bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abundance and Size Variation of Globorotalia menardii in the Northeastern Indian Ocean During the Late Quaternary
Authors: Bhonsale Swati , Saraswat Rajeev
Published: January 2013

Variation in absolute abundance, size and coiling direction ratio of the planktic foraminifera Globorotalia menardii during the late Quaternary have been studied in three cores, collected along a north-south transect from the northeastern Indian Ocean. Increased abundance and larger size is observed during the warm interglacial period, whereas, smaller and fewer G. menardii specimens are noted during the cold glacial periods. A comparatively better match between absolute abundance, size and oxygen isotopic composition of foraminifera as compared to carbon isotopic composition at all the locations indicates that the abundance and size of G. menardii is more affected by seawater temperature and salinity as compared to productivity changes. The amplitude and frequency of temporal changes in the abundance and size of G. menardii vary from core-to-core, indicating the influence of site-specific physico-chemical conditions. In comparison to the abundance and size, the coiling direction of G. menardii does not show any systematic change in any of the cores. The majority of the specimens coil sinistrally. We conclude that the absolute abundance and variation in the average size of G. menardii can be used to infer past climatic changes. However, the variation in coiling direction of G. menardii appears to be unaffected by late Quaternary paleoclimatic variations in the north-eastern Indian Ocean.
Benthic Foraminiferal Biofacies on the Shelf and Upper Continental Slope off North Kerala (Southwest India)
Authors: Nisha N. R. , Singh A. D.
Published: January 2013

This study examines benthic foraminifera (>63 μm) both qualitatively and quantitatively, from 19 closely spaced surficial sediment samples covering 30 to 200 m water depths across the shelf and upper continental slope off north Kerala (SW India). A total of 59 species are recorded. The major constituents of benthic foraminiferal assemblages in the study area are fursenkoinids, bolivinids, nonionids, rotaliids, elphidiids, buliminids, miliolids, gavilinellids, amphestiginids, bagginids, vaginulinids, uvigerinids and various agglutinated taxa. Cluster analysis using Bray Curtis similarity index defines four sample groups, each typified by a characteristic assemblage representing a biofacies. The major benthic foraminiferal biofacies identified are: Biofacies I, Fursenkoina-Nonion-Ammonia beccarii s.l. (30-40 m); Biofacies II, Fursenkoina-Nonion (40-55 m); Biofacies III, Bolivina robusta-Hanzawaia-Cancris-Amphistegina and miliolids (55-115 m) and Biofacies IV, Bolivina persiensis- Uvigerina-Bulimina-Fursenkoina and agglutinants (115-200 m). Relict foraminifera, most commonly represented by shallow-water benthic taxa are concentrated on the outer shelf. The relict assemblage appears to be a product of late Pleistocene low sea level. The foraminiferal biofacies have a good correspondence with the bathymetrically distributed three major lithofacies across the shelf and the upper continental slope. We studied the distribution pattern of individual taxa constituting the biofacies. The study demonstrates a relationship between the pattern of distribution of major benthic fauna and the sediment-size and organic carbon content across the inner shelf to upper slope. Additionally, certain taxa appear to be sensitive to various hydrographic parameters, such as, Bulimina marginata to temperature and Fursenkoina complanata and Uvigerina ex gr. U. semiornata to dissolved oxygen level.
Study on the Saturation Index of the Carbonates in the Groundwater Using WATEQ4F, in Layered Coastal Aquifers of Pondicherry
Authors: Chidambaram S. , Prasanna M. V. , Singaraja C. , Thilagavathi R. , Pethaperumal S. , Tirumalesh K.
Published: January 2013

A study was conducted to bring out the relationship and behavior of different Saturation Index (SI) of carbonate minerals in layered coastal aquifers. Carbonates present in groundwater aids in different nature of the water like hardness, partial pressure of carbon-di-oxide (pCO2), pH and saturation index of different carbonate minerals at various temperatures. The SI of the carbonates helps us to define the thermodynamic stability of water and to find out the geochemical behavior of water. 98 groundwater samples were collected from specific aquifers (alluvium, upper Cuddalore, lower Cuddalore and Cretaceous) during Pre-Monsoon (May 2007) and Post-Monsoon (January 2008) seasons. The physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, HCO3, SO4 and PO4 were analyzed. Geochemical model, WATEQ4F was used to calculate the SI of different minerals. The SI was studied in relation to mHCO3 concentration, pCO2 and correlation between SI of different minerals.
Imaging the Debris Internal Structure and Estimating the Effect of Debris Layer on Ablation of Glacier Ice
Authors: Zhen Wu , Shiyin Liu
Published: January 2013

This study is a comparative investigation of the debris layer and underlying ice of the Koxkar Glacier using multi-frequency GPR with antennae having different frequencies. Together with analysis of the fluctuation of the radar signal amplitude and polarity, the debris layer and underlying ice were analyzed on the basis of high-resolution GPR images. It was found that the optimal average velocity in the shallow layer (0–4 m) is 0.06 m/ns. Images obtained with different frequency antennas have different characteristics; and the performance of the 200 MHz antenna for a debris-covered glacier is the best. The interpretation of typical GPR image is validated by using FDTD numerical model. Combining the debris layer thickness and the underlying ice structure, the effect of debris layer on ablation of glacier ice and forecast of the glacier change in the aspect of thickness-thinning and glacier retreat can be estimated. This study can provide as a reference to the formation mechanisms and estimation of the ice volume of glaciers covered by debris.
3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography Survey for the Basement of the Abeokuta Terrain of Southwestern Nigeria
Authors: Badmus B. S. , Akinyemi O. D. , Olowofela J. A. , Folarin G. M.
Published: January 2013

Geological structures are 3-Dimensional (3D) in nature, thus 1-Dimensional and 2-Dimensional surveys cannot adequately model them. However, sophisticated 3D survey equipment are very expensive. In this study, a single-channel ABEM SAS 300B Terrameter was used to obtain 3D models of the subsurface.

This survey was carried out at three different locations within Abeokuta, a basement complex terrain of southwestern Nigeria. The area falls within longitudes 3.35° and 3.38° East and latitudes 7.22° and 7.46° North respectively, with coordinates of 2550.0 m North and 1724.2 m East. A manual 4-electrode system was used in the Electrical Resistivity Tomography survey at the three locations. Each location was marked into 7 by 7 square grids with 1 m, 3 m and 5 m unit electrode spacings in succession. The pole-pole array was used with the two remote electrodes placed at distances of 23 m, 40 m and 65 m from the grids of 1 m, 3 m and 5 m unit electrode spacings respectively, to reduce their telluric effects on the measured apparent resistivity values. To reduce survey time consumption, the cross-diagonal survey method was adopted. The data obtained were analysed using a 3D inversion software called RES3DINV and 3-Dimensional models of the subsurface were also generated using Slicer Dicer graphics software.

The study revealed layers extending to depths of 7.75 m, 23.2 m and 38.7 m for unit electrode spacings of 1 m, 3 m and 5 m respectively. It revealed resistivity values ranging from 7.3 Ωm to 300 Ωm for electrode spacing of 1.0 m; 13.8 Ωm to 200 Ωm for electrode spacing of 3 m and 3.9 Ωm to 200 Ωm for electrode spacing of 5 m at the first location. At the second location, it revealed resistivity values ranging from 0.53 Ωm to 120.0 Ωm for electrode spacing of 3 m and 0.30 Ωm to 100 Ωm for electrode spacing of 5 m. For electrode spacings of 1 m, 3 m and 5 m, resistivity values ranging from 6.1 Ωm to 600 Ωm, 12 Ωm to 600 Ωm and 0.85 Ωm to 1700 Ωm were obtained respectively at the third location.

Generally, this study revealed lithologies composed of lateritic soil, sand, sandstone, sandyclay, clayeysand, weathered rock, fractured rock, clay and fresh basement; to a depth of about 39 m. Also, location 3 was discovered to have good groundwater prospects; though not as good as for locations 1 and 2.
Genetic Characteristics of the Gozecukuru As-Sb Deposits near Kutahya, Turkey
Authors: Arik Fetullah
Published: January 2013

Gözeçukuru As-Sb-Pb-Zn mine is located 1.2 km NW of Sahin village and 22 km west of Kütahya in NW Turkey. The aim of this study is to explain the genetic characteristics of the As-Sb deposits by using multivariate statistical analysis methods. Low-grade metamorphic rocks of the upper Paleozoic Sahin Formation occur as the basement of the study area. Cenozoic volcano-sedimentary units (Tavsanli volcanites and Emet Formation) overlie the Sahin Formation unconformably. The mineralization occurs mainly as veins and partly as disseminations and fillings of interstices in the rhyodacitic and rhyolitic tuffs of Tavsanli Volcanics. Common primary ore minerals are stibnite, realgar, galena, sphalerite, pyrite and arsenopyrite, and secondary minerals are orpiment, senarmontite and valentinite. Barite is the dominant gangue mineral, with a small amount of quartz, calcite and dolomite. Average As, Sb, Pb, Zn and Ba concentrations in the samples from the study area are 6.04%, 4938 ppm, 4589 ppm, 1.17% and 10.36 % respectively. Three significant groups appear in the cluster analysis of ore samples. First group consists of Pb-Ag and Zn-Cd. The second group consists of Sb-Tl-Hg and As. The last group is the Ba-Sr. There are three significant factors in the factor analysis. First factor reflects the formation of primary sulphide minerals, the second factor represents the formation of low temperature sulphide and sulphosalt minerals and the last factor depicts interstices-filling mineralization. Average homogenization temperature of the fluid inclusion in barites is 221 ° C. Geological, petrographical and geochemical data suggest that the Gözeçukuru As-Sb deposit was formed under epithermal conditions.
Pentecostal Affiliation
Authors: Garneau Christopher R. H. , Schwadel Philip
Published: January 2013

Although Pentecostal Protestants are often included under the broad term “evangelical Protestant,” research suggests that Pentecostals are distinct from other evangelical Protestants in their religious and secular beliefs and activities. In this research note, we demonstrate the practicality and effectiveness of a religious classification that accounts for differences between affiliates of Pentecostal denominations and affiliates of other Protestant denominations. Analysis of nationally representative survey data shows that affiliates of evangelical Protestant and Pentecostal Protestant denominations differ in their levels of education, religious beliefs, attitudes on social issues, and political ideology. These differences are largely congruent with theoretical expectations of differences among Protestant subgroups. The classification of Pentecostal denominations presented in this research note is an important tool for researchers, which can be applied to a wide range of social scientific inquiries.
Corruption, the power of state and big business in Soviet and post-Soviet regimes
Authors: Shlapentokh Vladimir
Published: January 2013

The growth of corruption after 1991 was probably unavoidable. The privatization of the state economy created favorable conditions for corruption, which did not exist before. The feudalization of a society, with its weakening of the state and the high autonomy of its office holders, was another major factor behind the outburst of corruption. However, while these “objective” factors account for a great part of corruption’s growth, the transformation of the leaders of the country to people who encouraged corruption for their own benefit—one of the major elements of feudalization—also played an extremely large role in spreading corruption inside the country.

Corruption poses greater concerns to society in the long term. Russian corruption undermines labor ethics, particularly among younger generations. Russian youths firmly believe that bribes and connections are the best and perhaps only way to become successful. Widespread corruption creates a parallel, semi-feudal chain of command that competes with the official hierarchy. The weakness of law enforcement agencies, as well as the army—now almost totally demoralized—is, to a great extent, the product of corruption.
Use of Handheld Sonar to Locate a Missing Diver
Authors: McGrane Owen , Cronin Aaron , Hile David
Published: January 2013

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a handheld sonar device significantly reduces the mean time needed to locate a missing diver.

Methods

This institutional review board approved, prospective, crossover study used a voluntary convenience sample of 10 scuba divers. Participants conducted both a standard and modified search to locate a simulated missing diver. The standard search utilized a conventional search pattern starting at the point where the missing diver (simulated) was last seen. The modified search used a sonar beacon to augment the search. For each search method, successful completion of the search was defined as locating the missing diver within 40 minutes.

Results

Twenty total dives were completed. Using a standard search pattern, the missing diver was found by only 1 diver (10%), taking 18 minutes and 45 seconds. In the sonar-assisted search group, the missing diver was found by all 10 participants (100%), taking an average of 2 minutes and 47 seconds (SD 1 minute, 20 seconds). Using the nonparametric related samples Wilcoxon signed rank test, actual times between the sonar group and the standard group were significant ( P < .01). Using paired samples t tests, the sonar group's self-assessed confidence increased significantly after using the sonar ( P < .001), whereas the standard group decreased in confidence (not statistically significant, P = .111).

Conclusions

Handheld sonar significantly reduces the mean duration to locate a missing diver as well as increasing users' confidence in their ability to find a missing diver when compared with standard search techniques.
Tissue-specific regulation of inflammation by macrophage migration inhibitory factor and glucocorticoids in fructose-fed Wistar rats
Authors: Veličković Nataša , Djordjevic Ana , Vasiljević Ana , Bursać Biljana , Milutinović Danijela Vojnović , Matić Gordana
Published: January 2013

High fructose consumption is commonly associated with insulin resistance, disturbed glucose homeostasis and low-grade inflammation. Increased glucocorticoid production within adipose tissue has been implicated in the pathogenesis of fructose-induced metabolic syndrome. Immunosuppressive actions of glucocorticoids can be counter-regulated by macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), which is recognised as a key molecule in metabolic inflammation. In the present study, we hypothesised that coordinated action of glucocorticoids and MIF can mediate the effects of a high-fructose diet on adipose tissue and liver inflammation. We examined the effects of long-term consumption of a 10 % fructose solution on corticosterone (CORT) and MIF levels in rat blood plasma, liver and adipose tissue, as well as MIF and TNF-α mRNA expression and NF-κB activation in the same tissues. The high-fructose diet led to an increase in both CORT and MIF in the adipose tissue, and a highly significant positive correlation between their levels was observed. The attenuated NF-κB activation and unaltered TNF-α mRNA expression noticed in the adipose tissue could be interpreted as an outcome of the opposing actions of CORT and MIF. In contrast to adipose tissue, inflammation in the liver was characterised by NF-κB activation, an increased TNF-α mRNA level and unchanged levels of MIF protein, MIF mRNA and CORT. Overall, these findings suggest that a high-fructose diet differently affects the levels of glucocorticoids and MIF in the adipose tissue and liver, implicating that fructose over-consumption has tissue-specific effects on regulation of metabolic inflammation.
Polyamines in human breast milk for preterm and term infants
Authors: Plaza-Zamora J. , Sabater-Molina M. , Rodríguez-Palmero M. , Rivero M. , Bosch V. , Nadal J. M. , Zamora S. , Larqué E.
Published: January 2013

Maternal milk is the first source of exogenous polyamines for the newborn. Polyamines modulate gut maturation in neonates, but no studies are available on polyamine concentration in human milk of preterm babies, even though they could be important for their immature gut. The present study aimed to determine polyamine concentration in human breast milk of mothers with preterm or term infants during the first month of lactation. Human milk samples were obtained during the first month of lactation from twenty-seven mothers with preterm babies and twelve mothers with babies born at term. The polyamine concentration in human milk was quantified by HPLC. During the first month of lactation, the total polyamine concentration was significantly higher in preterm milk than in term milk samples (7590 (sd4990)v.4660 (sd4830) nmol/l, respectively (P =0·034)), as well as individual polyamine concentrations. Polyamine concentration in mature milk for preterm babies was significantly higher than that in mature milk for babies at term, and a similar trend was observed in colostrum and transition human milk. The spermidine/spermine ratio was higher in transition milk in pretermv. term samples, while in mature milk, the ratio was significantly lower in preterm than in term babies. In conclusion, the polyamine concentration was significantly higher in human milk for preterm than for term infants. This and the different spermidine/spermine ratios could influence the gut development of premature babies.
Effect of a probiotic fermented milk on the thymus in Balb/c mice under non-severe protein–energy malnutrition
Authors: Núñez Ivanna Novotny , Galdeano Carolina Maldonado , Carmuega Esteban , Weill Ricardo , de Moreno de LeBlanc Alejandra , Perdigón Gabriela
Published: January 2013

Protein–energy malnutrition (PEM) causes a significant impairment of the immune system, the thymus being one of the most affected organs. It has been demonstrated that the administration of probiotic fermented milk (PFM) recovered the intestinal barrier, histological alterations and mucosal and systemic immune functions in a non-severe malnutrition model using BALB/c mice. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, in the same model of malnutrition, the effect of a PFM added to a re-nutrition diet on the recovery of the thymus, analysing histological and functional alterations caused by malnutrition. Mice were undernourished and divided into three groups according to the dietary supplement received during re-nutrition: milk, PFM or its bacterial-free supernatant (BFS). They were compared with well-nourished and malnourished mice. PFM was the most effective re-nutrition supplement to improve the histology of the thymus, decreasing cellular apoptosis in this organ and recovering the percentage of CD4+/CD8−single-positive thymocytes. Immature double-positive thymocytes were increased in the malnourished control (MC). The production of different cytokines in the thymus was increased in mice given PFM, compared with the mice that received other dietary supplements and MC. Mice given the BFS presented an improvement in the thymus similar to those that received milk. We demonstrated the importance of the whole PFM supplementation on the histological and functional recovery of the thymus in a non-severe PEM model.
Carboniferous floras in siliciclastic rocks of Kashmir Himalaya, India and the evolutionary history of the Tethyan Basin
Authors: SINGH KAMAL JEET , SINGH RAJINDER , CLEAL CHRISTOPHER J. , SAXENA ANJU , CHANDRA SHAILA
Published: January 2013

The Fenestella Shale Formation of Jammu and Kashmir Himalaya comprises latest Viséan or Serpukhovian siliciclastic deposits formed along the southern margins of the Palaeotethys Ocean. A sequence of shallowing upward and deepening upward units indicates changes from shoreface to offshore and deeper shelf conditions, probably controlled by eustatic changes in an otherwise passive depositional system. Some of the finer-grained, shallow marine deposits have yielded fossil floras dominated by sub-arborescent lycopsids (Sublepidodendron,Lepidodendropsis) sphenophytes (Archaeocalamites) and pteridophylls (Nothorhacopteris,Triphyllopteris). The assemblage compares with other Gondwanan floras of this age that have been assigned to the Paraca floral realm, and are taken to indicate relatively warm climatic conditions that existed just prior to the onset of the Carboniferous–Permian ice-age.
QUEER COUPLINGS: FORMATIONS OF RELIGION AND SEXUALITY IN ʿALAʾ AL-ASWANI'SʿIMARAT YAʿQUBYAN
Authors: Allan Michael
Published: January 2013

Faced with the possible censoring of the film adaptation ofʿImarat Yaʿqubyan, the book's author, ʿAlaʾ al-Aswani, responded, “Why aren't Italy, France, or the United States defamed by movies dealing with homosexuality?” Implicit in his defensive question is a perceived distinction between First World gay rights and social conservatism in the Third World. My paper considers this conventional coupling of gay rights and civilizational discourse in the global reception ofʿImarat Yaʿqubyan. Against the author's remarks, I argue that the story is remarkable for staging an interplay between the putatively opposed characters of Hatim Rashid, an openly gay newspaper editor, and Taha al-Shazli, a young man lured into a terrorist group. By uniting these two characters along parallel tracks,ʿImarat Yaʿqubyanqueerly couples the seemingly antagonistic forces endemic to the civilizational discourse of gay rights and offers us a means for imagining new constellations of queer politics.
MAJNUN STRIKES BACK: CROSSINGS OF MADNESS AND HOMOSEXUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY ARABIC LITERATURE
Authors: El-Ariss Tarek
Published: January 2013

This article examines the association of homosexuality with madness in two contemporary novels, Hanan al-Shaykh'sInnaha London ya ʿAzizi(Only in London) and Hamdi Abu Golayyel's (Julayyil)Lusus Mutaqaʿidun(Thieves in Retirement). Through a comparative reading of the figure of Majnun, an impassioned lover and mad rebel, I argue that literary articulations of queer desire operate as embodied resistance to social and political normativity, both in the Arab world and in the diaspora. Discussing the aesthetic transformation of the contemporary novel and drawing on the Arab-Islamic literary and philosophical tradition, I critically engage Michel Foucault's reading of sexual and epistemological developments in light of current debates about Arab homosexuality. I show how discursive models of sexuality are situated in modernity's intertwinement with other structures of power and systems of belief, crossing cultural contexts and linguistic registers.
Climate variability and change in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia: challenges for rainfed crop production
Authors: KASSIE B. T. , RÖTTER R. P. , HENGSDIJK H. , ASSENG S. , VAN ITTERSUM M. K. , KAHILUOTO H. , VAN KEULEN H.
Published: January 2013

Ethiopia is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and change on agriculture. The present study aims to understand and characterize agro-climatic variability and changes and associated risks with respect to implications for rainfed crop production in the Central Rift Valley (CRV). Temporal variability and extreme values of selected rainfall and temperature indices were analysed and trends were evaluated using Sen's slope estimator and Mann–Kendall trend test methods. Projected future changes in rainfall and temperature for the 2080s relative to the 1971–90 baseline period were determined based on four General Circulation Models (GCMs) and two emission scenarios (SRES, A2 and B1). The analysis for current climate showed that in the short rainy season (March–May), total mean rainfall varies spatially from 178 to 358 mm with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 32–50%. In the main (long) rainy season (June–September), total mean rainfall ranges between 420 and 680 mm with a CV of 15–40%. During the period 1977–2007, total rainfall decreased but not significantly. Also, there was a decrease in the number of rainy days associated with an increase (statistically not significant) in the intensity per rainfall event for the main rainy season, which can have implications for soil and nutrient losses through erosion and run-off. The reduced number of rainy days increased the length of intermediate dry spells by 0·8 days per decade, leading to crop moisture stress during the growing season. There was also a large inter-annual variability in the length of growing season, ranging from 76 to 239 days. The mean annual temperature exhibited a significant warming trend of 0·12–0·54 °C per decade. Projections from GCMs suggest that future annual rainfall will change by +10 to −40% by 2080. Rainfall will increase during November–December (outside the growing season), but will decline during the growing seasons. Also, the length of the growing season is expected to be reduced by 12–35%. The annual mean temperature is expected to increase in the range of 1·4–4·1 °C by 2080. The past and future climate trends, especially in terms of rainfall and its variability, pose major risks to rainfed agriculture. Specific adaptation strategies are needed for the CRV to cope with the risks, sustain farming and improve food security.
Solving the Return Deviation Conundrum of Leveraged Exchange-Traded Funds
Authors: Tang Hongfei , Xu Xiaoqing Eleanor
Published: January 2013

The large deviation of the actual return of a leveraged exchange-traded fund (LETF) from the leveraged multiple of the underlying index return has drawn considerable attention from investors, regulators, and the financial media. Despite this attention, the sources and fundamental determinants of the LETF return deviation remain unidentified. This study constructs a clear, unified, objective, and executable framework that addresses the behaviors, sources, and determinants of the LETF compounding and noncompounding deviations. Our theoretical predictions and empirical results hold the promise of guiding investors, regulators, financial advisors, and portfolio managers toward a thorough understanding of the return behavior of LETFs.
Differential association between circulating testosterone and infection risk by several viruses in natural cat populations: a behavioural-mediated effect?
Authors: HELLARD E. , FOUCHET D. , REY B. , MOUCHET A. , POULET H. , PONTIER D.
Published: January 2013

Testosterone is involved in the development and expression of physiological, morphological and behavioural traits. High levels are often associated with high infection risk and/or intensity, suggesting a trade-off between sexual traits and immunity. Classically invoked mechanisms are immunological or behavioural, i.e., testosterone increases susceptibility or resistance to parasites via an impact on immunity or modulates behaviours involved in parasite transmission. However, studies report contrasted patterns. Given its modes of action and the diversity of host-parasite interactions, testosterone should not act similarly on all interactions. To reduce host and context diversity, we studied 3 viruses in the same cat population: the aggressively transmitted Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and the Feline Calicivirus (FCV) and Herpesvirus (FHV) both transmitted during friendly contacts. Testosterone had a strong effect on the probability of being positive to FIV whereas its effect was significantly weaker on FCV and FHV. These findings demonstrate that testosterone can be differentially associated with parasites of the same type (viruses). The difference we observed was consistent with a behavioural-mediated effect (increased aggressiveness), supporting the idea that the testosterone effect on infection risk is at least partially driven by behavioural mechanisms in our system. Further investigations (e.g., individual immunity measures) are required to confirm this hypothesis.
Babesia bovis:lipids from virulent S2P and attenuated R1A strains trigger differential signalling and inflammatory responses in bovine macrophages
Authors: GIMENEZ G. , BELAUNZARÁN M. L. , PONCINI C. V. , BLANCO F. C. , ECHAIDE I. , ZAMORANO P. I. , LAMMEL E. M. , GONZÁLEZ CAPPA S. M. , ISOLA E. L. D.
Published: January 2013

The intra-erythrocytic protozoanBabesia bovisis an economically important pathogen that causes an acute and often fatal infection in adult cattle. Babesiosis limitation depends on the early activation of macrophages, essential cells of the host innate immunity, which can generate an inflammatory response mediated by cytokines and nitric oxide (NO). Herein, we demonstrate in bovine macrophages that lipids fromB. bovisattenuated R1A strain (LA) produced a stronger NO release, an early TNFαmRNA induction and 2-fold higher IL-12p35 mRNA levels compared to the lipids of virulent S2P strain (LV). Neither LAnor LVinduced anti-inflammatory IL-10. Regarding signalling pathways, we here report that LAinduced a significant phosphorylation of p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) whereas LVonly induced a reduced activation of ERK1/2. Besides, NF-κB was activated by LAand LV, but LAproduced an early degradation of the inhibitor IκB. Interestingly, LVand the majority of its lipid fractions, exerted a significant inhibition of concanavalin A-induced peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation with respect to LAand its corresponding lipid fractions. In addition, we determined that animals infected with R1A developed a higher increase in IgM anti-phosphatidylcholine than those inoculated with S2P. Collectively, S2P lipids generated a decreased inflammatory response contributing to the evasion of innate immunity. Moreover, since R1A lipids induced a pro-inflammatory profile, we propose these molecules as good candidates for immunoprophylactic strategies against babesiosis.
Representations of India on Jacobean Popular Stages
Authors: Anderson Susan
Published: January 2013

What do the terms “India” and “Indian” signify? How has India, conceptualized as a distinct subcontinent both contained within and separate from Asia, been framed by and manifested in theatrical representation? This article examines the portrayal of India in early seventeenth-century popular theatre in London, specifically in how the image of India is invoked in two of the lord mayors' shows written for the City of London by the playwright Thomas Middleton. Middleton's use of images of and references to India participate in some of the ways that India was conceptualized at a key stage in establishing the framework for colonial discourse. Colonial discourse was thus shaped within and by popular culture and spectacle, and a historical long view' can illuminate the development of the concept of India in English, and later British, society and identity and the material consequences of that conceptualization. As Teltscher notes, the early seventeenth century marked the beginning of a transition in the way relations with India were seen in England, “from trading partner to ruling power.” This development was enacted and effected through representations that were presented and paraded through the streets of London.
“The Brightest Sun, The Darkest Shadow”: Ideology and the Study of Chinese Theatre in the West during the Cold War
Authors: Liu Siyuan
Published: January 2013

This is the new Communist drama, and the picture is frequently artless and sterile, without depth, without truth, and without reality.

—Walter and Ruth Meserve, 1970

Peking opera now is a mixture of drama, music, dance, acrobatics, poetry, propaganda and revolutionary history, with indefatigable heroes (more adroit than James Bond, and with a purpose he never dreamed of) and fabulously wicked villains—the whole socking out a message of exemplary struggle and courage.

—Lois Wheeler Snow, 1972

The study of Asian theatre as an academic field independent of English and Asian Studies arose in the West, particularly the United States, after World War II, in part as a result of the U.S. occupation of Japan and cold war–era funding policies aimed at spreading democracy in Asia. The notable exception was research on theatre in the People's Republic of China (PRC), which was restrained by the McCarthyist Red Scare, which greatly constricted China studies, and the PRC's self-imposed closure to the West, which made field and archival research virtually impossible. However, these conditions changed dramatically in the early and mid-1970s when the combined effect of China's midcourse correction during the Cultural Revolution (1966–76) and Nixon's 1972 trip to China prompted a small boom in the translation, publication, reporting, and research of Chinese plays and performance. At the same time, as the two epigraphs above indicate, this first group of writings on Chinese theatre was made largely problematic by a number of factors: the inherently ideological nature of Chinese theatre during the Cultural Revolution; the diverse ideological, academic, and theatrical background of the authors working on the subject during a similarly volatile era in the West; an overreliance on official Chinese publications (usually as the only source available); and restricted access to China for all but a small number of Westerners. Although insightful and well-researched writings certainly existed, much of this body of work reflects the ideological preoccupations of Euro-American intellectuals in the cold war era. The latter manifested themselves either through oversimplified condemnation of communist theatre as artless propaganda or through radical leftist eulogy of China's supposed success in combining theatre and ideology, making theatre serve the people, and promoting amateur performance to stimulate production.
“What Country, Friends, Is This?”: Touring Shakespeares, Agency, and Efficacy in Theatre Historiography
Authors: Huang Alexander C. Y.
Published: January 2013

The curtain rose at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, on 14 August 2011 to reveal a richly textured production ofThe Tempeston a bare stage with minimal props. As the lights came up, a group of white-robed sailors were caught in a meticulously choreographed storm, dancing to the mesmerizing beats of the master drummer upstage. The performers’ costumes echoed traditional Koreanhanbokattire and their acting style incorporatedt'alch'ummask-dance drama techniques. Their long white sleeves flapped and swayed in sync with their movements. Engulfed in stagewide sapphire and then crimson lighting, their sleeves were transformed from symbols of violent wind and waves to raging fire on board a ship approaching a world where, as Gonzalo aptly summarized, “no man was his own” (5.1.211). With Prospero (King Zilzi) as the drummer upstage and Ariel dancing in the midst of the unfortunate sailors, the storm scene—one of the longest renditions of the “direful spectacle” (1.2.26) in the performance history ofThe Tempest—served as an anchor to the tragicomic narrative about the self and the other. For a fleeting moment, Prospero gave the impression of being a drillmaster at the helm.
Cost-effectiveness of interferon-gamma release assay for entry tuberculosis screening in prisons
Authors: KOWADA A.
Published: January 2013

The incidence of active tuberculosis (TB) and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in inmates and prison staff is higher than that in the general population. Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) provide more accurate diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection with higher specificity than the tuberculin skin test (TST). To assess the cost-effectiveness of QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) compared to TST, TST followed by QFT and chest X-ray, we constructed Markov models using a societal perspective on the lifetime horizon. The main outcome measure of effectiveness was quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. The incremental cost-effectiveness was compared. The QFT-alone strategy was the most cost-effective for entry TB screening in prisons in developed countries. Cost-effectiveness was not sensitive to the rates of BCG vaccination, LTBI, TB, HIV infection and multidrug-resistant TB. Entry TB screening using an IGRA in prisons should be considered on the basis of its cost-effectiveness by public health intervention.
Zinc, pancreatic islet cell function and diabetes: new insights into an old story
Authors: Chimienti Fabrice
Published: January 2013

Zn is an essential trace element, involved in many different cellular processes. A relationship between Zn, pancreatic function and diabetes was suggested almost 70 years ago. To emphasise the importance of Zn in biology, the history of Zn research in the field of diabetes along with a general description of Zn transporter families will be reviewed. The paper will then focus on the effects of Zn on pancreatic β-cell function, including insulin synthesis and secretion, Zn signalling in the pancreatic islet, the redox functions of Zn and its target genes. The recent association of two ‘Zn genes’, i.e. metallothionein (MT) and Zn transporter 8 (SLC 30A8), with type 2 diabetes at the genetic level and with insulin secretion in clinical studies offers a potential new way to identify new drug targets to modulate Zn homeostasis directly in β-cells. The action of Zn for insulin action in its target organs, as Zn signalling in other pancreatic islet cells, will be addressed. Therapeutic Zn–insulin preparations and the influence of Zn and Zn transporters in type 1 diabetes will also be discussed. An extensive review of the literature on the clinical studies using Zn supplementation in the prevention and treatment of both types of diabetes, including complications of the disease, will evaluate the overall beneficial effects of Zn supplementation on blood glucose control, suggesting that Zn might be a candidate ion for diabetes prevention and therapy. Clearly, the story of the links between Zn, pancreatic islet cells and diabetes is only now unfolding, and we are presently only at the first chapter.
Expanders Are Universal for the Class of All Spanning Trees
Authors: JOHANNSEN DANIEL , KRIVELEVICH MICHAEL , SAMOTIJ WOJCIECH
Published: January 2013

A graph is calleduniversalfor a given graph class(or, equivalently,-universal) if it contains a copy of every graph inas a subgraph. The construction of sparse universal graphs for various classeshas received a considerable amount of attention. There is particular interest in tight-universal graphs, that is, graphs whose number of vertices is equal to the largest number of vertices in a graph from. Arguably, the most studied case is that whenis some class of trees. In this work, we are interested in(n,Δ), the class of alln-vertex trees with maximum degree at most Δ. We show that everyn-vertex graph satisfying certain natural expansion properties is(n,Δ)-universal. Our methods also apply to the case when Δ is some function ofn. Since random graphs are known to be good expanders, our result implies, in particular, that there exists a positive constantcsuch that the random graphG(n,cn−1/3log2n) is asymptotically almost surely (a.a.s.) universal for(n,O(1)). Moreover, a corresponding result holds for the random regular graph of degreecn2/3log2n. Another interesting consequence is the existence of locally sparsen-vertex(n,Δ)-universal graphs. For example, we show that one can (randomly) constructn-vertex(n,O(1))-universal graphs with clique number at most five. This complements the construction of Bhatt, Chung, Leighton and Rosenberg (1989), whose(n,Δ)-universal graphs with merelyO(n)edges contain large cliques of size Ω(Δ). Finally, we show that random graphs are robustly(n,Δ)-universal in the context of the Maker–Breaker tree-universality game.
Metacognitive Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Psychosis: A Multiple-Baseline Study
Authors: Hutton Paul , Morrison Anthony P. , Wardle Melissa , Wells Adrian
Published: January 2013

Background:More effective psychological treatments for psychosis are required. Case series data and pilot trials suggest metacognitive therapy (MCT) is a promising treatment for anxiety and depression. Other research has found negative metacognitive beliefs and thought-control strategies may be involved in the development and maintenance of hallucinations and delusions. The potential of MCT in treating psychosis has yet to be investigated.Aims:Our aim was to find out whether a short number of MCT sessions would be associated with clinically significant and sustained improvements in delusions, hallucinations, anxiety, depression and subjective recovery in patients with treatment-resistant long-standing psychosis.Method:Three consecutively referred patients, each with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and continuing symptoms, completed a series of multiple baseline assessments. Each then received between 11 and 13 sessions of MCT and completed regular assessments of progress, during therapy, post-therapy and at 3-month follow-up.Results:Two out of 3 participants achieved clinically significant reductions across a range of symptom-based outcomes at end-of-therapy. Improvement was sustained at 3-month follow-up for one participant.Conclusions:Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using MCT with people with medication-resistant psychosis. MCT was acceptable to the participants and associated with meaningful change. Some modifications may be required for this population, after which a controlled trial may be warranted.
THE PRICE–MARGINAL COST MARKUP AND ITS DETERMINANTS IN U.S. MANUFACTURING
Authors: Mazumder Sandeep
Published: January 2013

This paper estimates the price–marginal cost markup for U.S. manufacturing using a new methodology. Most existing techniques of estimating the markup are a variant on the Hall (1988) framework that involves manipulating the Solow Residual. However, this paper argues that this notion is based on the unreasonable assumption that labor can be costlessly adjusted at a fixed wage rate. By relaxing this assumption we are able to derive a generalized markup index, which, when estimated using manufacturing data, is highly countercyclical and decreasing in trend since the 1960s. When we then seek to explain what causes the manufacturing markup to behave in this way, the most important determinant is the share of imported goods in the industry. Thus, increasing foreign competition in manufacturing has led to a decline in the industry's markup over time.
HOW CONFIDENT CAN WE BE IN RECONSTRUCTIONS OF THE PAST?
Authors: Wells George A.
Published: January 2013

When I purchased Verdict on Jesus: A New Statement of Evidence, published by SPCK in 2010, I hoped it would confront me with the very latest attempt to vindicate Christian doctrines. In fact the book turns out to be fundamentally a reissue of a very conservative apologetic work of that title, first published sixty years earlier by an Anglican – Leslie Badham, who later became Vicar of Windsor and chaplain to the Queen. Admittedly, he updated the book in 1971, and in 1983 his son, the Revd. Professor Paul Badham, further revised it after the author's death, and later reissued it as a fourth edition, with further revision, in 1995. The present edition is thus the fifth, and includes a new introduction by Paul Badham and three new chapters (one of which he has written himself) presented with his conviction that the book is ‘a religious classic’ and ‘its central argument of permanent validity’.
Methods of Instrument Training and Effects on Pilots’ Performance With Different Types of Flight Instrument Displays
Authors: Lindo Roneil S. , Deaton John E. , Cain John H. , Lang Celine
Published: January 2013

As computer display technology has evolved, so have the aircraft instrument displays pilots use for aircraft control and navigation. With the aid of two different flight training devices – one configured with steam gauges and the other configured with glass cockpit – this study measured aircraft control and navigation differences between two pilot groups. Pilot Group 1 had earned their instrument rating in aircraft equipped with steam gauges, and Pilot Group 2 had earned their instrument rating in aircraft equipped with glass cockpits. Using displays for which they were not trained, each pilot was tested on aircraft control and navigation precision. The test required that pilots complete basic instrument maneuvers and an instrument landing system approach. Using MANOVA, deviations from assigned values were recorded and statistically compared. Study findings indicated that steam gauge pilots transitioning to glass cockpits perform better than glass cockpit pilots transitioning to steam gauge displays.
Perceived Effectiveness of Random Testing for Alcohol and Drugs in the Australian Aviation Community
Authors: Rudin-Brown Christina M. , Mitsopoulos-Rubens Eve , Lenné Michael G.
Published: January 2013

Random testing for alcohol and other drugs (AODs) in individuals who perform safety-sensitive activities as part of their aviation role was introduced in Australia in April 2009. One year later, an online survey (N = 2,226) was conducted to investigate attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge regarding random testing and to gauge perceptions regarding its effectiveness. Private, recreational, and student pilots were less likely than industry personnel to report being aware of the requirement (86.5% versus 97.1%), to have undergone testing (76.5% versus 96.1%), and to know of others who had undergone testing (39.9% versus 84.3%), and they had more positive attitudes toward random testing than industry personnel. However, logistic regression analyses indicated that random testing is more effective at deterring AOD use among industry personnel.
The linoleic acid derivative DCP-LA increases membrane surface localization of the α7 ACh receptor in a protein 4.1N-dependent manner
Authors: Kanno Takeshi , Tsuchiya Ayako , Tanaka Akito , Nishizaki Tomoyuki
Published: January 2013

In yeast two-hybrid screening, protein 4.1N, a scaffolding protein, was identified as a binding partner of the α7 ACh (acetylcholine) receptor. For rat hippocampal slices, the linoleic acid derivative DCP-LA {8-[2-(2-pentyl-cyclopropylmethyl)-cyclopropyl]-octanoic acid} increased the association of the α7 ACh receptor with 4.1N, and the effect was inhibited by GF109203X, an inhibitor of PKC (protein kinase C), although DCP-LA did not induce PKC phosphorylation of 4.1N. For PC-12 cells, the presence of the α7 ACh receptor in the plasma membrane fraction was significantly suppressed by knocking down 4.1N. DCP-LA increased the presence of the α7 ACh receptor in the plasma membrane fraction, and the effect was still inhibited by knocking down 4.1N. In the monitoring of α7 ACh receptor mobilization, DCP-LA enhanced signal intensities for the α7 ACh receptor at the membrane surface in PC-12 cells, which was clearly prevented by knocking down 4.1N. Taken together, the results of the present study show that 4.1N interacts with the α7 ACh receptor and participates in the receptor tethering to the plasma membrane. The results also indicate that DCP-LA increases membrane surface localization of the α7 ACh receptor in a 4.1N-dependent manner under the control of PKC, but without phosphorylating 4.1N.