bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Keeping Pace with the Movement of Life: On Words and Music
Authors: Schmidt Dennis J.
Published: July 2013

Abstract

The largest purpose of this paper is to ask about how it is that life is re-presented by us. The argument is that life should be considered as a matter not of a collection of objects, but of a movement, of time. Furthermore, the claim is that the conceptual language of philosophy has the liability of ossifying this movement of life but that music, which is time and movement above all, is able to keep pace with this movement of life.
Hegel’s Living Logic
Authors: Burmeister Jon K.
Published: July 2013

Abstract

For Hegel, logic does not essentially consist of formal categories used to think about non-logical content. Rather, it consists of formal categories which are also themselves the content of logic. The idea that logic is its own form and its own content means that forms are used to think through other forms such that the same logical determination is a form in one context and a content in another. The generation of form and content out of one another—which precludes the need for the importation of external content into logic—is part of Hegel’s definition of the logical category of ‘life’ in his Science of Logic. A living logic is a logic that accounts for its own self by means of its own self. Through contrasting this idea of logic with formal logic, and logical life with natural life, this essay provides a snapshot of how Hegel views the activity of living, self-determining logic.
The Romantic Discourse of Ameen Rihani and Percy Shelley
Authors: Choueiri Youssef M.
Published: July 2013

Abstract

Most contemporary studies of Rihani’s The Book of Khalid draw attention to its intertextuality and American Transcendentalism and/or ‘‘the voice of Carlyle.’’ This article intends to interrogate the silent presence of a different intertextuality by invoking English Romanticism as it emerged in the first half of the nineteenth century. Although Rihani’s Khalid does not seem to be aware of the poet and essayist Percy Shelley, it is this absence that makes him all the more relevant. Such an undertaking is not an exercise in compiling a list of Rihani’s sources, but rather a new reading of the diversity and plurality of a particular paradigmatic literary genre that animated a new generation of Arab authors and intellectuals at the turn of the twentieth century. It is an attempt to decipher the signatures of a literary event in its Western and Arab contexts.
The Unbearable Heaviness of Being: The Suicide of the Intellectual in Rabīʿ Jābir’s Rālf Rizqallāh through the Looking Glass
Authors: Halabi Zeina G.
Published: July 2013

Abstract

In the wake of the civil war (1975-1990), Lebanese novelists conceived of the literary text as a means to salvage Lebanese collective memory from the systematic process of erasure that the postwar state began practicing. Writers who voiced their anxieties about erasure and the interrupted work of national mourning celebrated the role of the intellectual as a guardian of collective memory and attributed to the written word the power of rescuing the wounded national community from the perils of oblivion. How was the intellectual’s tragic death commemorated and portrayed in a postwar cultural scene concerned about the erasure of collective memory? What forms of dissent from that dominant literary discourse do we identify in Rabīʿ Jābir’s Rālf Rizqallāh fī al-mirʾāt (Rālf Rizqallāh through the Looking Glass)? This article explores the ways in which Rabīʿ Jābir fictionalizes the suicide of the Lebanese scholar Rālf Rizqallāh and thereby departs from the objectification of the intellectual as the guardian of the nation’s collective memory. Jābir understands Rālf Rizqallāh’s suicide not as an altruistic act of protest against the erasure of collective memory, but as a narcissistic impulse prompted by a severe sense of personal and existential angst. The novel’s depiction of Rālf Rizqallāh, I argue, articulates Jābir’s detachment from the postwar discourse about amnesia and collective memory and ushers us towards an alternative representation of the Lebanese intellectual.
Prince Seti-Merenptah, Chancellor Bay, and the Bark Shrine of Seti II at Karnak
Authors: Johnson Kevin L. , Brand Peter J.
Published: July 2013

Abstract

The Triple Bark Shrine of Seti II at Karnak provides us with the only known reference for his son and heir, Prince Seti-Merenptah. In two of the chapels, those of Mut (eastern wall) and Khonsu (western wall), the prince is depicted directly behind his father, who presents offerings to the Theban triad. In the central chapel dedicated to Amun, the figure occupying the position behind the king on both walls has been thoroughly expunged along with the accompanying texts providing his identity. This article seeks to present the epigraphic data from the Seti II bark shrine and refine Yurco’s interpretation of them through analysis of the alterations and palimpsest inscriptions in the shrine’s relief decoration. We will also reassess the historical implications of these reliefs as related to the life of Prince Seti-Merenptah and the early career of Chancellor Bay under Seti II.
A People and its Soldiers: The American Citizen as Soldier, 1775–1861
Authors: Herrera Ricardo A.
Published: July 2013

Military service was the vehicle by which American soldiers from the War of Independence through the Civil War demonstrated and defined their beliefs about the nature of American republicanism and how they, as citizens and soldiers, were participants in the republican experiment. This military ethos of republicanism, an ideology that was both derivative and representative of the larger body of American political beliefs and culture, illustrates American soldiers’ faith in an inseparable connection between bearing arms on behalf of the United States and holding citizenship in it. Patterns of thought and behavior within the ethos were not exclusively military traits, but were characteristic of the larger patterns within American political culture.
A Striking Cloud Over Boulder, Colorado: What Is Its Altitude, and Why Does It Matter?
Authors: LeMone Margaret A. , Schlatter Thomas W. , Henson Robert T.
Published: July 2013

Scientific investigation is supposed to be objective and strictly logical, but this is not always the case: the process that leads to a good conclusion can be messy. This narrative describes interactions among a group of scientists trying to solve a simple problem that had scientific implications. It started with the observation of a cloud exhibiting behavior associated with supercooled water and temperatures around −20°C. However, other aspects of the cloud suggested an altitude where the temperature was around −40°C. For several months following the appearance of the cloud on 23 March 2011, the people involved searched for evidence, formed strong opinions, argued, examined evidence more carefully, changed their minds, and searched for more evidence until they could reach agreement. While they concluded that the cloud was at the higher and colder altitude, evidence for supercooled liquid water at that altitude is not conclusive.
A Unified Flash Flood Database across the United States
Authors: Gourley Jonathan J. , Hong Yang , Flamig Zachary L. , Arthur Ami , Clark Robert , Calianno Martin , Ruin Isabelle , Ortel Terry , Wieczorek Michael E. , Kirstetter Pierre-Emmanuel , Clark Edward , Krajewski Witold F.
Published: July 2013

Despite flash flooding being one of the most deadly and costly weather-related natural hazards worldwide, individual datasets to characterize them in the United States are hampered by limited documentation and can be difficult to access. This study is the first of its kind to assemble, reprocess, describe, and disseminate a georeferenced U.S. database providing a long-term, detailed characterization of flash flooding in terms of spatiotemporal behavior and specificity of impacts. The database is composed of three primary sources: 1) the entire archive of automated discharge observations from the U.S. Geological Survey that has been reprocessed to describe individual flooding events, 2) flash-flooding reports collected by the National Weather Service from 2006 to the present, and 3) witness reports obtained directly from the public in the Severe Hazards Analysis and Verification Experiment during the summers 2008–10. Each observational data source has limitations; a major asset of the unified flash flood database is its collation of relevant information from a variety of sources that is now readily available to the community in common formats. It is anticipated that this database will be used for many diverse purposes, such as evaluating tools to predict flash flooding, characterizing seasonal and regional trends, and improving understanding of dominant flood-producing processes. We envision the initiation of this community database effort will attract and encompass future datasets.
A Multimodel Study of Sea Surface Temperature and Subsurface Density Fingerprints of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
Authors: Roberts Christopher D. , Garry Freya K. , Jackson Laura C.
Published: July 2013

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is an important component of the North Atlantic climate system. Here, simulations from 10 coupled climate models are used to calculate patterns of sea surface temperature (SST) and subsurface density change associated with decadal AMOC variability. The models are evaluated using observational constraints and it is shown that all 10 models suffer from North Atlantic Deep Water transports that are too shallow, although the biases are least severe in the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4). In the models that best compare with observations, positive AMOC anomalies are associated with reduced Labrador Sea stratification and increased midocean (800–1800 m) densities in the subpolar gyre. Maximum correlations occur when AMOC anomalies lag Labrador Sea stratification and subsurface density anomalies by 2–6 yr and 0–3 yr, respectively. In all 10 models, North Atlantic warming follows positive AMOC anomalies, but the patterns and magnitudes of SST change are variable. A simple detection and attribution analysis is then used to evaluate the utility of Atlantic midocean density and Labrador Sea stratification indices for detecting changes to the AMOC in the presence of increasing CO2 concentrations. It is shown that trends in midocean density are identifiable (although not attributable) significantly earlier than trends in the AMOC. For this reason, subsurface density observations could be a useful complement to transport observations made at specific latitudes and may help with the more rapid diagnosis of basin-scale changes in the AMOC. Using existing observations, it is not yet possible to detect a robust trend in the AMOC using either midocean densities or transport observations from 26.5°N.
Quantifying Land Surface Temperature Variability for Two Sahelian Mesoscale Regions during the Wet Season
Authors: De Kauwe Martin G. , Taylor Christopher M. , Harris Philip P. , Weedon Graham P. , Ellis Richard. J.
Published: July 2013

Land–atmosphere feedbacks play an important role in the weather and climate of many semiarid regions. These feedbacks are strongly controlled by how the surface responds to precipitation events, which regulate the return of heat and moisture to the atmosphere. Characteristics of the surface can result in both differing amplitudes and rates of warming following rain. Spectral analysis is used to quantify these surface responses to rainfall events using land surface temperature (LST) derived from Earth observations (EOs). The authors analyzed two mesoscale regions in the Sahel and identified distinct differences in the strength of the short-term (<5 days) spectral variance, notably, a shift toward lower-frequency variability in forest pixels relative to nonforest areas and an increase in amplitude with decreasing vegetation cover. Consistent with these spectral signatures, areas of forest and, to a lesser extent, grassland regions were found to warm up more slowly than sparsely vegetated or barren pixels. The authors applied the same spectral analysis method to simulated LST data from the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) land surface model. A reasonable level of agreement was found with the EO spectral analysis for two contrasting land surface regions. However, JULES shows a significant underestimate in the magnitude of the observed response to rain compared to EOs. A sensitivity analysis of the JULES model highlights an unrealistically high level of soil water availability as a key deficiency, which dampens the models response to rainfall events.
Agulhas Leakage Predominantly Responds to the Southern Hemisphere Westerlies
Authors: Durgadoo Jonathan V. , Loveday Benjamin R. , Reason Chris J. C. , Penven Pierrick , Biastoch Arne
Published: July 2013

The Agulhas Current plays a crucial role in the thermohaline circulation through its leakage into the South Atlantic Ocean. Under both past and present climates, the trade winds and westerlies could have the ability to modulate the amount of Indian–Atlantic inflow. Compelling arguments have been put forward suggesting that trade winds alone have little impact on the magnitude of Agulhas leakage. Here, employing three ocean models for robust analysis—a global coarse-resolution, a regional eddy-permitting, and a nested high-resolution eddy-resolving configuration—and systematically altering the position and intensity of the westerly wind belt in a series of sensitivity experiments, it is shown that the westerlies, in particular their intensity, control the leakage. Leakage responds proportionally to the intensity of westerlies up to a certain point. Beyond this, through the adjustment of the large-scale circulation, energetic interactions occur between the Agulhas Return Current and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that result in a state where leakage no longer increases. This adjustment takes place within one or two decades. Contrary to previous assertions, these results further show that an equatorward (poleward) shift in westerlies increases (decreases) leakage. This occurs because of the redistribution of momentum input by the winds. It is concluded that the reported present-day leakage increase could therefore reflect an unadjusted oceanic response mainly to the strengthening westerlies over the last few decades.
Compound Vulnerabilities: The Intersection of Climate Variability and HIV/AIDS in Northwestern Tanzania
Authors: Githinji Valerie , Crane Todd A.
Published: July 2013

Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in Nsisha, a rural village located close to the shores of Lake Victoria in northwestern Tanzania, this article analyzes how climate change and variability intersect with other stressors that affect rural livelihoods, particularly HIV/AIDS. The analysis integrates theories of vulnerability from both climate and HIV/AIDS literatures to show how these intersecting stressors compound livelihood vulnerability in complex ways. Climate change and variability are linked to declining agricultural yields and an increase in food and nutrition insecurity and poor health in this region. This situation heightens poverty and susceptibility to HIV/AIDS, compromising people’s abilities to cope and adapt. Because of social dynamics, single mothers and their children are particularly affected by these compound vulnerabilities. Climate change and variability are significant contributing vulnerability factors that sustain and exacerbate asymmetrical poverty, food and nutrition insecurity, and HIV/AIDS. By describing the links between vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and climate variability, findings highlight the importance of holistic and localized approaches to adaptation, instead of trying to isolate single issues. Prioritization of multidisciplinary research focusing on the socially differentiated and gendered distribution of vulnerability specifically in regard to poverty, food and nutrition insecurity, and HIV/AIDS is recommended as a means to enrich the understanding of climate change vulnerability. Adaptation strategies should address how climatic shifts interact with generalized poverty, food and nutrition insecurity, health, and gendered vulnerability in areas most affected.
An immunoglobulin G complexed form of thyroid-stimulating hormone (macro thyroid-stimulating hormone) is a cause of elevated serum thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration
Authors: Mills Francesca , Jeffery Jinny , Mackenzie Paul , Cranfield Alex , Ayling Ruth M
Published: July 2013

Background

Macrocomplexes can be the cause of elevated serum hormone concentrations and may cause diagnostic confusion. This is well recognized for prolactin and commonly screened for using polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation. The phenomenon and a suitable screening method is less familiar with respect to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

Method

Samples sent to the laboratory for routine analysis of thyroid function and found to have a TSH >10 mU/L were evaluated to determine the prevalence of macro-TSH in the Roche Elecsys assay, using PEG precipitation with confirmation by gel filtration chromatography.

Results

Of 495 samples tested, 3 (0.6%) were found to have macro-TSH. From the distribution of recoveries, a cut-off <25% was determined for identifying samples requiring further investigation for the presence of macro-TSH.

Conclusion

The prevalence of elevated TSH due to macro-TSH was found to be 0.6%. Laboratories should be aware of this cause of assay interference.
Self-stigma, quality of life and schizophrenia: An outpatient clinic survey in Nigeria
Authors: Mosanya Temilola J , Adelufosi Adegoke O , Adebowale Olaolu T , Ogunwale Adegboyega , Adebayo Olaide K
Published: July 2013

Background:

Stigma is a major obstacle to the treatment and recovery of people with mental illness. In Nigeria, there is a dearth of information on internalization of stigma and its effect on treatment outcome measures such as quality of life.

Aim and objectives:

The aim of the study was to assess self-stigma among patients with schizophrenia attending a psychiatric hospital outpatient clinic, and the relationship of self-stigma to the socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and quality of life of the patients.

Method:

Two hundred and fifty-six consecutive outpatient attendees of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta in Nigeria with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of schizophrenia were recruited for the study. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was established with the Structured Clinical Interview Schedule for DSM-IV Axis I disorder (SCID), while item 17 of the Present State Examination was used to ascertain the presence of insight into the illness. The subjects were interviewed with a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref) questionnaire.

Results:

The mean age of the subjects was 39.5 (SD = 10.6) years with males constituting 52.0% of the sample. High self-stigma was found in 18.8% of the subjects. The socio-demographic and clinical correlates of high self-stigma found using univariate analysis were low educational level ( χ2 = 22.69, p < .001), unemployment ( χ2 = 15.9, p < .001), low income ( χ2 = 25.03, p < .001), source of income ( χ2 = 12.52, p = .007) and severity of psychopathology ( t = 8.245, p < .001). High self-stigma was associated with poor quality of life in all the domains of WHOQOL-Bref.

Conclusion:

This study revealed that self-stigma was common among subjects with schizophrenia. It is associated with poor treatment outcome, highlighting the need to incorporate stigma intervention strategies into mental health care delivery.
Duration of residence and dementia literacy among Chinese Americans
Authors: Diamond Alexandra G , Woo Benjamin KP
Published: July 2013

Background:

To investigate whether duration of residence (DOR) impacts dementia literacy in Chinese Americans aged 40–64.

Material:

A total of 151 Chinese Americans answered a self-administered, true/false survey assessing knowledge of dementia symptoms, treatment, cause and prognosis. Two groups were dichotomized and compared based on DOR in the USA.

Discussion:

DOR did not greatly impact the understanding of dementia between respondents with a < 20-year versus a ≥ 20-year DOR. Both groups exhibited deficiencies in recognizing the symptoms of dementia.

Conclusion:

Gaps in dementia knowledge reflect a stigma surrounding mental illness among Chinese Americans, and impact the seeking of professional care.
Psychosocial support and cognitive deficits in adults with schizophrenia
Authors: Dalagdi Aikaterini , Arvaniti Aikaterini , Papatriantafyllou John , Xenitidis Kiriakos , Samakouri Maria , Livaditis Miltos
Published: July 2013

Background:

In recent decades there has been an increasing interest in cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. However, only a few studies have examined the impact of psychosocial support on the prevention of cognitive deterioration in patients who suffer from schizophrenia.

Aim:

The aims of the present study are: (1) to confirm the presence of cognitive deficits among patients with schizophrenia; (2) to explore any correlations between such deficits and a range of clinical and/or demographic characteristics of the patients; and (3) to investigate any association between cognitive deficits and psychosocial support.

Method:

A total of 118 patients with schizophrenia (the patient group) and 102 healthy volunteers (the control group) had a cognitive assessment using a battery of neuropsychological tests. The patients were allocated to one of the following groups: (1) patients under routine outpatient follow-up; or (2) patients receiving or having recently received intensive psychosocial support, in addition to follow-up. This included daily participation in vocational and recreational activities provided by dedicated mental health day centers. The findings of the neuropsychological testing of individuals in all groups were compared, after controlling for clinical or demographic factors.

Results:

The scores in the neuropsychological tests were lower overall in the patients group compared to healthy volunteers. Within the patients group, those receiving/having received psychosocial support had higher scores compared to those on routine follow-up alone. There were no significant differences between patients currently receiving psychosocial support and those having received it in the past. Lower education, age and illness duration (but not severity of positive or negative symptoms) were factors associated with lower test scores.

Conclusions:

The study provides some evidence that psychosocial support may be beneficial for the cognitive functioning of patients with schizophrenia and this benefit may be a lasting one.
The design and optimisation of a rig to enable the lateral spreading of fibre bundles
Authors: Irfan MS , Machavaram VR , Murray RC , Bogonez FN , Wait CF , Pandita SD , Paget MA , Hudson M , Fernando GF
Published: July 2013

Fibre-reinforced composites consist of three key components: the reinforcing fibres, the matrix and the interface between the fibre and the matrix. The efficient impregnation of the reinforcing fibre bundle by the matrix is a primary prerequisite for the production of advanced fibre-reinforced composites. This process can be significantly enhanced by spreading the filaments in the reinforcing fibre bundle. The authors previously reported on a manual technique for spreading the filaments in a bundle. This involved subjecting a fibre bundle to a series of reciprocating motions over a rod. The effect of releasing the tension on the bundle was also considered. On the basis of the observations made in the previous study, a mechanised rig was designed, manufactured and optimised to enable the lateral spreading of the filaments in a bundle of E-glass fibres. A Taguchi-based approach was used to optimise the variables on the rig such as the number and configuration of rollers, haul-off speed of the fibre bundle, pre-tension in the bundle and the rotational speed of the roller carrier hub. The maximum degree of fibre spreading achieved for a commercially available 2400 tex E-glass fibre bundle was 250%.
Effects of MWCNT reinforcement on quasi-static and dynamic tensile properties of epoxy
Authors: Leininger Wyatt , Wang Xinnan , Tangpong XW
Published: July 2013

The addition of damping to structural components holds potential benefits across many applications. However, the dynamic properties, including damping, are often considered independently of the quasi-static mechanical properties. In this study, the effect of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) content level was investigated for structural damping properties, including elastic modulus, toughness, loss modulus and glass transition temperature. The MWCNT reinforcement levels of 0.2, 0.6 and 1 wt% are compared with that of the neat epoxy. The largest property improvement found was an increase of 81% in the toughness of the 0.2 wt% composite over the neat epoxy. The dynamic mechanical analysis showed improvements in the loss modulus as the MWCNT content increased. The highest loss modulus, with a 15–20% improvement over the neat epoxy, was in for the 1 wt% composite. Overall, the mechanical properties were improved by the addition of MWCNTs, though damping is limited at low material strain.
Validation of a refined technique for taking repeated blood samples from juvenile and adult mice
Authors: Sadler Annelisa M , Bailey Sarah J
Published: July 2013

Repeated blood sampling from laboratory animals is desirable in certain experimental designs and also for reducing the number of animals used in research. Biochemical methods for analysing blood samples require only small blood volumes to be collected (typically 20–40 µL). In juvenile mice, the small blood volume of the animals also requires only small samples to be taken. Furthermore, for behavioural studies it is desirable to have a method that does not require anaesthesia or the use of invasive indwelling cannulae. We report the validation of a refined method for repeated blood sampling (up to 3 times at 24 h intervals) in juvenile and adult mice using the tail incision method to sample from the lateral tail vein. This method is not stressful, as assessed by low basal levels of the stress hormone corticosterone. Since repeated blood samples can be collected from the same animal at multiple time points, it is not necessary to increase group size for terminal sample collection. Thus, in addition to being a refined method requiring no warming of the tail, no anaesthesia and only gentle restraint, this method also reduces the numbers of mice used for experiments.
Seven Prototypical Chinese Cities
Authors: Heikkila Eric , Xu Ying
Published: July 2013

Not all Chinese cities are alike, and these differences are reflected in the challenges posed by urbanisation and the corresponding responses cities undertake, including the formulation of mandated five-year plans. These plans emerge from and contribute to a larger discursive process by which planners and other actors frame an understanding of the key issues that cities need to address. This research undertakes a content analysis of the 11th five-year plans of 286 major cities in China, leading to the identification of a set of key words permeating those texts. A cluster analysis is then conducted based on those key words describing principal tasks outlined in the five-year plans. Seven distinct clusters of cities emerge and an additional analysis using socioeconomic data from the China City Statistical Yearbook identifies the defining characteristics of each cluster and prototypical cities within them (Jilin, Liuzhou, Zhuzhou, Nanping, Xinyu, Chengde and Mianyang). Finally, by comparing the present socioeconomic profile and prospective development issues of each cluster, implications for national urban planning strategies in China are discussed.
Emerging Trends in Japan in Education of the Gifted
Authors: Sumida Manabu
Published: July 2013

Japan has no formal educational system for gifted children. However, in 2005, Japan’s Cabinet approved and established the third Science and Technology Basic Plan (2006-10), which includes “nurturing the individuality and ability of gifted ( sainou in Japanese) children.” Enforcement of this plan is exemplified in programs such as “Super Science High Schools,” “Next-Generation Scientists Programs,” “Science Camps,” and “Japan Science Tournaments.” The number of Japanese participants in the Science Olympiad has increased threefold within 5 years. The characteristics of gifted (sainou) education in Japan are domain-specific, however, and emphasis is placed on science and technology and research and development rather than on education. On the other hand, Japanese people put great faith in the thought that giftedness can be taught. This paper describes trends in educational policy on the gifted in Japan, and the characteristic of Japanese education for the gifted is discussed from both historical and cultural viewpoints.
Understanding Organizational Evolution: Toward a Research Agenda using Generalized Darwinism
Authors: Hodgson Geoffrey M.
Published: July 2013

The terms ‘evolution’ and ‘coevolution’ are widely used in organization studies but rarely defined. Often it is unclear whether they refer to single entities or populations. When specific evolutionary processes are suggested, the labelling is often misleading. For example, in the debate over the roles of individual adaptation and competitive selection, the ‘selectionist’ position of Michael Hannan and John Freeman, which emphasizes the role of selection and stress the limits of individual firm adaptability, is often described as ‘Darwinian’ whereas opposing views that emphasize adaptability are described as ‘Lamarckian’. But these labels are not strictly dichotomous. Scholars have shown that core Darwinian principles, resulting from abstract ontological communality rather than analogy, apply to social evolution. This opens up a research agenda using the principles of generalized Darwinism and the replicator–interactor framework to help understand the evolution of organizations. Some illustrations of the conceptual value of this approach are provided, including understanding the entwinement of selection and adaptation, the nature and role of organizational routines, the place of strategic choice and the growth of organizational complexity. The framework of generalized Darwinism also helps to bridge apparently divergent perspectives in the business strategy and organizational ecology literatures.
Burden or benefit? Regulation as a dynamic influence on small business performance
Authors: Kitching John , Hart Mark , Wilson Nick
Published: July 2013

This article contributes to contemporary debates concerning the impact of regulation on small business performance. Reassessing previous studies, we build our insights on their useful, but partial, approaches. Prior studies treat regulation principally as a static and negative influence, thereby neglecting the full range of regulatory effects on business performance. This study adopts a more nuanced approach, one informed by critical realism, that conceptualises social reality as stratified, and social causality in terms of the actions of human agents situated within particular social-structural contexts. We theorise regulation as a dynamic force, enabling as well as constraining performance, generating contradictory performance effects. Such regulatory effects flow directly from adaptations to regulation, and indirectly via relationships with the wide range of close and distant stakeholders with whom small businesses interact. Future research should examine these contradictory regulatory influences on small business performance.
Prolonged cardiac arrest and resuscitation by extracorporeal life support: favourable outcome without preceding anticoagulation in an experimental setting
Authors: Foerster K , D’Inka M , Beyersdorf F , Benk C , Nguyen-Thanh T , Mader I , Fritsch B , Ihling C , Mueller K , Heilmann C , Trummer G
Published: July 2013

State-of-the-art cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) restores circulation with inconsistent blood-flow and pressure. Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) following CPR opens the opportunity for “controlled reperfusion”. In animal experiments investigating CPR with ECLS, systemic anticoagulation before induced cardiac arrest is normal, but a major point of dispute, since preliminary heparinization in patients undergoing unwitnessed cardiac arrest is impossible. In this study, we investigated options for ECLS after an experimental 15 minutes normothermic cardiac arrest, without preceding anticoagulation, in pigs. Neurological recovery was assessed by a scoring system, electroencephalography and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Additionally, brain histology was performed on day seven after cardiac arrest. We demonstrated that preliminary heparin administration was not necessary for survival or neurological recovery in this setting. Heparin flushing of the cannulae seemed sufficient to avoid thrombus formation. These findings may ease the way to using ECLS in patients with sudden cardiac arrest.
The glocalization of time and space: Soccer and meaning in Chota valley, Ecuador
Authors: Jijon Isabel
Published: July 2013

Globalization is commonly defined as time–space compression, a view that relies on an idea of ‘empty’ time and space where these dimensions have been stripped of local meanings by abstraction and standardization. This notion is incompatible with the globalization of culture literature that suggests that these processes do not erase local meanings but rather mix local and global culture in a process Roland Robertson calls ‘glocalization.’ However, glocalization research tends to look at culture within the bounds of time and space, without problematizing changes to these dimensions themselves. By examining the local appropriation of global soccer (football) in a rural Ecuadorian community called Chota, this article bridges these perspectives and shows that globalization actively reconfigures the meanings associated to time and space.
Talking human rights: How social movement activists are constructed and constrained by human rights discourse
Authors: Landy David
Published: July 2013

Human rights discourse is central for the work of international social movements. Viewing human rights as a context-dependent and socially constructed discourse, this article investigates how it is used by a specific social movement – Israel-critical diaspora Jewish activists – and argues that it can simultaneously challenge and reproduce existing practices of domination. The article applies contemporary critiques of human rights to the case of Palestine, where this discourse has arguably been used to undermine Palestinians’ political subjectivity and collective struggle, and legitimise outside intervention. Nevertheless, transnational groups critical of Israel, particularly diaspora Jewish organisations, rely on a human rights frame. There are several reasons for this: it offers activists a means to achieve ‘cognitive liberation’, to speak about the issue and to frame their activities so as to attract recruits. The article investigates this paradoxical role of human rights, and recommends understanding it as a language which both constrains and enables the practice of transnational solidarity.
Efficacy of strengthening or aerobic exercise on pain relief in people with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Tanaka Ryo , Ozawa Junya , Kito Nobuhiro , Moriyama Hideki
Published: July 2013

Objective:

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to investigate the differences in the efficacies between strengthening and aerobic exercises for pain relief in people with knee osteoarthritis.

Data sources:

This search was applied to Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. All literature published from each source’s earliest date to March 2013 was included.

Review methods:

Trials comparing the effects of exercise intervention with those of either non-intervention or psycho-educational intervention were collected. Meta-analysis was performed for trials in which therapeutic exercise was carried out with more than three sessions per week up to eight weeks, for pain in people with knee osteoarthritis. All trials were categorised into three subgroups (non-weight-bearing strengthening exercise, weight-bearing strengthening exercise, and aerobic exercise). Subgroup analyses were also performed.

Results:

Data from eight studies were integrated. Overall effect of exercise was significant with a large effect size (standardised mean difference (SMD): −0.94; 95% confidence interval −1.31 to −0.57). Subgroup analyses showed a larger SMD for non-weight-bearing strengthening exercise (−1.42 [−2.09 to −0.75]) compared with weight-bearing strengthening exercise (−0.70 [−1.05 to −0.35]), and aerobic exercise (−0.45 [−0.77 to −0.13]).

Conclusion:

Muscle strengthening exercises with or without weight-bearing and aerobic exercises are effective for pain relief in people with knee osteoarthritis. In particular, for pain relief by short-term exercise intervention, the most effective exercise among the three types is non-weight–bearing strengthening exercise.
Massage therapy and exercise therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled pilot study
Authors: Negahban Hossein , Rezaie Solmaz , Goharpey Shahin
Published: July 2013

Objective:

The primary aim was to investigate the comparative effects of massage therapy and exercise therapy on patients with multiple sclerosis. The secondary aim was to investigate whether combination of both massage and exercise has an additive effect.

Design:

Randomized controlled pilot trial with repeated measurements and blinded assessments.

Setting:

Local Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Subjects:

A total of 48 patients with multiple sclerosis were randomly assigned to four equal subgroups labelled as massage therapy, exercise therapy, combined massage–exercise therapy and control group.

Interventions:

The treatment group received 15 sessions of supervised intervention for five weeks. The massage therapy group received a standard Swedish massage. The exercise therapy group was given a combined set of strength, stretch, endurance and balance exercises. Patients in the massage–exercise therapy received a combined set of massage and exercise treatments. Patients in the control group were asked to continue their standard medical care.

Main measures:

Pain, fatigue, spasticity, balance, gait and quality of life were assessed before and after intervention.

Results:

Massage therapy resulted in significantly larger improvement in pain reduction (mean change 2.75 points, P = 0.001), dynamic balance (mean change, 3.69 seconds, P = 0.009) and walking speed (mean change, 7.84 seconds, P = 0.007) than exercise therapy. Patients involved in the combined massage–exercise therapy showed significantly larger improvement in pain reduction than those in the exercise therapy (mean change, 1.67 points, P = 0.001).

Conclusions:

Massage therapy could be more effective than exercise therapy. Moreover, the combination of massage and exercise therapy may be a little more effective than exercise therapy alone.
Bureaucratic Discretion, Client Demographics, and Representative Bureaucracy
Authors: Marvel John D. , Resh William G.
Published: July 2013

For passive representation to translate into active representation, bureaucrats must have discretion. Despite its importance to representative bureaucracy theory, though, discretion has received little empirical attention in public administration. We seek to address this shortcoming by examining the determinants of bureaucratic discretion, paying particular attention to how the demographic characteristics of clients and bureaucrats interact to influence the amount of discretion that individual bureaucrats possess. Specifically, we examine whether the amount of discretion that minority bureaucrats have is positively related to the percentage of an organization’s clients who are from the same minority group. We argue that there are three reasons to expect a positive relationship: client demand, managerial deference to bureaucratic expertise, and bureaucratic appropriation. Our findings suggest that a positive relationship exists for African American bureaucrats, but not for Hispanic bureaucrats.
Amniotic stem cell transplantation therapy for type 1 diabetes: A case report
Authors: Liu Ying , Cao Dong-Lin , Guo Li-Bin , Guo Sheng-Nan , Xu Jin-Kai , Zhuang Hong-Feng
Published: July 2013

This case report presents an evaluation of the clinical effects of an allogeneic amniotic cell transplant for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. A 26-year-old man with type 1 diabetes was treated with stem cells isolated from his neonatal son’s amniotic membrane, collected at birth (2 × 107 cells). The cells, which expressed high levels of cluster of differentiation (CD) 133 and CD34 as assessed by flow cytometry, were infused into the pancreatic dorsal artery through the left femoral artery. The main study outcome was the change in exogenous insulin requirements, which began to decrease 3 days after transplantation. At 3 months post-transplantation, the patient was insulin independent and remained so for 6.2 months. During a 36-month follow-up, the patient’s blood glucose remained under control and insulin treatment was readjusted to a dosage of 8 IU/day. These preliminary data suggest that amniotic membrane stem cell transplantation can improve islet-cell function in response to glucose in vivo, although an alternative explanation (such as a honeymoon period due to reduced glucose toxicity) also has to be considered.
Influence of external weld flash on the in-plane plane-strain formability of friction stir welded sheets
Authors: Kumar Mukesh , Kailas Satish V , Narayanan R Ganesh
Published: July 2013

The main aim of the present work is to analyze the influence of external weld flash on the formability of friction stir welding sheets through in-plane plane-strain formability tests. The load-extension behavior and forming limit strains are measured to quantify the formability. The influence of friction stir welding parameters on the height of weld flash was also studied. The base materials used for welding trials are AA6061T6 and AA5052H32 alloy sheets of 2.1-mm thickness. It is observed that the influence of external weld flash on the maximum load and total extension for all the friction stir welding conditions is negligible. The effect of weld flash on the limiting major strain is also insignificant. But the presence of weld flash has changed the limiting minor strain, more toward plane-strain condition, indicating the change in strain-path toward plane-strain. This is due to the strain taken by weld flash, along with the major strain, minor strain, and thickness strain in the friction stir welding sheet plane because of constancy of volume. The formation of weld flash and its height are affected synergistically by the axial force and temperature development during friction stir welding. The higher the axial force and temperature, the higher the flash height.
Application of an extended Rusinek–Klepaczko constitutive model to predict the mechanical behavior of 6082-T6 aluminum under Taylor impact test conditions
Authors: Moćko Wojciech , Janiszewski Jacek , Grązka Michał
Published: July 2013

The application of an extended Rusinek–Klepaczko constitutive equation to predict the mechanical response of 6082-T6 aluminum under the Taylor impact test conditions was presented in this article. The numerical results obtained in the study were verified through a comparison with the experimental data extracted from the Taylor anvil-on-rod impact experiments. It was concluded that the extended Rusinek–Klepaczko constitutive model predicts the behavior of the tested aluminum alloy under applied loading conditions with satisfactory accuracy. Moreover, it was found that the plastic wave phenomenon in this material is very limited and that there was no region of constant plastic wave velocity. Strain rates up to 1.6 × 104 s−1 were recorded during the Taylor impact experiments; therefore, this value may be set as the upper limit of the extended Rusinek–Klepaczko model for the alloy, which was validated with the anvil-on-rod experiment.
The Role of Art in History and the Art of the Future
Authors: Seel Gerhard
Published: July 2013

The main thesis of this paper is that art has an important role to play in the fulfillment of the promises of historical progress and that this progress is the necessary condition of the flourishing of the art of the future. We make progress in economic history because we improve the productivity of our labor by inventions and cooperation. Its aim is the liberation from the necessity of labor. However, the leisure time we thus gain has to be filled with meaningful activities. Here art has to play a central role.

To show this I have to determine what art is. In my view, art is a close cousin of playing games. Arts and games have in fact a common ancestor: the feast. Both are executed freely according to self-invented rules. This explains why arts and games yield us extraordinary, quasi divine, pleasures.

Therefore indulging in art and playing games allows us in the best possible way to fill our ever larger leisure time with meaningful activities. However, this role belongs to the art of the future, i.e. the art after the end of the history of art. I explain the features of this art and its role in my last chapter.
Additive manufacturing of star poly(ε-caprolactone) wet-spun scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications
Authors: Mota Carlos , Puppi Dario , Dinucci Dinuccio , Gazzarri Matteo , Chiellini Federica
Published: July 2013

Three-dimensional fibrous scaffolds made of a three-arm star poly(ε-caprolactone) were developed by employing a novel computer-aided wet-spinning apparatus to precisely control the deposition pattern of an extruded polymeric solution as a filament into a coagulation bath. Star poly(ε-caprolactone)/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds composed of fibres with a porous morphology both in the outer surface and in the cross section were successfully produced with a layer-by-layer approach achieving good reproducibility of the internal architecture and external shape. Changes in processing parameters were used to fabricate scaffolds with different architectural parameters in terms of average pore size in the xy-axes (from 190 to 297 µm) and in the z-axis (from 54 to 126 µm) and porosity (in the range of 20%–60%). Based on the mechanical characterization, processing variations and hydroxyapatite loading have an influence on scaffold compression properties. Cell cultures, using a murine pre-osteoblast cell line, had good cell responses in terms of proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation. Thus, this technique appears to be an effective method for producing customized polymeric scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications.