bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molekularbiologische Methoden zur Bestimmung der NA-Antigene
Authors: Bux J. , Stein E.-L. , Santoso S. , Mueller-Eckhardt C.
Published: October 2010

Of the granulocyte-specific antigens, the NA1 and NA2 antigens are of most clinical importance. Since isolation of a sufficient number of granulocytes for serotyping is often not possible from the patient’s blood samples, we adapted the techniques of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) and PCR with subsequent hybridization of sequence-specific oligonucleotides (PCR-SSO) for DNA-based NA typing. The DNA typing results of altogether 114 individuals were compared with the phenotypes determined by the antigen capture assay MAIGA and the granulocyte immunofluorescence test. The DNA typing and the MAIGA results correlated perfectly, whereas by immunofluorescence mistyping rates of 15 and 17%, respectively, were observed. Our results indicate that for reliable NA typing a DNA-based technique or the MAIGA assay should be used.
Association of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms From 17 Candidate Genes With Baseline Symptom-Limited Exercise Test Duration and Decrease in Duration Over 20 Years
Authors: Sarzynski Mark A. , Rankinen Tuomo , Sternfeld Barbara , Grove Megan L. , Fornage Myriam , Jacobs David R. , Sidney Stephen , Bouchard Claude
Published: October 2010

Background—

It is not known whether the genes involved with endurance performance during young adulthood are also involved with changes in performance. We examined the associations of gene variants with symptom-limited exercise test duration at baseline and decrease in duration over 20 years.

Methods and Results—

A total of 3783 (1835 black, 1948 white) and 2335 (1035 black, 1300 white) participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study were included in the baseline and 20-year models, respectively. Two hundred seventeen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in black participants and 171 in white participants from 17 genes were genotyped. In blacks, 5 SNPs in the
ATP1A2
,
HIF1A
,
NOS3
, and
PPARGC1A
loci tended to be associated (
P
<0.05) with baseline duration in a multivariate regression model. Blacks (n=99) with at least 4 of the most-favorable genotypes at these loci had an ≈2-minute longer baseline duration than those with only 2 such genotypes (
P
<0.0001). In whites, the
HIF1A
rs1957757 and
PPARGC1A
rs3774909 markers tended to be associated with baseline duration, but the association of a multimarker construct of the most-favorable genotypes at both SNPs with baseline duration was not statistically significant. In whites, 4 SNPs in the
AGT
,
AMPD1
,
ANG
, and
PPARGC1A
loci tended to be associated with decrease in exercise duration over 20 years, and those with all 4 favorable genotypes (n=40) had a 0.8-minute less decline in duration compared with those with none or 1 (n=232) (
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

In multimarker constructs, alleles at genes related to skeletal muscle Na
+
/K
+
transport, hypoxia, and mitochondrial metabolism are associated with symptom-limited exercise test duration over time in adults.
Metformin Use and Mortality in Ambulatory Patients With Diabetes and Heart Failure
Authors: Aguilar David , Chan Wenyaw , Bozkurt Biykem , Ramasubbu Kumudha , Deswal Anita
Published: October 2010

Background—

Despite the common coexistence of diabetes and heart failure (HF), the optimal medial treatment of diabetes in HF patients has not been well studied. We sought to compare the association between metformin use and clinical outcomes in a cohort of ambulatory patients with diabetes and established HF.

Methods and Results—

Using propensity score–matched samples, we examined the association between metformin use and the risk of death or risk of hospitalization in a national cohort of 6185 patients with HF and diabetes treated in ambulatory clinics at Veteran Affairs medical centers. In this cohort, 1561 (25.2%) patients were treated with metformin. At 2 years of follow-up, death occurred in 246 (15.8%) patients receiving metformin and in 1177 (25.5%) patients not receiving metformin (
P
<0.001). In the propensity score–matched analysis (n=2874), death occurred in 232 (16.1%) patients receiving metformin compared with 285 (19.8%) patients not receiving metformin (hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.63 to 0.92;
P
<0.01). In propensity score–matched analyses, HF hospitalization or total hospitalization rates were not significantly different between individuals treated with metformin compared with those not treated with metformin (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.74 to 1.18; and hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.83 to 1.07, respectively).

Conclusions—

Metformin therapy was associated with lower rates of mortality in ambulatory patients with diabetes and HF. Future prospective studies are necessary to define the optimal therapy for diabetic patients with HF.
Association Between Aneurysm Shoulder Stress and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Expansion
Authors: Li Zhi-Yong , Sadat Umar , U-King-Im Jean , Tang Tjun Y. , Bowden David J. , Hayes Paul D. , Gillard Jonathan H.
Published: October 2010

Background—

Aneurysm expansion rate is an important indicator of the potential risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture. Stress within the AAA wall is also thought to be a trigger for its rupture. However, the association between aneurysm wall stresses and expansion of AAA is unclear.

Methods and Results—

Forty-four patients with AAAs were included in this longitudinal follow-up study. They were assessed by serial abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography scans if a critical size was reached or a rapid expansion occurred. Patient-specific 3-dimensional AAA geometries were reconstructed from the follow-up computed tomography images. Structural analysis was performed to calculate the wall stresses of the AAA models at both baseline and final visit. A nonlinear large-strain finite element method was used to compute the wall-stress distribution. The relationship between wall stresses and expansion rate was investigated. Slowly and rapidly expanding aneurysms had comparable baseline maximum diameters (median, 4.35 cm [interquartile range, 4.12 to 5.0 cm] versus 4.6 cm [interquartile range, 4.2 to 5.0 cm];
P
=0.32). Rapidly expanding AAAs had significantly higher shoulder stresses than slowly expanding AAAs (median, 300 kPa [interquartile range, 280 to 320 kPa] versus 225 kPa [interquartile range, 211 to 249 kPa];
P
=0.0001). A good correlation between shoulder stress at baseline and expansion rate was found (
r
=0.71;
P
=0.0001).

Conclusion—

A higher shoulder stress was found to have an association with a rapidly expanding AAA. Therefore, it may be useful for estimating the expansion of AAAs and improve risk stratification of patients with AAAs.
Hyperlipidemia-Triggered Neutrophilia Promotes Early Atherosclerosis
Authors: Drechsler Maik , Megens Remco T.A. , van Zandvoort Marc , Weber Christian , Soehnlein Oliver
Published: October 2010

Background—

Inflammation and activation of immune cells are key mechanisms in the development of atherosclerosis. Previous data indicate important roles for monocytes and T lymphocytes in lesion formation, whereas the contribution of neutrophils remains to be firmly established. Here, we investigate the effect of hypercholesterolemia on peripheral neutrophil counts, neutrophil recruitment to atherosclerotic lesions, and the importance of neutrophils in atherosclerotic lesion formation in
Apoe
−/−
mice.

Methods and Results—

Hypercholesterolemia induces neutrophilia, which was attributable to enhanced granulopoiesis and enhanced mobilization from the bone marrow. The degree of hypercholesterolemia-induced neutrophilia was positively correlated with the extent of early atherosclerotic lesion formation. In turn, neutropenic mice display reduced plaque sizes at early but not late stages of atherosclerotic lesion formation. Flow cytometry of enzymatically digested aortas further shows altered cellular plaque composition in neutropenic mice with reduced numbers of inflammatory monocytes and macrophages. Aortic neutrophil infiltration peaks 4 weeks after the start of a high-fat diet and decreases afterward. The recruitment of neutrophils to large arteries was found to depend on CCR1, CCR2, CCR5, and CXCR2, which contrasts to peripheral venous recruitment, which requires CCR2 and CXCR2 only. The involvement of CCR1 and CCR5 corresponded to the endothelial deposition of the platelet-derived chemokine CCL5 in arteries but not in veins.

Conclusions—

Our data provide evidence that hypercholesterolemia-induced neutrophilia is multifactorial and that neutrophils infiltrate arteries primarily during early stages of atherosclerosis. Collectively, these data suggest an important role of neutrophils in the initiation of atherosclerosis.
The Horse’s Tale: Narratives of Caring for/about Horses
Authors: Hockenhull Joanna , Birke Lynda , Creighton Emma
Published: October 2010

In this paper, we report on a study of people who keep horses for leisure riding; the study was based on a qualitative (discourse) analysis of written comments made by people keeping horses, focusing on how they care for them and how they describe horse behavior. These commentaries followed participation in an online survey investigating management practices. The responses clustered around two significant themes: the first centered around people’s methods of caring for their animal and the dependence of such care upon external influences like human social contexts. The second theme centers on the “life stories” people constructed for their horse, usually to explain aspects of the animal’s behavior; in particular, many spoke in terms of a rescue narrative and saw their horses’ lives as being much better now than in the animal’s (imagined) previous life situation. We argue that decisions about equine well-being are made within specific social communities, which create consensus around particular ideas of what is good for horses (or other animals). To ensure the well-being of animals means taking these communities and their knowledges into account.
Horses in the South African War, c. 1899-1902
Authors: Swart Sandra
Published: October 2010

This essay discusses the role of horses in war through the lens of their mortality in the South African War (1899-1902). This conflict was the biggest and most modern of the numerous precolonial and colonial wars that raged across the southern African subcontinent in the late nineteenth century. Aside from the human cost, the theater of war carried a heavy environmental toll, with the scorched-earth policy shattering the rural economy. The environmental charge extended to animals. Both sides relied on mounted troops, and the casualties suffered by these animals were on a massive scale. This is widely regarded as proportionally the most devastating waste of horseflesh in military history up until that time. This paper looks at the material context of—and reasons for—equine casualties and discusses the cultural dimension of equine mortality and how combatants on both sides were affected by this intimate loss.
Zoroastrian Attitudes toward Animals
Authors: Foltz Richard
Published: October 2010

The ancient religion of Zoroastrianism devotes considerable attention to relations between human and nonhuman animals. All animal species are seen as being in one of two categories—either beneficent or malevolent, aligned either with the forces of good or with the forces of evil in an ongoing cosmic battle. Humans should treat each species accordingly, zealously protecting “beneficent” species while ruthlessly exterminating “malevolent” ones. Zoroastrian attitudes toward nonhuman animals have likely had a range of influences, both positive and negative, on those found in other traditions, especially Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The Possible Role of Companion-Animal Anthropomorphism and Social Support in the Physical and Psychological Health of Dog Guardians
Authors: Duvall Antonacopoulos Nikolina M. , Pychyl Timothy A.
Published: October 2010

While previous research suggests that individuals who humanize their companion animals may have insufficient human social support (Epley, Waytz, & Cacioppo, 2007), researchers have not examined the relation between companion-animal anthropomorphism and the health of animal guardians while taking into consideration their human social support levels. It was hypothesized that dog guardians with low levels of human social support would have poorer health if they engaged in high rather than low levels of anthropomorphism, while the health of dog guardians with high levels of human social support would not vary depending on their anthropomorphism levels. A sample of 203 Canadian dog guardians completed an online survey. Results revealed that, among dog guardians with low levels of human social support, those who engaged in high levels of anthropomorphism were more depressed, visited the doctor more often, and took more medications. Furthermore, among dog guardians with high levels of human social support, those who engaged in high levels of anthropomorphism were more stressed and depressed. These findings highlight the complexity of the relationship between anthropomorphic behavior, human social support, and dog guardians’ health.
Human Uniqueness in the Age of Ape Language Research
Authors: Trachsel Mary
Published: October 2010

This paper summarizes the debate on human uniqueness launched by Charles Darwin’s publication of The Origin of Species in 1859. In the progress of this debate, Noam Chomsky’s introduction of the Language-Acquisition Device (LAD) in the mid-1960s marked a turn to the machine model of mind that seeks human uniqueness in uniquely human components of neural circuitry. A subsequent divergence from the machine model can be traced in the short history of ape language research (ALR). In the past fifty years, the focus of ALR has shifted from the search for behavioral evidence of syntax in the minds of individual apes to participant-observation of coregulated interactions between humans and nonhuman apes. Rejecting the computational machine model of mind, the laboratory methodologies of ALR scientists Tetsuro Matsuzawa and Sue Savage-Rumbaugh represent a worldview coherent with Darwin’s continuity hypothesis.
Critique of a Critique: Do Zoos and Aquariums Promote Attitude Change in Visitors?
Authors: Falk John H. , Heimlich Joe E. , Vernon Cynthia L. , Bronnenkant Kerry
Published: October 2010

Marino et al. (2010) recently published a critique of a three-year National Science Foundation—funded investigation of the impact of zoo and aquarium visits on the public’s understanding of animals and their attitudes toward conservation (Falk, Heimlich, & Bronnenkant, 2008; Falk, Reinhard, Vernon, Bronnenkant, Deans, & Heimlich, 2007; Heimlich, Bronnenkant, Witgert, & Falk, 2004). This critique of that critique will show that Marino et al. seriously misrepresent both the intent of the research and the methods used. The methods used by Falk and his colleagues were consistent with current, accepted research practice and their conclusions regarding impact were congruent with a growing body of scientific research (National Research Council, 2009; Ballantyne et al., 2007) showing that visits to zoos and aquariums almost always result in enhanced scientific understanding and strengthened beliefs in the value of nature conservation.
Two Trips across One Globe: Earth and Planet Earth Fothergill, A., & Linfield, M. (Directors). (2007). Earth [Documentary]. United States: Disneynature. Fothergill, A. (Director). (2006). Planet Earth. [Television series]. United Kingdom: BBC/Greenlight Media/Discovery Channel.
Authors: Woodson Mary Beth
Published: October 2010

This review explores the twin documentaries Earth and Planet Earth. Both are structured with the same goal of exploring our planet and its nonhuman animal inhabitants, but they diverge in approach. Using Disney’s “True-Life Adventure” series as an ideal, the view of human-nonhuman animal relations presented in Earth differs from the one presented in Planet Earth. While the former relies strongly on a purified image that mirrors traditional (Western, human) ideals, the latter presents an image that is both less “neat” and less reliant on attributing humanlike qualities to nonhuman animals. There are some similarities, however, especially regarding the human role in the future survival of the planet’s nonhuman animals.
The Parting of Being: On Creation and Sharing in Nancy’s Political Ontology
Authors: Brogan Walter
Published: October 2010

I expose facets of Nancy’s notion of being singular plural. Nancy’s political ontology overcomes the metaphysical dualism of theory and practice by thinking the space of the between as primary. Nancy’s treatment of the event of creation and the presence of the divine rethink meta-physical notions of origin and God in a way that emphasizes the parting of unity and the plurality of the world. Nancy thinks the everyday and the existential together by affirming the importance of curiosity and wonder in the face of what is. Nancy offers an ontology of space (being-with) that uncovers what it means to be in touch as a way of being.
The Exposure of Grace: Dimensionality in Late Heidegger
Authors: Mitchell Andrew J.
Published: October 2010

Heidegger’s reflections on grace culminate in the years 1949-54 where grace names a figure for the ineluctable exposure of existence. Heidegger rethinks the relationship between what exists and the world in which it is found as one that is always open to grace. For Heidegger, this world is what he terms the “dimension” between earth and sky. The relationship is only possible where existence is no longer construed as a self-contained presence but instead is thought as something between presence and absence. In this essay, Heidegger’s references to grace in five contexts are considered: the 1949 Bremen lectures, the 1951 essay “... Poetically Dwells Man...,” the 1953 “Dialogue on Language,” the 1951 lecture on “Language,” and the 1954 speech at his nephew’s ordination.
The Art of Truth
Authors: Schufreider Gregory
Published: October 2010

In The Truth in Painting, Derrida insists that Heidegger’s treatment of “a famous picture by Van Gogh” marks “a moment of pathetic collapse.” While we would agree, we would insist that this example does not render Heidegger’s entire philosophy of art suspect. Instead, if his reading of Van Gogh’s painting is “derisory and symptomatic,” it is nonetheless “significant,” if only insofar as it provides an indication of Heidegger’s underestimation of the plastic arts in favor of the elevation of poetry—an underestimation that may be corrected in light of what we might regard as his true philosophy of art. Our aim, then, is to see (with some help from Derrida) what Heidegger could have seen in looking at Van Gogh’s Old Shoes were the work not reduced to an illustration in a presentation whose destination is poetry, not painting. What, in other words, would Van Gogh’s painting look like were we to view it in light of “The Origin of the Work of Art,” assuming that the latter does not require insistence on the priority of linguistic work but on the creation of a truth that belongs to the Earth, in the case in point, as the ground of painting?
The Primacy of Disruption in Levinas’ Account of Transcendence
Authors: Sealey Kris
Published: October 2010

I present ‘disruption’ as what is most fundamental to Levinas’ account of transcendence. I argue that one should read his treatment of the Other as a modulation of transcendence, and prioritize the structures of positionality and solitude as the conditions that make transcendence possible. Hence, Being is transcended insofar as these structures have ‘always already’ articulated the rupturing of the subject, which, for Levinas, constitutes her transcending. Included in my argument is a critique of reading Levinas’ project as undermining the fundamentally solitary nature of human existence because of his focus on alterity. Such a reading reduces Levinas’ account of alterity, instead of maintaining its signification as that which is ‘never there.’ It is the solitary existent who is vulnerable before an ‘already gone by’ alterity, such that her subjectivity is radically disrupted. For Levinas, an encounter with alterity is the agony of finding no one, or having nowhere, from which I can be granted wholeness or justification. It follows that transcendence is fundamentally concretized in a positioned solitude, and not in some inter-subjective space.
The Originary Wherein: Heidegger and Nishida on “the Sacred” and “the Religious”
Authors: Krummel John W. M.
Published: October 2010

In this paper, I explore a possible convergence between two great twentieth century thinkers, Nishida Kitarō of Japan and Martin Heidegger of Germany. The focus is on the quasi-religious language they employ in discussing the grounding of human existence in terms of an encompassing Wherein for our being. Heidegger speaks of “the sacred” and “the passing of the last god” that mark an empty clearing wherein all metaphysical absolutes or gods have withdrawn but are simultaneously indicative of an opening wherein beings are given. Nishida speaks of “the religious” dimension in the depths of one’s being, that he calls “place,” and that somehow envelops the world through its kenotic self-negation. In both we find reference to a kind of originary space—the open or place—associated with quasireligious themes. I also point to their distinct approaches to metaphysical language in their attempts to give voice to that abysmal thought.
The Content and Meaning of the Transition from the Theory of Relations in Philosophy of Arithmetic to the Mereology of the Third Logical Investigation
Authors: Vassiliou Fotini
Published: October 2010

In the third Logical Investigation Husserl presents an integrated theory of wholes and parts based on the notions of dependency, foundation (Fundierung), and aprioricity. Careful examination of the literature reveals misconceptions regarding the meaning and scope of the central axis of this theory, especially with respect to its proper context within the development of Husserl’s thought. The present paper will establish this context and in the process correct a number of these misconceptions. The presentation of mereology in the Logical Investigations will be shown to originate largely from Husserl’s implicit self-criticism of his prior views on the unity of a whole presented in his first work, Philosophy of Arithmetic.
Strategies for Closing the Educational Gaps among Palestinian Couples in Israel
Authors: Azaiza Faisal , Abu-Baker Khawla
Published: October 2010

This study deals with attitudes and mechanisms among Palestinian couples who have been married a long time and have educational gaps between husband and wife. Thirty-three couples—married for at least 20 years, and at the time of their marriage the difference in their educational levels was at least six years or two academic degrees—were chosen from the three religious groups (19 Muslim couples, 10 Christian couples and 4 Druze couples). The methodology was qualitative, and in-depth interview was conducted with each participant. The study’s findings indicate that educational compatibility between husband and wife was not a determining factor for men in choosing their future wives. Men who are more educated than their wives do not invest in women’s education, while women make the upgrading of their husbands’ education their major marital project. This study shows that patriarchal values in Arab families supersede other modernizing factors such as education or occupation of women.
Epistemic Authority of Women in the Medieval Middle East
Authors: Ragab Ahmed
Published: October 2010

The article is formed of two parts. In the first part, it addresses a methodological concern related to the usage of Muslim religious texts as sources for analyzing the history of women in the Middle East. In the second part, the article engages the epistemic authority of women in the medieval Middle East through the analysis of the way such authority was constructed in bibliographical dictionaries and necrologies. The article argues that women enjoyed circumstantial epistemic authority and that the legitimization of this authority usually involved a complicated socio-cultural process involving the presence of qualifying reasons and corroborating empirical evidence.
How do Qatari Females Make it to the Top? An Examination of the Organizational Constraints to their Advancement
Authors: Al Muftah Hend Abdalrahman
Published: October 2010

Although Qatari females have increased their economic participation and reached remarkable educational attainment over the last decade, this has not been paralleled with good representation at management position. Accordingly, this study was initiated with the aim to identify the main organizational constrains encountered by Qatari females throughout their careers. The study revealed that Qatari females are still very lowly representated at senior management levels although they have made good progress at medium and lower levels of management. It is also indicated that no current discrimination is made against Qatari females in terms of selection and recruiting, working hours, training, engagement in critical projects and compensation. However, the study reported that promoting Qatari females is still at low pace. Gender-specific as females’ family commitments was reported as the main constrain to their promotion from the males’ perspective and gender-difference as uncertainty of real increased responsibilities and authorities level were the main constraint to females’ promotion from the females’ perspective. The study ends by recommending, on the absence of major organizational discrimination, that greater inclusiveness of Qatari females in decision-making positions and greater accountability of organization to advance females should be considered critically in order to ensure the ease advancement of Qatari females to the top.
Preparing for the Women of the Future: Literacy and Development in the Sultanate of Oman
Authors: Yusuf Issan Salha Abdullah
Published: October 2010

Human resources play a key role in socio-economic growth and development in any society. Over the past forty years, research into various educational indicators particularly adult literacy rates and population enrollment in higher education institutions, indicate significant progress made towards gender equality in Oman. Omani women have shown remarkable attainment in entrance examinations at higher educational institutions, and they have also achieved noteworthy academic performance in their respectable fields of study. Although, women have had greater success in their educational achievements, this is not reflected in their participation in the labour market.The purpose of this essay is to analyze Oman’s educational reform, its successes and challenges, relative to the overall development objectives of the country, with particular emphasis on the female population as actors in/beneficiaries of the reform.
Catholic Treason Trials in Elizabethan England. Complexities and Ambiguities in the Stage Management of a Public Show: The Case of William Parry
Authors: Danou Photini
Published: October 2010

This article discusses complexities and ambiguities that arose during the proceedings of a Catholic treason trial. The analysis proceeds by way of a case study of the trial of William Parry who was one of Lord Burghley’s spies. Despite having confessed plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth, during his performance in his trial Parry decided to change his story and retract his putatively voluntary confession. Based on Parry’s trial records this essay draws attention to the contesting discourses of patriotism and treason that were produced during the court procedures, suggesting that treason trials in Elizabethan England could not always be conducted safely nor controlled so as to produce the desired propaganda for the crown. The mise en scene by the authorities of a public show trial was one thing; its actual administration, quite another. Punishers and defendants interacted in the communicative space of the trial and through that interaction there emerged a multiplicity of possibilities, of interpretations and appropriations, of meanings and understandings.
Across Europe: Educational Travelling of German Noblemen in a Comparative Perspective
Authors: Leibetseder Mathis
Published: October 2010

In recent years, cultural historians interested in the Grand Tour have written divided histories focusing on travelers from one particular nation or region. Drawing from what these researchers report on educational traveling as well as from primary sources, it is now possible to put the Grand Tour into a European perspective. As to travelers from Germany, there is a wide scope of source material at hand, comprising funeral sermons, university rolls, travelogues, travel accounts, and correspondence. As a comparative perspective clearly reveals, educational travelling was vital in shaping the identity of gentlemanly travelers. Though starting out as a transnational social practice common to most aristocrats from northern and eastern Europe and to a lesser degree also to the nobilities from Romance countries, it contributed to sharpen notions of “the own” and “the other” towards the end of the Early Modern Period.
Between Chimera and Charybdis: Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Views on the Political Organization of the Italian City-States
Authors: Syros Vasileios
Published: October 2010

This article offers a detailed investigation of Byzantine and post-Byzantine perceptions of the political organization of the Italian city-states. Drawing on philosophical and historical writing produced by Byzantine and post-Byzantine authors between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries, it identifies the main patterns and motifs that informed Byzantine discourse about the constitutional arrangements of such Italian cities as Genoa, Venice, Florence, and Milan. It shows how these come into play in the writings of major figures of Byzantine and post-Byzantine intellectual life such as Theodoros Metochites, John Kantakouzenos, Nikephoros Gregoras, George of Trebizond, Cardinal Bessarion, Laonikos Chalkokondyles, and John Kottunios. It also explores the ways in which the classical legacy of political thought was applied by Byzantine writers in their analysis of various constitutional forms. The findings of this survey provide new insights into cross-cultural exchanges between the Byzantine world and medieval and early modern Europe and the formation of Byzantine identity.
Regional Differences in South American Monsoon Precipitation Inferred from the Growth and Isotopic Composition of Tropical Trees*
Authors: Ballantyne A. P. , Baker P. A. , Chambers J. Q. , Villalba R. , Argollo J.
Published: October 2010

The authors present results on the relationship between tree-ring proxies and regional precipitation for several sites in tropical South America. The responsiveness of oxygen isotopes (δ18O) and seasonal growth as precipitation proxies was first validated by high-resolution sampling of a Tachigali myrmecophila from Manaus, Brazil (3.1°S, 60.0°W). Monthly growth of Tachigali spp. was significantly correlated with monthly precipitation. Intra-annual measurements of cellulose δ18O in Tachigali spp. were also significantly correlated with monthly precipitation at a lag of approximately one month. The annual ring widths of two tropical tree taxa, Cedrela odorata growing in the Amazon (12.6°S, 69.2°W) and Polylepis tarapacana growing in the Altiplano (22.0°S, 66.0°W), were validated using bomb-derived radiocarbon 14C. Estimated dates were within two to three years of bomb-inferred 14C dates, indicating that these species exhibit annual rings but uncertainties in our chronologies remain. A multiproxy record spanning 180 years from Cedrela spp. showed a significant negative relationship between cellulose δ18O and January precipitation. A 150-yr record obtained from Polylepis spp. also showed a significant negative relationship between δ18O and March precipitation, whereas annual ring width showed a significant positive correlation with December precipitation. These proxies were combined in a multivariate framework to reconstruct past precipitation, revealing a significant increase in monsoon precipitation at the Amazon site since 1890 and a significant decrease in monsoon precipitation at the Altiplano since 1880. Proxy time series also showed spatial and temporal coherence with precipitation variability due to El Niño forcing, suggesting that oxygen isotopes and ring widths in tropical trees may be important diagnostics for identifying regional differences in the response of the tropical hydrologic cycle to anthropogenic warming.
Winter Circulation Anomalies in the Western United States Associated with Antecedent and Decadal ENSO Variability
Authors: Brown David P.
Published: October 2010

Previous research has shown that the impacts of ENSO variability on the winter climate of the western United States vary on decadal time scales. In this study, the relationship between fall season ENSO conditions and winter circulation anomalies over the western United States is shown to vary with phasing of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). During the PDO cold phase of 1948–76, the majority of fall season El Niño events did not precede winter troughing anomalies over the southwestern states that are typically associated with above-normal winter precipitation in this region. In contrast, during the PDO warm phase of 1977–98, fall season El Niño conditions did precede southwestern winter troughing anomalies in all but one instance. Fall season La Niña conditions during both the cold and warm phases of the PDO reliably preceded winter season high pressure ridging centered off the Pacific coast. These results highlight uncertainty on decadal time scales surrounding the use of fall ENSO conditions, particularly El Niño events, as a seasonal climate forecast tool.
Land-Cover and Surface Water Change Drive Large Albedo Increases in South America*
Authors: Loarie Scott R. , Lobell David B. , Asner Gregory P. , Field Christopher B.
Published: October 2010

Albedo is an important factor affecting global climate, but uncertainty in the sources and magnitudes of albedo change has led to simplistic treatments of albedo in climate models. Here, the authors examine nine years (2000–08) of historical 1-km Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) albedo estimates across South America to advance understanding of the magnitude and sources of large-scale albedo changes. The authors use the magnitude of albedo change from the arc of deforestation along the southeastern edge of the Brazilian Amazon (+2.8%) as a benchmark for comparison. Large albedo increases (>+2.8%) were 2.2 times more prevalent than similar decreases throughout South America. Changes in surface water drove most large albedo changes that were not caused by vegetative cover change. Decreased surface water in the Santa Fe and Buenos Aires regions of Argentina was responsible for albedo increases exceeding that of the arc of deforestation in magnitude and extent. Although variations in the natural flooding regimes were likely the dominant mechanism driving changes in surface water, it is possible that human manipulations through dams and other agriculture infrastructure contributed. This study demonstrates the substantial role that land-cover and surface water change can play in continental-scale albedo trends and suggests ways to better incorporate these processes into global climate models.
On the Hydrologic Adjustment of Climate-Model Projections: The Potential Pitfall of Potential Evapotranspiration
Authors: Milly P. C. D. , Dunne Krista A.
Published: October 2010

Hydrologic models often are applied to adjust projections of hydroclimatic change that come from climate models. Such adjustment includes climate-bias correction, spatial refinement (“downscaling”), and consideration of the roles of hydrologic processes that were neglected in the climate model. Described herein is a quantitative analysis of the effects of hydrologic adjustment on the projections of runoff change associated with projected twenty-first-century climate change. In a case study including three climate models and 10 river basins in the contiguous United States, the authors find that relative (i.e., fractional or percentage) runoff change computed with hydrologic adjustment more often than not was less positive (or, equivalently, more negative) than what was projected by the climate models. The dominant contributor to this decrease in runoff was a ubiquitous change in runoff (median −11%) caused by the hydrologic model’s apparent amplification of the climate-model-implied growth in potential evapotranspiration. Analysis suggests that the hydrologic model, on the basis of the empirical, temperature-based modified Jensen–Haise formula, calculates a change in potential evapotranspiration that is typically 3 times the change implied by the climate models, which explicitly track surface energy budgets. In comparison with the amplification of potential evapotranspiration, central tendencies of other contributions from hydrologic adjustment (spatial refinement, climate-bias adjustment, and process refinement) were relatively small. The authors’ findings highlight the need for caution when projecting changes in potential evapotranspiration for use in hydrologic models or drought indices to evaluate climate-change impacts on water.
Influence of the South Atlantic Ocean Dipole on West African Summer Precipitation
Authors: Nnamchi Hyacinth C. , Li Jianping
Published: October 2010

This paper demonstrates a causal link between the air–sea phenomenon referred to as the South Atlantic Ocean (SAO) dipole (SAOD) and the interannual variability of precipitation over West Africa during the boreal summer monsoon rainy season in which most of the annual rainfall is recorded using an array of observational datasets. Analyses show that positive precipitation anomalies exceeding 40 mm month−1 over most locations at the Guinea Coast are associated with the positive phase of the SAOD, which is characterized by warm sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in the northeastern part of the SAO or the northeast pole (NEP)—that is, the Atlantic Niño sector—and cool SSTA in the southwestern part [southwest pole (SWP)] off the Argentina–Uruguay–Brazil coast. On the other hand, interannual variability in the Sahel is closely connected to the West African summer monsoon and the Atlantic Niño.

The results of this study reveal that the well-known influence of the Atlantic Niño on Guinea Coast precipitation in the literature represents only a component of the ocean–atmosphere interactions in the SAO causing the precipitation anomalies. Indeed, correlation and composite analyses using Guinea Coast precipitation indices consistently yield significant links to both the NEP and SWP centers of action. The hypothesized physical mechanism through which the SAOD-type SST gradients could induce Guinea Coast precipitation anomalies is the Lindzen–Nigam process. During the positive phase of the SAOD, the imprint of SST gradients gives rise to divergence over the SWP linked to convergence and vigorous upward motion over the NEP thereby leading to enhancement of precipitation over the Guinea Coast.
Future Change of Western North Pacific Typhoons: Projections by a 20-km-Mesh Global Atmospheric Model*
Authors: Murakami Hiroyuki , Wang Bin , Kitoh Akio
Published: October 2010

Projected future changes in tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the western North Pacific (WNP) under the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B emission scenario were investigated using a 20-km-mesh, very-high-resolution Meteorological Research Institute (MRI)–Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) atmospheric general circulation model. The present-day (1979–2003) simulation yielded reasonably realistic climatology and interannual variability for TC genesis frequency and tracks.

The future (2075–99) projection indicates (i) a significant reduction (by about 23%) in both TC genesis number and frequency of occurrence primarily during the late part of the year (September–December), (ii) an eastward shift in the positions of the two prevailing northward-recurving TC tracks during the peak TC season (July–October), and (iii) a significant reduction (by 44%) in TC frequency approaching coastal regions of Southeast Asia.

The changes in occurrence frequency are due in part to changes in large-scale steering flows, but they are due mainly to changes in the locations of TC genesis; fewer TCs will form in the western portion of the WNP (west of 145°E), whereas more storms will form in the southeastern quadrant of the WNP (10°–20°N, 145°–160°E). Analysis of the genesis potential index reveals that the reduced TC genesis in the western WNP is due mainly to in situ weakening of large-scale ascent and decreasing midtropospheric relative humidity, which are associated with the enhanced descent of the tropical overturning circulation. The analysis also indicates that enhanced TC genesis in the southeastern WNP is due to increased low-level cyclonic vorticity and reduced vertical wind shear. These changes appear to be critically dependent on the spatial pattern of future sea surface temperature; therefore, it is necessary to conduct ensemble projections with a range of SST spatial patterns to understand the degree and distribution of uncertainty in future projections.
Offering social work education in an offshore context: A case study of an Australian programme delivered in Singapore
Authors: Brydon Kerry
Published: October 2010

This article presents a case study of a social work education programme developed in one context and delivered in another. It briefly reviews the history of the programme and of the social services sector in the recipient country. Based on qualitative research, the article identifies a number of messages that have the potential to inform future such ventures. In particular the article concludes by challenging the dominance of western-centred constructions of social work and invites social work academics to broaden their understanding of the nature of social problems and possible social work responses.
The recent development of restorative social work practices in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Dennis S.W. , Wing Lo T.
Published: October 2010

Restorative justice has grown rapidly in the last two decades with the emergence of new practice approaches in juvenile justice and school social work.This article briefly analyses the backgrounds leading to the emergence of restorative justice around the world. It highlights the basic ideas and themes of restorative justice, and discusses how it may be adopted in youth services such as school social work and juvenile justice in Hong Kong.
The Effect of Leather Fibers on the Properties of Rubber-Leather Composites
Authors: Ferreira Maria J. , Freitas Fernanda , Almeida Manuel F.
Published: October 2010

Finished leather waste resulting from footwear production is mainly managed by landfilling, thus wasting the contained resources. Recycling by incorporating these wastes in new composites would be a more sustainable option. In this work, styrene butadiene rubber and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber based compounds were charged with ≤1 mm leather fibers in the range of 12.5-300 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr). Rubber-leather composites were vulcanized by compression molding and characterized regarding possible footwear functional applications as soles and in-shoe parts. The results obtained indicate that up to 10-20 phr of leather incorporation composites with improved tear strength are obtained. Tension and elongation decrease, but within the acceptable range for application. The remaining physical properties studied in these composites are not significantly influenced, and consequently, they are adequate for soles application. Above the referred range of incorporation and till 100 phr the composites properties are compatible with in-shoe components application.
Polyester-Kenaf Composites: Effects of Alkali Fiber Treatment and Toughening of Matrix Using Liquid Natural Rubber
Authors: Ahmad S.H. , Rasid R. , Bonnia N.N. , Zainol I. , Mamun A.A. , Bledzki A.K. , Beg M.D.H.
Published: October 2010

In this study, polyester-kenaf fiber composites were prepared by adding various percentages of kenaf fiber in unsaturated polyester resin and subsequently cross-linked using methyl ethyl ketone peroxide and the accelerator cobalt octanoate. Liquid natural rubber (LNR) (3%) was added as a toughening agent. Kenaf fibers were treated with sodium hydroxide solution to improve the interfacial bonding between the fiber and the matrix. The mechanical properties of the composites were evaluated by impact and flexural testing. Environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) of composites in acid and base medium was also studied. Bonding mechanisms were assessed by scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared analysis. It was found that the addition of LNR increased the impact strength and fracture toughness. Alkali fiber treatment was found to provide better impact and flexural strengths to the composites. Measurement of ESCR shows that the composite with acid medium has the fastest diffusion rate, followed by that with base medium, and then without medium.
The German Labour Market Miracle
Authors: Boysen-Hogrefe Jens , Groll Dominik
Published: October 2010

This paper lays out the various reasons for the exceptional performance of the German labour market during and after the Great Recession of 2008/9. The reference point of our analysis is provided by an empirical model of both total hours worked and employment. We conduct dynamic simulations of the crisis period to assess how surprising the reaction of the labour market really was. We argue that the most important precondition for the minor reaction of employment during this crisis was the pronounced wage moderation observed in the years before, which constitutes a distinct difference to all other recessions in Germany. Beyond that, the flexibility of adjusting working time, which has increased considerably during the past ten years, facilitated a tendency to labour hoarding. In contrast, short-time work plays a minor role in explaining the difference from previous recessions, since this instrument has always been available to firms in Germany and its use has not been extraordinary compared with earlier recessions.
Queer as Intersectionality: Theorizing Gay Muslim Identities
Authors: Rahman Momin
Published: October 2010

I begin by identifying characterizations of Muslim identities as antithetical to a wide range of western values, including democracy, secularization, gender equality and sexual diversity. I argue that issues of gender and sexuality represent a problematic around modernity and its values but one that is more complex than the putative clash of civilizations discourse. I suggest that gay Muslims represent an intersectional location that productively illuminates this problematic, because their existence challenges the positioning of western and eastern cultures as mutually exclusive and oppositional. I then theorize this intersectionality using queer theory, arguing that there is an affinity between the queer emphasis on deferred ontology and intersectional emphasis on standpoint, suggesting an understanding of intersectionality as productively queer, and queer as necessarily intersectional. In conclusion I sketch out the implications of such theorizing for research on gay Muslim identities.