bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy complementarity featured hybrid discrete geometric method for capacitance extraction of integrated circuits
Authors: Xu Xiaoyu , Lyu Pengfei , Ren Zhuoxiang
Published: July 2014

The generalised discrete geometric method (DGM) derived from the discrete exterior calculus is an attractive method to solve partial differential equations. Moreover, the energy complementarity of corresponding dual formulations and dual meshes has been exploited to approximate the extra solutions efficiently. Based on the thinking of duality, this reported work investigated the geometrically projective transformations or mapping operations between the interlocked dual meshes, and combined the two sets of dual formulations or algebraic equation systems into a hybrid one through the mapping matrix, which leads to a hybrid DGM featured with energy complementarity. The proposed method offers an effective and elegant solution. In particular, there is only one matrix system to be solved instead of two in the dual methods. The example of capacitance extraction of the integrated circuit, which is a typical electrostatic system problem governed by the Poisson equation, is studied. The results show that the hybrid method is available, fast and robust. Considering that geometric computation and interpolation are broadly used in physical field analyses and computer graphics, the proposed hybrid method is expected to provide a rapid approach and to greatly benefit relevant applications.
Non‐conforming finite element tearing and interconnecting method with one Lagrange multiplier for solving large‐scale electromagnetic problems
Authors: Lü Zhi‐Qing , An Xiang
Published: July 2014

A non‐conforming finite element tearing and interconnecting method is proposed for the numerical analysis of large‐scale three‐dimensional electromagnetic problems. The whole computational domain is partitioned into many smaller subdomains, and a Robin‐type transmission condition is introduced at the shared interfaces to exchange data among subdomains. A set of orthogonal polynomials is introduced to approximate auxiliary unknowns between adjacent subdomains. Then, a one‐Lagrange multiplier scheme is applied to deal with non‐conforming meshes at the interfaces. With the help of the Schur complement approach, the method formulates a reduced‐order interface problem, which can be solved using an iterative algorithm. Once the resulting interface problem is solved, the unknown electric field in each subdomain can be calculated in parallel. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the efficiency of the method.
Feed adjustment method of reflector antenna based on far field
Authors: Lian Peiyuan , Wang Wei , Hu Naigang
Published: July 2014

To improve the electrical properties of a reflector antenna, the reflector surface distortion is compensated to some extent and the feed installation error is reduced by adjusting the feed position based on far field. Considering the fact that the traditional method of best‐fit paraboloid needs to obtain the accurate reflector deformation beforehand, a novel method to determine feed adjustment amounts based on far field is proposed, with no need to know the deformation. Based on aperture field method, explicit expressions of the sensitivity of far field to fitting parameters of the distorted reflector are established. Then fitting parameters and far field are linked with over‐determined linear equations, and by measuring far field, the reflector deformation is approximately calculated based on least square method thereby providing guidance for the feed adjustment of the deformed reflector. In addition, the proposed method is also employed to determine the feed installation error, which is adopted instead of fitting parameters to describe the aperture phase error. Simulation cases show the correctness of the proposed method and the validity of the compensation of reflector distortion and the accurate installation of the feed.
Bandwidth enhancement in coplanar waveguide‐fed slot antennas designed for wideband code division multiple access/wireless local area network/worldwide interoperability for microwave access applications
Authors: Tsai Lin‐Chuan
Published: July 2014

A multiband coplanar waveguide‐fed slot antenna design is proposed for use in wireless and mobile communication applications. This antenna was designed on a single‐layer printed circuit board FR4 substrate featuring a permittivity ɛr = 4.4, a loss tangent tan δ = 0.0245 and a thickness of h = 1.6 mm. The antenna consists of a T‐shaped signal strip and a U‐shaped conducting strip placed on the upper side of the T‐shaped signal strip. After simply tuning the slot parameters of the ground plane, the proposed antenna can be used in the following operations: wireless local area networks at 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz, worldwide interoperability for microwave access at 2.5/3.5/5.5 GHz and wideband code division multiple access at 1.92–2.17 GHz. The −10 dB bandwidth measured for the proposed antennas was 109.2% (1.85–6.3 GHz). The bandwidth was enhanced by choosing suitable combinations of the upper and lower ground slots. The geometrical parameters were examined to optimise the performance of the proposed antenna. The results of the return loss, far‐field H‐ and E‐planes radiation patterns, gain and radiation efficiency of the proposed antenna are presented and discussed herein. The antenna size of the radiation area and the ground plane was 50 × 50 mm2. Detailed simulations and experiments were conducted to optimise broadband operations, and the measured results concurred with the simulated results.
Wide‐angle scanning active transmit/receive reflectarray
Authors: Chaloun Tobias , Menzel Wolfgang , Tabarani Filipe , Purtova Tatyana , Schumacher Hermann , Kaynak Mehmet , Luo Qi , Gao Steven , Starec Rado , Ziegler Volker
Published: July 2014

A highly integrated phased array transmit/receive architecture is presented. Multilayer microstrip antennas with a scanning potential up to 60° are combined, on a common manifold, with SiGe MMICs including four RF channels each, together with the necessary digital control circuits. Power distribution and combining are realised by the concept of a folded planar reflectarray. This study also includes the necessary solutions for multilayer interconnects and efficient heat removal from the active circuits. To prove the concept, passive arrays with different fixed beam positions have been tested successfully; followed by a first active array demonstrating excellent scanning performance up to 60° both in E‐ and H‐plane.
Analysis and implementation of a modular isolated zero‐voltage switching bidirectional dc–dc converter
Authors: Sedaghati Farzad , Hossein Hosseini Seyed , Sabahi Mehran , Gharehpetian G.B.
Published: July 2014

A new topology of modular isolated bidirectional dc–dc converter is proposed. The proposed modular converter has interesting features in terms of low switching losses, bidirectional power flow and less number of switching device. In comparison with similar topologies, the reduction in the switching device number does not decrease the proposed converter power rating. Also, the simple modular structure, high‐frequency operation, zero‐voltage switching (ZVS) capability and less number of switching device make the extended configuration of the proposed converter suitable for high‐power applications. The ZVS capability without using any auxiliary circuit is one of the most important specifications of the proposed converter. The design of the proposed converter, based on the connection of basic modules, is described and the steady‐state operation analysis is presented. The ZVS of the proposed converter both in turn‐on and turn‐off instants are studied and their criteria are derived in detail. The simulation and measurement results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed converter.
Temperature effects on the energy bandgap and conductivity effective masses of charge carriers in lead telluride from first-principles calculations
Authors: Venkatapathi S. , Dong B. , Hin C.
Published: July 2014

We determined the temperature effects on the electronic properties of lead telluride (PbTe) such as the energy bandgap and the effective masses of charge carriers by incorporating the structural changes of the material with temperature using ab-initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Though the first-principles DFT calculations are done at absolute zero temperatures, by incorporating the lattice thermal expansion and the distortion of Pb2+ ions from the equilibrium positions, we could determine the stable structural configuration of the PbTe system at different temperatures.
Highly tunable gold nanorod dimer resonances mediated through conductive junctions
Authors: Fontana Jake , Ratna Banahalli R.
Published: July 2014

We study the optical properties of gold nanorod (Au NR) dimers connected end-to-end by a thin metallic junction. The plasmonic oscillations along the long axis of the dimer gives rise to two dominant modes: a bonding dimer plasmon emerging from the dipolar mode of each individual nanorod and a charge transfer plasmon involving the entire dimer structure. We find the charge transfer plasmon absorbance peak shift from the dimer structure is proportional to the NR aspect ratio (AR) behaving as it was a single NR with an AR nearly an order of magnitude larger. The charge transfer plasmon absorbance peak sensitively depends on the material and geometry of the connecting junction, theoretically tuning the absorbance peak from 1 μm to 10 μm. A straightforward “Drude-like” model to describe the charge transfer plasmon response is presented. The development of charge transfer plasmon nanostructures may open up new classes of plasmonic nanostructures leading to disruptive metamaterial technologies.
Environmental impact of geometric earthwork construction in pre-Columbian Amazonia
Authors: Carson John Francis , Whitney Bronwen S. , Mayle Francis E. , Iriarte José , Prümers Heiko , Soto J. Daniel , Watling Jennifer
Published: July 2014

Significance

The discovery of extensive geometric earthworks beneath apparently pristine rainforest across southern Amazonia has fueled debate over the scale of environmental impact caused by ancient human societies. Whereas some claim that these sites are evidence of vast deforestation by populous pre-Columbian (pre-A.D. 1492) societies, others propose a model of small-scale, localized clearance. We tested these contrasting hypotheses by reconstructing environmental change in a region of geometric earthworks in northeast Bolivia over the last 6,000 y. Our unexpected findings reveal a surprising third scenario, in which earthwork builders took advantage of a naturally open savanna landscape, which existed under drier-than-present climatic conditions before ∼2,000 y ago. This finding suggests lower environmental impact, less labor, and possibly a smaller population than previously assumed.
Crystal structure of mammalian selenocysteine-dependent iodothyronine deiodinase suggests a peroxiredoxin-like catalytic mechanism
Authors: Schweizer Ulrich , Schlicker Christine , Braun Doreen , Köhrle Josef , Steegborn Clemens
Published: July 2014

Significance

Deiodinases activate and inactivate thyroid hormones through a unique biochemical reaction. Enzymes expand their catalytic capabilities through special heteroatoms in cofactors or in the rare but essential amino acid selenocysteine, and deiodinases use an active-site selenocysteine for the reductive elimination of iodide from the aromatic iodothyronine rings. The mechanism of deiodinases has remained elusive despite many mutational and enzymatic studies. We solved the crystal structure of the deiodinase catalytic domain and find that it resembles a family of peroxiredoxin(s) (Prx). Structure and biochemical data suggest a deiodinase catalytic mechanism with Prx-like elements and enable us to assign unexpected functions to residues previously reported to contribute to deiodinase catalysis. Our findings indicate how deiodinases may have evolved from a common reductase ancestor.
Intratumor heterogeneity alters most effective drugs in designed combinations
Authors: Zhao Boyang , Hemann Michael T. , Lauffenburger Douglas A.
Published: July 2014

Significance

Tumors within each cancer patient have been found to be extensively heterogeneous both spatially across distinct regions and temporally in response to treatment. This poses challenges for prognostic/diagnostic biomarker identification and rational design of optimal drug combinations to minimize reoccurrence. Here we present a computational approach incorporating drug efficacy and drug side effects to derive effective drug combinations and study how tumor heterogeneity affects drug selection. We find that considering subpopulations beyond just the predominant subpopulation in a heterogeneous tumor may result in nonintuitive drug combinations. Additional analyses reveal general properties of effective drugs. This study highlights the importance of optimizing drug combinations in the context of intratumor heterogeneity and offers a principled approach toward their rational design.
Auxin inhibits stomatal development through MONOPTEROS repression of a mobile peptide gene
STOMAGEN
in mesophyll
Authors: Zhang Jing-Yi , He Sheng-Bo , Li Ling , Yang Hong-Quan
Published: July 2014

Significance

Stomata are widespread in aerial part of plants as passages exchanging gas and water with environment. Therefore, stomata are crucial for photosynthesis as well as global carbon and water circulation. Auxin, as the first identified phytohormone, participates in many aspects of plant growth and development, but whether auxin regulates stomatal development is unknown. This study establishes that auxin negatively regulates stomatal development through MONOPTEROS (MP) repression of mobile peptide gene
STOMAGEN
expression in mesophyll cells, which is mediated by direct binding of MP to auxin response elements in the
STOMAGEN
promoter. This study advances our knowledge about the roles of auxin and the versatile regulator MP in plant growth and development.
All-printed diode operating at 1.6 GHz
Authors: Sani Negar , Robertsson Mats , Cooper Philip , Wang Xin , Svensson Magnus , Andersson Ersman Peter , Norberg Petronella , Nilsson Marie , Nilsson David , Liu Xianjie , Hesselbom Hjalmar , Akesso Laurent , Fahlman Mats , Crispin Xavier , Engquist Isak , Berggren Magnus , Gustafsson Göran
Published: July 2014

Significance

Printed electronic labels and stickers are expected to define future outposts of the communication web, as remote sensors, detectors, and as surveillance technology, within the Internet-of-things concept. It is crucial to couple such technology with standard communication systems that commonly operate at gigahertz frequencies. To accomplish this, ultra–high-frequency rectification components manufactured in a low-temperature printing process are necessary. Here, we report an all-printed diode operating above 1 GHz, achieved using a combination of Si and NbSi
2
microparticles. The diode was integrated with a flexible antenna and a printed electrochromic display indicator to successfully demonstrate remote transfer of signal and power from a standard Global System for Mobile Communications phone to the resulting e-label.
Herbarium specimens show contrasting phenological responses to Himalayan climate
Authors: Hart Robbie , Salick Jan , Ranjitkar Sailesh , Xu Jianchu
Published: July 2014

Significance

Natural events in temperate ecosystems are triggered by seasonal temperature changes. Climate change may shift the timing of these events. We use a century of herbarium collections of Himalayan rhododendrons to investigate climate-driven change in flowering time. Although increased annual temperatures are associated with earlier flowering, increased fall temperatures are associated with delayed flowering. Annual warming may advance flowering through positive effects on overwintering bud formation, whereas fall warming may delay flowering through an impact on chilling requirements. These contrasting effects have resulted in opposing changes in flowering time, even as temperatures have warmed rapidly in the past 45 y. This study demonstrates the value of natural history collections to inform ecological questions, especially regarding climate change.
Extensive pathogenicity of mitochondrial heteroplasmy in healthy human individuals
Authors: Ye Kaixiong , Lu Jian , Ma Fei , Keinan Alon , Gu Zhenglong
Published: July 2014

Significance

There are hundreds to thousands of copies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in each human cell in contrast to only two copies of nuclear DNA. High-frequency pathogenic mtDNA mutations have been found in patients with classic mitochondrial diseases, premature aging, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study we investigated the distribution of heteroplasmic mutations, their pathogenic potential, and their underlying evolutionary forces using genome sequence data from the 1000 Genomes Project. Our results demonstrated the prevalence of low-frequency high-pathogenic-potential mtDNA mutations in healthy human individuals. These deleterious mtDNA mutations, when reaching high frequency, could provide a likely source of mitochondrial dysfunction. Managing the expansion of deleterious mtDNA mutations could be a promising means of preventing disease progression.
Collective spin 1 singlet phase in high-pressure oxygen
Authors: Crespo Yanier , Fabrizio Michele , Scandolo Sandro , Tosatti Erio
Published: July 2014

Significance

Among the elemental diatomic molecules, O
2
is the only one carrying a spin 1 magnetic moment. In the high pressure phases of oxygen the magnetic moment conspires with intermolecular forces to generate a rich phase diagram. Whereas, up to 80,000 atmospheres the moment persists, at pressures between 80,000 and 200,000 atmospheres, molecular magnetism apparently disappears, however with a number of unexplained vibrational and optical anomalies. Through a fully quantum treatment of the electronic states of the dense crystalline state we find that in this pressure range oxygen still retains a spin moment in an unconventional and rare state of matter dominated by the quantum fluctuations. This state, a special case of so-called spin liquids, explains most of the observed anomalies.
Suppression of tunneling two-level systems in ultrastable glasses of indomethacin
Authors: Pérez-Castañeda Tomás , Rodríguez-Tinoco Cristian , Rodríguez-Viejo Javier , Ramos Miguel A.
Published: July 2014

Significance

Glasses are disordered solids usually obtained by supercooling a liquid bypassing crystallization. A remarkable feature of glasses is that, independently of their nature and composition, they exhibit universal properties in the low-temperature range. Of interest here, the specific heat is characterized by a linear term below 1 K, ascribed to quantum tunneling between two states of similar energy. We have investigated if this ubiquitous behavior also applies to so-called “ultrastable glasses,” directly synthesized from the vapor phase into low-energy positions of the potential-energy landscape. Interestingly, we find a full suppression of the linear term in the specific heat, which questions the current view of the popular tunneling model and sheds light on the microscopic origin of two-level systems in glasses.
Simple chained guide trees give high-quality protein multiple sequence alignments
Authors: Boyce Kieran , Sievers Fabian , Higgins Desmond G.
Published: July 2014

Significance

To make sense of protein sequences, they need to be compared with each other. It is common to make a multiple sequence alignment where gaps are inserted to line up homologous residues in columns. Automatic methods such as Clustal, Muscle, or Mafft have been widely used since the 1980s but have difficulty in making alignments of much more than a few thousand sequences. This is mainly due to the time required to calculate what is called the guide tree, a clustering of the sequences that is used to guide the multiple alignment. We have discovered that if you use simple chained guide trees, you can increase the accuracy of alignments and, in principle, make alignments of any size.
Temporal labyrinths of eastern Eurasian Pleistocene humans
Authors: Wu Xiu-Jie , Crevecoeur Isabelle , Liu Wu , Xing Song , Trinkaus Erik
Published: July 2014

Significance

The assessment of the paleobiology and morphological affinities of the Neandertals and other Late Pleistocene archaic humans is central to resolving issues regarding the emergence and establishment of modern human morphology and diversity. One feature, which has been used as a distinctive Neandertal feature in this context, is the apparently derived shape of their temporal labyrinths (especially semicircular canals). Analysis of East Asian labyrinths documents the “Neandertal” pattern in the Xujiayao 15 temporal bone, although none of the Xujiayao human remains exhibits other distinctly Neandertal features. It therefore raises questions regarding possible biological correlates of labyrinthine morphology, distinctive Neandertal features, and the nature of late archaic human variation across Eurasia.
Food, Justice, and Land
Authors: Borras Saturnino M. , Franco Jennifer C.
Published: July 2014

The politics of food is intertwined with land politics, whether we talk about plantation workers, indigenous peoples, or pastoralists and their desire to own or control land. Questions on food politics are centered on what is to be produced, where, how much and how, by whom, and with what patterns of distribution and consumption. Answers to these questions inevitably raise issues of politics, power, and social justice. This chapter examines the link between land and food and its implications for social justice. It begins with a discussion of the contemporary global land rush in relation to pro-poor land policy, with particular emphasis on land reform. It then looks at the move away from conventional land reform in development policy thinking as part of the neoliberal resurgence. It also considers the contemporary interest in land and land policies in the context of development, along with key themes in pro-poor land policy such as protection or transfer of land-based wealth in favor of the poor, transfer of land-based political power, the sensitivity of such a policy to gender and ethnic groups, and its contribution to increasing land and labor productivity.
Historical and Cultural Perspectives on Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders
Authors: Martin Christopher S. , Chung Tammy , Langenbucher James W.
Published: July 2014

This chapter describes how substance use, substance-related problems, and substance use disorders (SUDs) have been viewed over time and in different cultures. Substance problems and inebriety were historically understood through a moralistic perspective, although the description of substance problem syndromes as medical diseases or disorders has a long history. Systematic attempts to develop and refine diagnostic criteria for SUDs began in the middle of the twentieth century and continue to this day. Research has identified limitations of existing diagnostic criteria for SUDs, which can aid the development of future classification systems. Culture plays a role in how substance use and SUDs are conceptualized and in how symptoms are manifested and interpreted. Modern theory of the nature of substance dependence emphasizes how chronic substance use can produce neuroadaptations in brain systems involved in reward, motivation, affective regulation, inhibitory control, and tolerance/withdrawal, all of which can contribute to compulsive substance use behavior.
Substance Use Disorders and Intentional Injury
Authors: Kuramoto-Crawford S. Janet , Wilcox Holly C.
Published: July 2014

Intentional injuries affect millions of lives worldwide. The authors provide an overview of the epidemiological and preventive evidence on the relationship between substance use disorders (SUD) and intentional injuries. Emphasis is placed on suicide and intimate partner violence, as each area has received substantial research attention in relation to SUD. There is robust epidemiological evidence on the relationship between SUD, notably with alcohol use disorders, and most intentional injuries. Research has focused on the identification of factors that distinguish individuals with alcohol use disorders who are at particularly high risk for intentional injuries. Characterization of those with other drug use disorders who are at risk for engaging in intentional injuries and the role of SUD in intentional injuries has been less extensively investigated. The authors conclude with a discussion of public health approaches to the prevention of intentional injuries among individuals with SUD.
The Politics of Memory
Authors: Maurantonio Nicole
Published: July 2014

This chapter considers the definitional and disciplinary politics surrounding the study of memory, exploring the various sites of memory study that have emerged within the field of communication. Specifically, this chapter reviews sites of memory and commemoration, ranging from places such as museums, monuments, and memorials, to textual forms, including journalism and consumer culture. Within each context, this chapter examines the ways in which these sites have interpreted and reinterpreted traumatic pasts bearing great consequence for national identity. It concludes with a discussion of the challenges set forth by new media for scholars engaging in studies of the politics of memory and identifies areas worthy of future research.
Applied Interpretive Approaches
Authors: Thorne Sally E.
Published: July 2014

In the applied world of the practice disciplines, the recognized limitations of conventional science have stimulated a lively and enthusiastic uptake of many of the qualitative research approaches generated over decades of social science scholarship. However, due to significant differences between the nature and motivation between the more theoretical and more applied fields, many applied scholars have been departing from established method to articulate approaches better suited to the questions of the applied world. This chapter considers the evolving relationship between the methods and their disciplinary origins and current trends in the direction of the applied interpretive qualitative research project. Interpretive description is used as a methodological case in point to illustrate the kinds of departures that applied approaches are taking from their ancestral roots as they begin to advance knowledge development within the practical and contextualized realities of their applied contexts.
Community-Based Research
Authors: Boyd Margaret R.
Published: July 2014

Community-based research challenges the traditional research paradigm by recognizing that complex social problems today must involve multiple stakeholders in the research process—not as subjects but as co-investigators and co-authors. It is an “orientation to inquiry” rather than a methodology and reflects a transdisciplinary paradigm by including academics from many different disciplines, community members, activists, and often students in all stages of the research process. Community-based research is relational research where all partners change and grow in a synergistic relationship as they work together and strategize to solve issues and problems that are defined by and meaningful to them. This chapter is an introduction to the historical roots and subdivisions within community-based research and discusses the core principles and skills useful when designing and working with community members in a collaborative, innovative, and transformative research partnership. The rationale for working within this research paradigm is discussed as well as the challenges researchers and practitioners face when conducting community-based research. As the scholarship and practice of this form of research has increased dramatically over the last twenty years, this chapter looks at both new and emerging issues as well as founding questions that continue to be debated in the contemporary discourse.
Introduction
Authors: Leavy Patricia
Published: July 2014

This chapter serves as the introduction to the Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research. The first half of the chapter responds to two questions. First, the chapter addresses the question: What is qualitative research? In answering the question, the chapter reviews the major elements of research: paradigm, ontology, epistemology (which together form the philosophical basis of research), genre, methods, theory, methodology (which operate at the level of praxis), ethics, values, and reflexivity (which merge the philosophical and praxis dimensions of research). Second, the chapter addresses the question: Who are qualitative researchers? Leavy explains qualitative research as a form of bricolage and qualitative researchers as bricoleurs. The remainder of the chapter reviews the contents of the handbook, providing a chapter by chapter summary.
The Politics of Supporting Low-Wage Workers and Families
Authors: Gitterman Daniel P.
Published: July 2014

This chapter highlights two policies that supplement the earnings of low-wage workers: the federal minimum wage and the earned income tax credit (EITC). The need for earnings supplements arises in part from the nature of the jobs held by less-skilled, low-wage workers. Such jobs are likely to be compensated on an hourly basis, not salaried, and are less likely to be full time. A focus on the minimum wage and the EITC contributes to—and expands our understanding of—the American welfare state in two ways. First, it looks beyond social insurance and public assistance, which have been considered the main tools of social policy, to explore the importance of alternative antipoverty policies. Second, it moves beyond income support to nonworkers to focus on efforts to support individuals who areactivein the labor market.
Apocalyptic Literature and the Study of Early Jewish Mysticism
Authors: Boustan Ra‘anan , McCullough Patrick G.
Published: July 2014

This chapter examines apocalyptic literature within the framework of “early Jewish mysticism” and compares early Jewish and Christian apocalyptic writings with rabbinic and Hekhalot materials. It begins by focusing on apocalyptic literature and the discourse of “mysticism” in religious studies before turning to continuity and rupture in the Jewish discourse of heavenly ascent. It then considers textuality and textual practice in the study of early Jewish mysticism as well as the patterns of similarity and difference between early Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature and Jewish ascent texts from late antiquity, including Hekhalot literature. It concludes by highlighting the persistent gap between the literary artifacts that make up apocalyptic and Hekhalot literatures as well as differences in rituals and religious experience.
Early Christian Apocalyptic Rhetoric
Authors: Carey Greg
Published: July 2014

Over a period of some fifty years spanning the late first to early second century CE, four major Christian apocalypses with similar literary frameworks emerged: Revelation, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Apocalypse of Peter, and the Ascension of Isaiah. These works demonstrate significant diversity, and each narrates a visionary revelation that features guidance from a heavenly intermediary. In addition, they demonstrate the remarkable flexibility and adaptability of early Christian apocalyptic rhetoric. In apocalyptic literature, the defining interest of rhetorical interpretation is marked by purposes for which people wrote. This chapter focuses on early Christian apocalyptic rhetoric. It begins with a discussion of primary and secondary apocalyptic discourse before turning to revelation and apocalyptic authority, apocalyptic argumentation, and apocalyptic literature’s appeal to the emotions such as anxiety.
Messianism as a Political Power in Contemporary Judaism
Authors: Inbari Motti
Published: July 2014

This chapter examines two distinct types of Jewish messianism that emerged in Orthodox Judaism as a response to Zionism. It compares two different views that were developed in Orthodox thinking by Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum and Zvi Yehuda Kook, the Satmar Rebbe and the head of Merkaz Harav Yeshiva. It considers the Satmar Rebbe and Kook’s analysis of Zionist success through a comparison to the end-of-days scenario. Kook led the Gush Emunim movement, while Yoel Teitelbaum ordered his followers to distance themselves from Zionist influences. The chapter explores how the two rabbis interpreted the signs of the time that offered clues about their political activities. It also discusses apocalyptic redemption and naturalistic redemption.
Apocalypticism and Popular Culture
Authors: DiTommaso Lorenzo
Published: July 2014

This chapter examines apocalypticism in popular culture, based on a new understanding of apocalypticism as a historical and global worldview. The first sections describe apocalypticism, define popular culture, and discuss the role of fiction as the primary conduit through which the worldview is expressed today. The next section explores how apocalypticism can be identified and assessed in popular culture. The chapter then presents nine cases that illustrate the wide range of apocalyptic expression in contemporary popular culture: Neon Genesis Evangelion; The Matrix; Neuromancer; Promethea; The Stand; A Canticle for Leibowitz; the Left Behind series; new religious movements; and, finally, the 2012 “Mayan Apocalypse,” the Internet, and “superflat” apocalypticism. The chapter concludes with a section on the ever-increasing appeal of apocalyptic speculation in popular culture today.
Youth and Crime in Sweden
Authors: Shannon David , Bäckman Olof , Estrada Felipe , Nilsson Anders
Published: July 2014

This chapter describes trends in crime among Swedish youth on the basis of both official statistics and alternative indicators, noting a decline over time both in the general level of youth involvement in crime and in the size of the gender gap, particularly in official statistics. The system of reactions to youth crime in Sweden is described, together with central reforms implemented over the past 15 years and trends in sanctioning practice since the mid-1990s. Returning to the issue of the declining gender gap, the chapter concludes by presenting new data on both justice system sanctions and childhood resources and by discussing what these data might contribute to our understanding and interpretation of the declining sex differences in officially recorded crime.
Tourism, Leisure, and Crime
Authors: Barclay Elaine , Mawby Rob I. , Jones Carol
Published: July 2014

Tourism has become a leading sector of the worldwide economy; nighttime leisure activities claim an increasingly large sector of commercial areas. Cities once organized around industry have become centers of sport, recreation, and leisure. Researchers in areas of hospitality management have pointed to “the tourism cycle” in explaining trends in crime: As particular places rise and fall as tourist destinations, they attract particular kinds of criminality and victimization. In this chapter, the relationship between tourism, leisure, and crime is examined in light of new crime risks evolving within a rapidly changing tourism environment—risks that have implications for crime prevention for governments, criminal justice systems, the tourism industry, and individual travelers.
Campus Crime
Authors: Sloan John J. , Fisher Bonnie S.
Published: July 2014

Although crime on college and university campuses in the United States has existed since their founding and despite available data, unanswered questions remain about the scope and nature of the problem. Notwithstanding these knowledge gaps, beginning in the late 1980s and the 1990s campus crime was “discovered” by the media and various interest groups, whose claims about the problem spurred efforts by policy makers, the courts, and postsecondary administrators to address it. The effects of their efforts, however, have not been well documented, as most have never been evaluated. Ultimately the picture that emerges from 30 years of available research is that college campuses are neither immune to the problem of crime and violence, nor are they hot beds of murder, mayhem, and vice as commonly depicted by the media.
Construct Validity of the Pediatric Rome III Criteria
Authors: Saps Miguel , Nichols‐Vinueza Diana X. , Mintjens Stijn , Pusatcioglu Cenk K. , Velasco‐Benítez Carlos A.
Published: July 2014

Objectives:

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common. The diagnosis of FGIDs is based on the Rome criteria, a symptom‐based diagnostic classification established by expert consensus. There is little evidence of validity for the pediatric Rome III criteria. The construct validity of the criteria, an overarching term that incorporates other forms of validity, has never been assessed. We assessed the construct validity of the Rome III criteria.

Methods:

Children from 2 schools in Colombia completed the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms at baseline and weekly questionnaires of somatic symptoms and disability for 8 weeks (presence and intensity of gastrointestinal symptoms, nongastrointestinal symptoms, impact on daily activities). A total of 255 children completed at least 6 weekly surveys (2041 surveys).

Results:

At baseline, 27.8% children were diagnosed as having an FGID. Prevalence of nausea (Δ 7.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.46–11.14), constipation (Δ 4.39%, 95% CI 1.79–6.99), diarrhea (Δ 6.69%, 95% CI 3.25–10.13), headache (Δ 7.4%, 95% CI 3.51–11.09), chest pain (Δ 9.04%, 95% CI 5.20–12.88), and limb pain (Δ 4.07%, 95% CI 1.76–6.37) and intensity of nausea (Δ 0.23, 95% CI 0.127–0.333), diarrhea (Δ 0.30, 95% CI 0.211–0.389), abdominal pain (Δ 0.18, 95% CI 0.069–0.291), headache (Δ 0.17, 95% CI 0.091–0.249), and limb pain (Δ 0.30, 95% CI 0.084–0.516) were higher in children with FGIDs (P < 0.001). Children with FGIDs had greater interference with daily activities (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Children with a Rome III diagnosis had significantly more gastrointestinal and nongastrointestinal complaints, and greater intensity of symptoms and disability than children without an FGID diagnosis. The study suggests that the Rome III pediatric criteria have adequate construct validity.
Walk the line: 600000 years of molar evolution constrained by allometry in the fossil rodent
Mimomys savini
Authors: Firmat Cyril , Lozano-Fernández Iván , Agustí Jordi , Bolstad Geir H. , Cuenca-Bescós Gloria , Hansen Thomas F. , Pélabon Christophe
Published: July 2014

The allometric-constraint hypothesis states that evolutionary divergence of morphological traits is restricted by integrated growth regulation. In this study, we test this hypothesis on a time-calibrated and well-documented palaeontological sequence of dental measurements on the Pleistocene arvicoline rodent species
Mimomys savini
from the Iberian Peninsula. Based on 507 specimens representing nine populations regularly spaced over 600 000 years, we compare static (within-population) and evolutionary (among-population) allometric slopes between the width and the length of the first lower molar. We find that the static allometric slope remains evolutionary stable and predicts the evolutionary allometry quite well. These results support the hypothesis that the macroevolutionary divergence of molar traits is constrained by static allometric relationships.
Recurrent alternative splicing isoform switches in tumor samples provide novel signatures of cancer
Authors: Sebestyén Endre , Zawisza Michał , Eyras Eduardo
Published: July 2014

Cancer genomics has been instrumental to determine the genetic alterations that are predictive of various tumor conditions. However, the majority of these alterations occur at low frequencies, motivating the need to expand the catalogue of cancer signatures. Alternative pre-mRNA splicing alterations, which bear major importance for the understanding of cancer, have not been exhaustively studied yet in the context of recent cancer genome projects. In this article we analyze RNA sequencing data for more than 4000 samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, including paired normal samples, to detect recurrent alternative splicing isoform switches in 9 different cancer types. We first investigate whether alternative splicing isoform changes are predictive of tumors by applying a rank-based algorithm based on the reversal of the relative expression of transcript isoforms. We find that consistent alternative splicing isoform changes can separate with high accuracy tumor and normal samples, as well as some cancer subtypes. We then searched for those changes that occur in the most abundant isoform, i.e isoform switches, and are therefore more likely to have a functional impact. In total we detected 244 isoform switches, which are associated to functional pathways that are frequently altered in cancer and also separate tumor and normal samples accurately. We further assessed whether these isoform changes are associated to somatic mutations. Surprisingly, only a few cases appear to have association, including the putative tumor suppressor FBLN2 and the tumor driver MYH11, which show association of an isoform switch to mutations and indels on the alternatively spliced exon. However, the number of observed mutations is in general not sufficient to explain the frequency of the found isoform switches, suggesting that recurrent isoform switching in cancer is mostly independent of somatic mutations. In summary, we present an effective approach to detect novel alternative splicing signatures that are predictive of tumors. Moreover, the same methodology has led to uncover recurrent isoform switches in tumors, which may provide novel prognostic and therapeutic targets.

Software and data are available at:https://bitbucket.org/regulatorygenomicsupf/iso-ktspandhttp://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1061917
Pulmonary Embolism Workup in Five Steps
Authors: Smith Clay B.
Published: July 2014

A workup for pulmonary embolism (PE) is complex, with multiple clinical decision rules to remember. A proper diagnostic workup can safely rule out PE without the use of computed tomography, which is both expensive and exposes patients to radiation and intravenous contrast. However, once PE has been diagnosed, it is important to risk stratify patients according to severity to both treat and disposition them correctly. PQRsTU is a simple, easy‐to‐remember mnemonic for the workup of PE that considers five phases: PERC phase (PE rule‐out criteria), Quantify gestalt phase (to determine proper use of D‐dimer or direct to imaging), Risk stratification phase (once PE has been diagnosed), Treatment phase, and Unit or floor (patient disposition). This structured method for evaluating PE will help clinicians develop a systematic, evidence‐based approach to this complex and potentially lethal disease.

Video is available at https://vimeo.com/91406117

Password: perls
Stability of phenotypes defined by physiological variables and biomarkers in adults with asthma
Authors: Kupczyk M. , Dahlén B. , Sterk P. J. , Nizankowska‐Mogilnicka E. , Papi A. , Bel E. H. , Chanez P. , Howarth P. H. , Holgate S. T. , Brusselle G. , Siafakas N. M. , Gjomarkaj M. , Dahlén S.‐E. ,   the BIOAIR investigators
Published: July 2014

Background

Although asthma is characterized by variable airways obstruction, most studies of asthma phenotypes are cross‐sectional. The stability of phenotypes defined either by biomarkers or by physiological variables was assessed by repeated measures over 1 year in the Pan‐European BIOAIR cohort of adult asthmatics.

Methods

A total of 169 patients, 93 with severe asthma (SA) and 76 with mild‐to‐moderate asthma (MA), were examined at six or more visits during 1 year. Asthma phenotype clusters were defined by physiological variables (lung function, reversibility and age of onset of the disease) or by biomarkers (eosinophils and neutrophils in induced sputum).

Results

After 1 year of follow‐up, the allocation to clusters was changed in 23.6% of all asthma patients when defined by physiological phenotypes and, remarkably, in 42.3% of the patients when stratified according to sputum cellularity (P = 0.034). In the SA cohort, 30% and 48.6% of the patients changed allocation according to physiological and biomarker clustering, respectively. Variability of phenotypes was not influenced by change in oral or inhaled corticosteroid dose, nor by the number of exacerbations. Lower stability of single and repeated measure was found for all evaluated biomarkers (eosinophils, neutrophils and FeNO) in contrast to good stability of physiological variables (FEV1), quality of life and asthma control.

Conclusion

Phenotypes determined by biomarkers are less stable than those defined by physiological variables, especially in severe asthmatics. The data also imply that definition of asthma phenotypes is improved by repeated measures to account for fluctuations in lung function, biomarkers and asthma control.
Resilience, complexity and post‐liberalism
Authors: Pugh Jonathan
Published: July 2014

Resilience is one of the dominant tropes in contemporary policy, practice and academic debate. This paper situates resilience within historical and contemporary approaches to international intervention, governance and analysis. It contains three related arguments suggesting that resilience reflects and seeks to offer a positive alternative to the loss of modern frameworks. First, it is argued that resilience emerged in international intervention as a response to the limits of liberal internationalism in the 1990s. Second, that resilience has emerged as a post‐liberal episteme that reflects and seeks to engage the ‘reality’ of complex life as an alternative to modernist frameworks of analysis. Today, rather than being seen as a limit, complexity is positively foregrounded under resilience frameworks as an active force that has moved beyond the limitations of modern frameworks. Third, this emergence of resilience as a post‐liberal episteme that actively responds to complex life can be usefully explained through reflecting on recent work that engages Foucault's notions of biopower and biopolitics.
Genetic analysis of twinning rate and milk yield using a threshold‐linear model in Japanese Holsteins
Authors: Masuda Yutaka , Baba Toshimi , Suzuki Mitsuyoshi
Published: July 2014

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and breeding values for the twinning rate of the first three parities (T1, T2 and T3) and 305‐day milk yield in first lactation (MY), using a four‐trait threshold‐linear animal model in Japanese Holsteins. Data contained 1 323 946 cows calving between 1990 and 2007. Twinning was treated as a binary character: ‘single’ or ‘twin or more’. Reported T1, T2 and T3 were 0.70%, 2.87%, and 3.73%, respectively. Individual 305‐day milk yield was computed using a multiple trait prediction for cows with at least eight test‐day records. (Co)variance components were estimated via Gibbs sampling for randomly sampled subsets. Posterior means of heritabilities for T1, T2 and T3 were 0.11, 0.16 and 0.14, respectively. Genetic correlations between parities were 0.92 or greater. Genetic correlations of MY with twinning rate were not ‘significant’ (i.e. their 95% highest probability density intervals contained zeros). Multiple births at different parities were considered as the same genetic trait. The average evaluations of T1 (T2) for sires born before 1991 was 0.48% (2.25%) compared with a mean of 0.76% (3.37%) for sires born after 1992. A recent increase in the reported twinning rate reflects the positive genetic trend for sires in Japanese Holsteins.