bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From the Hashish in Breton to the Hashish in Golo
Authors: Hawas May
Published: June 2019

In the past decade a flurry of interest has appeared in the Surrealist Art and Liberty Group working in 1930s Egypt. Discussions of the circulation of Arabic literature have usually highlighted the important position of translation as cultural mediator. Thinking of modern Arabic literature as world literature obliges us to consider, however, that (colonial) languages such as French and English are in some ways creolized within, or inherent to, modern Arabic literature. The Surrealist practice of fluidity, that is, mixing artistic genres like literature and art, pushes interesting questions about the role of translation and bilingualism in Arabic world literature (or world literature written by Arabophone writers), and the need for language itself in world culture. For which national cultural sphere do we claim the work of the Egyptian Surrealists, and what kind of analytical mediator do we use to connect these works to others when translation is not available?
Arabian Aesthetics in European Modernism
Authors: Ghazoul Ferial J.
Published: June 2019

This article focuses on one aspect of the impact of the Arabian Nights on Western literature that has been rarely addressed, namely its impact on modernism. Modernism is almost always viewed as a quintessentially European movement, self-generated between the first and second World Wars. From there it spread to the rest of the world. Despite its global diffusion, the imperial project has remained to be viewed in terms of the impact of the colonial powers over the colonized. My contention is that the cultural traffic was not one-way, but two-way. By considering the cultural traffic as going two ways, we instil an understanding of Modernism as a World Movement and recognize the constitutive part that Arabic poetics played in European Modernism. This article thus detects how the narrative logic of the most famous Arabian tales structured the works of the two pillars of High Modernism, Marcel Proust and James Joyce.
Maritime Boundary Disputes and Article 298 of UNCLOS
Authors: Sim Christine
Published: June 2019

Maritime boundary disputes pose the most dangerous potential for conflict between States. Article 298 of UNCLOS was designed as a safety valve to allow exclusion of sensitive disputes arising out of contested maritime boundaries—but also to provide a safety net for peaceful resolution of all UNCLOS disputes. This paper offers views on four questions which remain unresolved. First, may States exclude obligations of restraint and cooperation under Articles 74(3) and 83(3) of UNCLOS from compulsory dispute settlement by an Article 298 declaration? Second, for submission to compulsory conciliation, what criteria should be used to decide if the dispute arose subsequent to the entry into force of UNCLOS? Third, does a court, arbitral tribunal or conciliation commission have jurisdiction to consider ‘mixed disputes’ involving land sovereignty or other rights? Fourth, what is the meaning of “shall, by mutual consent”—when conciliation fails to reach an agreement, are the parties bound to refer their dispute back to compulsory third party dispute settlement under section 2 of Part XV of UNCLOS?
From Bidlīs to Ardabīl Via Aleppo and Iṣfahān
Authors: Alsancakli Sacha
Published: June 2019

The Dorn 306 manuscript of the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg is a copy revised by the author of the Šarafnāma, a history of Kurdish dynasties written in Persian in 1005-7/1596-99 by Šaraf Ḫān Bidlīsī. Dated Šavvāl 1007/May 1599, the manuscript was bequeathed as a vaqf by Šāh ʿAbbās to Šayḫ Ṣafī’s shrine’s library in 1017/1608. This article studies the history of the manuscript’s circulation between the years 1007/1599 and 1017/1608.
Skills and Style in Heritage: The Woodworker Faḫr al-Dīn and his Son ʿAlī in the Mazandaran (Iran, ca. 1440-1500)
Authors: Aube Sandra
Published: June 2019

In the region of Mazandaran (Northern Iran) is preserved an outstanding corpus of wooden works associated with fifteenth-century tomb-towers. A large portion of these wooden panels bear the signature of a woodworker (or “carpenter”, najjār). These constitute a significant resource for the study of woodworking and woodworkers. This article presents two woodworkers from this exceptional corpus: Master Faḫr al-Dīn and his son, Master ʿAlī. The first is recorded in Sārī around the 840s/1440s, the latter in Bābul and Bābulsar between 876/1471-2 and 906/1500. Through an analysis of their remaining works of art, this article examines the stylistic evolution of these two craftsmen and the transmission of skills and models through a professional and familial regional network.
The Family and Professional Circle of Two Samarkand Calligraphers of Persian Belles-Lettres Around the Year 1600 (ca. 1010 AH)
Authors: Szuppe Maria
Published: June 2019

The analysis of several extant manuscripts of the Šāhnāma epics and other Persian literary texts produced by two calligraphers, Ādīna Kātib Buḫārī (fl. 1595-1605) and Mīr Māh b. Mīr ʿArab (fl. 1592-1613), seemingly in the same atelier in Samarkand, opens up an interesting field of investigation. The latter copyist was a close relation of a renowned court calligrapher and Chief Librarian of the Shaybanid rulers of Bukhara, Mīr Ḥusayn “Kulangī” (fl. ca. 1535-85) who himself also specialized in the copy of Persian classical literature; more then 30 manuscripts by his hand are extant today. This article presents the available information on professional biographies of these calligraphers (introducing some hithertho unknown manuscripts), but also it touches upon the issues of the actual organization and practices of skill transmission and book production, some aspects of professional specialization, and the importance of transmission reference figure in professional and family contexts of the late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century Central Asia.
Some Aspects of Conversion Narratives in Late Safavid Iran and their Circulation: The Case of ʿAlī Akbar Armanī
Authors: Tiburcio Alberto
Published: June 2019

This study focuses on a conversion narrative from the late Safavid period, the Iʿtirāf-nāma, written by an Armenian merchant known after his conversion as ʿAlī Akbar Armanī. The study addresses questions on the transmission of texts, the conventions of the genre of convert literature, and the socialization of converts into Muslim scholarly families. This study seeks to contextualize this text not only vis-à-vis the cultural and social milieu of religious minorities in the late Safavid period, but also within the wider history of the genre of convert literature.
Local Elites and Dynastic Succession: Tabriz prior to, under and following Mongol Rule (Sixth/Twelfth to Ninth/Fifteenth Centuries)
Authors: Zakrzewski Daniel
Published: June 2019

This article analyses the history of Tabriz from the late sixth/twelfth to the end of the ninth/fifteenth century. It develops the thesis that the local elites played an active and important role in determining a specific sequence of dynasties passing through the Mongols to the Safavids. Through a focus on two leading families, the analysis elucidates how Mongol rule transformed local society. Urban elites generally retained their status throughout the period, while rural elites gained new influence beginning with the time of Mongol rule.
Lingua araba in vecchi e nuovi media
Authors: Langone Angela Daiana
Published: June 2019

Since the first years of the 21st century, the presence of the dialect varieties of Arabic (the so-called ʿāmmiyya or dāriǧa) outside the purely literary production increased a lot, and these informal varieties are nowadays frequently used in press, mass media, and obviously social networks.

This article intends to offer a general overview on the modalities by which, at the beginnings of this (relatively) new phenomenon, the Arabic dialects penetrated in both the old and new media.

After a focus on the graphic problems issued during the first attempts of written registration of the Arabic dialects (like in 3arabizi and e-darija), it deals also with the initiatives encouraged by some Moroccan magazines and newspapers (such as Ḫbār blādna, al-Amal, TelQuel and Nichane) that developed a highly controversial debate on the future of the linguistic policies in the country.
The Evolving Role of Environmental Rights in Climate Change Litigation
Authors: Preston Brian J
Published: June 2019

Litigation raising climate change issues has increased in the number and types of cases across a growing number of national and international jurisdictions. An emergent trend is litigation that invokes particular legal rights to address climate change issues. Referred to collectively in this article as ‘environmental rights,’ these include rights established under the public trust doctrine, as well as within the realms of constitutional and human rights, including the right to life and right to a quality environment. This article surveys the development of climate change litigation—in various jurisdictions around the world—in which parties have sought to invoke these environmental rights. In addition to examining how climate change litigation has adapted rights-based claims made in earlier, more traditional litigation, this article reviews recent significant cases and examines how this growing body of case law is contributing to an expansion in the content of fundamental rights in the climate change context.
Perceived Social Consensus Can Reduce Ideological Biases on Climate Change
Authors: Goldberg Matthew H. , van der Linden Sander , Leiserowitz Anthony , Maibach Edward
Published: June 2019

It is well established that conservatives in the United States are substantially less likely than liberals to accept that climate change is happening and is human caused and are less supportive of policies to limit climate change. However, it is likely that ideological differences in climate change beliefs, attitudes, and policy preferences are smaller when people have close friends and family members who care about climate change. Here, we use nine nationally representative survey samples (total N = 16,168) to evaluate this claim and test if perceived social consensus predicts a smaller difference in climate change beliefs between liberals and conservatives. We find that social consensus plays an important role in climate change beliefs, attitudes, and policy preferences for people across the ideological spectrum, but especially among conservatives. These findings provide important insights on how to bridge ideological divides in large social dilemmas such as climate change.
Demand for Local Renewable Energy Systems: Evidence from North and Middle Andamans
Authors: Kumar Manashvi
Published: June 2019

Energy has an innate anthropogenic (human) dimension. Human beings are central to the theme of energy generation and its final consumption. Energy generation and its distribution as a resource governs every aspect of human life on a daily basis. This element necessitates critical understanding of demand aggregation and profiling across socio-cultural systems. The requirement of energy in terms of quantity and quality is emphatically embedded in the socio-cultural ethos of an end-user, the socio-cultural setting of which one is a part. Understanding this aspect is critical for scheduling the supply of energy. Policy issues related to demand side management arise from lack of understanding of behavioural issues of consumers. It stems from community alienation, in planning for generation, transmission and distribution of power. Any techno-economic mega system for power generation is embedded in local socio-cultural systems that comprise all beneficiaries, close or remote. The rural energy landscape needs to be located in different geo-climatic zones and physiographic (physical attributes of landforms such as plateaus, plains, hills, valleys, deserts, islands, etc.) divisions. The study provides an empirical approach for rural energy demand aggregation, drawn from specific socio-cultural system in India.
Governance and Leadership for Achieving Higher Quality in School Education: A Study of Sikkim
Authors: Mythili N.
Published: June 2019

Studies related to governance and leadership contributing to quality are rare in education. Sikkim has been chosen for this study to fill the gap. The article argues that good governance is a means or a process through which network governance can be effectively applied in the education system that is operationalised through leadership for achieving higher quality. The study indicates that the influence of ministerial leadership in public administration flows from the state level to schools. The lead-organised governance network at the state level characterises educational functions ranging from identifying needs to build a vision for an education system and exploiting ICT for the ease of administration. A network administrative organisation at the district level characterises establishing networks, aligning the focus between the state and school levels, creating a network of leaders at the school level and spreading innovations and good practices to all schools in the district. Participant governance at the school level mainly translates the state’s vision into action, engages in professional development of teachers, creates a climate for experimentation, distributes time equally between academic and administrative activities and builds networks with district- and state-level officials for improving schools. Through these processes at all levels, good governance acts as a means for apt application of network governance. Relevant leadership practices ensure good governance for higher quality education.
Attributes of the Organizational Change and Its Influence on Attitudes Toward Organizational Change and Well-Being at Work: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Nery Vanessa de Fátima , Franco Kettyplyn Sanches , Neiva Elaine Rabelo
Published: June 2019

This study investigates the role of attributes of organizational change, the attitudes toward change as an antecedent of well-being at work, and how these antecedents vary over the course of an organizational change. Organization change planning, perceived risk level, and attitudes toward organizational change are examined as antecedents. Attitudes toward change were tested as mediators in the relationship between change attributes and well-being. Hypotheses were tested in a three-wave study ( N = 505, N = 390, and N = 348 respondents, respectively) of employees from a public organization in Brazil undergoing a strategic reorientation. Attitudes toward change had stable positive effects in each wave, conducted 12, 24, and 48 months after the change was initiated. This study corroborates findings that uncertainty and risk contribute to the formation of negative cognitions and feelings throughout the process of organizational change but do not necessarily result in discomfort in relation to the work. The effects of planning the change and the perceived risk level of the change were not moderated by time. This study’s results do not support the ideas of gradual shifts and discontinuous information processing in cognitive models of employees. In contrast, it is possible to conclude that perceptions are confirmed over time. Implications for managing employee reactions and well-being in different phases of change are discussed.
Psychiatric Diagnosis and the Power of Names
Authors: Chang Claire R. , Bassman Ronald
Published: June 2019

Psychiatric diagnosis is accepted and pervasive in mental health care and adjoining social systems throughout the world. The recognition of the inadequacy of diagnosis in advancing positive outcomes and healing is prompting the search for alternatives to diagnosis. While there is progress in seeking alternatives, we must be clear on the nature and depth of challenges associated with psychiatric labeling to achieve meaningful movement forward. To these ends, this article explores the intention, use, function, and impact of select naming practices from developmental, social, cultural, religious, and historical reference points. In studying the role of naming in our human development and making evident the parallel workings of naming systems from sociocultural history and that of diagnosis, the often obscured ways in which psychiatric labels are harmful becomes clearer. The authors offer a perspective drawn from a synthesis of their education, clinical work, lived experience of extreme mental states, and the challenges of growth and development while carrying psychiatric labels.
Reconceptualizing resistance organizations and outcomes: Introducing the Revolutionary and Militant Organizations dataset (REVMOD)
Authors: Acosta Benjamin
Published: June 2019

In recent years, scholars of various forms of conflict involving revolutionary and militant organizations (such as terrorism, civil war, and nonviolent contestation) recognized that arbitrary organizational categories and typologies often leave large-N studies incomplete and biased. In moving away from nominal categorical boundaries that produce such selection biases and looking to a more generalized conception of resistance organizations, I constructed an original dataset that aims to bridge the gap between conflict literatures. Transcending traditional classifications, the Revolutionary and Militant Organizations dataset (REVMOD) consists of over 500 resistance organizations operative sometime between the years 1940 and 2014 and includes a diverse array of types of resistance organizations – many of which utilize a multitude of tactics, operate in various conflict contexts, and/or confront numerous target types. The dataset documents organizational attributes, allies, and adversaries at annual intervals (organization-years), making reliable time-series analyses possible. Tracking variables like organizational outcome-goal type and degree of achievement, political capacity, leader/s, constituent identity group, violence and demonstration levels, size, organization aliases, and several others, REVMOD breaks new ground in the collection of information on resistance organizations and can spur countless studies. A preliminary data analysis demonstrates that differences in organizational political capacity explain variation in resistance outcomes generally and in particular contexts such as civil war, terrorism, and nonviolent revolutions. REVMOD provides a unique opportunity to develop a new research paradigm for resistance studies that employs large-N empirical analyses to uncover generalities between different forms of political contention in the contemporary era, as well as to better understand why and how distinct resistance processes may produce specific outcomes.
Creating Customized Workforce Development Plans for Medium-to-Large Public Health Departments
Authors: Grimm Brandon , Arcari Christine , Ramos Athena , LeVan Tricia , Brandert Kathleen , King Keyonna , Siahpush Mohammad , Michaud Tzeyu , Johansson Patrik , Burke Charlotte , Topko Liene
Published: June 2019

Objectives:

The objectives of our study were to (1) illustrate a public health workforce assessment process in a medium-sized city or county health department and (2) demonstrate the insights gained by moving from the use of aggregate department-level and competency domain-level training needs results to more granular division-level and skills-level results when creating a workforce development plan.

Methods:

We used a 130-question needs assessment to guide the creation of a workforce development plan for the Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) in Nebraska and its 7 divisions. Using SurveyMonkey, we administered the survey to 128 (of the 129) LLCHD public health staff members in June 2015. Using a Likert scale, respondents indicated (1) the importance of the skill to their work and (2) their capacity to carry out 57 skills in 8 domains of the core competencies for public health professionals. We identified training needs as those for which the percentage of respondents who perceived moderate-to-high importance was at least 15 percentage points higher than the percentage of respondents who perceived moderate-to-high capacity.

Results:

LLCHD as a department had training needs in only 2 competency domains: financial planning and management (importance-capacity difference, 15 percentage points) and policy development and program planning (importance-capacity difference, 19 percentage points). The Health Promotion and Outreach division had training needs in all 8 domains (importance-capacity difference range, 15-45 percentage points). Of the 57 skills, 41 were identified by at least 1 of the LLCHD divisions as having training needs. In 24 instances, a division did not qualify as having training needs in the overall domain yet did have training needs for specific skills within a domain.

Conclusions:

When performing public health workforce assessments, medium-to-large public health departments can obtain detailed workforce training needs results that pertain to individual skills and that are tailored to each of their divisions. These results may help customize and improve workforce development plans, ensuring that the workforce has the necessary skills to do its job.
The Meanings Soldiers Attach to Health and Their Impacts on Primary Health-Care Utilization and Avoidance in an Australian High-Risk Combat Unit
Authors: Dabovich Paula A. , Eliott Jaklin A. , McFarlane Alexander C.
Published: June 2019

It is widely accepted many health and mental health conditions experienced by veterans may be prevented or reduced in severity through early primary health-care intervention, yet research suggests high levels of health-care avoidance in this population. The aim of this study was to examine the meanings military personnel attached to health and how these impacted health-care utilization. To achieve this, 50 hours of primary interview data were obtained from 13 Australian Army combat personnel undergoing rehabilitation, which were thematically analyzed. Results support previous findings that engagement with health-care services was perceived to negatively impact career and deployment opportunities; however, these issues were marginal to perceptions of losing personal agency when engaging with the health-care system for physical and psychological concerns, which resulted in mistrust of it. We argue issues of mistrust underscore health-care avoidance in the military and recommend primary health-care principles be incorporated into to garrison health services.
Bellicose Peace: China’s Peace Signature Campaign and Discourses about “Peace” in the Early 1950s
Authors: Forster Elisabeth
Published: June 2019

In the early 1950s, China engaged in several military actions, most notably in the Korean War. Nevertheless, the World Peace Council, an international organization sponsored by the Soviet Union, praised the country as a “fortress for the protection of world peace” in 1954. This hinged upon a very specific, bellicose understanding of “peacefulness,” which did not mean the rejection of war, but war against the “right” enemy. I discuss this understanding, its function within the international community, its embeddedness in international political thinking, and its promulgation among the Chinese population, using the example of a campaign in 1950 to collect signatures on a World Peace Council–authored appeal against the atomic bomb. Self-promotion as a peaceful nation in the bellicose sense served a variety of purposes for the young People’s Republic of China (PRC), most importantly the goal to instill bloc thinking in the PRC’s population and to gain prestige within the new international order of the Cold War.
Damage imaging for composite using Lamb wave based on minimum variance distortion-less response method
Authors: Su Chenhui , Jiang Mingshun , Lv Shanshan , Zhang Lei , Zhang Faye , Lu Shizeng , Sui Qingmei
Published: June 2019

It is highly probable for the structures of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) to suffer from invisible impact damage, for which the identification of such damage is of great significance. For the purpose of damage localization, this paper proposes a minimum variance distortion-less response (MVDR) algorithm that employs linear array sensor. In addition, a near field signal model based on active Lamb wave is established and the propagation of Lamb wave is investigated in composite laminates through the method of simulation. Moreover, a damage imaging system is also set up for composites to verify the effectiveness of the MVDR algorithm. Besides, in the study, wavelet transform is used as well to extract narrowband signals and promote signal-to-noise. It is shown by the results that the proposed algorithm can accurately identify the location of damage through the method of imaging. It is concluded that the maximum error of damage identification is 1.2 cm and MVDR algorithm has great potential in the field, damage imaging of composite materials. As a result, it provides a novel idea for damage imaging of composite materials.
Isolated Congenital Round Window Atresia: Report of 2 Cases
Authors: Wong Wai Keat , Salkeld Lesley , Flint David
Published: June 2019

Round window atresia (RWA) is an uncommon condition and can result in a conductive hearing loss. Two cases of nonsyndromal bilateral RWA in 2 members of the same family are reported. Both cases presented with a conductive hearing loss of 20 to 30 dB. High-resolution computed tomography scanning was used to diagnose the condition. The patients were rehabilitated with hearing aids. Review of the literature has shown disappointing results in hearing improvement with cochlear fenestration in an attempt to address this condition. Patients presenting with unexplained conductive hearing loss should be offered computed tomography scanning. The cases we report add to the literature to benefit future patients in preoperative counseling and better inform management.
The Sensitivity and Specificity of Touch Preparation for Rapid Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Sinusitis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Schuman Theodore A. , Nguyen Josephine H. , Yelverton Joshua C. , Almenara Jorge A. , Powers Celeste N.
Published: June 2019

Invasive fungal sinusitis is a morbid pathology that typically affects immunocompromised patients and may quickly progress to fulminant disease. The purpose of this study was to measure the sensitivity and specificity of touch preparation of nasal debridement specimens as a rapid diagnostic tool for invasive fungal sinusitis. A retrospective chart review was performed of 22 patients undergoing nasal debridement due to suspicion for invasive fungal sinusitis over a 10-year period. Thirteen patients had touch preparation of nasal specimens followed by routine histologic processing; two of these patients underwent 2, and 1 patient had 3 separate debridements, for a total of 17 touch preparations performed. The sensitivity and specificity of touch preparation were calculated by correlating the initial results with the presence of fungal invasion on final pathologic analysis. The sensitivity of touch preparation was 56% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23-0.85), specificity was 100% (95% CI: 0.60-1.00), positive predictive value was 100% (95% CI: 0.46-1.00), and negative predictive value was 67% (95% CI: 0.35-0.89). This procedure may be a useful adjunct in situations requiring rapid diagnosis of invasive fungal sinusitis but should not be used as the sole criteria for determining the need for surgical intervention.
Impact of Sinus Surgery on Hospital Utilization for Complications of Sinusitis
Authors: Pandrangi Vivek , Reiter Evan R.
Published: June 2019

Background:

Sinusitis complications are potentially lethal conditions that generally require extensive treatment and thus place a significant burden on the health-care system. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of surgery on hospital utilization associated with treatment of sinusitis complications.

Methods:

Retrospective cohort study using a national hospital database. The 2012 to 2013 National Inpatient Sample was queried for adult patients with sinusitis and complications. Patients were grouped based upon the presence or absence of sinus procedures. Patient demographics and health status, hospital characteristics, length of stay (LOS), and charges were determined.

Results:

Of 1645 patients with sinusitis and associated complications, 232 (14%) underwent sinus procedures. These patients had higher LOS (8.0 ± 7.3 days vs 4.3 ± 5.2 days; P < .001) and charges (US$96 107 ± 108 089 vs US$30 661 ± 47 138; P < .001) than nonprocedure patients. Increased time to procedure in one operation patients (n = 209) of more than 2 days increased total LOS (11.4 ± 9.3 days vs 6.2 ± 5.5 days; P < .001) and charges (US$120 306 ± 112 748 vs US$76 923 ± 81 185; P = .005). Patients with multiple sinus procedures (n = 23) versus one had increased LOS and charges, despite no time difference from admission to first procedure ( P = .35). On regression analysis, sinus procedure patients had excess LOS of 0.827 days and charges of US$36 949.

Conclusion:

Although often necessary, sinus procedures lead to increased LOS and charges. As prolonged time to sinus procedure and revision operations also increase charges, shorter trials of medical therapy and earlier surgical intervention may improve outcomes and reduce costs.
Neither unitary nor federal: Did Bolivians invent something new?
Authors: Barrios-Suvelza Franz Xavier
Published: June 2019

The unitary–federal dichotomy is used as a standard means for taxonomizing state forms. However, its classificatory power has been increasingly stretched by heterodox cases such as Spain, Italy, South Africa and, most recently, Bolivia. This article contends that Bolivia’s constitutional changes have definitively challenged the long-standing assumption that the unitary–federal divide best serves the goal of an accurate taxonomization in the field of comparative federalism. Despite the noise Bolivia’s latest constitutional reform has caused in the otherwise settled framework of comparative federalism’s most basic concepts, scholarship is opting for the most comfortable choice by squeezing Bolivia into the unitary compartment. Subsequent to the screening of different types of taxonomic approaches, a new classificatory framework for state forms, based on a dichotomy that combines legal theory and the methodological tools of political science, is proposed and tested on the Bolivian case.
Effects of ricin on primary pulmonary alveolar macrophages
Authors: Guo Zhendong , Wang Zhongyi , Meng Shanyu , Zhao Zongzheng , Zhang Chunmao , Fu Yingying , Li Jiaming , Nie Xin , Zhang Cheng , Liu Linna , Lu Bing , Qian Jun
Published: June 2019

Objective

We systematically investigated the cytotoxic effects of ricin in primary pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs).

Methods

Primary PAMs were isolated from BALB/c mice. The cytotoxic effects of ricin were investigated in vitro by optical and transmission electron microscopy, detection of the inflammatory cytokine response, proteomic analysis, and subsequent biological functional analysis.

Results

Ricin induced shrinkage, apoptosis, vacuolization, and multi-organelle lesions in primary PAMs as demonstrated by optical and transmission electron microscopy. Ricin also induced a pronounced pro-inflammatory cytokine response in primary PAMs, including induction of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2, while the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were less affected. Proteomic analysis and subsequent biological functional analysis identified eight proteins that were up/downregulated by ricin treatment and which might thus contribute to ricin toxicity. These proteins were involved in various functions, including redox, molecular chaperone, glycolysis, protein translation, and protein degradation functions.

Conclusion

The results of the present study further our understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of inhalational ricin poisoning.
Hydrogen sulfide-mediated endothelial function and the interaction with eNOS and PDE5A activity in human internal mammary arteries
Authors: Yuan Chao , Hou Hai-Tao , Chen Huan-Xin , Wang Jun , Wang Zheng-Qing , Chen Tie-Nan , Novakovic Aleksandra , Marinko Marija , Yang Qin , Liu Zhi-Gang , He Guo-Wei
Published: June 2019

Objective

To investigate the role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in human internal mammary arteries (IMA) and its interaction with endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and phosphodiesterase (PDE)5A activity.

Methods

Human IMA segments from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were studied by myography for acetylcholine and sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS)-induced relaxation. Locations of 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MPST) and cysteine aminotransferase (CAT) were examined immunohistochemically. Levels of H2S, eNOS, phosphorylated-eNOSser1177, and PDE5A were measured.

Results

In IMA segments from 47 patients, acetylcholine-induced relaxation (resistant to NG-nitro-L-arginine and indomethacin) was significantly attenuated by aminooxyacetic acid or L-aspartate (CAT inhibitors), iberiotoxin (large-conductance calcium-activated K+ channel blocker), TRAM-34 plus apamin (intermediate- and small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel blockers) or glibenclamide (ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker). 3-MPST and mitochondrial CAT were found in endothelial and smooth muscle cells while cytosolic CAT was located only in endothelial cells. Acetylcholine significantly increased the H2S levels. The H2S donor, NaHS, increased eNOS phosphorylation and down-regulated PDE5A.

Conclusions

Human conduit artery endothelium releases H2S under basal and stimulated conditions, involving the 3-MPST/CAT pathway, eNOS phosphorylation, PDE5A activity, and potassium channels. These findings may provide new therapeutic targets for treating vasospasm in CABG grafts and facilitate the development of new vasodilator drugs.
Mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct: a case report
Authors: Zhang Hai-Wen , Kou Kai , Qi Jun , Xie En-Bo , Wang Meng , Li Yan , Lv Guo-Yue , Wang Guang-Yi
Published: June 2019

Background

The concept of mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) was introduced in the 2010 World Health Organization classification of digestive neuroendocrine neoplasms. Bile duct invasion by MANEC is exceptionally rare. We herein report a case of MANEC with invasion of multiple bile ducts. Case presentation: A 60-year-old man presented with a 7-day history of upper abdominal pain, and a mass in the cystic duct was suspected based on computed tomography findings. The patient underwent resection of the extrahepatic bile ducts with concomitant radical lymphadenectomy and Roux-en-Y cholangiojejunostomy. Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma was detected in a component of the resected tumor. According to the pathological and immunohistochemical features of the tumor, the final histopathological diagnosis was a biliary MANEC, tumor stage T2N0M1 (Stage IIIC). The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged from the hospital 10 days after surgery.

Conclusions

We have described a rare case of extrahepatic MANEC invading multiple bile ducts, with particular emphasis on the physician’s awareness of MANEC and its optimal treatment. MANEC arising from extrahepatic bile ducts is rare, and surgical resection is the most effective treatment method.
Diagnosis and treatment of a case of hepatic mixed echinococcosis infection combined with distant organ metastasis
Authors: Xu Xiaolei , Gao Cancan , Ye Haiwen , Wang Zhixin , Wang Zhan , Zhou Ying , Wang Haijiu , Zhang Bao , Pang Mingquan , Zhou Hu , Pan Siyu , Zhao Mingen , Fan Haining
Published: June 2019

Hydatidosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus, which is highly prevalent in pastoral areas. In China, this disease is mainly caused by Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. Cystic echinococcosis, which is one of the most common types of echinococcosis, is described as swelling and growth of cystic lesions. Alveolar echinococcosis, which is less common, is invasive. Cases of mixed echinococcosis infection accompanied by extrahepatic organ metastasis are extremely rare. Treatment of these cases is complicated and the prognosis is extremely poor. We report a case of hepatic echinococcosis in a 40-year-old Tibetan man who was treated with the hepatic right tricuspidectomy + left hepatic duct jejunostomy (Roux-en-Y) surgical procedure. This procedure provides a reference for treatment of similar cases of echinococcosis. For patients with multiorgan metastasis, chemotherapy is the first choice. This should be followed by possible surgical treatment for life-threatening lesions of alveolar echinococcosis and subsequent chemotherapy. Individualized treatment accompanied by multidisciplinary treatment and damage control surgery could optimally benefit patients with advanced hepatic echinococcosis.
Mobile Light Detection and Ranging for Automated Pavement Friction Estimation
Authors: Du Yuchuan , Li Yishun , Jiang Shengchuan , Shen Yu
Published: June 2019

Rapid detection and maintenance of pavement friction is essential for roadway crash prevention. Traditional measurement methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inefficient. This paper proposes a new method to rapidly estimate pavement friction by using a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor. Eight parameters are developed to capture the texture and material information of pavement. The British pendulum number is adopted as the reference of pavement friction with the data collection and processing approaches stated. An ordered logit regression model is utilized to estimate the level of pavement friction, with an average accuracy of 75.86%. The model shows that both textures and material information contribute to pavement friction. Some experimental tests are conducted to explore the potential impact of illumination, showing that lighting and road shading do not affect measurements. The proposed LiDAR-based method is able to assist for rapid, economical, and automatic estimation of pavement friction.
Development and Evaluation of Recurrent Neural Network-Based Models for Hourly Traffic Volume and Annual Average Daily Traffic Prediction
Authors: Khan Zadid , Khan Sakib Mahmud , Dey Kakan , Chowdhury Mashrur
Published: June 2019

The prediction of high-resolution hourly traffic volumes of a given roadway is essential for transportation planning. Traditionally, automatic traffic recorders (ATR) are used to collect these hourly volume data. These large datasets are time-series data characterized by long-term temporal dependencies and missing values. Regarding the temporal dependencies, all roadways are characterized by seasonal variations that can be weekly, monthly or yearly, depending on the cause of the variation. Traditional time-series forecasting models perform poorly when they encounter missing data in the dataset. To address this limitation, robust, recurrent neural network (RNN)-based, multi-step-ahead forecasting models are developed for time-series in this study. The simple RNN, the gated recurrent unit (GRU) and the long short-term memory (LSTM) units are used to develop the forecasting models and evaluate their performance. Two approaches are used to address the missing value issue: masking and imputation, in conjunction with the RNN models. Six different imputation algorithms are then used to identify the best model. The analysis indicates that the LSTM model performs better than simple RNN and GRU models, and imputation performs better than masking to predict future traffic volume. Based on analysis using 92 ATRs, the LSTM-Median model is deemed the best model in all scenarios for hourly traffic volume and annual average daily traffic (AADT) prediction, with an average root mean squared error (RMSE) of 274 and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 18.91% for hourly traffic volume prediction and average RMSE of 824 and MAPE of 2.10% for AADT prediction.
Effects of Travel Time Reliability and Commodity Characteristics on Hinterland Leg Transportation of Export Containers
Authors: Zhang Rong , Jian Wenliang , Li Lu
Published: June 2019

Increasing the mode share of railway in hinterland leg containers transportation requires a better understanding about the effects of critical factors on shippers’ mode choices. This paper focuses on the effects of travel time reliability (TTR) and commodity characteristics on freight mode choice. A two-stage survey is conducted in the Yiwu-Port of Ningbo corridor, China, to collect shippers’ preference data. Five model specifications are estimated using these data. Estimation results of generic parameters indicate that significant interaction effects between commodity characteristics and travel time exist. The value of generic reliability was then calculated and the effects of commodity characteristics was quantified. In addition, mode-specific values of reliability are estimated. Remarkable differences are found in the mode-specific value of reliability for different modes. Also, the effects of mode-specific value of reliability on the demand forecasting were investigated. Results imply that the mode share of railway will be underestimated if the mode-specific value of reliability is neglected, especially when travel time of railway transportation is reliable. Therefore, it is recommended that the mode-specific willingness-to-pay should be considered in railway demand forecasting and project appraisals.
Public Safety Implementation of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Photogrammetric Mapping of Crash Scenes
Authors: Bullock John L. , Hainje Robert , Habib Ayman , Horton Deborah , Bullock Darcy M.
Published: June 2019

Terrestrial photogrammetry using acquired images by a hand-held camera has been used for several years to map crash scene geometry. More recently, photogrammetric reconstruction from acquired images by an unmanned aerial system (UAS) has been proposed for crash scene mapping. Over the past year, the Tippecanoe County Sherriff’s Office has participated in three workshops with Purdue University, applied these skills in two training mass casualty exercises, and independently mapped five crash scenes in June and July 2018. This paper briefly reviews the training sessions, mass casualty exercises, and five crash scenes mapped by Tippecanoe County Sherriff’s deputies. The paper presents a comparison of both traditional ground-based and UAS-based photogrammetric mapping for two crashes in July 2018. The UAS procedures described in this paper are quite similar to current ground-based photogrammetric mapping. The UAS-based photogrammetric mapping derived measurements from eight identified crash scene markers and key features were found to be within 0.29 ft of field tape measurements, or with 0.4% or less relative error and a root mean squared error of 0.12 ft. We believe this paper will become important documentation in the literature that will provide public safety agencies with performance data to support their deliberation in investing in this new technology.
Short Segment Statewide Screening of Midblock Crashes in South Carolina
Authors: Famili Afshin , Sarasua Wayne , Iqbal Adika Mammadrahimli , Kumar Devesh , Ogle Jennifer Harper
Published: June 2019

The AASHTO Highway Safety Manual (HSM) presents a variety of methods for quantitatively estimating crash frequency or severity at a variety of locations. The HSM predictive methods require the roadway network to be divided into homogeneous segments and intersections, or sites populated with a series of attributes. It recommends a minimum segment length of 0.1 mi. This research focuses on segment lengths of less than 0.1 mi for statewide screening of midblock crash locations to identify site specific locations with high crash incidence. The paper makes an argument that many midblock crashes can be concentrated along a very short segment because of an undesirable characteristic of a specific site. The use of longer segments may “hide” the severity of a single location if the rest of the segment has few or no additional crashes. In actuality, this research does not divide sections of roads into short segments. Instead, a short-window approach is used. The underlying road network is used to create a layer of segment polygons using GIS buffering. Crash data are then overlaid and aggregated to the segment polygons for further analysis. The paper makes a case for the use of short fixed segments to do statewide screening and how accurately geocoded crash data is key to its use. A comparison is made with a sliding-window approach (Network Kernel Density). The benefit of using fixed segments is that they are much less complex than using the sliding-window approach. Because the segmentation can be the same from year to year, direct comparisons can be made over time while spatial integrity is maintained.
Use of Objective Safety Evidence to Deploy Automated Enforcement Resources
Authors: Ibrahim Shewkar , Sayed Tarek
Published: June 2019

Automated enforcement programs have been an important tool for improving traffic safety. Previous work provides strong evidence supporting the impact that these programs have on increasing safety either on a micro-level (e.g., road segments), or at a macro-level (e.g., neighborhood, city). In both cases, there are many variables that can influence and affect the safety impacts of the enforcement program. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding of how specific deployment parameters (e.g., how often to visit an enforcement site) can influence the overall safety on a macro-level (e.g., traffic analysis zone). The objective of this study is to quantify the impact that automated enforcement has on collisions on a macro-level as well as to develop models that would provide enforcement authorities with an empirical tool to help plan their deployment strategy. The results show that an increase in the number of tickets issued for exceeding the speed limit resulted in a decrease in collisions, for all collision severities. Moreover, the results also showed that collision reductions were also associated with spending a longer time enforcing a site for each visit. Quantifying these safety impacts supports decision makers by providing them with an opportunity to analyze the safety benefits in relation to their deployment strategy to maximize the efficiency of their resources.
Soil Parameters for Design with the 3D PLAXIS Hardening Soil Model
Authors: Bowers Jeremy T. , Webb Mark C. , Beaver Jesse L.
Published: June 2019

The design and analysis of buried structures presents difficulties that cannot often be solved by closed-form solutions. Finite element methods (FEM) have increasingly become the tool of choice for advanced soil-structure interaction analysis, with three-dimensional FEM being required for irregular non-plane-strain cases. To accurately capture the stress and deformation of soils, complex material constitutive models are required. Several input parameters to these models must be determined from expensive soil testing, which is impractical for most applications. For two-dimensional FEM, good approximations of these parameters for a wide range of placed backfill soils have been developed and used in practice for many years in the computer program CANDE. It is the purpose of this paper to take these parameters, developed by Selig for use in CANDE, and convert them to equivalent parameters for the three-dimensional PLAXIS computer program’s Hardening Soil model.