bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual coupling networks
Authors: Davies T H
Published: September 2006

Using dual graphs and dual couplings, it is shown how the dual of a coupling network can be found. The actions that can exist within an overconstrained coupling network are shown to be geometrically identical to the motions that can occur within the dual of that coupling network. Most useful coupling networks, such as mechanisms within machinery, are both over-constrained and underconstrained. Motions of machine parts attributable to underconstraint can be seen thereby making the motions easy to imagine from a drawing. Conversely, internal actions attributable to overconstraint cannot be seen and so are difficult to imagine. Such actions could result in fatigue failure. Thus one possible benefit of creating the dual of a coupling network is that internal actions hidden within it become recognisable motions of bodies in its dual. This article could lead to a better awareness of overconstraint and its dangers.
Plastic flow in extrusion and drawing through conical and wedge-shaped dies: Prediction of central bursting
Authors: Samy S N , Saleh Ch A R , Ragab A R
Published: September 2006

In this article, the plastic flowfields for extrusion and drawing - for rigid plastic materials forced through conical and wedge-shaped dies - are analysed on the basis of Shield's work. A modification to Shield's analysis is developed to account for the redundant deformation. Solutions for axisymmetric and plane strain flows are given. The total forces estimated for both drawing and extrusion operations are compared favourably with available experimental data. On the basis of the present modified Shield's analysis, expressions for the stresses within the die are then derived. These expressions are then employed to predict central bursting by applying two fracture criteria, namely: the hydrostatic stress criterion and the plastic instability criterion. The deformation zone geometry criterion has also been used for comparison. The predictions fairly agree with the experimental results.
Droplet ejection and the induced flowfield by microthermal bubble during growth/collapse process
Authors: Yang I D , Wu T F , Pan C , Tseng F , Yu R J , Chieng C C
Published: September 2006

Numerical predictions on the entire process of droplet ejection by the growth/collapse of an explosive microthermal bubble are achieved by first principle equations coupled with extended Rayleigh equations and Asai's pressure model. Supporting experiments such as the bubble size/shape image histories by high-speed camera and bubble-induced flowfield by microparticle image velocimetry are conducted for the impulsive and explosive process during the bubble growth/collapse. Excellent agreements between measurements and computations are obtained. Finally, the parameter studies on droplet ejections are conducted to seek the optimal designs for the ejection nozzle size, ink refilling chamber height, heat flux imposed, and the operating temperature.
Numerical study of the effects of radiative heat losses on diffusion flames
Authors: Gaustad M D , Shamim T
Published: September 2006

The effects of thermal radiation are numerically investigated for a methane-air counterflow diffusion flame, using ‘detailed’ chemistry. The radiative losses from combustion products (CO2 and H2O) were considered by using a thin gas approximation. The results show a significant effect of radiative losses causing extinction at low strain rates. On the basis of the radiative losses from gaseous combustion products, an extinction limit was found to be 0.7 s−1. The presence of soot will move this limit to higher strain rates. The radiation effects are relatively less at moderate and high strain rates, where they may cause a reduction in the peak temperatures by ∼ 10 per cent. In addition to decreasing peak temperatures and combustion products, the radiative losses also reduce the flame width. The results show the importance of including detailed chemical mechanism in correctly predicting the extinction limit and the influence of radiative losses on flame structure.
Model-based PID control of a crane spreader by four auxiliary cables
Authors: Kim D-H , Lee J-W
Published: September 2006

This article presents the anti-sway and anti-skew control of a container crane that is widely used in cargo terminals. A four-cable suspended spreader is used to load and unload the container. In such a loading/unloading process, the spreader has usually residual oscillation, the sway and skew, due to the motion of the trolley and the gantry or an external disturbance such as wind. Thus, it is difficult to locate the container at the desired position quickly and precisely. In order to suppress the residual oscillation, this article proposes the use of four auxiliary cables added to four main cables. Using null space, the tension of the redundant auxiliary cables, i.e. the optimal tension distribution among four auxiliary cables, is achieved. The inverse dynamic control and a model-based proportional and integral and derivative (PID) control is applied to derive the control law. The effectiveness of the proposed tension assignment for the auxiliary cables and the model-based PID control algorithm are verified by computer simulations.
Simple structured polydimethylsiloxane microvalve actuated by external air pressure
Authors: Lee S-W , Kim D-J , Ahn Y , Chai Y G
Published: September 2006

This article describes a simple structured microvalve made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and glass. For easy operation, the microvalve is actuated by external air pressure. The microvalve is fabricated by replica moulding using a negative photoresist (SU-8) as the mould. For low cost and biocompatibility, PDMS is used as the chip material. The PDMS valve is bonded to a Pyrex glass substrate using an O2 plasma surface treatment. It was found that no leakage occurs under a valve-actuating air pressure of 0.35 MPa when the injection pressure of liquid in the microchannel of the valve is 0.01-0.04 MPa. The fabricated microvalve is applied to a microfluidic chip having one inlet and two outlet channels. Fluid flow is controlled by the microvalve.
Dimensioning against fatigue - stress-based approach or fracture mechanics?
Authors: Gänser H-P , Glinsner K , Eichlseder W
Published: September 2006

The non-propagation condition of a sharp crack introduced in the root of a generic notch is investigated. Thus, pre-existing flaws near structural stress concentrations are advantageously treated in a unified manner, giving in the limit of vanishing notch radius the case of a crack in an unnotched component, and in the limit of vanishing crack length the classical engineering case of a notched, crack-free component. Particular focus is put on the limiting case of vanishing crack length. The results are compared with the classical engineering strength estimate following the nominal stress concept. It is shown that both concepts may, with minor differences, be brought into the same formal structure. The transition between notch-like and crack-like behaviour of notches is investigated in some detail, giving an accurate estimate for the transition between both regimes as well as reliable lower bounds for the fatigue strength in both regimes with special consideration of crack arrest effects in flawed components.
Self-lifting contacts: From physical fundamentals to practical applications
Authors: Stolarski T A
Published: September 2006

Three novel ideas for self-lift generation between contacting surfaces are presented and discussed. They are based on well-established fundamental principles and include squeeze film action, surface contraction, and acoustic levitation. Embodiment of concepts is described and the arrangement of piezo-actuators used to induce a squeeze film action is shown. Experimental verification of the prototype devices made in accordance with the proposed concepts was carried out. Results confirmed that experimentally tested concepts are feasible and could be practically implemented in mechanical devices.
Position analysis of Assur kinematic chains using coupler curves
Authors: Chung W-Y
Published: September 2006

The configurations of several Assur kinematic chains (AKCs) are analysed with the aid of coupler curves. An analysed linkage is dismantled into two constituent linkages. The intersection points of two coupler curves generated by the constituent linkages are the solutions of the dismantling point. All possible configurations of the linkage can then be obtained with the dismantling point being found by solving two coupler curve equations. The coupler curve equations of Watt-I and Stephenson-I six-bar are derived with orders and circularities being emphasized. All three AKCs with seven-link and several AKCs with nine-link and even with 11-link are analysed. The maximum number of solutions can also be determined easily on the basis of the orders and circularities of the coupler curves. The chains with prismatic joints included are also considered.
Design of displacement amplifying compliant mechanisms with integrated strain actuator using topology optimization
Authors: Arunkumar G , Srinivasan P S S
Published: September 2006

Compliant mechanisms are the focus of active research because of the stability, robustness, and ease of manufacturing endowed by their unitized construction. However, despite significant advances in the development of systematic design techniques for these mechanisms, currently compliant mechanisms are not capable of performing certain kinematic tasks that rigid body mechanisms can readily perform. This work explores the various advantages of the compliant mechanism and some of the difficulties in the design of the compliant mechanisms, and designing a compliant mechanism for displacement amplification of piezoelectric actuator is developed using a topological optimization approach. The overall stroke amplification of geometrical advantage of the mechanism and overall mechanical efficiency of the mechanism are considered as objective functions. The maximization of these objectives is accomplished using two different solution methods: a sequential linear programming and an optimality criteria method.
Study on the use of a non-circular gear train for the generation of Figure-8 patterns
Authors: Liu J-Y , Chang S-L , Mundo D
Published: September 2006

Most popular polishing mechanisms for optical fibre end-face polishing machines are divided into three categories: planetary gear trains, linkages, and programmable logic controllers. To prevent the finished product from being scratched, it is expected that the grinding pattern prevents the lapping surface from repeatedly cutting the optical fibre end face in the same direction during the grinding process. For this reason, a polishing machine, whose grinding pad moves according to a Figure-8 path, is proposed in the present work.

A pair of elliptical gears is designed to substitute the anti-parallel four-bar linkage and to drive one point of the coupler link along a Figure-8 pattern. However, owing the kinematic characteristics of elliptical gears, the velocity of the coupler point is highly variable during its motion, which is disadvantageous to the quality of grinding. Thus, in this study, a pair of non-circular gears is proposed as driving mechanism. By providing the driving elliptical gear with a suitable law of motion, it is possible to enable the velocity of the coupler point to be constant.

A kinematic simulation has been performed to prove that the use of non-circular gears is effective in improving the motion characteristics of the Figure-8 path of motion, which is generated by elliptical gears.
Exergetic efficiency optimization of a refrigeration system with multi-irreversibilities
Authors: Su Y-F , Chen C-K
Published: September 2006

Exergetic efficiency optimization has been carried out for a refrigeration system with multi-irreversibilities, including finite-rate heat transfer, internal dissipation of the working fluid and heat leak between the heat reservoirs. The exergetic efficiency is defined as the ratio of the rate of exergy output to the rate of exergy input in the refrigeration system and is considered as an objective function to be maximized. By combining the exergy concept and finite-time thermodynamic theory, the maximum exergetic efficiency is determined analytically. The optimum values of the cycle cooling rate and the coefficient of performance of the system are obtained simultaneously. The influences of various parameters on the maximum exergetic efficiency are investigated by numerical calculation. The allocation problem of a fixed total thermal conductance between the hot-side and the cold-side heat exchangers is also studied. The results show that the method of exergetic efficiency optimization is practical and effective for the evaluation of an irreversible refrigeration system.
On the maximum power transfer theorem within electromechanical systems
Authors: Stephen N G
Published: September 2006

Conditions for maximum power transfer are considered within electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical systems. The familiar concept of resistance load matching within an electrical system is extended to a mechanical system and is 50 per cent efficient. For electromechanical systems, the transfer of maximum power from one domain (the electrical, say) to the other (mechanical, say) is also 50 per cent efficient. However, when losses occur in both the electrical and mechanical domains, the concept of load matching must be applied within the domain to which power is being delivered; efficiency is now <50 per cent, which is most easily seen from the source domain.
Can non-standard involute gears of different modules mesh?
Authors: Spitas C , Spitas V
Published: September 2006

Under the current standardized involute gear systems, meshing of gears of different modules is a practical impossibility. However, by performing a fresh reinterpretation of the well-established fundamental meshing principles, a more insightful form for the compatibility equations that govern involute gear tooth generation and meshing can be obtained. This article reports some first non-standard designs based on this analysis that allows gears of different modules to mesh. By the same token, standard gears can be manufactured with non-standard hobs and vice versa. Initial investigation suggests that practical benefits such as increasing the root bending strength without affecting the pitting resistance and the sliding velocity can be achieved that may justify such deviation from standard designs.
Generating standard 20° involute pinions with increased fillet strength by using 25° rack cutters with non-standard module
Authors: Spitas C , Spitas V
Published: September 2006

According to all prevailing standards for gear design, a strict guideline is that the individual gears of a gear pair must be of the same module and pressure angle in order to mesh properly and the compatibility of the remaining geometrical parameters is determined under this assumption. However, in this article, the fundamental meshing principles of a generating rack and pinion are reinterpreted, and a more insightful form of the compatibility equations for involute gears is presented. In this context, stronger tooth forms with thicker root fillets can be produced using 25° rack cutters and still be able to mesh with standard 20° involute gears indiscriminately. The increased strength of pinions of the proposed design versus their standard counterparts is verified with finite element analysis.
First Comparative Study of the Oxidation Properties of Dioxovanadium(V) Complex with Tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine and Its Oxo-peroxo Analogue
Authors: Tajika Yasunobu , Tsuge Kiyoshi , Sasaki Yoichi
Published: September 2006

The oxidation reactions of α-terpinene and 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol by vanadium(V) complexes were thoroughly examined using 1H NMR. The dioxovanadium(V) complex was more reactive than the corresponding oxo-peroxo vanadium(V) complex for the oxidation reaction of α-terpinene and 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol.
Parametric and Non-Parametric Identification of a Two Dimensional Flexible Structure
Authors: Darus I. Z. Mat , Tokhi M. O.
Published: September 2006

An investigation into the parametric and non-parametric modelling of a two dimensional flexible plate structure is presented in this paper. The parametric approaches obtaining linear parametric models of the system using recursive least squares and genetic algorithms. The non-parametric models of the system are developed using a non-linear AutoRegressive process with eXogeneous input model with multi-layered perceptron neural networks, Elman recurrent neural networks and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems. The models are validated using several validation tests including input-output mapping, mean squares of error and correlation tests. A comparative assessment of the techniques used is presented and discussed in terms of accuracy, efficiency and performance in estimating the modes of vibration of the system.
Modelling of Floating-Slab Track with Discontinuous Slab
Authors: Hussein M.F.M. , Hunt H.E.M.
Published: September 2006

A floating-slab track with discontinuous slab provides a spatially-varying stiffness under a constant moving load. When a train moves on such a track, even with the absence of rail roughness, a parametric excitation develops as wheels move up and down applying dynamic forces at the wheel-rail interface. The dynamic force is magnified if one of its principal frequencies matches with any of the train or the track resonance frequencies.

In this paper, a new method based on a Fourier series representation is developed to couple a moving train to a track with discontinuous slab. A two-degree-of-freedom system is used to model a quarter of a train with four axles and two bogies moving on a track with constant velocity. The purpose of this work is to investigate the dynamic effect of slab discontinuity on trains running in underground railway tunnels, where the velocity is less than 100km/hr. For typical parameters of a train and a track, it is found that the force at the wheel-rail interface is only increased by 1% of its static value due to slab discontinuity. However, the dynamic effect may be more important in circumstances where high-speed or heavy-axled trains are used in underground tunnels.
Publication of “Handbook to Deal with Low Frequency Noise (2004)”
Authors: Kamigawara Kenji , Yue Jun-Ichi , Saito Teruhiko , Hirano Takashi ,   Exploratory Committee about Low Frequency Noise (Japan), Tokita Yasuo , Yamada Shinji , Inukai Yukio , Inoue Yasuo , Okuma Tsuneyasu , Okiyama Fumitoshi , Sato Toshihiko , Shioda Masazumi , Suzuki Youichi , Sebayashi Tsutae , Hirose Sho , Machida Nobuo , Ochiai Hiroaki
Published: September 2006

In August 2002, a technical committee on Low Frequency Noise (LFN) was established in INCE/Japan in response to the commission by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. In June 2004, the Ministry published the result of this study as “Handbook to Deal with Low Frequency Noise”, and the handbook suggests “reference values to deal with complaints, about low level Low Frequency Noise from stationary sound sources”. It is hoped that local governments will make use of this handbook for response to complaints, about Low Frequency Noise.
Simplified Modelling of Vehicle Interior Noise: Comparison of Analytical, Numerical and Experimental Approaches
Authors: Georgiev V.B. , Krylov V.V. , Winward R.E.T.B.
Published: September 2006

The present paper describes the results of the investigation of low and medium frequency vehicle interior noise carried out using simplified structural-acoustic models. Analytical, finite element (FE) and experimental studies are presented and compared. In particular, the analytical approach is based on the formula representing the interior acoustic pressure in terms of structural and acoustic normal modes. This procedure does not take into account the effect of the enclosed air on structural vibrations. The FE analysis considers structural vibration modes, interior acoustic modes, full structural-acoustic interaction and the resulting structure-borne noise. The above-mentioned analytical and numerical results are compared with each other, and both of them are compared with the experimental results obtained for the simplified reduced-scale vehicle model “QUASICAR” developed in Loughborough University. The comparisons demonstrate some specific features of the analytical and numerical approaches and outline the acceptable limits of simplification in modelling vehicle interior noise. Although this study is concerned with structure-borne vehicle interior noise, its results and conclusions could be of interest for a wider range of engineering problems, such as building acoustics and dynamics of thin shell structures.
Seismic Analysis of a Low-Rise Base-Isolated Structural System
Authors: Kaplan Halit , Aydilek Ahmet H.
Published: September 2006

A base-isolation system was developed for earthquake protection of low-rise structures. The system incorporates spherical supports for the base, a specially designed spring-cam system to keep the base supported under normal conditions, and moves for the duration of the earthquake under the constraint of a spring with optimized stiffness characteristics. The dynamic behaviour of a three-story concrete structure with and without the base isolation subjected to the Taft and El Centro earthquake loads was investigated. The results indicated that the absolute peak acceleration and displacement as well as shear forces decreased significantly with the application of a base isolation system, and it is possible to achieve 87 to 94% reduction in the maximum accelerations and transmitted forces. The movement of the base relative to the ground was less than 0.15 m in the optimized system, and the springs were not fully compressed at any time during application of the earthquake loads. The maximum induced vertical forces as a result of the spherical base support were found to be less than 1.5 % of the weight of the structure. Since the system performance is highly dependent on the rapid unlocking of the cams in the event of a seismic disturbance, careful consideration should be given to the optimal design of the spring-cam system.
Effects of Tightness of Bolts on the Damping of a MERO-Type Double Layer Grid
Authors: Pashaei M H , Davoodi M R , Nooshin H
Published: September 2006

Damping is a complex phenomenon in vibrating systems and is of interest to be understood and measured due to its important role in dynamic behaviour of the vibrating systems. The present work attempts to find out the damping ratio of a MERO-type double layer grid due to variations of the tightness of the bolts of the connections. The results of the 70 dynamic tests have been analysed and the effects of the variations of the bolt tightness on the damping ratio of the grid is discussed.
Evaluation of Geometrical Effect on Stress Distribution for Tubular T-Joints under Axial Load
Authors: Yong-Bo Shao , Seng-Tjhen Lie , Sing-Ping Chiew , Zhi-Wei Huang
Published: September 2006

For tubular T-joints subjected to axial load, the stress distribution along the weld toe can be predicted by some reported parametric equations in the literature. Conventional method indicates that the hot spot stress along the weld toe for tubular T-joints subjected to axial load is located at the saddle position. This conclusion is reliable when the thickness of the chord member of a tubular T-joint is relatively small. Alternatively, the hot spot stress is always fixed at the saddle position, when the geometrical parameter 7 (chord radius/chord thickness) is limited in a common range (12 ≤ γ ≤ 30) specified by CIDECT (2000). However, it is uncertain if this conclusion is still correct when the parameter γ is smaller than the above-specified range. In this study, the effect of geometrical parameters on the stress distribution for tubular T-joints subjected to axial load has been studied. First, a finite element method to model welded T-joints has been proposed, and the accuracy of this method to analyse the stress distribution along the weld toe of tubular T-joints has been verified by comparing numerical results with experimental results. Thereafter, 140 models of T-joints with different geometrical parameters have been analysed using finite element method. From the investigation on the numerical results, it has been found that the location of the hot spot stress along the weld toe is shifting between the crown and the saddle when the parameter γ varies. Thus, caution should be taken in practical engineering design when it is necessary to estimate the approximate position of the peak stress for tubular T-joints under axial load.
False confessions and the relationship with offending behaviour and personality among Danish adolescents
Authors: Steingrimsdottir Gunnthora , Hreinsdottir Hrafnhildur , Gudjonsson Gisli H. , Sigurdsson Jon Fridrik , Nielsen Thomas
Published: September 2006

Purpose. The main aim of the study was to examine false confessions to police, parents and teachers and their relationship to personality and self‐reported offending.

Method. The participants were 715 students in further education in Denmark. Each was asked about false admissions made to teachers and parents in the past, as well as about confessions or denials (true and false) made to the police during questioning. The participants completed questionnaires relating to offending and personality.

Results. Seventy‐three (10%) of the participants said they had been interrogated by the police, of whom thirty‐seven (51%) said they had committed the offence. Five (7%) said they had given a false confession to police, whereas one hundred and seven (15%) of the total sample said they had given a false confession to parents or teachers. False confessions to teachers and parents were best predicted by the rate of self‐reported offending and high compliance. The single most commonly reported reason for making a false confession was to protect a friend.

Conclusions. The findings in the present study corroborate many of those found in similar Icelandic studies, although there were some differences, including fewer people being interrogated in Denmark and a higher base‐rate of innocence of those interrogated. The study indicates that false confessions to police do happen on occasions which needs to be recognized by the authorities.
Crack Initiation Determination for Three-Point-Bend Specimens
Authors: Džugan J , Viehrig H-W
Published: September 2006

The paper deals with the determination of crack initiation for three-point-bend specimens during fracture toughness testing of materials in the upper transition and upper shelf region. In the presented study various published methods such as the Double Clip Gage Method, the Strain Near to Crack Tip Measurement method, the Double Displacement Method, the Compliance Changing Rate Method, and the Stretch Width Zone measurement were applied together with the methods using the crack extension versus crack mouth opening displacement and force versus displacement for the crack initiation determination. Blunting line based evaluation were also performed and all results were compared. The investigation was carried out on five different steels.
Shorter Time to Diagnosis and Improved Stage at Presentation in Swiss Patients With Retinoblastoma Treated From 1963 to 2004
Authors: Wallach Marjorie , Balmer Aubin , Munier Francis , Houghton Susan , Pampallona Sandro , von der Weid Nicolas , Beck-Popovic Maja ,   on behalf of the Swiss Pediatric Oncology Group and the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry
Published: September 2006

OBJECTIVES. Retinoblastoma is the most frequent intraocular malignancy in children. Early diagnosis is essential for globe salvage and patient survival. The aim of our study was to determine how time to diagnosis of retinoblastoma has evolved over a 40-year period in Switzerland.

METHOD AND PATIENTS. A retrospective study of 139 Swiss patients with retinoblastoma was performed comparing 3 periods: (1) 1963–1983; (2) 1984–1993; and (3) 1994–2004. Factors taken into account were gender, laterality of retinoblastoma, age at first symptoms, type and first observer of symptoms, time to diagnosis, age at diagnosis, disease stage, and family history.

RESULTS. Thirty-seven patients (26.6%) were treated in period 1, 44 (31.7%) in period 2, and 58 (41.7%) in period 3. Overall, the diagnostic interval decreased in a significant way from 6.97 months in period 1 to 3.58 in period 2 and to 2.25 in period 3. When looking separately at unilateral and bilateral disease, the decrease of the diagnostic interval remained statistically significant in unilateral retinoblastoma; there was also a significant reduction in the number of patients with advanced group E disease (Murphree classification) (61.5% in period 1, 46.7% in period 2, 22.2% in period 3). In bilateral disease, the same observations were made to a lesser extent. However, there were no cases with group E disease in 10 patients with positive family history. Leukocoria (48.2%) and strabismus (20.1%) were the 2 most frequent symptoms throughout the 3 periods. The only factors that statistically influenced the chances of having a diagnosis of group E disease were the diagnostic interval and period of diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS. Progress has been made in the diagnosis of retinoblastoma in Switzerland, notably in unilateral disease. Improvement to a lesser extent has also been observed in bilateral cases but without statistical significance. Greater effort is needed to teach physicians-in-training to recognize the importance of ocular symptoms and refer patients earlier.
“What Would Jesus Do?”: Practical Christianity, Social Gospel Realism, and the Homiletic Novel
Authors: Jackson Gregory S.
Published: September 2006

This essay makes the historical case for an unrecognized genre of fiction–the homiletic novel. Drawing on traditional Protestant interpretive practices, Social Gospel authors fused forms of spiritual identification rooted in Protestant homiletic exercises (catechisms, interactive allegories, conversion dramas) with practical Christianity's emerging ethic of social intervention, attaching older modes of readerly identification to new sites of literary culture. Homiletic novels democratized pastoral guidance and legitimized fiction as a repository of ethical experience. Through interactive fictions offering virtual models of spiritual agency in the material world, evangelicals prepared for real forays into urban poverty to intervene in human suffering. The homiletic novel became the most popular literary form of the Progressive Era and continues to flourish in the present–day American political, cultural, and religious environment. In tracing its rise and pervasive influence, this study revises conventional histories of literary genre by suggesting an alternative origin for American literary realism. (GSJ)
Tatau and Malu: Vital Signs in Contemporary Samoan Literature
Authors: Ellis Juniper
Published: September 2006

In two contemporary Samoan works, Albert Wendt's short story “The Cross of Soot” (1974) and Sia Figiel's novel They Who Do Not Grieve (1999), tattooing produces and proclaims the psychological and social place of the tattoo bearer. The tattoo signals the splitting or doubling of subjectivity, a mechanism by which the individual human subject is produced continually and repeatedly. The Samoan tatau creates not only Samoan subjects but also the English word tattoo and the French tatouage. Wendt and Figiel treat the production and movement of the tattoo in the Pacific and the world; they thus invite a cross-cultural critique of Lacan's theories of subjectivity, which present the tattoo as constitutive of the subject. Whereas Lacan's tattoo is disembodied and nonlocalized, Wendt and Figiel account for the tattoo's material and corporeal effects, its origins in Oceania, and its function in inaugurating a collective Samoan subject. (JE)
LaЗamon's Gift
Authors: Galloway Andrew
Published: September 2006

LaЗamon's Brut, from a moment in English literary and cultural history whose sense of tradition is particularly difficult for us to comprehend–a century and a half after the Norman Conquest, at the beginnings of Middle English–has a notoriously complex relation to England's past and traditions. This essay focuses on how The Brut takes a traditional social and literary preoccupation in pre-Conquest England, the lordly gift exchange, and expands it to explore a new range of spiritual gifts (or deceptive claims to them), including professional knowledge, counsel to the powerful, and literary fame. This expansion of the gift corresponds to broad cultural shifts as well as to more topical matters in King John's reign, the probable period of the poem's composition. The poem fashions itself as a gift in these volatile terms, repeatedly embracing an unknown literary future while it accurately limns some fundamental new features of Middle English literature. (AG)
Painting Counterfeit Canvases: American Memory Lienzos and European Imaginings of the Barbarian in Cervantes's Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda
Authors: Bearden Elizabeth
Published: September 2006

I propose a new reading of the intersection of image and text as a site for reworkings of barbarian identity in Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's last work, Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda: Historia setentrional (1617). Through narrative manipulations of the half–barbarian character Antonio el mozo's relation to painting, Cervantes crafts complex interrelations among American pictographic language, European alphabetism, and colonial models of barbarian identity to demonstrate the adaptability and ingenuity of indigenous people. I analyze the function of ekphrastic passages that reflect American pictographic language and demonstrate the influence of Mexican painting on the literature of the Spanish golden age. Descriptions of paintings in the Persiles ultimately provide a metafictional critique of European paradigms of graphic representation and challenge the authority of European colonial rationalizations of power dynamics in the New World. (EB)
Blakespotting
Authors: Goode Mike
Published: September 2006

This essay argues that our inability to map the circulation of William Blake's proverbs in contemporary Anglo-American culture is critically and politically instructive. Opening historicist literary criticism and reception study out to each other, I contend that mainstream citations of the proverbs today point the historicist critic to the radical political potential that Blake's poetic form possessed (but never successfully unleashed) in the original historical contexts in which Blake wrote. Understanding the proverb form and its centrality to Blake's poetry sheds light on how and why his work resists analysis through familiar literary-historical categories like text, corpus, reader, and reading formation. Recognizing this resistance clarifies in turn how, through its use of proverbs and proverblike sentences, his poetry constituted a heterogeneous regulatory challenge to the regulatory power of systems of laws–common, religious, and divine. (MG)
Global Turns and Cautions in Rhetoric and Composition Studies
Authors: Hesford Wendy S.
Published: September 2006

In her 2003 Presidential Address to the American Studies Association, Amy Kaplan suggests that current crises have “exposed certain limitations of our available tools” (2). Kaplan's address reflects the move beyond the traditionally nationalist concerns of American studies, but her appeal to think more critically about disciplinary identities and methods at this point in our nation's history has wider implications. Alarmed by the “uncanny mirroring” between the lexicon of the champions of empire and that of its critics, Kaplan urges scholars “to do more than expose the imperialistic appropriation of the name America and then turn away from it” (2, 10). Embracing the transnational turn in American studies, Kaplan calls for a comparative historical approach that recognizes the ideological force of “America” and that understands how “America” “changes shape in relation to competing claims to that name and by creating demonic others, drawn in proportions as mythical and monolithic as the idea of America itself” (11).
Interdisciplinary Opera Studies
Authors: Hutcheon Linda
Published: September 2006

I hold this truth to be self-evident: that an art form consisting of a literary text, a dramatic stage performance, and music should be studied in all its multimedia and “multimediated” dimensions (Kramer,Opera25). Today I can make this statement with confidence because the academic study of opera indeed covers all those aesthetic bases, but that has not always been the case. So long as opera fell primarily within the domain of musicology, it was studied first and foremost as music alone. The fact that the music was written for a specific dramatic text was not deemed particularly significant. The very name given to that text betrayed a belief in its secondariness: the diminutivelibretto.But things have been changing: in recent years, some musicologists have challenged the dominant positivistic historicism and formalism of their discipline; some have even looked to literary theory for inspiration, bringing new approaches to the music of opera through narratology (e.g., Abbate) or semiotics (e.g., Nattiez). But just as important for opening up the study of opera as an aesthetic and cultural form has been the attention of scholars working in other disciplines. To take but one example, Peter Rabinowitz's rhetorical narrative theory introduced new ways of thinking about opera as narrative, not only as drama and, more pointedly, not only as drama with thecomposerin the role of dramatist (Kerman). It was opera, not dance, for example, that became a focus for interdisciplinary studies; already multimediated, it attracted diverse lines of inquiry. To cite the title of David Levin's groundbreaking 1994 volume, we can now see “opera through other eyes.” (Musical theater too has been seen through other—especially literary—eyes, but that is not the focus of this piece [see, e.g., Most; Miller; Rabinowitz].)
Art, Truth & Politics
Authors: Pinter Harold
Published: September 2006

In 1958 I wrote the following: ‘there are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false.‘
Generative Acts: Family and Community Involvement of Older Australians
Authors: Warburton Jeni , McLaughlin Deirdre , Pinsker Donna
Published: September 2006

The article adopts a developmental approach to successful human aging by exploring the concept of generativity in relation to a study of older Australians' lived experiences of involvement in the family and community. Qualitative data, collected through focus group interviews, were analyzed interpretively using recent developments in Erikson's theory of generativity as a framework. As a result, the present study contributes an in-depth understanding of the role of generative acts to the lives of older people. The data provide illustrative support for Erikson's contention of a generativity/stagnation crisis in later life. Involvement in the family and community is seen as a productive and generative activity, which promotes a positive experience of aging. Two further emergent themes are also explored. First, the experiences of study participants illustrate the reciprocal and cyclical nature of grand-generativity, and the importance of intergenerational relationships. Finally, the data contribute to our knowledge of cultural generativity, and in particular the passing on of cultural knowledge through narratives and modeling.
Expansion of Elderly Couples' Iadl Caregiver Networks beyond the Marital Dyad
Authors: Feld Sheila , Dunkle Ruth E. , Schroepfer Tracy , Shen Huei-Wern
Published: September 2006

Factors influencing expansion of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) caregiver networks beyond the spouse/partner were studied, using data from the Asset and Health Dynamics among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) nationally representative sample of American elders (ages 70 and older). Analyses were based on 427 Black and White couples in which one partner regularly received IADL assistance; nearly 20% had expanded networks. Logistic regression showed expanded networks were significantly more likely when spouses had IADL or basic personal activity of everyday living (ADL) limitations and help recipients were wives or had numerous IADL or ADL limitations; they also tended to be more common ( p < .10) for couples with numerous nearby daughters and help recipients with proxies and those without serious cognitive problems. Network expansion was unrelated to recipients' number of health conditions and Medicaid coverage or couples' ages, marital duration, income, and number of proximate sons. Implications for service programs and caregiving theories of the circumstances linked to IADL assistance from outside the marital dyad are discussed.
Life Review: Implementation, Theory, Research, and Therapy
Authors: Haber David
Published: September 2006

A selective literature review of publications on life review generated ideas on implementation, theory, research, and therapy. The review begins by differentiating life review from reminiscence, and summarizing ways to conduct a life review. A dozen theories that have been influenced by the life review technique are presented, with a focus placed on Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Erikson's theory has not only been influenced by the life review, it has had a major impact on life review research. Three research topics are discussed: Erikson's ego integrity versus despair in old age, demographical differences in the practice of life reviews, and the impact of conducting life reviews on staff in institutional settings. Most practitioners of life reviews are institutional staff, university students, and family members, many of whom have had limited prior training. The prospect of a certified life review training program is discussed.
Oligonucleotides bearing pentaerythritol-derived mass tags
Authors: Kiviniemi Anu , Heinonen Petri , Lönnberg Harri
Published: September 2006

Five different di-O-alkylated pentaerythritol phosphoramidite building blocks (2a–e) were synthesized and introduced into oligonucleotides to obtain mass-tagged probes (6a–f) useful in RNA transcription profiling. These non-nucleosidic mass tags allow categorization of oligonucleotide probes having identical nucleoside content and, hence, identification of the probe hybridized to RNA by mass spectrometry analysis. Hybridization properties of the oligonucleotide conjugates were elucidated by melting temperature measurements.
Biomarkers in breast cancer
Authors: Laguens Graciela , Coronato Silvia , Girolamo Wanda
Published: September 2006

Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers among women in the western world. Due to the aggressive behaviour of some specific types and the possibility of an early diagnosis, breast cancer has been constantly studied. Tumour size, histological type, cellular and nuclear characteristics, mitotic index, vascular invasion, hormonal receptors and axillary lymph node status are biomarkers routinely used. However, these parameters are not enough to predict the course of this disease. Molecular biology advances have made it possible to find new markers, which have already been incorporated to the clinical practice. Their ultimate goal is to reduce mortality by identifying women at risk for the development of this disease, help diagnosis, determine prognosis, detect recurrences, monitor and guide treatment, and in particular cancers they are suited for general screening. Tumour markers in breast cancer were ranked in categories reflecting their clinical utility, according to the American College of Pathologists.

This article focuses on traditional and new molecular markers stratifying them into categories and emphasizing their relevance in the routine evaluation of patients with breast cancer.
AtGRP7 is involved in the regulation of abscisic acid and stress responses in arabidopsis
Authors: Cao Shuqing , Jiang Li , Song Shiyong , Jing Ran , Xu Guosheng
Published: September 2006

The Arabidopsis AtGRP7 gene, encoding a glycine-rich RNA-binding protein, has been shown to be involved in the regulation of a circadian-regulated negative feedback loop. However, little is known about the role of AtGRP7 in mediating abscisic acid (ABA) and stress responses. Here, we show that AtGRP7 plays a role in both. AtGRP7 was repressed by ABA, high salt and mannitol. Disruption of AtGRP7 by T-DNA insertion led to hypersensitive responses to ABA in both seed germination and root growth assays. The atgrp7-1 mutant was also hypersensitive to osmotic stress conditions, such as high salt and high concentrations of mannitol. In addition, the atgrp7-1 mutant plants accumulated significantly higher transcript levels of two ABA-and stress-inducible genes, RD29A and RAB18, compared with the wild-type plants. Taken together, these results suggest that AtGRP7 is involved in the regulation of ABA and stress responses.
The content of carbohydrates in larval stages of Anisakis simplex (Nematoda, Anisakidae)
Authors: Łopieńska-Biernat E. , Żółtowska K. , Rokicki J.
Published: September 2006

The content of carbohydrates in L3 and L4 larvae of Anisakis simplex (defined by Rokicki J.) was studied. Glycogen and trehalose were their major reserve sugars. The concentration of saccharides in L4 larvae was 2–3-times higher than in L3 larvae. The content of glycogen was 3.68 ± 1.24 mg/g tissue in L3 larvae and 11.68 ± 1.21 mg/g tissue in L4 larvae. Trehalose represented 16.17 % of soluble sugars in L3 larvae and 43.04 % in L4 larvae. The contents of maltose, higher polymers of glucose (1.5-times) and myoinositol (1.2-times) in L4 were higher than in L3 larvae. After starving the L3 larvae of the parasite for 48 h at 4°C, the contents of trehalose increased 5-fold and that of glycogen by 20 %, while at 37°C the contents of glycogen was ca. 30 % higher and that of trehalose 40 % less than in larvae freshly isolated from the host (p < 0.01). The data obtained during starving the L3 larvae of A. simplex may be a consequence the role of trehalose as protective compound at stress condition. We suggest that probably in higher temperatures it acts as first a source of energy, and it also might serve to restore the levels of glycogen.
Parasitic helminths from feral raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Japan
Authors: Matoba Y. , Yamada D. , Asano M. , Oku Y. , Kitaura K. , Yagi K. , Tenora F. , Asakawa M.
Published: September 2006

An epidemiological survey of 1688 free-ranging raccoons (Procyon lotor) captured on the Japanese main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu and Kyushu was undertaken to determine whether Baylisascaris procyonis, which provokes fatal neurological larva migrans was present; however, the worm was not detected in any of these individuals. A helminthological investigation was carried out on 229 of the captured racoons and the following worms obtained: Toxocara tanuki, Porrocaecum sp., Molineus legerae, Ancylostoma kushimaense, Aonchotheca putorii, Centrorhynchus sp., Centrorhynchus bazaleticus, C. elongatum, Plagiorhynchidae gen sp., Hemiechinosoma sp., Metagonimus takahashii, M. miyatai, Euparyphium sp., Plagiorchis muris, Brachylaima sp., and Taenia hydatigena. These were the first records of Porrocaecum sp., M. miyatai, Brachylaima sp. and T. hydatigena obtained from Japanese feral raccoons. Scanning electron microscopic and/or molecular analyses were performed for both T. tanuki and T. hydatigena as these helminths both have a zoonotic counterpart amongst their families.