bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurofilaments May Discriminate Upper Motor Neuron Syndromes: A Pilot Study
Authors: Zucchi Elisabetta , Bedin Roberta , Fasano Antonio , Fini Nicola , Gessani Annalisa , Vinceti Marco , Mandrioli Jessica
Published: November 2018

Background: Patients presenting with upper motor neuron (UMN) signs may widely diverge in prognosis, ranging from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) and hereditary spastic paraplegia (hSP). Neurofilaments are emerging as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for ALS, but the diagnosis of UMN syndromes still relies mostly on clinical long-term observation and on familiarity or genetic confirmation. Objectives: To test whether phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH) may discriminate different UMN syndromes at diagnosis and to test their prognostic role among these diseases. Methods: We measured the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum pNfH of 30 patients presenting with UMN signs and diagnosed with ALS, hSP, and PLS, plus 9 healthy controls (HC). Results: ALS patients had higher levels of pNfH in CSF and serum compared to HC (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 in CSF and serum, respectively) and PLS (p = 0.015 and p = 0.038) and hSP (p = 0.003 and p = 0.001) patients. PLS and hSP patients had similar CSF and serum pNfH concentrations, but a higher CSF pNfH concentration, compared to HC (p = 0.002 and p = 0.003 for PLS and hSP, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic curves for discriminating ALS from PLS and hSP showed an area under the curve of 0.79 for CSF and 0.81 for serum. In multivariable survival analysis including relevant clinical factors CSF pNfH represented the strongest variable predicting survival (HR 40.43; 95% CI 3.49–467.79, p = 0.003) independently of clinical group. Conclusions: Despite some statistical instability of the results due to limitations in sample size, our study supports the role of CSF pNfH as a prognostic biomarker for motor neuron diseases presenting with UMN signs. A potential power to discriminate between ALS and other UMN syndromes at presentation, and between all of the examined MND and HC, has been detected for both CSF and serum pNfH.
The Pathophysiology of Respiratory Failure: Control of Breathing, Respiratory Load, and Muscle Capacity
Authors: Adler Dan , Janssens Jean-Paul
Published: November 2018

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview on how interactions between control of breathing, respiratory load, and muscle function may lead to respiratory failure. The mechanisms involved vary according to the underlying pathology, but respiratory failure is most often the result of an imbalance between the muscular pump and the mechanical load placed upon it. Changes in respiratory drive and response to CO2 seem to be important contributors to the pathophysiology of respiratory failure. Inspiratory muscle dysfunction is also frequent but is not a mandatory prerequisite to respiratory failure since increased load may also be sufficient to precipitate it. It is crucial to recognize these interactions to be able to timeously establish patients on mechanical ventilation and adapt the ventilator settings to their respiratory system physiology.
Bacteria-Host Crosstalk: Sensing of the Quorum in the Context of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections
Authors: Turkina Maria V. , Vikström Elena
Published: November 2018

Cell-to-cell signaling via small molecules is an essential process to coordinate behavior in single species within a community, and also across kingdoms. In this review, we discuss the quorum sensing (QS) systems used by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa to sense bacterial population density and fitness, and regulate virulence, biofilm development, metabolite acquisition, and mammalian host defense. We also focus on the role of N-acylhomoserine lactone-dependent QS signaling in the modulation of innate immune responses connected together via calcium signaling, homeostasis, mitochondrial and cytoskeletal dynamics, and governing transcriptional and proteomic responses of host cells. A future perspective emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary efforts to bring current knowledge of QS into a more detailed understanding of the communication between bacteria and host, as well as into strategies to prevent and treat P. aeruginosa infections and reduce the rate of antibiotic resistance.
An Open-Labeled Study on Fecal Microbiota Transfer in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients Reveals Improvement in Abdominal Pain Associated with the Relative Abundance of Akkermansia Muciniphila
Authors: Cruz-Aguliar Rebeca M. , Wantia Nina , Clavel Thomas , Vehreschild Maria J.G.T. , Buch Thorsten , Bajbouj Monther , Haller Dirk , Busch Dirk , Schmid Roland M. , Stein-Thoeringer Christoph K.
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: The gut microbiota is altered in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and microbiota manipulations by diet or antibiotics can reduce its symptoms. As fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) in IBS is still controversial, we investigated the clinical and side effects of FMT in a cohort of IBS patients with recurrent, treatment refractory symptoms, and studied gut microbiota signatures. Methods: Using an observational, prospective study design, we applied FMTs from one unrelated, healthy donor to 13 IBS patients. Fecal samples of patients and the donor were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing. Results: On a symptom level, primarily abdominal pain symptoms were reduced after FMT, and no adverse effects were observed. Studying the microbiome, we found an increase in alpha diversity and changes in the composition of the gut microbiota after FMT. Beta diversity changes after FMT were prominent in a subset of 7 patients with microbiota profiles coming very close to the donor. These patients also showed most pronounced visceral pain reduction. The relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila was inversely correlated with pain reduction in our cohort. Conclusion: Although exploratory in nature and with a pilot character, this study highlights the potential role of microbiota manipulations in IBS and describes a novel association of intestinal Akkermansia and pain modulation.
Efficacy and Safety of Intralesional Methotrexate in the Treatment of a Large Keratoacanthoma of the Dorsal Hand in a 99-Year-Old Woman
Authors: Della Valle Valentina , Milani Massimo
Published: November 2018

Several case reports and retrospective studies have demonstrated that intralesional methotrexate (MTX) could be a very effective and safe alternative treatment of keratoacanthoma (KA). Here, we report a rapid clinical efficacy of two intralesional MTX injections (total dose 40 mg) that were performed 1 week apart in the treatment of a large KA lesion of the dorsal hand in a 99-year-old woman. The lesion, with a 3-cm major axis diameter and a thickness of 2 cm with a central ulceration had rapidly appeared on the right dorsal hand. A 3-mm punch biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of a well-differentiated KA-type spinous cellular carcinoma. Due to the presence of comorbidities (arterial hypertension and atrial fibrillation) and chronic treatment with antihypertensive and oral anticoagulant drugs, treatment with intralesional MTX was proposed to the patient. Two intralesional MTX injections of 20 mg each were performed 1 week apart. A very fast resolution of the lesion was observed after the first injection. A week after the second injection a full resolution of the skin lesion was observed, with a nearly complete resolution of the central ulceration. The treatment was very well tolerated. No local or systemic side effects were observed. This case report confirms that intralesional MTX could be considered an effective and safe treatment of KA also in very old subjects.
High Prevalence of Pathological Hydrogen Breath Tests in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia
Authors: Petzold Golo , Amanzada Ahmad , Gress Thomas M. , Ellenrieder Volker , Neesse Albrecht , Kunsch Steffen
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: The aim of the study is to investigate the frequency of pathological hydrogen breath tests (HBT) in patients with clinical features of functional dyspepsia (FD) meeting the Rome criteria and normal testing of upper endoscopy and abdominal sonography. Methods: We retrospectively included patients who underwent HBT (lactose, fructose, or glucose) between 2006 and 2012 and who had symptoms of FD. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to medical history and diagnostic results: (I) patients with suspected FD according to the Rome III criteria and (II) patients with an alternative diagnosis such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or Crohn’s disease (CD). Results: A total of 207/404 patients were assigned to the FD group and 44.4% of these had at least 1 positive HBT and thus more frequently than patients with GERD (20.7%; n = 111; p < 0.001) and with CD (31.7%; n = 63; p = 0.07). Lactose and fructose HBT, but not glucose HBT, occurred significantly more frequently with pathological results than in patients with GERD (p = 0.02; p = 0.002). The probability of a positive HBT increased significantly with increasing number of performed HBT (p < 0.001). Conclusion: We suggest that HBT should be considered in the clinical management of patients with suspected FD. In cases of positive HBTs, a potential causal therapy can be initiated.
SOBRE A MORAL E A FÍSICA
Authors: Hirata Celi , Pacheco Gionatan Carlos
Published: November 2018

Tradução da segunda reflexão das Reflexões sobre diversos assuntos (Réflexions sur diver sujets) de título Sobre a moral e a física (Sur la morale et la physique). Traduzida do francês da edição referenciada abaixo e disponível no link a seguir:http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5784026cVauvenargues, l. de c. Ouvres Posthumes de Vauvenargues: précédées de son éloge par m. ch, de Sait-Maurice, et accompagnees de notes et de lettres inédites de Voltaire. Paris, J. L. J. Brière e Brissot-Thivars et Cie, 1827. Disponível em http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5784026c, acesso em 27 de abril de de 2015 (pp. 98-103).
A RECUSA DO HOMEM COMO SUBSTÂNCIA NA PROPOSIÇÃO X DA ÉTICA II DE ESPINOSA
Authors: Souza Gabriel Frizzarin Ramalhães de
Published: November 2018

O objetivo deste artigo é comentar, na medida do possível, a maneira pela qual Espinosa argumenta no conjunto da proposição X da Parte II a recusa do homem como substância. Situando Espinosa à roda da tradição filosófica cartesiana, cuja concepção de homem é como composição substancial, veremos como o filósofo promove uma ruptura e distancia-se dela. Além disso, tendo em vista que o conjunto da proposição X da Parte II situa-se numa Ética demonstrada à maneira geométrica, teremos em conta a consequência da recusa do homem como substância para outros pontos do restante da obra, como a constituição modal do homem, a união de Corpo e Mente e a Ciência dos Afetos.
LINGUAGEM E POLÍTICA EM ESPINOSA
Authors: Monteiro Rafael Dos Santos
Published: November 2018

Mais próxima do corpo e da imaginação, a linguagem que pode ser deduzida da ontologia espinosana nos coloca frente ao problema das relações entre mente e corpo. Como pode uma palavra, modo da extensão, comunicar uma ideia, modo do pensamento, se nosso espírito não é uma replicação do corpo e não há expressão entre os atributos? Ao mesmo tempo Espinosa nos mostra como o desenvolvimento e permanência da língua de um povo ao longo dos tempos depende do uso da linguagem em sociedade. Desenvolvendo estes elementos, o presente artigo visa então construir uma proposta de solução para o problema da linguagem em Espinosa pelo estudo de seus textos políticos.
A TRIPLA RAIZ DA NOÇÃO DE SUBSTÂNCIA EM LEIBNIZ
Authors: Marques Edgar
Published: November 2018

O principal objetivo deste artigo é mostrar, contra as interpretações da filosofia de Leibniz que tendem a reduzir sua noção de substância a uma concepção derivada unicamente de considerações de natureza lógica, que o conceito leibniziano de substância possui raízes lógicas, físicas e teológicas que são mutuamente independentes.
Tempo: tragédia e melancolia. Notas de leitura de Lavoura Arcaica, de Raduan Nassar, e Relato de um Certo Oriente, de Milton Hatoum
Authors: Iegelski Francine
Published: November 2018

Esse texto propõe refletir sobre o caráter trágico e melancólico do tempo, na história e na literatura, a partir das obras de Raduan Nassar e de Milton Hatoum.
O Princípio da Euritmia nas Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Authors: Castro Paulo
Published: November 2018

O Princípio da Euritmia é a afirmação de que os entes na natureza adoptam preferencialmente os comportamentos que preservam a sua integridade estrutural, estendendo a sua existência. Formulado no contexto de uma física não linear como alternativa ao paradigma de Niels Bohr, o Princípio surge como um dos desenvolvimentos fundamentais a partir das ideias de Louis de Broglie,  no âmbito da chamada  Escola de Lisboa. Reflecte-se sobre os conceitos de «Princípio», «Lei da Natureza» e «Emergência», tendo como objectivo estender o paradigma Eurítmico às Ciências Sociais e Humanas.  Propõe-se um processo dinâmico descrevendo as escolhas de um agente social de acordo com uma instanciação possível do Princípio. Usando uma simulação computacional desse processo, estudam-se os comportamentos  de  dois agentes sociais em interacção com o meio, entre si e com a totalidade do sistema que compõem. Define-se autómato não linear como conceito operativo fundamental no entendimento dos fenómenos de Emergência.
A indagação da História nos manuscritos literários de Guimarães Rosa
Authors: Rodrigues Camila
Published: November 2018

O objetivo deste artigo é problematizar as relações entre História e Literatura a partir da proposta metodológica pensada por Carlo Ginzburg, que sugere ao historiador que, ao invés de apenas analisar o produto literário final, ele concentre-se em suas fases preparatórias. Para problematizar isso foram consultados manuscritos de Guimarães Rosa como fontes primárias, e ali encontramos registro de certo questionamento da História. Nossos resultados sublinham a peculiaridade da perspectiva  rosiana sobre o processo histórico, especialmente  ao ressignificar o conflito entre os letrados e os iletrados, que é um dos mais violentos e silenciosos de nossa História Cultural até hoje.
A configuração da cidade no romance As fantasias eletivas, de Carlos Henrique Schroeder
Authors: Soares Luiz Henrique Moreira , Franco Adenize Aparecida
Published: November 2018

O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar o espaço e a configuração da cidade contemporânea construída no romance As fantasias eletivas (2014), de Carlos Henrique Schroeder. A narrativa em questão une o sujeito à palavra, demonstra o vazio e o esgotamento característicos da contemporaneidade, bem como a liquidez das relações humanas, tendo como plano as inconsistências e as abjeções de um espaço urbano modificado e globalizado. Neste sentido, o trabalho buscou refletir de que maneira a cidade contemporânea se apresenta na narrativa e qual sua relação com as personagens, também fragmentadas e instáveis. Para isso, a base teórica consistiu nas contribuições teóricas de Tânia Pellegrini (2002, 2007), Regina Dalcastagnè (2012), Giorgio Agamben (2009), Luis Alberto Brandão Santos (1999), Renato Cordeiro Gomes (2000), dentre outros.
A favela boppiana: entre a modorra e a violência
Authors: Toledo Paulo César de
Published: November 2018

O presente artigo faz uma reflexão sobre dois dos “poemas negros” do livro Urucungo, de Raul Bopp, publicado em 1932. A obra de Bopp, assim como Poemas Negros, de Jorge de Lima, e os “Poemas da colonização”, de Oswald de Andrade, tematizam o morro, um dos topoi modernistas, segundo Augusto Massi. Os dois poemas analisados são: “Favela” e “Favela nº 2”, os quais têm como assunto a vida no morro e seus personagens oprimidos e sem horizontes. Encerramos nosso artigo realizando um estudo comparativo entre os dois poemas, apontando suas semelhanças e dessemelhanças.
Representações da loucura feminina em A mãe da mãe de sua mãe e suas filhas
Authors: Plácido Elane , Rodrigues Roniê
Published: November 2018

O presente artigo objetiva discutir a representação da loucura associada a uma identificação do sujeito feminino a partir da leitura crítica de duas personagens do romance A mãe da mãe de sua mãe e suas filhas, publicado em 2002, de Maria José Silveira. No desenvolvimento de nossa análise, valer-nos-emos das considerações de Foucault (1978) acerca do fenômeno da anormalidade e dos apontamentos de Cunha (1986) sobre a relação da loucura com a transgressão feminina, destacando como o comportamento não resignado da mulher tem sido, historicamente, relacionado ao território do insano, daquilo que não denota equilíbrio. Como resultado, destacamos a emergência das relações de poder contribuindo para cercear a subjetivação feminina, designando como anormal aquilo que não se enquadra nos preceitos institucionais.
Two Hypoxylon species from Yunnan Province based on morphological and molecular characters
Authors: MA HAI-XIA , QIU JUN-ZHI , XU BIAO , LI YU
Published: November 2018

Two specimens of Hypoxylon were collected from Yunnan, southwestern China. Hypoxylon baihualingense, an undescribed species of Hypoxylon (Xylariales, Hypoxylaceae), is described and illustrated as a new species based on a combination of morphological and phylogenetic (ITS and β-tubulin sequences) data. The new species is characterized by its glomerate to pulvinate stromata with ostiolar discs and asci lacking an apical apparatus. The differences between the new species and some morphologically similar Hypoxylon species are discussed. Hypoxylon polyporoideum is reported as a new record from China.
Studies on Prionoceridae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea). II. A revision of the genus Prionocerus Perty, 1831
Authors: GEISER MICHAEL
Published: November 2018

The genus Prionocerus Perty, 1831 is revised. Eight species are recognised: P. coeruleipennis Perty, 1831 (= P. coeruleipennis var. diversicollis Pic, 1920, n. syn.); P. bicolor Redtenbacher, 1868 (= P. pertii Castelnau, 1836, n. syn.); P. opacipennis (Pic, 1920) (transferred from Idgia Castelnau, 1836); P. viridiflavus Geiser, 2007 and four new species: P. paiensis n. sp. (Thailand); P. malaysiacus n. sp. (Malaysia); P. championi n. sp. (Indonesia) and P. wittmeri n. sp. (Indonesia). All previous synonymies of taxa under P. coeruleipennis and P. bicolor could be confirmed through study of the relevant types. Prionocerus pertii Castelnau, 1836 was found to be conspecific with P. bicolor Redtenbacher, 1868, but this senior synonymy was submitted to the ICZN proposing it as nomen oblitum. Prionocerus thibetanus Obenberger, 1918 is newly synonymised with Idgia viridescens Gorham, 1895. Prionocerus huegeli Redtenbacher, 1868 and P. hirtus Walker, 1871 are confirmed to belong to Idgia, the latter has to be treated as a nomen dubium. The infrageneric phylogeny of Prionocerus, its relationships to other Prionoceridae, as well as its life history, ecology and biogeography are discussed.
Two new Pristimantis (Anura: Terrarana: Strabomantidae) from the Sierra de Perijá, Venezuela
Authors: BARRIO-AMORÓS CÉSAR L. , ROJAS-RUNJAIC FERNANDO , BARROS TITO R.
Published: November 2018

Two new species of Pristimantis are described from Cerro Las Antenas, on the Venezuelan versant of the Sierra de Perijá, a region that is being rapidly destroyed by extensive cultivation and civil unrest. The first species (P. lassoalcalai sp. nov.) has dirty-white spots surrounded by black in the groin and on the hidden surfaces of the hind limbs—a characteristic shared by members of the "lentiginosus" group (Rivero 1982) from the Cordillera de Mérida—and marbled to reticulated venter. The second species (P. rivasi sp. nov.) is currently the largest member of the genus known from Perijá, and presents conspicuous cranial crests. The two new species are assigned to the P. unistrigatus species group.
A new species of the genus Gekko Laurenti (Squamata: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Vietnam with remarks on G. japonicus (Schlegel)
Authors: RÖSLER HERBERT , NGUYEN TRUONG QUANG , VAN DOAN KIEN , HO CUC THU , NGUYEN TAO THIEN , ZIEGLER THOMAS
Published: November 2018

We describe a new species of the gekkonid genus Gekko from northern Vietnam on the basis of four specimens from Lang Son and Lao Cai provinces. Gekko canhi sp. n. is distinguished from the remaining congeners by the combination of the following characters: body size moderate (SVL < 100 mm); supralabials 12–14, infralabials 10–13; nares in contact with rostral, internasal single, nasals 3; interorbitals 47–50; dorsal tubercle rows 10–13; scales between mental and cloacal slit 205–229; midbody scales 164–170; subdigital lamellae below first toe 13–16, below fourth toe 14–17; extensive webbing between fingers and toes minimal; tibial tubercles present; precloacal pores 5; postcloacal tubercles 2–3; tail round, not thickened at base; caudal tubercles present; subcaudals enlarged. We also provide new information on the taxonomy and distribution of G. japonicus in Vietnam.
New species of aquatic oligochaetes (Annelida: Clitellata) from groundwaters in karstic areas of northern Spain, with taxonomic remarks on Lophochaeta ignota Štolc, 1886
Authors: RODRIGUEZ PILAR , ACHURRA AINARA
Published: November 2018

We describe two new species: Gianius navarroi n. sp. (Phallodrilinae) and Isochaetides gianii n. sp. (Tubificinae), which were discovered during investigations on the groundwater oligochaete fauna in northern Spain. The present study contributes to the knowledge of the stygobiont oligochaete species in the Iberian Peninsula, which includes 21 species so far. Mature specimens of Lophochaeta ignota Štolc, 1886 were also collected at some sites, and are used to supplement the limited description of the reproductive organs known for the species to date. Taxonomy of the genus Lophochaeta Štolc, 1886 is discussed.
A new species of suckermouth armored catfish, Pseudancistrus kwinti (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Coppename River drainage, Central Suriname Nature Reserve, Suriname
Authors: WILLINK PHILIP W. , MOL JAN H. , CHERNOFF BARRY
Published: November 2018

A new species of suckermouth armored catfish, Pseudancistrus kwinti, is described from the Coppename River, Suriname. It can be diagnosed from all other described Pseudancistrus by the following combination of characters: dentary papillae absent, mid-dorsal plate row complete, coloration mottled or with bars, hypertrophied odontodes along edge of snout, and weakly evertible cheek plates. It is only known from the Coppename River drainage within the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a United Nations World Heritage Site, and one of the most pristine environments remaining on the planet. Mining, increased fishing pressure, and tourism threaten to change the region.
Review of the Nomada roberjeotiana species-group (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of Russia, with description of new species
Authors: PROSHCHALYKIN MAXIM YU. , LELEJ ARKADY S.
Published: November 2018

The twelve species and two subspecies of Nomada roberjeotiana species-group from Russia are reviewed. Two new species, Nomada mitaii sp. nov. (Russia, Mongolia), and N. setteri sp. nov. (Russian Far East) are described and illustrated. A female lectotype is designated for Nomada palmeni Morawitz 1888. Nomada esana Tsuneki 1973 and N. hakusana hakusana Tsuneki 1973 are recorded for the first time from Russia. Nomada rufipes Fabricius 1793 is newly recorded from the Russian Far East and Kazakhstan, and N. roberjeotiana roberjeotiana is newly recorded from Mongolia. The distribution data for other species are enlarged. An identification key is presented for both sexes of this species-group.
In memory of Robert Campbell Dalgleish (1940–2009)
Authors: ZHANG ZHI-QIANG
Published: November 2018

Dr Robert Campbell Dalgleish—Zootaxa’s editor for Phthiraptera and Siphonaptera—died suddenly of a heart attack on December 7th at his home in San Diego, California, USA.  He was in contact with the editorial office when he accepted two manuscripts for Zootaxa in Nov. 2009 (Lareschi & Linardi 2009; Mound 2009). I was shocked and deeply saddened when I heard the news of his passing in December 2009.
A new species of Allobates (Anura: Aromobatidae) from Paleovárzea Forest in Amazonas, Brazil
Authors: LIMA ALBERTINA P. , CALDWELL JANALEE P , BIAVATI GRAZIELA , MONTANARIN ANELISE
Published: November 2018

Numerous species of aromobatid frogs in the genus Allobates from the Amazonian region of Brazil have been described in recent years. Herein, we describe a new Allobates from the state of Amazonas. This species is allopatric with three other species of Allobates, two of which we have described previously. The new species inhabits streams in small remnants of paleovárzea forest along margins of a small river, the Paraná do Castanho. Paleovárzeas are ancient floodplains of the Amazon River and its tributaries. Paleovárzea forests are transitional between terra firme forests, which are never flooded, and várzeas, which are seasonally flooded. Males and females of the new species are similar in size; males average 20.1 mm, females 19.8. Tadpoles have a distinct dark brown bar extending from the snout through the eye to midbody. The call of this species consists of quickly repeated groups of single notes and is unique compared to known species of Allobates. Courtship includes cephalic amplexus. Eggs are deposited on the forest floor in cup-shaped leaves in the litter. Unlike other species of Allobates, egg capsules in this species are opaque instead of clear.
Water Mass Transformation in the Greenland Sea during the Period 1986–2016
Authors: Brakstad Ailin , Våge Kjetil , Håvik Lisbeth , Moore G. W. K.
Published: November 2018

Hydrographic measurements from ships, autonomous profiling floats, and instrumented seals over the period 1986–2016 are used to examine the temporal variability in open-ocean convection in the Greenland Sea during winter. This process replenishes the deep ocean with oxygen and is central to maintaining its thermohaline properties. The deepest and densest mixed layers in the Greenland Sea were located within its cyclonic gyre and exhibited large interannual variability. Beginning in winter 1994, a transition to deeper (>500 m) mixed layers took place. This resulted in the formation of a new, less dense class of intermediate water that has since become the main product of convection in the Greenland Sea. In the preceding winters, convection was limited to <300-m depth, despite strong atmospheric forcing. Sensitivity studies, performed with a one-dimensional mixed layer model, suggest that the deeper convection was primarily the result of reduced water-column stability. While anomalously fresh conditions that increased the stability of the upper part of the water column had previously inhibited convection, the transition to deeper mixed layers was associated with increased near-surface salinities. Our analysis further suggests that the volume of the new class of intermediate water has expanded in line with generally increased depths of convection over the past 10–15 years. The mean export of this water mass from the Greenland Sea gyre from 1994 to present was estimated to be 0.9 ± 0.7 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106m3s−1), although rates in excess of 1.5 Sv occurred in summers following winters with deep convection.
Intergenerational Mobility in the United States: What We Have Learned from the PSID
Authors: Mazumder Bhashkar
Published: November 2018

This article reviews the contributions of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) to the study of intergenerational mobility. The PSID enables researchers to track individuals as they form new households and covers many dimensions of socioeconomic status over large portions of the life cycle, making the data ideal for studying intergenerational mobility. Studies have used PSID data to show that the United States is among the least economically mobile countries among advanced economies. The PSID has been instrumental to understanding various dimensions of intergenerational mobility, including occupation; wealth; education; consumption; health; and group differences by gender, race, and region. Studies using the PSID have also cast light on the mechanisms behind intergenerational persistence.
The Social Ecology of Speculation: Community Organization and Non-occupancy Investment in the U.S. Housing Bubble
Authors: Goldstein Adam
Published: November 2018

The housing boom of the mid-2000s saw the widespread popularization of non-occupant housing investment as an entrepreneurial activity within U.S. capitalism. In 2005, approximately one sixth of all mortgage-financed home purchases in the United States were for investment purposes. This article develops a sociological account that links the geographic distribution of popular investment to the social and institutional organization of communities. Regression analyses of 1,566 municipalities from 2000 to 2006 indicate that non-occupant investment (but not conventional owner-occupant investment) occurred at significantly greater rates in places where local development institutions were organized in accordance with laissez-faire principles to a greater degree, where economic activities in other domains were less locally embedded in place, and where greater residential instability produced more tenuous connections between residents and places. The magnitudes of these associations suggest that social organization and cultural-institutional conditions were at least as informative as variations in housing price appreciation in shaping the incidence of investor activity during the bubble. Social organization also moderated the behavioral effects of price appreciation. The article advances research on locally-embedded bases of economic action by examining how community environments provide more or less fertile ground for mass-participatory housing speculation and instrumental orientations toward places as exchange-values.
Le 2ème livre des Maccabées et son schéma deutéronomiste
Authors: Lemelin Isabelle
Published: November 2018

Le 2ème livre des Maccabées (2 M) est un texte deutérocanonique écrit en grec aux alentours du 2ème siècle ANE qui s’avère plus souvent comparé à des sources hellénistiques que bibliques. Quelques études suggèrent néanmoins une familiarité avec certains livres de l’Ancien Testament, plutôt inusités jusqu’à tout récemment. Le présent article propose une analyse narratologique qui va dans ce sens et montre que la structure quinaire renvoie plus particulièrement à un schéma deutéronomiste. La place du 7ème chapitre, où est relaté le martyre d’une mère et ses sept fils, constitue le renversement majeur du récit. Après une présentation de la délimitation du texte, de la centralité du 7ème chapitre et de la structure de 2 M, les liens schématiques et théologiques entre 2 M et Deutéronome sont alors mis en lumière.
Conceptualisation of child neglect: A Ghanaian practice narrative
Authors: Manful Esmeranda , Abdullah Alhassan
Published: November 2018

Child neglect incidents are the most frequent cases reported to the Department of Social Welfare in Ghana. Therefore, an effective approach to inform practice decisions to curb the numbers is of great importance. Using a qualitative research design, 28 Practitioners’ and parents’ narratives on the perception and causes of child neglect were explored. The study revealed that there is a convergence and divergence of views on how child neglect is conceptualised. The findings suggest the need for practitioners to intensify awareness on some of Ghana’s cultural practices, such as inheritance expectations, that hinder better outcomes for children.
Fractured territories: Deterritorializing the contemporary Pakistani novel in English
Authors: Veyret Paul
Published: November 2018

This article makes use of Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of deterritorialization and lines of flight, together with Aamir R. Mufti’s analysis of global literature in order to study the work of three Pakistani novelists, Nadeem Aslam, Mohsin Hamid, and Kamila Shamsie. Fragmentation, disjunction, and disorientation are the main forces at work in contemporary Pakistani fiction in English, whose founding metaphor is the image of partition, and an insistence of borders and their transgression.
Drought vulnerability assessment of cattle producers in the Sierras del Este-Uruguay: Interactions between actors and agents
Authors: Díaz Ismael , Achkar Marcel , Mazzeo Néstor
Published: November 2018

Droughts significantly impact livestock systems over natural grasslands. Nevertheless, the practices adopted by cattle producers are usually not adaptive, and therefore they deepen the impacts of the drought and its vulnerability. Drought vulnerability assessments have implicitly considered vulnerability as an individual phenomenon and have not considered the interactions of actors and agents as a key attribute. Social network analysis (SNA) can be used to analyse these processes. However, researchers have largely used SNA from a static perspective and failed to not consider that external drivers could modify the network. The objective of this work was to analyse the incidence of interactions between cattle producers, institutions and agricultural technicians and the effect of such interactions on drought vulnerability from a dynamic perspective. We worked with two operational frameworks, SNA and the incidence of external drivers on the network. Our primary results highlight that (1) cattle producers of greater centrality present lower vulnerability; (2) central cattle producers are not necessarily identified by other producers by the management they carry out; (3) the primary external driver partially affects the structure of the network; and (4) the existence of rigidity and poverty traps and difficulties hindering the propagation and consolidation of practices that reduce drought vulnerability became evident. Our findings enable the identification of potentialities and barriers in the transfer of information to increase adaptation and reduce vulnerability to drought and provide a framework that could be applicable to other productive sectors, threats and geographical contexts.
Motor Lateralization May Be Influenced by Long-Term Piano Playing Practice
Authors: Kilincer Ozlem , Ustun Emre , Akpinar Selcuk , Kaya Emin E.
Published: November 2018

Motor lateralization is viewed as anatomical or functional asymmetry of the two sides of the body. Functional motor asymmetry can be influenced by musical practice. This study explored whether piano playing experience modulates motor asymmetry and leads to an altered pattern of hand selection, reflecting an altered handedness. We asked two groups of right-handed participants—piano players and non-piano players—to reach targets in their frontal space with both arms, and we tested the motor performance of each arm on this task and then on an arm preference test. As musical practice can decrease motor asymmetry between arms, we hypothesized that participants with piano playing experience would display less interlimb asymmetry and that this, in turn, would change their arm preference pattern, compared with participants without piano playing experience. We found support for both hypotheses, and we conclude that arm selection (preference) is not biologically fixed, but, rather, can be modulated through long-term piano playing.
Male Sexual Jealousy: Lost Paternity Opportunities?
Authors: Edlund John E. , Buller David J. , Sagarin Brad J. , Heider Jeremy D. , Scherer Cory R. , Farc Maria-Magdalena , Ojedokun Oluyinka
Published: November 2018

Numerous studies have shown that men experience relatively greater levels of jealousy in response to the sexual aspects of an infidelity (relative to women), whereas women experience relatively greater levels of jealousy in response to the emotional aspects of an infidelity (relative to men). The traditional explanation for this relationship suggests that men experience this greater level of jealousy due to threats of a loss of paternal certainty. In this article, we present three studies that demonstrate that men’s differentially greater jealousy occurs in response to situations that threaten paternity opportunities. These results suggest that a loss of perceived paternity opportunities is the ultimate origin of men’s increased jealousy in response to sexual infidelity.
The speedboat vertebral fracture: a hazard of holiday watersports
Authors: Maempel JF , Maempel FZ
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe and characterise spinal fractures sustained by watercraft occupants due to splashdown of light watercraft when riding over uneven water surfaces.

Methods

A retrospective review of all patients presenting with these injuries to St Luke’s and Mater Dei state hospitals in Malta over a 10-year period was undertaken to determine patient demographics, the nature of spinal injuries sustained and the incidence of any associated extra-spinal injuries.

Results

Twenty-one patients (mean age 41.2 years) suffered 25 fractures. Injuries were seasonal, occurring exclusively between the months of May and October. One patient was local whilst 20 were from other countries. All fractures were Magerl type A fractures and occurred around the thoracolumbar junction. The L1 vertebra was most commonly affected (12 patients). Four patients sustained two vertebral fractures. There were no extra-spinal injuries.

Conclusions

Watercraft splashdown can transmit significant forces to occupants, resulting in Magerl type A vertebral fractures around the thoracolumbar junction. These injuries occur under compression. They are highly consistent in their morphology and localisation and should be excluded in individuals complaining of back pain after watercraft use. Almost all patients were from outside Malta and injuries were seasonal, providing opportunities for targeted injury prevention campaigns.
Challenges and changes in the parenting experiences of Korean immigrants in New Zealand
Authors: Lee Boram , Keown Louise J.
Published: November 2018

Immigrant parents are often confronted with the challenging task of reconciling cultural differences with regard to socialization practices. This paper explored the parenting experiences of 21 Korean immigrant parents of young children (ages 6–10), after immigrating to New Zealand. Most parents reported positive parenting changes following their migration to New Zealand, including greater encouragement of their children's autonomy and decreased emphasis on children's academic performance. The findings also highlighted challenges, such as parent-child disagreements and reduced parenting self-efficacy as parents adapted and adjusted to the new cultural context. In addition, the study identified some unique parenting challenges faced by fathers and Korean transnational parents, where mothers and young children immigrate to New Zealand to advance the children's education while fathers remain in Korea to support the family financially.
How China manages economic-stream migration: The new points scheme
Authors: Ahl Bjorn , Czoske Pilar-Paz
Published: November 2018

Recently issued legal documents suggest a fundamental overhaul of the Chinese immigrant-selection system. Based on an analysis of laws and regulations, policy documents, scholarly literature and expert interviews, we argue that the new points system and the distinction between different categories of foreign nationals so far serve mainly symbolic functions, such as signaling stricter control of immigration. The new points system emphasizes skills levels and the current productivity of immigrants rather than long-term developments, such as demographic change or the accumulation of human capital for future innovations.
Euthanasia and assisted dying: what is the current position and what are the key arguments informing the debate?
Authors: Fontalis Andreas , Prousali Efthymia , Kulkarni Kunal
Published: November 2018

Summary

Assisted dying is a highly controversial moral issue incorporating both physician-assisted dying (PAD) and voluntary active euthanasia. End-of-life practices are debated in many countries, with assisted dying receiving different consideration across various jurisdictions. In this paper, we provide an analytic framework of the current position and the main arguments related to the rights and moral principles concerning assisted dying. Assisted dying proponents focus on the respect of autonomy, self-determination and forestalling suffering. On the other hand, concerns are raised regarding the interpretation of the constitutional right to life and balancing this with the premise of assisted dying, alongside the impacts of assisted dying on the doctor–patient relationship, which is fundamentally based on trust, mutual respect and the premise of ‘first do no harm’. Our review is underpinning the interpretation of constitutional rights and the Hippocratic Oath with the premise of assisted dying, alongside the impacts of assisted dying on the doctor–patient relationship. Most clinicians remain untrained in such decision making, with fears against crossing key ethical divides. Due to the increasing number of cases of assisted dying and lack of consensus, our review enables the integration of ethical and legal aspects and facilitates decision making.
Employment After Retirement: A Review and Framework for Future Research
Authors: Sullivan Sherry E. , Al Ariss Akram
Published: November 2018

Retirement was once considered an exit from full-time work into full-time leisure. Research evidence indicates, however, that a growing number of retirees are reentering the labor force. Although a number of reviews have been conducted on retirement, there has been no comprehensive review of the increasing number of studies on work after retirement. It is time to take stock of the accumulated knowledge on postretirement employment that has been produced by scholars across multiple fields. Using the construct of employability as an organizing framework, this review examines postretirement employment in light of the five key dimensions of employability: career motivation, human capital, social capital, identity, and personality. On the basis of this review, we identify trends and gaps in the literature and recommend major directions for future research on postretirement employment.
Practice Makes Perfect: Experiential Learning as a Method for Financial Socialization
Authors: LeBaron Ashley B. , Runyan Samuel D. , Jorgensen Bryce L. , Marks Loren D. , Li Xiaohui , Hill E. Jeffrey
Published: November 2018

Most financial socialization research focuses on two methods of learning: modeling and discussion. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore experiential learning as a third potential method of financial socialization used by parents. Specifically, we explored what children learned about finances through experiential learning and why parents used experiential learning as a financial socialization method. We used a multigenerational sample of emerging adults (ages 18-30 years) and their parents and grandparents ( N = 115). Analyses revealed three core what themes (Working Hard, Managing Money, and Spending Wisely) and three core why themes (Learning Financial Skills, Acquiring Financial Values, and Becoming Financially Independent) related to experiential learning. These findings have implications for parents, researchers, and educators. In sum, we propose that experiential learning should be regarded as a principal method of financial socialization and should be considered in theory building, research, and pedagogy.
Digital Storytelling With Heroin Users in Vancouver
Authors: Goodman Aaron
Published: November 2018

As the opioid crisis escalates across North America, photographers are highlighting the gravity of the situation. However, many of their images of people who use drugs are problematic and stigmatizing. This study looks at how digital storytelling (DST) was used in order to assist long-term heroin users taking part in North America’s first heroin-assisted treatment program in Vancouver, BC, in amplifying and sharing their personal experiences. DST is a participatory and collaborative process designed to help people share narrative accounts of life events. A total of 10 participants took part in a 3-day DST workshop and eight individuals completed 2 to 3-minute digital stories. Participants demonstrated increased agency in terms of how they represented themselves. Their digital stories disrupt hegemonic representations of heroin users and can help educate the public and decision makers about compassionate and science-based treatments for chronic addiction. Theory, methodology, practical applications, and ethics are discussed.
3D printing mesoporous bioactive glass/sodium alginate/gelatin sustained release scaffolds for bone repair
Authors: Wu Jingwen , Miao Guohou , Zheng Zhichao , Li Zhengmao , Ren Wen , Wu Caijuan , Li Yuanjing , Huang Zhu , Yang Lan , Guo Lvhua
Published: November 2018

Drug delivery and release are a major challenge fabricating bone tissue engineering. In this study, we fabricated new sustained release hydrogel scaffolds composited of mesoporous bioactive glass, sodium alginate and gelatin by a three-dimensional printing technique. Naringin and calcitonin gene-related peptide were used as drugs to prepare drug-loaded scaffolds by direct printing or surface absorption. The physicochemical properties of the scaffolds and the drug release profiles of the two drug-loading models were investigated. We also examined the biocompatibility of the scaffolds, as well as the effect of the released medium on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human osteoblast-like MG-63 cell. The results showed that the scaffolds had a high porosity (approximately 80%) with an interconnected cubic pore structure, rough surface morphology, bioactivity and strong biocompatibility. Furthermore, the naringin or calcitonin gene-related peptide co-printed into the scaffold displayed a steady sustained release behaviour for up to 21 days without an initial burst release, while both naringin and calcitonin gene-related peptide absorbed onto the surface of the scaffold were completely released within two days. MG-63 cells cultured with the extraction containing released drugs displayed promoted cell proliferation and the expression of osteogenesis-related genes more effectively compared with the drug-free extractions. Therefore, these results demonstrate that the developed mesoporous bioactive glass/sodium alginate/gelatin sustained release scaffolds provide a potential application for bone tissue engineering.
Advanced slip ratio for ensuring numerical stability of low-speed driving simulation: Part II—lateral slip ratio
Authors: Kim Tae-Yun , Jung Samuel , Yoo Wan-Suk
Published: November 2018

A tire model is essential for vehicle dynamics simulations. The slip ratio of a tire model affects the stability of the simulation. The traditional slip ratio frequently causes numerical problems in low-speed driving simulations when the longitudinal speed approaches zero. To solve this phenomenon, many researchers have proposed various solutions by adding tuning parameters or defining the slip ratio through differential equations. However, these methods have the disadvantages of reducing the reliability of the tire model and increasing the computational complexity. In Part 1 of this paper, we proposed a method to calculate the advanced slip ratio without using tuning parameters or differential equations. This method guarantees the numerical stability of a simulation by limiting the time constant of the wheel dynamics model to be greater than the marginal time constant of the explicit integrator. In Part 1, just the longitudinal slip ratio was considered; thus, the problem of numerical instability of the slip ratio at low speed also occurs in the lateral direction. Therefore, in the second part of this study, the advanced slip ratio is extended to the lateral direction. Furthermore, the proposed method is applied to a bicycle model to verify its performance in a driving simulation. Finally, the simulation results are analyzed to verify the validity and stability of the advanced slip ratio in both directions.