bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endogeneity Analysis of Output Synchronization in the Current and Prospective EMU
Authors: Arestis Philip , Phelps Peter
Published: October 2015

The sustainability of European EMU (economic and monetary union) remains an important issue in light of existing plans for enlargement. This article conducts an endogeneity analysis of output synchronization, based on panel data estimation from 1994 to 2013, for different country‐groups, including core, periphery, central and eastern European countries, northern European countries and the prospective candidate countries, which are expected to adopt the euro over the coming years. The quantification of trade‐related and direct spillover channels associated with monetary integration provides insight into the relative importance of direct and indirect synchronization gains arising from EMU membership. The use of amplitude and concordance measures of synchronization and a range of estimators enhances robustness. Important endogeneity implications emerge from our analysis.
The Centralization of EU Competition Policy: Historical Institutionalist Dynamics from Cartel Monitoring to Merger Control (1956–91)
Authors: Warlouzet Laurent
Published: October 2015

The contemporary strength of EU competition policy does not stem naturally and mechanically from the Treaty of Rome, nor is it only a consequence of the spread of ‘neoliberal’ ideas or the single market programme. It is also the product of decades of dynamics underlined by historical institutionalism, which allowed the Commission to secure decisive powers, despite the unwillingness of some of the most powerful Member States. In this regard, the two most important cornerstones were Regulations 17/62 on cartels and 4064/89 on mergers. The Commission benefited from the unintended consequences of decisions taken in the Council and from the path dependencies created by Regulation 17/62. It progressively developed a centralized institutional framework with itself at the centre.
A New Phaeodarian Species Discovered from the Japan Sea Proper Water, Auloscena pleuroclada sp. nov. (Aulosphaeridae, Phaeosphaerida, Phaeodaria)
Authors: Nakamura Yasuhide , Imai Ichiro , Tuji Akihiro , Suzuki Noritoshi
Published: October 2015

A new phaeodarian species, characterized by the presence of long developed side branches recurved proximally and distally on the surface of its radial tube, was described as Auloscena pleuroclada. This new species was only collected from the layers below the 250 m depth in the Sea of Japan. They have never been found in the shallower layers (above 250 m) of this sea or in other investigated areas. The distribution of the present new species is presumably restricted within the deep water of this area, and this species could be a specific phaeodarian adapted to the deep‐sea environment.
Molecular Characterization of Acanthamoeba spp. Occurring in Water Bodies and Patients in Poland and Redefinition of Polish T16 Genotype
Authors: Adamska Małgorzata
Published: October 2015

Acanthamoeba genus is divided into 20 genotypes (T1–T20) on the basis of the gene encoding 18S rRNA sequence. Using of at least 2 kbp gene fragments is strongly recommended to identify new genotypes and 5% difference is commonly used as a criterion of new genotypes, however, this value is questionable. In this paper, Polish Acanthamoeba strains described earlier on the basis of ~850 bp Ami fragment of 18S rRNA gene as T4, T11 and a new T16 genotype, have been analyzed using near‐complete sequence of the gene. This analysis was needed because the Ami fragment does not reveal full variability within 18S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis based on Ami fragment is biased by artifacts in the construction of the tree, so the fragment should not be used for identification of new putative Acanthamoeba genotypes. The analysis confirmed that the Polish sequences represent T4 and T11 genotypes and that the strains described earlier as T16 genotype are in fact a new subgroup of the T20 genotype and that this genotype should be divided into two subgroups: T20a (two strains described by [J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 62 (2015) 69]) and T20b (11 Polish strains described in this study). The T20b subgroup was isolated from both clinical samples and water bodies used by people as bathing places and there is a risk of infection for humans during contact with water.
System N transporters are critical for glutamine release and modulate metabolic fluxes of glucose and acetate in cultured cortical astrocytes: changes induced by ammonia
Authors: Zielińska Magdalena , Dąbrowska Katarzyna , Hadera Mussie Ghezu , Sonnewald Ursula , Albrecht Jan
Published: October 2015

Glutamine (Gln) is synthesized in astrocytes from glutamate (Glu) and ammonia, whereupon it can be released to be transferred to neurons. This study evaluated the as yet not definitely established role of the astrocytic Gln transporters SN1 and SN2 (Slc38a3andSlc38a5respectively) in Gln release and metabolic fluxes of glucose and acetate, the canonical precursors of Glu. Cultured neocortical astrocytes were grown in the absence or presence of ammonia (5 mM NH4Cl, 24 h), which deregulates astrocytic metabolism in hyperammonemic encephalopathies. HPLC analyses of cell extracts of SN1/SN2 siRNA‐treated (SN1/SN2−) astrocytes revealed a ~ 3.5‐fold increase in Gln content and doubling of glutathione, aspartate, alanine and glutamate contents, as compared to SN1/SN2+ astrocytes. Uptake and efflux of preloaded [3H]Gln was likewise significantly decreased in SN1/SN2− astrocytes. The atom percent excess13C values (given as M + 1) for alanine, aspartate and glutamate were decreased when the SN1/SN2− cells were incubated with [1‐13C] glucose, while Gln consumption was not changed. No difference was seen in M + 1 values in SN1/SN2− cells incubated with [2‐13C] acetate, which were not treated with ammonia. In SN1/SN2− astrocytes, the increase in Gln content and the decrease in radiolabeled Gln release upon exposure to ammonia were found abrogated, and glutamate labeling from [2‐13C]acetate was decreased as compared to SN1/SN2+ astrocytes. The results underscore a profound role of SN1 and/or SN2 in Gln release from astrocytes under physiological conditions, but less so in ammonia‐overexposed astrocytes, and appear to manifest dependence of astrocytic glucose metabolism to Glu/Gln on unimpaired SN1/SN2− mediated Gln release from astrocytes.

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The astrocytic N system transporters SN1 and SN2 show preponderance to mediate glutamine (Gln) efflux. Under hyperammonemic conditions, accumulation of Gln, a direct product of ammonia detoxification, may deregulate astrocytic metabolism and seems to be responsible for astrocytic swelling. This study evaluated not definitely established role of SN1 and SN2 in Gln release and metabolic fluxes of radiolabeled glucose and acetate. Simultaneous silencing of SN1/SN2 transporters increase Gln, glutathione, aspartate, alanine and glutamate contents (Panel B; marked in red) as compare to non‐silenced astrocytes (Panel A). The atom percent excess13C values (given as M + 1) for alanine, aspartate and glutamate were decreased when the cells with silenced transporters were incubated with [1‐13C]glucose, whereas no difference was seen in M + 1 values when those cells were incubated with [2‐13C]acetate. Ammonia abrogated the increase in Gln content and decrease in radiolabeled Gln release in astrocytes with silenced transporters, but caused a decrease in glutamate labeling from [2‐13C]acetate.
Simvastatin inhibits neural cell apoptosis and promotes locomotor recovery via activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway after spinal cord injury
Authors: Gao Kai , Shen Zhaoliang , Yuan Yajiang , Han Donghe , Song Changwei , Guo Yue , Mei Xifan
Published: October 2015

Statins exhibit neuroprotective effects after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the molecular mechanism underlying these effects remains unknown. This study demonstrates that the hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor simvastatin (Simv) exhibits neuroprotective effects on neuronal apoptosis and supports functional recovery in a rat SCI model by activating the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway. In specific, Simv administration after SCI significantly up‐regulated the expression of low density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 6 phosphorylation and β‐catenin protein, increased the mRNA expression of lymphoid enhancer factor‐1 and T‐cell factor‐1, and suppressed the expression of β‐catenin phosphorylation in the spinal cord neurons. Simv enhanced motor neuronal survival in the spinal cord anterior horn and decreased the lesion of spinal cord tissues after SCI. Simv administration after SCI also evidently reduced the expression levels of Bax, active caspase‐3, and active caspase‐9 in the spinal cord neurons and the proportion of transferase UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)‐positive neuron cells, but increased the expression level of Bcl‐2 in the spinal cord neurons. However, the anti‐apoptotic effects of Simv were reduced in cultured spinal cord nerve cells when the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway was suppressed in the lipopolysaccharide‐induced model. Furthermore, the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores indicated that Simv treatment significantly improved the locomotor functions of rats after SCI. This study is the first to report that Simv exerts neuroprotective effects by reducing neuronal apoptosis, and promoting functional and pathological recovery after SCI by activating the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway.

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We verified the neuroprotective properties associated with simvastatin following spinal cord injury (SCI). Simvastatin reduced neuronal apoptosis, improved the functional and pathological recovery via activating Wnt/β‐catenin signal pathway, however, the anti‐apoptosis effects of simvastatin were reversed following suppressing Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway in primary spinal cord neurons. The significant findings may provide clinical therapeutic value of simvastatin for treating SCI.
Differences Among States in Rural Veterans’ Use of VHA and Non‐VHA Hospitals
Authors: West Alan N. , Weeks William B. , Charlton Mary E.
Published: October 2015

Purpose

To understand how vouchers for non‐VHA care of VHA‐enrolled veterans might affect rural enrollees, we determined how much enrollees use VHA and non‐VHA inpatient care, and whether this use varies substantially between rural and urban residents depending on state of residence.

Methods

For veterans listed in the 2007 VHA enrollment file as living in Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, or New York, we merged 2004‐2007 administrative discharge data for all VHA hospitalizations with all non‐VHA hospitalizations listed in state health department or hospital association databases. Within states, rural and urban residents (RUCA‐defined) were compared on VHA and non‐VHA hospitalization rates, overall and for major diagnostic categories.

Findings

Non‐VHA hospital use was much greater than VHA use, though it also was more variable across states. In states with higher proportions of urban enrollees, use of non‐VHA hospitals was lower for small or isolated rural town residents than urban residents; in the more rural states, it was greater. Rural enrollees also used VHA hospitals more than urban enrollees if they lived in the South, but they used VHA hospitals less in other states. Findings were consistent across principal diagnoses, except that in every state, rural veterans were hospitalized less often for mental disorders but more for respiratory diseases. Logistic regressions controlling several covariates consistently showed that very rural enrollees relied on VHA hospitals more than urban enrollees. Vouchers would likely increase non‐VHA use more in states with greater rural populations.

Conclusions

Vouchers for non‐VHA inpatient care might have greater impact in rural states.
Clinical Features and Outcome of Dogs with Epiglottic Retroversion With or Without Surgical Treatment: 24 Cases
Authors: Skerrett S.C. , McClaran J.K. , Fox P.R. , Palma D.
Published: October 2015

Background

Published information describing the clinical features and outcome for dogs with epiglottic retroversion (ER) is limited.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To describe clinical features, comorbidities, outcome of surgical versus medical treatment and long‐term follow‐up for dogs withER. We hypothesized that dogs withERwould have upper airway comorbidities and that surgical management (epiglottopexy or subtotal epiglottectomy) would improve long‐term outcome compared to medical management alone.

Animals

Twenty‐four client‐owned dogs.

Methods

Retrospective review of medical records to identify dogs withERthat underwent surgical or medical management ofER.

Results

Dogs withERcommonly were middle‐aged to older, small breed, spayed females with body condition score (BCS) ≥6/9. Stridor and dyspnea were the most common presenting signs. Concurrent or historical upper airway disorders were documented in 79.1% of cases. At last evaluation, 52.6% of dogs that underwent surgical management, and 60% of dogs that received medical management alone, had decreased severity of presenting clinical signs. In dogs that underwent surgical management forER, the incidence of respiratory crisis decreased from 62.5% before surgery to 25% after surgical treatment. The overall calculated Kaplan–Meier median survival time was 875 days.

Conclusion and clinical importance

Our study indicated that a long‐term survival of at least 2 years can be expected in dogs diagnosed with epiglottic retroversion. The necessity of surgical management cannot be determined based on this data, but dogs with no concurrent upper airway disorders may benefit from a permanent epiglottopexy to alleviate negative inspiratory pressures.
Reading and Writing Romance in Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained
Authors: Lahive Colin
Published: October 2015

This essay argues that Milton's strategic handling of romance in Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained can be read as a conscious attempt to reconstitute the genre according to his own Christian focus. Challenging the view that Milton rejected romance outright in his late poems, it points towards some of the ways in which Milton may have thought about romance after the execution of Charles I in 1649 and suggests how the genre could be accommodated to his theopolitical vision. The essay also underscores the necessity for a critical approach that will situate Milton's use of romance in its historical and cultural contexts in the years before and after the Restoration.
The Victorian Provincial Novel
Authors: Robinson Amy J.
Published: October 2015

Provincial novels such as those by Gaskell, Trollope, and Eliot are well‐known, well‐loved, and often canonical, but scholars have not always examined in detail the characteristics that qualify them as provincial. Furthermore, past scholarship tends to focus on a negative definition of the provincial, concentrating on its difference from the metropolis, and on the ways in which provincial novels ignore the forces of modernity. However, this article traces the resurgence in scholarship on the subgenre of the Victorian provincial novel and how this scholarship transcends discussion of the local. This article shows that Victorian provincial novels connect to debates about regionalism, nationalism, cosmopolitanism, and empire.
Re‐assessing Trial by Jury in Early Modern Law and Literature
Authors: Dunne Derek
Published: October 2015

Trial by jury has been lauded as the defining feature of English common law since at least the 15th century, considered by English legal professionals to be far superior to Continental legal models. Yet there is evidence for a growing disdain for the jury in the early modern period, which was compounded by the introduction of numerous legal procedures designed to circumvent the need for trial by jury. These include multiple arraignments, the introduction of plea‐bargaining and increased powers of justices of the peace for summary conviction. Little by little, such changes to the administration of justice undermined the central place traditionally afforded to the jury and in the process significantly altered the participatory structure of English common law. Meanwhile, the tension between judge and jury in the early modern courtroom is a recurring theme in the legal history of the period. Such a shift is of interest to legal historians, but it is also germane to the study of early modern literature, since law formed such an important interface between citizen and state in the period. Drama in particular has a close relationship to law in this period, so that changing how we look at the jury can change our approach to early modern plays.
Interference with nuclear factor kappaB signaling pathway by pathogen‐encoded proteases: global and selective inhibition
Authors: Hodgson Andrea , Wan Fengyi
Published: October 2015

Pathogens have evolved a myriad of ways to abrogate and manipulate the host response to infections. Of the various mechanisms involved, pathogen‐encoded and sometimes host‐encoded proteases are an important category of virulence factors that cause robust changes on the host response by targeting key proteins along signaling cascades. The nuclear factor kappaB (NF‐κB) signaling pathway is a crucial regulatory mechanism for the cell, controlling the expression of survival, immune and proliferation genes. Proteases from pathogens of almost all types have been demonstrated to target and cleave members of the NF‐κB signaling pathway at nearly every level. This review provides discussion of proteases targeting the most abundant NF‐κB subunit, p65, and the impact of protease‐mediated p65 cleavage on the immune responses and survival of the infected host cell. After examining various examples of protease interference, it becomes evident that the cleavage fragments produced by pathogen‐driven proteolytic processing should be further characterized to determine whether they have novel and unique functions within the cell. The selective targeting of p65 and its effect on gene transcription reveals unique mechanisms by which pathogens acutely alter their microenvironment, and further research may open new opportunities for novel therapeutics to combat pathogens.
Estimating the burden of fungal disease in Vietnam
Authors: Beardsley J. , Denning D. W. , Chau N. V. , Yen N. T. B. , Crump J. A. , Day J. N.
Published: October 2015

Data regarding the prevalence of fungal infections in Vietnam are limited yet they are likely to occur more frequently as increasingly sophisticated healthcare creates more iatrogenic risk factors. In this study, we sought to estimate baseline incidence and prevalence of selected serious fungal infections for the year 2012. We made estimates with a previously described actuarial method, using reports on the incidence and prevalence of various established risk factors for fungal infections from Vietnam, or similar environments, supplemented by personal communications. Global data were used if local data were unavailable. We estimated 2 352 748 episodes of serious fungal infection occurred in Vietnam in 2012. Frequent conditions included recurrent vaginal candidiasis (3893/100 000 women annually), tinea capitis (457/100 000 annually) and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (61/100 000/5 year period). We estimated 140 cases of cryptococcal meningitis, 206 of penicilliosis and 608 of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. This is the first summary of Vietnamese fungal infections. The majority of severe disease is due to Aspergillus species, driven by the high prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis. The AIDS epidemic highlights opportunistic infections, such as penicilliosis and cryptococcosis, which may complicate immunosuppressive treatments. These estimates provide a useful indication of disease prevalence to inform future research and resource allocation but should be verified by further epidemiological approaches.
Cryptococcal meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans genotype AFLP1/VNI in Iran: a review of the literature
Authors: Badali Hamid , Alian Shahriar , Fakhim Hamed , Falahatinejad Mahsa , Moradi Ali , Mohammad Davoudi Mehrnaz , Hagen Ferry , Meis Jacques F.
Published: October 2015

Cryptococcal meningitis is the most important opportunistic fungal infection with a high mortality in HIV‐patients in less developed regions. Here, we report a case of cryptococcal meningitis in a 49‐year‐old HIV‐positive female due to Cryptococcus neoformans (serotype A, mating‐type alpha, genotype AFLP1/VNI) in Sari, Iran. In vitro antifungal susceptibility tests showed MICs of isavuconazole (0.016 μg ml−1), voriconazole (0.031 μg ml−1), posaconazole (0.031 μg ml−1), itraconazole (0.063 μg ml−1), amphotericin B (0.125 μg ml−1) and fluconazole (8 μg ml−1). Despite immediate antifungal therapy, the patient died 4 days later due to respiratory failure. Cryptococcal infections have been infrequently reported from Iran and therefore we analysed all published cases of cryptococcosis in Iran since the first reported case from 1969.
Comparative genomic de‐convolution of the cotton genome revealed a decaploid ancestor and widespread chromosomal fractionation
Authors: Wang Xiyin , Guo Hui , Wang Jinpeng , Lei Tianyu , Liu Tao , Wang Zhenyi , Li Yuxian , Lee Tae‐Ho , Li Jingping , Tang Haibao , Jin Dianchuan , Paterson Andrew H.
Published: October 2015

The ‘apparently’ simple genomes of many angiosperms mask complex evolutionary histories. The reference genome sequence for cotton (Gossypium spp.) revealed a ploidy change of a complexity unprecedented to date, indeed that could not be distinguished as to its exact dosage.

Herein, by developing several comparative, computational and statistical approaches, we revealed a 5× multiplication in the cotton lineage of an ancestral genome common to cotton and cacao, and proposed evolutionary models to show how such a decaploid ancestor formed.

The c. 70% gene loss necessary to bring the ancestral decaploid to its current gene count appears to fit an approximate geometrical model; that is, although many genes may be lost by single‐gene deletion events, some may be lost in groups of consecutive genes. Gene loss following cotton decaploidy has largely just reduced gene copy numbers of some homologous groups.

We designed a novel approach to deconvolute layers of chromosome homology, providing definitive information on gene orthology and paralogy across broad evolutionary distances, both of fundamental value and serving as an important platform to support further studies in and beyond cotton and genomics communities.
Contrasting microbial biogeographical patterns between anthropogenic subalpine grasslands and natural alpine grasslands
Authors: Geremia Roberto A. , Pușcaș Mihai , Zinger Lucie , Bonneville Jean‐Marc , Choler Philippe
Published: October 2015

The effect of plant species composition on soil microbial communities was studied at the multiregional level. We compared the soil microbial communities of alpine natural grasslands dominated by Carex curvula and anthropogenic subalpine pastures dominated by Nardus stricta.

We conducted paired sampling across the Carpathians and the Alps and used Illumina sequencing to reveal the molecular diversity of soil microbes.

We found that bacterial and fungal communities exhibited contrasting regional distributions and that the distribution in each grassland is well discriminated. Beta diversity of microbial communities was much higher in C. curvula grasslands due to a marked regional effect. The composition of grassland‐type core microbiomes suggest that C. curvula, and N. stricta to a lesser extent, tend to select a cohort of microbes related to antibiosis/exclusion, pathogenesis and endophytism.

We discuss these findings in light of the postglacial history of the studied grasslands, the habitat connectivity and the disturbance regimes. Human‐induced disturbance in the subalpine belt of European mountains has led to homogeneous soil microbial communities at large biogeographical scales. Our results confirm the overarching role of the dominant grassland plant species in the distribution of microbial communities and highlight the relevance of biogeographical history.
Explore less to control more: why and when should plants limit the horizontal exploration of soil by their roots?
Authors: de Parseval Henri , Abbadie Luc , Barot Sébastien , Gignoux Jacques , Lata Jean‐Christophe , Raynaud Xavier
Published: October 2015

In ecosystems limited by soil nutrients, some plants show a restricted horizontal distribution of their roots. We explored the hypothesis that this particular pattern is a foraging strategy emerging from tradeoffs between soil exploration (that increases the pool of nutrients available for plants) and the local control of nutrient cycling within the soil that we call soil occupation. We developed two general analytical models of the cycling of a limiting nutrient in a plant population that is not limited by water. They allowed to explore how plant productivity is affected when roots do not exploit the whole soil available and to determine the conditions for which plant nutrient stock is maximized when plants limit their exploration of soil. We predict that a restricted exploration strategy can be beneficial when 1) there is at least one tradeoff between a nutrient cycling parameter and soil exploration, 2) nutrient availability in the unexplored soil is poor and 3) the area of soil explored by plants is stable over time. The exploration limitation strategy results in spatially heterogeneous and nutrient‐conservative ecosystems. Our results should apply well to perennial tussock grasses within tropical nutrient‐limited ecosystems and raises interesting cues for the construction of more sustainable agro‐ecosystems. Overall, our study underlines the importance of considering the multiplicity of root–soil interactions and of their scales when considering root foraging strategies.
Realism and Constructivism in Kantian Metaethics (1): Realism and Constructivism in a Kantian Context
Authors: Schafer Karl
Published: October 2015

Metaethical constructivism is one of the main movements within contemporary metaethics – especially among those with Kantian inclinations. But both the philosophical coherence and the Kantian pedigree of constructivism are hotly contested. In the first half of this article, I first explore the sense in which Kant's own views might be described as constructivist and then use the resulting understanding as a guide to how we might think about Kantian constructivism today. Along the way, I hope to suggest that a fairly diverse range of views within contemporary metaethics – including some without any explicit allegiance to Kant – may be thought of as pursuing a version of the resulting strategy.
Incidence and distribution of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’ and its vector Cacopsylla pruni in Spain: an approach to the epidemiology of the disease and the role of wild Prunus
Authors: Sabaté J. , Laviña A. , Batlle A.
Published: October 2015

‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’ is the causal agent of the European stone fruit yellows (ESFY) disease. This phytoplasma affects wild and cultivated species of Prunus to different degrees, depending on their susceptibility. ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’ is present in the four regions of Spain surveyed in this study (Aragon, Catalonia, Extremadura and Valencia) with a variable incidence. Results showed that ‘Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum’ was detected in all of the cultivated Prunus species studied, except P. avium and P. dulcis, and was widespread in Spain. The most affected species was P. salicina, with symptoms including early bud break and blooming, leaf curling and yellowing, collapse, and a major decrease in production. In some plots in the Baix Llobregat area of Barcelona province (Catalonia), the incidence of ESFY on P. salicina was as high as 80%. The insect vector, Cacopsylla pruni, was present in all four of the regions studied, with the highest captures in yellow sticky traps in Catalonia on P. mahaleb and in Extremadura in peach orchards. In Baix Llobregat, large populations of C. pruni were present on infected P. mahaleb bushes, and with high infection rates. This was a key factor in the local pathogenic cycle that caused a major ESFY outbreak in the nearby P. salicina orchards. In the Ebro valley (Lleida and Aragon) and Valencia, the surveys showed very low incidences of the disease and low C. pruni populations.
Ancient Mesopotamian Religion: A Profile of the Healing Goddess
Authors: Böck Barbara
Published: October 2015

In his introduction to Ancient Mesopotamia, A. L. Oppenheim expressed his doubts about the feasibility to write a systematic account of Mesopotamian religion (, p. 172; cf.). Indeed, if we understand religion as the sum of individual, conceptual and social concepts and take into account the nature and the state of preservation of the sources, it becomes evident that any description must remain incomplete. This is also the case when portraying the figure of the Ancient Mesopotamian healing goddess or goddesses. As a matter of fact, five deities were associated with the domain of healing and merged together into principally one goddess. Though they are all presented in the following discussion, emphasis is laid on the specific character of the healing goddess.
Affect and the Study of Religion
Authors: Supp‐Montgomerie Jenna
Published: October 2015

This article provides an introduction to affect theory in the study of religion. While emotion and affect appear to be similar, particularly given their shared lineage in the passions, the distinguishing aspects of affect provide critical supplements to the study of religion. After a brief discussion of emotion and affect in Spinoza, the article maps three aspects of affect theory that invite us to consider religion in its persistent dynamism: affect theory's turn away from the individual as the bearer of emotion to the social lives that emerge between bodies and things, its attention to corporeality and materiality, and its focus on non‐representational creative energy. The article closes with key forays in affect and religious studies and some future directions for affect and the study of religions in the Americas.
Asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS): A diagnostic challenge
Authors: Tho Nguyen Van , Park Hye Yun , Nakano Yasutaka
Published: October 2015

Asthma–chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome (ACOS) is characterized by persistent airflow limitation with several features usually associated with asthma and several features usually associated with COPD. ACOS may be a special phenotype of a spectrum of chronic obstructive airway diseases, in which asthma and COPD are at the two opposite ends. The prevalence of ACOS varies considerably due to differing criteria being applied for diagnosis. Patients with ACOS utilize a large proportion of medical resources. They are associated with more frequent adverse outcomes than those with asthma or COPD alone. ACOS is currently a diagnostic challenge for physicians because there are no specific biomarkers to differentiate ACOS from asthma or COPD. The approach to diagnosing ACOS depends on the population from which the patient originated. The management of ACOS should be individualized to ensure the most effective treatment with minimal side effects. In this paper, we review the diagnostic criteria of ACOS used in previous studies, propose practical approaches to diagnosing and managing ACOS and raise some research questions related to ACOS.
Truth, Trust, and Sanctions: On Institutional Selection in Sender–Receiver Games*
Authors: Peeters Ronald , Vorsatz Marc , Walzl Markus
Published: October 2015

We have conducted a laboratory experiment to investigate the impact of institutions and institutional choice on truth‐telling and trust in sender–receiver games. We find that in an institution with sanctioning opportunities, receivers sanction predominantly after having trusted lies. Individuals who sanction are responsible for truth‐telling beyond standard equilibrium predictions, and they are more likely to choose the sanctioning institution. Sanctioning and non‐sanctioning institutions coexist if their choice is endogenous, and the former shows a higher level of truth‐telling but lower material payoffs. Our experimental findings are consistent with logit agent quantal response equilibrium with two distinct groups of individuals: one consisting of subjects who experience non‐monetary lying costs as senders and non‐monetary costs when being lied to as receivers, and the other consisting of payoff maximizers.
Health Selection and the Effect of Smoking on Mortality
Authors: Adda Jérôme , Lechene Valérie
Published: October 2015

We show that individuals who are in poorer health, independently from smoking, are more likely to start smoking and to smoke more cigarettes than those with better non‐smoking‐related health. We present evidence of selection, relying on extensive data on morbidity and mortality. We show that health‐based selection into smoking has increased over the last 50 years with knowledge of its health effects. We show that the effect of smoking on mortality is greater for more highly educated individuals and for individuals in good non‐smoking‐related health.
Sudden Stop and Sudden Flood of Foreign Direct Investment: Inverse Bank Run, Output, and Welfare Distribution
Authors: Calvo Guillermo A.
Published: October 2015

In this paper, I focus on a phenomenon that has not received much attention in the literature, namely that the mere expectation of foreign direct investment (FDI) incentivizes long‐maturity investment projects by domestic residents, and a Sudden Stop when expectations are frustrated. Long‐maturity investment projects enhance productivity but increase the economy's vulnerability to Sudden Stop. The discussion is framed in a context in which a Sudden Stop follows a surge of capital inflows (Sudden Flood), and FDI is concentrated on ongoing projects. A Sudden Stop episode can trigger a fire sale of long‐term assets, output collapse, and welfare redistribution, which is another ignored phenomenon.
Housing Collateral and the Monetary Transmission Mechanism
Authors: Walentin Karl
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we quantify the effects of the recent increase in the housing loan‐to‐value ratio (LTV) on the monetary transmission mechanism. We set up a two‐sector dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model with collateral constraints and production of goods and housing. Using Bayesian methods, we quantify the component of the monetary transmission mechanism that is generated by housing collateral. We find that this component is substantial and strongly increasing in the LTV. We conclude that in order to properly understand the monetary transmission mechanism, we need to take into account the effects of housing‐related collateral constraints and their changing nature.
Hiring Older Employees: Do the Age Limits of Early Retirement and the Contribution Rates of Firms Matter?
Authors: Ilmakunnas Pekka , Ilmakunnas Seija
Published: October 2015

We examine the effects of a Finnish pension reform on firms' incentives to hire older employees. The reform restricted the eligibility ages for early retirement and changed the size‐related contribution rates of firms. According to our theoretical model, the positive effect on the values of new hires extends to age groups younger than those directly affected by the reform, and the effects are strongest in the largest firms. These model predictions were confirmed in a difference‐in‐difference‐in‐differences analysis on the probability of the hiring of workers of different ages in firms of different sizes.
Can Agents Be Better Off with Pay Caps?
Authors: Chou Eric S. , Chen Chien‐Lung
Published: October 2015

A popular way to discipline the managers of companies or banks that got into trouble during the recent financial crisis has been to impose caps on managers' pay. Using a small extension of the standard principal–agent model, we argue that pay caps might serve the opposite purpose, because the agent might be better off with a pay cap. Specifically, we show that, given a fixed effort level to be implemented, the agent's expected utility can be decreasing in an upper bound for the agent's reward. The effect of pay caps on the general structure of optimal incentive contracts is also characterized. While an improvement of contracting information always helps the principal, it might increase or decrease the marginal cost of imposing pay caps.
“Interest Rate Trap”, or Why Does the Central Bank Keep the Policy Rate Too Low for Too Long?
Authors: Cao Jin , Illing Gerhard
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we provide a framework for modeling one risk‐taking channel of monetary policy, the mechanism whereby financial intermediaries' incentives for liquidity transformation are affected by the central bank's reaction to a financial crisis. The anticipation of the central bank's reaction to liquidity stress gives banks incentives to invest in excessive liquidity transformation, triggering an “interest rate trap” – the economy will remain stuck in a long‐lasting period of suboptimal, low interest rate equilibrium. We demonstrate that interest rate policy as a financial stabilizer is dynamically inconsistent, and the constrained efficient outcome can be implemented by imposing ex ante liquidity requirements.
IT‐Based Technical Change and Job Instability
Authors: Behaghel Luc , Moschion Julie
Published: October 2015

We investigate the impact of IT diffusion on the stability of employment. We document the evolution of different components of job instability over a panel of 348 cities in France, from the mid‐1970s to the early 2000s. The evidence goes against the view that the diffusion of IT has spurred job instability. Yet, analysing long‐term differences in the occupational structure, we find that IT diffusion has increased the share of high‐skill occupations at the expense of low‐skill occupations. This is consistent with French firms' reliance on their internal labour market to meet the new skill requirements associated with IT diffusion.
Consistent Smooth Bootstrap Kernel Intensity Estimation for Inhomogeneous Spatial Poisson Point Processes
Authors: Fuentes‐Santos Isabel , González‐Manteiga Wenceslao , Mateu Jorge
Published: October 2015

Non‐parametric estimation and bootstrap techniques play an important role in many areas of Statistics. In the point process context, kernel intensity estimation has been limited to exploratory analysis because of its inconsistency, and some consistent alternatives have been proposed. Furthermore, most authors have considered kernel intensity estimators with scalar bandwidths, which can be very restrictive. This work focuses on a consistent kernel intensity estimator with unconstrained bandwidth matrix. We propose a smooth bootstrap for inhomogeneous spatial point processes. The consistency of the bootstrap mean integrated squared error (MISE) as an estimator of the MISE of the consistent kernel intensity estimator proves the validity of the resampling procedure. Finally, we propose a plug‐in bandwidth selection procedure based on the bootstrap MISE and compare its performance with several methods currently used through both as a simulation study and an application to the spatial pattern of wildfires registered in Galicia (Spain) during 2006.
Embryo defective 14 encodes a plastid‐targeted cGTPase essential for embryogenesis in maize
Authors: Li Cuiling , Shen Yun , Meeley Robert , McCarty Donald R. , Tan Bao‐Cai
Published: October 2015

The embryo defective (emb) mutants in maize genetically define a unique class of loci that is required for embryogenesis but not endosperm development, allowing dissection of two developmental processes of seed formation. Through characterization of the emb14 mutant, we report here that Emb14 gene encodes a circular permuted, YqeH class GTPase protein that likely functions in 30S ribosome formation in plastids. Loss of Emb14 function in the null mutant arrests embryogenesis at the early transition stage. Emb14 was cloned by transposon tagging and was confirmed by analysis of four alleles. Subcellular localization indicated that the EMB14 is targeted to chloroplasts. Recombinant EMB14 is shown to hydrolyze GTP in vitro (Km = 2.42 ± 0.3 μm). Emb14 was constitutively expressed in all tissues examined and high level of expression was found in transition stage embryos. Comparison of emb14 and WT indicated that loss of EMB14 function severely impairs accumulation of 16S rRNA and several plastid encoded ribosomal genes. We show that an EMB14 transgene complements the pale green, slow growth phenotype conditioned by mutations in AtNOA1, a closely related YqeH GTPase of Arabidopsis. Taken together, we propose that the EMB14/AtNOA1/YqeH class GTPases function in assembly of the 30S subunit of the chloroplast ribosome, and that this function is essential to embryogenesis in plants.
Pursuing Economic Growth in Asia: The Environmental Challenge
Authors: Quah Euston
Published: October 2015

This paper identifies and discusses the five main areas of environmental management public policy that pose serious challenges to Asian governments. The first is the emerging issue of siting environmentally unfriendly facilities that may be necessary for growth, but with the social and environmental costs borne primarily by local host residents and neighbourhood municipalities, more commonly known as the not‐in‐my‐backyard syndrome. The second issue is the critical need for pricing of non‐market environmental goods. Third is the issue of waste generation. The fourth challenge is that of transboundary pollution, which has become increasingly important with regard to its effects on health and foreign relations. Lastly, the paper discusses global warming and climate change. Discussions on cost–benefit analysis and the more novel method of establishing damage schedules are also presented. This is particularly relevant to fundamental differences between developed and less developed countries.
On‐site deferral of whole blood and plasma donors in the Netherlands between 2006 and 2013
Authors: de Groot R. , Prinsze F. J. , Broekman‐Piets R. , de Kort W. L. A. M. , Pasker‐de Jong P. C. M.
Published: October 2015

Background and Objectives

Donor physicians at Sanquin Blood Supply reported increasing on‐site deferral rates. The aim of this study was to investigate the change over time in on‐site deferral rates of whole blood and plasma donation visits in the Netherlands between 2006 and 2013.

Materials and methods

All visits of whole blood and plasma donors that occurred between 2006 and 2013 were included. Deferrals were categorized in groups of related deferral reasons. Binomial logistic generalized estimating equations analyses were carried out to investigate overall change over time and changes over time in monthly on‐site deferral rates.

Results

Data were available for 7 375 438 visits (65% whole blood). Women were more frequently deferred than men (whole blood OR=1·76; 95% CI 1·75–1·78). Deferrals for low haemoglobin and for travel showed an increase during the study period, and increasing seasonal variation. All other deferral reasons remained stable over time.

Conclusion

The increased deferral was driven by a rise in deferrals for low Hb level and travel behaviour. A decreasing donation visit ratio of men to women and a decreasing proportion of smokers might partly explain the increase in low haemoglobin deferrals. Travel deferrals probably increased due to stricter deferral criteria.
Evaluation of a new transportation container for red cell units in Western Australia
Authors: Grey D. E. , Fong E. A. , Soares Mendes R. , Gilhooley G. , Cardey J. , Finlayson J.
Published: October 2015

Background and Objectives

Extremes of weather, temperatures above 50°C and large distances to transport blood necessitate a robust container that is simple to pack and maintains the internal control temperature for long periods. We describe the evaluation and implementation of a new blood transport container, PX3L‐Universal Courier AcuTemp (CSafe Global, USA), throughout Western Australia.

Materials and Methods

The new transport container was initially validated to maintain two or four units of red cells at an internal control temperature of 2–10°C using simulated external ambient temperatures. Subsequent validation studies assessed real‐time external ambient temperatures involving transportation around Western Australia for a distance of 25 360 km. Prior to implementation, staff were trained by e‐learning and real‐time packing. Four months of postimplementation data (October 1 2014 to February 6 2015) were reviewed.

Results

The new container is light (6·18 kg) and easy to pack using a single refrigerator belt that protects the red cell units from the freezer belt. It will maintain two or four red cell units at an internal control temperature of 2–10°C for up to 70 h. During the 4‐month utilization period, 547 red cell units were transported to 36 different sites and only three were outside the target of 2–10°C due to failure to follow protocol.

Conclusion

The PX3L‐Universal Courier AcuTemp (CSafe Global, USA) blood transportation container was found to be simple to assemble, lightweight and maintained the required internal control temperature for the necessary transport time. This will preserve product quality, ensure patient safety and greatly assist in minimization of red cell wastage.
Implementing a Fetal Health Surveillance Guideline in Clinical Practice: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of Action Learning
Authors: Snelgrove‐Clarke Erna , Davies Barbara , Flowerdew Gordon , Young David
Published: October 2015

Aims

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an Action Learning intervention on nurses’ use of a fetal health surveillance (FHS) guideline during labor of women who were low risk on admission for delivery.

Methods

Using a pragmatic randomized controlled trial, nurses were randomized to Action Learning (n = 44) or Usual Care (n = 45). Low‐risk women were assigned to either an Action Learning nurse (n = 122) or a Usual Care nurse (n = 148). Data on practices during an episode of care (nurses’ FHS practices from admission through to delivery in low‐risk women) were collected at three trial time points: 1 month prior, during 6 months, and 1 month following. Guideline adherence, women's perception of birth experience, and enablers and inhibitors to intermittent auscultation (IA) were collected. Multivariate logistic regression determined the variables (chosen by the nurses) that predicted Action Learning nurses’ adherence to FHS practices.

Findings

Statistically significant change was not evident between nurses’ rate of FHS practices in the Action Learning group compared with Usual Care (Δ6.8%, odds ratio [OR] 0.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84–2.83). Postpartum, women reported high satisfaction with no significant difference by study group. Two labor events, epidural and narcotic analgesia, most influenced guideline appropriate care (p = .000, OR –4.04; p = .000, OR = 2.89) within the experimental group.

Linking Evidence to Action

Despite lack of between‐group significant changes in FHS practices, Action Learning nurses, who chose areas of practice that presented obstacles to their guideline adherence ability (epidurals and narcotics), significantly changed their FHS practices. Researchers need to consider whether practice is long‐standing acceptance of the evidence by healthcare providers, and the provider's intentions for implementation effectiveness when choosing an implementation strategy. Supportive nurses, Doppler availability, and clear policies support adherence to an IA guideline. Deimplementation of ineffective practice is warranted.