bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Das Mündel will Vormund sein’: The GDR State as Child1
Authors: Pinfold Debbie
Published: March 2011

At the time of the ‘Wende’, the dominant image of the SED state in political and cultural discourse was that of ‘Vater Staat’, the authoritarian state which had kept its population in an unduly protracted form of ‘Unmündigkeit’ or childhood. As the GDR recedes further into the past, this perception of the relationship between state and population has been maintained and indeed reinforced by the media's continued emphasis on images of the peaceful revolution. This article will trace developments in a quite different image of the GDR as it appeared in official iconography throughout the state's forty‐year existence, i.e. of the state itself as a child. It will draw on monuments (Treptower Park and Buchenwald) and posters commemorating state anniversaries to argue that official representations of the GDR as child were a means of acknowledging the state's debt to its Soviet liberator, while at the same time attempting to negotiate a separate identity for itself and encourage citizens’ loyalty to their state. The cultural artefacts are interpreted both on their own terms and from a present‐day perspective in order to present a more differentiated image of the relationship between GDR state and population.

Das vorherrschende Bild des SED‐Staats im politischen und kulturellen Diskurs um die Wendezeit war das Bild vom ‘Vater Staat’, dem autoritären Staat, der seine Bevölkerung allzulange im Zustand der kindlichen Unmündigkeit gehalten hatte. Je ferner die ehemalige DDR in die Vergangenheit entrückt, desto eindeutiger und unverrückbarer wird dieses Bild der Beziehung zwischen Staat und Bevölkerung, vor allem aufgrund der ständigen Wiederholung von Medienbildern der friedlichen Revolution, die dazu neigen, diese Deutung zu bekräftigen. Dieser Aufsatz widmet sich einer komplementären Darstellung der DDR, die in der staatlichen Ikonographie immer wieder benutzt wurde, nämlich das Bild des Staates selbst als Kind, und wie sich dieses Bild im Laufe der vierzigjährigen Geschichte des Staates entwickelte, vor allem in Bezug auf Denkmäler (Treptower Park und Buchenwald) und Plakate, die aus Anlass von staatlichen Feierlichkeiten, besonders Jahrestagen, veröffentlicht wurden. Es wird gezeigt, wie diese offiziellen Darstellungen der DDR als Kind ein Mittel dazu waren, dem sowjetischen Befreier gebührende Dankbarkeit auszudrücken. Sie stellten aber auch eine Möglichkeit dar, eine eigene Identität als souveräner Staat zu entwickeln und Bürgertreue zu fördern. Die kulturellen Artefakte werden sowohl im DDR‐Kontext wie auch aus heutiger Perspektive interpretiert, um ein differenzierteres Bild der Beziehung zwischen DDR‐Staat und Bevölkerung darzustellen.
Islam in the West: Perceptions and Self‐Perceptions of Muslims in Navid Kermani's Kurzmitteilung1
Authors: Matthes Frauke
Published: March 2011

This essay analyses Navid Kermani's literary engagement with the interaction between Islam and the West in his novel Kurzmitteilung (2007). Kermani (b. 1967 in Germany of Iranian parents) is a scholar of Islamic Studies as well as a writer; he critically examines how Islam often serves as an object of Western counter‐identification. The essay explores how the novel, which is set after the London suicide bomb attacks on 7 July 2005, treats the perceptions and self‐perceptions of Muslims at the beginning of the twenty‐first century, focusing on its German‐Iranian narrator, the event manager Dariusch. My analysis considers Dariusch's ambiguity: he claims a residual cultural identity as an Iranian Muslim, which he contrasts with the identity of Arabs who plant bombs in the West, yet he is not a practising Muslim; he criticises the Western commercialisation of Islam, thereby making his own reverse division between the hypocritical West and misconstrued Islam, but is complicit with this commercialisation in his professional life. Finally, Dariusch dismisses Islam altogether (he turns to Scientology). More broadly, this essay also critically explores the position of Islam in the West and its contribution to Western cultural and religious identification after ‘9/11’ and ‘7/7’.

Dieser Aufsatz untersucht Navid Kermanis literarische Auseinandersetzung mit der Wechselbeziehung zwischen dem Islam und dem Westen in seinem Roman Kurzmitteilung (2007). Kermani (1967 als Sohn iranischer Einwanderer in Deutschland geboren) ist sowohl habilitierter Islamwissenschaftler als auch Schriftsteller; er stellt sich kritisch die Frage, wie sich der Westen häufig im Gegensatz zum Islam identifiziert. Der Aufsatz untersucht, wie sich der Roman, der nach den Londoner Bombenanschlägen des 7. Juli 2005 spielt, mit der Wahrnehmung und Selbstwahrnehmung von Muslimen zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts auseinandersetzt. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf dem deutsch‐iranischen Erzähler, dem Eventmanager Dariusch. Meine Analyse beschäftigt sich mit Dariuschs Ambiguität: Er beansprucht eine in Resten vorhandene kulturelle Identität als iranischer Muslim, die er der Identität von Arabern, die Bomben legen, entgegensetzt, aber er ist kein gläubiger Muslim; er kritisiert die westliche Kommerzialisierung des Islam, wobei er seine eigene umgekehrte Trennung zwischen dem heuchlerischen Westen und dem missdeuteten Islam vornimmt, aber er ist an dieser Kommerzialisierung in seinem Beruf beteiligt. Letztendlich lehnt Dariusch den Islam völlig ab (er wendet sich Scientology zu). Dieser Aufsatz setzt sich im weiteren Sinne ebenfalls kritisch mit der Position des Islam im Westen und seinem Beitrag zur westlichen kulturellen und religiösen Identifizierung nach ‘9/11’ und ‘7/7’ auseinander.
Families Across Borders: The Emotional Impacts of Migration on Origin Families*
Authors: Silver Alexis
Published: March 2011

Migration is experienced not only by individuals who migrate, but also by their family members that remain at home. While previous research on origin communities has focused primarily on the economic impacts of remittances, this study emphasizes the emotional repercussions of family member migration. I use the Mexican Family Life Survey, a nationally representative data set, to empirically assess the effects of migration on the emotional well‐being of migrants’ family members in Mexican communities of origin. Results indicate that migration of close family members to the United States, especially spouses and children, significantly increases depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness reported by family members remaining in Mexico. Women, particularly mothers and wives, are more adversely affected by family member migration than men. On a practical level, findings from this study illustrate a need for support programmes in origin communities to help families cope with the migration of their family members. The results of the study also highlight the adverse and unintended consequences of border restriction policy that severely restrains migrants from visiting their families and origin communities. From a research perspective, the results indicate the importance of non‐economic measures in analyses of migration. There are significant psychological and emotional repercussions of family member migration and these should not be downplayed or overlooked in migration research.
The Impact of Communal Organizational Density on the Labour Market Integration of Immigrants in Canada
Authors: Couton Philippe
Published: March 2011

Researchers have long posited that immigrant social structures play an important role in the settlement and adaptation of immigrants in most host countries, including Canada. Recent studies report that immigrant organizations can have divergent effects on the economic outcomes of the communities they serve. However the topic has yet to be addressed adequately for lack of systematic information on immigrant organizations. This article proposes to partially fill this gap by measuring the impact of several new variables drawn from infrequently used, but readily available administrative data collected by the Canadian government on three census labour market variables: income, unemployment, and self‐employment. This addresses a specific part of the labour market impact of immigrant social structures: the role of officially recognized charitable organizations serving specific ethno‐immigrant communities in fostering their labour market integration. The results of descriptive analysis and regression models show that organizational density is positively associated with self‐employment and negatively associated with income and unemployment.
Cultural Responses to Changing Gender Patterns of Migration in Georgia
Authors: Hofmann Erin Trouth , Buckley Cynthia J.
Published: March 2011

In this paper, we explore how individual women cope with the tensions between economic forces encouraging temporary labour migration and cultural norms tying “proper” women to their homes and families. Combining in‐depth interviews with returned migrant women in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi with secondary migration data for the region, we illustrate the recent increases in Georgian women’s participation in international labour migration. Deteriorating economic conditions in Georgia leave women with few local opportunities to financially support their families, while institutional changes have altered the accessibility and attractiveness of international destinations, leading to increasing motivations and opportunities for women’s migration. Focusing on the contradictions between growing female migration and persistent adherence to cultural norms stigmatizing migration in Georgia, we explore the cognitive strategies migrant women employ in an attempt to balance internalized perceptions of acceptable gendered behaviour with their migration choices. Two key pathways of adaptation emerge: framing migration as a necessity rather than a choice and stressing the unique and individually exceptional nature of their own migration experience. We posit that these strategies may serve to limit the norm‐challenging nature of women’s migration in Georgia. Although migration is often described as an empowering experience for women, if women migrants work to present their migration in a way that fits within the bounds of traditional gender norms, these norms may be strengthened rather than challenged.
Reproductive seasonality in a group of rock‐frequenting cichlid fishes in Lake Malawi
Authors: Marsh B.A.  , Marsh A.C.  , Ribbink A.J.
Published: March 2011

Annual cycles of breeding activity were found in 10 species of rock‐frequenting cichlid fishes endemic to Lake Malawi. Nine species of closely‐related Mbuna bred throughout the year but all showed peaks of reproductive activity at times when food was most abundant. Most had a bimodal pattern of reproduction with a major peak in August to October, when plankton blooms were common, and another in February to March, when epilithic algae were plentiful. The smallest Mbuna species studied, Melanochromis joanjohnsonae, had a unimodal pattern, with high levels of reproductive activity extending for six to seven months of the year. Cyrtocara taeniolata, the only non‐Mbuna studied, had a highly synchronized unimodal pattern of reproduction. This species produced the smallest eggs, had the highest relative fecundity and was the only species that employed parental care of free‐swimming young.
Allometry of the cellular structure of intra‐orbital adipose tissue in eutherian mammals
Authors: Pond Caroline M. , Mattacks Christine A.
Published: March 2011

1. The mean volumes of structural adipocytes in two intra‐orbital adipose depots, the total fatness and the average volume of adipocytes in the superficial, intermuscular and intraabdominal sites were measured from 60 randomly‐obtained wild, captive and laboratory mammals ranging in body mass from 0.01–650 kg.

2. In all 30 species studied, the adipocytes immediately behind the eyeball (the ‘orbital’ depot) are smaller than those in the periphery of the eyesocket (‘peripheral’ depot) of the same specimen. The mean volumes of adipocytes in both intra‐orbital depots are approximately proportional to (Body Mass)0.31.

3. Disregarding the effects of interspecific differences in the shape of the eyeball and orbit, the number of intra‐orbital adipocytes is calculated to be proportional to (Body Mass)0.69.

4. The scaling of adipocyte volume and adipose tissue cellularity to body mass cannot be attributed directly to adipose tissue metabolism, because structural, metabolically‐inert adipocytes are similarly affected. The scaling of adipocyte volume to body mass may represent some more fundamental relationship between cell size and organism size.
Red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) feeding in a Scots pine plantation in Scotland
Authors: Moller H.
Published: March 2011

Red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) were caught, marked and released in a 50‐year‐old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) plantation in Moray, Scotland. Density was estimated at 0.33 squirrels/ha and there were 10.7 dreys/ha. Young were recognizable between May and November and average recruitment was at least 45% per adult per year. Squirrels fed mainly on pine seed endosperm extracted in various ways from cones. Seed from each year's new cone crop was first eaten in June and formed the bulk of the diet by August when the cones were fully grown and mature. Cones still on the trees in the following spring and summer opened, and squirrels then came to the ground more often to eat seed from windblown and buried cones. In one year, squirrels ate about a third of the cone crop before the cones opened. Some trees were much more favoured than others for feeding.
Density‐dependent mating tactics in the Grey hairstreak, Strymon melinus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
Authors: Alcock J. , O'Neill K. M.
Published: March 2011

Male Grey hairstreak butterflies employed two different tactics, centred on palo verde trees growing on hilltops in central Arizona. During much of the spring flight season of about four months single males repelled all others from a perch tree. Interactions between the territorial resident in a tree and visiting intruder males were frequent but usually brief. One male retained possession of his perch for two weeks, although changes in ownership were generally much more frequent. But territorial behaviour was abandoned during periods when the number of intruders increased sharply, at which time perched males switched to non‐aggressive patrolling about the preferred palo verdes. Females occasionally visited the palo verdes and interacted with males but no matings were observed. The mating system of the Grey hairstreak, like that of other similar landmark‐defending insects, appears to have evolved in response to a diffusely distributed population of receptive females.
Copulation in Colias eury theme (Lepidoptera: Pieridae): patterns and frequency
Authors: Rutowski R. L. , Gilchrist G. W.
Published: March 2011

During copulation in the alfalfa butterfly, Colias eurytheme, a male fills two sacs in the female's reproductive tract. The appendix bursae is filled first with a white milky fluid and then the corpus bursae is filled with a spermatophore that contains the sperm and other materials. The sperm are deposited last in the female's reproductive tract. Recently‐mated males produce less material during copulation and copulate for much longer times. Large males pass more material and old males copulate for longer times. Variation in the duration of copulations observed in the field suggests that males mate about once every five days. A release‐recapture experiment with virgin females indicates a similar mating frequency for that sex. The discussion relates these data to the known patterns of mate choice and reproductive behaviour in butterflies and moths.
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) dentition and nutrition. I. Morphology and occlusion of cheekteeth
Authors: Lanyon Janet M. , Sanson G. D.
Published: March 2011

Fermentation of cell wall material in the hind gut of the Koala contributes only 9% of the animal's digestible energy intake. Exposure of the cell contents for digestion in the small intestine depends on an efficient dentition. The molars have been described as selenoid or subselenodont because of the curved cristae originating from the four main cones. Occlusion was reconstructed by wear facet and striation analysis and indicates that contact between the occluding teeth occurs with the cristae shearing past each other, with the lower teeth moving in an antero‐lingual direction. The ipsilateral condyle provides the fixed hinge and the arc through which the teeth on the ipsilateral side move explains the orientation of the upper fissures through which the lingual conids pass. Unlike Pseudocheirus with contralateral hinging, and a different arc of movement of lowers, there is no crushing component at the end of the occlusal stroke.
Photoperiodic and endocrine control of seasonal breeding in Grey partridge (Perdix perdix)
Authors: Sharp P. J. , Massa R. , Bottoni L. , Lucini V. , Lea R. W. , Dunn I. C. , Trocchi V.
Published: March 2011

Seasonal changes in gonad weights, concentrations of plasma luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), and 5β reductase activity in the neuroendocrine tissues were measured in the Grey partridge (Perdix perdix) in northern Italy. Seasonal changes in the birds' photoperiodic responses were investigated by transferring groups from natural to continuous lighting during most months of the year, and measuring the effect on gonadal weight and plasma LH. The role of increasing short daylengths in stimulating reproductive function in late winter was assessed by measuring testes weight and plasma LH in birds maintained on a fixed short daylength (9 h light: 15 h darkness) during January and February.

Egg laying occurred between mid‐April and the end of June, coinciding with seasonally high concentrations of plasma LH and prolactin in both sexes and low plasma T3 in the females. In July, the gonads began to regress and plasma LH levels decreased but plasma prolactin levels remained elevated, falling during August and September. No changes in plasma T3 and T4 were seen in July. In the hyperstriatum (part of the forebrain) and anterior pituitary gland, 5β reductase activity was higher in July than in November, February or May.

Plasma LH levels increased after transfer to continuous light between October and April but did not increase after transfer to continuous light between June and September. The increase in plasma LH seen after transfer to continuous light in January, February, March and April was associated with an increase in gonadal size. In contrast, gonadal size did not increase, or did not increase greatly, after transfer to continuous light in October, November and December. Plasma LH levels increased and the testes grew in January and February, irrespective of whether the birds were exposed to natural lighting or to a fixed short daylength.

The major conclusions were that in the Grey partridge: 1, seasonal breeding is terminated by the development of long‐day refractoriness; 2, the development of long‐day refractoriness is associated with an increase in plasma prolactin and no change in plasma thyroid hormones; 3, increased 5β reductive activity in the hyperstriatum of long‐day refractory birds may be related to the disappearance of sexual behaviour; and 4, the growth of the testes in late winter is independent of increasing daylength.
A simple method for measuring the changing volume of small biological objects, illustrated by studies of suction feeding by fish larvae and of shrinkage due to histological fixation
Authors: Drost M. R. , Boogaart J. G. M. Van den
Published: March 2011

A simple method has been devised to determine dynamic changes in volume of biological objects of a ‘smooth’ form. The method requires two perpendicular views (side and bottom). The method can be used also in static volume changes. Differential changes in length, width and height can be quantified. The volume of the object is approximated by a series of ellipses. The length of the axes of the ellipses is determined from the two views. Possible sources of error are discussed. The method is applied in a study of static volume changes of fish larvae due to fixation and in a study of the dynamic volume change of the mouth cavity of carp larvae, increasing their head volume 30% in 8 ms, when sucking prey.
Milk of the Galapagos fur seal and sea lion, with a comparison of the milk of Eared seals (Otariidae)
Authors: Trillmich Fritz , Lechner Erika
Published: March 2011

The milk of two tropical species of Eared seals (Otariidae) was analysed. In the Galapagos fur seal (Arclocephalus galapagoensis), milk fat content decreased and calcium content increased with age of the young (Table 1), while protein content (12%) and potassium content (167 mg%) remained more or less constant. Fat content was 32% during the perinatal attendance period, later decreasing to 25%, while calcium increased from 57 to 70 mg%. The fewer samples of Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus californianus wollebaeki) milk contained on average 17% fat and 9% protein. Fat content in the milk of different otariid seal species correlates best with the average duration of maternal foraging trips and less with the weaning age of young (Fig. 1).
Scanning electron microscopy of the accessory respiratory organs of the Snake‐headed fish, Channa striata (Bloch) (Channidae, Channiformes)
Authors: Hughes G. M. , Munshi J. S. D.
Published: March 2011

The accessory organs of this swamp‐living fish have been studied using SEM and light microscopy.

Accessory organs are found in the suprabranchial chambers, labyrinthine plates on the first epibranchial, and roof of the buccopharynx. In these regions, there are nodules of respiratory islets each consisting of many vascular papillae. Non‐respiratory ‘lanes’ separate the islets and are covered with microridged epithelial cells. The dome‐shaped papillae have a smooth surface with band‐like structures running over them. Microvilli are present only at the base of the papillae. The vascular papillae of the buccopharynx are lodged in cup‐like receptacles into which they can retract.

The intraepithelial capillaries contain unicellular valves which project into the lumen of the papillae.

Capillaries supplying the papillae have an undulatory path which represents a second stage in the evolution of this type of structure.
A new species of Prosorhochmus (Hoplonemertea, Monostilifera) from South Carolina
Authors: Gibson Ray , Moore Janet , Ruppert E. E. , Turbeville J. M.
Published: March 2011

A new species of ovoviviparous hoplonemertean from South Carolina, Prosorhochmus americanussp. nov., is described and illustrated. The species is compared and contrasted in detail with the only other validated member of the genus, Prosorhochmus claparedii from European waters.
An investigation of kin recognition in Red‐legged frog (Rana aurora) tadpoles
Authors: Blaustein A. R. , O'Hara R. K.
Published: March 2011

The ability of Red‐legged frog (Rana aurora) tadpoles to discriminate between siblings and non‐siblings was investigated in laboratory choice experiments. Tadpoles that were reared with siblings only and tested in early developmental stages preferentially associated with siblings over non‐siblings. Animals reared with siblings only and tested in later developmental stages did not preferentially associate with siblings over non‐siblings. Test animals that were reared in isolation, those reared with siblings and non‐siblings, or those reared with non‐siblings only, displayed a random association among sibling and non‐sibling stimulus choice groups. These results are compared with results obtained from testing the larvae of a closely related species, the Cascades frog (Rana cascadae).
Mechanical properties and function of the paw pads of some mammals
Authors: Alexander R. McN. , Bennett M. B. , Ker R. F.
Published: March 2011

Unpadded paws would suffer large impact forces when they struck the ground, but paws with elastic pads might be set into oscillation, bouncing up and down before settling on the ground at the beginning of the step. Such oscillations might involve temporary loss of contact with the ground (a phenomenon here called ‘chattering’), making the paw likely to shift its position. Analysis of a simple model reveals the conditions needed to prevent chattering: the paw must not hit the ground too fast and its stiffness must not be too great. Damping can help to prevent chatter. The viscoelastic properties of paw pads from various mammals have been investigated, in dynamic compressive tests, and are discussed in the light of the theoretical model.
Comparative morphology and evolution of the male reproductive tract in the Australian hydromyine rodents (Muridae)
Authors: Breed W. G.
Published: March 2011

Marked interspecific differences in the morphology of the male reproductive tract of Australian hydromyine rodents have been found. In males of most species, the structure of the vas and proximal accessory sex glands was similar to that in other murids, but most Notomys had a distal vas with an unusually large lumen, which may act as a sperm store, and very large ventral prostates but reduced seminal vesicles, dorsolateral prostates, coagulating and ampullary glands. Bulbourethral glands showed little interspecific variation, but preputial glands were large in Pseudomys and Leggadina, minute in Notomys, and apparently absent in Hydromys, Melomys and Uromys males. The erect glans penis morphology was generally similar to that of other murids, except that in most Notomys there was a narrow shaft with unusually large spines, no large cup, and slender baculum. The functional and evolutionary implications of the findings are discussed.
The Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis– three anciently separated cryptic species revealed
Authors: ALSTRÖM PER , SAITOH TAKEMA , WILLIAMS DAWN , NISHIUMI ISAO , SHIGETA YOSHIMITSU , UEDA KEISUKE , IRESTEDT MARTIN , BJÖRKLUND MATS , OLSSON URBAN
Published: March 2011

The Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis breeds across the northern Palaearctic and northwestern‐most Nearctic, from northern Scandinavia to Alaska, extending south to southern Japan, and winters in Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Several subspecies have been described based on subtle morphological characteristics, although the taxonomy varies considerably among different authors. A recent study (T. Saitoh et al. (2010) BMC Evol. Biol. 10: 35) identified three main mitochondrial DNA clades, corresponding to: (1) continental Eurasia and Alaska, (2) south Kamchatka, Sakhalin and northeast Hokkaido, and (3) most of Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu). These three clades were estimated to have diverged during the late Pliocene to early Pleistocene (border at c. 2.6 million years ago). Differences in morphometrics have also been reported among members of the three clades (T. Saitoh et al. (2008) Ornithol. Sci.7: 135–142). Here we analyse songs and calls from throughout the range of the Arctic Warbler, and conclude that these differ markedly and consistently among the populations representing the three mitochondrial clades. Kurile populations, for which no sequence data are available, are shown to belong to the second clade. To determine the correct application of available scientific names, mitochondrial DNA was sequenced from three name‐bearing type specimens collected on migration or in the winter quarters. Based on the congruent variation in mitochondrial DNA, morphology and vocalizations, we propose that three species be recognized: Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis (sensu stricto) (continental Eurasia and Alaska), Kamchatka Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus examinandus (Kamchatka (at least the southern part), Sakhalin, Hokkaido and Kurile Islands), and Japanese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus xanthodryas (Japan except Hokkaido).
Influence of background on image recognition in normal vision and age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Bordier Cécile , Petra Julie , Dauxerre Catherine , Vital‐Durand François , Knoblauch Kenneth
Published: March 2011

Citation information: Bordier C, Petra J, Dauxerre C, Vital‐Durand F & Knoblauch K. Influence of background on image recognition in normal vision and age‐related macular degeneration. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 203–215. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00820.x

Purpose:  The influence of background attenuation on the spatial frequency bandwidth requirements for image recognition was assessed in normal young and older groups and in a group with age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). Bandwidth requirements were also assessed in the visual periphery of young normal observers.

Methods:  In Experiment 1, each observer was presented with 20 series of images. Each series consisted of a sequence of progressively low‐pass filtered images, presented in an order of increasing bandwidth, i.e., according to an ascending method of limits. For half of the series, the background of the base image was selectively darkened by 80% of its original luminance. Three measures were analyzed: (1) the critical bandwidth defined as the bandwidth in cycles/image (cpi) at which 50% of the images were recognized, (2) the minimal bandwidth, defined as the minimal bandwidth at which images were recognized and (3) the proportion of images recognized at full bandwidth. In Experiment 2, young normal observers were similarly tested in central vision and at 5.5° eccentricity (superior or inferior visual field). A third background attenuation condition was included, as well, in which the background was low‐pass filtered.

Results:  The critical bandwidth for image recognition was significantly reduced by darkening the image background for normal young and old and the AMD groups. This improvement was found to be contrast dependent for the darkened background. In addition, AMD observers tended to recognize more images at full bandwidth if the background was darkened. For normal young observers, making the background low‐pass was ineffective in lowering the critical bandwidth in the fovea. Fewer images were recognized at full bandwidth at 5.5° eccentricity for a low‐pass background and marginally fewer for a darkened background.

Conclusions:  Selective attenuation of the image background can lead to reductions in the bandwidth requirements for image recognition in AMD. However, performance of young normal observers for images presented in the periphery was unlike AMD performance under the conditions investigated. These results have interesting implications for the design of image enhancement algorithms to aid low vision observers.
The effects of visual degradation on face discrimination
Authors: McCulloch Daphne L , Loffler Gunter , Colquhoun Kirsty , Bruce Natalie , Dutton Gordon N , Bach Michael
Published: March 2011

Citation information: McCulloch DL, Loffler G, Colquhoun K, Bruce N, Dutton GN & Bach M. The effects of visual degradation on face discrimination. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 240–248. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00828.x

Purpose:  People with reduced visual acuity (VA) and/or contrast sensitivity have difficulty recognizing faces and facial expressions. We have quantified these difficulties, using a synthetic face discrimination task employing both normal and artificially degraded vision.

Methods:  VA and contrast thresholds were measured using an optimised staircase procedure [Freiburg acuity Test (FrACT)] in 25 young adults (aged 18–24 years) with corrected visual acuity of 0.0 logMAR or better and with four levels of vision degraded with Bangerter occlusion foils. For face discrimination, male face images were synthesised from 37 cardinal points (position of eyes, width of nose, head shape etc) derived from frontal face photographs and manipulated by altering the points as a fraction of the mean head radius. Face discrimination thresholds (% difference) were measured from a simultaneous four‐alternative forced choice of ‘odd one out’ from three identical faces and one that differed. Psychometric functions were measured for four participants with normal and degraded vision. Subsequently, the difference between faces was fixed at twice the discrimination thresholds and the size of the faces manipulated using the FrACT threshold procedure in 25 participants. Data were converted to equivalent face discrimination distances for realistic face dimensions.

Results:  With normal vision, face discrimination thresholds ranged from 2.7% to 5.6%; these increased systematically and were more variable with visual degradation. When manipulating face size, face discrimination distance was highly correlated with both acuity and contrast sensitivity (r2 = 0.77 and 0.80 respectively, p < 0.01). The mean distance with normal vision was 15.3 m (14.5–16.2 ± S.E.M.). With vision degraded to 0.6 logMAR (6/24 Snellen, contrast threshold 15%) the mean face discrimination distance was reduced to 3.9 m (3.7–4.1, ±S.E.M.).

Conclusions:  Poor face discrimination has a profound impact on real‐life social communication. Here we report that artificial visual degradation also adversely impacts a synthetic face recognition task. As a rule of thumb, reduction in VA of 0.3 logMAR (halving the decimal VA) reduces the face recognition distance by a factor of 0.6 times. The FrACT‐based face discrimination task provides an efficient new tool to quantify and monitor face discrimination ability.
TESTING ANALOGICAL TAPHONOMIC SIGNATURES IN BONE BREAKING: A COMPARISON BETWEEN HAMMERSTONE‐BROKEN EQUID AND BOVID BONES
Authors: DE JUANA S. , DOMÍNGUEZ‐RODRIGO M.
Published: March 2011

Current analogical data used to infer prehistoric human bone breakage rely on a plethora of experimental hammerstone‐broken bovid bone sets. Several criteria have been argued to be diagnostic of bone breakage by humans, among which the most important are: a specific range of broken specimens bearing percussion marks, a specific distribution of different percussion mark types, metric properties of notches, differential notch type distribution, and the angle of oblique breakage planes. The present work shows that those properties derived from the breakage of bovid bones cannot be universally applied to all types of animals. As an example, here it is experimentally demonstrated that hammerstone‐broken equid bones (with different thickness and structural properties compared to bovid bones) show different values in all these variables and some of them overlap with criteria documented in bones broken by static loading. This suggests that the agents of equid bone breakage are more difficult to identify, and that the number of variables that can be successfully used to that end is smaller than in bovid bones.
PROVENANCE DETERMINATION OF MYCENAEAN IIIC VESSELS FROM THE 1934–1939 EXCAVATIONS AT TARSUS‐GÖZLÜKULE BY NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
Authors: MOMMSEN H. , MOUNTJOY P. , ÖZYAR A.
Published: March 2011

Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) has been carried out in order to determine the provenance of a selected set of 30 sherds of Mycenaean style excavated at Tarsus‐Gözlükule. The provenance could be established or made feasible in 80% of the samples. The results confirm the current status of research, namely that in the LH IIIC phase trade patterns changed and Mycenaean wares, which used to be exported to the Near East, were now produced locally. At Tarsus, the LH IIIC imports came from Cyprus and the eastern Aegean.
Incremental segmentation of lidar point clouds with an octree‐structured voxel space
Authors: Wang Miao , Tseng Yi‐Hsing
Published: March 2011

Lidar (light detection and ranging) data implicitly contains abundant three‐dimensional spatial information. The segmentation of lidar point clouds is the key procedure for transforming implicit spatial information into explicit spatial information. Common criteria used for point cloud segmentation are proximity and coherence of point distribution. An effective segmentation algorithm may apply various steps or combinations of criteria depending on the application. This paper proposes a four‐step segmentation method for lidar point clouds to deliver incremental segmentation results. Segmentation results of each step can provide the fundamental data for the next step. In the first step, the input point cloud is organised into an octree‐structured voxel space, in which the point neighbourhood is established. In the second step, connected voxels which are not empty are grouped to obtain grouped points based on proximity. The third step is a coplanar point segmentation based on both coherence and proximity, which was performed on each point group obtained in the second step. Finally, neighbouring coplanar point groups are merged into “co‐surface” point groups based on the criteria of plane connection and intersection. This scheme enables an incremental retrieval and analysis of a large lidar data‐set. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the segmentation algorithm in handling both airborne and terrestrial lidar data. It is anticipated that the incremental segmentation results will be useful for object modelling using lidar data.
Land and Water Institutions in the Blue Nile Basin: Setups and Gaps for Improved Land and Water Management
Authors: Hagos Fitsum , Haileslassie Amare , Awulachew Seleshi Bekele , Mapedza Everisto , Taffesse Tesfaye
Published: March 2011

This study undertook an assessment and gap analysis of the institutional arrangements for improved land and water management in the Tana and Beles Sub‐basins highlands of the Blue Nile Basin. We explored the mandates and design features of the major land‐ and water‐related institutional arrangements. Focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and a literature review were used in the analysis.

The results of our work reveal that a lot of progress has been made in creating an institutional framework for improved land and water management and the policies and laws hitherto developed reflect global policy changes consistent with the widespread adoption of the integrated water resources management (IWRM) principles. There are also cases where informal institutions replace formal institutions. Judged by their enforcement, the water resources management, pollution control standards, and regulations and land use rights are not enacted effectively because of poor enforcement capacity. Overall there is a tendency to focus on command‐and‐control type policies. There is a need to strengthen traditional institutions by drawing lessons from their strengths and establish the legitimacy of these institutions. There is also a need to improve formal policy design, developing policies with specific objectives, goals, targets, and overall institutional changes and resources through active adaptive management to maximize the level and effectiveness of institutional learning. Finally, more focus needs to be given to incentive‐based policies through increased use of positive incentives and more emphasis needs to be given to self‐enforcement rather than third‐party enforcement.
Socio‐economic Considerations in Biosafety and Biotechnology Decision Making: The Cartagena Protocol and National Biosafety Frameworks
Authors: Falck‐Zepeda Jose Benjamin , Zambrano Patricia
Published: March 2011

Article 26.1 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety left open the possibility for member countries to include in their biosafety regulatory processes the assessment of socio‐economic considerations. Countries may also decide to include such assessments as part of their national legislation or regulations for the approval and deliberate release into the environment of genetically engineered technologies. Countries are debating if and how to implement assessment of socio‐economic considerations. This paper contributes to the ongoing policy dialogue by discussing issues related to socio‐economic assessment including scope, timing, inclusion modalities, methods, decision‐making rules and standards, and the integration of socio‐economic assessments in biosafety and/or biotechnology approval processes. This paper also discusses the implications of such inclusion for technology flows and public and private sector R&D. If inclusion is not done properly, it may negatively impact technology flows especially from the public sector and render an unworkable biosafety system.
Preparation and In Vitro Bioactivity of Novel Mesoporous Borosilicate Bioactive Glass Nanofibers
Authors: Gao Chunxia , Gao Qiang , Bao Xuxu , Li Yadong , Teramoto Akira , Abe Koji
Published: March 2011

Mesoporous borosilicate bioactive glass nanofibers consisting of a network of interconnected macropores and mesopores were developed using electrospinning technology combined with a polymer/surfactant cotemplate. The morphology and structure of the nanofibrous scaffolds were studied by scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The morphology and mesoporous structure of the borosilicate glass nanofibers can be adjusted by altering the concentrations of the glass precursor solution and surfactant. The in vitro bioactivity of the bioglass nanofibers was investigated by immersion in simulated body fluid. Results from these experiments suggested that the mesoporous borosilicate glass nanofibrous scaffold had great potential for bone regeneration because it promoted the rapid growth of hydroxyapatite crystals.
Phase Equilibria in the Na2O–CaO–SiO2 System
Authors: Zhang Zhan , Xiao Yanping , Voncken Jack , Yang Yongxiang , Boom Rob , Wang Nan , Zou Zongshu
Published: March 2011

Equilibrium phase relations in the Na2O–CaO–SiO2 system at <50 wt% SiO2 concentrations have been experimentally investigated at temperatures between 1200° and 1400°C. The liquidus temperature was determined with differential scanning calorimetry. The equilibrated samples were quenched with high‐pressure nitrogen, and examined with electron probe X‐ray microanalysis and X‐ray diffraction. Based on the experimental results, the liquidus surface projection has been constructed for this temperature range. Six primary phase fields, Ca2SiO4, Ca3Si2O7, CaSiO3, Na2Ca2Si3O9, Na2Ca2Si2O7, and Na2CaSiO4 were identified. The ternary eutectic point of Na2Ca2Si3O9, Na2Ca2Si2O7, and Na2CaSiO4 was determined to be at 1258°C with the composition of 22.5 wt% Na2O, 34.5 wt% CaO, and 43.0 wt% SiO2. The ternary invariant point of the Na2Ca2Si3O9, Na2Ca2Si2O7, and CaSiO3 was established at 1245°C with the composition of 11.8 wt% Na2O, 41.6 wt% CaO, and 46.6 wt% SiO2. The crystalline phase Na2Ca3Si2O8 was also identified in the system.
Synthesis and Characterization of Na2Ti6O13 Whiskers and their Transformation to (1−x) Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–xBaTiO3 Ceramics
Authors: Maurya Deepam , Murayama M. , Priya Shashank
Published: March 2011

In this paper we report the synthesis of monoclinic Na2Ti6O13 whiskers and their transformation to lead‐free 0.93Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3–0.07BaTiO3 (NBTBT) ceramics. Synthesis of Na2Ti6O13 templates was performed using molten salt synthesis method. These whiskers were further characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, and HR‐TEM for structural analysis. Tape‐casting method was used to align the whiskers in base matrix powder and subjected to various processing temperatures to elucidate the microstructure and texture evolution. For this, SEM, HR‐TEM, AFM, and EDS analysis were used as principal tools. The sintering process can be understood by dividing it into three stages, namely (i) transformation of monoclinic whiskers in to NBTBT perovskite phase through topochemical reaction (<800°C), (ii) localized sintering confined on single whisker (800°–1050°C), and (iii) liquid‐phase sintering as densification and grain growth occurs in the whole matrix (>1050°C). The concentric growth ledges observed on grain surfaces were found to be preferably confined on the corners of cubical grains indicating 〈111〉 growth direction. The Lotgering factor (f100) for the sintered matrix was found to decrease with increase in sintering temperature. The longitudinal piezoelectric constant (d33) of samples sintered for 20 h at 1175°, 1200°, and 1225°C was measured to be ∼153, ∼216, and ∼180 pC/N, respectively.
The expansion of social care and reform: Implications for care workers in the Republic of Korea
Authors: PENG Ito
Published: March 2011

A falling fertility rate, increasing longevity, government “social investment” strategies to achieve the transformation from industrial to post‐industrial economy, and increased state support to help women balance family and work responsibilities – all these influences have produced mixed results for the poorly paid female care workers in low‐status jobs in the Republic of Korea. The author summarizes policy changes and reports on interviews with childcare and elder‐care workers, policy experts and researchers, showing that though increased regulation and expansion of public childcare have led to some improvements, the deregulation and marketization of elder‐care have resulted in worsening conditions for elder‐care workers.
Care arrangements and bargains: Anganwadi and paid domestic workers in India
Authors: PALRIWALA Rajni , NEETHA N.
Published: March 2011

This article explores state and social understandings of care work in India by examining two categories of non‐family care workers – hired domestic workers and Anganwadi Workers/Helpers under the Integrated Child Development Scheme. Classified as “volunteers” in a government programme, the Anganwadi Workers/Helpers enjoy some social standing and relatively extensive unionization compared with domestic workers. Also, domestic workers have to make much harder trade‐offs between their family's livelihood and daily care needs. The economic undervaluation of the care work they perform, however, is common to both categories of workers.
Online discussion boards in dental education: potential and challenges
Authors: Linjawi A. I. , Walmsley A. D. , Hill K. B.
Published: March 2011

Background:  Online discussion boards may enhance critical analysis and reflection, and promote the acquisition of knowledge.

Aims:  To assess the effectiveness of online discussion board as a pedagogical tool in augmenting face‐to‐face teaching in dental education.

Method:  Data were collected from a discussion archive offered through the E‐course website of the School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, UK in 2008. A multi‐component metric included; participation, social learning, cognitive processing, role of instructors, and quality of discussion. Messages were coded for 14 variables to evaluate these dimensions. Data were analyzed using content analysis methodology and a complete message was uses as the unit of analysis.

Results:  There were no significant difference in participation between students and instructors (P < 0.05). Social interaction with peers appeared only through students posting messages with open questions (27/135 messages). The discussion board was mainly used by students to understand concepts (27/102 messages) and apply procedural knowledge (17/102 messages). Instructors were mainly replying to students’ messages with (49/120 messages) or without (54/120 messages) proposing another action.

Conclusions:  Online discussion boards were found to be successful pedagogical tools in dental education. Further development of instructor‐led discussion approach is needed to promote higher level learning and collaborative thinking.