bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Marlowe and the Greeks
Authors: RHODES NEIL
Published: November 2011

Marlowe's combination of lyric violence with a spirit of irony and scepticism has always seemed somewhat paradoxical, but we may find an explanation for it in his debt to Greek. Greek language learning developed in England from the early 1500s onwards and was particularly strong at Cambridge under Sir John Cheke in the 1540s, when many of the teachers of the future generation of Elizabethan writers were trained. In the case of Marlowe, what Joseph Hall was to label ‘pure iambics’ can be seen to have Greek origins, and the plays in which these are first deployed (the two parts of Tamburlaine) almost certainly take Xenophon's Cyrpopaiedia as one of their models. But the ironic Marlowe is also evident in Tamburlaine, and the model here is not Xenophon but Lucian, whom Gabriel Harvey records as being a vogue author with Cambridge students in 1580, the year that Marlowe matriculated. Lucian also impacts on Doctor Faustus, and this becomes more evident if we read the famous line on Helen of Troy from the Dialogues of the Dead in the context of another passage from ‘The Judgement of the Goddesses’ from Dialogues of the Gods.
Sebaceous Nevus Syndrome, Central Nervous System Malformations, Aplasia Cutis Congenita, Limbal Dermoid, and Pigmented Nevus Syndrome
Authors: HSIEH CHIH‐WEI , WU YU‐HUNG , LIN SHUAN‐PEI , PENG CHUN‐CHIH , HO CHE‐SHENG
Published: November 2011

Abstract:  SCALP syndrome is an acronym describing the coincidence of sebaceous nevus syndrome, central nervous system malformations, aplasia cutis congenita, limbal dermoid, and pigmented nevus (giant congenital melanocytic nevus). We present a fourth case of this syndrome.
Transient Infantile Patterned Hyperpigmentation
Authors: GARG GEETA , BHALLA MALA , THAMI GURVINDER P.
Published: November 2011

Abstract:  Patterned transient pigmentation along lines of creases occurring in a newborn is rare. A case report of this entity is described, along with a review of all six cases described in the literature so far.
Indolent Subcutaneous Panniculitis‐Like T Cell Lymphoma in a 1‐Year‐Old Child
Authors: KAWACHI YASUHIRO , FURUTA JUN‐ICHI , FUJISAWA YASUHIRO , NAKAMURA YASUHIRO , ISHII YOSHIYUKI , OTSUKA FUJIO
Published: November 2011

Abstract:  Subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma is an uncommon form of CD8‐positive cytotoxic T‐cell lymphoma of the skin that predominantly affects the subcutaneous tissue and is extremely rare in early childhood (<3 yrs). Here, we present an early pediatric case with an indolent form of subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma occurring at 12 months old. The subcutaneous nodules gradually disappeared spontaneously, and the girl showed excellent prognosis with no aggressive treatment.
Prediction of a Good Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients with Severe Dilated Cardyomyopathy: Could Conventional Echocardiography Be the Answer after All?
Authors: Petrovic Milan , Petrovic Marija T. , Milasinovic Goran , Vujisic‐Tesic Bosiljka , Trifunovic Danijela , Nedeljkovic Ivana , Calovic Zarko , Ivanovic Branislava , Tesic Milorad , Boricic Marija , Petrovic Olga , Petrovic Ivana M. , Banovic Marko , Draganic Gordana , Ostojic Miodrag
Published: November 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the performance of echocardiographic parameters to predict response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Background: CRT reduces morbidity and mortality due to the proper selection of candidates for CRT. Methods: The 12‐month trial was performed on 70 optimally medicated patients with standard inclusion criteria: NYHA class III or IV heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 35%, and QRS ≥ 120 ms. All parameters were evaluated by conventional and tissue Doppler‐based methods. Indicator of positive CRT response was more than 20% in improvement of LVEF. Results: LVEF increased >20% in 42 patients. Out of 43 tested baseline echocardiographic parameters, 12 showed statistical difference between responders and nonresponders. Out of these 12 parameters, six (LVSV, LVSI, LVFS, RVd, VPMR, and PISA) had modest to moderately good ability to predict LVEF response with sensitivity ranging from 62.2% to 82.4%, and specificity ranging from 56.5% to 81.2%. For those parameters, the area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve for positive response to CRT was ≤0.76. Multivariate regression analysis resulted in selection of LVSI and LVFS as possible predictive independent parameters for a good response. The cutoff value for LVSI was 38.7 mL/m2 (P = 0.045) and for LVFS was 13% (P = 0.032). Conclusions: Contribution of LVSI and LVFS is to be confirmed in larger trials. Simplicity of their assessment by conventional echocardiography could be an argument for adding them to the inclusion criteria for CRT in severe heart failure patients. (Echocardiography 2012;29:267‐275)
From interdisciplinary to inter‐epistemological approaches: Confronting the challenges of integrated climate change research
Authors: Murphy Brenda L.
Published: November 2011

Spurred by the literature on climate change and its calls for undertaking holistic research that more fully integrates the work of biophysical and social scientists, this article responds to the question: To what extent has climate change research in Canada embraced and been guided by the theories and tenets associated with interdisciplinarity and to what extent have integrated approaches been sensitive to cross‐cultural perspectives? It provides an overview of some of the epistemological issues raised in the interdisciplinarity literature that particularly impact research development and design. Furthermore, since much of the climate change literature that claims to be integrated or interdisciplinary draws from Indigenous Knowledge (IK), additional insights are provided from this perspective. The article develops a framework that can be used to undertake and/or evaluate research in a way that acknowledges “upstream” epistemological issues. The framework is then used to evaluate a comprehensive database (n = 282) of Canadian climate change articles. It is argued that an interdisciplinary approach adds a critical voice to the literature on integrated climate change research and is valuable because of its focus on epistemology and methodology. The article advocates the creation of a space for inter‐epistemological acknowledgement in which the academy develops an ethos of self‐reflection, while simultaneously respecting and integrating parallel knowledge frameworks, such as IK.
La frontière asymétrique : Franco‐Ontariens et Anglo‐Québécois dans la région de la capitale nationale
Authors: Gilbert Anne , Brosseau Marc
Published: November 2011

Les minorités francophone et anglophone de Gatineau‐Ottawa jouiraient d’une localisation privilégiée. À proximité d’espaces majoritaires, leurs membres n’auraient qu’à traverser la frontière Québec‐Ontario pour avoir accès aux ressources nécessaires pour vivre dans leur langue et transmettre leur culture. Une analyse qualitative du discours que les Anglo‐Québécois et les Franco‐Ontariens tiennent au sujet de leur vie quotidienne dans la région de la capitale nationale montre toutefois que la frontière a des effets plus complexes, multiples et souvent contradictoires. Quatre types de manifestations de la frontière retiennent notre attention dans cet article : (1) la frontière est à la fois transparente pour que l’on puisse circuler sans ambages de part et d’autre de la rivière des Outaouais dans certains contextes et opaque dans d’autres; (2) on transcende la minorisation en utilisant la frontière de façon stratégique; (3) la géographie polytopique qu’elle induit crée, sur le plan de l’imaginaire, un territoire aux formes inédites, dans lequel la frontière se fait souvent mobile; et (4) la frontière peut enfin être spéculaire quand la rencontre qu’elle suscite met les Anglo‐Québécois et les Franco‐Ontariens face à une interrogation identitaire qui ne serait sûrement pas aussi profonde en son absence. La comparaison des minorités anglo‐québécoise et franco‐ontarienne permet de mettre en lumière le caractère asymétrique des effets sur le plan du vécu quotidien, de leur identité et de leur appartenance.
The Akt1 isoform is an essential mediator of ischaemic preconditioning
Authors: Kunuthur Suma P. , Mocanu Mihaela M. , Hemmings Brian A. , Hausenloy Derek J. , Yellon Derek M.
Published: November 2011

Phosphatidyl‐inositol‐3‐kinase (PI3K)‐Akt pathway is essential for conferring cardioprotection in response to ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) stimulus. However, the role of the individual Akt isoforms expressed in the heart in mediating the protective response to IPC is unknown. In this study, we investigated the specific contribution of Akt1 and Akt2 in cardioprotection against ischaemia‐reperfusion (I‐R) injury. Mice deficient in Akt1 or Akt2 were subjected to in vivo regional myocardial ischaemia for 30 min. followed by reperfusion for 2 hrs with or without a prior IPC stimulus. Our results show that mice deficient in Akt1 were resistant to protection with either one or three cycles of IPC stimulus (42.7 ± 6.5% control versus 38.5 ± 1.9% 1 χ IPC, N = 6, NS; 41.4 ± 6.3% control versus 32.4 ± 3.2% 3 χ IPC, N = 10, NS). Western blot analysis, performed on heart samples taken from Akt1−/− mice subjected to IPC, revealed an impaired phosphorylation of GSK‐3β, a downstream effector of Akt, as well as Erk1/2, the parallel component of the reperfusion injury salvage kinase pathway. Akt2−/− mice, which exhibit a diabetic phenotype, however, were amenable to protection with three but not one cycle of IPC (46.4 ± 5.6% control versus 35.9 ± 5.0% in 1 χ IPC, N = 6, NS; 47.0 ± 6.0% control versus 30.8 ± 3.3% in 3 χ IPC, N = 6; *P = 0.039). Akt1 but not Akt2 is essential for mediating a protective response to an IPC stimulus. Impaired activation of GSK‐3β and Erk1/2 might be responsible for the lack of protective response to IPC in Akt1−/− mice. The rise in threshold for protection in Akt2−/− mice might be due to their diabetic phenotype.
Rapamycin inhibits transforming growth factor β‐induced peritoneal angiogenesis by blocking the secondary hypoxic response
Authors: Sekiguchi Yoshimi , Zhang Jing , Patterson Sarah , Liu Limin , Hamada Chieko , Tomino Yasuhiko , Margetts Peter J.
Published: November 2011

Patients with end‐stage kidney disease on peritoneal dialysis often develop progressive scarring of the peritoneal tissues. This manifests as submesothelial thickening and is associated with increased vascularization that leads to ultrafiltration dysfunction. Hypoxia induces a characteristic series of responses including angiogenesis and fibrosis. We investigated the role of hypoxia in peritoneal membrane damage. An adenovirus expressing transforming growth factor (TGF) β was used to induce peritoneal fibrosis. We evaluated the effect of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin, which has been previously shown to block hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF) 1α. We also assessed the effect of HIF1α independently using an adenovirus expressing active HIF1α. To identify the TGFβ1‐independent effects of HIF1α, we expressed HIF1α in the peritoneum of mice lacking the TGFβ signalling molecule Smad3. We demonstrate that TGFβ‐induced fibroproliferative tissue is hypoxic. Rapamycin did not affect the early angiogenic response, but inhibited angiogenesis and submesothelial thickening 21 days after induction of fibrosis. In primary mesothelial cell culture, rapamycin had no effect on TGFβ‐induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) but did suppress hypoxia‐induced VEGF. HIF1α induced submesothelial thickening and angiogenesis in peritoneal tissue. The fibrogenic effects of HIF1α were Smad3 dependent. In summary, submesothelial hypoxia may be an important secondary factor, which augments TGFβ‐induced peritoneal injury. The hypoxic response is mediated partly through HIF1α and the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin blocks the hypoxic‐induced angiogenic effects but does not affect the direct TGFβ‐mediated fibrosis and angiogenesis.
A prospective study on oral microbial flora and related variables in dentate dependent elderly residents
Authors: Almståhl Annica , Kareem Kawa L. , Carlén Anette , Wårdh Inger , Lingström Peter , Wikström Maude
Published: November 2011

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00599.x
 
A prospective study on oral microbial flora and related variables in dentate dependent elderly residents

Objective:  Oral microorganisms and related variables were followed over a 1‐year period in dentate dependent elderly.

Background:  For nursing personnel, oral hygiene for the dependent elderly is demanding. It requires good knowledge of how to carry out preventive oral health measures and to judge when help is needed. Previous studies indicate low levels of knowledge, which might be reflected in the oral health of dentate residents.

Material and methods:  Twenty‐one subjects participated at baseline and 14 one year later. Microbial samples were analysed using cultivation technique. The labial minor gland secretion rate was measured using the Periotron® method, and oral clinical data were registered.

Results:  Low labial mucosal flow rates were seen for 95% of the participants. At baseline, visibly thick plaque was seen in 48% and 1 year later in 57%. Both frequency and number of bacteria associated with caries and frequency of microorganisms associated with oral soft tissue infections were high. One year later, a decrease in bacteria associated with good oral health and a tendency to an increase in aciduric microorganisms were seen.

Conclusion:  Poor oral health, tending to further deteriorate over time, advocates regular professional supplementary support when elderly dentate dependent residents need assistance with their oral care.
Removal of Volatile Organic Compounds in Vertical Flow Filters: Predictions from Reactive Transport Modeling
Authors: De Biase Cecilia , Maier Uli , Baeder‐Bederski Oliver , Bayer Peter , Oswald Sascha E. , Thullner Martin
Published: November 2011

Vertical flow filters are containers filled with porous medium that are recharged from top and drained at the bottom, and are operated at partly saturated conditions. They have recently been suggested as treatment technology for groundwater containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Numerical reactive transport simulations were performed to investigate the relevance of different filter operation modes on biodegradation and/or volatilization of the contaminants and to evaluate the potential limitation of such remediation mean due to volatile emissions. On the basis of the data from a pilot‐scale vertical flow filter intermittently fed with domestic waste water, model predictions on the system’s performance for the treatment of contaminated groundwater were derived. These simulations considered the transport and aerobic degradation of ammonium and two VOCs, benzene and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). In addition, the advective‐diffusive gas‐phase transport of volatile compounds as well as oxygen was simulated. Model predictions addressed the influence of depth and frequency of the intermittent groundwater injection, degradation rate kinetics, and the composition of the filter material. Simulation results show that for unfavorable operation conditions significant VOC emissions have to be considered and that operation modes limiting VOC emissions may limit aerobic biodegradation. However, a suitable combination of injection depth and composition of the filter material does facilitate high biodegradation rates while only little VOC emissions take place. Using such optimized operation modes would allow using vertical flow filter systems as remediation technology suitable for groundwater contaminated with volatile compounds.
The Hypertension Team: The Role of the Pharmacist, Nurse, and Teamwork in Hypertension Therapy
Authors: Carter Barry L. , Bosworth Hayden B. , Green Beverly B.
Published: November 2011

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich).

Team‐based care is one of the key components of the patient‐centered medical home. Studies have consistently demonstrated that teams involving pharmacists or nurses in patient management can significantly improve blood pressure control. These findings have been demonstrated in several meta‐analyses and systematic reviews. These reviews have generally found that team‐based care can reduce systolic blood pressure by 4–10 mm Hg over usual care. However, these reviews have also concluded that many of the studies had various limitations and that additional research should be conducted. The present state of the art review paper will highlight newer studies, many of which were funded by the National Institutes of Health. Newer strategies involve telephone and/or web‐based management which is an evolving area to improve blood pressure control in large populations. Social media and other technology is currently being investigated to assist pharmacists or nurses in communicating with patients to improve hypertension management. Few cost‐effectiveness analyses have been performed but generally have found favorable costs for team‐based care when considering the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality. The authors will suggest additional research that needs to be conducted to help evaluate strategies to best implement team‐based care to improve blood pressure management.
Macroecology of unicellular organisms – patterns and processes
Authors: Soininen Janne
Published: November 2011

Macroecology examines the relationship between organisms and their environment at large spatial (and temporal) scales. Typically, macroecologists explain the large‐scale patterns of abundance, distribution and diversity. Despite the difficulties in sampling and characterizing microbial diversity, macroecologists have recently also been interested in unicellular organisms. Here, I review the current advances made in microbial macroecology, as well as discuss related ecosystem functions. Overall, it seems that microorganisms suit surprisingly well to known species abundance distributions and show positive relationship between distribution and adundance. Microbial species–area and distance–decay relationships tend to be weaker than for macroorganisms, but nonetheless significant. Few findings on altitudinal gradients in unicellular taxa seem to differ greatly from corresponding findings for larger taxa, whereas latitudinal gradients among microorganisms have either been clearly evident or absent depending on the context. Literature also strongly emphasizes the role of spatial scale for the patterns of diversity and suggests that patterns are affected by species traits as well as ecosystem characteristics. Finally, I discuss the large role of local biotic and abiotic variables driving the community assembly in unicellular taxa and eventually dictating how multiple ecosystem processes are performed. Present review highlights the fact that most microorganisms may not differ fundamentally from larger taxa in their large‐scale distribution patterns. Yet, review also shows that many aspects of microbial macroecology are still relatively poorly understood and specific patterns depend on focal taxa and ecosystem concerned.
Enterococcus faecalis of Human and Poultry Origin Share Virulence Genes Supporting the Zoonotic Potential of E. faecalis
Authors: Olsen R. H. , Schønheyder H. C. , Christensen H. , Bisgaard M.
Published: November 2011

Enterococcus faecalis is a major cause of nosocomial infections in humans and has been linked to severe extra‐intestinal infections in poultry. A zoonotic potential has been suggested and the aim of the present study was to investigate similarities in virulence gene profiles of E. faecalis originating from infections in humans and poultry respectively. A total of 106 isolates of E. faecalis [26 human clinical isolates, 60 poultry clinical isolates (including two small‐colony variants (SCVs) and 20 poultry cloacal isolates] were investigated for presence of seven virulence‐associated genes: ace, asa1, cylA, efaA, EF0591, esp and gelE. For each gene, the PCR‐amplification product was sequenced from one isolate in each group to explore intragenic variations between genes of human and poultry origin. Haemolytic and protease activities were assessed and isolates were assigned a sequence type (ST). Three of the seven genes investigated (ace, efaA and gelE) were present in all isolates. The asa1 was detected in 63/80 and 13/26 isolates of poultry and human origin respectively. For cylA, the numbers were 46/80 and 14/26 respectively. Among poultry isolates, esp and EF0591 were the least frequently observed genes (1/80 and 20/80 respectively); the prevalences among human isolates were 1/26 and 18/26 respectively. A high degree of similarity between genes in human and poultry isolates were confirmed by sequencing of amplification products. None of the cylA‐positive isolates demonstrated haemolytic activity, while the phenotypic expression of gelatinase varied. The ST16 was the only ST shared by human and poultry isolates. The SCV isolates did not show a unique virulence profile or phylogeny. In conclusion, regardless of the distinct phylogenetic background of most E. faecalis isolates of human and poultry origin, we found major similarities in virulence gene profile and gene sequences in isolates from the two sources, supporting the zoonotic risk associated with this organism.
Measurement and Analysis of Brushing Tool Performance Characteristics, Part 1: Stiffness Response
Authors: Stango R. J. , Cariapa V. , Prasad A. , Liang S.-K.
Published: November 2011

In the first part of this paper, an experimental system is described which was developed and used for measuring compliant tool performance characteristics. Elementary mechanics considerations and signal-response characteristics of the experimental apparatus for orthogonal brushing are briefly outlined and discussed. The fundamental nature of wire brush stiffness properties and kinetic friction coefficients for orthogonal brush-workpart contact are determined for a range of rotational speeds, and the results are compared to those obtained on the basis of a recently developed (quasi-static) theoretical solution. Discussion is provided concerning three-dimensional filamentary forces which are developed within the contact zone during brush rotation.
Sound Radiation from a Supersonic Jet Passing Through a Partially Open Exhaust Duct
Authors: Kandula M.
Published: November 2011

The radiation of sound from a perfectly expanded Mach 2.5 cold supersonic jet of 25.4 mm exit diameter flowing through a partially open rigid-walled duct with an upstream J-deflector has been experimentally studied. In the experiments, the nozzle is mounted vertically, with the nozzle exit plane at a height of 73 jet diameters above ground level. Relative to the nozzle exit plane (NEP), the location of the duct inlet is varied at 10, 5, and –1 jet diameters. Far-field sound pressure levels were obtained at 54 jet diameters above ground with the aid of acoustic sensors equally spaced around a circular arc of radius equal to 80 jet diameters from the jet axis. Data on the jet acoustic field for the partially open duct were obtained and compared with those with a free jet and with a closed duct. The results suggest that for the partially open duct the overall sound pressure level (OASPL) decreases as the distance between the NEP and the duct inlet plane decreases, while the opposite trend is observed for the closed duct. It is also concluded that the observed peak frequency in the partially open duct increases above the free jet value as the angle from the duct axis is increased, and as the duct inlet plane becomes closer to the NEP.
An Analytical Model for the Interaction of Mass Inclusions in Heterogeneous (HG) Blankets
Authors: Wagner A. , Johnson M. E. , Idrisi K. , Bartylla D. P.
Published: November 2011

The heterogeneous (HG) blanket is a passive treatment used to reduce the low frequency transmission of sound through partitions. HG blankets, glued onto a structure, consist of an elastic medium with embedded mass inhomogeneities that mechanically replicate a mass-spring-damper system to reduce efficient radiating structural modes at low frequencies. The elastic layer typically used has sound absorption properties to create a noise control device with a wide bandwidth of performance. The natural frequency of an embedded dynamic vibration absorber is determined by the mass of the inhomogeneity as well as by its effective stiffness due to the interaction of the mass inclusion with the elastic layer. A novel analytical approach has been developed to describe in detail the interaction of the mass inclusions with the elastic layer and the interaction between the masses by evaluating special elastomechanical concepts. The effective stiffness is predicted by the analytical approach based on the shape of the mass inclusions as well as on the thickness and material properties of the layer. The experimental validation is included and a simplified direct equation to calculate the effective stiffness of a HG blanket is proposed. Furthermore, the stress field inside the elastic material will be evaluated with focus on the stresses at the base to assess the modeling of one or more masses placed on top of the elastic layer as dynamic vibration absorbers. Finally, the interaction between two (or more) masses placed onto the same layer is studied with special focus on the coupling of the masses at low distances between them.
An approach to assessing stochastic radiogenic risk in medical imaging
Authors: Wolbarst Anthony B. , Hendee William R.
Published: November 2011

Purpose:

This letter suggests a formalism, themedical effective dose (MED), that is suitable for assessing stochastic radiogenic risks in diagnostic medical procedures.

Methods

: The MED is derived from radiobiological and probabilistic first principals, including: (1) The independence of radiation‐induced biological effects in neighboring voxels at low doses; (2) the linear no‐threshold assumption for stochastic radiation injury (although other dose‐response relationships could be incorporated, instead); (3) the best human radiation dose‐response data currently available; and (4) the built‐in possibility that the carcinogenicrisk to an irradiated organ may depend on its volume. The MED involves a dose‐risk summation over irradiated voxels at high spatial resolution; it reduces to the traditional effective dose when every organ is irradiated uniformly and when the dependence of risk on organ volumes is ignored. Standard relative‐risk tissue weighting factors can be used with the MED approach until more refined data become available.

Results:

The MED is intended for clinical and phantom dosimetry, and it provides an estimate of overall relative radiogenic stochastic risk for any given dose distribution. A result of the MED derivation is that the stochastic risk may increase with the volume of tissue (i.e., the number of cells) irradiated, a feature that can be activated when forthcoming radiobiological research warrants it. In this regard, the MED resembles neither the standard effective dose (E) nor the CT dose index (CTDI), but it is somewhat like the CT dose‐length product (DLP).

Conclusions:

The MED is a novel, probabilistically and biologically based means of estimating stochastic‐risk‐weighted doses associated with medical imaging. Built in,ab initio, is the ability to link radiogenic risk to organ volume and other clinical factors. It is straightforward to implement when medical dose distributions are available, provided that one is content, for the time being, to accept the relative tissue weighting factors published by the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP). It requires no new radiobiological data and avoids major problems encountered by the E, CTDI, and CT‐E formalisms. It makes possible relative inter‐patient dosimetry, and also realistic intercomparisons of stochastic risks from different protocols that yield images of comparable quality.
Genome Sequences of Three Tunicamycin-Producing Streptomyces Strains, S. chartreusis NRRL 12338, S. chartreusis NRRL 3882, and S. lysosuperificus ATCC 31396
Authors: Doroghazi James R. , Ju Kou-San , Brown Daren W. , Labeda David P. , Deng Zixin , Metcalf William W. , Chen Wenqing , Price Neil P. J.
Published: November 2011

We announce the sequencing of
Streptomyces chartreusis
NRRL 12338 and NRRL 3882 and
Streptomyces lysosuperificus
ATCC 31396. These are producers of tunicamycins, chartreusins, cephalosporins, holomycins, and calcimycin. The announced genomes, together with the published
Streptomyces clavuligerus
genome, will facilitate data mining of these secondary metabolites.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Extremely Acidophilic Biomining Bacterium Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans ATCC 19377 Provides Insights into the Evolution of the Acidithiobacillus Genus
Authors: Valdes Jorge , Ossandon Francisco , Quatrini Raquel , Dopson Mark , Holmes David S.
Published: November 2011

Acidithiobacillus thiooxidansis a mesophilic, extremely acidophilic, chemolithoautotrophic gammaproteobacterium that derives energy from the oxidation of sulfur and inorganic sulfur compounds. Here we present the draft genome sequence ofA. thiooxidansATCC 19377, which has allowed the identification of genes for survival and colonization of extremely acidic environments.
EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE UNDER COLLECTIVE-RISK DILEMMAS
Authors: SANTOS FRANCISCO C. , VASCONCELOS VÍTOR V. , SANTOS MARTA D. , NEVES P. N. B. , PACHECO JORGE M.
Published: November 2011

Preventing global warming requires overall cooperation. Contributions will depend on the risk of future losses, which plays a key role in decision-making. Here, we discuss an evolutionary game theoretical model in which decisions within small groups under high risk and stringent requirements toward success significantly raise the chances of coordinating to save the planet's climate, thus escaping the tragedy of the commons. We discuss both deterministic dynamics in infinite populations, and stochastic dynamics in finite populations.
AGGREGATION AND SPREADING VIA THE NEWTONIAN POTENTIAL: THE DYNAMICS OF PATCH SOLUTIONS
Authors: BERTOZZI ANDREA L. , LAURENT THOMAS , LÉGER FLAVIEN
Published: November 2011

This paper considers the multidimensional active scalar problem of motion of a function ρ(x, t) by a velocity field obtained by v = -∇N * ρ, where N is the Newtonian potential. We prove well-posedness of compactly supported L∞ ∩ L1 solutions of possibly mixed sign. These solutions include an important class of solutions that are proportional to characteristic functions on a time-evolving domain. We call these aggregation patches. Whereas positive solutions collapse on themselves in finite time, negative solutions spread and converge toward a self-similar spreading circular patch solution as t → ∞. We give a convergence rate that we prove is sharp in 2D. In the case of positive collapsing solutions, we investigate numerically the geometry of patch solutions in 2D and in 3D (axisymmetric). We show that the time evolving domain on which the patch is supported typically collapses on a complex skeleton of codimension one.
PUBLICATION AND CITATION IN BIOMECHANICS: A COMPARISON WITH CLOSELY RELATED FIELDS (2003–2010)
Authors: ZADPOOR AMIR ABBAS , NIKOOYAN ALI ASADI
Published: November 2011

The publication and citation patterns of the journals published in the broad area of Biomechanical engineering are compared with those of the journals published in several other closely related areas of research. The data published in ISI Journal Citation Reports® (2003–2010) for different subject categories is used for this purpose. A subject category comprising of Biomechanics journals is defined in this article. It is shown that the aggregate impact factor of the journals included in the defined subject category has been increasing with a slower pace as compared to the aggregate impact factor of the journals belonging to all other subject categories considered in the current study. More extensive research is required to clarify the reasons for the observed patterns.
Early Posttreatment Audiometry Underestimates Hearing Recovery after Intratympanic Steroid Treatment of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Wycherly Benjamin J. , Thompkins Jared J. , Kim H. Jeffrey
Published: November 2011

Objective. To review our experience with intratympanic steroids (ITSs) for the treatment of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL), emphasizing the ideal time to perform follow-up audiograms.Methods. Retrospective case review of patients diagnosed with ISSNHL treated with intratympanic methylprednisolone. Injections were repeated weekly with a total of 3 injections. Improvement was defined as an improved pure-tone average ≥20 dB or speech-discrimination score ≥20%.Results. Forty patients met the inclusion criteria with a recovery rate of 45% (18/40). A significantly increased response rate was found in patients having an audiogram >5 weeks after the first dose of ITS (9/13) over those tested ≤5 weeks after the first dose of ITS (9/27) ().Conclusions. Recovery from ISSNHL after ITS injections occurs more frequently >5 weeks after initiating ITS. This may be due to the natural history of sudden hearing loss or the prolonged effect of steroid in the inner ear.
Dynamics of a Discrete Internet Congestion Control Model
Authors: Li Yingguo
Published: November 2011

We consider a discrete Internet model with a single link accessed by a single source, which responds to congestion signals from the network. Firstly, the stability of the equilibria of the system is investigated by analyzing the characteristic equation. By choosing the time delay as a bifurcation parameter, we prove that Neimark‐Sacker bifurcations occur when the delay passes a sequence of critical values. Then, the explicit algorithm for determining the direction of the Neimark‐Sacker bifurcations and the stability of the bifurcating periodic solutions is derived. Finally, some numerical simulations are given to verify the theoretical analysis.
The Burden of Owning Land: Habitat in Pre-Modern and Early-Modern Thailand
Authors: Terwiel Barend Jan
Published: November 2011

Abstract

From time immemorial until the decree of 7 April 1861, all land belonged to the Thai king. This paper explores what this meant in practice, over time. In pre-modern times, land ideally could be inherited, but this could be overruled by the king. Taking and exploiting a piece of land meant that the owner would be registered and taxed. In the Chaophraya Delta, where waterways were the dominant means of water transport, two separate types of housing developed: the house-boat and houses on rafts. The latter form of high-density living on the water was only abandoned in the second half of the nineteenth century. Finally, the question of occupying land is looked at from the perspective of the commoner.
Yet Another ‘Lost’ Chapter of Wyclif’s Summa de ente Notes on some puzzling references to Tractatus 13
Authors: Campi Luigi
Published: November 2011

Abstract

This paper deals with three references found in John Wyclif’s unpublished De scientia Dei to a certain Tractatus 13, whose title relates to the position it holds in the first book of Wyclif’s Summa de ente. They are puzzling references, since the first book of the Summa is made up barely of seven tracts. In this paper I argue that the three references are actually linking devices to the final section of the De ente praedicamentali (ch. 19-22). Moreover, I maintain that, at the time of the compilation of his De scientia Dei, Wyclif conceived the first book of his Summa as containing thirteen tracts, the last seven of which later collected under a single item (viz. the De ente praedicamentali). This allows for a broader and more consistent account of the order and dating of the De scientia Dei (1372) and other Wyclif’s writings.
Heinrich Bullinger and Jean Calvin on the Authority of Scripture (1538-1571)
Authors: van den Belt Henk
Published: November 2011

Abstract

This article summarizes Jean Calvin’s concept of the self-convincing authority of Scripture, and relates his position to the writings of Heinrich Bullinger. The authors possibly influenced each other. Both use the Greek term autopistos for the authority of Scripture. In 1571, Bullinger published an anonymous work that relies on Calvin’s Institutes. In spite of minor differences in emphasis, the reformers agreed in maintaining the independent authority of Scripture as the norm of faith. For both authors Word and Spirit were intimately connected, although in the writings studied for this article Calvin more explicitly connects the acknowledgement of Scripture’s authority to the witness of the Spirit.
Illumination
Authors: Webster John
Published: November 2011

Abstract

Illumination of the reader of Scripture is best understood as an element in the economy of the Holy Spirit who renews human intelligence. The Spirit who illuminates the mind is (1) the eternal Spirit who shares in the divine nature and the divine wisdom; (2) the one who gives life to rational creatures, sustaining creaturely intellectual movement, regenerating created intellectual nature and overcoming ignorance and darkness. As the Spirit of revelation, he oversees the production of Holy Scripture and the processes of its reception, enabling created intelligence to know the divine mind which Scripture sets forth, and sanctifying the exercise of proper creaturely powers.
Representing contemporary urban space: Cairo malls in two Egyptian novels
Authors: Heshmat Dina
Published: November 2011

Abstract

Taking into account the expansion of malls as a constitutive element of Egyptian urbanism at the beginning of the twenty-first century, this article analyzes the representation of the mall in two contemporary Egyptian novels. A close reading of Mūsīqā l-mūl by Maḥmūd al-Wardānī and An takūna ʿAbbās al-ʿAbd, by Aḥmad al-ʿĀydī shows that the function of intertextuality in those narratives is central to understand this representation, as well as the sense of alienation or belonging to the contemporary urban space it conveys. Al-Wardānī constructs his novel through intertextuality with a classical Arabic text, contrasting the contemporary space of the mall with the ideal bazaar of a One Thousand and One Nights tale (al-ḥammāl maʿa l-banāt), mapping the latter out as an utopian space versus the hostile, anti-erotic and despotic atmosphere of the mall. Al-ʿĀydī’s approach places the mall at the center of global consumer culture, a space of encounter and refuge, away from the aggressive street environment.
Routine Infanticide by Married Couples? An Assessment of Baptismal Records from Seventeenth Century Parma
Authors: Hynes Laura
Published: November 2011

Abstract

This study uses baptismal records from the Italian city of Parma from 1609 to 1637 to chart the sex ratio of male and female infants at baptism. This article measures the Parman sex ratio against the natural sex ratio at birth for live-born infants, as determined by Praven Visaria, and offers preliminary findings that indicate that married couples used infanticide as a means of controlling family size and sex in seventeenth-century Parma. The 28 years studied encompass both relatively strong economic and agricultural years as well as a variety of crises. By selecting a period with both good and bad economic years it is possible to see if parents behaved differently as their household conditions varied. Further, dividing the approximately 30,000 baptisms by rural and urban jurisdictions and familial socio-economic status makes visible parental recourse to infanticide through unnatural ratios of males and females within different segments of society.
Do We Need a Postmodern Anthropology for Mission in a Postcolonial World?
Authors: Rynkiewich Michael A.
Published: November 2011

Abstract

There was a time when mission studies benefitted from a symbiotic relationship with the social sciences. However, it appears that relationship has stagnated and now is waning. The argument is made here, in the case of cultural anthropology both in Europe and the United States, that a once mutually beneficial though sometimes strained relationship has suffered a parting of the ways in recent decades. First, the article reviews the relationships between missionaries and anthropologists before World War II when it was possible to be a ‘missionary anthropologist’ with a foot in both disciplines. In that period, the conversation went two ways with missionary anthropologists making important contributions to anthropology. Then, the article reviews some aspects of the development of the two disciplines after World War II when increasing professionalism in both disciplines and a postmodern turn in anthropology took the disciplines in different directions. Finally, the article asks whether or not the conversation, and thus the cross-fertilization, can be restarted, especially since the youngest generation of anthropologists has recognized the reality of local Christianities in their fields of study.
From Sympathy to Reparation for Female Victims of Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts
Authors: Eboe-Osuji Chile
Published: November 2011

Abstract

There is a newfound momentum in international law for reparation for the victims of gross violations of human rights. This momentum has been largely hortative in resonance than actual. The slow progress in translating that desire into tangible, effective reparation programmes is partly attributable to the absence of coherent theoretical bases – especially palatable ones – for reparation in particular cases. It is submitted, however, that in canvassing the theories of reparation, the driving consideration must always remain the interests of victims and not the intellectual satisfaction of knowledgeable and well-meaning experts. The most erudite rationalization of the idea of reparation will be of no consequence if it does not, in practice, assist in improving the lives of the victims. While, it is important always to keep in view the fault-based theories of reparation, it is also advisable to consider the utility of employing the no-fault-based rationale for achieving the aim of reparation when the party at fault is either unavailable or unable to make reparation at all or in full. Hence, guidance might be had to the gratis model of reparation employed in many domestic jurisdictions to make some compensation to victims of violent crimes.
Emplacing Slavery: Roots, Monuments and Politics of Belonging in the Netherlands
Authors: Balkenhol Markus
Published: November 2011

Abstract

In this article, I argue that the commemoration of slavery should be seen as a process of emplacement. It refers to a specific politics of belonging in the Netherlands that is focused on autochthony and that carries strong notions of place. I discuss two strategies of emplacement that both engage in these politics of belonging. One is the search for roots in Africa, through which black Dutch negotiate their place in Netherlands as citizens. The other engages in the transformation of the Dutch memoryscape through formal commemorations and monuments. I understand both strategies as processes generatinglocal subjectsin Appadurai’s sense, emphasizing that locality as a relationship of body and place is a fundamental ingredient in processes of political subjectification.
The Politics of Boundaries: The Shifting Terrain of Belonging for Zimbabweans in a South African Border Zone
Authors: Rutherford Blair
Published: November 2011

Abstract

This paper examines Zimbabwean immigrants in northern South Africa and the ways through which they are able to claim, or not, some form of belonging. Drawing on the concept of “political subjectivity”, I trace the changes in the power relations shaping the forms of belonging operating on the commercial farms and the border town of Musina since 2000 and the concomitant shifts in some of the Zimbabweans’ tactics in these spaces. In particular, I look at the political subjectivities of “Zimbabwean farm workers” and “Zimbabwean woman asylum-seekers”. This analysis shows what particular imaginaries have become authoritative for differently situated Zimbabwean immigrants and denizens in this region, enabling particular claims for resources, accommodation, and belonging.
Building Up Belonging: Diasporic “Homecomers”, the Ghanaian Government and Traditional Rulers: A Case of Return*
Authors: Delpino Gaia
Published: November 2011

Abstract

This essay analyzes the political dynamics involved in the construction of belonging in the case of African Americans’ “return” from the diaspora generated by the Atlantic slave trade to a town in Southern Ghana. Given the articulated belief of common ancestral origins, such arrival was initially welcomed by all the three groups of actors involved: thereturnees, the local authorities, divided by a chieftaincy dispute, and the Ghanaian government that was supporting homecoming policies. The concepts of origins and kinship and the way to validate them, though, were differently conceived by the various political actors; furthermore each of them held dissimilar reasons and had different expectations behind this return. All these differences created a mutual, mutable and dynamic relation between the actors who were involved in the arrival and aimed to assert their authority.
Thinking through Political Subjectivity
Authors: Krause Kristine , Schramm Katharina
Published: November 2011

Abstract

In the introduction to this special volume the editors focus on the analytical value of “political subjectivities” in emergent social fields that are characterized by multiple diasporic overlaps. They emphasize the central role played by various forms of governance in producing, confirming and contesting politics of transnational incorporation and diasporic participation and consider how these political projects often target members of historically differently situated groups. In particular, they draw attention to moments of exclusion and non-incorporation. The analytical concept of political subjectivity helps to understand how people relate to governance and authorities. It denotes how a single person or a group of actors is brought into a position to stake claims, to have a voice, and to be recognizable by authorities. At the same time the term points to the political and power-ridden dimension within politics of identity and belonging, encompassing the imaginary as well as the judicial-political dimension of claims to belonging and citizenship.
Performance of Recent Multimodel ENSO Forecasts
Authors: Tippett Michael K. , Barnston Anthony G. , Li Shuhua
Published: November 2011

The performance of the International Research Institute for Climate and Society “ENSO forecast plume” during the 2002–11 period is evaluated using deterministic and probabilistic verification measures. The plume includes multiple model forecasts of the Niño-3.4 index for nine overlapping 3-month periods beginning the month following the latest observations. Skills decrease with increasing lead time and are highest for forecasts made after the northern spring predictability barrier for target seasons occurring prior to the forthcoming such barrier. Forecasts are found to verify systematically better against observations occurring earlier than the intended forecast targets, an effect that becomes greater with increasing lead time. During the study period, the mean forecasts of dynamical models appear to slightly (and statistically insignificantly) outperform those of statistical models, representing a subtle shift from earlier studies. The mean forecasts of dynamical models have overall larger anomalies but similar errors to those of statistical models. Intermodel spread is related to forecast error in an average sense with changes in forecast error due to changes in lead and verification season being properly reflected in changes in spread. The intermodel spread underestimates the forecast error variance, to a greater extent for statistical forecasts than for dynamical ones. Year-to-year changes in plume spread provide little additional information relative to climatological ones.