bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Thermal-Hydraulic Behavior of an Integral Type Reactor under Heaving Condition
Authors: Feng Beibei , Yang Xingtuan , Li Shengqiang , Sun Yanfei , Tu Jiyuan , Jiang Shengyao
Published: April 2014

A self-developed program was used to study the thermal-hydraulic behavior of an integral type reactor under heaving condition. Comparison of calculated results with the data of experiments performed on a natural circulation loop designed with reference to an integral type reactor of Tsinghua University in inclination, heaving, and rolling motions was carried out. Characteristics of natural circulation in heaving motion and effect of motion parameters on natural circulation were investigated. Results indicated that: (1) long-period heaving motion would lead to more significant influence than inclination and rolling motion; (2) it was an alternating force field which consisted of gravity and an additional force that decided the flow temperature and density difference of natural circulation; (3) effect of strengthkand cycleTof heaving motion on flow fluctuation of natural circulation and condensate depression of heating section outlet was performed.
What Can We Learn from (Pseudo)Rapidity Distribution in High Energy Collisions?
Authors: Liu Fu-Hu , Tian Tian , Sun Jian-Xin , Li Bao-Chun
Published: April 2014

Based on the (pseudo)rapidity distribution of final-state particles produced in proton-proton (pp) collisions at high energy, the probability distributions of momenta, longitudinal momenta, transverse momenta (transverse masses), energies, velocities, longitudinal velocities, transverse velocities, and emission angles of the considered particles are obtained in the framework of a multisource thermal model. The number density distributions of particles in coordinate and momentum spaces and related transverse planes, the particle dispersion plots in longitudinal and transverse coordinate spaces, and the particle dispersion plots in transverse momentum plane at the stage of freeze out in high energyppcollisions are also obtained.
A Dynamic Model for Direct and Indirect Matrix Converters
Authors: Hosseini Abardeh Mohamad , Ghazi Reza
Published: April 2014

The complicated modulation algorithm and the high switching frequency are two main hindrances in the analysis and simulation of matrix converters (MCs) based systems. To simplify the analysis and accelerate the simulation of MCs, a unique dynamic model is presented for the MC, which is independent of MC type (direct or indirect) and the modulation algorithm. All the input and output variables are transferred to the respective reference frames and their relations and limits are calculated. Based on the proposed equations, an equivalent circuit model is presented which can predict all the direct and indirect matrix converters dynamic and steady state behaviors without the need for small simulation time steps. Validity of the proposed model is evaluated using simulation of the precise model. Moreover, experimental results from a laboratory matrix converter setup are provided to verify the accuracy of the simulation results.
Factors behind Leisure-Time Physical Activity Behavior Based on Finnish Twin Studies: The Role of Genetic and Environmental Influences and the Role of Motives
Authors: Aaltonen Sari , Kujala Urho M. , Kaprio Jaakko
Published: April 2014

Different approaches are being taken to clarify the role of various factors in the development of physical activity behaviors. Genetic studies are a new area of physical activity research and also the motives for physical activity have been widely studied. The purpose of this paper is to review the findings emerging from the longitudinal genetic studies on leisure-time physical activity and to evaluate the associations between motivational factors and leisure-time physical activity. The focus is to review recent findings of longitudinal Finnish twin studies. The results of the latest longitudinal Finnish twin studies point to the existence of age-specific genetic and environmental influences on leisure-time physical activity. Variations in environmental factors seem to explain the observed deterioration in leisure-time physical activity levels. A decline in genetic influences is seen first from adolescence to young adulthood and again from the age of thirty to the mid-thirties. In the Finnish twin participants, mastery, physical fitness, and psychological state were the major motivation factors associated with consistent leisure-time physical activity behavior. The results also indicate that intrinsic motivation factors may be important for engagement in leisure-time physical activity.
Fuzzy Multiobjective Optimal Power Flow Based on Modified Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm
Authors: He Xuanhu , Wang Wei
Published: April 2014

This paper presents a modified artificial bee colony (MABC) algorithm to solve optimal power flow (OPF) problem. In the proposed MABC algorithm, the searching operation for new food source of artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is replaced with mutation and crossover operation of differential evolution (DE) algorithm to improve exploitation capacity. The OPF objective functions involve minimization of total fuel cost of generating units, minimization of emission of atmospheric pollutants, minimization of active power losses, and minimization of voltage deviations. The fuzzy satisfaction‐maximizing method is utilized to convert the multiobjectives problem into single objective problem. The proposed approach is applied to the OPF problem on IEEE 30‐bus test system. And the results are compared with those obtained by other heuristic algorithms, which demonstrate that the MABC algorithm not only has a better exploration capacity but also possesses stronger exploitation capacity and can effectively solve the OPF problem.
Serum YKL-40 Levels and Chitotriosidase Activity in Patients with Beta-Thalassemia Major
Authors: Musumeci Maria , Caruso Vincenzo , Medulla Emilia , Torrisi Venerando , Migale Roberta , Angeletti Silvia , Musumeci Salvatore
Published: April 2014

Background. YKL-40 association with human disease has been the object of many years of investigation.β-thalassemia patients are affected by hepatic siderosis, which determines a fibrotic process and tissue remodelling. Chitotriosidase has been found to be increased in thalassemic patients returning to normal in patients submitted to bone marrow transplantation. YKL-40 is associated with macrophage activation in liver and in other tissues. The aim of the study was to analyse the level of serum YKL-40 and plasma chitotriosidase activity of patients with beta-thalassemia to assess whether their expression correlates with liver disease and degree of liver siderosis.Methods. Expression of YKL-40 and chitotriosidase as a marker of inflammation in 69 thalassemic patients were evaluated. We sought to investigate whether these two chitinases could be considered as a significant biomarker to evaluate therapy effectiveness.Results. Surprisingly we found normal value of YKL-40. We, also, analysed chitotriosidase activity in the same patients that was slightly increased as a consequence of macrophage activation.Conclusions. These data would suggest a good treatment for these patients.
Model Passengers’ Travel Time for Conventional Bus Stop
Authors: Xin Guangzhao , Wang Wei
Published: April 2014

Limited number of berths can result in a subsequent bus stopping at the upstream of a bus stop when all berths are occupied. When this traffic phenomenon occurs, passengers waiting on the platform usually prefer walking to the stopped bus, which leads to additional walking time before boarding the bus. Therefore, passengers’ travel time consumed at a bus stop is divided into waiting time, additional walking time, and boarding time. This paper proposed a mathematical model for analyzing passengers’ travel time at conventional bus stop based on theory of stochastic service system. Field-measured and simulated data were designated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. By analyzing the results, conclusion was conducted that short headway can reduce passengers’ waiting time at bus stop. Meanwhile, the theoretical analysis explained the inefficiency of bus stops with more than three berths from the perspective of passengers’ additional walking time. Additional walking time will increase in a large scale when the number of berths at a bus stop exceedsthe threshold of three.
Plasma Antioxidants, Genetic Variation in SOD2, CAT, GPX1, GPX4, and Prostate Cancer Survival
Authors: Van Blarigan Erin L. , Ma Jing , Kenfield Stacey A. , Stampfer Meir J. , Sesso Howard D. , Giovannucci Edward L. , Witte John S. , Erdman John W. , Chan June M. , Penney Kathryn L.
Published: April 2014

Background: Antioxidants may reduce risk of aggressive prostate cancer, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in antioxidant genes may modify this association.

Methods: We used Cox proportional hazards regression to examine circulating prediagnostic α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, and lycopene; SNPs in SOD2 (n = 5), CAT (n = 6), GPX1 (n = 2), GPX4, (n = 3); and their interactions and risk of lethal prostate cancer among 2,439 men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Physicians' Health Study.

Results: We observed 223 events over a median follow-up of 10 years. Higher α-tocopherol levels were associated with lower risk of lethal prostate cancer [HR 3rd versus 1st quartile (Q): 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.30–0.89; HR 4th versus 1st Q: 0.68; 95% CI, 0.41–1.13; P trend: 0.02]. Men homozygous for the less common allele (G) at rs3746165 in GPX4 had a 35% lower risk of lethal prostate cancer compared with men homozygous for the more common allele (A; HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.43–0.99). Among men homozygous for the less common allele in rs3746165, high γ-tocopherol levels were associated with a 3.5-fold increased risk of lethal prostate cancer (95% CI, 1.27–9.72; P value, 0.02; interaction P value, 0.01).

Conclusions: Among men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer, higher circulating prediagnostic α-tocopherol may be associated with lower risk of developing lethal disease. Variants in GPX4 may be associated with risk of lethal prostate cancer, and may modify the relation between γ-tocopherol and prostate cancer survival.

Impact: Circulating tocopherol levels and variants in GPX4 may affect prostate cancer progression. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(6); 1037–46. ©2014 AACR.
Outcomes of One-Step Incomplete and Complete Excavation in Primary Teeth: A 24-Month Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Franzon Renata , Guimarães Lizandra F. , Magalhães Camila E. , Haas Alex N. , Araujo Fernando B.
Published: April 2014

Aim: To compare 24-month pulp health outcomes of partial caries removal (PCR) and total caries removal (TCR) with composite restoration in primary molars. Methods: 48 children aged 3-8 years with at least one molar with a deep carious lesion were included. 120 teeth were randomized to control (TCR; n = 54; 69% class II) and test (PCR; n = 66; 63% class II) groups. Total absence of carious tissue was confirmed using a blunt-tipped probe in the TCR group. For PCR, excavation was stopped when hardened, dried dentin with a leathery consistency was achieved. Pulpotomy was performed in cases of pulp exposure. Results: Pulp exposure occurred in 2 and 27.5% of teeth treated with PCR and TCR, respectively (p < 0.01). The operative time was significantly higher for TCR than PCR. Success rates were 92 and 96% in the PCR and TCR groups, respectively (p = 0.34). The success rate tended to be lower in occlusoproximal (92%) than in occlusal (100%) lesions (p = 0.08). Conclusion: The clinical and radiographic success rates of PCR and TCR in primary teeth with deep carious lesions were high and did not differ significantly, indicating that PCR is a reliable minimally invasive approach in primary teeth and that the retention of carious dentin does not interfere with pulp vitality. Moreover, PCR provided other clinically relevant advantages over TCR, especially lower incidence of pulp exposure and lower operative time.
Thalidomide, Cyclophosphamide and Dexamethasone Induction Therapy: Feasibility for Myeloma Patients Destined for Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Chang Won Jin , Kang Eun-Suk , Lee Seung-Tae , Kim Sun-Hee , Kim Dae Won , Kim Seok Jin , Kim Kihyun
Published: April 2014

This study explored the effect of thalidomide and cyclophosphamide on stem cell collection, in addition to assessing their efficacy as induction therapy for myeloma patients destined for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We analyzed newly diagnosed myeloma patients who received TCD (thalidomide 100 mg/day for 28 days, oral cyclophosphamide 150 mg/m2/day and dexamethasone 40 mg/day on days 1-4) as induction therapy prior to ASCT. Peripheral stem cells were mobilized with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and cyclophosphamide. Thirty-six patients (median age 54 years) received TCD chemotherapy (median 4 cycles). The overall response rate to TCD was 77.8% (28/36). The median number of CD34+ cells was 6.5 × 106/kg, and 2 patients failed to achieve the optimal number of CD34+ cells, i.e. 4.0 × 106/kg, although they were able to attain >2.0 × 106/kg. The overall response rate increased up to 94.4% (34/36) after ASCT; this included 9 patients with a stringent complete response without transplantation-related mortality. Four patients died due to disease progression and 17 were found to have progressed after ASCT (the median progression-free survival after ASCT was 19.6 months). TCD chemotherapy can be an effective and feasible induction regimen prior to ASCT for myeloma patients.
Argatroban for Preventing Occlusion and Restenosis after Extracranial Artery Stenting
Authors: Zhou Lulu , Liu Dezhi , Li Yun , Zhu Wusheng , Sun Wen , Li Yongkun , Xiong Yunyun , Chen Zhaoyao , Wang Qizhang , Cai Qiankun , Wang Zhaolu , Wang Xiaomeng , Sun Wenshan , Ge Liang , Ma Minmin , Li Min , Li Hua , Fan Xinying , Yin Qin , Xu Gelin , Liu George , Fan Xiaobing , Liu Xinfeng
Published: April 2014

Background/Aims: Restenosis following extracranial artery stenting is a limitation that affects long-term outcomes. Effective and satisfying pharmacological strategies in preventing restenosis have not been established. This study aimed to evaluate whether argatroban, a direct thrombin inhibitor, could reduce the risk of in-stent restenosis after extracranial artery stenting. Methods: One hundred and fourteen patients hospitalized between August 2010 and August 2011 were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to argatroban (n = 58) and blank control groups (n = 56). The patients in the argatroban arm were treated with 10 mg of intravenous argatroban twice daily 2 days before and 3 days after the stenting procedures. Patients were followed for 12 months after the procedure. During follow-up, restenosis and target revascularization were analyzed. Recurrent cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events and deaths were also compared between the groups. Results: One patient in the stenting group withdrew immediately after the procedure due to unsuccessful stenting. Restenosis occurred in 4 patients (7.4%) in the argatroban group and in 11 patients (21.6%) in the control group during the 6- to 9-month angiographic follow-up period (p = 0.032). Nine months after the procedures, argatroban-treated patients had a trend towards a lower incidence of target revascularization compared with the controls (5.4 vs. 13.7%, p = 0.188). No major bleeding events or other adverse events occurred in the argatroban group. Conclusion: This pilot clinical trial is the first that uses argatroban to prevent restenosis in ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and suggests that intravenous administration of argatroban is effective and safe in preventing restenosis after extracranial artery stenting. Larger randomized controlled clinical trials are warranted.
Distinct Strategies in the Treatment of Epidural Hematoma in Children: Clinical Considerations
Authors: Skadorwa Tymon , Zygańska Elżbieta , Eibl Mikołaj , Ciszek Bogdan
Published: April 2014

Background: Epidural hematoma (EDH) is the most common form of intracranial bleeding following head trauma in pediatric patients. It may develop into a life-threatening pathology, requiring an immediate neurosurgical intervention. However, due to an increasing number of posttrauma CT scans most pediatric EDH patients can be treated conservatively, because of minor dimensions of the clot and the possibility of quick control scanning. Aim: Evaluation of distinct strategies in the treatment of EDH patients in our department between January 2007 and December 2012. Results: During this period a total number of 221 patients with EDH were enrolled in the study. Seventy-seven of them (35%) underwent surgical procedures. One hundred and forty-four patients (65%) were treated conservatively. The dominating age group among nonsurgical patients was 0-4 years (85 cases, 61% of the nonsurgical group). In most of these cases a small epidural blood collection with inconsiderable dynamics was observed. Twenty-one patients from this age group (20%) were treated operatively. Among older children (5-18 years) surgical treatment was implemented in 56 (49%) cases. Conclusions: (1) EDH may be successfully treated conservatively with the use of control CT scans. (2) Smaller blood clots dominate in younger patients. (3) Surgical intervention is required more commonly in older patients.
Existence, Functional Impairment, and Lung Repair Potential of Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells in Oxygen-Induced Arrested Alveolar Growth
Authors: Alphonse Rajesh S. , Vadivel Arul , Fung Moses , Shelley William Chris , Critser Paul John , Ionescu Lavinia , O’Reilly Megan , Ohls Robin K. , McConaghy Suzanne , Eaton Farah , Zhong Shumei , Yoder Merv , Thébaud Bernard
Published: April 2014

Background—

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and emphysema are life-threatening diseases resulting from impaired alveolar development or alveolar destruction. Both conditions lack effective therapies. Angiogenic growth factors promote alveolar growth and contribute to alveolar maintenance. Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) represent a subset of circulating and resident endothelial cells capable of self-renewal and de novo vessel formation. We hypothesized that resident ECFCs exist in the developing lung, that they are impaired during arrested alveolar growth in experimental bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and that exogenous ECFCs restore disrupted alveolar growth.

Methods and Results—

Human fetal and neonatal rat lungs contain ECFCs with robust proliferative potential, secondary colony formation on replating, and de novo blood vessel formation in vivo when transplanted into immunodeficient mice. In contrast, human fetal lung ECFCs exposed to hyperoxia in vitro and neonatal rat ECFCs isolated from hyperoxic alveolar growth–arrested rat lungs mimicking bronchopulmonary dysplasia proliferated less, showed decreased clonogenic capacity, and formed fewer capillary-like networks. Intrajugular administration of human cord blood–derived ECFCs after established arrested alveolar growth restored lung function, alveolar and lung vascular growth, and attenuated pulmonary hypertension. Lung ECFC colony- and capillary-like network-forming capabilities were also restored. Low ECFC engraftment and the protective effect of cell-free ECFC-derived conditioned media suggest a paracrine effect. Long-term (10 months) assessment of ECFC therapy showed no adverse effects with persistent improvement in lung structure, exercise capacity, and pulmonary hypertension.

Conclusions—

Impaired ECFC function may contribute to arrested alveolar growth. Cord blood–derived ECFC therapy may offer new therapeutic options for lung diseases characterized by alveolar damage.
Racial Differences in Sensitivity of Blood Pressure to Aldosterone
Authors: Tu Wanzhu , Eckert George J. , Hannon Tamara S. , Liu Hai , Pratt Linda M. , Wagner Mary Anne , DiMeglio Linda A. , Jung Jeesun , Pratt J. Howard
Published: April 2014

Blacks in comparison with whites are at risk for a more serious form of hypertension with high rates of complications. Greater sodium retention is thought to underlie the blood pressure (BP)-determining physiology of blacks, but specific mechanisms have not been identified. In a prospective observational study of BP, 226 black children and 314 white children (mean age, 10.6 years) were enrolled initially. Assessments were repeated in 85 blacks and 136 whites after reaching adulthood (mean age, 31 years). The relationship of BP to plasma aldosterone concentration in the context of the prevailing level of plasma renin activity was studied in blacks and whites. In a secondary interventional study, 9-α fludrocortisone was administered for 2 weeks to healthy adult blacks and whites to simulate hyperaldosteronism. BP responses in the 2 race groups were then compared. Although black children had lower levels of plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone, their BP was positively associated with the plasma aldosterone concentration, an effect that increased as plasma renin activity decreased (
P
=0.004). Data from black adults yielded similar results. No similar relationship was observed in whites. In the interventional study, 9-α fludrocortisone increased BP in blacks but not in whites. In conclusion, aldosterone sensitivity is a significant determinant of BP in young blacks. Although its role in establishing the risk of hypertension is not known, it could be as relevant as the actual level of aldosterone.
Discovering Functional Neuronal Connectivity from Serial Patterns in Spike Train Data
Authors: Diekman Casey , Dasgupta Kohinoor , Nair Vijay , Unnikrishnan K. P.
Published: April 2014

Repeating patterns of precisely timed activity across a group of neurons (called frequent episodes) are indicative of networks in the underlying neural tissue. This letter develops statistical methods to determine functional connectivity among neurons based on nonoverlapping occurrences of episodes. We study the distribution of episode counts and develop a two-phase strategy for identifying functional connections. For the first phase, we develop statistical procedures that are used to screen all two-node episodes and identify possible functional connections (edges). For the second phase, we develop additional statistical procedures to prune the two-node episodes and remove false edges that can be attributed to chains or fan-out structures. The restriction to nonoverlapping occurrences makes the counting of all two-node episodes in phase 1 computationally efficient. The second (pruning) phase is critical since phase 1 can yield a large number of false connections. The scalability of the two-phase approach is examined through simulation. The method is then used to reconstruct the graph structure of observed neuronal networks, first from simulated data and then from recordings of cultured cortical neurons.
Universal Approximation Depth and Errors of Narrow Belief Networks with Discrete Units
Authors: Montúfar Guido F.
Published: April 2014

We generalize recent theoretical work on the minimal number of layers of narrow deep belief networks that can approximate any probability distribution on the states of their visible units arbitrarily well. We relax the setting of binary units (Sutskever & Hinton, 2008 ; Le Roux & Bengio, 2008 , 2010 ; Montúfar & Ay, 2011 ) to units with arbitrary finite state spaces and the vanishing approximation error to an arbitrary approximation error tolerance. For example, we show that a q-ary deep belief network with [Formula: see text] layers of width [Formula: see text] for some [Formula: see text] can approximate any probability distribution on [Formula: see text] without exceeding a Kullback-Leibler divergence of [Formula: see text]. Our analysis covers discrete restricted Boltzmann machines and naive Bayes models as special cases.
Motor Cortex Microcircuit Simulation Based on Brain Activity Mapping
Authors: Chadderdon George L. , Mohan Ashutosh , Suter Benjamin A. , Neymotin Samuel A. , Kerr Cliff C. , Francis Joseph T. , Shepherd Gordon M. G. , Lytton William W.
Published: April 2014

The deceptively simple laminar structure of neocortex belies the complexity of intra- and interlaminar connectivity. We developed a computational model based primarily on a unified set of brain activity mapping studies of mouse M1. The simulation consisted of 775 spiking neurons of 10 cell types with detailed population-to-population connectivity. Static analysis of connectivity with graph-theoretic tools revealed that the corticostriatal population showed strong centrality, suggesting that would provide a network hub. Subsequent dynamical analysis confirmed this observation, in addition to revealing network dynamics that cannot be readily predicted through analysis of the wiring diagram alone. Activation thresholds depended on the stimulated layer. Low stimulation produced transient activation, while stronger activation produced sustained oscillations where the threshold for sustained responses varied by layer: 13% in layer 2/3, 54% in layer 5A, 25% in layer 5B, and 17% in layer 6. The frequency and phase of the resulting oscillation also depended on stimulation layer. By demonstrating the effectiveness of combined static and dynamic analysis, our results show how static brain maps can be related to the results of brain activity mapping.
Balanced Crossmodal Excitation and Inhibition Essential for Maximizing Multisensory Gain
Authors: Hoshino Osamu
Published: April 2014

We examined whether and how the balancing of crossmodal excitation and inhibition affects intersensory facilitation. A neural network model, comprising lower-order unimodal networks (X, Y) and a higher-order multimodal network (M), was simulated. Crossmodal excitation was made by direct activation of principal cells of the X network by the Y network. Crossmodal inhibition was made in an indirect manner: the Y network activated glial cells of the X network. This let glial plasma membrane transporters export GABA molecules into the extracellular space and increased the level of ambient GABA. The ambient GABA molecules were accepted by extrasynaptic GABAareceptors and tonically inhibited principal cells of the X network. Namely, crossmodal inhibition was made through GABAergic gliotransmission. Intersensory facilitation was assessed in terms of multisensory gain: the difference between the numbers of spikes evoked by multisensory (XY) stimulation and unisensory (X-alone) stimulation. The maximal multisensory gain (XY-X) could be achieved at an intermediate noise level by balancing crossmodal excitation and inhibition. This result supports an experimentally derived conclusion: intersensory facilitation under noisy environmental conditions is not necessarily in accord with the principle of inverse effectiveness; rather, multisensory gain is maximal at intermediate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels. The maximal multisensory gain was available at the weakest signal if noise was not present, indicating that the principle of inverse effectiveness is a special case of the intersensory facilitation model proposed here. We suggest that the balancing of crossmodal excitation and inhibition may be crucial for intersensory facilitation. The GABAergic glio-transmission-mediated crossmodal inhibitory mechanism effectively works for intersensory facilitation and on determining the maximal multisensory gain in the entire SNR range between the two extremes: low and high SNRs.
Vom Volk zur Stadt? Ethnos und Polis im hellenistischen Orient
Authors: Eckhardt Benedikt
Published: April 2014

Abstract

It is often stated in handbooks that in 175 b.c.e., Judaea (or Jerusalem) was transformed from an ethnos to a polis. This statement is based on received opinions about Hellenistic (and especially Seleucid) administrative categories that can no longer be maintained. A re-examination of the relevant literary and epigraphic evidence shows that ethnos was not used as an antonym to polis in Hellenistic sources. The article then tries to explain the emergence of a scholarly paradigm that took ethnos to be precisely that: the designation for oriental, non-urbanized communities that were inferior in important regards to the Greek polis. The main influence is argued to have been Aristotle’s peculiar use of the two terms. The scholarly concept of an ethnos/polis-divide can be traced back to nineteenth-century scholarship and its “orientalist” conceptions. This is important for appreciating recent discussions of the nature of Jewish identity in antiquity (“people” or “religion”), and for an increased awareness in Jewish studies of the discourses that have shaped common knowledge about the Hellenistic Orient in general and Judaism in particular.
Aseneth’s Eight-Day Transformation as Scriptural Justification for Conversion
Authors: Thiessen Matthew
Published: April 2014

Abstract

The author of Joseph and Aseneth writes a lengthy narrative about Aseneth’s conversion, thereby providing a justification for Joseph’s marriage to an Egyptian woman. The author explicitly connects her seven-day period of withdrawal to creation, thus portraying her conversion as a divinely wrought new creation. In addition, her eight-day conversion process imitates two similar processes from Jewish scripture. First, Aseneth’s transformation parallels the circumcision of the newborn male eight days after his birth. Second, on the eighth day Aseneth partakes of an angelic existence, conversing with an angel, eating the food of angels, and being dressed in angelic garb. This elevation in her status parallels the consecration of the priestly class in Lev 8, which goes through a period of seven days before it can serve as priests on the eighth day. This process thus stresses the distance between non-Jew and Jew, while at the same time providing a scriptural rationale for how Aseneth overcame it.
Let Them Eat Fish: Food for the Poor in Early Rabbinic Judaism
Authors: Gardner Gregg E.
Published: April 2014

Abstract

Recent scholarship has shown how investigations into food and poverty contribute to our understanding of late-antique Judaism and Christianity. These areas of inquiry overlap in the study of charity, as providing food was the preeminent way to support the poor. What foods and foodways do the earliest texts of rabbinic Judaism prescribe for the poor? This article examines Tannaitic discussions of the foods that should be given as charity, reading these texts within their literary and historical contexts. I find that they prescribe a two-tiered system whereby foods for the week aim to meet the poor’s biological needs, while those for the Sabbath fulfill religious requirements. These rabbinic instructions, however, also reinforce social separation and deepen the poor’s sense of exclusion. This article contributes to scholarship on poverty and charity in late antiquity, the use of food in the construction of rabbinic identity, and the tensions that arise from establishing material requirements for religious observances.
Did Aristobulus Use the LXX for His Citations?
Authors: Adams Sean A.
Published: April 2014

Abstract

This paper investigates the similarities and differences between Aristobulus’s fragments and the LXX to determine how close Aristobulus’s citations adhere to our LXX text. Having identified specific differences between the texts we will turn our attention to the question of whether or not the text as presented by Aristobulus provides evidence of the use of the LXX, of an alternate Greek version, or of a personal translation. Ultimately, after discussing Aristobulus’s citation technique and the nature of the cited text we will challenge some of the blanket claims of LXX use by scholars and call for greater nuance when discussing this issue.
Care or Prayer? Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho 1.4 Revisited
Authors: Burns Dylan M.
Published: April 2014

Abstract

Justin Martyr reports (and rejects) the curious argument that the practice of prayer is mutually exclusive with God’s providential care for individual beings. Pépin has demonstrated that the same argument, probably of Middle-Platonic provenance, is extant in Maximus of Tyre. A closer look shows its ambiguous stance towards Stoicism, with which it might have some affinity (in Maximus’ use) but could also target (in the use known to Justin); the problem is that we possess little data on Stoic prayer. The approach of early Christian philosophers to prayer, however, shows deep indebtedness to Stoic ideas about providence and freedom in an attempt to theorize and defend traditional Christian practice. Thus even this brief survey of early Christian material not only reveals the Stoic hue of emerging Christian philosophy, but also that the Stoa probably had similar ideas as did Christian thinkers about the consonance of providence and prayer.
A Revision of the Origin and Role of the Supporting Angels in the Gospel of Peter (10:39b)
Authors: Edo Pablo M.
Published: April 2014

Abstract

One of the striking features of the Gospel of Peter is the presence in the Resurrection account of two heavenly beings who emerge from Jesus’ tomb, supporting between them a third character. Previous attempts to explain the origin of this scene have been quite varied: inspiration in biblical sources, the author’s own creativity, a pre-canonical synoptic-type source, etc. After a literary analysis of the passage, the paper reviews the closest potential canonical and extracanonical parallels for this scene, especially in Intertestamental Literature. Analysis of these examples helps to clarify the origin and specific role of the supporting characters.
Reflections on the Potential of Gender Theory for North American Pentecostal History
Authors: Ambrose Linda M. , Payne Leah
Published: April 2014

In this article we show how gender is a useful category of analysis for students of North American pentecostal history. First, we provide a working definition of the term gender (a term with a plethora of meanings!). Then we cite a few examples from current scholarship that demonstrate how gender as a theoretical construct illuminates certain aspects of the North American movement. Finally, we reflect on the potential benefit of using gender to recount a variety of pentecostal histories, both North American and beyond.
Salt and Light or Salt and Pepper
Authors: McCain Danny , Gaiya Musa , Korb Katrina A.
Published: April 2014

Ethno-religious violence has plagued northern Nigeria in the last thirty years and has specifically affected Plateau State during the last decade. This article examines the attitudes and responses of pentecostal leaders in Plateau State toward violence and peace. Their attitudes are also compared to those of mainline Christian leaders in northern Nigeria and pentecostal leaders in southern Nigeria, a region that has not been affected by ethno-religious violence. The methods used included observation, questionnaires, and interviews. The research found that pentecostal leaders have a more positive attitude toward Muslims than do mainline leaders overall. There was no difference between pentecostal and mainline leaders in attitudes toward violence. However, there is a wider difference in attitudes toward violence and peace among Pentecostals than among mainline Protestants. Furthermore, pentecostal leaders in Plateau State demonstrated a greater involvement in peace-making initiatives than mainline leaders.
Approaching Religious Space: An Overview of Theories, Methods, and Challenges in Religious Studies
Authors: Kilde Jeanne Halgren
Published: April 2014

Abstract

The study of religious space, both physical and imagined, has advanced significantly in the past two decades, drawing upon theoretical perspectives and analytical methods from several fields, from anthropology and historical studies, to geography and architecture, to social and literary critical theory. Marking a path through this varied landscape of approaches, this essay presents a four-part taxonomy into which most can be classified. The categories discussed are (1) Structuralist-hermeneutical approaches, (2) Socio-historical approaches, (3) Critical-spatial theory and approaches, and (4) Critical-spatial approaches from within the study of religions. This taxonomy is intended to aid scholars in clarifying their approaches to religious spaces, both physical and imagined, and thus advance the study of this constitutive component of religion.
Introduction: Paul, Founder of Churches. Cult Foundations and the Comparative Study of Cult Origins
Authors: van den Heever Gerhard
Published: April 2014

Abstract

In this introduction to the discussion on James C. Hanges,Paul, Founder of Churches, the significance of the comparative work on the cult founder-figure and typology of cult foundations is discussed. The essay argues that this serves to ground any interpretation of the cult founding work of the apostle Paul in an understanding of the materiality of religion. This gives impetus to a more concrete conceptualisation of Christian origins. Further reflection on this comparative enterprise is offered by means of three discussion foci, namely Discourse, imperial context, spatiality; Diaspora religion; and New Religious Movements. It is argued that the pervasiveness of imperial discourse and its spatial encoding allows us to see Paul’s cult foundations as sites of imperial resistance. Diasporas and diasporic religions provide key illuminations for understanding the broader context of the foundations of cult groups by Paul. Study of new religious movements will also aid in concrete descriptions and analysis of the making of early Christian groups and their organisation.
James C. Hanges, Paul, Founder of Churches: A Study in Light of the Evidence for the Role of “Founder-Figures” in the Hellenistic-Roman Period. A Review Essay
Authors: Wendt Heidi
Published: April 2014

Abstract

James C. Hanges’ new book raises a number of important questions about what it means to situate Paul’s religious activities within his own historical context, and also models one possible methodology for doing so. In this review, I interrogate some of the assumptions underpinning Hanges’ approach, namely, ones having to do with the cultural particularity of certain discourses and religious practices, as well as the utility of the concept “identity” as it pertains to the study of religion. I also attempt to draw the author’s conclusions into wider and ongoing efforts to theorize ancient Mediterranean religion by proposing that many of the actors whom he introduces as comparanda for Paul fall within a discrete class of religious activity, populated by varieties of freelance experts.
John Chrysostom on Paul as Founder of Churches
Authors: de Wet Chris L.
Published: April 2014

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine John Chrysostom’s view of Paul as founder of churches. The article is written in dialogue with the research done by James Hanges on Paul as a founder-figure. The study argues that by the fourth century, especially in the works of Chrysostom, we a have a vision of Paul as founder ofthechurch that has become interwoven with the very substance of the (orthodox) church’s subjectivity – a very different dynamic that was present in the first two centuries at least. Being a Christian, being part of the church, for Chrysostom, also means embodying something of the subjectivity of Paul. Paul was more than a hermeneutical bridge between the Old and the New Testament. Paul and Paulinomorphism became the very language of ecclesiastical power, a rhetoric with an impetus on correction, discipline and social protection. The fourth-century Chrysostomic reconstruction of Paul, the founder of churches andthechurch, operated as a central discursive formation in the reproduction of Christian identity. The appellations of Paul as builder, physician and father formed part of an interconnected web of power-language with the capacity to ramify group boundaries and also to pathologize heretical groups. The power-language of Paul also sustained orthodox Christian identity in its curative and corrective measures.
Reflections and Projections on a Continuing Discussion: Redescribing Paul in His Social World
Authors: Hanges James Constantine
Published: April 2014

Abstract

The recent monograph, Paul, Founder of Churches (2012), raises a range of theoretical and methodological questions about the deployment of comparison in the description and analysis of ancient Christian phenomena. This essay responds to a range of critical responses to this volume raised by participants in a 2011 panel during a Society of Biblical Literature Greco-Roman Religions session devoted to discussion of the book.
‘Let It Be’
Authors: Green Chris E.W.
Published: April 2014

In critical conversation with the thought of Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic scholars, this article proposes a provisional rethinking of the doctrines of predestination and providence, as well as the relation of divine to human agency, in ways that deviate from the classic Western, Augustinian categories and trajectories, emphasizing instead Mary’s faithful response to the divine initiative as paradigm for thinking how it is that God (inter)acts with creatures in their freedom.
Pentecostal Antitraditionalism and the Pursuit of Holiness
Authors: Friesen Aaron T.
Published: April 2014

This paper introduces the Wesleyan Quadrilateral and summarizes how each of the sources (Scripture, tradition, experience and reason) were used in the thought of John Wesley. Next, an overview is given of the developments in the radical wing of the Holiness movement during the late nineteenth century that led to many Pentecostals valuing only three of the four sources: Scripture (through the Bible Reading Method), reason (through pragmatism and Common Sense Realism), and experience (through an emphasis on encountering God through supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit). In particular, the role of tradition in the Wesleyan-Holiness movement is compared and contrasted with early Pentecostal responses to church tradition as a viable source for theological reflection and decision-making. The issues of women in ministry, pacifism and oneness in early Pentecostalism are examined in order to demonstrate how Pentecostals either grounded their decisions in tradition or broke with tradition in the task of theological discernment. Finally, some proposals are made concerning how Pentecostals might learn from Wesley in order to reincorporate tradition as a Spirit-empowered resource for theological reflection.
C.S. Lewis
Authors: Kay William K.
Published: April 2014

This paper reviews the life and work of C.S. Lewis from a Pentecostal perspective and draws attention to the place of the Holy Spirit and healing in his children’s writings. It also comments on his theological method and his willingness to stand as a public intellectual contributing to the debates of his day.
An Implicature Account of Idioms
Authors: Arseneault Madeleine
Published: April 2014

The traditional approach of treating idiomatic phrases as lexical items has been criticized for failing to account for the semantic and syntactic flexibility such phrases can exhibit. Pragmatic accounts of idioms are now being proposed, according to which the words of the idiomatic phrase contribute their ordinary semantic content as the basis for a pragmatic interpretation of the idiom. After examining the strengths and weaknesses of Andy Egan’s Pretence view, I argue that idioms convey their idiomatic sense via conversational implicature. Idiomatic phrases in their typical use are explained as cases of generalized conversational implicature, while the figurative modification and extension of idioms identified by Egan are explained as cases of particularized conversational implicature. I show that the Implicature view is compatible with both the stereotypical inflexibility of idiomatic phrases and the observation that the understanding of idioms does not seem to proceed by a process of deriving the idiom’s meaning on the basis of the ordinary meaning of the idiom’s constituent words.
Nautilocalyx erytranthus (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Northwestern Amazonia
Authors: Clark John Littner , MORA M. MARCELA
Published: April 2014

A new species from western Amazonia is described and illustrated. Nautilocalyx erytranthus (Gesneriaceae) is characterized by an obligate terrestrial habit; leaf blades that are cuneate to attenuate at the base; and red funnelform corolla with an oblique limb and reflexed petal lobes with glandular trichomes clustered on the lateral and lower inner surfaces of the throat.
A new Cleotomiris species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae) from North Korea
Authors: KONSTANTINOV FEDOR , SIMOV NIKOLAY
Published: April 2014

Cleotomiris josifovi is described from the vicinity of Pyong Kang, North Korea. The description of this new species is provided with scanning micrographs of selected structures, and digital microscopic images of habitus and genitalia.
The Dispersion of Silver Iodide Particles from Ground-Based Generators over Complex Terrain. Part I: Observations with Acoustic Ice Nucleus Counters
Authors: Boe Bruce A. , Heimbach James A. , Krauss Terrence W. , Xue Lulin , Chu Xia , McPartland John T.
Published: April 2014

Part I of this paper presents the results from a series of plume-tracing flights over the Medicine Bow and Sierra Madre Ranges in south-central Wyoming. These flights, conducted during February and early March of 2011, were part of the Wyoming Weather Modification Pilot Project. Effective targeting of ground-based silver iodide plumes to supercooled clouds has long been a problem for winter orographic cloud-seeding projects. Surface-based ice nucleus (IN) measurements made at a fixed location near the Medicine Bow Range target area had confirmed the effective transport of IN plumes in many cases, but not all. Airborne plume tracing, undertaken to further illuminate the processes involved, provided additional insight into the plume behavior while providing physical measurements that were later compared with large-eddy-simulation modeling (Part II). It was found that the plumes were most often encountered along the flight paths set out in the experimental designs and, in the absence of convection, appear to be mostly confined to the lowest 600 m above the highest terrain. All passes above 600 m above ground level revealed IN concentrations greater than background levels, however. An estimate of IN flux measured over the Medicine Bow Range was approximately 85% of that produced by the five ground-based IN generators active at the time.
Robust Observational Quantification of the Contribution of Mesoscale Convective Systems to Rainfall in the Tropics
Authors: Roca R. , Aublanc J. , Chambon P. , Fiolleau T. , Viltard N.
Published: April 2014

Satellite estimation of precipitation and satellite-derived statistics of mesoscale convective systems (MCS) are analyzed conjunctively to quantify the contribution of the various types of MCS to the water budget of the tropics. This study focuses on two main mesoscale characteristics of the systems: duration and propagation. Overall, the systems lasting more than 12 h are shown to account for around 75% of the tropical rainfall, and 60% of the rainfall is due to systems traveling more than 250 km, a typical GCM grid. A number of regional features are also revealed by factoring in the convective systems’ morphological parameters in the water budget computation. These findings support the challenging effort to account for such mesoscale features when considering the theory on the future evolution of the water budget as well as the physical parameterizations of climate models. Finally, this analysis provides a simple metric for evaluating high-resolution numerical simulations of the tropical water budget. Furthermore, results are shown to be robust to the selection of the satellite rainfall products.