bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Search training for people with visual field loss after stroke: A cohort study
Authors: Turton Ailie J , Angilley Jayne , Longley Verity , Clatworthy Philip , Gilchrist Iain D
Published: December 2017

Introduction

People with visual field loss after stroke often experience difficulties in everyday activities. The purpose of this study was to assess the acceptability of search training as used within occupational therapy and the feasibility of possible measures for use in a future trial.

Method

Nine participants took part in a goal oriented intervention that was delivered three times a week for 3 weeks. Patient reports of acceptability and outcomes using the Visual Function Questionnaire-25 were collected. Participants’ room-search behaviour before and after the intervention was recorded using a head-worn camera.

Results

Eight participants completed nine treatment visits. All participants reported improved awareness and attention to the blind side during activities following the intervention. Seven participants’ change scores on the Visual Function Questionnaire-25 exceeded six points. Patterns of head-direction behaviour and overall room-search times were variable across patients; markedly, improved performance was only evident in the most severely affected participant.

Conclusion

The intervention was acceptable. The Visual Function Questionnaire-25 is a feasible measure for assessing patient-reported outcomes. While the room search was informative about individuals’ behaviour, more sophisticated methods of gaze tracking would allow search processes to be determined in real-world activities that are relevant to patients’ goals.
Occupational therapists in emergency departments: A qualitative study
Authors: James Kirstin , Jones Derek , Kempenaar Larissa , Preston Jenny , Kerr Susan
Published: December 2017

Introduction

Globally, occupational therapists are establishing their role in emergency care, especially in emergency departments. This practice development merits investigation due to its nascence and the challenges that face emergency department professionals. A qualitative study examined the lived experience of occupational therapists in emergency departments to contribute to knowledge and inform practice development.

Method

Interpretative phenomenological analysis framed the research methods. Nine occupational therapists were purposively recruited with experience of emergency departments. Individual, semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interview transcripts were analysed line-by-line and interpreted using interpretative phenomenological analysis methods.

Findings

Theme one: ‘On the Factory Floor’ captured the experience of working in emergency departments. They were perceived as ordered environments, but nonetheless could be unpredictable, even chaotic. Theme two: ‘A Stranger in a Strange Land’ encapsulated what it was like to enter and establish a new role in the emergency department. The emergency department brings considerable personal and professional challenges, but it can offer rewards, especially enjoyment, recognition and being valued. At the time of the study, the participants were discovering how they might acculturate.

Conclusion

Occupational therapists are establishing their presence in the emergency department; professional identity is forming and the practice paradigm requires further consideration.
Evaluation of measurement uncertainties of digital volume correlation applied to laminography data
Authors: Buljac Ante , Taillandier-Thomas Thibault , Helfen Lukas , Morgeneyer Thilo F , Hild François
Published: December 2017

The effect of different data acquisition parameters on the displacement and strain uncertainties of kinematic fields is assessed via digital volume correlation applied to three-dimensional data sets imaged by synchrotron laminography. The measurement uncertainty is estimated for (1) different materials and associated varying contrast; (2) repeated scans, that is, uncertainty due to the imaging system and three-dimensional reconstruction; (3) rigid body motions between two subsequent scans; (4) rescaling of the gray level histogram during 32-bit floating point to 8-bit integer data conversion; (5) changes in the beam properties, that is, use of a monochromator or an undulator; and (6) changes in camera/detector characteristics. It is found that the amount of image contrast is not the only parameter that controls uncertainties for different materials. Furthermore, the rigid body motion procedure should be preferred over repeated scans as it provides more conservative measurement uncertainty values. The applied 32- to 8-bit conversion procedure, beam tuning and detector characteristics hardly affect the measurement uncertainty.
Pramlintide regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and apoptosis through mitochondrial-dependent pathways in human nucleus pulposus cells
Authors: Wu Xinghuo , Song Yu , Li Suyun , Liu Xianzhe , Hua Wenbin , Wang Kun , Liu Wei , Li Shuai , Zhang Yunkun , Shao Zengwu , Yang Cao
Published: December 2017

Pramlintide, an approved analog of amylin, is responsible for regulating the physiology of energy homeostasis. The goals of this study were to investigate the roles of pramlintide in the regulation of cell survival and matrix metabolism, and further explore their underlying mechanisms, in human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells.

NP cells were treated with different concentrations of pramlintide in normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Cell viability, LAC concentration, calcium concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), MMPs proteins, and apoptotic related proteins were detected.

The results indicate that pramlintide could improve NP cell proliferation, glycolytic activity, and the ECM synthesis under hypoxia, which is evident from the increased precipitation of proteoglycans; increased expression of AGG, Col2, and SOX9 proteins; and decreased expression of MMP3, MMP9, and MMP13 proteins, which are Ca2+-dependent enzymes. And, pramlintide could facilitate the survival of NP cells through mitochondrial-mediated, Bcl-2/caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. In addition, activation of AKT-AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway is also observed by the treatment.

These findings demonstrate that pramlintide may play a pivotal role in reversing intervertebral disk degeneration and may relieve the impairment of ECM metabolism and NP cells survival through mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway, thus offering a novel potential pharmacological treatment strategy.
Evaluating the Spatial Consequence of Interest Rate Ceiling Using a Spatial Regime Change Approach
Authors: Lukongo Onyumbe E. , Miller Thomas
Published: December 2017

The article provides the empirical framework and steps toward the evaluation of the spatial consequence of the 17% interest rate ceiling in Arkansas using a new database from the trade association for installment lenders, the American Financial Services Association. The specific contribution of this study is to build and apply the installment loan accessibility index within the context of the spatial regime models. Results suggest strong evidence of spatial clustering of counties with similar (low or high) installment loan usage rates across the study area and two spatial regimes at work. The loan accessibility index is a strong predictor of the installment loan usage in the study area. That is, an increase in the loan acquisition costs due to the 17% interest rate cap puts interior counties’ residents at disadvantage compared with residents of border counties who can cross the borders to get small dollar loans.

JEL Classifications: C51, C52, G23, G28
Prevalence and Risk of Drugging Victimization Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual College Students
Authors: Schramm Andrew T. , Swan Suzanne C. , Lambdin Mary N. , Fisher Bonnie S. , Coker Ann L. , Williams Corrine M.
Published: December 2017

Drugging (i.e., administering someone a drug or alcohol without their knowledge or consent) is a problem with substantial consequences for college students. Although sexual minorities face greater rates of drugging risk factors (e.g., greater rates of binge drinking have been identified among sexual minorities), no prior study has examined the prevalence or risk of drugging in this population. We sought to (1) describe rates at which heterosexual and sexual minority college students (separated by gender) have been drugged and to assess (2) sexual minority status and (3) illicit drug use as risk factors for drugging victimization for male and female college students. Results revealed that, controlling for established drugging victimization risk factors, male sexual minority college students were 72.9% more likely to report drugging victimization than heterosexual males. No significant differences in rates of drugging victimization were found between sexual minority and heterosexual women. However, both genders had greater drugging victimization among students who engaged in illicit drug use, binge drinking, and Greek life membership. These findings suggest that initiatives to promote the well-being of college students (e.g., sexual assault prevention) should include drugging as a focus, with outreach particularly to women and sexual minority men.
Factors Associated With Frequency of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Among US Adults With Diabetes or Prediabetes
Authors: Xu Fang , Park Sohyun , Siegel Karen R.
Published: December 2017

Purpose:

This study assessed the associations between sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake among US adults with diabetes or prediabetes.

Design:

Quantitative, cross-sectional study.

Setting:

The 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Participants:

A total of 13 268 adults with diabetes and 9330 adults with prediabetes (median response rate: 46.8%).

Measures:

The outcome measure was SSB intake (0, >0 to <1, and ≥1 time/day). The exposure measures were sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics.

Analysis:

Both crude and age-adjusted prevalences were calculated. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to estimate the adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) for SSB intake by participants’ characteristics.

Results:

In 2013, 22.0% adults with diabetes and 38.2% adults with prediabetes consumed SSBs ≥1 time/day. Among adults with diabetes, adjusted PR for consuming SSBs ≥1 time/day was significantly greater for those who had shorter duration of diabetes (≤5 years: PR = 1.47; 6-10 years: PR = 1.33 vs ≥11 years), less frequently self-checking blood sugar (≥0 to <1 time/day: PR = 1.69; ≥1 to <3 times/day: PR = 1.43 vs ≥3 times/day), and no self-management of diabetes course taken (PR = 1.25 vs yes). Among adults with prediabetes, testing blood sugar ≤3 years was not associated with consuming SSBs ≥1 time/day.

Conclusion:

Daily SSB intake was associated with various characteristics among adults with diabetes or prediabetes. The findings can inform efforts to decrease SSB intake among high-risk populations.
Methodological Impression Management in Ethnographic Research
Authors: Gengler Amanda M. , Ezzell Matthew B.
Published: December 2017

In this article, we contend that turning a sharp dramaturgical lens on the dynamics of fieldwork clarifies a number of longstanding ethical challenges in ethnography—challenges that have shifted and deepened in the new technological landscape in which ethnographers work. We encourage fieldworkers to adopt an intentional approach to what we call methodological impression management to navigate the research process more strategically. Drawing on our experiences conducting fieldwork in settings where some of our research participants had power over others (a women’s shelter and a substance abuse treatment program), we delineate the strategies we found useful for successful methodological impression management in complex settings and point to the dramaturgical underpinnings of their effectiveness. By bringing dramaturgical theory into direct conversation with the literature on ethnographic methods, we hope to illuminate a path through which ethnographers might make more deliberative methodological decisions and thoughtfully balance ethical responsibilities to their participants with their commitment to analytic rigor.
College Scholarships as a Tool for Economic Development? Evidence From the Kalamazoo Promise
Authors: Miller Ashley
Published: December 2017

On November 10, 2005, the Kalamazoo Public School District announced that a group of anonymous donors had funded a new college scholarship program for district graduates named the Kalamazoo Promise. The primary qualification for scholarship eligibility is continuous residency and enrollment in the Kalamazoo Public School District, and the scholarship is set up in perpetuity. This study assesses the extent to which the Kalamazoo Promise is serving as an economic development tool. Results indicate that the Kalamazoo Promise dramatically increased enrollment in the Kalamazoo Public School District, but there is no evidence that the Kalamazoo Promise increased home values in the district.
Optimized adaptive enrichment designs
Authors: Ondra Thomas , Jobjörnsson Sebastian , Beckman Robert A , Burman Carl-Fredrik , König Franz , Stallard Nigel , Posch Martin
Published: December 2017

Based on a Bayesian decision theoretic approach, we optimize frequentist single- and adaptive two-stage trial designs for the development of targeted therapies, where in addition to an overall population, a pre-defined subgroup is investigated. In such settings, the losses and gains of decisions can be quantified by utility functions that account for the preferences of different stakeholders. In particular, we optimize expected utilities from the perspectives both of a commercial sponsor, maximizing the net present value, and also of the society, maximizing cost-adjusted expected health benefits of a new treatment for a specific population. We consider single-stage and adaptive two-stage designs with partial enrichment, where the proportion of patients recruited from the subgroup is a design parameter. For the adaptive designs, we use a dynamic programming approach to derive optimal adaptation rules. The proposed designs are compared to trials which are non-enriched (i.e. the proportion of patients in the subgroup corresponds to the prevalence in the underlying population). We show that partial enrichment designs can substantially improve the expected utilities. Furthermore, adaptive partial enrichment designs are more robust than single-stage designs and retain high expected utilities even if the expected utilities are evaluated under a different prior than the one used in the optimization. In addition, we find that trials optimized for the sponsor utility function have smaller sample sizes compared to trials optimized under the societal view and may include the overall population (with patients from the complement of the subgroup) even if there is substantial evidence that the therapy is only effective in the subgroup.
From Government to Governance
Authors: Subramanian Vidya K.
Published: December 2017

The Teach for India (TFI) programme, an important offshoot of the Teach for All/Teach for America global education network, began as a public–private partnership in 2009 in poorly functioning municipal schools in Pune and Mumbai. Like its American counterpart, the programme in India has similar ideas of reform and recruits college graduates and young professionals to serve as teachers in under-resourced government schools and low-cost private schools as part of a two-year fellowship. Over the past 7 years, the organisation has expanded its reach to five other cities in the country—Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad—and is emerging as a focal point in a growing network of urban not-for-profit organisations seeking to infuse new logics of reform in municipal school administrative bodies. This article situates the emergence of the TFI programme in the Indian context and maps its links to local, national and global actors and organisations using Social Network Analysis (SNA). Through the use of SNA, the article highlights the growing network of non-state institutions in metro cities, most notably Mumbai and Delhi, which are playing a key role in school reform focusing on school management, school leadership, advocacy and teacher training.
Effects of Traumatic Incident Reduction on Posttraumatic Symptoms in a Community-Based Agency
Authors: Descilo Teresa , Fava Nicole M. , Burke Shanna L. , Acosta Ikam , Swanson Amelia , Figley Charles
Published: December 2017

Objective:

This study examined the effectiveness of traumatic incident reduction (TIR) among a sample of adults with trauma histories through a review of client records. TIR is a brief, structured, person-centered, memory-based intervention that helps individuals process traumatic memories, thus eliminating or significantly reducing negative psychological consequences and promoting insight and growth.

Method:

On average, participants ( N = 247) were 37 years old ( SD = 10.98), mostly women, and racially and ethnically diverse. Self-reported posttraumatic stress, anxiety, depression, and expectations for future success were assessed prior to treatment, midway, and after treatment. A series of analysis of covariance models with repeated measures were examined, controlling for participants’ biological sex and total number of hours spent in psychoeducational groups.

Results:

Posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms were significantly reduced, and expectations for future success increased.

Conclusions:

Findings support the potential of TIR to positively impact clients’ mental health and well-being.
Effects of Reinforcement on Peer Imitation in a Small Group Play Context
Authors: Barton Erin E. , Ledford Jennifer R.
Published: December 2017

Children with disabilities often have deficits in imitation skills, particularly in imitating peers. Imitation is considered a behavioral cusp—which, once learned, allows a child to access additional and previously unavailable learning opportunities. In the current study, researchers examined the efficacy of contingent reinforcement delivered within a small group play context on the unprompted peer imitation (UPI) behaviors of three children with disabilities. UPI behaviors increased when contingent reinforcement was provided, and maintained with a thinned schedule of reinforcement. However, pretend play and social interactions did not increase concurrently with peer imitation.
Comparing the Reliability and Validity of Global Self-Report Measures of Subjective Well-Being With Experiential Day Reconstruction Measures
Authors: Hudson Nathan W. , Anusic Ivana , Lucas Richard E. , Donnellan M. Brent
Published: December 2017

Self-report measures of global well-being are thought to reflect the overall quality of people’s lives. However, several scholars have argued that people rely on heuristics, such as current mood, when reporting their global well-being. Experiential well-being measures, such as the day reconstruction method (DRM), have been proposed as an alternative technique to obtain a potentially more accurate assessment of well-being. Across two multimethod, short-term longitudinal studies, we compared the psychometric properties of global self-reports and short-form DRM-based assessments of well-being. We evaluated their stability across one month, tested their convergent validity using self–informant agreement, and evaluated correlations with personality traits. Results indicated that global measures of well-being were more stable than DRM-based experiential measures. Self–informant agreement was also either equal across global and DRM measures or higher for global measures. Correlations with personality were similar across approaches. These findings suggest that DRM and global measures of well-being have similar psychometric properties when used to provide an overall assessment of a person’s typical level of subjective well-being.
Digit Span Subscale Scores May Be Insufficiently Reliable for Clinical Interpretation: Distinguishing Between Stratified Coefficient Alpha and Omega Hierarchical
Authors: Gignac Gilles E. , Reynolds Matthew R. , Kovacs Kristof
Published: December 2017

The Digit Span subscale (Digit Span Forward, Backward, and Sequencing combined composite) internal inconsistency reliability has been reported at .93, based on a coefficient known as stratified coefficient alpha. With accessible examples, we demonstrate that stratified coefficient alpha can deviate substantially from a model-based internal consistency reliability that represents an underlying dimension, that is, omega hierarchical. Next, we simulated item-level Digit Span subscale data to correspond very closely to the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–fourth edition normative sample. Based on omega hierarchical, we estimated the internal consistency reliability associated with the Digit Span subscale scores at .74. In light of the results, clinicians are cautioned against interpreting Digit Span subscale scores. Instead, interpretations should probably be restricted to the Digit Span Forward, Digit Span Backward, and Digit Span Sequencing test scores. Finally, we offer suggestions for improvement to achieve higher levels of Digit Span subscale score reliability.
The Contextual Role of Regulatory Stakeholder Pressure in Proactive Environmental Strategies: An Empirical Test of Competing Theoretical Perspectives
Authors: Schmitz Eva Alexandra , Baum Matthias , Huett Pascal , Kabst Ruediger
Published: December 2017

Guided by two competing theoretical perspectives, we investigate the contextual role of perceived regulatory stakeholder pressure in the relationship between firms’ strategic orientation and their pursuit of a proactive environmental strategy (PES). While the enhancing perspective suggests that perceived regulatory stakeholder pressure strengthens the association between strategic orientation and PES, the buffering perspective argues that greater regulatory stakeholder pressure mitigates this relationship. Our study looks at a sample of 349 German energy sector firms to identify which perspective holds greater explanatory power. Surprisingly, the empirical findings go beyond the arguments made in the buffering perspective: high perceived regulatory stakeholder pressure not only weakens but also eradicates the relationship between strategic orientation and the pursuit of a PES. Our results indicate that in the case of high perceived regulatory stakeholder pressure, market-oriented considerations are eclipsed by the need to gain legitimacy within the regulatory stakeholder context.
Oxidative Stress as a Mechanism Involved in Kidney Damage After Subchronic Exposure to Vanadium Inhalation and Oral Sweetened Beverages in a Mouse Model
Authors: Espinosa-Zurutuza Maribel , González-Villalva Adriana , Albarrán-Alonso Juan Carlos , Colín-Barenque Laura , Bizarro-Nevares Patricia , Rojas-Lemus Marcela , López-Valdéz Nelly , Fortoul Teresa I.
Published: December 2017

Kidney diseases have notably increased in the last few years. This is partially explained by the increase in metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and systemic blood hypertension. However, there is a segment of the population that has neither of the previous risk factors, yet suffers kidney damage. Exposure to atmospheric pollutants has been suggested as a possible risk factor. Air-suspended particles carry on their surface a variety of fuel combustion–related residues such as metals, and vanadium is one of these. Vanadium might produce oxidative stress resulting in the damage of some organs such as the kidney. Additionally, in countries like Mexico, the ingestion of sweetened beverages is a major issue; whether these beverages alone are responsible for direct kidney damage or whether their ingestion promotes the progression of an existing renal damage generates controversy. In this study, we report the combined effect of vanadium inhalation and sweetened beverages ingestion in a mouse model. Forty CD-1 male mice were distributed in 4 groups: control, vanadium inhalation, 30% sucrose in drinking water, and vanadium inhalation plus sucrose 30% in drinking water. Our results support that vanadium inhalation and the ingestion of 30% sucrose induce functional and histological kidney damage and an increase in oxidative stress biomarkers, which were higher in the combined effect of vanadium plus 30% sucrose. The results also support that the ingestion of 30% sucrose alone without hyperglycemia also produces kidney damage.
Antibody response to feline panleukopenia virus vaccination in healthy adult cats
Authors: Bergmann Michèle , Schwertler Stephanie , Reese Sven , Speck Stephanie , Truyen Uwe , Hartmann Katrin
Published: December 2017

Objectives

According to prior studies, between 25.0% and 92.8% of adult cats have antibodies against feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and thus are likely protected against FPV infection. It is, however, unknown how healthy adult cats with different antibody titres react to FPV vaccination in the field. Therefore, the aim of the study was to measure antibody titres in healthy adult cats within a period of 28 days after vaccination against FPV and to evaluate factors that are associated with a lack of adequate response to vaccination.

Methods

One hundred and twelve healthy adult cats were vaccinated with a vaccine against FPV, feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus. Antibodies against FPV were determined before vaccination (day 0), on day 7 and day 28 after vaccination by haemagglutination inhibition (HI). A HI titre ⩾1:40 was defined as protective. An adequate response to vaccination was defined as a four-fold titre increase. Uni- and multivariate statistical analysis was used to determine factors associated with an adequate response.

Results

Pre-vaccination antibody titres of ⩾1:40 were present in 64.3% (72/112; 95% confidence interval [CI] 55.1–72.6). Only 47.3% (53/112; 95% CI 37.8–57.0) of cats had an adequate response to vaccination. Factors associated with an adequate response to vaccination were lack of previous vaccination (odds ratio [OR] 15.58; 95% CI 1.4–179.1; P = 0.035), lack of antibodies (⩾1:40) prior to vaccination (OR 23.10; 95% CI 5.4–98.8; P <0.001) and breed (domestic shorthair cats; OR 7.40; 95% CI 1.4–38.4; P = 0.017).

Conclusions and relevance

As none of the cats with high pre-vaccination antibody titres (⩾1:160) had an at least four-fold increase in FPV antibody titres, measurement of antibodies rather than regular revaccinations should be performed. Thus, evaluation of FPV antibody titre in cats with previous vaccinations against FPV are recommended prior to revaccination.
Evaluation of three herbal compounds used for the management of lower urinary tract disease in healthy cats: a pilot study
Authors: Daniels Melissa , Bartges Joseph W , Raditic Donna M , Marsden Steve , Cox Sherry K , Callens Amanda J
Published: December 2017

Objectives

Lower urinary tract disease (LUTD) occurs commonly in cats, and idiopathic cystitis (FIC) and urolithiasis account for >80% of cases in cats <10 years of age. Although several strategies have been recommended, a common recommendation is to induce dilute urine resulting in more frequent urination and to dilute calculogenic constituents. In addition to conventional therapy using modified diets, traditional Chinese and Western herbs have been recommended, although only one – choreito – has published data available. We evaluated three commonly used herbal treatments recommended for use in cats with LUTD: San Ren Tang, Wei Ling Tang and Alisma. We hypothesized that these three Chinese herbal preparations would induce increased urine volume, decreased urine saturation for calcium oxalate and struvite, and differences in mineral and electrolyte excretions in healthy cats.

Methods

Six healthy spayed female adult cats were evaluated in a placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover design study. Cats were randomized to one of four treatments, including placebo, San Ren Tang, Wei Ling Tang or Alisma. Treatment was for 2 weeks each with a 1 week washout period between treatments. At the end of each treatment period, a 24 h urine sample was collected using modified litter boxes.

Results

Body weights were not different between treatments. No differences were found in 24 h urinary analyte excretions, urine volume, urine pH or urinary saturation for calcium oxalate or struvite between treatments.

Conclusions and relevance

The results of this study do not support the hypothesis; however, evaluation of longer-term and different dosage studies in cats with LUTD is warranted.
In Silico Characterization and Functional Validation of Cell Wall Modification Genes Imparting Waterlogging Tolerance in Maize
Authors: Arora Kanika , Panda Kusuma Kumari , Mittal Shikha , Mallikarjuna Mallana Gowdra , Thirunavukkarasu Nepolean
Published: December 2017

Cell wall modification (CWM) promotes the formation of aerenchyma in roots under waterlogging conditions as an adaptive mechanism. Lysigenous aerenchyma formation in roots improves oxygen transfer in plants, which highlights the importance of CWM as a focal point in waterlogging stress tolerance. We investigated the structural and functional compositions of CWM genes and their expression patterns under waterlogging conditions in maize. Cell wall modification genes were identified for 3 known waterlogging-responsive cis-acting regulatory elements, namely, GC motif, anaerobic response elements, and G-box, and 2 unnamed elements. Structural motifs mapped in CWM genes were represented in genes regulating waterlogging stress-tolerant pathways, including fermentation, glycolysis, programmed cell death, and reactive oxygen species signaling. The highly aligned regions of characterized and uncharacterized CWM proteins revealed common structural domains amongst them. Membrane spanning regions present in the protein structures revealed transmembrane activity of CWM proteins in the plant cell wall. Cell wall modification proteins had interacted with ethylene-responsive pathway regulating genes (E3 ubiquitin ligases RNG finger and F-box) in a maize protein-protein interaction network. Cell wall modification genes had also coexpressed with energy metabolism, programmed cell death, and reactive oxygen species signaling, regulating genes in a single coexpression cluster. These configurations of CWM genes can be used to modify the protein expression in maize under waterlogging stress condition. Our study established the importance of CWM genes in waterlogging tolerance, and these genes can be used as candidates in introgression breeding and genome editing experiments to impart tolerance in maize hybrids.
Detection of Provasopressin in Invasive and Non-invasive (DCIS) Human Breast Cancer Using a Monoclonal Antibody Directed against the C-terminus (MAG1)
Authors: Keegan Brendan P. , Memoli Vincent A. , Wells Wendy A. , North William G.
Published: December 2017

The provasopressin protein (proAVP) is expressed by invasive breast cancer and non-invasive breast cancer, or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Here we demonstrate the ability of the monoclonal antibody MAG1 directed against the C-terminal end of proAVP to identify proAVP in all cases examined of human invasive cancer and DCIS (35 and 26, respectively). Tissues were chosen to represent a relevant variation in tumor type, grade, patient age, and menopausal status. By comparison, there was 65% positive staining for estrogen receptor, 61% for progesterone receptor, 67% for nuclear p53, and 39% for c-Erb-B2 with the invasive breast cancer sections. Reaction with the normal tissue types examined (67) was restricted to the vasopressinergic magnocellular neurons of the hypothalamus, where provasopressin is normally produced, and the posterior pituitary, where these neurons terminate. The breast epithelial tissue sections on the tissue microarray did not react with MAG1. Previously, we demonstrated that polyclonal antibodies to proAVP detected that protein in all breast cancer samples examined, but there was no reaction with breast tissue containing fibrocystic disease. The results presented here not only expand upon those earlier results, but they also demonstrate the specificity and effectiveness of what may be considered a more clinically-relevant agent. Thus, proAVP appears to be an attractive target for the detection of invasive breast cancer and DCIS, and these results suggest that MAG1 may be a beneficial tool for use in the development of such strategies.
The Expression Patterns of ER, PR, HER2, CK5/6, EGFR, Ki-67 and AR by Immunohistochemical Analysis in Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Subik Kristina , Lee Jin-Feng , Baxter Laurie , Strzepek Tamera , Costello Dawn , Crowley Patti , Xing Lianping , Hung Mien-Chie , Bonfiglio Thomas , Hicks David G. , Tang Ping
Published: December 2017

The molecular classification for breast carcinomas has been used in clinical studies with a simple surrogate panel of immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers. The objective of this current project was to study the molecular classification of commonly used breast cancer cell lines by IHC analysis. Seventeen breast cancer cell lines were harvested, fixed in formalin and made into cell blocks. IHC analyses were performed on each cell block with antibodies to estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2, EGFR, CK5/6, Ki-67 and androgen receptor (AR). Among the 17 cell lines, MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 fell to Luminal A subtype; BT-474 to Luminal B subtype; SKBR-3, MDA-MD-435 and AU 565 to HER2 over-expression subtype; MDA-MB-231, MCF-12A, HBL 101, HS 598 T, MCF-10A, MCF-10F, BT-20, 468 and BT-483 to basal subtype. MDA-MB-453 belonged to Unclassified subtype. Since each subtype defined by this IHC-based molecular classification does show a distinct clinical outcome, attention should be paid when choosing a cell line for any study.
Apolipoprotein E Allelic Frequency Altered in Women with Early-onset Breast Cancer
Authors: Porrata-Doria Tirtsa , Matta Jaime L. , Acevedo Summer F.
Published: December 2017

Among women, the most prevalent type of cancer is breast cancer, affecting 1 out of every 8 women in the United States; in Puerto Rico, 70 out of every 100,000 will develop some type of breast cancer. Therefore, a better understanding of the potential risk factors for breast cancer could lead to the development of early detection tools. A gene that has been proposed as a risk factor in several populations around the world is Apolipoprotein E (apoE). ApoE functions as a mechanism of transport for lipoproteins and cholesterol throughout the body, with 3 main isoforms present in humans (apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4). Whether or not apoE4 is a risk factor for breast cancer remains controversial. Previous studies have either included test subjects of all ages (20–80) or have focused on late-onset (after age 50) breast cancer; none has concentrated specifically on early-onset (aged 50 and younger) breast cancer. The objectives of this study was to examine (in a Puerto Rican population) the differences in the relative frequency of occurrence of apoE4 in non-breast cancer versus breast cancer patients and to examine, as well, the potential differences of same in early- versus late-onset patients. We found an increased frequency of apoE4 (odds ratio 2.15) only in early-onset breast cancer survivors, which is similar to the findings of those studies that combined or adjusted for age as well as for an association between apoE4 and decreased tumor size. ApoE is also a potential risk factor for long-term cognitive effects after chemotherapy and affects response to hormone replacement. Our data supports the theory that knowing the apoE genotype of women who are at risk of developing breast cancer may be beneficial, as such knowledge would aid in the prediction of tumor size and the development of treatment regimens.
Using a Modified ADAPTE Process to Enable Effective Implementation of Electrical Stimulation Therapy for Treating Pressure Ulcers in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Lala Deena , Houghton Pamela , Holyoke Paul , Wolfe Dalton
Published: December 2017

Objectives:

To apply a modified ADAPTE process to adapt best practices to a local context for successful implementation of electrical stimulation therapy (EST) for treating pressure injuries in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Participants:

An expert team of health care professionals and a consumer participated in a 2-day workshop to assist in the development of the locally adapted EST document in Southwest Ontario, Canada.

Results:

A process map illustrating the flow of activities to initiate EST for treating pressure injuries in persons with SCI based on the challenges and opportunities existing within this region was created. The team also developed a summary of roles and responsibilities delineating tasks specific to providing EST and identified a set of challenges likely to be encountered.

Conclusions:

The modified ADAPTE process provided a clear and flexible structure to adaptation when used for implementation planning. This article shares some challenges associated with using this process for local adaptation and shares strategies of improvement for future studies aimed at adapting a practice to their local environment.
The case for a history of global legal practices
Authors: Wallenius Tomas
Published: December 2017

The contextual understanding of treatises of great legal thinkers has become an important focus in the historical study of international law. This article argues for an alternative approach going beyond classics of legal doctrine to study the interlinked broader global legal practices that constituted actual patterns of social order. Dead practitioners can, however, only be accessed through texts that remain under-conceptualized. I argue that literary theory provides the most helpful insights for developing a framework for studying legal texts. The historical importance of a legal text depends not only on why it was written, but also on how it was used, reinterpreted and even modified by later practitioners. The new method highlights an important alternative dynamic of legal change that first takes place through practice and is introduced to doctrine only afterwards, with posthumous editors often drastically modifying canonical works in order to make them more useful for contemporary practitioners.
Entangled expertise: Women’s use of social media in entrepreneurial work
Authors: Naudin Annette , Patel Karen
Published: December 2017

Social media platforms are important to self-employed cultural workers as a means of reaching markets and promoting the entrepreneur’s brand identity. But beyond self-branding, how are notions of expertise negotiated by individual cultural entrepreneurs and how does this relate to gender? This article addresses issues of identity and professionalism for women cultural entrepreneurs by focusing on their use of Twitter. Given the well-documented gender and ethnic inequalities in cultural industry work, what does women’s use of Twitter tell us about the nature of women’s professional identities within neoliberal economies? We argue that online platforms are an important space for self-employed cultural workers and that within this context, ideas of femininity and entrepreneurship are entangled. The article concludes by discussing the value of examining social media spaces as a means of exploring the presentation of women’s expertise in a post-feminist era.
On the definition of design values for loads on silos and tanks
Authors: Nielsen Jørgen , Rotter J Michael
Published: December 2017

Silos and tanks are both industrial storage containers, so it may be imagined that they can be treated in a common manner for structural design. However, the statistical base of reliability theory shows that tanks are exceptionally invariant in their loading, while loads in silos are possibly the most unpredictable of all structural engineering loads. This article sets out the arguments why the statistical scatter of loads on tanks should be seen as very small indeed. It then treats the problems of loads on silos at length, showing that a wide range of different factors dramatically influence the safety of the structure, leading to a situation in which the use of a single value for the partial factor on stored solid loads could be either very uneconomic or else unsafe. It shows that the known key parameters that define the form of the structure, the aspect ratio, the properties of the stored solids, the manner of filling and discharge, and the frequency of usage of the silo should all play a strong role in determining appropriate values of design partial factors. The recommended values for the partial factors should therefore be evaluated using rules placed in EN 1991-4.
Infants draw on ‘emotional capital’ in early childhood education contexts: A new paradigm
Authors: Salamon Andi , Sumsion Jennifer , Harrison Linda
Published: December 2017

Research about infants’ capacity to communicate using cries, smiles and sophisticated emotional strategies to connect with adults in their lives has predominantly emerged from the field of developmental psychology, with relatively limited attention to how babies enact such communicative practices with key adults in naturalistic settings. This article examines the emotional communicative practices infants use with educators in early childhood education and care contexts. Drawing on data from a study about educators’ conceptions of infants’ capabilities, the article frames babies’ intentional use of emotionally evocative communication as ‘emotional capital’. Transcripts of digital videos, pictures and written observations are used to illustrate how infants actively draw on reserves of emotional capital to guide the course of their relationship with educators, affording a view into how these efforts to communicate emotional messages are understood and met by their educators. Drawing on the theory of practice architectures, implications for the relationships that develop between infants and their primary carers/educators are discussed. Concluding thoughts acknowledge infants’ agency and active contribution to the dynamics within those relationships.
Reframing infant-toddler pedagogy through a lens of professional love: Exploring narratives of professional practice in early childhood settings in England
Authors: Page Jools
Published: December 2017

There is an increased international interest in how close attachment interactions with infants and toddlers are realised and interpreted by early years professionals. It is troubling for those who work in early years settings with infants and toddlers to know how best to demonstrate healthy loving attachment behaviours as an expectation of their professional caregiving role when ‘standing in for parents’. This article reports the interview findings from a mixed-methods study which examined practitioners’ views on love, care and intimacy within the English early years policy context. It draws on attachment theory and relational ethics to analyse the narratives of practice drawn from eight in-depth interviews with infant-toddler professionals to reveal the extent of their challenge as well as their beliefs about attachment and professional love. The responses highlighted the level of concern about the place of love and intimacy in non-familial pedagogical relationships with young children, against the backdrop of child protection and safeguarding following the global concern about infant abuse. The study suggests that there is a need to embrace an infant-toddler pedagogy to include the lens and the language of attachment and professional love, and to provide early years professionals with training and guidance on how to safely interpret these theories in their everyday practice.
A bond graph model for simulating the effects of regenerative braking system on emission of a hybrid vehicle
Authors: Mosadegh Mahdi , Jalili Mohammad M , Mazidi Abbas
Published: December 2017

Nowadays, vehicles have major role in the transportation of people and goods. The air pollution and fuel consumption are the most important topics in this subject. One of the methods used for reducing fuel consumption is regenerative braking systems. Very few researches have studied the effects of regenerative braking system on emission of hybrid vehicles. In this research, using bond graph method, a vehicle model including combustion, heat transfer, power generation, power transmission, braking, energy storage system and vehicle body is simulated. To determine the amount of pollution generation, an incomplete combustion model and complete gas theory are assumed and Arrhenius equation is used for modelling the combustion reaction velocity. This model can determine fuel consumption in any actual operating condition and also all pollutions generated by incomplete combustion in the engine. This is the preference of this research while most of previous researches using engine fuel map to determine fuel consumption and unable to define all kind of pollutions. The body of the vehicle is modelled with seven degrees of freedom mass-spring-damper model. Also, the hydraulic braking system is modelled by acting braking torque on wheels. Using this vehicle model and its parameters, amount of energy consumption and emission of the vehicle equipped with regenerative braking system are achieved and compared with the results of the same vehicle without regenerative braking system. Simulations are performed on two standard Economic Commission for Europe and extra urban driving cycles to determine regenerative braking system operation effects on reducing fuel consumption and emission in each cycle.

Results show that a vehicle with this equipment is capable of reducing fuel consumption and emission in comparing with an unequipped vehicle. Using regenerative braking system in Economic Commission for Europe cycle, in comparing with extra urban driving cycle, is more efficient in reducing emission and fuel consumption. According to the results, regenerative braking system makes more deceleration than Hydraulic Braking System in high speeds.
When the crisis comes home: Emotions, professionalism, and reporting on 22 March in Belgian journalists’ narratives
Authors: Kotisova Johana
Published: December 2017

On the morning of 22 March 2016, three coordinated suicide bombings planned by Daesh occurred in Brussels. Those Belgian reporters who commonly travel to conflict zones and disaster sites had to report on a ‘combat zone event’ that was happening at the place where they, their families, and friends lived. Their subjective experience of witnesses, actors, and even indirect victims merged with their professional tasks. The traditional journalistic commitment to objectivity – that is, detachment, impartiality, fairness, or professional distance – that remains to be a cornerstone of journalists’ professional self-perception and an assumed source of their authority, was challenged. The article seeks to explore the aftermath of the unprecedentedly close terrorist attacks among Belgian journalists. Based on in-depth, narrative interviews with 10 Belgian ‘crisis reporters’, the article addresses the following questions: In which sense did the reporters experience the attacks as different from other crises? How did they deal with the unusually complex relationship between their personal and professional identities? What form(s) of objectivity did they employ and (how) did their work on emotional boundaries interfere with such a norm? The findings show that the radical, ‘surreal’ alteration of the reporters’ lifeworld resulted in a fundamental conflict between personal and professional identities. In turn, their rupture but inseparability helped to shape the objectivity-as-a-practice employed by the journalists on and after 22 March.