bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conclusion
Authors: Boes Tobias
Published: May 2020

This concluding chapter considers the continuing importance of Thomas Mann in the world republic of letters. It explains how the parameters that conditioned Mann's rise to the status of literary celebrity and antifascist icon in the United States of the 1930s and 1940s foreshadowed developments in the world republic of letters. These developments, moreover, did not fully come to fruition until after the Second World War. Furthermore, they continue to affect global literary production in the twenty-first century. In many respects, Thomas Mann was a forerunner for experiences that have become commonplace for writers in our own day, especially those that hail from the periphery of the global literary community.
Bloodscape of Difference
Authors: Copeman Jacob , Banerjee Dwaipayan
Published: May 2020

This chapter traces a political hematology in which the “p” in “politics” figures in both the upper and lower cases. In the domain of overt big-P politics (which is to say in situations defined by their own actors as belonging to the domain of the political), contestations take place through the use of extracted blood. Blood flows in acts of violence or national solidarity, into syringes, art brushes, and pens, all in order to compel actions and persuade imaginations. Here, this chapter's area of inquiry is that of hematology as a sort of political style: how and why publicly enacted blood extractions—principally political rallies, memorials, protests in the form of petitions or paintings in blood—became such a noteworthy form of political enunciation in India. Complementing this approach is a counterpart focus on less overt, small-P politics—the domain of contestations about blood and its use. Exploration of this domain takes us into hospitals, blood banks, and campaigns aimed at getting people to understand and use the substance “correctly.” What are contested here are definitions, economies, and practices of blood, both inside and outside human bodies.
Introduction
Authors: Vu Tuong , Fear Sean
Published: May 2020

This introductory chapter briefly explores the extent of Vietnam War scholarship from a South Vietnamese perspective. The vast majority of academic works devoted to the Vietnam War have been centered on American decisions and experiences. A series of recent studies has begun reversing this trend, but they have been limited to certain periods or particular state projects. Few works address how local actors interpreted and shaped events, either in tandem or at cross-purposes with the Americans. And fewer still have explored the role of civil society and the population at large in South Vietnam. Nonetheless, the chapter reveals that there was much more to the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) than its involvement in a war. Central to its story were the collective efforts of many men and women dedicated to nation building. As such, the chapter also explores the challenges of nation building in the RVN.
Coping With Changes and War, Building a Foundation For Growth
Authors: Cường Nguyễn Ðức
Published: May 2020

This chapter aims to provide a broad overview of economic development in the Republic of Vietna (RVN) under both republics. The long-term perspective is useful to gain a sense of the republic's achievements and failures over two decades. It also dwells at some length on the activities the chapter's author was personally involved in since the mid-1960s. The chapter reveals the challenges of economic development. For instance, there was no capital to use on big government projects, nor was there any manpower or organizations to develop an expertise in any specific field. Furthermore, it showed that the RVN sometimes tried to interfere with the markets, to control prices, prevent speculation, and deprive the enemy of food supplies. But the main task for those working at the higher echelons of the RVN at the time was to simply establish solid legal foundations, foster strong institutions, implement sound policies, and practice good governance.
Rewriting Los Alamos
Authors: Young Ken , Schilling Warner R.
Published: May 2020

This chapter outlines the process which began with the unexpected publication of the transcript of the Personnel Security Board hearing. Now, the search was on for villains, and theories about the slow—and seemingly unenthusiastic—development of the Super abounded. With active encouragement from air force sources, the pillorying of Los Alamos took place in the press, culminating in a widely read journalistic account of where the blame lay. With its dubious claim to extensive research, James Shepley and Clay Blair Jr.'s The Hydrogen Bomb owed its paternity and its material to the advocacy coalition that had successfully pushed for the Super. The issues were now public, and the original closed circle of decision widened to include other partisans in the worlds of science and politics. So acrimonious had the progress of the Super been that scores remained to be settled. And they would be.
Why Warlord Survival?
Authors: Malejacq Romain
Published: May 2020

This introductory chapter explains how warlords survive, during and after war. Here, warlords are defined as astute political entrepreneurs with a proven ability to organize violence and control territory. They exert and transform authority across different spheres (ideological, economic, military, social, and political) and at different levels of political affairs (local, national, and international). As such, warlords remain, first and foremost, “autonomous and powerful individuals,” not members of armed organizations bound by institutionalized forms of collective decision making. Warlords persist thanks to their ability to cross political orders and harness different sources of power, often in ways that escape state domination. Not only do they remain influential in the political system, but they also hold power that goes far beyond simple military might and endures long past the moment they have ceased to command a credible force. They adapt to new political regimes and offer “alternative forms of governance.” In other words, warlords maintain authority despite massive state-building efforts.
Trumpism, Policing, and the Problem of Surplus Population
Authors: Johnson Cedric
Published: May 2020

This chapter tackles the issues of mass incarceration and aggressive policing, and their impact on low-income communities and people of color. It places Trump's defense of police and denigration of Black Lives Matter into historical context. The chapter connects the rise of the carceral state with an ideology that pathologizes poverty, blames working-class and unemployed people for their failure to get rich, and defines an urban “underclass” as the problem. In this context, the chapter analyzes Trump's reverence for police as the “thin blue line” that separates civilization from chaos. Focusing its attention on the intersection between class and race, the chapter unpacks the logic that has motivated a long-standing effort to shift power and resources away from the working class and toward the corporate elite. It argues that liberal antiracist arguments misunderstand the class relations that underlie the current system of policing. The chapter concludes that labor groups have a crucial role to play in fighting police abuse and mass incarceration.
Outlining the Problem
Authors: Keels Micere
Published: May 2020

This chapter presents the problem and briefly describes the data used to gain insight into how challenges to Black and Latinx students' college-going identity threaten their persistence. It shows how it is important to quantify the racialization of college access and success at the outset. Race scholars have to start with empirical questions about why things are the way they are. Furthermore, they must push forward theoretical understandings that help us to explicate and end racial oppression. The goal is to highlight what have become long-standing normative expectations about the racialized aspects of degree attainment that continue to be perceived from the vantage point of individual rather than institutional failings.
Finding one’s People and One’s Self on Campus
Authors: Velez Gabriel
Published: May 2020

This chapter illustrates the diverse social identities that are developed in racial-ethnic, identity-based campus organizations. Students listed race-ethnicity as the focus of their initial attraction to these organizations. However, they came to embed themselves in these organizations because the organizations also developed other aspects of their identities, such as their professional, political, and academic identities. This chapter also highlights students who explicitly sought to embed themselves in organizations and clubs that were not connected with their racial-ethnic identity. In doing so, this chapter takes a critical look at extracurricular activities in relation to experiences of race-ethnicity at college and examines the role they serve in minority students' self-exploration.
Split between School, Home, Work, and More
Authors: Tackie Hilary , Hope Elan
Published: May 2020

This chapter takes up the issue of how and where commuter students, students who do not have access to peer support through living on campus, locate their sense of campus belonging. When students lack a “place” on campus, they are more likely to adopt a functional (“I go to school”) identity rather than an all-encompassing (“I am a student”) identity. After all, the challenge of commuting is often much more than the physical distance between home and school. The chapter shows how this commuter status is both an identification and an identity. This is seen through the experiences of students who range in their ability to successfully transition as commuting students—from experiencing their residential status as simply a factor of their reality to experiencing it as the central obstacle to fully becoming a college student.
Departures from Orthodoxy
Authors: Ericson Steven J.
Published: May 2020

This introductory chapter briefly considers the ways in which the reforms of Finance Minister Matsukata Masayoshi unfolded along the lines of mid-nineteenth-century British-style orthodoxy or the late-twentieth-century International Monetary Fund version. It then goes on to argue that Matsukata was dealing with the challenge, shared by many of his contemporaries, of establishing a modern financial system in a developing state emerging from warfare and aiming to industrialize. At least on monetary policy, his economic nationalism was of the liberal nationalist variety like that of state leaders in other late industrializers. Moreover, Matsukata emerged as a practitioner primarily of unorthodox policies from the standpoint of both nineteenth- and late-twentieth-century versions of financial and economic orthodoxy. He also departed from orthodox mindsets in his pursuit of statist and nationalist priorities, his commitment to made-in-Japan solutions, his reliance on local intellectual tradition, and his willingness to be flexible in response to “the dictates of practical expediency,” as he would proclaim in 1886.
Early Life
Authors: Ralph Saw , Sheera Naw , Olinga-Shannon Stephanie
Published: May 2020

This chapter chronicles the early life of Saw Ralph. It discusses his family history and especially how his parents met. His father's name was John Farren Hodgson. He worked for the Burma Railways as a permanent way inspector. Saw Ralph's mother, Naw Thet Po, was a student at a school Hodgson visited. Both eventually married, and Ralph grew up comfortably in a big three-story house. He was the eighth of eleven children. By blood, Ralph was Karen-Anglo-Arakanese, though he considered himself Karen. Because the British ruled Burma and he went to a Baptist missionary school, Saw Ralph and his siblings all learned English very well. As the chapter follows his reminiscences of his schoolboy days, it also considers the changes taking place during that period.
The Revolution Begins
Authors: Ralph Saw , Sheera Naw , Olinga-Shannon Stephanie
Published: May 2020

This chapter marks the start of the Karen Revolution and the start of Saw Ralph's journey as a soldier. At Karen New Year on December 29, 1948, a number of bursts of rifle fire and automatic gunfire were directed at the Karen quarters in Insein. That was the beginning of the revolution. While his family was preparing to evacuate, Saw Ralph snuck out to the front line without their knowledge. He craved adventure. After receiving a gun, Saw Ralph went to the front line with his coworkers, thus beginning his career as a soldier at the battle of Insein—the first major battle of the Karen Revolution. He was eighteen years old. He had made up his mind that he would stay until he died or could no longer fight. He was there at the very beginning of the revolution, in that first life-changing battle, and he stayed for the next five decades.
Australia
Authors: Ralph Saw , Sheera Naw , Olinga-Shannon Stephanie
Published: May 2020

This chapter chronicles Naw Sheera's experiences in Australia, where she and her family moved to make a fresh start. The most important thing she wanted to achieve in Australia was to become fluent in English. She really wanted to study it because everyone in Australia speaks English and she wanted to be able to communicate with other people. She reasoned that if she could speak very well, she could talk with her neighbors and tell them about the Bible. Indeed, English became pivotal to her everyday life and interactions in Australia, which she considers as a markedly different experience from living in Burma or Thailand.
Governing Through Science
Authors: Greenhalgh Susan
Published: May 2020

This chapter presents the results of discussions based on research conducted between 2006 and 2018. It explores the makings, workings, and effects of various sciences and technologies. It focuses on an array of applied health and environmental knowledges and innovations being developed to solve some of the gravest problems of human and ecological health facing China today. The kinds of cutting-edge basic sciences that are being energetically promoted by the state and private entrepreneurs that remain a subject for future anthropological research. The chapter also makes two major intellectual interventions. First, under the rubric “governing through science,” the governance/governmentality approach to the study of Chinese science and technology is extended. Second, the analysis is deepened by adding the insights of science and technology studies.
Embracing Psychological Science for the “Good Life”?
Authors: Zhang Li
Published: May 2020

This chapter explores how the notion of “science” or “the scientific” is invoked by Chinese psychological experts and practitioners in their efforts to translate, brand, and apply certain branches of psychology and psychotherapy to Chinese society. It explains how the popular pursuit of well-being and the “good life” in contemporary China is inseparable from the claims of modern science and Western biomedicine. Based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork research among Chinese psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, and urban residents in Kunming from 2010 to the present, the chapter offers an in-depth account of how and why the so-called “science of happiness” is surging in Chinese cities and how it is embraced by different social actors. This wave occurs under the banner of “psychological science” that some experts claim is able to effectively ease personal and social suffering.
The Good Scientist and the Good Multinational
Authors: Greenhalgh Susan
Published: May 2020

This chapter examines the practice of ethics in the making of Chinese obesity science. A disease in itself and a risk factor for many other diseases, obesity's prevalence is rising rapidly around the world, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to label it one of the greatest public health threats of the century. Obesity is also a pressing concern because the private industry is intensely interested in the condition. Companies in the soda and fast food industries, widely seen as major contributors to the obesity epidemic, have sought to protect their profits from core foods and beverages by reshaping the scientific narrative about the causes of and solutions to the epidemic. The chapter considers the case of a prominent nutritionist and chronic disease specialist, Chen Chunming, who, after decades as a government health researcher and official and facing limited state funding for chronic disease work, in the early 1990s established an NGO-type organization that took the lead in naming and addressing the obesity epidemic in China.
Landing in Lawndale
Authors: Kraus Joe
Published: May 2020

This chapter tells the story of Davey Miller, a gangster with a particular and romanticized standing. He was Jewish Chicago’s highest-profile figure in the citywide gangster confederation that emerged in the early years of Prohibition, and he was the smiling criminal face of the gangs that first emerged in Jewish Lawndale. To a rising generation, he represented the possibility of Jews defending themselves as Americans in their new home. And, to many of the old-timers who spoke of their childhood, he became a symbol of Jewish Lawndale when it was just emerging as an unprecedented “Chicago Jerusalem.” In addition to Miller, this chapter also takes a look at the role of Julius “Lovin' Putty” Anixter in the Jewish criminal underground. The chapter asserts that while Miller was the flashy underworld character, the one who made the headlines, Anixter had the real staying power.
Syndicate Hammer
Authors: Kraus Joe
Published: May 2020

This chapter traces Lenny Patrick’s history of violence, particularly during his time with the Syndicate. It begins with a background on his childhood and his rise to power in the criminal underworld. The chapter then takes a look at his criminal career and his growing reputation as a violent and dangerous gangster, one the FBI at the time frequently described as having “dangerous propensities.” Throughout, Patrick displays a pathological loyalty to a larger, corporate interest. In such a role, Patrick spent perhaps as long as two decades traveling across the city and maybe even the country, killing people who somehow got in the Syndicate’s way. Though Patrick did make mistakes throughout his criminal career, this chapter shows that he still managed to establish himself as a clear and permanent part of the Syndicate.
Lenny’s Circus Turn
Authors: Kraus Joe
Published: May 2020

This chapter describes the trial of the 1990s in which Lenny Patrick played a crucial role. These were two of the most substantial trials ever aimed at the Chicago Outfit. The goal of these trials was ambitious: to take down what was left of the Outfit. Patrick was only an instrument to that end, but, as such, he could give perspective to the long and violent history of the Syndicate. In a way that perhaps no organized crime witness had done in any trial anywhere in the country, Patrick would tell his life story—a story that amounted to a history of the Jewish gangster stretching back to the late 1920s. Many of its details seemed impossible, evoking not just a vanished Lawndale but the forgotten conflicts over criminal operations that changing times had erased.
The Great Reforms
Authors: Robinson Paul
Published: May 2020

This chapter takes a look at the Great Reforms, a series of reforms conducted by Nicholas's son and successor, Alexander II. In March 1861, he decreed the emancipation of the serfs. Another important element of the Great Reforms was an overhaul of the judicial system in 1864, the most notable part of which was the establishment for the first time of trial by jury. Also in 1864, Alexander introduced a system of elected local self-government. Reforms continued into the 1870s, the most important probably being the reorganization of the army, which introduced a system of general conscription. But although reform continued, from the mid-1860s onward popular enthusiasm for it began to decline, and Russia's educated elites shifted in a conservative direction. Two factors contributed to this conservative turn. The first was a revolt that broke out in Poland in 1863, which the Russian government eventually crushed in 1864. The second was an increase in radical terrorism.
The Era of Counter-Reform
Authors: Robinson Paul
Published: May 2020

This chapter turns to the era of counter-reforms conducted by Alexander II's son and successor, Alexander III. To a certain degree, the counter-reforms reflected not just a shift in political attitudes but also what has been termed “increasing technological capacity for control.” As this capacity increased, the Russian state attempted to rectify its traditional weakness and to establish the type of centralized administration that had previously been lacking. One aspect of this was “a dramatic increase in the sheer numbers of officials and bureaucrats.” This was not necessarily a bad thing in terms of governmental efficiency, but many conservatives resented the resulting intrusion of state officials into areas of life that had traditionally been left to various forms of local self-government. Conservatism in this era thus often acquired an anti-bureaucratic flavor.
Conclusion
Authors: Robinson Paul
Published: May 2020

This concluding chapter argues that Russian conservatism is a response to the pressures of modernization and Westernization and, more recently, globalization. For the past two centuries, conservatives have sought to adapt to these pressures while preserving national identity and political and social stability. Although the specific policies being proposed have changed over time, conservatism's approach to change has remained consistent. In this way, Russian conservatism today evinces a clear continuity with Russian conservatism of the past. In particular, Russian conservatives have continually proposed forms of cultural, political, and economic development that are seen as building on existing traditions, identity, and forms of government and economic and social life, rather than being imposed on the basis of abstract theory and foreign models.
A Short Outline of Skiing History1
Authors: Eimeleus K. B. E. E.
Published: May 2020

This chapter briefly details the history of skiing. It begins with skiing's ancient roots and how it was used in everyday life. From skiing's origins in the Baikal and Altai mountain regions, the chapter traces its spread through the nomadic peoples of Northern Asia. From there, skiing traveled east across the Bering Straits into North America and to the west into Sweden and Norway. In present-day Finland, using skis was common earlier than anywhere else in Europe. The ancient epic Kalevala makes clear that the Finns knew how to prepare and use skis early on and that the preparation and use of skis were known to the Finns long ago. Indeed, skiing has passed so deeply into Finland's concept of nationalism that it is an accepted truism that a Finn could catch any type of animal on skis.
Repairing Skis
Authors: Eimeleus K. B. E. E.
Published: May 2020

This chapter shows how to repair skis, especially during emergency situations. Lately, modern and complex ski-binding systems frequently sustain damage. Broken binding straps, especially if they are wet, are impossible to tie with the usual knot. A single knife does not suffice anymore, hence requiring the use of a greater number of tools in order to avoid that damages to skis or their accessories. The chapter shows various methods for mending ski fractures in different sections. However, the chapter also warns that these repairs cannot fully restore a broken ski's original beauty and durability. They can also cause an increase in friction. In such instances, the chapter recommends having skis mended professionally rather than having them replaced.
The Effect of Snow on Skis and How They Run1
Authors: Eimeleus K. B. E. E.
Published: May 2020

This chapter shows how the quality of snow and its behavior are the most influential factors affecting a ski run. Both can change depending on the time of year and the weather. As such, a skier's speed and stamina are closely bound to these two factors. Snow and weather exert more influence than one might think: for example, in nice weather a good skier can cover from 80 to 100 versts in a day but in bad weather one's daily distance could be less. The chapter thus categorizes snow briefly as powdery, loose, granulated, thick-packed crust, thin-layer crust, floury, springtime, and waterlogged. Each of these can have varying effects on skis.
Poles1
Authors: Eimeleus K. B. E. E.
Published: May 2020

This chapter discusses poles. It asserts that the primary function of poles is to help a skier accelerate their speed of movement. The chapter argues that it is a myth that the purpose of poles is for balance, maintaining that this is actually their secondary use. In any case, they are essential for climbing and descending mountains. In addition, poles are made out of different kinds of wood, just like skis. But the chapter emphasizes that it is important to pay attention more to their weight than to their strength in relation to running skis. As an accessory to mountain skis, they should be sturdier since they are often used as a brake.
Systematic Instruction of Skiing in the Military
Authors: Eimeleus K. B. E. E.
Published: May 2020

This chapter provides a guide for producing a well-practiced skier in a short time of service. It is a good idea to get familiar with the theory of ski-running as much as possible beforehand, in order to make it more comprehensible and easier to grasp in practice. Along with theory, there are plenty of preparatory exercises that can accelerate as well as facilitate the study of running and produce good results. Until the start of winter, the chapter recommends strengthening and developing muscles so that as soon as the snow falls practice can begin. But there is also the need to train one's internal organs in order to open up one's breathing; to broaden the chest; and to learn how to turn and hold onto the poles. One can develop the techniques of movement effectively by learning them as gymnastic exercises in formation.
Introduction
Authors: O'Connor Kevin C.
Published: May 2020

This introductory chapter briefly summarizes the history of the city of Riga. It asserts that, even if it was never a seat of royal power like London, Paris, or Berlin, Riga's past and present have been influenced by the same political, economic, religious, and cultural forces that have shaped a diverse continent where matters of faith, authority, and hierarchy have intermingled with those of nationality, class, and sovereignty. It might reasonably be suggested that Riga is a microcosm of northeastern Europe; yet this eclectic city is in many respects sui generis. Riga may be familiar in its northeastern European context, yet the chapter argues that it is also unique. In addition, the remainder of the chapter addresses the portrayal of Riga by other historians (in other words, the city's historiography) as well as the rendering place and personal names in modern English.
Phoenixes From the Ashes
Authors: Donovan Victoria
Published: May 2020

This chapter focuses on the postwar reconstruction of the formerly occupied territories of Novgorod and Pskov, and the debates about heritage preservation that emerged in the first decade after 1945. The reconstructionist agenda of the late Stalin regime emerges here as part of the state-sponsored drive to “forget” the experience of Nazi occupation and to assert a Soviet patriotic “myth of war” in its place. Particular attention is paid in the chapter to debates between central and local actors about the composition of the postwar heritage landscape. Localist agendas that were seen to privilege particularistic narratives of the past were regarded with suspicion at this time. The actors who advocated them were vulnerable to political repression.
Landscapes of Living History
Authors: Donovan Victoria
Published: May 2020

This chapter shifts the focus to regional folk heritage, with a particular emphasis on developments in Vologda in the 1960s to 1980s. It presents the strategic affirmation of folk culture in the region through the lens of the Brezhnev-era “Russian revival.” This was the emergence of a Russian patriotic intelligentsia in the mid-1960s with a particular interest in the fate of Russian rural traditions. The state-sponsored promotion of folk heritage, which included the creation of museums of folk architecture in Novgorod and Vologda, is understood as an expression of Brezhnev-era “inclusionary politics,” a strategy to contain rising ethno-nationalism through the strategic promotion of Russian themes. The chapter explores how this policy led to the promotion of an aestheticized vision of northwestern folk culture as the epitome of the “national style.”
“This is Paris itself!”: Gogol in the Town of N
Authors: Lounsbery Anne
Published: May 2020

This chapter discusses the “Gogolian province,” as epitomized in Dead Souls' Town of N, a place defined almost wholly by absence and lack. Gogol's provinces are not just philistine, not just behind the times, but seem instead to represent an unfillable cultural and psychic void. This chapter examines the historically shaped (but aesthetically transformed) meanings of “the provinces” that inform Gogol's thought, particularly in Dead Souls, The Inspector General, and Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends—texts that span much of his career but share almost identical concerns when it comes to provintsiia and its meanings. Provintsiia here takes on a function it is not consistently called upon to fulfill in the works of other authors considered thus far. In Gogol's works, the concept very clearly serves as a way of raising questions about Russian identity more broadly.
A new insect trackway from the Upper Jurassic—Lower Cretaceous eolian sandstones of São Paulo State, Brazil: implications for reconstructing desert paleoecology
Authors: Peixoto Bernardo de C.P. e M. , Mángano M. Gabriela , Minter Nicholas J. , dos Reis Fernandes Luciana Bueno , Fernandes Marcelo Adorna
Published: May 2020

The new ichnospeciesPaleohelcura araraquarensisisp. nov. is described from the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Botucatu Formation of Brazil. This formation records a gigantic eolian sand sea (erg), formed under an arid climate in the south-central part of Gondwana. This trackway is composed of two track rows, whose internal width is less than one-quarter of the external width, with alternating to staggered series, consisting of three elliptical tracks that can vary from slightly elongated to tapered or circular. The trackways were found in yellowish/reddish sandstone in a quarry in the Araraquara municipality, São Paulo State. Comparisons with neoichnological studies and morphological inferences indicate that the producer ofPaleohelcura araraquarensisisp. nov. was most likely a pterygote insect, and so could have fulfilled one of the ecological roles that different species of this group are capable of performing in dune deserts. The producer could have had a herbivorous or carnivorous diet or been part of the fauna of omnivores, being able to adopt herbivorous, carnivorous, and saprophagous diets when necessary. In modern dune deserts, some species of pterygote insects are detritivores (like Tenebrionidae), relying on organic matter that accumulated among the sand grains of the dunes during dry periods with no plant growth. The presence of additional burrows suggests that the Botucatu paleodesert would have had a detritivorous fauna like this. Based on the interpretation of the ichnofossil producers, it was possible to reconstruct the food web of this paleodesert. All the omnivorous and herbivorous invertebrates and the herbivorous ornithopod dinosaurs made up the primary consumers. These animals were, in turn, the food source for bigger carnivorous or omnivorous animals unable to feed on detritus, like arachnids, possible predatory insects, mammaliaforms, and theropod dinosaurs. The highest trophic level was occupied by larger theropod dinosaurs and mammaliaforms, which, because of their size, could prey upon a wide range of animals. The producer ofPaleohelcura araraquarensisisp. nov. could have been a primary consumer if it were an omnivorous detritivore or a herbivore, or a secondary consumer if it were produced by a predatory insect or an omnivore relying on animal biomass. The description of this new trackway expands the knowledge on the faunal composition of the Botucatu paleodesert and provides insights into the ecological relationships in ancient deserts. The presence of these arthropod trackways in Mesozoic eolian deposits helps to trace a continuity between Paleozoic and post-Paleozoic desert ichnofaunas, further reinforcing a singleOctopodichnus—EntradichnusIchnofacies for eolian deposits.
Biochemical parameters, dynamic tensiometry and circulating nucleic acids for cattle blood analysis: a review
Authors: Zaitsev Sergei Yu. , Bogolyubova Nadezhda V. , Zhang Xuying , Brenig Bertram
Published: May 2020

The animal’s blood is the most complicated and important biological liquid for veterinary medicine. In addition to standard methods that are always in use, recent technologies such as dynamic tensiometry (DT) of blood serum and PCR analysis of particular markers are in progress. The standard and modern biochemical tests are commonly used for general screening and, finally, complete diagnosis of animal health. Interpretation of major biochemical parameters is similar across animal species, but there are a few peculiarities in each case, especially well-known for cattle. The following directions are discussed here: hematological indicators; “total protein” and its fractions; some enzymes; major low-molecular metabolites (glucose, lipids, bilirubin, etc.); cations and anions. As example, the numerous correlations between DT data and biochemical parameters of cattle serum have been obtained and discussed. Changes in the cell-free nucleic acids (cfDNA) circulating in the blood have been studied and analyzed in a variety of conditions; for example, pregnancy, infectious and chronic diseases, and cancer. CfDNA can easily be detected using standard molecular biological techniques like DNA amplification and next-generation sequencing. The application of digital PCR even allows exact quantification of copy number variations which are for example important in prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal aberrations.
Oldest co-occurrence ofVaranusandPythonfrom Africa—first record of squamates from the early Miocene of Moghra Formation, Western Desert, Egypt
Authors: Georgalis Georgios L. , Abdel Gawad Mohamed K. , Hassan Safiya M. , El-Barkooky Ahmed N. , Hamdan Mohamed A.
Published: May 2020

Lizard and snake remains from the early Miocene (Burdigalian) of the Moghra Formation, Egypt, are described herein. This material comprises the first fossil remains of squamates recovered from the otherwise rich and well known vertebrate assemblage of Moghra. The material pertains to two different genera, the varanid lizardVaranusand the pythonid snakePythonand adds to the so far rather poorly known squamate fossil record from Africa. On the basis of the new remains, Moghra marks the oldest so far described co-occurrence ofVaranusandPythonin the African continent. The close sympatry of these two genera in the African fossil record is thoroughly analyzed and discussed, a co-existence, which is still widespread in the extant herpetofauna of the continent. Situated rather close to the so called “Levantine Corridor” and dated at the Burdigalian, practically when Afro-Arabia collided with Eurasia, the Moghra squamate assemblage offers the potential of important insights in the biogeography and dispersal events of vertebrate groups during the early Miocene.
Human milk microbiota associated with early colonization of the neonatal gut in Mexican newborns
Authors: Corona-Cervantes Karina , García-González Igrid , Villalobos-Flores Loan Edel , Hernández-Quiroz Fernando , Piña-Escobedo Alberto , Hoyo-Vadillo Carlos , Rangel-Calvillo Martín Noé , García-Mena Jaime
Published: May 2020

Background

Human milk microbiota plays a role in the bacterial colonization of the neonatal gut, which has important consequences in the health and development of the newborn. However, there are few studies about the vertical transfer of bacteria from mother to infant in Latin American populations.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study characterizing the bacterial diversity of 67 human milk-neonatal stool pairs by high-throughput sequencing of V3-16S rDNA libraries, to assess the effect of the human milk microbiota on the bacterial composition of the neonate’s gut at early days.

Results

Human milk showed higher microbial diversity as compared to the neonatal stool. Members of the Staphylococcaceae and Sphingomonadaceae families were more prevalent in human milk, whereas the Pseudomonadaceae family, Clostridium and Bifidobacterium genera were in the neonatal stool. The delivery mode showed association with the neonatal gut microbiota diversity, but not with the human milk microbiota diversity; for instance, neonates born by C-section showed greater richness and diversity in stool microbiota than those born vaginally. We found 25 bacterial taxa shared by both ecosystems and 67.7% of bacteria found in neonate stool were predicted to originate from human milk. This study contributes to the knowledge of human milk and neonatal stool microbiota in healthy Mexican population and supports the idea of vertical mother-neonate transmission through exclusive breastfeeding.
Provincializando o COVID-19: Resposta ao vírus em contexto hipercomplexo
Authors: Neves Fabrício Monteiro
Published: May 2020

A pandemia do Corona-vírus (COVID-19) representa um desafio para a sociedade mundial e para os sistemas de saúde. A doença é considerada altamente infecciosa, causadora de uma variedade de sintomas que tem levado os sistemas de saúde pelo mundo ao colapso. Grande parte dos processos sociais mobilizados pela pandemia estão enraizados nos limites dos estados nacionais, os quais não respondem igualmente a fenômenos dessa magnitude. Este ensaio busca fazer uma leitura da pandemia no Brasil, a partir da teoria dos sistemas, argumentando que a dinâmica dos sistemas sociais neste contexto global manifesta-se como expressão de complexidade desestruturada e desestruturante. Consequentemente, tem-se dificuldades de coordenação e centralização das medidas de enfrentamento no sistema de saúde. 
COVID-19: Um Olhar para a Pandemia a Partir do Confronto Entre Informações Demandadas e Comunicação Governamental no Brasil
Authors: Hastenreiter Filho Horácio Nelson
Published: May 2020

O presente artigo resulta da iniciativa de criação de um observatório para acompanhar as principais transformações sociais trazidas pela pandemia causada pelo Sars-Cov-2. A primeira ação do Observatório da Sociedade Pós-Pandemia (OSPP) foi a realização de uma pesquisa on-line que obteve 1020 respostas. As questões procuraram traduzir perspectivas de mudanças sociais, impactos educacionais e políticos, a partir de questões fechadas, mas, no presente trabalho, focou-se na avaliação da qualidade da informação relativa à pandemia, realizada a partir de uma questão aberta, a qual é adotada como proxy para a avaliação da comunicação governamental. Se, por um lado, observou-se que a grande maioria dos respondentes possui uma série de dúvidas importantes sobre a pandemia, seus números, riscos e inclusive sobre a real necessidade de isolamento, não é possível menosprezar a positiva percepção da atuação do Ministério da Saúde durante a gestão do Ministro Mandetta. Compreende-se, então, que se a comunicação governamental é insuficiente como sustentáculo da principal estratégia governamental para o combate à epidemia que é o isolamento, mostrou-se eficiente como mecanismo de prestação de contas, já que, independente da inércia governamental para atendimento de diversas demandas mitigadoras dos efeitos da pandemia, ajudou a construir uma imagem positiva da ação governamental.
A interiorização da pandemia: potenciais impactos em populações em situação de vulnerabilidade na Amazônia
Authors: Escobar Ana Lucia
Published: May 2020

A disseminação da COVID-19 entre populações com alta vulnerabilidade social, demográfica e epidemiológica causa preocupações entre lideranças indígenas e quilombolas. A rápida interiorização da pandemia pode atingir de forma diferenciada estes grupos populacionais. O relativo isolamento em que vivem determinados grupos indígenas pode ajudar a proteger as comunidades, como no caso de São Gabriel da Cachoeira. Por sua vez, este isolamento é ameaçado pelas invasões de grileiros, madeireiros ilegais, garimpeiros e missionários, que agem como vetores do novo coronavírus.  As retrações de financiamento do Sistema Único de Saúde que vêm ocorrendo há vários anos está na origem das dificuldades para dar respostas adequadas ao atendimento dos doentes em vários locais do país, como no caso do estado do Amazonas. Para vencer a pandemia é necessário expandir os investimentos no SUS, pois se trata de evitar mortes e preservar vidas. É fundamental conduzir contínuas análises de monitoramento do espalhamento da epidemia, inclusive chamando atenção para a centralidade da participação das organizações indígenas e quilombolas nas atividades de vigilância, destacando a importância o protagonismo de organizações e lideranças devem exercer.
Pandemia e Política
Authors: Santos Maria Elisabete Pereira dos , Rossi Renata Alvarez
Published: May 2020

Este texto passeia por alguns dilemas da nossa política em tempos de pandemia. Recorre a Albert Camus e a pensadores clássicos no campo do liberalismo, como Bernard Mandeville, Adam Smith e Friedrich Hayek, para discutir o significado, em tempos idos e nos dias de hoje, da exacerbação da tese da liberdade individual, em contextos de crise sanitária. Hannah Arendt, Richard Sennett e Wilhelm Reich, com Zé Ninguém, ajuda-nos a refletir sobre a complexa associação entre pandemia, autoritarismo e neofascismo. O texto recorre ainda a Lilia Schwarcz e a Jessé de Souza, com o objetivo de explicitar as raízes escravistas e autoritárias da sociedade brasileira. A discussão estrutura-se a partir da recorrência a textos dos referidos autores e conclui pela necessidade, no atual contexto de esquecimento da política, ataque à democracia liberal burguesa e hegemonia de forças políticas de extrema direita, nestes tempos de Zé Ninguém, de reinventar a esfera pública, a politica e o futuro.
The palette of techniques for cell cycle analysis
Authors: Eastman Anna E. , Guo Shangqin
Published: May 2020

The cell division cycle is the generational period of cellular growth and propagation. Cell cycle progression needs to be highly regulated to preserve genomic fidelity while increasing cell number. In multicellular organisms, the cell cycle must also coordinate with cell fate specification during development and tissue homeostasis. Altered cell cycle dynamics play a central role also in a number of pathophysiological processes. Thus, extensive effort has been made to define the biochemical machineries that execute the cell cycle and their regulation, as well as implementing more sensitive and accurate cell cycle measurements. Here, we review the available techniques for cell cycle analysis, revisiting the assumptions behind conventional population‐based measurements and discussing new tools to better address cell cycle heterogeneity in the single‐cell era. We weigh the strengths, weaknesses, and trade‐offs of methods designed to measure temporal aspects of the cell cycle. Finally, we discuss emerging techniques for capturing cell cycle speed at single‐cell resolution in live animals.
Alfalfa establishment with sorghum–sudangrass as a companion crop
Authors: La Vallie Martina , Guretzky John A. , Schacht Walter H. , Redfearn Daren D.
Published: May 2020

Reduced first‐year yields and competition from weeds often limits alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) planting and establishment. This study was conducted to evaluate sorghum–sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor × S. bicolor var. sudanese) use as a companion crop for increased forage production and weed suppression during alfalfa establishment. In 2016 and 2017, alfalfa was drill seeded in the same row with a sorghum–sudangrass companion crop (SSGCC) treatment harvested either three (2016) or two (2017) times in a Lincoln, NE, experiment. Pairing effects were compared with non‐weeded control (NWC) and weeded control (WC) alfalfa monoculture seeding treatments. Total dry matter yields in the seeding year averaged 11.73 and 2.36 Mg ha−1 in the NWC and WC treatments, respectively. The SSGCC treatment, meanwhile, increased total dry matter yields to 26.37 Mg ha−1 while reducing weed yields by 63% relative to the NWC. The increase in total dry matter yield, though, came at a cost to seeding‐year alfalfa yields, which averaged 0.19 Mg ha−1 in the SSGCC treatment, compared with 0.56 and 2.29 Mg ha−1 in the NWC and WC treatments, respectively. In spring the year after seeding, alfalfa yields averaged 4.32, 8.05, and 3.68 Mg ha−1 in the NWC, WC, and SSGCC treatments indicating that seeding with sorghum–sudangrass could be an option to increase seeding‐year forage production and establish fair‐to‐moderately productive alfalfa stands in subsequent years. Alfalfa yields in the year after seeding, though, were greatest for the WC treatment indicating presence of benefits and tradeoffs of establishment with companion crops.
NIR‐Absorbing π‐Extended Azulene: Non‐Alternant Isomer of Terrylene Bisimide
Authors: Pigulski Bartłomiej , Shoyama Kazutaka , Würthner Frank
Published: May 2020

The first planar π‐extended azulene that retains aromaticity of odd‐membered rings was synthesized by [3+3] peri‐annulation of two naphthalene imides at both long‐edge sides of azulene. Using bromination and subsequent nucleophilic substitution by methoxide and morpholine, selective functionalization of the π‐extended azulene was achieved. Whilst these new azulenes can be regarded as isomers of terrylene bisimide they exhibit entirely different properties, which include very narrow optical and electrochemical gaps. DFT, TD‐DFT, as well as nucleus‐independent chemical shift calculations were applied to explain the structural and functional properties of these new π scaffolds. Furthermore, X‐ray crystallography confirmed the planarity of the reported π‐scaffolds and aromaticity of their azulene moiety.
N−H Bond Formation at a Diiron Bridging Nitride
Authors: Zhang Shaoguang , Cui Peng , Liu Tianchang , Wang Qiuran , Longo Thomas J. , Thierer Laura M. , Manor Brian C. , Gau Michael R. , Carroll Patrick J. , Papaefthymiou Georgia C. , Tomson Neil C.
Published: May 2020

Despite their connection to ammonia synthesis, little is known about the ability of iron‐bound, bridging nitrides to form N−H bonds. Herein we report a linear diiron bridging nitride complex supported by a redox‐active macrocycle. The unique ability of the ligand scaffold to adapt to the geometric preference of the bridging species was found to facilitate the formation of N−H bonds via proton‐coupled electron transfer to generate a μ‐amide product. The structurally analogous μ‐silyl‐ and μ‐borylamide complexes were shown to form from the net insertion of the nitride into the E−H bonds (E=B, Si). Protonation of the parent bridging amide produced ammonia in high yield, and treatment of the nitride with PhSH was found to liberate NH3 in high yield through a reaction that engages the redox‐activity of the ligand during PCET.