bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collenia itapevensis sp.n. - um fóssil pré-cambriano do Estado de São Paulo
Authors: Almeida Fernando Flavio Marques de
Published: March 2017

No presente trabalho o A. noticia a recente descoberta de estruturas organógenas feita em dolomitos da série Assunguí na zona sul do Estado de São Paulo. Êste fóssil, o primeiro descoberto até hoje nos depósitos pre-cambrianos do Brasil, vem reforçar a idade algonquiana que tem sido dada a esta série e às suas congêneres, ao mesmo tempo que é um dos mais antigos traços de vida encontrados no Planeta e dos mais primitivos tipos de vida conhecida
Direct Comparison of 4 Very Early Rule-Out Strategies for Acute Myocardial Infarction Using High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I
Authors: Boeddinghaus Jasper , Nestelberger Thomas , Twerenbold Raphael , Wildi Karin , Badertscher Patrick , Cupa Janosch , Bürge Tobias , Mächler Patrick , Corbière Sydney , Grimm Karin , Giménez Maria Rubini , Puelacher Christian , Shrestha Samyut , Flores Widmer Dayana , Fuhrmann Jakob , Hillinger Petra , Sabti Zaid , Honegger Ursina , Schaerli Nicolas , Kozhuharov Nikola , Rentsch Katharina , Miró Òscar , López Beatriz , Martin-Sanchez F. Javier , Rodriguez-Adrada Esther , Morawiec Beata , Kawecki Damian , Ganovská Eva , Parenica Jiri , Lohrmann Jens , Kloos Wanda , Buser Andreas , Geigy Nicolas , Keller Dagmar I. , Osswald Stefan , Reichlin Tobias , Mueller Christian
Published: March 2017

Background:

Four strategies for very early rule-out of acute myocardial infarction using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) have been identified. It remains unclear which strategy is most attractive for clinical application.

Methods:

We prospectively enrolled unselected patients presenting to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of acute myocardial infarction. The final diagnosis was adjudicated by 2 independent cardiologists. Hs-cTnI levels were measured at presentation and after 1 hour in a blinded fashion. We directly compared all 4 hs-cTnI–based rule-out strategies: limit of detection (LOD, hs-cTnI<2 ng/L), single cutoff (hs-cTnI<5 ng/L), 1-hour algorithm (hs-cTnI<5 ng/L and 1-hour change<2 ng/L), and the 0/1-hour algorithm recommended in the European Society of Cardiology guideline combining LOD and 1-hour algorithm.

Results:

Among 2828 enrolled patients, acute myocardial infarction was the final diagnosis in 451 (16%) patients. The LOD approach ruled out 453 patients (16%) with a sensitivity of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 99.2%–100%), the single cutoff 1516 patients (54%) with a sensitivity of 97.1% (95% CI, 95.1%–98.3%), the 1-hour algorithm 1459 patients (52%) with a sensitivity of 98.4% (95% CI, 96.8%–99.2%), and the 0/1-hour algorithm 1463 patients (52%) with a sensitivity of 98.4% (95% CI, 96.8%–99.2%). Predefined subgroup analysis in early presenters (≤2 hours) revealed significantly lower sensitivity (94.2%, interaction
P
=0.03) of the single cutoff, but not the other strategies. Two-year survival was 100% with LOD and 98.1% with the other strategies (
P
<0.01 for LOD versus each of the other strategies).

Conclusions:

All 4 rule-out strategies balance effectiveness and safety equally well. The single cutoff should not be applied in early presenters, whereas the 3 other strategies seem to perform well in this challenging subgroup.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00470587.
Robust Generation of Quiescent Porcine Valvular Interstitial Cell Cultures
Authors: Porras Ana M. , van Engeland Nicole C. A. , Marchbanks Evelyn , McCormack Ann , Bouten Carlijn V. C. , Yacoub Magdi H. , Latif Najma , Masters Kristyn S.
Published: March 2017

Background

Valvular interstitial cells (
VIC
s) in the healthy aortic valve leaflet exhibit a quiescent phenotype, with <5% of
VIC
s exhibiting an activated phenotype. Yet, in vitro culture of
VIC
s on tissue culture polystyrene surfaces in standard growth medium results in rapid transformation to an activated phenotype in >90% of cells. The inability to preserve a healthy
VIC
phenotype during in vitro studies has hampered the elucidation of mechanisms involved in calcific aortic valve disease. This study describes the generation of quiescent populations of porcine
VIC
s in 2‐dimensional in vitro culture and their utility in studying valve pathobiology.

Methods and Results

Within 4 days of isolation from fresh porcine hearts,
VIC
s cultured in standard growth conditions were predominantly myofibroblastic (activated
VIC
s). This myofibroblastic phenotype was partially reversed within 4 days, and fully reversed within 9 days, following application of a combination of a fibroblast media formulation with culture on collagen coatings. Specifically, culture in this combination significantly reduced several markers of
VIC
activation, including proliferation, apoptosis, α‐smooth muscle actin expression, and matrix production, relative to standard growth conditions. Moreover,
VIC
s raised in a fibroblast media formulation with culture on collagen coatings exhibited dramatically increased sensitivity to treatment with transforming growth factor β1, a known pathological stimulus, compared with
VIC
s raised in either standard culture or medium with a fibroblast media formulation.

Conclusions

The approach using a fibroblast media formulation with culture on collagen coatings generates quiescent
VIC
s that more accurately mimic a healthy
VIC
population and thus has the potential to transform the study of the mechanisms of
VIC
activation and dysfunction involved in the early stages of calcific aortic valve disease.
Swept into Puritanism: Emerson, Wendell Phillips, and the Roots of Radicalism
Authors: Gradert Kenyon
Published: March 2017

This essay charts how Ralph Waldo Emerson and Wendell Phillips found common ground in militant abolitionism through a reimagination of their Puritan heritage. It argues that in embracing their ancestors as Cromwellian spiritual warriors, they depart from usual “concepts of Puritan ancestry” and offer a way to heed calls for new literary histories.
“The Spirit of the Vedānta”: Occultism and Piety in Max Müller and Swami Vivekananda’s Interpretation of Ramakrishna
Authors: Green Thomas
Published: March 2017

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the Oxford scholar of Sanskrit, mythology, and religion, Friedrich Max Müller, produced two works on a contemporary religious figure, the Bengali Hindu holy man Sri Ramakrishna. Müller was assisted in the second of these efforts by Ramakrishna’s most influential disciple, Swami Vivekananda, who hoped to make use of Müller’s fame to present his master to a wider audience. Rather than measuring their fidelity or lack thereof to Ramakrishna’s teachings, as previous accounts have done, this article takes as its subject matter the late nineteenth-century ideas of Hinduism, religion, and the occult which emerge from Müller’s and Vivekananda’s efforts to make sense of Ramakrishna with a view to better understanding the concepts and attitudes which made such a collaborative work possible.
Is it one call or two? Perception of inter-pulse and inter-call intervals in the grey treefrog, Hyla versicolor
Authors: Schwartz Joshua J. , Hossain Ridwan
Published: March 2017

Female grey treefrogs, Hyla versicolor, treat a call with an anomalously large gap between call pulses as relatively unattractive. However, whether such a ‘call’ is treated (or perhaps perceived) as a single call or two separate calls, an issue relevant to the problem of perceptual segregation of calls of different males, was unclear. We tested whether there could be gaps shorter than a typical inter-call interval that would be sufficient to elicit the latter percept by offering females a choice between a 5-pulse call and 13-pulse call separated by a 1575-ms gap and these pulse strings separated by shorter gaps. Preliminary results suggested that perception of inter-call gaps was categorical, and the distributions of such gaps between males in choruses were compatible with this finding. However, when we also offered females call alternatives designed to specifically test the hypothesis of categorical perception, predictions were only sometimes met.
Wayward Jews, God-fearing Gentiles, or Curious Pagans? Jewish Normativity and the Sambathions
Authors: Cornthwaite Christopher J.
Published: March 2017

One of the most influential collections of Jewish material evidence in the last century, Corpus Papyrorum Judaicarum, includes Victor Tcherikover’s well-known work on the Sambathions, based on the common appearance of proper names, groups, and deities with similar, Sambath- roots. At stake was whether these people were Jews and the ways in which diaspora Jews and their host communities influenced one another. This historiographical study draws upon the recent category shift from Jewish to Judaean to argue that Tcherikover focuses on religious observance to test whether people with unknown origins are Jews. By doing so, he rejects that many of the Sambathions are Jews and shifts the evaluation of questionable behavior towards gentiles and God-fearers, thus inadvertently using gentiles to create and/or reinforce Jewish normativity.
Patriarchal Masculinity in Recent Swahili-language Muslim Sermons
Authors: Becker Felicitas
Published: March 2017

This paper offers a close examination of statements on patriarchal masculinity from three widely traded sermon recordings produced in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It sets them in the context of Islamic reform, Muslim political discontent, and the consumption of sermon recordings in East Africa. Despite similar assertions on the need for men to protect and control women, in close reading the three preachers offer quite divergent characterisations of the patriarch’s methods, obligations, and entitlements within the household. The sermons show that Islamic reform in Zanzibar cannot be reduced to political discontent, and that it hearkens back to longstanding regional history. They also suggest that the concept of patriarchy is more relevant to the understanding of asymmetrical gender relations than recent discussion of Western gender relations has allowed, and highlight the centrality of bearing and rearing children as a site for both assertion and failure of patriarchal control. Lastly, they indicate the failure of sermon preachers and listeners to coalesce into a coherent counterpublic.
Masculinities, New Forms of Religion, and the Production of Social Order in Kaduna City, Nigeria
Authors: Harris Colette
Published: March 2017

From the late 1970s when serious economic woes hit Nigerians in general and the inhabitants of Kaduna in particular, the latter began to seek explanations for the ills that beset their country and support to deal with them. Some found this in new religious movements, both Christian and Muslim, that rejected earlier sects/denominations as religiously and ethically unacceptable and focused on more modern, individualistic lifestyles as well as providing some measure of material support, explanations, and solutions based in the supernatural for the ills the population was suffering. The situation sparked fear of social chaos, partly owing to men’s uneasiness at the threat of losing their dominance over wives and offspring along with their control of economic resources. The new religious movements support male superiority while offering greater space for women, provided they keep to their assigned places. These movements thus combine material and social support with the spiritual.
Monasteries and Villages: Rural Economy and Religious Interdependency in Late Antique Palestine
Authors: Ashkenazi Jacob , Aviam Mordechai
Published: March 2017

Monasticism played a significant role in the Late Antique economy of the Holy Land, as it did in neighboring regions, a role that can be traced both in hagiography and in archaeology. Though holy men settled in secluded monasteries in the desert of the Holy City, most of the monks of Palestine were living in and near villages throughout the land. The rural monastery housed presses that produced wine and oil in quantities exceeding the needs of the local monastic community. It seems that the monasteries, in addition to their obvious spiritual and religious functions, served as part of the region’s economy, thus creating substantial relations with their lay neighbors.
Edmund Husserl’s Internal Time Consciousness and Modern Times, a Socio-historical Interpretation
Authors: Martineau Jonathan
Published: March 2017

This article revisits Edmund Husserl’s philosophy of time in light of the modern standardisation of time. After assessing Husserl’s innovative analysis of the experience of time and raising key issues pertaining to his derivation of objective time from an originary ‘absolute flux of consciousness’, the article addresses potential relationships between this conception of time and the historically unique experience of time based in the rise of modern clock-time. Drawing on insights from the literature within the sociology of time, the article concludes that Husserl’s conception of time both reproduces and rejects certain features of modern time relations.
Between the Subversive Pen and the Blasphemous Microphone
Authors: Anih Uchenna Bethrand
Published: March 2017

Iconoclasm is a term that has been used to characterize any subversive, transgressive, and blasphemous adventure. There is abundant evidence that the African female creative impulse is geared towards subverting the existing social order as dominated and controlled by men. The two African female artists whose works are analysed in this study employ vivid sexual imagery to challenge the hegemony of male-oriented discourse. This essay examines the iconoclastic tendencies to be found in the Cameroonian Calixthe Beyala’s Amours sauvages and the Nigerian Saint Janet’s Faaji Plus. It concludes that although the two writers belong to different linguistic and geographical regions, and indeed to different generations, their works provide clear evidence of subversive art and depict a radical reaction to phallocentric norms and values in the African context.
Dipo: The Krobo Ghanaian Puberty Rite and Art
Authors: Adinku Grace Uchechukwu
Published: March 2017

The girl child’s transition from childhood to adulthood, Dipo, is of prime importance in the development of the Krobo community of Ghana. The transition acknowledges the part women play in the welfare of society; hence the performance of elaborate puberty rites for girls. The performance of Dipo puberty rites is therefore regarded as a means of unifying teenage women in their social role and integrating the arts of the Krobo people. Furthermore, it reveals the significance of these different art forms in the life of the Krobo people and in Dipo performance in particular. The problem, however, is that although there are several artistic elements embedded in the performance of Dipo, they have not been documented as art forms; nor have they constituteded a site for critical discussion and appraisal of Ghanaian performing arts. Early historical and anthropological scholarship on Dipo almost completely overlooks these artistic elements. This essay responds to this critical gap by situating Dipo in the context of these artifacts as displayed in multiple phases of ritual ‘installation’ performance. This essay also identifies and examines the specific artistic elements featuring in the rite in order to highlight their embeddedness in and significance to the Krobo people, and, by extension, Ghana. The artistic elements in Dipo include ritualized visual, verbal, body, and theatrical elements, all of which are active and inseparable in the rites. As such, these art forms are analysed and discussed by means of figures and plates, which confirm visually their existence, aesthetic significance, and cultural value.
Maxillolabial complex in scelionids (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea): morphology and phylogenetic implications
Authors: Popovici Ovidiu Alin , Vilhelmsen Lars , Masner Lubomir , Mikó István , Johnson Norman
Published: March 2017

The Platygastroidea is a highly diverse group of small to minute parasitoid wasps. Despite the reduced size, the morphology of the maxillolabial complex of scelionids is very diverse and phylogenetically informative. 81 characters are scored for 129 genera (representing 75% of the total number of known extant genera of scelionids), as well as for seven outgroup taxa. All taxa examined are illustrated with images, SEM micrographs and/or line drawings. Phylogenetic trees resulting from analyses conducted in TNT under various settings were not fully resolved, but some relationships were repeatedly retrieved. The Platygastroidea are usually corroborated. Nixoniini, Sparasionini,PlaumannionandHuddlestoniumare frequently retrieved as the most basal platygastroid lineages.PsixandParatelenomusoften form a monophyletic group close to Gryonini. The Scelioninae, Teleasinae and Telenominae are not supported as monophyletic. However, some major scelionid clades are frequently retrieved, but these are not recognized in the current classification of Platygastroidea. The evolution of the palpal formula, highly variably in scelionids, and previously used in platygastroid systematics, is explored. The number of maxillary palpomeres in the ground plan of platygatroids is probably five, that of labial palpomeres two or three, given the variation among basal scelionids. Our study provides relevant information for resolving the phylogeny of the Platygastroidea, but additional character sources have to be explored to obtain a robust phylogenetic hypothesis.
Sacred Places and Pilgrimages in Post-Socialist Bulgaria
Authors: Troeva Evgenia
Published: March 2017

The transformations after 1989 mark the beginning of a new period in the development of the religious in Bulgaria. This paper focuses on the religious segment of sacred places and pilgrimage, and traces the geography of major sacred places attracting pilgrims. The article discusses trends in the emergence of new centres of worship as well as of temporary ones formed as a result of visits to cult objects (relics, remains, miraculous icons) displayed in a particular location. Owing to the denominational configuration of the country, the main focus is on Orthodox Christian sacred places but Muslim, Catholic and Jewish pilgrimage centres are included as well.
A Comparative Exploration of the Defence of Duress
Authors: Moran Clare Frances
Published: March 2017

This work examines the defence of duress, as codified in the Rome Statute, from the perspective of four domestic jurisdictions in order to determine whether it can be applied at the international level for crimes against the person. The laws of England and Wales, France, Germany, and South Africa are examined because of their influence in other countries and also because of their representations of civil and common law systems. The purpose of this analysis is to add to the debate about the defence of duress and to provide a fresh perspective on this contentious issue by examining how domestic jurisdictions deal with crimes committed under duress.
Reexamining Secularism
Authors: Srikantan Geetanjali
Published: March 2017

It is widely recognized that the secular Indian state unlike its Western counterpart does not follow the strict separation of religion and state, opting to intervene in the domain of religion by treating religions equally. This article examines how the concept of equal treatment of religions is applied in the legal domain by an intellectual history of the Ayodhya litigation and argues that the courts cannot treat religions equally due to the incompatible nature of the claims made by the parties i.e. the history of religion claim of the Hindus vis-a-vis the property rights claim of the Muslims. Departing significantly from the current consensus about the litigation being characterized by defective legal interpretation and political influences, it further argues that the real legal challenge in resolving this dispute is addressing the theological frameworks within modern property law which are dependent on a set of normative inferences embedded in colonial discourse.
Religion, Education, and Law
Authors: Laughlin Jack , Zathureczky Kornel
Published: March 2017

Religion and state, more specifically religion and law, and religion and education are sub-fields that have received considerable scholarly attention. The interstices between these fields have been much less scrutinized, although it is within these spaces where the particular normativities produced and managed by state, law, and religion can be critically assessed, and where the nature of their interaction can be evaluated. We examine the intersecting normativities of religion with the secular public sphere, with education, and with the law, and their discursive fields with respect to the Programme d’Éthique et culture religieuse (ECR) of the Québec Ministry of Education. The distinct interests associated with these discursive fields meet at bases of common concern: religious pluralism, accommodation, and social cohesion. A common discourse emerges here that is informed by what critics identify as the World Religions Paradigm (WRP). Rather than examine the ECR simply with respect to its dependence on the WRP, we show how the discourses of the general public, education, and law in Québec and Canada meet to reinforce the WRP to produce a singular normativity that determines the shape of public discourses and representations of religion. In its effort to manage religious freedom and promote multiculturalism, the state (legislatively, legally, and educationally) generates the concrete terms by which citizens are to enact both. The logic of the overlapping normativities in the management of religious freedom and promotion of religious pluralism by the state creates the concrete terms by which religious identity and citizenship are defined.
How Humans Consciously See Paintings and Paintings Illuminate How Humans See
Authors: Grossberg Stephen , Zajac Lauren
Published: March 2017

This article illustrates how the paintings of visual artists activate multiple brain processes that contribute to their conscious perception. Paintings of different artists may activate different combinations of brain processes to achieve their artist’s aesthetic goals. Neural models of how advanced brains see have characterized various of these processes. These models are used to explain how paintings of Jo Baer, Banksy, Ross Bleckner, Gene Davis, Charles Hawthorne, Henry Hensche, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Jules Olitski, and Frank Stella may achieve their aesthetic effects. These ten painters were chosen to illustrate processes that range from discounting the illuminant and lightness anchoring, to boundary and texture grouping and classification, through filling-in of surface brightness and color, to spatial attention, conscious seeing, and eye movement control. The models hereby clarify how humans consciously see paintings, and paintings illuminate how humans see.
Umi no Utsuwa and Earth Vortex: Nobuho Nagasawa’s Interweaving of Oceanic and Island Imaginaries
Authors: Yoshimoto Midori
Published: March 2017

By focusing on two recent site-specific sculptures created on Japanese islands – Umi no Utsuwa (Voyage Through the Void) and Earth Vortex, this article investigates the varying implications of the “island” embedded in the art of Nobuho Nagasawa. Having lived in Japan, Europe, and North America, and traveled extensively, Nagasawa has developed a nomadic sense of life which considers these passages as “islands.” The artist has us look within—using the insulating and introspective effects of islands, and without—to seek new connections and explore the world outside our individual islands of experience. This balance between self and the unknown is a recurring theme in her works. Building further on the concept of self, Nagasawa’s works are informed by the dynamics of community, family, and what it means to belong. In contrast, striking out on a nomadic journey represents freedom, creativity, and self-actualization, which can only be gained along the way.
The Kurdish Adpositional System: New Perspectives
Authors: Saeed Sameerah Tawfeeq
Published: March 2017

In this paper I present a basic descriptive overview of the adpositional system in Kurdish supported by illustrative examples from the Sorani dialect. Based on this, two classes are identified: simple and compound. Their morphological, syntactic and semantic properties are discussed in detail, highlighting the distinctions among them. The classification is further supported by the application of an extended P projection as proposed in Saeed (2015) which shares the basic ideas of Svenonius’ (2010) model of spatial P projection providing a new perspective of the role of spatial adpositions. I also examine the categorial status of several bound morphemes which attach to complements of some adpositions and argue that they are clitics associated with specific locative meanings. I propose the existence of PLACE head as a solution to the syntactic status of the locative clitics. I also show that postulating PLACE in the P projection does not clash with the existence of AxPart as they are two distinct elements syntactically and semantically.
Satellite- vs. Verb-Framing Underpredicts Nonverbal Motion Categorization: Insights from a Large Language Sample and Simulations
Authors: Montero-Melis Guillermo , Eisenbeiss Sonja , Narasimhan Bhuvana , Ibarretxe-Antuñano Iraide , Kita Sotaro , Kopecka Anetta , Lüpke Friederike , Nikitina Tatiana , Tragel Ilona , Florian Jaeger T. , Bohnemeyer Juergen
Published: March 2017

Is motion cognition influenced by the large-scale typological patterns proposed in Talmy’s (2000) two-way distinction between verb-framed (V) and satellite-framed (S) languages? Previous studies investigating this question have been limited to comparing two or three languages at a time and have come to conflicting results. We present the largest cross-linguistic study on this question to date, drawing on data from nineteen genealogically diverse languages, all investigated in the same behavioral paradigm and using the same stimuli. After controlling for the different dependencies in the data by means of multilevel regression models, we find no evidence that S- vs. V-framing affects nonverbal categorization of motion events. At the same time, statistical simulations suggest that our study and previous work within the same behavioral paradigm suffer from insufficient statistical power. We discuss these findings in the light of the great variability between participants, which suggests flexibility in motion representation. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of accounting for language variability, something which can only be achieved with large cross-linguistic samples.
Reconsidering the Role of Mazu under the Early Hongwu Reign
Authors: Ptak Roderich , Cai Jiehua
Published: March 2017

The worship of Mazu, the Chinese Goddess of Sailors, began in Fujian, under the early Song. Migrants from that province gradually spread this cult to other coastal regions and among the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia. The present article investigates one particular episode in the history of the Mazu cult. Its stage is Guangzhou and the period dealt with is the beginning of the Hongwu reign. In 1368, Liao Yongzhong’s troops moved to that city, putting it under control of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Ming emperor. Local chronicles pertaining to Guangdong and certain other sources briefly refer to this event. They report that Liao promoted the worship of Mazu in that region and they indicate that Mazu received an official title in 1368, by imperial order. TheTianfei xiansheng lu, one of the key texts for the Mazu cult, provides different details: It associates the title granted by the imperial court with the year 1372, and not with the context of Central Guangdong. Furthermore, the attributes which form part of the title vary from one text to the next. The paper discusses these and other points, arguing there could be two different narrative traditions surrounding Mazu’s role in 1368/72: the Guangdong version and the “conventional” view, similar to the one found inTianfei xiansheng lu. Although there is no definite solution for this dilemma, the article tries to expose the general background into which one may embed these observations.
Revision of the Oriental Genus Physodera Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini, Physoderina), with the descriptions of two new species
Authors: MA YUNLONG , SHI HONGLIANG , LIANG HONGBIN
Published: March 2017

The Oriental genus Physodera Eschscholtz, 1829 is revised. A key to species is provided, along with distribution maps, and illustrations of habitus and male genitalia of all available species. Two new species are described: Physodera sciakyi sp. n. (type locality: S. Sulawesi, Indonesia), and Physodera unicolor sp. n. (type locality: Zhejiang, China). Three new synonyms are proposed: Physodera parvicollis Van de Poll, 1889 = Physodera eschscholtzii Parry, 1849, Allocota sumatrensis Kirschenhofer, 1996 = Physodera eschscholtzii Parry, 1849, and Physodera noctiluca Mohnike, 1875= Physodera dejeani Eschscholtz, 1829.
The Use of Kcentra® in the Reversal of Coagulopathy of Chronic Liver Disease
Authors: Pereira Deepika , Liotta Eric , Mahmoud Ahmed A.
Published: March 2017

We aim to describe our experience with the four-factor prothrombin complex concentrates (4F-PCC) Kcentra® at differing doses in patients with liver cirrhosis requiring emergent hemostasis in the setting of major or life-threatening bleeding. An automated query of patients who received Kcentra between January 2014 and March 2016 was performed. Patients who had clinically significant bleeding and received Kcentra for treatment of coagulopathy of chronic liver disease (CCLD) were included in the study. Baseline patient demographics, administration indication, pertinent laboratory values, and other reversal therapies were collected. Four patients met inclusion for analysis. One patient presented with hemopericardium, cardiac tamponade, and shock, and 3 patients presented with intracranial hemorrhage. Each patient experienced an improvement in international normalized ratio (INR) and at least a period of clinical hemostasis after Kcentra administration without complications referable to Kcentra. Kcentra may be a safe, rapid, and effective treatment option for hemorrhagic emergencies associated with CCLD. Further research is needed to determine the ideal monitoring and dosing regimen for use in CCLD.
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Education in Otolaryngology Residency
Authors: Jamal Nausheen
Published: March 2017

Since publication of the Institute of Medicine’s report To Err Is Human in 1999, patient safety and health care quality have become hot topics in the parlance of modern medical care. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education now requires integration of these topics into resident education, with evidence of trainee involvement in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement (PSQI) projects. Research in other disciplines indicates that interactive, experiential learning leads to the highest quality PSQI education. Otolaryngology as a field has been slow to adopt these changes into its residency curricula due to competing educational demands and lack of faculty expertise. The author reports preliminary experience with integration of an online module‐based curriculum that addresses both of these issues.
Polyurethane coatings used in twentieth century outdoor painted sculptures. Part I: comparative study of various systems by means of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy
Authors: Defeyt Catherine , Langenbacher Julia , Rivenc Rachel
Published: March 2017

Like acrylics and alkyds, polyurethanes (PUs) represent an important class of industrial paints adopted by 20th and 21st artists; primarily by those creating outdoor painted sculptures (OPS). Because PU coatings offer a compromise between aesthetic and performance expectations, unachievable with other types of paints, they are commonly recognized as the most appropriate option for painted artworks intended for an outdoor setting. However, the PU class includes various systems and subgroups possessing very different properties. Through the FTIR-ATR study of 137 PU coating references from the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) reference collection, this paper outlines the differences and the similarities existing, in terms of the composition, of two package solvent-borne, two package water-borne, one package water-borne and fluoropolymer polyurethanes. The comparison of the obtained FTIR-ATR results allowed determining markers helpful to discriminate specific PU subgroups by means of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The goals of this paper are to provide to the conservation professionals a better understanding of the versatility and diversity of PU coatings and to facilitate the identification of the various types initially used by the artists.
The mazy case of Notch and immunoregulatory cells
Authors: Grazioli Paola , Felli Maria Pia , Screpanti Isabella , Campese Antonio Francesco
Published: March 2017

The Notch pathway represents a conserved signal transduction machinery that is straightforward and based on a few elements (ligands, receptors, transducers). However, the existence of multiple control levels of the Notch signaling final outcome makes it strictly context dependent and dose dependent. The function of Notch as a regulator of cell development and differentiation, as well as the aberrant consequences of its modulation, either positive or negative, is well established. In this review, we will discuss our current knowledge about Notch-dependent regulation of generation and function of 2 subsets of the immunoregulatory system, namely regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Then, we will focus on an unforeseen mechanism that may unveil an additional way of Notch to govern the surrounding environment in cancer.
IL-18-dependent NKG2D ligand upregulation on accessory cells is mediated by the PI3K/GSK-3 pathway
Authors: Brandstadter Joshua D , Chen Huiyao , Jiang Songfu , Huang Xiaopei , Yang Yiping
Published: March 2017

NK cells are critical for the control of viral infections. Studies have shown that efficient NK cell activation in response to infection with VV in vivo requires multiple pathways, including the NKG2D pathway. We have recently shown that IL-18 is necessary for the activation of NK cells through upregulation of the NKG2D ligand Rae-1 on DCs upon VV infection. However, how IL-18R signaling on the accessory cells contributes to Rae-1 up-regulation remains to be defined. In this study, we found IL-18-mediated Rae-1 up-regulation in accessory cells, including macrophages and DCs, to be dependent on the MyD88-PI3K pathway. We further found that IL-18 signaling through PI3K led to inhibition of GSK-3, which we found to be a negative regulator of Rae-1. Finally, we demonstrated that in vivo inhibition of GSK-3 could restore Rae-1 up-regulation on IL18R−/− DCs and partially rescue NK-cell activation against VV, leading to improved viral control in IL-18R−/− mice. Our results showed that IL18-dependent Rae-1 up-regulation on accessory cells is mediated by the MyD88-PI3K-GSK3 pathway. These observations may provide important insights into the design of effective NK cell-based immunotherapies.
Oxidative stress in aspic vipers facing pregnancy and water constraints
Authors: Stier Antoine , Dupoué Andréaz , Picard Damien , Angelier Frédéric , Brischoux François , Lourdais Olivier
Published: March 2017

The physiological mechanisms underlying the ‘cost of reproduction’ remain under debate, though oxidative stress has emerged as a potential candidate. The ‘oxidative cost of reproduction’ has received considerable attention with regards to food and antioxidant availability, however the limitation of water availability has thus far been neglected. In this study we experimentally examined the combined effect of pregnancy and water-deprivation on oxidative status in a viviparous snake (Vipera aspis), a species naturally exposed to periods of water and food deprivation. We predicted a cumulative effect of pregnancy and dehydration on oxidative stress levels. Our results support the occurrence of an oxidative cost of reproduction since we found higher oxidative damage levels in pregnant females than in non-reproductive individuals, despite an up-regulation of antioxidant defences. Surprisingly, water-deprivation was associated with an up-regulation of antioxidant defences, and did not increase oxidative damage, either alone or in combination with reproduction.
The Use of Echocardiograms in Preparticipation Examinations
Authors: Lucas Caroline , Kerkhof Deanna L. , Briggs Jacilyn E. , Corrado Gianmichel D.
Published: March 2017

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading cause of death during exercise in young athletes. Preparticipation physical examinations were developed to maintain the health and safety of athletes, including the prompt identification of those at risk for SCD. The use of medical history and physical examinations, electrocardiography, and echocardiography, or some combination thereof, is the source of continued debate. This article provides an overview of the etiology of SCD and reviews literature relating to preparticipation echocardiography, with a focus on its evolution, utility, and effectiveness. The limited echocardiogram is a potentially viable screening option yet to be thoroughly explored by experts and policymakers in the sports medicine community.
Carathéodory, Helly, and Radon Numbers for Sublattice and Related Convexities
Authors: Queyranne Maurice , Tardella Fabio
Published: March 2017

The Carathéodory, Helly, and Radon numbers are three main invariants in convexity theory. These invariants have been determined, exactly or approximately, for a number of different convexity structures. We consider convexity structures defined by the sublattices and by the convex sublattices of finite-dimensional Euclidian, integer, and Boolean spaces. Such sublattices arise in submodular optimization (lattice programming) and in monotone comparative statics of optimization and fixed point problems. We also consider integral L-natural convexities, induced by dual network flow constraint systems. We determine the exact Carathéodory, Helly, and Radon numbers of most of these convexities, and very close upper and lower bounds for the other Carathéodory numbers. Our results imply, for example, that if a set can be obtained with unions and intersections from a given family of subsets of a finite set then it can be obtained with unions and intersections from a small subfamily. We also show that finding the Carathéodory number of integral L-natural convexities reduces to an extremal problem in the theory of permutations, solved in a companion paper. We leave as open problems the determination of the Helly and Radon numbers of the integer convex sublattice convexity.
Blake Schwarzenbach and the anxieties of American punk rock: 1991–present
Authors: Keeble Arin
Published: March 2017

This article argues that Blake Schwarzenbach was a pivotal figure in the evolution of American punk from the early 1990s. Schwarzenbach’s journey as a punk figure has exemplified some of the interconnected ‘anxieties’ of this period relating to punk aesthetics and philosophies, authenticity and ‘selling out’, and the roles of literary cultures. Schwarzenbach’s music, particularly with his first major band Jawbreaker, has also consistently artistically engaged with these anxieties. I argue that Schwarzenbach’s life and work has much to say generally about the radical potential and limitations of American punk, and that it ultimately, and perhaps conversely, embodies the enduring value and appeal of punk as an idea – despite its various iterations, countless sub-genres, and the ever-shifting landscapes of its scenes.
STRATEGI IMPLEMENTASI UNTUK MENGENDALIKAN KONVERSI LAHAN SAWAH DI KOTA SUKABUMI
Authors: Wijayanti Ari , Munibah Khursatul , Putri Eka Intan Kumala
Published: March 2017

Paddy land conversion in Sukabumi City is worrying whereas its rate is 6,06 ha annually, while its production is very high that reaches 6.7 ton/ha. The aims of this study are to analyze the total paddy land that had been converted into other uses as well as to formulate strategies to implement this program. The method used are by using overlay land use map year 2010, 2012 and 2015 and combination AHP-SWOT The results show that paddy land that had been converted into other uses as many as 181.94 ha. The main strategies to implement this program are by increasing productivity, developing cooperation between private sector and farmer group, and strengthening its institution.
An experimental evaluation of simrank-based similarity search algorithms
Authors: Zhang Zhipeng , Shao Yingxia , Cui Bin , Zhang Ce
Published: March 2017

Given a graph, SimRank is one of the most popular measures of the similarity between two vertices. We focus on efficiently calculating SimRank, which has been studied intensively over the last decade. This has led to many algorithms that efficiently calculate or approximate SimRank being proposed by researchers. Despite these abundant research efforts, there is no systematic comparison of these algorithms. In this paper, we conduct a study to compare these algorithms to understand their pros and cons.

We first introduce a taxonomy for different algorithms that calculate SimRank and classify each algorithm into one of the following three classes, namely, iterative-, non-iterative-, and random walk-based method. We implement ten algorithms published from 2002 to 2015, and compare them using synthetic and real-world graphs. To ensure the fairness of our study, our implementations use the same data structure and execution framework, and we try our best to optimize each of these algorithms. Our study reveals that none of these algorithms dominates the others: algorithms based on iterative method often have higher accuracy while algorithms based on random walk can be more scalable. One noniterative algorithm has good effectiveness and efficiency on graphs with medium size. Thus, depending on the requirements of different applications, the optimal choice of algorithms differs. This paper provides an empirical guideline for making such choices.
Maternal exercise upregulates mitochondrial gene expression and increases enzyme activity of fetal mouse hearts
Authors: Chung Eunhee , Joiner Hayli E. , Skelton Tracer , Looten Kalli D. , Manczak Maria , Reddy P. Hemachandra
Published: March 2017

Maternal exercise during pregnancy has been shown to improve the long‐term health of offspring in later life. Mitochondria are important organelles for maintaining adequate heart function, and mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of maternal exercise during pregnancy on mitochondrial biogenesis in hearts are not well understood. Thus, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial gene expression in fetal myocardium would be upregulated by maternal exercise. Twelve‐week‐old female C57BL/6 mice were divided into sedentary and exercise groups. Mice in the exercise group were exposed to a voluntary cage‐wheel from gestational day 1 through 17. Litter size and individual fetal weights were taken when pregnant dams were sacrificed at 17 days of gestation. Three to four hearts from the same group were pooled to study gene expression, protein expression, and enzyme activity. There were no significant differences in litter size, sex distribution, and average fetal body weight per litter between sedentary and exercised dams. Genes encoding mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics, including nuclear respiratory factor‐1 (Nrf1), Nrf2, and dynamin‐related GTPase termed mitofusin‐2 (Mfn2) were significantly upregulated in the fetal hearts from exercised dams. Cytochrome c oxidase activity and ATP production were significantly increased, while the hydrogen peroxide level was significantly decreased in the fetal hearts by maternal exercise. Our results demonstrate that maternal exercise initiated at day 1 of gestation could transfer the positive mitochondrial phenotype to fetal hearts.
Plasma serpinB1 is related to insulin sensitivity but not pancreatic β‐Cell function in non‐diabetic adults
Authors: Glicksman Michael , Asthana Asha , Abel Brent S. , Walter Mary F. , Skarulis Monica C. , Muniyappa Ranganath
Published: March 2017

Pancreatic β‐cell dysfunction because of reduced β‐cell mass and function is a primary determinant in the progression of diabetes. Increase in β‐cell mass and compensatory hyperinsulinaemia is frequently associated with insulin‐resistant states. Although the humoral factors mediating this compensatory response are unknown, serpinB1, a protease inhibitor, has recently been proposed to be one such factor. In this study, we examine the relationships between plasma serpinB1, insulin sensitivity, and pancreatic β‐cell function in non‐diabetic individuals. 117 subjects (women, n = 50, men, n = 67; age= 37.6 ± 10.8; BMI=31.1 ± 7.7 kg/m2) underwent an insulin‐modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIVGTT) at the NIH Clinical Research Center. Acute insulin response (AIR) and insulin sensitivity index (SI) were obtained from the FSIVGTT with MINMOD analysis. The Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) was calculated from fasting insulin and glucose values. Plasma serpinB1 levels were measured using an ELISA assay. Simple linear correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between serpinB1 and measures of insulin sensitivity and β‐cell function. Circulating serpinB1 levels were unrelated to age, sex, race, BMI, or percent body fat. SI but not AIR significantly correlated with circulating serpinB1 levels (r = 0.23, P < 0.05). QUICKI tended to positively correlate with serpinB1 (r = 0.16, P = 0.09). Circulating serpinB1 is directly associated with insulin sensitivity but not β‐cell function in non‐diabetic adults. Whether this modest association plays a role in insulin sensitivity in humans remains to be clarified.
Entwurf von Proportional-Multi-Integral Beobachtern in Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy Form zur Schätzung unbekannter Eingänge
Authors: Schulte Horst , Pöschke Florian
Published: March 2017

In dieser Arbeit wird das Konzept der Proportional-Multi-Integral Beobachter zur Schätzung unbekannter Eingänge behandelt.
Für nichtlineare Systeme wird ein Proportional-Multi-Integral Beobachter in Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy Form vorgestellt. Es werden zwei verschiedene Methoden für den Entwurf eingesetzt: Eine Lyapunov-basierte und eine modifizierte optimale Beobachterauslegung. Hierfür werden formale Stabilitätskriterien mit der direkten Methode nach Lyapunov hergeleitet. Die Anwendbarkeit des Verfahrens wird anhand der Fehlerrekonstruktion bei einer 5 MW Windenergieanlage, welche mit dem aero-elastischen Programm FAST von NREL simuliert wird, aufgezeigt.
Regulatory Coherence and Standardization Mechanisms in the Trans-Pacific Partnership
Authors: Cai Phoenix X. F.
Published: March 2017

This article posits a new taxonomy and framework for assessing regulatory coherence in the new generation of mega-regional, cross-cutting free trade agreements. Using the Trans-Pacific Partnership as the primary example, this article situates the rise of regulatory coherence within the current trade landscape, provides clear definitions of regulatory coherence, and argues that the real engine of regulatory coherence lies in the work of international standard setting organizations. This work has been little examined in the current literature. The article provides a detailed examination of the mechanics by which the Trans-Pacific Partnership promotes regulatory standardization and concludes with some normative implications and calls for future research.