bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Group Lending Model - A Panacea to Reduce Transaction Cost?
Authors: Sharma Sudhir , Singh Priti , Singh Kratika , Chauhan Bhawana 
Published: December 2017

AbstractMicrofinance institutions (MFIs) have stepped up towards commercialization and sustainability yet they face challenges in terms of transaction cost that limit their growth prospects. Transaction cost is incurred in forming the group of members, searching for the potential clients, monitoring, and administration, in providing training to the clients etc. Group lending has emerged as an effective tool in reducing this cost by transferring its burden on the group. Though the concept of group lending is not new in micro finance but in India it was introduced by NABARD in 2004-05 owing to its key advantage of income generation. This paper aims to analyze whether group lending programme has some role to play in reducing transaction cost of MFIs. It also discusses the concept of transaction cost, characteristics of group lending as well as process of forming a group. The results reveal that internal management of small and medium MFIs is not working efficiently which results in increased costs. Large MFIs do not face such problems.
Spiralled patchwork in pottery manufacture and the introduction of farming to Southern Europe
Authors: Gomart Louise , Weiner Allon , Gabriele Marzia , Durrenmath Gilles , Sorin Sabine , Angeli Lucia , Colombo Marta , Fabbri Cristina , Maggi Roberto , Panelli Chiara , Pisani Didier F. , Radi Giovanna , Tozzi Carlo , Binder Didier 
Published: December 2017

Abstract
A Method to Identify Blasting-Induced Damage Zones in Rock Masses Based on the P-Wave Rise Time
Authors: Zhang Yuzhu , Lu Wenbo , Yan Peng , Chen Ming , Yang Jianhua 
Published: December 2017

Abstract
Blasting-induced damage zones in rock masses are commonly identified by changes in the ratio of the P-wave velocities before and after blast. In ultrasonic tests, water is usually adopted as the coupling medium. As the ultrasonic wave propagates in the aqueous medium, the measured P-wave velocity will be affected by the water coupling distance between the transducer and the wall of the test hole. However, compared to the rock material, due to the lower dispersivity of the aqueous medium, the P-wave rise time is nearly unaffected by water coupling distance. The method based on P-wave rise time is as simple and feasible as the method based on P-wave velocity while employed in field testing. Furthermore, when P-wave rise time is used to detect blasting-induced damage zones, the measured data are in less variability and greater reliability than that acquired from the method based on P-wave velocity. As a result, while the P-wave velocity data are highly variable, the damage zone is difficult to discriminate, but it can be relatively easily discriminated using the P-wave rise time.
A Photographic Method for Measuring Soil Deformations during Internal Erosion under Triaxial Stress Conditions
Authors: Chen C. , Zhang L. M. , Zhu Hong 
Published: December 2017

Abstract
Internal erosion involves the migration of soil particles under seepage flow and is a primary cause of dam failure and distress. With the loss of soil particles, the remaining soil grains will rearrange, resulting in soil deformations and significant settlement. In this research, a photographic method was developed to measure the soil deformations caused by internal erosion on a modified triaxial apparatus. Photos were taken by a high-resolution camera at a certain time interval. By comparing image data between any two snapshots, the process of soil deformation can be obtained. In the experiments, the soil specimen experienced marked deformations during internal erosion. Heterogeneous soil deformations also developed across the specimen because of the nonuniformity of the soil pores and the nonuniform migration of fine particles. Both the global and local soil deformations during the whole internal erosion process were obtained using the photographic method. The maximum lateral deformation occurred at the middle part of the soil specimen, whereas the soil deformations along the vertical direction were relatively uniform.
Investigation and Modeling of Sound Absorption Properties of Thin Layer Wearing Course
Authors: Li Mingliang , Xu Bin , Cao Dongwei , Fan Yongjun , Ping Shujiang 
Published: December 2017

Abstract
Thin layer wearing course is commonly used as a noise-reducing pavement in some European countries. The noise-reducing performance is realized because of small surface texture and higher sound absorption properties. In this paper, the investigation focuses on the sound absorption properties of this type of road surface. Laboratory measurements were carried out to observe the sound absorption curves of the thin layer surfacing course. Both slab specimens produced in the lab and cores drilled from practical road sections were involved in the tests. It was found that surfaces with an air voids content less than 12 % show a smaller sound absorption coefficient, whereas surfaces with air voids content higher than 17 % have promising sound absorption properties. Acoustical models were also developed to describe the sound absorption of the thin layer wearing course. The modeling curves fit the test results better when connected air voids were taken into account. The models are considered applicable for examining the sound absorption coefficient with given mixture compositions, and they can also be used for evaluating the tire-road noise for a thin layer wearing course.
Nondestructive Acoustic Emission Test to Evaluate Thermal Damage in Asphalt Concrete Materials
Authors: Behnia Behzad , Buttlar William G. , Reis Henrique 
Published: December 2017

Abstract
This study presents an acoustic emission (AE)-based approach to assess low-temperature cracking behavior of asphalt concrete materials, in which thermally induced damage within asphalt concrete is continuously monitored and evaluated when the material is exposed to decreasing temperatures from 20°C to approximately −50°C. Results of three different asphalt mixtures at three different aging levels (unaged [TANK], Short-term Aged [RTFO], Long-term Aged [PAV]) are presented. Two AE characteristic temperatures, i.e., the embrittlement temperature and the temperature corresponding to the maximum energy event, were sensitive to asphalt type as well as oxidative aging levels of the asphalt concrete materials. Low-temperature cracking performance of asphalt concrete materials was found to be better than what their low-temperature performance grades (PGLTs) suggest. X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) visualization of thermal damage within asphalt concrete showed the formation of microcracks in the mastic along with debondings at the interface of aggregates and mastic.
Effect of Tensile or Compressive Overload on the Fatigue Crack Growth of Friction Stir Welded 19501 Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Gope Prakash Chandra , Kumar Harshit , Purohit Himanshu 
Published: December 2017

Abstract
In this paper, crack growth tests on 19501 aluminum alloy friction stir welded butt joints after a single overload cycle in tension or in compression on compact tension (CT) specimens, along with constant amplitude tests, are investigated. The effect of the tensile overload or compressive overload applied just after 20,000 load cycles on the crack growth rate, crack growth path, and growth profile are investigated. The overload cycle exhibits a significant influence on fatigue life endurance. Increases of 39.14 % and 131.58 % in fatigue life with delayed cycles of 13,874 and 46,646 are seen because of the application of 1.78 times tension or compression overload. The crack propagation after overload cycles is investigated by inspection of the fatigue crack propagation rate. Results are discussed with reference to the retardation characteristic parameters, such as retardation ratio, plastic zone size, crack deviation, etc. Compressive overload is found to be more effective in retarding the growth rates compared to tensile overload of the same magnitude in friction stir welded joints. Secondary crack formation is seen after the tensile overload, whereas no such secondary crack formation is observed with compressive overload. The possible reasons for the crack growth behavior due to tensile or compressive overload are further analyzed in terms of scanning electron micrographs and plastic zone size.
CK2 Oppositely Modulates l-DOPA-Induced Dyskinesia via Striatal Projection Neurons Expressing D1 or D2 Receptors
Authors: Cortés Marisol , Malave Lauren , Castello Julia , Flajolet Marc , Cenci M. Angela , Friedman Eitan , Rebholz Heike 
Published: December 2017

We have previously shown that casein kinase 2 (CK2) negatively regulates dopamine D1 and adenosine A2Areceptor signaling in the striatum. Ablation of CK2 in D1 receptor-positive striatal neurons caused enhanced locomotion and exploration at baseline, whereas CK2 ablation in D2 receptor-positive neurons caused increased locomotion after treatment with A2Aantagonist, caffeine. Because both, D1 and A2Areceptors, play major roles in the cellular responses tol-DOPA in the striatum, these findings prompted us to examine the impact of CK2 ablation on the effects ofl-DOPA treatment in the unilateral 6-OHDA lesioned mouse model of Parkinson's disease. We report here that knock-out of CK2 in striatonigral neurons reduces the severity ofl-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID), a finding that correlates with lowered pERK but unchanged pPKA substrate levels in D1 medium spiny neurons as well as in cholinergic interneurons. In contrast, lack of CK2 in striatopallidal neurons enhances LID and ERK phosphorylation. Coadministration of caffeine with a low dose ofl-DOPA reduces dyskinesia in animals with striatopallidal knock-out to wild-type levels, suggesting a dependence on adenosine receptor activity. We also detect reduced Golflevels in the striatonigral but not in the striatopallidal knock-out in response tol-DOPA treatment.Our work shows, in a rodent model of PD, that treatment-induced dyskinesia and striatal ERK activation are bidirectionally modulated by ablating CK2 in D1- or D2-positive projection neurons, in male and female mice. The results reveal that CK2 regulates signaling events critical to LID in each of the two main populations of striatal neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTTo date,l-DOPA is the most effective treatment for PD. Over time, however, its efficacy decreases, and side effects includingl-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID) increase, affecting up to 78% of patients within 10 years of therapy (Hauser et al., 2007). It is understood that supersensitivity of the striatonigral pathway underlies LID, however, D2 agonists were also shown to induce LID (Bezard et al., 2001; Delfino et al., 2004). Our work implicates a novel player in the expression of LID, the kinase CK2: knock-out of CK2 in striatonigral and striatopallidal neurons has opposing effects on LID. The bidirectional modulation of dyskinesia reveals a central role for CK2 in striatal physiology and indicates that both pathways contribute to LID.
Glial Draper Rescues Aβ Toxicity in aDrosophilaModel of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Ray Arpita , Speese Sean D. , Logan Mary A. 
Published: December 2017

Pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and reactive gliosis. Glial cells offer protection against AD by engulfing extracellular Aβ peptides, but the repertoire of molecules required for glial recognition and destruction of Aβ are still unclear. Here, we show that the highly conserved glial engulfment receptor Draper/MEGF10 provides neuroprotection in an AD model ofDrosophila(both sexes). Neuronal expression of human Aβ42arcin adult flies results in robust Aβ accumulation, neurodegeneration, locomotor dysfunction, and reduced lifespan. Notably, all of these phenotypes are more severe indrapermutant animals, whereas enhanced expression of glial Draper reverses Aβ accumulation, as well as behavioral phenotypes. We also show that the signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat92E), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/AP-1 signaling, and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (Mmp1) are activated downstream of Draper in glia in response to Aβ42arcexposure. Furthermore, Aβ42-induced upregulation of the phagolysosomal markers Atg8 and p62 was notably reduced indrapermutant flies. Based on our findings, we propose that glia clear neurotoxic Aβ peptides in the AD modelDrosophilabrain through a Draper/STAT92E/JNK cascade that may be coupled to protein degradation pathways such as autophagy or more traditional phagolysosomal destruction methods.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTAlzheimer's disease (AD) and similar dementias are common incurable neurodegenerative disorders in the aging population. As the primary immune responders in the brain, glial cells are implicated as key players in the onset and progression of AD and related disorders. Here we show that the glial engulfment receptor Draper is protective in aDrosophilamodel of AD, reducing levels of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides, reversing locomotor defects, and extending lifespan. We further show that protein degradation pathways are induced downstream of Draper in AD model flies, supporting a model in which glia engulf and destroy Aβ peptides to reduce amyloid-associated toxicity.
Sleep Deprivation Promotes Habitual Control over Goal-Directed Control: Behavioral and Neuroimaging Evidence
Authors: Chen Jie , Liang Jie , Lin Xiao , Zhang Yang , Zhang Yan , Lu Lin , Shi Jie 
Published: December 2017

Sleep is one of the most fundamental processes of life, playing an important role in the regulation of brain function. The long-term lack of sleep can cause memory impairments, declines in learning ability, and executive dysfunction. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of sleep deprivation on instrumental learning behavior, particularly goal-directed and habitual actions in humans, and investigated the underlying neural mechanisms. Healthy college students of either gender were enrolled and randomly divided into sleep deprivation group and sleep control group. fMRI data were collected. We found that one night of sleep deprivation led to greater responsiveness to stimuli that were associated with devalued outcomes in the slips-of-action test, indicating a deficit in the formation of goal-directed control and an overreliance on habits. Furthermore, sleep deprivation had no effect on the expression of acquired goal-directed action. The level of goal-directed action after sleep deprivation was positively correlated with baseline working memory capacity. The neuroimaging data indicated that goal-directed learning mainly recruited the ventromedial PFC (vmPFC), the activation of which was less pronounced during goal-directed learning after sleep deprivation. Activation of the vmPFC during goal-directed learning during training was positively correlated with the level of goal-directed action performance. The present study suggests that people rely predominantly on habits at the expense of goal-directed control after sleep deprivation, and this process involves the vmPFC. These results contribute to a better understanding of the effects of sleep loss on decision-making.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTUnderstanding the cognitive consequences of sleep deprivation has become extremely important over the past half century, given the continued decline in sleep duration in industrialized societies. Our results provide novel evidence that goal-directed action may be particularly vulnerable to sleep loss, and the brain mechanism underlying this effect was explored. Elucidation of the effects of sleep deprivation on decision-making will deepen our understanding of the function of sleep, emphasizing the role of sleep in cognitive impairments and mental health.
Transient Hypoxemia Chronically Disrupts Maturation of Preterm Fetal Ovine Subplate Neuron Arborization and Activity
Authors: McClendon Evelyn , Shaver Daniel C. , Degener-O'Brien Kiera , Gong Xi , Nguyen Thuan , Hoerder-Suabedissen Anna , Molnár Zoltán , Mohr Claudia , Richardson Ben D. , Rossi David J. , Back Stephen A. 
Published: December 2017

Preterm infants are at risk for a broad spectrum of neurobehavioral disabilities associated with diffuse disturbances in cortical growth and development. During brain development, subplate neurons (SPNs) are a largely transient population that serves a critical role to establish functional cortical circuits. By dynamically integrating into developing cortical circuits, they assist in consolidation of intracortical and extracortical circuits. Although SPNs reside in close proximity to cerebral white matter, which is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress, the susceptibility of SPNs remains controversial. We determined SPN responses to two common insults to the preterm brain: hypoxia-ischemia and hypoxia. We used a preterm fetal sheep model using both sexes that reproduces the spectrum of human cerebral injury and abnormal cortical growth. Unlike oligodendrocyte progenitors, SPNs displayed pronounced resistance to early or delayed cell death from hypoxia or hypoxia-ischemia. We thus explored an alternative hypothesis that these insults alter the maturational trajectory of SPNs. We used DiOlistic labeling to visualize the dendrites of SPNs selectively labeled for complexin-3. SPNs displayed reduced basal dendritic arbor complexity that was accompanied by chronic disturbances in SPN excitability and synaptic activity. SPN dysmaturation was significantly associated with the level of fetal hypoxemia and metabolic stress. Hence, despite the resistance of SPNs to insults that trigger white matter injury, transient hypoxemia disrupted SPN arborization and functional maturation during a critical window in cortical development. Strategies directed at limiting the duration or severity of hypoxemia during brain development may mitigate disturbances in cerebral growth and maturation related to SPN dysmaturation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe human preterm brain commonly sustains blood flow and oxygenation disturbances that impair cerebral cortex growth and cause life-long cognitive and learning disabilities. We investigated the fate of subplate neurons (SPNs), which are a master regulator of brain development that plays critical roles in establishing cortical connections to other brain regions. We used a preterm fetal sheep model that reproduces key features of brain injury in human preterm survivors. We analyzed the responses of fetal SPNs to transient disturbances in fetal oxygenation. We discovered that SPNs are surprisingly resistant to cell death from low oxygen states but acquire chronic structural and functional changes that suggest new strategies to prevent learning problems in children and adults that survive preterm birth.
Familiar But Unexpected: Effects of Sound Context Statistics on Auditory Responses in the Songbird Forebrain
Authors: Lu Kai , Vicario David S. 
Published: December 2017

Rapid discrimination of salient acoustic signals in the noisy natural environment may depend, not only on specific stimulus features, but also on previous experience that generates expectations about upcoming events. We studied the neural correlates of expectation in the songbird forebrain by using natural vocalizations as stimuli and manipulating the category and familiarity of context sounds. In our paradigm, we recorded bilaterally from auditory neurons in awake adult male zebra finches with multiple microelectrodes during repeated playback of a conspecific song, followed by further playback of this test song in different interleaved sequences with other conspecific or heterospecific songs. Significant enhancement in the auditory response to the test song was seen when its acoustic features differed from the statistical distribution of context song features, but not when it shared the same distribution. Enhancement was also seen when the time of occurrence of the test song was uncertain. These results show that auditory forebrain responses in awake animals in the passive hearing state are modulated dynamically by previous auditory experience and imply that the auditory system can identify the category of a sound based on the global features of the acoustic context. Furthermore, this probability-dependent enhancement in responses to surprising stimuli is independent of stimulus-specific adaptation, which tracks familiarity, suggesting that the two processes could coexist in auditory processing. These findings establish the songbird as a model system for studying these phenomena and contribute to our understanding of statistical learning and the origin of human ERP phenomena to unexpected stimuli.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTTraditional auditory neurophysiology has mapped acoustic features of sounds to the response properties of neurons; however, growing evidence suggests that neurons can also encode the probability of sounds. We recorded responses of songbird auditory neurons in a novel paradigm that presented a familiar test stimulus in a sequence with similar or dissimilar sounds. The responses encode, not only stimulus familiarity, but also the expectation for a class of sounds based on the recent statistics of varying sounds in the acoustic context. Our approach thus provides a model system that uses a controlled stimulus paradigm to understand the mechanisms by which top-down processes (expectation and memory) and bottom-up processes (based on stimulus features) interact in sensory coding.
Genetic influence on the associations between IGF-I and glucose metabolism in a cohort of elderly twins
Authors: Jensen Rikke Beck , Thankamony Ajay , Holst Klaus K , Janssen Joseph A M J L , Juul Anders , Dunger David , Poulsen Pernille , Scheike Thomas 
Published: December 2017

Objective
IGF-I may be a marker of later metabolic and cardiovascular disease. The interactions between IGF-I and glucose metabolism are multifactorial, and there is potential confounding from several secondary effects. In this study, we examined the interaction between IGF-I and glucose metabolism in a large cohort of clinically well-characterized elderly twins.

Design
A total of 303 twin pairs of the same gender (606 twins) were included in the study; 125 monozygotic and 178 dizygotic twin pairs.

Methods
A clinical examination including a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and anthropometric measurements was performed.

Results
The heritability estimates were high for IGF-I and IGFBP-3 (h2: 0.65 (95% CI: 0.55–0.74) and 0.71 (0.48–0.94), respectively) and for insulin secretion (h2 = 0.56, P < 0.0001), whereas the heritability estimates for insulin sensitivity were low (h2 = 0.14, P = 0.11). In a multiple regression analysis (adjusting for age, gender and twin status), there was a negative association between IGF-I and insulin sensitivity (B: −0.13, SE 0.03, P < 0.0001) and IGF-I and disposition index (B: −0.05, SE 0.02, P < 0.001) in the entire cohort of 606 twins. The associations between IGF-I and both DI and HOMA-S did not differ between the DZ and MZ twins. Forty-five twin pairs were discordant for T2D, but the discordant twins had similar concentrations of IGF-I or IGFBP-3.

Conclusions
There was a high heritability for IGF-I and IGFBP-3, but a low heritability for insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in a group of elderly twins. In addition, we found a strong negative relationship between IGF-I and insulin sensitivity, which did not seem to be strongly genetically determined.
<i>Becoming Mexican American</i>: An Empowering Exemplar of Social and Cultural History
Authors: Macías Anthony 
Published: December 2017

I am honored to evaluate George Sánchez’s groundbreaking, meticulously researched monograph Becoming Mexican American: Ethnicity, Culture, and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900–1945. No matter how many years pass, I will always consider myself George’s grateful student, just as I will always be a humble student of history. Accordingly, this essay mixes the personal and professional as it illustrates the methodological, theoretical, and historiographical impact of Becoming Mexican American on my own research and on Chicana/Chicano history, as well as the importance of Sánchez’s other scholarship and his mentorship.