bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of intralaryngeal muscle synkinesis on perception of voice handicap in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis
Authors: Lin R. Jun , Munin Michael C. , Rosen Clark A. , Smith Libby J.
Published: January 2017

Objectives/Hypothesis

Intralaryngeal muscle synkinesis associated with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) is thought to preserve thyroarytenoid‐lateral cricoarytenoid muscle complex tone, resulting in a better voice despite the presence of vocal fold paralysis (VFP). This study compares voice handicap in patients with unilateral VFP (UVFP) with and without evidence of adductory synkinesis on laryngeal electromyography (LEMG).

Study Design

Retrospective review of LEMG data and Voice Handicap Index‐10 (VHI‐10) scores of patients diagnosed with permanent UVFP.

Methods

LEMG was performed within 1 to 6 months post onset of UVFP. Patients were stratified into two groups: 1) recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) neuropathy with synkinesis and 2) RLN neuropathy without synkinesis. Synkinesis was diagnosed when the sniff to phonation maximum amplitude ratio was ≥0.65. VHI‐10 scores at 6‐month follow‐up were recorded.

Results

Four hundred forty‐nine patients with UVFP and who had an LEMG were reviewed. Eighty‐three patients met the inclusion criteria, with 16 in group 1 and 67 in group 2. There was no significant difference between the groups with regard to age, timing of LEMG from onset of VFP, number of patients undergoing temporary vocal fold injection or use of off‐label nimodipine. Average VHI‐10 scores at 6 months post onset of VFP were 14.4 ± 10.6 for patients with LEMG‐identified synkinesis (group 1) and 21.0 ± 10.1 for patients with no LEMG evidence of synkinesis (group 2). This was statistically significant (P = .02).

Conclusions

Patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis and LEMG evidence of laryngeal synkinesis are more likely to have less perceived voice handicap than those without synkinesis.

Level of evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 127:1628–1632, 2017
Determination of total phosphorus in natural waters with a simple neutral digestion method using sodium persulfate
Authors: Ma Jian , Yuan Yuan , Zhou Tingjin , Yuan Dongxing
Published: January 2017

The determination of total phosphorus (TP) in an aqueous sample is based on digestion of the sample to convert phosphorus compounds into orthophosphate, which can then be determined based on spectrophotometry. The widely used oxidant, potassium persulfate, has poor aqueous solubility and requires careful handling with furnace, autoclave, or oven. Here, a very simple method for the determination of TP has been developed, using an inexpensive portable water boiler for neutral digestion and highly water soluble sodium persulfate instead of potassium persulfate. The key experimental factors have been evaluated and optimized. The optimal conditions for efficient TP determination were found to be 3 h of digestion time at sub‐boiling temperature, followed by addition of ascorbic acid to eliminate free chlorine generated from the saline sample, and then addition of the ammonium molybdate reagent for detection by UV‐Vis spectrophotometry. The detection limit is 0.02 μM using 5‐cm cuvette. Under these optimized conditions, both artificial solutions containing model phosphorus compounds (n = 19) and natural water samples (n = 14) were analyzed using both sodium persulfate and potassium persulfate. There is no significant difference between the digestion performances of these two oxidants. This new method was used to analyze natural water samples (n = 28) in comparison with the standard autoclaving method using potassium persulfate. The analytical results using this method agreed very well with the standard method. Samples of different matrix were analyzed, showing the successful application of this method in both environmental monitoring (time series and spatial survey) and marine science (spatial and vertical distribution).
Treatment of a vulvar Paget's disease by photodynamic therapy with a new light emitting fabric based device
Authors: Vicentini Claire , Carpentier Olivier , Lecomte Fabienne , Thecua Elise , Mortier Laurent , Mordon Serge R.
Published: January 2017

Introduction

The non‐invasive vulvar Paget's disease is an intra‐epidermal carcinoma with glandular characteristics. It appears like an erythematous plaque. The main symptoms are pruritus and pain. The standard treatment is surgical excision in depth. This treatment is complicated with a severe morbidity and photodynamic therapy can be an alternative choice. However, the pain experienced during the photodynamic treatment of vulvar lesion is intense and leads to a premature interruption of the treatment. The light emitting fabric is a part of a device under clinical evaluation for the treatment of actinic keratosis with photodynamic therapy. We report the observation of a vulvar Paget's disease treated by this device with a satisfactory result and an excellent tolerance.

Clinical Observation

The patient has been diagnosed with non‐invasive vulvar Paget's disease for 25 years. The disease recurred constantly despite several imiquimod applications, LASER treatments and conventional photodynamic therapy. These procedures were complicated with intense pain. To improve the tolerance, we performed three PDT sessions a month apart using a 16% methyl‐aminolevulinate cream (Metvixia® Galderma, Lausanne, Switzerland) with the light emitting fabric at low irradiance (irradiance = 6 mW/cm2–fluence = 37 J/cm2) with a satisfactory result and an excellent tolerance.

Discussion

There are no controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of vulvar Paget's disease. The treatment and follow‐up protocols in the literature are heterogeneous. Pain is the most common side effect with greater intensity for perineal locations where photodynamic therapy is impractical outside of anesthesia or hypnosis.

Conclusion

We report the case of a multirecidivant non‐invasive vulvar Paget's disease treated with a satisfactory result and an excellent tolerance by the new light emitting fabric device. A specific study is required but the light emitting fabric could be indicated for the treatment of Paget disease of perineal location. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:177–180, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tomography of Electrospun Carbon Nanotube Polymeric Blends by Focus Ion Beam: Alignment and Phase Separation Analysis from Multicontrast Electron Imaging
Authors: Campo Eva M. , Yates Douglas , Berson Benjamin , Rojas Wudmir , Winter Allen D. , Ananth Mohan , Santiago‐Aviles Jorge J. , Terentjev Eugene M.
Published: January 2017

Multimodal focused ion beam (FIB) imaging on a polydimethylsiloxane/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) electrospun composite has been applied to discriminate the phase‐separated polymer blend and identify MWCNT fillers. Upon tomographic reconstruction, this discrimination has been possible through both atomic number and voltage contrast, the latter being enabled by preferential MWCNT segregation to PMMA. This study suggests that electrospinning could be affecting not only MWCNT alignment but also phase separation dynamics of immiscible polymers, yielding a porous structure throughout the fibers. This work opens the door to correlative materials science in polymer nanocomposites through FIB tomography, where voltage contrast is a main actor.

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Short time existence for the elastic flow of clamped curves
Authors: Spener Adrian
Published: January 2017

We show well‐posedness of the elastic flow of open curves with clamped boundary conditions. To show short time existence we prove that the linearised problem has the property of maximal ‐regularity and use the contraction principle to obtain the solution. Moreover, we show analyticity of the solution and its analytic dependency on the initial curve. With the developed methods we also prove long time existence of the flow if the initial curve is close to an elastica.
Supramolecular Polymer Network‐Mediated Self‐Assembly of Semicrystalline Polymers with Excellent Crystalline Performance
Authors: Cheng Chih‐Chia , Chuang Wei‐Tsung , Lee Duu‐Jong , Xin Zhong , Chiu Chih‐Wei
Published: January 2017

A novel application of supramolecular interactions within semicrystalline polymers, capable of self‐assembling into supramolecular polymer networks via self‐complementary multiple hydrogen‐bonded complexes, is demonstrated for efficient construction of highly controlled self‐organizing hierarchical structures to offer a direct, efficient nucleation pathway resulting in superior crystallization performance. Herein, a novel functionalized poly(ε‐caprolactone) containing self‐complementary sextuple hydrogen‐bonded uracil‐diamidopyridine (U‐DPy) moieties is successfully developed and demonstrated excellent thermal and viscoelastic properties as well as high dynamic structural stability in the bulk state due to physical cross‐linking created by reversible sextuple hydrogen bonding between U‐DPy units. Due to the ability to vary the extent of the reversible network by tuning the U‐DPy content, this newly developed material can be readily adjusted to obtain the desired crystalline products with specific characteristics. Importantly, incorporating only 0.1% U‐DPy resulted in a polymer with a high crystallization rate constant, short crystallization half‐time, and much more rapid crystallization kinetics than pristine PCL, indicating a low content of U‐DPy moieties provides highly efficient nucleation sites that manipulate the nucleation and growth processes of polymer crystals to promote crystallization and chain alignment in bulk. This new system is suggested as a potential new route to substantially improve the performance of polymer crystallization.

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Chicory inulin ameliorates type 2 diabetes mellitus and suppresses JNK and MAPK pathways in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Ning Chong , Wang Xiyao , Gao Song , Mu Jingjing , Wang Yuehua , Liu Suwen , Zhu Jinyan , Meng Xianjun
Published: January 2017

Scope

Chicory inulin is a naturally occurring fructan that is conducive to glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with diabetes mellitus. This study aims to investigate the mechanism by which chicory inulin improves glucolipid metabolism in diabetic conditions.

Methods and results

Rats were injected with streptozotocin and fed with high fat diet to induce diabetes, and then administrated with different doses of chicory inulin for 8 weeks. The glycometabolism and lipid metabolism parameters were determined, the activity of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) and mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were examined by western blot. The effect of chicory inulin on glucose uptake of myoblast and hepatocyte were also measured in vitro. Data were analyzed by student's t‐test or one‐way analysis of variance followed by the Bonferroni post‐hoc testing. The results showed that chicory inulin improved glucolipid metabolism, and it activated IRS but suppressed the MAPK pathways in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that chicory inulin, as a nutritional supplement, may be beneficial for the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and the metabolism‐modulatory effect seems to be related with the inhibition of JNK and P38 MAPK pathways.
In vivo metabolomic interpretation of the anti‐obesity effects of hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab L.) administration in high‐fat diet mice
Authors: Suh Dong Ho , Lee Hye Won , Jung Eun Sung , Singh Digar , Kim Seung‐Hyung , Lee Choong Hwan
Published: January 2017

Scope

The esoteric anti‐obesity effects of hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab L) have largely remained unexplored. Herein, we investigated the anti‐obesity mechanisms of hyacinth bean compared to milk thistle, a natural herb employed for ameliorating obesity‐related diseases, using high‐fat diet (HFD) fed mice towards unfolding the perplexing mechanisms.

Methods and results

C57BL/6J mice were orally administered hyacinth bean (25 mg/kg/day) and milk thistle (100 mg/kg/day) for 9 weeks along with HFD. Intriguingly, a number of anti‐obesity mechanisms indexed through clinical parameters, suppression in weight gains and liver steatosis were found similar to some disparity. Furthermore, the corresponding metabolic implications were studied through MS‐based metabolite profiling, and using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes for metabolic pathways revealing that hyacinth bean or milk thistle administration effectively attenuates the HFD‐induced lipid, glucose, and bile acid metabolism, with former specifically attenuates pyruvate‐derived amino acids metabolism. Among them, valine, asparagine, and lysine displayed high correlation with blood clinical parameters.

Conclusion

A lower dose of hyacinth bean resulted in similar anti‐obesity effects as milk thistle, as confirmed by both clinical and metabolomics analyses. Equivocally, we conjecture that hyacinth bean could be used as a potent anti‐obesity herbal functional food.
MRI‐based prostate cancer detection with high‐level representation and hierarchical classification
Authors: Zhu Yulian , Wang Li , Liu Mingxia , Qian Chunjun , Yousuf Ambereen , Oto Aytekin , Shen Dinggang
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Extracting the high‐level feature representation by using deep neural networks for detection of prostate cancer, and then based on high‐level feature representation constructing hierarchical classification to refine the detection results.

Methods

High‐level feature representation is first learned by a deep learning network, where multiparametric MR images are used as the input data. Then, based on the learned high‐level features, a hierarchical classification method is developed, where multiple random forest classifiers are iteratively constructed to refine the detection results of prostate cancer.

Results

The experiments were carried on 21 real patient subjects, and the proposed method achieves an averaged section‐based evaluation (SBE) of 89.90%, an averaged sensitivity of 91.51%, and an averaged specificity of 88.47%.

Conclusions

The high‐level features learned from our proposed method can achieve better performance than the conventional handcrafted features (e.g., LBP and Haar‐like features) in detecting prostate cancer regions, also the context features obtained from the proposed hierarchical classification approach are effective in refining cancer detection result.
Use of Online Spectroscopy to Control Polymerization in Industrial Processes
Authors: Colegrove Brenda , Deshpande Kishori , Harner Rich , Mikolajczyk Liane , Stephenson Serena K. , Tate J. D. , Weston John
Published: January 2017

Online analyzers enable manufacturers to operate modern polymerization processes as safely, reliably, and profitably as possible. The most critical application of this technology involves monitoring the reactor itself to determine the molecular weight and comonomer content of the polymer produced. Polymer process streams introduce unique challenges for online analyzers because the process chemistry, sample transport, and stream conditions are harsher, prone to fouling, and pose unique safety hazards. Spectroscopy lends itself very well to online analysis of polymers because the data it provides is information rich and can be deployed using fiber optics for remote sampling of gases, liquids, and solids. Additionally, it is relatively fast and reliable if well designed and installed properly. The combination of spectroscopy, fiber optics, and chemometrics gives manufacturers the ability to use modern spectrometers and statistical models to analyze and monitor diverse types of polymerization processes. Several examples are provided in this article, including application to polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyurethane, and polystyrene processes.

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Different dynamics and pathway of disulfide bonds reduction of two human defensins, a molecular dynamics simulation study
Authors: Zhang Liqun
Published: January 2017

Human defensins are a class of antimicrobial peptides that are crucial components of the innate immune system. Both human α defensin type 5 (HD5) and human β defensin type 3 (hBD‐3) have 6 cysteine residues which form 3 pairs of disulfide bonds in oxidizing condition. Disulfide bond linking is important to the protein structure stabilization, and the disulfide bond linking and breaking order have been shown to influence protein function. In this project, microsecond long molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the structure and dynamics of HD5 and hBD‐3 wildtype and analogs which have all 3 disulfide bonds released in reducing condition. The structure of hBD‐3 was found to be more dynamic and flexible than HD5, based on RMSD, RMSF, and radius of gyration calculations. The disulfide bridge breaking order of HD5 and hBD‐3 in reducing condition was predicted by two kinds of methods, which gave consistent results. It was found that the disulfide bonds breaking pathways for HD5 and hBD‐3 are very different. The breaking of disulfide bonds can influence the dimer interface by making the dimer structure less stable for both kinds of defensin. In order to understand the difference in dynamics and disulfide bond breaking pathway, hydrophilic and hydrophobic accessible surface areas (ASA), buried surface area between cysteine pairs, entropy of cysteine pairs, and internal energy were calculated. Comparing to the wildtype, hBD‐3 analog is more hydrophobic, while HD5 is more hydrophilic. For hBD‐3, the disulfide breaking is mainly entropy driven, while other factors such as the solvation effects may take the major role in controlling HD5 disulfide breaking pathway. Proteins 2017; 85:665–681. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Auxetic structures with regularly configured rigid sliding units
Authors: Kim Junhyun , Shin Dongheok , Lee Sungchan , Lee Jaegyu , Kwon Seongwoon , Yoon Seulhee , Yoo Do‐Sik , Kim Kyoungsik
Published: January 2017

In this paper, we introduce methods of constructing structures with rigid sliding units that exhibit auxetic behavior, namely, have negative Poisson's ratio. First, we illustrate how we can construct 2‐dimensional (2D) auxetic structures with bow‐tie shaped rigid sliding hexagonal units. Next, we show that we can construct 3‐dimensional (3D) auxetic structures by arranging hourglass shaped rigid sliding units in regular triangular configuration or in regular square configuration. Also, we show, through theoretical and numerical analysis, that these structures indeed exhibit auxetic behaviors.
Interface of ZnS single sheet and substrates: a first‐principles study
Authors: Yu Wen , Wang Xiao , Li Chuanguo , Xiao Lixia
Published: January 2017

Two‐dimensional materials have aroused great interests because of their unique properties not seen in the bulk counterparts. The interface of the ZnS single sheet and substrates are studied in this paper. Different from isolated ZnS single sheet, here in this study, the ZnS single sheet has a remarkable corrugation feature because of the interaction between the ZnS single sheet and the substrate. The top‐site Zn means an attractive reaction with the substrate while the top‐site S means repulsive. For ZnS single sheet/Si(111) interface, the symmetry of the interface does not decrease after geometry optimization because the two layers have a good lattice matching. For ZnS single sheet/Ag(111) interface, an unbalanced interaction (attractive or repulsive) between the ZnS single sheet (Zn or S atom) and Ag surface leads to remarkable corrugation of the ZnS single sheet and the symmetry of the interface decreases. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simplifying the construction of source code transformations via automatic syntactic restructurings
Authors: Newman Christian D. , Bartman Brian , Collard Michael L. , Maletic Jonathan I.
Published: January 2017

A set of restructurings to systematically normalize selective syntax in C++ is presented. The objective is to convert variations in syntax of specific portions of code into a single form to simplify the construction of large, complex program transformation rules. Current approaches to constructing transformations require developers to account for a large number of syntactic cases, many of which are syntactically different but semantically equivalent. The work identifies classes of such syntactic variations and presents normalizing restructurings to simplify each variation to a single, consistent syntactic form. The normalizing restructurings for C++ are presented and applied to two open source systems for evaluation. The evaluation uses the system's test cases to validate that the normalizing restructurings do not affect the systems' tested behavior. In addition, a set of example transformations that benefit from the prior application of normalizing restructurings are presented along with a small survey to assess the effect of the readability of the resultant code.
An empirical comparison of formalisms for modelling and analysis of dynamic reconfiguration of dependable systems
Authors: Bhattacharyya Anirban , Mokhov Andrey , Pierce Ken
Published: January 2017

This paper uses a case study to evaluate empirically three formalisms of different kinds for their suitability for the modelling and analysis of dynamic reconfiguration of dependable systems. The requirements on an ideal formalism for dynamic software reconfiguration are defined. The reconfiguration of an office workflow for order processing is described, and the requirements on the reconfiguration of the workflow are defined. The workflow is modelled using the Vienna Development Method (VDM), conditional partial order graphs (CPOGs), and the basic Calculus of Communicating Systems for dynamic process reconfiguration (basic CCSdp), and verification of the reconfiguration requirements is attempted using the models. The formalisms are evaluated according to their ability to model the reconfiguration of the workflow, to verify the requirements on the workflow’s reconfiguration, and to meet the requirements on an ideal formalism.
Routine First Trimester Screening for Maternal Thyroid Disease
Authors: Dhaifalah Ishraq , Salek Tomas , Langova Dagmar , Cuckle Howard
Published: January 2017

The aim was to assess the proportion of women requiring a referral to an endocrinologist when carrying out routine screening for maternal thyroid disease simultaneously with screening for Down syndrome. Between November 2009 and September 2015, women having a first trimester combined test were screened; those symptomatic or being investigated for thyroid problems were excluded. In the first half of the period the blood sample was tested for anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies, serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and free thyroxine (fT4); thereafter fT4 was not used. Women with at least one analyte outside the range (TPO more than 5.6 kU/L, TSH 0.35–4.94 mU/L, fT4 9.0–19.1 pmL/L) were referred to an endocrinologist for counseling. Of 10,052 women screened, 1190 (11.8%) had TSH, fT4, or antibody levels outside the range; 13.0% when fT4 was used and 10.4% thereafter. Most of these positive results were due to a single abnormal marker. There was a much higher positive rate in multiple pregnancies (27.3% compared with 11.5% in singletons; P < 0.0001). There was an association between positivity and maternal age (P < 0.0001), a higher rate in the small ethnic group of Asians (P < 0.0005) and a lower rate among smokers (P < 0.02) and following assisted reproduction (P < 0.05). Routine antibody and hormone testing at the same time as the combined test generated a large number of referrals but this did not overload the services.
Síndrome de burnout en aspirantes a la carrera de medicina
Authors: Domínguez-González Alejandro Daniel , Velasco-Jiménez María Teresa , Meneses-Ruiz Dulce María , Guzmán Valdivia-Gómez Gilberto , Castro-Martínez María Guadalupe
Published: January 2017

Introducción: El síndrome de burnout estudiantil es un fenómeno psicosocial producto de la exposición crónica a estresores propios del proceso formativo y en los aspirantes a la carrera de medicina confluyen factores desencadenantes como la exigencia académica y la competencia por ser seleccionado.
Objetivo: Determinar la presencia de burnout en aspirantes a la carrera de médico cirujano de una facultad de medicina particular de la ciudad de México.
Método: Estudio prospectivo, transversal y analítico, realizado en 344 estudiantes de los grupo I y grupo II de los cursos propedéuticos de 2014. El instrumento utilizado fue la Escala Unidimensional de Burnout Estudiantil y una encuesta sociodemográfica. El grado de burnout se determinó según el baremo propuesto por Barraza. Los datos fueron analizados con el paquete estadístico SPSS Statistics 23.
Resultados: Se detectó la presencia de burnout leve en ambos grupos de aspirantes. Los estudiantes del grupo GII presentaron mayor nivel de burnout. Este grupo se caracterizó por una mayor matrícula y menor edad. No hubo  correlación entre burnout y el sexo, así como con el tiempo de traslado.
Conclusiones: El estudio muestra la presencia de un nivel leve del síndrome de burnout en aspirantes a la carrera de medicina. El incremento en la matrícula y, por lo tanto, del grado de competencia por ingresar en la carrera puede ser  en factor que favorezca el desarrollo de burnout.
21st-Century civil aviation: Is it on course or is it over-confident and complacent? – thoughts on the conundrum of aviation and the environment
Authors: Poll D.I.A.
Published: January 2017

Aviation brings great commercial and social benefits and, as the global economy develops, the demand for air transport is expected to grow. However, aviation also contributes to climate change and there is increasing international pressure to limit mean global temperature rise. Therefore, the future success of aviation is likely to depend upon the industry's ability to hold its environmental impact within politically acceptable limits. This paper describes aviation's interaction with climate and sets out, in broad terms, the challenge facing the industry. The prospects for mitigating the adverse effects by advanced technology working through aircraft design and manufacture are assessed and some potential restrictions imposed by airport infrastructure are identified. Some consideration is also given to the practicalities imposed by airline economics and the likely impact of the recent ICAO regulations, plus the proposed global-based market measures scheme for aviation carbon offset. It is argued that the environmental problem is not just about carbon dioxide emissions and that aircraft technology improvement alone is unlikely to provide a complete solution. The observation that, in current operations, the total fuel used is almost twice the minimum required suggests a need to recognise a broader ownership of the problem and broader responsibility for the solution. However, improvements in the overall system efficiency will probably need to be driven by additional regulation and the imposition of other financial measures.

The overall conclusion is that the actions currently being taken and currently being proposed are probably not sufficient in themselves to meet the challenge of climate change. However, it appears that there is more that can be done and, provided that action is taken soon, there are some grounds for optimism that aviation will still be able to meet the needs of society in the 21stcentury.
Exact solutions for hydrodynamic interactions of two squirming spheres
Authors: Papavassiliou Dario , Alexander Gareth P.
Published: January 2017

We provide exact solutions of the Stokes equations for a squirming sphere close to a no-slip surface, both planar and spherical, and for the interactions between two squirmers, in three dimensions. These allow the hydrodynamic interactions of swimming microscopic organisms with confining boundaries, or with each other, to be determined for arbitrary separation and, in particular, in the close proximity regime where approximate methods based on point-singularity descriptions cease to be valid. We give a detailed description of the circular motion of an arbitrary squirmer moving parallel to a no-slip spherical boundary or flat free surface at close separation, finding that the circling generically has opposite sense at free surfaces and at solid boundaries. While the asymptotic interaction is symmetric under head–tail reversal of the swimmer, in the near field, microscopic structure can result in significant asymmetry. We also find the translational velocity towards the surface for a simple model with only the lowest two squirming modes. By comparing these to asymptotic approximations of the interaction we find that the transition from near- to far-field behaviour occurs at a separation of approximately two swimmer diameters. These solutions are for the rotational velocity about the wall normal, or common diameter of two spheres, and the translational speed along that same direction, and are obtained using the Lorentz reciprocal theorem for Stokes flows in conjunction with known solutions for the conjugate Stokes drag problems, the derivations of which are demonstrated here for completeness. The analogous motions in the perpendicular directions, i.e. parallel to the wall, currently cannot be calculated exactly since the relevant Stokes drag solutions needed for the reciprocal theorem are not available.
IN DEFENSE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: NEW CRITICS OF A BELEAGUERED HUMAN RIGHT
Authors: Philpott Daniel , Samuel Shah Timothy
Published: January 2017

Not so very long ago, the idea of religious freedom enjoyed all the self-evident virtue of a Norman Rockwell painting. Sure, Americans disagreed about what it meant in practice, leaving their Supreme Court to hash out the details. Still, however Americans differed in their religious beliefs, they espoused religious freedom and insisted that it cannot be government's job to promote any one religious sect over others or coerce anyone's conscience in religious matters. “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation,” thundered Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson in 1943, “it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”1For a time, this consensus seemed poised to embrace the entire world. When in November 1949 Eleanor Roosevelt proudly held up for public view a poster-size copy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including its article on “freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” one might have been forgiven for thinking that all the peoples of the earth were ready to follow her matronly instruction.2
Unhappy Offspring? Concubines and Their Sons in Early Abbasid Society
Authors: Gordon Matthew
Published: January 2017

Contemporary and later Arabic texts provide much evidence that wayward conduct by elite young adult males was a source of considerable stress in early Abbasid cities. This brief essay turns on a question: to what extent is such conduct to be attributed to concubinage? I treat two sample texts, each describing untoward activity on the part of well-placed adult sons and its impact on the Abbasid body politic. Neither text, however, speaks to concubinage. What follows, then, is an argument from circumstantial evidence. Concubinage seems a most likely source, and so can reasonably be connected to the broader patterns of social disjunction of the first Abbasid period (roughly the mid-8th to mid-10th centuries).
On the Provenance of Slaves in Mecca during the Time of the Prophet Muhammad
Authors: Gilli-Elewy Hend
Published: January 2017

There is hardly a source on early Islam that does not mention slaves in one way or another. They were ubiquitous companions of events, occasions, and incidences. But they played marginal roles in historical accounts. The numerous fragments of information, anecdotes, and offhand references concerning slaves during the rise of Islam call to be collected and analyzed to piece together a picture of various aspects of slavery during this period. References to slaves are especially prevalent in legal texts, as slaves provided useful cases to Muslim jurists to think through legal questions. The discussion of examples of slaves, walāʾ (clientele relationships), and manumission in hadith, exegesis, and jurisprudence has not only provided significant insight into the legal status of slaves, but has also helped scholars to develop a methodology for verifying and evaluating the source material itself. In this essay, I examine pieces of information available in historical and biographical works on early Islam to address the question of the provenance and procurement of slaves in Mecca, Medina, and the Hijaz during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Reconstructing this story involves dealing with narratives transmitted in various short, spurious, and often unrelated accounts. The source material for early Islam is, as is often pointed out, problematic and at times contradictory. It is laced with topoi and leitmotifs, and frequently proves tendentious, reflecting the opinions and biases of those who wrote them more than what actually happened. Nevertheless, reading beyond the topoi, leitmotifs, and tendentiousness, we find that “in the Traditions there is an undeniable core of ‘fact’” with which we can work and assume to be valid until shown to be false.
Epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminthiases-related mortality in Brazil
Authors: MARTINS-MELO FRANCISCO R. , RAMOS ALBERTO N. , ALENCAR CARLOS H. , LIMA MAURICÉLIA S. , HEUKELBACH JORG
Published: January 2017

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas, including Brazil. We performed a nationwide population-based study including all deaths in Brazil from 2000 to 2011, in which STHs (ascariasis, trichuriasis and/or hookworm infection) were mentioned on death certificates, either as underlying or as associated causes of death. Epidemiological characteristics, time trends and spatial analysis of STH-related mortality were analysed. STHs was identified on 853/12 491 280 death certificates: 827 (97·0%) deaths related to ascariasis, 25 (2·9%) to hookworm infections, and 1 (0·1%) to trichuriasis. The average annual age-adjusted mortality rate was 0·34/1 000 000 inhabitants (95% confidence interval: 0·27–0·44). Females, children <10 years of age, indigenous ethnic groups and residents in the Northeast region had highest STH-related mortality rates. Nationwide mortality decreased significantly over time (annual percent change: −5·7%; 95% CI: −6·9 to −4·4), with regional differences. We identified spatial high-risk clusters for STH-related mortality mainly in the North, Northeast and South regions. Diseases of the digestive system and infectious/parasitic diseases were the most commonly associated causes of death mentioned in the STH-related deaths. Despite decreasing mortality in Brazil, a considerable number of deaths is caused by STHs, with ascariasis responsible for the vast majority. There were marked regional differences, affecting mainly children and vulnerable populations.
Total Uncertainty of Radiocarbon Measurements of Marine Dissolved Organic Carbon and Methodological Recommendations
Authors: Druffel Ellen R M , Griffin Sheila , Walker Brett D , Coppola Alysha I , Glynn Danielle S
Published: January 2017

We report results of duplicate measurements of dissolved organic carbon concentrations ([DOC] as μM) and Δ14C in seawater in order to assess the total uncertainty of reported [DOC] and Δ14C measurements via the UV oxidation method. In addition, pure International Atomic Energy Agency standards analyzed over a 4-yr period are evaluated. We find the total uncertainty of Δ14C measurements to be ±4.0. However, in samples that were thawed, subsampled, and refrozen prior to UV oxidation, the total uncertainty of Δ14C measurements is on the order of ±10. The [DOC] measurements of these samples were also higher by 1.8 ± 0.3 μM. The reason(s) for these documented increases in total [DOC] and Δ14C uncertainty are unclear. In order to minimize any effects on sample measurements, we recommend the following: 1) regular monitoring of duplicate samples, DOC standards, and diluent (Milli-Q™) water for Δ14C and [DOC] measurements; 2) thawing a sample immediately and only once prior to UV oxidation; 3) avoid the use of DOC-leachable plumbing (such as PVC pipe) in both water systems feeding and within Milli-Q systems; and 4) consider the use of DOC-free diluents (i.e. pre-UV oxidized Milli-Q or sample water).
Radiocarbon Dating the Exploitation Phases of the Grotta Della Monaca Cave in Calabria, Southern Italy: A Prehistoric Mine for the Extraction of Iron and Copper
Authors: Quarta Gianluca , Larocca Felice , D'Elia Marisa , Gaballo Valentina , Macchia Maria , Palestra Giuseppe , Calcagnile Lucio
Published: January 2017

Grotta della Monaca is a karstic cave in Calabria (southern Italy) that plays an important role in reconstructing the oldest strategies for the acquisition of mineral resources in the Mediterranean. In fact, systematic archaeological excavations carried out by the University of Bari allowed the identification of intense prehistoric mining activities aimed at the exploitation of iron and copper ores. Archaeological evidence suggests different phases of frequentation of the cave spanning from the Upper Paleolithic, Neolithic, Copper and Bronze ages up to the Middle Ages. In order to establish an absolute timeframe for the different phases, a radiocarbon dating campaign was carried out and the results presented in this paper.
Chronology and Periodization of the Pit-Grave Culture in the Region Between the Volga and Ural Rivers Based on Radiocarbon Dating and Paleopedological Research
Authors: Morgunova N L , Khokhlova O S
Published: January 2017

We studied the chronology and periodization of the Pit-Grave (Yamnaya) culture at the Volga and Ural interfluve. Establishing the chronology of the Pit-Grave culture by archaeological methods is difficult due to the lack of artifacts in the burials. Therefore, we excavated 3 kurgan groups in the Orenburg region of Russia during the last decade. Eighteen kurgans of the Pit-Grave culture were studied using archaeological and paleopedological methods and radiocarbon dating. The funeral complexes studied were divided into 3 stages. A variety of carbon-containing materials from the same complexes were dated by different laboratories to increase the accuracy of the obtained dates. In addition, from the excavations of the last years some monuments of the Repino stage, the earliest period of the Pit-Grave culture, were dated using ceramics. Together with archaeological and paleopedological data, 14C dating helped to clarify and, in general, to confirm the 3-stage periodization of the Pit-Grave culture in the Volga-Ural interfluve: the early (Repino) stage, 4000–3300 BC; the advanced (classical) stage, 3300–2600 BC, which is divided into substages A and B at 3300–2900 and 2900–2600 BC, respectively; and the late (Poltavkinsky) stage, 2600–2300 BC.
Dating and Stable Isotope Analysis of Charred Residues on the Incipient Jomon Pottery (Japan)
Authors: Yoshida Kunio , Kunikita Dai , Miyazaki Yumiko , Nishida Yasutami , Miyao Toru , Matsuzaki Hiroyuki
Published: January 2017

This study reports radiocarbon dates of more than 30 samples of charred residues on pottery sherds of the Incipient Jomon period. The ages of Linear-relief (Ryukisenmon) pottery were 15,300–13,700 cal BP, with great differences among the samples. The pitted decoration (Enkomon), Nail-impressed (Tsumegatamon), and pressing and dragging (Oshibikimon) types date to 13,800–12,400 cal BP. For pottery of the same type, differences among sites were large. At the Unokiminami site, the impressed cord mark (Oatsu Jomon) is the main pottery type, including Nail-impressed. The latter shows a slightly older age. Stable isotope and elemental analyses were used to ascertain the origin of charred residues on the pottery. In the data set of Jomon pottery of the oldest type, residues consisting only of cooked nuts were found. However, Jomon people, even from early times, are thought to have cooked mixed plant and animal ingredients, including marine products.
First Direct Radiocarbon Dating of the Lower Congo Rock Art (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Authors: Heimlich Geoffroy , Richardin Pascale , Gandolfo Nathalie , Laval Eric , Menu Michel
Published: January 2017

Lower Congo rock art is concentrated in a region that stretches from Kinshasa to the Atlantic coast and from northern Angola to southern Congo-Brazzaville. Although Lower Congo rock art was identified as early as the 19th century, it had never been a subject of thorough investigation. Presently inhabited by the Ndibu, one of the Kongo subgroups, the Lovo Massif is situated north of the ancient Kongo Kingdom. With 102 sites (including 16 decorated caves), the massif has the largest concentration of rock art in the entire region. In 2008 and 2010, we were able to collect pigment samples directly on the panels of the newly discovered decorated cave of Tovo. Unlike the Sahara and southern Africa, both extensively prospected, rock art of central Africa is still widely unknown and not dated. Radiocarbon dating of rock art in Africa is a real challenge and only a few direct dates have been obtained thus far. After verifying that the pigment samples were indeed charcoal, we proceeded to 14C date them using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The results indicate dates between cal AD 1480 and 1800, confirming that the occupation of Tovo Cave was contemporaneous with the ancient Kongo Kingdom.
Dating French and Spanish Prehistoric Decorated Caves in their Archaeological Contexts
Authors: Valladas H , Kaltnecker E , Quiles A , Tisnérat-Laborde N , Genty D , Arnold M , Delqué-Količ E , Moreau C , Baffier D , Merle J J Cleyet , Clottes J , Girard M , Monney J , Montes R , Sainz C , Sanchidrian J L , Simonnet R
Published: January 2017

The Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE) research program on prehistoric art conducts chronological studies of parietal representations with their associated archaeological context. This multidisciplinary approach provides chronological arguments about the creation period of parietal representations. This article presents chronological investigations carried out in several decorated caves in France (La Grande Grotte, Labastide, Lascaux, La Tête-du-Lion, Villars) and Spain (La Garma, Nerja, La Pileta, Urdiales). Several types of organic materials, collected from different areas of the caves close to the walls and in connection with parietal art, were dated to determine the periods of human presence in the cave, a presence that may have been related to artistic activities. These new radiocarbon results range from 33,000–29,000 (La Grande Grotte) to 16,000–14,000 cal BP (Urdiales).
Interpreting Radiocarbon Dates from the Paleolithic Layers of Theopetra Cave in Thessaly, Greece
Authors: Facorellis Yorgos , Karkanas Panagiotis , Higham Thomas , Brock Fiona , Ntinou Maria , Kyparissi-Apostolika Nina
Published: January 2017

Theopetra Cave is a unique prehistoric site for Greece, as the Middle and Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods are present here, bridging the Pleistocene with the Holocene. During the more than 20 yr of excavation campaigns, charcoal samples from hearths suitable for 14C dating were collected from all anthropogenic layers, including the Paleolithic ones. Most of the samples were initially dated using the ABA chemical pretreatment protocol in the Laboratory of Archaeometry of NCSR Demokritos, Greece, and the Radiocarbon Dating and Cosmogenic Isotopes Laboratory of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. The 14C results, which were not always consistent versus depth, showed that the earliest limit of human presence is ∼50,000 yr BP, thus reaching the age limits of the 14C dating method. However, 10 TL-dated burnt flint specimens unearthed from the lower part of the Middle Paleolithic sequence of the cave gave ages ranging between ∼110 and 135 kyr ago. These results are in disagreement with the 14C dates, as they support a much later date for these layers. In order to clarify the situation further, charcoal samples originating from hearths were conventionally dated in the Laboratory of Archaeometry of NCSR Demokritos using the ABA pretreatment. Additionally, hand-picked charcoal fragments also underwent 14C dating by AMS in the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit using the acid-base wet oxidation (ABOX-SC) pretreatment protocol. The 14C dates from the cave's Paleolithic layers obtained by both pretreatment protocols suggest a probable charcoal diagenesis affecting the 14C results of these very old samples. However, the dates obtained with ABOX-SC pretreatment are considered more reliable and in the younger stratigraphic part produced consistent results with the TL dating.
The Middle to Upper Paleolithic Sequence of Buran-Kaya III (Crimea, Ukraine): New Stratigraphic, Paleoenvironmental, and Chronological Results
Authors: Péan Stéphane , Puaud Simon , Crépin Laurent , Prat Sandrine , Quiles Anita , van der Plicht Johannes , Valladas Hélène , Stuart Anthony J , Drucker Dorothée G , Patou-Mathis Marylène , Lanoë François , Yanevich Aleksandr
Published: January 2017

Buran-Kaya III is a rockshelter located in Crimea (Ukraine). It provides an exceptional stratigraphic sequence extending from the Middle Paleolithic to the Neolithic. Nine Paleolithic layers have been attributed to the Streletskaya or eastern Szeletian, Micoquian, Aurignacian, Gravettian, and Swiderian cultural traditions. Human remains from the richest Gravettian layer (6-1) are radiocarbon dated to 31.9 ka BP, and therefore represent, with Peştera cu Oase (Romania), one of the oldest anatomically modern humans in Europe. The aim of this study is to obtain a controlled stratigraphic sequence of Buran-Kaya III with new 14C dates from faunal and human bones, in their paleoenvironmental context. During our new excavations (2009–2011), sediments, bones, and teeth from the stratigraphical layers were sampled for sedimentological, geochemical, and 14C analyses. Fossil bones from the 2001 excavations were also analyzed. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C dating, including cross-dating, was performed at Groningen, Saclay/Gif-sur-Yvette, and Oxford. Biogeochemical analysis was used to test the integrity of the bone collagen. Dates were modeled using a Bayesian approach. The sedimentological, paleoenvironmental, and chronological data are mutually consistent and show that the Paleolithic human occupations at Buran-Kaya III range from the end of MIS 3 to early MIS 1. These results provide a new chronological and paleoenvironmental framework for the human settlements in eastern Europe during the late Middle and the Upper Paleolithic.
Atmospheric Radiocarbon Workshop Report
Authors: Turnbull Jocelyn , Graven Heather , Miller John , Lehman Scott ,   Workshop Participants
Published: January 2017

A workshop on atmospheric radiocarbon measurements was held in conjunction with the 21st International Radiocarbon conference in July 2012. The main topics were intercomparison of measurements of 14C in atmospheric CO2, the potential for use of gas standards for atmospheric 14C measurements, reporting of uncertainties, and expansion of intercomparison activities to other atmospheric trace gases. This report documents the discussions and conclusions of this workshop.
Comparison of Independent Δ14CO2 Records at Point Barrow, Alaska
Authors: Graven H D , Xu X , Guilderson T P , Keeling R F , Trumbore S E , Tyler S
Published: January 2017

Two independent programs have collected and analyzed atmospheric CO2 samples from Point Barrow, Alaska, for radiocarbon content (Δ14C) over the period 2003–2007. In one program, flask collection, stable isotope analysis, and CO2 extraction are performed by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's CO2 Program and CO2 is graphitized and measured by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In the other program, the University of California, Irvine, performs flask collection, sample preparation, and AMS. Over 22 common sample dates spanning 5 yr, differences in measured Δ14C are consistent with the reported uncertainties and there is no significant bias between the programs.