Unidirectional Effect Research Articles

Cytokine-mediated regulation of expression of Gfi1 and U2afll4 genes activated by T-cells with different differentiation status in vitro

The dose-dependent effects of cytokines (IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15), which have a common g-chain, on mRNA expression of U2afll4 and GFi1 genes involved in regulation of alternative splicing of the Ptprc gene, have been investigated in vitro using T-lymphocyte cultures with different degrees of differentiation. IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15 caused a similar unidirectional inhibitory effect of various severity on restimulated CD45RO+ T-cells exposed to an antigen-independent activation; they caused a dose-dependent decrease of the U2af1l4 gene expression, and an increase of Gfi1 gene expression. This may suggest formation of active forms of the CD45 receptor, and also limitation of the formation of low-molecular short splice variants of the CD45RO receptor. Under conditions of antigen-independent stimulation of naive CD45RA+-cells rIL-7 and IL-15 exhibited opposite effects on U2af1l4 and Gfi1 gene expression. The increase of IL-7 concentrations in the incubation medium of naive cells was accompanied by a decrease in expression of both genes. IL-15 IL-7 exhibited opposite effects. Cytokines possessing a common g-chain (IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15) prevented antigen-independent differentiation of naive T-cells, by preventing the formation of polyclonal "surrogate" cells. In general, the study of the molecular mechanisms of genetic control determining homeostatic processes of T-cells in response to exposure to antigenic or non-antigenic treatments may be important for construction of a general model of self-maintenance and differentiation of immune cells.

Analyzing the Impact of External Debt on Capital Formation in Nigeria: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach

This study aimed at examining the impact of external debt to the growth and development of capital formation in Nigeria. Time series data was utilized for a period from 1980 to 2013, employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) modelling. The result of stationarity tests reported a mixed integration at both I(0) and I(1) hence warranting the use of the ARDL. The ARDL estimation also showed the presence of long run relationship amongst the variables. It was also proved that the variables were independently related in the long run. The impact of external debt on capital formation has been established to be negative and statistically significant while savings came out as the only variable with a bidirectional causal relationship amongst the variables. Interest rate was found to be statistically significant even though weak. The other variables were found to be of unidirectional casual effects. Short-run dynamics of the relationship between the variables have also been examined using ARDL error correction modelling. It was established that the disequilibrium in the previous period will be adjusted within the current period by 68 percent showing a speedy adjustment rate. The coefficient of ECM term has the expected sign and significant at one percent. Going by these findings therefore savings should be giving priority and encouraged internally in order to boost the speed of the growth of capital formation in the economy. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n1p173

Further Evaluation of the Tripartite Structure of Subjective Well-Being: Evidence From Longitudinal and Experimental Studies.

Subjective well-being (SWB; Diener, 1984) comprises three primary components: life satisfaction (LS), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA). Multiple competing conceptualizations of the tripartite structure of SWB have been employed, resulting in widespread ambiguity concerning the definition, operationalization, analysis, and synthesis of SWB-related findings (Busseri & Sadava, 2011). We report two studies evaluating two predominant structural models (as recently identified by Busseri, 2015): a hierarchical model comprising a higher-order latent SWB factor with LS, PA, and NA as indicators; and a causal systems model specifying unidirectional effects of PA and NA on LS. A longitudinal study (N = 452; Mage = 18.54; 76.5% female) and a lab-based experiment (N = 195; Mage = 20.42 years; 87.6% female; 81.5% Caucasian) were undertaken. Structural models were evaluated with respect to (a) associations among SWB components across time (three months, three years in Study 1; one week in Study 2) and (b) the impact of manipulating the individual SWB components (Study 2). A hierarchical structural model was supported in both studies; conflicting evidence was found for the causal systems model. A hierarchical model provides a robust conceptualization for the tripartite structure of SWB.

Job and Life Satisfaction: The Perspective of Collegiate Head Coaches

Research regarding the relationship between job and life satisfaction has drawn opposing conclusions, with some suggesting one's satisfaction with work is significantly and positively related to one's attitude of life, while others claim the relationship between the two is at best weak. The purpose of this research was to further expand on the relationship between job and life satisfaction among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) head coaches. To this end, data from 348 head coaches across all three NCAA Divisions were analyzed. Results imply that life satisfaction and job satisfaction are significantly and positively related in the collegiate coaching context. However, the relationship between the two constructs was not reciprocal and the unidirectional effects differed based on the gender of the team coached. Practical implications of these findings might offer significant insights for managers and policy makers such that they are better equipped to establish and increase work (e.g., job) and non-work (e.g., life) satisfaction.

Application of Penalized Regression Techniques in Modelling Insulin Sensitivity by Correlated Metabolic Parameters.

This paper aims to introduce penalized estimation techniques in clinical investigations of diabetes, as well as to assess their possible advantages and limitations. Data from a previous study was used to carry out the simulations to assess: a) which procedure results in the lowest prediction error of the final model in the setting of a large number of predictor variables with high multicollinearity (of importance if insulin sensitivity should be predicted) and b) which procedure achieves the most accurate estimate of regression coefficients in the setting of fewer predictors with small unidirectional effects and moderate correlation between explanatory variables (of importance if the specific relation between an independent variable and insulin sensitivity should be examined). Moreover a special focus is on the correct direction of estimated parameter effects, a non-negligible source of error and misinterpretation of study results. The simulations were performed for varying sample size to evaluate the performance of LASSO, Ridge as well as different algorithms for Elastic Net. These methods were also compared with automatic variable selection procedures (i.e. optimizing AIC or BIC).We were not able to identify one method achieving superior performance in all situations. However, the improved accuracy of estimated effects underlines the importance of using penalized regression techniques in our example (e.g. if a researcher aims to compare relations of several correlated parameters with insulin sensitivity). However, the decision which procedure should be used depends on the specific context of a study (accuracy versus complexity) and moreover should involve clinical prior knowledge.

Dynamic longitudinal associations between social support and cognitive function: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundExisting evidence on the neuroprotective effects of social support cannot exclude reverse causality. Consequently, the social support–cognitive ageing associations could be driven more by cognitive decline than by the lack of social support. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic reciprocity between social support and cognitive function in late life. MethodsAnalyses were based on three parallel repeat measures of social support and cognition from the Whitehall II cohort, providing 10 year follow-up of 6863 participants (71% male, mean age 55·8 years [SD 6·0] at analysis baseline). Alternative dynamic hypotheses were evaluated via four bivariate dual change score models: the full coupling model estimated mutual effects of social support and cognition on subsequent changes in each other; the social causation model assumed a unidirectional effect from social support onto changes in cognition only, whereas the opposite assumption was tested by the health selection model; lastly, the no coupling model suggested independent growth of these two sets of variables. FindingsThe health selection model fitted the current analytical data the best. A leading effect from executive function on subsequent changes in practical support was identified (β=0·18, SE 0·06). Removing this effect (social causation: Δχ2=6·03, df=1, n=6863; p=0·004) or both coupling effects (no coupling: Δχ2=9·38, df=2, n=6863; p=0·009) degraded the model fit considerably. Likewise, health selection was the preferred model between executive function and confiding support: a greater cognitive function at the preceding stage was associated with less positive changes in confiding support (β=–0·11, SE 0·05) but effects from confiding support onto cognition were not statistically different from zero (β=–0·05, SE 0·06). The preferred models were similar for memory and social support. InterpretationThe present study provides empirical evidence for the health selection mechanism, suggesting that cognition is more likely to be the leading modifying factor for changes in social support, whereas there is no detectable affect the other way around. These dynamic interplays between social support and cognitive decline should be considered in constructing our age-friendly and dementia-friendly society. FundingThe Whitehall II Study is supported by grants from the Medical Research Council (grant K013351), the British Heart Foundation (grant RG/13/2/30098), and the National Institute on Aging, US National Institutes of Health (grant AG13196). JH was partly supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (grant ES/K01336X/1) and the National Institute on Aging (grant R01AG013196). The funding bodies did not play any part in the study design; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; the writing of the manuscript; or the decision to submit the abstract for publication.

Reciprocal Relations between Maternal Parenting Behavior and Preschoolers’ Compliance/Noncompliance during Mother-child Interactions：A Short-term Longitudinal Study

This study examined short-term longitudinal reciprocal relationships between maternal parenting behavior and preschoolers' compliance/noncompliance, as well as stability in both maternal parenting behavior and preschoolers' compliance/noncompliance over time. The sample which was used for this study was taken from a two-wave (one year apart) longitudinal study of preschool-aged children and their mothers (N = 53 dyads). At both times, mothers and their children were invited to a laboratory and engaged in 25 minutes of play involving three episodes of mother-child interaction. Maternal parenting behavior and preschoolers' compliance/noncompliance during play were coded using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System-III (DPICS-III). Maternal codes included positive, neutral, and negative parenting behaviors and child codes were comprised of compliance and noncompliance. The results revealed that during the play session, maternal neutral and negative parenting behavior and preschoolers' compliance were stable over time. In addition, T1 maternal negative parenting behavior was significantly related to T2 child compliance/noncompliance. However, T1 child compliance/noncompliance were not significantly associated with T2 maternal parenting behavior. These findings suggest that during the preschool period, there are unidirectional effects from mothers to children.

A Pedagogic System of Implementing the Principle of Life and Health Priority of Students at a Rural General Education School

Theoretical, methodological and technological aspects of establishing a pedagogic system to implement the principle of health and life priority of students at a rural general education school are discussed in the paper. The health culture, being a part of the integral personal culture is considered a basic pre-condition for establishing the healthy lifestyle in the conditions of interaction and interinfluence of the man-society system, and, if applied to the educational system, the ‘learner – general education institution – socium around’. This paper justifies basic methodological requirements to developing a pedagogic system to implement the principle of health and life priority of students at a country general education, comprising the following: a) creating an educational space of the rural school as an existence space of the students in the conditions of actualization and involvement of social institutions to enrich the space with the ideas of conserving and improving health; ensuring their unidirectional effect on the students for the purpose of the systemic effect; b) establishing a pedagogic technique, aiming at students’ health conservation and direction; cultivating health culture of subjects of the educational space includes teaching, educational and sports and health promotion blocks. The paper discloses social and cultural, political, and socioeconomic factors of the country as an existence space of the students, discovers cause-and-effect relations between the absence of experience in education and health promotion in order to conserve and improve health not only of the students, but of all subjects of the educational space within the country (teachers, parents, and fellows) and the level of culture of the students. Comparison of own-generated data and data obtained by the authors earlier, while actualizing social, organizational and pedagogic conditions and methodological approaches to building the students’ health culture were used; an agreement of research findings in terms of quality with the findings presented in the pedagogic works on the subject matter, and also works on individual techniques and technologies of building the health culture in the conditions of the general education school was established. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s1p44

Unidirectional enhanced spontaneous emission with metallo-dielectric optical antenna

A metallo-dielectric system consisted of two coupled metallic nanoparticles embedded in a planar dielectric antenna is proposed to control the light emission from a localized emitter. Such design integrates the advantages of planar dielectric antenna and plasmonic antenna such as highly localized excitation enhancement, emission direction control, and high collection efficiency. For specific configurations, the antenna can achieve unidirectional and plasmon-enhanced emission from single emitters, simultaneously presenting remarkable collection efficiency up to 96%. We show that the unidirectional effect is mainly determined by the plasmon coupling effect of the plasmonic dimer. The dependences of directivity property on the antenna geometry and emitter’s position are also discussed in detail. These findings provide a promising route to realize novel optical devices involving directional and surface enhanced spontaneous emission, e.g. bright single-photon sources with high collection efficiency.

Unidirectional effect in domain wall propagation observed in bistable glass-coated microwire

Systematic study of domain wall velocity versus applied magnetic field dependences in glass-coated amorphous Fe77.5Si7.5B15 wire was carried out, revealing the existence of a very interesting phenomenon. Domain wall mobility can be significantly different in cases when magnetization reversal caused by domain wall motion results in different orientation of magnetization. The magnitude and sign of this so-called unidirectional effect can change along the wire. There are also samples with weak unidirectional effect in which it is possible, in regions of higher values of applied magnetic field, to observe the highest wall velocities. It is very probable that damping of domain wall motion is responsible for this effect. As a hypothesis a mechanism based on eddy current damping of domain wall motion was proposed for interpretation of this effect. In the framework of this mechanism asymmetric and non-linear volt-ampere characteristics of the metal–glass interface might be responsible for the unidirectional effect.

Adopting a Patient-Centered Approach to Primary Outcome Analysis of Acute Stroke Trials Using a Utility-Weighted Modified Rankin Scale.

Although the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) is the most commonly used primary end point in acute stroke trials, its power is limited when analyzed in dichotomized fashion and its indication of effect size challenging to interpret when analyzed ordinally. Weighting the 7 Rankin levels by utilities may improve scale interpretability while preserving statistical power. A utility-weighted mRS (UW-mRS) was derived by averaging values from time-tradeoff (patient centered) and person-tradeoff (clinician centered) studies. The UW-mRS, standard ordinal mRS, and dichotomized mRS were applied to 11 trials or meta-analyses of acute stroke treatments, including lytic, endovascular reperfusion, blood pressure moderation, and hemicraniectomy interventions. Utility values were 1.0 for mRS level 0; 0.91 for mRS level 1; 0.76 for mRS level 2; 0.65 for mRS level 3; 0.33 for mRS level 4; 0 for mRS level 5; and 0 for mRS level 6. For trials with unidirectional treatment effects, the UW-mRS paralleled the ordinal mRS and outperformed dichotomous mRS analyses. Both the UW-mRS and the ordinal mRS were statistically significant in 6 of 8 unidirectional effect trials, whereas dichotomous analyses were statistically significant in 2 to 4 of 8. In bidirectional effect trials, both the UW-mRS and ordinal tests captured the divergent treatment effects by showing neutral results, whereas some dichotomized analyses showed positive results. Mean utility differences in trials with statistically significant positive results ranged from 0.026 to 0.249. A UW-mRS performs similar to the standard ordinal mRS in detecting treatment effects in actual stroke trials and ensures the quantitative outcome is a valid reflection of patient-centered benefits.

Crime, Employment and Social Welfare: An Individual-Level Study on Disadvantaged Males

We seek evidence for economic and social mechanisms that aim to explain the relationship between employment and crime. We use the distinctive features of social welfare for identification. We consider a sample of disadvantaged males from The Netherlands who are observed between ages 18 and 32 on a monthly time scale. We simultaneously model the offending, employment and social welfare variables using a dynamic discrete choice model, where we allow for state dependence, reciprocal effects and time-varying unobserved heterogeneity. We find significant negative bi-directional structural effects between employment and property crime. Robustness checks show that only regular employment is able to significantly reduce the offending probability. Further, a significant uni-directional effect is found for the public assistance category of social welfare on property offending. The results highlight the importance of economic incentives for explaining the relationship between employment and crime for disadvantaged individuals. For these individuals the crime reducing effects from the public assistance category of social welfare are statistically equivalent to those from employment, which suggests the importance of financial gains. Further, the results suggest that stigmatizing effects from offending severely reduce future employment probabilities.

Prosocial skills in young children with autism, and their mothers’ psychological well-being: Longitudinal relationships

The study aimed to explore the longitudinal association between prosocial skills in young children with an ASD and maternal psychological well-being. Participants were 132 children with autism drawn from the British Millennium Cohort Study (aged 9 months, 3 and 5 years). Three-wave cross-lagged structural equation models tested whether children's prosocial skills were reciprocally related to maternal psychological distress and life satisfaction. Findings indicated that relationships were not bidirectional, as both maternal outcomes were not associated with children's prosocial skills two years later. However, prosocial skills at 3 years were associated with improved maternal well-being (less distress and more life satisfaction) when children were 5-years-old. The study adds to the limited evidence base on bidirectional relationships between prosocial skills in ASD and proximal environmental variables. Findings highlight the importance of testing for reciprocal relationships rather than assuming unidirectional effects. In addition, they indicate that other-directed behaviors in children with autism have the potential to boost maternal well-being.

Cytokine-mediated regulation of expression of Gfi1 and U2afll4 genes by activated T-cells with various differentiation status in vitro

The dose-dependent effects of cytokines (IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15), which have a common γ-chain, on mRNA expression of U2afll4 and GFi1 genes involved in regulation of alternative splicing of the Ptprc gene, have been investigated in vivo using T-lymphocyte cultures with different degrees of differentiation. IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15 caused a similar unidirectional inhibitory effect of various severity on restimulated CD45RO+ T-cells exposed to an antigen-independent activation; they caused a dose-dependent decrease of the U2af1l4 gene expression, and an increase of Gfi1 gene expression. This may suggest formation of active forms of the CD45 receptor, and also limitation of the formation of low-molecular short splice variants of the CD45RO receptor. Under conditions of antigen-independent stimulation of naive CD45RA+ - cells rIL-7 and IL-15 exhibited opposite effects on U2af1l4 and Gfi1 gene expression. The increase of IL-7 concentrations in the incubation medium of naive cells was accompanied by a decrease in expression of both genes. IL-15 IL-7 exhibited opposite effects. Cytokines possessing a common Γ-chain (IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15) prevented antigen-independent differentiation of naive T-cells, by preventing the formation of polyclonal “surrogate” cells. In general, the study of the molecular mechanisms of genetic control determining homeostatic processes of T-cells in response to exposure to antigenic or non-antigenic treatments may be important in the construction of a general model of self-maintenance and differentiation of immune cells.

Surface charge of erythrocytes and lactobacilli S. thermophilus and their intercellular adhesion depend on the concentration of bivalent cations

We propose a simple and accessible model of lactobacilli adhesion to human erythrocytes. The influence of bivalent cations on the surface charge of erythrocytes and lactobacilli Streptococcus thermophilus and their adhesive interaction has been investigated. We have shown that, despite the seemingly similar unidirectional effect of Ca2+ and Mg2+ cations, the cause of decreased adhesion lactobacilli S. thermophilus to human erythrocytes differ. While Ca2+ ions affect the surface charge of erythrocytes, not changing it in S. thermophilus, Mg2+ ions, conversely, affect the surface charge of lactobacilli and do not change it in erythrocytes. Our results confirm our proposition that in this case, the bivalent cations affect the second irreversible stage of adhesion process, but not the physical interactions during the first reversible stage.

New York City Panel on Climate Change 2015 Report. Chapter 3: Static coastal flood mapping.

New York City Panel on Climate Change 2015 Report. Chapter 3: Static coastal flood mapping.

Adolescents' use of sexually explicit Internet material and their sexual attitudes and behavior: Parallel development and directional effects.

Although research has repeatedly demonstrated that adolescents' use of sexually explicit Internet material (SEIM) is related to their endorsement of permissive sexual attitudes and their experience with sexual behavior, it is not clear how linkages between these constructs unfold over time. This study combined 2 types of longitudinal modeling, mean-level development and cross-lagged panel modeling, to examine (a) developmental patterns in adolescents' SEIM use, permissive sexual attitudes, and experience with sexual behavior, as well as whether these developments are related; and (b) longitudinal directionality of associations between SEIM use on the 1 hand and permissive sexual attitudes and sexual behavior on the other hand. We used 4-wave longitudinal data from 1,132 7th through 10th grade Dutch adolescents (M(age) T1 = 13.95; 52.7% boys) and estimated multigroup models to test for moderation by gender. Mean-level developmental trajectories showed that boys occasionally and increasingly used SEIM over the 18-month study period, which co-occurred with increases in their permissive attitudes and their experience with sexual behavior. Cross-lagged panel models revealed unidirectional effects from boys' SEIM use on their subsequent endorsement of permissive attitudes, but no consistent directional effects between their SEIM use and sexual behavior. Girls showed a similar pattern of increases in experience with sexual behavior, but their SEIM use was consistently low and their endorsement of permissive sexual attitudes decreased over the 18-month study period. In contrast to boys, girls' SEIM use was not longitudinally related to their sexual attitudes and behavior. Theoretical and practical implications of these gender-specific findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

The Relationship among Trade, Income and Environment in Iran

This paper examines causal relationships between environment, GDP and trade for Iran using annual data over the period 1970-201, applying the techniques of the long–run Granger non–causality test proposed by Toda and Yamamoto (1995). The results suggest that there is a long-run relationship between these variables. CO2 emissions have a positive long-run relationship with per capita income, indicating economic growth tends to worsen environmental quality. In addition, CO2 emissions have a positive long-run relationship with openness, supporting for the so-called race-to-the bottom hypothesis for developing countries. The Granger Causality test indicates strong unidirectional effects from GDP to CO2 emissions.

The Causality between Quality environment, Income and Openness in Oil Exporting Countries: Panel Cointegration and Causality

This paper investigates the causal relationship between CO2 emissions and GDP in a panel of 11 selected oil exporting countries by using panel unit root tests and panel cointegration analysis for the period 1970-2011. A three-variable model is formulated with openness as the third variable. The results suggest that there is a long-run relationship between these variables. CO2 emissions have a positive long-run relationship with per capita income as well as openness, indicating economic growth tends to worsen environmental quality. The Granger Causality test indicates strong unidirectional effects from GDP and openness to CO2 emissions.

Alteration of antioxidant enzymes and associated genes induced by grape seed extracts in the primary muscle cells of goats in vitro.

This study was conducted to investigate how the activity and expression of certain paramount antioxidant enzymes respond to grape seed extract (GSE) addition in primary muscle cells of goats. Gluteal primary muscle cells (PMCs) isolated from a 3-week old goat were cultivated as an unstressed cell model, or they were exposed to 100 µM H2O2 to establish a H2O2-stimulated cell model. The activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutases (SOD) and glutathione peroxidases (GPx) in combination with other relevant antioxidant indexes [i.e., reduced glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC)] in response to GSE addition were tested in the unstressed and H2O2-stimulated cell models, and the relative mRNA levels of the CAT, GuZu-SOD, and GPx-1 genes were measured by qPCR. In unstressed PMCs, GSE addition at the dose of 10 µg/ml strikingly attenuated the expression levels of CAT and CuZn-SOD as well as the corresponding enzyme activities. By contrast, in cells pretreated with 100 µM H2O2, the expression and activity levels of these two antioxidant enzymes were enhanced by GSE addition at 10 µg/ml. GSE addition promoted GPx activity in both unstressed and stressed PMCs, while the expression of the GPx 1 gene displayed partial divergence with GPx activity, which was mitigated by GSE addition at 10 µg/ml in unstressed PMCs. GSH remained comparatively stable except for GSE addition to H2O2-stimulated PMCs at 60 µg/ml, in which a dramatic depletion of GSH occurred. Moreover, GSE addition enhanced TAOC in unstressed (but not H2O2-stimulated) PMCs. GSE addition exerted a bidirectional modulating effect on the mRNA levels and activities of CAT and SOD in unstressed and stressed PMCs at a moderate dose, and it only exhibited a unidirectional effect on the promotion of GPx activity, reflecting its potential to improve antioxidant protection in ruminants.