bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Function call interception techniques
Authors: Kang Pilsung
Published: May 2017

Function call interception (FCI), or method call interception (MCI) in the object‐oriented programming domain, is a technique of intercepting function calls at program runtime. Without directly modifying the original code, FCI enables to undertake certain operations before and/or after the called function or even to replace the intercepted call. Thanks to this capability, FCI has been typically used to profile programs, where functions of interest are dynamically intercepted by instrumentation code so that the execution control is transferred to an external module that performs execution time measurement or logging operations. In addition, FCI allows for manipulating the runtime behavior of program components at the fine‐grained function level, which can be useful in changing an application's original behavior at runtime to meet certain execution requirements such as maintaining performance characteristics for different input problem sets. Due to this capability, however, some FCI techniques can be used as a basis of many security exploits for vulnerable systems. In this paper, we survey a variety of FCI techniques and tools along with their applications to diverse areas in the computing and software domains. We describe static and dynamic FCI techniques at large and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different implementations in this category. In addition, we also discuss aspect‐oriented programming implementation techniques for intercepting method calls.
Turning on the FERPA switch and letting it run, Part 2
Authors: Rainsberger Richard
Published: May 2017

A very good friend and professional colleague, Eliott Baker, retired in April. He was executive director of academic records and summer school at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. He had spent 36‐and‐a‐half years there.
Make your office a safe haven for the faculty
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: May 2017

When Barry S. Kane graduated from college, he didn't think much about planning his career. When he got in the car after the commencement ceremony, he thought, “Now what?” In the years since then, he has embraced opportunities as they have come up. “It's just being open to the next step,” Kane said.
Incorporation of Sulfate or Selenate Groups into Oxotellurates(IV): II. Compounds with Divalent Lead
Authors: Weil Matthias , Shirkhanlou Mahdi
Published: May 2017

Four mixed oxochalcogenate compounds in the systems PbII/XVI/TeIV/O/(C), (XVI = S and Se) were obtained as minority phases under hydrothermal conditions (210 °C, one week). Their compositions as determined on the basis of single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data are Pb3(SeO4)(TeO3)2, Pb7O4(SeO4)2(TeO3), Pb5(SeO4)2(TeO4)(CO3), and Pb2(SO4)(TeO3). All crystal structures are centrosymmetric, and in each case the oxochalcogenate anions are isolated from each other. The Pb2+ cations exhibit distorted coordination polyhedra with coordination numbers ranging from six to ten, in the majority of cases with a “one‐sided” coordination by oxygen atoms. The presence of the very rare square‐pyramidal TeIVO44– anion distinguishes the structure of Pb5(SeO4)2(TeO4)(CO3) from the other structures, where the oxotellurate(IV) anions exist in the TeO32– trigonal‐pyramidal configuration.
Incorporation of Sulfate or Selenate Groups into Oxotellurates(IV): III. Compounds with Magnesium or Zinc
Authors: Weil Matthias , Shirkhanlou Mahdi
Published: May 2017

The mixed oxochalcogenate compounds Mg2(SO4)(TeO3)(H2O), Mg3(SO4)(TeO3)(OH)2(H2O)2, Zn2(SeO4)(TeO3), and Zn4(SO4)(TeO3)3 were obtained under hydrothermal conditions (210 °C, autogenous pressure). Structure analyses using single‐crystal X‐ray data revealed tellurium in all four compounds to be present in oxidation state +IV, whereas sulfur or selenium atoms exhibit an oxidation state of +VI. In the crystal structures of the two magnesium compounds, [MgO5(H2O)] octahedra [Mg2(SO4)(TeO3)(H2O) structure, isotypic with the Co and Mn analogues] or [MgO4(OH)2] and [MgO4(OH)2(H2O)2] octahedra [Mg3(SO4)(TeO3)(OH)2(H2O)2 structure, novel structure type] as well as trigonal‐pyramidal TeO32– anions make up metal oxotellurate sheets, which are bridged by SO42– anions. The polar crystal structure of Zn2(SeO4)(TeO3) is isotypic with Zn2(MoO4)(TeO3) and consists of [ZnO4] tetrahedra, [ZnO6] octahedra, SeO42– and TeO32– anions as principal building units that are connected into a framework structure. Such a structural arrangement, with basically the same coordination polyhedra as in Zn2(SeO4)(TeO3) but with SO42– instead of SeO42– anions, is also found in the tellurium‐rich compound Zn4(SO4)(TeO3)3 that crystallizes in a novel structure type.
Turking overtime: how participant characteristics and behavior vary over time and day on Amazon Mechanical Turk
Authors: Arechar Antonio A. , Kraft-Todd Gordon T. , Rand David G.
Published: May 2017

Online experiments allow researchers to collect datasets at times not typical of laboratory studies. We recruit 2336 participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk to examine if participant characteristics and behaviors differ depending on whether the experiment is conducted during the day versus night, and on weekdays versus weekends. Participants make incentivized decisions involving prosociality, punishment, and discounting, and complete a demographic and personality survey. We find no time or day differences in behavior, but do find that participants at nights and on weekends are less experienced with online studies; on weekends are less reflective; and at night are less conscientious and more neurotic. These results are largely robust to finer-grained measures of time and day. We also find that those who participated earlier in the course of the study are more experienced, reflective, and agreeable, but less charitable than later participants.
Serious delinquency and later schizophrenia: A nationwide register-based follow-up study of Finnish pretrial 15- to 19-year-old offenders sent for a forensic psychiatric examination
Authors: Lindberg N. , Miettunen J. , Heiskala A. , Kaltiala-Heino R.
Published: May 2017

Background:

Aggressive and disruptive behaviors often precede the onset of schizophrenia. In this register-based follow-up study with a case-control design, we wanted to investigate if serious delinquency was associated with future diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (here, broadly defined schizophrenia) among a nationwide consecutive sample of 15- to 19-year-old Finnish delinquents sent for a forensic psychiatric examination in 1989–2010.

Methods:

The sample comprised 313 delinquents with no past or current psychotic disorder. For each delinquent, four age-, gender- and place of birth -matched controls were randomly selected from the Central Population Register. Five controls (0.4%) had been treated for schizophrenia before their respective index-dates and were thus excluded from further analysis, leaving us with a control population of 1247 individuals. The subjects were followed till death, emigration or the end of 2015, whichever occurred first. Diagnoses were obtained from the Care Register for Health Care.

Results:

Forty (12.8%) of the delinquents and 11 (0.9%) of the controls were diagnosed with schizophrenia later in life (HR 16.6, 95% CI 8.53–32.39, P < 0.001). Almost half of the pretrial adolescents with later schizophrenia were diagnosed within 5 years of the forensic psychiatric examination, but latency was longer among the other half of the sample, reaching up to 20.5 years.

Conclusions:

The study supports the previous research indicating a potential link between serious delinquency and later schizophrenia. Accurate psychiatric assessments should be made in correctional services but also later in life so that any possible psychotic symptoms can be detected in individuals with a history of serious delinquency even if there were no signs of psychosis before or at the time of the crime. Future research should explore which factors influence the delinquent's risk of developing later schizophrenia.
Modeling of the formation of nonisothermal zoning in magnesian skarns in the ore-magmatic fluid systems of intrusive traps of the southern Siberian Platform
Authors: Mazurov M.P. , Bykova V.G.
Published: May 2017

Using the Selector PC application, we studied the process of formation of magnesian skarns at the contact of dolerites with carbonate-salt deposits. The physicochemical parameters of metasomatic processes were estimated by studying the localization of skarn ore shoots and mineral assemblages in the deposits of the Angara–Ilim type. The action of magmatic fluids on the system dolerite–magnesian salt deposits and dolerite–carbonate-salt deposits resulted in zonal columns of infiltration magnesian skarns. The computation was carried out using a dynamic multireservoir model of a flow reactor with a constant temperature gradient and a uniform pressure. We have established that changes in the C/H ratio and Cl content in the fluid source affect the composition of the produced mineral assemblages. Depending on the temperature during the formation of skarns, different mineral assemblages are produced: diopside, enstatite, anorthite, quartz, ilmenite, hercynite, and pyrrhotite at 1040–1010 °C; monticellite, forsterite, magnetite, geikielite, periclase, spinel, calcite, and graphite at 980–740 °C; and calcite, dolomite, phlogopite, halite, and graphite at 710–380 °C. Wollastonite is observed in the rear zone of magnesian skarns. We examined the temperature-dependent sequence of formation of different types of silicates, spinels, and Ti-containing minerals in the metasomatic column. The computation results show that during crystallization, the tholeiitic magma releases a fluid phase with C/H = 0.1–1.0, amounting to 1.5–2.0 wt.%.
Transient characteristics of induced polarization in inhomogeneous media (from results of 2D numerical simulation)
Authors: Gurin G.V. , Tarasov A.V. , Il’in Yu.T. , Titov K.V.
Published: May 2017

This paper presents the results of 2D mathematical modeling of induced polarization (IP) in the cases of profiling and electrical tomography for piecewise homogeneous media containing ore bodies with different structures, sizes, depths, relaxation times, chargeability, and electrical resistivity. The standard and spectral approaches to data analysis are compared. The cases where analysis of transient IP characteristics yields new information of practical importance are considered. The main features of transient IP characteristics in 2D inhomogeneous media are determined from the modeling results. Analysis of transient IP characteristics is found to yield the best results when the depth of occurrence of polarizable bodies is minimal and their electrical conductivity is an order of magnitude lower than that of the host tock.
What to do when a patient wants to record a patient-physician interaction in the emergency department
Authors: Nolan Brodie , Ackery Alun , Au Bryan
Published: May 2017

Recent technological advances allow for instantaneous high quality video and audio recordings with the touch of a button. In Canada, patient privacy is highly regulated by provincial legislation, although patients themselves have little in the way of laws or regulations to observe. Patients taking video recordings of their own medical care does not currently fall under any of the provincial privacy laws. With no such governance for the general public, patients generally have greater freedom to record a patient-physician interaction. Unfortunately, there are no official policies from the provincial physician colleges regarding how best to proceed in these circumstances. Therefore, the onus is on individual hospitals and emergency departments (EDs) to develop their own policy on video recordings. A policy should ideally cover possible recording devices, locations, staff involved, and mandate that a written consent form be included with the patient’s chart. While every request should be considered individually, physicians should generally not feel compelled to agree to the patient recording the clinical encounter. Patients are legally allowed to record a patient-physician interaction without consent of their physician, because the patient can provide the “one-party consent” for the conversation to be recorded. Physicians should accept the possibility that they are being recorded at all times and should strive to communicate as clearly and effectively as possible. Physicians should strive to provide the same level of care that they would even if they were not being recorded, and not let it interfere with their clinical decision-making.
Research capacity strengthening in South Asia: based on the experience of South Asian Hub for Advocacy, Research and Education on Mental Health (SHARE)
Authors: Sharma M. , Razzaque B.
Published: May 2017

The South Asian Hub for Advocacy, Research and Education (SHARE) was a five-year National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded program that aimed to stimulate the research base for task-shifting mental health interventions to address the mental health treatment gap in low and middle-income countries. During its 5 years (2011–2016) SHARE made notable accomplishments, including providing 20 studentships for short courses and ten fellowships to conduct mentored study, developing a new humanitarian research training course, implementing distance learning courses, creating an online repository of training materials, creation of a network of public health researchers at different career stages in South Asia, strengthening of partnerships amongst institutions of SHARE network and supporting its member's to produce peer reviewed publications. Furthermore, additional research capacity building and research grants leveraged on SHARE network were secured. The salient lessons learned in the 5-year program were that research capacity-building opportunities need to be tailored to the local context, as SHARE sought to develop and support courses that can build the capacities in specific areas identified as weak in the South Asian region. Mentoring was recognized as a critical component for which innovative and effective models of mentoring in the region need to be developed. Diverse platforms and mediums ought to be utilized to deliver the research training programs. Finally, research capacity-building program requires collaborative efforts of multiple stakeholders working locally, nationally and globally to attain the maximum impact in a region.
Research Potential on Innovation in India and China
Authors: Zhou Steven Jingzi , Zhou Abby Jingzi
Published: May 2017

Recently, we attended the Second MOR Research Frontiers Conference hosted by Indian Institute of Management Bangalore in India. The theme of the conference was ‘The SME Ecology of Transforming Economies: Knowledge Creation, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Growth’. As Professor Peter Murmann stressed, the purpose of this frontier conference was about collectively exploring and extending the frontier of research, and therefore, a number of emerging topics were discussed. The conference highlighted for us the great potential of research about India or comparative studies across transitional economies, especially between India and China. Below we highlight a few thoughts or reflections.
The Politics of Judicial Appointment: Do Party Connections Impede the Appointment of Women to Canada's Federally Appointed Courts?
Authors: Crandall Erin , Lawlor Andrea
Published: May 2017

The influence of party connection on the selection of judges has long been an issue in Canada This article considers whether such connections adversely affect the appointment of women judges to federally appointed courts. The answer appears to be yes. Using political donations as a proxy for party connection, the data analyzed here suggest that as the number of appointees with connections to the government rises, the number of women appointees falls. However, for appointments to provincial courts by the government of Ontario, the prevalence of political connections among judicial appointees is less prominent, suggesting that different systems of judicial appointment may help to lessen these effects.
Alien and native fish in gill nets at Rhodes, eastern Mediterranean (2014–2015)
Authors: Corsini-Foka Maria , Mastis Stefanos , Kondylatos Gerasimos , Batjakas Ioannis E.
Published: May 2017

Fish catch composition in 21 gill net samplings performed between 2014 and 2015 at Rhodes Island (Aegean Sea, Greece) was analysed, with the aim to contribute in filling scattered information on coastal fish assemblages in a Mediterranean region heavily impacted by biological invasions. A total biomass of 183 kg was collected comprising 1070 fish individuals, distributed along 43 native and six Lessepsian migrant species. The alien Siganus luridus prevailed in terms of frequency of occurrence, followed by the native Sparisoma cretense, which exhibited the higher abundance and biomass, followed by S. luridus, Scorpaena scrofa and Siganus rivulatus. Ratios between alien and native species as well as between their abundance and biomass are discussed.
The future for long chain n-3 PUFA in the prevention of coronary heart disease: do we need to target non-fish-eaters?
Authors: Hall W. L.
Published: May 2017

Dietary guidelines in many countries include a recommendation to consume oily fish, mainly on the basis of evidence from prospective cohort studies that fish consumption is cardioprotective. However, average intakes are very low in a large proportion of the UK population. Some groups, such as vegans and vegetarians, purposely omit fish (along with meat) from their diet resulting in zero or trace intakes of long chain (LC) n-3 PUFA. Although the efficacy of dietary fish oil supplementation in the prevention of CVD has been questioned in recent years, the balance of evidence indicates that LC n-3 PUFA exert systemic pleiotropic effects through their influence on gene expression, cell signalling, membrane fluidity and by conversion to specialised proresolving mediators; autacoid lipid mediators that resolve inflammatory events. The long-term impact of reduced tissue LC n-3 PUFA content on cardiovascular health is surprisingly poorly understood, particularly with regard to how low proportions of LC n-3 PUFA in cell membranes may affect cardiac electrophysiology and chronic inflammation. Randomised controlled trials investigating effects of supplementation on prevention of CHD in populations with low basal LC n-3 PUFA tissue status are lacking, and so the clinical benefits of supplementing non-fish-eating groups with vegetarian sources of LC n-3 PUFA remain to be determined. Refocusing dietary LC n-3 PUFA intervention studies towards those individuals with a low LC n-3 PUFA tissue status may go some way towards reconciling results from randomised controlled trials with the epidemiological evidence.
Using foresight to prioritise the present
Authors: Bulley Adam , Pepper Gillian , Suddendorf Thomas
Published: May 2017

Planning for the future may encourage apparently “impulsive” behaviour when the future is anticipated to be bleak. Thus, a seeming failure of self-control in reactive violence could be caused not by a disinclination to plan ahead, but by virtue of this ability. Furthermore, we point to empirical and theoretical shortcomings in the authors' case, such as a failure to distinguish proximate and ultimate explanations.
A climate of confusion
Authors: Campbell Anne
Published: May 2017

I identify two confusions and omissions in the target article. Confusion arises from failure to distinguish between a genetically transmitted adaptation and a conditional response to the environment, and from the elision of individual and societal adaptations. Despite points of similarity, there is no mention of Rushton's controversial theory of the climatic basis of race differences in violent crime. Sex differences are also ignored.
CLASH's life history foundations
Authors: Frankenhuis Willem E. , Fenneman Jesse , van Gelder Jean-Louis , Godoy Irene
Published: May 2017

We recommend extending CLASH by incorporating two evolutionary accounts of the shift toward fast life histories under harsh, unpredictable conditions. These accounts, if integrated with CLASH, make different predictions about the distributions of aggression and violence within and between societies. We discuss these predictions and propose ways of testing them.
The CLASH model in broader life history context
Authors: Simpson Jeffry A. , Griskevicius Vladas
Published: May 2017

In this commentary, we address two questions: (1) Is the drive in many young men to gain status and amass resources, which frequently entails direct competition with members of outgroups, one of the key variables underlying the CLASH model? (2) Why is there so much variation in reactive aggression/violence between people living in the same environment?
Stuck in the heat or stuck in the hierarchy? Power relations explain regional variations in violence
Authors: Weick Mario , Vasiljevic Milica , Uskul Ayse K. , Moon Chanki
Published: May 2017

We contend that an ecological account of violence and aggression requires consideration of societal and cultural settings. Focusing on hierarchical relations, we argue countries with higher (vs. lower) power distance are, on average, located closer to the equator, have more challenging climates (e.g., higher temperature; lower temperature variation), and have a greater prevalence of violence and aggression (e.g., higher homicide rates).
Where the psychological adaptations hit the ecological road
Authors: Jonason Peter K. , Schmitt David P.
Published: May 2017

We argue that the target authors focus too much on adaptive behavioralresponsesand not enough on actual psychologicaladaptations. We suggest the Dark Triad traits may represent facultative, psychological adaptations sensitive to seasonal variance and food shortages. We document that shorter distances from the equator are linked to higher national narcissism levels, whereas longer distances are associated with higher national-level machiavellianism. Dark Triad traits may serve as critical survival mechanisms when prioritizing oneself over and/or at the cost of others.
Warm coffee, sunny days, and prosocial behavior
Authors: Konrath Sara
Published: May 2017

This commentary discusses the research finding that warmer temperatures are associated with more prosocial outcomes. It calls for future research and theory on climate-related variables and social behavior to allow for both positive and negative emotional and behavioral responses to warmer temperatures.
Inconsistent with the data: Support for the CLASH model depends on the wrong kind of latitude
Authors: Burke Darren , Sulikowski Danielle , Stephen Ian , Brooks Robert
Published: May 2017

We argue that the CLASH model makes a number of questionable assumptions about the harshness and unpredictability of low-latitude environments, calling into question the life history strategy approach used, and that it is inconsistent with more nuanced global patterns of violence. We suggest an alternative account for less violence at high latitudes, based on a greater need for cooperation.
Eating and body image: Does food insecurity make us feel thinner?
Authors: Ambroziak Klaudia B. , Azañón Elena , Longo Matthew R.
Published: May 2017

Body image distortions are common in healthy individuals and a central aspect of serious clinical conditions, such as eating disorders. This commentary explores the potential implications of body image and its distortions for the insurance hypothesis. In particular, we speculate that body image may be an intervening variable mediating the relationship between perceived food scarcity and eating behavior.
Expanding the insurance hypothesis of obesity with physiological cues
Authors: Blackwell Aaron D.
Published: May 2017

Food insecurity relates to fat storage, but cannot explain fat storage in excess of levels optimal for buffering – that is, obesity. However, factors related to food unpredictability in the past, including stress, disease, micronutrient content of food, and physical activity, may cue physiological processes that change intake or fat deposition even in the absence of actual food unpredictability.
Preposition accuracy on a sentence repetition task in school age Spanish–English bilinguals
Authors: TALIANCICH-KLINGER CASEY L. , BEDORE LISA M. , PEÑA ELIZABETH D.
Published: May 2017

Preposition knowledge is important for academic success. The goal of this project was to examine how different variables such as English input and output, Spanish preposition score, mother education level, and age of English exposure (AoEE) may have played a role in children's preposition knowledge in English. 148 Spanish–English children between 7;0 and 9;11 produced prepositions in English and Spanish on a sentence repetition task from an experimental version of the Bilingual English Spanish Assessment Middle Extension (Peña, Bedore, Gutierrez-Clellen, Iglesias & Goldstein, in development). English input and output accounted for most of the variance in English preposition score. The importance of language-specific experiences in the development of prepositions is discussed. Competition for selection of appropriate prepositions in English and Spanish is discussed as potentially influencing low overall preposition scores in English and Spanish.
Social–ecological predictors of externalizing behavior trajectories in at-risk youth
Authors: Figge Caleb J. , Martinez-Torteya Cecilia , Weeks Jessica E.
Published: May 2017

Extant research consistently links youth externalizing problems and later maladaptive outcomes, and these behaviors are particularly detrimental given their relative stability across development. Although an array of risk and protective factors for externalizing problems have been identified, few studies have examined factors reflecting the multiple social–ecological levels that influence child development and used them to predict longitudinal trajectories of externalizing problems. The current study examined externalizing behavior trajectories in a sample of 1,094 at-risk youth (539 boys, 555 girls) from the Longitudinal Studies in Child Abuse and Neglect multisite longitudinal study of child maltreatment. Normed Child Behavior Checklist externalizing scores were used to estimate group trajectories via growth-based trajectory modeling at ages 10, 12, 14, and 16 using the SAS PROC TRAJ procedure. Model fit was assessed using the Bayes information criterion and the Akaike information criterion statistics. Analyses revealed optimal fit for five distinct behavioral trajectories: low stable, mid-increasing, mid-decreasing, medium high, and high stable. Multinomial logistic regressions revealed that a combination of risk and protective factors at individual, family, school, and neighborhood levels contribute to distinct trajectories of externalizing problems over time. Predictors of low and decreasing trajectories can inform interventions aimed at addressing externalizing problems among high-risk adolescents.
The Scope of Intention: Action, Conduct, and Responsibility
Authors: Audi Robert
Published: May 2017

Intention takes various forms. Must its objects be acts or activities? How much can be encompassed in the content of a single intention? Can intentions can have the content: to A for R, where ‘A’ ranges over act-types and ‘R’ over reasons for action, for instance to keep my promise? The question is particularly important on the widely accepted assumption that, for concrete actions (act-tokens) that are rational and have moral worth, both their rationality and their moral worth depend on the reason(s) for which they are performed. If intentions can have content of the form of ‘to A for R’, should we conclude that (contrary to the position of many philosophers) we have direct voluntary control of the reason(s) for which we act? If intentions cannot have such content, how can we intend to do, not just what we ought to do, but to do it with ‘moral worth’? This question is also raised by the idea that we can be commanded to treat others as ends in themselves – which presumably has moral worth. If the commandable is intendable, then, to understand commands and other directives, we need a theory of the scope of intention. This paper explores kinds and objects of intention, outlines an account of its scope, and brings out some implications of the account for moral responsibility.
The effects of supportive care interventions on depressive symptoms among patients with lung cancer: A metaanalysis of randomized controlled studies
Authors: Hsieh Chia-Chen , Hsiao Fei-Hsiu
Published: May 2017

Objective:

Our aim was to examine the effect of supportive care interventions on depressive symptoms in patients with lung cancer.

Method:

We searched the databases of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Ovid EMBASE, PubMed, and the Chinese Electronic Periodical Services (CEPS) from their inception until September of 2015. We included randomized controlled trial studies that compared standard care with supportive care interventions. The standardized mean difference (SMD) (Cohen's d) was calculated to estimate the effect of interventions. Subgroup analysis was conducted to identify possible sources of heterogeneity.

Results:

A total of 1,472 patients with lung cancer were identified. Compared with standard care, the overall effects of all supportive care interventions significantly reduced depressive symptoms (SMD = –0.74, CI95% = –1.07 to –0.41), and the effects could be maintained at weeks 4, 8, and 12 of follow-up. Three types of supportive care interventions were identified: psychotherapy combined with psychoeducation, psychoeducation alone, and an exercise program. Both psychotherapy combined with psychoeducation and exercise significantly improved depressive symptoms, while psychoeducation alone did not yield significant effects. The moderating effects indicated that greater improvements in depressive symptoms were found in lung cancer patients with a severe level of depressive symptoms at baseline.

Significance of results:

Personalized supportive care interventions can be developed based on the main causes of depressive symptoms. Psychotherapy combined with psychoeducation can target the causes of depressive symptoms, including both physical distress and psychological trauma due to lung cancer, while exercise programs can effectively improve depressive symptoms for lung cancer patients with impaired respiratory function.
Modern Sexism and the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election: Reassessing the Casualties of the “War on Women”
Authors: Simas Elizabeth N. , Bumgardner Marcia
Published: May 2017

The 2012 contest between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney included fierce dialogue about women and issues typically connected to them. The inflammatory comments that conservative radio-show host Rush Limbaugh made about female law student Sandra Fluke and the Affordable Health Care Act's (ACA) requirements that all workplaces cover contraceptives were central topics in the news. The controversy literally followed Romney in the form of “Pillamina,” a human-sized costume designed to look like a pack of birth control pills that shadowed the candidate's summer swing state tour. While “Pillamina” was the work of Planned Parenthood's Action Fund, the Obama campaign also took aim at Romney on this issue, running a television commercial featuring “Dawn and Alex,” two women talking about how out of touch Romney is with women's health issues. The Romney campaign's attempts to counter these attacks and shift the focus of conversation were largely thwarted, as questionable comments from Republican Senate candidates Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock brought the issue of abortion to the forefront. Both of these statements added fuel to the narrative that Republicans are out of touch with women's needs. And Romney himself contributed to the problem, as his notorious “binders full of women” debate response broadened the scope of the issue from reproductive rights to more general issues about gender equality. Altogether, these Republican comments and positions opened the door for Democrats on the campaign trail to attack the party, and a popular conclusion is that this “War on Women” narrative hurt the Republican Party and played an integral part in Obama's victory.
A single-walker approach for studying quasi-nonergodic systems
Authors: Rimas Zilvinas , Taraskin Sergei N.
Published: May 2017

The jump-walking Monte-Carlo algorithm is revisited and updated to study the equilibrium properties of systems exhibiting quasi-nonergodicity. It is designed for a single processing thread as opposed to currently predominant algorithms for large parallel processing systems. The updated algorithm is tested on the Ising model and applied to the lattice-gas model for sorption in aerogel at low temperatures, when dynamics of the system is critically slowed down. It is demonstrated that the updated jump-walking simulations are able to produce equilibrium isotherms which are typically hidden by the hysteresis effect characteristic of the standard single-flip simulations.
Enhancing the genome editing toolbox: genome wide CRISPR arrayed libraries
Authors: Metzakopian Emmanouil , Strong Alex , Iyer Vivek , Hodgkins Alex , Tzelepis Konstantinos , Antunes Liliana , Friedrich Mathias J , Kang Qiaohua , Davidson Teresa , Lamberth Jacob , Hoffmann Christina , Davis Gregory D. , Vassiliou George S. , Skarnes William C. , Bradley Allan
Published: May 2017

CRISPR-Cas9 technology has accelerated biological research becoming routine for many laboratories. It is rapidly replacing conventional gene editing techniques and has high utility for both genome-wide and gene-focussed applications. Here we present the first individually cloned CRISPR-Cas9 genome wide arrayed sgRNA libraries covering 17,166 human and 20,430 mouse genes at a complexity of 34,332 sgRNAs for human and 40,860 sgRNAs for the mouse genome. For flexibility in generating stable cell lines the sgRNAs have been cloned in a lentivirus backbone containing PiggyBac transposase recognition elements together with fluorescent and drug selection markers. Over 95% of tested sgRNA induced specific DNA cleavage as measured by CEL-1 assays. Furthermore, sgRNA targeting GPI anchor protein pathway genes induced loss of function mutations in human and mouse cell lines measured by FLAER labelling. These arrayed libraries offer the prospect for performing screens on individual genes, combinations as well as larger gene sets. They also facilitate rapid deconvolution of signals from genome-wide screens. This set of vectors provide an organized comprehensive gene editing toolbox of considerable scientific value.
Characterization of two distant double-slits by chaotic light second-order interference
Authors: D’Angelo Milena , Mazzilli Aldo , Pepe Francesco V. , Garuccio Augusto , Tamma Vincenzo
Published: May 2017

We present the experimental characterization of two distant double-slit masks illuminated by chaotic light, in the absence of first-order imaging and interference. The scheme exploits second-order interference of light propagating through two indistinguishable pairs of disjoint optical paths passing through the masks of interest. The proposed technique leads to a deeper understanding of biphoton interference and coherence, and opens the way to the development of novel schemes for retrieving information on the relative position and the spatial structure of distant objects, which is of interest in remote sensing, biomedical imaging, as well as monitoring of laser ablation, when first-order imaging and interference are not feasible.
Recent changes in daily climate extremes in an arid mountain region, a case study in northwestern China’s Qilian Mountains
Authors: Lin Pengfei , He Zhibin , Du Jun , Chen Longfei , Zhu Xi , Li Jing
Published: May 2017

Changes in climate extremes pose far-reaching consequences to ecological processes and hydrologic cycles in alpine ecosystems of the arid mountain regions. Therefore, regional assessments in various climates and mountain regions are needed for understanding the uncertainties of the change trends for extreme climate events. The objective of this study was to assess the spatial distribution and temporal trends of extreme precipitation and temperature events responses to global warming on the arid mountain regions of China. Results found that temperature extremes exhibited a significant warming trend, consistent with global warming. Warming trend in autumn and winter were greater than in spring and summer. Besides, precipitation extremes also exhibited statistically increase trend, such as number of days with heavy precipitation and rain day precipitation, etc. The distribution of the number of rainy days was showed a significant increasing trend in many sites, indicating that the increase of rain day precipitation mainly contributed by the increase of single precipitation event duration and moderate-rain days. The greater increasing trend of extreme climate events mainly existed in higher altitudes. This results lend an evidence to earlier predictions that the climate in northwestern China is changing from cold-dry to warm-wet.
CD47 surface stability is sensitive to actin disruption prior to inclusion within the band 3 macrocomplex
Authors: Mordue Kathryn E. , Hawley Bethan R. , Satchwell Timothy J. , Toye Ashley M.
Published: May 2017

CD47 is an important ‘marker of self’ protein with multiple isoforms produced though alternative splicing that exhibit tissue-specific expression. Mature erythrocytes express CD47 isoform 2 only, with membrane stability of this version dependent on inclusion within the band 3 macrocomplex, via protein 4.2. At present a paucity of information exists regarding the associations and trafficking of the CD47 isoforms during erythropoiesis. We show that CD47 isoform 2 is the predominant version maintained at the surface of expanding and terminally differentiating erythroblasts. CD47 isoforms 3 and 4 are expressed in all cell types tested except mature erythrocytes, but do not reach the plasma membrane in erythroblasts and are degraded by the orthochromatic stage of differentiation. To identify putative CD47 interactants, immunoprecipitation combined with Nano LC-MS/MS mass spectrometry was conducted on the erythroleukaemic K562 cell line, expanding and terminally differentiating primary erythroblasts and mature erythrocytes. Results indicate that prior to incorporation into the band 3 macrocomplex, CD47 associates with actin-binding proteins and we confirm that CD47 membrane stability is sensitive to actin disrupting drugs. Maintenance of CD47 at the cell surface was also influenced by dynamin, with sensitivity to dynamin disruption prolonged relative to that of actin during erythropoiesis.
Sex-specific metabolic profiles of androgens and its main binding protein SHBG in a middle aged population without diabetes
Authors: Piontek Uwe , Wallaschofski Henri , Kastenmüller Gabi , Suhre Karsten , Völzke Henry , Do Kieu Trinh , Artati Anna , Nauck Matthias , Adamski Jerzy , Friedrich Nele , Pietzner Maik
Published: May 2017

The role of androgens in metabolism with respect to sex-specific disease associations is poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to provide molecular signatures in plasma and urine of androgen action in a sex-specific manner using state-of-the-art metabolomics techniques. Our study population consisted of 430 men and 343 women, aged 20–80 years, who were recruited for the cross-sectional population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND), Germany. We used linear regression models to identify associations between testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) as well as sex hormone-binding globulin and plasma or urine metabolites measured by mass spectrometry. The analyses revealed major sex-specific differences in androgen-associated metabolites, particularly for levels of urate, lipids and metabolic surrogates of lifestyle factors, like cotinine or piperine. In women, in particular in the postmenopausal state, androgens showed a greater impact on the metabolome than in men (especially DHEAS and lipids were highly related in women). We observed a novel association of androstenedione on the metabolism of biogenic amines and only a small sex-overlap of associations within steroid metabolism. The present study yields new insights in the interaction between androgens and metabolism, especially about their implication in female metabolism.
Ionic Liquids: evidence of the viscosity scale-dependence
Authors: Berrod Quentin , Ferdeghini Filippo , Zanotti Jean-Marc , Judeinstein Patrick , Lairez Didier , García Sakai Victoria , Czakkel Orsolya , Fouquet Peter , Constantin Doru
Published: May 2017

Ionic Liquids (ILs) are a specific class of molecular electrolytes characterized by the total absence of co-solvent. Due to their remarkable chemical and electrochemical stability, they are prime candidates for the development of safe and sustainable energy storage systems. The competition between electrostatic and van der Waals interactions leads to a property original for pure liquids: they self-organize in fluctuating nanometric aggregates. So far, this transient structuration has escaped to direct clear-cut experimental assessment. Here, we focus on a imidazolium based IL and use particle-probe rheology to (i) catch this phenomenon and (ii) highlight an unexpected consequence: the self-diffusion coefficient of the cation shows a one order of magnitude difference depending whether it is inferred at the nanometric or at the microscopic scale. As this quantity partly drives the ionic conductivity, such a peculiar property represents a strong limiting factor to the performances of ILs-based batteries.
Scopolin ameliorates high-fat diet induced hepatic steatosis in mice: potential involvement of SIRT1-mediated signaling cascades in the liver
Authors: Yoo Ahyoung , Narayan Vikram P. , Hong Eun Young , Whang Wan Kyunn , Park Taesun
Published: May 2017

The present study aimed to investigate whether scopolin exhibits beneficial effects on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis in mice. The involvement of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) as a molecular target for scopolin was also explored. Scopolin decreased the Km of SIRT1 for p53 and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide without altering Vmax in a cell-free system. Scopolin alleviated oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation and downregulation of SIRT1 activity in HepG2 cells, and these beneficial effects of scopolin were abolished in the presence of SIRT1 inhibitor. Mice administered 0.02% scopolin for 8 weeks exhibited improved phenotypes of HFD-induced hepatic steatosis along with increased hepatic SIRT1 activity and protein expression. Scopolin resulted in increased deacetylation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c with subsequent downregulation of lipogenic genes, and enhanced deacetylation of protein peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α with upregulation of fatty acid oxidation genes in livers. Scopolin also enhanced deacetylation of nuclear factor-kappa enhancer binding protein and liver kinase B1 (LKB1), facilitating LKB1/AMP-activated protein kinase signaling cascades. Scopolin attenuated hepatic steatosis through activation of SIRT1-mediated signaling cascades, a potent regulator of lipid homeostasis. Increased hepatic SIRT1 activity and protein expression appeared to be associated with these beneficial effects of scopolin.
A systemic review and an updated meta-analysis: minimally invasive vs open pancreaticoduodenectomy
Authors: Zhao Zhanwei , Yin Zifang , Hang Zhenning , Ji Gang , Feng Quanxin , Zhao Qingchuan
Published: May 2017

The feasible of minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) remains controversial when compared with open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD). We conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis to summarise the available evidence to compare MIPD vs OPD. We systemically searched PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science for studies published through February 2016. The primary endpoint was postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF, grade B/C). A total of 27 studies involving 14,231 patients (2,377 MIPD and 11,854 OPD) were included. MIPD was associated with longer operative times (P < 0.01) and increased mortality (P < 0.01), but decreased estimated blood loss (P < 0.01), decreased delayed gastric emptying (P < 0.01), increased R0 resection rate (P < 0.01), decreased wound infection (P = 0.03) and shorter hospital stays (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in BMI (P = 0.43), tumor size (P = 0.17), lymph nodes harvest (P = 0.57), POPF (P = 0.84), reoperation (P = 0.25) and 5-year survival rates (P = 0.82) for MIPD compared with OPD. Although there was an increased operative cost (P < 0.01) for MIPD compared with OPD, the postoperative cost was less (P < 0.01) with the similar total costs (P = 0.28). MIPD can be a reasonable alternative to OPD with the potential advantage of being minimally invasive. However, MIPD should be performed in high-volume centers and more randomized-controlled trials are needed to evaluate the appropriate indications of MIPD.
Hepatocyte SHP-1 is a Critical Modulator of Inflammation During Endotoxemia
Authors: Adhikari Anupam , Martel Caroline , Marette André , Olivier Martin
Published: May 2017

Liver hepatocytes (Hep) are known to be central players during the inflammatory response to systemic infection. Interestingly, the protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) SHP-1, has been recognized as a major regulator of inflammation; however their implication in the control of Hep-mediated inflammatory response is still unknown. To study its implication in the regulation of the Hep-mediated inflammatory response during endotoxemia, Cre-Lox mice with a Hep-specific Ptpn6 deletion (Ptpn6
H-KO
) were injected with LPS. In contrast to the wild-type mice (Ptpn6
f/f
) that started to die by 24 hrs post-inoculation, the Ptpn6
H-KO
mice exhibited mortality by 6 hrs. In parallel, higher amounts of metabolic markers, pro-inflammatory mediators and circulating cytokines were detected in Ptpn6
H-KO
mice. Primary Hep obtained from Ptpn6
H-KO
, also showed increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) comparatively to its wild type (Ptpn6
f/f
) counterpart. Pharmacological approaches to block TNF-α and NO production protected both the Ptpn6
f/f
and the Ptpn6
H-KO
mice against deadly LPS-mediated endotoxemia. Collectively, these results establish hepatocyte SHP-1 is a critical player regulating systemic inflammation. Our findings further suggest that SHP-1 activation could represent a new therapeutic avenue to better control inflammatory-related pathologies.
Cellular responses to T-2 toxin and/or deoxynivalenol that induce cartilage damage are not specific to chondrocytes
Authors: Lei Yang , Guanghui Zhao , Xi Wang , Yingting Wang , Xialu Lin , Fangfang Yu , Goldring Mary B. , Xiong Guo , Lammi Mikko J.
Published: May 2017

The relationship between T-2 toxin and deoxynivalenol (DON) and the risk of Kashin-Beck disease is still controversial since it is poorly known about their selectivity in cartilage damage. We aimed to compare the cytotoxicity of T-2 toxin and DON on cell lines representative of cell types encountered in vivo, including human chondrocytes (C28/I2), human hepatic epithelial cells (L-02) and human tubular epithelial cells (HK-2). In addition, we determined the distribution of T-2 toxin and DON in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats after a single dose exposure. T-2 toxin or DON decreased proliferation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner and their combination showed a similar antagonistic effect in C28/I2, L-02 and HK-2 cells. Moreover, we observed cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, associated with increased oxidative stress and decline in mitochondrial membrane potential induced by T-2 toxin and/or DON. In vivo study showed that T-2 toxin and DON did not accumulate preferentially in the knee joint compared to liver and kidney after an acute exposure in SD rats. These results suggest that T-2 toxin and/or DON inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis through a possible mechanism involving reactive oxygen species-mediated mitochondrial pathway that is not specific for chondrocytes in vitro or joint tissues in vivo.