bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Social Service Contact on Teenagers in England
Authors: Henderson Morag , Scourfield Jonathan , Cheung Sin Yi , Sharland Elaine , Sloan Luke
Published: November 2014

Objective:

This study investigated outcomes of social service contact during teenage years.

Method:

Secondary analysis was conducted of the Longitudinal Survey of Young People in England ( N = 15,770), using data on reported contact with social services resulting from teenagers’ behavior. Outcomes considered were educational achievement and aspiration, mental health, and locus of control. Inverse-probability-weighted regression adjustment was used to estimate the effect of social service contact.

Results:

There was no significant difference between those who received social service contact and those who did not for mental health outcome or aspiration to apply to university. Those with contact had lower odds of achieving good exam results or of being confident in university acceptance if sought. Results for locus of control were mixed.

Conclusions:

Attention is needed to the role of social services in supporting the education of young people in difficulty. Further research is needed on the outcomes of social services contact.
Nursing Staff’s Perception of Barriers in Providing End-of-Life Care to Terminally Ill Pediatric Patients in Southeast Iran
Authors: Iranmanesh Sedigheh , Banazadeh Marjan , Forozy Mansoure Azizzadeh
Published: November 2014

Objective:

To determine pediatric nurses’ perceptions of intensity, frequency occurrence, and magnitude score of selected barriers in providing pediatric end-of-life (EOL) care.

Method:

A translated modified version of National Survey of critical care Nurses’ s Regarding End-of-Life Care questionnaire was used to assess 151 nurses’ perceptions of intensity and frequency occurrence of barriers in caring for dying children.

Results:

The highest/lowest perceived barriers magnitude scores were “families not accepting poor child prognosis” (5.04) and “continuing to provide advanced treatment to dying child because of financial benefits to the hospital” (2.19).

Conclusion:

More high perceived barriers by nurses were family-related issues. One of the possible causes of such deficiencies was lack of palliative care (PC) education/PC units in Iran. Thus, developing EOL/PC education may enhance nurses’ knowledge/skill to face EOL care challenges.
An Evaluation of a Bereavement Program in a US Research Hospital
Authors: Lynes Chelsea , Phillips Jayne , Keane Cynthia , Sloan Danetta , Berger Ann
Published: November 2014

The Bereavement Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center was established in 2005. The program makes contact with the next of kin on 4 occasions postnotification of death. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate program effectiveness for those individuals who we successfully made contact with on all 4 occasions (N = 39). At 12 months postnotification, the majority viewed the NIH as a source of support (56%), and the frequency of positive emotional ratings increased (59%). There are limitations to this analysis, and biases may be present. In sum, this analysis serves as an example of a successful hospital-based bereavement program that enrolls patients who have been treated at the institution in any capacity who are also patients enrolled in institutional review board-approved research protocols.
Child’s Weight Status and Parent’s Response to a School-Based Body Mass Index Screening and Parent Notification Program
Authors: Lee Jiwoo , Kubik Martha Y.
Published: November 2014

This study examined the response of parents of elementary school-aged children to a school-based body mass index (BMI) screening and parent notification program conducted in one Minnesota school district in 2010–2011 and whether parent’s response was moderated by child’s weight status. Randomly selected parents ( N = 122) of second- and fourth-grade students completed a mailed self-administered anonymous survey. Child’s weight status was determined using measured height and weight. Most parents read the BMI notification letter and considered it helpful, independent of child’s weight status. Parents of overweight children were significantly more likely than parents of normal weight children to report healthy lifestyle changes. This low-intensity intervention has the potential to support children, especially overweight children, and their parents to make healthy lifestyle changes. Future studies should investigate whether parent’s response contributes to improved short- and long-term health outcomes for children.
Salvage of Avascular Necrosis of the Talus by Combined Ankle and Hindfoot Arthrodesis Without Structural Bone Graft
Authors: Tenenbaum Shay , Stockton Kristopher G. , Bariteau Jason T. , Brodsky James W.
Published: November 2014

Background:

Osteonecrosis of the talus is a well-recognized pathology, which can result in significant hindfoot collapse resulting in poor function and pain. Treatment with intramedullary tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis (IMTCA) using a retrograde intramedullary nail is widely utilized for severe concomitant tibiotalar and subtalar pathologies. This study reports the results of ankle and hindfoot arthrodesis in patients with arthritis and deformity caused specifically by talar osteonecrosis.

Methods:

Fourteen ankle and hindfoot arthrodeses with retrograde intramedullary nail were studied, with a mean follow-up of 26 months. Medical records were reviewed for operative technique, concomitant procedures, bone graft used, and postoperative complications including nonunion, infection, nerve injury, wound healing issues, and the need for additional surgeries. Clinical outcomes included Visual Analogue Scale for pain, the AOFAS Ankle/Hindfoot Score, and the SF-36 questionnaire.

Results:

Over 80% of cases had osteonecrosis involving the entire body of the talus. In 4 cases tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis was performed, with the remaining talar head-neck portion fused to anterior aspect of tibia. Union was achieved in all cases. The mean preoperative VAS score was 6.9 (range 5 to 9, SD ± 1.5) decreasing to 1.7 (range 0 to 6, SD ± 2.2) postoperatively ( P = .00008). The mean preoperative AOFAS score was 32.7 (range 20 to 46, SD ± 8.7), increasing to 72.1 (range 46 to 86, SD ± 10.1, P = .00003). The mean preoperative SF-36 physical component score was 30.5 (range 21 to 42, SD ± 6.9) increasing to 42.8 (range 20 to 60, SD ± 11.4) postoperatively ( P = .02). Complications included 1 stress fracture, 4 hardware removals, and 1 superficial infection.

Conclusion:

Ankle and hindfoot arthrosis due to extensive talar AVN can be successfully treated with IMTCA.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Prevalence, Patient Characteristics, and Pharmacological Treatment of Children, Adolescents, and Adults Diagnosed With ADHD in Sweden
Authors: Giacobini MaiBritt , Medin Emma , Ahnemark Ewa , Russo Leo J. , Carlqvist Peter
Published: November 2014

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of diagnosed ADHD and the pharmacological treatment of patients with ADHD in Sweden. Specifically, this study estimates the prevalence of patients with a newly registered diagnosis of ADHD over a 5-year period, and the prevalence of all patients with a registered ADHD diagnoses over a 6-year period in Sweden. Method: Two population-based registries were used as data sources for this study; the National Patient Register (NPR) and the Prescribed Drug Register (PDR). The international Classification of Diseases 10th Revison (ICD-10) was used to identify patients with ADHD. Results: The annual prevalence of ADHD in the general population of Sweden was found to be 1.1 per 1,000 persons in the year 2006 increasing to 4.8 per 1,000 persons in 2011. The corresponding prevalence for newly diagnosed patients increased from 0.6 per 1,000 persons in 2007 to 1.3 per 1,000 persons in 2011. The majority of diagnosed patients received pharmacological treatment, with methylphenidate being the most common dispensed drug. Comorbidities in the autism spectrum were most common for younger patients, while substance abuse, anxiety, and personality disorder were the most common comorbidities in older patients. Conclusion: From 2006 to 2011, the number of patients diagnosed with ADHD has increased in Sweden over all ages. The majority of patients diagnosed with ADHD in Sweden received a pharmacological treatment regardless of age. An ADHD diagnosis was often accompanied with psychiatric comorbidity.
An evaluation of MPI message rate on hybrid-core processors
Authors: Barrett Brian W , Brightwell Ron , Grant Ryan , Hammond Simon D , Hemmert K Scott
Published: November 2014

Power and energy concerns are motivating chip manufacturers to consider future hybrid-core processor designs that may combine a small number of traditional cores optimized for single-thread performance with a large number of simpler cores optimized for throughput performance. This trend is likely to impact the way in which compute resources for network protocol processing functions are allocated and managed. In particular, the performance of MPI match processing is critical to achieving high message throughput. In this paper, we analyze the ability of simple and more complex cores to perform MPI matching operations for various scenarios in order to gain insight into how MPI implementations for future hybrid-core processors should be designed.
Optimization of MPI collective operations on the IBM Blue Gene/Q supercomputer
Authors: Kumar Sameer , Mamidala Amith , Heidelberger Philip , Chen Dong , Faraj Daniel
Published: November 2014

The Blue Gene/Q (BG/Q) machine is the latest in the line of IBM massively parallel supercomputers, designed to scale to 262,144 nodes and 16 million threads. Each BG/Q node has 68 hardware threads. Hybrid programming paradigms, which use message passing among nodes and multi-threading within nodes, enable applications to achieve high throughput on BG/Q. In this paper, we present scalable algorithms to optimize MPI collective operations by taking advantage of the various features of the BG/Q torus and collective networks. We achieve an 8 byte double-sum MPI_Allreduce latency of 10.25 ms on 1,572,864 MPI ranks. We accelerate summing of network packets with local buffers by the use of the Quad Processing SIMD unit in the BG/Q cores and executing the sums on multiple communication threads supported by the optimized communication libraries. The achieved net gain is a peak throughput of 6.3 GB/s for double-sum allreduce. We also achieve over 90% of network peak for MPI_Alltoall with 65,536 MPI ranks.
The Limited Construction of an Egalitarian Masculinity
Authors: Lamont Ellen
Published: November 2014

According to dominant cultural representations, masculinity in heterosexual relationships is signified by men’s dominance, aggression, sexual promiscuity, and emotional unavailability. Yet, the preferred way of doing masculinity is context-specific, and middle-class men face increasing expectations that they engage in egalitarian relationships. In this study, I use in-depth interviews with thirty-one college-educated, heterosexual men to examine how they construct their masculinity under changing social conditions. My findings show that men use egalitarian narratives as a form of identity work in which they construct understandings of themselves as progressive, caring, and respectful of women, in contrast to the majority of men, whom they ascribe with stereotypical male traits. However, these egalitarian narratives serve as a shield, allowing men to dismiss inequalities that emerge in their romantic relationships as the result of individual preferences so that gendered outcomes are allowed to go unquestioned, thereby leaving gender inequalities intact.
Stress, Coping, Alcohol Use, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among an International Sample of Police Officers: Does Gender Matter?
Authors: Ménard Kim S. , Arter Michael L.
Published: November 2014

This study controls for officer characteristics (i.e., age, race, children living in the home, relationship status, time in policing, military experience, community size, and country) while examining the effects of critical incidents, social stressors, and coping on alcohol use and posttraumatic stress disorder among men ( N = 1,144) and women ( N = 309) using self-report surveys from an international sample of police. Gender differences were found in the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test but not in posttraumatic stress disorder models. The critical incidents by coping by social stressors three-way interaction was significantly associated with men’s, but not women’s, drinking, and the effects of critical incidents were positive for men but negative for women.
The self-perceptions of young men as singers in Singaporean pre-university schools
Authors: Freer Patrick K. , Tan Leonard
Published: November 2014

The persistence of young men in choral singing activity has been widely studied in North America, with emerging parallel research in Europe (Freer, 2013; Harrison & Welch, 2012). There has been little such research in Asia. This study, of 12 young men enrolled in Singapore’s pre-university schools, collected both written narratives and drawn imagery to explore participants’ musical identities, perceptions of choral singing, and reasons for continued or discontinued participation in choral music. The report details the analytical methods used for understanding the visual imagery (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006). Four a priori hypotheses were developed based on relevant, existing literature (Bell, 2001). Findings of the study related to these hypotheses were as follows: 1) individual decisions to enrol in choral music were mediated by peer influence; 2) individual decisions to remain or withdraw from choral singing were influenced by the perception of both individual vocal skills and musical issues within the ensemble; 3) there was no stated relationship between choral music and either masculinity or sexuality; and 4) there was no stated impact of the adolescent changing voice on choral participation or self-perception as a singer.
Effect of high slide-roll ratio on thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication in line contacts with surface waviness
Authors: Wang Jing , Lubrecht AA , Sperka Petr , Omasta Milan , Kaneta Motohiro
Published: November 2014

In this study, the effect of high slide-roll ratio (2.0 ≤  S ≤ ∞) on thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication in line contacts is explored numerically. The surface dimple produced by the heat transportation of the surface is explained. Furthermore, the deformation of the surface waviness under zero entrainment velocity is analyzed. The results show that, under high slide-roll ratios, similar to those under rolling or rolling–sliding conditions, the deformation of the surface waviness depends on the slide-roll ratio and the wavelength of the harmonic waviness.
Global nonlinear dynamic characteristics of rod-fastening rotor supported by ball bearings
Authors: Yi Jun , Liu Heng , Liu Yi , Jing Minqing
Published: November 2014

Flexible rod-fastening rotor-ball bearing system (FRRBS) is usually adopted in aircraft engines. In this paper, a simplified model for the FRRBS is proposed, and the global nonlinear dynamic characteristics of FRRBS are investigated. The FRRBS has two kinds of special structural features: rods and interfaces. The circumferentially distributed rods are modelled as a constant stiffness matrix with an additional moment (when unequal pre-tightening occurs) without mass effect. The interfaces between disks are modelled as stiffness matrices with normal and tangential contact stiffness, which are determined by pre-tightening force. Then, the shaft is discretized by Timoshenko elements and supported by ball bearings with radial internal clearance. Periodic motions and bifurcation sets are obtained by shooting method. The result shows that the insufficient pre-tightening brings about abnormal vibrations through quasi-periodic instability in high speed region, and the unequal pre-tightening leads to severe vibrations in stable periodic operation state. Moreover, the mass eccentricity would be the most nonlinear source for the nonlinear instabilities. Generally, this paper presents a method for modelling a FRRBS to study the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the FRRBS.
Ethno-nationalism, asymmetric federalism and Soviet perceptions of the past: (World) heritage activism in the Russian Federation
Authors: Plets Gertjan
Published: November 2014

Despite covering most of the Eurasian continent and recently reclaiming its position as a geopolitical heavyweight, the (world) heritage agenda of the Russian Federation remains relatively unexplored. In an effort to fill this gap, this paper seeks to uncover some of the main threads that define the politics of historical sites in Russia through contextualising Russia’s most recent addition to World Heritage Site: the archaeological site of Bolgar (Federal Republic of Tatarstan). Within this exercise, specific attention will be given to the ideological pathways, asymmetric power relations and shifting geopolitical alignments that define the sociocultural dimensions of the site. Popular heritage themes such as ethno-nationalism, post-colonialism, neo-liberalism, representational practices and branding will be scrutinised. Besides contributing to the globalisation project that is expediting the theoretical maturing of heritage studies, at the end of the paper some theoretical opportunities will briefly be explored. This paper concludes that heritage in Russia is far from neutral, and that international heritage organisations and researchers involved in Russia have more consideration for foster reflexivity about their actions and particular position in relation to governmental institutions. Cultural remains are important political commodities in Putin’s asymmetrical federation. Especially now that the sector has evolved into a multi-million business, the integrity of heritage practitioners is threatened.
Technology, memory, and collective knowing
Authors: Elwood Sarah , Mitchell Katharyne
Published: November 2014

New social and spatial media and other modes of pervasive computing are altering ways of knowing, remembering, and engaging across time and space. This collection explores how the digital, interactive, and collaborative nature of these technologies contributes to transformations in the nature of knowledge and memory. In particular, the contributions focus on theorizing the collective or social subjectivities and impacts of these technologically mediated rememberings. What are the processes and relationships through which shared knowledge and memory can be transmitted and transformed across time and space? How does memory become socially and politically meaningful? The contributing authors consider how new social and spatial technologies transform space/time connections, reconfigure the forms and practices through which collective memory is transmitted or attention is paid, and impact social relations.
IEEN workshop report: Professionalism in interdisciplinary and empirical bioethics
Authors: Owens John , Ives Jonathan , Cribb Alan
Published: November 2014

The Interdisciplinary and Empirical Ethics Network was established in 2012 with funding from the Wellcome Trust in order to facilitate critical and constructive discussion around the nature of the disciplinary diversity within bioethics and to consider the ongoing development of bioethics as an evolving field of interdisciplinary study. In April 2013, the Interdisciplinary and Empirical Ethics Network organized a workshop at the Centre for Public Policy Research, King’s College London, which discussed the nature and possibility of professionalism within interdisciplinary and empirical bioethics. This paper provides a report of that workshop.
The 4C model: A reflective tool for the analysis of ethical cases at the neonatal intensive-care unit
Authors: Knox Jeanette Bresson Ladegaard
Published: November 2014

Doctors and nurses at the neonatal intensive-care unit at The University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, in Copenhagen, Denmark regularly find themselves in ethically challenging and potentially distressing situations concerning the life of ill newborn babies. In collaboration with the neonatal intensive-care unit, my project was to develop a method that could stimulate systematically dialogical moral inquiry within everyday clinical practice. My four months of ethnographic fieldwork at the neonatal intensive-care unit generated four fundamental themes that make up the scaffold of the developed model for ethical deliberation and decision making. The model is a reflective tool to be used by health care professionals in situ. It provides a structured and a systematic framework for dialogue that can clarify the obscurities of a case and give argumentative support for ethical decisions. This article explains how the 4C model was developed and whereof it consists.
Co-victims of Homicide
Authors: Connolly Jennifer , Gordon Ronit
Published: November 2014

This systematic literature review examines the effects of homicide on surviving family members, the “co-victims” or “survivors” of homicide. A content analysis was conducted on 40 articles identified through a search of the literature. The research samples were predominately located in the United States, but included two U.K. samples, one Jamaican sample, and one sample from Israel. All articles were written in English. Three themes were identified. Nineteen articles explored the psychological, academic, social, occupational, and familial effects of homicide. Thirteen articles considered survivors’ grieving process and how it was altered by experiences with the criminal justice system as well as coping strategies used by survivors to deal with their grief. Eight articles explored treatment interventions available to help surviving family members deal with their grief. Key findings from the articles, limitations of the current research, and implications for future research, policy, and practice are included.
Looks Like 10 Miles of Bad Road
Authors: DeMatthews David E.
Published: November 2014

High-stakes accountability policies have brought about significant change in schools, but have also triggered instances of cheating and gaming at school and district levels. This undisguised case study involves the El Paso Independent School District, one of its high schools, and a popular principal accused of cheating. This context provides the foundation for a fictional scenario of a new principal attempting to reform a culture of cheating and gaming of high-stakes accountability policies. The case explores issues related to legal practices, ethics and morality, and instructional leadership practices that can be useful for principal preparation and educational policy courses.
The Influence of Message Framing on Hotel Guests’ Linen-Reuse Intentions
Authors: Blose Julia E. , Mack Rhonda W. , Pitts Robert E.
Published: November 2014

Hotels have attempted numerous approaches to encourage guests to participate in linen-reuse programs. One of the most promising methods is to use appropriate message framing. A study of 427 travelers to Charleston, South Carolina, examined the participants’ opinion of how they would respond to various message frames. A comparison of the messages that are framed as gains versus those framed as losses found that the guests generally responded to a message framed as avoiding a loss, in this case, one that said “don’t miss out.” However, the study also found that mentioning the destination city by name effectively trumped the loss framing. Particularly for first-time travelers, specifically mentioning Charleston in the message increased the respondents’ opinion that they would be likely to participate in a linen-reuse program. The destination name had less effect for returning travelers, who did, however, respond to the “don’t miss out” message.
Effects of Active Hexose Correlated Compound on the Seasonal Variations of Immune Competence in Healthy Subjects
Authors: Takanari Jun , Hirayama Yosuke , Homma Kohei , Miura Takehito , Nishioka Hiroshi , Maeda Takahiro
Published: November 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of active hexose correlated compound intake on the immune competence in healthy volunteers. Thirty-four subjects were randomized to receive placebo or active hexose correlated compound at 1.0 g/d for 4 weeks in early winter. Natural killer cell activity was significantly increased in both groups during the study period, the natural killer cell number, however, was not altered in the active hexose correlated compound group while placebo group showed remarkable decline. In addition, the score of immunological vigor, an index of total immune competence, was maintained in the active hexose correlated compound group although that of placebo group lowered during the test period. These results suggested that the continuous active hexose correlated compound intake maintained the immune competence against the seasonal change.
Formation mechanisms of high quality diffusion bonded martensitic stainless steel joints
Authors: Zhang C. , Li H. , Li M. Q.
Published: November 2014

Diffusion bonding of martensitic stainless steel was conducted at different times. Based on the interface characteristic and shear strength, bonding mechanisms were discussed. Results showed that the bonding quality was controlled by void shrinkage and interface grain boundary migration. Large voids with scraggly edges changed to small voids with smooth edges, leading to an increase in interface bonding ratio. Two cases of interface grain boundary migration were revealed: interface grain boundary migration at the triple junction induced by the reduction in grain boundary energy and strain induced interface grain boundary migration resulted from the stored energy. Owing to the void shrinkage and interface grain boundary migration, the shear strength of the joint matched that of the base material.
Wear behaviour of plasma electrolytic oxide coatings on E21 and WE43 Mg alloys
Authors: Malayoğlu U. , Tekin K. C.
Published: November 2014

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) is a promising and environmentally friendly surface treatment based on electrolytic conversion that forms a protective ceramic oxide coating on light alloys. The PEO coating provides excellent corrosion and wear resistance to the substrate and, as such, is being considered for wider industrial applications on Mg alloys, which are commonly used in aerospace and automotive industries. Several studies have been conducted on the PEO process of conventional Mg alloys, such as AZ and AM series alloys, but to date, little has been reported on rare earth (RE) element containing Mg alloys. In this study, RE elements containing E21 and WE43 Mg alloys were coated using a laboratory scale PEO system. In order to enhance the frictional properties, the surface of PEO coatings was post-treated with MoS2 lubricant. Test results indicated that the PEO coating significantly enhanced the wear resistance of Mg alloys. Further improvement in wear resistance was achieved by the lubricant top layer.
Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy with oxaliplatin as treatment for peritoneal carcinomatosis arising from the appendix and pseudomyxoma peritonei: a survival analysis
Authors: Marcotte Eric , Dubé Pierre , Drolet Pierre , Mitchell Andrew , Frenette Suzanne , Leblanc Guy , Leclerc Yves E , Sideris Lucas
Published: November 2014

Background

Appendiceal peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is rare and its long-term prognosis is poor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of an aggressive treatment approach used in our institution for the last eight years.

Methods

Data from all patients with PC arising from the appendix were prospectively collected and analyzed. Treatment consisted of complete surgical cytoreduction (CRS), followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with oxaliplatin (460 mg/m2) at 43°C over 30 minutes. Ronnett’s histologic classification was used for tumor grading.

Results

Between February 2003 and April 2011, 78 patients underwent laparotomy with curative intent. The mean follow-up period was 33.7 months. A total of 58 patients received HIPEC, but 11 patients could not have CRS and received no HIPEC. Nine patients with a negative second-look surgery also received no HIPEC. The five-year overall survival for the entire cohort was 66.2%; 100% for the negative second-look patients, 77% for the HIPEC patients and 9% for the unresectable patients (P <0.0001). A total of 15 patients (25.9%) had isolated peritoneal recurrence, no patient had visceral recurrence only, and five patients (8.6%) had both. In regards to the five-year disease-free survival for the HIPEC patients, histologic grade (disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis 100%, peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis with intermediate features 40%, peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis 20%; p =0.0016) and completeness of cytoreduction (CCR-0 56%, CCR-1 24%; P =0.0172) were prognostic factors. There was one postoperative mortality. The major complication rate for patients treated with HIPEC was 40%, including intra-abdominal abcess (17%), hemorrhage (12%) and anastomotic leak (10%). One patient in the HIPEC group experienced temporary grade II neuropathy and grade III thrombocytopenia.

Conclusions

This therapeutic approach seems both feasible and safe in selected patients. Recurrence is, however, frequent and represents a challenge.
Is immune checkpoint modulation a potential therapeutic option in triple negative breast cancer?
Authors: Klinke David J
Published: November 2014

No abstract.
Profiling gene promoter occupancy of Sox2 in two phenotypically distinct breast cancer cell subsets using chromatin immunoprecipitation and genome-wide promoter microarrays
Authors: Jung Karen , Wang Peng , Gupta Nidhi , Gopal Keshav , Wu Fang , Ye Xiaoxia , Alshareef Abdulraheem , Bigras Gilbert , McMullen Todd P , Abdulkarim Bassam S , Lai Raymond
Published: November 2014

Introduction

Aberrant expression of the embryonic stem cell marker Sox2 has been reported in breast cancer (BC). We previously identified two phenotypically distinct BC cell subsets separated based on their differential response to a Sox2 transcription activity reporter, namely the reporter-unresponsive (RU) and the more tumorigenic reporter-responsive (RR) cells. We hypothesized that Sox2, as a transcription factor, contributes to their phenotypic differences by mediating differential gene expression in these two cell subsets.

Methods

We used chromatin immunoprecipitation and a human genome-wide promoter microarray (ChIP-chip) to determine the promoter occupancies of Sox2 in the MCF7 RU and RR breast cancer cell populations. We validated our findings with conventional chromatin immunoprecipitation, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and western blotting using cell lines, and also performed qPCR using patient RU and RR samples.

Results

We found a largely mutually exclusive profile of gene promoters bound by Sox2 between RU and RR cells derived from MCF7 (1830 and 456 genes, respectively, with only 62 overlapping genes). Sox2 was bound to stem cell- and cancer-associated genes in RR cells. Using quantitative RT-PCR, we confirmed that 15 such genes, including PROM1 (CD133), BMI1, GPR49 (LGR5), and MUC15, were expressed significantly higher in RR cells. Using siRNA knockdown or enforced expression of Sox2, we found that Sox2 directly contributes to the higher expression of these genes in RR cells. Mucin-15, a novel Sox2 downstream target in BC, contributes to the mammosphere formation of BC cells. Parallel findings were observed in the RU and RR cells derived from patient samples.

Conclusions

In conclusion, our data supports the model that the Sox2 induces differential gene expression in the two distinct cell subsets in BC, and contributes to their phenotypic differences.
Whole genome sequencing of SIV-infected macaques identifies candidate loci that may contribute to host control of virus replication
Authors: Ericsen Adam J , Starrett Gabriel J , Greene Justin M , Lauck Michael , Raveendran Muthuswamy , Deiros David Rio , Mohns Mariel S , Vince Nicolas , Cain Brian T , Pham Ngoc H , Weinfurter Jason T , Bailey Adam L , Budde Melisa L , Wiseman Roger W , Gibbs Richard , Muzny Donna , Friedrich Thomas C , Rogers Jeffrey , O’Connor David H
Published: November 2014

Background

A small percentage of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected people and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected macaques control virus replication without antiretroviral treatment. The major determinant of this control is host expression of certain major histocompatibility complex alleles. However, this association is incompletely penetrant, suggesting that additional loci modify the major histocompatibility complex's protective effect. Here, to identify candidate control-modifying loci, we sequence the genomes of 12 SIV-infected Mauritian cynomolgus macaques that experienced divergent viral load set points despite sharing the protective M1 major histocompatibility complex haplotype.

Results

Our genome-wide analysis of haplotype-level variation identifies seven candidate control-modifying loci on chromosomes 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 14. The highest variant density marks the candidate on chromosome 7, which is the only control-modifying locus to comprise genes with known immunological function. Upon closer inspection, we found an allele for one of these genes, granzyme B, to be enriched in M1(+) controllers. Given its established role as a cytotoxic effector molecule that participates in CD8-mediated killing of virus-infected cells, we test the role of variation within gzmb in modifying SIV control by prospectively challenging M1(+) granzyme B-defined macaques.

Conclusions

Our study establishes a framework for using whole genome sequencing to identify haplotypes that may contribute to complex clinical phenotypes. Further investigation into the immunogenetics underlying spontaneous HIV control may contribute to the rational design of a vaccine that prevents acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
Bringing non-human primate research into the post-genomic era: how monkeys are teaching us about elite controllers of HIV/AIDS
Authors: Vallender Eric J
Published: November 2014

Whole-genome sequencing of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques reveals novel candidate loci for controlling simian immunodeficiency virus replication.

See related Research, http://genomebiology.com/2014/15/11/478
Quantum reconstruction for Fano bundles on projective space
Authors: Strangeway Andrew
Published: November 2014

We present a reconstruction theorem for Fano vector bundles on projective space which recovers the small quantum cohomology for the projectivization of the bundle from a small number of low-degree Gromov-Witten invariants. We provide an extended example in which we calculate the quantum cohomology of a certain Fano 9-fold and deduce from this, using the quantum Lefschetz theorem, the quantum period sequence for a Fano 3-fold of Picard rank 2 and degree 24. This example is new, and is important for the Fanosearch program.
The Paradox of Literary Commercialism in Trollope'sNina Balatka
Authors: Cohen Monica F.
Published: November 2014

This essay seeks to situate Anthony Trollope's short 1866 novel Nina Balatka in the context of the market conditions that characterized Victorian literary entertainment. These market conditions, which included a proliferating number of reprinting vehicles, accommodated copying, abridging, and reassembling as legitimate creative procedures and suggest that commercial forces made originality and ownership more difficult to stabilize than nineteenth-century novelists and copyright reformers would have liked. In this light, Nina Balatka's failed attempt to assimilate the figure of the Jew into a conventional marriage plot reflects a problem in Trollope's construction of authorship, a problem that inheres in how literary commercialism and literary professionalism might represent mutually exclusive value postulates. Max Weber's distinction between formal rationality and substantive rationality expresses this apparent contradiction: literary commercialism refers to the formal and impersonal laws of the economic market, while literary professionalism refers to the substantive ethos of service to the community and nation. In underscoring the incompatibility of the Jew and the Christian maiden of Prague, Nina Balatka's unconvincing marriage plot uses the same terms that make Trollope's representation of the novelist as both baker and barrister something of a fantasy.
The Cult and the World System: The Topoi of David Mitchell's Global Novels
Authors: Selisker Scott
Published: November 2014

This article describes how the novelist David Mitchell employs the “topos of the cult,” a set of conventions that describe a mental state of unfreedom, in the novels Ghostwritten (1999) and Cloud Atlas (2004). This figuration of an unfree form of society—characterized by a group's specialized language, closed social spaces, and charismatic leadership—has its origins in antitotalitarian political science, fiction, sociology, and psychology. Mitchell and Haruki Murakami (discussed briefly) both question how this Cold War legacy has shaped our understandings of individual agency, and both novelists employ the conventions in characters who understand the world as a simple, single totality. For both writers, the cult serves to draw a contrast with the novels' own self-consciously complex cognitive maps of the contemporary world system.
Two-pore channels function in calcium regulation in sea star oocytes and embryos
Authors: Ramos Isabela , Reich Adrian , Wessel Gary M.
Published: November 2014

Egg activation at fertilization is an excellent process for studying calcium regulation. Nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide-phosphate (NAADP), a potent calcium messenger, is able to trigger calcium release, likely through two-pore channels (TPCs). Concomitantly, a family of ectocellular enzymes, the ADP-ribosyl cyclases (ARCs), has emerged as being able to change their enzymatic mode from one of nucleotide cyclization in formation of cADPR to a base-exchange reaction in the generation of NAADP. Using sea star oocytes we gain insights into the functions of endogenously expressed TPCs and ARCs in the context of the global calcium signals at fertilization. Three TPCs and one ARC were found in the sea star (Patiria miniata) that were localized in the cortex of the oocytes and eggs. PmTPCs were localized in specialized secretory organelles called cortical granules, and PmARCs accumulated in a different, unknown, set of vesicles, closely apposed to the cortical granules in the egg cortex. Using morpholino knockdown of PmTPCs and PmARC in the oocytes, we found that both calcium regulators are essential for early embryo development, and that knockdown of PmTPCs leads to aberrant construction of the fertilization envelope at fertilization and changes in cortical granule pH. The calcium signals at fertilization are not significantly altered when individual PmTPCs are silenced, but the timing and shape of the cortical flash and calcium wave are slightly changed when the expression of all three PmTPCs is perturbed concomitantly, suggesting a cooperative activity among TPC isoforms in eliciting calcium signals that may influence localized physiological activities.
The sinus venosus contributes to coronary vasculature through VEGFC-stimulated angiogenesis
Authors: Chen Heidi I. , Sharma Bikram , Akerberg Brynn N. , Numi Harri J. , Kivelä Riikka , Saharinen Pipsa , Aghajanian Haig , McKay Andrew S. , Bogard Patrick E. , Chang Andrew H. , Jacobs Andrew H. , Epstein Jonathan A. , Stankunas Kryn , Alitalo Kari , Red-Horse Kristy
Published: November 2014

Identifying coronary artery progenitors and their developmental pathways could inspire novel regenerative treatments for heart disease. Multiple sources of coronary vessels have been proposed, including the sinus venosus (SV), endocardium and proepicardium, but their relative contributions to the coronary circulation and the molecular mechanisms regulating their development are poorly understood. We created an ApjCreER mouse line as a lineage-tracing tool to map SV-derived vessels onto the heart and compared the resulting lineage pattern with endocardial and proepicardial contributions to the coronary circulation. The data showed a striking compartmentalization to coronary development. ApjCreER-traced vessels contributed to a large number of arteries, capillaries and veins on the dorsal and lateral sides of the heart. By contrast, untraced vessels predominated in the midline of the ventral aspect and ventricular septum, which are vessel populations primarily derived from the endocardium. The proepicardium gave rise to a smaller fraction of vessels spaced relatively uniformly throughout the ventricular walls. Dorsal (SV-derived) and ventral (endocardial-derived) coronary vessels developed in response to different growth signals. The absence of VEGFC, which is expressed in the epicardium, dramatically inhibited dorsal and lateral coronary growth but left vessels on the ventral side unaffected. We propose that complementary SV-derived and endocardial-derived migratory routes unite to form the coronary vasculature and that the former requires VEGFC, revealing its role as a tissue-specific mediator of blood endothelial development.
Repurposing an endogenous degradation system for rapid and targeted depletion ofC. elegansproteins
Authors: Armenti Stephen T. , Lohmer Lauren L. , Sherwood David R. , Nance Jeremy
Published: November 2014

The capability to conditionally inactivate gene function is essential for understanding the molecular basis of development. In gene and mRNA targeting approaches, protein products can perdure, complicating genetic analysis. Current methods for selective protein degradation require drug treatment or take hours for protein removal, limiting their utility in studying rapid developmental processes in vivo. Here, we repurpose an endogenous protein degradation system to rapidly remove targeted C. elegans proteins. We show that upon expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligase substrate-recognition subunit ZIF-1, proteins tagged with the ZF1 zinc-finger domain can be quickly degraded in all somatic cell types examined with temporal and spatial control. We demonstrate that genes can be engineered to become conditional loss-of-function alleles by introducing sequences encoding the ZF1 tag into endogenous loci. Finally, we use ZF1 tagging to establish the site of cdc-42 gene function during a cell invasion event. ZF1 tagging provides a powerful new tool for the analysis of dynamic developmental events.
TGFβ signaling inhibits goblet cell differentiation via SPDEF in conjunctival epithelium
Authors: McCauley Heather A. , Liu Chia-Yang , Attia Aria C. , Wikenheiser-Brokamp Kathryn A. , Zhang Yujin , Whitsett Jeffrey A. , Guasch Géraldine
Published: November 2014

The ocular surface epithelia, including the stratified but non-keratinized corneal, limbal and conjunctival epithelium, in concert with the epidermal keratinized eyelid epithelium, function together to maintain eye health and vision. Abnormalities in cellular proliferation or differentiation in any of these surface epithelia are central in the pathogenesis of many ocular surface disorders. Goblet cells are important secretory cell components of various epithelia, including the conjunctiva; however, mechanisms that regulate goblet cell differentiation in the conjunctiva are not well understood. Herein, we report that conditional deletion of transforming growth factor β receptor II (Tgfbr2) in keratin 14-positive stratified epithelia causes ocular surface epithelial hyperplasia and conjunctival goblet cell expansion that invaginates into the subconjunctival stroma in the mouse eye. We found that, in the absence of an external phenotype, the ocular surface epithelium develops properly, but young mice displayed conjunctival goblet cell expansion, demonstrating that TGFβ signaling is required for normal restriction of goblet cells within the conjunctiva. We observed increased expression of SAM-pointed domain containing ETS transcription factor (SPDEF) in stratified conjunctival epithelial cells in Tgfbr2 cKO mice, suggesting that TGFβ restricted goblet cell differentiation directly by repressing Spdef transcription. Gain of function of Spdef in keratin 14-positive epithelia resulted in the ectopic formation of goblet cells in the eyelid and peripheral cornea in adult mice. We found that Smad3 bound two distinct sites on the Spdef promoter and that treatment of keratin 14-positive cells with TGFβ inhibited SPDEF activation, thereby identifying a novel mechanistic role for TGFβ in regulating goblet cell differentiation.
An Efficient Synthesis of Aurone Derivatives by the Tributylphosphine-catalyzed Regioselective Cyclization of o-Alkynoylphenols
Authors: Saito Koya , Yoshida Masahito , Doi Takayuki
Published: November 2014

An organocatalytic regioselective synthesis of aurones from o-alkynoylphenols was achieved. A catalytic amount of tributylphosphine selectively induced the 5-exo cyclization of o-alkynoylphenols under ambient conditions leading to aurone derivatives in high to excellent yields.
Selective Polymerization of Dimethylsilylphenylacetylene and the Gas Permselectivity of the Resulting Polymer Membranes
Authors: Li Jun , Wang Jianjun , Aoki Toshiki , Kaneko Takashi , Teraguchi Masahiro
Published: November 2014

Three types of homopolymerizations of p-(dimethylsilyl)phenylacetylene (HSPA) having a terminal triple bond and a Si–H group were selectively carried out by using three kinds of polymerization catalysts. Among them poly(HSPA) synthesized by addition polymerization of its triple bond using [Rh(nbd)Cl]2 (nbd: norbornadiene)/phenylethylamine (PEA) showed a good membrane forming ability. The copolymerizations of HSPA with p-(trimethylsilyl)phenylacetylene (SPA) were carried out using [Rh(nbd)Cl]2/PEA and the resulting copolymers were fabricated to self-supporting membranes. These membranes, including the homopolymer of HSPA, showed higher permselectivities for oxygen and carbon dioxide over nitrogen than those of poly(SPA). Incorporation of HSPA unit to poly(SPA) effectively enhanced its permselectivities with only small decrease in its permeability.
Are Incentives for R&D Effective? Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Approach
Authors: Bronzini Raffaello , Iachini Eleonora
Published: November 2014

This paper evaluates a unique R&D subsidy program implemented in northern Italy. Firms were invited to submit proposals for new projects and only those which scored above a certain threshold received the subsidy. We use a sharp regression discontinuity design to compare the investment spending of subsidized firms with that of unsubsidized firms. For the sample as a whole we find no significant increase in investment. This overall effect, however, masks substantial heterogeneity in the program's impact. We estimate that small enterprises increased their investments—by approximately the amount of the subsidy they received—whereas larger firms did not. (JEL G31, G38, L52, O33, O38, R32)
Gasoline Taxes and Consumer Behavior
Authors: Li Shanjun , Linn Joshua , Muehlegger Erich
Published: November 2014

Gasoline taxes can be employed to correct externalities from automobile use and to raise government revenue. Our understanding of the optimal gasoline tax and the efficacy of existing taxes is largely based on empirical analysis of consumer responses to gasoline price changes. In this paper, we examine directly how gasoline taxes affect gasoline consumption as distinct from tax-inclusive retail gasoline prices. We find robust evidence that consumers respond more strongly to gasoline tax changes under a variety of model specifications. We discuss two potential reasons for our main findings as well as their implications. (JEL D12, H21, H25, H31, L71, Q35)