bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beneficial Effects of Kiatsu™ with Ki Training on Episodic Migraine: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Tabata Calvin Y. , Copenhaver Philip F. , McCartney Shirley , Vazinkhoo Saman , Copperman Terry
Published: October 2021

Objective. To conduct an exploratory study of KiatsuTM with Ki training as a potential therapy for treating episodic migraine in women. Background. Current therapies for migraine have proven partially effective, highlighting the need for alternative treatment options. In preparation for development of a randomized controlled study, the authors conducted a single arm pilot exploratory study to evaluate the effect of Kiatsu with Ki training in adult females with episodic migraine. Methods. Study subjects established a baseline migraine frequency over 4 weeks. During the following 4 weeks, each subject received instruction in Ki training (to improve concentration, balance, and relaxation), accompanied by Kiatsu (a focused touch method that reduces tension, swelling, and pain). Subjects then participated in one session a month for additional 6 months. The initial session was 1 hour; subsequent sessions averaged 30 minutes. Subjects documented migraine frequency, migraine-specific quality of life scores, and medication use. Result. Sixty-nine subjects met the study inclusion criteria, and 21 completed the study. Subjects reported a significant reduction in migraine frequency after 1 month (from 7.2 to 3.8 migraines/month;

p
<
0.05

), with an overall 53% reduction at 6 months (

p
<
0.001

). Significant improvements in quality of life (QoL) were reported after 1 month, with continued improvements until study completion (

p
<
0.0001

). A moderate reduction in medication use was also documented (

p
<
0.03

), corresponding to improved QoL scores. Conclusion. Kiatsu with Ki training may be an effective treatment option for females with migraines, either in combination with medications or as a potential alternative to medications for patients who do not benefit from conventional therapies. The results of this pilot study justify the development of a randomized controlled study designed to investigate the potential benefits of this novel therapeutic method for treating migraine.
Locating and Identifying Codes in Circulant Graphs
Authors: Song Shu Jiao , Zhang Weiqian , Xu Can
Published: October 2021

Identifying and locating-dominating codes have been studied widely in circulant graphs. Recently, Ville Junnila et al. (Optimal bounds on codes for location in circulant graphs, Cryptography and Communications; 2019) studied identifying and locating-dominating codes in circulants

C

n

1
,
d

,

C

n

1
,
d
−
1
,
d

, and

C

n

1
,
d
−
1
,
d
,
d
+
1

. In this paper, identifying, locating, and self-identifying codes in the circulant graphs

C

n

k

,

d

,

C

n

k
,
d
−
k
,
d

, and

C

n

k
,
d
−
k
,
d
,
d
+
k

are studied, and this extends Junnila et al.’s results to general cases.
Clinical Specimens are the Pool of Multidrug- resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Harbouring oprL and toxA Virulence Genes: Findings from a Tertiary Hospital of Nepal
Authors: Chand Yamuna , Khadka Sujan , Sapkota Sanjeep , Sharma Suprina , Khanal Santosh , Thapa Alina , Rayamajhee Binod , Khadka Dhruba Kumar , Panta Om Prakash , Shrestha Dipendra , Poudel Pramod
Published: October 2021

The multidrug- or extensively drug-resistant (MDR/XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa carrying some virulence genes has become a global public health threat. However, in Nepal, there is no existing report showing the prevalence of oprL and toxA virulence genes among the clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. Therefore, this study was conducted for the first time in the country to detect the virulence genes (oprL and toxA) and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of P. aeruginosa. A total of 7,898 clinical specimens were investigated following the standard microbiological procedures. The antibiotic susceptibility testing was examined by the modified disc diffusion method, and virulence genes oprL and toxA of P. aeruginosa were assessed using multiplex PCR. Among the analyzed specimens, 87 isolates were identified to be P. aeruginosa of which 38 (43.68%) isolates were reported as MDR. A higher ratio of P. aeruginosa was detected from urine samples 40 (45.98%), outpatients’ specimens 63 (72.4%), and in patients of the age group of 60–79 years 36 (41.37%). P. aeruginosa was more prevalent in males 56 (64.36%) than in female patients 31 (35.63%). Polymyxin (83.90%) was the most effective antibiotic. P. aeruginosa (100%) isolates harboured the oprL gene, while 95.4% of isolates were positive for the toxA gene. Identification of virulence genes such as oprL and toxA carrying isolates along with the multidrug resistance warrants the need for strategic interventions to prevent the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The findings could assist in increasing awareness about antibiotic resistance and suggest the judicious prescription of antibiotics to treat the patients in clinical settings of Nepal.
Effect of Cinepazide Maleate on Serum Inflammatory Factors of ICU Patients with Severe Cerebral Hemorrhage after Surgery
Authors: Zhang Jing , Zhang Xia , Shang Yun , Zhang Li
Published: October 2021

Objective. To explore the effect of cinepazide maleate on serum inflammatory factors of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe cerebral hemorrhage after surgery. Methods. 116 ICU patients with severe cerebral hemorrhage treated in Taian Maternal and Child Health Hospital from June 2018 to June 2020 were selected as the research objects and randomly divided into the control group and experimental group, with 58 patients in each group. The control group was given routine treatment, while the experimental group was additionally given an intravenous drip of cinepazide maleate to compare the clinical efficacy and serum inflammatory factors between the two groups. Results. The total effective rate in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). After treatment, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and Fugl-Meyer scores in both groups were better than those before treatment, and the scores in the experimental group were better than those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). The oxidative stress indexes such as total antioxidant capacity (T-Aoc), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, while malondialdehyde (MDA) in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). The high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). Compared with the control group, the cerebrovascular function in the experimental group was significantly improved (

P
<
0.05

), with statistically significant differences. Conclusion. Cinepazide maleate can effectively reduce the serum inflammatory factor levels of ICU patients with severe cerebral hemorrhage after surgery, alleviate the oxidative stress response in the body, and improve the cerebrovascular function and cerebral nerve function, which is worthy of clinical promotion.
Synthesis of a Novel Filtrate Reducer and Its Application in Water-Based Drilling Fluid for Ultra-High-Temperature Reservoirs
Authors: Qiao Dongyu , Ye Zhongbin , Tang Lei , Zheng Yiping , Wang Xindong , Lai Nanjun
Published: October 2021

The high-temperature stability and filtration property controlling of ultra-high-temperature water-based drilling fluids is a worldwide problem. To resolve this problem, a high-temperature-resistant quaternary copolymer (HTRTP) was synthesized based on molecular structure optimization design and monomer optimization. The physical and chemical properties were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermal weight, and spectrophotometry, and their temperature and salt resistance was evaluated in different drilling fluids, combined with adsorption, particle size analysis, and stability test. The results show that the thermal stability of HTRTP is very strong, and the initial temperature of thermal decomposition is above 320°C. The salt resistance of HTRTP is more than 162 g/L, and the calcium resistance is more than 5000 mg/L, which is equivalent to the foreign temperature-resistant polymer DCL-a, and is superior to the domestic metal ion viscosity increasing fluid loss agent PMHA-II for drilling fluids. It has excellent high-temperature resistance (245°C) and fluid loss reduction effect in fresh water base mud, fresh water weighted base mud, saturated brine base mud, and composite salt water base mud, which is better than foreign DCL-a (245°C) and domestic PMHA (220°C). The adsorption capacity of HTRTP on clay particles is large and firm, and the adsorption capacity changes little under the change of chemical environment and temperature. Both before and after HTRTP aging (245°C/16 h), the permeability of filter cake can be significantly reduced and its compressibility can be improved. By optimizing the particle size gradation of the drilling fluid and enhancing the colloid stability of the system, HTRTP can improve the filtration building capacity of the drilling fluid and reduce the filtration volume. The development of antithermal polymer provides a key treatment agent for the study of anti-high-temperature-resistant saline-based drilling fluid.
Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Its Impact on Medical Cost among Urban Ischemic Stroke Inpatients in China: A National Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Huang Zhengwei , Shi Xuefeng , Nicholas Stephen , Maitland Elizabeth , Yang Yong , Zhao Weihan , Ma Yong , Jiang Yan
Published: October 2021

Background. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long been widely adopted by the Chinese people and has been covered by China’s basic medical insurance schemes to treat ischemic stroke. Previous research has mainly highlighted the therapy effect of TCM on ischemic stroke patients. Some studies have demonstrated that employing TCM can reduce the medical burden on other diseases. But no research has explored whether using TCM could reduce inpatient medical cost for ischemic stroke in mainland China. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the use of TCM on the total inpatient cost of ischemic stroke and to explore whether TCM has played the role of being complementary to, or an alternative for, conventional medicine to treat ischemic stroke. Methods. We conducted a national cross-sectional analysis based on a 5% random sample from claims data of China Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) and Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) schemes in 2015. Mann–Whitney test was used to compare unadjusted total inpatient cost, conventional medication cost, and nonpharmacy cost estimates. Ordinary least square regression analysis was performed to compare demographics-adjusted total inpatient cost and to examine the association between TCM cost and conventional medication cost. Results. A total of 47321 urban inpatients diagnosed with ischemic stroke were identified in our study, with 92.6% (43843) of the patients using TCM in their inpatient treatment. Total inpatient cost for TCM users was significantly higher than TCM nonusers (USD 1217 versus USD 1036,

P
<
0.001

). Conventional medication cost was significantly lower for TCM users (USD 335 versus USD 436,

P
<
0.001

). The average cost of TCM per patient among TCM users was USD 289. Among TCM users, conventional medication costs were found to be positively associated with TCM cost after adjusting for confounding factors (Coef. = 0.144,

P
<
0.001

). Conclusion. Although the use of TCM reduced the cost of conventional medicine compared with TCM nonusers, TCM imposed an extra financial component on the total inpatient cost on TCM users. Our study suggests that TCM mainly played a complementary role to conventional medicine in ischemic stroke treatment in mainland China.
Design and Application of English Grammar Intelligent Question Bank System
Authors: Liu Xiaowei , Liu Hongjin
Published: October 2021

The English grammar question bank can reserve a large number of special knowledge points and special categories of questions, which is helpful for English learners. Therefore, we design and verify the application effect of an intelligent question bank system. We construct an English grammar knowledge map, which is used to design the system architecture, including basic layer, data layer, service layer, business layer, and user layer. On the basis of the system structure, the index system of the item bank is established, and the functional modules of the system are designed comprehensively. Finally, we design a system database based on MySQL and give the table of knowledge points of English grammar. In order to verify the performance of the designed English grammar intelligent test bank system, a verification experiment is carried out. The experiment selects the accuracy rate of English grammatical feature extraction, recall rate, convergence, and system configuration accuracy. The experimental results show that the proposed system can extract English grammatical features with higher accuracy, and the recall rate is more satisfactory. Compared with the reference systems, the designed system configuration accuracy is higher.
DaF an öffentlichen Schulen am Beispiel eines Projekts in Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Ferreira Mergenfel Vaz , Marques-Schäfer Gabriela , Bolacio Filho Ebal
Published: October 2021

Das Hauptziel dieses Artikels ist es, einen Überblick über die Entstehung eines Lehrprojekts der Stadt Rio de Janeiro zur Förderung der Mehrsprachigkeit an öffentlichen Schulen zu geben. Zu diesem Zweck stützt sich der Artikel zunächst auf einige offizielle Dokumente – wie z.B. den Text des Nationalen Rahmenlehrplans (BNCC) und die Leitprinzipien für das Programm für zweisprachige Schulen in der Stadt Rio de Janeiro, die das Lehren von Fremdsprachen in Brasilien und in der Stadt Rio de Janeiro leiten. Darüber hinaus werden in diesem Beitrag Ergebnisse einer Studie vorgestellt, die mit den Lehrkräften durchgeführt wurde, die seit Beginn des Projekts als Deutschlehrende dort arbeiten. Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigen, dass critical literacy und interkulturelles Lernen grundlegende Prinzipien sowohl in der Wahrnehmung als auch in der Praxis der Lehrenden sind. Schließlich zeigt der vorliegende Beitrag, wie wichtig diese Lehrprojekt zur Förderung einer reicheren und pluralen Bildung von Schüler*innen ist.
Sprachmittlung im Klassenraum: Theoretische Befunde und Anwendungsmöglichkeiten von Übungen aus der Dolmetschausbildung als Sprachmittlungswerkzeug im Rahmen der DaF-Ausbildung
Authors: Gondar Anelise F. P.
Published: October 2021

Der Forschungsbereich der Mehrsprachigkeitsdidaktik hat sich als „Weiterentwicklung des kommunikativen Ansatzes” etabliert (Neuner 2009:2) und die Sprachmittlung (SM) ist – als sogenannte fünfte Fertigkeit neben den vier Fertigkeiten ‚Hören‘, ‚Sprechen‘, ‚Schreiben‘ und ‚Lesen‘ – zunehmend ins Visier von Didaktikern gerückt. In der Fachliteratur werden verschiedene Aktivitäten sprachlicher Art “wie Übersetzen, Dolmetschen, Zusammenfassen und Paraphrasieren” unter dem Konzept der SM (Europarat 2001: 25; 89-90) zusammengefasst. Die SM als handlungsorientierte Kompetenz bedarf einer Reihe von spezifischen Ansätzen, Methoden, Konzepten, Materialien und Inhalten. Im Rahmen des Studiums des Faches Deutsch als Fremdsprache im Bundesstaat Rio de Janeiro wird der SM bislang noch sehr wenig systematisierte Aufmerksamkeit als Möglichkeit zur Entwicklung des Sprachlernbewusstseins gewidmet. Der vorliegende Beitrag zielt darauf hinab, die theoretisch angeleiteten und praxisorientierten Überlegungen über durchgeführte Übungssequenzen im Bereich Sprachmittlung in einer Studierendengruppe des Doppelstudiengangs portugiesische und deutsche Literatur- und Sprachwissenschaft ohne Dolmetschkenntnisse vorzustellen. Durch Übungsangebote werden Elemente der Dolmetschwissenschaft gezielt und zielgruppengemäß in die DaF-Ausbildung eingeführt. Das Ziel der Durchführung von Übungssequenzen besteht darin, kulturelle und sprachliche Kenntnisse miteinander zu kombinieren und Studierende nicht nur für die Thematik zu sensibilisieren, sondern ihnen auch Werkzeuge mit auf den Weg zu geben, damit sie kreativer mit der Fremdsprache umgehen können.
Unravelling Atrioventricular Block Risk in Inflammatory Diseases: Systemic Inflammation Acutely Delays Atrioventricular Conduction via a Cytokine‐Mediated Inhibition of Connexin43 Expression
Authors: Lazzerini Pietro Enea , Acampa Maurizio , Cupelli Michael , Gamberucci Alessandra , Srivastava Ujala , Nanni Claudio , Bertolozzi Iacopo , Vanni Francesca , Frosali Alessandro , Cantore Anna , Cartocci Alessandra , D’Errico Antonio , Salvini Viola , Accioli Riccardo , Verrengia Decoroso , Salvadori Fabio , Dokollari Aleksander , Maccherini Massimo , El‐Sherif Nabil , Laghi‐Pasini Franco , Capecchi Pier Leopoldo , Boutjdir Mohamed
Published: October 2021

Background

Recent data suggest that systemic inflammation can negatively affect atrioventricular conduction, regardless of acute cardiac injury. Indeed, gap‐junctions containing connexin43 coupling cardiomyocytes and inflammation‐related cells (macrophages) are increasingly recognized as important factors regulating the conduction in the atrioventricular node. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute impact of systemic inflammatory activation on atrioventricular conduction, and elucidate underlying mechanisms.

Methods and Results

We analyzed: (1) the PR‐interval in patients with inflammatory diseases of different origins during active phase and recovery, and its association with inflammatory markers; (2) the existing correlation between connexin43 expression in the cardiac tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and the changes occurring in patients with inflammatory diseases over time; (3) the acute effects of interleukin(IL)‐6 on atrioventricular conduction in an in vivo animal model, and on connexin43 expression in vitro. In patients with elevated C‐reactive protein levels, atrioventricular conduction indices are increased, but promptly normalized in association with inflammatory markers reduction, particularly IL‐6. In these subjects, connexin43 expression in PBMC, which is correlative of that measured in the cardiac tissue, inversely associated with IL‐6 changes. Moreover, direct IL‐6 administration increased atrioventricular conduction indices in vivo in a guinea pig model, and IL‐6 incubation in both cardiomyocytes and macrophages in culture, significantly reduced connexin43 proteins expression.

Conclusions

The data evidence that systemic inflammation can acutely worsen atrioventricular conduction, and that IL‐6‐induced down‐regulation of cardiac connexin43 is a mechanistic pathway putatively involved in the process. Though reversible, these alterations could significantly increase the risk of severe atrioventricular blocks during active inflammatory processes.
Comparison of Long‐Term Outcomes for Responders Versus Non‐Responders Following Renal Denervation in Resistant Hypertension
Authors: Fengler Karl , Reimann Paul , Rommel Karl‐Philipp , Kresoja Karl‐Patrik , Blazek Stephan , Unterhuber Matthias , Besler Christian , von Roeder Maximilian , Böhm Michael , Desch Steffen , Thiele Holger , Lurz Philipp
Published: October 2021

Background

Recent trial results support the efficacy of renal sympathetic denervation in lowering blood pressure (BP). While BP reduction in general is associated with a clinically meaningful reduction in cardiovascular events and mortality, such a relationship has not been described for patients undergoing renal sympathetic denervation.

Methods and Results

Clinical events were assessed in patients who underwent renal sympathetic denervation at our center using telephone‐ and clinical follow‐up, interviews with general practitioners, as well as review of hospital databases. Event rates were compared between BP responders (≥5 mm Hg 24‐hour ambulatory BP reduction) and non‐responders; 296 patients were included. Compared with baseline, 24‐hour systolic ambulatory BP was reduced by 8.3±12.2 mm Hg and diastolic BP by 4.8±7.0 mm Hg (
P
<0.001 for both) after 3 months. One hundred eighty patients were classified as BP responders and 116 as non‐responders. During a median follow‐up time of 48 months, significantly less major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, stroke, myocardial infarction, critical limb ischemia, renal failure) occurred in responders than in non‐responders (22 versus 23 events, hazard ratio [HR], 0.53 [95% CI, 0.28 to 0.97],
P
=0.041). This was consistent after adjustment for potential confounders as well as confirmed by propensity‐score matching. A proportional relationship was found between BP reduction after 3 months and frequency of major adverse cardiovascular events (HR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.58 to 0.97] per 10 mm Hg 24‐hour systolic ambulatory BP reduction).

Conclusions

Based on these observational data, blood pressure response to renal sympathetic denervation is associated with improved long‐term clinical outcome.
The Rhetorical Self in Tannaitic Halakha
Authors: Rosen-Zvi Ishay
Published: October 2021

The halakhic practice does more than regulating the inner world; it takes part in forming it, generating a unique legal subject. But is there a unique halakhic Self? This article examines this question in the context of Tannaitic halakha, both Mishnaic and Midrashic. More specifically I ask whether one can speak of subjectivity in Tannaitic halakha. I study the relationship between anonymous halakhic rulings and specific positions presented in the name of individual sages or argued with the force of personal commitment. Through analyzing the “I” language in Tannaitic literature, in comparison with the rhetoric of prerabbinic halakha, I wish to advance the ongoing search for the rabbinic Self.
“May My Musings Please Him” (Psalm 104:34)
Authors: Hartenstein Friedhelm
Published: October 2021

This article examines the use of the verbs of “meditation” śyḥ and hgh and the corresponding nouns, especially in the Psalms and the Hodayot. Focusing on “meditation” sheds light on the constitution and transformation of an inner self-awareness in Judaism during the Second Temple period. In addition, this article draws on insights from historical and philosophical anthropology to support and deepen the argument. The article examines four Psalms groups from the Hebrew Bible and the Hodayot in order to reveal conceptual and terminological continuity as well as a more precise understanding of reflective literary practices in early Jewish scribal culture.
From an Aristotelian Ordo Essendi to Relation: Shifting Paradigms in the Study of Religions in the Light of the Sociology of Knowledge
Authors: Krüger Oliver
Published: October 2021

The article raises the question of how the multiplication of topics, turns, and perspectives in the currents of the study of religions can be explained. After the concept of a paradigm shift (Thomas Kuhn) is introduced, the study examines the epistemological consequences of the question What is religion? It is based on analyzing the practice of defining “religion” in German-language encyclopedias of the past three centuries. Surprisingly, the structure of these articles is largely persistent throughout this long period and consists mainly of etymology, definition (Wesensbestimmung), and a typology of “religion.” From this, an Aristotelian paradigm can be deduced. The claim for universality entailed in this paradigm ultimately led to a crisis and since the 1960s the study of religions has developed alternative approaches that emphasize aspects of human interaction, communication, and reciprocal relationships. I propose to subsume these new perspectives under the term “a relational paradigm.” Examples and consequences for this paradigm are offered in the conclusion.
The Fresco Cycle of Saint Maria Maddalena De’ Pazzi (1566–1607)
Authors: Shalit-Kollender Michal
Published: October 2021

Saint Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi, a Florentine Carmelite nun and mystic, was recognized as a saint in 1669. After her canonization, a church in Florence was renovated and renamed Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi, and new artworks were commissioned for it. This article will explore in detail a series of ten frescoes on the top section of the walls in the church, part of the renovation. Although these works are part of the saint’s public iconography and depict major narratives of her cult, they have not been studied in depth to date. Though the scenes have meaning to a general Catholic audience, they appeal to different audiences—the Carmelite nuns, the local Florentine population, and the post-Counter Reformation believer—to differing degrees, the scenes with Jesuit undertones aimed particular at the latter group.
Muddled Facts and Values: Positivism, Egoism, and Anthropocentrism in the Anthropocene
Authors: Santiago-Ávila Francisco J.
Published: October 2021

I review biologist Chris D. Thomas’s book (2017) Inheritors of the Earth: How Nature is Thriving in an Age of Extinction and discuss its exposition and prescriptions. Thomas presents a fantastic exposition of the contemporary scientific literature documenting the biological gains mediated by human impacts on the nonhuman world. However, his prescriptions for a conservation ethic leave much to be desired. Thomas employs a philosophically narrow, positivist, and egoist approach to what is relevant when dealing with other sentient, sapient, and often social nonhuman beings. This culminates in an explicitly anthropocentric ethic that dismisses our moral obligations to nonhumans, both as individuals and collectives.
In Plain Sight: A New Approach to Reading Muzhiming, Using Shangguan Wan’er 上官婉兒 (664–710) as a Case Study
Authors: Choo Jessey J.C. , Ditter Alexei
Published: October 2021

In this article we focus on the constructedness of Shangguan Wan’er’s 上官婉兒 representation in her muzhiming, moving beyond what information is communicated within a muzhiming 墓志銘 to explore how it is communicated, to whom, and why. We begin by providing an overview of Shangguan’s muzhiming and its content. We then analyze “irregularities” in her muzhiming: the unusual length of its genealogy section, discrepancies in its diction, and strange lacunae and ambiguities. Finally, we place Shangguan’s muzhiming alongside Zhang Yue’s 張說 (667–730) “Stele Elegy for Lady Shangguan” and “Preface to the Collected Works of Lady Shangguan.” Focusing on differences in how these texts framed, described, and evaluated Shangguan Wan’er’s life, we explore traces preserved in the muzhiming of negotiations surrounding the construction of her memory. We conclude with a summation of our approach’s contributions to understanding Shangguan Wan’er, broader discourse about women power-brokers in Chinese history, and practices of representation and memory in medieval China.
דימון (Isa 15:9) and להמנות (Qoh 1:15): On Dialectal Wordplay and Nasal Spreading in the Bible
Authors: Steiner Richard C.
Published: October 2021

Biblical punsters occasionally moved beyond the confines of Standard Biblical Hebrew, producing dialectal wordplay. In a number of cases, the nonstandard form is a phonological variant from another dialect. The best-known examples of this type involve dialectal differences in diphthong contraction (monophthongization). Less attention has been paid to cases involving a phonological process called nasal spreading, known from Old Canaanite, Hebrew, Aramaic, etc. One product of this process is the toponym דימון in מֵי דִימוֹן מָלְאוּ דָם, “the waters of Dimon are full of blood” (Isa 15:9), referring to the Moabite town of Dibon. The form דימון was a phonological variant of דיבון, a dialectal form used in a prophecy against Moab to emphasize the appropriateness of the punishment. Another example is found in חֶסְרוֹן לֹא יוּכַל לְהִמָּנוֹת (Qoh 1:15), which means both “an incalculable loss” and “an irreplaceable loss.” In the second meaning, להמנות is a dialectal form of להמל(א)ות, “be made good,” a phonological variant produced by nasal spreading.
Paleographic Style and the Forms and Functions of the Dead Sea Psalm Scrolls: A Hand Fitting for the Occasion?
Authors: Longacre Drew
Published: October 2021

In this article I apply stylistic paleographic analysis to the Dead Sea Psalm scrolls, proposing conventional usage registers for different types and levels of scripts. I argue that more formal scripts were normally used for large presentation copies of known versions of the Davidic psalter, while less formal scripts were frequently used for smaller, textually distinctive manuscripts. This observation aids in the interpretation of the forms and functions of the majority of Dead Sea Psalm scrolls that follow this pattern and highlights exceptional cases worthy of further investigation.
Do Not be Ashamed of Rendering Judgment to Acquit the Wicked? On Sirach 42:2
Authors: Darshan Guy
Published: October 2021

The literary unit Sir 42:1–8 opens with the instruction not to be ashamed of keeping the Torah and commandments (42:2), and proceeds to list a series of actions that one should perform without embarrassment. Oddly enough, the second half of 42:2 instructs not to be ashamed “of rendering judgment to acquit the wicked,” על משפט להצדיק רשע. While this verse cannot be explained by the hermeneutic maneuver of changing the simple meaning of the Hebrew term רשע or the syntactic function of the lamed in להצדיק, I propose employing a text-critical approach in order to resolve the difficulty it presents. The emendation suggested in this paper subsequently helps us identify the biblical verses that served as the source of inspiration for the verse in Sirach (Ps 82:2–3), and the midrashic interpretation this verse was given in a later text (Rom 4:5).
The Literary History of 2 Sam 8:1b–14 and the Old Sabaic Royal Summary Inscription RES 3945/3946
Authors: Tafferner Mario
Published: October 2021

In this essay, I explore the literary background of 2 Sam 8:1b–14. The Old Sabaic royal summary inscription RES 3945/3946 exhibits significant structural and compositional parallels to the summary account of David’s achievements. I argue that the quantity and quality of such similarities firmly locates the writing practices underlying the literary history of 2 Sam 8:1b–14 within a scribal tradition of narrating royal accomplishments shared in Israel and Ancient South Arabia. Based on this historical approximation, it is possible to revisit the problem of the passage’s literary shape and position within the book of Samuel.
Beiträge zum Wortschatz des Alten Testaments: Das Hapax legomenon פְּתִיגִיל in Jesaja 3,24
Authors: Theis Christoffer
Published: October 2021

In Isa 3:24 there is a hapax legomenon
פְּתִיגִיל, which so far could not be explained convincingly. This short note suggests to explain the word’s etymology from Napatan tgr “chain” in combination with the Egyptian article pꜣ.
Getting Steamy in Amnon’s Chamber: Philological and Metaphorical Observations on 2 Samuel 13
Authors: Brownsmith Esther
Published: October 2021

2 Samuel 13:1–19 presents us with dueling perspectives on a rape scene. Despite Tamar’s protests, the narrative voice reflects Prince Amnon’s lustful viewpoint, in which he and Tamar are acting out a scene of steamy seduction. Within this framework, the unexpectedly detailed description of Tamar preparing the dumplings deserves more attention. I examine the Hebrew words לְבִבוֹת (“heart-cakes”), יצק (“to pour out”), and מַשְׂרֵת (traditionally, “baking pan”), offering a philological explanation of their associations that diverges from much modern scholarship. This new understanding of the food-preparation scene makes it clear that Tamar’s actions are a narratively realized metaphor: in preparing the food to be consumed, she is preparing herself to be consumed erotically—at least, as viewed by Amnon. In other words, using the language of Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Tamar is the cake.
“If Your Hand Causes You to Stumble, Cut It Off”
Authors: Llewelyn Stephen Robert , Robinson William
Published: October 2021

A number of Jesus’ sayings have been taken to be instances of hyperbole. Mark 9:43–47 is so construed by many. The present article uses Relevance Theory and other work on hyperbole to define its scalar nature and expressive function. The encoded meanings of language and the roles of co-text (discursive factors) and context (non-discursive factors) in inferring meaning are investigated in relation to Mark 9:43–47 and its synoptic parallels. It is concluded that considerations of language and co-text provide no evidence that Mark 9:43–47 is hyperbolic; if it was construed as hyperbolic by the Markan audience, the reason for this lies in its now unknown context of utterance. The opposite is the case with Matthew’s treatments of the saying. He provides a co-text that prompts for a spiritualised and thus metaphorical interpretation of it.
A Roman Portrait of Abraham in Paul’s and Philo’s Later Exegesis
Authors: Niehoff Maren R.
Published: October 2021

This article analyzes Bible exegesis as a key to understand the increasingly Roman orientation of Paul. Philo of Alexandria, Paul’s slightly older contemporary, is introduced as a point of comparison, as his move from the earlier Allegorical Commentary to the Life of Abraham clearly documents an intellectual journey towards Roman discourses, which is characteristic also of Paul. The argument is presented in three steps: initially the image of Abraham in Galatians is compared to that in Romans and the new discourse of exemplarity in the latter is highlighted. In the second section Philo’s image of Abraham is analyzed in its dramatic change from systematic Bible commentary to exemplary ethics. The third section deals with the Roman context. The latter is illuminated by looking at some passages in Philo’s later treatise Every Good Man is Free, which addresses Roman audiences on their own turf by discussing Greek and Roman heroes. It is shown that these Pagan portraits are animated by the same discourse of exemplarity as Philo’s and Paul’s Roman portrait of Abraham in their later exegesis. As the Pagan anecdotes have parallels in Roman literature, they provide a context for Paul’s and Philo’s exegesis in a Roman key.
Is it heterochrony? Populational differences in tadpole of Corythomantis greeningi Boulenger, 1896 (Anura: Hylidae)
Authors: Uchôa Lucas Rafael , Costa Claylton , Sena Felipe , Andrade Etielle
Published: October 2021

Corythomantis greeningi is a hylid widely distributed in the xerophilic and sub-humid morphoclimatic regions of northeastern Brazil. The morphology of C. greeningi tadpoles were described from specimens collected in the Bahia, however, we observed some differences in morphology of individuals from Piauí, northeastern Brazil. The tadpoles were collected during the 2019 rainy season and 14 individuals were used to compare the larval characters. We observed differences in external, internal oral and chondrocranial morphology in relation to specimens previously described, especially in oral disc, number and shape of oral cavity papillae and some chondrocranium structures, suggesting a heterochrony in the development of the species. Further studies involving a greater number of tadpoles at different stages, combined with genetic, acoustic, and morphological factors of adult may establish the variation degree of C. greeningi in different regions of northeastern Brazil.
Pharmacotherapeutics in clinical ethology: treatment efficacy, clinical pathology and outcome
Authors: Overall Karen L.
Published: October 2021

The use of psychopharmaceutical agents is a core aspect of treatment in veterinary behavioural medicine. Psychotropic medication use has shifted the focus of treatment from purely behavioural and environmental interventions to a multi-modal approach. Objective measures of efficacy are required for the licensing of medication. Pharmacotherapeutics have come to encompass supplements and diets, in addition to prescription medications. The first part of this paper examines the efficacy of medications, supplements and diets used in behavioural medicine. Foci include the role of evolution in the types of behavioural concerns reported, the importance of defining abnormal or pathological behaviour, use of terminology that supports stratified mechanistic diagnoses aid in understanding presentation and response clusters, and rational use of medication to relieve emotional, mental and behavioural suffering, given these diagnoses and clusters. The second part of this paper examines the extent to which variation in patient response to medication can enlighten us about mechanisms and outcomes of distress using a series of 3 patient populations who are the focus of studies on separation anxiety and noise reactivity. This response surface approach can be useful for understanding differences in populations in susceptibility to behavioural pathology and in medication response, and may suggest new avenues for drug development and application.
A case of male infanticide in captive sika deer (Cervus nippon)
Authors: Pluháček Jan , Blahutová Blanka , Bartoš Luděk
Published: October 2021

Male infanticide has been reported in wide range of mammalian taxa however it remains very rare in even-toed ungulates where it was documented in two species only. Among six hypotheses explaining this phenomenon, the sexual selection hypothesis is supported by the largest evidence in mammals. Here, we report the first case of male infanticide in sika deer (Cervus nippon) which occurred at Ostrava Zoo. At the end of rutting season, new male had been joined with two pregnant females that successfully gave birth and reared offspring in his presence then. However, in the next season, the same male attacked and killed his own newborn female offspring. Since this male was separated from the herd for most of the time in the rut, we argue that he could be confused about paternity. Therefore, this case of infanticide might be driven by the same mechanism as that which is in line with the sexual selection hypothesis. In addition, based on our evidence we cannot reject the social pathology hypothesis as an alternative explanation.
Description of Trichodorus marylandi n. sp. (Nematoda: Trichodoridae) from Maryland, USA
Authors: Decraemer Wilfrida , Kantor Mihail R. , Handoo Zafar A. , Subbotin Sergei A.
Published: October 2021

During nematode surveys in natural vegetation, a new species, described herein as Trichodorus marylandi n. sp., was identified in addition to Paratrichodorus species and Nanidorus minor from Maryland, USA, and three putative new Trichodorus species from California. Trichodorus marylandi n. sp. is about 1 mm long with a medium-sized onchiostyle 54 (47-59) μm long. Males are characterised by a single ventromedian cervical papilla located anterior to the secretory-excretory pore, all three ventromedian precloacal supplements located anterior to the retracted spicules, and spicules 42 (38-44) μm long showing a minor indentation at the level of the posterior border of the capsule of the protractor muscles. Females possess a short barrel-shaped vagina when the body is relaxed, and two sublateral body pores on each side, one up to four body diam. anterior to the vulva and one advulvar in position. A rare observation of a ‘hood’ ventrally attached to a moulting male juvenile was observed and illustrated. Trichodorus marylandi n. sp. is morphologically closest to T. obtusus. Based on recent information gained from molecular data for Trichodorus species that has revealed the occurrence of several cryptic species, T. proximus is temporarily accepted as a valid species until molecular data become available from topotype specimens. Phylogenetic relationships within trichodorids, as inferred from the analyses of the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA and ITS2 rRNA gene analysis and a statistical parsimony network showing the phylogenetic relationships between COI haplotypes of T. obtusus and T. marylandi n. sp., are also provided.
A new species of free-living marine nematode, Diplolaimella ariakensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Monhysteridae) from the Ariake Sea, Japan
Authors: Shimada Daisuke , Komiya Toshiki , Yoshiga Toyoshi
Published: October 2021

A new species of free-living marine nematode, Diplolaimella ariakensis n. sp., is described from a muddy tidal flat of the Ariake Sea, southern Japan. Diplolaimella ariakensis n. sp. differs from its congeners by the following: presence of ocelli, absence of denticles in the buccal cavity, a long tail (11-14 cloacal body diam., c = 3.2-4.0 in male, 17-21 anal body diam., c = 2.9-3.4 in female), spicules as long as 1.4-1.8 cloacal body diam., gubernaculum 0.4-0.5 cloacal body diam. long with a dorsocaudal apophysis 0.5-0.7 cloacal body diam. long, presence of a precloacal supplement, absence of postcloacal papillae, presence of seven pairs of body pores in male, and the anterior position of the vulva (V = 43-46). A dichotomous key to Diplolaimella species is provided. Almost full-length 18S rRNA and partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequences were determined for D. ariakensis n. sp. A maximum likelihood tree of 18S sequences supported a close relationship between D. ariakensis n. sp. and D. dievengatensis.
State–Bourgeoisie Relations under Neoliberalism with Turkish Characteristics
Authors: Bozkurt Umut
Published: October 2021

This article aims to analyse state–bourgeoisie relations in the era of AKP-rule in Turkey, with a specific focus on the 2018 economic crisis. It will discuss the following question: How did the AKP regime position itself with respect to the interests of the first- and second-generation bourgeoisie? Especially after 2010, the AKP was criticised for carrying out an extra-economic intervention in the sphere of accumulation as well as providing benefits to the Islamic second-generation bourgeoisie. This article draws on a Marxist conceptualisation of the state which underlines that the state’s autonomy from the economy is limited because its continued existence depends on the reproduction of accumulation, hence its need to intervene. However, the state cannot implement a unified interventionist strategy because it needs to maintain links with different groups of bourgeoisie as well as the proletariat. The article’s main argument is that the AKP struggled to balance the divergent interests of the first- and second-generation bourgeoisie and implemented policies that may be characterised as incoherent and contradictory. These contradictory policies also played an important role in the 2018 economic crisis.
Barth’s Call for a ‘Biblical Attitude’ and Miskotte’s ‘Alphabetization’ of Theology
Authors: Marquardt Friedrich-Wilhelm , Cornell Collin
Published: October 2021

This article is an English translation of an essay originally published in the journal Zeitschrift für dialektische Theologie in 1989. In it, Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt revisits Karl Barth’s proposal in § 23 of Church Dogmatics that ‘biblical attitude’ is the first among several norms for Christian dogmatics. The article compares Barth’s emphasis on the ‘biblical formfulness’ of theology with the program of the Dutch Reformed theologian K.H. Miskotte, which seeks to educate Christians in the ‘iconic language’ of Scripture. It argues that Miskotte is concerned with hermeneutics in such a way that “Rudolf Bultmann’s name belongs—maybe before Barth’s—in proximity to Miskotte’s.” In contrast to Bultmann, however, Miskotte aims at teaching a language and generating speech rather than catalyzing self-understanding.
The Fall from Grace: Religious Skepticism and Sexuality in the Early Modern Mediterranean World
Authors: Grassi Umberto
Published: October 2021

This article explores the relationship between skepticism and sexual nonconformity in Italy from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. In the inquisitorial cases under examination, the praise of sexual freedom was supported by a heretical re-reading of the myth of the Fall from Grace. The criticism of religious deception is the link between sexual freedom and skepticism: these dissenters accused the elites of enforcing a morality based on a reward in the afterlife to keep people under control. Although these ideas have been mostly associated with seventeenth-century erudite libertines, this research shows them emerging almost a century before, in cross-class environments where forbidden books circulated widely. The article will explore how the written word was creatively re-appropriated in these composite social contexts, analyzing the influence of a Mediterranean tradition of radical doubt that cut across the boundaries dividing the three Abrahamic faiths. In particular, it will focus on the cultural exchanges between Christianity and Islam.
A Contextual Genealogical Approach to Study the Religious
Authors: Zavala-Pelayo Edgar
Published: October 2021

The paper seeks to fill the gap in the literature that on the one hand adopts productively a Foucauldian genealogical approach to analyze religious phenomena yet on the other hand offers only minimum details, or no account, of methodological criteria and analytical procedures. Drawing retrospectively on the methodological experiences and insights of the author’s previous genealogical exercises, and the findings of some of the works above, the paper develops a contextual genealogical approach to study the religious in colonial and post-colonial settings with a Christian background. Based on a critical adoption of Nietzschean and Foucauldian tenets and six strategic analytical axes, the approach is presented as an open and flexible context-oriented methodological alternative for the necessarily constant rethinking of the religious in the present.
Rhetorical Conclusions in Nahmanides’ Torah Commentary
Authors: Sklarz Miriam
Published: October 2021

This paper examine Nahmanides’ rhetorical style in his Torah commentary, addressing his convention of concluding his biblical commentaries with a flourish, both in form and content. The origins of this rhetorical device in the literature preceding Nahmanides is presented, followed by a demonstration of its embodiment and development in Nahmanides own Torah commentary.
Astral Ensoulment and Astral Signifiers in Sixth-Century Readings of Origen and Evagrius: Justinian’s Anathemas, Sergius of Rešʿaynā, John Philoponus
Authors: Pirtea Adrian C.
Published: October 2021

In 543 and 553, two church councils initiated by Justinian condemned Origen’s belief that stars possess rational souls. In this article, I place Justinian’s anathemas in the wider context of sixth-century debates on Biblical cosmology and on the validity of astral sciences. In the first part, I review the arguments for and against astral ensoulment and astral signification in Origen, Evagrius, and other Christian and Neoplatonic authors. The second part consists of an in-depth reading of two sixth-century Christian authors who reacted differently to Origen’s ideas: Sergius of Rešʿaynā (d. 536) and John Philoponus (d. ca. 570). While Sergius endorses and expands on the Origenian view by integrating Evagrian and Neoplatonic elements, I argue that John Philoponus constructs his arguments not only in opposition to Origen, but specifically as a reaction to the Origenist-Evagrian line of interpretation represented by Sergius. Finally, I offer a few examples of how Sergius’ and Philoponus’ divergent readings of Origen can contribute to a better understanding of later debates on similar issues in Byzantium and the Islamic world.