bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
N-Acetylcysteine and Sulodexide Reduce the Prothrombotic Effect of Uremic Serum on the Venous Endothelial Cells
Authors: Sosinska-Zawierucha Patrycja , Mackowiak Beata , Breborowicz Andrzej
Published: April 2019

Background/Aims: Thromboembolic episodes are a frequent problem in end stage renal failure patients. The pathomechanism of the disorder is complex, including bioincompatibility of renal replacement therapy, endothelial dysfunction, increased blood level of procoagulant factors and uremic toxins. We studied changes in the functional properties of venous endothelial cells (VEC) in the presence of uremic serum and evaluated their possible modulation by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or sulodexide (SUL). Methods: Serum samples from 12 uremic patients treated with hemodialysis were studied ex vivo on in vitro cultured VEC. In separate experiments, NAC 1 mmol/L or SUL 0.5 LRU/mL were added to uremic serum samples. Both changes in the gene expression and secretory activity of VEC were studied. Results: Uremic serum increased the expression of the following genes: IL6 +97%, p < 0.002; VEGF +28%, p < 0.002; vWF +47%, p < 0.002; PECAM +76%, p < 0.002; ICAM-1 +275%, p < 0.002; t-PA +96%, p < 0.002. Changes in gene expression were reflected by the increased secretory activity of VEC treated with the uremic serum. Exposure of VEC to uremic serum supplemented with NAC or SUL resulted in weaker stimulation of the studied genes’ expression. Also, secretion of the studied solutes, with the exception of ICAM-1, was reduced in the presence of NAC: IL6 –34%, p < 0.01; VEGF –40%, p < 0.005; vWF –25%, p < 0.001; t-PA –47%, p < 0.01, and MMP9 –37%, p < 0.001. SUL reduced the uremic serum-induced secretion of all solutes: IL6 –24%, p < 0.05; ICAM-1 –43%, p < 0.01; VEGF –38%, p < 0.01; vWF –23%, p < 0.01; t-PA –49%, p < 0.01, and MMP9 –25%, p < 0.05. Conclusions: Uremic serum induces prothrombotic changes in VEC, which may cause a predisposition to thrombotic disorders in patients with renal failure. NAC and SUL reduce the effects of the uremic serum in VEC, which suggests their potential therapeutic application in uremic patients.
Bilateral Giant Hydronephrosis with Normal Serum Creatinine Level in an Elderly Female
Authors: Gadelkareem Rabea Ahmed
Published: April 2019

Giant hydronephrosis is rare and usually presents during childhood as a unilateral renal mass due to congenital anomalies such as pelvi-ureteral junction obstruction. In adulthood, however, other etiologies such as urolithiasis may supervene. We report on a 75-year-old female patient who presented with right-sided abdominal pain. She had a visible right renal mass with smooth surface and cystic consistency. Urine analysis showed 60–80 pus cells/HPF and serum creatinine level was 1.2 mg/dL. Imaging revealed hugely dilated kidneys with right severe hydronephrosis and lost renal parenchyma due to a large middle ureteral stone. The left kidney had variable parenchymal thickness which was better at the lower pole with multiple stones. After counselling of the patient, simultaneous left pyelolithotomy with placement of a left JJ stent and right nephrostomy tube were done. Then, renal isotope scanning revealed diminished total glomerular filtration rate (54.6 mL/min/1.73 m2) with better left split function (61.2 vs. 38.8%). Accordingly, a right ureterolithotomy was done and the patient was followed up for 1 year with variable serum creatinine level between 1.2 and 1.5 mg/dL.
Hearts Donated After Circulatory Death and Reconditioned Using Normothermic Regional Perfusion Can Be Successfully Transplanted Following an Extended Period of Static Storage
Authors: Ribeiro Roberto V. P. , Alvarez Juglans S. , Yu Frank , Paradiso Emanuela , Adamson Mitchell B. , Maria Ruggeri Giulia , Fukunaga Naoto , Bissoondath Ved , Serrick Cyril , Meineri Massimiliano , Ross Heather , Rao Vivek , Badiwala Mitesh V.
Published: April 2019

Background:

There has been an increased interest in donation after circulatory death (DCD) to expand donor pool for cardiac transplantation. Normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) allows in situ assessment of DCD hearts, allowing only acceptable organs to be procured. We sought to determine if extended cold storage was possible for DCD hearts following NRP and to compare hearts stored using standard cold storage with a novel cardioprotective solution designed for room temperature storage.

Methods and Results:

Donor pigs underwent hypoxic cardiac arrest (DCD) followed by 15 minutes of warm ischemia and resuscitation on NRP. They were then randomly assigned to static storage with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) at 4°C (HTK group, n=5) or SOM-TRN-001 at 21°C (SOM group, n=5). Conventional beating-heart donations were used as controls (n=4). Fourteen transplants were successfully performed. HTK hearts showed initial dysfunction following reperfusion; however, they demonstrated significant recovery up to 3 hours post-transplant. No significant differences were seen between HTK and control hearts post-transplantation (cardiac index: control 49.5±6% and HTK 48.5±5% of baseline). SOM improved myocardial preservation; hearts showed stable contractility after transplantation (cardiac index: 113.0±43% of NRP function) and improved diastolic function compared with HTK. Preservation in SOM also significantly reduced proinflammatory cytokine production and release following transplantation and partially prevented endothelial dysfunction.

Conclusions:

DCD hearts stored using a standard preservation solution demonstrated comparable post-transplantation myocardial function to standard controls. Thus, short periods of cold storage following successful NRP and documented adequate function is an acceptable strategy for DCD hearts. Preservation in SOM at room temperature is feasible and can improve cardiac recovery by minimizing endothelial dysfunction and tissue injury.
Assessment of Long-Term Structural Deterioration of Transcatheter Aortic Bioprosthetic Valves Using the New European Definition
Authors: Durand Eric , Sokoloff Anastasia , Urena-Alcazar Marina , Chevalier Bernard , Chassaing Stephan , Didier Romain , Tron Christophe , Litzler Pierre-Yves , Bouleti Claire , Himbert Dominique , Hovasse Thomas , Bar Olivier , Avinée Guillaume , Iung Bernard , Blanchard Didier , Gilard Martine , Cribier Alain , Lefevre Thierry , Eltchaninoff Hélène
Published: April 2019

Background:

The durability of transcatheter aortic bioprosthetic valves is a crucial issue, but data are scarce, especially beyond 5 years of follow-up. We aimed to assess long-term (7 years) structural valve deterioration (SVD) and bioprosthetic valve failure of transcatheter aortic bioprosthetic valves.

Methods and Results:

Consecutive patients with at least 5-year follow-up available undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation from April 2002 to December 2011 in 5 French centers were included. Incidence of SVD and bioprosthetic valve failure were defined according to newly standardized criteria of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions/European Society of Cardiology/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery and reported as cumulative incidence function to account for the competing risk of death. One thousand four hundred three consecutive patients were included with a mean age of 82.6±7.5 years and with a mean logistic EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) of 21.3±7.5%. A balloon-expandable valve was used in 83.7% of cases. Survival rates were 83.5% (95% CI, 81.4%–85.5%) and 18.6% (95% CI, 15.3%–21.8%) at 1 and 7 years, respectively. Median duration of follow-up was 3.9 years. Bioprosthetic valve failure occurred in 19 patients with a 7-year cumulative incidence of 1.9% (95% CI, 1.4%–2.4%). SVD occurred in 49 patients (moderate, n=32; severe, n=17) with a 7-year cumulative incidence of moderate and severe SVD of 7.0% (95% CI, 5.6%–8.4%) and 4.2% (95% CI, 2.9%–5.5%), respectively. Five patients had aortic valve reintervention (1.0%; 95% CI, 0.4%–1.6%) including 1 case of surgical aortic valve replacement and 4 redo-transcatheter aortic valve implantation. The incidences of SVD and bioprosthetic valve failure were not significantly different between balloon and self-expandable prostheses.

Conclusions:

The long-term assessment of transcatheter aortic bioprosthetic valves durability is limited by the poor survival of our population beyond 5 years. Further studies are warranted, particularly in younger and lower-risk patients.
Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials of Red Meat Consumption in Comparison With Various Comparison Diets on Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Authors: Guasch-Ferré Marta , Satija Ambika , Blondin Stacy A. , Janiszewski Marie , Emlen Ester , O’Connor Lauren E. , Campbell Wayne W. , Hu Frank B. , Willett Walter C. , Stampfer Meir J.
Published: April 2019

Background:

Findings among randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of red meat on cardiovascular disease risk factors are inconsistent. We provide an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on red meat and cardiovascular risk factors and determine whether the relationship depends on the composition of the comparison diet, hypothesizing that plant sources would be relatively beneficial.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic PubMed search of randomized controlled trials published up until July 2017 comparing diets with red meat with diets that replaced red meat with a variety of foods. We stratified comparison diets into high-quality plant protein sources (legumes, soy, nuts); chicken/poultry/fish; fish only; poultry only; mixed animal protein sources (including dairy); carbohydrates (low-quality refined grains and simple sugars, such as white bread, pasta, rice, cookies/biscuits); or usual diet. We performed random-effects meta-analyses comparing differences in changes of blood lipids, apolipoproteins, and blood pressure for all studies combined and stratified by specific comparison diets.

Results:

Thirty-six studies totaling 1803 participants were included. There were no significant differences between red meat and all comparison diets combined for changes in blood concentrations of total, low-density lipoprotein, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins A1 and B, or blood pressure. Relative to the comparison diets combined, red meat resulted in lesser decreases in triglycerides (weighted mean difference [WMD], 0.065 mmol/L; 95% CI, 0.000–0.129;
P
for heterogeneity <0.01). When analyzed by specific comparison diets, relative to high-quality plant protein sources, red meat yielded lesser decreases in total cholesterol (WMD, 0.264 mmol/L; 95% CI, 0.144–0.383;
P
<0.001) and low-density lipoprotein (WMD, 0.198 mmol/L; 95% CI, 0.065–0.330;
P
=0.003). In comparison with fish, red meat yielded greater decreases in low-density lipoprotein (WMD, –0.173 mmol/L; 95% CI, –0.260 to –0.086;
P
<0.001) and high-density lipoprotein (WMD, –0.065 mmol/L; 95% CI, –0.109 to –0.020;
P
=0.004). In comparison with carbohydrates, red meat yielded greater decreases in triglycerides (WMD, –0.181 mmol/L; 95% CI, –0.349 to –0.013).

Conclusions:

Inconsistencies regarding the effects of red meat on cardiovascular disease risk factors are attributable, in part, to the composition of the comparison diet. Substituting red meat with high-quality plant protein sources, but not with fish or low-quality carbohydrates, leads to more favorable changes in blood lipids and lipoproteins.
NI956/QGC006, a Potent Orally Active, Brain-Penetrating Aminopeptidase A Inhibitor for Treating Hypertension
Authors: Keck Mathilde , De Almeida Hugo , Compère Delphine , Inguimbert Nicolas , Flahault Adrien , Balavoine Fabrice , Roques Bernard , Llorens-Cortes Catherine
Published: April 2019

Brain renin-angiotensin system hyperactivity has been implicated in the development and maintenance of hypertension. We have shown that aminopeptidase A is involved in the formation of brain angiotensin III, which exerts tonic stimulatory control over blood pressure in hypertensive deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats. We have also shown that injection of the specific and selective aminopeptidase A inhibitor, (3S)-3-amino-4-sulfanyl-butane-1-sulfonic acid (EC33), by central route or its prodrug, RB150/firibastat, by oral route inhibited brain aminopeptidase A activity and blocked the formation of brain angiotensin III, normalizing blood pressure in hypertensive rats. These findings identified brain aminopeptidase A as a potential new therapeutic target for hypertension. We report here the development of a new aminopeptidase A inhibitor prodrug, NI956/QGC006, obtained by the disulfide bridge-mediated dimerization of NI929. NI929 is 10× more efficient than EC33 at inhibiting recombinant mouse aminopeptidase A activity in vitro. After oral administration at a dose of 4 mg/kg in conscious deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt rats, NI956/QGC006 normalized brain aminopeptidase A activity and induced a marked decrease in blood pressure of −44±13 mm Hg 4 hours after treatment (
P<
0.001), sustained over 10 hours (−21±12 mm Hg;
P<
0.05). Moreover, NI956/QGC006 decreased plasma arginine-vasopressin levels, and increased diuresis and natriuresis, that may participate to the blood pressure decrease. Finally, NI956/QGC006 did not affect plasma sodium and potassium concentrations. This study shows that NI956/QGC006 is a best-in-class central-acting aminopeptidase A inhibitor prodrug. Our results support the development of hypertension treatments targeting brain aminopeptidase A.
Extent of Ischemic Brain Injury After Thrombotic Stroke Is Independent of the NLRP3 (NACHT, LRR and PYD Domains-Containing Protein 3) Inflammasome
Authors: Lemarchand Eloise , Barrington Jack , Chenery Alistair , Haley Michael , Coutts Graham , Allen Judith E. , Allan Stuart M. , Brough David
Published: April 2019

Background and Purpose—

A major process contributing to cell death in the ischemic brain is inflammation. Inflammasomes are multimolecular protein complexes that drive inflammation through activation of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL (interleukin)-1β. Preclinical evidence suggests that IL-1β contributes to a worsening of ischemic brain injury.

Methods—

Using a mouse middle cerebral artery thrombosis model, we examined the inflammatory response after stroke and the contribution of the NLRP3 (NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3) inflammasome to ischemic injury.

Results—

There was a marked inflammatory response after stroke characterized by increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines and NLRP3 and by recruitment of leukocytes to the injured tissue. Targeting NLRP3 with the inhibitor MCC950, or using mice in which NLRP3 was knocked out, had no effect on the extent of injury caused by stroke.

Conclusions—

These data suggest that the NLRP3 pathway does not contribute to the inflammation exacerbating ischemic brain damage, contradicting several recent reports to the contrary.
S100B Serum Elevation Predicts In-Hospital Mortality After Brain Arteriovenous Malformation Rupture
Authors: Shotar Eimad , Amouyal Caroline , Jacquens Alice , Mathon Bertrand , Boulouis Grégoire , Monneret Denis , Premat Kevin , Lenck Stéphanie , Sourour Nader-Antoine , Clarençon Frédéric , Degos Vincent
Published: April 2019

Background and Purpose—

S100B protein serum elevation has been associated with poor prognosis in neurologically ill patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether elevation of S100B is associated with increased in-hospital mortality after brain arteriovenous malformation rupture.

Methods—

This is a retrospective study of patients admitted for brain arteriovenous malformation rupture. The study population was divided into derivation and validation cohorts. Univariate followed by multivariate logistic regression was used to determine whether elevation of S100B serum levels above 0.5 µg/L during the first 48 hours after admission (S100Bmax48) was associated with in-hospital mortality.

Results—

Two hundred and three ruptures met inclusion criteria. Twenty-three led to in-hospital mortality (11%). Mean S100Bmax48 was 0.49±0.62 µg/L. In the derivation cohort (n=101 ruptures), multivariate analysis found Glasgow coma scale score ≤8 (odds ratio, 21; 95% CI, 2–216; 0.001) and an S100Bmax48>0.5 µg/L (odds ratio, 19; 95% CI, 2–188;
P
=0.001) to be associated with in-hospital mortality. When applied to the validation cohort (n=102 ruptures), the same model found only S100Bmax48>0.5 µg/L (odds ratio, 8; 95% CI, 1.5–44;
P
=0.01) to be associated with in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions—

Elevated S100B protein serum level is strongly associated with in-hospital mortality after brain arteriovenous malformation rupture.
The Only Extant, Complete, and Original Hebrew Commentary on the Entire Metaphysics of Aristotle: Eli Habilio and the Influence of Scotism
Authors: Halper Yehuda
Published: April 2019

At the end of the fifteenth century, the Castilian-Aragonian Eli Habilio wrote what is now the only extant, complete, and original Hebrew commentary on the entire Metaphysics of Aristotle. This commentary is short, about 15 folio pages long, and consists almost entirely of quotations from Averroes’ Middle Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics in the early fourteenth-century translation of Qalonimos ben Qalonimos. Yet Habilio elsewhere expresses only disdain for Averroes and hopes that Jews will turn away from Averroes to read Scotus’ metaphysical works instead. The author’s claim is that Habilio’s Commentary is intended to supplement his translation of Antonius Andreas’ questions on the Metaphysics and provide a Hebrew summary of the most read Hebrew version of the Metaphysics (viz., Averroes’ Middle Commentary) that would choose its words in such a way as not to contradict Scotus and in some cases even to encourage its readers to seek out a Scotist approach.
The Postdigital Challenge of Critical Media Literacy
Authors: Jandrić Petar
Published: April 2019

This article situates contemporary critical media literacy into a postdigital context. It examines recent advances in data literacy, with an accent to Big Data literacy and data bias, and expands them with insights from critical algorithm studies and the critical posthumanist perspective to education. The article briefly outlines differences between older software technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), and introduces associated concepts such as machine learning, neural networks, deep learning, and AI bias. Finally, it explores the complex interplay between Big Data and AI and teases out three urgent challenges for postdigital critical media literacy. (1) Critical media literacy needs to reinvent existing theories and practices for the postdigital context. (2) Reinvented theories and practices need to find a new balance between the technological aspects of data and AI literacy with the political aspects of data and AI literacy, and learn how to deal with non-predictability. (3) Critical media literacy needs to embrace the posthumanist challenge; we also need to start thinking what makes AIs literate and develop ways of raising literate thinking machines. In our postdigital age, critical media literacy has a crucial role in conceptualisation, development, and understanding of new forms of intelligence we would like to live with in the future.
Monticalia speciosa (Senecioneae, Compositae), a noteworthy new species from Ecuador
Authors: CALVO JOEL , ROMOLEROUX KATYA
Published: April 2019

A new species of Monticalia with minute, ciliate leaves, radiate capitula, and eight involucral bracts is described from the northern Andes of Ecuador. It is a striking shrub that has been oddly overlooked until now. It grows in the highlands of Papallacta, a very humid páramo characterized by harboring many lagoons. Photographs of living plants of the new species and a related taxon are provided.
New synonyms and typifications in Psidium species (Myrtaceae) described by João Rodrigues Mattos and the importance of maintaining scientific collections
Authors: TULER AMÉLIA CARLOS , CARRIJO TATIANA TAVARES , PEIXOTO ARIANE LUNA
Published: April 2019

With approximately 100 species, Psidium Linnaeus (1753: 470) is one of the largest genera of the family Myrtaceae. The genus has a Neotropical distribution (Landrum & Kawasaki 1997, WCSP 2018), with Brazil being regarded as its center of diversity and endemism in eastern South America with 60 documented species (Flora do Brasil 2020 under construction, 2018).
A new species of Dendroseius Karg from Iran (Acari: Rhodacaridae), with a key to the known species
Authors: FARAJI FARID , SAKENIN-CHELAV HAMID , KARG WOLFGANG
Published: April 2019

Dendroseius amoliensis n. sp. collected from soil in northern Iran is described and illustrated. A key is provided for the known species of Dendroseius.
Revision of Chlororithra Butler, 1889 (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Geometrinae)
Authors: HAN HONGXIANG , LI HONGMEI , XUE DAYONG
Published: April 2019

The genus Chlororithra Butler, 1889 is revised. Based on an examination of the syntypes of C. missioniaria Oberthür, we elevate that taxon to species status. Differences between C. fea Butler and C. missioniaria and variation within each species are discussed in detail and illustrated. A lectotype is designated for C. fea. Tribal placement of the genus is discussed.
The taxonomic status of Hyla roeschmanni De Grys, 1938 (Anura: Hylidae)
Authors: PADIAL JOSÉ M. , KÖHLER JÖRN , DE LA RIVA IGNACIO
Published: April 2019

The taxonomic status of Hyla roeschmanni De Grys, 1938 (Anura: Hylidae) is reviewed. We place Hyla roeschmanni as a junior synonym of Hypsiboas raniceps Cope, 1862. Because the holotype of Hyla roeschmanni was destroyed, we designate a neotype from Department Beni, Bolivia, and provide a description of the neotype.
Erratum: WANG, H.Q., LI, K. & LIU, X.W. (2012) A taxonomic study on the species of the genus Phlugiolopsis Zeuner (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Meconematinae). Zootaxa, 3332, 27–48.
Authors: WANG H. Q. , LI K. , LIU X. W.
Published: April 2019

(Erratum)
A new species of kukri snake (Colubridae: Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826) from the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary, Cardamom Mountains, southwest Cambodia
Authors: NEANG THY , GRISMER L. LEE , DALTRY JENNIFER C.
Published: April 2019

A new species of kukri snake Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 is described from the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary, Carda-mom Mountains, southwest Cambodia. Oligodon kampucheaensis sp. nov. differs from other Indochinese and SoutheastAsian species of Oligodon by having 15–15–15 dorsal scale rows; 164 ventral scales; 39 subcaudal scales; anal plate un-divided; deep bifurcated hemipenes, lacking papillae and spines extending to subcaudal scale 11; 17 transverse cream andblack-edged bands on body; three bands on tail; eight or nine scales long between dorsal bands; white ventrolateral spotson the lateral margin of every dark brown squarish or subrectangular ventral blotch. The hemipenial characters place it asthe tenth species of the O. cyclurus group but it has a lower dorsal scale count than other species in this group. The dis-covery of this species from the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary increases the number of kukri snakes for Cambodia to ten and indicates the importance of additional field studies in the Cardamom Mountains.
Revision of the genus Iphiplateia (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Phliantidae) from Australia
Authors: COLEMAN CH. OLIVER , LOWRY JAMES K.
Published: April 2019

The new species Iphiplateia marleneae, Iphiplateia jakei and Iphiplateia verenaae are described and the similar taxonIphiplateia whiteleggei is redescribed. Iphiplateia marleneae differs from I. whiteleggei in the subcircular body shape, theslender articles 4–5 of the peduncle of antenna 2, the medially expanded maxilliped palp articles 2 and 3, notches on themerus of all pereopods and pereopod 7 basis is drawn out into a subacute angle. Both I. jakei and I. verenaae differ fromI. marleneae and I. whiteleggei in having a dorsal pereon keel. Iphiplateia verenaae can be distinguished from I. jakei by its significantly smaller basis of pereopod 7.
Correct name for the Asian Brown Flycatcher (Aves: Muscicapidae, Muscicapa)
Authors: MLÍKOVSKÝ JIŘÍ
Published: April 2019

Broad-billed flycatchers of East Siberia, which migrate to winter in south-east Asia south to the Greater Sunda Islands, were first described as new for science by Raffles (1822: 312) from Sumatra under the name Muscicapa latirostris. The species was known as Muscicapa latirostris Raffles (or latirostris in combination with other generic names) for over a century (e.g. Dresser 1902: 252, Hartert 1907: 477, Vaurie 1959: 331), but since the 1930s it has been called either Muscicapa latirostris Raffles or Muscicapa daurica Pallas (see below for the history). This dichotomy continues; some authors prefer latirostris (e.g. Peklo 1987; Stepanân 1990, 2003; Nakano & Murakami 2001; Popov 2004; Kwon et al. 2006; Takeuchi 2007; Kolbin 2008; Gavrilov 2011; Sonina & Durnev 2011), while others prefer daurica (e.g. Banks & Browning 1995; Clarke et al. 2009; Tojo 2009; Mohan & Kumar 2010; David 2011).
Diopatra (Onuphidae: Polychaeta) from intertidal sediments in southwestern Europe
Authors: FAUCHALD KRISTIAN , BERKE SARAH KOSTING , WOODIN SARAH ANN
Published: April 2019

Intertidal populations of Diopatra from Spanish, Portuguese and French Atlantic beaches have traditionally been identified as D. neapolitana. This species is present, mainly in Spain and Portugal. However, at least some French beaches are occupied by a distinct species, D. biscayensis, here described as new. In addition, in Portugal and Spain, a third species, here described as new, D. cryptornata, will also key out as D. neapolitana using standard keys, but is morphologically distinct. The three species can be separated not only on traditional characters, but also on obvious differences in anterior morphology not usually considered in descriptions. The French habitats now occupied by D. biscayensis, previously had populations of D. neapolitana alone as documented by collections in the Paris Museum made by Quatrefages and Saint-Joseph in the mid-late 1800s. Diopatra marocensis has recently been reported from Atlantic waters, from both intertidal and subtidal areas. Since this species can be confused with the three species named above, a partial re-description based on paratype material is included here. Finally, a fifth species, D. micrura, has recently been described from the area and is here briefly characterized based on the original description. A key to all five species has been constructed.
A new species of Omolicna (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea: Derbidae) from coconut palm in Costa Rica and new country records for Omolicna brunnea and Omolicna triata
Authors: BAHDER BRIAN W. , BARTLETT CHARLES R. , BARRANTES EDWIN A. BARRANTES , ECHAVARRIA MARCO A. ZUMBADO , HUMPHRIES ALESSANDRA R. , HELMICK ERICKA E. , ASCUNCE MARINA S. , HUMPHRIES ALESSANDRA R. , HELMICK ERICKA E. , ASCUNCE MARINA S. , GOSS ERICA M.
Published: April 2019

An ongoing survey for novel phytoplasmas and viruses that affect palms (Arecaceae) is being conducted in Costa Rica along with potential vectors. During that survey, a new species of derbid planthopper (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) in the genus Omolicna Fennah was detected from Heredia and Limón State and is here described as Omolicna xavieri sp. n. This new taxon was first found on declining coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) and subsequently on healthy coconut palms in Tortuguero National Park. Also, two additional species of Omolicna, O. brunnea and O. triata, were collected on coconut in the same habitat and represent new country records. There are no previously published records of Omolicna from Costa Rica. Sequence data for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the 18S ribosomal RNA gene were obtained. In addition, novel 18S primers specific to auchenorrhynchan insects were developed and presented. The molecular data show high pairwise distances between O. xavieri sp. n. and other Omolicna species (24% to 31% and 10% using COI and 18S, respectively). Based on both morphological and sequence data, we erect and briefly describe the new subgenus Agoo for the new species to reflect the observed differences. A checklist of Omolicna species is presented.
A new species of the Lycodon fasciatus complex from the Khorat Plateau, eastern Thailand (Reptiles, Squamata, Colubridae)
Authors: VOGEL GERNOT , DAVID PATRICK
Published: April 2019

A new species of the genus Lycodon Boie in Fitzinger is described on the basis of three specimens collected on the Khorat Plateau, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. Lycodon gibsonae spec. nov. is superficially similar to L. fasciatus (Anderson), it differs by its much larger size, a higher number of ventral and subcaudal scales, and a lower number of bands on the body, the last three characters presenting no overlap with those of L. fasciatus sensu stricto. The new species seems to be endemic to the Khorat Plateau.
Assimilation of Passive L-band Microwave Brightness Temperatures in the Canadian Land Data Assimilation System: Impacts on Short-Range Warm Season Numerical Weather Prediction
Authors: Carrera Marco L. , Bilodeau Bernard , Bélair Stéphane , Abrahamowicz Maria , Russell Albert , Wang Xihong
Published: April 2019

This study examines the impacts of assimilating Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) L-band brightness temperatures (TBs) on warm season short-range numerical weather prediction (NWP) forecasts. Focusing upon the summer 2015 period over North America, offline assimilation cycles are run with the Canadian Land Data Assimilation System (CaLDAS) to compare the impacts of assimilating SMAP TB versus screen-level observations to analyze soil moisture. The analyzed soil moistures are quantitatively compared against a set of in situ sparse soil moisture networks and a set of SMAP core validation sites. These surface analyses are used to initialize a series of 48-h forecasts where near-surface temperature and precipitation are evaluated against in situ observations. Assimilation of SMAP TBs leads to soil moisture that is markedly improved in terms of correlation and standard deviation of the errors (STDE) compared to the use of screen-level observations. NWP forecasts initialized with SMAP-derived soil moistures exhibit a general dry bias in 2-m dewpoint temperatures (TD2m), while displaying a relative warm bias in 2-m temperatures (TT2m), when compared to those forecasts initialized with soil moistures analyzed with screen-level temperature errors. Largest impacts with SMAP are seen for TD2m, where the use of screen-level observations leads to a daytime wet bias that is reduced with SMAP. The overall drier soil moisture leads to improved precipitation bias scores with SMAP. A notable deterioration in TD2m STDE scores was found in the SMAP experiments during the daytime over the Northern Great Plains. A reduction in the daytime TD2m wet bias was found when the observation errors for the screen-level observations were increased.
Reconciling Lagrangian Diffusivity and Effective Diffusivity in Contour-Based Coordinates
Authors: Qian Yu-Kun , Peng Shiqiu , Liang Chang-Xia
Published: April 2019

The present study reconciles theoretical differences between the Lagrangian diffusivity and effective diffusivity in a transformed spatial coordinate based on the contours of a quasi-conservative tracer. In the transformed coordinate, any adiabatic stirring effect, such as shear-induced dispersion, is naturally isolated from diabatic cross-contour motions. Therefore, Lagrangian particle motions in the transformed coordinate obey a transformed zeroth-order stochastic (i.e., random walk) model with the diffusivity replaced by the effective diffusivity. Such a stochastic model becomes the theoretical foundation on which both diffusivities are exactly unified. In the absence of small-scale diffusion, particles do not disperse at all in the transformed contour coordinate. Besides, the corresponding Lagrangian autocorrelation becomes a delta function and is thus free from pronounced overshoot and negative lobe at short time lags that may be induced by either Rossby waves or mesoscale eddies; that is, particles decorrelate immediately and Lagrangian diffusivity is already asymptotic no matter how small the time lag is. The resulting instantaneous Lagrangian spreading rate is thus conceptually identical to the effective diffusivity that only measures the instantaneous irreversible mixing. In these regards, the present study provides a new look at particle dispersion in contour-based coordinates.
Understanding conflict-related sexual violence and the ‘everyday’ experience of conflict through witness testimonies
Authors: Campbell Kirsten , Demir Elma , O’Reilly Maria
Published: April 2019

The testimonies of witnesses who testify before criminal courts provide crucial insights into the situated experience of conflict-related sexual violence. Witness testimonies highlight the complex realities and everyday lives of individuals caught up in situations of armed conflict. The evidence presented by witnesses can provide vital insights into lived experiences of wartime violence, and reveal the seemingly mundane strategies and tactics adopted by victims to cope with, survive and resist the violent and coercive circumstances of war. This article foregrounds conflict-related sexual violence witness testimonies as highly significant sources of knowledge of everyday experiences of conflict. It sets out a bottom-up, mixed-method approach for identifying and analysing the experiential accounts of those who lived through conflict-related sexual violence, while engaging with the opportunities and challenges of using witness testimony. Our approach unsettles existing notions of ‘the everyday’ in Peace & Conflict Studies as a synonym for narratives and practices of violence, justice and peacebuilding that are private, informal and largely hidden from view. Understanding witness testimonies requires conceptualising the everyday as an amalgam of formal and informal practices, as accessible through both elite and lay knowledges and as documented in both public and private (e.g. redacted) sources. It requires challenging taken-for-granted dichotomies that are frequently invoked to understand conflict and peace.
‘Fake news’ is the invention of a liar: How false information circulates within the hybrid news system
Authors: Giglietto Fabio , Iannelli Laura , Valeriani Augusto , Rossi Luca
Published: April 2019

Alarmed by the oversimplifications related to the ‘fake news’ buzzword, researchers have started to unpack the concept, defining diverse types and forms of misleading news. Most of the existing works in the area consider crucial the intent of the content creator in order to differentiate among different types of problematic information. This article argues for a change of perspective that, by leveraging the conceptual framework of sociocybernetics, shifts from exclusive attention to creators of misleading information to a broader approach that focuses on propagators and, as a result, on the dynamics of the propagation processes. The analytical implications of this perspective are discussed at a micro level (criteria to judge the falsehood of news and to decide to spread it), at a meso level (four possible relations between individual judgements and decisions), and at a macro level (global circulation cascades). The authors apply this theoretical gaze to analyse ‘fake news’ stories that challenge existing models.
Mass media and the web in the light of Luhmann’s media system
Authors: Boccia Artieri Giovanni , Gemini Laura
Published: April 2019

The aim of the article is to observe the contemporary media system in the light of Luhmann’s media system, namely a specific function system of society which has witnessed ever greater internal complexity vis-a-vis an environment marked by the spread of the web and social network sites. From the viewpoint of sociocybernetics, the question of increased complexity can be addressed through an ecological approach in order to analyse the distinction between the mass media and the web – in its specific 2.0 evolution, characterized by user-generated content and algorithms. This approach allows to observe the reciprocal relations by preserving the autonomy of the two spheres without resorting to explanations that have to do with hybridization or the blur of the boundaries. In this sense the article analyses Facebook – as an example of web 2.0 operational logic – as a social system distinct from that of the mass media, where the first substantial difference depends on the role played by individuals in reproducing communication and on the role of the algorithm. In this sense mass media and the web are treated on the basis of their relationship of structural coupling by observing how they irritate, or disturb, each other and at the same time maintain their autonomy.
Trade, Inequality and Distribution-neutral Fiscal Policy
Authors: Marjit Sugata , Mishra Suryaprakash , Sarkar Sandip , Yang Lei
Published: April 2019

Gains from trade and inequality do not feature prominently in trade theory. The standard criterion of Pareto efficiency indicates nothing about inequality when applied to the redistribution of gains from trade. Yet, trade-induced inequality has become a talking point and extremely contentious issue worldwide. In a Heckscher–Ohlin–Samuelson (HOS) model of trade, we consider tax-transfer policies that do not decrease the absolute income of any group, as suggested by the standard Pareto rule and keep the pre-trade degree of inequality between skilled and unskilled workers unchanged. Such a fiscal policy exists and is independent of whether the tax is progressive or proportional. We show that the aggregate gain in real income due to trade can be distributed to make everyone better off without increasing inequality. A generalization of the basic result shows that any Pareto efficient allocation can be transformed into a distribution-neutral allocation through appropriate fiscal policy.

JEL Codes: F11, J31, D63, H20, H23
Depressive Symptoms Following Later-life Marital Dissolution and Subsequent Repartnering
Authors: Lin I-Fen , Brown Susan L. , Wright Matthew R. , Hammersmith Anna M.
Published: April 2019

The doubling of the divorce rate among individuals over age 50 during the past 20 years underscores the urgency of studying the consequences of gray divorce and subsequent repartnering for adult well-being. We filled this gap by using the 1998-to-2014 Health and Retirement Study to evaluate how the levels of depressive symptoms changed following gray divorce versus widowhood. Individuals who divorced or became widowed already had experienced higher levels of depressive symptoms before dissolution relative to those who remained married. Compared with those who became widowed, those who transitioned to divorce experienced a lower elevation and a shorter time to recovery in depressive symptoms. When repartnering, both groups experienced similar magnitudes of initial reduction and subsequent rates of increase. Both the negative consequences of marital dissolution and the beneficial effects of repartnership for mental health persisted for several years, although ultimately they reverted to their predissolution levels of depressive symptoms.
Intimidating voters with violence and mobilizing them with clientelism
Authors: Rauschenbach Mascha , Paula Katrin
Published: April 2019

Recent research suggests that intimidating voters and electoral clientelism are two strategies on the menu of manipulation, often used in conjunction. We do not know much, however, about who is targeted with which of these illicit electoral strategies. This article devises and tests a theoretical argument on the targeting of clientelism and intimidation across different voters. We argue that in contexts where violence can be used to influence elections, parties may choose to demobilize swing and opposition voters, which frees up resources to mobilize their likely supporters with clientelism. While past research on this subject has either been purely theoretical or confined to single country studies, we offer a first systematic cross-national and multilevel analysis of clientelism and voter intimidation in seven African countries. We analyze which voters most fear being intimidated with violence and which get targeted with clientelistic benefits, combining new regional-level election data with Afrobarometer survey data. In a multilevel analysis, we model the likelihood of voters being targeted with either strategy as a function of both past election results of the region they live in and their partisan status. We find that voters living in incumbent strongholds are most likely to report having being bribed in elections, whereas those living in opposition strongholds are most fearful of violent intimidation. We further provide suggestive evidence of a difference between incumbent supporters and other voters. We find support that incumbent supporters are more likely to report being targeted with clientelism, and mixed support for the idea that they are less fearful of intimidation. Our findings allow us to define potential hot spots of intimidation. They also provide an explanation for why parties in young democracies concentrate more positive inducements on their own supporters than the swing voter model of campaigning would lead us to expect.
Homicide or car accident: The case of the ‘guilty’ fibre
Authors: De Simone Stefania , Maglietta Francesca , Ferrara Michela , Spagnolo Lorenzo , Ricci Pietrantonio , De Carlo Dania , Salerno Monica , Sessa Francesco , Bertozzi Giuseppe
Published: April 2019

Crime scene investigation should be carried out using a critical forensic approach by an expert team. This provides essential tools in the research and collection of evidence and samples which must be integrated with the autopsy and the police officers’ investigations. This paper aims to highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to crime scene investigation and describes a very interesting criminal case. As demonstrated by this case, the evidence obtained from the crime scene analysis sheds light on difficult cases, such as murders staged as suicides or accidents.
Developing a water strategy for sustainable irrigated agriculture in Mediterranean island communities – Insights from Malta
Authors: Papadimitriou Lamprini , D’Agostino Daniela , Borg Malcolm , Hallett Stephen , Sakrabani Ruben , Thompson Andrew , Knox Jerry
Published: April 2019

The future sustainability of irrigated agriculture in Mediterranean island communities faces a raft of economic, environmental and socio-economic challenges. Many of these are inextricably linked to the extreme levels of water scarcity that exist in the region. With a focus on Malta, we developed a water strategy to identify the priorities for action to support decision makers, practitioners and the agrifood industry in achieving agricultural and water resources sustainability. The methodology involved a combination of evidence synthesis, to inform the development of a Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response framework. These priorities were then used to define a set of key actions under three thematic pillars of sustainability (environment, economy and society). Our analysis confirmed that irrigated agriculture in Malta is not only impacted by environmental factors such as the challenging climate and geography of the region but also strongly influenced by a range of economic (tourism development, European Union accession) and societal (population growth, environmental regulation) drivers of change. The developed strategy is underpinned by priority actions relating to improved water and soil management. The reduction of water and energy footprints in crop production, the establishment of demonstration farms and the support of policies that promote ‘value adding’ activities are examples of key priority actions for the environmental, economic and societal pillar, respectively. Regarding the scale of intervention, the analysis distinguishes research as being important for supporting many of the economy-focused actions.
An implementation of geometric integration within Matlab
Authors: Chauvon Guillaume , Saucez Philippe , Vande Wouwer Alain
Published: April 2019

Geometric integrators allow preservation of specific geometric properties of the exact flow of differential equation systems, such as energy, phase-space volume, and time-reversal symmetry, and are particularly reliable for long-run integration. In this study, variable step size composition methods and Gauss methods are implemented in Matlab library integrators, and are tested with several representative problems, including the Kepler problem, the outer solar system and a conservative Lotka–Volterra system. Variable step size integrators often perform better than their fixed step size counterparts and the numerical results show excellent long time preservation of the Hamiltonian in these examples.
Is China Recolonizing Africa? Some Views from Tanzania
Authors: Kinyondo Abel
Published: April 2019

This study assesses Sino‐African cooperation with a view to understanding its nature and subsequently identifying ways to improve it. Using a mixed method that combined in‐depth interviews, Afrobarometer, and Johns Hopkins’ China Africa Research Initiative (CARI) data, I find that, despite a few gains, China takes the lion's share of benefits from the cooperation. Indeed, the balance of trade is skewed toward China, and there is very little Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) flowing to Africa. Moreover, ‘debt trap diplomacy’ is crippling African economies, raising alarm over whether China intends to recolonize the continent. Also, while Chinese aid is negligible, the amount of contracts revenues and diplomatic support it gets from the continent makes one think Africa deserves more from the cooperation. Nevertheless, China, just like any other country, acts in its nation's interest. Therefore, it is incumbent upon African countries to ensure that they demand more from the cooperation. In the end, to address China's hegemony over Sino‐African cooperation, Africa should prioritize the development of local content through technological and skill transfers, curb corruption, and build a critical mass of negotiators.
The Immigrant as Bogeyman: Examining Donald Trump and the Right’s Anti-immigrant, Anti-PC Rhetoric
Authors: Finley Laura , Esposito Luigi
Published: April 2019

This article examines the rhetoric used by President Trump and his administration with respect to immigrants and immigration policy. We argue that Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric can be understood as (1) a response against current norms associated with political correctness, which include a heightened sensitivity to racially offensive language, xenophobia, and social injustice, and (2) a rejection of the tendency to subordinate patriotism, U.S. sovereignty, and national interests to a neoliberal political economy that emphasizes “globalism” and prioritizes “free trade” over the interests of working Americans. In order to highlight how much of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is developed as a response to political correctness and the neoliberal tendency toward globalism, we employ the concept of “collective action frames” to suggest that Trump’s (and much of the Right’s) efforts to legitimize their strict agenda on immigration relies on frames related to (1) crime and the threat immigrants pose to Americans’ safety, (2) the notion that immigrants and free trade deals lower Americans’ wages and compromise their job security, and (3) the claim that Democrats and other liberals are driven by a politically correct orthodoxy that hurts American workers by being “weak on immigration” and supportive of “open borders.” The article concludes with recommendations for fighting the normalization of scapegoating immigrants.