bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“SEEING” THE PAST: TEXT AND QUESTIONS OF HISTORY IN THE RĀJATARAṄGIṆĪ
Authors: KAUL SHONALEEKA
Published: April 2014

Traditional scholarly opinion has regarded Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī, the twelfth‐century Sanskrit chronicle of Kashmiri kings, as a work of history. This essay proposes a reinvestigation of the nature of the iconic text from outside the shadow of that label. It first closely critiques the positivist “history hypothesis,” exposing its internal contradictions over questions of chronology, causality, and objectivity as attributed to the text. It then argues that more than an empiricist historical account that modern historians like to believe it is—in the process bracketing out integral rhetorical, mythic, and didactic parts of the text—the Rājataraṅgiṇī should be viewed in totality for the kāvya (epic poem) that it is, which is to say, as representing a specific language practice that sought to produce meaning and articulated the poet's vision of the land and its lineages. The essay thus urges momentarily reclaiming the text from the hegemonic but troubled understanding of it as history—only to restore it ultimately to a more cohesive notion of historicality that is consistent with its contents. Toward this end, it highlights the concrete claim to epistemic authority that is asserted both by the genre of Sanskrit kāvya generally and by the Rājataraṅgiṇī in particular, and their conception of the poetic “production” of the past that bears a striking resonance with constructivist historiography. It then traces the intensely intertextual and value‐laden nature of the epistemology that frames the Rājataraṅgiṇī into a narrative discourse on power and ethical governance. It is in its narrativity and discursivity—its meaningful representation of what constitutes “true” knowledge of time and human action—that the salience of the Rājataraṅgiṇī may lie.
THE VERTIGO OF HISTORICAL ANALYSES IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD
Authors: Epple Angelika
Published: April 2014

In this anthology, Joan Scott reconfigures her understanding of feminist history and thus contributes to a long overdue theoretical discussion on how we can write feminist history in a globalizing world. She traces both the history of gender history and the history of feminist movements. Scott's main source of inspiration is the French version of psychoanalysis following Lacan. In a further development of her pioneering 1986 article, “Gender: A Useful Category of Historical Analysis,” she points out that gender is neither a mere social construction nor a somehow biological referent (such as “sex”). Integrating the constructive criticism of her approach elaborated prominently by Judith Butler during the 1990s, Scott argues instead that gender is a historically and culturally specific attempt to resolve the dilemma of sexual difference. Sexual difference, for its part, is also far from referring simply to physically different male/female bodies. Sexual difference is, for Scott, a permanent quandary for modern subjects, a puzzle to which every society or culture finds specific answers.

My reading of her book concentrates on two main questions that run like a thread through her considerations: First, how can we bridge the gap between a subject and a group? Second, how can we overcome binary oppositions and/or fixed categories and entities—a challenge that becomes even more important every day in a rapidly globalizing world. I broadly discuss the benefits and shortcomings of the pivotal role Scott ascribes to fantasy. Although the concept of fantasy is powerful and striking, particularly with reference to the concepts of “imagined communities” and “invented traditions,” coined by Eric Hobsbawm and Benedict Anderson, I find the Lacanian tone to be less convincing.
THE WORDS OF HISTORY
Authors: Froeyman Anton
Published: April 2014

In From History to Theory, Kerwin Lee Klein writes a history of the central terms of the discipline of theory of history, such as “historiography,” “philosophy of history,” “theory of history,” and “memory.” Klein tells us when and how these terms were used, how the usage of some (“historiography” and “philosophy of history”) declined during the twentieth century, and how other terms (“theory” and “memory”) became increasingly popular. More important, Klein also shows that the use of these words is not innocent. Using words such as “theory” or “historiography” implies certain specific ideas about what the writing of history should be like, and how theoretical reflection on the nature of history and its writing relates to the practical issues of the discipline.

In the second half of his book, Klein focuses more on the concept of memory and the memory boom since the later part of the 1980s. He observes that “memory” came to be seen as a kind of “counterhistory,” a postcolonial, fragmented, and personal alternative to the traditional mainstream discourse of history. Klein does not necessarily disagree with this view, but he does warn us about unwanted side effects. More specifically, he argues that the discourse of memory is surprisingly compatible with that of extremist right‐wing groups, and should be treated with suspicion. Although Klein certainly has a point, he presents it in a rather dogmatic fashion. However, a more nuanced version of Klein's criticism of memory can be developed by building on Klein's suggestion that there is an intimate connection between memory and identity.
OPACITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN HISTORICAL REPRESENTATIONS
Authors: Mitrović Branko
Published: April 2014

In his latest book Frank Ankersmit develops a comprehensive philosophical perspective on the problem of the truth and reference of historical representations. The approach and the wider perspective of the book largely belong to what could be called the postmodernist paradigm, in spite of some recent attempts to interpret Ankersmit's recent work differently. Since his 1983 Narrative Logic Ankersmit has propounded the view that individual statements that constitute historical representations may have reference, but that representations themselves do not. His most recent book remains faithful to this position and elaborates it further. This essay examines Ankersmit's arguments as well as the assumptions and implications of this view.
DARWINIAN WE ARE NOT: COUNTERFACTUALISM AS THE NATURAL COURSE OF HISTORY
Authors: Hesketh Ian
Published: April 2014

This article considers Peter Bowler's recent contribution to the genre of counterfactual history as exemplifying a “restrained” counterfactual framework, one that must downplay the role of contingency in the historical process in order to present what Bowler calls a more “natural course” of historical development. This restrained counterfactual methodology is discussed with reference to analogous debates within evolutionary science about the competing roles of contingency and convergence in the history of life, along with recent work done within the humanities about the more subtle nuances of counterfactual reasoning. Although there is little doubt that Bowler's study will help legitimize the genre of counterfactual history, it is argued that the role of contingency—once thought to be integral to the counterfactual—has been necessarily minimized in order to construct a narrative that is a plausible counterfactual history of science. It is in this way that Bowler's world without Darwin sheds light on our historiographical preconceptions about what makes for a plausible historical narrative.
Consumers' reactions to food scares
Authors: Niewczas Magdalena
Published: April 2014

In the past decade many food hazards appeared (i.e. bacteria of Escherichia coli, dioxins in pork). When information about food hazards is announced, many concerns about food product arise. As a result consumers stop buying the kind of food in which hazard appears, which makes losses to the food producer. In this study, the results of survey are presented. The survey was conducted among 712 respondents in the southeast Poland. Respondents were asked about the source of information they prefer to be informed about the food hazard, their reactions to food hazard and their ways to protect themselves from food hazards in case of food scares. On the basis of the results, it was found that the main sources of information they prefer are television (85.4% of indications) and the Internet (61.4% of indications). Moreover, when a food hazard appears and consumers are informed about this fact their first reaction is to check if they have bought this product, and 30% of respondents declared that they would not buy this product again. To make sure that a particular food product is safe, consumers buy products they know (70.5% respondents). The answers varied on the socio‐demographic characteristics of respondents.
Occult tinea pedis in an Israeli population and predisposing factors for the acquisition of the disease
Authors: Sakka Nicole , Shemer Avner , Barzilai Aviv , Farhi Renata , Daniel Ralph
Published: April 2014

Background

Tinea pedis is a commonly encountered dermatophytic infection with a clinical prevalence of 15–25%. Limited studies have evaluated the prevalence of occult tinea pedis.

Objectives

The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of occult tinea pedis in asymptomatic subjects with feet that appeared healthy and to identify possible related risk factors.

Methods

A prospective study of 221 asymptomatic subjects with apparently normal feet was conducted. All subjects completed a questionnaire covering anamnestic details (personal and family histories of tinea pedis, preferred footwear) and were examined for foot odor and the clinical presence of tinea pedis and onychomycosis. Samples were taken from the foot for direct microscopic examination and culture.

Results

Among the 221 patients, 31 (14.0%) were positive for occult tinea pedis. Positive cultures from both the anterior and posterior aspects of the foot were obtained in 22 patients. The most common pathogen isolated was Trichophyton rubrum. Strong correlations emerged between occult tinea pedis and characteristics such as male gender, foot odor, previous personal and family histories of tinea pedis, and clinical and mycological evidence of onychomycosis. No significant associations were found between occult tinea pedis and age or preferred footwear.

Conclusions

The prevalence of occult tinea pedis is similar to that of clinical tinea pedis. This may imply that patients with subclinical infection carry a risk for transmitting disease similar to that of clinical carriers. This is of great importance in the prevention and management of the disease as high‐risk asymptomatic carriers can be identified.
Antinuclear antibodies in atopic dermatitis: a cross‐sectional study on 346 children
Authors: Ress Krista , Metsküla Kaja , Annus Triine , Putnik Urve , Lepik Kristi , Luts Katrin , Uibo Oivi , Uibo Raivo
Published: April 2014

Background

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can be classified into an extrinsic or intrinsic type. A high percentage of patients, especially adults with the extrinsic type of AD, have been reported to show antibodies to antinuclear proteins (ANA). We aimed to study the prevalence of ANA in children with AD and to evaluate clinical differences between patients with ANA‐positive and ANA‐negative AD.

Methods

A total 346 serum samples from children with active AD (mean age 5.8 years) and 117 hospital controls without known skin, inflammatory, or immune‐mediated disease (mean age 7.9 years) were tested for IgG ANA with indirect immunofluorescence on HEp‐2 cells, total serum IgE levels, and IgE type antibodies to food allergen panels.

Results

In total, 47 patients with AD (13.6%) and 15 subjects in the control group (12.8%) were ANA positive at screening dilution 1:10 (P > 0.05). In patients with AD, ANA was found already at the age of 2 years, significantly more often in females (P < 0.005) and at slightly higher titers (up to 1:160). No differences were found in ANA positivity regarding the severity of AD or sensitization to food allergens.

Conclusion

No significant differences were observed between AD and the control group, or between different subtypes of AD in ANA prevalence. In both groups, ANA frequency increased with age, but in patients with AD, ANA had a tendency to appear earlier. Therefore, active AD during the early years of life could dispose selected patients towards earlier development of systemic autoreactivity and stress the need for regular follow‐up of patients with ANA‐positive AD.
Antioxidant and nitric oxide inhibitory activities of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) protein hydrolysate: effect of ultrasonic pretreatment and ultrasonic‐assisted enzymatic hydrolysis
Authors: Kangsanant Sureeporn , Murkovic Michael , Thongraung Chakree
Published: April 2014

Ultrasound was incorporated to processing of fish protein hydrolysate to facilitate homogenate pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) muscle protein. Their effects on Flavourzyme hydrolysis and biological activities of the tilapia hydrolysate were examined. The ultrasound‐assisted hydrolysis caused reduction in degree of hydrolysis ranging from 23% to 35% relative to that of the conventional process. The 70 W ultrasound‐assisted hydrolysis process increased DPPH radical‐scavenging activity and reducing power of tilapia hydrolysate prepared from the non‐pretreatment homogenate by 33% and 45%, respectively. All hydrolysates have no cytotoxicity on RAW264.7 cell lines at the maximum concentration of 20 mg protein mL−1. The 70 W ultrasound pretreatment at 30 and 45 min combined with conventional hydrolysis is the suitable condition for producing tilapia hydrolysate with nitric oxide inhibitory and antioxidative activities on RAW264.7 cell lines, respectively. As a result, ultrasound could be applied to enzymatic protein hydrolysis either as pretreatment or during the hydrolysis.
Optimal flagging combinations for best performance of five blood cell analyzers
Authors: Depoorter M. , Goletti S. , Latinne D. , Defour JP.
Published: April 2014

Introduction

Corelab automation needs increasingly more efficient hematology analyzers and algorithms to adequately detect abnormal samples. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of combining flags or to adjust their trigger level to identify positive samples for further detection within a smear.

Methods

Five hundred and seventeen EDTA samples from patients followed for hematological malignancies were randomly analyzed on Sysmex XE2100 and XN2000, Abbott Cell‐Dyn Sapphire, Beckman Coulter DXH800 and Siemens ADVIA 2120. A blood smear as well as a buffy coat was further performed for each of them.

Results

Our results shows that depending on the flags, the combinations of them and the thresholds we use, analyzers can provide extremely variable results in their performances for detecting abnormal cells. ADVIA and XN2000 show remarkable performance for blasts detection. DXH800 is the most sensitive for the detection of abnormal lymphocytes, while XN outperforms the market for immature granulocytes and nucleated red blood cell.

Conclusion

Flagging performances have been shown to be inconsistent among the different manufacturers. This article should help laboratory professionals in their quest for the best flagging schemes and give them a baseline in the selection of the most appropriate analyzer.
Screening and confirmation of hereditary spherocytosis in children using a CELL‐DYN Sapphire haematology analyser
Authors: Rooney S. , Hoffmann J. J. M. L. , Cormack O. M. , McMahon C.
Published: April 2014

Introduction

Multidimensional optical scatter of sphered erythrocytes can identify and enumerate hyperchromic erythrocytes, which might be used for hereditary spherocytosis (HS) screening. The flow cytometric eosin‐5′‐maleimide test (EMA) is highly sensitive and specific for HS as a confirmatory method. The aims of this study were to assess the utility of hyperchromic erythrocytes in HS screening and to evaluate the EMA test performed on CELL‐DYN Sapphire analyser compared with the reference method.

Methods

Blood from 740 paediatric patients presenting at our institution was analysed in reticulocyte mode of the CELL‐DYN Sapphire haematology analyser (Abbott Diagnostics) to obtain hyperchromic erythrocyte counts. The EMA test was performed using a flow cytometer as a reference, as well as CELL‐DYN Sapphire as an investigational method.

Results

Hyperchromic erythrocytes were the highest in patients with HS (median 11.5%; range 5.1–29.2%). Patients with autoimmune haemolytic disease had significantly less hyperchromic erythrocytes (median 4.9%; range 0.0–18.3%). Hyperchromic erythrocytes showed a high area under the ROC curve: 0.972. At 4.9% cut‐off, hyperchromic erythrocytes detected HS with 96.4% sensitivity and 99.1% specificity. The EMA test on CELL‐DYN Sapphire correlated strongly with the reference test and had identical diagnostic power. Stability studies with blood from HS patients showed a significant decrease in hyperchromic erythrocytes after 6 h storage.

Conclusions

Measurement of hyperchromic erythrocytes is highly sensitive and specific for detecting HS and can be used for rapid and inexpensive screening. If required, the EMA test can be performed on CELL‐DYN Sapphire or a standard flow cytometer for confirmation of HS.
Total daily fluoride intake and the relative contributions of foods, drinks and toothpaste by 3‐ to 4‐year‐old children in the Gaza Strip – Palestine
Authors: Abuhaloob Lamis , Maguire Anne , Moynihan Paula
Published: April 2014

Background

Children in Gaza Strip suffer from a high prevalence of dental fluorosis.

Aims

To estimate and compare total daily fluoride (F) intake (TDFI) and investigate the relative contributions of different sources of F to TDFI, in 3‐ to 4‐year‐old children in Gaza Strip, exposed to low (<0.7 mg/litre), moderate (0.7–1.2 mg/litre) or high (>1.2 mg/litre) F concentrations in tap water.

Design

A 3‐day food diary and samples of tap water, drinks, foods, toothpastes and toothbrushing expectorate were collected from 216 children receiving low (n = 81), moderate (n = 72) or high (n = 63) F concentrations in tap water. F concentration of samples was analysed using an F‐ion‐selective electrode. TDFI from all sources was estimated. Data were analysed by anova and Tukey's test.

Results

The mean (±SD) F concentration in low, moderate and high F tap waters was 0.21(±0.15), 0.91(±0.13) and 1.71(±0.35) mg/litre, respectively. Mean (±SD) TDFI was 0.02(±0.01), 0.04(±0.01) and 0.05(±0.03) mg/kg bw/day, respectively (P < 0.0001). Foods made the largest contribution (63.9%) to TDFI.

Conclusion

Total daily fluoride (F) intake increased as F concentration in tap water increased. Foods were the primary source of F. Programmes for monitoring fluoride expose should consider the fluoride concentration of water used for food preparation and local dietary behaviours.
Disentangling the influence of climatic and geological changes on species radiations
Authors: Linder H. Peter , Rabosky Daniel L. , Antonelli Alexandre , Wüest Rafael O. , Ohlemüller Ralf
Published: April 2014

Aim

Our aim was to seek explanations for the differences in the diversity among the austral continents by comparing the diversification rates and patterns in the grass subfamily Danthonioideae. We asked specifically whether diversification is density dependent, whether it is different for each continent, and whether immigration rates impact on diversification rates. We attempted to account for intercontinental differences by comparing the Pleistocene climatic and Neogene geomorphological histories with the inferred diversification rates.

Location

Mainly the Southern Hemisphere, treated as four areas for the analyses: Africa, Australia, New Zealand and South America.

Methods

We based our analyses on a densely sampled, dated phylogeny for the grass subfamily Danthonioideae. We compared 24 diversification models for these continental radiations, taking into account speciation models, and extinction and dispersal rates. We used available distribution data to infer the climates under which danthonioids are found, and used these to estimate the change in area and location of suitable habitats between contemporary and Last Glacial Maximum climates. We inferred the geomorphological history from the literature.

Results

We show that long‐distance dispersal led to parallel radiations, which more than doubled the final standing diversity in the subfamily. Diversification models with the strongest support included separate time‐varying diversification processes for each major geographical region. Pleistocene climatic fluctuation did not explain the intercontinental differences in diversification patterns.

Main conclusions

Although our results are consistent with density‐dependent diversification, this explanation is not consistent with the time of arrival of danthonioids on each continent. The diversification patterns on the four major Southern Hemisphere landmasses are idiosyncratic. The two most important predictors of diversity may be the lineage‐specific effect of time, and the general effect of topographical complexity and orogenesis.
Neo‐sex chromosome inheritance across species in Silene hybrids
Authors: Weingartner L. A. , Delph L. F.
Published: April 2014

Neo‐sex chromosomes, which form through the major restructuring of ancestral sex chromosome systems, have evolved in various taxa. Such restructuring often consists of the fusion of an autosome to an existing sex chromosome, resulting in novel sex chromosome formations (e.g. X1X2Y or XY1Y2.). Comparative studies are often made between restructured sex chromosome systems of closely related species, and here we evaluate the consequences of variable sex chromosome systems to hybrids. If neo‐sex chromosomes are improperly inherited across species, this could lead to aberrant development and reproductive isolation. In this study, we examine the fate of neo‐sex chromosomes in hybrids of the flowering plants Silene diclinis and Silene latifolia. Silene diclinis has a neo‐sex chromosome system (XY1Y2) that is thought to have evolved from an ancestral XY system that is still present in S. latifolia. These species do not hybridize naturally, and improper sex chromosome inheritance could contribute to reproductive isolation. We investigated whether this major restructuring of sex chromosomes prevents their proper inheritance in a variety of hybrid crosses, including some F2‐ and later‐generation hybrids, with sex chromosome‐linked, species‐specific, polymorphic markers and chromosome squashes. We discovered that despite the differences in sex chromosomes that exist between these two species, proper segregation had occurred in hybrids that made it to flowering, including later‐generation hybrids, indicating that neo‐sex chromosome formation alone does not result in complete reproductive isolation between these two species. Additionally, hybrids with aberrant sex expression (e.g. neuter, hermaphrodite) also inherited the restructured sex chromosomes properly, highlighting that issues with sexual development in hybrids can be caused by intrinsic genetic incompatibility rather than improper sex chromosome inheritance.
Association of antibodies to ganglioside complexes and conduction blocks in axonal Guillain‐Barré syndrome presenting as acute motor conduction block neuropathy
Authors: Créange Alain , Shahrizaila Nortina , Salhi Hayet , Lefaucheur Jean‐Pascal , Yuki Nobuhiro
Published: April 2014

A close relationship between acute motor conduction block neuropathy and antibodies against the complex of GM1 and GalNAc‐GD1a has been reported. This study investigates the hypothesis that conduction block at the early phase of axonal Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) is also associated with such ganglioside complexes. Sera were obtained from seven French patients with initial evidence of isolated conduction blocks that resolved or progressed to acute motor axonal neuropathy. Serum IgG to asialo‐GM1 and gangliosides of LM1, GM1, GM1b, GD1a, GalNAc‐GD1a, GD1b, GT1a, GT1b, and GQ1b as well as their complexes were measured. Five of seven patients progressed within the first month of disease to AMAN. One patient had IgG antibodies against the complex of asialo‐GM1 and each of the other ganglioside antigens. Another patient carried IgG antibodies against GM1 complex with GM1b, GD1a, and GT1a as well as asialo‐GM1 complex with GD1a and GT1a. None had IgG antibodies against GM1/GalNAc‐GD1a complex. Six patients had IgG against single antigens GM1, GD1a, GalNAc‐GD1a, GD1b, and asialo‐GM1. In three patients, a reduced reaction against GM1/GalNAc‐GD1a complex was observed. The presence of conduction block in axonal GBS is not always associated with anti‐GM1/GalNAc‐GD1a complex antibodies.
Tempest in the Andes? Part 1: Agrarian Reform and Peasant Differentiation in Cotopaxi (Ecuador)
Authors: Solo De Zaldívar Víctor Bretón
Published: April 2014

This paper, published in two parts, contains an analysis of the links between the ‘agrarian question’ in the Ecuadorian Andes and the creation of a network of indigenous‐peasant organizations that became the backbone of the national indigenous movement. Based on a monographic study in the province of Cotopaxi, in Ecuador's central sierra, I explore the relations between agrarian and social change. I analyse the agrarian roots of Andean ethnic platforms at the local level, attempting to see how those processes that politicized ethnicity came about between the 1960s and the first decade of the twenty‐first century. Beginning with the redistributive results of the state‐driven agrarian reform (1964–73), the paper demonstrates that the articulation of the contemporary indigenous movement cannot be explained without an understanding of the implications that the reform process entailed and the synergies it unleashed, amongst these being an increase in the internal differentiation of the peasantry until then subject to the power of large estate owners. Throughout this process, the leaders, authentic organic intellectuals, played a fundamental role, picking up the reins of the organizations, weaving their own political discourse and becoming independent of their external allies. In a second stage, the NGOs and cooperation agencies that focused their attention on the indigenous world made organizational strengthening a banner of their work on the ground, consolidating that structural transformation. In this paper, I explore the deep roots of the agrarian system's political economy in order to come to a full understanding of the social differentiation process and the ethnicization of the peasant movement. This contributes towards the comparative reflection of other scenarios in the Andean region and, in general, of those Latin American spaces characterized by the presence of significant contingents of indigenous‐peasant populations.
Benefiting from creative activity: The positive relationships between creative activity, recovery experiences, and performance‐related outcomes
Authors: Eschleman Kevin J. , Madsen Jamie , Alarcon Gene , Barelka Alex
Published: April 2014

Employees have limited personal time to engage in activities that enable them to recover from a demanding work environment and perform at a high level. To evaluate the importance of non‐work creative activity, we conducted two studies that examine the relationships between non‐work creative activity, recovery experiences, and performance‐related behaviours at work. Study 1 included employees who provided self‐rated performance‐related outcomes, whereas Study 2 included employees with other‐rated (co‐workers and subordinates) performance‐related outcomes. Creative activity was positively associated with recovery experiences (i.e., mastery, control, and relaxation) and performance‐related outcomes (i.e., job creativity and extra‐role behaviours). The mediating effects of recovery experiences were examined to better understand the underlying processes involved in the relationship between creative activity and performance‐related outcomes. Creative activity was found to have both indirect effects and direct effects on performance‐related outcomes, but the effects varied by the type of performance‐related outcome. The results indicate that organizations may benefit from encouraging employees to consider creative activities in their efforts to recover from work.

Practitioner points

Organizations should increase employee awareness of the benefits of creative activity on recovery. Many companies already provide information to employees regarding the importance of specific activities (e.g., eating habits, exercise) on physical health. Information on activities that influence recovery – a psychological health consequence – should be included in the informational resource provided to employees.

Organizations may consider professional development opportunities for employees that involve creative activities while away from work. Creative activities are likely to provide valuable experiences of mastery and control, but may also provide employees experiences of discovery that uniquely influence performance‐related outcomes. Opportunities used by large organizations, such as Zappos Inc., include employees bringing their artwork to work to decorate their offices. Other options include memberships to art studios, creative writing resources, and access to musical instruments.
Ethnography, Fidelity, and the Evidence that Anthropology Adds: Supplementing the Fidelity Process in a Clinical Trial of Supported Employment
Authors: Smith‐Morris Carolyn , Lopez Gilberto , Ottomanelli Lisa , Goetz Lance , Dixon‐Lawson Kimberly
Published: April 2014

This discussion considers the role and findings of ethnographic research within a clinical trial of supported employment for veterans with spinal cord injury. Contributing to qualitative evaluation research and to debates over anthropological evidence vis‐à‐vis clinical trials, we demonstrate how enactors of a randomized controlled trial can simultaneously attend to both the trial's evidentiary and procedural requirements and to the lived experiences and needs of patients and clinicians. Three major findings are described: (1) contextual information essential to fidelity efforts within the trial; (2) the role of human interrelationships and idiosyncratic networks in the trial's success; and (3) a mapping of the power and authority structures relevant to the staff's ability to perform the protocol. We emphasize strengths of anthropological ethnography in clinical trials that include the provision of complementary, qualitative data, the capture of otherwise unmeasured parts of the trial, and the realization of important information for the translation of the clinical findings into new settings.
Non‐additive effects of invasive tree litter shift seasonal N release: a potential invasion feedback
Authors: Schuster Michael J. , Dukes Jeffrey S.
Published: April 2014

Many invasive plant species strongly alter ecosystem processes by producing leaf litter that decomposes faster and releases N more quickly than that of native species. However, while most studies of invasive species litter impacts have only considered the decomposition of species in monoculture, forest litter layers typically contain litter from many species. Many litter mixtures decompose in a non‐additive manner, in which the mixture decomposes more quickly (synergistic effect) or more slowly (antagonistic effect) than would be expected based on decomposition of the component species’ litters in isolation. We investigated the potential for non‐additive effects of invasive species’ litter by conducting a one‐year litter bag experiment in which we mixed the litters of four native tree species with each of four invasive species. Litter mixtures frequently lost mass at non‐additive rates, although not at every loading ratio, and the presence, sign, and strength of effects depended on species composition. Non‐additive effects on N loss occurred in more litter combinations, and were almost always antagonistic at 90 days and synergistic at 365 days. Invasive species litter with lower C:N led to more strongly synergistic N loss with time. During the growing season, non‐additive patterns of N loss almost always resulted in increased N release – up to six times greater than would be expected based on single‐species decomposition. Consequently, we suggest that invasive species may further synchronize N release from the litter layer with plant N demand, enhancing any positive litter feedback to invasion. These results highlight the need to consider non‐additive effects of litter mixing in invaded forest communities, and suggest that estimates of invasive species’ impacts on ecosystem processes would be improved by considering these effects.
Masting, mixtures and modes: are two models better than one?
Authors: Tanentzap Andrew J. , Lee William G. , Coomes David A. , Mason Norman W. H.
Published: April 2014

A key hypothesis in population ecology is that synchronous and intermittent seed production, known as mast seeding, is driven by the alternating allocation of carbohydrates and mineral nutrients between growth and reproduction in different years, i.e. ‘resource switching’. Such behaviour may ultimately generate bimodal distributions of long‐term flower and seed production, and evidence of these patterns has been taken to support the resource switching hypothesis. Here, we show how a widely‐used statistical test of bimodality applied by many studies in different ecological contexts may fail to reject the null hypothesis that focal probability distributions are unimodal. Using data from five tussock grass species in South Island, New Zealand, we find clear evidence of bimodality only when flowering patterns are analyzed with probabilistic mixture models. Mixture models provide a theory oriented framework for testing hypotheses of mast seeding patterns, enabling the different responses underlying medium‐ and high‐ versus non‐ and low‐flowering years to be modelled more realistically by associating these with distinct probability distributions. Coupling theoretical expectations with more rigorous statistical approaches will empower ecologists to reject null hypotheses more often.
Matrix models for quantifying competitive intransitivity from species abundance data
Authors: Ulrich Werner , Soliveres Santiago , Kryszewski Wojciech , Maestre Fernando T. , Gotelli Nicholas J.
Published: April 2014

In a network of competing species, a competitive intransitivity occurs when the ranking of competitive abilities does not follow a linear hierarchy (A > B > C but C > A). A variety of mathematical models suggests that intransitive networks can prevent or slow down competitive exclusion and maintain biodiversity by enhancing species coexistence. However, it has been difficult to assess empirically the relative importance of intransitive competition because a large number of pairwise species competition experiments are needed to construct a competition matrix that is used to parameterize existing models. Here we introduce a statistical framework for evaluating the contribution of intransitivity to community structure using species abundance matrices that are commonly generated from replicated sampling of species assemblages. We provide metrics and analytical methods for using abundance matrices to estimate species competition and patch transition matrices by using reverse‐engineering and a colonization–competition model. These matrices provide complementary metrics to estimate the degree of intransitivity in the competition network of the sampled communities. Benchmark tests reveal that the proposed methods could successfully detect intransitive competition networks, even in the absence of direct measures of pairwise competitive strength. To illustrate the approach, we analyzed patterns of abundance and biomass of five species of necrophagous Diptera and eight species of their hymenopteran parasitoids that co‐occur in beech forests in Germany. We found evidence for a strong competitive hierarchy within communities of flies and parasitoids. However, for parasitoids, there was a tendency towards increasing intransitivity in higher weight classes, which represented larger resource patches. These tests provide novel methods for empirically estimating the degree of intransitivity in competitive networks from observational datasets. They can be applied to experimental measures of pairwise species interactions, as well as to spatio‐temporal samples of assemblages in homogenous environments or environmental gradients.
Aggressive forms of periodontitis secondary to systemic disorders
Authors: Khocht Ahmed , Albandar Jasim M.
Published: April 2014

A number of systemic disorders increase a patient’s susceptibility to destructive periodontitis and have impacts on periodontal disease progression and severity. The underlying factors are usually genetic and are mainly related to alterations in the immune response and in certain endocrine functions, leading to various syndromes in which periodontitis and/or early tooth loss are secondary manifestations. Neutrophils are important immune defense cells that play a significant role in controlling the spread of microbial plaque infections in the dentogingival region. This review focuses on a selected group of systemic disorders that are associated with alterations in either neutrophil counts (quantitative disorders) or function (qualitative disorders), and defects in the mineralization of bone and dental tissues. In most of these diseases controlling the periodontal disease progression is very challenging. Proper diagnosis is a prerequisite for proper management of the periodontal problem. Future advances in research, including gene targeting and the resolution of enzyme deficiencies, may bring about remedies of the underlying systemic disorders and may significantly improve the outcome of periodontal treatment in these patients.
Microbiology of aggressive periodontitis
Authors: Könönen Eija , Müller Hans‐Peter
Published: April 2014

For decades, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans has been considered the most likely etiologic agent in aggressive periodontitis. Implementation of DNA‐based microbiologic methodologies has considerably improved our understanding of the composition of subgingival biofilms, and advanced open‐ended molecular techniques even allow for genome mapping of the whole bacterial spectrum in a sample and characterization of both the cultivable and not‐yet‐cultivable microbiota associated with periodontal health and disease. Currently, A. actinomycetemcomitans is regarded as a minor component of the resident oral microbiota and as an opportunistic pathogen in some individuals. Its specific JP2 clone, however, shows properties of a true exogenous pathogen and has an important role in the development of aggressive periodontitis in certain populations. Still, limited data exist on the impact of other microbes specifically in aggressive periodontitis. Despite a wide heterogeneity of bacteria, especially in subgingival samples collected from patients, bacteria of the red complex in particular, and those of the orange complex, are considered as potential pathogens in generalized aggressive periodontitis. These types of bacterial findings closely resemble those found for chronic periodontitis, representing a mixed polymicrobial infection without a clear association with any specific microorganism. In aggressive periodontitis, the role of novel and not‐yet‐cultivable bacteria has not yet been elucidated. There are geographic and ethnic differences in the carriage of periodontitis‐associated microorganisms, and they need to be taken into account when comparing study reports on periodontal microbiology in different study populations. In the present review, we provide an overview on the colonization of potential periodontal pathogens in childhood and adolescence, and on specific microorganisms that have been suspected for their role in the initiation and progression of aggressive forms of periodontal disease.
Host response in aggressive periodontitis
Authors: Kulkarni Cyelee , Kinane Denis F.
Published: April 2014

It is critical to understand the underlying host responses in aggressive periodontitis to provide a better appreciation of the risk and susceptibility to this disease. Such knowledge may elucidate the etiology and susceptibility to aggressive periodontitis and directly influence treatment decisions and aid diagnosis. This review is timely in that several widely held tenets are now considered unsupportable, namely the concept that Aggregatibacter actinomycetemycomitans is the key pathogen and that chemotactic defects in polymorphonuclear leukocytes are part of the etiopathology. This review also serves to put into context key elements of the host response that may be implicated in the genetic background of aggressive periodontitis. Furthermore, key molecules unique to the host response in aggressive periodontitis may have diagnostic utility and be used in chairside clinical activity tests or as population screening markers. It is becoming increasingly appreciated that the microbial etiology of aggressive periodontitis and the histopathology of this disease are more similar to than different from that of chronic periodontitis. An important therapeutic consideration from the lack of support for A. actinomycetemycomitans as a critical pathogen here is that the widely held belief that tetracycline had a role in aggressive periodontitis therapy is now not supported and that antibiotics such as those used effectively in chronic periodontitis (metronidazole and amoxicillin) are not contraindicated. Furthermore, A. actinomycetemycomitans‐related molecules, such as cytolethal distending toxin and leukotoxin, are less likely to have utility as diagnosis agents or as therapeutic targets.
Epidemiology and demographics of aggressive periodontitis
Authors: Susin Cristiano , Haas Alex N. , Albandar Jasim M.
Published: April 2014

Epidemiologic studies of aggressive periodontitis have used different study designs and a range of examination methods and case definitions, and this greatly complicates the study of disease prevalence in populations. The wide range of disease case definitions, in particular, profoundly impacts the reported rate of disease, and the use of a standard disease definition is strongly recommended. Surveys of aggressive periodontitis that use only clinical examinations, without radiographic examination to confirm the presence of a distinctive pattern of tissue loss, may overestimate the prevalence of this disease, particularly when a low threshold of attachment loss is used. The prevalence of aggressive periodontitis varies significantly between populations, and differences in race/ethnicities seem to be a key factor. Studies consistently show that aggressive periodontitis is most prevalent in Africa and in populations of African descent and is least prevalent in Caucasians in Europe and North America. Among children and young adults the prevalence of this disease is higher in older than in younger age groups. Most studies show comparable disease prevalence in male and female subjects. These findings show that aggressive periodontitis is a significant health problem in certain populations. This review also highlights a lack of information on the epidemiology and demographics of this disease in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia and Africa. Epidemiologic studies of aggressive periodontitis in high‐risk populations are important and could provide vital data on the determinants of this disease, and this information is needed for the establishment of effective health‐promotion measures.
The Modern Mystique: Institutional Mediation of Hegemonic Motherhood
Authors: Newman Harmony D. , Henderson Angela C.
Published: April 2014

This study examines the means by which privileged mothers comply to the dominant expectations of intensive mothering. As women struggle with the complicated, and often contradictory, experience of meeting the demands of the dominant ideology, we examine the mediating role of an institution, in this case the most popular maternal support organization in the United States—Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). Organizations such as MOPS create an ideal cultural site for reinforcing ideologies that promulgate unattainable standards of perfection. Data were collected from observations of two MOPS groups, in‐depth interviews, and ethnographic content analysis of organizational materials. This dominant organization supports mothers by discouraging them from questioning the expectations of intensive mothering or considering alternative methods of parenting, which reinforces intensive mothering as the gold standard of parenting.
Seroepidemiology of Selected Alphaviruses and Flaviviruses in Bats in Trinidad
Authors: Thompson N. N. , Auguste A. J. , Travassos da Rosa A. P. A. , Carrington C. V. F. , Blitvich B. J. , Chadee D. D. , Tesh R. B. , Weaver S. C. , Adesiyun A. A.
Published: April 2014

A serosurvey of antibodies against selected flaviviruses and alphaviruses in 384 bats (representing 10 genera and 14 species) was conducted in the Caribbean island of Trinidad. Sera were analysed using epitope‐blocking enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) specific for antibodies against West Nile virus (WNV), Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), all of which are zoonotic viruses of public health significance in the region. Overall, the ELISAs resulted in the detection of VEEV‐specific antibodies in 11 (2.9%) of 384 bats. Antibodies to WNV and EEEV were not detected in any sera. Of the 384 sera, 308 were also screened using hemagglutination inhibition assay (HIA) for antibodies to the aforementioned viruses as well as St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV; which also causes epidemic disease in humans), Rio Bravo virus (RBV), Tamana bat virus (TABV) and western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV). Using this approach, antibodies to TABV and RBV were detected in 47 (15.3%) and 3 (1.0%) bats, respectively. HIA results also suggest the presence of antibodies to an undetermined flavivirus(es) in 8 (2.6%) bats. Seropositivity for TABV was significantly (P < 0.05; χ2) associated with bat species, location and feeding preference, and for VEEV with roost type and location. Differences in prevalence rates between urban and rural locations were statistically significant (P < 0.05; χ2) for TABV only. None of the aforementioned factors was significantly associated with RBV seropositivity rates.
Exploring the Interface of Graphene and Biology
Authors: Kostarelos Kostas , Novoselov Kostya S.
Published: April 2014

To take advantage of the properties of graphene in biomedical applications, well-defined materials need to be matched with intended applications.
Assemblage Time Series Reveal Biodiversity Change but Not Systematic Loss
Authors: Dornelas Maria , Gotelli Nicholas J. , McGill Brian , Shimadzu Hideyasu , Moyes Faye , Sievers Caya , Magurran Anne E.
Published: April 2014

Changing Assemblages

Although the rate of species extinction has increased markedly as a result of human activity across the biosphere, conservation has focused on endangered species rather than on shifts in assemblages.

Dornelas
et al.

(p.
296
; see the Perspective by

Pandolfi and Lovelock

), using an extensive set of biodiversity time series of species occurrences in both marine and terrestrial habitats from the past 150 years, find species turnover above expected but do not find evidence of systematic biodiversity loss. This result could be caused by homogenization of species assemblages by invasive species, shifting distributions induced by climate change, and asynchronous change across the planet. All of which indicates that it is time to review conservation priorities.