bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alexander the Great Conqueror and Captive of Death: His Various Images in Byzantine Art
Authors: Galavaris George
Published: January 2021

La personnalité et les exploits d’Alexandre ont enchanté les écrivains, les poètes et les artistes. Ce phénomène a contribué à la création des divers images d’Alexandre dans l’art et la littérature byzantins. Les plus anciennes de ces images, remontant à l’Antiquité, sont celles du chasseur idéal, du héros, du bon prince.

Le Roman d’Alexandre, la poésie byzantine épique, les commentaires sur le livre de Daniel et autres textes des Péres de l’Église, par leurs illustrations et leurs oeuvres d’art apparentées, ont associe Alexandre aux héros de l’Antiquité et de l’Ancien Testament, le liant ainsi au monde chrétien. L’Ascension d’Alexandre, l’un des thèmes les plus populaires du cycle pictural du roman, étendit l’empire du Grand Conquérant aux cieux, tout en soulignant ses limites, celles d’un mortel.

Puis, aux époques byzantine tardive et post-byzantine, l’image d’Alexandre devint associée à un genre poétique traitant de l’éphémère humain. Selon une légende, le moine Sisoes découvra la tombe et les ossements d’Alexandre. C’est pourquoi Alexandre est représenté dans un sarcophage ou foulé aux pieds par Charon. Ces compositions sont populaires dans les fresques des Monastères du Mont-Athos et dans la peinture d’icône crétoise. Alexandre y symbolise la futilité de toute gloire terrestre.

Mais ces moines et ces poètes qui méditèrent sur la mort du héros et sur le destin de l’homme ne voulurent pas tout de même le voir disparaître dans un tombeau ou demeurer captif de la mort. Ainsi dans quelques icônes post-byzantines, Alexandre devient à la fois symbole de l’éphémère et de l’homme juste dont l’âme, à l’heure du trépas, est reçue par l’archange Michel. Son élévation au Paradis est le thème des légendes que l’on trouve dans la tradition littéraire traitant d’Alexandre.
Inquisition and Metamorphosis: Paolo Veronese and the “Ultima Cena” of 1573
Authors: D’Argaville Brian T.
Published: January 2021

Depuis la découverte en 1869 du « Verbale del processo » de Paolo Véronese devant l’Inquisition, pour la défense de la toile qu’il avait fait pour le Réfectoire du Couvent de Ss. Giovanni e Paolo à Venice, il y avait un accord général que Véronese n’a changé rien dans sa toile, sauf l’addition de l’inscription indiquant le sujet comme Le festin dans la maison de Levi.

Par contre, Brian d’Argaville, mort en 1987, dans ce discours prononcé au College Art Association en 1976, insiste que le titre donné par Véronese à l’Inquisition, La Cène dans la maison de Simon, était exact, et par conséquence du procès, Véronese avait changé la toile profondément en ajoutant deux personnages importants au premier plan dans la zone centrale de la composition.

En plus d’Argaville indique que le sujet original, tout à fait inconnu à l’iconographie chrétienne, offre une justification complète pour la magnifique mise-en-scène architecturale de la toile.
Lettres de Degas à Thérèse Morbilli conservées au Musée des beaux-arts du Canada
Authors: Pantazzi Michael
Published: January 2021

The archives of the National Gallery of Canada own some unpublished letters that were written by Edgar Degas to one of his sisters, Thérèse Morbilli. Though these letters have been known to exist and occasionally alluded to in print, this article brings them to public attention, in full, for the first time. As such, they join the very small group of published letters from the artist to his family, documents that reveal the more intimate side of his existence and, not least, an unsuspected concern for the welfare of his kin. Degas seldom dated his letters. Inevitably, this idiosyncrasy has affected some of the editors of his published correspondence, making it necessary to revise the tentative dating once ascribed to some of the letters. Thus, the publication of the documents in Canada is accompanied by a revision of the dates of a number of letters from the published corpus of correspondence.
The “Guidoriccio” Controversy: Notes and Observations
Authors: Maginnis Hayden B. J.
Published: January 2021

Depuis bientôt dix ans les historiens de l’art entretiennent une polémique au sujet de la fresque dite « Guidoriccio da Folgiano » et une fresque du trecento récemment découverte dans le Palazzo Pubblico de Sienne. La littérature en est maintenant vaste, et pourtant les savants ne sont toujours pas d’accord. Voire, la situation actuelle paraît à de nombreux lecteurs plus confuse que jamais.

Dans cet article on suggère que la raison de cette situation peu satisfaisante est qu’il reste à résoudre des questions de fait fondamentales. Certains problèmes découlent d’un manque de consensus quant aux dates et à la fiabilité des sources secondaires anciennes. D’autres problèmes découlent d’un examen inadéquat de l’évidence documentaire. D’autres encore proviennent des contradictions dans les rapports techniques et des discussions peu concluantes sur l’iconographie et la science héraldique. En faisant ressortir les problèmes, les témoignages et l’évidence contradictoires, l’auteur cherche à montrer qu’on ne résoudra point ce problème avant d’avoir confronté un certain nombre de questions de base. D’ailleurs, pour qu’on parvienne à accumuler les faits fondamentalement nécessaires à sa solution, il faudra sans doute compter sur les efforts coopératifs des savants de diverses disciplines.
Rubens after Caravaggio: The Entombment
Authors: Glen Thomas L.
Published: January 2021

Cet article examine, sur le plan de style et de l’iconographie, la copie qu’a réalisée Rubens de la Mise au tombeau du Caravage. En même temps, nous tenterons d’assigner une date plus précise au panneau, entre 1611 et 1613.

La Mise au tombeau de Rubens à Ottawa, d’après le tableau du Caravage, aujourd’hui au Vatican, semble démontrer la volonté du maître flamand d’en clarifier l’iconographie et partant d’en faire une icône plus consistante de la Contre-Réforme. Au moyen de changements subtils et de procédés d’illusion, Rubens traduit de manière plus dramatique l’idée que ce sont le corps et le sang du Christ qu’on est en train de descendre du monde bidimensionnel de la peinture jusque sur la table de l’autel au-dessous. Par ailleurs, Rubens redonne à la Vierge son véritable rôle de « Coredemptrix », tout en éliminant également la confusion qui règne dans l’oeuvre du Caravage en ce qui a trait à l’identification exacte des deux Marie à l’arrière-plan.

Nul doute que Rubens admirait fort le retable du Caravage. Nous en avons la preuve dans l’attention toute particulière qu’il lui a réservée dans la version qu’il en a tirée après son retour d’Italie; version qu’il est loisible de reconnaître comme étant le prototype d’une série de tableaux de la Mise au Tombeau qu’il a peints peu de temps après.
Simone Martini’s Guidoriccio Fresco: The Polemic Concerning its Origin Reviewed, and the Fresco Considered as Serving the Military Triumph of a Tuscan Commune
Authors: Polzer Joseph
Published: January 2021

Cet article présente un compte rendu de la documentation parue sur la controverse qui entoure l’auteur et la date de la fresque de Guidoriccio da Fogliano, au Palazzo Pubblico de Sienne; il examine aussi les problèmes qu’a soulevés la découverte d’une nouvelle fresque sur le même mur. Nous confirmons l’exactitude de l’attribution conventionnelle de l’éphigie équestre à Simone Martini, de même que la légitimité de l’identité pour des raisons documentaires et iconographiques. Pour ce qui est de la fresque découverte récemment (dont la date se situe entre 1310 et 1315), nous réfutons l’assimilation de la « ville » à Giuncario ou Arcidosso. Au cours de l’examen de la fresque de Guidoriccio, nous prêtons attention aux marques techniques, aux comptes rendus du restaurateur, à la relation entre la fresque et Simone Martini et à son style de décoration à l’étampe, ainsi qu’à la présence de rainures sur la « mappamondo », sur la bordure du bas, et finalement au sens de la bordure de la fresque dans le contexte des oeuvres ultérieures de Sodoma. En dernier lieu, nous nous concentrons sur la représentation du siège de Montemassi, les témoignages que fournissent les chroniques du temps et leur lien avec ce que l’on voit sur la fresque, en particulier la manière dont sont représentés les « battifoli », et la précision topologique de la peinture des objets dans le panorama.
Les Vite de 1672 de Bellori : hypothèses de reconstitution du programme iconographique et théorique
Authors: Lhote Jean-François
Published: January 2021

This article presents the evidence for a tentative reconstruction of the theoretical and iconographic programme of Bellori’s Vite. The author seeks to show that Bellori’s biographies are arranged according to a programmatic scheme probably conceived in the late 1630s or early 1640s, during the biographer’s youth, and that this programme is inspired by Lomazzo’s Temple of Painting and the theory of Governors.

Published in 1672, the Vite present the lives of twelve artists, following—up to a point—the chronological order of their deaths, as was the rule in that literary genre. However, three of them (Annibale Carracci, Caravaggio, and Domenichino) are out of chronological order, and at the same time divide the whole group into three equal parts. This anomaly is explained by a poem published in 1642 by the young Bellori (as a preface to Baglione’s Vite de’Pittori) in which he classified modern artists according to the scheme of the three Graces. In the poem, Bellori devoted a complete strophe to each of the artists he would choose as “governors” thirty years later, describing his particular genius and relating him to one of the Graces.

The same kind of classification was used by the poet Antonio Bruni, who in Le Tre Gratie (1630) divided poetry into three broad categories: lyric, heroic, and moral and sacred. Each of these categories is governed by one of the Graces. Bruni asserts that his aim is to classify poetry with greater clarity and avoid the confusion generated by the mixture of different genres in a single poem.

A study of the emblematic etchings that precede the biographies confirms this analysis. Apparently the Idea, which was to become so famous in European academies of art, was added to the work very late, almost at the moment of printing. This late addition was the cause of some confusion at the printer’s desk, with the result that this etching was misplaced in the text. Nevertheless the scheme of the programme appears very clearly. The three governors are associated with three concepts: Theoria, Praxis, and Conceptus-Imaginatio. The other three etchings in each group are related to the main theme and explain it. This figurative complement to the biographies testifies to the importance and vitality of such figurative and theoretical sources as Testa’s Liceo della Pittura, also designed in the late 1630s.

The iconographic analysis of the etchings shows that Bellori apparently adhered closely to the three-level educational programme defined by Testa for the perfect painter, seeking at the same time to reconcile schools and styles of the modern period in his Ideal Temple of Painting. Despite what has often been said, it was not his intention to oppose Poussin to Caravaggio, nor did he aim to write mere biographies of individuals.
De disciple à mentor : le parcours exemplaire de Christine de Pizan
Authors: Jeay Madeleine
Published: January 2021

De disciple à mentor, c’est le parcours suivi par Christine de Pizan. Elle commence par se mettre en scène guidée par des personnifications allégoriques comme la Sibylle de Cumes dans le Chemin de long estude, et Raison, Droiture et Justice dans le Livre de la Cité des Dames et le Livre des trois Vertus. Puis elle assume en son nom propre le rôle de mentor. Le périple initiatique qu’elle entreprend dans le premier de ces textes, renvoie au topos bien connu du voyage dans l’Au-delà sous la conduite d’une figure emblématique, représenté par deux œuvres majeures qui l’ont inspirée, la Divine Comédie de Dante et l’Énéide de Virgile.
Appropriation de la modernité, retour à l’antique et inversion de la relation de maître à disciple : Diderot entre Eschyle et Updike
Authors: Gouverneur Michel-Guy
Published: January 2021

Du (M/m)entor au maître ou au guide, le tracé de la fonction de précepteur est attribué à divers auteurs qui se sont succédé dans les monarchies d’Occident, jusqu’à ce que Diderot vienne bousculer cet apparent consensus au XVIIIème s.: son évolution à cet égard est saisissante ; mais n’a-t-il pas changé de position pour des raisons liées à sa découverte de la figure de Prométhée dans le texte original grec ? Diderot n’est pas sans disciples parmi les post-modernes, y compris aux Etats-Unis.
A COMPARISON OF THE EFFICACY OF DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING MODALITIES IN DETECTING COVID-19
Authors: Nashnoush Mohamed , Chen David , Singh Devdigvijay , Su Emily , Yin Helen , Wong Jessica , Ma Melissa
Published: January 2021

AIMS As COVID-19 continues to spread globally, the urgency for effective diagnostic testing escalates. Medical imaging has revolutionized healthcare as a critical step to early diagnosis, leading to immediate isolation and optimized treatment pathways. Current imaging modalities such as the lung ultrasound, chest X-ray, and computed tomography (CT) scan are critical in COVID-19 detection. However, overlap in clinical characteristics with other viral respiratory illnesses poses a significant risk for misdiagnosis. METHODOLOGY To address the need for information concerning the effectiveness of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnostic procedures, this paper reviews different imaging modalities, evaluating various factors including sensitivity, specificity, cost, diagnosis time, accessibility, safety, ease of implementation, and potential for optimization. The literature search reviewed databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Sonography Canada, Cochrane Review, and Novanet using keywords to filter results. A utilitarian approach was employed to further refine selection criteria and to assess credibility and relevance. Applicable data was then extracted from literature for analysis considering the relationships between studies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The imaging modalities reviewed in this paper each have unique advantages. The lung ultrasound, with moderate sensitivity, permits regular monitoring due to its accessibility. Chest X-rays are effective at processing detailed images of the lungs to detect abnormalities but are not confirmed as a precise method for diagnosis. While CT scans show morphological features of COVID-19 with superior sensitivity, it is incapable of accurately differentiating coronavirus from other pulmonary diseases. Overall, a multimodality approach would be most effective for COVID-19 diagnosis and monitoring, preventing over dependence on CT scans.
A Development of Method for Code Generation From Two-Hemisphere Model
Authors:   , Gusarovs Konstantīns
Published: January 2021

Software engineering is continuously evolving, and its tasks are expanding. Nowadays, it includes not only software code development, but business process analysis as well. Information that is gained as a result of such analysis can be used for model that describe processes under automation development. Model driven software engineering also includes application of such models for automated software code or other artefact generation. In comparison to so called “model-based” engineering, model driven engineering uses strictly defined models and its processing algorithms during whole software lifecycle. While ideas, that model driven software engineering is based upon, seem to provide several benefits – for example, initial system representation understood not only by developers, but also by business area experts and, possibly, customers – its adoption is still in the initial phase. This can be explained by both the low level of automation, as well as, inappropriate source model usage. In this thesis, author offers a possible solution to this problem by defining transformation rules for so called Two-Hemisphere Model. This model is a combination of business process and concept diagrams and offered transformation rules allow for a software code generation from it. Additionally, improvements for the Two-Hemisphere model are offered. These improvements are required for enabling of code generation. Also, an algorithm for defining class relationships that can be used also outside of model driven software engineering is described. In this thesis author provides an insight to defined transformation rules by using pseudocode, as well as, an example of its’ application and resulting Java programming language code that was generated from the example model.
Development of Computer-Based Diagnostic System in the Domain of Magnetic Resonance Applications
Authors:   , Supoņenkovs Artjoms
Published: January 2021

The aim of the doctoral thesis is to develop approaches, methods and algorithms that allow to create digital medical diagnostic systems. Medical image pre-processing, segmentation and analysis are the most important aspects of research. This work investigates a problem of pattern recognition, geometric and texture features analysis. Stages of human body fluids and tissues analysis are described in this work. There are many stages of this analysis: medical image pre-processing; fluids and tissues detection and localization; geometric and texture features calculation; defect or lesion detection. Knee joint anatomy, stages of knee osteoarthritis, medical image processing, magnetic resonance imaging are the most important aspects of research and are described in the theoretical part of the thesis. Six new modules have been developed and are described in the practical part. These new modules have a lot of possibilities: relaxation times calculation; human body fluids and tissues segmentation, features calculation and defect detection; medical image pre-processing and visualization; optimization of medical image processing instruction; textual analysis of patient's information. Geometric, texture and topology features of healthy and injured knee joint fluids and tissues have been defined in the experimental part of the doctoral thesis. Pre-processing methods, segmentation methods, author's pattern recognition modes and image process optimization methods have been compared in several experiments. As a result of the doctoral thesis, the new author's MRI medical image processing system has been developed. This system consists of several new modules. These modules can be useful for knee joint diagnostics and allow starting treatment earlier and therefore reducing the risk of cartilage destruction.
Molecular dynamics study of special quasirandom structure of Zr-Nb alloys
Authors: Zhou Ming-Jin , Hou Qing , Pan Rong-Jian , Wu Lu , Fu Bao-Qin ,   Key Laboratory for Radiation Physics and Technology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China,   The First Sub-Institute, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu 610005, China
Published: January 2021

Irradiation damage to zirconium alloys (e.g., zirconium niobium (Zr-Nb) alloy) is the key to the design of fission-reactor structural materials and fuel rod cladding materials. Atomic scale computational simulations such as molecular dynamics and first principles are often needed to understand the physical mechanism of irradiation damage. For the simulation of randomly substitutional solid solution, it is necessary to construct large-sized supercells that can reflect the random distribution characteristics of alloy elements. However, it is not suitable to use large-size supercells (such as ≥ 200 atoms) for first principle calculation, due to the large computational cost. Special quasirandom supercells (SQS) are usually used for first principles calculation. The SQS can partly reflect the random distribution characteristics of alloy elements, but it only corresponds to one configuration for specific components, hence whether this model can reflect the statistical average of multiple local configurations in a real randomly substitutional solid solution is still an open question, and needs further studying and verifying. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation can be carried out on the randomly substitutional solid solution with a larger scale based on random substitution (RSS) method, these supercells include more local configurations. Therefore, the MD studies of Zr-Nb alloy are carried out for the RSS and SQS-extended supercells. The critical size of RSS supercell which can truly reflect the statistical properties of solid solution alloy is determined. Then the lattice constant, formation energy and energy-volume relationship of SQS-extended supercell of Zr-Nb alloy and a series of RSS supercells are calculated and compared. The results show that the lattice constants, the formation energy and energy volume curves of the solid solution obtained by SQS supercell simulation are close to a series of corresponding statistical values of the physical properties of RSS supercells, so the SQS supercells can be used to study the random substitution of solid solution alloys.
A dietary sterol trade-off determines lifespan responses to dietary restriction in Drosophila melanogaster females
Authors: Zanco Brooke , Mirth Christen K , Sgrò Carla M , Piper Matthew DW
Published: January 2021

Diet plays a significant role in maintaining lifelong health. In particular, lowering the dietary protein: carbohydrate ratio can improve lifespan. This has been interpreted as a direct effect of these macronutrients on physiology. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we show that the role of protein and carbohydrate on lifespan is indirect, acting by altering the partitioning of limiting amounts of dietary sterols between reproduction and lifespan. Shorter lifespans in flies fed on high protein: carbohydrate diets can be rescued by supplementing their food with cholesterol. Not only does this fundamentally alter the way we interpret the mechanisms of lifespan extension by dietary restriction, these data highlight the important principle that life histories can be affected by nutrient-dependent trade-offs that are indirect and independent of the nutrients (often macronutrients) that are the focus of study. This brings us closer to understanding the mechanistic basis of dietary restriction.
Flower visitors of Streptocarpus teitensis: implications for conservation of a critically endangered African violet species in Kenya
Authors: Otieno Mark , Joshi Neelendra , Rutschmann Benjamin
Published: January 2021

Background

The African violets are endangered plant species restricted mainly to the Eastern Arc Mountains biodiversity hotspots in Kenya and Tanzania. These plants grow well in shaded environments with high humidity. Given their restricted geographical range and published evidence of dependance on insect vectors to facilitate sexual reproduction, understanding their pollination biology is vital for their survival.

Methods

We conducted an empirical study using flower visitor observations, pan trapping and bagging experiments to establish the role of flower visitors in the fruit set of a locally endemic and critically endangered species of African violet in Taita Hills, Kenya, Streptocarpus teitensis.

Results

The study found that fruit set is increased by 47.8% in S. teitensis when flowers are visited by insects. However, it is important to note the presence of putative autogamy suggesting S. teitensis could have a mixed breeding system involving self-pollination and cross-pollination since bagged flowers produced 26.9% fruit set.

Conclusions

Insects appear to be essential flower visitors necessary for increased fruit set in S. teitensis. However, there is evidence of a mixed breeding system involving putative self-pollination and cross-pollination suggesting that S. teitensis is somewhat shielded from the negative effects of pollinator losses. Consequently, S. teitensis appears to be protected to a degree from the risks such as reproduction failure associated with pollinator losses by the presence of a safety net in putative self-pollination.
Can valence and origin of emotional words influence the assessments of ambiguous stimuli in terms of warmth or competence?
Authors: Imbir Kamil K. , Pastwa Maciej
Published: January 2021

People tend to think that emotions influence the way they think in a spectacular way. We wanted to determine whether it is possible to prime the assessments of ambiguous stimuli by presenting emotion-laden words. We did not expect the differences in assessments that depend only on the emotional factors to be particularly large. Participants were presented with words differing in valence and origin of an affective state, but aligned for arousal, concreteness, length and frequency of use. Their first task was to remember a word. While keeping the word in mind, their second task was to guess by intuition whether the symbol was related to certain traits. Participants assessed objects represented by coding symbols on the scales of warmth or competence. We expected positive valence and automatic origin to promote higher ratings in terms of warmth and reflective origin to promote higher ratings in terms of competence. Positive valence appeared to boost assessments in terms of both warmth and competence, while the origin effect was found to be dissociative: automatic origin promoted intensity of warmth assessments and reflective origin intensity of competence assessments. The study showed an existing relation between emotional and social aspects of the mind, and therefore supports the conclusion that both domains may result from dual processes of a more general character.
A novel IMU-based clinical assessment protocol for Axial Spondyloarthritis: a protocol validation study
Authors: Franco Luca , Sengupta Raj , Wade Logan , Cazzola Dario
Published: January 2021

Clinical assessment of spinal impairment in Axial Spondyloarthritis is currently performed using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrological Index (BASMI). Despite being appreciated for its simplicity, the BASMI index lacks sensitivity and specificity of spinal changes, demonstrating poor association with radiographical range of motion (ROM). Inertial measurement units (IMUs) have shown promising results as a cost-effective method to quantitatively examine movement of the human body, however errors due to sensor angular drift have limited their application to a clinical space. Therefore, this article presents a wearable sensor protocol that facilitates unrestrained orientation measurements in space while limiting sensor angular drift through a novel constraint-based approach. Eleven healthy male participants performed five BASMI-inspired functional movements where spinal ROM and continuous kinematics were calculated for five spine segments and four spinal joint levels (lumbar, lower thoracic, upper thoracic and cervical). A Bland–Altman analysis was used to assess the level of agreement on range of motion measurements, whilst intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standardised error measurement, and minimum detectable change (MDC) to assess relative and absolute reliability. Continuous kinematics error was investigated through root mean square error (RMSE), maximum absolute error (MAE) and Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ). The overall error in the measurement of continuous kinematic measures was low in both the sagittal (RMSE = 2.1°), and frontal plane (RMSE = 2.3°). ROM limits of agreement (LoA) and minimum detectable change were excellent for the sagittal plane (maximum value LoA 1.9° and MDC 2.4°) and fair for lateral flexion (overall value LoA 4.8° and MDC 5.7°). The reliability analysis showed excellent level of agreement (ICC > 0.9) for both segment and joint ROM across all movements. The results from this study demonstrated better or equivalent accuracy than previous studies and were considered acceptable for application in a clinical setting. The protocol has shown to be a valuable tool for the assessment of spinal ROM and kinematics, but a clinical validation study on Axial Spondyloarthritis patients is required for the development and testing of a novel mobility index.
ИОАНН ДЕ САКРОБОСКО И ЕГО ТРАКТАТ «О СФЕРЕ»: К ИЗДАНИЮ ПЕРЕВОДА , "Средние века"
Authors: Долгополов В.Г.
Published: January 2021

В этой публикации представлен перевод на русский язык первой главы трактата «О сфере» Иоанна де Сакробоско (первая половина XIII в.). Это сочинение сталоодним из самых распространенных в Средние века и раннее Новое время учебников по астрономии – рукописи и печатные издания этого текста исчисляются сотнями. Во вступительной статье анализируется биография Иоанна, стараниями интеллектуалов Средних веков и раннего Нового времени обросшая многочисленными деталями, часть из которых в современной науке признана сомнительными. Автор постарался представить весь спектр источников, которыми пользуется Сакробоско, в контексте развития средневековой астрономии.
В ПОИСКАХ ХРОНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ РУБЕЖЕЙ: ПРОБЛЕМА ПЕРЕХОДА ОТ СРЕДНИХ ВЕКОВ К НОВОМУ ВРЕМЕНИ В СОВЕТСКОЙ ИСТОРИОГРАФИИ, "Средние века"
Authors: Клюев А.И. , Метель О.В.
Published: January 2021

Авторы статьи рассматривают процесс достижения в советской марксистской историографии научной конвенции в отношении проблемы перехода от Средних веков к Новому времени. Авторы статьи полагают, что в советской исторической наукевозобладала позиция медиевистов во главе с Е.А. Косминским, относившего конец Средневековья к событиям Английской революции XVII в. По мнению авторов, по-беда «позиции Косминского» связана не только с изменившимися условиями функционирования науки и с гораздо меньшим давлением со стороны власти, но также и с самой условностью определения конкретной даты в качестве демаркационной точки между концом феодализма и капиталистической эпохи.
Current state of pancreas transplantation in Japan based on the nationwide registry
Authors: Tomimaru Yoshito , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Doki Yuichiro , Ito Toshinori , Kenmochi Takashi
Published: January 2021

In Japan, 437 pancreas transplantations (PTx) were carried out between 2000 and 2019. Clinical data for all PTx cases are registered in the Japan Pancreas Transplant Registry of the Japan Society for Pancreas and Islet Transplantation. Here we analyzed the registry data to describe the current status of PTx in Japan. The 437 PTx included 410 from deceased donors (407 from brain‐dead and 3 from non‐heart‐beating donors) and 27 from living donors. We investigated the clinical characteristics of the 410 PTx from deceased donors. The rate of marginal donors using expanded donor criteria was higher in Japan than in other countries. At 1/5/10 years post‐PTx, the overall survival rates were 95.8%/94.2%/88.7%, and the graft survival rates were 85.9%/76.2%/67.4% for pancreas and 93.2%/90.8%/78.2% for kidney (non‐censored for death). These rates were comparable to those in other countries. When stratified by PTx category, survival was significantly better following simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplantation (SPK) compared to pancreas‐after‐kidney transplantation (PAK) or PTx alone (PTA). Immunological rejection was more frequently the cause of graft loss in PAK/PTA cases than in SPK cases, potentially contributing to the poorer survival in PAK/PTA. These outcomes highlight two main concerns: substantial incidence of pancreas graft loss, and inferior outcomes after PAK/PTA. Overall, PTx outcome is favorable in Japan, despite the high rate of marginal donors. To improve outcomes, it is important to prevent and manage each cause of pancreas graft loss. Overcoming the poorer survival in PAK/PTA may require new immunosuppressive protocols or allogenic islet transplantation.
Continuous synthesis of 1‐ethoxy‐2,3‐difluoro‐4‐iodo‐benzene in a microreactor system and the Gaussian and computational fluid dynamics simulations
Authors: Chen Qiang , Xia Siting , Wang Yujun , Luo Guangsheng , Shang Hongyong , Wang Kui
Published: January 2021

A microreactor system consisting of membrane‐dispersion tube‐in‐tube microreactors and delay loops was developed for the continuous synthesis of 1‐ethoxy‐2,3‐difluoro‐4‐iodo‐benzene. Because of the high mass and heat transfer in the microreactor system, ortho‐ and halogen‐lithiation could be performed at −40 and −20°C, respectively, which are much higher than the temperature required (−70°C) for the batch reaction. In stirred tanks, the yield of 1‐ethoxy‐2,3‐difluoro‐4‐iodo‐benzene reaches 91.0% in 70 min. Nearly the same yield of 91.3% was achieved within a shorter time of 16 min in the microreactor system. Furthermore, the kinetics of ortho‐lithiation calculated by the Gaussian software, were used for the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the reaction process in another microreactor system. Thus, a Gaussian‐CFD‐coupled‐method for efficiently predicting reaction kinetics and yield without experiments could be established. The predicted yield reached 88.7% at 1000 s, which is comparable with the experimental yield of 90.1% at 960 s.
Solvent‐free gas‐phase epoxidation of propylene in fluidized bed reactor
Authors: Zhu Quanren , Miao Cuilan , Yi Yanhui , Liu Chunyan , Guo Yitong , Feng Zhaochi , Guo Hongchen
Published: January 2021

Industrial HPPO process suffers from the use of CH3OH solvent, leading to energy‐intensive and lengthy purification operations. Herein, by using a microspheric TS‐1 catalyst and a fluidized bed reactor, we realized a solvent‐free gas‐phase epoxidation of propylene, in which, 18% C3H6 conversion and 97% PO selectivity have been achieved with 73% H2O2 utilization. Furthermore, the gas‐phase epoxidation proceeds with an excellent stability, attributed to use of the fluidized bed reactor.
Operando Investigation of Ag‐Decorated Cu2O Nanocube Catalysts with Enhanced CO2 Electroreduction toward Liquid Products
Authors: Herzog Antonia , Bergmann Arno , Jeon Hyo Sang , Timoshenko Janis , Kühl Stefanie , Rettenmaier Clara , Lopez Luna Mauricio , Haase Felix T. , Roldan Cuenya Beatriz
Published: January 2021

Direct conversion of carbon dioxide into multicarbon liquid fuels by the CO2 electrochemical reduction reaction (CO2RR) can contribute to the decarbonization of the global economy. Here, well‐defined Cu2O nanocubes (NCs, 35 nm) uniformly covered with Ag nanoparticles (5 nm) were synthesized. When compared to bare Cu2O NCs, the catalyst with 5 at % Ag on Cu2O NCs displayed a two‐fold increase in the Faradaic efficiency for C2+ liquid products (30 % at −1.0 VRHE), including ethanol, 1‐propanol, and acetaldehyde, while formate and hydrogen were suppressed. Operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy revealed the partial reduction of Cu2O during CO2RR, accompanied by a reaction‐driven redispersion of Ag on the CuOx NCs. Data from operando surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy further uncovered significant variations in the CO binding to Cu, which were assigned to Ag−Cu sites formed during CO2RR that appear crucial for the C−C coupling and the enhanced yield of liquid products.
Connectivity between lentic and lotic freshwater habitats identified as a conservation priority for coho salmon
Authors: Sethi Suresh A. , Ashline Joshua , Harris Bradley P. , Gerken Jonathon , Restrepo Felipe
Published: January 2021

Juvenile Pacific salmon exhibit diverse habitat use and migration strategies to navigate high environmental variability and predation risk during freshwater residency. Increasingly, urbanization and climate‐driven hydrological alterations are affecting the availability and quality of aquatic habitats in salmon catchments. Thus, conservation of freshwater habitat integrity has emerged as an important challenge in supporting salmon life‐history diversity as a buffer against continuing ecosystem changes.

To inform catchment management for salmon, information on the distribution and movement dynamics of juvenile fish throughout the annual seasonal cycle is needed. A number of studies have assessed the ecology of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) during summer and autumn seasons; catchment use by this species throughout the annual cycle is less well characterized, particularly in high‐latitude systems.

Here, n = 3,792 tagged juvenile coho salmon were tracked throughout two complete annual cycles to assess basin‐wide distribution and movement behaviour of this species in a subarctic, ice‐bearing catchment.

Juvenile coho salmon in the Big Lake basin, Alaska, exhibited multiple habitat use and movement strategies across seasons; however, summer rearing in lotic mainstem environments followed by migration to lentic overwinter habitats was identified as a prominent behaviour, with two‐thirds of tracked fish migrating en masse to concentrate in a small subset of upper catchment lakes for the winter. In contrast, the most significant tributary overwintering site (8% of tracked fish) occurred below a culvert and dam, blocking juvenile fish passage to a headwater lake, indicating that these fish may have been restricted from reaching preferred lentic overwinter habitats.

These findings emphasize the importance of maintaining aquatic connectivity to lentic habitats as a conservation priority for coho salmon during freshwater residency.
Historical distribution of freshwater fishes and the reference conditions concept in a large Mediterranean basin
Authors: Ramos‐Merchante Adrián , Sáez‐Gómez Pedro , Prenda José
Published: January 2021

The European Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) defines the ecological status of aquatic systems as the deviation between their present biological state and that which would be expected in the absence of any major human disturbance, referred to by the WFD as the ‘reference condition’ (RC). It assumes that their biotic composition should remain balanced and constant over time. This study tested both assumptions against an analysis of the historical distribution of the fish fauna in a large and highly disturbed Mediterranean basin. If fish communities change substantially over time, it will mean that the validity of the RC concept comes into question.

Using presence/absence data for historical native fish fauna from the Guadalquivir Basin, distribution changes among sub‐basins were quantified by mapping between the nineteenth century and today.

The range of two native species (Anguilla anguilla and Salmo trutta) has changed significantly. In addition, the diadromous species assemblage has almost become locally extinct, with the exception of the eel. Finally, most Guadalquivir sub‐basins (94.7%) have suffered major changes in the composition of their fish communities, either by losing native species or by adding new non‐native species.

These results render the definition of any RC unlikely. In Mediterranean areas, the WFD objective of ‘good ecological status’ recovery based on the integrity of aquatic communities is a theoretical rather than a real goal. Nonetheless, the WFD provides an ecological guiding principle that can also be transferred to the conservation of freshwater ecosystems.

As an alternative to the RC concept in Mediterranean lotic ecosystems, specific multimetric indices can be used, based on expert criteria, the metrics of which can also relate to the conservation value of water bodies, and not only to their ecological status.
Dysfunctional Keratinocytes Increase Dermal Inflammation in Systemic Sclerosis: Results From Studies Using Tissue‐Engineered Scleroderma Epidermis
Authors: Russo Barbara , Borowczyk Julia , Boehncke Wolf‐Henning , Truchetet Marie‐Elise , Modarressi Ali , Brembilla Nicolò C. , Chizzolini Carlo
Published: January 2021

Objective

Evidence suggests that keratinocyte–fibroblast interactions are abnormal in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The present study was undertaken to investigate potential epidermal dysfunction in SSc and its effects on dermal homeostasis.

Methods

Epidermal equivalents (EEs) were generated using keratinocytes from 6 healthy donors and 4 individuals with SSc. Skin and EE expression of markers of proliferation, differentiation, and activation was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The transcriptomic profile of SSc EEs and healthy donor EEs was identified by RNA sequencing. EE conditioned medium (CM) was used to stimulate fibroblasts, and their production of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), IL‐8, matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP‐1), type I collagen, and fibronectin was assessed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Compared to healthy donor EEs, SSc EEs exhibited aberrant differentiation, enhanced expression of activation markers, and a lower rate of basal keratinocyte mitosis, reproducing most of the abnormalities observed in SSc epidermis. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that, compared to healthy donor EEs, SSc EEs were characterized by lower expression of homeobox gene family members and by enhanced metabolic and oxidative stress molecular pathways. EE CM enhanced fibroblast production of IL‐6, IL‐8, MMP‐1, type I collagen, and fibronectin (P < 0.05). Except for type I collagen and fibronectin, this effect was 2‐fold higher in the presence of CM generated form SSc EEs. IL‐1 was responsible, at least in part, for keratinocyte‐dependent fibroblast activation.

Conclusion

SSc EEs recapitulate the in vivo characteristics of SSc epidermis, demonstrating that SSc keratinocytes have an intrinsically altered differentiation program, possibly due to the dysregulation of genes from the homeobox family. The increased metabolic and oxidative stress associated with SSc epidermis may contribute to chronic inflammation and fibrosis of the dermis.
Anti–Cytosolic 5′‐Nucleotidase 1A Autoantibodies Are Absent in Juvenile Dermatomyositis
Authors: Rietveld Anke , Wienke Judith , Visser Eline , Vree Egberts Wilma , Schlumberger Wolfgang , van Engelen Baziel , van Royen‐Kerkhof Annet , Lu Hui , Wedderburn Lucy , Saris Christiaan , Tansley Sarah , Pruijn Ger ,   the Juvenile Dermatomyositis Research Group and the Dutch Myositis Consortium
Published: January 2021

Objective

To assess anti–cytosolic 5′‐nucleotidase 1A (anti–cN‐1A) autoantibodies in children with juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) and healthy controls, using 3 different methods of antibody detection, as well as verification of the results in an independent cohort.

Methods

Anti–cN‐1A reactivity was assessed in 34 Dutch juvenile DM patients and 20 healthy juvenile controls using the following methods: a commercially available full‐length cN‐1A enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a synthetic peptide ELISA, and immunoblotting with a lysate from cN‐1A–expressing HEK 293 cells. Sera from juvenile DM patients with active disease and those with disease in remission were analyzed. An independent British cohort of 110 juvenile DM patients and 43 healthy juvenile controls was assessed using an in‐house full‐length cN‐1A ELISA.

Results

Anti–cN‐1A reactivity was not present in sera from juvenile DM patients or healthy controls when tested with the commercially available full‐length cN‐1A ELISA or by immunoblotting, in either active disease or disease in remission. Additionally, in the British juvenile DM cohort, anti–cN‐1A reactivity was not detected. Three Dutch juvenile DM patients had weakly positive results for 1 of 3 synthetic cN‐1A peptides measured by ELISA.

Conclusion

Juvenile DM patients and young healthy individuals did not show anti–cN‐1A reactivity as assessed by different antibody detection techniques.
Association of Lymphangiogenic Factors With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Didriksen Henriette , Molberg Øyvind , Fretheim Håvard , Gude Einar , Jordan Suzana , Brunborg Cathrine , Palchevskiy Vyacheslav , Garen Torhild , Midtvedt Øyvind , Andreassen Arne K. , Distler Oliver , Belperio John , Hoffmann‐Vold Anna‐Maria
Published: January 2021

Objective

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a major complication in systemic sclerosis (SSc), a disease marked by vascular and lymphatic vessel abnormalities. This study was undertaken to assess the role of the lymphangiogenic factors vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF‐C) and angiopoietin 2 (Ang‐2) and the soluble forms of their respective cognate receptors, soluble VEGF receptor 3 (sVEGFR‐3) and soluble TIE‐2, in patients with SSc, and to evaluate their predictive ability as markers for PAH development in SSc.

Methods

In this cohort study, we used multiplex bead assays to assess serum levels of lymphangiogenic factors in 2 well‐characterized SSc cohorts: an unselected identification cohort of SSc patients from Oslo University Hospital (n = 371), and a PAH‐enriched validation cohort of SSc patients from Zurich University Hospital and Oslo University Hospital (n = 149). As controls for the identification and validation cohorts, we obtained serum samples from 100 healthy individuals and 68 healthy individuals, respectively. Patients in whom SSc‐related PAH was identified by right‐sided heart catheterization (RHC) in both cohorts were studied in prediction analyses. PAH was defined according to the European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society 2015 guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PAH. Associations of serum levels of lymphangiogenic factors with the risk of PAH development were assessed in logistic regression and Cox regression analyses. Associations in Cox regression analyses were expressed as the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results

In the identification cohort, SSc patients had lower mean serum levels of VEGF‐C and higher mean serum levels of Ang‐2 compared to healthy controls (for VEGF‐C, mean ± SD 2.1 ± 0.5 ng/ml in patients versus 2.5 ± 0.4 ng/ml in controls; for Ang‐2, mean ± SD 6.1 ± 7.6 ng/ml in patients versus 2.8 ± 1.8 ng/ml in controls; each P < 0.001); these same trends were observed in SSc patients with PAH compared to those without PAH. The association of serum VEGF‐C levels with SSc‐PAH was confirmed in the PAH‐enriched RHC validation cohort. For prediction analyses, we assembled all 251 cases of SSc‐PAH identified by RHC from the identification and validation cohorts. In multivariable Cox regression analyses adjusted for age and sex, the mean serum levels of VEGF‐C and sVEGFR‐3 were predictive of PAH development in patients with SSc (for VEGF‐C, HR 0.53 [95% CI 0.29–0.97], P = 0.04; for sVEGFR‐3, HR 1.21 [95% CI 1.01–1.45], P = 0.042).

Conclusion

These findings support the notion that lymphangiogenesis is deregulated during PAH development in SSc, and indicate that VEGF‐C could be a promising marker for early PAH detection in patients with SSc.
Univariate and multivariate mixtures of exponential distributions, with applications in risk modeling
Authors: Cossette Hélène , Marceau Etienne , Mtalai Itre , Veilleux Déry
Published: January 2021

Mixed exponential distributions are frequently used in actuarial risk modeling. Distributions obtained through mixtures allow greater flexibility in the modeling of nonlife insurance loss amounts. Several research works have studied mixed exponential distributions in univariate and multivariate settings. The present article highlights the usefulness of such distributions and lays the story of the mixing technique behind them. It also explains the underlying link between all these works. We study in detail three univariate and multivariate mixed exponential distributions defined with a discrete mixing random variable (rv). For each of these three univariate (multivariate) mixed exponential distributions and using an appropriate scaling, we identify the continuous mixing rv to which converges in distribution the discrete mixing rv and the corresponding univariate (multivariate) mixed exponential distribution. In a multivariate setting, we show that these three choices of discrete mixing distributions lead us to known Archimedean copulas constructed with continuous mixing rvs. Applications in actuarial science of these distributions are presented throughout the article highlighting their many uses and useful properties.