bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public Acceptance of Plant Biotechnology and GM Crops
Authors: Lucht Jan
Published: July 2015

A wide gap exists between the rapid acceptance of genetically modified (GM) crops for cultivation by farmers in many countries and in the global markets for food and feed, and the often-limited acceptance by consumers. This review contrasts the advances of practical applications of agricultural biotechnology with the divergent paths—also affecting the development of virus resistant transgenic crops—of political and regulatory frameworks for GM crops and food in different parts of the world. These have also shaped the different opinions of consumers. Important factors influencing consumer’s attitudes are the perception of risks and benefits, knowledge and trust, and personal values. Recent political and societal developments show a hardening of the negative environment for agricultural biotechnology in Europe, a growing discussion—including calls for labeling of GM food—in the USA, and a careful development in China towards a possible authorization of GM rice that takes the societal discussions into account. New breeding techniques address some consumers’ concerns with transgenic crops, but it is not clear yet how consumers’ attitudes towards them will develop. Discussions about agriculture would be more productive, if they would focus less on technologies, but on common aims and underlying values.
Heritage Tourism Within a Capital City: Symbolism and Dissonance
Authors: Daniels Margaret J. , Harmon Laurlyn K. , Barrow Marielle , Park Minkyung , Brayley Russell E. , Vese Rodney
Published: July 2015

Tourists visiting the National Mall and Memorial Parks, an urban park located in the capital of the US, Washington, DC, are predominantly engaged with monuments, memorials, museums, and other historic sites. Current challenges facing this heritage destination are linked to significant
deferred maintenance that has negatively impacted the visual appeal of popular sites, facilities, and green-space. Using a mixed-methods approach framed within symbolic interactionism and cognitive dissonance, researchers examined the meanings visitors attributed to the destination, comparing
national and international tourists. National tourists were more likely to indicate that the visit evoked strong emotional responses ranging from pride to embarrassment, consistently noting that maintenance shortcomings reflected poorly on their country as a whole. The findings inform destination
management in capital cities.
Ecological Slums? Initial Notes on Tourism and Ecology in Brazilian Favelas
Authors: Moraes Camila Maria Dos Santos
Published: July 2015

This article examines the ecology in favelas (shanty towns) from comparative analysis of two recent initiatives that have created new features of these communities in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The first one is the Carioca Landscape Natural Park on Babilônia Hill, created by
the city government in 2013, and the second is a reforested space in the upper part of the Vidigal favela, containing Dois Irmãos Trail, which has become one of the main hiking trails in the city. This study is the result of fieldwork in these favelas and analysis of the literature
as well as official documents produced by government agencies and community associations. I focus on the favelas because these are the main access routes to these parks and residents carry out the reforestation. Furthermore, reports of foreign tourists and residents of Rio that have visited
these places indicate that the reforestation and creation of ecological parks are unexpected, because traditional images of favelas are of dirty areas, urban agglomerations that are antiecological, since many of Rio's favelas are built on hills originally covered by Atlantic Forest and encroach
on protected areas. However, both projects began precisely for these reasons. Thus, this article analyzes this apparent paradox of favelas turning into ecotourism attractions.
Phylogenetic background of E. coli isolated from asymptomatic pregnant women from Kolkata, India
Authors: Mukherjee Mandira , Koley Snehashis , Mukherjee Sandip Kumar , Basu Shreya , Ghosh Biplab , Chakraborty Somajita
Published: July 2015

Introduction: Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) in pregnancy generates medical complications. E. coli is the common etiologic agent responsible for ABU-associated infections. This study aimed to identify the phylogenetic background and drug resistance in asymptomatic E. coli from a pregnant population. Methodology: E. coli was confirmed biochemically from culture-positive urine samples collected from asymptomatic pregnant women. Phylogenetic typing was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production. Statistical significance was determined using SPSS 17.0 software. Results: Bacteriuria was observed in 113 (22.6%) of 500 asymptomatic pregnant females. E. coli was reported in 44 (38.9%) of 113 isolates. The mean age-wise distribution was 25.14 ± 4.63. Although pathogenic phylogroup B2 was predominant (54.5%), incidence of non-pathogenic phylogroup B1 (27.3%) was found to be statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001), and B1 and B2 were correlated with respect to total ABU population. Antibiotic sensitivity against ampicillin (34.1%), ceftazidime (50%), cefotaxime (47.7%), ciprofloxacin (47.7%), amikacin (86.4%), nitrofurantion (79.5%), and co-trimoxazole (36.4%) was observed. Multidrug resistance (MDR) and ESBL production was reported in 26 (59.1%) of 44 and 18 (69.2%) of the 26 MDR isolates, respectively. A significant distribution of phylogroup B1 (p = 0.03) with drug resistance was also observed. Conclusions: This is the first study that reported significant incidence of non-pathogenic phylogroup B1 in asymptomatic E. coli with high incidence of MDR isolated from pregnant women in Kolkata, India.  These varied resistance patterns present major therapeutic and infection control challenges during pregnancy.
Prevalence of cagA and vacA among Helicobacter pylori-infected patients in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sayehmiri Fatemeh , Kiani Faezeh , Sayehmiri Kourosh , Soroush Setareh , Asadollahi Khairollah , Alikhani Mohammad Yousef , Delpisheh Ali , Emaneini Mohammad , Bogdanovic Lidija , Varzi Ali Mohammad , Zarrilli Raffaele , Taherikalani Morovat
Published: July 2015

The varieties of infections caused by Helicobacter pylori may be due to differences in bacterial genotypes and virulence factors as well as environmental and host-related factors. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of cagA and vacA genes among H. pylori-infected patients in Iran and analyze their relevance to the disease status between two clinical groups via a meta-analysis method. Different databases including PubMed, ISI, Scopus, SID, Magiran, Science Direct, and Medlib were investigated, and 23 relevant articles from the period between 2001 and 2012 were finally analyzed. The relevant data obtained from these papers were analyzed by a random-effects model. Data were analyzed using R software and STATA. The prevalence of cagA and vacA genes among H. pylori-infected patients was 70% (95% CI, 64–75) and 41% (95% CI, 24.3–57.7), respectively. The prevalence of duodenal ulcers, peptic ulcers, and gastritis among cagA+ individuals was 53% (95% CI, 20–86), 65% (95% CI, 34–97), and 71% (95% CI, 59–84), respectively. Odds ratio (OR) between cagA-positive compared with cagA-negative patients showed a 1.89 (95% CI, 1.38–2.57) risk of ulcers. In conclusion, the frequency of cagA gene among H. pylori strains is elevated in Iran and it seems to be more frequently associated with gastritis. Therefore, any information about cagA and vacA prevalence among different H. pylori-infected clinical groups in the country can help public health authorities to plan preventive policies to reduce the prevalence of diseases associated with H. pylori infection.
Inducible and constitutive clindamycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus in a northeastern Indian tertiary care hospital
Authors: Banik Amit , Khyriem Annie Bakorlin , Gurung Jeetendra , Lyngdoh Valarie Wihiwot
Published: July 2015

Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common pyogenic bacteria. They are notorious for developing prompt resistance to newer antimicrobials. With increasing incidence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates, the treatment options are also becoming limited. Clindamycin is an excellent drug for skin and soft tissue infections, but resistance mediated by the inducible phenotype (iMLSB) leads to in vivo therapeutic failure even though there may be in vitro susceptibility. The double disk approximation test (D-test) can reliably detect the presence of such isolates. This study was aimed to detect and report the prevalence of the iMLSB phenotype in NEIGRIHMS, a tertiary care center in Northeast India. Methodology: A total of 243 consecutive isolates were subjected to routine identification tests followed by antimicrobial sensitivity testing. Erythromycin-resistant isolates were tested for inducible resistance phenotype by the D-test. Results: Among strains tested, 95 (39%) were erythromycin resistant. Twenty-six (10.7%) isolates were D-test positive (iMLSB phenotype), 41 (16.88%) were constitutively resistant (cMLSB phenotype), and 28 isolates (11.52%) were found to be negative by D-test. The incidence of both inducible and constitutive phenotypes was higher in MRSA isolates compared to methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) isolates. Conclusions: This study revealed a moderate prevalence of the inducible clindamycin phenotype in the staphylococcal isolates tested. Clinical microbiology laboratories in areas of high MRSA prevalence should consider performing the D-test routinely. This will help prevent prescription of drug(s) whose therapeutic efficacy is doubtful.
Host response to Brucella infection: review and future perspective
Authors: Elfaki Mohamed G. , Alaidan Alwaleed Abdullah , Al-Hokail Abdullah Abdulrahman
Published: July 2015

Brucellosis is a zoonotic and contagious infectious disease caused by infection with Brucella species. The infecting brucellae are capable of causing a devastating multi-organ disease in humans with serious health complications. The pathogenesis of Brucella infection is influenced largely by host factors, Brucella species/strain, and the ability of invading brucellae to survive and replicate within mononuclear phagocytic cells, preferentially macrophages (Mf). Consequently, the course of human infection may appear as an acute fatal or progress into chronic debilitating infection with periodical episodes that leads to bacteremia and death. The existence of brucellae inside Mf represents one of the strategies used by Brucella to evade the host immune response and is responsible for treatment failure in certain human populations treated with anti-Brucella drugs. Moreover, the persistence of brucellae inside Mf complicates the diagnosis and may affect the host cell signaling pathways with consequent alterations in both innate and adaptive immune responses. Therefore, there is an urgent need to pursue the development of novel drugs and/or vaccine targets against human brucellosis using high throughput technologies in genomics, proteomics, and immunology.
Response to the cost effectiveness analysis of pneumococcal conjugated vaccines in Peru
Authors: Gomez Jorge Alberto , Castrejon Maria Mercedes , Van de Velde Nicolas
Published: July 2015

This item has no abstract. Follow the links below to access the full text.
Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B e antigen among childbearing-age women in Mianyang, China
Authors: Wang Min , Li Hong , Ji Yulin , Ma Yuanji , Wang Liping , Ren Tao , Hou Fengsu , Yuan Ping
Published: July 2015

Introduction: Few studies have focused on hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among childbearing-age women. This study explored hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroprevalence and their associated factors among childbearing-age women. Methodology: A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted between June 2013 and October 2013 in Mianyang; women 15–49 years of age were enrolled using a multistage cluster sampling design. Participants completed questionnaires about demographic characteristics and potential factors associated with HBV infection, and provided blood samples for screening HBsAg and HBeAg. The analysis methods included descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Among 62,007 childbearing-age women, 5.66% were HBsAg positive. The HBsAg seroprevalence rates were 7.28% in women 40–44 years of age, 7.0% in Fucheng women, 5.70% in Han women, 6.59% in married women, and 6.60% in agriculture workers. Multivariate models identified having HBsAg-positive family members, and having no self-reported immunization history to be positively associated with HBsAg positivity; being a healthcare worker was negatively associated with HBsAg positivity. Among 3,499 HBsAg-positive childbearing-age women, 9.97% were HBeAg positive. The HBeAg seroprevalence rates were 46.54% in women 15–19 years of age, 10.82% in Fucheng women, 38.51% in single women, and 42.86% in students. Multivariate models identified living in Fucheng and younger age to be positively associated with HBeAg positivity. Conclusions: These findings could provide scientific evidence for the Chinese government to plan efficient health care services and prevention initiatives, and to allocate health resources reasonably for this population.
La Nación, Peronism, and the Origins of the Cold War in Argentina
Authors: Sánchez-Román José Antonio
Published: July 2015

This article deals with the international dimension of Argentine domestic policies by exploring one of the strategies of the conservative daily newspaper La Nación, between 1946 and 1950, in order to challenge Juan Perón’s hegemony. La Nación presented the Peronist regime as akin to the totalitarian regimes established under the Soviet Union’s vigilance. This is not surprising, but revealing the complex ideological mechanisms employed by La Nación in its strategy is a noteworthy endeavor. This work will provide a thorough exploration of the process through which La Nación shifted from its former opposition to Peronism, initially identified as a Nazi-Fascist movement, to a new articulation of the regime as a totalitarian one. To some extent this was not so different from the strategy that the United States’ (US) intellectual elites were carrying out in order to justify their struggle against a former ally in war as a continuation of purpose and not a rupture. Yet, the most interesting aspect of this evolution in the Argentine case is that it emerged in an autonomous way as a result of specific national and international phenomena. This shows that the characteristics of the early phase of the Cold War were shaped by transnational processes of convergence rather than US hegemony alone.
A Trinitarian approach to spirituality: Exploring the possibilities
Authors: Venter Rian
Published: July 2015

Spirituality and ultimacy are inextricably linked. Underlying the plurality of spiritualities are myriad ways to construe the identity of the transcendent. In a Christian sense, the notion of the divine with a Trinitarian identification is central. The article examines the implications of such a naming of God for spirituality. Attention is paid to the relationship between doctrinal theology and spirituality as well as to scholarly reflection already undertaken on a so-called Trinitarian spirituality. The article suggests guidelines for future work and emphasises that an adequate account should be given of how Trinitarian theology is undertaken as symbolising and hermeneutical endeavour. Some unique features of this spirituality are profiled, and it is argued that a Trinitarian imagining of the divine may generate perspectives not possible in an unqualified monotheistic approach.
On Initial Conditions for the Lattice Boltzmann Method
Authors: Huang Juntao , Wu Hao , Yong Wen-An
Published: July 2015

In this paper, we propose two initialization techniques for the lattice Boltzmann method. The first one is based on the theory of asymptotic analysis developed in [M. Junk and W.-A. Yong, Asymptotic Anal., 35(2003)]. By selecting consistent macroscopic quantities, this initialization leads to the second-order convergence for both velocity and pressure. Another one is an improvement of the consistent initial conditions proposed in [R. W. Mei, L.-S. Luo, P. Lallemand and D. d’Humières, Comput. Fluids, 35(2006)]. The improvement involves a modification of the collision term and a reconstruction step. Numerical examples confirm the accuracy and efficiency of our techniques.
The Diffused Vortex Hydrodynamics Method
Authors: Rossi Emanuele , Colagrossi Andrea , Bouscasse Benjamin , Graziani Giorgio
Published: July 2015

A new Particle Vortex Method, called Diffused Vortex Hydrodynamics (DVH), is presented in this paper. The DVH is a meshless method characterized by the use of a regular distribution of points close to a solid surface to perform the vorticity diffusion process in the boundary layer regions. This redistribution avoids excessive clustering or rarefaction of the vortex particles providing robustness and high accuracy to the method. The generation of the regular distribution of points is performed through a packing algorithm which is embedded in the solver. The packing algorithm collocates points regularly around body of arbitrary shape allowing an exact enforcement on the solid surfaces of the no-slip boundary condition. The present method is tested and validated on different problems of increasing complexities up to flows with Reynolds number equal to 100,000 (without using any subgrid-scale turbulence model).
Role of zooplankton dynamics for Southern Ocean phytoplankton biomass and global biogeochemical cycles
Authors: Le Quéré C. , Buitenhuis E. T. , Moriarty R. , Alvain S. , Aumont O. , Bopp L. , Chollet S. , Enright C. , Franklin D. J. , Geider R. J. , Harrison S. P. , Hirst A. , Larsen S. , Legendre L. , Platt T. , Prentice I. C. , Rivkin R. B. , Sathyendranath S. , Stephens N. , Vogt M. , Sailley S. , Vallina S. M.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. Global ocean biogeochemistry models currently employed in climate change projections use highly simplified representations of pelagic food webs. These food webs do not necessarily include critical pathways by which ecosystems interact with ocean biogeochemistry and climate. Here we present a global biogeochemical model which incorporates ecosystem dynamics based on the representation of ten plankton functional types (PFTs); six types of phytoplankton, three types of zooplankton, and heterotrophic bacteria. We improved the representation of zooplankton dynamics in our model through (a) the explicit inclusion of large, slow-growing zooplankton, and (b) the introduction of trophic cascades among the three zooplankton types. We use the model to quantitatively assess the relative roles of iron vs. grazing in determining phytoplankton biomass in the Southern Ocean High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll (HNLC) region during summer. When model simulations do not represent crustacean macrozooplankton grazing, they systematically overestimate Southern Ocean chlorophyll biomass during the summer, even when there was no iron deposition from dust. When model simulations included the developments of the zooplankton component, the simulation of phytoplankton biomass improved and the high chlorophyll summer bias in the Southern Ocean HNLC region largely disappeared. Our model results suggest that the observed low phytoplankton biomass in the Southern Ocean during summer is primarily explained by the dynamics of the Southern Ocean zooplankton community rather than iron limitation. This result has implications for the representation of global biogeochemical cycles in models as zooplankton faecal pellets sink rapidly and partly control the carbon export to the intermediate and deep ocean.
River flood risk in Jakarta under scenarios of future change
Authors: Budiyono Y. , Aerts J. C. J. H. , Tollenaar D. , Ward P.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. Given the increasing impacts of flooding in Jakarta, methods for assessing current and future flood risk are required. In this paper, we use the Damagescanner-Jakarta risk model to project changes in future river flood risk under scenarios of climate change, land subsidence, and land use change. We estimate current flood risk at USD 143 million p.a. Combining all future scenarios, we simulate a median increase in risk of +263 % by 2030. The single driver with the largest contribution to that increase is land subsidence (+173 %). We simulated the impacts of climate change by combining two scenario of sea level rise with simulations of changes in 1 day extreme precipitation totals from 5 Global Climate Models (GCMs) forced by 4 Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). The results are highly uncertain; the median change in risk due to climate change alone by 2030 is a decrease by −4 %, but we simulate an increase in risk under 21 of the 40 GCM-RCP-sea level rise combinations. Hence, we developed probabilistic risk scenarios to account for this uncertainty. Finally, we discuss the relevance of the results for flood risk management in Jakarta.
Accelerated sea level rise and Florida Current transport
Authors: Park J. , Sweet W.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. The Florida Current is the headwater of the Gulf Stream and is a component of the North Atlantic western boundary current from which a geostrophic balance between sea surface height and mass transport directly influence coastal sea levels along the Florida Straits. A linear regression of daily Florida Current transport estimates does not find a significant change in transport over the last decade; however, a nonlinear trend extracted from empirical mode decomposition (EMD) suggests a 3 Sv decline in mean transport. This decline is consistent with observed tide gauge records in Florida Bay and the straits exhibiting an acceleration of mean sea level (MSL) rise over the decade. It is not known whether this recent change represents natural variability or the onset of the anticipated secular decline in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC); nonetheless, such changes have direct impacts on the sensitive ecological systems of the Everglades as well as the climate of western Europe and eastern North America.
PREVALÊNCIA DE ANSIEDADE E DEPRESSÃO NO PRÉ- OPERATÓRIO DE CIRURGIAS ELETIVAS EM UM HOSPITAL UNIVERSITÁRIO EM CURITIBA
Authors: Maluf Eliane Mara Cesário , Richlin Camília Helena , Barreira Marília De Almeida
Published: July 2015

Introdução: No período pré-operatório a prevalência de ansiedade e depressão pode aumentar. Tais transtornos são considerados causas da dificuldade de recuperação do paciente após a cirurgia, do tempo de internamento prolongado, da necessidade aumentada de anestésicos e analgésicos, da menor adesão ao tratamento e do custo elevado ao sistema de saúde. Objetivo: Conhecer a prevalência de ansiedade e depressão em pacientes no pré-operatório de cirurgias eletivas no Hospital da Cruz Vermelha Paraná (HCV-PR) e verificar possíveis associações entre a presença destes transtornos com as variáveis sexo, idade, estado civil, religião, escolaridade, renda e tipo de atendimento hospitalar. Métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo com 200 pacientes internados no pré-operatório de cirurgias eletivas entre julho e outubro de 2013. Instrumentos de coleta de dados: escala hospitalar de ansiedade e depressão (HADS) e questionário de dados socioeconômicos e demográficos. Resultados: A prevalência de ansiedade (27,5%) foi superior à de depressão (13,5%). A ansiedade foi mais frequente entre os pacientes com as seguintes características: ensino médio incompleto (58,2%), renda inferior a 2 salários mínimos (56,4%), e usuários do SUS (63,3%), com p<0,05.  A depressão foi mais frequente entre os pacientes com: idade ≥ 50 anos (81,5%), renda inferior a 2 salários mínimos (59,3%), usuários do SUS (70,4%), com p<0,05. Conclusão: A maioria dos pacientes com distúrbios apresentou baixa renda e foi atendida pelo SUS, características essas que os tornam mais vulneráveis. Por isso, é importante investir no cuidado pré-operatório, promovendo assistência e auxiliando o paciente na compreensão do processo, a fim de diminuir efeitos deletérios.
A RELIGIOSIDADE POPULAR BRASILEIRA
Authors: Rodrigues Cátia Cilene Lima
Published: July 2015

Este trabalho tem por objetivo discutir o campo religioso no Brasil a partir de sua evolução histórica, peculiaridades étnicas, e diversidade de estruturas sociais. A partir da observação do campo valendo-se de estudos descritivos de Gambini, Giddens, Otten, Sanchis, Paiva e Valle, encontramos um cenário marcado pela criatividade da religiosidade popular em parceria com a reflexibilidade da pós moderinidade, que realiza adaptações aos cânones religiosos a fim de se servir da religiosidade de forma prática no cotidiano do crente. Os resultados indicam um emaranhado de concepções simbólicas, conceitos religiosos, tradições culturais, tecidos tal uma colcha de retalhos de diferentes tons e temas, mas que no conjunto faz algum sentido para o ser humano, solitário e desorientado, inseguro no caos urbano e na velocidade da realidade virtual.
Estrutura produtiva e relações de produção entre a Região Polarizada por Londrina e o Restante do Paraná em 2006
Authors: Moretto Antonio Carlos , Rodrigues Rossana Lott , Sesso Filho Umberto Antonio , Kureski Ricardo
Published: July 2015

Este artigo teve por objetivo estimar as ligações setoriais e o transbordamento do multiplicador de produção entre a região polarizada por Londrina e Restante do Paraná utilizando a matriz de insumo-produto inter-regional estimada para 2006. Os principais resultados mostraram que: a) a agricultura e os setores alimentares se destacaram na estrutura produtiva da Região polarizada por Londrina, comparativamente ao Restante do Paraná, enquanto propagadores das relações intersetoriais; b) a estrutura industrial do Restante do Paraná se apresentou mais diversificada relativamente à da Região Polarizada por Londrina, não dependendo tanto da agricultura e dos setores alimentares para sua dinâmica; c) o efeito transbordamento do multiplicador de produção no sentido Restante do Paraná-Região Polarizada por Londrina foi de 4,9% enquanto no sentido contrário alcançou 12%, revelando maior dependência desta última em relação ao Restante do Paraná para seu processo produtivo; d) o Restante do Paraná, embora mais diversificado em sua estrutura produtiva, apresentou-se mais dependente da Região Polarizada por Londrina no que se refere ao atendimento dos requisitos de insumos para os setores agroalimentares diante de aumentos na sua demanda final.
MODELLING OF EXPECTED TRAFFIC SMOOTHNESS IN URBAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS FOR ITS SOLUTIONS
Authors: Karoń Grzegorz , Żochowska Renata
Published: July 2015

In urban networks, with dense traffic flows and a high risk of the disruption (even in the form of a short queue of vehicles) the probability of occurrence of such a situation (disruption and queue) is a better measure of the probabilistic description of the capacity constraints than the expected waiting time in the queue, because the probability takes into account the risk of delay in the traffic flow from the point of view of the person that plans a trip. The functions of expected smoothness of the traffic flows in the elementary nodes and the expected waiting time in the queue for different packages of ITS services have been presented in the mathematical forms.
Iceland in the Eighteenth Century: An Island Outpost of Europe?
Authors: Agnarsdóttir Anna
Published: July 2015

The aim is to define Iceland’s relationship with Europe during the eighteenth century. Though Iceland, an island in the mid-Atlantic, was geographically isolated from the European continent, it was in most respects an integral part of Europe. Iceland was not much different from western Europe except for the notable lack of towns and a European-style nobility. However, there was a clearly – defined elite and by the end of the eighteenth century urbanisation had become government policy. Iceland was also remote in the sense that the state of knowledge among the Europeans was slight and unreliable. However, in the spirit of the Enlightenment, Danish and French expeditions were sent to Iceland while British scientists began exploring the island with the result that by the early nineteenth century an excellent choice of books was available in the major European languages giving up-to-date accounts of Iceland. On the other hand the Icelanders were growing ever closer to Europe, by the end of the century for instance adopting fashionable European dress. Iceland’s history always followed western trends, its history more or less mirroring that of western Europe.
‘I felt a noble shock’: James Boswell in German Princely Courts
Authors: Kekäläinen Markku
Published: July 2015

The article deals with James Boswell’s (1740–1795) attitudes towards the courtly milieu in the context of eighteenth-century British court discourse. The central argument is that, strongly contrary to the anti-court ethos of his intellectual and social milieu, Boswell had an affirmative and enthusiastic attitude towards the court. Moreover, the fact that he was neither an Addisonian moralist ‘spectator’ nor a cynical court aristocrat like Lord Chesterfield, but in many senses a highly affective ‘man of feeling’ of the age, did not diminish the uniqueness of his positive view of court culture. On the one hand, Boswell’s appreciation of the court was connected with his firm monarchism and belief in hereditary rank; on the other hand, he was aesthetically fascinated by the splendour and magnificence of the courtly milieu. His appraisal of the court did not include the common-sense moralism of the moral weeklies or the cynical observations of the  aristocratic court discourse; rather his attitude was immediate, emotional, and enthusiastic in the spirit of the cult of sensibility.
Vivos Voco: Herzen's Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Parthe Kathleen Frances
Published: July 2015

A close reading of the journalism, correspondence, and memoirs of Alexander Herzen (1812–1870) yields a finely tuned relationship to past, present, and future, but not a complete philosophy of history. Herzen described no system, but repeated key metaphors (e.g., the libretto) and concepts (e.g. contingency) that reflected his understanding of the historical process. For Herzen, history became interesting when it was relieved of predetermined plots and algebraic formulas. However much he studied Russia’s past and planned its future, his preference was for the present, where freedom is most fully experienced in debate and in the need to choose a path forward. He understood the instrumentality of history in how the lives of ordinary people were affected, which remained his measure of progress. Herzen was a “historian of the present,” and his insights are remarkably applicable to twenty-first-century Russia.
Ten years of marine current measurements in Espartel Sill, Strait of Gibraltar
Authors: Sammartino S. , García Lafuente J. , Naranjo C. , Sánchez Garrido J. C. , Sánchez Leal R. , Sánchez Román A.
Published: July 2015

More than 10 year of Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler observations collected at the westernmost sill (Espartel sill) of the Strait of Gibraltar by a monitoring station have been carefully processed to provide the most updated estimation of the Mediterranean outflow. A comprehensive quality control of the factors affecting the uncertainty of the measurements has been carried out and great care has been paid to infer the current at the bottom layer, where direct observations are lacking. The mean outflow in the southern channel of the sill section has been estimated as −0.82 Sv (1 Sv = 1 × 106 m3 s−1), with an average contribution of the eddy fluxes of −0.04 Sv. This figure is an overestimation, as the mooring measurements, assumed valid for the whole section, ignore the lateral friction. On the other hand, it only gives the flow through the southern channel and disregards the fraction flowing through shallower northern part. Both drawbacks have been addressed by investigating the cross‐strait structure of the outflow from hindcasts produced by the MITgcm numerical model, run in a high‐resolution domain covering the Gulf of Cádiz and Alboran Sea basins. An overall rectifying factor of 1.039 was found satisfactory to correct the first estimate, so that the final mean outflow computed from this data set is −0.85 Sv, complemented with an uncertainty of ±0.03 Sv based on the interannual variability of the series. The temporal analysis of the series shows an outflow seasonality of around the 8% of the mean value, with maximum outflow in early spring.
Robust comparison of climate models with observations using blended land air and ocean sea surface temperatures
Authors: Cowtan Kevin , Hausfather Zeke , Hawkins Ed , Jacobs Peter , Mann Michael E. , Miller Sonya K. , Steinman Byron A. , Stolpe Martin B. , Way Robert G.
Published: July 2015

The level of agreement between climate model simulations and observed surface temperature change is a topic of scientific and policy concern. While the Earth system continues to accumulate energy due to anthropogenic and other radiative forcings, estimates of recent surface temperature evolution fall at the lower end of climate model projections. Global mean temperatures from climate model simulations are typically calculated using surface air temperatures, while the corresponding observations are based on a blend of air and sea surface temperatures. This work quantifies a systematic bias in model‐observation comparisons arising from differential warming rates between sea surface temperatures and surface air temperatures over oceans. A further bias arises from the treatment of temperatures in regions where the sea ice boundary has changed. Applying the methodology of the HadCRUT4 record to climate model temperature fields accounts for 38% of the discrepancy in trend between models and observations over the period 1975–2014.
Seasonal coastal sea level prediction using a dynamical model
Authors: McIntosh Peter C. , Church John A. , Miles Elaine R. , Ridgway Ken , Spillman Claire M.
Published: July 2015

Sea level varies on a range of time scales from tidal to decadal and centennial change. To date, little attention has been focussed on the prediction of interannual sea level anomalies. Here we demonstrate that forecasts of coastal sea level anomalies from the dynamical Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia (POAMA) have significant skill throughout the equatorial Pacific and along the eastern boundaries of the Pacific and Indian Oceans at lead times out to 8 months. POAMA forecasts for the western Pacific generally have greater skill than persistence, particularly at longer lead times. POAMA also has comparable or greater skill than previously published statistical forecasts from both a Markov model and canonical correlation analysis. Our results indicate the capability of physically based models to address the challenge of providing skillful forecasts of seasonal sea level fluctuations for coastal communities over a broad area and at a range of lead times.
Wind and tidal mixing controls on stratification and dense water outflows in a large hypersaline bay
Authors: Hetzel Yasha , Pattiaratchi Charitha , Lowe Ryan , Hofmeister Richard
Published: July 2015

In Shark Bay, a large inverse estuary in Western Australia, longitudinal density gradients establish a gravitational circulation that is important for Bay‐ocean exchange and transport of biological material such as larvae. The relative contributions of energy from wind and tidal mixing on the control of vertical stratification and gravitational circulation were investigated using the three‐dimensional baroclinic ocean circulation model (General Estuarine Transport Model, GETM). In this large inverse estuary, the effects of the winds and tides on vertical mixing were found to be of similar magnitude. A critical depth of ∼15 m was identified that determined whether winds or tides or a combination of the two was required to create vertically mixed conditions. Where it was shallower than the critical depth, either the wind or tide could fully mix the water column. In contrast, a combination of both winds and tides was required to mix the deeper channels. Density‐driven circulation peaked 0–3 days after periods of maximum stratification, resulting in a fortnightly modulation of dense water outflows along the seabed following the tidal stage. Salt flux calculations provided new evidence for the predominance of outflow through the deeper northern entrance channel where outflows persisted through all stages of the tide. In contrast, outflows through the western channel were more intermittent with a stronger tidal component. Wind driven lateral circulation between the entrances was also important and could temporarily reverse the circulation during northerly wind events.
A price to pay: Turkish and Northern American retaliation for threats to personal and family honor
Authors: Uskul Ayse K. , Cross Susan E. , Günsoy Ceren , Gerçek‐Swing Berna , Alözkan Cansu , Ataca Bilge
Published: July 2015

Two studies investigated retaliatory responses to actual honor threats among members of an honor culture (Turkey) and a dignity culture (northern United States). The honor threat in these studies was based on previous research which has shown that honesty is a key element of the conception of honor and that accusations of dishonesty are threatening to one's honor. In both studies, participants wrote an essay describing the role of honesty in their lives and received feedback on their essay accusing them of being dishonest (vs. neutral feedback). Turkish participants retaliated more strongly than did northern U.S. participants against the person who challenged their honesty by assigning him/her to solve more difficult tangrams over easy ones (Study 1) and by choosing sensory tasks of a higher level of intensity to complete (Study 2). Study 2 added a relational honor condition, in which participants wrote about honesty in their parents' lives and examined the role of individual differences in honor values in retaliation. Endorsement of honor values significantly predicted retaliation among Turkish participants in the relational honor attack condition, but not among northern U.S. participants. Aggr. Behav. 41:594–607, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Nitro to Carbonyl Conversion (Nef Reaction): New Perspectives for a Classical Transformation
Authors: Ballini Roberto , Petrini Marino
Published: July 2015

This review article reports new procedures and practical application of the nitro to carbonyl conversion that appeared in the literature after our comprehensive report published in 2004. Beside traditional and well explored reactant systems, new procedures including the utilization of molecular oxygen and photoredox catalysis have been introduced for the Nef reaction. Of notable interest is the utilization of the nitro to carbonyl conversion in tandem and cascade processes aimed at the preparation of hetero and carbocyclic derivatives.

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A novel adaptive surrogate modeling‐based algorithm for simultaneous optimization of sequential batch process scheduling and dynamic operations
Authors: Shi Hanyu , You Fengqi
Published: July 2015

A novel adaptive surrogate modeling‐based algorithm is proposed to solve the integrated scheduling and dynamic optimization problem for sequential batch processes. The integrated optimization problem is formulated as a large scale mixed‐integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem. To overcome the computational challenge of solving the integrated MINLP problem, an efficient solution algorithm based on the bilevel structure of the integrated problem is proposed. Because processing times and costs of each batch are the only linking variables between the scheduling and dynamic optimization problems, surrogate models based on piece‐wise linear functions are built for the dynamic optimization problems of each batch. These surrogate models are then updated adaptively, either by adding a new sampling point based on the solution of the previous iteration, or by doubling the upper bound of total processing time for the current surrogate model. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated through the optimization of a multiproduct sequential batch process with seven units and up to five tasks. The results show that the proposed algorithm leads to a 31% higher profit than the sequential method. The proposed method also outperforms the full space simultaneous method by reducing the computational time by more than four orders of magnitude and returning a 9.59% higher profit. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 4191–4209, 2015
A destructive feedback loop mediated by CXCL10 in central nervous system inflammatory disease
Authors: Roberts Wendy K. , Blachère Nathalie E. , Frank Mayu O. , Dousmanis Athanasios , Ransohoff Richard M. , Darnell Robert B.
Published: July 2015

Objective

Paraneoplastic neurologic disorders (PND) are autoimmune diseases associated with cancer and ectopic expression of a neuronal antigen in a peripheral tumor. Patients with PND harbor high‐titer antibodies and T cells in their serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that are specific to the tumor antigen, and treatment with the immunosuppressant FK506 (tacrolimus) decreases CSF white blood cell counts. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of FK506 on CSF chemokine levels in PND patients.

Methods

CSF samples before and after FK506 treatment were tested by multiplex assay for the presence of 27 cytokines. Follow‐up in vitro experiments aimed to determine whether T cells secrete CXCL10 in response to cognate antigen.

Results

Here we report that PND patients harbor high levels of the chemokine CXCL10 in their CSF. CXCL10 is a cytokine that recruits CXCR3+ cells such as activated T cells, and we found that FK506 treatment specifically decreased CSF CXCL10 from among 27 cytokines tested. In vitro, CXCL10 was only produced during antigen‐specific cognate interactions between T cells and antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) when interferon‐γ (IFNγ) receptors were present on the T cell.

Interpretation

These results support a model in which antigen‐specific T cell stimulation by PND APCs triggers IFNγ, followed by CXCL10 production and further lymphocyte recruitment, suggesting that treatments targeting T cells or CXCL10 in the central nervous system (CNS) may interrupt a destructive positive feedback loop present in CNS inflammation. Ann Neurol 2015;78:619–629
Schneller, amplifikationsfreier und sensitiver diagnostischer Test zur Einzelschritt‐Multiplexfluoreszenzdetektion von MicroRNA
Authors: Jin Zongwen , Geißler Daniel , Qiu Xue , Wegner K. David , Hildebrandt Niko
Published: July 2015

Die Bedeutung der MicroRNA(miRNA)‐Dysregulierung für die Entwicklung und den Fortschritt von Krankheiten sowie die Entdeckung stabiler miRNA in peripherem Blut haben diese kurzen Nukleinsäuren zu Biomarkern der nächsten Generation gemacht. Hier präsentieren wir einen vollkommen homogenen Multiplex‐miRNA‐FRET‐Test, der sorgfältiges biophotonisches Design mit verschiedenen RNA‐Hybridisierungs‐ und Ligationsschritten kombiniert. Im Vergleich zum Stand der Technik in der miRNA‐Detektion bietet der Einzelschritt‐Einzeltemperatur‐ und amplifikationsfreie Assay eine einzigartige Kombination von Leistungsparametern. Präzise Multiplex‐Quantifizierung von miRNA‐20a, ‐20b und ‐21 in Konzentrationen zwischen 0.05 und 0.5 nM in einer einzigen 150‐μL‐Probe und Nachweisgrenzen zwischen 0.2 und 0.9 nM in 7.5‐μL‐Serumproben zeigen die Anwendbarkeit der Technologie sowohl für die Hochdurchsatzanalyse als auch die patientennahe klinische Diagnostik.
Tuning the Stereoselectivity of a DNA‐Catalyzed Michael Addition through Covalent Modification
Authors: Dey Surjendu , Jäschke Andres
Published: July 2015

Complexes of G‐quadruplex DNA and CuII ions have previously been applied as catalysts in asymmetric reactions, but the largely unspecific and noncovalent nature of the interaction has impeded understanding of the structural basis of catalysis. To better control the formation of a catalytically competent species, DNA quadruplexes were derivatized with linker‐bpy‐CuII complexes in a site‐specific manner and applied in asymmetric aqueous Michael additions. These modified quadruplexes exhibited high rate acceleration and stereoselectivity. Different factors were found to be important for the catalytic performance of the modified G‐quadruplexes, among them, the position of modification, the topology of the quadruplex, the nature of the ligand, and the length of the linker between the ligand and DNA. Moving the same ligand by just two nucleotides inverted the stereochemical outcome: quadruplexes modified at position 10 formed the (−)‐enantiomer with up to 92 % ee, while DNA derivatized at position 12 formed the (+)‐enantiomer with up to 75 % ee. This stereopreference was maintained when applied to structurally different Michael acceptors. This work demonstrates a new and simple way to tune the stereoselectivity in DNA‐based asymmetric catalysis.
Preparation and characterization of inorganic acid catalytic membrane for biodiesel production from oleic acid
Authors: Xu Wei , Xu Jiwu , Gao Lijing , Xiao Guomin
Published: July 2015

An inorganic catalytic membrane constructed of a ceramic membrane (CM) support and catalytic coating (active component SO42−/TiO2) was prepared and used as a heterogeneous catalyst in the esterification of oleic acid with methanol for biodiesel production. SO42−/TiO2‐CM catalytic membrane was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction patterns, and scanning electron microscopy together with energy dispersive analyzer for X‐ray (EDS). It was found that the SO42−/TiO2 particles were well coated on the surface of CM matrix, and the oleic acid conversion could become 97.6% at the optimum condition. © 2015 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Therapeutic drug monitoring of cyclosporine and area under the curve prediction using a single time point strategy: appraisal using peak concentration data
Authors: Srinivas Nuggehally R.
Published: July 2015

There is an ongoing debate on the use of a single concentration time point C2 for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and exposure prediction for cyclosporine. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the relationship between the peak concentration (Cmax) versus area under the curve (AUC) for cyclosporine. Using published data from renal transplant patients from an 8–12 week study with two formulations, a simple linear regression model represented by AUC − cyclosporine = Cmax − Cyclosporine × 3.9965 + 384.5 (r = 0.9647; p < 0.001) was developed. Using the regression equation, predictions of AUC from the reported Cmax data were performed; the fold difference between observed vs predicted AUC was computed and the root mean square error for the prediction was calculated. While all but one of the predicted AUCs were contained within a 0.5–2‐fold difference (99.1%), a greater proportion of the AUC values were predicted within a narrower range of 0.75 to 1.5‐fold difference (78.2%), suggesting the utility of Cmax as the right surrogate for predicting the AUC for cyclosporine with a correlation coefficient of 0.8698 (n = 126; p < 0.001) and a RMSE of 26.2%. Since the time to Cmax generally varies from 1 to 2 h, although the results validate the use of C2, there may be an opportunity to explore the suitability of C1 or C1.5 in a prospective study for the purpose of TDM and AUC prediction of cyclosporine. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.