bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Popular Darwinism and Geography Textbooks in Canada, 1850-1920
Authors: Gormley Eric
Published: November 2016

Influenced by Darwin's ideas, geographers in the late nineteenth century attempted to understand how the earth affected man. Disseminating their ideas through textbooks, geographers established what physical and climatic features were favourable for advancement and also defined what constituted progress or success. A dense population, for instance, was desirable, a sign the race was succeeding. This paper analyzes pre-and post-Darwinian geography textbooks used in the Canadian school system, indicating that they helped to shape culture at the turn of the century. Geography textbooks in Canadian schools were an important mechanism for the transmission of popular conceptions of Darwinian thought.
Community, Confederation, and Corpus Christianum: Defining "Gemeinde" in Huldrych Zwingli's Thought, 1525-1531
Authors: Goodlet Kirk W.
Published: November 2016

This essay investigates Zwingli's lexicon relating to "Gemeinde" (community) in his writing and provides an in-depth look at how this concept shaped the Reformation in Zurich and the Swiss Confederation. Far from the reductive idea of community which was limited to one's confraternity, guild, or network of kinship, Zwingli's concept of community was inherently linked to the Confederation and the broader corpus christianum. Through baptism and the Lord's Supper, all those Swiss living in accordance with Scripture became members of a larger transcendental Swiss community. The Reformation of the Confederation, for Zwingli, became a precondition for remaining God's elect.
Faith, Identity, and Nationalism: The Impact of the May Thirtieth Incident on China's Christian Colleges
Authors: Barwick John
Published: November 2016

The Christian colleges founded in China by Protestant missionaries in the early twentieth century constituted a major nexus of cultural exchange between East and West, but also raised complex issues of identity and power both for the missionaries and their students. The tragic killing of eleven student protesters in Shanghai by British troops in May of 1925, an event that came to be known as the May Thirtieth Incident, brought many of these tensions to the surface. Tin's paper examines the impact of this event on three of the Christian colleges—Yenching University in Beijing, St. John's University in Shanghai, and Lingnan University in Canton. The reaction of each school was different, reflecting not only the influence of geography and political factors, but the vision of mission education embraced by their respective leaders. In the end. however, none of the institutions were left untouched by the incident, which triggered a shift in lines of identity and power that favoured Chinese interests. The resulting changes at the colleges can be seen as a harbinger of a coming era in which Western imperial domination would meet a similar fate.
Shoes, Canoes, and Lives in Unexpected Archives: Searching in Fur Trade Ledgers beyond the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives
Authors: Nation-Knapper Stacy
Published: November 2016

This article illuminates the existence and utility of fur trade ledgers and account books held in repositories beyond those held in the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives. While the vast holdings of the HBCA are a phenomenal resource for researchers of the North American fur trade, many smaller repositories across the continent hold fur trade sources that can complement research conducted in other institutions. Such sources can, when examined with an eye to the cultural information they contain, reveal far more about the cultural history of North America than simply the economic data for which they were created.
The Church and Slavery in Anglo-Saxon England
Authors: Dutchak Patricia M
Published: November 2016

Slaves and slavery were an accepted part of everyday Anglo-Saxon life. This paper examines a range of original sources that reveal the ways in which the teachings and practices of Christianity and Christians were part of that acceptance.
Foucault, Laughter, and Gendered Normalization
Authors: Douglas Emily R.
Published: November 2016

Thus far, little attention has been paid by Foucauldian scholars to the role of laughter in our subjectivation and normalization, nor to the possible roles of laughter practices in political resistance. Yet, there is a body of references to laughter in both Foucault’s own work and that of his contemporary commentators, subtly indicating that it might be a tool for challenging normalization through transgression. I seek to negotiate the different functions (both transgressive and disciplinary) that our laughter practices can have, proposing that laughter is a worthy site of exploration for Foucauldian feminists in particular. Examining the differential norms, requirements, and sanctions around laughter shows that we are shaped as gendered subjects through the regulation of laughter’s timing and its bodily presentation. I argue that the contemporary state of laughter practices works to uphold docile femininity, using tools such as compulsory happiness and labelling feminists as killjoys. In brief, this article interrogates the ways in which cultivating different laughter practices can function as a path for Foucauldian-feminist political resistance.
Rituals of Conduct and Counter-Conduct
Authors: McCall Corey
Published: November 2016

This essay provides an account of the role of ritual in governmentality (or the conducting of conduct) through an analysis of key texts during the period roughly from 1973 through 1981. I claim that ritual plays an essential role in Foucault’s analysis of juridical forms and sovereign power as well as conduct and counter-conduct understood as features of governmentality and political rationality.
Toward a Foucaultian Epistemology of Resistance: Counter-Memory, Epistemic Friction, and Guerrilla Pluralism
Authors: Medina José
Published: November 2016

In this paper I argue that Foucaultian genealogy offers a critical approach to practices of remembering and forgetting which is crucial for resisting oppression and dominant ideologies. For this argument I focus on the concepts of counter-history and counter-memory that Foucault developed in the 1970’s. In the first section I analyze how the Foucaultian approach puts practices of remembering and forgetting in the context of power relations, focusing not only on what is remembered and forgotten, but how, by whom, and with what effects. I highlight the critical possibilities for resistance that this approach opens up, and I illustrate them with Ladelle McWhorter’s genealogy of racism in Anglo-America. In the second section I put the Foucaultian approach in conversation with contemporary work in pragmatism and critical theory on the social epistemology of memory. In the third and final section, I explore some of the implications of the Foucaultian notion of resistance and what I term guerrilla pluralism for contemporary epistemological discussions of ignorance in standpoint theory and race theory
From ‘Entrepreneur of the Self’ to ‘Care of the Self’: Neo-liberal Governmentality and Foucault’s Ethics
Authors: Dilts Andrew
Published: November 2016

In his 1979 lectures, Foucault took particular interest in the reconfiguration of quotidian practices under neo-liberal human capital theory, re-describing all persons as entrepreneurs of the self. By the early 1980s, Foucault had begun to articulate a theory of ethical conduct driven not by the logic of investment, but of artistic development and self-care. This article uses Foucault’s account of human capital as a basis to explore the meaning and limits of Foucault’s final published works and argues for two interrelated genealogical projects focused on the ethics of economic activity.
Accounting, Territorialization and Power
Authors: Mennicken Andrea , Miller Peter
Published: November 2016

This essay aims to introduce readers to the social studies of accounting, attending in particular to the roles and relevance of Foucault’s works for this field. We provide a brief overview of social studies of accounting, discuss recent developments in Foucault oriented accounting scholarship, and position the articles that appear in this special issue in the context of these developments. In the concluding section, we argue that accounting is an inherently territorializing activity. The calculative instruments of accountancy transform not only the possibilities for personhood, they also construct the physical and abstract calculable spaces that individuals inhabit. A focus on territorializing shifts attention to the links between calculating and governing.
Queer Economies
Authors: McWhorter Ladelle
Published: November 2016

Queer defies categorization and resists preset developmental trajectories. Practices of queering identities emerged near the end of the twentieth century as ways of resisting normalizing networks of power/knowledge. But how effective are queer practices at resisting networks of power/knowledge (including disciplines) that are not primarily normalizing in their functioning? This essay raises that question in light of expanding neoliberal discourses and institutions which, in some quarters at least, themselves undermine normalized identities in favor of a proliferation of personal styles susceptible to governance through market forces. Special attention is given to Security, Territory, Population and The Birth of Biopolitics in this analysis.
Feminism and Neoliberal Governmentality
Authors: Oksala Johanna
Published: November 2016

The article investigates the consequences for feminist politics of the neoliberal turn. Feminist scholars have analysed the political changes in the situation of women that have been brought about by neoliberalism, but their assessments of neoliberalism’s consequences for feminist theory and politics vary.  Feminist thinkers such as Hester Eisenstein and Sylvia Walby have argued that feminism must now return its focus to socialist politics and foreground economic questions of redistribution in order to combat the hegemony of neoliberalism.  Some have further identified post-structuralism and its dominance in feminist scholarship as being responsible for the debilitating move away from socialist or Marxist paradigms. I share their diagnosis to the extent that it is my contention that the rapid neoliberalization characterising the last thirty years has put women and feminist thought in a completely new political situation. However, in contrast to those feminist thinkers who put the blame for the current impasse on the rise of poststructuralist modes of thought, it is my contention that the poststructuralist turn in feminist theory in the 1980s and 1990s continues to represent an important theoretical advance.  I will discuss Foucault’s genealogy of neoliberalism in order to assess the ways it can contribute to feminist theory and politics today.  I contend that Foucault can provide a critical diagnostic framework for feminist theory as well as for prompting new feminist political responses to the spread and dominance of neoliberalism. I will also return to Nancy Fraser and Judith’s Butler’s seminal debate on feminist politics in the journal Social Text (1997) in order to demonstrate that a critical analysis of the economic/cultural distinction must be central when we consider feminist forms of resistance to neoliberalism.
Reclaiming discursive practices as an analytic focus: Political implications
Authors: Bacchi Carol , Bonham Jennifer
Published: November 2016

This paper has its genesis in concerns about the return to “the real” in social and political theory and analysis.  This trend is linked to a reaction against the “linguistic turn”, on the grounds that an exclusive focus on language undercuts political analysis by refusing to engage with “material reality”.  Foucault and “discourse” are common targets of this critique.  Against this interpretation, the authors direct attention to the analytic and political usefulness of Foucault’s concept of “discursive practices”, which, it argues, has been much misunderstood.  Discursive practices, as developed by Foucault, refers to the practices (or operations) of discourses, meaning knowledge formations, not to linguistic practices or language use.  The focus is on how knowledge is produced through plural and contingent practices across different sites.  Such an approach bridges a symbolic-material distinction and signals the always political nature of “the real”.
Neoliberalism and Disability: The Possibilities and Limitations of a Foucauldian Critique
Authors: Yates Scott
Published: November 2016

In this article, I reflect back on the period since the publication of the first edition of Foucault and the Government of Disability in order to argue that the intervening years have seen the increasing advance of neoliberal politics that impact on the lives of disabled people. Beginning from an overview of Foucault’s 1978-9 lectures on neoliberalism, I seek to demonstrate that a range of policy developments that affect disabled people can be read against the background of Foucault’s analyses of neoliberal rationalities and practices of government. The impact of these developments has been economically harsh for many; hence, the article considers the potential for effective critique of these issues starting from a Foucauldian analytics. I argue that Foucault’s works, whilst useful in unsettling taken-for-granted assumptions about subjectivity and autonomy given by neoliberal governmental rationalities, do not, in and of themselves, suggest a form of critique that is capable of mounting an effective challenge to the neoliberal consensus. My argument ends with a challenge to Foucault-inspired social scientists to ally the valuable insights available from Foucauldian analyses to a critical perspective that can, in addition, diagnose and respond to problems of economic marginalisation, the concentration of wealth, and the marketisation of the social.
The unrequited love of power: biopolitical investment and the refusal of care
Authors: Prozorov Sergei
Published: November 2016

Despite its increasing prominence in critical political and IR theory, the significance of the Foucauldian problematic of biopolitics remains underestimated. The frequent conflation of paradigmatically distinct sovereign and biopolitical forms of power, inspired by influential readings of Agamben and Hardt and Negri, results in increasingly incoherent applications of the concept of biopolitics. This is particularly evident in the attempts to theorise resistance to bio-power, which remains cast in conventional 'emancipatory' terms of resisting transcendent and exterior power. Critically engaging with Hardt and NegriÕs attempt to theorise resistance to biopolitics in terms of the liberation of the domain of biopolitical production, this article offers an alternative pathway of resistance that consists of the refusal of biopolitical 'care of the living' and the creation of autonomous forms of life outside the terrain of biopolitical governmentality. The example of such resistance is offered by the social practices of the late-Soviet period, whereby the alienation from and subversion of the socialist biopolitics and the concomitant experimentation with alternative forms of life in the 'shadow society' reduced Soviet power to its pure form of sovereignty. The article concludes with outlining the implications of this mode of resistance in the contemporary context of the global neoliberal Empire.
Identifying Conditional Conservatism in Financial Accounting Data: Theory and Evidence
Authors: Dutta Sunil , Patatoukas Panos N.
Published: November 2016

Using a financial reporting and valuation model, we investigate the construct validity of Basu's (1997) asymmetric timeliness (AT) regression coefficient as a measure of conditional conservatism in corporate financial reporting. We predict that the AT coefficient will be positive even in the absence of conditional conservatism, and it will vary with non-accounting factors even if the degree of conditional conservatism is held constant. Our empirical analysis shows that AT coefficient estimates vary in directions predicted by our theory. Specifically, we find that AT coefficient estimates increase with expected returns and asymmetry in the distribution of returns, and decrease with cash flow persistence. Importantly, we identify the spread between the variances of bad news and good news accruals as an alternative measure of conditional conservatism that is free of the effects confounding the AT coefficient. Consistent with a key implication of conditional conservatism, we find that the variance of bad news accruals is significantly higher than the variance of good news accruals primarily due to conditionally conservative accruals related to inventory write-downs, long-term asset write-downs, and goodwill impairments. A series of placebo tests provides additional support for the construct validity of our alternative measure of conditional conservatism.

Data Availability: Data are publicly available from the sources indicated in the text.
PCAOB International Inspections and Audit Quality
Authors: Krishnan Jagan , Krishnan Jayanthi , Song Hakjoon
Published: November 2016

We investigate the impact of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB) first-time inspections of foreign accounting firms by examining abnormal accruals around the inspection year, and the value relevance of accounting numbers around the inspection report date, for their U.S. cross-listed clients. We document lower abnormal accruals in the post-inspection period, and greater value relevance of accounting numbers in the post-report period for clients of the inspected auditors, compared with non-cross-listed clients or clients of non-inspected auditors within the inspected countries. Comparisons of the PCAOB's joint inspections with PCAOB stand-alone inspections indicate that while both experience lower post-inspection abnormal accruals, the former benefit more than the latter. The value relevance measure, in contrast, shows greater increases for the PCAOB stand-alone inspections than for joint inspections. Comparing the inspection effects for auditors with and without deficiency reports, we find no systematic differences for accruals or for value relevance.
The Association of Arsenic Exposure and Metabolism With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Youth: The SEARCH Case-Control Study
Authors: Grau-Pérez Maria , Kuo Chin-Chi , Spratlen Miranda , Thayer Kristina A. , Mendez Michelle A. , Hamman Richard F. , Dabelea Dana , Adgate John L. , Knowler William C. , Bell Ronny A. , Miller Frederick W. , Liese Angela D. , Zhang Chongben , Douillet Christelle , Drobná Zuzana , Mayer-Davis Elizabeth J. , Styblo Miroslav , Navas-Acien Ana
Published: November 2016

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about arsenic and diabetes in youth. We examined the association of arsenic with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Case-Control (SEARCH-CC) study. Because one-carbon metabolism can influence arsenic metabolism, we also evaluated the potential interaction of folate and vitamin B12 with arsenic metabolism on the odds of diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Six hundred eighty-eight participants <22 years of age (429 with type 1 diabetes, 85 with type 2 diabetes, and 174 control participants) were evaluated. Arsenic species (inorganic arsenic [iAs], monomethylated arsenic [MMA], dimethylated arsenic [DMA]), and one-carbon metabolism biomarkers (folate and vitamin B12) were measured in plasma. We used the sum of iAs, MMA, and DMA (∑As) and the individual species as biomarkers of arsenic concentrations and the relative proportions of the species over their sum (iAs%, MMA%, DMA%) as biomarkers of arsenic metabolism.

RESULTS

Median ∑As, iAs%, MMA%, and DMA% were 83.1 ng/L, 63.4%, 10.3%, and 25.2%, respectively. ∑As was not associated with either type of diabetes. The fully adjusted odds ratios (95% CI), rescaled to compare a difference in levels corresponding to the interquartile range of iAs%, MMA%, and DMA%, were 0.68 (0.50–0.91), 1.33 (1.02–1.74), and 1.28 (1.01–1.63), respectively, for type 1 diabetes and 0.82 (0.48–1.39), 1.09 (0.65–1.82), and 1.17 (0.77–1.77), respectively, for type 2 diabetes. In interaction analysis, the odds ratio of type 1 diabetes by MMA% was 1.80 (1.25–2.58) and 0.98 (0.70–1.38) for participants with plasma folate levels above and below the median (P for interaction = 0.02), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Low iAs% versus high MMA% and DMA% was associated with a higher odds of type 1 diabetes, with a potential interaction by folate levels. These data support further research on the role of arsenic metabolism in type 1 diabetes, including the interplay with one-carbon metabolism biomarkers.
Spinal cord herniation repair with microstaples: case report
Authors: Delgado-López Pedro David , Gil-Polo Cecilia , Martín-Velasco Vicente , Martín-Alonso Javier , Galacho-Harriero Ana María , Araus-Galdós Elena
Published: November 2016

Idiopathic spinal cord herniation (ISCH) is a relatively rare and frequently misdiagnosed condition. It preferentially affects women and causes progressive thoracic myelopathy that presents as a Brown-Séquard syndrome or as spastic paraparesis. Although its etiology and pathogenesis are controversial, ISCH is characterized by the presence of an anterior dural defect that allows the incarceration of a segment of the cord. Typically, a C-shaped ventral displacement and kinking of the cord are visible on sagittal MRI. Surgery aimed at stopping or reversing myelopathic symptoms is usually recommended for symptomatic patients. Surgical options include reduction of the hernia and direct suturing, or enlargement of the dural defect, with or without patching. Suturing under the cord in a very tight space can be troublesome and may lead to neurological deterioration. The authors present the case of a symptomatic ISCH in which nonpenetrating titanium microstaples were used to close the dural defect after cord reduction. The patient experienced a good outcome, and the follow-up MRI study showed adequate cord repositioning and stability of the suture. The use of microstaples, which allows for an easier and faster dural closure than conventional suturing, is a novel technical adjunct that has not been previously reported for this condition. In addition, microstaples produce minimal metallic artifact that does not hinder the quality of follow-up MR images.
Quality control and interest of the determination of anti-CCP antibodies and rheumatoid factor in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Gisèle Amoussou Nathalie , Marcelle Gounongbé , Victorien Dougnon Tamègnon , Zavier Zomalheto , Frédéric Loko , André Bigot
Published: November 2016

The rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune, rheumatic and chronic inflammatory disease, characterized by joints damage. The early diagnosis of RA allows the initiation of a treatment which offers to the patients more chance of remission and avoids the evolution towards the unrecoverable deformity of joints. The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of recent tests for the determination of anti -CCP antibodies and FR by ELISA in Benin Republic. This analytical, retrospective (2 years 6 months) and prospective (7 months) study allowed us to collect 36 patients meeting the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA and 24 controls. A comparison was made with the latex agglutination test for rheumatoid factors and a search of rheumatoid factors (RF) on the one hand and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide. In our study, the specificity of anti-CCP assay (100 %) is higher than that of RF-ELISA (91.7%). The sensitivity of RF-ELISA assay is higher (77.8 %) than that of anti-CCP assay (66.7%). The latex test for rheumatoid factors has a sensitivity of 33.3 %. The positive predictive value (PPV) of anti-CCP assay (100 %) is higher than that of RF-ELISA assay (93.33 %). The positive-likelihood ratio (LR+) of anti-CCP assay is higher than the LR+ of RF-ELISA assay (4.96). The negative-likelihood ratio (LR-) of anti-CCP assay (0.33) is higher than the LR- of RF-ELISA assay (0.24). In conclusion, the anti-CCP assay has the highest specificity and RF-ELISA assay shows the highest sensitivity. In conclusion, the association of the two assays enhances a better diagnosis value for RA.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. September 2016, 2(3): 379-388
Positron-Hydrogen Scattering, Annihilation, and Positronium Formation
Authors: Bhatia Anand
Published: November 2016

In previous papers (Bhatia A.K. 2007, 2012) a hybrid theory for the scattering of electrons from a hydrogenic system was developed and applied to calculate scattering phase shifts, Feshbach resonances, and photoabsorption processes. This approach is now being applied to the scattering of positrons from hydrogen atoms. Very accurate phase shifts, using the Feshbach projection operator formalism, were calculated previously (Bhatia A.K. et al. 1971 and Bhatia et al. 1974a). The present results, obtained using shorter expansions in the correlation function, along with long-range correlations in the Schrödinger equation, agree very well with the results obtained earlier. The scattering length is also calculated and the present results are compared with the previous results. Annihilation cross-sections, and positronium formation cross-sections, calculated in the distorted-wave approximation, are also presented.
A Principal Component Analysis in Switchgrass Chemical Composition
Authors: Aboytes-Ojeda Mario , Castillo-Villar Krystel , Yu Tun-hsiang , Boyer Christopher , English Burton , Larson James , Kline Lindsey , Labbé Nicole
Published: November 2016

In recent years, bioenergy has become a promising renewable energy source that can potentially reduce the greenhouse emissions and generate economic growth in rural areas. Gaining understanding and controlling biomass chemical composition contributes to an efficient biofuel generation. This paper presents a principal component analysis (PCA) that shows the influence and relevance of selected controllable factors over the chemical composition of switchgrass and, therefore, in the generation of biofuels. The study introduces the following factors: (1) storage days; (2) particle size; (3) wrap type; and (4) weight of the bale. Results show that all the aforementioned factors have an influence in the chemical composition. The number of days that bales have been stored was the most significant factor regarding changes in chemical components due to its effect over principal components 1 and 2 (PC1 and PC2, approximately 80% of the total variance). The storage days are followed by the particle size, the weight of the bale and the type of wrap utilized to enclose the bale. An increment in the number of days (from 75–150 days to 225 days) in storage decreases the percentage of carbohydrates by −1.03% while content of ash increases by 6.56%.
Mitigating the Stress of Drought on Soil Respiration by Selective Thinning: Contrasting Effects of Drought on Soil Respiration of Two Oak Species in a Mediterranean Forest
Authors: Chang Chao-Ting , Sperlich Dominik , Sabaté Santiago , Sánchez-Costa Elisenda , Cotillas Miriam , Espelta Josep , Gracia Carlos
Published: November 2016

Drought has been shown to reduce soil respiration (SR) in previous studies. Meanwhile, studies of the effect of forest management on SR yielded contrasting results. However, little is known about the combined effect of drought and forest management on SR. To investigate if the drought stress on SR can be mitigated by thinning, we implemented plots of selective thinning and 15% reduced rainfall in a mixed forest consisting of the evergreen Quercus ilex and deciduous Quercus cerrioides; we measured SR seasonally from 2004 to 2007. Our results showed a clear soil moisture threshold of 9%; above this value, SR was strongly dependent on soil temperature, with Q10 of 3.0–3.8. Below this threshold, the relationship between SR and soil temperature weakened. We observed contrasting responses of SR of target oak species to drought and thinning. Reduced rainfall had a strong negative impact on SR of Q. cerrioides, whereas the effect on SR for Q. ilex was marginal or even positive. Meanwhile, selective thinning increased SR of Q. cerrioides, but reduced that of Q. ilex. Overall, our results showed that the negative effect of drought on SR can be offset through selective thinning, but the effect is attenuated with time.
Investigating the Puzzling Synchrotron Behaviour of Mrk 421
Authors: Carnerero Maria , Raiteri Claudia , Villata Massimo , Acosta Pulido Jose , Smith Paul , Larionov Valeri ,   The WEBT Collaboration
Published: November 2016

We investigate the multiwavelength behaviour of the high-energy peaked BL Lac object (HBL) Mrk 421 at redshift z = 0 . 031 in the period 2007–2015. We use optical photometric, spectroscopic, and polarimetric data and near-infrared data obtained by 35 observatories participating in the GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT), as well as by the Steward Observatory Support of the Fermi Mission. We also employ high-energy data from the Swift (UV and X-rays) satellite to study correlations among emission in different bands.
Prevalence and Occupational and Environmental Risk Factors of Self-Reported Asthma: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Seven Chinese Cities
Authors: Fu Qing-Ling , Du Yue , Xu Geng , Zhang Hua , Cheng Lei , Wang Yan-Jun , Zhu Dong-Dong , Lv Wei , Liu Shi-Xi , Li Pei-Zhong , Shi Jian-Bo , Ou Chun-Quan
Published: November 2016

Objective: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, few data on occupational and environmental risk factors of asthma are available, particularly in Asian adults. Based on a national cross-sectional survey, we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of asthma in Chinese adults. Methods: A total of 9974 participants aged 15 years and over in seven Chinese cities were selected using a stratified four-stage random sampling. All participants were interviewed face-to-face in their homes using a standardized self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were adopted to determine various risk factors for asthma. Results: The prevalence of self-reported lifetime asthma was 2.46% among the entire adult population, 3.02% among males and 1.93% among females. The prevalence varied by age group, ethnicity, marital status, education, and floor space per person (p < 0.05). After adjusting for socio-demographic variables and smoking, we found independent occupational and environmental determinants of asthma, including a clearance-related job (OR = 2.28, 95%CI: 1.07–4.89), occupational exposure to industrial or occupational poisonous gas (OR = 4.21, 95%CI: 2.43–7.30), having large amounts of carpet in the workplace (OR = 2.61, 95%CI: 1.20–5.69) and using coal for cooking (OR = 2.65, 95%CI: 1.26–5.57). Conclusions: Asthma is a serious public health problem in China. Our study provides important updated information on the prevalence of asthma and its associated risk factors, which may help us better understand the epidemiology of asthma and prevent this disorder.
A Spatial Hierarchical Analysis of the Temporal Influences of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Weather on Dengue in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka
Authors: Liyanage Prasad , Tissera Hasitha , Sewe Maquins , Quam Mikkel , Amarasinghe Ananda , Palihawadana Paba , Wilder-Smith Annelies , Louis Valérie , Tozan Yesim , Rocklöv Joacim
Published: November 2016

Dengue is the major public health burden in Sri Lanka. Kalutara is one of the highly affected districts. Understanding the drivers of dengue is vital in controlling and preventing the disease spread. This study focuses on quantifying the influence of weather variability on dengue incidence over 10 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions of Kalutara district. Weekly weather variables and data on dengue notifications, measured at 10 MOH divisions in Kalutara from 2009 to 2013, were retrieved and analysed. Distributed lag non-linear model and hierarchical-analysis was used to estimate division specific and overall relationships between weather and dengue. We incorporated lag times up to 12 weeks and evaluated models based on the Akaike Information Criterion. Consistent exposure-response patterns between different geographical locations were observed for rainfall, showing increasing relative risk of dengue with increasing rainfall from 50 mm per week. The strongest association with dengue risk centred around 6 to 10 weeks following rainfalls of more than 300 mm per week. With increasing temperature, the overall relative risk of dengue increased steadily starting from a lag of 4 weeks. We found similarly a strong link between the Oceanic Niño Index to weather patterns in the district in Sri Lanka and to dengue at a longer latency time confirming these relationships. Part of the influences of rainfall and temperature can be seen as mediator in the causal pathway of the Ocean Niño Index, which may allow a longer lead time for early warning signals. Our findings describe a strong association between weather, El Niño-Southern Oscillation and dengue in Sri Lanka.
Changes in Composition and Function of Human Intestinal Microbiota Exposed to Chlorpyrifos in Oil as Assessed by the SHIME® Model
Authors: Reygner Julie , Joly Condette Claire , Bruneau Aurélia , Delanaud Stéphane , Rhazi Larbi , Depeint Flore , Abdennebi-Najar Latifa , Bach Veronique , Mayeur Camille , Khorsi-Cauet Hafida
Published: November 2016

The presence of pesticide residues in food is a public health problem. Exposure to these substances in daily life could have serious effects on the intestine—the first organ to come into contact with food contaminants. The present study investigated the impact of a low dose (1 mg/day in oil) of the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) on the community structure, diversity and metabolic response of the human gut microbiota using the SHIME® model (six reactors, representing the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract). The last three reactors (representing the colon) were inoculated with a mixture of feces from human adults. Three time points were studied: immediately before the first dose of CPF, and then after 15 and 30 days of CPF-oil administration. By using conventional bacterial culture and molecular biology methods, we showed that CPF in oil can affect the gut microbiota. It had the greatest effects on counts of culturable bacteria (with an increase in Enterobacteria, Bacteroides spp. and clostridia counts, and a decrease in bifidobacterial counts) and fermentative activity, which were colon-segment-dependent. Our results suggest that: (i) CPF in oil treatment affects the gut microbiota (although there was some discordance between the culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses); (ii) the changes are “SHIME®-compartment” specific; and (iii) the changes are associated with minor alterations in the production of short-chain fatty acids and lactate.
The Chemical Composition of Essential Oils from Cinnamomum camphora and Their Insecticidal Activity against the Stored Product Pests
Authors: Guo Shanshan , Geng Zhufeng , Zhang Wenjuan , Liang Junyu , Wang Chengfang , Deng Zhiwei , Du Shushan
Published: November 2016

To investigate the chemical composition and insecticidal activity of the essential oils of certain Chinese medicinal herbs and spices, the essential oils were extracted from the stem barks, leaves, and fruits of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl, which were found to possess strong fumigant toxicity against Tribolium castaneum and Lasioderma serricorne adults. The essential oils of the plants were extracted by the method of steam distillation using a Clavenger apparatus. Their composition was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analyses (HP-5MS column), and their insecticidal activity was measured by seal-spaced fumigation. D-camphor (51.3%), 1,8-cineole (4.3%), and α-terpineol (3.8%), while D-camphor (28.1%), linalool (22.9%), and 1,8-cineole (5.3%) were the main constituents of its fruits. The essential oils of the C. camphora all showed fumigant and contact toxicity. Other compounds exhibited various levels of bioactivities. The results indicate that the essential oils of C. camphora and its individual compounds can be considered a natural resource for the two stored-product insect management.
Transcriptional and Posttranslational Regulation of Nucleotide Excision Repair: The Guardian of the Genome against Ultraviolet Radiation
Authors: Park Jeong-Min , Kang Tae-Hong
Published: November 2016

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight represents a constant threat to genome stability by generating modified DNA bases such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) and pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproducts (6-4PP). If unrepaired, these lesions can have deleterious effects, including skin cancer. Mammalian cells are able to neutralize UV-induced photolesions through nucleotide excision repair (NER). The NER pathway has multiple components including seven xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) proteins (XPA to XPG) and numerous auxiliary factors, including ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) protein kinase and RCC1 like domain (RLD) and homologous to the E6-AP carboxyl terminus (HECT) domain containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 2 (HERC2). In this review we highlight recent data on the transcriptional and posttranslational regulation of NER activity.
New Typical Vector of Neurotoxin β-N-Methylamino-l-Alanine (BMAA) in the Marine Benthic Ecosystem
Authors: Li Aifeng , Song Jialiang , Hu Yang , Deng Longji , Ding Ling , Li Meihui
Published: November 2016

The neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) has been identified as an environmental factor triggering neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We investigated the possible vectors of BMAA and its isomers 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) and N-2(aminoethyl)glycine (AEG) in marine mollusks collected from the Chinese coast. Sixty-eight samples of marine mollusks were collected along the Chinese coast in 2016, and were analyzed by an HILIC-MS/MS (hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer) method without derivatization. BMAA was detected in a total of five samples from three species: Neverita didyma, Solen strictus, and Mytilus coruscus. The top three concentrations of free-form BMAA (0.99~3.97 μg·g−1 wet weight) were detected in N. didyma. DAB was universally detected in most of the mollusk samples (53/68) with no species-specific or regional differences (0.051~2.65 μg·g−1 wet weight). No AEG was detected in any mollusk samples tested here. The results indicate that the gastropod N. didyma might be an important vector of the neurotoxin BMAA in the Chinese marine ecosystem. The neurotoxin DAB was universally present in marine bivalve and gastropod mollusks. Since N. didyma is consumed by humans, we suggest that the origin and risk of BMAA and DAB toxins in the marine ecosystem should be further investigated in the future.
Chiral Alkyl Halides: Underexplored Motifs in Medicine
Authors: Gál Bálint , Bucher Cyril , Burns Noah
Published: November 2016

While alkyl halides are valuable intermediates in synthetic organic chemistry, their use as bioactive motifs in drug discovery and medicinal chemistry is rare in comparison. This is likely attributable to the common misconception that these compounds are merely non-specific alkylators in biological systems. A number of chlorinated compounds in the pharmaceutical and food industries, as well as a growing number of halogenated marine natural products showing unique bioactivity, illustrate the role that chiral alkyl halides can play in drug discovery. Through a series of case studies, we demonstrate in this review that these motifs can indeed be stable under physiological conditions, and that halogenation can enhance bioactivity through both steric and electronic effects. Our hope is that, by placing such compounds in the minds of the chemical community, they may gain more traction in drug discovery and inspire more synthetic chemists to develop methods for selective halogenation.
Bauhinia championii Flavone Attenuates Hypoxia-Reoxygenation Induced Apoptosis in H9c2 Cardiomyocytes by Improving Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Liao Ping , Sun Guibo , Zhang Chan , Wang Min , Sun Yao , Zhou Yuehan , Sun Xiaobo , Jian Jie
Published: November 2016

This study aimed to determine the effects of Bauhinia championii flavone (BCF) on hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes and to explore potential mechanisms. The H/R model in H9c2 cardiomyocytes was established by 6 h of hypoxia and 12 h of reoxygenation. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Apoptotic rate was measured by Annexin V/PI staining. Levels of mitochondria-associated ROS, mitochondrial transmembrane potential (∆Ψm) and mitochondrial permeability transition pores (MPTP) opening were assessed by fluorescent probes. ATP production was measured by ATP assay kit. The release of cytochrome c, translocation of Bax, and related proteins were measured by western blotting. Our results showed that pretreatment with BCF significantly improved cell viability and attenuated the cardiomyocyte apoptosis caused by H/R. Furthermore, BCF increased ATP production and inhibited ROS-generating mitochondria, depolarization of ΔΨm, and MPTP opening. Moreover, BCF pretreatment decreased Bax mitochondrial translocation, cytochrome c release, and activation of caspase-3, as well as increased the expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax. Interestingly, a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, LY294002, partly reversed the anti-apoptotic effect of BCF. These observations indicated that BCF pretreatment attenuates H/R-induced myocardial apoptosis strength by improving mitochondrial dysfunction via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
Effects of Light Intensity on the Growth, Photosynthetic Characteristics, and Flavonoid Content of Epimedium pseudowushanense B.L.Guo
Authors: Pan Junqian , Guo Baolin
Published: November 2016

Epimedium pseudowushanense B.L.Guo is used in traditional medicine as an aphrodisiac and to strengthen muscles and bones. Several recent reports have shown that flavonoids from Epimedium also significantly affect the treatment of breast cancer, liver cancer, and leukemia. However, few studies have examined the medicinal-ingredient yield of Epimedium, a light-demanding shade herb, under different light intensities. To investigate the effects of light intensity on medicinal-ingredient yields, Epimedium was exposed to five levels of light intensity until harvest time. Leaf dry biomass under L4 was the highest among different light treatments. L4 was also associated with the highest net photosynthetic rate. Quantification of epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C, and icariin showed that L3 produced the highest amount of epimedin C, and that flavonoid content responded to light levels differently. Results indicated that L3 and L4 were the optimal light levels for medicinal-ingredient yield.
Assessment of Chemical Impact of Invasive Bryozoan Pectinatella magnifica on the Environment: Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Activity of P. magnifica Extracts
Authors: Kollar Peter , Šmejkal Karel , Salmonová Hana , Vlková Eva , Lepšová-Skácelová Olga , Balounová Zuzana , Rajchard Josef , Cvačka Josef , Jaša Libor , Babica Pavel , Pazourek Jiří
Published: November 2016

Pectinatella magnifica, an invasive bryozoan, might significantly affect ecosystem balance due to its massive occurrence in many areas in Europe and other parts of the world. Biological and chemical analyses are needed to get complete information about the impact of the animal on the environment. In this paper, we aimed to evaluate in vitro cytotoxic effects of five extracts prepared from P. magnifica using LDH assay on THP-1 cell line. Antimicrobial activities of extracts against 22 different bacterial strains were tested by microdilution method. Our study showed that all extracts tested, except aqueous portion, demonstrated LD50 values below 100 μg/mL, which indicates potential toxicity. The water extract of P. magnifica with LD50 value of 250 μg/mL also shows potentially harmful effects. Also, an environmental risk resulting from the presence and increasing biomass of potentially toxic benthic cyanobacteria in old colonies should not be underestimated. Toxicity of Pectinatella extracts could be partially caused by presence of Aeromonas species in material, since we found members of these genera as most abundant bacteria associated with P. magnifica. Furthermore, P. magnifica seems to be a promising source of certain antimicrobial agents. Its methanolic extract, hexane, and chloroform fractions possessed selective inhibitory effect on some potential pathogens and food spoiling bacteria in the range of MIC 0.5–10 mg/mL. Future effort should be made to isolate and characterize the content compounds derived from P. magnifica, which could help to identify the substance(s) responsible for the toxic effects of P. magnifica extracts.
Targeting at the Nanoscale: A Novel S-Layer Fusion Protein Enabling Controlled Immobilization of Biotinylated Molecules
Authors: Varga Melinda
Published: November 2016

With the aim of constructing an S-layer fusion protein that combines both excellent self-assembly and specific ligand i.e., biotin binding ability, streptavidin (aa 16-133) was fused to the S-layer protein of Sporosarcina ureae ATCC 13881 (SslA) devoid of its N-terminal 341 and C-terminal 172 amino acids. The genetically engineered chimeric protein could be successfully produced in E. coli, isolated, and purified via Ni affinity chromatography. In vitro recrystallisation experiments performed with the purified chimeric protein in solution and on a silicon wafer have demonstrated that fusion of the streptavidin domain does not interfere with the self-assembling properties of the S-layer part. The chimeric protein self-assembled into multilayers. More importantly, the streptavidin domain retained its full biotin-binding ability, a fact evidenced by experiments in which biotinylated quantum dots were coupled to the fusion protein monomers and adsorbed onto the in vitro recrystallised fusion protein template. In this way, this S-layer fusion protein can serve as a functional template for the controlled immobilization of biotinylated and biologically active molecules.
The Effect of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations on Elevated Serum C-Reactive Protein Concentrations in Normal Weight, Overweight and Obese Participants of a Preventive Health Program
Authors: Mastroeni Silmara , Munasinghe Lalani , Pham Truong-Minh , Loehr Sarah , Ekwaru John , Mastroeni Marco , Veugelers Paul
Published: November 2016

The hypothesized effect of vitamin D on C-reactive protein (CRP) has received substantial attention as a potential means to alleviate the risk for cardiovascular disease. However, observational studies have been inconsistent in their reporting of associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and CRP concentrations, and trials and meta analyses have been inconsistent in their conclusions regarding the effect of vitamin D supplementation on CRP concentrations. These supplementation trials were mostly conducted among patients with more or less inflammatory complications and did not consider potential distinctive effects by weight status. To further our understanding of the potential influences of vitamin D on CRP, we analyzed longitudinal observations of 6755 participants of a preventative health program. On average, serum 25(OH)D concentrations increased from 88.3 to 121.0 nmol/L and those of CRP decreased from 1.7 to 1.6 mg/L between baseline and follow up. Relative to obese participants without temporal increases in 25(OH)D, those who showed improvements of <25, 25–50, 50–75, and more than 75 nmol/L at follow up were 0.57 (95% confidence interval: 0.37–0.88), 0.54 (0.34–0.85), 0.49 (0.30–0.80), and 0.48 (0.29–0.78) times as likely to have elevated CRP concentrations (≥1 mg/L), respectively. These associations were less pronounced and not statistically significant for normal weight and overweight participants. Herewith, the findings suggest that promotion of adequate serum 25(OH)D concentrations among obese individuals along with healthy lifestyles may alleviate the public health burden associated with cardiovascular disease.