bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of mTOR inhibitors and cytoskeletal-directed agents alone and in combination against normal and neoplastic hematopoietic cells in vitro
Authors: Trendowski Matthew , Christen Timothy D. , Andonova Antoaneta A. , Narampanawe Berlini , Thibaud Ashlee , Kusang Tenzin , Fondy Thomas P.
Published: October 2015

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) controls cell growth and enlargement and has been found to be aberrant in a wide variety of malignancies. Although mTOR is already an attractive antineoplastic target, overexpression or aberrant expression of mTOR may also provide an opportunity to further increase the size differential between malignant and normal cells, providing an opportunity to amplify and exploit cell size differences between neoplastic cells and their normal counterparts using physiochemical treatment modalities. Therefore, this study sought to quantify the concentration response and time course effects of rapamycin on cell cycle entry, cell enlargement, and cell proliferation in U937 human monocytic leukemia and human hematopoietic stem cells (hHSCs). In addition, the effects of combination treatment with mTOR inhibitors (rapamycin, everolimus, and temsirolimus) and cytoskeletal-directed agents (cytochalasin B and vincristine) in leukemic cells (U937, THP1, K562, Molt-4, and L1210) were assessed for potential drug synergy. While both U937 cells and hHSCs exhibited a marked reduction in cell volume, U937 cells were able to proliferate in the presence of rapamycin ranging from 0.5 nM to 10 μM (10,000 nM), whereas hHSCs were able to proliferate only at lower concentrations, and were completely inhibited from proliferation by 8 nM rapamycin. These effects were observed with as little as 0.5 nM rapamycin, demonstrating the profound affinity the compound has for FK-binding protein 12 (FKBP12), which subsequently forms the FKBP12/rapamycin complex to inhibit mTOR. Rapamycin continued to exert effects on cell size and proliferation even at 10 μM, without producing marked cytotoxicity. Although cytochalasin B and vincristine were unable to substantially enlarge rapamycin-treated leukemia cells, it appears that rapamycin and its associated analogs everolimus and temsirolimus have notable synergistic potential with microfilament-disrupting cytochalasin B and microtubule-disrupting vincristine as assessed by comparative effects on cell growth, annexin V staining, IC30 isobolograms, and Chou-Talalay statistics. These observations indicate a potentially novel therapeutic rationale for hematological malignancies and for other cancers to elicit the preferential destruction of neoplastic cells that aberrantly express mTOR.
Geoelectric Signatures of Palnad Sub Basin and Nallamalai Fold Belt, Cuddapah Basin, India
Authors: Konda Shankar , Patro Prasanta K. , Rao C. K.
Published: October 2015

Broadband magnetotelluric investigations were carried out along NW-SE profile from Potuluru to Anjanpalli in the NE part of Cuddapah basin. The 84 km profile is adjacent to the Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB) and Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC), India. Sixteen stations were established with a station interval of 2 to 7 km. The time series data were processed with single site and remote reference approach to derive robust MT transfer functions. Regional strike analyses indicate that the majority of the MT data is consistent with the assumption of a 2-D geo-electric strike direction, which is N40°E. Both transverse electric and transverse magnetic mode data were inverted using 2-D non-linear conjugate gradient algorithm. A conductive (40-300 Ohm.m) zone C1 is identified with 350 m to 2000 m thick sediment representing Palnad sub basin (PSB). The low resistivity could be due to presence of base metals (Cu, Pb, Zn) within the Banaganapalli quartzites and Narji limestone. The two-dimensional geo-electric model derived demarcated a moderately low resistive feature (450 Ωm - 800 Ωm) C2 dipping southeast in the centre of the profile. The moderately conductive nature of C2 could be due to the presence of Palnad sub-basin sediments entrapped along the fault zone. The feature of C2 coincides with Nallamalai Fold Belt (NFB). The dipping resistive crustal layer in the NE parts of Cuddapah basin suggest E-W compression along the eastern margin during the Neoarchaean-Neoproterozoic (~2700 Ma – 970 Ma) tectonic convergence between India and east Antarctica.
An Experimental Study on Simulation of Stress Sensitivity to Production of Volcanic Gas from its Reservoir
Authors: Liu Zhidi , Zhao Jingzhou , Kang Pengxing , Zhang Jinjin
Published: October 2015

This paper provides important findings of research work that was undertaken on stress sensitivity of gas reservoirs which arises from decrease in pressure during production process. Junggar basin of China was selected as study area for the work undertaken. The basin has a typical fractured reservoir of which the stress sensitivity has been unclear for a long period. In order to study the stress sensitivity during production process, experimental methods for measuring stress sensitivity which simulates the depletive recovery process as well as permeability for the cores dealt with were designed. The experiments were carried out on 31 volcanic rock samples taken from 6 wells in the area of study. Stress sensitivity for results obtained during the depletive recovery for cores from un-fractured volcanic reservoirs was found to relatively weaker while stress sensitivity for cores obtained from fractured volcanic reservoirs was stronger. Terzaghi (1943) concept on effective stress and Li (1999) theory for body effective stress were adopted in this study.
Opting Out and Leaning In: The Life Course Employment Profiles of Early Baby Boom Women in the United States
Authors: García-Manglano Javier
Published: October 2015

Most literature on female employment focuses on the intersection between women’s labor supply and family events such as marriage, divorce, or childbearing. Even when using longitudinal data and methods, most studies estimate average net effects over time and assume homogeneity among women. Less is known about diversity in women’s cumulative work patterns over the long run. Using group-based trajectory analysis, I model the employment trajectories of early Baby Boom women in the United States from ages 20 to 54. I find that women in this cohort can be classified in four ideal-type groups: those who were consistently detached from the labor force (21 %), those who gradually increased their market attachment (27 %), those who worked intensely in young adulthood but dropped out of the workforce after midlife (13 %), and those who were steadily employed across midlife (40 %). I then explore a variety of traits associated with membership in each of these groups. I find that (1) the timing of family events (marriage, fertility) helps to distinguish between groups with weak or strong attachment to the labor force in early adulthood; (2) external constraints (workplace discrimination, husband’s opposition to wife’s work, ill health) explain membership in groups that experienced work trajectory reversals; and (3) individual preferences influence labor supply across women’s life course. This analysis reveals a high degree of complexity in women’s lifetime working patterns, highlighting the need to understand women’s labor supply as a fluid process.
Executive dysfunction in bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder
Authors: Gvirts H.Z. , Braw Y. , Harari H. , Lozin M. , Bloch Y. , Fefer K. , Levkovitz Y.
Published: October 2015

Objective

The boundary between bipolar disorder (BD) and borderline personality disorder is a controversial one. Despite the importance of the topic, few studies have directly compared these patient groups. The aim of the study was to compare the executive functioning profile of BD and BPD patients.

Method

Executive functioning (sustained attention, problem-solving, planning, strategy formation, cognitive flexibility and working memory) was assessed in BD (n= 30) and BPD outpatients (n= 32) using a computerized assessment battery (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, CANTAB). The groups were compared to one another as well as to healthy controls.

Results

BD patients showed deficits in strategy formation and in planning (indicated by longer execution time in the ToL task) in comparison to BPD patients and healthy controls. BPD patients showed deficits in planning (short deliberation time in the ToL task) in comparison to BD patients and in comparison to healthy controls. In comparison to healthy controls, BPD patients displayed deficits in problem-solving.

Conclusions

Differences in executive dysfunction between BD and BPD patients suggest that this cognitive dimension may be relevant for the clarification of the boundary between the disorders.
Physical activity in anorexia nervosa: How relevant is it to therapy response?
Authors: Sauchelli S. , Arcelus J. , Sánchez I. , Riesco N. , Jiménez-Murcia S. , Granero R. , Gunnard K. , Baños R. , Botella C. , de la Torre R. , Fernández-García J.C. , Fernández-Real J.M. , Frühbeck G. , Gómez-Ambrosi J. , Tinahones F.J. , Casanueva F.F. , Menchón J.M. , Fernandez-Aranda F.
Published: October 2015

Objective

Elevated physical activity has been observed in some patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) despite their emaciated condition. However, its effects on treatment outcome remain unclear. This study aimed to examine objectively measured physical activity in this clinical population and how it might be related to a partial hospitalization therapy response, after considering potential confounders.

Method

The sample comprised 88 AN patients consecutively enrolled in a day hospital treatment program, and 116 healthy-weight controls. All participants were female and a baseline assessment took place using an accelerometer (Actiwatch AW7) to measure physical activity, the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 and the Depression subscale of the Symptom Checklist-Revised. Outcome was evaluated upon the termination of the treatment program by expert clinicians.

Results

Although AN patients and controls did not differ in the average time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (P= .21), nor daytime physical activity (P= .34), fewer AN patients presented a high physical activity profile compared to the controls (37% vs. 61%, respectively;P= .014). Both lower levels of MVPA and greater eating disorder severity had a direct effect on a poor treatment outcome. Depression symptoms in the patients were associated with lower MVPA, as well as with an older age, a shorter duration of the disorder and greater eating disorder psychopathology.

Conclusions

There is a notable variation in the physical activity profile of AN patients, characterized by either low or very high patterns. Physical activity is a highly relevant issue in AN that must be taken into account during the treatment process.
Maternal outcomes after 12 hours and 24 hours of magnesium sulfate therapy for eclampsia
Authors: Anjum Shaheen , Goel Namarata , Sharma Rajyashri , Mohsin Zehra , Garg Nidhi
Published: October 2015

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of a reduced duration (12 hours) of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) administration for eclampsia.

Methods

In a prospective randomized study, women with eclampsia (prepartum, intrapartum, or postpartum) attending Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh, India, between January 2012 and September 2013 were enrolled. The inclusion criteria were blood pressure of at least 140/90 mm Hg after 20 weeks, proteinuria (dipstick value ≥ + 1), and seizures not attributed to other causes. Participants were assigned to control and study groups according to the time of enrollment (6‐month blocks). All patients received a MgSO4 loading dose (4 g, intravenously), followed by maintenance doses (1 g/hour) for 12 hours (study group) and 24 hours (control group). The primary outcome was recurrent convulsions after completion of MgSO4 therapy. Patients with treatment failure were excluded from analyses.

Results

Analyses included 132 patients in the study group and 72 patients in the control group. No convulsions recurred in either group after the completion of treatment.

Conclusion

For women with eclampsia, 12 hours of magnesium sulfate could effectively prevent recurrent convulsions.
A randomized clinical trial of preoperative versus postoperative misoprostol in elective cesarean delivery
Authors: Ragab Ahmed , Barakat Rafik , Alsammani Mohamed A.
Published: October 2015

Objective

To determine the optimum time for misoprostol administration to minimize blood loss during and after elective cesarean delivery.

Methods

A randomized clinical trial was conducted at Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt, between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014. Eligible participants had full‐term pregnancies, were scheduled to have a cesarean, and had normal fetal heart tracing. Patients were randomly allocated into two equal groups using computer‐generated tables and sealed opaque envelopes. Misoprostol (400 μg, given rectally) was given either before (group 1) or after (group 2) surgery. Patients, investigators, and data analysts were not masked to group assignment. The primary outcome was blood loss.

Results

A total of 348 women were included (174 in each group). Blood loss was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (570 ± 240 vs 844 ± 270 mL; P < 0.001). The frequency of maternal and neonatal adverse events did not differ between the groups.

Conclusion

Preoperative misoprostol (400 μg, given rectally) reduces blood loss to a greater extent than does postoperative misoprostol during elective cesarean delivery. The frequency of complications was not affected by time of administration.
Large-Reynolds-number asymptotics of the streamwise normal stress in zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers
Authors: Monkewitz Peter A. , Nagib Hassan M.
Published: October 2015

A more poetic long title could be ‘A voyage from the shifting grounds of existing data on zero-pressure-gradient (abbreviated ZPG) turbulent boundary layers (abbreviated TBLs) to infinite Reynolds number’. Aided by the requirement of consistency with the Reynolds-averaged momentum equation, the ‘shifting grounds’ are sufficiently consolidated to allow some firm conclusions on the asymptotic expansion of the streamwise normal stress $\langle uu\rangle ^{+}$, where the $^{+}$ indicates normalization with the friction velocity $u_{{\it\tau}}$ squared. A detailed analysis of direct numerical simulation data very close to the wall reveals that its inner near-wall asymptotic expansion must be of the form $f_{0}(y^{+})-f_{1}(y^{+})/U_{\infty }^{+}+\mathit{O}(U_{\infty }^{+})^{-2}$, where $U_{\infty }^{+}=U_{\infty }/u_{{\it\tau}}$, $y^{+}=yu_{{\it\tau}}/{\it\nu}$ and $f_{0}$, $f_{1}$ are $\mathit{O}(1)$ functions fitted to data in this paper. This means, in particular, that the inner peak of $\langle uu\rangle ^{+}$ does not increase indefinitely as the logarithm of the Reynolds number but reaches a finite limit. The outer expansion of $\langle uu\rangle ^{+}$, on the other hand, is constructed by fitting a large number of data from various sources. This exercise, aided by estimates of turbulence production and dissipation, reveals that the overlap region between inner and outer expansions of $\langle uu\rangle ^{+}$ is its plateau or second maximum, extending to $y_{\mathit{break}}^{+}=\mathit{O}(U_{\infty }^{+})$, where the outer logarithmic decrease towards the boundary layer edge starts. The common part of the two expansions of $\langle uu\rangle ^{+}$, i.e. the height of the plateau or second maximum, is of the form $\,A_{\infty }-B_{\infty }/U_{\infty }^{+}+\cdots \,$with $A_{\infty }$ and $B_{\infty }$ constant. As a consequence, the logarithmic slope of the outer $\langle uu\rangle ^{+}$ cannot be independent of the Reynolds number as suggested by ‘attached eddy’ models but must slowly decrease as $(1/U_{\infty }^{+})$. A speculative explanation is proposed for the puzzling finding that the overlap region of $\langle uu\rangle ^{+}$ is centred near the lower edge of the mean velocity overlap, itself centred at $y^{+}=\mathit{O}(\mathit{Re}_{{\it\delta}_{\ast }}^{1/2})$ with $\mathit{Re}_{{\it\delta}_{\ast }}$ the Reynolds number based on free stream velocity and displacement thickness. Finally, similarities and differences between $\langle uu\rangle ^{+}$ in ZPG TBLs and in pipe flow are briefly discussed.
Evolution of body mass in the Pan-Alcidae (Aves, Charadriiformes): the effects of combining neontological and paleontological data
Authors: Smith N. Adam
Published: October 2015

Hypotheses regarding the evolution of many clades are often generated in the absence of data from the fossil record and potential biases introduced by exclusion of paleontological data are frequently ignored. With regard to body size evolution, extinct taxa are frequently excluded because of the lack of body mass estimates—making identification of reliable clade specific body mass estimators crucial to evaluating trends on paleontological timescales. Herein, I identify optimal osteological dimensions for estimating body mass in extinct species of Pan-Alcidae (Aves, Charadriiformes) and utilize newly generated estimates of body mass to demonstrate that the combination of neontological and paleontological data produces results that conflict with hypotheses generated when extant species data are analyzed in isolation. The wing-propelled diving Pan-Alcidae are an ideal candidate for comparing estimates of body mass evolution based only on extant taxa with estimates generated including fossils because extinct species diversity (≥31 species) exceeds extant diversity, includes examples from every extant genera, and because phylogenetic hypotheses of pan-alcid relationships are not restricted to the 23 extant species. Phylogenetically contextualized estimation of body mass values for extinct pan-alcids facilitated evaluation of broad scale trends in the evolution of pan-alcid body mass and generated new data bearing on the maximum body mass threshold for aerial flight in wing-propelled divers. The range of body mass in Pan-Alcidae is found to exceed that of all other clades of Charadriiformes (shorebirds and allies) and intraclade body mass variability is recognized as a recurring theme in the evolution of the clade. Finally, comparisons of pan-alcid body mass range with penguins and the extinct †Plotopteridae elucidate potentially shared constraints among phylogenetically disparate yet ecologically similar clades of wing-propelled divers.
General and abdominal adiposity in a representative sample of Portuguese adults: dependency of measures and socio-demographic factors’ influence
Authors: Kowalkowska Joanna , Poínhos Rui , Franchini Bela , Afonso Cláudia , Correia Flora , Pinhão Sílvia , Vaz de Almeida Maria Daniel , Rodrigues Sara
Published: October 2015

The aims of this study were: (i) to estimate the dependency between BMI and waist:height ratio (WHtR) as measures of general and abdominal adiposity, and (ii) to evaluate the influence of socio-demographic factors on both measures and on their dependency in risk classification. Data from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2009 among a representative sample of 3529 Portuguese adults were used. Height, weight and waist were measured and socio-demographic data (sex, age, education level, occupational status, marital status, region of residence) were obtained. Using logistic regression, crude and adjusted OR for high general (BMI≥25·0 kg/m2) and abdominal (WHtR≥0·5) adiposity, and for incompatible classification between them, were calculated. Above half (50·8 %) of the respondents had high BMI and 42·1 % had high WHtR, and the rates were higher in men than in women. There was an inverse association between education level and both adiposity measures. The lowest prevalence of high general and abdominal adiposity was observed in students and singles, whereas the highest was found in retired, widowed and respondents from Azores, Madeira and Alentejo. Nearly a quarter of respondents (24·0 %) were incompatibly classified by BMI and WHtR, with higher prevalence in men than in women and in low- than in high-educated people. Future surveys should focus on developing at least sex-specific cut-offs for both measures. Implementation of effective strategies for preventing and reducing high adiposity levels in Portugal should be directed primarily to men, older, low-educated individuals, as well as those living in the islands and poor regions of the country.
Population size assessment of the Endangered red-billed curassowCrax blumenbachii: accounting for variation in detectability and sex-biased estimates
Authors: Alves Fernanda , López-Iborra Germán M. , Silveira Luís Fábio
Published: October 2015

The Endangered red-billed curassowCrax blumenbachiiis endemic to the lowland Atlantic Forest of Brazil and is extinct across most of its range as a result of habitat loss and hunting pressure. Global population estimates are unreliable as the species has never been surveyed systematically. During March 2012–February 2013 we used line transects to estimate the density and size of one of the most important populations, in the Vale Nature Reserve. UsingDistancewe estimated a density of 1.3 individuals per km2; results stratified by sex indicated a male-skewed sex ratio. Data collected from motion-activated cameras confirmed that the population was male skewed but to a lesser degree than suggested by transect data. Sex-specific behavioural responses to the presence of an observer probably contributed to the difference between camera and transect data. Using the camera-derived sex ratios we corrected transect estimates to 1.6 individuals per km2and a population of 325 individuals. Our systematic survey approach has revealed that Vale Nature Reserve has a larger population than previous estimates of the global population. We show that behavioural differences between the sexes in cryptic species can mislead population estimates, and we highlight the importance of motion-activated cameras as a tool for studying cryptic forest species.
Effects of psychoeducation on helpful support for complicated grief: a preliminary randomized controlled single-blind study
Authors: Nam I. S.
Published: October 2015

Background.

Complicated grief is a distinct psychological response of individuals facing the loss of a loved one and can lead to many types of adverse health outcomes. Although social support may be beneficial, few studies have examined the beneficial effects of helpful support on complicated grief following bereavement.

Method.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Bereaved participants and supporters were randomized to psychoeducation on complicated grief and helpful social support or psychoeducation on complicated grief. The primary outcome was the Inventory of Complicated Grief.

Results.

The results showed that psychoeducation of supporters of bereaved individuals has significant beneficial effects. Particularly, symptoms of complicated grief were decreased in bereaved individuals with supporters that received psychoeducation.

Conclusions.

The results highlight the potential of psychoeducation to facilitate helpful social support and reduce complicated grief.
The power of humility in sceptical religion: why Ietsism is preferable to J. L. Schellenberg's Ultimism
Authors: ELLIOTT JAMES
Published: October 2015

J. L. Schellenberg's Philosophy of Religion argues for a specific brand of sceptical religion that takes ‘Ultimism’ – the proposition that there is a metaphysically, axiologically, and soteriologically ultimate reality – to be the object to which the sceptical religionist should assent. In this article I shall argue that Ietsism – the proposition that there is merely something transcendental worth committing ourselves to religiously – is a preferable object of assent. This is for two primary reasons. First, Ietsism is far more modest than Ultimism; Ietsism, in fact, is open to the truth of Ultimism, while the converse does not hold. Second, Ietsism can fulfil the same criteria that compel Schellenberg to argue for Ultimism.
Stress constraints in simple bodies undergoing large strains: a variational approach
Authors: Giaquinta Mariano , Mariano Paolo Maria , Modica Giuseppe
Published: October 2015

We consider a simple body that is hyperelastic in the large-strain regime until the 3-covector defining the first Piola–Kirchhoff stress, once it has been projected on the appropriate second-rank tensor space, reaches a threshold indicating critical states. No information is given on the post-critical behaviour. We determine the existence of equilibrium configurations according to the constraint. Such configurations can have a concentration of strain in regions with vanishing volume. The related stress appears naturally as a measure over the deformation graph. Once it is restricted to the regular part of the deformation, such a measure determines the first Piola–Kirchhoff stress tensor and may also be concentrated over sets with vanishing volume projections on the reference and current placements. These configurations in space can be interpreted as dislocations or dislocation walls. We analyse explicitly specific cases.
A Robust Strategy for Ambiguity Resolution Using Un-Differenced and Un-Combined GNSS Models in Network RTK
Authors: Wang Denghui , Gao Chengfa , Pan Shuguo , Yang Yang
Published: October 2015

An increasing number of reference stations have been established, leading to a sharp increase in the workload of Double-Difference (DD) baseline solutions, which are not appropriate for the integrated processing of denser networks. Correlations among the ambiguities in DD models are complex, and it is difficult to get precise solutions. This paper improves the DD ambiguity resolution performance over a long baseline, using a modified strategy based on an Un-Differenced (UD) and Un-Combined (UC) model. The satellite clocks are estimated as parameters, which are properly constrained by real-time satellite clock products for improving the smoothness of ambiguities. We use data from the Earth Scope Plate Boundary Observatory to examine the presented method in Global Positioning System (GPS) networks. Our method obtained more obviously centralised distributions. The successful fixed rate was 96·4% for the DD baseline solution, and 98·4% for the UD method. The proposed strategy is appropriate for the distributed architecture of extensive systems and avoids a heavy computational burden.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in seroprevalence studies of Q fever: the need for cut-off adaptation and the consequences for prevalence data
Authors: FROSINSKI J. , HERMANN B. , MAIER K. , BODEN K.
Published: October 2015

Large outbreaks of Q fever have recently increased the awareness of this disease as a public health issue. Knowledge of the general impact of Q fever relies mainly on seroprevalence studies and it is fundamental that seroprevalence is assessed accurately. Therefore we evaluated the few enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) commercially available for this purpose. An outbreak in 2005 in Jena, a city of 100 000 inhabitants, gave us the opportunity for the evaluation. However, we found disappointingly low sensitivities for two (42% and 51%) of three commercial ELISAs for detecting past infection. Nevertheless, all assays had good classification potential but cut-off adaptation is needed. Based on the unequal worldwide distribution of the differently performing tests in studies, Q fever seroprevalence is likely to be underestimated in studies from Europe whereas the data from North America and Australia are likely to be more reliable.
Cultural contacts and identity construction: a colonial context in NE Spain (2nd - early 1st c. B.C.)
Authors: Sinner Alejandro G.
Published: October 2015

This paper focuses on a century of interaction between a colonial agent (Rome) and an indigenous people (known in classical texts as the Laietani) who inhabited the area before the arrival of the conquerors. It investigates how contact between the two societies may be detected in the archaeological record, and, where possible, what changes in local culture resulted. The first part, which presents the archaeological sites of the Cabrera de Mar valley and its material culture, documents the contacts over time between those that occupied the valley and those who arrived from the Italian peninsula. A number of indices of such contacts are considered: architecture, construction techniques, imported pottery, epigraphy, and the monetary system. The second part considers whether it is possible to detect in the valley not only cultural contact but also cultural change.
Public buildings and private opportunities: some dynamics in Pompeii’s urban development
Authors: Anderson Michael
Published: October 2015

Pompeii’s urban fabric presents a complicated palimpsest of construction, amalgamation, fission, renovation, and destruction, each being a reflection of the current social, economic and political realities at the moment the work was accomplished. Taken together, these data reveal how changing socio-cultural values gradually altered the face of the urban environment over time. However, while the overall transformation of the urban fabric is clearly a collective reflection of shifting concerns, it was really the actions of individuals that served to translate these trends into the physical reality that survives in the archaeological record. It was their particular decisions, undertaken in response to localised stimuli but expressing broad cultural trends and fashions, that served to produce, piece by piece, the complex and layered tapestry of the urban environment. Yet archaeological data only rarely provide the detail necessary to be able to identify the specific, small-scale motivations behind structural changes and the sequence of development, much less the ability to assess the positive or negative outcomes of particular decisions. Cases where it is possible to do so provide a rare window onto the localised, small-scale and often personal dynamics taking place wthin the broader process of urbanisation. Such cases emphasize the central rôle of individual actors in reacting to and reifying the forces of urban transformation through their private construction activities.
The moral architecture of villa storage in Italy in the 1st c. B.C.
Authors: Van Oyen Astrid
Published: October 2015

The Late Republican villa acted as a scene for the projection and contestation of moral values. Villas continued a long-standing association between the physical appearance and the concept of the house, on the one hand, and the moral positioning of its owner, on the other. Ancestral homes in particular proved symbolically salient mechanisms for claims of identity. In a Late Republic characterised by the extension of citizenship and influx of new wealth, this moral and socio-political representation became more contested. Physically and conceptually at some distance from Rome, rural estates provided a canvas for self-definition by old landed aristocrats andnouveaux richesalike, on which the boundaries of an ever-changing ‘elite’ were sketched, as well as the sense of belonging to that élite.
Intensive survey in the territory of Salamanca: aerial photography, geophysical prospecting and archaeological sampling
Authors: Ariño Enrique , Dahí Sarah , Garcia-Garcia Ekhine , Liz Jesús , Rodríguez José , Sala Roger , Soto M. Reyes de , Tamba Robert
Published: October 2015

Salamanca lies on the right bank of the river Tormes, a tributary of the Douro, on the northern sub-plateau of the Iberian peninsula (fig. 1). Although hardly mentioned in Roman historical sources, it is a reference point for work on Roman territory because the surveyor Frontinus (De Agrorum Qualitate [ed. Thulin 1971] 1–2) used Salmantica (in Lusitania) and Palantia (in Citerior) to exemplify ager per extremitatem mensura comprehensus, the system of land organization characteristic of stipendiary cities. Frontinus was writing in Flavian times, but the creation of ager mensura comprehensus in Lusitania occurred in the Augustan period, as is confirmed by remarkable epigraphic documentation. In N Lusitania, a total of 11 boundary-stones (termini Augustales) are known, nine from the reign of Augustus (and two of these provide explicit reference to Salmantica) and two from that of Claudius. The dates provided by Augustus’ tribunicia potestas allow us to date the surveying operations delimiting the urban territories to between A.D. 4–5 (the inscriptions from Peroviseu and Ul) and A.D. 5–6 (the inscriptions from Sao Salvador, Ledesma, Ciudad Rodrigo, and the new one from Jarandilla de la Vera). The Augustan ager mensura comprehensus may have conditioned the model of the subsequent rural settlement by creating a framework for territorial occupation being organized around the villa from the Flavian period on. The villa would dominate the rural countryside, until it disappeared around the first decades of the 5th c. as part of a process that can be associated with the breaking down of imperial authority and the arrival of the Germanic peoples in the year 409. Almost nothing is known about Salamanca’s territory during the Islamic occupation until the first official repopulation took place under the king of Leon, Ramiro II, in 939–49. The lack of attested settlements in the Douro valley between the 8th and 10th c. is a key question for the organization of the border area between the Islamic state of Al-Andalus and the kingdom of Leon, but scholars generally reject the thesis formulated in 1966 by C. Sánchez Albornoz, which tended to present the lands of the Douro valley as practically depopulated.
Oplontis B: a center for the distribution and export of Vesuvian wine
Authors: Thomas Michael L.
Published: October 2015

At the time of the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79, the site known as Villa B at Oplontis contained sufficient amphoras to ship over 30,000 liters of wine. Though the study of J. T. Peña and M. McCallum rightly recognized the site as a bottling facility, this note uses recent data to argue that its function went beyond that to include significant export and distribution of Vesuvian area wine, and possibly the import of foreign wine. The data has been accumulated by the ongoing study of the facility by the Oplontis Project, using geoprospection, excavation, and a census of amphoras at the site. The findings suggest that the immediate proximity to the coast, the design of and modifications made to the courtyard area and the sheer number of transport amphoras it contained enabled it to fulfill an important rôle as one of the primary wine distribution centers on the Bay of Naples.
The “Beauty of Palmyra” and Qasr Abjad (Palmyra): new discoveries in the archive of Harald Ingholt
Authors: Raja Rubina , Sørensen Annette Højen
Published: October 2015

Over recent decades an immense amount of scholarship on Palmyra has appeared, but remarkably little of it has concerned the city’s distinctive art. In the English-speaking world the groundbreaking handbook by M. A. R. College, The art of Palmyra (1976), remains the standard work, as a successor to the first major effort in this field, Studier over Palmyrensk Skulptur (1928), by H. Ingholt, itself still a basic work on the chronology of funerary portraiture. Ingholt (1896–1985) had conducted three excavation campaigns (1924, 1925, 1928) at Palmyra. Alongside his excavations he prepared an archive of more than 800 Palmyrene funerary portraits with photographs of most, as well as bibliographic references and his own datings; he used this archive as the basis for his book. His detailed diaries of his excavation campaigns are also held in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. In them he described some of his finds, including sculptures and inscriptions. Many of these pieces were published by him in Berytus, but a number were not. From the diaries it has been possible to locate a number of tombs and set additional sculptures within their original contexts.
The Late Roman fort at ‘Ayn Gharandal, Jordan: interim report on the 2009–2014 field seasons
Authors: Darby Robert , Darby Erin
Published: October 2015

The site of ‘Ayn Gharandal lies c.70 km north of the Gulf of Aqaba, c.40 km southwest of Petra, and c.200 m west of the mouth of Wadi Gharandal on the E edge of the Wadi Arabah (fig. 1). The ruins lie alongside a paved track running east from the Dead Sea highway. The presence of a spring and small oasis at the mouth of the wadi presumably prompted the first human occupation. Its location controlling an overland pass through the Shara mountain range will have attracted the attention of the Nabataeans and, later, the Roman army, which established an outpost here at the start of the 4th c. A.D.
Mass-gathering Events: The Public Health Challenge of the Kumbh Mela 2013
Authors: Dwivedi Suresh , Cariappa Mudera P.
Published: October 2015

Mass-gathering (MG) events pose challenges to the most adept of public health practitioners in ensuring the health safety of the population. These MGs can be for sporting events, musical festivals, or more commonly, have religious undertones. The Kumbh Mela 2013 at Allahabad, India may have been the largest gathering of humanity in history with nearly 120 million pilgrims having thronged the venue. The scale of the event posed a challenge to the maintenance of public health security and safety. A snapshot of the experience of managing the hygiene and sanitation aspects of this mega event is presented herein, highlighting the importance of proactive public health planning and preparedness. There having been no outbreaks of disease is vindication of the steps undertaken in planning and preparedness, notwithstanding obvious limitations of insanitary behaviors and traditional beliefs of those attending the festival. The evident flaw on post-event analyses was the failure to cater adequately for environmental mopping-up operations after the festival. Besides, a system of real-time monitoring of disease and morbidity patterns, harnessing low cost technology alternatives, should be planned for at all such future events.

DwivediS, CariappaMP. Mass-gathering events: the public health challenge of the Kumbh Mela 2013. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(6):621–624.
Doctor’s Knowledge and Practices of Traumatic Brain Injury Management in Chinese Prehospital Settings
Authors: Kou Kou , Hou Xiang-Yu , Sun Jian-Dong , Chu Kevin
Published: October 2015

Objectives

The incidence and mortality of traumatic brain injury (TBI) has increased rapidly in the last decade in China. Appropriate ambulance service can reduce case-fatality rates of TBI significantly. This study aimed to explore the factors (age, gender, education level, clinical experience, professional title, organization, specialty before prehospital care, and training frequency) that could influence prehospital doctors’ knowledge level and practices in TBI management in China, Hubei Province.

Methods

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in two cities in Hubei Province. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographic information and questions about prehospital TBI management. Independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze group differences in the average scores in terms of demographic character. General linear regression was used to explore associated factors in prehospital TBI management.

Results

A total of 56 questionnaires were handed out and 52 (93%) were returned. Participants received the lowest scores in TBI treatment (0.64; SD=0.08) and the highest scores in TBI assessment (0.80; SD=0.14). According to the regression model, the education level was associated positively with the score of TBI identification (P=.019); participants who worked in the emergency department (ED;P=.011) or formerly practiced internal medicine (P=.009) tended to get lower scores in TBI assessment; participants’ scores in TBI treatment were associated positively with the training frequency (P=.011); and no statistically significant associated factor was found in the overall TBI management.

Conclusion

This study described the current situation of prehospital TBI management. The prehospital doctors’ knowledge level and practices in TBI management were quantified and the influential factors hidden underneath were explored. The results indicated that an appropriate continuing medical education (CME) program enables improvement of the quality of ambulance service in China.

KouK,HouXY,SunJD,ChuK.Doctor’s knowledge and practices of traumatic brain injury management in Chinese prehospital settings.Prehosp Disaster Med.2015;30(6):560–568.
Wilderness First Aid Training as a Tool for Improving Basic Medical Knowledge in South Sudan
Authors: Katona Lindsay B. , Douglas William S. , Lena Sean R. , Ratner Kyle G. , Crothers Daniel , Zondervan Robert L. , Radis Charles D.
Published: October 2015

Introduction

The challenges presented by traumatic injuries in low-resource communities are especially relevant in South Sudan. This study was conducted to assess whether a 3-day wilderness first aid (WFA) training course taught in South Sudan improved first aid knowledge. Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities (SOLO) Schools designed the course to teach people with limited medical knowledge to use materials from their environment to provide life-saving care in the event of an emergency.

Methods

A pre-test/post-test study design was used to assess first aid knowledge of 46 community members in Kit, South Sudan, according to a protocol approved by the University of New England Institutional Review Board. The course and assessments were administered in English and translated in real-time to Acholi and Arabic, the two primary languages spoken in the Kit region. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and correlation analyses were conducted.

Results

Results included a statistically significant improvement in first aid knowledge after the 3-day training course: t(38)=3.94; P<.001. Although men started with more health care knowledge: (t(37)=2.79; P=.008), men and women demonstrated equal levels of knowledge upon course completion: t(37)=1.56; P=.88.

Conclusions

This research, which may be the first of its kind in South Sudan, provides evidence that a WFA training course in South Sudan is efficacious. These findings suggest that similar training opportunities could be used in other parts of the world to improve basic medical knowledge in communities with limited access to medical resources and varying levels of education and professional experiences.

KatonaLB, DouglasWS, LenaSR, RatnerKG, CrothersD, ZondervanRL, RadisCD. Wilderness first aid training as a tool for improving basic medical knowledge in South Sudan. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(6):574–578.
The link between classical reserving and granular reserving through double chain ladder and its extensions
Authors: Hiabu M. , Margraf C. , Martínez-Miranda M. D. , Nielsen J. P.
Published: October 2015

The relationship of the chain ladder method to mathematical statistics has long been debated in actuarial science. During the 1990s it became clear that the originally deterministic chain ladder can be seen as an autoregressive time series or as a multiplicative Poisson model. This paper draws on recent research and concludes that chain ladder can be seen as a structured histogram. This gives a direct link between classical aggregate methods and continuous granular methods. When the histogram is replaced by a smooth counterpart, we have a continuous chain ladder model. Re-inventing classical chain ladder via double chain ladder and its extensions introduces statistically solid approaches of combining paid and incurred data with direct link to granular data approaches. This paper goes through some of the extensions of double chain ladder and introduces new approaches to incorporating and modelling incurred data.
ADDITIVE DIMENSION AND A THEOREM OF SANDERS
Authors: SCHOEN TOMASZ , SHKREDOV ILYA D.
Published: October 2015

We prove some new bounds for the size of the maximal dissociated subset of structured (having small sumset, large energy and so on) subsets of an abelian group.
Terminal delirium misdiagnosed as major psychiatric disorder: Palliative care in a psychiatric inpatient unit
Authors: Aligeti Sabitha , Baig Muhammad R. , Barrera Fernando F.
Published: October 2015

Background:

Delirium is a neuropsychiatric condition characterized by acute change in cognition and disturbance of consciousness. A similar state during the final days of life is termed “terminal delirium.”

Method:

We present three cases with end-stage chronic medical problems without any significant psychiatric history who were admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit or a locked dementia unit for management of “depression,” “dementia,” or “psychosis.”

Conclusions:

Early diagnosis of terminal delirium helps prevent patients, family members, and staff from undergoing severe emotional distress and facilitates appropriate end-of-life care.
Tooth extraction education at dental schools across Europe
Authors: Brand Henk S , van der Cammen Carlijn C J , Roorda Sophie M E , Baart Jacques A
Published: October 2015

Objectives/Aims:

To explore students’ opinion about theoretical and clinical training in tooth extraction at different European dental schools.

Materials and Methods:

An online questionnaire, containing 36 dichotomous, multiple choice and Likert scale rating questions, was distributed among students of 56 different dental schools. After excluding schools where <20 students responded, 656 questionnaires from 23 dental schools remained for statistical analysis.

Results:

Dental schools showed a wide variation in the initial practical teaching of tooth extraction, from years 2 to 6. Several schools used a preclinical training model, and most students considered this useful. Some students considered their knowledge about forceps and elevators insufficient (6–60%), as well as their preparation for complications (5–60%). Students usually had received education in forceps and elevator techniques. Inclusion of (non)surgical removal of retained roots and surgical removal of third molars showed a wide variety between dental schools. Less than half of the students reported education in surgical removal of impacted teeth. Students from four of the 23 dental schools felt insufficiently prepared in tooth extraction (Likert scale ⩽3).

Conclusion:

There is a wide variation among European dental schools in teaching programs of tooth extraction and the rating of these programs by students.