bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Improvisation of Poetry, 1750–1850
Authors: Esterhammer Angela
Published: January 2015

The “Romantic century” (1750–1850) saw the rise and decline of a distinctive type of improviser: theimprovvisatoreorimprovvisatrice, a solo poet-performer who spontaneously composed verses on subjects assigned by the audience. As this primarily Italian tradition spread across Europe, it generated wide-ranging debates about poetics, aesthetics, and the role of improvisation in political rhetoric and communal leadership. Often this discussion focused on the relationship between modern poetic improvisers and the rhapsodes of classical antiquity, especially Homer. Variations on the questions “Was Homer animprovvisatore?” and “Areimprovvisatorithe descendants of Homer?” show up in antiquarian, poetic, and political discourses, influencing Romantic ideas about the public role of poets while changing the direction of Homeric scholarship. Since the performances of poetic improvisers and the debates they generated took place in the midst of a rapidly expanding culture of periodical magazines and other print media, the reception of orally improvised poetry during the Romantic era also affects the evolving relationship of orality and print.
Performing Gender, Race, and Power in Improv Comedy
Authors: Seham Amy
Published: January 2015

As taught by Viola Spolin, Keith Johnstone, and others, improv is a mode of playing that depends on group consensus, through such concepts as “agreement” and “groupmind,” as a basis for the release of individual creativity and the freedom to bypass both internal and external censorship. Improv comedy on stage, however, most often reflects the white, male, heterosexual perspective of its dominant players. This article explores the “spontaneous” performances of gender and race in improv comedy in light of power dynamics that often silence difference and encourage shallow stereotypes. Using Judith Butler’s theories and other approaches, the chapter then discusses improv’s potential for deconstructing gender performance. Detailed analysis of the work of the all-female improv troupe, JANE, reveals the wealth and variety of characters that can be improvised when choices of gesture, voice, and body language are playfully recombined across conventions of gender and sexuality.
Psychiatric Neuroethics II
Authors: Glannon Walter
Published: January 2015

I discuss ethical issues relating to interventions other than intracranial surgery and psychopharmacology for psychiatric disorders. I question the distinction between “invasive” and “non-invasive” techniques applying electrical stimulation to the brain, arguing that this should be replaced by a distinction between more and less invasive techniques. I discuss electroconvulsive therapy (ECT); it can be a relatively safe and effective treatment for some patients with depression. I consider transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial current stimulation (tCS); the classification of these techniques as non-invasive may lead to underestimation of their risks. I discuss how placebos can justifiably be prescribed non-deceptively and even deceptively in clinical settings. An analysis of neurofeedback as the neuromodulating technique most likely to promote autonomy/control for some conditions follows. Finally, I examine biomarkers identified through genetic screening and neuroimaging; they might contribute to more accurate prediction and diagnosis, more effective treatment, and possibly prevention of psychiatric disorders.
Ethics and the Paradigm Shift in Schizophrenia
Authors: DeRenzo Evan G. , Candilis Philip J.
Published: January 2015

Early intervention strategies for treating psychosis before the manifestation of frank disease have blossomed as research shows the positive impact of treatment earlier in the development of psychotic illness. Because of the uncertainty of individual patients’ conversion to an easily diagnosable condition however, ethical concerns have arisen in establishing the appropriate balance of risks and harms, in obtaining informed consent, and in conducting general research and treatment of minors. This chapter examines the ethics of early intervention from a historical perspective, tracing advances in research ethics that allowed the conduct of research with children who may develop psychotic illness to the clinical ethics required in offering early interventions themselves. The authors explore the implications of early intervention’s introduction into the psychiatric diagnostic manual and recommend avenues for further discourse.
The Professional Role of the Forensic Psychiatrist
Authors: Kaliski Sean Z.
Published: January 2015

The practice of forensic psychiatry varies greatly. Common to all forms of practice is a constant and overt conflict of loyalties, dual agency, which always carries the potential of causing harm—exacerbated by the fact that most involved individuals are compelled to undergo forensic assessments or treatments. Perhaps the core functions of the forensic psychiatrist are to determine a diagnosis, the degree of severity of the disorder, and to make a risk assessment, particularly of future violent or criminal behavior. Another possible role is to be an advocate for the welfare of those they assess and treat. Unfortunately, the evidence base for these core functions is sparse, and generally consists of value judgments. Forensic practice ought to take cognizance of the affordances of values-based practice. It may be possible to ameliorate harm by the practice of disclosure, by adopting a sensitive if not therapeutic manner, and perhaps by adopting the role of advocate.
The Russian and Chinese Revolutions Compared
Authors: Smith S. A.
Published: January 2015

Whereas recent historiography has tended to minimize ideological differences between Stalinism and Maoism, this chapter explores the distinctions between them, arguing that it was a belief in revolutionary will and heroic sacrifice, complemented by an instinctive antipathy to bureaucracy and a far-reaching commitment to social equality (which, of course, did not rule out privilege for some), that set Maoism apart from Stalinism. The ideological differences between the two found their most dramatic expression in the Cultural Revolution, an event that was quite unthinkable in Stalin’s Russia. The personalities of Stalin and Mao are also shown to explain crucial differences between the two regimes, which are compared and contrasted in this chapter across a wide range of political, social, and economic themes.
Gendered Divisions of Labor
Authors: Mills Mary Beth
Published: January 2015

This chapter examines how contemporary feminist scholarship is informed by and has contributed to the analysis of gendered divisions of labor on a global scale. Drawing on feminist research into gender systems, postcolonial societies, and intersectional relations, studies of gendered divisions of labor offer powerful insights into the unequal dynamics of globalization and the processes of social reproduction. The relevant literature includes work on the feminization of labor across global industry, the commodification of reproductive labor, and the gendered effects of economic restructuring and related forms of neoliberalization. Ultimately, gendered divisions of labor illuminate diverse patterns of inequality in and beyond formal relations of employment, revealing the ways that gendered hierarchies of value proliferate within and across globally interconnected societies and economies.
Nature
Authors: Alaimo Stacy
Published: January 2015

The term “nature,” because of its associations with gender and racial essentialisms, its position in foundational Western dualisms, its place in the colonialist imagination, and its promotion of heteronormativity is a volatile term for feminist theory. While much feminist theory has distanced itself from the conceptual terrain of nature, environmental feminisms, material feminisms, feminist science studies, queer ecologies, and feminist posthumanisms approach “nature” differently, productively engaging with human corporeality, environments, material agency and nonhuman life. In this anthropocene era, marked by the human alteration of the biological, geological, and chemical composition of the planet, feminist theory needs to contend with “nature” in ways that are attuned not only to social justice but to the survival of a multitude of species, ecosystems, and life forms. Feminist theory is thus a vital resource for all theorists who wish to rethink the concept of nature and its theoretical, ethical, and political entanglements.
Evaluating and Managing Suicide Risk in Veterans
Authors: Kleespies Phillip M. , AhnAllen Christopher G.
Published: January 2015

This chapter examines the findings on which populations of military veterans are known to be at risk of suicide. The impact of military culture on veterans as well as the impact of deployment, combat trauma, and sexual trauma are discussed, as well as the difficulties of readjusting to civilian life, particularly when the veteran has served in a combat zone. The chapter reviews some of the barriers that veterans must deal with when in need of mental health care. The limits of suicide prediction are discussed and a model for assessing suicide risk using risk factors within high risk diagnoses, including risk in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder, is presented. Finally, suggestions for managing suicide risk in veterans are discussed. Since veterans are more likely to own firearms and commit suicide with a firearm than nonveterans, an emphasis is placed on employing means restriction counseling for veterans at risk.
Victims of Sexual Assault
Authors: Resnick Heidi S. , Walsh Kate , Badour Christal L.
Published: January 2015

Given the high prevalence of sexual assault within both the general population and among college student samples, professionals working in a wide range of medical and mental health care settings should be prepared to address the acute and long-term physical and psychological consequences of sexual assault. It is also important to be aware of the prevalence and service needs among victims of sexual assault who seek acute medical care. This chapter reviews data regarding the prevalence and characteristics of rape and sexual assault, approaches to assessing sexual assault history, acute and long-term victim concerns and consequences associated with rape, access to and utilization of post-assault medical care and other agency services, and prevention and early intervention approaches that may be implemented in the medical setting.
Jonson and Genre
Authors: Harp Richard
Published: January 2015

Ben Jonson wrote in a number of well defined genres and could mix them without confusion. The epigrams contain examples of epitaphs, satire, miniature odes, praise of friends and attacks on enemies without generally losing their formal concise sententiousness. His great thematic concerns, such as friendship, hospitality, virtue and vice, were portrayed in a variety of genres, drama as well as poetry, and were proclaimed in his characteristically resounding and often memorable voice. His development of the form of the masque, a genre half-way between drama and poetry, which mixed lyrical celebration of beauty and nobility with prose revelations of abnormality and excess, is a particularly outstanding example. Thus Jonson is able to make traditional genres his own and not merely stale imitations of classical models. It is not surprising, then, that in drama Jonson was concerned with more than conventional notions of plot as merely sequential events; his drama embodied an overarching Aristotelian notion of action both in comedy and drama.
Historical Archaeology in Central America
Authors: Joyce Rosemary A. , Gomez Esteban , Sheptak Russell
Published: January 2015

Historical archaeology in Central America is an archaeology of colonization, exploring processes through which indigenous, European-, and African-descendant people created new practices of everyday life and novel identities, and transformed place and landscape. A number of studies use formal models rooted in world systems theory or practice theory to understand colonial societies. Current methods, including compositional analysis and geophysical prospection, are employed to establish the nature of buried sites and patterns of exchange. Ethnogenesis and hybridity are a major focus, informing understanding of the African diaspora and indigeneity. Reframing indigenous survival in terms of persistence and change, rather than resistance and disappearance, is typical. Understanding the ways in which varied African populations became an indispensable part of the new colonies and later independent republics is a significant emphasis.
Perspectives on Choral Conducting
Authors: Durrant Colin , Varvarigou Maria
Published: January 2015

This chapter addresses some of the pertinent issues concerning the role of the choral conductor in rehearsal and performance. As the role is one of leading and motivating singers in addition to preparing and rehearsing them, certain aspects of the attributes and communication, gesture and techniques are discussed. This discussion draws on research and practice in the field. Following a brief historical outline of the choral conductor, we explore gesture, rehearsal style and the nature of communication, motivation, and leadership. Any conclusions offer a pedagogical, normative model of practice, rather than a prescriptive list of techniques or mere review of research. The application of the authors’ own philosophies, research, and practice is reflected in the themes and tenor of the writing.
Rhetoric and Law
Authors: Hutson Lorna
Published: January 2015

This chapter reexamines the older scholarly consensus that humanist rhetoric had no great effect on legal development in sixteenth-century England. It argues that the humanist emphasis on topical invention led to a blurring of distinctions between rhetoric and dialectic, and that key to both were artificial proofs derived from “circumstances,” “accidents,” and “predicaments.” It shows first how circumstances, employed in criminal procedure, helped develop the law of evidence and then goes on to show how this terminology was used to shape the “reasons” for decisions in highly significant civil cases such as Calvin’s Case (1608). If a major development of English common law in this period is its new emphasis on the reasoned decisions of courts as a source of law, this article proposes that it was topical invention that shaped the “reasons” and, hence, the law.
Rhetoric and Theater
Authors: McDonald Russ
Published: January 2015

This chapter demonstrates the impact of rhetorical training in shaping the Elizabethan theater at the end of the sixteenth century. English schoolmasters had translated the Latin rhetoric of Cicero and Quintilian into the vernacular, and these verbal forms—schemes, tropes, and figures—became a central feature of Tudor pedagogy; two classroom exercises in rhetoric were prosopopoeia (the impersonation of a character) and argumentum in utramque partem (defending both sides of a debating question). Thomas Kyd and Christopher Marlowe first exploited these rhetorical and poetic forms theatrically in the 1580s, and shortly thereafter William Shakespeare built on their model in the abundant poetic artifice of his early history cycle, a feature especially apparent in Henry VI, Part Three. Crucially, for Shakespeare and his contemporaries, the possibilities of rhetoric as a persuasive art served to complicate the drama and thus to immerse the audience in the process of interpretation.
Exploring Transitions in Popular Music
Authors: Drewett Michael
Published: January 2015

This article examines the censorship of popular music in South Africa during the apartheid (1948–1994) and post-apartheid years, as well as changes in musical censorship resulting from the country’s transition to democracy. It considers the different forms of censorship in South Africa, paying particular attention to central government mechanisms of music censorship through the former Directorate of Publications and the South African Broadcasting Corporation. Despite the relaxation of formal mechanisms of censorship since the early 1990s and the significant freedom of expression enjoyed by musicians, the article shows that regulation and censorship of popular music remain in effect. Finally, it assesses the current situation with regards to musical censorship in South Africa and the implications of present legislation for the future.
Rap Music and Rap Audiences Revisited
Authors: Dixon Travis L.
Published: January 2015

This current paper offers a review of some of the early rap studies and discusses some of the more recent rap investigations that have been dominated by negative effects investigations. It argues that the suspicion of negative effects and stereotyping of African Americans have driven support for censorship of this musical genre. Although psychologists and lay critics have focused on the potential negative effects of rap music, the current chapter provides evidence that the effects are not all negative and that rap music audiences may use their culture and “agency” to empower themselves.
Teaching Silence in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Prevost Roxane , Francis Kimberly
Published: January 2015

This article examines the prejudices that women continue to experience in the field of composition in the twenty-first century. More specifically, it analyzes the host of factors that may be responsible for this reality from three perspectives: the notion that the language of modernist music is a gendered discourse, the role of precedent in the acceptance of women composers, and the role of societal stereotypes. The article looks at Catherine Parson Smith’s contention that the use of sexual linguistics has been detrimental to women artists during the modernist era; the various contexts that gave rise to the political positioning of the musical language of modernism; how stereotypes about artistic women affect the creativity and output as well as the professional behavior of women composers. Finally, it offers suggestions for overcoming the obstacles that prevent contemporary women composers from receiving due recognition.
“We Should Not Sing of Heaven and Angels”
Authors: Fairclough Pauline
Published: January 2015

This chapter examines the changing ways in which Western sacred music was performed in concerts at major cultural centers in Russia during the period 1917–1964. It first considers early Soviet policy on Western sacred works including the repertoire of the Leningrad State Academic Capella, led by Mikhail Klimov who served as conductor and director from 1918 through 1935. The chapter goes on to assess the impact of both the Russian Association of Proletarian Musicians in the late 1920s and the effect of Stalinism in the 1930s and 40s. Finally, it comments on the preservation of part of Johann Sebastian Bach’s a capella legacy by setting the music to Soviet texts.
Wernicke’s Aphasia: Auditory Processing and Comprehension
Authors: Greenwald Margaret L.
Published: January 2015

This chapter includes a discussion of the symptoms of Wernicke’s aphasia, including impaired auditory comprehension and neologistic verbal expression. Anosognosia, impaired attention, and impaired self-monitoring are discussed as they relate to Wernicke’s aphasia. Current evidence of the neuroanatomical correlates of Wernicke’s aphasia and the role of Wernicke’s area is presented from a variety of experimental perspectives. Theoretical approaches to understanding impaired auditory processing in Wernicke’s aphasia are discussed in relation to perception, recognition, and comprehension of speech. Methods for the assessment and interpretation of receptive and expressive language in Wernicke’s aphasia and jargon aphasia are described within the context of a cognitive model depicting multiple input modalities and output modes of language. Finally, current methods for the treatment and management of Wernicke’s aphasia are reviewed, with an emphasis on evidence-based practice.
Conduction Aphasia: Impaired Phonological Processing
Authors: Wilshire Carolyn E.
Published: January 2015

Conduction aphasia is a syndrome characterized by impaired repetition in the context of relatively preserved auditory comprehension and fluent speech. The classical conceptualization of conduction aphasia as a disconnection syndrome has been undermined in recent years. Nevertheless, this diagnosis delineates a small subset of individuals with aphasia who have many common cognitive and anatomical characteristics. Conduction aphasia is associated with damage to a relatively narrow and well-defined group of left hemisphere brain structures, which may include the posterior superior temporal lobe, the inferior parietal lobe, and the insula. According to current cognitive neuropsychological frameworks, an impairment in phonological planning for speech production is the common underlying cognitive dysfunction in the majority of cases, which may sometimes be accompanied by an analogous impairment in receptive phonology. Other common features, such as sentence repetition problems and reduced short-term memory span, may be a secondary consequence of the primary phonological impairment. Current approaches to the treatment of conduction aphasia target the underlying impairment in phonological planning. It is argued that the diagnosis of conduction aphasia can be a useful first step toward understanding a person’s language difficulties and planning effective treatment interventions.
The Political Uses and Abuses of Civility and Incivility
Authors: Jamieson Kathleen Hall , Volinsky Allyson , Weitz Ilana , Kenski Kate
Published: January 2015

After exploring the challenges involved in defining incivility, this chapter addresses the evolution of the concept, notes the dispute over trend lines, and précises work on its psychological effects. It then outlines some functions that civility and incivility serve, such as the functions of differentiating and mobilizing, marginalizing the powerless, expressing, and deliberating. The use of calls for civility as a means of social control is discussed, and then the chapter flags questions worthy of additional attention.
Comparative Political Communication Research
Authors: de Vreese Claes H.
Published: January 2015

This chapter provides an overview of comparative political communication research (CPCR). CPCR is a growing field since there is wide acknowledgement that many questions are not answered satisfactorily with single case studies. The chapter explains why political communication researchers should care about cross-national comparisons and outlines types of CPCR—descriptive, explanatory, and comparison of relation—explaining variation in relations across units. Then the areas of CPCR are reviewed: media and political systems, political and elections news, political communication in the European Union, and political journalists. Finally, the chapter identifies unanswered questions for CPCR to address.
The Survival Story of Syriac Chants among the St. Thomas Christians in South India
Authors: Palackal Joseph J.
Published: January 2015

This chapter explores the Syriac chant traditions among the group of South Indian churches, collectively referred to here as the “St. Thomas Christians.” These churches, which encompass a variety of denominational communities in Kerala, trace their origins to the apostolic and Chaldean/East Syriac sources of West Asian Christianity, later articulating also with the Antiochene liturgy and Orthodox Christianity in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They have defended their linkages with the Syriac liturgical and musical traditions against the incursions of foreign Catholic and Anglican missionaries, and later a wider variety of Catholic and Protestant movements within India. The chapter suggests that they accomplished this, in part, by only selectively accepting musical, liturgical, and theological elements that arrived with each of these missions. But more recently they have accomplished this by retaining Syriac chant melodies even as churches began to sing in vernacular languages such as Malayalam.
Musical Improvisation
Authors: Racy A. J.
Published: January 2015

This chapter studies musical improvisation from the perspective of a performing musician and ethnomusicologist. Informed by personal experience and theory, the author explores improvisation in terms of two broadly conceived yet closely interconnected realms, musical artistry and cultural interpretation. Examples from different world contexts are presented with emphasis on the author’s area of expertise, especially the Arab World, Turkey, and Iran. Topics addressed include musical mode, emotion, ecstasy, and the cultural values and meanings attached to improvisatory practice. Cross-cultural musical fusions are closely studied. Through analysis of specific performance events, this research highlights the symbolic, social, political, and ideological meanings as well as the improvisatory artistry.
Carl Schmitt in Plettenberg
Authors: Linder Christian
Published: January 2015

This chapter focuses on Carl Schmitt’s years in post–World War II Germany. After being released from the Nuremberg prison for war criminals, Schmitt returned to his birthplace, Plettenberg, and named his house “San Casciano,” invoking a village in Tuscany where Machiavelli spent his final years. Like Schmitt, Machiavelli too was deprived of public office, in the Florentine city-state. While other intellectuals who had sympathized with the Nazis—Martin Heidegger, Gottfried Benn, and Ernst Jünger, among others—returned to the public sphere soon after 1945, Schmitt’s fate was different. This chapter reconstructs Schmitt’s Plettenberg years in letters, journals, and reports from companions and shows how his reputation changed from a “monster” to a myth. Even in his private years, Schmitt remained a public figure, fascinating to friends and foes. The controversies with his fiercest enemies in particular renewed his fame.
Identity Theft
Authors: Vieraitis Lynne M. , Shuraydi Amny
Published: January 2015

Often cited as one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States and abroad, identity theft continues to be of great concern to the public. It is a crime that is difficult to control and has become increasingly complex as offenders adapt to target hardening by consumers and businesses and identify new sources of data containing personally identifying information. The purpose of this essay is to provide readers with an overview of identity theft, including what is currently known about the trends and patterns of identity theft, information on offenders and victims, as well as the methods used by identity thieves to steal and convert personally identifying information for financial gain.
Orbital Conjunctival Cyst Associated With the Superior Rectus-Levator Muscles: A Clinicopathologic Study
Authors: Jakobiec Frederick A. , Grob Seanna R. , Stagner Anna M. , Curtin Hugh , Massoud Vicky , Fay Aaron
Published: January 2015

A 55-year-old woman had a right orbital cyst detected incidentally on radiographic imaging. The patient’s symptoms were mild and included intermittent pain and vertical diplopia; the patient was not aware of any visual decline. There was a palpable mass beneath the superior orbital rim. Radiographic imaging revealed a well-demarcated cystic lesion in the right superior orbit between the levator palpebrae superioris and superior rectus muscles. The mass was completely excised via a transconjunctival approach. Histopathologic evaluation disclosed a conjunctival cyst lined by nonkeratinized squamous epithelium with scattered, rare goblet cells. This case combined with 5 other similar reported cases suggests that an intermuscular cyst located in the superior rectus-levator complex is most likely of congenital embryonic conjunctival origin.
Unilateral Migratory Relapsing Orbital Myositis While on Immunosuppressant Therapy: An Uncommon Entity
Authors: Singh Swati , Mittal Ruchi , Padhan Prasanta , Tripathy Devjyoti
Published: January 2015

A young healthy female presented with acute onset left ocular pain, restricted ocular motility, and binocular diplopia. CT imaging showed left lateral rectus myositis that resolved with oral corticosteroids. Two sequential relapses occurred subsequently involving the superior rectus–levator complex followed by the medial rectus. Biopsy revealed orbital inflammatory disease with lymphocytic vasculitis. Detailed systemic work up was normal. The second relapse was seen while on long-term oral methotrexate although initial disease remission had been achieved with the same drug. A changeover to oral azathioprine was able to achieve disease remission after the second relapse. All relapses involved the same side and the contralateral orbit was not affected. This report presents the curious phenomenon of unilateral migratory relapsing orbital myositis of unknown cause that recurred even while on immunosuppressant therapy. It highlights the unpredictable nature of this uncommon entity and the challenges faced in managing such cases.
Oral Administration of Surfactant Protein‐A Reduces Pathology in an Experimental Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Authors: Quintanilla Hector D. , Liu Yuying , Fatheree Nicole Y. , Atkins Constance L. , Hashmi Syed S. , Floros Joanna , McCormack Francis X. , Rhoads Jon Marc , Alcorn Joseph L.
Published: January 2015

Objectives:

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) frequently results in significant morbidity and mortality in premature infants. Others reported that mice deficient in pulmonary surfactant protein‐A (SP‐A) born and raised in a nonhygienic environment succumb to significant gastrointestinal tract pathology, and enteral administration of purified SP‐A significantly reduced mortality. We hypothesized that oral administration of purified SP‐A can ameliorate pathology in an experimental model of neonatal NEC.

Methods:

Experimental NEC was induced in newborn Sprague–Dawley rat pups by daily formula gavage and intermittent exposure to hypoxia. Purified human SP‐A (5 μg/day) was administered by oral gavage. After 4 days, surviving pups were sacrificed, and intestinal pathology was assessed by histological examination of distal terminal ileal sections. Intestinal levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β, IFN‐γ, and TNF‐α) were assessed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and levels of Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) by Western analysis.

Results:

Sixty‐one percent of the gavaged rat pups that survived to day 4 met the criteria for experimental NEC after hypoxia, whereas treatment with SP‐A significantly reduced mortality and assessment of NEC. Intestinal levels of proinflammatory cytokines were significantly increased in pups exposed to hypoxia. Administration of SP‐A to pups exposed to hypoxia significantly reduced IL‐1β and TNF‐α levels, but had little effect on elevated levels of IFN‐γ. SP‐A treatment of hypoxia‐exposed pups significantly reduced expression of intestinal TLR4, key in NEC pathogenesis.

Conclusions:

In a rat model of experimental neonatal NEC, oral administration of SP‐A reduces intestinal levels of proinflammatory cytokines and TLR4 protein and ameliorates adverse outcomes associated with gastrointestinal pathologies.
Nonanesthesia Magnetic Resonance Enterography in Young Children
Authors: Courtier Jesse , Cardenas Agustin , Tan Cynthia , Towne Michael , Rhee Sue J. , Heyman Melvin B. , MacKenzie John D.
Published: January 2015

Objectives:

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the effectiveness and cost savings of a nonanesthesia approach to magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) in 14 young pediatric patients (age 4–7 years) with clinically suspected early‐onset inflammatory bowel disease using an MRE protocol.

Methods:

MRE was performed using a combination of an abbreviated imaging protocol, magnetic resonance imaging video goggles, and Child Life Services support. MRE results were correlated with both colonoscopy and pathology results using Pearson correlation coefficient. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated.

Results:

MRE was performed successfully in 13 of 14 patients (age range 4 years 0 months to 7 years 6 months). MRE findings matched with results in 12 of 13 patients in whom colonoscopy was successfully performed. Both MRE and colonoscopy demonstrated a high specificity (100%) and a positive predictive value (100%), but a low sensitivity (43%) and a negative predictive value (50%).

Conclusions:

MRE can be successfully performed in children ages 4 to 7 years using this approach. In addition to decreased risks to the child, the lack of anesthesia also offers a potential overall cost reduction.
Timing and severity of immunizing diseases in rabbits is controlled by seasonal matching of host and pathogen dynamics
Authors: Wells Konstans , Brook Barry W. , Lacy Robert C. , Mutze Greg J. , Peacock David E. , Sinclair Ron G. , Schwensow Nina , Cassey Phillip , O'Hara Robert B. , Fordham Damien A.
Published: January 2015

Infectious diseases can exert a strong influence on the dynamics of host populations, but it remains unclear why such disease-mediated control only occurs under particular environmental conditions. We used 16 years of detailed field data on invasive European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Australia, linked to individual-based stochastic models and Bayesian approximations, to test whether (i) mortality associated with rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is driven primarily by seasonal matches/mismatches between demographic rates and epidemiological dynamics and (ii) delayed infection (arising from insusceptibility and maternal antibodies in juveniles) are important factors in determining disease severity and local population persistence of rabbits. We found that both the timing of reproduction and exposure to viruses drove recurrent seasonal epidemics of RHD. Protection conferred by insusceptibility and maternal antibodies controlled seasonal disease outbreaks by delaying infection; this could have also allowed escape from disease. The persistence of local populations was a stochastic outcome of recovery rates from both RHD and myxomatosis. If susceptibility to RHD is delayed, myxomatosis will have a pronounced effect on population extirpation when the two viruses coexist. This has important implications for wildlife management, because it is likely that such seasonal interplay and disease dynamics has a strong effect on long-term population viability for many species.
Response of a shallow asymmetric V-shaped canyon to antiplane elastic waves
Authors: Chang Kao-Hao , Tsaur Deng-How , Wang Jeen-Hwa
Published: January 2015

This study focuses on the theoretical aspect of topographic scattering induced by a shallow asymmetric V-shaped canyon under plane shear horizontal-wave incidence. An analytical approach, based on the region-matching technique, is applied to derive a rigorous series solution, which is more general than that in a previous study. For the wave functions constrained in two angular directions, a novel form of Graf's addition formula is derived to arbitrarily shift the local coordinate system. Barrier geometry, angle of incidence and wave frequency are taken as the most significant parameters in exploring the topographic effects of localized concave free surfaces on ground motions. Both surface and subsurface motions are presented. Comparisons with previously published results and boundary-element solutions show good agreement. Frequency-domain results indicate that, for the high-frequency case at a low grazing angle (corresponding to the potential case in teleseismic propagation), the high levels of amplified motions occur mostly on the illuminated side of the canyon. When the windward slope is steeper, the peak amplitude values, at least 2.4 times larger than those of free-field responses, tend to increase. Time-domain simulations display how a sequence of scattered waves travel and attenuate at regional distances.
Speed kills: ineffective avian escape responses to oncoming vehicles
Authors: DeVault Travis L. , Blackwell Bradley F. , Seamans Thomas W. , Lima Steven L. , Fernández-Juricic Esteban
Published: January 2015

Animal–vehicle collisions cause high levels of vertebrate mortality worldwide, and what goes wrong when animals fail to escape and ultimately collide with vehicles is not well understood. We investigated alert and escape behaviours of captive brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in response to virtual vehicle approaches of different sizes and at speeds ranging from 60 to 360 km h−1. Alert and flight initiation distances remained similar across vehicle speeds, and accordingly, alert and flight initiation times decreased at higher vehicle speeds. Thus, avoidance behaviours in cowbirds appeared to be based on distance rather than time available for escape, particularly at 60–150 km h−1; however, at higher speeds (more than or equal to 180 km h−1) no trend in response behaviour was discernible. As vehicle speed increased, cowbirds did not have enough time to assess the approaching vehicle, and cowbirds generally did not initiate flight with enough time to avoid collision when vehicle speed exceeded 120 km h−1. Although potentially effective for evading predators, the decision-making process used by cowbirds in our study appears maladaptive in the context of avoiding fast-moving vehicles. Our methodological approach and findings provide a framework to assess how novel management strategies could affect escape rules, and the sensory and cognitive abilities animals use to avoid vehicle collisions.
Specialization and group size: brain and behavioural correlates of colony size in ants lacking morphological castes
Authors: Amador-Vargas Sabrina , Gronenberg Wulfila , Wcislo William T. , Mueller Ulrich
Published: January 2015

Group size in both multicellular organisms and animal societies can correlate with the degree of division of labour. For ants, the task specialization hypothesis (TSH) proposes that increased behavioural specialization enabled by larger group size corresponds to anatomical specialization of worker brains. Alternatively, the social brain hypothesis proposes that increased levels of social stimuli in larger colonies lead to enlarged brain regions in all workers, regardless of their task specialization. We tested these hypotheses in acacia ants (Pseudomyrmex spinicola), which exhibit behavioural but not morphological task specialization. In wild colonies, we marked, followed and tested ant workers involved in foraging tasks on the leaves (leaf-ants) and in defensive tasks on the host tree trunk (trunk-ants). Task specialization increased with colony size, especially in defensive tasks. The relationship between colony size and brain region volume was task-dependent, supporting the TSH. Specifically, as colony size increased, the relative size of regions within the mushroom bodies of the brain decreased in trunk-ants but increased in leaf-ants; those regions play important roles in learning and memory. Our findings suggest that workers specialized in defence may have reduced learning abilities relative to leaf-ants; these inferences remain to be tested. In societies with monomorphic workers, brain polymorphism enhanced by group size could be a mechanism by which division of labour is achieved.
Gradual acquisition of immunity to severe malaria with increasing exposure
Authors: Griffin Jamie T. , Hollingsworth T. Déirdre , Reyburn Hugh , Drakeley Chris J. , Riley Eleanor M. , Ghani Azra C.
Published: January 2015

Previous analyses have suggested that immunity to non-cerebral severe malaria due to
Plasmodium falciparum
is acquired after only a few infections, whereas longitudinal studies show that some children experience multiple episodes of severe disease, suggesting that immunity may not be acquired so quickly. We fitted a mathematical model for the acquisition and loss of immunity to severe disease to the age distribution of severe malaria cases stratified by symptoms from a range of transmission settings in Tanzania, combined with data from several African countries on the age distribution and overall incidence of severe malaria. We found that immunity to severe disease was acquired more gradually with exposure than previously thought. The model also suggests that physiological changes, rather than exposure, may alter the symptoms of disease with increasing age, suggesting that a later age at infection would be associated with a higher proportion of cases presenting with cerebral malaria regardless of exposure. This has consequences for the expected pattern of severe disease as transmission changes. Careful monitoring of the decline in immunity associated with reduced transmission will therefore be needed to ensure rebound epidemics of severe and fatal malaria are avoided.
Haloarchaeobius salinus sp. nov., isolated from an inland salt lake, and emended description of the genus Haloarchaeobius
Authors: Yuan Pan-Pan , Zhang Wen-Jiao , Han Dong , Cui Heng-Lin
Published: January 2015

The halophilic archaeal strain, YC82T, was isolated from Yuncheng salt lake in Shanxi, PR China. Cells from strain YC82T were Gram-stain negative, pleomorphic rods, which lysed in distilled water and formed light-red colonies on solid media. Strain YC82T grew at 25–50 °C (optimum 37 °C), in 1.4–4.8 M NaCl (optimum 2.0 M), in 0–1.0 M MgCl2 (optimum 0.05 M) and at pH 6.0–9.5 (optimum pH 7.5). The major polar lipids of strain YC82T were phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, phosphatidylglycerol sulfate and three glycolipids, which were chromatographically identical to those of

Haloarchaeobius iranensis

IBRC-M 10013T and

Haloarchaeobius litoreus

CGMCC 1.10390T. 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed that strain YC82T had two dissimilar 16S rRNA genes and that it was phylogenetically related to

Hab. iranensis

IBRC-M 10013T (94.3–99.0 % nucleotide identity) and

Hab. litoreus

CGMCC 1.10390T (94.1–98.8 % nucleotide identity). The rpoB′ gene similarities between strain YC82T and

Hab. iranensis

IBRC-M 10013T and

Hab. litoreus

CGMCC 1.10390T were 96.5 % and 95.7 %, respectively. The DNA G+C content of strain YC82T was 63.7 mol%. Strain YC82T showed low DNA–DNA relatedness with

Hab. iranensis

IBRC-M 10013T and

Hab. litoreus

CGMCC 1.10390T. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic properties of strain YC82T ( = CGMCC 1.12232T = JCM 18644T) suggest that it represents a novel species of the genus

Haloarchaeobius

, for which the name Haloarchaeobius salinus sp. nov. is proposed. An emended description of the genus

Haloarchaeobius

is also presented.
Segmenting Australian online panellists based on volunteering motivations
Authors: Vocino Andrea , Polonsky Michael , Dolnicar Sara
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to seek to assess whether online commercial panel volunteering can be segmented based on their motivations, using the volunteer functions inventor. The authors also investigate whether segments exist which differ in demographic characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors survey 484 Australian online panel volunteers using a adapted version of the 30 item of the volunteer function inventory (VFI) scale developed by Clary et al. (1998). Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and cluster analysis, as well as ANOVA and χ2 test comparisons of demographics between clusters.

Findings

– CFA verifies that the VFI scale is suitable instrument to gauge online participants’ motivations. Cluster analysis produced a five-cluster solution, where respondents with low motivations overall comprised the largest grouping. Segments are interpreted by assessing the difference between the total sample average and the segment profile. The examination also identifies that the only demographic factor that varies across the five clusters is “respondents” employment status”.

Research limitations/implications

– Future research could explore if differences in segments result in differences in online participation. The high number or respondents with low motivations may explain the relatively high levels of churn that take place within online panels and as a result panel operators would need to continually attract new members. Further research could also investigate whether the levels of motivation change over time and if so what effect such variation would produce on respondents’ retention.

Originality/value

– Research on online panel respondents’ motivation is still limited and investigating online panellists’ motivation as volunteers is very important as it unveils, as in the study herein reported, that alternative types of respondents may be driven by different factors when joining an online panel (or completing a given survey). Recruitment strategies could, therefore, be shaped to suit the motivation of the different segments. By refining the matching between volunteers’ profiles and their motivation, managers could improve how volunteers are recruited, managed and retained.
Comparison investigation of fluid rheological characteristics effect on stator temperature field for large hydro-generator based on experiment
Authors: Ding Shuye , Wang Mengqi
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship of fluid flow and heat transfer inside the generator, a large hydro-generator is taken for an example and the temperature field in the generator is calculated according to computation of fluid field by using of corresponding mathematics methods based on fluid mechanical theory and heat transfer theory.

Design/methodology/approach

– To calculate the temperature field of the generator more accurately, a large-scale hydro-generator is taken as an example and the mathematical model and physical model of 3D stator temperature field and fluid field are established. And the calculation results of the fluid field are applied into the physics field of generator, coupled relationship between fluid field and temperature field was calculated by using of finite volume method and finite element method, respectively. The temperature fields based on fluid fields and the effect of different fluid flow state on generator temperature were analyzed and compared.

Findings

– The calculated results shows show good agreement with the measured results, meanwhile the effect of different fluid field state on the temperature field is analyzed and the relationship between temperature fields and fluid fields is achieved, which will provide a theoretical basis for ventilation structure design and calculation of synthesis physical fields.

Originality/value

– The relationship between temperature fields and fluid fields is obtained, providing a theoretical basis for ventilation structure design and calculation of synthesis physical fields.