bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global Order and Local Disorder in Brain Maps
Authors: Rothschild Gideon , Mizrahi Adi
Published: April 2015

Maps serve as a ubiquitous organizing principle in the mammalian brain. In several sensory systems, such as audition, vision, and somatosensation, topographic maps are evident throughout multiple levels of brain pathways. Topographic maps, like retinotopy and tonotopy, persist from the receptor surface up to the cortex. Other maps, such as those of orientation preference in the visual cortex, are first created in the cortex itself. Despite the prevalence of topographic maps, it is still not clear what function they subserve. Although maps are topographically smooth at the macroscale, they are often locally heterogeneous. Here, we review studies describing the anatomy and physiology of topographic maps across various spatial scales, from the smooth macroscale to the heterogeneous local microarchitecture, with emphasis on maps of the visual and auditory systems. We discuss the potential advantages of local heterogeneity in brain maps, how they reflect complex cortical connectivity, and how they may impact sensory coding and local computations.
Astroglia-Microglia Cross Talk during Neurodegeneration in the Rat Hippocampus
Authors: Batlle Montserrat , Ferri Lorenzo , Andrade Carmen , Ortega Francisco-Javier , Vidal-Taboada Jose M. , Pugliese Marco , Mahy Nicole , Rodríguez Manuel J.
Published: April 2015

Brain injury triggers a progressive inflammatory response supported by a dynamic astroglia-microglia interplay. We investigated the progressive chronic features of the astroglia-microglia cross talk in the perspective of neuronal effects in a rat model of hippocampal excitotoxic injury. N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) injection triggered a process characterized within 38 days by atrophy, neuronal loss, and fast astroglia-mediated S100B increase. Microglia reaction varied with the lesion progression. It presented a peak of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) secretion at one day after the lesion, and a transient YM1 secretion within the first three days. Microglial glucocorticoid receptor expression increased up to day 5, before returning progressively to sham values. To further investigate the astroglia role in the microglia reaction, we performed concomitant transient astroglia ablation with L-α-aminoadipate and NMDA-induced lesion. We observed a striking maintenance of neuronal death associated with enhanced microglial reaction and proliferation, increased YM1 concentration, and decreased TNF-αsecretion and glucocorticoid receptor expression. S100B reactivity only increased after astroglia recovery. Our results argue for an initial neuroprotective microglial reaction, with a direct astroglial control of the microglial cytotoxic response. We propose the recovery of the astroglia-microglia cross talk as a tissue priority conducted to ensure a proper cellular coordination that retails brain damage.
Intrinsic Immunomodulatory Effects of Low-Digestible Carbohydrates Selectively Extend Their Anti-Inflammatory Prebiotic Potentials
Authors: Breton Jérôme , Plé Coline , Guerin-Deremaux Laetitia , Pot Bruno , Lefranc-Millot Catherine , Wils Daniel , Foligné Benoit
Published: April 2015

The beneficial effects of carbohydrate-derived fibers are mainly attributed to modulation of the microbiota, increased colonic fermentation, and the production of short-chain fatty acids. We studied the direct immune responses to alimentary fibers inin vitroandin vivomodels. Firstly, we evaluated the immunomodulation induced by nine different types of low-digestible fibers on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. None of the fibers tested induced cytokine production in baseline conditions. However, only one from all fibers almost completely inhibited the production of anti- and proinflammatory cytokines induced by bacteria. Secondly, the impact of short- (five days) and long-term (three weeks) oral treatments with selected fibers was assessed in the trinitrobenzene-sulfonic acid colitis model in mice. The immunosuppressive fiber significantly reduced levels of inflammatory markers over both treatment periods, whereas a nonimmunomodulatory fiber had no effect. The two fibers did not differ in terms of the observed fermentation products and colonic microbiota after three weeks of treatment, suggesting that the anti-inflammatory action was not related to prebiotic properties. Hence, we observed a direct effect of a specific fiber on the murine immune system. This intrinsic, fiber-dependent immunomodulatory potential may extend prebiotic-mediated protection in inflammatory bowel disease.
Study on Elastic Dynamic Model for the Clamping Mechanism of High-Speed Precision Injection Molding Machine
Authors: Chen Xue-feng , Hu Jian-guo , Xu Yan-sheng , Xu Zhong-ming , Wang Hong-bo
Published: April 2015

This work centered on the double-toggle clamping mechanism with diagonal-five points for the high-speed precise plastic injection machine. Based on Lagrange equations, the differential equations of motion for the beam elements are established, in a rotating coordinate system and an absolute coordinate system, respectively. 43 generalized coordinates and a model matrix for the mechanism are created and some coordinate matrices are derived. By coupling the coordinate transformation and matrix manipulation, a high nonlinear and strong time-variant elastic dynamic model is obtained. Based on the dynamic model, a Kineto-Elasto Dynamics (KED) analysis and a Kineto-Elasto Static (KES) analysis are carried out, respectively. By comparing and analyzing the simulation results of KED and KES, the regularity of elastic vibration of the clamping mechanism in high-speed clamping process has been revealed.
Association of ABO Blood Group Phenotype and Allele Frequency with Chikungunya Fever
Authors: Rujirojindakul Pairaya , Chongsuvivatwong Virasakdi , Limprasert Pornprot
Published: April 2015

Background. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of the ABO blood group phenotype and allele frequency with CHIK fever.Methods. A rural community survey in Southern Thailand was conducted in August and September 2010. A total of 506 villagers were enrolled. Cases were defined as individuals having anti-CHIK IgG by hemagglutination ≥1 : 10.Results. There were 314 cases (62.1%) with CHIK seropositivity. Females were less likely to have positive anti-CHIK IgG with odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) of 0.63 (0.43, 0.93). All samples tested were Rh positive. Distribution of CHIK seropositivity versus seronegativity (Pvalue) in A, B, AB, and O blood groups was 80 versus 46 (0.003), 80 versus 48 (0.005), 24 versus 20 (0.55), and 130 versus 78 (<0.001), respectively. However, chi-square test between ABO and CHIK infection showed no statistical significanceP=0.76. Comparison of the ABO blood group allele frequency between CHIK seropositivity and seronegativity was not statistically significant.Conclusion. This finding demonstrated no association of the ABO blood group phenotypes and allele frequencies with CHIK infection.
Stability of Hyperbolic Equilibrium Solution of Second Order Nonlinear Rational Difference Equation
Authors: Atawna S. , Abu-Saris R. , Ismail E. S. , Hashim I.
Published: April 2015

Our goal in this paper is to investigate the global asymptotic stability of the hyperbolic
equilibrium solution of the second order rational difference equation
xn+1=α+βxn+γxn-1/A+Bxn+Cxn-1, n=0,1,2,…, where the parameters A≥0 and B, C, α, β, γ are positive real numbers and the initial conditions x-1, x0 are nonnegative real numbers such that A+Bx0+Cx-1>0.
In particular, we solve Conjecture 5.201.1 proposed by Camouzis and Ladas in their book (2008) which appeared previously in Conjecture 11.4.2 in Kulenović and Ladas monograph (2002).
Comparative Meta-Analysis of Transcriptomics Data during Cellular Senescence andIn VivoTissue Ageing
Authors: Voutetakis Konstantinos , Chatziioannou Aristotelis , Gonos Efstathios S. , Trougakos Ioannis P.
Published: April 2015

Several studies have employed DNA microarrays to identify gene expression signatures that mark human ageing; yet the features underlying this complicated phenomenon remain elusive. We thus conducted a bioinformatics meta-analysis on transcriptomics data from human cell- and biopsy-based microarrays experiments studying cellular senescence orin vivotissue ageing, respectively. We report that coregulated genes in the postmitotic muscle and nervous tissues are classified into pathways involved in cancer, focal adhesion, actin cytoskeleton, MAPK signalling, and metabolism regulation. Genes that are differentially regulated during cellular senescence refer to pathways involved in neurodegeneration, focal adhesion, actin cytoskeleton, proteasome, cell cycle, DNA replication, and oxidative phosphorylation. Finally, we revealed genes and pathways (referring to cancer, Huntington’s disease, MAPK signalling, focal adhesion, actin cytoskeleton, oxidative phosphorylation, and metabolic signalling) that are coregulated during cellular senescence andin vivotissue ageing. The molecular commonalities between cellular senescence and tissue ageing are also highlighted by the fact that pathways that were overrepresented exclusively in the biopsy- or cell-based datasets are modules either of the same reference pathway (e.g., metabolism) or of closely interrelated pathways (e.g., thyroid cancer and melanoma). Our reported meta-analysis has revealed novel age-related genes, setting thus the basis for more detailed future functional studies.
Methanolic Extract ofFicus caricaLinn. Leaves Exerts Antiangiogenesis Effects Based on the Rat Air Pouch Model of Inflammation
Authors: Eteraf-Oskouei Tahereh , Allahyari Saeideh , Akbarzadeh-Atashkhosrow Arezu , Delazar Abbas , Pashaii Mahdiyeh , Gan Siew Hua , Najafi Moslem
Published: April 2015

The antiangiogenesis effect ofFicus caricaleaves extract in an air pouch model of inflammation was investigated in rat. Inflammation was induced by injection of carrageenan into pouches. After antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content (TPC) investigations, the extract was administered at 5, 25, and 50 mg/pouch, and then the volume of exudates, the cell number, TNFα, PGE2, and VEGF levels were measured. Angiogenesis of granulation tissues was determined by measuring hemoglobin content. Based on the DPPH assay, the extract had significant antioxidant activity with TPC of 11.70 mg GAE/100 g dry sample. In addition, leukocyte accumulation and volume of exudate were significantly inhibited by the extract. Moreover, it significantly decreased the production of TNFα, PGE2, and VEGF, while angiogenesis was significantly inhibited by all administered doses. Interestingly, attenuation of angiogenesis and inflammatory parameters (except leukocyte accumulation) by the extract was similar to that shown by diclofenac. The extract has anti-inflammatory effects and ameliorated cell influx and exudation to the site of the inflammatory response which may be related to the local inhibition of TNFα, PGE2, and VEGF levels as similarly shown by diclofenac. The antiangiogenesis and anti-VEGF effects ofFicus caricamay be correlated with its significant antioxidant potentials.
Dynamic Network-Based Relevance Score Reveals Essential Proteins and Functional Modules in Directed Differentiation
Authors: Wu Chia-Chou , Lin Che , Chen Bor-Sen
Published: April 2015

The induction of stem cells toward a desired differentiation direction is required for the advancement of stem cell-based therapies. Despite successful demonstrations of the control of differentiation direction, the effective use of stem cell-based therapies suffers from a lack of systematic knowledge regarding the mechanisms underlying directed differentiation. Using dynamic modeling and the temporal microarray data of three differentiation stages, three dynamic protein-protein interaction networks were constructed. The interaction difference networks derived from the constructed networks systematically delineated the evolution of interaction variations and the underlying mechanisms. A proposed relevance score identified the essential components in the directed differentiation. Inspection of well-known proteins and functional modules in the directed differentiation showed the plausibility of the proposed relevance score, with the higher scores of several proteins and function modules indicating their essential roles in the directed differentiation. During the differentiation process, the proteins and functional modules with higher relevance scores also became more specific to the neuronal identity. Ultimately, the essential components revealed by the relevance scores may play a role in controlling the direction of differentiation. In addition, these components may serve as a starting point for understanding the systematic mechanisms of directed differentiation and for increasing the efficiency of stem cell-based therapies.
Prolonged Nightly Fasting and Breast Cancer Risk: Findings from NHANES (2009–2010)
Authors: Marinac Catherine R. , Natarajan Loki , Sears Dorothy D. , Gallo Linda C. , Hartman Sheri J. , Arredondo Elva , Patterson Ruth E.
Published: April 2015

Background: A novel line of research has emerged, suggesting that daily feeding–fasting schedules that are synchronized with sleep-wake cycles have metabolic implications that are highly relevant to breast cancer. We examined associations of nighttime fasting duration with biomarkers of breast cancer risk among women in the 2009–2010 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Methods: Dietary, anthropometric, and HbA1c data were available for 2,212 women, and 2-hour postprandial glucose concentrations were available for 1,066 women. Nighttime fasting duration was calculated using 24-hour food records. Separate linear regression models examined associations of nighttime fasting with HbA1c and 2-hour glucose concentrations. Logistic regression modeled associations of nighttime fasting with elevated HbA1c (HbA1c ≥ 39 mmol/mol or 5.7%) and elevated 2-hour glucose (glucose ≥ 140 mg/dL). All models adjusted for age, education, race/ethnicity, body mass index, total kcal intake, evening kcal intake, and the number of eating episodes per day.

Results: Each 3-hour increase in nighttime fasting (roughly 1 SD) was associated with a 4% lower 2-hour glucose measurement [β, 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93–1.00; P < 0.05], and a nonstatistically significant decrease in HbA1c. Logistic regression models indicate that each 3-hour increase in nighttime fasting duration was associated with roughly a 20% reduced odds of elevated HbA1c (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68–0.97; P < 0.05) and nonsignificantly reduced odds of elevated 2-hour glucose.

Conclusions: A longer nighttime duration was significantly associated with improved glycemic regulation.

Impact: Randomized trials are needed to confirm whether prolonged nighttime fasting could improve biomarkers of glucose control, thereby reducing breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(5); 783–9. ©2015 AACR.
Neuromagnetic Cortical Activation during Initiation of Optokinetic Nystagmus: An MEG Pilot Study
Authors: Rommer Paulus S. , Beisteiner Roland , Elwischger Kirsten , Auff Eduard , Wiest Gerald
Published: April 2015

Purpose: To investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of cortical activation during the initiation of optokinetic nystagmus using magnetoencephalography. Background: Previous imaging studies of optokinetic nystagmus in humans using positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging discovered activation of a large set of cortical and subcortical structures during steady-state optokinetic stimulation, but did not provide information on the temporal dynamics of the initial response. Imaging studies have shown that cortical areas responsible for vision in occipital and temporo-occipital areas are involved, i.e. cortical areas control optokinetic stimulation in humans. Magnetoencephalography provides measures that reflect neural ensemble activity in the millisecond time scale, allowing the identification of early cortical components of visuomotor integration. Design/Methods: We studied neuromagnetic cortical responses during the initiation of optokinetic nystagmus in 6 right-handed healthy subjects. Neuromagnetic activity was recorded with a whole-head magnetoencephalograph, consisting of 143 planar gradiometers. Results: The mean (±SD) latency between stimulus onset and initiation of optokinetic nystagmus was 177.7 ± 59 ms. Initiation of optokinetic nystagmus evoked an early component in the primary visual cortex starting at 40-90 ms prior to the onset of the slow phase of nystagmus. Almost simultaneously an overlapping second component occurred bilaterally in the temporo-occipital area (visual motion areas), pronounced in the right hemisphere, starting at 10-60 ms prior to the slow-phase onset. Both components showed long-duration activity lasting for up to 100 ms after slow-phase onset. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the initiation of optokinetic nystagmus induces early cortical activation in the occipital cortex and almost simultaneously bilaterally in the temporo-occipital cortex. These cortical regions might represent essential areas for the monitoring of retinal slip.
Epigenetic Biomarkers for the Early Detection of Gastrointestinal Cancer
Authors: Chen Hui-Min , Fang Jing-Yuan
Published: April 2015

Background: Gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, the two most frequent cancers within the gastrointestinal tract, account for a large proportion of human malignancies worldwide. The initiation and progression of gastrointestinal cancer (GIC) is controlled by both genetic and epigenetic events. Epigenetic alterations, including changes in DNA methylation, specific histone modifications, chromatin remodeling and noncoding RNA-mediated gene silencing, are potentially reversible and heritable. Summary: In this article, we summarize the current advances in epigenetic biomarkers as potential substrates for GIC detection. The combined screening of a panel of methylated genes, hyperacetylated histones, microRNAs or other noncoding RNAs is currently under evaluation to improve sensitivity. Key Message: Current studies concentrated on the development of cost-effective epigenetic diagnostic biomarkers for GIC based on noninvasive blood or stool samples. The combined blood or stool test with a relatively high sensitivity could be a cost-effective screening tool for the detection of patients with asymptomatic cancers who could therefore choose whether or not to go for further examinations, such as endoscopy or colonoscopy. Practical Implications: A better understanding of epigenetic mechanisms has not only offered new insights into a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms of carcinogenesis, but has also allowed identification of clinically relevant putative biomarkers for the early detection, disease monitoring, prognosis and risk assessment of GIC. In particular, noninvasive biomarkers in serum or fecal samples for the detection of GIC could have potential for better compliance and can be incorporated into routine clinical practice in the foreseeable future, pending their validation in large-scale prospective trials.
Pancreatic Cancer: Progress in Systemic Therapy
Authors: Perkhofer Lukas , Ettrich Thomas J. , Seufferlein Thomas
Published: April 2015

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world. Due to lack of specific symptoms and no accessible precursor lesions, primary diagnosis is commonly delayed, resulting in the identification of only 15-20% of patients with potentially curable disease. The major limiting factor is an already locally advanced or metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Consequently, systemic therapy forms the backbone of treatment strategy for the majority of patients. Summary: A deeper understanding of the molecular characteristics of pancreatic cancer has led to the identification of several potential therapeutic targets. A variety of targeted therapies are currently under clinical evaluation as single agents or in combination with chemotherapy for PDAC. This review highlights the current state of chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer and provides an outlook on its future perspectives. Key Message: This review focuses on the current chemotherapy regimens for the systemic treatment of PDAC. Practical Implications: Various neoadjuvant approaches have been explored, including chemoradiation, chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation or intensified chemotherapy without defining a standard of care so far. The standard of care is gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil. The oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 may be a promising new agent in this setting. For first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer, no targeted therapy has yet demonstrated clinical benefit apart from the combination of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib plus gemcitabine. Recently, novel chemotherapeutic regimens such as FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine plus nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel have been introduced. Both combinations have proved to be superior to the standard gemcitabine regimen. For second-line treatment the combination of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin and oxaliplatin yields improved results compared to best supportive care.
Gastric Cancer: New Drugs - New Strategies
Authors: Schulte Nadine , Ebert Matthias P. , Härtel Nicolai
Published: April 2015

Background: Gastric cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. There are large geographic variations in the incidence of these tumors, with 60% occurring in East Asia. For patients with resectable disease, surgery and perioperative treatment can be effective. For patients with advanced gastric cancer, chemotherapy regimens result in a median survival of 9-11 months. In general, the prognosis for advanced disease is poor and 5-year overall survival rates are around 15%. Combination therapies yield better survival rates, albeit with increased toxicity. Therefore, more effective and less toxic treatment regimens are needed. Summary: The molecular aberrations that characterize the different subgroups of gastric cancer have been used as therapeutic targets. However, the heterogeneity and complexity of gastric cancers is a major challenge for the development of effective targeted therapies. This review examines the main molecular targets in the treatment of gastric cancer, namely the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathways. Key Message: The molecular aberrations characteristic of gastric cancer are being explored for the development of targeted therapies, including the VEGF, HER2, HGF/c-Met, EGFR and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Practical Implications: Trastuzumab, an antibody which targets HER2, is the first approved targeted therapy for the treatment of gastric cancer. However, trastuzumab is only effective in HER2-positive tumors (about 10-20% of all gastric cancers). Ramucirumab, which targets the VEGF receptor 2, has yielded benefits with respect to overall survival in a phase III trial and is an effective treatment for advanced gastric cancer with approval in second-line treatment. Apatinib and rilotumumab are another two promising new agents currently under development.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Untreated and Treated Hypertensive Patients at High Altitude
Authors: Bilo Grzegorz , Villafuerte Francisco C. , Faini Andrea , Anza-Ramírez Cecilia , Revera Miriam , Giuliano Andrea , Caravita Sergio , Gregorini Francesca , Lombardi Carolina , Salvioni Elisabetta , Macarlupu Jose Luis , Ossoli Deborah , Landaveri Leah , Lang Morin , Agostoni Piergiuseppe , Sosa José Manuel , Mancia Giuseppe , Parati Gianfranco
Published: April 2015

Blood pressure increases during acute exposure to high altitude in healthy humans. However, little is known on altitude effects in hypertensive subjects or on the treatment efficacy in this condition. Objectives of High Altitude Cardiovascular Research (HIGHCARE)–Andes Lowlanders Study were to investigate the effects of acute high-altitude exposure on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive subjects and to assess antihypertensive treatment efficacy in this setting. One hundred untreated subjects with mild hypertension (screening blood pressure, 144.1±9.8 mm Hg systolic, 92.0±7.5 mm Hg diastolic) were randomized to double-blind placebo or to telmisartan 80 mg+modified release nifedipine 30 mg combination. Twenty-four–hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed off-treatment, after 6 weeks of treatment at sea level, on treatment during acute exposure to high altitude (3260 m) and immediately after return to sea level. Eighty-nine patients completed the study (age, 56.4±17.6 years; 52 men/37 women; body mass index, 28.2±3.5 kg/m
2
). Twenty-four–hour systolic blood pressure increased at high altitude in both groups (placebo, 11.0±9 mm Hg;
P
<0.001 and active treatment, 8.1±10.4 mm Hg;
P
<0.001). Active treatment reduced 24-hour systolic blood pressure both at sea level and at high altitude (147.9±11.1 versus 132.6±12.4 mm Hg for placebo versus treated;
P
<0.001; 95% confidence interval of the difference 10.9–19.9 mm Hg) and was well tolerated. Similar results were obtained for diastolic, for daytime blood pressure, and for nighttime blood pressure. Treatment was well tolerated in all conditions. Our study demonstrates that (1) 24-hour blood pressure increases significantly during acute high-altitude exposure in hypertensive subjects and (2) treatment with angiotensin receptor blocker-calcium channel blocker combination is effective and safe in this condition.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01830530.
Revisiting the Sabbath Laws in 4Q264a and Their Contribution to Early Halakha
Authors: Hidary Richard
Published: April 2015

This article evaluates the reconstruction of 4Q264a offered by Vered Noam and Elisha Qimron. While those scholars find precedent in this scroll fragment for later rabbinic and Karaitic Sabbath prohibitions regarding playing musical instruments, using fire, and reading Scripture, the current article argues that this reconstruction is anachronistic and has insufficient support in the text. Instead, this article supports previous scholars whose reconstructions of this fragment of Sabbath laws include a rule encouraging singing, a prohibition against using fire for cooking but not for other uses, and a requirement to study Scriptures on the Sabbath.
Qumran Period i Reconsidered: An Evaluation of Several Competing Theories
Authors: Mizzi Dennis
Published: April 2015

The study of Qumran is riddled with many problems, one of which is the absence of clear, unambiguous evidence for the architectural development of the site. As a result, there are several competing hypotheses regarding the architectural layout of Qumran in its earliest Second Temple phase and regarding its development during the course of the 1st century b.c.e. The recent publication of two new models of development attests to the continued significance of this question. At the same time, the existence of multiple models raises a methodological red flag, which forces us to reconsider this whole issue. Accordingly, this paper, without delving into the contentious question of the site’s interpretation, offers an objective assessment and critique of the major models of development that have been proposed, and it highlights the shortcomings and assumptions underlying these theories. From this evaluation, it emerges that while some hypotheses can be ruled out via a thorough analysis of the archaeological evidence, others can neither be proven nor disproven. Consequently, this paper concludes that Qumran Period i remains, to an extent, unknowable.
The Cycle of Summons: A Hymn from the Seventh Song of the Sabbath Sacrifice (4Q403 1i 31–40)
Authors: Mizrahi Noam
Published: April 2015

The article investigates, by way of close reading, the literary unit that opens the seventh among the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice. The study begins with a text-critical analysis of the poem based on its extant witnesses, including the many corrections contained in its best preserved copy (4Q403 1i 31–40). It then advances a new proposal concerning the poetic structure of the text, relying on linguistic and stylistic evidence. The literary delineation allows one to discern the generic characteristics of the poem, which place it within the tradition of scriptural hymns. These form-critical insights form the basis for a renewed and nuanced appreciation of the theological message of the hymn.
A new cicada species of the genus Psithyristria Stål, 1870 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadinae: Psithyristriini) from Luzon, Philippines, with a key to the 15 species
Authors: LEE YOUNG JUNE , LIT IRENEO L. JR.
Published: April 2015

A new species of the genus Psithyristria Stål, 1870, Psithyristria ridibunda sp. nov., is described from Quezon, Luzon, Philippines. The new species is very similar to Psithyristria incredibilis Lee & Hill, 2010, but the cubital cell is distinctly larger than the radial cell and the medial branch of the uncal lobe is much shorter than the lateral branch and has two tiny apical spines. Psithyristria isarogensis Boulard & Yap, 2013 is synonymized with Psithyristria paracrassis Lee, 2010. A revised key to the 15 species of Psithyristria is provided.
Reassessment of multiple species of Gymnelus (Teleostei: Zoarcidae) in Pacific Arctic and boreal regions
Authors: MECKLENBURG CATHERINE W. , ANDERSON M. ERIC
Published: April 2015

Recently described new nominal species and resurrected species in the eelpout genus Gymnelus Reinhardt 1834 were reassessed for validity using fresh material collected in Pacific Arctic regions and a large body of data from a previous systematic review of the genus. The analysis reported here included both DNA barcodes and morphology. Only two species were validated: G. viridis (Fabricius 1780) and G. hemifasciatus Andriashev 1937. The latter species occurred as two morphotypes for which there is some evidence of difference in ecological preference, but the available environ-mental data are not robust enough to firmly identify or verify ecophenotypes.
The Scientific Revolution Revisited
Authors: Teich Mikuláš
Published: April 2015

The Scientific Revolution Revisited brings Mikuláš Teich back to the great movement of thought and action that transformed European science and society in the seventeenth century. Drawing on a lifetime of scholarly experience in six penetrating chapters, Teich examines the ways of investigating and understanding nature that matured during the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, charting their progress towards science as we now know it and insisting on the essential interpenetration of such inquiry with its changing social environment. The Scientific Revolution was marked by the global expansion of trade by European powers and by interstate rivalries for a stake in the developing world market, in which advanced medieval China, remarkably, did not participate. It is in the wake of these happenings, in Teich's original retelling, that the Thirty Years War and the Scientific Revolution emerge as products of and factors in an uneven transition in European and world history: from natural philosophy to modern science, feudalism to capitalism, the late medieval to the early modern period.

With a narrative that moves from pre-classical thought to the European institutionalisation of science – and a scope that embraces figures both lionised and neglected, such as Nicole Oresme, Francis Bacon, Thomas Hobbes, Isaac Newton, René Descartes, Thaddeus Hagecius, Johann Joachim Becher – The Scientific Revolution Revisited illuminates the social and intellectual sea changes that shaped the modern world.
A Reanalysis of Hurricane Camille
Authors: Kieper Margaret E. , Landsea Christopher W. , Beven John L.
Published: April 2015

A reanalysis of 1969’s Hurricane Camille has been completed as part of the Atlantic Hurricane Database Reanalysis Project. The reanalysis of Hurricane Camille has been expedited to allow for a homogeneous comparison of all four of the U.S.-landfalling Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale category 5 hurricanes since 1900. A review of the available ship, station, radar, aircraft, and satellite observations is presented, along with the reanalysis methodology. Highlights of the Best-Track Change Committee approved changes to Camille’s genesis, track, intensity, and dissipation are discussed. As part of the preparation for the reanalysis, research on Hurricane Camille uncovered new data useful to the reanalysis. Focus was placed on understanding the internal structure in a modern context, especially whether eyewall replacement cycles occurred, including comparisons with a similar hurricane used as a proxy. A more detailed understanding was gained of the tropical wave and genesis phases. In addition, a 901-mb dropsonde that was later rejected was reanalyzed to find out why and to see if an accurate central pressure could be determined. New landfall surface pressures along the Mississippi coast were discovered and a significant revision is made to the U.S.-landfall central pressure and intensity (maximum sustained surface winds). Additionally, a radar “loop” was constructed from archived Weather Surveillance Radar-1957 (WSR-57) film, including landfall, marking the very first time that this historic hurricane can be viewed in a time-lapse movie format.
Climate-Relevant Land Use and Land Cover Change Policies
Authors: Mahmood Rezaul , Pielke Roger A. , McAlpine Clive A.
Published: April 2015

Both observational and modeling studies clearly demonstrate that land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) play an important biogeophysical and biogeochemical role in the climate system from the landscape to regional and even continental scales. Without comprehensively considering these impacts, an adequate response to the threats posed by human intervention into the climate system will not be adequate.

Public policy plays an important role in shaping local- to national-scale land-use practices. An array of national policies has been developed to influence the nature and spatial extent of LULCC. Observational evidence suggests that these policies, in addition to international trade treaties and protocols, have direct effects on LULCC and thus the climate system.

However, these policies, agreements, and protocols fail to adequately recognize these impacts. To make these more effective and thus to minimize climatic impacts, we propose several recommendations: 1) translating international treaties and protocols into national policies and actions to ensure positive climate outcomes; 2) updating international protocols to reflect advancement in climate–LULCC science; 3) continuing to invest in the measurements, databases, reporting, and verification activities associated with LULCC and LULCC-relevant climate monitoring; and 4) reshaping Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+ (REDD+) to fully account for the multiscale biogeophysical and biogeochemical impacts of LULCC on the climate system.
An NARR-Derived Climatology of Southerly and Northerly Low-Level Jets over North America and Coastal Environs
Authors: Doubler Dana L. , Winkler Julie A. , Bian Xindi , Walters Claudia K. , Zhong Shiyuan
Published: April 2015

The North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) was used to develop an expanded, long-term (1979–2009) climatology of meridional (southerly and northerly) low-level jets over North America and surrounding coastal environs. NARR has greater spatial coverage and finer temporal (3 hourly) and horizontal (32 km) resolutions than do routine rawinsonde wind measurements. The NARR climatology focuses on jet frequency and average speed and elevation by month and 3-hourly time step. To evaluate the plausibility of the climatology, jet characteristics were compared with those obtained from prior climatological analyses, case studies, field campaigns, and numerical simulations. Strong agreement was found with many of the previously documented characteristics of well-known jets, including the northerly Pacific coast jet and southerly Great Plains jet. The NARR climatology provides additional insights into the spatial extent and seasonal shifts of large jet frequencies and into diurnal fluctuations in frequency, speed, and elevation. Weaker and/or less spatially extensive jets are also well depicted in the NARR climatology, including the southerly Gulf of California jet, summertime southerly jets and autumn northerly jets off the mid-Atlantic coast, and northerly jets in the high plains. Furthermore, several new areas of relatively frequent jet occurrence, most of which align with shallow thermal gradients, are seen in the NARR climatology. The NARR climatology supplements and enhances our understanding of North American low-level jets and points to the need for additional research on both the climatological characteristics of these jets and on the processes contributing to their formation.
The Annual-Cycle Modulation of Meridional Asymmetry in ENSO’s Atmospheric Response and Its Dependence on ENSO Zonal Structure
Authors: Zhang Wenjun , Li Haiyan , Jin Fei-Fei , Stuecker Malte F. , Turner Andrew G. , Klingaman Nicholas P.
Published: April 2015

Previous studies documented that a distinct southward shift of central Pacific low-level wind anomalies occurring during the ENSO decaying phase is caused by an interaction between the western Pacific annual cycle and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability. The present study finds that the meridional movement of the central Pacific wind anomalies appears only during traditional eastern Pacific El Niño (EP El Niño) events rather than in central Pacific El Niño (CP El Niño) events in which sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies are confined to the central Pacific. The zonal structure of ENSO-related SST anomalies therefore has an important effect on meridional asymmetry in the associated atmospheric response and its modulation by the annual cycle. In contrast to EP El Niño events, the SST anomalies of CP El Niño events extend farther west toward the warm pool region with its climatological warm SSTs. In the warm pool region, relatively small SST anomalies are thus able to excite convection anomalies on both sides of the equator, even with a meridionally asymmetric SST background state. Therefore, almost meridionally symmetric precipitation and wind anomalies are observed over the central Pacific during the decaying phase of CP El Niño events. The SST anomaly pattern of La Niña events is similar to CP El Niño events with a reversed sign. Accordingly, no distinct southward displacement of the atmospheric response occurs over the central Pacific during the La Niña decaying phase. These results have important implications for ENSO climate impacts over East Asia, since the anomalous low-level anticyclone over the western North Pacific is an integral part of the annual cycle–modulated ENSO response.
A Nazorean and a Nazirite: Jesus and Samson in Matthew 1-2
Authors: Johnson Benjamin J. M.
Published: April 2015

The instance of Matthew’s formula citation in Matt. 2:23 is one of the most perplexing textual puzzles in the New Testament. There is no clear scriptural text that Matthew is quoting. The present study suggests that analyzing Jesus’ birth narrative in Matthew 1-2 as an instance of a biblical type-scene gives further support for the view that Judg. 13:5, 7 is the primary text behind this cryptic reference. It further suggests that attention to the connection between the birth narratives of Jesus and Samson shows how Jesus will accomplish the salvation that Samson was meant to begin.
Teaching tools to engage Anishinaabek First Nations women in cervical cancer screening: Report of an educational workshop
Authors: Zehbe Ingeborg , Wood Brianne , Wakewich Pamela , Maar Marion , Escott Nicholas , Jumah Naana , Little Julian ,   on behalf of the ACCSS group, Severini Alberto , Burchell Ann , Ogilvie Gina , Graham Ian , Zehbe Ingeborg , Little Julian , Maar Marion , Escott Nicholas , Wakewich Pamela , Sameshima Pauline
Published: April 2015

Objective:

To explore educational strategies for engaging First Nations women in Canada to attend cervical cancer screening.

Design:

Within a participatory action research framework, semi-structured interviews with health-care providers in First Nations communities revealed that education about the value of screening is perceived as being a key factor to promote cervical cancer screening.

Setting:

To obtain feedback from workshop informants, a 1-day educational workshop was held to identify appropriate educational intervention strategies, which would be applied in a forthcoming randomised controlled cervical screening trial.

Methods:

Common discussion and discussion groups, which were facilitated by a First Nations workshop moderator and a note taker.

Results:

This workshop helped to strengthen the ethical space dialogue with the First Nations communities with whom the study team had established research partnerships. The workshop atmosphere was relaxed and the invited informants decided that an educational health promotion event for community women needed to be held prior to inviting them to the cervical screening trial. Such an event would provide an opportunity to communicate the importance of attending regular cervical screening allowing women to make informed decisions about screening participation. Complementary promotional items, including an eye-catching pamphlet and storytelling, were also suggested.

Conclusion:

The key messages from the events and promotional items can help to de-stigmatise women who develop a type of cancer that is caused by a sexually transmitted virus that affects both men and women. Developing and implementing positive health education that respectfully depicts female bodies, sexuality and health behaviours through a First Nations lens is strongly warranted.
The state of interventions to address substance-related disorders in South African workplaces: implications for research, policy, and practice
Authors: Harker Burnhams Nadine , Parry Charles DH
Published: April 2015

Substance abuse in South Africa is highly prevalent and continues to be a major cause of mortality and a risk factor for both communicable and non-communicable diseases. The employer costs associated with substance abuse remain high owing to rising health costs, accidents, absenteeism, and workers’ compensation claims placing the organisation and its employees at risk for harm. This article describes the status of current policy, prevention, and treatment interventions to address substance abuse in the South African workplace. Key issues highlighted are the need for research into the extent and impact of substance abuse in the South African workforce, the promotion of substance abuse policies that are comprehensive in nature, and the need to upscale prevention and treatment initiatives through a move away from a traditional labour approach to addressing substance-related disorders in the workplace to the adoption of a more public health approach. Cost-effectiveness of substance abuse interventions is explored alongside the importance of ensuring that employers, practitioners, and other role players engage with the evidence of what works using international standards as the basis.
Fiscal Leanness and Fiscal Responsiveness: Exploring the Normative Limits of Strategic Nonprofit Financial Management
Authors: Mitchell George E.
Published: April 2015

The principles of normative nonprofit financial management instruct organizations to minimize overhead and to remain fiscally lean. Although prior scholarship has addressed many of the unintended negative consequences of normative managerial practices, research has not yet explored the impact of the norm of fiscal leanness on the ability of nonprofits to respond efficiently to their economic environments. This research seeks to address this gap and finds that fiscal leanness appears to inhibit fiscal responsiveness. Results are derived from a panel of 501c3 public charities filing Forms 990 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for fiscal years 2004 to 2011.
Living Underground: Bomb Shelters and Daily Lives in Wartime Chongqing (1937–1945)
Authors: Gang Tan
Published: April 2015

Because of Japan’s large-scale aerial bombing of Chongqing and the surrounding mountainous natural environment during the Anti-Japanese War, shelters became important places where the residents of wartime Chongqing evaded attacks by Japanese planes. In addition, the differences between the public and private bomb shelter facilities reflected the high and low, noble and humble people in the shelters, indicating the social class differences in wartime Chongqing. Shelters, especially public shelters, also provided places for socializing, recreation, and they had political and economic functions. Thus, bomb shelters became new public living spaces. Living in bomb shelters also became an important component of the daily lives of the residents in wartime Chongqing. Discussing their daily lives in the shelter allows us to not only understand and know the diversity and complexity of the daily lives of Chongqing’s wartime citizens but also reveals the significant impact of the all-encompassing invasion waged by Japan at the micro level.
Should surgical outcomes be published?
Authors: Chou Evelyn , Abboudi Hamid , Shamim Khan Mohammed , Dasgupta Prokar , Ahmed Kamran
Published: April 2015

Despite publishing surgical outcomes being a positive step forwards in the progression of England’s healthcare system, it has no doubt been faced with criticism and reservations. This review article aims to discuss the pros and cons of publishing individual surgical outcomes, as well as the challenges faced. Publishing outcomes requires data from a number of sources such as national clinical audits, hospital episode statistics, patient-reported outcomes, registers and information from revalidation. As yet, eight surgical specialties have begun publishing their data, including cardiac (coronary artery bypass graft, valve and aortic surgery), endocrine (thyroidectomy, lobectomy, isthmusectomy), orthopaedic (hip and knee replacement), urological (full and partial nephrectomies, nephroureterectomy), colorectal (bowel tumour removal), upper gastrointestinal (stomach cancer and oesophageal cancer removal, bariatric surgery), ear, nose and throat surgery (larynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and salivary gland cancer removal), as well as vascular surgery (abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid endarterectomy). However, not all procedures have been addressed. Despite the controversy surrounding the topic of publishing surgical outcomes, the advantages of reporting outcomes outweigh the disadvantages, and these challenges can be overcome, to create a more reliable, trustworthy and transparent NHS. Perhaps one of the main challenges has been the difficulty in collecting large amounts of clinically significant data able to quantify the performance of surgeons.
Exploring the Relationship Between Principal, Policy, and Gifted Program Scope and Quality
Authors: Long Lye Chan , Barnett Kerry , Rogers Karen B.
Published: April 2015

An exploratory qualitative case study of 10 government secondary schools (Grades 7–12) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, was conducted to investigate the extent to which the revised NSW gifted and talented policy (2004) has contributed to gifted program quality and scope. Findings from the qualitative analysis of in-depth interview data with principals ( n = 10), gifted coordinators ( n = 11), and teachers ( n = 37) showed the following themes: (a) schools with a documented gifted policy were more likely to provide more substantially for their gifted students; (b) selective (all gifted) schools and schools with selective classes were more likely to provide distinctive gifted programs in line with state policy; (c) principals with a policy to follow were more likely to provide adequate resource support and professional development for teachers in the school; and (d) the desire of principals to meet policy mandate does not always equate to having the means to do so.