bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salt-tolerant and plant-growth-promoting bacteria isolated from high-yield paddy soil
Authors: Zhang Shiying , Fan Cong , Wang Yongxia , Xia Yunsheng , Xiao Wei , Cui Xiaolong
Published: August 2018

Growth and productivity of rice is negatively affected by soil salinity. However, some salt-tolerant bacteria improve the health of plants under saline stress. In this study, 305 bacteria were isolated from paddy soil in Taoyuan, China. Among these, 162 strains were tested for salt-tolerance; 67.3%, 28.4%, and 9.3% of the strains could grow in media with NaCl concentrations of 50, 100, and 150 g/L, respectively. The phylogenic analysis of 74 of these 162 strains indicates that these bacteria belong to Bacillales (72%), Actinomycetales (22%), Rhizobiales (1%), and Oceanospirillales (4%). Among 162 strains, 30 salt-tolerant strains were screened for their plant-growth-promoting activities under axenic conditions at 3, 6, 9, and 12 g/L NaCl; 43%–97% of the strains could improve rice germination energy or germination capacity, while 63%–87% of the strains could increase shoot and root lengths. Among various plant-growth-promoting bacteria, TY0307 was the most effective strain for promoting the growth of rice, even at high salt stress. Its promotor effects were associated with its production of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxycarboxylate deaminase, indole acetic acid, and siderophores; induction of proline accumulation; and reduction of the salt-induced malondialdehyde content. These results suggest that several strains isolated from paddy soil could improve rice salt tolerance and may be used in the development of biofertilizer.
More on the annihilator-ideal graph of a commutative ring
Authors: Nikmehr M. J. , Hosseini S. M.
Published: August 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be a commutative ring with identity and [Formula: see text] be the set of ideals of [Formula: see text] with nonzero annihilator. The annihilator-ideal graph of [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], is a simple graph with the vertex set [Formula: see text], and two distinct vertices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are adjacent if and only if [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we study the affinity between the annihilator-ideal graph and the annihilating-ideal graph [Formula: see text] (a well known graph with the same vertices and two distinct vertices [Formula: see text] are adjacent if and only if [Formula: see text]) associated with [Formula: see text]. All rings whose [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are characterized. Among other results, we obtain necessary and sufficient conditions under which [Formula: see text] is a star graph.
A note on Lie nilpotent group algebras
Authors: Sahai Meena , Sharan Bhagwat
Published: August 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be an arbitrary group and let [Formula: see text] be a field of characteristic [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we give some improvements of the upper bound of the lower Lie nilpotency index [Formula: see text] of the group algebra [Formula: see text]. We also give improved bounds for [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the number of independent generators of the finite abelian group [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, we give a description of the Lie nilpotent group algebra [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text]. We also show that for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] if and only if [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the upper Lie nilpotency index of [Formula: see text].
Improved Resistance Switching Characteristics of BiFeO3 Thin Film by Increasing the Annealing Temperature
Authors: Miao Zhilei , Wang Wei , Yuan Rongchun , Zhu Jun , Wu Shudong , Chen Haitao , Zeng Xianghua , Wang Qiang
Published: August 2018

We have fabricated BiFeO3 thin film deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by the chemical solution deposition method. The effects of annealing temperature on the thin film structure, resistance switching (RS) properties, conduction mechanisms are investigated. It exhibits improved RS window with high ON/OFF ratio ([Formula: see text]104) for the sample annealed at 650[Formula: see text]C. XPS characterization indicates that cation ratio of Fe[Formula: see text]/Fe[Formula: see text] is increased with increasing annealing temperature. Crystal lattice distortion generated by Fe[Formula: see text] cations, along with oxygen vacancies, commonly contribute to opening the RS window and the increment of conductive filaments. The film’s conduction mechanisms under different annealing temperatures are fully discussed. The RS properties of this system can be effectively improved by increasing the annealing temperature, which is crucial prerequisite for future applications of BFO-based thin film device in resistance random access memory.
SOFIA at Full Operation Capability: Technical Performance
Authors: Temi Pasquale , Hoffman Douglas , Ennico Kimberly , Le Jeanette
Published: August 2018

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), the largest airborne observatory in the world, is in full operation capability since February 2014 and is currently completing its Observing Cycle 6 Program. The first four years of operation have provided the opportunity to assess the high-level observatory’s technical performance and to identify additional observatory upgrades. Since the start of routine operations, performance and productivity in several areas of the observatory, including science, operations and engineering, have been tracked by metrics and statistics. In this paper we present the general observatory technical performance as the observatory has reached its maturity and has served the science community with over 2900[Formula: see text]h of scientific observations.
Static Backward Slicing of Non-deterministic Programs and Systems
Authors: Danicic Sebastian , Laurence Michael R.
Published: August 2018

A theory of slicing non-deterministic programs and systems is developed. Non-deterministic programs and systems are represented as non-deterministic program graphs (NDPGs) that allow arbitrary non-deterministic branching to be expressed. Structural and semantic relationships that must exist between an NDPG and (1) its non-termination insensitive (weak) slices and (2) its non-termination sensitive (strong) slices are defined. Weak and strong commitment closure are introduced. These are the NDPG equivalents of being closed under non-termination sensitive and non-termination insensitive control dependence; properties defined on subsets of vertices of the equivalent deterministic structure: the control flow graph.

It is proved that if a subset of the vertices of an NDPG is both data dependence closed and (weak/strong) commitment closed, then the resulting induced graph will, indeed, satisfy our structural and semantic requirements.
O
(
n
3
) algorithms for computing minimal data and weak/strong commitment closed sets are given. The resulting induced graphs are thus guaranteed to be weak and strong slices, respectively.

It is demonstrated, with examples, that programs written in Dijkstra's non-deterministic guarded command language (DNGCL) can be converted to NDPGs to which our slicing algorithms can then be applied. It is proved that the resulting slices (NDPGs) can always be converted back to valid DNGCL programs, highlighting the applicability of our approach to slicing at the source code level.
Experimental Study on Electrical Resistivity of Cement‐Stabilized Lead‐Contaminated Soils
Authors: Cao Zhiguo , Xiang Lian , Peng Erxing , Li Kai
Published: August 2018

Geotechnical applications based on soil resistivity measurement are becoming more popular in recent years. In order to explore the potential application of the electrical resistivity method in stabilization/solidification of contaminated soils, two kinds of lead‐contaminated soils stabilized with cement were prepared, and the electrical resistivity and unconfined compressive strength of specimens after curing for various periods were measured. The test results show that a high lead content leads to a low value of electrical resistivity of cement‐stabilized soils, and increasing cement content and curing time result in a significant increase in electrical resistivity. The reduction in porosity and degree of saturation, as a result of the cement hydration process, leads to an increase in electrical resistivity. The ratio of porosity‐lead content/cement content‐curing time, combining together the effect of lead content, cement content, curing time, and porosity on electrical resistivity of stabilized soils, can be used as a fundamental parameter to assess electrical resistivity of cement‐stabilized lead‐contaminated soils. Archie’s law can be extended to apply to cement‐stabilized lead‐contaminated soils by using this ratio, replacing the porosity. The new resistivity formula obtained in this paper is just empirical. There is a power function correlation between unconfined compressive strength and electrical resistivity of lead‐contaminated soils stabilized with cement. Electrical resistivity measurement can be used as an economical and time‐effective method to assess the quality of cement‐stabilized lead‐contaminated soils in practice.
Potential Effect of Exosomes Derived from Cancer Stem Cells and MSCs on Progression of DEN-Induced HCC in Rats
Authors: Alzahrani Faisal A. , El-Magd Mohammed A. , Abdelfattah-Hassan Ahmed , Saleh Ayman A. , Saadeldin Islam M. , El-Shetry Eman S. , Badawy Abdelnaser A. , Alkarim Saleh
Published: August 2018

Cross talk, mediated by exosomes, between normal stem cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs) in the tumor microenvironment has been given less attention so far. In addition, no publications are available in the literature that address the in vivo impact of exosomes derived from CSCs and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on progression of long-term hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we hypothesized that transfer of exosomes among the cells in the HCC microenvironment could either induce or inhibit tumor growth and metastasis depending on their source. To check this hypothesis, we investigated the effect of exosomes coming from two different stem cell populations, hepatic CSCs and bone marrow (BM) MSCs, on progression of long-term DEN-induced HCC in rats and the involved underlying mechanisms. CSCs-exosomes induced a significant increase in liver relative weight and serum levels of cancer markers (AFP and GGT) and liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP), intensive immunostaining for the HCC marker GST-P, and an increased number and area of tumor nodules as compared to HCC rats injected by PBS. CSCs-exosomes also decreased apoptosis (marked by downregulation of Bax and p53 and upregulation of Bcl2, and increased immunostaining of PCNA), increased angiogenetic activity (revealed by upregulation of VEGF), enhanced metastasis and invasiveness (indicated by upregulation of P13K and ERK proteins and their downstream target MMP9 and downregulation of TIMP1), and induced epithelial mesenchymal transition (marked by increased serum and hepatic level of TGFβ1 mRNA and protein). Notably, CSCs-exosomes also elevated HCC exosomal microRNA (miR) 21, exosomal long noncoding (lnc) RNA Tuc339, lncHEIH, and the HCC lncHOTAIR and decreased liver miR122 and HCC miRs (miR148a, miR16, and miR125b). All these cellular, functional, and molecular changes were reversed following injection of BM-MSCs-exosomes. However, both CSCs- and MSCs-exosomes failed to change the elevated oxidative stress or the inhibited antioxidant activities induced by HCC. Collectively, our results revealed a tumor stimulatory effect (induction of tumor growth, progression, and metastasis) for exosomes derived from CSCs and an inhibitory effect for exosomes derived from MSCs. These results provide valuable insight on the effect of CSCs- and MSCs-exosomes on HCC growth and progression in vivo, which may be helpful to understand the mechanism of HCC development.
The Influence of Pits on the Tribological Behavior of Grey Cast Iron under Dry Sliding
Authors: Long Risheng , Kelly Peter , Sun Shaoni , Feng Jiling , Wang Xuewen , Li Wenyue
Published: August 2018

Inspired by the nonsmooth surface of the head of the dung beetle, grey cast iron (GCI) samples with pit textured surfaces were designed and fabricated, based on pin-on-disc friction tester. Using a tribology wear testing rig and APDL programming, the tribological behavior of smooth and textured samples was investigated and reported, both experimentally and numerically. The results show that pits can significantly change the thermal stress and temperature distribution on the surface, which will result in either positive or negative effects on the wear resistance of GCI samples, depending on the parameters. When diameter of the pit (DOP) equals 0.8 mm and distance between pits (DBP) is 1.0 mm, the pit textured surface provided the best wear resistance among all samples tested.
Dependence of Optimal Histamine Release on Cell Surface IgE Density on Human Basophils: Nature of the Stimulus
Authors: Nejad Alireza S. , MacGlashan Jr. Donald W.
Published: August 2018

Background: The characteristics of the aggregation reaction that follows allergen binding to cell surface IgE on basophils and mast cells depend on a variety of factors that include the density of IgE and the affinity of the allergen for IgE. For simple bivalent stimuli, one prediction is that the location of the optimum for aggregation is not dependent on IgE density, only the affinity for IgE. However, this behavior does not occur for stimulation with an anti-IgE antibody (Ab) during the treatment of patients with omalizumab. Methods: This study re-examined the stability of the optimum for histamine release, relative to cell surface IgE density, using the simple bivalent penicillin hapten (BPO2) or a bivalent monoclonal anti-IgE Ab. Results: The results validated one prediction for one bivalent hapten, BPO2. Across a range of BPO-specific IgE density of 270–23,500/cell, optimal histamine release remained constant (10 nM BPO2). In contrast, across a range of approximately 6,000–110,000/cell, optimal histamine release shifted 8- to 30-fold for anti-IgE Ab. The distinguishing characteristic between the 2 bivalent stimuli was the difference in their crosslink re-equilibration. Recent modeling of histamine release suggested that the SYK-to-receptor ratio could determine the position of histamine release optimum. The study showed that there were significant shifts in the SYK-to-receptor ratio (from 1: 6 to 5: 1) but the basophil’s ability to sense this ratio was restricted to transient crosslinks, as occurred with anti-IgE Ab. Conclusions: The results suggest that ligand crosslinking dynamics couple with SYK and receptor expression levels to determine qualitative characteristics of the dose response curve for secretion.
Health-Related Quality of Life and Sexual Function in Patients Treated for Penile Cancer
Authors: Suarez-Ibarrola Rodrigo , Cortes-Telles Arturo , Miernik Arkadiusz
Published: August 2018

Purpose: To assess the impact of primary surgery, partial and total penectomy, and of inguinal lymphadenectomy on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the sexual function of penile cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We invited 15 patients surgically treated for penile cancer in the Regional Hospital of Specialized Medicine of the Yucatan Peninsula between 2012 and 2016 to complete the SF-36 quality of life and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) sexual function questionnaires. We evaluated the impact of primary surgery type and inguinal lymphadenectomy on the outcome of HRQoL and sexual function. Results: A total of 10 patients (66%) completed the SF-36 questionnaire. Surgery type and extent of resection were overall not associated significantly with worse outcomes on the assessed domains of quality of life. However, men treated with partial penectomy reported significantly more pain (p = 0.0547) than men treated with total penectomy. Similarly, men who underwent lymphadenectomy reported significantly more pain (p = 0.0547) than those who were spared from the procedure due to the ­primary tumor´s stage and grade. Sexual function was severely affected (IIEF mean = 6.5) in patients treated with partial penectomy. Conclusions: Although partial penectomy and lymphadenectomy were significantly associated with more postoperative pain, no differences were observed in other HRQoL domains. Sexual function was severely affected in patients treated with partial penectomy.
Autoregressive Point Processes as Latent State-Space Models: A Moment-Closure Approach to Fluctuations and Autocorrelations
Authors: Rule Michael , Sanguinetti Guido
Published: August 2018

Modeling and interpreting spike train data is a task of central importance in computational neuroscience, with significant translational implications. Two popular classes of data-driven models for this task are autoregressive point-process generalized linear models (PPGLM) and latent state-space models (SSM) with point-process observations. In this letter, we derive a mathematical connection between these two classes of models. By introducing an auxiliary history process, we represent exactly a PPGLM in terms of a latent, infinite-dimensional dynamical system, which can then be mapped onto an SSM by basis function projections and moment closure. This representation provides a new perspective on widely used methods for modeling spike data and also suggests novel algorithmic approaches to fitting such models. We illustrate our results on a phasic bursting neuron model, showing that our proposed approach provides an accurate and efficient way to capture neural dynamics.
Hexagonal Grid Fields Optimally Encode Transitions in Spatiotemporal Sequences
Authors: Waniek Nicolai
Published: August 2018

Grid cells of the rodent entorhinal cortex are essential for spatial navigation. Although their function is commonly believed to be either path integration or localization, the origin or purpose of their hexagonal firing fields remains disputed. Here they are proposed to arise as an optimal encoding of transitions in sequences. First, storage requirements for transitions in general episodic sequences are examined using propositional logic and graph theory. Subsequently, transitions in complete metric spaces are considered under the assumption of an ideal sampling of an input space. It is shown that memory capacity of neurons that have to encode multiple feasible spatial transitions is maximized by a hexagonal pattern. Grid cells are proposed to encode spatial transitions in spatiotemporal sequences, with the entorhinal-hippocampal loop forming a multitransition system.
Convex Coupled Matrix and Tensor Completion
Authors: Wimalawarne Kishan , Yamada Makoto , Mamitsuka Hiroshi
Published: August 2018

We propose a set of convex low-rank inducing norms for coupled matrices and tensors (hereafter referred to as coupled tensors), in which information is shared between the matrices and tensors through common modes. More specifically, we first propose a mixture of the overlapped trace norm and the latent norms with the matrix trace norm, and then, propose a completion model regularized using these norms to impute coupled tensors. A key advantage of the proposed norms is that they are convex and can be used to find a globally optimal solution, whereas existing methods for coupled learning are nonconvex. We also analyze the excess risk bounds of the completion model regularized using our proposed norms and show that they can exploit the low-rankness of coupled tensors, leading to better bounds compared to those obtained using uncoupled norms. Through synthetic and real-data experiments, we show that the proposed completion model compares favorably with existing ones.
Improving Stock Closing Price Prediction Using Recurrent Neural Network and Technical Indicators
Authors: Gao Tingwei , Chai Yueting
Published: August 2018

This study focuses on predicting stock closing prices by using recurrent neural networks (RNNs). A long short-term memory (LSTM) model, a type of RNN coupled with stock basic trading data and technical indicators, is introduced as a novel method to predict the closing price of the stock market. We realize dimension reduction for the technical indicators by conducting principal component analysis (PCA). To train the model, some optimization strategies are followed, including adaptive moment estimation (Adam) and Glorot uniform initialization. Case studies are conducted on Standard & Poor's 500, NASDAQ, and Apple (AAPL). Plenty of comparison experiments are performed using a series of evaluation criteria to evaluate this model. Accurate prediction of stock market is considered an extremely challenging task because of the noisy environment and high volatility associated with the external factors. We hope the methodology we propose advances the research for analyzing and predicting stock time series. As the results of experiments suggest, the proposed model achieves a good level of fitness.
A Neotropical armored harvestman (Arachnida, Opiliones) uses proprioception and vision for homing
Authors: Silva Norton Felipe dos Santos , Fowler-Finn Kasey , Ribeiro Mortara Sara , Hirata Willemart Rodrigo
Published: August 2018

Animals use external and/or internal cues to navigate and can show flexibility in cue use if one type of cue is unavailable. We studied the homing ability of the harvestmanHeteromitobates discolor(Arachnida, Opiliones) by moving egg-guarding females from their clutches. We tested the importance of vision, proprioception, and olfaction. We predicted that homing would be negatively affected in the absence of these cues, with success being measured by the return of females to their clutches. We restricted proprioception by not allowing females to walk, removed vision by painting the eyes, and removed the odours by removing the clutch and cleaning its surroundings. We found that vision is important for homing, and in the absence of visual cues, proprioception is important. Finally, we found increased homing when eggs were present, and that the time of the day also influenced homing. We highlight vision as a previously overlooked sensory modality in Opiliones.
A New Interpretation of the Final Days of the Jewish Community of Pamiers
Authors: Ben-Shalom Ram
Published: August 2018

This article examines, and publishes in an annex, a letter written by Yom Tov ben Hannah of Montalbán. This letter describes how the seventy Jews of Pamiers were forced to raise money to ransom their lives. Henri Gross presumed that it was count Gaston III of Foix (d. 1391), who had tried to extort money from the Jewish community. A re-examination suggests that the imprisonment of the Jews of Pamiers occurred after the promulgation of the edict of expulsion from France (1394), and represented a final attempt by count Mathieu of Foix, to extort money before the Jews’ departure.
Naxalite Rebellion: Disenfranchisement, Ideology and Recognition of a Non International Armed Conflict
Authors: Akhtar Zia
Published: August 2018

The military conflict within India’s borders whose origins are in the marginalisation of tribal peoples involves the government forces and the Naxalite rebels. This conflict has become more intense in the last decade with land being acquired to enable corporations to mine resources and the lack of redress for the Adivasi, who are the indigenous people who inhabit these territories. The alienation of the rural communities and tribes from the north eastern states, which are located on the ‘red corridor’ is because the government has failed to implement protection for Scheduled Tribes who carry a protected status in the Indian constitution. The Naxalite movement has launched a violent struggle which has led to an emergency declared under Article 355, and there has been an incremental increase in the rate of fatalities. The failure of public interest litigation and the enforcement of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (afsa) means that the domestic remedies for empowerment are not successful. The breach of human rights has to be assessed against the insurgency of the Naxalite guerillas and the Geneva Conventions that are applicable under the Non International Armed Conflict (niac). This paper will assess the rural origins of the conflict, environmental damage and the litigation by the Adivasi communities before addressing the rules under which the protections are available in the international humanitarian law. This will argue for the strict implementation of the Geneva Conventions and for niac to be liable for intervention as an International Armed Conflict (iac).
Mapping War, Peace and Terrorism in the Global Information Environment
Authors: John-Hopkins Michael
Published: August 2018

This article outlines in general terms how the environment of 21st century transnational organised crime, terrorism and unconventional conflict is being shaped by information-related capabilities (IRCs) that foster global networked connectivity and asymmetric responses to conventional military supremacy. This article explores how the conceptual apparatus regarding the distinction between wartime and peacetime, as well as war zones and peace zones, which has been developed within the framework of international criminal law and humanitarian law, can contribute to military-strategic operational and capability concepts. Integration of these conceptual frameworks within strategic analysis can serve to promote the effective use of force within a full spectrum operational environment in which information, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance thresholds are being lowered as deeper understandings of the social dynamic that sustains ongoing fighting within a global information environment become increasingly feasible through innovations in IRCs. In this context, this article suggests that law enforcement frameworks and approaches have a high threshold of applicability, i.e. to increasingly serious and organised situations of violence, if the strategic failures associated with conventional military operations are to be avoided. Rather than offering an analysis of cyber warfare/cyber attacks or information operations per se, this article is more generally concerned with understanding how military support and command and control operations are being conducted in the global information environment in order to achieve physical effects that can be characterised as non-international armed conflict.
Applying Additional Protocol II of the Geneva Conventions to the United Nations Forces
Authors: Sergeev Artem
Published: August 2018

Following the widespread participation of United Nations (UN) forces in hostile environments, this article aims to expand the obligations of the UN under International Humanitarian Law. The article argues that Additional Protocol II (AP II) to the Geneva Conventions can bind UN forces, even though the UN is not formally a party thereto. The argument is built on three distinct legal issues: the first issue is whether the UN’s involvement in a conflict internationalizes a non-international armed conflict; the second issue is the legal nature of the UN’s obligations under AP II, which will be explained through two legal theories of indirect consent; and the third issue is the conformity of UN forces to the criteria of an armed group outlined in AP II. The article concludes that if UN forces meet certain conditions, as will be outlined herein, they should be bound by the provisions contained in AP II.
Five new species and novel descriptions of opposed sexes of four species of the spider genus Attacobius (Araneae: Corinnidae)
Authors: PEREIRA-FILHO JOSÉ MOISÉS B. , SATURNINO REGIANE , BONALDO ALEXANDRE B.
Published: August 2018

Five new Brazilian species of the spider genus Attacobius Mello-Leitão, 1925 are described: A. demiguise n. sp. (based on male and female) and A. carimbo n. sp. (male), both from State of Pará; A. thalitae n. sp. (male) from the State of Minas Gerais; A. lauricae n. sp. (male) from State of Tocantins; and A. tremembe n. sp. (female) from State of Piauí. The males of A. luederwaldti (Mello-Leitão, 1923) and A. verhaaghi Bonaldo & Brescovit, 1998, and the females of A. uiriri Bonaldo & Brescovit, 2005 and A. blakei Bonaldo & Brescovit, 2005, are described for the first time. Additionally, new records of A. attarum (Roewer, 1935), A. carranca Bonaldo & Brescovit, 2005, A. kitae Bonaldo & Brescovit, 2005 and A. tucurui Bonaldo & Brescovit, 2005 are given.
A new species of Zethus Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Zethinae) from Northeast Brazil, with notes on morphology and distributional records of Z. alessandroi Lopes
Authors: HERMES MARCEL G. , LOPES ROGÉRIO B.
Published: August 2018

Zethus giseleae new species is described from Maranhão State, Northeastern Brazil. The species fits into the Z. hilarianus species-group which was partially revised only recently, and a set of features from both external morphology and male genitalia allows readily separation from closely related taxa. Notes on morphology and collecting records of Z. alessandroi are also provided, extending its range within the Southeast Amazon domain.
Relative Dispersion of Surface Drifters in the Benguela Upwelling Region
Authors: Dräger-Dietel J. , Jochumsen K. , Griesel A. , Badin G.
Published: August 2018

We examine the relative dispersion of surface drifters deployed in groups of triplets at the boundaries of a filament in the upwelling region off Namibia for both the entire ensemble and the two main subgroups. For the drifters in the group released at the northern boundary of the filament, close to the upwelling front, we find that the mean-square pair separation 〈s2(t)〉 shows the characteristic distinct dispersion regimes [nonlocal, local (Richardson), and diffusive] of an ocean surface mixed layer. We confirm the different dispersion regimes by a rescaled presentation of the moments 〈sn(t)〉 and thereby also explain the anomalous slow decay of the kurtosis in the transient regime. For the drifter group released at the southern boundary, 〈s2(t)〉 remains constant for a short period, followed by a steep “Richardson like” increase and an asymptotic diffusive increase. In contrast to the northern release, the corresponding moments reveal a narrow distribution of pair separations for all regimes. The analysis of finite-size Lyapunov exponents (FSLEs) reveals consistent results when applied to the two releases separately. When applied to the entire drifter ensemble, the two measures yield inconsistent results. We relate the breakdown of consistency to the impact of the different dynamics on the respective averages: whereas, because of separation in scale, 〈s2(t)〉 is dominated by the northern release, the decay of the FSLEs for small distances reflects the drifter dynamics within the filament.
Assimilation of Argo Temperature and Salinity Profiles Using a Bias-Aware EnOI Scheme for the Labrador Sea
Authors: Scott K. Andrea , Chen Changheng , Myers Paul G.
Published: August 2018

In this study, temperature and salinity profiles from Argo floats are assimilated into a coupled ice–ocean model over the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic using an ensemble optimal interpolation (EnOI) scheme, with the aim of improving the thermohaline structure of the Labrador Sea estimated by the model. Data assimilation experiments are carried out from September 2014 to April 2015 both with and without a one-step bias correction method from the literature. It is found that assimilation of the Argo profiles reduces the errors in the model temperature and salinity when verification is done against both withheld Argo profiles and sea surface temperature from satellite data. The assimilation also leads to deeper mixed layer depth in the Labrador Sea, closer to observations shown in other studies, in particular when bias correction is used. We hypothesize that this is because the bias field leads to vertical density profiles that are less stratified, and hence requiring less energy for mixing, than when bias correction is not used.
The impact of fibromyalgia syndrome and the role of comorbidity with mood and post-traumatic stress disorder in worsening the quality of life
Authors: Carta Mauro Giovanni , Moro Maria Francesca , Pinna Francesca Laura , Testa Giorgia , Cacace Enrico , Ruggiero Valeria , Piras Martina , Romano Ferdinando , Minerba Luigi , Machado Sergio , Freire Rafael Christophe , Nardi Antonio Egidio , Sancassiani Federica
Published: August 2018

Background:

The aim is to measure the association between fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood and anxiety disorders using reliable psychiatric diagnoses according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) and with a case–control design.

Methods:

Case–control study with cases (71 consecutive female patients with FMS) and controls (284 subjects without FMS), randomly drawn after a gender- and age-matching technique from the database of an epidemiological survey. Psychiatric diagnoses were conducted according to DSM-IV and carried out by clinical staff using a structured interview (Advanced Neuropsychiatric Tools and Assessment Schedule). QoL was measured by Short Form Health Survey (SF-12).

Results:

The lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD; 43.7% vs 8.1%, p < .0001), bipolar disorder (BD; 21.1% vs 0.7%, p  < .0001), PTSD (8.4% vs 1.4%, p < .0001) and panic disorder (28.2% vs 5.6%, p < .001) was higher in people with FMS than in controls. People with FMS showed a poorer QoL than controls on the SF-12 (26.43 ± 6.04 vs 37.45 ± 5.80, p < .0001). Those with comorbidity with MDD and BD showed a mean SF-12 score of 24.75 ± 6.31 versus 29.52 ± 4.84 ( N = 25) of people with FMS without any mood disorder ( p = .002). The attributable burden of FMS in worsening QoL was found comparable to that of serious chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Conclusion:

FMS is a disorder that ‘in itself’ can have a devastating impact on an individual’s life. The frequency of the association with major depressive and bipolar disorders increases the impact on the QoL of people with FMS. One of the causes of this association appears to be the extreme vulnerability to chronic stress that this disorder involves. The findings have important clinical significance: the physician must interpret in the right dimension and with dignity the suffering of the people with FMS.
Prosecuting Complicity
Authors: Baker Dennis J.
Published: August 2018

In this paper I try to outline the implications of the decision in R v Jogee for practice. I try to explain what the substantive law now requires and how that should be implemented in practice. I argue that particular care needs to be taken so that the profession properly understand and implement the substantive law as recognised in R v. Jogee. I shall try to explain the conceptual distinction between a fundamentally different act and a supervening act. A supervening act cancels out an earlier act, but a fundamentally different act does not necessarily involve a cancelling out. Intentional g.b.h. is a supervening act when the accessory only intended the perpetrator to perpetrate an act resulting in a.b.h. The g.b.h. should cancel out the a.b.h. since the perpetrator has departed from the plan and perpetrated a different act to what was originally intended by the parties. Thus, it is not possible to reconcile the Supreme Court’s obsequiousness towards the supervening act rule with its finding that manslaughter can be an alternative to murder for accessories when the perpetrator has inflicted g.b.h. resulting in V’s death, if the accessory intended a.b.h. be inflicted upon V. Additionally, manslaughter is not a lesser included offence to murder and thus such a conviction should not be available where P perpetrates a murder not intended by the accessory; instead, the accessory should be charged with the inchoate offence for attempting to encourage the lesser crime. It shall also be argued that conditional intention is only an issue in certain factual scenarios such as where it is not certain which crime will be perpetrated or where a crime is intended upon some contingency arising. Intention is intention whether it depends on a condition or not. Finally, it will be argued the spontaneous outbreak of multi-handed violence cases will pose great challenges as far as proof of intentional encouragement is concerned, but that can be overcome simply by charging such cases under sections 44 or 45 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.
Urban Informatics in the Science and Practice of Planning
Authors: Kontokosta Constantine E.
Published: August 2018

The vast amount of data being generated in and about cities creates both an opportunity and a dilemma for urban policymakers and planners. This paper articulates the theoretical, practical, and pedagogical foundations for the fields of urban informatics and civic analytics and outlines the challenges to effectively applying big data and computational methods to urban management, policy, and planning. It describes the state of the field, defines the range of applications in the urban context, and presents key considerations in training scientists that both acknowledge and capitalize on shifting modes of learning, working, and decision making. Situated within the ethical and moral landscape of data analytics, it articulates the knowledge and skills needed by future urban science practitioners and concludes with a discussion of data-driven problem solving in the urban context.
Spoken Language and Fear of the Blank Page
Authors: Korostyshevskiy Vladislav
Published: August 2018

Ability to communicate using spoken language occurs naturally in children earlier than they learn how to use written language. Throughout persons’ lives, their ability to use spoken language is being continuously maintained and further developed. As a result, spoken language has greater capacities to form and organize thoughts than those of written language. This article discusses one such capacity, to grasp mentally the initial idea, which is essential for beginning any writing process. An integral tool for using spoken language is a voice-recording device, which has become widely available as an application for mobile telephones and other portable devices. The use of spoken language, referred in this article as free-talking, allows a wide range of idea-generating possibilities, only few of which are discussed in this article.
Indigenous young people, disadvantage and the violence of settler colonial education policy and curriculum
Authors: Brown Lilly
Published: August 2018

In this article, I argue that settler colonial violence is manifest both in the experiences of Indigenous young people in their engagement with the education system, and in the fact that despite a decade of targeted efforts to close the gap in Indigenous educational ‘disadvantage’ – it still remains. Drawing on a small qualitative study undertaken with Indigenous high school students from across New South Wales, Australia, this research reveals that the dismissal of Indigenous knowledge, stories and perspectives within the classroom is reflective of the broader absence in education policy of a critical engagement with the past and how it impacts both the present and the future. Before concluding, I bring settler colonial theory in relation to sociologist Johan Galtung’s conceptualisation of violence to put forward a complex reading of Indigenous educational disadvantage as a product of colonial dispossession.
Hybrid salience: Examining the role of traditional and digital media in the rise of the Greek radical left
Authors: Maniou Theodora A , Bantimaroudis Philemon
Published: August 2018

This study examines agenda setting in the context of Greek politics while assessing constructs of salience evolving through new journalism trends and advances in digital media. Through an exploration of the rise of Alexis Tsipras and his party, SYRIZA, the authors investigate emerging indices of salience as predictors of public salience. Along with mainstream media salience and conventional public salience, the authors generate evidence on mediated trends and word-of-mouth salience. Although there is evidence of the evolving nature of salience derived from all indices under scrutiny, word-of-mouth salience registered as the most significant predictor of Tsipras’ public approval.
Topical Antibiotic, Antifungal, and Antiseptic Solutions Decrease Ciliary Activity in Nasal Respiratory Cells
Authors: Gosepath Jan , Grebneva Nina , Mossikhin Sergey , Mann Wolf J.
Published: August 2018

This study was designed to investigate whether topical solutions, as they are used in the treatment of selected cases of rhinosinusitis, influence nasal mucociliary clearance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the following topical solutions on the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of nasal respiratory cells: ofloxacin as an antibiotic; Betadine and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as antiseptic; and amphotericin B, itraconazole, and clotrimazole as antifungal solutions. Differences are described between effects of each of these substances and we clarify whether ciliotoxic effects are dose dependent and if they can be reduced or eliminated by diluting the concentration of the applied solution. In a prospective study, nasal respiratory cells were harvested from healthy individuals and CBF was measured while cells were perfused with cell culture medium and the respective topical solution, using a Dvorak/Stotler exposure chamber. Controls were perfused with cell culture medium only. Video interference contrast microscopy was used to monitor CBF. A decrease of CBF occurred after application of all topical solutions used in this study. Except for clotrimazole, all solutions showed significantly stronger effects at high concentrations compared with diluted solutions. Our results indicate that topical application of antifungal, antibiotic, and antiseptic solutions may cause a marked impairment of mucociliary clearance. The strong dose dependence of these ciliotoxic effects indicates the need for a careful selection of the adequate concentration when using topical treatment in the nose.
Endonasal Endoscopic Treatment of Parasellar Arachnoid Cyst: Report of a Case
Authors: Naraghi Mohsen , Saberi Hooshang , Kashfi Arash
Published: August 2018

A 40-year-old man presented with intractable headache of 5-year duration and a 1-month history of intermittent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a cystic lesion with signal characteristics similar to that of CSF. The patient underwent endonasal endoscopic surgery of the sphenoid sinus and the fistula was reinforced with facia, muscle, cartilage, and posterior septal flap while performing cystocisternostomy. The postoperative course was uneventful, CSF leakage stopped, and headache improved. Postoperative imaging revealed total collapse of the cyst cavity. Based on our findings, endonasal endoscopic treatment of the sellar and parasellar arachnoid cysts, if presenting into the sphenoid sinus, could be an acceptable minimally invasive alternative to the conventional modalities.
Endonasal Sinus Surgery: Extended versus Limited Approach
Authors: Kuehnemund Matthias , Lopatin Andrej , Amedee Ronald G. , Mann Wolf J.
Published: August 2018

Background

This study was designed to investigate whether two different surgical approaches in endonasal sinus surgery lead to different postoperative results in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Methods

Sixty-five patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis were operated on with either a limited approach or an extended approach. They were examined preoperatively and reassessed during 3 months, 6 months, and long-term follow-up visits that included endoscopy, saccharin transport time, and the assessment of symptoms.

Results

The concept of this study was prospective, randomized, and multicenter (Mainz, Germany, and Moscow, Russia). The results of the two different surgical approaches were compared with each other.

Conclusion

Surgical results and symptomatology were similar in both groups of patients, suggesting that a conservative approach may be sufficient in most patients.
Management of Severe Bilateral Nasal Wall Collapse
Authors: Stucker Fred J. , Lian Timothy , Sanders Kenneth
Published: August 2018

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine and analyze the pathology contributing to severe bilateral nasal wall collapse seen in certain revision rhinoplasty patients and identify those surgical maneuvers in the previous nasal surgery, which may have contributed to this complication; suggest alternatives or modifying steps in nasal surgery to prevent lateral wall collapse; analyze consecutive revision rhinoplasties and identify those patients who have complete bilateral nasal collapse at the internal nasal valve; and analyze the results achieved after surgical reconstruction of complete bilateral nasal collapse.

Patients

We identified 49 patients, who presented from 1990 to 2000 for revision surgery, who had bilateral collapse of the upper lateral cartilage. All patients had at least one previous rhinoplasty and all but 14 patients had undergone two or more procedures. The patients were reconstructed with a conchal cartilage graft placed through an external rhinoplasty approach.

Results

All patients complained of nasal obstruction with forced nasal inspiration. The collapse was visualized on inspiration and when prevented with intranasal positioning of a bayonet, all patients experienced an immediate improvement in nasal breathing. Postoperatively, all patients experienced this same improvement in their nasal airway. Collapse was not identified in any of the patients after surgery. Two patients underwent revision because of cosmetic asymmetries.

Conclusion

We strongly recommend a cartilage overlay to reconstitute the rigid midline continuity of the upper lateral cartilages. Unfortunately, with any significant hump removal, this structural interruption is, to varying degrees, inevitable in most rhinoplasty techniques. The upper lateral cartilages can be sutured to circumvent some of the inferior drift, but this will not reconstitute the rigid lateral cantilever effect of the intact cartilage.
Resection of the Inferior Superior Turbinate: Does it Affect Olfactory Ability or Contain Olfactory Neuronal Tissue?
Authors: Say Phillip , Leopold Donald , Cochran Gregory , Smith Lynette , Greiner Tim
Published: August 2018

Background

One approach to the sphenoid sinus involves resection of the inferior portion of the superior turbinate. There is general agreement from anatomic investigations that this area contains olfactory mucosa. This study will determine if olfactory tissue can be found in the superior turbinate mucosa of patients with chronic sphenoiditis and what effect its removal has on a patient's olfactory ability.

Methods

The inferior one-third of the superior turbinate removed during endoscopic sphenoidotomy was stained with olfactory marker protein antibody, a marker for mature olfactory tissue. The specimens were graded for content of olfactory neuronal elements. All patients underwent uninasal 12-item smell identification testing before surgery and at least 3 weeks after surgery.

Results

Fifty-five superior turbinate samples were taken from 31 patients. Nine (16%) of 55 samples contained olfactory neuronal elements that stained with olfactory marker protein. When comparing the pre- and postoperative smell test results, 52% of the nostrils had no more than a one-item change, 35% of the nostrils had a more than one-item improvement, and only 12% had more than a one-item loss. None of the nostrils with a loss of olfactory ability after the surgery showed olfactory neuronal elements in their superior turbinate specimens.

Conclusion

There is olfactory mucosa in approximately one-sixth of the superior turbinate specimens removed during the endoscopic transethmoidal sphenoidotomy procedure. Although 12% of the patients had a loss of olfactory ability in this study, none of the loss could be attributed to excision of olfactory tissue.