bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Roles of T Cells in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Diseases
Authors: Su Dinglei , Shen Minning , Li Xia , Sun Lingyun
Published: March 2013

γδT cells are a minor population of T cells that express the TCRγδchains, mainly distributed in the mucosal and epithelial tissue and accounting for less than 5% of the total T cells in the peripheral blood. By bridging innate and adaptive immunity,γδT cells play important roles in the anti-infection, antitumor, and autoimmune responses. Previous research onγδT cells was primarily concentrated on infectious diseases and tumors, whereas their functions in autoimmune diseases attracted much attention. In this paper, we summarized the various functions ofγδT cells in two prototypical autoimmune connective tissue diseases, that is, SLE and RA, elaborating on their antigen-presenting capacity, secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, immunomodulatory effects, and auxiliary function for B cells, which contribute to overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines and pathogenic autoantibodies, ultimately leading to the onset of these autoimmune diseases. Elucidation of the roles ofγδT cells in autoimmune diseases is not only conducive to in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases, but also beneficial in providing theoretical support for the development ofγδT-cell-targeted therapy.
PRAME-Induced Inhibition of Retinoic Acid Receptor Signaling-Mediated Differentiation—A Possible Target for ATRA Response in AML without t(15;17)
Authors: Bullinger Lars , Schlenk Richard F. , Götz Marlies , Botzenhardt Ursula , Hofmann Susanne , Russ Annika C. , Babiak Anna , Zhang Lu , Schneider Vanessa , Döhner Konstanze , Schmitt Michael , Döhner Hartmut , Greiner Jochen
Published: February 2013

Purpose: In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) without retinoic acid receptor (RAR) rearrangement, the effect of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) is still poorly understood despite an association of NPM1 mutation and ATRA response. Recently, preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) has been shown to be a dominant repressor of RAR signaling.

Experimental Design: Thus, we further investigated ATRA response mechanisms, especially the impact of PRAME expression on ATRA responsiveness. We profiled gene expression in diagnostic samples derived from our AML HD98B trial, in which ATRA was administered in addition to intensive chemotherapy.

Results: Our data revealed a PRAME expression-associated gene pattern to be significantly enriched for genes involved in the retinoic acid metabolic process. In leukemia cell line models, we could show that retinoic acid-regulated cell proliferation and differentiation are impacted by PRAME expression. In patients with primary AML, repressor activity of high-PRAME levels might be overcome by the addition of ATRA as indicated by better outcome in 2 independent studies (P = 0.029).

Conclusions: PRAME seems to impair differentiation and to increase proliferation likely via blocking RAR signaling, which might be reversed by ATRA. PRAME therefore represents a promising target for both ATRA treatment and possibly future immunotherapeutic approaches in AML. Clin Cancer Res; 19(9); 2562–71. ©2013 AACR.
Human Lung Epithelial Cells Progressed to Malignancy through Specific Oncogenic Manipulations
Authors: Sato Mitsuo , Larsen Jill E. , Lee Woochang , Sun Han , Shames David S. , Dalvi Maithili P. , Ramirez Ruben D. , Tang Hao , DiMaio John Michael , Gao Boning , Xie Yang , Wistuba Ignacio I. , Gazdar Adi F. , Shay Jerry W. , Minna John D.
Published: March 2013

We used CDK4/hTERT–immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) from several individuals to study lung cancer pathogenesis by introducing combinations of common lung cancer oncogenic changes (p53, KRAS, and MYC) and followed the stepwise transformation of HBECs to full malignancy. This model showed that: (i) the combination of five genetic alterations (CDK4, hTERT, sh-p53, KRASV12, and c-MYC) is sufficient for full tumorigenic conversion of HBECs; (ii) genetically identical clones of transformed HBECs exhibit pronounced differences in tumor growth, histology, and differentiation; (iii) HBECs from different individuals vary in their sensitivity to transformation by these oncogenic manipulations; (iv) high levels of KRASV12 are required for full malignant transformation of HBECs, however, prior loss of p53 function is required to prevent oncogene-induced senescence; (v) overexpression of c-MYC greatly enhances malignancy but only in the context of sh-p53+KRASV12; (vi) growth of parental HBECs in serum-containing medium induces differentiation, whereas growth of oncogenically manipulated HBECs in serum increases in vivo tumorigenicity, decreases tumor latency, produces more undifferentiated tumors, and induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT); (vii) oncogenic transformation of HBECs leads to increased sensitivity to standard chemotherapy doublets; (viii) an mRNA signature derived by comparing tumorigenic versus nontumorigenic clones was predictive of outcome in patients with lung cancer. Collectively, our findings show that this HBEC model system can be used to study the effect of oncogenic mutations, their expression levels, and serum-derived environmental effects in malignant transformation, while also providing clinically translatable applications such as development of prognostic signatures and drug response phenotypes.

Visual Overview: http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/content/11/6/638/F1.large.jpg.

Mol Cancer Res; 11(6); 638–50. ©2013 AACR.
Rare Missense P450c17 (CYP17A1) Mutation in Exon 1 as a Cause of 46,XY Disorder of Sexual Development: Implications of Breast Tissue ‘Unresponsiveness' despite Adequate Estradiol Substitution
Authors: Athanasoulia A.P. , Auer M. , Riepe F.G. , Stalla G.K.
Published: March 2013

17-Alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency (17OHD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder resulting from mutations in the CYP17A1 gene, leading to impaired adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis. We report for the first time a patient with a missense mutation at codon 96 (R96Q) of the CYP17A1 gene causing a 46,XY disorder of sexual development (DSD) that additionally showed lack of breast development despite highly dosed estradiol replacement treatment. This phenomenon could be attributed to irreversible breast tissue alterations following high serum progesterone levels.
Transileocolic Vein Obliteration for Bleeding Rectal Varices with Portal Thrombus
Authors: Arai Hirotaka , Kobayashi Takeshi , Takizawa Daichi , Toyoda Mitsuo , Takayama Hisashi , Abe Takehiko
Published: March 2013

We report a case of rectal varices treated successfully with transileocolic vein obliteration (TIO). A 70-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of fresh bloody stools in January 2011. Emergent colonoscopy revealed fresh blood in the rectum and tortuous rectal varices. Three-dimensional computed tomography was used as a non-invasive method for the identification of rectal varices and thrombus in the extrahepatic portal vein. Angiography demonstrated that rectal varices were supplied with backward blood flow by the inferior mesenteric vein. Transileocolic variceal obliteration was performed using coils and 5% ethanolamine oleate with iopamidol. Complete hemostasis was achieved without complications. We conclude that TIO is a safe and effective hemostatic measure for ruptured rectal varices with portal thrombus.
Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Protect Against Hypoxic-Ischemic Damage in Neonatal Brain via Stromal Cell-derived Factor 1/C-X-C Chemokine Receptor Type 4
Authors: Wu Chia-Ching , Chen Yi-Chi , Chang Ying-Chao , Wang Lan-Wan , Lin Yung-Chieh , Chiang Yi-Lun , Ho Chien-Jung , Huang Chao-Ching
Published: March 2013

Background and Purpose—

Agents that protect against neurovascular damage provide a powerful neuroprotective strategy. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) may be used to treat neonates with hypoxic-ischemia (HI) because of its autologous capability. We hypothesized that peripherally injected HUVECs entered the brain after HI, protected against neurovascular damage, and provided protection via stromal cell–derived factor 1/C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 pathway in neonatal brain.

Methods—

Postpartum day 7 rat pups received intraperitoneal injections of low-passage HUVEC-P4, high-passage HUVEC-P8, or conditioned medium before and immediately after HI. HUVECs were transfected with adenovirus-green fluorescent protein for cell tracing. Oxygen–glucose deprivation was established by coculturing HUVEC-P4 with mouse neuroblastoma neuronal cells (Neuro-2a) and with mouse immortalized cerebral vascular endothelial cells (b.End3).

Results—

HUVEC-P4–treated group had more blood levels of green fluorescent protein–positive cells than HUVEC-P8–treated group 3 hours postinjection. Intraperitoneally injected HUVEC-P4, but not HUVEC-P8, entered the cortex after HI and positioned closed to the neurons and microvessels. Compared with the condition medium–treated group, the HUVEC-P4–treated but not the HUVEC-P8–treated group showed significantly less neuronal apoptosis and blood–brain barrier damage and more preservation of microvessels in the cortex 24 hours after HI. On postpartum day 14, the HUVEC-P4–treated group showed significant neuroprotection compared with the condition medium–treated group. Stromal cell–derived factor 1 was upregulated in the ipsilateral cortex 3 hours after HI, and inhibiting the stromal cell–derived factor 1/C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 reduced the protective effect of HUVEC-P4. In vitro transwell coculturing of HUVEC-P4 also significantly protected against oxygen–glucose deprivation cell death in neurons and endothelial cells.

Conclusions—

Cell therapy using HUVECs may provide a powerful therapeutic strategy in treating neonates with HI.
Coronary Artery Calcification Is an Independent Stroke Predictor in the General Population
Authors: Hermann Dirk M. , Gronewold Janine , Lehmann Nils , Moebus Susanne , Jöckel Karl-Heinz , Bauer Marcus , Erbel Raimund
Published: March 2013

Background and Purpose—

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a noninvasive marker of plaque load that predicts myocardial infarcts in the general population. Herein, we investigated whether CAC predicts stroke events in addition to established risk factors that are part of the Framingham risk score.

Methods—

A total of 4180 subjects from the population-based Heinz Nixdorf Recall study (45–75 years of age; 47.1% men) without previous stroke, coronary heart disease, or myocardial infarction were evaluated for stroke events over 94.9±19.4 months. Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to examine CAC as stroke predictor in addition to established vascular risk factors (age, sex, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and atrial fibrillation).

Results—

Ninety-two incident strokes occurred (82 ischemic, 10 hemorrhagic). Subjects suffering a stroke had significantly higher CAC values at baseline than the remaining subjects (median, 104.8[Q1;Q3, 14.0;482.2] vs 11.2[0;106.2];
P
<0.001). In a multivariable Cox regression, log
10
(CAC+1) was an independent stroke predictor (hazards ratio, 1.52 [95% confidence interval, 1.19–1.92];
P
=0.001) in addition to age (1.35 per 5 years [1.15–1.59];
P
<0.001), systolic blood pressure (1.25 per 10 mm Hg [1.14–1.37];
P
<0.001), and smoking (1.75 [1.07–2.87];
P
=0.025). CAC predicted stroke in men and women, particularly in subjects <65 years of age and independent of atrial fibrillation. CAC discriminated stroke risk specifically in participants belonging to the low (<10%) and intermediate (10%–20%) Framingham risk score categories.

Conclusions—

CAC is an independent stroke predictor in addition to classical risk factors in subjects at low or intermediate vascular risk.
Néti néti Meaning and Function of an Enigmatic Phrase in the Gārgya-Ajātaśatru dialogue of Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad II.1 and II.3
Authors: Acharya Diwakar
Published: March 2013

This article argues that it is necessary to recognise Sections II.1 and II.3 of the Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad as one discourse. Since nobody among traditional or modern scholars has paid attention to this structure, many problems have been neither seen nor solved. This article does so, and further, exposes textual problems embedded there and analyses them. In this very discourse the expression néti néti is introduced as an ādeśa. Therefore, this article investigates the meaning and function of this expression there. This article also muses on possible implications of the entire discourse of Gārgya and Ajātaśatru.
The Legacy of Empire: A Genealogy of Post-Soviet Election Laws
Authors: Bader Max
Published: February 2013

Flawed electoral legislation in post-Soviet states has facilitated the conduct of undemocratic
elections. Many of the flaws in the election laws are not sui generis but, instead, originate from provisions in Soviet and post-communist Russian laws from which the post-Soviet legislators have borrowed. This article traces the origin and evolution of the election laws of nine post-Soviet states that have been perpetually undemocratic until at least 2010. The article demonstrates that most post-Soviet states have routinely disregarded recommendations by the OSCE and the Venice Commission directed towards the improvement of national election laws and that these laws largely continue to be shaped by Soviet and Russian legislation. In addition, the author points to the enduring impact of the Soviet legacy and the relatively hegemonic position of Russia in the region vis-à-vis the legislation of post-Soviet states, and highlights a widespread but occasionally overlooked form of institutional choice: legal borrowing (legal transplants) and adaptation. The present article also carries implications for the efforts of the OSCE and other actors to bring electoral legislation of the post-Soviet states more in line with appropriate international standards.
Filling the Void: Sharīʿa in Mixed Courts in Egypt: Jurisprudence (1876-1949)
Authors: Petricca Francesca
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Mixed courts were an internationally staffed bench that represented the diplomatic alliances between capitulary powers and the Egyptian government. Decisions delivered by these courts were based on the so-called “mixed codes,” which provided parties to a dispute with substantial scope for legal maneuvering. On the basis of a case study concerning a mortgage on a waqf (charitable endowment), I shall explain how legal actors, in spite of the state strong presence as regulatory agent, took advantage of the loopholes in the mixed-court system. Far from being an obstacle in the quest of justice, legal vagueness became an opportunity for anyone able to expand his own legal horizons beyond the limits imposed by the colonial rule.
Introduction Hospitality: Imagining the Stranger
Authors: Yates Christopher
Published: February 2013

This introductory essay sets forth the meaning of hospitality as a matter of philosophical reflection ever wedded to concrete experience. Drawing upon approaches from recent work in phenomenology, psychoanalysis, aesthetics, and hermeneutics, the event or scene of encounter with the stranger or other is positioned as a moment of profound interrogation and imagination. The introduction to this special section of articles on hospitality is set forth as an invitation to join in the renewal of this longstanding interdisciplinary issue for our time.
Geoffrey Hill, René Girard, and the Logic of Sacrifice
Authors: Johnsen William A.
Published: February 2013

Abstract

According to René Girard, the logic of sacrifice is scapegoating, the logic of self-sacrifice is self-transcendency true or deviated. Ibsen completed his unfinished epic poem “Brand” by rewriting it as a dramatic poem; dramatization clarified the mutually complicit nature of Brand’s useless self-sacrifice to and by his community. Ibsen rewrote Brand with great speed and facility and, ten years later, perhaps with the lesson of Brand’s unnecessary self-sacrifice in mind, achieved that regularity of intense focus that produced a play every two years. Geoffrey Hill’s stage version completes the process of dramatizing Brand. By his own accounting in a 1979 interview Hill wrote his Brand with great speed and facility; ten years later, he began the current period of unrivalled periodic productivity.
Sklaven und Freigelassene von Römern in Iudaea und den angrenzenden Provinzen
Authors: Eck Werner
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Concrete information about Roman slavery in the eastern provinces is very rare. In the literary sources there is almost nothing. Only in inscriptions do we find reflections of this phenomenon. In most cases only manumitted slaves are mentioned, which reflects the importance manumission had for the Roman type of slavery. It also becomes clear that slaves do not form a clear category in the social reality; in fact their social standing depends largely on the social position of the master.
“ὅτι πνευµατικῶς ἀνακρίνεται”
Authors: Dingeldein Laura B.
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Most English translations of and commentaries on Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians interpret the final clause of 1 Cor 2:14 causally: the psychic man is unable to know the things of God’s pneuma “because they are pneumatically examined.” Due to the flexibility of the Greek, however, three alternative, grammatically acceptable translations exist. Although the causal interpretation is supported by later Christian interpreters of the first centuries CE, Paul’s own grammatical preferences, the surrounding context of 1 Cor 2:6-16, and philosophical parallels contemporary with Paul’s thought suggest that the following translation best reflects Paul’s intentions: “the psychic man is unable to know that he is pneumatically examined.”
The added value of proficiency tests: choosing the proper method for extracting Meloidogyne second-stage juveniles from soil
Authors: den Nijs Loes , van den Berg Wim
Published: February 2013

To gain insight into the different extraction processes used in laboratories in various European countries and the effect these methods might have on the number of Meloidogyne second-stage juveniles (J2) extracted from soil samples, a ring test with 2 elements was conducted. The first element used the Baermann funnel as a method performance test. The second element was a proficiency test, in which the laboratory’s standard technique was compared with the Baermann method. Chilled samples of 100 cm3 (10 per extraction method) were sent to participants in insulated containers. In the nematode counts distinction was made between Meloidogyne J2, other plant-parasitic nematodes and/or saprophytes. A total number of 18 participants took part in the method performance test and 13 institutes took part in the proficiency test using 11 different extraction techniques. The initial population density in the soil was 2025 J2 (100 cm3 soil)−1, determined by Oostenbrink elutriator and 4 weeks incubation. In the method performance test the institutes found Meloidogyne J2 numbers varied between 0 and 705 J2 (100 cm3)−1. Using the Baermann extraction method the median number per institute ranged from 0 to 377 J2 (100 cm3)−1. In the proficiency test comparison amongst the different methods showed an increase of more than 100-fold, with the highest median of 3733 J2 (100 cm3)−1 and the lowest of 34 J2 (100 cm3)−1; the difference was caused mainly by the incubation effect. For the other plant-parasitic nematodes and the saprophytes, the differences between the most and least efficient extraction methods were much smaller. The variance of the Meloidogyne counts was the highest for the standard Baermann extraction technique; other similar techniques also had high variances. The automated zonal centrifuge had the lowest variance. The Baermann method is not advisable for survey purposes.
Reconciliation as Process or Catalyst: Understanding the Concept in a Post-conflict Society
Authors: Abe Toshihiro
Published: February 2013

Abstract

While the work of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission has brought various new issues in the study of post-conflict society and transitional justice, a problematic issue that remains is how we should understand the ideal of reconciliation. This paper first critically traces previous theoretical works on reconciliation policy in South Africa, particularly paying attention to the arguments in political philosophy that have been deployed to incorporate the post-TRC condition into a theoretical frame. This examination is followed by a discussion invoking René Girard’s notion of desire to capture the dilemma of people in a post-conflict society. Finally, the uniqueness and importance of the reconciliation project is inferred to have the possible function of affecting the collective relationships among former enemies.
Feminism in Islam: A Critique of Polygamy in Mariama Ba’s Epistolary Novel So Long A Letter
Authors: Ali Souad T.
Published: February 2013

Abstract

This paper calls for an understanding of feminism in Islam as a unique approach to feminism with potential contributions to world feminism. The paper analyzes Mariama Ba’s epistolary novelSo Long A Letterwithin the context of a feminist approach in Islam. This paper’s primary focus is Ba’s critique of polygamy and her celebration of female bonding in the face of male oppression. Ba explores her themes through an epistolary exchange between two intimate friends who both suffered the abuse of their polygamous husbands and highlights the contrasting reactions of the two women in regard to the mistreatment by their husbands. Within a distorted misinterpretation of religion, the analysis reflects on how Islamic teachings are exploited by some Muslim men in order to gratify and justify their base desires under the guise of a transcendent sanction.
The Role of Authentic Islam: The Way Forward for Women in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Hamdan Amani
Published: February 2013

Abstract

This paper explores the main reasons for which progressive Saudis can be optimistic that women will eventually achieve their rightful place in society in general and in the employment sector in particular. A critical analysis is performed of the social, cultural, and religious background to gender inequality as well as of the current state of women’s education and employment. The evidence considered of the everlasting gender discourses in Saudi Arabia includes examples from the girls’ home economics textbook for Grades 7 and 8. This paper confirms that Saudi society is witnessing a growing acknowledgment of the undeniable Scriptural basis for women’s participation in all aspects of public life and an accompanying dilution of the influence of the some conservativeUlamaas enforcers of a narrow and literal interpretation of Islam. This paper also confirms that important institutional and policy changes are underway that are creating new educational and employment opportunities for women. The result is that the deeply entrenched gender issues that has for so long characterized the Saudi education system and society as a whole is being challenged by progressive Islamic principles and by a variety of institutional reforms, among other factors.
Funding and Teaching Challenges Facing Faith-Based Organizing
Authors: Davaney Sheila Greeve , Bowlin John , Kerbel Jarrett , Valdez Elizabeth
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Faith-based organizing in the United States faces two major practical challenges: funding its work and teaching its approach to the next generation of pastors. With these challenges in mind, the editors asked Sheila Greeve Davaney, until recently a programme officer with the Ford Foundation, to reflect on her experience of funding the work of faith-based organizing networks. John Bowlin, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and Jarrett Kerbel, a pastor in Philadelphia, recently team taught a course on theology and organizing at the seminary; the editors asked them to reflect on their classroom experience. Their experience was enriched by the presence of Elizabeth Valdez, an organizing network leader from Texas, who was on sabbatical in Princeton at the time, and was invited by Bowlin, while she audited his class, to share her grass-roots experience with the students. It is fitting that Valdez has the last word in this special issue, as an organizer who is committed to the goal of fostering dialogue between theologians and researchers in the academy and citizens and leaders in the community.
The Image of Jacob in the Targum of Hosea 12
Authors: Van Ruiten Jacques
Published: February 2013

Abstract

This article investigates the image of Jacob in Targum Jonathan’s interpretation of Hos 12. It presents a brief comparison between the Hebrew text of Hos 12 and the Targum’s translation, and focuses on those verses that are relevant to the image of Jacob (Hos 12:3-6; 12:13-14), looking first at the Hebrew text and then at their interpretation in the Targum. An analysis of the translation clearly shows the meturgeman’s concern to counteract any potential negative image of Jacob. The meturgeman does not present the relationship between Jacob and the prophet’s contemporary people as analogous, in the sense that the deceitful character of the people is a reflection of the character of their forefather. Instead, the relationship is seen as contrasting: Jacob functions as a role model.
Contempt: State Literati vs. Street Literati in Modern Iraq
Authors: Hanoosh Yasmeen
Published: February 2013

Abstract

The standard narrative of modern Iraqi culture posits a reciprocal exchange of contempt between Iraqi state literati and anti-state literati. Several literary critics tell us that for decades this contempt has redounded to the ideological polarization of the Iraqi literary corpus, diminishing the number of independent intellectuals. This essay takes up key debates in the Iraqi literary scene, charting the Hashemite monarchy, Qāsim regime, Baʿth dictatorship, embargo years, and post-2003 occupation, and in so doing retraces the multiple ideological schisms and fractious state-writer relationships. Considering the history of contempt in Iraqi culture and literature today, the essay sheds light on the emergence of civic society in Iraq, dynamics within the public sphere, and the role of state ideology in cultural projects. It interrogates the ideology of “freedom” and its correlate “commitment” in the literary scene and their proliferating discourses in light of past and present political unrest in Iraq. Under the broad rubric of the “art of freedom,” and its correlate “modernity,” which have been the quest of generations of Iraqi intellectuals despite the interruptions of despots, this study examines some current impasses that have augmented the blatant exchange of contempt among Iraq’s literati. These impasses include the discrepancy between conceptual freedom and freedom as a cultural or political practice, sectarian discourses, media, and self-censorship. Examining the role of conceptual freedom and contempt in literary production also necessarily invites the discussion of the binary shape of contemporary Iraqi literature contestably as a product of “inside” and “outside” sensibilities and cultures.
From Flying Carpets to No-Fly Zones: Libya’s Elusive Revolution(s), According to Ruth First, Hisham Matar, and the International Criminal Court
Authors: Harlow Barbara
Published: February 2013

Abstract

This article examines the complex and contested situation of Qadaffi’s Libya within a changing international order, from the 1969 revolution as narrated by South African historian and anti-apartheid activist Ruth First in Libya: The Elusive Revolution (1974) to its narrative reconstruction by exiled Libyan writer Hisham Matar in the semi-autobiographical novels In the Country of Men (2006) and Anatomy of a Disappearance (2011). Special attention is paid to contextualizing this historiography within the current debates emanating from international law—including international humanitarian and human rights law—regarding the disposition of multilateral forces, regional commitments, and the “responsibility to protect” (R2P) in responding to this latest of Libya’s “elusive revolutions.” Should Libya, that is, have been suspended from the United Nations Human Rights Council? Referred by the Security Council to the International Criminal Court for investigation? What are the stakes? And what to make of the eventual historical and precedent-setting outcomes, the global implications—and yes, even the inevitable “unintended consequences”. . . .?
Identity and Function in Sino-Vietnamese Piracy: Where Are the Minh Hư ơng?
Authors: Wheeler Charles
Published: February 2013

Abstract

In 1773, a group of rebels sparked a civil war that disrupted the Vietnamese-speaking world for thirty years. Historians recognize that “Chinese” pirates played a key role in the campaigns of the Tay Son, after whom the war was named. This article attempts to clarify Chinese participation by analyzing a little-known Sino-Vietnamese community named Minh Hương or Ming Loyalists, who evolved from the same water world as the Chinese pirates, yet appear absent from the conflict. Findings suggest that we have overlooked the depth and complexity of “Chinese” and Minh Hương involvement.
Effect of copper exposure on histamine concentrations in the marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax forma virginalis)
Authors: Soedarini Bernadeta , Klaver Linda , Giesen Daniel , Roessink Ivo , Widianarko Budi , van Straalen Nico M. , van Gestel Cornelis A.M.
Published: February 2013

Crustaceans can store excess copper in the hepatopancreas, an organ playing a role in digestive activity as well as in neurosecretory control. Here, we studied the effect of copper exposure on the level of histamine, an indicator of food spoilage in edible crustaceans. Histamine is also a neuromodulator in the intestinal nervous system of crustaceans, and a human allergen. Marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax forma virginalis) were exposed to average measured values of 0.031 mg Cu/l and 0.38 mg Cu/l, respectively, for 14 days and then transferred to copper-free water for another 14 days. Concentrations of copper and histamine in the hepatopancreas and muscle were evaluated at different time points. Histamine levels were significantly higher in hepatopancreas and muscle tissues at the highest exposure level, but only after transfer of the animals to copper-free water. The increased histamine concentration following copper exposure may be explained by a (delayed) stress response, and by up-regulated histidine synthesis induced by copper, followed by decarboxylation to histamine.
The Persistence of a Concept: Maximum Sustainable Yield
Authors: Hey Ellen
Published: February 2013

Abstract

This essay explores the persistence of the concept of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) in global multilateral fishing law. It argues that MSY has contributed to the unsustainable governance of fishing activities by focusing on open access and catch-based management, instead of effort-based management. In response to the dire state of world fish stocks, it has been proposed to cut subsidies to the sector, restrict trade in endangered fish species, install marine protected areas and mainstream the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF). This essay proposes that the FAO’s EAF, which links in to social-ecological resilience thinking, suggests a new philosophy for fisheries management that offers a basis for introducing the aforementioned measures.
The LOSC Framework for Maritime Jurisdiction and Enforcement 30 Years On
Authors: Stephens Tim , Rothwell Donald R.
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Rules of jurisdiction and immunity are central to public international law, and equally vital to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC). The LOSC established an extensive framework to regulate legislative and enforcement jurisdiction over ocean space; one that has proven to be remarkably durable, despite lingering uncertainties in the compromise reached between coastal and maritime states. State practice diverging from the LOSC’s jurisdictional scheme has been isolated and infrequent, and the scheme has been strengthened and elaborated by regional and global treaties addressing contemporary oceans governance challenges, especially in the arenas of pollution control and fisheries management. As the LOSC turns thirty, a key challenge will be keeping in check the designs of coastal states over adjacent maritime space as they look seawards to address pressing concerns of resource, food, energy and environmental security.
A Right to Education for All: The Meaning of Equal Educational Opportunities
Authors: Hemelsoet Elias
Published: February 2013

The debate on the social function of schooling is as old as the idea of schooling itself. In those discussions, the concept of equal opportunities is often referred to as a means or a strategy to pursue social equality. This article discusses four conceptions of equality, each referring to different notions of justice. In meritocratic, distributive and social equality of opportunities, the conceptualisation of equality is deduced from a particular societal order. The subject-oriented equality position, as an alternative, focuses on the consequences of these approaches at an individual level. A closer look at the everyday social practices of minority groups (in this case irregular migrants), is very useful in order to gain insight into these consequences. Are equal opportunities as a conceptual tool for educational policy making helpful to realise the ‘universal right to education’ that we are willing to offer to all? Conclusions will be drawn on how this universal right can be turned from merely a legal provision into a vivid practice in an educationally more promising way.
The reception of Justinian's legislation on the Edict unde vir et uxor in the reformed statutes of certain provinces of the (northern) Netherlands in the 17th century
Authors: Roes Sebastiaan
Published: February 2013

Roman law has always had a moderate influence on Dutch customary law. The reception of Roman law can be found mainly in the Dutch provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, and most of all in Friesland. This was manifested inter alia by the reception of canonic testamentary law and Justinianic intestate succession law into the reformed statutes of certain provinces and cities in the Early modern period. In some cases even a reception of the Edict unde vir et uxor can be found, e.g. in the Dutch provinces of Groningen (1601, 1618), Drenthe (1712) and in the northern part of Limburg (upper Guelders, 1620). But generally speaking this Edict's claim to fame is limited to a select group of renowned 17th century Dutch jurists, who mentioned it in their scholarly works.
Two rediscovered letters by Niebuhr from 23rd September 1816 and an anonymous publication in the 'Allgemeine Literatur-Zeitung'
Authors: Varvaro Mario
Published: February 2013

In the archives of the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften two letters by Barthold Georg Niebuhr of September 1816 are preserved which have never been published in a scholarly edition. The present transcription of the text is diplomatical. Furthermore the letters are examined in their historical context. The use made of these letters in an anonymous publication in the same year in the Allgemeine Literatur-Zeitung is also discussed.
E.M. Meijers En De Herziening Van De Vertaling Van Het Belgisch Burgerlijk Wetboek Door Een Nederlands-Belgische Commissie (1938-1941)
Authors: Van Dievoet Guido
Published: February 2013

E.M. Meijers et la révision de la traduction néerlandaise du Code civil belge par une Commission néerlando-belge (1938-1941) En 1923, le Gouvernement belge a chargé une commission de la traduction 'en flamand' des dispositions de la Constitution, des codes et des principales lois et arrêtés en vigueur, dont il n'avait pas été publié de texte officiel en cette langue. La Commission a rédigé une traduction du Code civil, qui a été publiée au Moniteur belge. Cette traduction n'était pas irréprochable au point de vue linguistique. Sa terminologie s'écartait par endroits de celle utilisée aux Pays-Bas. A l'initiative du président de la Commission belge, une commission officieuse belgonéerlandaise fut créée en 1938. Elle était composée de juristes hollandais et de juristes et de philologues belges. Les membres les plus actifs étaient les professeurs E.M. Meijers (Leyde), P. Scholten (Amsterdam), E. van Dievoet (Louvain) et R. Verdeyen (Liège). La commission s'est réunie alternativement en Belgique et aux Pays-Bas de fin 1938 à fin 1941. Le professeur Meijers examina la traduction du Code civil belge jusqu'à l'article 1314, il fit de nombreuses remarques et des suggestions qui donnèrent lieu à plusieurs échanges de vues. Les termes proposés par Meijers étaient en général ceux du Code civil néerlandais de 1838. De plus, il suggéra l'emploi de quelques termes nouveaux, p. ex. onbekwaamverklaring (interdiction) et onbekwaamverklaarde (interdit), termes qui ont fait leur chemin dans la langue juridique néerlandaise en Belgique. Après la guerre, Meijers n'eut plus l'occasion de participer à la révision de la traduction du Code civil belge. En 1954, le Gouvernement belge a créé une nouvelle commission chargée de l'élaboration du texte néerlandais de la Constitution, des codes et des lois et arrêtés principaux. Cette commission a préparé le texte néerlandais du Code civil belge, qui a été approuvé par le Parlement et est devenu la loi du 30 décembre 1961. Il a été tenu compte des remarques de Meijers, lors de la préparation du texte.
Daoyin: Chinese Healing Exercises
Authors: Kohn Livia
Published: February 2013

Daoyin, the traditional Chinese practice of guiding
(dao) the qi and stretching
(yin) the body is the forerunner of
qigong. Like other Asian forms of body cultivation, it uses a
combination of mental awareness, controlled breathing, and slow physical
movements to engage the person, develop health, and open ways to spiritual
attainment. Unlike Yoga or Magical Movements, its worldview focuses on the
concept of qi or vital energy, the material aspect of the
dao and foundation of human life, and its patterning
according to Yin-Yang and the five phases. The practice of
daoyin is first documented in medical manuscripts of about
200 BCE, where simple movements and dose correlation to symptoms are the norm.
Later Daoist developments involve movement sequences, subtler breathing
instructions, and spiritual connections through visualisations and prayers.
Daoists also created an integrated system, where daoyin in
combination with general rules of moderation and guidelines for healthy living
forms the foundation of advanced immortality practice. They moreover
systematised the breathing practices into various levels of holding, guiding,
and enhancing qi as breath. Overall, the differences from other
Asian practices dominate, and the way daoyin envisions and
transforms the body is uniquely Chinese.
Violent Devotion and Depth Psychology
Authors: McGlashan Alastair R.
Published: February 2013

The purpose of this article is to test how far the concepts of depth psychology can be used to further understanding of religiously motivated acts of violence that occurred in another age and another cultural environment. The particular behaviour studied is the violence exhibited in the lives of the Tamil Saiva saints of Southern India who lived in the sixth to eighth centuries CE. The relevant historical evidence is the account of their lives recorded in the hagiographical epic known as the Periya Purānam of Cēkkilār (fl. 1133-1150 CE). The term “depth psychology” is here taken to denote both the psycho-analytic theories of Sigmund Freud, Melanie Klein and their successors, and the analytical psychology of the Jungian school. It will be shown that in spite of the methodological difficulties, psychological concepts drawn from these sources can be used to throw light on the religiously motivated behaviour here considered.
Post Mortem Makes a Difference: On a Redescription of Euhemerism and Its Place in the Study of Graeco-Roman Divine Kingship
Authors: Roubekas Nickolas P.
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Euhemerus of Messene is one of the most popular ancient theorists of religion. In his now lost work Sacred Inscription he formulated a theory of religion by arguing that the Olympian gods were nothing more than prominent kings that were deified due to their benefactions to mankind. On the other hand, true divinity was to be found in the natural phenomena. However, this theory – known as euhemerism – has been (ab)used in many ways due to the different interpretative agendas of various authors and critics. In this paper I argue that euhemerism needs a new interpretation, a redescription, based primarily on a rereading of the text. In addition, by showing the different usages of the text by Euhemerus’s contemporaries and the early Christian writers, I argue that the connection of his theory with the practice of deification of kings in the Graeco-Roman world should be dismissed and reexamined by taking into account contemporary responses to his work that show that his theory was not meant as a justification for the deification of the Graeco-Roman kings.
Ritual Burning and Slaughtering in an AIC: Perspectives from Liturgical Studies and Old Testament Criticism
Authors: Wepener Cas , Meyer Esias E.
Published: February 2013

Abstract

This article offers the results of research in which two theological fields cooperated in order to investigate one specific repertoire of liturgical rituals. From the perspective of both Liturgical Studies, and its focus on the functioning of ritual within its cultural context, and Old Testament Studies, and a focus on how biblical critics understand certain rituals described in the Priestly texts in the Pentateuch, ritual burning and slaughtering in an AIC was studied. Ritual Studies is beginning to play a much more prominent role in the engagement with books such as Leviticus and Numbers and also in Liturgical Studies, and this article is an example of how these two disciplines can fruitfully cooperate in the study of liturgical rituals in an AIC in South Africa.
Revisiting the Framework: Extensions and Refinements
Authors: Druckman Daniel , Diehl Paul F.
Published: February 2013

In this article, the peace operations framework is re-evaluated based on the case applications performed by the authors in this issue. A number of suggestions are made for extending and refining the framework. Extensions include adding conflict prevention as a core goal, taking politically-motivated judgments into account, and adding context-specific variables including factors over which peacekeepers have limited control. Refinements include moving some dimensions to other goal categories, adjusting the sequencing of variables based on case-specific considerations, and several definitional and assessment issues. These suggestions contribute to an improved framework without altering the conception of peace operations as a set of interconnected and mutually-reinforcing processes.
Social Governance Innovations in Shenzhen: An Interview with Liu Runhua (刘润华)
Authors: Yushan Xu
Published: February 2013

Editor’s Note

Over the past thirty years, as a special economic administrative region, Shenzhen has blazed many new paths of reform. Now, after thirty years, Shenzhen is once again leading the way with innovations and trials in the area of social reforms. From the Yantian Model (盐田模式) to “three half-steps”, the reformed method of social organization registration; from non-governmentally run social work units to establishment of community service centers; from encouraging the growth of the One Foundation’s operations in Shenzhen to inviting national philanthropic figures to participate in Shenzhen’s public-interest work, Shenzhen’s reforms have been inseparable from the encouragement of its Civil Affairs departments, inseparable from the innovative reform mindedness of the “Former Civil Affairs Bureau Chief”, Liu Runhua. In 2011, a team led by Professor Wang Ming (王名), Director of the NGO Research Center at the Tsinghua School of Public Policy and Management, conducted in-person interviews with this “social reformer”. Liu Runhua, then still Director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, stood both atop history and outside of his departmental context, to offer us far-reaching reflections on Shenzhen’s social management innovations. At the time of writing, Mr. Liu had been promoted up to Guangdong, where, as Managing Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial Social Work Committee, he is now able promulgate his ideas on public-interest activities in practice from a higher platform.
“Partly Disguised Imperialism”: American Critical Internationalists and Philippine Independence
Authors: Shaffer Robert
Published: February 2013

Recent historians have concluded that Philippine formal independence in 1946 was incomplete and unequal. Legislation gave privileges to U.S. businesses which inhibited autonomous economic development, and the new Philippine political leadership did not represent important sections of its people. Such judgments were also voiced at the time by many American “critical internationalists” who believed that the global colonial system must end and feared that the Truman administration was betraying that goal in the Philippines. American veterans who served in the Philippines, journalists with long experience in Asia, returned missionaries, and former Roosevelt administration officials – including, most significantly, Harold Ickes – were among those who believed that the United States was granting only “the shadow of independence.” The essay argues that historians, who, surprisingly, have largely ignored these contemporary views, should pay closer attention to such voices for several reasons, among them their usefulness in rebutting the charge that historians critical of U.S. policy have drawn their conclusions mainly based on hindsight.
The Fascist Challenge. Networks, Promises for the Future and Cultures of Violence in Europe, 1922 – 1945
Authors: Wolf Jana
Published: February 2013

This conference report comprises the contributions of European and American specialists in Fascism on the topic of networks, promises for the future and cultures of violence in Europe, 1922–1945. It was concluded that a much more in-depth examination of fascist networks, as well as their learning and acquisition processes is required, especially after 1939 and in the currently under-researched regions of Eastern and Southern-Eastern Europe. Secondly, the concept of a ‘New Man’ should be applied in more detailed studies on population and educational policies. Thirdly, there is a need to counter the frequently lamented asymmetrical state of research between Italian fascism and National Socialism.