bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Response of the Church of England to Economic and Demographic Change: the Diocese of Chester, 1818-1851
Authors: Gobbett Brian
Published: November 2016

The first decades of the nineteenth century saw dramatic population growth and urbanization in England. Nowhere was this more so than in the diocese of Chester. In response to this changing demographic pattern, the Church of England made substantial administrative changes and was energetic in securing financial aid. Nevertheless, massive population growth, the traditional poverty and uneven revenue of Chester clergy, and an ineffective parochial system prevented the Church of England from adequately providing for the spiritual care of its parishioners.
Augustus and the Family at the Birth of the Roman Empire
Authors: Harvey Tracene
Published: November 2016

Augustus and the Family at the Birth of the Roman Empire. By Beth Severy. New York and London: Routledge, 2003, Pp, xiv +280, 40 figs, $104,95 US cloth.
Foucault, Ferguson, and civil society
Authors: Ashenden Samantha
Published: November 2016

In contrast to those who trace civil society to “community” per se, Foucault is keen to locate this concept as it emerges at a particular moment in respect of specific exigencies of government. He suggests that civil society is a novel way of thinking about a problem, a particular problematization of government that emerges in the eighteenth century and which combines incommensurable conceptions of the subject as simultaneously a subject of right and of interests. This article takes up Foucault’s discussion of the Scottish Enlightenment in The Birth of Biopolitics to trace the distinctiveness of his discussion of civil society, but also in order to suggest that we ought to pay closer attention to the tensions between commercial-civilizational and civic republican themes in the literature of the late eighteenth century than does Foucault. It is my tentative suggestion that Foucault’s account leaves out significant aspects of these debates that offer counter-valences to the dominant models of the subject available to contemporary political discourse.
Against Totalitarianism: Agamben, Foucault, and the Politics of Critique
Authors: Schotten C. Heike
Published: November 2016

Despite appearances, Agamben’s engagement with Foucault in Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life is not an extension of Foucault’s analysis of biopolitics but rather a disciplining of Foucault for failing to take Nazism seriously. This moralizing rebuke is the result of methodological divergences between the two thinkers that, I argue, have fundamental political consequences. Re-reading Foucault’s most explicitly political work of the mid-1970s, I show that Foucault’s commitment to genealogy is aligned with his commitment to “insurrection”—not simply archival or historical, but practical and political insurrection—even as his non-moralizing understanding of critique makes space for the resistances he hopes to proliferate. By contrast, Agamben’s resurrection of sovereignty turns on a moralizing Holocaust exceptionalism that anoints both sovereignty and the state with inevitably totalitarian powers. Thus, while both Agamben and Foucault take positions “against” totalitarianism, their very different understandings of this term and method of investigating it unwittingly render Agamben complicit with the totalitarianism he otherwise seeks to reject.
“Is power always secondary to the economy?” Foucault and Adorno on Power and Exchange
Authors: Cook Deborah
Published: November 2016

The paper begins with a broad description of Adorno’s and Foucault's relations to Marx. Its focus then narrows to describe the relation between the economy and the state in their work, and in particular, whether Adorno adopted Friedrich Pollock’s state capitalist thesis which asserts that state power now outflanks the market economy. The next section deals with exchange relations and power relations, and Foucault’s discussion of neo-liberalism in The Birth of Biopolitics comes to the fore. After questioning Foucault’s claim that neo-liberalism effectively abandons exchange, I conclude that, while Adorno may well be right about the primacy of exchange relations, his analysis must be supplemented with an analysis of power because he recognizes that power superseded exchange in Nazi Germany and believes that the West still faces a resurgence of that horror. In fact, it was this very threat that impelled Foucault to devote much of his work to an analysis of power.
Academic Subjectivities: Governmentality and Self-Development in Higher Education
Authors: Cannizzo Fabian
Published: November 2016

International debates surrounding the management of universities in Western states have focused heavily upon the implications of neo-liberalism and the economisation of knowledge at national and international levels. However, investigations at the institutional level reveal that programmes for the development of human capital, organisational reputation and service quality in education and research are encouraged through regimes of self-development, directed towards organisational objectives. This article utilises governmentality theory to explore the relationship between governance and subjectivity within the Australian higher education system. The governance of higher education, it will be argued, is enabled by mentalities of government which are dependent upon contemporary technologies, techniques for self-evaluation and career-planning, expertise about university labour, and—importantly—practices which engender an enterprising academic identity. To explore the utility of this analysis in contemporary Western liberal states, this study explores the construction of subjectivity implicit within Monash University’s Performance Development Online (PDO) technology. Embedded with “technologies of the self,” this performance management platform is positioned within Monash as a gateway which requires academics to reflect upon their careers and selves, encouraging the genesis of marketable identities. This article points to the utility of further research into the development of career in a changing academic environment.
The Counter-Conduct of Medieval Hermits
Authors: Roman Christopher
Published: November 2016

The hermit posed a challenge to a medieval Church that emphasized rule, order, and discipline since oversight of their life could be virtually non-existent. The writings of Richard Rolle, hermit, negotiates the space between Foucauldian exomolgesis and exoagouresis as Rolle strove to articulate the identity of the hermit without any kind of church endorsement. As well, he forged his life out of a struggle with concepts of medieval sin, specifically Pride, which placed him in a queer position in terms of relationships with his surrounding community. His way of life was highly influential in his local community, however, and, through manuscript dissemination, beyond. Because he experienced mystical visions without church oversight, his eremitic life and example inspired a movement toward lay, affective piety in the later Middle Ages. The hermit, in his case, challenges the medieval Church’s hierarchy in that hermits practice a form of living at a local level, placing them in dangerous, sometimes heretical, positions that force the Church to either absorb their practices or suppress them.
Revisiting the Omnes et Singulatim Bond: The Production of Irregular Conducts and the Biopolitics of the Governed
Authors: Tazzioli Martina
Published: November 2016

This article starts from the non-juridical meaning of subjectivity that counter-conducts entail and from the asymmetrical forms of refusal they generate. Foucault’s understanding of counter-conducts as productive practices, internal to the regime of norms that they oppose, enables analysing struggles and modes of life that were not defined by Foucault in these terms, or those counter-conducts that are more recent. In the first section, the article engages with the meaning of “counter-conduct,” situating it within the omnes et singulatim nexus, interrogating how the level of multiplicities is at stake in contemporary forms of counter-conduct. Then, it focuses on The Punitive Society, showing that the modes of life and strategies of flight against the capitalist system described by Foucault allow us to grasp the excess of discordant conducts with respect to technologies of power that try to discipline them. In the final section, the article explores the entanglement between singularities and multiplicities at play in the government of refugees, focusing on the spatial disobedience enacted by rejected refugees at Choucha refugee camp in Tunisia. Refugees’ strategic embracement of the condition of subjects eminently governed by the humanitarian rationale illuminates a form of biopolitics of the governed.
Towards a Foucauldian Urban Political Ecology of water: Rethinking the hydro-social cy-cle and scholars’ critical engagement
Authors: Rattu Paola , Véron René
Published: November 2016

Thirty years after the death of Michel Foucault, notwithstanding the fact that his thought has profoundly shaped the contemporary reflection and contributed to move beyond structuralism, the Urban Political Ecology in general and the Urban Political Ecology of water in particular are still dominated by Marxist-inspired theoretical frameworks. This paper aims to provide a theoretical rationale for the development and implementation of a Foucauldian ap-proach to the UPE of water. We show how a Foucauldian approach could shed light on the hydro-social cycle and could be the basis of a specific form of scholarly political engagement.
The Subject of Retirement
Authors: Graham Cameron
Published: November 2016

This paper examines the ”subject of retirement,” one of the most intimate governmental technologies of our present. It extends Read’s argument regarding Foucault’s views on neoliberalism, by providing explicit examples of the technologies of neoliberal government. Read drew attention to the intensification of governmentality by which neoliberalism has operated, and its pervasion into every aspect of society as the individual-as-citizen is transformed into the individual-as-entrepreneur. By examining the Canadian retirement income system, this paper provides a specific example of accounting as a tool of governmentality, a technology integral to neoliberalism’s regime of truth and its production of subjectivity.
Foucault and Sedgwick: The Repressive Hypothesis Revisited
Authors: Huffer Lynne
Published: November 2016

This essay examines the Foucauldian foundations of queer theory in the work of Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. The essay argues that Sedgwick’s increasing disappointment with Foucault’s critique of the repressive hypothesis is in part produced by the slippery rhetoric of The History of Sexuality, Vol. 1: An Introduction. Specifically, Foucault’s use of free indirect discourse in that volume destabilizes both the theory of repression and the critique Foucault mounts against it, thereby rendering ambiguous any political promise his critique might seem to offer. Returning to the fraught relation between Foucault and Sedgwick, the essay concludes by reading Foucault and Sedgwick together through the lens of a reparative ethics in which the felt experience of knowing the world is also an experiment in new ways of living.
Post-liberation Feminism and Practices of Freedom
Authors: McWhorter Ladelle
Published: November 2016

Most feminist theorists over the last forty years have held that a basic tenet of feminism is that women as a group are oppressed.  The concept of oppression has never had a very broad meaning in liberal discourse, however, and with the rise of neo-liberalism since 1980 it has even less currency in public debate.  This article argues that, while we may still believe women are oppressed, for pragmatic purposes Michel Foucault’s concept of practices of freedom is a more effective way to characterize feminist theory and politics.
Queer Feminism: Cultivating Ethical Practices of Freedom
Authors: Sawicki Jana
Published: November 2016

Occupying an eccentric position with respect to critical theories, Foucault prefigures a queer critical thought and practice.  In this paper I make a case for the continuing importance of Foucault for rethinking feminism within the context of neoliberal governmentality despite continuing skepticism about the value of his ethical writings. I draw not only upon the work of Foucault, but also that of queer feminist Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick.
Resisting the Subject: A Feminist-Foucauldian Approach to Countering Sexual Violence
Authors: Taylor Dianna
Published: November 2016

This essay makes a case for the relevance of Foucault’s critique of modern Western subjectivity for feminist efforts toward countering sexual violence against women.  In his last four Collège de France courses, Foucault shows that subjectivity produces a normalizing relation of the self to itself, the effects of which extend beyond the self in equally harmful ways.  As I see it, this harm is especially damaging to women who have experienced sexual violence; moreover, it inhibits effective feminist resistance to such violence.  Through analyzing a particular instance of feminist activism, I argue for the anti-normalizing potential of a contemporary mode of self-relation that functions in a way analogous to that fostered by the ancient practice of parrhēsia.
Three Concepts for Crossing the Nature-Artifice Divide: Technology, Milieu, and Machine
Authors: Altamirano Marco
Published: November 2016

The distinction between nature and artifice has been definitive for Western conceptions of the role of humans within their natural environment. But in order to distinguish between nature and artifice, the human must be separated from nature. This separation, in turn, facilitates a classification of knowledge in general, typically cast in terms of a hierarchy of sciences that ascends from the natural sciences to the social (or human) sciences. However, this hierarchy considers nature as a substantial foundation upon which artifice operates and to which it responds. Here I examine three inter-related concepts that, by focusing on events rather than substances, operate beyond the nature–artifice distinction and thereby resist the hierarchical classification of the sciences: Foucault’s concept of technology, the concept of milieu as it crosses over historically from physics to biology and anthropology, and Deleuze and Guattari’s reconfiguration of the concept of milieu in terms of their concept of machine.
Toward a Theory of Transversal Politics: Deleuze and Foucault’s Block of Becoming
Authors: Penfield Christopher
Published: November 2016

This paper charts the course of Deleuze and Foucault’s philosophical friendship or ‘block of becoming,’ showing the series of reciprocal determinations through which each philosopher’s thought develops in response to the other’s.  Specifically, I will argue that the concept of transversal resistance is fundamental for the political thought of both Foucault and Deleuze, allowing us to reconstruct the basis and trajectory of a shared political theory.  This concept emerges in Deleuze and Guattari’s schizo-politics, which advances the central aim of Foucault’s earlier History of Madness (problematizing the exclusion of a certain intensive experience of madness; activating its potentially liberatory force) while accounting for why Foucault’s particular politics of literary transgression had failed (the becoming-commodity of art).  The question then becomes one of conceiving and creating transversal forms of struggle that would respond to the problem of capitalism—a question which Deleuze poses to Foucault, and which prompts and orients the latter’s micro-political analytic of power.  In turn, Foucault’s analysis of the anti-transversal operation and economico-political function of power provides the critical groundwork for a theory of transversal politics.  Such an affirmative project takes form in Foucault’s late ethico-politics.
Michel Foucault and Michael Oakeshott: The Virtuosity of Individuality
Authors: Segal Jacob
Published: November 2016

In this paper, I reinterpret Michael Oakeshott’s idea of a liberal self through the conceptual framework of Foucault’s theory of the aesthetics of the self.  Oakeshott believes that agents can create themselves as a “style” or a distinctive shape.  This style is a “virtuosity,” an artistic achievement that is also an “excellence” in itself.  Oakeshott’s liberal version of the aesthetics of the self is a new way to think about what Foucault’s argument might mean.  Oakeshott’s theory is an internal challenge to liberalism insofar as liberalism is purportedly a theory of individuality and the unalienable worth of each person; but for Oakeshott, this individuality pertains to the agent gaining a distinctive style, sustaining “distinctness,” not achieving “distinction.” Oakeshott draws our attention to how distinctness is undermined by the forces of conformity and “normality” in existing liberal society.  I also argue that the purportedly “radical” social policy of the basic income, which, while in tension with parts of Oakeshott’s theory, provides all citizens the opportunity to enjoy his particular idea of the self.
Foucault on Ethics and Subjectivity: ‘Care of the Self’ and ‘Aesthetics of Existence’
Authors: Smith Daniel
Published: November 2016

This paper considers the structure of the ethical subject found in Foucault’s late works on ethics, and gives an account of his two major ethical concepts: “care of the self” and “aesthetics of existence.” The “care of the self,” it is argued, gives Foucault a way of conceptualising ethics which does not rely on juridical categories, and which does not conceive the ethical subject on the model of substance. The “care of the self” entails an understanding of the ethical subject as a process which is always in a relation, specifically in a relation to itself. Using his essay “What is an Author,” it is argued that the subject of the “aesthetics of existence,” like the author of a text, is understood to be fully immanent to the “object” which it is usually considered to be opposed to and separated from. Rather than aiming at a true expression of an “authentic” inner substance, Foucault’s “aesthetics of existence” leads instead to practices of “creativity,” whose form cannot be given in advance.
Effect of Yoga in Diabetes
Authors: Pal Mahesh , Misra Tripti , Shukla Shipra , Verma Anjali , Upreti Daleep Kumar
Published: November 2016

Diabetes is a global epidemic, most common endocrine disorder and represents one of the most serious clinical as well as public health problems worldwide. Diabetic complication leads to various cellular or vascular damage to retina, nerves, kidney and cardiovascular complication by the production of free radicals. The science of yoga is an ancient one. It is a rich heritage of our culture. Ancient books make a mention of the usefulness of yoga in the treatment of certain diseases and preservation of health in normal individuals. Yoga can be used as an effective therapy in reducing oxidative stress in diabetes as well as other complicated disorders. Yoga is also beneficial in improving glycemic parameters and Body Mass Index. Yoga can be administered as an add-on therapy to standard lifestyle interventions. Yoga is being tried for its beneficial effects not only in India but also in US, UK and Australia as well.
Molecular imprinted polymer and its applications in Agriculture Science: a review
Authors: Prajapati R. Kumar , Ansari M. A
Published: November 2016

Contamination of environment due to indiscriminate use of herbicides poses severe risks to soil, water and air as well as human health. Therefore, need of easy, rapid and of low cost detection methods triggered the researcher to find out new technology. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), the synthetic materials are very useful in these circumstances. It offers several advantages to the environmental scientist, chemist, pharmaceutical, and agro food industry for analysis, sensoring, extraction, or preconcentration of analytes. The high toxicity of herbicides and their large use in modern agriculture practices has increased public concerns. In this review paper, imprinting and detection of herbicide, the recognition and transport properties of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) membranes prepared for herbicides such as Isoproturon and 2,4-D in particular have been discussed.
Cancer
Authors: Shukla S. C.
Published: November 2016

A group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body, is known as cancer. Majority (90-95%) of cancers are due to environmental factors. Remaining (5-10%) is due to inherited factors. Most of the cancers can be recognized at early stage due to the appearance of signs and symptoms or through screening. Investigations include blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, endoscopy and biopsy. Some cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors as tobacco chewing, obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol intake and sexually transmitted diseases etc.
Sun-icons
Authors: Vinayak Anuradha
Published: November 2016

The evidence of icon worship is found in the ancient oldest known civilization of Indus valley. In India, prayers in natures form of Surya in ten Suktas in Rig-Veda. Sculptures of Surya started in second century A.D. and developed significantly in Gupta Period. Skanda-Puran has mentioned about 68 Temples of Sun in different parts of country. On the basis of architecture Sun Icon found in different parts of the country. All Icons have special significance.
An Examination of Reputational Costs and Tax Avoidance: Evidence from Firms with Valuable Consumer Brands
Authors: Austin Chelsea Rae , Wilson Ryan J.
Published: November 2016

We expect firms with the greatest exposure to reputational damage among consumers will engage in lower levels of tax avoidance to minimize unwanted scrutiny that could impair the firms' reputation. We identify a set of firms with valuable consumer reputation using Harris Interactive's EquiTrend survey, which surveys consumers about their perceptions of valuable and prominent brands. We find evidence in support of our hypothesis that firms with valuable brands will engage in less tax avoidance. Specifically, we find a positive and significant association between our measure of reputation and both the GAAP and cash effective tax rates (measured over one and three years). We find mixed evidence on whether there is a negative and significant association between reputation and the probability the firm is engaging in tax sheltering.
People living with HIV in Estonia: engagement in HIV care in 2013
Authors: Laisaar Kaja-Triin , Raag Mait , Lutsar Irja , Uusküla Anneli
Published: November 2016

Estonia had the highest rate of newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in the European Union (24.6/100,000) and an estimated adult HIV prevalence of 1.3% in 2013. HIV medical care, including antiretroviral therapy (ART), is free of charge for people living with HIV (PLHIV). To maximise the health benefits of HIV treatment, universal access should be achieved. Using data from surveillance and administrative databases and the treatment cascade model, we assessed the number of people infected with HIV, diagnosed with HIV, linked to HIV care, retained in HIV care, on ART, and with suppressed viral load (HIV-RNA: < 200 copies/mL). We identified that about one quarter of the 8,628 HIV-positive people estimated to live in Estonia in 2013 had not been diagnosed with HIV, and another quarter, although aware of their HIV-positive serostatus, had not accessed HIV medical care. Although altogether only 12–15% of all PLHIV in Estonia had achieved viral suppression, the main gap in HIV care in Estonia were the 58% of PLHIV who had accessed HIV medical care at least once after diagnosis but were not retained in care in 2013.
Increased incidence of syphilis in men who have sex with men and risk management strategies, Germany, 2015
Authors: Jansen Klaus , Schmidt Axel J. , Drewes Jochen , Bremer Viviane , Marcus Ulrich
Published: November 2016

In Germany, the number of reported syphilis cases increased between 11% and 22% per year between 2010 and 2014. We analysed syphilis surveillance data and data of four behavioural surveys on men who have sex with men (MSM) in Germany (2003, 2007, 2010, 2013) to assess if this rise is ongoing and to find possible explanations for it. Syphilis notifications increased in 2015 by 19% to a total of 6,834. This was mainly due to increasing notifications in MSM of all age groups in larger German cities. Data from the behavioural surveys on MSM in Germany showed a simultaneous increase of selective condom use as HIV-status-bases risk management strategy and the number of syphilis cases. MSM diagnosed with HIV reported condomless anal intercourse with non-steady partners more frequent than MSM not diagnosed with HIV or untested for HIV, but the latter also reported higher frequencies of this behaviour in the more recent surveys. Transmission in HIV-positive MSM probably plays an important, but not exclusive role, for the syphilis dynamics in Germany. A risk adapted routine screening for sexually active MSM and potentially innovative approaches to increase early screening and treatment of syphilis such as internet counselling, home sampling, home testing and broadening venue-based (rapid) testing, should be critically evaluated to effectively reduce syphilis infections.
Anatomy of an Evidence Base
Authors: Malouf David B. , Taymans Juliana M.
Published: November 2016

An analysis was conducted of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) research evidence base on the effectiveness of replicable education interventions. Most interventions were found to have little or no support from technically adequate research studies, and intervention effect sizes were of questionable magnitude to meet education policy goals. These findings painted a dim picture of the evidence base on education interventions and indicated a need for new approaches, including a reexamination of federal reliance on experimental impact research as the basis for gauging intervention effectiveness.
Ventricular catheter entry site and not catheter tip location predicts shunt survival: a secondary analysis of 3 large pediatric hydrocephalus studies
Authors: Whitehead William E. , Riva-Cambrin Jay , Kulkarni Abhaya V. , Wellons John C. , Rozzelle Curtis J. , Tamber Mandeep S. , Limbrick David D. , Browd Samuel R. , Naftel Robert P. , Shannon Chevis N. , Simon Tamara D. , Holubkov Richard , Illner Anna , Cochrane D. Douglas , Drake James M. , Luerssen Thomas G. , Oakes W. Jerry , Kestle John R. W.
Published: November 2016

OBJECTIVE

Accurate placement of ventricular catheters may result in prolonged shunt survival, but the best target for the hole-bearing segment of the catheter has not been rigorously defined. The goal of the study was to define a target within the ventricle with the lowest risk of shunt failure.

METHODS

Five catheter placement variables (ventricular catheter tip location, ventricular catheter tip environment, relationship to choroid plexus, catheter tip holes within ventricle, and crosses midline) were defined, assessed for interobserver agreement, and evaluated for their effect on shunt survival in univariate and multivariate analyses. De-identified subjects from the Shunt Design Trial, the Endoscopic Shunt Insertion Trial, and a Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network study on ultrasound-guided catheter placement were combined (n = 858 subjects, all first-time shunt insertions, all patients < 18 years old). The first postoperative brain imaging study was used to determine ventricular catheter placement for each of the catheter placement variables.

RESULTS

Ventricular catheter tip location, environment, catheter tip holes within the ventricle, and crosses midline all achieved sufficient interobserver agreement (κ > 0.60). In the univariate survival analysis, however, only ventricular catheter tip location was useful in distinguishing a target within the ventricle with a survival advantage (frontal horn; log-rank, p = 0.0015). None of the other catheter placement variables yielded a significant survival advantage unless they were compared with catheter tips completely not in the ventricle. Cox regression analysis was performed, examining ventricular catheter tip location with age, etiology, surgeon, decade of surgery, and catheter entry site (anterior vs posterior). Only age (p < 0.001) and entry site (p = 0.005) were associated with shunt survival; ventricular catheter tip location was not (p = 0.37). Anterior entry site lowered the risk of shunt failure compared with posterior entry site by approximately one-third (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51–0.83).

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis failed to identify an ideal target within the ventricle for the ventricular catheter tip. Unexpectedly, the choice of an anterior versus posterior catheter entry site was more important in determining shunt survival than the location of the ventricular catheter tip within the ventricle. Entry site may represent a modifiable risk factor for shunt failure, but, due to inherent limitations in study design and previous clinical research on entry site, a randomized controlled trial is necessary before treatment recommendations can be made.
Muster und treibende Kräfte der Samenproduktion bei Waldbäumen
Authors: Wohlgemuth Thomas , Nussbaumer Anita , Burkart Anton , Moritzi Martin , Wasem Ulrich , Moser Barbara
Published: November 2016

Patterns and driving forces for seed production in forest tree species

Why is the annual fruit production in forest tree species not constant, and which factors cause massive fruit production (seed mast year)? These and other related questions were already posed more than 100 years ago when tree breeding was economically beneficial. The questions have not been fully answered, yet. Rather, the same questions are studied again today as the climate is changing and the uncertainty about the continuation of forests at their current locations is growing. A 25 year long observation series on the variation of fruit production in Switzerland revealed a mean frequency of three years for mast seeding (full and medium mast) at low elevation on the Central Plateau in European beech (Fagus sylvatica), oak (Quercus petraea, Q. robur) and silver fir (Abies alba). In contrast, mast seed years of Norway spruce (Picea abies) occurred, on average, every sixth year. In 1992 and 2011, all four species synchronously showed mast seeding. The results are discussed in the light of different theories and new research findings. From the state of the current know ledge, we derive the need for long-term and fine-scale baseline data and present the new reporting and information webpage «mast web.ch». Here, volunteers can report observations on the fruit production of main tree species following a few simple criteria (citizen science approach). With this data, distribution maps on mass fructification levels will be made available and will serve for spatio-temporal fine-scale studies on mast seeding phenomena.
Changes in hematological parameters and gill morphology in common carp exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of Malathion
Authors: Sharmin Sadia , Salam Md Abdus , Haque Farhana , Islam Md Sadiqul , Shahjahan Md
Published: November 2016

Malathion is an organophosphorous insecticide widely used in the agricultural field in Bangladesh and reach in the aquatic environment through rain wash. In the present study, we examined the effects of Malathion on hematological parameters and gills morphology in common carp exposed to two sub-lethal concentrations (1.5 and 3.0 mg/L) for a period of 192h (8 days). For hematological parameters fish were sacrificed at 24, 48, 72, and 96h after start of exposure. Gills were collected at 192h after start of exposure. The blood glucose level was significantly elevated with increasing the concentration of Malathion. Red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) values were significantly decreased after the exposure of Malathion. Significant increments were observed in case of the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), while no distinct changes were noted for mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH). Interestingly, white blood cells (WBCs) count was significantly increased with toxicity of Malathion. Several morphological changes, such as telangiectasia, blood lamellar congestion, hypertrophy of filaments, lamellar fusion were observed in the gills of fish exposed to Malathion. The present study revealed that the insecticide had adverse effects on various blood parameters and gills morphology in common carp. Thus, the use of insecticide in the agriculture field may be a threat to fauna and flora of the aquatic environment.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. September 2016, 2(3): 370-378
Determination of antibiotics sensitivity profiles of bacteria isolated from raw milk
Authors: Talukder Mukta , Ahmed HM Manir
Published: November 2016

The extensive progress of dairy sectors in a developing country like Bangladesh, led to widespread use of antibiotics to improve the health and productivity of animals. Prolonged usage may lead to antibiotic residues in foods of animal origin; hence, the emergence of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms. Accurate data on the antibiotic usage in livestock treatment, antibiotic residues and antimicrobial resistances in raw milk in Bangladesh are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the types and usages of antibiotics in cattle, their potential microbial resistances in raw milk samples. To do so, a total of 54 raw milk samples were evaluated and the bacterial isolates were identified and measured for resistance to 4 antibiotics most commonly used during bacterial infection Bangladesh. Amongst all 54 (100%) isolates were positive to S. aureus and 36 (66.67%) isolates were positive to E coli. Determination of the antibiotic resistance pattern of isolates showed that all isolates of S. aureus were resistant to cefoxitin (81.48%), ampicillin (64.81%), ciprofloxacin (51.85%), and gentamycin (70.37%). E. coli showed resistance to cefoxitin (69.44%), ampicillin (83.33%), ciprofloxacin (77.78%), and gentamycin (86.11%). However multidrug resistance pattern was also found. The obtained results provide evidence that antimicrobial resistant strains of the above pathogens have become remarkably widespread in raw milk. This requires better management for antibiotic usages among livestock farmers to control sources of food contamination and reduce the health risks associated with the development of resistant microbial strainsAsian J. Med. Biol. Res. September 2016, 2(3): 396-401
Effects of stocking density on growth, survival and production of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio var. specularis) spawn in nursery pond
Authors: Samad Md Abdus , Khatun Aliza , Reza Md Selim , Asrafuzzaman Md , Ferdaushy Most Habiba
Published: November 2016

The research work was conducted to evaluate the effects of stocking density on growth, survival and production of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio var. specularis) spawn in nursery pond for a period of 35 days. Three treatments differing in stocking density of hatchling viz., T1:172900 individuals/ha, T2:148200 individuals/ha and T3:123500 individuals/ha were employed each having three replicates. Fries were fed same diet in three different treatments consisting of (28.5%) at the rate of 6-10% of body weight. The Physico-chemical characteristics of pond water were measured weekly. The mean values of some water quality parameters such as temperature (°C) were 30.41 ±1.15 (T1), 30.38±1.08 (T2), 30.45±1.10 (T3); transparency (cm) 40.00±0.90 (T1), 39.74±0.51 (T2), 39.93±0.70 (T3); dissolved oxygen (mg/l) 6.79±0.45 (T1), 6.71±0.38 (T2), 7.02±0.29 (T3); pH 7.55±0.18 (T1), 7.67±0.16 (T2), 7.62±0.20 (T3) and alkalinity (mg/l) 116.20±0.64 (T1), 99.36±0.45 (T2), 96.47±0.93 (T3) from 35 days respectively. Except alkalinity no significant value were found for parameters. Sampling was also done weekly. The mean value of final weight (g) was 0.35±0.004 (T1), 0.42±0.008 (T2), 0.59±0.006 (T3). The survival rate of Cyprinus carpio var. specularis was 54.20% (T1), 62.90% (T2) and 74.56% (T3) respectively. The highest survivability was found in T3. The production (kg/ha) of Cyprinus carpio var. specularis was 76.32±4.96 (T1), 77.60±5.19 (T2), 91.04±6.02 (T3) respectively. Significantly (p< 0.05) highest production was found in T3.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. September 2016, 2(3): 429-435
Management and treatment patterns of diabetes patients having blood pressure complications living in Dhaka city, Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman AHM Mahmudur , Saran Lutful Haque , Rashid Md Mamun Ur , Taher Adnan
Published: November 2016

A study way carried out in Dhaka city to find out the management and treatment patterns of diabetic patients those having blood pressure complications. It was a cross sectional study of 150 patients by using self administered survey questionnaire and founded data was analyzed and described. In this study, it is found that almost all of the patients (92%) were from Dhaka and just were a few those were outsider but came as referred patients. The male and female percentages were accordingly 64.67% and 35.33% and among those diabetes patients 47.33% had hypertension and 10.66% had hypotension and most of them (74%) check their diabetes monthly. Among those patients 79.33% patients were prescribed only drugs while 17% patients were prescribed to change their routine only and 4% were prescribed both (drug and routine). Most of the diabetes patients having blood pressure complicacy were prescribed only drugs which is very significant and those are going to do further research in this aspect will be benefited by getting this information.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. September 2016, 2(3): 458-463
Impact of stocking density on growth and production performance of monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in ponds
Authors: Rahman Md Mamunur , Mondal Debashis Kumar , Amin Md Rurul , Muktadir Mohammad Golam
Published: November 2016

Stocking density is considered one of the important factors affecting fish growth. The study was aimed to compare the growth parameters of monosex tilapia at various stocking densities. The experiment was carried out during the period from 06 August to 22 December 2014. Three stocking densities were used as 125, 250 and 375 fish/dec and designated as treatment T1, T2 and T3 respectively each having two replicates. All the fishes were of same age group having average initial body weight of 1.34g. A commercial feed was supplied at the rate of 40% of the body weight and then gradually it was readjusted to 20%, 10%, 5% and 3% respectively and continued up to the end of the experiment. The water quality parameters were monitored at 14 days interval and the ranges were: temperature 19.34 to 31.40°C, pH 6.83 to 8.03, dissolved oxygen 4.78 to 6.82 mg/l and transparency 29.02 to 49.45cm.The result of the present study showed that the mean weight gain was significantly (P<0.01) highest in T1(120.58g) followed by T2(89.74g) and T3(74.58g).The average specific growth rates (SGR) was 2.590, 2.560 and 2.598 (%/day) in treatment T1, T2 and T3 respectively. There was significant (P<0.01) differences among the survival rate. The survival rate 87% was significantly highest in T1followed by 76% in T2 and 69% in T3.The fish productions were 13.25, 17.30 and 19.64 kg/decimal in T1, T2 and T3 respectively. Although the highest production was obtained in T3 but individually growth performance of monosex tilapia was highest in T1. The highest net profit was found (BDT 3,373.30) inT1compared toT2 (BDT 3,017) and T3 (BDT 2,918). The highest benefit cost ratio (BCR) was 1.79 in T1followed by 1.44 in T2and 1.28 in T3. Based on the result of present experiment, fish farmers might be suggested to rear tilapia at lower stocking density to get higher growth, survival and benefit in a short period of time.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. September 2016, 2(3): 471-476
Seasonal Variation in Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Three Age-Stages of Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) Stands in an Alluvial Island, Eastern China
Authors: Yin Shan , Zhang Xianxian , Pumpanen Jukka , Shen Guangrong , Xiong Feng , Liu Chunjiang
Published: November 2016

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are an important part of the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycle in forest soil. However, soil greenhouse gas emissions in dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) stands of different ages are poorly understood. To elucidate the effect of plantation age and environmental factors on soil GHG emissions, we used static chamber/gas chromatography (GC) system to measure soil GHG emissions in an alluvial island in eastern China for two consecutive years. The soil was a source of CO2 and N2O and a sink of CH4 with annual emissions of 5.5–7.1 Mg C ha−1 year−1, 0.15–0.36 kg N ha−1 year−1, and 1.7–4.5 kg C ha−1 year−1, respectively. A clear exponential correlation was found between soil temperature and CO2 emission, but a negative linear correlation was found between soil water content and CO2 emission. Soil temperature had a significantly positive effect on CH4 uptake and N2O emission, whereas no significant correlation was found between CH4 uptake and soil water content, and N2O emission and soil water content. These results implied that older forest stands might cause more GHG emissions from the soil into the atmosphere because of higher litter/root biomass and soil carbon/nitrogen content compared with younger stands.
Fire Regime Characteristics along Environmental Gradients in Spain
Authors: Moreno María , Chuvieco Emilio
Published: November 2016

Concern regarding global change has increased the need to understand the relationship between fire regime characteristics and the environment. Pyrogeographical theory suggests that fire regimes are constrained by climate, vegetation and fire ignition processes, but it is not obvious how fire regime characteristics are related to those factors. We used a three-matrix approach with a multivariate statistical methodology that combined an ordination method and fourth-corner analysis for hypothesis testing to investigate the relationship between fire regime characteristics and environmental gradients across Spain. Our results suggest that fire regime characteristics (i.e., density and seasonality of fire activity) are constrained primarily by direct gradients based on climate, population, and resource gradients based on forest potential productivity. Our results can be used to establish a predictive model for how fire regimes emerge in order to support fire management, particularly as global environmental changes impact fire regime characteristics.
Gully Erosion Mapping and Monitoring at Multiple Scales Based on Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data of the Sancha River Catchment, Northeast China
Authors: Wang Ranghu , Zhang Shuwen , Pu Luoman , Yang Jiuchun , Yang Chaobin , Chen Jing , Guan Cong , Wang Qing , Chen Dan , Fu Bolin , Sang Xuejia
Published: November 2016

This research is focused on gully erosion mapping and monitoring at multiple spatial scales using multi-source remote sensing data of the Sancha River catchment in Northeast China, where gullies extend over a vast area. A high resolution satellite image (Pleiades 1A, 0.7 m) was used to obtain the spatial distribution of the gullies of the overall basin. Image visual interpretation with field verification was employed to map the geometric gully features and evaluate gully erosion as well as the topographic differentiation characteristics. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing data and the 3D photo-reconstruction method were employed for detailed gully mapping at a site scale. The results showed that: (1) the sub-meter image showed a strong ability in the recognition of various gully types and obtained satisfactory results, and the topographic factors of elevation, slope and slope aspects exerted significant influence on the gully spatial distribution at the catchment scale; and (2) at a more detailed site scale, UAV imagery combined with 3D photo-reconstruction provided a Digital Surface Model (DSM) and ortho-image at the centimeter level as well as a detailed 3D model. The resulting products revealed the area of agricultural utilization and its shaping by human agricultural activities and water erosion in detail, and also provided the gully volume. The present study indicates that using multi-source remote sensing data, including satellite and UAV imagery simultaneously, results in an effective assessment of gully erosion over multiple spatial scales. The combined approach should be continued to regularly monitor gully erosion to understand the erosion process and its relationship with the environment from a comprehensive perspective.
The Effects of a High Magnetic Field on the Annealing of [(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]96Nb4 Bulk Metallic Glass
Authors: Jia Peng , Wang En-gang , Han Ke
Published: November 2016

In contrast with amorphous alloys, nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials show improved thermal stability and higher soft magnetic properties. The nanocrystalline soft magnetic composites are usually fabricated by partially crystallizing from parent amorphous alloys. This paper reports our experimental observation on the sequence of crystallization in metallic glass under a high magnetic field (HMF). An application of a HMF to bulk metallic glass (BMG) of [(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]96Nb4 prioritizes the precipitation of α-(Fe,Co) phase separated from the subsequent precipitation of borides, (Fe,Co)23B6, upon isothermal annealing at a glass transition temperature. Furthermore, it was observed that, through the annealing treatment under a HMF, a soft magnetic nanocomposite, in which only α-(Fe,Co) phase uniformly distributes in amorphous matrix, was achieved for boron-bearing BMG. The promotion of the α-Fe or (Fe,Co) phase and the prevention of the boride phases during the isothermal annealing process help to produce high-quality soft magnetic nanocomposite materials. The mechanism by which a HMF influences the crystallization sequence was interpreted via certain changes in Gibbs free energies for two ferromagnetic phases. This finding evidences that the annealing treatment under a HMF is suitable for enhancing the soft magnetic properties of high B content (Fe,Co)-based bulk amorphous and nanocrystalline materials.
Synthesis and In Vitro Antiproliferative Activity of Novel Phenyl Ring-Substituted 5-Alkyl-12(H)-quino[3,4-b][1,4]benzothiazine Derivatives
Authors: Zięba Andrzej , Latocha Małgorzata , Sochanik Aleksander , Nycz Anna , Kuśmierz Dariusz
Published: November 2016

A novel series of tetracyclic quinobenzothiazine derivatives was synthetized. Compounds containing a substituent (hydroxyl, methyl, phenyl, piperidyl, or piperazinyl) in positions 9 and 11 were obtained by cyclization of suitable 4-aminoquinolinium-3-thiolates. Quinobenzothiazine 10-O-substituted derivatives were obtained by alkylating the hydroxyl group in position 10 of the parent (quinobenzothiazine) system. Antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds was studied using cultured neoplastic cells (MDA-MB-231, SNB-19, and C-32 cell lines). Four selected compounds were investigated in more detail for cytotoxicity and antiproliferative effect. Transcriptional activity of genes regulating cell cycle (TP53), apoptosis (BAX, BCL-2), as well as proliferation (H3) were assessed. Finally, the ability of the selected compounds to bind DNA was checked in the presence of ethidium bromide.
Practical and Metal-Free Synthesis of Novel Enantiopure Amides Containing the Potentially Bioactive 5-Nitroimidazole Moiety
Authors: Spitz Cédric , Mathias Fanny , Giuglio-Tonolo Alain , Terme Thierry , Vanelle Patrice
Published: November 2016

We report here a practical and metal-free synthesis of novel enantiopure amides containing the drug-like 5-nitroimidazole scaffold. The first step was a metal-free diastereoselective addition of 4-(4-(chloromethyl)phenyl)-1,2-dimethyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole to enantiomerically pure N-tert-butanesulfinimine. Then, the N-tert-butanesulfinyl–protected amine was easily deprotected under acidic conditions. Finally, the primary amine was coupled with different acid chlorides or acids to give the corresponding amides. The mild reaction conditions and high tolerance for various substitutions make this approach attractive for constructing pharmacologically interesting 5-nitroimidazoles.