bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ICD Pocket-Site Infection Secondary to Gonococcal Bacteremia: The First Reported Case
Authors: Ijaz Sardar Hassan , Jafry Ali Haider , Shahnawaz Areeba , Allee Mark
Published: May 2021

Introduction. Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are being increasingly used in the primary and secondary prevention of malignant ventricular arrhythmias and conduction system disorders. Infectious complications associated with CIEDs include infective endocarditis, lead infections, and pocket-site infections, primarily involving Staphylococcus species. Infective endocarditis is a rare but life-threatening complication of gonococcal bacteremia. We report the first case of a CIED pocket-site infection secondary to Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae). Case. A 56-year-old male with a history of congestive heart failure status postimplantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion presented with a pocket-site swelling initially concerning for a hematoma which began to exhibit erythema and tenderness. The patient reported a history of high-risk sexual behavior. On presentation, he was afebrile and hemodynamically stable. Physical exam showed a 5 cm × 6 cm pocket-site swelling with overlying erythema. Labs revealed elevated ESR and CRP levels. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography was concerning for infective endocarditis and lead vegetations. Blood cultures tested positive for N. gonorrhoeae. He underwent surgical debridement with complete ICD extraction and drainage of infected serosanguineous pocket fluid. Tissue cultures were negative, but isolation of N. gonorrhoeae in blood cultures confirmed it as the causative agent of the pocket-site infection in the absence of prior Gram-positive coverage. He was started on a prolonged course of ceftriaxone for 4 weeks with reimplantation of ICD at a different site after completion of treatment. Conclusion. In patients with high-risk sexual behavior, gonococcal bacteremia can potentially lead to CIED infection. These individuals should be prudently evaluated for infective endocarditis or pocket-site infections as presenting complaints can be subtle.
[Retracted] Artificial Intelligence Teaching System and Data Processing Method Based on Big Data
Authors: Xu Bo
Published: May 2021

With the rapid development of big data, artificial intelligence teaching systems have gradually been developed extensively. The powerful artificial intelligence teaching systems have become a tool for teachers and students to learn independently in various universities. The characteristic of artificial intelligence teaching system is to get rid of the constraints of traditional teaching time and space and build a brand‐new learning environment, which is the mainstream trend of future learning. As the carrier of students’ autonomous learning, the artificial intelligence teaching system provides a wealth of learning resources and learning tools on the one hand, and on the other hand, it gradually accumulates more and more learning behaviors, learning status, and other large amounts of data, which is an in‐depth study of online learning and provides valuable and generative dynamic resources. Based on relevant researches on domestic and foreign related learning analysis and common big data analysis methods, combined with actual learning evaluation goals, this paper proposes an artificial intelligence teaching system using big data analysis methods and a modeling process framework for online learning evaluation and uses student data to carry out predictive evaluation modeling to evaluate student learning outcomes. The evaluation results can enable teachers to predict whether students can successfully complete the course of learning after a period of teaching. Through the final evaluation, students’ learning problems can be discovered in time based on the evaluation results, and targeted interventions can be made for students who are at risk. The scientific and objective learning evaluation obtained in this study through data analysis can not only provide teachers with relevant information and provide personalized guidance to students, but also improve the adaptive and personalized service functions of the learning platform of the artificial intelligence teaching system, greatly reducing teachers teaching burden. Artificial intelligence teaching evaluation can help educators understand the problems in teaching, adjust teaching strategies in time, and improve teaching results.
Serum Hormone Levels, T Lymphocyte Subsets, and Achievement of Pregnancies in Patients with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency following Administration of Ethinylestradiol/Drospirenone
Authors: Tao Jiewen , Wang Jing , Jiang Weiqi , Meng Qi , Xu Mingjuan
Published: May 2021

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is closely associated with ovarian hormone deficiency, amenorrhea, menopause, and infertility in women. Hormone replacement therapy remains the mainstay of treatment and management of POI. A combined oral contraceptive (Yasmin) containing 0.02 mg ethinylestradiol and 3 mg drospirenone has been shown to be a well-tolerated and effective combination that provides high contraceptive reliability and good cycle control. Herein, we aim to examine clinical efficacy of ethinylestradiol/drospirenone in treating patients with POI and its effects on serum hormone levels, body mass, lipid metabolism, and T lymphocyte subsets. Retrospective analysis of clinical records and follow-up data from 80 patients with POI was performed. The control group contained 40 patients with POI receiving oral administration of 0.035 mg ethinylestradiol and 2 mg cyproterone acetate once a day for consecutive 21 days with drug withdrawal of 7 days in 3 months. The observation group contained 40 patients with POI receiving oral administration of 0.02 mg ethinylestradiol and 3 mg drospirenone once a day for consecutive 28 days in 3 months. There was no significant difference on serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T), concentrations of high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG), body mass, the numbers of CD+3, CD+4, CD+8 T cells, and ratio of CD+4/CD+8 between the control and observation group (

P
>
0.05

) before treatment. After treatment, serum levels of FSH, LH, and T, concentrations of LDL-C, and TG, body mass, and CD+8 T cells were reduced but the concentration of HDL-C, CD+3, and CD+4 T cells and ratio of CD+4/CD+8 were increased in both two groups (

P
<
0.05

); these changes were more significant in the observation group compared with the control group (

P
<
0.05

). Besides, the total response rate of the observation group was 90.00%, which is higher than that of the control group, 77.50% (

P
<
0.05

). The pregnancy rate of the observation group was 45.00%, which is higher than that of the control group, 30.00% (

P
<
0.05

). Taken together, these results suggest that the combined oral contraceptive (Yasmin) containing 0.02 mg ethinylestradiol and 3 mg drospirenone restores hormone levels, improves body mass and lipid metabolism, and sustains autoimmune function for patients with POI, suggesting ethinylestradiol/drospirenone treatment is effective in treating POI.
Evaluating the Effects of MKAVCFSL Derived from Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) Flesh on Antioxidant Activity in Caco-2 Cells In Vitro
Authors: Zhang Chi , Zhang Yinxiao , Xia Shaoqi , Zhu Shuya , Li He , Liu Xinqi
Published: May 2021

The effect of an antioxidative peptide Met-Lys-Ala-Val-Cys-Phe-Ser-Leu (MKAVCFSL) on oxidative stress in Caco-2 cell lines was investigated. Caco-2 cells exposed to excess oxidative stress could be restored when pretreated with the peptide. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) within the cells could be scavenged by MKAVCFSL. The peptide could also enhance the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), while catalase (CAT) activity did not show a significant difference between treatment and control samples. Meanwhile, it was observed that peptide treatment increased the concentration of glutathione (GSH). Yet the content of glutathione disulfide (GSSG) was hardly affected. The stability of MKAVCFSL was also assessed and an intact peptide was observed after simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Part of the peptide was hydrolyzed into fragments including MKA, FSL, AVCFSL, and MKAVCF. This study demonstrated that MKAVCFSL derived from bighead carp hydrolysates could ameliorate oxidative stress to protect the Caco-2 cells.
Efficiency and Clinical Outcomes of Moses Technology with Flexible Ureteroscopic Laser Lithotripsy for Treatment of Renal Calculus
Authors: Wang Mingqing , Shao Qiang , Zhu Xiaodong , Wang Zhiqian , Zheng An
Published: May 2021

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the efficiency and clinical outcomes of Moses contact mode (MCM) and regular dusting mode (RDM) during flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (FURL) for treatment of renal calculus. Methods: This retrospective analysis examined 216 patients with renal calculus who underwent FURL with MCM or RDM between March 2015 and January 2020. Stone characteristics, including size, volume, and density, were collected. Laser parameters, including laser type, laser working time, laser pause time, and foot-pedal use, were automatically recorded by the lithotripter work panel. The percentages of laser working time and laser pause time, stone fragmentation efficiency (SFE; volume/laser working time), postoperative complications, including fever and acute renal failure (ARF), stone-free rate (SFR), and the need for auxiliary procedures were determined. Results: There were no significant differences in preoperative demographic and stone characteristics between the MCM group and the RDM group. The MCM group had a shorter laser working time (4.99 ± 1.06 vs. 5.94 ± 0.96 min, p < 0.001) and a greater SFE (137.86 [163.78–114.38] versus 114.94 [132.06–101.34] mm3/min, p < 0.001), which shortened the overall operative time (18.39 ± 5.13 vs. 21.17 ± 6.78 min, p = 0.001). There were no differences in postoperative complications, including fever and ARF, SFR (86.8 vs. 85.3%, p = 0.743), and auxiliary procedures between the 2 groups. Conclusions: Using Moses laser technology with FURL significantly reduced laser working time and increased SFE, which shortened overall operative time. Urologists should consider this new instrument for the clinical management of renal calculus.
Bulbar Urethral Stents for Bulbar Urethral Strictures: Long-Term Follow-Up after Stent Removal
Authors: Üstüner Murat , Teke Kerem , Bosnalı Efe , Kara Önder , Çiftçi Seyfettin , Çulha Mustafa Melih
Published: May 2021

Background/Aim: The aim of this study was to assess long-term clinical efficacy of temporary bulbar urethral stent (BUS) used for treatment of recurrent bulbar urethral stricture (US). Materials and Methods: A total of 168 patients with recurrent bulbar US who underwent BUS placement after internal urethrotomy between 2009 and 2019 were enrolled. An indwelling time of 12 months was planned for the stents. After stent removal, the criteria for success of BUS treatment were defined as follows: no evidence of stricture on urethrogram or endoscopy, more than 15 mL/s of urinary peak flow, and no recurrent urinary tract infections. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on clinical success and compared. Results: The mean age, US length, and indwelling time were 46.7 (±8.3) years, 2.32 (±0.4) cm, and 9.7 (±2.3) months, respectively. Median (range) follow-up was 71 (8–86) months. Clinical success was achieved in 77.9% patients. Longer indwelling time (8–18 [81.88%] vs. 3–7 [60%] months) and US length <2 cm (84.25% [<2 cm] vs. 58.5% [≥2 cm]) were significantly associated with clinical success (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study is both the largest patient series and the longest follow-up for BUS in bulbar US. Our results suggest that BUS can be a safe and minimally invasive treatment alternative among bulbar US treatment options.
Where the Ends Meet: An Overview of Sex Determination in Atheriniform Fishes
Authors: Strüssmann Carlos A. , Yamamoto Yoji , Hattori Ricardo S. , Fernandino Juan I. , Somoza Gustavo M.
Published: May 2021

Atheriniform fishes have recently emerged as attractive models for evolutionary, ecological, and molecular/physiological studies on sex determination. Many species in this group have marked temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and yet many species also have a sex determinant gene that provides a strong drive for male differentiation. Thus, in these species the 2 forms of sex determination that were once considered to be mutually exclusive, environmental (ESD) and genotypic (GSD) sex determination, can coexist at environmentally relevant conditions. Here, we review the current knowledge on sex determination in atheriniform fishes with emphasis on the molecular and physiological mechanisms of ESD and GSD, the coexistence and cross-talk between these 2 mechanisms, the possibility of extragonadal transduction of environmental information and/or extragonadal onset of sex determination, and the results of field studies applying novel tools such as otolith increment analysis and molecular markers of genetic sex developed for selected New World and Old World atheriniform species. We also discuss the existence of molecular and histological mechanisms to prevent the discrepant differentiation in parts of the gonads because of ambiguous or conflicting environmental and genetic signals and particularly the possibility that the female is the default state in these species.
Renal Impairment and Risk of Acute Stroke: The INTERSTROKE Study
Authors: Smyth Andrew , Judge Conor , Wang Xingu , Pare Guillaume , Rangarajan Sumathy , Canavan Michelle , Chin Siu Lim , Al-Hussain Fawaz , Yusufali Afzalhussein M. , Elsayed Ahmed , Damasceno Albertino , Avezum Alvaro , Czlonkowska Anna , Rosengren Annika , Dans Antonio L. , Oguz Aytekin , Mondo Charles , Weimar Christian , Ryglewicz Danuta , Xavier Denis , Lanas Fernando , Malaga German , Hankey Graeme J. , Iversen Helle K. , Zhang Hongye , Yusoff Khalid , Pogosova Nana , Lopez-Jamarillo Patricio , Langhorne Peter , Diaz Rafael , Oveisgharan Shahram , Yusuf Salim , O’Donnell Martin ,   on behalf of the INTERSTROKE investigators
Published: May 2021

Background: Previous studies reported an association of renal impairment with stroke, but there are uncertainties underpinning this association. Aims: We explored if the association is explained by shared risk factors or is independent and whether there are regional or stroke subtype variations. Methods: INTERSTROKE is a case-control study and the largest international study of risk factors for first acute stroke, completed in 27 countries. We included individuals with available serum creatinine values and calculated estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Renal impairment was defined as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was used to determine the association of renal function with stroke. Results: Of 21,127 participants, 41.0% were female, the mean age was 62.3 ± 13.4 years, and the mean eGFR was 79.9 ± 23.5 mL/min/1.73 m2. The prevalence of renal impairment was higher in cases (22.9% vs. 17.7%, p < 0.001) and differed by region (p < 0.001). After adjustment, lower eGFR was associated with increased odds of stroke. Renal impairment was associated with increased odds of all stroke (OR 1.35; 95% CI: 1.24–1.47), with higher odds for intracerebral hemorrhage (OR 1.60; 95% CI: 1.35–1.89) than ischemic stroke (OR 1.29; 95% CI: 1.17–1.42) (pinteraction 0.12). The largest magnitudes of association were seen in younger participants and those living in Africa, South Asia, or South America (pinteraction < 0.001 for all stroke). Renal impairment was also associated with poorer clinical outcome (RRR 2.97; 95% CI: 2.50–3.54 for death within 1 month). Conclusion: Renal impairment is an important risk factor for stroke, particularly in younger patients, and is associated with more severe stroke and worse outcomes.
Neurovascular Interactions in Malaria
Authors: Lima Maiara N. , Freitas Rodrigo J.R.X. , Passos Beatriz A.B.R. , Darze Ana Maria G. , Castro-Faria-Neto Hugo C. , Maron-Gutierrez Tatiana
Published: May 2021

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium infection and remains a serious public health problem worldwide, despite control efforts. Malaria can progress to severe forms, affecting multiple organs, including the brain causing cerebral malaria (CM). CM is the most severe neurological complication of malaria, and cognitive and behavior deficits are commonly reported in surviving patients. The number of deaths from malaria has been reducing in recent years, and as a consequence, neurological sequelae have been more evident. Neurological damage in malaria might be related to the neuroinflammation, characterized by glia cell activation, neuronal apoptosis and changes in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. The neurovascular unit (NVU) is responsible for maintaining the homeostasis of the BBB. Endothelial and pericytes cells in the cerebral microvasculature and neural cells, as astrocytes, neurons, and microglia, compose the NVU. The NVU can be disturbed by parasite metabolic products, such as heme and hemozoin, or cytokines that can promote activation of endothelial and glial cells and lead to increased BBB permeability and subsequently neurodegeneration. In this review, we will approach the main changes that happen in the cells of the NVU due to neuroinflammation caused by malaria infection, and elucidate how the systemic pathophysiology is involved in the onset and progression of CM.
Neuroinflammation in Mood Disorders: Role of Regulatory Immune Cells
Authors: Bauer Moisés E. , Teixeira Antônio L.
Published: May 2021

Mood disorders are associated with chronic low-grade systemic (sterile) inflammation, with increased plasma levels of pro-inflammatory mediators targeting all tissues including the brain. Importantly, pro-inflammatory cytokines (ex., tumor-necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin [IL]-6) regulate mood behavior and cognition by influencing neurotransmitter levels, activating stress-responsive endocrine axes, among other effects. However, the mechanisms underlying this enhanced inflammation are not well understood. There is increasing evidence indicating that impaired immunoregulatory mechanisms may play a role in this context. Patients with mood disorders (major depression [MDD] and bipolar disorder [BD]) have reduced numbers of major regulatory cells of both innate (natural killer regulatory cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells [MDSCs]) and adaptive immune responses (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+, B regulatory cells). Dysfunctional regulatory immune cells might contribute to systemic and neuroinflammation observed in mood disorders via different mechanisms, such as: (i) failure to develop adequate stress-related responses, (ii) indirectly through microglial activation, (iii) lack of trophic support and pro-cognitive functions of T cells in the brain, and (iv) dysbiosis. In conclusion, maladaptive immunoregulatory mechanisms seem to be involved with both onset and progression of mood disorders. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies.
Novel Approach for Laparoscopically Placed Chronic Amniotic Fluid Catheters in Sheep
Authors: Cellini Christina , Labuz Daniel F. , Buchmiller Terry L.
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Several fetal therapies involve repeated amniotic fluid intervention. We hypothesize that a minimally invasive approach can be used to safely implant an intrauterine catheter infusion system in a fetal ovine model for chronic use during pregnancy. Method: Five pregnant sheep underwent operation between gestational days 110 and 115 (term 145 days). A Codman® implantable infusion pump was adapted for intrauterine use. The chamber was placed in the maternal flank and the tunneled catheter laparoscopically inserted into the amniotic cavity, secured with a pursestring. Three had an additional uterine anchoring suture. Ewes were sacrificed after natural delivery, and the uterus underwent gross and microscopic analyses. Results: There were no maternal mortalities, abortions, or preterm labor. Pumps were accessed and remained functional throughout gestation. Four ewes delivered healthy term lambs; the other delivered twins with failure to progress and demise. On necropsy, catheters secured with an anchoring suture remained in place, while the other 2 dislodged during labor. There was no chorioamnionitis by culture or histology. Conclusion: Laparoscopically placed intra-amniotic infusion catheters were implanted safely and remained functional until delivery in an ovine model. This novel approach has promise in providing safe, durable amniotic fluid access for the potential treatment of fetal disease.
Safety and Suitability of the SmartPill® after Abdominal Surgery: Results of the Prospective, Two-Armed, Open-Label PIDuSA Trial
Authors: van Beekum Cornelius J. , Esmann Anke , Heinze Franziska , von Websky Martin W. , Stoffels Burkhard , Wehner Sven , Coenen Martin , Fimmers Rolf , Randau Thomas M. , Kalff Jörg C. , Vilz Tim O.
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a common complication after abdominal surgery. Until today, an evidence-based treatment of prolonged POI is still lacking, which can be attributed to the poor quality of clinical trials. Various different surrogate markers used to define POI severity are considered to be the cause of low-quality trials making it impossible to derive treatment recommendation. The SmartPill®, which is able to record pH values, temperature and pressure after ingestion, could be an ideal tool to measure transit times and peristalsis and therefore analyze POI severity. Unfortunately, the device has no approval for postoperative use due to safety concerns. The primary objective of the study is to determine safety of the SmartPill® in patients undergoing surgery. Secondary objectives were the quality of the recorded data and the suitability of the SmartPill® for analyzing intestinal motility after different surgical procedures. Methods: The PIDuSA Study is a prospective, 2-arm, open-label trial. At the end of surgery, the SmartPill® was applied to 49 patients undergoing abdominal surgery having a high risk for impaired intestinal motility and 15 patients undergoing extra-abdominal surgery. Patients were visited daily to access safety data of the SmartPill® on the basis of adverse and serious adverse events (AEs/SAEs). Suitability and data quality were investigated by analyzing data completeness and feasibility to determine transit times and peristalsis for all sections of the gastrointestinal tract. Results: In total, 179 AEs and 8 SAEs were recorded throughout the study affecting 42 patients in the abdominal (158 AEs) and 9 patients in the extra-abdominal surgery group (21 AEs, p = 0.061); none of them were device related. Primary capsule failure was observed in 5 patients, ultimately resulting in an impossibility of data analysis in only 3 patients (4.4%). 9% of the recorded data were incomplete due to the patient’s incompliance in keeping the receiver close to the body. In 3 patients (4.4%), isolated small bowel transit could not be determined due to pH alterations as a result of prolonged POI. Discussion: Our study demonstrates that the use of the SmartPill® is safe after surgery but requires a reasonable patient compliance to deliver meaningful data. An objective analysis of transit times and peristalsis was possible irrespective of type and site of surgery in over 95% indicating that the SmartPill® has the potential to deliver objective parameters for POI severity in future clinical trials. However, in some patients with prolonged POI, analysis of small bowel transit could be challenging.
Composite Metric for Benchmarking Site Performance in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Results From the STS/ACC TVT Registry
Authors: Desai Nimesh D. , O’Brien Sean M. , Cohen David J. , Carroll John , Vemulapalli Sreekanth , Arnold Suzanne V. , Forrest John K. , Thourani Vinod H. , Kirtane Ajay J. , O’Neil Brian , Manandhar Pratik , Shahian David M. , Badhwar Vinay , Bavaria Joseph E.
Published: May 2021

Background:

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a transformative therapy for aortic stenosis. Despite rapid improvements in technology and techniques, serious complications remain relatively common and are not well described by single outcome measures. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is site-level variation in TAVR outcomes in the United States using a novel 30-day composite measure.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective cohort study using data from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapies Registry to develop a novel ranked composite performance measure that incorporates mortality and serious complications. The selection and rank order of the complications for the composite was determined by their adjusted association with 1-year outcomes. Sites with risk-adjusted outcomes significantly more or less frequent than the national average based on a 95% probability interval were classified as performing worse or better than expected.

Results:

The development cohort consisted of 52 561 patients who underwent TAVR between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017. Based on associations with 1-year risk-adjusted mortality and health status, we identified 4 periprocedural complications to include in the composite risk model in addition to mortality. Ranked empirically according to severity, these included stroke, major, life-threatening or disabling bleeding, stage III acute kidney injury, and moderate or severe perivalvular regurgitation. Based on these ranked outcomes, we found that there was significant site-level variation in quality of care in TAVR in the United States. Overall, better than expected site performance was observed in 25/301 (8%) sites, performance as expected was observed in 242/301 sites (80%), and worse than expected performance was observed in 34/301 (11%) sites. Thirty-day mortality; stroke; major, life-threatening, or disabling bleeding; and moderate or severe perivalvular leak were each substantially more common in sites with worse than expected performance as compared with other sites. There was good aggregate reliability of the model.

Conclusions:

There are substantial variations in the quality of TAVR care received in the United States and 11% of sites were identified as providing care below the average level of performance. Further study is necessary to determine structural, process-related, and technical factors associated with high- and low-performing sites.
Iterative Paraphrastic Augmentation with Discriminative Span Alignment
Authors: Culkin Ryan , Hu J. Edward , Stengel-Eskin Elias , Qin Guanghui , Durme Benjamin Van
Published: May 2021

We introduce a novel paraphrastic augmentation strategy based on sentence-level lexically constrained paraphrasing and discriminative span alignment. Our approach allows for the large-scale expansion of existing datasets or the rapid creation of new datasets using a small, manually produced seed corpus. We demonstrate our approach with experiments on the Berkeley FrameNet Project, a large-scale language understanding effort spanning more than two decades of human labor. With four days of training data collection for a span alignment model and one day of parallel compute, we automatically generate and release to the community 495,300 unique (Frame,Trigger) pairs in diverse sentential contexts, a roughly 50-fold expansion atop FrameNet v1.7. The resulting dataset is intrinsically and extrinsically evaluated in detail, showing positive results on a downstream task.
Preliminary observations on terrestrial isopods (Peracarida, Isopoda) in the transitional coastal desert of Chile (24-29°S)
Authors: De los Ríos-Escalante Patricio , Pizarro-Araya Jaime , Alfaro Fermín M. , Perez-Schultheiss Jorge
Published: May 2021

The terrestrial isopods of Chile make a group on which until now only a few studies have been done, most of which based mainly on species records in isolated zones. The aim of the present study was to make an attempt at characterization of the isopods present in three coastal protected areas in the Atacama Desert and northern-central Chile, and compare the results with literature records for northern and central Chile. The collected specimens belong to the genus Benthanoides (Oniscoidea, Philosciidae), probably to the species Benthanoides pauper that was originally described for central Chile. The obtained results would not agree with literature records that described the presence of two species of the genus Tylos (Oniscoidea, Tylidae) between 26-29°S, and it would be the first isopod genus recorded north of 26°S (Paposo priority site, Antofagasta Region). More systematic and ecological studies would be necessary for understanding the geographical distribution of Chilean terrestrial isopods.
Biological traits of the spot prawn Pandalus platyceros Brandt, 1851 (Decapoda, Caridea) at its southernmost distribution limit
Authors: Ortega-Lizárraga Gilberto G. , Pérez-González Raúl , Rodríguez-Domínguez Guillermo , Aragón-Noriega E. Alberto , Mendivil-Mendoza Jaime E. , Franco-Ruíz Jesús A.
Published: May 2021

The spot prawn fishery, targeting Pandalus platyceros, has failed to prove commercially viable on the Mexican Pacific coast. A survey was carried out off the northwestern coast of Baja California, at depths of 140-180 m. The objective was to describe the biological traits of the species to test the hypothesis that warmer water stimulates higher growth parameters. An average model was estimated that anticipated an inverted exponential growth curve, consequently the growth parameters of the Von Bertalanffy model were obtained as , carapace length (CL) and . Being a protandric hermaphrodite, the transition size was estimated at 40.8 mm CL. The results challenged the hypothesis that P. platyceros grows faster in temperate environments than in cold environments.
Life cycle and connectivity of the spiny lobster, Panulirus spp.: case studies from Brazil and the Wider Caribbean (Decapoda, Achelata)
Authors: Cruz Raúl , Borda Carlos A. , Santana João V. M. , Barreto Carlos G. , Paiva Bárbara P. , Gaeta Juliana C. , Torres Marina T. , Da Silva Jessica L. S. , Cintra Israel H. A.
Published: May 2021

In this study, we look at recent developments in our understanding of the life cycle of the red spiny lobster Panulirus argus (Latreille, 1804) and examine the evidence for connectivity between geographical regions, especially the north-northeast Brazilian continental shelf and the Wider Caribbean. The study also covers aspects of reproduction, phyllosoma density, large-scale oceanic circulation, self-recruitment, settlement patterns, ecological behaviour, and the impact of the Amazon and Orinoco river discharge on recruitment. Our findings support the hypothesis that lobster larvae are transported by ocean currents and free eddies from Brazil to the Caribbean via the Lesser Antilles, outlining a south-to-north connectivity. In addition, we look into the probable existence of hybrids between sympatric lobster species, as evidenced by differences in colour patterns and morphology.
A New Source for the Study of Avicenna’s Safavid Reception
Authors: Di Vincenzo Silvia
Published: May 2021

MS Cambridge, University Library, Or. 658 is a collection of eleven texts transmitted in anonymous and untitled form whose precise content has to date remained obscure. On closer inspection, however, the manuscript turns out to be a so-far neglected witness of some authentic and pseudepigraph works of, among others, Avicenna (d. 427/1037) and Mullā Ṣadrā (d. 1050/1640–1641). This paper aims to provide an identification of all the works contained therein, along with a hypothetical reconstruction of the milieu in which the codex was produced.
Egyptian Arabic Proverbs in the Cairo Genizah
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed A.H.
Published: May 2021

The Cairo Genizah is a fundamental source for the study of Jewish History and culture in Medieval and pre-modern times. Moreover, the importance of the Cairo Genizah to Arabic studies should not be underestimated. This article investigates a previously unpublished fragment that features a selection of Egyptian Arabic proverbs written in Hebrew script, i.e. Judaeo-Arabic, which have been kept for centuries in the Cairo Genizah and that, to date, have not been found in other sources of Egyptian proverbs.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Rescue of Pets. The Role of Veterinarians in the Human-Animal-Environment Relationship at the Time of the Coronavirus
Authors: Adamelli Serena , Tocchio Antonio , Brini Carlo
Published: May 2021

Adequate training and collaboration skills for all the professional figures involved in animal rescue activities are needed. Nowadays the real challenge for all rescuers is to consider the multiple aspects of the human-animal-environment relationship that have changed profoundly throughout history and that make the COVID-19 pandemic unique in its kind. In this period the emergency to be addressed consists in providing the assistance of animals which belong to people who have died, been hospitalized or forced to isolate. A careful analysis of the different scenarios reveals that there is no single solution to intervene, but that it is necessary to find the most suitable alternative to individual cases. The aim of this paper is to offer specific indications to volunteers, veterinarians and not, in different scenarios not losing sight of the goal: to protect the welfare of the animal and its owner, avoiding the spread of the infection.
National Turbulence and the Turbos of the World Cinema System
Authors: Andrew Dudley
Published: May 2021

From the outset cinema was metropolitan. Producers needed access to financing, pools of talent, specialized equipment, and laboratories that one could only find in urban centers. In certain cinema-cities (Berlin, Paris, Buenos Aires, Mumbai, Taipei, etc.) reside ambitious writers, producers, and filmmakers who were driven to outdo, or modify, or simply copy what they saw, employing their own culture’s raw material. Thus, the Jameson-Moretti law applies: local content, pertinent to each nation, was poured into forms that were adopted, with strategic alterations, from Hollywood. Where are today’s hotspots? Where does cinema seem crucial and talked about?

Let’s abandon the map (where necessarily one region stands front and center), and instead let’s spin the globe. As it whirls, our eye intermittently catches glimpses of the shapes of the most sizeable nations. Today China and Nigeria stand out prominently alongside India and Russia. So dense are they with film activity that the globe is distended and wobbles out of true. Only sixty years ago China and Nigeria were places that had no place in World Cinema; they gained recognition only when a few promising art films found their way to the European festivals that served as image exchange centers. Today that promise has been fulfilled beyond, indeed against, expectations. Recapitulating Hollywood in its heyday Nollywood and China (Beijing/Shanghai/Qingdao) have become thoroughly corporate and market-savvy, turning out standardized and predictable products. If fresh images are to renew World Cinema, it will hardly be from the urban image-centers. On our globalized globe, novelty should be sought on the periphery of these former peripheral nations. And indeed, exciting new work has been bubbling beyond the dense cultural centers of these nations. Independent art films and documentaries have emerged from dark corners of both places thanks to the network of festivals around the globe, but increasingly and paradoxically thanks to the rival medium of the internet, with its networks of informal distribution and what used to be called “word of mouth.”
Jesus and the Lustful Eye: Glancing at Matthew 5:28
Authors: Brower Kent E.
Published: May 2021

The literary setting of Matthew 5:28 shows that Jesus is intensifying the Torah in its own direction but not by adding further restrictions on women’s apparel. In this sense, Jesus’ antithesis is counter cultural, placing the responsibility for lust in the heart of men rather than holding women responsible for its control. Appropriate relationships between genders in the people of God are founded upon the new relationship between God and his people established by Jesus. Paul introduces the issue of head coverings in 1 Cor. 11 from his own background but not to assert male authority. Other references to female apparel in the epistles may well be understood in the context of the ‘new Roman woman’. However, Tertullian seems to have urged the more traditional route of restricting women’s clothing as the remedy for male lust.
The peril of modernizing Jesus and the crisis of not contemporizing the Christ?
Authors: Bird Michael F.
Published: May 2021

This essay points out the continuing tendency amongst researchers to modernize Jesus and suggests a framework for doing historical Jesus studies which avoids the perils of modernizing Jesus but still emerges from the project with something to say about Jesus that is of relevance to the contemporary world. The temptation to modernize Jesus can be curtailed by developing a prolegomenon to Jesus research (concerning presuppositions, hermeneutics, and history), taking the Jewishness of Jesus as axiomatic, and situating historical Jesus studies in the wider discourse of Christology.
The invisibility of God:
Authors: Malone Andrew S.
Published: May 2021

The Old and New Testaments appear to offer contradictory evidence as to whether God can be seen. The usual resolution is to defend the New Testament statements that God is invisible, and to somehow accommodate the Old Testament passages. This article brings together sometimes-overlooked data to suggest that such an approach is unhelpful. We do better to allow the Old Testament statements that God can be seen, and to reconsider what the New Testament passages are trying to claim.
Towards a relational and trinitarian theology of atonement
Authors: McIlroy David H.
Published: May 2021

A relational understanding of the Trinity does not lead to the abandonment of judicial metaphors for the atonement but provides a context for them. The Trinity places relationships at the heart of the moral order. Relationships involve obligations, and the cross was the triune God’s response of love to humanity’s violation of our relational obligations towards him. Both God’s judgment on sin and God’s salvation from sin are personal acts. A Chalcedonian understanding of Christ’s two natures enables us to understand Jesus’ death as the self-substitution of God for humanity and as the representative death of the perfect man, offering himself through the Spirit, on behalf of humanity. Those who are, by the Spirit, in Christ are in restored relationship with God.
The Acts – of God?
Authors: Walton Steve
Published: May 2021

This article argues that the true focus of the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ is God and the work and purposes God is now carrying out in the world. Four lines of evidence point this way: an analysis of clause and sentence subjects (following Richard Burridge’s work on the Gospels as Graeco-Roman ‘lives’); terms assuming or implying divine action; a consideration of the focus of the speeches (within and outside the believing community, and in a variety of circumstances); and the development and growth of the mission in Acts. Acts thus facilitates and feeds apologetic and evangelistic proclamation, especially in the Gentile world.
The Pascalian heart and the Kierkegaardian passion: on faith and subjectivity
Authors: Lee Richard C. K.
Published: May 2021

Pascal and Kierkegaard are two Christian thinkers whose thoughts and dispositions exhibit many interesting affinities. Both are anti-rationalists who have fought against the dominating philosophical tides of their times. Both feel deeply that human existence cannot be exhausted by objective, scientific, or idealistic knowledge. What they yearn for is not objective truth, but truth for them as existing persons. In their explications of faith, the ‘heart’ in Pascal and the ‘passion’ in Kierkegaard best capture the essence of their thinking. The heart in Pascal stands for a person’s whole personality which includes one’s emotions, thought and will. This comes very close to the notion of subjectivity in Kierkegaard which contains elements such as inwardness, striving, commitment, which can be subsumed under the term ‘passion’. The current essay attempts to put these two approaches together and see how they can form interesting parallels in coming to terms with the Christian faith.
Would the discovery of alien life prove theologically embarrassing? A response to Paul Davies
Authors: Cook Rob
Published: May 2021

Beginning by describing and assessing Paul Davies’ religious views this paper seeks to contest his claim that the Christian worldview would find it difficult to accommodate the discovery of life elsewhere in the universe. Using the resources of the Christian theology of religions, the various available strategies for deciding how God could bring salvation to ensouled extraterrestrials is discussed to counter Davies’ charge of confusion amongst Christians on this matter. Finally, the author’s preferred approach based on the notion of the cosmic Logos is advanced.
Is the truth out there? Creatures, cosmos and new creation (Part one)
Authors: Lane Anthony N. S.
Published: May 2021

This first part begins by exploring the relationship between theology and science. Neither theology nor science should seek to supplant the other. They have different roles and their relationship should be that of a tentative alliance. The results of modern cosmology are then reviewed. The universe is some 13.7 billion years old and contains over a hundred billion galaxies, the average galaxy containing over a hundred billion stars. The scientific quest for extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) is then reviewed. It now appears that billions of stars in our galaxy alone may have planets that could sustain life. Biologists are sharply divided as to whether in such circumstances life is inevitable or all but impossible. Also, there is a big jump between life and complex life, and between complex life and intelligent life. The conclusion is that while we cannot exclude the possibility of the current existence of ETI in our galaxy, let alone the rest of the universe, it is unlikely that we will ever have meaningful contact with ETI. The second part will explore the implications of these results for Christian faith and theology.
C. H. Spurgeon and prayer
Authors: Morden Peter J.
Published: May 2021

Prayer was a vital dimension of C. H. Spurgeon’s life and ministry that has not been given the detailed, critical treatment it deserves. Analysis of his prayer life uncovers a diverse and complex web of influences. ‘Spiritualities’ which shaped Spurgeon include High Church alongside the more obvious Puritan and evangelical. Cultural movements such as Romanticism also shaped him through, for example, his espousal of the ‘faith principle’. The article also argues that, despite this complexity, Spurgeon was invariably christocentric and crucicentric in his approach to and practice of prayer, and that he valued the corporate dimension of prayer highly. The complex strands were woven together to make a consistent whole.
Violent language – a clue to the historical occasion of James
Authors: Reiher Jim
Published: May 2021

The epistle of James is often seen to be nothing more than a New Testament book of proverbial sayings to live the Christian life by. Form criticism over the last century has reduced James to a collection of pearls randomly strung together in no particular order and with no overarching specific theme or purpose. This paper challenges that view and offers the reader an alternative way of seeing James. It is argued that James wrote in days of social turmoil and injustice, when social banditry groups were growing in Palestine. The very vocabulary used (and illustrations made) adds weight to the thesis that James was written during violent times. James wrote in a context where even Jewish Christians were being tempted to join these pre-zealot banditry groups. Indeed some had joined and were participating in violent reprisals against the perpetrators of injustices. James is furious. He calls on Jewish Christians to live like Christ: to be non-violent, peacemakers, practical in their help for those who are suffering, patient, and prayerful. He categorically rejects the idea that Christians can use the ways of the world (violence, warring, theft) in their response to poverty and injustice.
Jesus’s Thirst at the Cross: Irony and Intertextuality in John 19:28
Authors: Tabb Brian
Published: May 2021

This article addresses three primary questions about John 19:28: (1) What Scripture is ‘fulfilled’? (2) Why does John employ the unique fulfillment formula ἵνα τελειωθῇ ἡ γραφή? (3) What is the nature of Jesus’s ‘thirst’? The author understands 19:28 as a ‘formal allusion’ to Psalm 69:21 [68:22 LXX]. In light of the context of Psalm 69 and the previous usage of ‘thirst’ language in the Fourth Gospel, Jesus’s penultimate saying in John is profoundly ironic, as the giver of living water and the best wine thirsts and drinks sour wine at the cross. The fulfillment formula in 19:28 signals that Jesus’s conscious aim in his death was the completion of Scripture, which includes giving the Spirit to those who believe (7:37–39). Jesus’s physical thirst is emblematic of his thirst to drink ‘the cup’ the Father has given him (18:11) and to depart to his Father.
Allium yingshanense, a new species from the Dabie Mountains (east-central China), and taxonomic remarks on the related species
Authors: HUANG DE-QING , ZHEN AI-GUO , ZHU XIN-XIN
Published: May 2021

Allium yingshanense, a new late-flowering diploid species (2n = 16), is described from the Dabie Mountains (east-central China). It grows on moist rock slopes along river banks in forests or rocky cliffs with an aggregated distribution. Morphologically, it is distinctly different from all known species of the Chinese Allium by its outer and inner filaments with 1-toothed on each side, which is fairly rare in the entire genus Allium, suggesting it is an independent species. The ITS phylogenetic analysis further reveals that the new species is most closely related to A. longistylum and A. flavovirens, which is also highly congruent with their overall morphological and chromosomal similarities, supporting placing the new species into A. subg. Cepa according to the current infrageneric classification of Allium. It is easily distinguished from A. longistylum and A. flavovirens particularly by filaments, inner and outer tepal characters at the specific level. Additionally, A. longistylum is proven to be endemic to China and morphologically quite different from the Korean ‘A. longistylum’ in bulb, leaf and floral characteristics, and not a member of A. sect. Sacculiferum or sect. Condensatum formerly suggested. The inclusion of the new species A. yingshanense along with A. longistylum into the newly proposed A. sect. Flavovirens typified by A. flavovirens, although possible from our data, as well as the formal description of the section seem premature especially given that there is substantial incongruence between taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of A. subg. Cepa.
Swertia patnitopiansis, a new species of Gentianaceae from North-Western Himalaya, India

Authors: SINGH BIKARMA
Published: May 2021

Swertia patnitopiansis (Gentianaceae), a new species from Patnitop Hill, North-Western Himalaya, India is described. This new species is morphologically similar to S. cordata but differs in certain characters, which are discussed below. The population mapping and threat assessment was undertaken for the new species and the species classified as Critically Endangered.