bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“The Next Level”: Investigating teaching and learning within an Irish traditional music online community
Authors: Kenny Ailbhe
Published: November 2013

Online music communities offer a new context and culture for musical participation globally. This article, employing a socio-cultural theoretical lens, examines how the Online Academy of Irish Music (OAIM) functions as a teaching and learning online community for Irish traditional music. Findings from qualitative case study research present observations of practice from the OAIM website, forums, video tutorials, and Facebook posts over a 9-month period. In addition to these collective insights, findings from participant logs and interviews with the tutors offer individual insights into the online case study. Questions are posed regarding the pedagogy of e-learning, the development of a “shared practice” and the influence of roles and relationships within the community. The online medium of interaction raises important issues for the growing technological culture of music teaching and learning and the study seeks to understand this new context for musical participation.
Concerted cultivation and music learning: Global issues and local variations
Authors: Ilari Beatriz
Published: November 2013

Concerted cultivation has been described as a common, urban middle-class practice concerning the enrollment of children in a variety of age-specific activities that may promote the learning of valuable life skills as well as the development of individual abilities (Lareau, 2003). Music is one such activity. This study investigated the relationship between children’s participation in organized musical activities and concerted cultivation in the discourses of parents, who took part in the MyPlace, MyMusic Research Project. This collaborative project investigated children’s home musical experiences in diverse countries. Although all interviewed parents were highly invested in their children’s organized and unstructured musical experiences, there was much variation in regard to beliefs, values, affordances, and opportunities. Global and local issues are discussed along with implications for future research.
Effect of sintering on wear characteristics of Fe-Al2O3 metal matrix composites
Authors: Gupta Pallav , Kumar Devendra , Parkash Om , Jha AK
Published: November 2013

This article reports the results of investigation of tribological properties of 5 wt% Al2O3 reinforced iron-based metal matrix composite fabricated using powder metallurgy technique. Composition of the composite by weight was 95% Fe as a matrix material and 5% Al2O3 as reinforcement. Green compacts were sintered in an argon atmosphere in the temperature range of 900–1100  ℃ for 1 to 3 h. Dry sliding wear test were performed on the specimens using pin-on-disc wear and friction testing machine keeping the fixed sliding velocity as 4 m/s and sliding time as 60 min for loads of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 kg. Microstructure of weared specimens as studied by scanning electron microscope revealed that adhesive wear is more prominent at lower load where as abrasive wear is more prominent at higher load. Wear rate is also dependent on sintering temperature and time. This is explained in terms of densification, hardness and nature of wear occurring in the specimen.
Effect of bariatric surgery on weight loss, inflammation, iron metabolism, and lipid profile
Authors: Santos J. , Salgado P. , Santos C. , Mendes P. , Saavedra J. , Baldaque P. , Monteiro L. , Costa E.
Published: November 2013

Background and Aims:

Accumulating evidence indicates that a state of chronic inflammation has a crucial role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related metabolic dysfunction. This study aims to evaluate changes in inflammatory process, iron metabolism, erythropoiesis, and lipid profile associated with weight loss after gastric banding surgery.

Material and Methods:

A total of 46 patients were evaluated before and 3 months after gastric banding surgery. A survey was conducted to record demographic data, body mass index, and presence of comorbidities. Moreover, complete blood cell counts and serum levels of iron, ferritin, transferrin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein–cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein–cholesterol, and triglycerides were performed.

Results:

At a follow-up 3 months after surgery, our patients presented a significant decrease in weight and body mass index, associated with a decreased inflammatory process (decreased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, neutrophil counts, and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio), increased iron availability (increased transferrin saturation and a trend to higher iron serum levels), and significant decreased triglycerides and triglycerides:high-density lipoprotein–cholesterol ratio.

Conclusions:

Our results showed a significant decrease in the inflammation process 3 months after gastric banding surgery, associated with adipose tissue loss. This decrease in the inflammatory process is associated with more efficient iron absorption and increased iron availability for erythropoiesis. Moreover, we also found decreased triglyceride serum levels. These changes suggest benefits of weight loss, including decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Making the neoliberal precariat: Two faces of job searching in Minneapolis
Authors: Van Oort Madison
Published: November 2013

This comparative ethnographic study charts the similarities and differences in crafting the job search enterprise following the Great Recession at two nonprofit programs in Minneapolis: Career Net, a support group for middle-class job seekers, and Good Deeds, a welfare-to-work service. Both programs attempted to create flexible, productive, and disciplined job seekers, but this unique comparison reveals how these organizations differently reproduced neoliberal subjectivities: Career Net helped participants actively re-craft their personal and professional selves through personal branding and social networking, training participants to become self-entrepreneurs. Good Deeds, on the other hand, took a more top-down approach to controlling client behavior, relying on program requirements and sanctions to keep clients in line and shuffle them into low-wage work. Cohering along lines of race and class, Career Net and Good Deeds underscored the demands of employability and further tipped the power scales in the interest of capital.
Here and now – there and then: Narrative time and space in intercountry adoptees’ stories about background, origin and roots
Authors: Lindgren Cecilia , Nelson Karin Zetterqvist
Published: November 2013

Intercountry adoption policy emphasizes openness in relation to adoptees’ background. However, because intercountry adoption is a complex web of relations including individuals, institutions and countries, it is impossible to foresee what background, origin and roots will mean to the adopted individual. The present article examines what meanings adoptees themselves ascribe to background, origin and roots. A total of 22 internationally adopted men and women participated in focus group conversations. The participants were invited to discuss their diverse experiences and opinions on these matters and their stories were analyzed from a narrative perspective. The analysis focuses on how time and space were made significant in narratives about background, origin and roots. Two contrasting stories – the here-and-now narrative and the there-and-then narrative – are discerned, but further analysis of the narrative space and time dimensions shows a much more complex pattern beyond these extremes. Adoptee narratives characterized by an open time dimension deal with what could have happened, alternative lives, and the analysis shows how these alternative lives are storied and valued. Furthermore, when adoptees tell their stories about background and roots, ‘there’, that is the birth country, is ascribed different meanings. The analysis shows that the categorization of space as wide or narrow, in the sense of collective or personal, respectively, is useful in understanding the different approaches to background and roots. Based on the present results, we suggest that social workers may wish to organize their counseling along the time and space dimensions of adoptees’ narratives.
Working together – innovative collaboration in social care research
Authors: Fleming Jennie , Beresford Peter , Bewley Catherine , Croft Suzy , Branfield Fran , Postle Karen , Turner Michael
Published: November 2013

This article reviews literature to provide context for a reflective narrative on a collaborative research project undertaken by disabled people, practitioners and academics. This approach required reconsidering many aspects of methodology and practice as the research relationships are altered. The article reflects on how the collaborative and participatory approach was developed and sustained and how it impacted on the research process and its outcomes. The article explores how the group of people worked together on a complex large-scale research project to bring the voices of service users and other key players together in a discussion about social care. The article is written by one of the academic partners and draws on consortium documents and reflections from other consortium members provided for the article.
Respectful listening and reflective communication from the heart and with the spirit
Authors: Miller Keith
Published: November 2013

How does one engage in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities? My experience as a researcher in the Seasons for Healing project gave me an opportunity to consider this question. Using an interpretive ethnographic approach, it became evident that I needed to recognize participants as whole people, not as mere instruments on which to conduct research, and that this engagement needed to occur in a relational way. Although I was an ‘outsider’, I was able to engage in dadirri, the process of listening with one’s ear but also with the heart. At the cultural interface, it was important to recognize the validity of different types of knowledge and that research should be conducted ethically and respectfully so that the interests of Indigenous communities were considered. Indeed, it was reinforced to me that there were different ways of knowing and each type of knowledge needed to be accorded validity. Respectful listening and reflective communication enabled me to experience life and culture from a different perspective and to gain insight via a different paradigm.
Output-only structural health monitoring in changing environmental conditions by means of nonlinear system identification
Authors: Reynders Edwin , Wursten Gersom , De Roeck Guido
Published: November 2013

Structural health monitoring relies on the repeated observation of damage-sensitive features such as strains or natural frequencies. A major problem is that regular changes in temperature, relative humidity, operational loading, and so on also influence those features. This influence is in general nonlinear and it affects different features in a different way. In this article, an improved technique based on kernel principal component analysis is developed for eliminating environmental and operational influences. It enables the estimation of a general nonlinear system model in a computationally very efficient way. The technique is output-only, which implies that only the damage-sensitive features need to be measured, not the environmental parameters. The nonlinear output-only model is identified by fitting it to the damage-sensitive features during a phase in which the structure is undamaged. Afterwards, the structure is monitored by comparing the model predictions with the observed features. The technique is validated with natural frequency data from a three-span prestressed concrete bridge, which was progressively damaged at the end of a one-year monitoring period. It is demonstrated that capturing the regular variations of the features requires a nonlinear model. Monitoring the misfit between the predictions made with this model and the observed data allows a very clear discrimination between validation data in undamaged and damaged conditions.
National accreditation and its role in early education: An analysis of Florida’s Gold Seal Quality Child-Care program and licensing standards
Authors: Winterbottom Christian , Jones Ithel
Published: October 2013

This article reports on the first Florida statewide assessment of the Gold Seal Quality Care program, accreditation, and the relationship with licensing violations. This study analyzed the differences between the Department of Children and Families Gold Seal–Accredited facilities and nonaccredited facilities by comparing the facilities and the number of class violations a facility received for noncompliance of licensing standards from 2007 through 2010. Class I violations in all 4 years were not statistically significant; however, the p-value for Class II and III violations in all 4 years was p < 0.05; therefore, we concluded that accreditation does make a difference in relation to Class II and III violations and that accredited programs are of a higher quality than nonaccredited programs.
Effect of thermal-resistant polymeric coatings on thermomechanical and topographical properties of glass fiber
Authors: Shayed MA , Hund RD , Cherif C
Published: November 2013

Thermal-resistant coatings, based on polysilazane and polysiloxane polymers, were applied onto the glass fiber rovings with the dip-coating method. The coated glass fibers were characterized by performing different experiments to evaluate the effect of coatings on thermomechanical and topographical properties of glass fiber. The effect of temperature on the mechanical properties of the coated rovings were studied and compared with the uncoated rovings. Thermogravimetric analysis was carried out to investigate the thermal stability of coated samples. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses were performed to evaluate the surface topographical characteristics of the glass fiber rovings. These analyses showed the changes in surface morphological properties due to modification of glass fiber by coating treatment. The results of tensile testing indicated that thermal-resistant coatings enhanced up to 60% tensile strength and 20% stiffness of uncoated glass fiber roving. Thermomechanical study up to 500℃ revealed that polysiloxane coating on glass fiber showed better performance than polysilazane polymeric coating.
True Lumen Stenting for a Spontaneously Dissected Superior Mesenteric Artery May Compromise Major Intestinal Branches and Aggravate Bowel Ischemia
Authors: Chang Chih-Feng , Lai Hui-Chin , Yao Hang-Yun , Cheng Yu-Tsung , Lee Wen-Lieng , Wang Kuo-Yang , Liu Tsun-Jui
Published: November 2013

Optimal endovascular therapy for isolated superior mesenteric artery (SMA) dissection remains undetermined. Here, we report a 56-year-old male with ischemic bowel syndrome caused by such a serious vascular disease. He was treated with endovascular true lumen stenting yet got aggravated in bowel ischemia from unexpected jail of major intestinal branches perfused by the false lumen, requiring subsequent complex rewiring and dilatation procedures to resolve at the cost of excessive fluoroscopic and contrast medium exposure. Thus, when treating patients with isolated SMA dissection with a functioning false lumen, true lumen stenting may inadvertently compromise crucial intestinal branches and should not be indiscriminately considered as the prime therapeutic option.
New Trick for Removal of Intravascular Retained Foreign Body
Authors: Mousa Albeir Y. , Gill Gurpreet , AbuRahma Ali F.
Published: November 2013

A 54-year-old male presented to the vascular service for an urgent inpatient consultation. During an infusaport removal, the catheter was accidentally disconnected and lost intravascularly within the left subclavian vein, with the tip still in the right ventricle. We report on a novel technique for removing such intravascular foreign bodies (FBs), which will add a valuable technical option to our existing armamentarium regarding intracorporeal FB removal.
Differences in the Relationship Between Family Environments and Self-Determination Among Anglo, Latino, and Female Students With Disabilities
Authors: Rodriguez Raymond J. , Cavendish Wendy
Published: November 2013

The role of gender and ethnicity as moderators of the relationship between perceived family environments and levels of self-determination was examined in a sample of students with disabilities. A sample of 157 Latino and Anglo students with disabilities completed the Family Environment Scale and the Arc Self-Determination Scale. Results indicated Latino and female students reported significantly higher levels of self-determination than Anglo male students. Differences were also found among Latino, Anglo, and female students in the relationship between perceived family environments and self-determination. Implications include developing ways families and schools can provide conditions to nurture self-determination and transition planning that are sensitive to ethnic and gender differences.
Identifying Nonacademic Behaviors Associated With Post-School Employment and Education
Authors: McConnell Amber E. , Martin James E. , Juan Chen Ya , Hennessey Maeghan N. , Terry Robert A. , el-Kazimi Nidal A. , Pannells Tammy C. , Willis Donna M.
Published: November 2013

We conducted an analysis of the secondary transition qualitative and quantitative research literature to build comprehensive constructs and lists of student nonacademic behaviors associated with post–high school employment and education. From a pool of 83 initial quantitative and qualitative studies, 35 met the inclusion criteria, and the analysis of these yielded 10 constructs of student nonacademic behaviors associated with post-school education and employment for high school students with mild to moderate disabilities. The constructs are presented along with lists of representative behaviors, implications for their use are discussed, and the next steps in building a new transition assessment using these constructs and behaviors are described.
Transitioning Youth With Intellectual and Other Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Simonsen Monica L. , Neubert Debra A.
Published: November 2013

Community employment outcomes were examined for 338 transitioning youth with intellectual and other developmental disabilities in one state 18 months after exiting public school. All transitioning youth received ongoing Developmental Disability agency funding. The majority of transitioning youth (57.1%) were engaged in sheltered or nonwork activities. Only 14.2% were in integrated employment while 28.7% participated in other models of community work (e.g., enclaves, crews). Race/ethnicity, family expressed preference for paid work in the community, paid work experience, and self-management and community mobility skills were identified as predictors of community employment using multinomial logistic regression. Findings suggest the field should reexamine aspects of transition planning, including family engagement and work experience programs. Research and policy implications are also discussed.
Surname Typology and the Problem of Inconsistent Classification
Authors: Parkin David Harry
Published: November 2013

AbstractThis paper analyzes methodological inconsistency in surname classification, and the implications this has for the comparability of different works. Many studies have organized surnames by type, based on each name’s ‘meaning,’ in order to identify national trends and regional differences in surnaming patterns. However, the ambiguity of ‘meaning’ and the lack of any standard classificatory practice mean that such studies are incomparable. By reviewing P. H. Reaney’s and R. A. McKinley’s classifications of surnames from the same sources, and identifying discrepancies in their calculations and methods, a case for a standard method of surname classification is made. Only when there is a greater level of consistency in the classification of surnames can the findings of separate studies be reliably compared, allowing for meaningful conclusions on surnaming patterns to be drawn.
Thermal conductivity of diamond/Ag composites with chromium carbide coated diamonds for the building materials of high power modules
Authors: Zhao C. , Gao J. Z.
Published: November 2013

This paper reports on a study of the preparation and characterisation of diamond/Ag composites for the building materials of high power modules. The Cr7C3 coated diamond particles are utilised to improve the interfacial bonding between the Ag and diamond and composites are prepared by hot pressing technique. The characteristics of Cr7C3 coating layers were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the Cr7C3 coatings on the diamonds result in a strong interfacial bonding and a greatly enhanced thermal conductivity of the composites. A largely enhanced thermal conductivity of 768 W m−1 K−1 is obtained in Cr7C3 coated composites, which increases 168 relative to that of uncoated composites at 65 diamond volume fraction. The measured thermal conductivity agrees reasonably well with the predictions by a differential effective-medium (DEM) model.
Effect of phase boundary on nucleation and propagation of microcrack in nuclear grade Z3CN20-09M stainless steel
Authors: Lu Y. H. , Zhu X. F.
Published: November 2013

In order to study the effect of the phase boundary between austenite and ferrite phases on the nucleation and propagation behaviours of microcracks in nuclear grade Z3CN20-09M stainless steel, an in situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tensile technique was used to study the deformation, nucleation and propagation of microcracks during tension. The fractography was subsequently observed by SEM. The results indicated that, during tension, the deformation first occurred in the austenitic grains followed by in the ferrite, and the microcracks were subsequently preferential formed at the phase boundary between austenite and ferrite phases. In the case of the phase boundary perpendicular to the loading direction, microcracks nucleated and subsequently propagated along the phase boundary. In the case of the phase boundary parallel to the loading direction, microcacks nucleated at the intersection of slip bands and the phase boundary and propagated perpendicularly to the phase boundary, resulting in deflection of the main crack. The phase boundary played a hindrance effect on crack propagation.
Substrate and current density effects on electrodeposited aluminium coatings
Authors: Choudhary R K , Rajak S , Bidaye A C , Kain V , Hubli R C
Published: November 2013

Coatings of aluminium were electrodeposited on copper and mild steel substrates in a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) using [EMIm]Cl (95%) and AlCl3 (98%) in a glove box having a controlled atmosphere. Formation and purity of aluminium were confirmed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and energy dispersive spectroscopy measurements. Microcrystalline grain morphology of deposited Al was observed in scanning electron microscopy. The present study showed that Al coating electrodeposited in an RTIL exhibited similar morphology on copper and mild steel substrates, and cathode current efficiency depended on purity of the electrolyte and also on the deposition current density. There were indications for build-up of tensile stress in the coating even at low deposition current density.
Interdiffusion performance and oxidation behaviours of NiCrAlY/Al coatings on γ-TiAl
Authors: Xu Y. , Miao Q. , Liang W. P. , Yang J. J. , Yao Z. J.
Published: November 2013

The interdiffusion behaviours and oxidation resistance of the NiCrAlY/Al duplex coated specimens during the isothermal oxidation test at 950°C were investigated. It was shown that the NiCrAlY coating system with an Al bondcoat outperformed the NiCrAlY single coating system and the substrate γ-TiAl alloy during hot exposure. Analysis techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to study the phase formation, microstructure and depth distribution of the elements in the coated specimens. The results showed that the NiCrAlY/Al duplex coating system exhibited better oxidation resistance and adhesion strength with the substrate during scratch test. The SEM-EDS profile analyses further showed that the outward Ti diffusion and the inward Ni diffusion were delayed apparently by the Al interlayer, which was also considered as Al source for forming protective α-Al2O3 scale on the NiCrAlY/Al coating surface.
The crystal structure of chalcoalumite: mechanisms of Jahn-Teller-driven distortion in [6]Cu2+-containing oxysalts
Authors: Hawthorne F. C. , Cooper M. A.
Published: November 2013

The crystal structure of chalcoalumite, ideally Cu2+Al4(SO4)(OH)12(H2O)3, monoclinic, P21/n, Z = 4:a 10.228(3), b 8.929(3), c 17.098(6) Å, β 95.800(11)°, V 1553.6(1.5) Å3, has been refined to R1 = 3.08% for 4,022 unique observed (4σ) reflections collected on a Bruker D8 three-circle diffractometer equipped with a rotating-anode generator, multilayer optics and an APEX-II CCD detector. In the structure of chalcoalumite, there is one S site, tetrahedrally coordinated by four O anions, with  = 1.472 Å. There are four Al sites with site-scattering values in accord with occupancy by Al and  distances of 1.898–1.919 Å. There is one Cu site occupied by Cu2+ and coordinated by six anions in the [4 + 2] arrangement typical for octahedrally coordinated Cu2+. The short  distance of 2.086 Å is in accord with the low degree of bond-length distortion of the Cu octahedron. There are 19 anion sites: 4 sites are occupied by O atoms that are bonded to the S cation, 12 sites are occupied by (OH) groups that bond to all octahedrally coordinated cations, and 3 sites are occupied by (H2O) groups that are held in the structure solely by hydrogen bonding. The structure of chalcoalumite consists of interrupted sheets of edge-sharing Al and Cu octahedra of the form [Cu2+Al4(OH)12]2+ that intercalate layers of (SO4) tetrahedra and (H2O) groups. Chalcoalumite is a member of the nickelalumite group.

Cu2+ϕ6(ϕ = O2–, (OH)–, (H2O)0) octahedra show a wide range of bond-length distortion away from the holosymmetric arrangement, driven by spontaneous symmetry-breaking of the degenerate electronic ground-state in holosymmetric octahedral coordination. Here, we examine the structural mechanisms that allow large octahedron distortions of this type. There are two mechanisms: (1) coupling of (usually parallel) octahedron distortions to a vibrational phonon, inducing a (often ferroelastic) phase transition in M2+-Cu2+ solid-solutions; (2) cooperative orientational disorder, where bond topology (polyhedron linkage) allows large differences in bond lengths within polyhedra to accord with the valence-sum rule of bond-valence
theory.
Margarite, corundum, gahnite and zincohögbomite in a blackwall, Raleigh Terrane, Eastern Piedmont Province, USA
Authors: Owens B. E. , Belkin H. E. , Zerolis J. M.
Published: November 2013

We report an unusual occurrence of margarite, corundum, gahnite and zincohögbomite from the Raleigh terrane in the Piedmont Province of Virginia. The assemblage occurs in a chlorite-rich blackwall associated with a small metamorphosed ultramafic rock body. The blackwall is dominated by chlorite, but also contains distinctive clusters (1–4 mm across) that typically consist of ragged Zn-rich spinel grains surrounded by masses of randomly oriented margarite. Also spatially associated with spinel are smaller grains of corundum and högbomite. In most cases, spinel and högbomite are sufficiently enriched in Zn to be called gahnite and zincohögbomite, respectively. Some högbomite grains are distinctly banded in back-scattered electron images, primarily reflecting variations in Zn-content. Textures suggest that högbomite formed at the expense of spinel (although locally the reverse relationship holds), and högbomite compositions mimic those of spinel. Margarite appears to be a later phase, and textures imply formation via reactions with spinel, corundum and, possibly, chlorite. This occurrence of Zn-rich spinel and högbomite is clearly related to the bulk composition of the blackwall rock, which contains >2500 ppm Zn. The origin of this Zn-rich composition is unclear, but could be due to a small amount of sphalerite or zincian-staurolite in the protolith.
Fluorcalciomicrolite, (Ca,Na,☐)2Ta2O6F, a new microlite-group mineral from Volta Grande pegmatite, Nazareno, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Andrade M. B. , Atencio D. , Persiano A. I. C. , Ellena J.
Published: November 2013

Fluorcalciomicrolite, (Ca, Na, ☐)2Ta2O6F, is a new microlite-group, pyrochlore supergroup mineral approved by the CNMNC (IMA 2012-036). It occurs as an accessory mineral in the Volta Grande pegmatite, Nazareno, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Associated minerals include: microcline, albite, quartz, muscovite, spodumene, “lepidolite”, cassiterite, tantalite-(Mn), monazite-(Ce), fluorite, “apatite”, beryl, “garnet” , epidote, magnetite, gahnite, zircon, “tourmaline” , bityite, hydrokenomicrolite, and other microlite-group minerals under study. Fluorcalciomicrolite occurs as euhedral, untwinned, octahedral crystals 0.1–1.5 mm in size, occasionally modified by rhombododecahedral faces. The crystals are colourless and translucent; the streak is white, and the lustre is adamantine to resinous. It does not fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Mohs' hardness is 4½–5, tenacity is brittle. Cleavage is not observed; fracture is conchoidal. The calculated density is 6.160 g/cm3. The mineral is isotropic, ncalc. = 1.992. The Raman spectrum is dominated by bands of B–X octahedral bond stretching and X–B–X bending modes. The chemical composition (n = 6) is (by wavelength dispersive spectroscopy, H2O calculated to obtain charge balance, wt.%): Na2O 4.68, CaO 11.24, MnO 0.01, SrO 0.04, BaO 0.02, SnO20.63, UO20.02, Nb2O53.47, Ta2O576.02, F 2.80, H2O 0.48, O=F–1.18, total 98.23. The empirical formula, based on 2 cations at the B site, is (Ca1.07Na0.81☐0.12)Σ2.00(Ta1.84Nb0.14Sn0.02)Σ2.00[O5.93(OH)0.07]6.00[F0.79(OH)0.21]. The strongest eight X-ray powder-diffraction lines [d in Å (I)(hkl)] are: 5.997(59)(111), 3.138(83)(311), 3.005(100)(222), 2.602(29)(400), 2.004(23)(511), 1.841(23)(440), 1.589(25)(533), and 1.504(24)(444). The crystal structure refinement (R1 = 0.0132) gave the following data: cubic, Fdm, a = 10.4191(6) Å, V = 1131.07(11) Å3, Z = 8.
The alunite supergroup under high pressure: the case of natrojarosite, NaFe3(SO4)2(OH)6
Authors: Nestola F. , Mills S. J. , Periotto B. , Scandolo L.
Published: November 2013

A single crystal of natrojarosite, NaFe3(SO4)2(OH)6, was investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at high-pressure conditions (up to 8.8 GPa) using a diamond-anvil cell. The unit-cell parameters were determined at 11 different pressures and no indications of a phase transition were found up to the maximum pressure reached. The volume and axial moduli were fitted to a third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation-of-state which gave the following values: V0 = 769.6(2) Å3, KT0 = 50.6(9) GPa, K' = 9.9(4); a = 7.3172(6) Å, KT0 = 104(2), K' = 7.6(9); c = 16.5965(20) Å, KT0 = 24.6(4) and K' = 7.1(2). The crystal structure of natrojarosite was refined at seven different pressures up to 8.779(11) GPa [a = 7.3170(4), c = 16.5955(5) Å and V = 769.46(9) Å3 in Rm at 0.00010(1) GPa and a = 7.1594(8), c = 15.6003(17) Å and V = 692.49(8) Å3 at 8.779(11) GPa]. The structural analysis shows that the 12-fold Na polyhedron accommodates most of the deformation by a large volume decrease (14%) and strong polyhedral distortion (63%). Our results indicate that natrojarosite has the most compressible structure of the supergroup studied so far, and has a very strong axial anisotropy.
Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2A enhances MYC-driven cell cycle progression in a mouse model of B lymphoma
Authors: Fish Kamonwan , Chen Jia , Longnecker Richard
Published: October 2013

Key Points

Latent membrane protein 2A augments MYC oncogene in driving the cell cycle by increasing protein instability of a tumor suppressor p27kip1. Latent membrane protein 2A potentiates MYC expression to overcome a cell cycle checkpoint without disrupting p53 tumor suppressor pathway.
Serum bilirubin is associated with lung function in a Swiss general population sample
Authors: Curjuric Ivan , Imboden Medea , Adam Martin , Bettschart Robert W. , Gerbase Margaret W. , Künzli Nino , Rochat Thierry , Rohrer Lucia , Rothe Thomas B. , Schwartz Joel , Stolz Daiana , Tschopp Jean-Marie , von Eckardstein Arnold , Kronenberg Florian , Probst-Hensch Nicole M.
Published: November 2013

Bilirubin is a strong antioxidant. Increased serum levels have been associated with lower respiratory disease and mortality risk. We studied the association of bilirubin with lung function in the Swiss study on Air Pollution and Lung Disease in adults (SAPALDIA) cohort.

Associations between natural logarithmised bilirubin and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC and mean forced expiratory flow between 25%–75% of FVC (FEF25–75%) were tested using multiple linear regression in the whole study population (n=4195) and strata of ever-smoking and high body mass index (BMI, defined by the highest distribution quartile). Associations were retested with single nucleotide polymorphism rs6742078, a genetic determinant of bilirubin.

High bilirubin levels were significantly associated with higher FEV1/FVC and FEF25–75%overall. Upon stratification, significant associations persisted in ever-smokers, amounting to 1.1% (95% CI 0.1–2.2%) increase in FEV1/FVC, and 116.2 mL·s−1(95% CI -15.9–248.4 mL·s−1) in FEF25–75%per interquartile range of bilirubin exposure in smokers with high BMI. Associations were positive but nonsignificant in never-smokers with high BMI. Similarly, rs6742078 genotype TT was associated with increased FEV1/FVC and FEF25–75%.

Our results suggest a possible protective role of bilirubin on lung tissue, which could be important for prevention and therapy.
The 4-metre gait speed in COPD: responsiveness and minimal clinically important difference
Authors: Kon Samantha S.C. , Canavan Jane L. , Nolan Claire M. , Clark Amy L. , Jones Sarah E. , Cullinan Paul , Polkey Michael I. , Man William D-C.
Published: November 2013

Usual gait speed is a consistent predictor of adverse outcomes in community-dwelling elderly people. The reliability and validity of the 4-m gait speed (4MGS) has recently been demonstrated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aims of this study were to assess the responsiveness of the 4MGS and to estimate the minimal clinically important difference (MCID).

In 301 COPD patients, 4MGS and incremental shuttle walk (ISW) were measured before and after pulmonary rehabilitation. 4MGS and ISW were also measured at baseline and 1 year later in a separate cohort of 162 COPD patients. The MCID of 4MGS was estimated using distribution and anchor-based methods.

4MGS improved significantly with pulmonary rehabilitation (mean change 0.08 m·s−1, p<0.001). The minimal detectable change at 95% confidence was 0.11 m·s−1. The MCID was estimated at 0.11 m·s−1(anchored against ISW) and 0.08 m·s−1(anchored against self-reported improvement). The effect size for 4MGS was greatest in frail individuals. After 12 months, mean 4MGS declined by 0.04 m·s−1. When anchored against a decline of more than the MCID for ISW, change in 4MGS was −0.11 m·s−1.

The 4MGS is responsive to pulmonary rehabilitation and longitudinal change in COPD, and has potential as a simple functional assessment tool in COPD. The 4MGS may be particularly useful in frail individuals with COPD.
Serum lysyl oxidase-like 2 levels and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis disease progression
Authors: Chien Jason W. , Richards Thomas J. , Gibson Kevin F. , Zhang Yingze , Lindell Kathleen O. , Shao Lixin , Lyman Susan K. , Adamkewicz Joanne I. , Smith Victoria , Kaminski Naftali , O’Riordan Thomas
Published: November 2013

We evaluated whether lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2), which promotes cross-linking of collagen in pathological stroma, was detectable in serum from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, and assessed its relationship with IPF disease progression.

Patients from the ARTEMIS-IPF (n=69) and the Genomic and Proteomic Analysis of Disease Progression in IPF (GAP) (n=104) studies were analysed. Baseline serum LOXL2 (sLOXL2) levels were compared with baseline clinical and physiological surrogates of disease severity, and the association with IPF disease progression was assessed using a classification and regression tree (CART) method.

sLOXL2 correlated weakly with forced vital capacity and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (r -0.24–0.05) in both cohorts. CART-determined thresholds were similar: ARTEMIS-IPF 800 pg·mL−1and GAP 700 pg·mL−1. In ARTEMIS-IPF, higher sLOXL2 (>800 pg·mL−1) was associated with increased risk for disease progression (hazard ratio (HR) 5.41, 95% CI 1.65–17.73). Among GAP subjects with baseline spirometric data (n=70), higher sLOXL2 levels (>700 pg·mL−1) were associated with more disease progression events (HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.01–3.11). Among all GAP subjects, higher sLOXL2 levels were associated with increased risk for mortality (HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.18–4.38).

These results suggest that higher sLOXL2 levels are associated with increased risk for IPF disease progression. However, due to multiple limitations, these results require validation.
Deletion of the GI-2 integrase and the wbkA flanking transposase improves the stability of Brucella melitensis Rev 1 vaccine
Authors: Mancilla Marcos , Grilló María-Jesús , de Miguel María-Jesús , López-Goñi Ignacio , San-Román Beatriz , Zabalza-Baranguá Ana , Moriyón Ignacio
Published: November 2013

Brucella melitensis Rev 1 is the best vaccine available for the prophylaxis of small ruminant brucellosis and, indirectly, for reducing human brucellosis. However, Rev 1 shows anomalously high rates of spontaneous dissociation from smooth (S) to rough (R) bacteria, the latter being inefficacious as vaccines. This S-R instability results from the loss of the O-polysaccharide. To overcome this problem, we investigated whether some recently described mechanisms promoting mutations in O-polysaccharide genes were involved in Rev 1 S-R dissociation. We found that a proportion of Rev 1 R mutants result from genome rearrangements affecting the wbo O-polysaccharide loci of genomic island GI-2 and the wbkA O-polysaccharide glycosyltransferase gene of the wbk region. Accordingly, we mutated the GI-2 int gene and the wbk IS transposase involved in those arrangements, and found that these Rev 1 mutants maintained the S phenotype and showed lower dissociation levels. Combining these two mutations resulted in a strain (Rev 2) displaying a 95% decrease in dissociation with respect to parental Rev 1 under conditions promoting dissociation. Rev 2 did not differ from Rev 1 in the characteristics used in Rev 1 typing (growth rate, colonial size, reactivity with O-polysaccharide antibodies, phage, dye and antibiotic susceptibility). Moreover, Rev 2 and Rev 1 showed similar attenuation and afforded similar protection in the mouse model of brucellosis vaccines. We conclude that mutations targeting genes and DNA sequences involved in spontaneous O-polysaccharide loss enhance the stability of a critical vaccine phenotype and complement the empirical stabilization precautions taken during S Brucella vaccine production.
Wedelolactone inhibits LPS-induced pro-inflammation via NF-kappaB Pathway in RAW 264.7 cells
Authors: Yuan Fang , Chen Jie , Sun Ping-ping , Guan Su , Xu Jing
Published: November 2013

Background

Wedelolactone (WEL), a major coumestan ingredient in Wedelia chinensis, has been used to treat septic shock, hepatitis and venom poisoning in traditional Chinese medicines. The objective of the study was to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanism of WEL with a cellular model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells.

Results

To study the role of WEL in pro-inflammation, we measured key inflammation mediators and end products including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by using the Griess method, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting. Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) transcription activity was detected by luciferase reporter assay. The important pro-inflammatory transcription factors, NF-κB p65 and inhibitory kappaB alpha (IκB-α); and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK (p38) were analyzed by Western blotting. Our study showed that WEL (0.1, 1, 10 μM) significantly inhibited the protein expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 in LPS-stimulated cells, as well as the downstream products, including NO, PGE2 and TNF-α. Moreover, WEL also inhibited LPS-induced NF-κB p65 activation via the degradation and phosphorylation of IκB-α and subsequent translocation of the NF-κB p65 subunit to the nucleus.

Conclusions

Our results revealed that WEL has a potential to be a novel anti-inflammatory agent targeting on the NF-κB signaling pathway.
IL-22 contributes to TGF-β1-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in asthmatic bronchial epithelial cells
Authors: Johnson Jill R , Nishioka Michiyoshi , Chakir Jamila , Risse Paul-André , Almaghlouth Ibrahim , Bazarbashi Ahmad N , Plante Sophie , Martin James G , Eidelman David , Hamid Qutayba
Published: November 2013

Background

Allergic asthma is characterized by airway inflammation in response to antigen exposure, leading to airway remodeling and lung dysfunction. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) may play a role in airway remodeling through the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype in airway epithelial cells. TGF-β1 is known to promote EMT; however, other cytokines expressed in severe asthma with extensive remodeling, such as IL-22, may also contribute to this process. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of IL-22 to EMT in primary bronchial epithelial cells from healthy and asthmatic subjects.

Methods

Primary bronchial epithelial cells were isolated from healthy subjects, mild asthmatics and severe asthmatics (n=5 patients per group). The mRNA and protein expression of epithelial and mesenchymal cell markers and EMT-associated transcription factors was evaluated following stimulation with TGF-β1, IL-22 and TGF-β1+IL-22.

Results

Primary bronchial epithelial cells stimulated with TGF-β1 underwent EMT, demonstrated by decreased expression of epithelial markers (E-cadherin and MUC5AC) and increased expression of mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin and vimentin) and EMT-associated transcription factors. IL-22 alone had no effect on epithelial or mesenchymal gene expression. However, IL-22+TGF-β1 promoted the expression of some EMT transcription factors (Snail1 and Zeb1) and led to a more profound cadherin shift, but only in cells obtained from severe asthmatics.

Conclusion

The impact of IL-22 on airway epithelial cells depends on the cytokine milieu and the clinical phenotype of the patient. Further studies are required to determine the molecular mechanism of IL-22 and TGF-β1 cooperativity in driving EMT in primary human bronchial epithelial cells.
Molecular phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of Hexapoda and suggest the paraphyly of Entognatha
Authors: Sasaki Go , Ishiwata Keisuke , Machida Ryuichiro , Miyata Takashi , Su Zhi-Hui
Published: November 2013

Background

Molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed that Hexapoda and Crustacea form a common clade (the Pancrustacea), which is now widely accepted among zoologists; however, the origin of Hexapoda remains unresolved. The main problems are the unclear relationships among the basal hexapod lineages, Protura (proturans), Collembola (springtails), Diplura (diplurans), and Ectognatha (bristletails, silverfishes, and all winged insects). Mitogenomic analyses have challenged hexapod monophyly and suggested the reciprocal paraphyly of Hexapoda and Crustacea, whereas studies based on nuclear molecular data support the monophyletic origin of hexapods. Additionally, there are significant discrepancies with respect to these issues between the results of morphological and molecular studies. To investigate these problems, we performed phylogenetic analyses of Pancrustacea based on the protein sequences of three orthologous nuclear genes encoding the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase delta and the largest and second largest subunits of RNA polymerase II from 64 species of arthropods, including representatives of all hexapod orders.

Results

Phylogenetic analyses were conducted based on the inferred amino acid (aa) sequences (~3400 aa in total) of the three genes using the maximum likelihood (ML) method and Bayesian inference. Analyses were also performed with additional datasets generated by excluding long-branch taxa or by using different outgroups. These analyses all yielded essentially the same results. All hexapods were clustered into a common clade, with Branchiopoda as its sister lineage, whereas Crustacea was paraphyletic. Within Hexapoda, the lineages Ectognatha, Palaeoptera, Neoptera, Polyneoptera, and Holometabola were each confirmed to be monophyletic with robust support, but monophyly was not supported for Entognatha (Protura + Collembola + Diplura), Ellipura (Protura + Collembola), or Nonoculata (Protura + Diplura). Instead, our results showed that Protura is the sister lineage to all other hexapods and that Diplura or Diplura + Collembola is closely related to Ectognatha.

Conclusion

This is the first study to include all hexapod orders in a phylogenetic analysis using multiple nuclear protein-coding genes to investigate the phylogeny of Hexapoda, with an emphasis on Entognatha. The results strongly support the monophyletic origin of hexapods but reject the monophyly of Entognatha, Ellipura, and Nonoculata. Our results provided the first molecular evidence in support of Protura as the sister group to other hexapods. These findings are expected to provide additional insights into the origin of hexapods and the processes involved in the adaptation of insects to life on land.
Inflammatory responses in primary muscle cell cultures in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Authors: Pooley Nicholas J , Tacchi Luca , Secombes Christopher J , Martin Samuel AM
Published: November 2013

Background

The relationship between fish health and muscle growth is critical for continued expansion of the aquaculture industry. The effect of immune stimulation on the expression of genes related to the energy balance of fish is poorly understood. In mammals immune stimulation results in major transcriptional changes in muscle, potentially to allow a reallocation of amino acids for use in the immune response and energy homeostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of immune stimulation on fish muscle gene expression.

Results

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) primary muscle cell cultures were stimulated with recombinant (r)IL-1β, a major proinflammatory cytokine, for 24 h in order to simulate an acute immune response. The transcriptomic response was determined by RNA hybridization to a 4 × 44 K Agilent Atlantic salmon microarray platform. The rIL-1β stimulation induced the expression of genes related to both the innate and adaptive immune systems. In addition there were highly significant changes in the expression of genes related to regulation of the cell cycle, growth/structural proteins, proteolysis and lipid metabolism. Of interest were a number of IGF binding proteins that were differentially expressed, which may demonstrate cross talk between the growth and immune systems.

Conclusion

We show rIL-1β modulates the expression of not only immune related genes, but also that of genes involved in processes related to growth and metabolism. Co-stimulation of muscle cells with both rIGF-I and rIL-1β demonstrates cross talk between these pathways providing potential avenues for further research. This study highlights the potential negative effects of inflammation on muscle protein deposition and growth in fish and extends our understanding of energy allocation in ectothermic animals.