bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bidirectional longitudinal associations of perpetration and victimization of peer bullying with psychosocial problems in adolescents: A cross-lagged panel study
Authors: Busch Vincent , Laninga-Wijnen Lydia , van Yperen Tom Albert , Schrijvers Augustinus Jacobus Petrus , De Leeuw Johannes Rob Josephus
Published: September 2015

Research on school bullying often focuses on the directional path of bullying and/or victimization leading to psychosocial problems, while such one-dimensional views have been shown to be too simplistic. Furthermore, recent research has shown that patterns of bullying at school differ for boys and girls, which makes gender a particularly relevant factor in exploring the causes and consequences of bullying. Therefore, the present study explored the bidirectional, longitudinal associations of bullying and bullying victimization on several psychosocial problems via a longitudinal cross-lagged panel study in 1243 adolescents in the Netherlands, while taking into account potential gender differences. Data were collected in September 2011 and 2012. Results showed that both bullied boys as well as girls reported more conduct problems at follow-up. Both boy and girl bullies reported less pro-social behavior and more peer problems at follow-up, but boys also reported more conduct problems at follow-up, while girls did not. Furthermore, in girls, emotional problems were associated with more victimization at follow-up, while inattention-hyperactivity problems and less pro-social behavior were related to increased chances of being a perpetrator of bully at follow-up. Conversely, in boys, baseline inattention-hyperactivity problems were not associated with being a bully later on, but rather with increased chances of being a bullying victim at later times. These results can help to tailor future anti-bullying interventions at schools.
Computing Tools for Implementing Standards for Single-Case Designs
Authors: Chen Li-Ting , Peng Chao-Ying Joanne , Chen Ming-E
Published: September 2015

In the single-case design (SCD) literature, five sets of standards have been formulated and distinguished: design standards, assessment standards, analysis standards, reporting standards, and research synthesis standards. This article reviews computing tools that can assist researchers and practitioners in meeting the analysis standards recommended by the What Works Clearinghouse: Procedures and Standards Handbook—the WWC standards. These tools consist of specialized web-based calculators or downloadable software for SCD data, and algorithms or programs written in Excel, SAS procedures, SPSS commands/Macros, or the R programming language. We aligned these tools with the WWC standards and evaluated them for accuracy and treatment of missing data, using two published data sets. All tools were tested to be accurate. When missing data were present, most tools either gave an error message or conducted analysis based on the available data. Only one program used a single imputation method. This article concludes with suggestions for an inclusive computing tool or environment, additional research on the treatment of missing data, and reasonable and flexible interpretations of the WWC standards.
Comparing the Performance of Eight Item Preknowledge Detection Statistics
Authors: Belov Dmitry I.
Published: September 2015

Item preknowledge describes a situation in which a group of examinees (called aberrant examinees) have had access to some items (called compromised items) from an administered test prior to the exam. Item preknowledge negatively affects both the corresponding testing program and its users (e.g., universities, companies, government organizations) because scores for aberrant examinees are invalid. In general, item preknowledge is hard to detect due to multiple unknowns: unknown groups of aberrant examinees (at unknown test centers or schools) accessing unknown subsets of items prior to the exam. Recently, multiple statistical methods were developed to detect compromised items. However, the detected subset of items (called the suspicious subset) naturally has an uncertainty due to false positives and false negatives. The uncertainty increases when different groups of aberrant examinees had access to different subsets of items; thus, compromised items for one group are uncompromised for another group and vice versa. The impact of uncertainty on the performance of eight statistics (each relying on the suspicious subset) was studied. The measure of performance was based on the receiver operating characteristic curve. Computer simulations demonstrated how uncertainty combined with various independent variables (e.g., type of test, distribution of aberrant examinees) affected the performance of each statistic.
Infrastructuring aid: materializing humanitarianism in northern Kenya
Authors: Donovan Kevin P.
Published: September 2015

In numerous African countries humanitarian and development organizations—as well as governments—are expanding expenditures on social protection schemes as a means of poverty alleviation. These initiatives, which typically provide small cash grants to poor populations, are often considered particularly agreeable for the simplicity of their administration and the feasibility of their implementation. This paper examines the background work required to deploy social protection in one especially remote area: the margins of postcolonial Kenya. Specifically, it documents the often overlooked social and technical construction of the infrastructure necessary so that cash transfers may function with the ease and simplicity for which they are commended. Attention to the practice of ‘infrastructuring’ offers insights into the tensions and politics of what is rapidly become a key form of transnational govermentality in the global South, showing that humanitarian rationalities and subjects cannot be understood independently of the material networks on which they rely.
A direct-demand model for bicycle counts: the impacts of level of service and other factors
Authors: Fagnant Daniel J , Kockelman Kara
Published: September 2015

Transportation planning in the US has traditionally focused on automotive traffic but is increasingly turning towards a multimodal approach in order to accommodate all users. This shift in focus is particularly crucial for cyclists, as 630 were killed and 51 000 injured on America’s roadways in 2009 alone. Unfortunately, most municipalities do not conduct comprehensive bicycle counts to determine where cyclists are riding, though some do seek a scatter of spot counts. This investigation uses Seattle metropolitan area cyclist-count data from 251 locations to develop a direct-demand model for estimating peak-period cyclist counts based on trip-generation and attraction factors (such as site-based population and employment densities), as well as cycling-relevant roadway conditions. Roadway-condition variables were chosen from the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual (Chapter 17, Transport Research Board, Washington, DC) on urban street segments (including factors like traffic volumes and bike-lane width), as well as other physical features, like bridge presence and access to bicycle trails. Model results show greatest practical significance for intersections within the City of Seattle and curb-lane width (both of which are associated with higher counts) and roadway speed (which is associated with lower counts). The model was implemented in the community of Shoreline, Washington, just north of Seattle, to demonstrate its applicability. We examined both segment-based levels of service for cyclists and expected intersection-based counts. Model application findings indicate that segment-based levels of service show little correlation with expected counts, though such information still serves a valuable purpose in terms of evaluating cyclists’ comfort levels (which may also have potential correlation with cyclist safety), a worthwhile goal in itself. As such, these two models may be used in combination when targeting new cycling infrastructure and improvements.
An attraction-based cellular automaton model for generating spatiotemporal population maps in urban areas
Authors: Khakpour Mehdi , Rød Jan Ketil
Published: September 2015

We develop a cellular automaton (CA) model to produce spatiotemporal population maps that estimate population distributions in an urban area during a random working day. The resulting population maps are at 50 m and 5 minutes spatiotemporal resolution, showing clearly how the distribution of population varies throughout a 24-hour period. The maps indicate that some areas of the city, which are sparsely populated during the night, can be densely populated during the day. The developed CA model assumes that the population transition trends follow dynamics and propagation patterns similar to a contagious disease. Thus, our model designed to change the states of each grid cell (stable or dynamic) in a way that is similar to changes in the condition of individuals who are exposed to an infectious disease (susceptible or infected). In addition, the modeling space is informed by several geographic features, such as the transport routes, land-use categories, and population attraction points. The model is geosimulated for the city of Trondheim in Norway, where the synthetic day population could be validated using an estimated day-population map based on the registered workplace addresses and employee statistics. The generated maps can be used to estimate a value for the population-at-risk in the wake of a major disaster that occurs in an urban area at any time of a day. In addition to assessing exposure to hazards, the resulting maps also reveal movement patterns, transition trends, peak hours, and activity levels. Possible applications range from public safety, disaster management, transport modeling, and urban growth studies to strategic energy distribution planning.
Exploring the adoption of digital libraries in the mobile context
Authors: Zha Xianjin , Zhang Jinchao , Li Li , Yang Haijuan
Published: September 2015

Following the narrow definition of the mobile Internet, ‘mobile libraries’ refers to digital libraries accessed by users through mobile phones and wireless networks. In order to explore users’ adoption of mobile libraries, a research model is developed focusing on two psychological factors (flow experience and innovativeness) and two factors oriented to the mobile context (ubiquitous connection and use context). Data collected from digital library users who are also users of the mobile Internet were used to test the model. The findings show that use context not only has a direct impact on users’ intention to adopt mobile libraries, but also partially mediates the effect of flow experience and ubiquitous connection on usage intention. Meanwhile, innovativeness both significantly affects usage intention and negatively moderates the effect of use context on usage intention. Findings and implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Care in context: Becoming an STS researcher
Authors: Atkinson-Graham Melissa , Kenney Martha , Ladd Kelly , Murray Cameron Michael , Simmonds Emily Astra-Jean
Published: September 2015

This collaborative article, written by graduate students who attended the Politics of Care in Technoscience Workshop, brings the themes in this volume to bear on their own developing science and technology study projects and research practices. Exploring the contours of five specific moments where questions of care have arisen in the course of their everyday research, they do not find a single or untroubled definition of care; instead, care is often a site of ambivalence, tension, and puzzlement. However, despite this uneasiness, they argue that taking the time to reflect on the multiple, sometimes conflicting, forms and definitions of care within a specific research context can inform the way that science and technology studies scholars envision and conduct their work.
The Prognostic Value of Soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 Plasma Level in Children With Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Al-Biltagi Mohammed A. , Abo-Elezz Ahmed Ahmed Abd ElBasset , Abu-Ela Khaled Talaat , Suliman Ghada Abudelmomen , Sultan Tamer Gomaa Hassan
Published: September 2015

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) measurement in plasma for the prediction of outcome of acute lung injury (ALI) in children that may allow early recognition of critical cases.

Methods:

The study was performed as a prospective, controlled cohort study involving 40 children with ALI and 30 healthy children. The plasma level of sICAM-1 was measured at days 1 and 3 of development of ALI for the patient group and measured only once for the control group. C-Reactive protein was measured in both groups on day 1 only.

Results:

There was significant increase in sICAM-1 in the patient group than in the control group ( P = .001*). The mortality rate reached 55% in children with ALI. The ceased group had significantly higher plasma sICAM-1 levels both at days 1 and 3 than the survived group ( P < .001*), and there was positive correlation between plasma sICAM-1 level and both duration of mechanical ventilation and the death rate, but more significant correlation was observed with plasma sICAM-1 levels at day 3 than day 1.

Conclusion:

Plasma sICAM-1 level served as a good predictor biomarker for both mechanical ventilation duration and the mortality risk in children with ALI.
Seeking a role: disciplining jobseekers as actors in the labour market
Authors: Boland Tom
Published: September 2015

Recent decades have seen the category of unemployment transformed into job-seeking. Attention has generally focused on the disciplining effects of interventions, procedures and techniques within social welfare offices, or on scrutinizing policy documents as political expressions of neo-liberalism. This article examines advice for unemployed people who are ‘seeking a role’, from the official leaflets of social welfare offices or Jobcentres, and state sponsored and associated careers websites and advice books. Such documents constitute an extension of the disciplinary apparatuses of government and particularly inculcate ‘self-discipline’ for actors in the labour market. Strikingly, these documents not only involve disciplining jobseekers to seek work, but to present themselves as an ideal candidate for any job, to become a protean thespian who can act convincingly. Jobseekers are required to manage, conceal and overcome the unpleasant economic and social consequences of unemployment and turn these negatives into a positive performance within a theatricalized labour market.
Optimal power-assistance system for a new pedelec model
Authors: Cardone Massimo , Strano Salvatore , Terzo Mario
Published: September 2015

This paper presents an activity concerning the modeling and the control of an innovative power-assisted electric bicycle. The proposed control method is based on a torque control designed via an optimal approach to achieve multi-objective performances regarding the external disturbance input, control signal magnitude, and velocity tracking error. The performance of the methodology has been evaluated applying the proposed control to a new pedelec (pedal electric cycle) model characterized by the measurement of the total torque (rider torque and electric motor one) employed as a feedback for the control. To this aim, a mathematical model of the bicycle, equipped with the electric motor, has been developed. Simulations have been performed in order to evaluate the tracking capability and the disturbance rejection. The performances have been compared with the ones referred to a traditional assistance approach, and the results demonstrate that the proposed approach provides improvements in terms of riding comfort and energy employment.
Comparing Informalities
Authors: Bhide Amita , Waingankar Smita
Published: September 2015

This article compares various forms of housing informalities, especially slums and gunthewaris that are present in Maharashtra. The comparative stance enables an insight into the dynamics that generate informalities and the disjuncts in the policies that have chosen to deal with them as specific forms that merit a distinct response. Such a policy response that does not address the basic causes that generate these informalities attenuates a policy environment that continually creates a state of exception. In fact, it seems to be leading to a scenario where planning and production of affordable housing is becoming increasingly difficult.
Spatial Perspectives of the New Census Towns, 2011
Authors: Guin Debarshi , Das Dipendra Nath
Published: September 2015

This detailed geographical analysis of the emergence of new census towns in 2011 reveals that, broadly, the spatial pattern of the new census towns follows the pattern of the existing urban centres. As a result, the force of urban concentration has been further accentuated. Quite expectedly the field of urban concentration around Kolkata urban agglomeration has been extended outward, which indicates the perpetuating centripetal force of the declining metropolis. Apart from this age-old location of urban concentration, several new pockets of urban concentration have emerged, of which the majority are centred by the small and medium cities with great regional and national importance. Contrary to the force of urban concentration, emergence of new census towns also resulted in, albeit to a limited extent, urban dispersal. The study concludes that, to make this emerging organization of space significant, it is necessary to have an effective urban governance and planning in the newly emerged (as well as existing) census towns.
Is Urban Poverty More Challenging than Rural Poverty? A Review
Authors: Sridhar Kala Seetharam
Published: September 2015

In this article, we ask the question as to whether urban poverty is more challenging than rural poverty. We review the conceptual arguments and the existing literature examining the intensity of urban versus that of rural poverty, urban and rural inequality, and whether urban poverty lines should be higher than those for rural areas. The review of the existing research finds that the urban share of the poor is rising and that the ratio of urban poverty to total poverty incidence has risen with urbanization. Based on the review, we find that in many countries including India, urban inequality worsened during early 1990s to the late 2000s. We also find that there are several reasons why the defined poverty line must be higher in urban areas when compared with that in rural areas. Further, based on the survey, we find urban poverty can impose significant challenges to human capital for climate change mitigation; we summarize based on other studies why urban rather than rural poverty can be a challenge for donors and governments. Finally, we summarize the contribution made by the urban poor to the city economies, based on existing studies.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Housing Colonies in Lucknow City, India with Special Reference to Land Capability and Spatial Development Using AHP and GIS
Authors: Dutta Venkatesh , Tiwari Vivek Kumar
Published: September 2015

In the absence of proper assessment of environmental significance of ongoing housing projects in India’s developing cities, the living standards of urban and rural area are fast deteriorating. Poor performance has been noticed in the follow-up activities in environmental impact assessment (EIA). This is considered to be a major weakness of EIA not only in Indian cities but also in those developing cities that are transitioning. This study uses the EIA framework to evaluate current and future environmental impacts on developing housing projects in Lucknow and also evaluates the post-project issues. Urban suitability analysis is introduced to the EIA process on land use planning to evaluate the suitability of housing colonies. Pre-project baseline information is collected from the EIA reports, whereas the post-project compliance is studied through primary data collection.

Conflict analysis is carried out to explore disagreements between urban suitability, enabling infrastructure and master plan 2021 proposed by land authorities using satellite imageries, fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and sub-models within the framework of environmental assessment. The outcome of this study reveals that EIA regulations are not adequately implemented in housing projects and there are conflicts with respect to post-project compliance. The study further reveals that zoning regulations and land use suitability is not accounted for while deciding upon housing projects. The methodology provides a cost-effective rapid land evaluation framework which may help policy makers, urban and regional planners and researchers working in developing countries to understand the dynamics of urban growth and implications of these housing projects on the environment.
Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics
Authors: Fiume Monice M. , Heldreth Bart A. , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Hill Ronald A. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Liebler Daniel C. , Marks James G. , Shank Ronald C. , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Andersen F. Alan
Published: September 2015

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (Panel) assessed the safety of 237 alkyl esters for use in cosmetics. The alkyl esters included in this assessment have a variety of reported functions in cosmetics, with skin-conditioning agent being the most common function. The Panel reviewed available animal and clinical data in making its determination of safety on these ingredients, and where there were data gaps, similarity in structure, properties, functions, and uses of these ingredients allowed for extrapolation of the available toxicological data to assess the safety of the entire group. The Panel concluded that these ingredients are safe in cosmetic formulations in the present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be nonirritating.
Introduction
Authors: Charsley Katharine , Wray Helena
Published: September 2015

Migration scholarship has often lagged behind developments in gender studies. The importance of gender has gained increasing recognition, but this has predominantly meant a focus on women migrants. Only recently has a gendered lens been turned to the study of migrant men. Discourses surrounding migration in law and government, and in legal scholarship, remain characterized by neglect or dismissal of the gendered experiences of male migrants. Where they do appear, men are frequently cast as the oppressor of family members or as abusing legal channels of migration. Their vulnerabilities and affective ties and needs are rarely foregrounded. This negative representation may be instrumentalized at a variety of levels, and for a variety of purposes, making it difficult for more nuanced critiques to gain purchase. This special issue seeks to extend the discussion of migration and gender by exploring the ways in which men’s gendered experiences of migration remain marginalized.
Public Spaces for Youth? The Case of the Jane-Finch Neighborhood in Toronto
Authors: Galanakis Michail
Published: September 2015

This article examines how public spaces shape racialized youth growing up in a multicultural city. It focuses on youths in the Jane-Finch neighborhood of Toronto presenting their fears, sociospatial practices, and aspirations for social inclusion and urban spaces. Research data consist of interviews with stake-holders and social providers working with youth in Toronto, in general, and in Jane-Finch, in particular. In addition, the article relies predominantly on a focus group discussion with 13 young women and men that took place in The Spot Youth Centre located in Jane-Finch in June 2011. In August 2013, two Black teenagers were killed in the area of Jane-Finch in North-West Toronto. This article was inspired by these tragic losses.
Investigation on adhesion characteristic of wheel/rail under the magnetic field condition
Authors: Wang WJ , Zhang HF , Liu QY , Zhu MH , Jin XS
Published: September 2015

The aim of this study is to explore the influence of magnetic field and surface roughness on the adhesion coefficient of wheel/rail using a JD-1 wheel/rail simulation facility. The results indicate that the magnetic field has a significant influence on the adhesion coefficient under the water and oil conditions by means of magnetic force on the wheel/rail contact zone. The use of magnetic field is beneficial to increase the adhesion coefficient of wheel/rail interface. The speed has no visible effect on adhesion coefficient under the magnetic field condition. Increasing surface roughness improves the adhesion level of wheel/rail interface under the water and oil conditions.
Health-related behaviours after 1 year of renal transplantation
Authors: Costa-Requena Gema , Cantarell MªCarmen , Moreso Francesc J , Parramon Gemma , Seron Daniel
Published: September 2015

Health-related behaviours and psychological distress were examined after kidney transplantation. Patients were evaluated at 1 month, 6 months and 1 year after transplantation. Participants completed the Healthy Behaviours Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. No significant differences in Healthy Behaviours Questionnaire’s total score and psychological comorbidity were observed at three time points. However, there was an increase in drug-consumer habits ( p < 0.05) and a reduction in sedentary lifestyle ( p < 0.05) at 6 months and 1 year. Moreover, at 1 year, post-transplant had increased the harmful health habits ( p < 0.05). In regression analysis, anxiety symptoms were significant predictors of Healthy Behaviours Questionnaire change at a year post-transplantation.
First-Year Seminars
Authors: Swanson Nicole M. , Vaughan Angela L. , Wilkinson Brett D.
Published: September 2015

Research has revealed a gender gap where male students have higher rates of academic difficulties and lower college enrollment and graduation rates compared with females. This study measured the relationship of male student (including first-generation and minority students) participation in a first-year seminar and their first-term grade point average and first-year persistence for two cohorts ( N = 828; 683) and third-year persistence for one cohort. There were significant differences in first-term grade point average (as high as 0.7 grade points greater) and first- and third-year persistence for all participants (including subgroups) in both cohorts as compared with nonparticipants. There were strong statistical findings where the range of differences in persistence between all male participants and nonparticipants was as large as almost 25% (third-year persistence). For male minority students, this difference increased to 34%. The study presents compelling evidence for a three-credit, academic-based first-year seminar to promote male student success over the short and long term.
Emotionally Intelligent Mentoring
Authors: Opengart Rose , Bierema Laura
Published: September 2015

Separate examinations of emotional intelligence (EI) and mentoring reveal their career-enhancing potential, yet little research exists connecting the two. Emotionally intelligent people have an increased likelihood of having and maintaining successful relationships, and mentored professionals achieve higher levels of position, pay, and career satisfaction. The purpose of this review is to systematically review existing literature to illustrate how EI affects the mentoring relationship and influences its effectiveness for both the mentor and protégé. Questions guiding this research include the following: (a) What potential connections between EI and mentoring exist? and (b) How might these connections inform mentoring theory and practice? This review explicitly connects EI and mentoring literatures to show theoretical and practical synergies that are applicable to mentors, protégés, research, and practice. The article concludes with a proposed model of “emotionally intelligent mentoring” (EIM).
Electrical Stimulation to Promote Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Authors: Willand Michael P. , Nguyen May-Anh , Borschel Gregory H. , Gordon Tessa
Published: September 2015

Peripheral nerve injury afflicts individuals from all walks of life. Despite the peripheral nervous system’s intrinsic ability to regenerate, many patients experience incomplete functional recovery. Surgical repair aims to expedite this recovery process in the most thorough manner possible. However, full recovery is still rarely seen especially when nerve injury is compounded with polytrauma where surgical repair is delayed. Pharmaceutical strategies supplementary to nerve microsurgery have been investigated but surgery remains the only viable option. Brief low-frequency electrical stimulation of the proximal nerve stump after primary repair has been widely investigated. This article aims to review the currently known biological basis for the regenerative effects of acute brief low-frequency electrical stimulation on axonal regeneration and outline the recent clinical applications of the electrical stimulation protocol to demonstrate the significant translational potential of this modality for repairing peripheral nerve injuries. The review concludes with a discussion of emerging new advancements in this exciting area of research. The current literature indicates the imminent clinical applicability of acute brief low-frequency electrical stimulation after surgical repair to effectively promote axonal regeneration as the stimulation has yielded promising evidence to maximize functional recovery in diverse types of peripheral nerve injuries.
Responsiveness of the Neuromuscular Recovery Scale During Outpatient Activity-Dependent Rehabilitation for Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Tester Nicole J. , Lorenz Douglas J. , Suter Sarah P. , Buehner Jeffrey J. , Falanga Daniel , Watson Elizabeth , Velozo Craig A. , Behrman Andrea L. , Michele Basso D.
Published: September 2015

Background. The Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (NRS) was developed by researchers and clinicians to functionally classify people with spinal cord injury (SCI) by measuring functionally relevant motor tasks without compensation. Previous studies established strong interrater and test-retest reliability and validity of the scale. Objective. To determine responsiveness of the NRS, a version including newly added upper-extremity items, in an outpatient rehabilitation setting. Methods. Assessments using the NRS and 6 other instruments were conducted at enrollment and discharge from a locomotor training program for 72 outpatients with SCI classified as American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grades A to D (International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury). Mixed-model t statistics for instruments were calculated and adjusted for confounding factors (eg, sample size, demographic variables) for all patients and subgroups stratified by injury level and/or severity. The resulting adjusted response means (ARMs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to determine responsiveness, and significant differences between instruments were identified with pairwise comparisons. Results. The NRS was significantly responsive for SCI outpatients (ARM = 1.05; CI = 0.75-1.35). Changes in motor function were detected across heterogeneous groups. Regardless of injury level or severity, the responsiveness of the NRS was equal to, and often significantly exceeded, the responsiveness of other instruments. Conclusions. The NRS is a responsive measure that detects change in motor function during outpatient neurorehabilitation for SCI. There is potential utility for its application in randomized controlled trials and as a measure of clinical recovery across diverse SCI populations.
Therapeutic potential of TAS-102 in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies
Authors: Peters Godefridus J.
Published: September 2015

Fluoropyrimidines form the mainstay in treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. For decades 5-fluorouracil (5FU), was the major fluoropyrimidine. Currently it is usually given in a combination with leucovorin and oxaliplatin, i.e. FOLFOX, or irinotecan, i.e. FOLFIRI, or all three, i.e. FOLFIRINOX, but gradually it has been replaced by oral fluoropyrimidine prodrug formulations, such as tegafur-uracil and S-1 (both contain ftorafur), and capecitabine (Xeloda®). Novel drugs such as the antivascular endothelial growth factor antibody, bevacizumab, and the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody, cetuximab, are often combined with one of these treatment options. However, when resistance emerged, no alternatives were available. TAS-102, a combination of trifluorothymidine and the thymidine phosphorylase inhibitor TPI in a 1:0.5 ratio, is a novel oral formulation, which is active in 5FU-resistant models, both in vitro and in xenograft models. In addition to inhibition of thymidylate synthase, the major mechanism of action of classical fluoropyrimidines, TAS-102’s major mechanism of action is incorporation into DNA, thereby causing DNA damage. TAS-102 also follows an alternative activation pathway via thymidine kinase, and is not a substrate for dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase. All together this explains the efficacy in 5FU-resistant models. In early clinical studies, the twice-daily schedule (5 days on, 2 days rest) for 2 weeks every 4 weeks, led to a significant disease control rate in various malignancies. This schedule showed consistent activity in two randomized trials on fluoropyrimidine refractory colorectal cancer patients, reflected by an increase of 2–3 months in overall survival in the TAS-102 group compared with placebo. Considering the impressive preclinical potential of various combinations TAS-102 has the promise to become an alternative for 5FU-resistant cancer.
Do Irregularly Shaped School Attendance Zones Contribute to Racial Segregation or Integration?
Authors: Saporito Salvatore , Van Riper David
Published: September 2015

This research investigates if and how much the shapes of school attendance zones contribute to racial segregation in schools. We find that the typical school attendance zone is relatively compact and resembles a square-like shape. Compact zones typically draw children from local residential areas, and since local areas are often racially homogeneous, this suggests that high levels of racial segregation in the largest school districts are largely structured by existing residential segregation. Still, this study finds that the United States contains some attendance zones with highly irregular shapes—some of which are as irregular as the most irregular Congressional District. Although relatively rare, attendance zones that are highly irregular in shape almost always contain racially diverse student populations. This racial diversity contributes to racial integration within school districts. These findings contradict recent theoretical and empirical scholarship arguing that irregularly shaped zones contribute to racial segregation in schools. Our findings suggest that most racial segregation in school attendance zones is driven by large-scale segregation across residential areas rather than a widespread practice among school districts to exacerbate racial segregation by delineating irregularly shaped attendance zones.
A Historical Era of Food Deserts
Authors: Thibodeaux Jarrett
Published: September 2015

Previous research on “food deserts” generally agrees that supermarkets tend to avoid economically disadvantaged and high percent African American urban areas. Yet this literature is largely ahistorical, missing out on the historical dynamics between neighborhood restructuring and supermarket placement patterns. This article examines one particularly important era of neighborhood restructuring: the “urban crisis” of the 1970s and 1980s. In examining supermarket location during the “urban crisis,” this article elaborates whether (1) the demographic attributes of zip codes consistently predict supermarket location over time or whether (2) the demographic correlates of supermarket location changed from 1970 to 1990. Data are collected from 1970 and 1980 city directories and unofficial data from the 1990 census zip business patterns. “Separate year” and “differenced data” models investigate the correlates of supermarket location in nine U.S. urban areas from 1970 to 1990. Results show that, controlling for population and percent African Americans, in 1970, supermarkets were more likely to locate in urban areas with higher poverty and lower income. This pattern of supermarket placement gradually changed direction from 1970 to 1990. Future research and policy should deal with the problem of food deserts in economically disadvantaged areas as a historical issue.
NLRP3 Deficiency Improves Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension But Not Fetal Growth Restriction During Pregnancy
Authors: Shirasuna Koumei , Karasawa Tadayoshi , Usui Fumitake , Kobayashi Motoi , Komada Tadanori , Kimura Hiroaki , Kawashima Akira , Ohkuchi Akihide , Taniguchi Shun’ichiro , Takahashi Masafumi
Published: September 2015

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome characterized by elevated blood pressure, proteinuria, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Although sterile inflammation appears to be involved, its pathogenesis remains unclear. Recent evidence indicates that sterile inflammation is mediated through the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes, composed of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), and caspase-1. Here we investigated the role of the NLRP3 inflammasomes in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia using Nlrp3−/− and Asc−/− (Nlrp3 and Asc deficient) pregnant mice. During pregnancy in mice, continuous infusion of high-dose angiotensin II (AngII) induced hypertension, proteinuria, and IUGR, whereas infusion of low-dose AngII caused hypertension alone. AngII-induced hypertension was prevented in Nlrp3−/− mice but not in Asc−/−, indicating that NLRP3 contributes to gestational hypertension independently of ASC-mediated inflammasomes. Although NLRP3 deficiency had no effect on IUGR, it restored the IL-6 up-regulation in the placenta and kidney of AngII-infused mice. Furthermore, treatment with hydralazine prevented the development of gestational hypertension but not IUGR or IL-6 expression in the placenta and kidney. These findings demonstrate that NLRP3 contributes to the development of gestational hypertension independently of the inflammasomes and that IUGR and kidney injury can occur independent of blood pressure elevation during pregnancy.
Cx30 exhibits unique characteristics including a long half-life when assembled into gap junctions
Authors: Kelly John J. , Shao Qing , Jagger Daniel J. , Laird Dale W.
Published: September 2015

In the present study we investigated the life cycle, trafficking, assembly and cell surface dynamics of a poorly characterized connexin family member, connexin 30 (Cx30; also known as GJB6), which plays a critical role in skin health and hearing. Unexpectedly, Cx30 localization at the cell surface and gap junctional intercellular communication was not affected by prolonged treatments with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–Golgi transport inhibitor brefeldin A or the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, whereas Cx43 (also known as GJA1) was rapidly cleared. Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching revealed that Cx30 plaques were rebuilt from the outer edges in keeping with older channels residing in the inner core of the plaque. Expression of a dominant-negative form of Sar1 GTPase led to the accumulation of Cx30 within the ER, in contrast to a report that Cx30 traffics via a Golgi-independent pathway. Co-expression of Cx30 with Cx43 revealed that these connexins segregate into distinct domains within common gap junction plaques, suggesting that their assembly is governed by different mechanisms. In summary, Cx30 was found to be an unusually stable, long-lived connexin (half-life >12 h), which may underlie its specific role in the epidermis and cochlea.
Copper Ion-containing Ionic Liquids Provide Improved Endurance and Switching Voltage Distributions of Conducting-bridge Random Access Memory
Authors: Harada Akinori , Yamaoka Hiroki , Watanabe Kouhei , Kinoshita Kentaro , Kishida Satoru , Fukaya Yukinobu , Nokami Toshiki , Itoh Toshiyuki
Published: September 2015

Remarkable improvement of cycling endurance and working voltage variance has been achieved by the addition of a trace amount of a [bmim][Tf2N] solution containing Cu(Tf2N)2 to the HfO2 film layer of a CB-RAM with a Cu/HfO2/Pt structure.
Anomalous Surface Tension and Micellization Behavior of Ionic Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymers in Seawater
Authors: Matsuoka Hideki , Kido Yuko , Hachisuka Masahiro
Published: September 2015

Surface tension and micellization behavior of an ionic amphiphilic diblock copolymer, poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(styrenesulfonate) sodium salt, which shows non-surface active nature in pure water, were investigated in seawater. The block copolymer became surface active in seawater, but the relationship between polymer concentration and surface tension showed a second bending point at a higher concentration in addition to that at the critical micelle concentration (CMC). Polymer micelles were also found in seawater, although the hydrodynamic size was very small. However, larger aggregation numbers of micelles were found in solutions above the second bending point. Experiments using solutions with one, two, or three salt species revealed that cmc was governed by sodium chloride, which is the most abundant salt in seawater, but the micelle structure was sensitive to divalent ions such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, although their amount is very small compared to that of NaCl.
Learning from Failure: A Review of Peter Schuck's Why Government Fails So Often: And How It Can Do Better
Authors: Levy David M. , Peart Sandra J.
Published: September 2015

Peter Schuck catalogs an overwhelming list of US government failures. He points to both structural problems (culture and institutions) and incentives. Despairing of cultural change, Schuck focuses on incentives. He relies on Charles Wolf 's theory of nonmarket failures in which “internalities” replace the heavily-studied market failure from externalities (Wolf 1979). Internalities are evidence of a discord between the public goals by which a program is defended and the private goals of its administrators. What might economists contribute? We suggest that economists have neglected internalities because they take group goals as exogenously determined and we defend an alternative tradition in which group goals are endogenously determined.(JEL A11, D72, D82)
The Design of Experiential Services with Acclimation and Memory Decay: Optimal Sequence and Duration
Authors: Das Gupta Aparupa , Karmarkar Uday S. , Roels Guillaume
Published: September 2015

For many consumer-intensive (i.e., business-to-consumer) services, delivering memorable customer experiences is a source of competitive advantage. Yet there are few guidelines available for designing service encounters with a focus on customer satisfaction. In this paper, we show how experiential services should be sequenced and timed to maximize the satisfaction of customers who are subject to memory decay and acclimation. We find that memory decay favors positioning the highest service level near the end, whereas acclimation favors maximizing the gradient of service level. Together, they maximize the gradient of service level near the end. Although memory decay and acclimation lead to the same design individually, they can act as opposing forces when considered jointly. Overall, our analysis suggests that short experiences should have activities scheduled as a crescendo and duration allocated primarily to the activities with the highest service levels, whereas long experiences should have activities scheduled in a U-shaped fashion and duration allocated primarily to activities with the lowest service level so as to ensure a steep gradient at the end.

This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
Wisdom or Madness? Comparing Crowds with Expert Evaluation in Funding the Arts
Authors: Mollick Ethan , Nanda Ramana
Published: September 2015

In fields as diverse as technology entrepreneurship and the arts, crowds of interested stakeholders are increasingly responsible for deciding which innovations to fund, a privilege that was previously reserved for a few experts, such as venture capitalists and grant-making bodies. Little is known about the degree to which the crowd differs from experts in judging which ideas to fund, and, indeed, whether the crowd is even rational in making funding decisions. Drawing on a panel of national experts and comprehensive data from the largest crowdfunding site, we examine funding decisions for proposed theater projects, a category where expert and crowd preferences might be expected to differ greatly. We instead find significant agreement between the funding decisions of crowds and experts. Where crowds and experts disagree, it is far more likely to be a case where the crowd is willing to fund projects that experts may not. Examining the outcomes of these projects, we find no quantitative or qualitative differences between projects funded by the crowd alone and those that were selected by both the crowd and experts. Our findings suggest that crowdfunding can play an important role in complementing expert decisions, particularly in sectors where the crowds are end users, by allowing projects the option to receive multiple evaluations and thereby lowering the incidence of “false negatives.”

This paper was accepted by Lee Fleming, entrepreneurship and innovation.
DETERMINANTES DA EFICIÊNCIA TÉCNICA DO DESENVOLVIMENTO URBANO CATARINENSE
Authors: Da Silveira João Serafim Tusi , Ávila Lucas Veiga , Sampaio Patricia Harter , De Borba José Tavares
Published: September 2015

Neste artigo estima-se e testa-se um modelo de fronteira estocástica de eficiência técnica para os municípios catarinenses por meio do método SFA e analisam-se alguns de seus determinantes principais, com a finalidade de prospectar aspectos de interesse para a formulação de políticas de desenvolvimento urbano. Com base nessas referências, definem-se os procedimentos para vincular os objetivos da PNDU aos produtos urbanos; para agregá-los por regressão canônica; para incluí-los no modelo econométrico de fronteira estocástica de eficiência; e para analisar, por regressão Probit, alguns determinantes da eficiência. As estimações realizadas compreendem aos dados do ano de 2000 referentes a todos os municípios catarinenses. Constatou-se que a eficiência nas ações de desenvolvimento urbano nos municípios mais eficientes dependeu, em boa medida, dos níveis de atividade econômica dos setores primário e terciário. Também se verificou que, no grupo dos municípios mais eficientes, o índice de eficiência tendeu a ser maior diante do crescimento das transferências governamentais do que nos menos eficientes.