bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Extracts fromTrifolium mediumL. andTrifolium pratenseL. on Development of Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Osteoporosis in Rats
Authors: Cegieła Urszula , Folwarczna Joanna , Pytlik Maria , Zgórka Grażyna
Published: November 2012

Some plant species belonging toTrifoliumL. genus are a source of isoflavones considered to exert phytoestrogenic activities. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of standardized extract obtained from aerial parts ofTrifolium mediumL., in comparison with the extract ofTrifolium pratenseL., on the development of estrogen deficiency-induced osteoporosis in rats. BothTrifoliumextracts, at doses corresponding to 10 and 20 mg/kg of isoflavone aglycones daily, or estradiol (0.2 mg/kg daily), were administered orally to ovariectomized (OVX) rats for 4 weeks. Serum bone turnover markers, bone mass, mineralization, and mechanical properties were studied. In OVX control rats, mechanical properties of the tibial metaphysis and femoral neck were strongly worsened in comparison with sham-operated control rats, and those of femoral diaphysis were unaffected. Estradiol counteracted the worsening of the tibial strength and increases in bone turnover markers. Both extracts significantly increased the strength of the femoral diaphysis and calcium and phosphorus content in the bone mineral, but onlyT. pratenseextract increased the strength of the tibial metaphysis. In conclusion, effects of bothTrifoliumextracts differed from those of estradiol. It is possible that other than isoflavone extract constituents contributed to their skeletal effects.
Epimedium koreanumNakai Water Extract Exhibits Antiviral Activity against Porcine Epidermic Diarrhea VirusIn VitroandIn Vivo
Authors: Cho Won-Kyung , Kim Hyunil , Choi Yu Jeong , Yim Nam-Hui , Yang Hye Jin , Ma Jin Yeul
Published: November 2012

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes diarrhea of pigs age-independently and death of young piglets, resulting in economic loss of porcine industry. We have screened 333 natural oriental herbal medicines to search for new antiviral candidates against PEDV. We found that two herbal extracts, KIOM 198 and KIOM 124, contain significant anti-PED viral effect. KIOM 198 and KIOM 124 were identified asEpimedium koreanumNakai andLonicera japonicaThunberg, respectively. The further plaque and CPE inhibition assayin vitroshowed that KIOM 198 has much stronger antiviral activity than KIOM 124. Additionally, KIOM 198 exhibited a similar extent of antiviral effect against other subtypes of Corona virus such as sm98 and TGE viruses. Cytotoxicity results showed that KIOM 198 is nontoxic on the cells and suggest that it can be delivered safely for therapy. Furthermore, when we orally administered KIOM 198 to piglets and then infected them with PEDV, the piglets did not show any disease symptoms like diarrhea and biopsy results showed clean intestine, whereas control pigs without KIOM 198 treatment exhibited PED-related severe symptoms. These results imply that KIOM 198 contains strong antiviral activity and has a potential to be developed as an antiviral phytomedicine to treat PEDV-related diseases in pigs.
Calorimetric Study of Mesoporous SBA‐15 Modified for Controlled Valproic Acid Delivery
Authors: Giraldo Liliana , Moreno-Piraján Juan Carlos
Published: November 2012

SBA‐15 ordered mesoporous silica functionalized with (3‐aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) was used as the carrier for anticonvulsant drug 2‐propylpentanoic acid (valproic acid). The surface of SBA‐15 containing free silanol groups was modified with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane via postsynthetic reaction. Functionalization of the carrier with basic aminopropyl groups resulted in an ionic interaction with acidic valproic acid. The samples of carriers and carrier‐drug complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, N2 adsorption, FTIR, and UV spectroscopy. The adsorption of valproic acid on modified mesoporous matrix was proportional to the amount of introduced aminopropyl groups. A thermodynamic study with isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was made to characterize the modification and encapsulation of SBA‐15 with APTES and valproic acid, respectively. The maximum content of deposited drug in modified SBA‐15 was close to 30 wt.%. Tests performed in acidic solution (pH 2.0) showed the best pharmaceutical availability.
Low-Temperature Processing of Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles Photoanodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Al Dahoudi Naji , Zhang Qifeng , Cao Guozhong
Published: November 2012

Using the low-temperature processing of different organofunctional silanes like TEOS, GPTS, and MPTS to incorporate within TiO2network, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) processed at low temperatures were obtained. The UV-cured MPTS-modified layer exhibited better performance over the TEOS and GPTS, where better mechanical stable layer is achieved in addition to better interconnection between the TiO2nanoparticles. TheJ-Vcharacteristics of the DSC composed of silane-based layer showed that the improved cell performance was due to the high photocurrent density accompanied with more dye adsorption and higher charge injection from TiO2to FTO substrate resulting from the formation of an ohmic contact with the substrate. The highest conversion efficiency attained for MPTS-TiO2layer cured with UV and followed by heating at 300∘C was3.75±0.07%, which is 2.8 times better than the GPTS-based layer.
The Inhibitory Effects of Aqueous Extract from Guava Twigs, Psidium guajava L., on Mutation and Oxidative Damage
Authors: Kang Zhi-Chyang , Yen Ming-Tsung , Chiu Chih-Kwang , Wu Horng-Cherng , Huang Shu-Ling , Tai Shan-Pao , Wang Bor-Sen
Published: November 2012

This study examines the inhibitory effects of the aqueous extract from guava twigs (GTE), Psidium guajava L., on mutation and oxidative damage. The results show that GTE inhibits the mutagenicity of 4‐nitroquinoline‐N‐oxide (4‐NQO), a direct mutagen, and 2‐aminoanthracene (2‐AA), an indirect mutagen, toward Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and TA 100. In addition, GTE shows radical scavenging, reducing activities, tyrosinase inhibition, and liposome protection effects. Meanwhile, GTE in the range of 0.1–0.4 mg/mL protects liver cells from tert‐butyl‐hydroperoxide‐(t‐BHP‐) induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity inhibition of GTE in the t‐BHP‐treated cells was demonstrated in a dose‐dependent manner. High‐performance liquid chromatography analysis suggests that the major phenolic constituents in GTE are gallic acid, ferulic acid, and myricetin. These active phenolic components may contribute to the biological protective effects of GTE in different models. The data suggest that GTE exhibiting biological activities can be applied to antimutation, antityrosinase, and antioxidative damage.
Hypoalbuminemia in Donors with Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome
Authors: Verbeek L. , Middeldorp J.M. , Hulzebos C.V. , Oepkes D. , Walther F.J. , Lopriore E.
Published: November 2012

Objective: To estimate the differences in albumin levels between donors and recipients with twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). Methods: We performed a matched case-control study including twin pairs with TTTS treated conservatively (conservative group) or with fetoscopic laser surgery (laser group) and analyzed the albumin levels at birth in donor and recipient twins. Results: We included 18 twin pairs in the conservative group and 36 control twin pairs (laser group), matched for gestational age at birth. Median albumin levels in donor twins in the conservative group were significantly lower than in recipient twins, 25.0 versus 33.0 g/l, respectively (p = 0.001). In the laser group, albumin levels in donors and recipients were similar, 32.0 versus 32.0 g/l, respectively (p = 0.633). Hypoalbuminemia (albumin level <20 g/l) occurred in 22% (4/18) of donor twins in the conservative group. Conclusions: Hypoalbuminemia occurs frequently in donor twins with TTTS treated conservatively. In TTTS treated with laser, donor twins have similar and normal albumin levels compared to recipients, confirming a successfully performed fetoscopic laser procedure.
Quantification of Myocardial Extracellular Volume Fraction in Systemic AL Amyloidosis
Authors: Banypersad Sanjay M. , Sado Daniel M. , Flett Andrew S. , Gibbs Simon D.J. , Pinney Jennifer H. , Maestrini Viviana , Cox Andrew T. , Fontana Marianna , Whelan Carol J. , Wechalekar Ashutosh D. , Hawkins Philip N. , Moon James C.
Published: November 2012

Background—

Cardiac involvement predicts outcome in systemic AL amyloidosis and influences therapeutic options. Current methods of cardiac assessment do not quantify myocardial amyloid burden. We used equilibrium contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance (EQ-CMR) to quantify the cardiac interstitial compartment, measured as myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) fraction, hypothesizing it would reflect amyloid burden.

Methods and Results—

Sixty patients with systemic AL amyloidosis (65% men, median age 65 years) underwent conventional clinical cardiovascular magnetic resonance, including late enhancement, equilibrium contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance, and clinical cardiac evaluation, including ECG, echocardiography, assays of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and Troponin T, and functional assessment comprising the 6-minute walk test in ambulant individuals. Cardiac involvement in the amyloidosis patients was categorized as definite, probable, or none, suspected by conventional criteria. Findings were compared with 82 healthy controls. Mean ECV was significantly greater in patients than healthy controls (0.25 versus 0.40,
P
<0.001) and correlated with conventional criteria for characterizing the presence of cardiac involvement, the categories of none, probable, definite corresponding to ECV of 0.276 versus 0.342 versus 0.488, respectively (
P
<0.001). ECV was correlated with cardiac parameters by echocardiography (eg, Tissue Doppler Imaging [TDI] S-wave R=0.52, P<0.001) and conventional cardiovascular magnetic resonance (eg, indexed left ventricular mass
R
=0.56,
P
<0.001). There were also significant correlations with N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (
R
=0.69,
P
<0.001) and Troponin T (
R
=0.53,
P
=0.006). ECV was associated with smaller QRS voltages (
R
=0.57,
P
<0.001) and correlated with poorer performance in the 6-minute walk test (
R
=0.36,
P
=0.03).

Conclusions—

Myocardial ECV measurement has potential to become the first noninvasive test to quantify cardiac amyloid burden.
Influence of Atrioventricular Interaction on Mitral Valve Closure and Left Ventricular Isovolumic Contraction Measured by Tissue Doppler Imaging
Authors: Decloedt Annelies , Verheyen Tinne , Sys Stanislas , De Clercq Dominique , Bijnens Bart , van Loon Gunther
Published: November 2012

Background—

The influence of atrioventricular (AV) interaction on mitral valve closure (MVC) and left ventricular (LV) isovolumic contraction is not fully clarified. We investigated the relationship among AV delay, MVC, and LV isovolumic contraction using a horse model because of the low heart rate and physiologically long AV delay.

Methods and Results—

Six horses were evaluated during sinus rhythm, right ventricular pacing without preceding atrial contraction, and dual-chamber pacing at AV delays of 150 to 350 ms, programmed at a constant rate. Right parasternal 4-chamber views were recorded for simultaneous measurements of MVC from anatomic M-mode and radial tissue Doppler-based LV pre-ejection velocity and isovolumic acceleration. During sinus rhythm and long AV delays (≥300 ms), 2 positive pre-ejection velocity peaks were present. The first peak was identified as LV recoil during atrial relaxation and consistently preceded MVC by 33±17 ms. The second peak was related to LV isovolumic contraction, occurring after MVC. This suggests that MVC was caused by atrial relaxation and followed by true isovolumic contraction. During short AV delays (<300 ms) and right ventricular pacing, MVC occurred significantly later. Only 1 pre-ejection peak was present, of which the end coincided with MVC with a mean difference of –1.5±10 ms. This suggests that LV contraction caused MVC. Peak velocity and isovolumic acceleration were significantly higher (
P
<0.001) because the mitral valve was open at the onset of LV contraction.

Conclusions—

Depending on the AV delay, MVC can be atrio- or ventriculogenic, resulting in significant alterations of the LV peak pre-ejection velocity and isovolumic acceleration.
B-type Natriuretic Peptide and Risk of Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Acute ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Jarai Rudolf , Dangas George , Huber Kurt , Xu Ke , Brodie Bruce R. , Witzenbichler Bernhard , Metzger D. Christopher , Radke Peter W. , Yu Jennifer , Claessen Bimmer E. , Genereux Philippe , Mehran Roxana , Stone Gregg W.
Published: November 2012

Background—

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) after percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with adverse short- and long-term outcomes. However, identification of patients at risk for CI-AKI is challenging. Using a large contemporary randomized trial database of patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, we therefore sought to examine whether admission B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels predict the development of CI-AKI.

Methods and Results—

A total of 979 ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction patients enrolled in the Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction (HORIZONS-AMI) trial had BNP levels measured in the emergency room prior to primary percutaneous coronary intervention as part of the study protocol. CI-AKI was defined as a relative increase in serum creatinine of ≥25%, or an absolute increase of ≥0.5 mg/dL, occurring within 48 hours after contrast administration. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association of admission BNP with development of CI-AKI. CI-AKI occurred in 131 patients (13.3%). Baseline BNP was a significant univariable correlate of CI-AKI (odds ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 1.14–1.51;
P
=0.0001). After multivariable adjustment for clinical, laboratory, and angiographic variables, BNP remained a significant independent predictor of CI-AKI (1.29 [1.10, 1.51];
P
<0.001). Significant net reclassification improvement was achieved by addition of BNP to the current clinical risk prediction model (net reclassification improvement=0.177;
P
<0.001) and to the Mehran Risk Score (net reclassification improvement=0.100;
P
=0.015).

Conclusions—

Measurement of serum BNP at hospital admission may help identify patients who are at risk for developing CI-AKI after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00433966.
Genetic Inhibition of Na
+
-Ca
2+
Exchanger Current Disables Fight or Flight Sinoatrial Node Activity Without Affecting Resting Heart Rate
Authors: Gao Zhan , Rasmussen Tyler P. , Li Yue , Kutschke William , Koval Olha M. , Wu Yiming , Wu Yuejin , Hall Duane D. , Joiner Mei-ling A. , Wu Xiang-Qiong , Swaminathan Paari D. , Purohit Anil , Zimmerman Kathy , Weiss Robert M. , Philipson Kenneth D. , Song Long-sheng , Hund Thomas J. , Anderson Mark E.
Published: November 2012

Rationale:

The sodium–calcium exchanger 1 (NCX1) is predominantly expressed in the heart and is implicated in controlling automaticity in isolated sinoatrial node (SAN) pacemaker cells, but the potential role of NCX1 in determining heart rate in vivo is unknown.

Objective:

To determine the role of
Ncx1
in heart rate.

Methods and Results:

We used global myocardial and SAN-targeted conditional
Ncx1
knockout (
Ncx1
−/−
) mice to measure the effect of the NCX current on pacemaking activity in vivo, ex vivo, and in isolated SAN cells. We induced conditional
Ncx1
−/−
using a Cre/loxP system. Unexpectedly, in vivo and ex vivo hearts and isolated SAN cells showed that basal rates in
Ncx1
−/−
(retaining ≈20% of control level NCX current) and control mice were similar, suggesting that physiological NCX1 expression is not required for determining resting heart rate. However, increases in heart rate and SAN cell automaticity in response to isoproterenol or the dihydropyridine Ca
2+
channel agonist BayK8644 were significantly blunted or eliminated in
Ncx1
−/−
mice, indicating that NCX1 is important for fight or flight heart rate responses. In contrast, the pacemaker current and L-type Ca
2+
currents were equivalent in control and
Ncx1
−/−
SAN cells under resting and isoproterenol-stimulated conditions. Ivabradine, a pacemaker current antagonist with clinical efficacy, reduced basal SAN cell automaticity similarly in control and
Ncx1
−/−
mice. However, ivabradine decreased automaticity in SAN cells isolated from
Ncx1
−/−
mice more effectively than in control SAN cells after isoproterenol, suggesting that the importance of NCX current in fight or flight rate increases is enhanced after pacemaker current inhibition.

Conclusions:

Physiological
Ncx1
expression is required for increasing sinus rates in vivo, ex vivo, and in isolated SAN cells, but not for maintaining resting heart rate.
In a Distorted Mirror: The Cold War and U.S.-Soviet Biomedical Cooperation and (Mis)understanding, 1956–1977
Authors: Geltzer Anna
Published: November 2012

This article discusses how images and perceptions shaped by the Cold War led to misunderstandings on both sides of U.S.-Soviet biomedical exchanges. The article explores these misunderstandings and shows that their origins are to be found in the Cold War interactions between the two superpowers. The Cold War was more than just a structural constraint on the two sides' interactions. Political tensions between the superpowers interfered in the process of scientific cooperation, and the geopolitics of the period imbued science with political significance, but the crucial thing was the way the Cold War framed cooperation in the sphere of biomedicine. When exchange participants were interpreting and responding to interactions with their foreign colleagues, the analytical framework they used was the Cold War. Their adoption of this framework posed a barrier to achieving mutual understanding not only of the other side's motives or intentions but of the science itself. The exchange participants came away with a distorted picture of the structure and function of each other's research enterprise.
Family at the Fringes: The Medico-Alchemical Careers of Johann Ruland (1575–1638) and Johann David Ruland (1604–1648?)
Authors: Fekete Ilona
Published: November 2012

The Ruland family was perhaps the most famous clan involved in alchemy and medicine in early modern Central and Eastern Europe. Yet while more prominent members of the family, such as Martin Ruland Junior (1569–1611), participated in the alchemical milieu at the court of Rudolf II in Prague, other members, farther from the centre of Empire, are also significant to the study of interconnections between early modern alchemy, science, and medicine. A case in point is the misunderstood figure of Johann David Ruland (1605–1648?), who plied his trade in the territories of Royal Hungary. His major publication, the Pharmacopoea nova (1644), introduced the rudiments of his “filth-pharmacy” (Dreckapotheke): the use of bodily waste to cure and heal certain afflictions. Yet in the secondary literature, Johann David’s life and work have often been confused with the activities of his uncle, Johann Ruland (1585–1638). The present biographical study of both Johann and Johann David seeks to disentangle their respective intellectual legacies, allowing us the opportunity to resituate both men within their respective medical and alchemical contexts.
Dialogism and Territoriality in a Mughal History of the Islamic Millennium
Authors: Anooshahr Ali
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The sixteenth century witnessed the flowering of European literature that claimed to describe the encounter between Western travelers and the indigenous population of the rest of the world. Similarly, some Persianate writings of the same period present a dialogical encounter, not so much with the Europeanother, but with rival Muslim empires. One of the writers in this genre was Jaʿfar Beg Qazvīnī, sole author of the third part of theTaʾrikh-i alfī(Millennial History), supervised by the Mughal emperor Akbar. In his book, Jaʿfar Beg drew on an unprecedented store of sources from rival courts and treated the Ottomans, Mughals, and Safavids as essentially equal political and cultural units following identical historical trajectories. He also developed one of the earliest Mughal expressions of “Hindustan” encompassing South Asia in its entirety. While most analyses of this outstanding example of dialogical historiography have downplayed its value because of its paucity of new information, the present article will seek instead to demonstrate its significance for its unusual worldview.
Justifying Defeat: A Rajput Perspective on the Age of Akbar
Authors: Talbot Cynthia
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article explores a darker side of cultural dialogue—the experience of subjugation to a cultural “other”—through a case study of Rao Surjan of Bundi, a Rajput warrior who was defeated by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1569. Surjan’s surrender of Ranthambhor fort was celebrated in Mughal chronicles such as theAkbarnamabut condemned in Nainsi’sKhyatand other Rajput texts. Drawing primarily onSurjanacarita, a Sanskrit poem from about 1590, this article examines the literary strategies that were employed to justify Surjan’s submission to Akbar and his subsequent career as a Mughalmansabdar(imperial rank-holder).
There and Back Again: “Tin” or “Lead” in Amos 7:7-9?
Authors: Noonan Benjamin J.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Scholars have struggled with the meaning of the word אֲנָךְ, which appears twice in Amos 7:7 and twice in Amos 7:8. Traditionally, many scholars have defined אֲנָךְ as “lead” and understood it with reference to a plumb line. In recent years, however, the majority of readers have instead defined אֲנָךְ as “tin.” This has spawned a variety of interpretations that try to make sense of how exactly tin might fit into the context of Amos 7:7-9.

This paper critiques the notion that אֲנָךְ means “tin” rather than “lead.” It shows that, contrary to the present interpretative norm, there are no lexical grounds for defining אֲנָךְ exclusively as “tin.” From a lexicographical perspective, the definition “lead” remains the most viable option.
Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus (Amphibia: Ranidae) tadpole diet: description and analysis for three invasive populations in Uruguay
Authors: Ruibal Mariana , Laufer Gabriel
Published: November 2012

The North American bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus is a dangerous invasive species that has been introduced worldwide for commercial and ornamental purposes. Although studies of the bullfrog’s effects on invaded communities have been carried out, they have focused mostly on post-metamorphic stages. However, considering the experimental evidence and its ecological attributes, the L. catesbeianus tadpole could also have significant impact on invaded communities. The aim of this study was to perform a detailed qualitative and quantitative exploration of the L. catesbeianus larval diet. Gut content was studied and compared for three invaded locations in Uruguay (Departments of Canelones, Soriano and Cerro Largo). Although microscopic algae (Spirogyra spp., Euglena spp., Closterium spp., Volvox spp. and Scenedesmus spp.) were the most frequent prey, the diet was also made up of small invertebrates (especially rotifers) and eggs. Statistically significant differences in diet richness and prey identity were found among the three study sites, probably due to local conditions. One common feature among the three locations was the ingestion of prey with high protein levels, filamentous algae and animal prey. The high frequency of high-protein prey could explain the substantial growth rate of these larvae. Native tadpoles appear to have a much poorer diet than bullfrogs. We can thus assume that the L. catesbeianus larvae will be a major competitor and a potential predator for native communities. We propose that L. catesbeianus tadpoles may have significant effects on invaded communities, and should be considered in future research and managements plans.
Occurrence of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in introduced and native species from two regions of France
Authors: Ouellet Martin , Dejean Tony , Galois Patrick
Published: November 2012

To investigate the occurrence of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in France, we examined 575 amphibians collected between 1875 and 2008 for the presence of the infection in the epidermis. We confirmed Bd in seven of the 15 stations investigated in the Aquitaine and Poitou-Charentes regions. Histological examination revealed the presence of the infectious agent associated with mild epidermal changes in 25 of 493 (5.1%) amphibians sampled in 2007-2008. The overall occurrence was 21.9% (21/96) in the introduced American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) and 2.3% (4/172) in the native European water frog complex (Pelophylax sp.). These prevalence data should be viewed as conservative giving the limitation of histology. Morbidity and mortality attributable to chytridiomycosis were not observed in these two species during this period. The introduced African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) and all native museum specimens tested negative for chytrid infection. Unlike L. catesbeianus, Pelophylax sp. is broadly distributed at local and regional scales and whether or not this complex could act as a reservoir host in the dissemination of Bd remains to be determined. The presence of the chytrid fungus in amphibian populations from different locations in southwestern France calls for disease surveillance and for precautionary measures to avoid the spread of this emerging disease.
Behavioral responses of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) to a putative alarm cue derived from conspecific and heterospecific sources
Authors: Bals Jason D. , Wagner C. Michael
Published: November 2012

The sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, exhibits a spectacular
alarm response to the odor emitted from decayed conspecifics that may differ
substantially in function from the well-characterized system in ostariophysan
fishes. Here, we report a series of three laboratory experiments designed to
characterize the behavioral responses of migratory-phase lampreys to a set of
odors derived from conspecific and heterospecific tissues, determine whether sex
or sexual maturation alters these responses, and ascertain if the putative alarm
substance derives from a particular region of the body. A number of the
findings were consistent with the prevailing predator-avoidance paradigm for
fish alarm substances released from the skin after predator attack in that:
(1) dilute odors derived from freshly ground skin were highly repellent;
(2) the substance is contained in the organism early in life;
(3) the odor derived from a close relative was avoided whereas those of a
distant relative were not; and (4) upon sexual maturity female response
to the alarm substance was attenuated. Two interesting patterns arose that
differed substantially from the prevailing paradigm: (1) conspecific
odors remained repellent after 96 h of aerobic decay; and (2) the
cue was emitted from multiple areas of the body, not just the skin, and the
repellency of the odor derived from any tissue increased in accordance with its
mass. A persistent cue emitted from several sources suggests a broader
ecological function than the detection and avoidance of a predator.
Pratylenchus speijeri n. sp. (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae), a new root-lesion nematode pest of plantain in West Africa
Authors: De Luca Francesca , Troccoli Alberto , Duncan Larry W. , Subbotin Sergei A. , Waeyenberge Lieven , Coyne Daniel L. , Brentu Francis C. , Inserra Renato N.
Published: November 2012

A new root-lesion nematode, particularly pathogenic to Musa spp. and causing important plantain losses in Ghana, is described and named Pratylenchus speijeri n. sp. The cryptic status of this species within the P. coffeae species complex has been assessed and confirmed in this study. An extensive comparison of the morphological and molecular characteristics of this new species with those of P. coffeae and other related amphimictic species did not result in an unambiguous separation of this species from P. coffeae because only a few morphological features of diagnostic value were found. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of the D2-D3 expansion segments of the 28S rRNA gene, the ITS rRNA gene and a portion of the hsp90 gene of P. speijeri n. sp. and P. coffeae species complex populations from different sources generated majority consensus BI trees with three major clades: P. speijeri n. sp. from Musa spp. roots in Ghana; unidentified or putative new Pratylenchus sp. C1 from Colocasia esculenta roots in Japan and P. coffeae with non-homogeneous relationships from different hosts and distant geographical areas. These results confirmed the validity of P. speijeri n. sp. as a new taxon and indicated that P. coffeae populations from Colocasia in Japan also need to be considered as a new species. Sequence differences in the ITS were used to design group- and species-specific primers to detect P. speijeri n. sp. and other species of P. coffeae species complex. The use of these species-specific primers for the separation of P. speijeri n. sp., Pratylenchus sp. C1 and P. coffeae has important practical application in breeding programmes for agriculture in West Africa.
The Lived Experience of Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease: A Three-Year Longitudinal Phenomenological Case Study
Authors: Robinson Petra , Giorgi Barbro , Ekman Sirkka-Liisa
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how one person experienced the early years of dementia as she was living through the pre-clinical and early clinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Interviews were held on four occasions over a period of three years. The data were analyzed using the descriptive phenomenological psychological method, in which the researcher approached the data from a caring perspective. The lived experience of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease showed to be a complex transitional phenomenon that involves a dynamic process of personal adjustment. The process is set in motion as the participant receives the diagnosis and will eventually lead her towards a state of increased openness and receptiveness toward the disease. The results describe this process as it unfolds in the context of the overall experience, and the various adjustments that the participant undertakes. Some reflections concerning the plausible needs of patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease are included in the discussion.
Matter and Movement’s Presence: Notes on Heidegger, Francesco Mosca, and Bernini
Authors: Benjamin Andrew
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The role of actual works of art with philosophical writing is often reduced to the status of example or illustration. As such the materiality of art work is rarely discussed let alone deployed as the basis of philosophical reflection. In this paper works by Francesco Mosca, and Bernini are used to question Heidegger’s writings on sculpture. What such an approach opens up is the possibility that art may set the measure for philosophy.
Sixteen Questions for Fine and Milonakis
Authors: King J.E.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

While I am in broad agreement with the main thrust of Fine’s and Milonakis’s argument, I pose sixteen questions for them. The first ten questions relate to the history of economic thought (Ricardo, Marxian economics after Marx, institutionalism in Britain); substantive issues of economic theory (their neglect of macroeconomics); methodological and philosophical matters (induction and deduction, positivism, internal and external sources of paradigm change); and the other social sciences (political science, the origins of sociology). I conclude by asking six questions about the ‘old’ and ‘new’ economics imperialism, the prospects for mainstream economics, and the precise nature of the political-economy alternative that Fine and Milonakis propose. Is it simply Marxian political economy in disguise?
Is Isaiah 40–55 Really Monotheistic?
Authors: Olyan Saul M.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Isaiah 40–55 is often understood as a work bearing witness clearly and unambiguously to a “novel,” “consistent” and “extreme” monotheism, the monotheistic biblical work par excellence. Yet the author of this article challenges such claims in light of texts such as Isa 40:1–8 and 40:25–26, which recognize the existence of the heavenly host and the volition (40:25–26) or agency (40:1–8) of its members, and in view of Isa 51:9–11, which alludes clearly to the mythic conflict between Yhwh and the sea dragon as a reality. A statement such as “besides me there is no god” (45:5) must, therefore, be interpreted in light of these texts, which are all too frequently ignored by those who speak of Second Isaiah’s “radical” monotheism. “Besides me there is no god” is more likely a claim about Yhwh’s incomparability and unique power and agency than about his sole existence. If there is anything radical and unprecedented about Isaiah 40–55, it is the poet’s rhetoric, which seems to suggest a new meaning and more restricted use for the word “god” (אלהים).Though the host remain a heavenly reality for Second Isaiah, serving Yhwh as they have always done, they are no longer called gods.
From his Mother Nūr al-Anṣāriyya to his Šayḫ Fāṭima bt. Ibn al-Muṯannā: Important Female Figures around Muḥyī l-Dīn b. al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240)
Authors: Küçük Hülya
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Muḥyī l-Dīn b. al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240), well known for his favorable views on woman, is of the idea that there is a very strict love-bond in the God, man and woman trinity: God created Adam/man in His own image, and created woman on Adam/man’s image. Thus, God is the waṭan (country of origin) of Adam, and in turn Adam is the waṭan of woman. His mother Nūr al-Anṣāriyya, his wife Maryam and his daughter Zaynab should be regarded as the immediate important women around him. As he believed that man and woman were equal in everything, he followed both female and male šayḫs. Ibn al-ʿArabī’s esteemed female šayḫs include Fāṭima bt. Ibn al-Muṯannā, about whom he used the term “Divine mother;” Šams Umm al-Fuqarāʾ, and Faḫr al-Nisāʾ bt. Rustam, a scholar and the šayḫ of Ḥiğāz.
A Pseudo-Abū Ṭālib al-Makkī?: The Authenticity of ʿIlm al-qulūb1
Authors: Yazaki Saeko
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article examines the authenticity of ʿIlm al-qulūb (The Knowledge of Hearts), which is attributed to the early Sufi writer Abū Ṭālib al-Makkī (d. 386/996). Al-Makkī is the author of Qūt al-qulūb (The Nourishment of Hearts), which exerted a significant influence on later Muslim thinkers, especially Sufis, as an encyclopaedic work on ethics and spirituality in Islam. Questions around the authenticity of his alleged other work, ʿIlm al-qulūb, have sometimes been raised, and recent scholarship seems to deny authorship to al-Makkī. However, the matter has yet to be analysed thoroughly. This article first introduces modern scholarship on the ʿIlm and examines its extant manuscripts and contents. It goes on to compare the Qūt and the ʿIlm through a study of their aims, structures, approaches, and the religious authorities cited in both works. After tackling the question of the authenticity of the ʿIlm through an analysis of both external and internal evidence, this article touches upon the notion of authorship in the context of medieval Islamic writings.
Blood and Adrenaline:Introduction to the Review Roundtable on Manuel Vásquez’s More than Belief: A Materialist Theory of Religion
Authors: Koehlinger Amy L.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This essay introduces the review roundtable on Manuel Vásquez’s More than Belief: A Materialist theory of Religion by addressing the themes of cultural and physical embodiment that intersect in research on Catholics and the sport of boxing.
The Intensity of the Spirit in a Spirit-Filled World: Spirit Baptism, Subsequence, and the Spirit of Creation
Authors: Gabriel Andrew K.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

North American Classical Pentecostals have frequently described Spirit baptism as an experience that usually occurs subsequent to the reception of the Spirit at the point of conversion. When placed within a wider context of understanding the various ways in which the Spirit is present, it becomes apparent that this Pentecostal understanding of subsequence is only one instance of a subsequential experience of Spirit-filling. Given that we live in a Spirit-filled world, subsequent experiences of Spirit-filling can be seen in all believers, in the life of Jesus Christ, and in the life of the church. All of these experiences of being filled by the Spirit (and Spirit baptism in particular) may be expressed with the metaphor of the intensity of the Spirit.
Spiritless Lutheranism, Fatherless Pentecostalism, and a Proposed Baptismal-Christological Corrective
Authors: Wilson Sarah Hinlicky
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Though bilateral dialogue between Lutherans and Pentecostals at first glance looks unpromising, their already entangled histories suggest that the time is ripe to proceed. Doctrinal concerns also suggest mutual profit from dialogue. The Spirit has long since disappeared in Lutheran theology despite its importance in Luther’s theology, and the result has been the chronic Lutheran errors of scriptural inerrancy, rationalism, and moralism. Likewise, the absence of the Father in Pentecostalism has contributed to the loss of trinitarianism, the prosperity gospel, andjudgmentalism. The presence of the whole Trinity at Jesus’s baptism suggests a paradigm for Christian baptism and theology that could once again unite what the churches have allowed to fall apart.
The Investment Arbitration between Italy and Cuba: The Application of Customary International Law under Scrutiny
Authors: Milano Enrico
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The present article describes the arbitral proceedings in the investment dispute between Italy and Cuba, with special regard for the Final Award rendered in 2008. The arbitration has raised a number of interesting issues in the application of customary international law, including the admissibility of claims in diplomatic protection in investment disputes under a BIT, the application of the rule on the exhaustion of local remedies, the attribution of acts of State-owned enterprises to the State and the use of general international law as a means to interpret treaty provisions defining the scope of the BIT. Some of these aspects have proved particularly controversial, as shown by the thorough dissenting opinion attached by arbitrator Tanzi, and they are critically analysed. The arbitration confirms the profound interdependence of bilateral treaties and customary international law in international investment arbitration.
The Possibilities and Limitations of Preventive Action: The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities in Ukraine
Authors: Kachuyevski Angela
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article examines the efforts of the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to manage tensions in Ukraine between the substantial Russian minority and the Ukrainian government, and to prevent potentially violent conflict in Crimea from 1994 to 2001, as well as the subsequent efforts to promote peace and stability. It questions why the HCNM was remarkably successful in crisis management from 1994 to 2001, especially in averting secessionism in Crimea, but was hampered in his efforts to achieve a solid foundation for durable peace through the creation of a robust system of minority rights protection. The central argument is that regional politics often preclude the construction of a minority rights regime that could otherwise provide the foundation for durable peace.
Alcohol, Opium, and the Methodists in Singapore: The Inculturation of a Moral Crusade
Authors: Scott David W.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The Methodist Episcopal Church was strongly committed to the temperance movement in nineteenth-century America. This commitment rested on assumptions about the negative impacts of alcohol and was expressed through campaigns for personal moral reform and political prohibition. When Methodist missionaries arrived in Singapore in the late nineteenth century, they encountered a society in which opium was the most commonly abused drug. In this new context, Methodist missionaries adapted their concerns about alcohol and their methods of opposing the liquor trade and applied these concerns and methods to opium and the opium trade instead. This case study raises important questions about the inculturation of morality as an aspect of the missionary enterprise, a topic which is insufficiently addressed in literature on theological inculturation.
Understanding Turkish Perception of Conscription and Reluctance to Reform: A Westphalian Approach in a Post-Westphalian World?
Authors: Demirtaş Birgül
Published: November 2012

Many of the Western countries have radically changed their system of conscription in the recent decades. Turkey that enthusiastically takes the West as a model in many fields continues, however, to ignore developments in the Western military systems and sticks to its traditional understanding of military institutions. The present study seeks to examine the rationale behind Turkey’s conscription system and its reluctance to reform. Why is the Justice and Development Party (JDP) still stuck to the same conscription system that remained untouched in its fundamentals for 85 years? The basic argument of the article is that although the discourse in Turkish foreign policy changed considerably under the JDP, Turkish decision leaders
still have a security understanding dominated by the realist approach.
Did Large Estates Exist in Lower Galilee in the First Half of the First Century ce?
Authors: Fiensy David A.
Published: November 2012

In the discussions on the economy of Galilee in the time of Jesus, the presence or absence of large land-estates must play a significant role. Based on a reading of the parables attributed to Jesus, one could conclude that there were many estates of significantly large size and that they contributed to the economic conditions of Galilee causing loss of land and a growing rural proletariat. This paper will argue that the estates of Galilee were of modest size and had no significant economic impact. The argument will focus on the Bet Netofa Valley, and especially on the village of Shikhin, as the location for the medium-sized estates of the elites of Sepphoris.
John the Baptist, Isaiah 40, and the Ingathering  of the Exiles
Authors: Ferda Tucker S.
Published: November 2012

Many who argue that Jesus was a herald of Israel’s eschatological restoration have also suggested that he expected the ingathering of the exiles. Studies of John the Baptist have typically focused on his warnings of the coming judgment and his predictions of ‘the coming one’, thus leaving aside the possibility that John’s baptism and message also signaled the ingathering of the exiles. Further, scholars have largely ignored the import of Isa. 40 in the ministry of John, which was frequently read in the Second Temple period as a prophecy of the return of the exiles at the end of time. It is the contention of this article that Isa. 40 provides an interpretive framework for John’s activities, indicating that his baptism was not just a symbol of the coming judgment but also of Israel’s restoration.
Brothers or Stepbrothers? Christianized Targum Manuscripts in the Sephardic Text Family
Authors: Tanja Johanna M.
Published: November 2012

Half of the textual witnesses of the Sephardic text group of Targum Samuel are of Christian origin, two manuscripts and two editions. This leads to two questions: How did a typically Jewish text like the Targum end up in the accepted corpus of Christian Biblical Studies in sixteenth century Spain? And how did it function?
The Open God of the Sodom and Gomorrah Cycle
Authors: Carlson Reed
Published: November 2012

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah often evokes images of a closed God who acts unilaterally in judgment. This article, however, will argue for an Open God who collaborates with creation towards a unique future. This article is intended to make a small contribution to recent Pentecostal engagement with Terence E. Fretheim’s Relational Theology. Part 1 is a discussion of the Open God in Pentecostal context. Part 2 is a close reading of the Sodom Cycle with special attention to the Masoretic Text. Part 3 is a short discussion of theological implications for Pentecostal reflection including the normalization of biblical narrative, the Open God of Pneumatic experience and the freedom of evil.
Tithing: Instruction or Instructive?
Authors: Parker David M.
Published: November 2012

After surveying the disparate Old Testament material on tithing, this paper isolated 1 Corinthians 9 as the loudest echo of that practice. It then modelled 1Corinthians 9 and 10 as illustrative rather than regulative in its approach to the former testament. Utilizing the ‘lesser-to-greater’ (qal wāḥômer) argument inherent in 1 Corinthians 9, it developed an implied benchmark of tithing in 1 Corinthians 9 and 1 Tim. 5.17 to argue such as the base upon which NT giving is predicated. Noting the socio-economic disparity of Corinth, in comparison with the ideal distribution by which the Hebrew Scriptures regulated tithes, the paper then invoked the gift of giving from Rom. 12.8 to suggest proportional giving rather than the strict regulation of the Mosaic legislation. Finally, returning to the literary setting of 1 Corinthians 9, any conclusion, at least from the Pauline corpus, was shown to be contextually suggestive, not invariably regulative.
J.H. King’s ‘Expansive’ Theology of Pentecostal Spirit Baptism
Authors: Moon Tony G.
Published: November 2012

Bishop J.H. King, an early twentieth-century Pentecostal Holiness Church leader, in some respects explained Spirit baptism in more ‘expansive’ terms than characterized Classical Pentecostal tradition in the United States in his time and later. In his theological and devotional writings are some of the same ‘expansive’ emphases Frank D. Macchia enunciates in his 2006 groundbreaking work on Spirit baptism, Baptized in the Spirit: A Global Pentecostal Theology. Although King’s Spirit-baptismal theology was traditionally Pentecostal in important ways, there are some interesting thematic parallels between Macchia’s ‘expansive’ Spirit baptism theological proposal and the very modest (in comparison) treatments of the topic by King. The similarities relate to the baptism in the Holy Spirit as a Trinitarian act, as an infilling of divine love, and in connection with the latter, as a generator of a rich ecclesiastical corporate life of koinonia.
Towards a Common Understanding of Diaconal Ministry?
Authors: Pädam Tiit
Published: November 2012

This article explores the latest developments of the deacon’s ministry in the churches of the Porvoo communion, based on the Anglican-Lutheran regional agreement of 1996, the Porvoo Declaration and the Porvoo Common Statement. In the Porvoo Declaration the signatory churches agreed on a common commitment to work towards a common understanding of diaconal ministry. The article analyses the understanding of the deacon’s ministry in the Porvoo churches as expressed in their liturgical acts of admission to this ministry and their educational requirements for deacons. Special attention is paid to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Denmark and its contribution to the common understanding of deacon’s ministry in the Porvoo communion, as that church has recently signed the agreement.