bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An SOA-Based Model for the Integrated Provisioning of Cloud and Grid Resources
Authors: Bosin Andrea
Published: November 2012

In the last years, the availability and models of use of networked computing resources within reach of e-Science are rapidly changing and see the coexistence of many disparate paradigms: high-performance computing, grid, and recently cloud. Unfortunately, none of these paradigms is recognized as the ultimate solution, and a convergence of them all should be pursued. At the same time, recent works have proposed a number of models and tools to address the growing needs and expectations in the field of e-Science. In particular, they have shown the advantages and the feasibility of modeling e-Science environments and infrastructures according to the service-oriented architecture. In this paper, we suggest a model to promote the convergence and the integration of the different computing paradigms and infrastructures for the dynamic on-demand provisioning of resources from multiple providers as a cohesive aggregate, leveraging the service-oriented architecture. In addition, we propose a design aimed at endorsing a flexible, modular, workflow-based computing model for e-Science.
The model is supplemented by a working prototype implementation together with a case study in the applicative domain of bioinformatics, which is used to validate the presented approach and to carry out some performance and scalability measurements.
Positive Data Visualization Using Trigonometric Function
Authors: Ibraheem Farheen , Hussain Maria , Hussain Malik Zawwar , Bhatti Akhlaq Ahmad
Published: November 2012

A C1 piecewise rational trigonometric cubic function with four shape parameters has been constructed to address the problem of visualizing positive data. Simple data‐dependent constraints on shape parameters are derived to preserve positivity and assure smoothness. The method is then extended to positive surface data by rational trigonometric bicubic function. The order of approximation of developed interpolant is .
Management of Chronic Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: Cross-Fertilisation between HIV/AIDS and Diabetes Care
Authors: van Olmen Josefien , Schellevis François , Van Damme Wim , Kegels Guy , Rasschaert Freya
Published: November 2012

There is growing attention for chronic diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and for bridges between the management of HIV/AIDS and other (noncommunicable) chronic diseases. This becomes more urgent with increasing numbers of people living with both HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions. This paper discusses the commonalities between chronic diseases by reviewing models of care, focusing on the two most dominant ones, diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) and HIV/AIDS. We argue that in order to cope with care for HIV patients and diabetes patients, health systems in SSA need to adopt new strategies taking into account essential elements of chronic disease care. We developed a “chronic dimension framework,” which analyses the “disease dimension,” the “health provider dimension,” the patient or “person dimension,” and the “environment dimension” of chronic diseases. Applying this framework to HIV/AIDS and DM2 shows that it is useful to think about management of both in tandem, comparing care delivery platforms and self-management strategies. A literature review on care delivery models for diabetes and HIV/AIDS in SSA revealed potential elements for cross-fertilisation: rapid scale-up approaches through the public health approach by simplification and decentralisation; community involvement, peer support, and self-management strategies; and strengthening health services.
Epileptic Encephalopathies: An Overview
Authors: Khan Sonia , Al Baradie Raidah
Published: November 2012

Epileptic encephalopathies are an epileptic condition characterized by epileptiform abnormalities associated with progressive cerebral dysfunction. In the classification of the International League Against Epilepsy eight age-related epileptic encephalopathy syndromes are recognized. These syndromes include early myoclonic encephalopathy and Ohtahara syndrome in the neonatal period, West syndrome and Dravet syndrome in infancy, myoclonic status in nonprogressive encephalopathies, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Landau-Kleffner syndrome, and epilepsy with continuous spike waves during slow wave sleep in childhood and adolescences. Other epileptic syndromes such as migrating partial seizures in infancy and severe epilepsy with multiple independent spike foci may be reasonably added. In this paper, we provide an overview of epileptic encephalopathies including clinical neurophysiological features, cognitive deterioration, and management options especially that these conditions are generally refractory to standard antiepileptic drugs.
Diversity of Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Determinants inPseudomonas aeruginosaAssociated with Fresh Vegetables
Authors: Allydice-Francis Kashina , Brown Paul D.
Published: November 2012

With the increased focus on healthy eating and consuming raw vegetables, this study assessed the extent of contamination of fresh vegetables byPseudomonas aeruginosain Jamaica and examined the antibiotic susceptibility profiles and the presence of various virulence associated determinants ofP. aeruginosa. Analyses indicated that vegetables from retail markets and supermarkets were widely contaminated byP. aeruginosa; produce from markets were more frequently contaminated, but the difference was not significant. Lettuce and carrots were the most frequently contaminated vegetables, while tomatoes were the least. Pigment production (Pyoverdine, pyocyanin, pyomelanin and pyorubin), fluorescein and alginate were common in these isolates. Imipenem, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin were the most inhibitory antimicrobial agents. However, isolates were resistant or showed reduced susceptibility to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim and aztreonam, and up to 35% of the isolates were resistant to four antimicrobial agents. As many as 30% of the isolates were positive for thefpv1gene, and 13% had multiple genes. Sixty-four percent of the isolates harboured an exoenzyme gene (exoS,exoT,exoUorexoY), and multiple exo genes were common. We conclude thatP. aeruginosais a major contaminant of fresh vegetables, which might be a source of infection for susceptible persons within the community.
Effects of Moxibustion Stimulation on the Intensity of Infrared Radiation of Tianshu (ST25) Acupoints in Rats with Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Wang Xiaomei , Zhou Shuang , Yao Wei , Wan Hua , Wu Huangan , Wu Luyi , Liu Huirong , Hua Xuegui , Shi Peifeng
Published: November 2012

ST25 is a key acupoint used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis by moxibustion stimulation, but the biophysical mechanism underlying its effects is still unknown. The aim of the present study was to explore the biophysical properties of ST25 acupoint stimulated by moxibustion in a rat model of ulcerative colitis. The infrared radiation intensity of fourteen wavelengths of ST25 showed significant differences between the normal and model control groups. The intensity of infrared radiation of forty wavelengths showed significant differences compared with the corresponding control points in normal rats. The intensity of infrared radiation of twenty-eight wavelengths showed significant differences compared with the corresponding control points in model rats. The intensity of infrared radiation of nine wavelengths in the herb-partition moxibustion group, eighteen wavelengths in the ginger-partition moxibustion group, seventeen wavelengths in the garlic-partition moxibustion group, and fourteen wavelengths in the warming moxibustion group of the left ST25 showed significant differences compared with that of the model control group. For the right-hand-side ST25, these values were 33, 33, 2, and 8 wavelengths, respectively. This indicated that one possible biophysical mechanism of moxibustion on ST25 in ulcerative colitis model rats might involve changes in the intensity of infrared radiation of ST25 at different wavelengths.
Characterization of Porcine Ventral Mesencephalic Precursor Cells following Long-Term Propagation in 3D Culture
Authors: Jensen Pia S. , Lyck Lise , Jensen Pia , Zimmer Jens , Meyer Morten
Published: November 2012

The potential use of predifferentiated neural precursor cells for treatment of a neurological disorder like Parkinson’s disease combines stem cell research with previous experimental and clinical transplantation of developing dopaminergic neurons. One current obstacle is, however, the lack of ability to generate dopaminergic neurons after long-termin vitropropagation of the cells. The domestic pig is considered a useful nonprimate large animal model in neuroscience, because of a better resemblance of the larger gyrencephalic pig brain to the human brain than the commonly used brains of smaller rodents. In the present study, porcine embryonic (28–30 days), ventral mesencephalic precursor cells were isolated and propagated as free-floating neural tissue spheres in medium containing epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor 2. For passaging, the tissue spheres were cut into quarters, avoiding mechanical or enzymatic dissociation in order to minimize cellular trauma and preserve intercellular contacts. Spheres were propagated for up to 237 days with analysis of cellular content and differentiation at various time points. Our study provides the first demonstration that porcine ventral mesencephalic precursor cells can be long-term propagated as neural tissue spheres, thereby providing an experimental 3Din vitromodel for studies of neural precursor cells, their niche, and differentiation capacity.
MIMO LPV State‐Space Identification of Open‐Flow Irrigation Canal Systems
Authors: Bolea Yolanda , Chefdor Nicolas , Grau Antoni
Published: November 2012

Canal systems are complex nonlinear, distributed parameter systems with changing parameters according to the operating point. In this paper, a linear parameter‐varying (LPV) state‐space canal control model is obtained by identification in a local way using a multimodel approach. This LPV identification procedure is based on subspace methods for different operating points of an irrigation canal covering the full operation range. Different subspace algorithms have been used and compared. The model that best represents the canal behavior in a precise manner has been chosen, and it has been validated by error functions and analysis correlation of residuals in a laboratory multireach pilot canal providing satisfactory results.
Micromotion of Dental Implants: Basic Mechanical Considerations
Authors: Winter Werner , Klein Daniel , Karl Matthias
Published: November 2012

Micromotion of dental implants may interfere with the process of osseointegration. Using three different types of virtual biomechanical models, varying contact types between implant and bone were simulated, and implant deformation, bone deformation, and stress at the implant-bone interface were recorded under an axial load of 200 N, which reflects a common biting force. Without friction between implant and bone, a symmetric loading situation of the bone with maximum loading and displacement at the apex of the implant was recorded. The addition of threads led to a decrease in loading and displacement at the apical part, but loading and displacement were also observed at the vertical walls of the implants. Introducing friction between implant and bone decreased global displacement. In a force fit situation, load transfer predominantly occurred in the cervical area of the implant. For freshly inserted implants, micromotion was constant along the vertical walls of the implant, whereas, for osseointegrated implants, the distribution of micromotion depended on the location. In the cervical aspect some minor micromotion in the range of 0.75 μm could be found, while at the most apical part almost no relative displacement between implant and bone occurred.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Parameters of Pure and Diborinin‐Doped (6,0) Single‐Walled Zigzag BNNT: DFT Study
Authors: Arshadi Sattar , Abedini Saboora , Asghari Ameneh , Alipour Zaghmarzi Fatemeh
Published: November 2012

A computational study on the basis of density functional theory (DFT) calculations has been performed to investigate the properties of the electronic structure of (6,0) zigzag boron nitride nanotubes and two models ((a) and (b)) of diborinin‐doped boron nitride nanotubes (DBD‐BNNTs). The calculated structural energies yield similar values for two models of DBD‐BNNTs. Isotropic (CSI) and anisotropic (CSA) chemical shielding parameters of the optimized BNNT and DBD‐BNNTs are calculated. The results illustrate that the changes in chemical shielding tensors of 11B and 15N nuclei are more significant in the nearest neighborhood of the diborinin ring due to doping process. The changes of the electronic sites of the N atoms are also more significant than those of the B atoms. The dipole moments of the diborinin‐doped BNNT structures show changes with respect to the pristine model. It is clear that the doping of diborinin ring decreases the energy gaps of the pure BNNT. For the pure model, the HOMO is located on the nitrogen atoms, and the LUMO is uniformly distributed throughout the B–N bonds. In contrast, for the diborinin‐doped models, the majority of the HOMO and LUMO are located at the diborinin‐doped regions.
Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing in Prospective Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Uncovers Therapeutic Vulnerabilities
Authors: Craig David W. , O'Shaughnessy Joyce A. , Kiefer Jeffrey A. , Aldrich Jessica , Sinari Shripad , Moses Tracy M. , Wong Shukmei , Dinh Jennifer , Christoforides Alexis , Blum Joanne L. , Aitelli Cristi L. , Osborne Cynthia R. , Izatt Tyler , Kurdoglu Ahmet , Baker Angela , Koeman Julie , Barbacioru Catalin , Sakarya Onur , De La Vega Francisco M. , Siddiqui Asim , Hoang Linh , Billings Paul R. , Salhia Bodour , Tolcher Anthony W. , Trent Jeffrey M. , Mousses Spyro , Von Hoff Daniel , Carpten John D.
Published: November 2012

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the absence of expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER-2. Thirty percent of patients recur after first-line treatment, and metastatic TNBC (mTNBC) has a poor prognosis with median survival of one year. Here, we present initial analyses of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing data from 14 prospective mTNBC. We have cataloged the collection of somatic genomic alterations in these advanced tumors, particularly those that may inform targeted therapies. Genes mutated in multiple tumors included TP53, LRP1B, HERC1, CDH5, RB1, and NF1. Notable genes involved in focal structural events were CTNNA1, PTEN, FBXW7, BRCA2, WT1, FGFR1, KRAS, HRAS, ARAF, BRAF, and PGCP. Homozygous deletion of CTNNA1 was detected in 2 of 6 African Americans. RNA sequencing revealed consistent overexpression of the FOXM1 gene when tumor gene expression was compared with nonmalignant breast samples. Using an outlier analysis of gene expression comparing one cancer with all the others, we detected expression patterns unique to each patient's tumor. Integrative DNA/RNA analysis provided evidence for deregulation of mutated genes, including the monoallelic expression of TP53 mutations. Finally, molecular alterations in several cancers supported targeted therapeutic intervention on clinical trials with known inhibitors, particularly for alterations in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. In conclusion, whole genome and transcriptome profiling of mTNBC have provided insights into somatic events occurring in this difficult to treat cancer. These genomic data have guided patients to investigational treatment trials and provide hypotheses for future trials in this irremediable cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(1); 104–16. ©2012 AACR.
Individual and Area Level Socioeconomic Status and Its Association with Cognitive Function and Cognitive Impairment (Low MMSE) among Community-Dwelling Elderly in Singapore
Authors: Wee Liang En , Yeo Wei Xin , Yang Gui Rong , Hannan Nazirul , Lim Kenny , Chua Christopher , Tan Mae Yue , Fong Nikki , Yeap Amelia , Chen Lionel , Koh Gerald Choon-Huat , Shen Han Ming
Published: November 2012

Background/Aims: Neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) can affect cognitive function. We assessed cognitive function and cognitive impairment among community-dwelling elderly in a multi-ethnic urban low-SES Asian neighborhood and compared them with a higher-SES neighborhood. Methods: The study population involved all residents aged ≥60 years in two housing estates comprising owner-occupied housing (higher SES) and rental flats (low SES) in Singapore in 2012. Cognitive impairment was defined as <24 on the Mini Mental State Examination. Demographic/clinical details were collected via questionnaire. Multilevel linear regression was used to evaluate factors associated with cognitive function, while multilevel logistic regression determined predictors of cognitive impairment. Results: Participation was 61.4% (558/909). Cognitive impairment was found in 26.2% (104/397) of residents in the low-SES community and in 16.1% (26/161) of residents in the higher-SES community. After adjusting for other sociodemographic variables, living in a low-SES community was independently associated with poorer cognitive function (β = –1.41, SD = 0.58, p < 0.01) and cognitive impairment (adjusted odds ratio 5.13, 95% CI 1.98–13.34). Among cognitively impaired elderly in the low-SES community, 96.2% (100/104) were newly detected. Conclusion: Living in a low-SES community is independently associated with cognitive impairment in an urban Asian society.
Excessive Leukotriene B4 in Nucleus Tractus Solitarii Is Prohypertensive in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Waki Hidefumi , Hendy Emma B. , Hindmarch Charles C.T. , Gouraud Sabine , Toward Marie , Kasparov Sergey , Murphy David , Paton Julian F.R.
Published: November 2012

Inflammation within the brain stem microvasculature has been associated with chronic cardiovascular diseases. We found that the expression of several enzymes involved in arachidonic acid-leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production was altered in nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). LTB4 produced from arachidonic acid by 5-lipoxygenase is a potent chemoattractant of leukocytes. Leukotriene B4-12-hydroxydehydrogenase (LTB4-12-HD), which degrades LTB4, was downregulated in SHR rats compared with that in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that LTB4-12-HD was reduced by 63% and 58% in the NTS of adult SHR and prehypertensive SHR, respectively, compared with that in age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (n=6). 5-lipoxygenase gene expression was upregulated in the NTS of SHR (≈50%; n=6). LTB4 levels were increased in the NTS of the SHR, (17%; n=10,
P
<0.05). LTB4 receptors BLT1 (but not BLT2) were expressed on astroglia in the NTS but not neurons or vessels. Microinjection of LTB4 into the NTS of Wistar-Kyoto rats increased both leukocyte adherence and arterial pressure for over 4 days (peak: +15 mm Hg;
P
<0.01). In contrast, blockade of NTS BLT1 receptors lowered blood pressure in the SHR (peak: −13 mm Hg;
P
<0.05) but not in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Thus, excessive amounts of LTB4 in NTS of SHR, possibly as a result of upregulation of 5-lipoxygenase and downregulation of LTB4-12-HD, can induce inflammation. Because blockade of NTS BLT1 receptors lowered arterial pressure in the SHR, their endogenous activity may contribute to the hypertensive state of this rodent model. Thus, inflammatory reactions in the brain stem are causally associated with neurogenic hypertension.
Altar of Words: Text and Ritual in Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2
Authors: Freedman Yitzhak
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The following study examines the nature and purport of the Upaniṣadic text, focusing on the second chapter of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad. This chapter exhibits structural aspects that parallel those of the brick altar constructed during the Vedic ritual of agnicayana, “piling of the fire-altar.” An analysis of the chapter in light of the interpretations of this ritual in the Brāhmaṇas leads to a new understanding of the text. Rather than being primarily a revelation of doctrine, the text is a manual for a variant, verbalized form of the “piling of the fire-altar.” The verbalized agnicayana includes a ritual construction of the self (ātman) as an altar, created not by bricks, but by the words of the Upaniṣadic text.
Zhang Heng's Huntian yi zhu Revisited
Authors: Lien Y. Edmund
Published: November 2012

The Huntian yi zhu is one of the earliest surviving works on astronomy in ancient China. It is traditionally attributed to Zhang Heng (78-139) of the Eastern Han. Modern scholars have studied the text for the past seven decades and there seems to be agreement on its interpretation, especially on its mathematical contents. This article identifies one major flaw in the assumptions among the modern studies of the piece: the term shao ban, incorrectly taken to mean “one quarter,” should mean “one third.” The mathematical interpretation of the Huntian yi zhu by scholars including Christopher Cullen and Chen Meidong has to be reworked. A new reading is presented here, which demonstrates Zhang Heng's meticulousness on the one hand and our adherence to the philological principle of lectio difficilior potior (the more difficult reading is the stronger) on the other.
Direct-developing frogs: ontogeny of Oreobates barituensis (Anura: Terrarana) and the development of a novel trait
Authors: Goldberg Javier , Candioti Florencia Vera , Akmentins Mauricio Sebastián
Published: November 2012

Within Anura, direct development involves ontogenetic changes of the biphasic ancestral pattern. The recent partitioning of the genus Eleutherodactylus, along with the proposition of the unranked taxon Terrarana, has renewed an interest to the morphological and ecological diversity among direct-developing frogs. The morphological changes during embryonic development of Oreobates barituensis is similar to those of other Neotropical direct-developing species, including the reduction or absence of several larval and embryonic characters (e.g., external gills and adhesive glands), heterochronic changes (e.g., early developing limbs and late persistence of ciliated epidermal cells), and the appearance of new structures (e.g., egg tooth). The tail achieves an extraordinary peramorphic development (encloses the entire embryo), and the location of its expanded part is interpreted as a heterotopic change resulting in a novel trait. An enveloping tail with apparently non-heterotopic fins, combined with the absence of gills, has been only reported for a species of the related genus Craugastor, and these morphologies suggest an informative perspective for the study of evolution of direct development in terraranans.
Distribution of Testudo graeca in the western Mediterranean according to climatic factors
Authors: Anadón José Daniel , Giménez Andrés , Graciá Eva , Pérez Irene , Ferrández Marcos , Fahd Soumia , El Mouden Hassan , Kalboussi Mohsen , Jdeidi Tarek , Larbes Said , Rouag Rachid , Slimani Tahar , Znari Mohammed , Fritz Uwe
Published: November 2012

Despite being one of the most charismatic elements of the Mediterranean Basin fauna and its threatened status, the western Mediterranean range of Testudo graeca is at present very poorly known. The present work provides the most detailed geographical and ecological description for the North African clade of T. graeca so far. We gathered 283 occurrence data of T. graeca in North Africa and modelled the distribution by means of presence-only distribution modelling tools. The obtained model was then projected to southern Europe in order to explore whether the environmental characteristics of European populations fall into the predicted niche of the species in North Africa.

T. graeca showed a wide environmental range in North Africa. Presence localities ranged from the sea level to 2090 m of altitude and from 116 to 1093 mm of annual precipitation. The presence-only model indicates that distribution in North Africa is mainly related to rainfall, specifically rainfall values in the wettest and coldest quarter of the year. The distribution model showed a range of ca. 1 000 000 km2. The projection of the model to southern Europe showed that the southern Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas, as well as most Mediterranean islands, present climatic conditions within those found in the range of the species in North Africa.
New data on the mesopelagic shrimp community of the Canary Islands region
Authors: Landeira J. M. , Fransen C. H. J. M.
Published: November 2012

During the “ZIFIOCAL 1” cruise, carried out around the islands El Hierro and Tenerife (Canary Islands, NW Africa), at depths between 200 and 750 m, 990 mesopelagic shrimps belonging to 29 species were identified. Many of these species are rare, and therefore the present records constitute new data on their vertical and biogeographical distribution. The collection ofSergia burukovskiirepresents a new record for the Canary Islands. Finally, the first finding ofLigur ensiferusdisplaying a pelagic distribution is also reported.
Creating a ‘We-feeling’ in Heterogeneous Nations: A Cross-country Investigation of the Impact of Inclusion and Autonomy on the National Pride of Ethnic Minorities
Authors: Bühlmann Marc , Hänni Miriam
Published: November 2012

Abstract

In this contribution, we investigate the impact of different institutions on ethnic minorities’ political support. Based on a hierarchical cross-country comparison, we first show that individuals belonging to ethnic minorities have less national identity than the majority groups within the same country. We then test whether this negative effect of belonging to ethnic minorities can be attenuated by institutions. First, we argue that the inclusion of ethnic minorities by power-sharing institutions gives them the possibility to have a say in politics and, therefore, they develop a sense of common identity. Second, when minority groups are given the autonomy to preserve their group identity, e.g., in federal units, they develop positive feelings for the whole nation and finally a national identity. Our multilevel analyses show that autonomy indeed attenuates the negative effect of minority status on national pride, but that this is not the case for inclusive institutions. In light of increasing heterogeneisation of societies because of migration and denationalization, our findings contribute to the discussion on the relationship between growing ethnic pluralism and good functioning of democratic regimes.
Does Heterogeneity Hinder Democracy?
Authors: Merkel Wolfgang , Weiffen Brigitte
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Research linking heterogeneity and democracy usually focuses on one single dimension of heterogeneity, such as the distribution of power resources, income inequality, gender inequality, or ethnic fractionalization. Empirical results have so far been inconsistent. This article attempts a sound conceptualization of the phenomenon of heterogeneity. In order to assess whether and how heterogeneity hampers democracy, we will first define what “heterogeneity” means and examine its various dimensions. Then we will discuss why and in which respect heterogeneity constitutes a challenge to democratic transition and consolidation and will review previous research. Our empirical analysis gauges the effect of various dimensions of heterogeneity on the political trajectory of states since the beginning of the third wave of democratization. We find that, while most facets of heterogeneity do not hinder democratic transition, most of them complicate democratic consolidation. Our final discussion offers some suggestions on how the obstacles that heterogeneity poses for democratic development could be overcome and which principles, procedures and institutions are most appropriate to deal with each of the different dimensions of heterogeneity.
Manfredo Tafuri, Fredric Jameson and the Contestations of Political Memory
Authors: Day Gail
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The Italian architectural historian Manfredo Tafuri (1935–94) developed a distinctive Marxist approach of critical analysis, which has prompted extensive responses. The reception of his work in the United States in the 1970s and 80s – the intervention of Fredric Jameson, especially – forms an important moment of historiographical mutation, in which the status of Tafuri’s politics holds an intriguing place: it was eviscerated in the very act of its affirmation. At stake is not simply the problems attending the transatlantic migration of a body of architectural theory, but also a question lying at the heart of Tafuri’s analysis: the problems of achieving social reforms, above all, in ‘working-class housing’. The difficulties encountered by projects to improve accommodation – from Weimar Germany and Red Vienna in the 1920s to the programmes of postwar Italy – provide the concrete material for Tafuri’s analysis while remaining a significant blind-spot within most of the commentary. Tafuri is here reappraised in the light of the political debates over the ‘neorealist architecture’ of the 1950s and the reform-policies of the Italian centre-Left in the early 1960s. Proceeding as if this formative moment never happened, Tafuri’s critics often engage in debates which confuse his critique of the building projects with political despair, and which appeal to enclave-building despite Tafuri’s explicit questioning of such strategies.
The Path Not Taken: French Industrialization in the Age of Revolution, 1750–1830, Jeff Horn, Cambridge, MA.: MIT Press, 2006
Authors: Heller Henry
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Eschewing a Marxist interpretation of the French Revolution, Jeff Horn’s work is nonetheless interesting in stressing the widespread prevalence of machine-breaking by workers in France as compared to England during industrialisation. Likewise notable is Horn’s argument that the resultant state-intervention forced France onto a path of industrialisation which differed from England’s and which has been underestimated. Breaking with the revisionist consensus, Horn further demonstrates that the effect of the Revolution was positive for French economic development. Refreshing in its stress on working-class militancy, Horn’s work nonetheless exaggerates the influence of machine-breaking on French economic change as compared to other forms of working-class struggle, the slow pace of primitive accumulation and the resistance to industrialisation by small-scale urban producers.
Rosa Luxemburg and the Critique of Political Economy, edited by Riccardo Bellofiore, London: Routledge, 2009
Authors: Schmidt Ingo
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This review-essay discusses the contributions to Ricardo Bellofiore’s bookRosa Luxemburg and the Critique of Political Economyin their respective historical and theoretical contexts. A key goal of the book is to establish Luxemburg’s work as a ‘macro-monetary class approach’, which means linking an economic outlook on effective demand and finance with a political focus on class-struggles in the domestic and international arenas. This approach marks a significant, and positive, departure from widespread interpretations that separate Luxemburg’s political theory from her economic theory. Given the apparent limits of neoliberal globalisation it is also a very timely approach that can help us to understand the current conjuncture of economic and political crises. Bellofiore’s book offers a useful framework for such analysis but focuses much more on economic theory than on politics and the historical developments of global capitalism. To fully exploit the potential of Luxemburg’s political economy, complementary work on these latter two aspects has to be done.
Who Is ‘The Prince’?: Hegel and Marx in Jameson and Bhaskar
Authors: Norrie Alan
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article compares the dialectics of Fredric Jameson and Roy Bhaskar. From a dialectical critical-realist standpoint, it argues that Jameson’s approach in his recent collection Valences of the Dialectic sits uncomfortably between Hegelian and Marxist presuppositions. This is seen in the way he configures the relation between thinking and being, and it leads to an alliance with poststructuralist thinking in which real negativity is denied. In consequence, his thought is caught between a critique of the present and the impossibility of thinking real change within it.
Beyond Black and White: Transforming African-American Politics, Manning Marable, Second Edition, London: Verso, 2009
Authors: Heideman Paul M.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The new edition of Manning Marable’sBeyond Black and Whiteseeks to explain the course of black politics in the United States over the last thirty years. Marable argues that this history shows the failure of liberal and nationalist politics to address the problems facing black Americans. Though Marable attempts to chart a course beyond these ideologies, his alternative of ‘transformative politics’, shorn of the revolutionary Marxism that defined his earlier writings, is no more capable of confronting racial inequality than the strategies it seeks to replace.
Between the Local and the Global: South African Languages and the Internet
Authors: WASSERMAN HERMAN
Published: November 2012

This article addresses some of the potential of the Internet in building a new South African nationhood, especially through language. However, before the Internet can really promote multilingualism and multiculturalism in South Africa, the severe inequalities that mark access to the medium need to be overcome, possibly by sharing resources between minority languages, of which Afrikaans is economically in the strongest position. Within the globalised world order, English is at the top of the hierarchy of dominance. It is the most commonly spoken second language and the lingua franca in the international business, media, scientific and academic worlds. While some welcome English as a means of communication with the potential of overcoming the global tower of Babel, others argue that minority languages might become threatened by 'language death'. For instrumental purposes, English has become the lingua franca in South African public life. While this means that the use of Afrikaans has been dramatically scaled down to occupy the position of a minority language, the other nine indigenous languages are at an even bigger disadvantage. Probably the greatest barrier in the way of indigenous languages gaining a presence on the Internet remains the problem that has come to be known as the digital divide. Access to the Internet is still marred by severe inequalities.
A Matter of Colour
Authors: ZEGEYE ABEBE
Published: November 2012

South Africa's 'coloured people' have, insofar as they can be described as a distinctive group, tended historically to be viewed as a 'minority group' that does not warrant separate research attention. Many coloured people accepted the identity the government attempted to impose on all 'coloured people,' making it a hazardous research task to determine which identities dominate social formation among 'coloured people.' In spite of the apartheid government's attempts, however, today no single coloured identity or definition of colouredness can be identified; rather, there are multiple identities based on regionalism, language and ideology. The apartheid government attempted to impose its own ideas of what South Africans' identities were through legislation and policy. However, this did not work because ultimately the legislation and policies were clearly discriminatory against all people of colour. The identities of many people were not so much formed by the government's imposed views of 'separate' identities, but by resistance to those imposed identities. While there was a strong tendency for people to accept a separate 'identity' for 'coloured people' under the apartheid system of government, there is no longer any justification for this as the present government and South Africans in general have accepted a democratic constitution guaranteeing equal rights to all its subjects.
Opportunities and Challenges of New Technologies in Media and Communication: The Windhoek Declaration
Authors: MJWACU THEMBISA
Published: November 2012

The author of this essay argues that the success or failure of development depends on the availability of technology. The invention and development of new technologies are instrumental in changing the way people live, the way people communicate and the way people respond to their environment. However, despite the advantages of new technologies, the problem of access remains an enduring one. In South Africa, access to new communications and information technologies is limited to a few people owing to the high costs of these technologies. Therefore, the mere acquisition of new technology may not help that much to end the underdevelopment of many parts of the world, including South Africa. Mjwacu claims that the imbalance or gap that the use of new technology and the failure to development the social infrastructure needed to use this technology can lead directly to an infringement of people's right of access to the media. She argues that the emphasis needs to be placed on establishing community-based communication systems in countries such as South Africa to advance both their technological and social development.
A Particular Defence of Particularism
Authors: Rehnman Sebastian
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This paper defends the received account—that the Westminster Assembly maintained that all salvific actions of God are particular in intention—against a revisionist argument that it allowed that some salvific actions of God may be universal in intention.
Questions on the Date of the Hellenistic Pottery from Central Asia (Ai Khanoum, Marakanda and Koktepe)
Authors: Lyonnet Bertille
Published: November 2012

Abstract

On the basis of recent research on the pottery and comparisons between three important sites with Hellenistic occupation in Central Asia, new dates are proposed for each of them. The article presents both the former data and hypotheses and the recent discoveries, including coins for Afrasiab/Samarkand, which lead to the new proposals. Changes in pottery style do not follow immediately Alexander’s conquest, and the first real Hellenistic shapes only appear under Antiochos I. After Antiochos III’s reconquest of Bactria, an important wave of new fashions in pottery style is introduced which lasted until Eucratides’ death and the end of the Greek domination, around the middle of the 2nd century BC. Sogdiana hardly shows any of these novelties because it had already gained its independence.
Josephus on Herod’s Domestic Intrigue in the Jewish War
Authors: Bond Helen K.
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article argues that women and domestic intrigue are prominent within the Herod narrative in Josephus’ Jewish War for a specific rhetorical reason. While the first half of the narrative presents the famous king in encomiastic terms, using him to illustrate Josephus’ contention that Jews generally were content to remain loyal to Rome, the second half of the account subtly presents a rather different thesis. Attention to domestic drama allowed Josephus to suggest that Herod was a man who was unable to control either his own emotions or his turbulent family, and so was unfit to rule. Ultimately for Josephus, the ideal constituency for Judaea is not monarchy (as represented by Herod) but the theocratic reign of priests.
Some Thoughts about Hebrew Fascism in Inter-war Palestine
Authors: Tamir Dan
Published: November 2012

During the 1920s and 1930s, fascist movements and groups flourished all around the world. Relying on Robert Paxton's postulate that the emergence of a fascist movement is an inherent part of modern societies with mass politics, this article examines the probable existence of such a fascist movement in the Hebrew society in Palestine of the time. After a short introduction of concepts of generic fascism and a review of the current state of research into the subject, the article discusses some aspects and characteristics of generic fascism which are specifically significant to this case study.
More than Words: Restorative Justice Concepts in Transitional Justice Settings
Authors: Clamp Kerry , Doak Jonathan
Published: November 2012

This article considers the applicability of restorative justice literature in the transitional justice arena. The authors argue that while restorative justice is applied to a wide range of conflicts, the established literature is often of limited value within a transitional context. Insufficient attention is often paid to the inherent difficulties in importing theories, concepts and practices designed for the context of ‘settled’ societies into post-conflict environments. Significantly more consideration needs to be given to the practical operation of transitional justice mechanisms, as well as their underlying normative bases, so that they might live up to the claims of many commentators that transitional justice is ‘restorative’.
Towards an Emancipatory Discourse of Children’s Rights
Authors: Cordero Arce Matías
Published: November 2012

Rights are tools of empowerment. However, the hegemonic children’s rights discourse, crystalized in the UNCRC, is anything but child empowering because it is indebted to specific Euro-American adult understandings which picturethe childas ignorant, innocent and needy and the child’shuman rightsas a concession granted by adults. From a survey of the relevant literature this paper critiques and pretends to challenge this disempowering conception. If historically the strength of any given right has depended on its condition of being conquered, the paper reframes the dominant discourse from the standpoint of real children, specifically working children, fighting for their rights. The paper thus embraces the experiences of children driving the children’s rights movement and takes steps to advance an emancipatory discourse of their rights where they become legislators by achieving authoritative, norm-creating capacity.
‘Who Is My Good Neighbor?’ Classical Indian Dance in the Prophetic Work of the Church
Authors: Roberts Michelle Voss
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The use of the classical dance form bharatanatyam by Catholic Christians has inspired vigorous resistance from Hindus and Christians alike. The most salient of these objections relate to the use of power. Some see this form of ministry as a colonialist appropriation; others argue that it perpetuates caste and religious values that do not belong to the majority of Indian Christians, who are Dalits. While the Church may eventually abandon this form of ministry for such reasons, I argue that the case of Nav Sadhana Kala Kendra, a Catholic school of dance and music in Varanasi that produces dance programs on video disc and YouTube, subverts both forms of hegemony.
Discovering the Presence of Christ in the World: A Response to Wolfgang Klausnitzer [1]
Authors: SPARN WALTER
Published: November 2012

 ABSTRACT
WalterSparn offers aresponseto Wolfgang Klausnitzer'spaperfor the sixtieth anniversary ofDietrich Bonhoeffer's death.Sparnis ingeneral agreement withKlausnitzer's interpretation.Sparn emphasises theneedtore-understand Bonhoeffer's polemicagainst 'religion'.He isalsoinagreement withKlausnitzer insituating Bonhoefferin relationto the current paradigm shiftin BiblicalStudies. Sparn elucidatesBonhoeffer's understandingof the Church as ahermeneuticalcommunity, as well as the consequences for the churchesintermsofradicalchange. Sparniscontent to endorse theunderstandingthatBonhoeffershares withIgnatius LoyolaandMartin Luther intheheritageof devotio moderna. But he challenges Klausnitzer's appeal to Rahner's transcendental 'original experience'.
ABOUT NEWLY DISCOVERED PIECES BY BOSCOVICH ON OPTICS AND ON THE FINDING OF A VITROMETRUM
Authors: TRIARICO CARLO
Published: November 2012

title RIASSUNTO /title L'esame di fonti inedite e finora sconosciute ha permesso il ritrovamento del VITROMETRUM ideato da Boscovich nel 1773. Lo strumento fu usato per esaminare le qualit dispersive e rifrattive dei vetri da applicare ai sistemi ottici acromatici in vista di un miglioramento della tecnica costruttiva dei cannocchiali dollondiani. Le carte esaminate, risalenti agli ultimi anni di vita dello scienziato, permettono inoltre di conoscere diversi aspetti dell'attivit teorica di Boscovich intorno all'ottica e di far luce su alcuni dei suoi rapporti con gli scienziati coevi. Tra le diverse questioni affrontate la determinazione della velocit della luce in mezzi di diversa densit, il commercio librario dei suoi testi, le pubbliche dimostrazioni conseguenti la pubblicazione della sua pi importante opera di Ottica nel 1785.
DORMANT TREASURES THE ZINNER-ARCHIVE AT FRANKFURT UNIVERSITY1
Authors: ACKERMANN SILKE
Published: November 2012

title SUMMARY /title Ernst Zinner was one of the best known historians of instruments of the 20th century. The following brief remarks are meant to give an introduction to the archives of his notes, correspondence and photographic records, and to trace the fate of this material from Zinner's desk in Bamberg to the library of the Institute for the History of Science at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University at Frankfurt / Main. Mention is also made of Zinner's extensive book and manuscript collections which do not form part of the archive, but were sold to the library of San Diego State College, California.
PEDRO NUNES, MATEMATICO E COSMOGRAFO PORTOGHESE DEL XVI SECOLO, E LA SUA DEFESA DO TRATADO DA RUMAO DO GLOBO PARA A ARTE DE NAVEGAR1
Authors: CARNEMOLLA STEFANIA ELENA
Published: November 2012

title SUMMARY /title The article contains an edition of an undated, and untitled Portuguese manuscript which is to be found in the National Library of Florence, and which once belonged to Cosimo III de' Medici, who had received it by the Portuguese engenheiro-mor and cosmographer Luis Serrao Pimentel. Nowadays known as Defensdo do Tratado da Rumao do GLOBO para a Arte de Navegar, it represents a work by the Portuguese mathematician and cosmographer Pedro Nunes on navigational problems such as the representation of the loxodrome on a globe, after he had proved that a ship following a fixed course did not describe a fixed line, but a curve which cut sucessive meridians at the same angle. Because of his theories, Nunes had exposed himself to criticism, whereas the Florentine manuscript represents a reaction to the attacks he had sufffered because of his teaching how to trace the loxodromic curve on a globe.
MUSEUM SPACES AND SPACES OF SCIENCE. REFLECTIONS ON THE EXPLANATORY POSSIBILITIES OF HISTORY OF SCIENCE COLLECTIONS
Authors: LTHY CHRISTOPH
Published: November 2012

title ABSTRACT /title Historians of science have been discussing the degree to which local scientific and social practices and circumstances may be taken into account before 'the history of science' as a coherent narrative implodes. This article argues that museum curators face related issues, albeit of a more complicated order, when deciding how to present historical scientific instruments. A number of these issues are discussed here. One of them concerns 'functional isometry', a term that refers to the ability of an historical instrument to perform its original functions also within the museum. It is shown that 'functional isometry' tends to disappear between the early modern and the modern period, just as the self-explanatory capacity of scientific instruments generally decreases. Indeed, there appears to be a discontinuity between early modern and modern instruments with regard to their ability to be exhibited in their functional context. This article concludes on a reflection on the implication of these findings for science museums.