bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sizes and Kinematics of Extended Narrow-line Regions in Luminous Obscured AGN Selected by Broadband Images
Authors: Sun Ai-Lei , Greene Jenny E. , Zakamska Nadia L.
Published: January 2017

To study the impact of active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback on their galactic ISM, we presentMagellanlong-slit spectroscopy of 12 luminous nearby obscured AGN (,z ∼ 0.1). These objects are selected from a parent sample of spectroscopically identified AGN to have high [Oiii]λ5007 andWide-field Infrared Survey Explorermid-IR luminosities and extended emission in the Sloan Digital Sky Surveyr-band images, suggesting the presence of extended [Oiii]λ5007 emission. We find spatially resolved [Oiii] emission (2–35 kpc) in 8 out of 12 of these objects. Combined with samples of higher luminosity obscured AGN, we confirm that the size of the narrow-line region (RNLR) scales with the mid-IR luminosity until the relation flattens atRNLR ∼ 10 kpc. Nine out of 12 objects in our sample have regions with broad [Oiii] line widths (w80 > 600 km s−1), indicating outflows. We define these regions as the kinematically disturbed region (KDR). The size of the KDR () is typically smaller thanRNLRby few kiloparsecs but also correlates strongly with the AGN mid-IR luminosity. Given the uncertain outflow mass, we derive a loose constraint on the outflow energy efficiency. We find no evidence for an AGN luminosity threshold below which outflows are not launched. To explain the sizes, velocity profiles, and high occurrence rates of the outflows in the most luminous AGN, we propose a scenario in which energy-conserving outflows are driven by AGN episodes with ∼108year durations. Within each episode, the AGN is unlikely to be constantly luminous but could flicker on shorter timescales (≲107yr) with a moderate duty cycle (∼10%).
Chandra Survey of Nearby Galaxies: The Catalog
Authors: She Rui , Ho Luis C. , Feng Hua
Published: January 2017

We searched the public archive of the Chandra
X-ray Observatory as of 2016 March and assembled a sample of 719 galaxies within 50 Mpc with available Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer observations. By cross-correlation with the optical or near-infrared nuclei of these galaxies, 314 of them are identified to have an X-ray active galactic nucleus (AGN). The majority of them are low-luminosity AGNs and are unlikely X-ray binaries based upon their spatial distribution and luminosity functions. The AGN fraction is around 60% for elliptical galaxies and early-type spirals, but drops to roughly 20% for Sc and later types, consistent with previous findings in the optical. However, the X-ray survey is more powerful in finding weak AGNs, especially from regions with active star formation that may mask the optical AGN signature. For example, 31% of the H ii nuclei are found to harbor an X-ray AGN. For most objects, a single power-law model subject to interstellar absorption is adequate to fit the spectrum, and the typical photon index is found to be around 1.8. For galaxies with a non-detection, their stacked Chandra image shows an X-ray excess with a luminosity of a few times 1037 erg s−1 on average around the nuclear region, possibly composed of faint X-ray binaries. This paper reports on the technique and results of the survey; in-depth analysis and discussion of the results will be reported in forthcoming papers.
Numerical Simulation of Star Formation by the Bow Shock of the Centaurus A Jet
Authors: Gardner Carl L. , Jones Jeremiah R. , Scannapieco Evan , Windhorst Rogier A.
Published: January 2017

Recent Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of the extragalactic radio source Centaurus A (Cen A) display a young stellar population around the southwest tip of the inner filament 8.5 kpc from the galactic center of Cen A, with ages in the range 1–3 Myr. Crockett et al. have argued that the transverse bow shock of the Cen A jet triggered this star formation as it impacted dense molecular cores of clouds in the filament. To test this hypothesis, we perform three-dimensional numerical simulations of star formation induced by the jet bow shock in the inner filament of Cen A, using a positivity-preserving, weighted, essentially non-oscillatory method to solve the equations of gas dynamics with radiative cooling. We find that star clusters form inside a bow-shocked molecular cloud when the maximum initial density of the cloud is

≥
40

H2 molecules cm−3. In a typical molecular cloud of mass

10

6

M

⊙

and diameter 200 pc, approximately 20 star clusters of mass

10

4

M

⊙

are formed, matching the HST images.
EBL Inhomogeneity and Hard-Spectrum Gamma-Ray Sources
Authors: Abdalla Hassan , Böttcher Markus
Published: January 2017

The unexpectedly hard very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ-ray spectra of a few distant blazars have been interpreted as evidence of a reduction of the γγ opacity of the universe due to the interaction of VHE γ-rays with the extragalactic background light (EBL) compared to the expectation from current knowledge of the density and cosmological evolution of the EBL. One of the suggested solutions to this problem involves the inhomogeneity of the EBL. In this paper, we study the effects of such inhomogeneity on the energy density of the EBL (which then also becomes anisotropic) and the resulting γγ opacity. Specifically, we investigate the effects of cosmic voids along the line of sight to a distant blazar. We find that the effect of such voids on the γγ opacity, for any realistic void size, is only of the order of ≲1% and much smaller than expected from a simple linear scaling of the γγ opacity with the line-of-sight galaxy underdensity due to a cosmic void.
Incompressible Modes Excited by Supersonic Shear in Boundary Layers: Acoustic CFS Instability
Authors: Belyaev Mikhail A.
Published: January 2017

We present an instability for exciting incompressible modes (e.g., gravity or Rossby modes) at the surface of a star accreting through a boundary layer. The instability excites a stellar mode by sourcing an acoustic wave in the disk at the boundary layer, which carries a flux of energy and angular momentum with the opposite sign as the energy and angular momentum density of the stellar mode. We call this instability the acoustic Chandrasekhar–Friedman–Schutz (CFS) instability, because of the direct analogy to the CFS instability for exciting modes on a rotating star by emission of energy in the form of gravitational waves. However, the acoustic CFS instability differs from its gravitational wave counterpart in that the fluid medium in which the acoustic wave propagates (i.e., the accretion disk) typically rotates faster than the star in which the incompressible mode is sourced. For this reason, the instability can operate even for a non-rotating star in the presence of an accretion disk. We discuss applications of our results to high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations in accreting black hole and neutron star systems and dwarf nova oscillations in cataclysmic variables.
Adaptive Learning Mode of a Multimedia-based "English Literature" Learning System
Authors: Mei Jie , Guo Yanhong , Li Xiaokun
Published: January 2017

In this paper, a multimedia-based English pronunciation learning system was designed. On this basis, a self-adaptive learning mode which consists of the teaching mode and the independent learning mode was proposed. The self-adaptive teaching model uses corpus technology and covers the exploratory “3I” (Illustration-Interaction-Induction) teaching model, thereby changing the traditional teaching pattern of “spoon-feeding”; when it comes to the independent learning mode, the self-adaptive system can automatically set corresponding learning tasks according to the learning situation of students, to improve the autonomy and differences of students’ self-learning. At the same time, the approach of comparative teaching was especially adopted to test the validity of this system and the learning mode. Specifically, the exquisite course of “English Literature” for students of Grade 2015 majoring in English was selected as the experimental group, to compare with the learning situation of their counterparts of Grade 2014 in the last year. The results show that the learning mode is remarkable in its teaching practicality, could bring a significant effect on improving teaching efficiency and students’ independent learning ability, and enjoys a high research value and a promising application prospect.
Technological Challenges in Implementing TVET Programmes in Nigeria
Authors: Ezekoye B. N.
Published: January 2017

This chapter discussed technological challenges in implementing TVET Programmes in Nigeria. It presented TVET as a comprehensive term referring to those aspects of educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life. Concept of Technology and Technology in TVET were discussed with focus on the present challenges to the integrating technology in Nigerian TVET programmes. The chapter offered key factors for Technology implementation in TVET Programmes in Nigeria and beyond such as professional development, leadership, organizational and institutional structure, resources and support. The listed and discussed factors, which facilitate implementation of TVET Programmes will play positive role in every stage of the intervention, from the initial planning and exploration phases to helping to sustain the intervention once fully implemented.
Adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A database analysis of South African private health insurance
Authors: Schoeman Renata , De Klerk Manie
Published: January 2017

Background: Adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic, costly and debilitating disorder. In South Africa (SA), access to funding for care and treatment of ADHD is limited, and research is lacking.

Aim: This study aimed to establish the current situation with regard to the psychiatric management of and funding for treatment of adult ADHD in the private sector in SA.

Methods: A diagnostically refined retrospective claims database analysis was conducted. We examined the prevalence, costs and funding profile of claims over a 2-year period for adult beneficiaries with possible ADHD of a large medical administrator in SA.

Results: The prevalence of adult ADHD was lower than published international rates. The presence of adult ADHD increased the prevalence of comorbidity and doubled the health care costs of beneficiaries. Contrary to public belief, comorbidities (including their medicine costs) rather than psychiatric services or medicines were the main cost drivers.

Conclusion: The current private health insurance funding model for ADHD limits access to funding. This affects early diagnosis and optimal treatment, thereby escalating long-term costs. Improved outcomes are possible if patients suffering from ADHD receive timely and accurate diagnosis, and receive chronic and comprehensive care. Balanced regulation is proposed to minimise the risk to both medical schemes and patients. A collaborative approach between stakeholders is needed to develop an alternative cost-effective funding model to improve access to treatment and quality of life for adults with ADHD in SA.
Preconditioned Positive-Definite and Skew-Hermitian Splitting Iteration Methods for Continuous Sylvester Equations AX + XB = C
Authors: Zhou Rong , Wang Xiang , Tang Xiao-Bin
Published: January 2017

In this paper, we present a preconditioned positive-definite and skew-Hermitian splitting (PPSS) iteration method for continuous Sylvester equations AX + XB = C with positive definite/semi-definite matrices. The analysis shows that the PPSS iteration method will converge under certain assumptions. An inexact variant of the PPSS iteration method (IPPSS) has been presented and the analysis of its convergence property in detail has been discussed. Numerical results show that this new method is more efficient and robust than the existing ones.
An Efficient Numerical Method for Mean Curvature-Based Image Registration Model
Authors: Zhang Jin , Chen Ke , Chen Fang , Yu Bo
Published: January 2017

Mean curvature-based image registration model firstly proposed by Chumchob-Chen-Brito (2011) offered a better regularizer technique for both smooth and nonsmooth deformation fields. However, it is extremely challenging to solve efficiently this model and the existing methods are slow or become efficient only with strong assumptions on the smoothing parameterβ. In this paper, we take a different solution approach. Firstly, we discretize the joint energy functional, following an idea of relaxed fixed point is implemented and combine with Gauss-Newton scheme with Armijo's Linear Search for solving the discretized mean curvature model and further to combine with a multilevel method to achieve fast convergence. Numerical experiments not only confirm that our proposed method is efficient and stable, but also it can give more satisfying registration results according to image quality.
Теорема единственности для кратных рядов Франклина
Authors: Gevorkyan Gegham Grigor'evich
Published: January 2017

Доказывается теорема единственности для кратных рядов
по системе Франклина, которые сходятся по мере и у которых
мажоранта кубических частичных сумм с номерами $2^\nu$
удовлетворяет некоторому необходимому условию.
Этот результат является новым также в одномерном случае.
Библиография: 12 названий.
Metodološki problemi Xu Fuguanove primerjalne analize Zhuangzijeve estetike in zahodne fenomenologije
Authors: SERNELJ Tea
Published: January 2017

Članek se ukvarja s Xu Fuguanovo analizo in interpretacijo nekaterih osrednjih konceptov Zhuangzijeve filozofije, ki predstavljajo njegovo estetiko. Po Xuju se Zhuangzijeva estetika nanaša na estetski način bivanja človeka, pri čemer se lepota aplicira v sfero daota, v kateri so ljudje zmožni osvoboditi svojega duha in uživati način življenja, ki ga Zhuangzi označuje kot »svobodno in lahkotno tavanje« (xiaoyaoyou 逍遙遊). Po Xujevem mnenju je to najvišja in najlepša sfera človeškega bivanja in je kot taka izražena v umetnosti. Xu je v Zhuangzijevih konceptih postenja srčne zavesti (xinzhai 心齋) in sedenja v pozabi (zuowang 坐忘) kot dveh metodah za doseganje tega najvišjega nivoja bivanja videl nekatere podobnosti z določenimi koncepti zahodne fenomenologije devetnajstega in zgodnjega dvajsetega stoletja. Čeprav je bil Xu Fuguan pri orisu vzporednic med zahodno in Zhuangzijevo filozofijo zelo previden, je bil mnenja, da med njimi obstaja določena podobnost, še posebej pri vprašanju, zakaj in na kakšen način je človeška zavest (oziroma srčna zavest) zmožna dojemati svet estetsko. Članek želi pokazati nekatere metodološke probleme in nekonsistentnosti Xu Fuguanovega komparativnega pristopa, ki je temelj njegove teorije estetike.
Gestao publica e parcerias publico-privadas: teoria do estado e tecnologias de governanca difusa para controle social.
Authors: Araujo Thiago Souza , Peduti Kinn , Peduti Kinn , Rover Aires Jose , Rover Aires Jose
Published: January 2017

Este trabalho propõe uma base conceitual em termos de teoria do Estado para as Parcerias Público Privadas - PPPs, bem como uma proposta pragmática para sua implementação por meio de tecnologias disponíveis. Para isto, desenvolve-se o conceito de 'esfera público-privada' bem como se aponta a viabilidade de um modelo de regulação difusa das PPPs. Os dois conceitos elaborados contribuem para solucionar a problemática de falta de segurança jurídica, o que fornece condições para o sucesso das PPPs no Brasil. São abordados os benefícios econômicos que o aumento de investimentos via PPP pode gerar. É uma alternativa para superar cenário de crise por meio de atração de capital estrangeiro. A contribuição essencial consiste no modelo de regulação das PPPs baseado na lógica do controle externo difuso com o uso da tecnologia da informação e comunicação conjugando elementos sociais, políticos e econômicos.
Condicionantes e diretrizes de políticas públicas: um enfoque comunitarista da transformação social
Authors: Schmidt João Pedro
Published: January 2017

O artigo apresenta contribuições da teoria comunitarista ao debate sobre a capacidade das políticas públicas produzirem real transformação social, uma questão central ao debate político atual, marcado pelo ceticismo acerca da potência transformadora da política. Inicialmente o texto explana as condições da guiabilidade de sistemas sociais e de eficácia das políticas sob o enfoque da teoria da orientação ativa, formulada por Amitai Etzioni, em um viés alternativo ao racionalismo e ao incrementalismo. Após, sumariza um elenco de diretrizes formuladas por autores comunitaristas para nortear e conferir sentido democrático e humanístico às políticas. O texto conclui que as contribuições comunitaristas, caracterizadas por uma perspectiva realista, são relevantes tanto no plano analítico (análise de políticas) quanto no plano da ação (planejamento e implementação). O método é dedutivo e a técnica de pesquisa é bibliográfica.
A inversão do ônus da prova e a teoria da distribuição dinâmica: semelhanças e incompatibilidades
Authors: Bessa Leonardo Roscoe
Published: January 2017

O presente artigo aborda o ônus da prova segundo critérios estabelecidos pelo Código de Defesa do Consumidor (CDC) e pelo novo Código de Processo Civil (NCPC) e traça um paralelo entre os institutos da inversão do ônus da prova e da distribuição dinâmica. Discutem-se as influências entre os institutos e, principalmente, se a teoria da distribuição dinâmica pode ser aplicada às relações de consumo.
Íntegra da Revista
Authors: Editorial Equipe
Published: January 2017

Íntegra da Revista
Harvey Cox Revisited: The Continued Case for a Theology of Technology
Authors: Robbins Jeffrey W.
Published: January 2017

A commentary on Harvey Cox's 1971 article “The Virgin and the Dynamo Revisited: An Essay on the Symbolism of Technology”—putting it into historical context and identifying its continuing relevance.
Environmental Aesthetics Beyond the Dialectics of Interest and Disinterest Deconstructing the Myth of Pristine Nature
Authors: Fredriksson Antony
Published: January 2017

In this paper I want to scrutinize one of the key ideas within modern Western aesthetics. Beauty is often considered to derive from a virtuous disinterested attitude towards nature. This kind of view has been advocated by thinkers such as Shaftesbury and Kant in the beginning of the so-called aesthetic turn in philosophy. The problem with this view is that it presupposes that nature exists by itself before human intervention in a kind of ideal pristine state. My hypothesis is that this ideal of pristine nature constitutes one of the underlying problems of many contemporary environmental discourses.
Grounding Aesthetic Preference in the Bodily Conditions of Meaning Constitution
Authors: Scarinzi Alfonsina
Published: January 2017

Mark Johnson’s work The Meaning of the Body presents John Dewey’s pragmatism and pragmatist aesthetics as the forerunners of the anti-Cartesian embodied enactive approach to human experience and meaning. He rejects the Kantian noncognitive character of aesthetics and emphasizes that aesthetics is the study of the human capacity to experience the bodily conditions of  meaning constitution that grows from our bodily conditions of life. Using Mark Johnson’s view as a starting-point, this paper offers the beginning of an enactive approach to aesthetic preference  contributing to bringing human aesthetic behavior research closer to the enactive approach to human experience. Following enactive studies on bodily sense-making and embodied emotions, I identify the bodily conditions of meaning constitution in which aesthetic preference is grounded with the subject’s self-regulatory visceral embodied constitution of viable degrees of value of the environmental factors according to her bodily structure. Unlike mainstream aesthetic preference research in empirical aesthetics, I claim that the subject’s aesthetic preference constitution requires the lived experience of the bodily conditions of meaning constitution through the conscious experience of the subjectively aroused lived body. The implausibility of the mind/body dichotomy of current aesthetic preference research is highlighted.
On Musical Performance as Play
Authors: Csepregi Gabor
Published: January 2017

The purpose of this article is to complete, and build on, the theories of a certain number of scholars, chiefly philosophers of previous generations, and a few eminent performers of classical music who all bring to the fore the essential link between music and play. Because of their impulse value and appealing character, tones and other elements of the performance could generate a playful attitude in the musicians. Play is understood as a reciprocal interaction with something that plays with the player: indeed, tones play with the musicians and, reciprocally, the musicians play with them. While engaging in a musical play, they draw on the remarkable creative abilities of their body, namely its spontaneity, sensibility, and “imaginative” anticipation. The satisfaction provided by the playful activity comes, in part, from the possibility of experiencing the body as a source of creative power and original performance.
The Song of the Sirens
Authors: Frommolt Karl-Heinz , Martin Carlé Martin
Published: January 2017

In Homer’s account of the adventurous journey of Odysseus, the song of the sirens was so appealing and tempting that it lured sailors to their deaths. Warned by the goddess Kirke, Odysseus overcame the trap by plugging his crew’s ears with wax. An archaeo-acoustical research expedition undertaken by members of Humboldt University Berlin made sound propagation experiments at the supposedly historical scene at the Galli Islands where it’s said that the sirens originally sung. At the site we broadcasted both synthetic signals and natural voices via loudspeakers in the direction Odysseus most probably should have approached the Siren’s island. Subjective listening as well as objective acoustic analysis of the recorded signals revealed evidence for a combination of site-specific acoustic effects, which may explain the nature and origin of the song of the sirens in Homer. The local arrangement of the three islands deforms the acoustic signals by amplification and by changes in timbre. Two female singers from the Berlin State Opera were asked to sing differently pitched musical intervals to be tested in the Li Galli environment. The experiment evinced that the first overtones (octave, fifth, and fourths) would be merged by the echo of the rocks; yet when singing pure thirds and less consonant intervals, which yield higher orders in the overtone series, the voices appear recognisable as being two. As a result, and particularly because Homer stresses the number of exactly two sirens several times, the evidence of our research supports the musicological theory for a rather early existence of enharmonic tunings and most prominently a two-part polyphonic singing of Greek songs. Given that the rocky formation of the Galli Islands most likely didn’t change during the geological tick of just 2,700 years, we conclude that there has been a real acoustic basis for the myth reported by Homer and that a “song of the Sirens”, most probably based on natural voices, was transformed by the particular acoustic conditions of the landscape in such a way that signals were amplified and sent out in one concrete direction. Based on these results, we continue to discuss further leading acoustic theories that offer new insights into the mythology and which were essential to motivate our expedition in the first place. After all, the question remains open what kind of beings the first emitters of the song might have been.
The Politics of Exclusion, or, Reanimating the Archive
Authors: Van Alphen Ernst
Published: January 2017

The notion of the archive covers two kinds of knowledge: knowledge and memories that can be articulated and objectified by convergent discursive rules, and knowledge that remains overlooked because of the same discursive rules, now working as rules of exclusion. Many contemporary art practices foreground these exclusions from the archive by presenting them as yet another archive. Artists highlight this residue of the archive by collecting images that were until then not considered to be archivable, that is, of any value or importance. In this article I will discuss work of Santu Mofokeng, Akram Zataari, Walid Raad, and Darius Jablonski as examples of such archival artistic practices.
A Praxis of Gayatri Spivak’s “Aesthetic Education” Using Arundhati Roy’s “The God of Small Things” as a Reading in Philippine Schools
Authors: Pellano Seneca Nuñeza
Published: January 2017

Presented as a “speculative manual on pedagogy,” this article seeks to provide praxis to Spivak’s Aesthetic Education in the Era of Globalization (2012) using Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things (1997) as a reading in Philippine schools. Its aim is to envision pedagogical ways in which a foreign literary text is introduced into a culturally distant setting, thereby prompting educators – the “supposed trainers of the mind” – to resolve: (1) How does one educate aesthetically? (2) How do we imagine the performance of aesthetic education in local classrooms? In demonstrating a theory and its form, the paper first explores Spivak’s conception of aesthetic education and then adapts it in a specific case: in Philippine classrooms where learners are confronted by a literary work of the Other – particularly, Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Aesthetic education, as a theoretic idea, is visualized and imaginatively performed through its capacity to realize an “epistemic revolution” happening in local classrooms worldwide.
Theatrical Complicity as a Medium of Emancipation
Authors: Nielsen Thomas Rosendal
Published: January 2017

How do we find a solution when we ourselves are the problem? This is the question posed by two contemporary performances that frame the spectator as an accomplice in the exploitation and representation of suffering and violence in a globalized and mediatized world: Sálo (2010), based on Pier Paolo Passolini’s film by the same name (1975), by the Danish performance group SIGNA in cooperation with Teater Republique; and the Royal Court Theatre’s production of Tim Crouch’s The Author (2009), co-directed by Karl James and a smith. By applying the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann, the two performances are analysed and compared as elaborately structured games of observation, where the spectators are made to observe their own acts of spectating as complicity in the reproduction of violence caused by theatrical representation. Jaques Rancière’s paradox of the spectator and Josette Féral’s concept of theatricality are re-described in a systems theoretical perspective in order to show how the theatrical attribution of guilt to the spectator can work as a medium of emancipation. The explication of the different dramaturgies makes it possible to distinguish between how self-righteous, self-examining, progressive and ‘tragicist’ conceptions of emancipation are given form in different ways and measures in the two performances. In this way, the article aims to contribute to the qualification and expansion of a critical discourse on participatory theatre and performance beneath the loosely defined horizon of a modern theatre of emancipation.
Activating Imaginative Attention and Creating Observant Moments in the Everyday Through the Art of Walking
Authors: Lagerström Cecilia
Published: January 2017

Since 2013, I have been conducting a collaborative project on walking together with the actress and tightrope walker Helena Kågemark, where walking has become a means for inquiry-based performing. The purpose of this project was to apply techniques and strategies from the theatre work we pursue in situations outside of the theatre on walking actions in urban spaces – in order to create attention as well as bring forth poetry in situations of everyday life. The project included a wide range of activities and events; from our own explorative walks documented through “walking journals” to participatory walks with others and public presentations of performance acts, performance lectures, discussions, workshops and exhibitions. In our project, we used physical acting techniques to create attention and meaning in situations that emerged in the streets. Our aim was to go beyond the automatic patterns of the everyday when walking through town in order to activate a way to relate to the environment and to create experience that develops both the perception and imagination of the one who walks. We chose to focus on the seemingly small and invisible stories and observations of the everyday, while actively carrying out a psychophysical walk. In this article, I would like to reflect on certain parts of the walking project in order to investigate more closely how we transferred our experience as theatre practitioners to walking activities, and in doing so, activating imaginative attention in order to create observant moments in everyday situations.
Geographies of Theatre: the Finnish National Theatre in Stockholm in 1956
Authors: Korsberg Hanna
Published: January 2017

During the Cold War, the Finnish National Theatre actively sought possibilities for international visits and co-operation. It wanted to showcase its work abroad and especially connect itself with Western European theatres. In 1956, the Finnish National Theatre visited Stockholm. In terms of politics, it was interesting that the Finnish National Theatre chose to perform Aleksis Kivi’s The Seven Brothers and especially interesting that it performed Anton Chekhov’s The Three Sisters. It seems to be the case that there was a national border between the Finnish National Theatre and Anton Chekhov’s play that was hard to cross. The director of the production, Eino Kalima, was described as an expert in interpreting Chekhov due to his background as a student of Stanislavski. This was a myth created by the director of the Finnish National Theatre. However, it increased international interest for the production of The Three Sisters with Kalima as its director. Furthermore, it supported the theatre’s attempts at seeking mobility and engaging in international, cultural encounters.
The deubiquitinating enzyme Usp5 regulates Notch and RTK signaling during Drosophila eye development
Authors: Ling Xuemei , Huang Qinzhu , Xu Yanqin , Jin Yuxiao , Feng Ying , Shi Weijie , Ye Xiaolei , Lin Yi , Hou Ling , Lin Xinhua
Published: January 2017

Usp5 belongs to the USP family of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), which comprises the largest class of DUBs. We previously reported that loss of Usp5 impairs development of photoreceptors in Drosophila eyes, although the detailed mechanism remained unclear. In the present study, we demonstrate that Usp5 regulates both Notch and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling. Loss of Usp5 results in upregulation of Notch signaling and downregulation of RTK signaling, leading to impaired photoreceptor development. Moreover, genetic rescue experiments with the DNA binding protein Suppressor of Hairless or Notch RNAi indicate that they mediate the regulation of RTK signaling by Usp5. The present study provides mechanistic insight into how Usp5 regulates photoreceptor differentiation by Notch and RTK signaling in the Drosophila eye.
Noncovalent Bonding of RGD and YIGSR to an Electrospun Poly(ε‐Caprolactone) Conduit through Peptide Self‐Assembly to Synergistically Promote Sciatic Nerve Regeneration in Rats
Authors: Zhu Lei , Wang Kai , Ma Teng , Huang Liangliang , Xia Bing , Zhu Shu , Yang Yafeng , Liu Zhongyang , Quan Xin , Luo Kai , Kong Deling , Huang Jinghui , Luo Zhuojing
Published: January 2017

The nerve conduit with biofunctionalities can regulate neurite outgrowth, as well as the migration, proliferation, and myelination activity of Schwann cells. In the present study, polycaprolactone (PCL) conduits are coated with Naphthalene‐phenylalanine‐phenylalanine‐glycine‐arginine‐glycine‐aspartic (Nap‐FFGRGD) and Naphthalene‐phenylalanine‐phenylalanine‐glycine‐cysteine‐aspartic‐proline‐glycine‐tyrosine‐isoleucine‐glycine‐serine‐arginine (Nap‐FFGCDPGYIGSR) by self‐assembly. In vitro studies demonstrate that arginine‐glycine‐aspartic (RGD) and tyrosine‐isoleucine‐glycine‐serine‐arginine (YIGSR) are capable of synergistically enhancing the ability of PCL to support the adhesion and proliferation of Schwann cells, as well as increasing neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglions explants. This synergistic effect may occur via the activation of both the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase/protein kinase B and mitogen‐activated protein kinase/extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinase pathways. RGD/YIGSR modifications demonstrate beneficial effects across a 15 mm sciatic nerve gap in axonal regeneration and functional recovery. In addition, increased vascularization is observed in the RGD/YIGSR‐PCL group, which might contribute to their beneficial effects on nerve regeneration. These findings indicate the potential of the RGD/YIGSR‐PCL conduit to promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery, making the RGD/YIGSR‐PCL conduit an attractive candidate for the treatment of a critical nerve defect.
ZnAl‐Hydrotalcite‐Supported Au25Nanoclusters as Precatalysts for Chemoselective Hydrogenation of 3‐Nitrostyrene
Authors: Tan Yuan , Liu Xiao Yan , Zhang Leilei , Wang Aiqin , Li Lin , Pan Xiaoli , Miao Shu , Haruta Masatake , Wei Haisheng , Wang Hua , Wang Fangjun , Wang Xiaodong , Zhang Tao
Published: January 2017

Chemoselective hydrogenation of 3‐nitrostyrene to 3‐vinylaniline is quite challenging because of competitive activation of the vinyl group and the nitro group over most supported precious‐metal catalysts. A precatalyst comprised of thiolated Au25nanoclusters supported on ZnAl‐hydrotalcite yielded gold catalysts of a well‐controlled size (ca. 2.0 nm)—even after calcination at 500 °C. The catalyst showed excellent selectivity (>98 %) with respect to 3‐vinylaniline, and complete conversion of 3‐nitrostyrene over broad reaction duration and temperature windows. This result is unprecedented for gold catalysts. In contrast to traditional catalysts, the gold catalyst is inert with respect to the vinyl group and is only active with regard to the nitro group, as demonstrated by the results of the control experiments and attenuated total reflection infrared spectra. The findings may extend to design of gold catalysts with excellent chemoselectivity for use in the synthesis of fine chemicals.
Effect of Corticosteroids and Cyclophosphamide on Sex Hormone Profiles in Male Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Arnaud Laurent , Nordin Annica , Lundholm Hannes , Svenungsson Elisabet , Hellbacher Erik , Wikner Johan , Zickert Agneta , Gunnarsson Iva
Published: January 2017

Objective

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) are autoimmune diseases that predominantly affect female patients, and therefore fewer investigations have been conducted in men. The aim of this study was to analyze sex hormone levels in male patients with SLE and those with SSc, compared to matched controls, in relation to the use of corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide (CYC).

Methods

Sex hormone levels were measured in fasting blood samples from male patients with SLE (n = 71) and those with SSc (n = 29) and compared to population‐based, age‐matched male controls. Relevant hormone profiles were identified using cluster analysis.

Results

Male SLE patients had higher levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) (P < 0.0001) and more frequent bioactive testosterone deficiency (P = 0.02) than their matched controls. The current dosage of prednisolone correlated inversely with the levels of bioactive testosterone (r = −0.36, P = 0.03). Cluster analysis identified a subset of SLE patients with increased levels of follicle‐stimulating hormone, LH, and prolactin as well as lower levels of bioactive testosterone (P < 0.0001) in relation to higher daily doses of prednisolone. In male SSc patients, levels of testosterone (P = 0.03) and bioactive testosterone (P = 0.02) were significantly lower than those in matched controls. Use of CYC during the previous year was associated with lower bioactive testosterone levels in both SLE patients (P = 0.02) and SSc patients (P = 0.01), after adjustment for age.

Conclusion

The results of this study highlight the negative impact of corticosteroids on gonadal function in men with SLE. Furthermore, use of CYC during the year prior to study inclusion impaired bioactive testosterone levels in male patients with either SLE or SSc. Physicians should be more aware of the possibility of hypogonadism in male patients with autoimmune diseases. The need for hormonal supplementation remains to be formally evaluated in these patients.
Who are patients classified within the new terminology of heart failure from the 2016 ESC guidelines?
Authors: Delepaul Benoit , Robin Guillaume , Delmas Clément , Moine Thomas , Blanc Adrien , Fournier Pauline , Roger‐Rollé Aénora , Domain Guillaume , Delon Clémence , Uzan Charles , Boudjellil Rabah , Carrié Didier , Roncalli Jérôme , Galinier Michel , Lairez Olivier
Published: January 2017

Aims

The main terminology used to describe heart failure (HF) is based on measurement of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). LVEF in the range of 40–49% was recently defined as HF with mid‐range EF (HFmrEF) by the 2016 European Society of Cardiology guidelines. The purpose of our study was to assess the clinical profile and prognosis of patients with HF according to this new classification.

Methods and results

A total of 482 patients referred for HF were retrospectively included over a period of 1 year. There were 258 (53%), 115 (24%), and 109 (23%) patients with HF with reduced EF (HFrEF), HFmrEF, and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF), respectively. Patient age increased, whereas left block bundle branch, brain natriuretic peptide level, and the use of beta‐blocker and furosemide decreased from HFrEF to HFpEF. After adjustment for the age, patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF were more likely to have NYHA stage 2 dyspnea, had a higher systolic blood pressure, were less likely to have spironolactone, had lower furosemide dose, and had lower haemoglobin than those with HFrEF. Cardiovascular risk factors and medical history were similar in the three groups of patients. There was a 33% death rate after a mean follow‐up of 32.2 ± 14.3 months. The survival was the same among patients whatever the group of HF (P = 0.884).

Conclusions

Patients with HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF share the same cardiovascular risk factors, medical history, and prognosis. Patients with HFmrEF have a different clinical profile, which is nearly the same as patients with HFpEF, except for sex. These results question the relevance of this new classification of HF to stimulate research into this new group of patients.
Thermally Stable Phase Change Material with High Latent Heat and Low Cost based on an Adipic Acid/Boric Acid Binary Eutectic System
Authors: Xie Shaolei , Sun Jinhe , Liu Shang , Han Lipeng , Ma Guixiang , Jing Yan , Jia Yongzhong
Published: January 2017

An adipic acid/boric acid (AA–BA) binary eutectic mixture containing 80 wt % adipic acid and 20 wt % boric acid was investigated as a new phase change material (PCM) with high latent heat, high thermal stability, and low cost. The material′s thermophysical properties and thermal stability were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X‐Ray Diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermal stability was investigated in situ over 100 cycles using DSC. The phase change temperature of the AA–BA binary eutectic mixture was 135.04 °C and the latent heats of the melting and crystallization process were 283.42 and 272.16 J g−1, respectively. The latent heat of melting only dropped 4.94 % after in situ 100 cycles using DSC. Following comparison of thermal properties and price of the AA–BA eutectic mixture PCM with those of some composite PCMs, the results indicate that the newly prepared AA–BA eutectic mixture is a potential phase change material for thermal storage tanks.
Effects of perceived descriptive norms on corrupt intention: The mediating role of moral disengagement
Authors: Zhao Huanhuan , Zhang Heyun , Xu Yan
Published: January 2017

The present study attempts to examine the effect of perceived descriptive norms on corrupt intention (e.g., bribe‐taking intention) and then further explore the psychological mechanism underlying this effect. Based on social cognitive theory, we established a mediation model in which moral disengagement partially mediated the link between perceived descriptive norms and corrupt intention. In Study 1, participants (N = 690) completed a series of questionnaires, and the results demonstrated that, while perceived descriptive norms were positively associated with corrupt intention, it was partially mediated by moral disengagement. In Study 2, we conducted a priming experiment (N = 161) to test the causal relationship and psychological mechanism between perceived descriptive norms and corrupt intention. The results revealed that perceived descriptive norms triggered the propensity of individuals to morally disengage, which in turn, partially increased their corrupt intention. This study not only extends previous research by providing evidence that moral disengagement may be one of the reasons why perceived descriptive norms facilitate corrupt intention, but also suggests that reshaping normative beliefs and preventing the moral disengagement of individuals may be the effective ways to curb corrupt behaviours.
Sodium silicate treatment for the attenuation of U(VI) by iron‐bearing sediments in acidic groundwater plumes
Authors: Anagnostopoulos Vasileios A , Katsenovich Yelena , Denham Miles
Published: January 2017

BACKGROUND

Anthropogenic activities, such as uranium mining and the nuclear industry, have resulted in groundwater contamination and the creation of uranium‐affected acidic plumes. In situ immobilization through base injection is a favorable way of uranium attenuation. The present study explores the use of sodium silicate for the restoration of neutral pH of the affected zone and consequently, uranium immobilization under circumneutral conditions.

RESULTS

70 mg L−1 sodium silicate restored the pH of uranium bearing, acidic groundwater to neutral in batch experiments consisting of Savannah River Site (SRS) soil and the aqueous phase. SRS soil main components are quartz, kaolinite and goethite and the U(VI) removal was ∼60%. Identical experiments consisting only of quartz and kaolinite showed only 19% U(VI) removal. Binding of uranium may be improved by inner‐sphere complexation and is not affected by the presence of competitive cations, such as Ca2+ and Mg2+. Recovery of uranium under acidic conditions (pH 3.5) was ∼60%, whereas sorption is not reversible under circumneutral conditions.

CONCLUSION

Sodium silicate restores the pH of acidic groundwater systems to circumneutral conditions, where uranium retention by iron bearing sediments is favored. Goethite is the soil's most reactive phase and contributes to stronger binding of uranium through inner‐sphere complexation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
The Kinetics and Mechanism of the Reaction between Barbituric Acid and Glycidol, Part I: The Products Analysis
Authors: Lubczak Jacek , Kania Ewelina , Myśliwiec Bogdan
Published: January 2017

The hydroxyalkyl derivatives of barbituric acid (BA) were formed in the reaction between BA and glycidol (GL). The reaction was performed at BA:GL 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4 molar ratios in DMF or without solvent. The progress of reaction was monitored by determination of the epoxide number and IR and NMR spectroscopy. It was found that primary reactive site of BA was C5 and further nitrogen ring atoms. BA was always involved in keto‐enol equilibrium, the latter form being less reactive. The isolated hydroxyalkyl derivatives are useful precursors of oligoetherols with the pyrimidine ring.
Mild Binding of Protein to C2N Monolayer Reveals Its Suitable Biocompatibility
Authors: Li Baoyu , Li Weifeng , Perez‐Aguilar Jose Manuel , Zhou Ruhong
Published: January 2017

The development of biocompatible nanomaterials for smart drug delivery and bioimaging has attracted great interest in recent years in biomedical fields. Here, the interaction between the recently reported nitrogenated graphene (C2N) and a prototypical protein (villin headpiece HP35) utilizing atomistic molecular dynamics simulations is studied. The simulations reveal that HP35 can form a stable binding with the C2N monolayer. Although the C2N–HP35 attractive interactions are constantly preserved, the binding strength between C2N and the protein is mild and does not cause significant distortion in the protein's structural integrity. This intrinsic biofriendly property of native C2N is distinct from several widely studied nanomaterials, such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, and MoS2, which can induce severe protein denaturation. Interestingly, once the protein is adsorbed onto C2N surface, its transverse migration is highly restricted at the binding sites. This restriction is orchestrated by C2N's periodic porous structure with negatively charged “holes,” where the basic residues—such as lysine—can form stable interactions, thus functioning as “anchor points” in confining the protein displacement. It is suggested that the mild, immobilized protein attraction and biofriendly aspects of C2N would make it a prospective candidate in bio‐ and medical‐related applications.
Initial Experience Using a Telerobotic Ultrasound System for Adult Abdominal Sonography
Authors: Adams Scott J. , Burbridge Brent E. , Badea Andreea , Langford Leanne , Vergara Vincent , Bryce Rhonda , Bustamante Luis , Mendez Ivar M. , Babyn Paul S.
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The study sought to assess the feasibility of performing adult abdominal examinations using a telerobotic ultrasound system in which radiologists or sonographers can control fine movements of a transducer and all ultrasound settings from a remote location.

Methods

Eighteen patients prospectively underwent a conventional sonography examination (using EPIQ 5 [Philips] or LOGIQ E9 [GE Healthcare]) followed by a telerobotic sonography examination (using the MELODY System [AdEchoTech] and SonixTablet [BK Ultrasound]) according to a standardized abdominal imaging protocol. For telerobotic examinations, patients were scanned remotely by a sonographer 2.75 km away. Conventional examinations were read independently from telerobotic examinations. Image quality and acceptability to patients and sonographers was assessed.

Results

Ninety-two percent of organs visualized on conventional examinations were sufficiently visualized on telerobotic examinations. Five pathological findings were identified on both telerobotic and conventional examinations, 3 findings were identified using only conventional sonography, and 2 findings were identified using only telerobotic sonography. A paired sample t test showed no significant difference between the 2 modalities in measurements of the liver, spleen, and diameter of the proximal aorta; however, telerobotic assessments overestimated distal aorta and common bile duct diameters and underestimated kidney lengths ( P values < .05). All patients responded that they would be willing to have another telerobotic examination.

Conclusions

A telerobotic ultrasound system is feasible for performing abdominal ultrasound examinations at a distant location with minimal training and setup requirements and a moderate learning curve. Telerobotic sonography (robotic telesonography) may open up the possibility of remote ultrasound clinics for communities that lack skilled sonographers and radiologists, thereby improving access to care.