bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of the Effects of Alpha and Medical-Grade Honey Ointments on Cutaneous Wound Healing in Rats
Authors: Paydar Shahram , Akrami Majid , Dehghanian Amirreza , Alavi Moghadam Roshanak , Heidarpour Mohsen , Bahari Khoob Amir , Dalfardi Behnam
Published: November 2016

Introduction. This study compared the healing efficacy and possible adverse effects of topical Alpha and medical-grade honey ointments on cutaneous wounds in rats. Methods. To conduct the study, 22 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into two equal groups: (1) rats with Alpha ointment applied to the wound surface area and (2) rats with medical-grade honey ointment applied to their wounds. The ointments were applied daily during the 21-day study period. Wound contraction was examined photographically with images taken on days 0, 7, and 21 after wounding. The healing process was histopathologically assessed using skin biopsies taken from the wound sites on days 7 and 21. Results. No statistically significant difference in mean wound surface area was observed between the two study groups. According to histopathological assessment, a significant reduction in the amount of collagen deposition (P value: 0.007) and neovascularisation (P value: 0.002) was seen in the Alpha-treated rats on day 21. No tissue necrosis occurred following the application of Alpha ointment. Conclusion. Daily topical usage of Alpha ointment on a skin wound can negatively affect the healing process by inhibiting neovascularization. Topical Alpha ointment can reduce the possibility of excessive scar formation by reducing collagen deposition.
HCV RNA Testing of Plasma Samples from Cornea Donors: Suitability of Plasma Samples Stored at 4 °C for up to 8 Days
Authors: Berger Annemarie , Salla Sabine , Keppler Oliver T. , Rabenau Holger F.
Published: November 2016

Background: The HCV RNA testing of potential cornea donors frequently relies on blood samples stored pre mortem. The recommended storage time of maximum 72 h frequently excludes a significant fraction of donors. Methods: The influence of storage time of EDTA plasma samples at 4 °C on the viral load measured with the Roche HCV Quantitative Test vs. 2.0 was evaluated for 43 samples from HCV-positive individuals. Results: The mean reduction of the viral load after 4 °C storage for 6-8 days was 0.46 log10 IU/ml (range +0.17 to -1.66 log10 IU/ml). After 1-3 days a mean loss of 0.19 log10 IU/ml (range +0.30 to -1.41 log10 IU/ml) and after 3-5 days of 0.32 log10 IU/ml (range +0.36 to -1.81 log10 IU/ml) was observed. In 23.3% of samples, a viral load reduction ≥ 1 log10 IU/ml (1.0-1.81 log10 IU/ml) was found after prolonged storage (5-8 days). In none of the samples did the HCV load fall below the detection limit. Conclusion: Plasma storage for up to 8 days can quantitatively reduce the HCV RNA load, yet has no influence on the reliability of a qualitative HCV RNA detection by this ultrasensitive test to determine the HCV status of serologically negative cornea donors.
Karyotypes and Repetitive DNA Evolution in Six Species of the Genus Mahanarva (Auchenorrhyncha: Cercopidae)
Authors: Anjos Allison , Rocha Gabriela C. , Paladini Andressa , Mariguela Tatiane C. , Cabral-de-Mello Diogo C.
Published: November 2016

Insects of the Cercopidae family are widely distributed and comprise 59 genera and 431 species in the New World. They are xylemophagous, causing losses in agricultural and pasture grasses, and are considered as emerging pests. Chromosomally, these insects have been studied by standard techniques, revealing variable diploid numbers and primarily X0 sex chromosome systems (males). We performed chromosome studies in 6 Mahanarva (Cercopidae) species using standard and differential chromosome staining as well as mapping of repetitive DNAs. Moreover, the relationship between the repetitive DNAs was analyzed at the interspecific level. A diploid chromosome number of 2n = 19,X0 was documented, with chromosomes gradually decreasing in size. Neutral or GC-rich regions were detected which varied depending on the species. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with a (TTAGG)n telomeric motif probe revealed terminal signals, matching those of the Cot DNAs obtained from each species, that were also restricted to the terminal regions of all chromosomes. Dot blot analysis with the Cot fraction from M. quadripunctata showed that at least part of the repetitive genome is shared among the 6 species. Our data highlight the conservation of chromosomal features and organization of repetitive DNAs in the genus Mahanarva, suggesting a low differentiation for chromosomes and repetitive DNAs in most of the 6 species studied.
Dose- and Time-Dependent Cellular Effects of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Evaluated in 3D Skin Models
Authors: Wiegand Cornelia , Fink Sarah , Beier Oliver , Horn Kerstin , Pfuch Andreas , Schimanski Arnd , Grünler Bernd , Hipler Uta-Christina , Elsner Peter
Published: November 2016

Background: Application of cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAPs) in or on the human body was termed ‘plasma medicine'. So far, plasmas were utilized for sterilization of implants, other heat-sensitive products, or employed for chemical surface modifications. By now, CAPs are further used effectively for wound treatment. The present study analyses the effect of a plasma jet with air or nitrogen as process gas, previously evaluated for antimicrobial efficacy, on human cells using a 3D skin model. Methods: CAP treatment of 3D skin models consisting of a keratinocyte-containing epidermal layer and a fibroblast/collagen dermal matrix was performed using the Tigres plasma MEF technology. To evaluate the effects on the 3D skin models, the following plasma parameters were varied: process gas, input power, and treatment time. Results: Low CAP doses exhibited good cell compatibility. Increasing input power or elongating treatment intervals led to detrimental effects on 3D skin model morphology as well as to release of inflammatory cytokines. It was further observed that air as process gas was more damaging compared to nitrogen. Conclusions: Treatment of 3D skin models with the plasma MEF nozzle using air or nitrogen is reported. A clearly dose- and time-dependent effect of CAPs could be observed in which the CAP based on nitrogen exhibited higher cell compatibility than the CAP generated from air. These settings might be recommended for medical in vivo applications such as wound decontamination.
Fibrin clot strength measured by thrombelastography and outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Kreutz Rolf P. , Schmeisser Glen , Maatman Benjamin , Schaffter Andrea , Sinha Anjan , der Lohe Elisabeth von , Breall Jeffrey A.
Published: November 2016

Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.
Genetic Polymorphisms and Clopidogrel Efficacy for Acute Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
Authors: Pan Yuesong , Chen Weiqi , Xu Yun , Yi Xingyang , Han Yan , Yang Qingwu , Li Xin , Huang Li’an , Johnston S. Claiborne , Zhao Xingquan , Liu Liping , Zhang Qi , Wang Guangyao , Wang Yongjun , Wang Yilong
Published: November 2016

Background:

The association of genetic polymorphisms and clopidogrel efficacy in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between genetic polymorphisms, especially
CYP2C19
genotype, and clopidogrel efficacy for ischemic stroke or TIA.

Methods:

We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed and EMBASE from their inceptions to June 24, 2016. Studies that reported clopidogrel-treated patients with stroke or TIA and with information on genetic polymorphisms were included. The end points were stroke, composite vascular events, and any bleeding.

Results:

Among 15 studies of 4762 patients with stroke or TIA treated with clopidogrel, carriers of
CYP2C19
loss-of-function alleles (*2, *3, and *8) were at increased risk of stroke in comparison with noncarriers (12.0% versus 5.8%; risk ratio, 1.92, 95% confidence interval, 1.57–2.35;
P
<0.001). Composite vascular events were also more frequent in carriers of
CYP2C19
loss-of-function alleles than in noncarriers (13.7% versus 9.4%; risk ratio, 1.51, 95% confidence interval, 1.10–2.06;
P
=0.01), whereas bleeding rates were similar (2.4% versus 3.1%; risk ratio, 0.89, 95% confidence interval, 0.58–1.35;
P
=0.59). There was no evidence of statistical heterogeneity among the included studies for stroke, but there was for composite vascular events. Genetic variants other than
CYP2C19
were not associated with clinical outcomes, with the exception that significant associations of
PON1
,
P2Y12
, and
COX-1
with outcomes were observed in 1 study.

Conclusions:

Carriers of
CYP2C19
loss-of-function alleles are at greater risk of stroke and composite vascular events than noncarriers among patients with ischemic stroke or TIA treated with clopidogrel.
The Impact of Urbanization on Stature and bmi in Poland
Authors: Kopczyński Michał , Sobechowicz Łukasz
Published: November 2016

Analysis of the stature and body mass of men from the Kingdom of Poland who were drafted into the 1913/14 Russian army finds that Christians and Jews born in Warsaw were taller than their counterparts from small towns and villages. However, conscripts from Warsaw had less body mass than did conscripts from rural regions; the body mass index (bmi) of a significant proportion of the Warsaw contingent indicates nutritional deficiency. The difference in stature between inhabitants of Warsaw and those of the provinces is attributable to the dietary advantages of the urban environment. The higher bmi of the conscripts from the provinces derived from their greater muscle mass, achieved through the hard labor typical of rural environments. Young males in Warsaw tended to economize on food to spend more on the amusements typical of urban environments, not usually conducive to muscular development.
“Co-branding” a Cainü and ­­a Garden: How the Zhao Family Established Identities for Wen Shu (1595–1634) and Their Garden Residence Hanshan
Authors: Lee Sylvia W.S.
Published: November 2016

This paper examines two paintings by Wen Shu (1595–1634), each of which was inscribed by her husband who declared that Wen Shu painted what she saw in their garden residence Hanshan. With this claim, the family reinforced the image of “Wen Shu the artist” as a cloistered gentry woman and an amateur painter despite the fact that she painted for financial reasons. At the same time, this claim exalted the existing image of Hanshan. By establishing images for Wen Shu and Hanshan, the family worked together to reaffirm and enhance their social standing. This research contributes to the understanding of how a woman painter and her family utilized, participated in, and derived benefits from the prevalent garden culture of seventeenth-century China.
A Confucian Iconography of Cao E (Maiden Cao): Narrative Illustrations of a Female Deity in Late Imperial China
Authors: Chen Gilbert
Published: November 2016

This article examines the narrative illustrations of a female deity called Cao E (Maiden Cao), a work produced in eastern Zhejiang during the post-Taiping era. It focuses on the artistic composition and the cultural implications of this iconography. Using both textual sources and pictorial materials, this study investigates how this pictorial hagiography served as a forum through which a state-sanctioned local cult was visualized and perceived by a heterogeneous audience including itinerant officials, local elites, and illiterate commoners. The mixed audience had different understandings and expectations of Maiden Cao and her visual representation, among which gender-related issues were contested. The present study reveals a dynamic picture of how a seemingly orthodox work sponsored by local officials and elites could be sabotaged because of local people’s expectations of Maiden Cao, and her gender identity in particular.
Captured at a Glance
Authors: Beck Herman L.
Published: November 2016

This article focuses on the picture “Moroccans,” by Jacques Kuyper, in Martinus Stuart’s work. Although the picture of the “Moroccans” does not have any special art-historical value, it is interesting as a document-cum-monument that tells a fascinating story about another tipping point with regard to the image of Islam in Dutch history. “Moroccans” conveys a message that a twenty-first-century beholder cannot, or can no longer, grasp at a glance. This message cannot be understood unless the picture itself, as well as Martinus Stuart’s comment to it, is studied, and both are interpreted in their own socio-historical context.
Great Bosh
Authors: Comerford Peter J.
Published: November 2016

In Brideshead Revisited, Waugh tried to tie specific trends in modern art to the general decline of culture, against which Catholicism stood as a bulwark. This essay examines the conversion of Charles Ryder that interacts with his, and Waugh’s, reaction to modern art. Parallels are drawn with the conversion of Saint Augustine. The essay concludes that Waugh’s critique of modern art theory is superficial, and ignores the relationship between Christianity and modern art. This relationship is explored through the work of Joseph Masheck. The history of pictorial flatness is traced through religiously inspired art and is seen to be in continuity with modern art such as the black paintings of Ad Reinhardt. Saint Augustine’s theology of art as a means rather than as an end functions in Brideshead Revisited as a way to reconcile Waugh’s Catholic and artistic intentions.
Irony and Opinion
Authors: Priou Alex
Published: November 2016

This paper considers the unity of Socrates’ twin apparitions of sophist and statesman, alluded to in the Sophist. Examining how these apparitions are at work in the Theaetetus, I argue that the difficulty is that of combining the nurturing or educative role of the statesman with the sophist’s practice of refutation. Beginning from Socrates’ shift in appearance early in the dialogue, I argue that the cause of this shift is Theaetetus’ character, that this forces the general problem Socrates has in mind into a particular form, and that Theaetetus never fully grasps this fundamental, intractable problem. Consequently, the problem’s intractability shows why Socratic education is always refutative, and so combines the statesman and sophist’s respective arts. And because Theaetetus is the cause of Socrates’ shift, the philosopher’s appearance is always an ironic reflection of his interlocutor’s opinions: the dialogue the Philosopher would have to be named the Theaetetus.
The “Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere”: A New Boundary for Taiwanese People and the Taiwanese Capital, 1940–1945 (臺灣人的對外移民與投資, 1940–1945)
Authors: Lin (林滿紅) Man-houng
Published: November 2016

This article deals with Taiwanese civilian emigration and overseas investment in the period of 1940–1945 when Japan engaged the Greater East Asian War. Taiwan in general, and some Taiwanese in particular, helped the reconstruction of Japanese occupied areas in this war. Overseas Taiwanese mainly worked as employees for Japanese stores, companies, mines, plantations, and Japanese government offices, but also opened stores, factories, plantations and banks by themselves. As overseas ethnic Chinese, the Taiwanese civilian emigrants examined in this paper moved in the direction opposite that of other overseas Chinese holding Chinese nationality. The Taiwanese populace expanded overseas to Greater East Asia, while Chinese nationals withdrew from this area and returned to China. Thus, this paper will illustrate how the phrase, “people should fight for their country,” bore different meanings for these two different types of overseas Chinese in the Asia-Pacific War theater of wwii.

1930至40年代，中日學者曾就華僑的定義進行討論。吳主惠將華僑定義為定居於海外的中國人及其後裔，不包括駐外政府官員和留學生。吳氏認為華僑的最嚴格定義，是指定居海外但仍保有中國國籍者。1933年日本大藏省為替局統計臺灣地區約有46,000至47,000名華僑，便是依據這樣的定義。吳氏指出，在此嚴格定義下，華人後裔如不具中國國籍者，便非華僑。另有一種較為寬鬆的定義是: 無論是否具中國國籍，凡定居或曾赴海外的中國人及其後裔皆為華僑，井出季和太即持此見。關於日本統治臺灣時期的臺灣人國籍，根據日本大藏省為替局的解釋，由於馬關條約簽訂後的二年內，臺灣人得自由決定離去與否，留下臺灣者為日本國民。這些成為日本國民的臺灣人或其祖先曾具有中國國民的身分，因而1933年的340萬臺灣人也被視為較寬定義下的華僑。在日本建構所謂的「大東亞共榮圈」時期 (1940–1945)，許多不具軍人身分的臺灣人向海外移民或投資，與之相反的是，擁有中國國籍的華僑在此時期則多回歸故里。在大東亞戰爭時期的華人，由於出身不同，「為國而戰」一詞對於他們的意義也因而分歧。 (This article is in English.)
The Alternative Chinatown: Lewchew (Ryukyu) Kume Village and “36 Min Families” (另類唐人街 -「閩人三十六姓」與琉球久米村)
Authors: Lim (林 泉 忠) John Chuan-Tiong
Published: November 2016

Kumemura Village, or Kuninda, has been known as the community of Chinese immigrants with a more than five-hundred year background of scholar-bureaucrat aristocracy in Lewchew, or Ryukyu. They supposedly originated from a group of 36 families from the Southern Chinese Min (閩) ethnic group since 1392. Although much research has been conducted on the subject matter throughout the years, there is almost no scholar who would tackle it on the concept of a “Chinatown.” There are basically two reasons to account for such tendency in academics. Firstly, unlike most Chinese immigrant groups in other parts of the world, the 36 Min Families who had moved to Lewchew did not leave the country of their own accord, for neither private nor economic reasons, but in fact, were ordered by Emperor Hongwu to emigrate for political reasons. Furthermore, Kuninda-chu, the descendants of 36 Min Families, have almost, in the same way as other Okinawa people regard them over the years, never seen themselves as “overseas Chinese.”

However, this paper argues that there are still plenty of similarities between Kuninda-chu and other overseas Chinese in the world. The two main points for this paper are: firstly, Kuninda-chu relied excessively on the Chinese World Order and tributary system for its maintenance, so its survival rested primarily on the existence of this political structure, and was eventually disintegrated upon the collapse of the system. Secondly, Chinese culture was largely brought by Kuninda-chu to Ryukyu during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but it is still kept alive and observed in Okinawa society to this day and in stark contrast with the Yamaonchu, the Japanese in the mainland of Japan, it directly helped shaping and forming the Okinawa people’s self-identity as Uchinan-chu.

Truly, Kuninda no longer exists in the Okinawa society today, but Kuninda-chu’s descendants have been upholding their unique ethic image through various traditional activities organized by different groups, Kume-Sosekai notwithstanding. Moreover, Kuninda-chu is also one of the earliest overseas Chinese groups who had assimilated successfully into the local Okinawa community. It is clear that Kuninda is one of the most paramount alternative cases for the studies of overseas Chinese.

過去有關琉球「久米村」的歷史研究，鮮有學者以「唐人街」的概念來探討它的歷史與社會形態。其原因係「久米村人」或稱「閩人三十六姓」擁有有別於一般認知的華僑特徵。其一、儘管「久米村人」來自於中國著名僑鄉福建，然而這些移民最初並非個人的意志，亦非家庭因素而來到琉球，因爲他們是「官派」移民。其二、早期第一代閩僑「出外」的目的，乃以經濟為主要誘因，然「閩人三十六姓」則是受明太祖洪武帝派遣，前來琉球以輔助王國之營運及維繫與中國的關係，其政治目的十分清晰。其三、「閩人三十六姓」的子孫之間幾乎不存在「華僑」意識，更多的視自己為琉球人的一部分，而其他琉球人亦如此視之。

然而本文認爲「久米村人」與一般認知上的華僑、華人還是有許多共通之處。本文聚焦兩個主要面向，來探討「久米村」及「久米村人」在僑居地琉球的變遷與影響。兩大論點包括一、儘管「久米村」對琉球王國的發展功不可沒，然而過於仰賴「中華世界體系」的存在，故因該體制的興起而生，亦因該體制的衰亡而瓦解；二、「久米村人」是將中國文化大量帶進琉球的重要推手，中國文化至今仍在沖繩社會傳承，並在沖繩人形塑自我認同上發揮不可或缺的重要影響。

儘管「久米村」已不復存在，然而擁有500年歷史的「久米村」留下了龐大有跡可尋的歷史紀錄，而「久米村人」的後裔至今仍透過許多聯誼組織，低調地繼續維繫著在琉球社會中獨特族群的形象，而「久米村人」也是歷史上華僑最早「落地生根」的族群之一，提供了華僑、華人研究不可多得的重要個案。 (This article is in Chinese.)
Reinstatement of the specific status of Ligularia shifangensis (Asteraceae, Senecioneae)
Authors: WANG LONG , REN CHEN , ILLARIONOVA IRINA , YANG QIN-ER
Published: November 2016

Ligularia shifangensis (Asteraceae, Senecioneae) has been treated as L. liatroides var. shifangensis. Observations of both herbarium specimens (including type material) and living plants demonstrate that L. shifangensis is a distinct species. From L. liatroides it can be readily distinguished by the shape of leaves and involucres, the number and pubescence of phyllaries, and a shorter pappus. The affinity of L. shifangensis may lie with L. tsangchanensis, from which it differs mainly in the shape of involucres, the length of peduncles and a shorter pappus.
Thorectinae (Porifera: Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida) from Northeastern Brazil: two new species and transfer of Scalarispongia cincta (Boury-Esnault, 1973) to the genus Thorecta Lendenfeld, 1888
Authors: SANDES JOANA , MURICY GUILHERME , PINHEIRO ULISSES
Published: November 2016

The genus Scalarispongia was raised to gather species formerly allocated in Cacospongia with rectangular fibrous skeleton of cored primary fibers and uncored secondary fibers. Species of the genus Thorecta have a similar skeletal architecture, but the presence of a dermal armour distinguishes them from Scalarispongia. Here we describe two new species of Scalarispongia from northeastern Brazil and transfer Scalarispongia cincta to Thorecta cincta. Scalarispongia tubulata sp. nov. is thick encrusting to cushion-shaped, has tubular projections with thin walls, and surface irregularly microconulose. Scalarispongia cooki sp. nov. is massive lobate, with digitiform projections and irregular surface. Thorecta cincta n. comb. is pear-shaped with conulose surface, one large apical oscule and a belt of small oscula around the body. Its skeleton is composed by a regular and granular dermal armour and by a ladder-like network of concentrically laminated primary and secondary fibers. Cacospongia amorpha and Cacospongia levis are now the only species of the genus Cacospongia known to occur in the Brazillian coast, but both records need to be reassessed. A key to species of Thorectinae from the Tropical Western Atlantic is provided.
A remarkable new lichenophilous Pamexis species from the Hantam Karoo of South Africa (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Palparini)
Authors: MANSELL MERVYN W. , BALL JONATHAN B.
Published: November 2016

A new species of Pamexis Hagen, Pamexis hantam, from the Calvinia District, Northern Cape Province, South Africa, is described and illustrated. It is the second lichenophilous species to be recorded in the family Myrmeleontidae. A review is provided of its known habitat and behavior. Immature stages are unknown.
New Species and Records of Costa Rican Featherwing Beetles (Coleoptera:Ptiliidae)
Authors: DARBY MICHAEL
Published: November 2016

This paper describes a new genus and species of Acrotrichinae, Seminis factiosum gen. n., sp. n.; two new species of Nossidium: Nossidium schuelkei, n. sp. and Nossidium issyae, sp. n.; and  a new species of Ptenidium (Peruvium), Ptenidium gruenbergae  sp. n. from Costa Rica. Three further species: Ptenidium nitidum (Heer),  Petrotrichis rotundata Darby, and Bambara invisibilis Nietner are recorded as being present. With the exception of N. issyae all the insects were collected using a vehicle roof–mounted net on a single 40  kilometre drive from the east and west coasts of the Osa Peninsula by M. Schülke and B. Grünberg in 2012.
A new skate genus Orbiraja (Rajiformes: Rajidae) from the Indo-West Pacific
Authors: LAST PETER R. , WEIGMANN SIMON , DUMALE DON
Published: November 2016

Molecular analyses and information gleaned from an examination of the newly available adult male of the North-West Pacific skate, Okamejei jensenae Last & Lim, supported earlier concerns that the species might be mis-assigned. Morphological data based on this specimen supported its placement in a new genus Orbiraja that is assigned to the recently named Rostrorajini based on molecular evidence. This subgroup of the family Rajidae also includes Malacoraja, Neoraja, Rostroraja and an unresolved ‘amphi-American Assemblage’ (sensu McEachran & Dunn, 1998). Orbiraja is unique within the rajids in having the combination of three, very closely spaced median thorn rows on the tail, no dark-edged ventral pores, and a clasper skeleton with a prominent accessory terminal 3 cartilage formed by a medio-distal extension of the accessory terminal 2 cartilage. Its spiracle appears to be situated posteriorly with respect to the orbit. The group contains two other nominal species, Orbiraja powelli (Alcock) and O. philipi (Lloyd), and an un-named species from Indonesia that needs further investigation. Orbiraja jensenae is rediagnosed based on characteristics of the adult male.
Edwardsya, a new genus of jumping spiders from South America (Araneae: Salticidae: Freyina)
Authors: RUIZ GUSTAVO R.S. , BUSTAMANTE ABEL A.
Published: November 2016

Edwardsya gen. nov. is proposed to include the type species Attus simoni Taczanowski, 1871 from lower Amazon River, and E. igapo sp. nov. from upper Amazon River, both known only from Brazil. The male of Edwardsya simoni comb. nov. is redescribed and the correct female is described for the first time. Both sexes of the second species are described and illustrated. A modified endite apophysis is described, and a stimulatory role in copulation is proposed for it.
The biting and predaceous midges of Guadeloupe (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). II. Species of the subfamily Dasyheleinae
Authors: GROGAN WILLLIAM L. JR. , DÍAZ FLORENTINA , SPINELLI GUSTAVO R. , RONDEROS MARIA M.
Published: November 2016

We provide descriptions, photographs and illustrations of 13 new species and new records of eight other species of biting midges in the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer from Guadeloupe. Included are the first Guadeloupe records of D. bermudae Wirth & Williams, D. caribbeana Spinelli & Wirth, D. cincta (Coquillett), D. flavifrons (Guérin-Méneville), D. grisea (Coquillett), D. griseola Wirth, D. luteogrisea Wirth & Williams and D. pseudoincisurata Waugh & Wirth. The previously unknown male of D. caribbeana is described and illustrated, and, a key is provided for the 24 species of Dasyhelea known from Guadeloupe.
The last scream: the distress call of a probably extinct Brazilian anuran (Holoaden bradei Lutz, 1958)
Authors: MARTINELLI AMANDA , TOLEDO LUÍS FELIPE
Published: November 2016

The genus Holoaden Miranda-Ribeiro (Anura, Craugastoridae, Holoadeninae) includes four species endemic to the southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which occur in cloud forests at high elevations (Lutz 1958, Pombal et al. 2008, Martins & Zaher 2013). Out of these, two species are considered threatened by Ministério do Meio Ambiente (2014): H. bradei is classified as critically endangered (CR) and H. luederwaldti as endangered (EN). Holoaden bradei might be already extinct in the wild, as it has not been recorded in the last 40 years in spite of intense scientific activity within its original distribution range (Rocha & van Sluys 2004). The advertisement call has been described only for Holoaden luederwaldti (Martins 2010). Call descriptions, especially of advertisement calls, are important sources of evidence in taxonomic and phylogenetic studies (Roy 1996, Toledo et al. 2007, Andrade et al. 2016). However, there are other call types (see classification in Toledo et al. 2015) that can be used in absence of advertisement calls (e.g., Grenat & Martino 2013). We recently had access to a recording made in 1960’s of the distress call of H. bradei. We hereby describe this call.
Scratching the surface? Taxonomic revision of the subgenus Schizoptera
(Odontorhagus) reveals vast undocumented biodiversity in the largest litter bug genus Schizoptera Fieber (Hemiptera: Dipsocoromorpha)
Authors: LEON STEPHANIE , WEIRAUCH CHRISTIANE
Published: November 2016

Schizoptera Fieber, currently the largest genus of litter bugs (Hemiptera: Dipsocoromorpha), comprises 61 extant species in 4 subgenera. Specimens are abundant in New World bulk and residue samples. Schizoptera species showcase stunning morphology including intricate, asymmetrical genitalia in males that have proven to provide excellent species diagnostic features in the past. Recent bulk sample sorting efforts have revealed a vast number of Schizoptera specimens from across the New World, with the majority representing undescribed species. We here taxonomically revise the subgenus Schizoptera (Odontorhagus) that has recently been shown to form a monophyletic group within Schizoptera. Characterized by the blunt tooth on the posterior margin of the propleuron, Schizoptera (Odontorhagus) previously comprised 10 species from Central and the northern part of South America. We here describe 20 new species in S. (Odontorhagus): S. acuta, n. sp., S. angularis, n. sp., S. ansata, n. sp., S. aspera, n. sp., S. brevis, n. sp., S. dentata, n. sp., S. dolosa, n. sp., S. enigmatica, n. sp., S. exacta, n. sp., S. gorgonensis, n. sp., S. insidiosa, n. sp., S. monstrosa, n. sp., S. piscicaudata, n. sp., S. quasicompleta, n. sp., S. radicata, n. sp., S. serrata, n. sp., S. simpla, n. sp., S. singularis, n. sp., S. trivialis, n. sp., S. ungulata, n. sp., increasing the species count of Schizoptera to 81. We provide morphological documentation including digital habitus images and genitalic drawings for all new species and document and redescribe existing species where feasible. Distribution maps and a key to the species of Schizoptera (Odontorhagus) are also presented. We predict that similar increases in species numbers are to be expected for the remaining subgenera of Schizoptera, making this genus a very diverse lineage of minute litter bugs.
A new species of Australian frog (Myobatrachidae: Uperoleia) from the New South Wales mid-north coast sandplains
Authors: CLULOW SIMON , ANSTIS MARION , KEOGH J. SCOTT , CATULLO RENEE A.
Published: November 2016

The discovery of new vertebrate species in developed countries is still occurring at surprising rates for some taxonomic groups, especially the amphibians and reptiles. While this most often occurs in under-explored areas, it occasionally still happens in well-inhabited regions. We report such a case with the discovery and description of U. mahonyi sp. nov., a new species of frog from a highly populated region of New South Wales, Australia. We provide details of its morphology, calls, embryos and tadpoles, and phylogenetic relationships to other species of eastern Uperoleia. We also provide the results of targeted surveys to establish its distribution and provide observations of its habitat associations. As a consequence of these surveys, we comment on the likely restricted nature of the species’ distribution and habitat, and place this in the context of a preliminary assessment of its putative conservation status, which should be assessed for listing under the IUCN’s red list. We note this species, which is morphologically distinct, has gone unnoticed for many decades despite numerous ecological surveys for local development applications.
Description of a new species of Euptychia Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) from the western Andes
Authors: NAKAHARA SHINICHI , VEGA GERMAN , WILLMOTT KEITH R.
Published: November 2016

We describe a new nymphalid butterfly, Euptychia favonius sp. nov., from the western Andes. Adults and genitalia for this new taxon are illustrated and a distribution map is provided. The taxonomy of its sister species, E. meta Weymer, 1911, is discussed, and a lectotype is designated for E. meta.
On the Physics of Three Integrated Assessment Models
Authors: Calel Raphael , Stainforth David A.
Published: November 2016

Integrated assessment models (IAMs) are the main tools for combining physical and economic analyses to develop and assess climate change policy. Policy makers have relied heavily on three IAMs in particular—Dynamic Integrated model of Climate and the Economy (DICE), The Climate Framework for Uncertainty, Negotiation and Distribution (FUND), and Policy Analysis for the Greenhouse Effect (PAGE)—when trying to balance the benefits and costs of climate action. Unpacking the physics of these IAMs accomplishes four things. First, it reveals how the physics of these IAMs differ and the extent to which those differences give rise to different visions of the human and economic costs of climate change. Second, it makes these IAMs more accessible to the scientific community and thereby invites further physical expertise into the IAM community so that economic assessments of climate change can better reflect the latest physical understanding of the climate system. Third, it increases the visibility of the link between the physical sciences and the outcomes of policy assessments so that the scientific community can focus more sharply on those unresolved questions that loom largest in policy assessments. And finally, in making explicit the link between these IAMs and the underlying physical models, one gains the ability to translate between IAMs using a common physical language. This translation key will allow multimodel policy assessments to run all three models with physically comparable baseline scenarios, enabling the economic sources of uncertainty to be isolated and facilitating a more informed debate about the most appropriate mitigation pathway.
Changes of the Tropical Tropopause Layer under Global Warming
Authors: Lin Pu , Paynter David , Ming Yi , Ramaswamy V.
Published: November 2016

This paper investigates changes in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) in response to carbon dioxide increase and surface warming separately in an atmospheric general circulation model, finding that both effects lead to a warmer tropical tropopause. Surface warming also results in an upward shift of the tropopause. A detailed heat budget analysis is performed to quantify the contributions from different radiative and dynamic processes to changes in the TTL temperature. When carbon dioxide increases with fixed surface temperature, a warmer TTL mainly results from the direct radiative effect of carbon dioxide increase. With surface warming, the largest contribution to the TTL warming comes from the radiative effect of the warmer troposphere, which is partly canceled by the radiative effect of the moistening at the TTL. Strengthening of the stratospheric circulation following surface warming cools the lower stratosphere dynamically and radiatively via changes in ozone. These two effects are of comparable magnitudes. This circulation change is the main cause of temperature changes near 63 hPa but is weak near 100 hPa. Contributions from changes in convection and clouds are also quantified. These results illustrate the heat budget analysis as a useful tool to disentangle the radiative–dynamical–chemical–convective coupling at the TTL and to facilitate an understanding of intermodel difference.
Performance of IMERG as a Function of Spatiotemporal Scale
Authors: Tan Jackson , Petersen Walter A. , Kirstetter Pierre-Emmanuel , Tian Yudong
Published: November 2016

The Integrated Multisatellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG), a global high-resolution gridded precipitation dataset, will enable a wide range of applications, ranging from studies on precipitation characteristics to applications in hydrology to evaluation of weather and climate models. These applications focus on different spatial and temporal scales and thus average the precipitation estimates to coarser resolutions. Such a modification of scale will impact the reliability of IMERG. In this study, the performance of the Final Run of IMERG is evaluated against ground-based measurements as a function of increasing spatial resolution (from 0.1° to 2.5°) and accumulation periods (from 0.5 to 24 h) over a region in the southeastern United States. For ground reference, a product derived from the Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor suite, a radar- and gauge-based operational precipitation dataset, is used. The TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) is also included as a benchmark. In general, both IMERG and TMPA improve when scaled up to larger areas and longer time periods, with better identification of rain occurrences and consistent improvements in systematic and random errors of rain rates. Between the two satellite estimates, IMERG is slightly better than TMPA most of the time. These results will inform users on the reliability of IMERG over the scales relevant to their studies.
Mother’s Perception of Children’s Motor Development in Southern Brazil
Authors: Silva Sabrine D. , Flôres Fábio S. , Corrêa Shaiane L. , Cordovil Rita , Copetti Fernando
Published: November 2016

Parents’ perceptions of children’s motor competence are important because they influence the way parents interact with their children to promote motor skills development. Thirty-six mothers of 16- to 66-month old children (61%, 22 boys and 39%, 14 girls, n = 36) estimated their child’s performance while the child was being evaluated, by another trained researcher, with the same scale (Peabody Developmental Motor Scale 2nd Ed.) in a different room. Underestimations, accurate estimations, overestimations, and parental accuracy were investigated. Mothers overestimated significantly their child’s stationary and locomotion skills and their GMQ and Total Motor Quotients (TMQ). Identical levels of motor performance were found in girls and boys, and estimation accuracy was similar for both genders. We discuss our results in the context of the parents’ routines (little time interacting with children actively) and the relevance of their perceptions of the children’s abilities as a further influence on the children’s development and engagement in physical activities.
NPR Music: Remediation, curation, and National Public Radio in the digital convergence era
Authors: Cwynar Christopher
Published: November 2016

This article considers National Public Radio’s (NPR) relationship with music and the web. I argue that the NPR Music project has successfully leveraged NPR’s perceived autonomy from commercial factors, sophisticated cultural sensibility, established audience, and unique network of member stations to become an important curator of music-based radio and music itself. Building on an emerging discussion of the politics of curation and publicity in the social media and streaming paradigm, this article extends the concept of ‘soundwork’ to argue that national public media organizations must increasingly both produce and curate content in order to compete for attention and engagement on the platform-based social web. As this case study of NPR Music demonstrates, these legacy institutions can leverage their valuable ‘national public’ identities in order to facilitate these activities, but this strategy threatens to undermine their legitimacy during a period in which ‘public’ is an increasingly contested and contingent term.
Admissible velocity propagation: Beyond quasi-static path planning for high-dimensional robots
Authors: Pham Quang-Cuong , Caron Stéphane , Lertkultanon Puttichai , Nakamura Yoshihiko
Published: November 2016

Path-velocity decomposition is an intuitive yet powerful approach to addressing the complexity of kinodynamic motion planning. The difficult trajectory planning problem is solved in two separate, simpler steps: first, a path is found in the configuration space that satisfies the geometric constraints (path planning), and second, a time-parameterization of that path satisfying the kinodynamic constraints is found. A fundamental requirement is that the path found in the first step must be time-parameterizable. Most existing works fulfill this requirement by enforcing quasi-static constraints during the path planning step, resulting in an important loss in completeness. We propose a method that enables path-velocity decomposition to discover truly dynamic motions, i.e. motions that are not quasi-statically executable. At the heart of the proposed method is a new algorithm – Admissible Velocity Propagation – which, given a path and an interval of reachable velocities at the beginning of that path, computes exactly and efficiently the interval of all the velocities the system can reach after traversing the path, while respecting the system’s kinodynamic constraints. Combining this algorithm with usual sampling-based planners then gives rise to a family of new trajectory planners that can appropriately handle kinodynamic constraints while retaining the advantages associated with path-velocity decomposition. We demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method on some difficult kinodynamic planning problems, where, in particular, quasi-static methods are guaranteed to fail.
Lung ultrasonography to diagnose meconium aspiration syndrome of the newborn
Authors: Liu Jing , Cao Hai-Ying , Fu Wei
Published: November 2016

Objective

To investigate the diagnostic value of lung ultrasonography for neonatal meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS).

Methods

This prospective observational study enrolled patients diagnosed with MAS based on medical history, clinical manifestations and chest X-ray and control newborns without MAS. During ultrasonography, each lung was divided into three regions (front, lateral, and back), using anterior and posterior axillary lines as the boundary. While scanning each region of the lungs, the hand piece was perpendicular or parallel to the ribs.

Results

This study enrolled 117 newborns with MAS and 100 controls. The main lung ultrasonographic findings in patients with MAS were: (i) pulmonary consolidation with air bronchogram was found in all patients; (ii) pleural line anomalies and the disappearance of the A-line was found in all patients; (iii) atelectasis was found in 19 (16.2%) severe cases, who demonstrated severe massive atelectasis and visible lung pulse; (iv) pleural effusion was found in 16 patients (13.7%); and (v) alveolar-interstitial syndrome or B-line in the non-consolidation area was found in all patients with MAS.

Conclusion

Ultrasonography can be used routinely to diagnose MAS in an accurate, reliable, convenient, and non-invasive manner.
Materials identification in comparison of results among fire scaling and flammability studies
Authors:   ISOTC92 SC1, Fire Initiation and Growth,   ISO TC92 SC3, Fire Threat to People and the Environment,   ISO TC61 SC4, Plastics - Burning Behaviour
Published: November 2016

There is concern about comparing fire test results from different apparatus and from multiple laboratories in which the tested materials and products in a generic group are assumed to be identical, when they are often quite different. The use of such results can adversely affect the acceptability of a test method and the validity of the computational models used to simulate fire hazard and risk. Three International Standards Organization subcommittees (ISO TC92 SC1, Fire Initiation and Growth; ISO TC92 SC3, Fire Threat to People and the Environment; and ISO TC61 SC4, Plastics—Burning Behaviour) contend that the comparison of gas yields (and perhaps other fire properties, such as ignition delay time and heat release rate) is only proper among studies in which the test specimens are from a single, uniform batch or if it is assured that any differences in composition do not affect the test outcome significantly.
Is US grand strategy self-defeating? Deep engagement, military spending and sovereign debt
Authors: Norrlof Carla , Wohlforth William C.
Published: November 2016

Questions regarding the economic consequences of US grand strategy have gained new salience. This article provides an empirical test of the relationship between US military expenditures and public debt and clarifies the real constraints the US faces issuing debt. Neither results from the statistical analysis nor the economic theory of sovereign debt support the retrenchment position regarding the impact of military spending on public debt (1973–2015). Tax cuts are the most significant determinant of debt not military spending, social benefits or interest payments. Evaluating new hypotheses about alternative mechanisms through which military spending may damage the economy remains a priority.
The Bengal fan: External controls on the Holocene Active Channel turbidite activity
Authors: Fournier Léa , Fauquembergue Kelly , Zaragosi Sébastien , Zorzi Coralie , Malaizé Bruno , Bassinot Franck , Joussain Ronan , Colin Christophe , Moreno Eva , Leparmentier François
Published: November 2016

The eastern levee of the Active Channel in the Bengal fan has been investigated in order to better understand the history of turbidite activity in this channel during the Holocene in the context of Ganges-Brahmaputra ‘source-to-sink’ system. A robust 14C-based chronostratigraphy provides high temporal resolution for reconstructing sediment accumulation history on the eastern levee of the Active Channel. Integration of this study with previous work in the area suggests that the Bengal fan has remained continually connected with the Ganges-Brahmaputra fluvial system through the Holocene, feeding through the main canyon, the Swatch of No Ground (SoNG). An intense turbidite activity occurred during a transgressive wet period from 14.5 to 9.2 ka cal. BP, followed by an abrupt shift in sedimentation at 9.2 ka cal. BP, probably due to the high sea level leading to a partial disconnection between massive river discharges and the deep turbidite system. During the last 9.2 ka cal. BP, turbidite activity is still present but irregular, likely modulated by a combination of various forcings such as monsoon variability and river migration. In total, three phases are distinguishable during this period: 9.2–5.5, 5.5–4, and 4 ka cal. BP to modern, according to the turbidite record. Unexpectedly, the Indo-Asian monsoon does not appear to be the only predominant forcing on the establishment of the Bengal fan during the Holocene because of the combination of different forcings directly affecting transfers between the Ganges-Brahmaputra and the Bengal fan as well as river migrations, delta construction, and potentially anthropogenic impact.
Heritage tourism’s economic contribution
Authors: McGrath John M. , Primm David , Lafe William
Published: November 2016

Heritage tourism is a growing field, both from a visitation perspective and in terms of research efforts. This article adds value by reporting results of a study that estimated the economic contributions of heritage tourism in a major state in the U.S. Patterns of visitor behavior and spending detailed within these data could be used by future researchers as a benchmark for estimating the economic contribution of heritage tourism in other regions. Survey data were collected at dozens of diverse heritage-related attractions across hundreds of miles of geography in Pennsylvania using traditional printed questionnaire instruments as well as a mobile/online questionnaire instrument. A total of 3,524 completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The study estimated that tourists spent 7.5 million days/nights visiting survey sites, purchasing US$2 billion worth of goods and services attributable to heritage tourism. Limitations of the study are discussed along with implications for future research.
What’s the deal with ‘websleuthing’? News media representations of amateur detectives in networked spaces
Authors: Yardley Elizabeth , Lynes Adam George Thomas , Wilson David , Kelly Emma
Published: November 2016

This article explores websleuthing, a phenomenon widely discussed and debated in popular culture but little-researched by criminologists. Drawing upon a review of existing literature and analysis of news media representations, we argue that websleuthing is much more diverse than previously thought. Encompassing a wide range of motives, manifestations, activities, networked spaces and cases, websleuthing has a variety of impacts upon victims, secondary victims, suspects, criminal justice organisations and websleuths themselves. We conclude that websleuthing is the embodiment of true crime infotainment in a ‘wound culture’ (Seltzer, 2007, 2008) and as such, is deserving of more criminological scrutiny than has been the case to date.