bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of Defective Sensors in Phased Array Using Compressed Sensing and Hybrid Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Khan Shafqat Ullah , Qureshi Ijaz Mansoor , Naveed Aqdas , Shoaib Bilal , Basit Abdul
Published: November 2015

A compressed sensing based array diagnosis technique has been presented. This technique starts from collecting the measurements of the far-field pattern. The system linking the difference between the field measured using the healthy reference array and the field radiated by the array under test is solved using a genetic algorithm (GA), parallel coordinate descent (PCD) algorithm, and then a hybridized GA with PCD algorithm. These algorithms are applied for fully and partially defective antenna arrays. The simulation results indicate that the proposed hybrid algorithm outperforms in terms of localization of element failure with a small number of measurements. In the proposed algorithm, the slow and early convergence of GA has been avoided by combining it with PCD algorithm. It has been shown that the hybrid GA-PCD algorithm provides an accurate diagnosis of fully and partially defective sensors as compared to GA or PCD alone. Different simulations have been provided to validate the performance of the designed algorithms in diversified scenarios.
Lipoxin A4 Attenuates Cell Invasion by Inhibiting ROS/ERK/MMP Pathway in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Zong Liang , Li Jiahui , Chen Xin , Chen Ke , Li Wei , Li Xuqi , Zhang Lun , Duan Wanxing , Lei Jianjun , Xu Qinhong , Shan Tao , Ma Qingyong , Sun Hao
Published: November 2015

Lipoxin A4 (LXA4), an endogenous arachidonic acid metabolite, was previously considered an anti‐inflammatory lipid mediator. But it also has the potential to inhibit cancer progression. To explore the therapeutic effect of LXA4 in pancreatic cancer, we used Panc‐1 cells to investigate the mechanism by which LXA4 can attenuate pancreatic cancer cell invasion. Our data showed that LXA4 significantly inhibited both cell invasion and the expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐ (MMP‐) 9 and MMP‐2. Further experiments implied that LXA4 decreased the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activity of the extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK) pathway to achieve similar outcome to ROS scavenger N‐acetyl‐l‐cysteine (NAC). However, a decreased level of intracellular ROS was not observed in cells treated with the specific ERK pathway inhibitor FR180204. The blocking of either intracellular ROS or ERK pathway caused the downregulation of MMP‐9 and MMP‐2 expression. Furthermore, tests revealed that LXA4 inhibited MMP‐9 and MMP‐2 at the mRNA, protein, and functional levels. Finally, LXA4 dramatically limited the invasion of CoCl2‐mimic hypoxic cells and abrogated intracellular ROS levels, ERK activity, and MMPs expression. These results suggest that LXA4 attenuates cell invasion in pancreatic cancer by suppressing the ROS/ERK/MMPs pathway, which may be beneficial for preventing the invasion of pancreatic cancer.
Omega-3 Levels and Nicotine Dependence: A Cross-Sectional Study and Clinical Trial
Authors: Zaparoli Juçara X. , Sugawara Eduardo K. , de Souza Altay A.L. , Tufik Sérgio , Galduróz José Carlos F.
Published: November 2015

Background: High oxidative stress, which is caused by smoking, can alter omega-3 fatty acid concentrations. Since omega-3 fatty acids play a role in dopaminergic neurotransmission related to dependence, it is important to understand their effects on nicotine dependence. Methods: This research comprised 2 studies. The first one consisted of a cross-sectional evaluation, in which the levels of the most important omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were compared between smokers and non-smokers in a sample of 171 individuals; of them, 120 were smokers and 51 were non-smokers. The other study was a clinical, double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled, in which 63 smokers received daily treatment with capsules of fish oil (a source of omega-3/3 g/day) or mineral oil (used as placebo, also 3 g/day), taken 3 times a day for 90 days. Each fish oil capsules contained approximately 210.99 mg EPA and 129.84 mg of DHA. The outcome was evaluated by means of psychometric and biological measures as well as self-reports of tobacco use. The evaluations were carried out at the beginning of treatment and once a month thereafter (total of 4 times). Outcomes: The omega-3 fatty acid lipid profile showed that smokers present lower concentrations of DHA. After treatment, the omega-3 group showed a significant reduction in their levels of dependence. Interpretation: Smokers showed lower peripheral levels of omega-3, and treatment with the most important omega-3 fatty acids brought about a reduction in nicotine dependence.
Early- and Middle-Term Surgical Outcomes in Patients with Heterotaxy Syndrome
Authors: Chen Weidan , Ma Li , Cui Hujun , Yang Shengchun , Xia Yuansheng , Zou Minghui , Chen Xinxin
Published: November 2015

Objectives: Heterotaxy syndrome is a recognized risk factor for surgical cardiac interventions. We evaluated the early- and middle-term results of a surgical intervention for patients with heterotaxy syndrome. Methods: A total of 42 patients with heterotaxy syndrome were enrolled (September 2008 to March 2015). Left and right atrial isomerism were identified in 26% (11 out of 42) and 74% of patients (31 out of 42), respectively. The median age of the patients at the time of surgery was 6.8 months (range: 5 days to 22.3 years). Biventricular repair was completed in 3 patients with left atrial isomerism. Seventeen out of 39 patients who were scheduled for single ventricular repair completed a modified Fontan procedure. Results: The hospital mortality rate was 4.7% (2 out of 42). Another 5 deaths occurred in the remaining survivors following hospital discharge with a follow-up duration of 45.8 ± 23.6 months (range: 13-111 months). The 1-year and 5-year survival rates were 88.1% (37/42) and 83.3% (35/42), respectively. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis identified pulmonary venous obstruction and atrioventricular valve replacement as additional risk factors for mortality. Conclusions: Right ventricular bypass surgery remains the preferred palliative procedure for patients with heterotaxy syndrome. Based on the current results, the early- and middle-term outcomes are satisfactory.
Hydronephrosis Predicts Successful Catheter Removal after Painful Urinary Retention - Preliminary Results of a Prospective Single Center Study
Authors: Heidegger Isabel , Fritz Josef , Steiner Hannes , Bektic Jasmin , Pichler Renate
Published: November 2015

Introduction: The study aims to identify candidates who can be managed conservatively after the first episode of spontaneous painful acute urinary retention (AUR). Methods: A total of 20 patients with primary spontaneous painful AUR were prospectively included in the study. Twenty-four hours after AUR, the catheter was removed. When residual urinary volume was <100 ml, patients were referred without catheter, when residual urinary volume was ≥100 ml, the catheter was replaced and removed again at day 4, 7 or 10 after AUR, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated to assess predictors for successful catheter removal. Results: Thirteen out of 20 (65%) patients had a successful catheter removal until day 10 after AUR. Among them 12 of 13 (93.2%) had a successful catheter removal until day 4 of AUR. Hydronephrosis urinary volume and Qmax at the time of AUR were significant numeric predictors for failure of successful catheter removal. In addition, we calculated a prediction model combing age + prostate volume + urinary volume + Qmax that highly predicts successful catheter removal (sensitivity 100%, specificity 69%, PPV 64%, NPV 100%). Conclusion: We found for the first time a significant association between hydronephrosis and successful catheter removal. Successful catheter removal until day 4 after AUR can safely be managed without immediate transurethral resection of the prostate.
Metabolic Interaction Potential between Clopidogrel and Sulfonylurea Antidiabetic Agents: Effects on Clopidogrel Bioactivation
Authors: Shao Hua , Lu Jia , Xu Yun-Ting , Zhan Ying , Chen Guo-Ming , Zhang Hong-Jian
Published: November 2015

Background: Patients with diabetes have increased rates of cardiovascular events, and concomitant use of antidiabetic agents and clopidogrel may increase the risk for drug interactions. This study was undertaken to investigate the interaction potential between sulfonylurea drugs and clopidogrel, with an emphasis on key steps in the clopidogrel bioactivation processes. Methods: Inhibition of clopidogrel metabolism by sulfonylureas was evaluated by monitoring the formation of clopidogrel carboxylic acid and 2-oxo-clopidogrel in human liver microsomes (HLM), human intestinal microsomes and recombinant human enzymes. CYP2C9-based interaction was investigated for both 2-oxo-clopidogrel and glimepiride using HLM and the recombinant CYP2C9 system. Results: For the formation of clopidogrel carboxylic acid (the deactivation step) and 2-oxo-clopidogrel (the first step of bioactivation) in human microsomes, the inhibition potency of the 3 sulfonylurea drugs tested followed the order of glimepiride > glipizide > gliclazide. For the metabolism of 2-oxo-clopidogrel (the second step of bioactivation), glimepiride demonstrated a relatively strong inhibition against CYP2C9 activity (IC50 12.7 μmol/l). In addition, 2-oxo-clopidogrel displayed a moderate inhibitory effect toward the CYP2C9-mediated metabolism of glimepiride. Conclusion: The moderate inhibition observed for clopidogrel bioactivation may not present a significant risk for drug-drug interactions between sulfonylureas and clopidogrel. While these findings bode well for multidrug therapies involving sulfonylureas and clopidogrel, clinical investigations are needed to define the clinical risk and benefit for combining these agents for the management of cardiovascular events in diabetic patients.
Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: Predictive Factors of Lack of Response in Conservative Management with Gastrografin
Authors: Bueno-Lledó Jose , Barber Sebastian , Vaqué Javier , Frasson Mateo , Garcia-Granero Eduardo , Juan-Burgueño Manuel
Published: November 2015

Background: Gastrografin represents a useful tool in the diagnosis and management of adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO). The aim of this study is to identify variables with negative influence in nonoperative management with gastrografin. Methods: From August 2008 to March 2013, 223 consecutive patients with 235 episodes of ASBO were included and received gastrografin. A protocol for prospective data collection was developed. In order to explore factors related to the failure of nonoperative treatment, univariate and multivariate analysis were performed. Results: One hundred and ninety eight episodes responded to nonoperative treatment (84.2% of success) and 33 patients (15.8%) required surgical intervention. Only 3 patients of the gastrografin cohort with contrast in colon, required surgery. Predictive factors of failure of nonoperative management with gastrografin were patients aged above 65 (p = 0.01; OR 1.791, 95% CI 1.41-2.19), with a history of 2 or more previous laparotomies (p = 0.03; OR 2.91, 95% CI 2.19-3.71), and who had undergone previous abdominal surgery due to ASBO (p = 0.002; OR 1.381, 95% CI 1.10-1.79). Conclusion: Patient age, the number of previous laparotomies, and the fact that previous abdominal surgery was conducted due to ASBO are indicative of unsuccessful management with gastrografin.
Long-Term Functional Outcomes of Total Mesorectal Excision Following Chemoradiotherapy for Lower Rectal Cancer: Stapled Anastomosis versus Intersphincteric Resection
Authors: Beppu Naohito , Kimura Humihiko , Matsubara Nagahide , Tomita Naohiro , Yanagi Hidenori , Yamanaka Naoki
Published: November 2015

Aims: To compare the long-term functional outcomes of total mesorectal excision following chemoradiotherapy for lower rectal cancer between stapled anastomosis and intersphincteric resection (ISR). Methods: A total of 105 of 170 sphincter-preserving patients found to be disease-free and anal functional patients were assessed at 6.5 years (range 2.4-13.0 years) of follow-up after surgery. Of these subjects, 87 (double stapling technique [DST]: 41; ISR: 46) of the 105 patients (82.9%) responded to the questionnaire on the low anterior resection syndrome score (LARS score). Results: The total LARS scores in the DST and ISR groups were not significantly different (Major/Minor/No LARS = 23/14/4 and 31/10/5, p = 0.431). When considering each item of the LARS, ISR was associated with poorer incontinence scores than DST. Conversely, the scores for the frequency of bowel movement, clustering and urgency were not different between the 2 groups. In addition, in the multivariate analysis, the tumor distance from the anal verge and postoperative period was independently associated with Major LARS. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrate the long-term functional outcomes of irradiated lower rectal cancer reconstructed with DST and ISR. Bowel function improves over time; therefore, long-term patient follow-up is important.
Differences in the Characteristics of Dialysis Patients in Japan Compared with Those in Other Countries
Authors: Kimata Naoki , Tsuchiya Ken , Akiba Takashi , Nitta Kosaku
Published: November 2015

Background: Japanese patients undergoing dialysis have an extremely low mortality rate compared with those in the United States and Europe. As shown in the Dialysis Outcomes & Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), certain features of dialysis treatment, such as single treatment time and amount of blood flow, are unique to Japan, but factors contributing to the low mortality risk are unclear. Although DOPPS is a multi-country prospective cohort study, the study results may not entirely reflect the real trend in Japan because the number of Japanese institutions participating in the study is small. Summary: In this article, we review the data reported for Japan and other countries and reveal country-specific differences, particularly in patient age distribution and duration of dialysis. Key Messages: The mean age of prevalent dialysis patients is rising every year in Japan, and the proportion of patients undergoing dialysis for long periods of time is also increasing. In addition, the proportion of dialysis patients with diabetes, one of the primary diseases, has increased to a level similar to that observed in Western countries. However, no significant decline in the crude death rate among prevalent dialysis patients has been observed in Japan, presumably because of technological advances in dialysis treatment, but further studies are needed to elucidate the contributing factors.
Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease
Authors: Tanaka Yuri , Joki Nobuhiko , Hase Hiroki
Published: November 2015

Background: It was recently reported that the severity of coronary and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) has improved over the last two decades. However, the frequency of coronary artery events observed at the initiation of dialysis remains high. Summary: Recently, 5 different clinical types of acute myocardial infarction (MI) were introduced in the third universal definition of MI. Type 2 MI, known as secondary MI, is a more heterogeneous entity, where a condition other than coronary artery narrowing contributes to an acute imbalance in oxygen supply and demand. In patients with chronic kidney disease, it has been demonstrated that type 2 MI is more common than type 1 MI, which is associated with coronary occlusive disease. It is suspected that patients with ESKD also often have type 2 MI. Factors associated with incremental increases in oxygen demand may cause myocardial ischemia in ESKD. Key Messages: Significant epicardial coronary narrowing might not be a necessary precursor of myocardial ischemia in ESKD. To prevent ischemic heart disease and improve prognosis in patients with ESKD, we need to pay attention not only to coronary stenotic lesions, but also to the factors associated with the induction of an imbalance in myocardial oxygen supply and demand.
Cardiorenal Syndrome in End-Stage Kidney Disease
Authors: Tsuruya Kazuhiko , Eriguchi Masahiro , Yamada Shunsuke , Hirakata Hideki , Kitazono Takanari
Published: November 2015

Background: Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) represents mainly cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to various complications associated with renal dysfunction—defined as type 4 CRS by Ronco et al.—because the effect of cardiac dysfunction on the kidneys does not need to be taken into consideration, unlike in non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD). Summary: Patients with ESKD are often in a state of chronic inflammation due to the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Chronic inflammation leads to malnutrition and consequently to vascular endothelial dysfunction and vascular calcification, which is referred to as malnutrition-inflammation-atherosclerosis (MIA) syndrome and acts as a major risk factor for CVD. Anemia also plays a crucial role in CVD, and individuals with erythropoietin-resistant anemia have a particularly high risk of CVD. However, caution is emphasized because not only anemia itself, but also the overtreatment of anemia with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents aimed at elevating hemoglobin to ≥13 g/dl can also increase the risk of CVD. In CKD-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD), phosphate load triggers the interactions between various factors such as calcium, parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, and fibroblast growth factor 23, promoting vascular calcification and thus becoming a risk factor for CVD. Key Messages: In addition to traditional atherosclerosis risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, the involvement of MIA syndrome, anemia, and CKD-MBD accompanying CKD have also become a focus for investigation as major players in CRS in patients with ESKD.
The Small Molecule Indirubin-3'-Oxime Inhibits Protein Kinase R: Antiapoptotic and Antioxidant Effect in Rat Cardiac Myocytes
Authors: Udumula Mary Priyanka , Medapi Brahmam , Dhar Indu , Bhat Audesh , Desai Kaushik , Sriram Dharmarajan , Dhar Arti
Published: November 2015

Double-stranded, RNA-dependent protein kinase R (PKR) is a serine/threonine protein kinase activated by various stress signals. It plays an important role in inflammation, insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis. Increased PKR activity has been observed in obese humans as well as in obese diabetic mice. Indirubin-3'-oxime (I3O) is an effective inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases and glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta. However, the effects of I3O on PKR activity/expression in cultured rat cardiomyocytes have not been reported. We investigated whether I3O attenuates the effects of high glucose on PKR, oxidative stress and apoptotic gene markers. Quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to measure protein and mRNA, respectively. High glucose treatment caused significant increase in the PKR protein/mRNA expression, which was attenuated by co-treatment with I3O. High glucose-treated, cultured cardiomyocytes developed a significant increase in mRNA expression for c-Jun-N-terminal kinase, caspase-3 and NF-κB, which were all attenuated by pretreatment with I3O. There was also a significant increase in reactive oxygen species generation in high glucose-treated, cultured cardiomyocytes, which was attenuated by pretreatment with I3O. In conclusion, I3O may have a preventive role against the deleterious effects of high glucose in the heart.
Categories of Hospital-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: Time Course of Changes in Serum Creatinine Values
Authors: Warnock David G. , Powell T. Clark , Donnelly John P. , Wang Henry E.
Published: November 2015

Hospital-associated acute kidney injury (HA-AKI) is associated with increased inpatient mortality. Our objective was to categorize HA-AKI based on the timing of minimum and peak inpatient serum creatinine (sCr) and describe the association with inpatient mortality. Materials and Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of an administrative data set for adults admitted to a single medical center for over 4 years. Changes and timing of the minimum and peak sCr were used to define HA-AKI categories. Results: Peak creatinine followed minimum creatinine for HA-AKI, and preceded the minimum value for transient HA-AKI (THA-AKI). A subset of patients developed HA-AKI after recovering from THA-AKI. Multivariable Cox regression analyses examined the association between these categories and 28-day inpatient mortality, adjusting for age, sex, race, Charlson comorbidity index, baseline kidney function, AKI recovery and renal replacement therapy. There were 50,601 patients included in the analyses, and 29,996 (59%) did not have AKI. There were 2,440 deaths; HA-AKI had a 2.24-fold (95% CI 1.99-2.51) increased risk, while THA-AKI group (12,101) had a 1.23-fold (95% CI 1.09-1.40) increased risk for inpatient mortality. THA-AKI patients who recovered and then developed HA-AKI had the same mortality risk as THA-AKI (1.27-fold [95% CI 1.07-1.51]) but longer hospitalization and less recovery from AKI. Conclusions: Risk of short-term inpatient mortality is associated with AKI, and this risk is attenuated with recovery of kidney function in the hospital. Systematic surveillance with repeated inpatient sCr values is needed to assess the short- and long-term consequences of HA-AKI.
Machine Learning in Medicine
Authors: Deo Rahul C.
Published: November 2015

Spurred by advances in processing power, memory, storage, and an unprecedented wealth of data, computers are being asked to tackle increasingly complex learning tasks, often with astonishing success. Computers have now mastered a popular variant of poker, learned the laws of physics from experimental data, and become experts in video games − tasks that would have been deemed impossible not too long ago. In parallel, the number of companies centered on applying complex data analysis to varying industries has exploded, and it is thus unsurprising that some analytic companies are turning attention to problems in health care. The purpose of this review is to explore what problems in medicine might benefit from such learning approaches and use examples from the literature to introduce basic concepts in machine learning. It is important to note that seemingly large enough medical data sets and adequate learning algorithms have been available for many decades, and yet, although there are thousands of papers applying machine learning algorithms to medical data, very few have contributed meaningfully to clinical care. This lack of impact stands in stark contrast to the enormous relevance of machine learning to many other industries. Thus, part of my effort will be to identify what obstacles there may be to changing the practice of medicine through statistical learning approaches, and discuss how these might be overcome.
The Arquebus Volley Technique in China, c. 1560: Evidence from the Writings of Qi Jiguang
Authors: Andrade Tonio
Published: November 2015

Military historians have argued that the emergence in Europe of the musketry volley fire technique and the concurrent development of systematic infantry drill was of epochal importance for world history, a key part of the famous “military revolution” that underlay Europeans’ purported military advantage over other peoples. This article shows that the arquebus volley technique was described in the writings of the famous Chinese military thinker Qi Jiguang by 1560, well before the most commonly accepted date for the technique’s introduction in Europe. Qi Jiguang’s drilling techniques were part of a long and unbroken military tradition stretching back to China’s Tang dynasty and beyond, in which drill—and the volley technique itself—played a central role. The implications for our understanding of global military history are profound. As we learn more about Asian military history we will increasingly question standard narratives of our global military past.
Damselflies of the genus Argia of the Guiana Shield (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
Authors: GARRISON ROSSER W. , ELLENRIEDER NATALIA VON
Published: November 2015

This revision of all 21 species of Argia known to occur within the Guiana Shield includes descriptions of new species, synonymies, keys to both sexes based primarily on morphology of caudal appendages and genital ligula in males and of the mesostigmal plates in females, diagnoses accompanied by illustrations and distribution maps for all species. Twelve new species are described: A. appendiculata (Holotype ♂: Venezuela, Amazonas State, Cerro de la Neblina, Base Camp, 0°50' N, 66°10' W, 18 ii 1985, P.J. & P.M. Spangler, R.A. Faitoute leg., in USNM), A. azurea (Holotype ♂: Guyana, Potaro-Siparuni Region, Kaieteur Ravine, about 5°10' N, 59°28' W, 11 iv 1912, J.M. Geddes leg., in UMMZ), A. cuneifera (Holotype ♂: Venezuela, Amazonas State, Cerro de la Neblina, Base Camp, 0°50' N, 66°10' W, 20–24 iii 1984, O.S. Flint, Jr. & J.A. Louton leg., in USNM), A. deceptor (Holotype ♂: French Guiana, Cayenne Department, Régina Commune, Saut Athanase, 4°10'59" N, 52°20'6" W, 9 x 2001, L. Juillerat leg., in MHNN), A. donnellyi (Holotype ♂: Venezuela, Bolívar State, small marsh and creek on plateau surface above Coñac River, 10 km E of El Paují; about 4°31' N, 61°31' W, 5 viii 1990, RWG leg., in CSCA), A. gemella (Holotype ♂: Brazil, Amazonas State, Reserva Ducke, 26 km E Manaus (3°0'15'' S, 59°56'23'' W, 120 m), 2–4 ii 1979, O.S. Flint Jr. leg., in USNM), A. guyanica (Holotype ♂: Venezuela, Amazonas State, Cerro de la Neblina, Camp IV, 0°58' N, 65°57' W, 15–18 iii 1984, O.S. Flint, Jr. leg., in USNM), A. joallynae (Holotype ♂: Venezuela, Bolívar State, Canaima, palm marsh, 6°14'30" N, 62°50'53" W, 22–25 ix 1980, R.W. & J.A. Garrison. leg., in CSCA), A. loutoni (Holotype ♂: Brazil, Amazonas State, Purus River, Nova Olinda, about 3°30' S, 57°56' W, 6 ii 1979, O.S. Flint, Jr. leg., in FSCA), A. meioura (Holotype ♂: Brazil, Amazonas State, Manaus, about 2°55' S, 59°59' W, 26 vi 1922, J.H. Williamson & J.W. Strohm leg., in UMMZ), A. palmata (Holotype ♂: Brazil, Amazonas State, Manaus, about 5 miles N of Flores on route to Campos Sales, small creek in virgin forest, about 3°0'S, 60°1' W, 15 vi 1922, J.H. Williamson & J.W. Strohm leg., in UMMZ), and A. recurvata (Holotype ♂: Venezuela, Amazonas State, San Carlos de Río Negro, 1°55' N, 67°4' W, 97 m, 14–21 iii 1984, J. De Marmels leg., in MIZA). The status of Argia impura Rambur, 1842, is discussed and the following nomenclatural changes are proposed: Argia stigmatica Navás, 1934 and A. umbriaca Fraser, 1946 are considered junior synonyms of Argia indicatrix Calvert, 1902, and Argia eliptica Selys, 1865 and A. icterica Navás, 1934 are considered junior synonyms of A. oculata Hagen in Selys, 1865.
A review of clearwing moths in the tribe Synanthedonini, with descriptions of six new species from Taiwan (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae)
Authors: LIANG JIA-YUAN , HSU YU-FENG
Published: November 2015

The Synanthedonini fauna of Taiwan is reviewed, and a checklist of 9 species for this region is provided. Six new species are described: Paranthrenella dortmundi Liang & Hsu sp. nov., Paranthrenella weiyui Liang & Hsu sp. nov., Ichneumenoptera gryphus Liang & Hsu sp. nov., Kantipuria glansvorax Liang & Hsu sp. nov., Synanthedon ceraunus Liang & Hsu sp. nov., and Synanthedon phoenix Liang & Hsu sp. nov. New records of relationships between host plants and the immatures of Synanthedonini in Taiwan are also provided, with three species feeding on callus tissue of stems of Fagaceae, two on Lauraceae, and one on Rosaceae. One species is an obligatory borer into acorns of Fagaceae, and such kind of feeding strategy is rare among clearwing moths.
A new species of Alhajarmyia Stuckenberg (Diptera: Vermileonidae), the first wormlion fly described from East Africa and its biogeographical implications
Authors: SWART VAUGHN R. , KIRK-SPRIGGS ASHLEY H. , COPELAND ROBERT S.
Published: November 2015

A second species of the genus Alhajarmyia Stuckenberg (A. stuckenbergi Swart, Kirk-Spriggs & Copeland, sp. n.), is described and figured, from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Kenya (Kasigau Mountain and Taita Hills), being the first vermileonid recorded from East Africa. The species is shown to differ from its congener, A. umbraticola (Stuckenberg & Fisher), described from Oman in the Arabian Peninsula, based on external characters including male and female terminalia. An identification key is provided together with distribution maps for the two species, and biogeographical aspects are discussed.
A second New World hoverfly, Toxomerus floralis (Fabricius) (Diptera: Syrphidae), recorded from the Old World, with description of larval pollen-feeding ecology
Authors: JORDAENS KURT , GOERGEN GEORG , KIRK-SPRIGGS ASHLEY H. , VOKAER AUDREY , BACKELJAU THIERRY , MEYER MARC DE
Published: November 2015

Recently (2013–2014), several hoverfly specimens from two localities in Benin and Cameroon (West and Central Africa) were caught from a species that we could not identify using existing identification keys for Afrotropical Syrphidae. Specific identification as Toxomerus floralis (Fabricius) was accomplished using morphology and various Neotropical identification keys. Corroboration of this identification was made by sequencing of the standard COI barcode region and a subsequent BLAST-IDS in BOLD that revealed a 100% sequence similarity with Toxomerus floralis from Suriname (South America). Species identification was further supported by sequencing parts of the nuclear 18S and 28S rRNA genes. The species is widespread in Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon, and eggs, larvae and adults are abundant at several localities. Yet, the full extent of its geographic distribution within tropical Africa remains to be determined. This is only the second known established introduction of a non-African hoverfly species in the Afrotropics. Interestingly, the larvae of the species have been reported as predators of Aphididae and Delphacidae but we found them to be pollenivorous, which is a rare feeding mode within the subfamily Syrphinae. Moreover, it is the only known Syrphinae species of which the larvae feed on pollen from two plant species from different families (Cyperaceae and Orobranchaceae). This example illustrates how DNA barcoding may allow a fast and accurate identification of introduced species.
Eonandeva gen. nov., a new distinctive genus from Eocene Baltic amber (Diptera: Chironomidae)
Authors: ZAKRZEWSKA MARTA , GIŁKA WOJCIECH
Published: November 2015

A new fossil genus, Eonandeva gen. nov., with two new species: E. helva sp. nov. (type for the genus) and E. latistyla sp. nov., is described from Eocene Baltic amber (~45–40 Ma). Adult males of both new species show the wing venation pattern, shape and chaetotaxy typical for the tribe Tanytarsini. The characters defined as prior apomorphies for the new genus—the gonostylus with a subapical flattened lobe and the stout, strongly elongated superior volsella—separate Eonandeva from the closely related extant genus Nandeva Wiedenbrug, Reiss et Fittkau, 1998.
Righting and Rewriting Genesis 38: Tamar and Judah in the Pseudepigrapha
Authors: Zucker David J. , Reiss Moshe
Published: November 2015

Genesis 38 is a troubling text. On the face of it, Tamar, a local Canaanite woman, becomes in short order the widow of Judah's two eldest sons. Judah's response is to leave Tamar as a widow, and not allow his third son to marry her. When Tamar, in order to become pregnant, ignores established sexual taboos, Judah thinks that his problem has been solved; he calls for her execution. When the true facts come to light, including his part in this incestuous affair, he admits that she is more in the right than he for his failure to resolve the matter. In the late Second Temple period and beyond, the authors of the Pseudepigrapha feel compelled to right the perception of the characters involved by rewriting this disconcerting narrative. In so doing, depending on the source, they exonerate Judah of the worst aspects of his perfidy, seek to shift the blame to Tamar herself, or praise Tamar as a virtuous woman.
Proverbs in Middle East North Africa (MENA) Cultural Context
Authors: Pilch John J.
Published: November 2015

All proverbs are inextricably related to the culture of their origin. The proverb has a form and function distinctive to that culture. Biblical proverbs thus reflect MENA (Middle East North African) culture and should be interpreted primarily in that context. For a reader from a different culture, this requires the use of appropriate “mental software.” This article proposes reading scenarios as the key components of this software. Four are reviewed: normative inconsistency, collectivistic personality, three-zone personality, and secrecy, deception, and lying.
Health Care Reform
Authors: Kilgour John G.
Published: November 2015

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) was grafted onto a complex structure employment-based health benefit plans supplemented by a number of federal and state health care programs including Medicare, Medicaid and the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This article examines the development of health care benefits in the United States before 2010. A following article will appraise the ACA.
The multiaxial assessment and the DSM-III: a conceptual analysis
Authors: Bronschtein Eitan
Published: November 2015

With the release of the DSM-III, multiaxial assessment, which was a new concept, was introduced to daily clinical practice. This article will review the history and the development of the concept of multiaxial assessment and will focus on the its relationship to the DSM-III. In conclusion I will discuss different critiques of the concept.
Léon Marillier and the veridical hallucination in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century French psychology and psychopathology
Authors: Le Maléfan Pascal , Sommer Andreas
Published: November 2015

Recent research on the professionalization of psychology at the end of the nineteenth century shows how objects of knowledge which appear illegitimate to us today shaped the institutionalization of disciplines. The veridical or telepathic hallucination was one of these objects, constituting a field both of division and exchange between nascent psychology and disciplines known as ‘psychic sciences’ in France, and ‘psychical research’ in the Anglo-American context. In France, Leon Marillier (1862–1901) was the main protagonist in discussions concerning the concept of the veridical hallucination, which gave rise to criticisms by mental specialists and psychopathologists. After all, not only were these hallucinations supposed to occur in healthy subjects, but they also failed to correspond to the Esquirolian definition of hallucinations through being corroborated by their representation of external, objective events.
The nature of delusion: psychologically explicable? psychologically inexplicable? philosophically explicable? Part 1
Authors: Cutting J , Musalek M
Published: November 2015

The debate about the nature of delusion has rumbled on for over a century without resolution. The current situation is a stand-off between psychologists, who propose various theories as to the psychological explicability of delusion, and psychiatrists, who generally regard delusion as inexplicable. Our main aim in this 2-part article is to reprise the intellectual atmosphere of German psychopathology in the inter-war and immediate post-war years, when the issues concerning delusion were formulated with more sensitivity to the actual delusions encountered in clinical practice. In Part 1 we mount a critique of psychological and psychiatric theories of delusion.
Micronutrient Program Costs: Sources of Variations and Noncomparabilities
Authors: Fiedler John L. , Puett Chloe
Published: November 2015

Background

Micronutrient interventions are contributing to substantial reductions in global morbidity and mortality. As the diversity and coverage of these interventions expand, it is increasingly important to understand their distinct roles and contributions, and the resources they require. To date, comparing program resource use has been hampered by several noncomparabilities in cost studies relating to diverse intervention activities and service delivery pathways, along with differences in methodological approaches.

Objective

To promote better understanding of the variations and noncomparabilities in costs and cost structures of micronutrient interventions.

Methods

Cost studies on supplementation, fortification and biofortification programs from the published and gray literature were reviewed ( n = 130).

Results

Specific areas of noncomparability identified include intervention characteristics and country context, as well as differences in methodological considerations, including data sources and definition of cost centers. Moreover, analyses vary significantly in terms of types of costs included. Implications and practical recommendations for standardizing future costing studies are provided.

Conclusions

Methodological variations and noncomparabilities do much more than limit the ability to make direct comparisons of costing studies; they carry important implications for the adoption, design, and implementation of interventions in countries suffering from micronutrient deficiencies. This study synthesizes evidence on the level of support required (both financial and otherwise) for programs to achieve desirable levels of coverage and performance. Having comparable and accurate estimates of costs is a necessary first step in planning for and implementing interventions that are of adequate scale and adequately resourced.
The origin and evolution of queen and fertility signals in Corbiculate bees
Authors: Caliari Oliveira Ricardo , Oi Cintia Akemi , do Nascimento Mauricio Meirelles Castro , Vollet-Neto Ayrton , Alves Denise Araujo , Campos Maria Claudia , Nascimento Fabio , Wenseleers Tom
Published: November 2015

Background

In social Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps), various chemical compounds present on the cuticle have been shown to act as fertility signals. In addition, specific queen-characteristic hydrocarbons have been implicated as sterility-inducing queen signals in ants, wasps and bumblebees. In Corbiculate bees, however, the chemical nature of queen-characteristic and fertility-linked compounds appears to be more diverse than in ants and wasps. Moreover, it remains unknown how queen signals evolved across this group and how they might have been co-opted from fertility signals in solitary ancestors.

Results

Here, we perform a phylogenetic analysis of fertility-linked compounds across 16 species of solitary and eusocial bee species, comprising both literature data as well as new primary data from a key solitary outgroup species, the oil-collecting beeCentris analis, and the highly eusocial stingless beeScaptotrigona depilis.Our results demonstrate the presence of fertility-linked compounds belonging to 12 different chemical classes. In addition, we find that some classes of compounds (linear and branched alkanes, alkenes, esters and fatty acids) were already present as fertility-linked signals in the solitary ancestors of Corbiculate bees, while others appear to be specific to certain species.

Conclusion

Overall, our results suggest that queen signals in Corbiculate bees are likely derived from ancestral fertility-linked compounds present in solitary bees that lacked reproductive castes. These original fertility-linked cues or signals could have been produced either as a by-product of ovarian activation or could have served other communicative purposes, such as in mate recognition or the regulation of egg-laying.
Variation at the DRD4 locus is associated with wariness and local site selection in urban black swans
Authors: van Dongen Wouter F.D. , Robinson Randall W. , Weston Michael A. , Mulder Raoul A. , Guay Patrick-Jean
Published: November 2015

Background

Interactions between wildlife and humans are increasing. Urban animals are often less wary of humans than their non-urban counterparts, which could be explained by habituation, adaptation or local site selection. Under local site selection, individuals that are less tolerant of humans are less likely to settle in urban areas. However, there is little evidence for such temperament-based site selection, and even less is known about its underlying genetic basis. We tested whether site selection in urban and non-urban habitats by black swans (Cygnus atratus) was associated with polymorphisms in two genes linked to fear in animals, the dopamine receptor D4(DRD4) and serotonin transporter (SERT) genes.

Results

Wariness in swans was highly repeatable between disturbance events (repeatability = 0.61) and non-urban swans initiated escape from humans earlier than urban swans. We found no inter-individual variation in the SERT gene, but identified five DRD4 genotypes and an association between DRD4 genotype and wariness. Individuals possessing the most common DRD4 genotype were less wary than individuals possessing rarer genotypes. As predicted by the local site selection hypothesis, genotypes associated with wary behaviour were over three times more frequent at the non-urban site. This resulted in moderate population differentiation at DRD4 (FST = 0.080), despite the sites being separated by only 30 km, a short distance for this highly-mobile species. Low population differentiation at neutrally-selected microsatellite loci and the likely occasional migration of swans between the populations reduces the likelihood of local site adaptations.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that wariness in swans is partly genetically-determined and that wary swans settle in less-disturbed areas. More generally, our findings suggest that site-specific management strategies may be necessary that consider the temperament of local animals.
A fast algorithm for sparse multichannel blind deconvolution
Authors: Nose-Filho Kenji , Takahata André K. , Lopes Renato , Romano João M. T.
Published: November 2015

We have addressed blind deconvolution in a multichannel framework. Recently, a robust solution to this problem based on a Bayesian approach called sparse multichannel blind deconvolution (SMBD) was proposed in the literature with interesting results. However, its computational complexity can be high. We have proposed a fast algorithm based on the minimum entropy deconvolution, which is considerably less expensive. We designed the deconvolution filter to minimize a normalized version of the hybrid [Formula: see text]-norm loss function. This is in contrast to the SMBD, in which the hybrid [Formula: see text]-norm function is used as a regularization term to directly determine the deconvolved signal. Results with synthetic data determined that the performance of the obtained deconvolution filter was similar to the one obtained in a supervised framework. Similar results were also obtained in a real marine data set for both techniques.
Reverse time migration of 3D vertical seismic profile data
Authors: Shi Ying , Wang Yanghua
Published: November 2015

Reverse time migration (RTM) has shown increasing advantages in handling seismic images of complex subsurface media, but it has not been used widely in 3D seismic data due to the large storage and computation requirements. Our prime objective was to develop an RTM strategy that was applicable to 3D vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data. The strategy consists of two aspects: storage saving and calculation acceleration. First, we determined the use of the random boundary condition (RBC) to save the storage in wavefield simulation. An absorbing boundary such as the perfect matching layer boundary is often used in RTM, but it has a high memory demand for storing the source wavefield. RBC is a nonabsorbing boundary and only stores the source wavefield at the two maximum time steps, then repropagates the source wavefield backwards at every time step, and hence, it significantly reduces the memory requirement. Second, we examined the use of the graphic processing unit (GPU) parallelization technique to accelerate the computation. RBC needs to simulate the source wavefield twice and doubles the computation. Thus, it is very necessary to realize the RTM algorithm by GPU, especially for a 3D VSP data set. GPU and central processing unit (CPU) collaborated parallel implementation can greatly reduce the computation time, where the CPU performs serial code, and the GPU performs parallel code. Because RBC does not need the same huge amount of storage as an absorbing boundary, RTM becomes practically applicable for 3D VSP imaging.
Designing a semiotic-based approach to intercultural training
Authors: Parent Roger , Varnhagen Stanley
Published: November 2015

This exploratory enquiry seeks to examine the largely unexplored potential of semiotics for intercultural training and education. The proposed threepart discussion describes the process by which semiotic theoretical principles were selected and progressively refined into an applied model which was then piloted through a 2007 research initiative entitled Tools for Cultural Development. The case study involved six groups of French and Australian trainees from both the academic and professional sectors, in collaboration with university, government and community partners. The first part of the article summarizes a review of the literature on approaches to cultural competence training. The study then outlines the transcoding process by which the stated objectives of intercultural education were reformulated in semiotic terms, particularly in reference to cultural semiotics on which the theoretical core of the applied model was subsequently based. Relevant principles from other semiotic schools as well as similar theoretical and methodological stances in the social sciences reinforced the established body of theory for the training design. The third part of the study discusses the process by which semiotic principles were further defined as skill-based outcomes and goals for workshop implementation. This pragmatic defining process facilitated development of questionnaires and surveys, thereby allowing participants to evaluate the training experience by examining their perceptions about the workshop outcomes at the beginning and end of the sessions. This article presents the quantitative results of the evaluation and, in discussing the gains and limits of data obtained, provides the context for a follow-up article on the qualitative findings of the study.
A semiotic alternative to communication in the processes in management accounting and control systems
Authors: Pärl Ülle
Published: November 2015

This conceptual paper addresses Management Accounting and Control Systems (MACS) from a communication process perspective as opposed to a functional design perspective. Its arguments originate from a social-constructionist perspective on the organization. Its line of argument is that building a social theory of a social phenomenon such as MACS, demands that attention be paid to the characteristics of the communication process. An existing theoretical framework that does the same is Giddens’ structuration theory, but it is only partly satisfactory because it refuses to consider communication-as-interaction from a dynamic contextual perspective, instead falling back on an argument related to the behavioural aspects of agency. An alternative is a semiotic-based communication perspective that includes context as well as addresses the epistemological level of a MACS theory based on communication. The semiotic model of Jakobson is provided and developed as a specific alternative.