bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Analysis of MicroRNA and mRNA Expression in Normal and Tumorous Human Esophageal Squamous Cell Lines Using Microarray Datasets
Authors: Akagi Ichiro , Ishibashi Osamu , Matsutani Takeshi , Hagiwara Nobutoshi , Matsuda Akihisa , Nomura Tsutomu , Makino Hiroshi , Yoshida Hiroshi , Miyashita Masao , Uchida Eiji
Published: December 2014

Despite the undisputed importance of altered microRNA (miRNA) expression in various cancers, there is limited information on the clinicopathologic significance of cancer‐related miRNAs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Previously, it was reported that the expression of several miRNAs was dysregulated in ESCC. However, the target genes of these miRNAs have not been identified. Furthermore, additional miRNAs in humans have been discovered recently, indicating that revised miRNA and gene expression profiling for ESCC are necessary. Here, we provide datasets from microarray analyses to identify miRNA and mRNA expression comprehensively in Het‐1A, a normal human esophageal squamous cell line, and three human ESCC cell lines.
Characterization of Antibiotic Producing Rare ActinomyceteNonomuraeasp. JAJ18 Derived from an Indian Coastal Solar Saltern
Authors: Arul Jose Polpass , Sivakala Kunjukrishnan Kamalakshi , Rajeswari Pandiyan , Jebakumar Solomon Robinson David
Published: December 2014

Rare actinomycete genera are accepted as a promising source of novel metabolites having pharmaceutical importance. One such genus of rare actinomycete isNonomuraea. The present study was aimed at characterizing the antibiotic producingNonomuraeastrain JAJ18 which was previously isolated from coastal solar saltern. Strain JAJ18 was recognized as a member of genusNonomuraeabased on its almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequence and phenotypic characteristics. The strain JAJ18 was found to be closely related toNonomuraea maheshkhaliensis16-5-14T(98.90%),Nonomuraea candidaHMC10T(98.58%), andNonomuraea jabiensisA4036T(98.43%). From cell-free culture broth of strain JAJ18, an antibiotic was extracted and purified by silica column chromatography. The obtained antibiotic was found to be active against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including drug-resistantStaphylococcus, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.5 to 16.0 µg mL−1. The structural characteristics of antibiotic were determined by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. The antibiotic was identified to be an aliphatic rich compound with significant dissimilarity to known antibiotics reported from members of the genus,Nonomuraea. As the trends to discover novel metabolites fromNonomuraeaare vibrant, further studies are needed to understand the structural and biotechnological significance of antibiotic compound produced byNonomuraeasp. JAJ18.
Specific Genomic Fingerprints of Phosphate SolubilizingPseudomonasStrains Generated by Box Elements
Authors: Javadi Nobandegani Mohammad Bagher , Saud Halimi Mohd , Yun Wong Mui
Published: December 2014

Primers corresponding to conserved bacterial repetitive of BOX elements were used to show that BOX-DNA sequences are widely distributed in phosphate solubilizingPseudomonasstrains. Phosphate solubilizingPseudomonaswas isolated from oil palm fields (tropical soil) in Malaysia. BOX elements were used to generate genomic fingerprints of a variety ofPseudomonasisolates to identify strains that were not distinguishable by other classification methods. BOX-PCR, that derived genomic fingerprints, was generated from whole purified genomic DNA by liquid culture of phosphate solubilizingPseudomonas.BOX-PCR generated the phosphate solubilizingPseudomonasspecific fingerprints to identify the relationship between these strains. This suggests that distribution of BOX elements’ sequences in phosphate solubilizingPseudomonasstrains is the mirror image of their genomic structure. Therefore, this method appears to be a rapid, simple, and reproducible method to identify and classify phosphate solubilizingPseudomonasstrains and it may be useful tool for fast identification of potential biofertilizer strains.
Understanding Host-Adherent-InvasiveEscherichia coliInteraction in Crohn’s Disease: Opening Up New Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Agus Allison , Massier Sébastien , Darfeuille-Michaud Arlette , Billard Elisabeth , Barnich Nicolas
Published: December 2014

A trillion of microorganisms colonize the mammalian intestine. Most of them have coevolved with the host in a symbiotic relationship and some of them have developed strategies to promote their replication in the presence of competing microbiota. Recent evidence suggests that perturbation of the microbial community favors the emergence of opportunistic pathogens, in particular adherent-invasiveEscherichia coli(AIEC) that can increase incidence and severity of gut inflammation in the context of Crohn’s disease (CD). This review will report the importance of AIEC as triggers of intestinal inflammation, focusing on their impact on epithelial barrier function and stimulation of mucosal inflammation. Beyond manipulation of immune response, restoration of gut microbiota as a new treatment option for CD patients will be discussed.
Experimental Investigation of the Variation of Concrete Pores under the Action of Freeze-Thaw Cycles by Using X-Ray CT
Authors: Yuan Jie , Liu Yang , Li Hongxia , Zhang Baokun
Published: December 2014

The variation of concrete pores under the action of freeze-thaw cycles was investigated experimentally by using the X-ray CT. Firstly, the statistical characteristics of pores of concrete specimens were obtained by using the X-ray image analysis. Secondly, the variation of porosity and pore volume of concrete pores were analyzed and discussed by comparing with above characteristics. Thirdly, the failure process of the concrete specimens acted by the freeze-thaw cycles was investigated by scanning the interior of concrete specimens. The results showed that the pore volumes of concrete pores whose volumes were located at the interval [0.5 mm3, 20 mm3] have no big variation in both the amounts and volume of concrete pores, while others were found to have huge change during the process of experiment. The extent of damage acted by the repeated freezing and thawing gradually ranged from surface to complete disintegration of the interior of concrete specimens after 30 cycles of freeze-thaw acting.
Sequential Coordination between Lingual and Pharyngeal Pressures Produced during Dry Swallowing
Authors: Yano Jitsuro , Aoyagi Yoichiro , Ono Takahiro , Hori Kazuhiro , Yamaguchi Wakami , Fujiwara Shigehiro , Kumakura Isami , Minagi Shogo , Tsubahara Akio
Published: December 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate oropharyngeal pressure flow dynamics during dry swallowing in ten healthy subjects. Tongue pressure (TP) was measured using a sensor sheet system with five measuring points on the hard palate, and pharyngeal pressure (PP) was measured using a manometric catheter with four measuring points. The order and correlations of sequential events, such as onset, peak, and offset times of pressure production, at each pressure measuring point were analyzed on the synchronized waveforms. Onset of TP was earlier than that of PP. The peak of TP did not show significant differences with the onset of PP, and it was earlier than that of PP. There was no significant difference between the offset of TP and PP. The onset of PP was temporally time-locked to the peak of TP, and there was an especially strong correlation between the onset of PP and TP at the posterior-median part on the hard palate. The offset of PP was temporally time-locked to that of TP. These results could be interpreted as providing an explanation for the generation of oropharyngeal pressure flow to ensure efficient bolus transport and safe swallowing.
Markov Switching Model Analysis of Implied Volatility for Market Indexes with Applications to S&P 500 and DAX
Authors: Di Persio Luca , Vettori Samuele
Published: December 2014

We adopt aregime switchingapproach to study concrete financial time series with particular emphasis on their volatility characteristics considered in a space-time setting. In particular the volatility parameter is treated as an unobserved state variable whose value in time is given as the outcome of an unobserved, discrete-time and discrete-state, stochastic process represented by a suitable Markov chain. We will take into account two different approaches for inference on Markov switching models, namely, the classical approach based on the maximum likelihood techniques and the Bayesian inference method realized through a Gibbs sampling procedure. Then the classical approach shall be tested on data taken from theStandard & Poor’s 500and theDeutsche Aktien Indexseries of returns in different time periods. Computations are given for a four-state switching model and obtained numerical results are put beside by explanatory graphs which report the outcomes obtained exploiting both smoothing and filtering algorithms used in the estimation/calibration procedures we proposed to infer on the switching model parameters.
HIV Treatment as Prevention: Contradictory Perspectives from Dynamic Mathematical Models
Authors: Wu Jing , Norris Jessie L. , Jia Yujiang , Wang Ning
Published: December 2014

The preventative effects of antiretroviral therapy for people with HIV have been debated since they were first raised. Models commenced studying the preventive effects of treatment in the 1990s, prior to initial public reports. However, the outcomes of the preventive effects of antiretroviral use were not consistent. Some outcomes of dynamic models were based on unfeasible assumptions, such as no consideration of drug resistance, behavior disinhibition, or economic inputs in poor countries, and unrealistic input variables, for example, overstated initiation time, adherence, coverage, and efficacy of treatment. This paper reviewed dynamic mathematical models to ascertain the complex effects of ART on HIV transmission. This review discusses more conservative inputs and outcomes relative to antiretroviral use in HIV infections in dynamic mathematical models. ART alone cannot eliminate HIV transmission.
Concise Review: Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Tissue Injury via Secretion of Tumor Necrosis Factor-αStimulated Protein/Gene 6
Authors: He Zhigang , Hua Jie , Song Zhenshun
Published: December 2014

Numerous reports have described therapeutic benefits in various disease models after administration of the adult stem/progenitor cells from bone marrow or other tissues referred to as mesenchymal stem cells/multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). They all showed that one of the important effects of MSCs is to act against excessive inflammatory responses and repair the damaged tissues. The therapeutic benefits of MSCs were initially interpreted by their migration, engraftment, and differentiation into target tissues. However, remarkable anatomical structural repairs and functional improvements were increasingly observed with a small number of or even no MSCs in the injured tissues. This suggests that most beneficial effects are largely due to paracrine secretions or cell-to-cell contacts that have multiple effects involving modulation of inflammatory and immune responses. Currently, the therapeutic benefits of MSCs are in part explained by the cells being activated by signals from injured tissues to express an anti-inflammatory protein, tumor-necrosis-factor-α-induced protein 6. This important mechanism of action has attracted increasing attention, and therefore we conducted this review to summarize the latest research.
Influence of Sc on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of High Zn-Containing Mg Alloy
Authors: Wang Lidong , Yang Jie , Wang Limin , Cao Zhanyi
Published: December 2014

Microstructures and mechanical properties of Mg-11Zn and Mg-11Zn-1Sc (wt%) alloys were investigated. The main secondary phase of Mg-11Zn and Mg-11Zn-1Sc alloys is MgZn2phase. Rare earth Sc element is an effective grain refiner and the grain size of Mg-11Zn-1Sc alloy is greatly refined. The mechanical properties of the Mg-11Zn alloy were greatly improved with incorporation of 1 wt% Sc, especially for the elevated temperature strength. Such mechanical property enhancement is ascribed to the refinement and pinning mechanism of high heat-resistant Sc and Sc-containing intermetallic particles in Mg alloy.
Radiotherapy Followed by Aurora Kinase Inhibition Targets Tumor-Propagating Cells in Human Glioblastoma
Authors: Li Nan , Maly Dustin J. , Chanthery Yvan H. , Sirkis Daniel W. , Nakamura Jean L. , Berger Mitchel S. , James C. David , Shokat Kevan M. , Weiss William A. , Persson Anders I.
Published: December 2014

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor. Radiotherapy fails to eliminate subpopulations of stem-like tumor-propagating cells (TPC), resulting in tumor regrowth. To identify kinases that promote TPC self-renewal rather than increasing proliferation in human GBM cultures, we screened a library of 54 nonselective tool compounds and determined their kinase inhibitor profiles in vitro. Most compounds inhibited aurora kinase (AURK) activity and blocked TPC self-renewal, while inducing GBM cell polynucleation and apoptosis. To prevent regrowth by TPCs, we used a priming dose of radiation followed by incubation with the pan-AURK inhibitor VX680 to block self-renewal and induce apoptosis in GBM cultures. In mice xenografted with human GBM cells, radiotherapy followed by VX680 treatment resulted in reduced tumor growth and increased survival relative to either monotherapy alone or VX680 treatment before radiation. Our results indicate that AURK inhibition, subsequent to radiation, may enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy by targeting radioresistant TPCs in human GBMs. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(2); 419–28. ©2014 AACR.
Yttrium-90 Microspheres: A Review of Its Emerging Clinical Indications
Authors: Khajornjiraphan Natthida , Thu Nyein Aye , Chow Pierce Kah Hoe
Published: December 2014

Background: Many patients with liver malignancies are not candidates for resection, and systemic therapies are often not effective. Radioembolization (RE) is an alternative treatment for this group of patients. The safety and efficacy of RE with yttrium 90 (Y90) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or metastatic colon cancer to the liver have been proven in several studies. However, fewer studies have focussed on the safety and efficacy of RE with Y90 in other extrahepatic primary and secondary liver cancers. The effect on outcomes of concomitant use of Y90 with a systemic therapy is still currently under investigation. Summary: A review of the published data on the use of RE as stand-alone, concomitant or sequential with other treatment modalities in HCC and other primary and secondary liver cancer is reported here. Key message: RE for the treatment of HCC and other extrahepatic, primary and secondary liver cancer has reasonable efficacy and acceptable toxicities. Definitive studies to establish the role of RE in the treatment of such malignancies are warranted.
Individualization of Dialysate Calcium Concentration According to Baseline Pre-Dialysis Serum Calcium
Authors: Gonzalez-Parra Emilio , Gonzalez-Casaus Maria Luisa , Arenas Maria Dolores , Sainz-Prestel Valeria , Gonzalez-Espinoza Liliana , Muñoz-Rodriguez Miguel Angel , Tabikh Ammar , Egido Jesus , Ortiz Alberto
Published: December 2014

Background: A positive calcium balance may contribute to vascular calcification, while a negative balance increases iPTH. We explored the impact of different dialysate calcium concentrations on bone and mineral metabolism parameters according to pre-dialysis serum calcium levels. Results: Fifty-six hemodialysis patients were dialyzed with 3.0 or 2.5 mEq/l dialysate [calcium] in a crossover study of two weeks. Bone mineral metabolites were measured prior to and following the hemodialysis session. A 3.0 mEq/l dialysate [calcium] increased more post-dialysis total calcium and ionized calcium than 2.5 mEq/l dialysate [calcium]. The mildest dialysis-induced changes in calcium and PTH were observed in patients with pre-dialysis serum calcium <8.75 mg/dl dialyzed with 2.5 mEq/l dialysate [calcium] and in patients with pre-dialysis serum calcium >9.15 mg/dl dialyzed with 3.0 mEq/l calcium dialysate. Conclusion: In conclusion, the individualization of dialysate calcium concentration according to baseline pre-dialysis serum calcium may prevent major excursions in post-dialysis serum calcium and iPTH levels. Short Summary: High calcium dialysate may increase serum calcium in hemodialysis patients, while low dialysate calcium may increase PTH. Individualization of dialysate calcium according to predialysis serum calcium levels may prevent or decrease unwanted excursions of both serum calcium and PTH.
Role of Hemodialysis with High Cut-Off Membranes in a Patient with a Non-Recognized Leishmaniasis
Authors: Villa Gianluca , D''Alfonso Maria Grazia , Di Maggio Paola , Berardi Margherita , Chelazzi Cosimo , Caldini Anna Lucia , De Gaudio A. Raffaele , Gensini Gian Franco , Valente Serafina
Published: December 2014

Background: We report here a case of a woman affected by fever, weight loss, splenomegaly, and leucopenia associated with trombocytopenia, transferred to the intensive care unit with acute kidney injury and septic shock. Methods: Patient was treated with high cut-off continuous veno-venous hemodialysis (HCO-CVVHD). Results: During treatment, the patient experienced a stable improvement in the hemodynamic, pulmonary function and tissue perfusion parameters. After 48 h of treatment, significant reductions in SOFA score (from 12, before starting the procedure, to 6) and in serum inflammatory mediators (as IL-6, from 599-568 pg/ml) were observed. Leishmania infection was identified as responsible of the septic condition only 48 h after removing hemodialysis. Antiprotozoal therapy was begun and the patient discharged. Conclusions: By supporting the renal function and reducing systemic inflammation, HCO-CVVHD could be a useful bridge therapy. This procedure allowed the medical team to gain sufficient time to diagnose the type of infection and begin an etiological therapy.
Estudo retrospectivo da raiva no Estado da Paraíba, Brasil, 2004 a 2011
Authors: Andrade José Sóstenes Leite de , Azevedo Sérgio Santos de , Peconick Ana Paula , Pereira Stela Márcia , Barçante Joziana Muniz de , Vilar Ana Letícia Tôrres , Silva Maria Luana Cristiny Rodrigues
Published: December 2014

O objetivo desse trabalho foi realizar um estudo retrospectivo da raiva em herbívoros no estado da Paraíba, Brasil, avaliando aspectos epidemiológicos da doença no período de 2004 a 2011. Foram utilizados os registros da notificação dos casos de raiva contidos no Sistema Continental de Vigilância Epidemiológica (SIVCONT). Durante o período avaliado, foram submetidas para diagnóstico amostras de 17.454 animais de todo o Brasil, das quais 43 (0,25%) foram procedentes do estado da Paraíba, e todas elas foram positivas para raiva. A frequência de focos de raiva por município variou de 2,3% a 11,6%. A distribuição dos casos variou conforme a espécie afetada, havendo predominância nos bovinos (93%), seguidos de equinos (4,7%) e um morcego (2,3%) (p < 0,001). Foi observada predominância de casos positivos nos quais a notificação foi efetuada por proprietários (53,5%), seguido de terceiros (39,5%) e vigilância (7%) (p = 0,001). Com relação aos meses de ocorrência dos focos em todos os anos do período avaliado, as frequências variaram de 4,7% no mês de agosto a 14% no mês de abril. Houve predominância de focos no ano de 2010 (41,9%), com diferença significativa entre os anos (p < 0,001). Em conclusão, sugere-se a adoção de medidas estratégicas de controle da raiva e vigilância continua das doenças nervosas no estado da Paraíba.
Associations of Plasma Kynurenines With Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Stable Angina Pectoris
Authors: Pedersen Eva Ringdal , Tuseth Nora , Eussen Simone J.P.M. , Ueland Per Magne , Strand Elin , Svingen Gard Frodahl Tveitevåg , Midttun Øivind , Meyer Klaus , Mellgren Gunnar , Ulvik Arve , Nordrehaug Jan Erik , Nilsen Dennis W. , Nygård Ottar
Published: December 2014

Objective—

Enhanced tryptophan degradation, induced by the proinflammatory cytokine interferon-γ, has been related to cardiovascular disease progression and insulin resistance. We assessed downstream tryptophan metabolites of the kynurenine pathway as predictors of acute myocardial infarction in patients with suspected stable angina pectoris. Furthermore, we evaluated potential effect modifications according to diagnoses of pre-diabetes mellitus or diabetes mellitus.

Approach and Results—

Blood samples were obtained from 4122 patients (median age, 62 years; 72% men) who underwent elective coronary angiography. During median follow-up of 56 months, 8.3% had acute myocardial infarction. Comparing the highest quartile to the lowest, for the total cohort, multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.68 (1.21–2.34), 1.81 (1.33–2.48), 1.68 (1.21–2.32), and 1.48 (1.10–1.99) for kynurenic acid, hydroxykynurenine, anthranilic acid, and hydroxyanthranilic acid, respectively. The kynurenines correlated with phenotypes of the metabolic syndrome, and risk associations were generally stronger in subgroups classified with pre-diabetes mellitus or diabetes mellitus at inclusion (
P
int
≤0.05). Evaluated in the total population, hydroxykynurenine and anthranilic acid provided statistically significant net reclassification improvements (0.21 [0.08–0.35] and 0.21 [0.07–0.35], respectively).

Conclusions—

In patients with suspected stable angina pectoris, elevated levels of plasma kynurenines predicted increased risk of acute myocardial infarction, and risk estimates were generally stronger in subgroups with evidence of impaired glucose homeostasis. Future studies should aim to clarify roles of the kynurenine pathway in atherosclerosis and glucose metabolism.
Staging Female-initiated Divorce: The Zhu Maichen Story in Twentieth-Century Drama from Opprobrium through Approbation
Authors: Stenberg Josh
Published: December 2014

Traditional theatre narratives in China have altered to accommodate changing gender attitudes over the last century. One such narrative, the Zhu Maichen story, revolves around a female-initiated divorce. Though traditionally a reviled figure, in recent and contemporary theatre Zhu’s story is reoriented to make the transgressive woman either more of a victim of feudal society, or blameworthy for reasons unrelated to the divorce. What is called ‘traditional theatre’ and thought of as conservative performance of heritage scenes is nevertheless highly responsive to social shifts.
Wish, Motivation and the Human Good in Aristotle
Authors: Grönroos Gösta
Published: December 2014

Aristotle invokes a specifically human desire, namely wish (boulēsis), to provide a teleological explanation of the pursuit of the specifically human good in terms of virtuous activity. Wish is a basic, unreasoned desire which, independently of other desires, or evaluative attitudes, motivates the pursuit of the human good. Even a person who pursues what she mistakenly believes to be good is motivated by wish for what in fact is good, although she is oblivious of it.
Tamil Voices in the Lutheran Mission of South India (1705-1714)
Authors: Rubiés Joan-Pau
Published: December 2014

The English edition of the Bibliotheca Malabarica, a manuscript catalogue of the Tamil works collected by the young Lutheran missionary Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg during his first two years in India (1706-8), attests to his prodigious effort to acquire, read, and summarize all the works of the “heathens” of South India that he could possibly get hold of. Most of this literature seems to have originated from local Śaiva mattams. Besides epics and puranas, the collection included many popular works on ethics, divination and astrology, devotional poetry, or folk narratives and ballads. Ziegenbalg seems to have acquired these through his Tamil teacher in Tranquebar—an elderly schoolmaster—and his son. In this respect, a focus on the social and cultural dynamics by which local knowledge was transmitted to Europeans is no less important than identifying the literary sources for their interpretation of Hinduism. A fascinating work, the Tamil correspondence conducted between 1712 and 1714 by the Lutheran missionaries with a number of learned Hindus reveals their desire to embark on a kind of inter-religious dialogue as a foundation for their Christian apologetics. The replies received from his “heathen” correspondents would inform much of Ziegenbalg’s interpretation of Śaivism as a form of natural monotheism. Translated into German and published in Halle, they also became part of the Pietist propaganda concerning the mission, exerting a much wider impact than Ziegenbalg’s unpublished monographs about Hindu doctrines and theology. But how authentic were these Tamil voices? Close analysis suggests that even if we conclude with the editors that the letters were what they claim to be, that is a direct translation of the work of many independent Tamil correspondents, the extent to which there was a religious “dialogue” based on reciprocity is open to question.
Mongolian Mineral Products and Issues of International Trade
Authors: Damba Galsandorj
Published: December 2014

The speedy growth of the Mongolian economy is inherently linked with the development of the mining sector. As a result of continued policies by the Mongolian Government to attract foreign direct investments, the volume of fdi in the mining sector has been increasing steadily.

World-class mines of strategic importance, like Tavan Tolgoi and Oyu Tolgoi, have started operating with high rates of coal and copper production and export earnings. However, mineral products continue to be exported to the international market at a price lower than the international market price. In addition, Mongolia’s mineral products exports remain highly disorganised, the quality of mineral products is not meeting international standards, while transportation and logistics solutions to the third market are still insufficient.

All of these pressing issues hinder Mongolia’s competitiveness in the international market. This paper argues for more research into those issues experienced in the mining sector and for the need to set up a mineral products exchange in Mongolia.
Russia’s Role in the Exploration and Development of Natural Resources in Contemporary Mongolia
Authors: Graivoronsky Vladimir V.
Published: December 2014

As a consequence of radical changes in Russia, Mongolia and the rest of the world within the last 20 years, and because of Ulaanbaatar’s implementation of an open, independent, multipillar foreign policy, Mongolia now has become a crossroads at the intersection of different strategic, geopolitical, geo-economic, ecological and other interests of major international players, such as Russia, China, usa, Japan, eu, Republic of Korea (rok) and others, including their transnational giant corporations. Yet, at the same time there is no state in the contemporary world that has contributed as much as Russia to geological survey, exploration, mining and exploitation of Mongolia’s natural resources (not only mineral deposits, but also lands, rivers, lakes, flora, fauna, natural pastures, wild and domestic animals, natural and historic monuments etc.) during the twentieth century and at the beginning of the new millennium. Well-known Russian-Mongolian joint ventures, such as Erdenet mining corporation llc, Mongolrostsvetmet corporation llc and some others, perform successfully and continue to be reliable pillars of Mongolia’s economy. New bilateral intergovernmental agreements have been signed but their realisation is lagging behind. The process of developing Mongolia’s natural resources strategy is under the influence of many internal and external factors and issues, but the final decision should be made in the interests of all Mongolian people.
Characterizing compression wood formed in radiata pine branches
Authors: Li Xinguo , Evans Robert , Gapare Washington , Yang Xiaohui , Wu Harry X.
Published: December 2014

The formation of reaction wood is an adaptive feature of trees in response to various mechanical forces. In gymnosperms, reaction wood consists of compression wood (CW) and opposite wood (OW) that are formed on the underside and upperside of bent trunks and branches. Although reaction wood formed in bent trunks has been extensively investigated, relatively little has been reported from conifer branches. In this study SilviScan® technology was used to characterize radiata pine branches at high resolution. Compared to OW formed in the branches, CW showed greater growth, darker colour, thicker tracheid walls, higher coarseness, larger microfibril angle (MFA), higher wood density, lower extensional stiffness and smaller internal specific surface area. However, tracheids of CW were similar to those of OW in their radial and tangential diameters. These results indicated that gravity influenced tracheid cell division and secondary wall formation but had limited impact on primary wall expansion. Furthermore, seasonal patterns of CW formation were not observed in the branches from cambial age 4 while earlywood and latewood were clearly separated in all rings of OW. The marked change of MFA during reaction wood formation suggested that branches could be ideal materials for further study of cellulose microfibril orientation.
Dyckia sulcata (Bromeliaceae), a new species from Minas Gerais, Brazil, with notes on leaf anatomy
Authors: Guarçoni Elidio A.E. , AZEVEDO ARISTÉA ALVES , DA COSTA ANDREA FERREIRA
Published: December 2014

Dyckia sulcata is described and illustrated here as a new species from Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Information on its phenology, ecology, distribution, and conservation status is provided. The species is morphologically compared with D. brachyphylla and D. saxatilis, which are the species considered most similar. Illustrations and descriptions of leaf anatomy are also provided.
Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 4: The genus Bambara including eight new species and the first account of blindness and aptery in the genus
Authors: DARBY MICHAEL
Published: December 2014

This is the fourth report detailing Ptiliidae collected from forest litter by the Moravian Museum (Brno, Czech Republic) expeditions to Madagascar 2010–2013. Eight new species are described and figured: B. edwardi sp. n.; B. lanquidula sp. n.; B. merina sp.n.; B. opaca sp. n.; B. problematica sp. n.; B. secubita sp. n.; B. thomasi sp. n. and B. verecunda sp. n., and new data recorded for  B. dybasi Johnson. Problems concerning the genital morphology and species determination of the parthenogenetic members of the genus are discussed in relation to the findings, and the first blind and apterous species reported.A key to the known species from the island is provided.
A revision of the genus Herminella Spaeth (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Notosacanthini), with a description of a new related genus and species from Madagascar
Authors: BOROWIEC LECH , WIETOJAÑSKA JOLANTA
Published: December 2014

The genus Herminella Spaeth from southern Africa is revised. It comprises four species: Herminella liliputana Spaeth and H. marshalli Spaeth are redescribed and two species are described as new—H. quadrimaculata from South Africa and H. flavocostata from Nambia and South Africa. A new related genus and species Hermosacantha madagascarica from Madagascar is described. Members of both genera belong to the smallest world cassids.
Two new species of the genus Wellsopsyllus (Copepoda; Harpacticoida; Paramesochridae) from the Yellow Sea
Authors: BACK JINWOOK , LEE WONCHOEL
Published: December 2014

A study of benthic harpacticoids from the intertidal zone of Gosapo Beach, on the west (Yellow Sea) coast of Korea, resulted in the discovery of two species of Wellsopsyllus Kunz, 1981. The first new species, Wellsopsyllus (Wellsopsyllus) egregius sp. nov., was allocated to the nominotypical subgenus by a combination of three characters: 1) a 3-segmented P4 exopod, 2) 1-segmented P2–P3 endopods, and 3) a P1 endopod-2 with one apical seta. However, it can be clearly distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: 1) a caudal rami with two blunt setae and the seta VII located sub-distally, 2) a P2 and P3 endopod represented by a small blunt process, and 3) the semioval shape of P5. The second new species was placed in the subgenus Scottopsyllus Apostolov & Marinov, 1988 according to the 3-segmented exopod and 2-segmented endopod of P4. Wellsopsyllus (S.) koreanus sp. nov. exhibits a unique combination of characters: 1) a dimpled distal margin of the female P5 endopodal lobe armed with two subequal setae, 2) a caudal seta V consisting of a stout spine-like base with a long cylindrical seta-like portion arising subdistally, and 3) a distinct bundle of five long inner setules on the P1 basis. We present a summary of the characters of all species in the genus Wellsopsyllus and propose an updated key for their identification.
Towards resolving a problem of the identity of the Aethus species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae) occurring in Cambodia
Authors: Lis Jerzy A. , Lis Barbara , Ziaja Dariusz J. , Nakatani Yukinobu
Published: December 2014

The genus Aethus in Cambodia is known only from a single species collected in the 1950s that was originally identified as A. indicus. However, what was regarded as A. indicus in the Oriental and Australian regions appeared to consist of three sibling species, recognizable only on the basis of male genital structures, i.e., A. philippinensis, A. pseudindicus, and true A. indicus. To date, the lack of males representing this genus from Cambodia made it impossible to verify which species actually occur in this country. The present study, based on eight males collected at the same locality in Cambodia where the specimens were originally identified as A. indicus more than 50 years ago (i.e., Siem Reap), confirmed the occurrence of A. pseudindicus, not A. indicus, as previously reported. Male genitalia, i.e. the paramere, the opening of genital capsule, and the apex of aedeagus, are described and their photographs are provided for both species.
Precipitation Seasonality over the Indian Subcontinent: An Evaluation of Gauge, Reanalyses, and Satellite Retrievals
Authors: Rana Sapna , McGregor James , Renwick James
Published: December 2014

This paper evaluates the seasonal (winter, premonsoon, monsoon, and postmonsoon) performance of seven precipitation products from three different sources: gridded station data, satellite-derived data, and reanalyses products over the Indian subcontinent for a period of 10 years (1997/98–2006/07). The evaluated precipitation products are the Asian Precipitation–Highly-Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of the Water Resources (APHRODITE), the Climate Prediction Center unified (CPC-uni), the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP), the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) post-real-time research products (3B42-V6 and 3B42-V7), the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim). Several verification measures are employed to assess the accuracy of the data. All datasets capture the large-scale characteristics of the seasonal mean precipitation distribution, albeit with pronounced seasonal and/or regional differences. Compared to APHRODITE, the gauge-only (CPC-uni) and the satellite-derived precipitation products (GPCP, 3B42-V6, and 3B42-V7) capture the summer monsoon rainfall variability better than CFSR and ERA-Interim. Similar conclusions are drawn for the postmonsoon season, with the exception of 3B42-V7, which underestimates postmonsoon precipitation. Over mountainous regions, 3B42-V7 shows an appreciable improvement over 3B42-V6 and other gauge-based precipitation products. Significantly large biases/errors occur during the winter months, which are likely related to the uncertainty in observations that artificially inflate the existing error in reanalyses and satellite retrievals.
A research methodological debate on emancipatory catastrophism: The case of transnational marriage
Authors: Shim Young-Hee
Published: December 2014

This article offers a concrete case study with the intention of demonstrating the empirical significance of the concepts of emancipatory catastrophism and metamorphosis by identifying the forces which interact when a social transformation takes place. In his public lecture at the 2014 Seoul Conference Beck explains emancipatory catastrophism through three conceptual lenses, that is, the violation of sacred norms of human existence, anthropological shock, and social catharsis. This article seeks to systematize the driving force of emancipatory catastrophism as consisting of push and pull factors and to apply this analytic scheme to the concrete case of transnational marriage which involves both the catastrophic push factor and an emancipatory pull factor for the ‘unmarriageable bachelors’ in rural Korea and the South Asian women who come to Korea to get married.
The Ties That Bind
Authors: Lambert Eric G. , Griffin Marie L. , Hogan Nancy L. , Kelley Thomas
Published: December 2014

Recent literature has found that organizational commitment of correctional staff is highly influenced by the workplace and can either result in positive or negative behaviors. Most research, though, has examined predictors of only one type of commitment. This study looked at three types of commitment (continuance, moral, and affective) and their influence on the outcomes of correctional orientation, views of absenteeism, and turnover intent. The results indicate that the three dimensions of commitment varied in their impact on the organization outcomes and provide insight into the complex nature of the bonds that tie employees to this unique organization.
Industrial–Organizational and Human Factors Graduate Program Admission
Authors: Shoenfelt Elizabeth L. , Stone Nancy J. , Kottke Janet L.
Published: December 2014

Many psychology departments do not have industrial–organizational (IO) or human factors (HF) faculty members. As such, potential IO and HF graduate students may miss career opportunities because faculty advisors are unfamiliar with the disciplines and their graduate programs. To assist advisors, this article highlights the content of IO and HF disciplines, presents tips on how to advise undergraduates for admission to IO and HF graduate programs, provides sources of IO and HF information, suggests employability options in IO and HF, and offers an advising brochure that is available upon request. A wide variety of career options exist in both IO and HF. Advisors assisting students in evaluating potential careers and identifying graduate programs should find this information useful.
Preparing palliative home care nurses to act as facilitators for physicians’ learning: Evaluation of a training programme
Authors: Pype Peter , Mertens Fien , Wens Johan , Stes Ann , Van den Eynden Bart , Deveugele Myriam
Published: December 2014

Background:

Palliative care requires a multidisciplinary care team. General practitioners often ask specialised palliative home care teams for support. Working with specialised nurses offers learning opportunities, also called workplace learning. This can be enhanced by the presence of a learning facilitator.

Objectives:

To describe the development and evaluation of a training programme for nurses in primary care. The programme aimed to prepare palliative home care team nurses to act as facilitators for general practitioners’ workplace learning.

Design:

A one-group post-test only design (quantitative) and semi-structured interviews (qualitative) were used.

Methods:

A multifaceted train-the-trainer programme was designed. Evaluation was done through assignments with individual feedback, summative assessment through videotaped encounters with simulation-physicians and individual interviews after a period of practice implementation.

Results:

A total of 35 nurses followed the programme. The overall satisfaction was high. Homework assignments interfered with the practice workload but showed to be fundamental in translating theory into practice. Median score on the summative assessment was 7 out of 14 with range 1–13. Interviews revealed some aspects of the training (e.g. incident analysis) to be too difficult for implementation or to be in conflict with personal preferences (focus on patient care instead of facilitating general practitioners’ learning).

Conclusion:

Training palliative home care team nurses as facilitator of general practitioners’ workplace learning is a feasible but complex intervention. Personal characteristics, interpersonal relationships and contextual variables have to be taken into account. Training expert palliative care nurses to facilitate general practitioners’ workplace learning requires careful and individualised mentoring.
It Is Not About the Influence Religiosity Ought to Have, But the Influence It Does Have
Authors: Baier Dirk
Published: December 2014

In my response to the article “Both Islam and Christianity Invite to Tolerance” I adress the different criticisms that are raised by the authors. Some of the criticisms can be agreed with, while others can be refuted. In general I do not share the author’s perspective that every religion promotes peaceful coexistence. Instead claiming theoretically that religiosity has such an effect, the relationship between religiosity and violence should be analyzed empirically.
Social Information Processing in Dating Conflicts
Authors: Calvete Esther , Orue Izaskun , Gamez-Guadix Manuel , López de Arroyabe Elena
Published: December 2014

The aim of this study was to assess the reciprocal associations among social information processing (SIP) in dating conflicts and the perpetration of dating aggression. A first step involved the development of a measure (The Social Information Processing Questionnaire in Dating Conflicts, SIPQ-DC) to assess social information in scenarios of conflict with dating partners. A sample of 1,272 adolescents (653 girls, 619 boys; Mage = 14.74 years, SD = 1.21) completed measures of SIP and dating aggression perpetration in two different times, which were spaced 1 year apart. Confirmatory factor analyses provided support for a model with five correlated factors for the SIPQ-DC, namely, hostile attribution, anger, aggressive response access, anticipation of positive consequences for oneself, and anticipation of negative consequences for partners. Although the perpetration of dating aggression at T1 was cross-sectionally associated with all the SIP components, anger was the only component that predicted the residual increase in dating aggression behavior over time. The perpetration of dating aggression predicted a worsening of cognitive-emotional processes involved in dating conflicts. Some longitudinal paths were significant only in male adolescents. In conclussion, relationships among SIP and aggression are reciprocal. Gender differences in longitudinal paths can contribute to explaining men’s higher perpetration of violence in adulthood.
MOOCs in the humanities
Authors: Evans Suzannah , McIntyre Karen
Published: December 2014

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been heralded as a democratizing force bringing higher education to the world’s neediest students. But do MOOCs effectively confront the well-documented challenges of online education for underprivileged students? This textual analysis examines MOOC offerings in the humanities and finds that courses are designed for relatively well-prepared students, not underprivileged students.
Big Data and the brave new world of social media research
Authors: Schroeder Ralph
Published: December 2014

The recent Facebook study about emotional contagion has generated a high-profile debate about the ethical and social issues in Big Data research. These issues are not unprecedented, but the debate highlighted that, in focusing on research ethics and the legal issues about this type of research, an important larger picture is overlooked about the extent to which free will is compatible with the growth of deterministic scientific knowledge, and how Big Data research has become central to this growth of knowledge. After discussing the ‘emotional contagion study’ as an illustration, these larger issues about Big Data and scientific knowledge are addressed by providing definitions of data, Big Data and of how scientific knowledge changes the human-made environment. Against this background, it will be possible to examine why the uses of data-driven analyses of human behaviour in particular have recently experienced rapid growth. The essay then goes on to discuss the distinction between basic scientific research as against applied research, a distinction which, it is argued, is necessary to understand the quite different implications in the context of scientific as opposed to applied research. Further, it is important to recognize that Big Data analyses are both enabled and constrained by the nature of data sources available. Big Data research is bound to become more widespread, and this will require more awareness on the part of data scientists, policymakers and a wider public about its contexts and often unintended consequences.
Toward a History of Economics at Mit, 1940-72
Authors: Cherrier Beatrice
Published: December 2014

This article tells the development of economics at MIT between 1940 and 1972. The recruitment of Paul Samuelson in 1940 fostered the establishment of a small community of economists within an engineering institute that was itself undergoing major transformations. A “new economics” was then shaped during the fifties, one influenced by the demands of engineers, scientists, and business students, and somewhat eclipsed by the promising interdisciplinary research programs emerging in the newly founded Center for International Studies. During the sixties, MIT economists instantiated the vision of Samuelson and Robert Solow, worked to make their graduate program the most appealing in the country, and gained wide public visibility as policy-oriented scientists. Yet, beginning in the midsixties, MIT’s apparently flourishing community was increasingly challenged, internally and externally. By the early seventies, the reforms implemented in reaction to these challenges had led to a normalization/standardization of its programs.
Mit’s Openness to Jewish Economists
Authors: Weintraub E. Roy
Published: December 2014

MIT emerged from “nowhere” in the 1930s to its place as one of the three or four most important sites for economic research by the mid-1950s. A conference held at Duke University in April 2013 examined how this occurred. In this article the author argues that the immediate postwar period saw a collapse—in some places slower, in some places faster—of the barriers to the hiring of Jewish faculty in American colleges and universities. And more than any other elite private or public university, particularly Ivy League universities, MIT welcomed Jewish economists.
Paul A. Samuelson’s Move to MIT
Authors: Backhouse Roger E.
Published: December 2014

The article reconstructs the events surrounding Paul Samuelson’s departure from Harvard to MIT in October 1940, a crucial event in the rise to prominence of MIT’s economics department. The contrasting attitudes of Harvard and MIT to Jewish economists were just one of many factors. Samuelson was then considered a narrow specialist in mathematical economics, a field in which there were few openings, and MIT made an attractive offer that contrasted with the uncertain future he faced were he to remain at Harvard. Significance is attached to the vision of what he might achieve at MIT held out by his mentor, E. B. Wilson, who argued that economics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, would be stronger if he moved to MIT and that Samuelson had not then achieved the mastery of general economics found in his later work.