bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MuLV-related endogenous retroviral elements and Flt3 participate in aberrant end-joining events that promote B-cell leukemogenesis
Authors: Johnson Radia M. , Papp Eniko , Grandal Ildiko , Kowalski Paul E. , Nutter Lauryl , Wong Raymond C.C. , Joseph-George Ann M. , Danska Jayne S. , Guidos Cynthia J.
Published: June 2014

During V(D)J recombination of immunoglobulin genes, p53 and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) suppress aberrant rejoining of DNA double-strand breaks induced by recombinase-activating genes (Rags)-1/2, thus maintaining genomic stability and limiting malignant transformation during B-cell development. However, Rag deficiency does not prevent B-cell leukemogenesis in p53/NHEJ mutant mice, revealing that p53 and NHEJ also suppress Rag-independent mechanisms of B-cell leukemogenesis. Using several cytogenomic approaches, we identified a novel class of activating mutations in Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3), a receptor tyrosine kinase important for normal hematopoiesis in Rag/p53/NHEJ triple-mutant (TM) B-cell leukemias. These mutant Flt3 alleles were created by complex genomic rearrangements with Moloney leukemia virus (MuLV)-related endogenous retroviral (ERV) elements, generating ERV-Flt3 fusion genes encoding an N-terminally truncated mutant form of Flt3 (trFlt3) that was transcribed from ERV long terminal repeats. trFlt3 protein lacked most of the Flt3 extracellular domain and induced ligand-independent STAT5 phosphorylation and proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells. Furthermore, expression of trFlt3 in p53/NHEJ mutant hematopoietic progenitor cells promoted development of clinically aggressive B-cell leukemia. Thus, repetitive MuLV-related ERV sequences can participate in aberrant end-joining events that promote development of aggressive B-cell leukemia.
Manual Hematoxylin and Eosin Staining of Mouse Tissue Sections
Authors: Cardiff Robert D. , Miller Claramae H. , Munn Robert J.
Published: June 2014

The hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain is the standard used for microscopic examination of tissues that have been fixed, processed, embedded, and sectioned. It can be performed manually or by automation. For economic reasons, the manual technique is generally the method of choice for facilities with a low sample volume. This protocol describes manual H&E staining of fixed, processed, paraffin-embedded, and sectioned mouse tissues. In H&E-stained tissues, the nucleic acids stain dark blue and the proteins stain red to pink or orange. For accurate phenotyping and delineation of tissue detail, the protocol must be adhered to rigorously. This includes frequent reagent changes as well as the use of “in-date” reagents. Appropriate color in a good H&E stain allows for identification of many tissue subtleties that are necessary for accurate diagnosis.
Reverse Footprinting to Map Sites of RNA–Protein Interactions
Authors: Nilsen Timothy W.
Published: June 2014

Nuclease protection of a site-specifically labeled RNA by an RNA-binding protein is an extremely powerful method for determining the site of an RNA–protein interaction. If a protein binds to the region that contains the site-specific label, it will protect the label and adjoining sequences from nuclease digestion. The protected region, or “footprint,” can then be characterized by extensive fragmentation and gel electrophoresis. As the name implies, reverse footprinting produces a mirror image of a conventional footprint; the footprint is revealed by the presence, not the absence, of bands. This method has a distinct advantage over conventional footprinting in that only a small fraction of the labeled RNA must be bound.
High-Speed Two-Photon Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Population Activity Using Acousto-Optic Deflectors
Authors: Grewe Benjamin F. , Helmchen Fritjof
Published: June 2014

Two-photon calcium imaging of neuronal populations allows optical measurements of spiking activity in living animals. However, laser-scanning microscopes with galvanometric scan mirrors are too slow to capture population activity on a millisecond timescale. This protocol describes a two-photon microscope that is based on two-dimensional laser scanning with acousto-optic deflectors (AODs), enabling high-speed in vivo recording of neuronal population activity at temporal resolutions of several hundred hertz. The detailed construction plan of the AOD-based microscope is accompanied by equally detailed optimization procedures. We also introduce a novel random-access pattern scanning (RAPS) technique for high-speed in vivo measurements of neuronal population activity. AOD-based RAPS can measure calcium transients in neocortical neuronal populations, revealing spike trains with near-millisecond precision. The current limitations of the AOD-based microscope are discussed, and we provide an outlook of its future applications.
Analysis of Mouse Model Pathology: A Primer for Studying the Anatomic Pathology of Genetically Engineered Mice
Authors: Cardiff Robert D. , Miller Claramae H. , Munn Robert J.
Published: June 2014

This primer of pathology is intended to introduce investigators to the structure (morphology) of cancer with an emphasis on genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models (GEMMs). We emphasize the necessity of using the entire biological context for the interpretation of anatomic pathology. Because the primary investigator is responsible for almost all of the information and procedures leading up to microscopic examination, they should also be responsible for documentation of experiments so that the microscopic interpretation can be rendered in context of the biology. The steps involved in this process are outlined, discussed, and illustrated. Because GEMMs are unique experimental subjects, some of the more common pitfalls are discussed. Many of these errors can be avoided with attention to detail and continuous quality assurance.
High-Throughput Approaches to Measuring Cell Death
Authors: Saunders Darren N. , Falkenberg Katrina J. , Simpson Kaylene J.
Published: June 2014

Cell death is integral to developmental and disease processes, and high-throughput screening (HTS) has been instrumental both for understanding biological mechanisms underlying cell death and for discovering novel therapeutic agents targeting these pathways. The various cell death modalities and their distinctive morphological and biochemical features have led to the development of a staggering variety of assays to measure these features, many of which have been adapted to HTS format. Although not all cell death assays are readily amenable to a high-throughput format, the potential power of HTS assays and increasing accessibility to associated technology make it likely that new approaches will continue to emerge. In particular, many recent studies in this field have used multiplex assays and high-content imaging to measure several features concurrently. Here, we discuss a broad array of considerations for designing HTS cell death assays, including some common challenges and pitfalls. We aim to provide a framework for deciding the most appropriate biological readouts, assay strategy and mode, workflow, controls, validation, and bioinformatics.
Pulse-resolved multi-photon X-ray detection at 31 MHz based on a quadrant avalanche photodiode
Authors: Reusch Tobias , Osterhoff Markus , Agricola Johannes , Salditt Tim
Published: June 2014

The technical realisation and the commissioning experiments of a high-speed X-ray detector based on a quadrant avalanche silicon photodiode and high-speed digitizers are described. The development is driven by the need for X-ray detectors dedicated to time-resolved diffraction and imaging experiments, ideally requiring pulse-resolved data processing at the synchrotron bunch repetition rate. By a novel multi-photon detection scheme, the exact number of X-ray photons within each X-ray pulse can be recorded. Commissioning experiments at beamlines P08 and P10 of the storage ring PETRA III, at DESY, Hamburg, Germany, have been used to validate the pulse-wise multi-photon counting scheme at bunch frequencies ≥31 MHz, enabling pulse-by-pulse readout during the PETRA III 240-bunch mode with single-photon detection capability. An X-ray flux of ≥3.7 × 109 photons s−1can be detected while still resolving individual photons at low count rates.
A multiplexed high-resolution imaging spectrometer for resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering spectroscopy
Authors: Warwick Tony , Chuang Yi-De , Voronov Dmitriy L. , Padmore Howard A.
Published: June 2014

The optical design of a two-dimensional imaging soft X-ray spectrometer is described. A monochromator will produce a dispersed spectrum in a narrow vertical illuminated stripe (∼2 µm wide by ∼2 mm tall) on a sample. The spectrometer will use inelastically scattered X-rays to image the extended field on the sample in the incident photon energy direction (vertical), resolving the incident photon energy. At the same time it will image and disperse the scattered photons in the orthogonal (horizontal) direction, resolving the scattered photon energy. The principal challenge is to design a system that images from the flat-field illumination of the sample to the flat field of the detector and to achieve sufficiently high spectral resolution. This spectrometer provides a completely parallel resonant inelastic X-ray scattering measurement at high spectral resolution (∼30000) over the energy bandwidth (∼5 eV) of a soft X-ray absorption resonance.
Retrieval of the atomic displacements in the crystal from the coherent X-ray diffraction pattern
Authors: Minkevich A. A. , Köhl M. , Escoubas S. , Thomas O. , Baumbach T.
Published: June 2014

The retrieval of spatially resolved atomic displacements is investigatedviathe phases of the direct(real)-space image reconstructed from the strained crystal's coherent X-ray diffraction pattern. It is demonstrated that limiting the spatial variation of the first- and second-order spatial displacement derivatives improves convergence of the iterative phase-retrieval algorithm for displacements reconstructions to the true solution. This approach is exploited to retrieve the displacement in a periodic array of silicon lines isolated by silicon dioxide filled trenches.
The interaction between genotype and juvenile and adult density environment in shaping multidimensional reaction norms of behaviour
Authors: Han Chang S. , Brooks Robert C.
Published: June 2014

Both juvenile (Ej) and adult (Ea) environment can alter developmental trajectories, independently or interactively (as environment by environment interaction; Ej × Ea), to shape behaviour in later life. Within a population, however, the developmental response of behaviours to environments can vary among genotypes (G × E × E, multidimensional behavioural reaction norm).

Here, we use a full‐sibling, split‐brood experimental design and random regression model to study genetic variation in behavioural plasticity across juvenile/adult density conditions in four behavioural traits of male water stridersTenagogerris euphrosyne: exploration, dispersal, same‐sex sexual behaviour and remounting attempts.

Our results showed that both juvenile and adult density affected the expression of behaviours and that there was modest level of genetic variation in all behaviour traits. In contrast, there was little genetic variation in behavioural plasticity across density conditions at different life stages (G × Ej, G × Eaor G × Ej × Ea) observed in all traits other than same‐sex sexual behaviour.

We suggest that experiences at different life stages can interact to affect behavioural expression, but the magnitude of G × Ej, G × Eaor G × Ej × Eainteractions depends on the specific traits.

Lack of genetic variation in multidimensional behavioural reaction norm may be due to strong selection across environments, high environmental heterogeneity and/or modest genetic variance.

Our results highlight the complex ways in which plasticity shapes the behaviours and life histories of organisms.
Flower‐visiting insects and their potential impact on transgene flow in rice
Authors: Pu De‐qiang , Shi Min , Wu Qiong , Gao Ming‐qing , Liu Jia‐Fu , Ren Shao‐peng , Yang Fan , Tang Pu , Ye Gong‐yin , Shen Zhi‐cheng , He Jun‐hua , Yang Ding , Bu Wen‐Jun , Zhang Chun‐tian , Song Qisheng , Xu Dong , Strand Michael R. , Chen Xue‐xin
Published: June 2014

Rice is one of the most important crops in the world. Several transgenic varieties of rice have been developed, and some have recently entered pre‐production trials. One concern with genetically modified (GM) crops is transgene escape, but prior studies suggest this risk is low for rice because it is self‐pollinated and the dispersal of pollen by wind is limited.

Little is known about the impact of pollen transport by insects. We characterized the insects visiting rice plants during anthesis and considered the effects of insect pollination on gene flow.

We conducted a 2‐year nationwide survey in China and identified more than 510 insect species that visited rice flowers. Honeybees, hoverflies and several other species carried large amounts of pollen. The European honeybee Apis mellifera visited rice flowers regularly with daily foraging activity peaking between 12.00 and 13.00 h.

We monitored 20 European honeybee colonies located 100–1000 metres away from rice fields in mixed agricultural landscapes and found the honeybees carried viable pollen at least 500 m away from the rice pollen source.

We used four GM rice lines as pollen donors, their non‐GM parental varieties as pollen recipients and the European honeybee as the pollinator in field‐cage experiments to assess whether honeybees increase the frequency of gene flow in rice. Results from screening over 1·5 million germinated offspring seeds over a 3‐year study period showed that honeybees significantly increase transgene flow in rice.

Synthesis and applications. Our results indicate that a remarkably high diversity of insects visit rice flowers in China and that hundreds of species including honeybees carry large amounts of rice pollen. European honeybees carry viable pollen over long distances, forage on rice flowers regularly and increase the frequency of transgene flow. Insects mediate gene flow in rice more than previously assumed, and this should be taken into consideration during the ecological risk assessment of transgene flow in self‐pollinated and/or anemophilous crops.
Separatism redux: Crimea, Transnistria, and Eurasia's de facto states (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Bobick Michael S.
Published: June 2014

This article compares recent events in Crimea to Transnistria, another de facto, separatist state located in eastern Moldova. The article asks what Crimea and Transnistria, along with Eurasia's other unrecognized states, can tell us about statehood, sovereignty, and a ‘people’ in the 21st century. Though Eurasia's de facto states can be seen as entities that emerged with the backing of the Russian state, their continued existence reflects a wider uncertainty that emerged with the demise of the Soviet Union. More broadly, these de facto states problematize many of the fundamental terms of political existence.
Law as an anti‐value: Justice, violence and suffering in the logic of becoming (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: De Lauri Antonio
Published: June 2014

Anthropologists are chronologically only the latest to have adopted justice (and injustice) as an object of (critical) inquiry. Even among anthropologists, however, the radical critical cry that law is the instrument par excellence of control and repression, has today fallen out of fashion. Starting from the Afghan case, in this paper I reflect on law as a potential source of violence and as an anti‐value – in the sense of being in antithesis with accepted social values – in the contemporary global scenario. My focus here is neither on the uses that can be made of law nor on the outcomes of its interpretation and application. Rather, I am interested in what law can generate when it betrays social values and sentiments of justice.
The Major Ideologies of Liberalism, Socialism and Conservatism
Authors: Alexander James
Published: June 2014

In the last thirty years ideologies have been treated as if they are contingent assemblages of concepts. This has complicated the study of ideologies so much that some philosophical consideration now seems necessary. In this article an original theory is put forward in which the three major ideologies of liberalism, socialism and conservatism are understood to be three differing views about the nature of the fundamental criterion by which politics should be judged. Since this theory explains the relation between the three as if they are elaborations of the same original criterion, it enables us to see how the ideologies relate to and yet differ from each other.
Strategies of Deliberation: Bourdieu and Struggles over Legitimate Positions
Authors: Holdo Markus
Published: June 2014

Bourdieusian contributions to the discourse on deliberative democracy have recently proved issues of ‘deliberative inequality’ to be more complicated than previously imagined. Some have come to question the desirability or sufficiency of deliberative forms of politics. Others, like James Bohman, have found Bourdieu's theorizing lacking the conception of people's reflexive capacities required to understand social and political change. Critics and defenders of deliberative politics alike place Bourdieu in opposition to deliberation. In contrast, this article argues that Bourdieu provides, through the concepts investment, field and symbolic capital, an alternative vision of deliberative change. This alternative view bases strategies for change on investment in social fields, in which agents work for the expansion of norms that allow them to make legitimate claims. Empirical findings from the literature on participatory budgeting support the argument that the Bourdieusian view is highly relevant to debates about the transformative potential of ‘mini-publics’ in deliberative systems.
Demand Uncertainty, Development Timing and Leasehold Land Valuation: Empirical Testing of Real Options in Residential Real Estate Development
Authors: Yao Huimin , Pretorius Frederik
Published: June 2014

This article develops and tests a long‐dated American call option pricing model for valuing development land under leasehold. We analyze and test option values in ten detailed Hong Kong cases involving purchase, holding, converting and developing land. We also test for optimal exercise of long‐dated American calls using processes based on the optimal trigger ratio feature of the perpetual American call option model. Generally, the empirical results confirm presence of a positive and nontrivial option premium (mean +5.274%) in the cases, and that developers appear to delay exercise to the point predicted by the real options model.
The Impact of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 on Housing Turnover in the U.S. Single‐Family Residential Market
Authors: Heuson Andrea J. , Painter Gary
Published: June 2014

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (TRA97) replaced a one‐time, post‐age‐55 capital gain exclusion with a larger gain exclusion amount that could be protected every two years without requiring that the taxpayer trades up in housing. This action had the potential to impact housing transactions for every existing homeowner, regardless of age, as well as future purchasers of housing. We analyze household‐level data to determine if the repeated ability to exclude periodic recognized capital gains on housing from taxation shortened housing tenure significantly after TRA97 became effective. We next consider whether the decline was heterogeneous across age groups, across trading up and trading down and across geography. Given that the impact of TRA97 appears at first glance to be most profound for taxpayers close to 55 years of age, a somewhat surprising result of our research is that significant decreases in tenure are pervasive, appearing in all age ranges and in samples of homeowners who trade up and who trade down. Finally, we provide additional evidence at the aggregate level that TRA97 led to measurable changes in the price elasticity of housing turnover in the four geographic regions defined by the U.S. Census Bureau (Northeast, Midwest, South and West) and in states that are home to large metropolitan housing markets.
Estimating the Excess Returns to Housing at a Disaggregated Level: An Application to Sydney 2003–2011
Authors: Melser Daniel , Lee Adrian D.
Published: June 2014

The returns to housing are particularly important because this asset class makes up such a large fraction of household wealth. Yet they are not straightforward to calculate given both the heterogeneity in homes and the fact they sell only infrequently. We outline a methodology for constructing the excess returns to housing at a disaggregated level, essentially that of the individual home. Our approach explicitly takes account of the inherent risk in homeownership with regard to the capital gain or loss component of housing returns. This approach is applied to a rich data set for Sydney, Australia, from 2003Q1 to 2011Q2. Our findings indicate that the returns to housing are on average quite weak though they exhibit significant diversity across dwelling types and regions. Excess returns are also strongly influenced by assumptions regarding the level of risk aversion.
A Comparative Anatomy of Residential REITs and Private Real Estate Markets: Returns, Risks and Distributional Characteristics
Authors: Cotter John , Roll Richard
Published: June 2014

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are the only truly liquid assets related to residential real estate investments. We study the behavior of U.S. Residential REITs over the past three decades and document their return characteristics. REITs have somewhat less market risk than equity; their betas against a broad market index average about 0.58. Decomposing their covariances into principal components reveals several strong factors. Residential REIT characteristics differ to some extent from those of the S&P/Case‐Shiller (SCS) private real estate markets. This is partly attributable to methods of index construction. Our examination of REITs suggests that investment in residential real estate is far more risky than what might be inferred from the widely followed SCS series. Although the SCS and REITs indicate little support for being able to predict each other, there is strong evidence of self‐predictability for the series.
Combined Effects of Drying Methods, Extract Concentration, and Film Thickness on Efficacy of Antimicrobial Chitosan Films
Authors: Thakhiew Wasina , Devahastin Sakamon , Soponronnarit Somchart
Published: June 2014

An idea of using a suitable drying method to minimize the loss of added antimicrobial agent and, at the same time, to modify the structure, and hence the release characteristics of chitosan films was proposed. Chitosan film‐forming solution was incorporated with galangal extract (0% and 1.5% w/w) and formed into films with the thickness of 15 and 30 μm via hot air drying (HD) (40 °C) and low‐pressure superheated steam drying (LPSSD) (70 °C, 10 kPa). The extract retention, release characteristics, and antimicrobial efficacy of the films were then assessed; fresh‐cut cantaloupe was used as the test food material, while Staphylococcus aureus was the test pathogenic microorganism. The retention and release of 1,8‐cineole, a major bioactive compound in the galangal extract, was monitored during 5‐d storage at 25 °C. The film swelling was also evaluated and their results used to interpret the release characteristics of 1,8‐cineole from the films to the cantaloupe. At the same thickness, the films prepared by HD had lower extract retention and higher degree of swelling, thus exhibiting faster extract release and lower antimicrobial efficacy than the films prepared by LPSSD. Within the same drying method, the increased film thickness led to higher extract retention and antimicrobial efficacy. The concentration of the extract in the cantaloupe matched well with the extract retention and release characteristics as well as the antimicrobial efficacy of the films.
GC‐MS‐Based Metabolite Profiling of Cosmos caudatus Leaves Possessing Alpha‐Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity
Authors: Javadi Neda , Abas Faridah , Hamid Azizah Abd , Simoh Sanimah , Shaari Khozirah , Ismail Intan Safinar , Mediani Ahmed , Khatib Alfi
Published: June 2014

Cosmos caudatus, which is known as “Ulam Raja,” is an herbal plant used in Malaysia to enhance vitality. This study focused on the evaluation of the α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity of different ethanolic extracts of C. caudatus. Six series of samples extracted with water, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% ethanol (EtOH) were employed. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) and orthogonal partial least‐squares (OPLS) analysis was used to correlate bioactivity of different extracts to different metabolite profiles of C. caudatus. The obtained OPLS scores indicated a distinct and remarkable separation into 6 clusters, which were indicative of the 6 different ethanol concentrations. GC‐MS can be integrated with multivariate data analysis to identify compounds that inhibit α‐glucosidase activity. In addition, catechin, α‐linolenic acid, α‐D‐glucopyranoside, and vitamin E compounds were identified and indicate the potential α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity of this herb.
Phenolic Compounds in Fresh and Dried Figs from Cilento (Italy), by Considering Breba Crop and Full Crop, in Comparison to Turkish and Greek Dried Figs
Authors: Russo Filippo , Caporaso Nicola , Paduano Antonello , Sacchi Raffaele
Published: June 2014

Fresh and dried figs are important components of the Mediterranean diet. In Cilento (Southern Italy), figs belonging to cultivar “Dottato” are used for the production of “PDO Cilento white figs,” as dried figs. In this article, we reported the characterization of the phenolic compounds in 19 fig samples: 9 fresh figs cultivar “Dottato” from Cilento (Italy), 10 dried fig samples from Cilento (2), Turkey (6), and Greece (2). The following phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/UV‐DAD: chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, luteolin‐3,7‐di‐O‐glucoside, luteolin 7‐glucoside, apigenin‐7‐O‐rutinoside, rutin, quercetin‐3‐glucoside, and cyanidin‐3‐O‐rutinoside. A discriminative analysis between the peel and pulp of the samples was carried out. The 1st crop (“breba”) and the 2nd one (full crop) from Dottato figs were considered, as well as the effect of fig pollination. The majority of the phenolic compounds were predominant in the fig peel. Significant quantitative differences were found among fresh figs, whereas also some qualitative differences were obtained between fresh and dried figs from the same origin in Dottato cultivar, and among dried figs from different origins. Breba crop resulted richer in phenolics than figs of the 2nd crop. Considering the dried figs, the Turkish ones had the highest concentration in phenolic compounds. Other compounds such as the aminoacids tyrosine and tryptophan were also detected by HPLC‐DAD analysis in Dottato figs, probably due to the similarity of their chemical structure.
Two new Brazilian species of Friesea Dalla Torre, 1895 (Collembola: Neanuridae)
Authors: Queiroz Gabriel Costa , de Mendonça Maria Cleide
Published: June 2014

The fauna of south‐east Brazilian mountains was sampled and revealed two new species of Frieseinae, Friesea curupira sp. nov. and Friesea boitata sp. nov. The first is an unpigmented species with 1 + 1 eye, no furca and two anal spines. The second species is very similar to F. reducta Denis, 1931. Comments are made about a complex of species that also share many similarities within the ‘reducta group’. Remarks are made on tegumentar protuberances of subcoxae 1 of legs of Frieseinae.
Sentimental Capitalism in Contemporary India: Art, Heritage, and Development in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Authors: Da Costa Dia
Published: June 2014

Using a critical cultural politics approach and deploying the concept of sentimental capitalism, this article problematizes the burgeoning creative economy discourse while analyzing spaces of art and heritage production in Ahmedabad, India. I situate the Cotton Exchange exhibit (April 2013) in an erstwhile mill in recent histories of mill closures, genocide, creative economy initiatives and development aspirations of revitalizing degraded space. I argue that in remaking place, art mobilizes sentiments—here, nostalgia and hope—while erasing violence and inequality. Sentimental capitalism is at work in the exhibition by mobilizing artisans as entrepreneurial agents not victims of capitalism; constructing art's aura of grassroots participation and artisanal empowerment while obscuring displacement and exploitation; and fostering cult‐like regard for art's intrinsic and instrumental value as non‐profit and its capacity to engender opportunity, recognition, and even property. While another spatial politics is possible, in Ahmedabad today, art is being mobilized to obscure dispossession and exploitation in the name of urban revitalization and heritage production.
Breaking the Ties That Bind: From Corporate Sustainability to Socially Sustainable Systems
Authors: Carbo Jerry , Langella Ian M. , Dao Viet T. , Haase Steven J.
Published: June 2014

Although the recent push toward sustainability is certainly generally a positive development in business and society, we can see many problems in the execution of the theory of sustainability. Where the triple bottom line calls on companies to weigh effects on stakeholders and the environment alongside profit, in practice in many cases, sustainability has been perverted to represent sustainable profits. In these cases, environmental impact and effects on people are only important insofar as they positively contribute to a firm‘s future profits. It is not only practitioners who have often espoused this misappropriated view of sustainability but also academics have lent credibility to this view. In this work, we start by criticizing the often espoused current view of sustainability and remind academics of their responsibility to adapt a more critical view of this narrow focus. We provide examples that show how the current system of capitalism has resulted in outcomes for people and the environment that are patently unacceptable. Reasons are given as to why there is much hesitation to change the status quo. We then call on academics to reexamine what the role of businesses should be within society, what obligations business and corporations should have in society, and how we can encourage meaningful change that results in a better world for future generations.
Consumer Deception or Unwarranted Product Disparagement? The Case of Lean, Finely Textured Beef
Authors: Adams Ronald J.
Published: June 2014

When celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used his television presence to denounce the inclusion of lean, finely textured beef (LFTB) in ground beef products sold to consumers and present in school lunches, a firestorm of protests ensued. Ultimately, processing plants were closed, employees laid off, school lunch programs were changed to exclude LFTB from their menus, and large retailers such as Costco and Walmart refused to sell products containing LFTB. Calls for mandatory labeling were proposed in Congress, the argument being that consumers had a right to know what was in the beef they were purchasing and feeding their families. Dubbed “pink slime” by its critics, LFTB is treated, processed beef renderings that are derived from trimmings that would otherwise be discarded or used for some inferior purpose such as animal food. This article chronicles the events surrounding the LFTB controversy, briefly reviews scientific evidence pertaining to its safety, and reviews public policy initiatives in the wake of public protests.
A Promissory Theory of the Duty to Tip
Authors: Kershnar Stephen
Published: June 2014

In this article, I argued that in contexts in which tipping is customary, there is a moral duty to tip or to explicitly tell the server that you will not be tipping. The evidence for this rests on anecdotes about people's mental states, and customers and server's intuitions about duties that would arise were a customer unable to tip his server. The promise is a speech act that is implicit in ordering food. The speech act must be matched by the server's uptake, which is implicit in her taking the order. The promise argument rests on an actual promise and not a merely hypothetical promise. If there is such a duty, then in the absence of an explicit content, its content is likely set by convention. The convention is that customers tip 15–20%. Thus, customers have a duty to tip servers 15–20%. Other purported moral considerations do not ground this duty. These include custom, desirable incentives, role‐relative obligation, and gratitude.
Firm Size and Ownership Structure: Effects on Motivations for Use of Business Community Involvement Practices
Authors: Santana Adele
Published: June 2014

This study presents an empirical investigation of the effects of size and ownership structure of the firm on the motivations for use of business community involvement practices. The “motivation‐mix” conceptual framework composed by commitment, calculation, conformance and caring motivational mechanisms is used for the conduction of eight comparative case studies. Results indicate that (1) size and ownership structure, per se, do not affect the motivations, and (2) high levels of calculation and low levels of caring are observed in one particular combination of size‐ownership structure: large, publicly held firms.
Pelvic and reproductive structures in placoderms (stem gnathostomes)
Authors: Trinajstic Kate , Boisvert Catherine , Long John , Maksimenko Anton , Johanson Zerina
Published: June 2014

Newly discovered pelvic and reproductive structures within placoderms, representing some of the most crownward members of the gnathostome stem group and the most basal jawed vertebrates, challenge established ideas on the origin of the pelvic girdle and reproductive complexity. Here we critically review previous descriptions of the pelvic structures in placoderms and reinterpret the morphology of the pelvic region within the arthrodires and ptyctodonts, in particular the position of the pelvic fin and the relationship of the male clasper to the pelvic girdle. Absence of clear articular surfaces on the clasper and girdle in the Arthrodira, along with evidence from the Ptyctodontida, suggest that these are separate structures along the body. We describe similarities between the pectoral and pelvic girdles and claspers, for example, all these have both dermal and perichondral (cartilaginous) components. Claspers in placoderms and chondrichthyans develop in very different ways; in sharks, claspers develop from the pelvic fin while the claspers in placoderms develop separately, suggesting that their independent development involved a posterior extension of the ‘competent stripes’ for fin development previously limited to the region between the paired pectoral and pelvic fins. Within this expanded zone, we suggest that clasper position relative to the pelvic fins was determined by genes responsible for limb position. Information on early gnathostome reproductive processes is preserved in both the Ptyctodontida and Arthrodira, including the presence of multiple embryos in pregnant females, embryos of differing sizes and of different sexes (e.g. male claspers preserved in some embyros). By comparison with chondrichthyans, these observations suggest more complex reproductive strategies in placoderms than previously appreciated.
Stability of Bovine Lactoferrin in Luminal Extracts and Mucosal Homogenates from Rat Intestine: A Prelude to Oral Absorption
Authors: Yao Xudong , Bunt Craig , Cornish Jillian , Quek Siew‐Young , Wen Jingyuan
Published: June 2014

Oral delivery is the most common method for bovine lactoferrin (bLf) administration. However, the presence of proteolytic enzymes in the stomach and intestine limits the effective absorption of bLf within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. To determine the extent of bLf proteolysis, several digestion models were developed using luminal extracts and mucosal homogenates isolated from four regions of rat intestine: duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and proximal colon. The kinetics of bLf degradation followed a pseudo‐first‐order rate, and almost complete hydrolysis of bLf was observed in the luminal extracts, indicating that bLf is more susceptive to luminal peptidases rather than mucosal enzymes. Moreover, a significant reduction in bLf proteolysis was observed in the presence of soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI), bestatin, and bacitracin, suggesting that there exist trypsin‐like and aminopeptidase‐like proteases, which play a key role in the degradation of bLf in the intestine. Lactoferrin was then encapsulated in several lipid‐based delivery systems including liposomes and solid lipid particles (SLPs) with polymer modification, showing at least 50% of intact bLf remaining after 6 h of digestion compared with native bLf. These findings suggest that particle encapsulation may modulate protein digestion and possibly achieve sufficient oral bioavailability of bLf.
Psychometric properties of an adapted version of the parental sense of competence (PSOC) scale for Portuguese at‐risk parents
Authors: Nunes Cristina , Jiménez Lucía , Menéndez Susana , Ayala‐Nunes Lara , Hidalgo Victoria
Published: June 2014

Parental sense of competence is one of the central dimensions targeted on psychosocial interventions aimed at supporting at‐risk families. Researchers and practitioners need reliable instruments to assess the parental role adapted for these families. Although the parental sense of competence (PSOC) scale has been frequently used to assess this construct, there is still no adapted version for Portuguese parents. In this study, the reliability, validity and factor structure of the PSOC scale is examined with a clinical sample of 146 mothers from at‐risk families receiving psychosocial interventions for family preservation from Child Protective Services. Results show that the Portuguese version of the PSOC measures three distinct constructs with acceptable psychometric properties: efficacy, dissatisfaction and controllability. As expected, the obtained factors were significantly and positively related to parenting alliance and family cohesion, and negatively associated with parenting stress. In sum, the proposed Portuguese version shows reliability and validity evidences to measure three relevant dimensions of parental self‐evaluation, and it constitutes a cost‐ and time‐effective instrument suited for at‐risk mothers.
Spatio‐temporal geometry fusion for multiple hybrid cameras using moving least squares surfaces
Authors: Kuster Claudia , Bazin Jean‐Charles , Öztireli Cengiz , Deng Teng , Martin Tobias , Popa Tiberiu , Gross Markus
Published: June 2014

Multi‐view reconstruction aims at computing the geometry of a scene observed by a set of cameras. Accurate 3D reconstruction of dynamic scenes is a key component for a large variety of applications, ranging from special effects to telepresence and medical imaging. In this paper we propose a method based on Moving Least Squares surfaces which robustly and efficiently reconstructs dynamic scenes captured by a calibrated set of hybrid color+depth cameras. Our reconstruction provides spatio‐temporal consistency and seamlessly fuses color and geometric information. We illustrate our approach on a variety of real sequences and demonstrate that it favorably compares to state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Perceptual depth compression for stereo applications
Authors: Pająk Dawid , Herzog Robert , Mantiuk Radosław , Didyk Piotr , Eisemann Elmar , Myszkowski Karol , Pulli Kari
Published: June 2014

Conventional depth video compression uses video codecs designed for color images. Given the performance of current encoding standards, this solution seems efficient. However, such an approach suffers from many issues stemming from discrepancies between depth and light perception. To exploit the inherent limitations of human depth perception, we propose a novel depth compression method that employs a disparity perception model. In contrast to previous methods, we account for disparity masking, and model a distinct relation between depth perception and contrast in luminance. Our solution is a natural extension to the H.264 codec and can easily be integrated into existing decoders. It significantly improves both the compression efficiency without sacrificing visual quality of depth of rendered content, and the output of depth‐reconstruction algorithms or depth cameras.
A randomized algorithm for natural object colorization
Authors: Jin Sou‐Young , Choi Ho‐Jin , Tai Yu‐Wing
Published: June 2014

Natural objects often contain vivid color distribution with wide variety of colors. Conventional colorization techniques, on the other hand, produce colors that are relatively flat with little color variation. In this paper, we introduce a randomized algorithm which considers not only the value of target color but also the distribution of target color. In essence, our algorithm paints a color distribution to a region which synthesizes color distribution of a natural object. Our approach models the correlation between intensity and color in HSV color space in terms of H – S, H – V and S – V joint histogram. During the colorization process, we randomly swap and reassign color of a pixel to minimize a cost function that measures color consistency to its neighborhood and intensity‐to‐color correlation captured in the joint histogram. We tested our algorithm extensively on many natural objects and our user study confirms that our results are more vivid and natural compared to results from previous techniques.
Temporally coherent and spatially accurate video matting
Authors: Shahrian E. , Price B. , Cohen S. , Rajan D.
Published: June 2014

Image and video matting are still challenging problems in areas with low foreground‐background contrast. Video matting also has the challenge of ensuring temporally coherent mattes because the human visual system is highly sensitive to temporal jitter and flickering. On the other hand, video provides the opportunity to use information from other frames to improve the matte accuracy on a given frame. In this paper, we present a new video matting approach that improves the temporal coherence while maintaining high spatial accuracy in the computed mattes. We build sample sets of temporal and local samples that cover all the color distributions of the object and background over all previous frames. This helps guarantee spatial accuracy and temporal coherence by ensuring that proper samples are found even when distantly located in space or time. An explicit energy term encourages temporal consistency in the mattes derived from the selected samples. In addition, we use localized texture features to improve spatial accuracy in low contrast regions where color distributions overlap. The proposed method results in better spatial accuracy and temporal coherence than existing video matting methods.
Art‐photographic detail enhancement
Authors: Son Minjung , Lee Yunjin , Kang Henry , Lee Seungyong
Published: June 2014

We present a novel method for enhancing details in a digital photograph, inspired by the principle of art photography. In contrast to the previous methods that primarily rely on tone scaling, our technique provides a flexible tone transform model that consists of two operators: shifting and scaling. This model permits shifting of the tonal range in each image region to enable significant detail boosting regardless of the original tone. We optimize these shift and scale factors in our constrained optimization framework to achieve extreme detail enhancement across the image in a piecewise smooth fashion, as in art photography. The experimental results show that the proposed method brings out a significantly large amount of details even from an ordinary low‐dynamic range image.
Adaptive texture space shading for stochastic rendering
Authors: Andersson M. , Hasselgren, J. , Toth, R. , Akenine‐Möiler T.
Published: June 2014

When rendering effects such as motion blur and defocus blur, shading can become very expensive if done in a naïve way, i.e. shading each visibility sample. To improve performance, previous work often decouple shading from visibility sampling using shader caching algorithms. We present a novel technique for reusing shading in a stochastic rasterizer. Shading is computed hierarchically and sparsely in an object‐space texture, and by selecting an appropriate mipmap level for each triangle, we ensure that the shading rate is sufficiently high so that no noticeable blurring is introduced in the rendered image. Furthermore, with a two‐pass algorithm, we separate shading from reuse and thus avoid GPU thread synchronization. Our method runs at real‐time frame rates and is up to 3 × faster than previous methods. This is an important step forward for stochastic rasterization in real time.
Recurring part arrangements in shape collections
Authors: Zheng Youyi , Cohen‐Or Daniel , Averkiou Melinos , Mitra Niloy J.
Published: June 2014

Extracting semantically related parts across models remains challenging, especially without supervision. The common approach is to co‐analyze a model collection, while assuming the existence of descriptive geometric features that can directly identify related parts. In the presence of large shape variations, common geometric features, however, are no longer sufficiently descriptive. In this paper, we explore an indirect top‐down approach, where instead of part geometry, part arrangements extracted from each model are compared. The key observation is that while a direct comparison of part geometry can be ambiguous, part arrangements, being higher level structures, remain consistent, and hence can be used to discover latent commonalities among semantically related shapes. We show that our indirect analysis leads to the detection of recurring arrangements of parts, which are otherwise difficult to discover in a direct unsupervised setting. We evaluate our algorithm on ground truth datasets and report advantages over geometric similarity‐based bottom‐up co‐segmentation algorithms.
ShapeSynth: Parameterizing model collections for coupled shape exploration and synthesis
Authors: Averkiou Melinos , Kim Vladimir G. , Zheng Youyi , Mitra Niloy J.
Published: June 2014

Recent advances in modeling tools enable non‐expert users to synthesize novel shapes by assembling parts extracted from model databases. A major challenge for these tools is to provide users with relevant parts, which is especially difficult for large repositories with significant geometric variations. In this paper we analyze unorganized collections of 3D models to facilitate explorative shape synthesis by providing high‐level feedback of possible synthesizable shapes. By jointly analyzing arrangements and shapes of parts across models, we hierarchically embed the models into low‐dimensional spaces. The user can then use the parameterization to explore the existing models by clicking in different areas or by selecting groups to zoom on specific shape clusters. More importantly, any point in the embedded space can be lifted to an arrangement of parts to provide an abstracted view of possible shape variations. The abstraction can further be realized by appropriately deforming parts from neighboring models to produce synthesized geometry. Our experiments show that users can rapidly generate plausible and diverse shapes using our system, which also performs favorably with respect to previous modeling tools.