bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The discursive uses of Jane Jacobs for the genderfying city: Understanding the productions of space for post-Fordist gender notions
Authors: van den Berg Marguerite
Published: December 2016

The massive increases in women’s labour participation and the return of families with children to the city are often overlooked in understanding contemporary views on urban planning, despite decades of feminist urban theory. This article proposes to understand what is termed the ‘urban gender revolution’ through looking closely at the celebration of Jane Jacobs as the planning hero of the day. Zooming in on the city of Amsterdam, this article offers a case study of the popularity of Jane Jacobs to investigate the production of space for post-Fordist gender notions – genderfication – and to ask the question what new forms of exclusions are the result of this perhaps less sexist city (when compared to the modernist patriarchal ideal that Jacobs rallied against). In addition, it posits that the genderfication-project may help to overcome inequalities along gender lines; it underlines those along class lines.
Introduction: Sex, consumption and commerce in the contemporary city
Authors: Hubbard Phil , Collins Alan , Gorman-Murray Andrew
Published: December 2016

Recent accounts of sexual commerce have drawn attention to the proliferation of online and sexual consumption. Yet the mediated exchange of sexual images and content folds into the spaces of the city in a variety of complex ways. Drawing on a variety of social science perspectives, this paper provides an introductory overview of a collection of papers exploring the changing contours of sexual consumption in the city and the distribution of sexual commerce across – and between – private, domestic and public, commercial spaces. Exploring the ways in which diverse LGBT and heterosexual identities are differently marketised, commodified and consumed, this introduction argues that over the last decade, contradictory moments of sexual emancipation and repression have changed where (and how) sexual consumption is visible in the city, shaping rights to the city in complex ways which need to be more thoroughly acknowledged in ‘mainstream’ urban studies.
Nuts and Bolts, Bells, Whistles, and Rust in the Social Sciences
Authors: Fairbrother Daniel
Published: December 2016

Here I discuss the philosophical contributions to Analytical Sociology and Social Mechanisms, a collection of essays edited by Pierre Demeulenaere. I begin by introducing the idea of a social mechanism and showing that it has already had an impact within empirical analytical sociology. I then discuss some examples of the philosophical work offered in Demeulenaere’s collection in support of this analytical “movement” in the social sciences. I argue that some of these examples demonstrate thin scholarship and only a veneer of philosophical argument, but that Jon Elster’s contribution fuses impressively philosophical analysis and social science. I conclude by suggesting that analytical sociologists should focus on producing sociological explanations not philosophical theories.
Inmate Violence and Correctional Staff Burnout: The Role of Sense of Security, Gender, and Job Characteristics
Authors: Isenhardt Anna , Hostettler Ueli
Published: December 2016

Violence in the workplace has serious consequences for employees and organizations. Based on a survey in early 2012 among employees from all work areas of 89 of the total 112 correctional facilities in Switzerland resulting in a sample of 2,045 employees (response rate 48.5%), this study (a) analyzed whether victimization has an impact on correctional staff burnout, (b) tested the hypothetical mediating role of sense of security in the relationship between victimization and burnout, and (c) included gender and job characteristics because work experiences and exposure to violence of staff differ strongly with gender and work tasks. Two different forms of violence were considered: (a) experienced violence (inmates-on-staff) and (b) observed violence (inmate-on-inmate). Analysis was carried out using structural equation modeling. Results show that victimization and witnessing violence between inmates negatively affect the personal sense of security and increase correctional staff burnout. In addition, the sense of security mediated the effect from experienced and observed violence on burnout. Gender and job characteristics also proved to be important. This is especially true for staff working as correctional officers and for employees working with young inmates and with inmates awaiting trial who reported a greater exposure to violence and a lower sense of security. The study adds to the knowledge on violence and its outcomes in corrections and contributes to the literature on the consequences of workplace violence in general and, specifically, in social service occupations.
Propaganda, psychological warfare and communication research in the USA and the Soviet Union during the Cold War
Authors: Nietzel Benno
Published: December 2016

This article discusses the role of communication research in the Cold War, moving from a US-centered to a comparative-transnational point of view. It examines research on prop-aganda and mass communication in the United States and the Soviet Union, focusing not only on the similarities and differences, but also on mutual perceptions and transnational entanglements. In both countries, communication scientists conducted their research with its benefits for propaganda practitioners and waging the Cold War in mind. It has been suggested that after an initial period of close cooperation between politics and communication science, early expectations of the potential of systematic research for controlling the hearts and minds of people through propaganda started to fade. On both sides of the Iron Curtain, communication research eventually became a ‘normal’ scholarly discipline.
Artificial hair cells inspired by active hair bundle motility
Authors: Joyce Bryan S , Tarazaga Pablo A
Published: December 2016

Hair cells are specialized sensory cells found in the auditory and vestibular systems of many vertebrates. Many of these cells display an active hair bundle motility that amplifies the hair cell’s response to small stimuli, increases frequency sensitivity, and produces an amplitude compression that allows the cell to transduce a large range of input amplitudes. These features are important in an animal’s ability to detect and understand complex stimuli in its environment. The hair bundle’s nonlinear amplification results from combination of a nonlinear stiffness produced by opening and closing ion channels and an adaptation motor that brings the hair bundle close to a dynamic instability. This article presents the models and designs for a bio-inspired, artificial hair cell inspired by active hair bundle motility. These sensors are based on cantilevered beams with a nonlinear stiffness and a piezoelectric actuator to mimic the adaptation motor. Artificial hair cells can serve as bio-inspired microphones hydrophones, accelerometers, or other dynamic sensors. By mimicking hair bundle motility, these sensors could detect smaller stimuli, have enhanced frequency resolution, and transduce a wider range of input levels compared to traditional sensors.
The Bachelor and other Disorderly Men during the American Founding
Authors: Kann Mark E.
Published: December 2016

The American founders used the figure of the bachelor to represent white males who failed to invest liberty with responsibility, only to foster disorder in the ranks of men. They saw the Bachelor's unrestrained sexuality as a source of social disarray and a symbol for the passions that dwelled within all men. They believed that marriage served a positive educative function, and they urged young males to measure up to manhood by settling down into family life and modest citizenship. The founders also relied on the criminal justice system to perform the negative educative function of punishing the unrepentant bachelor and other disorderly men—itinerants, paupers, rapists, sodomites, soldiers, backwoodsmen, Indians, and blacks—with ridicule, stigma, imprisonment, and banishment. My thesis is that the American founders employed hegemonic norms of manhood to encourage consent among most white men and legitimize coercion against those they considered to be disorderly men.
Sanctioning value
Authors: Denegri-Knott Janice , Tadajewski Mark
Published: December 2016

This article offers an historical account of the contestation surrounding MP3 and its legitimation as a consumer choice option. We juxtapose our narrative against the service-dominant logic (SDL) literature, which positions the consumer as the co-creator of value. In these debates issues of power and politics are downplayed. By contrast, we foreground the politicized processes that frame consumer choice options. Through a study of the legal disputes around MP3 and digital delivery services, we make a case that law courts provide the scaffolding for judgements of value in the market system. Contrary to proponents of SDL, value is not only a function of co-production between company and customer. Nor do all consumption practices acquire sufficient legitimacy to enter into legally sanctioned value co-creation interactions. This is a function of the ‘hyper-power’ practiced by the legal community and related actors, which constitute or deny value to product offerings. Value is not, therefore, necessarily phenomenologically determined by the ultimate consumer. Neither are they the sovereign individual of marketing lore. Their subjectivity is patterned by macro and meso actors and service provision is permitted when it is capable of enrolment within the circuits of capital accumulation.
Men and Money
Authors: Xing Cai , Chen Jiale , Du Chenduo
Published: December 2016

Past studies suggested that sex ratio influences individuals’ economic behaviors; however, the underlying mechanism of this effect remains unclear. In the current work, we examined how sex ratio influenced women’s preference for relative gain over greater absolute gain in the context of games involving resource allocation between oneself and another woman; the role of intrasexual competition in this process was also explored. By experimentally manipulating women’s perceptions of local sex ratio, the present study found that women primed with a female-biased sex ratio (i.e., an excess of women) showed higher levels of intrasexual competition. Exposure to the cue of a scarcity of men also led women to care more about their relative gain compared with absolute gain. The effect of sex ratio on shifts of women’s preference between relative gain and absolute gain was mediated by the strength of women’s competitive attitude toward same-sex others. These findings suggest that, by altering the intensity of female–female competition, sex ratio may have a pronounced effect on women’ economic-related decisions.
Sex differences in function and structure of the quadriceps muscle in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients
Authors: Ausín Pilar , Martínez-Llorens Juana , Sabaté-Bresco Marina , Casadevall Carme , Barreiro Esther , Gea Joaquim
Published: December 2016

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disorder with extrapulmonary manifestations. Even though there is some knowledge regarding sex differences in the lung disease, little is known about extrapulmonary manifestations. Our aim was to analyze the specific profile of muscle dysfunction, structure, and biology in COPD women. Twenty-one women and 19 men with stable COPD as well as 15 controls were included. Nutritional status, physical activity, lung and muscle function, exercise capacity, and quality of life were assessed. In addition, blood, breath condensate, and quadriceps muscle samples were tested for inflammatory markers. Moreover, fiber phenotype, signs of damage–regeneration, and the expression of key genes linked to myogenesis and inflammation were assessed in the muscle. Inflammatory markers were increased in all body compartments but no correlation was found among them. Muscle dysfunction was present in both COPD groups but was more marked in women. The opposite occurred with the increase in the percentage of type II fibers that was lower in women despite a similar level of airway obstruction as in men. Female COPD also showed higher signs of muscle damage than COPD men who, in contrast, exhibited slightly higher signs of regeneration. We conclude that sex influences muscle phenotype and function in COPD.
Thinking Style as a Predictor of Men’s Participation in Cancer Screening
Authors: McGuiness Clare E. , Turnbull Deborah , Wilson Carlene , Duncan Amy , Flight Ingrid H. , Zajac Ian
Published: December 2016

Men’s participation in cancer screening may be influenced by their thinking style. Men’s need for cognition (NFC) and faith in intuition were measured to explore whether they varied by demographic variables or predicted screening behavior. Australian males ( n = 585, aged 50-74 years) completed surveys about past screening and were subsequently offered mailed fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs). Demographic predictors included age, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, and language spoken at home. The screening behaviors were self-reported prostate cancer screening (prostate-specific antigen testing and digital rectal examinations [DREs]), and colorectal cancer screening (self-reported FOBT participation and recorded uptake of the FOBT offer). Analysis comprised principal component analysis and structural equation modelling. NFC was positively related to demographic variables education, socioeconomic status, and speaking English at home. Faith in intuition was negatively related to educational attainment. NFC predicted variance in self-reported DRE participation ( r = .11, p = .016). No other relationships with thinking style were statistically significant. The relationship of NFC to DRE participation may reflect the way certain attributes of this screening method are processed, or alternatively, it may reflect willingness to report participation. The relationship of thinking style to a range of healthy behaviors should be further explored.
Motivators and Barriers to Engaging in Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
Authors: Ashton Lee M. , Hutchesson Melinda J. , Rollo Megan E. , Morgan Philip J. , Collins Clare E.
Published: December 2016

Many Australian young men (18-25 years) fail to meet recommendations in national dietary or physical activity (PA) guidelines. However, there is a lack of understanding of their perspectives on PA and diet to inform intervention design. This study examined young men’s motivators and barriers to healthy eating and PA, along with differences by demographic and behavioral factors. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 282 men aged 18 to 25 years in Australia. Results identified the most common motivators for healthy eating included improving health (63.5%), body image (52.3%), and increasing energy (32.1%). Motivators for PA included improving body image (44.6%), fitness (44.2%), and health (41.0%). Common barriers to healthy eating were access to unhealthy foods (61.1%), time to cook/prepare healthy foods (55.0%), and motivation to cook healthy foods (50.7%). Barriers for PA included motivation (66.3%), time (57.8%), and cost of equipment/facilities (33.3%). Significant differences ( p < .01) in motivators to healthy eating and/or PA were identified for BMI category, marital status, PA level, alcohol intake, and stress levels. Significant differences were identified for barriers to healthy eating and/or PA by BMI, PA level, stress, and fruit and vegetable intake, assessed using Pearson’s chi-square test. Findings suggest that promotion of benefits related to health, appearance/body image, increased energy and fitness, and addressing key barriers including motivation, time, financial restraints, and accessibility of unhealthy foods, could engage young men in improving lifestyle behaviors. Differences by demographic and behavioral factors suggest development of tailored programs to address diversity among young men may be required.
An Exploratory Study of the Impact of Gender on Health Behavior Among African American and Latino Men With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Hawkins Jaclynn , Watkins Daphne C. , Kieffer Edith , Spencer Michael , Piatt Gretchen , Nicklett Emily J. , Lebron Alana , Espitia Nicolaus , Palmisano Gloria
Published: December 2016

This study explores gender values and beliefs among Latino and African American men with diabetes and examines how these values and beliefs may influence their health behaviors. Participants were recruited from individuals who participated in one of three Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health Detroit Partnership diabetes self-management interventions. One focus group was conducted with African American men ( n = 10) and two focus groups were conducted with Latino men ( n = 12) over a 3-month period. Sessions lasted 90 minutes, were audiotaped, and analyzed using thematic content analysis techniques. Two themes emerged that characterize gender identity and its relationship to health behavior in men: (a) men’s beliefs about being men (i.e., key aspects of being a man including having respect for themselves, authority figures, and peers; fulfilling the role as breadwinner; being responsible for serving as the leader of the family; and maintaining a sense of chivalry) and (b) influence of gender values and beliefs on health behavior (i.e., the need to maintain a strong image to the outside world, and the need to maintain control of themselves served as barriers to seeking out and engaging in diabetes self-management behaviors). Results suggest that gender values and beliefs may have implications for how health behaviors among men with diabetes. Future research should study the direct impact masculine identity has on health behaviors among men with diabetes.
Exploring Gender Differences in a Randomized Trial of Weight Loss Maintenance
Authors: Crane Melissa M. , Jeffery Robert W. , Sherwood Nancy E.
Published: December 2016

The purpose of this study is to explore gender differences in reasons for losing weight, weight loss methods, and weight loss behaviors prior to and during a weight loss maintenance trial. This is a secondary analysis of data from a 24-month randomized controlled trial comparing Self-Directed or Guided phone-based weight loss maintenance interventions among adults who had intentionally lost ≥10% of their body weight in the year prior to enrollment. Participants reported their weight loss methods and reasons for recently losing weight at baseline. Dietary intake, physical activity, and dietary patterns were assessed at baseline, 12, and 24 months. Participants included 419 adults (18.4% men, age 47.0 ± 10.8, BMI 28.4 ± 5.0). Women were more likely than men to report having used an organized weight loss program during their weight loss (55.9% vs. 24.7%, p < .001) and to report improving personal esteem as a motivator (51.2% vs. 35.1%, p = .01). Men were more likely than women to report eating food from convenience stores at baseline (22.1% vs. 13.2%, p = .05) and throughout the study but otherwise reported similar meal patterns ( ps > .05). Men reported higher energy intake than women while physical activity was similar. Although more men self-directed their initial weight loss and more women utilized organized weight loss programs, behaviors reported during weight loss maintenance were similar. Futures studies are needed to understand if these results generalize to other men who have successfully lost weight and are participants in other weight loss maintenance interventions.
Humanoid environmental perception with Gaussian process regression
Authors: Luo Dingsheng , Ding Yaoxiang , Han Xiaoqiang , Ma Yang , Deng Yian , Liu Zhan , Wu Xihong
Published: December 2016

Nowadays, humanoids are increasingly expected acting in the real world to complete some high-level tasks humanly and intelligently. However, this is a hard issue due to that the real world is always extremely complicated and full of miscellaneous variations. As a consequence, for a real-world-acting robot, precisely perceiving the environmental changes might be an essential premise. Unlike human being, humanoid robot usually turns out to be with much less sensors to get enough information from the real world, which further leads the environmental perception problem to be more challenging. Although it can be tackled by establishing direct sensory mappings or adopting probabilistic filtering methods, the nonlinearity and uncertainty caused by both the complexity of the environment and the high degree of freedom of the robots will result in tough modeling difficulties. In our study, with the Gaussian process regression framework, an alternative learning approach to address such a modeling problem is proposed and discussed. Meanwhile, to debase the influence derived from limited sensors, the idea of fusing multiple sensory information is also involved. To evaluate the effectiveness, with two representative environment changing tasks, that is, suffering unknown external pushing and suddenly encountering sloped terrains, the proposed approach is applied to a humanoid, which is only equipped with a three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis accelerometer. Experimental results reveal that the proposed Gaussian process regression-based approach is effective in coping with the nonlinearity and uncertainty of the humanoid environmental perception problem. Further, a humanoid balancing controller is developed, which takes the output of the Gaussian process regression-based environmental perception as the seed to activate the corresponding balancing strategy. Both simulated and hardware experiments consistently show that our approach is valuable and leads to a good base for achieving a successful balancing controller for humanoid.
The relationship between physical match performance and 48-h post-game creatine kinase concentrations in English Premier League soccer players
Authors: Scott A , Malone JJ , Morgans R , Burgess D , Gregson W , Morton JP , Drust B
Published: December 2016

The aim of the investigation was to determine the relationship between blood creatine kinase and physical match performance in 15 elite male soccer players competing in the English Premier League. Blood samples were collected 48 h following a competitive match and analysed for creatine kinase concentration immediately after collection. Physical match performance data were collected using a computerised tracking system (Prozone®) from >6 matches for each player. Mean ± S.D creatine kinase concentration 48 h post-match was 520 ± 224 µ.mol.l−1. Large individual variation in creatine kinase response at this time point was observed (184 µ.mol.l−1 to 1573 µ.mol.l−1). No significant correlation coefficients were observed between the chosen indicators of physical match performance and creatine kinase concentration 48 h post-match. These data suggest that creatine kinase concentrations are elevated as a consequence of playing a soccer match. Creatine kinase may also be of limited value in supporting important decisions in the coaching process.
Caring for Refugee Youth in the School Setting
Authors: Johnson Jennifer Leigh , Beard Joyce , Evans Dena
Published: December 2016

Annually, over 80,000 refugees enter the United States as a result of political or religious persecution. Of these, approximately 35% to 40% are children and adolescents. Refugees are faced with challenges associated with living conditions, cultural and social norms, and socioeconomic status due to problems occurring in their homelands. These challenges include but are not limited to malnutrition, communicable disease, questionable immunization status, lack of formal education, sexual abuse, violence, torture, human trafficking, homelessness, poverty, and a lack of access to health care. Moreover, the psychological impact of relocation and the stress of acculturation may perpetuate many of these existing challenges, particularly for refugee youth, with limited or underdeveloped coping skills. School nurses are uniquely poised to support refugee youth in the transition process, improve overall health, and facilitate access to primary health services. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the unique refugee experience, examine the key health care needs of the population, and present school nurses with timely and relevant resources to assist in caring for refugee youth.
Splanchnic vein thrombosis in myeloproliferative neoplasms: pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of disease
Authors: How Joan , Zhou Amy , Oh Stephen T.
Published: December 2016

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are the most common underlying prothrombotic disorder found in patients with splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT). Clinical risk factors for MPN-associated SVTs include younger age, female sex, concomitant hypercoagulable disorders, and the JAK2 V617F mutation. These risk factors are distinct from those associated with arterial or deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in MPN patients, suggesting disparate disease mechanisms. The pathophysiology of SVT is thought to derive from local interactions between activated blood cells and the unique splanchnic endothelial environment. Other mutations commonly found in MPNs, including CALR and MPL, are rare in MPN-associated SVT. The purpose of this article is to review the clinical and molecular risk factors for MPN-associated SVT, with particular focus on the possible mechanisms of SVT formation in MPN patients.
Integrative deal-design
Authors: Plewe Daniela Alina , de Rooy Robert
Published: December 2016

Following the aims of Proactive Law, which explores the relationship between contracts, contracting and better relationships, we seek to contribute to the understanding and operationalization of the contracting process. We identify four levels, which we believe technical contracting systems should facilitate: (1) Goal Hierarchies and Awareness of Values, as an overall exercise for identifying most promising synergies or deal constellations; (2) Pre-Negotiation level, as a strategic level related to a specific Negotiation; (3) Negotiation level, facilitating the process of a negotiation; and (4) Actual Contracting, as capturing an agreement in a legally binding form. After clarifying the terminology, we introduce a generic prototype of “Integrative Deal-Design” facilitating the seamless transition between the different levels of the contracting process, which can be customized according to various theoretical or practical approaches. Finally, we propose a set of characteristics for computer human interactive legal technology systems to facilitate better deal-design.
Membrane Oxygenator Use With Biventricular Assist Device: Facilitation of Support and Lung Recovery
Authors: Nelson-McMillan Kristen , Ravekes William J. , Thompson William R. , Brown Kristen M. , Wolff Larry , Wadia Rajeev S. , McNamara LeAnn M. , Shaffner Donald H. , Berkowitz Ivor D. , Jacobs Marshall L. , Vricella Luca A.
Published: December 2016

We present the use of a low-resistance membrane oxygenator (Quadrox D, Maquet) in series with a pulsatile right ventricular assist device (Berlin Heart EXCOR, Berlin Heart) in a patient with biventricular support who required high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV), due to refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with Cytomegalovirus pneumonia. The high mean airway pressure associated with the use of HFOV resulted in a significant negative impact on left ventricular assist device (LVAD) filling that led to a combined respiratory and metabolic acidosis and the need for vasopressor support. Oxygenator placement enabled transition to conventional ventilation and the discontinuation of vasopressor support. This case demonstrates the feasibility and safety of the use of this lung support system in patients requiring ventricular assist device (VAD) support.
Two Rare Vascular Rings With Ductal Origin of the Left Pulmonary Artery: A Previously Unrecognized Syndrome?
Authors: Thankavel Poonam P. , Guleserian Kristine J. , Anderson Robert H.
Published: December 2016

We report two neonates with distal ductal origin of the left pulmonary artery who also had rare vascular rings comprised of a left aortic arch and right arterial duct with a midline/rightward descending aorta. To the best of our knowledge, this association has not previously been described, although other abnormalities of the left pulmonary artery in the setting of vascular rings have been reported. We review the embryology, utility of imaging, and clinical course.
Discontinuation of dasatinib or nilotinib in chronic myeloid leukemia: interim analysis of the STOP 2G-TKI study
Authors: Rea Delphine , Nicolini Franck E. , Tulliez Michel , Guilhot François , Guilhot Joelle , Guerci-Bresler Agnès , Gardembas Martine , Coiteux Valérie , Guillerm Gaelle , Legros Laurence , Etienne Gabriel , Pignon Jean-Michel , Villemagne Bruno , Escoffre-Barbe Martine , Ianotto Jean-Christophe , Charbonnier Aude , Johnson-Ansah Hyacinthe , Noel Marie-Pierre , Rousselot Philippe , Mahon François-Xavier ,   for the France Intergroupe des Leucémies Myéloïdes Chroniques
Published: December 2016

Key Points

First-line or subsequent dasatinib or nilotinib can be safely stopped in CML patients with deep and long-lasting molecular responses. A suboptimal response or resistance prior to dasatinib or nilotinib is associated with significantly worse treatment-free remission.
PCAN: phenotype consensus analysis to support disease-gene association
Authors: Godard Patrice , Page Matthew
Published: December 2016

Background

Bridging genotype and phenotype is a fundamental biomedical challenge that underlies more effective target discovery and patient-tailored therapy. Approaches that can flexibly and intuitively, integrate known gene-phenotype associations in the context of molecular signaling networks are vital to effectively prioritize and biologically interpret genes underlying disease traits of interest.

Results

We describe Phenotype Consensus Analysis (PCAN); a method to assess the consensus semantic similarity of phenotypes in a candidate gene’s signaling neighborhood. We demonstrate that significant phenotype consensus (p < 0.05) is observable for ~67% of 4,549 OMIM disease-gene associations, using a combination of high quality String interactions + Metabase pathways and use Joubert Syndrome to demonstrate the ease with which a significant result can be interrogated to highlight discriminatory traits linked to mechanistically related genes.

Conclusions

We advocate phenotype consensus as an intuitive and versatile method to aid disease-gene association, which naturally lends itself to the mechanistic deconvolution of diverse phenotypes. We provide PCAN to the community as an R package (http://bioconductor.org/packages/PCAN/) to allow flexible configuration, extension and standalone use or integration to supplement existing gene prioritization workflows.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Melastoma malabathricum Linn attenuates complete freund’s adjuvant-induced chronic inflammation in Wistar rats via inflammation response
Authors: Kumar Vikas , Bhatt Prakash Chandra , Sharma Kalicharan , Rahman Mahfoozur , Patel Dinesh Kumar , Sethi Nikunj , Kumar Atul , Sachan Nikhil Kumar , Kaithwas Gaurav , Al-abbasi F. A. , Anwar Firoz , Verma Amita
Published: December 2016

Background

Natural products use for arthritis treatment is gaining importance in the medical worldt. Various studies reports medical importance of Melastoma malabathricum Linn. (MM) (Melastomataceae), also known as “putki,” has a broad range of health benefits, for its free radical scavenging constituents. The current investigation scrutinizes the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of MM against adjuvant-induced arthritis in experimental rats.

Methods

High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) was used for estimation of phytochemical-constituents present in the MM extract. Protective effect of MM extract in Wistar rats was estimated using CFA-induced model. The rats were divided into different groups with six rats in each group. All animals received oral administration of MM and indomethacin for 28 days. The body weight and arthritic score were scrutinized at regular intervals. At the end of experimental protocol, the rats were sacrificed, and blood samples were used for antioxidant, hematological parameters, pro-inflammatory and inflammatory mediator, respectively. Histopathological observation was used to evaluate the protective effect of MM extract.

Result & discussion

Current study confirmed the preventive effect of MM against adjuvant-induced paw edema, paw redness and arthritic progression. MM significantly (P < 0.001) modulated the oxidative stress parameters as well as hematological parameter induced by CFA. The result also altered the distorted level of proinflammatory mediators and inflammatory mediator, which further reinforce the implication of MM in CFA induced arthritis. Histological analyses of joints of rats showed a reduction in the synovial hyperplasia and mononuclear infiltration in the MM treated group which provides evidence for the antiarthritic effect of MM.

Conclusion

From above parameters our study states that the MM is capable of restraining the alteration produced via adjuvant-induced arthritis in aminals. The repressing effect of MM could be attributed, at least in part, to antioxidant, hematological and anti-inflammatory effect.

Graphical abstract

Figure Caption: Melastoma Malabathricum Linn Attenuates Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-Induced Chronic Inflammation in Wistar rats by Inflammation Response
Parameters associated with design effect of child anthropometry indicators in small-scale field surveys
Authors: Hulland Erin N. , Blanton Curtis J. , Leidman Eva Z. , Bilukha Oleg O.
Published: December 2016

Background

Cluster surveys provide rapid but representative estimates of key nutrition indicators in humanitarian crises. For these surveys, an accurate estimate of the design effect is critical to calculate a sample size that achieves adequate precision with the minimum number of sampling units. This paper describes the variability in design effect for three key nutrition indicators measured in small-scale surveys and models the association of design effect with parameters hypothesized to explain this variability.

Methods

380 small-scale surveys from 28 countries conducted between 2006 and 2013 were analyzed. We calculated prevalence and design effect of wasting, underweight, and stunting for each survey as well as standard deviations of the underlying continuous Z-score distribution. Mean cluster size, survey location and year were recorded. To describe design effects, median and interquartile ranges were examined. Generalized linear regression models were run to identify potential predictors of design effect.

Results

Median design effect was under 2.00 for all three indicators; for wasting, the median was 1.35, the lowest among the indicators. Multivariable linear regression models suggest significant, positive associations of design effect and mean cluster size for all three indicators, and with prevalence of wasting and underweight, but not stunting. Standard deviation was positively associated with design effect for wasting but negatively associated for stunting. Survey region was significant in all three models.

Conclusions

This study supports the current field survey guidance recommending the use of 1.5 as a benchmark for design effect of wasting, but suggests this value may not be large enough for surveys with a primary objective of measuring stunting or underweight. The strong relationship between design effect and region in the models underscores the continued need to consider country- and locality-specific estimates when designing surveys. These models also provide empirical evidence of a positive relationship between design effect and both mean cluster size and prevalence, and introduces standard deviation of the underlying continuous variable (Z-scores) as a previously unexplored factor significantly associated with design effect. The magnitude and directionality of this association differed by indicator, underscoring the need for further investigation into the relationship between standard deviation and design effect.
Art Theory for (Neuro)Scientists: Bridging the Gap
Authors: Langer Federico
Published: December 2016

This is an exciting era for experimental (or empirical) aesthetics. For the first time developments in cognitive neuroscience have made it possible to probe the brain for the mechanisms involved in the appreciation and creation of works of art. These are exciting times, too, for the theoretical (or philosophical). Indeed, prompted by the undeniable success — and promise — of cognitive neuroscience, one fundamental question in aesthetic theory is whether neuroscience possesses “the key to understand what art really is” (Ramachandran and Hirstein 1999: 17). In this article, based on a novel definition of art, I argue that although it is a cornerstone of aesthetics neuroscience does not hold the key to understanding what art really is. Moreover, I show that aesthetics is inescapably interdisciplinary. Finally, I show that so-called neuroaesthetics is both conceptually and empirically wrong.
Creating a driving profile for older adults using GPS devices and naturalistic driving methodology
Authors: Babulal Ganesh M. , Traub Cindy M. , Webb Mollie , Stout Sarah H. , Addison Aaron , Carr David B. , Ott Brian R. , Morris John C. , Roe Catherine M.
Published: December 2016

Background/Objectives: Road tests and driving simulators are most commonly used in research studies and clinical evaluations of older drivers. Our objective was to describe the process and associated challenges in adapting an existing, commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS), in-vehicle device for naturalistic, longitudinal research to better understand daily driving behavior in older drivers.

Design: The Azuga G2 Tracking DeviceTM was installed in each participant’s vehicle, and we collected data over 5 months (speed, latitude/longitude) every 30-seconds when the vehicle was driven. 

Setting: The Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine.

Participants: Five individuals enrolled in a larger, longitudinal study assessing preclinical Alzheimer disease and driving performance.  Participants were aged 65+ years and had normal cognition.

Measurements:  Spatial components included Primary Location(s), Driving Areas, Mean Centers and Unique Destinations.  Temporal components included number of trips taken during different times of the day.  Behavioral components included number of hard braking, speeding and sudden acceleration events.

Methods:  Individual 30-second observations, each comprising one breadcrumb, and trip-level data were collected and analyzed in R and ArcGIS. 

Results: Primary locations were confirmed to be 100% accurate when compared to known addresses.  Based on the locations of the breadcrumbs, we were able to successfully identify frequently visited locations and general travel patterns.  Based on the reported time from the breadcrumbs, we could assess number of trips driven in daylight vs. night.  Data on additional events while driving allowed us to compute the number of adverse driving alerts over the course of the 5-month period.

Conclusions: Compared to cameras and highly instrumented vehicle in other naturalistic studies, the compact COTS device was quickly installed and transmitted high volumes of data. Driving Profiles for older adults can be created and compared month-to-month or year-to-year, allowing researchers to identify changes in driving patterns that are unavailable in controlled conditions.
Insights into the phylogeny and evolutionary history of Calyceraceae
Authors: Denham Silvia S. , Zavala-Gallo Lucio , Johnson Leigh A. , Pozner Raúl E.
Published: December 2016

Calyceraceae is a small family with six traditionally recognized genera and 47 species from southern South America. Most species grow along the Andes (of both Argentina and Chile) and in arid regions of the Patagonian steppe. This family belongs to the well‐supported MGCA clade within Asterales, which includes Menyanthaceae+Goodeniaceae+Calyceraceae+ Asteraceae. Calyceraceae is monophyletic and sister to Asteraceae, one of the five largest families of angiosperms. Although Calyceraceae is clearly distinct as a family, its genera are not, and taxonomic revisionary effort has confirmed the lack of sharp boundaries among genera. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of Calyceraceae with a broad taxon sampling (41 of 47 species), and with sequence data from multiple regions from the nuclear (ITS) and plastid genomes (ycg6‐psbM, psbM‐trnD, trnS‐trnG, trnH‐psbA, trnD‐trnT) using maximum parsimony and Bayesian approaches. We aimed at identifying monophylectic groups, their putative morphological synapomorphies and their geographical distribution; we also estimated divergence times and examined chromosomes numbers in an evolutionary context. We obtained well‐resolved and strongly supported phylogenies that show Calyceraceae to be divided into two major clades with geographically structured subclades within each. Our results indicate that an early split within Calyceraceae occurred about 27.4 Ma, probably related to differential changes in chromosome numbers, which allowed the two lineages to evolve in sympatry. We found that major natural subgroups diverged 15–12 Ma, following the Early‐Miocene South Andes construction stage. Finally, the diversification of the extant species is probably associated to Andean orogeny and climate changes in the last 5–4 Myr. We recovered Acicarpha as monophyletic, while the remaining traditionally recognized genera of Calyceraceae are para‐ or polyphyletic. Most species of Moschopis are included in the Glutinose group, but M. monocephala is more closely related to some Calycera species. Calycera is divided into two clades; the Calycera group and the Pilose group. All species of Nastanthus are placed in a well‐supported main group with species of Gamocarpha and Boopis. Gamocarpha could be monophyletic after exclusion of G. dentata and G. angustifolia, but is nested within Nastanthus and Boopis species. Boopis is clearly polyphyletic with its species distributed in all main groups.
FROM THE ORIGIN TO THE CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS OF HOUSING AND UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN RUSSIA
Authors: Косухин  , Kosukhin Mikhail
Published: December 2016

There is presented the brief analysis of historical and economic development of housing and utilities infrastructure in Russia, which allows making conclusion about the current state of the sector. As it was shown, currently it is in disastrous state. To steer this sector out of crisis a set of effective measures from the authorities is needed. To evaluate the existing situation the sector, as well as its sub-sectors, should be thoroughly analyzed by professional specialists. In order to solve the problems, which the housing and utilities sector is facing, the destatization should be carried out and the accurate regulatory and legal framework and the mechanism of attracting highly-skilled professionals should be developed. The price reasonableness for housing and utilities services should be also controlled, and the intermediate sellers represented by management companies of the consumed utility services should be excluded
EVALUATION OF ENERGY SAVING POTENTIAL ON THE BASIS OF ENERGY AUDIT
Authors: Косухин  , Kosukhin Andrey , Косухин  , Kosukhin Mikhail , Семак  , Semak Aleksandr
Published: December 2016

There were presented the findings of the research in energy saving and energy efficiency of public and residential buildings with the purpose of evaluating the energy saving potential on the basis of energy audit. There was demonstrated the nature of energy consumption and the evaluation figures of energy saving in state-financed sphere and housing sector of the country. On the basis of research and calculations of various specialists it was determined, that the highest potential of energy efficiency improvement belongs to the housing funds of the country. It was pointed out that capital repairs and reconstruction of the existing housing funds are the necessary condition of implementing the energy saving measures. The investment issues, their types and their attractiveness for energy saving measures and improving the energy efficiency are reflected.
FEATURES REGISTRATION-ANALYTICAL MAINTENANCE DECISION Κ ACCOUNTING OBJECT FIXED ASSETS IN CONSTRUCTION ORGANIZATIONS
Authors: Всяких  , Vsyakikh Maksim , Матвийчук  , Matviychuk Lyudmila
Published: December 2016

The article deals with the place of fixed assets in the activities of construction companies. Presented value accounting and analytical support in the management of fixed assets and as the main collection management, ordering and provision of information assets of the enterprise o motion. We give individual features of accounting income and taking on account of fixed assets associated with the specific activity of the building enterprises.
RADIATION MODIFYING OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN CASE OF GAMMA IRRADIATION
Authors: Шешин  , Sheshin Evgeniy , Денисова  , Denisova Lyubov
Published: December 2016

In work researches of mechanisms of radiation oxidation of polymeric composites on the basis of the lead of polystyrene (PS-SS) and polyethylene (PE-SS) filled silikanaty are conducted. In case of gamma irradiation of the filled polymeric composite to growth of an integrated dose there is an increase both concentration of radicals, and content of products of destruction. Depending on an integrated dose and type a polymeric composite also nature of accumulating of radicals changes. So for PS-SS to D = 600 кГр the alkil of R-radical to peroxide of RO2-constitutes the share relation R-/RO2-=2,50 whereas in case of an identical dose increases in PE-SS for RO2 radical (R/RO2=0,83). In case of the maximum concentration of radicals in a reaktoplasts the relation of R/RO2-even more decreases - to 0,67. It is established that in case of rather high values of capacity of a dose extreme value (at most) on dose dependence of change of concentration of macroradicals (R-and RO2-) in the researched composites won´t be shown. The nature of the arising macroradicals like R-and RO2-is closely connected as with kinetics of radical reactions in case of -radiation, and structural and mechanical, diffusive characteristics and type of a polymeric composite.
PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY PROPERTIES OF THE DISPERSED FRACTION OF HYDRIDE OF TITANIUM
Authors: Ястребинская  , Yastrebinskaya Anna , Карнаухов  , Karnaukhov Aleksandr
Published: December 2016

In operation physics and technology properties of ground fraction of hydride of titanium, for the purpose of creation, on its basis, radiation resistant material in the conditions of the long radiation and thermal loadings are probed.

As the initial material the fraction of hydride of titanium with the content of hydrogen up to 3,35% of masses was used., crushed to dispersibility of 10,7-6,6 microns. Thermogravimetric researches set oxidation of hydride of titanium in the course of heating with formation of rutile that leads to lowering of radiation protective properties of material. For saving radiation protective properties, molding of powdery hydride of titanium to monolithic material in case of different unit pressures is carried out. The optimum technological modes of molding of material are set and the structure of a surface of the received samples is probed. Material is recommended for receiving radiation and thermally resistant aggregate on the basis of the heavy flints filled with hydride of titanium which will be the additional binding agent allowing to provide to a ready aggregate firmness both to neutron and to a gamma to radiation.