Systematic Differences in Impact across Publication Tracks at PNAS

Background: Citation data can be used to evaluate the editorial policies and procedures of scientific journals. Here we investigate citation counts for the three different publication tracks of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). This analysis explores the consequences of differences in editor and referee selection, while controlling for the prestige of the journal in which the papers appear. Methodology/Principal Findings: We find that papers authored and ‘‘Contributed’ ’ by NAS members (Track III) are on average cited less often than papers that are ‘‘Communicated’ ’ for others by NAS members (Track I) or submitted directly via the standard peer review process (Track II). However, we also find that the variance in the citation count of Contributed papers, and to a lesser extent Communicated papers, is larger than for direct submissions. Therefore when examining the 10 % most-cited papers from each track, Contributed papers receive the most citations, followed by Communicated papers, while Direct submissions receive the least citations. Conclusion/Significance: Our findings suggest that PNAS ‘‘Contributed’ ’ papers, in which NAS–member authors select their own reviewers, balance an overall lower impact with an increased probability of publishing exceptional papers. This analysis demonstrates that different editorial procedures are associated with different levels of impact, even within the same prominent journal, and raises interesting questions about the most appropriate metrics for judging an editorial policy’

Ichthyophonus irregularis sp. nov. from the yellowtail flounder Limanda ferruginea from the Nova Scotia shelf

A previously described unusual form of the protistan parasite Ichthyophonus, differing in morphological and developmental features from I. hoferi sensu Plehn & Mulsow, was recovered from yellowtail flounder Limanda ferruginea Storer from the Brown's Bank area of the Nova Scotia shelf. The nuclear gene encoding the rRNA of the small ribosomal subunit was amplified from this unusual form of Ichthyophonus using the polymerase chain reaction, sequenced and aligned with other eukaryote small subunit (ssu)-rDNAs. Inferred phylogenetic trees clearly show that its ssu-rDNA is distinct from those of 2 isolates of I. hoferi sensu Plehn & Mulsow from different hosts and geographical locations (herring in the North Sea, and yellowtail flounder from the Nova Scotia shelf). We consider the unusual form to be a separate species, I. irregularis. The occurrence of a second, distinct type of Ichthyophonus within a single host species raises the possibility that ichthyophoniasis could be produced by different (although related) pathogens, and in some cases, by concurrent infections of the two

Spatial process and data models: Toward integration of agent-based models and GIS

The use of object-orientation for both spatial data and spatial process models facilitates their integration, which can allow exploration and explanation of spatial-temporal phenomena. In order to better understand how tight coupling might proceed and to evaluate the possible functional and efficiency gains from such a tight coupling, we identify four key relationships affecting how geographic data (fields and objects) and agent-based process models can interact: identity, causal, temporal and topological. We discuss approaches to implementing tight integration, focusing on a middleware approach that links existing GIS and ABM development platforms, and illustrate the need and approaches with example agent-based models.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47930/1/10109_2005_Article_148.pd

Coping Skills Practice and Symptom Change: A Secondary Analysis of a Pilot Telephone Symptom Management Intervention for Lung Cancer Patients and their Family Caregivers

Context Little research has explored coping skills practice in relation to symptom outcomes in psychosocial interventions for cancer patients and their family caregivers. Objectives To examine associations of coping skills practice to symptom change in a telephone symptom management (TSM) intervention delivered concurrently to lung cancer patients and their caregivers. Methods This study was a secondary analysis of a randomized pilot trial. Data were examined from patient-caregiver dyads (n=51 dyads) that were randomized to the TSM intervention. Guided by social cognitive theory, TSM involved four weekly sessions where dyads were taught coping skills including: a mindfulness exercise, guided imagery, pursed lips breathing, cognitive restructuring, problem solving, emotion-focused coping, and assertive communication. Symptoms were assessed, including patient and caregiver psychological distress and patient pain interference, fatigue interference, and distress related to breathlessness. Multiple regression analyses examined associations of coping skills practice during the intervention to symptoms at 6 weeks post-intervention. Results For patients, greater practice of assertive communication was associated with less pain interference (β=-0.45, p=0.02) and psychological distress (β=-0.36, p=0.047); for caregivers, greater practice of guided imagery was associated with less psychological distress (β=-0.30, p=0.01). Unexpectedly, for patients, greater practice of a mindfulness exercise was associated with higher pain (β=0.47, p=0.07) and fatigue interference (β=0.49, p=0.04); greater practice of problem solving was associated with higher distress related to breathlessness (β=0.56, p=0.01) and psychological distress (β=0.36, p=0.08). Conclusion Findings suggest the effectiveness of TSM may have been reduced by competing effects of certain coping skills. Future interventions should consider focusing on assertive communication training for patients and guided imagery for caregivers

Specificity, duplex degradation and subcellular localization of antagomirs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant class of 20–23-nt long regulators of gene expression. The study of miRNA function in mice and potential therapeutic approaches largely depend on modified oligonucleotides. We recently demonstrated silencing miRNA function in mice using chemically modified and cholesterol-conjugated RNAs termed ‘antagomirs’. Here, we further characterize the properties and function of antagomirs in mice. We demonstrate that antagomirs harbor optimized phosphorothioate modifications, require >19-nt length for highest efficiency and can discriminate between single nucleotide mismatches of the targeted miRNA. Degradation of different chemically protected miRNA/antagomir duplexes in mouse livers and localization of antagomirs in a cytosolic compartment that is distinct from processing (P)-bodies indicates a degradation mechanism independent of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. Finally, we show that antagomirs, although incapable of silencing miRNAs in the central nervous system (CNS) when injected systemically, efficiently target miRNAs when injected locally into the mouse cortex. Our data further validate the effectiveness of antagomirs in vivo and should facilitate future studies to silence miRNAs for functional analysis and in clinically relevant settings

Structure of the mirror nuclei 9^9Be and 9^9B in a microscopic cluster model

The structure of the mirror nuclei $^9$Be and $^9$B is studied in a microscopic $\alpha+ \alpha+ n$ and $\alpha+ \alpha+ p$ three-cluster model using a fully antisymmetrized 9-nucleon wave function. The two-nucleon interaction includes central and spin-orbit components and the Coulomb potential. The ground state of $^9$Be is obtained accurately with the stochastic variational method, while several particle-unbound states of both $^9$Be and $^9$B are investigated with the complex scaling method.The calculation for $^9$Be supports the recent identification for the existence of two broad states around 6.5 MeV, and predicts the $\frac{3}{2}^{-}_2$ and $\frac{5}{2}^{-}_2$ states at about 4.5 MeV and 8 MeV, respectively. The similarity of the calculated spectra of $^9$Be and $^9$B enables one to identify unknown spins and parities of the $^9$B states. Available data on electromagnetic moments and elastic electron scatterings are reproduced very well. The enhancement of the $E$1 transition of the first excited state in $^9$Be is well accounted for. The calculated density of $^9$Be is found to reproduce the reaction cross section on a Carbon target. The analysis of the beta decay of $^9$Li to $^9$Be clearly shows that the wave function of $^9$Be must contain a small component that cannot be described by the simple $\alpha+ \alpha+ n$ model. This small component can be well accounted for by extending a configuration space to include the distortion of the $\alpha$-particle to $t+p$ and $h+n$ partitions.Comment: 24 page

Molecular architecture of the Jumonji C family histone demethylase KDM5B

Abstract The full length human histone 3 lysine 4 demethylase KDM5B (PLU-1/Jarid1B) has been studied using Hydrogen/Deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, homology modelling, sequence analysis, small angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy. This first structure on an intact multi-domain Jumonji histone demethylase reveal that the so-called PLU region, in the central region of KDM5B, has a curved α-helical three-dimensional structure, that acts as a rigid linker between the catalytic core and a region comprising four α-helices, a loop comprising the PHD2 domain, two large intrinsically disordered loops and the PHD3 domain in close proximity. The dumbbell shaped and curved KDM5B architecture observed by electron microscopy is complementary to the nucleosome surface and has a striking overall similarity to that of the functionally related KDM1A/CoREST complex. This could suggest that there are similarities between the demethylation mechanisms employed by the two histone 3 lysine 4 demethylases at the molecular level

The political process of constructing a sustainable London Olympics sports development legacy

This study attempts to develop a research agenda for understanding the process of constructing a sustainable Olympic sports development legacy. The research uses a social constructivist perspective to examine the link between the 2012 London Olympic Games and sustainable sports development. The first part of the paper provides justification for the study of sport policy processes using a constructivist lens. This is followed by a section which critically unpacks sustainable sports development drawing on Mosse’s (1998) ideas of process-oriented research and Searle’s conceptualisation of the construction of social reality. Searle’s (1995) concepts of the assignment of function, collective intentionality, collective rules, and human capacity to cope with the environment are considered in relation to the events and discourses emerging from the legacy vision(s) associated with the 2012 London Olympic Games. The paper concludes by proposing a framework for engaging in process oriented research and highlights key elements, research questions, and methodological issues. The proposed constructivist approach can be used to inform policy, practice, and research on sustainable Olympic sports development legacy

Barriers and facilitators to self-management of asthma in adolescents:an interview study to inform development of a novel intervention

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Despite literature that spans twenty years describing the barriers to asthma self-management in adolescents, successful, clinically-based interventions to address this important issue are lacking. Given the limitations of some of the previous studies, we conducted a study that aimed to gain a broader insight into barriers and facilitators to self-management of asthma by adolescents, not just adherence to treatment, and triangulated their views with those of their parents and healthcare professionals. METHODS: Focus groups and interviews were conducted separately for 28 adolescents with asthma aged 12-18 years, 14 healthcare professionals, and 12 parents. Focus groups and interviews were audio-recorded and transcripts from each participant group were analysed separately using inductive thematic analysis. We triangulated the three perspectives by comparing themes that had emerged from each analysis. RESULTS: Adolescents', parents', and healthcare professionals' views were summarised into ten related themes that included forgetting and routines, knowledge, embarrassment and confidence, communication with healthcare professionals, triggers, support at school, apathy, and taking responsibility. We found that adolescents, parents and healthcare professionals raised similar barriers and facilitators to self-management and our results provide further validation for previous studies. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our study highlights that healthcare professionals may need to consider a range of psychological and contextual issues influencing adolescents' ability to effectively self-manage their asthma, in particular, how they implement treatment routines and the understanding that adolescents have of their condition and treatments. Crucially, healthcare professionals need to consider how this information is communicated and ensure they facilitate open, inclusive, two-way consultations. From this more comprehensive understanding, we have developed interventional strategies that healthcare professionals can utilise to empower adolescents to improve their asthma self-management. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved