bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Future of Botanical Monography: Report from an international workshop, 12–16 March 2012, Smolenice, Slovak Republic
Authors: Marhold Karol , Stuessy Tod , Agababian Mariam , Agosti Donat , Alford Mac H. , Crespo Ana , Crisci Jorge V. , Dorr Laurence J. , Ferencová Zuzana , Frodin David , Geltman Dmitry V. , Kilian Norbert , Linder H. Peter , Lohmann Lucia G. , Oberprieler Christoph , Penev Lyubomir , Smith Gideon F. , Thomas Wayt , Tulig Melissa , Turland Nicholas , Zhang Xian-Chun
Published: February 2019

Monographs are fundamental for progress in systematic botany. They are the vehicles for circumscribing and naming taxa, determining distributions and ecology, assessing relationships for formal classification, and interpreting long–term and short–term dimensions of the evolutionary process. Despite their importance, fewer monographs are now being prepared by the newer generation of systematic botanists, who are understandably involved principally with DNA data and analysis, especially for answering phylogenetic, biogeographic, and population genetic questions. As monographs provide hypotheses regarding species boundaries and plant relationships, new insights in many plant groups are urgently needed. Increasing pressures on biodiversity, especially in tropical and developing regions of the world, emphasize this point. The results from a workshop (with 21 participants) reaffirm the central role that monographs play in systematic botany. But, rather than advocating abbreviated models for monographic products, we recommend a full presentation of relevant information. Electronic publication offers numerous means of illustration of taxa, habitats, characters, and statistical and phylogenetic analyses, which previously would have been prohibitively costly. Open Access and semantically enhanced linked electronic publications provide instant access to content from anywhere in the world, and at the same time link this content to all underlying data and digital resources used in the work. Resources in support of monography, especially databases and widely and easily accessible digital literature and specimens, are now more powerful than ever before, but interfacing and interoperability of databases are much needed. Priorities for new resources to be developed include an index of type collections and an online global chromosome database. Funding for sabbaticals for monographers to work uninterrupted on major projects is strongly encouraged. We recommend that doctoral students be assigned smaller genera, or natural portions of larger ones (subgenera, sections, etc.), to gain the necessary expertise for producing a monograph, including training in a broad array of data collection (e.g., morphology, anatomy, palynology, cytogenetics, DNA techniques, ecology, biogeography), data analysis (e.g., statistics, phylogenetics, models), and nomenclature. Training programs, supported by institutes, associations, and agencies, provide means for passing on procedures and perspectives of challenging botanical monography to the next generation of young systematists.
Phylogeny of Polycnemoideae (Amaranthaceae): Implications for biogeography, character evolution and taxonomy
Authors: Masson Rüdiger , Kadereit Gudrun
Published: February 2019

Polycnemoideae is a poorly studied subfamily of the Amaranthaceae/Chenopodiaceae alliance which contains ca. 13 rare species in three disjunctly distributed genera. We present the results of a dated molecular phylogeny and a survey of morphology, micromorphology and stem anatomy revealing the phylogenetic relationships and historical biogeography of the subfamily as well as its morphological evolution. The results are converted into a new classification of the group. The divergence of Polycnemoideae from Amaranthaceae s. str. dates back to the Eocene and the oldest split in the subfamily separated a Northern Hemisphere lineage (Polycnemum) and a predominantly Southern Hemisphere lineage (Nitrophila, Hemichroa, Surreya gen. nov.) around the Eocene/Oligocene boundary. There is some evidence for a southern connection via Antarctica in the ancestor of the Nitrophila/Hemichroa/Surreya clade. The amphitropical genus Nitrophila likely originated in South America and reached North America via long–distance dispersal. Genera of Polycnemoideae diversified during the Miocene and Pliocene. They are species–poor and appear relictual. The morphological and micromorphological survey revealed a number of useful diagnostic characters which permit a clear definition of all four genera and 13 species recognized here. Hemichroa in its traditional circumscription lacks diagnostic characters. Hemichroa pentandra is much more similar to Nitrophila and shares a number of symplesiomorphies with it, while H. diandra and H. mesembryanthema, which form a highly supported clade, show several clear synapomorphic characters. Therefore the latter two species are here described within a new genus, Surreya R. Masson & G. Kadereit.
Vascular endothelial growth factor C treatment for mouse hind limb lymphatic revascularization
Authors: Ferrão Juliana S. P. , Bonfim Neto Antenor P. , da Fonseca Vanessa U. , Sousa Liza M.M.de C. , Papa Paula de C.
Published: February 2019

Spontaneous lymphatic revascularization is a challenge and the establishment of new therapeutic strategies may improve life quality for patients suffering from lymphatic disorders. This study was designed to verify if VEGFC treatment improves lymphatic vascularization in a time‐dependent manner in mouse hindlimb (HL) after resection of the inguinal lymph node. Lymphatic vascular density (Vv) and length (Lv) were evaluated by stereology after immunohistochemistry. The control Group (CG) was not manipulated but received saline instead of VEGFC treatment. The surgery Group (SG) had the left inguinal lymph node resected but did not received VEGFC treatment. VEGFC Treated Group (TG) had the node resected and received VEGFC treatment. VEGFC and VEGFR3 local expression were assessed by qPCR. There was an effect of time over Vv and Lv in the SG and significant difference between CG and SG in the regions studied (proximal, medium and distal regions) of the left HL (LHL). The Lv showed significant difference between CG and SG only in the medium region. The Vv and the Lv for TG were higher than the other groups. VEGFC and VEGFR3 gene expression presented time effect in all regions of the LHL for SG and TG. Both VEGFC and VEGFR3 gene expression presented significant difference between CG and SG, between SG and TG and between CG and TG. This study showed significant decrease in lymphatic vascularization in the left hindlimb of mice after surgical removal of the inguinal lymph node and adjacent lymphatic vessels. Exogenous VEGFC could recover lymphatic vascularization through stimulating neolymphangiogenesis.
Nationwide Propensity‐Score Matched Study of Mesh Versus Suture Repair of Primary Ventral Hernias in Women with a Subsequent Pregnancy
Authors: Oma Erling , Bisgaard Thue , Jorgensen Lars N. , Jensen Kristian K.
Published: February 2019

Background

Mesh reinforcement is recommended for repair of primary ventral hernias; however, this recommendation does not consider a potential subsequent pregnancy. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to compare mesh and suture repair of a primary ventral hernia in women with a subsequent pregnancy.

Methods

All women of childbearing age who underwent repair of a primary ventral hernia between 2007 and 2014 were identified in the Danish Ventral Hernia Database. Data were merged with the Danish Medical Birth Registry. Women with a subsequent pregnancy and a propensity‐score matched control group of women without a subsequent pregnancy were included. A structured questionnaire was sent out, and the primary outcome was hernia recurrence, while the secondary outcome was chronic postoperative pain.

Results

In total, 632 women were included, of whom 441 (69.8%) responded to the questionnaire (195 and 246 with and without subsequent pregnancy, respectively). The 8‐year cumulative incidence of recurrence was 24.8%. In women with a subsequent pregnancy, mesh repair was associated with a decreased risk of recurrence (hazard ratio 0.44, 95% CI 0.20–0.95, p = 0.038, number needed to treat = 5.1) and an increased risk of chronic pain (OR 5.07, 95% CI 1.20–23.38, p = 0.029, number needed to harm = 4.7) compared with suture repair, in multivariable analyses.

Conclusions

Mesh repair was associated with a decreased risk of recurrence, but an increased risk of chronic pain, compared with suture repair in women with a subsequent pregnancy.
Revisiting Laparoscopic Reconstruction for Billroth 1 Versus Billroth 2 Versus Roux‐en‐Y After Distal Gastrectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis in the Modern Era
Authors: Kim Min Seo , Kwon Yeongkeun , Park Eun Pyung , An Liang , Park Haeyeon , Park Sungsoo
Published: February 2019

Background

In this modern era, laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) has largely replaced open distal gastrectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer; however, a quantitative review of reconstruction methods applied exclusively using LDG has not yet been published. Thereafter, we compared three reconstruction methods (Billroth I, Billroth II, and Roux‐en Y) using the data derived solely from LDG patients.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted using electronic bibliographic databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, and Embase), for articles that compared reconstruction methods in LDG, published within the last decade. A systematic review comparing 12 outcome parameters and sensitivity analyses were performed to increase the statistical power and minimize the inconsistency and heterogeneity of results.

Results

Twenty‐three clinical trials involving 5797 patients were included in the meta‐analysis. There were no significant differences in the postoperative recovery and intraoperative parameters, except for operation time. B1 demonstrated a significantly shorter operation time when compared with B2 and RY by 21.6 min (P < 0.0001) and 44.69 min (P < 0.0001), respectively. In terms of postoperative endoscopic symptoms, RY was significantly superior to B1 and B2 for bile reflux (P < 0.001) and remnant gastritis (P < 0.001). For postoperative complications, B1 showed a significantly lower rate of postoperative morbidity than did RY and B2 (P = 0.0006 and P = 0.0005, respectively).

Conclusions

Our study is the first meta‐analysis comparing anastomoses in LDG and introduces novel criteria for consideration when selecting reconstructions in LDG. Considering the significant differences in postoperative complications and endoscopic symptoms, these two parameters lay reasonable groundwork for guiding the surgeon’s choice of reconstruction.
Anterior Dor or Posterior Toupet with Heller Myotomy for Achalasia Cardia: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Siddaiah‐Subramanya Manjunath , Yunus Rossita Mohamad , Khan Shahjahan , Memon Breda , Memon Muhammed Ashraf
Published: February 2019

Background and Aims

Partial fundoplication is commonly performed in conjunction with Heller Myotomy. It is, however, controversial whether anterior Dor or posterior Toupet partial fundoplication is the antireflux procedure of choice. The aim was to perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies comparing these two procedures.

Material and Methods

A search of PubMed, Cochrane database, Medline, Embase, Science Citation Index, Google scholar and current contents for English language articles comparing Dor and Toupet fundoplication following HM between 1991 and 2018 was performed. The outcome variables analyzed included operating time, length of hospital stay (LOHS), overall complication rate, quality of life (QOL), postoperative reflux, residual postoperative dysphagia, treatment failure and reoperations. The meta‐analysis was prepared in accordance with the PRISMA‐P statement.

Results

Seven studies totaling 486 patients (Dor = 245, Toupet = 241) were analyzed. LOHS was significantly shorter for Toupet repair compared to Dor procedure (WMD 0.73, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.99; P < 0.0001). Furthermore, patients after Toupet experienced significantly better QOL than those after Dor (WMD 1.68, 95% CI 0.68 to 2.73, P < 0.001). All other variables showed comparable effects for these two procedures.

Conclusion

Our systematic review and meta‐analysis revealed that Toupet fundoplication is superior to Dor in terms of LOHS and QOL following HM. For other variables such as postoperative reflux, postoperative dysphagia, complication rates and treatment failure, both Dor and Toupet fundoplication produced effective and equivalent results.
A new cryptostome bryozoanPtilotrypafrom the Upper Ordovician Yong Limestone Formation: Tethyan sequence of Kumaun Higher Himalaya, India
Authors: Swami Narendra K. , Ernst Andrej , Tripathi Satish C. , Barman Prasenjit , Bharti S.K. , Rana Y.P.
Published: February 2019

A new species of the Paleozoic bryozoan genusPtilotrypaof the order Cryptostomata is described from the lower part of the Yong Limestone Formation, Katian, Upper Ordovician of the Kumaun Tethys Himalaya:Ptilotrypa bajpaiinew species. The presence of the genusPtilotrypain the Tethyan Himalaya suggests paleogeographic connections to the Upper Ordovician of North America and, consequently, Upper Ordovician age for the lower part of the Yong Limestone Formation. This species displays a reticulate colony shape, which suggests an efficient filtering capacity in an environment with a high primary production. Morphological peculiarities and systematic assignment of the genusPtilotrypaare discussed.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/898276c8-2924-4da2-ae96-3392cb2ebbc3
Ground state solutions of Hamiltonian elliptic systems in dimension two
Authors: de Figueiredo Djairo G. , Marcos do Ó João , Zhang Jianjun
Published: February 2019

The aim of this paper is to study Hamiltonian elliptic system of the form
0.1$$\left\{ {\matrix{ {-\Delta u = g(v)} & {{\rm in}\;\Omega,} \cr {-\Delta v = f(u)} & {{\rm in}\;\Omega,} \cr {u = 0,v = 0} & {{\rm on}\;\partial \Omega,} \cr } } \right.$$
where Ω ⊂ ℝ2 is a bounded domain. In the second place, we present existence results for the following stationary Schrödinger systems defined in the whole plane
0.2$$\left\{ {\matrix{ {-\Delta u + u = g(v)\;\;\;{\rm in}\;{\open R}^2,} \cr {-\Delta v + v = f(u)\;\;\;{\rm in}\;{\open R}^2.} \cr } } \right.$$We assume that the nonlinearities f, g have critical growth in the sense of Trudinger–Moser. By using a suitable variational framework based on the generalized Nehari manifold method, we obtain the existence of ground state solutions of both systems (0.1) and (0.2).
Old residents and new arrivals ofRhagoletisspecies in Europe
Authors: Augustinos A.A. , Moraiti C.A. , Drosopoulou E. , Kounatidis I. , Mavragani-Tsipidou P. , Bourtzis K. , Papadopoulos N.T.
Published: February 2019

The genusRhagoletis(Diptera: Tephritidae) comprises more than 65 species distributed throughout Europe, Asia and America, including many species of high economic importance. Currently, there are threeRhagoletisspecies that infest fruits and nuts in Europe. The European cherry fruit fly,Rhagoletis cerasi(may have invaded Europe a long time ago from the Caucasian area of West Asia), and two invasive species (recently introduced from North America): the eastern American cherry fruit fly,R. cingulata, and the walnut husk fly,R. completa. The presence of differentRhagoletisspecies may enhance population dynamics and establish an unpredictable economic risk for several fruit and nut crops in Europe. Despite their excessive economic importance, little is known on population dynamics, genetics and symbiotic associations for making sound pest control decisions in terms of species-specific, environmental friendly pest control methods. To this end, the current paper (a) summarizes recently accumulated genetic and population data for the EuropeanRhagoletisspecies and their association with the endosymbiontWolbachia pipientis, and (b) explores the possibility of using the current knowledge for implementing the innovative biological control methods of sterile insect technique and incompatible insect technique.
Acoustic properties of vowels in Upper Necaxa Totonac
Authors: García-Vega Michelle , Tucker Benjamin V.
Published: February 2019

Upper Necaxa Totonac is a Totonacan language spoken in the Necaxa River valley in the Sierra Norte of Puebla State, Mexico. While the Totonacan languages historically have three phonemic vowel qualities, the Upper Necaxa system consists of five vowels that contrast length and laryngealization. With acoustic data from six native speakers from the Totonacan communities of Patla and Chicontla, we explore the phonetic properties of vowels with respect to the first and second formant frequencies, quantity (duration), vowel phonation (modal vs. laryngeal), and stress. The data indicate that long, short, modal and laryngeal vowels occupy a similar formant space and that duration is the primary phonetic correlate of phonemic vowel length. A shift in vowel quality and an increase in duration and pitch were shown to be the acoustic characteristics of stress. The study provides a first acoustic analysis of vowels in Upper Necaxa, and contributes to typological descriptions of the properties of vowels connected with quality, quantity, stress, and phonation.
Divine and creaturely agency in Genesis 1
Authors: Chambers Nathan
Published: February 2019

The interaction between God and creatures is central to biblical narratives. There are several possible models for understanding the relationship between divine and creaturely agency. This article argues that a ‘non-competitive’ model for the interaction of divine and creaturely agency allows for a coherent interpretation of various features of Genesis 1 where alternative models lead to confusion. Since this ‘non-competitive’ model is historically related to creatio ex nihilo, it raises once again the question of the suitability of creatio ex nihilo for biblical interpretation.
Reading tradition as pedagogy in Calvin and Augustine: the case of election
Authors: Sanchez Michelle C.
Published: February 2019

In colloquial English the word ‘tradition’ tends to be understood as a noun referring to a more-or-less static set of propositions, often used to define the identity of the particular group that accepts them. This article seeks to challenge this convention by defending an older, more fluid sense oftraditiothat is not only found in but formative of a variety of major Christian theological sources. The argument draws especially on Jean Calvin, his preferred theological authority Augustine and briefly the New Testament itself, showing that each demonstrates a fundamental interest in Christian teaching as participation in divine pedagogy. Using the doctrine of election as a case study, I argue that this pedagogical framework evidences a dynamic conception oftraditioastradere, or a discourse on how human beings faithfully participate in what is properly a divine giving-and-receiving. This conception of tradition as pedagogy is commended for both its theological and its critical merit.
Quality Assessment of Reporting of Economic Evaluation in Cardiac Sugery: Has it Improved?
Authors: Guerre Pascale , Laaboub Nermine , Colin Cyrille , Obadia Jean-François , Julien Christell , Hrifach Abdelbaste , Rabier Hugo , Serrier Hassan , Grinberg Daniel
Published: February 2019

Objectives

Cardiac surgery has seen substantial scientific progress over recent decades. Health economic evaluations have become important tools for decision makers to prioritize scarce health resources. The present study aimed to identify and critically appraise the reporting quality of health economic evaluations conducted in the field of cardiac surgery.

Methods

A literature search was performed to identify health economic evaluations in cardiac surgery. The consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement was used to assess the quality of reporting of studies.

Results

A total 4,705 articles published between 1981 and 2016 were identified; sixty-nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There was a trend toward a greater number of publications and reporting quality over time. Six (8.7 percent) studies were conducted between 1981 and 1990, nine (13 percent) between 1991 and 2000, twenty-four (34.8 percent) between 2001 and 2010, and thirty (43.5 percent) after 2011. The mean CHEERS score of all articles was 16.7/24; for those published between 1980 and 1990 the mean (SD) score was 10.2 (±1.4), for those published between 1991 and 2000 it was 11.2 (±2.4), between 2001 and 2010 it was 15.3 (±4.8), and after 2011 it was 19.9 (±2.9). The quality of reporting was still insufficient for several studies after 2000, especially concerning items “characterizing heterogeneity,” “assumptions,” and “choice of model.”

Conclusions

The present study suggests that, even if the quantity and the quality of health economics evaluation in cardiac surgery has increased, there remains a need for improvement in several reporting criteria to ensure greater transparency.
THE SUM OF THE RECIPROCAL OF THE RANDOM WALK
Authors: Michel Jon , de Jong Robert
Published: February 2019

This paper derives the limit distribution of the rescaled sum of the reciprocal of the positive part of a random walk with continuously distributed innovations, and of the rescaled sum of the reciprocal of the absolute value of a random walk with continuously distributed innovations. It also considers this statistic for the case of a simple random walk, and shows that the limit distribution is different for this case.
A Letter from the Editor
Authors: MILLER DALE E.
Published: February 2019

As editor in chief of Utilitas, it is my great pleasure to announce the appointment of two new associate editors. Dr. Emmanuelle de Champs is Professor of British History and Civilisation at the University of Cergy-Pontoise. She is the author of Enlightenment and Utility: Bentham in France, Bentham in French (Cambridge University Press, 2015) and La déontologie politique ou La pensée constitutionnelle de Jeremy Bentham (Droz, 2008). Dr. Holly Smith is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University. Her Making Morality Work has just been published by Oxford University Press. So we have now strengthen our editorial roster in both the history of ideas and contemporary moral philosophy.
Living Together in Diversity: Strategies from Law and Religion
Authors: Hill Mark
Published: February 2019

The International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies (ICLARS) chose Rio de Janeiro and the sun-kissed beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana for its fifth conference and, unsurprisingly, the event was heavily over-subscribed. ICLARS was founded in 2007 with the aim of providing a forum where information, data and opinions could be readily exchanged among members and made available to the broader scientific community. Its first conference was held in Milan in 2009, followed by meetings in Chile in 2011, the USA in 2013 and Oxford in 2016. The proceedings from all these conferences have been published, giving permanence and a wider readership to the innovative scholarship which these gatherings have consistently produced.
June–September 2018
Authors: Cranmer Frank
Published: February 2019

The Charity Commission for England and Wales published an updated list of the questions to be included in the 2018 Annual Return for registered charities. The trustees of charities excepted from registration with the Commission – which include a considerable number of church congregations – are not required to submit an annual return; but an increasing number find that they must do so because when an excepted charity's annual income exceeds £100,000 it loses its excepted status. The previously expressed intention to require every charity trustee to provide an e-mail address has been abandoned; instead, the Commission intends to ask all trustees either to supply an e-mail address or to confirm that they do not have one – which looks very like a welcome climbdown. The Commission's on-line Annual Return Service opened for submissions on 20 August.
Governing Body of the Church in Wales
Authors: Chandler Lynette
Published: February 2019

The Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd John Davies, reminded members that the Church was still addressing challenges and implementing radical changes following the Harries Review in 2012. He reflected that the Church in Wales is planning to celebrate its centenary in 2020 by ‘recognising concrete steps, solid progress and commitment to our core purpose in which everyone has a part to play’. The archbishop went on to remind members that a year ago the Governing Body committed itself to putting evangelism at the heart of the Church, stating that we had more than 1,200 local church buildings in regular use and that they must be places where newcomers and inquirers from communities feel welcome. He emphasised that the Church in Wales is not a private membership organisation existing to provide comfortably familiar services to its members. Nourishing and accessible worship and teaching in a variety of styles and forms must be offered to all who seek it.
General Synod of the Church of Ireland
Authors: Turner Kate
Published: February 2019

This year's General Synod, the first meeting of the triennium, was held in the now familiar venue of a hotel in Armagh City. The Synod considered Bills relating to the Book of Common Prayer, safeguarding trust issues, the governance of St Fin Barre's Cathedral, temporary suspension of episcopal electoral colleges and General Synod membership. During the meeting of Synod a commentary on the Constitution of the Church of Ireland was launched.
Neighbour home gardening predicts dietary diversity among rural Tanzanian women
Authors: Blakstad Mia M , Bellows Alexandra L , Mosha Dominic , Canavan Chelsey R , Mlalama Killian , Kinabo Joyce , Kruk Margaret E , Masanja Honorati , Fawzi Wafaie W
Published: February 2019

Objective

The present study’s aim was to assess the impact of a nutrition-sensitive intervention on dietary diversity and home gardening among non-participants residing within intervention communities.

Design

The study was a cross-sectional risk factor analysis using linear and logistic multivariate models.

Setting

In Tanzania, women and children often consume monotonous diets of poor nutritional value primarily because of physical or financial inaccessibility or low awareness of healthy foods.

Participants

Participants were women of reproductive age (18–49 years) in rural Tanzania.

Results

Mean dietary diversity was low with women consuming three out of ten possible food groups. Only 23·4 % of respondents achieved the recommended minimum dietary diversity of five or more food groups out of ten per day. Compared with those who did not, respondents who had a neighbour who grew crops in their home garden were 2·71 times more likely to achieve minimum dietary diversity (95 % CI 1·60, 4·59; P=0·0004) and 1·91 times more likely to grow a home garden themselves (95 % CI 1·10, 3·33; P=0·02). Other significant predictors of higher dietary diversity were respondent age, education and wealth, and number of crops grown.

Conclusions

These results suggest that there are substantial positive externalities of home garden interventions beyond those attained by the people who own and grow the vegetables. Cost-effectiveness assessments of nutrition-sensitive agriculture, including home garden interventions, should factor in the effects on the community, and not just on the individual households receiving the intervention.
Mediterranean diet score and incidence of IHD: a global comparative study
Authors: Sezaki Ayako , Imai Tomoko , Miyamoto Keiko , Kawase Fumiya , Shimokata Hiroshi
Published: February 2019

Objective

The aim of the present study was to clarify the global relationship between Mediterranean diet score (MDS) and the incidence of IHD by country using international statistics.

Design

The incidence of IHD by country was derived from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. Average supplies of food (g/d per capita) and energy (kcal/d per capita) by country, excluding loss between production and household, were obtained from the FAOSTAT database. MDS was evaluated based on the total score of nine food items that characterize the Mediterranean diet. The association between MDS and the incidence of IHD was examined in countries with a population of 1 million or greater using a general linear model controlled for socio-economic and lifestyle variables.

Setting

Population data from global international databases.

Participants

One hundred and thirty-two countries with a population of over 1 million.

Results

MDS was inversely correlated with obesity rate, ageing rate, years of education and IHD incidence; however, no associations were found with gross domestic product, life expectancy, smoking rate, energy supply or health expenditure. In the general linear model of IHD incidence by MDS controlled for socio-economic and lifestyle variables, the β of the MDS was –26·4 (se 8·6; P<0·01).

Conclusions

The results of this global international comparative study confirmed that the Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with the incidence of IHD.
Supply of Policy Information in the World Trade Organization: Cross-National Compliance with One-Time and Regular Notification Obligations, 1995–2014
Authors: Karlas Jan , Parízek Michal
Published: February 2019

This text presents the first systematic quantitative descriptive and explanatory account of World Trade Organization (WTO) member states’ compliance with their one-time and regular notification obligations. The system of around 170 notifications, through which states are obliged to provide to the WTO relevant information on their policies, constitutes a key mechanism of transparency in the global trade regime. Based on data for the one-time and regular obligations from the years 1995–2014, we seek to map and explain the variation in the degree to which states comply with these obligations. Descriptively, we identify enormous differences in the compliance values of states, ranging from compliance well above 80% to below 20%. To explain those differences, we test five theoretical explanations that concentrate on the trade policy preferences of states and on their institutional characteristics. The empirical findings support four of the tested explanations. In particular, they highlight the relevance of states’ administrative capacities and membership in international organizations (IOs). In addition, the empirical analysis shows that compliance levels are strongly positively connected with the economic size of the members.
IS TAXATION FORCED LABOUR?
Authors: Hinton Timothy
Published: February 2019

Libertarians frequently complain that when a government taxes some of its citizens in order to help others, it is forcing them to behave altruistically. And obviously, we are meant to think, that use of force is morally objectionable. But what exactly makes taxation objectionable? One answer that many libertarians supply is that forcing some people to benefit others is wrong because it involves forced labour. The underlying thought seems to be that there is something morally troubling about making some people work for others. In this article I scrutinize this thought. After describing two different kinds of taxation, I show how the libertarian argument about taxes depends on a distinction between posing a threat to other people and failing to help them. This brings us to the moral bedrock of the argument that taxation is forced labour, namely the idea that no one has a right to force you to do something unless you pose a threat to other people. The bulk of my article is devoted to showing (1) that this idea cannot deliver the conclusion that libertarians want because it conflicts with other things that libertarians believe; and (2) once you give up on that idea, it turns out that taxation to benefit others is not necessarily wrong by libertarian standards.
WHY GOD IS MOST ASSUREDLY EVIL: CHALLENGING THE EVIL GOD CHALLENGE
Authors: Byron Chris
Published: February 2019

The evil God challenge argues that for every theodicy that justifies the existence of an omnibenevolent God in the face of evil, there is a mirror theodicy that can defend the existence of an omnimalevolent God in the face of good. People who invoke the evil God challenge further argue that because we find evil God theodicies to be implausible, we should find good God theodicies to be equally implausible. This article argues that in fact evil God theodicies are more reasonable than good God theodicies by expanding upon arguments offered by David Benatar regarding the nature of existence, and David Hume regarding the asymmetry in our sensations of pain and pleasure.
THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EVIL-GOD: A RESPONSE TO WARD
Authors: Lancaster-Thomas Asha
Published: February 2019

In his fairly recent article in this journal, ‘The Evil-god Challenge – A Response’ (Think 40), Keith Ward attempts to nullify Stephen Law's evil-god challenge by presenting several arguments intended to demonstrate that an omniscient, omnipotent being cannot conceivably be evil. In this article, I critically respond to each of Ward's arguments to reach the conclusion that an omnipotent, omniscient being could indeed be evil. To achieve this, I claim that neither perfect empathy nor rationality entails benevolence, that the desire for suffering is not necessarily pathological, and that human desire for a good god does not entail that god is actually benevolent.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: A COMMENTARY ON THE FORCEHIMES–KARJIKER DEBATE
Authors: Pirhayati Ali
Published: February 2019

Forcehimes poses a parity between libraries and downloading books online and concludes that the im/permissibility of one of them entails the im/permissibility of the other and vice versa. Karjiker rejects this parity, arguing that the magnitudes of these two are vastly different and while libraries do not lead to a considerable market failure, downloading ebooks does. In this article, I try to clarify some points, show a kind of parochialism in Karjiker's arguments, propose a thought experiment to neutralize the magnitude problem, and justify Forcehimes’ main idea.
Genome-wide epigenetic signatures of childhood adversity in early life: Opportunities and challenges
Authors: Sasaki Aya , Matthews Stephen G.
Published: February 2019

Maternal adversity and fetal glucocorticoid exposure has long-term effects on cardiovascular, metabolic and behavioral systems in offspring that can persist throughout the lifespan. These data, along with other environmental exposure data, implicate epigenetic modifications as potential mechanisms for long-term effects of maternal exposures on adverse health outcomes in offspring. Advances in microarray, sequencing and bioinformatic approaches have enabled recent studies to examine the genome-wide epigenetic response to maternal adversity. Studies of maternal exposures to xenobiotics such as arsenic and smoking have been performed at birth to examine fetal epigenomic signatures in cord blood relating to adult health outcomes. However, there have been no epigenomic studies examining these effects in animal models. On the other hand, to date, only a few studies of the effects of maternal psychosocial stress have been performed in human infants, and the majority of animal studies have examined epigenomic outcomes in adulthood. In terms of maternal exposure to excess glucocorticoids by synthetic glucocorticoid treatment, there has been no epigenetic study performed in humans and only a few studies undertaken in animal models. This review emphasizes the importance of examining biomarkers of exposure to adversity throughout development to identify individuals at risk and to target interventions. Thus, research performed at birth will be reviewed. In addition, potential subject characteristics associated with epigenetic modifications, technical considerations, the selection of target tissues and combining human studies with animal models will be discussed in relation to the design of experiments in this field of study.
Occupy College Street: Student Radicalism in Kolkata in the Sixties
Authors: Samaddar Ranabir
Published: February 2019

1968 saw a wave of protests and student radicalism in India, some of the tactics and issues of which were reminiscent of those in Europe and North America. The anti-imperialist theme was similarly strident, and the student and youth movement posed serious challenges to the old established Left, sharing traits of a global New Left agenda. The upsurge of post-independence radicalism in India, however, drew on different historical legacies, and exhibited many specific features, all of which culminated in the student and youth upsurge of 1968–69. In order to demonstrate the complex history and legacy of 60s radicalism in India, this essay takes us back to  the sixties in Kolkata when the insurgent movement in West Bengal had developed the tactic of occupation, which helped the movement crystallize and caused, ironically, the undoing of the mobilization in the end. Occupy as a tactic thus has a history, and the radicals of today perhaps in their enthusiasm for the New Left ethos have ignored the history of the insurgent tactics of the past, especially tactics developed in the postcolonial context.
Inside Russia's Imperial Relations: The Social Constitution of Putin-Kadyrov Patronage
Authors: Wilhelmsen Julie
Published: February 2019

This article analyzes how Moscow has extended its rule over Chechnia since the beginning of this century. Within the larger understanding of this rule as imperial in form, the current distinct contractual relationship between the Russian center and Chechnia is substantiated as one based on kinship. I argue that the Putin-Kadyrov relationship is a generic case of patronage but highlight the local imprint that such relations acquire by tracing how Chechen kinship practices inform this case.
Evaluations of Climate and Land Management Effects on Lake Carbon Cycling Need to Account for Temporal Variability in CO2 Concentrations
Authors: Klaus Marcus , Seekell David A. , Lidberg William , Karlsson Jan
Published: February 2019

Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in lakes vary strongly over time. This variability is rarely captured by environmental monitoring but is crucial for accurately assessing the magnitude of lake CO2 emissions. However, it is unknown to what extent temporal variability needs to be captured to understand important drivers of lake carbon cycling such as climate and land management. We used environmental monitoring data of Swedish forest lakes collected in autumn (n = 439) and throughout the whole open water season (n = 22) from a wet and a dry year to assess temporal variability in effects of climate and forestry on CO2 concentrations across lakes. Effects differed depending on the season and year sampled. According to cross‐lake comparisons based on autumn data, CO2 concentrations increased with annual mean air temperature (dry year) or catchment forest productivity (wet year) but were not related to colored dissolved organic matter concentrations. In contrast, open water‐season averaged CO2 concentrations were similar across temperature and productivity gradients but increased with colored dissolved organic matter. These contradictions resulted from scale mismatches in input data, lead to weak explanatory power (R2 = 9–32%), and were consistent across published data from 79 temperate, boreal, and arctic lakes. In a global survey of 144 published studies, we identified a trade‐off between temporal and spatial coverage of CO2 sampling. This trade‐off clearly determines which conclusions are drawn from landscape‐scale CO2 assessments. Accurate evaluations of the effects of climate and land management require spatially and temporally representative data that can be provided by emerging sensor technologies and forms of collaborative sampling.
Underwater Ice Terrace Observed at the Front of Glaciar Grey, a Freshwater Calving Glacier in Patagonia
Authors: Sugiyama Shin , Minowa Masahiro , Schaefer Marius
Published: February 2019

Underwater ice geometry at the front of calving glaciers provides crucial information for calving and underwater melting. In this study, we present ice geometry captured by operating a side‐scanning sonar near the front of Glaciar Grey, a freshwater calving glacier in Patagonia. The observations revealed ice projecting into the lake with a substantially different structure from that of known tidewater glaciers. Terrace‐like ice structures were found at several tens of meters below the water surface and extended up to 100 m from the aerial ice front. The structure depicted by the sonar was confirmed when the ice front was exposed by flotation during a major calving event. We infer that buoyant force acting on the submerged ice terrace acted as a driver of the calving event. Our study demonstrates the importance of the underwater ice geometry, which affects sizable calving at the front of freshwater calving glaciers.
Measurements of Geomagnetic Declination (1685–1910) Using Land Surveys, LiDAR, and Stone Walls
Authors: Delano John W.
Published: February 2019

Nearly 1,200 km of boundaries surveyed in 1685–1910, upon which stone walls were subsequently built, were measured using high‐resolution Light Detection and Ranging in the northeastern United States (New Hampshire and New York). The geomagnetic declinations at the time of the original land surveys of those stone wall‐defined boundaries have been determined and compared with (i) current geophysical models (i.e., gufm1, IGRF12; United States Historical Declinations) and (ii) measured declinations (Bauer, 1902). With the exception of lower declinations (i.e., 1.5° eastward) in 1775–1810, the results of this study are in good agreement with gufm1 and IGRF12 geomagnetic declinations. This study yielded systematically higher declinations (i.e., up to 2.0° westerly) than the United States Historical Declination values during 1750–1780. These results demonstrate that geomagnetic declination can be determined when durable, human‐engineered structures on land (e.g., stone walls, roads) are accompanied by detailed historical documentation and accurate land surveys. An example of using old streets (1699) in Colonial Williamsburg, VA, is also discussed. Precisions of the bearings along boundaries in the seventeenth‐ to nineteenth‐century land surveys used this study were typically better than ±0.30°.
Storm Catalog‐Based Analysis of Rainfall Heterogeneity and Frequency in a Complex Terrain
Authors: Zhou Zhengzheng , Smith James A. , Wright Daniel B. , Baeck Mary Lynn , Yang Long , Liu Shuguang
Published: February 2019

Urban development, topographic relief, and coastal boundaries can all exert influences on storm hydroclimatology, making rainfall and flood frequency analysis a major challenge. This study explores heterogeneity in extreme rainfall in the Baltimore Metropolitan region at small spatial scales using hydrometeorological analyses of major storm events in combination with hydroclimatological analyses based on storm catalogs developed using a 16‐year record of high‐resolution bias‐corrected radar rainfall fields. Our analyses demonstrate the potential for rainfall frequency methods using storm catalogs combined with stochastic storm transposition (SST); procedures are implemented for Dead Run, a small (14.3 km2) urban watershed located within the Baltimore Metropolitan area. The results point to the pronounced impact of complex terrain (including the Chesapeake Bay to the east, mountainous terrain to the west and urbanization in the region) on the regional rainfall climatology. Warm‐season thunderstorm systems are shown to be the dominant mechanism for generating extreme, short‐duration rainfall that leads to flash flooding. The SST approach is extended through the implementation of a multiplier field that accounts for spatial heterogeneities in extreme rainfall magnitude. SST‐based analyses demonstrate the need to consider rainfall heterogeneity at multiple scales when estimating the rainfall intensity‐duration‐frequency relationships.
Ancient Tsunami Tied to Volcanic Flank Collapse in Italy
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: February 2019

Stromboli’s volcanic cone may have suffered multiple flank collapses between the 14th and 16th centuries, triggering tsunamis that led to the abandonment of the island.
Deregulated Gab2 phosphorylation mediates aberrant AKT and STAT3 signaling upon PIK3R1 loss in ovarian cancer
Authors: Li Xinran , Mak Victor C. Y. , Zhou Yuan , Wang Chao , Wong Esther S. Y. , Sharma Rakesh , Lu Yiling , Cheung Annie N. Y. , Mills Gordon B. , Cheung Lydia W. T.
Published: February 2019

Copy number loss of PIK3R1 (p85α) most commonly occurs in ovarian cancer among all cancer types. Here we report that ovarian cancer cells manifest a spectrum of tumorigenic phenotypes upon knockdown of PIK3R1. PIK3R1 loss activates AKT and p110-independent JAK2/STAT3 signaling through inducing changes in the phosphorylation of the docking protein Gab2, thereby relieving the negative inhibition on AKT and promoting the assembly of JAK2/STAT3 signalosome, respectively. Additional mechanisms leading to AKT activation include enhanced p110α kinase activity and a decrease in PTEN level. PIK3R1 loss renders ovarian cancer cells vulnerable to inhibition of AKT or JAK2/STAT3. The combination of AKT and STAT3 inhibitors significantly increases the anti-tumor effect compared to single-agent treatments. Together, our findings provide a rationale for mechanism-based therapeutic approach that targets tumors with loss of PIK3R1.
Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov and vortex phases in a layered organic superconductor
Authors: Sugiura Shiori , Isono Takayuki , Terashima Taichi , Yasuzuka Syuma , Schlueter John A. , Uji Shinya
Published: February 2019

Superconductivity is one of the most intriguing topics in solid state physics. Generally, the superconducting Cooper pairs are broken by the Zeeman effect, which gives the so-called Pauli paramagnetic limit HPauli. However, when the superconductivity is in the clean limit and the orbital effect is strongly quenched, the Cooper pairs can survive even above HPauli, which is the so-called Fulde and Ferrell, and Larkin and Ovchinnikov (FFLO) phase. Extensive efforts have been devoted to the discovery of the FFLO phase. However, vortex phase transitions have given rise to considerable ambiguity in the interpretation of the experimental data. Here, we report comprehensive magnetocaloric and torque studies of the FFLO phase transition in a highly two-dimensional organic superconductor. We observe the FFLO phase transition clearly distinct from vortex melting transitions. The phase diagram provides crucial information on the stability of the FFLO phase in magnetic fields.
Soil properties and productivity in two long-term crop rotations differing with respect to organic matter management on an Albic Luvisol
Authors: Martyniuk S. , Pikuła D. , Kozieł M.
Published: February 2019

This study was based on a three-factor experiment carried out since 1980 on a loamy sand (Albic Luvisol) in which arable crops were grown in two 4-years rotations: RotA (grain maize, winter wheat, spring barley and silage maize) and RotB [grain maize, winter wheat plus mustard green manure (GM), spring barley and grass–clover ley (GCL)]. The soil in RotB with an increased input of OM (GM and 1-year GCL) accumulated significantly larger amounts of soil organic carbon and soil microbial biomass C, had higher activities of dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase enzymes and gave significantly higher winter wheat grain yields compared to the soil in RotA. However, in the absence of liming, the soil in RotB, contrary to that in RotA, became more acidic, had reduced activity of alkaline phosphatase and lower contents of Ca and Mg, and contained a diminished proportion of the >0.5 mm macroaggregates fraction. These soil deteriorative effects of crop rotations delivering larger amounts of OM have not been reported so far. In both rotations FYM applied once per 4-year rotation at 40 Mg ha−1 improved all the tested soil properties and had mitigating effects on the negative changes found in the soil of RotB.