bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LncRNA HOTAIR Regulates CCND1 and CCND2 Expression by Sponging miR-206 in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Chang Lei  , Guo Ruixia , Yuan Zhongfu , Shi Huirong , Zhang Dongya
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: The long noncoding RNA homeobox (HOX) transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) has been demonstrated to be a vital modulator in the proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells, but its potential molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. In the current study, we aimed to uncover the biological role of lncRNA HOTAIR and its underlying regulatory mechanism in the progression and metastasis of ovarian cancer. Methods: HOTAIR expression was detected by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and northern blotting. The SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell line was chosen for the subsequent assays. In addition, the molecular mRNA and protein expression levels were examined by qRT-PCR and western blotting. The competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism was validated by bioinformatics analysis and a dual luciferase reporter gene assay. Results: HOTAIR expression was significantly higher in ovarian carcinoma tissues and cell lines than in the control counterparts. Both CCND1 and CCND2 were downstream targets of miR-206. The inhibition of HOTAIR elevated the expression of miR-206 and inhibited the expression of CCND1 and CCND2. Moreover, CCND1 and CCND2 were highly expressed in ovarian cancer tissues, and their expression was positively correlated with HOTAIR expression. Finally, the functional assays indicated that the anticancer effects of miR-206 could be rescued by the simultaneous overexpression of either CCND1 or CCND2 in ovarian cancer. Conclusion: HOTAIR enhanced CCND1 and CCND2 expression by negatively modulating miR-206 expression and stimulating the proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells.
miR-182-5p Promotes Growth in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Inhibiting CAMK2N1
Authors: Li Nan , Nan Chuan-Chuan , Zhong Xue-Yun , Weng Jun-Quan , Fan Hai-Dong , Sun Hai-Peng , Tang Su , Shi Lei , Huang Sheng-Xing
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: Emerging evidence suggests that the propagation of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is influenced by the abnormal expression of microRNAs (miRNAs). This study aimed to characterize the involvement of miR-182-5p in OSCC by targeting the calcium/ calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II inhibitor CAMK2N1. Methods: miR-182-5p expression was quantified in OSCC tissues and cell lines with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell colony formation, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), Ki-67, and nude mouse xenograft assays were used to characterize the role of miR-182-5p in the proliferation of OSCC. A miR-182-5p target gene was identified with western blotting, RT-PCR, and luciferase activity assays. OSCC patient survival based on CAMK2N1 expression was also analyzed. Results: miR-182-5p was up-regulated in in vitro cell lines and in vivo clinical OSCC samples. CCK-8, colony formation, and Ki-67 assays revealed that miR-182-5p promoted the growth and proliferation of OSCC cells. miR-182-5p directly targeted CAMK2N1, as evidenced by luciferase assays and target prediction algorithms. CAMK2N1 operated as a tumor suppressor gene in patients with OSCC. Down-regulating miR-182-5p expression in the CAL-27 cell line restored CAMK2N1-mediated OSCC cell proliferation. miR-182-5p expression inhibited the activation of AKT, ERK1/2, and NF-κB. Mice injected with CAL-27 cells transfected with miR-182-5p-inhibitor demonstrated a significant increase in tumor size and weight and increased CAMK2N1 mRNA and protein expression compared with the miR-negative control group. Conclusion: The miR-182-5p-CAMK2N1 pathway can be potentially targeted to regulate the proliferation of OSCC cells.
Berberine Exerts a Protective Effect on Gut-Vascular Barrier via the Modulation of the Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling Pathway During Sepsis
Authors: He Yan , Yuan Xiaoming , Zuo Hao , Sun Ying , Feng Aiwen
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: The gut-vascular barrier (GVB) has recently been depicted to dampen the bacterial invasion of the bloodstream. The intestinal mucosa is a tissue rich in small vessels including capillaries. In this study, the protective effect of berberine on GVB in small bowel mucosa was investigated. Methods: The rat cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) sepsis model was employed to evaluate the effect of berberine on serum endotoxin level and intestinal vascular permeability to Evans blue in vivo. The rat intestinal microvascular endothelial cells (RIMECs) treated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to assess the effect of berberine on endothelial permeability to FITC-labeled dextran, transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER), and tight junction (TJ) and adherens junction (AJ) expression in vitro. Results: After 24-hr CLP operation the serum endotoxin concentration and gut vascular permeability were significantly increased, while berberine markedly reduced endotoxin level and vascular leakage. In vitro, LPS not only dramatically increased endothelial permeability of RIMECs to FITC-dextran, but also decreased TEER and inhibited claudin-12, beta-catenin and VE-cadherin expression. These effects of LPS were antagonized by berberine. In addition, our in vivo and vitro studies also confirmed that the effect of berberine on GVB could be partially abolished by ICG001. Conclusion: Berberine exerted a protective effect on GVB function in sepsis, which was strictly related to the modulation of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway.
Identification and Functional Evaluation of miR-4633-5p as a Biomarker and Tumor Suppressor in Metastatic Melanoma
Authors: Zou Bingqing , Zhu Wenjia , Liu Hongqin , Wang Shuyi , Zhu Hongguang
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: Sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SMM) is a rare but extremely aggressive disease. Interestingly, however, as lethal as SMM, a few patients could survive for over 5 years without metastasis. However, biomarkers for metastatic SMM are lacking. Methods: Laser-capture microdissection combined with microRNA microarray and RT-qPCR was performed in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples from SMM patients whose follow-up studies were carried out in parallel. In vitro cell proliferation and invasion assays, gelatin zymography, western blot analysis and RT-qPCR were performed in melanoma cell lines. Results: In the discovery stage, miR-4633-5p expressed differentially in sinonasal mucosal melanoma patients with short and long disease-specific survival. Subsequent large-sample validation revealed that expression of miR-4633-5p was lower in metastatic SMM than in non-metastatic patients (P< 0.001). Moreover, miR-4633-5plow was able to identify metastatic SMM with specificity of 100% (5/5) and sensitivity of 87.5% (21/24). Multivariate analysis further pinpointed miR-4633-5p as an independent marker for metastasis (relative risk: 54.22, P< 0.001). In vitro, overexpression of miR-4633-5p suppressed the growth and invasiveness of melanoma cells through inhibiting activation of Akt pathway and secretion of MMP2, while knockdown of miR-4633-5p reversed the inhibitory effects. Conclusion: Our findings underpin miR-4633-5p as a predictive biomarker in metastatic SMM and a pivotal tumor suppressor that negatively regulates the invasive growth of melanoma cells. Quantitative detection of miR-4633-5p can diagnostically predict the risk of metastasis in SMM patients, which, in turn, may lead to more personalized treatment with better prognosis.
Chinese Angelica Polysaccharide (CAP) Alleviates LPS-Induced Inflammation and Apoptosis by Down-Regulating COX-1 in PC12 Cells
Authors: Xie Yunjie , Zhang Haitao , Zhang Yang , Wang Chong , Duan Deyi , Wang Zheng
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: Chinese angelica polysaccharide (CAP) is the main effective ingredient of angelica sinensis and exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects on many diseases. This study aimed to explore the pharmacological potential of CAP on spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: PC12 cells were pretreated by CAP and were subjected to LPS. Transfection was performed to alter the expression of COX-1. Cell viability and apoptotic cell rate were measured by CCK-8 and flow cytometry respectively. qRT-PCR and western blot analysis were performed to assess the expression changes of pro-inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis-related factor and core kinases in PI3K/AKT pathway. Results: LPS stimulation induced significant cell damage in PC12 cells as cell viability was repressed, apoptosis was induced and the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were increased. CAP pretreatment protected PC12 cells against LPS-induced cell damage. Meanwhile CAP treatment reduced the expression of COX-1 even in LPS-stimulated PC12 cells. More importantly, COX-1 overexpression abolished the protective effects of CAP on LPS-injured PC12 cells. Finally, Western blot analytical results showed that CAP activated PI3K/AKT pathway also in a COX-1-dependent manner. Conclusion: CAP exerted anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-injured PC12 cells via down-regulation of COX-1.
Identification of O-GlcNAcylation Modification in Diabetic Retinopathy and Crosstalk with Phosphorylation of STAT3 in Retina Vascular Endothelium Cells
Authors: Xu Chong , Liu Guo Dong , Feng Le , Zhang Cong Hui , Wang Fang
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: Recently, we observed an increase in O-GlcNAc (O-linked-ß-N-acetylglucosamine) modification, and signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins 3 (STAT3) expression in primary retinal vascular endothelial cells (RVECs) under high glucose conditions and tissues altered by diabetic retinopathy (DR). In this study, we focused on the correlations between O-GlcNAcylation and STAT3 phosphorylation, and their potential effects with regards to DR. Methods: Expression of O-GlcNAcylation and STAT3 were detected in DR-affected tissues and primary RVECs. The relationship between O-GlcNAcylation and STAT3 was further delineated by immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. Effects of O-GlcNAcylation on human RVEC apoptosis and involved protein expression were assayed with flow cytometry and Western blot. Results: Global O-GlcNAcylation and pSTAT3 levels were significantly elevated in diabetic rat retina and primary RVECs under high glucose conditions. In vitro assays demonstrated that the Tyr705 site was sensitive to high glucose. While O-GlcNAcylation inhibited p727STAT3 expression, augmented O-GlcNAcylation could balance p705STAT3 expression within relatively high levels corresponding to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) changes. Immunoprecipitation revealed that STAT3 was modified by O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation simultaneously. Next, we observed that overexpression of O-GlcNAcylation could relieve human RVEC apoptosis related to the JAK2-Tyr705STAT3-VEGF pathway. Conclusion: O-GlcNAcylation could relieve RVECs apoptosis through the STAT3 pathway in DR, and O-GlcNAcylation combined with STAT3 phosphorylation might open up new insights into the mechanisms of DR and other diabetic complications.
The Pituitary Gland is a Novel Major Site of Action of Metformin in Non-Human Primates: a Potential Path to Expand and Integrate Its Metabolic Actions
Authors: Vázquez-Borrego Mari C. , Fuentes-Fayos Antonio C. , Gahete Manuel D. , Castaño Justo P. , Kineman Rhonda D. , Luque Raúl M.
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: Biguanides are anti-hyperglycaemic agents used to treat diabetes by acting primarily on the liver, inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis. However, biguanides may target other key metabolic tissues to exert beneficial actions. As the “master endocrine gland”, the pituitary is a true homeostatic sensor that controls whole body homeostasis and metabolism by integrating central and peripheral signals. However, whether the pituitary is a primary site of biguanides action in normal adult humans/primates remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the direct effects of two biguanides (metformin/phenformin) on the expression and secretion of all anterior pituitary hormones in two non-human primate species (Papio anubis and Macaca fascicularis), and the molecular/signalling-mechanisms behind these actions. Methods: Primary pituitary cell cultures from baboons and macaques were used to determine the direct impact of metformin/phenformin (alone and combined with primary regulators) on the functioning of all pituitary cell-types (i.e. expression/secretion/signaling-pathways, etc). Results: Metformin/phenformin inhibited basal, but not GHRH/ghrelin-stimulated GH/ACTH/ FSH-secretion and GH/POMC-expression, without altering secretion or expression of other pituitary hormones (PRL/LH/TSH), FSH-expression or cell viability in both primate models. These biguanide actions are likely mediated through modulation of: 1) common (mTOR/PI3K/intracellular-Ca2+mobilization) and distinct (MAPK) signaling pathways; and 2) gene expression of key receptors regulating somatotrope/corticotrope/gonadotrope function (i.e. upregulation of SSTR2/SSTR5/INSR/IGF1R/LEPR). Conclusion: The pituitary gland is a primary target of biguanide actions wherein they modulate somatotrope/corticotrope/gonadotrope-function through multiple molecular/signaling pathways in non-human primate-models. This suggests that the well-known metabolic effects of biguanides might be, at least in part, influenced by their actions at the pituitary level.
Na batida do samba
Authors: Simioni Ana Paula Cavalcanti , Paixão Fernando , Toni Flávia Camargo
Published: September 2018

Editorial
Candeia, o projeto Quilombo e a militância antirracista nos anos 1970
Authors: Treece David
Published: September 2018

Ao participar da ressurgência da militância antirracista em meados da década de 1970, o Grêmio Recreativo de Arte Negra Escola de Samba Quilombo, fundado pelo  compositor e cantor Antônio Candeia Filho, se inspirava no grande exemplo histórico da resistência negra, ou seja, as comunidades de escravos rebeldes chamadas  quilombos. Este ensaio reavalia as perspectivas do projeto Quilombo em relação ao antirracismo e à política identitária negra, e mostra como, no auge da ditadura  militar, ele propunha uma visão progressista e democrática da resistência enquanto projeto criativo coletivo – tipificado culturalmente pela escola de samba comunitária  e pela prática improvisatória colaborativa do samba de partido-alto –, que colocava no centro do seu ideário as tradições estéticas e filosóficas negras, ao passo que atravessava de  aneira inclusiva as fronteiras raciais de cor.
Em torno da concepção de história de Sérgio Buarque de Holanda
Authors: Carvalho Raphael Guilherme De
Published: September 2018

O documento original e inédito ora publicado pela Revista do Instituto de Estudos Brasileiros consiste em uma palestra pronunciada por Sérgio Buarque de Holanda (1902-1982) entre 1967 e 1969, a convite do Centro de Estudos Históricos Afonso Taunay (CEHAT), em que se reuniam e organizavam os estudantes de história da então Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras (FFCL) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). No catálogo do acervo pessoal do historiador, depositado desde 1983 e aberto em 1986 à consulta pública no Arquivo Central do Sistema de Arquivos da Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Siarq/Unicamp), encontra-se tão somente a seguinte informação sobre o manuscrito: “Palestra proferida por Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, discorrendo sobre o tema ‘História’, a convite dos alunos do ‘Centro de Estudos Históricos Afonso de Taunay’ [196-]”.
Quality of life in adults from a rural area in Southern Brazil
Authors: Bortolotto Caroline Cardozo , Mola Christian Loret de , Tovo-Rodrigues Luciana
Published: September 2018

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the quality of life and its determinants in a population living in a rural area. METHODS: This is a population-based, cross-sectional study with individuals aged 18 years or over from the rural area of Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We evaluated quality of life using the WHOQOL-BREF, which has four domains (physical, psychological, social relations, and environment) and two questions: overall quality of life and satisfaction with health. We considered as independent variables the demographic, socioeconomic, and health variables. We evaluated the associations using linear regression in the four domains and ordinal logistic regression in the two general questions on quality of life and satisfaction with health. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 1,479 individuals. The prevalence of the perception of overall very poor quality of life and dissatisfaction with health were 22.5% and 26.3%, respectively. Individuals who were older (p < 0.001), non-white (p = 0.004), with lower education level (p < 0.001), poorer (p = 0.001), and who had always lived in the rural area (p = 0.049) were less likely to have a better perception of overall quality of life. As for satisfaction with health, women (p = 0.001), older individuals (p = 0.001), those unemployed (p = 0.023), and those with diseases were less likely to report higher satisfaction with health. For the four domains evaluated, the results were consistent with those observed for the general questions. CONCLUSIONS: The most relevant aspects that negatively defined the quality of life of the population were being a woman, older, non-white, having a low income, having a lower education level, having always lived in the rural area, being unemployed, and having a disease. Given that they are significant factors as determinants of health, these results suggest that quality of life is an issue that should be placed among health needs, especially regarding the most vulnerable groups in rural areas.
Depressive symptomatology among residents of the rural area of a city in Southern Brazil
Authors: Hirschmann Roberta , Gomes Ana Paula , Gonçalves Helen
Published: September 2018

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral and health factors associated with depressive symptomatology in rural residents. METHODS: This is a population-based, cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 1,453 residents aged 18 years or over of the rural area of the city of Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to evaluate depressive symptomatology, considering the cutoff point ≥ 8 points. We evaluated the association between the outcome and the independent variables using Poisson regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptomatology was 35.4% (95%CI 31.5–39.3). After adjustment, the depressive symptomatology was higher among women (PR = 1.77, 95%CI 1.46–2.15), individuals with low education level (0–4 years of study) (PR = 1.62, 95%CI 1.22–2.16), worse socioeconomic conditions (classes D or E) (PR = 1.49, 95%CI 1.22–1.83), and with chronic diseases (PR = 1.74, 95%CI 1.24–2.45). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of depressive symptomatology in rural residents indicates the relevance of depression as an important public health problem in this population. Specific attention should be aimed at the subgroups that presented the highest prevalence of symptomatology
Epidemiology of smoking in the rural area of a medium-sized city in Southern Brazil
Authors: Xavier Mariana Otero , Del-Ponte Bianca , Santos Iná S
Published: September 2018

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of smoking and associated factors among rural residents. METHODS: This is a population-based, cross-sectional study of 1,519 individuals carried out in 2016. We randomly selected 24 of the 50 census tracts that make up the eight rural districts of the city of Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. All individuals aged 18 years or more living in the randomly selected households were eligible. Smokers were all those who smoked ≥ 1 cigarette/day for at least one month or declared that they had stopped smoking for less than one month. The independent variables included socioeconomic, demographic, behavioral, and health characteristics. We investigated age of onset, duration of addiction, number of cigarettes smoked/day, pack-years, and types of cigarettes consumed. Poisson regression was performed to calculate the adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking was 16.6% (95%CI 13.6–20.0), and it was twice as high in men in relation to women (PR = 1.99, 95%CI 1.44–2.74), in socioeconomic class D or E in relation to class A or B (PR = 2.23, 95%CI 1.37–3.62), and in those who considered their health poor or very poor in relation those with good or very good health (PR = 2.02, 95%CI 1.33–3.08). It was also higher in persons aged 30–59 years (compared to those aged < 30 years), with 5–8 years of education level (compared to those with ≥ 9 years), and with positive screening for alcohol-related disorder. Prevalence was lower among individuals who were overweight or obese than in those with normal weight. Smoking began on average at 16.9 years, with an average consumption of approximately 14 cigarettes/day and mean pack-years of 22 packs/year. The paper hand-rolled cigarette was the most consumed (57.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one in six adults in rural Pelotas is a current smoker. The findings show the existence of social inequalities related to smoking addiction. Actions to prevent and control smoking should continue to be stimulated, especially in the most vulnerable subgroups.
Still Great: Subjective Intergenerational Mobility and Income Inequality
Authors: Bar-Haim Eyal
Published: September 2018

In recent years, the authors of several studies have established that income inequality is negatively associated with intergenerational income mobility in a phenomenon known as “The Great Gatsby Curve.” Yet, extant research on the effects of inequality and social mobility on people’s perceptions and social and political behavior has yielded contradicting results. In light of these inconsistencies, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the association between income inequality and subjective intergenerational mobility. Using data from 40 countries, the effect of income inequality on subjective mobility was examined, along with their combined effect on views regarding redistribution. The results indicated that income inequality increases mainly subjective downward mobility. The effect of subjective mobility on the attitudes toward redistribution was found to be substantial, but there were no significant results highlighting an interaction between inequality and subjective mobility. The results show how individual perceptions of opportunity inequalities are affected by the structural constraints of society. The social implications of these results are discussed herein.
A new genus and species of praying mantis (Insecta, Mantodea, Mantidae) from Indochina, with a key to Mantidae of South-East Asia
Authors: SCHWARZ CHRISTIAN J. , EHRMANN REINHARD , SHCHERBAKOV EVGENY
Published: September 2018

Mekongomantis quinquespinosa gen. et sp. nov., a new Mantidae genus and species is described based on specimens from two localities—Lam Vien plateau in Vietnam and the environments of Umphang, Thailand. The new genus has five posteroventral spines on the forefemur, a feature previously unknown in any Mantidae (sensu stricto) genus. The rest of external morphology is similar to Tenodera Burmeister, 1838 and Mantis Linnaeus, 1758, while the characters of the male genitalia place the species more closely to Hierodula Burmeister, 1838 and Camelomantis Giglio-Tos, 1917. The discovery of such a large (>70 mm) genus level taxon exemplifies the poorly studied diversity of Mantodea in the rapidly deteriorating Greater Mekong area. To ease identification, we also provide a key to the Mantidae of South-East Asia.
Revision of the genus Eumorphobotys with descriptions of two new species (Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Pyraustinae)
Authors: CHEN KAI , ZHANG DANDAN , STĂNESCU MIHAI
Published: September 2018

The genus Eumorphobotys Munroe & Mutuura (1969) comprises two species that have been found in southern China. Two new species, E. concavuncus sp. n. and E. horakae sp. n., are described from southwest China. In appearance, this genus also resembles Calamochrous Lederer, 1863, Sclerocona Meyrick, 1890, Prodasycnemis Warren, 1892, and Loxoneptera Hampson, 1896. In order to evaluate the generic placement of the new taxa, the phylogeny of Eumorphobotys species and several species representing the potential related genera based on sequence data of COI, 16S rRNA, EF-1α and 28S rRNA gene regions were reconstructed and the taxonomy of these genera based on morphological characters was re-assessed. The results are as follows: (i) the monophyly of Eumorphobotys is well supported; (ii) Loxoneptera is paraphyletic. Two species of Calamochrous were recovered as terminal lineages within Loxoneptera; (iii) the clade comprising species of Loxoneptera and Calamochrous is in the sister position to Eumorphobotys with a robust support; (iv) species of Loxoneptera and Calamochrous resemble Eumorphobotys in the wing shape and the porrect labial palpus but differ in genitalia structures. The relationships of these genera are discussed; (v) two new species, E. concavuncus sp. n. and E. horakae sp. n., are described, Calamochrous obscuralis (Caradja, 1925) syn. n. is synonymized with E. eumorphalis (Caradja, 1925) based on the male genitalia and the adults and genitalia of all species (except the female of E. horakae sp. n.) are illustrated.
Possible Relationship of Weakened Aleutian Low with Air Quality Improvement in Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Oh Hye-Ryun , Ho Chang-Hoi , Park Doo-Sun R. , Kim Jinwon , Song Chang-Keun , Hur Sun-Kyong
Published: September 2018

Cold-season air quality in Seoul, South Korea, has been improved noticeably between 2001 and 2015 with a near-50% decrease in the mean concentration of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤10 μm (PM10). Like the change in mean concentration, the occurrence frequency and intensity of the extreme-high-PM10 episodes exceeding 100 μg m−3 has significantly decreased as well. In addition to the multilateral efforts of the South Korean government to reduce air pollutant emissions, this study proposes that large-scale circulation changes also could have contributed to the air quality improvements. Specifically, the recent weakening of the Aleutian low may have intensified the tropospheric westerlies around the Korean Peninsula, resulting in a shorter residence time of particulate matter over South Korea. Thus, despite constant governmental effort to reduce pollutant emissions, the improvement in air quality over South Korea may be delayed if the Aleutian low recovers its past strength in the future. This study emphasizes the importance of the meteorological field in determining the air quality over South Korea.
Analysis of Diethylstilbestrol Residues in Chicken Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) Coupled with Multivariate Analysis
Authors: Chen Xiongfei , Liu Muhua , Yuan Haichao , Huang Shuanggen , Tao Jinjiang , Zhao Jinhui
Published: September 2018

Estrogen residues, including diethylstilbestrol in chicken, are one of the main food safety concerns all over the world owing to a series of negative effects on the human body. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) coupled with multivariate analysis was applied to detect rapidly diethylstilbestrol residues in chicken. The detection conditions, including the sizes of colloidal gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and the additional amounts of Au NPs, chicken extract containing diethylstilbestrol, and magnesium sulfate solution, as well as the adsorption time, were optimized by a single factor experiment to obtain a better detection effect of diethylstilbestrol residues in chicken. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was the best quantitative model for the detection of diethylstilbestrol residues in chicken by comparing four chemometric models. Diethylstilbestrol residues in chicken could be predicted by PLSR with the low root mean square error (RMSE = 0.4128 mg/L), and the high determination coefficient (R2 = 0.9811) and ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD = 7.2566) for the test set. A novel approach, which has the potential for the analysis of other estrogen residues in meat, was developed to detect rapidly the diethylstilbestrol residues in chicken by using SERS coupled with multivariate analysis.
Breaking state impunity in post-authoritarian regimes
Authors: Trejo Guillermo , Albarracín Juan , Tiscornia Lucía
Published: September 2018

This article claims that cross-national variation in criminal violence in new democracies is highly dependent on whether elites adopt transitional justice processes to address a repressive past. State specialists in violence who repress political dissidents under authoritarian rule often play a crucial role in the operation of criminal markets and in the production of criminal violence in democracy. Some of them defect from the state to become the armed branch of criminal organizations in their deadly fights against the state and rival groups; others remain but protect criminal organizations from positions of state power; and still others use state power to fight criminals through iron-fist policies. When post-authoritarian elites adopt transitional justice processes to expose, prosecute, and punish state specialists in violence for gross human rights violations committed during the authoritarian era, they redefine the rules of state coercion and deter members of the armed forces and the police from becoming leading actors in the production of criminal violence. Using a dataset of 76 countries that transitioned from authoritarian rule to democracy between 1974 and 2005, we show that the adoption of strong truth commissions is strongly associated with lower murder rates; we also find that the implementation of trials that result in guilty verdicts is associated with lower homicide rates only when the trials are jointly implemented with a strong truth commission. In contrast, amnesty laws appear to stimulate criminal violence. Our findings are particularly robust for Latin America and remain unchanged even after addressing selection effects via matching techniques.
Rethinking Favela Governance: Nonviolent Politics in Rio de Janeiro’s Gang Territories
Authors: Fahlberg Anjuli N.
Published: September 2018

Since the 1980s, when drug gangs became embedded in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, or poor urban neighborhoods, much has been written about the violent regimes that govern these spaces. This article argues that a nonviolent political regime run by activist residents also plays a critical role in favela governance by expanding the provision of services, promoting social development, fighting for their citizenship rights, and inserting favelas into political networks across the city. This claim is based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2014 and 2017 in the City of God, one of Rio’s most dangerous gang-controlled neighborhoods. Paradoxically, in activists’ efforts to improve the neighborhood and fight for their rights, the nonviolent political regime in the City of God not only subverted violent politics but also helped to provide the conditions for its survival. Nevertheless, scholarship must account for nonviolent political actors in order to fully theorize favela governance.
Grasshopper theology: Heading to the Promised Land instead of climate disaster
Authors: Berndt Brooks
Published: September 2018

Today’s climate crisis provokes dystopian and utopian narratives of the future faced by humanity. To navigate the theological terrain between the present and an uncertain future, this article explores passages pertaining to the journey of Moses and the Israelites to the Promised Land. The guiding point of orientation for this exploration comes from a verse that captures the seeming powerlessness of the Israelites in the face of the giants inhabiting the Promised Land. Numbers 13:33 reads, “To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Of crucial importance in coming to terms with such honest self-assessment is the period of discernment and growth that comes from being in the wilderness with the presence of a God who loves and empowers grasshoppers in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Because the future of the Body of Christ is inseparable from how the climate crisis is confronted, the journey through the wilderness becomes not merely a story for self-coping but rather a story about churches finding a way forward, even as some dystopian narratives place churches on the road to irrelevance and ultimately extinction. This article explores how the story of exodus provides a sacred ground for imagining a different, even if difficult, future.
Modernity, postmodernity, and an evolving spirituality
Authors: Phillips Timothy
Published: September 2018

This article comes from chapter 1 of a DMin dissertation entitled “Evolutionary Theology and Revolutionary Worship,” which can be found in the Library of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. The dissertation uses evolution as a metaphor for its understanding of God, through which the modern mainline Church can claim its unique spiritual identity and find connections with evangelicals who increasingly see evolution as an apt description of their own spiritual experience.

In order to transform the conversation about worship from “worship wars” toward a priority for authenticity, this article makes two basic claims related to the perceived decline of the modern mainline Church: (i) the emerging evangelical churches seek to embrace the culture of postmodernity while rejecting the postmodern philosophical stance; and (ii) while the values of the modern mainline Church may resonate with postmodernity, it is often stuck in its own culture of modernity.
Sexual violence: The sacred witness of the Church
Authors: Pierre Elizabeth O.
Published: September 2018

The trauma of sexual violence is pandemic. Such trauma contributes to numerous physical and psychological symptoms that affect individuals throughout their lifespan. Survivors are most inclined to turn to their faith and their religious community for support. Given the prevalence of sexual violence and the severity of its symptoms, it is critical that the Church serve as a sacred witness to facilitate the recovery process.
Recognizing a fuller, more expansive God in unassuming places and people
Authors: Murphy Cherri
Published: September 2018

We live in a society that promotes ideologies of hyper-individualism that breed crude and greedy competition interwoven with myths of scarcity of resources. These frameworks create a type of traumatic epidemic of separation. Separation denies the inherent value of being in communion with Spirit. The separation between races, religions, gender, sexual orientations, nations, and interest groups (even effects caused by man-made disasters) calls for a different way of thinking in order to heal isolation and discord: a different way of thinking that endorses greater intimate relationships emphasizing a mutual reliance and the interconnectedness of all life while denying the false narratives that prioritize self-interests. At the very heart of various contemporary social movements is a revolutionary way of thinking and behaving that lifts up narratives of an interrelational God. God as Spirit is relational as God works with, through, and for us in each and everything.1 This interconnection exists as a communion of love—love as an essence of God. This article will address the need to cultivate encounters with God as Spirit through public worship and ritual protests. It will explore a vision for a future church, proposing aesthetic practices that emphasize the intimate, dynamic, and fluid movement of a God we have failed to remember, see, or imagine—a God that functions as the emancipator of all of humanity.
Mercy triumphs over judgment: James as the social gospel
Authors: Flesher LeAnn Snow
Published: September 2018

The pericope in Jas 2:14–17 has become iconic in our modern church culture. Although we quote from it regularly—“faith without works is dead”—we do not live it faithfully. In reimagining the body of Christ, the theme of this issue, it seems that the book of James and Luther’s response to it reflect the tensions we live in today. We are a society with a legal system built off the ideology of retributive justice. We are a society that claims to be built on Christian principles, yet James points to a very different justice system. James 2:13 states that “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” Although James never condones breaking the law (2:10–11), he does encourage mercy in place of judgment (2:13), especially when engaging the poor. Luther called biblical James a “book of straw,” as he touted his own mantra, sola fide, leaving us with a very significant dilemma. How should we understand saving faith? Does it simply require praying “the sinner’s prayer and shaking the pastor’s hand?” or ought it to be coupled with “works” becoming to one who has chosen to follow Jesus?
Comparative bending behaviors between fully covered and bare biodegradable polydioxanone biliary stents using a numerical approach
Authors: Liu Yanhui , Wang Conger , Zhang Yuanming , Zhang Peihua , Han Guangting
Published: September 2018

A comparison of bending flexibility between bare biodegradable polydioxanone biliary stents (BBPBSs) and fully covered biodegradable polydioxanone biliary stents (FCBPBSs) developed for humans is presented in this study. Firstly, a series of BBPBSs and FCBPBSs were prepared by braiding method in order to investigate the relationship between the bending load and structure parameters (monofilament diameter and braid-pin number) through a three-point bending method. In addition, a series of three-point bending models based on actual stent specimens above was established and the bending flexibility of BBPBSs and FCBPBSs in three-point bending models was evaluated by the finite element method (FEM). Results showed that the simulation was in good agreement with the experiment, indicating that the simulation results could be used as the reference to access the mechanical behaviors of BBPBSs and FCBPBSs. Furthermore, the distinction in bending flexibility between BBPBSs and FCBPBSs was compared in this simulation and demonstrated that the existence of a nanomembrane component (NMP) in FCBPBS causes remarkable performance variation including bending load (all FCBPBSs increased by at least 0.65%), stress, plastic strain and energy conversion of the stent (the plastic dissipation energy of all FCBPBSs increased by at least 2.33J) in the bending process.
Neighbourhood social conduits and resident social cohesion
Authors: Wickes Rebecca , Zahnow Renee , Corcoran Jonathan , Hipp John R
Published: September 2018

Given the importance of the neighbourhood context for residents’ social cohesion, the current study examines the association between types of social and non-social places on three indicators of social cohesion: neighbour networks, social cohesion and neighbourhood attachment. We spatially integrate data from the census, topographic databases and a 2012 survey of 4132 residents from 148 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia, and employ multilevel models to assess whether the variation in resident reports of social cohesion is attributable to land uses that function as neighbourhood social conduits. We also consider the degree to which neighbourhood fragmentation affects our indicators of social cohesion. Our findings reveal that even after controlling for the socio-demographic context of the neighbourhood and a range of individual and household control variables, residents’ reports of social cohesion are significantly associated with the types of social conduits, the diversity of land use and the degree of neighbourhood fragmentation.
The smart grid as commons: Exploring alternatives to infrastructure financialisation
Authors: Hall Stephen , Jonas Andrew EG , Shepherd Simon , Wadud Zia
Published: September 2018

This article explores a tension between financialisation of electricity infrastructures and efforts to bring critical urban systems into common ownership. Focusing on the emerging landscape of electricity regulation and e-mobility in the United Kingdom (UK), it examines how electricity grid ownership has become financialised, and why the economic assumptions that enabled this financialisation are being called into question. New technologies, such as smart electricity meters and electric vehicles, provide cities with new tools to tackle poor air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. Electricity grids are key enabling infrastructures but the companies that run them do not get rewarded for improving air quality or tackling climate change. UK government regulation of electricity grids both enables financialisation and forecloses opportunities to manage the infrastructure for wider environmental and public benefit. Nonetheless, the addition of smart devices to this network – the ‘smart grid’ – opens up an opportunity for common ownership of the infrastructure. Transforming the smart grid into commons necessitates deep structural reform to the entire architecture of infrastructure regulation in the UK.
Land in urban debates: Unpacking the grab–development dichotomy
Authors: van Noorloos Femke , Klaufus Christien , Steel Griet
Published: September 2018

On the heels of the rural ‘land grab’ debate, the ongoing urban transition combined with large-scale urban infrastructure investments and land scarcity forces us to also pay more attention to issues of land in urban discussions. Yet how can we conceptualise land-related problems in order to connect and integrate rural and urban debates in overarching discussions of development? In this commentary, we argue for moving beyond the directly visible outcomes and presumed ‘culprits’ of land investments by critically analysing indirect and long-term effects of land acquisitions on people’s livelihoods as well as the differentiation of these effects for different actors. We propose three specific arguments to disentangle the grab–development dichotomy: 1) placing a focus on the sequential chain of effects of displacement; 2) paying more attention to the ambivalent roles and contradictory interests of different actors; and 3) taking the three-dimensional aspects of land development into account.
Institution Types and Institution Tokens: An Unproblematic Distinction?
Authors: Hauswald Rico
Published: September 2018

The distinction between institution types and institution tokens plays an important role in Francesco Guala’s philosophy of institutions. In this commentary, I argue that this distinction faces a number of difficulties that are not sufficiently addressed in Understanding Institutions. In particular, I critically discuss Guala’s comparison between the taxonomy of organisms and the taxonomy of institutions, consider the semantics of institution terms on different levels in this taxonomy, and argue for an alternative solution to the problem of how to reconcile reformism and realism about institutions like marriage.
Do Tourists Tip More Than Local Consumers? Evidence from Taxi Rides in New York City
Authors: Neto Amir B. Ferreira , Nowak Adam , Ross Amanda
Published: September 2018

Given the resurgence of cities as consumer centers and the importance of amenities, we revisit the differences in tipping in taxis between tourists and locals in New York City. Taxi service is an endogenous service; however, taxis also contribute to the demand and provision of other amenities. We compare locals and tourists who are theatergoers to control for education and income, as these factors are likely to affect tipping behavior. Using data from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission on yellow taxis, we identify tourists as those trips leaving from or going to a hotel and theatergoers as trips where the drop-off or pickup is near Broadway within thirty minutes of the beginning or end of a show. We find that tourists and theatergoers tip more than locals and nontheatergoers, and tourists who are theatergoers tip even more. These differences between tourists and locals may affect the allocation of taxis throughout the city and hence the provision of other amenities.
On the Ambiguity of Pleasure and Play
Authors: Bataille Georges
Published: September 2018

This lecture argues for a theory of play that departs from the Freudian analysis of pleasure and pain that associates pleasure with the resolution of a psychic tension or anxiety rather than with play and its ambiguities. It advances the idea that poetry, the domain of the aesthetic, eroticism, as well as that of the sacred involve forms of play. Play is here conceptualized in its positive aspect as an experience beyond reflective consciousness or calculation and that relates instead to the improbable, the fascinating, the risky and thus to the death instinct. To that extent, the decisive part of play concerns the role of the unconscious in its elaboration. It is from such a perspective that it proposes the identity of pleasure and play.
The sociological canon reconfigured: Empire, colonial critique, and contemporary sociology
Authors: Al-Hardan Anaheed
Published: September 2018

The essay reviews three books that were published consecutively in the last three years, and argues that they represent an important shift in sociology that could potentially reconfigure the discipline and the discipline’s theoretical canon. This is because these books make the modern experience of European empires, colonialism, and, in many instances, incomplete decolonization central to sociology. They also question the discipline’s origin narratives and these narratives’ implications in colonial modernity. Thus, the books hold up a mirror reflecting back onto the discipline of sociology its own implication in European empires and colonization and demonstrate how sociology’s imperial episteme continues to shape the discipline today. This article reviews these books and focuses on how they engage in the double task of the deconstruction of sociology’s complicity in empire and the construction of a colonial critique-centered sociology. This is a sociology, the essay argues, which is invested in analyzing structural relations of power in view of the legacies of empire and colonialism. It is also one that asks questions relevant to contemporary realities for the purposes of effecting political change in the world.
The roots of division, activism, and civil society in Nigeria
Authors: Omobowale Ayokunle Olumuyiwa
Published: September 2018

Throughout its more than a century history, Nigeria has had a checkered story of ethnicity, divisions, violence, and mutual suspicions. Nigeria’s experience with colonialism engendered a Western-oriented activism and metamorphosis of civil society, which have affected governance in diverse ways. Existing civil society is nonetheless affected by contextual factors such as patronage, corruption, and ethnicism, with internal democratization of civil society groups a major factor that could advance their contribution to governance and local development. Nigeria, however, remains at a crossroads, due to deep-seated ethnic animosity as well as the failure of contemporary activism and civil society to redeem the nation from schismatic ills rooted in its colonial foundations.