bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Collaborative Semantic Annotation System in Health: Towards a SOA Design for Knowledge Sharing in Ambient Intelligence
Authors: Guerrero-Contreras Gabriel , Navarro-Galindo José L. , Samos José , Garrido José Luis
Published: March 2017

People nowadays spend more and more time performing collaborative tasks at anywhere and anytime. Specifically, professionals want to collaborate with each other by using advanced technologies for sharing knowledge in order to improve/automatize business processes. Semantic web technologies offer multiple benefits such as data integration across sources and automation enablers. The conversion of the widespread Content Management Systems into its semantic equivalent is a relevant step, as this enables the benefits of the semantic web to be extended. The FLERSA annotation tool makes it possible. In particular, it converts the Joomla! CMS into its semantic equivalent. However, this tool is highly coupled with that specific Joomla! platform. Furthermore, ambient intelligent (AmI) environments can be seen as a natural way to address complex interactions between users and their environment, which could be transparently supported through distributed information systems. However, to build distributed information systems for AmI environments it is necessary to make important design decisions and apply techniques at system/software architecture level. In this paper, a SOA-based design solution consisting of two services and an underlying middleware is combined with the FLERSA tool. It allows end-users to collaborate independently of technical details and specific context conditions and in a distributed, decentralized way.
Fungal Biomass Protein Production fromTrichoderma harzianumUsing Rice Polishing
Authors: Ahmed Sibtain , Mustafa Ghulam , Arshad Muhammad , Rajoka Muhammad Ibrahim
Published: March 2017

Industrially important enzymes and microbial biomass proteins have been produced from fungi for more than 50 years. High levels of crude protein as much as 45% are present in fungal biomass with balanced essential amino acids. The aim of this study was to access the potential ofTrichoderma harzianumto produce fungal biomass protein from rice polishings. Maximum biomass yield was obtained at 5% (w/v) rice polishings after 72 h of incubation at 28°C at pH 4. Carbon and nitrogen ratio of 20 : 1 gave significantly higher production of fungal biomass protein. The FBP in the 75 L fermenter contained 49.50% crude protein, 32.00% true protein, 19.45% crude fiber, 9.62% ash, 11.5% cellulose content, and 0.325% RNA content. The profile of amino acids of final FBP exhibited that all essential amino acids were present in great quantities. The FBP produced by this fungus has been shown to be of good nutritional value for supplementation to poultry. The results presented in this study have practical implications in that the fungusT. harzianumcould be used successfully to produce fungal biomass protein using rice polishings.
Changes in Cortical Activation Patterns in Language Areas following an Aerobic Exercise Intervention in Older Adults
Authors: Nocera Joe , Crosson Bruce , Mammino Kevin , McGregor Keith M.
Published: March 2017

Previous work has shown that older adults who evidence increased right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) activity during language tasks show decreased sematic verbal fluency performance. The current study sought to evaluate if an aerobic exercise intervention can alter patterns of brain activity during a semantic verbal fluency task assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Thirty-two community-dwelling, sedentary older adults were enrolled to a 12-week aerobic “Spin” exercise group or a 12-week nonaerobic exercise control condition (Balance). Thirty participants completed their assigned intervention (16 Spin; 14 Balance) with pre- and postintervention assessments of a semantic verbal fluency task during fMRI and estimated VO2max testing. There was a significant increase in the change scores for estimated VO2max of the Spin group when compared to the Balance group. Semantic verbal fluency output within the scanner was also improved in the Spin group as compared to controls at postassessment. Group fMRI comparisons of IFG activity showed lower activity in the right IFG following the intervention in the aerobic Spin group when compared to the Balance group. Regression analysis of imaging data with change in both estimated VO2max and semantic verbal fluency was negatively correlated with activity in right IFG. The current work is registered as clinical trial with NCT01787292 and NCT02787655.
Circadian Plasticity of Mammalian Inhibitory Interneurons
Authors: Jasinska Malgorzata , Pyza Elzbieta
Published: March 2017

Inhibitory interneurons participate in all neuronal circuits in the mammalian brain, including the circadian clock system, and are indispensable for their effective function. Although the clock neurons have different molecular and electrical properties, their main function is the generation of circadian oscillations. Here we review the circadian plasticity of GABAergic interneurons in several areas of the mammalian brain, suprachiasmatic nucleus, neocortex, hippocampus, olfactory bulb, cerebellum, striatum, and in the retina.
TSG-6 Downregulates IFN-Alpha and TNF-Alpha Expression by Suppressing IRF7 Phosphorylation in Human Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells
Authors: Kui L. , Chan G. C. , Lee P. P. W.
Published: March 2017

Proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-αand type I interferons (IFN) are pathogenic signatures of systemic lupus erythematosus, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) play a major role by predominantly producing IFN-α. Given the rise of importance in identifying tumor necrosis stimulated gene 6 (TSG-6) as a key anti-inflammatory regulator, we investigate its function and its ability to counteract proinflammatory cytokine secretion by pDCs in vitro. CpG-A and R837 induced significant endogenous TSG-6 expression in the pDC cell-line GEN2.2. Following recombinant human TSG-6 treatment and CpG-A or R837 stimulation, significant reduction in IFN-αand TNF-αwas observed in healthy donors’ pDCs, and the same phenomenon was confirmed in GEN2.2. By CD44 blocking assay, we deduced that the suppressive effect of TSG-6 is mediated by CD44, by reducing IRF-7 phosphorylation. Our findings suggest that TSG-6 and its downstream signalling pathway could potentially be targeted to modulate proinflammatory cytokine expression in pDCs.
Enhancement of Methane Concentration by Removing Contaminants from Biogas Mixtures Using Combined Method of Absorption and Adsorption
Authors: Al Mamun Muhammad Rashed , Torii Shuichi
Published: March 2017

We report a laboratory scale combined absorption and adsorption chemical process to remove contaminants from anaerobically produced biogas using cafeteria (food), vegetable, fruit, and cattle manure wastes. Iron oxide (Fe2O3), zero valent iron (Feo), and iron chloride (FeCl2) react with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to deposit colloidal sulfur. Silica gel, sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), and calcium oxide (CaO) reduce the water vapour (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). It is possible to upgrade methane (CH4) above 95% in biogas using chemical or physical absorption or adsorption process. The removal efficiency of CO2, H2S, and H2O depends on the mass of removing agent and system pH. The results showed that Ca(OH)2solutions are capable of reducing CO2below 6%. The H2S concentration was reduced to 89%, 90%, 86%, 85%, and 96% for treating with 10 g of FeCl2,Feo(with pH), Fe2O3,Feo, and activated carbon, respectively. The H2O concentration was reduced to 0.2%, 0.7%, 0.2%, 0.2%, and 0.3% for treating raw biogas with 10 g of silica gel and Na2SO4for runs R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5, respectively. Thus, given the successful contaminant elimination, the combined absorption and adsorption process is a feasible system for biogas purification.
Development and Application of Improved Long-Term Datasets of Surface Hydrology for Texas
Authors: Lee Kyungtae , Gao Huilin , Huang Maoyi , Sheffield Justin , Shi Xiaogang
Published: March 2017

Freshwater availability and agricultural production are key factors for sustaining the fast growing population and economy in the state of Texas, which is the third largest state in terms of agricultural production in the United States. This paper describes a long-term (1918–2011) grid-based (1/8°) surface hydrological dataset for Texas at a daily time step based on simulations from the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrological model. The model was calibrated and validated against observed streamflow over 10 Texas river basins. The simulated soil moisture was also evaluated using in situ observations. Results suggest that there is a decreasing trend in precipitation and an increasing trend in temperature in most of the basins. Droughts and floods were reconstructed and analyzed. In particular, the spatially distributed severity and duration of major Texas droughts were compared to identify new characteristics. The modeled flood recurrence interval and the return period were also compared with observations. Results suggest the performance of extreme flood simulations needs further improvement. This dataset is expected to serve as a benchmark which may contribute to water resources management and to mitigating agricultural drought, especially in the context of understanding the effects of climate change on crop yield in Texas.
Protective Effect of Tang Wang One Decoction on the Retinal Vessels of Diabetic Rats
Authors: Kou Xinyun , Yang Shufei , Qin Yali , Yang Chao , Deng Tingting , Luo Dan , Jin Ming
Published: March 2017

Objective. This study aimed to determine the influence of Tang Wang One Decoction (TWOD) on the retinal vessels of diabetic rats. Methods. The hemorheology of diabetic rats was observed. Morphological studies of retinal vessels were conducted using optical microscopy and electron microscopy. Immunological histochemistry assay was used to measure the expression levels of MMP‐9, occludin, and claudin‐5. Results. Obvious pathological damage was observed in the retinal vessels of diabetic rats. TWOD positively affected the hemorheology and morphology of retinal vessels. The decoction also decreased the expression of MMP‐9 and increased the expression of occludin and claudin‐5. Conclusions. The results suggest that the retinal protective effects of TWOD might be related to downregulation of MMP‐9 and upregulation of occludin and claudin‐5.
An Analytical Solution for Radiofrequency Ablation with a Cooled Cylindrical Electrode
Authors: Romero-Méndez Ricardo , Berjano Enrique
Published: March 2017

We present an analytical solution to the electrothermal mathematical model of radiofrequency ablation of biological tissue using a cooled cylindrical electrode. The solution presented here makes use of the method of separation of variables to solve the problem. Green’s functions are used for the handling of nonhomogeneous terms, such as effect of electrical currents circulation and the nonhomogeneous boundary condition due to cooling at the electrode surface. The transcendental equation for determination of eigenvalues of this problem is solved using Newton’s method, and the integrals that appear in the solution of the problem are obtained by Simpson’s rule. The solution obtained here has the possibility of handling different functional dependencies of the source term and nonhomogeneous boundary condition. The solution provides a tool to understand the physics of the problem, as it shows how the solution depends on different parameters, to provide mathematical tools for the design of surgical procedures and to validate other modeling techniques, such as the numerical methods that are frequently used to solve the problem.
Minimum Weight Design of Sinusoidal Corrugated Web Beam Using Real‐Coded Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Shon Sudeok , Jin Sangwook , Lee Seungjae
Published: March 2017

Fundamental advantage of using corrugated web girder rather than plate girder reinforced with stiffeners is securing stability against shear buckling of web and unnecessary stiffeners despite the thinner web. Nonetheless, because shear buckling behavior of corrugated web is very complex, the design mechanism for beams and local, global, and interactive buckling problems should be considered in designing of its structural optimization for better economics and reasonableness. Therefore, this paper proposes a mathematical model for minimum weight design of sinusoidal web girder for securing better stability with smooth corrugation and aims at developing its optimum design program. The constraints for the optimum design were composed on the basis of the standards of EN 1993‐1‐5, DASt‐R015, and DIN 18800, and the optimum program was coded in accordance with the standards based on Real‐Coded Genetic Algorithms. The genetic operators for the developed program resulted in a stable solution with crossover probability between 12.5 and 50%, and the perturbation vector for outbreeding could obtain the best result with the model being applied of feasible design variable space of 20–30%. Additionally, the increase of yield strength resulted in decreased value of the objective function, and it was found through the change of the value of the constraint function that the thickness of web was an important factor in the optimum structural design.
Knockout of Vasohibin-1 Gene in Mice Results in Healthy Longevity with Reduced Expression of Insulin Receptor, Insulin Receptor Substrate 1, and Insulin Receptor Substrate 2 in Their White Adipose Tissue
Authors: Takeda Eichi , Suzuki Yasuhiro , Yamada Tetsuya , Katagiri Hideki , Sato Yasufumi
Published: March 2017

Vasohibin-1 (Vash1), originally isolated as an endothelium-derived angiogenesis inhibitor, has a characteristic of promoting stress tolerance in endothelial cells (ECs). We therefore speculated that the lack of the vash1 gene would result in a short lifespan. However, to our surprise, vash1−/− mice lived significantly longer with a milder senescence phenotype than wild-type (WT) mice. We sought the cause of this healthy longevity and found that vash1−/− mice exhibited mild insulin resistance along with reduced expression of the insulin receptor (insr), insulin receptor substrate 1 (irs-1), and insulin receptor substrate 2 (irs-2) in their white adipose tissue (WAT) but not in their liver or skeletal muscle. The expression of vash1 dominated in the WAT among those 3 organs. Importantly, vash1−/− mice did not develop diabetes even when fed a high-fat diet. These results indicate that the expression of vash1 was required for the normal insulin sensitivity of the WAT and that the target molecules for this activity were insr, irs1, and irs2. The lack of vash1 caused mild insulin resistance without the outbreak of overt diabetes and might contribute to healthy longevity.
The Effect of Fe Doping on the Magnetic and Magnetocaloric Properties of Mn5−xFexGe3
Authors: Brock Jeffrey , Bell-Pactat Nathanael , Cai Hong , Dennison Timothy , Fox Tucker , Free Brandon , Mahyub Rami , Nar Austin , Saaranen Michael , Schaeffer Tiago , Khan Mahmud
Published: March 2017

The magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of a series of minutely doped Mn5-xFexGe3 compounds that exhibit the D88-type hexagonal crystal structure at room temperature have been investigated. For all Fe concentrations, the alloys are ferromagnetic and undergo a second-order ferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic transition near room temperature. Although the small Fe doping had little effect on the ferromagnetic transition temperatures of the system, changes in the saturation magnetization and magnetic anisotropy were observed. For x≤0.15, all compounds exhibit nearly the same magnetic entropy change of ~7 J/kg K, for a field change of 50 kOe. However, the magnitude of the refrigerant capacities increased with Fe doping, with values up to 108.5 J/kg and 312 J/kg being observed for field changes of 20 kOe and 50 kOe, respectively. As second-order phase transition materials, the Mn5-xFexGe3 compounds are not subject to the various drawbacks associated with first-order phase transition materials yet exhibit favorable magnetocaloric effects.
Growth Convergence and the Middle-Income Trap
Authors: Ito Takatoshi
Published: March 2017

Emerging market economies in East Asia have followed a similar growth path (growth convergence) from a low-income, high-growth state to a middle-income, middle-growth state through industrialization. The economic development of Japan was followed by the “four tigers” (Hong Kong, China; the Republic of Korea; Singapore; and Taipei,China) in the 1970s; and subsequently by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the 1980s and the People's Republic of China in the 1990s and 2000s.

The growth rates of Asian economies are slowing over time and may fall to advanced economy levels before incomes fully catch up with the advanced economies. This is defined as the middle-income trap in the paper.

This paper proposes that there exist three convergence paths in Asia: low income, middle income, and high income. Economies need to shift from one convergence path to a higher one by implementing economic and political reforms that can generate innovation. Without reform, economies may fall into a low- or middle-income trap.
Two new species of Miltochrista from India (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae)
Authors: JOSHI RAHUL , SINGH NAVNEET , KIRTI JAGBIR SINGH , VOLYNKIN ANTON V. , BUCSEK KAROL
Published: March 2017

Two new species, Miltochrista quadra Joshi, Singh & Volynkin, sp. nov. and Miltochrista pseudomodesta Joshi, Singh & Volynkin, sp. nov., of tribe Lithosiini (Erebidae: Arctiinae) are described from India. In addition, two species are restored from the synonymy and transferred to Miltochrista: Miltochrista rubricans (Leech, 1890), stat. & comb. nov. and Miltochrista szetschwanica (Daniel, 1952), stat. & comb. nov. Other new combinations are also proposed as Miltochrista aquila (Černý, 2009), comb. nov., Miltochrista discisigna (Moore, 1878), comb. nov., Miltochrista weidenhofferi (Černý, 2012), comb. nov., Miltochrista unipuncta (Leech, 1890), comb. nov., Miltochrista carnea (Poujade, 1886), comb.nov. and Miltochrista modesta (Leech, 1899), comb. nov.
Addressing female sex trade human trafficking in Japan through NGO advocacy networks
Authors: Noyori-Corbett Chie , Moxley David P
Published: March 2017

Even though Japan has become notorious for trafficking women from other countries, advocacy networks among non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are forming. Such networks can potentially bring about changes in policy, further advance responses to victims, and stem the flow of exploited people to Japan. This study examines how advocacy networks are forming in Japan to address human trafficking both within Japan and between Japan and other nations. Findings show the unique conditions influencing the emergence of such networks, as well as mounting challenges NGOs face as network members, especially in working with NGOs outside of Japan.
Presence of Meaning in Life and Search for Meaning in Life and Relationship to Health Anxiety
Authors: Yek Ming Hwei , Olendzki Nik , Kekecs Zoltan , Patterson Vicki , Elkins Gary
Published: March 2017

The present study explored presence of meaning in life, search for meaning in life, and their correlation with health anxiety. The Meaning in Life Questionnaire and the Short Health Anxiety Inventory were completed by 753 individuals. Results indicated higher presence of meaning in life was associated with lower health anxiety, while the opposite was observed for search for meaning in life. Results also revealed an interaction between presence of meaning in life and search for meaning in life, where individuals with high search for meaning in life and high presence of meaning in life had lower health anxiety than those with high search for meaning in life and low presence of meaning in life. These findings suggest that presence of meaning in life and search for meaning in life are correlates of health anxiety.
Social Media Use and Episodic Heavy Drinking Among Adolescents
Authors: Brunborg Geir Scott , Andreas Jasmina Burdzovic , Kvaavik Elisabeth
Published: March 2017

Objectives

Little is known about the consequences of adolescent social media use. The current study estimated the association between the amount of time adolescents spend on social media and the risk of episodic heavy drinking.

Methods

A school-based self-report cross-sectional study including 851 Norwegian middle and high school students (46.1% boys). Measures: frequency and quantity of social media use. Frequency of drinking four or six (girls and boys, respectively) alcoholic drinks during a single day (episodic heavy drinking). The MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale – Brief, the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items for Adolescents, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Peer Relationship problems scale, gender, and school grade.

Results

Greater amount of time spent on social media was associated with greater likelihood of episodic heavy drinking among adolescents ( OR = 1.12, 95% CI (1.05, 1.19), p = 0.001), even after adjusting for school grade, impulsivity, sensation seeking, symptoms of depression, and peer relationship problems.

Conclusion

The results from the current study indicate that more time spent on social media is related to greater likelihood of episodic heavy drinking among adolescents.
Dynamic Transmit–Receive Beamforming by Spatial Matched Filtering for Ultrasound Imaging with Plane Wave Transmission
Authors: Chen Yuling , Lou Yang , Yen Jesse
Published: March 2017

During conventional ultrasound imaging, the need for multiple transmissions for one image and the time of flight for a desired imaging depth limit the frame rate of the system. Using a single plane wave pulse during each transmission followed by parallel receive processing allows for high frame rate imaging. However, image quality is degraded because of the lack of transmit focusing. Beamforming by spatial matched filtering (SMF) is a promising method which focuses ultrasonic energy using spatial filters constructed from the transmit–receive impulse response of the system. Studies by other researchers have shown that SMF beamforming can provide dynamic transmit–receive focusing throughout the field of view. In this paper, we apply SMF beamforming to plane wave transmissions (PWTs) to achieve both dynamic transmit–receive focusing at all imaging depths and high imaging frame rate (>5000 frames per second). We demonstrated the capability of the combined method (PWT + SMF) of achieving two-way focusing mathematically through analysis based on the narrowband Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction theory. Moreover, the broadband performance of PWT + SMF was quantified in terms of lateral resolution and contrast from both computer simulations and experimental data. Results were compared between SMF beamforming and conventional delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming in both simulations and experiments. At an imaging depth of 40 mm, simulation results showed a 29% lateral resolution improvement and a 160% contrast improvement with PWT + SMF. These improvements were 17% and 48% for experimental data with noise.
The Saint-Omer Folio in its library
Authors: Cottegnies Line
Published: March 2017

Ever since the discovery of a First Folio in the Saint-Omer library in northern France (on the premises of the former English Jesuit College of St Omers), the academic world has been abuzz with speculation about Jesuit interest in Shakespeare. Based on a thorough investigation of the material context of the Folio in the Saint-Omer library, this essay shows that the Folio belonged to two sets of books in its original milieu: books signed ‘Nevill’ and donated in 1736, and books stamped with the letters ‘P S’, which were presumably included in a reserve. This article analyses the new findings.
Two ways of being a left-Heideggerian
Authors: Mertel Kurt C. M.
Published: March 2017

This article is concerned with the question of the relative priority between political and social ontology within left-Heideggerianism, a tradition recently reconstructed by Oliver Marchart (2007). Although the title seems to imply that this question is an open and live one within left-Heideggerianism – that the two paths at the crossroads have been clearly delineated when, in fact, the current predicament of left-Heideggerianism resembles more a one-way street – this is somewhat misleading: the identification of left-Heideggerianism with a post-foundationalist political ontology that enjoys systematic priority over the social has contributed to the suppression of the question of the Being of the social and, therefore, prevented a critical re-examination of its relationship to the political. The aim of this article is both modest and ambitious: modest, in that it merely seeks to pose and motivate the question of the social within left-Heideggerianism both at an exegetical and at a systematic level; ambitious, in that the upshot of thematizing the question of the social is to indicate an alternative path or ‘social paradigm’ within left-Heideggerianism that begins with a different (social ontological) reading of Heidegger and ultimately leads to a different model of Gesellschaftskritik with wide-ranging implications. Otherwise put, the article follows the path initially taken by the early Marcuse’s ‘Heideggerian Marxism’ and attempts to see it through to its final destination by clearing some obstacles along the way, i.e. by correcting some important misunderstandings of fundamental ontology by Marchart and Marcuse.
Can information and communication technology promote venture creation? A cross-country study using an instrument variable approach
Authors: Lee Ming-Hsuan , Lio Mon-Chi
Published: March 2017

This study employed cross-country data from the World Bank for the period from 2002 to 2014 and empirically examined the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development on venture creation. The estimation strategies include a fixed effect model and an instrument variable specification. The estimation results show that the impact of ICT development on venture creation was negative among low/middle-income countries but was positive among middle/high-income countries. We attribute this result to the richer complementary inputs to ICT and fairer environments for business competition in high income countries.
Long-term depression in Purkinje neurons is persistently impaired following cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in mice
Authors: Quillinan Nidia , Deng Guiying , Shimizu Kaori , Cruz-Torres Ivelisse , Schroeder Christian , Traystman Richard J , Herson Paco S
Published: March 2017

Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR) produce brain ischemia that results in cognitive and motor coordination impairments subsequent to injury of vulnerable populations of neurons, including cerebellar Purkinje neurons. To determine the effects of CA/CPR on plasticity in the cerebellum, we used whole cell recordings from Purkinje neurons to examine long-term depression (LTD) at parallel fiber (PF) synapses. Acute slices were prepared from adult male mice subjected to 8 min cardiac arrest at 1, 7, and 30 days after resuscitation. Concurrent stimulation of PF and climbing fibers (CFs) resulted in robust LTD of PF-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in controls. LTD was absent in recordings obtained from mice subjected to CA/CPR, with no change in EPSC amplitude from baseline at any time point tested. AMPA and mGluR-mediated responses at the PF were not altered by CA/CPR. In contrast, CF-evoked NMDA currents were reduced following CA/CPR, which could account for the loss of LTD observed. A loss of GluN1 protein was observed following CA/CPR that was surprisingly not associated with changes in mRNA expression. These data demonstrate sustained impairments in synaptic plasticity in Purkinje neurons that survive the initial injury and which likely contribute to motor coordination impairments observed after CA/CPR.
Carotid disease at age 73 and cognitive change from age 70 to 76 years: A longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Wardlaw Joanna M , Allerhand Michael , Eadie Elizabeth , Thomas Avril , Corley Janey , Pattie Alison , Taylor Adele , Shenkin Susan D , Cox Simon , Gow Alan , Starr John M , Deary Ian J
Published: March 2017

Cognitive decline and carotid artery atheroma are common at older ages. In community-dwelling subjects, we assessed cognition at ages 70, 73 and 76 and carotid Doppler ultrasound at age 73, to determine whether carotid stenosis was related to cognitive decline. We used latent growth curve models to examine associations between four carotid measures (internal carotid artery stenosis, velocity, pulsatility and resistivity indices) and four cognitive ability domains (memory, visuospatial function, crystallised intelligence, processing speed) adjusted for cognitive ability at age 11, current age, gender and vascular risk factors. Amongst 866 participants, carotid stenosis (median 12.96%) was not associated with cognitive abilities at age 70 or cognitive decline from age 70 to 76. Increased ICA pulsatility and resistivity indices were associated with slower processing speed (both P < 0.001) and worse visuospatial function ( P = 0.036, 0.031, respectively) at age 70, and declining crystallised intelligence from ages 70 to 76 ( P = 0.008, 0.006, respectively). The findings suggest that vascular stiffening, rather than carotid luminal narrowing, adversely influences cognitive ageing and provides a potential target for ameliorating age-related cognitive decline.
Markers of disease and steroid responsiveness in paediatric idiopathic nephrotic syndrome: Whole-transcriptome sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Authors: Kang Hee Gyung , Seo Heewon , Lim Jae Hyun , Kim Jong Il , Han Kyoung Hee , Park Hye Won , Koo Ja Wook , Kim Kee Hyuck , Kim Ju Han , Cheong Hae Il , Ha Il-Soo
Published: March 2017

Objective

To identify markers of disease and steroid responsiveness in paediatric idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Methods

Whole-transcriptome sequencing was performed of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with NS. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in patients with active NS vs those in remission, and those with steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS) vs steroid-resistant NS (SRNS).

Results

A total of 1065 DEGs were identified in patients with NS ( n = 10) vs those in remission ( n = 9). These DEGs correlated with cytokine and/or immune system signalling and the extracellular matrix. Comparisons between SSNS ( n = 6) and SRNS ( n = 4) identified 1890 DEGs. These markers of steroid responsiveness were enriched with genes related to the cell cycle, targets of microRNAs, and genes related to cytokines.

Conclusions

Meaningful DEGs were identified. Additional studies with larger numbers of patients will provide more comprehensive data.
The effects of corrective surgery on endothelial biomarkers and anthropometric data in children with congenital heart disease
Authors: Chung Hung-Tao , Chang Yu-Sheng , Liao Sui-Ling , Lai Shen-Hao
Published: March 2017

Objective

To investigate the influence of surgical correction on biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction in children with congenital heart disease and to evaluate anthropometric data.

Methods

Children with pulmonary hypertension (PH) or Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) who were scheduled for corrective surgery were enrolled in this prospective study. Age-matched healthy children were included as controls. Demographic, haemodynamic and cardiac ultrasonography data were collected. Blood samples were taken pre-surgery, 24–48 hours post-surgery and again 3–6 months later. Several biomarkers (protein C, soluble platelet selectin [CD62P], soluble endothelium selectin [CD62E], soluble leukocyte selectin [CD62L], plasma von Willebrand Factor [vWF] atrial natriuretic peptide [ANP], brain natriuretic peptide[(BNP] and insulin-like growth factor-1 [IGF-1]) were measured.

Results

Sixty-three children (32 with PH, 15 with TOF, and 16 controls) were enrolled. No significant differences between the PH and TOF groups were observed in the expression of biomarkers pre- and post-surgery. IGF-1 levels were closely related to anthropometric data, particularly those children with PH. Expression of IGF-1 and weight/height normalized after corrective surgery.

Conclusions

No significant endothelial dysfunction was observed in children with PH or TOF before or after corrective surgery. Significant retardation of growth, particularly weight, was found before surgery and may be related to IGF-1 suppression.
Aberrant sylvian vein: A newly described cause of pulsatile tinnitus
Authors: Liu Zhaohui , Yu Jingge , Zhao Pengfei , Zhang Hanjuan , Wang Qian , Wang Zhenchang
Published: March 2017

We herein report a newly described cause of venous pulsatile tinnitus: protrusion of an aberrant sylvian vein into the tympanum. A 60-year-old woman presented with a 4-month history of objective persistent pulsatile tinnitus in the right ear with no other complaints. The pulsatile tinnitus diminished with rotation of the head to the right side or by compression of the right cervical vascular structures. The frequency and intensity of the tinnitus were 125 Hz and 20 dB HL, respectively. Audiometry and otoscopic examination findings were normal. Radiologic examination showed that the right sylvian vein protruded into the tympanum through the dehiscent anterior cortical plate of the tympanum.
Effects of Repeated Treatments of Perspiration, Weathering, and Laundering on the Ultraviolet Protection of a Naturally Colored Lightweight Cotton Fabric
Authors: Chen-Yu Jessie H. , Wong Soak-Wai
Published: March 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of repeated treatments of perspiration, weathering, and laundering as well as their interactions on the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) protection of a naturally colored cotton lightweight fabric suitable for summer clothing. The research design was a 2 (perspiration) × 3 (weathering) repeated measures (measured before and after each laundering cycle, up to 15 cycles) experimental design. Complicated interactions were found among these three treatment factors. Laundering alone (without weathering) increased the UVR protection, whereas weathering significantly reduced the protection. The conditions in a hot and humid climate facilitated the decline of protection, but perspiration played a role in slowing down the reduction.
Street trading in the shadows of the Arab Spring
Authors: Brown Alison , Kafafy Nezar , Hayder Adnane
Published: March 2017

This paper examines the Arab revolutions of 2011 in Tunisia and Egypt, and their impact on street traders in Tunis and Cairo. Drawing on the literatures on urban conflict and resilience, the paper argues that the authoritarian regimes that the revolutions deposed left a vacuum in governance in which street traders found it hard to profit from the idealism and opportunism of an emerging new order. Despite being hindered by their lack of organization and voice, and disruption to their trade during the revolutions, street traders displayed resilience through small-scale adaptations to their trade and absorbed newcomers into the sector in the face of political conflict.
Western Theories and the non-Western World
Authors: Chatterjee Shibashis
Published: March 2017

Conventional international relations (IR) builds on Western problems and remain fixated on the Western understanding of war and conflict. Such ontology is grossly misleading to reflect upon and make sense of conflicts of the non-Western world. Western theories are based on ontological imaginations that are removed from the historical and sociological experiences of the non-Western world. Understanding non-Western conflicts requires an ontology based on the experiential reality of the post-colonial other. However, unless local variants are sufficiently factored in, it may also become as hegemonic as the Western imagination/s that it wishes to resist, counter and transcend. Conflicts in post-colonial societies demand explanatory frames sensitive to their historical and sociological specificities. The challenge before academic IR remains to question its Eurocentric ontology and historicise the subjectivity of the non-Western world. Epistemology is not the site for this much-needed breakthrough. Understanding the non-West is prior to understanding its conflicts.
International Relations Theory and World Order
Authors: Srivastava Jayati , Sharma Ananya
Published: March 2017

Mainstream international relations theory is consumed by its proclivity towards order; the genesis of which has been attributed to its statist ontology. Such theorisations, by drawing binaries between order and disorder, either assume or normalise order or obfuscate and suggest ways of mitigating any kind of disorder. Paradoxically, questions about the foundational edifice of order are marked by silences. Within the context of world order, this obtains a theoretical framework that precludes any normative reflection on the making and unmaking of world order or the principles that sustain that order. The article looks at how different branches of international relations theory envisage world order and the silences embedded therein. Further, by locating order and disorder inhabiting the same reality along a continuum, alternative readings of world orders are drawn from the critical theoretical traditions in which various articulations of justice impart normative pillars to the world order.
BRICS
Authors: Sarkar Urvashi
Published: March 2017

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) have received considerable analysis as a group attempting to present an alternative to West-driven institutions and hegemony. While its formation is a positive development for the South, it requires to reach out to civil society. BRICS, minus a robust civil society involvement, will only result in entrenching viewpoints that see the BRICS as representing narrow business interests of a southern elite, with little concern for the gamut of socio-economic problems confronting the people of Southern nations.
Re-imagining the International Monetary Fund
Authors: Sinha Manisha
Published: March 2017

The admission by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it did not accurately estimate the damage that austerity will do to the Greek economy is yet another failure of the world body. It has admitted making similar mistakes in the past in handling economic crises in Mexico, Russia and Argentina. What was the exact nature of the Greek financial crisis? And how did the IMF handle this crisis? What were the Fund’s follies in its handling of the Greek crisis? Is there a pattern in the follies of the Fund in handling economic crises? If yes, then what does it tell us about the IMF and its governance of the world economy? This article seeks to answer these questions in the wake of long-pending reforms of the Fund’s governing structure and voting rights. Obviously, there is a need for more than just ‘fine-tuning’ of the Fund’s lending policies. Reforms such as expansion of the governing committee and increasing the quota share of developing countries are crucial for ‘re-imagining’ a stronger and more effective IMF that is more in tune with the changing global order of the twenty-first century. This article will take stock of the IMF quota and governance reforms initiated by the Fund in 2010 and review some other reform proposals that reflect the significant shifts in global economic power in the twenty-first century.
The Concept of ‘Order’ in Arthashastra
Authors: Bisht Medha
Published: March 2017

Going beyond the binaries of Western and non-Western, this article lays out a conceptual–analytical frame for understanding ‘order’ in international relations (IR). What does ‘order’ mean? What are its key characteristics? How is the conventional ‘Western’ understanding different from or similar to the understanding advanced in Arthashastra? These are some questions that this article seeks to address. The article picks up the discussion on English School of IR, juxtaposing it with Kautilya’s Arthashastra. The indicators chosen for this more revisionist interpretation of the text are ‘operative principles’, ‘code of conduct’ and ‘structures’. It is argued that the Kautilyan concept of order is broadly normative whereby norms were stipulated by the dharmashastras. Thus, underlining the distinct cultural and contextual undertones, the article emphasises that the normative underpinnings of ‘order’ in Arthashastra have to be read within the existing philosophical frames of the Hindu tradition. The cognitive–cultural frame of understanding orders perhaps best suits the purpose.
‘Civilisation Drove Forward in a Mortuary Cart’1
Authors: Vivekanandan Jayashree
Published: March 2017

Violence presents us with an interesting motif to study colonial politics, aptly captured in James Milne’s telling metaphor. Its inextricable association with colonialism implied a gradual conflation of political order with civilisation that is discernible in extant writings. The conventional paradigm in International Relations (IR) regards order as coterminous with the domestic domain and anarchy to be the structural attribute of international politics. This dichotomous divide permits little space for the hybrid states of existence of both anarchy and order that were often witnessed in the colonies and written about. The article examines the manner in which colonialism applied the notion of violence to the Indian context that was in denial of such complexities. It further argues that bringing imperial relations within the ambit of IR would help explain the differentiated interpretations of sovereignty that marked the parallel existence of the sovereign state system and the imperial political system.
Cognitive Antecedents of Highlighting and Decoupling in Response to Social Pressure
Authors: Julian Scott D. , Ofori-Dankwa Joseph , Shepard Agnieszka
Published: March 2017

Firms can engage social pressures in a variety of substantive and symbolic ways, such as highlighting (pursuing both substantive and symbolic activities) and decoupling (pursuing only symbolic appearance while avoiding substantive action). To better understand such responses to social pressures, we offer an integrative institutional-cognitive model suggesting that publicly traded status, certainty regarding the social pressure itself and perceived threats in the firm’s issue array predict firms’ highlighting and decoupling. We test these ideas using data on how restaurants responded to a major nutritional pressure campaign. Our findings suggest that when firms face social pressures, managers’ perception regarding issue certainty and perceived threats in the firm’s issue array positively affects a highlighting response. Furthermore, both the managerial accountability associated with publicly traded status and issue array threats negatively affects response decoupling. Taken together, these results suggest that cognitive elements are the more consistent drivers of response to social pressures, and we discuss these findings in light of their theoretical relevance and suggest future directions for research.
Narratives in Reconstituting, Reaffirming, and (Re)traditionalizing Identities
Authors: Stahl Garth
Published: March 2017

The practice of othering has been widely documented in sociological research relative to social networks, ethnicity/race, sexuality, and place. This article considers othering as a strategy to mark identity boundaries and reaffirm the habitus in a small, qualitative sample of twenty-three white working-class boys from South London, aged fourteen to sixteen years, who self-identified as Boremund boys. The research relied heavily on visual methods and Bourdieu’s theoretical tools to explore how images of transgression influenced the boys’ conception of their own identity as centered upon a distinct version of normative race, class, and gender or othering the nonnormative behavior within their locale. The data show how white working-class boys monitor and police what they perceive as a normative white identity. As a result, the habitus of the Boremund boys engages with complex work to reconcile competing and contrasting conceptions of ordinary, white, working-class male in South London.
Discovery and Characterisation of Castlerea Virus, a New Species of Negevirus Isolated in Australia
Authors: O’Brien Caitlin A , McLean Breeanna J , Colmant Agathe M G , Harrison Jessica J , Hall-Mendelin Sonja , van den Hurk Andrew F , Johansen Cheryl A , Watterson Daniel , Bielefeldt-Ohmann Helle , Newton Natalee D , Schulz Benjamin L , Hall Roy A , Hobson-Peters Jody
Published: March 2017

With advances in sequencing technologies, there has been an increase in the discovery of viruses that do not group with any currently described virus families. The newly described taxon Negevirus encompasses a group of viruses displaying an insect-specific phenotype which have been isolated from multiple host species on numerous continents. Using a broad-spectrum virus screening assay based on the detection of double-stranded RNA and next-generation sequencing, we have detected a novel species of negevirus, from Anopheles, Culex, and Aedes mosquitoes collected in 4 geographically separate regions of Australia. Bioinformatic analysis of the virus, tentatively named Castlerea virus, revealed that it is genetically distinct from previously described negeviruses but clusters in the newly proposed Nelorpivirus clade within this taxon. Analysis of virions confirmed the presence of 2 proteins of 24 and 40 kDa which support previous bioinformatic predictions of negevirus structural proteins.
Analytical Method Validation of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Stability-Indicating Study of Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Intravaginal Sponges
Authors: Batrawi Nidal , Wahdan Shorouq , Abualhasan Murad
Published: March 2017

Medroxyprogesterone acetate is widely used in veterinary medicine as intravaginal dosage for the synchronization of breeding cycle in ewes and goats. The main goal of this study was to develop reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for the quantification of medroxyprogesterone acetate in veterinary vaginal sponges. A single high-performance liquid chromatography/UV isocratic run was used for the analytical assay of the active ingredient medroxyprogesterone. The chromatographic system consisted of a reverse-phase C18 column as the stationary phase and a mixture of 60% acetonitrile and 40% potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer as the mobile phase; the pH was adjusted to 5.6. The method was validated according to the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. Forced degradation studies were also performed to evaluate the stability-indicating properties and specificity of the method. Medroxyprogesterone was eluted at 5.9 minutes. The linearity of the method was confirmed in the range of 0.0576 to 0.1134 mg/mL ( R2 > 0.999). The limit of quantification was shown to be 3.9 µg/mL. Precision and accuracy ranges were found to be %RSD <0.2 and 98% to 102%, respectively. Medroxyprogesterone capacity factor value of 2.1, tailing factor value of 1.03, and resolution value of 3.9 were obtained in accordance with ICH guidelines. Based on the obtained results, a rapid, precise, accurate, sensitive, and cost-effective analysis procedure was proposed for quantitative determination of medroxyprogesterone in vaginal sponges. This analytical method is the only available method to analyse medroxyprogesterone in veterinary intravaginal dosage form.