cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
A Bivariate Genome-Wide Approach to Metabolic Syndrome: STAMPEED Consortium
Creators: name: O'Reilly, P. F.
name: Zhang, Q.
name: Pankow, J. S.
name: Iribarren, C.
name: Vaidya, D.
name: Absher, D.
name: Goodarzi, M. O.
name: Quertermous, T.
name: Kral, B.
name: Hartikainen, A.-L.
name: North, K. E.
name: Yanek, L.
name: Franceschini, N.
name: Jaquish, C.
name: Couper, D. J.
name: Glazer, N. L.
name: Province, M. A.
name: McCarthy, M. I.
name: Assimes, T. L.
name: Becker, L. C.
name: Chakravarti, A.
name: Mathias, R. A.
name: Boerwinkle, E.
name: Haritunians, T.
name: Psaty, B. M.
name: Li, G.
name: Kraja, A. T.
name: Kullo, I. J.
name: Sun, Y. V.
name: Knowles, J. W.
name: Feitosa, M. F.
name: Sovio, U.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2011

description: OBJECTIVE The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined as concomitant disorders of lipid and glucose metabolism, central obesity, and high blood pressure, with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This study tests whether common genetic variants with pleiotropic effects account for some of the correlated architecture among five metabolic phenotypes that define MetS.
Polynomial Invariants for Arbitrary Rank $D$ Weakly-Colored Stranded Graphs
Creators: name: Avohou, Remi Cocou
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Combinatorics (math.CO)
subject: Mathematical Physics (math-ph)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: 05C10, 57M15

description: Polynomials on stranded graphs are higher dimensional generalization of Tutte and Bollobás-Riordan polynomials [Math. Ann. 323 (2002), 81-96]. Here, we deepen the analysis of the polynomial invariant defined on rank 3 weakly-colored stranded graphs introduced in arXiv:1301.1987. We successfully find in dimension $D\geq3$ a modified Euler characteristic with $D-2$ parameters. Using this modified invariant, we extend the rank 3 weakly-colored graph polynomial, and its main properties, on rank 4 and then on arbitrary rank $D$ weakly-colored stranded graphs.
description: Basic definitions overlap with arXiv:1301.1987
Angiotensin II Receptors Modulate Muscle Microvascular and Metabolic Responses to Insulin In Vivo
Creators: name: Wang, Wenhui
name: Dong, Zhenhua
name: Liu, Zhenqi
name: Chai, Weidong
name: Cao, Wenhong
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2011

description: OBJECTIVEAngiotensin (ANG) II interacts with insulin-signaling pathways to regulate insulin sensitivity. The type 1 (AT1R) and type 2 (AT2R) receptors reciprocally regulate basal perfusion of muscle microvasculature. Unopposed AT2R activity increases muscle microvascular blood volume (MBV) and glucose extraction, whereas unopposed AT1R activity decreases both. The current study examined whether ANG II receptors modulate muscle insulin delivery and sensitivity.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSOvernight-fasted rats were studied. In protocol 1, rats received a 2-h infusion of saline, insulin (3 mU/kg/min), insulin plus PD123319 (AT2R blocker), or insulin plus losartan (AT1R blocker, intravenously). Muscle MBV, microvascular flow velocity, and microvascular blood flow (MBF) were determined. In protocol 2, rats received 125I-insulin with or without PD123319, and muscle insulin uptake was determined.RESULTSInsulin significantly increased muscle MBV and MBF. AT2R blockade abolished insulin-mediated increases in muscle MBV and MBF and decreased insulin-stimulated glucose disposal by ~30%. In contrast, losartan plus insulin increased muscle MBV by two- to threefold without further increasing insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. Plasma nitric oxide increased by >50% with insulin and insulin plus losartan but not with insulin plus PD123319. PD123319 markedly decreased muscle insulin uptake and insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation.CONCLUSIONSWe conclude that both AT1Rs and AT2Rs regulate insulin’s microvascular and metabolic action in muscle. Although AT1R activity restrains muscle metabolic responses to insulin via decreased microvascular recruitment and insulin delivery, AT2R activity is required for normal microvascular responses to insulin. Thus, pharmacologic manipulation aimed at increasing the AT2R-to-AT1R activity ratio may afford the potential to improve muscle insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
$N$-Branching random walk with $α$-stable spine
Creators: name: Mallein, Bastien
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Probability (math.PR)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: 60J80, 60G52

description: We consider a branching-selection particle system on the real line, introduced by Brunet and Derrida. In this model the size of the population is fixed to a constant $N$. At each step individuals in the population reproduce independently, making children around their current position. Only the $N$ rightmost children survive to reproduce at the next step. Bérard and Gouéré studied the speed at which the cloud of individuals drifts, assuming the tails of the displacement decays at exponential rate; Bérard and Maillard took interest in the case of heavy tail displacements. We take interest in an intermediate model, considering branching random walks in which the critical spine behaves as an $α$-stable random walk.
Cosmological Tests of Modified Gravity
Creators: name: Koyama, Kazuya
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)
subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We review recent progress in the construction of modified gravity models as alternatives to dark energy as well as the development of cosmological tests of gravity. Einstein's theory of General Relativity (GR) has been tested accurately within the local universe i.e. the Solar System, but this leaves the possibility open that it is not a good description of gravity at the largest scales in the Universe. This being said, the standard model of cosmology assumes GR on all scales. In 1998, astronomers made the surprising discovery that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, not slowing down. This late-time acceleration of the Universe has become the most challenging problem in theoretical physics. Within the framework of GR, the acceleration would originate from an unknown dark energy. Alternatively, it could be that there is no dark energy and GR itself is in error on cosmological scales. In this review, we first give an overview of recent developments in modified gravity theories including $f(R)$ gravity, braneworld gravity, Horndeski theory and massive/bigravity theory. We then focus on common properties these models share, such as screening mechanisms they use to evade the stringent Solar System tests. Once armed with a theoretical knowledge of modified gravity models, we move on to discuss how we can test modifications of gravity on cosmological scales. We present tests of gravity using linear cosmological perturbations and review the latest constraints on deviations from the standard $Λ$CDM model. Since screening mechanisms leave distinct signatures in the non-linear structure formation, we also review novel astrophysical tests of gravity using clusters, dwarf galaxies and stars.
description: 82 pages, 28 figures. This review is partly based on arXiv:1304.0601, arXiv:1305.0279 and arXiv:1503.06673. Published version
Apolipoprotein E4 Exaggerates Diabetic Dyslipidemia and Atherosclerosis in Mice Lacking the LDL Receptor
Creators: name: Maeda, N.
name: Kim, H.-S.
name: Fox, R. G.
name: Arbones-Mainar, J. M.
name: Altenburg, M. K.
name: Johnson, L. A.
name: Pendse, A. A.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2011

description: OBJECTIVEWe investigated the differential roles of apolipoprotein E (apoE) isoforms in modulating diabetic dyslipidemia—a potential cause of the increased cardiovascular disease risk of patients with diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSDiabetes was induced using streptozotocin (STZ) in human apoE3 (E3) or human apoE4 (E4) mice deficient in the LDL receptor (LDLR−/−).RESULTSDiabetic E3LDLR−/− and E4LDLR−/− mice have indistinguishable levels of plasma glucose and insulin. Despite this, diabetes increased VLDL triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in E4LDLR−/− mice twice as much as in E3LDLR−/− mice. Diabetic E4LDLR−/− mice had similar lipoprotein fractional catabolic rates compared with diabetic E3LDLR−/− mice but had larger hepatic fat stores and increased VLDL secretion. Diabetic E4LDLR−/− mice demonstrated a decreased reliance on lipid as an energy source based on indirect calorimetry. Lower phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase content and higher gene expression of fatty acid synthase in the liver indicated reduced fatty acid oxidation and increased fatty acid synthesis. E4LDLR−/− primary hepatocytes cultured in high glucose accumulated more intracellular lipid than E3LDLR−/− hepatocytes concomitant with a 60% reduction in fatty acid oxidation. Finally, the exaggerated dyslipidemia in diabetic E4LDLR−/− mice was accompanied by a dramatic increase in atherosclerosis.CONCLUSIONSApoE4 causes severe dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis independent of its interaction with LDLR in a model of STZ-induced diabetes. ApoE4-expressing livers have reduced fatty acid oxidation, which contributes to the accumulation of tissue and plasma lipids.
title: The Development of Tetracycline Dependent Pancreatic Cancer Cells and the Evaluation of CapG and Gelsolin Expression on Pancreatic Cancer Cell Motility In Vitro
Creators: name: Patel, Sabina
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2023

description: Precise control of the level of protein expression in cells can facilitate functional studies providing information on the role of given proteins. In this thesis, I describe the generation of tetracycline-inducible pancreatic cancer cells and the subsequent use of these in the functional characterisation of an actin capping protein, CapG. Such cells were obtained in three pancreatic cancer cell lines, Panc-I, Suit-2 and MiaPaCa-2 cells through consecutive transfections with two plasmid constructs. The first of these harboured a second-generation reverse tetracycline-controlled transactivator protein (rtTA) whilst the second, contained the gene of interest (CapG or luciferase) under the control of a tetracycline response promoter element (pTRE). Suit-2 derived tetracycline inducible clones, along with stable doxycycline-inducible hepatoma cell lines, were used to study the effect of modulating CapG expression on cell motility. Here I report that stable introduction of a pTRE2hygCapG construct into two doxycycline-inducible clones derived from Suit-2 cells, Suit-2 ptet1I and Suit-2 ptet29 clones resulted in a dose and time-dependent increase of CapG expression in response to doxycycline. Moreover, doxycycline-mediated upregulation of CapG expression led to a significant increase in the wound healing capacity of Suit-2 ptet29 cells. The expression of a related actin binding and cell motility protein, gelsolin was also determined. Immunostaining of benign (n=24 patients) and malignant (n=68 patients) pancreatic ductal cells revealed higher gelsolin expression in the malignant state (P
Association of a Fasting Glucose Genetic Risk Score With Subclinical Atherosclerosis: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study
Creators: name: Folsom, A. R.
name: Bielinski, S. J.
name: Rasmussen-Torvik, L. J.
name: Kao, W. H.
name: Couper, D.
name: Pankow, J. S.
name: Li, M.
name: Boerwinkle, E.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2011

description: Elevated fasting glucose level is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis. It is unclear if this association is causal. Using the principle of Mendelian randomization, we sought to explore the causal association between circulating glucose and IMT by examining the association of a genetic risk score with IMT. The sample was drawn from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and included 7,260 nondiabetic Caucasian individuals with IMT measurements and relevant genotyping. Components of the fasting glucose genetic risk score (FGGRS) were selected from a fasting glucose genome-wide association study in ARIC. The score was created by combining five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs780094 [GCKR], rs560887 [G6PC2], rs4607517 [GCK], rs13266634 [SLC30A8], and rs10830963 [MTNR1B]) and weighting each SNP by its strength of association with fasting glucose. IMT was measured through bilateral carotid ultrasound. Mean IMT was regressed on the FGGRS and on the component SNPs, individually. The FGGRS was significantly associated (P = 0.009) with mean IMT. The difference in IMT predicted by a 1 SD increment in the FGGRS (0.0048 mm) was not clinically relevant but was larger than would have been predicted based on observed associations between the FFGRS, fasting glucose, and IMT. Additional adjustment for baseline measured glucose in regression models attenuated the association by about one third. The significant association of the FGGRS with IMT suggests a possible causal association of elevated fasting glucose with atherosclerosis, although it may be that these loci influence IMT through nonglucose pathways.
title: The role of the verb in the development of syntax: evidence from the structural priming paradigm
Creators: name: Peter, Michelle
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2015

description: In recent years, researchers have tended to use structural priming to distinguish between the core predictions of nativist and constructivist theories of syntax acquisition. Although this has been useful for our understanding of what early syntactic knowledge is like, this focus on children’s initial representations, rather than on the process of development, means that it is still unclear how children’s syntactic knowledge becomes adult-like. To address this issue, this thesis used structural priming to investigate the role of the verb in the development of syntax. In particular, the present work explored how two lexical effects - verb overlap and verb bias – influence structure choice in children and adults for dative and transitive structures. A number of conclusions were drawn: First, the present work revealed there to be a complex relationship between knowledge about syntactic structure and knowledge about verbs; children as young as three have already formed abstract representations of the dative structure, but have also already begun to learn the syntactic preferences of dative verbs. Thus, it was concluded that neither nativist nor constructivist theories can fully explain the abstract and lexical patterning of children’s early syntactic knowledge. Second, the findings showed that experience with verbs is important for the strengthening of verb-structure links across development. Third, the present work indicated that adults seem to track the frequency with which verbs occur in their syntactic structures, and that this knowledge can affect the way in which these syntactic representations are stored and activated. The implications of these findings for theories of syntactic development are discussed, and future directions for research are considered.
From vertex operator algebras to conformal nets and back
Creators: name: Carpi, Sebastiano
name: Kawahigashi, Yasuyuki
name: Longo, Roberto
name: Weiner, Mihály
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Operator Algebras (math.OA)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: Mathematical Physics (math-ph)
subject: Quantum Algebra (math.QA)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: 46L60, 17B69, 81T05, 81T40

description: We consider unitary simple vertex operator algebras whose vertex operators satisfy certain energy bounds and a strong form of locality and call them strongly local. We present a general procedure which associates to every strongly local vertex operator algebra V a conformal net A_V acting on the Hilbert space completion of V and prove that the isomorphism class of A_V does not depend on the choice of the scalar product on V. We show that the class of strongly local vertex operator algebras is closed under taking tensor products and unitary subalgebras and that, for every strongly local vertex operator algebra V, the map W\mapsto A_W gives a one-to-one correspondence between the unitary subalgebras W of V and the covariant subnets of A_V. Many known examples of vertex operator algebras such as the unitary Virasoro vertex operator algebras, the unitary affine Lie algebras vertex operator algebras, the known c=1 unitary vertex operator algebras, the moonshine vertex operator algebra, together with their coset and orbifold subalgebras, turn out to be strongly local. We give various applications of our results. In particular we show that the even shorter Moonshine vertex operator algebra is strongly local and that the automorphism group of the corresponding conformal net is the Baby Monster group. We prove that a construction of Fredenhagen and Jörss gives back the strongly local vertex operator algebra V from the conformal net A_V and give conditions on a conformal net A implying that A= A_V for some strongly local vertex operator algebra V.
description: Minor corrections
Congenital Hyperinsulinism and Glucose Hypersensitivity in Homozygous and Heterozygous Carriers of Kir6.2 (KCNJ11) Mutation V290M Mutation: KATP Channel Inactivation Mechanism and Clinical Management
Creators: name: de Ville de Goyet, J.
name: Pizzoferro, M.
name: Colombo, C.
name: Akrouh, A.
name: Nichols, C. G.
name: Koster, J. C.
name: Kurata, H. T.
name: Dionisi-Vici, C.
name: Barbetti, F.
name: Loechner, K. J.
name: Rufini, V.
name: Maiorana, A.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2011

description: OBJECTIVE The ATP-sensitive K+ channel (KATP) controls insulin secretion from the islet. Gain- or loss-of-function mutations in channel subunits underlie human neonatal diabetes and congenital hyperinsulinism (HI), respectively. In this study, we sought to identify the mechanistic basis of KATP-induced HI in two probands and to characterize the clinical course.
Equitable Mirrors
Creators: name: Douglas, Casey
name: Kose, Emek
name: Stack, Nora
name: VanBlargan, Caroline
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)
subject: Differential Geometry (math.DG)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: In this article we explore some finer properties of equi-areal mirrors and introduce techniques for developing new mirror surfaces that simultaneously minimize angular and areal distortion.
description: 10 pages, 20 figures
Duration of Lactation and Maternal Adipokines at 3 Years Postpartum
Creators: name: Stuebe, A. M.
name: Kleinman, K.
name: Rifas-Shiman, S.
name: Gunderson, E. P.
name: Mantzoros, C.
name: Rich-Edwards, J.
name: Gillman, M. W.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2011

description: OBJECTIVELactation has been associated with reduced maternal risk of type 2 diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. We examined the relationship between breastfeeding duration and maternal adipokines at 3 years postpartum.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe used linear regression to relate the duration of lactation to maternal leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, and peptide YY (PYY) at 3 years postpartum among 570 participants with 3-year postpartum blood samples (178 fasting), prospectively collected lactation history, and no intervening pregnancy in Project Viva, a cohort study of mothers and children.RESULTSA total of 88% of mothers had initiated breastfeeding, 26% had breastfed ≥12 months, and 42% had exclusively breastfed for ≥3 months. In multivariate analyses, we found that duration of total breastfeeding was directly related to PYY and ghrelin, and exclusive breastfeeding duration was directly related to ghrelin (predicted mean for never exclusively breastfeeding: 790.6 pg/mL vs. ≥6 months of exclusive breastfeeding: 1,008.1 pg/mL; P < 0.01) at 3 years postpartum, adjusting for pregravid BMI, gestational weight gain, family history of diabetes, parity, smoking status, and age. We found a nonlinear pattern of association between exclusive breastfeeding duration and adiponectin in multivariate-adjusted models.CONCLUSIONSIn this prospective cohort study, we found a direct relationship between the duration of lactation and both ghrelin and PYY at 3 years postpartum.
title: Student retention and achievement in the further education : towards an understanding of organisational consequences
Creators: name: James Jenkins, Wyndham
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2023

description: This dissertation describes an investigation into student retention and achievement in English further education colleges. General and tertiary (GTE) colleges offer largely, but not exclusively, vocational qualifications (some do offer A-levels) to full and part time students. Sixth form colleges at the time of this study focused largely on full time students studying academic A-levels. 84% of sixth form colleges in the sample had more than 50% of A-levels in their curricula. 90% of the GTE colleges had less than 28% of A-levels in their curricula. Overall the sixth form colleges had higher retention and achievement rates than GTE colleges. The work carried out in this study confirms that in both sectors there was a wide range of performance differences between colleges. A major principle of government policy was founded on the contested belief that effective management was at the root of college performance. Other research suggested that students' personal circumstances and previous educational experiences would be significantly influential in explaining differences between colleges.
title: Simulation of chiral ordering process in the adsorption of chiral organic molecules on metal surfaces by Monte Carlo methods
Creators: name: Olivier Ayissi, Serge
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2023

description: Experimental observations have shown that haloalkane molecules, e.g. l-cWorododecane, physisorbed on Si(111)-(7 x 7) self-assemble to form dimers stable to 100Ã‚Â° C which corral silicon adatoms. The corral size is governed by the haloalkane chain-length. Spectroscopic and theoretical evidence shows that the haloalkane dimer induces electron transfer to the corralled adatom. The enclosed silicon adatom, within a bistable dimeric corral of self-assembled chlorododecane molecules, switches its energy levels permanently (Type-II corrals) or discontinuously (Type-I corrals). Both types of corral, switching and stable, can be seen to alter the local surface charge distribution. Density Functional Theory and electron transport (STM) simulations of the switch and the stable molecular configurations can help the theoretical understanding of both phenomena in order to characterized the exact molecular conformations that produce field effects to the corralled silicon adatom and local surface charge distribution. Chiral heterogeneous catalysts are mostly fabricated from chiral molecules on a metal support. They playa crucial role in intermediate reactions in the fabrication of pharmacies, itself and important part of today's health econolPY. However, the key parameters in the fabrication of these catalysts, a requirements for their rational design, are still poorly understood despite years of experimental research. In essence, such an understanding can only come from high-level simulations. Here, we present the first predictions about the structure of such a catalyst, tartaric acid on a copper support, over the whole phase space of temperature and coverage. Interestingly, we find that molecular vibrations playa key role in the ensuing ordered structures, and that tuning the fabrication temperature should allow for a wide range of molecular separations, which can be targeted at specific molecules and reactions in chiral heterogeneous catalysis.
HLA-A2-Matched Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells From Type 1 Diabetic Patients, but Not Nondiabetic Donors, Transfer Insulitis to NOD-scid/ cnull/HLA-A2 Transgenic Mice Concurrent With the Expansion of Islet-Specific CD8+ T cells
Creators: name: Byrd, W.
name: Young, E. F.
name: Largay, J.
name: Patel, S.
name: Buse, J.
name: Talmage, G.
name: Calikoglu, A. S.
name: Azam, A.
name: Whitfield-Larry, F.
name: Shultz, L. D.
name: Frelinger, J. A.
name: Fudge, E.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2011

description: OBJECTIVEType 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing β-cells. NOD mice provide a useful tool for understanding disease pathogenesis and progression. Although much has been learned from studies with NOD mice, increased understanding of human type 1 diabetes can be gained by evaluating the pathogenic potential of human diabetogenic effector cells in vivo. Therefore, our objective in this study was to develop a small-animal model using human effector cells to study type 1 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe adoptively transferred HLA-A2–matched peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from type 1 diabetic patients and nondiabetic control subjects into transgenic NOD-scid/γcnull/HLA-A*0201 (NOD-scid/γcnull/A2) mice. At various times after adoptive transfer, we determined the ability of these mice to support the survival and proliferation of the human lymphoid cells. Human lymphocytes were isolated and assessed from the blood, spleen, pancreatic lymph node and islets of NOD-scid/γcnull/A2 mice after transfer.RESULTSHuman T and B cells proliferate and survive for at least 6 weeks and were recovered from the blood, spleen, draining pancreatic lymph node, and most importantly, islets of NOD-scid/γcnull/A2 mice. Lymphocytes from type 1 diabetic patients preferentially infiltrate the islets of NOD-scid/γcnull/A2 mice. In contrast, PBMCs from nondiabetic HLA-A2–matched donors showed significantly less islet infiltration. Moreover, in mice that received PBMCs from type 1 diabetic patients, we identified epitope-specific CD8+ T cells among the islet infiltrates.CONCLUSIONSWe show that insulitis is transferred to NOD-scid/γcnull/A2 mice that received HLA-A2–matched PBMCs from type 1 diabetic patients. In addition, many of the infiltrating CD8+ T cells are epitope-specific and produce interferon-γ after in vitro peptide stimulation. This indicates that NOD-scid/γcnull/A2 mice transferred with HLA-A2–matched PBMCs from type 1 diabetic patients may serve as a useful tool for studying epitope-specific T-cell–mediated responses in patients with type 1 diabetes.
title: Green supply chain management in manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises: Perspectives from Chang Chiang Delta
Creators: name: Huang, Xiangmeng
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2015

description: This research started from an interest in how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing industry within the geographical area of Chang Chiang Delta in China operate with respect to sustainability by developing green supply chain management (GSCM). Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate what the pressures are for SME manufacturers to implement GSCM practices, and to examine the relationship between those practices and corresponding performance at a regional level in the context of Chang Chiang Delta in China. To accomplish this task, a range of literature is evaluated, focusing on GSCM theories and adoptions. This review reveals a research gap regarding SMEs’ implementation of GSCM, to which this study responds. The research is underpinned by an interpretive epistemology and a multi-method design. It is an exploratory and empirical study with two rounds of primary data collection gathered from SME manufacturers in the Chang Chiang Delta region of China, which contains the triangular-shaped territory of Shanghai, southern Jiangsu Province and northern Zhejiang Province, including the urban cores of five cities – Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Ningbo. In addition, a qualitative case study is employed in this research to provide more detailed information of GSCM implementation in SMEs. The results derived from both the questionnaire survey and the case study provide strong evidence that Chinese manufacturing SMEs have been under pressures relating to regulatory, customer, supplier, public and internal aspects from different stakeholder parties in terms of GSCM. In response to these pressures, SMEs have tried some GSCM practices, including green purchasing, eco-design, investment recovery, cooperation with customers and internal environmental management, and these practices are specific to the industrial sector considered in this study. But these practices do contribute to improving performance economically, environmentally and operationally. From the literature review and the empirical findings, this research provides contributions to knowledge, as well as managerial implications. It contributes to knowledge by providing conceptual and empirical insights into how GSCM is viewed and developed among SME manufacturers, clarifying the conceptions relating to sustainability, and incorporating stakeholder theory and the theory of industrial ecology in examining GSCM development. This study also provides practical implications by providing suggestions and guidance to governments, the public, suppliers and customers across the chain, as well as the managers of SMEs, and proposing an optimised model for the selected case for improved GSCM performance.
Consistent Directions of Effect for Established Type 2 Diabetes Risk Variants Across Populations: The Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) Consortium
Creators: name: Crawford, D. C.
name: Buyske, S.
name: Hindorff, L. A.
name: Monroe, K. R.
name: Shrader, P.
name: Haessler, J.
name: Mukamal, K. J.
name: Voruganti, V. S.
name: Ambite, J. L.
name: Fesinmeyer, M. D.
name: Goodloe, R. J.
name: Meigs, J. B.
name: Franceschini, N.
name: Jackson, R. D.
name: Pendergrass, S. A.
name: Le Marchand, L.
name: Waters, K.
name: Florez, J. C.
name: Liu, S.
name: Wilkens, L. R.
name: Spencer, K. L.
name: Haiman, C. A.
name: Pankow, J. S.
name: Buzkova, P.
name: Peters, U.
name: Manson, J. E.
name: Kolonel, L. N.
name: Howard, B. V.
name: North, K. E.
name: Wan, P.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2012

description: Common genetic risk variants for type 2 diabetes (T2D) have primarily been identified in populations of European and Asian ancestry. We tested whether the direction of association with 20 T2D risk variants generalizes across six major racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. as part of the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology Consortium (16,235 diabetes case and 46,122 control subjects of European American, African American, Hispanic, East Asian, American Indian, and Native Hawaiian ancestry). The percentage of positive (odds ratio [OR] >1 for putative risk allele) associations ranged from 69% in American Indians to 100% in European Americans. Of the nine variants where we observed significant heterogeneity of effect by racial/ethnic group (P(heterogeneity) < 0.05), eight were positively associated with risk (OR >1) in at least five groups. The marked directional consistency of association observed for most genetic variants across populations implies a shared functional common variant in each region. Fine-mapping of all loci will be required to reveal markers of risk that are important within and across populations.
Representations distinguished by pairs of exceptional representations and a conjecture of Savin
Creators: name: Kaplan, Eyal
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Representation Theory (math.RT)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: 11E95 (primary), 11F85 (secondary)

description: We study representations of GL(n) appearing as quotients of a tensor of exceptional representations, in the sense of Kazhdan and Patterson. Such representations are called distinguished. We characterize distinguished principal series representations in terms of their inducing data. In particular, we complete the proof of a conjecture of Savin, relating distinguished spherical representations to the image of the tautological lift from a suitable classical group.
Influence of orbital nematic order on spin responses in Fe-based superconductors
Creators: name: Su, Yuehua
name: Zhang, Chao
name: Li, Tao
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Superconductivity (cond-mat.supr-con)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Electronic nematicity is ubiquitous in Fe-based superconductors, but what the primary nematic order is and how the various nematic phenomena correlate with each other are still elusive. In this manuscript we study the physical consequence of the orbital nematic order on the spin correlations. We find that the orbital nematic order can drive a significant spin nematicity and can enhance the integrated intensity of the spin fluctuations. Our study shows that the orbital nematic order has strong effect on the spin correlations and it can not be taken as an unimportant secondary effect of the nematic state in Fe-based superconductors.
description: 6 pages, 4 figures, revised version for publication
Hyperglycemia Enhances IGF-I-Stimulated Src Activation via Increasing Nox4-Derived Reactive Oxygen Species in a PKC -Dependent Manner in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Creators: name: Gollahon, K.
name: Shen, X.
name: Clemmons, D. R.
name: Wai, C.
name: Maile, L. A.
name: Xi, G.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2012

description: IGF-I–stimulated sarcoma viral oncogene (Src) activation during hyperglycemia is required for propagating downstream signaling. The aim of the current study was to determine the mechanism by which hyperglycemia enhances IGF-I–stimulated Src activation and the role of NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) and protein kinase C ζ (PKCζ) in mediating this response in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Nox4 expression was analyzed in VSMCs exposed to hyperglycemia. The role of Nox4-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) in IGF-I–stimulated Src activation was investigated via knockdown of Nox4. Different isoforms of PKC were screened to investigate their role in hyperglycemia-induced Nox4. The oxidation of Src was shown to be a prerequisite for its activation in response to IGF-I during hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia induced Nox4, but not Nox1, and p22 phagocyte oxidase (p22phox) expression and IGF-I stimulated Nox4/p22phox complex formation, leading to increased ROS generation. Knockdown of Nox4 prevented ROS generation and impaired the oxidation and activation of Src in response to IGF-I, whereas knockdown of Nox1 had no effect. PKCζ was shown to mediate the hyperglycemia-induced increase in Nox4 expression. The key observations in cultured VSMCs were confirmed in the diabetic mice. Nox4-derived ROS is responsible for the enhancing effect of hyperglycemia on IGF-I–stimulated Src activation, which in turn amplifies IGF-I–linked downstream signaling and biological actions.
title: Mode III Fracture in Advanced Engineering Materials
Creators: name: Christou Pennas, Dimitrios
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2023

description: Delamination is a fundamental failure mode of laminated composites. When laminates are subjected to out-of-plane loading, the resin matrices between the plies often fail, resulting in ply separation or delamination failure. Such loading conditions occur in various ways and depend heavily on the load transfer mo~es in the composite structures. Delamination cracks can be visualised in the fracture mechanics sense to grow, and thus can be characterised in Mode I (opening), Mode II (shear) and Mode III (scissoring or anti-plane shear) and their combinations. __The test techniques for delamination in Mode I and Mode II, as well as mixed Mode IIII, have been well established. However, few workers have investigated the Mode III interlaminar fracture properties of composites, partly because of the experimental difficulties associated with the introduction of pure Mode III loading to the delamination crack. The aim of this study was to investigate the Mode III interlaminar fracture properties of composite materials based on both thermoplastic and thermosetting matrices, adhesive joints and bi-material samples. For this reason, both numerical and experimental methods were used. The Edge Crack Torsion (ECT) test geometry was employed in order to evaluate the Mode III response of the samples studied, as it is commonly accepted that this is the most effective technique for cllaracterising this mode of delamination. The Virtual Crack Closure Integral has also been extensively used to characterise the loading conditions at the crack tip in these samples. Once the quasi-static response of the composites were analysed, dynamic tests were undertaken to investigate the rate-sensitive behaviour of these high-performance materials. Finally, the Mode III geometry was modified to look at possible mixed-mode failure involving Mode II contributions.
title: The psychological and emotional sequelae of committing an act of severe violence
Creators: name: Evans, Janet
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2016

description: The aim of this thesis is to consider the impact, on the perpetrator, of committing an act of serious violence against another person. The first chapter of this thesis presents a narrative literature review of the impact of killing another person, considering three distinct contexts; as a member of the armed forces, in the line of duty as a police officer and as a criminal act. Research addressing the impact of killing another in these three differing contexts is presented and critiqued, providing a broad summary of the different effects suggested in the literature. A model is then presented that may be relevant in explaining experiences resulting from killing in all three of these contexts. The second chapter of this thesis presents a piece of qualitative research that attempts to further understanding of the impact of committing violence in specific circumstances. It explores the impact of committing a serious act of criminal violence, for individuals who have not committed any prior serious violent offences.
Long-Term Remission of Diabetes in NOD Mice Is Induced by Nondepleting Anti-CD4 and Anti-CD8 Antibodies
Creators: name: Morillon, Y. M.
name: Diz, R.
name: Martin, A. J.
name: Yi, Z.
name: Li, L.
name: Wang, B.
name: Tisch, R.
name: Kline, D. E.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2012

description: Residual β-cells found at the time of clinical onset of type 1 diabetes are sufficient to control hyperglycemia if rescued from ongoing autoimmune destruction. The challenge, however, is to develop an immunotherapy that not only selectively suppresses the diabetogenic response and efficiently reverses diabetes, but also establishes long-term β-cell–specific tolerance to maintain remission. In the current study, we show that a short course of nondepleting antibodies (Abs) specific for the CD4 and CD8 coreceptors rapidly reversed clinical disease in recent-onset diabetic NOD mice. Once established, remission was maintained indefinitely and immunity to foreign antigens unimpaired. Induction of remission involved selective T-cell purging of the pancreas and draining pancreatic lymph nodes and upregulation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 by pancreas-resident antigen-presenting cells. Neutralization of TGF-β blocked the induction of remission. In contrast, maintenance of remission was associated with tissue-specific immunoregulatory T cells. These findings demonstrate that the use of nondepleting Ab specific for CD4 and CD8 is a robust approach to establish long-term β-cell–specific T-cell tolerance at the onset of clinical diabetes.
title: Factors contributing to resilience in parents and carers
Creators: name: Ellis, Nicola
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2016

description: With increasing demand on the role of being a foster carer, it can be difficult to maintain a stable placement for the child in care. Resilience is a crucial factor in individuals successfully overcoming challenges and adversity, something that is ever present for foster carers. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore what factors enable and maintain resilience in foster carers, in addition to considering the challenges they face. Fourteen foster carers (2 male and 12 female) who had maintained a long term placement (for a year or more) with a looked after child, were recruited from a Local Authority in the North West of England. Foster carers were interviewed and their verbatim transcripts were analysed using a grounded theory methodology. A theoretical framework, including enabling, maintaining and resilience challenging factors, were found to emerge from the data and identified as likely in demonstrating foster carers' resilience and influencing placement stability. This theoretical framework provides an insight into clinical implications such as ensuring that foster carers receive the appropriate support when they are faced with increasing challenges, in order to maintain a stable placement. Keywords: Foster Carers; Resilience; Children in Care; Grounded Theory
title: Uncertain States: Irregular Migrant Labour and the Question of Law
Creators: name: Tataryn, Anastasia
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2015

description: In this thesis, I explore the phenomenon of irregular migrant labour in the United Kingdom (UK). My particular methodology examines political and juridical attention to so-called irregular labour migration including proposed remedies. I employ a three-fold methodology that is political, juridical and, with the help of Susan Marks’ notion of false contingency, incorporates philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy’s fundamental ‘ontological’ questioning via attention to ecotechnics. Through this methodology I contend that the phenomenon of 'irregular' migrant labour is symptomatic of the limits of legal categories. My work does not end there, however. Not only are the existing legal categories in immigration and labour law limited in their ability to address what is identified as irregular migrant labour, but the limit of the legal framework obscures the processes of neoliberalisation that maintain an economic market system dependent on persons in ‘irregular’ situations. A critique that stops at identifying the limit of law and legal categories is insufficient to address what is happening in the circulation of capital, production and reproduction. For this reason, I explore Jean-Luc Nancy’s work, in particular his term ecotechnics, in an attempt to bring attention, within discussion of legal categorical limits, to what is circulating and happening in labour migration considered to be 'irregular'.
title: Cognition in crisis: decision inertia and failures to take action in multi-agency emergency response command teams
Creators: name: Power, Nicola
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2016

description: This thesis defines and extends the psychological concept of ‘decision inertia’: the redundant deliberation of choice for no positive gain. The concept was developed following observation in the real-world that emergency incidents were most often criticised, not because of poor decision making, but because actions simply failed. It is argued, therefore, that the need to develop a psychological understanding to explain the relationship between stimulus and non-response is of conceptual importance. Rather than avoid a choice, decision inertia is crucially associated with a strong desire to take action yet, for reasons that will be discussed in this thesis, action fundamentally fails. A Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) approach was followed to investigate decision making in the real-world context of emergency response environments. A mixed methods approach was used to qualitatively interview command level decision makers and then explore decision making in an empirical simulation setting. Two key findings emerged from the data: (i) the relationship between uncertainty and decision inertia appeared to be mediated by the anticipation of negative consequences associated with both action and inaction; and (ii) the context of extreme environments can exacerbate these effects by making (usually adaptive) cognitive processing styles (i.e. approach goals; cognitive flexibility) inappropriate. Implications with regards to both the conceptual importance of decision inertia and more practical advice for decision making in extreme emergency contexts is provided.
No Interactions Between Previously Associated 2-Hour Glucose Gene Variants and Physical Activity or BMI on 2-Hour Glucose Levels
Creators: name: Hivert, Marie-France
name: Bergmann, Sven
name: Bornstein, Stefan R.
name: Bumpstead, Suzannah J.
name: Chen, Yii-Der Ida
name: Rasmussen-Torvik, Laura J.
name: Bouatia-Naji, Nabila
name: Shungin, Dmitry
name: Carlson, Olga D.
name: Chu, Audrey Y.
name: Brunner, Eric
name: Barnes, Daniel
name: Manning, Alisa K.
name: Collins, Francis S.
name: Tönjes, Anke
name: Kutalik, Zoltán
name: Arking, Dan E.
name: Lagou, Vasiliki
name: Chen, Han
name: Bonnycastle, Lori L.
name: Tanaka, Toshiko
name: Jackson, Anne U.
name: Grarup, Niels
name: Boerwinkle, Eric
name: Brage, Soren
name: Yesupriya, Ajay
name: Stringham, Heather M.
name: Aadahl, Mette
name: Marek, Diana
name: Chines, Peter S.
name: Scott, Robert A.
name: Glazer, Nicole L.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2012

description: Gene–lifestyle interactions have been suggested to contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. Glucose levels 2 h after a standard 75-g glucose challenge are used to diagnose diabetes and are associated with both genetic and lifestyle factors. However, whether these factors interact to determine 2-h glucose levels is unknown. We meta-analyzed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) × BMI and SNP × physical activity (PA) interaction regression models for five SNPs previously associated with 2-h glucose levels from up to 22 studies comprising 54,884 individuals without diabetes. PA levels were dichotomized, with individuals below the first quintile classified as inactive (20%) and the remainder as active (80%). BMI was considered a continuous trait. Inactive individuals had higher 2-h glucose levels than active individuals (β = 0.22 mmol/L [95% CI 0.13–0.31], P = 1.63 × 10−6). All SNPs were associated with 2-h glucose (β = 0.06–0.12 mmol/allele, P ≤ 1.53 × 10−7), but no significant interactions were found with PA (P > 0.18) or BMI (P ≥ 0.04). In this large study of gene–lifestyle interaction, we observed no interactions between genetic and lifestyle factors, both of which were associated with 2-h glucose. It is perhaps unlikely that top loci from genome-wide association studies will exhibit strong subgroup-specific effects, and may not, therefore, make the best candidates for the study of interactions.