bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulations of Polarimetric, X-Band Radar Signatures in Supercells. Part II: ZDR Columns and Rings and KDP Columns
Authors: Snyder Jeffrey C. , Bluestein Howard B. , Dawson II Daniel T. , Jung Youngsun
Published: May 2017

A high-resolution numerical model and polarimetric forward operator allow one to examine simulated convective storms from the perspective of observable polarimetric radar quantities, enabling a better comparison of modeled and observed deep moist convection. Part I of this two-part study described the model and forward operator used for all simulations and examined the structure and evolution of rings of reduced copolar cross-correlation coefficient (i.e., ρhv rings). The microphysical structure of upward extensions of enhanced differential reflectivity (ZDR columns and ZDR rings) and enhanced specific differential phase (KDP columns) near and within the updrafts of convective storms serve as the focus of this paper. In general, simulated ZDR columns are located immediately west of the midlevel updraft maximum and are associated with rainwater lofted above the 0°C level and wet hail/graupel, whereas ZDR rings are associated with wet hail located near and immediately east of the midlevel updraft maximum. The deepest areas of ZDR > 1 dB aloft are associated with supercells in the highest shear environments and those that have the most intense updrafts; the upper extent of the ZDR signatures is found to be positively correlated with the amount and mean-mass diameter of large hail aloft likely as a by-product of the shared correlations with updraft intensity and wind shear. Large quantities of rain compose the KDP columns, with the size and intensity of the updrafts directly proportional to the size and depth of the KDP columns.
A Comparison of the Finescale Structures of a Prefrontal Wind-Shift Line and a Strong Cold Front in the Southern Plains of the United States
Authors: Bluestein Howard B. , Wienhoff Zachary B. , Turner David D. , Reif Dylan W. , Snyder Jeffrey C. , Thiem Kyle J. , Houser Jana B.
Published: May 2017

The objectives of this study are to determine the finescale characteristics of the wind and temperature fields associated with a prefrontal wind-shift line and to contrast them with those associated with a strong cold front. Data from a mobile, polarimetric, X-band, Doppler radar and from a surveillance S-band radar, temperature profiles retrieved from a thermodynamic sounder, and surface observations from the Oklahoma Mesonet are used to analyze a prefrontal wind-shift line in Oklahoma on 11 November 2013. Data from the same mobile radar and the Oklahoma Mesonet are used to identify the finescale characteristics of the wind field associated with a strong surface cold front in Oklahoma on 9 April 2013. It is shown that the prefrontal wind-shift line has a kinematic and thermodynamic structure similar to that of an intrusion (elevated density current), while the cold front has a kinematic structure similar to that of a classic density current. Other characteristics of the prefrontal wind-shift line and front are also discussed. Evidence of waves generated at the leading edge of the prefrontal wind-shift line is presented.
Learning Disabilities and Low Social Status: The Role of Peer Academic Reputation and Peer Reputation of Teacher Liking
Authors: van der Sande Lisa , Hendrickx Marloes M. H. G. , Boor-Klip Henrike J. , Mainhard Tim
Published: May 2017

Although many studies have found that children with learning disabilities (LD) are less liked by peers than children without LD, the results are not unequivocal. In the present study, we investigated the social status (in terms of likeability and popularity) of children with LD by considering peer academic reputation and peer reputation of teacher liking. These variables are potentially important alternative factors for differences in social status between children with and without LD. Fifth-grade students ( n = 1,453; Mage = 10.60) in 58 classes in the Netherlands completed peer nominations for academic reputation, teacher liking, and social status. The data were analyzed with Bayesian structural equation modeling. The associations between LD and social status were completely mediated by the lower peer academic reputation of children with LD. As expected, peer reputation of teacher liking served as a protective factor against low social status for children with low peer academic reputation in general but not specifically for children with LD. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Perceptions of Active Versus Passive Risks, and the Effect of Personal Responsibility
Authors: Keinan Ruty , Bereby-Meyer Yoella
Published: May 2017

Not getting vaccinated or not backing up computer files are examples of passive risk taking: risk brought on or magnified by inaction. We suggest the difficulty in paying attention to absences, together with the reduced agency and responsibility that is associated with passive choices, leads to the perception of passive risks as being less risky than equivalent active risks. Using scenarios in which risk was taken either actively or passively, we demonstrate that passive risks are judged as less risky than equivalent active risks. We find the perception of personal responsibility mediates the differences between the perception of passive and active risks. The current research offers an additional explanation for omission or default biases: The passive nature of these choices causes them to appear less risky than they really are.
Frequency Representation: Visualization and Clustering of Acoustic Data Using Self-Organizing Maps
Authors: Guo Xinhua , Sun Song , Yu Xiantao , Wang Pan , Nakamura Kentaro
Published: May 2017

Extraction and display of frequency information in three-dimensional (3D) acoustic data are important steps to analyze object characteristics, because the characteristics, such as profiles, sizes, surface structures, and material properties, may show frequency dependence. In this study, frequency representation (FR) based on phase information in multispectral acoustic imaging (MSAI) is proposed to overcome the limit of intensity or amplitude information in image display. Experiments are performed on 3D acoustic data collected from a rigid surface engraved with five different letters. The results show that the proposed FR technique can not only identify the depth of the five letters by the colors representing frequency characteristics but also demonstrate the 3D image of the five letters, providing more detailed characteristics that are unavailable by conventional acoustic imaging.
Cameras and settings for aerial surveys in the geosciences
Authors: O’Connor James , Smith Mike J , James Mike R
Published: May 2017

Aerial image capture has become very common within the geosciences due to the increasing affordability of low-payload (<20 kg) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for consumer markets. Their application to surveying has subsequently led to many studies being undertaken using UAV imagery and derived products as primary data sources. However, image quality and the principles of image capture are seldom given rigorous discussion. In this contribution we firstly revisit the underpinning concepts behind image capture, from which the requirements for acquiring sharp, well-exposed and suitable image data are derived. Secondly, the platform, camera, lens and imaging settings relevant to image quality planning are discussed, with worked examples to guide users through the process of considering the factors required for capturing high-quality imagery for geoscience investigations.

Given a target feature size and ground sample distance based on mission objectives, the flight height and velocity should be calculated to ensure motion blur is kept to a minimum. We recommend using a camera with as large a sensor as is permissible for the aerial platform being used (to maximise sensor sensitivity), effective focal lengths of 24–35 mm (to minimise errors due to lens distortion) and optimising ISO (to ensure the shutter speed is fast enough to minimise motion blur). Finally, we give recommendations for the reporting of results by researchers in order to help improve the confidence in, and reusability of, surveys through providing open access imagery where possible, presenting example images and excerpts and detailing appropriate metadata to rigorously describe the image capture process.
The Association of Psychosocial Factors With Leisure-Time Physical Activity Intention Among Latinas
Authors: Murillo Rosenda , Seo Dong-Chul , Middlestadt Susan E. , Huber Lesa
Published: May 2017

The purpose of our study was to identify contributors underlying the intention to engage in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among Latinas. A sample of Latinas was recruited from North Texas ( N = 405). Sequential multiple regression analysis was used to assess the association between sociodemographics, the role of Latino culture (i.e., fatalism, a cultural belief that may be related to LTPA intention), and theoretical constructs drawn from the Integrative Model (i.e., self-efficacy, attitude, and subjective norm) in relation to LTPA intention in Latinas. Self-efficacy (β = .29, p < .001), attitude (β = .26, p < .001), and subjective norm (β = .17, p < .001), but not fatalism, significantly predicted intention to engage in LTPA. To increase LTPA intention among Latinas, it is recommended that physical activity interventions consider enhancing self-efficacy, fostering favorable attitudes toward LTPA, and modifying participant norms on LTPA.
Molecular design of optoelectronic structures based on carbazole- and indolocarbazole-containing polyphenylquinolines
Authors: Svetlichnyi Valentin M , Aleksandrova Elena L , Matyushina Nadezda V , Myagkova Lyudmila A , Nekrasova Tatyana N , Smyslov Ruslan Yu
Published: May 2017

In this study, the molecular design of synthesized polymeric polyphenylquinoline (PPQ) structures is associated with the varying chemical nature of the bridging group ( X) between the phenylquinoline cycles and the heteroarylene radicals ( Ar) in the repeating unit of PPQs. The photophysical study of optical, photosensitive, and luminescent properties of the PPQs was carried out for isolated macromolecules in solution and interacting molecules in films while varying their intermolecular interactions for PPQ molecules in different matrices. The matrix isolation method we used made it possible to minimize intermacromolecular interactions whose enhancement in coatings leads to an efficient luminescence quenching. To separate the processes of intramolecular and intermacromolecular energy transfer, we studied the photoluminescence from mixtures of PPQ homopolymers. The analysis of ionization potentials for the molecular structures of Ar moieties ( IDAr) and a bridging group X ( IDX) of synthesized PPQs, as well as of copolymers containing carbazole and indolo[3,2-b]carbazole moieties, is given. This analysis based on the study of optical properties (absorption, photosensitivity, luminescence) and electrical characteristics for PPQ led to recommendations on PPQ promising structures for use in optoelectronic devices.
Finite-time sliding mode tracking control for active suspension systems via extended super-twisting observer
Authors: Wang Gang , Chen Changzheng , Yu Shenbo
Published: May 2017

In this article, a novel sliding mode tracking control scheme for vehicle active suspension systems with matched and mismatched uncertainties is proposed based on super-twisting concept. In order to stabilize suspension deflection motion to the desired trajectory in finite time, a finite-time sliding mode controller is designed. Specifically, a novel trajectory function is proposed to adjust the suspension performances (e.g. ride comfort, tire dynamic load and suspension deflection). Compared with the first-order sliding mode control method, the proposed tracking control scheme can effectively improve the ride comfort and ensure the suspension deflection constraint. The control scheme requires only the suspension deflection and acceleration feedback and thus is easy to implement. The uncertainties of the active suspension system are considered as a total disturbance term which can be estimated online, and the estimated error can become a vanishing term in finite time using an extended super-twisting disturbance observer. Finally, the proposed control algorithm is applied to a quarter-car active suspension model, and numerical and experimental results are provided to show the merits and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
sFLT-1 inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer SW480 cells through vascular mimicry formation suppression
Authors: Jinjun Wang , Zhaowei Wang , Qiang Li , Zhijun Xue , Juanzi Zhang , Lin Li , Guixi Jiang
Published: May 2017

To investigate the effects of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 on the vascular mimicry formation, proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer SW480 cells. The recombinant plasmid pBLAST49-sFLT-1 or pBLAST49 control plasmid was transfected into SW480 cells to obtain hsFLT-1-SW480 or Ctrl-SW480 cells. The three-dimensional model culture, sulforhodamine B assay, scratch assay, and Transwell assay were performed to detect the vascular mimicry formation, proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer SW480 cells, respectively. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of vascular endothelial–cadherin protein. Compared with Ctrl-SW480 cells, vascular mimicry formation ((0.85 ± 0.04) vs (7.40 ± 0.69), p < 0.05) and vascular endothelial–cadherin expression ((1.25 ± 0.08) vs (1.89 ± 0.03), p < 0.05) were significantly decreased, and the growth rate was also significantly decreased in hsFLT-1-SW480 cells ((32.54 ± 5.12) vs (88.13 ± 11.52), p < 0.05). Moreover, the migration ((0.46 ± 0.08) vs (0.94 ± 0.03), p < 0.05) and invasion capacity ((59.14 ± 3.64) vs (134.85 ± 10.16), p < 0.05) of SW480 cells were significantly inhibited upon soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 transfection. soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer SW480 cells through suppression of vascular mimicry formation, which provides a good basis for the development of new drugs for the treatment of colorectal cancer by targeting both angiogenesis and vascular mimicry formation.
UBC®RapidTest for detection of carcinoma in situ for bladder cancer
Authors: Ecke Thorsten H , Weiß Sarah , Stephan Carsten , Hallmann Steffen , Barski Dimitri , Otto Thomas , Gerullis Holger
Published: May 2017

UBC®Rapid Test is a test that detects fragments of cytokeratins 8 and 18 in urine. We present results of a multicentre study measuring UBC®Rapid Test in bladder cancer patients and healthy controls with focus on carcinoma in situ (CIS) and high-grade bladder cancer. From our study with N = 452 patients, we made a stratified sub-analysis for carcinoma in situ of the urinary bladder. Clinical urine samples were used from 87 patients with tumours of the urinary bladder (23 carcinoma in situ, 23 non-muscle-invasive low-grade tumours, 21 non-muscle-invasive high-grade tumours and 20 muscle-invasive high-grade tumours) and from 22 healthy controls. The cut-off value was defined at 10.0 µg/L. Urine samples were analysed by the UBC®Rapid Test point-of-care system (concile Omega 100 POC reader). Pathological levels of UBC Rapid Test in urine are higher in patients with bladder cancer in comparison to the control group (p < 0.001). Sensitivity was calculated at 86.9% for carcinoma in situ, 30.4% for non-muscle-invasive low-grade bladder cancer, 71.4% for nonmuscle-invasive high grade bladder cancer and 60% for muscle-invasive high-grade bladder cancer, and specificity was 90.9%. The area under the curve of the quantitative UBC®Rapid Test using the optimal threshold obtained by receiveroperated curve analysis was 0.75. Pathological values of UBC®Rapid Test in urine are higher in patients with high-grade bladder cancer in comparison to low-grade tumours and the healthy control group. UBC®Rapid Test has potential to be more sensitive and specific urinary protein biomarker for accurate detection of high-grade patients and could be added especially in the diagnostics for carcinoma in situ and non-muscle-invasive high-grade tumours of urinary bladder cancer.
Genome-wide analysis of long non-coding RNA expression and function in colorectal cancer
Authors: Jing Fangyuan , Jin Huicheng , Mao Yingying , Li Yingjun , Ding Ye , Fan Chunhong , Chen Kun
Published: May 2017

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are widely transcribed in the genome, but their expression profile and roles in colorectal cancer are not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the long non-coding RNA expression profile in colorectal cancer and look for potential diagnostic biomarkers of colorectal cancer. Long non-coding RNA microarray was applied to investigate the global long non-coding RNA expression profile in colorectal cancer. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were performed using standard enrichment computational methods. The expression levels of selected long non-coding RNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between long non-coding RNA expression levels and clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer patients was assessed. Coexpression analyses were carried out to find the coexpressed genes of differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs, followed by gene ontology analysis to predict the possible role of the selected long non-coding RNAs in colorectal carcinogenesis. In this study, a total of 1596 long non-coding RNA transcripts and 1866 messenger RNA transcripts were dysregulated in tumor tissues compared with paired normal tissues. The top upregulated long non-coding RNAs in tumor tissues were CCAT1, UCA1, RP5-881L22.5, NOS2P3, and BC005081 and the top downregulated long non-coding RNAs were AK055386, AC078941.1, RP4-800J21.3, RP11-628E19.3, and RP11-384P7.7. Long non-coding RNA UCA1 was significantly upregulated in colon cancer, and AK055386 was significantly downregulated in tumor with dimension <5 cm. Functional prediction analyses showed that both the long non-coding RNAs coexpress with cell cycle related messenger RNAs. The current long non-coding RNA study provided novel insights into expression profile in colorectal cancer and predicted the potential roles of long non-coding RNAs in colorectal carcinogenesis. Among the dysregulated long non-coding RNAs, UCA1 was found to be associated with anatomic site, and AK055386 was found associated with tumor size. Further functional investigations into the molecular mechanisms are warranted to clarify the role of long non-coding RNA in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Safety and Efficacy of Bridging With Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin During Temporary Interruptions of Warfarin: A Register-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Sjögren Vilhelm , Grzymala-Lubanski Bartosz , Renlund Henrik , Svensson Peter J. , Själander Anders
Published: May 2017

Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is often recommended as a bridging therapy during temporary interruptions in warfarin treatment, despite lack of evidence. The aim of this study was to see whether we could find benefit from LMWH bridging. We studied all planned interruptions of warfarin within the Swedish anticoagulation register Auricula during 2006 to 2011. Low-molecular-weight heparin bridging was compared to nonbridging (control) after propensity score matching. Complications were identified in national clinical registers for 30 days following warfarin cessation, and defined as all-cause mortality, bleeding (intracranial, gastrointestinal, or other), or thrombosis (ischemic stroke or systemic embolism, venous thromboembolism, or myocardial infarction) that was fatal or required hospital care. Of the 14 556 identified warfarin interruptions, 12 659 with a known medical background had a mean age of 69 years, 61% were males, mean CHADS2 (1 point for each of congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, and 2 points for stroke or transient ischemic attack) score was 1.7, and CHA2DS2-VASc score was 3.4. The total number of LMWH bridgings was 7021. Major indications for anticoagulation were mechanical heart valve prostheses 4331, atrial fibrillation 1097, and venous thromboembolism 1331. Bridging patients had a higher rate of thrombotic events overall. Total risk of any complication did not differ significantly between bridging (1.5%) and nonbridging (1.2%). Regardless of indication for warfarin treatment, we found no benefit from bridging. The type of procedure prompting bridging was not known, and the likely reason for the observed higher risk of thrombosis with LMWH bridging is that low-risk procedures more often meant no bridging. Results from randomized trials are needed, especially for patients with mechanical heart valves.
A new approach to optimal control of nonlinear vehicle suspension system with input constraint
Authors: Abdi Bahman , Mirzaei Mehdi , Mojed Gharamaleki Reza
Published: May 2017

The vehicle active suspension system is a multi-objective control system with the input constraint. In this paper, a new effective method is proposed for constrained optimal control of a vehicle suspension system including nonlinear characteristics for elasto-damping elements. In the proposed method, an equivalent constrained optimization problem is firstly formulated by performing a performance index which is defined as a weighted combination of predicted responses of nonlinear suspension system and control signal. Then, the constrained optimization problem is analytically solved by the Kerush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) theorem to find the control law. The proposed constrained controller is compared with the unconstrained optimal controller for which the limitation of control force is satisfied by regulation of its weighting factor in the performance index. Simulation studies are conducted to show the effectiveness of two controllers. The results indicate that the constrained controller utilizes the maximum capacity of external forces and consequently attains a better performance in the presence of force limitations.
Experimental validation of numerical structural dynamic models for metal plate joining techniques
Authors: Van Belle L , Brandolisio D , Deckers E , Jonckheere S , Claeys C , Pluymers B , Desmet W
Published: May 2017

Joined structures are of great industrial relevance. The dynamic effects of joints are, however, often practically difficult to accurately account for in numerical models, as they often lead to local changes in stiffness and damping. This paper discusses the comparison between measurements and simulations of joined panels considering four different joining techniques: adhesive bonding, metal inert gas welding, resistance spot welding and flow drill screwing. An experimental modal analysis is performed on the different systems and the power injection method is applied to determine the loss factors of single plate systems and their joined counterparts. The joined panels are modeled in a holistic simulation environment with particular focus on the joining region, by the application of predefined and generic joint models. A very good agreement is obtained between the simulated dynamic behavior and the experimental results, showing that an accurate representation of the joints has been obtained.
In search of a critical PETE programme
Authors: Philpot Rod Allan
Published: May 2017

For some time now many teacher educators have recognised the need to address issues of social justice and inequality. The challenge of teaching increasingly diverse student populations has led teacher educators to consider practices and pedagogies that move beyond a technical orientation. One of the alternate paradigms, critical teacher education, promotes a model of teacher development that transcends a sole focus on the acquisition of mere technical skills, to practices that foreground awareness of equity issues and socially just teaching practices. Although critical teacher education is not new, most research on teacher education for social justice examines the impact of individual courses on developing pre-service teachers’ awareness of critical issues. The paper presents an analysis of a physical education teacher education (PETE) programme that is underpinned by critically oriented philosophies. Critical discourse analysis of documents was used to reveal consistencies and contradictions between the espoused critical orientation of the programme and the discourse of the individual courses. The findings provide evidence of critical pedagogies across a range of courses in the PETE programme. The significance of this study lies in new possibilities for critical teacher education when the critical orientation is spread across a whole programme rather than concentrated only in individual courses.
Acculturation of prospective German physical education teachers
Authors: Merrem Anne M , Curtner-Smith Matthew D
Published: May 2017

Studies of prospective physical education teachers’ (PPETs’) acculturation have been useful in terms of facilitating the development of effective physical education teacher education (PETE) programmes because they provide teacher education faculty with a description of incoming recruits’ values and beliefs and an understanding of how these values and beliefs are shaped. Research exclusively focused on the acculturation of PPETs is, however, scarce. Research on pre-service and in-service physical education (PE) teachers that has included an acculturation component has mostly been completed in the United States. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the acculturation of 10 German PPETs. The two research questions we attempted to answer were: (a) “What were the PPETs’ values, beliefs, and perspectives regarding PE?” and (b) “What factors shaped these values, beliefs and perspectives?” Data were collected using three types of interviewing. Analysis involved coding and categorizing data with analytic induction and constant comparison and reducing them to meaningful themes. Findings revealed that eight PPETs had well-developed and comparatively sophisticated conservative teaching orientations primarily focused on teaching traditional German sports. Two PPETs had more progressive teaching orientations in that they favored teaching a wider range of content and were more focused on health-related fitness. The key subsidiary attractors to a career in PE for this group of PPETs were remaining connected to sport and working with young people. Three factors that shaped the PPETs’ values and beliefs were similar to those revealed in previous research. These were family and friends, the apprenticeship of observation, and youth sport. The people and institutions that comprised these factors, however, operated in different modes within the German context. In addition, PPETs’ career choices were solidified by their experiences of teaching, coaching, and officiating, and the type of teaching orientation they possessed reflected the timing of these choices. The study also revealed that the PPETs entered PETE with a solid foundation of beliefs, values and perspectives regarding PE on which faculty could build. Findings also suggested, however, that German PETE faculty may have to deconstruct their charges’ conservative teaching orientations to some extent in order to create space in which to teach them new instructional models. The most important implication of this study for PETE in other countries is that the PPETs’ teaching orientations resulted primarily from a system that did not pit curricular PE against extracurricular sport.
Closing seminars and lectures: The work that lecturers and students do
Authors: Tyagunova Tanya , Greiffenhagen Christian
Published: May 2017

Based on an analysis of naturally occurring interactions between lecturers and students, this article investigates how university lectures and seminars are brought to a close through the collaborative work of lecturers and students. The analysis focuses on, first, the resources that lecturers and students have to accomplish this (which include not just speech but also embodied conduct, as well as references to clock time and lesson phases); second, the active role that students play, who may engage in closing activities in ways that attempt to preserve the classroom order (e.g. by packing up silently while continuing to demonstrably listen) or in ways that are disruptive of it (e.g. by packing up noisily); and third, the occasional subversive role that students may adopt, who may attempt to initiate closings in order to cut the lecture or seminar short (e.g. by suggesting to the lecturer that he or she is going over time or by engaging in ‘premature’ closing activities).
An application of Dirichlet process in clustering subjects via variance shift models: A course-evaluation study
Authors: Rikhtehgaran Reyhaneh
Published: May 2017

In this article, the Dirichlet process (DP) is applied to cluster subjects with longitudinal observations. The basis of clustering is the ability of subjects to adapt themselves to new circumstances. Indeed, the basis of clustering depends on the time of changing response variability. This is done by providing a random change-point time in the variance structure of mixed-effects models. The DP is assumed as a prior for the distribution of the random change point. The discrete nature of the DP is utilized to cluster subjects according to the time of adaption. The proposed model is useful to identify groups of subjects with distinctive time-based progressions or declines. Transition mixed-effects models are also used to account for the serial correlation among observations over time. A joint modelling approach is utilized to handle the bias created in these models. The Gibbs sampling technique is adopted to achieve parameter estimates. Performance of the proposed method is evaluated via conducting a simulation study. The usefulness of the proposed model is assessed on a course-evaluation dataset.
MicroRNA-155 Inhibition Promoted Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Ye Junna , Kang Yutian , Sun Xiaofang , Ni Pengwen , Wu Minjie , Lu Shuliang
Published: May 2017

Diabetes leads to amputation in approximately 15% to 20% of patients and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Thus, improving the quality of wound healing in this condition is essential. Diabetes is associated with acute/chronic inflammation affecting all organs especially the foot, while, inhibition of microRNA-155 (miR-155) has been reported to improve or reduce inflammatory situation. However, the role of miR-155 inhibition in promoting diabetic wound healing is not clear. To further study the potential benefit of miR-155 inhibition, a study of male Sprague-Dawley rats was conducted and diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry were then performed. The PCR results confirmed that miR-155 expression was lower after miR-155 inhibition on days 3, 7, and 13 (all Ps <.05). The wound healing rate between the normal glucose group (N group), diabetic PBS group (PBS group) and the topical miR-155 inhibitor group was compared. Faster healing of cutaneous wounds was observed in the miR-155 inhibitor group than in the PBS group and normal glucose group ( P < .05). In addition, downregulation of inflammatory cells, including neutrophils (MPO-positive) and macrophages (CD68-positive), and upregulation of the angiogenic protein CD31 and markers indicative of fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition, such as collagen 1, TGF-β1, and α-SMA, were observed. These data permit the observation that miR-155 inhibition possesses the potential to reduce inflammation in acute wounds. This property may benefit the healing of diabetic foot wounds.
Leaders and leadership in a climate of uncertainty
Authors: Rayner Stephen M
Published: May 2017

The research reported in this article contributes new understanding of leadership in the context of change, by investigating how the views, values and professional practices of those in leadership roles were revealed, interplayed and changed during a period of turbulence in a school in England. The governors of the school proposed changing the school’s legal status from a local-authority school to an academy, which is an independent school funded by the State but governed and managed by an Academy Trust. In the current work on structural change affecting schools in England, there has been little real-time study of what it is like to be both a policy actor and a policy subject during a period of turbulence. In this article, which reports on events over a period of 18 months, I explore the actions and perceptions of three actors in leadership roles. I examine their engagement in local agenda-setting and decision-making, including its implications for their values, identity and professional practice. The research reported in this article illustrates that, however confidently structural change is announced and promoted by policy-makers, its enactment may be problematic and inconclusive.
The individual time trial as an optimal control problem
Authors: de Jong Jenny , Fokkink Robbert , Olsder Geert Jan , Schwab AL
Published: May 2017

In a cycling time trial, the rider needs to distribute his power output optimally to minimize the time between start and finish. Mathematically, this is an optimal control problem. Even for a straight and flat course, its solution is non-trivial and involves a singular control, which corresponds to a power that is slightly above the aerobic level. The rider must start at full anaerobic power to reach an optimal speed and maintain that speed for the rest of the course. If the course is flat but not straight, then the speed at which the rider can round the bends becomes crucial.
Report on a Study of Counterfacts as a Futures Research Technique for Forecasting Future Developments
Authors: Todorova Mariana , Gordon Theodore Jay
Published: May 2017

Counterfactuals are turning points in the evolving future and are often used to describe how the present or future might be different if, at a past turning point, the other road had been taken. The purpose of this article is to apply counterfactual analysis that has often been used in studies of history to future studies, in particular to uncover unexpected events, such as “Black Swans.” When we consider counterfacts as a tool for forecasting, we deal with unfinished business of the present. The fork in the road may be clear enough, but the choice of the path has not yet been made. But someday that choice may be made or will have to be made, and in speculating about it, we form images of the future and imagine scenarios based on chains of causality stretching forward from the fork. Thus, counterfactuals are our legacy to the future. In effect, we say to our children—or theirs: “Here are some issues left over from our time; sorry we couldn’t solve them. We hope you have better luck.”
Mothers’ Attachment is Linked to Their Children’s Anti-Inflammatory Gene Expression via Maternal Warmth
Authors: Stanton Sarah C. E. , Zilioli Samuele , Briskin Julia L. , Imami Ledina , Tobin Erin T. , Wildman Derek E. , Mair-Meijers Henriette , Luca Francesca , Kane Heidi S. , Slatcher Richard B.
Published: May 2017

Research has demonstrated links between adult romantic attachment and one’s own physical health; little is known about links between adult attachment orientations and offspring health. Prior work has shown that parents’ greater attachment anxiety and avoidance predict less warmth toward their children. Extensive work has also shown that lower maternal warmth has negative downstream effects on offspring health. We tested the novel hypothesis that mothers’ dispositional romantic attachment would be linked—via maternal warmth—to their children’s expression of the glucocorticoid receptor gene NR3C1, higher expression of which is associated with healthier stress regulation and inflammatory response. In a sample of 132 youth with asthma, we found that mothers’ attachment anxiety and avoidance were both negatively associated with children’s expression of NR3C1, explained by lower youth-rated maternal warmth. Associations held after adjusting for demographic and psychosocial covariates. Implications for parents’ attachment influencing the health of offspring are discussed.
Linking Workplace Bullying and Work Engagement: The Mediating Role of Psychological Contract Violation
Authors: Rai Arpana , Agarwal Upasna A
Published: May 2017

While decades of research on workplace bullying has resulted in a sound understanding of its consequences, the effects of workplace bullying on positive employee outcomes and the underlying mechanisms in bullying–outcomes relationships are not well understood. The present study examines the relationship between workplace bullying and work engagement and whether it is mediated by psychological contract violation (PCV). Data were gathered from a sample of 835 full-time managerial employees working in different Indian organizations across manufacturing and service sectors. Results suggest that workplace bullying is significantly related to work engagement and this relationship is partially mediated by PCV. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Exit, Cohesion, and Consensus: Social Psychological Moderators of Consensus among Adolescent Peer Groups
Authors: Fisher Jacob C.
Published: May 2017

Virtually all social diffusion work relies on a common formal basis, which predicts that consensus will develop among a connected population as the result of diffusion. In spite of the popularity of social diffusion models that predict consensus, few empirical studies examine consensus, or a clustering of attitudes, directly. The empirical studies that do examine consensus either focus on the coordinating role of strict hierarchies, or on the results of online experiments, and do not consider how consensus occurs among groups in situ. This study uses longitudinal data on adolescent social networks to show how meso-level social structures, such as informal peer groups, moderate the process of consensus formation. Using a novel method for controlling for selection into a group, I find that centralized peer groups, meaning groups with clear leaders, have very low levels of consensus, while cohesive peer groups, meaning groups where more ties hold the members of the group together, have very high levels of consensus. This finding is robust to two different measures of cohesion and consensus. This suggests that consensus occurs either through central leaders’ enforcement or through diffusion of attitudes, but that central leaders have limited ability to enforce when people can leave the group easily.
Ethnic identity and scholastic effort: a multifaceted approach
Authors: Autiero Giuseppina
Published: May 2017

When one analyses the influence of social identity on scholastic effort, ethnic identity largely contributes to determine it. In this paper, ethnic identity is meant as the attachment to one’s cultural heritage and the adaptation to host societies; this allows considering how conflicting demands and social pressure from parents, peers, ethnic community and host societies influence children’s effort. Attention is also paid to the locus of control; thereby, the effects of the interaction between the social context—ethnic identity—and personal traits such as the locus of control are considered. The analysis is developed through a theoretical model whose results partly show that children’s effort may be influenced positively by parents with strong attitudes towards adaptation and negatively by their peers in school who belong to marginalized groups vulnerable to discrimination and convinced that school does not improve one’s socio-economic status. Nevertheless, the drawbacks of the social context can be counterbalanced by a strong locus of control.

JEL Classification: I20, I29, Z10
Toward Implementing Patient Flow in a Cancer Treatment Center to Reduce Patient Waiting Time and Improve Efficiency
Authors: Suss Samuel , Bhuiyan Nadia , Demirli Kudret , Batist Gerald
Published: May 2017

Outpatient cancer treatment centers can be considered as complex systems in which several types of medical professionals and administrative staff must coordinate their work to achieve the overall goals of providing quality patient care within budgetary constraints. In this article, we use analytical methods that have been successfully employed for other complex systems to show how a clinic can simultaneously reduce patient waiting times and non-value added staff work in a process that has a series of steps, more than one of which involves a scarce resource. The article describes the system model and the key elements in the operation that lead to staff rework and patient queuing. We propose solutions to the problems and provide a framework to evaluate clinic performance. At the time of this report, the proposals are in the process of implementation at a cancer treatment clinic in a major metropolitan hospital in Montreal, Canada.
Novel lincRNA Susceptibility Gene and Its Role in Etiopathogenesis of Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis
Authors: Melo Maria Clara C. , de Souza Janaína S. , Kizys Marina M. L. , Vidi Angela C. , Dorta Haron S. , Kunii Ilda S. , Giannocco Gisele , Carvalheira Gianna , Dias-da-Silva Magnus R.
Published: May 2017

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a life-threatening neuromuscular complication of thyrotoxicosis characterized by muscle weakness and hypokalemia and with an unclear etiopathogenesis. However, the 17q24.3 locus had been genetically linked to TPP, in which the genetic variant rs312691 (TC genotype) in long intergenic noncoding RNA (lincRNA) CTD-2378E21.1 is located downstream of inward-rectifier potassium (Kir) channel genes [KCNJ2 and its antisense KCNJ2 (AS-KCNJ2)]. A TPP patient with a suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone level, a high free thyroxine level of (5.8 ng/dL), and low serum potassium level of (2 mEq/L) was evaluated for Kir channel expression during and after recovery from thyrotoxicosis. We observed that circulating lincRNA and Kir expression varied in accordance with thyroid status and TC genotype. To endorse this association of a lincRNA-rs312691 variant with a genetic risk of TPP, an additional series of 37 patients with TPP and 32 patients with thyrotoxic without paralysis (TWP) were assessed. We verified that the risk of minor allele C was greater in TPP than in TWP (odds ratio, 5.289; P = 0.0062), and protective major allele T was more frequent than observed in the 1000 genome controls (odds ratio, 11.90; P < 0.0001). AS-KCNJ2 was downregulated during thyrotoxicosis in the TWP controls carrying allele T and were upregulated in those with TPP with risk allele C. Moreover, KCNJ2 (Kir2.1) expression was reduced during thyrotoxicosis and restored in euthyroid status. We further excluded any other coding variant by performing targeted exome sequencing mutational screening in 17q24.3. Our data suggest that high lincRNA AS-KCNJ2 and CDT-2378E21.1 expression, possibly driven by the triiodothyronine regulatory mechanism, reduces the Kir2.1 expression observed during thyrotoxicosis. This finding could contribute to the understanding of the reduced inward-rectifying current observed during muscle weakness in genetically susceptible TPP patients.
ADAM12 induction by Twist1 promotes tumor invasion and metastasis via regulation of invadopodia and focal adhesions
Authors: Eckert Mark A. , Santiago-Medina Miguel , Lwin Thinzar M. , Kim Jihoon , Courtneidge Sara A. , Yang Jing
Published: May 2017

The Twist1 transcription factor promotes tumor invasion and metastasis by inducing epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invadopodia-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. The critical transcription targets of Twist1 for mediating these events remain to be uncovered. Here, we report that Twist1 strongly induces expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 12 (ADAM12). We observed that the expression levels of Twist1 mRNA and ADAM12 mRNA are tightly correlated in human breast tumors. Knocking down ADAM12 blocked cell invasion in a 3D mammary organoid culture. Suppression of ADAM12 also inhibited Twist1-induced tumor invasion and metastasis in human breast tumor xenografts, without affecting primary tumor formation. Mechanistically, knockdown of ADAM12 in breast cancer cells significantly reduced invadopodia formation and matrix degradation, and simultaneously increased overall cell adhesion to the ECM. Live-imaging analysis showed that knockdown of ADAM12 significantly inhibited focal adhesion turnover. Mechanistically, both the disintegrin and metalloproteinase domains of ADAM12 are required for its function at invadopodia, whereas the metalloproteinase domain is dispensable for its function at focal adhesions. Taken together, these data suggest that ADAM12 plays a crucial role in tumor invasion and metastasis by regulating both invadopodia and focal adhesions.
Citron kinase – renaissance of a neglected mitotic kinase
Authors: D'Avino Pier Paolo
Published: May 2017

Cell division controls the faithful segregation of genomic and cytoplasmic materials between the two nascent daughter cells. Members of the Aurora, Polo and cyclin-dependent (Cdk) kinase families are known to regulate multiple events throughout cell division, whereas another kinase, citron kinase (CIT-K), for a long time has been considered to function solely during cytokinesis, the last phase of cell division. CIT-K was originally proposed to regulate the ingression of the cleavage furrow that forms at the equatorial cortex of the dividing cell after chromosome segregation. However, studies in the last decade have clarified that this kinase is, instead, required for the organization of the midbody in late cytokinesis, and also revealed novel functions of CIT-K earlier in mitosis and in DNA damage control. Moreover, CIT-K mutations have recently been linked to the development of human microcephaly, and CIT-K has been identified as a potential target in cancer therapy. In this Commentary, I describe and re-evaluate the functions and regulation of CIT-K during cell division and its involvement in human disease. Finally, I offer my perspectives on the open questions and future challenges that are necessary to address, in order to fully understand this important and yet unjustly neglected mitotic kinase.
Multiple activities of Arl1 GTPase in the trans-Golgi network
Authors: Yu Chia-Jung , Lee Fang-Jen S.
Published: May 2017

ADP-ribosylation factors (Arfs) and ADP-ribosylation factor-like proteins (Arls) are highly conserved small GTPases that function as main regulators of vesicular trafficking and cytoskeletal reorganization. Arl1, the first identified member of the large Arl family, is an important regulator of Golgi complex structure and function in organisms ranging from yeast to mammals. Together with its effectors, Arl1 has been shown to be involved in several cellular processes, including endosomal trans-Golgi network and secretory trafficking, lipid droplet and salivary granule formation, innate immunity and neuronal development, stress tolerance, as well as the response of the unfolded protein. In this Commentary, we provide a comprehensive summary of the Arl1-dependent cellular functions and a detailed characterization of several Arl1 effectors. We propose that involvement of Arl1 in these diverse cellular functions reflects the fact that Arl1 is activated at several late-Golgi sites, corresponding to specific molecular complexes that respond to and integrate multiple signals. We also provide insight into how the GTP-GDP cycle of Arl1 is regulated, and highlight a newly discovered mechanism that controls the sophisticated regulation of Arl1 activity at the Golgi complex.