bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute dopamine receptor blockade in substantia nigra pars reticulata: a possible model for drug-induced Parkinsonism
Authors: Cáceres-Chávez Verónica Alejandra , Hernández-Martínez Ricardo , Pérez-Ortega Jesús , Herrera-Valdez Marco Arieli , Aceves Jose J. , Galarraga Elvira , Bargas José
Published: September 2018

Dopamine (DA) depletion modifies the firing pattern of neurons in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), shifting their mostly tonic firing toward irregularity and bursting, traits of pathological firing underlying rigidity and postural instability in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients and animal models of Parkinsonism (PS). Drug-induced Parkinsonism (DIP) represents 20–40% of clinical cases of PS, becoming a problem for differential diagnosis, and is still not well studied with physiological tools. It may co-occur with tardive dyskinesia. Here we use in vitro slice preparations including the SNr to observe drug-induced pathological firing by using drugs that most likely produce it, DA-receptor antagonists (SCH23390 plus sulpiride), to compare with firing patterns found in DA-depleted tissue. The hypothesis is that SNr firing would be similar under both conditions, a prerequisite to the proposal of a similar preparation to test other DIP-producing drugs. Firing was analyzed with three complementary metrics, showing similarities between DA depletion and acute DA-receptor blockade. Moreover, blockade of either nonselective cationic channels or Cav3 T-type calcium channels hyperpolarized the membrane and abolished bursting and irregular firing, silencing SNr neurons in both conditions. Therefore, currents generating firing in control conditions are in part responsible for pathological firing. Haloperidol, a DIP-producing drug, reproduced DA-receptor antagonist firing modifications. Since acute DA-receptor blockade induces SNr neuron firing similar to that found in the 6-hydroxydopamine model of PS, output basal ganglia neurons may play a role in generating DIP. Therefore, this study opens the way to test other DIP-producing drugs.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Dopamine (DA) depletion enhances substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) neuron bursting and irregular firing, hallmarks of Parkinsonism. Several drugs, including antipsychotics, antidepressants, and calcium channel antagonists, among others, produce drug-induced Parkinsonism. Here we show the first comparison between SNr neuron firing after DA depletion vs. firing found after acute blockade of DA receptors. It was found that firing in both conditions is similar, implying that pathological SNr neuron firing is also a physiological correlate of drug-induced Parkinsonism.
Dynamic Characteristics of Air Cycle Machine Rotor System
Authors: Han Dongjiang , Hao Long , Yang Jinfu
Published: September 2018

Parameters optimization in the critical speed region has the important influence on operational stability of an air cycle machine. Effects of bearing stiffness and unbalanced exciting force on critical speed and response characteristics are investigated by the modal method and harmonic response analysis. Resonance separation phenomenon in the critical speed region is analyzed in detail. When difference exists in the phase of unbalanced exciting force, resonance separation appears in the conical whirling speed region. The characteristics after resonance separation are closely related to the phase difference value and amplitude of unbalanced exciting force. The paper provides theoretical and experimental foundations for resonance separation analysis and also provides data support for dynamic balance and dynamic design of the rotor system.
Activation of CD137 Signaling Enhances Vascular Calcification through c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase-Dependent Disruption of Autophagic Flux
Authors: Chen Rui , Xu Yao , Zhong Wei , Li Bo , Yang Ping , Wang Zhong Qun , Shao Chen , Wang Cui Ping , Yan Jin Chuan
Published: September 2018

Background. Vascular calcification is widespread and clinically significant, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality. Calcifying vascular cells are partly derived from local vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which can undergo chondrogenic or osteogenic differentiation under inflammatory environment. Recently, we have found activation of CD137 signaling accelerated vascular calcification. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. This study aims to identify key mediators involved in CD137 signaling-induced vascular calcification in vivo and in vitro. Methods. Autophagy flux was measured through mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus and transmission electron microscopy. Von Kossa assay and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were used to observe calcification in vivo and in vitro, respectively. Autophagosome-containing vesicles were collected and identified by flow cytometry and Western blot. Autophagy or calcification-associated targets were measured by Western blot, quantitative real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry. Results. Treatment with the agonist-CD137 displayed c-Jun N-terminal kinase- (JNK-) dependent increase in the expression of various markers of autophagy and the number of autophagosomes relative to the control group. Autophagy flux experiments suggested that agonist-CD137 blocked the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes in cultured VSMCs. Calcium deposition, ALP activity, and the expression of calcification-associated proteins also increased in agonist-CD137 group compared with anti-CD137 group, which could be recovered by autophagy stimulator rapamycin. Autophagosome-containing vesicles collected from agonist-CD137 VSMCs supernatant promoted VSMC calcification. Conclusion. The present study identified a new pathway in which CD137 promotes VSMC calcification through the activation of JNK signaling, subsequently leading to the disruption of autophagic flux, which is responsible for CD137-induced acceleration of vascular calcification.
Differential Sensitivity Analysis for Resistant Malignancies (DISARM) Identifies Common Candidate Therapies across Platinum-Resistant Cancers
Authors: Gay Carl M. , Tong Pan , Cardnell Robert J. , Sen Triparna , Su Xiao , Ma Jun , Bara Rasha O. , Johnson Faye M. , Wakefield Chris , Heymach John V. , Wang Jing , Byers Lauren A.
Published: September 2018

Purpose:

Despite a growing arsenal of approved drugs, therapeutic resistance remains a formidable and, often, insurmountable challenge in cancer treatment. The mechanisms underlying therapeutic resistance remain largely unresolved and, thus, examples of effective combinatorial or sequential strategies to combat resistance are rare. Here, we present Differential Sensitivity Analysis for Resistant Malignancies (DISARM), a novel, integrated drug screen analysis tool designed to address this dilemma.

Experimental Design:

DISARM, a software package and web-based application, analyzes drug response data to prioritize candidate therapies for models with resistance to a reference drug and to assess whether response to a reference drug can be utilized to predict future response to other agents. Using cisplatin as our reference drug, we applied DISARM to models from nine cancers commonly treated with first-line platinum chemotherapy including recalcitrant malignancies such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD).

Results:

In cisplatin-resistant models, DISARM identified novel candidates including multiple inhibitors of PI3K, MEK, and BCL-2, among other classes, across unrelated malignancies. Additionally, DISARM facilitated the selection of predictive biomarkers of response and identification of unique molecular subtypes, such as contrasting ASCL1-low/cMYC-high SCLC targetable by AURKA inhibitors and ASCL1-high/cMYC-low SCLC targetable by BCL-2 inhibitors. Utilizing these predictions, we assessed several of DISARM's top candidates, including inhibitors of AURKA, BCL-2, and HSP90, to confirm their activity in cisplatin-resistant SCLC models.

Conclusions:

DISARM represents the first validated tool to analyze large-scale in vitro drug response data to statistically optimize candidate drug and biomarker selection aimed at overcoming candidate drug resistance.
Combining Homologous Recombination and Phosphopeptide-binding Data to Predict the Impact ofBRCA1BRCT Variants on Cancer Risk
Authors: Petitalot Ambre , Dardillac Elodie , Jacquet Eric , Nhiri Naima , Guirouilh-Barbat Josée , Julien Patrick , Bouazzaoui Isslam , Bonte Dorine , Feunteun Jean , Schnell Jeff A. , Lafitte Philippe , Aude Jean-Christophe , Noguès Catherine , Rouleau Etienne , Lidereau Rosette , Lopez Bernard S. , Zinn-Justin Sophie , Caputo Sandrine M.
Published: September 2018

BRCA1 mutations have been identified that increase the risk of developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Genetic screening is now offered to patients with a family history of cancer, to adapt their treatment and the management of their relatives. However, a large number of BRCA1 variants of uncertain significance (VUS) are detected. To better understand the significance of these variants, a high-throughput structural and functional analysis was performed on a large set of BRCA1 VUS. Information on both cellular localization and homology-directed DNA repair (HR) capacity was obtained for 78 BRCT missense variants in the UMD-BRCA1 database and measurement of the structural stability and phosphopeptide-binding capacities was performed for 42 mutated BRCT domains. This extensive and systematic analysis revealed that most characterized causal variants affect BRCT-domain solubility in bacteria and all impair BRCA1 HR activity in cells. Furthermore, binding to a set of 5 different phosphopeptides was tested: all causal variants showed phosphopeptide-binding defects and no neutral variant showed such defects. A classification is presented on the basis of mutated BRCT domain solubility, phosphopeptide-binding properties, and VUS HR capacity. These data suggest that HR-defective variants, which present, in addition, BRCT domains either insoluble in bacteria or defective for phosphopeptide binding, lead to an increased cancer risk. Furthermore, the data suggest that variants with a WT HR activity and whose BRCT domains bind with a WT affinity to the 5 phosphopeptides are neutral. The case of variants with WT HR activity and defective phosphopeptide binding should be further characterized, as this last functional defect might be sufficient per se to lead to tumorigenesis.

Implications:

The analysis of the current study on BRCA1 structural and functional defects on cancer risk and classification presented may improve clinical interpretation and therapeutic selection.
Sensitization to Common Aeroallergens in the Atopic Population of West Bengal, India: An Investigation by Skin Prick Test
Authors: Dey Debarati , Mondal Priti , Laha Arghya , Sarkar Tania , Moitra Saibal , Bhattacharyya Srijit , Saha Goutam Kumar , Podder Sanjoy
Published: September 2018

Background: Aeroallergen sensitization is increasing worldwide. The optimal management of allergic disease requires the identification of the allergic sensitivities of the patient. Complete data of offending aeroallergens are scant from West Bengal, India. Hence, we employed a retrospective analysis of an atopic population of West Bengal to investigate the rate of sensitivity toward common aeroallergens including pollens, molds and house dust mites. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the profile of skin prick test (SPT) reactivity of an atopic population of eastern India. Methods: The prevalence aeroallergen sensitization was investigated by SPT along with a questionnaire survey of patients who visited the Allergy and Asthma Research Center of West Bengal, India, from June 2016 to May 2018. Patients were categorized according to the demographic (age, gender) and clinical aspects. Statistical tests were applied to differentiate between age and gender of the sufferers. Results: 524 out of 605 patients exhibited a positive SPT response toward one or more aeroallergens tested. One-way ANOVA following Tukey’s post hoc test reveals the age group of 15–40 years was more sensitized than that of < 15 years and no male-female discrimination was found using the paired t test. House dust mites, namely Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae, elicited most significant SPT results (80.34 and 84.92%, respectively) followed by Cocos (73.28%) and Azaridacta (57.25%) pollen. The most sensitive mold was Alternaria alternata (26.9%). Allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis were recorded as the common symptoms. Other influencing factors were family history, nature and season/time of onset and house conditions. Conclusion: Following the increasing trend, house dust mite sensitization still held the dominance like in any other Indian population reported earlier. This study would pave the way to construct a standard and minimal SPT panel for the atopic patients of eastern India.
Peripheral Blood Mesenchymal Stem Cells Combined with Modified Demineralized Bone Matrix Promote Pig Cartilage Defect Repair
Authors: Zhao Daohong , Li Yanlin , Zhou Xizong , Yang Zhongde
Published: September 2018

Objective: To investigate the mobilization of peripheral blood mesenchymal stem cells (PBMSCs) and whether a combination of PBMSCs and modified demineralized bone matrix (DBM) promoted the repair of cartilage lesions in a pig model. Methods: Pig PBMSCs were mobilized by the combined administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100. Colony formation was detected by the fibroblast colony-forming unit (CFU-F) count and the percentage of the CD45–CD90+ cell population by flow cytometry. The mobilized cells were identified as MSCs by their morphological characteristics, surface markers, and differentiation potentials. The composite scaffolds carrying BMP-2 and TGF-β3 chitosan sustained-release microspheres/DBM were prepared by emulsion cross-linking and the Urist method, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation was performed. The model of pig cartilage defect was prepared, and gross observation, histological examination, immunohistochemistry, and O’Driscoll scoring were performed 4, 8, and 12 weeks postoperation. Results: After mobilization, the number of CFU-Fs in the peripheral blood in the experimental group (G-CSF + AMD3100) was significantly increased compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The proportion and total number of CD45–CD90+ cells were increased (p < 0.05). The mobilized stem cells had MSC characteristics. SEM of the new tissue-engineered cartilage showed that PBMSCs were evenly grown on the surface of the scaffold and microsphere morphology had no obvious change. Gross observation, histological examination, immunohistochemistry, and O’Driscoll score were better in the experimental group than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: G-CSF + AMD3100 is an effective mobilization agent for PBMSCs. The new tissue-engineering cartilage constructed by two-factor sustained-release microspheres/DBM composite PBMSCs effected good repair of the cartilage defect in pigs.
Comparison of beach profiles conducive for turtle nesting in Andaman
Authors: Narayani Subramanian , Venu Sasidharan , D'Silva Andrea Joan
Published: September 2018

The present study was undertaken to compare beach characteristics associated with turtle nesting in the Andaman group of islands.  Karmatang, Kalipur, Ramnagar, Chidiyatapu, Carbyn’s Cove, and Wandoor were chosen as study sites.  Beach slope, sand grain characteristics, and general vegetation patterns were analysed.  The angle of inclination of the beach slope ranged from 2.06 to 8.3 degrees.  Beaches with a higher angle had a comparatively higher number of nesting sites.  The study shows that a single factor does not make a beach more conducive for nesting.  Chidiyatapu has the widest beach but lacks other features and so it is not a preferred nesting site.  The grain size of sand in Wandoor is highly favourable, but the intertidal region is not long and there are streams that can drown the nests.  Karmatang has a long beach and a higher slope angle.  Ramnagar has a moderate beach length and a high slope angle.  The dominant grains at both the beaches were found to be granules.  The absence of streams and artificial light, fewer number of anthropogenic activities, lack of obstacles, the presence of bordering vegetation, and a conducive beach slope with granular sand grains make Ramnagar, Karmatang, and Kalipur ideal for turtle nesting.
The rediscovery of Rurk’s Cat Skink Ristella rurkii Gray, 1839 (Reptilia: Ristellidae) with remarks on distribution and natural history
Authors: Ganesh Sumaithangi Rajagopalan
Published: September 2018

The description of Rurk’s Cat Skink Ristella rurkii is expanded herein based on recent field sightings and a voucher specimen.  Three individuals comprising an adult male, an adult female, and a juvenile were encountered in Kodaikanal, Palni Hills of the southern Western Ghats.  Morphological and ecological notes on the voucher specimen and these live sightings are elaborated to enrich the current knowledge on this little-known species.  This species is also illustrated in life herein for the first time.  The current report forms the rediscovery of this species after nearly 90 years and after a lapse of 175 years since its original description.  A review of its past distribution records is compiled and further surveys are recommended to revise the geographic range and conservation status of this Data Deficient species.
Neutrophil Gelatinase–Associated Lipocalin and Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Quintavalle Cristina , Anselmi Chiara Viviani , De Micco Francesca , Roscigno Giuseppina , Visconti Gabriella , Golia Bruno , Focaccio Amelia , Ricciardelli Bruno , Perna Enzo , Papa Laura , Donnarumma Elvira , Condorelli Gerolama , Briguori Carlo
Published: September 2018

Background—

Neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin (NGAL) is an early marker of acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods and Results—

Urine NGAL and serum NGAL (sNGAL) were assessed at 2, 6, 24, and 48 hours after contrast media (CM) exposure in 458 high-risk patients (development set). Optimal thresholds in predicting contrast-induced AKI (serum creatinine [sCr] increase ≥0.3 mg/dL at 48 hours after CM administration) were identified. Major adverse events (MAE; death, dialysis, nonfatal myocardial infarction, sustained kidney injury, and myocardial revascularization) at 1 year were assessed. In the development set, optimal thresholds for contrast-induced AKI occurred at 6 hours for both urine NGAL (≥20 ng/mL; 97% negative predictive value and 27% positive predictive value) and sNGAL (≥179 ng/mL; 93% negative predictive value and 20% positive predictive value). Furthermore, sNGAL ≥179 ng/mL at 6 hours was an independent predictor of 1-year MAE. 1-year MAE occurred in 27/198 patients (13.5%) with sNGAL <179 ng/mL and sCr <0.3 mg/dL, in 57/193 (29.5%) patients with only sNGAL ≥179 ng/mL, and in 37/67 (55%) patients with sCr ≥0.3 mg/dL. In additional 253 patients (validation set), no patient with urine NGAL <20 ng/mL or sNGAL <179 ng/mL at 6 hours developed contrast-induced AKI. Furthermore, 6/68 (9%) patients with sNGAL <179 ng/mL and sCr increase <0.3 mg/dL had 1-year MAE versus 17/57 (30%) patients with sNGAL ≥179 ng/mL and sCr increase <0.3 mg/dL and 8/16 (50%) patients with sCr increase ≥0.3 mg/dL.

Conclusions—

Urine NGAL <20 ng/mL and sNGAL <179 ng/mL at 6 hours are reliable markers for ruling out contrast-induced AKI. sNGAL ≥179 ng/mL at 6 hours predicts 1-year MAE.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01098032.
“After These Things” and its Composition in Genesis
Authors: Yoo Philip Y.
Published: September 2018

As a formulaic phrase that appears in Genesis to connect sequential narratives, critics have attributed “after these things” to a single literary stratum or to redactional insertions into developing narrative blocks. Drawing upon the other attestations of “after these things” from the biblical corpus, this article explains that “after these things” in Genesis may be viewed as a stock phrase, one that a composer or a redactor may employ in the absence of quantifiable chronological data to express the passage of an indefinite amount of time between two consecutive events.
The Levite’s Concubine (Judg 19:2) and the Tradition of Sexual Slander in the Hebrew Bible: How the Nature of Her Departure Illustrates a Tradition’s Tendency
Authors: Bembry Jason
Published: September 2018

In explaining a text-critical problem in Judges 19:2 this paper demonstrates that MT attempts to ameliorate the horrific rape and murder of an innocent person by sexual slander, a feature also seen in Balaam and Jezebel. Although Balaam and Jezebel are condemned in the biblical traditions, it is clear that negative portrayals of each have been augmented by later tradents. Although initially good, Balaam is blamed by late biblical tradents (Num 31:16) for the sin at Baal Peor (Numbers 25), where “the people begin to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab.” Jezebel is condemned for sorcery and harlotry in 2 Kgs 9:22, although no other text depicts her harlotry. The concubine, like Balaam and Jezebel, dies at the hands of Israelites, demonstrating a clear pattern among the late tradents of the Hebrew Bible who seek to justify the deaths of these characters at the hands of fellow Israelites.
Light and Space in Genesis 1
Authors: Crawford Cory
Published: September 2018

I address here the still-vexing problem of why the Priestly narrator in Genesis 1 separates the fiat lux that opens the process of creation from the creation of sun, moon, and stars three days later, on day four. I organize ancient and modern explanations under four rubrics (polemical; functional; phenomenological; mystical) and find them relevant but ultimately insufficient to explain the way light operates in the logic of the Priestly creation narrative. I argue instead that we must attend first to the logic and narrative irregularity of the text itself in order to discern compositional motivations. The structure of Genesis 1 points toward an understanding of the nonsolar light (and its separation from darkness) in spatial terms, analogous to the separation of waters on day two and dry land on day 3, the sun, moon, and stars populating their spaces as do the birds, fish, land animals and humans.
The Voices Unwording the Words in Beckett’s All Strange Away and Fizzles
Authors: Langlois Christopher
Published: September 2018

In The Step Not Beyond, Maurice Blanchot suspects that “behind discourse the refusal to discourse speaks, as behind philosophy the refusal to philosophize would speak: speech not speaking, violent, concealing itself, saying nothing and suddenly crying out” (116). One of Blanchot’s concerns in this text is with reaching out to the voices that have been exiled to spaces of invisibility and silence. These voices speak from the outside of language where they are excluded from history and lost to a space beyond words. In view of Blanchot’s insinuation that literature and thought are responsible for the hearing of such voices, this article traces the movements of Beckett’s writing, particularly of All Strange Away and Fizzles, as it traverses the spaces in Beckett’s fiction where such voices are made to dwell. It does so to see if at the end of this movement Beckett has arrived at a space beyond words where the voiceless, disfigured voices of his fiction are always speaking, always unworking the work, always unwording the word: ‘saying nothing and suddenly crying out.’
Le paradoxe de l’ aumône
Authors: Masó Joana
Published: September 2018

‘Le paradoxe de l’ aumône’ est l’ une des premières formules que Charles Baudelaire aurait projetée pour intituler ce qui deviendra l’ un de ses poèmes en prose les plus célèbres, ‘La fausse monnaie’ dans Le Spleen de Paris. L’ une des obsessions qui hantent ce poème, c’ est la présence muette de ceux qui semblent exclus du grand projet du progrès dans le Paris de la deuxième moitié du XIXe siècle. La présence des pauvres et des mendiants y est mise en scène comme un langage sans parole donnée et, par là, comme l’ un des thèmes hypervisibles de la modernité. Les lectures de Jacques Derrida dans Donner le temps. La fausse monnaie nous permettront de penser la permanence de cette écriture moderne de l’ aumône et la rhétorique silencieuse de la mendicité chez Beckett dans En attendant Godot comme le projet d’ une écriture pauvre dans l’ absence de richesse propre à la littérature depuis ce que Jacques Rancière a appelé, à partir de 1800, un nouveau régime de l’ art d’ écrire.
Des harmoniques
Authors: Clément Bruno
Published: September 2018

A partir de deux exemples canoniques (extraits de En attendant Godot et Fin de partie), cet article revient sur les fameux “fundamental sounds” dont parle Samuel Beckett à propos de Fin de partie, et tente de jeter un peu de jour sur la notion d’ harmoniques avec laquelle Beckett entretient un rapport manifestement ambigu.
Taxonomic notes and lectotypification of Sporobolus tetragonus Bor (Poaceae, Chloridoideae)
Authors: SENNIAPPAN ARUMUGAM , MURTHY GARIMELLA VENKATA SURYANARAYANA , NAIR VELUKUTTY JAYACHANDRAN
Published: September 2018

Sporobolus Brown (1810:169.) Poaceae, Chloridoideae is represented by c. 160 species widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world (Clayton & Renvoize 1986). Hooker (1896) reported 13 species in the Flora of the British India. Bor (1960) recognized 22 species in The Grasses of Burma, Ceylon, India and Pakistan. However, for the current political boundaries of India, Karthikeyan et al. (1989) recorded a total of 18 species. During the taxonomic revision of Sporobolus in India, we found that majority of the specimens of S. tetragonus Bor (1949: 25) were mistakenly identified and also there is a need for the selection of a lectotype. Therefore, the taxonomy and lectotypification of this species are discussed in the present paper.
Redescription of two species of Coelotanypus (Kieffer) 1913 (Diptera: Chironomidae) in rivers of the Parano-Platense basin (Argentina, South America)
Authors: PAGGI ANALÍA C. , ZILLI FLORENCIA
Published: September 2018

Male imagos of Coelotanypus delpontei (Edwards) are redescribed and newly figured and the immature stages are described and figured for the first time. During this study, male imagos of C. mendax (Lynch Arribalzaga) are also redescribed. The specimens were collected from the Paraná and near Uruguay rivers in the Parano-Platense basin.
Rediscovery of an elusive species, Halpe sikkima Moore, 1882 (Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae) from Hainan, China
Authors: XUE GUOXI , LV HONGKUN , YIN WEIZHI , LI MENG
Published: September 2018

Almost 70 years after its first record from Hainan by Evans in 1949, the second specimen of Halpe sikkima Moore, 1882 was found on the island. The male genitalia of this species are illustrated and re-described. The COI sequence is published for the first time.
Description of the female and egg of Phantasca phantasma (Westwood, 1859) (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae: Diapheromerinae)
Authors: CHIQUETTO-MACHADO PEDRO I. , HENNEMANN FRANK H. , CONLE OSKAR V.
Published: September 2018

The neotropical genus of stick insects, Phantasca Redtenbacher, 1906, was recently revised by Hennemann et al. (2018). However, the females and eggs of several species remain unknown, including all five species recorded from Brazil. The female and egg of Phantasca phantasma (Westwood, 1859) are here described for the first time, based on material available at the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil (MZSP). A set of measurements of males is also given, in addition to the measurements of the holotype presented in Hennemann et al. (2018). This complement to the description of P. phantasma is particularly important because it is the type species of the genus (designated by Zompro, 2001), therefore providing additional grounds for future taxonomic decisions involving Phantasca.
A new synonym for Enicospilus grammospilus (Enderlein, 1921) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae)
Authors: SHIMIZU SO
Published: September 2018

The megadiverse genus Enicospilus Stephens, 1835 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae) comprises over 700 valid species worldwide (e.g. Gauld & Mitchell, 1981; Broad & Shaw, 2016; Shimizu, 2017). Species of this genus are koinobiont endoparasitoids of moderately large sized lepidopteran larva (e.g. Gauld, 1985b; Broad & Shaw, 2016). Members of this genus usually have “ophionoid facies”, characterized by an orange-brown body, extremely large ocelli, long antennae, etc. (Gauld & Huddleston, 1976). Ophionoid facies wasps including Enicospilus are attracted to light and considered to be crepuscular or nocturnal (e.g. Short et al., 2006; Shimizu & Maeto, 2016; Shimizu & Lima, 2018). These wasps usually exhibit a very limited number of diagnostic characters and as a consequence the delimitation and recognition of species is very difficult, and causes many taxonomic confusions including synonyms, homonyms and misidentifications.
The Role of Polygonal Eyewalls in Rapid Intensification of Typhoon Megi (2010)
Authors: Lee Jae-Deok , Wu Chun-Chieh
Published: September 2018

High-resolution numerical experiments for Typhoon Megi (2010) in the western North Pacific are conducted using the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model to understand the mechanisms of rapid intensification (RI). With a dynamically initialized vortex, sensitivity experiments are carried out focusing on the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and the following microphysics schemes: WRF single-moment 6-class (WSM6) and WRF double-moment 6-class (WDM6) microphysics with Yonsei University, Mellor–Yamada–Janjić (MYJ), and Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino (MYNN) 2.5-level (MN2.5) and 3.0-level (MN3) PBL schemes. The largest differences are found between WSM6-MN3 and WDM6-MN3, and we therefore examine RI mechanisms based on the results of these experiments. Prior to RI, WDM6-MN3 shows a drier environment and stronger downdrafts in the lower troposphere than in WSM6-MN3. As a result, during the RI period, WSM6-MN3 (WDM6-MN3) significantly intensifies with the minimum sea level pressure decreasing by 51 (29) hPa and the maximum surface wind increasing by 28 (12) m s−1 in 24 h. In both experiments, the maximum values of surface heat fluxes, potential vorticity (PV), radial absolute angular momentum advection, inertial stability, supergradient wind, and convective bursts inside the radius of maximum winds are frequently observed at each vertex of polygonal eyewalls in the lower troposphere. In particular, WSM6-MN3 exhibits more convective cells inside the inner-core region, a more persistent and thicker polygonal eyewall in the lower troposphere, and a more robust vertical structure of hydrometeors and vertical velocity than WDM6-MN3. This study suggests that within the inner-core region, polygonal eyewalls like WSM6-MN3 provide favorable conditions for RI.
Flux Correction and Overturning Stability: Insights from a Dynamical Box Model
Authors: Gnanadesikan Anand , Kelson Richard , Sten Michaela
Published: September 2018

A recent paper suggested that the global climate models used to project future climate changes may significantly overestimate the stability of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation under anthropogenic global warming. It further asserted that “flux adjusting” the models (adding offsets to heat and freshwater fluxes to reproduce the observed density field) may reduce model stability. However, temperature, salinity, and density fields in climate models likely deviate from observations because of biases in model physics as well as inaccuracies in fluxes. In such cases it is unclear whether adjusting the fluxes to produce a more realistic density field will result in a model with more realistic stability properties, as flux correction may be compensating for other inaccuracies in model formulation. We investigate this question using a simplified dynamical box model, in which we can flux correct one version of the model to match density gradients within another version of the model. We show that flux adjustment can realistically compensate for biases in stability associated with some processes, such as uncertainty in the value of the vertical diffusivity, but not other processes, such as inaccurate simulation of the relationship between density structure and overturning or the isopycnal tracer diffusivity coefficient. An ability to compensate for biases when the overturning shuts off does not imply an ability to compensate for biases in when it reestablishes itself, and vice versa.
The Role of Eddies in Buoyancy-Driven Eastern Boundary Currents
Authors: Bire Suyash , Wolfe Christopher L. P.
Published: September 2018

An eastern boundary current (EBC) system driven by a large-scale meridional buoyancy gradient is simulated using an idealized eddy-resolving model. The EBC system consists of a pair of stacked meridional currents that flow poleward near the surface and equatorward at intermediate depths. Buoyancy advection in the EBC is primarily balanced by the shedding of eddies, with anticyclonic, warm-core eddies dominating near the surface and cyclonic, cold-core eddies found at intermediate depths. These boundary eddies play a significant role in both the eastern boundary circulation—by helping to trap the EBC near the coast—and the large-scale circulation through their effect on the downwelling limb of the overturning circulation. Momentum and thickness budgets analyzed using the thickness-weighted average framework highlight the role of eddy form drag in shaping and maintaining the EBC. The efficiency of the form drag increases dramatically at the offshore flank of the EBC. This zonal variation of the form drag is essential for maintaining a swift, narrow EBC. The essential physics of the EBC are illustrated using a simple, semianalytical model.
Effects of incorporation of polyester on the electrical resistivity of polycarbonate/multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite
Authors: Lee Hee Young , Cruz Heidy , Son Younggon
Published: September 2018

In this work, we present the effect of incorporation of polyester on the electrical properties of injection-molded polycarbonate/multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposites. The study was conducted by melt-mixing polycarbonate, multi-walled carbon nanotube, and three types of polyesters: polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, and liquid crystal polymer. It was found that the volume resistivities of injection-molded composites containing 2 phr polyester significantly decreased because of the transesterification reaction between the polycarbonate and polyester. The resulting polycarbonate-polyester random block copolymer kept the conductive networks intact because of the preferential affinity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with polyester. This study showed that incorporating polyester with polycarbonate–multi-walled carbon nanotube increases the electrical conductivity of injection-molded polycarbonate/multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposites to a great extent.
Psychiatric evidence in Diminished Responsibility
Authors: Hallett Nicholas
Published: September 2018

Diminished Responsibility is a statutory partial defence to the charge of murder in the Homicide Act 1957 which has been amended by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. In R v Brennan, the Court of Appeal described the new criteria as relating ‘entirely to psychiatric matters’. This article will explore to what extent such a conclusion is warranted. The statutory wording of the 2009 Act will be analysed and the role of expert psychiatric evidence will be considered. It will conclude that the new Diminished Responsibility is not a purely psychiatric matter. This is because of the moral dimensions inherent in the defence, the ambiguity in the statutory wording and the fundamental problems of psychiatry usurping the function of the jury in relation to the ultimate issue. This results in inconsistent application and role confusion in relation to the defence and asks psychiatric evidence questions it cannot answer.
Rapid design of a screw drive in-pipe robot based on parameterized simulation technology
Authors: Li Te , Liu Kuo , Liu Haibo , Cui Xuewen , Li Bin , Wang Yongqing
Published: September 2018

The screw drive in-pipe robot is a type of effective intelligent equipment for inspecting pipeline failure. In-pipe robots have a wide range of design parameters due to varied pipe types and application conditions. Experiential or theoretical design means cannot ensure the validity and success rate, which leads to the increase in production cost and cycle. Therefore, in order to solve the rapid design problem of screw drive in-pipe robots, a parameterized simulation system based on ADAMS secondary development technology and a simple design strategy is proposed. Firstly, the motion principles of screw drive in-pipe robots are analyzed to establish a generalized design model. Then, the key parameters of the geometric structure are extracted and associated, which work as the input variables to design the robotic model. Then the general parameterized simulation system is established based on the CMD language of ADAMS simulation software. Finally, a simple design strategy is proposed and a design application case for pipeline diameter of 225 mm is studied. The results show that the parameterized simulation system can build and test varied screw drive in-pipe robot models quickly by only inputting some design parameters. The proposed design system and strategy can help realize the production of a screw drive in-pipe robot rapidly.
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve: Reflections from the Field
Authors: Hebbar Ritambhara
Published: September 2018

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) was established in 1986 and since then various environmental projects have been introduced in the region, across the three southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Local tribal communities have been protesting against these projects, both for its vision and politics that disregard their traditional association with forests. The article substantiates on both these protestations. There have been significant shifts in the governance of forest areas following the establishment of the NBR. Environmental projects have initiated host of actors and interest groups who, along with state departments, play a critical role in the management of forest resources. The focus would be on enunciating the ensuing politics and its implications on the lives of local tribal communities.
Nature, Nation, Science and Gender
Authors: Chadha Gita
Published: September 2018

The article explores the equation among nature, nation and gender in the nationalist context. Developing the argument that both nature and nation were feminised and deified as mother and mother goddess in the nationalist context, the article deploys feminist perspectives to critically examine this on a fourth-axis science. By looking at the relationship of the scientist, J. C. Bose, to these categories, the article hopes to unravel the complex relationship of the Indian scientist to nation, nature, gender and science. It is argued that due to being a ‘Sakta’, Bose had a symbiotic relationship to nature, and consequently to science, thereby presenting an ‘alternative’ to Western modes of relating to science and nature. The article submits that this alternative was cast in patriarchal constructions of both science and nature and views the associations of mother with nation and nature within larger feminist critiques of science. The article submits that while these sleeping metaphors set an alternative paradigm to the Western modes of relating to nature through science, they reproduced patriarchal constructions of the same. The article is an effort at grafting feminist perspectives on (a) science and (b) nationalism with postcolonial perspectives on science and modernity.
Justice-Oriented Teaching Dispositions in Urban Education: A Critical Interpretive Case Study
Authors: Butler Bettie Ray , Coffey Heather , Young Jemimah Lee
Published: September 2018

The effects of professional teacher dispositions on student development have been widely documented. Yet there is limited discussion of the impact of socially just dispositions. The present study critically examines the relationship between justice-oriented mind-sets in preservice teachers and their perceptions of teaching in urban schools. Using critical interpretive case study, we analyze a series of journal reflections from a diverse group of prospective teachers to determine whether exposure to service-learning opportunities within an urban school influenced their views about urban schools and students. As a result of the findings from the study, recommendations for teacher education are addressed.
Faraway, So Close: Seeing the Intimacy in Goodreads Reviews
Authors: Driscoll Beth , Rehberg Sedo DeNel
Published: September 2018

Book reviews written by readers and published on digital sites such as Goodreads are a new force in contemporary book culture. This article uses feminist standpoint theory to investigate the language used in Goodreads reviews to better understand how these reviewers articulate intimate reading experiences. A total of 692 reviews of seven bestselling fiction and nonfiction books are analyzed by two methods. The first, thematic content analysis, involves close reading of the reviews. The second, sentiment analysis, is an automated “distant reading” process. These methods prompt us, as researchers, to reflect on the way they foster or inhibit a sense of proximity to readers, even as they reveal predominant features of Goodreads reviews. Together, the methods reveal that 86.1% of Goodreads reviews describe a reading experience, and 68% specifically mention an emotional reaction to the book, with the emotion most intense in reviews of fiction. Reviews also create social connections by mentioning other readers, authors, characters, and people from the reviewer’s life. Through their emotional language and sociality, Goodreads reviews present distinctive, intimate reading practices, constituting a new cultural phenomenon, and a unique opportunity for investigation.
Violence against women
Authors: Williams Emma , Norman Jenny , Nixon Keri
Published: September 2018

Despite ongoing research spanning many years, the police investigation of different forms of violence against women remains problematic. The most recent reviews exploring sexual and domestic violence suggest that vulnerable victims are not identified effectively and that this subsequently impacts on the investigation, level of attrition and provision of correct support for victims. The authors suggest that some of the current methods, aimed at improving these issues, can further compound problems within a police culture that often remains focused on narrow quantifiable performance targets. Violence against women involves a range of very complex issues and for most victims there are a number of vulnerabilities involved. Considering these factors are often related to public health concerns, the authors argue for a more consistent and joined-up approach to supporting victims through the criminal justice system. In the short term, this is necessary for keeping victims on board with the process and in the longer term, it is essential when dealing effectively with the broader issues impacting on their victimization. It is crucial given the current fiscal climate that these issues are dealt with universally, with a focus on sustainable outcomes. It is argued that integrating criminal justice and public health strategies will provide for more embedded and effective outcomes for victims.
A spatio-temporal clustering and diagnosis method for concrete arch dams using deformation monitoring data
Authors: Chen Bo , Hu Tianyi , Huang Zishen , Fang Chunhui
Published: September 2018

The timely analysis of deformation monitoring data and reasonable diagnosis of the structural health are key tasks in dam health monitoring studies. This article presents a spatio-temporal clustering and health diagnosis method for super-high concrete arch dams that uses deformation monitoring data obtained from plumb meters. The spatio-temporal expression of the deformation monitoring data is proposed first by upgrading a punctuated time series to a curved panel time series, including cross-sectional, dam axial, and temporal changing directions. Second, a comprehensive similarity indicator on three aspects, namely, the absolute distance, incremental distance, and growth rate distance, is constructed after a deep discussion on deformation similarity characteristics both temporally and spatially. Next, the temporal clustering method is proposed by keeping the key features, namely, extreme points and turning points, while eliminating extraneous details, namely, noise points. Finally, the optimal spatio-temporal clustering of dam deformation is achieved by designing a multi-scale fuzzy C-means method of data mining and its iterative algorithm. The proposed method is applied to the Jinping-I hydraulic structure, which is the highest concrete arch dam in the world. The clustering results is quite sensitive in different weight coefficients of the comprehensive similarity indicator and clustering numbers of fuzzy C-means method. The dam deformation behaviors on high-water-level, water-falling, and low-water-level periods are analyzed and diagnosed. The advanced version of proposed methods is verified by comparative analysis on dam health diagnosis results obtained from ordinary deformation distribution figures and the spatio-temporal clustering figures. The proposed method will facilitate the recognition of abnormal deformation areas and associated safety diagnoses.
A Meta-Analysis of Latinx Acculturation and Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Alvarez Miriam J. , Ramirez Sandra Oviedo , Frietze Gabriel , Field Craig , Zárate Michael A.
Published: September 2018

Objective:

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health concern that affects many Latinx couples. The present study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantitatively assess acculturation as a predictor of IPV among Latinxs and subgroup analyses to evaluate the effect size by gender and type of acculturation measure.

Method:

The meta-analysis implemented the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines to retrieve studies assessing the relationship between acculturation and intimate partner victimization among foreign-born and U.S.-born Latinx adults. A fixed effects model (FEM) and a random effects model (REM) were employed. Additional subgroup analyses examined the strength of the relationship by gender and type of acculturation measure.

Results:

The meta-analysis included 27 independent effect sizes across 21 studies. An REM yielded a weighted average correlation of .11 (95% confidence interval [.02, .20]). The strength of the correlation differed by scale and ranged from −.003 to .47. For both men and women, higher acculturation was associated with increased IPV.

Conclusions:

Our results yielded three important findings: (1) the overall effect of acculturation on IPV is relatively small, (2) acculturation differentially influences male-to-female and female-to-male partner violence, and (3) the strength of the correlation between acculturation and IPV differs by scale. This body of work provides evidence for the effect of acculturation on IPV, with potential implications for interventions targeting Latinxs.