cancer stem and differentiated cell interaction in tumor growth, thus having the potential to help in designing experiments to develop novel therapeutic strategies against cancer. In this paper, by using theory of functional and ordinary differential equations, we study the existence and stability of nonlinear growth kinetics of breast cancer stem cells. First, we provide a sufficient condition for the existence and uniqueness of the solution for nonlinear growth kinetics of breast cancer stem cells. Then we study the uniform asymptotic stability of the zero solution. By using linearization techniques, we also provide a criteria for uniform asymptotic stability of a nontrivial steady‐state solution with and without time delays. We present a theorem from complex analysis that gives certain conditions that allow for this criteria to be satisfied. Next, we apply these theorems to a special case of the system of functional differential equations that has been used to model nonlinear growth kinetics of breast cancer stem cells. The theoretical results are further justified by numerical testing examples. Consistent with the theories, our numerical examples show that the time delays can disrupt the stability. All the results can be easily extended to study more general cell lineage models. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genome‐editing technologies to improve research, reproduction, and production in pigs
Authors: Wells Kevin D. , Prather Randall S.
Published: April 2017

The ability to directly manipulate the pig genome through genetic engineering has been available to the research community for over three decades. This technology has progressed from the random insertion of foreign DNA, via a variety of techniques (pronuclear microinjection, sperm mediated gene transfer, and integration of mobile genetic elements), to manipulation of endogenous genes, via homologous recombination in somatic cells followed by somatic cell nuclear transfer. Over the last few years, designer nucleases facilitated the development of techniques that provide efficient ways to introduce foreign DNA or to modify endogenous genes in eggs, zygotes, or somatic cells. Together, these genome‐editing technologies have essentially removed the obstacles to gene manipulation in swine. Although the regulatory environment is still unclear for agricultural applications, genetic engineering of pigs will continue to advance biomedicine and biology. In addition, genetic engineering is now sufficiently simple and efficient that agricultural research can now ask basic and applied questions that are not hampered by limited funding.
Rapid conceptus elongation in the pig: An interleukin 1 beta 2 and estrogen‐regulated phenomenon
Authors: Geisert Rodney D. , Whyte Jeffrey J. , Meyer Ashley E. , Mathew Daniel J. , Juárez María R. , Lucy Matthew C. , Prather Randall S. , Spencer Thomas E.
Published: April 2017

Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in the pig involves activating many physiological, cellular, and molecular signaling pathways between the developing conceptus and hormonally regulated maternal endometrium. Rapid elongation of the pig trophoblast allows for the establishment of sufficient placental surface area for the transport of nutrients to the fetus throughout pregnancy. Estrogens secreted by the conceptus during elongation act on uterine epithelia to induce secretion of uterine factors required for conceptus development and for preventing endocrine secretion of prostaglandin F2α, which would cause luteolysis. Thus, trophoblast expansion within the uterine lumen during early gestation is an essential process for implantation and maintenance of pregnancy in species with an epitheliochorial form of placentation. In the pig, rapid conceptus elongation involves the unique expression of interleukin‐1 beta 2 (IL1B2), which establishes pro‐inflammatory effects that may be tempered by the spatiotemporal secretion of estrogen from the conceptuses. The present review provides current information on pig conceptus remodeling and signaling via estrogen and IL1B2 pathways, as well as endometrial responses to those conceptus factors leading to establishment of pregnancy.
Bone volume–to–total volume ratio measured in trabecular bone by single‐sided NMR devices
Authors: Brizi Leonardo , Barbieri Marco , Baruffaldi Fabio , Bortolotti Villiam , Fersini Chiara , Liu Huabing , Nogueira d'Eurydice Marcel , Obruchkov Sergei , Zong Fangrong , Galvosas Petrik , Fantazzini Paola
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Reduced bone strength is associated with a loss of bone mass, usually evaluated by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry, although it is known that the bone microstructure also affects the bone strength. Here, a method is proposed to measure (in laboratory) the bone volume–to–total volume ratio by single‐sided NMR scanners, which is related to the microstructure of the trabecular bone.

Methods

Three single‐sided scanners were used on animal bone samples. These low‐field, mobile, low‐cost devices are able to detect the NMR signal, regardless of the sample sizes, without the use of ionizing radiations, with the further advantage of signal localization offered by their intrinsic magnetic field gradients.

Results

The performance of the different single‐sided scanners have been discussed. The results have been compared with bone volume–to–total volume ratio by micro CT and MRI, obtaining consistent values.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate the feasibility of the method for laboratory analyses, which are useful for measurements like porosity on bone specimens. This can be considered as the first step to develop an NMR method based on the use of a mobile single‐sided device, for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, through the acquisition of the signal from the appendicular skeleton, allowing for low‐cost, wide screening campaigns. Magn Reson Med 79:501–510, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Dual‐Echo EPI sequence for integrated distortion correction in 3D time‐resolved hyperpolarized 13C MRI
Authors: Geraghty Benjamin J. , Lau Justin Y. C. , Chen Albert P. , Cunningham Charles H.
Published: April 2017

Purpose

To provide built‐in off‐resonance correction in time‐resolved, volumetric hyperpolarized 13C metabolic imaging by implementing a novel dual‐echo 3D echo‐planar imaging (EPI) sequence and reconstruction.

Methods

A spectral‐spatial pulse for single‐resonance excitation followed by a dual‐echo 3D EPI readout was implemented to provide 64 × 8 × 6 cm3 coverage at 5 × 5 × 5 mm3 nominal resolution. Multiple sources of EPI distortions were encoded using a multi‐echo 1H EPI reference scan. Phase maps computed from the reference scans were combined with a bulk 13C frequency offset encoded in the dual‐echo [1‐13C]pyruvate images to correct geometric distortion and improve spatial registration. The proposed scheme was validated in a phantom study, and in vivo [1‐13C]pyruvate and [1‐13C]lactate rat images were acquired with intentional transmit frequency deviations to assess the dual‐echo 3D EPI sequence.

Results

The phantom study demonstrated improved spatial registration in off‐resonance corrected images. Close agreement was observed between metabolic kidney signal and the underlying anatomy in rat imaging experiments. Relative to a single‐echo acquisition, the coherent addition of the two corrected echoes provided the expected increase in signal‐to‐noise ratio by approximately
.

Conclusion

A novel dual‐echo 3D EPI acquisition sequence for integrated off‐resonance correction in hyperpolarized 13C imaging was developed and demonstrated. The proposed sequence offers clear advantages over flyback EPI for time‐resolved metabolic mapping. Magn Reson Med 79:643–653, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Protocol for follow up of hip arthroplasty in the long term: effect on revision (WHISTLER study)
Authors: Smith Lindsay K. , Lenguerrand Erik , Blom Ashley , Powell Jane , Palmer Shea
Published: April 2017

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is highly successful for reducing pain and improving function, providing health‐related quality of life benefit. Demand for THA is increasing with associated increase in revision hip surgery. Hip arthroplasty surveillance (long‐term follow up) can identify asymptomatically failing THA to prepare for revision surgery, reducing potential for complications or complexity of surgery. However, it is unknown whether the surveillance of THA can be shown to improve the patient outcomes or reduce costs around revision surgery. With the current need to reduce unnecessary health consultations and to show the economic advantages of any service, the purpose of this study is to consider the relative effectiveness of hip arthroplasty surveillance on revision hip arthroplasty. This is a single‐centre, observational study in which consecutive patients undergoing aseptic revision of THA over 12 months in a large orthopaedic unit will be considered for participation. Primary outcome measures will be change in each of three valid patient‐reported scores from pre‐operatively to 12 months post‐surgery. Secondary outcomes will be the costs of treatment calculated using data obtained from the participants' hospital records and a self‐report questionnaire. An exploratory approach will be used to investigate the effect of surveillance on the outcomes of interest. A linear mixed method model will be used to study the change in scores between baseline and 12 months. The economic evaluation will be a cost–utility analysis, which compares the value of alternative interventions by attaching costs to the quality‐adjusted life years produced by each intervention.
Emotions and sentiment: An exploration of artist websites
Authors: Pitt Christine , Kietzmann Jan , Botha Elsamari , Wallström Åsa
Published: April 2017

Artists of all genres express their emotions through their creations and market their works online. We argue that in marketing their work online, it is important to understand not only the emotional responses of the artistic works themselves but also that the sentiment evoked on their websites matters. Developing the correct website sentiment can have favorable consequences. It can increase the interest of potential consumers, assure that appropriate expectations are set for the actual consumption experience, and lead to increased sales and word of mouth marketing. Online sentiment that is ill‐aligned to the emotions the actual offering evokes can have adverse consequences, including disappointment with the actual offering and buyer's remorse. To better understand the online sentiment of artists' websites, we begin by briefly revisiting the interplay between art, emotions, and the issue of online “sentiment.” Then, we describe a study of a sample of artists' websites that had the objective of gauging both the nature of and the extent of the emotions present in its text, as well as gaining an indication of the sentiment of the website. We describe the use of a relatively new content analysis tool to do this. Following this, we explore the data gathered, with the specific purpose of determining whether the emptions expressed on artists' websites can significantly predict sentiment, if so, which emotions tend to be the strongest predictors. We conclude by discussing some managerial implications of the results and by identifying avenues for future research.
Proteomic identification of rainbow trout blood plasma proteins and their relationship to seminal plasma proteins
Authors: Nynca Joanna , Arnold Georg , Fröhlich Thomas , Ciereszko Andrzej
Published: April 2017

The characterisation of fish blood proteomes is important for comparative studies of seminal and blood proteins as well as for the analysis of fish immune mechanisms and pathways. In this study, LC‐MS/MS and 2D‐DIGE were applied to compare rainbow trout seminal (SP) and blood plasma (BP) proteomes. The 54 differentially abundant proteins identified in SP are involved in a variety of signalling pathways, including protein ubiquitination, liver X receptor/retinoid X receptor (LXR/RXR) and farnesoid X receptor activation, cell cycle and acute phase signalling. These findings may indicate the prevalence of acute phase signalling pathways in trout SP, and its essential role in protecting spermatozoa and reproductive tissues. Our study provides the first in‐depth analysis of the trout BP proteome, with a total of 119 proteins identified. The major proteins of rainbow trout BP were recognised as acute phase proteins. Analysis of BP proteins indicated that acute phase response signalling, the complement system, liver X receptor/retinoid X receptor and farnesoid X receptor activation and the coagulation system are the top canonical pathways. This study enhances knowledge of the blood origin of trout SP proteins and understanding of fish reproductive biology. Our results provide new insight into blood proteins specifically important for fish physiology and innate immunity. The mass spectrometry data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD005988 and https://doi.org/10.6019/PXD005988.
Systematic identification of the protein substrates of UDP‐GalNAc:polypeptide N‐acetylgalactosaminyltransferase‐T1/T2/T3 using a human proteome microarray
Authors: Xu Zhijue , Li Xing , Zhou Shumin , Xie Wenxian , Wang Jing , Cheng Li , Wang Sheng , Guo Shujuan , Xu Zhaowei , Cao Xin , Zhang Menghui , Yu Biao , Narimatsu Hisashi , Tao Sheng‐ce , Zhang Yan
Published: April 2017

O‐GalNAc glycosylation is the initial step of the mucin‐type O‐glycosylation. In humans, it is catalyzed by a family of 20 homologous UDP‐GalNAc:polypeptide N‐acetylgalactosaminyltransferases (ppGalNAc‐Ts). So far, there is very limited information on their protein substrate specificities. In this study, we developed an on‐chip ppGalNAc‐Ts assay that could rapidly and systematically identify the protein substrates of each ppGalNAc‐T. In detail, we utilized a human proteome microarray as the protein substrates and UDP‐GalNAz as the nucleotide sugar donor for click chemistry detection. From a total of 16 368 human proteins, we identified 570 potential substrates of ppGalNAc‐T1, T2, and T3. Among them, 128 substrates were overlapped, while the rest were isoform specific. Further cluster analysis of these substrates showed that the substrates of ppGalNAc‐T1 had a closer phylogenetic relationship with that of ppGalNAc‐T3 compared with ppGalNAc‐T2, which was consistent with the topology of the phylogenetic tree of these ppGalNAc‐Ts. Taken together, our microarray‐based enzymatic assay comprehensively reveals the substrate profile of the ppGalNAc‐T1, T2, and T3, which not only provides a plausible explanation for their partial functional redundancy as reported, but clearly implies some specialized roles of each enzyme in different biological processes.
Simultaneous Determination of Multiple Mechanical Parameters for a DNAN/HMX Melt‐Cast Explosive by Brazilian Disc Test Combined with Digital Image Correlation Method
Authors: Zhu Daoli , Zhou Lin , Zhang Xiangrong , Zhao Jiaye
Published: April 2017

Tensile strength, tensile modulus, compressive modulus, and Poisson's ratio are important mechanical parameters for brittle explosives. Generally, these parameters are separately measured by several different tests in which the homogeneity of specimens cannot be guaranteed, thus requiring a simultaneous determination of these mechanical parameters by one test. In this paper, simultaneous determination of multiple mechanical parameters of a DNAN/HMX melt‐cast explosive using Brazilian disc test combined with digital image correlation (DIC) method is described. The method would allow tensile strength, tensile modulus, compressive modulus, and Poisson′s ratio to be obtained simultaneously by one test, when the influences of rigid body motion have been effectively removed. The method principle was introduced in detail in this paper. The effect of temperature on the mechanical properties and the difference between the tensile modulus and compressive modulus of the DNAN/HMX melt‐cast explosive were investigated. The elastic constants and tensile strength were quantitatively analyzed and are qualitatively correct, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the presented method.
A population‐based approach to analyzing pulses in time series of hormone data
Authors: Horton K. W. , Carlson N. E. , Grunwald G. K. , Mulvahill M. J. , Polotsky A. J.
Published: April 2017

Studies of reproductive physiology involve rapid sampling protocols that result in time series of hormone concentrations. The signature pattern in these times series is pulses of hormone release. Various statistical models for quantifying the pulsatile release features exist. Currently these models are fitted separately to each individual and the resulting estimates averaged to arrive at post hoc population‐level estimates. When the signal‐to‐noise ratio is small or the time of observation is short (e.g., 6 h), this two‐stage estimation approach can fail. This work extends the single‐subject modelling framework to a population framework similar to what exists for complex pharamacokinetics data. The goal is to leverage information across subjects to more clearly identify pulse locations and improve estimation of other model parameters. This modelling extension has proven difficult because the pulse number and locations are unknown. Here, we show that simultaneously modelling a group of subjects is computationally feasible in a Bayesian framework using a birth–death Markov chain Monte Carlo estimation algorithm. Via simulation, we show that this population‐based approach reduces the false positive and negative pulse detection rates and results in less biased estimates of population‐level parameters of frequency, pulse size, and hormone elimination. We then apply the approach to a reproductive study in healthy women where approximately one‐third of the 21 subjects in the study did not have appropriate fits using the single‐subject fitting approach. Using the population model produced more precise, biologically plausible estimates of all model parameters. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performing Proximity
Authors: Hill Leslie , Paris Helen
Published: April 2017

How does proximity between audiences and performers change the nature of live performance? How does it feel? How long can it last? How close is too close?

Exploring the rise of close encounter, immersive productions that shine a light on performer-audience relationships, this book considers the impact of space and proximity in live performance.

Drawing on their experience as internationally acclaimed performance artists, Leslie Hill and Helen Paris richly document their creative processes, performances and audience's responses in a series of illuminating case studies. Relating their practice to wider issues in contemporary performance and detailing workshop exercises that aid performance making, this unique fusion of artistic and academic reflection is crucial reading for students, scholars and practitioners alike.
Cereals, calories and change: exploring approaches to quantification in Indus archaeobotany
Authors: Bates J. , Petrie C.A. , Singh R.N.
Published: April 2017

Several major cereal groups have been identified as staples used by the pre-urban, urban and post-urban phase populations of the Indus Civilisation (3200–1500 BCE): wheat, barley, a range of small hulled millets and also rice, though their proportional exploitation is variable across space and over time. Traditional quantification methods examine the frequency, intensity and proportionality of the use of these crops and help ascertain the ‘relative importance’ of these cereals for Indus populations. However, this notion of ‘importance’ is abstracted from the daily lives of the people using these crops and may be biased by the differential production (as well as archaeological survival) of individual cereals. This paper outlines an alternative approach to quantifying Indus cereals by investigating proportions of calories. Cereals are predominantly composed of carbohydrates and therefore provided much of the daily caloric intake among many late Holocene farming populations. The four major cereal groups cultivated by Indus farmers, however, vary greatly in terms of calories per grain, and this has an impact on their proportional input to past diets. This paper demonstrates that, when converted to proportions of calories, the perceived ‘importance’ of cereals from five Indus sites changes dramatically, reducing the role of the previously dominant small hulled millet species and elevating the role of Triticoid grains. Although other factors will also have affected how a farmer perceived the role and importance of a crop, including its ecological tolerances, investments required to grow it, and the crop’s role in the economy, this papers suggests that some consideration of what cereals meant in terms of daily lives is needed alongside the more abstracted quantification methods that have traditionally been applied.
The Social Archaeology of Food
Authors: Hastorf Christine A.
Published: April 2017

This book offers a global perspective on the role food has played in shaping human societies, through both individual and collective identities. It integrates ethnographic and archaeological case studies from the European and Near Eastern Neolithic, Han China, ancient Cahokia, Classic Maya, the Inka and many other periods and regions, to ask how the meal in particular has acted as a social agent in the formation of society, economy, culture and identity. Drawing on a range of social theorists, Hastorf provides a theoretical toolkit essential for any archaeologist interested in foodways. Studying the social life of food, this book engages with taste, practice, the meal and the body to discuss power, identity, gender and meaning that creates our world as it created past societies.
Bank Mergers in China: What Role for Competition?
Authors: HEALEY Deborah J. , CHENYING Zhang
Published: April 2017

This article examines the likely role of competition in the regulatory analysis of bank mergers in China. Despite financial reforms, the banking sector remains subject to a complex web of financial regulation, with industrial policy favouring stability to facilitate national economic development. While there are currently no Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) bank merger determinations under theAnti-Monopoly Law(AML), examples of MOFCOM’s merger analysis in other sensitive industries diverge from a pure competition-based analysis, favouring grounds linked to national economic development broadly within the terms of theAML. Given the importance of banking to the Chinese economy, this article argues that competition is unlikely to play a large part in any assessment of bank mergers by MOFCOM, particularly where a foreign bank is involved. Instead, issues linked to ‘national economic development’ and stability are likely to play the most important role, leading to less predictable merger approval outcomes.
10Be in the Akademii Nauk ice core – first results for CE 1590–1950 and implications for future chronology validation
Authors: VON ALBEDYLL LUISA , OPEL THOMAS , FRITZSCHE DIEDRICH , MERCHEL SILKE , LAEPPLE THOMAS , RUGEL GEORG
Published: April 2017

Temporal variations of the radionuclide 10Be are broadly synchronous across the globe and thus provide a powerful tool to synchronize ice core chronologies from different locations. We compared the 10Be record of the Akademii Nauk (AN) ice core (Russian Arctic) for the time period CE 1590–1950 to the 10Be records of two well-dated Greenland ice cores (Dye3 and NGRIP). A high correlation (r = 0.59) was found between the AN and Dye3 records whereas the correlation with NGRIP was distinctly lower (r = 0.45). Sources of deviations may include local fluctuations in the deposition of 10Be due to changes in the precipitation patterns, and artefacts due to the core-sampling strategy. In general, the existing age model was validated, confirming the AN ice core to be a unique and well-dated source of palaeoclimate parameters for the Russian Arctic. We further used numerical simulations to test the influence of the core-sampling strategy on the results and derived an optimized sampling strategy for the deeper parts of the ice core.
Structural characterization of caffeine–oxalic acid co-crystals from the powder diffraction pattern at the SPring-8 BL02B2 beamline
Authors: Sugimoto Kunihisa , Kawaguchi Shogo , Takemoto Michitaka
Published: April 2017

In this work, we developed an X-ray powder diffractometer system equipped with six solid-state detectors and used it to perform ab initio structure determination from the powder diffraction pattern data obtained for a caffeine–oxalic acid co-crystal. The crystal structure obtained from the powder diffraction data was consistent with the previously solved single-crystal structure (Trask reference), although slightly larger (by about 2%). The co-crystallization of pharmaceutically active molecules can modulate their physical properties such as solubility, stability, and bioavailability. For the investigation of pharmaceutical complexes, the ability to visualize molecular interactions such as hydrogen bonding would be very helpful toward understanding their physical properties. Given the rate at which the high-throughput screening of pharmaceutical complexes has grown, an analogous high-volume, high-resolution X-ray powder diffraction technique with high-throughput data collection ability would be useful. We also solved the crystal structures of an inorganic complex and metal organic framework, zinc acetate dihydrate and CPL-1, in order to demonstrate the performance of our new diffractometer system.
Chronic peer victimization heightens neural sensitivity to risk taking
Authors: Telzer Eva H. , Miernicki Michelle E. , Rudolph Karen D.
Published: April 2017

Although behavioral and experimental studies have shown links between victimization and antisocial behavior, the neural correlates explaining this link are relatively unknown. In the current study, we recruited adolescent girls from a longitudinal study that tracked youths’ reports of peer victimization experiences annually from the second through eighth grades. Based on these reports, 46 adolescents were recruited: 25 chronically victimized and 21 nonvictimized. During a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan, participants completed a risk-taking task. Chronic peer victimization was associated with greater risk-taking behavior during the task and higher levels of self-reported antisocial behavior in everyday life. At the neural level, chronically victimized girls showed greater activation in regions involved in affective sensitivity, social cognition, and cognitive control, which significantly mediated victimization group differences in self-reported antisocial behavior.
RECIRCUMSCRIPTION AND NEW SYNONYMS OF BEGONIA ACERIFOLIA (BEGONIACEAE) AND AMENDED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE POORLY KNOWN B. HYDROPHYLLOIDES AND B. VELATA
Authors: Tebbitt M. C.
Published: April 2017

A taxonomic study was conducted of four Andean Begonia species, each originally described only from its type collection: Begonia hydrophylloides L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub., B. triramosa Irmsch., B. velata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. and B. xerophyta L.B.Sm. & Wassh. Amended descriptions of Begonia hydrophylloides and B. velata are provided. The distribution range of Begonia hydrophylloides is extended to include the Colombian department of Meta, as well as Cundinamarca. Begonia velata, originally described from Huncabamba Province, of Píura Region, Peru, has its distribution range extended to include Contumazá Province, of Cajamarca Region, Peru. Begonia triramosa, described from Chimborazo Province, Ecuador, and B. xerophyta, described from Loja Province, Ecuador, are both synonymised with B. acerifolia Kunth. Following an in-depth taxonomic study of Begonia acerifolia, an additional species, B. erythrocarpa A.DC., is synonymised with this species. An amended description of Begonia acerifolia is provided, and the species is recorded from Andean Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Begonia hydrophylloides, B. velata and B. acerifolia are all affiliated with species currently classified in the polyphyletic Begonia sect. Knesebeckia (Klotzsch) A.DC. Begonia hydrophylloides is assessed as Data Deficient (DD), B. velata is assessed as Vulnerable (VU) and B. acerifolia is assessed as Least Concern (LC), according to IUCN criteria.
Impact and acceptability of lay health trainer-led lifestyle interventions delivered in primary care: a mixed method study
Authors: Visram Shelina
Published: April 2017

Aim

To evaluate the impact and acceptability of offering one-to-one lifestyle interventions delivered by lay health trainers in the primary care setting.

Background

Chronic conditions represent major causes of ill-health, avoidable disability, pain and anxiety, and tend to be more prevalent in less affluent groups. This is due, in part, to the link between unhealthy lifestyles and lower socio-economic status, although factors such as poverty, worklessness and social exclusion play a larger role. Lay health trainers were introduced in England with the aim of providing personalised lifestyle advice, support and access to services for people living in disadvantaged areas. There is a body of literature on the effectiveness of lay or community health workers in the management of chronic conditions. However, little is known about their potential to promote lifestyle changes in newly diagnosed patients. An innovative health trainer service was piloted in the primary care setting, to work with people diagnosed with a chronic condition or identified as potentially benefitting from one-to-one support.

Methods

A mixed method study design was utilised. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with practice staff (n=11) and patients (n=15) from one primary care practice in North East England, United Kingdom. Discussions were audio-recorded and analysed using a thematic content approach. Routinely collected pre-/post-intervention data (n=246 patients at baseline; sample sizes varied at end line) were analysed and appropriate descriptive and summary statistics produced.

Findings

The discussions highlighted a high level of satisfaction with the health trainer model in terms of supporting positive lifestyle changes. Locating the intervention within the practice removed access barriers, particularly for those with long-term conditions. Anecdotal evidence of health improvement was supported by the quantitative analyses, which revealed statistically significant improvements in body mass index, blood pressure, dietary habits, exercise levels, alcohol intake, self-rated health and self-efficacy amongst those who completed the intervention.
Why Time Constraints Increase the Gender Gap in Measured Numerical Intelligence in Academically High Achieving Samples
Authors: Steinmayr Ricarda , Spinath Birgit
Published: April 2017

Abstract. Gender differences in the numerical domain vary greatly according to the assessment method used. We suggest that strict time constraints, as employed on most numerical intelligence tests but not on mathematical competency tests, unduly increase the gender gap in measured numerical intelligence if the test focuses reasoning. Two studies were conducted. First, 666 11th and 12th graders were randomly assigned to speeded or nonspeeded versions of verbal, figural, and numerical reasoning tests. Extending the test time reduced gender differences in numerical but not in verbal and figural reasoning. To rule out ceiling effects and to test for potential motivational and emotional effects on test performance, a second sample of 542 students completed both a speeded and a nonspeeded numerical reasoning test as well as several motivational and emotional questionnaires. In the nonspeeded condition, girls increased their performance more than boys. This effect was especially strong for female students with medium and high performances and was largely but not fully explained by emotional and motivational factors. We conclude that girls are prevented from showing their actual potential on speeded numerical reasoning tests.
Developing a Brief Version of Ryff’s Scale to Assess the	Psychological Well-Being of Adolescents in Hong Kong
Authors: Chan David W. , Chan Lai-kwan , Sun Xiaoyan
Published: April 2017

Abstract. Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS) has provided a useful measure for investigating the eudaimonic well-being of adults and elderly people from the positive psychology perspective. However, its length and structure, and its applicability to younger populations have raised important concerns in the assessment with Chinese adolescents. Although different shortened versions of PWBS in various languages have been developed, they were mostly not adapted for use with adolescents and did not have satisfactory model fit and internal consistencies. This investigation aimed to develop a brief Chinese PWBS version to assess the eudaimonic well-being of adolescents in Hong Kong. Two studies related to scale development and validation involving three samples of 1,433 adolescents from Hong Kong were reported. Item selection, construct validation, model testing, and rewording of items to suit adolescent use were guided by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as well as correlations with external scales assessing similar PWBS content dimensions. The resulting 24-item Chinese PWBS includes only positively keyed items in simple language suitable for adolescent use. Validation and cross-validation results have demonstrated that it is a brief, valid, and reliable scale for assessing adolescent psychological well-being in six dimensions in the Chinese context.
Characterization and isolation of highly purified porcine satellite cells
Authors: Ding Shijie , Wang Fei , Liu Yan , Li Sheng , Zhou Guanghong , Hu Ping
Published: April 2017

Pig is an important food source and an excellent system to model human diseases. Careful characterization of the swine skeletal muscle stem cells (satellite cells) will shed lights on generation of swine skeletal muscle disease model and efficient production of porcine meat for the food industry. Paired box protein 7 (Pax7) is a highly conserved transcription factor shared by satellite cells from various species. However, the sequence of Pax7 has not been characterized in pig. The lack of method to isolate highly purified satellite cells hinders the thorough characterization of the swine satellite cells. Here we found molecular markers for swine satellite cells and revealed that the porcine satellite cells were heterogeneous in various pieces of skeletal muscle. We further developed a method to isolate highly purified satellite cells directly from porcine muscles using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. We next characterized the proliferation and differentiation abilities of isolated satellite cells in vitro; and found that long-term culturing of satellite cells in vitro led to stemness loss.
Monitoring transient nanoparticle interactions with liposome-confined plasmonic transducers
Authors: Chen Tianhong , Wang Xiao , Alizadeh Mohammad Hossein , Reinhard Björn M.
Published: April 2017

The encapsulation of individual pairs of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) in liposomes is introduced as a new strategy for utilizing plasmon coupling to monitor interactions between co-confined NPs in a nanoconfinement that ensures high local NP concentrations. We apply the approach to monitor transient binding contacts between noncovalently tethered 55 nm diameter gold NPs, which were functionalized with cytosine (C)-rich DNAs, in acidic and mildly basic buffer conditions. At pH=8, a rich spectral dynamics indicates DNA-mediated transient binding and unbinding of co-confined NPs due to weak attractive interparticle interactions. A decrease in pH from 8 to 4 is observed to favor the associated state for some co-confined NPs, presumably due to a stabilization of the bound dimer configuration through noncanonical C-C+ bonds between the DNA-functionalized NPs. Plasmonic nanoemitters whose spectral response switches in response to chemical cues (in this work pH) represent optical transducers with a rich application space in chemical sensing, cell analysis and nanophotonics.
Photopatternable PEDOT:PSS/PEG hybrid thin film with moisture stability and sensitivity
Authors: Zhu Zijie , Yang Gaomai , Li Ruya , Pan Tingrui
Published: April 2017

Degradation and delamination resulting from environmental humidity have been technically challenging for poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) thin-film processing. To overcome this problem, we introduced a one-step photolithographic method to both pattern and link a PEDOT:PSS film onto a poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) layer as a hybrid thin film structure on a flexible substrate. This film exhibited excellent long-term moisture stability (more than 10 days) and lithographic resolution (as low as 2 μm). Mechanical characterizations were performed, including both stretching and bending tests, which illustrated the strong adhesion present between the PEDOT:PSS and PEG layers as well as between the hybrid thin film and substrate. Moreover, the hybrid moisture-absorbable film showed a quick response of its permittivity to environmental humidity variations, in which the patterned PEDOT:PSS layer served as an electrode and the PEG layer as a moisture-sensing element. Perspiration tracking over various parts of the body surface as well as breath rate measurement under the nose were successfully carried out as demonstrations, which illustrated the potential utility of this stable hybrid thin film for emerging flexible and wearable electronic applications.
Long-term trends in the intensity and relative toxicity of herbicide use
Authors: Kniss Andrew R.
Published: April 2017

Herbicide use is among the most criticized aspects of modern farming, especially as it relates to genetically engineered (GE) crops. Many previous analyses have used flawed metrics to evaluate herbicide intensity and toxicity trends. Here, I show that herbicide use intensity increased over the last 25 years in maize, cotton, rice and wheat. Although GE crops have been previously implicated in increasing herbicide use, herbicide increases were more rapid in non-GE crops. Even as herbicide use increased, chronic toxicity associated with herbicide use decreased in two out of six crops, while acute toxicity decreased in four out of six crops. In the final year for which data were available (2014 or 2015), glyphosate accounted for 26% of maize, 43% of soybean and 45% of cotton herbicide applications. However, due to relatively low chronic toxicity, glyphosate contributed only 0.1, 0.3 and 3.5% of the chronic toxicity hazard in those crops, respectively.
Structural and functional analysis of the human POT1-TPP1 telomeric complex
Authors: Rice Cory , Shastrula Prashanth Krishna , Kossenkov Andrew V. , Hills Robert , Baird Duncan M. , Showe Louise C. , Doukov Tzanko , Janicki Susan , Skordalakes Emmanuel
Published: April 2017

POT1 and TPP1 are part of the shelterin complex and are essential for telomere length regulation and maintenance. Naturally occurring mutations of the telomeric POT1–TPP1 complex are implicated in familial glioma, melanoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Here we report the atomic structure of the interacting portion of the human telomeric POT1–TPP1 complex and suggest how several of these mutations contribute to malignant cancer. The POT1 C-terminus (POT1C) forms a bilobal structure consisting of an OB-fold and a holiday junction resolvase domain. TPP1 consists of several loops and helices involved in extensive interactions with POT1C. Biochemical data shows that several of the cancer-associated mutations, partially disrupt the POT1–TPP1 complex, which affects its ability to bind telomeric DNA efficiently. A defective POT1–TPP1 complex leads to longer and fragile telomeres, which in turn promotes genomic instability and cancer.
Exosome-delivered EGFR regulates liver microenvironment to promote gastric cancer liver metastasis
Authors: Zhang Haiyang , Deng Ting , Liu Rui , Bai Ming , Zhou Likun , Wang Xia , Li Shuang , Wang Xinyi , Yang Haiou , Li Jialu , Ning Tao , Huang Dingzhi , Li Hongli , Zhang Le , Ying Guoguang , Ba Yi
Published: April 2017

The metastatic organotropism has been one of the cancer’s greatest mysteries since the ‘seed and soil’ hypothesis. Although the role of EGFR in cancer cells is well studied, the effects of secreted EGFR transported by exosomes are less understood. Here we show that EGFR in exosomes secreted from gastric cancer cells can be delivered into the liver and is integrated on the plasma membrane of liver stromal cells. The translocated EGFR is proved to effectively activate hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by suppressing miR-26a/b expression. Moreover, the upregulated paracrine HGF, which binds the c-MET receptor on the migrated cancer cells, provides fertile ‘soil’ for the ‘seed’, facilitating the landing and proliferation of metastatic cancer cells. Thus, we propose that EGFR-containing exosomes derived from cancer cells could favour the development of a liver-like microenvironment promoting liver-specific metastasis.
Human adipose tissue accumulation is associated with pro-inflammatory changes in subcutaneous rather than visceral adipose tissue
Authors: Lesna I Kralova , Cejkova S , Kralova A , Fronek J , Petras M , Sekerkova A , Thieme F , Janousek L , Poledne R
Published: April 2017

The importance of the involvement of adipose tissue macrophage subpopulations in obesity-related disorders is well known from different animal models, but human data are scarcer. Subcutaneous (n=44) and visceral (n=52) adipose tissues of healthy living kidney donors were obtained during living donor nephrectomy. Stromal vascular fractions were isolated and analysed by flow cytometry using CD14, CD16, CD36 and CD163 antibodies. Total macrophage numbers in subcutaneous adipose tissue increased (P=0.02) with body mass index (BMI), with a similar increase seen in the proportion of phagocytic CD14+CD16+CD36high macrophages (P<0.01). On the other hand, there was an inverse correlation between anti-inflammatory CD14+CD16−CD163+ macrophages (P<0.05) and BMI. These correlations disappeared after excluding obese subjects (BMI ⩾30 kg m−2) from the analysis. Interestingly, none of these subpopulations were significantly related to BMI in visceral adipose tissue. Obesity per se is associated with distinct, highly phagocytic macrophage accumulation in human subcutaneous adipose tissue.
A review: applications of the phase field method in predicting microstructure and property evolution of irradiated nuclear materials
Authors: Li Yulan , Hu Shenyang , Sun Xin , Stan Marius
Published: April 2017

Complex microstructure changes occur in nuclear fuel and structural materials due to the extreme environments of intense irradiation and high temperature. This paper evaluates the role of the phase field method in predicting the microstructure evolution of irradiated nuclear materials and the impact on their mechanical, thermal, and magnetic properties. The paper starts with an overview of the important physical mechanisms of defect evolution and the significant gaps in simulating microstructure evolution in irradiated nuclear materials. Then, the phase field method is introduced as a powerful and predictive tool and its applications to microstructure and property evolution in irradiated nuclear materials are reviewed. The review shows that (1) Phase field models can correctly describe important phenomena such as spatial-dependent generation, migration, and recombination of defects, radiation-induced dissolution, the Soret effect, strong interfacial energy anisotropy, and elastic interaction; (2) The phase field method can qualitatively and quantitatively simulate two-dimensional and three-dimensional microstructure evolution, including radiation-induced segregation, second phase nucleation, void migration, void and gas bubble superlattice formation, interstitial loop evolution, hydrate formation, and grain growth, and (3) The Phase field method correctly predicts the relationships between microstructures and properties. The final section is dedicated to a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the phase field method, as applied to irradiation effects in nuclear materials.