bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological behavior of mesenchymal stem cells on poly-ε-caprolactone filaments and a strategy for tissue engineering of segments of the peripheral nerves
Authors: Carrier-Ruiz A. , Evaristo-Mendonça F. , Mendez-Otero R. , Ribeiro-Resende V. T.
Published: July 2015

Introduction

Peripheral nerves may fail to regenerate across tube implants because these lack the microarchitecture of native nerves. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) secrete soluble factors that improve the regeneration of the peripheral nerves. Also, microstructured poly-caprolactone (PCL) filaments are capable of inducing bands of Büngner and promote regeneration in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). We describe here the interaction between PCL filaments and MSC, aiming to optimize PNS tubular implants.

Methods

MSC were plated on PCL filaments for 48 h and the adhesion profile, viability, proliferation and paracrine capacity were evaluated. Also, Schwann cells were plated on PCL filaments covered with MSC for 24 h to analyze the feasibility of the co-culture system. Moreover, E16 dorsal root ganglia were plated in contact with PCL filaments for 4 days to analyze neurite extension. Right sciatic nerves were exposed and a 10 mm nerve segment was removed. Distal and proximal stumps were reconnected inside a 14-mm polyethylene tube, leaving a gap of approximately 13 mm between the two stumps. Animals then received phosphate-buffered saline 1×, PCL filaments or PCL filaments previously incubated with MSC and, after 12 weeks, functional gait performance and histological analyses were made. Statistical analyses were made using Student’s unpaired t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post-test.

Results

MSC were confined to lateral areas and ridges of PCL filaments, aligning along the longitudinal. MSC showed high viability (90 %), and their proliferation and secretion capabilities were not completely inhibited by the filaments. Schwann cells adhered to filaments plated with MSC, maintaining high viability (90 %). Neurites grew and extended over the surface of PCL filaments, reaching greater distances when over MSC-plated filaments. Axons showed more organized and myelinized fibers and reinnervated significantly more muscle fibers when they were previously implanted with MSC-covered PLC filaments. Moreover, animals with MSC-covered filaments showed increased functional recovery after 12 weeks.

Conclusions

We provide evidence for the interaction among MSC, Schwann cells and PCL filaments, and we also demonstrate that this system can constitute a stable and permissive support for regeneration of segments of the peripheral nerves.
Coupled best proximity point theorems for proximally g-Meir-Keeler type mappings in partially ordered metric spaces
Authors: Abkar Ali , Ghods Samaneh , Azizi Azizollah
Published: July 2015

In this paper we first introduce the notion of proximally g-Meir-Keeler type mappings, then we study the existence and uniqueness of coupled best proximity points for these mappings. This generalization is in line with Edelstein’s generalization of Meir-Keeler type mappings, as well as in line with the recent one used in (Eshaghi Gordji in Math. Probl. Eng. 2012:150363, 2012).
Trained innate immunity as underlying mechanism for the long-term, nonspecific effects of vaccines
Authors: Blok Bastiaan A , Arts Rob J W , van Crevel Reinout , Benn Christine Stabell , Netea Mihai G
Published: July 2015

An increasing body of evidence shows that the innate immune system has adaptive characteristics that involve a heterologous memory of past insults. Both experimental models and proof-of-principle clinical trials show that innate immune cells, such as monocytes, macrophages, and NK cells, can provide protection against certain infections in vaccination models independently of lymphocytes. This process is regulated through epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells and has been termed “trained immunity.” It has been hypothesized that induction of trained immunity is responsible for the protective, nonspecific effects induced by vaccines, such as BCG, measles vaccination, and other whole-microorganism vaccines. In this review, we will present the mechanisms of trained immunity responsible for the long-lasting effects of vaccines on the innate immune system.
Final Results of a Prospective Evaluation of the Predictive Value of Interim Positron Emission Tomography in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated With R-CHOP-14 (SAKK 38/07)
Authors: Mamot Christoph , Klingbiel Dirk , Hitz Felicitas , Renner Christoph , Pabst Thomas , Driessen Christoph , Mey Ulrich , Pless Miklos , Bargetzi Mario , Krasniqi Fatime , Gigli Federica , Hany Thomas , Samarin Andrei , Biaggi Christine , Rusterholz Corinne , Dirnhofer Stephan , Zucca Emanuele , Martinelli Giovanni
Published: July 2015

Purpose

Our main objective was to prospectively determine the prognostic value of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) after two cycles of rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone given every 14 days (R-CHOP-14) under standardized treatment and PET evaluation criteria.

Patients and Methods

Patients with any stage of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were treated with six cycles of R-CHOP-14 followed by two cycles of rituximab. PET/CT examinations were performed at baseline, after two cycles (and after four cycles if the patient was PET-positive after two cycles), and at the end of treatment. PET/CT examinations were evaluated locally and by central review. The primary end point was event-free survival at 2 years (2-year EFS).

Results

Median age of the 138 evaluable patients was 58.5 years with a WHO performance status of 0, 1, or 2 in 56%, 36%, or 8% of the patients, respectively. By local assessment, 83 PET/CT scans (60%) were reported as positive and 55 (40%) as negative after two cycles of R-CHOP-14. Two-year EFS was significantly shorter for PET-positive compared with PET-negative patients (48% v 74%; P = .004). Overall survival at 2 years was not significantly different, with 88% for PET-positive versus 91% for PET-negative patients (P = .46). By using central review and the Deauville criteria, 2-year EFS was 41% versus 76% (P < .001) for patients who had interim PET/CT scans after two cycles of R-CHOP-14 and 24% versus 72% (P < .001) for patients who had PET/CT scans at the end of treatment.

Conclusion

Our results confirmed that an interim PET/CT scan has limited prognostic value in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma homogeneously treated with six cycles of R-CHOP-14 in a large prospective trial. At this point, interim PET/CT scanning is not ready for clinical use to guide treatment decisions in individual patients.
Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Endometrial Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Endorsement of the American Society for Radiation Oncology Evidence-Based Guideline
Authors: Meyer Larissa A. , Bohlke Kari , Powell Matthew A. , Fader Amanda N. , Franklin Gregg E. , Lee Larissa J. , Matei Daniela , Coallier Lourie , Wright Alexi A.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

To provide guidance on the role of adjuvant radiation therapy in the treatment of endometrial cancer.

Methods

“The Role of Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Endometrial Cancer: An ASTRO Evidence-Based Guideline” by Klopp et al, published in 2014 in Practical Radiation Oncology, was reviewed for developmental rigor by methodologists. The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) guideline content and recommendations were further reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Endorsement Panel.

Results

The ASCO Endorsement Panel determined that the recommendations from the ASTRO guideline are clear, thorough, and based on the most relevant scientific evidence. ASCO endorsed the ASTRO guideline with several qualifying statements.

Recommendations

Surveillance without adjuvant radiation therapy is a reasonable option for women without residual disease in the hysterectomy specimen and for women with grade 1 or 2 cancer and < 50% myometrial invasion, especially when no other high-risk features are present. For women with grade 1 or 2 cancer and ≥ 50% myometrial invasion or grade 3 cancer and < 50% myometrial invasion, vaginal brachytherapy is as effective as pelvic radiation therapy at preventing vaginal recurrence and is preferred. Patients with grade 3 cancer and ≥ 50% myometrial invasion or cervical stroma invasion may benefit from pelvic radiation to prevent pelvic recurrence. For women with high-risk early-stage disease and advanced disease, the ASCO Endorsement Panel added qualifying statements to the ASTRO recommendations to provide stronger statements in favor of chemotherapy (with or without radiation therapy).
Higher Hepatic miR-29 Expression in Undernourished Male Rats During the Postnatal Period Targets the Long-Term Repression of IGF-1
Authors: Sohi Gurjeev , Revesz Andrew , Ramkumar Julie , Hardy Daniel B.
Published: July 2015

A nutritional mismatch in postnatal life of low birth weight offspring increases the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome. Moreover, this is associated with decreased hepaticIgf1 expression, leading to impaired growth and metabolism. Previously, we have demonstrated that the timing of nutritional restoration in perinatal life can differentially program hepatic gene expression. Although microRNAs also play an important role in silencing gene expression, to date, the impact of a nutritional mismatch in neonatal life on their long-term expression has not been evaluated. Given the complementarity of miR-29 to the 3′ untranslated region of Igf1, we examined how protein restoration in maternal protein restriction rat offspring influences hepatic miR-29 and Igf1 expression in adulthood. Pregnant Wistar rats were designated into 1 of 4 dietary regimes: 20% protein (control), 8% protein during lactation only (LP-Lact), 8% protein during gestation only (LP1) or both (LP2). The steady-state expression of hepatic miR-29 mRNAsignificantly increased in LP2 offspring at postnatal day 21 and 130, and this was inversely related to hepatic Igf1 mRNA and body weight. Interestingly, this reciprocal association was stronger in LP-Lact offspring at postnatal day 21. Functional relevance of this in vivo relationship was evaluated by transfection of miR-29 mimics in neonatal Clone 9 rat hepatoma cells. Transfection with miR-29 suppressed Igf1 expression by 12 hours. Collectively, these findings implicate that nutritional restoration after weaning (post liver differentiation) in maternal protein restriction rat offspring fails to prevent long-term impaired growth, in part, due to miR-29 suppression of hepatic Igf1 expression. (Endocrinology 156: 3069–3076, 2015)
Dissecting the roles of human BUB1 in the spindle assembly checkpoint
Authors: Vleugel Mathijs , Hoek Tim , Tromer Eelco , Sliedrecht Tale , Groenewold Vincent , Omerzu Manja , Kops Geert J. P. L.
Published: July 2015

Mitotic chromosome segregation is initiated by the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) and its co-activator CDC20. APC/CCDC20 is inhibited by the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) when chromosomes have not attached to spindle microtubules. Unattached kinetochores catalyze the formation of a diffusible APC/CCDC20 inhibitor that is composed of BUBR1, BUB3, MAD2 and a second molecule of CDC20. Kinetochore recruitment of these proteins as well as SAC activation rely on the mitotic kinase BUB1, but the molecular mechanism by which BUB1 accomplishes this in human cells is unknown. We show that BUBR1 and BUB3 kinetochore recruitment by BUB1 is dispensable for SAC activation. Unlike its yeast and nematode orthologs, human BUB1 does not associate stably with the MAD2 activator MAD1 and, although required for accelerating loading of MAD1 onto kinetochores, is dispensable for its steady-state levels there. Instead, we identify a 50 amino acid segment harboring the recently reported ABBA motif close to a KEN box as critical for BUB1's role in SAC signaling. The presence of this segment correlates with SAC activity and efficient binding of CDC20 but not MAD1 to kinetochores.
Flagellum attachment zone protein modulation and regulation of cell shape in Trypanosoma brucei life cycle transitions
Authors: Sunter Jack D. , Benz Corinna , Andre Jane , Whipple Sarah , McKean Paul G. , Gull Keith , Ginger Michael L. , Lukeš Julius
Published: July 2015

Trypanosoma brucei cell shape is influenced by flagellum to cell body attachment via a specialised structure - the flagellum attachment zone (FAZ). T. brucei exhibits numerous morphological forms during its life cycle and at each stage the FAZ length varies. We have analysed FLAM3, a large protein that localises to the FAZ region within the old and new flagellum. Ablation of FLAM3 expression causes a reduction in FAZ length; however, this has remarkably different consequences in the tsetse procyclic form versus the mammalian bloodstream form. In procyclic form cells FLAM3 RNAi results in the transition to an epimastigote-like shape, whereas in bloodstream form cells a severe cytokinesis defect associated with flagellum detachment is observed. Moreover, we demonstrate that the amount of FLAM3 and its localisation is dependent on ClpGM6 expression and vice versa. This evidence demonstrates that FAZ is a key regulator of trypanosome shape with experimental perturbations being life cycle form dependent. An evolutionary cell biology explanation suggests that these differences may be a reflection of the division process, cytoskeleton and intrinsic structural plasticity of particular life cycle forms.
Journal ratings as predictors of articles quality in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: an analysis based on the Italian Research Evaluation Exercise
Authors: Bonaccorsi Andrea , Cicero Tindaro , Ferrara Antonio , Malgarini Marco
Published: July 2015

The aim of this paper is to understand whether the probability of receiving positive peer reviews is influenced by having published in an independently assessed, high-ranking journal: we eventually interpret a positive relationship among peer evaluation and journal ranking as evidence that journal ratings are good predictors of article quality. The analysis is based on a large dataset of over 11,500 research articles published in Italy in the period 2004-2010 in the areas of architecture, arts and humanities, history and philosophy, law, sociology and political sciences. These articles received a score by a large number of externally appointed referees in the context of the Italian research assessment exercise (VQR); similarly, journal scores were assigned in a panel-based independent assessment, which involved all academic journals in which Italian scholars have published, carried out under a different procedure. The score of an article is compared with that of the journal it is published in: more specifically, we first estimate an ordered probit model, assessing the probability for a paper of receiving a higher score, the higher the score of the journal; in a second step, we concentrate on the top papers, evaluating the probability of a paper receiving an excellent score having been published in a top-rated journal. In doing so, we control for a number of characteristics of the paper and its author, including the language of publication, the scientific field and its size, the age of the author and the academic status. We add to the literature on journal classification by providing for the first time a large scale test of the robustness of expert-based classification.
Problematizing Digital Research Evaluation using DOIs in Practice-Based Arts, Humanities and Social Science Research
Authors: Swijghuisen Reigersberg Muriel
Published: July 2015

This paper explores emerging practices in research data management in the arts, humanities and social sciences (AHSS). It will do so vis-à-vis current citation conventions and impact measurement for research in AHSS. Case study findings on research data inventoried at Goldsmiths’, University of London will be presented. Goldsmiths is a UK research-intensive higher education institution which specialises in arts, humanities and social science research. The paper’s aim is to raise awareness of the subject-specific needs of AHSS scholars to help inform the design of future digital tools for impact analysis in AHSS.

Firstly, I shall explore the definition of research data and how it is currently understood by AHSS researchers. I will show why many researchers choose not to engage with digital dissemination techniques and ORCID. This discussion must necessarily include the idea that practice-based and applied AHSS research are processes which are not easily captured in numerical ‘sets’ and cannot be labelled electronically without giving careful consideration to what a group or data item ‘represents’ as part of the academic enquiry, and therefore how it should be cited and analysed as part of any impact assessment.

Then, the paper will explore: the role of the monograph and arts catalogue in AHSS scholarship; how citation practices and digital impact measurement in AHSS currently operate in relation to authorship and how digital identifiers may hypothetically impact on metrics, intellectual property (IP), copyright and research integrity issues in AHSS.

I will also show that, if we are to be truly interdisciplinary, as research funders and strategic thinkers say we should, it is necessary to revise the way we think about digital research dissemination. This will involve breaking down the boundaries between AHSS and other types of research.
Connecting Altmetric: Integrating with Institutional Publications Systems
Authors: Madjarevic Natalia
Published: July 2015

This paper discusses Altmetric tools for institutions and how they are supported by accurate, up-to-date and re-usable research information. We examine the importance of standardised metadata formats across research information management systems in enabling altmetric providers to deliver data in robust, reliable and meaningful ways. We share our experience of collaborating with a range of institutions to report and analyse the attention to their collection of research outputs and surfacing altmetrics data at the author, department and institutional level. This includes working with institutions to ensure we can harvest from or integrate with existing technical infrastructure in order to match outputs with the corresponding altmetrics data in the Altmetric database. We discuss integrations with institutional repositories and publications systems including Symplectic Elements, VIVO and DSpace. Finally, we study motivations for incorporating metrics into workflows and systems across institutions, and how altmetrics can be integrated with existing research support and bibliometrics services.
Dynamic Trading with Reference Point Adaptation and Loss Aversion
Authors: Shi Yun , Cui Xiangyu , Yao Jing , Li Duan
Published: July 2015

We formalize the reference point adaptation process by relating it to a way people perceive prior gains and losses. We then develop a dynamic trading model with reference point adaptation and loss aversion, and derive its semi-analytical solution. The derived optimal stock holding has an asymmetric V-shaped form with respect to prior outcomes, and the related sensitivities are directly determined by the sensitivities of reference point shifts with respect to the outcomes. We also find that the effects of reference point adaptation can be used to shed light on some well documented trading patterns, e.g., house money, break even, and disposition effects.
Benders Decomposition for Production Routing Under Demand Uncertainty
Authors: Adulyasak Yossiri , Cordeau Jean-François , Jans Raf
Published: July 2015

The production routing problem (PRP) is a generalization of the inventory routing problem and concerns the production and distribution of a single product from a production plant to multiple customers using capacitated vehicles in a discrete- and finite-time horizon. In this study, we consider the stochastic PRP with demand uncertainty in two-stage and multistage decision processes. The decisions in the first stage include production setups and customer visit schedules, while the production and delivery quantities are determined in the subsequent stages. We introduce formulations for the two problems, which can be solved by a branch-and-cut algorithm. To handle a large number of scenarios, we propose a Benders decomposition approach, which is implemented in a single branch-and-bound tree and enhanced through lower-bound lifting inequalities, scenario group cuts, and Pareto-optimal cuts. For the multistage problem, we also use a warm start procedure that relies on the solution of the simpler two-stage problem. Finally, we exploit the reoptimization capabilities of Benders decomposition in a sample average approximation method for the two-stage problem and in a rollout algorithm for the multistage problem. Computational experiments show that instances of realistic size can be solved to optimality for the two-stage and multistage problems, and that Benders decomposition provides significant speedups compared to a classical branch-and-cut algorithm.
U-Shape Kissing Chimney Thoracic Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for a Traumatic Arch Rupture in a Polytraumatized Patient
Authors: Hendriks Jeroen , Brits Tim , Van der Zijden Thijs , Monsieurs Koen , de Bock Dina , De Paep Rudi
Published: July 2015

An 18-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital because of a high impact trauma. A computed tomography scan showed massive mediastinal bleeding due to a posteriorly located rupture of the aortic arch with formation of a pseudoaneurysm. Although urgent repair was indicated, open cardiac surgery was not feasible, as this would involve full heparinization in a patient with subarachnoid bleeding. The chosen solution was to perform a percutaneous thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) and a kissing chimney procedure using a U-shape configuration.
Men's health 9: men who are ‘informal’ caregivers
Authors: Barber Chris
Published: July 2015

There are around 6.5 million informal caregivers in the UK, of whom around 40% are likely to be men. This article will discuss the meaning of ‘informal caregivers’ and highlight a small number of issues that men who are caregivers are likely to experience, such as social isolation, economic poverty and poorer health. How the GP practice-based HCA can support informal caregivers will be briefly highlighted.
American Geriatrics Society care of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults: position statement
Authors:   American Geriatrics Society Ethics Committee
Published: July 2015

There is ample evidence that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals face discrimination in the healthcare setting. Providing high-quality health care for older LGBT adults will require active steps by organisations, institutions, advocacy groups, and health professionals that create an environment that is free from discrimination. This position statement that the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Ethics Committee developed addresses the vision of the AGS for the care of LGBT older adults and specific steps that can be taken to ensure that they receive the care that they need.
The professional use of social media
Authors: Peate Ian
Published: July 2015

Information technology (IT) and its use is a part of our everyday lives. Appropriate information exchange is central to the provision of safe and effective patient care. Putting the patient at the centre of all we do is an essential aspect of the role and function of the healthcare assistant (HCA) and assistant practitioner (AP).

The use and type of electronic ways of communicating has grown and will continue to grow. While there are many advantages to using these modes of communication, with the intention of improving care provision, there are also a number of potential pitfalls. Once information has been made available publically, for example, on a website or through social media, it may be very difficult to remove it. This article discusses how to use social media in a responsible and professional manner.
The complete diet?
Authors: Warren Helen
Published: July 2015

In the first of a two part series Dr Helen Warren discusses grass, the most basic equine diet, and whether it can ever provide everything a horse requires
Diagnosing navicular disease and the role of MRI
Authors: Smith Meredith
Published: July 2015

Meredith Smith of the Animal Health Trust, discusses how a deeper understanding of the condition can lead to and improved treatment protocol and prognosis
Cattle Review
Authors: Barrett David C
Published: July 2015

Introduction:

This Cattle Review reports on digital dermatitis, metabolic disease in dairy cows and failure of passive transfer in dairy calves.
Growing, harvesting and feeding grass part 1: principles of pasture management
Authors: Tulley William
Published: July 2015

Pasture provides the predominant feed source for the majority of farmed ruminants in the UK. Improved pastures are predominantly composed of ryegrass species which are either grazed in situ, or harvested for silage production. Productivity of ryegrass swards is maximised by using plant-based measures to determine the optimum harvest window. This article describes the fundamental physiology of the ryegrass tiller and details how this information is used to determine when grass should be harvested.
Non-healing wounds of the equine distal limb — effective field surgery techniques
Authors: Tucker Rachel
Published: July 2015

Management of a chronic wound presents a common challenge in equine practice. Thorough evaluation of the animal and wound is required to identify intrinsic and extrinsic factors that can prevent healing. Additional investigation may require radiography, ultrasonography, bacterial culture and histopathology in order to identify underlying complicating factors. External factors such as ongoing trauma, bacterial colonisation and excess movement require management utilising debridement, coaptation and appropriate use of antimicrobial therapy. Wound specific factors such as bone sequestra and the propensity for exuberant granulation in the distal limb require careful evaluation and proactive management. Once inhibitory factors have been addressed, second intention healing can be optimised through the principles of moist wound healing and by the use of skin grafting techniques. Island grafting techniques can be performed in the field and should be considered as a cost-effective method of improving the quality and speed of wound healing.
A new model of volunteer leadership: lessons from a local festival
Authors: Wilks Linda
Published: July 2015

This article delivers insights into the leadership of volunteers using a local music festival as a case study. Leadership traits and styles have been discussed in the literature in relation to festivals and events, with authors particularly highlighting servant leadership and transformational leadership styles within this context. The traits of the heroic leader and the entrepreneurial leader, as well as the transactional leadership style and the creativity broker, also discovered within the events literature, are also used here to guide the analysis of the data. Semi-structured interviews with the festival director and festival volunteers were conducted and analysed. An overview of the data is reported under four clusters of leadership characteristics: inspiring, sharing, caring and delivering. The findings are then matched against the various leadership theories and a new volunteer leadership model, termed ‘layered leadership’, is developed.
“What better place?”: Refiguring Priesthood at St. John’s Seminary, Boston, 1965–1970
Authors: Seitz John C.
Published: July 2015

In the years immediately following the Second Vatican Council, faculty and students at St. John’s Seminary in Boston struggled mightily to come to terms with the council’s significance. Students in particular, well-attuned but not overwhelmed by broader currents of social change in the United States, felt an exhilarating and daunting sense of responsibility for the remaking of the Catholic priesthood. Their contributions to the seminary student newspaper, Impact , witness to the eagerness, confusion, and idealism of the moment. Vatican II and associated documents seemed to open the way for a new appreciation of the need for holistic self-discovery, deepened personal relationships, and clerical political involvement in the formation of priests. Deeply informed by psychological and historical pressures related to the idea of “maturity,” seminarians, faculty, and other observers sought to adjust priestly formation to meet the demands of the era without gutting the distinctive disciplines, communal integrity, and spiritual tenor of traditional priestly training.
Catholic Social Teaching, Vatican II, and Civil Rights: A Social Justice Trinity in the Fight to Save a Central Louisiana Black Catholic School
Authors: Sanders Katrina M.
Published: July 2015

On March 23, 1971, the pastor of St. James Memorial Catholic Church in Alexandria, Louisiana conceded in a letter to Alexandria’s bishop, Charles P. Greco, that his congregation’s segregated black school would permanently close at the end of the school year. The planned closure brought heartache for all immediate stakeholders—clergy, religious sisters, and especially the lay faithful of the church. Less than one month later the congregation’s parish council presented Greco with a plan they argued could save the school from closure. The council’s attempt to thwart the closure provides an interesting local history case study that illuminates how black Catholics in the South during the period following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) utilized the language and emphases of Vatican II, Black Power and civil rights, and the Church’s commitment to education and social justice in an effort to maintain the availability of Catholic education in their community.
Haitian (Pre)Occupations: Ideological and Discursive Repetitions: 1915-1934 and 2004 to Present
Authors: Pressley-Sanon Toni
Published: July 2015

Cet article explore les relations idéologiques et discursives entre l’impérialisme international et les victimes haïtiens. Il se concentre sur l’occupation Américaine d’Haïti entre 1915 et 1934 et l’occupation actuelle de la MINUSTAH qui a commencé en 2004. L’article analyse les moments de résistance locale contre les forces militaires de ces occupations, en présentant les rapports existants entre les deux.
Le « génie de la langue » au XVII e et au XVIII e siècle : Modalités d’utilisation d’une notion
Authors: Siouffi Gilles
Published: July 2015

L’idée de “génie de la langue” a fonctionné en Europe aux XVII e et XVIII e siècles essentiellement. Depuis le XX e siècle, elle pose un problème à la linguistique, qui la considère comme non scientifique. L’objectif de cet article, après en avoir proposé un historique, est d’en énoncer les différentes modalités d’utilisation (modalités technique, pratique, et épistémologique), et d’en dégager les enjeux (à l’égard de la typologie des langues et de la rationalité). Il s’agit de montrer que, historiquement daté, le moment du “génie de la langue” n’en a pas moins posé quelques questions essentielles à la compréhension des langues.
Genius as Commonplace in Early Modern France
Authors: Perras Jean-Alexandre
Published: July 2015

The values associated with genius (originality, creativity, exemplarity) are now widely accepted. But, if the figure of genius has become a commonplace in our cultural imaginary, genius itself never expresses received ideas, and it is this radical distance from ordinary thinking that allows it to be recognized and distinguished. The construction of genius as commonplace is therefore based on tensions between innovation and convention, singularity and commonality, tensions that genius simultaneously generates and resolves. This paradoxical function makes it possible to reexamine the values associated with genius and to situate them in the contexts in which they first emerged.
The Poets and the Philosophers: Genius and Analogy in Descartes and the Encyclopédie (Following Aristotle)
Authors: Kroupa Gregor
Published: July 2015

The article tackles the relationship between genius and analogy in Descartes’s early writings and the programmatic writings of the Encyclopédie . For Descartes, ingenious analogies between phenomena that are not obviously related belong to the discourse of poetic truth, whereas philosophy must be content with more easily observable and methodical comparisons. In the encyclopedic ordering of Diderot and d’Alembert, by contrast, ingenious analogies are not specific to any particular field of knowledge, since genius consists in connecting even the most remote branches of the tree of knowledge. I argue that the theoretical core of both approaches can be traced back to Aristotle’s theory of metaphor, which relies on the analogy of genera rather than species.
Hélène Cixous et le génie spectral
Authors: Laflamme Elsa
Published: July 2015

S’appuyant sur une généalogie du génie à partir de la pensée de Jacques Derrida, cet article s’intéresse à la vision spectrale telle qu’on la retrouve à l’œuvre dans Ayaï! Le cri de la littérature (2013) d’Hélène Cixous. Ce texte prend le relais de la réflexion sur le génie amorcée par Jacques Derrida dans Spectres de Marx (1993) et Genèses, généalogies, genres et le génie (2003). Cixous y suggère une mise en acte du génie où le rappel de génies de la littérature témoigne d’une ouverture radicale à l’autre.
Immigration Justice and the Grounds for Mandatory Vaccinations
Authors: Malm Heidi
Published: July 2015

For over a century, a foreign national seeking permission to immigrate to the U.S. could have her application for immigration denied on the ground that she suffers from a serious contagious disease. For just under two decades, a foreign national seeking permission to immigrate could also have her application denied on the ground that she has not been vaccinated against each of a list of vaccination-preventable diseases. Two recently developed moral justifications for the use of such “vaccination-related exclusion criteria” have focused on (a) the right and need of a society to prevent the spread of disease to others and (b) the public good of developing and protecting herd immunity. Herein I accept these two general justifications—especially as they are developed by Mark Navin—and explore their limits. In particular, with a focus on the recently developed vaccine against several strains of HPV, as well the short-lived requirement by the CDC that it, too, be required of prospective immigrants, I argue that neither of the two main justifications for the use of vaccination-related exclusion criteria support their use for diseases such as HPV (or even HIV), the transmission of which, unlike airborne diseases such as measles, pertussis and polio, is subject to a considerable degree of individual control.
Barriers to and Facilitators of Moving Miscarriage Management Out of the Operating Room
Authors: Dennis Amanda , Fuentes Liza , Douglas‐Durham Ella , Grossman Daniel
Published: July 2015

CONTEXT

Miscarriage care can safely and effectively be offered in appropriately equipped offices and emergency departments. However, it is often treated in the operating room, which limits access to timely, cost‐effective and high‐quality care.

METHODS

Between May 2013 and January 2014, in‐depth interviews were conducted with 30 staff holding diverse roles at 15 medical offices and emergency departments with the aim of exploring barriers to and facilitators of offering miscarriage care, and identifying methods for expanding care. On‐site observations were also conducted at four facilities. All data were transcribed, iteratively coded and analyzed using qualitative techniques.

RESULTS

Similar barriers to and facilitators of providing miscarriage care were identified across facility types. Barriers were physician preference for providing care in the operating room, the similarity of miscarriage management and abortion procedures, the limited availability of support staff, difficulties integrating miscarriage management into patient scheduling and flow, and uncertainty about responding to women's emotional needs. Facilitators were a commitment to evidence‐based medicine, insurance coverage of miscarriage, offering other procedures of similar complexity and the minimal resources needed for miscarriage care. Resources needed to expand miscarriage services included a medically trained “champion,” best practices for implementing services, persistence and patience, training, clear protocols, and systems for tracking equipment and supplies.

CONCLUSIONS

Miscarriage care was viewed as neither resource‐intensive nor technically complex to provide. Although it may be emotionally and politically challenging to offer, effective strategies are available for expanding the scope of miscarriage care offered in multiple settings.
Raman Spectroscopic Study on Phosphorous-Doped Silicon Nanoparticles
Authors: Momose Miho , Hirasaka Masao , Furukawa Yukio
Published: July 2015

The Raman spectra of films prepared from 8, 19, and 30 nm nanoparticles of silicon doped with phosphorous were measured with excitation at 514.5 nm. The observed spectra were analyzed by decomposing the observed Raman bands into three symmetric Voigt function bands, which were assigned to the Si-Si stretching modes of crystalline, boundary, and amorphous-like components. The fractions of crystalline, boundary, and amorphous-like regions were estimated from the obtained components. The obtained fractions can be explained as a sphere-like nanoparticle consisting of a crystalline core surrounded with boundary and amorphous-like shells, which is consistent with the transmission electron microscope images showing a sphere-like shape. The observed spectral shape of the 8 nm nanoparticle film showed significant changes upon light irradiation with a power density of 5.5 kW cm−2, i.e., the amorphous-like region converted to a crystalline one. The temperature of the film under laser irradiation was estimated to be lower than 1041 °C from the anti-Stokes to the Stokes Raman bands due to the Si-Si stretching mode. The observed partial crystallization is probably induced by heating associated with light irradiation.
Detection of Pesticides and Metabolites Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS): Acephate
Authors: Clauson Susan L. , Sylvia James M. , Arcury Thomas A. , Summers Phillip , Spencer Kevin M.
Published: July 2015

A protocol created for acephate detection on particulates and vapors surrounding farmworkers as well as in urine samples is reported. Acephate is detected to the low parts-per-billion (ppb) range using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Optimal SERS sensor metal choice and post-production treatments to improve sensor stability in aqueous solutions containing acephate are presented. Acephate is detected in the vapor phase and can be differentiated from urine components and structurally similar pesticides, including the acephate metabolite-degradation product methamidophos. Protocol evaluation and preliminary field tests from North Carolina farms are discussed.
An Improved Detection Method for Hyperspectral Imagery Based on White Gaussian Noise
Authors: Wang Yiting , Huang Shiqi , Wang Hongxia , Liu Daizhi
Published: July 2015

To solve the low detection efficiency of the present hyperspectral detection method based on adaptive coherence estimator (ACE), an improved detection method based on white Gaussian noise (WGN) is proposed in this paper. Primarily the method uses the spectral angle mapping (SAM) method to adaptively set an optimal signal-to-noise (SNR) parameter based on the hyperspectral image. Then, a corresponding white Gaussian noise is generated according to this SNR parameter and is added to the original image to get a new image data. Finally, based on the new image data, a better target detection result can be obtained by using the ACE detection algorithm. The image data, added to the white Gaussian noise, are more consistent with the theoretical hypotheses of the ACE algorithm. Therefore the detection performance of the algorithm can be efficiently improved. Meanwhile, the adaptivity of setting the optimum SNR parameter in various images can make the method more universal. Experimental results of real world hyperspectral data show that the proposed ACE-WGN method can effectively improve detection performance.
Application of Micro-Raman Spectroscopy to the Study of Yttria-Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal (Y-TZP) Phase Transformation
Authors: Ramos Carla Müller , Tabata Américo Sheitiro , Cesar Paulo Francisco , Rubo José Henrique , Fracisconi Paulo Afonso Silveira , Borges Ana Flavia Sanches
Published: July 2015

The aim of this study was to perform micro-Raman spectroscopy as an alternative and nondestructive method to identify the phase transformation of zirconia after mechanical stress. The groups evaluated were experimental zirconia, zirconcad, IPS e.max ZirCad, and In Ceram YZ. Ten specimens were constructed for each group ( n 30) and subjected to a three-point bending test with a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The fractured surfaces were analyzed by micro-Raman spectroscopy. The laser power was kept at 10 mW, and scanning was performed in three regions of the fractured surface: (i) near the source of the failure (region of tensile stress), (ii) central to the fractured surface, and (iii) far from the source of failure. All materials showed the characteristic bands of tetragonal and monoclinic phases of zirconia. All zirconia studied showed a monoclinic phase in the tensile stress region. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was effective in detecting the presence of crystalline phases in polycrystals ceramics.
Selective and Quantitative Detection of Trace Amounts of Mercury(II) Ion (Hg2+) and Copper(II) Ion (Cu2+) Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)
Authors: Tang Wenqiong , Chase D. Bruce , Sparks Donald L. , Rabolt John F.
Published: July 2015

We report the development of a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based heavy metal ion sensor targeting the detection of mercury(II) ion (Hg2+) and copper(II) ion (Cu2+) with high sensitivity and selectivity. To achieve the detection of vibrational–spectro-scopically silent heavy metal ions, the SERS substrate composed of gold nanorod (AuNR)-polycaprolactone (PCL) nanocomposite fibers was first functionalized using metal ion–binding ligands. Specifically, 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole dimer (di-DMT) and trimercaptotriazine (TMT) were attached to the SERS substrates serving as bridging molecules to capture Hg2+ and Cu2+. respectively, from solution. Upon heavy metal ion coordination. changes in the vibrational spectra of the bridging molecules, including variations in the peak-intensity ratios and peak shifts were observed and taken as indicators of the capture of the target ions. With rigorous spectral analysis, the coordination mechanism between the heavy metal ion and the corresponding bridging molecule was investigated. Mercury(II) ion primarily interacts with di-DMT through the cleavage of the disulfide bond, whereas Cu2+ preferentially interacts with the heterocyclic N atoms in TMT. The specificity of the coordination chemistry provided both di-DMT and TMT with excellent selectivity for the detection of Hg2+ and Cu2+ in the presence of other interfering metal ion species. In addition, quantitative analysis of the concentration of the heavy metal ions was achieved through the construction of internal calibration curves using the peak-intensity ratios of 287/387 cm−1 for Hg2+ and 1234/973 cm−1 for Cu2+.
Linear Polarized Transmission Resonance Raman Studies in Fruits: Experimental versus Model Calculations
Authors: Martin Daniel , Gonzálvez Alicia G. , Buesing Franziska , Ureña Ángel González
Published: July 2015

A linear polarized transmission resonance Raman spectroscopic technique was developed to measure the depolarization ratio of different β-carotene Raman bands in carrot roots and mangos. Basically, this optical property was measured as a function of the vegetal tissue thickness and fruit postharvest lifetime. In general, the depolarization ratio increases as the sample optical thickness does and decreases as the fruit postharvest lifetime increases. In addition, a previous theoretical model was extended by considering the light state of polarization to obtain the depolarization ratio as a function of the sample absorption and scattering coefficient. It was shown how the reported theoretical model is able to satisfactorily describe the fruit optical parameter dependence on both the sample thickness and its postharvest time. Finally, the advantages and limitations of the present technique and theoretical mode are discussed.
Variable Temperature Infrared Spectroscopy Investigation of Benzoic Acid Interactions with Montmorillonite Clay Interlayer Water
Authors: Nickels Tara M. , Ingram Audrey L. , Maraoulaite Dalia K. , White Robert L.
Published: July 2015

Molecular interactions between benzoic acid and cations and water contained in montmorillonite clay interlayer spaces are characterized by using variable temperature diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (VT-DRIFTS). Using sample perturbation and difference spectroscopy, infrared spectral changes resulting from removal of interlayer water and associated changes in local benzoic acid environments are identified. Difference spectra features can be correlated with changes in specific molecular vibrations that are characteristic of benzoic acid molecular orientation. Results suggest that the carboxylic acid functionality of benzoic acid interacts with interlayer cations through a bridging water molecule and that this interaction is affected by the nature of the cation present in the clay interlayer space.
Guest and returning writers in American television drama series: The two Davids
Authors: Steward Tom
Published: July 2015

The article uses two distinct historical case studies to argue in favour of the agency of guest writers and returning episode writers of American television drama series in terms of their ability to create thematically and stylistically distinctive episodes with an individual voice. In the first, I look at writer-director David Mamet’s episode of Hill Street Blues (NBC, 1980–1987) entitled ‘A Wasted Weekend’ and in the second I discuss several episodes written by writer-director-producer David Chase for The Rockford Files (NBC, 1974–1980). I explore the case studies in relation to existing critical literature on American television drama authorship and comparison to more recent examples of guest and returning episode writers. Using in-depth textual, script and production analysis, I argue that the tone, content and style of certain episodes of American television drama series are unique to the individual writer. I contend that the production roles of guest writer and returning episode writer, while different at different times, offer scope for writers to distinguish their work in American television. In addressing these particular screenwriting roles, I challenge the overemphasis on the production hierarchy in terms of critical accounts of creativity within American television drama and probe the exploitation of writers in cultural validations of television.