bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Transformation Behaviour of Fields in Conformally Covariant Quantum Field Theories
Authors: Rühl W. , Yunn B. C.
Published: July 2007

We study the transformation behaviour of any covariant component ϕAB(x) obtained from a spinorial field operator ϕAB(x) by Fourier decomposition on the centre of the universal covering group of the conformal group for four dimensional Minkowski space.
Linear Fermion Systems, Molecular Field Models, and the KMS Condition
Authors: van Hemmen Leo
Published: July 2007

We take advantage of the simplifications made possible by assuming the system to be infinite from the beginning, to study some exactly solvable models in statistical mechanics. (1) For fermi lattice systems with quadratic hamiltonians the unifying concept of our treatment is a precise formulation of the idea of a linear system. This concept makes it possible to define a dynamical matrix which incorporates all the information one needs for equilibrium and non‐equilibrium problems. As an example, we consider the alternating X Y chain. Furthermore we pay some attention to ergodicity, pointing out the similarity to the infinite harmonic crystal. (2) For molecular field models, including the BCS model, the method is to consider an arbitrary extremal homogeneous state, to construct the dynamics in the representation determined by that state, and then to use the KMS condition to single out the equilibrium state of the infinite system. A synthesis of these methods – (1) and (2) – enables us to give a new simple treatment of the BCS model and a direct analysis of its mathematical structure. In addition we show the equivalence of Kac and van der Waals (spin) systems in the so‐called van der Waals limit. Finally we indicate briefly how to deal with molecular field models with polynomial and more general interactions.
Quantenfeldtheorie wechselwirkender Vielteilchensysteme zur semiklassischen Beschreibung von kollektiver Bewegung mit großen Amplituden
Authors: Reinhardt H.
Published: July 2007

Unter Benutzung von Funktionalintegralmethoden wird eine kollektive Quantenfeldtheorie wechselwirkender Vielteilchensysteme abgeleitet, deren klassischer Grenzfall durch die zeitabhängige Mean‐Field‐Approximation gegeben ist. Auf diese Weise wird die Mean‐Field‐Approximation in die volle Quantenmechanik eingebettet und die Quantenkorrekturen zur „klassischen”︁ Mean‐Field‐Approximation können systematisch berechnet werden. Unter Einschluß der dominierenden Quantenkorrekturen zur Mean‐Field‐Approximation wird eine semiklassische Theorie der kollektiven Bewegungen großer Amplituden in Vielteilchensystemen, die eine stark nichtlineare Dynamik besitzen und den konventionellen störungstheoretischen Methoden nicht zugängig sind, entwickelt. Die semiklassische Theorie wird explizit für gebundene Zustände und Zerfallsprozesse ausgearbeitet. Für gebundene Zustände führt dies zur Quantisierung der nichtlinearen zeitabhängigen Hartree‐Fock‐Theorie, die am Beispiel einer gleichförmigen Kernrotation illustriert wird.
Mean time to system recovery
Authors: Guess Frank M. , Kitchin John F.
Published: July 2007

We establish a linkage between mean time to system recovery (MTTSR) in fault‐tolerant repairable systems and the mean residual life (MRL) concept. Specifically we show that the MTTSR is equal to the MRL of time to repair when the time to failure of the redundant component is fixed. Several examples are provided to illustrate the two concepts.
The use of a generalized signal‐to‐noise ratio to identify adjustment and dispersion factors in taguchi experiments
Authors: Winterbottom Alan
Published: July 2007

A signal‐to‐noise ratio proposed by Taguchi for ‘nominal the best’ can be made more flexible and used additionally for the cases ‘smaller the better’ and ‘larger the better’. The main feature which distinguishes this generalized ratio from Taguchi's signal‐to‐noise ratios is that its precise form is determined by the experimental data. Taken together with a transformation of the mean response it effectively identifies adjustment (signal) factors and dispersion factors. Examples are given to illustrate the routine operational procedure and also to demonstrate that Taguchi's signal‐to‐noise ratios can lead to inefficient, and sometimes incorrect, identification of design factors. Two important considerations are to preserve the evident appeal of the Taguchi method to engineers and also to provide a theoretical justification which is acceptable to statisticians.

The principal objective of the joint transformation is to achieve approximate functional independence between the mean and variance in the new metric. This, in turn, leads to efficient identification of adjustment and dispersion factors. A comparison is made with a similar approach using Box and Cox transformations.
Statistical analysis of an age model for imperfectly repaired systems
Authors: Guo R. , Love C. E.
Published: July 2007

An age model is proposed for modelling imperfect repairable systems operating under a non‐homogeneous Poisson framework. The imperfect repair model investigated here effectively includes good‐as‐new, imperfect repair and bad‐as‐old regimes that have appeared separately in reliability engineering literature. To incorporate the impact of the equipment's operating environment, proportional intensities assumptions are integrated into the age model. Maximum likeihood estimates are derived for the parameters of interest.
An extension of the rapid wafer‐level wijet method and its comparison with conventional electromigration testing
Authors: Jeuland F. , Normandon Ph. , Lormand G. , Boudou A.
Published: July 2007

With an evaluation of the current density acceleration factorNand an improved temperature control, the rapid wafer‐level WIJET electromigration test is extended to the ‘XWIJET’ method. Results for passivated AlSi1%1·2 m̈m wide lines are presented and compared with others obtained by conventional electromigration testing. An excellent agreement of the two methods is found for the values of the current density acceleration coefficientNand of the activation energy Q0. A difference between the values of the standard deviation of time‐to‐failure distributions obtained with both methods is explained by the competition between two failure modes.
Reliability and performance analysis of time – space – time switching networks with multiple separated space switches
Authors: Sung Dan K. , Kang Sang H.
Published: July 2007

Since electronic switching systems usually require very strict reliability requirements as well as good performance objectives, we need to jointly analyse the performance and reliability of switching systems. In this paper, we compare conventional time–space–time switches with single space switches with those with multiple separated space switches, from the viewpoints of reliability and performance. We consider time–space–time switching networks which consist ofNincoming time switches, i.e. oneNxNspace switch, two (N/2)x(N/2) space switches, and four (N/4)x(N/4) space switches. We introduce a Markov reliability model to study the effect of failures and analyse the reliability and performance of three different types of switching networks in terms of average blocking probability and the mean time to unreliable operation, as we vary the offered traffic. As a result, T–S–T switching networks with multiple separated space switches exhibit better performance and reliability than those with single space switches.
Comparative study of quantitative models for hardware, software and human reliability assessment
Authors: Bodsberg Lars
Published: July 2007

Various models which may be used for quantitative assessment of hardware, software and human reliability are compared in this paper. Important comparison criteria are the system life cycle phase in which the model is intended to be used, the failure category and reliability means considered in the model, model purpose, and model characteristic such as model construction approach, model output and model input. The main objective is to present limitations in the use of current models for reliability assessment of computer‐based safety shutdown systems in the process industry and to provide recommendations on further model development. Main attention is given to presenting the overall concept of various models from a user's point of view rather than technical details of specific models. A new failure classification scheme is proposed which shows how hardware and software failures may be modelled in a common framework.
‘On‐line’G‐control chart for attribute data
Authors: Glushkovsky Eli A.
Published: July 2007

On the basis of thetheory of random processesthe concept of aG‐chart is elaborated. In this case the observed variableGis a number of conforming units between two consecutive appearances of non‐conforming ones. If the process is a Poisson one thenG‐variables are geometrically distributed (theG‐chart is called after the distribution type). Application of a new SPC concept for attribute data makes it possible to improve SPC employment for:high quality processeswith ṗ < 10−4(100 ppm);low volume manufacturing, short runsand‘stepped’ processes.In the paperindividual G, G‐barandstabilized G/Ḡcharts are presented. The sensitivities of aG‐chart and a classicalp‐chart for the detection of process changes are compared by constructing operating characteristic curves and ARL curves. Depending on the required degree of the detection process changes, an optimal size of subgroup is found. For this size of subgroup the average number of non‐conforming units and the average number of observed units between the process change and this change detection are minimal. Compared with the classicalp‐chart of the same sensitivity, theG‐chart requires on the average fewer observed units for process change detection and also on the average fewer non‐conforming units are produced.
Proportional hazards modelling of repairable systems
Authors: Kumar Dhananjay
Published: July 2007

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate some situations under which the proportional hazards model (PHM) and its extensions can be used for identification of the most important covariates influencing a repairable system. First of all an overview of the application of the PHM in engineering is presented. Then the concepts of the PHM and its extensions, such as stratified PHM, PHM in the case of non‐homogeneous Poisson processes and PHM in the case of jumps in the hazard rate or different intensity function at failures of a large number of copies of a repairable system, are presented. Selection of a suitable extension of the PHM for given data on the basis of residual plots is also discussed. Finally applications of the PHM and its extensions are illustrated with a suitable example. Only the semi‐parametric method has been considered. The assumptions made in the PHM for the analysis of repairable systems have been explained graphically as far as possible. Perfect, minimal or imperfect repairs carried out on repairable systems can be taken into consideration for the reliability analysis using the PHM.
Time and communication complexity in parallel computations
Authors: Ishioka Hiroshi , Maruoka Akira , Kimura Masayuki
Published: July 2007

In this paper we model the computational problem to be solved as ad‐dimensional grid withndmodes corresponding to computed values, andd(n ‐ 1)nd‐1 edges denoting dependencies. A nontrivial tradeoff between timeTand communicationCto compute the values corresponding to the nodes is shown:TCd‐1= (nd2‐n+1). Furthermore, we can meet this lower bound, to within a constant factor, by some schedules assigning a fixed number of processors to the nodes. As an example of the algorithm whose data dependency is given by ad‐dimensional grid, the algorithm for the subsequence ofdsymbol sequences is shown.
A public‐key cryptosystem based on the difficulty of solving a system of nonlinear equations
Authors: Tsujii Shigeo , Itoh Toshiya , Fujioka Atsushi , Kurosawa Kaoru , Matsumoto Tsutomu
Published: July 2007

This paper proposes a new public‐key cryptosystem based on the difficulty of solving a system of nonlinear equations. The proposed cryptosystem has the following features:

The public‐key is a nonlinear transform from a plaintext to a ciphertext in the form of rational functions.

The complexity of both encryption and decryption is O(m2), where m is the plaintext length.

Digital signature is possible.

The two previously proposed systems based on the matrix decomposition and the squared matrix are special cases of the proposed system. The reliability of the cryptosystem when nonlinearity is limited to the polynomial form is discussed. Next, a publickey cryptosystem based on the difficulty of solving a system of nonlinear equations with rational functions is proposed, its decryption algorithm is studied, and the conditions for this cryptosystem to ensure reliability are derived. Finally, the computational complexity of encryption and decryption, the description volume of public and secret keys, and the possibility of digital signature are studied.
Nmr image reconstruction method using complex kalman filter
Authors: Nishiyama Kiyoshi , Mita Tutomu
Published: July 2007

As in the case of NMR‐CT, it is sometimes required that an image with a high resolution is obtained from the limited number of data because of the long data acquisition time due to the spin‐lattice relaxation time. This paper attempts to cope with such a requirement, and proposes a reconstruction method for NMR image with improved resolution from a limited number of data. The proposed image reconstruction method first models the observed signal sequence by a multidimensional complex stochastic system with a matrix state probability variable. Then the state probability variable is estimated using a complex Kalman filter. To demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method, an image is reconstructed from 128 × 128 data acquired from the cross section of the human head using NMR‐CT of 0.1 [T]. The result is compared with the NMR image reconstructed by the traditional two‐dimensional discrete‐Fourier transform. It is shown as a result that the proposed method not only improves the image resolution but also emphasizes the edge of the image and realizes an enlargement of the image. Furthermore, it is shown that an image emphasizing the contrast due to the spin‐spin relaxation time can be obtained.
Phoneme recognition expert system using spectrogram reading knowledge and neural networks
Authors: Komori Yasuhiro , Kawabata Takeshi , Hatazaki Kaichiro , Shikano Kiyohiro
Published: July 2007

A human expert spectrogram reader is able to recognize phonemes in high‐accuracy performing phoneme segmentation and phoneme identification simultaneously using one's spectrogram reading knowledge. Spectrogram reading knowledge consists mainly of two parts: a strategic part for phoneme segmentation and identification and a pattern‐matching part. There are several knowledge‐based approaches in which all knowledge is implemented as rules. However, it is especially difficult to describe the pattern matching part of the knowledge as rules and to extract acoustic features automatically for phoneme identification. Here, we construct a phoneme recognition expert system which consists of two parts: (1) rule‐based phoneme segmentation, and (2) neural network‐based phoneme identification for knowledge such as pattern matching. This paper presents the architecture of the phoneme recognition expert system with its experimental result tested on Japanese consonants. The experimental result shows that 90.8 percent of the phonemes were segmented correctly and 92.4 percent of the phonemes were identified correctly within the correct segments, which means 83.9 percent of the phonemes were correctly recognized both in segmentation and identification.
A method for threshold selection in binary images using mean adjacent‐pixel number
Authors: Sasakawa Koichi , Kuroda Shin‐ichi , Ikebata Shigeki
Published: July 2007

This paper proposes a method of selecting an appropriate adaptive threshold in binarization (0 or 1) of a gray‐level image. A measure representing compactness of a connected component in an image, “the mean adjacent‐pixel number,” is introduced. The best threshold is determined by taking the maximal of this measure. The method is applied successfully to actual gray‐level images. The results show that appropriate thresholds can be obtained even for difficult images (e.g., a small object in a noisy and low‐contrast image) which are less successful in conventional adaptive methods (e.g., the gray‐level histogram method). Conventional methods using an adaptive threshold generally have a shortcoming in that the amount of computation is proportional to the number of thresholds. This paper also proposes a method to calculate the mean adjacent‐pixel number at a high speed by combining the rank filters and histograms so that the amount of computation becomes independent of the number of thresholds.
A matching algorithm of deformed planar curves using multiscale convex/concave structures
Authors: Ueda Naonori , Suzuki Satoshi
Published: July 2007

This paper proposes a new multiscale segment matching method which is applicable to heavily deformed planar shapes. First, multiscale representations are obtained using curvature scale space filtering. Then inflection point correspondence is developed between consecutive smoothed shapes. The representation in this paper, unlike the well‐known curvature scale space image description, ensures that it always satisfies the consistency of hierarchical segment replacement. Moreover, it requires less processing time and memory allocation. Finally, optimum scale segments are matched by a new multiscale segment matching method proposed herein. In this method, the matching problem is formulated as a minimization problem of the total amount of segment dissimilarity. The minimization problem is solved effectively using dynamic programming. The proposed matching method makes it possible to obtain intuitively relevant correspondences even if the shapes have some local heavy deformation.
Speaker adaptation method for fenonic markov model‐based speech recognition
Authors: Nishimura Masafumi
Published: July 2007

This paper proposes a speaker adaptation method for speech recognition based on the discrete hidden Markov models (HMM), especially the fenonic Markov model, which is a framewise model. The method consists largely of two parts—the adaptation of the vector quantization codebook and the adaptation of Markov models. The former employs a method which is based on the difference between the feature parameter distributions of the training speech and the word baseform as the basis for the adaptation, where the two are divided into N segments on the time axis. The latter employs a method based on a linear mapping, which is estimated from the matching between the quantized training speech and the word baseform.

In this study, a recognition experiment was executed using 150 words with high similarities. Using the speech in which all object words are uttered ten times by a male, the codebook and the Markov models are estimated as the basis for the adaptation. Then the adaptation training is executed for seven males and four females by uttering once 25 words in the object vocabulary. The average error rate, i.e., 25.0 and 45.2 percent, respectively, for the males and females, is improved to 4.1 and 7.8 percent. Thus, the usefulness of the proposed method is demonstrated.
Anode-interface localized filamentary mechanism in resistive switching of TiO2 thin films
Authors: Kim Kyung Min , Choi Byung Joon , Shin Yong Cheol , Choi Seol , Hwang Cheol Seong
Published: July 2007

The filamentary resistance switching mechanism of a Pt∕40nm TiO2∕Pt capacitor structure in voltage sweep mode was investigated. It was unambiguously found that the conducting filaments propagate from the cathode interface and that the resistance switching is induced by the rupture and recovery of the filaments in the localized region (3–10nm thick) near the anode. The electrical conduction behavior in the high resistance state was well explained by the space charge limited current (SCLC) mechanism that occurs in the filament-free region. The various parameters extracted from the SCLC fitting supported the localized rupture and formation of filaments near the anode.
Baseline brain activity fluctuations predict somatosensory perception in humans
Authors: Boly M. , Balteau E. , Schnakers C. , Degueldre C. , Moonen G. , Luxen A. , Phillips C. , Peigneux P. , Maquet P. , Laureys S.
Published: July 2007

In perceptual experiments, within-individual fluctuations in perception are observed across multiple presentations of the same stimuli, a phenomenon that remains only partially understood. Here, by means of thulium–yttrium/aluminum–garnet laser and event-related functional MRI, we tested whether variability in perception of identical stimuli relates to differences in prestimulus, baseline brain activity. Results indicate a positive relationship between conscious perception of low-intensity somatosensory stimuli and immediately preceding levels of baseline activity in medial thalamus and the lateral frontoparietal network, respectively, which are thought to relate to vigilance and “external monitoring.” Conversely, there was a negative correlation between subsequent reporting of conscious perception and baseline activity in a set of regions encompassing posterior cingulate/precuneus and temporoparietal cortices, possibly relating to introspection and self-oriented processes. At nociceptive levels of stimulation, pain-intensity ratings positively correlated with baseline fluctuations in anterior cingulate cortex in an area known to be involved in the affective dimension of pain. These results suggest that baseline brain-activity fluctuations may profoundly modify our conscious perception of the external world.
Face of the Seven Spheres: The Urban Morphology and Architecture of Nineteenth-Century Isfahan (Part Two)
Authors: Walcher Heidi
Published: July 2007

“Have you seen Isfahan, that city like Paradise, that holy cypress, that soul nourishing Eden, that palace of the nation and that throne of government, that face of the seven spheres, that eye of the seven lands,” Jamal al-Din al-Isfahani

One essential aspect in the discussion of nineteenth-century Qajar approaches to the Safavid city and Qajar architecture is the fact that Isfahan was no longer the capital, with the inevitable consequences that many Safavid palaces, no longer used by the city's ruling elite, had lost their administrative purpose. Architecture was created and used in a socio-political context, which determined the scope of new construction, function, style, and form. Natural deterioration and socio-economic change also required new constructions for changed purposes.

Construction activity and architectural aspirations in nineteenth-century Isfahan were inseparably tied to the state of the city's overall prosperity, the affluence and beneficence of the city's leading patricians, the relationship of the Tehran court to the city, and, to some extent, the self-image and prestige in which the city perceived itself at various times during Qajar rule.
Print Culture in Late Qajar Iran: the Cartoons of Kashkūl
Authors: Balaghi Shiva
Published: July 2007

The significant changes in the social, economic, and political conditions of Iran in the late Qajar era both precipitated and necessitated changes in cultural production. One way to better understand these shifting paradigms is through an examination of print culture. ᶜAbbas Mirza, the governor of Azerbaijan and a Qajar prince, has been credited with promoting and supporting the printing industry in Iran. In 1812, he oversaw the establishment of a printing house in Tabriz, and it was largely due to his influence that Tabriz became an important center of publishing. Jan Rypka noted that the first “printing business” in Iran was set up in Tabriz in the year 1824-25 but he believed the press to have been operational for only a decade before lithography overtook the printing enterprise. ᶜAbbas Mirza sent a group of students to England to study, the most notable being Mirza Salih Shirazi who was a student at Oxford University.
Communication and Revolution in Iran: The Passing of a Paradigm
Authors: Tehranian Majid
Published: July 2007

“I am glad that the good God has created us all ignorant; I am glad that if we change his plans, we do it at our own risk.”

— Mark Twain

“We are struggling against autocracy, for democracy, by means of xerocracy.”

— A Tehran University Professor, October 1978

The purpose of this essay is twofold; to present an argument on the role of communication in the processes of modernization that goes substantially against the dominant views of the last two decades, and to illustrate that point of view by the example of Iran. The article was written at a moment of enthusiasm, in January-February of 1979, when the Iranian revolution looked like one of the most unanimous, nonviolent and liberating social revolts of modern history, enjoying widespread domestic and international support. Alas, that rare historical opportunity was spoiled by division and rancor in the revolutionary leadership.
Love and Sexuality in the Poetry of Forugh Farrokhzad: A Reconsideration
Authors: Milani Farzaneh
Published: July 2007

No documents chart more accurately the difficult road to liberation and the arduous journey of the Iranian woman than her poetry. It is a rich, virtually unexplored record of the development of her consciousness and identity, experienced within, but not limited by, traditional Iranian culture. Furthermore, an evaluation of the Iranian woman's poetry is indispensable to an understanding of her life and the cultural pressures she experiences.

I am talking about the poetry of, among others, Tahereh, better known as Qorratol'ayn (1819-1852), ᶜAlam Taj Zhaleh Qa'em Maqami (1884-1946), Parvin E'tesami (1907-1941), Parvin Dowlatabadi (b. 1922), Simin Behbahani (b. 1927), Lo'bat Vala Shaybani (b. 1930), Mahin Sekandari (b. 1940), Forugh Farrokhzad (1935-1967), and Tahereh Saffarzadeh (b. 1936).

Unfortunately, most criticism of Iranian woman's poetry is rife with misconceptions, sexually biased assumptions, and tenacious refusals to confront this poetry on its own terms.
History and Identity among the Shahsevan
Authors: Tapper Richard
Published: July 2007

Until recently, a dominant approach in the history and anthropology of the Middle East has rested on the assumption that an “ethnic” or “tribal” group is, or approximates, a biologically self-perpetuating population, sharing elements of a common culture and identifying itself and being identified with others as a separate category. This fundamentally objectivist approach is a refinement of an older anthropological tradition in which “cultures” are treated as coterminous with “tribes”, “societies”, “peoples”. Even if the many current adherents of this approach do not take the biological assumptions too literally, there is still a strong tendency to conceive of populations as divided into formally bounded, clear-cut, ethnic groups or tribes, with every person belonging to one: a conception that facilitates tidy maps, neat lists of the traits associated with each group, a rigorous classification of types, and cross-cultural comparison.
The Council for the Investigation of Grievances: A Case Study of Nineteenth Century Iranian Social History
Authors: Nezam‐Mafi Mansoureh Ettehadieh
Published: July 2007

Among the demands formulated by the ˓ulamā and the tujjār (merchants) who took bast in the shrine of Shah ˓Abd al Azim in December of 1905 was the establishment of an ‘Edālat Khāneh (House of Justice).

The significance of the House of Justice was that it proved to be the prototype for what later became the Majles-e Shūrā-ye Mellī (National Assembly). Paradoxically, this also proved to be obstructive to its becoming a focus for scholarly attention, in the sense that it was soon superseded by the Majles itself, which began to function in the summer of 1906. The role of addressing public grievances was in fact the basic function of the Edalat Khaneh. However, the basic engraving on the society that the Majles was a substitute for the Edalat Khaneh is well illustrated by the fact that during the early period of the Majles over 1000 petitions and complaints were addressed to it.
The Power of Games and the Games of Power in Rural Iran
Authors: Keshavjee Rafique H.
Published: July 2007

To some, it might seem frivolous to speak of village games when issues such as freedom and democracy, factions and socio-political configurations of a larger order loom in Iran. However, this paper hopes to demonstrate that these games, by their very frivolity, reveal and help resolve tensions not only in the village, but ones that lie at the very core of society. The village might have been where they were observed, but such events can become a window to basic questions such as how society continues in spite of tension and conflict.

The games were observed over Nawruz, the Persian new year which coincides with the vernal equinox, during fieldwork conducted between 1976 and 1979 on the mystical roots of the modernization of the Isma'ilis of Iran. The data, in the form of films of the games and notes from observations and interviews, was collected in villages north of the town of Birjand, southern Khurasan.
Continuity and Change in the Ulama Population of Najaf and Karbala, 1791–1904: A Socio‐Demographic Study
Authors: Litvak Meir
Published: July 2007

During the Qajar period the two shrine cities ('Atabādt-e ‘āliydāt, lit. Sublime Thresholds) of Najaf and Karbala, south of Baghdad, served as the leading centers of learning for the Shi'i world. As such they were also at the center of patronage networks that were essential for the consolidation of the religious leadership of all Shi'i communities. Yet, whereas various scholars have examined doctrinal and political developments in the religious establishment in Iran, none have dealt specifically with the ‘Atabat community of learning during the 19th century. The purpose of this study is to examine patterns of continuity and dynamics of change in the composition of the ulama community of the ‘Atabat, based on ethnic, professional, and geographical factors. Such research could shed light on the structure and characteristics of the entire ulama community in Iran and specifically in Ottoman Iraq.
Banking and Credit Rationing Under the Islamic Republic of Iran
Authors: Valibeigi Mehrdad
Published: July 2007

Since the Iranian revolution of 1979, the Iranian banking system and practices have changed significantly. Shortly after the revolution, according to a decree by the Revolutionary Council, banks and insurance companies were nationalized. In 1980 and 1982 legislation was passed to convert all banking practices to Islamic interest-free banking. Despite such significant developments in the Iranian banking system, this area of research has not been given its due attention by the scholars in the field. It is the purpose of this study to describe the process of post-revolutionary change in the Iranian banking system and outline the new trends in credit rationing practices after the revolution.

It will be argued here that the Islamization of the banking system did not result in the so-called abolition of interest from the financial system; in practice the banking system continues to pay interest—now called “profit“—to savings account depositors, and standard interest-bearing financial contracts continue to be utilized by the banks under new Islamic terms.
The Effects of the Dissolution of Yugoslavia on the Minority Rights of Hungarian and Italian Minorities in the Post-Yugoslav States
Authors: Klemenčič Matjaž , Zupančič Jernej
Published: July 2007

Thousands of books have been written on Yugoslavia's dissolution and the wars that followed in the 1990s. Most of them, however, deal with relations among the main ethno-nations of Yugoslavia, i.e., Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Bosniaks (Muslims), Montenegrins, Macedonians and Albanians, and the effects on them of the dissolution and wars. Hungarians and Italians of Yugoslavia also suffered, and the wars affected their destiny; but these peoples have rarely been mentioned in the context of this history. It is the aim of this article to fill the gap.
Reconceptualizing Clans: Kinship Networks and Statehood in Kazakhstan
Authors: Schatz Edward
Published: July 2007

What role, if any, does kinship play in modern political life? Recent work in comparative politics has focused on a variety of informal relationships. It is striking that kinship has not received similar, sustained attention. The broad assumption of most theoretically-driven work is that kinship is the domain of the anthropologist; to the extent that political scientists consider kinship, they do so as something for modern institutions to overcome, as something in fundamental opposition to the state apparatus.
“Are you Hungarian or Romanian?” On the Study of National and Ethnic Identity in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Curticapean Alina
Published: July 2007

A personal note frames this essay. In recent years I have travelled with my Finnish colleagues from the University of Tampere to a number of international seminars and conferences organized in various European locations. While socializing with the other participants, my self-identification as Romanian has, on several occasions, prompted the question “are you Hungarian or Romanian …?“ No other options were ever offered, even though Romania has a quite sizeable Roma minority and a number of Saxons, though ever declining, still live in the country. At the same time, the ethnicity of my Finnish colleagues has never been questioned. True, Finns describe their country as a homogeneous place, yet Finland is a country with two official languages—Finnish and Swedish—ever praised for the treatment of its Swedish-speaking minority. And some other ethnicities—for instance, Roma and Sami—also live in Finland. Nobody interested? Or maybe there is more to it than simply a question of curiosity (or a lack of it). That the ethnicity of the Finnish participants was deemed irrelevant, whereas my ethnic identity seemed a topical issue for informal discussions during coffee breaks or conference lunches elicited my interest in the issue of national and ethnic identity. I have started to ask how collective identities, and especially national and ethnic identities, have been conceptualized and how those theoretical concepts have been deployed in the study of Central and Eastern European identities. Are there any differences in how Central and Eastern European identities are studied compared with Western identities?
The Performance of Business Incubators and their Potential Development in the North East Region of England
Authors: Wynarczyk Pooran , Raine Arnold
Published: July 2007

The creation of incubators is viewed by many local and regional strategic bodies in the UK and abroad as an effective way of nurturing and facilitating the success of new technology-based companies. Drawing on a survey of 17 incubators operating in the North East of England, based on original findings, this paper empirically examines the crucial role of existing incubators in the local economy in enterprise creation and attempts to identify areas of good practice that can be used as benchmarks for the creation of future Incubators.
The Impact of Gaining an NVQ Level 2: Will the Leitch Review Recommendations Address the Low Returns?
Authors: Page Rosie
Published: July 2007

The UK government has identified productivity and skills as key drivers of social inclusion and economic growth. Recent policy initiatives, such as Level 2 Entitlement and Train to Gain, have focused on funding and supporting qualifications at Level 2, although this may change following the Leitch Review, which recommended shifting the focus of intermediate skills to Level 3. This study examines the factors that determine income, and assesses the impact of gaining an NVQ Level 2 on the labour market position of individuals. Data from two waves of the British Household Panel Survey are analysed. The study concludes that there is no significant net benefit from gaining an NVQ Level 2. Achievement of the qualification has a slightly positive but statistically insignificant effect on earnings and on whether or not an individual is a manager. Factors such as gender and qualifications at a higher level than NVQ 2, better explain what determines an individual's income. These findings are considered in light of the Leitch Review.
The Growing Localness of the Canadian City, or, On the Continued (Ir)relevance of Economic Base Theory
Authors: Rutland Ted , O'Hagan Sean
Published: July 2007

The past 50 years have brought massive changes in the patterns of economic activity around the world. Not only has global trade increased, but, precisely because of this, many scholars suggest that local (and regional) networks of production and exchange have become more prevalent and important. The nature of local economic development has, as a result, changed quite substantially. And yet theoretical approaches to it largely have not. Fifty years after Douglass North introduced economic base theory - asserting that economies grow only through increased exports - it remains the familiar refrain, if not the basis, of local economic development theory. We think it is about time to reassess the merits of base theory as an approach to, and explanation of, local economic development. Accordingly, in this article, we review briefly North's argument for base theory and the debate it stirred up early on. Then we present two evaluations of its current relevance. The first is theoretical: we consider whether changes in the patterns of economic activity in the global north, including the emergence of local/regional networks of production and exchange and the growth of consumer services, have made it possible to achieve economic growth without increasing exports. The second is empirical: using the minimum requirements method, we examine whether the economies of Canada's cities have become more locally oriented and, if so, whether they have grown. Both evaluations indicate that economic development is indeed possible through increased local activity (although exports remain important). We conclude that it is time to consider more nuanced models of local economic development that accommodate the multiple ways in which development can be achieved.
Regional Competitiveness Indicators
Authors: Brooksbank David J. , Pickernell David G.
Published: July 2007

This paper takes a fresh look at the important issue of regional competitiveness in the light of the recent publication of indicators of competitiveness by the DTI (1998). We set our analysis within the theoretical framework provided by Porter (1990) and our intention is to improve on these “official” indicators and also upon those of Gudgin (1996). Using a series of proxy variables which measure success in the areas deemed essential by the theory, we present evidence that the relative ranking of regions should be re-examined and provide a method which will allow policy makers to focus more directly on the specific areas that maximise regional performance.
“Who's Afraid of Arthur Burns?” The NBER and the Foundations
Authors: Rutherford Malcolm
Published: July 2007

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) was founded in 1920 and quickly came to be regarded as one of the leading economic research organizations in the world. The NBER still exists today and still enjoys a high reputation, but the NBER of today bears little resemblance to the organization it once was. Between 1920 and the present the NBER has undergone a number of significant changes in form, function, and direction, and this history is one that includes moments of considerable drama. There were times of great financial stress, to the point where the future existence of the organization was in doubt, times when the organization seemed to be able to maintain a highly favored financial status despite outside criticism, and times of sharp conflict between the Bureau and its financial patrons.
WHY DO WOMEN APPEAR TO DEVELOP ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE MORE READILY THAN MEN?
Authors: Norton Robyn , Batey Robert
Published: July 2007

In the last 20 years evidence has accumulated which suggests that women develop alcoholic liver disease more readily than do men. A number of factors have been hypothesized as contributing to their increased susceptibility. Differences in nutritional intake were initially thought to play a large role in the development of alcoholic liver disease. However, more recently, a number of constitutional and other environmental factors have been investigated.

It is suggested that there is much to be gained from studies which consider factors in combination rather than in isolation. It is possible that more than one factor contributes to the differing suscceptibility in males and females. In addition, it is likely that some of the proposed factors are not independent of one another. The relative importance of each factor in explaining the difference between sexes, and their degree of independence can only be assessed in multivariate studies.
Opioid drug deaths in Western Australia: 1974–1984
Authors: Swensen Greg
Published: July 2007

Abstract: In Western Australia between 1974 and 1984 there were 108 deaths directly caused by opioid drugs. Heroin was a cause of death in only 11% of cases and morphine in a further 11%. Propoxyphene was the most frequently reported cause of death, accounting for 33% of cases. Methadone (18%) was the next most commonly implicated, particularly during the period when it had been widely prescribed for unsupervised use by addicts. A higher proportion of deaths occurred on a Saturday than on other days of the week. It is argued that more attention should be paid to licit opioids as causes of drug‐related deaths.
Perceived alcohol consumption reactions to increased opening hours of licenced premises in Western Australia
Authors: Smith L.M. , Reidy‐Crofts S.R.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: A Western Australian metropolitan sample of alcohol users stratified by age and socioeconomic status was asked to predict the effect increased opening hours of premises selling alcoholic beverages would have on their drinking behaviour. All groups believed that they would increase their drinking behaviour: young drinkers and male drinkers indicated that they would do so significantly more than others.
Trends in injury and death in motor vehicle accidents in Australia in relation to the introduction of random breath testing
Authors: Armstrong Bruce K. , Howell Clare M.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: Mortality from motor vehicle accidents fell substantially in New South Wales following the introduction of random breath testing for alcohol. No similar trend was observed in other Australian states and territories in which random breath testing has been introduced, except perhaps the Australian Capital Territory, and the fall in mortality over the period of its introduction was greater overall in areas in which it was not introduced than those in which it was. A contradictory pattern was observed in injury rates from motor vehicle accidents. There was again a substantial fall in New South Wales following the introduction of random breath testing, but this was sufficiently great to produce an overall fall in injury rates in states and territories adopting this measure in the 1980s that was greater than in those that did not. There was little evidence to suggest, however, that other states or territories that introduced the measure had benefited with respect to injury rates. Differences in vigour of implementation and the effects of other control measures are likely to explain these paradoxical and contradictory patterns.
The dialectic of drinking in Australian life: from the Rum Corps to the wine column
Authors: Room Robin
Published: July 2007

Abstract: The place of alcohol in Australian life in the years since the Second World War is considered. Patterns of and trends in use are described, along with the magnitude and distribution of alcohol‐related problems, the history of alcohol controls, the growth of treatment and other responses to alcohol problems and the nature of societal concerns about drinking.
Chopper Cascades: An Analytic Treatment of the Contamination Problem
Authors: Schober H. , Losert CH. , Mezei F. , Cook J.C.
Published: July 2007

Disk chopper cascades are used to produce pulsed beams of monochromatized neutrons. The optimization problems involved in the design of a new cascade are complex due to the interrelation of neutron guide and chopper system. We will present here a novel approach towards analyzing the part of the optimization concerned with the contamination of the spectrum by parasitic neutrons. To this end the cascade is decomposed into a suite of band pass filters. By folding the Boolean transmission function of the single filters we obtain an analytic solution for the contamination problem. In contrast to Monte-Carlo simulations our approach offers a better insight into the parameters governing the transmission of side bands.
The High Resolution Powder Neutron Diffractometer PUS at the JEEP II Reactor at Kjeller in Norway
Authors: Hauback Bjørn C. , FjellvåG Helmer , Steinsvoll Olav , Johansson Kjell , Buset Ole Tore , Jørgensen Johny
Published: July 2007

The performance of the new Powder Neutron Diffractometer PUS at the 2 MW JEEP II reactor shows the large potential for high resolution powder neutron diffraction even at a low flux reactor. The different components of the instrument are optimised with respect to flexibility and relationship between intensity and resolution. Wavelengths in the range 0.7–2.6 Å are available from a focussing composite Ge monochromator. The detector system consists of position sensitive proportional counters. The temperatures available for experiments range from 7 to about 1600 K. Nearly no malfunctions during the first 2 1/2 years of operation proves the robustness of the complete system. Several experiments show the potential for studies of rather complex crystallographic problems, even with small sample quantities (<200 mg), and timeresolved in-situ type experiments.
Ultracold Neutron Production by the Phonon Excitation in Superfluid 4He at Temperatures below 1 K
Authors: Morishima Nobuhiro , Sakakibara Masahiko
Published: July 2007

Production of ultracold neutrons in superfluid 4He is discussed in terms of downscattering of an 1 meV neutron through phonon creation at temperatures below 1 K. By the use of a cross-section model developed for neutron scattering in liquid 4He, a set of scattering cross sections such as double-differential, angular-distributional and total ones is calculated. It is shown that the phonon–roton(quasipartic1e) excitation plays an essential role in marked production and storage of ultracold neutrons, especially for temperatures down to 0.1 K.
Focused Neutrons: A Point to be Made
Authors: Mildner David , Chen Heather , Downing Greg , Sharov Vasily
Published: July 2007

Just over two years ago, the guide hall of the newly created Cold Neutron Research Facility (CNRF) at the NIST reactor was inaugurated. This is currently the only cold source at a U.S. research reactor which serves a large number of scientific instruments.1 While most of the instruments installed in the facility are spectrometers for neutron scattering studies covering a wide range of scientific endeavors, two of the new instruments have been designed specifically for chemical quantitative analysis. For a long time, there have been facilities for prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) and neutron depth profiling (NDP) at the NIST reactor. These instruments use a white beam from the thermal neutron source. Completely new instruments have been designed which use the long wavelength neutrons available from the cold source. The advantage, of course, is that the absorption cross section increases linearly with wavelength of the neutron. Therefore, the availability of cold neutrons enables measurements of greater precision, and improves the detection limits for those elements which can be analyzed by each technique.