bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CONSTRUCTED AND CONSUMED: THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF THE POOR IN 4TH C. CAPPADOCIA
Authors: Holman Susan R.
Published: August 2013

Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa each include detailed depictions of the poor in their sermons on poverty relief. This paper examines their rhetorical constructs in order to look for the everyday life of these destitute, who often elude the archaeological record. Sharing some features with the later Byzantine exempla, these images had rhetorical power precisely because they were recognisably comparable with ‘real’ poor known to their audiences. Here four stereotypes are considered: the parent who must sell a child; the exiled sick; the famine victim (with an emphasis on impoverished women and questions of status); and the debtor. The paper concludes that these authors’ constructed images of the poor body must be understood in the context of their theological understanding of the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation.
POVERTY AND SOCIETY IN THE WORLD OF JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Authors: Mayer Wendy
Published: August 2013

Like those of Basil and the two Gregories, the writings of John Chrysostom provide useful data about poverty that is difficult to recover from the archaeological record. In this article, images of the poor and information about poverty in his writings are grouped into five categories: basic information, voluntary poverty (asceticism), the sight and sound of poverty in the urban setting, individual social response, and self-consciousness about poverty. In a sixth section, the status of the data and how they relate to the models put forward by Patlagean and Brown are considered.
THE URBAN POOR: FINDING THE MARGINALISED
Authors: Roskams Steve
Published: August 2013

Why are archaeologists ‘missing’ the poor in Late Roman towns? This paper suggest that we are looking in the wrong place, and need to concentrate on areas of the townscape beyond its monumental centre; that we are looking in the wrong way, and need to develop more sophisticated methodologies in both gathering and analysing data; and that we are seeing our evidence through inappropriate interpretative frameworks. To remedy this last state of affairs, we must develop Marxist approaches defining different modes of production, and then apply them to the analysis of townscapes and landscapes, and to artefact and ecofact assemblages.
SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE 6TH–9TH C. EAST
Authors: Haldon John
Published: August 2013

This paper summarises some archaeological and documentary evidence for the changes seen in the East Roman empire between the 6th and the 9th c., and suggests how this evidence may be placed within a broader theoretical framework relating to pre-modern social systems. Whilst archaeological evidence for the latter part of the period remains very limited, that for the 6th and 7th c. reveals a marked retreat from urban life towards more defensible sites, and a decline in inter-regional exchange. However, combined with the archaeological data, documentary sources suggest the survival of a society of some complexity, producing sufficient surplus to sustain the military and bureaucratic systems that evolved between the later 7th and 9th c. It is suggested that Byzantine society should not be viewed as a ‘logical’ hierarchical entity reminiscent of modern western administrative structures, but rather as the result of a multiplicity of interacting relationships and social structures.
SHEDDING LIGHT ON LATE ROMAN HOUSING
Authors: Ellis Simon
Published: August 2013

Lighting was an important element in the design and use of late antique housing. Daylight was channeled through windows and doorways, but important social activity also took place at dawn and after dark when artificial lighting was required, and commonly used. Modern IT techniques, particularly the use of ray-tracing, allow conclusions to be drawn about the way that lighting was used in houses. Lighting was used to create a theatrical atmosphere during dinners. Blanket lighting of rooms was not available, and lighting was used to create areas of light and shade complementing the d袯r of the room. The distinction between male control of the house at night and female control during the day was also one between night time with artificial lighting, and daylight.
DOMUS AND VILLA: LATE ANTIQUE HOUSING IN CARTHAGE AND ITS TERRITORY
Authors: Rossiter Jeremy J.
Published: August 2013

This paper looks at the evidence for housing in Carthage in the period from Diocletian to the Arab conquest (4th7th centuries A.D.). A wide range of evidence is examined including excavation reports, representations of houses in art, and a variety of relevant literary texts. The paper offers a new synthesis of this evidence, with the aim of bringing discussion of Roman and late antique housing in Carthage up to date. It incorporates much new information from recent house excavations in and around the ancient city. Although the emphasis is mainly on 諩te housing, the smaller quantity of evidence for non-諩te housing in Carthage is also discussed. In addition, the paper looks at some of the evidence for late antique housing outside the city and considers the nature of rural settlement in the Carthaginian hinterland. The paper concludes with a discussion of the role of the traditional Roman villa in the countryside around Carthage, raising questions about the future directions of housing studies in North Africa
METAL PRODUCTION IN LATE ANTIQUITY: FROM CONTINUITY OF KNOWLEDGE TO CHANGES IN CONSUMPTION
Authors: Giannichedda Enrico
Published: August 2013

The study of metal production in Late Antiquity falls between the Early Roman period and the Early Middle Ages—both of which left a more lasting impression. Late Antiquity marks an ambiguous boundary, or rather a period of transition in which significant continuity of knowledge of ancient techniques can be found, although sometimes translated into new forms, as a result of: a crisis in extraction activities of the central government; of contacts between peoples who brought with them different traditional techniques; and of changes in use, whether utilitarian or not. To examine these phenomena, three methods can be applied: firstly, one can differentiate products through their technical details; secondly, one can quantify production, and thus the metal that was actually available to the different social groups; thirdly, one can undertake archaeometallurgical research on sites of particular interest.
GLASS IN LATE ANTIQUITY: THE CONTINUITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND SOURCES OF SUPPLY
Authors: Saguí Lucia
Published: August 2013

Scientific research and a series of important archaeological discoveries in recent years have opened up new perspectives on the study of ancient glass. Glass production seems to have been organised on a hierarchical basis. The primary workshops, mainly concentrated on the Syro-Palestinian coast, prepared the raw material by fusing sand from the river Belus with natron from Egypt. The product was then sent in blocks to all secondary workshops, the organisation of which was less elaborate. Here work was limited to re-fusing material that had already been worked. The widespread commercial movement of raw glass from East to West seems to have only come to a halt in the 9th c., when the export of natron from Egypt stopped. Consequently, a different flux was used, which was incompatible with the oriental sand. The adoption of local raw materials in the place of natron meant that the management of the entire production cycle became gradually autonomous, at different speeds and in different ways, during the course of the Middle Ages.
WATER TECHNOLOGY AT GORTYN IN THE 4TH–7TH C. A.D.: TRANSPORT, STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION
Authors: Giorgi Elisabetta
Published: August 2013

The technology used to secure supplies of urban drinking water can reveal much about the management of the natural landscape. Gortyn in Crete provides an exceptional case study, for the 4th–7th centuries A.D., due to the almost complete preservation of the city’s water system; this can be deduced from its spring-fed capture points, through transportation and storage structures, right up to its distribution outlets to the citizens. These fortunate circumstances allow us to analyse an evolving distribution system, and to study related changes in water use by the inhabitants of this Mediterranean provincial capital.
LATE ANTIQUE URBAN STREETS AT SAGALASSOS
Authors: Martens Femke
Published: August 2013

Since 1998, a programme of street test soundings has been carried out at Sagalassos (South-West Turkey) to investigate the urban development of the town and the evolution of its street network.1 Combined with the evidence from large-scale excavations, and geophysical and architectural surveys at the site, this research has painted an accurate picture of ancient street design in this Roman town. Given that the remains of late antique Sagalassos are particularly well-preserved, the evidence also casts light upon the maintenance of the urban infrastructure of this classical city, which gradually became a decaying town from the second half of the 6th c. A.D.
TECHNOLOGY AND IDEAS: ARCHITECTS AND MASTER-BUILDERS IN THE EARLY BYZANTINE WORLD
Authors: Zanini Enrico
Published: August 2013

Eastern literary and epigraphic sources from the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. mention several architects/engineers in the service of the imperial court at Constantinople. They give us an idea of the scientific knowledge, technical expertise and social status of these men. A larger group of architects and master-builders are also attested. They operated mainly in a lower-key, local context, but they also moved abroad to answer the requests of patrons. A comparison between the written sources and archaeology allows us to reconstruct some examples of the mobility of people and ideas, and to advance some hypotheses about the development of building material culture in the late antique eastern Mediterranean world.
CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS AT SAGALASSOS
Authors: Putzeys Toon , Waelkens Marc , Poblome Jeroen , Neer Wim van , Cupere Bea de , Thuyne Thijs van , Kellens Nathalie
Published: August 2013

Until recently, late antique quotidian objects were relegated to the domain of specialist studies and information relating to the context or assemblage within which the objects were found was rarely retained. The objects were studied as individual examples of form or type, rather than as part of an assemblage. The ability of archaeological evidence to contribute to the study of human behaviour largely derives from patterns in the dispersal of artefacts, however, and not simply from the objects themselves. A full description of the archaeological context of particular objects is thus required in order to maximise the recovery of data about the past. Contextual analysis, as it has been developed at Sagalassos, is used to identify human activities and their social and economic implications by carefully delineating the distribution of archaeological material, taking surrounding architecture and the process of context formation into account.
SHOPPING, EATING, AND DRINKING AT DURA-EUROPOS: RECONSTRUCTING CONTEXTS
Authors: Baird J. A.
Published: August 2013

The site of Dura-Europos, excavated in the 1920s and 30s but never completely published, has long been of archaeological interest for its exceptional preservation. This article questions the original identifications of the excavators of houses and shops, explores what can be learned about commercial buildings at the site from the re-contextualisation of artefacts, and examines how this information can add to our understanding of life at Dura.
THE SHOPS OF SCYTHOPOLIS IN CONTEXT
Authors: Khamis Elias
Published: August 2013

The shops of Scythopolis are contemporary with the initial layout of the Roman city. Similarly to other Roman cities in the East, the major streets of Scythopolis were colonnaded with rows of shops on both sides. While certain monuments and buildings in the city centre changed their character, design and function through time, the streets with their shops alongside, remained the most dominant and unchangeable feature of the city during several centuries. The owners of the shops, and their religious and cultural background, changed during the Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic periods, but they still used the same buildings and probably sold similar products from one period to another. Sometimes it is possible to determine the function of certain shops. Among these were the shops of a coppersmith, a blacksmith, and a goldsmith, and shops for selling glass, pottery, building materials, and even souvenirs. Bakeries, taverns, and probably a butcher, can also be identified.
AN UNUSUAL STRUCTURE ON THE LYCIAN ACROPOLIS AT XANTHOS
Authors: Mani籥-L跪que Anne-Marie
Published: August 2013

This article discusses the interpretation of an isolated one-room structure, excavated on the Lycian Acropolis at Xanthos. It contains a large oven, set back in its own recess, and number of unusual basins, cut into the rock, in which burnt material and a number of complete cooking pots were found. The possible function of this complex is discussed, in relation to a number of familiar hypotheses, which are then discarded. A detailed discussion is undertaken, of the design and working of the fixtures and finds recovered within the complex, and its urban context, in order to produce a more convincing interpretation.
DEFINING PERSONAL SPACE: DRESS AND ACCESSORIES IN LATE ANTIQUITY
Authors: Parani Maria G.
Published: August 2013

Late antique dress in its diversity offers a mirror to the heterogeneity and complexities of late antique society. This paper presents a brief overview of the attire of various social groups in Late Antiquitybeginning from the imperial court and reaching down to the professionals of the world of public-spectacleas this may be reconstructed from the archaeological, the written, and the artistic records. Its purpose is to highlight the importance of clothing and accompanying accessories as eloquent signs in an intricate communication system that enabled individuals and groups to articulate their identity and express it outwards in different physical settings and in a variety of social contexts.
OBJECTS IN CHURCHES: THE TESTIMONY OF INVENTORIES
Authors: Caseau B蠴rice
Published: August 2013

This article discusses the objects found within churches, using the testimony of inventories. These describe items such as church plate, lighting apparatus, textiles, and censers, not often found in archaeological excavations of churches. Comparison of inventories reveals churches of different status, and also something of their atmosphere. The differing style of these texts includes terms that are far from easy to interpret. It can also be difficult to correlate the items in inventories with real objects in museums, as is shown in a case study of censers.
ORDINARY OBJECTS IN CHRISTIAN HEALING SANCTUARIES
Authors: Caseau B蠴rice
Published: August 2013

The evidence from miracle stories and from archaeology is used in this paper to document the appearance and contents of the healing shrines of Late Antiquity; particularly the prosaic objects of everyday life that would have been present at a shrine alongside liturgical and devotional objects. It explores the evidence relating to the everyday lives of those staying at the shrine, and shows how even the most ordinary object could be sanctified by its presence in a healing sanctuary.
THIRD CENTURY JEWS AND JUDAISM AT BETH SHEARIM AND DURA EUROPUS
Authors: Magness Jodi
Published: August 2013

Recently scholars have questioned the role of the rabbis in late antique Palestine, suggesting that their influence was more limited than previously thought. Furthermore, some scholars have suggested that members of the priestly class remained influential in Jewish society after 70 C.E. In this paper, I examine the catacombs at Beth Shearim in Israel’s Lower Galilee and the Dura Europus synagogue for evidence of non-rabbinic Jews or non-rabbinic practices, including priestly presence and influence in the 3rd c.
MAGIC AND SYNCRETIC RELIGIOUS CULTURE IN THE EAST
Authors: Karivieri Arja
Published: August 2013

This paper presents a general introduction to magic and syncretic religious culture in the Eastern Roman empire in Late Antiquity. Examples of magical rituals, texts and the materials used in the rites are presented. Imperial edicts against pagan religions and magic rituals in the 4th and early 5th c. changed the scene, and practising pagans were forced to perform these rituals in private. Neoplatonists in Athens emphasised the importance of magic and ancient rites, as vehicles for contact with the gods. In Attica, the extensive use of cave sanctuaries in Late Antiquity can possibly be connected with the activities of the Neoplatonists and with religious syncretism.
THE USE OF SECULARISED LATIN PAGAN CULTURE BY CHRISTIANS
Authors: Lepelley Claude
Published: August 2013

The attitudes of educated Christians to the pagan literary culture of Late Antiquity have long attracted scholarly debate. Jerome and Augustine express the unease that many Christian men of letters felt, and Christian apologists repeatedly attacked the absurdity and immorality of pagan mythology. Yet both Jerome and Augustine nevertheless believed that classical culture could contribute to the Christian life, and mythology remained a source of inspiration for certain Christian authors. This is demonstrated vividly by the writings of two important late antique figures, Sidonius Apollinaris in 5th c. Gaul and the 6th c. African poet Corippus. In their works we can trace an evolving acceptance of classical mythology as a cultural rather than religious inheritance, moving towards the later Christian Humanism of the Renaissance.
THE ‘END’ OF ROMAN SENATORIAL PAGANISM
Authors: Gwynn David M.
Published: August 2013

The last decades of the 20th c. witnessed a seismic shift in how scholars approached the study of paganism in the increasingly Christian Roman Empire of the 4th and early 5th centuries. Older models which emphasised decline and conflict were challenged by a new awareness of the vitality and diversity of Late Roman paganism and its religious and social interaction with Christianity. The purpose of this short paper is to reassess the impact of this new scholarly approach, particularly upon our understanding of the paganism of the western senatorial elite, and the role that material culture has played and will continue to play in revealing the complex religious world of late antique Rome.
New water mite species (Acari, Hydrachnidia) from Vietnam
Authors: TUZOVSKIJ PETR V.
Published: August 2013

Descriptions of four new water mite species, Torrenticola vietnamica sp. nov. (female), Limnesia vietnamensis sp. nov. (female, deutonymph), Hygrobates gusakovi sp. nov. (male), Albaxona gusevi sp. nov. (female) from running waters of Vietnam are presented.
Description of Schistonchus altissimus n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae), an associate of Ficus altissima in China
Authors: ZENG YONGSAN , YE WEIMIN , HUANG JIANGHUA , LI CHANGHUI , GIBLIN-DAVIS ROBIN M.
Published: August 2013

A new nematode species was recovered from the syconia of Ficus altissima from the residential area of Huajingxincheng, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China during a survey of nematode diversity. Schistonchus altissimus n. sp. is characterised by having females with a short post-uterine sac, an ovoid spermatheca and a conoid tail with a mucron in the female, excretory pore located near the lip; and males with amoeboid sperm, a conoid tail without a mucron and three pairs of subventral papillae, no gubernaculum, and hook-shaped spicules with a cucullus and a thorn-shaped rostrum. Schistonchus altissimus n. sp. is typologically differentiated from all other described species in this genus, except for S. microcarpus, by having a spicule with cucullus on the male tail tip. Schistonchus altissimus n. sp. is easily differentiated from other sequenced species by the partial small subunit rRNA gene (SSU), D3 expansion segment of the large subunit rRNA gene (LSU) and mitochondrial DNA subunit I (mtCOI). Phylogenetic analysis with partial SSU sequences suggests that S. altissimus n. sp. is in a highly supported monophyletic clade with two Chinese species (S. microcarpus and S. centerae) and two neotropical species (S. aureus and Schistonchus sp. ex Ficus colubrinae Standl.). Based on inferences using LSU D3 sequence data, S. altissimus n. sp. has a closer relationship with four Chinese species (S. centerae, S. fistulosus, S. guangzhouensis and S. microcarpus) than with S. hirtus and S. superbus, also from China.
On the advertisement call of Dermatonotus muelleri (Boettger, 1885) (Anura, Microhylidae)
Authors: GIARETTA ARIOVALDO ANTONIO , DE ANDRADE FELIPE SILVA , HAGA ISABELLE AQUEMI , BERNARDES CYRO DE SOUSA
Published: August 2013

As presently recognized, Dermatonotus muelleri (Boettger, 1885) occurs throughout Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay (Brusquetti & Lavilla 2006); Paraguay referred as the type-locality (Frost 2013). Its advertisement call was briefly described by Nelson (1973) based on a sample from Brazil. In the present work, we redescribe its advertisement call based on a large sample from the Cerrado biome of Triângulo Mineiro region, state of Minas Gerais.
First record of Damiria Keller, 1891 from Brazil, with the description of a new species (Poecilosclerida; Demospongiae; Porifera)
Authors: SANTOS GEORGE GARCIA , PINHEIRO ULISSES
Published: August 2013

Damiria Keller, 1891 is defined by possessing fistular shape with apically microspined tylotes as the only megascleres, and microscleres that may include toxas (Hooper 2002). Van Soest et al. (1994) broadened the definition of Damiria to allow the inclusion of Damiria toxifera van Soest et al., 1994, first species with toxas in the genus. These were the first microscleres assigned to the genus. Damiria is a small genus with six members widely distributed over the world’s oceans (van Soest et al. 2012): D. curvata (Vacelet, 1969) from Mediterranean Sea; D. fistulatus (Carter, 1880) from South India and Sri Lanka; D. leonorae van Soest et al., 1994 from Curaçao; D. simplex from Red Sea; D. testis Topsent, 1928 from Gorringe Bank in the South European Atlantic Shelf; and D. toxifera from Seychelles and Andaman Sea (India). Here, we are recording Damiria for Brazil for the first time and describing a new species. The specimens were collected during a faunistic survey conducted in the area of Ponta do Seixas (Paraíba State, Brazil).
What the phlebologist should know about local anesthetics
Authors: De Hert Stefan , De Baerdemaeker Luc , De Maeseneer Marianne
Published: August 2013

An increasing number of phlebological interventions are performed under local and tumescent anesthesia. Although the modern local anesthetic agents are generally perceived as being effective and safe drugs, the administration of these drugs may be associated with a number of adverse events. It is therefore mandatory that everyone who uses these compounds has insight into the pharmacological actions of these drugs and is capable of recognizing and adequately treating potential adverse events. The present narrative review summarizes the current knowledge on mechanisms of action of the most important local anesthetic drugs and reviews the potential adverse effects as well as their treatment.
Ethnographic Research in a Cyber Era
Authors: Hallett Ronald E. , Barber Kristen
Published: August 2013

Ethnographers have long been concerned with how individuals and groups live out life in social spaces. As the Internet increasingly frames lived experiences, researchers need to consider how to integrate data from online spaces into “traditional” ethnographic research. Drawing from two ethnographic studies, we explain how online spaces were needed to more fully understand the physical environments and issues we studied. In addition to discussing how we were led online, we present ethnographic data to demonstrate the epistemological importance of considering online spaces. While traditional methods of ethnography (i.e., in-person observations and informal interviews) continue to be useful, researchers need to reconceptualize space as well as what counts as valuable interactions, and how existing (and new) tools can be used to collect data. We argue that studying a group of people in their “natural habitat” now includes their “online habitat.” We conclude with a call for ethnographers to consider how digital spaces inform the study of physical communities and social interactions.
Study of the thermal decomposition of some azopolyimides
Authors: Burescu Ada Ionela , Sava Ion , Bruma Maria , Lisa Gabriela
Published: August 2013

The thermal decomposition of some polyimides containing pendent azobenzene groups was investigated with dynamic thermogravimetric analysis. Thermal degradation of azopolyimides took place in two or three steps. Traditional nonisothermal experiments involved linearizing an equation in some manner and fitting the resulting straight line to obtain the activation energy ( Ea). The variation in activation energy with conversion degree of these polymers, obtained from two different kinetic methods, such as Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and Friedman, were compared and discussed.
Meningothelial meningioma in a Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)
Authors: Chien Yao-Chun , Lien Chen-Yeh , Guo Jun-Cheng , Chin Shih-Chien , Chang Ya-Pei , Liu Chen-Hsuan
Published: August 2013

A 24-year-old, spayed female Malayan sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus) in the Taipei Zoo (Taipei, Taiwan) showed clinical signs of slowly progressive anorexia, dullness, compulsive pacing, and circling. The animal subsequently developed acute severe stupor and persistent recumbency. Postcontrast study of computed tomography revealed a spheroid, extra-axial mass with strong but heterogeneous hyperattenuation in the left temporal lobe of the cerebrum. At necropsy, a solitary, well-circumscribed intracranial mass measuring 3 cm × 2.5 cm × 2 cm was attached to the left pyriform lobe with compression of the adjacent neuroparenchyma. Cytological examination obtained from the mass revealed large clumps and sheets of cohesive polyhedral cells with round nuclei, wispy cytoplasm, and indistinct cell borders. Microscopically, the mass was composed of densely packed round to polygonal cells arranged in lobules and small nests. Psammoma bodies, xanthomatous change, and cholesterol deposition were also noted. Immunohistochemical staining of the tumor was positive for vimentin, pancytokeratin, cytokeratin (CK)34BE12, neuron-specific enolase, and epithelial membrane antigen, but negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein and S100 protein. The cytological, histological, and immunohistochemical features were compatible with a meningothelial meningioma.
Language Delay in 3-Year-Old Children With ADHD Symptoms
Authors: Rohrer-Baumgartner Nina , Zeiner Pål , Eadie Patricia , Egeland Jens , Gustavson Kristin , Reichborn-Kjennerud Ted , Aase Heidi
Published: August 2013

Objective: Little is known about cognition in preschoolers with ADHD and language delay (LD). The objective was to investigate cognitive functions in preschoolers with ADHD symptoms and LD compared with children with ADHD symptoms only and to estimate the frequency of children with ADHD symptoms, co-occurring language delay, and delays on cognitive measures. Method: Participants were recruited from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. The teacher report of expressive language and the cognitive tests from 119 3-year-old children with parent reported ADHD symptoms and LD were compared with those of 258 children with ADHD symptoms only. Results: The ADHD + LD group performed significantly worse than the ADHD group on most language-related measures. There were no differences between the groups on most nonverbal measures. Single measures had a limited potential of differentiating between the groups. Conclusion: ADHD symptoms and co-occurring LD in preschoolers were characterized by cognitive deficits associated with both disorders, not with global neurodevelopmental delay.
Creep to failure and cyclic creep of foam core sandwich composites in seawater
Authors: Figueroa Evaristo , Shafiq Basir , de la Paz Ismael
Published: August 2013

Foam core sandwich composites were subjected to creep to failure and cyclic (loading/unloading) creep in seawater in order to mimic an actual ship hull service lifetime scenario. In spite of minute water absorption observed in the creep to failure tests, about 15% higher deflection and over 50% reduction in the overall lifetime were observed in specimens subjected to seawater as compared with tests performed in air; which is explained in terms of various possible paths to interface cell wall collapse. In the cyclic creep testing performed in seawater, the specimens were loaded for 24 h while the unloading (relaxation) times were varied from 24 to 6 h. Significantly reduced life and extensive damage were observed under cyclic creep as compared with creep to failure specimens. Curiously, lifetime and number of cycles to failure were found to decrease as a function of increasing relaxation periods. Modes of failure were predominantly indentation and core compression.
‘Islamophobia’ and the law
Authors: Vrielink Jogchum
Published: August 2013

In Belgium a man was convicted for incitement to racial hatred and discrimination because he publicly tore up a Koran, before the eyes of a small group of Muslims. The case fits within a wider development of increasing legal sensitivity to ‘Islamophobia’. This development, however, has several problematic aspects and implications, as is illustrated by a detailed analysis of the case.
Fat or thin: Does it impact outcomes in polytrauma?
Authors: Cramer Christopher , Rueger Johannes M , Hoffmann Michael
Published: August 2013

Polytrauma mortality rates have been continuously decreasing in recent years. Due to rising prevalence of obesity, overweight patients are increasing in numbers within the polytrauma population. The body mass index (BMI) provides information about nutritional status. Varying results have been reported concerning the effect of body mass index on polytrauma outcome. Both obesity and the condition of being underweight are independent risk factors for increased polytrauma mortality. While being underweight is associated with early polytrauma mortality, the presence of obesity correlates with higher rates of multi-organ failure and sepsis and is associated with late polytrauma mortality.
Young learners: Aspects of home literacy environments supporting hypotheses about the structure of printed words
Authors: Brown P Margaret , Byrnes Linda J , Watson Linda M , Raban Bridie
Published: August 2013

This study investigated the relationships between children’s home literacy environments and their early hypotheses about printed words in the year prior to entering school. There were 147 children (70 girls and 77 boys: mean age 57 months, range = 47–66 months, standard deviation = 4.5 months) in the study. Results showed that the children had varying degrees of knowledge about printed words. Significant associations between age of the child and the application of hypotheses about printed words were found. In relation to the home literacy environments, parents with stronger literacy profiles and habits, whether to do with traditional forms of print or new techno-literacies, were more likely to read to their children on a daily basis, and these children were more likely to have developed hypotheses about the structure of printed words. The implications for understanding children’s early literacy knowledge and relevance for educators of young children are discussed.
Oral administration of LPS and lipoteichoic acid prepartum modulated reactants of innate and humoral immunity in periparturient dairy cows
Authors: Iqbal Summera , Zebeli Qendrim , Mansmann Dominik A , Dunn Suzanna M , Ametaj Burim N
Published: August 2013

The study evaluated the effects of repeated oral exposure to LPS and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) on immune responses of dairy cows. Thirty pregnant Holstein cows were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. Cows received orally either 2 ml of 0.85% sterile saline solution (control group), or 2 ml of sterile saline solution containing three doses of LPS from Escherichia coli 0111 : B4 along with a flat dose of LTA from Bacillus subtilis. Blood and saliva samples were collected and analyzed for serum amyloid A (SAA); LPS-binding protein (LBP); anti-LPS plasma IgA, IgG and IgM; TNF-α; and IL-1. Results showed greater concentrations of IgA in the saliva of treated cows compared with the controls ( P < 0.01). Treated cows had lower plasma concentrations of anti-LPS IgA, IgG and IgM Abs, and TNF-α than the controls ( P < 0.05). There was a tendency for the concentrations of plasma LBP ( P = 0.06) and haptoglobin ( P = 0.10) to be lesser in the treatment group, although no differences were found in the concentration of plasma SAA and IL-1 ( P > 0.10). Overall, the results of this study indicate that repeated oral administration with LPS and LTA stimulates innate and humoral immune responses in periparturient dairy cows.
TLR4-mediated pro-inflammatory dendritic cell differentiation in humans requires the combined action of MyD88 and TRIF
Authors: Kolanowski Sonja THM , Dieker Miranda C , Lissenberg-Thunnissen Suzanne N , van Schijndel Gijs MW , van Ham S Marieke , Brinke Anja ten
Published: August 2013

TLR4 ligation can activate both the MyD88 and the Toll-IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor inducing IFN-β (TRIF) signaling route. Whereas MyD88 is generally recognized as a universal adaptor for pro-inflammatory responses, TRIF is mainly thought to contribute to specific type I IFN responses. Here, we investigated the contribution of both MyD88 and TRIF to TLR4-mediated pro-inflammatory dendritic cell (DC) differentiation in human. Pro-inflammatory cytokine induction was strongly decreased in monophosphoryl lipid A- and LPS-matured monocyte-derived DCs when either MyD88 or TRIF were down-regulated by small interfering RNA electroporation. Induction of co-stimulatory molecule expression was entirely dependent on the TRIF pathway. Our results demonstrate that in human DCs the TRIF pathway is important for overall pro-inflammatory DC differentiation via TLR4 by mediating co-stimulation and playing a non-redundant role in pro-inflammatory cytokine induction.
Blockade of invariant TCR-CD1d interaction specifically inhibits antibody production against blood group A carbohydrates
Authors: Tazawa Hirofumi , Irei Toshimitsu , Tanaka Yuka , Igarashi Yuka , Tashiro Hirotaka , Ohdan Hideki
Published: August 2013

Key Points

Administration of anti-mouse CD1d blocking mAb prior to A-RBC immunization abolished IL-5 production and anti-A Ab production in mice. In human peripheral blood mononuclear cell–NOD/SCID mice, administration of anti-human CD1d mAb prior to A-RBC immunization completely inhibited anti-A Ab production.
Human BDH2, an anti-apoptosis factor, is a novel poor prognostic factor for de novo cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Yang Wen-Chi , Tsai Wan-Chi , Lin Pai-Mei , Yang Ming-Yu , Liu Yi-Chang , Chang Chao-Sung , Yu Wen-Hui , Lin Sheng-Fung
Published: August 2013

Background

The relevance of recurrent molecular abnormalities in cytogenetically normal (CN) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was recently acknowledged by the inclusion of molecular markers such as NPM1, FLT3, and CEBPA as a complement to cytogenetic information within both the World Health Organization and the European Leukemia Net classifications. Mitochondrial metabolism is different in cancer and normal cells. A novel cytosolic type 2-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, BDH2, originally named DHRS6, plays a physiological role in the cytosolic utilization of ketone bodies, which can subsequently enter mitochondria and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Moreover, BDH2 catalyzes the production of 2, 3-DHBA during enterobactin biosynthesis and participates in 24p3 (LCN2)-mediated iron transport and apoptosis.

Results

We observed that BDH2 expression is an independent poor prognostic factor for CN-AML, with an anti-apoptotic role. Patients with high BDH2 expression have relatively shorter overall survival (P = 0.007) and a low complete response rate (P = 0.032). BDH2-knockdown (BDH2-KD) in THP1 and HL60 cells increased the apoptosis rate under reactive oxygen species stimulation. Decrease inducible survivin, a member of the inhibitors of apoptosis family, but not members of the Bcl-2 family, induced apoptosis via a caspase-3-independent pathway upon BDH2-KD.

Conclusions

BDH2 is a novel independent poor prognostic marker for CN-AML, with the role of anti-apoptosis, through surviving.
Genetic diversity and population structure of rice landraces from Eastern and North Eastern States of India
Authors: Das Basabdatta , Sengupta Samik , Parida Swarup Kumar , Roy Bipasha , Ghosh Mrityunjay , Prasad Manoj , Ghose Tapas Kumar
Published: August 2013

Background

Adaptations to different habitats across the globe and consequent genetic variation within rice have resulted in more than 120,000 diverse accessions including landraces, which are vital genetic resources for agronomic and quality traits. In India the rice landraces of the states West Bengal, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland are worthy candidates for genetic assessment. Keeping the above in view, the present study was conducted with the aim to (i) calculate the genetic distances among the accessions of 83 landraces collected from these states along with 8 check accessions (total 91 accessions) using 23 previously mapped SSR markers and (ii) examine the population structure among the accessions using model-based clustering approach.

Results

Among the 91 accessions, 182 alleles were identified which included 51 rare and 27 null alleles. The average PIC value was 0.7467/marker. The non-aromatic landraces from West Bengal was most diverse with 154 alleles and an average PIC value of 0.8005/marker, followed by the aromatic landraces from West Bengal with 118 alleles and an average PIC value of 0.6524/marker, while the landraces from North East ranked third with 113 alleles and an average PIC value of 0.5745/marker. In the dendrogram distinct clusters consisting of predominantly aromatic landraces and predominantly North East Indian landraces were observed. The non-aromatic landraces from West Bengal were interspersed within these two clusters. The accessions were moderately structured, showing four sub-populations (A-D) with an Fst value of 0.398, 0.364, 0.206 and 0.281, respectively. The assigned clustering of accessions was well in agreement in both distance-based and model-based approaches.

Conclusions

Each of the accessions could be identified unequivocally by the SSR profiles. Genetically the non aromatic landraces from West Bengal were most diverse followed by the aromatic landraces from the same state. The North Eastern accessions ranked third. Further, grouping of accessions based on their agronomic traits may serve as a resource for future studies, leading to the improvement of rice. Moreover in-situ preservation of the landraces is also a means of protection of biodiversity and cultural heritage.
DNA vaccines targeting the encoded antigens to dendritic cells induce potent antitumor immunity in mice
Authors: Cao Jun , Jin Yiqi , Li Wei , Zhang Bin , He Yang , Liu Hongqiang , Xia Ning , Wei Huafeng , Yan Jian
Published: August 2013

Background

Although DNA vaccine holds a great potential for cancer immunotherapy, effective long-lasting antitumoral immunity sufficient to induce durable responses in cancer patients remains to be achieved. Considering the pivotal role of dendritic cells (DC) in the antigen processing and presentation, we prepared DC-targeting DNA vaccines by fusing tumor-associated antigen HER2/neu ectodomain to single chain antibody fragment (scFv) from NLDC-145 antibody specific for DC-restricted surface molecule DEC-205 (scFvNLDC-145), and explored its antitumoral efficacy and underlying mechanisms in mouse breast cancer models.

Results

In vivo targeting assay demonstrated that scFvNLDC-145specifically delivered DNA vaccine-encoded antigen to DC. Compared with untargeted HER2/neu DNA vaccines, vaccination with scFvNLDC-145-HER2/neu markedly promoted the HER2/neu-specific cellular and humoral immune responses with long-lasting immune memory, resulting in effective protection against challenge of HER2/neu-positive D2F2/E2 breast tumor while ineffective in parental HER2/neu-negative D2F2 breast tumor. More importantly, in combination with temporary depletion of regulatory T cells (Treg) by low-dose cyclophosphamide, vaccination with scFvNLDC-145-HER2/neu induced the regression of established D2F2/E2 breast tumor and significantly retarded the development of spontaneous mammary carcinomas in transgenic BALB-neuT mice.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that DC-targeted DNA vaccines for in vivo direct delivery of tumor antigens to DC could induce potent antigen-specific cellular and humoral immune responses and, if additional combination with systemic Treg depletion, was able to elicit an impressively therapeutic antitumoral activity, providing a rationale for further development of this approach for cancer treatment.
The development of chronic cough in children following presentation to a tertiary paediatric emergency department with acute respiratory illness: study protocol for a prospective cohort study
Authors: Drescher Benjamin J , Chang Anne B , Phillips Natalie , Acworth Jason , Marchant Julie , Sloots Theo P , David Michael , O’Grady Kerry-Ann F
Published: August 2013

Background

Acute respiratory illness, a leading cause of cough in children, accounts for a substantial proportion of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. In some children acute cough progresses to chronic cough (>4 weeks duration), impacting on morbidity and decreasing quality of life. Despite the importance of chronic cough as a cause of substantial childhood morbidity and associated economic, family and social costs, data on the prevalence, predictors, aetiology and natural history of the symptom are scarce. This study aims to comprehensively describe the epidemiology, aetiology and outcomes of cough during and after acute respiratory illness in children presenting to a tertiary paediatric emergency department.

Methods/design

A prospective cohort study of children aged <15 years attending the Royal Children’s Hospital Emergency Department, Brisbane, for a respiratory illness that includes parent reported cough (wet or dry) as a symptom. The primary objective is to determine the prevalence and predictors of chronic cough (≥4 weeks duration) post presentation with acute respiratory illness. Demographic, epidemiological, risk factor, microbiological and clinical data are completed at enrolment. Subjects complete daily cough dairies and weekly follow-up contacts for 28(±3) days to ascertain cough persistence. Children who continue to cough for 28 days post enrolment are referred to a paediatric respiratory physician for review. Primary analysis will be the proportion of children with persistent cough at day 28(±3). Multivariate analyses will be performed to evaluate variables independently associated with chronic cough at day 28(±3).

Discussion

Our protocol will be the first to comprehensively describe the natural history, epidemiology, aetiology and outcomes of cough during and after acute respiratory illness in children. The results will contribute to studies leading to the development of evidence-based clinical guidelines to improve the early detection and management of chronic cough in children during and after acute respiratory illness.
Symptoms, signs and nerve conduction velocities in patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Ntani Georgia , Palmer Keith T , Linaker Cathy , Harris E Clare , Van der Star Richard , Cooper Cyrus , Coggon David
Published: August 2013

Background

To inform the clinical management of patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and case definition for CTS in epidemiological research, we explored the relation of symptoms and signs to sensory nerve conduction (SNC) measurements.

Methods

Patients aged 20–64 years who were referred to a neurophysiology service for investigation of suspected CTS, completed a symptom questionnaire (including hand diagrams) and physical examination (including Tinel’s and Phalen’s tests). Differences in SNC velocity between the little and index finger were compared according to the anatomical distribution of symptoms in the hand and findings on physical examination.

Results

Analysis was based on 1806 hands in 908 patients (response rate 73%). In hands with numbness or tingling but negative on both Tinel’s and Phalen’s tests, the mean difference in SNC velocities was no higher than in hands with no numbness or tingling. The largest differences in SNC velocities occurred in hands with extensive numbness or tingling in the median nerve sensory distribution and both Tinel’s and Phalen’s tests positive (mean 13.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 12.6-15.0 m/s). Hand pain and thumb weakness were unrelated to SNC velocity.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that in the absence of other objective evidence of median nerve dysfunction, there is little value in referring patients of working age with suspected CTS for nerve conduction studies if they are negative on both Tinel’s and Phalen’s tests. Alternative case definitions for CTS in epidemiological research are proposed according to the extent of diagnostic information available and the relative importance of sensitivity and specificity.
The relationship between baseline nutritional status with subsequent parenteral nutrition and clinical outcomes in cancer patients undergoing hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy
Authors: Vashi Pankaj G , Gupta Digant , Lammersfeld Carolyn A , Braun Donald P , Popiel Brenten , Misra Subhasis , Brown Komen C
Published: August 2013

Background

The combination of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a promising treatment option for selected patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. This retrospective study investigated the relationship between baseline nutritional assessment with subsequent parenteral nutritional (PN) and clinical outcomes in cancer patients undergoing CRS and HIPEC.

Methods

A consecutive series of 60 patients undergoing CRS and HIPEC at our institution between January 2009 and May 2011. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) was used to assess nutritional status. Patients were classified preoperatively as: well nourished (SGA-A), mildly-moderately malnourished (SGA-B), and severely malnourished (SGA-C). For PN, patients were divided into 2 groups: those who received PN (PN+) and those who did not receive PN (PN-). The primary outcomes of interest were length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications, ECOG performance status (PS) and survival. LOS was calculated as the number of days in the hospital post surgery. Performance status was measured on a scale of 0-4. Survival was calculated from the date of first visit to the date of death/last contact.

Results

Of 60 patients, 19 were males and 41 females. The mean age at presentation was 50.3 years. The most common cancer types were colorectal (n = 24) and gynecologic (n = 19) with the majority of patients (n = 47) treated previously before coming to our institution. 33 patients were SGA-A, 22 SGA-B and 5 SGA-C prior to surgery. Of a total of 60 patients, 31 received PN. Mean LOS for the entire cohort was 16.2 days (SD = 9.8). Mean LOS for preoperative SGA-A, SGA-B and SGA-C were 15.0, 15.2 and 27.8 days respectively (ANOVA p = 0.02). Overall incidence of complications was 26.7% (16/60). Complications were recorded in 9 of 33 (27.3%) preoperative SGA-A patients and 7 of 27 (25.9%) SGA-B + C patients (p = 0.91). The median overall survival was 17.5 months (95% CI = 13.0 to 22.1 months). Median survival for preoperative SGA-A and SGA-B + C cohorts was 22.4 and 10.4 months respectively (p = 0.006).

Conclusions

The preoperative SGA predicts LOS and survival in cancer patients undergoing HIPEC. Future randomized clinical trials in this patient population should investigate the systematic provision of PN to all malnourished patients in the preoperative period for a minimum of 7-10 days with the continuation of PN in the postoperative period.