bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Grenville Province as a large hot long-duration collisional orogen – insights from the spatial and thermal evolution of its orogenic fronts
Authors: Rivers Toby
Published: December 2009

The proposition that the Grenville Province is a remnant of a large hot long-duration collisional orogen is examined through a comparative study of its present orogenic front, the Grenville Front, and a former front, the Allochthon Boundary Thrust. Structural, metamorphic and geochronologic data for both boundaries and their hanging walls from the length of the Grenville Province are compared. Cumulative displacement across the Grenville Front was minor (10 s of km) whereas that across the Allochthon Boundary Thrust was major (100 s of km), consistent with the observation that the latter boundary separates rocks with a different age, and
P
–
T
character, of metamorphism.

On an orogen scale, Grenvillian metamorphism can be subdivided into two spatially and temporally distinct orogenic phases, a relatively high
T
Ottawan (
c
. 1090–1020 Ma) phase in the hanging wall of the Allochthon Boundary Thrust, and a relatively lower
T
Rigolet (
c
. 1000–980 Ma) phase in the hanging wall of the Grenville Front. It is argued that the structural setting and ≥50 My duration of Ottawan metamorphism are compatible with some form of channel flow beneath an orogenic plateau, with the Allochthon Boundary Thrust forming the base of the channel. Channel flow ceased at
c
. 1020 Ma when the Allochthon Boundary Thrust was reworked as part of a system of normal-sense shear zones, and following a hiatus of
c
. 20 My the short-lived Rigolet metamorphism took place in the former foreland and involved the development of a new orogenic front, the Grenville Front. Taken together, this suggests the Grenville Orogen developed as a large hot long-duration orogen during the Ottawan orogenic phase, but following gravitational collapse of the plateau the locus of thickening migrated into the foreland and active tectonism was restricted to a subjacent small cold short-duration orogen. The foreland-ward migration of the orogenic front from the Allochthon Boundary Thrust to the Grenville Front, the contrasting
P–T–t
character of the metamorphic rocks in their hanging walls, and the evidence for orogenic collapse followed by renewed growth, provide insights into the complex evolution of a long-duration collisional orogen.
Caldera volcanism and rift structure in the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand
Authors: Cole J. W. , Spinks K. D.
Published: December 2009

The Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) is an active continental volcanic arc/back-arc basin in central North Island, New Zealand. It is the youngest area of volcanic activity that extends southwards from the Coromandel Volcanic Zone (CVZ), where andesitic volcanism began
c
. 18 Ma and rhyolitic volcanism
c
. 10 Ma. It is an extensional basin (average
c
. 8 mm a
−1
) with numerous, predominantly normal (dip >60°) faults within the Taupo Rift, but with some strike-slip component. TVZ can be divided into three parts. In the north (Whakatane Graben – Bay of Plenty) and south (Tongariro volcanic centre) volcanism is predominantly andesitic, while in the central part it is predominantly rhyolitic. This central area comprises eight caldera centres; the oldest of which (Mangakino caldera; 1.62–0.91 Ma) may be transitional between CVZ and TVZ. Kapenga caldera (
c
. 700 ka) is completely buried by younger volcanics, but is probably a composite structure with most recent subsidence related to volcano-tectonic processes. Of the remaining five caldera centres, Rotorua, Ohakuri and Reporoa are all simple, sub-circular structures which collapsed
c
. 240 ka, and are each associated with one ignimbrirte outflow sheet (Mamaku, Ohakuri and Kaingaroa, respectively). Okataina and Taupo are caldera complexes with multiple ignimbrite eruptions and phases of collapse. The three simple calderas are extra-rift, occurring outside the main fault zone in the centre of the Taupo Rift system, while the two caldera complexes are both intra-rift. There is a close relationship between volcanism and structure in TVZ, and many of the structural caldera boundaries have rectangular geometry reflecting the fault pattern. Intrusion of high-alumina basalts as dykes, parallel to the fault trend, may have had a strong influence in causing rhyolitic eruptions in central TVZ.
Andean flat-slab subduction through time
Authors: Ramos Victor A. , Folguera Andrés
Published: December 2009

The analysis of magmatic distribution, basin formation, tectonic evolution and structural styles of different segments of the Andes shows that most of the Andes have experienced a stage of flat subduction. Evidence is presented here for a wide range of regions throughout the Andes, including the three present flat-slab segments (Pampean, Peruvian, Bucaramanga), three incipient flat-slab segments (‘Carnegie’, Guañacos, ‘Tehuantepec’), three older and no longer active Cenozoic flat-slab segments (Altiplano, Puna, Payenia), and an inferred Palaeozoic flat-slab segment (Early Permian ‘San Rafael’). Based on the present characteristics of the Pampean flat slab, combined with the Peruvian and Bucaramanga segments, a pattern of geological processes can be attributed to slab shallowing and steepening. This pattern permits recognition of other older Cenozoic subhorizontal subduction zones throughout the Andes. Based on crustal thickness, two different settings of slab steepening are proposed. Slab steepening under thick crust leads to delamination, basaltic underplating, lower crustal melting, extension and widespread rhyolitic volcanism, as seen in the caldera formation and huge ignimbritic fields of the Altiplano and Puna segments. On the other hand, when steepening affects thin crust, extension and extensive within-plate basaltic flows reach the surface, forming large volcanic provinces, such as Payenia in the southern Andes. This last case has very limited crustal melt along the axial part of the Andean roots, which shows incipient delamination. Based on these cases, a Palaeozoic flat slab is proposed with its subsequent steepening and widespread rhyolitic volcanism. The geological evolution of the Andes indicates that shallowing and steepening of the subduction zone are thus frequent processes which can be recognized throughout the entire system.
Plate tectonics of the Alpine realm
Authors: Stampfli Gérard M. , Hochard Cyril
Published: December 2009

New field data on the East Mediterranean domain suggest that this oceanic basin belonged to the larger Neotethyan oceanic system that opened in Permian times. A Greater Apulia domain existed in Mesozoic times, including the autochthonous units of Greece and SW Turkey. It also included a united Adria and Apulia microplate since Early Jurassic times. This key information implies that a new post-Variscan continental fit for the western Tethyan area is necessary, where the relationships between the Adriatic, Apulian and Iberian plates are defined with greater confidence. To construct a reliable palinspastic model of the Alpine realm, plate tectonic constraints must be taken into consideration in order to assess the magnitude of lateral displacements. For most of the plates and their different terranes, differential transport on the scale of thousands of kilometres can be demonstrated. This plate tectonic framework allows a better geodynamic scenario for the formation of the Alpine chain to be proposed, where the western and eastern transects have experienced contrasting geological evolutions. The eastern Alps–Carpathians domain evolved from the north-directed roll-back of the Maliac–Meliata slab and translation of the Meliata suture and Austroalpine domain into the Alpine domain. In the western Alps, the changing African plate boundary in space and time defined the interaction between the Iberian–Briançonnais plate and the Austroalpine accretionary wedge.
The Calabrian Orocline: buckling of a previously more linear orogen
Authors: Johnston Stephen T. , Mazzoli Stefano
Published: December 2009

Recent structural studies of the Apennines and the Calabrian orocline and a compilation of structural, stratigraphic, GPS and palaeomagnetic data from the central and western Mediterranean region show that beginning in the Late Miocene a N–S trending ribbon continent that had been previously deformed, and which we now recognize as the Apennine–Sicilian thrust belt, buckled eastward in response to northward movement of Africa relative to stable Europe. A simple geometric model is consistent with available data and shows how eastward buckling of an originally north–south continental beam explains: (1) opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea basin from 7–2 Ma, at which point sea-floor spreading ceases and the basin begins to shrink by southward subduction beneath Sicily; (2) the coeval development of an east-verging fold-and-thrust belt along the length of the Apennine–Sicilian belt in response to overthrusting of the autochthon to the east, followed by extension beginning at 1 Ma as the Apennine portion of the beam begins to retreat to the SW; and (3) subduction of continental and oceanic lithosphere east of the buckling beam into a trench that migrates eastward through time due to ‘push back’ by the buckling upper plate.
Seismic structure, crustal architecture and tectonic evolution of the Anatolian-African Plate Boundary and the Cenozoic Orogenic Belts in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Authors: Dilek Yildirim , Sandvol Eric
Published: December 2009

The modern Anatolian–African plate boundary is represented by a north-dipping subduction zone that has been part of a broad domain of regional convergence between Eurasia and Afro–Arabia since the latest Mesozoic. A series of collisions between Gondwana-derived ribbon continents and trench-roll-back systems in the Tethyan realm produced nearly East–West-trending, subparallel mountain belts with high elevation and thick orogenic crust in this region. Ophiolite emplacement, terrane stacking, high‐P and Barrovian metamorphism, and crustal thickening occurred during the accretion of these microcontinents into the upper plates of Tethyan subduction roll-back systems during the Late Cretaceous–Early Eocene. Continued convergence and oceanic lithospheric subduction within the Tethyan realm were punctuated by slab breakoff events following the microcontinental accretion episodes. Slab breakoff resulted in asthenospheric upwelling and partial melting, which facilitated post-collisional magmatism along and across the suture zones. Resumed subduction and slab roll-back-induced upper plate extension triggered a tectonic collapse of the thermally weakened orogenic crust in Anatolia in the late Oligocene–Miocene. This extensional phase resulted in exhumation of high‐P rocks and medium- to lower-crustal material leading to the formation of metamorphic core complexes in the hinterland of the young collision zones. The geochemical character of the attendant magmatism has progressed from initial shoshonitic and high‐K calc‐alkaline to calc‐alkaline and alkaline affinities through time, as more asthenosphere-derived melts found their way to the surface with insignificant degrees of crustal contamination. The occurrence of discrete high-velocity bodies in the mantle beneath Anatolia, as deduced from lithospheric seismic velocity data, supports our Tethyan slab breakoff interpretations. Pn velocity and Sn attenuation tomography models indicate that the uppermost mantle is anomalously hot and thin, consistent with the existence of a shallow asthenosphere beneath the collapsing Anatolian orogenic belts and widespread volcanism in this region. The sharp, north-pointing cusp (Isparta Angle) between the Hellenic and Cyprus trenches along the modern Anatolian–African plate boundary corresponds to a subduction-transform edge propagator (STEP) fault, which is an artifact of a slab tear within the downgoing African lithosphere.
Automated translation of Indian languages
Authors: Anthes Gary
Published: December 2009

India faces a daunting task trying to manually translate among 22 official languages, but assistance, in the form of advanced technology enabled by a lot of hard work, is on the way.
Future Internet design summit
Authors: Kroeker Kirk L.
Published: December 2009

The National Science Foundation's meeting on Internet architectures focused on designs related to emerging social and economic realities.
Technology strategy and managementThe evolution of platform thinking
Authors: Cusumano Michael
Published: December 2009

How platform adoption can be an important determinant of product and technological success.
Law and technologyUnstandard standardization
Authors: Rai Arti
Published: December 2009

How applicable are the approaches adopted by information and communication technology standards-setting organizations to biological standards?
ViewpointWhat should we teach new software developers? Why?
Authors: Stroustrup Bjarne
Published: December 2009

Fundamental changes to computer science education are required to better address the needs of industry.
Computer museum seriesGreat computing museums of the world, part one
Authors: Aspray William , Shustek Len , Ryska Norbert
Published: December 2009

The first of a two-part series highlighting several of the world's museums dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, and elucidating computing history.
Can automated agents proficiently negotiate with humans?
Authors: Lin Raz , Kraus Sarit
Published: December 2009

Exciting research in the design of automated negotiators is making great progress.
Q&AHP's running man
Authors: Hoffmann Leah
Published: December 2009

Prith Banerjee discusses collaborating with universities, his startup experiences, and Hewlett-Packard Lab's approach to research and development.
HCIR 2009
Authors: Kules Bill , Tunkelang Daniel , White Ryen W.
Published: December 2009

This report describes HCIR 2009, the third international workshop on Human-Computer Interaction and Information Retrieval (HCIR), held in October 2009 at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. The workshop attracted over 50 participants from across the world and was the largest HCIR workshop to date. The event brought together representatives from academia, industry, and government to discuss research, present work in process, and advance ideas in the area of HCIR. The workshop consisted of a keynote presentation, panel presentations, a poster session, and two guided discussion sessions.
Modification of p-type Silicon for the Photoelectrochemical Reduction of CO2
Authors: Cottineau Thomas , Morin Mario , Bélanger Daniel
Published: December 2009

Silicon surface is modified using electrochemical deposition methods to improve its reactivity for photoelectrochemical reduction of CO2. Starting from a solution of CuSO4, copper is deposited by potentiostatic and a pulsed deposition technique providing metal particles. These catalytic sites lower the overpotential for the CO2 reduction. The electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-rays photoelectron spectroscopy to determine the distribution of the size of the particles and their dispersion on the silicon surface as well as the interaction between the copper particles and the silicon substrate. Finally, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical reductions of CO2 were done to assess the reaction efficiency and the catalytic effect of copper particles.
Nanostructured Electrodes for Photochemical Hydrogen Generation
Authors: Mueller Alexander H. , Tappan Bryce C. , Luther Erik P. , Burrell Anthony K.
Published: December 2009

LANL developed nano-technologies for high surface area transition metal nanofoam [1] synthesis and polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) [2] of semiconductors are being applied to the synthesis of nanostructured electrodes with the ultimate goal of their use as photocathodes. The resulting material will benefit from high surface areas over macroscopic dimensions, increased permeability for access of the electrolyte to the catalytic sites and a reduction of required carrier diffusion distances afforded by the nanostructure of the material. The versatility provided by the PAD technique in accessing mixed stoichiometry nitride, oxide and selenide semiconducting systems as well as bare noble metal coatings will allow for a systematic investigation of these materials and their stoichiometry in order to increase the efficiency of the final hydrogen generating system. Structural and photo-electrochemical data of the foams and coated structures have yielded promising results towards this final goal.
Selectivity of Na‐Montmorillonite versus Concentration of Two Competitive Bivalent Cations (Cu2+, Pb2+): Quantitative XRD Investigation
Authors: Oueslati W. , Meftah M. , Ben Rhaiem H. , Ben Haj Amara A.
Published: December 2009

The goal of this paper is to examine, by quantitative XRD analysis, the effect of heavy metal cation concentrations (Pb2+, Cu2+) on the selectivity phenomenon in the case of dioctahedral smectite (i.e., Na‐montmorillonite). The quantitative XRD analysis is achieved using an indirect method based on the comparison of experimental XRD profiles to those calculated using structural models. The obtained results show that for strong metals concentrations (i.e., 10−1N), the host material presents heterogeneous structure characterized by interstratified hydration states between 1 W and 2 W (i.e., respectively, one and two water layer hydration state) attributed to Pb2+ cation. For low concentration, the d001 values investigation indicates that montmorillonite remains saturated with Na+ characterized by homogeneous 1 W hydration state.
HPV Prevalence in Colombian Women with Cervical Cancer: Implications for Vaccination in a Developing Country
Authors: Murillo Raúl , Molano Mónica , Martínez Gilberto , Mejía Juan-Carlos , Gamboa Oscar
Published: December 2009

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been considered potentially cost-effective for the reduction of cervical cancer burden in developing countries; their effectiveness in a public health setting continues to be researched. We conducted an HPV prevalence survey among Colombian women with invasive cancer. Paraffin-embedded biopsies were obtained from one high-risk and one low-middle-risk regions. GP5+/GP6+ L1 primers, RLB assays, and E7 type specific PCR were used for HPV-DNA detection. 217 cases were analyzed with 97.7% HPV detection rate. HPV-16/18 prevalence was 63.1%; HPV-18 had lower occurrence in the high-risk population (13.8% versus 9.6%) allowing for the participation of less common HPV types; HPV-45 was present mainly in women under 50 and age-specific HPV type prevalence revealed significant differences. Multiple high-risk infections appeared in 16.6% of cases and represent a chance of replacement. Age-specific HPV prevalence and multiple high-risk infections might influence vaccine impact. Both factors highlight the role of HPVs other than 16/18, which should be considered in cost-effectiveness analyses for potential vaccine impact.
Benign Fibroepithelial Polyp of Renal Pelvis in a Patient with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis: A Successful Percutaneous Nephroscopic Management Strategy
Authors: Vasdev Nikhil , Holmes Philippa , Senior Katie , Haslam Philip , Hasan Tahseen , Dorkin Trevor
Published: December 2009

We present a rare case of a benign fibroepithelial polyp of the renal pelvis in a patient with familial adenomatous polyposis. In our paper we describe a new minimally invasive technique developed in our unit using an amplatz goose neck snare via a percutaneous nephroscope sheath in the management of the benign fibroepithelial polyp of the renal pelvis and present a current review of management strategies in literature.
Familial Tuberculosis Mimicking Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Yassaee Fakhrolmolouk , Farzaneh Farah
Published: December 2009

Genital TB may present as on abdominopelvic mass mimicking ovarian malignancy because clinical and laboratory findings are similar. Family history is very important and should be considered for differential diagnosis. Three cases of genital TB with presentation of abdominopelvic masses and with no signs and symptoms of TB were presented. Two of them had positive family history of pulmonary TB. Tissue diagnosis was the best method for diagnosis of genital TB, but it should be reminded that if positive family history of TB was present, mini laparotomy should be done to take biopsy and to make rapid diagnosis before treatment.
A Comparison of the Proteomic Expression in Pooled Saliva Specimens from Individuals Diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast with and without Lymph Node Involvement
Authors: Streckfus Charles F. , Storthz Karen A. , Bigler Lenora , Dubinsky William P.
Published: December 2009

Purpose. The objective was to compare the salivary protein profiles of saliva specimens from individuals diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast (IDC) with and without lymph node involvement.Methods. Three pooled saliva specimens from women were analyzed. One pooled specimen was from healthy women; another was from women diagnosed with Stage IIa IDC and a specimen from women diagnosed with Stage IIb. The pooled samples were trypsinized and the peptide digests labeled with the appropriate iTRAQ reagent. Labeled peptides from each of the digests were combined and analyzed by reverse phase capillary chromatography on an LC-MS/MS mass spectrometer.Results. The results yielded approximately 174 differentially expressed proteins in the saliva specimens. There were 55 proteins that were common to both cancer stages in comparison to each other and healthy controls while there were 20 proteins unique to Stage IIa and 28 proteins that were unique to Stage IIb.
Heat Flux of a Transferred Arc Driven by a TransverseMagnetic Field
Authors: Matsumoto Naomi , Usami Takashi , Kuno Ikumi , Yamamoto Takeo , Sugimoto Masaya , Kumagai Seiji , Takeda Koichi
Published: December 2009

Theoretical consideration of a magnetically driven arc was performed to elucidate the variation of heat flux with an imposed DC magnetic field. Experiments were conducted to confirm the validity of the theoretical model. The heat flux decreased concomitantly with increased imposed magnetic flux density. Theoretical predictions agreed with experimental results.
Composition and Morphology of Nanocrystals in Urines of Lithogenic Patients and Healthy Persons
Authors: Gui Bao-Song , Xie Rong , Yao Xiu-Qiong , Li Mei-Ru , Ouyang Jian-Ming
Published: December 2009

The composition and morphology of nanocrystals in urines of healthy persons and lithogenic patients were comparatively investigated by means of X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was shown that the main composition of urinary nanocrystals in healthy persons were calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD), uric acid, and ammonium magnesium phosphate (struvite). However, the main compositions of urinary nanocrystals in lithogenic patients were struvite, β‐tricalcium phosphate, uric acid, COD, and calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM). According to the XRD data, the size of nanocrystals was calculated to be 23 ~ 72 nm in healthy urine and 12 ~ 118 nm in lithogenic urine by Scherer formula. TEM results showed that the nanocrystals in healthy urine were dispersive and uniform with a mean size of about 38 nm. In contrast, the nanocrystals in lithogenic urine were much aggregated with a mean size of about 55 nm. The results in this work indicated that the urinary stone formation may be prevented by diminishing the aggregation and the size differentiation of urinary nanocrystals by physical or chemical methods.
Cross‐Talk between PPARs and the Partners of RXR: A Molecular Perspective
Authors: Chan Lap Shu Alan , Wells Richard A.
Published: December 2009

The PPARs are integral parts of the RXR‐dependent signaling networks. Many other nuclear receptor subfamily 1 members also require RXR as their obligatory heterodimerization partner and they are often co‐expressed in any given tissue. Therefore, the PPARs often complete with other RXR‐dependent nuclear receptors and this competition has important biological implications. Thorough understanding of this cross‐talk at the molecular level is crucial to determine the detailed functional roles of the PPARs. At the level of DNA binding, most RXR heterodimers bind selectively to the well‐known “DR1 to 5” DNA response elements. As a result, many heterodimers share the same DR element and must complete with each other for DNA binding. At the level of heterodimerization, the partners of RXR share the same RXR dimerization interface. As a result, individual nuclear receptors must complete with each other for RXR to form functional heterodimers. Cross‐talk through DNA binding and RXR heterodimerization present challenges to the study of these nuclear receptors that cannot be adequately addressed by current experimental approaches. Novel tools, such as engineered nuclear receptors with altered dimerization properties, are currently being developed. These tools will enable future studies to dissect specific RXR heterodimers and their signaling pathways.
High‐Speed and Wide‐Field Photometry with TORTORA
Authors: Greco G. , Beskin G. , Karpov S. , Bondar S. , Bartolini C. , Guarnieri A. , Piccioni A.
Published: December 2009

We present the photometric analysis of the extended sky fields observed by the TORTORA optical monitoring system. The technology involved in the TORTORA camera is based on the use of a fast TV‐CCD matrix with an image intensifier. This approach can both significantly reduce the readout noise and shorten the focal length following to monitor relatively large sky regions with high temporal resolution and adequate detection limit. The performance of the system has been tested using the relative magnitudes of standard stars by means of long image sequences collected at different airmasses and at various intensities of the moon illumination. As expected from the previous laboratory measurements, artifact sources are negligible and do not affect the photometric results. The following analysis is based on a large sample of images acquired by the TORTORA instrument since July 2006.
Star Formation History of Dwarf Galaxies in Cosmological Hydrodynamic Simulations
Authors: Nagamine Kentaro
Published: December 2009

We examine the past and current work on the star formation (SF) histories of dwarf galaxies in cosmological hydrodynamic simulations. The results obtained from different numerical methods are still somewhat mixed, but the differences are understandable if we consider the numerical and resolution effects. It remains a challenge to simulate the episodic nature of SF history in dwarf galaxies at late times within the cosmological context of a cold dark matter model. More work is needed to solve the mysteries of SF history of dwarf galaxies employing large‐scale hydrodynamic simulations on the next generation of supercomputers.
Proportion, Risk Factors and Outcome of Lacunar Infarction: A Hospital-Based Study in a Chinese Population
Authors: Wu Bo , Lin Sen , Hao Zilong , Yang Jie , Xu Yuming , Wu Lie , Zhang Shihong , Liu Ming
Published: December 2009

Background: There is scant information on the proportion, risk factors and outcome of lacunar infarction in China. Methods: Prospective registry data entered within 1 month after a first-ever stroke between March 2002 and March 2007 were used from 4 Chinese hospitals. Data regarding stroke risk factors and baseline characteristics were examined in a long-term follow-up. Case fatality, death and dependency, and stroke recurrence were assessed at 30, 90, 180 days and 1 year. Predictive factors for death at 1 year in patients with lacunar infarction were tested by logistic regression analysis. We constructed Kaplan-Meier survival curves and compared groups with lacunar infarction and nonlacunar infarction by means of log rank tests for significant difference. Results: A total of 3,905 patients with first-ever cerebral infarction were included, of whom 1,650 (42.3%) had a lacunar infarction and 2,255 (57.7%) a nonlacunar infarction. Case fatality was lower in patients with lacunar infarction at all 4 time points (5.3, 6.4, 7.8 and 17.4%, respectively), as compared to patients with nonlacunar infarction (9.5, 14.3, 16.5 and 20.1%, respectively). Age, diabetes, smoking and NIHSS score at admission were the independent predictors for 1-year case fatality in patients with lacunar infarction. Death and dependency rates were also lower in patients with lacunar infarction than in those with nonlacunar infarction. Recurrent stroke was an important cause of death for lacunar infarction patients. Conclusions: The proportion of lacunar infarction in China is much higher than that in Western countries. The long-term prognosis of lacunar infarction is not benign.
The Modified Rankin Scale in Acute Stroke Has Good Inter-Rater-Reliability but Questionable Validity
Authors: Zhao Henry , Collier Janice M. , Quah Dorcas M. , Purvis Tara , Bernhardt Julie
Published: December 2009

Background and Purpose: The modified Rankin Scale (mRS), designed as a measure of disability in the community, has increasingly been administered in the acute stroke setting but has been poorly studied within the hospital environment. We prospectively studied the interrater reliability of the mRS in acutely hospitalised stroke patients and examined the effect of prior experience with the scale and use of a decision tool on the interrater agreement of trained raters. Methods: Patients <4 days after stroke were recruited. Individuals from 3 trained rater groups (experienced, inexperienced and inexperienced with decision tool) independently scored each patient within 6 h of each other. Agreement was measured with the intraclass correlation (ICC) and the weighted kappa statistic (ĸw), with systematic bias evaluated using the bias index. Results: Twelve raters scored 56 patients with overall agreement of ICC = 0.675. Agreement of ĸw = 0.686 was found between experienced and inexperienced raters but a modest systematic bias was present. Experience in rating patients appeared to play some role in affecting agreement but the decision tool did not improve the performance of inexperienced raters. Conclusions: Trained raters were found to have good interrater agreement overall when the mRS was scored in acute stroke patients but obvious problems with the interpretation and relevancy of the scale in this setting raise concerns about validity. The use of the mRS to rate disability in the acute hospital environment should be questioned.
High Prevalence of Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients with Acute Ischaemic Stroke
Authors: Topakian Raffi , Nanz Sylvia , Rohrbacher Bernhard , Koppensteiner Renate , Aichner Franz T.
Published: December 2009

Background: After acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), the detection of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) as a marker of generalized atherosclerosis may improve the risk stratification and prevention of future atherothrombotic events. We aimed to determine the prevalence of PAD indicated by an ankle-brachial index (ABI) of ≤0.9 in a large cohort of patients with AIS/TIA. Methods: In this prospective, multicentre, Austrian, cross-sectional study (OECROSS), 759 patients with AIS or TIA were recruited for a systematic assessment of cardiovascular risk profiles and Doppler ultrasound at the ankle and brachial artery to calculate the ABI from systolic blood pressure readings. Results: 739 patients (97.4%) had a complete ABI assessment. The mean age was 69.5 (± 12.1) years, and 55.8% of the patients were men. 81.6% of the patients had AIS and 18.4% had TIA. Only 6.2% of the patients had a history of PAD, but an abnormal ABI of ≤0.9 was found in 44.9%. Patients with an ABI of ≤0.9 were more likely (p < 0.05) to be older and have a history of PAD, hypertension, diabetes and congestive heart failure. An ABI of ≤0.9 was significantly associated (p < 0.0005) with a presence of carotid stenosis of >50% and an Essen Stroke Risk Score of >2, indicating a risk of ≧4% per year of stroke recurrence. Discussion: A high proportion of patients with AIS/TIA have subclinical PAD, a cross-risk stroke physicians should be aware of. Large longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate whether the ABI can improve our estimation of the risk of future atherothrombotic events and help in optimizing secondary prevention.
Glutathione S-Transferase M1 and T1 Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Oxidative Damage in Healthy Korean Smokers
Authors: Lee Sun Hee , Park Eunju , Park Yoo Kyoung
Published: December 2009

Aims: The relationship between glutathione S-transferase (GST) polymorphisms and susceptibility to smoking-induced oxidative damage was investigated in healthy Korean smokers. Methods: Forty-nine healthy male smokers (20–59 years) participated in the study. GSTT1 and GSTM1 genotypes were determined, and lymphocyte DNA damage was assessed by the Comet assay. Results: Out of the 49 smokers, 20 individuals were GSTT1 positive and 29 were GSTT1 null. For GSTM1, 45 smokers were GSTM1 positive and 4 were GSTM1 null. HDL cholesterol levels (p = 0.011) and the atherogenic index of plasma (p = 0.01) were significantly reduced, and concentrations of conjugated dienes were increased (p = 0.01) in the GSTT1-null individuals but not in the GSTT1-positive individuals. The GSTT1-null individuals were more susceptible to DNA damage than the GSTT1-positive individuals. For all parameters, the GSTM1 genotypes were excluded from statistical analyses due to the small number of subjects with the GSTM1-null type. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that subjects with the GSTT1-null genotype were more susceptible to oxidative damage than the GSTT1-positive subjects. Therefore, the GSTT1-null genotype may confer an increased risk of smoking-related cardiovascular disease.
Continuation of Metformin Reduces Early Pregnancy Loss in Obese Pakistani Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Authors: Nawaz Fauzia Haq , Rizvi Javed
Published: December 2009

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of anovulatory infertility worldwide. In addition to a poor conception rate, pregnancy loss rates are significantly higher (30–50%) during the first trimester in women with PCOS. Insulin resistance (IR) in this syndrome is not only implicated toward early pregnancy loss (EPL) but also pathognomic for various obstetrical complications during pregnancy. We evaluated the role of Metformin in the reduction of EPL in women with PCOS who conceived spontaneously or after induction ovulation with or without Metformin. Objective: The primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of Metformin in the reduction of EPL in women with PCOS. Secondary outcomes like gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension and intrauterine growth restriction were also analyzed at the end of the study. Material and Methods: This case-control study was conducted from March 2005 to March 2008 in the infertility and antenatal clinics of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 197 infertile women with PCOS were included. ‘Cases’ were women with PCOS who conceived while taking Metformin and it whom it was continued throughout pregnancy. ‘Controls’ were women in whom Metformin was either stopped in first trimester after confirmation of pregnancy (by serum βHCG or by ultrasound) or they conceived spontaneously without the use of Metformin. Results: All 197 women in this study had a confirmed diagnosis of PCOS (Rotterdam criteria). These women were followed till the final outcome of pregnancy was achieved. Both groups were compared for risk of EPL. It was found that continuation of Metformin during pregnancy reduces EPL, i.e. 8.8 vs. 29.4% in cases and controls, respectively (p < 0.001). In the subset of women with a prior history of miscarriage, the pregnancy loss rate was 12.5% in the Metformin versus 49.4% in control group (p = 0.002). Conclusion: Metformin continuation during pregnancy significantly reduces EPL in women with PCOS. IR may play a significant role in EPL.
Mechanisms and Control of Protein Translation in the Kidney
Authors: Schaeffer Valerie , Abrass Christine K.
Published: December 2009

Translational control of protein synthesis is critical for cell division, homeostasis and survival. Recent data indicate that dysregulation of protein synthesis that leads to either increased or decreased expression of specific proteins contributes to the manifestations of various kidney diseases. Most of the control of protein synthesis occurs in the first or initiation phase, which is also the most complicated. Following the initiation phase is the elongation phase where the peptide chain is formed. RNA transcripts are released from ribosomes after the termination phase. Transcripts can be translated in a cap-dependent or cap-independent manner. The mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) cascade regulates translation of most cap-dependent transcripts at the level of initiation and elongation, which represents 95% of total transcripts. During specific events (e.g. mitosis, stress cell survival) control of the less-common cap-independent transcripts occurs which allows the cell to adapt to the new state. Activation of stress kinases and inactivation of the mTOR pathway are at the center of this adaptive mechanism. Recent studies have elucidated the role of micro-RNAs (miRs) in controlling translation. miRs bind directly to specific transcripts and most often directly reduce translation; however, by targeting other positive or negative regulators of the pathways regulating protein synthesis they may indirectly affect synthetic levels of other transcripts. Several examples are described below in which these mechanisms are intertwined and act together to dysregulate protein synthesis in the diseased kidney.
Between Power and Priestcraft: The Politics of Prayer in 2 Maccabees
Authors: de Wet Chris
Published: December 2009

The aim of this study is to experiment with a prominent feature in religious texts, namely prayers, and aims to look at the political function of prayer. As an example one religious text from the Septuagint (LXX) is taken, namely the Second Book of the Maccabees, and the experiment is conducted with reference to this text. First, a cultural-systems model of Second Temple Judaism is given, and second, the literary accounts of prayers and prayer-narratives are examined. It is shown that the prayers in 2 Maccabees had two distinct functions. It firstly promoted group cohesion between Palestinian and Diaspora Jews and, second, it promoted an anti-Hellenistic sentiment and positive temple propaganda.
Post-Apartheid Racism in South Africa The Bible, Social Identity and Stereotyping
Authors: Punt Jeremy
Published: December 2009

This contribution investigates the interplay between the recent (early 2008) spate of racist-marked events in South Africa and the Bible, starting with the way biblical references featured in subsequent discussions of the events. The use of the Bible and hermeneutics employed seems to be meshed into a broader array of ways in which "new South African" identities are negotiated, together with the tensions and resistance such identity-negotiations encounter (evoke and counter). Such presence of the Bible is further considered in light of the biblical documents' own tendency towards stereotyping in a manner true to first century-convention, with social identity theory providing the contours for discussing social categorisation and stereotyping. The paper is concluded with some deliberations on the intersections of South African racist discourse and biblical stereotyping.
Nicholas of Lyra’s Literal Commentary on Lamentations and Jewish Exegesis: A Comparative Study
Authors: Geiger Ari
Published: December 2009

The literal commentary of Nicholas of Lyra (France, c. 1270-1349) on the Bible (Postilla literalis super totam Bibliam) is one of the most important Christian commentaries that were written according to the literal sense of Scripture. It is also known for its frequent use of Jewish quotations, mainly Rashi’s interpretations. This paper presents similarities between Nicholas’ own interpretations in the Postilla on Lamentations and Jewish exegetical literature on the same book. The paper is based on a comparison between these two kinds of commentaries (Jewish and Nicholas’) on the same biblical verses. This comparison reveals interpretations written by Jewish scholars which are similar to those written earlier by Nicholas. The article ends with an attempt to explain this interesting phenomenon of what seems to be a hidden Jewish influence on Nicholas of Lyra.
Who are the Heirs of the Hebrew Bible? Sephardic Visual Historiography in a Christian Context
Authors: Shalev-Eyni Sarit
Published: December 2009

The sumptuous Sephardic haggadot produced in the fourteenth century include a prefatory cycle of full-page miniatures depicting events from the book of Exodus, sometimes with additional episodes from Genesis. Scenes depicting preparations for the feast and the ritual ceremony of Passover were placed at the end of the biblical episodes. This paper considers the cycles as historiographical sequences, beginning in the biblical past and concluding with fourteenth century Jews celebrating the Passover. As I shall argue, these sequences may have been designed as a response to anti-Jewish polemic, in a local version defined by the Catalan Dominican friar Raymond Martin. By comparing the Hebrew examples to Christian devotional books, we shall show how despite their polemical intention, these cycles also point to the deep integration of the Jewish designers and patrons within local Christian culture and society.
Scrutinizing History: Polemic and Exegesis in Pablo de Santa María’s Siete edades del mundo
Authors: Szpiech Ryan
Published: December 2009

This essay considers the growth of historiographical writing in fifteenth-century Iberia within the context of mass conversions of Jews to Christianity. It takes the writing of the convert Pablo de Santa María (ca. 1351-1435) as a test case for considering the emergence of historiographical writing directly informed by the events of 1391, in which many thousands of Jews were forcibly converted to Christianity. By reading Pablo’s poem Siete edades del mundo (Seven Ages of the World) in light of his biblical exegesis and anti-Jewish polemic, it is possible to show how issues relevant to Pablo’s conversion, including his exegetical polemic with Judaism, directly affect his historiographical writing and shape his use of standard tropes of fifteenth-century Castilian historiography. This suggests that, while there may be no uniquely “converso voice” in history writing, some fifteenth-century historiography is clearly informed by issues of particular relevance to conversos. At the same time, it implies that some fifteenth-century Christian historiography, like that of Sephardic Jews after the expulsion of 1492, grew from earlier historiographical and polemical traditions that transcend any single catalyzing event such as the trauma of 1391.
Archaeologies of the Future: Jameson's Utopia or Orwell's Dystopia?
Authors: Milner Andrew
Published: December 2009

This paper begins with the proposition that Fredric Jameson's Archaeologies of the Future (2005) is the most important theoretical contribution to utopian and science-fiction studies since Darko Suvin's Metamorphoses of Science Fiction (1979). It argues that Jameson's derivation of 'anti-anti-Utopianism' from Sartrean anti-anti-communism will provide 'the party of Utopia' with as good a slogan as it is likely to find in the foreseeable future. It takes issue with Jameson over two key issues: his overwhelming concentration on American science-fiction, which seems strangely parochial in such a distinguished comparativist; and his understanding of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four as an 'anti-Utopia' rather than a dystopia. The paper argues that, for Nineteen Eighty-Four, as for any other science-fiction novel, the key question is that identified by Jameson: not 'did it get the future right?', but rather 'did it sufficiently shock its own present as to force a meditation on the impossible?'. It concludes that Jameson fails to understand how this process works for dystopia as well as utopia, for barbarism as well as socialism.
Louis Althusser Louis Althusser and the Traditions of French Marxism Althusser: The Detour of Theory
Authors: Sotiris Panagiotis
Published: December 2009

In the past few years there has been a renewed interest in the work of Louis Althusser, although, in some cases, this interest has been one-sided, focusing mainly on his later writings on aleatory materialism. The three books reviewed in this article, however, offer balanced and insightful overviews of the totality of Althusser's work, placing it in the wider context of Marxist political and theoretical debates and stressing both its originality and strengths, but also its contradictions.
Constitutionalizing Governing and Governance in Europe
Authors: Kjaer Poul F.
Published: December 2009

The EU is a structure positioned “in-between” hierarchically organized nation-state governing structures and heterarchically structured global governance structures. Thus, the EU is a hybrid which relies partly on governing and partly on governance. This two-dimensionality
is a central reason why the question of the constitutional character of the EU remains fundamentally unresolved. Thus, it is proposed that the EU should aim for developing a constitutional form aimed at alleviating the tensions inherent in the European construction through a conflict of laws
approach. In order to respect the hybridity of the Union, such an approach, however, will have to be based on a three-dimensional conflict of laws concept. It would have to take account of horizontal conflicts between territorial units, vertical conflicts between the EU and its member states,
and also horizontal conflicts between the functionally differentiated structures of the wider society.
Diurnal Temperature Range Variability due to Land Cover and Airmass Types in the Southeast
Authors: Scheitlin Kelsey N. , Dixon P. Grady
Published: December 2009

This study examines the relationship between diurnal temperature range (DTR) and land use/land cover (LULC) in a portion of the Southeast. Temperature data for all synoptically weak days within a 10-yr period are gathered from the National Climatic Data Center for 144 weather stations. Each station is classified as one of the following LULC types: urban, agriculture, evergreen forest, deciduous forest, or mixed forest. A three-way analysis of variance and paired-sample t tests are used to test for significant DTR differences due to LULC, month, and airmass type. The LULC types display two clear groups according to their DTR, with agricultural and urban areas consistently experiencing the smallest DTRs, and the forest types experiencing greater DTRs. The dry air masses seem to enhance the DTR differences between vegetated LULC types by emphasizing the differences in evapotranspiration. Meanwhile, the high moisture content of moist air masses prohibits extensive evapotranspirational cooling in the vegetated areas. This lessens the DTR differences between vegetated LULC types, while enhancing the differences between vegetated land and urban areas. All of the LULC types exhibit an annual bimodal DTR pattern with peaks in April and October. Since both vegetated and nonvegetated areas experience the bimodal pattern, this may conflict with previous research that names seasonal changes in evapotranspiration as the most probable cause for the annual trend. These findings suggest that airmass type has a larger and more consistent influence on the DTR of an area than LULC type and therefore may play a role in causing the bimodal DTR pattern, altering DTR with the seasonal distribution of airmass occurrence.