bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inter‐group forgiveness in the aftermath of symmetric and asymmetric communal violence: Contact density and nationalistic climates as contextual mediators
Authors: Penic Sandra , Elcheroth Guy , Morselli Davide
Published: May 2017

In this study, we examine how communal exposure to war violence is related to the inhabitants' forgiveness. Based on multilevel analyses of representative survey data collected in the post‐war former Yugoslavia (N = 18 351), we show that forgiveness depends on the type of communal violence: It is lowest in communities exposed to asymmetric and strongest in communities exposed to symmetric violence. We further show the mediating role of the inter‐ethnic bonds and nationalistic climates in the communities: while asymmetric violence breaks local inter‐ethnic bonds and fuels norms of unconditional nationalism, in communities exposed to symmetric violence, inter‐ethnic contact is preserved, and nationalism rejected, more strongly than elsewhere. Our findings thus show that individuals' reconciliatory attitudes depend on the social context in which they are embedded; in particular, on the type of violence that affected their community and on the resulting communal climate that fosters or inhibits inter‐ethnic contact and exclusionary identities.
The effect of the validity of co‐occurrence on automatic and deliberate evaluations
Authors: Moran Tal , Bar‐Anan Yoav , Nosek Brian A.
Published: May 2017

Co‐occurrence of an object and affective stimuli does not always mean that the object and the stimuli are the same valence (e.g., false accusations that Richard is a crook). Contemporary theory posits that information about the (in)validity of co‐occurrence has stronger influence on deliberate than automatic evaluation. However, available evidence supports that hypothesis only when the (in)validity information is delayed. Further, the existing evidence is open to alternative methodological accounts. In six high‐powered experiments (total N = 1750), we modified previous procedures to minimize alternative explanations and examine whether delayed (in)validity information has a discrepant effect on automatic versus deliberate evaluation. Casting doubt on the generality of the hypothesis, we found more sensitivity of deliberate than automatic evaluation to delayed validity information only when automatic evaluation was measured with the Implicit Association Test and not with the evaluative priming task or the affective misattribution procedure.
Beyond ‘nothing to hide’: When identity is key to privacy threat under surveillance
Authors: Stuart Avelie , Levine Mark
Published: May 2017

Privacy is psychologically important, vital for democracy, and in the era of ubiquitous and mobile surveillance technology, facing increasingly complex threats and challenges. Yet surveillance is often justified under a trope that one has ‘nothing to hide’. We conducted focus groups (N = 42) on topics of surveillance and privacy and using discursive analysis, identify the ideological assumptions and the positions that people adopt to make sense of their participation in a surveillance society. We find a premise that surveillance is increasingly inescapable, but this was only objected to when people reported feeling misrepresented, or where they had an inability to withhold aspects of their identities. The (in)visibility of the surveillance technology also complicated how surveillance is constructed. Those interested in engaging the public in debates about surveillance may be better served by highlighting the identity consequences of surveillance, rather than constructing surveillance as a generalised privacy threat.
Attachment insecurities, life satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction from a dyadic perspective: The role of positive and negative affect
Authors: Molero Fernando , Shaver Phillip R. , Fernández Itziar , Recio Patricia
Published: May 2017

The purpose of this research is to examine the association between attachment insecurities (anxiety and avoidance) and both subjective well‐being (positive affect [PA] and negative affect [NA] and life satisfaction) and relationship satisfaction. There were 174 Spanish heterosexual couples with a mean length of relationship of 13.9 years who participated in the study. The hypotheses were tested according to the actor–partner interdependence model. We proposed a model in which PA and NA could mediate the association between attachment insecurities and life and relationship satisfaction. Results show that (1) actor effects are more frequent than partner effects; (2) anxious attachment tends to be related to NA and avoidant attachment to PA; (3) avoidance is more detrimental than anxiety for relationship satisfaction at individual and dyadic levels, and (4) there are some mediational effects of NA and PA in the association between attachment insecurities and life and relationship satisfaction.
Darkness into light? Identification with the crowd at a suicide prevention fundraiser promotes well‐being amongst participants
Authors: Kearns Michelle , Muldoon Orla T. , Msetfi Rachel M. , Surgenor Paul W. G.
Published: May 2017

Suicide is recognised to be subject to social contagion, with an elevated risk of adverse outcomes amongst those affected. Drawing upon research within the social identity approach, we hypothesised that, for those bereaved by suicide, identifying with similar others could provide ‘a social cure’. A large cross‐sectional study and a longitudinal study were carried out at a charity fundraiser for suicide prevention, with participants completing an online survey before and after the event. Results showed that, for those who lost someone they knew (Study 1) or a family member (Study 2) to suicide, there was a significant increase in psychological well‐being after the event. This was mediated by identification with the crowd. These findings demonstrate that collective participation in a suicide awareness event can be an effective social intervention for those bereaved by suicide in terms of psychological well‐being, with implications for informing best‐practice interventions targeting this at‐risk group.
‘Healthy’ identities? Revisiting rejection‐identification and rejection‐disidentification models among voluntary and forced immigrants
Authors: Bobowik Magdalena , Martinovic Borja , Basabe Nekane , Barsties Lisa S. , Wachter Gusta
Published: May 2017

Rejection‐identification and rejection‐disidentification models propose that low‐status groups identify with their in‐group and disidentify with a high‐status out‐group in response to rejection by the latter. Our research tests these two models simultaneously among multiple groups of foreign‐born people living in two cultural contexts. We examined these effects on representative samples of 2446 refugees in the Netherlands (Study 1) and 1234 voluntary immigrants in Spain (Study 2). We found that both ethnic and host national identification are ‘healthy’ and thus predominantly conducive to greater hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being. Further, perceived discrimination was associated with host national disidentification among refugees in the Netherlands and voluntary immigrants in Spain. However, our findings regarding the rejection‐identification link were less consistent. We discuss the importance of ethnic and host national identification for the well‐being of immigrants.
Competence and confusion: How stereotype threat can make you a bad judge of your competence
Authors: Tellhed Una , Adolfsson Caroline
Published: May 2017

Women tend to have competence doubts for masculine‐stereotyped domains (e.g., math), whereas men tend to think they can handle both feminine‐stereotyped and masculine‐stereotyped domains equally well. We suggest that perhaps women's more frequent experience with stereotype threat can partly explain why. Our results showed that when stereotype threat was primed in high school students (n = 244), there was no relationship between their performance on an academic test (the SweSAT) and their assessment of their performance (how well they did), whereas in a non‐stereotype threat condition, there was a medium‐sized relationship. The effect was similar for both men and women primed with stereotype threat. The results imply that stereotype threat undermines performance assessments.
Addicted to answers: Need for cognitive closure and the endorsement of conspiracy beliefs
Authors: Marchlewska Marta , Cichocka Aleksandra , Kossowska Małgorzata
Published: May 2017

Conspiracy theories offer simple answers to complex problems by providing explanations for uncertain situations. Thus, they should be attractive to individuals who are intolerant of uncertainty and seek cognitive closure. We hypothesized that need for cognitive closure (NFCC) should foster conspiracy beliefs about events that lack clear official explanations, especially when conspiracy theories are temporarily salient. In Experiment 1, NFCC positively predicted the endorsement of a conspiracy theory behind the refugee crisis, especially when conspiratorial explanations were made salient. Experiment 2 showed that when conspiratorial explanations were made salient, NFCC positively predicted beliefs in conspiracies behind a mysterious plane crash. However, the link between NFCC and beliefs in conspiratorial explanations was reversed in the case of a plane crash with an official, non‐conspiratorial, explanation for the accident. In conclusion, people high (vs. low) in NFCC seize on conspiratorial explanations for uncertain events when such explanations are situationally accessible.
Intergroup threat, social dominance, and the malleability of ideology: The importance of conceptual replication
Authors: Roebroeck Elodie , Guimond Serge
Published: May 2017

Consistent with the theory of malleable ideology, research has shown that, under intergroup threat, antiegalitarian individuals will exploit the malleable character of color blindness and strategically claim to be strong supporters of it. In three studies conducted in France, we found no support for this theory when measuring color blindness but strong support when using measures of laïcité, an ideology of secularism. Indeed, those who score low on social dominance orientation (SDO) were more likely to support laïcité than antiegalitarian individuals. However, a situational threat (Study 1), a symbolic threat experimentally induced (Study 2), and a perceived symbolic threat (Study 3) were all related to increased support for laïcité by people high in SDO, without affecting those low in SDO. Thus, laïcité is a malleable ideology that can be adopted by individuals having contrasting motivations, as color blindness in the United States. Implications for the role of exact and conceptual replications in the development of a psychological science are discussed.
When “who we are” and “who I desire to be” appear disconnected: Introducing collective/personal self‐discrepancies and investigating their relations with minority students' psychological health
Authors: Debrosse Regine , Rossignac‐Milon Maya , Taylor Donald M.
Published: May 2017

According to Self‐Discrepancy Theory research, perceiving mismatches between personal aspects of the self‐concept is associated with negative psychological consequences, including depression and anxiety. However, the impact of perceiving mismatches between collective and personal self‐aspects is still unknown. In a first step to address this gap, we introduce collective/personal self‐discrepancies—perceived mismatches between a desired self‐aspect and a collective identity. For cultural minority group members (n = 147), collective/personal self‐discrepancies were associated with more severe anxiety and depression symptoms. Bootstrapping analyses suggest that these relations are mediated by self‐discrepancies experienced at the personal level, but only for group members presenting average or high levels of ethnic identification. This study reaffirms the importance of collective identities, especially as potential antecedents of personal aspects of the self‐concept. The findings are further discussed in terms of their significance for cultural minority group members, who often highly identify with their minority groups.
Interpersonal attraction in dyads and groups: Effects of the hearts of the beholder and the beheld
Authors: Malloy Thomas E.
Published: May 2017

Dyadic interpersonal attraction (IA) was studied within groups of very highly acquainted family members, friends and coworkers. IA was determined by the perceiver (i.e., the heart of the beholder), the target (i.e., the heart of the beheld), and in specific dyads, by the unique combination of the two. The consistency of one's attraction to others and others' attraction to the person across groups was addressed using the key person design. Attraction to a person in one group was independent of attraction to that person in another, although people predicted that members of different groups were similarly attracted to them. A new model (ARRMA) was specified to simultaneously study assumed reciprocity, actual reciprocity, and metaperception accuracy of attraction (i.e., accurate predictions of others' attraction to oneself). Assumed reciprocity of IA was substantial at the individual and dyadic levels. Reciprocity of attraction at the individual level, a heretofore unconfirmed “plausible hypothesis”, was supported; dyadic reciprocity was weak. Meta‐accuracy of IA was observed among individuals but was weak in dyads. Perceived interpersonal similarity predicted IA among individuals and in specific dyads. Considering dyadic attraction within and between groups and the use of componential analysis permitted the specification of new IA phenomena and resolved a long‐standing theoretical problem regarding the reciprocity of attraction.
On the trade‐off between energy saving and number of switchings in green cellular networks
Authors: Dolfi Marco , Cavdar Cicek , Morosi Simone , Piunti Pierpaolo , Zander Jens , Del Re Enrico
Published: May 2017

Cellular networks are optimized by targeting multiple objectives. Usually, the different objectives are not coherent: minimizing the transmit power; the number of base station (BS) sleep‐mode switchings, ie, active/sleep state transitions; and the activity of the BSs and guaranteeing the quality‐of‐service (QoS) of users. Hence, suitable trade‐offs have to be managed by network planners to provide an efficient solution to the challenge of booming mobile data. In this paper, we propose a multiobjective optimization framework aimed at minimizing the power consumption and the number of BS sleep‐mode switchings in cellular networks, by jointly considering QoS requirements. These requirements are expressed in terms of a required bit rate for each mobile terminal. The framework deals with network management, such as the number of BSs that should be switched on, considering common diurnal patterns of the traffic demand. The optimization technique proposed in this paper is mixed‐integer quadratic programming, which solves the joint power allocation and user association problem while also considering optimized bandwidth allocation schemes. The trade‐off between the conflicting objectives, as well as the performance analysis in terms of the throughput and energy consumption of the network, is shown for different traffic load cases. The proposed optimization can obtain up to 60% energy savings during off‐peak hours, guaranteeing QoS target requirements. By optimizing the network configuration, a 70% reduction in BS switch on/off operations can be reached in a day with 3% more energy expense.
Modeling and analysis of traffic‐aware spectrum handover schemes in cognitive HetNets
Authors: Habibzadeh Ameneh , Shirvani Moghaddam Shahriar , Razavizadeh Seyed Mohammad , Shirvanimoghaddam Mahyar
Published: May 2017

Cognitive radio (CR) heterogeneous network (HetNet) is an emerging technology that aims at enhancing spectrum utilization through spectrum sharing among macro base stations and femto base stations. Similar to other CR networks, in CR HetNets, providing the desired quality of service for the licensed primary users (PUs) is of utmost importance. Due to the shared spectrum between PUs and cognitive secondary users (CSUs) as well as offloading policies, the spectrum handover (SHO) process must be carefully designed. Using the idea of reserved channels, this paper proposes 2 traffic‐aware SHO schemes for cognitive HetNets. In the proposed schemes, each CSU can adopt either a shared‐to‐reserved or a reserved‐to‐shared SHO strategy. The proposed approaches can be implemented in both distributed and centralized manners to maintain a trade‐off between performance and complexity. The performance of the proposed schemes is mathematically analyzed, and closed‐form expressions are derived for the blocking probability of the PUs and the forced termination probability of the CSUs. Numerical results show that the proposed schemes outperform the existing SHO approaches, such as always‐change, always‐stay, and proactive methods, specifically at higher arrival rates of PUs. Moreover, several evaluation metrics, such as effective throughput, energy efficiency, and a proposed combinational utility function, are investigated for both distributed and centralized schemes. The results show that the proposed centralized schemes offer higher performance compared to the distributed schemes.
An exploration of enhancing thermal protective clothing performance by incorporating aerogel and phase change materials
Authors: Zhang Hui , Song Guowen , Su Hui , Ren Haitao , Cao Juan
Published: May 2017

Thermal liners play a critical role in thermal protective performance for firefighter gear. Effective engineering of textile material is necessary to enhance this protective performance. A modified thermal protective erformance (TPP) tester was used to study the influence of incorporating aerogel and microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCMs) in thermal liners (including a traditional thermal liner, phase‐change layer, and aerogel layer) and the relevant parameters associated with enhanced thermal liner performance. Two different phase‐transition temperature (45°C and 50°C) of MPCM were selected. The samples were exposed to a medium intensity radiation of 15 kW/m2 for 240 seconds, and a skin burn model was applied for second‐degree burn prediction. Given the selected, results showed that the best TPP in this study was achieved when the phase‐transition temperature of MPCM was 45°C and the layering order consisted of the traditional thermal layer (closest to heat source), followed by an aerogel layer, and a final MPCM layer. The predicted second‐degree burn time was 218.3 seconds and increased by 90% compared with only containing traditional thermal liner with a thickness of 5 mm. For all 3 materials contained in the thermal liner, the relationship between absorbed energy and predicted second‐degree skin burn time indicated that they had a remarkable negative linear correlation (R2 was 0.9792). The experimental data and predicted results were in good agreement, with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9911. The findings provide a scientific basis for future textile engineering and a novel approach to improve TPP.
Does a lot help a lot? Forecasting stock returns with pooling strategies in a data‐rich environment
Authors: Baetje Fabian
Published: May 2017

A variety of recent studies provide a skeptical view on the predictability of stock returns. Empirical evidence shows that most prediction models suffer from a loss of information, model uncertainty, and structural instability by relying on low‐dimensional information sets. In this study, we evaluate the predictive ability of various lately refined forecasting strategies, which handle these issues by incorporating information from many potential predictor variables simultaneously. We investigate whether forecasting strategies that (i) combine information and (ii) combine individual forecasts are useful to predict US stock returns, that is, the market excess return, size, value, and the momentum premium. Our results show that methods combining information have remarkable in‐sample predictive ability. However, the out‐of‐sample performance suffers from highly volatile forecast errors. Forecast combinations face a better bias–efficiency trade‐off, yielding a consistently superior forecast performance for the market excess return and the size premium even after the 1970s.
Appropriate position of porous insert in a heat exchanger by thermohydraulic analysis
Authors: Akar S. , Rashidi S. , Esfahani J. Abolfazli
Published: May 2017

This paper presents numerically an appropriate position of a porous insert to get a better thermohydraulic performance from a porous heat exchanger. The simulation is based on the Darcy‐Brinkman‐Forchheimer model in the porous field. Two‐dimensional continuity, momentum, and energy equations with incompressible, laminar, steady assumptions have been solved using a finite volume approach. The analysis is performed for different values of porous layer thickness, length, and porosity at a fixed value of Reynolds number (Re = 100) and thermal conductivity ratio (Rc = 5). The results showed that there is about a 48% and 13% reduction in pressure drop and Nusselt number, respectively, by decreasing horizontal porous substrate thickness from 1 to 1/2 for δv = 1/3 at ε = 0.7. As a result, the pressure drop reduces considerably with a reasonable reduction in heat transfer rate by decreasing horizontal porous substrate thickness from 1 to 1/2.
Class II obese and healthy pregnant controls exhibit indistinguishable pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory immune responses to Caesarian section
Authors: Graham Caroline , Thorleifson Mullein , Stefura William P. , Funk Duane J. , HayGlass Kent T.
Published: May 2017

Introduction

Obesity during pregnancy is associated with meta‐inflammation and an increased likelihood of clinical complications. Surgery results in intense, acute inflammatory responses in any individual. Because obese individuals exhibit constitutive inflammatory responses and high rates of Caesarian section, it is important to understand the impact of surgery in such populations. Whether more pronounced pro‐inflammatory cytokine responses and/or counterbalancing changes in anti‐inflammatory immune modulators occurs is unknown. Here we investigated innate immune capacity in vivo and in vitro in non‐obese, term‐pregnant controls versus healthy, term‐pregnant obese women (Class II, BMI 35–40).

Methods

Systemic in vivo induction of eleven pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory biomarkers and acute phase proteins was assessed in plasma immediately prior to and again following Caesarian section surgery. Independently, innate immune capacity was examined by stimulating freshly isolated PBMC in vitro with a panel of defined PRR‐ligands for TLR4, TLR8, TLR3, and RLR 24 h post‐surgery.

Results

The kinetics and magnitude of the in vivo inflammatory responses examined were indistinguishable in the two populations across the broad range of biomarkers examined, despite the fact that obese women had higher baseline inflammatory status. Deliberate in vitro stimulation with a range of PRR ligands also elicited pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokine responses that were indistinguishable between control and obese mothers.

Conclusions

Acute in vivo innate immune responses to C‐section, as well as subsequent in vitro stimulation with a panel of microbial mimics, are not detectably altered in Class II obese women. The data argue that while Class II obesity is undesirable, it has minimal impact on the in vivo inflammatory response, or innate immunomodulatory capacity, in women selecting C‐section.
Self‐assembled Protein Fibril‐metal Oxide Nanocomposites
Authors: Levin A. , Mason T. O. , Knowles T. P. J. , Shimanovich U.
Published: May 2017

Protein aggregation is commonly associated with the onset and development of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other forms of pathological disorders. While this phenomenon has historically been studied in the context of its relevance to human health, over the past decade significant research effort has focused on utilizing amyloid‐like protein assemblies as building blocks for the development of functional biomaterials and a number of protein‐based functional materials have been demonstrated. Here we extend this concept by synthesizing hybrid organic/inorganic microcapsules containing metal‐based NPs and protein nanofibrils as a nanocomposite. To this effect, we exploit the propensity of lysozyme to self‐assemble into amyloid nanofibrils and their functionalization by carboxyl‐modified Fe3O4 NPs. We use a microfluidics‐based approach to control the micron scale moprhology of the newly formed nanocomposites. Our results illustrate the potential ofthis strategy as a platform for fabricating microcapsules from nanofibril‐inorganic NPs hybrid materials.
Mechanism of graphene‐induced cytotoxicity: Role of endonucleases
Authors: Fahmi Tariq , Branch La Donna , Nima Zeid A. , Jang Dae Song , Savenka Alena V. , Biris Alexandru S. , Basnakian Alexei G.
Published: May 2017

Abstract

Graphene, a crystalline allotrope or carbon, presents numerous useful properties; however, its toxicity is yet to be determined. One of the most dramatic and irreversible toxic abilities of carbon nanomaterials is the induction of DNA fragmentation produced by endogenous cellular endonucleases. This study demonstrated that pristine graphene exposed to cultured kidney tubular epithelial cells is capable of inducing DNA fragmentation measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, which is usually associated with cell death. TUNEL (cell death) and endonuclease activity measured using a near infrared fluorescence probe was significantly higher in cells containing graphene aggregates detected by Raman spectroscopy. The elevation of TUNEL coincided with the increased abundance of heme oxygenase 1 (HO‐1), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), active caspase‐3 and endonucleases (deoxyribonuclease I [DNase I] and endonuclease G [EndoG]), as measured by quantitative immunocytochemistry. Specific inhibitors for HO‐1, HSP90, caspase‐3, DNase I and EndoG almost completely blocked the DNA fragmentation induced by graphene exposure. Therefore, graphene induces cell death through oxidative injury, caspase‐mediated and caspase‐independent pathways; and endonucleases DNase I and EndoG are important for graphene toxicity. Inhibition of these pathways may ameliorate cell injury produced by graphene. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhancement of plasma protein adsorption and osteogenesis of hMSCs by functionalized siloxane coatings for titanium implants
Authors: Martínez‐Ibáñez Maria , Murthy N. Sanjeeva , Mao Yong , Suay Julio , Gurruchaga Marilo , Goñi Isabel , Kohn Joachim
Published: May 2017

A series of sol–gel derived silicon based coatings were developed to improve the osseointegration of commercial titanium dental implants. The osseointegration starts with a positive interaction between the implant surface and surrounding tissues, which is facilitated by the adsorption of plasma proteins onto the biomaterial surface immediately after implantation. It is likely that the enhancement of protein adsorption to titanium implants leads to a better implant/tissue integration. In addition, silica based biomaterials have been shown to promote osteoblast differentiation. To improve the protein adsorption and the osteogenesis, methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), 3‐glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS), and gelatin were selected to coat titanium surfaces. Compared with non‐coated titanium, the functionalized coatings enhanced the adsorption of adhesive proteins such as fibronectin and collagen. The Si release was successfully modulated by the control of the chemical composition of the coating, showing a higher dissolution rate with the gelatin and GPTMS incorporation. While the roughness of commercial implants seemed to promote the adhesion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), the osteogenic differentiation was greater on surfaces with Si‐coatings. In this study, an improved osteogenic surface has been achieved by using the siloxane‐gelatin coatings and such coatings can be used in dental implants to promote osseointegration. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1138–1147, 2018.
On the number of hamiltonian cycles in triangulations with few separating triangles
Authors: Brinkmann Gunnar , Souffriau Jasper , Van Cleemput Nico
Published: May 2017

In this article, we investigate the number of hamiltonian cycles in triangulations. We improve a lower bound of for the number of hamiltonian cycles in triangulations without separating triangles (4‐connected triangulations) by Hakimi, Schmeichel, and Thomassen to a linear lower bound and show that a linear lower bound even holds in the case of triangulations with one separating triangle. We confirm their conjecture about the number of hamiltonian cycles in triangulations without separating triangles for up to 25 vertices and give computational results and constructions for triangulations with a small number of hamiltonian cycles and 1–5 separating triangles.
Biomimetic Macroporous PCL Scaffolds for Ex Vivo Expansion of Cord Blood‐Derived CD34+ Cells with Feeder Cells Support
Authors: Pan Xiuwei , Sun Qiong , Zhang Yuanhao , Cai Haibo , Gao Yun , Shen Yongjia , Zhang Weian
Published: May 2017

Ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with most current methods can hardly satisfy clinical application requirement. While in vivo, HSCs efficiently self‐renew in niche where they interact with 3D extracellular matrix and stromal cells. Therefore, co‐cultures of CD34+ cells and mesenchyme stem cells derived from human amniotic membrane (hAMSCs) on the basis of biomimetic macroporous three‐dimensional (3D) poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds are developed, where scaffolds and hAMSCs are applied to mimic structural and cellular microenvironment of HSCs. The influence of scaffolds, feeder cells, and contact manners on expansion and stemness maintenance of CD34+ cells is investigated in this protocol. Biomimetic scaffolds‐dependent co‐cultures of CD34+ cells and hAMSCs can effectively promote the expansion of CD34+ cells; meanwhile, indirect contact is superior to direct contact. The combination of biomimetic scaffolds and hAMSCs represents a new strategy for achieving clinical‐scale ex vivo expansion of CD34+ cells.

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Correlation between thermo‐mechanical properties and chemical composition of aged thermoplastic and thermosetting fiber reinforced plastic materials
Authors: Messana A. , Airale A. G. , Ferraris A. , Sisca L. , Carello M.
Published: May 2017

In this paper the influence of hygrothermal ageing on the chemical composition, as well as the mechanical and thermal properties of four different composite materials was investigated: woven carbon fibre and glass fibre, with traditional epoxy resin and advanced thermoplastic polyphenylene sulphide (PPS). In particular, hygrothermal tests of 500, 750 and 1000 hours are performed with standard cycling used by most of original equipment manufacturer and car manufacturers. The ultimate strength and Young′s modulus have been verified using tensile and compression tests. Infrared absorption and glass transition temperature were obtained via attenuated total reflectance‐dynamic mechanical thermal analysis combined testing. The glass transition temperature decreases in epoxy materials after ageing, while it increases in thermoplastic materials. The attenuated total reflectance analyses have shown a slight but irreversible change in the molecular structure of the epoxy matrix and at the fiber–matrix interface in polyphenylene sulphide composite materials. Finally, the results of the experiments give us useful suggestions for the design of vehicle structural components that are exposed to environmental conditions (rain, snow and humidity).
Fas signaling induces stemness properties in colorectal cancer by regulation of Bmi1
Authors: Chen Jiaxuan , Wang Yadong , Zhuo Linghao , Liu Zhizhong , Liu Tao , Li Wenjing , Cai Yidong , Zheng Haoxuan
Published: May 2017

Fas signaling promotes colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis by inducing epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT). The acquisition of EMT properties in turn induces stemness but the mechanism by which Fas signaling contributes to it still remains unclear. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate how Fas signaling regulates CRC stemness. For this purpose, soft agar assay, sphere formation assay, cell survival analysis, immunoblot, qRT‐PCR, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter assay were performed. Expression of FasL, Bmi1, and the miR‐200c in CRC specimens was examined through immunohistochemistry, qRT‐PCR, and immunoblot. In our study, Fas signaling induced stem cell properties in CRC specimens, relying on ERK1/2 MAPK pathway, with Bmi1 being mainly responsible for FasL‐induced stemness. FasL treatment promoted Bmi1 expression by inhibiting miR‐200c, which targets Bmi1 3′UTR region. Furthermore, FasL‐induced Zeb1 binded with miR‐200c promoter and inhibited its expression. Moreover, FasL‐induced β‐catenin nuclear expression promoted Zeb1 expression by binding with Zeb1 promoter. GSK‐3β, which regulates β‐catenin, was inhibited by FasL‐induced ERK1/2 MAPK signaling. Finally, FasL and Bmi1 expression in clinical samples increased during CRC progression, and a positive correlation between them was observed. Patients with high FasL and Bmi1 expression had a worse prognosis than patients with low expression. In conclusion, our results showed that Fas signaling can promote stemness in CRC through the modulation of Bmi1 expression via the ERK1/2 MAPK/GSK‐3β/β‐catenin/Zeb1/miR‐200c axis, suggesting that Fas signaling‐based cancer therapies should be administered cautiously, as the activation of this pathway not only leads to apoptosis but also induces stemness in CRC.
The impact of resident involvement in breast reconstruction surgery outcomes by modality: An analysis of 4,500 cases
Authors: Jubbal Kevin T. , Echo Anthony , Spiegel Aldona J. , Izaddoost Shayan A.
Published: May 2017

Background

The goal of this study was to determine the impact of resident involvement on various methods of breast reconstruction via an American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) retrospective analysis.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of the ACS NSQIP database to identify patients undergoing breast reconstruction by free flap, implant, latissimus dorsi (LD), and transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap reconstruction modalities. Primary outcomes measured include major and wound complications.

Results

A total of 4,500 cases were included in this analysis, of which residents participated in 1,743 (38.7%). Major complications occurred in 7.2% of all cases, and wound complications occurred in 3.3% of all cases. BMI was positively correlated with major complications in free flap, implant, and TRAM reconstruction groups. Wound complications were associated with BMI in free flap, implant, and TRAM reconstruction, with steroid use in implant and TRAM reconstruction, and with a history of bleeding disorder in LD reconstruction. Resident involvement did not reach significance in any reconstruction group as an independent factor for major or wound complications.

Conclusions

Resident involvement is safe and effective across implant, free flap, LD, and TRAM based methods of breast reconstruction with similar major and wound complication rates. Participation of trainees in these surgical cases is imperative for future patient care.
On the reduction of total‐cost and average‐cost MDPs to discounted MDPs
Authors: Feinberg Eugene A. , Huang Jefferson
Published: May 2017

This article provides conditions under which total‐cost and average‐cost Markov decision processes (MDPs) can be reduced to discounted ones. Results are given for transient total‐cost MDPs with transition rates whose values may be greater than one, as well as for average‐cost MDPs with transition probabilities satisfying the condition that there is a state such that the expected time to reach it is uniformly bounded for all initial states and stationary policies. In particular, these reductions imply sufficient conditions for the validity of optimality equations and the existence of stationary optimal policies for MDPs with undiscounted total cost and average‐cost criteria. When the state and action sets are finite, these reductions lead to linear programming formulations and complexity estimates for MDPs under the aforementioned criteria.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 66:38–56, 2019
The prognostic significance of circulating serum amyloid A and CXC chemokine ligand 4 in osteosarcoma
Authors: Flores Ricardo J. , Kelly Aaron J. , Li Yiting , Chen Xiang , McGee Colin , Krailo Mark , Barkauskas Donald A. , Hicks John , Man Tsz‐Kwong
Published: May 2017

Background

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common pediatric bone cancer.  Despite advances in treatment regimens, the survival rate remains 60–70%.  There is an urgent need to identify prognostic biomarkers, so that targeted therapies can be developed to improve the outcome.

Procedure

Our laboratory has previously identified that circulating serum amyloid A (SAA) and CXC chemokine ligand 4 (CXCL4) are upregulated in patients with OS.  In this study, we tested if they could be used as prognostic biomarkers.  We used enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays to measure their concentrations in serum samples (n = 233) and immunohistochemistry to examine their expressions in primary tumors (n = 37).  Prognostic significance of the serum concentrations and tumor expressions of the biomarkers was then evaluated.

Results

Patients with “high SAA” and “low CXCL4” circulating levels at diagnosis significantly correlated with a worse outcome (HR = 1.68, P = 0.014), which was independent of the metastatic status.  These patients also exhibited a significantly higher rate of poor histologic response to chemotherapy.  Furthermore, low tumor expression of CXCL4 correlated with poor survival (HR = 3.57, P = 0.005).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that circulating SAA and CXCL4 may serve as prognostic biomarkers in OS.  Targeting CXCL4 has been reported, suggesting that it may be exploited as a therapeutic target in OS.
Methadone, Buprenorphine, and Naltrexone for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnant Women
Authors: Tran Tran H. , Griffin Brooke L. , Stone Rebecca H. , Vest Kathleen M. , Todd Timothy J.
Published: May 2017

Pregnant women with opioid use disorder can be treated with methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone to reduce opioid use and improve retention to treatment. In this review, we compare the pregnancy outcomes of methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone in clinical trials and discuss the potential behavioral and developmental effects of these agents seen in offspring in animal studies. Important clinical considerations in the management of opioid use disorder in pregnant women and their infants are also discussed. Outside of pregnancy, buprenorphine is used in combination with naloxone to reduce opioid abuse and diversion. During pregnancy, however, the use of buprenorphine as a single agent is preferred to prevent prenatal naloxone exposure. Both methadone and buprenorphine are widely used to treat opioid use disorder; however, compared with methadone, buprenorphine is associated with shorter treatment duration, less medication needed to treat neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) symptoms, and shorter hospitalizations for neonates. Despite being the standard of care, medication‐assisted treatment with methadone or buprenorphine is still underused, making it apparent that more options are necessary. Naltrexone is not a first‐line treatment primarily because both detoxification and an opioid‐free period are required. More research is needed to determine naltrexone safety and benefits in pregnant women. Animal studies suggest that changes in pain sensitivity, developmental processes, and behavioral responses may occur in children born to mothers receiving methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone and is an area that warrants future studies.
Understanding how teachers guide evidence construction conversations
Authors: Manz Eve , Renga Ian Parker
Published: May 2017

Many classroom units and lessons are now organized around engaging students in developing claims and evidence. An aspect of teachers’ work that is understudied is how teachers manage the complexity inherent in navigating between claims and empirical data. In other words, what do teachers do when students do not see what they are “supposed to” see or when they make sense of observations in unexpected ways? We contend that such complexity is inherent to the scientific endeavor, and that engaging with it is central to doing science. Therefore, the moves that science teachers make in this context have important consequences for students’ conceptual and epistemic understandings. We apply an epistemic levels coding scheme to three classroom episodes in order to better understand the complexity of classroom evidence construction and to develop a description of strategies that teachers might enact to manage this complexity. We then discuss the implications of these strategies for how students are positioned to engage in scientific knowledge construction.
Measuring What Matters in Sustainable Consumption: An Integrative Framework for the Selection of Relevant Behaviors
Authors: Geiger Sonja Maria , Fischer Daniel , Schrader Ulf
Published: May 2017

In the face of existing obstacles in the interdisciplinary research on sustainable consumption behaviors, we argue for the need of an integrative framework from an interdisciplinary perspective. Such a framework is presented in the form of a three‐dimensional cube model of sustainable consumption behavior (SCB‐cube) extended by a fourth impact dimension. The model has two purposes for application: First, to systematize existing research on different behaviors on a common taxonomy and second, to facilitate the selection of relevant sustainable consumption behaviors in social sustainability research based on impact. We critically appraise existing intent‐ and impact‐based research approaches on the four key dimensions of the SCB‐cube, focusing on the ecological and socio‐economic impacts of consumption behaviors. Recommendations for the selection of relevant behaviors for empirical behavioral research are given, using the SCB‐cube as a guiding heuristic. The main audience for this model is social science researchers measuring sustainable consumer behaviors on the individual level. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Developing Key Indicators of Green Growth
Authors: Lyytimäki Jari , Antikainen Riina , Hokkanen Joonas , Koskela Sirkka , Kurppa Sirpa , Känkänen Riina , Seppälä Jyri
Published: May 2017

Greening the economy has been widely discussed as a new strategy for simultaneously reducing environmental pressures, promoting economic growth and enhancing social well‐being. Indicators are one tool that can be used to describe the development of green growth. This paper presents and evaluates the process of attempting to build a set of policy‐relevant key indicators of green growth for Finland. The challenges of developing a cross‐scale indicator set integrating different sectors and levels of society are identified and discussed. It is argued that both the experts preparing the indicators and the potential users will benefit from a collaborative process that aims not only to build a shared awareness of the key issues of green growth but also to foster a realistic understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the indicator approach. Key challenges include data availability, right balance between different indicator selection criteria, systemic understanding of the relationships between indicators, and the variable usage contexts of the indicators. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Cell tracking using gold nanoparticles and computed tomography imaging
Authors: Meir Rinat , Popovtzer Rachela
Published: May 2017

Cell‐based therapies utilize transplantation of living cells with therapeutic traits to alleviate numerous diseases and disorders. The use of such biological agents is an attractive alternative for diseases that existing medicine cannot effectively treat. Although very promising, translating cell therapy to the clinic has proven to be challenging, due to inconsistent results in preclinical and clinical studies. To examine the underlying cause for these inconsistencies, it is crucial to noninvasively monitor the accuracy of cell injection, and cell survival and migration patterns. The combination of classical imaging techniques with cellular contrast agents—mainly nanotechnological‐based—has enabled significant developments in cell‐tracking methodologies. One novel methodology, based on computed tomography (CT) as an imaging modality and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as contrast agents, has recently gained interest for its clinical applicability and cost‐effectiveness. Studies have shown that AuNPs can be used to efficiently label a variety of cell types, including stem cells and immune cells, without damaging their therapeutic efficacy. Successful in vivo experiments have demonstrated noninvasive, quantitative and longitudinal cell tracking with high sensitivity. This concept has the potential to be used not only as a research tool, but in clinical settings as well. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2018, 10:e1480. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1480

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab, docetaxel, and carboplatin administered every 3 weeks for Japanese women with HER2-positive primary breast cancer: efficacy and safety
Authors: Sugitani Ikuko , Ueda Shigeto , Sakurai Takashi , Shigekawa Takashi , Hirokawa Eiko , Shimada Hiroko , Takeuchi Hideki , Matsuura Kazuo , Misumi Misono , Fujiuchi Nobuko , Takahashi Takao , Hasebe Takahiro , Osaki Akihiko , Saeki Toshiaki
Published: May 2017

Background

This phase II neoadjuvant study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a triweekly regimen of docetaxel and carboplatin in combination with trastuzumab (TCbH) in Japanese women with human epidermal growth factor receptor type2 (HER2)-positive primary breast cancer.

Methods

Patients with HER2-positive, stage I–III invasive breast cancer received six courses of trastuzumab (8 mg/kg loading dose, then 6 mg/kg, day 1), docetaxel (75 mg/m2, day 1), and carboplatin (area under the curve: 6, day 1) every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR) of both breast and axillary lymph node disease.

Results

Fifty patients were enrolled in this study. Median age was 58 (range 32–75) years. All patients underwent definitive surgery. Thirty-three (66%) patients completed the chemotherapy course, while the treatment was delayed or discontinued in the other 17 (34%) patients because of adverse events (AEs). The pCR rate was 52%; the overall response rate was 66%. Grade 3/4 AEs due to nonhematological toxicity were anorexia (4%), diarrhea (2%), and rash (2%), and those due to hematological toxicity were neutropenia (36%), anemia (12%), and thrombocytopenia (2%).

Conclusion

Although the triweekly six-course regimen of TCbH achieved a high pCR rate, hematological AEs frequently occurred during the latter part of the chemotherapy course. One-third of patients experienced delayed or discontinued chemotherapy.

Clinical registration number: http://www.umin.org.auUMIN000013513.
Neuropatía del pudendo como causa de dolor pélvico
Authors: Tobar Roa Verónica , Gómez María , González Ana , Zableh Ana
Published: May 2017

El síndrome de atrapamiento del nervio pudendo es una de múltiples causas de dolor pélvico crónico. Hemos realizado una revisión de la literatura sobre su presentación clínica, diagnóstico y tratamiento, con el propósito de conocer los detalles más relevantes de una enfermedad que cada vez está siendo más diagnosticada, con el fin de realizar un abordaje precoz desde un punto de vista integral.