bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post-transient shifts in auditory lateralization: Effects of target level
Authors: Arieh Yoav , Marks Lawrence E.
Published: January 2010

Exposing one ear to a series of brief 80 dB sound pressure level (SPL) inducing tones reduces the tendency to lateralize subsequent target tones to that ear and shifts the point of subjective equality (PSE) toward the unexposed ear. Furthermore, targets with average SPLs of 60 and 80 dB at the two ears showed similar changes in PSE. These results support and extend earlier findings of Arieh and Marks (2007). Percept. Psychophys. 69, 523–528 and suggest the presence of a mechanism, located at least partially before the site of binaural integration, that depresses the magnitude of intensity information from the ear in response to moderately intense transient stimuli. Assuming that lateralization depends on the ratio of the magnitude of intensity information from the two ears that reach the central integrator, the results imply that the inducer reduced the representations of magnitude of 60 and 80 dB test tones in equal proportion.
Unsteady laryngeal airflow simulations of the intra-glottal vortical structures
Authors: Mihaescu Mihai , Khosla Sid M. , Murugappan Shanmugam , Gutmark Ephraim J.
Published: January 2010

The intra-glottal vortical structures developed in a static divergent glottis with continuous flow entering the glottis are characterized. Laryngeal airflow calculations are performed using the Large Eddy Simulation approach. It has been shown that intra-glottal vortices are formed on the divergent wall of the glottis, immediately downstream of the separation point. Even with non-pulsatile flow entering the glottis, the vortices are intermittently shed, producing unsteady flow at the glottal exit. The vortical structures are characterized by significant negative static pressure relative to the ambient pressure. These vortices increase in size and strength as they are convected downstream by the flow due to the entrained air from the supra-glottal region. The negative static pressures associated with the intra-glottal vortical structures suggest that the closing phase during phonation may be accelerated by such vortices. The intra-glottal negative pressures can affect both vocal fold vibration and voice production.
Personalized Medicine Progresses One Base at a Time
Authors: LaMarco Kelly
Published: January 2010

A high-fidelity, low-cost, scalable platform for whole-genome sequencing may reveal rare genetic variants and catalyze genomics-based personalized medicine.
Application of the fuzzy performance measures to the City of London water supply system
Authors: El-Baroudy Ibrahim , Simonovic Slobodan P
Published: January 2010

Most engineering systems are subject to a wide range of possible uncertain future conditions. The probabilistic reliability analysis usually fails to address the problems of human error, subjectivity, and lack of system performance history and records. This paper explores the utility of the following fuzzy performance measures for evaluating the performance of a complex water supply system: (i) combined reliability–vulnerability, (ii) robustness, and (iii) resiliency. The regional water supply system for the City of London, Ontario, Canada, is used as the case study. The computational requirements for the implementation of the fuzzy performance measures and their sensitivity to different shapes of fuzzy membership functions are investigated. The study illustrates the capability of the fuzzy performance measures to handle uncertainty and identify critical system components. This can be of value in identifying the optimal level of improvement that will increase the overall system performance.Key words: water supply, fuzzy sets, risk, performance indicators.
Hydrograph-based storm sewer design optimization by genetic algorithm
Authors: Afshar M H , Afshar A , Mariño M A , Darbandi A A.S
Published: January 2010

A model is developed for the optimal design of storm water networks. The model uses a genetic algorithm (GA) as the search engine and the TRANSPORT module of the US Environmental Protection Agency storm water management model version 4.4H (SWMM4.4H) as the hydraulic simulator. Two different schemes are used to formulate the problem with varying degrees of success in reaching a near-optimal solution. In the first scheme, the nodal elevations and pipe diameters are selected as the decision variables of the problem which were determined by the GA to produce the trial solutions. In the second scheme, only nodal elevations are optimized by the GA, and determination of pipe diameters is left to the TRANSPORT SWMM module. Simulation of the trial solutions in both methods is carried out by the TRANSPORT module of SWMM4.4H. The proposed model is applied to some benchmark examples, and the results are presented and compared with the existing results in the literature.Key words: genetic algorithm, optimal design, sewer network, SWMM.
Artificial-intelligence-based detection tests for the identification of shifts and trends in Canadian hydrometric data
Authors: Lauzon Nicolas , Lence Barbara J
Published: January 2010

Two artificial-intelligence-based detection tests for the identification of shifts and trends in data sequences are described and applied to Canadian hydrometric data. These tests are based on the Kohonen neural network and fuzzy c-means approach. They are applied for the detection of shifts and trends in annual mean and daily maximum streamflow data from 43 Canadian hydrometric stations. The results of the tests are compared with those from conventional detection tests, such as the Mann–Whitney test for shifts and the Mann–Kendall test for trends. These results support conclusions from previous studies about the presence of trends in Canadian hydrometric data. As a whole, the artificial-intelligence-based and conventional tests may be used to confirm one another. In some cases, given their respective strengths and weaknesses, the tests may complement one another. One should therefore consider the use of more than one detection test for determining the presence or absence of anomalies in data sequences.Key words: hydrometric data, detection tests, shifts, trends, artificial intelligence.
Pitch-based carbon fiber reinforced cements: structure, performance, applications, and research needs
Authors: Banthia Nemkumar
Published: January 2010

The improvements in the performance characteristics of cements due to carbon fiber reinforcement are described. In particular, the structure, the physical properties, the mechanical behavior, and the durability aspects of carbon–cement composites using pitch-based fibers are discussed. The various possible applications of these composites in structural and nonstructural applications are enumerated. The future research needs are identified. Key words: cements, carbon fibers, microstructure, strength, toughness, durability, applications.
Estimating flows from limited data
Authors: Russell S. O. Denis
Published: January 2010

Estimates of flows with specified probabilities are required for the design and planning of water resource projects. The design flow required could be a peak flood, a low flow, or other flows, depending on the project. Such flows can be readily estimated when there are adequate data; but this is rarely the case in Canada. A procedure is presented for estimating design flows on the basis of whatever information is available, however inadequate. It is based on the use of a compound probability distribution made up of a weighted combination of underlying distributions. The model can be specified on the basis of regional information alone, and design flows are computed from that. Other data can then be used to update the weights of the component distributions, thereby increasing the accuracy of the estimates. The procedure is illustrated with practical examples. Key words: design flows, flow estimation, floods frequency analysis, Bayesian methods.
Analysis of river ice motion near a breaking front
Authors: Ferrick M. G. , Weyrick P. B. , Hunnewell S. T.
Published: January 2010

Dynamic river ice breakup displays different behaviors depending on the physical characteristics of the river, the flow, and the ice cover. Although a quantitative theory of dynamic breakup is not yet available, one of the essential components of such a theory will be a description of the ice motion near the breaking front. In this paper we develop an analysis of this motion for a specific case. The analysis is generalized by allowing the speed of the breaking front to vary, and the parameters of the ice motion that are obtained represent different dynamic breakup behaviors that have been previously described. The results of the analysis include (i) the ice velocity, ice acceleration, and bank resistance at each point in a river reach as functions of time, (ii) the equilibrium ice velocity as a function of bank resistance and the ice velocity as a function of time for several initial and bank resistance conditions, and (iii) the time of ice motion, ice velocity, ice acceleration, and the convergence of the moving ice with distance from the breaking front. The measure of ice convergence quantifies the loss of surface area by the sheet required for ice continuity, and distinguishes the basic types of dynamic breakup. Key words: breaking front, dynamic ice breakup, ice continuity, ice convergence, ice motion, river ice.
Seismic response and retrofit of industrial brick masonry chimneys
Authors: Ghobarah A. , Baumber T.
Published: January 2010

During recent earthquakes, the documented cases of collapsed unreinforced brick masonry industrial chimneys are numerous. Observed modes of structural failure are either total collapse or sometimes collapse or damage of the top third of the structure. The objective of this study is to analyze and explain the modes of observed failure of masonry chimneys during earthquake events, and to evaluate two retrofit systems for existing chimneys in areas of high seismicity. The behaviour of the masonry chimney, when subjected to earthquake ground motion, was modelled using a lumped mass system. Several actual strong motion records were used as input to the model. The shear, moment, and displacement responses to the earthquake ground motion were evaluated for various chimney configurations. It was found that the failure of the chimney at its base is the result of the fundamental mode of vibration. Failure at the top third of the structure due to the higher modes of vibration is possible when the chimney is subjected to high frequency content earthquakes. Higher modes, which are normally not of concern under wind loading, were shown to be critical in seismic design. Post-tensioning and the reinforcing steel cage were found to be effective retrofit systems. Key words: masonry, chimneys, behaviour, analysis, design, retrofit, dynamic, earthquakes, seismic response.
Station Square revisited: distortional buckling collapse
Authors: Essa Hesham S. , Kennedy D. J. Laurie
Published: January 2010

After failure of the roof of the new Save-on-Foods store at the Station Square development in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, the government of British Columbia established a commissioner inquiry to investigate the causes of collapse. Collapse was attributed to an undersized W610 × 113 beam in the cantilever-suspended span arrangement and inadequate buckling resistance of the beam-column assembly. The analysis of the lateral-torsional buckling resistance of the collapsed beam in the commissioner's report did not take into account two counteracting effects: the detrimental effect of the load applied above the shear centre and the beneficial effect of the lateral and torsional restraints provided by the open-web steel joists to the collapsed beam. A distortional buckling finite element program is used herein to determine the moment resistance at buckling of the collapsed beam. This program takes into account web distortion, height of load application, inelastic behaviour, and actual restraint conditions. The moment resistance so obtained is in good agreement with the moment applied to the beam at failure. Further analyses show that even with improved restraint details at the critical beam-column location, the beam was inadequate to support the factored loads. A W610 × 195 or even a W610 × 174 beam could be considered adequate. Key words: steel beams, Station Square, lateral-torsional buckling, cantilever-suspended span, web distortion, restraints.
Implications of soil–structure interaction effects on the NBCC 1990 base shear provisions for high-rise buildings
Authors: Hosni Shamel , Heidebrecht Arthur C.
Published: January 2010

This study is carried out on a site-specific basis for three locations in Canada, namely Ottawa, Vancouver, and Prince Rupert. Soil models are developed to correspond to the soil classifications used to define the foundation factor, F, in the 1990 edition of the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC). Structural models are developed to represent both 20-storey ductile moment-resisting frames and ductile flexural walls. Three initial sets of actual ground motion records are scaled, in the frequency domain, to represent the postulated bedrock motions for each of the three sites. The computer program FLUSH is used to perform the numerical analyses of the various soil–structure systems. Results from the current study indicate that the code F values generally underestimate the site effects associated with the respective soil deposits, but appear to be reasonably adequate, in most cases, when soil–structure interaction effects are taken into consideration. In spite of some deficiencies in the code F values, the 1990 NBCC design base shear is shown to be quite conservative for regular high-rise reinforced concrete buildings. A simple measure to account for inertial interaction effects in uncoupled analyses is shown to provide a significant improvement, as compared to conventional uncoupled analyses, in the prediction of the coupled base shear demand. Key words: seismic, hazard, site, soil, structure, interaction, code, design, base, shear.
Nonlinear finite element analysis of three-dimensional frames
Authors: Savard M. , Beaulieu D. , Fafard M.
Published: January 2010

This paper presents a numerical model for the nonlinear analysis of three-dimensional frames using the finite element method. The model is based on a general variational formulation for thin-walled beams with open or closed sections; the mathematical development uses an updated Lagrangian description for shallow arches, taking into account geometrical and material nonlinearities, residual stresses, member initial imperfections, warping, and connection flexibility. The model has been used to evaluate second-order effects and the influence of residual stresses and joint flexibility on the behavior of plane frames. A semirigid space frame has been analyzed and the gain in rigidity offered by a horizontal rigid diaphragm has been evaluated. Key words: analysis, connection, finite element, nonlinearity, residual stress, thin-walled beams, warping.
Seismic evaluation of unreinforced masonry buildings — a state-of-the-art report
Authors: Bruneau Michel
Published: January 2010

The potential vulnerability of old unreinforced masonry buildings, designed with little or no consideration for seismic-design requirements, is well documented. In regions without seismic retrofit ordinances prescribing a specific method to evaluate existing unreinforced masonry buildings, engineers have generally resorted to either conservative methods or various advanced analytical models. Although some approaches have received broader acceptance than others, there is still no consensus among practising engineers in North America. To provide perspective on the spectrum of strategies available and a clear overview of the state-of-the-art on this topic, this paper (i) presents the theoretical background and practical applications of a new procedure to evaluate unreinforced masonry bearing wall buildings, developed in California and recently integrated into the new Canadian Guidelines for the Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings, and (ii) summarizes the findings from other recent experimental and analytical research activities on the seismic behaviour of unreinforced masonry buildings, and from advances in their modelling. Key words: unreinforced masonry, masonry, earthquake, seismic response, state-of-the-art, evaluation, rehabilitation, analysis, models, buildings.
SUPERCONDUCTING QUANTUM INTERFERENCE MAGNETOMETER FOR LARGE MULTICHANNEL SYSTEMS WITH LOW CROSSTALK LEVEL
Authors: VETTOLIERE A. , GRANATA C. , RUGGIERO B. , RUSSO M.
Published: January 2010

Magnetometers based on Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) are widely employed in high sensitivity magnetometry. In particular, new multichannel systems for biomagnetic applications require many sensors which are very close to each other giving the crosstalk disturbance between the neighboring channel. Here, we present experimental results about a fully integrated dc-SQUID magnetometer, based on niobium technology, having a suitable design which allows to reduce crosstalk due to both the feedback coil and wires.

The crosstalk level measurements relative to a particular arrangement of sensors are reported. In such configuration, four magnetometers are placed over a square board 30 mm in side with a distance between their sensor centers of 14 mm. The measurements have been performed in a 4 He cryostat at T = 4.2 K in a flux-locked loop configuration using a readout electronics with a direct coupled scheme. The experimental data have shown a substantial reduction of crosstalk among neighboring sensors with respect to a traditional feedback coil. Furthermore, the field noise measurements have ensured that the new pickup and feedback coils design does not introduce any noise level degradation.
EFFECT OF THE PROCESSING PARAMETERS ON THE INTEGRITY OF CALCIUM PHOSPHATE COATINGS PRODUCED BY RF-MAGNETRON SPUTTERING
Authors: TOQUE JAY ARRE , HAMDI M. , IDE-EKTESSABI A. , SOPYAN IIS
Published: January 2010

Calcium phosphate (CaP) compounds like hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphates are considered to be very important biomaterials. This study used RF-magnetron sputtering (RF-MS) to deposit CaP onto 316L SS. Due to the complex nature of the effect of different sputtering parameters on the quality and integrity of the coatings, there is a need to further investigate those parameters collectively. An L 9(34) orthogonal array was employed to design the experiment that was used to investigate four important coating parameters which include RF-power, argon gas flow rate, deposition time and post-heat treatment conditions. The coating composition and structure were evaluated using XRD, EDX and FTIR. The mechanical property was measured in terms of the adhesion strength using a microscratch testing machine. The response graph of the results revealed that the interfacial strength of CaP was mainly influenced by the deposition power, while the coating thickness was predominantly affected by the argon gas flow rate. High adhesion strength was achieved when the coatings have at least 2 μ m thickness and deposited at a working pressure of 12 m Torr. ANOVA on the control factors helped rank the parameters accordingly in order of importance. Based on the response of the control factors, it was found that optimum adhesion strength could be achieved by depositing the coatings using the following parameters: 10 sccm of argon gas flow rate; 150 W of RF power; and 16 h of deposition.
EQUILIBRIUM SOLUTION TO THE LOWEST UNIQUE POSITIVE INTEGER GAME
Authors: BAEK SEUNG KI , BERNHARDSSON SEBASTIAN
Published: January 2010

We address the equilibrium concept of a reverse auction game so that no one can enhance the individual payoff by a unilateral change when all the others follow a certain strategy. In this approach the combinatorial possibilities to consider become very much involved even for a small number of players, which has hindered a precise analysis in previous works. We here present a systematic way to reach the solution for a general number of players, and show that this game is an example of conflict between the group and the individual interests.
DYNAMICS OF FISHER INFORMATION IN KERR MEDIUM
Authors: ABDEL-KHALEK S.
Published: January 2010

We discuss new aspects of the interaction between a cavity field and Kerr-like medium, focusing on Fisher Information. Here, we provide a new formula for marginal distributions of the Fisher Information and comparison with the Wehrl entropy for the system has been presented. The results show that, it is a correlation measure which is true for any quantum state, provided that it shows the same entropy behaviors of certain reduced states.
SCHEME FOR THE PREPARATION OF ENTANGLEMENT OF ATOMIC ENSEMBLES
Authors: XU LIN-LIN , YU YA-FEI , ZHANG ZHI-MING
Published: January 2010

In this paper, we present a scheme to prepare the W state and the GHZ state of many atomic ensembles based on the dynamics of the atomic system of a single control atom and an atomic ensemble dispersively coupling with a cavity, where the control atom is illuminated by a highly detuned auxiliary classical field at the same time. The dynamics of the atomic system can be described by an effective Jaynes–Cummings model (JCM) with the atomic ensemble as the bosonic mode. The preparation of the entangled states is deterministic. Because the cavity is always in the vacuum state during the whole evolution process, our scheme is less sensitive to the cavity decay.
QUANTUM PERFECT STATE TRANSFER ON WEIGHTED JOIN GRAPHS
Authors: ANGELES-CANUL RICARDO JAVIER , NORTON RACHAEL M. , OPPERMAN MICHAEL C. , PARIBELLO CHRISTOPHER C. , RUSSELL MATTHEW C. , TAMON CHRISTINO
Published: January 2010

This paper studies quantum perfect state transfer on weighted graphs. We prove that the join of a weighted two-vertex graph with any regular graph has perfect state transfer. This generalizes a result of Casaccino et al.1 where the regular graph is a complete graph with or without a missing edge. In contrast, we prove that the half-join of a weighted two-vertex graph with any weighted regular graph has no perfect state transfer. As a corollary, unlike for complete graphs, adding weights in complete bipartite graphs does not produce perfect state transfer. We also observe that any Hamming graph has perfect state transfer between each pair of its vertices. The result is a corollary of a closure property on weighted Cartesian products of perfect state transfer graphs. Moreover, on a hypercube, we show that perfect state transfer occurs between uniform superpositions on pairs of arbitrary subcubes, thus generalizing results of Bernasconi et al.2 and Moore and Russell.3
Catalytic enantioselective epoxidation of olefins by chiral mono-faced strapped porphyrin with nitrogen blocking ligand
Authors: Ren Qizhi , Hou Zongsheng , Zhang Hong , Wang Aiqin , Liu Shuangyan
Published: January 2010

The chiral mono-faced binaphthyl strapped porphyrins were synthesized and1H NMR characterized. Asymmetric epoxidation of olefins such as styrene derivatives and trimethylsilyl ethylene with iodosobenzene as oxidant was achieved by using the iron complex as catalyst in the presence of a nitrogen ligand. Enantiomeric excess (ee) of 80% and yield of 88% were measured for the epoxidation of styrene in the presence of 4-phenyl pyridine. The coordination capability of nitrogen ligands to catalysts measured by UV-vis spectrophotometric titrations evidence that the unstrapped face of the mono-faced catalyst is blocked by the nitrogen ligand coordination to the iron ion of the catalyst.
Synthesis of tetra(trimethylammonio)phthalocyanato zinc tetraiodide, [ZnPc(NMe3)4]I4, and a spectrometric investigation of its interaction with calf thymus DNA
Authors: Duan Wubiao , Wang Zhenxin , Cook Michael J.
Published: January 2010

The phthalocyanine salt [ ZnPc(NMe3)4]I4was synthesized from 4-nitrophthalonitrile using a three-step procedure. The interaction of [ ZnPc(NMe3)4]4+with calf thymus DNA (CT DNA) has been investigated by UV-vis and fluorescence spectrometric methods. [ ZnPc(NMe3)4]4+exists in a non-monomeric form, proposed to be a dimer, in phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.82). Spectral changes show that in the presence of high concentrations of CT DNA added to the solution, [ ZnPc(NMe3)4]4+is bound in a monomeric state with evidence suggesting it is located in a DNA groove. At lower concentrations of DNA there is evidence of stacking of non-monomeric [ ZnPc(NMe3)4]4+onto the DNA. Two intrinsic binding constants for the interaction of [ ZnPc(NMe3)4]4+with CT DNA, 1.33 × 105and 2.56 × 104M-1have been obtained. Electrostatic binding is shown to play an important role in the interaction of [ ZnPc(NMe3)4]4+with nucleic acids.
TWO ALGORITHMS FOR CONNECTED r-HOP k-DOMINATING SET
Authors: ZHANG ZHAO , LIU QINGHAI , LI DEYING
Published: January 2010

A vertex set D of a connected graph G is a (k, r)-connected dominating set ((k, r)-CDS) if every vertex in V(G)\D is at most r-hops away from at least k vertices in D. Finding a minimum (k, r)-CDS has wireless sensor network as its background. In this paper, we give two approximation algorithms to compute a minimum (k, r)-CDS, which improves previous works in regard of performance ratio.
DIRECTED PAIRWISE BALANCED DESIGNS WITH BLOCK SIZES FROM SUBSETS OF {3, 4, …, 10} WHICH CONTAIN 3
Authors: DING WEIWEI , WANG JIANMIN
Published: January 2010

In this paper we determine completely the spectra of directed pairwise balanced designs with block sizes from any subset of {3, 4, …, 10} which contains 3. Such designs can be used to construct single-deletion/insertion-correcting codes in which the lengths of the codewords may be different.
Activation of the cardiac mTOR/p70S6K pathway by leucine requires PDK1 and correlates with PRAS40 phosphorylation
Authors: Sanchez Canedo Cossette , Demeulder Bénédicte , Ginion Audrey , Bayascas Jose R. , Balligand Jean-Luc , Alessi Dario R. , Vanoverschelde Jean-Louis , Beauloye Christophe , Hue Louis , Bertrand Luc
Published: January 2010

Like insulin, leucine stimulates the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K) axis in various organs. Insulin proceeds via the canonical association of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1), and protein kinase B (PKB/Akt). The signaling involved in leucine effect, although known to implicate a PI3K mechanism independent of PKB/Akt, is more poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether PDK1 could also participate in the events leading to mTOR/p70S6K activation in response to leucine in the heart. In wild-type hearts, both leucine and insulin increased p70S6K activity whereas, in contrast to insulin, leucine was unable to activate PKB/Akt. The changes in p70S6K activity induced by insulin and leucine correlated with changes in phosphorylation of Thr389, the mTOR phosphorylation site on p70S6K, and of Ser2448 on mTOR, both related to mTOR activity. Leucine also triggered phosphorylation of the proline-rich Akt/PKB substrate of 40 kDa (PRAS40), a new pivotal mTOR regulator. In PDK1 knockout hearts, leucine, similarly to insulin, failed to induce the phosphorylation of mTOR and p70S6K, leading to the absence of p70S6K activation. The loss of leucine effect in absence of PDK1 correlated with the lack of PRAS40 phosphorylation. Moreover, the introduction in PDK1 of the L155E mutation, which is known to preserve the insulin-induced and PKB/Akt-dependent phosphorylation of mTOR/p70S6K, suppressed all leucine effects, including phosphorylation of mTOR, PRAS40, and p70S6K. We conclude that the leucine-induced stimulation of the cardiac PRAS40/mTOR/p70S6K pathway requires PDK1 in a way that differs from that of insulin.
Orexin activation precedes increased NPY expression, hyperphagia, and metabolic changes in response to sleep deprivation
Authors: Martins Paulo José Forcina , Marques Marina Soares , Tufik Sergio , D'Almeida Vânia
Published: January 2010

Several pieces of evidence support that sleep duration plays a role in body weight control. Nevertheless, it has been assumed that, after the identification of orexins (hypocretins), the molecular basis of the interaction between sleep and energy homeostasis has been provided. However, no study has verified the relationship between neuropeptide Y (NPY) and orexin changes during hyperphagia induced by sleep deprivation. In the current study we aimed to establish the time course of changes in metabolite, endocrine, and hypothalamic neuropeptide expression of Wistar rats sleep deprived by the platform method for a distinct period (from 24 to 96 h) or sleep restricted for 21 days (SR-21d). Despite changes in the stress hormones, we found no changes in food intake and body weight in the SR-21d group. However, sleep-deprived rats had a 25–35% increase in their food intake from 72 h accompanied by slight weight loss. Such changes were associated with increased hypothalamus mRNA levels of prepro-orexin (PPO) at 24 h followed by NPY at 48 h of sleep deprivation. Conversely, sleep recovery reduced the expression of both PPO and NPY, which rapidly brought the animals to a hypophagic condition. Our data also support that sleep deprivation rapidly increases energy expenditure and therefore leads to a negative energy balance and a reduction in liver glycogen and serum triacylglycerol levels despite the hyperphagia. Interestingly, such changes were associated with increased serum levels of glucagon, corticosterone, and norepinephrine, but no effects on leptin, insulin, or ghrelin were observed. In conclusion, orexin activation accounts for the myriad changes induced by sleep deprivation, especially the hyperphagia induced under stress and a negative energy balance.
Stability of Neural Firing in the Trigeminal Nuclei under Mechanical Whisker Stimulation
Authors: Makarov Valeri A. , Pavlov Alexey N. , Tupitsyn Anatoly N. , Panetsos Fivos , Moreno Angel
Published: January 2010

Sensory information handling is an essentially nonstationary process even under a periodic stimulation. We show how the time evolution of ridges in the wavelet spectrum of spike trains can be used for quantification of the dynamical stability of the neuronal responses to a stimulus. We employ this method to study neuronal responses in trigeminal nuclei of the rat provoked by tactile whisker stimulation. Neurons from principalis (Pr5) and interpolaris (Sp5i) show the maximal stability at the intermediate (50 ms) stimulus duration, whereas Sp5o cells “prefer” shorter (10 ms) stimulation. We also show that neurons in all three nuclei can perform as stimulus frequency filters. The response stability of about 33% of cells exhibits low-pass frequency dynamics. About 57% of cells have band-pass dynamics with the optimal frequency at 5 Hz for Pr5 and Sp5i, and 4 Hz for Sp5o, and the remaining 10% show no prominent dependence on the stimulus frequency. This suggests that the neural coding scheme in trigeminal nuclei is not fixed, but instead it adapts to the stimulus characteristics.
Donor Complications Following Laparoscopic Compared to Hand-Assisted Living Donor Nephrectomy: An Analysis of the Literature
Authors: Halgrimson Whitney R. , Campsen Jeffrey , Mandell M. Susan , Kelly Mara A. , Kam Igal , Zimmerman Michael A.
Published: January 2010

There are two approaches to laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: standard laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) and hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (HALDN). In this study we report the operative statistics and donor complications associated with LDN and HALDN from large-center peer-reviewed publications.Methods. We conducted PubMed and Ovid searches to identify LDN and HALDN outcome studies that were published after 2004.Results. There were 37 peer-reviewed studies, each with more than 150 patients. Cumulatively, over 9000 patients were included in this study. LDN donors experienced a higher rate of intraoperative complications than HALDN donors (5.2% versus. 2.0%, ). Investigators did not report a significant difference in the rate of major postoperative complications between the two groups (LDN 0.5% versus HALDN 0.7%, ). However, conversion to open procedures from vascular injury was reported more frequently in LDN procedures (0.8% versus 0.4%, ).Conclusion. At present there is no evidence to support the use of one laparoscopic approach in preference to the other. There are trends in the data suggesting that intraoperative injuries are more common in LDN while minor postoperative complications are more common in HALDN.
Conceptualizing Religion: Responses
Authors: Saler Benson
Published: January 2010

I am very grateful to the commentators for the time and effort that they expended on my book. I do not imagine that it was easy to read. For over and beyond any unclarities generated by my prose, the perspective on categories celebrated in Conceptualizing Religion constitutes a departure from what most of us, from childhood on, have learned to accept as workable and conventional (if not actually mandated by a rational accommodation to the order of the world). To the extent that a certain disparity in viewpoints distances me from some of my readers, it imposes difficulties in following my argument. I appreciate the fact that the commentators have taken the book seriously enough to engage it. I respond to each of the commentators below, in alphabetical order.
Religion, Post-Religionism, and Religioning: Religious Studies and Contemporary Cultural Debates1
Authors: Nye Malory
Published: January 2010

The interaction between the contemporary study of religion and contemporary cultural debates has tended to be marked by indifference, and there have been relatively few attempts to engage with the discourses of postmodern theory. In this paper I examine some of the ways in which recent anthropologists have sought to question some of their basic disciplinary assumptions with regard to the 'culture concept', particularly by putting forward strategies of 'writing against culture' or by writing culture in more dynamic terms (as cultural or culturing). This insight, which is relevant in itself to the contemporary study of religion, can be extended to a re-evaluation of the 'religion' concept, which I suggest could be reconstructed in terms of practice theory as religious practice or religioning. In conclusion I argue that to maintain its relevance within the broad field of contemporary humanities scholarship, the discipline of religious studies needs to aligrt itself more clearly (theoretically and methodologically) with the dynamic interface between the approaches of cultural anthropology, cultural theory, and other postmodern' theoretical discourses.
The Historical Assessment of Speech Acts: Clarifications of Austin and Skinner for the Study of Religions
Authors: Beduhn Jason David
Published: January 2010

This essay examines Quentin Skinner's historicist use of J. L. Austin's speech act theory, corrects and clarifies some ways in which Skinner seems to misapply Austin's categories, and argues that Skinner's approach, when refined by these few adjustments, is a viable program for the historical study of religious literature. What must be lift behind in refining Skinner's project is the latter's apparent interest in an author's intentions, which is a datum absent from historical evidence. It is argued that speech acts have their effect only by means of public construal and response, and that history is an account of these construals, regardless of whether these correspond to what agents subjectively intended. The use of intentional descriptions of speech and action turns out to be a mere historiographic trope, with heuristic, but not explanatory value.
Religious discourse and first person authority
Authors: Godlove Terry F
Published: January 2010

Competent speakers are normally authoritative as to the meaning of their words. Increasingly students of religion seem to be discounting this "first person authority", claiming that religious persons are not - as they seem to be - talking about what Hume called "invisible intelligent powers", gods, goddesses, ancestors, angels, and the like. This interpretative stance has understandably drawn criticism. I argue that the force of first person authority is diminished in religious discourse, and that this explains why it is so widely discounted. My argument turns on a broadly externalist account of linguistic meaning. When we view linguistic meaning as somehow "in the head" of the speaker, the interpreter will be set the incoherent task of trying to extract it with a minimum of distortion. But by viewing the meaning of words as emerging from the circumstances, mental and physical, and of their use, we may uncover the basis of first person authority and come to understand why its place in religious discourse has proved elusive.
Reconciliation
Authors: Ikenga-Metuh Efemie
Published: January 2010

In this article, the late Professor Efemie Ikenga-Metuh reflects on the basic message that Pope John Paul II delivered on the occasion of his 1998 visit to Nigeria. That message, says Metuh, could be summarized in two words: Reconciliation and Dialogue. It will only be when Nigerians begin to dialogue frankly and respectfully with one another that they will be able to come to reconciliation. And in reconciliation is the key to deliverance from the situation of corruption and injustice in which Nigeria is still so sadly held hostage. In diesem Beitrag überlegt der jüngst verstorbene Professor Efemie Ikenga-Metuh die Grundbotschaft, die Papst Johannes Paul II bei seinem Besuch in Nigerien 1998 anbot. Diese Botschaft lässt sich nach Metuh in zwei Worte fassen: Versöhnung und Dialog. Erst wenn die Nigerianer beginnen, offen und rücksichtsvoll miteinander in Dialog zu treten, werden sie fähig sein, sich zu versöhnen. Und die Versöhnung ist der Schlüssel, um aus der Situation von Korruption und Ungerechtigkeit herauszukommen, die Nigerien immer noch so schwer bedrückt.
"Give Us the Tools and We Will Finish the Job"
Authors: Gittins Anthony J
Published: January 2010

This article is a summary of a course that Anthony J. Gittins, CSSp. and Dianne Bergant, CSA gave in 2000 in Kiribati in the Central Pacific. In a first section, the course is summarized; in a second section some of the dynamics of the course are explored. The course aims at giving local peoples the tools to become a theologizing community, and so develop the confidence and expertise to create a local theology for and by themselves.
Community Polarization Around Cultural Adaptation in the Liturgy in a Fiji Indian Catholic Community
Authors: Hoare Frank
Published: January 2010

In this essay, veteran Columban missionary Frank Hoare analyzes a dispute in the Fiji Indian community over the possibilities of employing hierarchically-approved, Indian adaptations to the Liturgy in a parish in Fiji. Hoare suggests that at bottom the dispute was not only about popular religiosity versus official religious practice, nor was it even about the limits of syncretism in Christian faith and practice. Rather, it was a dispute that went to the heart of power and authority structures within several of the Fiji Indian villages in the parish. Ultimately, Hoare concludes, inculturation in the Fiji Indian context needs to go beyond importing practices from Indian Christianity and translating Hindu practices for use within Christian contexts: "... a true and deep inculturation cannot result from borrowing forms from India, even if approved by ecclesiastical authorities, but will only come about through ongoing dialogue with the Fiji Indian Catholics as they try to hear and understand the gospel faith which transcends all cultures and express it in symbols and forms of their lived experience."
Foreign Funding of Catholic Mission in South Africa: a Case Study
Authors: Bate Stuart C.
Published: January 2010

This article forms part of an ongoing study of money as a cultural signifier in western missionary praxis. The focus here is foreign funding of Catholic mission in Africa. It presents a case study of a particular donor agency, given the pseudonym, "funding the mission," and its role in financing Catholic mission projects in South Africa between 1979 and 1997. This period was one of tremendous social change in South Africa during which the Catholic Church spent a large amount of time and effort in reviewing its own praxis culminating in the launch of a pastoral plan in 1989. The article begins by reviewing "funding the mission's" own vision of its missionary role emphasizing its funding criteria. Then there is an analytical presentation of the funding data. This looks at the amounts donated, the categories of projects funded and the identity of the applicants. Identity is first considered in terms of Catholic criteria: dioceses, religious congregations, lay people and ecumenical groups and then as social criteria: foreign, South African and racial identity. The article then proceeds to a missiological reflection in terms of the meaning of money in ecclesial praxis and then its cultural role in society and the church. In this section the missiological category of inculturation provides the hermeneutic key both from the cultural perspective of the donors and that of the recipients. Finally there is a reflection on the notion of sharing within the church and whether sharing from the richer nations is helping or hindering the process of inculturation within African local churches. It includes some suggestions for a more effective response.
The Third Millennium and the Unity of Humankind
Authors: Osthathios Geevarghese Mar
Published: January 2010

At the beginning of the third millennium, with so many people in the world suffering from the negative effects of globalization and neoliberal capitalism, it is time for the world's religions to risk the "impossible possibility" of global interreligious community. God as such is a community of love, and God calls women and men to live lovingly. Actions of love are more important than doctrinal orthodoxy. The Hindu proverb, "let the world be healthy" is exactly right. The author proposes that there be established a "United Religious Organization" which will promote such a "healthy world."
Nazareth as Model for Mission in the Life of Charles De Foucauld
Authors: Wright Cathy
Published: January 2010

Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916) certainly never envisioned himself as a missionary at the moment of his conversion. He was a contemplative who wanted to live for God alone in imitation of the hidden life of Jesus at Nazareth. But this same concept of Nazareth that became the lens through which he saw his relationship with God and his place in the world became a dynamic force that evolved over the course of the years. Charles' evolving understanding of this took him from Trappist monk, to hermit, to what he called a "missionary monk." He came to believe that a contemplative life lived in close proximity with others could be a living sign of the love of God. His past life experiences played no small part in the way he saw presence and goodness as a means of "shouting the Gospel by one's life" and in his eventual mission among the Muslim people of the Sahara. Charles clearly set out to convert them according to the model of evangelization in his day. But his own ongoing conversion and growing friendships, as well as his extensive study of the language of the Tuareg, among whom he lived, developed into a model of mission based on friendship and respect, where the "other" becomes "brother and sister" and where evangelization is about communion and solidarity as a sign of the Reign of God.
Re-Rooting Mission in the Family
Authors: de Mesa José M
Published: January 2010

The family, José M. de Mesa argues in this article, is the basic unit of the church, and should therefore be the basic unit of the church's mission. It is in the family where the Kingdom of God is most immediately experienced and witnessed to, and where the inclusiveness of God's saving presence can be exercised through the practice of dialogue and hospitality. Following the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, Dr. de Mesa calls for an understanding of marriage as a distinct ordo or ministry within the church, and for a renewed recognition of the family as the "domestic church," missionary by its very nature. "Parishes and dioceses," he says, "ought to rethink their pastoral vision, approaches and programs in renewing ecclesial life by first looking at the church already alive in families. The question should then be, 'How can these families be more church?' rather than 'How can we involve people (who belong to families) in the parish or the diocese?"'
Pentecostalism in Africa and the Changing Face of Christian Mission
Authors: Asamoah-Gyadu Kwabena
Published: January 2010

Third World Christianity has been experiencing exponential growth since the turn of the twentieth century. Nowhere is this renewal in Christianity more visible than Africa, where religious innovations led by indigenous Christians have mostly been Pentecostal in character. The Pentecostal movements leading the current renewal of Christianity in African countries like Ghana are autonomous, independent of both the established historic mission denominations and the older classical Pentecostal churches like the Assemblies of God. Ghanaian Pentecostalism in its various streams has adapted the global Pentecostal culture to suit the needs of the local context in ways that have changed the nature and direction of Christian mission. The traditional themes of healing, deliverance, prosperity and empowerment associated with the global Pentecostal movement have been synthesized with traditional worldviews, giving Pentecostal Christianity an added relevance in African context. This has yielded massive responses. In Pentecostal movements under discussion, therefore, one finds the ingenious ability of indigenous Christians to appropriate a phenomenon of global significance for local consumption.
Theological Education and Mission
Authors: King Fergus
Published: January 2010

In this article, veteran Tanzania missionary Fergus King reflects on the connection between mission and theological education. "Mission" is primarily God's mission, participation in which is constitutive of the church's very nature. In today's debate, "theological education" is pulled between a commitment to a more "holistic" approach (paideia) and a more academic approach (Wissenschaft), and while it needs both it also must take into account local context: location, culture, language and worldview. When context is taken into account, theological education cannot but be mission-oriented, since its goal becomes an education that aims at a faithful and relevant communication of the gospel to fellow Christians and non-Christians, both locally and universally. King concludes with some reflections on the nature of theological authority: ultimately authority resides in the entire church, past and present. Theological education, therefore, is aimed at all Christians, at whatever level they find themselves.
Family Matters: The Role of Mental Health Stigma and Social Support on Depressive Symptoms and Subsequent Help Seeking Among African American Boys
Authors: Lindsey Michael A. , Joe Sean , Nebbitt Von
Published: January 2010

African American adolescent boys underutilize mental health service due to stigma associated with depression. Gaining an increased understanding of how depressed, African American adolescent boys perceive their mental health needs and engage in help-seeking behaviors might play an essential role in efforts to improve their symptoms and access to care. Using a mixed-methods design, this study examined the influence of mental health stigma and social support on depressive symptoms among African American adolescent boys. Findings indicated the protective effects of social support in decreasing depressive symptoms, especially when participants experienced mental health stigma. Results also revealed the pivotal role of family social support over both professional and peer support for participants who struggled with depressive symptoms. The primacy of family support among the sample, combined with the frequent distrust of professionals and peer networks, would indicate that working with families may improve initial identification of depression among African American adolescent boys and decrease their barriers to care.