bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solvation environment effects on the photoisomerization equilibrium of the model tannins catechin and epicatechin as natural sunscreens in aquatic systems
Authors: Rayne Sierra , Forest Kaya
Published: September 2016

The photoisomerization equilibrium between the model tannins (-)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin in aqueous solution was investigated at the density functional level of theory to gain insights into the action of these compounds as natural sunscreens in aquatic systems. Increasing water temperature, as might be expected on seasonal and diurnal bases, is predicted to shift the equilibrium further in favor of catechin. The isomerization energy between catechin and epicatechin was also considered in a range of polar protic, polar aprotic, apolar protic, and apolar aprotic solvents using the solvation model based on density (SMD) and integral equation formalism polarizable continuum model (IEFPCM). The IEFPCM yielded a modest range in isomerization energies depending on solvent polarity or proticity, whereas a substantial variation was observed with the SMD. The SMD results suggest that the solvation environment around catechin and epicatechin will play a major role on the photoisomerization equilibrium between these two compounds. As the freely dissolved monomer in aquatic systems, the catechin–epicatechin photoisomerization equilibrium will be in the range of 11:1 to 14:1. In the less polar environments of associations with dissolved organic matter or within a larger tannin structural framework, the theoretical modeling efforts indicate that the catechin–epicatechin photoisomerization equilibrium could be as low as 3:1.
Pivot–slide model of the motion of a curling rock
Authors: Shegelski Mark R.A. , Lozowski Edward
Published: September 2016

We present the framework of a new mathematical model to account for the curl of a curling rock. The model is based upon two physical processes: a brief pivot of the rock around a point directly beneath the contact annulus, followed by a longer slide. The model predictions agree with observed curl distances on pebbled ice. The model also gives a weak dependence of the curl distance on the rate of rotation of the rock, in agreement with observations. We suggest possible physical mechanisms to initiate these two processes.
The eggs of the apple snailPomacea maculataare defended by indigestible polysaccharides and toxic proteins
Authors: Giglio M.L. , Ituarte S. , Pasquevich M.Y. , Heras H.
Published: September 2016

The freshwater snails Pomacea Perry, 1810 lay conspicuous aerial egg clutches that are ignored by most predators. Egg biochemical defenses in the apple snail Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1822) are provided by multifunctional proteins. We analyzed the eggs of a sympatric species, Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810, studying the gross composition, toxicity, hemagglutinating activity, and its antinutritive and antidigestive properties. Eggs are mostly composed of polysaccharides (mainly galactogen) and proteins, followed by lipids and nonsoluble calcium. Two perivitellins account for ∼85% dry mass of the egg protein. The major lipids are phospholipids and sterols. A suite of potential defenses was determined, including strong lethal neurotoxicity on mice and moderate antidigestive and lectin activities. Remarkably, their polysaccharides were refractive to in vitro digestion by digestive glycosidases. This study characterized ∼99% of egg composition and identified multiple potential defenses, provided not only by proteins but also by polysaccharides. This is the first evidence to our knowledge that reserve sugars may be involved in defenses, giving further insight into the unusual reproductive strategy of these well-defended snail eggs.
On the Proof Complexity of Paris-Harrington and Off-Diagonal Ramsey Tautologies
Authors: Carlucci Lorenzo , Galesi Nicola , Lauria Massimo
Published: September 2016

We study the proof complexity of Paris-Harrington’s Large Ramsey Theorem for bi-colorings of graphs and of off-diagonal Ramsey’s Theorem. For Paris-Harrington, we prove a non-trivial conditional lower bound in Resolution and a non-trivial upper bound in bounded-depth Frege. The lower bound is conditional on a (very reasonable) hardness assumption for a weak (quasi-polynomial) Pigeonhole principle in R
es
(2). We show that under such an assumption, there is no refutation of the Paris-Harrington formulas of size quasi-polynomial in the number of propositional variables. The proof technique for the lower bound extends the idea of using a combinatorial principle to blow up a counterexample for another combinatorial principle beyond the threshold of inconsistency. A strong link with the proof complexity of an unbalanced off-diagonal Ramsey principle is established. This is obtained by adapting some constructions due to Erdős and Mills. We prove a non-trivial Resolution lower bound for a family of such off-diagonal Ramsey principles.
Interpolations of Smoke and Liquid Simulations
Authors: Thuerey Nils
Published: September 2016

We present a novel method to interpolate smoke and liquid simulations in order to perform data-driven fluid simulations. Our approach calculates a dense space-time deformation using grid-based signed-distance functions of the inputs.

A key advantage of this implicit Eulerian representation is that it allows us to use powerful techniques from the optical flow area. We employ a five-dimensional optical flow solve. In combination with a projection algorithm, and residual iterations, we achieve a robust matching of the inputs. Once the match is computed, arbitrary in-between variants can be created very efficiently. To concatenate multiple long-range deformations, we propose a novel alignment technique.

Our approach has numerous advantages, including automatic matches without user input, volumetric deformations that can be applied to details around the surface, and the inherent handling of topology changes. As a result, we can interpolate swirling smoke clouds, and splashing liquid simulations. We can even match and interpolate phenomena with fundamentally different physics: a drop of liquid, and a blob of heavy smoke.
Evolutionary Legacy Effects on Ecosystems: Biogeographic Origins, Plant Traits, and Implications for Management in the Era of Global Change
Authors: Cavender-Bares Jeannine , Ackerly David D. , Hobbie Sarah E. , Townsend Philip A.
Published: September 2016

Biogeographic origins of plant lineages are often reflected in species functional traits, with consequences for community assembly, diversity, and ecosystem function. The climatic and environmental conditions in which species evolved have lasting influence (legacy effects) through phylogenetic conservatism of traits that underlie community assembly and drive ecosystem processes. Legacy effects that influence community assembly may have direct consequences for ecosystem function or may be linked, owing to lineage history, to traits that impact ecosystems. Evolutionary priority effects, driven by the order of colonization and lineage diversification, as well as migration barriers and historical environmental changes, have shaped the diversity and composition of regional floras and their ecosystem functions. We examine the likely consequences of biogeographic history for plant responses to global change and consider how understanding linkages between biogeographic origins, functional traits, and ecosystem consequences can aid the management and restoration of ecosystems globally in the face of rapid environmental change.
Carbon Lock-In: Types, Causes, and Policy Implications
Authors: Seto Karen C. , Davis Steven J. , Mitchell Ronald B. , Stokes Eleanor C. , Unruh Gregory , Ürge-Vorsatz Diana
Published: September 2016

Existing technologies, institutions, and behavioral norms together act to constrain the rate and magnitude of carbon emissions reductions in the coming decades. The inertia of carbon emissions due to such mutually reinforcing physical, economic, and social constraints is referred to as carbon lock-in. Carbon lock-in is a special case of path dependency, which is common in the evolution of complex systems. However, carbon lock-in is particularly prone to entrenchment given the large capital costs, long infrastructure lifetimes, and interrelationships between the socioeconomic and technical systems involved. Further, the urgency of efforts to avoid dangerous climate change exacerbates the liability of even small lock-in risks. Although carbon lock-in has been recognized for years, efforts to characterize the types and causes of carbon lock-in, or to quantitatively assess and evaluate its policy implications, have been limited and scattered across a number of different disciplines. This systematic review of the literature synthesizes what is known about the types and causes of carbon lock-in, including the scale, magnitude, and longevity of the effects, and policy implications. We identify three main types of carbon lock-in and describe how they coevolve: (a) infrastructural and technological, (b) institutional, and (c) behavioral. Although each type of lock-in has its own set of processes, all three are tightly intertwined and contribute to the inertia of carbon emissions. We outline the conditions, opportunities, and strategies for fostering transitions toward less-carbon-intensive emissions trajectories. We conclude by proposing a carbon lock-in research agenda that can help bridge the gaps between science, knowledge, and policy-making.
Education Financing and Student Lending
Authors: Amromin Gene , Eberly Janice
Published: September 2016

As the cost of education rises and student debt reaches new highs, more research has focused on financing the acquisition of human capital. Most research has had a positive focus, examining the effect of debt on student choices and outcomes. However, because education financing involves many public policy choices, normative questions have become more prominent. We discuss the trade-offs involved in these choices and propose simple models to help shape these questions. We first develop an overlapping generations framework of student debt to examine the macroeconomic impact of shifting from a parent-funded to a student debt–based financing system. We then consider a framework that includes the supply-side response to different funding regimes; that is, how do enrollment and tuition decisions of schools respond to changes in education financing?

We show that shifting from parent-based funding to a student loan program can lower aggregate savings, although welfare still improves if education has a higher return than physical capital investment. A public student loan program also tends to promote enrollment at the cost of higher tuition at for-profit schools and deteriorating loan performance, paid for by taxpayers. Alternative contract designs, with school participation in the lending program, tend to ameliorate these issues.
Phoretic Self-Propulsion
Authors: Moran Jeffrey L. , Posner Jonathan D.
Published: September 2016

It is well-known that micro- and nanoparticles can move by phoretic effects in response to externally imposed gradients of scalar quantities such as chemical concentration or electric potential. A class of active colloids can propel themselves through aqueous media by generating local gradients of concentration and electrical potential via surface reactions. Phoretic active colloids can be controlled using external stimuli and can mimic collective behaviors exhibited by many biological swimmers. Low–Reynolds number physicochemical hydrodynamics imposes unique challenges and constraints that must be understood for the practical potential of active colloids to be realized. Here, we review the rich physics underlying the operation of phoretic active colloids, describe their interactions and collective behaviors, and discuss promising directions for future research.
Transition Metals and Virulence in Bacteria
Authors: Palmer Lauren D. , Skaar Eric P.
Published: September 2016

Transition metals are required trace elements for all forms of life. Due to their unique inorganic and redox properties, transition metals serve as cofactors for enzymes and other proteins. In bacterial pathogenesis, the vertebrate host represents a rich source of nutrient metals, and bacteria have evolved diverse metal acquisition strategies. Host metal homeostasis changes dramatically in response to bacterial infections, including production of metal sequestering proteins and the bombardment of bacteria with toxic levels of metals. In response, bacteria have evolved systems to subvert metal sequestration and toxicity. The coevolution of hosts and their bacterial pathogens in the battle for metals has uncovered emerging paradigms in social microbiology, rapid evolution, host specificity, and metal homeostasis across domains. This review focuses on recent advances and open questions in our understanding of the complex role of transition metals at the host-pathogen interface.
The Road to Certainty and Back
Authors: Westheimer Gerald
Published: September 2016

The author relates his intellectual journey from eye-testing clinician to experimental vision scientist. Starting with the quest for underpinning in physics and physiology of vague clinical propositions and of psychology's acceptance of thresholds as “fuzzy-edged,” and a long career pursuing a reductionist agenda in empirical vision science, his journey led to the realization that the full understanding of human vision cannot proceed without factoring in an observer's awareness, with its attendant uncertainty and open-endedness. He finds support in the loss of completeness, finality, and certainty revealed in fundamental twentieth-century formulations of mathematics and physics. Just as biology prospered with the introduction of the emergent, nonreductionist concepts of evolution, vision science has to become comfortable accepting data and receiving guidance from human observers’ conscious visual experience.
BRCA1-Mutated Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer Shows BRCAness, Suggesting Sensitivity to Drugs Targeting Homologous Recombination Deficiency
Authors: Lips Esther H. , Debipersad Rashmie D. , Scheerman Caroline E. , Mulder Lennart , Sonke Gabe S. , van der Kolk Lizet E. , Wesseling Jelle , Hogervorst Frans B.L. , Nederlof Petra M.
Published: September 2016

Purpose: As estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers arises at an older age with less aggressive tumor characteristics than ER-negative (ER−) BRCA1-mutated breast cancer, it has been suggested that these tumors are “sporadic” and not BRCA1 driven. With the introduction of targeted treatments specific for tumors with a nonfunctioning BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, the question whether the BRCA genes are impaired in the tumor is highly relevant. Therefore, we performed genomic profiling of BRCA1-mutated ER+ tumors.

Experimental Design: Genomic profiling, BRCA1 promoter methylation assessment, and loss of heterozygosity analysis were done on 16 BRCA1-mutated ER+ tumors. Results were compared with 57 BRCA1-mutated ER− tumors, 36 BRCA2-mutated ER+-associated tumors, and 182 sporadic ER+ tumors.

Results: The genomic profile of BRCA1-mutated ER+ tumors was different from BRCA1-mutated ER− breast tumors, but highly similar to BRCA2-mutated ER+ tumors. In 83% of the BRCA1-mutated ER+ tumors, loss of the wild-type BRCA1 allele was observed. In addition, clinicopathologic variables in BRCA1-mutated ER+ cancer were also more similar to BRCA2-mutated ER+ and sporadic ER+ breast cancer than to BRCA1-mutated ER− cancers.

Conclusions: As BRCA1-mutated ER+ tumors show a BRCAness copy number profile and LOH, it is likely that the loss of a functional BRCA1 protein plays a role in tumorigenesis in BRCA1-mutated ER+ tumors. Therefore, we hypothesize that these tumors are sensitive to drugs targeting the BRCA1 gene defect, providing new targeted treatment modalities for advanced BRCA-deficient, ER+ breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 23(5); 1236–41. ©2016 AACR.
Estrogen Drives Cellular Transformation and Mutagenesis in Cells Expressing the Breast Cancer–Associated R438W DNA Polymerase Lambda Protein
Authors: Nemec Antonia A. , Bush Korie B. , Towle-Weicksel Jamie B. , Taylor B. Frazier , Schulz Vincent , Weidhaas Joanne B. , Tuck David P. , Sweasy Joann B.
Published: September 2016

Repair of DNA damage is critical for maintaining the genomic integrity of cells. DNA polymerase lambda (POLL/Pol λ) is suggested to function in base excision repair (BER) and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ), and is likely to play a role in damage tolerance at the replication fork. Here, using next-generation sequencing, it was discovered that the POLL rs3730477 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) encoding R438W Pol λ was significantly enriched in the germlines of breast cancer patients. Expression of R438W Pol λ in human breast epithelial cells induces cellular transformation and chromosomal aberrations. The role of estrogen was assessed as it is commonly used in hormone replacement therapies and is a known breast cancer risk factor. Interestingly, the combination of estrogen treatment and the expression of the R438W Pol λ SNP drastically accelerated the rate of transformation. Estrogen exposure produces 8-oxoguanine lesions that persist in cells expressing R438W Pol λ compared with wild-type (WT) Pol λ–expressing cells. Unlike WT Pol λ, which performs error-free bypass of 8-oxoguanine lesions, expression of R438W Pol λ leads to an increase in mutagenesis and replicative stress in cells treated with estrogen. Together, these data suggest that individuals who carry the rs3730477 POLL germline variant have an increased risk of estrogen-associated breast cancer.

Implications: The Pol λ R438W mutation can serve as a biomarker to predict cancer risk and implicates that treatment with estrogen in individuals with this mutation may further increase their risk of breast cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 14(11); 1068–77. ©2016 AACR.
The Association Between Adiponectin, Serum Uric Acid and Urinary Markers of Renal Damage in the General Population: Cross-Sectional Data from the Tromsø Study
Authors: Solbu Marit D. , Norvik Jon V. , Storhaug Hilde M. , Eriksen Bjørn O. , Melsom Toralf , Eggen Anne Elise , Zykova Svetlana N. , Kronborg Jens B. , Jenssen Trond G.
Published: September 2016

Background/Aims: Uric acid may cause renal damage, whereas adiponectin in some studies has been reported to have renoprotective properties. The renoprotective role of adiponectin under the influence of hyperuricemia has not been explored. We assessed the cross-sectional association between adiponectin, serum uric acid (SUA) and urinary biomarkers of glomerular and tubular damage (albumin-creatinine ratio [ACR] and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase-creatinine ratio [NAG-CR]) in a large cohort from a general population. Methods: Three urine specimens from 7062 persons, participating in the Tromsø Study, were collected. The adjusted associations between adiponectin and SUA as independent variables, and ACR ≥1.13 mg/mmol (albuminuria) and the upper gender specific 15 percentile of NAG-CR (high NAG-CR) as dependent variables, were assessed. Results: Mean (standard deviation) age of the participants was 63.5 (9.2) years. Adiponectin was positively associated with albuminuria and high NAG-CR. SUA was associated with albuminuria (odds ratio [OR] 1.13; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.05-1.21 per 59 µmol/L increase), but not with NAG-CR. There were no statistically significant interactions between SUA and adiponectin. Conclusions: Unexpectedly, adiponectin was positively associated with both urinary markers of renal damage. SUA was positively associated with albuminuria only. SUA and adiponectin added little beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors to predict renal damage and did not interact in their associations with the urinary biomarkers. Longitudinal studies are needed before firm conclusions can be made.
Cumulative High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion Rate and Need for Surgical Intervention of Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance Cytology-Diagnosed Patients: A Prospective Study
Authors: Petousis Stamatios , Kalogiannidis Ioannis , Margioula-Siarkou Chrysoula , Mamopoulos Apostolos , Mavromatidis George , Prapas Nikolaos , Rousso David
Published: September 2016

Objective: Τhe study aimed to study the rate of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) that progressed to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSIL), as well as the number of patients who finally necessitated a surgical intervention during follow-up. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on patients admitted for colposcopy during 2007-2012. We exclusively included those who presented with newly ASCUS diagnosis, while patients with a history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) were excluded. Primary end points were the cumulative rate of HGSIL during follow-up and the rate of surgical procedures performed because of such lesions. Results: There were 134 ASCUS cases included. Overall, there were 48 (35.8%) surgical excision procedures performed to treat or eliminate HGSIL during the follow-up period. According to the final histopathology of surgical specimens, the cumulative rate of CIN2 or higher cervical lesions was 28.4% (n = 38). Conclusion: The cumulative rate of CIN2+ during follow-up period was almost 30% for patients with ASCUS, with the necessity for interventional treatment being even higher.
Clostridium septicum: An Unusual Link to a Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed
Authors: Jessamy Kegan , Ojevwe Fidelis O. , Ubagharaji Ezinnaya , Sharma Anuj , Anozie Obiajulu , Gilman Christy Ann , Rawlins Sekou
Published: September 2016

Clostridium septicum is a highly virulent pathogen which is associated with colorectal malignancy, hematological malignancy, immunosuppression, diabetes mellitus and cyclical neutropenia. Presentation may include disseminated clostridial infection in the form of septicemia, gas gangrene, and mycotic aortic aneurysms. We report the case of a 62-year-old female presenting with necrotizing fasciitis of her left thigh and subsequently developing rectal bleeding. While she was being treated with empiric antibiotics, her blood culture was found to be positive for C. septicum. We would like to highlight the importance of early colorectal cancer screening in minimizing the occurrence of undetected tumors which provide an optimal growth environment for C. septicum, leading to localized and/or remote infection.
The Systemic Management of Advanced Melanoma in 2016
Authors: Heppt Markus V. , Dietrich Cecilia , Graf Saskia A. , Ruzicka Thomas , Tietze Julia K. , Berking Carola
Published: September 2016

Melanoma is a common type of skin cancer with a high propensity to metastasize. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and immune checkpoint blockade have recently revolutionized the management of unresectable and metastatic disease. However, acquired resistance and primary non-response to therapy require novel treatment strategies and combinations. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief and up-to-date overview on the clinical management and current trial landscape in melanoma. We summarize the most pertinent studies on BRAF/MEK inhibitors and blockade of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). Although most agents show robust antitumor efficacy as single agents, further improvements have been achieved by the combination of both approved and developing drugs. We discuss ongoing trials and evaluate future approaches that may provide additional efficacy with less toxicity.
Incidence and Predictors of Febrile Neutropenia among Early-Stage Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Anthracycline-Based Chemotherapy in Korea
Authors: Kim Hye Sook , Lee Suk Young , Kim Ju Won , Choi Yoon Ji , Park In Hae , Lee Keun Seok , Seo Jae Hong , Shin Sang Won , Kim Yeul Hong , Kim Jun Suk , Park Kyong Hwa
Published: September 2016

Objective: This retrospective study was undertaken to assess the incidence of and risk factors for febrile neutropenia (FN) during adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer (ESBC). Methods: A multicenter survey of three tertiary hospitals was conducted, with data extracted from the records of ESBC patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy containing AC (doxorubicin, 60 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide, 600 mg/m2 every 21 days). Assessments included clinical characteristics, chemotherapy dose modifications, and incidence of FN. Results: A total of 610 patients were included for analysis. The incidence of grade 4 neutropenia and FN was 44.6 and 8.5%, respectively. Reduced relative dose intensity (RDI) less than 85% occurred in 11.0% of patients, and there were treatment delays in 12.6% of patients. Multivariate analysis identified several independent predictors for FN, including the presence of grade 4 neutropenia and pretreatment calculated estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 ml/min. Conclusion: Patients with ESBC are at substantial risk for FN and reduced RDI when treated with adjuvant AC chemotherapy. Predictive models based on risk factors identified in this study should enable the selective application of supportive measures in an effort to deliver the full dose of chemotherapy.
Predictive Parameters Identifying Men Eligible for a Sole MRI/Ultrasound Fusion-Guided Targeted Biopsy without an Additional Systematic Biopsy
Authors: Günzel Karsten , Haas Matthias , Maxeiner Andreas , Stephan Carsten , Buckendahl John , Asbach Patrick , Miller Kurt , Kempkensteffen Carsten , Cash Hannes
Published: September 2016

Objective: Evaluating the predictive factors that enable identifying men in which a sole MRI/ultrasound (MRI/US) fusion-guided targeted biopsy (TB) detects the maximal prostate cancer (PCa) risk group. Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 251 consecutive patients who received a sensor-based, real-time MRI/US TB in combination with a 10-core systematic biopsy (SB) between August 2013 and July 2015. Univariate and multivariate binary regression analyses were performed to evaluate the predictors for equal/superior detection of the PCa risk group by TB compared to SB. Results: TB detected PCa in 63% (157/251); SB detected PCa in 70% (176/251); a combination of TB and SB detected PCa in 77% (193/251) of cancer patients. Fifty percent (291/584) of TB cores and 22% (539/2,486) of SB cores showed PCa. Predictors for equal/superior performance of a sole TB were lesion size (maximal diameter; OR 1.050, 95% CI 1.002-1.101, p = 0.043), suspicious digital rectal examination (DRE; OR 2.448, 95% CI 1.062-5.645, p = 0.036) and free/total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ratio (f/t PSA ratio) ≤0.15 (OR 0.916, 95% CI 0.867-0.967, p = 0.002) on univariate regression analysis and f/t PSA ratio ≤0.15 (OR 0.916, 95% CI 0.867-0.967, p = 0.002) on multivariate regression analysis. Conclusion: The maximal axial diameter of the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System-lesion and f/t PSA ratio and a suspicious DRE are possible selection criteria for men eligible for a sole MRI/US fusion-guided targeted prostate biopsy.
Two Cases of True Uterine Artery Aneurysms Diagnosed during Pregnancy
Authors: Schlütter Jacob Mørup , Johansen Gry , Helmig Rikke Bek , Petersen Olav Bjørn
Published: September 2016

We report 2 cases of true uterine artery aneurysms diagnosed during pregnancy. Both cases presented with nonspecific symptoms such as urethral obstruction, minimal vaginal bleeding and lower abdominal pain in the 2nd trimester. Both aneurysms were diagnosed by color Doppler ultrasound. In the first case labor was induced at 37 + 4 weeks of gestation. However, due to sudden fetal distress and maternal abdominal pain, an emergency Caesarean section was performed during labor, and 3 liters of intra-peritoneal blood were encountered upon laparotomy, secondary to a ruptured uterine artery aneurysm. In the second case, an elective Caesarean section was scheduled at 38 + 3 weeks of gestation, and the delivery and postpartum period were uncomplicated. Albeit a rare condition, a uterine artery aneurysm should be among the differential diagnosis considered in pregnant women who present with pelvic and vaginal masses, vague bladder symptoms or radiating pelvic pain. The diagnosis is readily made by color Doppler imaging. Elective Caesarean section should be the preferred mode of delivery to avoid rupture of the aneurysm during labor.
A Intersecção entre Peregrino e Turista Religioso: os diferentes caminhos ao sagrado
Authors: Rocha Thiago Vinicius Cipriano , Belchior Maria Helena Cavalcanti da Silva
Published: September 2016

Dado que o turismo religioso apresenta-se atualmente como um dos segmentos da atividade turística com maior crescimento e desenvolvimento, bem como a exígua produção acadêmica que trata sobre este tema, atrelado a ambiguidades e imprecisões epistemológicas quanto ao uso de categorias temáticas ligadas ao turismo religioso, surge este trabalho com o objetivo de descobrir qual a diferença entre o peregrino e o turista religioso. Buscou-se através do levantamento da origem e desenvolvimento histórico da peregrinação e do turismo religioso, identificar características pertinentes ao peregrino e ao turista religioso, com o intuito de produzir a sistematização teórica acerca da diferença entre estes dois atores. Este trabalho resulta na proposição de um modelo teórico de análise, contendo a sistematização teórica da relação existente entre peregrino e turista religioso, baseado na pesquisa e análise de trabalhos oriundos do campo de estudo do Turismo e de outras áreas afins acerca do turismo religioso. O presente trabalho comporta uma pesquisa teórica com finalidade aplicada, contendo objetivos de natureza exploratória, utilizando-se da pesquisa bibliográfica e abarcando uma abordagem qualitativa. Concluiu-se que apesar de estarem bastante próximos e apresentarem algumas características semelhantes é possível definir a diferença entre peregrino e turista religioso através da análise mais detalhada das particularidades e atividades desempenhadas por estes dois atores durante os seus deslocamentos. O modelo teórico de análise proposto, mostra-se como uma ferramenta facilitadora na hora de diferenciar o peregrino do turista religioso, auxiliando pesquisadores, leigos e profissionais da área do turismo a melhor definirem estes dois personagens que se cruzam pelos caminhos durante as viagens motivadas pelo sagrado.
Narrativa Cinematográfica: um dos mundos possíveis para adentrar o universo conceitual da hospitalidade
Authors: Cappellano dos Santos Marcia Maria , De Oliveira Marcelino Thays , Köche José Carlos
Published: September 2016

Este texto aborda o universo pragmático e teórico da relação de hospitalidade vivenciada na trama ficcional do filme O Conto Chinês. A partir de referenciais conceituais contemporâneos sobre semântica ficcional e do conceito de diegese utilizados na análise fílmica, divergentes da concepção platônica e aristotélica de mimese, é retomada a trama e o universo narrativos do filme para refletir sobre vários aspectos da hospitalidade vivenciados entre o hospedeiro e o hóspede nessa obra de ficção. Recorre-se, nessa direção, a conceitos tais como hospitalidade condicional, tolerância, acolhida limitada, concessão condescendente, bidimensionalidade e sociodinâmica do acolhimento. À guisa de considerações finais, a análise fílmica transita para o mundo real, destacando a importância do sentido do encontro das subjetividades diferentes, mas não indiferentes, como também do sentido de querer e festejar esse encontro.
Potential Growth in Asia and Its Determinants: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Lanzafame Matteo
Published: September 2016

This paper contributes to the literature on growth in Asia in several respects. I provide estimates of potential growth for 21 Asian economies using an aggregate supply model with time-varying parameters and a Kalman filtering methodology. My estimates indicate that the actual growth slowdown experienced by many of these economies in the 2000s is associated with a falling trajectory in potential growth. Relying on Bayesian model averaging, I select robust determinants of potential growth and find that the latter is driven by the technology gap, trade, tertiary education, and institutional quality, as well as by working-age population growth. Effective reforms in these areas can help counterbalance declines in potential growth in Asia. I also investigate the relationship between business cycle features and potential growth, finding that higher volatility in actual growth has significantly negative effects on potential growth. Thus, stabilization policies can have beneficial effects on Asian economies’ long-term growth performance.
The Role of Structural Change in the Economic Development of Asian Economies
Authors: Foster--McGregor Neil , Verspagen Bart
Published: September 2016

In this paper, we combine data on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and sectoral employment shares to undertake a decomposition of GDP per capita growth for a sample of 43 Asian and non-Asian economies. We decompose income changes into three components: (i) changes in labor productivity within sectors, (ii) employment shifts across sectors (structural change), and (iii) changes in the intensity of employment participation. We then compare the decomposition results for the Asian economies that moved between different income levels of interest with those from a representative typical economy and other comparison economies. The results suggest that in most Asian economies labor productivity growth was the dominant source of gains in GDP per capita, with the observed gains in labor productivity often driven by changing labor productivity within sectors rather than by shifts in employment across sectors. This is not to diminish the role of structural change, which at lower income levels can explain a significant proportion of overall labor productivity growth.
Misallocation and Productivity: The Case of Vietnamese Manufacturing
Authors: Ha Doan Thi Thanh , Kiyota Kozo , Yamanouchi Kenta
Published: September 2016

This paper attempts to measure the effect of resource misallocation on aggregate manufacturing total factor productivity, focusing on Vietnamese manufacturing firms during the period 2000–2009. One of the major findings of this paper is that there would have been substantial improvement in aggregate total factor productivity in Viet Nam in the absence of distortions. The results imply that potential productivity gains from removing distortions in Vietnamese manufacturing are large. We also find that smaller firms tend to face advantageous distortions, while larger firms tend to face disadvantageous ones. Moreover, the efficient size distribution is more dispersed than the actual size distribution. These results suggest that Viet Nam's policies may constrain its largest and most efficient producers, and coddle its smallest and least efficient ones.
Misallocation, Access to Finance, and Public Credit: Firm-Level Evidence
Authors: León-Ledesma Miguel A. , Christopoulos Dimitris
Published: September 2016

Using a database of 23,000 firms in 45 economies, we test the quantitative importance of access to finance and access to public and private credit for the determination of misallocation. We first derive measures of factor market and size distortions, and then use these measures within a regression framework to test the significance of self-declared access-to-finance obstacles as well as the effect of access to a credit line issued by either a government-owned or private bank. We find that access-to-finance obstacles and private credit increase the dispersion of distortions. Public credit has a very small effect. For firms that do not face financial obstacles, public credit increases the dispersion of distortions; for firms that face financial obstacles, it slightly decreases dispersion. Public credit does not appear to compensate for the distortions that exist in private credit markets. Quantitatively, however, financial variables explain a very small part of the dispersion of factor market and size distortions.
The Political Economy of the Middle-Income Trap: Implications for Potential Growth
Authors: Wang Yikai
Published: September 2016

Why do some middle-income economies implement policies to achieve sustainable growth driven by innovation, while others fail to do so? In this paper, I propose a politico-economic explanation: innovation leads to the creative destruction of existing technology that can harm the interests of the pivotal policy maker. Therefore, the pivotal policy maker may implement policies that prevent innovation and harm potential growth in order to protect its own interests. Political institutions, which are endogenously determined by fundamentals of the economy such as state capacity, shape policy maker decisions. This paper studies the relationship between growth, policies, institutions, and fundamentals. Understanding the relationship allows for the design of more efficient aid programs to help the growth of middle-income economies, especially in the long run.
Idées vagues/images claires: Image, Pedagogy, and Politics in the Films of Jean-Luc Godard, 1966–1969
Authors: Cramer Michael
Published: September 2016

Jean-Luc Godard's interest in pedagogy, and in the pedagogical capacities of the image in particular, led him in works of the late 1960s to confront some of the main theoretical problems concerning image, language, and knowledge, problems that have been at the core of his films ever since. Despite the “scientific” claims made by films like Masculin féminin (1965) and 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her (1967), Godard's enthusiasm for a pedagogical usage of the image was quickly undercut by serious doubts about the adequacy of any verbal or visual signs. This doubt, in turn, led Godard to associate the possibility of adequate signification with a utopian condition to be brought about by Communist revolution. Such a condition, in which an image could successfully express an idea, is imagined hypothetically in the “images claires” of La Chinoise (1967). Le gai savoir (1969), meanwhile, acknowledges our distance from this condition and considers how knowledge might be arrived at through images despite their shortcomings. Nonetheless, the latter film continues to posit the possibility of a future state in which language will be capable of fully manifesting truth, but imagines that this truth will reside in the embodied voice rather than in the image.
Vico, Collingwood, and the Materiality of the Past
Authors: Kent James
Published: September 2016

The project of this paper is a reconstruction of the philosophy of Giambattista Vico via its confrontation with that of R. G. Collingwood. The aims are twofold: the first part seeks to rescue Vico’s peculiar form of what I call philosophical ‘materiality’ from the later idealist universal histories that would subsume him, while the second explores Vico’s idea of divine providence, particularly his differentiation between it and fate. Materiality and divine providence are importantly linked. I argue that any ‘return’ to Vico and his interest in a philosophically charged reception history, represents a rejection of the Cartesian grounding of modern philosophy, in the name of another potentiality for philosophical reflection that is grounded in the notion of materiality and divine providence. Although unambiguously influenced by Hegelian and in particular Crocean idealism, the fundamental hopes of Collingwood’s philosophy – namely the staving off of modernity’s regression into barbarism – resonates with this Vichean potentiality.
A remarkable new species of Qualea (Vochysiaceae) from Piauí state, Brazil
Authors: SHIMIZU GUSTAVO HIROAKI , GONÇALVES DEISE JOSELY PEREIRA , FRANÇA FLÁVIO , SIMÕES ANDRÉ OLMOS , YAMAMOTO KIKYO
Published: September 2016

Qualea insignis, a new species of Vochysiaceae endemic to the Serra das Confusões area, Piauí state, Brazil, is here described and illustrated. The species is placed in Qualea sect. Costatifolium, due to the number of secondary veins/cm and the inflorescence architecture. A comparison with Q. grandiflora and Q. parviflora, the other species of the genus occurring in the Caatinga, is also provided.
Silene miksensis (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from eastern Anatolia
Authors: FIRAT MEHMET , YILDIZ KEMAL
Published: September 2016

A new perennial species, Silene miksensis (Silene sect. Pinifolia, Caryophyllaceae), is described and illustrated from eastern Anatolia, Turkey. A morphological comparison with the morphologically similar species is given as well as the ultrastructure of the seed and pollen grains. S. miksensis is assested as a Critically Endangered species according to IUCN [criterion B2ab (iii)].
Piety in Pieces
Authors: Rudy Kathryn M.
Published: September 2016

Medieval manuscripts resisted obsolescence. Made by highly specialised craftspeople (scribes, illuminators, book binders) with labour-intensive processes using exclusive and sometimes exotic materials (parchment made from dozens or hundreds of skins, inks and paints made from prized minerals, animals and plants), books were expensive and built to last. They usually outlived their owners. Rather than discard them when they were superseded, book owners found ways to update, amend and upcycle books or book parts.

These activities accelerated in the fifteenth century. Most manuscripts made before 1390 were bespoke and made for a particular client, but those made after 1390 (especially books of hours) were increasingly made for an open market, in which the producer was not in direct contact with the buyer. Increased efficiency led to more generic products, which owners were motivated to personalise. It also led to more blank parchment in the book, for example, the backs of inserted miniatures and the blanks ends of textual components. Book buyers of the late fourteenth and throughout the fifteenth century still held onto the old connotations of manuscripts—that they were custom-made luxury items—even when the production had become impersonal.

Owners consequently purchased books made for an open market and then personalised them, filling in the blank spaces, and even adding more components later. This would give them an affordable product, but one that still smacked of luxury and met their individual needs. They kept older books in circulation by amending them, attached items to generic books to make them more relevant and valuable, and added new prayers with escalating indulgences as the culture of salvation shifted.

Rudy considers ways in which book owners adjusted the contents of their books from the simplest (add a marginal note, sew in a curtain) to the most complex (take the book apart, embellish the components with painted decoration, add more quires of parchment). By making sometimes extreme adjustments, book owners kept their books fashionable and emotionally relevant. This study explores the intersection of codicology and human desire.

Rudy shows how increased modularisation of book making led to more standardisation but also to more opportunities for personalisation. She asks: What properties did parchment manuscripts have that printed books lacked? What are the interrelationships among technology, efficiency, skill loss and standardisation?
The Regional Water Cycle and Heavy Spring Rainfall in Iowa: Observational and Modeling Analyses from the IFloodS Campaign
Authors: Ryu Young-Hee , Smith James A. , Baeck Mary Lynn , Cunha Luciana K. , Bou-Zeid Elie , Krajewski Witold
Published: September 2016

The regional water cycle is examined with a special focus on water vapor transport in Iowa during the Iowa Flood Studies (IFloodS) campaign period, April–June 2013. The period had exceptionally large rainfall accumulations, and rainfall was distributed over an unusually large number of storm days. Radar-derived rainfall fields covering the 200 000 km2 study region; precipitable water from a network of global positioning system (GPS) measurements; and vertically integrated water vapor flux derived from GPS precipitable water, radar velocity–azimuth display (VAD) wind profiles, and radiosonde humidity profiles are utilized. They show that heavy rainfall is relatively weakly correlated with precipitable water and precipitable water change, with somewhat stronger direct relationships to water vapor flux. Thermodynamic properties tied to the vertical distribution of water vapor play an important role in determining heavy rainfall distribution, especially for periods of strong southerly water vapor flux. The diurnal variation of the water cycle during the IFloodS field campaign is pronounced, especially for rainfall and water vapor flux. To examine the potential effects of relative humidity in the lower atmosphere on heavy rainfall, numerical simulations are performed. It is found that low-level moisture can greatly affect heavy rainfall amount under favorable large-scale environmental conditions.
Ice Crystal Sizes in High Ice Water Content Clouds. Part I: On the Computation of Median Mass Diameter from In Situ Measurements
Authors: Leroy D. , Fontaine E. , Schwarzenboeck A. , Strapp J. W.
Published: September 2016

Engine and air data probe manufacturers, as well as aviation agencies, are interested in better characterization of high ice water content (HIWC) areas close to thunderstorms, since HIWC conditions are suspected to cause in-service engine power loss and air data events on commercial aircraft. In this context, a collaborative field campaign has been conducted by high-altitude ice crystals (HAIC) and HIWC projects in order to provide ice water content and median mass diameter (MMD) of ice crystals in the HIWC environment.

The computation of MMD from in situ measurements relies mainly on the definition of the crystal dimension D and on the relationship, which is used to convert number into mass distributions. The first part of this study shows that MMD can significantly deviate when using different mass–size relationships from the literature. Sensitivity tests demonstrate that MMD is significantly impacted by the choice of β. However, the larger contributor to MMD differences seems to be the choice of the size definition D itself.

Since MMDs are quite sensitive to β, this study suggests a generic method for deducing β solely from optical array probes (OAPs) image data for various size definitions. The method is based on simulations of 3D crystal objects projected onto a 2D plane, thereby relating crystal mass to 2D area (projection) and perimeter. The MMD values calculated for different size definitions are quite similar, at least much closer than MMDs derived from different m(D) relationships in the literature.