bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Description of Trichodorus japonicus n. sp. (Triplonchida: Trichodoridae) from Japan
Authors: Zhao Lirong , Xie Hui , Gu Jianfeng , Xu Chunling
Published: March 2013

Trichodorus japonicus n. sp. was intercepted from soil around roots of Acer palmatum and Camellia japonica imported from Japan. It is characterised in the male by having three ventromedian cervical papillae between the onchiostyle base and the secretory-excretory pore, nearly straight or slightly ventrally curved spicules with a finely striated blade except at extremities, three (rarely four) ventromedian precloacal supplements, the posterior supplement (SP1) opposite the middle of the retracted spicules, the presence of a bursa-like thickening, and terminal tail cuticle not or only slightly thickened. The female has a pore-like vulva in ventral view, pear-shaped to cylindrical-shaped vagina, vagina length 36% (31-41%) of the corresponding body diam., vaginal sclerotised pieces 1.9-2.5 μm in size, triangular to rounded triangular in lateral view and slightly separated (1-2 μm), and a pair of ventrosubmedian to ventrosublateral advulvar body pores (located within one-third body diam. posterior to vulva). The results of phylogenetic analysis based on the rDNA-ITS2 and 28S-D2/D3 sequences data using UPGMA (Unweighted pair group method using arithmetic average) and ME (Minimum Evolution) confirmed the close relationships of T. japonicus n. sp. with T. cedarus, T. paracedarus and T. nanjingensis.
Cementing Class Differences: Globalization in Peru
Authors: Ko Nusta Carranza
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Critics of globalization address how international trade creates inequality and induces class differences in the international global system. Reflecting these thoughts, this paper examines the effects of economic globalization, international trade, and neoliberal-oriented economic policies on cementing class differences in Peru. Through a qualitative assessment of various international trade agreements, Peru’s membership in the regional trade bloc, and the continuing flow of foreign investment into Peru’s textile and natural resource industries, I determine that the so-called “benefits” of economic globalization have yet to reach the Peruvian socio-economic minority and have instead helped in maintaining the class differences in this South American state.
Liberating Development: Religious Transformations of Development Discourse
Authors: Occhipinti Laurie
Published: March 2013

Abstract

This article explores the ways in which some faith-based organizations, basing their work on notions of social justice, may offer a model for development that shifts the discourse from one that is narrowly focuses on projects and outcomes to one that considers the fundamental questions of how people live. Drawing on themes from liberation theology, their discourse questions the notion of poverty even as they seek to ameliorate human suffering. Based on field research with two Catholic NGOs in Argentina, this paper considers the ways in which some religious organizations employ a discourse based on a holistic notion of “development.”
Between First-Century Apocalyptic and Seventh-Century Liturgy: On 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch, and Qillir
Authors: Novick Tzvi
Published: March 2013

Abstract

The relationship between two first- or second-century C.E. Jewish apocalypses, 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch, is complex, and remains unresolved. It is well known that elements of both works occur, predicated of Jeremiah, in a singular rabbinic text, Pesiqta Rabbati 26. In this paper, I argue that analysis of the development of the traditions underlying 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch must take more serious account of two pararabbinic texts, a pair of laments by the seventh-century Byzantine poet Qillir.
‘Round Peg, Square Hole?’ The Viability of Plea Bargaining in Domestic Criminal Justice Systems Prosecuting International Crimes
Authors: Pathmanathan Anjali
Published: March 2013

During peacetime, no nation envisions that its people could ever succumb to genocide. Therefore, when a justice system never anticipated the challenge of prosecuting all perpetrators of genocide, the judicial institutions struggle of fitting the ‘round peg’ of these countless heinous crimes into the ‘square hole’ of an unprepared criminal justice system. Thus, this article turns to the extensive use of plea bargaining as a potential solution to this problem, using the courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as an example of a nascent criminal justice system developing in the wake of mass atrocity. Since plea bargaining has the potential to offer victims greater retribution and reconciliation if they see their perpetrators processed through the criminal justice system in some capacity rather than not at all, I propose that if administered cautiously and within an informed community, increasing plea bargaining in BiH could contribute positively to rebuilding the community.
The Rise of the African Union Opposition to the International Criminal Court’s Investigations and Prosecutions of African Leaders
Authors: Ssenyonjo Manisuli
Published: March 2013

On 9 January 2012 the African Union (AU) stated that it ‘shall oppose any ill-considered, self-serving decisions of the ICC [International Criminal Court] as well as any pretensions or double standards that become evident from the investigations, prosecutions and decisions by the ICC relating to situations in Africa’. These relate to the United Nations [UN] Security Council referrals (in Darfur/Sudan and Libya) and the Prosecutor’s investigations proprio motu (in Kenya). This article considers the rise of the AU opposition to the ICC investigations and prosecutions in Africa directed against current African State leaders focusing on three issues. First, whether customary international law creates an exception to Head of State immunity when international courts, such as the ICC, seek a Head of State’s arrest for the commission of international crimes. Second, whether the International Court of Justice can decide on immunity of State officials sought by the ICC. Third, whether the AU should empower the African Court of Justice and Human Rights with the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for international crimes committed in Africa.
Review ArticleThe Proof Is in the Pudding:What Is Involved in Editing and Translating a Mahāyāna sūtra?
Authors: Silk Jonathan A.
Published: March 2013

While different readers will have different expectations from something called a ‘critical edition,’ at a minimum one might expect reliable treatment of the sources employed, and from a translation consistent and reliable renderings, with or without meaningful commentary or annotation. The present review examines how far a recent contribution fulfills these minimal criteria.
Associations among Religious Coping, Daily Hassles, and Resilience
Authors: McIntire Laura , Duncan Renae
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study is to examine relationships among religious coping styles, the experience of daily hassles, and resiliency. Through the use of a set of questionnaires, positive and negative religious coping styles (Brief RCOPE) are identified and analyzed in relation to a direct measure of resiliency (CD-RISC), level of psychological distress (BSI), and level of daily hassles (BCSHS). Negative religious coping is positively related to psychological distress, while individuals who experience more daily hassles but use higher levels of positive religious coping have greater resiliency than individuals who use higher levels of negative religious coping. Additionally, the combination of daily hassles, major life stressors, level of positive religious coping, and resiliency accounted for a significant proportion of the variability in psychological distress. Post hoc analyses removed questions of spirituality from the resiliency scale that could possibly overlap with the measure of religious coping. These exploratory analyses indicate that negative religious coping is negatively correlated with non-spiritual resiliency. Exploratory analyses also indicate that individuals who experience more daily hassles but use higher levels of positive religious coping do not have greater levels of non-spiritual resiliency than individuals who use negative religious coping.
Berguer, Rochedieu: Flournoy's Legacy in the Genevan School of the Psychology of Religion
Authors: Brandt Pierre-Yves
Published: March 2013

In 1891 Thέodore Flournoy (1854-1920) became the first Professor of Psychology to be appointed at the University of Geneva, and his teaching regularly included references to religion. His successor, Georges Berguer, who taught psychology of religion, began as privat-docent in 1910 and received a full professorship in Religious Psychology and the History of Religion in 1928. French-speaking Switzerland is one of the rare places in the world where psychology of religion has been taught continuously since the very beginning of the 20th century. The aim of this article is to shed light on this tradition and especially on Georges Berguer (retired in 1944) and Edmond Rochedieu (retired in 1965) who succeeded Flournoy. This historical enterprise concludes with some reflections on the role of the psychology of religion at the intersection of psychology and the study of religions.
The Semantics of ‘Spirituality’ and Related Self-Identifications: A Comparative Study in Germany and the USA
Authors: Keller Barbara , Klein Constantin , Swhajor-Biesemann Anne , Silver Christopher F. , Hood Ralph , Streib Heinz
Published: March 2013

Culturally different connotations of basic concepts challenge the comparative study of religion. Do persons in Germany or in the United States refer to the same concepts when talking about ‘spirituality’ and ‘religion’? Does it make a difference how they identify themselves? The Bielefeld-Chattanooga Cross-Cultural Study on ‘Spirituality’ includes a semantic differential approach for the comparison of self-identified “neither religious nor spiritual”, “religious”, and “spiritual” persons regarding semantic attributes attached to the concepts ‘religion’ and ‘spirituality’ in each research context. Results show that ‘spirituality’ is used as a broader concept than ‘religion’. Regarding religion, semantics attributed by self-identified religious persons differ significantly from those of the spiritual persons. The ‘spiritual’ and the ‘religious’ groups agree on semantics attributed to spirituality but differ from the ‘neither spiritual nor religious’ group. Qualifications of differences and agreements become visible from the comparison between the United States and Germany. It is argued for the semantically sensitive study of culturally situated ‘spiritualities’.
Individual Differences in Existential Orientation: Empathizing and Systemizing Explain the Sex Difference in Religious Orientation and Science Acceptance
Authors: Rosenkranz Patrick , Charlton Bruce G.
Published: March 2013

On a wide range of measures and across cultures and societies, women tend to be more religious than men. Religious beliefs are associated with evolved social-cognitive mechanisms such as agency detection and theory-of-mind. Women perform better on most of these components of social cognition, suggesting an underlying psychological explanation for these sex differences. The Existential Orientation Scale was developed to extend the measurement of religion to include non-religious beliefs (Study 1). Factor analysis extracted two dimensions: religious orientation and science acceptance. This new scale was used to investigate the hypothesis that the dimensions of empathizing, a measure of social cognition, and systemizing can explain the sex differences in religious orientation (Study 2). The sex differences in both religious orientation and science acceptance disappeared when empathizing and systemizing were entered. This indicates that underlying dimensions of individual differences can explain existential orientation better than being male or female.
Music and Religion: Psychological Perspectives and their Limits
Authors: Belzen Jacob A.
Published: March 2013

Criticizing some psychological approaches that speak in too general terms about both music and religion, this article turns to a precise empirical observation and asks what psychology might possibly contribute to its understanding, after first necessarily questioning what terms such as ‘religion’, ‘religious music’, ‘religious experience’ encompass. Given the nature of the leading question, a cultural–psychological approach is chosen. After refuting a number of commonly heard assertions, and drawing on a number of psychological theories, the article then discusses several empirical observations and argues that contemporary psychology has indeed achieved some progress in dealing with classical questions.
Registration of Religious Entities and Religious Autonomy in Romania—Old Limitations and New Challenges
Authors: Iordache Romanița Elena
Published: March 2013

Abstract

In January 2013, the Romanian Law on Religious Freedom and the General Status of Religious Denominations reached five years of implementation—the right time to assess the quality of the law, its fairness and enforceability, the way it responded to foreseeable challenges but, most importantly, to unexpected ones. Though, at the time of its adoption, law-makers, practitioners and religious denominations alike considered the law a working compromise doomed to be amended soon, no amendments were made so far. In spite of criticisms concerning the over-restrictive three tier system of registration for religious entities, voiced during the adoption process and subsequently, the biggest challenge for the law came however from a different direction through a little known case decided by the European Court of Human Rights in January 2012 and referred to the Grand Chamber in July 2012. The domestic proceedings as well as the chamber judgment in Sindicatul Păstorul Cel Bun v. Romania highlight that the principle of religious autonomy and the relation between state and Church still need to be defined and enforced in the Romanian context.1
The Hungarian Act CCVI of 2011 on Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on the Legal Status of Churches, Religious Denominations and Religious Associations in Light of the Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Mink Júlia
Published: March 2013

Abstract

In 2011 Hungary replaced and completely reversed its formerly existing ‘liberal’ regulation of the registration of churches and church status by constituting a system built upon a highly dubious procedure and a set of stricter criteria. The aim of this article is to provide—after a brief summary of the process leading to the adoption of the present regulation—an assessment of the controversial, much debated Act CCVI of 2011 on freedom of conscience and religion and on the legal status of churches, religious denominations and religious associations in view of international human rights law standards as set by the ECHR and the jurisprudence of the ECtHR. The actual implementation and impact of the new Act will be demonstrated via the case of the Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship, a small, formerly registered free protestant church of Methodist denomination, which lost its church status after 30 years of lawful operation and still strives for recognition.
The Freedom of Speech of Religious Communities and their Protection from Freedom of Speech in the Hungarian Legal System
Authors: Koltay András
Published: March 2013

Abstract

In keeping with the general European conception of freedom of speech, the Hungarian legal system achieves an appropriate balance between the interests vested in the protection of religious communities and the freedom of expression. In itself the injury, the feeling of hurt caused by criticism or even vilification of religion does not provide adequate grounds for the restriction of speech (an exception from this is the prohibition applicable to commercial communications published in the media). The new constitutional system has not changed this approach. The relevant passages of the new Churches Act are primarily declarative in nature. When examining these provisions which, at first sight, appear to give preference to churches over associations performing religious activities in a broader context, it becomes apparent that, in respect of the freedom of speech of religious communities as well as the protection of such communities from the freedom of speech, no distinction is made between these two types of organisation, the legal status of which are otherwise different.
The Freedom of Religious Association in Hungary: Recent Developments
Authors: Schanda Balázs
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Since 1 January 2012, Hungary has a new constitution as well as a new cardinal act on religious freedom and churches. The new law replaces the registration system granting an equal legal status for all religious communities by a two-tier system with the Parliament having the right to decide on the recognition of religious communities. Other religious communities can act as religious associations enjoying full autonomy but less protection and public support than recognized churches.
Free Movement of Goods and Environmental Protection in EU Law: A Troubled Relationship?
Authors: Poncelet Charles
Published: March 2013

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the principle of free movement of goods and the protection of the environment under the umbrella of European Union (EU) law. It will be discussed whether Member States are suitably provided with legal means which enable them to take due account of environmental circumstances when they take measures which have an impact on the circulation of goods within the internal market. To this end, the relevant provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) will be critically analysed in the light of their interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) over the last decades. Particular emphasis will be given to a recent decision of the CJEU which has shed new light on this subject.
Changing the Paradigm of International Criminal Law: Considering the Work of the United Nations War Crimes Commission of 1943–1948
Authors: Plesch Dan , Sattler Shanti
Published: March 2013

Abstract

More than 2,000 international criminal trials were conducted at the end of World War II in addition to those held by the International Military Tribunals (IMTs) at Nuremburg and Tokyo. Fifteen national tribunals conducted these trials in conjunction with an international war crimes commission established by these same states in October 1943 under the name, The United Nations Commission for the Investigation of War Crimes, that soon became the United Nations War Crimes Commission (UNWCC). The extensive work of the UNWCC and these tribunals serves as a source of customary international criminal law that relates directly to the current work of the International Criminal Court and the ad hoc tribunals in operation since the 1990s.
The “Propaganda State” and Sino-American Rapprochement: Preparing the Chinese Public for Nixon’s Visit
Authors: Yi Guolin
Published: March 2013

Studies of Sino-American rapprochement in 1972 have not sufficiently explored how the Chinese public, which had been taught to hate the American “imperialists,” learned (or was instructed) about the dramatic change. By analyzing Renmin Ribao (People’s Daily) and Cankao Xiaoxi (Reference News), an internal (neibu) newspaper circulated only among Chinese Communist Party cadres, this article examines how the Chinese government prepared the party and its people for rapprochement from 1969 through 1971. Reference News kept cadres posted about Washington’s overtures, Nixon’s expressed wish to visit China, and Mao’s willingness to receive him, among other items not shared with the wider public. Before official exchanges were agreed, the Chinese government conducted “people-to-people diplomacy” by inviting American “friends” and displaying them to the Chinese public through banquets, receptions, and ceremonies. People’s Daily, which offered intensive coverage to these visitors, was particularly important in promoting the atmosphere of friendship. Party leaders did not need the approval of the public and party workers, but they did take their response into account in making foreign policy, especially on dramatic changes. By evaluating the Chinese communication system and its handling of public opinion on relations with the United States, this article presents a more nuanced picture of the “propaganda state.”
A Meeting in Tokyo:Komatsu Kiyoshi, Wesley Fishel, and America’s Intervention in Vietnam
Authors: Morgan Joseph G.
Published: March 2013

In the summer of 1950, American political scientist Wesley Fishel met the Japanese writer and political activist Komatsu Kiyoshi who introduced the professor to the Vietnamese nationalist leaders Cuong De and Ngo Dinh Diem. This encounter had great importance for Fishel’s career as he became one of the early U.S. specialists on Vietnam as well as an academic who actively sought to influence U.S. policy in Vietnam. The talks also presented Diem with the opportunity to widen his contacts with Americans who could help him in his effort to become the leader of an independent Vietnam. This article describes Fishel’s meetings with the Vietnamese as well as Komatsu’s attempts to promote their political fortunes. It also discusses the consequences that these discussions had for the individuals involved, especially Diem and Fishel, as well as the shared conviction of Komatsu and Fishel that foreign powers could play a constructive role in guiding Vietnam toward independence.
When Did the Bible Become an Arabic Scripture?
Authors: Griffith Sidney H.
Published: March 2013

While the circumstances were favorable to the translation of the Jewish and Christian scriptures into Arabic in writing in pre-Islamic times, there is no compelling evidence to support the conclusion that such a translation was ever made. Rather the evidence of the Qurʾān along with other considerations suggests that prior to the rise of Islam, Jewish and Christian scripture texts circulated orally in Arabic and that the earliest Arabic translations in writing appeared first among the Christians in the monastic communities in Palestine and probably in part at least in response to the appearance of the Arabic Qurʾān itself in writing at the turn of the seventh and eighth centuries.
Some Historiographical Remarks on Medieval and Early-Modern Scholarship of Biblical Versions in Arabic: A Status Quo
Authors: Vollandt Ronny
Published: March 2013

In this article I trace the modern study of biblical versions to its Medieval and Early-Modern predecessors. My approach to this genre is largely historiographical, presenting the means by which comparative medieval scholarship around Arabic translations of the scriptures—Jewish, Christian and Muslim alike—was continued in Early-Modern times in the form of printings and eventually became absorbed by the practitioners of biblical textual criticism, as part of the larger historiography of biblical versions. After the early, influential works of Ignazio Guidi and Georg Graf, however, scholarship stagnated in the 20th century, a situation that is beginning to change in recent years.
An Early Copy of the Pentateuch and the Book of Daniel in Arabic (MS Sinai—Arabic 2): Preliminary Observations on Codicology, Text Types, and Translation Technique
Authors: Lindgren Miriam , Vollandt Ronny
Published: March 2013

This jointly written article provides a preliminary description of a Christian Arabic manuscript, today preserved at St Catherine’s monastery. MS Sinai—Arabic 2 exhibits ancient Arabic versions of the Pentateuch and Daniel. A codicological and palaeographical study of this unique manuscript is presented, along with an investigation into the respective provenances, textual affinities and translation techniques of the two translations.
An Early Fragmentary Christian Palestinian Rendition of the Gospels into Arabic from Mār Sābā (MS Vat. Ar. 13, 9th c.)
Authors: Monferrer-Sala Juan Pedro
Published: March 2013

Our aim in the present paper is to show that the translator of the oldest portions of the Gospels preserved in MS Vat. Ar. 13 used at least two texts, Greek and Syriac. Our analysis is based exclusively in the fragment represented by Matthew 11:1–19. According to our analysis of the translation strategies adopted by the Melkite translator the Greek text was used as the base text for the translation into Arabic. At the same time, the Syriac text/s was/were consulted for revising the previous translation made from Greek, a task which may have taken place during the very translation process. As we shall attempt to show in the present paper the revision made through Syriac text/s, together with the exegesis added by the translator, influenced the final Arabic version in some concrete parts of the texts.
Vestiges of Qaraite Translations in the Arabic Translation(s) of the Samaritan Pentateuch
Authors: Schwarb Gregor
Published: March 2013

This article examines various types of evidence that might corroborate or confound a direct influence of Qaraite Arabic translations of the Pentateuch on Arabic translations of the Samaritan Pentateuch. This question has barely been addressed in previous research. In a first step I will summarise the little we know about the emergence of the earliest Arabic translation of the Samaritan Pentateuch and adduce four reasons to explain why the influence of Qaraite translations has not been considered so far and why some scholars argued for a strong, even though well-camouflaged influence of Saʿadyah Gaon’s Tafsīr on the earliest versions of the Samaritan translation. In a second step I will highlight a few instances of literary contacts between Qaraites and Samaritans during the 11th through 13th centuries which might strengthen the case for a Qaraite influence on Samaritan translations. Thirdly, I will pick out some distinguishing features of the Old Arabic Translation of the Samaritan Pentateuch (OATSP) as laid down in previous studies and compare them with the primary features of Qaraite Arabic translations. A synoptic presentation of Gen 24:1–34 and some other texts in Samaritan and Qaraite translations and Saʿadyah’s Tafsīr will help to illustrate the relationship between these translation traditions and to reach some preliminary and tentative conclusions.
The Book of Proverbs between Saadia and Yefet
Authors: Sasson Ilana
Published: March 2013

Both Yefet ben ʿElī and Saadia Gaon produced new Judeo-Arabic translations and commentaries on the Bible. Their work is a testimony to the literary interaction between them as it includes polemical discourse and refutations of one another. In addition to polemics, Yefet’s familiarity with Saadia’s work is manifested at times in the assimilation of Saadia’s work into his own. Yet, these two exegetes understood the premise of the Book of Proverbs in different ways. While Saadia regarded Proverbs as general instructions for the pursuit of wisdom, Yefet regarded it an excellent source for knowledge and proper conduct. In this article I will examine the nature and extent of the interaction between these two bodies of work as reflected in their translations and commentaries on the Book of Proverbs. I will concentrate on their general understanding of Proverbs, their introductions, their approaches to translation, their classification of the content of the book, their interpretation of the clear meaning (al-ẓāhir) and their ideology concerning matters of gender.
Saadia’s Seven Guidelines for “Conviviality in Exile” (from His Commentary on Esther)
Authors: Wechsler Michael G.
Published: March 2013

Saadia Gaon (892–942ce) viewed himself not only as a pedagogue and scholar, but also as the chief steward of his people’s religious health and interrelated constitutional ethos—that special scholar who is raised up by God “in every generation … to instruct and teach the people, that by his hand they might succeed in all of their affairs.” This self-perception is especially pronounced in Saadia’s commentary on Esther, which he construes as a specific paradigm of the manner in which Jewish life is to be lived amidst and in interaction with a dominant Gentile population. In his introduction Saadia didactically (and dialectically) unpacks the paradigmatic utility of the book by presenting seven “guidelines” (tadābīr) which are required for the socio-spiritual health of any ethnos (Arab. umma) “when abased beneath the population of the dominant powers”—which steps he subsequently applies to the situation of Israel in the book of Esther and around which, moreover, he organizes that book’s unfolding narrative structure. In the present article we briefly survey these seven “guidelines” and the manner in which they are “unpacked” by Saadia in the body of his commentary, focusing our attention on selected passages that reveal something of the realia—both psychological and practical—attending Jewish-Gentile conviviality, and Saadia’s approach thereto, in a tenth-century Islamicate milieu.
Hebrew Bible Quotations in Arabic Transcription in Safavid Iran of the 11th/17th Century: Sayyed Aḥmad ʿAlavī’s Persian Refutations of Christianity
Authors: Halft Dennis
Published: March 2013

In Muslim polemical writings on the Bible written in Arabic, scriptural quotations frequently appear in Arabic transcription of the original Hebrew. This phenomenon also occurs in the Persian refutations of Christianity by the 11th/17th-century Shīʿī scholar Sayyed Aḥmad ʿAlavī. The adduced biblical materials, however, vary significantly depending on the particular manuscript or recension. Nevertheless, they reflect the common repertoire of scriptural verses invoked by Muslim authors. In contrast to Henry Corbin, who argued on the basis of the Hebrew verses transcribed in Arabic characters that ʿAlavī was a Hebraist and directly acquainted with the Jewish Scriptures, it is suggested here that the Shīʿī scholar relied instead on lists of biblical “testimonies” to Muḥammad. Although ʿAlavī’s literary sources are as yet unknown due to a lack of research, there is evidence from the manuscripts dating from ʿAlavī’s lifetime that he copied the transcribed Bible quotations from earlier Muslim writings.
Ezra as the Corrupter of the Torah? Re-Assessing Ibn Ḥazm’s Role in the Long History of an Idea
Authors: Whittingham Martin
Published: March 2013

This article explores the originality, quality and influence on non-Muslims of a particular aspect of the work of the Andalusī Muslim Ibn Ḥazm (b. 384/994, d. 456/1064). The focus is the use of the motif of Ezra as corrupter of the Torah, and is examined by means of sustained engagement with the portrayal of Ibn Ḥazm by Hava Lazarus-Yafeh in her influential study, Intertwined Worlds. Building on but also questioning her work, the article examines positive and negative portrayals of Ezra, and explores possible Muslim predecessors of Ibn Ḥazm as a critic of Ezra. The originality and quality of Ibn Ḥazm’s work is questioned, through piecing together often familiar evidence so as to form a new picture of Ibn Ḥazm’s contribution. Lazarus-Yafeh’s suggestion that Ibn Ḥazm directly influenced non-Muslim thought, and therefore the rise of European sceptical Biblical scholarship, via the rabbi Ibn Ezra (b. 1094. d. c. 1167), is also shown to be unlikely.
The Bible and Arabic Philology in Russia (1773–2011)
Authors: Morozov Dmitry A.
Published: March 2013

The present critical review covers works in the Russian language, discussing, touching upon, or drawing on Arabic translations of various Biblical texts.
Cross-correlation between Auditory and Visual Signals Promotes Multisensory Integration
Authors: Parise Cesare V. , Harrar Vanessa , Ernst Marc O. , Spence Charles
Published: March 2013

Humans are equipped with multiple sensory channels that provide both redundant and complementary information about the objects and events in the world around them. A primary challenge for the brain is therefore to solve the ‘correspondence problem’, that is, to bind those signals that likely originate from the same environmental source, while keeping separate those unisensory inputs that likely belong to different objects/events. Whether multiple signals have a common origin or not must, however, be inferred from the signals themselves through a causal inference process.

Recent studies have demonstrated that cross-correlation, that is, the similarity in temporal structure between unimodal signals, represents a powerful cue for solving the correspondence problem in humans. Here we provide further evidence for the role of the temporal correlation between auditory and visual signals in multisensory integration. Capitalizing on the well-known fact that sensitivity to crossmodal conflict is inversely related to the strength of coupling between the signals, we measured sensitivity to crossmodal spatial conflicts as a function of the cross-correlation between the temporal structures of the audiovisual signals. Observers’ performance was systematically modulated by the cross-correlation, with lower sensitivity to crossmodal conflict being measured for correlated as compared to uncorrelated audiovisual signals. These results therefore provide support for the claim that cross-correlation promotes multisensory integration. A Bayesian framework is proposed to interpret the present results, whereby stimulus correlation is represented on the prior distribution of expected crossmodal co-occurrence.
Double Vision as a Pictorial Depth Cue
Authors: Pepperell Robert , Ruschkowski Anja
Published: March 2013

‘Double images’ are a little-noticed feature of human binocular vision caused by non-convergence of the eyes outside of the point of fixation. Double vision, or psychological diplopia, is closely linked to the perception of depth in natural vision as its perceived properties vary depending on proximity of the stimulus to the viewer. Very little attention, however, has been paid to double images in art or in scientific studies of pictorial depth. Double images have rarely been depicted and do not appear among the list of commonly cited monocular depth cues. In this study we discuss some attempts by artists to capture the doubled appearance of objects in pictures, and some of the relevant scientific work on double vision. We then present the results of a study designed to test whether the inclusion of double images in two-dimensional pictures can enhance the illusion of three-dimensional space. Our results suggest that double images can significantly enhance depth perception in pictures when combined with other depth cues such as blur. We conclude that double images could be added to the list of depth cues available to those wanting to create a greater sense of depth in pictures.
Estimation of Microfibril Angle and Stiffness by near infrared Spectroscopy using sample sets having Limited wood Density Variation
Authors: Schimleck Laurence R. , Evans Robert , David Jones P. , Daniels Richard F. , Peter Gary F. , Clark III Alexander
Published: March 2013

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy offers a rapid method for the estimation of microfibril angle (MFA) and SilviScan-estimated wood stiffness (EL(SS)). The success of these NIR calibrations may be related to airdry density, because density varies in wood simultaneously with MFA and stiffness. The importance of density variation was investigated by developing calibrations for MFA and EL(SS) using Pinus radiata D. Don (radiata pine) and Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) sample sets where the density range was small and the relationships between density and MFA and density and EL(SS) were poor. Excellent calibrations for MFA and EL(SS) were obtained, particularly when sets had densities greater than 500 kg/m3, can provide strong relationships for MFA and stiffness even when density variation is limited. Examination of loading plots from the MFA and EL(SS) calibrations indicates that variation in wood components such as cellulose, lignin and possibly hemicellulose is important.
Precautions for the Structural Analysis of the Gelatinous Layer in Tension Wood
Authors: Clair Bruno , Gril Joseph , Baba Kei'ichi , Thibaut Bernard , Sugiyama Junji
Published: March 2013

The gelatinous layer (G-layer) of tension wood fibres in hardwood contributes to the mechanical function of the living tree and has significant consequences on properties of solid wood. Its size, shape and structure observed by optical or electron microscopy exhibits characteristic anatomical features. However, we found that sectioning of non-embedded wood samples results in an uncontrolled swelling of the G-layer. In order to assess this artefact, the shape and thickness of the G-layer was monitored by serial sections from an embedded wood sample, from its trimmed transverse face to that located several hundreds of micrometres deep. The results revealed that the initial cutting before embedding produced a border effect responsible for the swollen nature, which is similar to sections from non-embedded material. After a conventional embedding technique was applied, a section of at least 30 micrometres below the trimming surface is required to observe an un-swollen G-layer.
Variation of wood Density and fibre length in six Willow Clones (Salix SPP.)
Authors: Monteoliva Silvia , Senisterra Gabriela , Marlats Raúl
Published: March 2013

The variability of wood basic density and fibre length was determined in six 13-year-old willow clones growing under two different site conditions in Argentina. Values of basic density and wood fibre length were obtained and variance analyses were performed considering site and clone as sources of variation. Components of genetic and phenotypic variations were determined to calculate heritability in the broad sense. Site influence was significant for basic density, which ranged from 0.364 kg/dm3 and 0.455 kg/dm3. Clones “americano” and hybrid cv “A 13-44” showed the highest density values in both sites. For fibre length, values of the continental site were significantly higher. For each clone, mean values vary between 837.1 μm and 1142.1 μm. Heritability values show that the genetic control is stronger for density (h2 = 0.65) than for fibre length (h2 = 0.32). The clones “americano” and “13-44” stand out because of their high density and long fibres.
Effects of Heartwood Extractives on Mechanical Properties of Larch
Authors: Grabner Michael , Müller Ulrich , Gierlinger Notburga , Wimmer Rupert
Published: March 2013

The genus Larix is exceptional for its high content of extractives in the heartwood, with the dominant component arabinogalactan found abundantly in cell lumens of tracheids. On parallel samples prepared from 20 European, Japanese and hybrid larch trees (Larix decidua Mill., L. kaempferi Carr., and L. decidua × L. kaempferi, respectively) extractive contents and mechanical parameters were measured. The hot-water extractives in the heartwood had a significant effect on transversal compression strength and Young's Modulus. In heartwood, increasing extractive content went hand-in-hand with better mechanical properties in the transverse direction. The extraction procedure led to negligible changes in the sapwood. Anatomically the extractive-filled tracheids showed a tendency of being arranged radially, closely to wood rays. The extractive arabinogalactan in larch heartwood has multiple effects on different aspects of wood quality, among which is lateral mechanical enforcement.
Bark and Wood Anatomy of Uncaria Guianensis and Uncaria Tomentosa (“Cat's claw”)
Authors: Lindorf Helga
Published: March 2013

Uncaria guianensis (Aubl.) J.F. Gmel. and Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.) DC. (Rubiaceae) have a bark commonly used medicinally by ethnic peoples in South America. Both plants, which are called “cat's claw”, are now being commercialised, but unfortunately they are often sold adulterated with other species. The aim of this work was to determine anatomical features of diagnostic value that could allow the recognition of the bark of both species as raw or processed products. The wood anatomy was also studied. The bark of these two species of Uncaria is very similar, but they differ in the distribution of fibers and the presence of styloids. The wood of both taxa is homogeneous and there are only slight differences in quantitative aspects of conducting elements.
Coniferous Fossil Woods from the Jogyeri Formation (Upper Triassic) of the Nampo Group, Korea
Authors: Kim Kyungsik , Jeong Eun Kyoung , Kim Jong Heon , Paek Seung Deok , Suzuki Mitsuo , Philippe Marc
Published: March 2013

Ninety–four fossil woods were collected from the Upper Triassic Jogyeri Formation of the Nampo Group in the County of Cheongyang-gun, Chungcheongnam- do Province, Korea. Eight of the specimens were preserved well enough to identify them down to species or genus. All were coniferous woods. On the basis of their detailed anatomical features, four specimens were identified as Xenoxylon phyllocladoides Gothan and the other four as Agathoxylon sp. Therefore six taxa of fossil woods, Cedroxylon regulare Göppert, Xenoxylon phyllocladoides Gothan, X. latiporosum (Cramer) Gothan, X. japonicum Vogellehner, Phyllocladoxylon heizyoense Shimakura and Agathoxylon sp., have now been reported from the Early Mesozoic Daedong Supergroup in the Korean Peninsula.
Late Gothic Altarpieces as Sources of Information on Medieval Wood Use: A Dendrochronological and Art Historical Survey
Authors: Haneca Kristof , De Boodt Ria , Herremans Valérie , De Pauw Hilde , Van Acker Joris , Van de Velde Carl , Beeckman Hans
Published: March 2013

Wooden altarpieces are important features of European medieval material culture, especially of the Late Gothic Fine Arts from the 15th and 16th century. Many of them were carved in the Brabantine towns of Antwerp, Brussels and Mechelen in present-day Belgium. Although they were highly esteemed and exported all over Europe, little is known about their production process. In order to understand the context of the creation of the altarpieces, a detailed analysis of the wood has been completed to supplement and test historical documentation and art historical approaches.

Tree-ring patterns and anatomical features of 209 wooden sculptures from collections of different museums were analyzed. Tree-ring analysis proved the 15th–16th century origin of the sculptures but also allowed a detailed technical characterization of the carvers' basic material. The striking uniformity of the grain and the sawing pattern revealed that medieval woodcarvers preferred quarter sawn oak lumber, imported from the Baltic area. Stylistic and iconographic hypotheses concerning the current setting of several altarpieces could be founded, based on the wood anatomical and dendrochronological observations.

Intensive collaboration between wood biologists and art historians proved to be essential in order to reconstruct the creation process of carved wooden altarpieces.
Influence of Red Alder Competition on Cambial Phenology and Latewood Formation in Douglas-Fir
Authors: Grotta A.T. , Gartner B.L. , Radosevich S.R. , Huso M.
Published: March 2013

To better understand the influence of competition on wood formation and wood quality in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco), patterns of cambial growth and latewood production were examined for one growing season in 15-year-old plantations with similar densities but differing Douglas-fir/red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) ratios. The treatments consisted of plots having different proportions of Douglas-fir vs. red alder, different red alder planting dates, and one of two total planting densities. Cambial growth was tracked using the pinning method. Cambial activity in most trees began between May 12 and May 23, and ended between August 27 and September 10. Mean date of transition to latewood was July 6. In the treatment with the highest mean red alder basal area, Douglas- fir trees began radial growth later and ended earlier in the year than those in pure Douglas-fir stands. There was no evident effect of competition from red alder on the duration of cambial activity in treatments with intermediate to low red alder basal areas. In all treatments, the duration of radial growth was shorter in smaller-diameter trees. Early transition to latewood production was also associated with higher red alder basal area. Percent latewood was unaffected by treatment, but it was dependent on the date of a tree's transition to latewood production.
S2 Orientation of Microfibrils in Softwood Tracheids and Hardwood Fibers
Authors: Anagnost Susan E. , Mark Richard E. , Hanna Robert B.
Published: March 2013

In this study the soft-rot method was applied to measuring the variation of microfibril angle (mfa) in loblolly pine, black cherry, sugar maple and canelo. For loblolly pine and black cherry, measurements of the radial wall indicated a gradual decrease in mfa across the earlywood portion of the growth ring, with an abrupt decrease at the latewood zone for pine, and in contrast only a slight decrease in microfibril angle across an annual ring of black cherry. In loblolly pine microfibril angle measurements indicated that the average microfibril angle in radial sections was very similar to the average for tangential sections of the same block. The average microfibril angles in the intermediate plane, or cell corner, were statistically similar to that of the tangential and radial plane, for pine, cherry, and maple. In canelo, microfibril angles in radial sections were significantly larger than in tangential and intermediate sections. In pine latewood the microfibril angles were less than the average mfa for the entire ring, and the earlywood microfibril angles were greater than the average mfa of the entire ring, thus the average mfa for the growth ring did not represent actual measured mfa values.
Radial Variations of Anatomical Characteristics and Specific gravity in Eucalyptus Camaldulensis Clones
Authors: Veenin Teera , Fujita Minoru , Nobuchi Tadashi , Siripatanadilok Somkid
Published: March 2013

Five superior clones of Eucalyptus camaldulensis from in vitro propagation or tissue culture at the Sra Keaw plantation site in the eastern part of Thailand were selected for examining radial variations of anatomical characteristics and specific gravity. The age of the clones was 5 years at harvest. A 9-year-old tree grown from seed in the same site was also investigated. Results were as follows: 1) Mean specific gravity showed significantly different values among the 5 clones and the seedling. 2) Vessel density rapidly decreased in the first 2–4 cm from the pith in the clones and in 5 cm from the pith in the seedling. 3) Fiber lengths of the clones slowly increased from the pith outwards, while that of the seedling rapidly increased. 4) Each clone and the seedling had a different specific gravity and anatomical characteristics. 5) Clones had a narrower juvenile wood zone than the seedling due to the older cambial age of the clones.
Influence of Structure and Chemical Composition on Thermal Softening of Palasan Canes (Calamus Merrillii)
Authors: Abasolo Willie P. , Yoshida Masato , Yamamoto Hiroyuki , Okuyama Takashi
Published: March 2013

The influence of structure on the thermal softening of Palasan canes was evaluated using the creep compliance test. The canes revealed compliance curves similar to wood. Correlating the average compliance per temperature to ground parenchyma and fiber area percentage showed that the former promoted thermal softening while the latter inhibited it. This thermal response was highly affected by the ratio between the heat resistant cellulose and heat sensitive hemicellulose components of the cell wall. Ground parenchyma cells with high hemicellulose content favored thermal softening, while fibers with high cellulose content inhibited it. Therefore, the degree of thermal softening is dependent on the proportion of ground parenchyma present within the region. If the ground parenchyma percentage is high it is expected that the amount of softening will be large and vice versa.