bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Novel Ezrin Inhibitors Targeting Metastatic Osteosarcoma by Screening Open Access Malaria Box
Authors: Çelik Haydar , Hong Sung-Hyeok , Colón-López Daisy D. , Han Jenny , Kont Yasemin Saygideger , Minas Tsion Z. , Swift Matthew , Paige Mikell , Glasgow Eric , Toretsky Jeffrey A. , Bosch Jürgen , Üren Aykut
Published: September 2015

Ezrin is a member of the ERM (ezrin, radixin, moesin) family of proteins and functions as a linker between the plasma membrane and the actin cytoskeleton. Ezrin is a key driver of tumor progression and metastatic spread of osteosarcoma. We discovered a quinoline-based small molecule, NSC305787, that directly binds to ezrin and inhibits its functions in promoting invasive phenotype. NSC305787 possesses a very close structural similarity to commonly used quinoline-containing antimalarial drugs. On the basis of this similarity and of recent findings that ezrin has a likely role in the pathogenesis of malaria infection, we screened antimalarial compounds in an attempt to identify novel ezrin inhibitors with better efficacy and drug properties. Screening of Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Malaria Box compounds for their ability to bind to recombinant ezrin protein yielded 12 primary hits with high selective binding activity. The specificity of the hits on ezrin function was confirmed by inhibition of the ezrin-mediated cell motility of osteosarcoma cells. Compounds were further tested for phenocopying the morphologic defects associated with ezrin suppression in zebrafish embryos as well as for inhibiting the lung metastasis of high ezrin-expressing osteosarcoma cells. The compound MMV667492 exhibited potent anti-ezrin activity in all biologic assays and had better physicochemical properties for drug-likeness than NSC305787. The drug-like compounds MMV020549 and MMV666069 also showed promising activities in functional assays. Thus, our study suggests further evaluation of antimalarial compounds as a novel class of antimetastatic agents for the treatment of metastatic osteosarcoma. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(11); 2497–507. ©2015 AACR.
Perfusion Intensity Correlates with Expression Levels of Psoriasis-Related Genes and Proteins
Authors: Hendriks Anke G.M. , Steenbergen Wiendelt , Zeeuwen Patrick L.J.M. , Schalkwijk Joost , Hondebrink Erwin , Klitsie Michiel A.J. , Schreurs Ruud , van de Kerkhof Peter C.M. , Seyger Marieke M.B.
Published: September 2015

Background: Previous research revealed heterogeneity in the perfusion intensity within clinically homogenous-appearing plaques, without differences in erythema. In addition, an increased perfusion was found within the perilesional skin. This raises the question whether the heterogeneity in perfusion found both inside and outside a lesion influences the expression levels of genes and proteins involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Objectives: To correlate the perfusion intensity to mRNA and protein expression of genes associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis and to visualize the dynamics of the perfusion intensity over time using laser Doppler perfusion imaging. Methods: Fourteen patients with plaque psoriasis were included. The superficial microcirculation and clinical local scores (single usability metric, SUM, scores) were analysed in one representative lesion every 2 weeks. After 8 weeks 4 biopsies were taken, one from a highly perfused area (hotspot) and one from a low perfusion area (coldspot) of the lesional skin, one biopsy from the highly perfused perilesional skin and one from the distant uninvolved skin. Results: Statistically significant differences in mRNA and protein expression, including IL-17 and TBX21/T-Bet, were found between hotspots and coldspots, and between the highly perfused perilesional and the uninvolved skin. Hotspots tend to remain on the same location during 8 weeks of follow-up. Conclusions: Within homogenous-appearing psoriatic plaques, there are remarkable differences in mRNA and protein levels, which are correlated with the perfusion intensity and can be detected by using laser Doppler perfusion imaging. In addition, differences in mRNA and protein expression between the highly perfused perilesional skin and the uninvolved skin were found, indicating that several biological changes occur well before clinical changes become manifest.
Regular Exercise Enhances the Immune Response Against Microbial Antigens Through Up-Regulation of Toll-like Receptor Signaling Pathways
Authors: Zheng Qishi , Cui Guangying , Chen Jianing , Gao Hainv , Wei Yingfeng , Uede Toshimitsu , Chen Zhi , Diao Hongyan
Published: September 2015

Background/Aims: Regular physical exercise can enhance resistance to many microbial infections. However, little is known about the mechanism underlying the changes in the immune system induced by regular exercise. Methods: We recruited members of a university badminton club as the regular exercise (RE) group and healthy sedentary students as the sedentary control (SC) group. We investigated the distribution of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subsets and functions in the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences in plasma cytokine levels between the RE and SC groups in the true resting state. However, enhanced levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-α and IL-12 were secreted by PBMCs in the RE group following microbial antigen stimulation, when compared to the SC group. In contrast, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 secreted by PBMC in the RE group were suppressed compared with those in SC group following non-microbial antigen stimulation (concanavalin A or α-galactosylceramide). Furthermore, PBMC expression of TLR2, TLR7 and MyD88 was significantly increased in the RE group in response to microbial antigen stimulation. Conclusion: Regular exercise enhances immune cell activation in response to pathogenic stimulation leading to enhanced cytokine production mediated via the TLR signaling pathways.
Role of Na+-K+-2Cl- Cotransporter 1 in Phenylephrine-Induced Rhythmic Contraction in the Mouse Aorta: Regulation of Na+-K+-2Cl- Cotransporter 1 by Ca2+ Sparks and KCa Channels
Authors: Shen Bing , Fu Jie , Guo Jizheng , Zhang Jie , Wang Xia , Pan Xiang , Chen Meihua , Zhou Yifan , Zhu Min , Du Juan
Published: September 2015

Background/Aims: Vasoconstrictor-induced rhythmic contraction of arteries or veins has been observed both in vivo and in vitro. Many studies have reported that gap junctions, ryanodine receptors, Na+, K+-ATPase and other factors are involved in vasoconstrictor-induced rhythmic contraction in vascular smooth muscle. However, the mechanism is still not completely understood. Methods: We used vessel tension measurements, intracellular recordings and intracellular Cl- concentration ([Cl-]i) measurements to investigate the mechanism underlying phenylephrine (PE)-induced rhythmic contraction in the mouse aorta. Results: We found that Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) inhibitor bumetanide abolished PE-induced rhythmic contraction. The Cl- channel blockers DIDS and niflumic acid initially augmented the amplitude of PE-induced rhythmic contraction but later inhibited the rhythmic contraction. The large Ca2+-activated K+ channel blocker TEA and iberiotoxin increased the amplitude of PE-induced rhythmic contraction. The voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blocker, nifedipine, and a Ca2+-free solution abolished PE-induced rhythmic contraction. The inhibitor of ryanodine receptors in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, ryanodine, inhibited PE-induced rhythmic contraction. Moreover, bumetanide hyperpolarized the membrane potential of vascular smooth muscle cells in a resting state or after PE pre-treatment. Bumetanide, niflumic acid, ryanodine, iberiotoxin, nifedipine and Ca2+-free buffer significantly suppressed the PE-induced [Cl-]i increase. Conclusion: These data indicate that NKCC1 is involved in the formation of PE-induced rhythmic contraction, and we also provide a method with which to indirectly observe the NKCC1 activity in isolated intact mouse thoracic aortas.
The Self beyond Somatic Symptoms: A Narrative Approach to Self-Experience in Adolescent Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: van Geelen Stefan M. , Fuchs Coralie E. , van Geel Rolf , Luyten Patrick , van de Putte Elise M.
Published: September 2015

Background: The self and self-experience are often assumed to play an important role in adolescent patients presenting with severe somatic symptoms and bodily distress. Nonetheless, most empirical work on this subject is confined to studies of personality and patients' experience of negative emotionality. This study aims to move beyond mere descriptions of symptoms, traits and distress, and consequently adopts a narrative approach to self-experience in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Sampling and Methods: The self-confrontation method (SCM) is a well-validated instrument to systematically analyze narrative self-experience. The SCM was used to study 42 adolescents with CFS, compared to 36 adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and 25 matched healthy controls. The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-CF87) was used to assess mental health, self-esteem, and physical and psychosocial functioning. Results: Both patient groups reported significantly less positive self-experience of autonomy and success compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, patients with CFS described significantly more negative self-experience of powerlessness, isolation and unfulfilled longing. In the CHQ-CF87, both patient groups scored significantly lower on physical functioning than controls. Adolescents with CFS also scored significantly lower on mental health and self-esteem. Conclusions: Adolescent CFS entails a serious threat to the self, which might be inherent to the condition. Not only are patients more impaired in mental health, self-esteem, and physical and psychosocial functioning than patients with JIA, they also suffer from a distinct combination of high negative and low positive self-experience. These findings stress the need for strategies that empower patients towards a ‘management of the self'.
The Relation between Obesity and Hospital Length of Stay after Elective Lateral Skull Base Surgery: An Analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program
Authors: O''Connell Brendan P. , Rizk Habib G. , Stevens Shawn M. , Nguyen Shaun A. , Meyer Ted A.
Published: September 2015

Purpose: Length of stay is a marker of quality and efficiency of health care delivery. The objective of this study was to identify preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables that impact length of stay after lateral skull base surgery. Methods/Procedures: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) databases from 2009-2012 were analyzed, and patients undergoing elective lateral skull base surgery for benign lesions of cranial nerves were identified. The primary outcome measure of interest was length of hospital stay. Protracted length of stay was defined as ≥75th percentile of length of stay for all patients. The impact of demographic factors, intraoperative variables, and postoperative complications on length of stay was assessed. Results: In total, 252 patients were included. Almost half of the patients (41.2%) were classified as obese (body mass index ≥30). Patients who were obese had significantly longer lengths of stay (5.6 ± 3.9 days) when compared to patients who were not obese (4.6 ± 3.4 days, p = 0.006). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that operative time, reoperation within 30 days of initial surgery, and obesity were independent predictors for protracted length of stay. Conclusion: National multi-institutional data from the ACS-NSQIP suggest that operative time, reoperation, and obesity are predictors of longer hospital stays after lateral skull base approaches for benign cranial nerve neoplasms.
Amyloid Beta Peptide 1-42 Induces SH-SY5Y Cell Apoptosis via the Promotion of Meg3 Long Noncoding RNA Expression
Authors: Huang Yongyi , Liu Te
Published: September 2015

Background/Aim: The mechanisms and processes of amyloid beta (Aβ)1-42/Aβ1-40 degeneration and deposition of neuron damage are still not clear. The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is one of the members of the noncoding RNA family. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether Aβ1-42 inhibited SH-SY5Y cells in vitro through modulating Meg3 lncRNA. Methods: The Alzheimer's disease (AD) senile plaque cell model was generated using synthetic Aβ1-42-treated SH-SY5Y cells. MTT assays were used to determine the proliferation of SH-SY5Y cells. Quantitative (q)RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were used to test the expression levels of mRNA and protein. Northern blot analysis was used to confirm Meg3 lncRNA expression. Results: The MTT assays showed that exogenous Aβ1-42 suppressed SH-SY5Y cells. The qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses revealed that the expression of p53 mRNA and protein was significantly increased in the AD model group, with a marked decrease in MDM2 and Ki-67 expression on day 7. Moreover, the qRT-PCR and Northern blot analyses confirmed that exogenous Aβ1-42 promoted the expression of Meg3 lncRNA. There was a downregulation of Meg3 lncRNA expression in SH-SY5Y cells by siRNA, which could promote of the ability of MDM2 to degrade p53 protein on the ubiquitin pathway and delay SH-SY5Y apoptosis. Conclusion: Meg3 lncRNA is implicated as an important factor in the formation of mature Aβ peptides.
Occluded Cigarette Smoke Exposure Causing Localized Chloracne-Like Comedones
Authors: Patterson Andrew T. , Tian Frances T. , Elston Dirk M. , Kaffenberger Benjamin H.
Published: September 2015

Many environmental acne disorders, including chloracne and oil acne, were previously thought to occur predominantly in occupational settings following polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure. Cigarette smoke has also been shown to contain a large number of these toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon components and strictly correlates with noninflammatory acneiform lesion development in postadolescent patients. We report a case of localized open comedones associated with occluded cigarette smoke exposure near the nasal cavity due to infrequently changed gauze following rhinectomy. The dermal uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon components in cigarette smoke has the potential to function as a contributing factor in chloracne development. Several of these environmental and noninflammatory acne subtypes may share a common molecular propensity for enhanced comedogenesis originating from aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway effects in the skin. Additional studies are needed to further elucidate the exact mechanistic pathways through which tobacco smoke impacts the integumentary system.
Obesity and Pro12Ala Polymorphism of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Gamma Gene in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Mansoori Anahita , Amini Maryam , Kolahdooz Fariba , Seyedrezazadeh Ensiyeh
Published: September 2015

Background: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the relationship between obesity and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) Pro12Ala polymorphism in healthy adults. Summary: Weighted mean differences (WMDs) of body mass index (BMI) were calculated for different inheritance models and subgroups. Fifty-six studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The result shows that the Ala allele of this polymorphism was associated with increased WMD in mean BMI (WMD = 0.29, 95% CI 0.10-0.48, p = 0.003). The Ala carriers were associated with increased WMD in mean BMI values in both genders and in the Caucasian subgroup. The associations were seen among people with higher levels of BMI (BMI ≥35). Message: The Ala allele of the PPARγ Pro12Ala polymorphism in healthy adults was associated with increased BMI under a dominant model of inheritance.
O Vestido em Panorama: sobre a formação e a relativização de um cânone da historiografia teatral brasileira
Authors: Buarque de Gusmão Henrique , Herzog Thiago
Published: September 2015

Este artigo propõe um exercício de história intelectual, buscando encontrar no livro Panorama do teatro brasileiro, de Sábato Magaldi, algumas chaves explicativas para a criação de um “marco fundador” do teatro brasileiro moderno que se difundiu tão amplamente no ambiente intelectual dos estudos teatrais: a estreia de Vestido de noiva, de Nelson Rodrigues, em 1943. Para tal, serão analisadas as principais referências que orientam a reflexão de Sábato, assim como os dispositivos centrais que ele constrói para a sua escrita da história do teatro brasileiro. No final do texto, é feita uma reflexão a respeito dos desafios que os historiadores do teatro enfrentam diante do surgimento de novas perspectivas teóricas que desestabilizam as noções de “cânone” e as grandes narrativas que abarcam longos períodos históricos. 
Fernanda Montenegro em O mambembe: o quelque chose da diva moderna
Authors: Guenzburger Gustavo
Published: September 2015

Este trabalho é um estudo sobre a atuação de Fernanda Montenegro no papel de Laudelina na famosa montagem de O mambembe de 1959, a partir de fotos, testemunhos, críticas e, principalmente, do áudio completo do espetáculo. A discussão sobre a versatilidade da atriz naquele papel pretende se conectar a uma reflexão sobre aspectos determinantes na história da atuação carioca como um todo. No momento da invenção da simbiose entre o teatro e a televisão no Rio de Janeiro, um novo e moderno “divismo” é apontado aqui como resultado de uma versatilidade artística que permitiu, a toda uma geração, negociar seu papel na interseção entre o teatro e a indústria cultural. 
Legado de Caim: a jornada brasileira do Living Theatre (1970-71)
Authors: Vannucci Alessandra
Published: September 2015

Na trajetória do Living Theatre, companhia teatral de origem norte-americana, desde 1964 nômade por opção, a viagem ao Brasil de 1970 a 1971 proporcionou, por meio de experiências extremas de opressão – como a detenção –, a descoberta de novas táticas de ativismo estético-político. Focando um processo teatral que não aconteceu como espetáculo, mas provocou uma espetacular auto exposição dos dispositivos de repressão do regime militar, o artigo se propõe analisar estruturas constitutivas daquela fase da história da nação. 
Histórias globais do teatro: novas perspectivas para a historiografia
Authors: Junqueira Christine
Published: September 2015

As histórias globais do teatro configuram um novo campo de investigação de caráter historiográfico, que vem se delineando com a história do teatro, produzindo novas perspectivas multidisciplinares baseadas no fenômeno da globalização. As relações de criação, produção e distribuição do teatro enquanto commodity, a atuação das redes teatrais internacionais (turnês) são alguns dos temas que interpretam as oportunidades transnacionais de se maximizar o valor do teatro enquanto mercadoria, assim como a mobilidade de artistas, companhias e empresários a partir de meados do século XIX. 
Da tela ao palco: pintura, teatro e revolução no Brutus de Jacques-Louis David
Authors: Dessoldi Flavia Giovana
Published: September 2015

O artigo discute a contribuição da Revolução Francesa para o campo das artes, mais especificamente para o campo das artes cênicas: a importância do teatro nesse período e o legado deixado após a influência da revolução na ligação entre as linguagens artísticas, analisada a partir da relação entre o quadro Brutus, de Jacques-Louis David, a montagem da peça de mesmo nome em 1790 escrita por Voltaire, a nova concepção teatral que será desenvolvida e a trajetória de Talma, um ator da Comédie Française que será consagrado a partir de sua posição política assumida durante a Revolução. Também analisa o teatro como ferramenta de protesto e de mobilização das massas. 
Espaço do Grupo Opinião: vozes dissonantes sobre seu fechamento no Jornal do Brasil
Authors: Calixto Marques Maria Do Socorro
Published: September 2015

Neste artigo proponho abordar a publicação no Jornal do Brasil, em 1980, sobre o fechamento do espaço teatral Opinião. Para analisar o material selecionado, utilizo algumas categorias teóricas sobre discurso e espaço, a exemplo de utopia, heterotopia e formação discursiva, apresentadas por Michel Foucault e Michel de Certeau no tocante a espaços construídos através de narrativas. As duas orientações teóricas apontam para a construção de um lugar como configuração de posições. 
Espelho falso: a paródia na formação do teatro brasileiro
Authors: Metzler Marta
Published: September 2015

Este trabalho articula-se em torno da relação entre as formas paródicas e a atividade teatral desenvolvida no Brasil, com a ideia de que a práxis parodística está diretamente implicada no processo de formação dos autores e na própria construção da noção de teatro brasileiro. A paródia é uma arte que se manifesta por polifonia, entrecruzando vozes, tempos, lugares, descentrando valores e sentidos artístico-culturais. Considerando que, no caso brasileiro, formas marginais como a paródia ocupam o centro da formação teatral, o olhar se situa nos deslimites em que se entrelaçam origem e destino, centro e periferia. Objetiva-se realizar um estudo crítico, seguindo uma perspectiva histórica, trabalhando com investigação, registro e análise de material dramatúrgico, bibliográfico e jornalístico, em interconexão com o exame teórico-conceitual fundamentado em estudos contemporâneos da paródia, da história do teatro brasileiro e da cultura. 
Heliodorus’ Reading of Lucian’s Toxaris
Authors: Tagliabue Aldo
Published: September 2015

This article demonstrates that Cnemon’s story in Heliodorus’Aethiopicaintertexts with the novella of Deinias in Lucian’sToxaris. The closeness of three textual parallels, along with a subtle use of characters’ names, proves that Heliodorus is deliberately recallingToxaris. The focus of this intertextuality is Chariclea, the courtesan of Deinias’ story. This immoral figure is a striking counterpart to the lustful Demaenete, the main character of Cnemon’s story and the first immoral lover of theAethiopica. At the same time, the evocation by Heliodorus of a lustful woman who has the same name as the protagonist Chariclea, paradoxically enriches the characterization of the latter as chaste. Furthermore, this subtle evocation of Chariclea seems to have metaliterary implications as well. In theAethiopicaChariclea stands for the entire novel: Heliodorus appears to define the nature of his text in opposition to Lucian’sToxarisand to the different kind of fiction it represents. Heliodorus’ definition of his own novel by means of establishing a contrast with other texts is an important function of his intertextuality with Imperial literature and possibly sheds new light on the status of ancient fiction as a whole.
Consonance of Final -s and Asyndetic Accumulation in Latin Poetry
Authors: Pezzini Giuseppe
Published: September 2015

Taking as a starting point Housman’s note on Man. 4.780 (Cyrenes lacrimis radicis Scorpios acris), the article analyses a stylistic device of Latin poetry, namely the repetition (consonance) of final -swithin the same line. The analysis is based on the collection of all the cases of lines which have words, or all words except one, ending in -s, in both early and classical Latin poetry, the stylistic and linguistic features of which are discussed. A split between early texts and classical texts is observed: in early Latin texts consonance of -sis generally concomitant with asyndetic accumulation of similar words (cf. e.g. Enn.Ann.inc. 498 S.flentes plorantes lacrumantes obtestantes), which is an interesting stylistic pattern, common in early Latin and associated with elevated style, and later probably acquiring an archaising ring. On the other hand, consonance of -sin classical Latin poetry appears as an independent sound figure, deployed by authors for poetic effect (cf. e.g. Verg.A. 12.708ingentis genitos diuersis partibus orbis). By analysing these patterns of consonance, the article also investigates the stylistic potential of asyndeton and the phonetic status of final -sin early and classical Latin.
Sine dolo malo
Authors: Decorte Robrecht
Published: September 2015

The Oscan law of theTabula Bantina(tbo), the longest Oscan text found to this date, is the product of a politically significant time in Roman history in which the Italiansociirevolted against, and tried to assert independence from, Rome. In spite of this, thetbolargely reads like a Roman law, particularly in vocabulary and phrasing. The aim of this article is to reveal the extent to which thetbowas influenced by Latin legal language. It will identify several remarkable syntactic, stylistic and epigraphic aspects of this Oscan law and compare them to conventions in the Latin legal register.
Religion, Nature, and Ambiguous Space in Ancient Mesopotamia: The Mountain Wilderness in Old Babylonian Religious Narratives
Authors: Feldt Laura
Published: September 2015

This article discusses the nexus of religion and nature by means of an investigation of the mountain wilderness space in ancient Mesopotamia. Drawing inspiration from theories of social space and the field of religion and nature, it pays special attention to the mediality of the sources embedding the wilderness space by analyzing the literary-narrative form of a set of Old Babylonian, Sumerian religious narratives related to the deities Inana and Ninurta and the heroes Lugalbanda and Gilgamesh. Contrary to previous research, which has seen the mountain wilderness as a dangerous and inimical chaos region, this article argues that the mountain wilderness is also ascribed benign connotations and functions. It is a wild and dangerous region, but it is also naturally abundant, primeval, and harbors forms of agency and force. It is an arena for magical transformation, heroic acts, and for direct communication with the deities. It is thus a more ambiguous space than has previously been recognized, and it should be understood in the context of the social space of the scribal milieu. Finally, the article suggests that cosmology studies and the relationships between natural domains and deities, in the general history of religions, are reconsidered in light of theories of social space and in light of the mediality of the sources.
No predatory bias with respect to colour familiarity for the aposematic Adelphobates galactonotus (Anura: Dendrobatidae)
Authors: Rojas Diana Patricia , Stow Adam , Amézquita Adolfo , Simões Pedro Ivo , Lima Albertina Pimentel
Published: September 2015

Aposematic colouration deters visually oriented predators because conspicuous signals are easier to detect and associate with unpalatability. Consequently, brightly coloured prey that are novel are predicted to be preyed on more than those with bright but typical colours. Here we evaluated whether predatory bias is associated with the colour differences observed at two different localities for a large, conspicuously coloured and poisonous Amazonian frog,Adelphobates galactonotus. At each locality predation experiments were carried out using frog models of two naturally occurring colours of the study species (blue and orange) and a control (brown). We found no evidence that novel colours were more vulnerable to predation than local colours. These results do not therefore support our hypothesis that predatory bias explains the geographic variation of colour inA. galactonotus.
Diel variation in signalling and signal transmission in the bladder grasshopper, Bullacris unicolor (Orthoptera; Pneumoridae)
Authors: Couldridge Vanessa C.K. , Gordon Mikhaila L.
Published: September 2015

Here we investigate intraspecific variation in diel patterns of acoustic signalling in the bladder grasshopper,Bullacris unicolor. We observed thatB. unicolorcalls at different times during the night in different parts of its distribution. Males further north typically call just before dawn, while those further south signal throughout the night. Sound transmission experiments were conducted in order to determine whether the observed discrepancy in signal timing can be explained by differences in signal propagation at different times in the night, which might vary geographically. We found significant differences in signal attenuation and fidelity at different broadcast times as well as between locations. However, there was only partial support for the hypothesis that males time their calls to coincide with the most ideal transmission conditions. We suggest that other factors, such as predation pressure, might also contribute to the observed discrepancy in signal timing between populations.
Arch displays signal threat intentions in a fission–fusion flock of the red-crowned crane
Authors: Takeda Kohei F. , Hiraiwa-Hasegawa Mariko , Kutsukake Nobuyuki
Published: September 2015

Ritualised displays are used by group-living animals in various contexts, such as when individuals join a group or flock. Only a few quantitative studies of the function of displays in species with fission–fusion social dynamics have been conducted to date. Here, we examined the arch display in red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) immediately after joining a flock. Behavioural observations indicated that the arch functions as a signal of both threat motivation and individual strength. Singletons had disadvantages in terms of competition over resources and were, therefore, expected to have higher threat motivation than pairs or families. Indeed, singletons performed the arch more frequently than did pairs or families. Performance of the arch was related to dominance: males and adults were more likely to perform the arch than females and sub-adults. The likelihood of performing the arch was positively associated with local group density, indicating that joiners arched in more competitive situations. Contextual analyses indicated that subsequent behaviour by a joiner was more aggressive and that nearby individuals more frequently showed behavioural responses when a joiner arched than when it did not. Together, this study shows that cranes demonstrate functional displays to potential competitors, and represents a rare example of the functional analysis of ritualised signals in non-songbird species with fission–fusion social dynamics.
Social status influences responses to unfamiliar conspecifics in a cooperatively breeding fish
Authors: Ligocki Isaac Y. , Reddon Adam R. , Hellmann Jennifer K. , O’Connor Constance M. , Marsh-Rollo Susan , Balshine Sigal , Hamilton Ian M.
Published: September 2015

In group living animals, individuals may visit other groups. The costs and benefits of such visits for the members of a group will depend on the attributes and intentions of the visitor, and the social status of responding group members. Using wild groups of the cooperatively breeding cichlid fish (Neolamprologus pulcher), we compared group member responses to unfamiliar ‘visiting’ conspecifics in control groups and in experimentally manipulated groups from which a subordinate the same size and sex as the visitor was removed. High-ranking fish were less aggressive towards visitors in removal groups than in control groups; low-ranking subordinates were more aggressive in the removal treatment. High-ranking females and subordinates the same size and sex as the visitor responded most aggressively toward the visitor in control groups. These results suggest that visitors are perceived as potential group joiners, and that such visits impose different costs and benefits on current group members.
Playbacks revisited: asymmetry in behavioural response across an acoustic boundary between two parapatric bird species
Authors: Burbidge Tamsin , Parson Thari , Caycedo-Rosales Paula C. , Cadena Carlos Daniel , Slabbekoorn Hans
Published: September 2015

Behavioural barriers to gene flow can play a key role in speciation and hybridisation. Birdsong is well-known for its potential contribution to such behavioural barriers as it may affect gene flow through an effect on territorial and mating success across population boundaries. Conspecific recognition and heterospecific discrimination of acoustic variation can prevent or limit hybridization in areas where closely related species meet. Here we tested the impact of song differences on territorial response levels between two adjacent Henicorhina wood-wren species along an elevational gradient in Colombia. In an earlier study, playback results had revealed an asymmetric response pattern, with low-elevation H. leucophrys bangsi responding strongly to any conspecific or heterospecific song variant, whereas high-elevation H. anachoreta birds discriminated, responding more strongly to their own songs than to those of bangsi. However, in that study we could not exclude a role for relative familiarity to the song stimuli. In the current study we confirm the asymmetric response pattern with song stimuli recorded close to and on both sides of the distinct acoustic boundary. Furthermore, we also show a previously unnoticed divergence in singing style between these two wood-wren species, which may contribute to an acoustically guided barrier to hybridization in this secondary contact zone.
Evasive behaviours of female dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) during exploitative scramble competition
Authors: Orbach Dara N. , Packard Jane M. , Kirchner Theresa , Würsig Bernd
Published: September 2015

When males engage in scramble competition, are females non-evasive recipients of male coercion or evasive? Small groups of male dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) engage in exploitative (non-interference) scramble competition for access to oestrous females near Kaikoura, New Zealand. We conducted behavioural sequence analyses of videos of 48 mating groups with continuous records and focal individual follows of females. We determined (1) the frequency and type of behaviours (non-evasive vs. evasive), (2) the variation in simple transition probabilities of behaviours leading to a copulatory position associated with female resistance and non-resistance and (3) the variation in female responses to male behaviours throughout focal follows. Females exhibited frequent active evasive manoeuvers following male behaviours. Copulation sequences were highly variable and most complex when terminated by females. Females altered responses to male signals, one aspect of mate choice potentially favouring male endurance.
Latronema whataitai sp. n. (Nematoda: Selachinematidae) from intertidal sediments of New Zealand, with notes on relationships within the family based on preliminary 18S and D2-D3 phylogenetic analyses
Authors: Leduc Daniel , Zhao Zeng
Published: September 2015

Latronema whataitaisp. n. is described from intertidal sediments of Hataitai Beach, North Island of New Zealand, and its placement within the Selachinematidae investigated using 18S and D2-D3 molecular sequences.Latronema whataitaisp. n. is characterised by relatively slender body (a = 22-25), outer labial setae and cephalic setae of similar length, anterior buccal cavity with three sets of seven teeth with larger central tooth positioned above the other six, circular amphid with faint outline, males with 12-13 precloacal supplements and spicules with pointed projection near distal end, and tail 2.0-2.6 anal body diam. long. The cuticle ultrastructure of the genus is investigated for the first time using scanning electron microscopy. Molecular phylogenies of near full length small subunit and D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit rRNA genes do not provide support for the division of Selachinematidae into the subfamilies Selachinematinae and Choniolaiminae, and do not support a close relationship betweenLatronemaandRichtersiadespite some morphological similarities. These preliminary results are based on a small number of molecular sequences, and therefore the current morphology-based classification remains the most tractable system for the Selachinematidae until more comprehensive analyses are conducted.
Nematodes of the Wonderfontein Cave (Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa)
Authors: Du Preez Gerhard , Swart Antoinette , Fourie Hendrika
Published: September 2015

Although the importance of nematodes, especially in soil ecosystems, is well appreciated, very little is known about the occurrence of and ecosystem services provided by cavernicolous nematodes. This study was undertaken to determine the nematode occurrence, density and distribution in the Wonderfontein Cave (South Africa), which is subjected to the influx of water from the Wonderfontein Spruit. Of the 53 nematode genera collected from the Wonderfontein Cave during the first (April 2013) and second (September 2013) sampling intervals, 22 have never been reported from a cave environment. Results indicated that many of the nematodes found may only be temporary residents introduced from the surface environment. This study reveals the necessity of further efforts to investigate the nematode communities associated with subterranean environments, which will provide a better understanding of the functioning of the associated ecosystems.
Arginine metabolism of Arabidopsis thaliana is modulated by Heterodera schachtii infection
Authors: Anwar Shahbaz , Inselsbacher Erich , Grundler Florian M.W. , Hofmann Julia
Published: September 2015

The plant-parasitic cyst nematodeHeterodera schachtiiinduces syncytial feeding structures in the roots of host plants. These syncytia provide all required nutrients, water and solutes to the parasites. Previous studies on the composition of primary metabolites in syncytia revealed significantly increased amino acid levels. However, mainly due to technical limitations, little is known about the role of arginine in plant-nematode interactions. This free amino acid plays a central role in the plant primary metabolism and serves as substrate for metabolites involved in plant stress responses. Thus, in the present work, expression of genes coding for the enzymes of arginine metabolism were studied in nematode-induced syncytia compared to non-infected control roots ofArabidopsis thaliana. Further, amiRNA lines were constructed and T-DNA lines were isolated to test their effects on nematode development. While the silencing of genes involved in arginine synthesis increased nematode development, most T-DNA lines did not show any significant difference from the wild type. Amino acid analyses of syncytia showed that they accumulate high arginine levels. In addition, manipulating arginine cycling had a global effect on the local amino acid composition in syncytia as well as on the systemic amino acid levels in roots and shoots.
How Not to Build a Temple: Jacob, David, and the Unbuilt Ideal in Ancient Judaism
Authors: Mroczek Eva
Published: September 2015

Jacob and David share one distinction in early Jewish literature: both wish to build temples, but are denied by direct divine revelation—David in Chronicles, and Jacob in Jubilees. Considering these figures together through the motif of a denied sanctuary illuminates how early Jews conceptualized the temple, both earthly and heavenly. The prohibitions against building are also occasions for cultic inauguration, revelation of writing, and promises of an ideal or eschatological sanctuary. When the Jerusalem temple was considered less than ideal, a return to founding moments, when the temple was still unbuilt—but only a blueprint, vision, or promise—was an important theological move. In those primordial times, nothing had yet been constructed, so nothing could have been ruined; Jacob and David serve as exemplars of how to live when the ideal temple is not yet real. Considering them together provides a richer imaginative context for Chronicles, Jubilees, 11QT, 4QFlor, and other texts.
Constructing Fear and Pride in the Book of Daniel: The Profile of a Second Temple Emotional Community
Authors: Mermelstein Ari
Published: September 2015

This paper examines the seminal role that emotions, particularly fear and pride, play in the book of Daniel. Drawing upon the idea of “emotional communities,” I view the book’s final redactor as engaged with the views of one such community during the period of the Antiochan persecutions. The redactor’s emotional community responded to the persecutions with fear, an emotion that he simultaneously validated and challenged. The emotions of pride and fear both reflect beliefs about one’s power relative to others. The prideful kings portrayed in the book and the redactor’s fearful emotional community shared what the redactor claimed were unwarranted beliefs about the relative power of each group. In order to jettison the fear of his community, the redactor first had to address the beliefs that supported that emotion. The book constitutes a sustained effort to construct an alternative emotional norm for members of the redactor’s community by providing them with a new way of evaluating their situation: even if redemption has been delayed, faithful Jews who resist Antiochus to the point of martyrdom are in fact the powerful ones.
Jerusalem’s Lost Etymology: How Augustine Changed Latin Eschatology
Authors: Scully Ellen
Published: September 2015

This article analyzes the transition from one etymology for Jerusalem (“city of peace”) to another (“vision of peace”) in the late fourth century and the effects of this transition on the Latin eschatological tradition. My thesis is that Augustine’s conscious preference for the etymology of “vision of peace” over that of “city of peace” is motivated by the greater usefulness of “vision of peace” within his already established eschatological system that links vision with beatitude. Augustine’s preference for “vision of peace” influenced the eschatological trajectory of the Latin patristic and medieval tradition.
The Mountain of Jericho in the Nag Hammadi Apocalypse of Paul: A Suggestion
Authors: Twigg Matthew
Published: September 2015

In the Nag Hammadi Apocalypse of Paul, Paul is said to “trample upon the Mountain of Jericho” immediately prior to his out-of-body ascent through the heavens. The historical Paul never mentions Jericho. Further, there is no such mountain as the “Mountain of Jericho”. It is a metaphor which has been fabricated by the author of Apoc.Paul. This article suggests that the metaphor has an exegetical basis which, once grasped, sheds light on the broader narrative of the text. The metaphor is divided into three parts: 1) Jericho; 2) the “Mountain”; and 3) Paul’s “trampling” upon it. Once the exegetical background of each element has been analysed individually, the metaphor is reassembled in order to demonstrate that the underlying meaning of the image is that to “trample upon the Mountain of Jericho” is in fact to “overcome the hostile forces of the material world”, perhaps even the devil himself.
Eschatology and Politics in Cyril of Jerusalem’s Epistle to Constantius
Authors: Gassman Mattias
Published: September 2015

Cyril’s letter to Constantius ii on the Jerusalem cross-apparition of 351 has usually been read as a declaration of Cyril’s loyalty during Constantius’ war with Magnentius. However, the letter also includes a discussion that links the cross to the eschatological “sign of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:30). Modern interpreters have either ignored this eschatological section or assumed that it is aimed at a non-imperial audience. This paper advances a unified reading of the letter that shows how Cyril uses explicit verbal cues and his description of the cross’s appearance and position over the sacred landscape of Jerusalem to prepare his imperial reader for the switch from politics to eschatology. Cyril thus reinforces his portrayal of Constantius as a devout Christian emperor and assures Constantius not just of military success but of the truth of the Christian faith, while still maintaining his own episcopal authority.
The Spirit Speaks: Pneumatological Innovation in the Scriptural Exegesis of Justin and Tertullian
Authors: Hughes Kyle R.
Published: September 2015

This paper considers the role of the Spirit within early Christian writers’ use of prosopological exegesis, an interpretive method which seeks to identify various persons (prosopa) as the “true” speakers or addressees of a Scriptural text in which they are otherwise not in view. While scholars are increasingly recognizing that, for some early Christian writers, the Spirit could himself be a speaking agent, there remains no systematic analysis of the texts in which the Spirit speaks from his own prosopon. After making just such an analysis, focusing on key texts in the writings of Tertullian and Justin Martyr, this paper concludes that the need for divine testimony concerning both the Father and the Son was the central motivating factor for assigning ot quotations to the prosopon of the Spirit. In particular, this paper argues that this emphasis on the Spirit’s role as one who testifies is a direct outgrowth of the portrayal of the Spirit in the Johannine corpus and arose in the context of conflict with Judaism concerning the cessation of the Spirit. By making this connection, we have a new means by which to glimpse the theological dynamics at work in the pre-Nicene period that would contribute to the development of a distinctively Trinitarian, and not merely binitarian, view of God.
Literary and Rhetorical Theory in Irenaeus, Part 1
Authors: Briggman Anthony
Published: September 2015

Scholars have long queried the influence of rhetorical theory upon Irenaeus’ thought. Despite the identification of various aspects of rhetorical theory in his work, a clear sense of the centrality and importance of rhetorical theory to Irenaeus has not emerged. In this article I argue that concepts belonging to literary and rhetorical theory are of central importance to Irenaeus’ anti-Gnostic polemic in ah 1.8.1-10.3 and even feature in his constructive thought. What emerges is a picture of Irenaeus as a polemicist and theologian who ably uses tools acquired in a thorough grammatical and rhetorical education.
Child and Adolescent Rights in Brazil
Authors: Sacco Airi Macias , Souza Ana Paula Lazzaretti de , Koller Sílvia Helena
Published: September 2015

This paper presents a summary of the status of child and adolescent rights in Brazil. It describes the evolution of the legislation, particularly after the implementation of the Child and Adolescent Statute (eca). Analyzed topics include life, identity, health, protection, education, and housing. The violation of child and youth rights is also considered, with an emphasis on child labour, sexual violence, and exploitation. Although much progress has been made in terms of protecting and guaranteeing such rights, Brazil is far from attaining the ideals determined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (crc) and the eca. For this to happen, a culture of respect for child and adolescent rights has to be implemented in Brazil.
The Corporate Parent as Ethical Approver: Issues and Experiences in researching HIV + Children in Jamaica
Authors: Miller Paul , Kelly Kemesha , Spawls Nicola
Published: September 2015

This paper is written in the context of researching children generally, and in the context of researching vulnerable children, namely children who are HIV +. Research carries with it various notions of power and ethics, often manifested in terms of a researcher’s positionality (ie: Insider/Outsider), the intended use of the research findings and accessing the field of enquiry. In the context of the research experiences being reported in this paper, researcher positionality was of only limited consequence. However, the intended use of the research’s output was crucial to gaining access to the field (namely children who are HIV +), since paramount to ‘gate keepers’ (namely state officials and partners) were such issues as safeguarding children and the protection of their right to privacy and confidentiality.