bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic Hepatectomy (with or without Robotic Assistance) versus Radiofrequency Ablation as a Minimally Invasive Treatment for Very Early-Stage or Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Chong Charing Ching-Ning , Lee Kit-Fai , Chu Cheuk-Man , Chan Anthony Wing-Hung , Yu Simon Chun-Ho , Lai Paul Bo-San
Published: March 2019

Background: The advantages of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) over hepatectomy as a treatment for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) include reduced morbidity and more rapid recovery. Although minimally invasive surgery provides similar benefits, few studies have compared the long-term oncological outcomes of these techniques. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of minimally invasive hepatectomy (MIH) and RFA. Methods: Patients who underwent MIH or RFA for HCC between January 2005 and January 2015 were included in a propensity score matching analysis. Only patients who underwent minimally invasive procedures for small HCC were included. Baseline clinical and laboratory parameters were retrieved from the hospital database and analyzed. Results: Two hundred and twenty-five patients underwent MIH or RFA for HCC during the study period. Propensity score matching yielded 59 patient-pairs. The complication rates did not differ statistically between the 2 groups (p = 0.309). However, MIH provided significantly better overall (p = 0.005) and disease-free survival outcomes (p < 0.001) than RFA. Conclusions: Compared with RFA, MIH provided better long-term survival outcomes in patients with early-stage HCC, with no increase in the incidence of complications. When feasible, MIH should be considered a first-line treatment for this patient population.
Overview of Molecular Testing of Cytology Specimens
Authors: Huang Min , Wei Shuanzeng
Published: March 2019

Objective: Utilizing cytology specimens for molecular testing has attracted increasing attention in the era of personalized medicine. Cytology specimens are clinically easier to access. The samples can be quickly and completely fixed in a very short time of fixation before tissue degradation occurs, compared to hours or days of fixation in surgical pathology specimens. In addition, cytology specimens can be fixed without formalin, which can significantly damage DNA and RNA. All these factors contribute to the superb quality of DNA and RNA in cytology specimens for molecular tests. Study Design: We summarize the most pertinent information in the literature regarding molecular testing in the field of cytopathology. Results: The first part focuses on the types of cytological specimens that can be used for molecular testing, including the advantages and limitations. The second section describes the common molecular tests and their clinical application. Conclusion: Various types of cytology specimens are suitable for many molecular tests, which may require additional clinical laboratory validation.
Human Metapneumovirus: Laboratory Methods for Isolation, Propagation, and Plaque Titration
Authors: Bernal Lilia J. , Velandia-Romero Myriam , Guevara Carolina , Castellanos Jaime E.
Published: March 2019

The human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important viral agent associated with severe infections of the upper and lower airways, especially in young children and immunosuppressed subjects. Nevertheless, in vitro studies of hMPV are very difficult due to the little knowledge we have on its laboratory manipulation. Objective: The aim of this study was to isolate and propagate hMPV from patients, and to establish a method to quantify the virus by plaque assay. Method: As part of a Latin American respiratory virus surveillance study, 12 nasal secretion samples – hMPV-positive by direct fluorescence – were inoculated on LLC-MK2 cells to isolate the virus. The supernatants were re-inoculated and the cytopathic effect and syncytium formation were evaluated daily; the infection was confirmed by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. A protocol to titrate the harvested virus was established inoculating serial dilutions on LLC-MK2 cells, and agarose was then added as an overlay. After different time periods, the monolayers were fixed and stained with Naphthol blue/black or crystal violet and finally the viral titer was obtained. Results: Eight out of 12 hMPV-positive respiratory samples were positive for the isolation and confirmed by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence, but the cytopathic effect and syncytium formation were observed only in 5 cultures. One out of 8 viral isolates was used for propagation and plaque assay standardization. We found that incubation for 7 days in the semisolid overlay yielded plaques with appropriate size and shape to be counted, although crystal violet staining showed slightly larger plaques than those seen with Naphthol blue/black staining. Conclusions: The isolation and propagation from patient-derived hMPV and the standardization of a practical, reliable, and inexpensive method of detection and quantification of hMPV were carried out, without the additional use of antibodies that had not been reported previously. These results offer some important insights for future studies of cellular and molecular biology of hMPV.
Retrospective Analysis to Determine the Optimal Timing to Discontinue Continuous Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Patients with Primary Vesicoureteral Reflux
Authors: Anraku Tsutomu , Obara Kenji , Tasaki Masayuki , Tomita Yoshihiko
Published: March 2019

Background: The management of febrile urinary tract infection (fUTI) in patients with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is crucial to prevent renal scarring. Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP) is the most widely used initial treatment for VUR. However, the optimal duration of CAP is still unclear. We aimed to clarify an appropriate patient population and the optimal timing to discontinue CAP. Methods: We reviewed the records of 247 patients with primary VUR between January 2000 and December 2015. Seventy-two patients who discontinued CAP despite persistent VUR were enrolled. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model was used in statistical analysis. Results: Following the discontinuation of CAP, fUTI developed in 25 patients after a median of 9 months (range 0–81). VUR resolved spontaneously in 9 out of 47 patients without recurrence during follow-up. Multivariate analysis showed bilateral VUR and duration of CAP of less than 1 year after the last fUTI were significant risk factors for recurrence. Conclusion: Among the risk factors examined, patients administered CAP for less than 1 year after the last fUTI and those with bilateral VUR had significantly more frequent recurrence. Our study suggests that the administration of CAP for more than 1 year after the last fUTI is beneficial in avoiding recurrent fUTI.
Effects of an Intensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Program in Elderly Patients with Obesity
Authors: Budui Simona , Bigolin Francesco , Giordano Francesca , Leoni Stefania , Berteotti Michela , Sartori Erica , Franceschini Laura , Taddei Micol , Salvetti Sabrina , Castiglioni Fulvio , Gilli Federica , Skafidas Spyros , Schena Federico , Petroni M. Letizia , Busetto Luca
Published: March 2019

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the short-term effectiveness of an intensive inpatient multidimensional rehabilitation program (MRP), including diet, exercise, and behavioral therapy, in elderly patients with severe obesity. Methods: Forty-four elderly patients (old; age 69.3 ± 3.5 years, BMI 41.9 ± 14.9) were analyzed against 215 younger patients (young; age 48.2 ± 18.5 years, BMI 43.9 ± 9.4), who were used as controls. All patients underwent MRP, based on group therapy guided by a multidisciplinary team (physicians, dietitians, exercise trainers, psychologists). We evaluated changes in anthropometry, cardiovascular risk factors, physical fitness, quality of life, and eating behavior. Results: After 3 weeks of MRP, we observed a reduction in body weight (old –3.8%, young –4.3%), BMI (old –3.9%, young –4.4%), waist circumference (old –3.4%, young –4.1%), total cholesterol (old –14.0%, young –15.0%), and fasting glucose (old –8.3%, young –8.1%), as well as improved performance in the Six-Minute-Walk Test (old +28.7%, young +15.3%), chair-stand test (old +24.8%, young +26.9%), and arm-curl test (old +15.2%, young +27.3%). Significant improvement was registered in all other analyzed domains. Conclusion: Our 3-week MRP provided significant clinical and functional improvement, which was similar between elderly and younger patients with severe obesity. In the long-term, this may be translated into better quality of life, through better management of obesity-associated morbidities and reduced frailty.
Erfassung von symptomkritischen und belastenden Schulsituationen bei Kindern mit Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung: Schülerauffälligkeiten und Lehrerbelastungen
Authors: Lauth-Lebens Morena , Lauth Gerhard
Published: March 2019

Hintergrund: Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) bei Kindern äußert sich in einem generalisierten Muster von Unaufmerksamkeit, Hyperaktivität und Impulsivität. Diese Verhaltensweisen werden auch in der Schule beobachtet, wo sie als Auffälligkeit in Erscheinung treten und korrigierende Maßnahmen der Lehrkräfte herausfordern. Das ADHS-typische Verhalten geht mit einer deutlich erhöhten Lehrerbelastung einher. Material und Methoden: Ins­gesamt 740 Schulkinder im Alter von 6–12 Jahren (Mittelwert = 8,45 Jahre) wurden durch ihre Klassenlehrkräfte (N = 451) hinsichtlich der Schülerauffälligkeit und der damit verbundenen Lehrerbelastung beurteilt. Dafür wurde ein Inventar mit 22 Schulsituationen vorgelegt, das zehnstufig beantwortet werden sollte. Zusätzlich wurden die ADHS-Symptomatik und in Teilstichproben die Lehrerwirksamkeit erfasst. In der Studie wurden drei Gruppen von Schulkin dern mit unterschiedlicher Symptombelastung untersucht: Schulkinder mit gesicherter ADHS-Diagnose, eine Risikogruppe auffälliger Kinder sowie eine Kontrollgruppe mit unauffälligen Schulkindern (N = 740). Ergebnisse: Die Schülerauffälligkeit sowie die Lehrerbelastung lassen sich jeweils in drei Faktoren zusammenfassen, die sich auf unterschiedliche Anforderungsbereiche beziehen (interaktionelle, instruktionale und individualisierte Anforderungen). Soziale Anforderungen erklären den Großteil der Varianz (rund 53%). Die Faktoren bilden homogene Subskalen. Das Inventar weist befriedigende Trennschärfen auf. Die Korrelation zwischen der Schülerauffälligkeit und der Lehrerbelastung erweist sich als hoch (r = 0,92), ebenso die Korrelation zwischen der Zahl der ADHS-Symptome und der Lehrerbelastung bzw. Schülerauffälligkeit (r = 0,76 bzw. r = 0,81). Schulkinder mit gesicherter ADHS-Diagnose und die Risikogruppe unterscheiden sich bei den interaktionellen und instruktionalen Anforderungen signifikant und mit hoher Effektstärke von der Kontrollgruppe (Cohens d = 0,88–1,31). In der Risikogruppe ist die höchste Schülerauffälligkeit und höchste Lehrerbelastung zu verzeichnen. Schlussfolgerung: Das vorgelegte Inventar erfüllt die notwendigen testtheoretischen Kriterien der Trennschärfe und internen Homogenität. Es differenziert zwischen Gruppen mit unterschiedlicher ADHS-Symptomatik. Mithilfe des Inventars können symptomkritische und für Lehrkräfte belastende Schulsituationen bestimmt und Interventionsziele abgeleitet werden (z.B. Lehrerberatung, Lehrertraining, Prävention von Verhaltensschwierigkeiten).
The ex vivo and in vivo Characteristics of New DrillCutTM Prostate Morcellator after Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate: A Pilot Study
Authors: Hodhod Amr , Oquendo Fabiola , Nour Hani , Kelly Ryan , Shahrour Walid , Kotb Ahmed , Prowse Owen , Elmansy Hazem
Published: March 2019

Introduction: The DrillCutTM morcellator is marketed for its fast and highly efficient removal of prostatic tissue and a higher level of patient safety. However, a paucity of publications has looked into its actual efficacy and safety. The aim of our study was to evaluate its ex vivo and in vivo efficiency and to compare its results with other devices presented in the literature. Patients and Methods: We conducted a prospective pilot study on patients who underwent holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) from 2017 to 2018 using the Top-Down technique. Enucleated adenomas were morcellated using the DrillCutTM morcellator. We collected both preoperative and operative data. Operative data included the enucleated adenoma weight and operative time. Various morcellator parameters were collected including morcellation time and efficiency. We recorded the encountered complications and device malfunction. Ex vivo characteristics were evaluated in terms of morcellation speed and aspiration power. Results: Sixty consecutive patients with a median age of 72.8 years were included. The enucleated adenoma was retrieved in 12.5 min (4–58). The median resected prostatic weight was 90 g (44–242). The DrillCutTM efficiency was calculated as 6.46 g/min (2.7–15). Only one patient had a simple bladder mucosal injury. Device malfunction was encountered in 4 patients (6.6%) due to blockage of the morcellator blades. The ex vivo aspiration speed was 52 s/L, while the morcellation power was 14 g/2 min. Conclusion: Our results showed that the DrillCut morcellator was effective and safe in managing our patients post-HoLEP. The DrillCutTM has better ex vivo morcellation power but modest aspiration speed in comparison to other morcellators.
Between Cardiology and Urology: Werner Forssmann’s Double Career
Authors: Packy Lisa-Maria , Gross Dominik
Published: March 2019

Werner Forssmann (1904–1979) was awarded the Nobel Prize for his self-experiments in catheterization of the heart and thus entered the annals of medicine. But he had turned to urology long before he received the Nobel Prize. Who was this person associated with both cardiology and urology? It is precisely this question that the present article explores with the help of both new and reevaluated primary sources. In 1999 Truss et al. already published an article in the World Journal of Urology about the many and varied facets of Forssmann’s life and work. Our article ties in with that of Truss et al. and expands the body of knowledge concerning Forssmann and his work. Werner Forssmann as one of the 2 urologists besides Charles B. Huggins who have ever won the Nobel Prize deserves a complete and comprehensive analysis of his life and his life’s work. Within ­German Urology, the culture of remembrance on Werner Forssmann is an important component and with every newly revealed and interpreted source we get to know better who this urologist was and what role he played in the scientific community.
Watchful Waiting after Radiochemotherapy in Rectal Cancer: When Is It Feasible?
Authors: Gani Cihan , Kirschniak Andreas , Zips Daniel
Published: March 2019

A “watch and wait” strategy in rectal cancer is increasingly considered in patients who achieve an excellent response to radiotherapy. While a growing number of studies have shown the feasibility of this strategy in selected patients, the optimal therapeutic regimen to maximize response rates still needs to be established. Furthermore, accurate response prediction and the management of minor residual findings after radiotherapy remain a matter of debate. Finally, concerns regarding the long-term oncological safety of the “watch and wait” approach have been expressed. Therefore, the present review aims to address the open questions in the context of a “watch and wait” strategy and focuses on the diagnosis of a clinical complete response and the ideal management thereafter.
Die nächste Generation: Chatbots in der klinischen Psychologie und Psychotherapie zur Förderung mentaler Gesundheit – Ein Scoping-Review
Authors: Bendig Eileen , Erb Benjamin , Schulze-Thuesing Lea , Baumeister Harald
Published: March 2019

Hintergrund und Ziel: Das gegenwärtige Zeitalter der Digitalisierung bringt Fortschritte und neue Möglichkeiten in der Gesundheitsversorgung im Allgemeinen und im Besonderen in der klinischen Psychologie und Psychotherapie mit sich. Internet- und mobilbasierte Interventionen (IMIs) sind inzwischen vielfach evaluiert. Eine vollständig automatisierte Form von IMI stellen Chatbots dar. Chatbots sind automatisierte Computerprogramme, die z.B. eine skriptbasierte Konversation mit einem Menschen führen. Chatbots könnten zukünftig dazu beitragen, gesundheitsbezogene Versorgungsangebote zu erweitern. Ziel dieser Übersichtsarbeit ist die Konzeptualisierung des Gegenstandsbereichs und die Erarbeitung der Evidenzlage bezüglich Chatbots zur Förderung mentaler Gesundheit. Methoden: Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt ein Scoping-Review zum Gegenstandsbereich von Chatbots in der klinischen Psychologie und Psychotherapie dar. Eingeschlossen wurden Studien, die die Verwendung von Chatbots mit dem Ziel der Förderung mentaler Gesundheit untersuchen. Ergebnisse: Die Technologie der Chatbots ist noch als experimentell zu bezeichnen. Studien haben vorwiegend Pilotstudiencharakter. Es fehlt an qualitativ hochwertigen randomisiert-kontrollierten Studien. Die Ergebnisse der bisherigen Forschung im Hinblick auf die Praktikabilität, Durchführbarkeit und Akzeptanz von Chatbots zur Förderung mentaler Gesundheit sind zwar vielversprechend, jedoch derzeit noch nicht unmittelbar auf den psychotherapeutischen Kontext übertragbar. Diskussion: Themen wie Wirksamkeit, Nachhaltigkeit und insbesondere Sicherheit sowie Technologiefolgeuntersuchungen sind Bestandteile, die vor dem Hintergrund der wachsenden Forschungsaktivitäten im Bereich Chatbots als Korrektiv ein fester Bestandteil kommender wissenschaftlicher Förderprogramme werden sollten.
Efficacy and Safety of Bempedoic Acid in Patients With Hypercholesterolemia and Statin Intolerance
Authors: Laufs Ulrich , Banach Maciej , Mancini G. B. John , Gaudet Daniel , Bloedon LeAnne T. , Sterling Lulu Ren , Kelly Stephanie , Stroes Erik S. G.
Published: March 2019

Background

Inability to tolerate statins because of muscle symptoms contributes to uncontrolled cholesterol levels and insufficient cardiovascular risk reduction. Bempedoic acid, a prodrug that is activated by a hepatic enzyme not present in skeletal muscle, inhibits
ATP
‐citrate lyase, an enzyme upstream of β‐hydroxy β‐methylglutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway.

Methods and Results

The phase 3, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled CLEAR (Cholesterol Lowering via Bempedoic acid, an ACL‐Inhibiting Regimen) Serenity study randomized 345 patients with hypercholesterolemia and a history of intolerance to at least 2 statins (1 at the lowest available dose) 2:1 to bempedoic acid 180 mg or placebo once daily for 24 weeks. The primary end point was mean percent change from baseline to week 12 in low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. The mean age was 65.2 years, mean baseline low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol was 157.6 mg/dL, and 93% of patients reported a history of statin‐associated muscle symptoms. Bempedoic acid treatment significantly reduced low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol from baseline to week 12 (placebo‐corrected difference, −21.4% [95% CI, −25.1% to −17.7%];
P
<0.001). Significant reductions with bempedoic acid versus placebo were also observed in non–high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (−17.9%), total cholesterol (−14.8%), apolipoprotein B (−15.0%), and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (−24.3%;
P
<0.001 for all comparisons). Bempedoic acid was safe and well tolerated. The most common muscle‐related adverse event, myalgia, occurred in 4.7% and 7.2% of patients who received bempedoic acid or placebo, respectively.

Conclusions

Bempedoic acid offers a safe and effective oral therapeutic option for lipid lowering in patients who cannot tolerate statins.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
02988115.
Optimal Rivaroxaban Dose in Asian Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Normal or Mildly Impaired Renal Function
Authors: Lee So-Ryoung , Choi Eue-Keun , Han Kyung-Do , Jung Jin-Hyung , Oh Seil , Lip Gregory Y.H.
Published: March 2019

Background and Purpose—

Although rivaroxaban 15 mg (R15) was only given to patients with creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≤50 mL/min in the pivotal clinical trial, this dose has been commonly prescribed in Asian patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation regardless of renal function. There is a paucity of information on the clinical outcomes of R15 compared with rivaroxaban 20 mg (R20) in patients with CrCl ≥50 mL/min. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness and safety of 2 doses of rivaroxaban in Asian patients with atrial fibrillation and CrCl ≥50 mL/min.

Methods—

Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, patients with atrial fibrillation and normal or mildly impaired renal function (CrCl ≥50 mL/min) and naive to rivaroxaban or warfarin were included from January 2014 to December 2016. Three separate 1:1 propensity score–matched cohorts were conducted: R20 versus warfarin (n=15 584), R15 versus warfarin (n=11 554), and R20 versus R15 (n=10 392). Hazard ratios for ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, gastrointestinal bleeding, major bleeding, all-cause death, and composite clinical outcome were analyzed.

Results—

Compared with warfarin, both R20 and R15 showed significantly lower risk for ischemic stroke, major bleeding (mainly through reduction of intracranial hemorrhage), and all-cause death. Compared with R15, R20 showed better results for the composite clinical outcome (hazard ratio, 0.852; 95% CI, 0.735–0.988). This benefit was consistently observed in patients aged ≥80 years and those <50 kg. R20 was associated with higher risk of major bleeding than R15 in patients with marginal CrCl (50–60 mL/min).

Conclusions—

Among Asians with atrial fibrillation and CrCl ≥50 mL/min, both R20 and R15 were associated with reduced risk of ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, major bleeding, and all-cause death without significantly increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding compared with warfarin. In patients with CrCl ≥50 mL/min, on-label R20 showed better results for the composite clinical outcome compared with off-label R15.
XLORE2: Large-scale Cross-lingual Knowledge Graph Construction and Application
Authors: Jin Hailong , Li Chengjiang , Zhang Jing , Hou Lei , Li Juanzi , Zhang Peng
Published: March 2019

Knowledge bases (KBs) are often greatly incomplete, necessitating a demand for KB completion. Although XLORE is an English-Chinese bilingual knowledge graph, there are only 423,974 cross-lingual links between English instances and Chinese instances. We present XLORE2, an extension of the XLORE that is built automatically from Wikipedia, Baidu Baike and Hudong Baike. We add more facts by making cross-lingual knowledge linking, cross-lingual property matching and fine-grained type inference. We also design an entity linking system to demonstrate the effectiveness and broad coverage of XLORE2.
From Persistent Identifiers to Digital Objects to Make Data Science More Efficient
Authors: Wittenburg Peter
Published: March 2019

Data-intensive science is reality in large scientific organizations such as the Max Planck Society, but due to the inefficiency of our data practices when it comes to integrating data from different sources, many projects cannot be carried out and many researchers are excluded. Since about 80% of the time in data-intensive projects is wasted according to surveys we need to conclude that we are not fit for the challenges that will come with the billions of smart devices producing continuous streams of data—our methods do not scale. Therefore experts worldwide are looking for strategies and methods that have a potential for the future. The first steps have been made since there is now a wide agreement from the Research Data Alliance to the FAIR principles that data should be associated with persistent identifiers (PID) and metadata (MD). In fact after 20 years of experience we can claim that there are trustworthy PID systems already in broad use. It is argued, however, that assigning PIDs is just the first step. If we agree to assign PIDs and also use the PID to store important relationships such as pointing to locations where the bit sequences or different metadata can be accessed, we are close to defining Digital Objects (DO) which could indeed indicate a solution to solve some of the basic problems in data management and processing. In addition to standardizing the way we assign PIDs, metadata and other state information we could also define a Digital Object Access Protocol as a universal exchange protocol for DOs stored in repositories using different data models and data organizations. We could also associate a type with each DO and a set of operations allowed working on its content which would facilitate the way to automatic processing which has been identified as the major step for scalability in data science and data industry. A globally connected group of experts is now working on establishing testbeds for a DO-based data infrastructure.
Flowers Disguised
Authors: Kang Soo Y.
Published: March 2019

Since the late twentieth century, Latina artists have used Catholic images, such as depictions of altars and the Virgin of Guadalupe, to speak both for themselves and for women’s issues at large. Maria Tomasula seems far from that norm, since she focuses on tightly constructed, dramatic still life, painted in the traditional European illusionistic manner. She reveals, however, Catholic influences and feminist messages in her flower paintings. This article aims to unveil the woman’s voice in the works of still life by Tomasula, as communicated through embedded Catholic symbolism and references. It will examine how her works evoke the home altar tradition as well as images of saints in martyrdom to speak for the Mexican American woman. This article also applies the concept of the abject, as espoused by Kristeva to denote a woman’s realm, to Tomasula’s art. Tomasula’s still lifes thus ultimately delineate a woman’s space and her discrete experience.
The Omani-Zanzibari Family
Authors: Abusharaf Rogaia Mustafa
Published: March 2019

Through a multi-sited ethnological lens, this article highlights the influences of political and economic dynamics on the Omani-Zanzibari family construction. It explores the fluid nature of the Omani-Swahili identity, the role of the family institution in regulating morality and sexuality, and the impacts of political events and forces on the development of multiple family configurations. It further analyzes key societal concepts such as marriage, legitimacy, succession, post-forced-displacement adaptation, and evolutionary identity. Through a qualitative study, the author uses fieldwork in Oman and Zanzibar, a range of primary archival sources, dialogues with prominent Omani-Zanzibari personalities, and published and private personal memoirs reflecting key historical periods in the development of Omani-Zanzibari identities to speak to the themes of the Omani polity that are unique to the Gulf.
Black Folk Religion in Black Holiness Pentecostalism
Authors: Harris Antipas L.
Published: March 2019

This essay seeks to understand theological rudiments embedded in traditional black Pentecostal spirituality to enhance spiritual formation in contemporary black Pentecostalism. Its conclusions contribute to a praxis-oriented discourse on the black folk religious tradition, black holiness Pentecostalism, and a contemporary ethnically diverse society in which black people continue to suffer disproportionately. The salient question is, what transformative proposals emerge from black ‘spiritual praxis’, or a conversation between black religious heritage and contemporary black America? While this essay does not attempt to draw conclusions for contemporary lived practice, it unearths jewels in black Pentecostal spirituality that deepen insight into faith formation in an increasingly diverse society wherein the dominant formational paradigms have lodged within the tunnel vision of Western categories.
Subject and Subjectivity in Hobbes and Leibniz
Authors: Hirata Celi
Published: March 2019

This paper seeks to examine two moments of the subject’s identification with substance in modernity, namely, the body in Hobbesian philosophy and the individual substance in Leibnizian thought. In Hobbes, to be a subject signifies to be subjected (to imaginary space, to the movements transmitted by means of shock, as well as to the sovereign), so that the body-substance is characterized by not having in itself its principle of movement. In Leibniz, for his turn, a subject (understood as substance) is that which contains in its own nature everything that can be truly predicated about it, implying that it is the foundation and principle of its own activity, or, in a word, it is self-sufficient. Nonetheless, although Hobbesian body is characterized by its inertia and Leibnizian substance by its self-sufficiency, it is my purpose to indicate that the former is more crucial than the latter to the constitution of the modern conception of subjectivity, i.e., of the subject as the center of action and as a founding power, capable of establishing a new order by its decision. This is not possible in Leibnizian philosophy, for, according to it, human activity, like that of any other substance, consists solely in the actualization of the divine plan of the best of all possible worlds.
Historical biogeography of Western Palaearctic pelobatid and pelodytid frogs: a molecular phylogenetic perspective
Authors: Veith M. , Fromhage L. , Kosuch J. , Vences M.
Published: March 2019

Spadefoot toads (Pelobates) and Parsley frogs (Pelodytes) are an enigmatic group of Western Palaearctic anurans. In the genus Pelobates , a fossorial lifestyle has enforced a conserved bauplan that masks their intraspecific evolutionary history. We used partial sequences of the mitochondrial 16S and 12S rRNA genes to infer a paleobiogeographic scenario of speciation events in these two anuran genera. Based on two alternative, mutually exclusive calibrations of the Iberian-African split within Pelobates (Pb. cultripes and Pb. varaldii), the disjunction of the Betic Cordillera ca. 14-16 million years ago (mya), and the end of the Messinian Salinity crisis 5.33 mya, we inferred alternative scenarios for species evolution within both genera applying regression-based dating and Bayesian molecular dating. Pelobates and Pelodytes are both monophyletic genera. Interspecific relationships among spadefoot toads are poorly resolved, and only an Iberian-African Pb. cultripes/Pb. varaldii clade consistently emerges from our analyses. An evolutionary scenario based on the Messinian divergence of African and Iberian Pelobates lineages becomes plausible in the light of geological and paleontological data. Consequently, Pelobatesspecies are likely to have originated from the Miocene. Speciation around the Oligocene/Miocene boundary is inferred for the Iberian-Caucasian Pelodytes , and a Messinian divergence has to be invoked to explain intraspecific diversification of Iberian parsley frogs. There is indication that the different Pb. syriacus lineages may not form a monophylum.
Revision of the genus Diaphorocera Heyden, 1863 (Coleoptera, Meloidae, Cerocomini)
Authors: Turco Federica , Bologna Marco A.
Published: March 2019

Diaphorocera, a Saharo-Sindian genus belonging to the tribe Cerocomini, is revised and a new synonymy is proposed. A cladistic classification is proposed as well, on a set of adult morphological characters. The available bionomical records, both original and from literature, concerning phenology, elevation, habitat preference, and host plants, are summarised. Adult morphology of all species is described and figured, the catalogue of localities with maps of distribution is reported, and a biogeographical analysis is proposed.
Insular species of Afrotropical freshwater crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamonautidae and Potamidae) with special reference to Madagascar and the Seychelles
Authors: Cumberlidge Neil
Published: March 2019

The evolutionary relationships between island and mainland faunas of the 24 species of insular freshwater crabs in the Afrotropical region are reviewed in the light of phylogenetic studies. Twenty insular species of freshwater crabs are endemic, and four are also found on the neighboring mainland of Africa. The Atlantic Ocean islands of Sherbro, Bioko, Principe, and São Tomé support five species of Potamonautidae, while the Western Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles, Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia, and Madagascar together have 16 species of Potamonautidae, and Socotra has three species of Potamidae. Disjunct distributions of non-endemic insular species of Afrotropical freshwater crabs with conspecifics on the mainland are the result of past lower sea levels that once united islands with the coast. The presence of endemic species of freshwater crabs on oceanic volcanic islands (such as Príncipe and São Tomé) separated from the mainland by deep seas is probably the result of transoceanic dispersal. Endemic genera of freshwater crabs found on oceanic ‘Gondwanan’ islands are derived from ancestral populations on the Eurasian (Socotra) or African (The Seychelles and Madagascar) mainlands that probably reached there by transoceanic dispersal, rather than their being the vicariant descendents of Gondwanan ancestors. Species of freshwater crabs found on islands in the Afrotropical region are either not unique, or are endemic at the species or genus level. The degree of endemism depends on the island’s geological history: whether it is part of the continental shelf, an oceanic island of volcanic origin, or a former part of the ancient continent of Gondwana.
Zoogeography of primates in insular Southeast Asia: species-area relationships and the effects of taxonomy
Authors: Nijman Vincent , Meijaard Erik
Published: March 2019

Given its complex zoogeography and large number of islands insular Southeast Asia makes an excellent subject for studying the interrelationships of species richness, island area and isolation. The islands are merely highpoints of an immense shallow continental shelf which during Pleistocene glacial periods was exposed periodically as dry land connecting the now isolated islands with one another. The area is home to a large number of primate taxa, including many endemic to the region (Nasalis, Presbytis, Pongo, Symphalangus, Simias, Tarsius). Worldwide, the number of described (extant) species of primates has doubled in the last two decades partially as a result of applying a different species concept (viz. Phylogenetic Species Concept PSC as opposed to the Biological Species Concept BSC). According to Isaac et al. (Trends in Ecology and Evolution 19: 464-469, 2004) this ‘taxonomic inflation’ will influence the outcome of macroecological studies. We studied the species-area relationships in Primates on 118 islands in insular Southeast Asia, and used two taxonomies (PSC and BSC). The number of primate species (PSC 37 species, BSC 23 species) is highly significantly related to surface area of the islands, and the slope of the curve is similar for both PSC and BSC species (z = 0.13). Species ‘newly’ described under the PSC are not only from large islands but also smaller ones hence affecting neither intercept nor the slope of the curve. Area alone was a much better predictor for primate species richness than models that included other macroecological variables (latitude, longitude, altitude, distance to mainland, greatest depth between island and mainland, distance to neighbouring islands). Degree of isolation has little influence on species number but both longitude and latitude are inversely correlated with the number of species per island, suggesting that species numbers decrease in a northerly and easterly direction. The low z-values suggest that for primates the islands of Southeast Asia are perhaps less isolated than previously recognised.
Food limitation and low-density populations of sympatric hamster species in North China
Authors: Xiong Wenhua , Liang Hong , Yu Xiaohui , Cong Lin , Zhang Zhibin
Published: March 2019

Although food has been proposed as a possible factor on population regulation of small mammals, evidence of food restriction in field conditions is still lacking. Food restriction is generally thought to occur in high-density years of oscillating populations of small mammals. By using two body condition indices (muscle protein concentration and cleaned carcass index), we investigated variations of body condition of the greater long-tailed hamster (Tscherskia triton) and the striped hamster (Cricetulus barabensis) in the Raoyang County of the North China Plain during a population decline- and low-phase from 1998 to 2003. Our laboratory experiments showed that food restriction reduced muscle protein concentration and cleaned carcass index of greater long-tailed hamster. We found there were significant differences in body condition of hamsters over the six years. Both the muscle protein concentration and cleaned carcass index of T. triton were significantly and positively correlated with its yearly trap successes, which reflected yearly population densities. Muscle protein concentration of C. barabensis was positively correlated with the total yield of the wheat. This observation supported the hypothesis on the in-phase relation between food resources or availability and rodent abundances. During the four seasons, muscle protein concentration of two species was highest in autumn, and lowest in summer. These two body condition indices of wild T. triton in summer and in low phases were similar to 60% food restricted animals raised in the laboratory, but significantly lower than nonfood- restricted animals. Our results indicated that malnutrition occurred in summer when food was not abundant, and in low density years with low grain production (an index reflecting food abundance of rodents) in our study region. Therefore, we concluded that food limitation may play an important role in seasonal and inter-annual population fluctuation of these two hamster species.
Diversity in the maxillipede dentition of Mecistocephalus centipedes (Chilopoda, Mecistocephalidae), with the description of a new species with unusually elongate denticles
Authors: Bonato Lucio , Minelli Alessandro
Published: March 2019

As a contribution to investigate the interspecific diversity in the large genus Mecistocephalus Newport, 1843 with respect to these centipedes’ predatorial role in soil tropical communities, we compared the patterns of maxillipede denticles in 32 species of the genus, and studied all published relevant information. All Mecistocephalus species share a conservative pattern of six distinct denticles on the mesal side of the four articles of each maxillipede. Current views on centipede phylogeny suggest that the basic pattern in Mecistocephalus originated from an ancestral array of fewer denticles, by addition of other denticles on the first and fourth articles of the maxillipede. These patterns are not affected by sexual dimorphism, and intraspecific variation for denticle position, size and shape is negligible, but for minor allometry determining a relative increase of the size of some denticles with respect to the maxillipedes during growth. Species differ mainly in size, shape, and orientation of most denticles. Remarkably larger and unusually shaped denticles are found in a hitherto undescribed species from the Seychelles, which is described in this paper as M. megalodon n. sp.
Molecular phylogeny, morphology and bioacoustics reveal five additional species of arboreal microhylid frogs of the genus Anodonthyla from Madagascar
Authors: Vences Miguel , Glaw Frank , Köhler Jörn , Wollenberg Katharina C.
Published: March 2019

We provide a partial revision of the microhylid frogs of the genus Anodonthyla, endemic to Madagascar, based on comprehensive molecular, bioacoustic and morphological data sets that include newly collected specimens from multiple localities. The molecular trees provide strong evidence for the polyphyly of several nominal species as they were previously defined, especially of Anodonthyla boulengeri and A. nigrigularis. As a consequence, we here resurrect the nomen Mantella pollicaris Boettger as Anodonthyla pollicaris from the synonymy of A. boulengeri, and we describe four new species, all with strong genetic divergences to other nominal species: Anodonthyla emilei from Ranomafana National Park, a comparatively medium- sized species characterized by a multi-note advertisement call with high note repetition rate; A. theoi from Manombo Special Reserve, a small species characterized by low note repetition rate, long note duration and high spectral call frequency; A. vallani, a medium-sized species from Ambohitantely Special Reserve, characterized by low note repetition rate, long note duration and low spectral call frequency; and A. jeanbai, a small species from Andohahela National Park, characterized by a long and narrow head, presence of short dorsolateral folds, a very short first finger, and a yellowish ventral colour. A further candidate species comprises populations previously assigned to A. boulengeri from the Ranomafana region, which we do not describe because the corresponding data set is too fragmentary, and we refer to it as A. sp. aff. boulengeri ‘Ranomafana’. The molecular phylogeny indicates recurrent shifts between high and low note repetition rates in calls, based mainly on three strongly supported sister groups: A. moramora with low repetition rate and A. nigrigularis with moderately low repetition rate; A. theoi with low repetition rate and A. pollicaris with high repetition rate; and A. vallani with low repetition rate and A. sp. aff. boulengeri ‘Ranomafana’ with high repetition rate. The two species with the northernmost ranges, A. hutchisoni and A. boulengeri, are phylogenetically nested within clades of species occurring further south, confirming that the center of origin of the genus Anodonthyla was most likely in the South East of Madagascar.
The Formation of Precapitalist Landlordism: The Case of Land Reform in Wanglinyang Village
Authors: Pan Xuefang
Published: March 2019

Based on the “Preliminary Records of Land Reform in Wanglinyang” created during the Land Reform, this article reconstructs land ownership and utilization in Wanglinyang village of Huangyan county, Zhejiang, prior to the reform and analyzes class relations, especially landlords and rich peasants, in the village in order to explicate the formation of precapitalist landlordism. It has long been assumed that “landlords and rich peasants, accounting for less than ten percent of the rural population, possessed seventy to eighty percent of the arable land.” It was on the basis of this estimate of land ownership in rural China that the Land Reform was conducted. Wanglinyang village, however, saw no high-level concentration of the land and the attendant polarity in social differentiation; nor was there a class struggle between landlords and peasants. Nevertheless, because of restructuring by the Land Reform, this village appeared to become a rural community with all the features associated with precapitalist landlordism.
Discourse, Reality and Rural Society: The Case of Tenancy and Employment Relationships in the Early Twentieth-Century Jianghan Plain
Authors: Zhang Jiayan
Published: March 2019

According to class struggle theory, rural China before 1949 featured two contrasting classes, the exploiting class and the exploited class. Some current research tends to—from the perspectives of market relations and moral economics—focus on the harmonious aspect of the rural society of that time. Based on different surveys and their associated discourses on tenancy and employment relationships in the Jianghan Plain in the late Qing, the Republic of China, and the 1950s, this article argues that different discourses emphasized different aspects of rural society. The surveys of the late Qing and some surveys of the Republic are closer to reality, while the CCP surveys of the 1950s and the gazetteers compiled in the 1950s, influenced by political propaganda and policy, are heavily loaded with ideological biases and exaggerate the landlord-tenant conflict. This kind of influence has gradually weakened since the 1980s, and the gazetteers compiled afterward are closer to reality. Those new studies that deny exploitation and evil landlords are overcorrecting. The Jianghan experience of tenancy and employment relationships demonstrates that in the early twentieth century, exploitation among classes, market competition, and moral economics all existed at the same time. Because the Jianghan Plain was prone to frequent water calamities, we also need to add the specific influence of the environmental factor to our understanding of tenancy and employment relationships in this region.
“What Kant Would Have Said in the Refugee Crisis”
Authors: Niesen Peter
Published: March 2019

The paper starts out from a debate that occurred in Germany in 2015, where interpreters claimed to be able to divine Immanuel Kant’s views of the contemporary refugee crisis. It does not attempt to give a substantive answer to the title question, i.e. it does not try to specify the conclusive extension of cosmopolitan right. In contrast, it outlines the systematic work that would have to be done in order to be able to answer the title question. I start from cosmopolitan right as natural right and ask what kinds of transformations cosmopolitan right would have to undergo to form a legitimate part of public international law, in parallel to Kant’s move from provisional private law to peremptory public law in his Doctrine of Right. For that purpose, I introduce distinctions between trivial and non-trivial transformation, between strong (i.e. property-related) and weak (property-unrelated) transformation, and between transformation based on historically blameworthy and historically blameless action.
Teacher Professional Collaboration in China: Practices and Issues
Authors: Liu Peng , Xiu Qi
Published: March 2019

Fostering higher-order thinking skills of students is important aim for 21st century education. Teachers, as important elements in a positive learning environment, are the key to high quality education. As for the importance of teacher professional collaboration in teacher development, Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) pointed out that teachers’ professional collaboration will benefit not only students but also the whole school community, and even society at large. In Chinese context, the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (2010) issued a policy in 2010 promoting teacher professional collaboration and development as a background of this study, implying that teachers must be collaborating actively with colleagues in daily professional life to achieve collective growth for the purpose of improving student learning.

Based on the policy reality, this study explored teacher professional collaboration in the Chinese education context. It looked in particular at practices and issues in teacher professional collaboration. This article begins with the definitions of teacher professional collaboration, followed by a detailed exploration of this type of collaboration in Chinese education and issues related to its implementation. This study will provide holistic picture of teacher collaboration in China for contributing to theoretical development and educational practice.
Two new species of the ant spider genus Asceua Thorell, 1887 (Araneae: Zodariidae) from China
Authors: ZHANG BAO-SHI , ZHANG FENG , JIA XIAO-MEI
Published: March 2019

Two new spider species of the genus Asceua are reported from China, Asceua quadrimaculata sp. nov. (male, female) and A.anding sp. nov. (female). A. torquata (Simon, 1909) is newly recorded from China, and its male is described and illustrated for the first time.