bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Ferredoxin-Like Protein FerR Regulates PrbP Activity in
Liberibacter asiaticus
Authors: Pan Lei , da Silva Danilo , Pagliai Fernando A. , Harrison Natalie A. , Gonzalez Claudio F. , Lorca Graciela L.
Published: December 2018

The rapid spread and aggressive progression of huanglongbing (HLB) in the major citrus-producing areas have raised global recognition of and vigilance to this disease. As a result, the causative agent,
Liberibacter asiaticus
, has been investigated from various perspectives. However, gene expression regulatory mechanisms that are important for the survival and persistence of this intracellular pathogen remain largely unexplored. PrbP is a transcriptional accessory protein important for
L. asiaticus
survival in the plant host. In this study, we investigated the interactions between PrbP in
L. asiaticus
(PrbP
Las
) and a ferredoxin-like protein (FerR) in
L. asiaticus
, FerR
Las
. We show that the presence of FerR stabilizes and augments the activity of PrbP
Las
. In addition, we demonstrate that the expression of
ferR
is induced by increases in osmolarity in
Liberibacter crescens
. Altogether, these results suggest that FerR
Las
and PrbP
Las
may play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to changing environmental signals during
L. asiaticus
infection in the citrus host.
Cultural validation of the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Version III Urdu for the British Urdu-speaking population: a qualitative assessment using cognitive interviewing
Authors: Mirza Nadine , Panagioti Maria , Waheed Waquas
Published: December 2018

Objectives

Our research determined whether the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Version III (ACE-III) Urdu eliminated cultural bias through a qualitative assessment of its understanding and acceptability within the British Urdu-speaking population, employing cognitive interviews.

Method

We aimed to recruit 25 participants fluent in speaking and writing Urdu, over the age of 60 years, able to give informed consent and who did not have a history of cognitive impairment. Participants were administered the ACE-III Urdu, and cognitive interviews were conducted, which involve obtaining verbal data on the individual’s perception of the assessment overall, their understanding of the mental processes behind how they interpreted questions within the assessment and how they produced appropriate responses. This allows us to gauge the participants’ overall thoughts on the Urdu ACE-III before applying question-formatted prompts to every ACE-III Urdu item.

Results

We recruited 25 participants, 12 women (48%), ranging from ages 60 years to 85 years (M=69.12, SD=6.57), all from Greater Manchester. Participants came from varied socioeconomic backgrounds, with 22 identifying as Pakistani, one as British Pakistani and two as East African. Across 19 ACE-III Urdu items, 7 required changes based on participant feedback: item 5a: fluency; items 6, 18 and 19: memory; items 12 and 13: language; and item 17: visuospatial abilities.

The need for some of these changes was realised after 21 participants, due to persistently reoccurring issues, and these were applied before the last four participants. Overall, the ACE-III Urdu was considered easy and straightforward by all 25 participants, who understood items and felt the ACE-III Urdu was appropriate, not just for them, but for British Urdu speakers in general.

Conclusion

Our cognitive interviews determined the ACE-III Urdu was acceptable, especially with regards to cultural context, but further changes were made to ensure understanding. Therefore, we adapted the ACE-III Urdu in accordance with feedback, resulting in our finalised version being culturally validated.
Selective carious tissue removal using subjective criteria or polymer bur: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (SelecCT)
Authors: Schwendicke Falk , Leal Soraya , Schlattmann Peter , Paris Sebastian , Dias Ribeiro Ana Paula , Gomes Marques Marta , Hilgert Leandro Augusto
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Selective (incomplete/partial) carious tissue removal is suitable for treating deep carious lesions in teeth with vital, asymptomatic pulps. In the periphery of a cavity, removal to hard dentin is performed, while in pulpo-proximal areas, leathery or soft dentin is left to avoid pulp exposure. As the decision of what contains ‘soft’ or ‘leathery’ dentin is subjective, using self-limiting burs which help to standardise the hardness of the remaining dentin, has been suggested to increase the reliability of carious tissue removal. The trial compares subjectively measured selective carious tissue removal in deep lesions in primary teeth with objectively measured selective removal with a self-limiting bur (Polybur, Komet).

Methods and analysis

A community-based single-blind clustered randomised controlled superiority trial nested into a larger evaluation is performed. Recruitment for this trial has been concluded. We have recruited 115 children aged 6–8 years with ≥1 vital primary molar with a deep dentin lesion. The unit of randomisation was the child, with all eligible molars per child treated identically. Treatment was performed in a mobile dental unit. Subjective and objective carious tissue removal was performed at random. Teeth were restored using glass ionomer cement (Equia Forte, GC). Our primary outcome will be the time until complications occur, evaluated via multilevel survival analysis. Secondary outcomes will be the time until extraction is needed, subjective satisfaction of the child with the treatment (measured using a Likert scale) and cost-effectiveness. Re-examination will be performed after 12, 24 and 36 months (the final examination is expected in 2020).

Ethics and dissemination

This trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Health Sciences of the University of Brasília (CAAE 51310415.0.0000.0030). Trial results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented on conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT02754466.
Lawrence Blair Smith
Authors: Smith Christina (Kirsty)
Published: December 2018

Having been inspired to study veterinary medicine, he joined the Highlands and Islands Veterinary Services Scheme, initially caring for the animals of Orkney, before moving to the Hebrides.
Determination of Amaranth in cocktail by synchronous three-dimensional fluorescence spectrometry
Authors: Zhu Chun , Song Xin-Shu , Zhu Cong-Hai , Chen Guo-Qing , Zhu Tuo
Published: December 2018

Three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence spectra and synchronous 3D fluorescence spectra are used to analyze the concentration of Amaranth in commercial cocktails by Parallel Factor Correction Algorithm. The former average relative error of the Amaranth in the commercial cocktail is 15%, and the latter average relative error is less than 4.0%. The results show that the synchronous fluorescence spectrum can improve the sensitivity and selectivity of the fluorescence spectroscopy technique greatly, and it has obvious advantages on analysis of the complex multi-components system. Finally, the content of Amaranth in the cocktail (about [Formula: see text]) is much lower than that of the national standard by using synchronous data combined with parallel factor analysis of the content of Amaranth.
Transition-Based Korean Dependency Parsing Using Hybrid Word Representations of Syllables and Morphemes with LSTMs
Authors: Na Seung-hoon , Li Jianri , Shin Jong-hoon , Kim Kangil
Published: December 2018

Recently, neural approaches for transition-based dependency parsing have become one of the state-of-the art methods for performing dependency parsing tasks in many languages. In neural transition-based parsing, a
parser state representation
is first computed from the configuration of a stack and a buffer, which is then fed into a feed-forward neural network model that predicts the next transition action. Given that words are basic elements of a stack and buffer, a parser state representation is considerably affected by how a
word representation
is defined. In particular, word representation issues become more critical in morphologically rich languages such as Korean, as the set of potential words is not bound but introduce the second-order vocabulary complexity, called the
phrase vocabulary complexity
due to the agglutinative characteristics of the language. In this article, we propose a
hybrid
word representation that combines two compositional word representations, each of which is derived from representations of
syllables
and
morphemes
, respectively. Our underlying assumption for this hybrid word representation is that, because both syllables and morphemes are two common ways of decomposing Korean words, it is expected that their effects in inducing word representation are complementary to one another. Experimental results carried on Sejong and SPMRL 2014 datasets show that our proposed hybrid word representation leads to the state-of-the-art performance.
Minimally Invasive Function-Preserving Gastrectomy with Sentinel Node Biopsy for Early Gastric Cancer
Authors: Hiramatsu Yoshishiro , Takeuchi Hiroya , Goto Osamu , Kikuchi Hirotoshi , Kitagawa Yuko
Published: December 2018

Background: Recently, minimally invasive approaches such as endoscopic treatment or laparoscopic gastrectomy for early gastric cancer have made rapid progress. However, the extent of gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy in laparoscopic surgery is radical, similar to that of open gastrectomy for patients with early gastric cancer diagnosed as not indicated for endoscopic treatment. Since it is well known that lymph node metastasis is an important prognostic factor, the standard procedure of gastrectomy with radical lymph node dissection has been performed for the purpose of curative resection. The frequency of lymph node metastases is relatively low in patients with early gastric cancer; therefore, function-preserving gastrectomy, a solution between endoscopic treatment and standard gastrectomy in terms of invasiveness, could be considered to avoid excessive invasive surgery. Summary: A prospective multicenter trial and meta-analyses of sentinel node (SN) mapping and biopsy for early gastric cancer demonstrated favorable SN detection rates and accuracy of nodal metastatic status. Personalized function-preserving gastrectomy with limited lymphadenectomy using SN theory will positively impact patients’ quality of life (QOL). Specifically, a full-thickness partial gastrectomy by laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery with SN basin dissection could become a reliable technique of minimally invasive gastrectomy for treating patients with clinically node-negative (cN0) early gastric cancer. Key Messages: For early gastric cancer, the development of laparoscopic personalized minimized gastrectomy with SN navigation may improve patients’ postoperative QOL.
Pilot Study Indicates Helicobacter pylori Infection May Induce Small Intestinal Mucosal Injury
Authors: Omori Jun , Fujimori Shunji , Kosugi Yuki , Yukiko Katsuya , Takagi Shinsuke , Nishimoto Takayoshi , Sato Wataru , Umeda Takamitsu , Kataoka Hiroaki , Akimoto Naohiko , Mitsui Keigo , Iwakiri Katsuhiko
Published: December 2018

Background and Aim: Helicobacter pylori infection is a primary cause of gastroduodenal ulcers. To investigate whether there is an association between H. pylori infection and small intestinal mucosal injury. Methods: Patients were selected from a general pool of subjects who underwent capsule endoscopy for current or past obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Characteristics including age, gender, history, treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and/or acid suppressant, diagnosis, and H. pylori infection were investigated. Patients infected with H. pylori had positive test result, ranging 30 days before to 30 days after capsule endoscopy. Patients diagnosed with inflammatory diseases, malignant tumors, etc. were excluded. All video images were re-evaluated to count small intestinal mucosal breaks. Eligible patient variables were compared. Results: A total of 92 patients (30 infected with H. pylori/62 uninfected) were eligible. By univariate analysis of the number of mucosal breaks, patients treated with NSAIDs were found to have more mucosal breaks than patients untreated (38%: 8/21 vs. 18%: 13/71; p = 0.004), and the possible association was detected between patients infected with H. pylori and those who were not (67%: 14/21 vs. 37%: 26/71; p = 0.081). When comparing the H. pylori infected and uninfected patients, the rate of patients with mucosal breaks was greater in infected patients (47%: 14/30 vs. 11%: 7/62; p = 0.001). After excluding patients treated with NSAIDs, the number of mucosal breaks was also greater in patients infected with H. pylori (1.2 ± 1.5 vs. 0.38 ± 0.62; p = 0.001). Conclusion: There is a possibility that H. pylori infection induces small intestinal mucosal injury.
Low Skeletal Muscle Mass before Salvage-Line Chemotherapy Is a Poor Prognostic Factor in Patients with Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Miyamoto Yuji , Hiyoshi Yukiharu , Akiyama Takahiko , Kiyozumi Yuki , Eto Kojiro , Yohei Nagai , Iwagami Shiro , Baba Yoshifumi , Yoshida Naoya , Baba Hideo
Published: December 2018

Background: Regorafenib and TAS-102 are standard salvage-line treatment options for patients with chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of skeletal muscle mass in mCRC patients receiving these salvage-line therapies. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 52 patients with mCRC who received regorafenib or TAS-102 as salvage-line treatment. Skeletal muscle cross-sectional area was measured by pretreatment CT to obtain the skeletal muscle index (SMI, cm2/m2). We divided patients into 2 groups (low-SM/high-SMI) based on the median value of SMI. Result: The median SMI was 51.8 cm2/m2 in males and 39.2 cm2/m2 in females. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients in the low-SMI group showed significantly shorter overall survival (3.7 vs. 7.3 months, log-rank p = 0.002) and progression-free survival (1.9 vs. 2.8 months, log-rank test p = 0.009) than those in the high-SMI group. Subsequent multivariate analysis revealed that the SMI was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio = 2.381, 95% CI 1.189–4.944, p = 0.014). Patients in the low-SMI group had significantly more grade 3 or 4 adverse events than those in the high-SMI group (46 vs.12%, p = 0.013). Conclusion: Low skeletal muscle mass is a negative factor for survival outcomes in mCRC patients treated with salvage-line chemotherapy.
Advancing towards Better Cooperation for Better Sarcoma Prognoses
Authors: Martín Broto Javier
Published: December 2018

Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) are necessary to deliver the best sarcoma care. Planning the optimal therapeutic strategy per patient requires input and expertise from several disciplines. Case/cohort studies have reported improved patient outcomes associated with treatment by MDTs and/or treatment in sarcoma centres. Many countries have established national networks of sarcoma reference centres and most have developed evidence-based clinical practice guidelines agreed using multidisciplinary expertise. In many countries, sarcoma networks are organised as cooperative groups. These groups are committed to delivering continuing medical education and are open to collaboration with other groups. Among their many benefits, cooperative groups have huge capacity for accrual, which is essential for rare cancers such as sarcoma. Since its beginnings in 1994 with a small core of oncologists focussing on soft tissue sarcoma, the Spanish Group for Research on Sarcomas (GEIS) has expanded to 376 members from more than 10 disciplines (as at June 2017). GEIS is currently actively collaborating with several international cooperative groups. As MDTs are essential to offer the best outcome in sarcoma care, and international cooperation between sarcoma groups is essential to address the many unanswered questions in sarcoma management, both approaches should be made mandatory.
Confocal Microscopy and Lentigo Maligna: An in vivo Pilot Study for the Assessment of Response to Imiquimod Therapy
Authors: Brand Flurin L. , Seyed Jafari S. Morteza , Hunger Robert E.
Published: December 2018

Background: Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a noninvasive technique that provides real-time in vivo images of the epidermal layer. Imiquimod has been recommended as an alternative treatment in lentigo maligna (LM) when surgical excision is not the treatment of choice. In the present study we compare the results of in vivo RCM to the histopathological examination before and after treatment of LM with topical imiquimod. Methods: Thirty-four patients with confirmed LM were included. Imiquimod 5% was applied until a weeping erosion appeared in the LM-affected skin. Evaluation was performed by clinical examination, dermatoscopy, histopathology and RCM. Results: During the follow-up, 27 of 34 patients (79.42%) demonstrated a total tumor clearance by imiquimod treatment. In the treated area, a significant decrease of atypical cells was detected using RCM (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation in the detected atypical cells was shown using confocal microscopy and histology (p = 0.0001, r = 0.7335, respectively). Conclusion: In patients not suitable for surgical intervention imiquimod treatment is an appropriate treatment alternative. Thereby, in vivo RCM was demonstrated to be an excellent examining device, which not only allows diagnosis of LM, but also therapy and follow-up examinations. An important benefit of RCM, in contrast to conventional histopathology, is the simple handling with in vivo examination of epidermal skin without any pain for the patient.
Daily Supplementation with 4000 IU Vitamin D3 for Three Years Does Not Modify Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure: The Effect of Vitamin D on Mortality in Heart Failure Trial
Authors: Zittermann Armin , Ernst Jana B. , Prokop Sylvana , Fuchs Uwe , Dreier Jens , Kuhn Joachim , Knabbe Cornelius , Börgermann Jochen , Berthold Heiner K. , Pilz Stefan , Gouni-Berthold Ioanna , Gummert Jan F.
Published: December 2018

Background/Aims: We aimed to investigate the effect of a moderately high vitamin D dose on lipid parameters and biochemical markers of vascular calcification (VC) in patients with established cardiovascular disease. Methods: We included in this pre-specified secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial 161 patients with advanced heart failure and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations < 75 nmol/L (vitamin D group: n = 80; placebo group: n = 81), who received a daily vitamin D3 supplement of 4,000 IU for 3 years. We assessed between-group differences of the lipid parameters total-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides, and the VC markers fetuin-A and non-phosphorylated undercarboxylated matrix gla protein (MGP) at study termination, with adjustment for baseline values. Results: Lipid parameters, the percentage of patients with dyslipoproteinemia, and VC markers did not differ significantly between groups at study termination (p values: 0.395–0.939). Likewise, vitamin D achieved no significant treatment effect on these markers in subgroup analyses in patients with 25OHD concentrations < 30 nmol/L, nonusers of lipid-lowering drugs, or diabetic patients (p values: 0.245–0.998). Conclusion: Our data indicate that vitamin D does not improve the lipid profile and does not influence the calcification inhibitors fetuin-A and non-phosphorylated undercarboxylated MGP in patients with advanced heart failure.
Vascular Injury Is a Major Cause of Lung Injury After Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty in Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Ejiri Kentaro , Ogawa Aiko , Fujii Shinya , Ito Hiroshi , Matsubara Hiromi
Published: December 2018

Background:

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) has become an alternative treatment for inoperable patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Lung injury (LI) is a major complication of BPA and may attenuate the benefits of BPA. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the association between patient and procedural characteristics and LI in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Methods and Results:

We reviewed 76 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension who underwent BPA and multidetector computed tomography scanning pre- and post-BPA procedures. We performed BPA on 1247 vessels during 297 BPA procedures and reviewed 594 multidetector computed tomography scans. By comparing pre- and post-BPA multidetector computed tomography images, we diagnosed LI as follows: newly appeared ground-glass opacity, consolidation, and pleural effusion. LI was detected using multidetector computed tomography scans during 138 procedures (47%), and mechanical ventilation was required during 40 procedures (13%). Angiographic findings of extravasation with or without simultaneous clinical symptoms (BPA-related vascular injury) occurred during 50 procedures (17%). In mixed-effect logistic regression models, the BPA-related vascular injury was an independent predictor of LI after BPA, odds ratio, 20.1 (6.43–63.1). High mean pulmonary artery pressure before BPA procedure and BPA-related vascular injury were independent predictors of mechanical ventilation after BPA, odds ratio, 1.13 (1.03–1.24) and 10.8 (3.77–30.9), respectively.

Conclusions:

Vascular injury during BPA could be a triggering factor of LI after BPA, and its severity could be exacerbated by a high pulmonary artery pressure.
Performance of PRECISE-DAPT Score for Predicting Bleeding Complication During Dual Antiplatelet Therapy
Authors: Choi Sun Young , Kim Moo Hyun , Cho Young-Rak , Sung Park Jong , Min Lee Kwang , Park Tae-Ho , Yun Sung-Cheol
Published: December 2018

Background:

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) helps prevent ischemic events after coronary stenting but comes with an increased risk of bleeding. Several risk scores have been proposed for the management of patients receiving DAPT, but no standardized tool exists for the purpose. We sought to compare the performance of the new PRECISE-DAPT (Predicting Bleeding Complication in Patients Undergoing Stent Implantation and Subsequent Dual Antiplatelet Therapy), CRUSADE (Can Rapid Risk Stratification of Unstable Angina Patients Suppress Adverse Outcomes with Early Implementation of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines), and ACUITY (Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage Strategy) scores for the prediction of bleeding in Korean patients receiving DAPT.

Methods and Results:

Nine hundred and four consecutive patients who underwent stent implantation received DAPT. One-year bleedings were assessed using TIMI (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction), GUSTO (Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Arteries), and BARC (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium). Bleeding events occurred in 154 patients (17.0%) by BARC type ≥3a criteria, 119 patients (13.2%) by the TIMI minor or major criteria, and 80 patients (8.8%) by the GUSTO moderate or severe criteria. In the C statistic analysis, CRUSADE, ACUITY, and PRECISE-DAPT scores showed high area under the curve values for 1-year bleeding (area under the curve 0.73, 0.75, and 0.75 for TIMI minor or major bleeding; area under the curve 0.81, 0.79, and 0.82 for GUSTO moderate to severe; and area under the curve 0.79, 0.81, and 0.81 for BARC type ≥3a, respectively). The discriminate ability of PRECISE-DAPT was similar to CRUSADE and ACUITY in bleeding complications. However, the PRECISE-DAPT score was better at reclassifying the risk of 1-year bleeding compared with ACUITY for the 3 bleeding criteria.

Conclusions:

The PRECISE-DAPT score is a simple 5-item risk score that represents a standardized tool for the prediction of 1-year bleeding in Korean patients receiving DAPT, regardless of bleeding definition.
Association of Anemia With Outcomes Among ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Receiving Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Moghaddam Nima , Wong Graham C. , Cairns John A. , Goodman Shaun G. , Perry-Arnesen Michele , Tocher Wendy , Mackay Martha , Singer Joel , Lee Terry , Rao Sunil V. , Fordyce Christopher B.
Published: December 2018

Background:

Anemia may confer a poor prognosis among patients with the acute coronary syndrome. However, few data exist on the association of anemia with in-hospital outcomes, including bleeding, among ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction patients receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods and Results:

We identified 1919 ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction patients who had undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention within the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (2007–2016) of whom 322 (16.8%) had anemia on admission. Between-group differences in (unadjusted) in-hospital outcomes, including heart failure, cardiogenic shock, major bleeding, and death were examined. Spearman correlation (
r
s
) and multivariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the relationship of anemia on admission with clinical outcomes. Compared with nonanemic patients, anemic patients were more likely to have preexisting hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and prior myocardial infarction. Anemic patients had higher unadjusted rates of in-hospital death (8.1% versus 3.7%;
P
<0.001), bleeding (18.2% versus 9.4%;
P
<0.001), and were more likely to develop heart failure (odds ratio [OR], 1.62; 95% CI, 1.19–2.22), shock (OR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.62–3.40), or cardiac arrest (OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.10–3.40) during their hospital stay. Baseline anemia was independently associated with major bleeding (OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.25–2.56) but not all-cause mortality (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.57–1.73). There was no significant correlation between anemia and overall reperfusion times (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.74–1.22).

Conclusions:

In a contemporary ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction cohort receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention, nearly 1 in 5 patients were anemic. Anemia was associated with increased comorbidities and higher-risk features on presentation and was independently associated with subsequent major in-hospital bleeding but not all-cause mortality. These results suggest that anemic ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction patients may safely receive timely primary percutaneous coronary intervention but with particular consideration for bleeding avoidance strategies.
Visual Representation in Earth Sciences History after “The Emergence”
Authors: Ciancio Luca , Laurenza Domenico
Published: December 2018

Starting from the analysis of Martin Rudwick’s pionieristic The emergence of a visual language for geological science (1976), this Introduction tries to assess how Rudwick’s suggestions were received by a comprehensive review of what has been published on the topic of visual culture in the earth sciences. The analysis includes studies dealing with maps, sections, landscapes, representations of specimens. We show how historians’ curiosity about cartography has grown constantly (e.g. Kenneth Taylor and David Oldroyd). The studies on geological sections include, among others, Rudwick (2005 and 2008), Gordon Craig and Kerry Magruder and recent contributions dealing with Leonardo da Vinci and Athanasius Kircker. The consideration of essays focused on geological views and landscapes include an overview of the outcomes and limits of studies devoted to the representations of the Vesuvius. Studies dealing with the pictures of rocks, minerals and fossils are considered in their relationships with the results of general works on pictures of natural specimens. The review ends with studies by art historians in the field of geological iconography and pointing out less studied aspects and possible future developments, from the modes of visualising data that have arisen with the introduction of digital technologies to the need of a better studies of geological iconography before the 18th century, a period which the studies collected in this issue of Nuncius are concentrated on.
The Ruins of the Earth
Authors: Dal Prete Ivano
Published: December 2018

The relation between visual depictions of rocks and mountains, and coeval notions on the origin and nature of the Earth, is one of the least studied aspects of Renaissance scientific culture. Yet, in the course of the 1400s a new kind of ruins made its appearance in drawings and paintings, alongside those of the classical antiquity: the vestiges of an ancient Earth, as shown in eroded crags, decomposing mountains and in the layered structure of their exposed bowels. In this essay I relate these representations to both the learned tradition of medieval “meteorology,” and to the empirical expertise of Renaissance artists/engineers. Finally, I place within this larger context some aspects of Leonardo da Vinci’s geological writings and drawings, with particular reference to his studies of layered rocks and his discussion of the Biblical flood.
The Astronomical Framework Underlying the Sala di Galatea
Authors: Dekker Elly
Published: December 2018

This paper examines the much-debated ceiling painting by Baldassare Peruzzi on the vault of the loggia in Agostino Chigi’s Villa Farnesina. To date, most studies have examined the ceiling painting from a largely astrological and mythological point of view. Here an astronomically coherent model is proposed that helps to clarify the structure and several of the individual features of the painting.
The Growing Recognition of Transnational Climate Governance Initiatives in the UN Climate Regime: Implications for Legal Scholarship
Authors: Mai Laura
Published: December 2018

The UN climate regime has served as the focal point for interstate cooperation on climate change in the political and legal domains for the last twenty-six years. However, since the lead-up to the Paris Agreement, the regime’s interstate elements have been complemented by an evolving transnational sphere of governance in which sub-national and non-state actors engage in voluntary cross-border initiatives. These initiatives serve two key functions: first, they facilitate and implement climate action at the sub-national level and in the private sector, and second, they promote transnational normative frameworks which require members to take active steps to address climate change. This article describes how the UN climate regime has developed to recognize transnational climate governance initiatives, and it reflects on the implications of this development for legal scholarship on international climate change law.
Visible and Invisible Bodies: The Architectural Patronage of Shajar Al-Durr
Authors: Fairchild Ruggles D.
Published: December 2018

Whereas reliance on official texts such as chronicles often leads modern historians to overlook women, the built works of female patrons can provide a valuable historical source because they stand publicly for female patrons who were themselves unseen. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine Damascus and Cairo without the visually prominent tombs and pious foundations of the otherwise invisible Fatimid and Ayyubid women. Among the latter was Shajar al-Durr, a Turkic concubine who rose from slavery to become the legitimate sultan of Egypt in 1250. Her short reign and subsequent marriage ended violently with her death in 1257, but in that space of time she made architectural innovations that ultimately inspired lasting changes in Cairo’s urban fabric. Shajar al-Durr’s impact as architectural patron was as pivotal as her political role: the tomb that she added to her husband’s madrasa led to his permanent and highly visible presence in central Cairo, an innovation that was followed in the endowed complexes of the Mamluks. In her own more modest tomb, she chose not monumentality but iconography, representing herself pictorially in dazzling mosaic, a daring gesture in a world where female propriety meant invisibility.
A Field Pioneered by Amateurs: The Collecting and Display of Islamic Art in Early Twentieth-Century Boston
Authors: Cuddon Benedict
Published: December 2018

This article examines the formation and display of collections of Islamic art in Boston-area museums over the first half of the twentieth century. It focuses on the holdings of three main institutions: the Museum of Fine Arts, the Fogg Art Museum, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It explores some of the key personalities involved in the formation of collections, such as Denman Waldo Ross, Hervey Wetzel, Joseph McMullan, and Stuart Cary Welch. It also looks at early curators of the collections, in this era a largely amateur pursuit. Through these considerations it traces changing approaches to the study of Islamic art and discusses the various local and international forces (including the Aesthetic Movement, emerging nationalist discourses and ethno-racialist interpretations of art, and the growing American hegemony in the Middle East) that shaped the social and political context in which Islamic art was received and interpreted in this period.
Method in Madness: Recontextualizing the Destruction of Churches in the Fatimid Era
Authors: Pruitt Jennifer
Published: December 2018

The reign of al-Hakim bi-ʾAmr Allah (r. 996-1021) is often dismissed as a psychotic blip in the history of multiconfessional relations in the medieval Islamic world. Al-Hakim infamously embarked on a large-scale destruction of churches in his realm, including the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. This article draws on a variety of sources to argue that rather than being reductively attributable to a personal psychological imbalance, al-Hakim’s dramatically negative treatment of churches signaled a general shift from an esoteric form of Ismaili Shiʿism to one more appealing to the broader Islamic umma.
The Wooden Audience Halls of Shah Jahan: Sources and Reconstruction
Authors: Koch Ebba
Published: December 2018

Even before the great audience halls at Agra, Lahore, and Delhi, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–58) built wooden audience halls as a new type of palace architecture for his court receptions. Contemporary descriptions, paintings, and regional wooden mosques enable a reconstruction that also sheds light on the exchange of forms and ideas between Mughal India and Iran.
Investment Protection in Disputed Maritime Areas
Authors: Tzeng Peter
Published: December 2018

Disputed maritime areas are often sources of valuable natural resources, but they are also often sources of conflict. It is thus important for investors investing in such areas to know the array of investment protection mechanisms available to them. This article examines four such mechanisms (dispute settlement under international investment agreements (IIAs), dispute settlement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), dispute settlement under contracts, and political risk insurance) in the context of three scenarios of disputed maritime areas (unregulated areas, joint development areas, and provisionally delimited areas). It concludes that dispute settlement under IIAs and UNCLOS face significant obstacles not only on jurisdiction and admissibility, but also on the merits. As a result, the most practical solution for investors is to rely on dispute settlement under contracts or political risk insurance to protect their investments.
Emerging Commercial Uses of Space: Regulation Reducing Risks
Authors: Hofmann Mahulena , Blount P.J.
Published: December 2018

The space resources industry is an emerging industry that attracts the needed capital to engage in these activities. The legal framework that governs these activities aims to minimize the risks for potential investors. This article addresses the main legal instruments adopted to avoid the risk which could have its source in legal uncertainties. It discusses both the international legal framework as well as the domestic legislation of the United States and Luxembourg regulating space resources activities.
論前齶音聲母j-的唇齒化音變
Authors: Zheng Wei
Published: December 2018

提要

《中原音韻》「微維」同音的記錄實際上反映的是前齶音聲母 j- 唇齒化為濁擦音 v-，這種音類合併可以追溯至10世紀的河西方音，可見漢語史上「惟維」和「微」字讀音混同的發生年代可以提前。而更早時期梵漢對音所反映的東晉北方話和《經典釋文》的有關記錄與其只有表面上的類似，其語音性質實有不同，需要另作解釋。(2)該音變可以形式化為 j->v-/__V[+back,-low] 除了漢語史資料，漢語方言、民族語等材料以及語音實驗的分析都可以表明，該音是具有生理基礎和類型學意義的自然音變。
Using Network Models to Analyze Old Chinese Rhyme Data (用網絡模型來分析古代漢語的韻母數據)
Authors: List (游函) Johann-Mattis
Published: December 2018

The evidence one can draw from the rhyming behavior of Old Chinese words plays a crucial role for the reconstruction of Old Chinese, and is particularly relevant to recent proposals. Some of these proposals are no longer solely based on the intuition of scholars but also substantiated by statistical arguments that help to assess the probability by which a given set of rhyming instances can be assigned to an established rhyme group. So far, however, quantitative methods were only used to confirm given hypotheses regarding rhyme groups in Old Chinese, and no exploratory analyses that would create hypotheses regarding rhyme groups in a corpus were carried out. This paper presents a new method that models rhyme data as weighted undirected networks. By representing rhyme words as nodes in a network and the frequency of rhymes in a given corpus as links between nodes, rhyme groups can be inferred with help of standard algorithms originally designed for social network analysis. This is illustrated through the construction of a rhyme network from the Book of Odes and comparing the automatically inferred rhyme groups with rhyme groups proposed in the literature. Apart from revealing interesting general properties of rhyme networks in Chinese historical phonology, the analysis provides strong evidence for a coda *-r in Old Chinese. The results of the analysis and the rhyme network of the Book of Odes can be inspected in form of an interactive online application or directly downloaded.

古代漢語的詞語所反映的韻為對上古音系的構擬，特別是對於最近的一些上古漢語構擬系統，異常重要。其中有一些構擬系統不再僅僅靠於學者的直覺，而且還用統計參數證實來評估分韻和派韻的概率。然而，迄今為止，定量方法僅用於確認關於上古韻部的假設，並且沒有進行探索性數據分析來創建初步分韻假設。本文提出了一種將韻母數據模型為加權無向網絡的新方法。此方法將韻母模型為網絡中的頂點，將某個語料庫的合韻率模型為聯頂點的邊緣，用社會網絡分析的標準算法來推斷語料庫所反映的韻母。為了更具體的說明此方法，本文用“詩經”來構建韻母網絡，而且比較自動與學者所推斷的上古韻部。除了揭示古代漢語韻網的一些有趣特點，“詩經”韻網分析了支持上古漢語韻尾* -r的新證據。“詩經”韻網和韻網分析的結果可以用交際在線應用來訪問而下載。(This article is in English.)
Syntactic Typology in Chinese (Part ii.1) (漢語句法類型學（第二部分之一）)
Authors: Yue (余靄芹) Anne O.
Published: December 2018

Recapturing the outline given in Part i of this article on syntactic typology in Chinese, the entire article “is divided into three parts: two pertaining to the neutral question forms and one to the attributive and the nominalized construction. Part 1 deals with the V-not-V questions, Part 2 the VP-neg and the Adv-VP questions and it also provides a general typological discussion of the neutral questions, while Part 3 discusses the attributive and the nominalized patterns, with a conclusion on dialectology in typology.” Since the VP-neg form is being gradually replaced by the popular V-not-V form in more than one major group of dialects or better termed as more than one major Sinitic languages, it is necessary to trace such a change wherever possible, so as to affirm whether VP-neg is the native form for the languages and dialects involved. The present paper focuses on the case of Min.

論文分三章，本文是第二章，論述三種中性問句之一的謂語＋否定詞式在閩語裏共時歷時的類型布局。從觀察十六世紀以來的文獻以及十九世紀以至現代方言的發展模式，認爲閩語的本土型是謂語＋否定詞式。他如正反問及各種混合型乃是不同時地語言接觸後累積在不同層次的產物。
Typification of names and nomenclatural notes on the South Andean and Patagonian species of Polygala Linnaeus (Polygalaceae)
Authors: MARTINEZ AGUSTINA , ZULOAGA FERNANDO OMAR , PASTORE JOSE FLORIANO B.
Published: December 2018

As part of an ongoing revision of the genus Polygala, several names of the South Andean and Patagonian species in need of nomenclatural and taxonomic study were identified. 13 lectotypes have been designated for accepted names, synonyms and a dubious taxon.
New species and records of the genera Scutacarus and Imparipes (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Scutacaridae) associated with Coleoptera and Hymenoptera (Arthropoda: Insecta) from Iran
Authors: NAVABI AMIN , HAJIQANBAR HAMIDREZA , MORTAZAVI ABDOLAZIM
Published: December 2018

A survey was carried out to study scutacarid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Scutacaridae) associated with insects in Borujerd city, western Iran. A new species and six species new to the mite fauna of Iran, and mostly new to Asia, were found. Scutacarus pseudoapodemi Navabi & Hajiqanbar sp. nov. phoretic on the ant Camponotus oasium Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is described and illustrated. The new records of scutacarids associated with ants and beetles are: Scutacarus avarus Khaustov, 2008; Imparipes ignotus Khaustov & Chydyrov, 2004; I. gagati Khaustov, 2008; I. malus Khaustov, 2008 and I. morosus Khaustov, 2008 associated with various ants, and I. moderatus Khaustov, 2008 associated with the beetle Drasterius bimaculatus (Rossi) (Coleoptera: Elateridae). New host records are documented and the world distribution of these mites is also reviewed.
Molecular phylogenetic investigations of Triops granarius (Lucas, 1864 (Branchiopoda: Notostraca) from the type locality of the former Apus orientalis Tiwari, 1952 and three other localities in the Western Ghats of India
Authors: MODAK NIKHIL , KORN MICHAEL , PADHYE SAMEER M.
Published: December 2018

We investigated the phylogenetic position of Triops granarius populations from four localities in the Western Ghats using partial sequences of three mitochondrial genes (COI, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA) publicly available on the GenBank database. One of these localities, Panchgani, is particularly important since it is the type locality of the former Apus orientalis which is currently treated as a junior synonym of T. granarius. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that populations from all the four localities (Kolhapur, Chalkewadi, Panchgani, and Dighi) form a single lineage, which is here named ‘Maharashtra lineage’. One of the two previously published samples from India, treated as lineage ‘Triops granarius 4’ is nested within this clade. The ‘Maharashtra lineage’ is separated from other lineages by mean maximum likelihood distance ≥ 11.9% in the COI gene. This distance is suggestive of a separation on species level from other lineages of T. granarius. This interpretation is further supported by a conservative genus-wide species delimitation analysis performed in the present study upon application of the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery method. The ‘Maharashtra lineage’ branches out in two sub-lineages of Panchgani+Kolhapur and Dighi+L4+Chalkewadi samples, separated by 5.9% mean ML distance (uncorrected p-distance = 5.4%) in COI. The application of a 5% threshold to the COI dataset would thus even suggest a possible differentiation of both sub-lineages on species level. Comparative morphological data is presently not available because most vouchers associated with the sequences were depleted for DNA extraction. Further studies are needed in order to prepare a sound taxonomic revision. Thus, in the current study we refrain from re-instating Apus orientalis to full species status (likewise, for other names of Asian taxa in this morphogroup, including Apus sinensis Uéno, we retain the status as junior synonym of T. granarius). Nonetheless, our study highlights the fact that still there may be undescribed cryptic species associated with the specific name in this part of Western Ghats (Linnean Shortfall) and paves the way for future taxonomic investigations and conservation strategies for the genus Triops in India.
The Tree Cricket Neoxabea brevipes Rehn, 1913 (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Oecanthinae) from the Brazilian southern Atlantic Forest: morphology,
bioacoustics and cytogenetics
Authors: ZEFA EDISON , ACOSTA RIULER CORRÊA , TIMM VITOR FALCHI , SZINWELSKI NEUCIR , MARINHO MARCO ANTONIO TONUS , DA COSTA MARIA KÁTIA MATIOTTI
Published: December 2018

In this paper we improve the morphological description of the tree cricket Neoxabea brevipes Rehn, 1913 and a new occurrence record for the species at the São Francisco de Paula National Forest Conservation Unit, State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Morphological characterization is provided together with illustrations emphasizing the most significant diagnostic features, such as the metanotal gland, abdominal specializations and phallic sclerites. The calling song was field recorded, comprising a continuous trill with dominant frequency of 3.6 kHz (19.7°C). The karyotype was described for the first time to Neoxabea Kirby, 1906, including diploid number of 2n=26, with two sexual chromosomes.
Structural and metabolic cerebral alterations between elderly bipolar disorder and behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia: A combined MRI-PET study
Authors: Delvecchio Giuseppe , Mandolini Gian Mario , Arighi Andrea , Prunas Cecilia , Mauri Carlo Massimo , Pietroboni Anna M , Marotta Giorgio , Cinnante Claudia Maria , Triulzi Fabio Maria , Galimberti Daniela , Scarpini Elio , Altamura Alfredo Carlo , Brambilla Paolo
Published: December 2018

Background:

Elderly bipolar disorder (BD) and behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) may exhibit similar symptoms and both disorders are characterized by selective abnormalities in cortical and subcortical regions that are associated with cognitive and emotional impairments. We aimed to investigate common and distinct neural substrates of BD and bvFTD by coupling, for the first time, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) techniques.

Methods:

3-Tesla MRI and 18 fluorodeoxyglucose–PET scans were acquired for 16 elderly BD patients, 23 bvFTD patients with mild cognitive impairments and 68 healthy controls (48 for PET and 20 for MRI analyses).

Results:

BD and bvFTD patients exhibit a different localization of grey matter reductions in the lateral prefrontal cortex, with the first group showing grey matter decrease in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and the latter group showing grey matter reductions in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as well as unique grey matter and metabolic alterations within the orbitofrontal cortex. The bvFTD group also displayed unique volumetric shrinkage in regions within the temporo-parietal network together with greater metabolic impairments within the temporal cortex and more extensive volumetric and metabolic abnormalities within the limbic lobe. Finally, while the BD group showed greater grey matter volumes in caudate nucleus, bvFTD subjects displayed lower metabolism.

Conclusion:

This MRI-PET study explored, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, structural and functional abnormalities in bvFTD and elderly BD patients, with the final aim of identifying the specific biological signature of these disorders, which might have important implications not only in prevention but also in differential diagnosis and treatment.