bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Somatostatin modulates mast cell-induced responses in murine spinal neurons and satellite cells
Authors: Van Op den bosch Joeri , Van Nassauw Luc , Van Marck Eric , Timmermans Jean-Pierre
Published: May 2009

The course of intestinal inflammatory responses is tightly coordinated by the extensive communication between the immune system and the enteric nervous system, among which the bidirectional mast cell-neuron interaction within the intestinal wall plays a prominent role. Recent research suggests that somatostatin (SOM) is able to inhibit this self-reinforcing network by simultaneously suppressing the inflammatory activities of both neurons and mast cells. Therefore, we assessed the modulatory effects of SOM on both the short-term and long-term effects induced by the main mast cell mediators histamine (HIS) and 5-HT on spinal sensory neurons. Short-term incubation of dorsal root ganglion cultures with HIS and 5-HT induced neuronal CGRP-release and calcium-mediated activation of both neurons and nonneuronal cells, both of which effects were significantly reduced by SOM. In addition, SOM was also able to suppress the increased neuronal expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory peptides induced by long-term exposure to HIS and 5-HT. Immunocytochemical and molecular-biological experiments revealed the possible involvement of somatostatin receptor 1 (SSTR1) and SSTR2A in these profound SOM-dependent effects. These data, combined with the increased expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory peptides and several SSTRs in murine dorsal root ganglia following intestinal inflammation, reveal that intestinal inflammation not only induces the onset of proinflammatory cascades but simultaneously triggers endogenous systems destined to prevent excessive tissue damage. Moreover, these data provide for the first time functional evidence that SOM is able to directly modulate intestinal inflammatory responses by interference with the coordinating mast cell-neuron communication.
Failure of hypoxia to exaggerate the metabolic stress in working muscle following short-term training
Authors: Green H. J. , Burnett M. E. , Smith I. C. , Tupling S. M. , Ranney D. A.
Published: May 2009

This study investigated the effects of hypoxia ( experiment 1) and the effects of hypoxia following short-term training ( experiment 2) on metabolism in working muscle. In experiment 1, eight males with a peak aerobic power (V̇o2peak) of 45 ± 1.7 ml·kg−1·min−1( x̄ ± SE) cycled for 15 min at 66.1 ± 2.1% V̇o2peakwhile breathing room air [normoxia (N)] or 14% O2[hypoxia (H)]. In experiment 2, nine males with a V̇o2peakof 43.3 ± 1.6 ml·kg−1·min−1performed a similar protocol at 60.7 ± 1.4% V̇o2peakduring N and during H following 5 days of submaximal exercise training (H + T). Tissue samples extracted from the vastus lateralis before exercise and at 1, 3, and 15 min of exercise indicated that compared with N, H resulted in lower ( P < 0.05) concentrations (mmol/kg dry wt) of creatine phosphate and higher ( P < 0.05) concentrations of creatine, inorganic phosphate, and lactate, regardless of exercise time. When the exercise was performed at H + T and compared with N, no differences were observed in creatine phosphate, creatine, inorganic phosphate, and lactate, regardless of duration. Given the well-documented effects of the short-term training model on elevating V̇o2kinetics and attenuating the alterations in high-energy phosphate metabolism and lactate accumulation, it would appear that the mechanism underlying the reversal of these adaptations during H is linked to a more rapid increase in oxidative phosphorylation, mediated by increased oxygen delivery and/or mitochondrial activation.
Unaltered size selectivity of the glomerular filtration barrier in caveolin-1 knockout mice
Authors: Grände Gustaf , Rippe Catarina , Rippe Anna , Rahman Awahan , Swärd Karl , Rippe Bengt
Published: May 2009

The transfer of albumin from blood to tissue has been found to be increased in caveolin-1 knockout (KO) mice. This has been considered to reflect increased microvascular permeability, conceivably caused by an increased endothelial production of nitric oxide (NO) in these mice. To investigate whether such an increase in NO production would also affect glomerular barrier characteristics, the glomerular sieving coefficients (θ) to neutral FITC-Ficoll 70/400 (molecular radius 13–90 Å) were determined in caveolin-1 KO mice vs. their wild-type counterparts. The θ for Ficoll were assessed using high-performance size-exclusion chromatography on blood and urine samples. Furthermore, the transcapillary escape rate (TER) of 125I-labeled albumin and plasma volume (PV) were determined in both types of mice. The kidney expressed low levels of caveolin-1 compared with the lung and bladder, but immunofluorescence associated with vascular structures was evident. Staining was lost in the caveolin-1 KO kidney, as was caveolin-1 expression in the lung and bladder. Despite an increase in the glomerular filtration rate in caveolin-1 KO mice (0.23 ± 0.04 vs. 0.10 ± 0.02 ml/min; both n = 7; P < 0.05), the glomerular Ficoll sieving curves were nearly identical. Furthermore, caveolin-1 KO mice showed an increased PV (6.59 ± 0.42 vs. 5.18 ± 0.13 ml/100 g; P < 0.01) but only a tendency toward an increased TER (14.69 ± 1.59 vs. 11.62 ± 1.62%/h; not significant). It is concluded that in caveolin-1 KO mice the glomerular permeability was not increased, despite the presence of glomerular hyperfiltration. The present data are in line with the concept that the increased transvascular albumin leakage previously found in mice lacking caveolin-1 may be due to an elevation in systemic microvascular pressure due to precapillary vasodilatation, rather than being a consequence of increased microvascular permeability per se.
The thiazide-sensitive Na+-Cl−cotransporter: molecular biology, functional properties, and regulation by WNKs
Authors: Gamba Gerardo
Published: May 2009

The thiazide-sensitive Na+-Cl−cotransporter is the major salt reabsorption pathway in the distal convoluted tubule, which is located just after the macula densa at the beginning of the aldosterone-sensitive nephron. This cotransporter was identified at the molecular level in the early 1990s by the pioneering work of Steven C. Hebert and coworkers, opening the molecular area, not only for the Na+-Cl−cotransporter but also for the family of electroneutral cation-coupled chloride cotransporters that includes the loop diuretic-sensitive Na+-K+-2Cl−cotransporter of the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop. This work honoring the memory of Steve Hebert presents a brief review of our current knowledge about salt and water homeostasis generated as a consequence of cloning the cotransporter, with particular emphasis on the molecular biology, physiological properties, human disease due to decreased or increased activity of the cotransporter, and regulation of the cotransporter by a family of serine/threonine kinases known as WNK. Thus one of the legacies of Steve Hebert is a better understanding of salt and water homeostasis.
K+ secretion in the rat kidney: Na+ channel-dependent and -independent mechanisms
Authors: Frindt Gustavo , Palmer Lawrence G.
Published: May 2009

Renal Na+ and K+ excretion was measured in rats with varying dietary K+ intake. The requirement for channel-mediated distal nephron Na+ reabsorption was assessed by infusing the animals with the K+-sparing diuretic amiloride via osmotic minipumps. At infusion rates of 2 nmol/min, the concentration of amiloride in the urine was 38 μM, corresponding to concentrations of 9–23 μM in the distal tubular fluid, sufficient to block >98% of Na+ transport through apical Na+ channels (ENaC). With a control K+ intake (0.6% KCl), amiloride reduced K+ excretion rates (UKV) from 0.85 ± 0.15 to 0.05 ± 0.01 μmol/min during the first 2 h of infusion, suggesting that distal nephron K+ secretion was completely dependent on the activity of Na+ channels. When K+ intake was increased by feeding overnight with a diet containing 10% KCl, amiloride reduced UKV from 7.5 ± 0.7 to 1.3 ± 0.1 μmol/min despite an increased plasma K+ of 9 mM, again suggesting a major but not exclusive role for the Na+ channel-dependent pathway of K+ secretion. The maximal measured rates of amiloride-sensitive K+ excretion correspond well with estimates based on apical K+ channel activity in distal nephron segments. However, when the animals were adapted to the high-K+ diet for 7–9 days, the diuretic decreased UKV less, from 6.1 ± 0.6 to 3.0 ± 0.8 μmol/min, indicating an increasing fraction of K+ excretion that was independent of Na+ channels. This indicates the upregulation of a Na+ channel-independent mechanism for secreting K+.
K+-dependent Na+/Ca2+exchanger 3 is involved in renal active calcium transport and is differentially expressed in the mouse kidney
Authors: Lee Geun-Shik , Choi Kyung-Chul , Jeung Eui-Bae
Published: May 2009

Previously, we reported that renal active calcium-transporting genes are highly expressed in female mice and suggested that renal calcium-processing genes play a critical role in normal calcium reabsorption in females (Lee GS, Lee KY, Choi KC, Ryu YH, Paik SG, Oh GT, Jeung EB. J Bone Miner Res 22: 1968–1978, 2007). In the current study, we evaluated the differential expression of renal calcium-processing genes in male and female mice. Using microarray analysis, we identified K+-dependent Na+/Ca2+exchanger 3 ( NCKX3) as a gene that was differentially expressed in the kidneys of female and male mice. The expression levels of renal NCKX3 mRNA and protein were higher in female than in male mice, whereas there was no difference between the genders in the levels of NCKX3 expression in the brain. Renal NCKX3 localized to the basolateral layer of distal convoluted tubules, indicating that this protein participates in renal calcium reabsorption. To identify putative regulators in the gender-specific expression of NCKX3, several hormones were injected into mature female and male mice. Although any hormones did not alter NCKX3 expression, adrenal gland-secreted hormones aldosterone and hydrocortisone did downregulate renal NCKX3 mRNA expression in female mice, but they did not change its protein levels. Taken together, the results in this study suggest that a high level of renal NCKX3 expression maintain in distal convoluted tubules may play a role in active calcium transport in the kidneys of female mice.
Inhibition of natriuretic factors increases blood pressure in rats
Authors: Banday Anees Ahmad , Lokhandwala Mustafa F.
Published: May 2009

Renal dopamine and nitric oxide contribute to natriuresis during high-salt intake which maintains sodium and blood pressure homeostasis. We wanted to determine whether concurrent inhibition of these natriuretic factors increases blood pressure during high-sodium intake. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following groups: 1) vehicle (V)-tap water, 2) NaCl-1% NaCl drinking water, 3) 30 mM l-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an oxidant, 4) BSO plus NaCl, and 5) BSO plus NaCl with 1 mM tempol (antioxidant). Compared with V, NaCl intake for 10 days doubled sodium intake and increased urinary dopamine level but reduced urinary nitric oxide content. NaCl intake also reduced basal renal proximal tubular Na-K-ATPase activity with no effect on blood pressure. However, NaCl intake in BSO-treated rats failed to reduce basal Na-K-ATPase activity despite higher urinary dopamine levels. Also, dopamine failed to inhibit proximal tubular Na-K-ATPase activity and these rats exhibited reduced urinary nitric oxide levels and high blood pressure. Tempol supplementation in NaCl plus BSO-treated rats reduced blood pressure. BSO treatment alone did not affect the urinary nitric oxide and dopamine levels or blood pressure. However, dopamine failed to inhibit proximal tubular Na-K-ATPase activity in BSO-treated rats. BSO treatment also increased basal protein kinase C activity, D1 receptor serine phosphorylation, and oxidative markers like malondialdehyde and 8-isoprostane. We suggest that NaCl-mediated reduction in nitric oxide does not increase blood pressure due to activation of D1 receptor signaling. Conversely, oxidative stress-provoked inhibition of D1 receptor signaling fails to elevate blood pressure due to presence of normal nitric oxide. However, simultaneously decreasing nitric oxide levels with NaCl and inhibiting D1 receptor signaling with BSO elevated blood pressure.
Muscarinic Enhancement of Persistent Sodium Current Synchronizes Striatal Medium Spiny Neurons
Authors: Carrillo-Reid Luis , Tecuapetla Fatuel , Vautrelle Nicolas , Hernández Adán , Vergara Ramiro , Galarraga Elvira , Bargas José
Published: May 2009

Network dynamics denoted by synchronous firing of neuronal pools rely on synaptic interactions and intrinsic properties. In striatal medium spiny neurons, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation endows neurons with nonlinear capabilities by inducing a negative-slope conductance region (NSCR) in the current–voltage relationship. Nonlinearities underlie associative learning, procedural memory, and the sequential organization of behavior in basal ganglia nuclei. The cholinergic system modulates the function of medium spiny projection neurons through the activation of muscarinic receptors, increasing the NMDA-induced NSCR. This enhancement is reflected as a change in the NMDA-induced network dynamics, making it more synchronous. Nevertheless, little is known about the contribution of intrinsic properties that promote this activity. To investigate the mechanisms underlying the cholinergic modulation of bistable behavior in the striatum, we used whole cell and calcium-imaging techniques. A persistent sodium current modulated by muscarinic receptor activation participated in the enhancement of the NSCR and the increased network synchrony. These experiments provide evidence that persistent sodium current generates bistable behavior in striatal neurons and contributes to the regulation of synchronous network activity. The neuromodulation of bistable properties could represent a cellular and network mechanism for cholinergic actions in the striatum.
Modulation of Effects of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation Applied Over Primary Motor Cortex (M1) by Conditioning Stimulation of the Opposite M1
Authors: Ragert Patrick , Camus Mickael , Vandermeeren Yves , Dimyan Michael A. , Cohen Leonardo G.
Published: May 2009

The excitability of the human primary motor cortex (M1) as tested with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) depends on its previous history of neural activity. Homeostatic plasticity might be one important physiological mechanism for the regulation of corticospinal excitability and synaptic plasticity. Although homeostatic plasticity has been demonstrated locally within M1, it is not known whether priming M1 could result in similar homeostatic effects in the homologous M1 of the opposite hemisphere. Here, we sought to determine whether down-regulating excitability (priming) in the right (R) M1 with 1-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) changes the excitability-enhancing effect of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) applied over the homologous left (L) M1. Subjects were randomly allocated to one of four experimental groups in a sham-controlled parallel design with real or sham R M1 1-Hz TMS stimulation always preceding L M1 iTBS or sham by about 10 min. The primary outcome measure was corticospinal excitability in the L M1, as measured by recruitment curves (RCs). Secondary outcome measures included pinch force, simple reaction time, and tapping speed assessed in the right hand. The main finding of this study was that preconditioning R M1 with 1-Hz rTMS significantly decreased the excitability-enhancing effects of subsequent L M1 iTBS on RCs. Application of 1-Hz rTMS over R M1 alone and iTBS over L M1 alone resulted in increased RC in L M1 relative to sham interventions. The present findings are consistent with the hypothesis that homeostatic mechanisms operating across hemispheric boundaries contribute to regulate motor cortical function in the primary motor cortex.
Excitatory Actions of Noradrenaline and Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Activation in Granule Cells of the Accessory Olfactory Bulb
Authors: Smith Richard S. , Weitz Christopher J. , Araneda Ricardo C.
Published: May 2009

Modulation of dendrodendritic synapses by the noradrenergic system in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) plays a key role in the formation of memory in olfactory-mediated behaviors. We have recently shown that noradrenaline (NA) inhibits mitral cells by increasing γ-aminobutyric acid inhibitory input onto mitral cells in the AOB, suggesting an excitatory action of NA on granule cells (GCs). Here, we show that NA (10 μM) elicits a long-lasting depolarization of GCs. This effect is mediated by activation of α1-adrenergic receptors as the depolarization is mimicked by phenylephrine (PE, 30 μM) and completely blocked by the α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin (300 nM). In addition to this depolarization, application of NA induced the appearance of a slow afterdepolarization (sADP) following a stimulus-elicited train of action potentials. Similarly, the group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1) agonist DHPG (10–30 μM) also produced a depolarization of GCs and the appearance of a stimulus-induced sADP. The ionic and voltage dependence and sensitivity to blockers of the sADP suggest that it is mediated by the nonselective cationic conductance ICAN. Thus the excitatory action resulting from the activation of these receptors could be mediated by a common transduction target. Surprisingly, the excitatory effect of PE on GCs was completely blocked by the mGluR1 antagonist LY367385 (100 μM). Conversely, the effect of DHPG was not antagonized by the α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin (300 nM). These results suggest that most of the noradrenergic effect on GCs in the AOB is mediated by potentiation of a basal activity of mGluR1s.
Cholinergic Responses and Intrinsic Membrane Properties of Developing Thalamic Parafascicular Neurons
Authors: Ye Meijun , Hayar Abdallah , Garcia-Rill Edgar
Published: May 2009

Parafascicular (Pf) neurons receive cholinergic input from the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), which is active during waking and REM sleep. There is a developmental decrease in REM sleep in humans between birth and puberty and 10–30 days in rat. Previous studies have established an increase in muscarinic and 5-HT1 serotonergic receptor–mediated inhibition and a transition from excitatory to inhibitory GABAAresponses in the PPN during the developmental decrease in REM sleep. However, no studies have been conducted on the responses of Pf cells to the cholinergic input from the PPN during development, which is a major target of ascending cholinergic projections and may be an important mechanism for the generation of rhythmic oscillations in the cortex. Whole cell patch-clamp recordings were performed in 9- to 20-day-old rat Pf neurons in parasagittal slices, and responses to the cholinergic agonist carbachol (CAR) were determined. Three types of responses were identified: inhibitory (55.3%), excitatory (31.1%), and biphasic (fast inhibitory followed by slow excitatory, 6.8%), whereas 6.8% of cells showed no response. The proportion of CAR-inhibited Pf neurons increased with development. Experiments using cholinergic antagonists showed that M2 receptors mediated the inhibitory response, whereas excitatory modulation involved M1, nicotinic, and probably M3 or M5 receptors, and the biphasic response was caused by the activation of multiple types of muscarinic receptors. Compared with CAR-inhibited cells, CAR-excited Pf cells showed 1) a decreased membrane time constant, 2) higher density of hyperpolarization-activated channels ( Ih), 3) lower input resistance ( Rin), 4) lower action potential threshold, and 5) shorter half-width duration of action potentials. Some Pf cells exhibited spikelets, and all were excited by CAR. During development, we observed decreases in Ihdensity, Rin, time constant, and action potential half-width. These results suggest that cholinergic modulation of Pf differentially affects separate populations, perhaps including electrically coupled cells. Pf cells tend to show decreased excitability and cholinergic activation during the developmental decrease in REM sleep.
Asymptotic Comparison of the Solutions of Linear Time‐Delay Systems with Point and Distributed Lags with Those of Their Limiting Equations
Authors: De la Sen M.
Published: May 2009

This paper investigates the relations between the particular eigensolutions of a limiting functional differential equation of any order, which is the nominal (unperturbed) linear autonomous differential equations, and the associate ones of the corresponding perturbed functional differential equation. Both differential equations involve point and distributed delayed dynamics including Volterra class dynamics. The proofs are based on a Perron‐type theorem for functional equations so that the comparison is governed by the real part of a dominant zero of the characteristic equation of the nominal differential equation. The obtained results are also applied to investigate the global stability of the perturbed equation based on that of its corresponding limiting equation.
Hybrid Iteration Method for Common Fixed Points of a Finite Family of Nonexpansive Mappings in Banach Spaces
Authors: Wang Lin , Chen Yi-Juan , Du Rong-Chuan
Published: May 2009

Let E be a real uniformly convex Banach space, and let{Ti : i ∈ I} be N nonexpansive
mappings from E into itself with F = {x ∈ E : Tix = x,  i ∈ I} ≠ ϕ, where I = {1, 2, …, N}. From an arbitrary initial point x1 ∈ E, hybrid iteration scheme {xn} is defined as follows: xn+1 = αnxn + (1 − αn)(Tnxn − λn+1μA(Tnxn)), n ≥ 1, where A : E → E is an L‐Lipschitzian
mapping, Tn = Ti, i = n(mod N), 1 ≤ i ≤ N, μ > 0, {λn}⊂[0, 1), and {αn}⊂[a, b] for some a, b ∈ (0, 1). Under some suitable conditions, the strong and weak
convergence theorems of {xn} to a common fixed point of the mappings {Ti : i ∈ I} are obtained. The results presented in this paper extend and improve
the results of Wang (2007) and partially improve the results of Osilike, Isiogugu, and Nwokoro
(2007).
Peripher-venöse bedarfsadaptierte parenterale Ernährung: Renaissance der Maltose?
Authors: Günther H.J. , Saeger H.D. , Hohner E. , Striebel J.P. , Scigalla P. , Bartels F. , Reichardt I.
Published: May 2009

Infolge Ersatz von Glukose bzw. Zuckeraustauschstoffen durch das Disaccharid Maltose und zusätzlicher Gabe von Fett konnte ein bedarfsadaptiertes parenterales Ernährungsregime konzipiert werden, das problemlos periphervenös infundiert werden kann (ca.650mosm/l, ca. 2000 kcal). In einer randomisierten klinischen Untersuchung an 20 Patienten der Chirurgischen Universitätsklinik Mannheim wurde dieses Konzept mit einem herkömmlichen 2–1-Konzept verglichen, welches nur zentralvenös zuführbar war (ca. 2000mosm/l, ca. 2000 kcal). Sämtliche Ergebnisse, auch diejenigen der 13C-Leuzin-Tracer-Technik hinsichtlich des postoperativen Proteinstoffwechsels, zeigten die metabolische Gleichwertigkeit der beiden Ernährungsregimes.
The Beatific Vision in the Sentences Commentary of Gerald Odonis
Authors: Duba William
Published: May 2009

The most studied source for Gerald Odonis' doctrine of the beatific vision is the text of his Advent 1333 disputed question known as his Quodlibet. The polemic nature of the question and its structural idiosyncrasies have led to difficulties in interpreting Odonis' theory of the “middle vision” of the divine essence that the separate souls of the blessed have, as well as in understanding his defense of Pope John XXII's controversial opinion (which excludes such a middle vision). By relating Odonis' 1333 disputation to his earlier commentary on the Sentences, most notably his systematic discussion of the beatific vision in book IV, this paper shows how Odonis tried to fit his doctrine of the “middle vision” with his previous discussion, which itself reflects the influence of the 1317 publication of the acts of the 1311-12 Council of Vienne.
The White Lady Travels: Narrating Fez and Spacing Colonial Authority in Edith Wharton's In Morocco
Authors: Simour Lhoussain
Published: May 2009

Foregrounding Orientalism as a system of thought that has produced constructed images and disfigured discourses about Europe's Other, this paper is primarily concerned with the practice of delineating landscape and manipulating the space of Fez in Edith Wharton's In Morocco. It starts with a rereading of Edward Said's model of analysis and then moves to an investigation into how this travel narrative displays, vulgarizes, and reproduces one of the strategies characteristic of colonial discourse: the mapping of the colonial space, specifically through the inscription of self and Other power relations, fueled up by a will to knowledge and control over new territories. It also attempts to read Wharton's narrative against Sara Mills' argument, which claims that it is gender rather than genre that is at the genesis of colonial heterogeneity.
The Socialization of Female Islamists: Paternal and Educational Influence
Authors: Barnett Carolyn
Published: May 2009

Many women have played an important role in Islamic renewal as advocates and activists within Islamist movements and parties. Women's participation is of particular interest, given the reputation of these groups as insufficiently supportive of women's rights. The specific influences and experiences that lead women to approach their own empowerment through Islam and to reform Islamist movements from within have been neglected. This article investigates some of the important influences on two prominent female Islamists: Heba Raouf Ezzat, Professor of Political Science at Cairo University, and Nadia Yassine, founder and head of the women's branch of the Moroccan movement Justice and Spirituality (JSA). First and foremost, it overviews the circumstances in which prominent women in Egypt and Morocco have asserted themselves in the past century, highlighting the consistent importance of paternal influence and the expansion of access to education, as well as the evolving role of religion and religious discourse in arguments for women's rights. This article discusses the role of paternal influence and schooling as agents of political socialization, pointing out that scholars have underestimated the important role that fathers play in strongly patriarchal societies and the ability of schools in former colonies to produce anti colonial and nationalist political sentiments. It then turns to Ezzat and Yassine themselves, presenting in detail the influence their fathers and foreign schools had on their political socialization. Both fathers held progressive views on women's education, but they differed in their specific political views, such as their attitude towards Islamism, and the extent to which they sought to transfer their political views to their daughters. This article ends by discussing the role of foreign education in Ezzat's and Yassine's socialization and identity construction, emphasizing the importance of encounters with racist and condescending attitudes as a contributing factor to women's search for Islamic alternatives.
'For the Benefit of Ordinary People': the Dutch Translation of the Fasciculus medicinae, Antwerp 1512
Authors: Coppens Christian
Published: May 2009

The article deals with the Dutch translation of the Fasciculus medicinae based on the Latin edition, Venice 1495, with the famous woodcuts created in 1494 for the Italian translation of the original Latin edition of 1491. The woodcuts are compared with the Venetian model. New features in the Antwerp edition include the Skeleton and the Zodiac Man, both originally based on German models. The text also deals briefly with other woodcuts in the Low Countries based on these Venetian illustrations. The Appendices provide an STC of all the editions and translations based on the Venetian edition and a stemma.
The Growth of International Shipping in the Arctic: Is a Regulatory Review Timely?
Authors: Chircop Aldo
Published: May 2009

This article is set against the backdrop of the fundamental physical change in the Arctic and the prospect of increased international shipping, including prospects for new international maritime routes through that region. The multiple levels of governance bearing on Arctic shipping and the need for a review of international maritime rules and standards to facilitate their application to future Arctic navigation are discussed. It is concluded that regional cooperation, inclusion of non-Arctic States in shipping governance, and a uniform set of rules and standards for ship safety and marine environmental protection are needed.
The Protection and Sustainable Exploitation of Genetic Resources of the High Seas from the European Union's Perspective
Authors: Beslier Serge
Published: May 2009

This paper examines how marine biodiversity and genetic resources in the high seas can be protected and whether their exploitation should be regulated. As to their protection, it raises the question whether existing sectoral approaches should continue or to create a new mechanism based on an integrated approach. In accordance with the European Union's position, the latter is favoured, while acknowledging that several States still have reservations and question the need for new legal instruments. Concerning the necessity of a regulatory scheme governing their exploitation, existing mechanisms under the Law of the Sea Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity are examined and it is concluded that they are not applicable or do not provide for specific rules on this issue. It is further presumed that the resulting absence of a clear framework is acceptable because the potential of commercial exploitation is still uncertain, so that there will only be scientific research without vital negative impact on the marine environment in the near future. It is suggested that the international community should rather focus on defining the legal status of genetic resources and clarifying whether they belong to the common heritage of mankind and require a benefit-sharing system, as proposed by developing countries.
Specific Regulations for Shipping and Environmental Protection in the Arctic: The Work of the International Maritime Organization
Authors: Blanco-Bazán Agustín
Published: May 2009

This article reviews the work of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with regard to the adoption of international rules on safety of navigation and prevention of marine pollution. The recommendatory IMO Guidelines for Ships Operating in Arctic Ice-Covered Waters are discussed. The relationship between coastal State legislation under Article 234 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the main IMO safety and anti-pollution treaties is analyzed. It concludes that the former should neither contradict nor overlap with the latter.
Climate Change, Conflicts and Cooperation in the Arctic: Easier Access to Hydrocarbons and Mineral Resources?
Authors: Mager Diethard
Published: May 2009

Global mineral and hydrocarbon commodity markets have been marked by substantial price increases since 2003. Because of the long lead times of raw materials extraction projects (the time period from exploration to the start-up of production), market observers anticipate a sustained period of high prices, which is likely to last several more years. These high market prices make the extraction of raw materials in frontier areas like the Arctic increasingly interesting. This is even more the case given that the retreat of the Arctic ice cap, due to the warming of the climate in recent decades, could make it substantially easier to develop deposits of raw materials. In addition, the northern sea routes—both the Northeast and Northwest Passages—could be used to create new infrastructures for international trade flows and to tap new opportunities for maritime commerce. Given the significant economic potential of the Arctic, it is essential for all stakeholders to build stronger networks and to establish structures for communication and the settlement of disputes.
The Arctic in Play: Governance in a Time of Rapid Change
Authors: Young Oran
Published: May 2009

The current wave of interest in Arctic affairs has struck with startling speed and remarkable force. Fueled by the writings of pundits asking provocative questions (e.g., “who owns the Arctic?”), this wave has now captured the attention of policymakers and begun to trigger policy responses (e.g., the May 2008 Ilulissat Declaration from the five Arctic coastal states). This article examines these developments from the perspective of governance, raising questions about underlying drivers, the identity of relevant stakeholders, the framing of issues for consideration in policy settings, and the extent to which a new regime for the Arctic Ocean or an even more ambitious legally binding convention or treaty for the whole Arctic region is needed. The general conclusion is that many proposals on offer in this realm are simplistic but that there is a strong case for taking a number of pragmatic steps to address specific problems of governance in the far North during an era of rapid change.
Determination of the Outer Continental Shelf Limits and the Role of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf
Authors: Reichert Christian
Published: May 2009

The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) came into force in 1994. Under its provisions coastal states have the right to delineate the outer limits of the juridical continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. This article outlines how to provide evidence and obtain the official recommendation by the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. Examples of difficulties that may occur under particular circumstances due to complex terminology of the related LOSC provisions are described. Possible implications for the Arctic Ocean are presented.
Messianism in Linear and Cyclical Contexts
Authors: Jongeneel Jan
Published: May 2009

The Messiah figure originates from the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. In a linear setting it interprets his person and work politically, spiritually, and apocalyptically. The New Testament applies this Hebrew concept spiritually and apocalyptically to Jesus of Nazareth: he is unrepeatably and irreversibly the Messiah/Christ of both Jews and gentiles. In the Qu'ran Jesus is known as al-Masih, but there this term merely functions as a name. However, the Islam points to the coming of the Mahdi figure at the end of the times, comparable with the Second Coming in Christianity. Therefore, the Messiah/Christ/Mahdi figure, as a unique figure, is at home in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These monotheistic religions place him, each in their own way, in a linear frame. In modern times cultural anthropologists and other scholars in the humanities have extended the use of the terms 'Messiah' and 'Messianism' to figures and phenomena in cyclical contexts. They do not hesitate to speak about 'the Hindu Messiah' and 'Buddhist Messianism'. The present article explores the nature of both the cyclical and linear views of time and history, investigates the birth and growth of Messianism in these specific settings, with special reference to modern developments, and compares the linear concepts of the Messiah and Messianism with the cyclical ones. At the end the article questions whether the cyclical and linear views of the Messiah and Messianism can be harmonized by the use of the spiral as bridge.
Music and Meditation: Songs in Johannes Mauburnus's Rosetum exercitiorum spiritualium
Authors: Hascher-Burger Ulrike
Published: May 2009

The Rosetum exercitiorum spiritualium et sacrarum meditationum of Johannes Mauburnus is considered the most extensive and influential treatise on meditation in the circles of the late Devotio Moderna. It was printed in five editions from the late fifteenth to the early seventeenth century. Besides instructions for numerous meditations of varying length, this treatise contains seven religious songs which were intended to stir up the emotions and facilitate the correct disposition for meditation. These songs were created as contrafacts, meaning that the newly composed texts were sung to well-known melodies of liturgical hymns and religious songs. In song rubrics, Mauburnus gives precise instructions about their function as an aid to summoning the motivation for the great number of spiritual exercises that had to be accomplished by the adherents of the Devotio Moderna every day. A unique feature of the Rosetum is the combination of a concrete meditation with a corresponding written song. These songs have not yet been examined systematically. The texts were edited by Guido Maria Dreves in Analecta hymnica on the basis of the edition printed in Paris in 1510. The melodies have not yet been reconstructed. In this article, the seven contrafacts are studied for the first time from the point of view of their structure and function, and their melodies are reconstructed on the basis of liturgical sources associated with the Devotio Moderna.
The Latin Liturgical Song Subtitled. Middle Dutch Translations of Hymns and Sequences
Authors: Desplenter Youri
Published: May 2009

This article aims to provide insight into the nature, distribution and function of certain Middle Dutch translations of Latin hymns and sequences that originated in the circles of the Devotio Moderna. Unlike the vernacular versions in (most) Middle Dutch lay breviaries, which were used as texts for prayer in the context of private devotion, the translations in what I refer to as “vernacular mass and office books” functioned as subtitles to the Latin liturgy. This type of book was primarily intended for canonesses regular, religious women who had to attend the liturgical services of the Divine Office and of Mass, but had not (fully) mastered Latin. Mass and office books originated in the eastern part of the northern Netherlands, whereas the lay breviaries were intended for tertiaries from the western side of the diocese of Utrecht. These women, who followed the rule of the Third Order of St Francis, were not obliged to attend the liturgical services. In order to illustrate the nature and function of the mass and office books, the article focuses on the books of the canonesses regular of St Agnes's in Maaseik.
The Contribution of Componential Analysis to the Semantic Analysis of a Lexical Field of Ancient Hebrew: Some Concrete Examples from the Lexical Field of the Substantives of Gift
Authors: Zanella Francesco
Published: May 2009

The aim of the present paper is to highlight the main theoretical features of the semantic methodology known as “componential analysis of meaning” (CA), especially focusing on their heuristic relevance in their application to Ancient Hebrew (AH). The elucidation of the theoretical principles and importance of CA will be carried out with a continuous and concrete reference to meaningful examples from the lexical field (LF) of the substantives of “gift” in Ancient Hebrew. As a derived effect, the present paper will also demonstrate that CA can be considered as a theory that actually produces positive results (viz. problem solving, explanatory coherence as well as innovative data). As far as the future scientific role of CA is concerned, it is in fact crucial to insist on the coherence between CA's theoretical principles, its results and its aims—i.e. to claim that CA is a theory. In this regard, in the final part of this paper I will try to describe briefly what the future challenges for CA could be: I will refer in particular to the opportunity of drawing cultural conclusions in the light of the purely linguistic data that are provided by CA, without necessarily removing it from its structuralist constraints. The present paper will be developed into four specific sections: (a) The first—preliminary—section will briefly describe the main theoretical notions of CA. (b) The second part will focus on the analysis and the explanation of the theoretical grounds and the concrete procedures of CA. (c) The third section will provide specific examples from the LF of the substantives of “gift” in order to show the heuristic relevance of CA, especially in cases when problem solving and explanatory coherence are required. (d) The fourth section will try to illustrate what the future challenges for CA could be.
Structure of Stratospheric Wave Responses to ENSO Convection
Authors: Weare Bryan C.
Published: May 2009

Generalized maximum covariance analysis (GMCA) has been developed and applied to diagnosing the relationships between ENSO tropospheric heating variations and tropical stratospheric waves. GMCA identifies the most important patterns of covariability between interannual tropospheric heating variations and eddy zonal and meridional velocities, temperatures, and ozone mixing ratios in the tropics between 200 and 10 hPa. The first two sets of GMCA time coefficients have variations that are strongly related to ENSO and are highly correlated at a lag of about a year. The diagnosed spatial patterns have broad wavenumber 1 characteristics, which are associated with ENSO. These dominant modes of heating variations are linked to a rich three-dimensional pattern of stratospheric eddy perturbations over a wide range of lags. Generally, all major features propagate slowly to the east along with the tropospheric heating anomaly. In addition there is strong vertical coherence such that the strongest anomalies tilt westward from the bottom to the top of the domain. This tilt is associated with propagating wavenumber-1 gravity waves. The patterns are such that, in the lower stratosphere, regions of divergence, corresponding to upward motion, are associated with lower temperatures and reduced ozone mixing ratios and vice versa. These findings are consistent with adiabatic cooling of rising low–ozone concentration tropospheric air. Evidence suggests that the analyzed eddy variations of temperatures and winds are contributing to systematic changes in the zonal mean circulation.
Use of a Vertical Vorticity Equation in Variational Dual-Doppler Wind Analysis
Authors: Shapiro Alan , Potvin Corey K. , Gao Jidong
Published: May 2009

The utility of the anelastic vertical vorticity equation in a weak-constraint (least squares error) variational dual-Doppler wind analysis procedure is explored. The analysis winds are obtained by minimizing a cost function accounting for the discrepancies between observed and analyzed radial winds, errors in the mass conservation equation, errors in the anelastic vertical vorticity equation, and spatial smoothness constraints. By using Taylor’s frozen-turbulence hypothesis to shift analysis winds to observation points, discrepancies between radially projected analysis winds and radial wind observations can be calculated at the actual times and locations the data are acquired. The frozen-turbulence hypothesis is also used to evaluate the local derivative term in the vorticity equation. Tests of the analysis procedure are performed with analytical pseudo-observations of an array of translating and temporally decaying counterrotating updrafts and downdrafts generated from a Beltrami flow solution of the Navier–Stokes equations. The experiments explore the value added to the analysis by the vorticity equation constraint in the common scenario of substantial missing low-level data (radial wind observations at heights beneath 1.5 km are withheld from the analysis). Experiments focus on the sensitivity of the most sensitive analysis variable—the vertical velocity component—to values of the weighting coefficients, volume scan period, number of volume scans, and errors in the estimated frozen-turbulence pattern-translation components. Although the vorticity equation constraint is found to add value to many of these analyses, the analysis can become significantly degraded if estimates of the pattern-translation components are largely in error or if the frozen-turbulence hypothesis itself breaks down. However, tests also suggest that these negative impacts can be mitigated if data are available in a rapid-scan mode.
An Extratropical Air–Sea Interaction over the North Pacific in Association with a Preceding El Niño Episode in Early Summer
Authors: Wang Yafei , Lupo Anthony R.
Published: May 2009

Using data for the month of June from 1951 through 2000, this study examined the air–sea interactions over the North Pacific after El Niño matured during the preceding fall season. The principal findings of this work are the following: 1) a coherent region near the international date line (IDL) in the extratropical North Pacific revealed an area of significant negative correlations (SNCs) between the preceding November sea surface temperature (SST) in the Niño-3 region and the June SST in the North Pacific. Also, two indexes of the June Okhotsk high show a significant positive correlation with the November SST in the Niño-3 region during the 1963–2000 period. 2) The strong southeastward wave flux from the upstream area of the Okhotsk Sea over much of the North Pacific in the midlatitudes is associated with a strong preceding El Niño event, the development of the Okhotsk high, and a negative 500-hPa geopotential height/SST anomaly around the coherent region. The stationary wave propagation plays a major part in maintaining the low SSTs in the coherent region and suppressing the northward progress of the subtropical high. This process partially bridges the connection between the central equatorial Pacific warming (CEPW) and the East Asian summer monsoon. 3) A wave train–like anomaly in the SST (tilted northwest–southeast) was established and maintained in the North Pacific during the summer of 1998. This coincided with the direction of the atmospheric Rossby wave propagation as the strong southeastward wave flux was scattered over the midlatitude North Pacific. This event provides solid evidence that Rossby wave propagation plays an important role in forming an oceanic temperature wave train in the extratropical Pacific through the barotropic process.
The Method for Object-Based Diagnostic Evaluation (MODE) Applied to Numerical Forecasts from the 2005 NSSL/SPC Spring Program
Authors: Davis Christopher A. , Brown Barbara G. , Bullock Randy , Halley-Gotway John
Published: May 2009

The authors use a procedure called the method for object-based diagnostic evaluation, commonly referred to as MODE, to compare forecasts made from two models representing separate cores of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model during the 2005 National Severe Storms Laboratory and Storm Prediction Center Spring Program. Both models, the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) and the Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NMM), were run without a traditional cumulus parameterization scheme on horizontal grid lengths of 4 km (ARW) and 4.5 km (NMM). MODE was used to evaluate 1-h rainfall accumulation from 24-h forecasts valid at 0000 UTC on 32 days between 24 April and 4 June 2005. The primary variable used for evaluation was a “total interest” derived from a fuzzy-logic algorithm that compared several attributes of forecast and observed rain features such as separation distance and spatial orientation. The maximum value of the total interest obtained by comparing an object in one field with all objects in the comparison field was retained as the quality of matching for that object. The median of the distribution of all such maximum-interest values was selected as a metric of the overall forecast quality.

Results from the 32 cases suggest that, overall, the configuration of the ARW model used during the 2005 Spring Program performed slightly better than the configuration of the NMM model. The primary manifestation of the differing levels of performance was fewer false alarms, forecast rain areas with no observed counterpart, in the ARW. However, it was noted that the performance varied considerably from day to day, with most days featuring indistinguishable performance. Thus, a small number of poor NMM forecasts produced the overall difference between the two models.