bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A cross-sectional study ofMycoplasma genitaliuminfection and correlates in women undergoing population-based screening or clinic-based testing forChlamydiainfection in London
Authors: Svenstrup H F , Dave S S , Carder C , Grant P , Morris-Jones S , Kidd M , Stephenson J M
Published: February 2014

Objective

To determineMycoplasma genitaliuminfection and correlates among young women undergoing population-based screening or clinic-based testing forChlamydiainfection.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) and two London sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics.

Participants

2441 women aged 15–64 years who participated in the NCSP and 2172 women who attended two London STI clinics over a 4-month period in 2009.

Outcome measures

(1)M genitaliumprevalence in defined populations (%). (2) Age-adjusted ORs (aORs) for correlates ofM genitaliuminfection.

Results

The overall frequency ofM genitaliumandChlamydia trachomatiswas 3% and 5.4%, respectively. Co-infection was relatively uncommon (0.5% of all women); however 9% of women withC trachomatisalso hadM genitaliuminfection.M genitaliumwas more frequently detected in swab than urine samples (3.9 vs 1.3%, p<0.001) with a significantly higher mean bacterial load (p ≤ 0.001). Among NCSP participants,M genitaliumwas significantly more likely to be diagnosed in women of black/black British ethnicity (aOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.5, p=0.01).M genitaliumandC trachomatisand were both significantly associated with multiple sexual partners in the past year (aOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 4.4, p=0.01 and aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.8, p<0.01). Among STI clinic attendees,M genitaliumwas more common in women who were less than 25 years in age.

Conclusions

M genitaliumis a relatively common infection among young women in London. It is significantly more likely to be detected in vulvovaginal swabs than in urine samples. Co-infection withChlamydiais uncommon. The clinical effectiveness of testing and treatment strategies forM genitaliumneeds further investigation.
Effect of fine particles on the hydraulic behavior of interlayer soil in railway substructure
Authors: Duong Trong Vinh , Cui Yu-Jun , Tang Anh Minh , Dupla Jean-Claude , Calon Nicolas
Published: February 2014

The conventional railway substructure in France was built by emplacing ballast directly on subgrade. Over years of operation, the interpenetration of ballast and subgrade created a soil layer between them. Under different conditions, this naturally formed layer, namely interlayer, can contain different quantities of fine particles, becoming more or less sensitive to changes in water content. As the water content changes are governed by the hydraulic behavior of the interlayer soil, assessing the influence of fine particle content on the hydraulic behavior of interlayer soil is of importance. To this end, the hydraulic behavior of an interlayer soil taken from Sénissiat (near Lyon, France) was investigated using two infiltration columns, a large-scale column equipped with tensiometers and a time domain reflectometer (TDR) for suction and volumetric water content measurements, respectively, and a smaller column equipped with high-capacity tensiometers only. Different fines contents were considered and wetting–drying cycles were applied to the soil specimens. The hydraulic conductivity was determined by applying the instantaneous profile method. The results obtained showed that (i) hysteresis exists for both the soil water retention curve and the hydraulic conductivity changes with suction; (ii) the effect of wetting–drying cycles is insignificant; (iii) adding 10% fine particles to the natural interlayer soil gives rise to changes in the soil water retention curve but does not induce significant changes in hydraulic conductivity; (iv) the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of interlayer soil with 10% fine particles added is close to that of soil sieved at 2 mm, suggesting that the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of interlayer soil is mainly governed by fine particles through the suction effect. By contrast, in a saturated state, the value for the interlayer soil with 10% fine particles added was found to be higher, suggesting that in this case the hydraulic conductivity is mainly governed by the water transfer through macropores.
ELECTROSTATICS STUDY OF A SINGLE-STRANDED DNA: A PROSPECTIVE FOR SINGLE MOLECULE SEQUENCING
Authors: SAUDE MOHAMMAD J. I. A. , MORSHED BASHIR I.
Published: February 2014

Single molecule DNA sequencing requires new approaches to identify nucleotide bases. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the intrinsic electrostatics of single-stranded DNA by solving the nonlinear Poisson–Boltzmann equation. The results show variations of the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) within 3 nm from the center of the sugar backbone, with suitably differentiable variations at 1.4 nm distance. MEP variations among four nucleotide bases are the most significant near ~ 33.7° and ~ 326.3° angular orientation, while the influences of the neighboring bases on MEPs become insignificant after the 3rd-nearest neighbors. This analysis shows potential for direct electronic sequencing of individual DNA molecules.

[Formula: see text]Special Issue Comment: This paper about DNA sequencing based on molecular electrostatic potential maps of the DNA in the channel is related to the Special Issue articles about: measuring enzymes,32 and solving single molecules' trajectories with the RDF approach33 and with the QuB software.34
Iceberg-rafted tephra as a potential tool for the reconstruction of ice-sheet processes and ocean surface circulation in the glacial North Atlantic
Authors: Kuhs Marion , Austin William E. N. , Abbott Peter M. , Hodell David A.
Published: February 2014

Ice-rafted tephra deposits, of Marine Isotope Stage 6 (MIS 6) age, from Site U 1304 on the Gardar Drift, North Atlantic were examined for their shard size distribution and major element composition. The heterogeneous composition, large shard sizes and association with ice-rafted debris (IRD) indicate that these late MIS 6 deposits were transported by iceberg-rafting from Iceland to Site U 1304. Comparison of individual shard geochemistry with the geochemistry of Holocene volcanic systems from Iceland allows the identification of different potential volcanic source regions. This detailed geochemical analysis, when combined with Icelandic Ice Sheet (IIS) flow models for the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), suggests that the IIS had calving margins to both the north and south during the late MIS 6 and that icebergs could have been transported to the Site U 1304 by following surface ocean circulation patterns similar to those that prevailed during the LGM. We demonstrate that the descriptive concept of Icelandic glass in the characterization of tephra components within North Atlantic IRD can be significantly improved through quantitative characterization and that such data hold the potential to help constrain surface ocean circulation models, while also potentially yielding new information about the IIS during earlier glacial periods.

Supplementary material:

Statistical tests, major element concentrations of analysed shards, primary and secondary standards are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18716
A survey of address translation technologies for flash memories
Authors: Ma Dongzhe , Feng Jianhua , Li Guoliang
Published: February 2014

Flash is a type of Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM). Different from traditional magnetic disks, flash memories have no moving parts and are purely electronic devices, giving them unique advantages, such as lower access latency, lower power consumption, higher density, shock resistance, and lack of noise. However, existing applications cannot run directly on flash memories due to their special characteristics. Flash Translation Layer (FTL) is a software layer built on raw flash memories that emulates a normal block device like magnetic disks. Primary functionalities of the FTL include address translation, garbage collection, and wear leveling. This survey focuses on address translation technologies and provides a broad overview of existing schemes described in patents, journals, and conference proceedings.
Online portfolio selection
Authors: Li Bin , Hoi Steven C. H.
Published: February 2014

Online portfolio selection is a fundamental problem in computational finance, which has been extensively studied across several research communities, including finance, statistics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data mining. This article aims to provide a comprehensive survey and a structural understanding of online portfolio selection techniques published in the literature. From an online machine learning perspective, we first formulate online portfolio selection as a sequential decision problem, and then we survey a variety of state-of-the-art approaches, which are grouped into several major categories, including benchmarks, Follow-the-Winner approaches, Follow-the-Loser approaches, Pattern-Matching--based approaches, and Meta-Learning Algorithms. In addition to the problem formulation and related algorithms, we also discuss the relationship of these algorithms with the capital growth theory so as to better understand the similarities and differences of their underlying trading ideas. This article aims to provide a timely and comprehensive survey for both machine learning and data mining researchers in academia and quantitative portfolio managers in the financial industry to help them understand the state of the art and facilitate their research and practical applications. We also discuss some open issues and evaluate some emerging new trends for future research.
A menagerie of timed automata
Authors: Fontana Peter , Cleaveland Rance
Published: February 2014

Timed automata are state-machine-like structures used to model real-time systems. Since their invention in the early 1990s, a number of often subtly differing variants have appeared in the literature; one of this article’s key contributions is defining, highlighting, and reconciling these differences. The article achieves this by defining a baseline theory of timed automata, characterizing each variant both syntactically and semantically, and giving, when possible, syntactic and semantic conversion to and from the baseline version. This article also surveys various extensions to the basic timed-automaton framework.
Statistical machine translation enhancements through linguistic levels
Authors: Costa-Jussà Marta R. , Farrús Mireia
Published: February 2014

Machine translation can be considered a highly interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary field because it is approached from the point of view of human translators, engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians, and linguists. One of the most popular approaches is the Statistical Machine Translation (
smt
) approach, which tries to cover translation in a holistic manner by learning from parallel corpus aligned at the sentence level. However, with this basic approach, there are some issues at each written linguistic level (i.e., orthographic, morphological, lexical, syntactic and semantic) that remain unsolved. Research in
smt
has continuously been focused on solving the different linguistic levels challenges. This article represents a survey of how the
smt
has been enhanced to perform translation correctly at all linguistic levels.
Eccentric exercise: mechanisms and effects when used as training regime or training adjunct
Authors: Vogt Michael , Hoppeler Hans H.
Published: February 2014

The aim of the current review is to discuss applications and mechanism of eccentric exercise in training regimes of competitive sports. Eccentric muscle work is important in most sports. Eccentric muscle contractions enhance the performance during the concentric phase of stretch-shortening cycles, which is important in disciplines like sprinting, jumping, throwing, and running. Muscles activated during lengthening movements can also function as shock absorbers, to decelerate during landing tasks or to precisely deal with high external loading in sports like alpine skiing. The few studies available on trained subjects reveal that eccentric training can further enhance maximal muscle strength and power. It can further optimize muscle length for maximal tension development at a greater degree of extension, and has potential to improve muscle coordination during eccentric tasks. In skeletal muscles, these functional adaptations are based on increases in muscle mass, fascicle length, number of sarcomeres, and cross-sectional area of type II fibers. Identified modalities for eccentric loading in athletic populations involve classical isotonic exercises, accentuated jumping exercises, eccentric overloading exercises, and eccentric cycle ergometry. We conclude that eccentric exercise offers a promising training modality to enhance performance and to prevent injuries in athletes. However, further research is necessary to better understand how the neuromuscular system adapts to eccentric loading in athletes.
Cross-talk between EphA2 and BRaf/CRaf Is a Key Determinant of Response to Dasatinib
Authors: Huang Jie , Hu Wei , Bottsford-Miller Justin , Liu Tao , Han Hee Dong , Zand Behrouz , Pradeep Sunila , Roh Ju-Won , Thanapprapasr Duangmani , Dalton Heather J. , Pecot Chad V. , Rupaimoole Rajesh , Lu Chunhua , Fellman Bryan , Urbauer Diana , Kang Yu , Jennings Nicholas B. , Huang Li , Deavers Michael T. , Broaddus Russell , Coleman Robert L. , Sood Anil K.
Published: February 2014

Purpose: EphA2 is an attractive therapeutic target because of its diverse roles in cancer growth and progression. Dasatinib is a multikinase inhibitor that targets EphA2 and other kinases. However, reliable predictive markers and a better understanding of the mechanisms of response to this agent are needed.

Experimental design: The effects of dasatinib on human uterine cancer cell lines were examined using a series of in vitro experiments, including MTT, Western blot analysis, and plasmid transfection. In vivo, an orthotopic mouse model of uterine cancer was utilized to identify the biologic effects of dasatinib. Molecular markers for response prediction and the mechanisms relevant to response to dasatinib were identified by using reverse phase protein array (RPPA), immunoprecipitation, and double immunofluorescence staining.

Results: We show that high levels of CAV-1, EphA2 phosphorylation at S897, and the status of PTEN are key determinants of dasatinib response in uterine carcinoma. A set of markers essential for dasatinib response was also identified and includes CRaf, pCRafS338, pMAPKT202/Y204 (mitogen-activated protein kinase [MAPK] pathway), pS6S240/244, p70S6kT389 (mTOR pathway), and pAKTS473. A novel mechanism for response was discovered whereby high expression level of CAV-1 at the plasma membrane disrupts the BRaf/CRaf heterodimer and thus inhibits the activation of MAPK pathway during dasatinib treatment.

Conclusions: Our in vitro and in vivo results provide a new understanding of EphA2 targeting by dasatinib and identify key predictors of therapeutic response. These findings have implications for ongoing dasatinib-based clinical trials. Clin Cancer Res; 20(7); 1846–55. ©2014 AACR.
Deficiency of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter B6 in Megakaryocyte Progenitors Accelerates Atherosclerosis in Mice
Authors: Murphy Andrew J. , Sarrazy Vincent , Wang Nan , Bijl Nora , Abramowicz Sandra , Westerterp Marit , Welch Carrie B. , Schuetz John D. , Yvan-Charvet Laurent
Published: February 2014

Objective—

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter B6 (ABCB6) is highly expressed in megakaryocyte progenitors, but its role in platelet production and disease has not been elucidated.

Approach and Results—

Among various ABC transporters, ABCB6 was highly expressed in megakaryocyte progenitors, exhibiting the same pattern of expression of genes involved in heme synthesis pathway. Transplantation of
Abcb6
deficient (
Abcb6
−/−
) bone marrow into low density lipoprotein receptor deficient recipient mice resulted in expansion and proliferation of megakaryocyte progenitors, attributable to increased reactive oxygen species production in response to porphyrin loading. The enhanced megakaryopoiesis in
Abcb6
−/−
bone marrow–transplanted mice was further illustrated by increased platelet counts, mean platelet volume, and platelet activity. Platelets from
Abcb6
−/−
bone marrow–transplanted mice had higher levels of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5, which was associated with increased plasma chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 levels. There were also increased platelet–leukocyte aggregates, which resulted in leukocyte activation.
Abcb6
−/−
bone marrow–transplanted mice had accelerated atherosclerosis which was associated with deposition of the chemotactic agent, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 in atherosclerotic plaques, resulting in increased macrophage accumulation.

Conclusions—

Our findings identify a new role of ABCB6 in preventing atherosclerosis development by dampening platelet production, reactivity, and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 deposition in atherosclerotic lesions.
Teacher, Preacher, Soldier, Martyr
Authors: Sanagan Mark
Published: February 2014

When Shaykh ʿIzz al-Dīn al-Qassām died in a gunfight with the Palestine Police Force in November 1935, the Government of the British Mandate for Palestine was ill prepared for the public outpouring of popular support and inspiration the imām from Haifa’s death would give to Arab Palestinian political aspirations. Al-Qassām soon became a powerful symbol in the nationalist fight against the British colonial power and subsequently the State of Israel. Al-Qassām remains a potent figure in Arab nationalist, Palestinian nationalist, and modern “Islamist” circles. The purpose of this paper is thus twofold: first, to provide an overview of the current state of the historiography on al-Qassām; and second, to add to that historiography with a recontextualized narrative of al-Qassām’s life and death. This latter part of the paper aims to fill some of the gaps with additional sources and place the findings alongside contemporary historical scholarship on political identity and nationalist movements in Palestine and the wider Mashriq. This article contends that the claims made on al-Qassām by contemporary Palestinian, “Islamic” nationalists have silenced the multiple contexts available if one considers the entirety of al-Qassām’s life. Viewed in this light, it is possible that al-Qassām never considered himself a “Palestinian” at all.
Geometrical First Principles in Proclus’ Commentary on the First Book of Euclid’s Elements
Authors: MacIsaac D. Gregory
Published: February 2014

Abstract

In his commentary on Euclid, Proclus says both that the first principle of geometry are self-evident and that they are hypotheses received from the single, highest, unhypothetical science, which is probably dialectic. The implication of this seems to be that a geometer both does and does not know geometrical truths. This dilemma only exists if we assume that Proclus follows Aristotle in his understanding of these terms. This paper shows that this is not the case, and explains what Proclus himself means by definition, hypothesis, axiom, postulate, and the self-evident, and how geometry is a science that receives its principles from dialectic.
A Short Textual Commentary on the Book of Revelation and the “New” Nestle
Authors: Elliott J.K.
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This is an analysis of a representative selection of text-critical variants in the Book of Revelation. In particular the variants include those that concern the author’s language and style and those involving grammatical features. The attempted solutions offered are based on the principles of thoroughgoing eclectic criticism.
On the Alleged Disjunction between Cultural and Darwinian Understandings of Human Kinship
Authors: Shapiro Warren
Published: February 2014

Abstract

Various anthropologists have alleged that cultural constructions of kinship are at odds with Darwinian understandings of the same phenomena. The argument here is that this is not at all the case if attention is paid to the semantic structure of kinship categories, which reveals that the central members of these categories are indeed close procreative kin. Attention is also drawn to supporting research in cognitive psychology.
Melanin-based colouration as a potential indicator of male quality in the lizard Zootoca vivipara (Squamata: Lacertidae)
Authors: Vroonen Jessica , Vervust Bart , Van Damme Raoul
Published: February 2014

In many animals, aspects of colouration are hypothesized to convey information on the body condition or quality of individuals. This idea has been tested primarily for the carotenoid-based component of body colouration. The significance of other pigments in this context has received far less attention. In the common lizard, Zootoca vivipara, the degree of black patterning on the ventrum and throats is sexually dimorphic and varies considerably among individuals. In this study, we examine whether this melanin-based component of body colouration may reflect individual differences in quality (SVL, condition, immune response). We find that males (but not females) with a higher degree of ventral patterning mount a stronger phytohemagglutinin-induced immune response. The amount of black patterning does not correlate with body size, body condition, aspects of dorsal colouration or parasite load. We conclude that in male Zootoca vivipara, melanin-based ventral colouration may signal an aspect of immune capacity to sexual rivals or potential partners.
A new species of Echinogammarus from Algerian fresh waters, Echinogammarus haraktis n. sp. (Peracarida, Amphipoda)
Authors: Piscart Christophe , Merzoug Djemoi , Hafid Hinda
Published: February 2014

Samplings in the area of Oum El Bouaghi yielded a new species, E. haraktis, belonging to the Echinogammarus simoni-group, in springs and wadis located on Mount EL Hamra in northeastern Algeria. The species is mainly characterised by the high number of long setae on the second antenna of both sexes, the lack of long setae on the basal segment of pereiopod 7 and on the exopodal segment of the uropod 3, and a much reduced second exopodal segment of uropod 3.
A new genus, Kiictenocheloides gen. nov., in the family Ctenocheloidae Sakai, 2011 (superfamily Callianassoidea Dana, 1852) (Decapoda, Pleocyemata)
Authors: Sakai Katsushi
Published: February 2014

Recently, a new species of the genus Ctenocheloides Anker, 2010, viz., Ctenocheloides nomurai Komai, 2013, was reported from the Kii District (= Arita Bay, Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture), Japan. However, Komai’s species is not to be included in Anker’s genus Ctenocheloides, because of differences at the generic level with the type species of that genus, Ctenocheloides attenboroughi Anker, 2010, and is thus reclassified herein under a new genus, Kiictenocheloides gen. nov. Both genera, Ctenocheloides Anker, 2010 and Kiictenocheloides gen. nov. are also different from Ctenocheles Kishinouye, 1926, the type genus of the family Ctenochelidae Manning & Felder, 1991, so that the two genera, Ctenocheloides Anker, 2010 and Kiictenocheloides gen. nov. are now included in the family Ctenocheloidae Sakai, 2011.
Characterisation of the transcriptome of Aphelenchoides besseyi and identification of a GHF 45 cellulase
Authors: Kikuchi Tiasei , Cock Peter J.A. , Helder Johannes , Jones John T.
Published: February 2014

While the majority ofAphelenchoidesspecies are fungivorous, some species are plant parasites that have retained the ability to feed on fungi.Aphelenchoides besseyiis an important and widespread pathogen that causes ‘white tip’ disease on rice. This migratory endoparasitic nematode makes a significant contribution to the estimated $US 16 billion worth of damage caused by nematodes to rice crops. Here we describe a small-scale analysis of the transcriptome ofA. besseyi. After sequencing, QC and assembly, approximately 5000 contigs were analysed. Bioinformatic analysis allowed 375 secreted proteins to be identified, including orthologues of proteins known to be secreted by other nematodes. One contig could encode anA. besseyiorthologue of a GHF45 cellulase, similar to those present inBursaphelenchus xylophilus. No transcripts similar to GHF5 cellulases were present in this dataset.
Statistical analysis of nematode counts from interlaboratory proficiency tests
Authors: Van Den Berg Wim , Hartsema Olaf , Den Nijs Loes J.M.F.
Published: February 2014

A series of proficiency tests on potato cyst nematode (PCN; ) and free-living stages of Meloidogyne and Pratylenchus () were investigated to determine the accuracy and precision of the nematode counts and to gain insights into possible trends and potential improvements. In each test, each participating laboratory received ten samples of soil collected from naturally infested fields and well mixed before distribution. The variance between the counts from the ten samples, estimated per test and laboratory, was constant for PCN cysts and free-living stages of Meloidogyne spp. and Pratylenchus spp. during the period monitored. However, during the initial years, the variance between the samples showed a downward trend for PCN living juveniles. The variance between the laboratories, estimated per test, was constant for PCN cysts over the period 1994-2010. For PCN living juveniles the variance between laboratory means declined from 1994-2000 and from 2000 it was more or less constant, which coincided with the introduction of a well-described new methodology. For Meloidogyne spp. and Pratylenchus spp., from 1998-2005 the variance between laboratory means was more or less constant or increased. From 2006, all participating laboratories incubated the organic matter and the variance between the laboratories was stable and below the levels observed during 2003-2005. After discarding data from initial years with unstable variances of the nematode counts, a meta-analysis was carried out on the remaining data using HGLMs to model the mean and variance of the counts simultaneously. The within-laboratory variance for the ten samples and the interaction variance of test and laboratory were estimated and combined to percentage coefficient of variation (%CV) per laboratory. For PCN cysts, %CV per laboratory ranged from 12.6 to 41.6 and for PCN juveniles in sandy soil from 24.4 to 67.4 and in loamy soil from 37.9 to 102.0. For Meloidogyne spp., %CV ranged from 53.2 to 84.4 and for Pratylenchus spp. from 24.3 to 90.6. The quality of a proficiency test is largely defined by random distribution of the nematodes over the samples allocated, statistical analysis of the data and communication of the results to participating laboratories. This study provides insights into the accuracy and precision at laboratories in recent years and the effect of concerted actions during the period in which the proficiency tests were conducted.
Levels and Trends of Fertility and Infant Mortality in the West Bank—Palestine
Authors: Jabali Oqab
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This study aims at tracing and analyzing the prevailing trends and up-to-date levels of fertility rates, and infant and child mortality, among Palestinians in the occupied territories of the West Bank, depending on recent data from sample surveys conducted in the last two decades. The paper sheds light on the socioeconomic factors besides the medical ones. The findings show that fertility transition is, continuously, in progress; it is considered high compared to other countries, although data of the last decade of the last century revealed that fertility is declining. The researcher also finds that infant and child mortality is declining, despite being high, compared to other countries around the globe. These results may be attributed to improvement in the quality of life, access to medical services, development of health services, and increased health awareness among the population. To attain better results, the researcher calls for improving the quality of care and creating a culture of medical responsibility and accountability among citizens—let alone ending of the long dispute among the major Palestinian factions.
Are the BRICS a Viable Alternative to the West? A Succinct Analysis
Authors: Calderón-Zaks Michael
Published: February 2014

Abstract

In this article I briefly examine the perceived role of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—also known as the BRICS—as an alternative to the West in the Global South. Their patterns of development must be placed in the context of the West’s development prior to and during the twentieth century. In fact, the burden of “development” remains on the shoulders of the people on the peripheries of the Americas and Africa.
Engulfed by an Alienated and Threatening Emotional Body: The Essential Meaning Structure of Depression in Women
Authors: Røseth Idun , Binder Per-Einar , Malt Ulrik Fredrik
Published: February 2014

Abstract

Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with a depressive disorder as men. Before trying to explain this difference, we must first understand how women experience depression. We explore the phenomenon of depression through women’s experiences, using Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method. An essential meaning structure describes the development of depression: The women find themselves entrapped in a personal mission which had backfired. Motivated by shame and guilt from the past, they overinvest in work or others’ emotions to relieve internal pain. They feel deeply sensitive to, and responsible for, other persons’ distress while ignoring their own feelings and needs. Gradually their emotional body grows awry and acts in increasingly alienating and threatening ways. Ultimately they feel forced to submerge in their emotional body; they succumb to depression. We reflect on this structure on the basis of Minkowski, Scheler, Sartre and Merleau-Ponty, and in relation to contemporary research on depression.
The Uneven Representation of Women in Asian Parliaments: Explaining Variation across the Region*
Authors: Joshi Devin K. , Kingma Kara
Published: February 2014

Abstract

Although home to the majority of the world’s women, Asia is the continent with the smallest proportion of women in Parliament. Rarely studied from a comparative perspective, this article examines the uneven representation of women in the lower houses of contemporary Asian parliaments. While socio-economic modernization and industrialization are generally expected to increase the proportion of women in positions of political influence, we find that differences in electoral and party systems across Asia play a greater role than levels of female literacy, urbanization, or per capita income. In particular, Asian parliaments with strict quotas and a higher number of (three of more) major political parties had significantly more female MPs. We also found cultural attitudes supportive of women in the public sphere to make a difference along with multi-member districts and parties on the political left.
Ritualization at Ebla
Authors: Archi Alfonso
Published: February 2014

Abstract

Through ritualization mankind satisfies some of its most profound needs. In 3rd millennium BC Ebla, ritual strategies for survival took a cyclical pattern according to the alternation of the seasons. The major gods were objects of a yearly renewal. The ritual concerning the royal wedding epitomized survival through generations. The royal couple sat on “the thrones of their fathers” in the mausoleum: a ritual which consecrated “a new king, a new queen”. Every year this rite was commemorated on the same month in the same place. The canonical celebrations in the main sanctuaries in the core of the kingdom, organized according to months, ritualized the territory of Ebla itself.
Encountering Jesus at the well: Further reflections on African women’s Christologies
Authors: Stinton Diane B.
Published: February 2014

Abstract

Under the subtheme of “Christology in the Context of World Christianity,” this article explores recent developments in African women’s Christologies. The aim is twofold: first, to engage critically with the content of these current Christologies, and second, to consider one method for doing contextual theology, namely, the “pastoral circle” or “pastoral cycle.” Its four key dimensions of encounter/insertion, social analysis, theological reflection, and pastoral planning allow a flexible framework for probing the causative factors, the contextual nature, the theological methods, and the central motifs of African women’s Christologies, as well as their contributions to social transformation through the impact of individuals and institutions. The article concludes that interdisciplinary approaches like the pastoral circle, which advocate the integration of biblical, historical, theological and contextual perspectives, hold the greatest potential for constructive Christology today.
Contending with Literalism and Dogma: Caribbean Theology in the Public Sphere
Authors: Soares Judith
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This article argues that a liberating Caribbean theology must position itself to provide guidance and direction to the people of the Caribbean as an urgent task by contending, in the public sphere, with the literalism and dogma inherent in Christian fundamentalist theology. By engaging Christian fundamentalism at the level of ideology, Caribbean theology can offer an alternative consciousness through which Caribbean societies can be reshaped in the interest of the social well-being of the peoples of the region.
Cricket in the Caribbean as Theological Practice
Authors: Thomas Oral A. W.
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This article analyses the socio-cultural meaning of cricket in the Caribbean, both on and off the field of play, within the context of the social forces at work in the colonial (1492–1838), post-‘emancipation’ (1838–1960) and post-‘independence’ (1960s onwards) periods. Correspondingly, the theological perspectives relative to the social forces at work off the field of play and the style of play on the field are accounted for. Cricket is used here as the cultural symbol of British imperialism in the Caribbean and the impetus for Caribbean people’s quest for self-identity and self-determination.
Why was Ibn Quzmān Not Awarded the Title of “Abū Nuwās of the West?” (‘Zajal 96’, the Poet, and His Critics)
Authors: Monroe James T.
Published: February 2014

Abstract

As is the case with many other civilizations, the cultural heartlands of the classical Arab-Islamic world have often tended to be more progressive and innovative than its outlying, marginal regions. The latter, in contrast, have sometimes tended to be more conservative. For this reason, when Ibn Quzmān, in Andalus, raised the native, popular, and colloquialzajalform to a higher literary level than it had previously enjoyed in his homeland, his work found greater acceptance in Baghdad than it did in the far West of the Islamic world. With one notable exception, Andalusi and North African scholars and critics, while they could not categorically deny that poet’s remarkable literary achievements, all tended to downplay them, by highlighting instead, passages from his classical Arabic production in verse and in prose (none of which has survived, aside from the handful of fragments they quote), while at the same time ignoring hiszajals to the best of their ability. Like their Greek predecessors, however, these critics were prescriptive, not descriptive. Thus, they did not possess the adequate vocabulary with which to express their appreciation for, or understanding of, the significance of Ibn Quzmān’s strophic compositions in the colloquial dialect. This article analyses one poem by Ibn Quzmān (Zajal 96), and compares it to a classical composition by Abū Nuwās (the Andalusi poet’s Eastern predecessor and deeply admired literary role model), in an attempt to identify some of those virtues the Maghrebi critics failed to define in his work.
Politics of Religious Schooling: Christian and Muslim Engagements with Education in Africa
Authors: Dilger Hansjörg , Schulz Dorothea
Published: February 2014

Abstract

In recent decades, religiously motivated schools have gained a new social and political presence and significance in many African countries. Although religious networks and organizations—Christian as well as Muslim—have played a central role in providing education in colonial and postcolonial settings, liberalization and privatization measures since the 1980s have opened up new opportunities for religious engagement at all educational levels. The contributions to this issue explore the implications of these recent transformations on Christian and Muslim investments in the educational domain. To do so, they examine these implications in view of reconfigurations of national and regional educational fields under the influence of colonial and postcolonial administrations. Furthermore, they address the multiple, often-contested meanings, practices, and institutional setups that have shaped and been constituted by, the field of ‘religious schooling’ in the context of both neoliberal reform measures and transnational religious renewal trends. Finally, they illustrate the need to adopt an increasingly comparative perspective in the analysis of religious education, and to understand how (internally differentiated) instances of Christian and Muslim education have developed historically in relation to each other.
Sleeping with Elephants
Authors: Hughes Aaron W.
Published: February 2014

Abstract

NAASR faces an existential dilemma. It is currently caught between the desire for greater numbers and panels that take place at the Annual Meeting of the AAR on the one hand, and the idea of a more exclusive group that focuses solely on historical and scientific analysis on the other. This paper argues that the future of NAASR resides in the latter option as opposed to the former. It even goes a step further and argues that NAASR should—intellectually, if not logistically—split from the AAR because as things currently stand the AAR defines the parameters of the conversation: NAASR, by default, becomes that which the AAR is not. However, in so doing, NAASR still defines itself using the discourses and categories of the AAR. NAASR’s physical departure from the AAR would provide it with the intellectual space necessary for further growth and reflection on things theoretical and methodological.
Why is Religion Characterized by Excess and Non-Functionality?
Authors: Schjoedt Uffe
Published: February 2014

Abstract

The excess and non-functionality of religious practices appear designed to exploit the psychological effects of loss aversion and effort justification in individuals. Collective rituals, for example, include features that seem to maximize these effects inducing pure waste states in its practitioners. I argue that these psychological effects provide Wiebe with a proximate mechanism specific to religion that explains why religion may be particularly effective in building distinct groups. I propose, however, that religion may originally have developed as a technology that exploits loss aversion and effort justification in individuals to recycle their wasted efforts through narratives about gods and magical causation. This recycling technology may, at a later stage, have developed into institutionalized religion which exploits the same psychological effects of loss aversion and effort justification but for social functional purposes. Whether this later development was caused by a growing need for hazard precaution is an open question.
Recourse to the “Futility Exception” within the ICSID System: Reflections on Recent Developments of the Local Remedies Rule
Authors: D’Agnone Giulia
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This article addresses the controversial issue of investors’ non-compliance with the eighteen-month litigation prerequisite often included in investment treaties. In particular, it focuses on two recent decisions which inaugurated a different approach to the domestic remedies rule. It primarily analyzes the traditional method used by ICSID tribunals to tackle the domestic remedies rule, by making reference to the applicability of the MFN clause to dispute resolution provisions. It therefore focuses on the different reasoning followed by the Abaclat and the Ambiente Ufficio tribunals, underlining the shortcomings connected to that reasoning. Specifically, it demonstrates that the analogy with diplomatic protection made by the latter tribunal is questionable. Finally, it analyzes the policy rationale common to both the traditional approach and the one used in the Abaclat and Ambiente Ufficio cases, which seems to be aimed at extending the jurisdiction of the Centre.
Śiva or Brahma? The “Masque Court” at the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
Authors: Falk Harry
Published: February 2014

A number of “masks” cast in metal are known from the North-West, particularly Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. They are not used as theatre masks, they lack openings for view or speech, and are found in temples fixed to a wall. One, found near Peshawar in Gandhara is conspicuous by its artistic beauty. It is inscribed on its lower rim; both script and style allow to date it in the middle or late Gupta period. The inscription has been read and interpreted by G. Fussman, who assumed that some of his readings would need revision. A new reading is proposed and discussed here, as it admits of two rather divergent interpretations.
Approaches to the Critical Days in Late Medieval and Renaissance Thinkers
Authors: Cooper Glen M.
Published: February 2014

Galen’s astrological doctrine of the critical days, as found in his De diebus decretoriis (Critical Days), Book III, was at the center of a long discussion in the Latin West about the relationship between astrology and medicine. The main problem was that Galen’s views could not be made to square with the prevailing cosmology, which derived both from Aristotle and Abū Maʿshar. The views of selected Latin thinkers concerning the critical days, from Pietro d’Abano, down through Girolamo Cardano, are considered in the context of a fourfold scheme that aims to classify the main approaches to the critical days. The criticisms of Pico della Mirandola are discussed, as well as two kinds of responses to him: the progressive views of Giovanni Mainardi and Girolamo Fracastoro, as well as the conservative views of Thomas Bodier and Girolamo Cardano.
Qi-Transformation and the Steam Engine The Incorporation of Western Anatomy and Re-Conceptualisation of the Body in Nineteenth-Century Chinese Medicine
Authors: Lei Sean Hsiang-lin
Published: February 2014

Abstract

Tang Zonghai (1851–1908), the widely acclaimed proponent of medical eclecticism in the late Qing period, invented the famous formula: ‘Western medicine is good at anatomy; Chinese medicine is good atqi-transformation.’ While it is well-known that Tang coined the concept ofqihua氣化 (qi-transformation) and thereby created a long-lasting dichotomy between Chinese and Western medicine, it is little known that Tang’s conception ofqi-transformation was built upon, and therefore heavily influenced by, a newly-imported technology from the West, namely the steam engine.

Based on this surprising discovery, this article intends to make three interrelated arguments. First, Tang Zonghai drew on the newly invented model of the steam engine and the related concept of steam to create a new understanding ofqi-transformation in the human body. Second, this new understanding ofqienabled him to reform Chinese medicine by incorporating the new knowledge and visual illustrations of Western anatomy, most notably the illustration of the peritoneum fromGray’s Anatomyand the existence of the ureters. And third, in the dual process of developing the new understanding ofqi-transformation and incorporating Western anatomy into Chinese medical doctrines, Tang radically re-conceptualised and re-visualised the body of Chinese medicine, especially the three interrelated organs of the bladder, the Triple Burner, and the kidney. Instead of creating an invisible and immaterial world ofqi-transformation in opposition to the materialism of Western anatomy, Tang made his conception ofqi-transformation instrumental for the incorporation of Western anatomy into Chinese medical doctrines. With the help of this new understanding ofqias steam, Tang systematically responded to the criticisms raised by Benjamin Hobson and Wang Qingren, formally starting the difficult and problematic process of (re)-visualising the Chinese medical body.
On the History of the Murals in the Medical College at Labrang Monastery
Authors: Sabernig Katharina Anna
Published: February 2014

Abstract

In the inner courtyard of the medical college at Labrang Monastery the visitor finds 19 murals depicting the contents of the first two parts of theFour Tantras(Gyüshi), the well-known treatise on Tibetan medicine. The origins of these murals raise questions about a number of substantial differences in style and structure of the ‘tree metaphor’ that exist between them and the famous medical thangka illustrations based on the important commentary on theGyüshi, theBlue Beryl.The physician and teacher Tsangmen Yéshé Zangpo was the first principal of the medical college at Labrang Monastery. But whether he also created this particular tree metaphor on the murals at Labrang is uncertain. A text written by the Lhasa-based scholar, Lozang Chödrak, explains the structure of the second part of theGyüshiin such a similar way, that it can be concluded that his written instructions served as the template for the Labrang murals. This reveals that the design of the mural paintings, which have been repainted at least two times, can be dated back to the beginnings of the first medical college at Chakpori.1
Concepts, History and the Game of Giving and Asking for Reasons: A Defense of Conceptual History
Authors: Goering D. Timothy
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This article offers a defense of the theoretical foundations of Conceptual History (Begriffsgeschichte). While Conceptual History has successfully established itself as an historical discipline, details in the philosophy of language that underpin Conceptual History continue to be opaque. Specifically the definition of what constitutes a “basic concept” (Grundbegriff) remains problematic. Reinhart Koselleck famously claimed that basic concepts are “more than words,” but he never spelled out how these abstract entities relate to words or can be subject to semantic transformation. I argue that to clarify the definition of what constitutes a basic concept we should turn to the functionalist and inferentialist philosophy of Wilfrid Sellars. By viewing historical sources as partaking in what Sellars calls the ‘game of giving and asking for reasons,’ Conceptual History can accurately trace the semantic changes of basic concepts and thus offer an important tool to the historical discipline.
Ship Timber and the Reuse of Wood in Ancient Egypt
Authors: Creasman Pearce Paul
Published: February 2014

Abstract

Reuse of materials in ancient Egypt is neither a new nor novel concept. The ancient Egyptians reused a variety of materials and certainly any resource that had spiritual, ideological, or economic value that was available to them. Yet, reuse of certain raw materials has not been thoroughly examined, notably timber. This manuscript explores the modes, preferences and implications of wood use, specifically reuse, in Egypt’s Pharaonic Period, using ship timber as the illustrative example. This synthesis suggests specific preferences for commodity consumption and conservation existed, revealing cultural and behavioral trends.