bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Streptococcal group B integrative and mobilizable element IMESag-rpsIencodes a functional relaxase involved in its transfer
Authors: Lorenzo-Diaz Fabian , Fernández-Lopez Cris , Douarre Pierre-Emmanuel , Baez-Ortega Adrian , Flores Carlos , Glaser Philippe , Espinosa Manuel
Published: October 2016

Streptococcus agalactiaeor Group BStreptococcus(GBS) are opportunistic bacteria that can cause lethal sepsis in children and immuno-compromised patients. Their genome is a reservoir of mobile genetic elements that can be horizontally transferred. Among them, integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) and the smaller integrative and mobilizable elements (IMEs) primarily reside in the bacterial chromosome, yet have the ability to be transferred between cells by conjugation. ICEs and IMEs are therefore a source of genetic variability that participates in the spread of antibiotic resistance. Although IMEs seem to be the most prevalent class of elements transferable by conjugation, they are poorly known. Here, we have studied a GBS-IME, termed IMESag-rpsI, which is widely distributed in GBS despite not carrying any apparent virulence trait. Analyses of 240 whole genomes showed that IMESag-rpsIis present in approximately 47% of the genomes, has a roughly constant size (approx. 9 kb) and is always integrated at a single location, the 3′-end of the gene encoding the ribosomal protein S9 (rpsI). Based on their genetic variation, several IMESag-rpsItypes were defined (A–J) and classified in clonal complexes (CCs). CC1 was the most populated by IMESag-rpsI(more than 95%), mostly of type-A (71%). One CC1 strain (S. agalactiaeHRC) was deep-sequenced to understand the rationale underlying type-A IMESag-rpsIenrichment in GBS. Thirteen open reading frames were identified, one of them encoding a protein (MobSag) belonging to the broadly distributed family of relaxases MOBV1. Protein MobSag was purified and, by a newly developed method, shown to cleave DNA at a specific dinucleotide. TheS. agalactiaeHRC-IMESag-rpsIis able to excise from the chromosome, as shown by the presence of circular intermediates, and it harbours a fully functional mobilization module. Further, themobSaggene encoded by this mobile element is able to promote plasmid transfer among pneumococcal strains, suggesting that MobSag facilitates the spread of IMESag-rpsIand that this spread would explain the presence of the same IMESag-rpsItype in GBS strains belonging to different CCs.
Scatterer size estimation using the center frequency assessed from ultrasound time domain data
Authors: Erlöv Tobias , Jansson Tomas , Persson Hans W. , Cinthio Magnus
Published: October 2016

Scatterer size estimation is useful when characterizing tissue using ultrasound. In all previous studies on scatterer size, the estimations are performed in the frequency domain and are thus subjected to a trade off in time-frequency resolution. This study focused on the feasibility of estimating scatterer size in the time domain using only the ultrasound center frequency, assuming a Gaussian-shaped pulse. A model for frequency normalization was derived and the frequency-dependent attenuation was compensated. Five phantoms with well-defined sizes of spherical glass beads were made and scanned with two different linear array transducers with variable center frequencies. A strong correlation (r = 0.99, p < 10−19) between the backscattered center frequency and the product between the wave number and scatterer radius was demonstrated. On average the scatterer diameter was underestimated by 6% ± 24%. These results suggest that estimation of scatterer size is possible using only the center frequency assessed in the time domain.
Accuracy of a Wearable Sensor for Measures of Head Kinematics and Calculation of Brain Tissue Strain
Authors: Knowles Brooklynn M. , Yu Henry , Dennison Christopher R.
Published: October 2016

Wearable kinematic sensors can be used to study head injury biomechanics based on kinematics and, more recently, based on tissue strain metrics using kinematics-driven brain models. These sensors require in-situ calibration and there is currently no data conveying wearable ability to estimate tissue strain. We simulated head impact (n = 871) to a 50th percentile Hybrid III (H-III) head wearing a hockey helmet instrumented with wearable GForceTracker (GFT) sensors measuring linear acceleration and angular velocity. A GFT was also fixed within the H-III head to establish a lower boundary on systematic errors. We quantified GFT errors relative to H-III measures based on peak kinematics and cumulative strain damage measure (CSDM). The smallest mean errors were 12% (peak resultant linear acceleration) and 15% (peak resultant angular velocity) for the GFT within the H-III. Errors for GFTs on the helmet were on average 54% (peak resultant linear acceleration) and 21% (peak resultant angular velocity). On average, the GFT inside the helmet overestimated CSDM by 0.15.
Family-Based Intervention Program for Parents of Substance-Abusing Youth and Adolescents
Authors: Bisetto Pons David , González Barrón Remedios , Botella Guijarro Álvaro
Published: October 2016

The use of drugs among adolescents/youth often results in a high degree of distress for the family members who live with them. This in turn can lead to a deterioration of mental (psychological) health, hindering any attempt to successfully cope with the situation. The goal of our research was to study the effect of the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) program on parents of adolescents/young adult drug users. Study volunteers (n=50) were parents from Valencia (Spain) that were divided into two groups. The experimental group (n=25) was made up of parents whose sons and daughters exhibited problems with drug use and the constructed noncausal baseline group (n=25) was made up of parents whose sons and daughters did not show any substance abuse problems. For both groups, self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), depression (BDI-II), anxiety (STAI), and anger (STAXI-II) were evaluated before and after the application of the CRAFT program. Results show a significant improvement in the experimental group’s self-esteem, depression, and anger state and a decrease in negative moods. These changes in parents produce a positive effect on their substance-using sons and daughters: of the 25 participants, 15 contacted specialized addiction treatment resources for the first time.
Rapid Determination of the Monosaccharide Composition and Contents in Tea Polysaccharides from Yingshuang Green Tea by Pre-Column Derivatization HPLC
Authors: Ai Yujie , Yu Zhi , Chen Yuqiong , Zhu Xiaojing , Ai Zeyi , Liu Shuyuan , Ni Dejiang
Published: October 2016

A pre-column derivatization high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and optimized to characterize and quantify the monosaccharides present in tea polysaccharides (TPS) isolated from Yingshuang green tea. TPS sample was hydrolyzed with trifluoroacetic acid, subjected to pre-column derivatization using 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP), and separated on an Agilent TC-C18column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) with UV detection at 250 nm. A mixture of ten PMP derivatives of standard monosaccharides (mannose, ribose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, xylose, galactose, arabinose, and fucose) could be baseline separated within 20 min. Moreover, quantitative analysis of the component monosaccharides in Yingshuang green tea TPS was achieved, indicating the TPS consisted of mannose, ribose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, xylose, galactose, and arabinose in the molar contents of 0.72, 0.78, 0.89, 0.13, 0.15, 0.36, 0.39, 0.36, 0.36, and 0.38 μM, respectively. Recovery efficiency for component monosaccharides from TPS ranged from 93.6 to 102.4% with RSD values lower than 2.5%. In conclusion, pre-column derivatization HPLC provides a rapid, reproducible, accurate, and quantitative method for analysis of the monosaccharide composition and contents in TPS, which may help to further explore the relationship between TPS monosaccharides isolated from different tea varieties and their biological activity.
Malignant Hypertensive Retinopathy in an Infant with Mid-Aortic Occlusion
Authors: Oh Lawrence J. , Bhardwaj Gaurav , Winlaw David S. , Donaldson Craig E.
Published: October 2016

Purpose. Case report describing an eight-month-old infant presenting with intermittent esotropia and irritability who was found to have malignant (grade 4) hypertensive retinopathy and mid-aortic syndrome. Methods. Visual acuity was 6/140 in the right eye and not recordable in the left eye. Blood pressure was as high as 230/120 mmHg. Fundoscopy revealed bilateral optic disc swelling, macular stars, and serous retinal detachment in the left eye, findings that are consistent with malignant (grade 4) hypertensive retinopathy. CT abdominal angiogram revealed a severe mid-aortic syndrome with occlusion of the abdominal aorta at T12. Results. The patient was treated with medical management of his hypertension, improving the subretinal exudate. Binocular visual acuity improved to 6/9.5 over 9 months. There was a persistent left relative afferent pupillary defect and moderate left esotropia. Conclusion. This is the first reported case of malignant hypertensive retinopathy in an infant with concomitant mid-aortic occlusion. The authors emphasize the need for an ophthalmological and pediatric examination in a child presenting with intermittent squint and irritability. The esotropia was found to be a false localizing sign of raised intracranial pressure secondary to the severe mid-aortic syndrome.
Effective Root-Finding Methods for Nonlinear Equations Based on Multiplicative Calculi
Authors: Özyapıcı Ali , Sensoy Zehra B. , Karanfiller Tolgay
Published: October 2016

In recent studies, papers related to the multiplicative based numerical methods demonstrate applicability and efficiency of these methods. Numerical root-finding methods are essential for nonlinear equations and have a wide range of applications in science and engineering. Therefore, the idea of root-finding methods based on multiplicative and Volterra calculi is self-evident. Newton-Raphson, Halley, Broyden, and perturbed root-finding methods are used in numerical analysis for approximating the roots of nonlinear equations. In this paper, Newton-Raphson methods and consequently perturbed root-finding methods are developed in the frameworks of multiplicative and Volterra calculi. The efficiency of these proposed root-finding methods is exposed by examples, and the results are compared with some ordinary methods. One of the striking results of the proposed method is that the rate of convergence for many problems are considerably larger than the original methods.
First Observation ofLeptospira interrogansin the Lungs ofRattus norvegicus
Authors: Zilber Anne-Laure , Belli Patrick , Artois Marc , Kodjo Angeli , Djelouadji Zoheira
Published: October 2016

We report the first two cases of pulmonary presence of leptospires in apparently healthy rats captured in a city park in Lyon (France). Only renal carriage ofLeptospirahas been described in the literature. Blood serology was performed in parallel with molecular and histological analyses of the kidney and lung samples. We isolated leptospires from the kidneys of two out of three seropositive wild rats. These results were confirmed by specific detection of pathogenicLeptospiraby real-time PCR. Moreover,LeptospiraDNA was detected in lung tissues. Immunohistochemistry and Warthin-Starry staining revealed that leptospires were present on the surface of the ciliated epithelium of the bronchi. Using PCR of therrs(16S) gene and Multispacer Sequence Typing, DNA extracts of the kidney and lung were identified as belonging toLeptospira interrogansserovar Icterohaemorrhagiae “CHU Réunion.” This first observation of the presenceLeptospirain the lung with simultaneous renal carriage will require further study in future on several target organs to gain a better understanding of theLeptospirainfection in wild rat.
Significance of TP53 Mutation in Wilms Tumors with Diffuse Anaplasia: A Report from the Children's Oncology Group
Authors: Ooms Ariadne H.A.G. , Gadd Samantha , Gerhard Daniela S. , Smith Malcolm A. , Guidry Auvil Jaime M. , Meerzaman Daoud , Chen Qing-Rong , Hsu Chih Hao , Yan Chunhua , Nguyen Cu , Hu Ying , Ma Yussanne , Zong Zusheng , Mungall Andrew J. , Moore Richard A. , Marra Marco A. , Huff Vicki , Dome Jeffrey S. , Chi Yueh-Yun , Tian Jing , Geller James I. , Mullighan Charles G. , Ma Jing , Wheeler David A. , Hampton Oliver A. , Walz Amy L. , van den Heuvel-Eibrink Marry M. , de Krijger Ronald R. , Ross Nicole , Gastier-Foster Julie M. , Perlman Elizabeth J.
Published: October 2016

Purpose: To investigate the role and significance of TP53 mutation in diffusely anaplastic Wilms tumors (DAWTs).

Experimental Design: All DAWTs registered on National Wilms Tumor Study-5 (n = 118) with available samples were analyzed for TP53 mutations and copy loss. Integrative genomic analysis was performed on 39 selected DAWTs.

Results: Following analysis of a single random sample, 57 DAWTs (48%) demonstrated TP53 mutations, 13 (11%) copy loss without mutation, and 48 (41%) lacked both [defined as TP53-wild-type (wt)]. Patients with stage III/IV TP53-wt DAWTs (but not those with stage I/II disease) had significantly lower relapse and death rates than those with TP53 abnormalities. In-depth analysis of a subset of 39 DAWTs showed seven (18%) to be TP53-wt: These demonstrated gene expression evidence of an active p53 pathway. Retrospective pathology review of TP53-wt DAWT revealed no or very low volume of anaplasia in six of seven tumors. When samples from TP53-wt tumors known to contain anaplasia histologically were available, abnormal p53 protein accumulation was observed by immunohistochemistry.

Conclusions: These data support the key role of TP53 loss in the development of anaplasia in WT, and support its significant clinical impact in patients with residual anaplastic tumor following surgery. These data also suggest that most DAWTs will show evidence of TP53 mutation when samples selected for the presence of anaplasia are analyzed. This suggests that modifications of the current criteria to also consider volume of anaplasia and documentation of TP53 aberrations may better reflect the risk of relapse and death and enable optimization of therapeutic stratification. Clin Cancer Res; 22(22); 5582–91. ©2016 AACR.
Social Factors Associated with the Decline in Caries in Brazilian Children between 1996 and 2010
Authors: Roncalli Angelo Giuseppe , Sheiham Aubrey , Tsakos Georgios , Araújo-Souza Georgia Costa de , Watt Richard G.
Published: October 2016

Dental caries levels have declined in children since the 1970s in many countries. Most of the postulated main reasons for the decline are speculative and have not been rigorously evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between some social factors and the decline in dental caries in Brazilian 12-year-old children from 1996 to 2010. Secondary analysis of national data was performed in 27 Brazilian state capitals. A panel data regression model with fixed effects and multiple linear regression were used to verify the relationship between the explanatory and the dependent variables and also the time-trend effect. The results showed that the DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) decreased by about 3% per year, and the percentage of caries-free children increased by 4.5% per year. For DMFT and percentage caries free, the results for the panel data regression showed a significant association for the Human Development Index (HDI) in the adjusted model (p = 0.010). When the overall changes over time were compared, the Gini index had a significant association with the overall change in DMFT in the final model of the multiple regression analysis (p = 0.033). Our results indicate that the maintenance of good levels of human development, which includes better education, income, and longevity, are important factors relating to improving levels of oral health in 12-year-old Brazilian children. However, to accelerate this process in cities with the worst caries situation, income inequality should be tackled.
Third-Line Chemotherapy with Irinotecan plus 5-Fluorouracil in Caucasian Metastatic Gastric Cancer Patients
Authors: Pasquini Giulia , Vasile Enrico , Caparello Chiara , Vivaldi Caterina , Musettini Gianna , Lencioni Monica , Petrini Iacopo , Fornaro Lorenzo , Falcone Alfredo
Published: October 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the combination of 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) as third-line chemotherapy (CT) in metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) patients pretreated with platinum derivatives, fluoropyrimidines, and taxanes. Methods: We prospectively collected data of mGC patients treated with third-line FOLFIRI at our institution from 2009 to 2014. Eligible patients should be treated with a fluoropyrimidine-platinum first-line CT and a subsequent taxane-based second-line CT. FOLFIRI consisted of irinotecan 180 mg/m2 and leucovorin 200 mg/m2, followed by 5-fluorouracil 2,800 mg/m2 (administered as 48-hour i.v. continuous infusion from day 1 to 3), with cycles repeated every 2 weeks. Response rate (RR) was evaluated according to RECIST version 1.0, while progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: A total of 33 patients were included. The majority (97%) had good performance status (0-1 according to ECOG), while median PFS after first-line and second-line CT was 5.2 and 4.4 months, respectively. Two patients experienced an objective response (RR: 6%), while 14 patients achieved disease stabilization (disease control rate: 42%). Median PFS and OS from the start of third-line CT were 3.3 and 7.5 months, respectively. Hematological and nonhematological grade 3-4 toxicities were uncommon and included neutropenia (6.1%), diarrhea (9.1%), vomiting (3%), and asthenia (3%). Febrile neutropenia was not reported. Conclusions: Third-line CT with FOLFIRI may be an option in heavily pretreated mGC patients with preserved performance status and organ function. This regimen has a favorable safety profile, and signs of activity have been observed after standard first- and second-line CT.
Utility of Three-Dimensional Ultrasonography to Assess the Position of Essure Tubal Occlusion Device and Its Complications
Authors: Alvarez-Lopez Covadonga , De Santiago Javier , Piñera Antonio , Rodriguez Roberto , Herrero Beatriz , Herrera Maria , Pillado Jaime , Zapardiel Ignacio
Published: October 2016

Background: To determine the utility of three-dimensional (3D) sonography to control the position of hysteroscopic sterilizing device compared to hysterosalpingography (HSG). Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out on 139 patients who underwent hysteroscopic tubal occlusion method between February 2012 and May 2013. Patients underwent 3D ultrasound scan to control device positioning, and they also underwent HSG as an additional control method. Comparison between both methods was carried out. Results: In all, 17 (12.2%) devices were inserted due to a hydrosalpinx and 122 (87.8%) due to sterilization purposes. In 124 (89.2%) cases, sonography correlated completely to HSG findings. Sonography-positive predictive value was 89.5% to detect correct device positioning. Just 4 (2.8%) patients did not present complete tubal occlusion 3 months after device insertion; one of them presented device expulsion, 2 of them presented previous hydrosalpinx (tubal occlusion was confirmed after 6 months), and the last case rejected to undergo further controls but device seem to be effective. Conclusions: 3D sonography seems to be effective for the control of sterilization device positioning, but it also detects insertion complications and device migration. Further studies would be required to assess our findings and the role of sonography in case of hydrosalpinx.
Prolonged Treatment of Peanut-Allergic Mice with Bortezomib Significantly Reduces Serum Anti-Peanut IgE but Does Not Affect Allergic Symptoms
Authors: Moutsoglou Daphne M. , Dreskin Stephen C.
Published: October 2016

Background: Anti-peanut immunoglobulin E (anti-Pn IgE) can persist throughout life, suggesting that this condition could be maintained by long-lived antibody-secreting cells (ASCs). To determine the role of long-lived ASCs, peanut-allergic mice underwent prolonged treatment with the proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib (Bz). Methods: Intravenous Bz was given twice weekly for 21 weeks to peanut-allergic mice. During treatment, serum anti-Pn IgE was measured, and the mice were rechallenged at the end of treatment. Cell populations were measured, and Pn-specific IgG, total IgG, and total IgE ASCs were enumerated in the bone marrow (BM) and spleen (SPL). Results: Prolonged treatment with Bz significantly reduced serum anti-Pn IgE and IgG1 but did not affect symptoms following challenge with Pn, even in mice with undetectable serum anti-Pn IgE. Numbers of CD138+ cells were significantly reduced in the BM but were unaffected in the SPL. Unexpectedly, Bz did not affect numbers of Pn-specific IgG, total IgG, or total IgE ASCs in either the BM or SPL. Conclusions: Cells that maintain long-lived serum anti-Pn IgE are sensitive to Bz. However, prolonged depletion of serum Pn-specific IgE does not result in a decrease of symptoms following challenge with Pn.
High Prognostic Value of Mini-Laparoscopy for Advanced Liver Disease-Related Complications in Patients with HCV Infection
Authors: Zizer Eugen , Backhus Johanna , Bohl Stephan , Braun Anette , Baturina Irina , Klass Dietmar , Dikopoulos Nektarios , Seufferlein Thomas , Dollinger Matthias
Published: October 2016

Background/Aim: The assessment of advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) is a prerequisite for therapy and surveillance in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Mini-laparoscopy-assisted liver biopsies facilitate both histological and macroscopical evaluation of liver fibrosis. This study is aimed at investigating the prognostic significance of the laparoscopic assessment for the cumulative incidence of ACLD-related events. Patients and Methods: We performed a single center, retrospective analysis of 94 patients with either macroscopically or/and microscopically assessed advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis C infection. The patients' data, the respective laboratory results, and follow-up period were evaluated in the outpatient clinic. Results: The group with both macro- and microscopic diagnosed ACLD showed a significantly higher number of decompensating events (n = 7) compared with the other 2 groups (n = 0 in the group with only histological and n = 1 in the group with only laparoscopic diagnosis of advanced liver disease). The results were not affected by the successful treatment of the hepatitis C virus. In the Cox-regression analysis, the spleen size (>120 mm) was significantly associated with the incidence of ACLD-related events. Conclusions: Assessment of ACLD in chronic hepatitis C by mini-laparoscopy-assisted liver biopsies may facilitate the selection of patients with a poor prognosis, irrespective of achieving a sustained virological response following treatment. Follow-up of these patients should be intensified to treat decompensation early.
Correlation or Limits of Agreement? Applying the Bland-Altman Approach to the Comparison of Cognitive Screening Instruments
Authors: Larner A.J.
Published: October 2016

Background/Aims: Calculation of correlation coefficients is often undertaken as a way of comparing different cognitive screening instruments (CSIs). However, test scores may correlate but not agree, and high correlation may mask lack of agreement between scores. The aim of this study was to use the methodology of Bland and Altman to calculate limits of agreement between the scores of selected CSIs and contrast the findings with Pearson's product moment correlation coefficients between the test scores of the same instruments. Methods: Datasets from three pragmatic diagnostic accuracy studies which examined the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) vs. the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the MMSE vs. the Mini-Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (M-ACE), and the M-ACE vs. the MoCA were analysed to calculate correlation coefficients and limits of agreement between test scores. Results: Although test scores were highly correlated (all >0.8), calculated limits of agreement were broad (all >10 points), and in one case, MMSE vs. M-ACE, was >15 points. Conclusion: Correlation is not agreement. Highly correlated test scores may conceal broad limits of agreement, consistent with the different emphases of different tests with respect to the cognitive domains examined. Routine incorporation of limits of agreement into diagnostic accuracy studies which compare different tests merits consideration, to enable clinicians to judge whether or not their agreement is close.
National Impact of Maintenance Dialysis or Renal Transplantation on Outcomes Following ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Sakhuja Ankit , Wright R. Scott , Schold Jesse D. , McCarthy James T. , Williams Amy W. , Amer Hatem , Albright Robert C.
Published: October 2016

Background: Though cardiovascular disease is an important cause of mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease, epidemiology of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is less well described in this population. Methods: This study included STEMI hospitalizations in patients aged ≥20 using Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database from 2006 to 2010. Primary outcomes were incidence and trends of STEMI hospitalizations based on renal function status. We also looked at utilization of revascularization procedures, all-cause-hospital mortality and predictors of mortality. Results: Of the estimated 882,447 STEMI hospitalizations, 11,383 were on maintenance dialysis and 1,076 had renal transplants. The incidence of STEMI was over 7 times in patients on maintenance dialysis and 1.73 times in renal transplant recipients compared to the general population. This incidence has however declined in those on maintenance dialysis (p for trend <0.001) to a greater extent than the general population and patients with renal transplant. Utilization of revascularization procedures was lowest in patients on maintenance dialysis (51.6 vs. 73.3% in renal transplant recipients and 77.0% in general population; p < 0.001) and mortality was highest (21.6 vs. 10.9 vs. 6.8%; p < 0.001). Being on maintenance dialysis or having a renal transplant were both independent predictors of mortality in patients hospitalized with STEMI. There was a differential effect of cardiac catheterization on odds of mortality with lesser impact in patients on maintenance dialysis. Conclusions: STEMI hospitalizations are more common in patients on maintenance dialysis and with renal transplants. The utilization of revascularizations procedures remains low and mortality high in these patients.
Dynamics of Sexual Desire: Babylonian Rabbinic Culture at the Crossroads of Christian and Zoroastrian Ethics
Authors: Kiel Yishai
Published: October 2016

The article examines the inherently dialectical view of sexuality reflected in Babylonian rabbinic culture, which differentiates the sexual act, consisting of the indivisible elements of procreation and sexual gratification, from notions of sexual desire. On the one hand, the Babylonian Talmud accentuates the relative role of both male and female sexual gratification in the sexual act, but, on the other hand, it expresses a pessimistic view of the sexual urge, which is reified as part and parcel of the demonic realm. This dialectical perception is resolved in Babylonian rabbinic culture through a paradoxical mechanism that seeks to extinguish sexual desire via marital sex. The article situates different aspects of this distinctive construction of sexual desire in the context of contemporaneous Christian and Zoroastrian views. First, the Babylonian rabbinic mechanism is contextualized with the Pauline view of marital sex as a therapy for those “aflame with passion” (1 Cor 7:9) and its reception in patristic literature. Second, the Babylonian rabbinic dialectic of sex and desire is viewed in the light of a similar bifurcated perception evident in the Pahlavi tradition: while Zoroastrianism advocated full-fledged marital relationships from its very inception, an important strand in the Pahlavi tradition expresses an ambiguous view of sexual desire, which is linked in various ways to the demonic sphere.
The Protection of the Culturally and Spiritually Important Landscapes of Arctic Indigenous Peoples under the Convention on Biological Diversity and First Experiences from the Application of the Akwé:Kon Guidelines in Finland
Authors: Heinämäki Leena , Herrmann Thora Martina , Neumann Antje
Published: October 2016

Culturally and spiritually important landscapes in the Arctic region express the interconnectedness of Indigenous Peoples with the natural and spiritual environment, and their preservation has been, and continues to be, essential to Indigenous People’s identity and traditional livelihoods. During the last decade, the importance of cultural landscapes for the conservation of biological and cultural diversity has received increasing legal attention. One of the international legal instruments developed are the Akwé:Kon Voluntary Guidelines, under the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). This paper elaborates on the worldwide first implementation process of the Akwé:Kon Guidelines in Finland, and draws on first experiences made during the testing case of these guidelines in the management process of the Hammastunturi Wilderness Area, in order to investigate to what extent culturally and spiritually important landscapes of Arctic Indigenous Peoples are recognized internationally, especially under the CBD and related international agreements and jurisprudence, and in the national context of Finland, in particular at the local level of the Hammastunturi Wilderness Area.
‘Direct and Individual Concern’ for Newfoundland’s Sealing Industry? – When a Legal Concept and Empirical Data Collide
Authors: Sellheim Nikolas
Published: October 2016

In the court cases aiming to annul EU Regulation 1007/2009 on trade in seal products the European Courts have inter alia ruled that a ‘direct and individual’ concern, a precondition for providing locus standi for the annulment of a contested regulation, does not exist for the commercial sealing industry in Canada. Based on Community case-law, the principle of ‘direct and individual concern’ is therefore interpreted in a restrictive manner, yet without hinting towards judicial activism. This article aims to ascertain whether this interpretation can be brought in conjunction with empirical findings stemming from field work conducted in the sealing industry in Newfoundland or whether the legal concept and empirical data contradict each other. While analysing the legal reasoning of the courts in two exemplary cases, a case study of three workers in the industry is presented to provide ethnographic insight into the commercial sealing industry and to provide empirical data on the ‘direct and individual concern’ of developments in the EU for them.
A Propos De Ta Sa Fuqin Si-Le
Authors: Iljic Robert
Published: October 2016

The sentences of the type above mentioned are characterized, on the one hand, by the cooccurrence of bă with an intransitive verb, on the other hand, by the classifier ge following bă and introducing a noun relative to a unique referent. This type of sentence, quoted by most major contemporary Chinese grammars, and to be traced in baihuà texts, doesn't seem, nowadays, to pertain any longer to a universally accepted standard.

This paper demonstrates that in these sentences, as in all bă constructions, bă actually marks a patient (even if the latter may be the subject-of an intransitive verb); besides, given its position before bă, a certain agentivity is always conferred to a noun in topic position, even if this agentivity, taken to its far end, boils down to the only desire of having been able to do something to prevent a given event (a point in case: the death of a father); finally, the function of ge before a proper noun or a noun semantically determined as unique, which can be found in some other sentences, isn't to count, that is, to indicate a quantity. but to emphasize the qualitative value of the noun (the father insofar as he is a father), the effect being to underline the value (price) that the speaker attaches to a given person or thing, hence the modal connotation ascribed to such sentences.
Tuoks Dans Le Dialecte De Fuzhou
Authors: Desirat Michel , Yuzhang Liang
Published: October 2016

The object of this paper is to establish the syntactic function, in the Fuzhou dialect, of the phenomenon of tonal and consonantal sandhis. The existence of sandhis in this dialect was described a long time ago (Maclay, 1870), but no systematic analysis of their syntactic role has been made until now. Former researchers mostly confined themselves to the fact that sandhis existed at the morpheme frontiers in dissyl/abic words. Here, through the homophonic words all represented by the syllable "tuok", whose syntactic functions are marked by whether or not they use sandhis, we are trying to detach the syntactic role of tonal and consonantal sandhis, by exploring the possibilities of their use in relation with the various functions of the words "tuok" .
The Influence of Translated Later Han Buddhist Sutras on the Development of the Chinese Disposal Construction
Authors: Guangshun CAO , Hsiao-jung YU
Published: October 2016

Between the Han and Tang dynasties, the Serial Verb Construction underwent aseries of developments and changes. The BA construction was one result. Interestingly, these changes are mainly revealed in translated Buddhist sutras. The new grammatical forms not only emerged in Buddhist texts earlier than native forms, but also with higher occurrence rates. We compare and contrast the differences of the disposal construction as seen in translated Buddhist sutras and in native Chinese documents, tracing its development processes.
The Chinese-Based Writing System of the Zhuang Language
Authors: Bauer Robert S.
Published: October 2016

Zhuang, a member of the Tai language family spoken in southwestern China, was traditionally written with Zhuang characters which resemble Chinese characters. The 〈古壯字字典〉 [ancient Zhuang character dictionary] published in 1989 listed and defined over 10,000 Zhuang characters and Serves as the main reference for their study. This dictionary has been helping to revive the use of Zhuang characters among Zhuang speakers.
Cliticization in casual speech in Vietnamese
Authors: PHAM Andrea Hoa
Published: October 2016

This paper examines clitics in colloquial Vietnamese. In Vietnamese, a clitic is a syllable that appears as a reduced form in casual speech and exhibits a phonological dependency on the material to its left. Only the tone of the former function word remains, while all its segments may be replaced. If the host ends in an obstruent, the clitic surfaces as a homorganic syllabic nasal. If the host ends in a vowel or a glide, the clitic surfaces as a lengthened part of that vowel or glide, unless it has a nasal rhyme, in which case it surfaces with its own nasal.
Whither the Principle of Self-determination in the Post-colonial Era? Building the Case for a Policy-oriented Approach
Authors: Amoroso Daniele
Published: October 2016

It is no secret that, since the end of decolonization, the principle of self-determination of peoples has been going through a veritable identity crisis. On the one hand, inconsistencies and double-standards are so commonplace in international practice
as to justify the doubt that the law of self-determination is, in fact, power politics in disguise. On the other hand, a significant portion of the international community maintains that the principle has exhausted its historical function and applies only to a very limited number of cases (e.g. Palestine and Western Sahara). Yet self-determination of peoples is still well entrenched in international legal life.

Against this background, international lawyers have been called upon to clarify how the customary principle on self-determination has changed in order to meet the challenges posed by the new global order. So far, however, the various attempts to overcome the colonial paradigm have not led to satisfactory results, being doomed to capitulate in the face of the fact that international practice in this field is either too sparse or is inconsistent.

The main reason for this difficulty lies in the tendency to conceive of the law of self-determination in a traditional, ‘static’ fashion, as a set of clear-cut rules whose content has to be distilled, ultimately, in the light of accumulated past decisions. I will argue, by contrast, that the principle should be looked at in its ‘dynamic’ aspect, viz. as a ceaseless process through which the international community provides an authoritative response to demands for self-determination. My working hypothesis, specifically, is that a valuable contribution to such an investigation may be offered by the policy-oriented jurisprudence developed by the so-called ‘New Haven School’ of international law (NHS).
Visual Culture and Islam in Kazakhstan: The Case of Asyl Arna’s Social Media
Authors: Schwab Wendell
Published: October 2016

Asyl Arna is the most popular Islamic television channel in Kazakhstan and the dominant Islamic media company in Kazakhstan. This article examines how images on the social media pages of Asyl Arna create a way of understanding and engaging in contemporary Islamic life in Kazakhstan. I examine four kinds of images: lists, portraits of authority figures, illustrations or photos of the Qur’an, and images related to a middle-class life with a strongly gendered division of labor. The visual culture of Asyl Arna’s social media promote Islam as an achievable part of a middle-class lifestyle that can provide simple rules for a pious, economically successful life and a connection to the numinous through the Qur’an.
The “Personality Cult” Problematic: Personalism and Mosques Memorializing the “Father of the Nation” in Turkmenistan and the uae
Authors: Koch Natalie
Published: October 2016

This article analyzes the role of mosques dedicated to the “father of the nation” under two personalistic authoritarian systems: Saparmurat Niyazov in Turkmenistan and Sheikh Zayed in the United Arab Emirates (uae). Critiquing “cult of personality” narratives as Orientalist and analytically weak, I emphasize the constructed nature of charisma, asking how such personalistic regimes produce the image of a coherent figurehead—and to what end. As a discursive device, the personalistic leader-as-icon appears in a range of authoritarian regimes, and it is materially inscribed in the symbolic landscapes to create the impression of unity among elites and the masses. To illustrate how this works, I draw on research in Turkmenistan and the uae from 2012 through 2014, including landscape analysis of two mosques memorializing the countries’ founding fathers: the Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque in the outskirts of Ashgabat, and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, in the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.
The Ritual Art of the Ganesh Utsav in Trinidad
Authors: Patasar Sharda
Published: October 2016

The Ganesh festival, or utsav, is relatively new to Trinidad’s landscape as a public performance of Hinduism. Although it has been a very important celebration for over a century within select diasporic Hindu communities in Trinidad, particularly in the southern part of the island where it is said to have begun, the practice has become more widespread since the early 1990s. Many of the villages make their own mūrtis (idols or images). Focusing on the festival’s interpretation within the Caribbean context, this article highlights preliminary findings gathered from fieldwork on the ritual art of mūrti-making and the function of the image within the Hindu festival in Trinidad.
An inventory of the Bignoniaceae from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte highlights the importance of small herbaria to biodiversity studies
Authors: COLOMBO BEATRIZ , KAEHLER MIRIAM , CALVENTE ALICE
Published: October 2016

This work presents an updated checklist of the Bignoniaceae from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), and information on the patterns of geographic distribution of individual species within two RN biomes. Forty-three native species distributed in 18 Bignoniaceae genera were recorded for RN. The species richness found for RN in this study was 43% higher than previously documented, indicating the great need of additional biodiversity studies in Rio Grande do Norte. Of the 43 species listed, 27 were recorded in the checklist of Brazilian plants, while 16 species represent new occurrences. Three additional species were included in the checklist of Brazilian plants (which listed 30 species of Bignoniaceae for the RN); however, specimens of these taxa were not located for RN during this study and are not included in the final checklist presented here. The collection effort carried out for this work led to an improved knowledge of species distributions in the two biomes found in RN: the Caatinga dry woodland and the Atlantic Forest. The number of species found to be restricted to each biome and the absolute number of species occurring in the Caatinga dry woodland expanded considerably. All new species records were found in small herbaria from the RN state, emphasizing the importance of regional herbaria for an improved understanding of biodiversity patterns. This study highlights the importance of intensive identification efforts in small regional collections, combined with well-planned fieldwork for an accurate estimation of species richness in poorly studied areas of Brazil.
Two new species of Sirindhornia from Vietnam (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae:
Olethreutinae: Enarmoniini)
Authors: HEPPNER JOHN B. , BAE YANG-SEOP
Published: October 2016

Sirindhornia emmeli n. sp. and Sirindhornia ninhbinhensis n. sp. are described and illustrated from Vietnam (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Enarmoniini), and these are the first records of the genus from outside of Thailand.
The Challenge of Forecasting Significant Tornadoes from June to October Using Convective Parameters
Authors: Hart John A. , Cohen Ariel E.
Published: October 2016

This study is an application of the Statistical Severe Convective Risk Assessment Model (SSCRAM), which objectively assesses conditional severe thunderstorm probabilities based on archived hourly mesoscale data across the United States collected from 2006 to 2014. In the present study, SSCRAM is used to assess the utility of severe thunderstorm parameters commonly employed by forecasters in anticipating thunderstorms that produce significant tornadoes (i.e., causing F2/EF2 or greater damage) from June through October. The utility during June–October is compared to that during other months. Previous studies have identified some aspects of the summertime challenge in severe storm forecasting, and this study provides an in-depth quantification of the within-year variability of severe storms predictability. Conditional probabilities of significant tornadoes downstream of lightning occurrence using common parameter values, such as the effective-layer significant tornado parameter, convective available potential energy, and vertical shear, are found to substantially decrease during the months of June–October compared to other months. Furthermore, conditional probabilities of significant tornadoes during June–October associated with these parameters are nearly invariable regardless of value, highlighting the challenge of using objective environmental data to attempt to forecast significant tornadoes from June through October.
Ferritin and iron studies in anaemia and chronic disease
Authors: Peng Ying Y , Uprichard James
Published: October 2016

Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red cells necessary to meet the body's physiological requirements is insufficient. Iron deficiency anaemia and the anaemia of chronic disease are the two most common causes of anaemia worldwide;1 iron homeostasis plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of both diseases. An understanding of how iron studies can be used to distinguish between these diseases is therefore essential not only for diagnosis but also in guiding management. This review will primarily focus on iron deficiency anaemia and anaemia of chronic disease; however, iron overload in anaemia will also be briefly discussed.
Testing the Efficacy of a Tier 2 Mathematics Intervention
Authors: Doabler Christian T. , Clarke Ben , Kosty Derek B. , Kurtz-Nelson Evageline , Fien Hank , Smolkowski Keith , Baker Scott K.
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this closely aligned conceptual replication study was to investigate the efficacy of a Tier 2 kindergarten mathematics intervention. The replication study differed from the initial randomized controlled trial on three important elements: geographical region, timing of the intervention, and instructional context of the counterfactual. Similar to the original investigation, however, the current study tested the same intervention, used the same outcome measures and statistical analyses, and involved the same population of learners. A total of 319 kindergarten students with mathematics difficulties from 36 kindergarten classrooms participated in the study. Students who were randomly assigned to the treatment condition received the intervention in small-group formats, with 2 or 5 students per group. Control students participated in a no-treatment control condition. Significant effects on proximal and distal measures of mathematics achievement were found. Effect sizes obtained for all measures fell within or exceeded the upper bound of the effects reported in the initial study. Implications for systematically situating replication studies in larger frameworks of intervention research and reporting rates of treatment response across replication studies are discussed.
Symbolic Production in the Art Biennial: Making Worlds
Authors: Sassatelli Monica
Published: October 2016

Biennials – periodic, independent and international exhibitions surveying trends in visual art – have with startling speed become key nodes in linking production, distribution and consumption of contemporary art. Cultural production and consumption have been typically separated in research, neglecting phenomena, like biennials, sitting in between. Biennials have become, however, key sites of both the production of art’s discourse and where that discourse translates into practices of display and contexts of appreciation. They are, this article argues, key sites of art’s symbolic production. Symbolic production is what makes a work, an artist, or even a genre visible and relevant, providing its sense in a system of classifications and, in an exhibition like a biennial, literally giving it a place in the scene. This article proposes a cultural analysis of biennials, focusing on the Venice Biennale, founded in 1895 and the first of the genre, through which we can trace biennials’ rise and transformations.