bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Modulation of Oxidative Stress an Answer? The State of the Art of Redox Therapeutic Actions in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Chiurchiù Valerio , Orlacchio Antonio , Maccarrone Mauro
Published: December 2015

The central nervous system is particularly sensitive to oxidative stress due to many reasons, including its high oxygen consumption even under basal conditions, high production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species from specific neurochemical reactions, and the increased deposition of metal ions in the brain with aging. For this reason, along with inflammation, oxidative stress seems to be one of the main inducers of neurodegeneration, causing excitotoxicity, neuronal loss, and axonal damage, ultimately being now considered a key element in the onset and progression of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and hereditary spastic paraplegia. Thus, the present paper reviews the role of oxidative stress and of its mechanistic insights underlying the pathogenesis of these neurodegenerative diseases, with particular focus on current studies on its modulation as a potential and promising therapeutic strategy.
Are Anxiety Disorders Associated with Accelerated Aging? A Focus on Neuroprogression
Authors: Perna Giampaolo , Iannone Giuseppe , Alciati Alessandra , Caldirola Daniela
Published: December 2015

Anxiety disorders (AnxDs) are highly prevalent throughout the lifespan, with detrimental effects on daily-life functioning, somatic health, and quality of life. An emerging perspective suggested that AnxDs may be associated with accelerated aging. In this paper, we explored the association between AnxDs and hallmarks of accelerated aging, with a specific focus on neuroprogression. We reviewed animal and human findings that suggest an overlap between processes of impaired neurogenesis, neurodegeneration, structural, functional, molecular, and cellular modifications in AnxDs, and aging. Although this research is at an early stage, our review suggests a link between anxiety and accelerated aging across multiple processes involved in neuroprogression. Brain structural and functional changes that accompany normal aging were more pronounced in subjects with AnxDs than in coevals without AnxDs, including reduced grey matter density, white matter alterations, impaired functional connectivity of large-scale brain networks, and poorer cognitive performance. Similarly, molecular correlates of brain aging, including telomere shortening, Aβaccumulation, and immune-inflammatory and oxidative/nitrosative stress, were overrepresented in anxious subjects. No conclusions about causality or directionality between anxiety and accelerated aging can be drawn. Potential mechanisms of this association, limitations of the current research, and implications for treatments and future studies are discussed.
Evaluation of Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation Project Daily Precipitation Estimates over the Chinese Mainland
Authors: Chen Zhuoqi , Qin Yaxin , Shen Yan , Zhang Shupeng
Published: December 2015

Two versions of Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) products (GSMaP-V4 and GSMaP-V5) are validated both in a single grid scale and in contiguous China by comparing to gauge-based rainfall analysis dataset. GSMaP products can capture spatial patterns and magnitude of rainfall in daily mean precipitation. They perform better in summer than in winter over the Chinese Mainland. They also have better estimation over the southeast than over the northwest of the Chinese Mainland. An apparent system underestimate is detected in both GSMaP products. The underestimation existing in the GSMaP-V4 has been largely improved in GSMaP-V5. The impacts of snow cover and vegetation fraction are also investigated. The result indicates that snow cover deeply impacts the POD and FAR of GSMaP products. NDVI may result in overestimated precipitation in sparse vegetation regions. These results implicate that it is useful to use some auxiliary data from other sensors (e.g., MODIS) to improve the quality of precipitation product.
Vibration-Attenuation Controller Design for Uncertain Mechanical Systems with Input Time Delay
Authors: Ding Yuanchun , Weng Falu , Jiang Xiaohua , Tang Minkang
Published: December 2015

The problems of vibration-attenuation controller design for uncertain mechanical systems with time-varying input delay are of concern in this paper. Firstly, based on matrix transformation, the mechanical system is described as a state-space model. Then, in terms of introducing the linear varying parameters, the uncertain system model is established. Secondly, the LMI-based sufficient conditions for the system to be stabilizable are deduced by utilizing the LMI technique. By solving the obtained LMIs, the controllers are achieved for the closed-loop system to be stable with a prescribed level of disturbance attenuation. Finally, numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed theorems.
Angiotensin-(1-7) Decreases Cell Growth and Angiogenesis of Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Xenografts
Authors: Pei Nana , Wan Renqiang , Chen Xinglu , Li Andrew , Zhang Yanling , Li Jinlong , Du Hongyan , Chen Baihong , Wei Wenjin , Qi Yanfei , Zhang Yi , Katovich Michael J. , Sumners Colin , Zheng Haifa , Li Hongwei
Published: December 2015

Angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] is an endogenous, heptapeptide hormone acting through the Mas receptor (MasR), with antiproliferative and antiangiogenic properties. Recent studies have shown that Ang-(1-7) has an antiproliferative action on lung adenocarcinoma cells and prostate cancer cells. In this study, we report that MasR levels were significantly upregulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) specimens and NPC cell lines. Viral vector–mediated expression of Ang-(1-7) dramatically suppressed NPC cell proliferation and migration in vitro. These effects were completely blocked by the specific Ang-(1-7) receptor antagonist A-779, suggesting that they are mediated by the Ang-(1-7) receptor Mas. In this study, Ang-(1-7) not only caused a significant reduction in the growth of human nasopharyngeal xenografts, but also markedly decreased vessel density, suggesting that the heptapeptide inhibits angiogenesis to reduce tumor size. Mechanistic investigations revealed that Ang-(1-7) inhibited the expression of the proangiogenic factors VEGF and PlGF. Taken together, the data suggest that upregulation of MasR could be used as a diagnostic marker of NPC and Ang-(1-7) may be a novel therapeutic agent for nasopharyngeal cancer therapy because it exerts significant antiangiogenic activity. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 37–47. ©2015 AACR.
The DNA Repair Inhibitor DT01 as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Chemosensitization of Colorectal Liver Metastasis
Authors: Herath Nirmitha I. , Devun Flavien , Lienafa Marie-Christine , Herbette Aurélie , Denys Alban , Sun Jian-Sheng , Dutreix Marie
Published: December 2015

Metastatic liver disease from colorectal cancer is a significant clinical problem. This is mainly attributed to nonresectable metastases that frequently display low sensitivities to available chemotherapies and develop drug resistance partly via hyperactivation of some DNA repair functions. Combined therapies have shown some disease control; however, there is still a need for more efficient chemotherapies to achieve eradication of colorectal cancer liver metastasis. We investigated the tolerance and efficacy of a novel class of DNA repair inhibitors, Dbait, in association with conventional chemotherapy. Dbait mimics double-strand breaks and activates damage signaling, consequently inhibiting single- and double-stranded DNA repair enzyme recruitment. In vitro, Dbait treatment increases sensitivity of HT29 and HCT116 colorectal cancer cell lines. In vivo, the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and the efficacy of the cholesterol-conjugated clinical form of Dbait, DT01, were assessed. The chemosensitizing abilities of DT01 were evaluated in association with oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil in intrahepatic HT29 xenografted mice used as a model for colorectal cancer liver metastasis. The high uptake of DT01 indicates that the liver is a specific target. We demonstrate significant antitumor efficacy in a liver metastasis model with DT01 treatment in combination with oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil (mean: 501 vs. 872 mm2, P = 0.02) compared to chemotherapy alone. The decrease in tumor volume is further associated with significant histologic changes in necrosis, proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis. Repeated cycles of DT01 do not increase chemotherapy toxicity. Combining DT01 with conventional chemotherapy may prove to be a safe and effective therapeutic strategy in the treatment of metastatic liver cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 15–22. ©2015 AACR.
AKT Inhibition Promotes Nonautonomous Cancer Cell Survival
Authors: Salony  , Solé Xavier , Alves Cleidson P. , Dey-Guha Ipsita , Ritsma Laila , Boukhali Myriam , Lee Ju H. , Chowdhury Joeeta , Ross Kenneth N. , Haas Wilhelm , Vasudevan Shobha , Ramaswamy Sridhar
Published: December 2015

Small molecule inhibitors of AKT (v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog) signaling are being evaluated in patients with various cancer types, but have so far proven therapeutically disappointing for reasons that remain unclear. Here, we treat cancer cells with subtherapeutic doses of Akti-1/2, an allosteric small molecule AKT inhibitor, in order to experimentally model pharmacologic inhibition of AKT signaling in vitro. We then apply a combined RNA, protein, and metabolite profiling approach to develop an integrated, multiscale, molecular snapshot of this “AKTlow” cancer cell state. We find that AKT-inhibited cancer cells suppress thousands of mRNA transcripts, and proteins related to the cell cycle, ribosome, and protein translation. Surprisingly, however, these AKT-inhibited cells simultaneously upregulate a host of other proteins and metabolites posttranscriptionally, reflecting activation of their endo-vesiculo-membrane system, secretion of inflammatory proteins, and elaboration of extracellular microvesicles. Importantly, these microvesicles enable rapidly proliferating cancer cells of various types to better withstand different stress conditions, including serum deprivation, hypoxia, or cytotoxic chemotherapy in vitro and xenografting in vivo. These findings suggest a model whereby cancer cells experiencing a partial inhibition of AKT signaling may actually promote the survival of neighbors through non-cell autonomous communication. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 142–53. ©2015 AACR.
Developing Antagonists for the Met-HGF/SF Protein–Protein Interaction Using a Fragment-Based Approach
Authors: Winter Anja , Sigurdardottir Anna G. , DiCara Danielle , Valenti Giovanni , Blundell Tom L. , Gherardi Ermanno
Published: December 2015

In many cancers, aberrant activation of the Met receptor tyrosine kinase leads to dissociation of cells from the primary tumor, causing metastasis. Accordingly, Met is a high-profile target for the development of cancer therapies, and progress has been made through development of small molecule kinase inhibitors and antibodies. However, both approaches pose significant challenges with respect to either target specificity (kinase inhibitors) or the cost involved in treating large patient cohorts (antibodies). Here, we use a fragment-based approach in order to target the protein–protein interaction (PPI) between the α-chain of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF; the NK1 fragment) and its high-affinity binding site located on the Met Sema domain. Surface plasmon resonance was used for initial fragment library screening and hits were developed into larger compounds using substructure (similarity) searches. We identified compounds able to interfere with NK1 binding to Met, disrupt Met signaling, and inhibit tumorsphere generation and cell migration. Using molecular docking, we concluded that some of these compounds inhibit the PPI directly, whereas others act indirectly. Our results indicate that chemical fragments can efficiently target the HGF/SF-Met interface and may be used as building blocks for generating biologically active lead compounds. This strategy may have broad application for the development of a new class of Met inhibitors, namely receptor antagonists, and in general for the development of small molecule PPI inhibitors of key therapeutic targets when structural information is not available. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 3–14. ©2015 AACR.
High XIST and Low 53BP1 Expression Predict Poor Outcome after High-Dose Alkylating Chemotherapy in Patients with a BRCA1-like Breast Cancer
Authors: Schouten Philip C. , Vollebergh Marieke A. , Opdam Mark , Jonkers Martijn , Loden Martin , Wesseling Jelle , Hauptmann Michael , Linn Sabine C.
Published: December 2015

In previous studies, high expression of XIST and low expression of 53BP1 were respectively associated with poor systemic therapy outcome in patients and therapy resistance in BRCA1-deficient mouse tumor models, but have not been evaluated in BRCA1-deficient patients. Previously, we demonstrated that classifying breast cancer copy number profiles as BRCA1-like or non–BRCA1-like identified patients enriched for defects in BRCA1 that benefit from high-dose (HD) alkylating chemotherapy compared with a conventional standard regimen. We investigated whether XIST and 53BP1 expression predicted poor outcome of HD chemotherapy within 28 BRCA1-like patients from a trial randomizing between HD [4 cycles 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide (FEC) followed by 1 cycle HD carboplatin, thiotepa, cyclophosphamide] or conventional chemotherapy (5 cycles FEC), for which both XIST and 53BP1 statuses were available. High RNA expression of XIST (n = 5) and low protein expression of 53BP1 (n = 3) expression did not coincide. Patients with either one had poor outcome after treatment with HD chemotherapy, whereas patients with low expression of XIST and high expression of 53BP1 derived substantial benefit of this regimen on recurrence-free survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival, corroborating preclinical findings. XIST and 53BP1 may be predictive biomarkers in BRCA1-like breast cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 190–8. ©2015 AACR.
The Role of HMGB1 in Radioresistance of Bladder Cancer
Authors: Shrivastava Sanhita , Mansure Jose Joao , Almajed Wael , Cury Fabio , Ferbeyre Gerardo , Popovic Marija , Seuntjens Jan , Kassouf Wassim
Published: December 2015

Although radical cystectomy surgery is the standard-of-care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, it entails complete removal of the bladder and surrounding organs which leads to substantial loss in the quality-of-life of patients. Radiotherapy, which spares the bladder, would be a more appropriate treatment modality if we can utilize molecular markers to select patients with better response to radiation. In this study, we investigate a protein called high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) as a predictive marker for radiotherapy response in bladder cancer. Our in vitro results indicate a positive correlation between higher levels of HMGB1 protein and resistance to radiation in various cell lines. Upon HMGB1 protein knockdown, highly significant (>1.5-fold) sensitization to radiotherapy was achieved. We saw that loss of HMGB1 was associated with at least two times higher (P < 0.001) DNA damage in cell lines postradiation. Our results also depicted that autophagy was inhibited more than 3-fold (P < 0.001) upon HMGB1 knockdown, implicating its role in autophagy as another cause of bladder cancer radioresistance. Further validation was done in vivo by conducting mouse tumor xenograft experiments, where HMGB1 knockdown tumors showed a significantly better (P < 0.001) response to radiotherapy and decreased autophagy (shown by P62 staining) as compared with controls. The cumulative findings of our in vitro and in vivo studies highlight the significance of HMGB1 as a radiation response marker as well as its utility in radiosensitization of bladder cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(3); 471–9. ©2015 AACR.
ML264, A Novel Small-Molecule Compound That Potently Inhibits Growth of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Ruiz de Sabando Ainara , Wang Chao , He Yuanjun , García-Barros Mónica , Kim Julie , Shroyer Kenneth R. , Bannister Thomas D. , Yang Vincent W. , Bialkowska Agnieszka B.
Published: December 2015

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in Western civilization. Studies have shown that colorectal cancer arises as a consequence of the modification of genes that regulate important cellular functions. Deregulation of the WNT and RAS/MAPK/PI3K signaling pathways has been shown to be important in the early stages of colorectal cancer development and progression. Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) is a transcription factor that is highly expressed in the proliferating intestinal crypt epithelial cells. Previously, we showed that KLF5 is a mediator of RAS/MAPK and WNT signaling pathways under homeostatic conditions and that it promotes their tumorigenic functions during the development and progression of intestinal adenomas. Recently, using an ultrahigh-throughput screening approach we identified a number of novel small molecules that have the potential to provide therapeutic benefits for colorectal cancer by targeting KLF5 expression. In the current study, we show that an improved analogue of one of these screening hits, ML264, potently inhibits proliferation of colorectal cancer cells in vitro through modifications of the cell-cycle profile. Moreover, in an established xenograft mouse model of colon cancer, we demonstrate that ML264 efficiently inhibits growth of the tumor within 5 days of treatment. We show that this effect is caused by a significant reduction in proliferation and that ML264 potently inhibits the expression of KLF5 and EGR1, a transcriptional activator of KLF5. These findings demonstrate that ML264, or an analogue, may hold a promise as a novel therapeutic agent to curb the development and progression of colorectal cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 72–83. ©2015 AACR.
Ponzo’s Illusion in 3D: Perspective Gradients Dominate Differences in Retinal Size
Authors: Dobias Joshua J. , Papathomas Thomas V. , Sarwate Anuja
Published: December 2015

A common form of the Ponzo illusion involves two test probes of equal size, embedded in a planar linear perspective painting depicting a three-dimensional (3D) scene, where the probe perceived to be farther is judged to be larger than the probe perceived closer to the viewer. In this paper, the same perspective 3D scene was painted on three surfaces: (a) A 2D surface incongruent with the 3D painted scene (flat perspective). (b) A 3D surface with a geometry congruent with the 3D scene (proper perspective). (c) A 3D surface with an opposite depth arrangement to the 3D scene (reverse perspective). This last stimulus was bistable and could be perceived veridically, as it physically existed, or as a depth-inverting illusion. For all experiments, observers relied on perspective gradients to estimate the size of a test probe placed within the scene; objects placed in a ‘far’ position as defined by perspective cues were perceived to be larger regardless of their physical distance. Further, illusion strength was tied to retinal size; small retinal-size differences (Experiments 1 and 2) did not affect illusion strength, whereas larger retinal-size differences (Experiment 3) did play a minor role.
Southern Hemisphere Extratropical Gravity Wave Sources and Intermittency Revealed by a Middle-Atmosphere General Circulation Model
Authors: Alexander Simon P. , Sato Kaoru , Watanabe Shingo , Kawatani Yoshio , Murphy Damian J.
Published: December 2015

Southern Hemisphere extratropical gravity wave activity is examined using simulations from a free-running middle-atmosphere general circulation model called Kanto that contains no gravity wave parameterizations. The total absolute gravity wave momentum flux (MF) and its intermittency, diagnosed by the Gini coefficient, are examined during January and July. The MF and intermittency results calculated from the Kanto model agree well with results from satellite limb and superpressure balloon observations. The analysis of the Kanto model simulations indicates the following results. Nonorographic gravity waves are generated in Kanto in the frontal regions of extratropical depressions and around tropopause-level jets. Regions with lower (higher) intermittency in the July midstratosphere become more (less) intermittent by the mesosphere as a result of lower-level wave removal. The gravity wave intermittency is low and nearly homogeneous throughout the SH middle atmosphere during January. This indicates that nonorographic waves dominate at this time of year, with sources including continental convection as well as oceanic depressions. Most of the zonal-mean MF at 40°–65°S in January and July is due to gravity waves located above the oceans. The zonal-mean MF at lower latitudes in both months has a larger contribution from the land regions but the fraction above the oceans remains larger.
Quantification of Warming Climate-Induced Changes in Terrestrial Arctic River Ice Thickness and Phenology
Authors: Park Hotaek , Yoshikawa Yasuhiro , Oshima Kazuhiro , Kim Youngwook , Ngo-Duc Thanh , Kimball John S. , Yang Daqing
Published: December 2015

A land process model [the coupled hydrological and biogeochemical model (CHANGE)] is used to quantitatively assess changes in the ice phenology, thickness, and volume of terrestrial Arctic rivers from 1979 to 2009. The CHANGE model was coupled with a river routing and discharge model enabling explicit representation of river ice and water temperature dynamics. Model-simulated river ice phenological dates and thickness were generally consistent with in situ river ice data and landscape freeze–thaw (FT) satellite observations. Climate data indicated an increasing trend in winter surface air temperature (SAT) over the pan-Arctic during the study period. Nevertheless, the river ice thickness simulations exhibited a thickening regional trend independent of SAT warming, and associated with less insulation and cooling of underlying river ice by thinning snow cover. Deeper snow depth (SND) combined with SAT warming decreased simulated ice thickness, especially for Siberian rivers, where ice thickness is more strongly correlated with SND than SAT. Overall, the Arctic river ice simulations indicated regional trends toward later fall freezeup, earlier spring breakup, and consequently a longer annual ice-free period. The simulated ice phenological dates were significantly correlated with seasonal SAT warming. It is found that SND is an important factor for winter river ice growth, while ice phenological timing is dominated by seasonal SAT. The mean total Arctic river ice volume simulated from CHANGE was 54.1 km3 based on the annual maximum ice thickness in individual grid cells, while river ice volume for the pan-Arctic rivers decreased by 2.82 km3 (0.5%) over the 1979–2009 record. Arctic river ice is shrinking as a consequence of regional climate warming and coincident with other cryospheric components, including permafrost, glaciers, and sea ice.
Numerical Simulations of the Equilibrium between Eddy-Induced Restratification and Vertical Mixing
Authors: Bachman Scott D. , Taylor John R.
Published: December 2015

Submesoscale dynamics are hypothesized to play a leading-order role in setting the stratification of the mixed layer via the interaction of submesoscale eddies and surface forcing. Previous studies of such interactions have generally focused on the time-evolving characteristics of submesoscale turbulence, such as the spindown of a baroclinically unstable front. This paper focuses instead on the equilibrium dynamics of the oceanic mixed layer, where forcing and dissipation are in balance, through a combination of scaling analysis and numerical simulations. The steady dynamics are well described by a turbulent thermal wind balance, with external forcing parameterized by a strong vertical diffusivity κ. Scaling laws are developed for the characteristic vertical length scale Lυ, ageostrophic velocity scales U and V, buoyancy frequency N2, and eddy buoyancy flux , which are appropriate for a turbulent mixed layer whose stratification is equilibrated against strong vertical mixing. A suite of numerical simulations is developed to test these scalings for different values of κ and lateral buoyancy gradient. The scaling relations are shown to be very robust across all simulations, and this allows the new scaling for to be directly compared against an extant parameterization in the forcing scenarios explored here.
An Index of Assembly Dissolution Powers
Authors: Goplerud Max , Schleiter Petra
Published: December 2015

Assembly dissolution is a key dimension of constitutional variation in parliamentary democracies. It conditions the timing of elections, influences electoral accountability, and shapes how politicians bargain about government formation, termination, and policy. Yet, despite the importance of dissolution rules, no measure exists that applies to the different actors involved in dissolutions and records the complexity of the rules sufficiently accurately to capture their substantive implications. This article develops, operationalizes, and tests a detailed index of parliamentary dissolution powers that generalizes to all relevant actors. We demonstrate the substantive utility of the index by examining how election timing powers modify electoral accountability.
The Power of Empty Promises
Authors: Distelhorst Greg
Published: December 2015

In authoritarian regimes, seemingly liberal reforms are often poorly implemented in practice. However, this study argues that even weak quasi-democratic institutions can offer resources to political activists. Formal institutions of participation offer politically anodyne frames for activism, allowing activists to distance themselves from political taboos. Weak institutions also allow activists to engineer institutional failures that in turn fuel legal and media-based campaigns. Evidence comes from the effects of China’s 2008 Open Government Information reform. A national field audit finds that local governments satisfy just 14% of citizen requests for basic information. Yet case studies show how Chinese activists exploited the same institution to extract concessions from government agencies and pursue policy change in disparate issue areas. These findings highlight the importance of looking beyond policy implementation to understand the effects of authoritarian institutions on political accountability.
Extraction and Violent Resistance in the Early Phases of State Building
Authors: De Juan Alexander
Published: December 2015

Does extraction increase the likelihood of antistate violence in the early phases of state-building processes? Although research has focused on the impacts of war on state building, the potential “war-making effects” of extraction have largely been neglected. The article provides the first quantitative analysis of these effects in the context of colonial state building. It focuses on the “Maji Maji” rebellion (1905-1907), the most substantial incidence of anticolonial violence in Eastern Africa. Analyses based on a new historical data set confirm the correlation between extraction and resistance. More importantly, they reveal that distinct strategies of extraction produced distinct outcomes. Although the intensification of extraction in state-held areas created grievances among the population, it did not drive the rebellion. Rather, the results indicate that the expansion of extractive authority threatened the interests of local elites and provoked effective resistance. This finding provides insights into the mechanisms driving the “extraction–coercion cycle” of state building.
The Ethnic Logic of Campaign Strategy in Diverse Societies
Authors: Horowitz Jeremy
Published: December 2015

Much of the existing ethnic politics literature suggests that in settings where ethnicity is politically salient, electoral competition encourages rival parties to focus narrowly on mobilizing their respective core ethnic constituents, a strategy that exacerbates ethnic divisions and may heighten the risk of conflict. This article develops an alternative account of campaign strategy that proposes that in highly diverse societies, an exclusive focus on core mobilization is likely to be an unattractive strategy. It argues that campaigns will be animated principally by the pursuit of swing voters outside of core strongholds, while the mobilization of core ethnic supporters will be delegated to lower level actors. To support these propositions, the article draws on data collected during Kenya’s 2007 presidential election.
Failing Forward? The Euro Crisis and the Incomplete Nature of European Integration
Authors: Jones Erik , Kelemen R. Daniel , Meunier Sophie
Published: December 2015

The European Union (EU) project of combining a single market with a common currency was incomplete from its inception. This article shows that the incompleteness of the governance architecture of Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) was both a cause of the euro crisis and a characteristic pattern of the policy responses to the crisis. We develop a “failing forward” argument to explain the dynamics of European integration using recent experience in the eurozone as an illustration: Intergovernmental bargaining leads to incompleteness because it forces states with diverse preferences to settle on lowest common denominator solutions. Incompleteness then unleashes forces that lead to crisis. Member states respond by again agreeing to lowest common denominator solutions, which address the crisis and lead to deeper integration. To date, this sequential cycle of piecemeal reform, followed by policy failure, followed by further reform, has managed to sustain both the European project and the common currency. However, this approach entails clear risks. Economically, the policy failures engendered by this incremental approach to the construction of EMU have been catastrophic for the citizens of many crisis-plagued member states. Politically, the perception that the EU is constantly in crisis and in need of reforms to salvage the union is undermining popular support for European integration.
Mitigation of pressure pulses from implosion of hollow composite cylinders
Authors: Pinto Michael , Shukla Arun
Published: December 2015

An experimental study on the underwater collapse of composite tubes with polymeric coatings is conducted in an attempt to mitigate the implosion pressure pulse released. Experiments are performed in a pressure vessel designed to provide constant hydrostatic pressure during collapse. Filament-wound carbon-fiber/epoxy tubes are studied with polyurea coatings of different thicknesses on the interior and exterior of the tube to explore the effects of these configurations on implosion pulse mitigation. 3-D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique is used to capture the full-field deformation and velocities during the implosion event. Local pressure fields generated by the implosion event are measured using dynamic pressure transducers to evaluate the strength of the emitted pressure pulses. Local pressure data and DIC results are used to obtain a measure of normalized energy released during implosion. Results show that thick interior coatings significantly reduce the energy released in the pressure pulse by slowing the collapse and softening the initial wall-to-wall contact. In contrast, thick exterior coatings increase this energy by suppressing damage, thereby reducing the energy absorption capacity of the structure.
The Political Cost of War Mobilization in Democracies and Dictatorships
Authors: Carter Jeff
Published: December 2015

Recent research concludes fighting or losing an interstate war is not costlier for democratic leaders than dictators, which implies most of our institutional explanations for differences in conflict behavior across regime type rest on empirically tenuous assumptions. I argue military mobilization, a fundamental but often overlooked aspect of war, should be costlier for democrats than dictators. Waging interstate war is associated with higher military spending and, often, lower social spending. Variation across regime type in the representation of the general public, civilian elite, and military in leaders’ winning coalitions should make democrats more likely than dictators to lose power given wartime patterns of government spending. This argument finds support during the period from 1950 to 2001. My findings provide microfoundations for a number of existing empirical results and suggest that differences in the conflict behavior of democracies and dictatorships should be largest when waging war requires a significant mobilization effort.
Naïve Dialecticism and Indecisiveness
Authors: Ng Andy H. , Hynie Michaela
Published: December 2015

Previous research suggests that individuals of East Asian (vs. European) cultural backgrounds are more indecisive, and this cultural difference is related to naïve dialecticism, a lay belief system that tolerates contradictory information. The present research extends this line of work by examining a proximal mediating mechanism underlying the relationship between naïve dialecticism and indecisiveness as well as a negative consequence of chronic indecisiveness induced by naïve dialecticism. Results indicated that East Asian (vs. European) Canadian participants were more indecisive in a real educational decision (Study 1) and exhibited lower life satisfaction, which was mediated serially by naïve dialecticism through chronic indecisiveness (Study 2). In Study 3, European Canadian participants who were primed with a dialectical mind-set were more indecisive in a consumer choice task, relative to those not primed, and this effect was mediated by evaluative ambivalence toward the chosen alternative.
Socialization Goals of Immigrant Mothers from Diverse Cultures and of Their Children’s Preschool Teachers in Italy
Authors: Lavelli Manuela , Döge Paula , Bighin Mara
Published: December 2015

This study investigated and compared the socialization goals and values of first-generation immigrant mothers in Italy and of their children’s preschool teachers. Seventy-eight mothers of four major migrant groups—Romanian, Moroccan, Nigerian, and Sri Lankan—and 21 Italian teachers were interviewed about the most important things they want their children to learn or achieve in their life. A thematic content analysis of the interviews yielded nine categories of socialization goals that were differentially emphasized by mothers and teachers. All immigrant mothers emphasized the value of goals associated with hierarchical relatedness, particularly Respect for Adults, Religious Practice, and Sense of Family and Original Culture. However, correspondence analysis showed that the mothers’ views tended to conglomerate in clusters with those of mothers of the same cultural background, indicating some differences between the four groups that might shed light on different acculturation processes. The Italian teachers focused on goals pertaining to individual psychological autonomy (Autonomy Identity), Social Integration, and Respect for Social Rules, showing a considerable distance from the immigrant mothers’ main goals. These findings provide empirical evidence that children of first-generation immigrant families experience caregivers at home and in preschool with divergent goals for their development. This has important practical implications, suggesting the need for action to increase the mutual understanding of caregivers with different cultural backgrounds.
An introduction and performance evaluation of the GRID system for transshipment terminals
Authors: Zhou Chenhao , Chew Ek Peng , Lee Loo Hay , Liu Daqi
Published: December 2015

While the global container trade, especially transshipment, keeps growing rapidly, land scarcity and sustainability pose severe challenges to port operators. To maintain their competitiveness, they have to maximize land utilization and improve productivity. As applications of the GRID (Goods Retrieval and Inventory Distribution) system prototype proposed by BEC Industries LLC, this paper discusses two new designs—the single GRID system and hybrid GRID system—from different angles. In particular, the configuration and mechanism of the single GRID system are introduced with different layouts. Given the GRID structure, one of the most critical aspects of the proposed architecture is the high incidence of conflicts among transfer units (TUs). Hence, the authors identify different conflict scenarios and subsequently provide the TU control logic to avoid conflicts. A simulation study then investigates the performance of the single GRID system and its robustness with respect to horizontal and vertical expansion. Due to the limitations of the single GRID system, the hybrid GRID system is then proposed and simulated for terminals demanding huge capacity and productivity. A new flexible and scalable simulation model is designed for the new system. Both the results on land utilization and productivity show that the hybrid GRID system is promising for future transshipment terminals.
The (dis)-engendering of violence: Towards an eschatological understanding of being male and female
Authors: Makant Mindy
Published: December 2015

Violence against women is a theological problem. The history of interpretation of the narratives of creation and fall, and thus the development of Christian theology, has often assumed a hierarchical ordering of gendered relations which has (inadvertently?) justified male violence against women. This article offers a theological interpretation of gender based on the eschatological promises of salvation rather than the narratives of creation and fall, an interpretation rooted in relatedness in which violence can only be interpreted as sin.
Understanding Urban High School Students of Color Motivation to Teach: Validating the FIT-Choice Scale
Authors: Leech Nancy L. , Haug Carolyn A. , Bianco Margarita
Published: December 2015

The Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) scale was completed by 86 high school students of color prior to beginning a class focusing on motivating students to become interested in teaching. Findings based on confirmatory factor analysis support the underlying FIT-Choice scale factor structure reported in previous studies. Students’ perceptions about teaching and motivations to teach were significantly lower compared with predominantly White female pre-service and in-service teachers for the majority of factors. The high school students of color were most drawn to teaching by their respect for the proficiency required of a good teacher.
A rare case of isolated cysticercus involvement of inferior rectus muscle presenting with upward gaze restriction
Authors: Khanduri Sachin , Agrawal Sumit , Singh Anshita , Bhadury Samarjit
Published: December 2015

Cysticercosis is a parasitic infection caused by larvae known as cysticercus cellulosae. Orbital cysticercosis is usually a part of generalised systemic infestation. Isolated infection of the extra-occular muscle is an extremely rare entity. Involvement of orbital adnexas are rare even if associated with brain infection. Here, we report a case of an 18-year-old boy who presented with eccentric proptosis and restriction in upward gaze and was diagnosed with cysticercosis of inferior rectus.
Constructing a State in the Face of Regional Power
Authors: Silva Verónica
Published: December 2015

The city of Guayaquil is a territory in which economic actors play a central role in the configuration of subnational power. This has generated a kind of pseudo- or half-finished democracy in which, although elections are held, there is only one actor, the Madera de Guerrero Social Christian Party, representing the local economic elite that has held power since 1992. Following the theory of Edward Gibson, this situation can be viewed as sort of subnational authoritarianism: the parochialization of power, the nationalization of influence, and control of institutional and noninstitutional links have allowed this subnational power to achieve local control and influence in the national arena during various periods.

La ciudad de Guayaquil representa un territorio donde los actores económicos juegan un papel central en la configuración del poder subnacional, haciendo de los espacios de representación política su mecanismo legitimador y su fuente de negociación local y nacional. Para algunos investigadores del caso, esto ha generado una suerte de seudodemocracia o democracia a medias en la que, si bien se celebran elecciones, a la vez encontramos un solo actor en escena, el Partido Social Cristiano Madera de Guerrero, representante de la élite económica local en el poder desde 1992. Siguiendo la teoría de Edward Gibson bien se podría hablar de una suerte de autoritarismo subnacional: la parroquialización del poder, la nacionalización de sus influencias y el control de los vínculos institucionales y no institucionales han hecho de este poder subnacional una fuerza que ha logrado un control local y una influencia en la arena nacional durante varios períodos.
‘Look, I have my ears open’: Resilience and early school experiences among children in an economically deprived suburban area in Ireland
Authors: Tatlow-Golden Mimi , O’Farrelly Christine , Booth Ailbhe , O’Rourke Claire , Doyle Orla
Published: December 2015

Children from economically disadvantaged communities frequently lack the socio-emotional, cognitive and behavioural skills needed for successful early school adjustment. Assessments of early school experience often rely on parent and teacher perspectives, yet children’s views are essential to design effective, resilience-promoting school ecologies. This mixed methods study explored children’s appraisals of potential stressors in the first school year with 25 children from a disadvantaged suburban community in Ireland. School scenarios were presented pictorially (Pictorial Measure of School Stress and Wellbeing, or PMSSW), to elicit children’s perspectives on social ecological factors that enable or constrain resilience. Salient positive factors included resource provision, such as food, toys and books; school activities and routines, including play; and relationships with teachers. Negative factors included bullying; difficulties engaging with peers; and using the toilet. Drawing on these factors, we indicate how school psychologists can develop resilience-fostering educational environments for children in vulnerable communities.
Bolstering resilience through teacher-student interaction: Lessons for school psychologists
Authors: Liebenberg Linda , Theron Linda , Sanders Jackie , Munford Robyn , van Rensburg Angelique , Rothmann Sebastian , Ungar Michael
Published: December 2015

Schools are often the only formal service provider for young people living in socio-economically marginalized communities, uniquely positioning school staff to support positive psychosocial outcomes of youth living in adverse contexts. Using data from 2,387 school-going young people [Canada ( N = 1,068), New Zealand ( N = 591), and South Africa ( N = 728)] living in marginalized communities and who participated in the Pathways to Resilience study, this article reviews how student experiences of school staff and school contexts moderated contextual risks and facilitated resilience processes. Findings of these analyses affirm that school staff play an important role in moderating the relationship between resilience resources and community/family risk in both global North and global South contexts. Findings hold important implications for school psychologists, including the need to champion the ways in which teachers can scaffold resilience resources for young people through the quality of the relationships they build with students.
Quietly sharing the load? The role of school psychologists in enabling teacher resilience
Authors: Beltman Susan , Mansfield Caroline F. , Harris Annabelle
Published: December 2015

Teacher resilience is associated with positive student outcomes and plays an important role in teacher retention and well-being. School ecologies can enable the resilience of teachers, with prior research illustrating the importance of supportive colleagues, strong leadership, and positive school culture. There is limited research, however, exploring the role of school psychologists in supporting or enabling teacher resilience. Using data from experienced Australian school psychologists and teachers, this exploratory qualitative study examines the role of school psychologists in enabling teacher resilience. Findings show that school psychologists directly and indirectly support teacher resilience, although teachers perceive school psychologists’ main role as work with individual students. Issues pertaining to variations in access and particular roles of school psychologists are discussed. Although further research is needed to clarify and promote the role of school psychologists, this study points to them potentially playing an important role in school ecologies that enable teacher resilience.
Are elementary school teachers prepared to tackle bullying? A pilot study
Authors: Oldenburg Beau , Bosman Rie , Veenstra René
Published: December 2015

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate to what extent elementary school teachers were prepared to tackle bullying. Interview data from 22 Dutch elementary school teachers ( M age = 43.3, 18 classrooms in eight schools) were combined with survey data from 373 students of these teachers ( M age = 10.7, grades 3–6, ages 8- to 12-years-old, 52.2% boys). The teachers in this study gave incomplete definitions of bullying, had limited strategies to find out about bullying, and did not recognize the self-reported victims in their classroom, suggesting that even though teachers are supposed to have a central role in tackling bullying, they may not be fully prepared for this task. Implications for future research are discussed.
Whose Body Is It? Technolegal Materialization of Victims’ Bodies and Remains after the World Trade Center Terrorist Attacks
Authors: Toom Victor
Published: December 2015

This article empirically analyzes how victims’ remains were recovered, identified, repatriated, and retained after the World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. It does so by asking the question whose body is it. This question brings to the fore issues related to personhood and ownership: how are anonymous and unrecognizable bodily remains given back an identity; and who has ownership of or custody over identified and unidentified human remains? It is in this respect that the article engages with technoscientific and legal, or “technolegal,” trajectories of human remains in the wake of the WTC tragedy. By using the metaphor of “materialization,” it becomes possible to trace how remains are forensically identified and implicated in legal regimes. “Technolegal materialization” as a concept and methodological sensitivity contributes to the current “actor-network theory” (ANT)-inspired legal scholarship, which tends to focus on legal practices in courtrooms but not those beyond them. In this article, 9/11 victims’ remains are followed from “Ground Zero” to the forensic laboratory and beyond and articulates five instances of technolegal materialization of bodily remains and their past and contemporary existences.