bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Cerebral Microbleeds in Moyamoya Disease and Syndrome in the American Population
Authors: Khan Nadeem I. , Saherwala Ali A. , Chen Mo , Salehian Sepand , Salahuddin Hisham , Welch Babu G. , Pinho Marco C. , Shang Ty
Published: December 2019

Background and Purpose: Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) are reported to be frequent in moyamoya disease (MMD) and moyamoya syndrome (MMS) in the Asian population. It is associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. The significance of CMB in MMD/MMS in non-Asian populations has not been well established. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence of CMB in MMD/MMS in a moymoya cohort with a majority of non-Asians and to identify risk factors for developing a CMB and its predictive value for subsequent vascular events. Methods: The moyamoya database was compiled by screening for MMD/MMS among patients admitted to the Zale-Lipshy University Hospital at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. We identified and analyzed data of 67 patients with MMD or MMS. Patients were characterized as CMB+ or CMB– based on MRI findings. In CMB+ patients, the total number and location of CMB were identified. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify risk factors for developing CMB and whether CMB are associated with the development of subsequent vascular events. Results: Out of a total of 67 patients, 11 (16%) had CMB. Males had significantly higher odds of having CMB as compared to females (OR 1.76; 95% CI 1.40–24.3, p = 0.021). The incidence of CMB was also associated with age at diagnosis (mean age of CMB+ patients vs. CMB– patients: 44 vs. 34 years, respectively, p = 0.024), smoking (p = 0.006), and hemorrhagic stroke at presentation (p = 0.034). Logistic regression with multivariate analysis found that gender and age at diagnosis remained statistically significant. New ischemic events occurred in 2 (20%) out of 10 CMB+ patients and 13 (23%) out of 55 CMB– patients, respectively (p = 0.79). While 2 (3%) CMB– patients had a new cerebral hemorrhage during follow-up, none of the CMB+ patients did. Conclusions: CMB are less prevalent in MMD/MMS in the USA than in Asia. An older age at diagnosis and male gender were associated with CMB. The presence of CMB was not associated with an increased risk of a subsequent ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.
Profile of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis at a Tertiary-Care Center in Uttarakhand, India
Authors: Arora Manjot S. , Kaushik Reshma , Ahmad Shahbaj , Kaushik Rajeev Mohan
Published: December 2019

Objectives: To study the clinical profile and predictors of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: This observational study was conducted at Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, India, on 175 consecutive patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Patients were studied for AKI as per International Club of Ascites-AKI criteria. Results: The prevalence of AKI was 40.6%, with prerenal AKI 67.6%, hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) 23.8%, intrinsic renal AKI 7%, and postrenal AKI 1.4%. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), platelet count, and serum albumin were significantly lower and total leucocyte count (TLC), blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine (SCr), total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, international normalized ratio, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score higher in cirrhosis patients with AKI than without AKI (p < 0.05 each). MAP, hemoglobin, TLC, and SCr were significantly different in various types of AKI (p < 0.05 each). AKI had a significant association with CTP score, alcohol, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), sepsis, and shock (p < 0.05 each). Type of AKI had significant association with SBP, sepsis, and shock (p < 0.05 each). Mortality occurred in 33.8% patients with AKI with 64.7% mortality in patients with HRS. Outcome had significant association with AKI, stage and type of AKI (p < 0.05 each). Multivariate analysis showed SBP, sepsis, and shock as independent predictors of AKI (p < 0.05 each). Conclusions: AKI occurred commonly in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Prerenal AKI and HRS were the most common types of AKI. SBP, sepsis, and shock were important predictors of AKI.
Proyectos de gobierno y desarrollo de institucionalidad juvenil: intensidades y tensiones del vínculo en Argentina (1989-2015)
Authors: Pereyra Eduardo Javier
Published: December 2019

En su carácter de revisión de tema, el objetivo central del artículo consiste en indagar sobre el vínculo existente entre un tipo de proyecto de gobierno y el desarrollo que el Estado nacional hace de institucionalidad juvenil. Centrándose en el caso argentino, se analiza si, dado el «giro a la izquierda» que representó el proyecto de gobierno kirchnerista (2003-2015), existieron rupturas significativas en la producción de institucionalidad pública juvenil en el ámbito nacional, en comparación con lo desarrollado en la materia por los gobiernos durante la «larga década neoliberal» (1989-2003). El presente trabajo estudia, a partir de fuentes secundarias, el nivel de la administración que se ocupa específicamente de los problemas de la juventud, es decir, los organismos gubernamentales de juventud. Para ello se incluye un análisis cualitativo de las lógicas con que se aborda la cuestión juvenil en los programas y dispositivos que el organismo implementa, capacidades estatales desarrolladas y el rol y peso político del organismo en el entramado institucional general de las políticas juveniles implementadas por el Estado nacional.
Preclinical Evaluation of Pulsed Field Ablation
Authors: Koruth Jacob , Kuroki Kenji , Iwasawa Jin , Enomoto Yoshinari , Viswanathan Raju , Brose Richard , Buck Eric D. , Speltz Molly , Dukkipati Srinivas R. , Reddy Vivek Y.
Published: December 2019

Background:

Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a uniquely tissue-selective, nonthermal cardiac ablation modality. Delivery parameters such as the electrical waveform composition and device design are critical to PFA’s efficacy and safety, particularly tissue specificity. In a series of preclinical studies, we sought to examine the electrophysiological and histological effects of PFA and compare the safety and feasibility of durable pulmonary vein and superior vena cava (SVC) isolation between radiofrequency ablation and PFA waveforms.

Methods:

A femoral venous approach was used to gain right and left atrial access under general anesthesia in healthy swine. Baseline potentials in right superior pulmonary and inferior common vein and in SVC were assessed. Bipolar PFA was performed with monophasic (PFA
Mono
) and biphasic (PFA
Bi
) waveforms in 7 and 7 swine sequentially and irrigated radiofrequency ablation in 3 swine. Vein potentials were then assessed acutely, and at ≈10 weeks; histology was obtained.

Results:

All targeted veins (n=46) were successfully isolated on the first attempt in all cohorts. The PFA
Bi
waveform induced significantly less skeletal muscle engagement. Pulmonary vein isolation durability was assessed in 28 veins: including the SVC, durability was significantly higher in the PFA
Bi
group (18/18 PFA
Bi
, 10/18 PFA
Mono
, 3/6 radiofrequency,
P
=0.002). Transmurality rates were similar across groups with evidence of nerve damage only with radiofrequency. Pulmonary vein narrowing was noted only in the radiofrequency cohort. The phrenic nerve was spared in all cohorts but at the expense of incomplete SVC encirclement with radiofrequency.

Conclusions:

In this chronic porcine study, PFA-based pulmonary vein and SVC isolation were safe and efficacious with demonstrable sparing of nerves and venous tissue. This preclinical study provided the scientific basis for the first-in-human endocardial PFA studies.
Myocardial Storage, Inflammation, and Cardiac Phenotype in Fabry Disease After One Year of Enzyme Replacement Therapy
Authors: Nordin Sabrina , Kozor Rebecca , Vijapurapu Ravi , Augusto João B. , Knott Kristopher D. , Captur Gabriella , Treibel Thomas A. , Ramaswami Uma , Tchan Michel , Geberhiwot Tarekegn , Steeds Richard P. , Hughes Derralynn A. , Moon James C.
Published: December 2019

Background:

Cardiac response to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in Fabry disease is typically assessed by measuring left ventricular mass index using echocardiography or cardiovascular magnetic resonance, but neither quantifies myocardial biology. Low native T1 in Fabry disease represents sphingolipid accumulation; late gadolinium enhancement with high T2 and troponin elevation reflects inflammation. We evaluated the effect of ERT on myocardial storage, inflammation, and hypertrophy.

Methods:

Twenty patients starting ERT (60% left ventricular hypertrophy–positive) were compared with 18 patients with early disease and 18 with advanced disease over 1 year at 3 centers. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (left ventricular mass index, T1, T2, global longitudinal strain, and late gadolinium enhancement) and biomarkers (high-sensitive troponin-T and NT-proBNP [N-terminal Pro-B-type natriuretic peptide]) at baseline (pre-ERT) and 12 months were performed. Early disease controls were stable, treatment-naïve patients (mainly left ventricular hypertrophy–negative); advanced disease controls were stable, established ERT patients (mainly left ventricular hypertrophy–positive).

Results:

Over 1 year, early disease controls increased maximum wall thickness and left ventricular mass index (9.8±2.7 versus 10.2±2.6 mm;
P
=0.010; 65±15 versus 67±16 g/m
2
;
P
=0.005) and native T1 fell (981±58 versus 959±61 ms;
P
=0.002). Advanced disease controls increased T2 in the late gadolinium enhancement area (57±6 versus 60±7 ms;
P
=0.023) with worsening global longitudinal strain (−13.2±3.4 versus −12.1±4.8;
P
=0.039). Newly treated patients had a small reduction in maximum wall thickness (14.8±5.9 versus 14.4±5.7 mm;
P
=0.028), stable left ventricular mass index (93±42 versus 92±40 g/m
2
;
P
=0.186) and a reduction in T1 lowering (917±49 versus 931±54 ms;
P
=0.017).

Conclusions:

Fabry myocardial phenotype development is different at different disease stages. After 1 year of ERT initiation, left ventricular hypertrophy–positive patients have a detectable, small reduction in left ventricular mass and storage.
Enriched Marine Oil Supplements Increase Peripheral Blood Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators Concentrations and Reprogram Host Immune Responses
Authors: Souza Patricia R. , Marques Raquel M. , Gomez Esteban A. , Colas Romain A. , De Matteis Roberta , Zak Anne , Patel Mital , Collier David J. , Dalli Jesmond
Published: December 2019

Rationale:

Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPM—lipoxins, resolvins, protectins, and maresins) are produced via the enzymatic conversion of essential fatty acids, including the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and n-3 docosapentaenoic acid. These mediators exert potent leukocyte directed actions and control vascular inflammation. Supplementation of animals and humans with essential fatty acids, in particular omega-3 fatty acids, exerts protective actions reducing vascular and systemic inflammation. Of note, the mechanism(s) activated by these supplements in exerting their protective actions remain poorly understood.

Objective:

Given that essential fatty acids are precursors in the biosynthesises of SPM, the aim of the present study was to establish the relationship between supplementation and peripheral SPM concentrations. We also investigated the relationship between changes in plasma SPM concentrations and peripheral blood platelet and leukocyte responses.

Methods and Results:

Healthy volunteers were enrolled in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study, and peripheral blood was collected at baseline, 2, 4, 6, and 24 hours post administration of placebo or one of 3 doses of an enriched marine oil supplement. Assessment of plasma SPM concentrations using lipid mediator profiling demonstrated a time- and dose-dependent increase in peripheral blood SPM concentration. Supplementation also led to a regulation of peripheral blood cell responses. Here we found a dose-dependent increase in neutrophil and monocyte phagocytosis of bacteria and a decrease in the diurnal activation of leukocytes and platelets, as measured by a reduction in adhesion molecule expression. In addition, transcriptomic analysis of peripheral blood cells demonstrated a marked change in transcript levels of immune and metabolic genes 24 hours post supplementation when compared with placebo.

Conclusions:

Together, these findings demonstrate that supplementation with an enriched marine oil leads to an increase in peripheral blood SPM concentrations and reprograms peripheral blood cells, indicating a role for SPM in mediating the immune-directed actions of this supplement.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT03347006.
Effect of Statin Therapy on Outcomes of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Choi Kang‐Ho , Seo Woo‐Keun , Park Man‐Seok , Kim Joon‐Tae , Chung Jong‐Won , Bang Oh Young , Kim Gyeong‐Moon , Song Tae‐Jin , Kim Bum Joon , Heo Sung Hyuk , Jung Jin‐Man , Oh Kyung‐Mi , Kim Chi Kyung , Yu Sungwook , Park Kwang‐Yeol , Kim Jeong‐Min , Park Jong‐Ho , Choi Jay Chol , Hwang Yang‐Ha , Kim Yong‐Jae
Published: December 2019

Background

There is insufficient evidence on the effect of statins, particularly high‐intensity statins, in patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation. We investigated the impact of statins on the outcomes in these patients, including those who might be vulnerable to statin therapy and those without clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

Methods and Results

A total of 2153 patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation were enrolled in the present nationwide, multicenter, cohort study. The primary composite end point was the occurrence of net adverse clinical and cerebral events (
NACCE
; death from any cause, stroke, acute coronary syndrome, or major bleeding) over a 3‐year period based on statin intensity.
NACCE
rates were lower in patients receiving low‐ to moderate‐intensity (adjusted hazard ratio 0.64; 95%
CI
: 0.52‐0.78) and high‐intensity statins (hazard ratio 0.51; 95%
CI
0.40‐0.66) than in those not receiving statin therapy. High‐intensity statins were associated with a lower risk for
NACCE
than low‐ to moderate‐intensity statins (hazard ratio 0.76; 95%
CI
0.59‐0.96). Subgroup analyses showed that the differences in hazard ratio for 3‐year
NACCE
favored statin use across all subgroups, including older patients, those with low cholesterol levels, patients receiving anticoagulants, and patients without clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Magnified benefits of high‐intensity statins compared with low‐ to moderate‐intensity statins were observed in patients who underwent revascularization therapy and those under 75 years of age.

Conclusions

Statins, particularly high‐intensity statins, could reduce the risk for
NACCE
in patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation; this needs to be further explored in randomized controlled trials.
Substitutions of Oatmeal and Breakfast Food Alternatives and the Rate of Stroke
Authors: Lyskjær Line , Overvad Kim , Tjønneland Anne , Dahm Christina C.
Published: December 2019

Background and Purpose—

Studies indicate that consuming breakfast every day, and particularly oatmeal, is associated with lower risk of stroke. However, few studies have considered replacement foods when considering foods usually consumed at breakfast. We, therefore, aimed to model substitutions between the breakfast food products oatmeal, eggs, yogurt, or white bread and subsequent risk of stroke.

Methods—

Participants from the Danish cohort study (Diet, Cancer and Health; n=55 095) were followed for 13.4 years, during which 2260 subjects experienced a first-ever stroke. Breakfast foods were assessed using a validated 192-item food-frequency questionnaire at baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs for associations between hypothetical substitutions of standard portion sizes of breakfast foods and stroke.

Results—

Modeling replacement of white bread or eggs with oatmeal was associated with a lower rate of total stroke (hazard ratio [HR]=0.96 [95% CI, 0.95–0.98]; HR=0.96 [95% CI, 0.93–0.98], respectively), total ischemic stroke (HR=0.96 [95% CI, 0.94–0.98]; HR=0.96 [95% CI, 0.94–0.99], respectively), and ischemic stroke due to small-artery occlusion (HR=0.95 [95% CI, 0.93–0.98]; HR=0.95 [95% CI, 0.91–0.99], respectively). Furthermore, modeling replacement of eggs with oatmeal was associated with a lower rate of total hemorrhagic stroke (HR=0.94 [95% CI, 0.89–0.99]). Modeling replacement of yogurt with oatmeal was not associated with stroke.

Conclusions—

Our findings suggest that a diet containing oatmeal instead of white bread or eggs may be associated with a lower rate of stroke.
Plato and the Language of Mysteries
Authors: Dinkelaar Bianca M.
Published: December 2019

Despite Plato’s repeated criticism of both µῦθοι and mystery cults, Orphism/Pythagoreanism and the Eleusinian Mysteries feature frequently in his dialogues. This paper uncovers the reason why, and the context in which, Plato employs motifs and language associated with these cults. Prevailing explanations in scholarship are shown to apply in some instances but not others, and to be largely insufficient in providing an underlying reason for Plato’s use of mystery cults in general. Through a detailed examination of various mystery motifs in the dialogues, this paper argues that Plato has simply borrowed from religion what he could not achieve with philosophy alone: emotional appeal.
Morphological and molecular characterisation of Helicotylenchus ciceri n. sp. and H. scoticus Boag & Jairajpuri, 1985 (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae) from Iran
Authors: Mohammadi Zameleh Fariba , Karegar Akbar , Ghaderi Reza , Mokaram Hesar Abbas
Published: December 2019

Helicotylenchus ciceri n. sp. and H. scoticus are described and illustrated based on morphological, morphometric and molecular characters. The new species is characterised by a conical and truncated lip region with five or six distinct annuli, stylet 32-37 μm long with anteriorly concave knobs, secretory-excretory pore posterior to the pharyngo-intestinal valve, dorsally convex-conoid tail with a terminal projection, phasmids 14 (7-20) annuli anterior to the level of anus, empty spermatheca and absence of males. Intraspecific variation of 16 populations of H. scoticus, collected from chickpea and lentil fields in Kermanshah province, western Iran, is discussed. The results of the phylogenetic analyses based on the sequences of the partial 18S rRNA, D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA and ITS rRNA genes are provided for the studied species, confirming their differences from each other and determining the position of them and their relationships with closely related species.
Ficophagus (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from sycones of Ficus subgenus Urostigma, sections Malvanthera and Urostigma, in eastern Australia
Authors: Davies Kerrie A. , Bartholomaeus Faerlie , Mei Li Dong , Zhao Zeng Qi , Ye Weimin , Giblin-Davis Robin M.
Published: December 2019

Ficophagus from collecting trips in eastern Australia, made over 15 years, are summarised and show that species of the genus occurred widely in sycones of Ficus, subgenus Urostigma, section Malvanthera. Two new species (based on morphological differences and molecular sequencing) are described: Ficophagus elizabethae sp. n. from Ficus macrophylla, F. rubiginosa and F. obliqua, and Ficophagus richardi sp. n. from Ficus obliqua; and a morphospecies, Ficophagus Morphospecies malandicus from Ficus obliqua. Ficophagus elizabethae sp. n. is characterised by having the excretory pore (EP) opening from the level of the junction of the conus and shaft of the stylet to that of the knobs, a relatively long procorpus (1.0-2.5 times length of stylet), female tail with an obliquely truncate tail with a hyaline area and a finely to broadly rounded tip which may be mucronate; post-vulval uterine sac (PUS) ca one vulval body diam. (VBD) in length; rose-thorn-shaped spicule with distinct rostrum and prominent condylus; and genital papillae arranged as largest pair adcloacal, second pair posterior to mid-tail length, and third small pair near tail tip; and was collected from Sydney in New South Wales, to Bundaberg in Queensland (QLD). Ficophagus richardi sp. n. is characterised by having the EP opening at the level of the junction of the stylet shaft and conus, a labial cap which is raised around the opening for the stylet; procorpus 0.8-1.7 times length of the stylet, PUS <1 VBD in length, long uterus, and female tail with a V-shaped hyaline area at the bluntly rounded tip; rose-thorn-shaped spicule with a small rostrum and prominent condylus, three pairs genital papillae, first and largest on anterior cloacal lip, second at 70% of tail length measured from cloacal aperture, and third near tip, and was collected from Ban Ban Springs in the south to the Bundaberg region in the mid-north of QLD. In addition, in the absence of pertinent molecular sequences, a morphospecies is described. Ficophagus Morphospecies malandicus is characterised by having the EP opening anterior to the junction of the stylet conus and shaft, procorpus 0.9-2 times length of stylet, a short PUS usually <1 VBD long, short uterus, rose-thorn-shaped spicule with a raised condylus and prominent rostrum, and three pairs of subventral papillae on the tail (one adcloacal, one posterior to mid-tail and one near tail tip); and was collected from the Atherton Tableland, QLD. A table comparing morphological characteristics is provided to help with identification of Ficophagus nematodes from figs of the section Malvanthera in eastern Australia.
Discovery of a phoretic association between Bursaphelenchus doui (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) and Monochamus saltuarius and Acalolepta sejuncta (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Authors: Aikawa Takuya , Ozawa Sota , Maehara Noritoshi , Masuya Hayato , Nakamura Katsunori , Kanzaki Natsumi
Published: December 2019

To investigate the phoretic association between nematodes in the genus Bursaphelenchus and cerambycid beetles in north-eastern Japan, Pinus densiflora logs were placed in two pine forests in the towns of Yamada and Hiranai as beetle oviposition sites. At 1-2 years after oviposition, adults of Monochamus saltuarius emerged from the logs placed in Yamada and adults of Acalolepta sejuncta and A. fraudatrix emerged from the logs placed in Hiranai, and Bursaphelenchus nematodes were recovered from two of these species (M. saltuarius and A. sejuncta). Morphometrics and a phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 and the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene indicated that both of these nematode populations were B. doui, which has previously only been known to use M. subfasciatus and A. fraudatrix as vectors. Therefore, this study demonstrated that this nematode utilises at least four species of beetles belonging to two genera as vectors in the field.
A Theology More Useful: Public Theology as Edification
Authors: Smith Graeme
Published: December 2019

The article argues that Richard Rorty’s idea of edification should be adopted as the central approach of public theology. It begins by outlining Rorty’s definition of edification before exploring the argument in Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature which led to this definition. Various critical responses are then explored, especially the critique by Roy Bhaskar that Rorty’s approach is politically frivolous. It is suggested, however, that the criticism that Rorty is either relativist or unconcerned with ethical agency is unfair. Instead, rather than being concerned with different types of speaking Truth to power, public theologians should be focused on producing novel, unique and eye-catching redescriptions of social and political phenomena.
Morphosyntactic dependencies and verb movement in Cypriot Greek
Authors: Pavlou Natalia
Published: December 2019

This summary presents the main findings of my Ph.D. dissertation (University of Chicago) on verbal morphology and the syntax of the verb in an understudied variety of Greek, namely Cypriot Greek. Allomorphy in the Cypriot verb is explored here by way of investigating the interaction of morphology and syntax.
The Attenuation of Female Empowerment among Three Pentecostal-Charismatic Chinese Churches in Malaysia and Singapore
Authors: Cheong Weng Kit
Published: December 2019

Among all branches of Christianity, female empowerment has been valorized in Pentecostalism. However, questions remain regarding the extent of empowerment in its egalitarian ethos. This article examines some historical and sociological aspects of pentecostal-charismatic female power and leadership among three Chinese majority churches in Malaysia and Singapore. It does so by a participant-observation methodology of these churches and in-depth interviews of church and lay leaders to enquire into the degree in which women are (dis)empowered for ministry. It concludes that specific practices and traits of Pentecostalism such as the charismata, prayer and worship, and church female leadership are configured in response to contextual sociocultural influences to produce a Christian/pentecostal woman that is both modern yet distinctly Chinese but attenuated within a Confucian family logic.
The Porous Self and the Buffered Self
Authors: Balcomb Anthony Oswald
Published: December 2019

Taylor’s typology of the porous and the buffered self are central to his thesis on secularisation in the Western world. The porous self is a characteristic of the enchanted world and the buffered self of the disenchanted world. He differentiates between these characterisations in terms of particular themes such as meaning, agency, boundaries, vulnerability, individual vs. society, and belief. Applying these characterisations to the African context using particular case studies reveals that the porous self continues to feature in the contemporary African context. This raises the question of the kinds of theologies that are commensurate with them and how they are manifest in the African context.
Three Aramaic Piyyutim for Purim: Text, Context, and Interpretation
Authors: Grossman Eliav
Published: December 2019

This article presents a critical edition of three Aramaic piyyutim for Purim. The piyyutim are unique in that they were not written in Hebrew, the overwhelmingly dominant language of classical piyyutim, but in a biblicizing register of Aramaic. This puts these piyyutim in conversation with other forms of Jewish Aramaic poetry, namely poems written in Jewish Palestinian Aramaic (JPA). The article includes a detailed analysis of the relation between the JPA poems for Purim and the piyyutim presented herein, and it argues that overt anti-Christian polemics are common to both. The Aramaic piyyutim presented here thus provide a unique nexus between JPA poetry and classical piyyut.
Spectres of Undocumented Migration in Paris
Authors: Vium Christian
Published: December 2019

Based on recurrent ethnographic fieldwork with West African undocumented (im)migrants in Paris (France) since 2006, this photo-essay describes one particular housing complex inhabited by a vast West African diaspora. In addition to a descriptive analysis of my work with photography in the context of anthropological research in this particular setting, the article explores the notion of sacrifice as experienced and recounted by men who have undertaken the long and perilous journey to Europe to find means to support their families back home. Finally, I argue in favour of an approach to aesthetics that acknowledges the fundamental ambiguity of the photographic image and its use within the context of undocumented migration.
Technology-Neutral Auctions for Renewable Energy: EU Law vs. Member State Reality
Authors: Jerrentrup Lars , Lotz Bastian , Tiedemann Silvana , Hirth Lion
Published: December 2019

European Union competition law, intended to thwart subsidies paid out by national governments, plays an important role in shaping EU Member States’ support schemes for renewable energy. The Environmental and Energy State Aid Guidelines 2014–2020, which formalize the European Commission’s take on subsidies in the electricity sector, prescribe technology-neutral auctions as the standard mechanism to determine support levels. In this study, we have assessed the formal decisions of the Commission with respect to technology-neutrality between July 2014 and May 2018. It turns out that 16 out of 18 schemes are not technology-neutral and figure high degrees of technology-differentiation. We have also studied the exemption clauses invoked to
justify technology-discrimination, finding that the most ambiguous clause is used most frequently, and that the application and level of scrutiny varies strongly from case to case. The State Aid Guidelines are meant to increase transparency and legal certainty. We find that with respect to technology-neutral auctions for renewable energy, the Guidelines fail to deliver on their purpose.
Technological Determinism(s) and the Study of War
Authors: Walton Steven A.
Published: December 2019

The concept of technological determinism has been a mainstay of discussions in history of technology and especially in science and technology studies (sts) for about half a century, yet military history as a field has generally sidestepped the idea as a category of analysis. Military historians, however, would do well to consider some of the insights from these other fields, for they can fall prey to (tacitly) deterministic analyses. Although the emphasis on tactical and strategic factors, as well as leadership and soldiers’ experience, sometimes insulates technological explanations from appearing to be causal, a casual reading of both military history and contemporary military policy seems to show that warfighters and political leaders often see technology as transformative. This is all the more evident in the discussion of military revolutions and especially revolutions in military affairs (RMAs), where technology is a least a leg of the stool, and at “best” a transformative agent.
Catapults are Still not Atomic Bombs
Authors: DeVries Kelly
Published: December 2019

In 1997 War and History published my article, “Catapults Are Not Atomic Bombs: Towards a Redefinition of ‘Effectiveness’ in Premodern Military Technology.” The title was hyperbolic as the article discussed neither catapults nor atomic bombs, but that hyperbole was to serve a purpose: to have military historians, primarily historians of military technology rethink their notions of military technological determinism, especially in interpreting premodern military history. In that article I used three examples: the chariot, the longbow, and gunpowder weaponry, suggesting that the use of these technologies by modern historians as determining catastrophe, invincibility, and revolution, respectively, was overstating their effects on history. After 22 years I was asked to revisit my original thoughts and here use the various chroniclers’ descriptions at the battle of Crécy (1346) and the function of the English longbows (and longbowmen) to explore how the premodern world thought about technology in war. Ultimately, I reaffirm the importance of humans over technology in any military situation, even if the technologies are either characteristic or central to any particular engagement.
Ellipses of Cultural Diplomacy
Authors: Mangalagiri Adhira
Published: December 2019

This article studies China-India cultural diplomacy in the context of the socialist Chinese literary sphere. Decentering “dialogue” as an easy metaphor for transnationalism, I propose ellipses – the mark of silences, tensions, the unsaid – as a conceptual frame that makes visible those literary ties that frustrate the logic and aims of cultural diplomacy. I offer as a case study the Hindi poet Dinkar’s travelogue recording his visit to China in 1957. The travelogue brings together two concurrent Cold War phenomena that have so far been studied as separate: the Chinese political campaigns of 1957, and the 1950s era of China-India cultural diplomacy. Recording the Anti-Rightist Campaign in a Hindi idiom, Dinkar’s literary practice crafts the realm of ellipses as generating new China-India literary ties, obscured by the official banner of cultural diplomacy.
Contentious Politics in China: Causes, Dynamics, and Consequences
Authors: Elfstrom Manfred , Li Yao
Published: December 2019

China has become a land of social protests. Yet the Chinese state possesses considerable capacity and is rising on the world stage day by day. Why and how do Chinese people take to the streets? Where does their activism lead? This paper draws on a rich body of existing literature to provide an overview of the broad landscape of Chinese contentious politics and to dig deeper into a few common or emerging forms of social conflict. It then explores the various structural and political opportunity-based explanations for why protest occurs in China, before describing the ways in which different organizations and different framings of issues by citizens affect how protests play out. Shifting to where protests lead, the paper briefly surveys a variety of coercive and conciliatory institutions China possesses for social control and then documents distinct patterns in the state’s handling of different types of resistance—repressive, tolerant, concessionary, and mixed approaches—followed by an examination of the multifaceted impact of unrest. The conclusion offers suggestions for future researchers. Reviewing major concepts, debates, perspectives, and emerging research directions in studies of contentious politics in the world’s most populous country, this paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of authoritarian politics and authoritarian resilience more generally.
Narratives of Peace and Conflict: A Ghanaian Example of NGO Peacebuilding
Authors: Amos Julia
Published: December 2019

In the Northern region of Ghana in the mid-1990s a coalition of NGOs came together to mediate an end to a large-scale inter-ethnic conflict. This essay develops the theoretical concepts of conflict and peace narratives to show how this process was able to transcend the violence. It also examines how the NGO-mediated negotiations compared and related with concurrent state initiatives. NGO advantage derived from the social capital that these organisations had accumulated through local service provision, and the perceived neutrality of the talks they arranged, highlighting the complex relationships between the provision of services, state resources and conflict resolution effectiveness.
Custom and Modern Constructions of Sharīʿa: Transnational Juristic Discussions on the Status of ʿUrf
Authors: Shabana Ayman
Published: December 2019

This paper examines modern juristic discussions on the concept of custom in light of the proceedings of the fifth session of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, which was held in 1988. It shows the extent to which these discussions not only address the role of custom in the derivation of Islamic law and its place in the Islamic legal tradition, but also reflect the impact of modern positive legislations on modern conceptualizations of Sharīʿa and how it has been constructed in the wake of the modern legal reform movement. In particular, the framing of custom in some civil codes as an independent legal source marked a significant development and created tension between Sharīʿa and modern legal codes. This perceived tension has, in turn, inspired efforts to reaffirm the primacy of Sharīʿa and demands for its implementation. While these discussions demonstrate how Muslim scholars situate Sharīʿa within national legal structures, they also show the role of juristic councils, such as the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, in the development of a transnational juristic discourse that transcends the boundaries of the nation state.
Islamic Human Rights Discourse and Hermeneutics of Continuity
Authors: Mol Arnold Yasin
Published: December 2019

After World War II the United Nations developed new international law constructs in cooperation with the majority of the world’s nations, which were mainly based on a Western hermeneutic of rights. This international humanistic project provided new anthropological constructs which were seen as compatible or non-compatible, by Muslims or non-Muslims, with Islam. When analyzing these discussions on Islam and human rights discourse into a typology they can provide insights where compatibility and non-compatibility lies, and where possible reinterpretation is needed. Within the typology, two forms of discourses can be discerned: Islamic human rights discourse as the internal Muslim discourse on human rights and the external ‘Islam and human rights’ discourse which emerged together with the modern human rights regimes. By analyzing the different elements of what constitutes Islam and human rights discourse we can derive new understandings and strategies in how to engage a modern Islamic human rights discourse and constitute an Islamic science of human rights (ʿilm al-ḥuqūq) which provides a hermeneutics of continuity between Islam and modern human rights and overcomes both apologetics and othering.
من المقاربة الفقهية إلى المقاربة الأخلاقية: الاجتهاد المعاصر والجينوم نموذجًا
Authors: الخطيب معتز
Published: December 2019

الخلاصة

تثير العلاقة بين الفقه والأخلاق—بوصفهما حقلين مستقلين—الكثير من التساؤلات والإشكالات، ومما يزيدها تعقيدًا أن الفقه والأخلاق يتناولان الفعل الإنساني من حيث الحكمُ عليه وتقويمُه، ومصادر هذا الحكم، وتعليلاته. تتبنى هذه الدراسة مقولةً مُفادها أن الاجتهاد الفقهي لم يَعُد—وحده—كافيًا لتقويم المستجدات الحديثة، وأن ثمة حاجة إلى الانتقال من المقاربة الفقهية إلى المقاربة الأخلاقية للقضايا المستجدة. وفي سبيل ذلك يعالج هذا البحث الفتاوى/القرارات الخاصة بموضوع الجينوم والصادرة عن ثلاث مؤسسات هي: مجمع الفقه الإسلامي الدولي، والمجمع الفقهي الإسلامي، والمنظمة الإسلامية للعلوم الطبية، ويقدم تحليلاً نقديًّا لها، ثم يقترح منهجية لمقاربة الجينوم يتم من خلالها تطوير التعليل الأخلاقي ليواكب التطورات الحديثة وتعقيداتها. المقاربة الأخلاقية المقترحة تساعدنا في الإجابة على سؤالين: ما الممارسة الصالحة أو المسوّغة أخلاقيًّا؟ وكيف نحددها أو نعرفها؟ وهي مقاربة أوسع من فكرة البحث عن “حكم الله” بالمنطق الفقهي، وهي مقاربة متعددة التخصصات تستثمر حقولاً علمية مختلفة لصياغة موقف محدد وتركيبي من القضايا المطروحة يتناسب وتعقيداتها وتأثيراتها المتنوعة، ويتداخل فيها مفهوما الأخلاق والدين على المستوى النظري المتمثل في ما بعد الأخلاق ومفاهيم مركزية أخرى، وعلى المستوى التطبيقي الذي يرصد النقاشات الفعلية لأشكال الممارسة الصالحة أو المعلَّلة أخلاقيًّا.

يبدأ البحث بتمهيد حول التجيين والتدخل الجيني، ثم يقدم خلاصة وافية عن الاجتهاد المعاصر حول الجينوم قراءة تحليلية نقدية لأحكامه وقراراته مع بيان مداخلها المنهجية وتعليلاتها، ثم يقترح مقاربة أخلاقية للجينوم يوضح—من خلالها—كيف يمكن إعادة بناء موقف أخلاقي منه يتوفر على التعليل اللازم له. وبسبب غموض مفهوم الأخلاق في حقل الدراسات الإسلامية من جهة، ولأنها تشكل الإطار النظري والمفهومي للمنهج المقترح هنا من جهة ثانية، توسع البحث قليلاً في إيضاح المفهوم وأبعاده ليبني عليه بعد ذلك؛ مما يساعد على إدراك بعض جوانب الفرق بين الفقه والأخلاق.
A thermally tunable single-band metamaterials with VO2 disks based on localized surface plasmon resonance
Authors: Liu Xingsheng , Dong Lijun , Pu Shouzhi
Published: December 2019

A thermal tunability metamaterial absorber with single-band absorption properties is proposed and numerical verification. An absorption peak can be revealed at resonant wavelength 1.54 m at room temperature. The metal parameter condition is optimized in simulation in order to improve
the property of this absorber. Simulated results reveal that absorption performances can be modulated based on the refractive index changes. High FOM values are obtained based on water or glucose solution. Moreover, the resonance wavelength and amplitude are modulated based on the ambient
temperature changes. Finally, the effect of central metal particle side width or dielectric layer thickness at room temperature on absorption performances are also revealed in simulation.
One-pot synthesis of camptothecin-loaded glutathione-responsive PEGlyation nanogels as novel antitumor therapeutics
Authors: Duan Xiao , Yang Xue , Dai Chunlei , Tong Tong , Miao Congxiu , Zheng Jinping
Published: December 2019

PEGlyation nanogels have shown potential in cancer therapy due to their outstanding biodegradability and biocompatibility. In this study, glutathione (GSH)-responsive PEGlyation nanogels were loaded with camptothecin (CPT) (CPT@A2B5-PEG) by one-pot synthesis based
on the monomers of disulfide-based diacrylate (A2) and N-(2-aminoethyl) ethane-1,2-diamine (B5). The nanogels with responsive cross-linked networks were degraded into small molecules according to their GSH-sensitivity. The nanogels were of the correct size as measured
by TEM and DLS, and uptake into A549 cells was observed within 6 h. Cell viability assays showed that CPT@A2B5-PEG produced similar anticancer efficacy to free CPT. The GSH-responsive CPT-loaded PEGlyation nanogels produced by one-pot synthesis are therefore promising
platforms for anticancer drug delivery.
An ultrasensitive photoelectrochemistry sensor for ascorbic acid based on etching perylenediimide modified CoOOH nanosheets
Authors: Chi Kuan-Neng , Hu Rong , Yang Yun-Hui
Published: December 2019

In this work, a neoteric photoelectrochemistry (PEC) sensor on account of perylenediimide (PDI) by coupling with ascorbic acid (AA) responsive decomposition of cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) nanosheets was developed. PDI is a kind of organic photoelectric material with strong photoelectrochemical
properties in aqueous solution. When the surface of the PDI is modified by CoOOH, the photoelectric properties of the PDI could be effectively decreased. However, when AA is present, CoOOH is reduced to Co2+ while the photoelectric properties of PDI are restored. The photoelectric
sensor constructed thereby exhibits high selectivity and transient response, and is simple in operation, low in cost and short in time, and provides a novel detection method for small molecule ascorbic acid. In the case of a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, the detection limit is 33.4 nM. This
paper opens a new PEC method to detection of AA.
Growth of corrosion product film on 12Cr1MoV steel in sulfur-containing sodium aluminate solution
Authors: Yuan Jingjiu , Chen Chaoyi , Li Junqi , Quan Bianli , Wang Linzhu , Lan Yuanpei , Du Xiaoqing , Fu Hui
Published: December 2019

The growth mechanism of product film on steel surface in sulfur-containing sodium aluminate solution was studied with relevance to processing of high-sulfur bauxite ores in Bayer process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD),
potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to study the growth of corrosion product film on 12Cr1MoV steel in sodium aluminate solution containing 5 g/L S2– and 3 g/L S2O2– 3. Results
indicated that the corrosion rate gradually decreased with increasing corrosion time (t). The fitted corrosion rate equation was V = 4.365t–0.809. The corrosion resistance was highest after 5 d. The growth evolution of the product film was divided into
three stages: film formation, film conversion and film growth. The final corrosion product film comprised an inner film layer mainly composed of Fe3O4 and an outer film layer mainly composed of FeS, FeS2 and Fe2O3.
Enhanced rate performance and high current cycle stability of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 by sodium doping
Authors: Yu Juan , Huang Wenlong , Meng Bicheng , Wang Lejie , Zhao Junkai , Li Linbo , Du Xiaoqing , Fang Zhao
Published: December 2019

Sodium ions have been successfully doped into LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) by solid phase method. The influences of Na doping on the electrochemical properties of the electrode at high current intensities were studied. The experimental results
show that 3% Na modified LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 has superior rate performance and cycling behavior due to the cation mixing is suppressed and the structural stability is enhanced by Na doping. The capacity retention of Li0.97Na0.03Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2
is 64.33% after 100th cycles at 10 C (1 C = 200 mA · g–1) in the potential range from 2.8 V to 4.3 V, which is greatly higher than the pristine NCM (only 35.01%). Li0.97Na0.03Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 also shows
excellent rate performance of 140.5 mAh · g–1 at 10 C, and the discharge capacity of 3% Na-NCM is higher than that of the pristine NCM when the current intensity is returned from 10 C to 0.5 C. The analysis of the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy (EIS) measurements confirm that the Na doping plays an important role in inhibiting the electrochemical polarization of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 and improving the diffusion of lithium ions.
The Mountain Weather and Climate of Denali, Alaska—An Overview
Authors: Hartl Lea , Stuefer Martin , Saito Tohru
Published: December 2019

An overview of climatological and meteorological conditions and their seasonal variability in the Denali summit region is presented, based on the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis 1 dataset for the 1948–2018 period. At the Denali grid cell, a warming trend of +0.02°C significant at the 95% level is found—equivalent to a temperature increase of 1.4°C over the time period. The number of very cold days (<−35°C) during the climbing season (April–July) has decreased by approximately a day per decade. The number of very windy days (≥20 m s−1) during the climbing season also shows a decreasing trend for the majority of the time series. To assess synoptic patterns that affect the Denali region, a self-organizing map algorithm was applied to the geopotential height (GPH) field extracted from the reanalysis data. In winter, the synoptic situation in the Denali region is dominated by frequent zonal flow and negative GPH anomalies associated with the polar front. As the polar front moves north during the seasonal cycle, patterns shift to largely positive GPH anomalies and more meridional flow. Extreme wind speeds unfavorable for climbing occur in all seasons and are associated mainly with the polar jet passing directly over Denali, or cyclogenesis in the Bering Sea. The frequency of occurrence of strongly zonal, low GPH patterns during the main climbing season (April–July) shows a slight decrease in recent years.
“Wind Theft” from Onshore Wind Turbine Arrays: Sensitivity to Wind Farm Parameterization and Resolution
Authors: Pryor Sara C. , Shepherd Tristan J. , Volker Patrick J. H. , Hahmann Andrea N. , Barthelmie Rebecca J.
Published: December 2019

High-resolution simulations are conducted with the Weather Research and Forecasting Model to evaluate the sensitivity of wake effects and power production from two wind farm parameterizations [the commonly used Fitch scheme and the more recently developed Explicit Wake Parameterization (EWP)] to the resolution at which the model is applied. The simulations are conducted for a 9-month period for a domain encompassing much of the U.S. Midwest. The two horizontal resolutions considered are 4 km × 4 km and 2 km × 2 km grid cells, and the two vertical discretizations employ either 41 or 57 vertical layers (with the latter having double the number in the lowest 1 km). Higher wind speeds are observed close to the wind turbine hub height when a larger number of vertical layers are employed (12 in the lowest 200 m vs 6), which contributes to higher power production from both wind farm schemes. Differences in gross capacity factors for wind turbine power production from the two wind farm parameterizations and with resolution are most strongly manifest under stable conditions (i.e., at night). The spatial extent of wind farm wakes when defined as the area affected by velocity deficits near to wind turbine hub heights in excess of 2% of the simulation without wind turbines is considerably larger in simulations with the Fitch scheme. This spatial extent is generally reduced by increasing the horizontal resolution and/or increasing the number of vertical levels. These results have important applications to projections of expected annual energy production from new wind turbine arrays constructed in the wind shadow from existing wind farms.