bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Chemometric Approach to Assess the Frying Stability of Cottonseed Oil Blends During Deep‐Frying Process: I. Polar and Polymeric Compound Analyses
Authors: Arslan Fatma Nur , Kara Huseyin , Ayyildiz Hamide Filiz , Topkafa Mustafa , Tarhan Ismail , Kenar Adnan
Published: May 2013

The main goal of the present study was (i) to determine the formation of degradation products in cottonseed oil (CSO) blends during deep frying process by adsorption and high performance size exclusion chromatography techniques and (ii) to evaluate the impacts of food additives on total polar (TPC) and polymeric compound (PTAG) formation using a chemometric approach. In order to prepare the frying CSO blends; ascorbic palmitate, mixed tocopherols, dimethylpolysiloxane, lecithin and sesame oils were used as additives. To determine the real impacts of additives, a quarter‐fraction factorial experimental design with two levels and five factors was used. The changes in TPC and PTAG data were carefully evaluated during 10 h of frying at 170 ± 5 °C with normal distribution (ND) graphs and analyzed using a one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey's Post‐hoc test (α = 0.05). The results indicated that the increasing values for TPC and PTAG during the frying processes for all blends, TPC and PTAG contents reached maximum levels of 16.37 and 6.01 % respectively, which are below the limit values stated by official authorities for the quality assessment of frying oils. The ANOVA test results were in good agreement with ND graphs and data indicated that the impact of mixed tocopherols was significant for TPC formation, meanwhile the impact of lecithin and ascorbic palmitate × dimethylpolysiloxane were significant for PTAG formation. Thus, the present study should be considered to be a very useful guide for developing new frying oil formulations based on CSO by using food additives.
Insights into the Hadean Earth from Experimental Studies of Zircon
Authors: Trail Dustin , Watson E. Bruce , Tailby Nicholas D.
Published: May 2013

Geologists investigate the evolution of the atmosphere, crust, and mantle through time by direct study of the rock record. However, the Hadean eon (>3.85 Ga) has been traditionally viewed as inaccessible due to the absence of preserved rocks. The discovery of >4.0 Ga detrital zircons from Western Australia in the 1980s – coupled with the development of new micro-analytical capabilities – made possible new avenues of early Earth research. The prevailing view that emerged is that the early Earth may have contained a stable hydrosphere, water-saturated or (near water-saturated) granitic magmas, and volcanic emanations dominated by neutral gas species (e.g., CO2, H2O, and SO2). The Hadean Earth may have been capable of supporting life ∼200 Ma after accretion and perhaps earlier. Many of these models are formulated – or have been subsequently supported – by laboratory experiments of zircon. Important petrological variables such as temperature, pressure, oxygen fugacity, and component activities (e.g., SiO2/TiO2-activities) can be controlled. These experiments are fundamental for extrapolation to ‘deep time’ because they provide a means to understand primary chemistry preserved in ancient zircons. This review paper specifically focuses on zircon experimental studies (oxygen isotope fractionations, Ti-thermometry, and redox sensitive element incorporation into zircon), which have influenced our view of the very early Earth.
Features of Mineral and Chemical Composition of the Khamambettu Carbonatites, Tamil Nadu
Authors: Burtseva M. V. , Ripp G. S. , Doroshkevich A. G. , Viladkar S. G. , Varadan Rammohan
Published: May 2013

The paper presents mineralogical features and EPMA results of the Khamambettu carbonatites. The mineralogical data suggest that these rocks have been generated in magmatic and hydrothermal stages. Mineral geothermometer for carbonatite give temperatures of 790°-980°C. Fluid inclusion measurements in monazite (hydrothermal stage) give temperatures of 220°-290°C. One of the features of the carbonatites is high content of magnesia that is defined by the presence of dolomite, olivine, spinel, phlogopite, Mg-rich ilmenite. Chloritization, serpentinization, amphibolization, silicification processes and occurrence of barite, monazite-(Ce), strontianite, celestine are related to hydrothermal stage. Hydrothermal minerals at the Khamambettu were formed by recrystallization of primary carbonatite minerals in the presence of Ba, (SO4)2−, REE and Si carried in solution by the hydrothermal fluid.
Fossil Neocheilostomine Bryozoans from the Tertiary Rocks of Western Kachchh, Gujarat
Authors: Sonar M. A. , Gaikwad S.G.
Published: May 2013

Paper describes six species of neocheilostomine bryozoans occurring in the Middle Eocene-Early Miocene rocks of Western Kachchh, Gujarat, India. Taxa belong to the families Quadricellariidae Gordon, 1984, Vinculariidae Busk, 1852 and Poricellariidae, Harmer, 1926. Of these three species are new. These are Vincularia feddeni nov sp. Poricellaria waioriensis nov sp. and Poricellaria sakurkari nov sp. Two species, Nellia tenella (Lamarck, 1816) and Vincularia kutchensis (Tewari & Srivastava, 1967) already known from this region, are further reported here. Poricellaria complicata (Reuss, 1869)? is reported for the first time and indicates oldest record from India so far. Phylogenetic analysis using PAST programme indicates that Poricellariids and Vinculariids have not evolved from the same ancestor Nellia tenella (Lamarck, 1816)
Operationalizing protocol differences for EADC‐ADNI manual hippocampal segmentation
Authors: Boccardi Marina , Bocchetta Martina , Ganzola Rossana , Robitaille Nicolas , Redolfi Alberto , Duchesne Simon , Jack Clifford R. , Frisoni Giovanni B. ,   EADC‐ADNI Working Group on The Harmonized Protocol for Manual Hippocampal Segmentation and for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Bartzokis George , Csernansky John G. , de Leon Mony J. , deToledo‐Morrell Leyla , Killiany Ronald J. , Lehéricy Stéphane , Malykhin Nikolai , Pantel Johannes , Pruessner Jens C. , Soininen Hilkka , Watson Craig
Published: May 2013

Background

Hippocampal volumetry on magnetic resonance imaging is recognized as an Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker, and manual segmentation is the gold standard for measurement. However, a standard procedure is lacking. We operationalize and quantitate landmark differences to help a Delphi panel converge on a set of landmarks.

Methods

One hundred percent of anatomic landmark variability across 12 different protocols for manual segmentation was reduced into four segmentation units (the minimum hippocampus, the alveus/fimbria, the tail, and the subiculum), which were segmented on magnetic resonance images by expert raters to estimate reliability and AD‐related atrophy.

Results

Intra‐ and interrater reliability were more than 0.96 and 0.92, respectively, except for the alveus/fimbria, which were 0.86 and 0.77, respectively. Of all AD‐related atrophy, the minimum hippocampus contributed to 67%; tail, 24%; alveus/fimbria, 4%; and the subiculum, 5%.

Conclusions

Anatomic landmark variability in available protocols can be reduced to four discrete and measurable segmentation units. Their quantitative assessment will help a Delphi panel to define a set of landmarks for a harmonized protocol.
Successful Treatment of de Quervain Tenosynovitis With Ultrasound‐guided Percutaneous Needle Tenotomy and Platelet‐Rich Plasma Injection: A Case Presentation
Authors: Peck Evan , Ely Erin
Published: May 2013

De Quervain tenosynovitis is a disorder of the tendons of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist that causes pain and functional disability, which may be refractory to conservative treatments. We present a case of ultrasound‐guided percutaneous needle tenotomy and platelet‐rich plasma injection for the successful treatment of de Quervain tenosynovitis.
Liberty or dignity: community treatment orders and rights
Authors: Lally J.
Published: May 2013

The use of community treatment orders (CTOs) remains controversial despite their widespread use in a number of different countries. The focus of a CTO should be on individuals with severe and enduring mental disorders, typically requiring adherence with recommended outpatient treatment in the community and requiring that they allow access to members of the clinical team for the purpose of assessment. There is no current provision for CTOs under Irish mental health legislation, although patients who are involuntarily detained under the MHA 2001 (Ireland) can be granted approved leave from hospital. This provision allows for the patient to be managed in the community setting, though, while technically on leave, they remain as inpatients detained under the MHA 2001 (Ireland). This article describes the use of CTOs and considerations relating to their implementation. There is discussion of the ethical grounds and evidence base for their use. Ethical considerations such as balancing autonomy against health needs and the utilisation of capacity principles need to be weighed by clinicians considering the use of CTOs. Though qualitative research provides some support for the use of CTOs, there remains a clear lack of robust evidence based findings to support their use in terms of hospitalisation rates, duration of illness remission and improved social functioning.
A gender-specific association of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist polymorphism with schizophrenia susceptibility
Authors: Ben Nejma Mouna , Zaabar Ines , Zaafrane Ferid , Thabet Sihem , Mechri Anouar , Gaha Lotfi , Ben Salem Kamel , Bel Hadj Jrad Besma
Published: May 2013

Objective

Recent genetic studies have revealed that the interleukin (IL) 1 gene complex is associated with schizophrenia in the Caucasian population; however, data from the North African population are limited. To further assess the role of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist protein (IL1Ra) in schizophrenia, we examined a functional multiallelic polymorphism localised in intron 2 of this receptor gene associated with an altered level of IL1Ra.

Methods

In the present case–control study, we have analysed the (86 bp)npolymorphism of the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) gene (RS 1794068) by polymerase chain reaction genotyping in 259 patients with schizophrenia and 178 healthy controls from the Tunisian population.

Results

We showed that the frequencies of the IL1RN*2/2 genotype and allele 2 were higher in the patient group compared with the control group, and the difference was statistically significant [13.5% vs. 5.6%,p= 10−3, odds ratio (OR) = 3.2% and 32.8% vs. 21.9%,p= 3 × 10−4, OR = 1.76, respectively). When we evaluated the association between this genetic polymorphism and the clinical variables of schizophrenia, we found that the frequencies of the 2/2 genotype and allele 2 were significantly higher in the male patient group (p= 10−4and 10−5, respectively) compared with the male control group, indicating a substantially increased risk for sex-onset schizophrenia with inheritance of the IL1RN2 allele. When the association between the genotypes and outcome was evaluated by multiple logistic regression analysis, the adjusted OR for the IL1RN genotypes remained statistically significant [1.39; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11–1.73;p= 0.003].

Conclusion

The intron 2 polymorphism in IL1RN or a genetic polymorphism at proximity seems to be associated specifically with schizophrenia in the Tunisian male population.
Relationship of oestrogen receptor status to depressive symptoms and quality of life in breast cancer patients
Authors: Kim Jong-Hoon , Lee Byoung-Jo , Bae Jae-Nam , Hahm Bong-Jin
Published: May 2013

Objective

We investigated the relationship of oestrogen receptor (ER) status to the severity of depressive symptoms and quality of life (QOL) impairment in breast cancer patients.

Methods

Seventy-seven breast cancer patients with comorbid depression were evaluated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), the Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness (CGI-S) for depression, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B). ER status was determined using immunohistochemical analysis.

Results

The ER-positive group (n = 31) showed significantly higher scores compared with the ER-negative group (n = 46) on HAMD total (p = 0.04) and somatic anxiety factor (p = 0.004) scores as well as CGI-S score (p = 0.03). As for QOL measured with the FACT-B, a significantly higher score was found on the Functional Well-Being (FWB) subscale in the ER-positive group (p = 0.001). The relationships were further analysed using generalised linear models (GLM), after controlling for the influence of the current anti-oestrogen treatment. The analysis revealed that ER status was still significantly related to the FWB subscale score of the FACT-B (p = 0.04). However, the HAMD and CGI-S scores were no longer significantly related to ER status after the influence of anti-oestrogen treatment was controlled for.

Conclusion

These results suggest that ER status, which is a well-known biological prognostic factor in breast cancer, may be related to the severity of certain aspects of depressive symptoms or QOL impairment, implying a role of the ER in affective and behavioural regulation. However, anti-oestrogen treatments significantly influence these relationships.
Differential ultrasonic indices of separation distress in the presence and absence of maternal cues in infant rats bred for high and low positive social affect
Authors: Iacobucci Paolo , Colonnello Valentina , Fuchs Thomas , D'Antuono Laura , Panksepp Jaak
Published: May 2013

Objective

Preclinical models of human mood disorders commonly focus on the study of negative affectivity, without comparably stressing the role of positive affects and their ability to promote resilient coping styles. We evaluated the role of background constitutional affect of rats by studying the separation and reunion responses of infants from low and high positive affect genetic lines (i.e., differentially selected for High and Low 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalisations (USVs).

Methods

Infants from Low and High 50 kHz USV breeding lines were isolated from mothers and exposed to either social (familiar or unfamiliar bedding) or neutral (clean bedding) odour cues between two short isolation periods, and tested in homeothermic and hypothermic ambient temperatures. Negative affect was estimated by monitoring separation distress calls (35–45 kHz USVs).

Results

Low Line pups called at higher rates than High Line, and their rates were stable regardless of odour cue. In contrast, High Line pups increased vocalisations during the second compared with the first isolation periods and during exposure to both familiar and unfamiliar odour cues, but not to neutral odour. Furthermore, the greatest increase in USV emission was seen in the second isolation period following exposure to the unfamiliar odour. However, both lines showed comparable elevated distress USVs to the thermal stressor.

Conclusion

High Line animals, selected for a positive affective phenotype (50 kHz USVs), exhibited reduced separation anxiety responses in infancy, making this a promising animal model for the role of constitutional affective states in emotional responsivity and potential resilience against emotional disorders.
Increased skeletal muscle mitochondrial efficiency in rats with fructose-induced alteration in glucose tolerance
Authors: Crescenzo Raffaella , Bianco Francesca , Coppola Paola , Mazzoli Arianna , Cigliano Luisa , Liverini Giovanna , Iossa Susanna
Published: May 2013

In the present study, the effect of long-term fructose feeding on skeletal muscle mitochondrial energetics was investigated. Measurements in isolated tissue were coupled with the determination of whole-body energy expenditure and insulin sensitivity. A significant increase in plasma NEFA, as well as in skeletal muscle TAG and ceramide, was found in fructose-fed rats compared with the controls, together with a significantly higher plasma insulin response to a glucose load, while no significant variation in plasma glucose levels was found. Significantly lower RMR values were found in fructose-fed rats starting from week 4 of the dietary treatment. Skeletal muscle mitochondrial mass and degree of coupling were found to be significantly higher in fructose-fed rats compared with the controls. Significantly higher lipid peroxidation was found in fructose-fed rats, together with a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase activity. Phosphorylated Akt levels normalised to plasma insulin levels were significantly lower in fructose-fed rats compared with the controls. In conclusion, a fructose-rich diet has a deep impact on a metabolically relevant tissue such as skeletal muscle. In this tissue, the consequences of high fructose feeding are altered glucose tolerance, elevated mitochondrial biogenesis and increased mitochondrial coupling. This latter modification could have a detrimental metabolic effect by causing oxidative stress and energy sparing that contribute to the high metabolic efficiency of fructose-fed rats.
Truth, Pragmatism and Morality
Authors: Wiggins David
Published: May 2013

1. Hilary Putnam's conception of ethics is not best understood as a form of ‘moral realism’, but as a position consequent upon the pragmatist understanding of the relation between truth and rational acceptability – ideas that Putnam argues are not confined to laboratory science. Just as our conception of the visible world is founded in reason as informed by sense perception, why cannot our moral notions appear to reason itself as that is shaped or informed by our situation and our nature, our vital needs and our capacity to respond to those needs through the invention and refinement of ethical notions? In following out this proposal, I try to show how well Putnam's conception of rational acceptability can consist and cohere with the constraint upon enquiry that C. S. Peirce calls ‘secondness’. 2. Putnam writes ‘we invent moral words for morally relevant features of situations, which lead to further refinements of our moral notions’. Enlarging on this claim, the paper reconstructs some of the ways in which human beings can arrive through a practical reason of the unforsakeable at an ethos – a shared way of living – and at what Putnam calls ‘a moral image of the world’. 3. The paper then sets out some of Putnam's conclusions concerning agreement and disagreement, the supposed dichotomy of fact and value, the supposed problem of the perception of value, and the implausibility of Lionel Robbins's claim that economics and ethics can have no closer relation than mere juxtaposition. 4. In conclusion, the paper touches upon the merits or demerits of the very idea of a ‘moral reality’.
An Atharvanic hymn to night: text-critical and linguistic remarks on the interpretation of Śaunakīya 19.50 = Paippalāda 14.9
Authors: Kulikov Leonid
Published: May 2013

This paper offers an analysis and a new translation of an Atharvanic hymn addressed to the goddess of Night, Rātrī, attested in both recensions of the Atharvaveda (AV), in the Śaunakīya, and in the Paippalāda. The translation is accompanied by a philological and text-critical commentary as well as an analysis of some linguistic features of the Vedic language of this period, such as the use of emphatic reflexive pronouns and the periphrastic progressive tense (usually disregarded in standard Vedic grammars).
Remembering the past, looking to the future: Christmas as a symbol of change in later life widowhood
Authors: COLLINS TRACY
Published: May 2013

Many older women experience the loss of a spouse or partner in later life. This paper explores older women's experiences of Christmas in order to locate process and meaning in relation to the transition of later life widowhood. Drawing on longitudinal data, derived from three in-depth interviews conducted over 18 months with 26 older widows, this paper presents a number of themes from the women's accounts of their Christmas celebrations and their Christmas cards. The importance of continuity, social relations and autonomy is situated in three emergent themes: ‘Family, intergenerational ties and tradition’, ‘Friendships, organisational ties and reciprocity’ and ‘Personal continuity and activation’. The significance of discontinuity, change and mediation is illustrated through three emergent themes: ‘Christmas as a catalyst for change’, ‘We are all widows’ and ‘Negotiating change with others’. The findings, including the positive aspects of continuity and discontinuity, demonstrate that Christmas is a potent symbol of both personal and social transformation during later life widowhood, and that the management of transition incorporates not only social relations, but also personal agency and flexibility. This paper further challenges the predominantly negative stereotype of older widows and illustrates their resilience and growth in the later stages of life.
The seroprevalance of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in people living in the same environment with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever patients in an endemic region in Turkey
Authors: KOKSAL I. , YILMAZ G. , AKSOY F. , ERENSOY S. , AYDIN H.
Published: May 2013

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endemic in Turkey, and since 2004 many cases have been reported from different regions of Turkey. There are limited data about the seroprevalence of the disease in household members of patients or persons sharing the same environment. We evaluated seroprevalence of CCHF in the immediate neighbourhood and in household members of patients living in the same environment as confirmed cases of CCHF in an endemic area of Turkey. A total of 625 healthy subjects [mean (s.d.) age: 42·3 (18·4) years, 58·7% females] without a past history of CCHF infection included in this case-control, retrospective study were evaluated in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, risk factors for CCHF via a study questionnaire, while serum analysis for CCHF virus (CCHFV) IgG antibodies was performed by ELISA. Anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies were positive in 85 (13·6%) participants. None of the seropositive individuals had a history of symptomatic infection. Regression analysis revealed that animal husbandry [odds ratio (OR) 1·84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·09–3·11], contact with animals (OR 2·31, 95% CI 1·08–5·10), contact with ticks (OR 3·45, 95% CI 1·87–6·46), removing ticks from animals by hand (OR 2·48, 95% CI 1·48–4·18) and living in a rural area (OR 4·05, 95% CI 1·65–10·56) were associated with increased odds of having IgG seropositivity, while being a household member of a patient with prior CCHF infection had no influence on seropositivity rates. This result also supports the idea that CCHF is not transmitted person-to-person by the airborne route.
DIFFERENTIAL FERTILITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Nakamura Hideki , Seoka Yoshihiko
Published: May 2013

This paper considers differential fertility and analyzes how the fertility of people caught in poverty disturbs their escape from poverty. For escape from poverty, it is necessary that the average human capital stock exceed certain thresholds before the ratio of the number of poor to rich people increases more rapidly than the human capital level of rich people. Thus, the escape depends on a race between the accumulation of human capital by the rich and the accumulation of children by the poor. A high initial ratio of the number of poor to rich people would imply persistent poverty.
DID THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EURO HAVE AN IMPACT ON INFLATION UNCERTAINTY?—AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT
Authors: Hartmann Matthias , Herwartz Helmut
Published: May 2013

We compare inflation uncertainty in distinguished groups of economies. Results indicate that during the recent financial crisis the global inflation climate has become markedly more uncertain than previously. We document that in comparison to other economies, member states of the European Monetary Union are less exposed to inflation uncertainty. Three European Union members that are not part of the monetary union and five other OECD member economies serve as control groups. With regard to the quantification of inflation uncertainty, results are robust over a set of alternative estimates of the latent inflation risk processes.
School food research: building the evidence base for policy
Authors: Nelson Michael , Breda João
Published: May 2013

Objective

Following an international workshop on developing the evidence base for policy relating to school food held in London, UK, in January 2012, the objectives of the present paper were (i) to outline a rationale for school food research, monitoring and evaluation in relation to policy and (ii) to identify ways forward for future working.

Design

The authors analysed presentations, summaries of evidence, and notes from discussions held at the international workshop in London in 2012 to distil common themes and make recommendations for the development of coherent research programmes relating to food and nutrition in schools.

Setting

International, with an emphasis on middle- and high-income countries.

Results

Overviews of existing school food and nutrition programmes from the UK, Hungary, Sweden, the USA, Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico and other countries were presented, along with information on monitoring, evaluation and other research to demonstrate the impact of school feeding on health, attainment, food sourcing, procurement and finances, in the context of interactions between the evidence base and policy decisions. This provided the material which, together with summaries and notes of discussions, was used to develop recommendations for the development and dissemination of robust approaches to sustainable and effective school food and nutrition programmes in middle- and high-income countries, including policy guidelines, standards, cost-effectiveness measures and the terms of political engagement.

Conclusions

School food and nutrition can provide a cohesive core for health, education and agricultural improvement provided: (i) policy is appropriately framed and includes robust monitoring and evaluation; and (ii) all stakeholders are adequately engaged in the process. International exchange of information will be used to develop a comprehensive guide to the assessment of the impact of school food and nutrition policy and supporting infrastructure.
Oil Wealth and the Poverty of Politics: Algeria Compared. By Miriam R. Lowi. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009. 252p. $94.00, cloth, $31.99 paper.
Authors: Luong Pauline Jones
Published: May 2013

Although Miriam R. Lowi's primary goal is to explain “the enigma of Algeria” (p. 16), her analysis extends far beyond this individual country to shed light on questions that are of broad interest to students of comparative politics. Indeed, as is indicative of all so-called single-country case studies, her in-depth investigation of Algeria's postindependence trajectory—from its “unfulfilled expectations” in the 1980s to its “descent into violence” in the 1990s and then “the [state's] resurgence” in the 2000s (p. 7)—is at the outset an attempt to explain a larger class of phenomena. Lowi is quite explicit in this regard. In sum, she seeks to “extend [her] argument about Algeria” to explain, first, why oil-rich states experience different kinds of political stability in the face of similar economic shocks, and second, what role, if any, oil wealth has played in fueling these political outcomes (p. 17).
Ideology, Realpolitik, and US Foreign Policy
Authors: Gilley Bruce
Published: May 2013

Explaining the Iraq War: Counterfactual Theory, Logic and Evidence. By Frank P. Harvey. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 360p. $103.00 cloth, $29.99 paper.

The Iraq War initiated by the Bush administration in 2003 was and perhaps continues to be an important episode in world politics, US politics, and the politics of the Middle East. The war also galvanized controversy among public intellectuals and broader publics, and generated strong opposition in many European and Middle Eastern countries. InExplaining the Iraq War, Frank P. Harvey offers an interesting analysis of the war and its causes, and does so in a way that raises broader questions about politics and about the scientificstudyof politics. We have thus invited a distinguished group of political scientists from a variety of subfields to review the book, both as an account of the Iraq War and as a contribution to political science more generally.—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
Response to Elaine B. Sharp's review ofLocal Elections and the Politics of Small-Scale Democracy
Authors: Oliver J. Eric
Published: May 2013

Rather than a rebuttal, I offer a confession. Mostly this is because Elaine B. Sharp's assessment is both fair and precise. As she notes, there is a big gulf between our book's rather grandiose theory of electoral politics and its subsequent empirical tests. After making some sweeping hypotheses about the role of size, scope, and bias as the primary determinants of electoral politics across all types of democracies, our empirical analysis tested only a limited range of values and cases. While my colleagues and I hope that our theoretical framework will prove useful for future comparative electoral studies, our book does not provide a definitive test.
Ideology, Realpolitik, and US Foreign Policy
Authors: Dawisha Adeed
Published: May 2013

Explaining the Iraq War: Counterfactual Theory, Logic and Evidence. By Frank P. Harvey. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 360p. $103.00 cloth, $29.99 paper.

The Iraq War initiated by the Bush administration in 2003 was and perhaps continues to be an important episode in world politics, US politics, and the politics of the Middle East. The war also galvanized controversy among public intellectuals and broader publics, and generated strong opposition in many European and Middle Eastern countries. In Explaining the Iraq War, Frank P. Harvey offers an interesting analysis of the war and its causes, and does so in a way that raises broader questions about politics and about the scientific study of politics. We have thus invited a distinguished group of political scientists from a variety of subfields to review the book, both as an account of the Iraq War and as a contribution to political science more generally.—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
Afghanistan: What Went Wrong?
Authors: Paris Roland
Published: May 2013

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, which deposed the Taliban regime, was followed by a major international effort to stabilize that country. More than a decade later, this effort has yielded neither security nor political stability in Afghanistan. After having been ousted from power, the Taliban reestablished itself in the borderlands of Pakistan and began fighting an effective guerrilla war against international and Afghan government forces. Despite heavy losses in recent years, the insurgency shows no sign of giving up. Meanwhile, attempts to establish a credible and legitimate Afghan government have been similarly disappointing. President Hamid Karzai, once hailed as the country's democratic savior, came to be seen instead as the leader of one of the most corrupt regimes on the planet, a perception that has damaged his government's legitimacy both at home and abroad. Afghanistan's development and human rights indicators have improved, but it remains to be seen if these gains can be sustained as the international effort is scaled back. Finally, although the United States and its partners succeeded in weakening Al Qaeda in the region, both Afghanistan and nuclear-armed Pakistan appear to have become considerably less stable over the course of the mission, with untold consequences for the future.
Embodied Knowing, Judgment, and the Limits of Neurobiology
Authors: Zerilli Linda M. G.
Published: May 2013

My response to John Hibbing raises questions about the nature of judgment implied in the biology and politics agenda that he would have us adopt. Although rightly critical of overly rationalist and cognitivist models, the neurobiological turn casts action and judgment as the mere effects of already primed dispositions, for which the giving of reasons is little more than window-dressing on what was going to happen in any case. Furthermore, the reductively biological picture of human beings that emerges in Hibbing's account is hard to square with democratic conceptions of politics that emphasize the capacity for freedom and association with others. Finally, I worry that Hibbing's unapologetic embrace of scientism remains entangled in the fraught history of deterministic explanatory models and American social science.
The Grandeur of Biopolitical Science
Authors: Arnhart Larry
Published: May 2013

John Hibbing's essay is a persuasive defense of biopolitical research. I argue, however, that Hibbing does not go far enough in recognizing the broad vision of biopolitical science as a science of political animals. We need to see this as a science that moves through three levels of deep history: the natural history of the political species, the cultural history of a political community, and the biographical history of political actors in a community. I illustrate this by discussing Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation at these three levels of biopolitical science.
Neurobiology and Politics: A Response to Commentators
Authors: Hibbing John R.
Published: May 2013

Let me begin by thanking editor Jeff Isaac for inspiring and bringing to fruition this exchange. Securing the participation of nine academics and then cajoling us to meet deadlines and follow instructions is a remarkable accomplishment and I can only hope the finished product approaches his hopes for the enterprise. I would also like to thank the eight scholars who provided commentaries on my target essay. I am truly fortunate that such an all-star cast was willing to spend time pondering the role of neurobiology and politics. They assisted me in better understanding my own positions, and who can ask for more than that? I do not have the space here to offer the point-by-point response that their comments deserve, so I will instead concentrate on the two concerns that were raised most frequently: first, whether biological approaches can answer the kinds of questions political scientists should be asking, and second, whether, regardless of their value in answering questions, applying biological techniques to social behaviors leads to normatively unpalatable conclusions. Before addressing these two important matters, however, it is worth a moment to mention several areas of agreement.
The Failure of Pacifism and the Success of Nonviolence
Authors: Howes Dustin Ells
Published: May 2013

Although pacifism and nonviolence bear a close relationship to one another historically, pacifism is the ideological assertion that war and violence should be rejected in political and personal life, whereas nonviolence refers to a distinct set of political practices. Unlike other modern ideologies such as liberalism and socialism, pacifism has never gained widespread acceptance among a significant portion of humanity and seems to remain a minority position among most of the peoples of the world. Even among those who use nonviolent techniques, the conventional wisdom that physical violence is necessary under certain circumstances often prevails. However, a growing body of empirical evidence shows that the methods of nonviolence are more likely to succeed than methods of violence across a wide variety of circumstances and that more people are using nonviolence around the world. At the same time, both the effectiveness of military and material superiority in achieving political ends and the incidence of warfare and violence appear to be waning. In a remarkable example of convergence between empirical social science and political theory, explanations for the effectiveness of nonviolence relative to violence point to a people-centered understanding of power. This research can provide a basis for a reinvigorated and pragmatic brand of pacifism that refocuses the attention of political scientists on the organization, actions, and loyalties of people as opposed to technologies of domination and destruction.
Emotions and the Microfoundations of the Arab Uprisings
Authors: Pearlman Wendy
Published: May 2013

In any political setting, a few people will defy political authority. The main challenge for theories of rebellion is to explain when and why others join en masse. Scholarship on social movements typically develops answers to this puzzle on the basis of either of two microfoundations. Explanations that conceptualize individuals as utility-maximizers contend that they protest as a means to other ends. Explanations that see individuals as driven by values and beliefs suggest that people protest for the inherent benefit of voicing dissent. Both perspectives generate compelling explanations. Yet how do purposeful individuals act when utilitarian calculations and cherished values recommend contrary courses of action? Why might an actor prioritize one or the other at different points in time? Taking on these questions, I argue for an approach to microfoundations that focuses on emotions. Emotions such as fear, sadness, and shame promote pessimistic assessments, risk aversion, and a low sense of control. Such dispiriting emotions encourage individuals to prioritize security and resign to political circumstances, even when they contradict values of dignity. By contrast, anger, joy, and pride promote optimistic assessments, risk acceptance, and feelings of personal efficacy. Such emboldening emotions encourage prioritization of dignity and increase willingness to engage in resistance, even when it jeopardizes security. When instrumentality and values offer different answers to the question of whether to resign or rebel, therefore, emotions can shift individuals toward one or the other. I ground this argument in findings from the neurosciences and illustrate it with evidence from the 2011 uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt and the absence of an uprising in Algeria.
The Cognitive Revolution and the Political Psychology of Elite Decision Making
Authors: Hafner-Burton Emilie M. , Hughes D. Alex , Victor David G.
Published: May 2013

Experimental evidence in cognitive psychology and behavioral economics is transforming the way political science scholars think about how humans make decisions in areas of high complexity, uncertainty, and risk. Nearly all those studies utilize convenience samples of university students, but in the real world political elites actually make most pivotal political decisions such as threatening war or changing the course of economic policy. Highly experienced elites are more likely to exhibit the attributes of rational decision-making; and over the last fifteen years a wealth of studies suggest that such elites are likely to be more skilled in strategic bargaining than samples with less germane experience. However, elites are also more likely to suffer overconfidence, which degrades decision-making skills. We illustrate implications for political science with a case study of crisis bargaining between the US and North Korea. Variations in the experience of US elite decision-makers between 2002 and 2006 plausibly explain the large shift in US crisis signaling better than other rival hypotheses such as “Iraq fatigue.” Beyond crisis bargaining other major political science theories might benefit from attention to the attributes of individual decision-makers.
The Irony of Pinkerism
Authors: Mitzen Jennifer
Published: May 2013

This is quite a book. Its sheer heft is daunting, its central claim bold and sweeping, its data relentless. While the planet goes “cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity,” Steven Pinker argues, the human species has been progressing. We have reduced the fear of violent death for an ever-greater proportion of the population across the centuries. Pinker argues that every sort of violence has declined, from interpersonal cruelty to interstate war, beginning toward the end of the medieval period and extending to today. He then identifies the causes of decline so that we can know what can extend the trend into the future. This will allow us, as he puts it, to “obsess not just over what we have been doing wrong but also over what we have been doing right” (p. xxvi).
Does Local Government Matter? How Urban Policies Shape Civic Engagement. By Elaine B. Sharp. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2012. 248p. $67.50 cloth, $22.50 paper.
Authors: Oliver J. Eric
Published: May 2013

Like most fields of knowledge, political science tends to progress incrementally. Typically, a political scientist develops a model about a prominent institution or common behavior and that model becomes the starting point for understanding all its other permutations. This is especially the case in studies of American state and local government, which tend to follow theories of national politics. Scholars of state legislatures typically begin their analysis by using studies of the U.S. Congress, analysts of local elections start with presidential vote models, and so on. But, as Elaine Sharp reminds us in Does Local Government Matter?, we should not be so quick to assume that models or theories about national-level politics translate easily to the local level. In fact, local politics may operate under logics all their own.
Informal payments for health care services in Russia: old issue in new realities
Authors: Gordeev Vladimir S. , Pavlova Milena , Groot Wim
Published: May 2013

Informal payments can be found across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. Despite its hidden nature, they pose an important policy issue. Reported as being widespread, the true scale and scope of informal payment are unknown, and estimations differ among studies. We look at the Russian health care sector where the existence of informal payments has persisted for decades. We present the scale and scope of informal payments, as well as patterns of informal payments and their determinants. We discuss the reasons for discrepancies in estimations and implications for the ongoing reforms.
Assessing Need for Cognition in Early Adolescence
Authors: Preckel Franzis
Published: May 2013

Need for cognition (NFC) refers to “the (enduring) tendency for an individual to engage in and enjoy effortful analytic activity” ( Cacioppo & Petty, 1982, p. 116 ). Yet, NFC has predominantly been assessed in adults. I present a 19-item German NFC scale for children of 10 years and older. 745 secondary-school students were assessed three times in grades 5 and 6 with measures of NFC, intelligence, achievement, and motivational variables. The scale showed good psychometric properties, validity, and suitability for longitudinal research. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a one-dimensional conceptualization of NFC and the need for method factors for the effects of item wording, which were systematically related to students’ ability, achievement, and motivation.
Breakdown of immune homeostasis in the testis of mice lacking Tyro3, Axl and Mer receptor tyrosine kinases
Authors: Zhang Yue , Li Nan , Chen Qiaoyuan , Yan Keqin , Liu Zhenghui , Zhang Xiaoyan , Liu Peng , Chen Yongmei , Han Daishu
Published: May 2013

Tyro3, Axl and Mer (TAM) receptor tyrosine kinases triple knockout (TAM−/−) mice are male infertile due to impaired spermatogenesis. However, the mechanism by which TAM receptors regulate spermatogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that the testicular immune homeostasis was impaired in TAM−/− mice. As development after the onset of sexual maturity, germ cells were progressively degenerated. Macrophages and lymphocytes infiltrated into the testis as TAM−/− mice aged. Moreover, the integrity of blood–testis barrier was impaired, and the autoantibodies against germ cell antigens were produced. Major inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐6 and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 were upregulated in the testis of TAM−/− mice, and predominantly located in Sertoli cells (SCs). In vitro assays showed that TAM−/− SCs secrete significantly high levels of inflammatory cytokines compared with wild‐type SCs after coculture with apoptotic germ cells. These results suggest that TAM receptors are important in the maintenance of the immune homeostasis in the testis.
An Analysis of Aphasic Naming Errors as an Indicator of Improved Linguistic Processing Following Phonomotor Treatment
Authors: Kendall Diane L. , Pompon Rebecca Hunting , Brookshire C. Elizabeth , Minkina Irene , Bislick Lauren
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of phonomotor treatment on the types of errors produced during a confrontation naming task for people with aphasia (PWA).

Method

Ten PWA received 60 hr of phonomotor treatment across 6 weeks. Confrontation naming abilities were measured before and after treatment, and responses were coded as correct or incorrect. Incorrect responses were coded for error type. Paired
t
tests comparing pre-, post- and 3 months posttreatment naming accuracy and error type were performed.

Results

Group data showed that naming accuracy on trained items improved significantly immediately post treatment, and gains were maintained 3 months later. Naming accuracy on untrained items did not show significant improvement immediately post treatment or 3 months later. Results of error type analysis were not significant. However, a decrease in omission errors and an increase in mixed errors were noted immediately post treatment for naming of untrained items.

Conclusion

Results suggest that intensive phonomotor treatment improved lexical-retrieval abilities and may have triggered a shift in linguistic processing, as indicated by a decrease in omission errors on trained items and an increase in mixed errors on untrained items.
Mild Aphasia: Is This the Place for an Argument?
Authors: Armstrong Elizabeth , Fox Sarah , Wilkinson Ray
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Individuals with mild aphasia often report significant disruption to their communication despite seemingly minor impairment. This study explored this phenomenon through examining conversations of a person with mild aphasia engaging in argumentation—a skill she felt had significantly deteriorated after her stroke.

Method

A person with mild aphasia and her husband recorded 4 conversations involving topical issues. The discourse dynamics and lexical-grammatical content were analyzed using systemic functional linguistic (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2004) and conversation analysis (Sacks, Schegloff, & Jefferson, 1974) frameworks.

Results

The couple demonstrated similarities in the types of conversational moves, but the language of the person with aphasia was more nonspecific and simplified, manifesting in difficulties developing a logical argument and responding to the partner's line of argument. In addition, the nonaphasic speaker recurrently overlapped the aphasic speaker in order to request clarification of particular points, highlighting the types of behaviors that can occur in this form of higher level language activity.

Conclusion

The complex argument task and the multilevel and multi-approach analysis are useful tools for examining persons with mild aphasia, revealing aspects that are often overlooked in standard tests. Treatment could incorporate more complex notions such as evaluative language and the role of overlap in complex conversations.