bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heavy Metal Contents and Physical Parameters ofAegiceras corniculatum, Brassica juncea, andLitchi chinensisHoneys from Bangladesh
Authors: Sarker Nandita , Chowdhury Muhammed Alamgir Zaman , Fakhruddin Abu Naieum Muhammad , Fardous Zeenath , Moniruzzaman Mohammed , Gan Siew Hua
Published: November 2015

The present study was undertaken to determine the heavy metal levels and the physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and ash, moisture, and total sugar content) of honeys from Bangladesh. Three different floral honeys were investigated, namely, khalsi (Aegiceras corniculatum), mustard (Brassica juncea), and litchi (Litchi chinensis) honeys. The heavy metals in the honeys were determined by using a High Temperature Dry Oxidation method followed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The mean pH, EC, and ash, moisture, and total sugar contents of the investigated honeys were 3.6, 0.51 mS/cm, 0.18%, 18.83%, and 68.30%, respectively. Iron was the most abundant among all the investigated heavy metals, ranging from 13.51 to 15.44 mg/kg. The mean concentrations of Mn and Zn in the investigated honeys were 0.28 mg/kg and 2.99 mg/kg, respectively. Cd was below the detection limit, and lead was found in some honey samples, but their contents were below the recommended Maximum Acceptable Level. Cr was also found in all of the samples, but its concentration was within the limit. The physicochemical analysis of the honey samples yielded levels within the limits set by the international honey legislation, indicating that the honey samples were of good quality and had acceptable values for maturity, purity, and freshness.
Crashworthiness of Inflatable Thin-Walled Structures for Impact Absorption
Authors: Graczykowski Cezary , Holnicki-Szulc Jan
Published: November 2015

The paper describes application of innovative, inflatable thin-walled structures for absorption of the impact loading and thoroughly investigates their crash characteristics. The proposed concept assumes inflation of thin-walled structures with compressed gas of appropriately adjusted pressure in order to improve their basic mechanical properties, enhance energy dissipation capabilities, and increase corresponding durability to impact loading. In the first part of the paper the influence of compressed gas on mechanical characteristics of aluminium beverage can is analysed experimentally and by the corresponding numerical simulations. The following section proposes and numerically verifies three diverse engineering applications of inflatable thin-walled structures for impact absorption. Finally, the last part introduces the concept of adaptive inflatable barrier and briefly presents three simple strategies of pressure control. Both the performed basic experiment and the conducted numerical simulations show the advantageous influence of compressed gas and prove the feasibility of using inflatable thin-walled structures for impact absorption.
Transmission Scheme with Limited Channel State Information Feedback for 3D MIMO System
Authors: Li Xing , Zhao Hui , Zhao Long , Zhao Wenxiu , Zheng Senyao
Published: November 2015

Three-dimensional (3D) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system can exploit the spatial degree of freedom in vertical dimension and can significantly improve system performance compared with 2D transmission scheme. However, in the actual frequency division duplex (FDD) transmission mode, the large overhead of the reference signal and channel state information (CSI) feedback would become a barrier for performance improvement of 3D MIMO system with the significantly increased number of transmit antennas. To deal with these problems, this paper proposes a new transmission scheme of the channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), where the CSI-RS is precoded with 3D beamforming vectors and composed of two components: long-term CSI-RS and short-term CSI-RS. For the purpose of conducting efficient transmission in widely used FDD system, we also propose a corresponding limited channel state information feedback scheme. Moreover, multiuser pairing and scheduling criteria based on the design of the CSI-RS are proposed to realize the multiuser transmission. We have investigated multiple options for 3D MIMO codebook scheme and finally adopt the Kronecker product-based codebook (KPC) for precoding operation at the base station (BS). Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed scheme for the 3D MIMO system achieves a better tradeoff between resource overhead and throughput performance.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Modified Mini Mental State Examination in African Americans
Authors: Sink Kaycee M. , Craft Suzanne , Smith S. Carrie , Maldjian Joseph A. , Bowden Donald W. , Xu Jianzhao , Freedman Barry I. , Divers Jasmin
Published: November 2015

Background. Sparse data limit the interpretation of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores, particularly in minority populations. Additionally, there are no published data on how MoCA scores compare to the widely used Modified Mini Mental State Examination (3MSE). We provide performance data on the MoCA in a large cohort of African Americans and compare 3MSE and MoCA scores, providing a “crosswalk” for interpreting scores.Methods. Five hundred and thirty African Americans with type 2 diabetes were enrolled in African American-Diabetes Heart Study-MIND, a cross-sectional study of cognition and structural and functional brain imaging. After excluding participants with possible cognitive impairment (n=115), mean (SD) MoCA and 3MSE scores are presented stratified by age and education.Results. Participant mean age was 58.2 years (range: 35-83); 61% were female; and 64.9% had >12 years of education. Mean (SD) 3MSE and MoCA scores were 86.9 (8.2) and 19.8 (3.8), respectively. 93.5% of the cohort had a “positive” screen on the MoCA, scoring <26 (education-adjusted), compared with 47.5% on the 3MSE (cut-point < 88). A 3MSE score of 88 corresponded to a MoCA score of 20 in this population.Conclusion. The present data suggest the need for caution when applying proposed MoCA cutoffs to African Americans.
Is There Really Relationship between Androgenetic Alopecia and Metabolic Syndrome?
Authors: Ozbas Gok Seyran , Akin Belli Asli , Dervis Emine
Published: November 2015

Background.There are several studies investigating the relationship between androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and metabolic syndrome (MS) with conflicting results.Objective.We sought to investigate whether there is a relationship between AGA and MS.Methods.A case-control study including 74 male patients with AGA and 42 male controls was conducted. Age, duration of AGA, AGA onset age, anthropometric measures, body mass index, lipid parameters, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and presence of MS were recorded.Results.Of the 74 male AGA patients (age range 20–50 years, mean 32.14), 24 were in stage 2, 26 were in stage 3, 17 were in stage 3V, 1 was in stage 5, and 6 were in stage 7. There was no significant difference in the rate of MS between AGA and control groups(P=0.135). Among the evaluated parameters, only systolic blood pressure in AGA group was significantly higher than control group.Conclusion.In contrast to the most of the previous studies, our study does not support the link between AGA and MS. To exclude confounding factors such as advanced age and therefore metabolic disturbances, further studies are needed with large group of AGA patients including different age groups and varying severity.
Identification of Bone-Derived Factors Conferring De Novo Therapeutic Resistance in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Authors: Lee Yu-Chen , Lin Song-Chang , Yu Guoyu , Cheng Chien-Jui , Liu Bin , Liu Hsuan-Chen , Hawke David H. , Parikh Nila U. , Varkaris Andreas , Corn Paul , Logothetis Christopher , Satcher Robert L. , Yu-Lee Li-Yuan , Gallick Gary E. , Lin Sue-Hwa
Published: November 2015

Resistance to currently available targeted therapies significantly hampers the survival of patients with prostate cancer with bone metastasis. Here we demonstrate an important resistance mechanism initiated from tumor-induced bone. Studies using an osteogenic patient-derived xenograft, MDA-PCa-118b, revealed that tumor cells resistant to cabozantinib, a Met and VEGFR-2 inhibitor, reside in a “resistance niche” adjacent to prostate cancer-induced bone. We performed secretome analysis of the conditioned medium from tumor-induced bone to identify proteins (termed “osteocrines”) found within this resistance niche. In accordance with previous reports demonstrating that activation of integrin signaling pathways confers therapeutic resistance, 27 of the 90 osteocrines identified were integrin ligands. We found that following cabozantinib treatment, only tumor cells positioned adjacent to the newly formed woven bone remained viable and expressed high levels of pFAK-Y397 and pTalin-S425, mediators of integrin signaling. Accordingly, treatment of C4-2B4 cells with integrin ligands resulted in increased pFAK-Y397 expression and cell survival, whereas targeting integrins with FAK inhibitors PF-562271 or defactinib inhibited FAK phosphorylation and reduced the survival of PC3-mm2 cells. Moreover, treatment of MDA-PCa-118b tumors with PF-562271 led to decreased tumor growth, irrespective of initial tumor size. Finally, we show that upon treatment cessation, the combination of PF-562271 and cabozantinib delayed tumor recurrence in contrast to cabozantinib treatment alone. Our studies suggest that identifying paracrine de novo resistance mechanisms may significantly contribute to the generation of a broader set of potent therapeutic tools that act combinatorially to inhibit metastatic prostate cancer. Cancer Res; 75(22); 4949–59. ©2015 AACR.
Anti-Caries Effect of Arginine-Containing Formulations in vivo: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Jialing , Huang Ziwei , Mei Li , Li Guifeng , Li Huang
Published: November 2015

Objective: To assess the anti-caries effect of arginine-containing formulations in vivo on caries lesions compared with fluorides or placebo. Methods: Randomized or quasi-randomized human clinical trials wherein arginine was delivered by any method were considered. The MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CBM databases were searched to identify relevant articles published up to December 2014. Grey literature was also searched. Two authors performed data extraction independently and in duplicate using data collection forms. Each included study was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. Results: Of the 470 studies screened, 31 full articles were scrutinized and assessed for eligibility. Ten studies (n = 15,546 participants) were selected for final inclusion. The meta-analysis results (n = 7 studies) demonstrated a synergistic effect of arginine when used in conjunction with fluoride on early coronal and root caries compared with placebo or fluoride alone. No specific side effects related to arginine usage were identified. Conclusions: When used in combination with a calcium compound and fluoride, arginine potentially provides a superior anti-caries effect compared with matched formulations of fluoride alone. However, the level of evidence was downgraded because of risks of bias and potential publication bias. In the future, more high quality, non-industry-supported clinical studies in this research area are required before any definitive recommendations can be made.
Long-Term Outcomes of Group B Eyes in Patients with Retinoblastoma Treated with Short-Course Chemoreduction: Experience from Children's Hospital Los Angeles/University of Southern California
Authors: Zhu Dagny , Berry Jesse L. , Ediriwickrema Lilangi , Wong Kenneth , Lee Thomas C. , Murphree A. Linn , Kim Jonathan W. , Jubran Rima
Published: November 2015

Background/Aims: Chemoreduction protocols for retinoblastoma vary widely across institutions. Herein, we compare a 3- versus 6-cycle chemotherapy approach for group B retinoblastoma. Methods: A nonrandomized, retrospective review of patients diagnosed with group B retinoblastoma from 1991-2011 at Children's Hospital Los Angeles was performed. A total of 72 eyes of 63 patients were analyzed. Mean follow-up time was 82 months (range 6-272 months). Main outcome measures were globe salvage and need for external beam radiation. Results: Forty-six patients (55 eyes) were treated upfront with 3 cycles of carboplatin, etoposide, and vincristine; 17 patients (17 eyes) received 6 cycles. Thirty-seven eyes (67%) in the 3-cycle group were cured with initial chemoreduction alone. An additional 10 eyes with persistent or recurrent tumors were rescued with 3 more cycles for a total salvage rate of 85% (47/55 eyes). In the 6-cycle group, 16 of 17 eyes (94%) avoided radiation and enucleation. Conclusion: The initial recurrence rate was higher for the 3-cycle group (p = 0.03). However, eyes failing short-course chemoreduction were rescued with 3 additional cycles and achieved a similar overall event-free survival rate (p = 0.16). In our cohort, this short-course approach spared 63% (29/46) of patients with group B retinoblastoma the extra 3 cycles of systemic chemotherapy.
Biofilm Formation and Susceptibility to Polymyxin B by a Highly Prevalent Clone of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii from a Mexican Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Rosales-Reyes Roberto , Alcántar-Curiel María Dolores , Jarillo-Quijada Ma. Dolores , Gayosso-Vázquez Catalina , Morfin-Otero María del Rayo , Rodríguez-Noriega Eduardo , Santos-Preciado José Ignacio
Published: November 2015

Background:Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as a major cause of hospital-associated infections with increased morbidity and mortality among those affected. Methods: A total of 85 isolates of a highly prevalent multidrug-resistant clone, identified during the period 2007-2011, were analyzed for biofilm formation on a polystyrene surface. The minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by the Sensititre System, the agar disk diffusion method and then read by means of the BIOMIC system and serial dilutions on Müller-Hinton agar. Results: In this study, covering a period of 5 years (2007-2011), we demonstrate that a particular clone emerged as the most prevalent, with an associated lethality of 28.2%. We demonstrate that 92.9% of strains corresponding to this clone are biofilm producers. Our results also demonstrate that all isolates were 100% susceptible to polymyxin B. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the high prevalence and lethality of this multidrug-resistant clone of A. baumannii and its persistence over close to 5 years in a Mexican tertiary hospital environment can be explained in part by the ability of these clinical isolates of A. baumannii to form biofilms.
Very High Intrapartum Fever in Term Pregnancies and Adverse Obstetric and Neonatal Outcomes
Authors: Dior Uri P. , Kogan Liron , Eventov-Friedman Smadar , Gil Moran , Bahar Raz , Ergaz Zivanit , Porat Shay , Calderon-Margalit Ronit
Published: November 2015

Background: Intrapartum fever is a well-known risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes. Maternal intrapartum fever ≥39.0°C at term is a rare event during labor, and there is scarce evidence regarding its implications. Objectives: To investigate the association between very high intrapartum maternal fever and perinatal outcomes in term pregnancies. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis including 43,560 term, singleton live births in two medical centers between the years 2003 and 2011 was performed. We compared parturients who experienced a maximal intrapartum fever of <38.0°C with two subgroups of parturients who experienced respective maximal fevers of 38.0-38.9°C and ≥39°C. Adjusted risks for adverse perinatal outcomes were calculated by using multiple logistic regression models to control for confounders. Results: Compared with normal intrapartum temperature, intrapartum fever ≥39.0°C was associated with an extremely elevated risk for neonatal sepsis 16.08 (95% CI: 2.15, 120.3) as well as with low Apgar scores and neonatal intensive care unit admissions (p < 0.001). Additionally, very high intrapartum fever was related to significantly higher risk for operative delivery (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Extremely elevated intrapartum fever is an important indicator of severe neonatal morbidity and operative delivery.
Mitochondrial Regulation of Inflammasome Activation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Yoon Chang Min , Nam Milang , Oh Yeon-Mok , Dela Cruz Charles S. , Kang Min-Jong
Published: November 2015

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by enhanced chronic airway and lung inflammatory responses to noxious particles or gases. It is a major unmet medical need worldwide, and in Western society is strongly associated with exposure to cigarette smoke (CS). CS-induced inflammation is believed to be a key immune driver in the pathogenesis of COPD. Since the concept of inflammasomes was first introduced nearly a decade ago, these have been increasingly recognized as a central player in innate immune and inflammatory responses. In addition, studies have emerged demonstrating that mitochondrial innate immune signaling plays an important role in CS-induced inflammasome activation, pulmonary inflammation and tissue remodeling responses. Here, recent discoveries about inflammasome activation and mitochondrial biology and their role in COPD pathogenesis are reviewed. In addition, the current limitations of our understanding of this theme and future research directions are discussed.
Cytogenetic Assessment of the Rat Cell Line CLS-ACI-1: An in vitro Cell Model for Mycn Overexpression
Authors: Meles Susana , Adega Filomena , Castro João , Chaves Raquel
Published: November 2015

Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease, and the establishment of cell models in order to properly study the disease at the molecular and cellular level is of utmost importance. Here, we present the cytogenetic characterization and gene expression analysis of the tumoral mammary rat cell line CLS-ACI-1. The use of banding and molecular cytogenetic techniques allowed the description of the complex CLS-ACI-1 karyotype and the identification of breakpoints in clonal chromosome rearrangements. Moreover, a Mycn and Erbb2 comparative expression analysis by RT-qPCR was performed, revealing a high expression level of Mycn in CLS-ACI-1 cells. Moreover, a considerable number of putative mutated genes and chromosome alterations detected through cytogenetic analysis seem to be in the MYCN biological network. Therefore, the CLS-ACI-1 cell line is presented as a promising cell model for the study of the role of MYCN in breast cancer and also as a tool for developing appropriate cancer therapies, namely for Mycn targeting.
Glutathione S-Transferase M1 and T1 Gene Polymorphisms in Patients with Chronic Plaque-Type Psoriasis: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Solak Berna , Karkucak Mutlu , Turan Hakan , Ocakoğlu Gökhan , Özemri Sağ Şebnem , Uslu Esma , Yakut Tahsin , Erdem Teoman
Published: November 2015

Objective: To determine the role of glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoenzyme polymorphisms as susceptibility factors in patients with psoriasis in a Turkish cohort. Subjects and Methods: In this case-control study, 105 patients with plaque-type psoriasis and 102 healthy controls were recruited from the dermatology outpatient clinics of two university hospitals. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood using a DZ DNA isolation kit. Multiplex PCR was used to determine GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms in the isolated DNAs. Results: Of the 150 patients with psoriasis, 83 (79%) were identified with the GSTT1 genotype and 22 (21%) with the null genotype. Of the 102 patients in the control group, 69 (67.6%) subjects were identified with the GSTT1 genotype and 33 (32.4%) with the null genotype. There was no significant difference between the patient and control groups (p = 0.063). Regarding the GSTM1 polymorphism, 54 (51.4%) patients were identified with this genotype and 51 (48.6%) with the null genotype; in the control group, 50 (49%) were identified with this genotype and 52 (51%) with the null genotype. Again there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.957). Conclusion: In this Turkish cohort of patients with psoriasis, neither GSTT1 nor GSTM1 polymorphisms were associated with disease susceptibility. Larger studies with a wider range of GST isoenzyme are needed.
Trends in Use and Adverse Outcomes Associated with Transvenous Lead Removal in the United States
Authors: Deshmukh Abhishek , Patel Nileshkumar , Noseworthy Peter A. , Patel Achint A. , Patel Nilay , Arora Shilpkumar , Kapa Suraj , Noheria Amit , Mulpuru Siva , Badheka Apurva , Fischer Avi , Coffey James O. , Cha Yong Mei , Friedman Paul , Asirvatham Samuel , Viles-Gonzalez Juan F.
Published: November 2015

Background—

Transvenous lead removal (TLR) has made significant progress with respect to innovation, efficacy, and safety. However, limited data exist regarding trends in use and adverse outcomes outside the centers of considerable experience for TLR. The aim of our study was to examine use patterns, frequency of adverse events, and influence of hospital volume on complications.

Methods and Results—

Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we identified 91 890 TLR procedures. We investigated common complications including pericardial complications (hemopericardium, cardiac tamponade, or pericardiocentesis), pneumothorax, stroke, vascular complications (consisting of hemorrhage/hematoma, incidents requiring surgical repair, and accidental arterial puncture), and in-hospital deaths described with TLR, defining them by the validated
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification
diagnosis code. We specifically assessed in-hospital death (2.2%), hemorrhage requiring transfusion (2.6%), vascular complications (2.0%), pericardial complications (1.4%), open heart surgery (0.2%), and postoperative respiratory failure (2.4%). Independent predictors of complications were female sex and device infections. Hospital volume was not independently associated with higher complications. There was a significant rise in overall complication rates over the study period.

Conclusions—

The overall complication rate in patients undergoing TLR was higher than previously reported. Female sex and device infections are associated with higher complications. Hospital volume was not associated with higher complication rates. The number of adverse events in the literature likely underestimates the actual number of complications associated with TLR.
Make War Not Love
Authors: Koenig Sara M.
Published: November 2015

David has been held up as an ideal(ized) man, one against whom other men are to be defined: a hegemonic male. His hegemonic masculinity is clearly visible in 2 Samuel 10–12, which takes place during the Ammonite wars. But hegemony is a social construct, and it gets expressed in social relationships. David’s relationships with three other characters in this pericope – Joab, Bathsheba and Uriah – illustrate how a hegemonic man maintains his hegemony through the trifecta of violence, sex, and race. Ultimately, David’s actions in 2 Samuel 10–12 vis-à-vis these three show the limitations and perils of hegemonic masculinity. Rather than glorifying hegemonic masculinity, this text ends up undermining it, exposing cracks in this image of masculinity.
Un-Straightening Boaz in Ruth Scholarship
Authors: Krutzsch Brett
Published: November 2015

Scholarly interpretations of Boaz’s sexuality in the book of Ruth largely assume that Boaz experiences sexual desires for Ruth specifically and for women generally. This essay will highlight the heterosexual bias that has commonly framed scholarly interpretations of Boaz and that imposes heterosexual attraction into the text. This essay illustrates that Boaz’s sexuality, far from an obvious aspect of the text, is largely produced through interpretive imagination. Although some scholars have questioned Ruth’s sexuality and her relationship with Naomi, Boaz’s sexuality has largely remained under-analyzed, leaving in place the assumption that the text is clear about his desires for women.
“If I Be Shaven, Then My Strength Will Go from Me”
Authors: Derks Marco
Published: November 2015

Samson is well known for his long hair and exceptional strength. Most commentators, however, have overlooked the fact that it is Samson himself who constructs a connection between his hair and his strength. He had considered his hairstyle a sign of his hypermasculine identity instead of a demarcation of his Naziriteship. Reading the Samson narrative from a queer perspective, this article shows how Samson’s “heterosexuality” is produced, appears, and dissolves back into queerness. Samson’s hypermasculinity is a covering for his queer identity and results in his construction of several interrelated dualisms (Israel/Philistines, male/female, strong/weak, etc.) and in his excessive use of violence (physical, sexual, rhetorical, symbolic) against both women and men. When he meets a woman (Delilah) who doesn’t fit in his phallogocentric ideology, he reveals his secret through a non-genital erotic play (BDSM) with her and loses his strength when she symbolically castrates him by cutting his hair.
New Authorities, New Readings
Authors: Rosenberg Gil
Published: November 2015

In this paper, I argue that there are many opportunities for queer readings of texts based on the technical issues of language, manuscripts, and translations with which text criticism is concerned. In some cases, traditional methods can be used to highlight queer aspects of Biblical Hebrew and textual attestations. In others, I challenge traditional text critical assumptions and methods in order to open up a space for queer perspectives and queer interests. I argue that text criticism grants too much authority to ancient communities, and I argue for an approach that protects the interests of the queer community. I draw on Erin Runions’ concept of hybridity to sketch a possible aim for queer text criticism, I offer examples of queer emendations, and I give several cases in which scholars’ unacknowledged heteronormative assumptions have led them to use traditional methods to straighten queer moments in the biblical text(s).
Textual Cialis
Authors: Cason Thomas
Published: November 2015

Scholars have overlooked the role that disability plays within Hellenistic Jewish literature. This article looks to fill this gap by analyzing the role of disability in Philo’s Life of Moses, 4 Maccabees, Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, and the Testament of Job. The essay looks specifically at the interrelationship between masculinity and disability in these documents and the strategies employed within each narrative to repair the disabled male body within them. Each narrative, I argue, employs a unique strategy for restoring the disabled male body. Philo reinterprets Moses’ claim of impaired speech as an indication of his modesty. The writer of 4 Maccabees metaphorically repairs the crumbled bodies of its martyrs by casting them as representational athletes of virtue. Repentance eradicates disablement in the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs. The Testament of Job provides its hero with a magical prosthesis that restores his body to its previous condition. In demonstrating how these four strategies play out in each narrative, I lay out a methodology for unearthing the able-bodied bias underlying many of our biblical and extra-biblical texts.
Called to Become a Blessing
Authors: Prudký Martin
Published: November 2015

The religious traditions and texts of ancient Israel have shaped European civilization and culture in a fundamental way. One of the key motifs that the Hebrew Bible has contributed to the formation of the spiritual traditions of this culture is the conception that faith entails a ‘stepping out’ of the status quo on the new journey to which God calls a person. An archetypal story in this respect is the narrative concerning the call of Abram (Gen. 12:1–3). This paper presents the basic motifs of Abram’s call in the context of the book of Genesis and sketches their impact on subsequent religious traditions. It pursues the question of the relationship of vocation and mission (of ‘stepping out’ and ‘charting a course’), which are two fundamental aspects of Abraham’s role as ‘the father of the faith’. In addition, this paper reflects on these motifs’ potential to impact the public domain.
R2P Ten Years After the World Summit: Explaining Ongoing Contestation over Pillar iii
Authors: Garwood-Gowers Andrew
Published: November 2015

This article examines how and why contrasting interpretations of the international community’s role in preventing and responding to mass atrocity crimes continue to exist a decade after the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) was unanimously endorsed at the 2005 World Summit. Building on recent critical constructivist insights into the fluid, dynamic nature of norms, it advances two main arguments. The first is that continuing contestation over R2P’s third pillar is a product of a combination of internal and external sources of norm dynamism. R2P’s inherently complex normative structure, coupled with several external factors, including the broader normative environment, norm implementation experiences and a shift in global power towards the brics, have contributed to a period of renewed contestation and triggered attempts to re-formulate R2P thorough Brazil’s ‘Responsibility while Protecting’ (RwP) proposal and China’s semi-official ‘Responsible Protection’ concept. The second central argument is that such contestation is affecting R2P’s distinct normative prescriptions in different ways. While resistance to the implementation of coercive pillar iii measures is currently impeding the normative progress of that component of the norm, this contestation has not prevented consensual pillar ii assistance from becoming more deeply embedded in international practice and discourse.
The Responsibility to Protect and the Great Powers: The Tensions of Dual Responsibility
Authors: Morris Justin
Published: November 2015

Since the un’s 2005 adoption of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) the five permanent members (P5) of the organisation’s Security Council have been burdened with a special dual responsibility, entailing a special responsibility to maintain international peace and security, and a special responsibility to assist those imperilled by the mass atrocity crimes of their home state. The tensions which can arise within this dual responsibility is a largely under-explored aspect of the R2P literature. But consideration of it helps explain why, despite differing views over how best to balance individual and state rights, at times accentuated by clashing interests, the P5 have nevertheless found common R2P ground, most particularly in their largely concerted opposition to the idea of a ‘responsibility not to veto’ R2P-related resolutions within the Council.
Genetic diversity and morphological variability in Polygonum aviculare s.l. (Polygonaceae) of Iran
Authors: Mosaferi Samaneh , Sheidai Masoud , Keshavarzi Maryam , Noormohammdai Zahra
Published: November 2015

A molecular investigation was carried out on the variable species Polygonum aviculare using 109 plants from 12 Iranian populations. ISSR molecular markers were used for genetic study. AMOVA and Gst analyses revealed a high genetic variability both within and among populations. Mantel test showed positive significant correlation between genetic and geographical distance of populations. Structure and K-Means clustering revealed stratification ingenetic characteristics of accessions. Networking and reticulation analyses showed some degree of gene exchange among populations. Consensus tree based on morphological and genetic data separated some of these populations from the others suggesting the existence of new taxa within this species.
Remarks on the nomenclatural type of Cistus origanifolius Lamarck (Cistaceae)
Authors: FERRER-GALLEGO PEDRO PABLO
Published: November 2015

The genus Helianthemum Miller (1754: without page) (Cistaceae Jussieu [1789: 294]) is a monophyletic group limited to the Old World (Arrington & Kubitzki 2003, Guzmán & Vargas 2009, Sorrie 2011). It includes about 110 species and subspecies of small herbs or subshrubs, which are distributed from Macaronesia to C Asia, including Europe and North Africa, and mainly occurring in the W Mediterranean, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula (Greuter et al. 1984, López González 1993, Arrington & Kubitzki 2003, Parejo-Farnés et al. 2013).
The Earth System Prediction Suite: Toward a Coordinated U.S. Modeling Capability
Authors: Theurich Gerhard , DeLuca C. , Campbell T. , Liu F. , Saint K. , Vertenstein M. , Chen J. , Oehmke R. , Doyle J. , Whitcomb T. , Wallcraft A. , Iredell M. , Black T. , Da Silva A. M. , Clune T. , Ferraro R. , Li P. , Kelley M. , Aleinov I. , Balaji V. , Zadeh N. , Jacob R. , Kirtman B. , Giraldo F. , McCarren D. , Sandgathe S. , Peckham S. , Dunlap R.
Published: November 2015

The Earth System Prediction Suite (ESPS) is a collection of flagship U.S. weather and climate models and model components that are being instrumented to conform to interoperability conventions, documented to follow metadata standards, and made available either under open-source terms or to credentialed users.

The ESPS represents a culmination of efforts to create a common Earth system model architecture, and the advent of increasingly coordinated model development activities in the United States. ESPS component interfaces are based on the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF), community-developed software for building and coupling models, and the National Unified Operational Prediction Capability (NUOPC) Layer, a set of ESMF-based component templates and interoperability conventions. This shared infrastructure simplifies the process of model coupling by guaranteeing that components conform to a set of technical and semantic behaviors. The ESPS encourages distributed, multiagency development of coupled modeling systems; controlled experimentation and testing; and exploration of novel model configurations, such as those motivated by research involving managed and interactive ensembles. ESPS codes include the Navy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM), the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM), and the Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS); the NOAA Environmental Modeling System (NEMS) and the Modular Ocean Model (MOM); the Community Earth System Model (CESM); and the NASA ModelE climate model and the Goddard Earth Observing System Model, version 5 (GEOS-5), atmospheric general circulation model.
A Great Escape from the Bay of Bengal “Super Sapphire–Phailin” Tropical Cyclone: A Case of Improved Weather Forecast and Societal Response for Disaster Mitigation
Authors: Mohanty U. C. , Osuri Krishna K. , Tallapragada Vijay , Marks Frank D. , Pattanayak Sujata , Mohapatra M. , Rathore L. S. , Gopalakrishnan S. G. , Niyogi Dev
Published: November 2015

The very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) “Phailin (2013)” was the strongest cyclone that hit the eastern coast of the India Odisha state since the supercyclone of 1999. But the same story of casualties was not repeated as that of 1999 where approximately 10 000 fatalities were reported. In the case of Phailin, a record 1 million people were evacuated across 18 000 villages in both the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states to coastal shelters following the improved operational forecast guidance that benefited from highly skillful and accurate numerical model guidance for the movement, intensity, rainfall, and storm surge. Thus, the property damage and death toll were minimized through the proactive involvement of three-tier disaster management agencies at central, state, and district levels.
A ZDR Column Detection Algorithm to Examine Convective Storm Updrafts
Authors: Snyder Jeffrey C. , Ryzhkov Alexander V. , Kumjian Matthew R. , Khain Alexander P. , Picca Joseph
Published: November 2015

Observations and recent high-resolution numerical model simulations indicate that liquid water and partially frozen hydrometeors can be lofted considerably above the environmental 0°C level in the updrafts of convective storms owing to the warm thermal perturbation from latent heating within the updraft and to the noninstantaneous nature of drop freezing. Consequently, upward extensions of positive differential reflectivity (i.e., ZDR ≥ 1 dB)—called ZDR columns—may be a useful proxy for detecting the initiation of new convective storms and examining the evolution of convective storm updrafts. High-resolution numerical simulations with spectral bin microphysics and a polarimetric forward operator reveal a strong spatial association between updrafts and ZDR columns and show the utility of examining the structure and evolution of ZDR columns for assessing updraft evolution. This paper introduces an automated ZDR column algorithm designed to provide additional diagnostic and prognostic information pertinent to convective storm nowcasting. Although suboptimal vertical resolution above the 0°C level and limitations imposed by commonly used scanning strategies in the operational WSR-88D network can complicate ZDR column detection, examples provided herein show that the algorithm can provide operational and research-focused meteorologists with valuable information about the evolution of convective storms.
Early Vascular Aging in Normotensive Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Morreale Massimiliano , Mulè Giuseppe , Ferrante Angelo , D’ignoto Francesco , Cottone Santina
Published: November 2015

Connective tissue diseases, like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), are associated with early and accelerated atherosclerosis. Recently, the concept of “early vascular aging” (EVA) has been more widely accepted. Aortic stiffness is one of the important markers of EVA. We evaluated EVA and subclinical atherosclerosis, by measuring aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) and carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT), in 50 normotensive patients with SLE (mean age: 39 ± 12 years). We compared these participants with 50 age- and sex-matched patients with essential hypertension (EH) and 20 healthy controls. Each participant underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), aPWV, and cIMT measurements. Clinic and 24-hour ABPM values were significantly lower in patients with SLE and controls when compared with the participants having EH (all P < .0001), but aPWV and cIMT were significantly lower in the control group when compared with patients having SLE and EH (all P < .001). Overall, patients with SLE and EH had similar cIMT and aPWV values ( P = .31 and P = .47, respectively). Our results suggest that SLE has a similar deleterious impact on EVA as EH.
Microarray Analysis Gene Expression Profiles in Laryngeal Muscle After Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury
Authors: Bijangi-Vishehsaraei Khadijeh , Blum Kevin , Zhang Hongji , Safa Ahmad R. , Halum Stacey L.
Published: November 2015

Objectives:

The pathophysiology of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) transection injury is rare in that it is characteristically followed by a high degree of spontaneous reinnervation, with reinnervation of the laryngeal adductor complex (AC) preceding that of the abducting posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscle. Here, we aim to elucidate the differentially expressed myogenic factors following RLN injury that may be at least partially responsible for the spontaneous reinnervation.

Methods:

F344 male rats underwent RLN injury (n = 12) or sham surgery (n = 12). One week after RLN injury, larynges were harvested following euthanasia. The mRNA was extracted from PCA and AC muscles bilaterally, and microarray analysis was performed using a full rat genome array.

Results:

Microarray analysis of denervated AC and PCA muscles demonstrated dramatic differences in gene expression profiles, with 205 individual probes that were differentially expressed between the denervated AC and PCA muscles and only 14 genes with similar expression patterns.

Conclusions:

The differential expression patterns of the AC and PCA suggest different mechanisms of reinnervation. The PCA showed the gene patterns of Wallerian degeneration, while the AC expressed the gene patterns of reinnervation by adjacent axonal sprouting. This finding may reveal important therapeutic targets applicable to RLN and other peripheral nerve injuries.
Audioprofile Surfaces
Authors: Taylor Kyle R. , Booth Kevin T. , Azaiez Hela , Sloan Christina M. , Kolbe Diana L. , Glanz Emily N. , Shearer A. Eliot , DeLuca Adam P. , Anand V. Nikhil , Hildebrand Michael S. , Simpson Allen C. , Eppsteiner Robert W. , Scheetz Todd E. , Braun Terry A. , Huygen Patrick L. M. , Smith Richard J. H. , Casavant Thomas L.
Published: November 2015

Objective:

To present audiometric data in 3 dimensions by considering age as an addition dimension.

Methods:

Audioprofile surfaces (APSs) were fitted to a set of audiograms by plotting each measurement of an audiogram as an independent point in 3 dimensions with the x, y, and z axes representing frequency, hearing loss in dB, and age, respectively.

Results:

Using the Java-based APS viewer as a standalone application, APSs were pre-computed for 34 loci. By selecting APSs for the appropriate genetic locus, a clinician can compare this APS-generated average surface to a specific patient’s audiogram.

Conclusion:

Audioprofile surfaces provide an easily interpreted visual representation of a person’s hearing acuity relative to others with the same genetic cause of hearing loss. Audioprofile surfaces will support the generation and testing of sophisticated hypotheses to further refine our understanding of the biology of hearing.
Unfolding the Mystery of Reliance on Traditional Methods of Birth Control in Assam, India
Authors: Narzary Pralip Kumar , Madhusudana Battala , Sathiya Susuman A
Published: November 2015

Reliance on traditional methods of birth control causes psychological tension in couples because the fear of unwanted pregnancy bars them from experiencing a healthy sexual life. However, in Assam, half of all contraceptive users depend on traditional methods of birth control. The current study used National Family Health Survey 2005–2006 data. Out of 3840 sample women in the age group 15–49 years, 1286 women are filtered for the present study. Most of the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of traditional method users fall between those of modern spacing method users and terminal method users. Thus, the burden of unwanted fertility is highest among the traditional method users.
The Transmission of Unconventional Monetary Policy in UK Government Debt Markets
Authors: Meaning Jack , Warren James
Published: November 2015

Through its quantitative easing programme the Bank of England has looked to manage the supply of nominal UK government securities in order to lower interest rates. In doing so it has removed more than 25 per cent of the overall supply of those securities from the publicly accessible market. The benchmark New Keynesian model suggests this should only have an impact on interest rates insofar as it affects expectations of future policy rates, whilst alternative theoretical frameworks imply a direct effect of changes in supply onto yields. Our aim is to test for the existence of these potential transmission mechanisms. We find empirical evidence to support the existence of both channels. Our analysis suggests the Bank's quantitative easing programme reduced yields by around 25 basis points through the supply channel alone. Importantly, we find that such supply effects have remained significant in recent years, suggesting that as quantitative easing is unwound the increase in publicly available supply will put upward pressure on interest rates. Lastly we highlight the monetary-fiscal interaction inherent in our result and discuss some of the issues it raises for policymakers.
Impact of wedge-shaped design for building bottlenecks on evacuation time for efficiency optimization
Authors: Mu H L , Lo S M , Song W G , Lv W , Sun J H
Published: November 2015

In order to ensure people’s safety during the evacuation process in an emergency, it is important to improve evacuation efficiency, particularly to reduce the egress time. In the present study, a wedge-shaped design for building bottleneck spaces, including exits, passageways, and joints of intersection, is proposed and described. Furthermore, through numerical simulation using a social force model, the impact of the wedge design on the evacuation time of occupants is investigated. It can be found that the evacuation time is reduced with the wedge design compared to a rectangular design under the same conditions. The effects of the short-side length and angle of wedge ( β) are also examined. For the different short-side lengths studied (0.8 and 1.0 m), the mean difference in the evacuation time-saving rate increases at a relatively steady rate with the increase in the long-side length. In addition, simulation results indicate the maximum evacuation time-saving rate appears when β ranges between 45° and 53.13°. It is hoped that the results will serve as basic reference to improve relevant engineering construction of building spaces and management of emergency evacuations.
Negotiating the urban smart grid: Socio-technical experimentation in the city of Austin
Authors: McLean Anthony , Bulkeley Harriet , Crang Mike
Published: November 2015

A growing body of literature has emerged that examines cities as key sites for socio-technical experimentation with a variety of initiatives and interventions to reduce carbon emissions, upgrade ageing infrastructure networks and stimulate economic development. Yet while there has been a wide survey of global initiatives and attempts to explain the wider processes driving such experimentation (Bulkeley and Castán Broto, 2013) there remains a lack of empirical case study analysis to bring the concepts into context. In this paper we use the concept of urban experimentation as a lens to discuss the political and social ramifications of one such intervention in a city’s energy infrastructure network, with an examination of the Pecan Street smart grid project in Austin, Texas. The ability for cities to manage socio-technical transitions and their inflections by specific locales has been largely neglected in social science research, yet cities around the world are facing similar problems of ageing infrastructures, pressures of resource consumption and demanding shifts towards intermittent renewable technologies. We argue that cities are key arenas for the trialling, testing and development of smart products that can help transition towards a low-carbon economy, however the ‘opening up’ of cities as experimental nodes is contributing to a restructuring in socio-technical urban governance, creating new spaces for private investment while delegating responsibilities for carbon control down to urban citizens.
Swedish school nurses’ experiences in supporting students with type 1 diabetes in their school environment
Authors: Thorstensson Stina , Fröden Marie , Vikström Viktoria , Andersson Susanne
Published: November 2015

Students with type 1 diabetes (T1D) need to take responsibility for their T1D and need professional support from school nurses. This study describes school nurses’ experiences in supporting students with T1D in school. A qualitative approach was used. After purposive sampling, six school nurses were interviewed and data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. For professional support, a network around the student was enabled constituting of a continuous dialogue and responsibility and preparedness. For professional support a mutual commitment from the student, parents, and the school nurse was needed which was built from initiating participation and security, the school nurse’s ability to be present and available and on school nurse’s perceived competence. The conclusion of the study, and its practical implication, is that school nurses’ ability for professional support of students with T1D varied in relation to their perceived competence in nursing science as well as their ability to enable, strengthen and sustain teamwork and family–school team meetings.