bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
China’s Soft Power in Tanzania: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Shangwe Muhidin J.
Published: February 2017

In recent years, China has embraced the idea of soft power with ever more keen interest. Today, soft power is Beijing’s key strategy in international politics, albeit not in the way the concept is understood and applied in the West. However, this strategy can hardly be said to have yielded fruit in Africa despite China’s growing visibility and presence over the last two decades. This article aims at probing this issue by examining how China’s soft power is manifested in Tanzania. In an attempt to show that soft power is not entirely a new practice in international politics, the article first applies a historical perspective to illustrate that it has been part and parcel of Chinese diplomacy, long before the term was coined by Joseph Nye in 1990. The article then analyzes Chinese activities in Tanzania and how they have shaped perceptions of Tanzanians of China in the era of globalization. These activities are structured in line with three traditional sources of soft power as postulated by Nye, namely culture, political values and foreign policy. As a supplement to Nye’s definition, however, elements of hard power are also included in the article, such as the use of economic inducements to produce, bolster and wield soft power. In general, China has made headway in its soft power ambitions by gaining positive reviews in Tanzania. While the current achievement is crucial as an initial step, there is still a long way to go for China in consolidating its soft power. Although China has earned admiration in some quarters of Tanzanian society, it is still premature to assume that in the long run Beijing will continue to enjoy increasing soft power in the country. Indeed, in some cases, such admiration only exists in verbal recognition. In the meantime, activities that damage China’s image have further complicated matters and undermined China’s soft power in Tanzania.
Alectorius: a parasympathomimetic stone?
Authors: Carrasco Joaquin , Duffin Christopher J.
Published: February 2017

Lapidaries, or books on stones, formed a historical literary genre which compiled information on the nature and properties of various stones together with their therapeutic applications. One of the mythical stones described in these lapidaries is the Cock Stone or Alectorius. For the most part, authors agree upon both its origins inside the body and its therapeutic uses, although opinion differs as to the exact organ from which it was obtained. It may represent a biliary calculus. The healing properties cited for the Cock Stone are, at first sight, unrelated. However, when viewed in the light of modern physiological understanding, the pharmacological properties ascribed to Alectorius may be related to the effects of parasympathomimetic substances.
Cell Biology of the Plant Nucleus
Authors: Meier Iris , Richards Eric J. , Evans David E.
Published: February 2017

The eukaryotic nucleus is enclosed by the nuclear envelope, which is perforated by the nuclear pores, the gateways of macromolecular exchange between the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm. The nucleoplasm is organized in a complex three-dimensional fashion that changes over time and in response to stimuli. Within the cell, the nucleus must be viewed as an organelle (albeit a gigantic one) that is a recipient of cytoplasmic forces and capable of morphological and positional dynamics. The most dramatic reorganization of this organelle occurs during mitosis and meiosis. Although many of these aspects are less well understood for the nuclei of plants than for those of animals or fungi, several recent discoveries have begun to place our understanding of plant nuclei firmly into this broader cell-biological context.
Discovery of Weyl Fermion Semimetals and Topological Fermi Arc States
Authors: Hasan M. Zahid , Xu Su-Yang , Belopolski Ilya , Huang Shin-Ming
Published: February 2017

Weyl semimetals are conductors whose low-energy bulk excitations are Weyl fermions, whereas their surfaces possess metallic Fermi arc surface states. These Fermi arc surface states are protected by a topological invariant associated with the bulk electronic wave functions of the material. Recently, it has been shown that the TaAs and NbAs classes of materials harbor such a state of topological matter. We review the basic phenomena and experimental history of the discovery of the first Weyl semimetals, starting with the observation of topological Fermi arcs and Weyl nodes in TaAs and NbAs by angle and spin-resolved surface and bulk sensitive photoemission spectroscopy and continuing through magnetotransport measurements reporting the Adler–Bell–Jackiw chiral anomaly. We hope that this article provides a useful introduction to the theory of Weyl semimetals, a summary of recent experimental discoveries, and a guideline to future directions.
A Patency Capsule Remained Intact in the Colon over 210 Hours
Authors: Hihara Yu , Joshita Satoru , Takahashi Toshiharu , Okaniwa Shinji , Mizukami Yoshiki , Nakamura Yoshiyuki
Published: February 2017

We present an unusual case of a 35-year-old male patient whom a patency capsule stayed in his gut without breaking. He has a history of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and multiple abdominal surgeries. Prestudy was performed for abdominal searching, but a patency capsule remained in the colon over 9 days. He displayed neither abdominal nor obstructive symptoms in that period. We collected the patency capsule using colonoscopy after dilating a postoperative stricture at an anastomotic site of the rectum. Clinicians should bear in mind that patency capsules may become retained as distally as the colon in patients with a surgical history of the large intestine.
RecombinantLactococcus lactisExpressing Haemagglutinin from a Polish Avian H5N1 Isolate and Its Immunological Effect in Preliminary Animal Trials
Authors: Szczepankowska Agnieszka K. , Szatraj Katarzyna , Sałański Przemysław , Rózga Agnieszka , Górecki Roman K. , Bardowski Jacek K.
Published: February 2017

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are Gram-positive, nonpathogenic microorganisms that are gaining much interest as antigen producers for development of live vaccine vectors. Heterologous proteins of different origin have been successfully expressed in various LAB species, includingLactococcus lactis. RecombinantL. lactisstrains have been shown to induce specific local and systemic immune responses against various antigens. Our study aimed at constructing aL. lactisstrain expressing haemagglutinin of a Polish avian H5H1 influenza isolate and examining its effect on animals. Expression of the clonedH5gene was achieved using the nisin-controlled gene expression system. Detection of the intracellular H5 antigen produced inL. lactiswas performed by Western blot analysis and confirmed using mass spectrometry. The potential ofL. lactisrecombinant cells to induce an immune response was examined by setting up preliminary immunization trials on chickens and mice. Obtained sera were tested for specific antibodies by ELISA assays. The results of these studies are a promising step toward developing a vaccine against the bird flu usingLactococcus lactiscells as bioreactors for efficient antigen production and delivery to the mucosal surface.
Medical and Interventional Therapy for Spontaneous Vertebral Artery Dissection in the Craniocervical Segment
Authors: Zhang Guiyun , Chen Zuoquan
Published: February 2017

Background and Purpose. Spontaneous vertebral artery dissection (SVAD) is an important reason for posterior-circulation-ischemic stroke in the young and middle-aged population. Although some previous reports reveal a favorable outcome with conservative therapy, it is still controversial in the treatment of SVAD in some specific patients. Herein, we present our 10 years of clinical experience for SVAD at this location. Material and Methods. 20 patients with 20 SVADs in V2 and V3 segments were retrospectively studied. Clinical manifestations and imageology materials were collected and analyzed. All the patients underwent anticoagulation except for one patient because of contraindication. 14 patients underwent Wingspan stents implantation with general anesthesia. Results. In our sample, ischemia (infarction or transient ischemic attack, TIA) was found in all the patients. Angiographic stenosis and dissection aneurysm were the most common findings in the segments mentioned above. 19 of the patients (95%) got the excellent imageological and clinical outcomes. Conclusions. According to our experience in this group, although anticoagulation is effective in vertebral artery dissection, interventional therapy for SVADs in V2 and/or V3 segments is preferred in some specific patients. Stent with higher radial supporting and flexibility, such as Wingspan stent, is suggested.
Association of Chronic Pancreatitis and Malignant Main Duct IPMN: A Rare but Difficult Clinical Problem
Authors: Berger Zoltán , De La Fuente Hernán , Meneses Manuel , Matamala Fernanda , Sepúlveda Makarena , Rojas Claudia
Published: February 2017

We report the case of a 70-year-old woman who consulted for recurrent short episodes of mild-to-moderate abdominal pain. Dilated main pancreatic duct was seen on CAT scan and magnetic resonance, with multiple calcifications and intraductal stones, typical in CP. However, for a more pronounced cystic dilatation in the pancreatic head, we could not exclude the coexistence of a main duct IPMN. ERCP was performed, with pancreatic sphincterotomy and extraction of pancreatic stones, but, at the same time, mucin extrusion was seen from the dilated duct through the papilla. Pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. Surgery and histology confirmed malignant IPMN with the typical image of chronic pancreatitis and intraductal stones in the vicinity. The patient is doing well 4 years after the surgery, without recurrence of the malignant disease, with changes of chronic pancreatitis in the pancreatic remnant. This paper discusses the possible relationships between the two entities and emphasizes the need of differential diagnosis.
Diagnostic Performance of Soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 in Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia of Patients with Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Yu Yuetian , Zhu Cheng , Liu Chunyan , Gao Yuan , Yin Rong , Cao Jianguo
Published: February 2017

Objective. To investigate the effect of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) in serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), endotracheal aspiration (ETA), and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) samples as early biomarkers for the diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in patients with ischemic stroke.Methods. One hundred and thirty-two patients with clinically suspected VAP were enrolled in this study. Bronchoscopy was performed on the day of clinically suspected VAP. sTREM-1 levels in serum, BALF, ETA, and EBC were measured. VAP was diagnosed by quantitative cultures of BALF (≥104 cfu/mL).Results. VAP was confirmed in 76 (57.58%) cases. Patients with VAP showed significantly higher sTREM-1 in BALF [32.35 (IQR, 30.08–41.72) versus 18.92 (11.89–31.72)] pg/mL and in EBC [1.57 (IQR, 1.02–2.61) versus 0.41 (0.19–1.61)] pg/mL than patients without VAP. The area under the curve was 0.813 (p<0.001). The optimum cut-off value for sTREM-1 in BALF was 23.61 pg/mL, yielding sensitivity and specificity of 85.5% and 73.1%. sTREM-1 in BALF had excellent correlation with that in EBC (R2= 0.78,p<0.05).Conclusions. sTREM-1 in EBC and BALF had good diagnostic performance in differentiating patients with and without VAP.
Dysregulated GPCR Signaling and Therapeutic Options in Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Chua Vivian , Lapadula Dominic , Randolph Clinita , Benovic Jeffrey L. , Wedegaertner Philip B. , Aplin Andrew E.
Published: February 2017

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor in adults and arises from the transformation of melanocytes in the uveal tract. Even after treatment of the primary tumor, up to 50% of patients succumb to metastatic disease. The liver is the predominant organ of metastasis. There is an important need to provide effective treatment options for advanced stage uveal melanoma. To provide the preclinical basis for new treatments, it is important to understand the molecular underpinnings of the disease. Recent genomic studies have shown that mutations within components of G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling are early events associated with approximately 98% of uveal melanomas.

Implications: This review discusses the alterations in GPCR signaling components (GNAQ and GNA11), dysregulated GPCR signaling cascades, and viable targeted therapies with the intent to provide insight into new therapeutic strategies in uveal melanoma. Mol Cancer Res; 15(5); 501–6. ©2017 AACR.
Existential Orientation: On the Phenomenology of Values, Attitudes, and Worldviews in Schizophrenia (Ancillary Article to EAWE Domain 6)
Authors: Pienkos Elizabeth , Sass Louis
Published: February 2017

Since the appearance of schizophrenia as a distinct diagnosis, various researchers and clinicians, particularly those in the phenomenological and existential tradition, have noted the unique contribution of attitudinal and characterological factors to the illness. There has been a notable lack of attention paid to these features in most recent research on the disorder; still, understanding the values, attitudes, and worldviews - what might be termed the “existential orientation” - of persons with schizophrenia may be essential for comprehending the illness and developing effective approaches to treatment. Domain 6, Existential orientation, of the Examination of Anomalous World Experience (EAWE) includes descriptions related to unusual worldviews and values that may be especially common in schizophrenia. The current paper provides a summary of classic and contemporary phenomenological literature on values and existential orientation in schizophrenia, with the goal of providing a context for and further explanation of the items in EAWE Domain 6. These characterizations generally suggest that persons with schizophrenia may more likely value being faithful to idiosyncratic, often eccentric ways of thinking and acting, questioning or rejecting conventions and common sense, refusing or avoiding relationships and intimacy with others, and living according to intellectual and idealistic rules (in contrast to a more immediate or spontaneous approach to life). Possible factors contributing to the development of these values are also discussed.
Transfrontal and Transsphenoidal Approaches to Pediatric Craniopharyngioma: A National Perspective
Authors: Lin Yimo , Hansen Daniel , Sayama Christina M. , Pan I-Wen , Lam Sandi
Published: February 2017

Introduction: This study compared transsphenoidal (TS) and transfrontal (TF) approaches to craniopharyngioma utilizing a national database. Methods: The Kids' Inpatient Database (2003, 2006, and 2009) was surveyed for patients with a diagnosis of craniopharyngioma who underwent a subset of surgical interventions to compare TS and TF surgery. Demographics, hospital variables, and complications/comorbidities were analyzed with multivariate regression. Results: 314 admissions (TS = 104, TF = 210) were identified. The mean age was 14.8 (TS) versus 9.8 (TF) years (p < 0.001). The mean number of diagnoses was 4.6 (TS) versus 6.2 (TF) (p < 0.001). Diabetes insipidus was associated with 38% (TS) and 69% (TF). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak affected 19% TS and 4% TF resections. Other complications and comorbidities included postoperative stroke (2% TS vs. 5% TF), panhypopituitarism (5 vs. 8%), death (0 vs. 1%), cranial nerve deficits (1 vs. 6%), thrombotic events (7 vs. 17%), and seizures (0 vs. 12%). 98% of patients were discharged home after a mean 6-day length of stay (LOS) after TS, whereas 90% of TF patients had a LOS of 12 days. TS cases were more likely to be privately insured (68%) and from higher income brackets (61%) than TF ones (56 and 2%, respectively) (p < 0.05). In multivariate regression models adjusting for age, sex, race, number of diagnoses, surgical approach, hospital volume, and insurance type, the TS approach was associated with an increased incidence of CSF leak (OR 10, p < 0.001). More documented diagnoses (OR 16-60, p < 0.01) and TF approach (OR 2.6, p < 0.01) were associated with an increased incidence of other complications and comorbidities. Age younger than 10 (β-coefficient 2.3, p = 0.01), more diagnoses (β-coefficient 1.2, p < 0.001), and TF approach (β- coefficient 3.0, p < 0.01) were associated with increased LOS. A higher number of diagnoses were associated with nonhome discharge destinations (β-coefficient 1.29, p < 0.001). Conclusion: TS surgery was associated with an increased incidence of CSF leak but shorter LOS; TF surgery was associated with an increased incidence of other complications. Patients undergoing TS surgery were more likely to have private insurance and a higher family income bracket.
A de novo Pericentric Inversion in Chromosome 4 Associated with Disruption of PITX2 and a Microdeletion in 4p15.2 in a Patient with Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome and Developmental Delay
Authors: Maldžienė Živilė , Preikšaitienė Eglė , Ignotienė Salomėja , Kapitanova Natalija , Utkus Algirdas , Kučinskas Vaidutis
Published: February 2017

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of autosomal dominantly inherited malformations that predominantly affect the eye but are also associated with craniofacial dysmorphism and dental abnormalities. A broad spectrum of genetic alterations involving PITX2 and FOXC1 lead to ARS. We report on a 4-year-old girl with clinical features of ARS and developmental delay due to a de novo apparently balanced pericentric inversion in chromosome 4. This report emphasizes that complementary investigations are necessary to precisely characterize chromosomal rearrangements. Elucidation of the exact genetic cause of ARS is important for comprehensive genetic counseling of the family members and for better patient management.
Inhalant Allergens in Portugal
Authors: Gomes Câmara Camacho Irene
Published: February 2017

This review aims to present in a simple manner the work performed in Portugal regarding the identification of the most prevalent aeroallergens in the country and the sensitization levels in Portuguese patients. Much of the data was summarized in tables and illustrated on maps, enabling the community of clinicians, researchers, and patient organizations to access the knowledge about the research performed. This study provides an overview about the distribution of aeroallergens in Portugal, signaling regions and critical periods of exposure of the sensitized population. The illustrated data can help the community of allergy specialists to view the temporal and spatial distribution of aeroallergens across the country. In addition, this information can guide clinicians to select the most appropriate allergens for allergy diagnostic testing, treatment, and allergen avoidance.
Apixaban Versus Warfarin for Mechanical Heart Valve Thromboprophylaxis in a Swine Aortic Heterotopic Valve Model
Authors: Lester Patrick A. , Coleman Dawn M. , Diaz Jose A. , Jackson Tatum O. , Hawley Angela E. , Mathues Angela R. , Grant Brandon T. , Knabb Robert M. , Ramacciotti Eduardo , Frost Charles E. , Song Yan , Wakefield Thomas W. , Myers Daniel D.
Published: February 2017

Objective—

Warfarin is the current standard for oral anticoagulation therapy in patients with mechanical heart valves, yet optimal therapy to maximize anticoagulation and minimize bleeding complications requires routine coagulation monitoring, possible dietary restrictions, and drug interaction monitoring. As alternatives to warfarin, oral direct acting factor Xa inhibitors are currently approved for the prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism and reduction of stroke and systemic embolization. However, no in vivo preclinical or clinical studies have been performed directly comparing oral factor Xa inhibitors such as apixaban to warfarin, the current standard of therapy.

Approach and Results—

A well-documented heterotopic aortic valve porcine model was used to test the hypothesis that apixaban has comparable efficacy to warfarin for thromboprophylaxis of mechanical heart valves. Sixteen swine were implanted with a bileaflet mechanical aortic valve that bypassed the ligated descending thoracic aorta. Animals were randomized to 4 groups: control (no anticoagulation; n=4), apixaban oral 1 mg/kg twice a day (n=5), warfarin oral 0.04 to 0.08 mg/kg daily (international normalized ratio 2–3; n=3), and apixaban infusion (n=4). Postmortem valve thrombus was measured 30 days post-surgery for control-oral groups and 14 days post-surgery for the apixaban infusion group. Control thrombus weight (mean) was significantly different (1422.9 mg) compared with apixaban oral (357.5 mg), warfarin (247.1 mg), and apixiban 14-day infusion (61.1 mg;
P
<0.05).

Conclusions—

Apixaban is a promising candidate and may be a useful alternative to warfarin for thromboprophylaxis of mechanical heart valves. Unlike warfarin, no adverse bleeding events were observed in any apixaban groups.
The Female Recluse: The Trope of Withdrawal and Self-representation in Poems by Two Late Ming/Early Qing Women Writers
Authors: Yang Haihong
Published: February 2017

This article examines the trope of withdrawal in the works of Li Yin (1616-85) and Huang Yuanjie (ca. 1620-ca. 1669), two women poets of the Ming-Qing transition period. It explores how the trope was constructed and constantly modified in literati discourses, and how women writers appropriated it for self-representation. The trope of withdrawal contributes to the poetic delineation of the writers’ life experiences, allowing the speaking-voice agency and new subject positions denied to them in reality, while closely relating to the writers’ fantasies, anxieties, self-introspection, and social critiques.
“Seeing the World with Fresh Eyes”
Authors: Seamon David
Published: February 2017

In this article, I draw on Gurdjieff’s philosophy to initiate a phenomenology of aesthetic experience, which I define as any intense emotional engagement that one feels in encountering or creating an artistic work, whether a painting, poem, song, dance, sculpture, or something else. To consider how aesthetic experience might be understood in a Gurdjieffian framework, I begin with an overview of phenomenology, emphasizing the phenomenological concepts of lifeworld and natural attitude, about which Gurdjieff said much, though not using phenomenological language. I then discuss Gurdjieff’s “psychology of human beings” as it might be interpreted phenomenologically, emphasizing three major claims: first, that, human beings are “asleep”; second, that they are “machines”; and, third, that they are “three-centered beings.” I draw on the last claim—human “three-centeredness”—to highlight how aesthetic experiences might be interpreted via Gurdjieff’s philosophy. Drawing on accounts from British philosopher and Gurdjieff associate J. G. Bennett, I end by considering how a Gurdjieffian perspective understands the role of the artistic work in contributing to aesthetic experience.
Distinctive wood anatomy of the root-parasitic family Lennoaceae (Boraginales)
Authors: Carlquist Sherwin , Guilliams C. Matt
Published: February 2017

The four species of Lennoaceae have strands of primary plus secondary xylem in a background of starch-rich parenchyma. These strands constitute a cylinder with large primary rays. The wood within these strands is markedly different from that of other families in the crown group of Boraginales such as Cordiaceae and Ehretiaceae, most of which are woody. Lennoaceae differ because they lack fibrous cells (libriform fibers), lack rays within the vascular strands, and have markedly elliptical vessel-to-vessel pits without vestures. Lennoaceae have secondary xylem with short, wide vessel elements with thick walls, horizontally elongate elliptical pits, simple perforation plates much narrower than the vessel lumen; variously uneven vessel wall thickenings; and axial parenchyma. The wood of Lennoaceae shows resemblances to unrelated succulents such as Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae) and Lithops (Aizoaceae). The vessel features also suggest adaptation to high water tensions as root parasites in desert areas, whereas the lack of imperforate tracheary elements may relate to support of the underground stem portions by sand or rock detritus. Habit and ecology are more important in the architecture of lennoaceous xylem than systematic affinities. The four species of Lennoaceae differ from each other in minor xylary features.
Austropuccinia: a new genus name for the myrtle rust Puccinia psidii placed within the redefined family Sphaerophragmiaceae (Pucciniales)
Authors: BEENKEN LUDWIG
Published: February 2017

The myrtle rust Puccinia psidii originates from South America but is nowadays a very important and invasive pathogen on several genera of Myrtaceae outside of its native area, and especially in Australia, a biodiversity hotspot of Myrtaceae. To date, the taxonomic position of P. psidii has been unclear. The present phylogenetic analyses as well as several former studies show that it does not belong to the genus Puccinia and appears outside of the family Pucciniales. It is, however, closely related to the genera Dasyspora, Puccorchidium, Sphenorchidium and Sphaerophragmium. Consequently, the new genus Austropuccinia has been erected and placed in the newly circumscribed family Sphaerophragmiaceae.
Four new species of the subgenus Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) from Italy, with a new identification key to the known species (Acari: Pachylaelapidae)
Authors: MAŠÁN PETER
Published: February 2017

The study presents descriptions of four new species of mites in the subgenus Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) Mašán, 2007 (Acari, Pachylaelapidae), based on females and males collected in forest habitats from the Bergamasque Alps and Prealps, Northern Italy. The new species are P. (L.) abludens sp. nov., P. (L.) bergomensis sp. nov., P. (L.) marcovallei sp. nov., and P. (L.) pantinii sp. nov. New species identification keys are provided for males and females.
Taxonomic study of the genus Oxyethira Eaton 1873 (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from Northeast Brazil: Eleven new species and distributional records
Authors: SOUZA WAGNER RAFAEL M. DE , SANTOS ALLAN PAULO MOREIRA
Published: February 2017

The genus Oxyethira comprises over 200 species distributed worldwide. In Brazil, 23 species have been recorded, mostly from the North Region, but this number is still an underestimate. To date, six species have been recorded from the Northeast Region of Brazil (from Ceará, Piauí, and Pernambuco states). In this work, we describe and illustrate 11 new species from this region: Oxyethira calori sp. nov., O. diplospissa sp. nov., O. guariba sp. nov., O. iannuzzae sp. nov., O. maranhensis sp. nov., O. rafaeli sp. nov., O. gracilianoi sp. nov., O. retrosa sp. nov., O. septentrionalis sp. nov., O. singularis sp. nov., O. una sp. nov. Additionally, new distributional records for five other species are given. These results increase the number of Oxyethira species in Brazil from 23 to 35.
First record of Pulvinaria urbicola Cockerell (Hemiptera: Coccidae) from India, with a key to the Indian species of Pulvinaria Targioni Tozzetti
Authors: JOSHI SUNIL
Published: February 2017

The notoriously destructive and invasive soft scale, Pulvinaria urbicola Cockerell (Hemiptera: Coccidae), is recorded for the first time from India. This scale, with variable morphological appearance and similarities with other known scales of the same genus established in India, is redescribed to facilitate its identification and separation from other similar species. Information on its host range, natural enemies and distribution is provided. Management options in the event of an outbreak are discussed briefly. A key to the species of Pulvinaria Targioni Tozzetti in India is also provided. This new arrival warrants special attention in India as it is a potentially damaging plant pest and has a broad host range across many plant families.
Tropospheric Waveguide Teleconnections and Their Seasonality
Authors: Branstator Grant , Teng Haiyan
Published: February 2017

One-point correlation maps of the subseasonal variability of 200-hPa meridional wind in nature and an atmospheric general circulation model are systematically analyzed to quantify the impact of the climatological-mean jets on tropospheric covariability as a result of the jets acting as waveguides for the propagation of Rossby waves. As anticipated by linear theory, signatures of jet influence are detected in terms of (i) the geographical position of the strongest teleconnections, (ii) the zonal orientation and extent of prominent patterns of variability, and (iii) the scale of the features that make up those patterns. Further evidence of jet waveguide influence comes from examining the seasonality of these teleconnection attributes. During winter, covariability can be essentially circumglobal, while during summer it tends to be confined within two separate sectors of the globe where the jets are especially strong. Experiments with a multilevel linear planetary wave model confirm that the analyzed characteristics of teleconnections in the waveguides can be attributed to the action of the mean state; no organization to the anomalous forcing of the atmosphere is required to produce these properties. Some attributes, however, depend on the presence of zonal variations in the climatological-mean state that are of similar scale to the teleconnection patterns themselves.
Factors Associated With the Use of Postoperative Analgesics in Patients Undergoing Direct Microlaryngoscopy
Authors: Taliercio Salvatore , Sanders Brian , Achlatis Stratos , Fang Yixin , Branski Ryan , Amin Milan
Published: February 2017

Objective:

Morbidity associated with suspension laryngoscopy has been well documented. However, standard of care with regard to postoperative analgesia has not been described, and anecdotal evidence suggests wide variability with regard to postoperative narcotic and non-narcotic recommendations. We sought to quantify the postoperative course following suspension microlaryngoscopy by relating patient-based and intraoperative measures with analgesic use.

Methods:

Body mass index (BMI), Friedman tongue position (FTP), and Mallampati scores as well as laryngoscope type, number of attempts required for optimal visualization, and suspension time were documented in 50 consecutive patients undergoing routine suspension microlaryngoscopy. Postoperative symptoms and analgesic use was queried on postoperative days 1, 3, and 10.

Results:

In this cohort, 62.5% employed postoperative analgesia. However, only 20% required narcotics. No difference in suspension time was identified in those taking analgesics (33.0 vs 37.3 minutes, P = .44). In addition, no relationship between procedure type and the need for analgesia was noted. The majority of patients (76%) described sore throat persisting for 3 postoperative days; 36% reported sore throat persisting beyond postoperative day 3.

Conclusions:

The majority of patients undergoing microlaryngoscopy reported discomfort, but symptoms were largely ameliorated with over-the-counter analgesics. Routine prescription of narcotics following routine suspension laryngoscopy may be unnecessary.
Predicting local violence
Authors: Blair Robert A , Blattman Christopher , Hartman Alexandra
Published: February 2017

Riots, murders, lynchings, and other forms of local violence are costly to security forces and society at large. Identifying risk factors and forecasting where local violence is most likely to occur should help allocate scarce peacekeeping and policing resources. Most forecasting exercises of this kind rely on structural or event data, but these have many limitations in the poorest and most war-torn states, where the need for prediction is arguably most urgent. We adopt an alternative approach, applying machine learning techniques to original panel survey data from Liberia to predict collective, interpersonal, and extrajudicial violence two years into the future. We first train our models to predict 2010 local violence using 2008 risk factors, then generate forecasts for 2012 before collecting new data. Our models achieve out-of-sample AUCs ranging from 0.65 to 0.74, depending on our specification of the dependent variable. The models also draw our attention to risk factors different from those typically emphasized in studies aimed at causal inference alone. For example, we find that while ethnic heterogeneity and polarization are reliable predictors of local violence, adverse economic shocks are not. Surprisingly, we also find that the risk of local violence is higher rather than lower in communities where minority and majority ethnic groups share power. These counter-intuitive results illustrate the usefulness of prediction for generating new stylized facts for future research to explain. Ours is one of just two attempts to forecast local violence using survey data, and we conclude by discussing how our approach can be replicated and extended as similar datasets proliferate.
Greater State Capacity, Lesser Stateness:
Authors: Dargent Eduardo , Feldmann Andreas E. , Luna Juan Pablo
Published: February 2017

This article analyzes the evolution of state capacity in Peru during the recent commodity boom. Peru’s economic growth happened in a context in which inclusive democratic institutions were at play for the longest period ever registered in the country and at a time when political elites decided to invest considerable resources in developing state capacity (not the prototypical predatory elites usually identified in the literature). This case illustrates how boom-led economic growth can lead to the (unilateral) institutional strengthening of a weak state. However, (net) state capacity continues to be low in Peru. The causal mechanism that yields such continuity differs from those entertained in classic path-dependent explanations of state capacity in Latin America. The article identifies a novel mechanism that helped reproduce the Peruvian path intertemporally. This relational mechanism suggests that state capacity remains low because of the relatively enhanced capacities of state challengers to locally fend off and contest an otherwise much stronger state apparatus. The article argues, on that basis, the need to employ a relational analysis that gauges net state strength with respect to the power acquired by relevant non-state actors who might challenge state authority across different local arenas. Classic conceptualizations of state capacity are indeed relational, but conventional applications are predominantly unilateral and, thus, misleading. Unilateral notions of state capacity are those that focus on either state efforts and investments to assert state capacity or, alternatively, on the presence of challenges that curtail the levels of actually observed state capacity.
Why America Should Restore the Draft
Authors: Hauser William L.
Published: February 2017

While agreeing with Professor Liebert and Colonel Golby that the All-Volunteer Force—which in 1973 replaced the Selective Service System (the draft) enacted by Congress at the onset of World War II—has worsened the estrangement of America’s military from the larger society and that this estrangement constitutes a hazard to our nation’s democracy, Colonel Hauser disputes their notion that nothing much can be done to remediate that hazard other than encouraging a return to historical/traditional nonpartisanship on the part of active and retired military officers, presumably encouraged by civilian political leadership. Instead, he suggests, a return to the draft, within a program of national service, would not only ameliorate military-societal separation but also provide a multitude of strategic, social, political, and economic benefits to the entire nation.
Facilitating Self-Transcendence: An Intervention to Enhance Well-Being in Late Life
Authors: McCarthy Valerie Lander , Hall Lynne A. , Crawford Timothy N. , Connelly Jennifer
Published: February 2017

This randomized controlled pilot study evaluated the effects of the Psychoeducational Approach to Transcendence and Health (PATH) Program, an 8-week intervention hypothesized to increase self-transcendence and improve well-being in community-dwelling women aged 60 years and older ( N = 20). The PATH combined mindfulness exercises, group processes, creative activities, and at-home practice using community engaged research methods. Findings provided some support for the effectiveness of PATH. Although there was no significant Group × Time interaction, self-transcendence, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction differed significantly pre- and postintervention in the wait-listed control group, which received a revised version of the program. Further study is needed with a larger sample to determine the effectiveness of PATH. Potentially, PATH may be a convenient and affordable activity to support personal development and improve well-being among older adults at senior centers, retirement communities, nursing homes, church groups, and other places where older adults gather.
Home space, gender and activism: The visible and the invisible in austere times
Authors: Jupp Eleanor
Published: February 2017

This article argues for the centrality of the home in understanding both the impacts of ‘austerity’ in the UK and potential activist responses. The article focuses on gendered forms of activism, particularly among low-income women. Empirical material is drawn from research with women in different contexts, a network of migrant women in London and a group of community activists in Stoke-on-Trent, in order to identify three particular registers of home-based and, by extension, community activism, including notions of ‘the everyday’, ‘the inbetween’ and experiences of trauma. There is also a brief discussion of housing activism in contemporary London in order to explore how such analysis might be applied to other forms of organising. There is a call for more sustained consideration of these often hidden forms of activism from researchers in understanding, as well as intervening in, the dynamics of contemporary social policy and governance.
Evolution and revolution: Anarchist geographies, modernity and poststructuralism
Authors: Ferretti Federico
Published: February 2017

This paper addresses the recent rediscovery of anarchist geographies and its implications in current debates on the ‘foundations’ of science and knowledge. By interrogating both recent works and original texts by early anarchist geographers who have greater influence on present-day literature such as Elisée Reclus (1830–1905) and Pyotr Kropotkin (1842–1921), I discuss the possible uses of a poststructuralist critique for this line of research by first challenging ‘postanarchist’ claims that so-called ‘classical anarchism’, allegedly biased by essentialist naturalism, should be entirely dismissed by contemporary scholarship. My main argument is that early anarchist geographers used the intellectual tools available in their day to build a completely different ‘discourse’, criticising the ways in which science and knowledge were constructed. As they openly contested ideas of linear progress, racism and European supremacy, as well as anthropocentrism and dichotomised definitions of ‘man’ and ‘nature’, it is hard to make them fit simplistic definitions. The body of work I address stresses their possible contributions to critical, anarchist and radical scholarship through their idea of knowledge, not limited to what is now called ‘discourse analysis’, but engaging with social movements in order to transform society.
Association of blood pressure in the supine position with target organ damage in subjects over 60 years old
Authors: Wang Feng , Zhao Hualing , Yang Chao , Kong Guilan , Song Lu , Li Chunhui , Wang Yiming , Chen Shuohua , Wang Jing , Wu Shouling
Published: February 2017

Objective

Toexplore the correlation between blood pressure in the supine position and target organ damage in subjects over 60 years of age.

Methods

In 2444 individuals, we investigated the association of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the supine position with the target organ damage indices microalbuminuria (ALBU), brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and carotid intima–media thickness (IMT). Supine hypertension (SH) is defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg. Subjects were assigned to either the SH group (1275 cases) or the non-SH group (1169 cases).

Results

The levels of ALBU, baPWV, and IMT, as well as the percentage of participants with ALBU > 30 mg/L, baPWV ≥ 1400 cm/s, and IMT ≥ 1 mm, were significantly higher in the SH group than in the non-SH group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SH was an independent risk factor for baPWV and IMT, but the relationship with ALBU was not statistically significant after correction for confounding factors.

Conclusions

SH is a risk factor for target organ damage, as expressed by the indices baPWV and IMT. The association of SH with kidney damage requires further study.
Can Managed Care Really Improve Doctor–Patient Relationship?
Authors: Kit Paul Chan Hong , Rasid Siti Zaleha Abdul , Ismail Wan Khairuzzaman Wan , Mokhber Mozhdeh
Published: February 2017

Background

Managed care has created conflicts in the practice of medicine. Physicians now not only treat patients but are also expected to treat them at the least cost possible; hence, complications may arise. The objective of this study is to examine how managed care has affected the doctor–patient relationship.

Methodology

For the purpose of this research, 220 doctors/physicians in Malaysia participated in this cross-sectional survey.

Results

The results show that primary care physicians’ perception on the impact of managed care on doctor–patient relationships is predominantly negative in patients’ expectation, continuity of care, patients’ involvement and obligations on patients’ care.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Based on the findings of this research, there is an urgent need for managed care companies to work closely with insurance firms as well as the health care providers in the provision of health care services.
Long leukocyte telomere length in prostate cancer patients at diagnosis is associated with poor metastasis-free and cancer-specific survival
Authors: Svenson Ulrika , Roos Göran , Wikström Pernilla
Published: February 2017

Previous studies have suggested that leukocyte telomere length is associated with risk of developing prostate cancer. Investigations of leukocyte telomere length as a prognostic factor in prostate cancer are, however, lacking. In this study, leukocyte telomere length was investigated both as a risk marker, comparing control subjects and patient risk groups (based on serum levels of prostate-specific antigen, tumor differentiation, and tumor stage), and as a prognostic marker for metastasis-free and cancer-specific survival. Relative telomere length was measured by a well-established quantitative polymerase chain reaction method in 415 consecutively sampled individuals. Statistical evaluation included 162 control subjects without cancer development during follow-up and 110 untreated patients with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer at the time of blood draw. Leukocyte telomere length did not differ significantly between control subjects and patients, or between patient risk groups. Interestingly, however, and in line with our previous results in breast and kidney cancer patients, relative telomere length at diagnosis was an independent prognostic factor. Patients with long leukocyte telomeres (⩾median) had a significantly worse prostate cancer–specific and metastasis-free survival compared to patients with short telomere length. In contrast, for patients who died of other causes than prostate cancer, long relative telomere length was not coupled to shorter survival time. To our knowledge, these results are novel and give further strength to our hypothesis that leukocyte telomere length might be used as a prognostic marker in malignancy.
Reversal of hypermethylation and reactivation of glutathione S-transferase pi 1 gene by curcumin in breast cancer cell line
Authors: Kumar Umesh , Sharma Ujjawal , Rathi Garima
Published: February 2017

One of the mechanisms for epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes is hypermethylation of cytosine residue at CpG islands at their promoter region that contributes to malignant progression of tumor. Therefore, activation of tumor suppressor genes that have been silenced by promoter methylation is considered to be very attractive molecular target for cancer therapy. Epigenetic silencing of glutathione S-transferase pi 1, a tumor suppressor gene, is involved in various types of cancers including breast cancer. Epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes can be reversed by several molecules including natural compounds such as polyphenols that can act as a hypomethylating agent. Curcumin has been found to specifically target various tumor suppressor genes and alter their expression. To check the effect of curcumin on the methylation pattern of glutathione S-transferase pi 1 gene in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line in dose-dependent manner. To check the reversal of methylation pattern of hypermethylated glutathione S-transferase pi 1, MCF-7 breast cancer cell line was treated with different concentrations of curcumin for different time periods. DNA and proteins of treated and untreated cell lines were isolated, and methylation status of the promoter region of glutathione S-transferase pi 1 was analyzed using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction assay, and expression of this gene was analyzed by immunoblotting using specific antibodies against glutathione S-transferase pi 1. A very low and a nontoxic concentration (10 µM) of curcumin treatment was able to reverse the hypermethylation and led to reactivation of glutathione S-transferase pi 1 protein expression in MCF-7 cells after 72 h of treatment, although the IC50 value of curcumin was found to be at 20 µM. However, curcumin less than 3 µM of curcumin could not alter the promoter methylation pattern of glutathione S-transferase pi 1. Treatment of breast cancer MCF-7 cells with curcumin causes complete reversal of glutathione S-transferase pi 1 promoter hypermethylation and leads to re-expression of glutathione S-transferase pi 1, suggesting it to be an excellent nontoxic hypomethylating agent.