bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Sheet Metal Formability of AA-5083-O Sheets Processed by Friction Stir Processing
Authors: Miori G. F. , Bordinassi E. C. , Delijaicov S. , Batalha G. F.
Published: August 2015

The aim of this study is to determine the sheet metal formability of AA-5083-O sheets processed by the Friction Stir Processing (FSP). The FSP process was studied and a FSP tool was built. Processing quality was verified by the metallography in the processing region, which established the voids presence. Tensile tests were carried out on FSP and non-FSP specimens, and the results showed that FSP specimens have 30% greater resistance than non-FSP ones. The formability of FSP sheets was produced in MSC-MARC and Abaqus and these software products were compared by using the nonlinear FEM code. The Forming Limit Diagram was built with the results from both software products. A device to process FSP sheet metals was developed and the sheets were processed to validate the results from the software. The tools made for the bulge tests were circular and ellipse-shaped. After the bulge tests, the commercial sheets showed close approximation to those obtained from the software. The FSP sheets broke when inferior pressure was applied because of the defects in the FSP process. The results of the FSP presented the same formability of commercial sheets, however, with 30% greater strength.
Endogenous Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence Provides Label-Free Visualization of the Inflammatory Response in the Rodent Spinal Cord
Authors: Uckermann Ortrud , Galli Roberta , Beiermeister Rudolf , Sitoci-Ficici Kerim-Hakan , Later Robert , Leipnitz Elke , Neuwirth Ales , Chavakis Triantafyllos , Koch Edmund , Schackert Gabriele , Steiner Gerald , Kirsch Matthias
Published: August 2015

Activation of CNS resident microglia and invasion of external macrophages plays a central role in spinal cord injuries and diseases. Multiphoton microscopy based on intrinsic tissue properties offers the possibility of label-free imaging and has the potential to be applied in vivo. In this work, we analyzed cellular structures displaying endogenous two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) in the pathologic spinal cord. It was compared qualitatively and quantitatively to Iba1 and CD68 immunohistochemical staining in two models: rat spinal cord injury and mouse encephalomyelitis. The extent of tissue damage was retrieved by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and second harmonic generation imaging. The pattern of CD68-positive cells representing postinjury activated microglia/macrophages was colocalized to the TPEF signal. Iba1-positive microglia were found in areas lacking any TPEF signal. In peripheral areas of inflammation, we found similar numbers of CD68-positive microglia/macrophages and TPEF-positive structures while the number of Iba1-positive cells was significantly higher. Therefore, we conclude that multiphoton imaging of unstained spinal cord tissue enables retrieving the extent of microglia activation by acquisition of endogenous TPEF. Future application of this technique in vivo will enable monitoring inflammatory responses of the nervous system allowing new insights into degenerative and regenerative processes.
Position and Thickness Optimization of Ribs for Ventilation Covering Using the Micro Genetic Algorithm with an Interpolated Smooth Objective Function
Authors: Kwon Young-Doo , Kwon Soon-Bum , Kim Seong-Su , Lee Jin-Won
Published: August 2015

Structures with supporting ribs are adopted in many fields of engineering. These ribs are attached to the main plate or shell to increase stiffness and reduce the stresses of a structure. Currently, much research in structural optimization has been devoted to size or thickness optimizations. In this study, the discrete positions of the ribs of a structure are optimized in addition to their thicknesses. The objective function, which is the total weight of a structure, is a continuous function with respect to the thickness of the ribs. However, it is a stepwise function of a dimensionless variable, which represents the set of positions of the ribs. Because of this stepwise objective function, the gradient method of optimization is not applicable. Therefore, we applied the micro genetic algorithm (MGA), which does not need derivatives of the objective function. To accelerate the rate of convergence, the stepwise objective function is interpolated to a smooth artificial objective function that does not alter the optimal solution.
Characterization Method for 3D Substructure of Nuclear Cell Based on Orthogonal Phase Images
Authors: Ji Ying , Liang Minjie , Hua Tingting , Xu Yuanyuan , Xin Zhiduo , Wang Yawei
Published: August 2015

A set of optical models associated with blood cells are introduced in this paper. All of these models are made up of different parts possessing symmetries. The wrapped phase images as well as the unwrapped ones from two orthogonal directions related to some of these models are obtained by simulation technique. Because the phase mutation occurs on the boundary between nucleus and cytoplasm as well as on the boundary between cytoplasm and environment medium, the equation of inflexion curve is introduced to describe the size, morphology, and substructure of the nuclear cell based on the analysis of the phase features of the model. Furthermore, a mononuclear cell model is discussed as an example to verify this method. The simulation result shows that characterization with inflexion curve based on orthogonal phase images could describe the substructure of the cells availably, which may provide a new way to identify the typical biological cells quickly without scanning.
Data Stream Classification Based on the Gamma Classifier
Authors: Uriarte-Arcia Abril Valeria , López-Yáñez Itzamá , Yáñez-Márquez Cornelio , Gama João , Camacho-Nieto Oscar
Published: August 2015

The ever increasing data generation confronts us with the problem of handling online massive amounts of information. One of the biggest challenges is how to extract valuable information from these massive continuous data streams during single scanning. In a data stream context, data arrive continuously at high speed; therefore the algorithms developed to address this context must be efficient regarding memory and time management and capable of detecting changes over time in the underlying distribution that generated the data. This work describes a novel method for the task of pattern classification over a continuous data stream based on an associative model. The proposed method is based on the Gamma classifier, which is inspired by the Alpha-Beta associative memories, which are both supervised pattern recognition models. The proposed method is capable of handling the space and time constrain inherent to data stream scenarios. The Data Streaming Gamma classifier (DS-Gamma classifier) implements a sliding window approach to provide concept drift detection and a forgetting mechanism. In order to test the classifier, several experiments were performed using different data stream scenarios with real and synthetic data streams. The experimental results show that the method exhibits competitive performance when compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms.
Computation of Topological Indices of Graphene
Authors: Sridhara G. , Rajesh Kanna M. R. , Indumathi R. S.
Published: August 2015

We compute ABC index, ABC4 index, Randic connectivity index, Sum connectivity index, GA index, and GA5 index of Graphene.
Numerical Simulations of the 1 May 2012 Deep Convection Event over Cuba: Sensitivity to Cumulus and Microphysical Schemes in a High-Resolution Model
Authors: Mayor Yandy G. , Mesquita Michel D. S.
Published: August 2015

This paper evaluates the sensitivity to cumulus and microphysics schemes, as represented in numerical simulations of the Weather Research and Forecasting model, in characterizing a deep convection event over the Cuban island on 1 May 2012. To this end, 30 experiments combining five cumulus and six microphysics schemes, in addition to two experiments in which the cumulus parameterization was turned off, are tested in order to choose the combination that represents the event precipitation more accurately. ERA Interim is used as lateral boundary condition data for the downscaling procedure. Results show that convective schemes are more important than microphysics schemes for determining the precipitation areas within a high-resolution domain simulation. Also, while one cumulus scheme captures the overall spatial convective structure of the event more accurately than others, it fails to capture the precipitation intensity. This apparent discrepancy leads to sensitivity related to the verification method used to rank the scheme combinations. This sensitivity is also observed in a comparison between parameterized and explicit cumulus formation when the Kain-Fritsch scheme was used. A loss of added value is also found when the Grell-Freitas cumulus scheme was activated at 1 km grid spacing.
STAT3 Blockade Inhibits Radiation-Induced Malignant Progression in Glioma
Authors: Lau Jasmine , Ilkhanizadeh Shirin , Wang Susan , Miroshnikova Yekaterina A. , Salvatierra Nicolas A. , Wong Robyn A. , Schmidt Christin , Weaver Valerie M. , Weiss William A. , Persson Anders I.
Published: August 2015

High grade gliomas (HGG) are classified into four subgroups based on transcriptional signatures and phenotypic characteristics. In particular, the proneural-to-mesenchymal transition (PMT) is associated with increased malignancy, poor prognosis, and disease recurrence, but the underlying causes of PMT are still unclear. In this study, we investigated whether radiotherapy promotes PMT using a genetically engineered mouse model of proneural HGG. We found that cranial ionizing radiation induced robust and durable PMT in tumors. Additionally, we isolated primary proneural HGG cells from mouse and human tumors and demonstrate that radiation induced a sustained cell-intrinsic mesenchymal transition associated with increased invasiveness and resistance to the alkylating agent temozolomide. Expectedly, irradiation-induced PMT was also associated with activation of the STAT3 transcription factor, and the combination of STAT3 blockade using JAK2 inhibitors with radiation abrogated the mesenchymal transition and extended survival of mice. Taken together, our data suggest that clinical JAK2 inhibitors should be tested in conjunction with radiation in patients with proneural HGG as a new strategy for blocking the emergence of therapy-resistant mesenchymal tumors at relapse. Cancer Res; 75(20); 4302–11. ©2015 AACR.
Automatic and Online Pollen Monitoring
Authors: Oteros Jose , Pusch Gudrun , Weichenmeier Ingrid , Heimann Ulrich , Möller Rouven , Röseler Stefani , Traidl-Hoffmann Claudia , Schmidt-Weber Carsten , Buters Jeroen T.M.
Published: August 2015

Background: Pollen are monitored in Europe by a network of about 400 pollen traps, all operated manually. To date, automated pollen monitoring has only been feasible in areas with limited variability in pollen species. There is a need for rapid reporting of airborne pollen as well as for alleviating the workload of manual operation. We report our experience with a fully automated, image recognition-based pollen monitoring system, BAA500. Methods: The BAA500 sampled ambient air intermittently with a 3-stage virtual impactor at 60 m3/h in Munich, Germany. Pollen is deposited on a sticky surface that was regularly moved to a microscope equipped with a CCD camera. Images of the pollen were constructed and compared with a library of known samples. A Hirst-type pollen trap was operated simultaneously. Results: Over 480,000 particles sampled with the BAA500 were both manually and automatically identified, of which about 46,000 were pollen. Of the automatically reported pollen, 93.3% were correctly recognized. However, compared with manual identification, 27.8% of the captured pollen were missing in the automatic report, with most reported as unknown pollen. Salix pollen grains were not identified satisfactorily. The daily pollen concentrations reported by a Hirst-type pollen trap and the BAA500 were highly correlated (r = 0.98). Conclusions: The BAA500 is a functional automated pollen counter. Its software can be upgraded, and so we expected its performance to improve upon training. Automated pollen counting has great potential for workload reduction and rapid online pollen reporting.
Natural History of Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane in Eyes with Good Vision Assessed by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Byon Ik Soo , Pak Gang Yun , Kwon Han Jo , Kim Kyong Ho , Park Sung Who , Lee Ji Eun
Published: August 2015

Purpose: To investigate the natural history of idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) in eyes with good visual function using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: Sixty-two eyes of 58 patients with idiopathic ERM, visual acuity of 20/40 or better, and no significant metamorphopsia were included. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), membrane configuration, and ellipsoid zone signal data over 24 months were retrospectively analyzed. Based on OCT findings, ERM configurations were categorized as global attachment (GA), partial attachment (PA), pseudohole, and vitreomacular traction (VMT). Results: The mean BCVA and CMT did not change significantly between baseline and 24 months. GA, PA, pseudohole, and VMT types were observed in 33, 19, 9, and 1 eye at baseline, and in 20, 22, 10, and 1 eye at 24 months, respectively. A membrane configuration change was noted in 24 eyes (38.7%) during follow-up, and the distribution shifted from GA to the other types (p < 0.001). Six eyes had visual loss due to membrane progression, and 4 eyes had spontaneous membrane separation. Of the 10 eyes with progression or separation, 6 were of the PA type. Conclusions: Although the BCVA remains stable over 2 years in most idiopathic ERM eyes with good visual function at baseline, the membrane configuration may change, affecting visual acuity. The GA type would be an early stage, and the PA type is prone to changes in visual acuity.
Short-Term Effects of Blood Transfusions on Hepcidin in Preterm Infants
Authors: Lorenz Laila , Müller Katharina F. , Poets Christian F. , Peter Andreas , Olbina Gordana , Westerman Mark , Franz Axel R.
Published: August 2015

Background: Hepcidin, a key regulatory peptide hormone in iron homeostasis, may in future serve as a non-invasive iron status parameter for monitoring iron supplementation in preterm infants. For this, coexisting influencing factors should be taken into account. Objectives: To evaluate the short-term effects of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions on hepcidin concentrations in serum (HepS) and urine (HepU) of preterm infants. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study conducted between May 2009 and September 2010 at a single neonatal unit (Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany) in very preterm infants, i.e. with a gestational age (GA) of <32 weeks, who received clinically indicated RBC transfusions. The concentration of the mature, 25 amino-acid form of hepcidin was determined in serum und urine by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay together with cellular indices before and after transfusion. Results: Twenty preterm infants born at a median GA of 26 + 0/7 (interquartile range: 24 + 6/7 to 27 + 3/7) weeks received 27 RBC transfusions at a median corrected age of 31 + 3/7 (29 + 6/7 to 34 + 5/7) weeks. When measured shortly after transfusion (mean time: 10 h), haematocrit values increased from a mean of 26.6% (SD 2.8) to 40.9% (SD 3.2); p < 0.0001. HepS also increased [geometric mean: 44.3 (95% confidence interval 30.8-63.8) ng/ml vs. 58.0 (35.7-94.3) ng/ml; p < 0.05] but HepU remained unaffected. Conclusion: The data indicate that HepS concentrations increase shortly after RBC transfusion in preterm infants. Long-term observational studies are needed to understand the dynamics of hepcidin regulation in preterm infants.
Inpatient Treatment for Severe Nonsurgical Dermatological Disorders: Prevalence, Care Infrastructure and Reimbursement in Switzerland
Authors: Mehra Tarun , Hoetzenecker Wolfram , Moos Rudolf , Volbracht Joerk , Guenova Emmanuella , French Lars E. , Hafner Jürg
Published: August 2015

Background: Since 2012, Swiss inpatient dermatology is funded through a flat rate payment system based on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). Objective: To analyze the reimbursement of nonsurgically treated severe disorders of the skin under the system called SwissDRG. Methods: Three retrospective, cross-sectional cohort studies were performed. Data sets were received from the Swiss Federal Office of Statistics (1,285,685 retained records), the five Swiss university hospitals (370,964 retained records) and our center (72,211 retained records). Results: Cases accounted for 0.04% of all hospitalizations nationwide, with 43.7% treated at university hospitals. Treatment at university hospitals produced a mean loss of USD 3,711 per case. Lyell syndrome cases were especially underfunded (mean loss USD 31,906). Extra-county admissions and direct referrals were significant predictors of total inpatient costs (p = 0.019 and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: We suggest grouping Lyell syndrome cases into burn DRGs and evaluating extra-county admissions and direct inpatient referrals as DRG split criteria.
Cognitive Functions Buffer Age Differences in Technology Ownership
Authors: Kamin Stefan T. , Lang Frieder R.
Published: August 2015

Background: Technology plays a major role in enhancing quality of life and everyday competence in old age. Mechanic and pragmatic cognitive functions are known to serve as resources when using technology in everyday life. Not much is known about the differential role of mechanic and pragmatic cognitive functions when moderating reduced technology ownership in old age. Objective: In this research, we explored whether perceptual speed or verbal fluency is more important for buffering age differences in technology ownership. We investigate possible moderation effects of cognitive functions relative to demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and household composition variables. Methods: We report findings based on a nationally representative German sample of 3,357 younger and older adults between 18 and 94 years of age (mean = 51.2, SD = 17.3). Interaction and relative importance analyses were conducted to examine the relative importance of perceptual speed and verbal fluency for the moderation of age differences in technology ownership across adulthood. Results: Findings suggest that perceptual speed (B = 0.0008, t = 6.23, p < 0.001) and verbal fluency (B = 0.0003, t = 2.70, p < 0.01) buffered age differences in technology ownership. The moderating role of perceptual speed remained robust (B = 0.0007, t = 5.48, p < 0.001) when including interactions of age with demographic, socioeconomic, and household composition variables; however, the interaction between age and verbal fluency was no longer significant (B = 0.0002, t = 1.82, p = 0.069). Relative importance analysis indicates that perceptual speed was the most important moderator of age differences (DW = 0.0121), whereas verbal fluency was less important for moderating the relation between age and technology ownership (DW = 0.0039). Conclusions: Mechanic and pragmatic cognitive functions may serve differently as moderators of the relation between age and technology ownership. Our findings suggest that perceptual speed was more important for buffering age differences in technology ownership than verbal fluency. Such findings underscore the relevance of information processing for the ownership of technological devices in late life.
Myelomatous Pleural Effusion Presenting with Extreme Hyperferritinemia and Severe Inflammatory Response
Authors: Adrianzen Herrera Diego A. , Scott Matthew , Varma Mala
Published: August 2015

Myelomatous involvement of pleural effusions developing in patients with multiple myeloma is extremely rare and only a few cases have been reported so far. It is thought to represent an aggressive clinical progression of disease and is usually associated with severe complications, poor prognosis and high mortality. Ferritin is a marker of inflammatory pathways that plays a significant role in plasma cell malignancies and has been studied as a prognostic factor for multiple myeloma. In severe inflammatory states such as septic shock or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, extreme levels of ferritin are thought to precipitate a cytokine storm associated with poor clinical outcomes. We present a case of myelomatous pleural effusion associated with extreme levels of ferritin and explore the possibility of a connection between this rare entity and other severe inflammatory states, which could account for its ominous outcomes and poor prognosis.
Direct Measurement of Cardiac Na
+
Channel Conformations Reveals Molecular Pathologies of Inherited Mutations
Authors: Varga Zoltan , Zhu Wandi , Schubert Angela R. , Pardieck Jennifer L. , Krumholz Arie , Hsu Eric J. , Zaydman Mark A. , Cui Jianmin , Silva Jonathan R.
Published: August 2015

Background—

Dysregulation of voltage-gated cardiac Na
+
channels (Na
V
1.5) by inherited mutations, disease-linked remodeling, and drugs causes arrhythmias. The molecular mechanisms whereby the Na
V
1.5 voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) are perturbed to pathologically or therapeutically modulate Na
+
current (
I
Na
) have not been specified. Our aim was to correlate
I
Na
kinetics with conformational changes within the 4 (DI–DIV) VSDs to define molecular mechanisms of Na
V
1.5 modulation.

Method and Results—

Four Na
V
1.5 constructs were created to track the voltage-dependent kinetics of conformational changes within each VSD, using voltage-clamp fluorometry. Each VSD displayed unique kinetics, consistent with distinct roles in determining
I
Na
. In particular, DIII-VSD deactivation kinetics were modulated by depolarizing pulses with durations in the intermediate time domain that modulates late
I
Na
. We then used the DII-VSD construct to probe the molecular pathology of 2 Brugada syndrome mutations (A735V and G752R). A735V shifted DII-VSD voltage dependence to depolarized potentials, whereas G752R significantly slowed DII-VSD kinetics. Both mutations slowed
I
Na
activation, although DII-VSD activation occurred at higher potentials (A735V) or at later times (G752R) than ionic current activation, indicating that the DII-VSD allosterically regulates the rate of
I
Na
activation and myocyte excitability.

Conclusions—

Our results reveal novel mechanisms whereby the Na
V
1.5 VSDs regulate channel activation and inactivation. The ability to distinguish distinct molecular mechanisms of proximal Brugada syndrome mutations demonstrates the potential of these methods to reveal how inherited mutations, post-translational modifications, and antiarrhythmic drugs alter Na
V
1.5 at the molecular level.
Rho-Associated Kinase Activity Is an Independent Predictor of Cardiovascular Events in Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Kajikawa Masato , Noma Kensuke , Nakashima Ayumu , Maruhashi Tatsuya , Iwamoto Yumiko , Matsumoto Takeshi , Iwamoto Akimichi , Oda Nozomu , Hidaka Takayuki , Kihara Yasuki , Aibara Yoshiki , Chayama Kazuaki , Sasaki Shota , Kato Masaya , Dote Keigo , Goto Chikara , Liao James K. , Higashi Yukihito
Published: August 2015

Rho-associated kinases play an important role in a variety of cellular functions. Although Rho-associated kinase activity has been shown to be an independent predictor for future cardiovascular events in a general population, there is no information on Rho-associated kinase activity in patients with acute coronary syndrome. We evaluated leukocyte Rho-associated kinase activity by Western blot analysis in 73 patients with acute coronary syndrome and 73 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Rho-associated kinase activity within 2 hours of acute coronary syndrome onset was higher in patients with acute coronary syndrome than in the control subjects (0.95±0.55 versus 0.69±0.31;
P
<0.001). Rho-associated kinase activity promptly increased from 0.95±0.55 to 1.11±0.81 after 3 hours and reached a peak of 1.21±0.76 after 1 day (
P
=0.03 and
P
=0.03, respectively) and then gradually decreased to 0.83±0.52 after 7 days, 0.78±0.42 after 14 days, and 0.72±0.30 after 6 months (
P
=0.22,
P
=0.29, and
P
=0.12, respectively). During a median follow-up period of 50.8 months, 31 first major cardiovascular events (death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and coronary revascularization) occurred. After adjustment for age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors, and concomitant treatment with statins, increased Rho-associated kinase activity was associated with increasing risk of first major cardiovascular events (hazard ratio, 4.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.98–11.34;
P
<0.001). These findings suggest that Rho-associated kinase activity is dramatically changed after acute coronary syndrome and that Rho-associated kinase activity could be a useful biomarker to predict cardiovascular events in Japanese patients with acute coronary syndrome.
Endogenous MicroRNAs in Human Microvascular Endothelial Cells Regulate mRNAs Encoded by Hypertension-Related Genes
Authors: Kriegel Alison J. , Baker Maria Angeles , Liu Yong , Liu Pengyuan , Cowley Allen W. , Liang Mingyu
Published: August 2015

The goal of this study was to systematically identify endogenous microRNAs (miRNAs) in endothelial cells that regulate mRNAs encoded by genes relevant to hypertension. Small RNA deep sequencing was performed in cultured human microvascular endothelial cells. Of the 50 most abundant miRNAs identified, 30 had predicted target mRNAs encoded by genes with known involvement in hypertension or blood pressure regulation. The cells were transfected with anti-miR oligonucleotides to inhibit each of the 30 miRNAs and the mRNA abundance of predicted targets was examined. Of 95 miRNA-target pairs examined, the target mRNAs were significantly upregulated in 35 pairs and paradoxically downregulated in 8 pairs. The result indicated significant suppression of the abundance of mRNA encoded by
ADM
by endogenous miR-181a-5p,
ATP2B1
by the miR-27 family,
FURIN
by miR-125a-5p,
FGF5
by the let-7 family,
GOSR2
by miR-27a-3p,
JAG1
by miR-21-5p,
SH2B3
by miR-30a-5p, miR-98, miR-181a-5p, and the miR-125 family,
TBX3
by the miR-92 family,
ADRA1B
by miR-22-3p,
ADRA2A
by miR-30a-5p and miR-30e-5p,
ADRA2B
by miR-30e-5p,
ADRB1
by the let-7 family and miR-98,
EDNRB
by the miR-92 family, and
NOX4
by the miR-92 family, miR-100-5p, and miR-99b-5p (n=3–9;
P
<0.05 versus scrambled anti-miR). Treatment with anti–miR-21 decreased blood pressure in mice fed a 4% NaCl diet. Inhibition of the miRNAs targeting
NOX4
mRNA increased H
2
O
2
release from endothelial cells. The findings indicate widespread, tonic control of mRNAs encoded by genes relevant to blood pressure regulation by endothelial miRNAs and provide a novel and uniquely informative basis for studying the role of miRNAs in hypertension.
Musical Meter Modulates the Allocation of Attention across Time
Authors: Fitzroy Ahren B. , Sanders Lisa D.
Published: August 2015

Dynamic attending theory predicts that attention is allocated hierarchically across time during processing of hierarchical rhythmic structures such as musical meter. ERP research demonstrates that attention to a moment in time modulates early auditory processing as evidenced by the amplitude of the first negative peak (N1) approximately 100 msec after sound onset. ERPs elicited by tones presented at times of high and low metric strength in short melodies were compared to test the hypothesis that hierarchically structured rhythms direct attention in a manner that modulates early perceptual processing. A more negative N1 was observed for metrically strong beats compared with metrically weak beats; this result provides electrophysiological evidence that hierarchical rhythms direct attention to metrically strong times during engaged listening. The N1 effect was observed only on fast tempo trials, suggesting that listeners more consistently invoke selective processing based on hierarchical rhythms when sounds are presented rapidly. The N1 effect was not modulated by musical expertise, indicating that the allocation of attention to metrically strong times is not dependent on extensive training. Additionally, changes in P2 amplitude and a late negativity were associated with metric strength under some conditions, indicating that multiple cognitive processes are associated with metric perception.
Differences in short-term vocal learning in parrots, a comparative study
Authors: Walløe Solveig , Thomsen Heidi , Balsby Thorsten J. , Dabelsteen Torben
Published: August 2015

Parrots are renowned for their vocal learning abilities. Yet only few parrot species have been investigated and empirically proven to possess vocal learning abilities. The aim of this study was to investigate if short-term vocal learning may be a widespread phenomenon among Psittaciformes. Through an interactive experiment we compare the ability of four parrot species, the peach-fronted conure (Aratinga aurea), the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), the peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) and the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), to vocally match playback of contact calls. All four species made an overall change to their contact call in response to the playback, and they also varied the degree of similarity with the playback call throughout the playback experiment. The peach-fronted conure showed the biggest overall changes to their contact calls by vocally matching the playback call and the budgerigar showed the least change. The cockatiel and the peach-faced lovebird showed intermediary levels of change making their calls overall less similar to the playback call. The peach-fronted conure responded with highest similarity to familiar individuals and the cockatiel responded with an overall higher similarity to female playback stimuli. Cockatiel males and budgerigar males responded with a higher call rate to playback than female conspecifics. Peach-faced lovebirds responded fastest to unfamiliar males. Based on the results we conclude that short-term vocal learning is a widespread phenomenon among parrots. The way short-term vocal learning is used however, differs between species suggesting that short-term vocal learning have different functions in different species.
Effects of lepidopteran eyespot components on the deterrence of predatory birds
Authors: Blut C. , Lunau K.
Published: August 2015

Circular markings, called eyespots, on the wings of Lepidoptera have been shown to be protective against predators. We tested the ‘conspicuousness-hypothesis’ and ‘eye mimicry-hypothesis’ by examining how ‘sparkle’ and colour pattern of eyespots deter predators. The rationale was to test the deterring effect of shape and colour pattern of the eyespots’ elements that are assumed to mimic lens eyes, namely iris, pupil, and sparkle by simultaneous exposure of lepidopteran dummies with equally conspicuous eyespots that differed in their similarity to lens eyes. The results provide evidence that circular and crescent-shaped ‘sparkles’ were more deterring than rectangular-shaped ‘sparkles’. The ‘sparkle’s’ UV-reflection had no effect on the deterrence. Our results support recent findings on the deterrent effect of the eyespot’s ‘sparkle’ and show that colour is less important for deterrence. The characteristic colour pattern of eyespots and illusion of three-dimensionality created by the ‘sparkle’ might contribute to the deterrent effect.
Escape strategy of Schreiber’s green lizards (Lacerta schreiberi) is determined by environment but not season or sex
Authors: Kopena Renáta , Herczeg Gábor , López Pilar , Martín José
Published: August 2015

Antipredator escape behaviour varies with several well-established sources of variation ranging from the physical environment to reproductive status. However, the relative roles of these sources are rarely assessed together. We measured (i) the distance to the nearest refuge that Schreiber’s green lizards, Lacerta schreiberi, maintained before an attack (refuge distance) and (ii) the distance lizards allowed a simulated predator to approach before fleeing (flight initiation distance, FID). Refuge distance was unaffected by studied variables. However, FID was positively related to refuge distance on grassy, but not on rocky substrates. Furthermore, refuge distance and escape angle interacted in a substrate-independent manner: lizards allowed predators close when refuges were close or when lizards had to flee towards the predator. In contrast, neither mating season nor sex affected FID. We suggest that the escape strategy of L. schreiberi is determined more by the physical environment than by sex or reproductive condition.
Babu wa Loliondo—Healing the Tensions between Tanzanian Worlds
Authors: Vähäkangas Mika
Published: August 2015

Tanzanian Ambilikile Mwasapila aka Babu wa Loliondo, a retired Lutheran countryside pastor, suddenly became the most visible media personality and healer in East Africa for half a year in 2011. He had received dreams in which God provided him with the recipe for a herbal medicine that would heal all maladies. Lutheran bishops who had all but abandoned the elderly pastor in his former remote mission field eagerly approved his ministry, while reception in Charismatic churches was mixed. After initial suspicion, the government strongly backed him, and the national research hospital vaguely endorsed the medicine, which is essentially the same as traditional medicine in several ethnic groups. Thus, in this ministry modern scientific, Christian, and traditional worldviews suddenly corresponded, thereby easing the tensions between the three lifeworlds of Tanzanian Christians. After the deaths of severalhiv-positive patients who had abandoned antiretroviral (arv) drugs, the magic of the healer vanished.
Judicial Definition of Torture as a Paradigm of Cross-fertilisation: Combining Harmonisation and Expansion
Authors: Maculan Elena
Published: August 2015

This article analyses how the ad hoc International Criminal Tribunals have implemented European Court of Human Rights case law with regard to the definition of torture as a paradigm of the phenomenon of cross-fertilisation. Reliance on European jurisprudence has fostered a twofold evolution in the concept of torture. This may be described, on the one hand, in terms of overcoming the fragmented normative framework towards harmonisation of the definition of the offence. On the other hand, it has also caused a significant and somewhat problematic broadening of its scope. In addition, the case study offers some insights as to the method applied by Courts in the selection and interpretation of external sources, as well as to some possible misuses of these references. The judicial interpretation of torture provides therefore some relevant suggestions that could both enhance the potentialities of cross-fertilisation and overcome its dangers.
The Disconcerting Popularity of Popular In/justice in the Fizi/Uvira Region, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Verweijen Judith
Published: August 2015

This article analyses the disconcerting phenomenon of ‘popular in/justice’, or killings of citizens enacted by other citizens ‘in the name of justice’. It studies these practices in the Fizi/Uvira region in the conflict-ridden eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they target either suspected criminals or presumed sorcerers. The article locates the causes for this phenomenon in certain transformations of socio-political space, notably the unsettling of customary and politico-administrative authority, dysfunctional state-led justice and security services, and the militarisation of local governance. These developments have compounded dispute processing and handling the occult, leading these processes to often turn violent. They also incentivise and enable politically and socio-economically marginalised yet demographically numerous groups to assert socio-political agency and engage in order-making. The article concludes by arguing that popular in/justice should be seen as an expression of such aspirations to exercise efficacious socio-political agency, thereby constituting a perverse form of democratisation.
Vigilantes, Witches and Vampires: How Moral Populism Shapes Social Accountability in Northern Uganda
Authors: Allen Tim
Published: August 2015

Strange murders have occurred in northern Uganda. Blood is said to have been removed from the victims, and there are tales about child sacrifice and terrifying witchcraft. An ‘election’ was organised to select the culprit, known as ‘Mr Red’, and vigilante mobs have destroyed his property. This article places these events in context, and shows how understandings of the spirit world, religion, and wealth accumulation relate to local notions about egregious acts. No conventional evidence has been found to show that the man accused is responsible for any crimes, but he has been imprisoned, and has had threats on his life. The case illustrates widespread phenomena, which are too often ignored, and draws attention to the ways in which local elites draw on strategies of moral populism to establish and maintain their public authority.
“They Are Now Community Police”: Negotiating the Boundaries and Nature of the Government in South Sudan through the Identity of Militarised Cattle-keepers
Authors: Pendle Naomi
Published: August 2015

Armed, cattle-herding men in Africa are often assumed to be at a relational and spatial distance from the ‘legitimate’ armed forces of the government. The vision constructed of the South Sudanese government in 2005 by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement removed legitimacy from non-government armed groups including localised, armed, defence forces that protected communities and cattle. Yet, militarised cattle-herding men of South Sudan have had various relationships with the governing Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement/Army over the last thirty years, blurring the government – non government boundary. With tens of thousands killed since December 2013 in South Sudan, questions are being asked about options for justice especially for governing elites. A contextual understanding of the armed forces and their relationship to government over time is needed to understand the genesis and apparent legitimacy of this violence.
The Recurrence of the Evolutionary Epic
Authors: Hesketh Ian
Published: August 2015

In his 1978 On Human Nature, Edward Wilson defined the evolutionary epic as the scientific story of all life, a linear narrative beginning with the big bang and ending with the story of human history. Since that time several popular science writers have attempted to write that story of life producing such titles as The Universe Story (1992)and The Epic of Evolution (2006). Historians have also gotten into the act under the guise of “Big History,” which has resulted in a series of monographs and is taught at several universities and high schools throughout the world. While the evolutionary epic is often presented as a novel way of bringing the historical insights of modern science into a narrative form that transcends the humanities–natural science divide, the genre itself originates in the nineteenth century, just as new geological and cosmic timescales were being established and new sciences such as biology and anthropology were being formalized. Several German Naturphilosophen and Victorian naturalists imagined the history of life as one, as a “Cosmos,” and produced evolutionary epics that bare significant similarities with their more modern counterparts. By considering the various recurrences of the evolutionary epic, from its origins in early German Romanticism and Victorian naturalism to the degeneration narratives of the fin de siècle and on to the Wilsonian and Big History versions of the late twentieth century and beyond, this essay seeks to map out a shared intellectual genealogy while examining the genre’s conceptual commonalities. What is perhaps most compelling about the history of the genre is the striking persistence of non-Darwinian forms of evolution that are utilized to situate the emergence of humanity in these epic narratives of life.
The Hidden History of the Cosmopolitan Concept
Authors: Penman Leigh T.I.
Published: August 2015

Despite the ubiquity of contemporary debate in learned and popular cultures concerning the place of the cosmopolitan and cosmopolitanism, the historical background to this peculiarly Western vision of world unity remains understudied and virtually unknown. This is particularly the case, rather surprisingly, for the early modern period, when the term “cosmopolite” reappeared in European vocabularies for the first time since antiquity. It is during this period, however, that the most significant, enduring and problematic features of the cosmopolitan concept are articulated, particularly in those conceptions of world community which drew on Pauline notions of heavenly citizenship. Employing a modified Begriffsgeschichtliche approach, this article utilizes several case studies of cosmopolitan thought from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries – including Erasmus, Guillaume Postel, Johann Valentin Andreae and others – in order to critique the history of the concept of the cosmopolitan. This essay argues, on the basis of this evidence, that there is an aporia which is constitutive of cosmopolitan concept, and which impacts on all attempts to understand, analyse and apply the category from antiquity to the present. Namely, although the cosmopolitan ideal is a peculiarly Western mythology which has always possessed a patina of benevolent inclusivity, it is contingent on establishing boundaries and establishing exclusivity.
“Big History” Old and New: Presuppositions, Limits, Alternatives
Authors: Megill Allan
Published: August 2015

In recent years David Christian and others have promoted “Big History” as an innovative approach to the study of the past. The present paper juxtaposes to Big History an old Big History, namely, the tradition of “universal history” that flourished in Europe from the mid-sixteenth century until well into the nineteenth century. The claim to universality of works in that tradition depended on the assumed truth of Christianity, a fact that was fully acknowledged by the tradition’s adherents. The claim of the new Big History to universality likewise depends on prior assumptions. Simply stated, in its various manifestations the “new” Big History is rooted either in a continuing theology, or in a form of materialism that is assumed to be determinative of human history, or in a somewhat contradictory amalgam of the two. The present paper suggests that “largest-scale history” as exemplified in the old and new Big Histories is less a contribution to historical knowledge than it is a narrativization of one or another worldview. Distinguishing between largest-scale history and history that is “merely” large-scale, the paper also suggests that a better approach to meeting the desire for large scale in historical writing is through more modest endeavors, such as large-scale comparative history, network and exchange history, thematic history, and history of modernization.
Eremocoris juquilianus a new bug species from the mountains in Oaxaca, Mexico (Hemiptera: Rhyparochromidae: Drymini): with description of the immature stages
Authors: Peredo Luis Cervantes , Brailovsky Harry , Santacruz Jezabel Baez , Brailovsky Harry , Santacruz Jezabel Baez
Published: August 2015

The genus Eremocoris Fieber is represented by 43 species, and three subspecies, 14 and 3 are Palearctic, 5 Oriental, 3 Afrotropical and 21 Nearctic. 14 species are recorded in Mexico.  This contribution contains descriptions and illustrations of the adult and all immature stages of Eremocoris juquilianus sp. nov. and notes on its biology, habitat, and distribution in Mexico.
Global Relationship between Fronts and Warm Conveyor Belts and the Impact on Extreme Precipitation*
Authors: Catto Jennifer L. , Madonna Erica , Joos Hanna , Rudeva Irina , Simmonds Ian
Published: August 2015

Extratropical cyclones are responsible for many extreme precipitation events in the midlatitudes. Warm conveyor belts (WCBs) and fronts are known to be related to the uplift and hence the precipitation within cyclones. The authors have investigated the link between WCBs and fronts and how such a link impacts the occurrence of extreme precipitation events. WCB trajectories have been calculated from the ERA-Interim dataset, and low-level (below 790 hPa) and midlevel (790–600 hPa) WCBs have been considered. These have been matched with objectively identified fronts (i.e., characterized by an overlap of WCB and front somewhere along the front). About 10% of cold fronts, 8% of warm fronts (identified using a thermal criterion), and 15% of wind fronts (identified using a wind shift method) are matched with WCBs, while up to 70% of WCBs are matched with fronts. Some WCBs, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, are not matched with either type of front (up to 70% east of Australia). The relationship between WCBs and fronts does not change much between the low levels and midlevels, indicating that the WCBs are already strongly associated with fronts during the lowest part of their ascent, although in the Southern Hemisphere the WCBs are more often related to warm fronts during their midtropospheric ascent. In parts of the midlatitudes, more than 60% of extreme precipitation events match either cold or warm fronts, and up to 90% of these have matched WCBs. Fronts associated with WCBs are found to be between 2 and 10 times more likely to produce extreme precipitation events than fronts without associated WCBs.
Effect of Upper-Ocean Evolution on Projected Trends in Tropical Cyclone Activity
Authors: Emanuel Kerry
Published: August 2015

Recent work has highlighted the possible importance of changing upper-ocean thermal and density stratification on observed and projected changes in tropical cyclone activity. Here seven CMIP phase 5 (CMIP5)-generation climate model simulations are downscaled under IPCC representative concentration pathway 8.5 using a coupled atmosphere–ocean tropical cyclone model, generating 100 events per year in the western North Pacific from 2006 to 2100. A control downscaling in which the upper-ocean thermal structure is fixed at its monthly values in the year 2006 is compared to one in which the upper ocean is allowed to evolve, as derived from the CMIP5 models. As found in earlier work, the thermal stratification generally increases as the climate warms, leading to increased ocean mixing–induced negative feedback on tropical cyclone intensity. While trends in the frequency of storms are unaffected, the increasing stratification of the upper ocean leads to a 13% reduction in the increase of tropical cyclone power dissipation over the twenty-first century, averaged across the seven climate models. Much of this reduction is associated with a moderation of the increase in the frequency of category-5 storms.