bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Cornelian Cherry Iridoid-Polyphenolic Fraction and Loganic Acid to Reduce Intraocular Pressure
Authors: Szumny Dorota , Sozański Tomasz , Kucharska Alicja Z. , Dziewiszek Wojciech , Piórecki Narcyz , Magdalan Jan , Chlebda-Sieragowska Ewa , Kupczynski Robert , Szeląg Adam , Szumny Antoni
Published: June 2015

One of the most common diseases of old age in modern societies is glaucoma. It is strongly connected with increased intraocular pressure (IOP) and could permanently damage vision in the affected eye. As there are only a limited number of chemical compounds that can decrease IOP as well as blood flow in eye vessels, the up-to-date investigation of new molecules is important. The chemical composition of the dried Cornelian cherry (Cornus masL.) polar,iridoid-polyphenol-rich fraction was investigated. Loganic acid (50%) and pelargonidin-3-galactoside (7%) were found as the main components. Among the other constituents, iridoid compound cornuside and the anthocyans cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, cyanidin 3-O-robinobioside, and pelargonidin 3-O-robinobioside were quantified in the fraction. In an animal model (New Zealand rabbits), the influence of loganic acid and the polyphenolic fraction isolated from Cornelian cherry fruit was investigated. We found a strong IOP-hypotensive effect for a 0.7% solution of loganic acid, which could be compared with the widely ophthalmologically used timolol. About a 25% decrease in IOP was observed within the first 3 hours of use.
Exome Sequencing Identified a RecessiveRDH12Mutation in a Family with Severe Early-Onset Retinitis Pigmentosa
Authors: Gong Bo , Wei Bo , Huang Lulin , Hao Jilong , Li Xiulan , Yang Yin , Zhou Yu , Hao Fang , Cui Zhihua , Zhang Dingding , Wang Le , Zhang Houbin
Published: June 2015

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most important hereditary retinal disease caused by progressive degeneration of the photoreceptor cells. This study is to identify gene mutations responsible for autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) in a Chinese family using next-generation sequencing technology. A Chinese family with 7 members including two individuals affected with severe early-onset RP was studied. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. Exome sequencing was performed on a single RP patient (the proband of this family) and direct Sanger sequencing on other family members and normal controls was followed to confirm the causal mutations. A homozygous mutation c.437T<A (p.V146D) in theretinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12)gene, which encodes an NADPH-dependent retinal reductase, was identified as being related to the phenotype of this arRP family. This homozygous mutation was detected in the two affected patients, but not present in other family members and 600 normal controls. Another three normal members in the family were found to carry this heterozygous missense mutation. Our results emphasize the importance of c.437T<A (p.V146D) substitution inRDH12and provide further support for the causative role of this mutation in the pathogenesis and clinical diagnosis of RP.
Design and Implementation of Energy Efficiency in HVAC Systems Based on Robust PID Control for Industrial Applications
Authors: Imal Muharrem
Published: June 2015

Energy efficiency in heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems is a primary concern in process projects, since the energy consumption has the highest percentage in HVAC for all processes. Without sacrifice of thermal comfort, to reset the suitable operating parameters, such as the humidity and air temperature, would have energy saving with immediate effect. In this paper, the simulation-optimization approach described the effective energy efficiency for HVAC systems which are used in industrial process. Due to the complex relationship of the HVAC system parameters, it is necessary to suggest optimum settings for different operations in response to the dynamic cooling loads and changing weather conditions during a year. Proportional-integral-derivative (PID) programming was developed which can effectively handle the discrete, nonlinear and highly constrained optimization problems. Energy efficiency process has been made by controlling of alternative current (AC) drivers for ventilation and exhaust fans, according to supplied air flow capacity and differential air pressure between supplied and exhaust air. Supervisory controller software was developed by using programmable controllers and human machine interface (HMI) units. The new designed HVAC control system would have a saving potential of about 40% as compared to the existing operational settings, without any extra cost.
An Experimental Study on Deformation Fractures of Fissured Rock around Tunnels in True Triaxial Unloads
Authors: Wang Meng , Zhu Zheming , Xie Jun
Published: June 2015

Joints and cracks are frequently encountered in underground rock mass. During the process of tunnel excavations or other underground construction, the rock will be exposed suddenly, and such sudden unloading process will cause crack expansion and destabilize the rock structure. In order to investigate the crack behaviour during this process, a true triaxial loading apparatus with a computer-controlled electrohydraulic servosystem was established, and a series of true triaxial loading and unloading experiments was conducted by using concrete specimens containing inclined cracks with inclinations of 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 75°. The stress-strain behavior and the failure property of rock models during unloading process were obtained, and, additionally, the coefficient of brittle stress drop was investigated. The uniaxial compression tests were simulated by using finite element method.
Food Fortification for Addressing Iron Deficiency in Filipino Children: Benefits and Cost-Effectiveness
Authors: Detzel Patrick , Wieser Simon
Published: June 2015

Iron deficiency is one of the most widespread nutritional disorders in both developing and industrialized countries, making it a global public health concern. Anemia, mainly due to iron deficiency, affects one third of the world's population and is concentrated in women and children below 5 years of age. Iron deficiency anemia has a profound impact on human health and productivity, and the effects of iron deficiency are especially pronounced in the first 1,000 days of life. This critical window of time sets the stage for an individual's future physiological and cognitive health, underscoring the importance of addressing iron deficiency in infants and young children. This review focuses on the use of fortified foods as a cost-effective tool for addressing iron deficiency in infants and young children in the Philippines.
Impact of the C1431T Polymorphism of the Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor-Gamma (PPAR-γ) Gene on Fasted Serum Lipid Levels in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Oladi Mohammadreza , Nohtani Mahdi , Avan Amir , Mirhafez Seyed Reza , Tajbakhsh Amir , Ghasemi Faezeh , Asadi Asadollah , Elahdadi Salmani Mahmoud , Mohammadi Akram , Hoseinzadeh Leila , Ferns Gordon A. , Ghayour Mobarhan Majid
Published: June 2015

Background/Aims: The C1431T polymorphism of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) gene is related to diabetes and metabolic-syndrome. However, studies have been inconclusive about its association with coronary artery disease (CAD) and there have been no studies analyzing the association of this polymorphism with fasted-serum-lipid levels in Iranian-individuals with CAD. We investigated the association of PPAR-γ C1431T-polymorphism with CAD and dyslipidaemia in 787 individuals. Methods: Anthropometric-parameters and biochemical-measurements were evaluated, followed by genotyping. The association of the genetic-polymorphisms with CAD and lipid-profile was determined by univariate/multivariate-analyses. Results: Patients with CT or CT+TT genotype were at an increased-risk of CAD relative to CC-carriers (adjusted odds ratio: 2.03; 95% conﬁdence interval, 1.01-4.09; p = 0.046). However, in the larger population, CT genotype was present at a higher frequency in the group with a positive angiogram. Furthermore, CT+TT genotypes were associated with an altered fasted-lipid-profile in the initial population sample of patients with a positive angiogram, compared to the group with a negative-angiogram. The angiogram-positive patients carrying the T allele had a significantly higher triglyceride, serum C-reactive protein and fasting-blood-glucose. Conclusion: We have found the PPAR-γ C1431T polymorphism was significantly associated with fasted serum lipid profile in individuals with angiographically defined CAD. Since accumulating data support the role of PPAR-γ polymorphisms in CAD, further studies are required to investigate the association of this polymorphism with coronary artery disease.
A Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Bioactive Compounds in Cardiovascular Disease: Carbohydrates, Active Lipids and Nitrogen Compounds
Authors: Pastor-Villaescusa Belen , Rangel-Huerta Oscar D. , Aguilera Concepcion M. , Gil Angel
Published: June 2015

Background/Aims: The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is rising and it is the prime cause of death in all developed countries. Bioactive compounds (BACs) can play a role in CVD prevention and treatment. To examine the scientific evidence supporting BACs groups' efficacy in CVD prevention and treatment, we conducted a systematized review. Methods: All available information on Medline, LILACS and EMBASE; all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with prospective, parallel or crossover designs in humans in which the BACs effect was compared with that of placebo/control. Vascular homeostasis, blood pressure, endothelial function, oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers were considered primary outcomes. Results: We selected 26 articles, verifying their quality based on the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, establishing diverse quality levels of scientific evidence according to the design and bias risk of a study. Grades of recommendation were included, depending on the evidence strength of antecedents. Conclusions: Evidence shows that certain BACs' derivative from active lipids and nitrogen compounds, mainly from horse chestnut seed extract, sterol plants, allium derivatives, and certain doses of beta-glucans, can be helpful in decreasing the prevalence of CVD risk factors. However, further rigorous evidence is necessary to support and prove BACs' effect on CVD prevention and treatment.
Treatment of Severe Renal Disease in ANCA Positive and Negative Small Vessel Vasculitis with Rituximab
Authors: Shah Shivani , Hruskova Zdenka , Segelmark Marten , Morgan Matthew D. , Hogan Jonathan , Lee Steven K. , Dale Jessica , Harper Lorraine , Tesar Vladimir , Jayne David R.W. , Geetha Duvuru
Published: June 2015

Background/Aims: Rituximab and glucocorticoids are a non-inferior alternative to cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoid therapy for induction of remission in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) patients with moderate renal disease. The efficacy and safety of this approach in patients with severe renal impairment are unknown. We report the outcomes and safety profile of rituximab and glucocorticoid therapy for induction of remission in patients with AAV and ANCA-negative vasculitis presenting with severe renal disease. Methods: A multicenter, retrospective, cohort study was conducted between 2005 and 2014. Patients with new or relapsing disease with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of ≤20 ml/min/1.73 m2 treated with rituximab and glucocorticoid induction with or without plasmapheresis were included. Fourteen patients met the inclusion criteria. The primary outcomes were rate of remission and dialysis independence at 6 months. The secondary outcomes were eGFR at 6 months, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), survival rates and adverse events. Results: All patients were Caucasian, and 57% were male. The mean eGFR was 12 ml/min/1.73 m2 at diagnosis. All patients achieved remission with a median time to remission of 55 days. Seven patients required dialysis at presentation of which 5 patients recovered renal function and discontinued dialysis by 6-month follow-up. The mean eGFR for the 11 patients without ESRD who completed 6-month follow-up was 33 ml/min/1.73 m2. Four patients ultimately developed ESRD, and one died during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Patients with AAV and severe renal disease achieve high rates of remission and dialysis independence when treated with rituximab and glucocorticoids without cyclophosphamide.
Metabolomic Identification of a Novel Pathway of Blood Pressure Regulation Involving Hexadecanedioate
Authors: Menni Cristina , Graham Delyth , Kastenmüller Gabi , Alharbi Nora H.J. , Alsanosi Safaa Md , McBride Martin , Mangino Massimo , Titcombe Philip , Shin So-Youn , Psatha Maria , Geisendorfer Thomas , Huber Anja , Peters Annette , Wang-Sattler Rui , Xu Tao , Brosnan Mary Julia , Trimmer Jeff , Reichel Christian , Mohney Robert P. , Soranzo Nicole , Edwards Mark H. , Cooper Cyrus , Church Alistair C. , Suhre Karsten , Gieger Christian , Dominiczak Anna F. , Spector Tim D. , Padmanabhan Sandosh , Valdes Ana M.
Published: June 2015

High blood pressure is a major contributor to the global burden of disease and discovering novel causal pathways of blood pressure regulation has been challenging. We tested blood pressure associations with 280 fasting blood metabolites in 3980 TwinsUK females. Survival analysis for all-cause mortality was performed on significant independent metabolites (
P
<8.9×10
−5
). Replication was conducted in 2 independent cohorts KORA (n=1494) and Hertfordshire (n=1515). Three independent animal experiments were performed to establish causality: (1) blood pressure change after increasing circulating metabolite levels in Wistar–Kyoto rats; (2) circulating metabolite change after salt-induced blood pressure elevation in spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats; and (3) mesenteric artery response to noradrenaline and carbachol in metabolite treated and control rats. Of the15 metabolites that showed an independent significant association with blood pressure, only hexadecanedioate, a dicarboxylic acid, showed concordant association with blood pressure (systolic BP: β [95% confidence interval], 1.31 [0.83–1.78],
P
=6.81×10
−8
; diastolic BP: 0.81 [0.5–1.11],
P
=2.96×10
−7
) and mortality (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.49 [1.08–2.05];
P
=0.02) in TwinsUK. The blood pressure association was replicated in KORA and Hertfordshire. In the animal experiments, we showed that oral hexadecanedioate increased both circulating hexadecanedioate and blood pressure in Wistar–Kyoto rats, whereas blood pressure elevation with oral sodium chloride in hypertensive rats did not affect hexadecanedioate levels. Vascular reactivity to noradrenaline was significantly increased in mesenteric resistance arteries from hexadecanedioate-treated rats compared with controls, indicated by the shift to the left of the concentration–response curve (
P
=0.013). Relaxation to carbachol did not show any difference. Our findings indicate that hexadecanedioate is causally associated with blood pressure regulation through a novel pathway that merits further investigation.
As We Walk on Water
Authors: Renhui Robert Zhao
Published: June 2015

This project chronicles the significant changes in Singapore's natural and urban landscape. The images in this volume have been carefully selected to capture the changing face of this tropical island-state. They touch on issues of land reclamation, national boundaries, ecological changes, pollution, conservation and the ever-evolving skyline.

The pictures capture an ongoing dialogue between the city's man-made infrastructure and its natural spaces and creatures. While Singapore architecture is documented in aerial views of the country's tallest buildings, and its ubiquitous public housing, there are also photographs the island's wildlife.
Introduction to: “A Conversation with Hsieh Tehching, from
The Black Cover Book”
Authors: Ambrozy Lee
Published: June 2015

This introduction situates the conversation between Hsieh Teh-Ching, Ai Weiwei and Xu Bing within a larger historic and socio-cultural framework, as well as elaborates a brief history of the publication in which the conversation was first published, The Black Cover Book. The text also elaborates on the unarticulated issues informing their discussion, such as their émigré status, and briefly outlines a history of the artists' work at the time of the conversation. The work of other avant-garde artists in the Chinese diaspora whose work was published in The Black Cover Book is also touched upon briefly. This introduction reclaims some of the history behind the publication and argues for understanding the act of self-publication as not only a new conduit for artistic interaction but also a political act. Furthermore, it argues that it not only congealed an emerging art movement on Mainland China, but that this avant-garde and conceptual art movement was, at its very core, defined by a global field of reference.
A Conversation with Hsieh Tehching, from The Black Cover
Book
Authors: Solomon Jon
Published: June 2015

This is a translation of a 1993 conversation involving three artists from the Chinese diaspora Hsieh Teh-Ching, Ai Weiwei and Xu Bing. Through candid dialog they tease out the motivations behind their conceptually driven artistic practices, their individual perceptions of social systems and politics, a “Western” art system from which they are marginalized, the concept “Modern art,” the Duchampian imagination, contingency, and postmodernism, etc. Their dialogue helps to situate the frame of mind of émigré artists working and living in New York in the early 1990s, with particular attention to the spiritual and social motivations behind art-making, while elaborating the moral and ethical dimensions behind their work. While the three men do not always agree, a clear sense of the early-career motivations behind each of these artists' work can be garnered from their discussion.
Foraging specificity and prey utilization: evaluating social and memory-based strategies in seabirds
Authors: Goyert Holly F.
Published: June 2015

This study explores the capacity for seabirds to exhibit behavioral plasticity in response to the predictability of resources. Using direct species-comparisons, I tested the hypothesis that roseate terns (Sterna dougallii), dietary specialists, rely more heavily on foraging site-fidelity to pursue persistent prey, whereas common terns (S. hirundo), prey generalists, depend more on local enhancement by exploiting mixed-species assemblages. I analysed chick-provisioning observations and the bearings of commuting trajectories between the shared breeding colony, foraging areas, and feeding flocks. Foraging route patterns in roseate terns were consistent with a strategy based more heavily on spatial memory than social cues, in contrast to common terns, which associated more readily with nearby feeding aggregations, in line with social facilitation. Only during years of high prey abundance did roseate terns outperform common terns in nest productivity and the quality of prey delivered to chicks, suggesting that opportunistic tactics support resilience to sparse prey availability.
Exploring behavioral and hormonal flexibility across light environments in guppies from low-predation populations
Authors: Kolluru Gita R. , Walz Julia , Hanninen Amanda F. , Downey Kate , Kalbach Brandy , Gupta Shelly , Earley Ryan L.
Published: June 2015

Phenotypic flexibility is essential for organisms to respond to changing environments. Guppies experience light environments that alter their visibility to conspecifics and predators. We used guppies from populations with low rates of predation by fish, but which may be subject to avian predators, to test the hypotheses that conspicuous behaviors and the androgens that mediate them are reduced under high light, and that cortisol levels are increased under high light because the perceived risk is stressful. We found reduced courtship, potentially driven by the reduced female response to courtship, under high light. Aggression and testosterone levels were higher in the absence of females. We found elevated androgen and decreased cortisol levels following social interactions, but no relationship between hormones and behavior, and no influence of light level on hormones. We forward explanations for these results and advocate understanding the flexible response to light environments in a range of guppy populations.
An unusual case of affiliative association of a female Lemur catta in a Hapalemur meridionalis social group
Authors: Eppley Timothy M. , Hall Katie , Donati Giuseppe , Ganzhorn Jörg U.
Published: June 2015

Polyspecific associations are well documented, but have rarely been observed in strepsirrhines. In this study we present a unique affiliative association between a female ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) and a group of southern bamboo lemurs (Hapalemur meridionalis) in south-east Madagascar. Our main research focused on H. meridionalis; however, due to the presence of the L. catta we treated her as a group member, including her in the focal sampling of Hapalemur social behaviour. We also recorded ad libitum data on all food species/items and any unique events or occurrences. Among observations, both species appeared to have a mutual understanding of vocalisations, behavioural synchronisation, dietary overlap, and possible service exchange, e.g., grooming. We also observed the L. catta occasionally attending to the bamboo lemur infant. This included grooming, baby-sitting, and even transporting the infant. The behavioural flexibility exhibited by both species has allowed the successful integration of the female ring-tailed lemur.
Oxytocin reduces food sharing in capuchin monkeys by modulating social distance
Authors: Brosnan Sarah F. , Talbot Catherine F. , Essler Jennifer L. , Leverett Kelly , Flemming Timothy , Dougall Patrick , Heyler Carla , Zak Paul J.
Published: June 2015

Recent evidence indicates that oxytocin plays an important role in promoting prosocial behaviour amongst humans and other species. We tested whether oxytocin affected cooperation and food-sharing in capuchin monkeys, a highly cooperative New World primate. Subjects received either 2IU oxytocin or an inert adjuvent intranasally prior to each session. Oxytocin influenced food sharing in capuchins in ways we did not anticipate. Recipients were less likely to passively acquire food from possessors when either individual had received OT than in the control, and also spent less time in proximity to their partner. Passive food sharing requires proximity, and oxytocin decreased the capuchins’ typical congregating behaviour, apparently resulting in decreased sharing. We propose that the likely mechanism for increased social distance is the known anxiolytic effect of oxytocin. Our results indicate a need to consider how oxytocin affects the context of interactions and interacts with modes of sociality unique to each species.
Colonial law in the making
Authors: Henriet Benoît
Published: June 2015

From its creation to the present day, jurists and historians have perceived the Congo Free State (CFS) as a special example of political sovereignty. As a ‘colony without Metropolis’ whose territorial basis was obtained through disputed treaties made in the name of geographical and philanthropic societies with almost no legal existence, it stands out at first sight as an anomaly in nineteenth century colonial State building. Yet, the Free State’s legal existence is largely rooted in other imperial experiences, and shares multiple common features with its colonial rivals. This article intends to show how, from H.M. Stanley’s first expeditions in the mouth of the Congo River (1876) to the creation of Belgian colony (1908), international law and foreign imperial rules were used as the very matrix of the CFS’s legal existence as a sovereign State. The particular history of the CFS’s quest for sovereignty and the creation of its land legislation not only offers a unique example of colonial law making, it also provides interesting outputs on colonial legislative processes, as well as general observations on the West’s territorial expansion in the nineteenth century.
The force of law of decree-laws in Belgium during and after the First World War
Authors: Monballyu Jos
Published: June 2015

When Belgium was overrun by Germany in 1914 neither the Belgian constitutional legislator, nor the Belgian legislator had determined how the police powers of the civil authorities could be transferred to the military authorities in the case of a war. Article 130 of the Constitution determined that the Constitution and the constitutional rights and freedoms it provided could never be suspended wholly or in part. This created a problem. There were several statutes which provided merely a limited answer for some situations. When Belgian military authorities instead of civil authorities took measures which invaded upon constitutional rights, disputes arose. In order to avoid these, the Belgian King enacted the decree-law concerning the state of war and the state of siege on 11 October 1916. Many provisions of this decree-law had been taken from the French war laws of 9 August 1849 and 4 April 1878, but – contrary to these French laws – the Belgian decree-law was not based on a formal constitutional stipulation. This decree-law, which contravened the Belgian Constitution of 7 February 1831 and the fundamental rights and freedoms which were safeguarded by this Constitution in several respects, made it possible to take a number of measures during the state of war and the state of siege. As soon as these different provisions were applied, several citizens protested against them. Their protest was mainly aimed at the force of ‘law’ of the decree-law of 11 October 1916 and all of the other decree-laws. The rest of this contribution will detail when and why this protest took place, as well as how the Belgian administration of justice dealt with this protest.
Hermeneutics and the Debate on Homosexuality in Africa
Authors: Bongmba Elias K.
Published: June 2015

In this essay, I discuss hermeneutical approaches to the debate on homosexuality in the African context. I argue that the hermeneutics of Rudolf Bultmann offers a way of understanding the debate. I start with a general discussion of the response to homosexuality in Africa and follow that with a narration of perspectives from church leaders in Africa and proceed to discuss the work of Bultmann and in the last section apply the hermeneutical insights to point a way forward.
Re-Appropriating Appropriation
Authors: Wright Matthew
Published: June 2015

The paper assesses the role of our hermeneutical orientations in the task of exegesis by focusing specifically on the Tri-Polar exegetical framework developed by Jonathan Draper. In conjunction with the Critical Theory of the Frankfurt School and other Marxist-influenced theory, the paper then tries to articulate more coherently what the stage of appropriation constitutes and what impact this potentially has socially. In light of the volatile political climate existing presently in South Africa, as well as rising globalisation and consumerism, the paper poses the question of whether the bible can contribute substantially to the formation of a critical social fabric within society.
Spatiality of Environmental Law
Authors: Baaner Lasse , Hvingel Line
Published: June 2015

Digital society challenges the traditional perception of legal sources. The use of maps as a basis for public administration dates far back, but e-Government’s use of digital maps that include legal information creates new legal obstacles. In the coming decades, the inspire directive of 2007 will determine the interplay between geographic data and technology in the fields of environmental legislation, environmental policy and environmental management. This article examines the legal regulation of spatial information as established by the inspire directive, on one hand, and on the other hand, examines legal regulation as spatial information. It aims to deepen the understanding of spatiality as a core element of environmental law, and to connect it to the basic concept of representation used in giscience. It concludes that the future path for e-Government demands a shift in legal paradigm, from maps showing representations of applied legal norms, to maps build on datasets that have legal authority. That will integrate legal and geographic information systems, and improve the legal accountability of decision support systems used in e-Government services based on spatio-legal data.
Policy Design and Social Construction amid Mass Protests
Authors: Zhang Chao , Li Xiaofang , Zhang Xiaoying , Zhou Shulin
Published: June 2015

Studies on mass protests primarily examine the process, consequences and implications of protests from such angles as resource mobilization, political structure and opportunity, as well as policy frameworks, with little attention paid to the guiding role that related government policy have in dealing with mass protests. This paper analyzes the basic characters of government policies, further explains the basic logic behind their design, and takes the response to the Wukan incident as a typical case for confirmatory analysis. The study find that policy elements such as policy purpose, target groups, policy tools and executive bodies have remarkable underlying assumptions about effectiveness. If some assumptions fail to occur, policy failure is likely to appear. Therefore, in face of varying circumstances, it is recommended that policy design attach importance to elements about social construction, and adopt an open, interactive model which involves protesters in policy design.
Exploring the Effective Approaches for Chinese Rural Women to Participate in Community Governance
Authors: Wang Xiaoli , Du Fangqin , Li Huiying
Published: June 2015

In the research on the rural women’s political participation, it concerns why they participate in community governance and how we can ensure their real participation. With a case study of Zhoushan Village’s experience in successfully promoting the empowerment of rural women so that they may truly participate in community governance and then proceed to promote structural reform in the community, this paper examines the effective approaches taken over the past decade for rural women’s participation in community governance, and the far-reaching effects that their participation has had on individual and family status, the economy, society and culture. The experience of Zhoushan Village, which has been the result of interaction, is global and local, original and contextual, co-created and accepted by local women and villagers together. It will make a special contribution to good governance of rural communities in the transitional period of social governance in rural China.
War and Society in Spain
Authors: Hernán Enrique García
Published: June 2015

This article offers a new historiographical overview of the military history of Spain in the early modern period, covering recent works published by English-speaking scholars as well as the latest studies by Spanish and Italian historians. Differences tend to focus on whether the rival paradigms of ‘decline’ or ‘resilience’ offer the better insights into the period after the end of Spanish military supremacy (c. 1648). A survey of recent work on this topic leads us to some very significant observations about factors underpinning power, such as a common or shared culture and identity, as well as the more obvious and traditional components of military and naval power. The nature of royal power and monarchy are analysed, as are the structure of the army and the construction of the state in Spain. The relationship between the state and civil society, and the debate about the militarization of Iberian society and the study of cultural and religious values, are also examined. On balance, recent literature leads us to a more positive assessment of the resilience of Spanish military power in the second half of the 17th century.
History on Mona Island
Authors: Samson Alice V.M. , Cooper Jago
Published: June 2015

The history of Mona Island and her transitory and permanent communities provides an interesting perspective on the role this small island has played over the long-term in spheres of maritime interaction in the Caribbean and further afield. In particular, we examine the role that the extraordinary cave systems have played in attracting people to the island and into the subterranean realm within. Through a recent study of the extant historical sources and archaeological evidence for past human activity on the island, we trace this historical landscape and seascape in order to review the importance of Mona in wider regional dynamics through time.
Union and Confederate Views on Guncotton
Authors: Bergman Yoel
Published: June 2015

This essay investigates why guncotton was not commonly used by both sides of the American Civil War, despite it being a more powerful explosive than the standard explosive (gunpowder/black powder). The question hitherto has not been fully answered; it is proposed that both sides did realize its superiority yet chose different modes of action. The Union army tested the material in America, but chose the British course of action, to wait until the material, with its known instability, was improved. The Confederate navy was willing to take the risk and looked in mid-1864 for large amounts in Europe for use in certain types of sea and river mines (“torpedoes”). Large quantities did arrive, but were too late to be used. The types of torpedoes to be employed with guncotton are not known but it is estimated that the material was intended for those types where gunpowder limited their effectiveness.
Technology, Group Interest, and Norwegian Air Power, 1920–1940
Authors: Lindgjerdet Frode
Published: June 2015

The Norwegian army and navy built their separate air arms around a few flimsy aircraft acquired from 1912. During the interwar period, the Army Air Force desired independence while its smaller naval counterpart fought tenaciously to remain part of the navy. The battle was carried out in the national military journals. Army aviation officers seduced by the air power theories of Giulio Douhet advocated independent operations; they maintained that challenges of air war and the skills required were independent of the surface over which it was fought. They also expected economic benefits from a unified service that could acquire fewer types of aircraft and unify technical services and education. Naval aviation officers maintained that naval air operations required knowledge of naval warfare, seamanship, tight naval integration, and specialized aircraft. What’s more, they resented the very idea that air power could win wars independently.
Religion, Repression, and Traditional Uyghur Culture in Southern Xinjiang: Kashgar and Khotan
Authors: Dillon Michael
Published: June 2015

Islam remains central to the identity of the Uyghurs of southern Xinjiang. This article focuses on the cities of Kashgar and Khotan in the early twenty-first century and, on the basis of fieldwork, examines aspects of religious practice and tensions between the Uyghurs and the Chinese state. In Kashgar the old Uyghur Town has been physically destroyed, historical religious monuments have been secularized but smaller mosques have active congregations. In the Khotan region, the annual Imam Asim shrine festival takes place openly and active worship continues in village mosques. In an increasingly violent region, tension will continue between the religious requirements of the Uyghurs and the Chinese state’s insistence on associating all Islamic practice, particularly independent practice, with extremism and terrorism.
Competing Paradigms in the Dialogue Among Civilizations: Core Values vs. Universal Values
Authors: Wenyu Xie
Published: June 2015

The model of universal values and civilizational transformation, on the one hand, and the model of core values and self awareness, on the other, represent two fundamentally opposing paradigms of dialogue among civilizations. In practice, the former represents an attempt to present the core values of Western civilization as universal values and to demand that non-Western civilizations assimilate to these so-called universal values. Thus the promotion of universal values runs the risk of exacerbating intercivilizational conflict and preventing non-Western civilizations from achieving a deep understanding of the core values of their cultures, even concealing the shortcomings of their own value systems. The paradigm of core values and self awareness, by contrast, emphasizes the importance of retaining innate values and ethics, allowing civilizations to evaluate and update their own value systems as needed. We would therefore do well to adopt core values and self-awareness as the dominant model for dialogue among civilizations.
On China’s Challenge to American Hegemony
Authors: Mingran Tan
Published: June 2015

China’s rise has brought about various propositions about its role in the future global order. Based on a dozen influential scholars’ works, this essay first summarizes the supposed economic, political, and cultural challenges China will pose for America and then analyzes their sustainability. Like Martin Jacques, it insists that China will not be able to catch up with America using a resource-intensive model. And China cannot expand using this model through technological upgrades either, for, as a power-oriented culture, China cannot train disinterested scientists to be truly engaged in technological upgrades. Nevertheless, China has alarmed the West as it seeks a way to deal with its rise. My position is that, as China and America become more economically interdependent, the best way is to achieve mutual benefit through peaceful dialogue and establish a world culture that integrates Chinese tradition and American democracy, for maintaining American universalism and containing China by preserving u.s. military superiority are unsustainable.
Taxonomy of the tribe Apieae (Apiaceae) revisited as revealed by molecular phylogenies and morphological characters
Authors: Jimenez-Mejias Pedro , VARGAS PABLO
Published: June 2015

The family Apiaceae is in the process of major systematic rearrangements at different taxonomic levels. In particular, molecular phylogenies of the tribe Apieae are generating heterogeneous assemblages of morphologically diverse taxa. We analysed a nearly complete taxonomic sample to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships within this tribe, and to review the most informative taxonomic characters of the fruit. Nuclear (ITS) and plastid (rps16) sequences allowed inferring phylogenetic relationships of species and genera of Apieae. Fruit morphology was studied with stereomicroscope, including overall observations and anatomical cross-sections. Both phylogenetic reconstructions were incongruent. Based on the ITS phylogeny, Apieae is arranged in two main clades, one containing most species of Stoibrax and the other clade formed by the rest of species of the tribe grouped into three well-supported subclades. The rps16 phylogeny shows the Anethum alliance to be basal, recovered in a weakly supported clade sister to the rest of the tribe, and a clade subdivided in six well-supported subclades. Nevertheless, three genera are revealed to be non-monophyletic in both phylogenetic reconstructions: Anethum, Seseli and Stoibrax. In the interest of the recognition of natural groups within Apieae, we proposed to create three new genera to accommodate the species that split from the three polyphyletic genera: Canaria for Seseli webbii, Modesciadium for Stoibrax involucratum, and Schoenoselinum for Anethum foeniculoides.
Valid publication of the name Eriobotrya × daduheensis (Malinae, Rosaceae)
Authors: Ding Mingyan , Fan Qiang , Guo Wei , Shi Shi , Liao Wenbo
Published: June 2015

“Eriobotrya prinoides Rehd. et Wils. var. daduheensis H. Z. Zhang” was not validly published by Zhang et al. because there was no Latin diagnosis or description and no specimen was indicated as type. Recent studies showed that it was a hybrid between Eriobotrya japonica and E. prinoides. “Eriobotrya × daduheensis (H. Z. Zhang) B.Tang” was proposed, but it was a nomen nudum. Eriobotrya × daduheensis H. Z. Zhang ex W. B. Liao, Q. Fan et M. Y. Ding is validated by giving a full description and designating the type specimens in this paper.
Work Continuation while Treated for Breast Cancer
Authors: Neumark David , Bradley Cathy J. , Henry Miguel , Dahman Bassam
Published: June 2015

Given the short- and long-term disabilities associated with breast cancer and its treatment, the authors investigate the influence of workplace accommodations on the employment and hours worked of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Accommodations that allow women to work fewer hours or that ease the burden of work could also generate health benefits by reducing workplace demands and allowing women more time to tend to treatment needs and recovery. In prior research, the authors found modest labor supply impacts on employment for this group of women. Evidence from this study suggests that some accommodations are associated with fewer hours worked, while some are associated with higher employment or hours. In addition, some of the accommodations that may affect hours of work—sometimes positively and sometimes negatively—are associated with positive health benefits.
The public brand between new practices and public values
Authors: Rochette Corinne
Published: June 2015

The public brand is a relative newcomer to the public sphere. It is an expression of public marketing and an outcome of New Public Management (NPM). It is a lever that allows public organizations to get across their identity, assert their legitimacy and provide markers for the evaluation of their actions, but little research has been conducted into what it actually covers. The analytical framework of the social representation and, more specifically, that of the central core theory, makes it possible to identify, on the basis of a sample of 20 public brands, the values it carries, the influence of context on the configuration of the values and, more broadly, the use made of the public brand.

Points for practitioners

In a context of growing competition, a legitimacy crisis, fiscal pressures, technological revolutions that change relations with the user-client and staff, the place and operation of public organizations are being turned upside down. The brand is an important but under-exploited lever to restore legibility and legitimacy to public organizations, and also to assert its difference, express its skills and mobilize its officials. It is a way of combining traditional values and new practices dictated by performance requirements. Too many public brands are registered without coming into any real use. The establishment of the brand first calls for thought to be given to its anchoring, by defining pillar values that allow practices (that are sometimes misunderstood or poorly accepted) to be converged with the historical values associated with public services. Values are the basis of the discourse, they build the representation and are the key to the identity of public organizations. Furthermore, the field of public action is characterized by several branding levels that need to be considered according to the potential for legitimation presented by each.
The Word in Which All Things Are Spoken: Augustine, Anselm, and Bonaventure on Christology and the Metaphysics of Exemplarity
Authors: Ables Travis E.
Published: June 2015

The article reconsiders Anselm’s “ontological argument” by contextualizing it within the conjunction of Neoplatonist exemplarist metaphysics and Christology in the Augustinian tradition of trinitarian theology. It explores tensions in Augustine’s theological epistemology and incarnational theology over the relationship of illumination and grace in the knowledge of God. Anselm wrestles with this tension in Monologion and Proslogion, where considerations of divine self-expression and simplicity provide conceptual resources to address it. In Bonaventure’s Itinerarium, Augustinian trinitarianism, Dionysian metaphysics, and the Anselmian “ontological” argument provide the structure for a Franciscan incarnational theology that reframes the Augustinian tension.
Book Review: S.V. Srinivas, Politics as Performance: A Social History of the Telugu Cinema
Authors: Karri Venkat Nagesh Babu
Published: June 2015

S.V. Srinivas, Politics as Performance: A Social History of the Telugu Cinema, Ranikhet, Permanent Black, 2013, xxi + 431 pp., ₹950, ISBN 978-8178243726.
The Ordinance Amending the Land Acquisition Law (2013): Farmers Lose out in the Unequal Contest of Power
Authors: Saxena K. B.
Published: June 2015

The Land Acquisition Act 1894 was comprehensively amended in 2013 which, among others, provided for prior consent of land owners in cases of acquisition for private companies and public partnerships, social impact assessment of all projects requiring land acquisition and restrictions on acquisition of irrigated agricultural land to accommodate some of the concerns of people affected by land acquisition. The ordinance promulgated in 2014 nullifies them to make land available to project authorities without hassles with a view to promoting growth. The changes carried out clearly demonstrate the clout of the industry in public policy making. Farmers and others dependent upon land for livelihood lose out in this contest of power.
A More Democratic Bearing
Authors: White Stephen K.
Published: June 2015

Rather than think about citizenship in minimal terms (voting, obeying the law), I argue for a more aspirational “bearing” of the public self, one appropriate for the challenges of globalizing, late-modern political life. For left democratic theory this is hardly an abstract issue, given how successful groups like the Tea Party have been in articulating a right-leaning aspirational portrait. What might a counter-portrait look like that was comparably scripted for the middle classes in affluent liberal democracies? An answer is not immediately clear, given that left democratic theory’s attention has been traditionally focused on an overly simple, two-entity social ontology: elites and demos. The question I consider is what script might be articulated for middle segments of society in relation to how they should bear themselves toward less advantaged segments of society? This does not replace thinking about the demos, but rather supplements it with reflection on the complex alignments of contemporary political life.
The Effect of Combination of Video Feedback and Audience Feedback on Social Anxiety
Authors: Chen Junwen , Mak Rebecca , Fujita Satoko
Published: June 2015

Although video feedback (VF) is shown to improve appraisals of social performance in socially anxious individuals, its impact on state anxiety during a social situation is mixed. The current study investigated the effect of combined video feedback and audience feedback (AF) on self-perceptions of performance and bodily sensations as well as state anxiety pertaining to a speech task. Forty-one socially anxious students were randomly allocated to combined video feedback with audience feedback (VF + AF), video feedback only (VF), audience feedback only (AF), or a control condition. Following a 3-min speech, participants in the VF + AF, VF, and AF conditions watched the videotape of their speech with cognitive preparation in the presence of three confederates who served as audience, and/or received feedback from the confederates, while the control group watched their videotaped speech without cognitive preparation. Both VF + AF and AF conditions improved distorted appraisal of performance and bodily sensations as well as state anxiety. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.